Query Kombat is OVER!!! In a crazy final match-up, Jungle Vendetta won, which means only agent Jennie Goloboy gets the one-week exclusive (she's the only agent that correctly guessed which entry would win the entire Kontest). Congrats!
We know that many of you guys wondered about which one of us (Mike, Michelle, or I) picked your entry to be in Query Kombat. I wasn't too keen on presenting this info, and I'm still kind of not (for one thing, none of us read every single entry -- it all got, for the most part, randomly split into three piles). Just because we didn't pick it, doesn't mean we didn't like it. Most likely, we didn't even see it.
But, I know many of you guys want to know, and maybe it's a little fun to do this, now that the Kontest is over (Jungle Vendetta won! Michelle's pick. Grr. Next time, it'll be us, don't worry), so here it is.
Here are the entries that I picked for my third of the Query Kombat entries, and I loved all of you. Really! (Keep in mind, we didn't make a list of which ones we picked. I'm going based off of memory. There might be mistakes.)
Briget Meets Georgia
Broken Jar
Misfit Apocalypse
Tricks Aren't For Kids
Little Red Head
BourneMW
Sharkey Malarkey
Villainous Wizard
Supergeeker
Fists of Fury
Revenant
Silius
Sugar Tales
RedDryad
Colorblind
Dangerous Politics
Meryl-&-I
Aztecs in Space
The Fisherman
Zone Tripper
Champagne and Hot Dogs
The Swimmer
O Captain My Captain
I think the biggest reason I'm doing this is so that if ANY of you guys EVER get a success story -- be it a simple, "This contest really, really helped me make my query and 250 so much better," or "I got an agent/publisher!" PLEASE send me an email at SC_Author (at) yahoo (dot) com or Tweet me on Twitter!!!!!! PLEASE!! I might post the email on this blog (if you give me permission to) or we can set up an interview. Or we can just cheer together :)
The best part of this contest hasn't happened yet: the success stories. And I truly want to see them. I want to hear about them. I really, really want this contest to have helped you guys and I want it to be something meaningful and constructive, not just fun.
So I seriously mean it. I'd love a simple, "This contest really helped me realize how to write a query which came in use in the next book, which I got represented for." Even if you weren't in the Kontest and just visited the entries to learn from them, I don't mind. Send a success email! It'd probably make my entire day. It'd help make all this work seem worth it.
So keep me (or us, if Mike or Michelle picked your entry) in mind when you become greater writers than you already are :)
Congrats, Jungle Vendetta! Keep looking at this blog. There is a LOT still coming up (such as interviews with Jungle Vendetta, and MarcyKate, its mentor. AND, agents are coming back from July 8th to the 13th request from the top 16 entries! WOO!).
Success stories. Don't forget. Send them!
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
The FINAL Round of Query Kombat
Yes. It's all coming to an end.
A month-long contest has now reached it's completion, and only two entries are left standing. Only one match-up to judge, and only one entry will win.
This entry will get posted all over our blogs, and afterwards, we'll have interviews with the author and the mentor of this entry.
Head over to this link to see the final two. It will be INTENSE!
Good luck to both of you, and CONGRATS for getting so far!!!
A month-long contest has now reached it's completion, and only two entries are left standing. Only one match-up to judge, and only one entry will win.
This entry will get posted all over our blogs, and afterwards, we'll have interviews with the author and the mentor of this entry.
Head over to this link to see the final two. It will be INTENSE!
Good luck to both of you, and CONGRATS for getting so far!!!
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Query Kombat Round 5 Has Started!!!
Go go go!!!
Only two match-ups to judge, judges :) And it'll be BRUTAL!
Have fun!
Only two match-ups to judge, judges :) And it'll be BRUTAL!
Have fun!
QK Round 5: Elementary Girl vs. Mississippi Crazypants
Entry Nickname: Elementary Girl
Title: However Improbable
Word count: 72,000
Genre: YA Alt History Mystery
Query:
“People see, but they do not observe.” And to Marigny Sheridan, that is elementary. The Saturday night Sherlock Holmes radio broadcast is a staple in the Sheridan household for one simple reason: deciphering people provides all the entertainment she’ll ever need. That is until the Queen’s 50th Jubilee Contest twists the knickers of every eligible teenager in the Empire, and Marigny is unexpectedly selected to become the Colonies' new Saturday night entertainment.
Marigny has no interest in some cockamamie contest. After all, there’s no need for celebration when the British Empire is still going strong well into the 21st century. All she cares about is that her fellow contestants are easy to read. Especially the bitchtastically annoying girl from Australia and the street-smart player from Hong Kong. But as soon as she settles in, her Sherlock senses start to tingle. Something doesn’t smell right. And it’s not the smog over London.
The contest wouldn’t be so ridiculous if she could win riches to support her family. But no, the prize is marriage and Marigny isn’t quite ready for that yet. Even if it is to an heir to the throne.
The only boy she bothers to trifle with is Simon Whitaker, a cocky Islander with a dashing smile and slick charm. In the midst of lock picking the contest host's hotel room and butting heads with constables, they discover someone is pulling the contest strings. But when Marigny unearths an Empire secret, she must either bury her inner Sherlock to avoid exile or follow her hunch and lose Simon forever. As far as Marigny's concerned, winning is just as bad as losing.
First 250 words:
Given the time I’d had to consider it, I would much rather be sentenced to death. Poison or hanging, I had no preference. Yes, it’d be slow and agonizing, but really, that would be merciful compared to what they had in store for me. I wish I hadn’t ever won the damn Sweepstakes for the Colonies. Really, I wish I had listened to my gut and stayed in Maryland.
"Marigny Sheridan,” the brown haired man said, catching my attention. Mostly because he butchered my name. Mare-ig-nee? He said it like I was some horse and iguana hybrid. I wanted to say, “The ‘g’ is silent, idiot,” but I doubted that would have helped my case. I swear he even smelled holier-than-thou, like some volatile mix of expensive perfumes and the dirty stench money leaves on your hand.
With a sharp breath, the man said, “Before we proceed, do you have anything to say for yourself?” If I spoke, it would undoubtedly seal the likelihood of my exile.
Gazing down at the sloppy clothes I’d thrown on that morning, only one thought came to mind: “I wish I could go out in something a bit more flattering.” But then again, I was all out of wishes at that point.
Versus
Entry Nickname: Mississippi Crazypants
Title: This Side of Crazy
Word Count: 86,000
Genre: Women's Fiction
Query:
Cissy Pickering swears that shooting her daddy in the back was the smartest thing she’s ever done. After surviving more than eight years of his abuse, she had to prevent him from having the same secret with her two baby sisters. What she didn’t count on was being sent to the Greater Mississippi State Hospital instead of prison.
When a caring, yet unorthodox, hospital psychiatrist tries to unlock the family secrets that led to Cissy’s crime, the 16-year-old retreats to a world of make-believe and compulsive counting. Meanwhile, three generations of women struggle to understand and forgive Cissy while coming to terms with the loss of their son, husband and father.
But when the psychiatrist digs too deep and Cissy retreats even further from reality, her maternal grandmother uses her wealth and connections to help Cissy escape the hospital. On the road, and with no plan, Grandmother doubts her ability to ensure Cissy’s emotional survival. Their tender relationship and an unearthed secret from Grandmother’s past force Cissy to decide what’s best for her own future — and whether she wants to keep running.
THIS SIDE OF CRAZY is told from two viewpoints: Cissy’s and Grandmother’s. This book will appeal to readers who enjoyed the strong female Southern voices in Secret Life of Bees.
First 250 words:
My sisters and I had already consumed an impressive stack of books since school let out, reading long into the sticky June nights, even under threat of punishment. We’d needled Mama until she finally agreed to take the three of us to the Biloxi library this morning. Her chief argument against getting more books — and a flimsy one at that — was that we read too fast and the books we had should have lasted all summer. I ignored her complaining. It's one of my special talents.
“Cissy! Get your butt down here right this minute! Your Corn Flakes are getting soggy!” Mama’s voice carried easily from the kitchen, down a long hallway and up a flight of stairs. That was her special talent. As was prematurely pouring milk into cereal to punish her daughters’ lollygagging.
I slipped into a plaid cotton sundress and my pink plastic sandals that squeaked when I walked and rubbed blisters on my little toes. The sound irritated Mama just enough to make those blisters worthwhile. Some might call this childish behavior for a 16-year-old but I took fun wherever I could find it.
Mama and our housekeeper, Bess, were locked in a battle of wills over one thing or another. I tuned them out, rushing out of my room and down the hall toward the bathroom to brush my teeth. What I saw stopped me short, the plastic of my shoes sticking fast to the wood floor.
Title: However Improbable
Word count: 72,000
Genre: YA Alt History Mystery
Query:
“People see, but they do not observe.” And to Marigny Sheridan, that is elementary. The Saturday night Sherlock Holmes radio broadcast is a staple in the Sheridan household for one simple reason: deciphering people provides all the entertainment she’ll ever need. That is until the Queen’s 50th Jubilee Contest twists the knickers of every eligible teenager in the Empire, and Marigny is unexpectedly selected to become the Colonies' new Saturday night entertainment.
Marigny has no interest in some cockamamie contest. After all, there’s no need for celebration when the British Empire is still going strong well into the 21st century. All she cares about is that her fellow contestants are easy to read. Especially the bitchtastically annoying girl from Australia and the street-smart player from Hong Kong. But as soon as she settles in, her Sherlock senses start to tingle. Something doesn’t smell right. And it’s not the smog over London.
The contest wouldn’t be so ridiculous if she could win riches to support her family. But no, the prize is marriage and Marigny isn’t quite ready for that yet. Even if it is to an heir to the throne.
The only boy she bothers to trifle with is Simon Whitaker, a cocky Islander with a dashing smile and slick charm. In the midst of lock picking the contest host's hotel room and butting heads with constables, they discover someone is pulling the contest strings. But when Marigny unearths an Empire secret, she must either bury her inner Sherlock to avoid exile or follow her hunch and lose Simon forever. As far as Marigny's concerned, winning is just as bad as losing.
First 250 words:
Given the time I’d had to consider it, I would much rather be sentenced to death. Poison or hanging, I had no preference. Yes, it’d be slow and agonizing, but really, that would be merciful compared to what they had in store for me. I wish I hadn’t ever won the damn Sweepstakes for the Colonies. Really, I wish I had listened to my gut and stayed in Maryland.
"Marigny Sheridan,” the brown haired man said, catching my attention. Mostly because he butchered my name. Mare-ig-nee? He said it like I was some horse and iguana hybrid. I wanted to say, “The ‘g’ is silent, idiot,” but I doubted that would have helped my case. I swear he even smelled holier-than-thou, like some volatile mix of expensive perfumes and the dirty stench money leaves on your hand.
With a sharp breath, the man said, “Before we proceed, do you have anything to say for yourself?” If I spoke, it would undoubtedly seal the likelihood of my exile.
Gazing down at the sloppy clothes I’d thrown on that morning, only one thought came to mind: “I wish I could go out in something a bit more flattering.” But then again, I was all out of wishes at that point.
Versus
Entry Nickname: Mississippi Crazypants
Title: This Side of Crazy
Word Count: 86,000
Genre: Women's Fiction
Query:
Cissy Pickering swears that shooting her daddy in the back was the smartest thing she’s ever done. After surviving more than eight years of his abuse, she had to prevent him from having the same secret with her two baby sisters. What she didn’t count on was being sent to the Greater Mississippi State Hospital instead of prison.
When a caring, yet unorthodox, hospital psychiatrist tries to unlock the family secrets that led to Cissy’s crime, the 16-year-old retreats to a world of make-believe and compulsive counting. Meanwhile, three generations of women struggle to understand and forgive Cissy while coming to terms with the loss of their son, husband and father.
But when the psychiatrist digs too deep and Cissy retreats even further from reality, her maternal grandmother uses her wealth and connections to help Cissy escape the hospital. On the road, and with no plan, Grandmother doubts her ability to ensure Cissy’s emotional survival. Their tender relationship and an unearthed secret from Grandmother’s past force Cissy to decide what’s best for her own future — and whether she wants to keep running.
THIS SIDE OF CRAZY is told from two viewpoints: Cissy’s and Grandmother’s. This book will appeal to readers who enjoyed the strong female Southern voices in Secret Life of Bees.
First 250 words:
My sisters and I had already consumed an impressive stack of books since school let out, reading long into the sticky June nights, even under threat of punishment. We’d needled Mama until she finally agreed to take the three of us to the Biloxi library this morning. Her chief argument against getting more books — and a flimsy one at that — was that we read too fast and the books we had should have lasted all summer. I ignored her complaining. It's one of my special talents.
“Cissy! Get your butt down here right this minute! Your Corn Flakes are getting soggy!” Mama’s voice carried easily from the kitchen, down a long hallway and up a flight of stairs. That was her special talent. As was prematurely pouring milk into cereal to punish her daughters’ lollygagging.
I slipped into a plaid cotton sundress and my pink plastic sandals that squeaked when I walked and rubbed blisters on my little toes. The sound irritated Mama just enough to make those blisters worthwhile. Some might call this childish behavior for a 16-year-old but I took fun wherever I could find it.
Mama and our housekeeper, Bess, were locked in a battle of wills over one thing or another. I tuned them out, rushing out of my room and down the hall toward the bathroom to brush my teeth. What I saw stopped me short, the plastic of my shoes sticking fast to the wood floor.
QK Round 5: Minna Gray vs. Jungle Vendetta
Entry Nickname: Minna Gray
Title: The Awakening of Minna Gray
Word count: 89,000
Genre: YA Futuristic Fantasy
Query:
Sixteen-year-old Minna Gray’s life in SilCorp’s Emerald District is shattered when the two boys she’s babysitting are kidnapped. But guilt turns to panic when she discovers no one is looking for the boys. No one even remembers them.
It’s as if they’ve been erased.
Fortunately, Minna’s not the only one who remembers. Corrin, a boy whose path always seems to cross hers, knows about the disappearances. He tells her they aren’t isolated events: every day more people are erased.
Corrin says Minna has a magical ancestry and that her inherited power over the elements could put an end to the ghants – the gray men who perform the kidnappings. To harness these powers, she must travel to the Outlands – the pest-infected waste beyond the city walls. But no one survives the Outlands, and Minna’s not sure she’s ready to trade life in Emerald for a slow suicide. She’s not even sure she can trust Corrin.
But soon she’ll have to decide. She must race to stop the ghants before all hope for the missing boys is lost, and before anyone else she loves is erased.
First 250 words:
She’d seen one once before - years ago, with Cameron, by the seaside. Its little round body flitted between palm fronds like a tiny jeweled fairy. They were supposed to turn it in. But they hadn’t. They’d watched it all afternoon, until finally it leapt into the sky and flew away, back over the Outer Wall. Their secret.
This one seemed even more out of place, amidst the asphalt and the early evening glow of the podcar lines. For a second, she thought she was imagining it. But then Ethan saw it too.
“What is it?” he asked, gaze transfixed on the emerald blot making its way across the dull bronze shine of the hood.
“A beetle.”
His brown eyes widened. “A real one?”
Minna nodded. “Don’t touch it.” But she was mesmerized too.
He frowned, waving his PestDetector wand over it. “It doesn’t beep.”
“Maybe it’s not infected.” Yet.
They watched its twiggy, spindle-legged progression from latch to windshield. “I don’t want anyone to kill it,” Ethan whispered as he backed away.
Technically it was a vector. Technically they were supposed to destroy it. But it was so small and round and innocent. Suddenly, it lifted off. Humming, it vanished into the protective green and white flurry of the nearby jasmine. Minna exhaled.
“Probably escaped from a DomeZoo.” Ethan said, glancing at her with a shaky laugh.
“Probably, but you still need to disinfect.” Minna puffed her emergency spray into the air, enveloping them in shivering white mist. Silently they counted out the seconds ... eight, nine, ten. Safe.
Versus
Entry Nickname: Jungle Vendetta
Title: Savage Jungle
Word Count: 60,000
Genre: MG Science Fiction
Query:
Twelve-year-old wimp and self-designated videogame pro Kreith Briggs’s birthday is off to a great, but scary start: a wild safari with his Uncle Tonas through the most treacherous jungle in the whole universe. The tour’s real fun, if not a bit creepy, until Kreith discovers he and his uncle have been set up.
The jungle’s got seven of the ten most exotic—and most lethal—animal species in the universe, including the super-sneaky electrocat and the giant land squid. But Wilmur Banx, the host of the tour, holds an old, even more lethal grudge against Uncle Tonas and the other twenty-four safari guests. That’s why he strands each pair of victims in separate places in the jungle with zero protection from the universe's fiercest beasts.
Kreith and Uncle Tonas head toward an old research facility where they can call for help and get off the planet alive. Only Kreith gets separated from his uncle and now he’s got no plan at all. Armed with a trusty new guidebook and his knack for all things techno-nerdy, his and his uncle’s survival—not to mention the lives of any remaining safari guests—rests squarely on his puny shoulders.
First 250 Words:
My heart rate doubles as Uncle Tonas hands me what I’ve been waiting for all day. Heck, all year—a present about the size of my fist. He always gets me the coolest gifts, like that fluorescent slug from planet Zambor last year for my eleventh birthday.
I rip the wrapping paper off the present without removing the bow, lift the lid off the cardboard box, and peer inside. A small electronic chip rests on the bottom.
“What’s—?” I ask.
“It’s a book,” Uncle Tonas says, eyes wide in his huge, muscular face. “Go on, download it.” He leans forward with those monstrous shoulders of his, a cigar between his pointer and middle finger. The total opposite of me. Sure, I’m only twelve years old, but my overly large black sweatshirt and baggy jeans hide the fact I’m as skinny as Uncle Tonas’s pinky finger.
“Uh…okay.” A book? That’s what he got me—a book? I try not to show my disappointment as I pick up the tiny chip and insert it into my Multipurpose Bracelet, my parents and Uncle Tonas looking on from the couch. I should really try to be grateful. It’s the thought that counts, after all.
“Would you like to download the book The Top 200 Most Treacherous Creatures in the Universe?” the MB asks in a voice as gruff as Uncle Tonas’s. I set the MB’s voice to that because it sounds like his and he’s the man, though I’m starting to doubt that after this sorry present…
Title: The Awakening of Minna Gray
Word count: 89,000
Genre: YA Futuristic Fantasy
Query:
Sixteen-year-old Minna Gray’s life in SilCorp’s Emerald District is shattered when the two boys she’s babysitting are kidnapped. But guilt turns to panic when she discovers no one is looking for the boys. No one even remembers them.
It’s as if they’ve been erased.
Fortunately, Minna’s not the only one who remembers. Corrin, a boy whose path always seems to cross hers, knows about the disappearances. He tells her they aren’t isolated events: every day more people are erased.
Corrin says Minna has a magical ancestry and that her inherited power over the elements could put an end to the ghants – the gray men who perform the kidnappings. To harness these powers, she must travel to the Outlands – the pest-infected waste beyond the city walls. But no one survives the Outlands, and Minna’s not sure she’s ready to trade life in Emerald for a slow suicide. She’s not even sure she can trust Corrin.
But soon she’ll have to decide. She must race to stop the ghants before all hope for the missing boys is lost, and before anyone else she loves is erased.
First 250 words:
She’d seen one once before - years ago, with Cameron, by the seaside. Its little round body flitted between palm fronds like a tiny jeweled fairy. They were supposed to turn it in. But they hadn’t. They’d watched it all afternoon, until finally it leapt into the sky and flew away, back over the Outer Wall. Their secret.
This one seemed even more out of place, amidst the asphalt and the early evening glow of the podcar lines. For a second, she thought she was imagining it. But then Ethan saw it too.
“What is it?” he asked, gaze transfixed on the emerald blot making its way across the dull bronze shine of the hood.
“A beetle.”
His brown eyes widened. “A real one?”
Minna nodded. “Don’t touch it.” But she was mesmerized too.
He frowned, waving his PestDetector wand over it. “It doesn’t beep.”
“Maybe it’s not infected.” Yet.
They watched its twiggy, spindle-legged progression from latch to windshield. “I don’t want anyone to kill it,” Ethan whispered as he backed away.
Technically it was a vector. Technically they were supposed to destroy it. But it was so small and round and innocent. Suddenly, it lifted off. Humming, it vanished into the protective green and white flurry of the nearby jasmine. Minna exhaled.
“Probably escaped from a DomeZoo.” Ethan said, glancing at her with a shaky laugh.
“Probably, but you still need to disinfect.” Minna puffed her emergency spray into the air, enveloping them in shivering white mist. Silently they counted out the seconds ... eight, nine, ten. Safe.
Versus
Entry Nickname: Jungle Vendetta
Title: Savage Jungle
Word Count: 60,000
Genre: MG Science Fiction
Query:
Twelve-year-old wimp and self-designated videogame pro Kreith Briggs’s birthday is off to a great, but scary start: a wild safari with his Uncle Tonas through the most treacherous jungle in the whole universe. The tour’s real fun, if not a bit creepy, until Kreith discovers he and his uncle have been set up.
The jungle’s got seven of the ten most exotic—and most lethal—animal species in the universe, including the super-sneaky electrocat and the giant land squid. But Wilmur Banx, the host of the tour, holds an old, even more lethal grudge against Uncle Tonas and the other twenty-four safari guests. That’s why he strands each pair of victims in separate places in the jungle with zero protection from the universe's fiercest beasts.
Kreith and Uncle Tonas head toward an old research facility where they can call for help and get off the planet alive. Only Kreith gets separated from his uncle and now he’s got no plan at all. Armed with a trusty new guidebook and his knack for all things techno-nerdy, his and his uncle’s survival—not to mention the lives of any remaining safari guests—rests squarely on his puny shoulders.
First 250 Words:
My heart rate doubles as Uncle Tonas hands me what I’ve been waiting for all day. Heck, all year—a present about the size of my fist. He always gets me the coolest gifts, like that fluorescent slug from planet Zambor last year for my eleventh birthday.
I rip the wrapping paper off the present without removing the bow, lift the lid off the cardboard box, and peer inside. A small electronic chip rests on the bottom.
“What’s—?” I ask.
“It’s a book,” Uncle Tonas says, eyes wide in his huge, muscular face. “Go on, download it.” He leans forward with those monstrous shoulders of his, a cigar between his pointer and middle finger. The total opposite of me. Sure, I’m only twelve years old, but my overly large black sweatshirt and baggy jeans hide the fact I’m as skinny as Uncle Tonas’s pinky finger.
“Uh…okay.” A book? That’s what he got me—a book? I try not to show my disappointment as I pick up the tiny chip and insert it into my Multipurpose Bracelet, my parents and Uncle Tonas looking on from the couch. I should really try to be grateful. It’s the thought that counts, after all.
“Would you like to download the book The Top 200 Most Treacherous Creatures in the Universe?” the MB asks in a voice as gruff as Uncle Tonas’s. I set the MB’s voice to that because it sounds like his and he’s the man, though I’m starting to doubt that after this sorry present…
I've Just Witnessed History - Wendy Davis
No leaning, no drinking, no eating, only standing -- for 13 hours.
Regardless of your personal beliefs (please, trust me, I really don't mind which side you fight for; not caring about personal differences is actually probably the BIGGEST theme in the books I write (it means a lot to me), so trust me when I say, I don't mind), Wendy Davis is an American hero. Not because of what her views are -- not at ALL. Because of what she went through and what she endured in order to get her voice heard.
This is history. 13 HOURS. That is INCREDIBLE, regardless of what she believed in.
Wendy Davis is now one of my most favorite politicians, ever. Not at all because of her thoughts -- MANY others have the same thoughts. But to stand in a court where the others scrutinize your every movement in order to shut you down, and to still fight -- that is America. That is true America. The right for even one person to be heard, no matter how unpopular her ideas are. That is the makings of a GREAT politician.
Read this article if you don't know what I'm talking about.
#StandforWendy trended WORLDWIDE on Twitter, as did many other filibuster-related trends. The live stream of the filibuster was CRAZY, with angry men, sassy women, and cheering crowds (bordering on unruly).
It was an incredible experience to be a part of, an incredible thing to see (and probably even more incredible to be present at).
And one of the best parts: in the end, the crowd itself helped finish the filibuster, stalling and delaying procedure for about 15 minutes.
Soon, Wendy will finally be able to sit. This was INCREDIBLE; definitely one of the highlights of my summer, just to witness this. It was hilarious, inspiring, and incredible, and wonderful to talk with others on Twitter and share in the excitement.
You will hear a LOT about Wendy in the coming days, trust me (although, so many news channels have, oddly, not covered footage of this; Twitter has almost become the new official news reporter). She'll be everywhere.
And although there is a LOT of confusion over the ending of this bill (they voted after midnight?), technically, it passed. Yes. It did.
But it might be illegal; and although I'm not sure exactly what happened or will happen, I know that something will happen. Something already is happening.
History.
Did you watch this history in the making? How did you feel?
Regardless of your personal beliefs (please, trust me, I really don't mind which side you fight for; not caring about personal differences is actually probably the BIGGEST theme in the books I write (it means a lot to me), so trust me when I say, I don't mind), Wendy Davis is an American hero. Not because of what her views are -- not at ALL. Because of what she went through and what she endured in order to get her voice heard.
This is history. 13 HOURS. That is INCREDIBLE, regardless of what she believed in.
Wendy Davis is now one of my most favorite politicians, ever. Not at all because of her thoughts -- MANY others have the same thoughts. But to stand in a court where the others scrutinize your every movement in order to shut you down, and to still fight -- that is America. That is true America. The right for even one person to be heard, no matter how unpopular her ideas are. That is the makings of a GREAT politician.
Read this article if you don't know what I'm talking about.
#StandforWendy trended WORLDWIDE on Twitter, as did many other filibuster-related trends. The live stream of the filibuster was CRAZY, with angry men, sassy women, and cheering crowds (bordering on unruly).
It was an incredible experience to be a part of, an incredible thing to see (and probably even more incredible to be present at).
And one of the best parts: in the end, the crowd itself helped finish the filibuster, stalling and delaying procedure for about 15 minutes.
Soon, Wendy will finally be able to sit. This was INCREDIBLE; definitely one of the highlights of my summer, just to witness this. It was hilarious, inspiring, and incredible, and wonderful to talk with others on Twitter and share in the excitement.
You will hear a LOT about Wendy in the coming days, trust me (although, so many news channels have, oddly, not covered footage of this; Twitter has almost become the new official news reporter). She'll be everywhere.
And although there is a LOT of confusion over the ending of this bill (they voted after midnight?), technically, it passed. Yes. It did.
But it might be illegal; and although I'm not sure exactly what happened or will happen, I know that something will happen. Something already is happening.
History.
Did you watch this history in the making? How did you feel?
Monday, June 24, 2013
Query Kombat Agent Round has STARTED!
WOOO!!!
These four entries (posted below) have beat out almost 220 others to get to Round 5 of this competition. That's kind of awesome.
But Round 5 is different.
Each of our ten (yes, TEN!) amazing agents will choose one entry they think will become the overall winner. Don't worry, they can make requests on any of the others entries as well. Their champion pick will double as a one week exclusive (shared with the other agents who choose that query as their champion) if and only if that entry wins the Query Kombat tournament.
To clarify, they may make requests on any or all of the final four entries, but they may only choose one entry as champion.
They also can make requests on behalf of another agent at their agency if none of the final four entries are something they would usually represent.
These four entries (posted below) have beat out almost 220 others to get to Round 5 of this competition. That's kind of awesome.
But Round 5 is different.
Each of our ten (yes, TEN!) amazing agents will choose one entry they think will become the overall winner. Don't worry, they can make requests on any of the others entries as well. Their champion pick will double as a one week exclusive (shared with the other agents who choose that query as their champion) if and only if that entry wins the Query Kombat tournament.
To clarify, they may make requests on any or all of the final four entries, but they may only choose one entry as champion.
They also can make requests on behalf of another agent at their agency if none of the final four entries are something they would usually represent.
And EVEN MORE SO: One week after the whole tournament ends, the agents have another chance to look at the top 16 entries (click here to see them!) that made it VERY far, but got cut. This will be open to all agents, even if they didn't participate in the tournament. (Agents, click that link to see the entries; get ready to see which entries you'd like to request more of, because they are AWESOME.)
Trust us when we say, those 16 are amazing. So many of the votes were, "Gosh darn it, I love both of these and they are so amazing, but I have to vote!" Really. It's quite funny (and horrible, because I had to vote too, and it was like legal and publicized torture). Many of the votes were subjective, so agents, if you don't find anything you love in these four (which I doubt, but still) it is HIGHLY probably that you'd find something amazing in the sixteen.
But that's for a later time: This is now, and here we welcome the ten amazing agents! They are awesome.
They have up until tomorrow (the 25th) to make their picks, requests, etc. After, I will post the match-ups in their Kombating format, and the judging (and Round 5) will start until just one remains standing.
Audience, you can participate too! Cheer each other on, etc, and have fun. But, the time for critiques is not now. We've had four rounds of that, and will have two more when time comes.
For now, just happiness and good thoughts as we see requests being made :D And bring on the happy thoughts/comments! Think Hogwarts. And how it was named because Rowena Ravenclaw had a dream that she was riding a warty hog to a cliff and oversaw a lake (where Hogwarts was eventually built). That's pretty happy.
Agents, make your picks and requests by clicking 'reply' to the "This comment's replies reserved for agent use" comment (so your comments stand out amongst the others).
Have fun guys!!!
QK Agent Round: Minna Gray
Entry Nickname: Minna Gray
Title: The Awakening of Minna Gray
Word count: 89,000
Genre: YA Futuristic Fantasy
Query:
Sixteen-year-old Minna Gray’s life in SilCorp’s Emerald District is shattered when the two boys she’s babysitting are kidnapped. But guilt turns to panic when she discovers no one is looking for the boys. No one even remembers them.
It’s as if they’ve been erased.
Fortunately, Minna’s not the only one who remembers. Corrin, a boy whose path always seems to cross hers, knows about the disappearances. He tells her they aren’t isolated events: every day more people are erased.
Corrin says Minna has a magical ancestry and that her inherited power over the elements could put an end to the ghants – the gray men who perform the kidnappings. To harness these powers, she must travel to the Outlands – the pest-infected waste beyond the city walls. But no one survives the Outlands, and Minna’s not sure she’s ready to trade life in Emerald for a slow suicide. She’s not even sure she can trust Corrin.
But soon she’ll have to decide. She must race to stop the ghants before all hope for the missing boys is lost, and before anyone else she loves is erased.
First 250 words:
She’d seen one once before - years ago, with Cameron, by the seaside. Its little round body flitted between palm fronds like a tiny jeweled fairy. They were supposed to turn it in. But they hadn’t. They’d watched it all afternoon, until finally it leapt into the sky and flew away, back over the Outer Wall. Their secret.
This one seemed even more out of place, amidst the asphalt and the early evening glow of the podcar lines. For a second, she thought she was imagining it. But then Ethan saw it too.
“What is it?” he asked, gaze transfixed on the emerald blot making its way across the dull bronze shine of the hood.
“A beetle.”
His brown eyes widened. “A real one?”
Minna nodded. “Don’t touch it.” But she was mesmerized too.
He frowned, waving his PestDetector wand over it. “It doesn’t beep.”
“Maybe it’s not infected.” Yet.
They watched its twiggy, spindle-legged progression from latch to windshield. “I don’t want anyone to kill it,” Ethan whispered as he backed away.
Technically it was a vector. Technically they were supposed to destroy it. But it was so small and round and innocent. Suddenly, it lifted off. Humming, it vanished into the protective green and white flurry of the nearby jasmine. Minna exhaled.
“Probably escaped from a DomeZoo.” Ethan said, glancing at her with a shaky laugh.
“Probably, but you still need to disinfect.” Minna puffed her emergency spray into the air, enveloping them in shivering white mist. Silently they counted out the seconds ... eight, nine, ten. Safe.
Title: The Awakening of Minna Gray
Word count: 89,000
Genre: YA Futuristic Fantasy
Query:
Sixteen-year-old Minna Gray’s life in SilCorp’s Emerald District is shattered when the two boys she’s babysitting are kidnapped. But guilt turns to panic when she discovers no one is looking for the boys. No one even remembers them.
It’s as if they’ve been erased.
Fortunately, Minna’s not the only one who remembers. Corrin, a boy whose path always seems to cross hers, knows about the disappearances. He tells her they aren’t isolated events: every day more people are erased.
Corrin says Minna has a magical ancestry and that her inherited power over the elements could put an end to the ghants – the gray men who perform the kidnappings. To harness these powers, she must travel to the Outlands – the pest-infected waste beyond the city walls. But no one survives the Outlands, and Minna’s not sure she’s ready to trade life in Emerald for a slow suicide. She’s not even sure she can trust Corrin.
But soon she’ll have to decide. She must race to stop the ghants before all hope for the missing boys is lost, and before anyone else she loves is erased.
First 250 words:
She’d seen one once before - years ago, with Cameron, by the seaside. Its little round body flitted between palm fronds like a tiny jeweled fairy. They were supposed to turn it in. But they hadn’t. They’d watched it all afternoon, until finally it leapt into the sky and flew away, back over the Outer Wall. Their secret.
This one seemed even more out of place, amidst the asphalt and the early evening glow of the podcar lines. For a second, she thought she was imagining it. But then Ethan saw it too.
“What is it?” he asked, gaze transfixed on the emerald blot making its way across the dull bronze shine of the hood.
“A beetle.”
His brown eyes widened. “A real one?”
Minna nodded. “Don’t touch it.” But she was mesmerized too.
He frowned, waving his PestDetector wand over it. “It doesn’t beep.”
“Maybe it’s not infected.” Yet.
They watched its twiggy, spindle-legged progression from latch to windshield. “I don’t want anyone to kill it,” Ethan whispered as he backed away.
Technically it was a vector. Technically they were supposed to destroy it. But it was so small and round and innocent. Suddenly, it lifted off. Humming, it vanished into the protective green and white flurry of the nearby jasmine. Minna exhaled.
“Probably escaped from a DomeZoo.” Ethan said, glancing at her with a shaky laugh.
“Probably, but you still need to disinfect.” Minna puffed her emergency spray into the air, enveloping them in shivering white mist. Silently they counted out the seconds ... eight, nine, ten. Safe.
QK Agent Round: Mississippi Crazypants
Entry Nickname: Mississippi Crazypants
Title: This Side of Crazy
Word Count: 86,000
Genre: Women's Fiction
Query:
Cissy Pickering swears that shooting her daddy in the back was the smartest thing she’s ever done. After surviving more than eight years of his abuse, she had to prevent him from having the same secret with her two baby sisters. What she didn’t count on was being sent to the Greater Mississippi State Hospital instead of prison.
When a caring, yet unorthodox, hospital psychiatrist tries to unlock the family secrets that led to Cissy’s crime, the 16-year-old retreats to a world of make-believe and compulsive counting. Meanwhile, three generations of women struggle to understand and forgive Cissy while coming to terms with the loss of their son, husband and father.
But when the psychiatrist digs too deep and Cissy retreats even further from reality, her maternal grandmother uses her wealth and connections to help Cissy escape the hospital. On the road, and with no plan, Grandmother doubts her ability to ensure Cissy’s emotional survival. Their tender relationship and an unearthed secret from Grandmother’s past force Cissy to decide what’s best for her own future — and whether she wants to keep running.
THIS SIDE OF CRAZY is told from two viewpoints: Cissy’s and Grandmother’s. This book will appeal to readers who enjoyed the strong female Southern voices in Secret Life of Bees.
First 250 words:
My sisters and I had already consumed an impressive stack of books since school let out, reading long into the sticky June nights, even under threat of punishment. We’d needled Mama until she finally agreed to take the three of us to the Biloxi library this morning. Her chief argument against getting more books — and a flimsy one at that — was that we read too fast and the books we had should have lasted all summer. I ignored her complaining. It's one of my special talents.
“Cissy! Get your butt down here right this minute! Your Corn Flakes are getting soggy!” Mama’s voice carried easily from the kitchen, down a long hallway and up a flight of stairs. That was her special talent. As was prematurely pouring milk into cereal to punish her daughters’ lollygagging.
I slipped into a plaid cotton sundress and my pink plastic sandals that squeaked when I walked and rubbed blisters on my little toes. The sound irritated Mama just enough to make those blisters worthwhile. Some might call this childish behavior for a 16-year-old but I took fun wherever I could find it.
Mama and our housekeeper, Bess, were locked in a battle of wills over one thing or another. I tuned them out, rushing out of my room and down the hall toward the bathroom to brush my teeth. What I saw stopped me short, the plastic of my shoes sticking fast to the wood floor.
Title: This Side of Crazy
Word Count: 86,000
Genre: Women's Fiction
Query:
Cissy Pickering swears that shooting her daddy in the back was the smartest thing she’s ever done. After surviving more than eight years of his abuse, she had to prevent him from having the same secret with her two baby sisters. What she didn’t count on was being sent to the Greater Mississippi State Hospital instead of prison.
When a caring, yet unorthodox, hospital psychiatrist tries to unlock the family secrets that led to Cissy’s crime, the 16-year-old retreats to a world of make-believe and compulsive counting. Meanwhile, three generations of women struggle to understand and forgive Cissy while coming to terms with the loss of their son, husband and father.
But when the psychiatrist digs too deep and Cissy retreats even further from reality, her maternal grandmother uses her wealth and connections to help Cissy escape the hospital. On the road, and with no plan, Grandmother doubts her ability to ensure Cissy’s emotional survival. Their tender relationship and an unearthed secret from Grandmother’s past force Cissy to decide what’s best for her own future — and whether she wants to keep running.
THIS SIDE OF CRAZY is told from two viewpoints: Cissy’s and Grandmother’s. This book will appeal to readers who enjoyed the strong female Southern voices in Secret Life of Bees.
First 250 words:
My sisters and I had already consumed an impressive stack of books since school let out, reading long into the sticky June nights, even under threat of punishment. We’d needled Mama until she finally agreed to take the three of us to the Biloxi library this morning. Her chief argument against getting more books — and a flimsy one at that — was that we read too fast and the books we had should have lasted all summer. I ignored her complaining. It's one of my special talents.
“Cissy! Get your butt down here right this minute! Your Corn Flakes are getting soggy!” Mama’s voice carried easily from the kitchen, down a long hallway and up a flight of stairs. That was her special talent. As was prematurely pouring milk into cereal to punish her daughters’ lollygagging.
I slipped into a plaid cotton sundress and my pink plastic sandals that squeaked when I walked and rubbed blisters on my little toes. The sound irritated Mama just enough to make those blisters worthwhile. Some might call this childish behavior for a 16-year-old but I took fun wherever I could find it.
Mama and our housekeeper, Bess, were locked in a battle of wills over one thing or another. I tuned them out, rushing out of my room and down the hall toward the bathroom to brush my teeth. What I saw stopped me short, the plastic of my shoes sticking fast to the wood floor.
QK Agent Round: Jungle Vendetta
Entry Nickname: Jungle Vendetta
Title: Savage Jungle
Word Count: 60,000
Genre: MG Science Fiction
Query:
Twelve-year-old wimp and self-designated videogame pro Kreith Briggs’s birthday is off to a great, but scary start: a wild safari with his Uncle Tonas through the most treacherous jungle in the whole universe. The tour’s real fun, if not a bit creepy, until Kreith discovers he and his uncle have been set up.
The jungle’s got seven of the ten most exotic—and most lethal—animal species in the universe, including the super-sneaky electrocat and the giant land squid. But Wilmur Banx, the host of the tour, holds an old, even more lethal grudge against Uncle Tonas and the other twenty-four safari guests. That’s why he strands each pair of victims in separate places in the jungle with zero protection from the universe's fiercest beasts.
Kreith and Uncle Tonas head toward an old research facility where they can call for help and get off the planet alive. Only Kreith gets separated from his uncle and now he’s got no plan at all. Armed with a trusty new guidebook and his knack for all things techno-nerdy, his and his uncle’s survival—not to mention the lives of any remaining safari guests—rests squarely on his puny shoulders.
First 250 Words:
My heart rate doubles as Uncle Tonas hands me what I’ve been waiting for all day. Heck, all year—a present about the size of my fist. He always gets me the coolest gifts, like that fluorescent slug from planet Zambor last year for my eleventh birthday.
I rip the wrapping paper off the present without removing the bow, lift the lid off the cardboard box, and peer inside. A small electronic chip rests on the bottom.
“What’s—?” I ask.
“It’s a book,” Uncle Tonas says, eyes wide in his huge, muscular face. “Go on, download it.” He leans forward with those monstrous shoulders of his, a cigar between his pointer and middle finger. The total opposite of me. Sure, I’m only twelve years old, but my overly large black sweatshirt and baggy jeans hide the fact I’m as skinny as Uncle Tonas’s pinky finger.
“Uh…okay.” A book? That’s what he got me—a book? I try not to show my disappointment as I pick up the tiny chip and insert it into my Multipurpose Bracelet, my parents and Uncle Tonas looking on from the couch. I should really try to be grateful. It’s the thought that counts, after all.
“Would you like to download the book The Top 200 Most Treacherous Creatures in the Universe?” the MB asks in a voice as gruff as Uncle Tonas’s. I set the MB’s voice to that because it sounds like his and he’s the man, though I’m starting to doubt that after this sorry present…
Title: Savage Jungle
Word Count: 60,000
Genre: MG Science Fiction
Query:
Twelve-year-old wimp and self-designated videogame pro Kreith Briggs’s birthday is off to a great, but scary start: a wild safari with his Uncle Tonas through the most treacherous jungle in the whole universe. The tour’s real fun, if not a bit creepy, until Kreith discovers he and his uncle have been set up.
The jungle’s got seven of the ten most exotic—and most lethal—animal species in the universe, including the super-sneaky electrocat and the giant land squid. But Wilmur Banx, the host of the tour, holds an old, even more lethal grudge against Uncle Tonas and the other twenty-four safari guests. That’s why he strands each pair of victims in separate places in the jungle with zero protection from the universe's fiercest beasts.
Kreith and Uncle Tonas head toward an old research facility where they can call for help and get off the planet alive. Only Kreith gets separated from his uncle and now he’s got no plan at all. Armed with a trusty new guidebook and his knack for all things techno-nerdy, his and his uncle’s survival—not to mention the lives of any remaining safari guests—rests squarely on his puny shoulders.
First 250 Words:
My heart rate doubles as Uncle Tonas hands me what I’ve been waiting for all day. Heck, all year—a present about the size of my fist. He always gets me the coolest gifts, like that fluorescent slug from planet Zambor last year for my eleventh birthday.
I rip the wrapping paper off the present without removing the bow, lift the lid off the cardboard box, and peer inside. A small electronic chip rests on the bottom.
“What’s—?” I ask.
“It’s a book,” Uncle Tonas says, eyes wide in his huge, muscular face. “Go on, download it.” He leans forward with those monstrous shoulders of his, a cigar between his pointer and middle finger. The total opposite of me. Sure, I’m only twelve years old, but my overly large black sweatshirt and baggy jeans hide the fact I’m as skinny as Uncle Tonas’s pinky finger.
“Uh…okay.” A book? That’s what he got me—a book? I try not to show my disappointment as I pick up the tiny chip and insert it into my Multipurpose Bracelet, my parents and Uncle Tonas looking on from the couch. I should really try to be grateful. It’s the thought that counts, after all.
“Would you like to download the book The Top 200 Most Treacherous Creatures in the Universe?” the MB asks in a voice as gruff as Uncle Tonas’s. I set the MB’s voice to that because it sounds like his and he’s the man, though I’m starting to doubt that after this sorry present…
QK Agent Round: Elementary Girl
Entry Nickname: Elementary Girl
Title: However Improbable
Word count: 72,000
Genre: YA Alt History Mystery
Query:
“People see, but they do not observe.” And to Marigny Sheridan, that is elementary. The Saturday night Sherlock Holmes radio broadcast is a staple in the Sheridan household for one simple reason: deciphering people provides all the entertainment she’ll ever need. That is until the Queen’s 50th Jubilee Contest twists the knickers of every eligible teenager in the Empire, and Marigny is unexpectedly selected to become the Colonies' new Saturday night entertainment.
Marigny has no interest in some cockamamie contest. After all, there’s no need for celebration when the British Empire is still going strong well into the 21st century. All she cares about is that her fellow contestants are easy to read. Especially the bitchtastically annoying girl from Australia and the street-smart player from Hong Kong. But as soon as she settles in, her Sherlock senses start to tingle. Something doesn’t smell right. And it’s not the smog over London.
The contest wouldn’t be so ridiculous if she could win riches to support her family. But no, the prize is marriage and Marigny isn’t quite ready for that yet. Even if it is to an heir to the throne.
The only boy she bothers to trifle with is Simon Whitaker, a cocky Islander with a dashing smile and slick charm. In the midst of lock picking the contest host's hotel room and butting heads with constables, they discover someone is pulling the contest strings. But when Marigny unearths an Empire secret, she must either bury her inner Sherlock to avoid exile or follow her hunch and lose Simon forever. As far as Marigny's concerned, winning is just as bad as losing.
First 250 words:
Given the time I’d had to consider it, I would much rather be sentenced to death. Poison or hanging, I had no preference. Yes, it’d be slow and agonizing, but really, that would be merciful compared to what they had in store for me. I wish I hadn’t ever won the damn Sweepstakes for the Colonies. Really, I wish I had listened to my gut and stayed in Maryland.
"Marigny Sheridan,” the brown haired man said, catching my attention. Mostly because he butchered my name. Mare-ig-nee? He said it like I was some horse and iguana hybrid. I wanted to say, “The ‘g’ is silent, idiot,” but I doubted that would have helped my case. I swear he even smelled holier-than-thou, like some volatile mix of expensive perfumes and the dirty stench money leaves on your hand.
With a sharp breath, the man said, “Before we proceed, do you have anything to say for yourself?” If I spoke, it would undoubtedly seal the likelihood of my exile.
Gazing down at the sloppy clothes I’d thrown on that morning, only one thought came to mind: “I wish I could go out in something a bit more flattering.” But then again, I was all out of wishes at that point.
Title: However Improbable
Word count: 72,000
Genre: YA Alt History Mystery
Query:
“People see, but they do not observe.” And to Marigny Sheridan, that is elementary. The Saturday night Sherlock Holmes radio broadcast is a staple in the Sheridan household for one simple reason: deciphering people provides all the entertainment she’ll ever need. That is until the Queen’s 50th Jubilee Contest twists the knickers of every eligible teenager in the Empire, and Marigny is unexpectedly selected to become the Colonies' new Saturday night entertainment.
Marigny has no interest in some cockamamie contest. After all, there’s no need for celebration when the British Empire is still going strong well into the 21st century. All she cares about is that her fellow contestants are easy to read. Especially the bitchtastically annoying girl from Australia and the street-smart player from Hong Kong. But as soon as she settles in, her Sherlock senses start to tingle. Something doesn’t smell right. And it’s not the smog over London.
The contest wouldn’t be so ridiculous if she could win riches to support her family. But no, the prize is marriage and Marigny isn’t quite ready for that yet. Even if it is to an heir to the throne.
The only boy she bothers to trifle with is Simon Whitaker, a cocky Islander with a dashing smile and slick charm. In the midst of lock picking the contest host's hotel room and butting heads with constables, they discover someone is pulling the contest strings. But when Marigny unearths an Empire secret, she must either bury her inner Sherlock to avoid exile or follow her hunch and lose Simon forever. As far as Marigny's concerned, winning is just as bad as losing.
First 250 words:
Given the time I’d had to consider it, I would much rather be sentenced to death. Poison or hanging, I had no preference. Yes, it’d be slow and agonizing, but really, that would be merciful compared to what they had in store for me. I wish I hadn’t ever won the damn Sweepstakes for the Colonies. Really, I wish I had listened to my gut and stayed in Maryland.
"Marigny Sheridan,” the brown haired man said, catching my attention. Mostly because he butchered my name. Mare-ig-nee? He said it like I was some horse and iguana hybrid. I wanted to say, “The ‘g’ is silent, idiot,” but I doubted that would have helped my case. I swear he even smelled holier-than-thou, like some volatile mix of expensive perfumes and the dirty stench money leaves on your hand.
With a sharp breath, the man said, “Before we proceed, do you have anything to say for yourself?” If I spoke, it would undoubtedly seal the likelihood of my exile.
Gazing down at the sloppy clothes I’d thrown on that morning, only one thought came to mind: “I wish I could go out in something a bit more flattering.” But then again, I was all out of wishes at that point.
Friday, June 21, 2013
I Want to Share a Beautiful Story
Today's the first day of summer!!!! Woo!!
Anyway, I want to share with you a small, very simple, but heart-warming story. (I'm warning you, this story will be over in just a few sentences.)
Not too long ago, someone I knew got in a car accident. Not bad at all -- no one was injured. Just a (I'm guessing) "Hey, I don't need to check my blind spot--CRASH!" type thing.
The person I know (a female) was not at fault at all. It was the driver that was merging that didn't look carefully or something.
So that driver and the person I know (let's call her Hermione) drive off to the side, etc etc. And it was actually a good bit of damage to both cars.
Then, some other person comes behind Hermione, gives her his card, and says, "I saw everything. If you need a witness, give me a call." (And I'm just quoting what Hermione told me, so it probably isn't exactly what he said.)
I mean, how incredible is that?!
Granted, after they talked, the driver at fault completely admitted his guilt without any outside pressure at all, admitted it to the police officer as well, and everything was done without any hair-pulling or gnashing of teeth. (That's awesome to see, too, a driver at fault admitting his fault without making excuses.)
But the guy gave his card without knowing anything, without knowing what would happen. Simply. And it very well could have turned into, "No, it was Hermione's fault! I didn't do anything" type thing. And Hermione might very well have had to use his number.
A simple, and powerful, act of kindness. Something I probably would never have thought of doing. I would have just been like, "OOOHHH, that was a bad crash," wince, and then drive off with the traffic, along with a story to tell someone else.
I just thought I'd share it with you, because it's things like these that make me happy.
I want more stories like these, stories from you. What have you seen, or what have you done? (Don't be scared if it's too 'simple'. I mean, the above was pretty darn simple, and I gushed over the fact that three (maybe four) separate men helped to push our car when it ran out of gas. And I'd probably gush when I see someone picking up trash that isn't theirs. SIMPLE IS AWESOME!)
Anyway, I want to share with you a small, very simple, but heart-warming story. (I'm warning you, this story will be over in just a few sentences.)
Not too long ago, someone I knew got in a car accident. Not bad at all -- no one was injured. Just a (I'm guessing) "Hey, I don't need to check my blind spot--CRASH!" type thing.
The person I know (a female) was not at fault at all. It was the driver that was merging that didn't look carefully or something.
So that driver and the person I know (let's call her Hermione) drive off to the side, etc etc. And it was actually a good bit of damage to both cars.
Then, some other person comes behind Hermione, gives her his card, and says, "I saw everything. If you need a witness, give me a call." (And I'm just quoting what Hermione told me, so it probably isn't exactly what he said.)
I mean, how incredible is that?!
Granted, after they talked, the driver at fault completely admitted his guilt without any outside pressure at all, admitted it to the police officer as well, and everything was done without any hair-pulling or gnashing of teeth. (That's awesome to see, too, a driver at fault admitting his fault without making excuses.)
But the guy gave his card without knowing anything, without knowing what would happen. Simply. And it very well could have turned into, "No, it was Hermione's fault! I didn't do anything" type thing. And Hermione might very well have had to use his number.
A simple, and powerful, act of kindness. Something I probably would never have thought of doing. I would have just been like, "OOOHHH, that was a bad crash," wince, and then drive off with the traffic, along with a story to tell someone else.
I just thought I'd share it with you, because it's things like these that make me happy.
I want more stories like these, stories from you. What have you seen, or what have you done? (Don't be scared if it's too 'simple'. I mean, the above was pretty darn simple, and I gushed over the fact that three (maybe four) separate men helped to push our car when it ran out of gas. And I'd probably gush when I see someone picking up trash that isn't theirs. SIMPLE IS AWESOME!)
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Round 4 of Query Kombat is LIVE!
Go go go!
Over to Michelle's blog!
There are only 4 match-ups (meaning, 8 entries!) left!!
This is getting craaaaazyyyy.
Good luck to everyone Kombating, and have fun!
Over to Michelle's blog!
There are only 4 match-ups (meaning, 8 entries!) left!!
This is getting craaaaazyyyy.
Good luck to everyone Kombating, and have fun!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Query Kombat Round 4 Match-Ups!
Round 3 is now over! It was a crazy round, filled with awesome (and edited) entries. You'll all see agent interest after the Kontest is over, but for now, we must go on!
Here are the matchups for Round 4 which will go on at Michelle's blog starting tomorrow. The voting runs from June 20 - 23.
The Decapitator versus Minna Gray
Mississippi Crazypants versus Lies and Lovers
Jungle Vendetta versus Colorblind
Elementary Girl versus Supergeeker
Good luck, guys! This is getting very close and crazy!
Here are the matchups for Round 4 which will go on at Michelle's blog starting tomorrow. The voting runs from June 20 - 23.
The Decapitator versus Minna Gray
Mississippi Crazypants versus Lies and Lovers
Jungle Vendetta versus Colorblind
Elementary Girl versus Supergeeker
Good luck, guys! This is getting very close and crazy!
Monday, June 17, 2013
Paul McCartney Narrates "Glass Walls" & Belated Father's Day
Warning: INCREDIBLY graphic images below.
Also, I do not support PETA's methods; this video is just a video and doesn't mean I like what PETA does all the time.
This is not a "Please be vegetarian!" cry. And I do mean that! Seriously! This is a "Please, be aware of what is going around you!" cry, and maybe, a "Stop animal abuse" plea. There are sustainable, friendlier ways to operate a slaughterhouse; I am in support of those. My 'goal' in life is not to make the world vegetarian! (Please, please understand that.)
Enjoy (or, actually, don't enjoy. This is horrific but it SHOULD be known! We can't shy away or ignore things like this, things that happen around us). We need to act.
Also, I do not support PETA's methods; this video is just a video and doesn't mean I like what PETA does all the time.
This is not a "Please be vegetarian!" cry. And I do mean that! Seriously! This is a "Please, be aware of what is going around you!" cry, and maybe, a "Stop animal abuse" plea. There are sustainable, friendlier ways to operate a slaughterhouse; I am in support of those. My 'goal' in life is not to make the world vegetarian! (Please, please understand that.)
Enjoy (or, actually, don't enjoy. This is horrific but it SHOULD be known! We can't shy away or ignore things like this, things that happen around us). We need to act.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5iwL6zQ8bk&feature=youtu.be
Other than that horrific imagery, how was your Father's Day? We went on a picnic with my cousins, and it was all pretty fun. Then a dinner afterwards, and a good day overall.
Happy (Belated) Father's Day to all you fathers out there!
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Round 3 of Query Kombat has BEGUN!
Go go go!!!
The 16 entries (8 match-ups) are posted on Mike's blog.
These 16 entries (query + first 250 words) have had two days over which they were edited, honed, and strengthened with the help of one of our amazing mentors. THESE ENTRIES ARE GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE. I can't wait to read them -- I loved so many of them before, and I bet I'll love them even more now.
Round 3 will end on June 18th, 8 PM EST (so all the judges' votes have to be in at that time). I don't envy the judges' jobs (and I'm one of the judges this time since the posts aren't on my blog (the blog host votes only for tie-breakers)....SIGH).
At the end of the Kontest, ALL of these entries will get looked over by our ten agents (and any others that wish to stop by) where they can make however many requests they want to.
The Final Four entries are the ones that will get special special agent interest, where the agents will have to vote as to which entry they think will win (and if it does, they get the full manuscript a while before any other agent in the contest does!).
SO GO GO GO! Look over the entries on Mike's blog and have fun reading these AMAZING submissions that beat out about 200 other entries!
How are you guys liking Query Kombat so far?
The 16 entries (8 match-ups) are posted on Mike's blog.
These 16 entries (query + first 250 words) have had two days over which they were edited, honed, and strengthened with the help of one of our amazing mentors. THESE ENTRIES ARE GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE. I can't wait to read them -- I loved so many of them before, and I bet I'll love them even more now.
Round 3 will end on June 18th, 8 PM EST (so all the judges' votes have to be in at that time). I don't envy the judges' jobs (and I'm one of the judges this time since the posts aren't on my blog (the blog host votes only for tie-breakers)....SIGH).
At the end of the Kontest, ALL of these entries will get looked over by our ten agents (and any others that wish to stop by) where they can make however many requests they want to.
The Final Four entries are the ones that will get special special agent interest, where the agents will have to vote as to which entry they think will win (and if it does, they get the full manuscript a while before any other agent in the contest does!).
SO GO GO GO! Look over the entries on Mike's blog and have fun reading these AMAZING submissions that beat out about 200 other entries!
How are you guys liking Query Kombat so far?
Thursday, June 13, 2013
I Had an Amazing Night (of Writing, You Perverts)
Last Sunday night I had a FANTASTIC night of writing.
So you know how I haven't cried in years? How I've never cried while reading a book or watching movie since I was 10 or something? (Yes, I'll admit it, I sorta had to force myself to cry in Deathly Hallows: Part Two because I mean, I had to cry in that movie. It was law. So I blinked extra hard and squeezed a few tears out.)
I'm just not a crier. That's just not my thing.
And no, that didn't really change last night as I wrote, but it almost did (so, so close).
I first wrote about 1,000 words into the scene I was supposed to write, and that went really well. And then I put my laptop away at about 2 AM (yes, I'm a late night writer), and went to bed. Not really. I kept thinking about a scene that happens near the end of the book, and a new idea popped into my head and I LOST IT.
I went crazy. Like I started choking up while I was 'sleeping' and shaking my head and all like, "Why, why oh why does that have to happen," and I got up at 2:30 AM and I WROTE. I wrote 900 words, finished, at 3 AM, the scene that had moved me so much, and it was incredibly exhilarating. Probably one of, if not the, best day/night of writing I've had so far--and I've been doing some 'serious' novel-writing for years.
So no, I didn't seriously bawl out crying (I can't do that) but it was sad and fantastic, especially for writing.
And that amazing feeling has seeped into the next few days as well -- I'm writing more than I usually ever had done, and it's coming easily.
So what am I trying to tell you?
Take advantage of times like these.
Even if it is 3 in the morning, even if you are so tired, do not tell yourself you'll be able to call up the same emotions later on. Fresh emotions are different than the same emotion recycled, and your emotions play a HUGE role in your writing--write an emotional scene two times, once while sad, once while happy, and you'll see what I mean. Your emotions come through your words.
These moments are gold, and you probably want all the gold you can get.
So keep a notepad around with you everywhere you go! You probably won't know when these moments will hit you, and it's best to be ready and jot down some dialogue, some powerful lines, something to jog your memory and fresh emotions later on. And maybe even write out the whole, unedited scene right then and there.
It was fantastic, I'm telling you.
Did you guys ever experience a scene or day/night like this?
So you know how I haven't cried in years? How I've never cried while reading a book or watching movie since I was 10 or something? (Yes, I'll admit it, I sorta had to force myself to cry in Deathly Hallows: Part Two because I mean, I had to cry in that movie. It was law. So I blinked extra hard and squeezed a few tears out.)
I'm just not a crier. That's just not my thing.
And no, that didn't really change last night as I wrote, but it almost did (so, so close).
I first wrote about 1,000 words into the scene I was supposed to write, and that went really well. And then I put my laptop away at about 2 AM (yes, I'm a late night writer), and went to bed. Not really. I kept thinking about a scene that happens near the end of the book, and a new idea popped into my head and I LOST IT.
I went crazy. Like I started choking up while I was 'sleeping' and shaking my head and all like, "Why, why oh why does that have to happen," and I got up at 2:30 AM and I WROTE. I wrote 900 words, finished, at 3 AM, the scene that had moved me so much, and it was incredibly exhilarating. Probably one of, if not the, best day/night of writing I've had so far--and I've been doing some 'serious' novel-writing for years.
So no, I didn't seriously bawl out crying (I can't do that) but it was sad and fantastic, especially for writing.
And that amazing feeling has seeped into the next few days as well -- I'm writing more than I usually ever had done, and it's coming easily.
Take advantage of times like these.
Even if it is 3 in the morning, even if you are so tired, do not tell yourself you'll be able to call up the same emotions later on. Fresh emotions are different than the same emotion recycled, and your emotions play a HUGE role in your writing--write an emotional scene two times, once while sad, once while happy, and you'll see what I mean. Your emotions come through your words.
These moments are gold, and you probably want all the gold you can get.
So keep a notepad around with you everywhere you go! You probably won't know when these moments will hit you, and it's best to be ready and jot down some dialogue, some powerful lines, something to jog your memory and fresh emotions later on. And maybe even write out the whole, unedited scene right then and there.
It was fantastic, I'm telling you.
Did you guys ever experience a scene or day/night like this?
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Review of "The Casual Vacancy" by JK Rowling
After eight months, I've had the luxury to start a reread of this novel and as such, I've had more than half a year to reflect on my thoughts and refine them. My original review is still in the black below, and it still stands, but my 'real' one is in the red. Enjoy!
Dun. Dun dun dun. Dun dun dun. Dun dun dun. (I'm mimicking trumpets, for those who don't know.)
I. Have. Finished. The. Book.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's get the nitty-gritty out of the way:
I know, I know, this might be my JK Rowling bias speaking, but please, try this book. But don't come into this book thinking it is Harry Potter. That will be the most fatal stroke to getting the most out of this book.
Now, let me preface this by saying that yes, I am a huge JK Rowling fan. But let me tell you this as well: I've had about eight months between now and the time when I first finished this book (in the beginning of October, 2012). That means eight months for me to forget about the book, eight months for my initial "Oh gosh it's JK Rowling!" excitement to wear off. And eight months for my to really collect my thoughts and ideas about this book.
And in those eight months I've grown to love it even more. Here's why.
This book made me a HUGE JK Rowling fan; before, I just loved Harry Potter and JKR's personality. But this book....Holy crap. JKR has SO MUCH potential as an adult writer. I am thirsting for another dose of her adult literature, a place where she explores more real-world and grimy subjects. I want more of her realistic fiction! (Although, as you can tell by this blog's header, I love her fantasy as well :D)
The Prose
I mentioned in the black above that the first 200 pages of this book were boring. I've now started a reread of this book and I ran through the first 180ish pages in three days. Maybe it's because I've finished the book already and am now enjoying to see the characters interact; I know how they interact, and at first, it might seem that it's random. It's not. (But still, at first read, those 200 pages were boring.)
But the thing that made me love these 200 pages was the writing. HOLY GOSH THE WRITING.
I can squeal about the writing. The diction, the syntax, the freshness of the words and fluidity of the prose; it all excites me so much. JKR labored over the writing of this novel, I can tell. At times I got almost frustrated by her good writing because I kept pausing to revel in the twists of phrase; it took me out of the story! She is, without a doubt, one of the strongest writers I've ever read (I didn't think she was a strong prose-writer when I first read Harry Potter). I can underline things on every page, probably.
The Characters
I also mentioned in the black above about how I loved all the characters. Maybe that was a bit too extreme. I don't think JKR wrote with the intention to make us love the characters like she did in Harry Potter. As readers, we are just observers of these characters; we are above them and separate, but still, somehow, tied to them. It doesn't matter if we hate or love them -- the book doesn't care about that. This is an impassioned 'character study', as one review on Amazon said, into the lives of over a dozen characters.
And one of the greatest things is that through her writing, JKR holds our hand and guides us through the emotions each character feels, so their actions (however horrid they technically might be) seem logical, almost instinctive. Almost as if you would do the same thing -- until you step back and realize, wait, no you wouldn't. JKR makes us identify and agree with one character, and then identify and agree with another character who is in direct opposition to the first character. It is frustrating, it is heartbreaking, it is infuriating, to be the head cheerleader for both sides of a fierce and heated relationship.
I think a lot rests on whether you hate or enjoy these characters; if you hate all of them, chances are you won't enjoy this book at all. This book is a dive into the minds of the characters and how their thoughts lead to their actions; it is almost laughable to read it for its plot.
Characterization, as seen in Harry Potter, is one of her strongest abilities as an author.
The Themes
This book is ambitious, so, so ambitious. It rips apart the lives of dozens of characters and by the end (at least, I feel it does) shows how all of them start to pick themselves up and fix themselves. Grow.
And yet the biggest theme lies in the characterization of all these amazing people: We are able to relate to every person if only we are willing to step into their shoes and realize that they, too, are human, just like us. Too often people forget that there are other humans, and other people with different lives and different economic and social statures. These themes become slightly invisible due to her reserved prose; a reader has to find these themes, because JKR doesn't really slam them over your head.
Failure to realize the crucial fact (that all people are human) leads to actions that hurt other people, that destroy lives: JK Rowling said in an interview that the original name of this book was to be "Responsibility." How much responsibility does one have towards society, towards others, towards oneself? Just how much can one person's action cause pain to others?
And, an overarching theme: even if logically, some things are meant to be, how about emotionally? Shouldn't a person care for another, no matter how desperate and broken that person is? How can a person, with all of his/her nuances and emotions, function in a rigid and systematic (even 'from the outside looking in' type) society? (I'm thinking about Krystal here.) How about the underrepresented and ignored masses of society?
The biggest, 'straightforward' goal of this book, I am pretty sure, is to promote more funding for the welfare state in Britain. But this book is not a 'socialist manifesto' as one reviewer said; more like a 'humanitarian manifesto'.
This book reminds us to keep that all in mind. This book is great.
I seriously feel that this book is JK Rowling's greatest single literary achievement. I love Harry Potter as a series; I love, love this book as a book. I almost--almost, maybe, kind of, I don't know!--like this book better than Harry Potter--WAIT, I SAID MAYBE, I'M NOT SURE! PROBABLY NOT!
Because Harry Potter was life-changing, and this wasn't, but still! I feel like I've been on a journey with these characters, from the beginning to the end, and it was sad to flip the final page :(
But please, listen: This is just me. I love literary and contemporary fiction. You might not like it. It's all a matter of taste. Chances are, if you are looking for something like Harry Potter, you won't like it. You'll hate it. This is not Harry Potter AT ALL. This is swearing and sex and drugs and cutting and more, galore!
But if you like books about characters, if you like books that put you in the minds of real people, if you are not afraid of seriously disturbing subjects in fiction, if you like literary fiction, if you love good writing, if you enjoy the grayness in life and don't believe black-and-white people or decisions exist, this book is for you. You will love this book.
But please, keep in mind: This is not Harry Potter. This is a grand work of contemporary fiction, and I really, really hope people start to realize that this book is separate from Harry Potter. I truly hope this book becomes well-known before I die; I'll be sad knowing that this book was deemed a failure and will never be truly realized for what it is.
But you might not like it! You, if statistics rein king, will probably hate it, due to all the negative feedback this book has gotten. This is just my opinion, and my thoughts. I want to spread the love for this book, get people to maybe give it a chance, but please, realize, this is just one person's opinion. Only one person. You might very well hate this book.
Weird thing: I'm in love with the binding of this book. It feels and reads like a book should. I don't know. It's weird. But I love it!
Buy the book here or wait until it comes out in paperback on July 23 (with a new cover, too. Two new ones, in fact!)!
Hope you liked my review, and don't forget to follow my blog!
Dun. Dun dun dun. Dun dun dun. Dun dun dun. (I'm mimicking trumpets, for those who don't know.)
I. Have. Finished. The. Book.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My Spoiler-Free Review
Rating:
4.5/5 Stars
First off:
Don't even TRY reading this book expecting to find Harry Potter. I've seen way too many professional reviewers get all upset at its 'non-happy' Harry Potterness.
This book's Amazon rating (2.8/5) is mostly due to the book's a) price b) malfunctioned Kindle formatting or c) "It's not freaking Harry Potter."
Well.
It is not freaking Harry Potter.
I wanted to give this a 5/5, but the beginning was just too boring, probably because it was convoluted with different viewpoints. However, once the book gets on, you remember all the characters, because their personalities are so distinct, and the transitions are smoothly done. It's amazing!
I guess, I GUESS, the characters were unlikable, as some, too-used-to-awesome-Harry-Potter-characters people say, but, the best part about this book was the characters. I only disliked two of them.
The book moves smoothly though the characters' viewpoints, and whenever you read from one previously-hated-perspective, you wonder, "Is this the same character I hated? Why am I sympathizing with him/her now?" You cheer them on, and shake them angrily as well. Everyone is painted with one broad stroke of gray -- and it is a beautiful rendition.
Barry Fairweather is the shining beacon of morality in this book, and once he dies (it's in the synopsis, people, so not a spoiler) most of the town is devastated. He was the leader for the adults and teenagers, those young people against whom so much is done in this book. We are desperate for, and long for, Barry's return. He would fix everything, if only he came back.
During the scene in the end, I felt a little cheated (which soon wore off once the next scenes took their full courses). I don't cry, in books, movies, anything, so that might be why I felt underwhelmed. Heck, I didn't even tear up writing the (extremelllyyy) tragic/bittersweet conclusions of my two novels. I feel bad, because JK Rowling said she would have nothing to say to those who didn't cry :( (Please, please talk to me, Jo. It'd make my life.) It was a very sad ending though.
And oh boy, you thought JK Rowling loved her adverbs. Now she's in love with parenthetical sides "(...)". However, the biggest critique I had for Harry Potter was that I wasn't too fond of her writing style, but good gosh, her writing in this book is luscious.Her command of the language is to be admired; she can write without a doubt. Beautiful prose.
This book is funny. I laughed out loud many times. I also openly gaped many times. So I guess, the correct word is, this book is emotional.
Some people say the ending of the book was depressing, or unresolved. It is unresolved in the way The Catcher in the Rye's ending was unresolved (and I loved that conclusion). It is sad in the way A Tale of Two Cities is sad.
The ending of The Casual Vacancy is beautiful, cheery, encouraging, bittersweet, amazing, and sad. It is when the reader finally cheers on the characters, because each of the characters finally, finally, fills the 'vacancy' in their hearts. The characters grow. The war has ended. Everyone is getting back together. The ending is masterful. The ending is so, so sad. It is also so happy. I'm a sucker for a good, bittersweet conclusion.
I can still imagine the characters in my mind. Andrew, Gaia, Krystal, Sukhvinder, Fats, Robert. Ugh. The teens and children really make this book, and a few adults too. The best characters are the broken ones. No matter how much you might hate one of them, you... ugh. I miss them. The characters and the conclusion MAKE this book.
This book makes you think differently about people, and the world.
If you ask for my advice:
Read this book.
I know, I know, this might be my JK Rowling bias speaking, but please, try this book. But don't come into this book thinking it is Harry Potter. That will be the most fatal stroke to getting the most out of this book.
Maybe, maybe once everyone stops harping about the non-Harry-Potterness of this book, The Casual Vacancy will get the great recognition it deserves (and so unjustly is not given).
But read it for yourself, and see how you feel. I seriously would love to hear your thoughts. I write this book recommendation a little frightened, because I know how much other people hate this book, and I don't want to recommend something people will hate. Yet, I feel this book means something to me, and I have to share it.
But I've given you the warnings: Give the characters a chance. (Please.) Make it through the beginning. Don't think it is Harry Potter.
In this book, you either hate the characters, or you love them, and that is a big part of this book's appeal; I fall in the latter category, but you might be in the former.
But I've given you the warnings: Give the characters a chance. (Please.) Make it through the beginning. Don't think it is Harry Potter.
In this book, you either hate the characters, or you love them, and that is a big part of this book's appeal; I fall in the latter category, but you might be in the former.
Don't rely on me. Read it for yourself and see what you think.
(By the way, The Casual Vacancy has overthrown 50 Shades of Grey for the spot of the #1 NY Times Bestseller. All is well.)
Updated Review
Updated Review
Now, let me preface this by saying that yes, I am a huge JK Rowling fan. But let me tell you this as well: I've had about eight months between now and the time when I first finished this book (in the beginning of October, 2012). That means eight months for me to forget about the book, eight months for my initial "Oh gosh it's JK Rowling!" excitement to wear off. And eight months for my to really collect my thoughts and ideas about this book.
And in those eight months I've grown to love it even more. Here's why.
This book made me a HUGE JK Rowling fan; before, I just loved Harry Potter and JKR's personality. But this book....Holy crap. JKR has SO MUCH potential as an adult writer. I am thirsting for another dose of her adult literature, a place where she explores more real-world and grimy subjects. I want more of her realistic fiction! (Although, as you can tell by this blog's header, I love her fantasy as well :D)
The Prose
I mentioned in the black above that the first 200 pages of this book were boring. I've now started a reread of this book and I ran through the first 180ish pages in three days. Maybe it's because I've finished the book already and am now enjoying to see the characters interact; I know how they interact, and at first, it might seem that it's random. It's not. (But still, at first read, those 200 pages were boring.)
But the thing that made me love these 200 pages was the writing. HOLY GOSH THE WRITING.
I can squeal about the writing. The diction, the syntax, the freshness of the words and fluidity of the prose; it all excites me so much. JKR labored over the writing of this novel, I can tell. At times I got almost frustrated by her good writing because I kept pausing to revel in the twists of phrase; it took me out of the story! She is, without a doubt, one of the strongest writers I've ever read (I didn't think she was a strong prose-writer when I first read Harry Potter). I can underline things on every page, probably.
The Characters
I also mentioned in the black above about how I loved all the characters. Maybe that was a bit too extreme. I don't think JKR wrote with the intention to make us love the characters like she did in Harry Potter. As readers, we are just observers of these characters; we are above them and separate, but still, somehow, tied to them. It doesn't matter if we hate or love them -- the book doesn't care about that. This is an impassioned 'character study', as one review on Amazon said, into the lives of over a dozen characters.
And one of the greatest things is that through her writing, JKR holds our hand and guides us through the emotions each character feels, so their actions (however horrid they technically might be) seem logical, almost instinctive. Almost as if you would do the same thing -- until you step back and realize, wait, no you wouldn't. JKR makes us identify and agree with one character, and then identify and agree with another character who is in direct opposition to the first character. It is frustrating, it is heartbreaking, it is infuriating, to be the head cheerleader for both sides of a fierce and heated relationship.
I think a lot rests on whether you hate or enjoy these characters; if you hate all of them, chances are you won't enjoy this book at all. This book is a dive into the minds of the characters and how their thoughts lead to their actions; it is almost laughable to read it for its plot.
Characterization, as seen in Harry Potter, is one of her strongest abilities as an author.
The Themes
This book is ambitious, so, so ambitious. It rips apart the lives of dozens of characters and by the end (at least, I feel it does) shows how all of them start to pick themselves up and fix themselves. Grow.
And yet the biggest theme lies in the characterization of all these amazing people: We are able to relate to every person if only we are willing to step into their shoes and realize that they, too, are human, just like us. Too often people forget that there are other humans, and other people with different lives and different economic and social statures. These themes become slightly invisible due to her reserved prose; a reader has to find these themes, because JKR doesn't really slam them over your head.
Failure to realize the crucial fact (that all people are human) leads to actions that hurt other people, that destroy lives: JK Rowling said in an interview that the original name of this book was to be "Responsibility." How much responsibility does one have towards society, towards others, towards oneself? Just how much can one person's action cause pain to others?
And, an overarching theme: even if logically, some things are meant to be, how about emotionally? Shouldn't a person care for another, no matter how desperate and broken that person is? How can a person, with all of his/her nuances and emotions, function in a rigid and systematic (even 'from the outside looking in' type) society? (I'm thinking about Krystal here.) How about the underrepresented and ignored masses of society?
The biggest, 'straightforward' goal of this book, I am pretty sure, is to promote more funding for the welfare state in Britain. But this book is not a 'socialist manifesto' as one reviewer said; more like a 'humanitarian manifesto'.
This book reminds us to keep that all in mind. This book is great.
I seriously feel that this book is JK Rowling's greatest single literary achievement. I love Harry Potter as a series; I love, love this book as a book. I almost--almost, maybe, kind of, I don't know!--like this book better than Harry Potter--WAIT, I SAID MAYBE, I'M NOT SURE! PROBABLY NOT!
Because Harry Potter was life-changing, and this wasn't, but still! I feel like I've been on a journey with these characters, from the beginning to the end, and it was sad to flip the final page :(
But please, listen: This is just me. I love literary and contemporary fiction. You might not like it. It's all a matter of taste. Chances are, if you are looking for something like Harry Potter, you won't like it. You'll hate it. This is not Harry Potter AT ALL. This is swearing and sex and drugs and cutting and more, galore!
But if you like books about characters, if you like books that put you in the minds of real people, if you are not afraid of seriously disturbing subjects in fiction, if you like literary fiction, if you love good writing, if you enjoy the grayness in life and don't believe black-and-white people or decisions exist, this book is for you. You will love this book.
But please, keep in mind: This is not Harry Potter. This is a grand work of contemporary fiction, and I really, really hope people start to realize that this book is separate from Harry Potter. I truly hope this book becomes well-known before I die; I'll be sad knowing that this book was deemed a failure and will never be truly realized for what it is.
But you might not like it! You, if statistics rein king, will probably hate it, due to all the negative feedback this book has gotten. This is just my opinion, and my thoughts. I want to spread the love for this book, get people to maybe give it a chance, but please, realize, this is just one person's opinion. Only one person. You might very well hate this book.
Weird thing: I'm in love with the binding of this book. It feels and reads like a book should. I don't know. It's weird. But I love it!
Buy the book here or wait until it comes out in paperback on July 23 (with a new cover, too. Two new ones, in fact!)!
Hope you liked my review, and don't forget to follow my blog!
Have any of you already read this book? If so, what did you think of it? If not, are you planning to?
Monday, June 10, 2013
Query Kombat Round 2 Winners & Mentor Pairings & Round 3 Match-Ups!
Woo!!! After a CRAZY Round 2 (with so many amazing entries Kombating so many other amazing entries), we’ve got your winners below!
Round 3 will go up on Mike’s blog at on June 14—in four days! But there’s a reason for this long time gap.
What is that reason?
The winners of this round (listed below) are going to be paired up with some of our AMAZING mentors. Each mentor will help two entries in getting their queries and 250 into ship-shape, Kombating mode.
Be careful. The winners below have until 8 PM EST June 12 to send in their entries to QueryKombat(at)yahoo(dot)com. No corrections will be made after that, so make sure your entry is ready to go.
ANNNNDDD
We'll have our amazing 10 agents come AFTER the entire contest is over (beginning of June) to make requests! They'll peruse these 16 entries and make requests at that time (they're going to do their 'Query Kombat Agent Voting' stuff in the Final Four). Yes, it will be AMAZING. SO many great entries, helped along by the AMAZING critiques you have been giving them, will be displayed for agent interest!
THIS IS AWESOME!
Below is the list of entries paired up with which mentor they will work with.
Brianna Shrum:
Mississippi Crazypants
Lies and Lovers
Vicki Weavil:
Zone Tripper
Like-Minded Individuals
Rebecca Yarros:
The Decapitator
Not Odette
Jean Oram:
Champagne and Hotdogs
Broken Jar
Richard Pearson:
Elementary Girl
Minna Gray
Jennie Bozic:
Colorblind
Kicking Ash
Mindy McGinnis:
Supergeeker
Troglin Snot
Marcy Kate:
Eye Above You
Jungle Vendetta
To the actual winners:
Please please please make the most of your mentors. They are so selflessly donating their time to help you, so please, use their help! Every single one of them knows what they are talking about. Our mentors are FANTASTIC.
I am so excited to see all the amazing entries get even stronger. June 14th will be a fun-filled, awesome day.
Here are the entries that will be Kombating in Round 3!!
Like-Minded Individuals vs The Decapitator
Zone Tripper vs Colorblind
Troglin Snot vs Jungle Vendetta
Eye Above You vs Lies and Lovers
Kicking Ash vs Minna Gray
Not Odette vs Supergeeker
Elementary Girl vs Broken Jar
Mississippi Crazypants vs Champagne and Hotdogs
Have fun!!! Are you guys excited?!?!
Round 3 will go up on Mike’s blog at on June 14—in four days! But there’s a reason for this long time gap.
What is that reason?
The winners of this round (listed below) are going to be paired up with some of our AMAZING mentors. Each mentor will help two entries in getting their queries and 250 into ship-shape, Kombating mode.
Be careful. The winners below have until 8 PM EST June 12 to send in their entries to QueryKombat(at)yahoo(dot)com. No corrections will be made after that, so make sure your entry is ready to go.
ANNNNDDD
We'll have our amazing 10 agents come AFTER the entire contest is over (beginning of June) to make requests! They'll peruse these 16 entries and make requests at that time (they're going to do their 'Query Kombat Agent Voting' stuff in the Final Four). Yes, it will be AMAZING. SO many great entries, helped along by the AMAZING critiques you have been giving them, will be displayed for agent interest!
THIS IS AWESOME!
Below is the list of entries paired up with which mentor they will work with.
Brianna Shrum:
Mississippi Crazypants
Lies and Lovers
Vicki Weavil:
Zone Tripper
Like-Minded Individuals
Rebecca Yarros:
The Decapitator
Not Odette
Jean Oram:
Champagne and Hotdogs
Broken Jar
Richard Pearson:
Elementary Girl
Minna Gray
Jennie Bozic:
Colorblind
Kicking Ash
Mindy McGinnis:
Supergeeker
Troglin Snot
Marcy Kate:
Eye Above You
Jungle Vendetta
To the actual winners:
Please please please make the most of your mentors. They are so selflessly donating their time to help you, so please, use their help! Every single one of them knows what they are talking about. Our mentors are FANTASTIC.
I am so excited to see all the amazing entries get even stronger. June 14th will be a fun-filled, awesome day.
Here are the entries that will be Kombating in Round 3!!
Like-Minded Individuals vs The Decapitator
Zone Tripper vs Colorblind
Troglin Snot vs Jungle Vendetta
Eye Above You vs Lies and Lovers
Kicking Ash vs Minna Gray
Not Odette vs Supergeeker
Elementary Girl vs Broken Jar
Mississippi Crazypants vs Champagne and Hotdogs
Have fun!!! Are you guys excited?!?!
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Round 2 Entries are Up!
Wooo!!!! Round 2 Entries are UPP!!!!!!!!!!
Important: Probably, only a few of the 16 posts will show up below, due to some automatic cut off in Blogger. Instead, go over to the right below the 'Subscribe' widget and look at the posts under 'June' in the Blog Archive. All of them will be there. :D
Some brief refreshers:
1. This contest is BRUTAL. Again, half of you will be gone and only half will advance. And ALL of these entries are future books on the bookshelves. This is crazy.
2. Be kind. This is self-explanatory. Don't be horrid to other writers (or people, in general). Keep this contest clean and fun.
Only for the entrants
1. It is required that you critique six other match-ups. Don't worry, it doesn't have to be crazily in depth :) (But don't make it just cheerleading, either.)
For the entrants and the audience
2. Keep your critiques to the encouraging, positive side. Say what you love about each entry, at the minimum, and then go on to say what they can improve on (it'll be a great source for them to call upon if they make it into Round 3 and get to revamp their entry with their mentors). And you can vote, too, as to what entry you think should win! Just don't be obnoxious about it. (And don't vote 'yes' because the writer is your friend. That's not cool.)
3. Do NOT make the first comment. The first comment will be "This comment is reserved for the judges' votes" and will, well, be reserved for the judges' votes. It makes it easier for us to count up the votes. One of us three hosts will go around and post that comment once the match-ups are published, but it might take a while so be patient until we make our rounds :D
4. No cheerleading. Some people have more of an online presence than others, and thus, more chances of being 'cheered'. Keep it fair and keep it fun for everyone :) Back up your cheerleading with constructive criticism, and don't be afraid to cheer on strangers! (People like that. Really. They do.)
Go on Twitter under the hashtag #QueryKombat and cheer everyone on! (And shoot me a Tweet over here. (And don't forget to follow my blog!)) There is an AWESOME online community over Twitter at that hashtag. Really. It's amazing.
If you have any questions or you see any problems with your entries (mistakes happen!) comment below and I'll answer them/fix them ASAP :)
(By the way, has anyone realized how AWESOME this song AND video is?! I kind of love it. I've had it on replay for about two hours. Not lying.)
Important: Probably, only a few of the 16 posts will show up below, due to some automatic cut off in Blogger. Instead, go over to the right below the 'Subscribe' widget and look at the posts under 'June' in the Blog Archive. All of them will be there. :D
The winners of this round will move on to the Mentor round!!! WOOO!! So if you win, you'll be paired with one of our awesome mentors to help fix and tighten and awesome-ize your entry so you can win even better in Rounds 3, 4, 5, and 6.
Once again, if you wish to withdraw from the contest only due to non-contest related stuff like getting an agent, etc., you must do it before June 9th over email (QueryKombat (at) yahoo (dot) com). If you don't do it before June 9th, you cannot withdraw for any reason!
Some brief refreshers:
1. This contest is BRUTAL. Again, half of you will be gone and only half will advance. And ALL of these entries are future books on the bookshelves. This is crazy.
2. Be kind. This is self-explanatory. Don't be horrid to other writers (or people, in general). Keep this contest clean and fun.
Only for the entrants
1. It is required that you critique six other match-ups. Don't worry, it doesn't have to be crazily in depth :) (But don't make it just cheerleading, either.)
For the entrants and the audience
2. Keep your critiques to the encouraging, positive side. Say what you love about each entry, at the minimum, and then go on to say what they can improve on (it'll be a great source for them to call upon if they make it into Round 3 and get to revamp their entry with their mentors). And you can vote, too, as to what entry you think should win! Just don't be obnoxious about it. (And don't vote 'yes' because the writer is your friend. That's not cool.)
3. Do NOT make the first comment. The first comment will be "This comment is reserved for the judges' votes" and will, well, be reserved for the judges' votes. It makes it easier for us to count up the votes. One of us three hosts will go around and post that comment once the match-ups are published, but it might take a while so be patient until we make our rounds :D
4. No cheerleading. Some people have more of an online presence than others, and thus, more chances of being 'cheered'. Keep it fair and keep it fun for everyone :) Back up your cheerleading with constructive criticism, and don't be afraid to cheer on strangers! (People like that. Really. They do.)
Go on Twitter under the hashtag #QueryKombat and cheer everyone on! (And shoot me a Tweet over here. (And don't forget to follow my blog!)) There is an AWESOME online community over Twitter at that hashtag. Really. It's amazing.
If you have any questions or you see any problems with your entries (mistakes happen!) comment below and I'll answer them/fix them ASAP :)
(By the way, has anyone realized how AWESOME this song AND video is?! I kind of love it. I've had it on replay for about two hours. Not lying.)
Welp, that's it! HAVE FUN GUYS!!!!!! AND GOOD LUCK!!!!
QK Round 2: Mississippi Crazypants vs. Meryl-&-I
Entry Nickname: Mississippi Crazypants
Title: This Side of Crazy
Word Count: 86,000
Genre: Women's Fiction
Query:
Cissy Pickering swears that shooting her daddy in the back was the smartest thing she’s ever done. After surviving more than eight years of his abuse, she had to prevent him from having a secret with her two baby sisters. What she didn’t count on was being sent to the Greater Mississippi State Hospital instead of prison.
When a caring, yet unorthodox, hospital psychiatrist tries to unlock the family secrets that led to Cissy’s crime, the 16-year-old retreats to a world of make-believe and compulsive counting. Meanwhile, three generations of women struggle to understand and forgive Cissy while coming to terms with the loss of their son, husband and father. Only her maternal grandmother offers unconditional love and support.
When the psychiatrist digs too deep, Grandmother takes drastic action to ensure Cissy’s emotional and physical survival – even if it means breaking the law. Their tender relationship and an unearthed secret from Grandmother’s past force Cissy to make her most courageous decision yet.
First 250 words:
My sisters and I had already consumed an impressive stack of books since school let out, reading long into the sticky June nights, even under threat of punishment. We’d needled Mama until she finally agreed to take the three of us to the Biloxi library, although grudgingly. Her chief argument against getting more books – and a flimsy one at that – was that we read too fast and the books we had should have lasted all summer. I ignored her complaining because that’s one of my special talents.
In my room, I slipped into a plaid cotton sundress and my pink plastic sandals that squeaked when I walked and rubbed blisters on my little toes. The sound irritated Mama just enough to make those blisters worthwhile. Some might call this childish behavior for a 16-year-old but I took fun wherever I could find it.
Jessie, already dressed and downstairs in the kitchen, whined that we’d run out of her favorite cereal. Mama told her in the sternest voice that plain old Corn Flakes would have to do. When our housekeeper Bess offered to make pancakes, Mama shushed her, too. She was forever telling Bess that she spoiled us and that spoiled children grew up into spoiled adults.
The excitement of selecting new reading material sent my stomach into flip-flops, akin to the type experienced on Christmas morning. I rushed out of my room and down the hall toward the bathroom to brush my teeth. What I saw stopped me short, the plastic of my shoes sticking fast to the wood floor.
Versus
Entry Nickname: Meryl-&-I
Title: Blame it on Meryl Streep
Word count: 95K
Genre: Women's fiction
Query:
At age 28 TV producer Laura Sanders has never been in a relationship, never had sex, and never been loved. Certain that something has to be terribly wrong with her, she’s resigned to a dull, lonely life in the company of a few friends and her disinterested cat.
But when she watches the movie Mamma Mia, Laura is unexpectedly mesmerized: Meryl Streep seems to dance off the screen, showing Laura all the joy and passion that’s lacking in her life. Clearly Meryl Streep would be the perfect coach to guide her to a happier place.
Instead of spending her evenings watching Grey’s Anatomy and memorizing some of the show’s relationship conversations to copy whenever she feels the need to cover up her own inexperience, Laura now hangs out with her new BFF: imaginary Meryl Streep.
Meryl pushes Laura to try online-dating, advising her to rule out profiles with nicknames such as MrCool4Sale, OrgasmGiver or GotSomeWantSome. She teaches Laura her icy The Devil Wears Prada demeanor to copy when dealing with bigheaded, bullying co-workers. And she encourages Laura to spend more time with her new colleagues: women more likely to discuss vibrators than Danish directors. All of a sudden Laura is something she’s never been: cool. And while her sex-life used to consist in hugging her pillow good-night, Laura now has three potential love interests: two very real men … and one very imaginary Meryl Streep.
But soon Laura feels invincible and starts to ignore Meryl’s advice. Her best friend thinks Laura should finally grow up? – Laura counters with radio silence. A great date reveals he’s no Meryl Streep fan? – Laura dumps him. Her boss ignores Laura’s ideas? – She goes behind his back. Ultimately Meryl is all that Laura has left. Will she be able to take what she learns from her fantasy life and rediscover the very real possibility of love and happiness that await her? Or will Laura lose touch forever?
First 250 words:
I’m Laura Sanders.
I’m twenty-eight.
I’m a TV producer in Los Angeles.
I’ve travelled the world.
I have a cat named Sartre.
I own 108 pair of shoes.
I’m a virgin.
The worst part about my pathetic, lonely life is the constant pretending. Pretending to be normal. Everybody knows the drama of love, the passion, the pain, and not knowing makes you a complete freak. Until some years ago I used to be honest and tell friends that I never had a boyfriend, never had sex. Someday I’ll tell a stranger that I killed a person. Simply to see if that confession arouses a similar mortified look.
The look is always followed by the insensitive comment: Why don’t you just pick up a guy at a bar? A woman can get laid even if she’s coyote ugly and you look cute. Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t want to get laid. I want to be loved.
Next is usually the sexist, but popular, good advice:
Good Advice Number One: Be dumb. Men don’t like smart women.
Good Advice Number Two: Be hard to get. Men still think like hunters.
Good Advice Number Three: Be a listener. Men need attention.
Finally there’s the worst part: the awkward silence. After all, everything everybody talks about are relationships and to fit in you need stories to contribute. So I make up stories. Stories that cover up the fact that I’m an invisible woman, unable to catch a guy’s eye, let alone his heart.
Title: This Side of Crazy
Word Count: 86,000
Genre: Women's Fiction
Query:
Cissy Pickering swears that shooting her daddy in the back was the smartest thing she’s ever done. After surviving more than eight years of his abuse, she had to prevent him from having a secret with her two baby sisters. What she didn’t count on was being sent to the Greater Mississippi State Hospital instead of prison.
When a caring, yet unorthodox, hospital psychiatrist tries to unlock the family secrets that led to Cissy’s crime, the 16-year-old retreats to a world of make-believe and compulsive counting. Meanwhile, three generations of women struggle to understand and forgive Cissy while coming to terms with the loss of their son, husband and father. Only her maternal grandmother offers unconditional love and support.
When the psychiatrist digs too deep, Grandmother takes drastic action to ensure Cissy’s emotional and physical survival – even if it means breaking the law. Their tender relationship and an unearthed secret from Grandmother’s past force Cissy to make her most courageous decision yet.
First 250 words:
My sisters and I had already consumed an impressive stack of books since school let out, reading long into the sticky June nights, even under threat of punishment. We’d needled Mama until she finally agreed to take the three of us to the Biloxi library, although grudgingly. Her chief argument against getting more books – and a flimsy one at that – was that we read too fast and the books we had should have lasted all summer. I ignored her complaining because that’s one of my special talents.
In my room, I slipped into a plaid cotton sundress and my pink plastic sandals that squeaked when I walked and rubbed blisters on my little toes. The sound irritated Mama just enough to make those blisters worthwhile. Some might call this childish behavior for a 16-year-old but I took fun wherever I could find it.
Jessie, already dressed and downstairs in the kitchen, whined that we’d run out of her favorite cereal. Mama told her in the sternest voice that plain old Corn Flakes would have to do. When our housekeeper Bess offered to make pancakes, Mama shushed her, too. She was forever telling Bess that she spoiled us and that spoiled children grew up into spoiled adults.
The excitement of selecting new reading material sent my stomach into flip-flops, akin to the type experienced on Christmas morning. I rushed out of my room and down the hall toward the bathroom to brush my teeth. What I saw stopped me short, the plastic of my shoes sticking fast to the wood floor.
Versus
Entry Nickname: Meryl-&-I
Title: Blame it on Meryl Streep
Word count: 95K
Genre: Women's fiction
Query:
At age 28 TV producer Laura Sanders has never been in a relationship, never had sex, and never been loved. Certain that something has to be terribly wrong with her, she’s resigned to a dull, lonely life in the company of a few friends and her disinterested cat.
But when she watches the movie Mamma Mia, Laura is unexpectedly mesmerized: Meryl Streep seems to dance off the screen, showing Laura all the joy and passion that’s lacking in her life. Clearly Meryl Streep would be the perfect coach to guide her to a happier place.
Instead of spending her evenings watching Grey’s Anatomy and memorizing some of the show’s relationship conversations to copy whenever she feels the need to cover up her own inexperience, Laura now hangs out with her new BFF: imaginary Meryl Streep.
Meryl pushes Laura to try online-dating, advising her to rule out profiles with nicknames such as MrCool4Sale, OrgasmGiver or GotSomeWantSome. She teaches Laura her icy The Devil Wears Prada demeanor to copy when dealing with bigheaded, bullying co-workers. And she encourages Laura to spend more time with her new colleagues: women more likely to discuss vibrators than Danish directors. All of a sudden Laura is something she’s never been: cool. And while her sex-life used to consist in hugging her pillow good-night, Laura now has three potential love interests: two very real men … and one very imaginary Meryl Streep.
But soon Laura feels invincible and starts to ignore Meryl’s advice. Her best friend thinks Laura should finally grow up? – Laura counters with radio silence. A great date reveals he’s no Meryl Streep fan? – Laura dumps him. Her boss ignores Laura’s ideas? – She goes behind his back. Ultimately Meryl is all that Laura has left. Will she be able to take what she learns from her fantasy life and rediscover the very real possibility of love and happiness that await her? Or will Laura lose touch forever?
First 250 words:
I’m Laura Sanders.
I’m twenty-eight.
I’m a TV producer in Los Angeles.
I’ve travelled the world.
I have a cat named Sartre.
I own 108 pair of shoes.
I’m a virgin.
The worst part about my pathetic, lonely life is the constant pretending. Pretending to be normal. Everybody knows the drama of love, the passion, the pain, and not knowing makes you a complete freak. Until some years ago I used to be honest and tell friends that I never had a boyfriend, never had sex. Someday I’ll tell a stranger that I killed a person. Simply to see if that confession arouses a similar mortified look.
The look is always followed by the insensitive comment: Why don’t you just pick up a guy at a bar? A woman can get laid even if she’s coyote ugly and you look cute. Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t want to get laid. I want to be loved.
Next is usually the sexist, but popular, good advice:
Good Advice Number One: Be dumb. Men don’t like smart women.
Good Advice Number Two: Be hard to get. Men still think like hunters.
Good Advice Number Three: Be a listener. Men need attention.
Finally there’s the worst part: the awkward silence. After all, everything everybody talks about are relationships and to fit in you need stories to contribute. So I make up stories. Stories that cover up the fact that I’m an invisible woman, unable to catch a guy’s eye, let alone his heart.
QK Round 2: The Decapitator vs. McTavish Academy
Entry Nickname: The Decapitator
Title: The Art of Severance
Word Count: 82,000
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Query:
ATF Special Agent Alexandra MacPherson can’t decide which is worse -- a witness who dies or a suspect who won’t stay dead.
A routine investigation escalates to FUBAR when one of the accused turns up dead, his body untouched but drained of blood. A pregnant college student is found, minus her ten-week fetus and internal organs. A mother and daughter are smothered in the nursery. The only link among victims is their wounds mirror the attacks of creatures that don’t exist: a vampiric witch, a revenant, a bogeyman.
Bodies make it a big case with bigger problems. Alex can live with that. Maybe it will keep her from jogging the streets at two in the morning or drunk-dialing her dead husband’s cell phone number. Then her only viable lead is killed and Alex is forced to accept that some myths... aren’t.
Finding the man responsible is easy.
Killing him and his creations won’t be.
Surviving may be impossible.
First 250 Words:
Sometimes it all came down to the gun you chose. SIG Sauer P226 .40 S&W or Rossi .357 Magnum revolver with a six-inch barrel. I’d picked the SIG. I should have gone with the Rossi.
I sneaked a look at the battered clock on the wall of the loading dock. My dealer was only five minutes late. Not so long I worried he’d had second thoughts. I needed him to show soon, though, before my unease fermented into something harder to conceal.
“He’s late,” Mike said.
I shrugged. Played like I didn’t care, hadn’t noticed, and didn’t want to hiss at Mike for his observational skills.
“You watch the game last night?” Mike asked.
“What game?”
“The Sox.”
A Sox fan. God help me. I’d kept hundreds of mindless details straight for six months but couldn’t for the life of me remember whether Kate Campbell gave a crap about the national pastime. “I don’t follow baseball.”
“They play the Yankees tomorrow.”
“Well, I do hate the Yankees.”
“Who doesn’t?” Mike dropped the remnant of his cigarette to the floor of the dock and crushed it under his shoe.
Kate Campbell was a vegetarian who sold lattes at an internet cafe and lived in a dump near Temple University. A fugitive from the United Kingdom for alleged involvement in a train derailment in North West England, she fancied herself a modern day Guy Fawkes.
I was done pretending to be Kate Campbell, the annoying twat.
Entry Nickname: McTavish Academy
Title: McTavish
Word Count: 80,000
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Query:
He wanted an education. They gave him a gun.
On a quiet hilltop outside of Boston, a stone fortress rises up from the suburban sprawl. The McTavish Academy is renowned as a top-tier military school. People call it exclusive. They call it mysterious. Eighteen-year-old Michael Solomon doesn't care about any of that. When he arrives at the gargoyle-adorned front gates it's simply the means to an end--his last chance at keeping a death-bed promise to his beloved mother. But when he's greeted by a ninja with a sword on his back and taken to a Knight Templar for orientation, he discovers he's in for a whole lot more than lunch lines and math homework.
In over his head yet determined to keep his promise, Mike finds himself the newest operative in The Alphabet Corps, a motley band of troubled youth handpicked to defend the school and its dangerous secret against an army of nightmares hiding in plain sight.
Now, a Turkish ghoul from the First Crusade stands outside their gates, unshakable in his ambition to take the school and its secret by force, even if it means destroying the structure, its residents, and the very fabric of civilization in the process.
First 250 words:
She just wouldn't stop crying. Ugly, choking gasps for air between exaggerated sobs. Kneeling there on the dining room carpet, snot dripping down her rather plain face, she looked up at him and babbled incoherently. Something about not hurting her boy. Çöl Çelik found it repulsive. Examining her with his jet black eyes, expressionless, he tried to relate, tried to recall a time he had ever been so weak. But after a thousand years, he could only vaguely remember ever being human at all.
Sitting back in his chair, old wood and well made, he turned from the woman to brush away flakes of dried skin from his robe. To his left the woman's son, only a small child, sat in quiet concern where they had tossed him, knees tucked tightly to his chest. The boy was courteous enough to keep his tears to himself and for that Çelik was thankful. In gratitude, he drew an old pistol from his robe and pulled the trigger.
The mother shrieked, crawling to her son’s body and drawing his tiny corpse into her arms. Çelik did his best to ignore her, running a long, boney finger down his polished armrest. From this room. From this chair. Here the one they had mocked, the one they had dubbed ‘The Traitor King’ so many centuries ago would finally take what he deserved. But the crying was getting to be too much.
“Oh stop it," he groaned. "I did him a favor. You have no idea what's coming."
Title: The Art of Severance
Word Count: 82,000
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Query:
ATF Special Agent Alexandra MacPherson can’t decide which is worse -- a witness who dies or a suspect who won’t stay dead.
A routine investigation escalates to FUBAR when one of the accused turns up dead, his body untouched but drained of blood. A pregnant college student is found, minus her ten-week fetus and internal organs. A mother and daughter are smothered in the nursery. The only link among victims is their wounds mirror the attacks of creatures that don’t exist: a vampiric witch, a revenant, a bogeyman.
Bodies make it a big case with bigger problems. Alex can live with that. Maybe it will keep her from jogging the streets at two in the morning or drunk-dialing her dead husband’s cell phone number. Then her only viable lead is killed and Alex is forced to accept that some myths... aren’t.
Finding the man responsible is easy.
Killing him and his creations won’t be.
Surviving may be impossible.
First 250 Words:
Sometimes it all came down to the gun you chose. SIG Sauer P226 .40 S&W or Rossi .357 Magnum revolver with a six-inch barrel. I’d picked the SIG. I should have gone with the Rossi.
I sneaked a look at the battered clock on the wall of the loading dock. My dealer was only five minutes late. Not so long I worried he’d had second thoughts. I needed him to show soon, though, before my unease fermented into something harder to conceal.
“He’s late,” Mike said.
I shrugged. Played like I didn’t care, hadn’t noticed, and didn’t want to hiss at Mike for his observational skills.
“You watch the game last night?” Mike asked.
“What game?”
“The Sox.”
A Sox fan. God help me. I’d kept hundreds of mindless details straight for six months but couldn’t for the life of me remember whether Kate Campbell gave a crap about the national pastime. “I don’t follow baseball.”
“They play the Yankees tomorrow.”
“Well, I do hate the Yankees.”
“Who doesn’t?” Mike dropped the remnant of his cigarette to the floor of the dock and crushed it under his shoe.
Kate Campbell was a vegetarian who sold lattes at an internet cafe and lived in a dump near Temple University. A fugitive from the United Kingdom for alleged involvement in a train derailment in North West England, she fancied herself a modern day Guy Fawkes.
I was done pretending to be Kate Campbell, the annoying twat.
Versus
Entry Nickname: McTavish Academy
Title: McTavish
Word Count: 80,000
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Query:
He wanted an education. They gave him a gun.
On a quiet hilltop outside of Boston, a stone fortress rises up from the suburban sprawl. The McTavish Academy is renowned as a top-tier military school. People call it exclusive. They call it mysterious. Eighteen-year-old Michael Solomon doesn't care about any of that. When he arrives at the gargoyle-adorned front gates it's simply the means to an end--his last chance at keeping a death-bed promise to his beloved mother. But when he's greeted by a ninja with a sword on his back and taken to a Knight Templar for orientation, he discovers he's in for a whole lot more than lunch lines and math homework.
In over his head yet determined to keep his promise, Mike finds himself the newest operative in The Alphabet Corps, a motley band of troubled youth handpicked to defend the school and its dangerous secret against an army of nightmares hiding in plain sight.
Now, a Turkish ghoul from the First Crusade stands outside their gates, unshakable in his ambition to take the school and its secret by force, even if it means destroying the structure, its residents, and the very fabric of civilization in the process.
First 250 words:
She just wouldn't stop crying. Ugly, choking gasps for air between exaggerated sobs. Kneeling there on the dining room carpet, snot dripping down her rather plain face, she looked up at him and babbled incoherently. Something about not hurting her boy. Çöl Çelik found it repulsive. Examining her with his jet black eyes, expressionless, he tried to relate, tried to recall a time he had ever been so weak. But after a thousand years, he could only vaguely remember ever being human at all.
Sitting back in his chair, old wood and well made, he turned from the woman to brush away flakes of dried skin from his robe. To his left the woman's son, only a small child, sat in quiet concern where they had tossed him, knees tucked tightly to his chest. The boy was courteous enough to keep his tears to himself and for that Çelik was thankful. In gratitude, he drew an old pistol from his robe and pulled the trigger.
The mother shrieked, crawling to her son’s body and drawing his tiny corpse into her arms. Çelik did his best to ignore her, running a long, boney finger down his polished armrest. From this room. From this chair. Here the one they had mocked, the one they had dubbed ‘The Traitor King’ so many centuries ago would finally take what he deserved. But the crying was getting to be too much.
“Oh stop it," he groaned. "I did him a favor. You have no idea what's coming."
QK Round 2: Champagne & Hot Dogs vs. Penny Lane Grows Up
Entry Nickname: Champagne & Hot Dogs
Title: The Accidental Socialite
Word count: 75,000
Genre: WF Contemporary
Query:
When small town Canada collides with the glitz and glamour of London, someone’s lady parts trend on Twitter.
THE ACCIDENTAL SOCIALITE follows quirky and a little clumsy Paige Crawford who leaves Edmonton, Canada for London because she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life living in a city best known for it's big mall and above average murder rate. So, she makes an impulsive decision: she's moving to London to find a dream career, cultured friends and preferably, a hot foreign boyfriend. Forty-eight hours into her adventure, Paige ends up at a club and having one too many, trips out of the front doors only to be caught by a notorious and married footballer. Waking up in a foreign country is hard enough, waking up to find yourself on the front cover of a national newspaper being labeled a home wrecker is… well, not ideal. But, Paige is an optimist. Being pseudo famous has its perks: free champagne, parties, goody bags - oh, and more free champagne.
In the haze of her first days, Paige begins to date Jason Frost. He seems perfect, knows Paige isn’t a harlot and introduces her to the kind of fancy things she’d only seen onGossip Girl. Ultimately, cracks start to show in Jason’s façade and Paige finds out that some people in London aren’t exactly who they appear to be.
From mistaking the word sommelier as a derogatory term for someone from Somalia to narrowly escaping deportation for assaulting the second in line to the throne with a Star Wars toy, London teaches Paige lessons she didn’t know she needed. With heartbreak, humour, culture clashes and a bit of edge, THE ACCIDENTAL SOCIALITE is an international fish out of water story that takes the reader through one girl’s journey to make the most out of her life.
First 250 words:
It was 3 A.M and all I wanted was a cheeseburger.
“Miss, we sell only Big Mac after midnight,” said the Bangladeshi McDonalds employee.
“Yes, I understand that and I will pay for a Big Mac, but I would like a cheeseburger, so can you,
like, remove a patty and mid bun and hold the secret sauce? Please?”
“Miss I am sorry but we do not have this item now.”
A tall, drunk and incredibly beautiful blonde South African girl appeared at the till next to me.
“I’ll have a hot dog.”
That’s my new best friend, Lucinda.
We walked out of McDonalds still drunk and without our respective food, just a small fries to ‘split’, which really meant Lucinda was going to watch me eat them. As I was elegantly shoving eight fries into my mouth at once, not unlike a four-year-old, I became the unwitting participant of a photo-shoot. I looked around for the celebrity garnering all this attention and it wasn’t until Lucinda slapped the second fistful of fries out of my hand that I realized that celebrity was me.
***
Less than twenty-four hours earlier, my eighteen-hour flight from Edmonton to London connecting in Denver landed at 9:38 A.M on a grey, drizzly Saturday in late January. I struggled to get my large carry on bag out of the overhead compartment, not just because it was heavy, but also because I had inadvertently rendered myself immobile.
Entry Nickname: Penny Lane Grows Up
Title: Somebody That I Used To Know
Word count: 95,000
Genre: Women's Fiction
Query:
Ali Fisher was a fan of rocker Matt Hartley in her teens, but at 27, her high school fantasy is grown-up reality. It’s been five years since he asked for her number after a show, since she fell in love with the real Matt. Her friends are climbing career ladders and buying properties, but Ali’s in no hurry.
Then she meets the 19-year-old who claims to be Matt’s lover from the road. Shameful parallels between them spotlight how much Ali sacrificed to be a songwriter’s muse, and no personalized power ballad can make up for that now.
Stuck in a sterile admin job and an apartment on the corner of Nearly 30 and Nowhere, Ali seeks who she might’ve been had her wildest dream never come true. Growing envy of her friends’ figured-out lives threatens to maroon her. Visiting Britain was a goal long before Matt, so when her boss needs artwork for a new building, Ali volunteers her rusty painting skills for a commission to fund her trip. London’s streets, the Cornish coast, and the Scottish Highlands reawaken her artistic ambition—as does British bassist Thom. Then in an English gallery, she stumbles across her own neglected muse. Ali must decide when to let go of impractical dreams, and which are really impractical. She faces a choice: pursue stability while she still has time, or risk it for what her unreliable heart wants. But which will close out her twenties with hope, and not regret?
First 250 words:
Ali Fisher’s got it all. That’s what friends say when introducing me, or what my sister says with a shake of her head. Never mind that I’m still renting at twenty-seven, or that I’m assistant to a threesome-loving Trump-wannabe. If you ever dreamed of talking with a beloved personal hero—be it a musician, writer, or actor—and that they’d listen and love you back, then you’ll be interested to know that it does indeed happen.
No matter how underground or mainstream, if there’s someone who inspires you with their talent and passion and ability to share it, then you’ll know what I’m talking about. This isn’t about leaving him on a pedestal. You’ve got to be realistic; PR whitewashes 80% of his screw-ups, after all. I’m talking about stumbling into his world and peeling back his layers like an artichoke to get to the good stuff. The real stuff. The part where you can make a difference.
Tonight, I’m celebrating that difference with my best friend Val. The band has outdone themselves but now I’m restless, waiting for the encore. Teasing Val about the drummer’s newborn, cradled by its mother nearby, is my chosen distraction.
The truth is, a lot of babies look like Phil Collins. This one’s a doozy. I think it’s the perfectly round head, the stubborn wisps of hair, and an awareness out of place if your age is still tallied in months. The resemblance makes me cringe at Val’s guilty obsession.
Word count: 75,000
Genre: WF Contemporary
Query:
When small town Canada collides with the glitz and glamour of London, someone’s lady parts trend on Twitter.
THE ACCIDENTAL SOCIALITE follows quirky and a little clumsy Paige Crawford who leaves Edmonton, Canada for London because she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life living in a city best known for it's big mall and above average murder rate. So, she makes an impulsive decision: she's moving to London to find a dream career, cultured friends and preferably, a hot foreign boyfriend. Forty-eight hours into her adventure, Paige ends up at a club and having one too many, trips out of the front doors only to be caught by a notorious and married footballer. Waking up in a foreign country is hard enough, waking up to find yourself on the front cover of a national newspaper being labeled a home wrecker is… well, not ideal. But, Paige is an optimist. Being pseudo famous has its perks: free champagne, parties, goody bags - oh, and more free champagne.
In the haze of her first days, Paige begins to date Jason Frost. He seems perfect, knows Paige isn’t a harlot and introduces her to the kind of fancy things she’d only seen onGossip Girl. Ultimately, cracks start to show in Jason’s façade and Paige finds out that some people in London aren’t exactly who they appear to be.
From mistaking the word sommelier as a derogatory term for someone from Somalia to narrowly escaping deportation for assaulting the second in line to the throne with a Star Wars toy, London teaches Paige lessons she didn’t know she needed. With heartbreak, humour, culture clashes and a bit of edge, THE ACCIDENTAL SOCIALITE is an international fish out of water story that takes the reader through one girl’s journey to make the most out of her life.
First 250 words:
It was 3 A.M and all I wanted was a cheeseburger.
“Miss, we sell only Big Mac after midnight,” said the Bangladeshi McDonalds employee.
“Yes, I understand that and I will pay for a Big Mac, but I would like a cheeseburger, so can you,
like, remove a patty and mid bun and hold the secret sauce? Please?”
“Miss I am sorry but we do not have this item now.”
A tall, drunk and incredibly beautiful blonde South African girl appeared at the till next to me.
“I’ll have a hot dog.”
That’s my new best friend, Lucinda.
We walked out of McDonalds still drunk and without our respective food, just a small fries to ‘split’, which really meant Lucinda was going to watch me eat them. As I was elegantly shoving eight fries into my mouth at once, not unlike a four-year-old, I became the unwitting participant of a photo-shoot. I looked around for the celebrity garnering all this attention and it wasn’t until Lucinda slapped the second fistful of fries out of my hand that I realized that celebrity was me.
***
Less than twenty-four hours earlier, my eighteen-hour flight from Edmonton to London connecting in Denver landed at 9:38 A.M on a grey, drizzly Saturday in late January. I struggled to get my large carry on bag out of the overhead compartment, not just because it was heavy, but also because I had inadvertently rendered myself immobile.
Versus
Entry Nickname: Penny Lane Grows Up
Title: Somebody That I Used To Know
Word count: 95,000
Genre: Women's Fiction
Query:
Ali Fisher was a fan of rocker Matt Hartley in her teens, but at 27, her high school fantasy is grown-up reality. It’s been five years since he asked for her number after a show, since she fell in love with the real Matt. Her friends are climbing career ladders and buying properties, but Ali’s in no hurry.
Then she meets the 19-year-old who claims to be Matt’s lover from the road. Shameful parallels between them spotlight how much Ali sacrificed to be a songwriter’s muse, and no personalized power ballad can make up for that now.
Stuck in a sterile admin job and an apartment on the corner of Nearly 30 and Nowhere, Ali seeks who she might’ve been had her wildest dream never come true. Growing envy of her friends’ figured-out lives threatens to maroon her. Visiting Britain was a goal long before Matt, so when her boss needs artwork for a new building, Ali volunteers her rusty painting skills for a commission to fund her trip. London’s streets, the Cornish coast, and the Scottish Highlands reawaken her artistic ambition—as does British bassist Thom. Then in an English gallery, she stumbles across her own neglected muse. Ali must decide when to let go of impractical dreams, and which are really impractical. She faces a choice: pursue stability while she still has time, or risk it for what her unreliable heart wants. But which will close out her twenties with hope, and not regret?
First 250 words:
Ali Fisher’s got it all. That’s what friends say when introducing me, or what my sister says with a shake of her head. Never mind that I’m still renting at twenty-seven, or that I’m assistant to a threesome-loving Trump-wannabe. If you ever dreamed of talking with a beloved personal hero—be it a musician, writer, or actor—and that they’d listen and love you back, then you’ll be interested to know that it does indeed happen.
No matter how underground or mainstream, if there’s someone who inspires you with their talent and passion and ability to share it, then you’ll know what I’m talking about. This isn’t about leaving him on a pedestal. You’ve got to be realistic; PR whitewashes 80% of his screw-ups, after all. I’m talking about stumbling into his world and peeling back his layers like an artichoke to get to the good stuff. The real stuff. The part where you can make a difference.
Tonight, I’m celebrating that difference with my best friend Val. The band has outdone themselves but now I’m restless, waiting for the encore. Teasing Val about the drummer’s newborn, cradled by its mother nearby, is my chosen distraction.
The truth is, a lot of babies look like Phil Collins. This one’s a doozy. I think it’s the perfectly round head, the stubborn wisps of hair, and an awareness out of place if your age is still tallied in months. The resemblance makes me cringe at Val’s guilty obsession.
QK Round 2: The Fisherman vs. Zone Tripper
Entry Nickname: The Fisherman
Title: The Fisherman
Word count: 90K
Genre: Adult Literary Suspense
Query:
Everyone Jude Fisher has ever loved is dead. His parents, his three best friends, the love of his life—they’ve all gone to their untimely graves. And Jude has killed them, every one. It’s a curse: when he loves someone, they’re laid low. It never fails. They always die.
THE FISHERMAN pits the world-weary, 22-year-old Jude against the ultra-violent Lucas Moordenaar, a depraved killer who murdered Jude’s parents a decade before, triggering the boy’s tragic malediction. When Lucas is about to be paroled, Jude embarks on a relentless, three-day mission from Minnesota to upstate New York, where Lucas sits in prison, waiting for him like some terrible spider. Jude must stop the man who birthed his curse from going free: if he doesn’t, he’ll be forever doomed to walk the earth, killing anyone unlucky enough to become his friend.
Jude trips through trains, buses, city streets, and country roads on his spasmodic journey to Greenvale State Penitentiary, haunted by his dead loved ones. He is tortured especially by the apparition of his lovely Angela, whose death wounded him worst of all. Her dying wish was that Jude seek out the man that murdered his parents and learn the truth about his curse. Jude won’t let her down: he will meet this monstrous evil face-to-face.
First 250 words:
The question I get most since they chucked me in this hole is this: Are you sorry for what you done? Everybody asks me, when they find out what I done. And its sorta an interestin question. It sets me to thinkin.
See, there are probly a few who are sorry. The two pukes I wasted in here for starters. If you could ask them now, which you cant, they would most definitely wish I hadnt squirted up into the system and trickled down and out the shitpipe into scenic Greenvale State Peniten-shee-ary.
Its like I always says: you dont cross Big Luke. Some learnt that little factoid harder than others, but they all learnt it. Tell the truth bout them pukes I dusted, the both of em deserved what they got. Anyone I ever waxed deserved it, matter of plain fact. They was in the wrong place, doing the wrong thing, all of them.
But the little kid, you see, the reason I landed here—he maybe didnt deserve what he got. But hell, I still aint even answered the questionI done my share of crazy shit, but I always meant to do it. Always did it with purpose. But with the kid, I didnt mean for none of it to happen the way it did.
And I might tell you too much over the next few pages. I might tell you all about shit I done thatll make you want to puke. Hell, you might even grow to hate me a little. You wouldnt be the first.
Entry Nickname: Zone Tripper
Title: Zone Trippers
Word count: 90,000
Genre: Adult SciFi
Query:
Owen MacIntyre already lost his wife to cancer and now his daughter is missing. But he can’t just file a missing person’s report—Eve is infected with Zone Tripper’s disease, which causes people across the globe to involuntarily swap souls en masse. Eve’s body remains at home, serving as a revolving door for other zone trippers, while her soul leaps into other trippers all over the world.
In quick progression, Eve finds herself in a Chinese slave laborer, a blind French woman, then in a dying woman. Only a train stop away from home, Eve’s soul jumps once more and she hasn’t been heard from since.
Owen struggles with the strong personalities rotating through Eve’s body as he continues to search for Eve’s soul, using the website he co-creates with one of Eve’s visiting souls, Humberto.
Meanwhile, the world has segregated itself into two camps—the trippers and the statics. The survival odds for zone trippers are falling fast, with horrific conditions waiting on the other side of a bad trip.
And to further complicate their fates, a tasteless reality show, Identity Theft, debases victims on international television while zone-tripping serial murderer, called the Infinity Killer, has put other trippers in his cross hairs.
Owen must risk his own safety—and soul—before he loses his daughter for good. But how do you find a missing person when it's her soul that's left?
First 250 words:
Home is where the heart breaks, my wife had always said.
She wasn’t wrong.
The garage door opened its jaws and swallowed my car whole. Each time I pulled into the drive, it’s a fist to the gut. My daughter Eve’s Toyota sat in the third bay, seemingly miles away. A small ghost of an oil stain marks the center spot.
Walking out to the bricked mailbox in the frigid March air, I leafed through today’s bills, which included a tuition payment. I had agreed to pay for Eve’s frivolous photography degree, but only if she factored in a few business courses, achieved stellar grades, and lived at home.
Photography is a hobby. Taking pictures isn’t a career. How many times had I told Eve that?
A junk mail letter with Penelope’s name caught between the tuition statement and a flyer. I stopped rifling and swallowed hard. Shouldn’t this have stopped by now? It had been three years. Ironically, it was an ad for life insurance.
Viewing the house from the outside made it seem emptier. Penelope had stood here almost every day, gathering the mail—until she was too sick to walk outside. The house held 5,200 square feet of broken memories. Her fingerprints could still be seen on her vanity mirror but her absence echoed from every corner. Her love seat held air, her bedside table sat naked, and her painting studio was empty now except for dust. Every night I forced myself to enter this tomb for Eve’s sake.
Title: The Fisherman
Word count: 90K
Genre: Adult Literary Suspense
Query:
Everyone Jude Fisher has ever loved is dead. His parents, his three best friends, the love of his life—they’ve all gone to their untimely graves. And Jude has killed them, every one. It’s a curse: when he loves someone, they’re laid low. It never fails. They always die.
THE FISHERMAN pits the world-weary, 22-year-old Jude against the ultra-violent Lucas Moordenaar, a depraved killer who murdered Jude’s parents a decade before, triggering the boy’s tragic malediction. When Lucas is about to be paroled, Jude embarks on a relentless, three-day mission from Minnesota to upstate New York, where Lucas sits in prison, waiting for him like some terrible spider. Jude must stop the man who birthed his curse from going free: if he doesn’t, he’ll be forever doomed to walk the earth, killing anyone unlucky enough to become his friend.
Jude trips through trains, buses, city streets, and country roads on his spasmodic journey to Greenvale State Penitentiary, haunted by his dead loved ones. He is tortured especially by the apparition of his lovely Angela, whose death wounded him worst of all. Her dying wish was that Jude seek out the man that murdered his parents and learn the truth about his curse. Jude won’t let her down: he will meet this monstrous evil face-to-face.
First 250 words:
The question I get most since they chucked me in this hole is this: Are you sorry for what you done? Everybody asks me, when they find out what I done. And its sorta an interestin question. It sets me to thinkin.
See, there are probly a few who are sorry. The two pukes I wasted in here for starters. If you could ask them now, which you cant, they would most definitely wish I hadnt squirted up into the system and trickled down and out the shitpipe into scenic Greenvale State Peniten-shee-ary.
Its like I always says: you dont cross Big Luke. Some learnt that little factoid harder than others, but they all learnt it. Tell the truth bout them pukes I dusted, the both of em deserved what they got. Anyone I ever waxed deserved it, matter of plain fact. They was in the wrong place, doing the wrong thing, all of them.
But the little kid, you see, the reason I landed here—he maybe didnt deserve what he got. But hell, I still aint even answered the questionI done my share of crazy shit, but I always meant to do it. Always did it with purpose. But with the kid, I didnt mean for none of it to happen the way it did.
And I might tell you too much over the next few pages. I might tell you all about shit I done thatll make you want to puke. Hell, you might even grow to hate me a little. You wouldnt be the first.
Versus
Entry Nickname: Zone Tripper
Title: Zone Trippers
Word count: 90,000
Genre: Adult SciFi
Query:
Owen MacIntyre already lost his wife to cancer and now his daughter is missing. But he can’t just file a missing person’s report—Eve is infected with Zone Tripper’s disease, which causes people across the globe to involuntarily swap souls en masse. Eve’s body remains at home, serving as a revolving door for other zone trippers, while her soul leaps into other trippers all over the world.
In quick progression, Eve finds herself in a Chinese slave laborer, a blind French woman, then in a dying woman. Only a train stop away from home, Eve’s soul jumps once more and she hasn’t been heard from since.
Owen struggles with the strong personalities rotating through Eve’s body as he continues to search for Eve’s soul, using the website he co-creates with one of Eve’s visiting souls, Humberto.
Meanwhile, the world has segregated itself into two camps—the trippers and the statics. The survival odds for zone trippers are falling fast, with horrific conditions waiting on the other side of a bad trip.
And to further complicate their fates, a tasteless reality show, Identity Theft, debases victims on international television while zone-tripping serial murderer, called the Infinity Killer, has put other trippers in his cross hairs.
Owen must risk his own safety—and soul—before he loses his daughter for good. But how do you find a missing person when it's her soul that's left?
First 250 words:
Home is where the heart breaks, my wife had always said.
She wasn’t wrong.
The garage door opened its jaws and swallowed my car whole. Each time I pulled into the drive, it’s a fist to the gut. My daughter Eve’s Toyota sat in the third bay, seemingly miles away. A small ghost of an oil stain marks the center spot.
Walking out to the bricked mailbox in the frigid March air, I leafed through today’s bills, which included a tuition payment. I had agreed to pay for Eve’s frivolous photography degree, but only if she factored in a few business courses, achieved stellar grades, and lived at home.
Photography is a hobby. Taking pictures isn’t a career. How many times had I told Eve that?
A junk mail letter with Penelope’s name caught between the tuition statement and a flyer. I stopped rifling and swallowed hard. Shouldn’t this have stopped by now? It had been three years. Ironically, it was an ad for life insurance.
Viewing the house from the outside made it seem emptier. Penelope had stood here almost every day, gathering the mail—until she was too sick to walk outside. The house held 5,200 square feet of broken memories. Her fingerprints could still be seen on her vanity mirror but her absence echoed from every corner. Her love seat held air, her bedside table sat naked, and her painting studio was empty now except for dust. Every night I forced myself to enter this tomb for Eve’s sake.
QK Round 2: Like-Minded Individuals vs. Dangerous Politics
Entry Nickname: Like-Minded Individuals
Title: The Secret Society Of Like-Minded Individuals
Word count: 82,000
Genre: Adult Comedic Dark Thriller
Query:
Being an accountant by day allows Leon Garber to pursue his true passion. He has his reasons for scourging the world of abusive people. But justifiable homicide is a tricky, risky business.
Opportunity comes knocking from Like-Minded Individuals, Inc., a global company fulfilling the needs of people like Leon to pursue their “projects.” LMI sets their clientele up with new identities, security, and even lists of potential candidates. A grand business model for today’s increasingly expanding and changing economy. All for a price, of course. Some things are worth the cost. For Leon, it’s a dream come true.
But sometimes a killer business idea is simply…killer.
Leon finds himself out of favor with Like-Minded Individuals for reasons unknown. LMI, the police, sanctioned hit-men, and a vicious psychopath are after him. Heads are chopped, dropped and swapped as Leon fights for his life and freedom. All of which keeps Leon from finishing his current project. But as a consummate professional, Leon can’t leave a job incomplete.
First 250 words:
The child knew when to hide. Anytime his father opened a bottle of liquor. He’d known that for years, just as he knew the burning lash of a leather belt followed the accidental breaking of a dish or a glass. It was part of his world. Accepted as normal.
Until a day in late May. The day everything changed. The day he came home from school to find his mother backed against the refrigerator, his father’s hands wrapped in a vice grip around her neck.
“How long you been screwing around in Bill Arnold’s bed, you whore? How long? Always knew you were nothing but a whore! That little bastard’s not even mine, is he?” The hands jerked and his mother’s body shook like a ragdoll. “Shoulda made you abort him when I told you to!”
The boy raced across the kitchen. His father's hand lashed out and he crashed to the floor. The heavy work boot kicked and cracked his nose. Half-blinded, he saw his father latch onto a kitchen knife. The blade plunged into his mother's chest, again and again. And again. Chunking like a watermelon chopped into quarters. One more flash of the knife and her throat opened up in a red grin. Blood showered out. His father dropped the knife and staggered out of the kitchen.
Entry Nickname: Dangerous Politics
Title: We the People
Word count: 71,200
Genre: Adult Thriller
Query:
Reilly Grant is important, but she has no idea why. All she knows is that the United States of America has fallen to a man everyone once called President.
The Emperor has stripped away everything that had once made the USA great and replaced it with despair and tyranny. The suburbs, once part of the American Dream, have become veritable ghost towns – museums of the lives people once had. Having once worked for the Emperor, Reilly knows how dangerous he can be. It’s one of the reasons she defected from his army and joined the rebels in an effort to fight back.
But what Reilly doesn’t know – or can’t remember – is that she participated in a sleeper agent program aimed at stopping the former President prior to the transition from democracy to tyranny. Somewhere along the way her handler failed to activate her. Left in the dark she’s vulnerable to retaliation from the Emperor who’s learned of the program and her involvement.
In a fight for her life, Reilly has to choose who she can and can’t trust. If she gets it wrong it could mean her life.
First 250 words:
The water was black. It wasn’t brown or milky tan, but pitch black. I discarded the water over my shoulder and trudged forward. Mara and I had been searching for a viable water source for ten days now, but ... nothing. Not a drop had been clean enough. It wasn’t necessarily surprising, but it was discouraging nonetheless.
“Rei, I think we should move on to the next sector. One we know might have water.” Mara threw her backpack down, dug out a bottle of clean water, and pushed her unruly black curls away from her face so she could take a sip. Even swigging from a bottle, her face looked delicate, but nothing else about her was delicate. Short as she was, she was well-muscled and built for speed and strength. Next to her, I felt plain. My face wasn’t as delicate as hers, nor was I built for swiftness or force, but I did have stealth. Or at least I felt like I did. Lately, it seemed stealth wasn’t even on my side.
“Hex won’t be happy if we do that, and you know it. I’m not about to deal with one of his bad moods, Mara.”
She snorted. “What a hack. He thinks he runs the operation, when everyone knows you’re the brains behind it.”
I let out a sigh. “Hex is military. Of course he thinks he’s in charge. We are at war."
Mara shoved the bottle back into her backpack and started marching toward the next empty house.
Word count: 82,000
Genre: Adult Comedic Dark Thriller
Query:
Being an accountant by day allows Leon Garber to pursue his true passion. He has his reasons for scourging the world of abusive people. But justifiable homicide is a tricky, risky business.
Opportunity comes knocking from Like-Minded Individuals, Inc., a global company fulfilling the needs of people like Leon to pursue their “projects.” LMI sets their clientele up with new identities, security, and even lists of potential candidates. A grand business model for today’s increasingly expanding and changing economy. All for a price, of course. Some things are worth the cost. For Leon, it’s a dream come true.
But sometimes a killer business idea is simply…killer.
Leon finds himself out of favor with Like-Minded Individuals for reasons unknown. LMI, the police, sanctioned hit-men, and a vicious psychopath are after him. Heads are chopped, dropped and swapped as Leon fights for his life and freedom. All of which keeps Leon from finishing his current project. But as a consummate professional, Leon can’t leave a job incomplete.
First 250 words:
The child knew when to hide. Anytime his father opened a bottle of liquor. He’d known that for years, just as he knew the burning lash of a leather belt followed the accidental breaking of a dish or a glass. It was part of his world. Accepted as normal.
Until a day in late May. The day everything changed. The day he came home from school to find his mother backed against the refrigerator, his father’s hands wrapped in a vice grip around her neck.
“How long you been screwing around in Bill Arnold’s bed, you whore? How long? Always knew you were nothing but a whore! That little bastard’s not even mine, is he?” The hands jerked and his mother’s body shook like a ragdoll. “Shoulda made you abort him when I told you to!”
The boy raced across the kitchen. His father's hand lashed out and he crashed to the floor. The heavy work boot kicked and cracked his nose. Half-blinded, he saw his father latch onto a kitchen knife. The blade plunged into his mother's chest, again and again. And again. Chunking like a watermelon chopped into quarters. One more flash of the knife and her throat opened up in a red grin. Blood showered out. His father dropped the knife and staggered out of the kitchen.
Versus
Entry Nickname: Dangerous Politics
Title: We the People
Word count: 71,200
Genre: Adult Thriller
Query:
Reilly Grant is important, but she has no idea why. All she knows is that the United States of America has fallen to a man everyone once called President.
The Emperor has stripped away everything that had once made the USA great and replaced it with despair and tyranny. The suburbs, once part of the American Dream, have become veritable ghost towns – museums of the lives people once had. Having once worked for the Emperor, Reilly knows how dangerous he can be. It’s one of the reasons she defected from his army and joined the rebels in an effort to fight back.
But what Reilly doesn’t know – or can’t remember – is that she participated in a sleeper agent program aimed at stopping the former President prior to the transition from democracy to tyranny. Somewhere along the way her handler failed to activate her. Left in the dark she’s vulnerable to retaliation from the Emperor who’s learned of the program and her involvement.
In a fight for her life, Reilly has to choose who she can and can’t trust. If she gets it wrong it could mean her life.
First 250 words:
The water was black. It wasn’t brown or milky tan, but pitch black. I discarded the water over my shoulder and trudged forward. Mara and I had been searching for a viable water source for ten days now, but ... nothing. Not a drop had been clean enough. It wasn’t necessarily surprising, but it was discouraging nonetheless.
“Rei, I think we should move on to the next sector. One we know might have water.” Mara threw her backpack down, dug out a bottle of clean water, and pushed her unruly black curls away from her face so she could take a sip. Even swigging from a bottle, her face looked delicate, but nothing else about her was delicate. Short as she was, she was well-muscled and built for speed and strength. Next to her, I felt plain. My face wasn’t as delicate as hers, nor was I built for swiftness or force, but I did have stealth. Or at least I felt like I did. Lately, it seemed stealth wasn’t even on my side.
“Hex won’t be happy if we do that, and you know it. I’m not about to deal with one of his bad moods, Mara.”
She snorted. “What a hack. He thinks he runs the operation, when everyone knows you’re the brains behind it.”
I let out a sigh. “Hex is military. Of course he thinks he’s in charge. We are at war."
Mara shoved the bottle back into her backpack and started marching toward the next empty house.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)