WHAT ARE THEY UP TO NOW? Featuring Peter Adam Salomon

Today's author: PETER ADAM SALOMON

Here is Peter's SUCCESS STORY PAGE.


QUESTIONS FOR PETER:

1. What role did your participation in a Miss Snark's First Victim contest or critique round play in your ultimate success as an author?

Technically I never even entered a contest or critique round. I had just ‘finished’ revising a YA Horror manuscript and was beginning to consider the whole ‘querying’ concept. I hadn’t even written a query letter at that point. All I had was a list of agents and agencies I was interested in and the thought that I should probably sit down and write a query letter.

While that was going on, there was a new MSFV contest but since I didn’t feel ready I figured it would be wiser to sit that one out and enter the next one.

Then, you unveiled the agent. Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency was at the top of my dream agent list. Unfortunately, they’re not open to submissions and, since I hadn’t entered, I’d just blown my chance to get my brand-new manuscript to her.

This is where I still sometimes think I’m dreaming. You posted a lovely note from your ‘Secret Agent’ that she was so impressed with the quality of your contestants that she’d open for submissions to anyone who put MSFV in the subject line.

I didn’t even have a query letter to send her. I just threw something together and emailed it as quickly as possible, thinking ‘so many people were going to email her that I’d better be quick.’ So, I basically didn’t even edit my query letter, just sent it off.

An hour later, she wrote back asking to see the whole manuscript. A week later, she wrote back asking to talk on the phone. A week after that, she wrote one more time offering representation.

It might have then taken well over a year for that novel to sell, but Flux liked that query letter I threw together so much that seven years later it is still the blurb for the book on Amazon and other booksellers.

2. Tell us what your journey has looked like from your MSFV Success Story until now.

What a strange adventure. It has been a paradigm shift and life-altering in so many ways. I’ve had a poem performed on the BBC by the creative geniuses behind the music for Dr. Who. I’ve been nominated for a Bram Stoker award, the highest honor in my genre. I’ve mentored some brilliant teen writers and seen them experience their first taste of success in the industry. And I have made so many dear friends. It’s hard to believe, sometimes, that any of it is real.

I’ve had my oldest dreams come true. What more can I ask for?

3. What has been the best part of your experience as an author? What has been most difficult/challenging?

There’s something amazing about being interviewed or signing autographs and all those trappings of being an author.

But, the teaching, mentoring, helping other writers? That’s where the magic is. This community of creative artists, striving together to make the world a better place, one person, one act, one word at a time. It’s an amazing thing to be a part of.

I’ve been mentoring teen writers for a few years now, after spending a couple years as a judge for different competitions and awards. That’s been the best part. When one of the teens I mentored made her first professional sale, that was pretty incredible.

The most difficult is the fact that everything starts all over again. All the waiting and revising and hoping and praying and dreaming that goes into that first sale also goes into the next one. And the one after that. I’m still waiting for that third sale, and the same doubts are there from the decades I spent as pre-published. I work all the time to remember how fortunate I am to have two novels and three poetry collections published in the last 5 years. And work just as hard, if not harder, on whatever comes next.

4. What's your latest offering, and where can we find it?

For poetry, 2017 saw the release of my third collection, PseudoPsalms: Sodom, which is available wherever poetry is sold (mainly Amazon since poetry isn’t exactly a best-selling kind of thing). Even after publishing two novels, I still think of myself as a poet first. I’ve been writing poetry since I was in elementary school, and only started writing fiction in college.

I also will be re-releasing my first poetry collection, PseudoPsalms: Prophets, soon, (also available on Amazon, etc) since the publisher went out of business making the collection go out-of-print.

5. Please leave us with some words of wisdom for all aspiring authors.

Whenever I’m asked for words of wisdom I cringe inside. I’m just not so sure how wise I am. Then, being serious for a moment, I tell everyone the same thing: write, read, write some more, read some more. Then edit. Edit a lot. No, edit more.

But most of all: love the process. Love every single moment of it. Love the creative passion driving you to write. Love the drudgery of revision that you feel will never end. Love it no matter what.

Because there’s going to be a lot of it. You’ll edit and revise and do it all over again and finally land an agent and the first thing they’re going to ask for are more edits and revisions until finally you sell the book and, you guessed it, the first thing they’re going to ask for are more edits and revisions.

So, you might as well learn to love the process. You’ll be doing it a lot.

Then write more. Read more. Revise more. And love it all.

Especially that moment your phone rings and you hear the best word in the English language: ‘Sold.’

You’ll love that moment the most.

WHAT ARE THEY UP TO NOW? Featuring Piper J. Drake

Today's author: PIPER J. DRAKE

Here is Piper's ORIGINAL ENTRY ON THE BLOG (entered as PJ Schnyder) from an August, 2009 Secret Agent Contest featuring Emmanuelle Alspaugh Morgen. And here is the WINNERS POST from that contest.

Here is Piper's SUCCESS STORY PAGE.

QUESTIONS FOR PIPER:

1. What role did your participation in a Miss Snark's First Victim contest or critique round play in your ultimate success as an author?

Ms. Alspaugh provided valuable constructive feedback in follow-up to my 1st runner up win and 30 page request. The novel, Heart's Sentinel, was written as PJ Schnyder and became my first sale to Decadent Publishing. It went on to publish in both digital and print formats.

Participation in the Miss Snark's First Victim community helped me to receive constructive feedback. It helped me learn to pick out recommendations or critiques that resonated with my intent for my book and incorporate them. This skill has served me well for every book I've written since.

Now, I still participate in contests and critique rounds when I can because I strongly believe in paying it forward and I also believe the more we provide good critiques, the better we are at self editing our own work.

2. Tell us what your journey has looked like from your MSFV Success Story until now.

As PJ Schnyder, I went on to sell more paranormal romance and science fiction romance to Decadent Publishing and Carina Press, a Harlequin digital-first publishing company. I also co-wrote The Ministry Initiative steampunk role playing game and short stories for the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. My books went on to win the Golden Leaf and the PRISM awards and my podcast of A Swan in Siam won the Parsec Award as part of the Tales from the Archive Vol 2.

In 2014, I was asked to reboot as Piper J. Drake, writing romantic suspense. It took a lot of courage and careful planning, which paid off in the form of a 3-book digital deal with Carina Press and then a 3-book print deal with Hachette Group, Grand Central Publishing's Forever imprint.

My True Heroes series made the Nielson Book Scan bestselling lists and has been featured two years in a row as a success in my genre by Nielson at their book summit. In 2016, I signed another 3-book print deal to continue the True Heroes series.

My digital format Safeguard series with Carina Press has been chosen for Harlequin's Direct To Consumer program and will be available in print from online retailers starting in January 2018.

While I plan to continue to write bestselling romantic suspense, I am also working on science fiction and fantasy while I plan for the right time to bring those stories back into my brand.

3. What has been the best part of your experience as an author? What has been most difficult/challenging?

Best Part: Seeing my books out there for readers to enjoy never gets old. It is my joy.

Most Difficult/Challenging: Balancing my writing schedule with my very demanding day job has been incredibly difficult. The biggest challenge is maintaining the balance because I love both my writing career and my day job career. I could not do either one nearly as well without the other.

4. What's your latest offering, and where can we find it?

From my True Heroes series, Absolute Trust is available online and in bookstores.

From my Safeguard series, Contracted Defense is available online at e-retailers everywhere.

5. Please leave us with some words of wisdom for all aspiring authors.

I've given this advice consistently for years and I still believe in it wholeheartedly: Surround yourself with nifty people who continually inspire you and challenge you to continue to do the next nifty thing.

WHAT ARE THEY UP TO NOW? Featuring Helene Dunbar

Today's author: HELENE DUNBAR

Here is Helene's ORIGINAL ENTRY ON THE BLOG.

Here is Helene's SUCCESS STORY PAGE.

QUESTIONS FOR HELENE:

1. What role did your participation in a Miss Snark's First Victim contest or critique round play in your ultimate success as an author?

Since I began writing fiction in such a tentative way, I’m not sure that, at the time, I really believed in my dream enough to keep plugging away without some sort of validation. Looking back, this was a short-sighted attitude ☺

In effect, participating in this content and receiving such wonderful feedback and THEN hooking an agent, was just the kick in the butt I needed to take this writing thing seriously.

2. Tell us what your journey has looked like from your MSFV Success Story until now.

I’m not sure there is enough server space on Authoress’s site, but….I’m now on agent #4. My “perfect” agent. The agent I will cling to as long as she’ll let me. ☺

Although we subbed Ghostlight (which became What Remains) to start, Melissa and I sold These Gentle Wounds first. Flux actually bought both books and pubbed them out of the order in which I’d written them.

The next manuscript I wrote, BOOMERANG, is pubbing in March 2018 by Sky Pony. I was able to pour years of writing experience into that book in a way I wasn’t able to with my first two. It is truly the book of my heart.

PRELUDE FOR LOST SOULS, a kind of contemporary-reading paranormal about kids living in a town of mediums, was recently bought by SourceBooks and is scheduled to release in August 2019 with a sequel to follow in 2020.

3. What has been the best part of your experience as an author? What has been most difficult/challenging?

BY FAR, readers are the best part of the experience. Hearing that a reader connected with, and were even helped by, these stories and characters makes all the blood, sweat, and tears worth it.

For me, the most challenging part has been the isolation. Writing can be very solitary and although my writing friends are all located elsewhere, they have been my lifelines. My CP, Beth Hull, and I actually met because we were both Authoress winners so thank you for that as well.

4. What's your latest offering, and where can we find it?

BOOMERANG is the story of a boy who returns to his home town after having gone missing for five years. Everyone thinks he was kidnapped, but that isn’t the true story, so he has to wrestle with the weight of everyone’s assumptions.

More, he has actually spent his time away in a place he felt was near to perfect and in a massively complicated relationship with the boy who is living next door and is in a precarious situation himself.

It’s a story about love and self-acceptance and the grey areas of life.

Here is the Goodreads link and it’s up for presale in all the usual places as well.

5. Please leave us with some words of wisdom for all aspiring authors.

The one thing I always tell aspiring authors is this: Don’t let anyone tell you what your writing process should look like. I assumed I couldn’t write fiction because I am incapable of outlining and don’t always have time to write every day and all of the other stuff the internet tells you that you MUST do. My own process breaks so many of the expected rules, but it works for me and at the end of the day, that’s all the matters. Listen to your gut.

WHAT ARE THEY UP TO NOW? Featuring Beth Revis

Today's Author: BETH REVIS

Here is Beth's ORIGINAL ENTRY ON THE BLOG (2009 Query Critique with Jodi Meadows).

Here is Beth's SUCCESS STORY PAGE.

QUESTIONS FOR BETH:

1. What role did your participation in a Miss Snark's First Victim contest or critique round play in your ultimate success as an author?

The specific contest didn't help me as much as reading all the entries of all the contests that had happened in the months leading up to my querying. It really is true that you can get a better sense of understanding what works and what doesn't by reading lots of different works. Between queries, first pages, and loglines, I found the greatest benefit was participating and learning from judging and commenting on other works than compiling the comments and forming a check list of my own.

2. Tell us what your journey has looked like from your MSFV Success Story until now.

When I wrote ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, all my critique partners believed that the first three chapters were weak....but I was stubborn and holding on. The critique I got confirmed that I really needed to listen to others and bite the bullet. Soon after, that manuscript sold. And everything changed after that. It debuted on the NYT list, it enabled me to become a full time writer, it led to more book deals. I divide my life before the book deal and after.

3. What has been the best part of your experience as an author? What has been most difficult/challenging?

There's a line in Harry Potter where Ginny tells Harry a lesson she learned from her twin brothers: "Anything's possible if you got enough nerve." Getting my book published was a lifelong dream, and once it actually happened, I realized that dreams really can come true. That sounds so cliche, but it's true. It's affected my worldview.

Most difficult, however, was realizing that not everything was a dream. Even after you get to Cloud Nine, edits can be hard, contracts can be cancelled, deals can fall through, reviews can be negative. And at the end of the day, publishing is a business. Writing is craft; publishing is a business.

4. What's your latest offering, and where can we find it?

My most recent book is Star Wars: Rebel Rising. It tells the story of Jyn Erso from the movie Rogue One, following her as a child to her just before the Rebellion breaks her out of jail. If getting a book deal was Cloud Nine, writing for Star Wars was Cloud Ten--it was such an amazing experience!

5. Please leave us with some words of wisdom for all aspiring authors.

There is no one right way to write. Once I let go of the idea that if I just did "X," I'd get the book right, and accepted instead that I had to find my own process for my own story, everything clicked far better.

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE was the book that changed my life, but it was also the book I almost quit before. I'd written ten manuscripts over the course of a decade and compiled about a thousand agent rejections. I'd come close to the finish line, but never crossed it. I had decided enough of my life had been thrown away at the impossible. But I had one last idea, one last story to tell, and if I'd given up before it, I never would have seen my dreams come true.

Would you like a signed copy? Contact my local indie Malaprops.

Indie Bound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Books-a-Million | Book Depository

WHAT ARE THEY UP TO NOW? Featuring Tara Dairman

Today's author:  TARA DAIRMAN

Here is Tara's ORIGINAL ENTRY ON THE BLOG (2011 Secret Agent Contest, in which her agent was not the judge, but was lurking and requested pages!), and her 2011 BAKER'S DOZEN ENTRY (from which she received multiple offers of representation).

Here is Tara's SUCCESS STORY PAGE.

QUESTIONS FOR TARA:

1. What role did your participation in a Miss Snark's First Victim contest or critique round play in your ultimate success as an author?

It played a huge role! I first entered a Secret Agent contest in October of 2011; the judging agent picked my middle-grade entry (GLADYS GATSBY TAKES THE CAKE) as a runner-up, but it turned out that another agent was lurking and reading the entries and requested a query and pages from me. It was Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency, which is normally closed to unsolicited queries, so I was pretty excited to get this second request.

Then, two months later, I got into the annual Bakers Dozen agent auction. The agent who "won" my manuscript ended up offering rep, as did multiple others. In the end, Joan was the best fit for me and I signed with her. She's still my agent!

2. Tell us what your journey has looked like from your MSFV Success Story until now.

Joan sold my debut MG--which ended up being retitled ALL FOUR STARS--to Putnam shortly after I signed with her, and it came out in 2014. I'm still represented by Joan, Gladys's story turned into a three-book series, and I just published my fourth MG novel, THE GREAT HIBERNATION, with Wendy Lamb Books/Random House...and the whole journey started right here on this blog. :)

3. What has been the best part of your experience as an author? What has been most difficult/challenging?

There are so many best parts. Writing the words "The End" after slogging through a difficult draft. Getting an enthusiastic reaction from critique partners, or my agent or editor, the first time they read a new manuscript of mine. Hearing from young readers who've connected with one of my books. My writing tends to focus on humor and plot, and I never thought I'd be the kind of author kids said changed their lives...but I actually hear regularly from kids who have been inspired by my books to cook or to try a new cuisine they'd never tasted before, which is SO COOL.

The most difficult...oh, it's the same as ever: Getting through that first draft. Knowing it's terrible, but having the confidence that, eventually, I'll make it good. I still struggle with this, several books after my debut.

4. What's your latest offering, and where can we find it?

My newest book (just out September 12!) is THE GREAT HIBERNATION (Wendy Lamb Books/Random House). You can find it in hardcover or as an e-book wherever books are sold. It's a humorous, quirky MG mystery about a town where all of the adults fall asleep; the kids are left in charge and have to figure out what happened and what they should do about it. It kicks off with the Annual Tasting of the Sacred Bear Liver, features a sheep in snowshoes, and just gets weirder from there. I had an absolute ball working on it. (Well, except for that first draft, which was as painful to write as ever.)

5. Please leave us with some words of wisdom for all aspiring authors.

When you're prepublished, it can feel like you're waiting forever to make it (whether you define "making it" as signing with an agent, getting a book deal, or something else). Looking back, my journey from contest entrant to person-with-a-book-deal was relatively fast, but I remember that it felt torturously slow at the time. What I'm not sure I appreciated then was the freedom that being prepublished gave me to write whatever I wanted, no matter how outlandish the premise seemed. Once you're "in" the industry, there can be some pressure to stay in your lane (whether that's MG, humor, etc.), especially if your early books in that area see some success. So use that prepublished time to be as outlandishly creative as possible. Write the book that ONLY you can write. And have fun with it, if you can.

The Great Hibernation (and other books) by Tara Dairman

WHAT ARE THEY UP TO NOW? Featuring Alice Loweecey

For the next several weeks, I'm going to be posting updates on some of our Success Story Authors (who attribute the turning point of their success, either in whole or in part, to participation on this blog).

First up:  ALICE LOWEECEY

Here is Alice's ORIGINAL ENTRY ON THE BLOG from a 2008 Secret Agent Contest.

Here is Alice's SUCCESS STORY PAGE.

QUESTIONS FOR ALICE:

1. What role did your participation in a Miss Snark's First Victim contest or critique round play in your ultimate success as an author?

After learning how to write a query and beginning to amass what would become nearly 200 rejections, the contest was a huge confidence boost. People gave me feedback in real time, and some of it was positive! The query-go-round is soul-sucking. Hearing from avid readers really helped.

I took that confidence and ran with it. I firmly believe attitude affects presentation, and now I had a more positive attitude.

2. Tell us what your journey has looked like from your Authoress/MSFV Success Story until now.

Long. Hard. Tiring. Exciting. Did I mention hard? While the Secret Agent whose contest I won did not ultimately offer to rep me, I did find an agent about a year later. This agent brokered my debut 3-book deal with Midnight Ink. I proudly say I made my mother cry in public over that: I was performing with Denver and the Mile High Orchestra and waylaid my parents in the lobby before the show to give them the news. Sorry not sorry.

Things change and Midnight Ink dropped me after those three books. I stocked up on coffee and worked my heinie off to sell the series to another publisher. I'm pleased to say that Henery Press picked up the series several months later (that was a nerve-wracking phone call! I'm not a natural salesperson).

Things change, and that agent and I moved in different directions. I negotiated my next contract extension myself (there is NOT enough wine in the world for those phone calls), and recently Henery extended the extension for a total of ten books. I'll be busy for the next few years.

None of these books have any connection to the book that won the Secret Agent contest. After more rewrites, I sold the book to Dark Recesses Press. It was published in 2015 under the title The Redeemers. If any book is close to my heart, it's The Redeemers. It was my learning curve and it contains my favorite villains. I published it under a pen name--Kate Morgan--because my mystery brand is light and funny. I didn't want to scare my mystery fans.

3. What has been the best part of your experience as an author? What has been most difficult/challenging?

The best part is connecting with fans. I meet so many fans at conferences and signings and I love talking with them. I will say that writing "TheEnd" on a WIP is incredibly satisfying.

The most difficult was learning to fly on my own without an agent. That wasn't a learning curve, it was a learning bungee jump into the Niagara Gorge. "I Will Survive" is one of my theme songs now.

The most challenging is keeping a series fresh. If I'm feeling worn out, the characters will too. That's not the way to engage fans. After 3 books with Henery we changed up the series from humorous PI to humorous ghost-hunting PI. The research has been so much fun! I may be making a spirit box next. Buffalo has some famous cemeteries.

4. What's your latest offering, and where can we find it?

My latest mystery is The Clock Strikes Nun. It's everywhere: Amazon, B&N, iTunes, Kobo, Google Play. And please don't forget The Redeemers by "Kate Morgan"!

5. Please leave us with some words of wisdom for all aspiring authors.

Never give up! Never surrender! This is a career. Treat it as one: Work at it. Network, improve your craft, research, write--and READ. Don't neglect reading. It refills the creative well when you get burned out. I reread some of my favorite books when I can't find a new word to add, and those favorites make me remember why I love reading and writing.

The Clock Strikes Nun by Alice Loweecey

Our First ON THE BLOCK 2016 Success Story!!

This may just be our FASTEST SUCCESS STORY EVER!  Within days of the auction, Rena Rossner let me know that she had offered representation to the author of the first full she'd read from her auction winnings.  Shortly after that, the author accepted.  I'm happy to share her story, in her own words: 

So I have this little book, a lighthearted romantic mystery about a struggling actress and above-average dog walker who has inherited a police dog with a nose for crime. She's kind of ridiculous, and she has a major luck problem—which is how I could describe myself. No surprise then that I felt daunted at the prospect of looking for a literary agent.

Before I began my search, I belonged to a Facebook group of authors who were in the midst of querying, and the tales of spreadsheets, rejections, R&Rs, or the dreaded silence made the prospect seem bleak at best, muse-killing at worst. But the fact is, there are a lot of manuscripts out there and a finite number of agents. And each of those agents represents perhaps a few genres, and then, within those genres, he or she has preferences, wish lists, and an existing stable of authors with work that shouldn't be cannibalized by something similar. I'm sure many agents dread their inboxes full of queries that miss the mark. As writers, it's our responsibility to get to know as much about each agent we query as possible to increase our chances of a good fit.

Luckily, the Internet and social media now offer some fun and efficient ways for agents and writers to match up. At Miss Snark’s First Victim, the hardworking Authoress provides a super-supportive critique forum and runs a number of very successful competitions where writers and agents can meet. The one I took part in was On the Block 2016, which was an agent auction. I entered it on a whim, not having entered anything like it before, and then as the selection date approached, I readied myself to hear nothing. But then I got an email! I was number thirteen. Lucky number thirteen.

During the week that my excerpt was posted, I was bowled over by the generous and encouraging comments and helpful feedback that I received from Authoress’s writing community. I started to get my hopes up. My husband noticed that I had started to vibrate (kidding!).

When my auction time arrived, I was touched to learn that my sister and my friend Lynne were watching with me. Rena Rossner from The Deborah Harris Agency and Danielle Burby from Hannigan Salky Getzler—both amazing agents who I’d be lucky to have represent me—bid with so much enthusiasm that it was all over in four minutes! I was in shock. I think I shrieked. Rena Rossner had won a one-week exclusive with my full manuscript.

And then I waited. It was an exciting time. I lost a few pounds because my body was whirring as if I had a hamster wheel inside me. My husband started to speculate about whether I might explode if I was offered representation. The final day of the exclusive, I woke up to an email from Rena saying she’d finished my book in two sittings. She was offering me representation! Then my husband had to inform me that I was slapping his arm and he was now awake and I could stop.

Later that day, Rena and I talked on the phone for about an hour. I was impressed with her experience and industry knowledge. And she was so friendly and easy to speak to that I was immediately put at ease, which I feel is important when you’re working with someone on a creative endeavor. We were already batting around ideas for my character’s arc across my planned series. I could tell we were a good fit. And I was very encouraged by her thoughts on the different ways my book might fit in the marketplace. Rena also represents sectors and genres I have an interest in writing in at a later date (middle grade and speculative fiction), so in that respect, she was also a great fit for me.  I’m still pinching myself! I couldn’t be happier to be represented by Rena Rossner and The Deborah Harris Agency. And I haven’t exploded—yet!

Thank you, Authoress, for all you do to help aspiring writers to improve, find community, and match with agents. Your hard work is very much appreciated.

—Maggie Findlay

Another MSFV Success Story

This is a lovely, indirect success story, proving once more that there are SO MANY DIFFERENT PATHS our success stories can take.  Please note that EACH OF YOU WHO OFFERED FEEDBACK TO THIS ENTRY are a part of this story!  In the author's own words:

When I entered the Baker’s Dozen contest in fall 2014, I was beginning to lose hope that my middle grade novel in verse would ever find its place in the world. (I’d just been in “PitchWars” with it and received zero agent requests.) I was thrilled when two agents started bidding on my entry! The agent who won the full manuscript ended up passing on it, and in the end, I never did sign with an agent. Doesn't sound like a success story, right? But it is. See, the comments I received on my entry were so encouraging. They helped me keep believing in my story, and that made all the difference.

Bolstered by the Baker’s Dozen feedback, I decided to query a publisher directly. They asked for the full, and then …They offered! I’m so grateful to you and the wonderful online writing community for encouraging me and helping me stick with it until my story found its home. Thank you for all you do to help and support writers!

ROOT BEER CANDY AND OTHER MIRACLES will be published by Pajama Press this fall.

Shari Green

Congratulations, Shari!

Success Story!

I'm delighted to share the success story of the author of one of our most popular entries from December's ON THE BLOCK auction!  In the author's words:

I wanted to let you know that after a month of requests and rejections and offers - I am now officially agented by Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger!

Of course, this is just the first step. There's work to be done, revisions and submissions and waiting and nail-biting - and maybe more revisions and submissions and waiting after that - but I am so excited to finally have an agent!

And I absolutely feel that you had a huge hand in it. Had I not set the goal of entering On the Block, my manuscript might still be unfinished. Had I not seen the positive response my entry got at the auction, I might not have found the courage to send out additional queries (after the winning agent declined). It was really a series of connected events that started with you.

So thank you so much for all that you do, for helping so many hone their craft, for giving the gift of possibility and community. I appreciate it so much!

All the best,
Jessica Redman
Reverie West and the Oneironauts

Release Day Interview: JM Frey

I've got another book birthday interview for you!  This time, we're celebrating with JM Frey, another of our success story authors and a multi-talented gal in her own right.

Enjoy!

AUTHORESS: We first met over TRIPTYCH, your award-winning novel that is truly one of the best time-travel stories I've ever read. Can you tell us a bit about how this story came to be and how it has propelled you forward?

JM: D'awww thank you! TRIPTYCH was the second novel I wrote, and the first I really thought about in terms of a book I wanted to publish. The first novel I never really thought was publishable, and I trunked it, but I really worked and polished TRIPTYCH because of that. I came up with the concept for TRIPTYCH on my mother's 50th birthday. I was living overseas at the time, and I was chilling in the local onsen and thinking about Mom; that was when I realized I was turning 25 that year, and that Mom had had me when she was my age. And there I was, not married, no kids, no career, living on the other side of the planet studying nihon buyo, seiyuu, and teaching at a high school. We had cone down very different paths. And then I wondered if 25 year old Mom would like 25 year old me. I thought we'd get along (I got my wanderlust from her). But of course, story comes from conflict, so I then I wondered... what if we didn't?

AUTHORESS: I absolutely LOVE that the time-travel aspect of TRIPTYCH is derived from your mom-and-me soul searching!

So, you wrote it, and at first it didn't fly. Can you share a bit about your journey from first draft to sale?

JM: TRIPTYCH started life as a novella titled (Back), which I sold to Silverthought Press for online-only publication in 2008. I got a lot of really positive feedback from that, and most of it was some version of "And then what happened??" So I started thinking about what happened next, and seeing as I still had all the rights for (Back), I expanded the story into a full novel.

I wrote several drafts, working and rewriting constantly for a year. When I thought it was ready, I started querying agents and sometimes small presses. Every time I heard back, I tried to tweak and edit the book to address the notes or concerns the rejects included. (All in all, I logged 64 drafts between start and publication, and that included the ones I did with Dragon Moon Press. You read draft 64. But a lot of those drafts were alterations suggested after a rejection, like cutting a scene, or adding just a few lines for clarification in the midst of dialogue, etc.)

I'd had a lot of rejections by April 2009. I went to a SF convention in Toronto, as an academic guest, and after a panel I stopped by the hotel bar to hang out with some nerds I knew from the SPACE Channel here in Canada. There were some people I didn't know in the group, but at this convention especially, people are very friendly and welcoming. So when we all relocated to a room for beer and pizza, everyone was invited.

At that party, I was talking to some authors I know about my frustrations, and a woman came over to ask about the book I was talking about. So, having no idea who she was, slightly drunk and kinda bitter, I pitched her the book. I thought she was just being polite when she kept talking about the book, and then, strangest of all, she requested the full! I had no idea who she was!

Turns out she was Gabrielle Harbowy, acquiring editor at Dragon Moon Press!

I sent her the book that Monday, and a little while later got her response. She really liked the characters, but was rejecting it because she felt that there were issues with the structure of the narrative that was irreparable. Well, trust me to take that as a personal challenge.

I asked her if she would be willing to read it again if I revised, and she agreed (I am going to project a little here and say reluctantly agreed), and I spent the summer pulling it apart and rewriting large swaths of the book to address the issues she had pointed out. I returned the book to her that autumn and heard... nothing.

I was anxious, and then I was upset, and then I was devastated. Surly that meant she didn't want it and didn't feel the need to break it to me gently. Right? Wrong. Gabrielle later told me that she held off on reading it so long because she had really liked the characters and really didn't want to read the revisions and have to tell me that they were rejecting the book. Except, that when she finally did read the revisions, she liked them!

(Yay!)

I think, though I can't be certain, but I think I got the email offering publication sometime around Christmas? It might have even been on Christmas Eve.

We announced the sale at that same convention in 2010, and then launched the book there in 2011.

AUTHORESS: And the rest is history!

So now you're launching your second novel (with other goodies on the horizon). Can you tell us how THE UNTOLD TALE came to be?

JM: Well, after TRIPTYCH, I wrote another novel (THE SKYLARK'S SONG) and leveraged TRIPTYCH'S success to pitch to agents. I was actually approached by some too, and in the end I had three phone calls. I chose an agent, and we started working on SKYLARK. It was clear pretty quickly, however, that I hadn't made the right choice. He absolutely mangled the manuscript, had no idea what I was trying to do with it, and was extremely condescending. I regretted my choice nearly instantly - the good news was, one of the other agents regretted not pitching me harder. We met again a little later, when I was horribly upset with my then-current agent, and just chatting with her made me realize I had to fire the jerk.

So I fired him. I was worried that I'd completely screwed myself, and that I'd never be represented again, and that THE SKYLARK'S SONG was beyond saving now. The other agent heard I was free, and jumped on the chance. From what I understand, she invited Gabrielle out to dinner, and borrowed her phone to call me randomly out of the blue and offer representation. I actually missed the call, though, because I was busy being the Maid of Honor at my friend's Bachelorette party! She left a lovely message, though.

I decided that if I was going to go to Laurie, I wanted to bring her something that The Jerk hadn't touched first, before we began to work on SKYLARK. I wanted to do with Fantasy what TRIPTYCH did was Sci-Fi - that is, something left-of-center, something issue-laden without being issue-driven or issue-burdened. That was when the buzz for this new TV show started to fill the air - Game of Thrones. I'd never heard of George RR Martin, or read his books, prior to the series coming out. But it sounded right up my alley, so I watched.

It gave me a lot of ideas, but mostly what it really sparked in me was a kind of low-level resentment. It wasn't at the show per se, but at the guy friend I was watching it with. We had an argument about intended audience, and I couldn't get him to understand how much it sucks to not be the center. I mean, I literally couldn't get him to understand that Game of Thrones, while not horrible, was not made for me, but for people like him. White. Male. Straight.

I was so angry I went off to my office and wrote a scene where a female character yells at the hero of a standard fantasy series.

The next morning I reread it and thought... "I think there's something in this. This... anger at always being on the edge."

Turns out there was!

Laurie ADORED the book (only gave me three notes). We had a hard time shopping it though, because it's very self aware and some publishers thought it would be difficult to market. Everyone really liked the book itself, but in general the editors who read it weren't certain how to handle it. Last November, Laurie was giving a keynote at a conference and mentioned the book. As soon as she was finished speaking, she was cornered at the tea table by REUTS. And to borrow your phrase - the rest is history!

Though I was very surprised when they offered a three book deal. I had never intended the story to continue, but now that I have the chance, I really relish the ability to dig back in to this world.

And yes, I did finally bring SKYLARK around to a place I liked with Laurie, and REUTS snapped that up in a three book deal as well.

AUTHORESS: So, as a "self aware" fantasy, what kind of reader will THE UNTOLD TALE beckon to? What do you think the readers will find most surprising? Most challenging?

JM: I think the book will really resonate with readers like me, readers who love fantasy books but are frustrated at never seeing themselves in the books (or, if they are, as villains, exotic "others", or savages). I mean, it's no wonder the weird kids always fall in love with monsters, and bad guys, and mutant characters - it's the only place we see ourselves.

THE UNTOLD TALE points out that fantasy novels have, for a very long time, (And I'm talking The Epic of Gilgamesh here) have been power fantasies for straight males. And my book isn't saying "No, that's bad", it's saying, "Uhg, this is boring. Another one?" The heroes in these books are the side characters, the overlooked ones, the voiceless ones. That, I think, will be the surprise.

As for challenging, it is hard for us nerds to be told that something we have accepted as a staid fact of our reality is problematic. (I mean, #GamerGate/Sad Puppies are the perfect example.) Nerds and Geeks like us often internalize our favorite stories and base a lot of our personalities and self-worth on them. So when someone else finds fault with those stories, it can feel like a personal attack, even though it isn't. It's never a personal attack or an attempt to oppress. It's a question that says, "Don't you see how harmful these stereotypes can be? Not just for me, but for you too? Please, can we make room for everyone?" And I think the book might be challenging for those readers who've never had the flaws and problematics of classic fantasy novels pointed out to them before.

AUTHORESS: Wow, thanks for that very deep glimpse into not only your writer-mind, but your deepest self. Writing is so much more than simply "telling a story", as you've just made clear.

Thank you so much for this interview, and best of luck as THE UNTOLD TALE flies into the wild!

Go here for purchase info!

Another Indirect MSFV Success Story

Emails like this are like fresh flowers in my inbox.  Enjoy!

Hello Authoress!

I've been a reader of your blog for several years (at least 4!) and I wanted to let you know that my first YA novel will be released next week.

It's been a loooooooong road to get there and I owe a debt of gratitude to your website. I had participated in several contests over the years (Baker's Dozen and First words and Log line critiques). Here I will note that although I NEVER won a contest, the feedback and advice was invaluable. And the support helped keep me going as I faced another rejection. I stopped keeping count after a hundred or so....

I wrote a YA sci-fi novel in 2009. Then it got rejected by every agent I contacted. I revised in 2010 - still more rejections but also more advice and help. I drastically changed the book in 2011 and that got me an agent 5 days after submission.

Needless to say I was thrilled.

Thought I had arrived. You know how it goes.

We did revisions and edited and went on submission.

Nothing happened.

Ugh.

The book didn't sell (did come very close). So then I had to write something else. So I did. I wrote and wrote. I wrote almost two full books, but nothing was happening.

My agent found me some IP auditions, but I never was picked, although the editors had a lot of good things to say about my writing.

I thought, "This sucks. Or maybe it's just me. Maybe I suck." I felt bad, mainly because my agent was so supportive and I felt like I was wasting her time. Honestly, I felt like a fraud.

Then she heard about a new series Simon Pulse was developing and told me it sounded right up my alley. It was a survival genre story - I could write about whatever I wanted.

So I did. I wrote 30 pages and sent it on. I really liked it. I liked the characters, the setting, the idea of this type of story, which is not a type of story that I had ever considered writing before.

My agent sent it over to the editors.

I didn't hear boo. And so I forgot about it for a few weeks.

Turns out, they loved it. They wanted me to write a book! In 4 months!

I thought, "Crap! How do I do that?" It did help that I had written a synopsis.

So I just did it - I hunkered down and wrote a book, page by page. Four months is fast for me.

And now, finally, next week that book (STRANDED) will be released by Simon Pulse!

So my path to publication was definitely not standard, and the one thing I did learn through the process was to say yes. Yes to other possiblities, yes to other types of work and other ways of trying. The more you say yes to things, especially things that scare you a little, the more opportunities start opening up.

So thanks again for all you do and all the support you give!

Best,

Melinda Braun

COVER REVEAL: Frosh by Mónica B. Wagner

I'm pleased to be part of the cover reveal brouhaha for Mónica B. Wagner's NA debut, FROSH.

This lovely lady is not only a fellow author and one of MSFV's success stories, but she is also a friend.

GO HERE NOW TO GET A FIRST PEEK AT THE COVER!

Blurbness:

During welcome week at Hillson University, the FROSH will hit the fan.

Type-A aspiring journalist Ellie plans to take freshman year by storm. But hell-bent on breaking a huge on-campus scandal, she risks becoming one herself—and getting the mysterious, heart-melting QB in serious trouble.

Grant, star quarterback and charismatic chick-magnet, is hiding a life-altering secret. The last thing he needs is an overeager (absolutely adorable) journalist asking questions. He’s got a reputation to protect.

High-society legacy student Devon is ready to catch the football hottie of her dreams. If the tabloids feature her with the “it” boy on her arm, her tainted past will be buried—or so she thinks.

Charlie, pre-med, is done being the sweet and funny geek that girls like Devon ignore. But if he tries to impress her with a new edgy, spontaneous attitude, will his heart end up in the emergency room?

FROSH intertwines the stories of Ellie, Grant, Devon, and Charlie in Mónica B. Wagner’s sexy NA debut series, about falling in love and falling apart.

Mónica was born in a Peruvian city by a snow-capped volcano. Growing up, books were her constant companion as she traveled with her family to places like India (where she became a vegetarian), Thailand (where she *almost* met Leonardo di Caprio), France (where she pretended to learn French), and countless other places that inspired her to write. Now, Mónica lives in Chile with her husband, three boys, eleven hens, and stray dog.

Find FROSH on Goodreads HERE!

Happy Addendum to One of Our Success Stories!

I'm delighted to bring you this story from BOTH points of view -- author and agent!

I posted Alexandra's original success story in January.  Here's the happy update from Alexandra Ballard and Kent D. Wolf:

FROM ALEXANDRA:

I have some great news to share with you! As you know, back in December I had the good fortune to be a part of the Baker’s Dozen auction. Through that contest I “won” my amazing agent Kent Wolf, who spent the winter helping me revise my YA novel and prepare it for submission. We sent The Art of Losing out to publishers at the end of May, and three weeks later we sold it, at auction, in a two-book deal to Joy Peskin at FSG (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux), with a release date of winter, 2017. It has all been so exciting and I am so grateful to you, Authoress, for everything that you do for writers. It is so great to know that we have someone like you out there, helping to make stories like mine possible.

FROM KENT:

From the moment I read Alexandra's entry I knew that her novel was going to be something special. The voice, the writing--IT WAS THERE. I felt it in my agent DNA. It's rare for me to have that kind of instant reaction so come auction day I was chomping at the bit. However, just minutes before the start of bidding my computer froze! By the time I rebooted the manuscript had been won. Not only did I have to wait a week to see Alexandra's novel, but I had to suffer through the agent trash talking. OMG THE TRASH TALKING! My Twitter account almost withered and died.

Long story short, I finally got my grubby paws on the book, read it, fell in love, wooed Alexandra, and fended off the trash talkers. But here's the best part: not only did Alexandra trust my editorial suggestions, she turned around a MAJOR revision within weeks and knocked it out of the park her first try. She makes it look so easy. I'm pleased as punch that she's found a home with Joy Peskin at FSG. And thank you Authoress for bringing us together!!

Holly Bodger: A Very Special Debut

You all know Holly as our resident Logline Guru during our (now-retired) Baker's Dozen Agent Auctions.  She is also one of my valued critique partners, a fabulous writer, and a friend.  And next week her debut YA novel hits the shelves.

The stuff:

In the year 2054, after decades of gender selection, Koyanagar–a country severed from India–now has a ratio of five boys for every girl, and women are an incredibly valuable commodity. Tired of wedding their daughters to the highest bidder and determined to finally make marriage fair, the women of Koyanagar have instituted a series of tests so that every boy has the chance to win a wife. But after fighting so hard for freedom against the old ways of gender selection, these women have become just as deluded as their male predecessors. 

Sudasa Singh doesn’t want to be a wife, and Kiran, a boy competing to be her husband, has other plans as well. Sudasa’s family wants nothing more than for their daughter to do the right thing and pick a husband who will keep her comfortable—and caged. Kiran’s family wants him to escape by failing the tests. As the tests advance, each thwarts the other until they slowly realize that they might want the same thing. This beautiful, unique novel is told from alternating points of view—Sudasa’s in verse and Kiran’s in prose—allowing readers to feel both characters’ pain and grasps at hope. 

Coming May 12, 2015 from Knopf.

I adore this book. I knew in my bones that this was "the one" for Holly. You will be blown away by her ability to create a rich world and well-developed characters through spare and gorgeous verse. And her prose is pretty darn good, too! So, without further ado, and in celebration of 5 to 1's release, I give you this guest post by the lady herself--followed by information on a 5 to 1 contest just for you!

(Holly Bodger in a beautifully appropriate hat)

The Writer’s Life
Holly Bodger

I’m going to let you in on a secret: being a writer is the best job in the world. You get to invent people and do really nice—or really mean—things to them. You get to have long conversations with friends. Okay, these friends are imaginary, but they are the best friends ever! They always remember your birthday and they are always there when you need to kick butt in outer space or when you need to have an ugly cry.

When you sign with an agent, everyone on Twitter and Facebook congratulates you. When you sell your book, everyone on the planet congratulates you. When your work is finally published, all the people in your life say they are SO DAMN PROUD and you get these amazing fans who call you BRILLIANT! But you know what’s the best thing of all? You get to do all of this while wearing pajamas and fuzzy socks!

Now that we’ve covered that, I’m going let you in on another secret: being a writer sucks. Perhaps that wasn’t clear. Let me try again. BEING A WRITER IS THE EPITOME OF SUCKITUDE! There’s a reason why a lot of classical novels are depressing, and it’s because they were written by writers. Seriously, what other career can take years just to start? Can you imagine if you went to get a job at a bank and they handed you a form letter that said, “We may hire you eventually, but please continue to fill out the attached application and bring it here every single day, oh, for the next five years. We’ll probably continue to give you this same rejection, but don’t worry, one day we might let you move to the next step. Oh, and the next step is exactly the same as this one, except it’s a slightly different form. Good luck!” I know I’m preaching to the crowds here when I say that everything about writing is hard. It’s hard to create a story. It’s hard to get it right. It’s hard to get an agent, and a publishing deal, and reviews that don’t drive you to drink Chardonnay. Luckily, there is a bright side. You will never find a community that is more supportive than the writing community. I have lost count of the number of times one of my writer friends has pulled me off the proverbial edge.

This leads me to the last thing I want to say here: a few years ago, I was ready to give up on writing. I’d been doing it for 6 1/2 years, and it felt like it was getting harder and harder, and I was not getting any further ahead. I came up with an idea for a dystopian verse set in India, but I convinced myself it was a waste of time to write it. I asked Authoress and she said DO IT! So I did it. A year later, I realized that the book was not going to sell because it was missing something. Unfortunately, I didn’t know what that something was. I decided that it was time to give up completely, but Authoress encouraged me to take a break instead. So I walked away from everything, including my agent. During my break, I did a lot of not writing. Eventually, I took a new look at my book and finally found a way to fix the problem that had plagued me. I showed the new version to Authoress and she recommended it to an agent. I wasn’t sure I even wanted to re-enter the publishing rat-race, but I took a chance and sent it to that agent. Two hours later, I had representation for my book. A few months after that, I had a book deal with the editor of The Book Thief and Wonder (two of my favorite books of all time.) I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that Authoress is responsible for my having a book coming out on May 12th. It is absolutely because of her!

There are two points to my rambling (neither of which are related to Chardonnay): 1) to remind you how amazing the woman is who runs this blog you are now reading, and 2) to tell you that, although the writing life can be hard, if you surround yourself with wonderfully supportive people like Authoress, you will make it through to the other side, and you will have some great friends when you do!

And now for the contest details!

To celebrate the launch of 5 TO 1 and give back to the writing community, my agent and I are giving away 5 + 1 prizes:

• 5 critiques of your first 500 words from me, Holly Bodger
• 1 critique of your query from my agent, Lauren MacLeod

----

HOW TO ENTER:

1.  Use the hashtag #5to1 on Twitter to tweet ANYTHING that contains at least one of the following words:  KOYANAGAR, INDIA, DYSTOPIA, or HOLLY'S HAT.
2.  Tweet as many times as you'd like between now and midnight EDT on Friday, May 8.  REMEMBER TO USE THE HASHTAG #5to1, or we won't see your tweets!
3.  After you've tweeted, COME BACK TO THIS POST and LEAVE A COMMENT that says, "I've tweeted 5to1!"  (You may do this each time you tweet.)
4.  The 5 winners of the critique from Holly will be randomly selected from the #5to1 tweets.
5.  The query critique from Lauren MacLeod will be randomly selected from the comments here.

The more often you tweet/comment, the better your chances of winning!

I will announce the 5 + 1 winners on Tuesday, May 12 -- 5 to 1's release day.

Aaaaaaand....go!

Yet Another Success Story

Another indirect success story, in the author's own words:

When I entered my MG manuscript DON'T FALL DOWN into the Baker's Dozen contest in the fall of 2012, I was just coming off the worst year of my life. I survived a really rare pregnancy-related cancer just a year before, and as a result, promised myself I'd keep trying with this writing thing until something finally stuck. So that year, I finished and revised DON'T FALL DOWN, and I queried the heck out of another MG (called EX-DRAMA QUEEN). I had several queries still out on EX-DRAMA QUEEN when I closed my eyes and pressed send on the contest entry for DON'T FALL DOWN. I didn't think I'd get picked. After all, the agent rejections on EX-DRAMA QUEEN were starting to pile up, and I felt a little dejected. Somehow, by all miracles, I made it into the contest!

The entries went up, and I'd managed to convince myself that no one would bid. I hadn't even queried this manuscript yet, and I didn't want to get my hopes up. It turns out I did get bids, but DON'T FALL DOWN definitely wasn't the most popular entry at the Baker's Dozen prom. Still, the bids? Huge ego boost! With writing, sometimes all we need is someone to say, "Hey, that sounds interesting. I'd read 50 pages." That's what happened to me with Baker's Dozen. It boosted my confidence, and I put all my effort behind querying DON'T FALL DOWN and entering it into more contests.

During a Twitter pitch party, not long after Baker's Dozen, an agent asked to see the manuscript. This same agent already had a full on EX-DRAMA QUEEN. So I sent DON'T FALL DOWN and then nibbled off all my fingernails for about a month. And then it happened -- she made me an offer of representation! After an agonizing two weeks of nudges and rejections and requests, I finally got to accept the offer from agent Julia Weber in February 2013 -- just two months after Baker's Dozen.

Fast forward to September 2013 (past revisions and rejections and an R&R on EX-DRAMA QUEEN) and I got The Best Email Ever from Julia -- we had an offer from an editor on DON'T FALL DOWN! I danced and cried and did just about everything you think you'd do when you get this news. Then the waiting started again -- waiting to hear back from other editors, waiting for negotiations, waiting for the all-clear to announce. On Halloween 2013, I got tell the world that DON'T FALL DOWN would be published by Aladdin/Simon and Schuster in 2015!

The title was changed to BREAKING THE ICE, and yup, the book came out in January of this year! I am an official published author! And things are looking pretty good -- my author friend Jen Malone and I have a co-written book, YOU'RE INVITED, coming out with Aladdin this May, with a sequel due next year. Not too long ago, I got to announce that Aladdin will publish my newest MG, called OUT OF TUNE, in the fall of 2016. And EX-DRAMA QUEEN? Is now a YA called EXIT STAGE LEFT, that'll be out through HarperTeen's Impulse line this summer!

I'm forever thankful to Authoress and the Baker's Dozen contest for giving me the boost I needed to push forward and keep putting myself out there. A little encouragement really goes a long way. Thank you!!!

Gail Nall

Another Success Story

In the author's own words:

Hi Authoress,

I’m writing with one of those indirect success stories. You've been a part of my writing journey for more than five years (and through FIVE different manuscripts). During those years, I've had three manuscripts accepted into your Baker’s Dozen contest and two into the Secret Agent contest. The feedback from all was invaluable.

In February 2013, my YA novel, FACING FIRE, was a winner in the Secret Agent Contest. While I wasn't offered representation after that contest, it was the impetus for a rewrite that garnered my agent, JL Stermer, a few months later. The novel is now called BURN GIRL and debuts September 1 from Albert Whitman and Company.

So, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all you've done for aspiring authors. The list of beneficiaries is endless -- far more than those of us who've signed with agents or had books published. I smile to think of the ripple effects in the writing community to this day.

I want to remind writers to keep writing – sometimes it take two, three or more books before we land on the right one. And to keep sane throughout the process, I encourage them to take part in supportive writing communities like the one you so generously created.


Mandy Mikulencak (DurangoWriter)

MSFV Published Authors

Sometimes I forget that our newer readers may not be aware of the number of success stories directly related to this blog's contests/auctions.  Peter Salomon has just finished updating our PUBLISHED AUTHOR PAGE, on which you will find 36 (yes! 36!) published authors whose journeys to publication were either directly or indirectly related to their participation on Miss Snark's First Victim.

Take a minute or two to BROWSE THROUGH THIS LIST OF 36 AUTHORS.  (Which, by the way, you can always find by clicking on the "SUCCESS STORIES" tab above.)

And thank you, Peter, for championing our success stories!  (And for being my creeptastic crit partner.  Of course.)

A Fun Success Story!

I think you'll enjoy reading Tatum's rollicking tale of her journey toward success.  In the author's own words:

I am prone to prolixity, so to keep myself from rambling too much *looks back over post; realises she has failed dismally* here is the bullet-point version!

Way back in the foggy mists of November 2010: Start writing my first novel, an MG historical adventure.

December 2010: Realise I know sweet foosh-all about writing novels, or middle grade, or publishing. Neither does the cat, nor any human I know, so I dive into the interwebs and find all kinds of stuff, the most exciting of which is a site featuring contests with Real Live Agents, called Miss Snark’s First Victim.

Dec 2010-April 2011: Finish my WIP, whilst hoovering up every crumb of information on MSFV. Learn vast amounts from the excerpts and critiques, especially to never EVER start with a dream or car crash unless I want agents to hate me, and even start critiquing some first pages myself.

May 2011: Start querying, and nervously enter the monthly Secret Agent contest. Where everyone says nice things! Even the agent! But he doesn’t pick me. Boo.

September 2011: Receive some complimentary full rejections, but no one seems to agree on what kind of revisions my MG historical needs. Decide to put querying to one side for now and start writing something new.

October 2011-October 2012: Spend a whole year trying to write something new, inhale at least 40 packets of biscuits and 4 bottles of bourbon along the way, and fail utterly. Decide to go back to my very first idea, an MG fantasy about the youngest son of the devil, who is hopeless at being evil.

December 2012: But wait! Behold: a shiny new Baker’s Dozen contest! New Book is not yet ready, but hey why not have one more bash with my original story? Do so, get picked, and after some lovely comments and a ridiculously exciting bidding war, end up with nine or ten full requests! Champagne for all!

February 2013: My thrilling Baker’s Dozen requests are turning to dust, along with my hopes and dreams. *sad writer montage* But all is not lost! *inspirational writer montage* I find my first ever, long-overdue critique partners at MSFV! One from a CP meet, and one from a contest, where I read a first page and fall in love with the writing and beg the author to be my CP...

March-April 2013: ...just in time for my lovely new CPs, Danica and Nat, to help me bash my newly-finished second novel, the D’Evil Diaries, into much sparklier shape.

Fast forward through lots of exciting agent and publisher shenanigans and celebratory Pina Coladas and writing retreats and high-fiving the cat and contests and... in November 2013 I somehow have both an agent and a two-book deal! WOOHOO.

April 2015: My debut MG fantasy, The D’Evil Diaries, is finally released into the wild and I go on to world domination muahahaha. (Hey, a girl can hope.)

All of this is to say, I may not have got my agent or deal directly through MSFV, but I couldn’t have done it without this site. I learnt so much from reading both the entries and critiques, and critiquing excerpts myself; the nice comments I received when I entered the contests boosted my confidence hugely and helped me keep plugging away through numerous query rejections; and my debut wouldn’t be half the book it is if I hadn’t found my brilliant CPs. So a massive, massive, thank you for everything you do Authoress, and to all the wonderful community of writers here. I hope I see you all in Hell ;)

Tatum Flynn

Our Third Baker's Dozen Success Story

It's true!  Mid-January, and I'm announcing the third success story from the 2014 Baker's Dozen  I'd call this a successful auction!  Here's the story, in the author's words:

Dear Authoress,

Thanks so much for running your Baker's Dozen contest once more. I am so pleased to report that I signed with Tamar Rydzinski of the Laura Dail Agency in December. She won my contemporary middle grade manuscript (#53 - Last Chance) in the contest and offered rep on the 7th day of her exclusive. My manuscript was already out with a number of other agents, who, when I informed them of Tamar's offer of rep, asked for a chance to consider it. After a nail-biting couple of weeks and a flurry of e-mails and phone calls (and a few FABULOUS rejections), I remained convinced by Tamar's passion for my characters that she was the agent for me. After a long writerly journey, it's lovely to begin 2015 in the next phase of my career.

Thank you again for all of your encouragement and the many opportunities you offer to new writers. You are the Agent Fairy Godmother.

All the best,

Juniper Ekman

Our Second 2014 Baker's Dozen Success Story

They're coming in fast and furious this year!

I'm pleased to announce that Alexandra Ballard has signed with (the admittedly adorable) Kent D. Wolf of Lippincott Massie McQuilkin.  Here is Alexandra's story:

Thanks to Baker’s Dozen, I am starting 2015 with an agent! When I first submitted my YA contemporary entry (#47—Stick Figure), I assumed that, best case scenario, I'd get some helpful feedback on my first 250. Much to my shock and excitement, I ended up receiving three offers of representation from agents participating in the contest! It was all a whirlwind and, after careful consideration, I happily signed with Kent D. Wolf at Lippincott Massie McQuilkin. I am so excited and thankful to everybody who helped make Baker's Dozen possible. Authoress, thanks for having the guts to be Miss Snark's first victim and for picking up when she left off. Your blog helps writers succeed.