TITLE: The Third Gift
GENRE: MG Fantasy
Marisi was raised on stories that didn't have happy endings. It's what happened when you grew up on an island. Ships sank. Priceless cargo was lost. Sailors never came home. It was said the tears of grieving mothers and lost children filled the oceans. Sad laments echoed through rafters and rattled down hallways in every manor house, on every island, in the world. They were cautionary tales with lessons tucked in along the way. Everyone cried when they heard them. Which only made the water rise higher. There was something almost poetic about it.
But Marisi had learned that being the star of your own sad story wasn't so great. Certainly nothing poetic. As far as Marisi could tell there wasn't even a lesson to be learned. Unless it was to never have a baby sister.
She sat on the stone sill of her bedroom window, folding a sheet of paper in half. Then she folded it again until it had a pointy snout, slender body and broad wings. Her mother called it a ‘featherless bird.’ But Marisi had a different idea. She wrote ADVENTURE across its wings in bold block letters.
Perched on top of a cliff, her house was a perfect launch site. Leaning out her bedroom window she set ADVENTURE free with one smooth motion. “‘May you find a current to your
liking. Sail high! Sail long! Sail true!’” The blessing for ships leaving safe harbors, or in this case, Marisi’s hand, sent ADVENTURE skimming the sky.
Miss Snark's First Victim
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Friday, August 5, 2016
Friday Fricassee
So, a few days ago, I was sorted into Gryffindor on Pottermore. And I sort of cheated.
Well, it's not like you can actually cheat on something like that. But I knew I wanted to be in Gryffindor, so I tried to answer the questions in such a way that, well, I'd end up where I wanted.
Well, it's not like you can actually cheat on something like that. But I knew I wanted to be in Gryffindor, so I tried to answer the questions in such a way that, well, I'd end up where I wanted.
Truthfully, most of the answers I chose were truly my very own choices. But there was one question in particular that I absolutely, positively chose the answer because it sounded distinctly Gryffindor. Something about "which drink would you choose". And there was this wonderful, thick-and-creamy drink that I totally would have chosen, if it weren't for the fact that I was dead set on getting into Gryffindor. So I chose the golden-drink-so-bright-you-could-hardly-look-at-it (or something like that), because it absolutely sounded like something Harry would have reached for.
I'm nothing if not determined.
And here's the rest of the story. A few years ago, I popped onto Pottermore with high hopes, and ended up in Ravenclaw. Which, yanno, is probably a good fit for me, all things considered. But, come on. Nothing exciting ever happens in Ravenclaw.
So, yeah. I was a sore loser and left Pottermore without a backward glance. Then, this past weekend, I found the Gryffindor tee at Target (in the men's section, because apparently men get to wear all the cool licensed tee shirts), grabbed it, and gave Pottermore another try.
So, yeah. I was a sore loser and left Pottermore without a backward glance. Then, this past weekend, I found the Gryffindor tee at Target (in the men's section, because apparently men get to wear all the cool licensed tee shirts), grabbed it, and gave Pottermore another try.
Why does any of this matter?
It doesn't, really. It's just that I'm currently rereading all the Harry Potter, because it's been many years, and because, now that I've grown so much as a writer, I wanted to read it more critically, to see if I could determine how, exactly, she makes the magic.
Know what? It's all about the story. Because--brace yourself--I don't like her writing much. At all.
She has created lovable, enduring characters. She has crafted a world so palpable and whimsical and fiercely imaginative that one simply has to step inside it and stay for awhile. She has captured (in the early books) the kind of humor that is perfectly kid-sized, while imbuing it with the kind of dry wit that keeps older readers reading.
It's genius.
But the writing itself? Ugh. Not so much.
For one thing, her point of view is all over the place. There's all this "meanwhile, Ron and Hermione sat with Hagrid" while Harry is getting ready for his first Quidditch match, and constant head-jumping in scenes that should be clearly and firmly in Harry's head. She has written in a style that is, well, older. The kind of thing that no editor today would buy. Today, it's so much about a close first- or third-person POV, that anything outside of that really does feel "old".
And I'm not saying "old" is bad. Just...old. (And, come on--the Harry Potter books aren't THAT old. They just SOUND old.)
Worse that the point of view thing, though, is THE COMMA ERRORS. Sentence after sentence after sentence with a comma splice. A deplorable lack of emdashes and semicolons and happily independent clauses, which have all been replaced by errant commas. The author has made an art form of the run-on sentence.
I give you this gem from page 221 in Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone:
It doesn't, really. It's just that I'm currently rereading all the Harry Potter, because it's been many years, and because, now that I've grown so much as a writer, I wanted to read it more critically, to see if I could determine how, exactly, she makes the magic.
Know what? It's all about the story. Because--brace yourself--I don't like her writing much. At all.
She has created lovable, enduring characters. She has crafted a world so palpable and whimsical and fiercely imaginative that one simply has to step inside it and stay for awhile. She has captured (in the early books) the kind of humor that is perfectly kid-sized, while imbuing it with the kind of dry wit that keeps older readers reading.
It's genius.
But the writing itself? Ugh. Not so much.
For one thing, her point of view is all over the place. There's all this "meanwhile, Ron and Hermione sat with Hagrid" while Harry is getting ready for his first Quidditch match, and constant head-jumping in scenes that should be clearly and firmly in Harry's head. She has written in a style that is, well, older. The kind of thing that no editor today would buy. Today, it's so much about a close first- or third-person POV, that anything outside of that really does feel "old".
And I'm not saying "old" is bad. Just...old. (And, come on--the Harry Potter books aren't THAT old. They just SOUND old.)
Worse that the point of view thing, though, is THE COMMA ERRORS. Sentence after sentence after sentence with a comma splice. A deplorable lack of emdashes and semicolons and happily independent clauses, which have all been replaced by errant commas. The author has made an art form of the run-on sentence.
I give you this gem from page 221 in Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone:
The idea of overtaking Slytherin in the house championship was wonderful, no one had done it for seven years, but would they be allowed to, with such a biased referee?
This sentence makes my vital organs want to propel themselves out of my mouth. This...this is the stuff of ninth grade book reports. It's just WRONG. Utterly and completely wrong.
Don't even try to talk me into thinking that there's anything grammatically acceptable about the above sentence.
So, what am I saying here?
I'm saying that there's a magical SOMETHING about these books that transcends everything else. A SOMETHING that made me leap at the chance to buy a Gryffindor tee shirt ($13 and worth every cent). A SOMETHING that made me want to fudge my way into Gryffindor on a web site. A SOMETHING that has made me want to re-read the entire series.
J.K. Rowling has given us SOMETHING, and I'm not sure it's definable. It's just...brilliant. Magical.
No matter whether or not you like the Harry Potter books, you can't deny the SOMETHING.
I'm saying that there's a magical SOMETHING about these books that transcends everything else. A SOMETHING that made me leap at the chance to buy a Gryffindor tee shirt ($13 and worth every cent). A SOMETHING that made me want to fudge my way into Gryffindor on a web site. A SOMETHING that has made me want to re-read the entire series.
J.K. Rowling has given us SOMETHING, and I'm not sure it's definable. It's just...brilliant. Magical.
No matter whether or not you like the Harry Potter books, you can't deny the SOMETHING.
I don't aspire to write like Ms. Rowling. But I do aspire to breathe into my own stories their own, particular SOMETHING. And I'm sure you're doing the same thing.
It's hard to aspire to something undefinable, though. Right?
And Mr. A just sort of rolls his eyes at me when I'm wearing my Gryffindor tee and doesn't get the whole Harry Potter thing (because he's never read the books). It's just that there's something in me going, "Well done, Ms. Rowling. You've creating a THING from deep inside your brain, and it's become as close to real as something from the pages of a book possible could. You've ROCKED this story-telling thing!" And then I feel all bookish and nerdy, and life is good.
It's hard to aspire to something undefinable, though. Right?
And Mr. A just sort of rolls his eyes at me when I'm wearing my Gryffindor tee and doesn't get the whole Harry Potter thing (because he's never read the books). It's just that there's something in me going, "Well done, Ms. Rowling. You've creating a THING from deep inside your brain, and it's become as close to real as something from the pages of a book possible could. You've ROCKED this story-telling thing!" And then I feel all bookish and nerdy, and life is good.
And then I want to curl up with my own story, my own world, my own brain, and have at it. Because, no matter what you're writing or whether you're published or not, IT'S ALL MAGICAL. I think that, in the end, that's what keeps us coming back. It's not the grammar or the wordcount or the mechanics of getting those words down in a less than insane order. It's about CREATING OUR OWN SORT OF MAGIC. A world from deep inside us that becomes real.
Heady stuff. And a bit geeky.
Heady stuff. And a bit geeky.
I love stories. I love being a writer. I love sharing my thoughts with you, because YOU GET IT. We're fashioned from the same lump of clay, and I LOVE THAT.
Go on. Grab your Gryffindor tee shirt this weekend, before they sell out. Tell them Authoress sent you. :)
Go on. Grab your Gryffindor tee shirt this weekend, before they sell out. Tell them Authoress sent you. :)
Thursday, August 4, 2016
ON THE BLOCK 2016 -- The Lineup!
I know you've been waiting for the line-up. Here it is!
THE BIDDING AGENTS:
Danielle Burby (Hannigan Salky Getzler)
Hannah Fergesen (KT Literary)
Moe Ferrara (Bookends Literary)
Josh Getzler (Hannigan Salky Getzler)
Susan Hawk (Bent)
Pam Howell (D4E0)
Tricia Lawrence (Erin Murphy)
Ammi-Joan Paquette (Erin Murphy)
Nicole Payne (Golden Wheat)
Rena Rossner (Deborah Harris)
Tamar Rydzinski (Laura Dail)
Lauren Spieller (Triada US)
Brent Taylor (Triada US)
Caryn Wiseman (Andrea Brown)
THE LURKING EDITORS:
Like last year, there will be some lurking editors, who may or may not show their faces.
How does this work?
Simple! The editors will be reading through the entries along with the agents. If anything sparks their interest, they will leave a critique. There will be no warning! If your entry receives feedback from one of our Lurking Editors, consider that a "win" all by itself.
Our Lurking Editors:
Alison Weiss (Sky Pony Press)
Peter Senftleben (Kensington Books)
Lydia Sharp (Entangled)
THE AFFABLE AUTHORS:
Surprise! This is the New Thing I've been hinting at. I've invited a slew of published authors to join the ranks of those who lurk about the auction. Their role? Same as the lurking editors--they'll be poking around the entries and leaving feedback.
BIG DIFFERENCE, THOUGH: Each entrant is guaranteed a critique from at least one of our affable authors.
Our affable authors:
Nancy Bilyeau
Erin Bow
Dorothy Dreyer
Sara J. Henry
Alice Loweecey
Joshua McCune
Jodi Meadows
Leah Petersen
Peter Salomon
PJ Schneider
Amanda Sun
HOW TO SUBMIT:
Submission will be via our online form. The link, and specific submission instructions, will post on the blog one week prior to the submission day.
For a summary of everything you need to know about the contest, PLEASE READ THIS ON THE BLOCK PRIMER.
Post your questions below.
Monday, August 1, 2016
August Secret Agent Early Info
Please note: This is NOT the call for submissions! The contest will open next Monday, August 8.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES (please read carefully):
*To enter, please use THE SUBMISSION FORM HERE. (Please note: email submissions are no longer accepted.)
*THIS WILL BE A LOTTERY: The submission window will be open from NOON to 6:00 PM EDT, after which the bot will randomly select 50 entries.
* 2 alternates will also be accepted, for a total of 52 entries.
* PLEASE NOTE: You are responsible for figuring out your own time zone. "Time Zone differences" are NOT a reason for not getting your entry in.
* Submissions received before the contest opens will be rejected.
* Submissions are for COMPLETED MANUSCRIPTS ONLY. If you wouldn't want an agent to read the entire thing, DON'T SEND IT. If an "entire thing" doesn't exist, you shouldn't even be reading these rules.
* Manuscripts THAT HAVE BEEN IN EITHER THE 2015 ON THE BLOCK OR THE LAST SECRET AGENT CONTEST IN SEPTEMBER will not be accepted.
* You may submit A DIFFERENT MANUSCRIPT if you've participated in any previous Secret Agent contests (or ON THE BLOCK).
* Only ONE ENTRY per person per contest. If you send more than one, your subsequent entry(ies) will be rejected.
* If you WON A CONTEST WITHIN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (i.e., offered any kind of prize from a Secret Agent or were one of the 60 entries in the Baker's Dozen Agent Auction), please DO NOT ENTER THIS CONTEST. (Unless it's a different manuscript.)
* Submissions are for THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your manuscript. Please do not stop in the middle of a
GO HERE to submit via our web form.
As always, there is no fee to enter the Secret Agent contest.
This month's contest will include the following genres:
* Science Fiction (YA, MG, adult)
*Fantasy (YA, MG, adult)
*Speculative Fiction (YA, MG, adult)
*Adult Literary
*Adult Contemporary (especially Upmarket Women's Fiction)
*Historical (YA, MG, adult)
*Thrillers (YA, adult)
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES (please read carefully):
*To enter, please use THE SUBMISSION FORM HERE. (Please note: email submissions are no longer accepted.)
*THIS WILL BE A LOTTERY: The submission window will be open from NOON to 6:00 PM EDT, after which the bot will randomly select 50 entries.
* 2 alternates will also be accepted, for a total of 52 entries.
* PLEASE NOTE: You are responsible for figuring out your own time zone. "Time Zone differences" are NOT a reason for not getting your entry in.
* Submissions received before the contest opens will be rejected.
* Submissions are for COMPLETED MANUSCRIPTS ONLY. If you wouldn't want an agent to read the entire thing, DON'T SEND IT. If an "entire thing" doesn't exist, you shouldn't even be reading these rules.
* Manuscripts THAT HAVE BEEN IN EITHER THE 2015 ON THE BLOCK OR THE LAST SECRET AGENT CONTEST IN SEPTEMBER will not be accepted.
* You may submit A DIFFERENT MANUSCRIPT if you've participated in any previous Secret Agent contests (or ON THE BLOCK).
* Only ONE ENTRY per person per contest. If you send more than one, your subsequent entry(ies) will be rejected.
* If you WON A CONTEST WITHIN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (i.e., offered any kind of prize from a Secret Agent or were one of the 60 entries in the Baker's Dozen Agent Auction), please DO NOT ENTER THIS CONTEST. (Unless it's a different manuscript.)
* Submissions are for THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your manuscript. Please do not stop in the middle of a
GO HERE to submit via our web form.
As always, there is no fee to enter the Secret Agent contest.
This month's contest will include the following genres:
* Science Fiction (YA, MG, adult)
*Fantasy (YA, MG, adult)
*Speculative Fiction (YA, MG, adult)
*Adult Literary
*Adult Contemporary (especially Upmarket Women's Fiction)
*Historical (YA, MG, adult)
*Thrillers (YA, adult)
Editing Services -- What I've Got For You
It's been a while since I've posted the details about Authoress Edits.
Here's what's available to you:
1. 30-page Critique
This is a detailed line edit of the first 30 pages of your completed manuscript. NO FIRST DRAFTS, PLEASE.* Your critique package includes an editorial letter, and your project will be completed according to your position in the queue. Normally that's about 1 month. $95
2. First 3-page Peek
This is a detailed line edit of your first 3 pages, to give you an idea of why your opening works--or why it doesn't. Includes a brief editorial letter. $18.
3. Premiere Critique -- NOW AVAILABLE FOR AUGUST!
This is a detailed line edit of the first 75 pages of your completed manuscript. NO FIRST DRAFTS, PLEASE. * Your critique package includes an editorial letter and a guaranteed 1-week turnaround. $260
Please note: I ONLY offer these spots once a month or so. Please pay attention to the blog, my Twitter feed, and my Authoress Edits Facebook page for announcements.
4. Full Manuscript Critique
This is on a per-project basis, and I will only consider the following: FANTASY (MG, YA, or adult), SCIENCE FICTION (MG or YA), SPECULATIVE FICTION (YA or adult), YA Contemporary, YA or MG Historical.
If you are interested in any of the above, please email me at authoress.edits(at)gmail.com. The PREMIERE CRITIQUE slot will be offered on a first come, first served basis.
* You should never pay money to anyone for a critique of a first draft. Not ever. Let it sit, revise it, then have others read the second draft to see where you're at. Once you're feeling like your work is polished but ready for the next step, THEN email me! :)
Here's what's available to you:
1. 30-page Critique
This is a detailed line edit of the first 30 pages of your completed manuscript. NO FIRST DRAFTS, PLEASE.* Your critique package includes an editorial letter, and your project will be completed according to your position in the queue. Normally that's about 1 month. $95
2. First 3-page Peek
This is a detailed line edit of your first 3 pages, to give you an idea of why your opening works--or why it doesn't. Includes a brief editorial letter. $18.
3. Premiere Critique -- NOW AVAILABLE FOR AUGUST!
This is a detailed line edit of the first 75 pages of your completed manuscript. NO FIRST DRAFTS, PLEASE. * Your critique package includes an editorial letter and a guaranteed 1-week turnaround. $260
Please note: I ONLY offer these spots once a month or so. Please pay attention to the blog, my Twitter feed, and my Authoress Edits Facebook page for announcements.
4. Full Manuscript Critique
This is on a per-project basis, and I will only consider the following: FANTASY (MG, YA, or adult), SCIENCE FICTION (MG or YA), SPECULATIVE FICTION (YA or adult), YA Contemporary, YA or MG Historical.
If you are interested in any of the above, please email me at authoress.edits(at)gmail.com. The PREMIERE CRITIQUE slot will be offered on a first come, first served basis.
* You should never pay money to anyone for a critique of a first draft. Not ever. Let it sit, revise it, then have others read the second draft to see where you're at. Once you're feeling like your work is polished but ready for the next step, THEN email me! :)
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