TITLE: FROM THE END TO THE BEGINNING
GENRE: YA Contemporary
An old friend’s suicide attempt forces seventeen-year-old Karina to confront the guilt and grief she buried after her older sister committed suicide almost two years earlier. Told in alternating reverse timelines.
I get the text on Monday night, in the locker room at the Y. My phone chirps in my pocket, but I don’t pull it out. My parents would assume I’m either in the pool or on the road, and none of my friends bother to contact me anymore. I towel off my hair, then stuff my things into my bag. It isn’t until I’m trudging out the door, the last one to leave (as always), that I slide my phone out of my pocket. I don’t recognize the number, but the message makes me trip:
at pearl st bridge. its over
A dozen explanations race through my head—a car died, a race ended, someone just had a baby on the side of the road—but the only one that sticks is also the only explanation I can’t think out loud.
I flick back to the number and remind myself to breathe. The digits gleam in the dim light, but I still can’t place them. The number isn’t in my contacts, and the sender didn’t sign it.
Whoever sent this text didn’t mean to send it to me.
At least that’s what I tell myself as I half jog, half stumble across the parking lot to Lily’s car—my car—the car she left behind. For the first time since I inherited it, I have a hard time getting the key into the lock.
Miss Snark's First Victim
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Are You Hooked? Young Adult #1
TITLE: Weed
GENRE: YA Historical
In 1984, the son of a marijuana cultivator falls in love with the daughter of the local sheriff who vows to eradicate the illegal marijuana trade. The sheriff will do anything to stop the young love including breaking the laws he swore to uphold. Romeo and Juliet retelling.
Before my machete cuts into the stalk of the marijuana plant, the leaves shake. My immediate thought is an earthquake; something on the lower spectrum of the Richter scale, Maybe 3.5 or 3.6, just enough to cause a low rumble that vibrates the ground. Then it hits me and it’s too late.
Descending on our property is a convoy of white and green patrol cars, their lights flashing. They speed towards us not giving me much time. I should have known this was coming; the signs were there, the presence of the Blackhawk helicopters flying low to the ground over the past week, but during harvest season, there are more helicopters in the sky than birds.
“Run.” I drop my machete and race into the redwood forest with my cousin Benny one-step behind me. The Mexican workers rattle off in Spanish before they scatter like a flock of geese being chased by a dog.
I want to run to the house, warn dad, but I don’t have time. Dad always talked about this day coming, he knows the risk involved in a million dollar a year marijuana business.
Taking shelter in a magnolia bush, I slow my breathing as to not give away my whereabouts. Benny climbs an oak tree, hiding amongst the branches and leaves.
“Come out and act like a man,” Tyson says. I don’t know Tyson but know of him. His tan shirt, which he more than likely used a half bottle of starch, appears unyielding.
GENRE: YA Historical
In 1984, the son of a marijuana cultivator falls in love with the daughter of the local sheriff who vows to eradicate the illegal marijuana trade. The sheriff will do anything to stop the young love including breaking the laws he swore to uphold. Romeo and Juliet retelling.
Before my machete cuts into the stalk of the marijuana plant, the leaves shake. My immediate thought is an earthquake; something on the lower spectrum of the Richter scale, Maybe 3.5 or 3.6, just enough to cause a low rumble that vibrates the ground. Then it hits me and it’s too late.
Descending on our property is a convoy of white and green patrol cars, their lights flashing. They speed towards us not giving me much time. I should have known this was coming; the signs were there, the presence of the Blackhawk helicopters flying low to the ground over the past week, but during harvest season, there are more helicopters in the sky than birds.
“Run.” I drop my machete and race into the redwood forest with my cousin Benny one-step behind me. The Mexican workers rattle off in Spanish before they scatter like a flock of geese being chased by a dog.
I want to run to the house, warn dad, but I don’t have time. Dad always talked about this day coming, he knows the risk involved in a million dollar a year marijuana business.
Taking shelter in a magnolia bush, I slow my breathing as to not give away my whereabouts. Benny climbs an oak tree, hiding amongst the branches and leaves.
“Come out and act like a man,” Tyson says. I don’t know Tyson but know of him. His tan shirt, which he more than likely used a half bottle of starch, appears unyielding.
Monday, December 12, 2016
Call For Submissions: YA, It's Your Turn!
Earlier this year, we held Are You Hooked? rounds for Middle Grade and Adult novels. For a final hurrah this year, I give you -- Are You Hooked? for Young Adult!
If you write anything YA -- any genre -- this round is for you! (If you write middle grade or adult fiction, this round is not for you.)
Submission guidelines:
If you write anything YA -- any genre -- this round is for you! (If you write middle grade or adult fiction, this round is not for you.)
Submission guidelines:
- The submission window will be open from 3:00 PM EDT today until 3:00 PM EDT tomorrow.
- Submit a 50-words-or-less LOGLINE and the first 250 words of your manuscript.
- The bot will accept 25 entries (this is not a lottery).
- (If for some reason response is bigger, I'll open a few more slots.)
- Your excerpts will post on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14.
- YOUNG ADULT FICTION ONLY! If you enter anything else, it will be disqualified.
- Enter HERE.
Questions below!
Friday, December 9, 2016
Friday Fricassee
Hello, dear ones!
So, I'm in the midst of a second round of revisions of my current YA fantasy, after having sent it out to beta readers and my wonderful agent (have I gushed about her lately?) and gotten a good feel for what needs to be fixed. The good news? There isn't a lot of heavy lifting involved, and I'm beyond thrilled that, at only a draft-two level, Danielle found my structure solid and the story in overall good shape.
Hmm. Maybe I've learned a thing or two about writing novels over the past few years??
At any rate, I'm thrilled to be moving forward with this story.
My new experience this go-around was asking a local, I-know-you-in-person person to read for me. (Well, okay--I've had local people read before. But they've all been family members. Which, as you know, isn't quite the same.) A lovely gal in my ballet classes spent some time as a freelance editor, and she aspires to return to the editing world at some point. She's also an avid reader (of course), so I felt like she would have a sharp eye and wouldn't be afraid to say things that needed to be said. And she was delighted when I asked her to read my story.
She had some good insights, but mostly she was highly complimentary. Loved the novel. Talked about how, when she was working as an editor, so much bad writing crossed her desk. So, sure, that felt good, but also I trusted the things she had to say about the story because I knew she had experience reading critically.
We had our discussion about the book via email, but last night after class, she proceeded to gush about my novel in front of another of my ballet friends, whom we'll call Kelly. Later, as I was dropping Kelly off at home, she asked me if she could also read my book.
"I've done that before for people," Kelly said, "and I would really love to read your story."
Ugh. That's when things get messy.
I know Kelly's "done that before", because, about a year ago, she went on and on about a book a friend of hers had published, and how it was so very good, and how I should read it. So of course I looked up the book, and read the first page or two. And it was terribly overwritten and I knew I could never sit through the whole book.
That doesn't mean it wasn't a good story. And it doesn't lessen Kelly's enjoyment of it--this stuff is so very subjective. It does, however, lessen the value of Kelly's input. I am almost one hundred percent certain that, if I handed her my book, she would read it, love it, and proceed to tell me how wonderful it was. She might actually have an opinion or two about something she thought I might want to change, but the opinions wouldn't be based on anything useful from a structural standpoint.
I would call this a "vanity read". Sure, the person's opinion is valid--we are all entitled to our opinions. But this is not the kind of read that will be in any way useful to us, despite the obvious ego strokes.
So I said to Kelly--ever so gently--that I was finished with this round (which is true), so I didn't need any more readers at this time. She proceeded to tell me, as I knew she would, that she would be happy to read it at any time.
I thanked her. Sincerely. Between you and me? I probably won't ask her to read it. But I do appreciate her offer, and her desire to support me this way. Because, yes, she is a supportive friend, and we all know how important that is.
But the truth is that handing out our stories to every friend who offers to read it isn't necessarily the best strategy. A handful of beta readers who are going to read with a keen eye to the things we need feedback on -- story arc, character development, world building -- is what we need to propel us to the next level of revisions. What we don't need is a sycophantic gaggle of friends ready to shower us with praise.
(And, hey. Those are the friends who need to buy our book--or request it from their local libraries--once it's published, yes?)
So, dear fellow writers-in-the-trenches -- choose your readers well! Ideally, you want other writers to read your work (and you will read theirs in return), but it's also valuable to find people who may offer a particular insight. For instance, my current novel is set in a world that is based on ancient, dynastic China, so I've asked a Chinese friend to read it for me. So far, so good -- she emailed me after she'd read the first three chapters to tell me that she was in tears because of how something in my story so deeply reflected her own personal experience as a Chinese daughter. Talk about affirming--for both of us!
It's tempting to hand our story to people we know (or at least hope) will fawn over it, but in the end, that's not going to help us grow as writers. Of course, it's always okay to give it to your mom or your sister or your husband, because, yes, a little bit of unconditional love goes a long way. It feels good to share the fruit of our labors with people who are important in us, and who are invested in us. But in the end, we need to be far more discerning in our choice of beta readers and critique partners.
Ever growing, ever learning, ever pushing ourselves to the next level. That's what it's all about. Now go share your story with someone you're pretty sure will pick it apart. Be brave! It's amazing how much better our stories become once they've been subjected to the critique of folks who aren't doing it to soothe our feelings.
And now, I'm off to Christmas shop, and then come back home to slip into fuzzy socks and -- what else? -- work on revisions.
Happy weekend!
So, I'm in the midst of a second round of revisions of my current YA fantasy, after having sent it out to beta readers and my wonderful agent (have I gushed about her lately?) and gotten a good feel for what needs to be fixed. The good news? There isn't a lot of heavy lifting involved, and I'm beyond thrilled that, at only a draft-two level, Danielle found my structure solid and the story in overall good shape.
Hmm. Maybe I've learned a thing or two about writing novels over the past few years??
At any rate, I'm thrilled to be moving forward with this story.
My new experience this go-around was asking a local, I-know-you-in-person person to read for me. (Well, okay--I've had local people read before. But they've all been family members. Which, as you know, isn't quite the same.) A lovely gal in my ballet classes spent some time as a freelance editor, and she aspires to return to the editing world at some point. She's also an avid reader (of course), so I felt like she would have a sharp eye and wouldn't be afraid to say things that needed to be said. And she was delighted when I asked her to read my story.
She had some good insights, but mostly she was highly complimentary. Loved the novel. Talked about how, when she was working as an editor, so much bad writing crossed her desk. So, sure, that felt good, but also I trusted the things she had to say about the story because I knew she had experience reading critically.
We had our discussion about the book via email, but last night after class, she proceeded to gush about my novel in front of another of my ballet friends, whom we'll call Kelly. Later, as I was dropping Kelly off at home, she asked me if she could also read my book.
"I've done that before for people," Kelly said, "and I would really love to read your story."
Ugh. That's when things get messy.
I know Kelly's "done that before", because, about a year ago, she went on and on about a book a friend of hers had published, and how it was so very good, and how I should read it. So of course I looked up the book, and read the first page or two. And it was terribly overwritten and I knew I could never sit through the whole book.
That doesn't mean it wasn't a good story. And it doesn't lessen Kelly's enjoyment of it--this stuff is so very subjective. It does, however, lessen the value of Kelly's input. I am almost one hundred percent certain that, if I handed her my book, she would read it, love it, and proceed to tell me how wonderful it was. She might actually have an opinion or two about something she thought I might want to change, but the opinions wouldn't be based on anything useful from a structural standpoint.
I would call this a "vanity read". Sure, the person's opinion is valid--we are all entitled to our opinions. But this is not the kind of read that will be in any way useful to us, despite the obvious ego strokes.
So I said to Kelly--ever so gently--that I was finished with this round (which is true), so I didn't need any more readers at this time. She proceeded to tell me, as I knew she would, that she would be happy to read it at any time.
I thanked her. Sincerely. Between you and me? I probably won't ask her to read it. But I do appreciate her offer, and her desire to support me this way. Because, yes, she is a supportive friend, and we all know how important that is.
But the truth is that handing out our stories to every friend who offers to read it isn't necessarily the best strategy. A handful of beta readers who are going to read with a keen eye to the things we need feedback on -- story arc, character development, world building -- is what we need to propel us to the next level of revisions. What we don't need is a sycophantic gaggle of friends ready to shower us with praise.
(And, hey. Those are the friends who need to buy our book--or request it from their local libraries--once it's published, yes?)
So, dear fellow writers-in-the-trenches -- choose your readers well! Ideally, you want other writers to read your work (and you will read theirs in return), but it's also valuable to find people who may offer a particular insight. For instance, my current novel is set in a world that is based on ancient, dynastic China, so I've asked a Chinese friend to read it for me. So far, so good -- she emailed me after she'd read the first three chapters to tell me that she was in tears because of how something in my story so deeply reflected her own personal experience as a Chinese daughter. Talk about affirming--for both of us!
It's tempting to hand our story to people we know (or at least hope) will fawn over it, but in the end, that's not going to help us grow as writers. Of course, it's always okay to give it to your mom or your sister or your husband, because, yes, a little bit of unconditional love goes a long way. It feels good to share the fruit of our labors with people who are important in us, and who are invested in us. But in the end, we need to be far more discerning in our choice of beta readers and critique partners.
Ever growing, ever learning, ever pushing ourselves to the next level. That's what it's all about. Now go share your story with someone you're pretty sure will pick it apart. Be brave! It's amazing how much better our stories become once they've been subjected to the critique of folks who aren't doing it to soothe our feelings.
And now, I'm off to Christmas shop, and then come back home to slip into fuzzy socks and -- what else? -- work on revisions.
Happy weekend!
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
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
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
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