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Auntie B’s Book Club Contest
17
July

So I know I posted two weeks ago all ready to start blogging more regularly and all that… then dropped off the face of the earth! Well, my sister got married (I was the maid of honor)…

And me and my two roommates moved…

But now I’m back! And just in time to enter Auntie B’s Book Club Contest! Since it’s not a requirement that this be a completed manuscript, I’m going to enter with my WIP, Dragons Are People Too!

You can click through to the contest page for more information, but basically y’all have two days to help me get my entry in the best shape possible for our discerning  judges (actual, live teenagers!). So here goes… please provide constructive criticism in the comments!

Pitch

Sixteen-year-old Kitty is a weredragon operative for the US government. When the government turns its back on the dragons, she must choose between loyalty to her country and allegiance to her family. (Keep in mind, the pitch must be 35 words or less! This is 34)

First 250 words

Well, crap. Mission Intelligence got it wrong. Again.

I mean, seriously? Heat sensors? When your operatives have a core body temperature of 142 degrees, that should be the first thing you check for. I daydream about ripping Simon a new one as I scale up the three stories of crumbling stone.

So now I cling to the east stone wall of the Lebanese embassy in DC with a diplomatic document pouch hanging from my belt.

I am overly conscious of the two security cameras aimed at my back, despite the full-body black catsuit with matching ski-mask that Draconic Intelligence Command (or, as I liked to call it, DIC) requires me to wear. Sirens blare, telling me security already knows we are here, but I still can’t let them see my face. And, more importantly, I can’t let them see me change.

Beside me, Wallace scrabbles, then loses his balance and falls twenty feet to the ground, hitting the wall at least twice in the process. Rookie. His breath comes fast, but he is uninjured. He could probably fall from three times that height without a scratch.

“Kitty,” he whispers. Even his whisper has a British accent. He lies sprawled on the immaculate lawn of the Embassy and slowly makes his way to his feet. “I can’t make it without changing.”

“No!” I yell, then catch myself and lower my voice to something more like a hiss. “Absolutely not. Do you have any idea how many cameras are on you right now?”

 

SO… to the comments with the criticism! Thanks!!

Category: Dragons, Writing  12 Comments
Loving the Language Blogfest
27
June

Remember a week and a half ago I talked about the Loving the Language Blogfest? Well it’s a good thing I (a) subscribed to comments on her post and (b) picked out my sentences last week because I would have totally forgot to post this today!

I’m going to cheat a little because my WIP is pretty new and… well, it’s a super-duper first draft, if you get what I’m saying. (ROUGH) So I’m going to do five from that one and five from The Demons You Know, which is the work I’m querying.

The Demons You Know

  • A tangible trembling of magic hung in the air like the sound of a muted television.
  • Miranda couldn’t identify the feeling in her chest then. It was so abstract and intangible that she knew it shouldn’t be capable of causing such profound pain. She had known this pain only once before – when her father died – and she finally recognized it; her heart was breaking.
  • Gaping mouths of concrete and steel soundlessly cried out in horror.
  • The crinkling of the ancient pages whispered in the quiet night, calling her name with a wordless voice.
  • She wanted to stay like this, lingering in his light for a while.

Dragons Are People Too (For this one, I gravitated toward the lines that represents Kitty’s voice more than anything else)

  • I suddenly feel like I’m lost in a forest I’ve walked through many times. I stare at a point in front of me that I’m not entirely sure exists. But it must, because I can’t seem to tear my gaze away.
  • Not for the first time, I wonder if the Secret Service teach their agents a class in how to frown with purpose.
  • Sani is calling my name but he sounds like he’s above the waves of this ocean that’s drowning me in nothing.
  • “Technically,” I hedge, “I didn’t do anything wrong.” It probably would sound more convincing if I believed it.
  • Sometimes, I need my mom to be just my mom. And being semi-responsible for both an international event and the exposure of an entire species that thrives on secrecy? This would be one of those times.

Well, there they are. Five of my favorite lines from both The Demons You Know and Dragons Are People Too. I hope you like them. And if you participated in this blogfest, leave a link in the comments!

Category: just for fun, Writing  26 Comments
Two For Tuesday
15
June

So I’m aware that Tuesday actually ended an hour ago, but I haven’t gone to sleep yet so this still counts!

What is Two for Tuesday? Post two of anything – they don’t even have to be related!

1) I don’t normally do blogfests but I saw this one on my YAtopian blog-mate Kelly’s blog and I thought, hey why not? Reader’s Digest version: Pick any five lines from one of your WIPs and share them on your blog!

Now I’m kinda nervous because I don’t know if I have anything to post! yikes! If you sign up for this one, let me know!

2) Over on the YAtopia blog today, I used the last few months of experience reading submissions for Sift to talk about why agents and editors complain about some of the things you see so often. And if that’s not enough to make you read the post? Every point is punctuated by lolcats. :-)

Category: Sift, Two For Tuesday, Writing, YAtopia  3 Comments
YA Highway: Research!
01
June

I haven’t participated in a Road Trip Wednesday in a while! This week’s topic: What is the strangest/weirdest thing you’ve ever researched?

While I can’t think of a single thing that’s weirder than all the others, I’m pretty sure my Google search history has me on some kind of government watch-list. I tend to write high-action urban fantasy, so I’m always researching strange weapons and injuries. Things like how long would it take for a deep burn to heal on its own? Or fighting styles that employ medium-length blades.

Or where is the Syrian embassy in Washington DC, how many floors does it have and does it have a fence around it?

Yeah, that’s probably the worst one.

I search to find out how it feels to get shot in the leg, to find haunted historical sites, to learn about the speed and efficacy of plant-based poisons, to find the most isolated place in Ireland, and more.

Though I haven’t done too much research in the way of going places or strange activities, anyone paying attention to my google search history might become worried about my mental health.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever researched?

Category: RTW, Writing  4 Comments
Twitter Pitch Contest!
03
March

Lovely British writer and fellow YAtopian Chanelle Gray has an awesome contest going on right now. So polish up your short pitch and head on over to her site for the chance to pitch to Michael Carr of the Veritas Literary Agency. (Note, you don’t have to be on Twitter to enter the contest)

Wanna know what mine looks like? Here’s my Twitter pitch for THE DEMONS YOU KNOW:

When supposedly-extinct demons kidnap her mother, Fire Mage Miranda must partner with a young Holy Knight on a cross-country rescue mission.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is 140 characters exactly. I should so get extra points for that :-)

Category: social media, Writing, YAtopia  Leave a Comment
RTW: A ?4U
23
February

I don’t have much time today and I haven’t participated in YAHighway’s RTW in a while and I really wanted to do it today. So I’m going to cheat a little and post a link to my YAtopia post from Tuesday as a precursor to this post. Today’s RTW asks you to post a writing question for others to answer.

The question posed by me is: Are you a Plotter or a Pantser? Or somewhere in the middle. Either way, don’t let anyone tell you you’re wrong. Not even me.

Leave your answer (and/or link) in the comments!

Category: RTW, Writing  4 Comments
YAtopia
11
January

I’m so nervous happy to tell y’all that my first official post is up over at the YAtopia blog.  It’s a “gentle kick in the rear” kind of post targeted at newer writers, but I hope you’ll pop on over and read it! (and comment!)

Category: Writing, YAtopia  One Comment
YAtopia!
24
December

I’ve been waiting for a while to make this announcement and I’m so excited to share this with y’all! Starting the first week of 2011, I will be one of eight contributors to a new YA blog: YAtopia.

What is YAtopia? We’re eight writers passionate about Young Adult literature in all shapes and sizes. We’ll be blogging about books, writing and anything related to YA literature.

We’ll start posting the first week of 2011, but I’d be honored if you would check out our beautiful blog and read a little about the contributors.

What would you like to see from this new blog? Any questions? Comments? Suggestions?

Category: books, Writing, YAtopia  4 Comments
Communit(ies)
07
December

Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?

Oh man! I could write 20 pages on this, but I’ll try to spare y’all and keep it as succinct as possible.

The one that’s had the biggest impact on me is the online writers community. There are some websites that we frequent, but it’s a kind of organic, awesome thing centered around Twitter and a few blogs. This past year I’ve been completely blown away by the support and camaraderie I’ve found online. I’ve met people that make me laugh every day (even when I want to cry after getting a rejection), people who celebrate and mourn with me, who cheer me on when I feel like setting fire to my manuscript. It’s been indispensible.

If you’re not quite yet involved with this community (and would like to be), here are some tips:

  • If you don’t have it, get Twitter. Seriously. If you’re scared or hesitant, I’d be glad to discuss it with you one-on-one and help you get started. I’ve run social media campaigns for several small non-profits and websites and have helped dozens of writers get started. I love doing it. Send me an email.
  • Once you have twitter, check out hashtags like #amwriting, #askagent, #kidlit, #yalit, #kidlitchat, #yalitchat, #pubtip, #writegoal. Follow people, read their blogs, click on links, comment
  • Check out some (or all) of the links in my sidebar over there ß

Another, similar community I’ve been becoming more ensconced in is my local writers community. Trust me, I’m one of the biggest proponents of online interaction, but sometimes there’s nothing like sitting down to a cup of coffee with other writers, getting face to face critiques, discussing the business when you can see the plentiful smiles and feel the hugs.

For 2011 I have two exciting new communities I’ll be taking by storm ;-) One is a small YA writing community that I’ll be able to make official announcements about soon! (Keep an eye out for those announcements cuz it’s going to be AWESOME!)

The second (which I will also be talking about soon) will find me more involved with local artists of all kinds. I’m talking sculptors, musicians, graphic designers, poets, singers, actors, artists, photographers. And writers of course. Gosh, I’m getting so excited now just thinking about it!

What about you? What communities have you become more involved in in 2010 and which do you hope to join in 2011?

This post is part of my #reverb10. Visit their website to learn more.

PS: Since y’all asked so nicely, here’s the recipe for that beautiful Chicken Bistro Twist pictured on yesterday’s blog.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup chopped cooked chicken
  • ½ cup diced red bell pepper
  • ¼ cup snipped fresh basil leaves
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed
  • 2 packages (11 oz each) refrigerated French bread dough
  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon Pantry Italian Seasoning Mix

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Chop chicken. Dice bell pepper. Snip basil using kitchen shears. In bowl, combine chicken, bell pepper, basil, ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise and garlic; mix well.

2) Place bread dough, seam sides up, on smooth side of a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, slice each loaf lengthwise, end to end, cutting halfway through to center of loaf; spread open flat. Lightly sprinkle flour evenly over dough (I didn’t do this). Flatten dough crosswise to about 4-inch width, creating a well down center of each loaf.

3) Spoon half of the chicken mixture down center of each loaf. Gather up edges over filling, pinching firmly to seal. Place loaves, seam sides down, in an “X” pattern on a baking pan. Crisscross ends of dough to form a large figure-8, keeping ends of dough 1 inch from edge of the pan and leaving two 1 ½ inch openings in center of twist.

4) Combine egg white and seasoning mix; lightly brush over dough. Cut a 3-inch slit in each of the top sections of the twist to reveal filling. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over loaf. Bake 30-32 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes.

8 servings at 300 calories each.  You can also experiment with the filling if you’d like!

Category: #reverb10, social media, Writing  2 Comments
Everything Contributes
02
December

Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?

First, I’m not a big fan of this prompt. I know most of us doing #reverb10 are writers, but there are many who aren’t. So for those who aren’t, I hope you’ll replace the word “writing” with whatever else is a top priority for you and do this post anyway.

I don’t believe there’s much I do in a day that doesn’t contribute to my writing. Mainly because “contribute to my writing” is such a broad statement. My books may be about Fire Mages fighting demons and Irish goddesses reborn and steampunk submarines, but they’re also about people. And everything I read, see, watch, hear or experience contributes to my understanding of people.

As writers, we bring the sum of our experiences to the table every time we write, whether we know it or not. Every moment we have lived through contributes in some way to our writing.

So, unless you spend a large portion of your day simply picking your own nose, I don’t think there is a single activity that “doesn’t contribute.” However, there’s balance to consider. For example, I watch teen TV shows to keep up with teen culture. But if I spend five hours a day watching these shows, claiming to be doing research, and have no or very little time writing, that’s a problem.

What about you? Is there anything you need to be doing less of so you can focus on your writing/business/relationship/whatever-is-important to you?

This post is part of my #reverb10. Please visit their website to learn more.

Prompt: Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?

First, I’m not a big fan of this prompt. I know most of us doing #reverb10 are writers, but there are many who aren’t. So for those who aren’t, I hope you’ll replace the word “writing” with whatever else is a top priority for you and do this post anyway.

I don’t believe there’s much I do in a day that doesn’t contribute to my writing. Mainly because “contribute to my writing” is such a broad statement. My books may be about Fire Mages fighting demons and Irish goddesses reborn and steampunk submarines, but they’re also about people. And everything I read, see, watch, hear or experience contributes to my understanding of people.

So, unless you spend a large portion of your day simply picking your own nose, I don’t think there is a sing

Prompt: Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?

First, I’m not a big fan of this prompt. I know most of us doing #reverb10 are writers, but there are many who aren’t. So for those who aren’t, I hope you’ll replace the word “writing” with whatever else is a top priority for you and do this post anyway.

I don’t believe there’s much I do in a day that doesn’t contribute to my writing. Mainly because “contribute to my writing” is such a broad statement. My books may be about Fire Mages fighting demons and Irish goddesses reborn and steampunk submarines, but they’re also about people. And everything I read, see, watch, hear or experience contributes to my understanding of people.

So, unless you spend a large portion of your day simply picking your own nose, I don’t think there is a single activity that “doesn’t contribute.” However, there’s balance to consider. For example, I watch teen TV shows to keep up with teen culture. But if I spend five hours a day watching these shows, claiming to be doing research, and have no or very little time writing, that’s a problem.

What about you? Is there anything you need to be doing less of so you can focus on your writing/business/relationship/whatever-is-important to you?

le activity that “doesn’t contribute.” However, there’s balance to consider. For example, I watch teen TV shows to keep up with teen culture. But if I spend five hours a day watching these shows, claiming to be doing research, and have no or very little time writing, that’s a problem.

What about you? Is there anything you need to be doing less of so you can focus on your writing/business/relationship/whatever-is-important to you?

Category: #reverb10, Writing  10 Comments
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