Three, Two, One, Pitch Contest: We Have Winners!

Good morning, Ladies and Gents! As many of you know, we ran a little contest a few days ago called the Three, Two, One, Pitch Contest (read more about it here). We had some really great entries and I'm happy to announce that our guest agent judge, Lindsay Ribar, has picked her winners. And not only that, she gave us a little feedback as to WHY she picked what she did. How awesome is that? 

So, here are her choices, in Lindsay's own words:

First of all, thanks for having me as the judge for the Three Two One Pitch contest! It was incredibly fun to read all of these, and actually pretty hard to narrow it down.  In the end, though, these are the pitches that really stuck with me.

1

Kate Larkindale

STUMPED

YA Contemporary

75,000 words

After losing his legs in an accident, Ozzy knows he’s a hideous freak. Determined to prove he can still be a man despite his disability, he throws himself into dumping the burden of his virginity, but finds there’s a limited number of people willing to touch legless dudes in wheelchairs. Ozzy’s obsession takes him into the seedy underworld of brothels and escort services where he discovers the difference between sex and intimacy, and that sometimes the price you pay for getting what you want is much higher than a sex worker’s fee.

Talk about edgy, right? Not only does our protagonist have a disability that clearly screws with his own self-perception, but his coping mechanism is paying for sex.  But if the phrase “the difference between sex and intimacy” didn’t hook me (spoiler: it did), that last line sure did. I want to know what the price is.

2

Molly Pinto Madigan

OF BLOOD AND ROSES

YA UF/PR

70,000 words

Maggie Mae Carter is sick of living life timidly, adrift in a sucky sea of collegiate drudgery, so when she hears a voice on the radio that makes her feel more alive than she has in years, she knows she has to meet the singer – the mysterious Thomas Lynn. Armed with a penchant for folk music, Maggie steals away to The Hall – a labyrinthine rock club teeming with secrets – to meet the man who spins ballads into rock ‘n’ roll perfection, but when she wakes up alone on the greenroom couch, petals in her curls and her arms raked with thorns, Maggie is plunged into the strange world behind the shadows of The Hall, where words bind, where music manipulates, and where mortality hints at something more. As she struggles to unravel the mystery behind the music, will Maggie be able to save Thomas Lynn from the fey forces that threaten him, and, more importantly, will she be able to save him from himself?

Full disclosure: I did receive this as a query a few months ago, and because I’m horribly behind on my non-client reading, it’s still in my “Look At This When You Have Time, Because It Might Be Awesome” folder. Full disclosure part two: I’m 300% more likely to read anything that has to do with music and musicians. Those things aside, though, this is just a particularly well-written pitch… and I’m intrigued by the hints of magic, which feel far more otherworldly than most things you find in YA nowadays.

3

Joanna Ahleen

SHADOWS

YA PR

78,000 words

Samantha Bell is falling hard for her best friend Mark, but he’s in love with a ghost who has been dead over a century. Sam’s budding feelings for Mark are tested immediately as she is literally haunted by ghost girl-Kate who, according to a stupid prophesy, thinks Mark is destined to die and join her spirit-state very soon. To make matters worse, when Sam learns Kate isn’t the only ghost keeping an eye on her, Sam’s world shifts into something she isn’t sure she wants to be a part of: a world where ghosts aren’t merely harmless specters who slam doors and throw dishes.

It’s the viewpoint that sold me on this one – a viewpoint that reminds me of Team Human in the best possible way. And if that wasn’t enough, this Samantha person seems to think about as highly of prophecies as I do!  

Congratulations to all of the winners! And the prizes? Lindsay would like to see your full manuscripts! Yippee! Please send the material to lribar (at) sjga (dot) com. Be sure to mention you are a winner of the Three, Two, One, Pitch Contest in the subject line of your email.

Thank you, Lindsay, for being so awesome and for taking the time to judge this contest. You seriously ROCK!

Interview with Heather Allen

Happy Wednesday, everyone. Let's celebrate hump day with an interview with a great YA author, Heather Allen.

Welcome to We Do Write, Heather! Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am the author of Just Breathe, Barely Breathing, and Forever Breathing. I live in sunny Florida with my husband and three children. I've dedicated my life to education for the past fifteen years with a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education and a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership. I finally realized my dream of becoming an author only recently. I savor every moment on this new journey and continue to touch the lives of children now, not only through teaching but also my books.

How long have you been writing?

I have been writing off and on for about a year and half. My first attempt was futile so I took a break. The Just Breathe Trilogy took about a year in total with the first book taking the longest.

Tell us about The Just Breathe series. What’s the story about?

The Just Breathe Trilogy tells the story of brother and sister, James and Ever Harding and their journey into an unknown world where unbelievable things are possible. They learn of a world under the sea where mer-people exist.

Ever Harding has finally found where she belongs, with Jack in the sea. Just when she thought she could start her new life, a new threat forms on the horizon. She must make her biggest choice yet. Is she willing to risk everything to save the love of her life and all she holds dear?

James discovers yet again that his purpose is greater than anything he could ever imagine. He thought he had it all figured out, but sometimes things can be very deceiving. Is he willing to stand up for all he believes is right?

In the final book of the ‘Just Breath’ trilogy, Ever and James find themselves not against each other but fighting together to preserve the freedoms of others. Will they be able to defend the right to choose when the odds are hugely against them?

Sounds fascinating! How did the idea of the story come to you?

I grew up around the water in Florida. My backyard was the inter-coastal waterway essentially. Now I live just ten minutes from the beach. I am out on the water either by boat or at the beach as much as possible. I don’t have any cool story like it came to me in a dream or anything…I just thought about writing something and mermaids were the first thing that popped into my head. Mermaids are just an unknown fantastical part of the ocean. It’s fun to imagine they really exist!

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I have a wonderful group of betas and an incredible editor. I met my betas through the wonderful indie world. My editor though is from my day job. Did I mention how wonderful she is? 

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Oh man! Definitely a panster! I don’t plan anything. I’m really bad at not plotting things out. I pretty much type in the moment. Sometimes it works really well. Other times I go back to what I wrote and delete whole paragraphs and wonder what I was thinking!

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Time is the hardest part of writing. There is never a lack of ideas. In fact I have ideas for my next two books already. It’s finding the time to get it all out. Life happens, leaving little of it for me to write. Do I really need sleep that much?

I'm totally with you there. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

I cannot be without music when I write. I plug my ear buds in and turn the volume up very loud. The music not only inspires me but also drowns out the noise of my three children.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

This one I answered on another interview. I am sticking with my original answer, hands down, time travel. I have no patience. Hence my last two books released two days earlier than the set date. It’s a bad one because of the change things dilemma but I’d like to see into the future just a little.

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

HMMM! Tough one! I’ve googled mermaids tons of times now but that doesn’t constitute as weird, since my books contain a lot of them. Not sure that this is weird but if I’m watching a movie and a hottie is on the screen that I don’t know, I always google him to find out what else he played in. SHHH! Don’t tell anyone! 

My lips are sealed! Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: breath, encouraged, and distance.

He emphatically encouraged her to run the distance while controlling her breathing. – Insert other interesting verbs in sentence for different meaning! 

Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ... 

Working at my day job – teaching or taxiing kids to numerous sports activities or reading.

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

I want to thank my family of course for their acceptance of their frustrations at my lack of attention to them often! My online family of authors and readers who are so incredibly supportive! The wonderful blogger support I have. They are such an important part of this community!

And finally, where can people find you and your books online?

Just Breathe Buy Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Just-Breathe-ebook/dp/B00AVLTKFE/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1373768982&sr=1-4

Barely Breathing Buy Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Barely-Breathing-Just-Breathe-ebook/dp/B00CCIFYQI/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1373769049&sr=1-5&keywords=barely+breathing

Forever Breathing Buy Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Breathing-Just-Breathe-ebook/dp/B00DVZZB00/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1373753558&sr=8-12&keywords=forever+breathing

You can find Heather:

On her blog:  http://heatherallen127.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heather-Allen/245833965548588?fref=ts

Twitter: @kelconcar

Just Breathe – book trailer http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DvtZMKp6mv64&h=3AQFjdfE_

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17731788-just-breathe

Happy Book Release + Interview with Kara Taylor!

Hola! Beth, here. 

Okay. I am super-stoked. Today we celebrate the release of PREP SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL, a YA murder mystery written by my long-time beta-reader/manuscript-butt-kicker, Kara Taylor. And let me tell you, I've read this book and it is fabulous. Kara has a gift for (hilarious) voice and the pacing will keep you turning those pages well into the night. 

Anne Dowling practically runs her exclusive academy on New York’s Upper East Side—that is, until she accidentally burns part of it down and gets sent to a prestigious boarding school outside of Boston. Determined to make it back to New York, Anne could care less about making friends at the preppy Wheatley School. That is, until her roommate Isabella’s body is found in the woods behind the school.

When everyone else is oddly silent, Anne becomes determined to uncover the truth no matter how many rules she has to break to do it. With the help of Isabella’s twin brother Anthony, and a cute classmate named Brent, Anne discovers that Isabella wasn’t quite the innocent nerdy girl she pretended to be. But someone will do anything to stop Anne’s snooping—even if it means framing her for Isabella’s murder.

Welcome to We Do Write, Kara! It's so nice to have you here. Tell us a bit about yourself. 

I've been writing since my mom gave me a boxed set of Nancy Drew novels in the third grade! Now, I'm lucky enough to write full-time. 

In addition to the PREP SCHOOL series, I write for television, on a project I can't share much about until the fall. I'm a TV nut and avid reader, but I also love hitting the beach and the river in my hometown, Long Island.

How did the idea of PREP SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL come to you?

My dad let me watch Law & Order when I was six and I was hooked on procedural mysteries from that point on. I tried my hand at a couple adult crime novels (they were terrible), and eventually learned my voice is very YA. So that's how I wound up writing a YA murder mystery that's Veronica Mars meets Twin Peaks!

You're right. You have a perfect YA voice! I already know the answer to this, but for the sake of the interview, do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I have a few very close writer friends who read everything I write, and vice versa. I'm also huge on self-editing, though. I'll probably edit a book to death before I'm comfortable sending it for someone else to read!

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

A little bit of both. I used to pants the hell out of my books, but planning out a 3 book series required a little more attention to the intricacies of plotting. So now I use outlines or summaries to guide me.

I might need to take some lessons from you on plotting. What's the hardest part of writing for you?

The loneliness! I spent a little while teaching, and while I love writing, I miss being surrounded by people all day.

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Nail polish. When I get stuck, I absolutely have to paint my nails while brainstorming.

Of course. Nothing gets those creative juices flowing like a mani-pedi. Anne would approve. 

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Teleportation! I live in an area with a ton of traffic, and also, I'm afraid of airplanes. But I love traveling and discovering new places, so it's a quandary.

What's the weirdest thing you've Googled?

Probably, "How many volts of electricity does it require to take down a 250 pound man?"

Ha! Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: photograph, tar, bridge.

The man was so immersed in capturing the scenic view from the bridge in a photograph, he didn't realize he'd stepped in tar and ruined his new shoes.

Aww, bummer. Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably…

Giving way too much attention to my long-haired Chihuahua, Izzy.

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

I'd be lost without my literary agent, Suzie Townsend. I also have amazing writer friends who read all my work and talk me off ledges: Kathy Bradey, Lindsey Culli, Elizabeth Holloway, and Debra Driza.

Hey, it's the least I can do, especially since I've had my share of ledges you have talked me off of. *grin* So, where can people find PREP SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL online?

PREP SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL will be available on July 30th on all major retailer websites. You can also find it on IndieBound, Goodreads, or Kara's website.

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY AND CONGRATULATIONS, KARA!

Book Excerpt: Sucker Literary (Volume 2)

Sucker Literary – Volume 2

When Alex’s bandmates invite a girl to sing lead, a battle of the sexes becomes a battle over something unexpected. . . A girl tells her friend about hooking up with longtime crush Fred, but his kisses are not what makes that night in his car memorable. . . A therapy session with Doug might just make Jason go insane again. . . Wallflower Aubrey hooks up with Gordon after the cast party, which would be fine if he weren’t the most forbidden fruit of them all…Savannah certainly doesn’t sound like a convict’s name, so maybe hanging out with her isn’t all that dangerous. Miki is committed to getting over Dex, yet she can’t get him off her answering machine—or her doorstep. In between puffs of cigarettes and attempts to smear lipstick on her face, Allie’s grandmother dishes out advice that maybe Allie should take. . . And finally, what’s a girl to do with Satan as both her boss and father? Nine short stories pose the questions we obsess over whether we’re growing up or all grown up: Who should I love? Am I doing the right thing? Is there ever an end to heartbreak? In its second volume, SUCKER continues to showcase the very best emerging talent in young adult literature and give (some of) the answers to Life’s Big Questions along the way.

Sucker will reopen the doors for Volume 3 submissions. One day ONLY, August 1, 2013. Find the guidelines HERE.

Sucker Free Day – July 20th and 21st

Get a free digital copy of Sucker Literary Volume 2 on Amazon.

Amazon

Sucker Literary

Facebook

Goodreads

Excerpt from “Angels and Serendipity” by Claudia Snow Classon, Sucker Literary Volume 2

“I’m sorry, Miss Samuels. Your mother just passed away.”

His words sucked all the air out of the room. Ella shook her head. “That’s not possible. I was only out for a couple of minutes . . .”

“She must have gone into cardiac arrest right after you left,” he said. “Her heart has been failing for the past twenty-four hours.” His voice was soft, but his eyes showed nothing but professional detachment. Outside the room, someone ran weeping down the hall. The oncologist glanced up, then down at his pager, clipping it to his belt. After writing something on his clipboard, he walked up to Ella and rested his hand on her shoulder.

“She didn’t suffer,” he said, not looking Ella in the eye, and walked out of the room. The nurse followed, then stopped in the doorway.

“We’ll give you a moment,” she said, her eyes sad and sympathetic.

Ella wondered, a moment for what? She approached the bed and stroked her mother’s hand. It already felt cooler. That hand had been warm and alive mere minutes ago. Maybe her mother had waited for Ella to leave the room so she could slip away. Ella’s stomach muscles clenched. She shivered, as if the temperature in the room had just dropped. What should she do now?

“I love you, Mom,” she said, staring at the barely recognizable face. Saying the words brought tears to her eyes and a fullness to her heart she didn’t know how to express. She hoped she would come to forget how her mother looked during this last week of her life. Ella preferred to remember her with her blonde ponytail bouncing as they jogged around their building in Stuyvesant Town. Her mom used to have so much energy. It had tortured Ella to watch her degenerate slowly into a listless stranger.

Two hospital staff members knocked a few moments later and entered the room with a gurney, their eyes turned down. Ella brushed her mom’s forehead with her lips, then stepped aside. Before she left the room, Ella paused at the door and looked back. She wondered if her mom’s soul hovered above, watching her. Mom wasn’t religious, but she believed in the existence of the soul. She’d confided this to Ella one late night after the oncologist had delivered the bad news that they’d “run out of options.”

No, Ella decided as she watched the hospital staff roll down her mother’s bedding, in a world where benevolent gods watched over souls, good people like her mother did not wither and die of cancer. Whatever happened to guardian angels?

“’Bye, Mom,” she whispered as she turned to leave the room. A single fat tear rolled down the side of her nose.

About Author Claudia Snow Classon

Claudia Classon is proud to have a third story published in the upcoming volume 3 of Sucker Literary! received her Masters in Writing from Manhattanville College and was an editor of their literary journal Inkwell.  She has worked on and off in publishing since college and is currently employed at Princeton University Press. A member of SCBWI (both in the US and in France, where she lived from 2005–2008), she also previews YA books for a French publisher. Her non-literary interests include choral singing and tree hugging. She is represented by Erzsi Deàk of Hen&ink Literary Studio.

Three Two One Pitch Contest Official Entry Post

This contest is now closed to additional entries. We will announce the winner as soon as the judging agent informs us of her choice. Thanks to everyone who participated.

So you think you can pitch? Well, it's time! The Three-Two-One pitch contest takes place today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday), July 25th and 26th. Are you ready? Great!

But before you begin posting, take one last look at the rules and regulations:

The Three-Two-One pitch contest goes like this:

THREE - Pitch your story in only three sentences.

TWO - Two days to enter: July 25th and 26th.

ONE - One awesome agent—Lindsay Ribar of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates—will judge and pick a winner.


This contest is open to unagented, completed and polished manuscripts in the genres of YA and MG.

To be eligible, you must:

• Follow this blog - go ahead and click "Join this Site" on the right if you haven't already
• Follow Dorothy on Twitter
• Follow Elizabeth on Twitter
• Spread the word! Tweet, Blog, or mention on Facebook about the contest linking back to this post

To enter, leave a comment in the comments section in the following format:

• Name and Email
• Title of Manuscript
• Genre
• Wordcount
• Three-sentence Pitch

Remember, no run-on sentences! Each person is allowed two entries. I will turn off comments on Friday at midnight.

Good luck, everyone! Can't wait to read your pitches! Ready, set, go!

Book Release: Songstone by Lena Goldfinch

Happy Hump-day, folks! Beth, here. I'm excited to announce the release of SONGSTONE, a YA Fantasy novel by Lena Goldfinch which released this week! Check it out!

Kita can meld song into stone. In a world with no written word, storytelling—the ability to meld (or magically impress) song into stone—is greatly honored. The village honors her master as their medicine man, but Kita knows he's secretly a sorcerer who practices black magic using drops of her blood. She fears he’ll use her beautiful gift for a killing spell, so she conceals it from him. Each day, his magic tightens around her neck like a rope. His spells blind the villagers, so they can’t see him for what he really is.

Not that anyone would want to help her. She was found in the forest as a baby and would have died if a village girl hadn't brought her home. But the villagers saw Kita's unusual coloring and decided she belonged to the mysterious tribe who lives in the forests of the volcano, a people feared for their mystical powers. So they fear her too. Now seventeen, she can barely admit her deepest longing: to know who she really is and where she belongs.

Then Pono, a young journeyman, arrives from the other side of the island. He's come to fulfill a pact between their villages: to escort a storyteller back to his village--a storyteller who'll be chosen at the great assembly. Finally, in Pono, Kita sees her one slim chance at freedom and she'll risk her life to take it.

A dark, twisty tale of sorcery, tummy-tingling romance, and adventure, inspired by the folklore of New Zealand's Māori people.

Sounds fantastic! Right? You can download SONGSTONE for just 99 cents at Amazon. Or, if Amazon is not your thing, you can get it at Barnes & Noble. 

Happy reading. :-)

Interview with Laura Howard

Happy Monday! It has been hotter than the devil's backside, here in my neck of the woods. Hopefully, the weather is about to cool down (Can I get an Amen?). I have a massive amount of yard work to do, and as much as I HATE yard work under the best conditions, it needs to get done. I'd much prefer to do it without sweating out 95% of my body's water reserve, turning beat red, and having my neighbors call an ambulance because they are certain I'm having a heart attack. Anyway... 

Today we have an interview with the cool and lovely Laura Howard, author of THE FORGOTTEN ONES. 

Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known. 

The Forgotten Ones is her first published novel.

Welcome to We Do Write, Laura! How long have you been writing?

In various forms, I've always been a writer. I kept a journal up through high school, I liked essay questions best on tests, and I have always found it easiest to express my feelings through a letter.

Most of the writing I did as a kid was for school, but occasionally I would write little stories involving my friends or about the handsome prince that was one day going to rescue me from my boring life.

Tell us a bit about THE FORGOTTEN ONES. What's the story about?

Allison O'Malley's plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she's been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison's mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn't trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother's sanity.

Ooooh! Very intriguing! How did the idea come to you?

The Forgotten Ones came to me in many layers. It began as a contemporary romance that grew into a paranormal novel with just a hint of romance. I was inspired by songs like Because of You by Kelly Clarkson and books by Juliet Marillier and Holly Black. It's like a patchwork quilt of my life and loves.

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I don't have a critique group, but I have a few beta readers. I have two editors, whom I love, and a few proofreaders as well.

What about plot development? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I guess I'm a hybrid. I like to daydream and sketch out each scene generally before I start it. But, I often deviate and change course, so I am not strict about anything.

It's awesome when those deviations lead to something unexpected and wonderful. What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Pacing is a tricky thing for me. Sometimes I'll spend such a long time on a scene that is such a small timeframe that it really messes with my inner timeline. I've seen some people do actual timelines on their corkboards which I think is really smart. I should really try it... someday ;)

That's a good idea. I might try it, too. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

I don't really need anything other than relative quiet. I need to let my thoughts marinate before I sit down and write, so I need that quiet time in my mind that is almost like a warm-up when you're about to go jogging.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

I would love to fly!

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

That is impossible to answer. I google EVERYTHING. I google descriptions of weird rashes on my kids' skin, I google how to fix my computer, I'm always googling strange things, but I love that I always find my answers!

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: magazine, pirate, forest

The soldier replaced the magazine in his pistol before he left the cover of the forest, he knew the pirate would be waiting for him by the shore.

Hmm... Pirate vs. Soldier. Exciting! Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ...

Chatting on Facebook.

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

Oh my goodness, I have so many people who support me, I will crash your website. At this point, I am

feeling like I want to constantly shower my Street Team with love and chocolate chips. They tirelessly spread the word about my book and I love them to bits!

And finally, where can people find you and your book online?

I am a big Facebook user, not quite as big into Twitter as I used to be. 

The Forgotten Ones is on Amazon in ebook and paperback and Barnes & Noble and Book Depository in paperback.

Thank you for joining us, Laura! And best of luck with THE FORGOTTEN ONES. It sounds fabulous!

Thanks so much!!!

Review: The Puppet Spell by Emma L. Adams

The Puppet Spell, a through the looking glass styled otherworldly adventure by Emma L. Adams, begins in the all too familiar everyday nomadic world all too familiar to so many of today's youth: uncertainty, guardianship, eviction, strained family relationships, and high school. Of course, when your uncle has an enchanted secret laboratory and a pet cat with an uncanny understanding of what is going on around him, those mundane details can't stay humdrum for long. Told from the point of view of Lexa, a dependable, geeky, and imaginative girl whose twin sister, Lucinda, is anything but, The Puppet Spell is told with awe and excitement for adventure.

When Lucinda steals an invisibility potion from her uncle's secret cache of otherworldly items, Lexa, with the help of her trusty guy-friend Marlon, sets off on the adventure of her life to try to find her sister, accompanied by the house cat who is more than he seems. In the other world they'll discover deception, illusion, political intrigue, magic, and that their frumpy uncle was never really a computer tech, all of which will bring Lexa's family closer together, and leave them sundered in ways she never could have forseen when they first moved into the flat with the secret room.

I enjoyed Adams' world building, and that the tone, pace, and movement of the story reminded me so much of role playing. The Fae's reliance on illusion to sculpt the world around them reminded me of the meticulous nature of a Game Master's world building, and that set this book apart from other stories in which a group of adventurers goes on an adventure that no one back home would ever believe.  If you decide to go along with Adams, be forewarned, you may never look at long walks through the woods quite the same way.

Three, Two, One, Pitch Contest: Guest Judge!

Howdy! I am so excited. In only one week, We-Do-Write will host another Three, Two, One Pitch Contest! And to top it off, the fabulous judge of this contest is none other than MY super-agent, Lindsay Ribar of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (Check out this interview we did a few months ago.)

Associate agent Lindsay Ribar began her career at Greenburger Associates in 2007, working primarily with science fiction and fantasy authors.  In addition to representing her own clients, she co-reps a select number of authors with senior agent Matt Bialer.

Lindsay grew up in New Jersey, where the only logical thing to do after high school was to move to New York. She majored in drama and English literature at NYU, and now works in book publishing, where she reads other people’s novels by day and writes her own by night. She owns approximately twelve bazillion CD’s, attends far too many concerts, and mainlines nerdy television shows like it’s going out of style. She is fond of wine, Ireland, musicals, long walks around Manhattan, and the color blue.

Lindsay is looking for:

- Young Adult: Paranormal, horror, thriller, and contemporary realistic (no secondary-world fantasy or "issue" books, please)

- Middle Grade: Contemporary realistic, literary stand-alones, paranormal, mystery

- No adult of any genre, please; no chapter- or picture-books

So, if you want the opportunity to pitch to Lindsay Ribar in three sentences, follow the directions here, perfect that pitch, and come back on July 25th. See you soon!

Book Excerpt: Persephone by Kaitlin Bevis

Today, we have an excerpt of PERSEPHONE, by Kaitlin Bevis.

 

 

 

There are worse things than death, worse people too.

 

The "talk" was bad enough, but how many teens get told that they're a goddess? When her mom tells her, Persephone is sure her mother has lost her mind. It isn't until Boreas, the god of winter, tries to abduct her that she realizes her mother was telling the truth. Hades rescues her, and in order to safely bring Persephone to the Underworld he marks her as his bride. But Boreas will stop at nothing to get Persephone. Despite her growing feelings for Hades, Persephone wants to return to the living realm. Persephone must find a way to defeat Boreas and reclaim her life.

 

Excerpt:

The branch crashed in front of me, scraping my legs. I ran for the parking lot as fast as I could. The frost closed in, surrounding me. I’d never been claustrophobic, but as the frost cut off my escape path with a solid white wall, I panicked.

Fog rolled in, like cold death, cutting off my view of the park. It curled around me, brushing against my face, arms, and legs. I turned back to the tree and ran faster, my dress tangling between my legs as the fog and icy wind blew against my skin.

The parking lot is the other way! my mind screamed. The other way was cut off by a mountain of ice. I felt as if I was being herded. By ice?

I slipped on the icy ground, falling face first into the frost. Ice crept up my toes and along my legs. I thrashed and screamed. I felt the fog becoming a solid mass above me, pinning me to the ground. The ice piled around me. Am I going to be buried alive?

I dug my nails into the frigid snow in front of me and tried to claw my way out of the frosted death trap. I was so panicked I didn’t feel it when my nails broke against the impenetrable wall of ice, leaving red crescents of blood welling up on sensitive skin. An hysterical sob worked its way out of my throat as I gouged red lines into the ice. The ice was above my knees, snaking its way up my thighs. I shivered.

Shivering’s good, I reminded myself. It means your body hasn’t given up…yet. The cold was painful, like a thousand little knives pricking my skin. A violent tremor went up my spine, sending waves of pain through me.

“Help me!” I screamed, knowing it was futile. I was going to die here.

Except I couldn’t die. Could I? Mom said I was immortal, but was that all-inclusive? Did I have a weakness? Was snow my Kryptonite? If I got hurt, would I heal or would I be trapped in an injured body in pain forever?

I suddenly didn’t know if immortality was a good thing or a bad thing. The cold hurt. I was kicking, screaming, and clawing my way out of the frost, but for every inch I gained a mountain piled around me. I thought I heard a man’s laughter on the wind, the sound somehow colder than the ice freezing me into place.

The ground before my outstretched hand trembled. The shaking increased. The earth lurched beneath me. The surface cracked and the sound was so loud that for a moment all I could hear was high-pitched ringing in my ears. The ground split into an impossibly deep crevice. My voice went hoarse from screaming as I peered into the endless abyss, trapped and unable to move away from the vertigo-inducing edge.

 

Read Reviews on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15724908-persephone

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Persephone-ebook/dp/B008HYPD58/ref=la_B00875POAG_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1371825394&sr=1-2

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/persephone-kaitlin-bevis/1111973897?ean=2940014686051

*** Also available anywhere else ebooks are sold

 

Kaitlin Bevis spent her childhood curled up with a book, and a pen. If the ending didn't agree with her, she rewrote it. She's always wanted to be a writer, and spent high school and college learning everything she could so that one day she could achieve that goal. She graduated college with my BFA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing, and is pursuing her masters at the University of Georgia.

Her young adult series "Daughters of Zeus" is available wherever ebooks are sold. She also writes for truuconfessions.com and Athens Parent Magazine.

 

Email: kaitlinbevis@gmail.com

Webpage: www.kaitlinbevis.com

Blog: www.kaitlinbevis.com/blog

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Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6150699.Kaitlin_Bevis

Authorgraph: http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/KaitlinBevis

 

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