Details for November's Three Two One Pitch Contest

So you think you can pitch? Once again we'll be giving aspiring writers everywhere a chance to pitch to a literary agent. The next Three-Two-One pitch contest takes place November 15th and 16th. This gives you all about one month to get your manuscripts and pitches ready. Just a reminder to those who haven't participated before, a Three-Two-One pitch contest goes like this:

THREE - Pitch your story in only three sentences.

TWO - Two days to enter: November 15th and 16th.

ONE - One agent will judge and pick a winner.

Doesn't that sound great? Well then get those pitches ready!

Do not enter your pitch on this post. I will make an official contest entry post on November 15th, and entrants will post their three-sentence pitches (no run on sentences!) in the comments section of that post. At midnight on November 16th, I will turn off comments and no other entries will be accepted. The winner will get a full manuscript request!

I will announce our spectacular judging agent sometime prior to the contest, so keep an eye out!

This contest is open to unagented, completed and polished manuscripts in the genres of:

• YA
• MG
• Contemporary Fiction
• Women's Fiction
• Some memoir

Books that are moving and/or hilarious are especially welcome. NO picture books, science fiction, or high fantasy (though paranormal elements are acceptable), category romance (though romantic elements are welcome), non-fiction, or books that feature graphic violence.

To be eligible, you must:

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

Not necessary, but in the spirit of paying it forward:

• Friend me on Goodreads
• Like my Facebook Author Page

So, don't forget: Three sentences, two days to enter, one agent will judge. Good luck, everyone. Can't wait to read all your pitches. See you back here on the 15th of November! :)

Happy Release Day: Two and Twenty Dark Tales

Happy Book Birthday! Today is the release day for TWO AND TWENTY DARK TALES: DARK RETELLINGS OF MOTHER GOOSE RHYMES from Month9Books. I'm excited to read these retellings, which should prove to be especially fitting so close to Halloween. Be sure to check it out!

"In this anthology, 20 authors explore the dark and hidden meanings behind some of the most beloved Mother Goose nursery rhymes through short story retellings. The dark twists on classic tales range from exploring whether Jack truly fell or if Jill pushed him instead to why Humpty Dumpty, fragile and alone, sat atop so high of a wall. The authors include Nina Berry, Sarwat Chadda, Leigh Fallon, Gretchen McNeil, and Suzanne Young."

“Nancy Holder’s writing is taut and evocative, allowing a suspension of disbelief that makes this a thrilling read.”  —Booklist

“Michelle Zink’s methodical unfolding of events will draw readers in.”  —Kirkus

“The world Lisa Mantchev creates is theatrical and spectacular.”  —Fantasy Magazine

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

Interview with Shandy Kurth

Today we're chatting with author Shandy Kurth about her novel, ISOLATION.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m 23 years old. I live in Kansas. I’ve been married for five years and am a childcare Director by day and a writer by night. I do not have any children unless you consider my two adorable pug babies who like to keep me company.

How long have you been writing?

For a very long time! I’ve always written. I guess since I could read I was writing stories. I wrote my first full manuscript (180 pages!) when I was 12. It has always been my passion.

Tell us about ISOLATION. What’s the story about?

Isolation is the second book in my Built on Fear series. It follows a group of kids after they reach ‘The Safe Zone’ which is an area barricaded and fortified by the US government after a foreign enemy comes in and devastates the entire northern states of America. In Isolation, the characters grow and you begin to see how their strength of character, even in the most isolating and terrifying of circumstances, is what being an adult is all about. It is an intense story of loyalty, friendship and allegiance as they go to war, with the enemy and with themselves.

How did the idea of the story come to you?

Book 1, Devastation actually came to me through my husband! I was sitting there one day, after finishing a manuscript, and I just felt like I had written the same book several times so I said to my husband, “Give me something to write about. I need something new.” And he said, “A war with (BLANK).” (I won’t spoil for those who have not read Devastation) And I ran with that! Isolation is a continuation of that story because when I got to the end of Devastation I WANTED to know what was going to happen to these kids and so, of that came Isolation.

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

I comb my work first, over and over and over haha. And then I send to a first fresh set of eyes, my beta reader, and then I send it to an actual editor who has truly taught me a lot.

Are you a planner or a pantser?

Pantser all the way! Funny because in real life I am a hard core planner but not with writing. It floods out of me, and I let it. I discover it as it finds its way to the screen of my laptop.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Ending it. A story is never really over, is it? So where is that cut off point?

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Nothing. Haha, I can write any time anywhere, on a computer, in a notebook, with pen, with a marker, with a crayon, on my couch, at a desk, on the floor or on the beach. If I need to write, then I write. It doesn’t matter where I am.

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

To fly. I would love to see the world from a completely different view!

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

Ekk, I can’t say because it may give away an important key in Isolation! ;) You’ll have to read the book!

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: isolation, party, and ladybug.

With the strength of a full grown grasshopper, the ladybug wrestled the wasp into a room of complete isolation to keep him from crashing the party!

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

I have to say thank you to my sister Krisha! She has supported me since I was 12 years old and is a huge Built on Fear fan. She threatens me every day to be nice to her characters!  Also, thank you to my husband who still loves me even when I’m engrossed in a story and to my entire family who has supported me every step of the way. I’m a lucky girl.

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

Isolation will be released October of this year on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and apple in ebook format as well on Amazon in paperback!

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13572041-isolation

If you would like to see how it all began, check out Devastation (Built on Fear 1):
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/146807119X/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d2_g14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0G6BWNXJVJ9A3P9WSP1V&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/devastation-shandy-l-kurth/1108336921?ean=2940032972792 

Kobo:
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Devastation/book-TOaujr4mFUCnT72TZ1ZqWA/page1.html?s=pmZff_k7BUKdN17tZ5PhgQ&r=3 

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog, Shandy! Good luck with your series!

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me!

Interview with Elita Daniels

Today we're chatting with Elita Daniels, author of MY BOYFRIEND IS A ZOMBIE. I spotted the cover for her book and was instantly drawn to it. I had no other choice but to track Elita down and ask if I could feature her book on my blog. So I'm glad to have her with us today.

Welcome, Elita! Tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm from a small town in North Queensland, Australia. I started writing when I was 25. My husband and I have been married for 11 years and we have two cats, Mikro and Lulu. Usually every night before I sleep I have a scene playing out in my mind, purely for my own entertainment.

How long have you been writing?

I almost typed 25 years, that wouldn't have been good, haha. I've been writing for 5 years and have been published for 2 years.

I love the cover of MY BOYFRIEND IS A ZOMBIE. What’s the story about?

Thank you! The story is about a girl who follows a strange man into the cemetery who turns out to be a zombie. They end up falling in love and he takes her into the world of Black Hollow, a place full of zombies, ghosts, ghouls, goblins, all manner of strange things. Oh and she's being haunted by a dead bride.

Sounds awesome! I can't wait to read it. How did the idea of the story come to you?

Ever since I watched the zombie dance on "So you think you can dance" I wanted to write a zombie novel, but I'm not really a zombie fan. I think they're pretty cool, and I don't mind the occasional zombie movie like Resident Evil, but generally that's not my thing. Then I started thinking about Edward Cullen and how perfect he was and I thought wouldn't it be funny if the boyfriend for once was ugly and imperfect. The title "My Boyfriend is a Zombie" popped into my head and from there I just started piecing together a story. I haven't read the Twilight books yet, but I'll get to it.

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

I do a lot of self-editing and I have some beta readers and I usually have an editor. Blair Kenney, Ph.d., M.S.W.

Are you a planner or a pantser?

I'm a bit of both, but I do like to have a lot of notes and an outline and I generally know where the story is going and how it's going to finish before I start writing, so I guess I'm more of a planner than not.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Keeping myself in check is probably the hardest thing. I have a perverse mind at times and I have to keep it reined in especially when writing YA.

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Everything I need is on my computer. Music, pictures, the internet, my notes. I enjoy having my husband nearby and I have to have my picture of Murtagh. I have a freakish obsession with him.

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

Can I give you my top three?
1. Invisibility. It could get me into so much strife but it would also give me the means of getting out of it.
2. The ability to read minds.
3. The ability to glamour people and make them do my bidding. That sounds a bit evil doesn't it?

Number three would be my number one, lol. What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

Memento Mori, Victorian death photos. When a loved one died, their relatives would sometimes have a photograph taken of the corpse in a pose – often with other members of the family. These photographs were like a keepsake to remember the deceased. Very creepy stuff. I don't like to look at the pictures too long, they'll give me nightmares.

I just got chills. That is very creepy!

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: fluctuate, gravity, and cheesecake.

I suck at this sort of thing, so I got help from my writing group : )

The gravity of the situation hit me when I realized the calories in the cheesecake could cause my weight to fluctuate by at least 1 - 2kg just by looking at it.

Perfect! (And sadly, true.) Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ...

eating chocolate.

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

I want to thank the girls from Paranormal Reads, they go out of their way to support and encourage authors and to give as much exposure to books as they can. To Paranormal Book Club and Sassy Book Lovers for also giving a helping hand to all authors in need and getting the word out there. I want to thank my closest friends, my family, and my husband for all their love and support. And last but not least, I want to thank my readers for sharing the experience with me and for contacting me and letting me know how much they enjoyed my stories and for encouraging me to keep going!

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

http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Boyfriend-is-a-Zombie/209533819058584

elitadaniels.com

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=elita%20daniels

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4204268.Elita_Faith_Daniels

Elita, thank you so much for letting me interview you. Good luck with your book. You are welcome back to my blog anytime!

Thank you, Dorothy, for such and entertaining interview, I really enjoyed it!

Guest Post by Aubrie Dionne: Are We Alone?

Are We Alone?

That’s the question we all ask when we look at the stars. Is there life out there? Has it already been to Earth? Will we find it in our lifetimes? I used to want to meet aliens, but as I get older, I wonder if it would be like Christopher Columbus and the Native Americans, and I’m not sure which one we’d be.

I actually attended a North East Paranormal Associates event where they sponsored a speaker, Steven Jones, who talked openly about his abductions with aliens. He has a book out about his experiences called An Invitation to the Dance. The whole thing was kind of surreal and spooky at the same time. At the end I went up to him and said, “So many people want to meet aliens, but after your talk, I don’t want it to be me.” He laughed and agreed with me. And he thought it was so neat I was a sci fi author! How cool is that?

There are aliens in Haven 6, although they’re not what you think they are.  These aliens hatched form the eggs in Paradise 21 on Refuge, and this species is peaceful, benevolent, and wise. At first, when I wrote Paradise 21, I didn’t think I’d have a chance to delve into their society. Two books later, I’ve found a way to tie them into the central storyline.

Eri doesn’t meet the real aliens for a while. In fact, when her ship lands on Haven 6, they think the humans living there are aliens! It’s only much later that Striver brings her to “The Guardians” the race of bird-like angel people destined to save the human race from themselves. Read more for yourself in Haven 6!

Haven 6

A product of an illegal pairing, Eridani is the only woman without a lifemate aboard the colonization ship, the Heritage, and she is determined her less than perfect DNA will not get in the way of finding love. As the ship nears it's final destination of Haven 6 after five hundred years of travel, images of the surface show evidence of intelligent life on a planet that's supposed to be uninhabited. Commander Grier assigns Eri to the exploratory team to spy on the alien society and return with information on how to defeat them.

When Eri's team lands, tribes of humans attack and Eri is saved by Striver, the descendant of a colonist and a pirate from Old Earth's colonization efforts in other parts of the galaxy. Striver helps Eri rescue her team and they are drawn to each other despite their different allegiances. While Striver battles with trusting Eri, Eri must decide whether to warn him and his people about the commander's intentions, or follow orders and complete her mission.

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Aubrie grew up watching the original Star Wars movies over and over again until she could recite and reenact every single scene in her backyard. She also loved The Goonies, Star Trek the Next Generation-favorite character was Data by far-, and Indiana Jones. But, her all time favorite movie was The Last Unicorn. She still wonders why the unicorn decided to change back to a unicorn in the end.

Aubrie wrote in her junior high yearbook that she wanted to be "A concert flutist" when she grew up. When she made that happen, she decided one career was not enough and embarked as a fantasy, sci fi author. Two careers seems to keep her busy. For now.

Cover Reveal: Purgatory Reign

Enter to win a paperback ARC copy of PURGATORY REIGN!

Something evil this way comes, unfortunately for it, Peter Saints is waiting.

Seventeen-year-old Peter Saints' life stinks. But things are about to get much worse. First, his parents are murdered in front of him. Then another victim dies in his arms.

Visions plague Peter with warnings that something wants him for a sinister cause. It desires the one thing that Peter refuses to give - his blood.

On the run with Angel, a scruffy kid, Peter starts to unravel the mystery. It's the one secret the heavens sought to hide from the world. Unfortunately, when Peter finds the answer he hopes that will save the girl he loves, he opens the door to a great evil that happens to be salivating to meet him.

Read a sample: http://www.freado.com/book/13273/purgatory-reign

Release Dates:
eBook (March 2013)
Print (May 2013)

Pre-Order:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Purgatory-Reign-Series/dp/0985025131/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344012202&sr=8-1&keywords=purgatory+reign+by+lm+preston

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Interview with Paulette Mahurin

Happy Monday, everyone. I know, I know. The weekend's over already. Not to worry. I'm here to take away your Monday morning blues with an entertaining interview. Today we're talking with author Paulette Mahurin about her book THE PERSECUTION OF MILDRED DUNLAP.

Welcome, Paulette! Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a Nurse Practitioner, specializing in women's health in Ojai, CA where I live with my husband, Terry, and our two dogs (rescued from a kill shelter) Max & Bella. When I'm not involved in writing I'm helping rescue dogs. The profits from my book are going to the Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center (SPARC), the first no-kill shelter in VC, CA.

Sounds like a great cause! How long have you been writing?

Since I was ten, but seriously since in college, when I wrote two award winning short stories.

Tell us about THE PERSECUTION OF MILDRED DUNLAP. What’s the story about?

After the imprisonment of Oscar Wilde, for gross indecency, the impact around the world changed the views on homosexuality from a conservative tolerance to hatred and abuse. This is the story of the impact of Wilde's imprisonment on a small Nevada town, a lesbian couple in particular. It's a chronicle of hatred and abuse, with all its unintended consequences, and how love and friendship heal.

How did the idea of the story come to you?

I was in a writing class doing an exercise from a photo. We had to write a ten minute mystery. The photo I had was two women standing very close together, wearing turn of the twentieth century clothing. The initial seed for the story popped up then, to make them a lesbian couple afraid of being found out.

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

I've had several readers, three professional editors, and I read read read and reread till it feels right.

Are you a planner or a pantser?

Hmmmmmmmm. I had to look up panster. I'm a little and lot of both. I planned out what the town would look like, diagrammed it, studied Sear's catalog's from that time period for what would be in the general store, and ranch homes, etc. but when writing let flow what came, including the schedule I kept. As it progressed I put in a lot more time and became more organized with the flow, but in the beginning it was more like vomiting out the story, getting it down, then going back to see what was not necessary.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Getting out of my own way, letting the story be what's important and not me trying to show off how much I researched by writing overly long parts with the history. That was hard because I spent many months reading and researching, only to have a paragraph included, sometimes just a sentence, because more jarred attention from the action of the story. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

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

To make everyone happy. Wouldn't that be incredible!

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

Myself, lol. A friend had told me to google myself and so I did. That was weird, for sure.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: purple, persecution, and percussion.

She wore the signs of persecution on her body, her skin turned purple with his percussion, and the ER doctor wondered if he should do a full body X-ray series for broken bones. 

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

With my dogs at the dog park, rescuing dogs, hanging with family, friends, or at work.

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

The first thing I felt after reading this was a fullness in my heart, a sense that words can't really touch on the gratitude that I feel, that you here Dorothy are willing to help a stranger promote her book, that another stranger reads and likes it, that there is so much unbelievable support for us indie authors out there, I don't know that there are words adequate. But I will say this, since profits are going to the first no-kill shelter and helping to save dogs and cats lives, that everyone involved in the success of this book is assisting with that effort and I thank you for that with everything in me. There have been so many wonderful people who have invited me to their blogs, reviewed my book, send me messages, supported the book's facebook page, and tweeted things about it...so many acts of kindness, to all of you, THANK YOU!!!

That's so sweet. And finally, where can people find you and your book online?

facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/ThePersecutionOfMildredDunlap

Book's blogsite:
http://thepersecutionofmildreddunlap.wordpress.com/

Twitter page:
https://twitter.com/MahurinPaulette

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_14?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=the%20persecution%20of%20mildred%20dunlap&sprefix=the%20perse&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Athe%20persecution%20of%20mildred%20dunlap&ajr=2