There is a new contest over at "A Blissful Life . . ." - fellow Canadian, Tracy Loewer's blog.
Tracy is celebrating her first 100 followers, and is giving away The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins!
Thanks Tracy!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
QueryTracker Blog - Controlling The Weather In Your Manuscript
Go check out the QueryTracker Blog where I write about the weather in your story:
http://www.querytracker.blogspot.com/
http://www.querytracker.blogspot.com/
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Mockingjay Contest on "Note to Shelf"!
S.K. Walker (aka Samantha Walker) is hosting a contest in celebration of the upcoming Mockingjay release on her blog, "Notes to Shelf". . .
To one lucky participant, Samantha be giving away THE ENTIRE HUNGER GAMES TRILOGY! (Hunger Games, Cathcing Fire, and Mockingjay), in hardcover, and and to two other people, Samantha will be giving each a copy of Mockingjay. In the event that the winner of the set already owns them, they may choose three alternate books, the same applies for the winners of Mockingjay (these books must still be in print).
Here's how it works:
-Contest is open from now until 9:30 a.m. August 24th. Prizes will be shipped later that day.
-Contest is only open to the U.S., sorry.
-The winners will be chosen via random.org.
-You must leave a comment telling Samantha what your favorite book is. If you can't choose, feel free to list several.
-For extra entries:
+3 for blogging about this contest
+2 for a link in your blog's sidebar
+2 for following Samantha on Twitter
+1 for tweeting about this contest, be sure to include @SammiKWalker in the tweet so Samantha can keep track of them (can be tweeted more than once, for a total of up to +3 extra entries)
Please tally your extra points in your comment, and be sure to leave links to your blog/Twitter.
Winners will be announced on August 24th!
Best of luck to all!
To one lucky participant, Samantha be giving away THE ENTIRE HUNGER GAMES TRILOGY! (Hunger Games, Cathcing Fire, and Mockingjay), in hardcover, and and to two other people, Samantha will be giving each a copy of Mockingjay. In the event that the winner of the set already owns them, they may choose three alternate books, the same applies for the winners of Mockingjay (these books must still be in print).
Here's how it works:
-Contest is open from now until 9:30 a.m. August 24th. Prizes will be shipped later that day.
-Contest is only open to the U.S., sorry.
-The winners will be chosen via random.org.
-You must leave a comment telling Samantha what your favorite book is. If you can't choose, feel free to list several.
-For extra entries:
+3 for blogging about this contest
+2 for a link in your blog's sidebar
+2 for following Samantha on Twitter
+1 for tweeting about this contest, be sure to include @SammiKWalker in the tweet so Samantha can keep track of them (can be tweeted more than once, for a total of up to +3 extra entries)
Please tally your extra points in your comment, and be sure to leave links to your blog/Twitter.
Winners will be announced on August 24th!
Best of luck to all!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Contest at Medeia Sharif's Blog
Medeia Sharif is a stunning, exotic-looking (she has the best hair ever!) Kurdish American writer. Born in New York City, but currently residing in Miami Beach, Florida, Medeia is a school teacher/writer. Medeia's debut YA novel, BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER., will be published by Flux in the summer of 2011. Interestingly, Medeia is a member of Mensa (the high-IQ society).
August 18, 2009 is the anniversary for Medeia's dynamic blog, and she's celebrating her first blogoversary by hosting a contest. One lucky person will receive The Big Box of Paranormal: Thomas E. Sniegoski's THE FALLEN 1, Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie's WICKED, L.J. Smith's DARK VISIONS, and L.J. Smith's NIGHT WORLD.
The contest ends Friday, August 27th at 11:59 p.m. EST. It's open to blog followers in the U.S. and Canada. You can fill out the contest form at Medeia's blog.
August 18, 2009 is the anniversary for Medeia's dynamic blog, and she's celebrating her first blogoversary by hosting a contest. One lucky person will receive The Big Box of Paranormal: Thomas E. Sniegoski's THE FALLEN 1, Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie's WICKED, L.J. Smith's DARK VISIONS, and L.J. Smith's NIGHT WORLD.
The contest ends Friday, August 27th at 11:59 p.m. EST. It's open to blog followers in the U.S. and Canada. You can fill out the contest form at Medeia's blog.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
The Second Book
As I 'm deep into the second book in my YA Paranormal Romance Saga, SAND, I can’t help but ponder the advantages and disadvantages of writing “the second book”.
There is a certain straightforwardness to continuing the saga: For one thing, main characters are established; their physical descriptions, personalities, quirks, speech patterns, humour, values, relationships. Hopefully, readers will already care enough about your main characters to be excited to see them resurrected, so to speak, to stick with them through the long haul.
Then there’s the settings; initial settings have been established and described in the first book, but this will likely expand, and transform. New sights, sounds and smells will have to be imagined and described.
Theme is usually carried on – theme is soul; it permeates the entire saga; it’s your very reason for writing (at the risk of sounding dramatic!).
The challenges arise when faced with “topping” the first story.
New and improved plot, characters’ newborn hopes and dreams, imaginative rising action and climax. Just like real life, things never stay the same.
The real challenge is the conflict. Conflict will have to be original, and exciting enough to make a continuing story worth reading, of course. Without fresh conflict, there is no fresh story; without fresh story, there is no second book.
It’s a huge commitment, a second book, but it’s an exciting challenge, and a chance to bring your beloved characters back to life!
There is a certain straightforwardness to continuing the saga: For one thing, main characters are established; their physical descriptions, personalities, quirks, speech patterns, humour, values, relationships. Hopefully, readers will already care enough about your main characters to be excited to see them resurrected, so to speak, to stick with them through the long haul.
Then there’s the settings; initial settings have been established and described in the first book, but this will likely expand, and transform. New sights, sounds and smells will have to be imagined and described.
Theme is usually carried on – theme is soul; it permeates the entire saga; it’s your very reason for writing (at the risk of sounding dramatic!).
The challenges arise when faced with “topping” the first story.
New and improved plot, characters’ newborn hopes and dreams, imaginative rising action and climax. Just like real life, things never stay the same.
The real challenge is the conflict. Conflict will have to be original, and exciting enough to make a continuing story worth reading, of course. Without fresh conflict, there is no fresh story; without fresh story, there is no second book.
It’s a huge commitment, a second book, but it’s an exciting challenge, and a chance to bring your beloved characters back to life!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Guest Post on QueryTracker Blog!
I'm thrilled to be featured on the latest installment of the QueryTracker Blog.
It's just a short musing about querying too early, which, I admit, I did last Fall. I started my MS, Wind, in April, 2009. I typed the words, "The End", in August, and was so elated that I proceeded to query several choice agents (at least I did some homework-they were interested in seeing work in the YA Paranormal Romance genre). My big mistake was that my MS wasn't polished. It needed more work-a fair amount of work-I'm embarrassed to say.
Naturally, I experienced some rejection (I was asked for partials, which was encouraging, but not one full). And so, it was back to the drawing board and, truth be told, I'm so glad. My MS is now strong, well-written, and much more polished. The only downside is that I can't go back and query those initial agents, but, that's okay; there are other fabulous agents out there, and they can be found all in one place-QueryTracker.
A big thank you to Mary Lindsay (SHATTERED SOULS (Philomel/Penguin) Fall 2011), who chose my work for the QueryTracker Blog.
Let me know what you think of my post!
It's just a short musing about querying too early, which, I admit, I did last Fall. I started my MS, Wind, in April, 2009. I typed the words, "The End", in August, and was so elated that I proceeded to query several choice agents (at least I did some homework-they were interested in seeing work in the YA Paranormal Romance genre). My big mistake was that my MS wasn't polished. It needed more work-a fair amount of work-I'm embarrassed to say.
Naturally, I experienced some rejection (I was asked for partials, which was encouraging, but not one full). And so, it was back to the drawing board and, truth be told, I'm so glad. My MS is now strong, well-written, and much more polished. The only downside is that I can't go back and query those initial agents, but, that's okay; there are other fabulous agents out there, and they can be found all in one place-QueryTracker.
A big thank you to Mary Lindsay (SHATTERED SOULS (Philomel/Penguin) Fall 2011), who chose my work for the QueryTracker Blog.
Let me know what you think of my post!
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