JUST peachy...

So, Nathan Bransford, literary agent extraordinaire, used this website with his contest and it was super cool so I did it too. Thanks Mr. Bransford! http://www.wordle.com It generates a word cloud based on the frequency of words in a passage, manuscript, poem etc...

So, I copied and pasted my entire manuscript into it and this is the image it produced based on word usage in my MS. So yeah...remember when I posted about weed words? I do. Guess why? JUST! Oh yeah...my old friend really wants recognition! I love that! Not. So anyway, good times. It's actually some very interesting feedback. The good thing is that he copied and pasted his entire comment section with over 2500 first paragraphs and "Like" was the biggest in all of those so at least there I'm not so weird. Well, at least not in that one way... ;)

Hourglass teaser...1st paragraph.

I entered a first paragraph contest on Nathan Bransford's blog and it gave me an idea. So, this is the first paragraph of Hourglass. This series will be a trilogy of paranormal romance which, (for those keeping track at home) is the same genre as the highly popular Twilight Saga. My books, however, DO NOT include vampires of any kind. So anyway...here it is, paragraph one:

HOURGLASS

Dawn is an enemy to me. I consider it little more than a silent, unrelenting monster I can’t hold off. Morning sneaks in like a thief, stealing the only peace I have left, the obscurity of night. Every new day I wake to the same cutting reality, the same wounds. Still, the days pass like an endless blue stream. Sometimes they rush and sometimes they creep. The villainous sun shines in through my window, without fail. I fantasize about pulling my shades down, blanketing myself in the comfort of my bed and pretending I don't see the blinding light of day. Then I could stay forever lost in sleep and dreams.

TO BE CONTINUED....

What do ya'll think? I have rewritten the first page so many times I can't even count them anymore but I think this one will finally stick! At some point I have to just say I'm done editing!

James Dashner

Yesterday I went to author James Dashner's release party for his book, The Maze Runner. It's so exciting for him and it was great to be amongst the excitement. I couldn't help wishing and hoping that someday that will be me and that gave me renewed motivation to pick that manuscript up and GET IT DONE! It's funny, I used to think the book was so good but now I'm super sick of it because I've read it sooo many times! But I've got my goal to meet and it's important to keep it in perspective. So, I'm recommited! Yeah for me! My three other works in progress just need to wait till I get the edits done on this book and a first round of queries out!

One other fun thing, while we were at the release party, one of my daughters, 9 year old Emma came up to me with a book in hand saying "MOM, MOM...we HAVE to get this book!!! I love it!" In her hand she had an autographed copy of the lovely and talented Shannon Hale's book: "Rapunzels Revenge" It was fun because Shannon happened to be sitting on the ground reading t o her children and Emma thought that was super cool! Also, my 11 year old(well almost) Celia was startstruck by James Dashner. It was so fun!

I hope to join the ranks some day of published authors!!! Congrats to James!

NEEd More opinions!!! Please help!

When a grieving Allyson Hales meets the handsome, time traveling detective, Grant Pierce, her future has never been more unclear and every night,in dreams, Grant rewrites her past, changing her history. But as attraction pulls them together circumstances threaten to tear them apart forever. Ally doesn’t know Grant’s dangerous secret. He must protect her from a war between benevolent time travelers and malicious ones. By falling in love with Grant, Ally has unknowingly made herself a pawn in a very dangerous game and Grant’s love could destroy the one thing they both want most, a future together.

What do you think? Comments are very much welcome and requested! This may be my only chance in some cases to get an agent to even request a partial of my manuscript so it has to grab you and make you wonder enough to want to read the book! COMMENT away!

It's Query time!

So, I've been working on the dreaded query letter and it's a nail-biting frustrating ride, I must say. If you read here please, please, please( did I say PLEASE?) read the following mini-synopsis and comment with whatever thoughts you may have. There are so many conflicting opinions on this in web-land! So, without further ado -

Allyson Hales is a level –headed and goal oriented 19 year old, living in the beautiful state of Virginia among oceans, forests and mountains. When her fiancé is killed on the way to their wedding, she’s plunged into a deep depression and isn’t sure she’ll ever recover.Then she meets Grant Pierce, a young, time traveling, detective, who starts appearing in her dreams, essentially rewriting her past. With Grant in her life she envisions a very different future than she’d ever imagined.But Ally doesn’t know Grants secret or that falling in love with him, she’s made herself a pawn in a war as old as time, pitting good time travelers against dangerous ones.No matter how much Grant loves Ally and may fight to protect her he fears he can never give her the future they both yearn for.class

Comment away!!! I need the help!

Retrospective

I've been busy editing Hourglass...but I'm getting so close and writing the query letter is making me break out in a cold sweat! Anyway, I've started Book 2 which is tentatively entitled, "Retrospective." Not sure if I love it yet but it's something to call it, for now. It's amazing what's happening with my beloved characters so far in Book 2...who knew??


Also, I have another project in the works, currently entitled, "Text Me, I'm Yours." This one will most definitely be for the YA market. My protagonist is 16 and she acts it. I'm liking it so far! I think it's an interesting idea and it's been good to write so far...


Still planning on sending out 15 query letters by months end! WISH ME LUCK! (and a tough skin) I'm gonna need it! ;)

Rough edit is done!

I completed the rough edit on Book One on labor day at 2 AM! Now I need to print it out and edit with a hardcopy manuscript and pen. Just a few more edits to go but I've decided to really focus on the first three chapters so I can get my first round of queries out. Then I wait for rejection or representation (I can dream!) while finishing the edits and writing Book Two....I can't believe I'm doing this!!!! I'm working on a query letter and it's almost worse than writing the book! It has to be perfect because it's my into to potential agents...STRESS!