WICKED AS THEY COME, by Delilah S. Dawson
This week's feature is WICKED AS THEY COME, a delightful mixture of paranormal, steampunk, and romance. I received an ARC for review, and I can't put it down!Here's the synopsis, from Goodreads:Have you ever heard of a Bludman? They’re rather…
365 Days of the Query: What is Your Inciting Event?
Kristin Nelson, head agent at Nelson Literary Agency, has a great blog series about writing a good query pitch. In it, she mentions what she calls the "plot catalyst," or, "the main event that triggers the story." Every good pitch has a plot…
TANGLED TIDES, by Karen Hooper
This week's feature is TANGLED TIDES, by Karen Hooper. Karen is also one of the co-founders of the YA Confidential blog. Here's the premise of TANGLED TIDES, from Goodreads:Yara Jones doesn’t believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one.…
365 Days of the Query: The Benefits of a Businesslike Email
Recently, Janet Reid pointed out the importance of a businesslike email on her blog, and I started to reconsider the gmail account I've been using for my writing. My username included the phrases "cloud" and "hime" (Japanese for princess),…
UNRAVELING, by Elizabeth Norris
This week's feature is UNRAVELING, by Elizabeth Norris, which has a very unique premise and should prove to be a fantastic read. Heck, I'm already posting about it, even though it doesn't release until April 24th!From Goodreads: Two…
365 Days of the Query: Give Them a Taste, Not a Mouthful
This past weekend, I attended a NARWA (Northern Arizona Romance Writers of America) mini-conference. During a session on query letters, I read mine aloud and found out my query was still too long, even after I'd taken pains to shorten it.Take…
ABOVE WORLD, by Jenn Reese
This week I'm happy to feature ABOVE WORLD, by Jenn Reese. This MG novel (first in a projected series) has a great premise!Synopsis, from Goodreads:Thirteen-year-old Aluna has lived her entire life under the ocean with the Coral Kampii in…
Just When You Think You’re Invisible…
Congratulations to @whatisjuanoscar, winner of MY FRESHMAN YEAR AND OTHER UNNATURAL DISASTERS!If the writing contests I've entered lately are any indictation, the competition out there is very fierce. To the point where I'll let myself get intimidated…
Interview with Beth Barany, author of HENRIETTA THE DRAGON SLAYER
This week's book feature, HENRIETTA THE DRAGON SLAYER, is by Beth Barany, published author, writing coach, and professional speaker. AUTHOR BIO (courtesy of Beth):Beth Barany has been making up fantasy & adventure tales all her life. She…
365 Days of the Query: Why a Crowd of Many Isn’t Always a Bad Thing
In my last post, I talked about the disadvantages of being one in a crowd of many writers.But strength in numbers has its advantages, too. Take the following advertisement (meant to encourage people to take the bus):Just like all these worker…