Query Kombat 2014

I wanted to post a link to this writing contest that I found on Michelle4Laughs. I entered the manuscript that I found an agent with in several contest last year and though I ultimately didn't find an agent with those contests, I learned a whole lot about my writing. Contests are also a great place to meet fellow writers and hone in the ever elusive query letter.

If that isn't enough to convince you, yours truly will be a judge! You can meet all the judges here.

I think this contest is going to be really cool because it isn't going to be just one person that will decide which queries are going to go onto the next round. It's going to be multiple people that vote and the winner of each round will advance.

Also, we'll all be chatting on Twitter with the tag #QueryKombat.

Here are the basics on how this contest works straight from Michelle4Laughs blog post:

Query Kombat will host 64 kombatants in a single-elimination, tournament style query-off. Entries will go head to head (one on one) with one another until only ONE entry remains. There will be a total of six rounds in Query Kombat. 64 entries in round one, 32 in round two, 16 in round three, 8 in round four, 4 in round five, and 2 in round six.

As we said, some things have changed. We’re doing away with tournament brackets this year. Instead, Kombats will be matched up based on target audience and genre. We'll continue grouping that way until it's no longer possible. 

If you secure a spot in the tournament, your query and the first 250 words of your manuscript (to the end of a complete sentence) will be pitted against another query and first 250 words. Judges will read each match-up and vote 'Victory' on the best entry. Remember, this is subjective. Considering last year, votes may come down to personal tastes. 

The entry with the most ‘victories’ at the end of the round will advance to the next round until only one champion remains.

One of the biggest changes we’re implementing this year is doing away with the mentor round. Why? Because we're moving up the agent round. Yes! You read correctly. This year the agent round will be held right after the first round. That mean 32 entries will make it into the agent round. 32!.

The submission window opens May 22nd AT NOON and will close at May 23rd at 11:59 or until they received 225 entries.

If you have a completed and polished manuscript, you should definitely consider entering. Not only could an agent see your manuscript but you can get lots of advice on how to make your query stronger.

Have you ever entered a writing contest before?

The Writer's Voice Entry

I entered a contest called The Writer's Voice hosted by Cupid's Literary Connection, Brenda Drake, Monica of Love YA and Krista Van Dolzer of Mother. Write. (Repeat.).  It works a little like The Voice on television. Those four lovely ladies are dropping by our blogs and picking teams. So here is my query and first 250 words of my novel. Wish me luck!

The Query:

Dear Amazing Coaches,

Kidnapped from a life of royalty as a child, seventeen-year-old Rose knows how fragile life as a dancing Flower can be. Forced into the Garden, a burlesque troupe of slave girls, she has learned to see dangers everywhere when a wrong word could mean losing your tongue—or worse.

When the Garden is booked to perform for the lord of the kingdom and her slave master kills a fellow dancer to keep Rose in check, she decides to break free. Her plan is simple: grab a hostage and run like hell. What she didn't count on was her hostage being the leader of a rebellion against the current ruler, and she definitely never dreamed she’d end up joining. But with her old slave master threatening to kill off a dancer a day until she returns and the kingdom looking to stamp out the rebels, Rose quickly realizes that nowhere is really safe, especially since she’s the unwilling heir to the throne.

Caught between the family she’s created for herself in the rebellion and the title she’s never wanted, Rose must decide whether her birthright is a crown of petals or a crown of thorns. Only then will she be able to rescue the other Flowers she abandoned, unite the war-torn kingdom and maybe even save herself.

GARDEN OF THORNS is a 91,000 word young adult fantasy in the vein of Jodi Meadows’ Incarnate and C.J. Redwine’s Defiance. A completed manuscript is available upon request.

I graduated with a degree in Creative Writing at the University of South Florida, blog about all things YA at Down The Rabbit Hole and currently am employed as a 911 dispatcher for the city of Vero Beach.

The First 250:

My new shackles are lined with needle-thin spikes that bite into my chapped wrists and ankles. Their constant prickling is a reminder of what an attempt at freedom would cost me, a warning of what a failed break will mean. My carriage, cage really, jolts to a stop and I fly off the splintered bench, landing hard on my hands and knees in the dirty straw that lines the floor. Inching up until I'm sitting, I look up at the wooden roof. A crack of light spills into the cart, its weak rays like gentle fingers on my face. It gives the illusion of hope. I turn away from the sun before that seed can take root in my chest and grow.

From the outside, our traveling band looks a lot like the circus that used to visit my father’s land every spring. The brightly colored carriages portray the traveling 13 Dancing Flowers, but unlike the circus, we aren’t meant to entertain the children. The paintings on the sides of our carts are meant to tantalize. Each dress is brighter than the last, accentuating the curves and dips of our forms as we dance, forced to lose one petal at a time.

Sounds rise up from the crack in my wooden cage: men shouting orders, horses whinnying impatiently, cart doors being thrown back and the materials to make our temporary garden being dragged out of storage. I crawl towards the small hole in the edge of my cart and wait. The banging begins like clockwork.


Thanks coaches for taking a look!

My Theme Song- The First Space Between Contest

Just a quick intro: this is an entry for Brenna Yovanoff's novel The Space Between. She's giving away 2 ARCs to 2 lucky US citizens! Since this is a novel I'm drying for, I had to try my luck, plus it's a fun and easy way to enter. All you have to do is share a theme song for yourself (which sounded easy at the time but I am quickly starting to realize is an impossible task) and link up in the comments for your chance to win. You can check out all the details on her blog.

So here's the thing. I'm a real girl with loads of personalities (yes, plural) and moods and favorite things. It's really hard to pick a theme song that just is "me". So here's my theme song for right now. I think that's going to have to do.

If Not Now, When? by Incubus


A peek at the lyrics:
I have waited
Dined on ashes
Swung from chandeliers and climbed Everest
And none of it's got me close to this

I've waited all my life
If not now, when will I?

We've been good
Even a blast, but
Don't you feel like something's missing here?
Don't you dare

I've waited all my life
If not now, when will I?
Stand up and face the bright light
Don't hide your eyes
It's time

No umbrellas
No sunglasses
Hearing Hallelujah everyday

I've waited all my life
If not now, when will I?
Stand up and face the bright light
Don't hide your eyes
It's time


This is my theme song because it applies to my current feelings towards writing. Recently, I've dropped some of this pressure I've always felt. I still am striving to be published but I'm not letting it bother me anymore. "I've waited all my life" and now is my time. I just know it as deeply as I know my own bones. I'm not saying it's going to happen with this current project I'm working on but I'm saying I've put in the effort ("swung from chandeliers and climbed Everest") and it's going to pay off. If we could all put that much effort into every aspect of our lives, imagine the goals we could accomplish! The possibilities are endless.

XVI Re-Creation Cover Voting

Alright, so I got 5 wonderful entries for this contest. Please be fair and only vote once. First place will get a signed copy of XVI and the runner up will win themselves a brand new copy. Thanks to everyone who entered and good luck!

Voting will end April 18, 2011.

Which is your favorite?

• Cover 1
  
• Cover 2
  
• Cover 3
  
• Cover 4
  
• Cover 5
  

View Results
Create a Blog Poll

XVI Cover Re-Creation Contest Reminder

Today is the last day to enter into my Cover Re-Creation contest! There are only 5 entries and two winners so your chances are very good. Please enter!!


Go here for details.

A Cornucopia of Dystopia: XVI Cover Recreation Contest

Later on this month, you'll get to read my review of XVI by Julia Karr but until then, you get to enter for your chance to win your own copy! So what do you have to do? Get creative and come up with a different cover for XVI!

The prizes?:

• 1st prize is a SIGNED copy of XVI!
• 2nd prize is a brand new copy of XVI!

How this is going to go down:

• There will be TWO weeks to enter your cover
• There will be ONE week of voting
• I will take the TOP 5 and there will be 3 days to vote
• Then I will announce the winner at the end of the month

The Rules:

• This is a US only contest (so sorry International followers)
• One entry per person
• The deadline to get your covers in is April 7
• Round 1 of voting begins April 8-15th
• Round 2 of voting is April 16-18th
• I will announce the two winners April 19th
• You must link up on the link below:

This event is part of:

Lucky Giveaway Hop

I've joined another wonderful hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer. I'm very excited to be part of this hop and am making my giveaway as easy as possible! I'll be giving away a (pre-)order of ONE of the following titles from Book Depository so grab your four leaf clovers and blow on them!

The Rules:

• Must be 13 years or older
• Must be a follower
• This giveaway is international (as long as the book depository ships to you!)
• Giveaway ends March 20th
• You may only enter once
• You must fill out form below

Good luck everyone and thanks for entering!

Don't forget to enter my other two contests:

• Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton (US Only)
• The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver (International)

Check out all the stops!

Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop

I'm really excited to be a part of this hop. Hope you enjoy running around and trying your hand at winning books! So now onto my giveaways. I'm giving away one 2011 book from the Book Depository that I'm excited about. So here are your choices...

Rules:

• Must be a follower of my blog
• This is an international giveaway (as long as Book Depository ships to you, you may enter)
• Giveaway ends January 17th and I will announce the winner on this blog. The winner will have 72 hours to respond.
• You may only enter once
• You must fill out the form below.

Thank so much for entering. Make sure to catch the other hops!

Contest: BUMPED by Megan McCafferty over at Jill Writes

I rarely ever do contest alerts anymore but I'm doing this one for two reasons:

1) Jill Hathaway over at Jill Writes is a fabulously talented writer who was sweet enough to let me beta her novel Slide (go forth and add it!) so she's one to look out for.

2) As if you needed further proof, Jill is giving away her ARC of Bumped by Megan McCafferty which is already blowing up all over the web. Her interview is super interesting from a writer and readers standpoint and it'd be a shame for you not to go check it out.

With these links, you have my permission to go forth and conquer!

Interview & Giveaway: Nina LaCour, author of Hold Still

Author Interview with Nina LaCour


Several weeks ago, I read and reviewed Hold Still by Nina LaCour. If you're interested, you can check out that post here. I had the extreme pleasure of contacting Nina through e-mail and she agreed to do an interview with me which is great timing as Hold Still comes out TOMORROW in paperback with a gorgeous new cover. Stick around to the end to see how you can win a copy of her novel!


So onto the good stuff!

The paperback cover

1) How did you come up with the concept of Hold Still?


Well, when I was in ninth grade, two people I knew committed suicide: a classmate and a teacher I had just had in middle school. There is no age at which it feels okay to lose someone like that, and I've had lingering questions about both of those people ever since then. Another concept that came from my high school experience is rooted in shyness. Though I had old friends from elementary school and middle school, my best friend and I were inseparable, and towards the end of high school we pretty much only hung out together. When I started thinking about the book I was going to write, I thought, What if I had lost her?  I would have been a lot like Caitlin is at the beginning of the book--lost and isolated. Then, the story really started taking shape when my mother, who is a high school photography teacher, invited me to her classroom to look at her students' work. There was one image that especially stood out to me, taken by a girl of her friend, who was beautiful and troubled. The girl in the photograph was the source of inspiration for Ingrid and the idea of the photographer, the person behind the camera who was witnessing her friend's suffering, helped me form Caitlin. From there, I let the story take course.


2) I really loved your diverse cast of characters. Did you have one or two you were really fond of (besides Caitlin, of course!)?


When I'm writing a book, I find myself thinking about the characters as if they exist in the real world. Right now in the novel I'm working on I have a character who loves old girl groups from the 60s, and I'll be somewhere and a song will come on and I'll think, Meg would love this! So, yes; I was fond of quite a few of them. Caitlin is so alone in the beginning, at least at school, so when Taylor and Dylan and Jason and Maddy started entering her life, I felt this great sense of relief.  I love Dylan because she's so persistent and so wise. She's exactly the kind of friend Caitlin needs. She's comforting, but she doesn't let Caitlin get away with anything. And, of course, I adore Taylor. He's so funny and sweet, and he would surprise me in scenes. I never knew what he was going to say or do until I typed it. (Which explains why I could never figure him out until after I read what he was doing. It made him so realistic!)


3) If you could go back and re-write the novel (for fun) in any other character's perspective, who would you choose and why?


What a cool question! I think I'd write it from Veena's perspective. Ms. Delani is so cold for so much of the novel, but when she and Caitlin begin to connect again I think it's a very gratifying part of the story. I'm a high school teacher now, but I wasn't yet when I wrote the book, so I can better imagine now what she's going through. I like how flawed she is, because I think that students have this way of idealizing teachers they like. I know that I did. (Me too.) Now I know that teachers, even the good ones, are flawed like everyone else. They don't have everything figured out, and Veena certainly does a good job of showing that.


4) Hold Still is about a very controversial and difficult topic. Was there one or two scenes that were really painful for you to write? As a reader, it was really hard for me to see Caitlin push Dylan away, especially since I knew how much Caitlin really liked Dylan.


Yeah, I hated writing the parts where Caitlin distances herself from Dylan. As the writer I wanted nothing more than for Caitlin to understand that she had to move on, but I knew that the journey couldn't be easy. She has a lot of grieving to do, and a lot of confusion and guilt to wrestle with. The scene that was the hardest for me to write, though, is the one with Ingrid's parents, when Caitlin first sees them again and allows herself to imagine they went through on the morning that Ingrid died. I kept putting off writing that scene, and when I finally did, it wrecked me.


5) Did anything get cut during the editing process that you were particularly fond of? Was there anything added to the novel during revisions that you love?


That's a great question, because the answer to both is Yes, and neither would have happened without the other. One thing that my incredible editor, Julie Strauss-Gabel, pointed out to me during revisions was the Caitlin had a lot of places to go: her room, her car, the treehouse, etc. In early drafts, she also had a whole neighborhood of abandoned stores and houses. I was pretty fond of this element of the novel, but I agreed with Julie that there was an overabundance of refuges, and I wanted the ones that I had to really mean something. So I cut the old neighborhood. What arrived in its place, though, was the movie theater. It had all of the memories that the neighborhood had, but it worked better on so many levels. Now, I can't imagine the novel without it. (Me either, as this is one of my favorite metaphors of the novel.)


6) Ingrid's drawings really add to her character and Hold Still a truly unique read. Did you originally envision Mia Nolting's illustrations in the novel or was this something that was added later by someone else?


I'd always hoped that there would be illustrations. Actually, before the novel was even finished, well before I had an agent let alone a publisher, my friend Mia Nolting was working on the illustrations. I would give Mia sections as I wrote them and she would make doodles and copy Ingrid's journal entries in her lovely handwriting and I would feel this great surge of energy to keep writing so that she would do more. I was thrilled when the folks at Penguin wanted to include Mia's work in the book. It was such a dream of ours, and I know that everything Mia did, from the full-page illustrations to the leaves on the cover to the hand-lettering, makes the book feel different and special. (So special in fact, that I added a few photos of these drawings in my review!)


7) When you write, do you listen to music? If so, is there a certain song or band that represents Hold Still to you?


I do listen to music when I write, but I have to be able to zone out so I do this really annoying thing. I listen to songs on repeat. Over and over. For hours. My wife is the sweetest person ever because instead of getting annoyed, she actually likes it. She says that when she hears a song on repeat she knows I'm writing. Aren't I lucky? So anyway, yes: there are songs that represent Hold Still to my but I'm not going to give them away here because they are listed at the end of the paperback edition, along with a little thing I wrote about mix tapes. I listed ten songs, many of which spent a lot of time on repeat while I was working on the book.

From Tegan & Sara's music video to "Call It off"

Okay, that's not fair! I'll share two of them here (that's right guys a sneak peek!). One is a song by Owen called "I'm Not Going Anywhere Tonight." I've loved this song for quite a few years. The music is really pretty and the lyrics are great. It's about feeling down and allowing yourself to wallow in it a little bit, which is something that most of us do but few of us like to admit doing. Another is "Call It Off" by Tegan and Sara. Tegan and Sara were awesome and let me use this song in my book trailer for free, and there's a reference to them in Hold Still, though I don't mention them by name. It's a breakup song, but the lyrics could also apply to Caitlin's situation, because they are about what might have been had things not ended the way the did.

8) Have you read anything lately that you love?


I am a big Aimee Bender fan and I recently read her novel The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. It's such a beautiful and heartbreaking book.


9) Are you currently working on anything new?


I am! I just finished the second draft of my next novel. It's told from the perspective of Colby, an eighteen-year-old guy who just graduated and is on tour with an all-girl band called The Disenchantments. It involves cheap motels and music and heartbreak and friendship and tattoos and many interesting strangers. If all goes as planned, it will be out in early 2012.


I, for one sure do hope all goes as planned. The newest novel sounds amazing! Nina, thanks so much for doing an interview with me! Don't forget that Hold Still is out in paperback tomorrow October 5, 2010!


But let's talk about your chance to win a copy!


Hold Still Giveaway!


Rules:

• Must be 13 years or older and a follower.
• This contest is international. As long as the Book Depository delivers to you then you are eligible to win.
• Please make sure to fill out the form as comments do not count as entries but are worth extra points!
• This contest ends October 25, 2010.
• I'll draw the winner randomly using an online number randomizer.
• The winner will have 3 days to respond to my e-mail!

This giveaway is closed!
Good luck to everyone who enters and thanks so much for hanging out with me to read this post!

Contest: Box O' Books Giveaway hosted by Sparkling Review

Don't be late!

Over at Sparkling Reviews, they are holding a contest for their followers. Here's the deal: they want to get to 220 followers so they're offering to ship a box of around five mystery books if they get there.

Here's what we know:

• Some will be ARCs
• At least two will be SIGNED
• For every 10 followers they reach after 220, they'll be adding two books!
• Contest ends Oct. 14th

What are you waiting for? Head over to Sparkling Reviews!

This contest is up on the Book Contest Directory!

100+ Followers Giveaway

It's time to have a tea party and you are ALL invited. I wanted to do something to thank all of my wonderful followers so I decided to hold a giveaway which I hope everyone will enjoy.

Please keep your eyes on this post as things might magically appear during the length of this contest depending on what I see and decide to grab at upcoming book store visits. So I imagine everyone would like to see what is up for grabs!

For my US residents:

• Signed City of Glass (HB) by Cassandra Clare
• Gamer Girl by Mari Mancusi
• Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison

Just added:

• 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

First Place will get the SIGNED Cassandra Clare novel, one other novel of their choice and a "Zombies hate that you are so awesome" bookmark.

Second Place will get the left over book.

But wait, what about my international followers? Yup, there's something for you too! For ONE lucky international follower, I will buy a novel of their choice from The Book Depository not to exceed $15.00. As long as they ship to you, you are eligible to enter!  

The more followers I get, the more likely I'll be adding extra prizes!

So now to the rules:

• The first contest is open only to US residents and the second portion is open only to International followers.
• Open only to ages 13 & up
• You must be a follower since this is a follower's thank you contest
• Make sure you fill out the correct form below
• The winners will have 3 days to email me back before forfeiting their prize
• I'll be drawing winner from an online randomizer 
• This contest will be over at 11:59 on October 8, 2010

Good luck to everyone!

_____________________________ANNOUNCEMENT____________________________
Because of the great response I've had for this contest, I'm adding a book for the US contest!

• 13 Reasons Why (HB) by Jay Asher
• 1 "Zombies hate that you are so awesome" bookmark

The US Form:

The International Form:

Contest: Hungry For Harper Teen hosted by The Undercover Book Lover

Don't Be Late!!

Over at The Undercover Book Lover is an amazing contest that I wanted to let you all know about. 1 winner will be chosen to win one of these awesome prize packs on October 15th:

The Awesome Prize Pack:

The Paranormal Prize Pack:

The Coolio Pack:

The Contemporary Pack:

These are some crazy good novels coming out and a chance to win them is amazing! Which pack would you pick if you won? I hope you'll head on over and take a look. I know I'm already entered and crossing my fingers!

Contest: The Great Bake Sale of 2010!

Don't Be Late: The Great YA Bake Sale of 2010! 

I stumbled upon a really amazing contest being held by a bunch of wonderful YA authors. Hop on over to Megan Crewe's Website and leave a comment to add your name into the melting pot of awesome prizes!

Here's the grand prize winner's yummy treats straight from the post:

• A signed copy of Cyn Balog’s SLEEPLESS
• Bookmarks for KAT, INCORRIGIBLE by Stephanie Burgis
• A signed copy of GIVE UP THE GHOST by Megan Crewe
• Signed bookmarks for THE CRESCENT and HALF MOON, pencils, and a crescent moon and crystal-studded star necklace from Jordan Deen
• A signed copy of 13 TO LIFE, a chap book of the prologue and first chapter of SECRETS AND SHADOWS from Shannon Delaney
• A copy of THE BODY FINDER, a THE BODY FINDER tote bag, sticker and bookmarks from Kimberley Derting
• An EVERLASTING-themed notebook, bookmark and pin from Angela Frazier
• A signed copy of CLAIRE DE LUNE, signed stickers and a silver, moon-themed bookmark from Christine Johnson
• A signed copy of SHADOWED SUMMER, matching chocolate candies, Twilight-themed heart candies, bookmarks and THE VESPERTINE dance card from Saundra Mitchell
• A signed copy of THE PACE, by Shelena Shorts, along with bookmarks and THE PACE pencils
• A signed hard-cover of SHADE and a Keeley Brothers pin from Jeri-Smith Ready
• A signed copy of PERSONAL DEMONS, a PERSONAL DEMONS tank top, temporary tattoos, and bookmarks from Lisa Desrochers
• . . . AND MORE!!! All for ONE LUCKY WINNER!

But there are a bunch more prize packs to be had filled with delicious handwritten recipes from your favorite authors and signed books and swag!

Again, head over to Megan Crewe's Website or any participating author's website and check it out!

Love Megan Crewe? Don't forget to add your e-mail address at the bottom of my interview and Give Up The Ghost giveaway to score your free Give Up The Ghost book!

100 Follower Contest Update

Thanks so much everyone for helping me get to 100 followers! You guys are so incredibly awesome and I appreciate it more than I can express.

I wanted to update and let you all know that the contest will be coming soon. I'm getting the rest of my prizes together and figuring out a little something special for my INTERNATIONAL followers so they can get in on the contest too.

In the meantime, please feel free to check out my Give Up The Ghost Giveaway while I'm gathering up the necessary party items to thank you for following me!

Tell Me about Your Contests

Hey guys,

I've recently added a link on my sidebar and I'd like to start compiling a list of contests going on. If you are hosting a contest, or know of one running right now, drop a link to it in the comments section of this post! My contest will be up there soon, I just need 25 more amazing people to follow me!

Thanks so much!

Things I've found recently:

1. Thoughts of A Book Junkie- 100 Follower Giveaway (Ends Sept 5th)
2. Reading Teen- Back To School Giveaway (Ends Sept. 24)
3. Scarrlet Reader- 100 Follower Giveaway (Ends Sept. 12th)
4. Mug Of Moxie- Mockingjay Giveaway (Ends Sept. 10th)
5. Every Last Page- Mockingjay Giveaway (Ends Sept. 12th)
6. The Book Vault- Dust Giveaway (Ends Sept. 15th)

100 Followers Contest hosted by ME!

Don't Be Late!

I'm holding a contest when I get to 100 followers! I'm getting so close now I can taste it and I want to thank each and every one of you guys from the bottom of my heart.

So I've decided to hold a contest!

I'll be posting up prizes as I get them. The first one is going to be first place in the contest and it's a little novel signed by this one author... hmm, what's her name? Cassandra Clare! I have a signed hardback of City of Glass just waiting to be in your hands. More details to come soon!

But the proof is in the pudding, right?

That's yours truly holding the signed book