Destiny Booze's Blog: The Smiling Pains of Novelist Destiny Booze, page 23

Need help with your query letter? Take a look here.

First, just a piece of advice and some raw honesty. I don't think there is a clear cut road to getting published. Your query letter will be read by professionals in the business who have their own individual personalities and preferences. Where one person may find the idea of your work very unique and interesting, another may not even read the whole letter. Don't let that get you down. That's just the way it goes. Just keep trying!


Do plenty of research on where you want to send your letter. Format it according to their guidelines. Address it to a specific person.


Also, you'll notice this letter was sent out to an agent. Well, I'm a multi-published author and I still see rejection letters. This query was rejected by the agent. But...it was accepted by my publisher! So, I guess we win some and we lose some.


For what it's worth, I hope this letter helps you to form your own query. Don't be afraid to send me any suggestions as well. I'm always looking to improve!


Good luck!



Destiny Booze

Romantic Suspense/Thriller Author

Make-believe is no longer a child’s game!
PO Box 911, Buchanan, VA 24066

destinybooze@gmail.com
http://www.destinybooze.com



Hello!

I am looking for representation for my third completed manuscript, THE CURSE OF A MIND. It is a high energy, fast paced romantic thriller. It would be a great honor to have this manuscript accepted by your company for review. I understand that your agency has a wonderful reputation in the book industry, and that is exactly what excites me about working with you!

I am an experienced novelist. My debut novel, ALTERED BEGINNINGS was released on May 15, 2009 by Whimsical Publications. Its sequel, PREDETERMINED ENDINGS was released in September of 2009. My familiarity with the romance and suspense genres is primarily as a lifelong romance-aholic and suspense-aholic.

I recently began working with a publicist, but I am a firm believer that I am in control of my own fate and my success, thus I consider her a partner in that aspect of my career. Add to my -aholic list that I am a workaholic. I spend many hours networking and promoting every single day on and off the computer. Online, you will see me at amazon.com, coffeetimeromance.com, goodreads.com, facebook.com, shelfari.com, twitter.com, youtube.com and myspace.com. I have developed a personal website as another form of promotion. Furthermore, I am the author of the popular daily blog, The Smiling Pains of Novelist Destiny Booze, currently ranked number one in the book category at Networked Blogs. I will continue to devote daily time to familiarizing the reading community with my name.

I am an experienced journalist. My writing journey began with a local newspaper called The Fincastle Herald as a community reporter for Botetourt County. I am no stranger to edits or deadlines and old fashioned hard work.

THE CURSE OF A MIND is about a hardened young woman named Chris Chambers. She is a private investigator with many problems. Her life is in danger because she’s been targeted by the same man that is after her client, Aidan Wolfe. The perpetrator is using a marvel in medical science known as techlepathy, a mixture of technology and telepathy, against them to read their minds. His plan is to make them suffer through their worst fears. Through it all, Chris must also take care of her autistic brother, Garrett. Her biggest fear, however, is that she is falling in love with her client despite her steadfast resolve to never fall in love with anyone.

I wrote THE CURSE OF A MIND because I wanted to write something different, adventurous, and exciting. A surprise ending adds a big twist to the plot that I am very pleased with. Many sections of the story are told in first person POV from the killer's view point, adding a level of intimacy between the killer and reader. The final result of this story is an emotional journey where someone that was once hurt very badly learns to trust and love for the first time.

As for a little about me, I come from a unique background. I grew up at a campground where my brothers and I were expected to work hard. While I developed a strong work ethic, I also met new and interesting people from all over the nation and beyond. That history turned me into a woman with a very strong imagination.

I come from a small town, but I'm a girl with huge dreams. I absolutely love to write. It is more than a passion. It is a calling for me. I am willing to put forth all the necessary time, hard work, energy and determination to make this book sell. I will work right by your side all the way.

May I send you the completed manuscript? I look forward to hearing from you.





Sincerely,







Destiny Booze

Romantic Suspense/Thriller Author

Read a sample before you buy. : )

Want to know whether or not you'll like my books? You can read a sample of ALTERED BEGINNINGS or PREDETERMINED ENDINGS here: http://www.freado.com/users/23277/des...

Or...take this quiz for fun!

Quiz: Will you enjoy Destiny's books?

Take this quiz:

1. Should the heroine be soft and sweet or tough as nails or does it matter as long as she is beautiful?
2. Does the hero always need to save the girl?
3. Should the hero be the withdrawn and silent type (maybe brooding) or charismatic and charming or does it not matter if he's handsome?
4. Do you always want a happy ending?
5. Do you enjoying reading romance, mystery, suspense or thriller or a combination?­
6. Do you enjoy books with a detailed setting and landscape or do you prefer to get straight to the action?
7. Would you prefer a short, medium or long book?
8. Does the man and woman always have to fall in love?
9. Do you enjoy sex scenes?
10. Do you want a book to be more realistic or more entertaining­?


Compare your answers to Destiny's:

1. Usually tough as nails.
2. Yes, unless she saves him.
3. Doesn't matter, just as long as he's sexy.
4. YES!
5. All of the above, or a combination.
6. Get to the action!
7. Any of the above.
8. Yes, of course.
9. Sometimes, if it is appropriate and contributes to the story.
10. Entertaining! Real life is enough reality; reading is an escape.

Are you and Destiny a match? Or close enough? If so, be sure to check out Destiny's Outer Banks Suspense Series at http://www.destinybooze.com The first book, ALTERED BEGINNINGS and the second book, PREDETERMINED ENDINGS are available now!

July E-book Sale!

My electronic books (ebooks) are available at Smashwords for 25% Off! Please use this code when ordering: SWS25. The sale is for the entire month of July. Don't miss out! https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...

Patience is such a cruel concept

Unofficial Disclaimer from an Amateur Giver of Advice: First and foremost, I'm no expert on pretty much anything. But, I've been through and witnessed enough hardships to have some noteworthy experience in many areas. :) Laughing at me yet? Don't worry. You can. So, here goes...

A few words of wisdom from Destiny on....(drum role please)....patience.

Oh boy, that's a word none of us like to hear, isn't it? I know it's something I need more of. Maybe it's even something no one can have enough of. Oh yeah, patience will take you far, but darn it all, it's something that sucks to wait on, right? How can you learn patience if you can't wait to get it? Ha-ha. Catch 22, is it not?

Well, the thing is that life will teach you patience whether you want to learn or not. Life will simply make you wait. That will probably make you angry, but it won't do you any good, so you might as well just let it go. And folks, there it is. That's patience. It's that moment when you find peace while you're waiting.

Maybe we need to thank our higher power for making us wait. Thank goodness we are learning, that we are being forced to learn, to evolve, to adapt and to mature. That's what the waiting is all about.

Patience may suck, but with it comes peace, and that's really worth waiting for. In the end, isn't that what we all want? Isn't that what we all need? Peace - a state of tranquility, a state of freedom, of calm and quiet. Sounds good, yes?

Anyways, that's just what I've been thinking on the subject. Maybe I'm right. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm neither, but at least I'm still learning. That's life.

Destiny's prayer for the day: Thank you, Lord, for all the many things I want so badly, but have not yet received. Thank you for not giving me the extra money to replace my kitchen floor this year. Thank you that the second repair did not fix my truck. Thank you that I did not lose any of the weight I wanted to lose before bathing suit season. Thank you for not allowing me to hit bestseller status too easily. Thank you, thank you. Thank you for teaching me patience. I may hate it, but I need it. Help me to learn this lesson quickly, please Lord. I want to learn what I need to learn so I can quit waiting. It's killing me.

Take care, my friends. Keep waiting for what's to come and find some peace while you're at it. Life will just keep teaching us until we learn the lesson, right? Have a good one!

Come chat with me at the Coffee Time Jubilee!

Meet me and all my fellow authors from Whimsical Publications today at the Coffee Time forums for their June Jubilee! We'll be chatting hobbies and books and more hobbies and more books. Did I say books? LOL. It's sure to be fun! Come on by!

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/boar...

Do you have a list?

Toby Keith sings a country song called “My List” that talks about a man making a list of the things he needs to do. The list begins with the typical household chores we all have to get done, and then the list turns into recreational time and family time and having fun. The last line of the chorus is “Start livin', that's the next thing on my list.” Isn’t it terrible that we have to add “living” to our to-do list?



The first day of summer was June 21 – the longest day of the year. From there, the daylight hours slowly begin to shorten little by little until Fall, and finally Winter, so now is the time to slow things down a bit, to make time for “living.” I’m not talking about just a vacation. I’m talking about changing the rhythm and pace of things in order to take notice of what’s going on around you.



I took notice of some things around me. If you happen to drive through Troutville, VA on Lee Highway over the weekend, take a glance at the Thriftway store in downtown. Every Sunday, there is a quote or Bible verse or words of wisdom out on a billboard sign in front of that store that is truly inspirational. I’ve noticed now that I look forward to seeing what will be written there every weekend.



Travelers through Buchanan, VA might notice a man riding around the streets on a mechanical wheelchair. He has a large reflective street sign attached to the back of his chair. He lives near me, and every time I see him drive that chair down to Main Street, I get terrified for him. I worry that he always seems to be alone. I worry about the traffic on the road around him. I worry he might have needs that compel him to drive that chair on the road. Mostly though, I feel in awe that someone has such a spirit that they will not be confined. I wonder about that man, and I wonder how many people actually stop to notice him. I try to smile and wave whenever he and I pass each other. I hope he smiles in return. I hope if he needs something, I have the time to notice.



He isn’t the only neighbor around me that I don’t know and I’m not really sure why. I think I like all my neighbors, but still, there is a quote by Abraham Lincoln that might best describe why we must stop and take a look around. “I don’t like that man. I must get to know him better.”



Lincoln’s point is pretty clear. I don’t usually want to get to know people I don’t like. Obviously, I haven’t even taken the time to get to know many of the people I think I do like, but I wonder sometimes about what might happen if I did get to know someone I don’t like better. Would my opinion of that person change? Maybe we all need to take the time to get to know someone better.



Fourth of July is just around the corner. Don’t miss seeing the fireworks this year.

In Honor of Father's Day

In honor of Father’s Day, here are a couple of jokes. One evening, while sitting around the dinner table, a little girl looked up and asked her father, “Daddy, you’re the boss, right?” Her father was very pleased by this and replied, “Yes.” Then, the little girl continued, “That’s because mommy put you in charge, right?”



“Daddy, daddy, can I have another glass of water?” a child asked. “But I’ve already given you ten!” said a father. “I know, but the bedroom is still on fire!” (These jokes are copyrights of http://www.ILoveMyPop.com.)



I grew up watching Bill Cosby, one of the greatest dads on TV in my opinion. Laughing at sitcoms was one of the ways my dad and I connected to one another, maybe even the most important way. After all, what scenario didn’t come up on the Cosby show?



The television bonding must have worked because somewhere in my teen years, right smack dab in that awkward and independent stage where parents know nothing, my dad did something that won my respect. I still remember the event clearly to this day.



It was during one of the Fourth of July parades. The carnival was in town. The traffic on Main Street in Buchanan was bumper to bumper in both directions. With a typical teenage attitude, I sat slumped, arms crossed, staring out the truck window, not paying much attention, annoyed that we were stuck in traffic, moving along at a snail’s pace. Suddenly, my dad stopped the truck in the middle of the road. His driver’s door stood wide open as he blocked both lanes of traffic to walk up to an elderly lady standing on the sidewalk. She was trying to cross to the opposite side of the street. My dad took her elbow and guided her across the road.



I was shocked – not that he helped a senior, but that I hadn’t even noticed the woman and I wasn’t sure I would have thought to help her if I had noticed. I was a teen and I thought I knew everything, yet here was an epiphany that – oh my gosh – I was self-absorbed.



My father’s actions that day filled me with pride and love. Maybe my dad still had a few things he could teach me. More surprising, maybe I wanted to learn though I never admitted as much, nor did I admit how he affected me that day. I wouldn’t dare, not as a teenager!


Happy Father’s Day! Share a laugh.

Terrific Tuesday with Destiny Booze

Want to know if I have ever had an idea for a story that scared me after I began writing it? You can find out by reading my Terrific Tuesday interview at Molly's Musings. Here's the link: http://www.mjdaniels.blogspot.com/ I hope you drop by! :)

Help! What kind of cover should this book have?

The Curse of a Mind, a romantic thriller, is coming very soon! I'm so excited! But, I need a cover idea. What kind of cover should this book have? What do you think?

Here's the blurb:

From the killer:


No one knows who I am. I answer to no name. Call me rage. Call me vengeance. I am a punisher, an executioner.

There is no fate I fear. No Heaven or Hell. Existence is my curse and my sentence to serve.

I know who will die next.

I swoop inside, unseen, like an apparition. I will kill you. There’s nothing you can do to stop me.

Death has taken me. I am death. Be prepared for my rage. My curse is coming to you…


There's no hope. The killer is using a marvel in the medical field known as techlepathy, a combination of technology and telepathy to produce a telepathic result. He’s reading their minds.


Chris Chambers is a private investigator with great instincts and a shady past. She’s hardened to life, even more so to people, and as tough as the military trained her to be.


Her team’s newest case is a construction worker by the name of Aidan Wolfe. Someone is trying to kill him, someone with extraordinary gifts.


The killer blames Aidan for the injustices in his life, and he wants revenge. He’s coming for Aidan, Chris and her team. He wants them to all die in a terrifying manner, but first, he’ll make them face their worst fears.


The intensity grows as Chris and Aidan deny a growing attraction for each other while they fight to stay alive. Her life is a constant test of discipline, and he makes her feel totally out of control. There is no middle ground for either of them, but in the end, it may not matter, not if they can’t survive.


Can they win? When faced with the inner demons within, will they want to?

My books are on Kindle now!

Now, you can buy my books on Kindle! Check it out... Also, don't forget my books are on sale this month through Whimsical Publications. (ONLY THROUGH MAY - 15% OFF)


Where to Buy in Print: Destiny's books are available at the following bookstores. If you don't see it on the shelf, be sure to ask for it at the counter, or order online.



Barnes&Noble

www.bn.com



Books-A-Million

www.booksamillion.com


Amazon.com

www.amazon.com



Whimsical Publications

www.whimsicalpublications.com



Where to Buy in Electronic Format (E-book):

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...


http://productsearch.barnesandnoble.c...


https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...