Mindy Hardwick's Blog, page 50
July 14, 2012
Musa Publishing Calls For Submission
Thanks to fellow Musa author, Cindi Myers and her fabulous blog, Cindi Myers Market News Blog, for this fabulous submission information:
Musa Publishing is seeking outstanding fiction for its ten imprints—all heat levels,lengths from 15,000 words and up. They are particularly interested in the following:
Calliope Romance—category, paranormal, and historical romance of all eras.
Clio Historicals – non-romance historical fiction (meaning that something other than romance drives the plot. Romantic subplots are fine) of all eras, but they’re particularly looking for American Colonial, American Old West, classical Greece and Rome, Plantagenet England, and nautical fiction.
Erato GBLT—outstanding gay fiction: romances, obviously, but also outstanding gay fiction that is NOT romantic. In particular, they are seeking GLBT YA for their new Pan imprint.
Terpischore Commercial Fiction—literary novels and chapbooks, True Confessions stories and humor. If your book is so different that other publishers say they don’t know how to market it—Musa wants to take a look at it.
Thalia Paranormals and Horror—If your monsters kill people and your vampires don’t sparkle, Thalia is the place for you! The editors want true horror stories and paranormal tales—not romance (okay as a subplot) but honest-to-goodness, have to read with the light on fiction.
Urania Speculative Fiction—Urania is looking for science fiction (hard and soft), steampunk, gaslight fantasy, urban fantasy, and epic fantasy tales. They will consider shorter pieces, but are particularly interested in novellas and novels.
Musa also is seeking stories for its Finally Ever After line—a series of short stories (under 15k) that feature a second chance at romance theme—and its Wiccan Haus paranormal shared world series (15-35k).
Musa Publishing, a royalties-paying, digital-first small press is seeking submissions for its romance lines. Musa is a ground-breaking house that believes transparency is essential for the modern author. Along with an industry-topping 50% royalty rate, paid monthly, Musa also empowers its authors. The Musa database tracks a book from contract to royalties, allowing authors to track their sales in real time and to see everything from contract terms to reviews. Musa contracts and royalties information are available online for authors to read before submission at http://musapublishing.blogspot.com/p/musa-contract.html. Submissions should be sent to editorial director Celina Summers at submissions@musapublishing.com.
July 11, 2012
Top 5 Pet Peeves in Books–Angela Ackerman Guest Post
Today, I’m pleased to host Angela Ackerman as a guest blogger! Angela Ackerman is a Canadian who writes on the darker side of Middle Grade and Young Adult. A strong believer in writers helping writers, she blogs at the award winning resource, The Bookshelf Muse and is co-author of The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide To Character Expression. Angela is represented by Jill Corcoran of The Herman Agency.
I’m a big fan of The Bookshelf Muse. It’s a fabulous resource for writers and includes an amazing thesaurus listing of everything from settings to character traits. So, when Angela and Becca announced they had a book coming out, I couldn’t wait to download it on my Kindle!
The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression is a writer’s best friend, helping to navigate the difficult terrain of showing character emotion. This brainstorming tool explores seventy-five emotions and provides a large selection of body language, internal sensations, actions and thoughts associated with each. Written in an easy-to-navigate list format, readers can draw inspiration from character cues that range in intensity to match any emotional moment.
You can purchase The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression at:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iTunes
Kobo
Smashwords
You can also find the book on Goodreads.
Today, Angela Ackerman is guest blogging about her Top 5 Pet Peeves in Books. I participate in a young adult book group, and I have to say, I think all of these Top 5 Pet Peeves in Books are things we talk about in the book group too!
We all know writers are the toughest critics. Yes, we completely appreciate the time and effort that it took to craft the book we’re holding in our hands, but we also know just how hard it is to get published. Most of us have been rejected times beyond number throughout our careers and so when we read a book, we have high expectations, and a very long measuring stick.
Does this mean we can’t be drawn in? Does it mean that we only read with an eye on the writing? No, not at all! Writers might be tough critics, but we are also deeply in love with a good story. We want the author to enthrall us and we’re rooting for them to succeed. And most often, these pen wielders achieve what they set out to do–weave a great story.
Unfortunately, not all books are flawless. If I were to think hard about what bugs me most, I could narrow it down to five pet peeves:
The Bait and Switch: I love the mystery element of a story. There’s nothing better than being drawn in by compelling characters, following their lives as the plot edges toward revealing the who-dun-it. So, nothing drives me more bat-smack crazy than when an author spends time and energy developing suspects, carefully revealing their storylines inch by inch, only to have the killer/thief/bad guy be a distant cousin whose name was mentioned once in passing at the 3/4 mark of the novel, or a random drifter, or the whole thing turns out to be a dream….GAH! When this happens, it leaves me so frustrated I refuse to read anything else by the author.
TMI (Too Much Information): Books with a good sense of pacing hook me hard. There’s nothing better than reaching the end of a chapter KNOWING I will be reading on (even though it’s 3 am, or the kids need dinner, or the dog has gotten lost in the laundry pile) because the events unfolding are so incredibly compelling. However, what slows…everything…to a lurching…crawl is copious backstory, internal monologue lumps or sludge piles of description. I love the characters and the setting I do, but I don’t want or need to know everything about them. I’m betting that I’m not the only reader who starts to skim when I hit bloated passages.
Head Hopping: Some things I have no forgiveness for, and head hopping is one of them. It always shocks me to find it in published books, because it’s such a writing 101 mistake. And, as I stated before, I’ve felt the heartburn of rejection too keenly to let poor writing technique slide, you know?
Bi-Polar Characters: I hold huge admiration for any author who can make characters feels so real that my chest tightens the closer I get to the end of the book, because I know I’ll have to give them up. This is magic! It takes incredible talent to create such empathy and deep understanding in the reader, and it means the author knows their character almost as well as one of their own children. Bi-Polar Characters are the opposite of this–their thoughts and actions are chaotic, their emotions are explosive and disorganized, and as a reader, I don’t understand their motivations. If I can’t identify with a character, their trials and goals become meaningless.
Plot Holes: For me, plot is like a beautiful spider’s web…a reader should be drawn along the delicate strings, see the branches & the connections until finally the author ties everything into a stunning centerpiece. If I spot a flaw in the logic or a see a situation that is never resolved, it’s like coming upon a giant hole in the web. The story is no longer complete or satisfying, and as a reader, I feel let down by the author.
Well that’s my five, so what’s yours? What peeves cause you to close the book completely? Have you ever felt so let down by a book that you left a negative review?
July 2, 2012
Sizzling Summer Reads Party
It’s a Sizzling Summer Reads Party this month at The Romance Reviews and WEAVING MAGIC is a part of the party! What happens at the Sizzling Summer Reads Party?
Each day, there are a series of trivia questions, as well as hints to those questions which can be found by going to the author’s blog or website.
The daily Sizzling Summer Reads Party trivia questions are listed at The Romance Reviews Blog here.
And today is WEAVING MAGIC’s trivia day!
If you’d like to play and win a free ebook copy of WEAVING MAGIC, head on over to the Sizzling Summer Book Party, scroll to the bottom of the page, and answer the trivia questions about WEAVING MAGIC.
Good luck!
June 28, 2012
Teen Poetry Workshop at the Everett Library
I’ve been getting ready for the first in a series of summer workshops that I’m teaching. The first workshop is a teen poetry workshop at the Everett Library to be held on July 11. It’s open to grades 7-12, and takes places from 1-3:30 at the Everett Public Library downtown. The cost is $25. More details are posted below about the poetry workshop.
As a part of the workshop, I’ve made these cute chalkboards. I’ll either give each participant one of the chalkboards or will use them as giveaways during the workshop. They are perfect for writing poems!
It’s a simple project. You take a clipboard. Apply a couple coats of black chalkboard paint, and attach colored chalk to colorful ribbon. I added the words on the top of the clipboard to go along with the workshop. The directions for making the chalkboards can be found here.
Come Write With Us!!!!
Poetry Workshop held with children’s and young adult author, Mindy Hardwick!
Where? Everett Public Library in the activity room on the first floor
Address: 2702 Hoyt Avenue Everett, WA
When? July 11, 1-3:30 PM
Who can come? 7th grade through 12th grade
What’s going to happen? Kids will write poetry, learn, and work with author, Mindy Hardwick
Cost? $25 payable by cash or check day of the workshop.
Pre-register: Please pre-register by emailing rrbookworm@gmail.com. Send your name and email address. Also contact if there are any questions. Please pre-register ASAP.
June 26, 2012
WEAVING MAGIC is now available at ibooks
WEAVING MAGIC is now available at the Apple ibook store. The book is available for direct download for Ipads, Iphones, and all those Apple products.
Click here for the book’s listing at the ibook store or click on the cover below.
June 25, 2012
Linda Benson Guest Interview
I’m very happy to host YA author, Linda Benson. Linda is a fellow Musa author and she first appeared on this blog talking about her book, THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES.
Today, Linda is talking about her new book, SIX DEGREES OF LOST. I was very interested in Linda’s novel as it is set in the Pacific Northwest and two character voices narrate the story–similiar to my YA, WEAVING MAGIC.
SIX DEGREES OF LOST is available at Musa Publishing and Amazon. It will be available at all online retailers soon, and also available on Overdrive for purchase by libraries.
Can you tell us a little bit about your new book, SIX DEGREES OF LOST?
Thanks for having me, Mindy. SIX DEGREES OF LOST is the story of two teens, Olive and David, who each feel like they have no control over their life. Olive’s mother is in jail, so Olive gets shipped to Washington state to live with her aunt, who already cares for a large collection of rescue animals, including dogs, cats, and horses. David is from a military family, and feels like his entire life is already planned out for him: advanced classes, Air Force Academy, follow in his brothers’ footsteps and serve his country.
Because each of these characters were rolling around in my head, begging their stories be told, I gave them equal billing, and they narrate alternating chapters. David and Olive meet because of a runaway dog, and their relationship, initially as friends and then as something more, takes them both unexpected places.
Where did you get the inspiration for this story?
It was partly inspired by where I live – in the beautiful (but often rainy) Pacific Northwest. Part of the story line, about animals finding their way back home, was inspired by a group of kind friends and neighbors who do, indeed, try and help lost dogs. And Olive and David – well, when I started telling their story, they just sprang to life and told it themselves. Even I was surprised by the journey they took.
Both of your books from Musa Publishing, THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES and SIX DEGREES OF LOST, have animals as a part of the story. Do you have a special bond with a pet or animal yourself?
Animals have played a huge part in my entire life, and yes, they do seem to jump into every novel that I write (including my first two from Mondo Publishing – FINDING CHANCE and THE HORSE JAR.) I am not only aware of the huge impact that animals can make in a person’s life, but they also make a great backdrop to a story, by showing people’s feelings and what kind of person they really are. I don’t always consciously set out to write animal stories, but they often end up as part of the plot. In fact, I’ll have another novel out in September 2012 (also from Musa) called WALKING THE DOG.
As for animals in my own life? Well, at the moment, we have a horse, a mule, and two donkeys in our pasture. Two rescue dogs lie sleeping in our driveway, two cats (from the animal shelter) grace my lap while several more are being fed in the barn, and who knows what might end up here tomorrow? I can’t imagine a life without lots of animals, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
You have a wonderful cover for SIX DEGREES OF LOST. Can you tell us a little bit about the process for the cover art? Did you have input? How did you decide which images to include?
Thanks, Mindy! One of the perks about working with a small publisher such as Musa Publishing is that we often have input on our cover designs. The cover for this novel was a tough decision, because there are a lot of story lines going on in the book, and it was hard to decide what to put on the cover. The dogs? The horses? The raft trip? The hay field? The Greyhound bus?
Ultimately, we decided that although it’s also a bit of romance, animal story and adventure, at its heart it’s a coming-of-age story: a journey of two teens to find out where they really belong. So we chose a very simple picture that might convey that. I think it worked. I hope so. (Although I often wonder if we should have had a yellow lab on there somewhere, too?) *grin*
What advice would your main characters Olive and David give to other teens who might be facing some of the same issues they are in SIX DEGREES OF LOST?
#1 If you find a dog in the road, it’s important to keep it safe.
#2 Boys from big houses aren’t always stuck-up.
#3 Sometimes it takes real courage to do the right thing.
Where can readers find you?
My website: http://www.lindabenson.net
Blog: http://www.lindabenson.blogspot.com
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/LindaBensonAuthor
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/LinBenson
On Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3421565.Linda_Benson
Thanks so much, Linda!
June 24, 2012
WEAVING MAGIC First Chapter
The first chapter of WEAVING MAGIC is posted on the YA First Chapter’s Blog today. If you haven’t had a chance to buy a copy, come on over for a read!
WEAVING MAGIC is available at
MuseItUp Publishing
All Romance eBooks
Amazon Kindle
We’re waiting for the book to be uploaded to Ibooks and Barnes and Noble. MuseItUp is a small, royalty paying epublisher in Canada, and it takes awhile for the books to distribute out to all the channels.
If you’ve read WEAVING MAGIC, reviews are always appreciated on Amazon or Goodreads.
June 23, 2012
Lovestruck Blog Hop Winner
It is my great pleasure to announce the winner of the Lovestruck Blog Hop!
Susan L! You will be receiving one of the Susan Wiggs Great Chicago Fire Trilogy books!
Thanks to everyone who entered and posted a comment!
June 22, 2012
Teen Poems Behind Bars–New Poems Posted
A few weeks ago, I taught a poetry writing and YA literature workshop at Denney Juvenile Justice Center. The focus of the workshop was the Hero’s Journey, and our writing included topics such as: monster, mentors, and open doors.
You can read about that workshop and see some of the lesson ideas here.
In order for the teen’s poems to be published on their blog, Teen Poems Behind Bars , we must obtain release forms. Something which is not always easy to do and takes the detention staff using a lot of persistence to track down parents to sign the forms. Some of those release forms are starting to trickle in and I’ve posted three new poems on the Teen Poems Behind Bars Blog
June 19, 2012
Bake Your Character–Character Recipe Activity
I am preparing workshops for the Kids Writing Camps that I’m teaching this summer. You can find out more about the Kids Writing Camps here.
One of the books I love to use with kids is Spilling Ink by Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter. The book is full of fun exercises which helps kids, and adults writing for kids, build a story.
The following exercise is only one of many you can find in Spilling Ink.
Bake Your Character–Character Recipe--Think of six qualities for a character and write a recipe for him or her.
Here is my Character Recipe for Jasmine in tween novel, STAINED GLASS SUMMER
Baking Jasmine (Stained Glass Summer)
5 Cups of creativity
2 Cups of risk-taking
2 Cups of sandals, a bike, and an eighth grade boy named Cole.
1 tsp of jet black hair
1/2 tsp of organization and list making
1/4 tsp of a blue ribbon
Combine all ingredients. Bake in oven for ten year, and serve up as an ebook from Musa Publishing and available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Ibooks. Enjoy!
Can you create a character recipe? Feel free to post below in the comments!
