C.J. Redwine's Blog, page 15
February 9, 2012
Author Mad Libs: Kelly Keaton
Today's Author Mad Libs guest is Kelly Keaton whose book A BEAUTIFUL EVIL hits the shelves February 21st. Kelly received a list of parts of speech from me. This is the result. :)
A _hedgehog_ she can't deny. A destiny she's determined to _poke_.
When Ari first arrived in the _diabolical_ city of New 2, all she wanted was to figure out who she was. But what she _strutted_ was beyond her _wee_ nightmare. Ari can already sense the evil _pumping_ inside her—a power the goddess Athena will stop at nothing to _slurp_.
Desperate to hold on to her _tree_ and _consider_ her loved ones, Ari must fight back. But Athena's playing mind _high heels_, not just with Ari but with those she cares about most. And Athena has a very special _lamp post_ for the brooding and sexy Sebastian.
Ari is determined to _mutter_ Athena, but time is running out. With no other _chains_, Ari must unleash the very _arena_ she's afraid of: herself.
What reviewers are saying:
"Unforgettable, _witchy_, and unique. I could not put this _church_down."– #1 New York Times Bestselling author Christopher Pike
"Keaton creates a New Orleans setting rife with Gothic _basketball_and decay." — Booklist, STARRED Review
"If I could become an _island_ in a fictional world, I would pick this one. Action and romance combine with _weary_ storytelling and an alluring world. More, please!" —Melissa Marr, New York Times bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series, on A BEAUTIFUL EVIL, the sequel to DARKNESS BECOMES HER
Thank you, Kelly, for participating! To learn more about Kelly and her amazing (trust me!) books, head to her site. To purchase a copy of A BEAUTIFUL EVIL head to IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.
February 8, 2012
QUERY-palooza: Day Three
As always, I used random.org to choose today's winner of the free query critique. Here is the winning query:
Super Duper Agent
Address
City, State Zip
Dear Super Duper Agent:
Fifteen-year-old Britt Donnelly is used to getting what she wants, thanks to her fourth class witch powers. In the last four years, she's made herself the most popular girl in her class at Lincoln High, spelled herself into a leadership spot on the cheerleading squad, and earned top notch grades despite not actually learning anything. Most recently, she "persuaded" the junior running back that he should take her to Homecoming, even though the dance is still almost two months away. Life is absolutely perfect in her eyes. This is a fabulous first paragraph. We get a good sense of who Britt is, where her ethics/agenda lie, and what her life is like as the story starts.
But when Marc Trent moves back to town, Britt realizes that her view of "perfect" wasn't even close…because Marc is the epitome of perfect. (I don't think you need the "because…perfect." Feels redundant.) He's beautiful in a way she's never seen before (add comma) and now she must have him. Problem is, he isn't taking to her charms, and her persuading spells that work on everyone else aren't working on him. Worse yet, if she doesn't hurry, her best friend Haylie will steal Marc away from her. She sees only one possible solution – to complete an illegal-for-her-age love spell. Very good set-up of the conflict!
When the spell backfires, Britt finds herself in a mess she can't spell herself out of. Her popularity status disappears, her friends choose sides, and all her magical powers are taken away. With the interest of a guy she never would have known if not for her illegal spell, Britt learns the hard way that sometimes it takes losing everything to discover what you really want. Nice! I understand how it all goes wrong, and what Britt must do to come out the other side.
_____________ is a young adult paranormal/contemporary romance novel complete at 70,000 words and can best be described as a mix of the 80's movies Teen Witch and Can't Buy Me Love. I'm a member of the SCBWI Midsouth Region and YALitChat group. Thank you for your time. Love it, except for the overly long genre description. This is a young adult paranormal romance. :)
Excellent job! I think you're ready to start querying this. Best of luck to you!
Sincerely, Me
Want your own personal query guru to help you craft an amazing query letter? QUERY: Everything you need to get started, get noticed, and get signed is available now! Full of research, innovative tools, and strategies every writer can use to query well, QUERY is available for the introductory price of $2.99 on Kindle and Nook.
Super Duper Agent
Address
City, State Zip
Dear Super Duper Agent:
Fifteen-year-old Britt Donnelly is used to getting what she wants, thanks to her fourth class witch powers. In the last four years, she's made herself the most popular girl in her class at Lincoln High, spelled herself into a leadership spot on the cheerleading squad, and earned top notch grades despite not actually learning anything. Most recently, she "persuaded" the junior running back that he should take her to Homecoming, even though the dance is still almost two months away. Life is absolutely perfect in her eyes. This is a fabulous first paragraph. We get a good sense of who Britt is, where her ethics/agenda lie, and what her life is like as the story starts.
But when Marc Trent moves back to town, Britt realizes that her view of "perfect" wasn't even close…because Marc is the epitome of perfect. (I don't think you need the "because…perfect." Feels redundant.) He's beautiful in a way she's never seen before (add comma) and now she must have him. Problem is, he isn't taking to her charms, and her persuading spells that work on everyone else aren't working on him. Worse yet, if she doesn't hurry, her best friend Haylie will steal Marc away from her. She sees only one possible solution – to complete an illegal-for-her-age love spell. Very good set-up of the conflict!
When the spell backfires, Britt finds herself in a mess she can't spell herself out of. Her popularity status disappears, her friends choose sides, and all her magical powers are taken away. With the interest of a guy she never would have known if not for her illegal spell, Britt learns the hard way that sometimes it takes losing everything to discover what you really want. Nice! I understand how it all goes wrong, and what Britt must do to come out the other side.
_____________ is a young adult paranormal/contemporary romance novel complete at 70,000 words and can best be described as a mix of the 80's movies Teen Witch and Can't Buy Me Love. I'm a member of the SCBWI Midsouth Region and YALitChat group. Thank you for your time. Love it, except for the overly long genre description. This is a young adult paranormal romance. :)
Excellent job! I think you're ready to start querying this. Best of luck to you!
Sincerely, Me
Want your own personal query guru to help you craft an amazing query letter? QUERY: Everything you need to get started, get noticed, and get signed is available now! Full of research, innovative tools, and strategies every writer can use to query well, QUERY is available for the introductory price of $2.99 on Kindle and Nook.
February 7, 2012
QUERY-palooza, Day Two
Here is today's winner of the query critique!
Dear Agent,
In *"GD", fifteen-year-old Grace thought ("thinks" – Queries are written in present tense.) insomnia was (is) her biggest problem. Until she starts seeing things that can't possibly be real, like shadow people and an evil doppelganger of her secret crush. (This sentence is a fragment and belongs with the sentence before. To keep it from becoming too long, I suggest putting a period after "real" and then saying "Thinks like shadow people …") Determined to sleep no matter what the means, Grace accepts a joint from Raf, her close friend—and secret crush. All it takes is one hit for Grace to find herself surrounded by the dead, drowning in their emotions as they suck the life from her. One of the strange things about trying to summarize our manuscripts in a query is that we know what we're talking about when we references things, and sometimes we don't realize the reader hasn't followed along. :) You've told us her biggest problem was insomnia UNTIL she starts seeing things. But you follow that with her taking a hit off a joint because she's determined to get some sleep. It feels off because we're totally with you on the whole "Grace needs to solve the problem of seeing things that can't be real!" Also, the other questions that come up for the reader: 1. How does she know she is seeing an evil doppelganger instead of her friend? The doppelganger option isn't one most people would immediately reach for. 2. Why would smoking a joint bring out the dead? Does it knock her defenses down? We don't realize she has any in the first place. You can fix all of this with just a little bit of editing. :)
Grace is rescued a little too conveniently by the Grim freaking Reaper. (Why is it convenient? And how bad is her situation right before the Reaper arrives? Really show us she's desperate and NEEDS rescue. All you need is something like "As the dead souls surrounding Grace slowly consumer her, she __insert emotion or action or need__." And then follow it w/the Reaper's arrival.) He whisks her away to a powerful Underworld demon whose plans include using Grace to transport souls. (Why would the demon need Grace to transport souls? Is she specifically qualified for this?) But becoming Death Jr. was never in Grace's life plan. (lol) She may have been tricked into donning Death's hoodie, (She was? I think we might need that info earlier.) but that doesn't mean she has to use it—even if it does have a way of appearing to her at the most inconvenient times. While using the hoodie may promise unimaginable power and a restful night's sleep, the escape comes at the cost of an innocent soul. Grace wants nothing to do with taking people's lives—even if it means losing her own. How would she lose her own if she doesn't use the hoodie? This explanation can be given at the same time you show us when/how she got tricked into taking the hoodie. If this paragraph feels too long once you add in those details, you can break it off before the "But become Death Jr." sentence.
Overwhelmed, Grace turns to her friends, but her BFF doesn't believe her and Raf knows more than he's admitting. Soon Grace can no longer put off using the hood (hoodie) and stealing a soul. You want to end your query with a nice, punchy line that delivers the stakes and makes us wonder if she'll succeed and what will happen to her if she fails. Something like "If Grace can't force Raf to come clean and help her turn the tables on the Underworld demon currently ruining her life, she'll be forced to steal a soul and become a Reaper forever." Or whatever is actually true for your book.
"GD" is a young adult paranormal novel complete at 70,000 words. My previous manuscript (*redacted*) won the 2010 Sourcebooks Fire YALitChat writing contest. I am also an active member of YALitChat.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my novel. Great job! You're just a few tweaks away from having a polished query ready to send. Best of luck to you!
Want your own personal query guru to help you craft an amazing query letter? QUERY: Everything you need to get started, get noticed, and get signed is available now! Full of research, innovative tools, and strategies every writer can use to query well, QUERY is available for the introductory price of $2.99 on Kindle and Nook.
Dear Agent,
In *"GD", fifteen-year-old Grace thought ("thinks" – Queries are written in present tense.) insomnia was (is) her biggest problem. Until she starts seeing things that can't possibly be real, like shadow people and an evil doppelganger of her secret crush. (This sentence is a fragment and belongs with the sentence before. To keep it from becoming too long, I suggest putting a period after "real" and then saying "Thinks like shadow people …") Determined to sleep no matter what the means, Grace accepts a joint from Raf, her close friend—and secret crush. All it takes is one hit for Grace to find herself surrounded by the dead, drowning in their emotions as they suck the life from her. One of the strange things about trying to summarize our manuscripts in a query is that we know what we're talking about when we references things, and sometimes we don't realize the reader hasn't followed along. :) You've told us her biggest problem was insomnia UNTIL she starts seeing things. But you follow that with her taking a hit off a joint because she's determined to get some sleep. It feels off because we're totally with you on the whole "Grace needs to solve the problem of seeing things that can't be real!" Also, the other questions that come up for the reader: 1. How does she know she is seeing an evil doppelganger instead of her friend? The doppelganger option isn't one most people would immediately reach for. 2. Why would smoking a joint bring out the dead? Does it knock her defenses down? We don't realize she has any in the first place. You can fix all of this with just a little bit of editing. :)
Grace is rescued a little too conveniently by the Grim freaking Reaper. (Why is it convenient? And how bad is her situation right before the Reaper arrives? Really show us she's desperate and NEEDS rescue. All you need is something like "As the dead souls surrounding Grace slowly consumer her, she __insert emotion or action or need__." And then follow it w/the Reaper's arrival.) He whisks her away to a powerful Underworld demon whose plans include using Grace to transport souls. (Why would the demon need Grace to transport souls? Is she specifically qualified for this?) But becoming Death Jr. was never in Grace's life plan. (lol) She may have been tricked into donning Death's hoodie, (She was? I think we might need that info earlier.) but that doesn't mean she has to use it—even if it does have a way of appearing to her at the most inconvenient times. While using the hoodie may promise unimaginable power and a restful night's sleep, the escape comes at the cost of an innocent soul. Grace wants nothing to do with taking people's lives—even if it means losing her own. How would she lose her own if she doesn't use the hoodie? This explanation can be given at the same time you show us when/how she got tricked into taking the hoodie. If this paragraph feels too long once you add in those details, you can break it off before the "But become Death Jr." sentence.
Overwhelmed, Grace turns to her friends, but her BFF doesn't believe her and Raf knows more than he's admitting. Soon Grace can no longer put off using the hood (hoodie) and stealing a soul. You want to end your query with a nice, punchy line that delivers the stakes and makes us wonder if she'll succeed and what will happen to her if she fails. Something like "If Grace can't force Raf to come clean and help her turn the tables on the Underworld demon currently ruining her life, she'll be forced to steal a soul and become a Reaper forever." Or whatever is actually true for your book.
"GD" is a young adult paranormal novel complete at 70,000 words. My previous manuscript (*redacted*) won the 2010 Sourcebooks Fire YALitChat writing contest. I am also an active member of YALitChat.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my novel. Great job! You're just a few tweaks away from having a polished query ready to send. Best of luck to you!
Want your own personal query guru to help you craft an amazing query letter? QUERY: Everything you need to get started, get noticed, and get signed is available now! Full of research, innovative tools, and strategies every writer can use to query well, QUERY is available for the introductory price of $2.99 on Kindle and Nook.
Trailer for THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
I am an unabashed fangirl of Christopher Nolan's gritty Dark Knight series, and I promise you I'll be at the theater on opening night for this film. This is the third and last in the Dark Knight series, and it looks like Nolan isn't pulling any of his punches. What do you think?
February 6, 2012
Winner: A MILLION SUNS
Thank you to all who entered the giveaway for a signed copy of Beth Revis' A MILLION SUNS! As always, I used random.org to select the winner. And the lucky winner is
Alyssa Sooklal
Congratulations, Alyssa! You will receive a confirmation email from me shortly. Thanks for entering and happy reading!
QUERY-palooza Day One!
Today kicks off my week-long QUERY-palooza with the release of my QUERY: Everything you need to get started, get noticed, and get signed and with the first winner of a free query critique!
I've very excited to package my research and querying experience, along with the tools I've created to help every writer master the art of query letter writing, into one shiny little package. The handbook contains everything I use in my query workshops, plus new worksheets and sample queries.
Description:
QUERY: Everything You Need to Get Started, Get Noticed, and Get Signed covers everything from basic query format to agent research to innovative strategies for creating a fabulous hook. The handbook gives examples, worksheets, and tools to enable every writer to query well. For writers seeking publication, QUERY will provide practical, usable assistance for every stage of the querying process.
To celebrate QUERY's release, I'm offering it for an introductory price of $2.99 on both Kindle and Nook!
WINNER #1
Today's query critique was used as my monthly column at Romance University. Congratulations to the winning writer! Didn't win today's critique? Another winner will be announced tomorrow!
I've very excited to package my research and querying experience, along with the tools I've created to help every writer master the art of query letter writing, into one shiny little package. The handbook contains everything I use in my query workshops, plus new worksheets and sample queries.
Description:
QUERY: Everything You Need to Get Started, Get Noticed, and Get Signed covers everything from basic query format to agent research to innovative strategies for creating a fabulous hook. The handbook gives examples, worksheets, and tools to enable every writer to query well. For writers seeking publication, QUERY will provide practical, usable assistance for every stage of the querying process.
To celebrate QUERY's release, I'm offering it for an introductory price of $2.99 on both Kindle and Nook!
WINNER #1
Today's query critique was used as my monthly column at Romance University. Congratulations to the winning writer! Didn't win today's critique? Another winner will be announced tomorrow!
February 3, 2012
QUERY-palooza Last Call!
Today is the last day to enter to win 1 of 5 free query critiques next week! Go here and fill out the form to enter. Good luck!
February 1, 2012
Interview with Beth Revis
My blog readers know that Beth Revis has become somewhat of a repeat offender regular visitor around here. There was the time she was interviewed when ACROSS THE UNIVERSE came out. And then there was the time she tried to kill me. Not once, but twice. Still, since apparently I enjoy a good nemesis (especially one as devious as fun as Beth), I've invited her back. :) ACROSS THE UNIVERSE was different, compelling, and has one of the best opening scenes ever. I can't wait to get my hands on A MILLION SUNS! Here's a peek.
Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos. It's been three months. In that time, Amy has learned to hide who she is. Elder is trying to be the leader he's always wanted to be. But as the ship gets more and more out of control, only one thing is certain: They have to get off the ship.
Um ... yes, please! I was thrilled when Beth agreed to come back on the blog, especially because she agreed to be the first author to take on our newest interviewer, Giselle. Let's meet today's guests.
Giselle, the French sock monkey
Beth RevisThey look like two worthy adversaries, don't you think? Before we dive into today's interview, we get to see the cupcake my hubby made in honor of A MILLION SUNS. Rejecting all of my perfectly valid suggestions to make a jar of Nutella labeled "Instant Death" or a tombstone for my local dental hygienist (If neither suggestion made sense to you, you didn't click on the links above to read about Beth's various crimes against me.), my hubby made a cupcake that beautifully reflects the meaning of A MILLION SUNS: a scattering of stars against an ebony background. Without further ado, I give you the star cupcake and Beth vs. Giselle.
1. I believe a girl should be able to describe herself in a single word. Naturally, the word I'd use for myself is "perfect." What word best describes you?
Humble.
2. As all should be when they come into my presence. A common misconception about sock monkeys is that we adore socks. This is foolishness. Speaking only for myself, I adore Jimmy Choos and diamonds from Tiffany's. What are a few of your favorite things?
True story: once I was on a Jack the Ripper tour in London with some of my students (when I was a teacher). The Jack the Ripper tour guide started telling a story about a murderer in this old London house who liked to chop up his victims and then, to dispose of the bodies, he would wrap their dismembered flesh in brown paper and tie it up with string.
One of my trouble-making students then asks, "What did you say?"
The tour guide (a little louder): He wrapped up their flesh in brown paper and tied it up with string.
My student (with a completely straight face, starts singing): These are a few of my favorite things…
We had to tip the tour guide extra for that one.
Wait, what was the question?
3. I find this discussion of dismembered body parts wrapped in brown paper and tied up with strings to be one of my very least favorite things. Many crave my approval, but few are clever enough to win it. What are you willing to do to win my favor?
I have been known to attack my enemies with Nutella, and have a legion of ninja dental hygeniests on my side, ready to kill at my whim.
(And now I hope that CJ links to those posts so that new readers know I'm not an insane creeper…)
4. *sniffs* If I was to attack my enemies, I would have better weapons at my disposal than some sugary hazelnut spread and a person who spends all day obsessed with teeth. If I was a dessert, I'd be a French macaron. Strawberry, of course. Why? Because I am French and pink and altogether lovely. What kind of dessert best describes you and why?
Oh, that is a REALLY good choice. Seriously. OK, if I were a dessert, I'd be a cupcake. Because my favorite drink is cupcake-flavored vodka, and honestly, I've drunk enough of it to become one myself.
5. Then henceforth I shall refer to you as Cupcake, the vodka swilling, Nutella wielding author. I understand you write stories. Please tell me why the hero of your book would be my perfect boy toy for a day.
Well, Elder is the hero of my books. He's a genetically engineered spaceship commander trying to hold together his people before mutiny tears apart his ship. Also, there's a scene where one of the characters has to tell him to, and I quote, "Shut up and put some pants on." So there's that.
6. *gazes off into the distance and delicately fans face* Genetically engineered, you say? *raises brow* ALL of him? You Americans love your movies. One day, when Hollywood tells the story of my life, it will be called Gone With The Perfect Pink Monkey. If your life was a movie, what would be the title?
Much Ado About Awesome
7. Pink? Or some lesser, inferior color?
Silver. Which is actually a very nice compliment to the color pink.
8. I prefer diamonds, myself. I love fairy tales. If I was a fairy tale character, I'd be Snow White. The fairest in all the land. Which fairy tale character would you be and why?
Rapunzel. Because my mother was actually an evil witch who locked me in a tower until I was 18. Or, really, just because I have crazy long hair.
9. I am, of course, a fashion trend setter. (Glitter eye shadow? Six inch heels? Retro gowns making a comeback? Yes. You may thank me with your undying adulation.) If you were to start a trend, what would it be?
I am all for glitter anything, so I thank you for the eye shadow! If I were to start a trend, though, it would be that yoga pants were suddenly the most fashionable thing ever. Because honestly? That's all I wear anyway.
10. What are these ... yoga pants? *Googles* Oh. How ... utterly delightful. I suppose you have some in silver? I am addicted to all things French—baguettes, macarons, Chateau Lafite, moi … the list goes on and on. What is your favorite thing from France?
Macarons are pretty freaking sweet. I also like cheese and wine. Basically, whatever can make me fat and/or drunk is probably a good thing.
Although I have to say…Nutella, the most perfect food form in the universe, comes from Italy, not France.
Also: J'ai appris le français au lycée et je peux encore parler un peu. Pouvez-vous faire cela, le singe?
11. Comment osez-vous insinuer que je serais incapable de parler ma propre langue, vous la vodka swilling cupcake, vous! A smart woman always maintains an air of mystery. Often the art of being mysterious involves doing the unexpected. What is the most unusual thing you've ever done?
I once killed a squid and then ate it. After, you know, cooking it. Have I mentioned that my mom is Katniss and my dad is Aquaman?
12. If I ever need a squid killed and then eaten, I now know whom to call. I also believe a smart woman always gets the last word. Any last word you'd like to leave with my readers?
Bazinga.
Thank you, Beth, for such an entertaining interview! I think you gave our fair Giselle a good run for her money. To learn more about Beth, visit her site. To grab your own copy of A MILLION SUNS, visit Indie Bound here.
Of course, the fun isn't over yet! Beth is giving away a signed copy of A MILLION SUNS to one lucky reader. The contest is open to North America and you may enter until 8 p.m. central time, Monday February 6th. To enter, simply fill out the form below. And be sure to leave a comment for Beth in the blogger comment box at the bottom of the post!
Good luck and happy reading!
January 31, 2012
February! AKA: Holy Awesomesauce, Batgirl!
February is going to be a month full of HOLY AWESOMESAUCE, BATGIRL on this blog. Are you ready for it? Behold!
Feb 1: Beth Revis takes on our newest interviewer, Giselle (the French pink sock monkey) and gives away a signed copy of her newest book, A MILLION SUNS.
Feb 3: The last day to submit an entry in QUERY-palooza. (Five free query critiques, yo. Why are you still staring at this? Go enter!)
Feb 6: QUERY-palooza, Day 1. Plus, the release of my query handbook at a special introductary price!
Feb 6-10: QUERY-palooza!!
Feb 8, 9, 16, 22: Author Mad Libs featuring debut authors Jessica Spotswood and Emily Danforth, plus crowd favorites Kelly Keaton and Rachel Hawkins!
Feb 23: DEFIANCE cover and synopsis reveal!!! This will take place over at the amazing YABooksCentral. Have you joined and friended me yet? What are you waiting for?
Feb 29: What am I doing with my extra February day? I'm inviting my editor Kristin Rens onto the blog for an interview and the first giveaway for an ARC of DEFIANCE! I will be giving away less than 10 ARCs of DEFIANCE between now and August 28th. Here's your chance for one of them!
Feb 1: Beth Revis takes on our newest interviewer, Giselle (the French pink sock monkey) and gives away a signed copy of her newest book, A MILLION SUNS.
Feb 3: The last day to submit an entry in QUERY-palooza. (Five free query critiques, yo. Why are you still staring at this? Go enter!)
Feb 6: QUERY-palooza, Day 1. Plus, the release of my query handbook at a special introductary price!
Feb 6-10: QUERY-palooza!!
Feb 8, 9, 16, 22: Author Mad Libs featuring debut authors Jessica Spotswood and Emily Danforth, plus crowd favorites Kelly Keaton and Rachel Hawkins!
Feb 23: DEFIANCE cover and synopsis reveal!!! This will take place over at the amazing YABooksCentral. Have you joined and friended me yet? What are you waiting for?
Feb 29: What am I doing with my extra February day? I'm inviting my editor Kristin Rens onto the blog for an interview and the first giveaway for an ARC of DEFIANCE! I will be giving away less than 10 ARCs of DEFIANCE between now and August 28th. Here's your chance for one of them!
Trailer for INCARNATE
Today's book trailer is for one of my favorite books of 2012. INCARNATE is beautiful, dramatic, and makes the reader wrestle with deep questions. It also has one of the best kissing scenes ever. :) What do you think?
