Macy Beckett's Blog, page 4

Giveaway time!

Hello, all!

It occurred to me that I've never run a contest or giveaway, and it's time to remedy that. So I'm going to start giving away RSFMS: Random Stuff From My Shelf. These are books I've read and enjoyed that are ready for a new home.

Today's RSFMS:

Mr Darcy Takes a Wife, by Linda Berdoll *and* the sequel, Darcy & Elizabeth: Days and Nights at Pemberly

Here's what you have to do: leave a comment on this post and include your email address (which I won't use for any other purpose than to contact you if you win.) That's it! The contest ends at 5pm EST tomorrow, Friday, December 23rd. At that time, I'll assign each comment a number and choose the winner using random.org. Due to the high cost of international shipping, this contest is only open to residents within the USA.  Once a winner is chosen, I'll give him/her twenty-four hours to respond before choosing another winner, and so on.

Now for the fine print. By commenting on this post, you agree to the terms and conditions of my contest, as follows:

Giveaways and contests sponsored on this website require no purchase and are open for entry to anyone living in the United States (unless noted otherwise). Void where prohibited.

Participants must be 18 to enter.

Giveaways sponsored by guest bloggers are the responsibility of the guest blogger. This site is not responsible for undelivered prizes.

If a winner fails to respond within the specified time period, another winner will be chosen. I am not responsible for misdirected emails due to mailer daemons and/or spam filters.

Chances of winning will vary based on number of participants.

Prizes are as stated. No substitutions or exchanges.

Entrant information is confidential and will not be shared.

Rules are subject to change at any time, for any reason, without notification.

Content Copyright 2011 Macy Beckett. All rights reserved.

A new publishing milestone: my first advance!

Let's be honest–we're all friends here, right?–navigating the road to traditional publication is no easy task. Instead of lions and tigers and bears, aspiring writers must overcome gatekeepers and rejection and self-loathing…oh, my! So, in order to hold on to the last shreds of my sanity, I'm trying to savor each milestone along the way, little celebratory moments such as:

My first query and manuscript request

The day my agent offered representation

My first offer (from Sourcebooks, for a three-book deal!)

Signing the contract (yes, I took pictures and you can find them on my Facebook page.)

Which brings us to…my very first advance check! That's right, folks, someone liked my writing enough to PAY me for it! I have proof!

Thanks for being here to share this new milestone in my journey. Next stop: my first cover!

Wooooohooooo! Cash money, y'all!

Content Copyright 2011 Macy Beckett. All rights reserved.

If you love YA…

Come visit me on the Honestly YA blog today and share what types of books you read during your upper teen years!

http://honestlyya.blogspot.com/2011/10/peeta-envy-or-why-im-jealous-old-fogey.html

Content Copyright 2011 Macy Beckett. All rights reserved.

How those formative teen years affect my writing.

Hello everyone! I'm blogging today under my super-secret true identity at Honestly YA, specifically about that quintessential rite of passage, PROM.  Come share your experiences here!

Content Copyright 2011 Macy Beckett. All rights reserved.

Calling all romance readers!

Don't you just love a good romance? One flawed hero and one quirky heroine who come together (yes, that way, too) to find earth-shattering love, and who live…you guessed it, happily ever after. Sigh. I enjoy reading it even more than I enjoy writing it.

But that doesn't mean the genre is perfect. There are a few cringe-worthy tropes within romance that really get my goat.

My biggest romance pet peeve: when the hero's like an old roller coaster–everyone's had a ride–and the heroine is pure as unicorn tears. Barf. While I'll concede this setup works better in historicals, it still pulls me out of the story.

Recently, I read a brand-spanking-new novel by my favorite contemporary romance author, (who shall remain nameless). Upon meeting, the hero's an epic manwhore while the poor heroine hasn't seen any action in six years. Sorry, I'm not buyin' it–not in 2011.

How about you, readers? Any elements of romance that annoy you?

Content Copyright 2011 Macy Beckett. All rights reserved.

Drum roll, please: announcing my first sale!

Yes, folks, the poster says it all. My agent extraordinaire, Nicole Resciniti, has given me the green light to announce the sale of my contemporary romance in a three book deal to Sourcebooks. My first novel should debut sometime in the fall of 2012, and of course, I'll release more information as it becomes available.

I'm so thrilled and excited to work with Leah Hultenschmidt, (recipient of the 2011 RWA Golden Apple Award for Editor of the Year), and the rest of the dedicated Sourcebooks team. A big, preemptive thank you to all of them as we begin this journey together!

And a giant thank you to Nicole Resciniti, whose passion for this book has been evident since the day she requested the manuscript, and who worked tirelessly to edit, promote, and sell it. You're the best, and I'm so lucky to have found you.

Content Copyright 2011 Macy Beckett. All rights reserved.

Learning from the best: the fantabulous Darynda Jones

I had the pleasure of meeting First Grave on the Right author, Darynda Jones, Saturday at my local RWA chapter meeting. She shared the inspiring story of how one Golden Heart nomination turned into eight offers of representation, one quasi death threat, and two sweet deals (including a YA series) to St Martin's Press. Since then, she's sold foreign rights to a dozen countries and television rights to CBS. Oh, and did I forget to mention Darynda's editor referred to her as "the next Janet Evanovich?" Holy Cinderella story, Batman!

Now, there's a lot of jealousy in this business, but Darynda is so fun, charming, and down-to-Earth that you can't help feeling delighted for her success. Besides, I'm fifty pages into her book, and I can testify the woman is CRA-ZY talented.

I asked Darynda how she handles the pressure of dueling deadlines while traveling, speaking, and promoting her work, and one of her answers made me smile. She uses "Freedom," a software program that locks her off the internet, to thwart her short attention span and stay on track. A fellow ADD-suffering web-junkie myself, I rushed home and downloaded Freedom's trial version. It rocks. I see more productivity in my future; thanks for the rec, Darynda!

Another tidbit: she might forego the use of a pen name when her YA hits the shelves. This was especially interesting to me, as I write adult contemporary romance and YA, and the thought of branding, maintaining and promoting two separate identities gives me the dry heaves. Apparently, more and more cross-genre authors are taking the same approach, and I love that.

In closing, Darynda's main piece of advice to writers seeking publication: have a website—created by a pro if you can afford it. If an editor or agent is interested in you, the first thing they'll do is Google your name.

Well, have a wonderful week, esteemed followers. And when you get a chance, pick up a copy of First Grave on the Right.

Content Copyright 2011 Macy Beckett. All rights reserved.

Contest FYI: Win a Kindle for your kiddo.

Putting the word out for my friend and crit partner, Carey Corp, who's participating in an Indie Author-sponsored Kindle giveaway!

"Fifteen independent authors are hosting the INDIE-pendence Day giveaway in which one lucky winner will walk away with a free Kindle loaded with hot indie Middle Grade and Young Adult books. Three additional prizes include a collection of free MG and YA e-books.

The event runs from June 1 – July 4. In order to enter, participants need to register on the official INDIE-pendence Day website. Also, participants who Tweet, blog or post reviews on a retailer website such as Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon will be awarded additional entries."

Details posted at www.kindleindiependence.webs.com

Content Copyright 2011 Macy Beckett. All rights reserved.

Let's chat about challenges.

Although a few prolific authors claim writer's block doesn't exist, this mere mortal knows differently. Sometimes, no matter how long I follow the BIC rule (Butt In Chair), the words won't leave my clogged brain. Fess up, fellow writers—you know of what I speak.

Fortunately, I've learned a thing or two about how my squirrely mind works. When I'm blocked, it's almost always because I know something's not working, and my subconscious keeps me from plodding onward. That's when I take a step back, reread my work, and try to identify the problem. Plot hole? Stilted dialogue? Flat voice? Once I nail it, the dam bursts and my words flow again.

What about you, esteemed followers? What's your greatest challenge as a writer, and how do you vanquish your foe?

Content Copyright 2011 Macy Beckett. All rights reserved.

Show your critique partners some love!

It's Critique Partner Appreciation Day here at the Unrepentant Escapist blog!

Yes, that's me with my two fabulous crit-goddesses, Carey Corp (far left) and Lorie Langdon (far right), totally acting our age inside a photo booth at the 2011 Lori Foster Reader-Writer Get Together last weekend.

I met Carey and Lorie at a local RWA chapter meeting and introduced myself after hearing the buzz about their co-authored YA fairytale retelling. We began swapping manuscripts, and the rest is history.

Now, if you're a writer, you already know how crucial it is to let other writers critique your work. That's a no-brainer. But a good partner will also inspire and motivate. Somehow, she'll manage to uplift you while pointing out your mistakes. She'll send harassing emails when you fail to deliver that chapter you've been promising. She'll talk you down when you're suffering from a nasty case of "impostor syndrome." In a nutshell, she won't let you fall, and that's big.

So a heartfelt thanks to Lori, who pens YA and beautifully-written inspirational romances, and Carey, a Golden Heart finalist who just published her debut novel The Halo Chronicles: The Guardian. (You can buy it here and here!)

Now it's your turn. Tell me about your wonderful crit partners.

Content Copyright 2011 Macy Beckett. All rights reserved.