Michelle Hauck's Blog, page 12

Team Snow 6: THE ARTIST'S QUEST, MG Science Fiction Adventure

Title: THE ARTIST’S QUESTGenre: MG science-fiction adventureWord Count: 53,000
Is your antagonist hot or cold:Max’s antagonist is nature. And nature is cold, harsh, unforgiving, and heartless. At least, it is as far as he’s concerned. He’s only really dealt with it the one time, but let’s just say he didn’t have a pleasant experience. 
Query:
Because of his mother’s love of art—and a secret, heirloom paint set—eleven-year-old Max Buckle wants to be an artist more than anything. But living in Unity, a city where art has long-since been obsolete, makes that pretty much impossible. Especially since it’s the only city left.
After Max’s fool-proof plan to revive art with a painting of his own miserably fails, he’s ready to give up on his dream, certain he’ll never be anything more than a worthless orphan. Then he learns of Rome, an ancient city where art is rumored to still exist, and hope fills his lonely heart. Somewhere across the world is an artist’s paradise, a place where Max could actually belong, and he is going to find it.
But a journey through a wild, overgrown world that could take weeks, or more, won’t be easy. For one, Max knows nothing of “survival.” He’s never even seen a “tree” before, let alone food that doesn’t come from a bag. Not to mention fellow orphan and big-time smarty-pants Eliza is coming, despite his objections, and things quickly go south for the bickering explorers. From the moment they step inside the forest, a pack of hungry wolves starts hunting them down. To make matters worse, returning to Unity isn’t an option, not after a terrible storm ruins their boat. Reaching the safety of Rome is their one chance at survival, but if Max and Eliza can’t learn how to work together—and fast—their journey will end inside a wolf’s stomach.
First 250 words:
Max Buckle sat on a deserted beach outside of Unity, the last city in the world.
He stared at a scrap of paper in front of him, secured in place by a small stone so the wind wouldn’t steal it away. He was waiting for the globs of yellow paint streaked across the page to dry, wondering if it would do the sun justice—the real sun.
It had to be perfect if he had any chance of bringing art back to Unity. He couldn’t afford to mess it up—not when his dreams were riding on his presentation. His future, too. What would he be if he wasn’t an artist? 
A nobody. That’s what. Or the world’s worst Programmer.
Max looked back up at the gray sky, wishing the clouds would part long enough for him to get a good look at the sun. Then he’d know if his painting was any good, or at least, if it was accurate. But in the mornings he’d spent sneaking out to paint over the last two weeks, he’d never gotten more than a glimpse.
Doubt settled into his gut as he studied the yellow streaks. Maybe it wasn’t good enough. Maybe he wasn’t good enough. Maybe he was just wasting his time.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Max’s Watch-It beeped loudly, interrupting his thoughts, and he glanced at the small device on his wrist.
“Oh no!” he groaned.
He was wasting time! School started in an hour, and he was still outside the city walls!

Team Snow 7: THE FASHION MAGES, MG Fantasy

Title: The Fashion Mages
Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade
Word count: 50,000


My name is Avarette Chervault and I'm cold as winter crystal. I guess you could call me the antagonist. Hazel certainly does. But I'll tell you a secret: Hazel is lazy. She could be so much better than she is but doesn't bother. Great for me, since it means I beat her in every project we sew. Which is as it should be since my mother is the best couturier in the world. Because of that I have the most refined sewing skills in class. You'll never forget the frost of my wit or the chill of my disdain.

Query:

Twelve-year-old Hazel Baxter has loved fashion ever since her tailor grandfather taught her how to sew. Her lifelong dream has been to attend The Academy of Thaumaturgical Fashion and Design, an exclusive school that teaches students to combine magic and couture, creating the most fabulous clothing in the world.

The midterm in Intro to Sewing should be easy. But the Professeur sorted the class into groups. Does the teacher realize who she's dealing with? Fashion students don't play nice. Not only is Hazel stuck with the worst seamsters in class, but her bitter rival Avarette planted the idea of a contest in the teacher's head. Now the midterm comes with a fantastic prize Hazel is dying to win. The chance to go to an exclusive fashion launch and meet her design idol in person.

Of course Avarette has to show up everyone in class and use an enchanted silk she got from her couturier mother. Hazel figures her best chance is to fight magic with magic. She spends her team's money on invisibility fabric they can't afford.

Which fails. Miserably. Never mind what Hazel did. It wasn't her fault... Even though the whole team blames her. They're out of time and patience with Hazel. If she doesn't swallow her pride and apologize, her team will go down in flames like some idiot caught mixing polka dots and plaid.

Hazel's dream prize is slipping from her grasp and she only has one last chance to redeem herself and win. She can already hear Avarette's smug laughter...

First 250:

The horse drawn omnibus clattered as it turned onto Rue de la Riene. The over sized, double-decker carriage stopped with a lurch that threw Hazel into the back of the woman standing in front of her. She bounced off the woman's ample backside.       

The woman gave Hazel an ugly pinched glare. "Shove off," she snapped.

It took rudeness as well as coin to ride the omnibus. But no one ever put much effort in.

"Excuse you," Hazel said and slid out of reach between two other passengers.

This was her stop and she shoved her way through the drab crowd of morning commuters. Parted by her sharp elbows, they let her by with a flurry of parting curses and grumbles. She jumped off the last step, her boots thumped on the cracked and frosty pavement. Cold winter air cooled her cheeks, refreshing after the press of bodies in the carriage.

 She went to school in a palace.

Four stories of ochre brown stone soared against the city skyline just beyond the iron gates surrounding the Academy of Thaumaturgical Fashion and Design.

The omnibus driver snapped his reins and the horses whinnied as they moved on to the next stop. As the carriage rumbled on Hazel's heart swelled close to bursting with a thrill that hadn't worn off after four months.

Hazel adjusted the fur trimmed velvet crown on her head, making sure it was at the perfect jaunty angle. She smoothed her wool cape and long black trousers.

Team Snow 8: FERAL PRIME, YA Science Fiction OV

Title: FERAL PRIME
Genre: YA Science Fiction Ownvoices
Word Count: 87,000
Is your antagonist hot or cold?

Villain? You're calling me a villain? I'm the guy keeping hundreds of people from dying out here in the Wastelands. Those two domer chicks who came barging into our territory, messing with my kid's head...they're the villains. But sure, target me. You ain't the first.

So hot means I snap easy, hmm? Hell yeah, I'm hot. If someone steps outta line, ya gotta chew 'em out, stomp 'em down, and make sure they know who's boss. Hot gets the job done. 

Query:

Ava, a deaf programmer, and Bren, a blind mech pilot, have one chance to save their home...but only if they destroy someone else's.

Bren and Ava grew up with mechanized animals roaming the ruined land. They're also the first to notice the mechs' sudden aggressive behavior. Left unchecked, these rogue machines could attack anyone--including the two teens' families.

Ava creates a taming program to install in the mechs' update center. But before she and Bren arrive, they're captured by a clan of raiders who rely on wild mechs for survival. If Ava's program tames everything, the raiders' society will collapse, leaving them and their children homeless. Ava develops a bond with one of the children and insists they seek a compromise.

Bren doesn't do compromise. Not when it comes to family. And definitely not with the assholes who kidnapped them. Her powerful mech is their best chance at reaching the update center. She demands they bust out and install the program before Ava's stupid hesitation puts people they know and love in danger.

The rogue mechs' code is changing by the second. If they can't resolve their differences soon, the faulty code will no longer be compatible with Ava's program, and the girls' decision will be made for them.

First 250 words:

Ava spotted the blinking red dot and jolted to life like a hot-wired hauler. Surely red dots only blinked for important reasons. As her fingers flexed eagerly inside her sensor-covered gloves, she peered around the pilot's chair. 

"What's that?" she signed. Her shoulder pad speaker vibrated, confirming the interpretation. 

Bren leaned toward the console. A tap on the leftmost view screen enlarged the sensor data to her much-bigger-than-normal settings. Her lips moved, and Ava's visor flickered with the text translation: "Looks like Fang's detected a core signature. Should be on that Questrian herd in half an hour." 

Ava dropped her hands and fell back into the clunky passenger seat. They'd been "within half an hour" of this herd twice already. After three hours squished inside the cockpit of Bren's massive canine robot, all Ava had seen were some distant sparking clouds and a bleak, lifeless landscape. Hardly the wealth of information she could save lives with. 

The tracking screen lit up again. This time, a whole group of dots appeared in the center. Ava bolted up, smacking her heel on the canister beneath her seat. "Oooh! Are those the Questies?" she signed. 

"For (expletive)'s sake, Ava!" the visor helpfully censored. "I said half an hour, not half a min--" Bren stiffened and leaned forward, zooming in on her center screen. Something stood on the horizon, but it wasn't the small, light-footed animechs they'd been following. Instead the screen revealed a group of gunmetal gray machines with squat, bulky figures.

Team Snow 9: THE LATE PRINCESS GWENDOLYN, YA Fantasy

Title: THE LATE PRINCESS GWENDOLYNGenre: YA FantasyWord Count: 75,000Is your antagonist hot or cold?
Morgan, enchantress and reigning “fairest in all the land,” is as shifting and devious in temper as a tropical storm, an unpredictable mixture of both hot and cold. Although she can be cool and calculating when it comes to manipulating her many lovers, she has a hot temper when competition comes into play. She’s a cold-blooded killer with a very low boiling point.

Query:
Princess Gwendolyn has only ever wanted one thing—for True Love to sweep her off her feet and into her very own happily ever after—at least, until Gwendolyn realizes her own “ever after” involves dying before she turns eighteen.
Locked high in a tower, awaiting a kiss from her One True Love, the goose boy, Luther, Gwendolyn is visited instead by an evil enchantress. Bent on being the “fairest in all the land,” the bitter sorceress curses Gwendolyn. Instead of the kiss she craves, Gwendolyn dies alone in the tower.
Caught in an awkward limbo between life and death, maggots are the least of Gwendolyn’s concerns when her own father decides his undead daughter would be better off under a headstone. And even worse than being hunted by her own father is the fact that her former betrothed is the first to turn on her, leading the King’s Army on their mission to stop the dead princess from further embarrassing the Crown.
On a quest to find her missing happily ever after and avoid the clutches of her father’s army, Gwendolyn teams up with an ancient knight, a beheaded prince, and a bumbling witch, and realizes that even though her heart no longer beats, it can still find True Love. Despite only having three heads out of the four of them, and barely enough body parts to get by, Gwendolyn and her band of merry misfits must figure out how to break the spell before she rots. And they must do it all in spite of the vengeful sorceress determined to finish the job she started, and a “True Love” who wants her crown more than her kiss.
THE PRINCESS BRIDE meets STARDUST.
First 250 Words:                                  So, this is how True Love begins, Gwendolyn thought, as she awaited her parents’ response to the news that she was engaged.
It wasn’t exactly how she’d pictured announcing her betrothal. For one thing, the King, Queen, Princess, and Royal Priest were huddled on the bedspread of the royal bed. Although Gwendolyn’s grand daydreams of the announcement had involved cheering crowds gathered in the Royal Square, doves being released, and perhaps a trumpet or two, it was a well-known fact in the kingdom that the Royal Bedchamber was where things got done around the castle. The King had complained that he couldn't think if he was uncomfortable, so all the royal business was conducted on the King and Queen's bed, which was spacious enough for ten servants or more, depending on their respective sizes.
“What do you mean ‘engaged’?” the King rumbled. “In combat or in marriage?”
“Why, in marriage, of course, Father,” Gwendolyn replied, thinking of Luther. Even now, he waited outside the Royal Bedchamber to be summoned, a thought Gwendolyn found highly distracting.

“Your Highnesses, the Princess Gwendolyn has reached the age at which most princesses are, ahem, married,” the Royal Priest began, clearing his throat several times. He tugged on his vestments and would not meet Gwendolyn’s eyes. It was rather awkward, she thought, to be discussing such a matter in bed with a Priest, although at least everyone still had their clothes on. Nudity was frowned upon during Royal Meetings. For the most part, anyway.

Getting the Call with Rick Wheeler

Everyone's journey is different. I hope this one that started with Query Kombat 2016 will provide you with a dose of inspiration on a dark winter day. 





In February 2016, I watched a television show called My Strange Inheritance, where a man inherited letters between his deceased uncle’s mother and JFK. After her son, a navy seaman under JFK’s command during WWII, died during the attack on their PT boat, then Lieutenant John Kennedy wrote a letter of condolences. The woman wrote back and the two corresponded even after JFK became President of the United States. JFK helped the woman receive her Social Security payments at one point. I thought this would make a great novel, but I wrote middle grade fiction so I needed to alter the concept. It inspired me to write it from the prospective of a child whose father died in the war. The first draft was finished in two weeks and then I revised it to what I thought was query ready (boy was I wrong).  
In May 2016, I entered my manuscript into Query Kombat and was thrilled when my manuscript appeared as a selected entry into the contest on May 26, 2016. I was on Laura’s team. In the first round, my query and first 250 words was pitted against an entry that dripped with voice. I lost the first round in a landslide. That was the end. So I thought.
A few days later, while out to lunch during my day job, I received an email from Laura asking if I would like to be a host save because one of her entries received an offer. I jumped at the chance. It meant I would be included in the agent round, but I would not be competing in any further rounds. The benefit of being the host save is that the agent requests would be available for me to see and respond to while the other rounds were still ongoing. I was blown away to receive 11 requests from Query Kombat, one of the requests being from Caitlen from LKG. That was it. I would surely get at least one agent offer from one of the 11 requests. So I thought. I was so wrong.
Over time, my requests came back as rejections. I entered my manuscript into Pitch Wars 2016, and was not picked, but two great things came out of it. First, one of the mentors, I knew from a Facebook group, agreed to be an unofficial mentor to me. Secondly, the mentor and her partner suggested that two other writers and I explore becoming critique partners. The three of us connected by email and hit it off. I was so lucky to gain two critique partners who wrote such beautiful prose; especially since my writing was more like cave drawings than their poetry. After working with the Pitch Wars mentor and my critique partners, I was ready to query again. I received a fair amount of full requests from agents, but they all passed. One agent who passed took the time to give me valuable feedback. I revised again, taking my manuscript from 34,000 words to over 50,000 words, adding prose chapters to my epistolary novel.
I was ready to query again. Still I received more full requests, which ended in rejections but I did receive an R&R from an agent. I revised again and sent it back. She liked the changes but I missed the mark so she gave me further feedback, which led me to revise yet again.
On October 31, 2017, I decided to query Lauren Galit from LKG Agency. Even though Caitlen from LKG Agency requested and passed on my manuscript from Query Kombat, I reasoned it was practically a completely different manuscript (which it was) and there was nothing saying they were a one and done agency—that you cannot query another agent from the same agency after a pass.
I watched the data explorer on Query Tracker for Lauren and noticed that she responded quickly when she requested more of a manuscript. A few queries that were sent after mine received full requests after just one day while the date of my query slipped further and further away. That was it; it had to be a pass. So I thought.
On November 29, 2017, Lauren requested the full manuscript, which I sent the same day. On December 14, 2017, I received an email from Lauren requesting a telephone call. I was thrilled. After all this time, this was it. So I thought.
On December 15, 2017, after a night with almost no sleep due to nerves, I took a call from Lauren. She said Caitlyn remembered my manuscript from when I submitted it during Query Kombat and noticed how much different it was. Lauren was such a pleasant person and had such great things to say about my manuscript but also pointed out its flaws. I agreed with all the changes that Lauren suggested. Her comments and advice were well thought out and resonated with me, so when she asked for an R&R for one chapter to see how I handled the revision, I jumped on the opportunity, hoping the R&R was not a slow no.
I worked over the weekend revising two chapters and writing a completely new scene that Lauren suggested. On December 18, 2017, I sent the revision to Lauren. On December 20, 2017, Lauren sent a second email saying she liked the revision and wanted to set up another call. This was it; it had to be an offer, right? Or so I thought. This time my thought was correct, because on December 21, 2017, I took my second call from Lauren and it was an offer of representation. Since it was close to the holidays, Lauren gave me two weeks to hear back from the three agents that still had my manuscript. On January 2, 2018, I emailed Lauren and accepted her offer.   
It was a long, slow journey,  in which I tried to give up on my manuscript several times, but due to encouragement from my critique partners and constructive feedback from rejecting agents at just the right time, I did not give up and have a terrific agent as a result. I could not have done it without Laura, Michelle, and Michael from Query Kombat who started the journey with me and for all the help from friends along the way.

___________________________________________________________


Rick Wheeler lives in Northern California in a multigenerational household. When he is not writing middle grade fiction, he works with at risk youth as a Deputy Probation Officer. He enjoys listening to classic rock, hanging out with his dog, and having tea parties with his granddaughters, not necessarily in that order. 
Find Rick on Twitter at @ESWheeler1992

Team Snow 2018

It's that time! 

I hope everyone had a good time and learned something. Contests are for fun and meeting new friends after all!

As I said on twitter this might have been the best group of slush ever, but I only had room for sixteen. With 200+ entries that means a lot left behind. I went back and forth a dozen times before deciding. Be sure to check the Team Sun picks over at Amy's blog, and remember that contests aren't the only means to get in front of agents. 

I never made it in to any large contests, so I know exactly how you feel. I got my agent from a query. And everyone's journey is different. Keep on keeping on!



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The following entries will be on Team Snow:

Middle Grade:

Hazelwood- Fantasy
The Artist Quest- Science Fiction
The Fashion Mages- Fantasy


Young Adult:

Feral Prime- Science fiction (ownvoices)
The Late Princess Gwendolyn- Fantasy
The Handbook of Fairy Godmothers- Contemporary
One Kind of Folks- Contemporary (ownvoices)
Glimpses of Me- Contemporary (ownvoices)
Stepsisters- Mystery
Throwaway Girl- Thriller
The Last Mesmerist- Gaslight Fantasy
The Cosplayer- Contemporary (ownvoices)


Adult:

Dead and Buried- Historical Mystery (ownvoices)
Detention- Women's Fiction
Viridescence- Science Fiction
Stone Man- Contemporary


Mentors should be contacting you soon, but give them until Tuesday night.  

Get your revised entry back to me no later than Monday, February 5th at 11:00 pm EST. That’s so I have time to format the entries and have them ready to post for the agent round on Thursday, February 8th. Mail your revised entry to the contest email Sunversussnow (at) yahoo (dot) com. Please use the exact same format and don't forget the Sun versus Snow question.

And do find me on twitter (@Michelle4Laughs) so I can add you to my team list before the agent round! I hope everyone sticks around to party and see if Sun or Snow gets the most requests. 



Team Snow will be ready to kick it to the sun!

Sun versus Snow 2018 Submission Day and Twitter Party

No government shut down here. The submission window for Sun versus Snow opens today at 4:00 pm EST! 

The instructions and rules for entry are repeated below.


Act fast. We will only be taking the first 200 entries. Please do not enter early or your entry will be deleted. You can resend at the proper time if this happens accidentally. Confirmation emails will be sent. If you don’t receive one, don’t resend. We don’t want duplicate entries. Please check with us on Twitter first to confirm your entry did or did not arrive, then you may resend. 
There is only ONE, yes that’s right, ONE entry per person allowed. Any attempt to cheat will result in entries being thrown out. This contest is only for finished and polished stories. That means do not send us your NaNoWriMo from November 2017 if they aren't ready. 

Important note: The story can’t have been in the agent round of any other contest in the last three months. This doesn't mean twitter pitch events with hashtags, but multiple agent blog contests. 



Also, Michelle and I have decided not to accept picture books for this contest. Though we love picture books, Michelle holds special contests just for them. We do accept all MG, YA, NA and Adult genres, excluding erotica. To enter you must be followers of our blogs. Click the “follow” button on my blog. You can find Amy's blog here. If following our blogs doesn't work, follow us on twitter or sign up for our newsletters instead. 




The Format:
Send submission to Sunversussnow (at) yahoo (dot) com. Only one submission per person is allowed. It doesn’t matter if you write under different names or are submitting different manuscripts. You are still one person and get one entry.
Here’s how it should be formatted (yes, include the bolded!) Please use Times New Roman (or equivalent), 12 pt font, single-spaced, and put spaces between paragraphs. No indents or tabs are needed. No worries if your gmail doesn’t have Times New Roman. No worries if the email messes up your format. Yes, we will still read it! :-)  
(Here’s a trick to keep your paragraph spacing: copy and paste your entry into your email and then put in the line spaces. They seem to get lost when you copy and paste. It may look right but sending scrambles the spacing.)
Subject Line: SVS: TITLE, Age Category + Genre(example: SVS: GRUDGING, Adult Epic Fantasy)

In The Email:
Title: MY FANTASTIC BOOK (yes, caps!)Genre: YA dystopian Ownvoices (Age category and genre. Add "Ownvoices" here if it applies)Word Count: XX,XXX (round to the nearest thousand)
Twitter Handle: (Optional so we can contact you. Will not be public.)


Is Your Antagonist hot or cold: 

Describe whether your antagonist is hot or cold. Personalities differ. Does your villain snap easily or are they calm and calculating? (Don't have an antagonist who is a person--then describe the weather of your setting.) 
(Can be in your character's POV, but doesn’t have to be. 100 words or less.)

Query:
Query goes here! Include greeting and main paragraphs. Please leave out bio, closing, and word count + genre sentence. You may include comps if you’d like. There is no word count limit on the query but please aim for 250 – 300 words.
You may include if your story is OwnVoices up in the genre line. We really want diverse and talented writers and striping out the bios sometimes leaves us in the dark.
Remember a query has several paragraphs. Don't send us a pitch.  

First 250 words:
Here are the first 250 words of my manuscript, and I will not end in the middle of a sentence. But I will not go over 257 words. Be reasonable and don’t make us count. Don’t forget to space between paragraphs! No indents!

So that's it. See you at 4:00 pm Eastern time. Good luck!

And now that the rules are out of the way, how about the fun stuff!






TWITTER PARTY!!!


Here are the suggested daily topics. But if you want to make up your own fun games on the hashtag #SunvsSnow then go right ahead! Just keep it clean and inclusive for all.
Jan 23rd- Submission day! What genre and age category will you/did you enter? Show us a sun or snow picture from your neighborhood.
Jan 24th- It’s very important to read new books in your genre to get a sense of pacing and timing as well as style. What book in your genre have you read recently?
Jan 25th- Do you get more writing done when there’s sun (summer) or snow (winter)? When are you most productive?
Jan 26th- Do you have a word count writing goal for each day or use some other measurement? How do you carve out time to write?
Jan 27th- Pantser or plotter or somewhere in between?
Jan 28th- Shout out a favorite line from the ms you entered.
Jan 29th- If you had to choose one goal for your writing career this year, what would it be?
Jan 30th- Beta readers and Critique Partners are important in the writing world. Where did you meet yours so others can check out those places?
Jan 31st- Final advice as before picks are announced on how you manage nerves during contests/querying?

Have fun! Mix and mingle! Make friends! Be active!

Sun versus Snow Agents 2018

Contests just wouldn't be the same without the agents! Sure we could mentor and polish entries, but immediate results from the true experts and the success stories that result is what it is all about.

So a huge thanks to the 21 agents who agreed to help us out!

Remember that submission is on January 23rd at 4:00 pm EST. Go here to see the rules and how to format and here to see the mentors. And check out my Free Pass to Team Snow here. 

Part of the list of agents is on my blog. But listing all of them would be a huge post. So go to my co-host Amy's blog to see the rest. 



Lynnette Novak
Seymour Agency


Prior to joining The Seymour Agency, Lynnette spent seventeen years freelance editing. She worked with new writers, advanced writers, as well as New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors. Lynnette earned a bachelor of education degree from the University of Manitoba, where she specialized in English and French. She excelled in Advanced Creative Writing in university and studied writing for children and teens through the Institute of Children’s Literature. She was a Pitch Wars mentor in 2015 and 2016. Both her mentees acquired an agent.


Although Lynnette was born and raised in Manitoba, Canada, she now lives in Minnesota with her husband, twin girls, and many pets. Her personal interests include reading, writing, exercising at the gym (okay, that’s a love/hate relationship), working on an assortment of crafts, all things having to do with animals (if she could own a farm, zoo, and animal shelter, she would), and enjoying time with family and friends.

Website|Twitter




Lauren SpiellerTriadaUS

Associate Literary Agent Lauren Spieller comes to TriadaUS with a background in literary scouting and editorial consulting. She has a sharp editorial eye, and is passionate about author advocacy. Lauren is seeking Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction, as well as select Adult fiction and non-fiction. Whatever the age category or genre, Lauren is passionate about finding diverse and underrepresented voices.
In MG, she’s drawn to heartfelt contemporaries, contemporary fantasy and magical realism, and exciting adventures. Some of her recent favorites are Rules for Stealing Stars, George, The Thing About Jellyfish, Wonder, Hour of the Bees, and Rooftoppers. In YA, she’d love to find authentic teen voices in any and all genres. She is especially fond of fantasy, magical realism, and space operas; contemporary stories with a hook; and anything with a feminist bent. A few favorites include Dumplin’, Scorpio Races, An Ember in the Ashes, OCD Love Story, Six of Crows, The Raven Boys, and Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda.

In Adult, Lauren is seeking commercial fiction, particularly female-driven psychological thrillers (a la Lauren Beukes and Gillian Flynn), and immersive literary fantasies, such as The Night Circus, The Miniaturist, and A Darker Shade of Magic. She is also interested in female-driven Upmarket General Fiction, especially if it's funny or has a touch of magical realism (note that she is NOT looking for Romance), and unique non-fiction with an existing platform. She's particularly hungry for counter culture books, cocktail books with a twist/theme, or narrative nonfiction with a unique hook (if you’re the next Lindsey West, Roxanne Gay, or Lauren Duca, she wants to hear from you). 
Website|Twitter




Lindsay MealingEmerald City Literary
Lindsay has been writing stories since she could first hold a pencil. It wasn’t until she sat down to edit a manuscript for the first time she realized her true love was not on the writing side of the publishing industry, but the business side. She began interning for Mandy in early 2015 and quickly realized agenting was what she wanted to do forever more.Lindsay is a self-proclaimed  nerd, loving everything science fiction and fantasy – from epic tomes to gaming. She fell head over heels with the SFF genre when she read KUSHIEL’S DART by Jacqueline Carey (she even has Phedre’s marque tattooed on her back).
Website|Twitter





Andrea SombergHarvey Klinger Literary
A literary agent for over fifteen years, Andrea represents a wide range of fiction and nonfiction, including projects for adult, young adult and middle grade audiences. Her clients’ books have been NYTimes and USABestsellers, as well as nominated for The Governor General’s Award, the Lambda Award, the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award and the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, and have been chosen for ABA’s Indies Introduce Program. Andrea is a guest instructor for MediaBistro and Writers Digest.
Her client list is quite full, however she is always actively looking to take on new authors who write in the following categories: Fiction: literary, commercial, book club fiction, romance, thrillers, mystery, paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, young adult, new adult, middle grade. Nonfiction: memoir, narrative, popular science, pop-culture, humor, how-to, parenting, self-help, lifestyle, travel, interior design, crafts, cookbooks, business, sports, diet, health & fitness.

Website|Twitter





Uwe Stender
TriadaUS


Literary Agent Dr. Uwe Stender is a Full Member of the AAR (Association of Authors' Representatives). He is interested in all kinds of non-fiction and fiction. In non-fiction, he is completely open to any project, from Memoir, Pop Culture, and Health to How-to, Gardening, History and everything in between, including non-fiction for children. In Children's fiction, he is looking for YA, MG and PBs. In adult fiction, his tastes trend towards Women's Fiction, Psychological Suspense, and Mysteries.  As an immigrant to the USA himself, he is always eager to bring projects from underrepresented voices into the world. So surprise him, his tastes are eclectic, and he may just love what you wrote!
His favorite five novels right now are: Caraval, The Underground Railroad, Der Nasse Fisch, Kafka On The Shore, The Young Elites, and Wonder.

Website|Twitter





Amanda JainInklings Literary

Amanda Jain has loved books for as long as she can remember. When she was a kid, Amanda always had her head in a book. In her room, in the car, in the bathtub, wherever. She probably would have brought a book to the dinner table every evening if that was allowed. 

After earning a BA in English, she worked in the trade department at W. W. Norton for seven years before leaving to pursue graduate studies. She graduated in 2011 with a MA in the history of decorative arts. Amanda then joined Inklings in 2014, first as an intern and then as Michelle’s assistant.

Amanda is primarily interested in adult fiction in the following categories: historical fiction (in all genres), women’s / book club / upmarket fiction, romance (particularly historical, suspenseful, or with a comedic bent), mysteries (particularly historical or cozy, or historical cozies), and narrative nonfiction in the areas of social history, archaeology, art history, material culture, etc. She is also interested in select YA and MG projects with unique hooks and a strong voice. 

In all cases, what Amanda is most looking for is a story that completely immerses the reader in the world of the book. She wants to feel the sun on her shoulders, smell the smoke of the battlefield, and hear the horses galloping in the distance.

Amanda is NOT the agent to query with picture books, memoirs, self-help, poetry, erotica, science fiction and fantasy, horror, or inspirational fiction.

Website|Twitter



Jocquelle Caiby
Serendipity Literary


Jocquelle started at Serendipity Literary Agency as an intern, and has since transitioned into a dual role as a Junior Agent and Literary Assistant. With degrees in both English literature and sociology, her specialties are project management and editorial development.As Literary Assistant to President and Lead Agent Regina Brooks, she reviews and evaluates potential projects—constantly on alert for that one book in a thousand that is capable of flourishing in a highly competitive marketplace.  She works closely with the talented clients of our agency, providing developmental editorial reports and proofreading manuscripts and proposals, which has aided in the sale of multiple projects to members of the Big Five publishing houses.She is currently looking to acquire her own projects with the goal of championing creativity and diversity, and building fresh, new voices into commercial and literary powerhouses. Jocquelle is primarily interested in young adult fiction, gravitating mostly towards the sub-genres of fantasy, sci-fi, magical realism, and horror, as well as young adult works of any genre that explore diverse experiences. Her favorite stories are those that take her on an adventure with vividly imagined and well-developed characters, and she is particularly struck by those that surprise her with shocking plot twists and gasp-inducing revelations.
 For adult fiction, she is primarily interested in literary and historical fiction, as well as novels with an anthropological bent. Her interests in nonfiction include mind/body/spirit titles, professional wrestling, and mental health projects.Website|Twitter




Danielle BurbyNelson Literary
I was always the class bookworm, but, for some reason, I spent most of high school convinced that my future was in Broadway. In fact, I felt really bad for the English teacher who told me she thought I was destined for a career in books because she was so very wrong. Turns out she knew me better than I thought! Of course, looking back, the fact that I never left the house without a minimum of two books (the book in progress and at least one backup) should probably have tipped me off.I double majored in creative writing and women’s studies at Hamilton College (both “impractical majors” that have been incredibly practical for me) and figured out that creative writing classes do a really great job of honing your editing and critiquing skills. After internships at several top literary agencies and publishers, I spent four years at New York Agency and began building a client list before moving to NLA in January 2017.As an agent based in New York City, I primarily represent YA and MG along with very select mystery and women’s fiction. I look for a strong narrative voice and a cast of characters I want to spend time with (which doesn’t necessarily mean they need to be likeable!). Something all of my clients have in common is the ability to sweep me up in their writing and make me grateful for a chance to spend time in their worlds. When I finish a novel and immediately want to thank the person who wrote it, I know I will have the enthusiasm to fight tooth and nail for that author.Website|Twitter


Alec Shane
Writers House


[image error] Writers House is one of the largest literary agencies in the world and prides itself on providing an extraordinary amount of individual client attention combined with the full service benefits of foreign and sub rights departments, as well as a full accounting and royalty staff.
I began my career at Writers House as an intern in September of 2008 and simply refused to leave, so I was given the wonderful job of Assistant to Jodi Reamer. I am now also in the process of actively building my own list and currently represent a fairly eclectic mix of Children's and Adult fiction and nonfiction. I'm eagerly looking for both.

On the fiction side, I love mysteries, thrillers (although I'm experiencing a bit of terrorist fatigue at the moment), bad-ass protagonists with a chip on their shoulders, beautifully told historical fiction (The Vietnam War, the Maccabees, and The American Revolution fascinate me in particular),well-researched adventure stories, and great horror - I haven't been scared to turn off the light in far too long and something needs to be done about it. In terms of children's books, getting boys to read again is especially important to me, and thus I'm particularly on the lookout for a fun middle-grade adventure series, ghost story, or anything else geared toward younger male readers.

On the nonfiction side, I'm attracted to odd, quirky histories, military history, biographies of people I didn't even know existed (but definitely should have), "guy" reads, humor, narrative nonfiction that sheds light on under-the-radar events and lifestyles, and all things sports. I'm also currently up in the air as to whether or not I believe in ghosts, hauntings, and the supernatural, so if you have something that can convince me one way or the other, I'd love to see it.
Website|Twitter





Kari SutherlandBradford Literary

Kari Sutherland joined the Bradford Literary Agency in 2017 after a decade of experience in publishing from the editorial side. Previously a Senior Editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, she has worked with bestselling and critically acclaimed authors on projects such as the #1 New York Times bestselling Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard and the #1 New York Times bestselling Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard. She graduated from Williams College with a B.A. in English and Psychology, which she considers the perfect combination for working with authors on character and plot development. With her editorial insight and experience with the entire publishing process, Kari is passionate about helping to polish each manuscript and equip her clients for success.
Open to genres from picture books through adult, Kari is most interested in finding stories full of heart; ones that carry readers to faraway places or deep into a character’s mind; action-packed page-turners that surprise her; dark dramas with touches of humor; and, above all, a voice that leaps off the page. She is actively seeking diverse voices across all genres.
In children’s books, Kari is interested in character-driven stories, new twists on classic tales, empowering themes, epic fantasy, fresh voices and experiences, inventive mysteries, humor, and magical realism.
In YA, which is near and dear to her heart, Kari is drawn to compelling voices, tight pacing, and clear world-building regardless of whether it’s a space drama, an underground dystopia, a small town, or a big city contemporary. She is open to any genre within YA.
Kari is interested in adult fiction including general fiction; upmarket women’s fiction; intergenerational tales; magical realism; historical dramas; and light-hearted contemporary fiction.
A firm believer that truth can be stranger than fiction, Kari is seeking nonfiction in the following categories: quirky topics; history and biography; pop science and psychology; humor; and parenting. Most important to her are a concrete platform, an engaging voice, and well-researched material that will broaden readers’ understanding of themselves, the past, and the world around them.
Kari is not seeking: horror, romance, erotica, memoir, adult sci-fi/fantasy, thrillers, cookbooks, business, spiritual/religious, poetry, or screenplays.
Website|Twitter

Happy Release Day for Enchanted Book 1: Magic Spark

The first of a trio of trilogies by three amazing romance writers. These stories all have two things in common: magic and romance!

“When Demigods Court Death” by Wendy Sparrow:
As the demigod of fertility, Aster Slone has a thriving doctor’s practice. In fact, the incidence of triplets has made it too thriving. He needs more time with his neighbor the demigoddess of death to dampen his powers. Chandra Linton being gorgeous and sweet makes his task less of a hardship. Hitting the zenith of heretofore-unknown powers without enough exposure to her match is killing Chandra. Accepting all that her crazy, but hot neighbor says is her destiny…well, it muddles her convictions, but her real concern is: does Aster want Chandra because she’s the woman he desires or because she’s Death?

“These Roots Run Deep” by Em Shotwell:
Spitfire, New Orleans weather girl, Cheyanne Murphey has everything, and that is exactly how she likes it. When she discovers evidence of her fiancé’s philandering, she refuses to let her perfectly cultivated image fall to pieces. Cheyanne has worked too hard, dragging herself up from the trailer park into New Orleans’ society, to give in without a fight…even if that means trading a year of her life in exchange for a love incantation from her ancestor’s spell book.
A skyclad, moonlit dance, a mysterious potion, and magic gone awry leave Cheyanne with a very peculiar life lesson: love can take on many forms, so be careful what you wish for.

“Destiny’s Dark Light” by Sara Dobie Bauer:
In modern day Charleston, lonely white witch Cyan Burroughs has waited her whole life to lead the battle against dark witches and eventually meet the man she is fated to love. A tragic trolley accident brings Liam Cody into her life. He is her destiny, but he’s also in love with someone else. Now, Cyan and her magic family must find the dark witch who caused the accident while Cyan fights her feelings for Liam—a charming Irishman with secrets of his own.
Magic Spark on Amazon.com --> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0776ZP5ZXOnly 2.99 or FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED!

Author Bio:
Em Shotwell is a Mississippi native turned Louisiana local who writes about misfits and the people who love them. You can visit her online at www.emshotwell.com, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/emshotwellauthor.



Character Profile Post:
If there is one constant in my writing that I have noticed, it is that I always end up writing sisters. Maybe this is because I come from a very female-centric family with two sisters of my own as well as more than a few girl cousins. I believe that the relationship between sisters is one of the most complex dynamics that exist. You can love your sister fiercely, but grow up in constant competition. The same person, your sister, who you will always protect can be the same person who drives you bonkers.
My husband grew up with brothers, and while it has its own original dynamic, I don’t find it as intricate.  He and his two brothers are straightforward. When they are mad, they are mad. When they are happy, they are happy. Their feelings are often complicated, but the relationship isn’t. No, there is no other relationship like sisterhood, which means there are many threads for this writer to tug when crafting a female sibling group. Tallulah and Delia in BLACKBIRD SUMMER are different from Milly and Francis in WORN OUT WISHES. Evelyn and her sisters in FORGET ME NOT have a very unique bond.
The oddest sisters of all, however, are my Marchland family from THESE ROOTS RUN DEEP, THIS HOLLOW HEART, and THESE RESTING BONES. They are a tangle of trust issues and defensiveness, wearing chips on their shoulders like badges of honor, and they love each other fiercely. Let’s meet them.
Cheyanne Murphey.
Cheyanne is the oldest. She over-compensates for her shaky confidence by being the best at everything—the prettiest woman in the room, the smartest at the table, and the fiercest at work.   Cheyanne has always been the protector and the leader of her sisters, a role which held over from a rough childhood on into adulthood. She has pulled herself up from the trailer park to become New Orleans’s own top weather girl, and when she finds out her fiancé may be cheating, her sisters put aside their opinions of the good-for-nothing man and do what Cheyanne asks. Of course, Cheyanne has never had an eye for detail. And if one thing is true—it is that magic requiresan eye for detail… And maybe there are more to those live oaks you see around the parks of New Orleans than meets the eye.

Marchland Murphey.
Middle sister. Soft spoken. Kind. Marchland does her best to do no harm, an easy going vegetarian who never raises her voice. But she looks outwardly to fill the dullness that plagues her heart. When tattoo artist Marchland needs help casting a spell to keep an obsessed man at bay, of course her sisters help her out. But magic knows intent and can read the message of your heart…so what happens when your heart is hollow?

Bradley Murphey.
Youngest sister. College student. Bradley does her best to slip by under the radar, never making waves, her sharp tongue and sullen nature is her defense against the world.  Poor Bradley. Killing a man in self-defense is still killing and killing is scary…scary enough to cause a witch to panic and bring a person back from the dead. There is a reason necromancy is forbidden, and Bradley soon learns that every spell has a price. And every price must be paid.

Snow Mentors for 2018

Here they are! The mentors for Team Snow. We'll plow down the competition and bury them under bulldozers of snow, leaving them unable to get up! 








The mentors will be helping the picks polish up their query letters and first pages. Here's a little something about the mentors. Please do follow them on twitter and buy their books. They work hard to help writers and deserve your thanks. Do read down to the bottom of the post for details about our mentor chat on twitter!

And visit Amy's blog to see the Sun mentors.


Monica Hoffman
Mentoring SFF



Monica M. Hoffman is a Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy author represented by Laurie McLean and Tricia Skinner of Fuse Literary. She is an active member of SCBWI, RWA, and the writing community. She is the Communications Director and a YA mentor for Brenda Drake's Pitch Wars organization. She’s a Trekkie, Dr. Who, and Star Wars fanatic, and a PC gamer when she’s not writing or reading. You can find her tweets about all things YA lit & entertaining GIFs on Twitter and Facebook.Twitter: https://twitter.com/mmhoffman14Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mmhoffmanYAauthor/Website: http://www.mmhoffmanbooks.com


Wade White
Mentoring Middle Grade





Wade hails from Nova Scotia, Canada, land of wild blueberries and Duck Tolling Retrievers. He teaches part-time, dabbles in animation, and spends the rest of his time as a stay-at-home dad. It is also possible he has set a new record as the slowest 10K runner. Ever. He owns one pretend cat and one real one, and they get along fabulously.
Website: wadealbertwhite.com 
Twitter: @wadealbertwhite





Victoria Gilbert
Mentoring Mystery/Thriller and SFF




Victoria Gilbert, raised in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, turned her early obsession with reading into a dual career as an author and librarian. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers.
Victoria is represented by Frances Black at Literary Counsel. Her Blue Ridge Library Mystery series is published by Crooked Lane Books. She has also previously published speculative fiction , both scifi and fantasy, under her Vicki L. Weavil author name.

Website/blog: http://victoriagilbertmysteries.com/
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaGilbertMysteryAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VGilbertauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/VictoriaGilbert
BUY LINKS for A MURDER FOR THE BOOKS: http://www.crookedlanebooks.com/titles/a-murder-for-the-books/







Carrie Callaghan
Mentoring Historical and SFF




Carrie Callaghan is a historical fiction writer living in Maryland with her spouse, two young children, and two ridiculous cats.  Her debut novel, A Light of Her Own, about 17th century Dutch artist Judith Leyster, is forthcoming from Amberjack Publishing in November 2018. Her short fiction has appeared in Weave Magazine, The MacGuffin, Silk Road, Floodwall, and elsewhere.  Carrie is also an editor and contributor with the Washington Independent Review of Books.  
Twitter: @carriecallaghanWebsite: www.carriecallaghan.com


Natasha Raulerson
Mentoring Romance and WF


Natasha Raulerson grew up as a tomboy hanging with the guys, getting skinned knees, and swimming in the South Florida sun.Though she’s more inclined to wear dresses now, she still prefers a good pair of chucks and comfy pair of jeans. Tattoos, Jack Daniels, and hanging at the pool are three of her favorite things. She is a wife, mom, and author. Most recently, her short story, I, Alphabet, received second place in the 86th Annual Writer's Digest Competition (Literary/Mainstream). After work, she comes home for family time and snuggles with the pups, before working on her own writing. She is represented by Laura Bradford of the Bradford Literary Agency.
Website: https://natasharaulerson.com/Twitter/Instagram: @RaulersonWritesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/NatashaRaulersonWrites




Max Wirestone
Mentoring Mystery and Thriller

Max is the author of the Dahlia Moss mystery series, and other assorted hijinx, the third of which-THE QUESTIONABLE BEHAVIOR OF DAHLIA MOSS-will hit stores in January of 2018. Max is a Query Kombat alum with a penchant for zippy query letters, expansive JRPGs, and overcommitting his schedule. Check out his website at maxwirestone.com or follow him on twitter at @maxwires.
Also check out THE UNFORTUNATE DECISIONS OF DAHLIA MOSS and THE ASTONISHING MISTAKES OF DAHLIA MOSS today.





Kelly deVos
Mentoring Contemporary





A third generation native Arizonan, Kelly deVos can tell you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about cactus, cattle and climate. She holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Arizona State University. Kelly is represented by Kathleen Rushall of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Her debut novel, FAT GIRL ON A PLANE, will be published on 6/5/18 by Harlequin Teen and her work has been featured in Normal Noise and 202 Magazine.
Web: www.kellydevos.usTwitter: KdeVosAuthorFacebook: Kelly deVosInstagram: Kelly deVosTumblr: Kelly deVos AuthorGoodreads: Kelly deVos




Marty MayberryMentoring Every Genre





Marty Mayberry writes adult and young adult fiction. When she’s not dreaming up ways to mess with her character’s lives, she works as an RN/Clinical Documentation Specialist. She has a BA in International Affairs in German and an Associate’s Degree in Nursing. She lives in New England with her retired Seabee Chief husband, children, a spunky Yorkie puppy, and three neurotic cats. She’s a member of SCBWI, YARWA, and a PRO member of RWA.
Her young adult sci-fi thriller, PHOENIX RISING, won the YARWA’s Rosemary Award for speculative fiction  in ’15 & her UF won second place in the ’17 New Adult Rosemary Award.
She’s represented by Jessica Watterson of the Dijkstra Agency.
Twitter: @marty_mayberryWebsite: http://martymayberry.com/




Kim LongMentoring Middle Grade




Kim Long is an attorney in the Chicagoland area, where she spends her days expressing her clients’ (always true) stories to judges and juries. She writes MG contemporary fantasy that contain a sprinkle of science and is represented by Sara Crowe at Pippin Properties. When not managing her fantasy baseball and football teams, she can be found biking, watching Star Wars for the zillionth time, or teaching her nieces about the importance of choosing the correct racer (Toad) and vehicle (standard bike) to win in Mario Kart.
kimlongwriteshere.blogspot.com@theSol23




Now for the mentor chat!

We will be having a Mentor Chat with two sessions on January 18th at 4:00 pm EST and 8:00 pm EST. You can visit the Mentor Chat on twitter and pick the brains of these experienced writers along with the hosts. Feel free to ask questions about genre and word count or writing in general. Ask about their experience on submission or once they were published. See what they think makes for an enticing first page or what belongs in a query.

We will be using the hashtag #svschat. Can't wait to see you all there. And the agent post will be coming soon!  Until then immerse yourself in snow!