Michelle Hauck's Blog, page 4

Finalists for Fall Fiction Fest 2018

The entry pile is a daunting task. It's a hard task to limit ourselves to twelve with so much wonderful available. I know the last word anyone wants to hear is 'subjective', but that's truly the best word to describe how we have to approach slush with so many contenders.


Happily, we had moved from ten to twelve thanks to so many writers letting their voices be heard on election day! 





Because this contest is all about having fun, I'd like to do a team name. Something that fits the contest. Only I came up with so many ideas that I can't decide. I'm letting the twitter poll decide.  Saucy Cranberries. Thankful Turkeys. Or Kick-Ass Boots Writing (Because I love boots). To be updated! 













Now my picks in category order:


MG:

Faking It: A Recipe for Disaster, Contemporary
Jo Rivetti and the Missing Math Teacher, Mystery
Undercurrents, Spec Fiction



YA:

Project YGGDRASIL, Science Fiction
Written in the Stars, Space Opera
We Could Be, Contemporary
The Secrets That Divide Us, Mystery
Pandora Reborn, Fantasy



Adult:

About a Golem, Paranormal Romance
Mothball Magic, Cont Fantasy
Flight Club, Women's Fiction
The Defender and the Thief, Fantasy


Thank you everyone and be sure to check Marty's blog and Amy's Blog for their picks.





Keep an eye on your inbox. Mentors will be contacting you through the email you used to enter the contest. If that's not your actual email because a friend mailed yours in, you'd better let us know. Each entry will get one mentor assigned to them. 
Please return your revised entry using the same format to the contest email by 11:00 am Eastern time on November 24th. If you are finished early, please send early. We are counting on that time to swat down unruly formatting and create the posts before the agent round. Please do not be late. We will go live without you.
The agent round will start on November 25th and last three days!

Time to Twitter Party for Fall Fiction Fest

Announcing the Fall Fiction Fest Twitter Party!


Waiting may be the toughest part of publishing, and we hate that you’ll have to wait to find out who got into Fall Fiction Fest. 

To help the time skip by, let’s keep the #FallFest lively.








Here are the party topics (Don’t forget to use the hashtag #FallFest!):

October 31: Shout out the genre and age category you're sending. Shout out if you got in.
November 1: Tell us the first line of your MS
November 2: What’s your main character’s favorite movie, and why?
November 3: Any animals in your MS? If so, what kind and what is/are their names?
November 4: Is this your first MS or…?
November 5: How many povs are there in your MS, and why did you choose that number?
November 6: Is your book in first person, second or third? Past or present?
Plus VOTE and tweet a picture and maybe increase the picks from 30 to 33 or even 36 finalists! 

November 7: When did you know you HAD to be a writer?
November 8: Tell us a little about your villain (if you have one)
November 9: What’s your main character’s favorite color and why?
November 10: What’s your favorite line from your MS?
November 11: Sun or snow (in memory of the older contest). Which would your MC prefer and why?
November 12: Tell us why you decided to write the story you entered.
November 13: What’s your most troublesome crutch word?
November 14: If your MC was going on a dream vacation, where would they go?
November 15: What’s your MC’s zodiac sign?
November 16: If you MC could have one wish fulfilled, what would it be?
November 17: Coffee or tea or neither?
November 18: Is your MC into sports? If so, which ones? Any favorite team?
November 19: Picks are announced! Final tweet party topic: What pumpkin spice is in your MS?

Instructions for Entering Fall Fiction Fest

The submission window for Fall Fiction Fest opens tomorrow, October 31st, at 4:00 pm EST! 

The instructions and rules for entry are below.

No need to rush. We will be open for 24 hours. That's right, submissions can be sent on Halloween or All Saints Day, depending on whether you're feeling saintly or slightly more evil. 

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. 

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. If you entered Pitchwars and didn't get a mentor, we welcome you. 



Though we love picture books, Michelle holds special contests just for them. We do accept all MG, YA, NA and Adult genres, excluding erotica. We'd like you to be followers of our blogs. Click the “follow” button on my blog. You can find Amy's blog here and Marty's blog here. If following our blogs doesn't work, follow us on twitter or sign up for our newsletters instead. Don't sweat this. Do your best.  



The Format:
Send submission to Sunversussnow (at) yahoo (dot) com. (Yep, we're recycling the address.) 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: Fall Fest: TITLE, Age Category + Genre(example: Fall Fest: 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.)

How Did You Fall for Writing: (Share your origin story in 100 words or less.) My husband dared me that I couldn't write a book. And--ta-da--I could!
Query:
Query goes here! Include greeting and main paragraphs. You may include bio, closing, but not the word count + genre. We already have that. 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 or otherwise has diversity up in the genre line and in the query. 
Remember a query has several paragraphs with spaces. 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 on Halloween. Good luck!



Now for the fun stuff!
Watch on Wednesday for our Twitter Party!  We'll have a list of daily topics to talk about on twitter under #FallFest.
Also join us for a very special party on November 6th! That's when we'll try to get 100 voters to give us shout outs and blow this contest wide open! 
And you can scroll down on this blog to see the posts about mentors, agents, and all the dates of Fall Fiction Fest, as well as our special November 6th bonus opportunity. 

My Big Fat Pompeii Romance

I can't tell you how delighted I am to see this as a book. This... THIS was one of my first picks in one of my first contests ever!  Such a long time ago.  Over six years now.  But please check out this fun romance. 






Legally Blonde meets Gladiator in this Romantic Comedy with a historical twist. Twenty-first century goddess Pandia is shaking in her Jimmy Choos. A few weeks ago, the NYC socialite traveled back in time, where she suggested Julius Caesar abandon politics for gardening. Her father, Zeus, summons her to present-day Olympus after he discovers her meddling eliminated the month of July. To teach her the importance of fate, he strips Pandia’s goddess powers and sentences her to a stint of mortality in ancient Pompeii. Pandia refuses to let her punishment get her down. She’ll do her time, leave destinies untouched, and be home in time for her next shift at the local animal shelter. Instead, she’s mistaken for a prostitute and arrested for inciting a riot. Sentenced to serve as a massage therapist in Pompeii’s gladiator school, she’s assigned to Caladus, a gladiator whose washboard abs test her vow to remain uninvolved. To escape Pompeii, Pandia must prove she respects mortals’ fates. But she’s falling for Caladus, and her time’s running out: Mt. Vesuvius is rumbling.
MY BIG FAT POMPEII ROMANCE is a full-length romantic comedy with a guaranteed happy ending.

Christina Wilder writes books featuring cocky-beta heroes (is that a thing?) and kick-ass heroines who find love together in strange and exotic places. She lives in the wilds of New England, where turkeys and deer on the front lawn are a regular thing. She's a member of RWA.
Preorder on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JK2YQ6W/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
Twitter: @LaneyKChristinaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/laneykaye.christinawilder

Mentors for Fall Fiction Fest

I know you'll want to get to know the mentors who will be helping the finalists perfect their query letter and first 250 words. But first a few dates for Fall Fiction Fest:




Submission Window Opens: October 31st for 24 hours. Time TBD. 
Final Picks are Announced: November 19th
Mentors Go to Work: November 19th - 25th
Revised Entries Due Back: October 25th at noon. Sooner if possible.
Agent round: November 26 - 28 

A third of the list of amazing mentors is here. To see the other parts of the list, visit Amy's list and Marty's list. Some of the mentors have been helping in contests for ages and some are brand new. Please give all of them a big welcome!

Also please find the agents here and the announcement here. 




Laura Heffernan





Laura Heffernan is the author of the Reality Star series (available now) and the upcoming Gamer Girls series (2019). When not watching total strangers get married, drag racing queens, or cooking competitions, Laura enjoys travel, baking, board games, and new experiences. She lives in the northeast with her husband and two furry little beasts.Some of Laura’s favorite things include goat cheese, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Battlestar Galactica, the Oxford comma, and ice cream. Not all together. The best place to find her is usually on Twitter, where she spends far too much time tweeting about writing, Canadian chocolate, board games and reality TV.Website: www.lauraheffernan.comAmazon: http://amzn.to/2iqpntlTwitter: www.twitter.com/lh_writesFacebook: www.facebook.com/lauraheffernanbooksInstagram: www.instagram.com/lauraheffernanbooksBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/laura-heffernan


Kim Long


Kim Long loves to write stories with a sense of adventure, a dash of magic, and a hint of science. She wrote her first book at age 10, where she combined the best parts of her favorite Choose Your Own Adventures into a single story. (Cave of Time at Chimney Rock in the Bermuda Triangle.) When not writing, she loves playing board games, watching Star Wars movies, and riding her bike along Illinois’ many trails. Her debut novel, Lexi Magill and the Teleportation Tournament, will be released in Fall 2019 by Running Press Kids.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KimLongMGWebsite: https://kimlongauthor.com/Goodreads: 


Lisa Leoni




Lisa Leoni writes contemporary romance and constantly dreams of her next Scotland trip (her book ideas have to come from somewhere). When not working as a PR pro at a university, she serves as president of Oregon's Rose City Romance Writers RWA chapter, produces the social media for authors podcast Social Media Deconstructed, manages an Instagram account for her two ginger cats, and balances her adoration of love stories with procedural crime drama binges. Lisa was a 2017 Pitch Wars mentee and is represented by Michelle Richter of Fuse Literary.
Instagram: https://instagram.com/lisaleoniwritesFacebook: https://facebook.com/lisaleoniwritesTwitter: https://twitter.com/lisaleoniWebsite: https://lisaleoni.com


Kelly DeVos

Kelly deVos is from Gilbert, Arizona, where she lives with her high school sweetheart husband, amazing teen daughter and superhero dog, Cocoa. She holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Arizona State University. When not reading or writing, Kelly can typically be found with a mocha in hand, bingeing the latest TV shows and adding to her ever-growing sticker collection.
Kelly is represented by Kathleen Rushall of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency and her work has been featured in the New York Times as well as on Vulture, Salon, Bustle and SheKnows. Her debut novel, Fat Girl on a Plane, named one of the “50 Best Summer Reads of All Time” by Reader’s Digest magazine, is available now from HarperCollins. Her second book, Day Zero, is coming in 2019 from Inkyard Press/HarperCollins.
Website:  http://www.kellydevos.us
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KdeVosAuthor
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kellydevos/ Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15236443.Kelly_deVos Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellydevosbooks/

Wendy Trimboli and Alicia Zaloga (co-writers)




Wendy Trimboli grew up in England, Germany and the United States, and learned to speak two languages well enough that most people can understand her. Determined to ignore her preference for liberal arts, she attended the US Air Force Academy then worked as an intelligence officer, which was less exciting than it sounds. These days she has a creative writing MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and lives in Colorado with her family, border collie, and far too many books.


Alicia Zaloga grew up in Virginia Beach not liking the beach, and now moves every few years, sometimes to places near beaches. She has a writing degree from Columbia College Chicago, and when she’s not dealing with life’s chores, she collects hobbies: plucking the E string on the bass, producing an alarming number of artistic doodles, and French beading floral bouquets.
Blog:  www.thispeculiar.comhttps://twitter.com/alicia_zaloga https://twitter.com/Bookish_Wendy


Tracy Townsend



Tracy Townsend is the author of The Nine (Pyr, Nov. 2017) and The Fall (Pyr, Jan. 2019), the first two books in the Thieves of Fate fantasy series. She holds a master's degree in writing and rhetoric from DePaul University and a bachelor's degree in creative writing from DePauw University, a source of regular consternation when proofreading her credentials. She teaches creative writing and science fiction and fantasy literature at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, an elite public boarding school, and is a regular columnist for the feminist science fiction magazine Luna Station Quarterly. She has been a martial arts instructor, a stage combat and accent coach, and a short-order cook for houses full of tired gamers. Today, she lives in Bolingbrook, Illinois with two bumptious hounds, two remarkable children, and one very patient husband.
Website: https://www.tracytownsend.net/Twitter: https://twitter.com/TracyATownsendFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tracy.townsend.980

Elizabeth Chatsworth

Elizabeth Chatsworth is a British author and actor (SAG-AFTRA) based in Connecticut. She creates voice-overs for commercials, videos, and computer games. If there's an elf, a witch, or an aristocrat in a video game, it might be her!Writing is Elizabeth’s passion. Represented by Natalie Grazian of Martin Literary Management, she’s a Pitch Wars alumna, a member of the RWA (PRO), and the Authors Guild. Her award-winning alternate history romcom THE BRASS QUEEN became a 2018 RWA® Golden Heart® finalist in the Mainstream Fiction category. Her sci-fi novelette “Ten Minutes After Teatime” is included in the Amazon bestseller When to Now: A Time Travel Anthology.To be the first to receive exclusive news and giveaways, you can subscribe to Elizabeth's newsletter. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and via her website www.elizabethchatsworth.com. 



Jenny Elder Moke



Jenny Elder Moke writes young adult fiction in an attempt to recapture the shining infinity of youth. Her debut novel, HOOD, about the daughter of Robin Hood and Maid Marien, will release from Disney/Hyperion in Spring 2020. When she is not writing, she’s gathering story ideas from her daily adventures with her two irredeemable rapscallions and honing her ninja skills as a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Jenny lives in Austin, TX with her husband and two children.Twitter: @jennyelder
Insta: @jennyeldermoke
Website: jennyeldermoke.comGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40245061-hood?from_search=true

Fall Fiction Fest Bonus!

So Amy, Marty and I are strong believers in voting. Now more than ever, we think everyone should educate themselves on the issues important to you. And it's all our duties to let our voices be heard by voting!

No matter whether you stand on the left or right. Voting is crucial to our democracy. 

We want to encourage that to happen. And here we have a contest going and the means to provide some incentive. 

To that end, Amy, Marty and I are willing to add an extra pick to our finalists. That's right! Instead of ten each, we'll each pick 11 entries to get a mentor and go before the agents! All we need is proof that you care about voting too.

So on November 6, tweet at us with pictures of your voting journey. It can be you and your I voted sticker. You in the car on your way to the polls or driving others. You with yard signs. You putting your absentee ballot in the mail. An image of the line you had to wait in. You pushing your adult kids and husband/wife into the voting booth--just kidding--I don't think pictures are allowed inside polling places. We don't want you breaking the laws.

Please don't share who you voted for. That's private. Yes we have opinions, but we are not trying to influence you. And we don't want that as part of the contest. We just want you to vote. The rest of that decision is up to you.  

To sum up: Share some kind of photo proof that you filled out a ballot or pulled a lever. Don't forget to include #FallFest in your tweet and send it out on November 6th. 

If we get over 100 of these, then we will add the extra three picks. And to add extra incentive, I want my eleventh pick to come from among the writers who participated. I'll be looking exclusively among the people who tweeted that they voted to find my last pick. 

So get registered if there's still time in your state. 

If you're from another country or too young, or not allowed to vote, we haven't forgotten you. Encourage others to vote on the #FallFest hashtag and that will count! Say why you think voting is important.

Hopefully our efforts will go viral and move more than just writers. And if we get over 200 responses, Marty, Amy and I will be convinced to move our numbers to 12 picks each! 

Mark your calendars! Let's vote! 

Fall Fiction Fest Agents 2018

Time to rake in the agents! We have 15 agents joining us for this improvised contest. Some are new. Some are established. All are looking to make requests. To everyone entering this year, best of luck! The Slush Pile is going to be SUPER competitive.



Only a third of the agent list is here. You can find the rest of the agents listed on Marty and Amy's blogs. 
Mentors will be revealed next week and they will be followed by instructions to enter.  This is not a twitter pitch event but an online contest where you will email your entry. For the announcement post, go here. Remember that submission starts on October 31st! 



Clelia Gore, Martin Literary Management


It was when Clelia first read Charlotte’s Web in the first grade that she got hooked by the magic of books. Her love of children’s books carried through adulthood and she is delighted to dedicate her life to bringing quality books and stories to young (and whimsical adult!) readers. 
Clelia is originally from the suburbs of New York City. She has a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Boston College. She received her J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law and practiced law as a corporate litigator in New York City. 
In 2011, she decided to dedicate her career to books and reentered graduate school at Emerson College, where she received a master’s degree in Publishing and Writing. While she was studying publishing and taking creative writing courses at Emerson, Clelia gained firsthand experience in the publishing industry working in the children’s book division at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and in academic books at Oxford University Press.  She also taught academic writing and research courses to freshman students as a graduate student faculty member at Emerson College. 
Clelia attends writing and publishing conferences. She also sits on the board of directors for Poetry Northwestmagazine. In 2017, she was named one of Publisher’s Weekly Star Watch honorees.
Clelia acquires picture book, middle grade and young adult books. She is particularly interested in developing her nonfiction clientele. With apologies, Clelia is no longer accepting new adult fiction queries at this time.
To find out more about Clelia, check out her blog at www.cleliagore.com. She also tweets tips, news and musings related to writing and publishing at @MadmoiselleClel.




Jennifer March Soloway, Andrea Brown Literary Agency

Jennifer represents authors and illustrators of picture book, middle grade, and YA stories, and is actively building her list. Although she specializes in children’s literature, she also represents adult fiction, both literary and commercial, particularly crime, suspense, and horror projects.
​
For picture books, she is drawn to a wide range of stories from silly to sweet, but she always appreciates a strong dose of humor and some kind of surprise at the end. When it comes to middle grade, she likes all kinds of genres, including adventures, mysteries, spooky-but-not-too-scary ghost stories, humor, realistic contemporary, and fantasy.

YA is Jennifer’s sweet spot. She is a suspense junkie. She adores action-packed thrillers full of unexpected twists. Throw in a dash of romance, and she’s hooked! She’s a sucker for conspiracy plots where anyone might be a double agent, even the kid next door. She is a huge fan of psychological horror that blurs the lines between the real and the imagined. But as much as she loves a good thriller, she finds her favorite novels are literary stories about ordinary teens, especially those focused on family, relationships, sexuality, mental illness, or addiction. In such stories, she is particularly drawn to a close, confiding first-person narrative. Regardless of genre, she is actively seeking fresh new voices and perspectives underrepresented in literature.
 
That’s her wish list, but the truth is an author might have something she has never considered before, and it might be absolutely perfect for her. She is open to any good story that is well written with a strong, authentic voice. Surprise her!
 
Prior to joining ABLA, Jennifer worked in marketing and public relations in a variety of industries, including financial services, health care, and toys. She has an MFA in English and Creative Writing from Mills College, and was a fellow at the San Francisco Writer’s Grotto in 2012. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, their two sons, and an English bulldog.
 
Jennifer regularly presents at writing conferences all over the country, including the San Francisco Writers Conference, the Northern Colorado Writers Conference, and regional SCBWI conferences.
 
For her latest conference schedule, craft tips and more, follow Jennifer on Twitter (@marchsoloway).




Lisa Abellera, Kimberly Cameron & Associates


Lisa Abellera joined Kimberley Cameron and Associates in 2013 with a background in management, marketing, and finance. She has studied creative writing, design and business, earning her B.A. in Strategic Management from Dominican University of CA and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from University of San Francisco.Lisa responds to well-crafted prose with strong hooks and high personal stakes, idiosyncratic and sympathetic characters, a tangible sense of place and lush world-building, multicultural aspects and international settings, page-turning twists, and emotionally-immersive fiction that explores the human condition, especially within family and close relationships.She is seeking to represent upmarket and literary fiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, literary horror, most speculative fiction except paranormal fantasy (no demons, angels, vampires, zombies, werewolves, etc.), romance if an element or part of another genre, and all YA and middle grade fiction genres. She is especially looking for stories by #ownvoices authors and writers from marginalized or underrepresented backgrounds.Lisa does not represent nonfiction (this includes memoir), novellas, short story or poetry collections, picture books, early readers, chapter books, screenplays or other works of drama, nor does she represent self-published or previously published books. Twitter @LisaAbellera. 

Christa Heschke, McIntosh and Otis CHRISTA HESCHKE graduated from Binghamton University with a major in English and a minor in Anthropology. She started in publishing as an intern at both Writers House and Sterling Lord Literistic, where she fell in love with the agency side of publishing. Christa has been at McIntosh and Otis, Inc. in the Children's Literature Department since 2009 where she is actively acquiring for all age groups in children’s.For YA, she is especially interested in contemporary, thriller/mystery, fantasy and horror. She looks for a compelling voice and a strong hook that will set a YA novel apart in the flooded market. She is open to all types of middle grade and especially enjoys adventure, mystery, and magical realism. For both YA and MG, she is interested in unique settings and cultural influences, interesting structure, complicated romances, diverse characters, sister or friendship-centric stories, and stories that feature artists of any kind. In picture books she is drawn to cute, funny stories (as opposed to sweet and quiet) that will grab kids as well as the occasional nonfiction biography on a subject whose story has yet to be told.Christa is not looking for any Adult fiction or non-fiction, paranormal or dystopian at this time.Twitter @ChristaHeschke


Laura Crockett, Triada US 

​
In YA, she is interested in contemporary realistic fiction (such as study abroad experiences, strong female friendships, falling in love, mental health, diversity, LGBTQ) and fantasy (particularly with excellent world-building, authentic characterization, fantasy inspired by fairytales and other cultures' mythology, and historical fantasy). Some favorite titles include Fangirl, The Lie Tree, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, All the Bright Places, Shadowfell, When We Collided, Anna and the French Kiss, A Shadow Bright and Burning,The Star-Touched Queen, and The Winner's Curse.

In adult fiction, she is interested in contemporary women's fiction (heartfelt, juicy moral dilemmas, historical bends with parallel narratives), humorous chick-lit (especially if it's millennial-driven), and fantasy (excellent world-building, authentic characterization, fantasy inspired by fairytales and other cultures' mythology, and historical fantasy). Some favorite titles include The Night Circus, Outlander, The Queen of Blood, Daughter of the Forest, The Winter Witch, The Hating Game, and authors like Jodi Picoult, Kate Morton, Gayle Forman, and Sophie Kinsella. Twitter @LECrockett

Cat Shifters of Aaidar

Can an alien shifter and a human find a way to be together on a planet torn apart by war?

Guns, fangs and claws for hire, Herc's the alpha of a big cat shifter mercenary team, fighting for the Regime. When nurse Maya tends his wounds, her touch on his near-naked body triggers the first phase of an impossible bondmate.

There's no way in all seven hells Herc will bond with a puny human--despite her alluring curves and feisty attitude. He's not going to kiss her, so bond two, the meshing of their hearts, will never happen. And sex is totally off the table - or the bed, or any other damned place. So bond three, the irrevocable joining of their souls, isn't a concern...as long as he never sees her again.

A Resistance fighter, Maya infiltrated the Regime to save her captured sister. Her slash-and-burn plan doesn't include bonding with a sexy mercenary shifter who's hunting her people into extinction. But when her secret identity's revealed, she flees into the desert with Regime soldiers--and a determined Herc--hot on her heels.

If he catches Maya, Herc faces a lifetime on the run from the Regime. But giving in to her heart's desire will bond Maya to her enemy.

CAT SHIFTERS OF AAIDAR: ESCAPE is book one in a four-book series. Look for book 2, ENGAGE, coming October 12, ENSNARE in December, and ENDINGS, in January 2020.

CAT SHIFTERS, Book 1CAT SHIFTERS, Book 2


Laney Kaye & Christina Wilder co-write steamy shifter romance featuring alpha men and kick-ass women who find their happily-ever-after on distant, alien worlds. 
Look for upcoming titles released individually, including:
MY BIG FAT GREEK ROMANCE, Legally Blondemeets Gladiator in a humorous time travel romance set in ancient Pompeii, November, 2018, by Christina Wilder
THE LURE OF THE MER, by Laney Kaye, coming Spring '19 from The Wild Rose Press
TWITTERFacebookWebsiteInstagram

Announcing Fall Fiction Fest

Who is ready for something new this fall? This year because of the many changes in the contest world, we have had to rethink Nightmare On Query Street and Sun versus Snow. As we didn't want to let these amazing contests (who have many years of success) go, Michelle Hauck, Marty Mayberry, and Amy Trueblood have come with a brand new fall contest called, FALL FICTION FEST!





Like past contests, this will be a query plus first 250 words event. We will open a contest window for twenty-four hours and accept entries that meet the contest requirements and guidelines. Once all entries have been received, Michelle, Marty, and Amy will review the entries and make ten selections each. After these thirty selections are announced, the writers will be paired with seasoned mentors who will help them polish their materials for the agent round. Currently there are ten agents on board with hopefully more committing soon!

The agent round will be open for a full three days and will allow the participating agents to travel between our three blogs and make requests based on what they represent. To keep a bit of fun (and tradition) in the contest, we will continue having the agents request in a fall-flavored way. Like "Add an extra marshmallow to my hot cocoa and send me the full!" 

As always once the agent request period is over, we will direct the participants on how to send in their requested materials.

Now for the guidelines and rules…

1) Entries can be Adult, New Adult, Young Adult, or Middle Grade. All genres (excluding erotica)
2) Entries must be for a completed and polished manuscript (please check word count guidelines to make sure your entry qualifies!)

Some great online posts to check out:


Agent Jennifer Laughran's Word Count Dracula
Writer's Digest Guide to Word Count
3) The entry cannot have been part of an agent round in a contest for the last three months. This does not include twitter pitch events. 

Important dates:

October 31: Submission window opens (will be open for 24 hours)
November 19: Selected 30 entries announced
November 20- 25: Mentors work with entries
November 26-28: Agent round

As we get closer to the submission window on October 31, we will post full details on submission guidelines and entry rules. Follow along at #FallFest. 

Query Questions with Lynnette Novak

Writers have copious amounts of imagination. It's what makes their stories so fantastic. But there's a darker side to so much out of the box thinking. When a writer is in the query trenches, their worries go into overdrive. They start pulling out their hair and imagine every possible disaster.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a series called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and other writing sites. They are the type of questions that you need answers from the real expert--agents!
Welcome to Lynnette Novak of the Seymour Agency. I got to know Lynnette first as a Pitchwars mentor, and now as an agent she helps support contests for writers. Make sure to follow her on twitter where she shares some very insightful tips about writing and querying. @Lynnette_Novak
Is there a better or worse time of year to query?No. I’m pretty much open all year, but during holidays, my reply time might increase slightly.
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?Having a strong query definitely helps, but as long as I’m interested in the premise, I’ll take a look at the pages.
How open are you to writers who have never been published? I’m equally open to unpublished and published authors. It’s the writing that has to hook me, not the bio.
The dreaded rhetorical question in a query. Are they as taboo as the rumors say?Using rhetorical questions in a query isn’t necessarily taboo, but I’d say it’s risky. I won’t stop reading if I come across a rhetorical question, but there are definitely better ways to present a query. This is a very competitive industry. Write the strongest query possible to give your writing the best chance at hooking an agent or editor.
How important are comp titles? Is it something you want to see in a query? Are movie/tv reference okay as comp titles? Comp titles can be tricky. If you can’t find good comps, don’t fake it. I’d rather you didn’t use a comp at all than to use something that isn’t relevant. If you do use comps, make sure they’re well known and fairly recent (unless it’s something timeless like Stephen King’s IT or HARRY POTTER.) I’m totally fine with movie and TV comps, but I’m also okay with not using comps at all.
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter or would you rather hear about the manuscript? I don’t mind chitchat, especially if we’ve met or you’ve done some research about me and want to let me know we share similar interests (like animals). There’s no need to say you queried me because I represent your genre. That’s kind of a given. I hope! But, if you would rather add something like that to “break the ice,” that’s fine too. I’m not too picky about this kind of thing, UNLESS the personalized message is clearly something that was supposed to be for another agent. For example, I had an author tell me that we met at such-an-such a conference. Interesting, because I’d never been to that conference. Sometimes, writers will quote something I wrote on Twitter or on the #MSWL. That’s okay, as long as it’s actually what I wrote. I’ve had authors quote other agents and say it was my quote. Ah, no. I would remember that. LOL I don’t think these authors are trying to pull one over on me. I think they just weren’t careful enough when copying and pasting their query to ensure they changed the personalized bits from the previous query. Is that a game-changer? No, but it doesn’t impress me either. So, if I’m on the fence about a project, the fact that the author didn’t pay attention to details might push me to reject.
How many queries do you receive in a week? How many requests might you make out of those?My queries are all over the place. I might get 10-20 a day and then I’ll post something on Twitter, on the #MSWL, or I’ll participate in a Twitter pitch party, and all of a sudden, I’ll get 50 or more in one day. I haven’t kept track of how many requests I make from my slush pile, but I can say that during #SavvyWriterCon, I received 336 pitches and I requested 35, so about 10%.
How do you feel about writers nudging on full/partial requests? At what point is it appropriate?  Our agency guidelines are that if a writer doesn’t hear back on a query after three weeks, it’s a pass on that project. The author can then query someone else in the agency or query the same agent with another project. Please don’t nudge on queries. I periodically post updates on Twitter to let everyone know where I am with my slush and reading piles, so keep an eye on my feed. With partials and fulls, if you don’t hear back from me within nine weeks (unless otherwise stated when I received your project), it’s okay to send a gentle nudge. However, a nudge won’t make me read any faster and won’t move your story to the top of my pile, UNLESS you have an offer of representation or an offer of publication. At that point, I want to know ASAP so I can have enough time to read and consider the project before your deadline.
When a writer nudges with an offer, what length of time is helpful to give you enough time to consider? A week? Two weeks? It depends on the time of year. If it’s around a holiday, two weeks is nice. One week is the minimum, though. If an agent makes you give a shorter deadline, he/she isn’t doing you a favor. Many agents won’t be able to drop everything and read in a few days, so they’ll simply pass. Most of the time, a week is fair, though.
Many agents say they don't care if writers are active online. Could a twitter account or blog presence by a writer tip the scales in getting a request or offer? And do you require writers you sign to start one? You don’t need to be active online to get me to offer, but I will hesitate to offer if you aren’t open to starting a social media presence ASAP. Publishers look at an author’s social media presence, so an author who isn’t online is putting him/herself at a disadvantage.
If a writer makes changes to their manuscript due to feedback should they resend the query or only if material was requested? Does it make a difference if the changes are from an R&R with another agent? Good question. If you sent me your query and first five pages and didn’t hear back from me, it means I rejected that project. If you then revise the query and the first five pages, to the point that I will barely recognize it as the same project, I’ll take another look. But, it really has to be a dramatic change or it’ll be another rejection. If I rejected your partial or full, and you SUBSTANTIALLY reworked the MS, query me again, and I’ll decide if I want to take another look. Let me know that you’ve done MAJOR revisions. I’m not talking about copyediting. I’d look for changes in the plot, pacing, and characterization. If I only read the partial, and your changes come after that, my answer would be the same, so I wouldn’t recommend querying me again with that project. I need to see that huge changes were made. If that’s not the case, try me with a different project instead.
What themes are you sick of seeing? Nothing, really. It’s all about execution, voice, and how you make the theme feel unique.
Do you look at trends or editor wishlists when deciding to sign a manuscript? I’m aware of the market and editor wish lists, and that will help me when I take the project out on sub, but I don’t use that when deciding which project I want to represent. I follow my heart for that. J
Do you consider yourself a hands-on, editorial type of agent? Does a manuscript have to be sub-ready or will you sign stories that need work? I’m very editorial. With my background, how can I not be editorial, right? Of course, I’d prefer a clean, polished manuscript that’s ready to go, but I won’t shy away from something that needs work. However, I wouldn’t recommend sending me a first draft or something that hasn’t been critiqued by other writers, not just family and friends. An agent, even an editorial agent, should never replace a critique group. Our number one job is to sell your book, not edit it. That’s a bonus. J
What is your biggest query pet peeve? Is there anything that automatically sinks a query for you? Queries that talk more about the author aren’t helpful. Queries without sample pages make it difficult for me to know what your writing is like. Queries that don’t tell me enough about the story, queries that reveal too much, and queries that have too many world or character details probably won’t hook me. It’s also a turn off if you come across as pessimistic, disrespectful, entitled, bossy, or knowing it all.
What three things are at the top of your submission wish list? Three? Why only three??? *cries* I recently opened to MG projects, so I’d love pretty much anything in MG. I love diversity (authors and characters) and #ownvoices. I’m also looking for quite a bit in YA and adult fiction. See my pinned Twitter post for deets.
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes? This is TOUGH… In no particular order… (And I know I’m forgetting a BUNCH…)
Adult:PRINCE OF THORNS – Mark LawrenceTHE COURT OF BROKEN KNIVES – Anna Smith SparkTIME’S UP – Jamey MackDARK MATTER – Blake CrouchSTILLHOUSE LAKE – Rachel CaineTHE WIDOW – Fiona BartonDARK LOVER – J.D. Ward
YA:THRONE OF GLASS – Sarah J. MaasTHE YOUNG ELITES – Marie LuCINDER – Marissa MeyerDOROTHY MUST DIE – Danielle PaigeCHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE – Tomi AdeymiRED QUEEN – Victoria AveyardANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD – Kendare BlakeGONE TOO FAR – Natalie D. Richards
MG:THE THICKETY – J. A. WhiteEMILY WINDSNAP – Liz KesslerKINGDOM KEEPERS – Ridley PearsonSUDDENLY SUPERNATURAL – Elizabeth Cody KimmelUPSIDE DOWN MAGIC – Mlynowski, Myracle, and JenkinsHARRY POTTER – J.K. Rowling

Thanks for having me, Michelle. I had a blast!!!

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.
In adult fiction, Lynnette is interested in acquiring: thrillers, psychological suspense, fantasy, sci-fi, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, and mysteries (traditional, amateur sleuth, and cozy). In young adult fiction, she is looking for: thrillers, psychological suspense, horror, mysteries, sci-fi, fantasy, historical, and contemporary.  In middle grade fiction: fantasy, sci-fi, action/adventure, mystery, contemporary, horror, and humor.