Michelle Hauck's Blog, page 57

Cover Reveal for RIPPER

BOOK TITLE: Ripper (The Morphid Chronicles #2)
AUTHOR: Ingrid Seymour
GENRE: YA Urban Fantasy




As Sam and Greg struggle to grow their relationship, she is haunted by memories of Ashby, her Morphid soul mate, and burning questions of the identity of her real parents. As if that wasn't enough, her untried Morphid instincts fill her with doubt and indecision, taking her once simple life in directions she never could have imagined.

When Greg's Keeper sense foretells danger, however, they abandon all dreams of normalcy and find no other choice but to flee. Armed with nothing but their Morphid skills, Sam sets their course toward New York City, a place that calls to her deeper instincts. As her Keeper, Greg must follow but knows danger awaits.

Thus begins a quest that will test their bond and may spell the end of all they hold dear. It's only a matter of time before Regent Danata and chaos storm into their lives again.



Ingrid Seymour is the author of IGNITE THE SHADOWS (Harper Voyager, April 23rd, 2015). When she’s not writing books, she spends her time working as a software engineer, cooking exotic recipes, hanging out with her family and working out. She writes young adult and new adult fiction in a variety of genres, including Sci-Fi, urban fantasy, romance, paranormal and horror.

Her favorite outings involve a trip to the library or bookstore where she immediately gravitates toward the YA section. She’s an avid reader and fangirl of many amazing books. She is a dreamer and a fighter who believes perseverance and hard work can make dreams come true.

This Happened Today

So I'm very excited to say that Rockstar Book Tours is holding a cover reveal for me on October 15th. *Squeal!* And that happens also to be the submission day for Nightmare on Query Street, which is just an awesome coincidence!

I want to give a big hug of thanks to Rockstar Book Tours and Jaime for hosting my new cover.

If you need something for your blog on October 15th and would like to help host GRUDGING, sign up here: http://www.rockstarbooktours.com/2015/10/grudging-birth-of-saints-book-one-by.html

I believe there will be some giveaways!

Thanks so much!

Book Blogger Conversation with Amber

I'm excited to start a new series of posts with a group that is under appreciated--book bloggers!

Book bloggers are obviously so important to authors. They give consistent reviews. They open their blogs to us. They are readers and fans! I think we should honor them more.

So this series of interviews was born! Hopefully it will help authors find bloggers and give everyone else a better appreciation of them.

We have a young blogger today and that's exactly the sort of opinion YA authors are seeking. They want to know what their actual audience thinks of their books. Thanks for your time, Amber. 


What types of books do you review?
I review YA, and my favourites tend to be in the contemporary or romance genres, although occasionally an amazing thriller will pop up and surprise me! I also review some non-fiction, like memoirs, poem books and creative journals. Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you? A link will work.
Due to some bad experiences in the past I don't tend to accept review requests from authors themselves. I love authors, of course, but it's easier for me this way. I did write a post a while ago, though, with tips on how to request reviews from bloggers and you can see that here. Do you post anything besides reviews—such as cover art or giveaways?
Sometimes! I write personal posts about what's going on in my life, and event recaps when I go to signings or other exciting places. I also share blogging tips, guest posts and interviews. How do you find books to review or do they come to you?
Aside from the ones I buy, review books come to me. It's like Christmas every day! I'm extremely grateful but I'm not able to review all of them (I wish!) so every book I receive ends up in a book haul on my YouTube channel. That way they get at least some coverage in return.  

 What got you into blogging about books?
I've always loved reading and I've always loved writing, so it seemed only natural to combine them and write about books.  What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one?
Each review takes hours. I type faster than I think! I usually start by adding details about the book, the cover image, and links to buy the book, and then I'll write a bullet-point list of my thoughts in no particular order before fleshing out each point and making it somewhat coherent. How often do you post reviews?
Unlike most bloggers I don't have a set schedule e.g reviews every Monday, memes every Wednesday, discussions every Friday. A review goes up when I have one to post! It's made easier by the fact that I schedule months in advance so I can move things around. I might read loads one month but not at all the next, so then I just space them out. I guess my answer to this question is... regularly! Can you think of any special methods or personality types that an author has used to really help you draw close to a character?
It's interesting when a character seems almost identical to me. I always feel closer to these characters but I think that's only natural because I relate to them more. That said, I seem to draw close to most characters, which is why it's so painful when the author suddenly kills them... *sigh* What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget?
I LOVE it when a book teaches me something, opens my eyes, or inspires and motivates me. Two good examples of this would be #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso and Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne. They are very special books. Any marketing tips you’ve noticed work really well for authors?
People love free stuff! Wristbands, badges, tote bags, bookmarks, t-shirts... bookworms can't get enough of it. I also think blog tours work really well if they have fun and original content and seem different to others. Twitter is important for marketing your book, too - there is a massive bookish community over there and we love nothing more than getting to fangirl about an upcoming book! Just don't spam as that will have the opposite desired effect. Favorite books you’ve reviewed.
As I mentioned before, I loved #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso and Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne. Another favourite of mine is Night School by C.J. Daugherty. Books you are looking forward to in the next year.
Ooh, lots! I'm really looking forward to the second book in The Alchemist Chronicles by C.J. Daugherty and Carina Rozenfeld. I think James Dawson's Mind Your Head will be out next year, too, and I'm excited for the second and third books in Holly Bourne's The Spinster Club series. Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading?
I don't use an eReader. Ever. I much, much prefer reading physical copies of books as it's a better experience and lets me come away from the Internet for a while. If you could only purchase one book, what would it be?
First, somehow, I would compile all the books on my wishlist into one big book. Then I'd publish it. And then I'd buy it. ;) What’s your favorite spot to read?
In my bed! It's so comfy. I rarely read anywhere else. Give us your best advice for a beginning book blogger. 
Make friends! There's a big group of us on Twitter and we don't bite - in fact, we love getting to know newbies! I have lots more blogging tips here.----------------------------
Amber is a 16-year-old book blogger who aspires to be a journalist and/or a publicist. Amber has been running The Mile Long Bookshelf single-handedly since 2009.
Blogger & VloggeraThe Mile Long BookshelfBlog / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube

NIGHTMARE ON QUERY STREET 2015 RULES

We're back with over 20 agents and even more mentors!

It's Nightmare Time!


Don’t have a scary manuscript, DON'T WORRY. Just read on.

A brand new year, a brand new evil.

This contest, as it runs in the Halloween time, is all about FEAR.


The Details:

The submission window opens at 4:00 pm (EST) on October 15th. Don't send too soon or your entry will be deleted. There will be email confirmation. The window will close when we receive 250 entries.

Michelle and Mike will make twenty picks each, and those twenty picks will go up on our blogs from October 29th through the 30th. Before this, there will be a mentor round to whip that entry into shape. We've already got amazing mentors lined up, so know that your entries will be polished for the agents.

We are accepting all age categories and genres, excluding picture books and erotica. But be sure to check our list of agents when it goes live to see if they represent your book's genre.


If you plan on participating in the contest, you have to be following all our blogs (Michelle, Mike). And you'll want to be on twitter for the party.

ONLY ONE ENTRY PER PERSON. DO NOT TRY USING MULTIPLE EMAIL ADDRESSES. THIS DOES NOT MEAN ONE PER WRITING PEN NAME. ONE AND ONE ONLY.

It's pretty simple, actually.

But there's a catch.

Along with your query and 250, you must write a SHORT paragraph (no more than 100 words) about your main character. This is the question you must answer:

What is your main character's most fearsome obsession?

The Format:

Send all your submission to nightmareonquerystreet (at) yahoo (dot) com. Only one submission per email address AND person is allowed.

Here's how it should be formatted (yes, include the bolded and everything!). Please use Times New Roman (or equivalent), 12 pt font, and put spaces between paragraphs. No indents or tabs are needed.


Subject Line: NoQS: TITLE, Age Category + Genre
(example: NoQS: GRUDGING, Adult Epic Fantasy)


INSIDE THE EMAIL:

Name: Michelle HauckTwitter Handle: @Michelle4Laughs
Title: GRUDGING (yes, caps!)
Genre: Adult Epic Fantasy (Age category and genre. YA/MG is not a genre.)
Word Count: XX,XXX

Note: Twitter handle is not required, just useful in finding you.
My Main Character's Most Fearsome Obsession is:

My MC's most fearsome obsession is potatoes. He can't stop eating those suckers--fried, mashed, frenched--gotta have them. (Please, spend some time on this! We will be looking at this to make up for gaps in the query and 250. It gives us a chance to know your characters better. It doesn't have to be horror-scary. It can be more subtle. Remember 100 words or less.)

Query:

Here is my fantastic query! DO NOT INCLUDE BIO OR COMPS PARAGRAPH. Try to stay in the 250-300 word range. Please put spaces between paragraphs and don't indent.

First 250 words:

Here are the first 250 words of my manuscript, and I will not end in the middle of a sentence, even if I hit 255 words. Do not abuse and send 260. Keep it fair for all by staying close to 250.
Entries will be disqualified at our discretion for rule violation.

And that's it! Send in that email during the submission window and you're ready to go. There will be a confirmation email.

We're Tweeting under the hashtag #NoQS. As before, we'll have a twitter party once submission starts. Mentor and agent posts will follow before October 15th.

Good luck! And sweet nightmares!

How a Writer is Like a Field Goal Kicker

I was thinking the other day that writers are a lot like field goal kickers. It seems like an odd analogy, but let me run with it. (Oh my. I made a little pun there and didn't even intend to.)

For those who aren't sports enthusiasts, a field goal kicker is a specialized player of American-style football. They are the guy who doesn't play for most of the game and only trots out onto the field when their team has failed to score a touchdown. They are sort of like the last resort for their team to score some points before turning the ball over to the other team. Their job is to kick the ball through the uprights or goal posts. If the ball goes too far left or right--no points. If the ball goes through, they settle for three points instead of the seven you get for a touchdown.



So far it's not very much like a writer. The field goal kicker comes in and makes three points--or doesn't. How is that like what writers do?

Let me go on ...

The field goal kicker is part of the team--yet not. He doesn't play the whole game. Sometimes his specialized services are never needed at all for the whole sixty minutes. Usually he only plays for a few minutes at most. The rest of the team, quarterbacks, linemen, running backs, tightends, work together to score. He sits on the bench. Or kicks footballs into a net to warm up his leg.

Still not much like a writer, though we do work alone.

So usually the field goal kicker doing his thing is sort of a letdown. The team gets three points instead of the more coveted seven. Things could be better. They could be even worse if he misses. BUT sometimes things are different.

Every once in a while, the time in the game is running out. The losing team has the ball. That team is less than three points behind. There's no time for a touchdown. There are only seconds remaining. They send in the field goal kicker. And suddenly this player who isn't usually part of the game is the only player who matters.

That's when the field goal kicker must show his stuff.

And usually he can see it coming. He sits on the sidelines and knows it's going to come down to him. He alone will decide whether the ENTIRE team wins or loses. He alone decides the fate by whether his kick is true.

The other team will call a time out to try and ice him. By making the field goal kicker wait for the time out to end, they hope to play upon his nerves and cause him to miss. They want to make very sure he feels every bit of the pressure thrust upon him and only him.

And there, my friends, is when a field goal kicker is like a writer. For a writer, too, must be that special sort of someone that cannot be iced. When a review is bad, a writer must stay calm and not react. 

When a rejection arrives, a writer must bury that and maintain the course.

When the edit letter says chop pages or chapters, a writer must face it down and find how to make it work.

A writer must have ice in their veins. They cannot be rattled (in public). The writer must stare down that other team (critics) and face those uprights (doubts) and kick that ball through (keep writing). 

And that is how a writer is like a field goal kicker. Play on, my friends!

Query Questions with Michael Carr

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 new series of posts 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 writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!

If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions.
I am happy to end September with a fresh Query Questions interview with Michael Carr of Veritas Literary Agency. He seeks Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, Science Fiction and Fantasy, and also Nonfiction.
There are better and worse times to query, but they aren’t seasonal, and so sadly, they can’t be predicted by writers. When I’m busy with client manuscripts or have just taken on a new writer, there’s no question that queries are going to be read more quickly and with a jaded eye. My bandwidth at those times is narrow.
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?
No, but it certainly doesn’t help. A query should be one page, and if that one page is sloppy, poorly written and edited, you can bet I’m expecting a manuscript that reads like a rough draft.
If it’s in one of the categories I represent, I almost always take a glance at the writing. If the query is weak, it might be only that, a glance. A good query earns more of my attention.
Do you have an assistant or intern go through your queries first or do you check all of them?

That depends. We have in the past, or we’ve had agents take turns with the entire slush, weeding out most of them in an initial pass. Right now, I’m reading all of my own queries, but managing workload by being ruthless about not responding to people who are querying me about inappropriate projects. It’s hard enough staying on top of the well-targeted queries.
Do you keep a maybe pile of queries and go back to them for a second look?
Yes, occasionally. Most mornings, I expect to reject all of my queries. The simple math says that in a given year I can only take on a couple of new clients, so I have to be very selective. Every once in a while, the quality of queries will surprise me, and I’ll have to give a couple of them more thought when I’m not comparing them to a whole batch of others.
Sure, if it’s good enough to hook me. If it’s not good enough to hook me, maybe the book doesn’t need a prologue in the first place. And if it’s a great hook, why not call it “Chapter One?”
Doesn’t hurt, but doesn’t really matter to me personally.
I pass along queries that are more appropriate for one of my colleagues. Query one agent, please.
Get to the point! There’s plenty of time to chat and get to know each other if I connect with the writing. In fact, I’ve seen writers shoot themselves in the foot with the chit-chat when it’s clumsy or awkward. It’s usually bragging (“I’m going to make you rich!”) or inappropriate comments that make me think this writer is going to be difficult to work with.
I prefer category and word count up front, but location doesn’t matter all that much. I do like to know both of these things, of course. I can’t sell a 45,000 word epic fantasy or a 375,000 word historical. Round to the nearest thousand words. “86,437 words” gives off an amateurish vibe.
Absolutely. Your job is not to tell me about every character and subplot, it’s to hook me into reading your pages with increased attention.
A good title can help attract interest, but they’re hard to do right. I get that. In fact, my two most recently signed clients submitted with titles that we brainstormed into something better before we went on submission.
This really varies. The high point of the year might be the flood of queries I get about two weeks after NaNoWriMo ends. Many weeks I request nothing. I probably request 15-20 manuscripts for every author I sign, so if I sign one or two authors a year . . .
Some writers have asked about including links to their blogs or manuscript-related artwork. I’m sure it’s not appropriate to add those links in a query, but are links in an email signature offensive?
I don’t think it matters all that much. I’d leave them out, I guess, since you’re trying to avoid distraction.
Absolutely only if requested. If I want an R&R (revise and resubmit), I will be explicit.
What bio should an author with no publishing credits include?
The best “bio” for a fiction writer is an excellently written book. Don’t worry about impressing me with your accomplishments. In most cases, they either sound unimpressive or they are impressive in non-writing ways. Either way, that doesn’t help. Just hook me with the query and write a book I can’t put down.
It’s a polite phrase. Sometimes it means just that, like going to a bookstore and taking a book off the shelf and then putting it back. You’re not making a value judgment about that book, you’re choosing to buy something else with your limited time and money.
Other times—and let’s be honest here—it means the writing is wretched. But why would I say that? Not only would that be unkind, but bad writers sometimes become good writers. If you want to be a writer, I advise setting aside the rejections when they come and keep working on your craft. Obsessing over them won’t help.
The number one difference I’ve seen between writers who make it and those who don’t is word count. Don’t compare your output to other aspiring writers, compare it to working professionals. I can’t emphasize this enough: you’re probably not writing enough.
I can be. It depends on the writer. I definitely give feedback, and I try to pay it forward when I can. For this reason, I like teaching at two or three conferences every year.
Oh, good heavens. There’s weird stuff on a daily basis. I was asked on a date in a query once. That was . . . unexpected. Don’t do weird stuff. Please.
---------------------
Associate Michael Carr is a literary agent with a background in editing and writing, working from a home base in the Northeast. He works carefully with clients to produce the cleanest, most professional manuscripts and enjoys teaching at workshops and conferences to help develop emerging writers. Michael speaks Spanish and conversational French and before joining Veritas had professions as diverse as programming simulators for nuclear submarines and owning an inn in Vermont.

Editing: Check your Ellipses and Em Dashes

This is just a short note on ellipses and em dashes. I've sometimes seen ellipses used where an em dash is needed and vice versa.

Ellipses are those three little dots ... They are used to indicate an omission or something is missing from a long direct quotation, if for example you are only using part of a quote and leaving off a few words. The ellipse goes at the point of omission.

More often in novel form, the ellipse is used to indicate hesitation or loss of concentration in a character's dialogue. Or perhaps a character trails off and doesn't finish a sentence of dialogue or thought. The sentence will then end with ...

I usually see these handled with a space before and after, such as:

"I wish I could tell you about ... I just can't."

"Look at his abs. They are so dreamy and ..."

Why did I ever start this post? It's so hard to think of examples when I should be cleaning. I wish ...

"Um ... where do I go from here?"


An em dash, on the other hand, indicates an insertion that isn't quite on topic. An aside by the character or narrator. It can also be used in dialogue when a character is interrupted while speaking. It is not a hyphen, but two hyphens typed side by side with no spaces around them. Word will automatically connect them into a longer em dash when done correctly.

“I love eating tacos—the extra-loaded kind from that quaint Mexican place—when I’m studying for finals.”
“Is that my—” “Yes, it’s your dress. I borrowed it.”
“Today, I found the best sale—all the best sales happen this time of year—on shoes.”
An em dash is also used when inserting a tag in the middle of dialogue.
“My cat got”—he dashed at his eyes to wipe away tears—“run over by a truck.”
(No cats were harmed in the making of this post.)

So that's a little about the differences between ellipses and em dashes. Always be careful not to overuse them and tire out the reader.
How about some examples of how you've used them in the comments? Here's your chance to be fun and creative. It's not so easy to make them up on the spur of the moment, is it?

Picture Book Party Agent Round

I don't have enough words to say how much I've enjoyed this contest. The entries just blew Sharon and I away. They are beyond adorable, heart touching, hilarious, sweet and informative. I don't know about Sharon, but I felt like I was in the middle of a group love hug while reading them. I wish I could highlight all of them on my blog.

Please remember that contests are so subjective. Some entries attracted me more than others, that's just the nature of publishing. We had over sixty more entries favorited in the maybe folder or starred as something special. The entries in this contest are just that good. I'm sure there will be much success for this group, whether your entry is picked today or not.

Commenting on entries is for agents only. If you'd like to cheer or rave about a favorite, please hop over to twitter at the hashtag #PBParty. The party continues there as we celebrate and support our fellow writers.

Thanks to everyone who entered. Stay tuned to the blog or sign up for my newsletter for future contests.

PBParty 1: BABY SLOTH'S BIG ADVENTURE, Fiction/Info PB

Title: Baby Sloth’s Big Adventure
Genre: Fiction + Non-fiction back matter
Word Count: 513 words in text + 430 words Fun Sloth Facts

Query:

Dear Michelle and Sharon,
Thanks so much for creating this wonderful venue to help us get the word out about our promising manuscripts. I’m pleased to submit Baby Sloth’s Big Adventure for consideration.
Baby Sloth is bored. All Mama does is eat and sleep. Baby wants to have some fun. But when he falls into the river, an exciting adventure suddenly turns dangerous as he struggles to make it back to the safety before Jaguar catches him. Sprinkled throughout the story, and elaborated on in back matter at the end, are fascinating facts about sloths. With the timeless message of there’s no place like home, and the additional Seven Fun Facts about Sloths, Baby Sloth’s Big Adventure will appeal to children ages 4-8. Coordinating with several ELA Common Core standards, my book will also find a welcoming home in K-2 classrooms throughout the United States.
There are several sloth books on the shelves right now, including Sloth Slept On(Frann Preston-Gannon), Score One For the Sloths (Helen Lester) and Sloth (Nature’s Children) (Josh Gregory), most of the books are either totally fiction, or totally nonfiction. Baby Sloth’s Big Adventure keeps Baby in his natural environment, providing an entertaining story while incorporating things a sloth might really do (sleeping hanging from trees, going to the bathroom once a week, etc.), and expanding on those facts in back matter at the end. This book will stand out above its competition. 
My writing credits include Buster, the Little Garbage Truck, (Sleeping Bear Press, April 2015), articles in Boys' Life and Highlights magazines, and children's stories in The Healing Touch/Alzheimer's and Chicken Soup for the Soul, Grandmothers, anthologies. In addition, I am a book reviewer for Jewish Book World, a reviewer and editor for myshelf.com and a member of SCBWI.
Thank you for considering Baby Sloth’s Big Adventure. I look forward to hearing from interested participants.
First 50 Words:
Baby Sloth tugged on Mama’s fur. “Let’s play tree-tag.”Mama laughed. “That would take hours! It’s naptime.”“Again?” Baby sighed as Mama closed her eyes. He tried to nap. He hung above her head. He swung below. He even tried counting the beetles scurrying under Mama’s thick fur.    One, two, three…                  365, 366, 367…

PBParty 2: PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK WITH BIGFOOT, Chapter Book

Title:  Playing Hide and Seek with BigfootGenre:  Fantasy Children’s Chapter BookWord Count:  5300

Dear Agent: 
Duncan does not like library day because there are never any good books to read and he dislikes when the librarian shushes him.  Luckily, Duncan’s best friend Abby is in his class with him.  When the librarian looks away Duncan and Abby sneak into the restricted area and find a book called The Enchanted Book of Mythical Creatures. 
In the book they find a page on Bigfoot causing Duncan to wish he could see a real Bigfoot.  The book’s picture turns into a magic portal to the world of mythical creatures and magically transports Duncan and Abby to the redwood forest where Bigfoot lives.  They meet hunters who want to put Bigfoot in a zoo.  Duncan and Abby find Bigfoot to warn him but forget and end up playing with him until the hunters come.  Working together Duncan and Abby help Bigfoot outwit the hunters.
PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK WITH BIGFOOT is a children’s chapter book inspired by the Magic Tree House series.  It is the first book in THE ENCHANTED BOOK OF MYTHICAL CREATURES SERIES, which in each book explores a different mythical creature in a fun and playful way.  
PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK WITH BIGFOOT is complete at 5300 words.
First 100 Words:
“Shush!” The librarian said thrusting her finger to her lips.  Library day is what Duncan disliked the most about second grade.  He didn’t like reading and hated when the librarian shushed him even more.  There were never any good books and the entire field trip would be terrible if his best friend Abby weren’t with him.   The worst part is the librarian shushed him before he said one word.   
“Everyone grab a book and read silently,” said their teacher Miss Morrison.
Duncan walked with his head down to the section of books about animals and grabbed a book about dogs.