Michelle Hauck's Blog, page 60
September 2, 2015
Book Blogger Conversation with Brett Michael Orr
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.
Brett Michael Orr is a recent addition to the book blogger scene and I love that he favors my favorite genre. Be sure to check out his links at the bottom of the interview.
What types of books do you review? I mostly review Young Adult novels. It’s a genre I absolutely love and am heavily involved in, from SF/Fantasy to the odd Contemporary. Occasionally I’ll review some epic fantasy or even graphic novels too!
Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you? A link will work. At the moment I don’t have any specific guidelines to request reviews, as I typically have Advance Review Copies from publishers, or books I’ve purchased myself. Of course, I’m always contactable via Twitter (@brettmichaelorr) if you want to talk or discuss a guest post/interview.
Do you post anything besides reviews—such as cover art or giveaways? My blog is a mixture of blogger interviews, book reviews, short stories, writing tips, and my own meme ‘Instant Flashback’ where I collate my week’s Instagram photos. I’ve also done cover reveals and Top Ten lists as well!
How do you find books to review or do they come to you? A little of both. I have some Australian publishers that send me ARCs to review ahead of release date, but I still purchase my own books as well. I make a point of reviewing everything I read – to improve my own reviewing and critiquing ability, but also to spread information about books that some of my fans might not have read before.
What got you into blogging about books? I only started blogging in late 2014. I realized how much I wanted to be an author, and how the online writing community was the missing part of my life. Naturally, while I was writing books, I also wanted to read more – and reviewing them felt like a natural way of breaking into blogging more regularly.
What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one? Everyone differs! Some of my blogging friends take weeks to craft a review. For me, I typically know most of what I want to say by the time I’ve read the book. I formulate the review in my head as I go along, so often it only takes half an hour to write a review – preparing typographic images and tweets takes longer sometimes!
I try to make my reviews honest and fair. Even if I don’t like a book, I’ll find what did work – and I always suggest that readers try a book for themselves, because opinions differ. Mostly, I want my reviews to be unbiased and critical, lightly touching on all aspects of the book and providing a balanced review.
How often do you post reviews? I try to post reviews weekly, but it depends on how quickly I can read a book. I always review books right away though.
Can you think of any special methods or personality types that an author has used to really help you draw close to a character? Making the reader associate with a character is the real key. This doesn’t mean they have to be likeable; of course I’m never going to ‘like’ a villain, but if I can associate with him on some level, then I form a bond with a character. Also, I love when characters switch allegiances and loyalties – there’s nothing better than having your preconceived ideas proven wrong midway through a book.
What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget? A book that takes my expectations and beats them by a mile. At the moment, that’s A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU; a phenomenal idea that was perfectly executed and simply one of the best books I’ve had the pleasure to read.
Any marketing tips you’ve noticed work really well for authors? Be engaged with your readers and particularly your reviewers. I understand that being published must be busy, but completely ignoring readers/reviewers is really hurtful and makes us feel devalued. Some authors I follow are amazingly interactive and it helps build a much stronger connection with their audience – we feel like authors actually appreciate what we’re doing.
Favorite books you’ve reviewed. A Thousand Pieces of You – my favorite read this year. Warm Bodies – including the movie – is one of the best books/films of all time in my opinion. My first-ever ARC review for Patrick Ness’ The Rest of Us Just Live Here (out this month!) will always be important to me. And Red Queen too – I can’t wait for the sequel.
Books you are looking forward to in the next year. Glass Sword will be my first pick here – it’s the sequel to Red Queen, and I’m dying to read it. I’ll be interested for The Vagrant’s sequel next year, and there’s always the possibility that Isaac Marion will return from his Twitter absence to reveal the second Warm Bodies book; I’m hoping for a Way Down Dark sequel next year too. (Wow, that’s a lot of sequels!)
Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading? I used to be a die-hard Kindle supporter, but since I started purchasing physical books and getting involved in the Instagram community, I can’t go back to digital. There’s something tangibly human about holding a book that digital just can’t compare with.
What’s your favorite spot to read? I don’t have a ‘reading spot’, which I really want to find. I typically read on the bus, at lunch, or at night; but lazy afternoons spent reading in a recliner are really the best though – so that’s my favorite spot at the moment.
Give us your best advice for a beginning book blogger. I haven’t even passed my first year as a book blogger, but already I’ve learned so much. I’d say be honest with everything you do, and get involved with the writing community by following hashtags, communicating with people, reviewing books, suggesting guest posts or interviews, and just generally talking with as many people as you can. I’ve met some amazing friends and collaborators through the silliest of initial conversations; and when you’re growing your audience, it’s important to keep that channel of communication open.
Experiment, find what works for you, and soon you’ll be blogging daily and wondering how you ever lived without it.
Thanks so much for having me on your blog Michelle, it was an honor!
--------------------I’m a writer, programmer and gamer from Brisbane, Australia. I want to produce quality commercial fiction read the world over.I’m an avid fan of all forms of creative media. From movies to TV shows, games and books, every form of creative media has something to teach us, and I hope to create page-turners that will keep you reading well into the night.Some of my favorite writers include Garth Nix, Christopher Paolini, Neal Shusterman and James Dashner. I enjoy listening to Coldplay, James Blunt, Linkin Park, Green Day and Paramore. And if I’m not hard at work writing a new book (or updating my blog!), I’ll probably be found goofing around on Xbox.Blog: http://brettmichaelorr.comTwitter: http://twitter.com/brettmichaelorrFacebook: http://facebook.com/brettmichaelorrwritesGoodreads: http://goodreads.com/brettmichaelorrInstagram: http://instagram.com/brettmichaelorr
Founder of The Book Creators: http://thebookcreators.comCurrent WIP: THE BUREAU OF TIME: http://twitter.com/#thebureauoftime
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.
Brett Michael Orr is a recent addition to the book blogger scene and I love that he favors my favorite genre. Be sure to check out his links at the bottom of the interview.
What types of books do you review? I mostly review Young Adult novels. It’s a genre I absolutely love and am heavily involved in, from SF/Fantasy to the odd Contemporary. Occasionally I’ll review some epic fantasy or even graphic novels too!
Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you? A link will work. At the moment I don’t have any specific guidelines to request reviews, as I typically have Advance Review Copies from publishers, or books I’ve purchased myself. Of course, I’m always contactable via Twitter (@brettmichaelorr) if you want to talk or discuss a guest post/interview.
Do you post anything besides reviews—such as cover art or giveaways? My blog is a mixture of blogger interviews, book reviews, short stories, writing tips, and my own meme ‘Instant Flashback’ where I collate my week’s Instagram photos. I’ve also done cover reveals and Top Ten lists as well!
How do you find books to review or do they come to you? A little of both. I have some Australian publishers that send me ARCs to review ahead of release date, but I still purchase my own books as well. I make a point of reviewing everything I read – to improve my own reviewing and critiquing ability, but also to spread information about books that some of my fans might not have read before.
What got you into blogging about books? I only started blogging in late 2014. I realized how much I wanted to be an author, and how the online writing community was the missing part of my life. Naturally, while I was writing books, I also wanted to read more – and reviewing them felt like a natural way of breaking into blogging more regularly.
What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one? Everyone differs! Some of my blogging friends take weeks to craft a review. For me, I typically know most of what I want to say by the time I’ve read the book. I formulate the review in my head as I go along, so often it only takes half an hour to write a review – preparing typographic images and tweets takes longer sometimes!
I try to make my reviews honest and fair. Even if I don’t like a book, I’ll find what did work – and I always suggest that readers try a book for themselves, because opinions differ. Mostly, I want my reviews to be unbiased and critical, lightly touching on all aspects of the book and providing a balanced review.
How often do you post reviews? I try to post reviews weekly, but it depends on how quickly I can read a book. I always review books right away though.
Can you think of any special methods or personality types that an author has used to really help you draw close to a character? Making the reader associate with a character is the real key. This doesn’t mean they have to be likeable; of course I’m never going to ‘like’ a villain, but if I can associate with him on some level, then I form a bond with a character. Also, I love when characters switch allegiances and loyalties – there’s nothing better than having your preconceived ideas proven wrong midway through a book.
What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget? A book that takes my expectations and beats them by a mile. At the moment, that’s A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU; a phenomenal idea that was perfectly executed and simply one of the best books I’ve had the pleasure to read.
Any marketing tips you’ve noticed work really well for authors? Be engaged with your readers and particularly your reviewers. I understand that being published must be busy, but completely ignoring readers/reviewers is really hurtful and makes us feel devalued. Some authors I follow are amazingly interactive and it helps build a much stronger connection with their audience – we feel like authors actually appreciate what we’re doing.
Favorite books you’ve reviewed. A Thousand Pieces of You – my favorite read this year. Warm Bodies – including the movie – is one of the best books/films of all time in my opinion. My first-ever ARC review for Patrick Ness’ The Rest of Us Just Live Here (out this month!) will always be important to me. And Red Queen too – I can’t wait for the sequel.
Books you are looking forward to in the next year. Glass Sword will be my first pick here – it’s the sequel to Red Queen, and I’m dying to read it. I’ll be interested for The Vagrant’s sequel next year, and there’s always the possibility that Isaac Marion will return from his Twitter absence to reveal the second Warm Bodies book; I’m hoping for a Way Down Dark sequel next year too. (Wow, that’s a lot of sequels!)
Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading? I used to be a die-hard Kindle supporter, but since I started purchasing physical books and getting involved in the Instagram community, I can’t go back to digital. There’s something tangibly human about holding a book that digital just can’t compare with.
What’s your favorite spot to read? I don’t have a ‘reading spot’, which I really want to find. I typically read on the bus, at lunch, or at night; but lazy afternoons spent reading in a recliner are really the best though – so that’s my favorite spot at the moment.
Give us your best advice for a beginning book blogger. I haven’t even passed my first year as a book blogger, but already I’ve learned so much. I’d say be honest with everything you do, and get involved with the writing community by following hashtags, communicating with people, reviewing books, suggesting guest posts or interviews, and just generally talking with as many people as you can. I’ve met some amazing friends and collaborators through the silliest of initial conversations; and when you’re growing your audience, it’s important to keep that channel of communication open.
Experiment, find what works for you, and soon you’ll be blogging daily and wondering how you ever lived without it.
Thanks so much for having me on your blog Michelle, it was an honor!
--------------------I’m a writer, programmer and gamer from Brisbane, Australia. I want to produce quality commercial fiction read the world over.I’m an avid fan of all forms of creative media. From movies to TV shows, games and books, every form of creative media has something to teach us, and I hope to create page-turners that will keep you reading well into the night.Some of my favorite writers include Garth Nix, Christopher Paolini, Neal Shusterman and James Dashner. I enjoy listening to Coldplay, James Blunt, Linkin Park, Green Day and Paramore. And if I’m not hard at work writing a new book (or updating my blog!), I’ll probably be found goofing around on Xbox.Blog: http://brettmichaelorr.comTwitter: http://twitter.com/brettmichaelorrFacebook: http://facebook.com/brettmichaelorrwritesGoodreads: http://goodreads.com/brettmichaelorrInstagram: http://instagram.com/brettmichaelorr
Founder of The Book Creators: http://thebookcreators.comCurrent WIP: THE BUREAU OF TIME: http://twitter.com/#thebureauoftime
September 1, 2015
September Picture Book Party
We are doing it again! (And yes I recycled this post. So much to do. No time for fresh material.)
Spunky. Adorable. Heartwarming.
Those are some of the words that describe picture/chapter books. I'm happy to join with Sharon Chriscoe to do a little something for a group that is left out of most contests. This mini-contest is for you!
And if you don't write picture/chapter books please don't run away. I NEED YOUR HELP NOTIFYING PICTURE BOOK WRITERS. This contest is such short notice that I need everyone to spread the word. Tell your friends who write PB and please post on twitter. Also the twitter party will be for everyone, so I hope to see you there under the hashtag #PBParty. There will be daily topics that apply to all writers during the submission week.
So far there are four picture book agents and two editors on board. The agent round will be September 23th-25th. The submission day is September 14th at 4:00 pm Eastern time. Then Sharon and I will go through the entries and pick our favorites. I'm not sure how many entries will be chosen, but the number will be between 15 and 20. Sharon is my expert on this as I don't know much about picture books, except I enjoy reading them.
The Rules:
Please be a follower of this blog. You can click the "Join this Site" button in the left sidebar. Please follow myself and Sharon on twitter. I imagine we will be tweeting hints as well as partying!
You may send two entries for different manuscripts. That's two and only two, whether you have multiple pen names or multiple email addresses. Please be honest and not send more. Only one entry will be chosen per person. If you send two, still only one will be picked. Any attempt to cheat will result in entries thrown out (and sadly it has happened in the past.)
On September 14th at 4:00 pm Eastern the submission window opens. Do not send early or your entry will be deleted. You may resend at the correct time if this happens. I'm recycling an email address as I already have too many. Please send your entry to SunversusSnow at yahoo dot com.
You should receive a confirmation email. If you do not, please contact me on twitter before resending. The window will stay open until we get 250 entries. However long that takes. It could be minutes or it could be days. I'm really not sure on this one.
This contest is only for finished and polished manuscripts. It has to be ready to go out to agents.
The Format:
Subject Line of your Email: PBParty: Title
Example: PBParty: Hot Tub Santa
Inside the email please bold where bolded in my example. Single space with spaces between paragraphs. Use Times New Roman or equivalent font and the size should be 12.
(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.)
Name: Sharon Chriscoe
Title: HOT TUB SANTA
Genre: (Here please tell us what type of picture book this is) Example: Board Book, Bedtime Rhyme, Nonfiction, Biography, etc. or List Chapter Book
Word Count: xxx (round to nearest ten, hundred for chapter books)
Query:
Your entire query letter here. Include your comps, bio, greeting, closing. (You may use whatever you want for a greeting. Dear Agent. Dear Michelle and Sharon.)
Here is your chance to make your entry shine and make the agent fall in love with your words.
First 50 Words:
Include your first 50 words for a picture book, 100 words for chapter books. Do not stop in the middle of a sentence. You may go over by one or two words to finish a sentence but not more than five. Single space and put spaces in between paragraphs. You may center or tab if appropriate.
Edit: For short picture books, less than 50 words may be submitted. Any count under 50 is allowed.
Also I will delete parts of entries after the contest ends, if requested. For those writers uncomfortable with their work being out there for all to see.
Bonus: You may attach one illustration to your email to show an example of your artwork. If you don't have artwork, don't worry.
I would like to thank Mel Stephenson for creating our logo artwork! Be sure to follow her at@paintandwords.
That should cover about everything, but you may leave questions in the comments or on twitter. Don't forget the #PBParty hashtag.
We can't wait to see all the cuteness on September 14th!
August 31, 2015
Release Day for QUEEN OF SHADOWS
I am so excited that QUEEN OF SHADOWS by Sarah J. Maas releases today and that I get to share the news, along with an awesome giveaway!
If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful series by Sarah J. Maas, be sure to check out all the details below.
This blitz also includes a giveaway for a set of the first 3 books in the series (in paperback format). US only. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.
About The book:
Title: QUEEN OF SHADOWSAuthor: Sarah J. MaasPub. Date: September 1, 2015Publisher: Bloomsbury USA ChildrensPages: 656Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads
Sarah J. Maas's New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series reaches new heights in this sweeping fourth volume.
Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .
She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.
Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.
Read Chapters 1-5 of QUEEN OF SHADOWS HERE!
Sarah J. Maas is the author of the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling Throne of Glass series–Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, and Heir of Fire, and the series’ prequel, The Assassin’s Blade–as well as the New York Times and USA Today bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses. She wrote the first incarnation of the Throne of Glass series when she was just sixteen, and it has now sold in twenty-three languages. Queen of Shadows, the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series, will release worldwide on September 1st, 2015.A New York native, Sarah currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and dog. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hamilton College in 2008 with a degree in Creative Writing and a minor in Religious Studies.
Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest | Instagram| Goodreads
Giveaway Details:1 winner will receive the first 3 books (in paperback) in the THRONE OF GLASS Series. US Only.Ends on September 11th at Midnight EST!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
August 29, 2015
Pitchwars Slush Stats and Notes
This is a hard post to do, knowing so many writers will be disappointed with the results on September 2nd. That's one of the reasons I try to stress other parts of contests, such as finding critique partners and learning from the twitter wisdom. Not everyone will reach the agent round, but everyone can benefit.
So let's start with stats. I had about 63 submissions. That can be rounded up to a two percent chance of being picked by me as I didn't request any material that wasn't sent directly to me. I read through all of them by Tuesday night, both query letter and the chapter. In most cases I read the entire chapter to the end. A few times the chapters were unusually long or needed so much work that I stopped early. Out of those 63, a handful were the wrong genre or age category. I still read them as they had my name on them but marked them accordingly.
Eight entries got labelled from the start as material I wanted to see more. I requested fulls from all eight. Eleven got marked as maybe entries. With so many fulls of about 100K words and such talent, I didn't have much time to look deeper at the maybes. In fact I'm still reading from the eight fulls as of Saturday. But I plan to let those people know there was something about their entry that stood out from the crowd.
I would say the query letter got twenty percent of my attention. Query letters can easily be redone. Not so much with the writing and concept. So the first chapter usually determined whether I wanted to see more or not. Sometimes the reason for a no was the writing,--too many grammar/punctuation problems usually also corresponded to flatter characters and less interesting/original dialogue and plot--but often the decision was subjective because the subject or main character just wasn't for me.
I was looking for first chapters that had many layers to them. And by layers I mean depth and accomplishing many goals in the one chapter. It should show: Depth of characters. Writing that showed about the characters. World building that told me something about the society or theme. Hints or action on the overall plot. An element to make me curious. Something of interest happening.
First chapters should avoid giving information that doesn't add to the plot at that point. Don't bother telling something that won't happen or come up for another three chapters. Don't bother describing something about your character's looks if it doesn't also show their personality. If their hair is pink because they are in a rebellious stage that shows me something about the character. If their hair is brown, it doesn't really mean anything or need to be said in the first pages.
I didn't rule anything out because it needed too much work, but most often those entries would failed to catch my eye. If an entry had problems with tense and grammar, it seemed to be likely that the writer hadn't developed the skills yet to create stand-out characters or unique situations. And that's okay because we are all at different spots in our journey.
Contests are one way to gain that experience, and acquiring critique partners are the best ways to learn about writing. I recommend everyone have readers of various levels of experience to teach you new things. The only way to grow your skills is to write more and never stop learning and that's true of all of us, including Pitchwars mentors.
I know there will be a lot of disappointment next week. I know exactly how that feels. I understand the bitter taste of not getting chosen for a contest. It took me four manuscripts to get an agent. That book was on submission for a year and never sold. It got tons of rejections and those editors weren't limited to taking just one book. It hurts. There was so much pain that had to be hidden and kept inside every day for a year. But you have to use that feeling to keep querying or to write your next book.
It's sad but true that by the time your book is published and up to the public for review, you need to have a very thick skin. Embrace that graciously, believe in your writing, and your way will be easier.
For my one pick, I plan to go for something that makes me excited to read. That has characters to care about and a unique concept that stands out in a pitch. A story that I love. And most importantly, something I feel I can read over and over without getting tired of it.
Now the hardest part: feedback. I plan to give notes to everyone that I requested more material from. I'm afraid I can't do much for everyone else. Last year I sent a personalized letter to all. This year I have deadlines and a sequel to write. Also last year, I sent line edits to my requests for their first 50 pages. This year, I won't be able to manage that. I feel badly about that, but I have made a vow to put my writing first this year and putting it aside for two weeks is enough.
I plan to have an afternoon slot on twitter where I will answer any questions about your sub. If you want to know what notes I put on your entry, then contact me by twitter on Thursday, September 3rd after 3:30 pm Eastern and I'll dm you a response.
Feel free to ask me questions. And remember there are other contests coming such as Pitch Slam and Nightmare on Query Street in October.
So let's start with stats. I had about 63 submissions. That can be rounded up to a two percent chance of being picked by me as I didn't request any material that wasn't sent directly to me. I read through all of them by Tuesday night, both query letter and the chapter. In most cases I read the entire chapter to the end. A few times the chapters were unusually long or needed so much work that I stopped early. Out of those 63, a handful were the wrong genre or age category. I still read them as they had my name on them but marked them accordingly.
Eight entries got labelled from the start as material I wanted to see more. I requested fulls from all eight. Eleven got marked as maybe entries. With so many fulls of about 100K words and such talent, I didn't have much time to look deeper at the maybes. In fact I'm still reading from the eight fulls as of Saturday. But I plan to let those people know there was something about their entry that stood out from the crowd.
I would say the query letter got twenty percent of my attention. Query letters can easily be redone. Not so much with the writing and concept. So the first chapter usually determined whether I wanted to see more or not. Sometimes the reason for a no was the writing,--too many grammar/punctuation problems usually also corresponded to flatter characters and less interesting/original dialogue and plot--but often the decision was subjective because the subject or main character just wasn't for me.
I was looking for first chapters that had many layers to them. And by layers I mean depth and accomplishing many goals in the one chapter. It should show: Depth of characters. Writing that showed about the characters. World building that told me something about the society or theme. Hints or action on the overall plot. An element to make me curious. Something of interest happening.
First chapters should avoid giving information that doesn't add to the plot at that point. Don't bother telling something that won't happen or come up for another three chapters. Don't bother describing something about your character's looks if it doesn't also show their personality. If their hair is pink because they are in a rebellious stage that shows me something about the character. If their hair is brown, it doesn't really mean anything or need to be said in the first pages.
I didn't rule anything out because it needed too much work, but most often those entries would failed to catch my eye. If an entry had problems with tense and grammar, it seemed to be likely that the writer hadn't developed the skills yet to create stand-out characters or unique situations. And that's okay because we are all at different spots in our journey.
Contests are one way to gain that experience, and acquiring critique partners are the best ways to learn about writing. I recommend everyone have readers of various levels of experience to teach you new things. The only way to grow your skills is to write more and never stop learning and that's true of all of us, including Pitchwars mentors.
I know there will be a lot of disappointment next week. I know exactly how that feels. I understand the bitter taste of not getting chosen for a contest. It took me four manuscripts to get an agent. That book was on submission for a year and never sold. It got tons of rejections and those editors weren't limited to taking just one book. It hurts. There was so much pain that had to be hidden and kept inside every day for a year. But you have to use that feeling to keep querying or to write your next book.
It's sad but true that by the time your book is published and up to the public for review, you need to have a very thick skin. Embrace that graciously, believe in your writing, and your way will be easier.
For my one pick, I plan to go for something that makes me excited to read. That has characters to care about and a unique concept that stands out in a pitch. A story that I love. And most importantly, something I feel I can read over and over without getting tired of it.
Now the hardest part: feedback. I plan to give notes to everyone that I requested more material from. I'm afraid I can't do much for everyone else. Last year I sent a personalized letter to all. This year I have deadlines and a sequel to write. Also last year, I sent line edits to my requests for their first 50 pages. This year, I won't be able to manage that. I feel badly about that, but I have made a vow to put my writing first this year and putting it aside for two weeks is enough.
I plan to have an afternoon slot on twitter where I will answer any questions about your sub. If you want to know what notes I put on your entry, then contact me by twitter on Thursday, September 3rd after 3:30 pm Eastern and I'll dm you a response.
Feel free to ask me questions. And remember there are other contests coming such as Pitch Slam and Nightmare on Query Street in October.
August 27, 2015
Getting the Call with Chris von Halle
I'm so happy to have Chris here as he was the Grand Champion from the very first Query Kombat that was three years ago! Take it away, Chris!
First of all, I want to say it’s such a huge honor to be on Michelle’s blog – thanks so much for having me, Michelle, and for all that you do for writers!
Anyway, my writing journey (in terms of writing seriously for publication) goes back pretty far—about eight years. It’s embarrassing to say this, but I wrote my first three books in a total vacuum. As in, I didn’t have any critique partners or beta readers, didn’t attend any writing classes/workshops, or read any how-to books on writing, etc. (you can guess how well querying agents/publishers went with those—yeah, not well). Eventually I found some well-known blogs online run by authors and serious writers (like Michelle Hauck’s esteemed blog), so I put some of my material up on them for critique. As you would’ve guessed, it got absolutely torn to shreds.
That’s when I decided to take my writing further and got an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. I learned a TON from the mentors (published authors) and other fantastic writers/authors I met there.
By the end of the program I ended up with a professional-quality middle-grade science fiction novel, which I queried the heck out of (about 60 queries to literary agents). I ultimately wound up with only one partial request that didn’t go anywhere.
I DID enter a few online writing contests along the way, including a popular one called Query Kombat (co-run by the awesome Michelle Hauck here) and wound up coming in (gasp!) first place. That made me the first Grand Champion of Query Kombat (a.k.a. The Greatest Grand Champion of Query Kombat Ever…just kidding).
I wound up with a few requests off that from a couple agents and a small press, but, again, ultimately nothing panned out.
So I wrote a YA dystopian novel called The Fourth Generation, but as I was finishing it, I kept hearing everywhere on the web that agents and editors weren’t looking for dystopian novels, since it was such a highly saturated market. (Damn you, Veronica Roth and Suzanne Collins, daaaamn yooouu!!!). I still wrote a query letter for it, though (which Michelle herself critiqued for me via her excellent query letter service!), and sent out a handful of queries to agents.
But after hearing nothing but form rejections and crickets from those agents, I decided to shelve that book and wrote an adult humorous superhero novel. While I was researching agents and publishers to query for that book, I happened to randomly come upon Clean Reads (then Astraea Press), which said they were currently looking for YA dystopian. So what did I do? I thought, “Hey, that’s kind of cool,” and kept researching agents and publishers for my superhero book.
Just kidding—of course not! I sent The Fourth Generation to Clean Reads and that’s how I got my first contract. So the moral of the story? I think there are a few.
1. Perseverance is very important—keep plugging away and sending out your stuff because you just never know who’s going to say yes.
2. Don’t give up on a story just because it’s in a saturated market. If you love it and truly believe in it, then keep working on it and sending it out. There will be somebody out there who is looking for it or at least knows what to do with it.
3. So much of this business has to do with finding the right publisher/agent at the right time. So even if you get rejected (and for most us that will be A LOT, trust me), it does NOT mean that your book stinks or that God decided to give you the least amount of writing ability of all the writers he decided to create.
4. That being said, it can’t hurt to study up on the craft of writing fiction by reading how-to books, visiting and participating in writing blogs like Michelle’s here, getting your work critiqued by experts and critique partners, getting an MFA in fiction, etc.
5. Online writing contests like Michelle’s Query Kombat are fantastic opportunities to get your work in front of publishers and agents, but at the end of the day it’s what you learn from them about writing and the publishing industry (not to mention meeting and becoming friends with other serious writers in the process) that are the real values. Despite how well or not well you do in a contest, they are highly subjective by nature—just like querying—and at the end of the day you just never know when you’ll actually wind up landing that agent or publishing contract.
6. Don’t hesitate to employ Michelle’s editorial service. She does a fantastic job that will assuredly increase your chances in the query/submission trenches. It worked for me!
7. Booze, chocolate, and stuff of similar nature can help you to weather the writing journey in general.
And without further ado, here is The Fourth Generation, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc…
Buy Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble Smashwords
In the future, no adults exist. Ever since the plague swept the world 100 years ago, no one has lived past seventeen.
Sixteen-year-old Gorin, a collector of curious artifacts left over from the pre-plague civilization, is on the verge of perishing from that deadly epidemic. And his last wish is to find a way to visit the rulers’ reputedly magnificent, off-limits mansion.
Up against the clock, he and his friend Stausha steal into the mansion and discover a secret more horrifying than they ever could’ve imagined—a secret that holds the key to the survival of the whole human race.
------------------------Chris von Halle has had many different lives in many different worlds—the near and distant future Earth, other planets, and even other dimensions—and his books recreate his childhood memories of such outlandish locations. In this world and life, he lives in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and enjoys such extraordinary activities as playing videogames, tennis, and basketball, and writing the occasional comic strip.
Social Media Links:
Website: chrisvonhalle.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.v.hall... http://chrisvonhalle.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @ChrisvonHalle
August 26, 2015
Sad News Concerning Contests
Hi everyone,
As you know I've hosted contests for three years with my co-hosts SC and Mike. We always worked well together and complimented each other wonderfully. We had each other's back, even when we playfully teased each other on who would find the best entries and get the most agent requests. After long and heartbreaking consideration and conversations, Mike and I have asked SC to step down as a co-host of Nightmare on Query Street and Query Kombat.
SC has found a new passion in his Write Inclusively campaign. He's been very outspoken about it on his blog and on social media. It's a wonderful thing that SC has found a cause that speaks to him. It occupies much of his free time.
This is not why we asked him to step down. There were also other factors, private factors, such as time commitment and availability.
Mike and I want to continue our main goal of helping ALL writers, not just those who feature the subjects of diversity or racism. Our goal is still to help writers connect with agents and have some fun in the process. Mike and I are no longer sure our objective and SC's are compatible anymore. Nor do we agree with all of SC's methods and rigid stance on bringing attention to this important problem in our society.
While it's true that Mike created Query Kombat and SC did invite me to the team when we were starting out, I think all three of us have now built our own platform that focuses on helping writers in our own ways. I'm sure SC will continue to do just that and I wish him all the luck in the world.
I ask that you support all three of us as we go through this change in our status.Thank you!
Nightmare on Query Street will continue as before with two blogs instead of three in October. Mike and I will seek a new co-host for Query Kombat next year.
We will continue to look for the best entries for our contests and welcome everyone. Diverse writers and manuscripts will always be welcome!
As you know I've hosted contests for three years with my co-hosts SC and Mike. We always worked well together and complimented each other wonderfully. We had each other's back, even when we playfully teased each other on who would find the best entries and get the most agent requests. After long and heartbreaking consideration and conversations, Mike and I have asked SC to step down as a co-host of Nightmare on Query Street and Query Kombat.
SC has found a new passion in his Write Inclusively campaign. He's been very outspoken about it on his blog and on social media. It's a wonderful thing that SC has found a cause that speaks to him. It occupies much of his free time.
This is not why we asked him to step down. There were also other factors, private factors, such as time commitment and availability.
Mike and I want to continue our main goal of helping ALL writers, not just those who feature the subjects of diversity or racism. Our goal is still to help writers connect with agents and have some fun in the process. Mike and I are no longer sure our objective and SC's are compatible anymore. Nor do we agree with all of SC's methods and rigid stance on bringing attention to this important problem in our society.
While it's true that Mike created Query Kombat and SC did invite me to the team when we were starting out, I think all three of us have now built our own platform that focuses on helping writers in our own ways. I'm sure SC will continue to do just that and I wish him all the luck in the world.
I ask that you support all three of us as we go through this change in our status.Thank you!
Nightmare on Query Street will continue as before with two blogs instead of three in October. Mike and I will seek a new co-host for Query Kombat next year.
We will continue to look for the best entries for our contests and welcome everyone. Diverse writers and manuscripts will always be welcome!
Book Blogger Conversation with Rae Oestreich
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.
I'm happy to have Rae, who is a writer and book reviewer over at her blog, The Wallflower.
What types of books do you review?
Typically, I review the same books that I attempt to write: YA – any genre. I’m not picky in the slightest; as long as the premise sounds interesting, I’m likely to pick it up and start reading regardless of what’s already in my TBR pile. Although my favorite genres tend to be thrillers, science-fiction, and urban fantasies, I’m a total sucker for a good contemporary/romance when I’m in the right mood.
Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you? A link will work.
As a matter of fact, I do! I love getting review requests – guidelines are as simple as emailing me with the premise and asking me if I’d like to review it. The exact guidelines can be found on the “Reviews” page on my blog: http://www.raeoestreich.com/reviews/
How do you find books to review or do they come to you?
While some of my reviews are requested, most of the books I review are books that I come across and purchase on my own. Normally, they’re books I find out about on Twitter – recommendations from friends or fellow bloggers, a book an author I follow is raving about, or I simply come across it on a book tour or through an email from a bookseller and I buy it on impulse.
What got you into blogging about books?
I started blogging about books at the same time I started blogging about writing. I’m a writer at heart, but writing and reading go hand-in-hand, so I love reading anything I can get my hands on and both enjoying the books and studying the techniques that the authors use to create such memorable plots and characters.
What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one?
I think what goes into a good review can differ from book to book, but the reviewer should make sure to point out the specifics of what they liked/disliked, as well as specifics of why (while also being spoiler-free; if a spoiler is necessary, remember to put a disclaimer at the top of your post). My favorite reviews to read are the ones where the reviewer’s personality shines through, where I get a chance to learn a little bit about them while also learning about a new or old book in a way I might not have seen it before. Being passionate and enunciating the different facets of the book that worked/didn’t work make for a good review.
As far as how long it takes to write a review…well, it kind of depends. I find that it’s a lot easier to write about a book that I absolutely loved and can fangirl about, or else one that I kind of severely didn’t like. Those ones might take an hour, tops. The books that fall between, that are simply “okay” but didn’t wow me in one direction or another, might take longer, simply because nothing – good or bad – stood out to me, so maybe I’ll write a few sentences here and there and gather a review over the course of a few hours? One thing’s for sure: if you take notes about things that stand out to you *while* you read, the process of writing the review is a lot faster.
How often do you post reviews?
Typically, I post a book review once a week, on Saturdays. When I happen to have more time and wind up finishing books at a quicker rate, I’ll occasionally double my reviews to twice a week – Tuesdays and Saturdays. So it usually depends on how much time I have, or if I happen to sign up for a review during a blog tour, but the absolute minimum is once a week (it’s like a personal challenge, to keep myself reading even as life erupts into chaos).
What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget?
The best books I’ll claim to have ever read are books that have depth to them. Regardless of their surface action, they’ll have a theme that runs deep – something that’s subtle yet strong enough to make me really think about the novel, the relationships between the characters, and even the repercussions of their actions long after I’ve turned the last page.
Favorite books you’ve reviewed.
Ooh, this is a tough one. What comes to mind right away are THE SCORPIAN RACES, by Maggie Stiefvater; THE WALLS AROUND US, by Nova Ren Suma; VICIOUS and A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC, by V.E. Schwab; and STATION ELEVEN, by Emily St. John Mandel.
Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading?
I’m neutral. I own a Nook with a fair number of books on it, but I also have a massive collection of physical books. No real preference.
Give us your best advice for a beginning book blogger.
If you’re a beginning book blogger, I’d simply say to be reasonable with yourself – read as many books as you can, but don’t overwhelm yourself. Basically, know enough about your personal schedule and lifestyle that you won’t try to take on too many books and reviews at once; it’s much better to have fun with blogging than stressing yourself out over not having enough time in the day!
Thanks so much for having me, Michelle; it was such a blast being here!
---------------------------------
Rae is an undergraduate student in New Mexico studying to earn her B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. If there’s anything she’s learned while in college, it’s that every author’s writing style is something to be preserved; no two people can tell the same story the same way. Therefore, reading and writing both fascinate her, and while she teaches herself how to edit while preserving the integrity of any manuscript she’s given, she also writes her own short stories and YA novels that she hopes might someday (possibly?) be published.
Links:Blog-http://www.raeoestreich.com/Twitter- https://twitter.com/Rae_OestreichTumblr-http://raeoestreich.tumblr.com/Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/RaeSlaterBooksBloglovin’-https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/wallflower-13967301Pinterest-https://www.pinterest.com/raeoestreich/
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.
I'm happy to have Rae, who is a writer and book reviewer over at her blog, The Wallflower.
What types of books do you review?
Typically, I review the same books that I attempt to write: YA – any genre. I’m not picky in the slightest; as long as the premise sounds interesting, I’m likely to pick it up and start reading regardless of what’s already in my TBR pile. Although my favorite genres tend to be thrillers, science-fiction, and urban fantasies, I’m a total sucker for a good contemporary/romance when I’m in the right mood.
Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you? A link will work.
As a matter of fact, I do! I love getting review requests – guidelines are as simple as emailing me with the premise and asking me if I’d like to review it. The exact guidelines can be found on the “Reviews” page on my blog: http://www.raeoestreich.com/reviews/
How do you find books to review or do they come to you?
While some of my reviews are requested, most of the books I review are books that I come across and purchase on my own. Normally, they’re books I find out about on Twitter – recommendations from friends or fellow bloggers, a book an author I follow is raving about, or I simply come across it on a book tour or through an email from a bookseller and I buy it on impulse.
What got you into blogging about books?
I started blogging about books at the same time I started blogging about writing. I’m a writer at heart, but writing and reading go hand-in-hand, so I love reading anything I can get my hands on and both enjoying the books and studying the techniques that the authors use to create such memorable plots and characters.
What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one?
I think what goes into a good review can differ from book to book, but the reviewer should make sure to point out the specifics of what they liked/disliked, as well as specifics of why (while also being spoiler-free; if a spoiler is necessary, remember to put a disclaimer at the top of your post). My favorite reviews to read are the ones where the reviewer’s personality shines through, where I get a chance to learn a little bit about them while also learning about a new or old book in a way I might not have seen it before. Being passionate and enunciating the different facets of the book that worked/didn’t work make for a good review.
As far as how long it takes to write a review…well, it kind of depends. I find that it’s a lot easier to write about a book that I absolutely loved and can fangirl about, or else one that I kind of severely didn’t like. Those ones might take an hour, tops. The books that fall between, that are simply “okay” but didn’t wow me in one direction or another, might take longer, simply because nothing – good or bad – stood out to me, so maybe I’ll write a few sentences here and there and gather a review over the course of a few hours? One thing’s for sure: if you take notes about things that stand out to you *while* you read, the process of writing the review is a lot faster.
How often do you post reviews?
Typically, I post a book review once a week, on Saturdays. When I happen to have more time and wind up finishing books at a quicker rate, I’ll occasionally double my reviews to twice a week – Tuesdays and Saturdays. So it usually depends on how much time I have, or if I happen to sign up for a review during a blog tour, but the absolute minimum is once a week (it’s like a personal challenge, to keep myself reading even as life erupts into chaos).
What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget?
The best books I’ll claim to have ever read are books that have depth to them. Regardless of their surface action, they’ll have a theme that runs deep – something that’s subtle yet strong enough to make me really think about the novel, the relationships between the characters, and even the repercussions of their actions long after I’ve turned the last page.
Favorite books you’ve reviewed.
Ooh, this is a tough one. What comes to mind right away are THE SCORPIAN RACES, by Maggie Stiefvater; THE WALLS AROUND US, by Nova Ren Suma; VICIOUS and A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC, by V.E. Schwab; and STATION ELEVEN, by Emily St. John Mandel.
Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading?
I’m neutral. I own a Nook with a fair number of books on it, but I also have a massive collection of physical books. No real preference.
Give us your best advice for a beginning book blogger.
If you’re a beginning book blogger, I’d simply say to be reasonable with yourself – read as many books as you can, but don’t overwhelm yourself. Basically, know enough about your personal schedule and lifestyle that you won’t try to take on too many books and reviews at once; it’s much better to have fun with blogging than stressing yourself out over not having enough time in the day!
Thanks so much for having me, Michelle; it was such a blast being here!
---------------------------------
Rae is an undergraduate student in New Mexico studying to earn her B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. If there’s anything she’s learned while in college, it’s that every author’s writing style is something to be preserved; no two people can tell the same story the same way. Therefore, reading and writing both fascinate her, and while she teaches herself how to edit while preserving the integrity of any manuscript she’s given, she also writes her own short stories and YA novels that she hopes might someday (possibly?) be published.
Links:Blog-http://www.raeoestreich.com/Twitter- https://twitter.com/Rae_OestreichTumblr-http://raeoestreich.tumblr.com/Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/RaeSlaterBooksBloglovin’-https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/wallflower-13967301Pinterest-https://www.pinterest.com/raeoestreich/
August 25, 2015
Release Day for WISH BOUND
I'm happy to have a release day post for a fellow Pitch Wars mentor! Check out WISH BOUND.
As a partner at Grimm’s magical Agency, Marissa Locks is used to working odd jobs. But when an evil queen reappears in Kingdom, life becomes too strange to handle…
Even when she’s not starting it, trouble follows Marissa everywhere. First there was the incident with the homicidal Fairy Godmother. Then there was the time she accidentally started Armageddon. But the problems that always seem to arise on Marissa’s birthday take the cake.
This year, her annual bad-luck presents include an army of invading goblins, the resurrection of two vengeful enemies from hell, and the return of the Black Queen, the evil sorceress whose reign of terror still haunts Kingdom and who happens to have claimed Marissa as her servant.
As Marissa’s friends try to save her from the Black Queen’s clutches, Marissa fights to end a bitter war that started before her birth. But her quest for peace is about to bring up some inconvenient truths about her own past—ones that might cost her the happily ever after she’s always dreamed of…
Goodreads
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Wish-Bound-Grimm-Agency-Novel/dp/0425272915/?tag=jcnelson-20
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wish-bound-j-c-nelson/1121098548?ean=9780425272916
Other books in the Grimm Agency Series:Grimm Agency #1 - Free Agenthttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20650531-free-agent
Grimm Agency #1.5 – Soul Inkhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23013710-soul-ink
Grimm Agency #2 – Armageddon Ruleshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22668771-armageddon-rules
a Rafflecopter giveaway
-----------------------------------
A Texas transplant to the Pacific Northwest, JC Nelson lives with a family and a flock of chickens near rainy Seattle.
Media Links for JC Nelson:Twitter: www.twitter.com/authorjcnelsonFace book: www.facebook.com/authorjcnelsonGoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7798544.J_C_NelsonPinterest: www.pinterest.com/authorjcnelson
As a partner at Grimm’s magical Agency, Marissa Locks is used to working odd jobs. But when an evil queen reappears in Kingdom, life becomes too strange to handle…
Even when she’s not starting it, trouble follows Marissa everywhere. First there was the incident with the homicidal Fairy Godmother. Then there was the time she accidentally started Armageddon. But the problems that always seem to arise on Marissa’s birthday take the cake.
This year, her annual bad-luck presents include an army of invading goblins, the resurrection of two vengeful enemies from hell, and the return of the Black Queen, the evil sorceress whose reign of terror still haunts Kingdom and who happens to have claimed Marissa as her servant.
As Marissa’s friends try to save her from the Black Queen’s clutches, Marissa fights to end a bitter war that started before her birth. But her quest for peace is about to bring up some inconvenient truths about her own past—ones that might cost her the happily ever after she’s always dreamed of…
Goodreads
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Wish-Bound-Grimm-Agency-Novel/dp/0425272915/?tag=jcnelson-20
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wish-bound-j-c-nelson/1121098548?ean=9780425272916
Other books in the Grimm Agency Series:Grimm Agency #1 - Free Agenthttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20650531-free-agent
Grimm Agency #1.5 – Soul Inkhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23013710-soul-ink
Grimm Agency #2 – Armageddon Ruleshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22668771-armageddon-rules
a Rafflecopter giveaway
-----------------------------------
A Texas transplant to the Pacific Northwest, JC Nelson lives with a family and a flock of chickens near rainy Seattle.
Media Links for JC Nelson:Twitter: www.twitter.com/authorjcnelsonFace book: www.facebook.com/authorjcnelsonGoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7798544.J_C_NelsonPinterest: www.pinterest.com/authorjcnelson
August 20, 2015
Editing Tip: Compound Adjectives
I might have written about this editing tip before, but I still saw so many mistakes with hyphens in Pitchwars submissions. Here's some advice on how you can comb your manuscript and fix this problem yourself.
A compound adjective is where you have two or more adjectives before a noun and the adjectives modify each other and not the noun. If you're not an English major (like me) that can make you dizzy. So lets do this with examples:
I have two cute dogs. The adjectives are two and cute. What are they talking about? The dogs. Can you switch them around? Not without sounding weird. So no comma and no hyphen between the adjectives. The sentence is correct.
I have a black haired dog. The adjectives are black and haired. What are they talking (modifying) about? Ah. Here's the trick. Black is talking about the hair, not the dog. THUS hyphen! The sentence would correctly be: I have a black-haired dog.
Can you get my little brown notebook? The adjectives are little and brown. They both modify the noun. Typically the rule with colors (like numbers) is not to use a comma between adjectives. This sentence is correct as is.
That is my tiny little dessert. Adjectives are tiny and little. You can switch them around and it still sounds right or is correct. You need a comma between them. That is my tiny, little dessert.
Everyone is crazy about a sharp dressed man. The adjectives are sharp and dressed. And yes sharp refers to dressed, not to the man being sharp. It needs a hyphen. Everyone is crazy about a sharp-dressed man.
He is a well known athlete. You're not saying he is a well athlete, so you need a hyphen here. He is a well-known athlete.
BUT change the sentence. That athlete is well known. And now you have a new ballgame. No hyphen.
Most of the time, you only hyphenate if the words are adjectives with a noun following.
out-of-the-box thinker
dark-eyed girl
polyester-blend suit
blue-green paint
There is ONE big, glaring exception (because there's always one):
DO NOT hyphenate 'ly words.
She is a highly motivated writer. This would stay the same. No hyphen.
That is a freakishly short girl. Again, no hyphen.
I like the smell of freshly mowed grass. No hyphen even though freshly modifies mowed.
So there's a short example of when to hyphen compound adjectives. (There are also certain words that are always hyphenated, but it's best you consult a list to find out what those are.)
Do you have any examples to share from your own writing?
A compound adjective is where you have two or more adjectives before a noun and the adjectives modify each other and not the noun. If you're not an English major (like me) that can make you dizzy. So lets do this with examples:
I have two cute dogs. The adjectives are two and cute. What are they talking about? The dogs. Can you switch them around? Not without sounding weird. So no comma and no hyphen between the adjectives. The sentence is correct.
I have a black haired dog. The adjectives are black and haired. What are they talking (modifying) about? Ah. Here's the trick. Black is talking about the hair, not the dog. THUS hyphen! The sentence would correctly be: I have a black-haired dog.
Can you get my little brown notebook? The adjectives are little and brown. They both modify the noun. Typically the rule with colors (like numbers) is not to use a comma between adjectives. This sentence is correct as is.
That is my tiny little dessert. Adjectives are tiny and little. You can switch them around and it still sounds right or is correct. You need a comma between them. That is my tiny, little dessert.
Everyone is crazy about a sharp dressed man. The adjectives are sharp and dressed. And yes sharp refers to dressed, not to the man being sharp. It needs a hyphen. Everyone is crazy about a sharp-dressed man.
He is a well known athlete. You're not saying he is a well athlete, so you need a hyphen here. He is a well-known athlete.
BUT change the sentence. That athlete is well known. And now you have a new ballgame. No hyphen.
Most of the time, you only hyphenate if the words are adjectives with a noun following.
out-of-the-box thinker
dark-eyed girl
polyester-blend suit
blue-green paint
There is ONE big, glaring exception (because there's always one):
DO NOT hyphenate 'ly words.
She is a highly motivated writer. This would stay the same. No hyphen.
That is a freakishly short girl. Again, no hyphen.
I like the smell of freshly mowed grass. No hyphen even though freshly modifies mowed.
So there's a short example of when to hyphen compound adjectives. (There are also certain words that are always hyphenated, but it's best you consult a list to find out what those are.)
Do you have any examples to share from your own writing?
August 19, 2015
Book Blogger Conversation with Riki Cleveland
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.
Welcome to Riki Cleveland and find out more about her and her blog. Be sure and check out her links at the end of this post.
What types of books do you review?
No book goes unloved at Refreshingly Riki! I review everything from middle grade to adult, with a special emphasis on Young Adult literature and adult romance. I’m a sucker for a well-written story, no matter what genre it comes in.
Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you? A link will work.
Authors can contact me either by email: RefreshinglyRiki [at] gmail.com, or via my contact form: http://missriki.com/contact-miss-riki/
Do you post anything besides reviews—such as cover art or giveaways?
I absolutely love participating in author interviews and cover reveals! I typically feature at least one cover reveal per week and host authors for interviews as often as possible.
How do you find books to review or do they come to you?
I review in two ways. First, I review Advance Review Copies provided by various publishers, which is always a really fun thing. It’s amazing to be a part of generating buzz for an upcoming release. I do also review already published books as well, though. My review slate is a good mix of both.
What got you into blogging about books?
I’m a lifelong reader and have always loved talking about books in both a classroom and book club setting, so blogging about books was the next logical step. It’s like a huge book club just waiting to happen!
What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one?
I think that it is really important in reviews to be as honest as possible, but at the same time acknowledging that not every book is going to be for every person. When I don’t connect with a book I try to let my readers know why it didn’t work for me, while still acknowledging that it might absolutely work for them. I also believe that book reviews should stay away from spoilers as much as possible!
As for how long it takes to write one- it really depends. I’m known to wax poetic about books I love, so some of my reviews take longer to write than others.
How often do you post reviews?
I feature at least three book reviews per week. What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget?
The books that stay with me long after reading are the ones that elicit an intense feeling for me. That can be a book that makes me feel fear, like in a good suspense novel, or one that makes me swoon, like in a good romance novel. The ones that I’m not likely to forget always give me heightened emotions of some sort. Bonus points for books that make me cry!
Any marketing tips you’ve noticed work really well for authors?
I think that it is absolutely true that readers love a good giveaway. I’ve noticed a large increase in traffic and participation in promotional posts that feature a giveaway, even if it is for something small like a signed bookmark or postcard. Readers love to have a piece of an author who wrote a book they loved, and giveaways are a wonderful way to provide that.
Favorite books you’ve reviewed.
This is an impossible question! I’ve fallen in love with so many books and their authors through the years! But if I had to choose my favorites, I would have to say that I’ve loved reviewing books that take me out of my comfort zone the most. I’m often guilty of reading prolifically within my comfort zone and steering clear of books that I’m not sure about, but when I’ve given those books a chance, I’ve found that I am inevitably wowed by the novelty and have found new favorites.
Books you are looking forward to in the next year.
Two books that I absolutely cannot wait to read are QUEEN OF SHADOWS by Sarah J. Maas and TRUTHWITCH by Susan Dennard. (Incidentally- I’ve never been much of a fantasy reader, but these authors hooked me, and now their books are at the top of my Must Read list!)
Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading?
I’m split on this! I read about 50/50 e-books versus paper books. I tend to read most Advance Review Copies on my Kindle since they often come from NetGalley, but I’m a sucker for a beautiful hard copy of a book.
If you could only purchase one book, what would it be?
Ooh- what a good question! If I could only purchase one book to have on my shelves, I would choose Diana Gabaldon’s OUTLANDER. It has everything I love in a book, including compelling lead characters, high action, and an epic romance. Plus, it’s quite long, so it would keep me busy awhile!
What’s your favorite spot to read?
My absolute favorite spot to read is the beach! There is nothing better than being outdoors reading with the sound of crashing waves in the background. But when I cannot be at the beach, I typically read in a recliner!
Give us your best advice for a beginning book blogger.
My best advice for a beginning book blogger would be to be open to reading new things. Some of my favorite books of all time have come from publishers when I knew nothing about the book in advance and might not have picked it up otherwise. Not only does it expand your horizons as a reader, but it also makes you a better reader in the process!
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Riki has a long-standing love affair with all things books and writing. She indulged her love for all things literary with a degree in English Literature from Arizona State University and holds a certificate in novel writing from the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. Although she is well past her own teen years, Riki’s reading passion lies with Young Adult literature where she devours books that handle the “firsts” in life. When not reading and writing she can be found yelling at the television while watching sports.
Links:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RefreshinglyRikiTwitter: https://twitter.com/missrikiBlog: http://missriki.com
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.
Welcome to Riki Cleveland and find out more about her and her blog. Be sure and check out her links at the end of this post.
What types of books do you review?
No book goes unloved at Refreshingly Riki! I review everything from middle grade to adult, with a special emphasis on Young Adult literature and adult romance. I’m a sucker for a well-written story, no matter what genre it comes in.
Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you? A link will work.
Authors can contact me either by email: RefreshinglyRiki [at] gmail.com, or via my contact form: http://missriki.com/contact-miss-riki/
Do you post anything besides reviews—such as cover art or giveaways?
I absolutely love participating in author interviews and cover reveals! I typically feature at least one cover reveal per week and host authors for interviews as often as possible.
How do you find books to review or do they come to you?
I review in two ways. First, I review Advance Review Copies provided by various publishers, which is always a really fun thing. It’s amazing to be a part of generating buzz for an upcoming release. I do also review already published books as well, though. My review slate is a good mix of both.
What got you into blogging about books?
I’m a lifelong reader and have always loved talking about books in both a classroom and book club setting, so blogging about books was the next logical step. It’s like a huge book club just waiting to happen!
What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one?
I think that it is really important in reviews to be as honest as possible, but at the same time acknowledging that not every book is going to be for every person. When I don’t connect with a book I try to let my readers know why it didn’t work for me, while still acknowledging that it might absolutely work for them. I also believe that book reviews should stay away from spoilers as much as possible!
As for how long it takes to write one- it really depends. I’m known to wax poetic about books I love, so some of my reviews take longer to write than others.
How often do you post reviews?
I feature at least three book reviews per week. What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget?
The books that stay with me long after reading are the ones that elicit an intense feeling for me. That can be a book that makes me feel fear, like in a good suspense novel, or one that makes me swoon, like in a good romance novel. The ones that I’m not likely to forget always give me heightened emotions of some sort. Bonus points for books that make me cry!
Any marketing tips you’ve noticed work really well for authors?
I think that it is absolutely true that readers love a good giveaway. I’ve noticed a large increase in traffic and participation in promotional posts that feature a giveaway, even if it is for something small like a signed bookmark or postcard. Readers love to have a piece of an author who wrote a book they loved, and giveaways are a wonderful way to provide that.
Favorite books you’ve reviewed.
This is an impossible question! I’ve fallen in love with so many books and their authors through the years! But if I had to choose my favorites, I would have to say that I’ve loved reviewing books that take me out of my comfort zone the most. I’m often guilty of reading prolifically within my comfort zone and steering clear of books that I’m not sure about, but when I’ve given those books a chance, I’ve found that I am inevitably wowed by the novelty and have found new favorites.
Books you are looking forward to in the next year.
Two books that I absolutely cannot wait to read are QUEEN OF SHADOWS by Sarah J. Maas and TRUTHWITCH by Susan Dennard. (Incidentally- I’ve never been much of a fantasy reader, but these authors hooked me, and now their books are at the top of my Must Read list!)
Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading?
I’m split on this! I read about 50/50 e-books versus paper books. I tend to read most Advance Review Copies on my Kindle since they often come from NetGalley, but I’m a sucker for a beautiful hard copy of a book.
If you could only purchase one book, what would it be?
Ooh- what a good question! If I could only purchase one book to have on my shelves, I would choose Diana Gabaldon’s OUTLANDER. It has everything I love in a book, including compelling lead characters, high action, and an epic romance. Plus, it’s quite long, so it would keep me busy awhile!
What’s your favorite spot to read?
My absolute favorite spot to read is the beach! There is nothing better than being outdoors reading with the sound of crashing waves in the background. But when I cannot be at the beach, I typically read in a recliner!
Give us your best advice for a beginning book blogger.
My best advice for a beginning book blogger would be to be open to reading new things. Some of my favorite books of all time have come from publishers when I knew nothing about the book in advance and might not have picked it up otherwise. Not only does it expand your horizons as a reader, but it also makes you a better reader in the process!
--------------------------------
Riki has a long-standing love affair with all things books and writing. She indulged her love for all things literary with a degree in English Literature from Arizona State University and holds a certificate in novel writing from the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. Although she is well past her own teen years, Riki’s reading passion lies with Young Adult literature where she devours books that handle the “firsts” in life. When not reading and writing she can be found yelling at the television while watching sports.
Links:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RefreshinglyRikiTwitter: https://twitter.com/missrikiBlog: http://missriki.com
