Stacey Trombley's Blog, page 3

My Pitch Wars Bio and Wishlist!!

Hello there!

I'm crazy excited to be a mentor for Pitch Wars for the second time! It was a blast last year and the writers here are so amazing (yes, this means you!) I couldn't pass up the chance to do it all again.


I’m a second time Pitch Wars mentor and I’m just as excited for it this year! I was in Pitch Wars as an alternate for the first two years, then last year made the leap to mentor (which is legit exciting stuff, guys!)) 

I love contests and believe they have a huge impact on those who enter, even when they don’t “make” it (believe me, I know. I tried and tried and tried for 8 months before I was finally chosen in my first contest. Which was pitch wars 2012, when I was chosen by the fantastic Fiona Mclaren). I know what it’s like to fail and fail and fail and fight and fight and fight. I know what it’s like to want it SO BAD. So I feel for ALL of you, even the ones who aren’t chosen.

And Pitch Wars is the contest of all contests because it’s less about the agents and more about the connections and the learning. Instead of having your pitch/query and first page thrown up on a blog as is, you get the chance to really make it shine with the help of a mentor.
That's where I come in. Or, you know, any of  the other awesome mentors out there.

  So, how about a little about me? My name is Stacey Trombley and my first book, NAKED, just released.





It's a YA contemporary about Anna, a girl trying to rebuild her life after spending 3 years in NYC as a prostitute. There's romance, suspense and lots and lots of emotions. (more about it here: )

I write all kinds of YA and MG, including fantasy (last year I mentored MG and my mentee and alternate were both in the speculative realm (one high fantasy one paranormal). My mentee from 2014, Victoria, is now represented by Laura Rennert. See  her pitch wars entry here) but in an effort to brand I'm currently focusing my publishing efforts on YA contemporary.

So this year I'm mentoring YA (sorry MG folks. I love you too!) And while I'm most interested in real world stories (not limited to contemporary,  however. I'd LOVE a thriller or something along those lines too) don't forget me if you have a  paranormal, fantasy or sci-fi YA. I'd have no problem picking a speculative story if it were the right one. So if your story fits my wish list, please consider me too!!

Since I know how hard it is to choose only a couple mentors out of all the *amazing*, below I'll go into more detail about my tastes and what I'd love to see.  Hopefully that'll give you a good idea about whether or not your book might be a good fit for me!


The three biggest things I'm looking for in my subs are:

UNIQUE!
DARK!
HOOK-ME WRITING!

Unique: I love big concepts, which isn't always easy with Contemporary but basically I need something new, something that excites me.

Dark: I love antiheros, and conflicted characters. I love deep angst. There must be some hope filtered into it but otherwise I love getting deep into those dark emotions (example: my favorite YA contemporary is The Hate List by Jennifer Brown. Definitely my sort of thing)

Hook-me writing: I'm drawn to the kind of writing that adds to the story-- the emotions--  from the get go. Voice is part of this. Style is part of this. Tone is part of this. Atmosphere is a big part of this. If you can put EMOTION into the words, the sentences-- that's what I want. 
But I'm NOT a fan of writing that tries too hard. Don't try to make it flashy, or sound like some big wig literary author. It should be natural. It should fit your story and the circumstances. It should be YOU.

I want to FEEL something when I read your submission. What that "something" is, is totally up to you:
Heartache
Fear
Guilt
Pain/sadness
Angst
Anger
Determination
Etc. Etc. Etc.
So really any genre (though I’ve never been into traditional mystery, maybe mostly because they never seem “new” enough to me,) just something with a cool gets-me-thinking concept and deep dark emotion and I’m TOTALLY your gal! (Remember though, it MUST be YA)
Can’t wait to read what you’ve got!
P.s. I do try to give feedback to everyone. I will TRY TRY TRY my best to do it again.





Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Auto-Linky widget will appear right here!This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.

Below are some links that I've seen around (one I wrote myself!) that are very helpful for preparing a query and/or first chapter for querying or contest-ing. Take a look and get those entries ready!

 What to avoid in your first chapter

Writing the perfect first page

Random tips and advice from mentor Naomi Hughes

Genre glossary

Synopsis help! 

Query tips

My "Author Bucket List"

Being a published author is a dream come true. I’ve thought about what it would be like non-stop since I started seriously writing in 2009. I’ve had a gazillion and one images of what might happen. What would it be like to talk to an agent on the phone? (Boy, have I had THAT talk in my head too many times.) I’ve thought about what it would be like to be offered a big advance (and I don’t mean huge. My imagination is fairly reasonable. I don’t need 6 figures. I’d take, say, 50k as my dream advance? Yeah that would be nice.) I’ve thought about seeing my book in book stores, hitting the New York Times Bestseller list, signings and having readers email me. People writing fanfiction about my work. 
Some of those things I haven’t achieved (okay, most of them.) Some of them I probably won’t ever achieve. But I realized something during my release week: If I have the opportunity to reach one of those goals, I need to take it. Even if it means going out of my way to get there.
All I have is right now and even though I’m confident I’ll have more books published, I never know what might happen. It’s possible I'll only ever get the opportunity to self-publish, or publish through ebook publishers, or might get a big publisher contract and bookstores won’t house my books (Yes, this happens!) 
So on my release day I went out to the Books-A-Million up the street to look for my book. I’d specifically asked my editor if BAM had bought any of my book and he said yes (but that didn’t mean every store would have it). I went in and looked for it on the shelf and didn’t see it. I asked about it.They said they didn’t have the book in stock, and probably wouldn’t get it. 
Even knowing that not every store would have it, it was still a bit crushing that my local, big chain, book store didn’t, and wouldn’t, get it. 

Well, long story short, I finally got the chance to talk to the store manager who ordered 25 copies for a signing right there on the spot.
So they were getting my book. I was going to have a signing!! That’s one check off my Author’s Bucket List. But I missed out on a huge one. 
Seeing my book on the shelf of a book store. 
They were ordering copies but those copies might never sit on those shelves waiting for an innocent reader to come by. It’s cool in its own way but I still wanted to make sure I got the experience of walking into a book store, walking down the aisle and seeing MY BOOK. 
After thinking about it for a few days, I decided to hop in my car and take a road trip. Luckily it wasn’t TOO far to the next big book store. I went to Barnes&Noble a little over a half hour away just so I could have that experience before it was too late.
AND…..


I FOUND IT!!!
I talked to a manager, signed the copies they had and they very nicely placed in up front! :D



Thanks Barnes & Noble for fulfilling one of my dreams! One more item of my Author Bucket List checked off! Success!



I have many more dreams left to be achieved, but for now I’m happy with those two!


(Funny story. Only a few days later a friend posted this one facebook. I was all "Hey! Is that at Books-A-Million in town?" Apparently BAM up the street did get it in, and it definitely wasn't the copies they ordered. They DID have an order already in and were just a bit behind.)

IT'S HEEEERE!

Today is the day! My book is officially out there, in the wild somewhere, where anyone and everyone can read it. Which is pretty absolutely insane.








So what does an author do on the day of their very first book release? It's pretty exciting stuff. I'll lay it out for you.


Step 1: Wake up at 5 am to read the blogger tweets.

Step 2: Eat Poptarts and Dr. Pepper for breakfast and realize your life is basically exactly the same as yesterday

Step 3: continue to obsess over twitter and facebook and try desperately to figure out how to run a boosted facebook post, and wonder if it's really worth it.

Step 4: Try to record a Vlog and fail epically (there was no sound on my camera, apparently)

Step 5: Try again and realize you're a complete loser and you're going to need to do some full on editing before anyone with a heartbeat sees the footage.

Step 6: Go to the book store and hope to see your book sitting on those magical wooden shelves.

Step 7: celebretory lunch with hubby and baby.

Step 8: ICE CREAM

Step 9: stalk twitter and goodreads some more.

Step 10: .... watch a movie or something?

Step 11: go to bed and end one of the most importantly anticlimactic days of your life.





As of today, I am a published author. No matter how anticlimactic, that's pretty cool.

IT

Cover reveal! Chameleon by KT Hanna

Chameleon (The Domino Project #1) is a YA futuristic science fiction story. It's set in the wasteland of earth after a meteor shower devastates landmasses, makes seas rise, introduces the psionic gene into the human race, damages the atmosphere, and gives the gift of an alien parasite to the world.
The goodreads blurb is as follows:
After Sai's newly awoken psionic power accidentally destroys her apartment complex, she’s thrown into an intensive training program. The only grades are pass or die.
Surviving means proving her continued existence isn't a mistake--a task her new mentor, Bastian, takes personally. Her abilities place her in the GNW Enforcer division, which partners her with Domino 12, who is eerily human for an alien-parasite and psionic hybrid. When her assassination duties are revealed, Sai understands the real reason for her training.

  On a mission to dispatch a dangerous Exiled scientist, she uncovers truths she never thought possible. Sai is unsure who to trust as her next mission might be her last, and a double agent seems to be manipulating both sides.


Without further ado - here is the cover, by the amazingly talented S.P. McConnell.
-------
It's finally here

Isn't it GORGEOUS!?!?!
Sit back and bask in this for a moment.
It's available for preorder for a special price of $2.99

About the Author
KT Hanna has a love for words so extreme, a single word can spark entire worlds.
Born in Australia, she met her husband in a computer game, moved to the U.S.A. and went into culture shock. Bonus? Not as many creatures specifically out to kill you.
When she's not writing, she freelance edits for Chimera Editing, interns for a NYC Agency, and chases her daughter, husband, corgi, and cat. No, she doesn't sleep. She is entirely powered by the number 2, caffeine, and beef jerky.
Note: Still searching for her Tardis
Celebration!To celebrate, we're giving away 2 x $10 Amazon e-gift cards (open to anyone who can receive and use an Amazon e-card) Just click on as many options as you like and enter!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover reveal! Forget Tomorrow

Forget Tomorrowby Pintip DunnRelease Date: 11/03/15Entangled Teen
Summary from Goodreads:Imagine a world where your destiny has already been decided...by your future self.

It's Callie’s seventeenth birthday and, like everyone else, she's eagerly awaiting her vision―a memory sent back in time to sculpt each citizen into the person they're meant to be. A world-class swimmer. A renowned scientist.

Or in Callie's case, a criminal.

In her vision, she sees herself murdering her gifted younger sister. Before she can process what it means, Callie is arrested and placed in Limbo―a prison for those destined to break the law. With the help of her childhood crush, Logan, a boy she hasn’t spoken to in five years, she escapes the hellish prison.

But on the run from her future, as well as the government, Callie sets in motion a chain of events that she hopes will change her fate. If not, she must figure out how to protect her sister from the biggest threat of all—Callie, herself. 

Pre-Order Links:Amazon│Barnes & Noble
About the Author
When my first-grade teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I replied, “An author.” Although I have pursued other interests over the years, this dream has never wavered.
I graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. I received my J.D. at Yale Law School, where I was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL. I published an article in the YALE LAW JOURNAL, entitled, “How Judges Overrule: Speech Act Theory and the Doctrine of Stare Decisis,” and received the Barry S. Kaplan Prize for best paper in Law and Literature.I am represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. I'm a 2012 Golden Heart® finalist and a 2014 double-finalist. I'm a member of Romance Writers of America, Washington Romance Writers, YARWA, and The Golden Network.
I live with my husband and children in Maryland.
Author Links:      

Cover Reveal Organized by:

Cover Reveal! Library Jumpers by the fantastic Brenda Drake!

Library Jumpersby Brenda DrakeRelease Date: January 2016Entangled Teen
Summary from Goodreads:Gia Kearns would rather fight with boys than kiss them. That is, until Arik, a leather clad hottie in the Boston Athenaeum, suddenly disappears. While examining the book of world libraries he abandoned, Gia unwittingly speaks the key that sucks her and her friends into a photograph and transports them into a Paris library, where Arik and his Sentinels—magical knights charged with protecting humans from the creatures traveling across the gateway books—rescue them from a demonic hound.Jumping into some of the world's most beautiful libraries would be a dream come true for Gia, if she weren’t busy resisting her heart or dodging an exiled wizard seeking revenge on both the Mystik and human worlds. Add a French flirt obsessed with Arik and a fling with a young wizard, and Gia must choose between her heart and her head, between Arik's world and her own, before both are destroyed.

Pre-Order Links:Amazon│Barnes & Noble


About the Author
Brenda Drake, the youngest of three children, grew up an Air Force brat and the continual new kid at school until her family settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Brenda’s fondest memories growing up is of her eccentric, Irish grandmother’s animated tales,which gave her a strong love for storytelling. So it was only fitting that she would choose to write young adult and middle grade novels witha bend toward the fantastical. When Brenda’s not writing or doing the social media thing, she’s haunting libraries, bookstores,and coffee shops or reading someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).

Author Links:      

Cover Reveal Organized by:

ARC Giveaway!

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Giveaway ends June 04, 2015.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to Win

And The Winner Is......

Thanks so much to everyone who entered my giveaway! It was fun to do and I'm honestly excited to read the winner's manuscript. I high suggest you guys meet as many writerly friends as possible through these contests. Offer to beta read for people. Tell them when you think their stories sound awesome. Quite a few of the friends I've met doing these things now have their books published. Be HAPPY for them, even when it's not working out for you. It will happen if you keep working, keep fighting (even if it's not for your current novel).

Okay, lecture done ;) Now onto the giveaway winner!








a Rafflecopter giveaway 

I've emailed Laura V. but if you don't get the email shoot me one, Laura. (twitter is fine too) and we'll get it figured out.

I can't wait to read!


And remember my offer to everyone else interested in an edit:

If you email me by next Sunday, March 8th, midnight EST with Pitch Madness in the subject line, I'll offer either of my editing packages for 25% off.

That's 150$ for a one round edit on a manuscript or 300$ for the Mentorship (read more details here.)

I will take edits on a first-come first-serve basis, which means if you're the tenth person to email me I likely won't be able to do your edit for a few months. Email me to check my availability and I'll do what I can to help anyone interested.  The edit does NOT have to be for the manuscript entered into Pitch Madness.

Critique Giveaway!

 As promised, I'm giving away one free FULL manuscript critique. This giveaway is open to all, but specifically held for those who entered Pitch Madness and didn't make it into the agent round. 

The winner will get a one round critique of a finished novel. I usually only do edits on YA and MG but am opening the giveaway to all genres. Just understand that I'm not quite as familiar with the adult category. If you want more details on what the critique will involve check out my editing services page. You'll be getting the "Quickie."

The giveaway will be open until the end of the day tomorrow at Midnight EST. Winner announced by noon on Tuesday.



a Rafflecopter giveaway  If you tweeted my Pitch Tips page for an extra entry, there is a place for that on the raffle copter.  If you tweeted but aren't entering the giveaway you can gift the extra entry to someone (but only one extra entry available per person so if they also tweeted they will only get credit for one). Please tweet me the name of the person you want to give it to. If I don't get a tweet from the person who did tweet, I won't honor the extra entry. 



Since there will be a lot of people left out of Pitch Madness (guys, these contests are HARD. I've been there) and I can only give away one free critique right now, I'm going to offer a temporary discount on my editing services. I'm honestly not out to make a ton of money off of this, guys. I really want to help writers. I just need to make a living too.

If you email me by next Sunday, March 8th, at midnight EST with Pitch Madness in the subject line, I'll offer either of my editing packages for 25% off.

That's 150$ for a one round edit on a manuscript or 300$ for the Mentorship (read more details here.)

I will take edits on a first-come first-serve basis, which means if you're the tenth person to email me I likely won't be able to do your edit for a few months. Email me to check my availability and I'll do what I can to help anyone interested.  The edit does NOT have to be for the manuscript entered into Pitch Madness.