A MILLION SUNS Giveaway Winner!!!

Folks, the random number generator has spoken. I'm pleased to announce the winner of Beth Revis's highly anticipated A Million Suns.

That winner is...

*drumroll*

*more drumroll*

*confetti*

Christina Lee!

Congrats, Christina! I'll be emailing you soon!! 

And thanks to all of you who entered! There'll be more opportunities to win free books, so don't worry :) 

Have a great Monday!

Ringing In 2012 With A BOOK GIVEAWAY!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, BLOGGING BUDDIES!! 

I am sooooo excited for 2012. You have no idea. There are a few personal reasons for said excitement, but a huge chunk of it is due to the super awesome books coming out this year. Among them, one I cannot wait to get my hands on:

A MILLION SUNS by Beth Revis

Here's the blurb for the highly anticipated sequel to ACROSS THE UNIVERSE:

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

So. Since I want to kick off 2012 with happy vibes and all that jazz, I figured I'd give a copy of A MILLIONS SUNS to one lucky winner! 

Here are le rules:

1) You must be a follower on my blog. 

2) Comment on this post to enter the giveaway.

3) The giveaway will run till Sunday, January 8th.

4) The winner will be announced Monday, January 9th.

4) Giveaway is international (wherever Book Depository ships). 

That's it. Best of luck to all who enter, and I hope 2012 started awesomely for you!!!

Mystery Agent Contest: Get Those Twitter Pitches Ready!

Happy NaNo, everybody!!

*tosses confetti*

For those of you not entering NaNo this year, and have a completed manuscript, I've got great news. We're celebrating another Mystery Agent Contest over at Operation Awesome!

To enter, you need a Twitter-length pitch and the first 500 words of your manuscript.

Click here for more details.

And best of luck!!

Agent Sarah LaPolla's One-Line Pitch Critique!

I know, I know. I don't post on Fridays.

BUT this exception is worth it. 

Today I'm sharing agent Sarah LaPolla's critique from Reel YA's first ever contest!

But before I jump into Sarah's feedback, here's the winning one-line pitch from Lori M. Lee:

Title: Harbinger

Genre: YA cyberpunk fantasy

Pitch: To save her brother from becoming a Golem, a cybernetically enhanced soldier, 17-yr-old Kai must uncover the secrets of her dying city and defy its supernatural rulers.

And here's what Sarah had to say: 

This is a great one-sentence pitch in that I know who the main character is, what type of world she lives in, and what will be at stake for her. What made me pause a little was the mention of a Golem as a cybernetic creature. I’m curious to see where the original Golem myth comes into play, if it does at all. It might make it clearer to say “cybernetically enhanced Golem” and let us know what he is fighting for (or what he’s told he’s fighting for), so we get a better sense of how this story will be different. I love the second part of this sentence. I can visualize a dark, decaying city that’s been taken over by these soldiers. It paints a grim picture, but promises action and a strong sense of character. I also like that the person she is fighting for is her brother, and not a love interest. The familial connection makes her fight that much more tangible for the reader, and I can tell that it will be a bond worth rooting for.

Not only did Sarah offer amazing feedback, but she also requested the first three chapters of Lori's manuscript! Congrats, Lori!! 

One-line pitches are very hard to pull off, but as shown by Lori, it's not impossible. I hope her pitch and Sarah's feedback provide a clearer picture for those of you still struggling with your pitches! 

And in case you're craving more agent feedback, stay tuned for Weronika Janczuk's turn soon! Also, I'm throwing another One-Line Pitch Contest next month, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

Now tell me: what's the hardest thing about one-line pitches for you? How do you tackle such a short description of your manuscript without losing your mind? 

One-Line Pitch Critique Contest WINNERS!

Thanks SO MUCH to everyone who entered Reel YA's first contest!! Trust me. There are more to come! 

Now. With the help of Random.org, I've chosen two winners to have their pitches critiqued by agents Weronika Janczuk and Sarah LaPolla. 

Ready?

Here they are! :)

The winner of Weronika's one-line pitch critique is:

Taryn!

The winner of Sarah's one-line pitch critique is:

Lori M. Lee!

CONGRATS, ladies!! I'll be sending you an email shortly!

And remember: both Weronika and Sarah have graciously agreed to share their feedback here on the blog, so stay tuned for that! 

Have a great day, everyone :)

Two Agents + One-Line Pitch Critique Contest = Reel YA!

Happy Monday, everyone!

Today's post is going to be a short one.

Why?

Because I'm over at Reel YA celebrating its first contest! 

*shimmies*

And guess what? TWO literary agents will be critiquing one-line pitches. And guess what else? Their commentaries will be posted on the blog! So everyone can soak in their awesome advice! 

*shimmies again*

Okay. Enough shimmying.

Head over to Reel YA for official contest rules and details. 

Best of luck to all who enter!

One-Line Pitch Critique Contest Starts NOW!!

Welcome to Reel YA's first contest, everyone! 

You know how movies have loglines? Those one sentences that sum up what the movie's about? Whether you read them on a poster, or after hitting INFO on your TV remote, loglines help audiences know if the movie will be up their alley or not. Well, one-line pitches do the same thing for agents. 

That's why I decided to throw a One-Line Pitch Critique Contest! 

Here are the official rules:

1) You must be a follower to enter.

2) Leave a comment with your email address in this post.

3) There will be two winners, both chosen via random.org. You don't have to write your one-line pitch in the comments. If you're one of the winners, I will email you to ask for your pitch, which I will then send to one of the agent judges. 

4) The contest ends on Monday, October 3rd. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, October 4th. After the agent judges have read and critiqued the winning pitches, their critiques will be posted on the blog. This is so followers can read the critiques and apply the agents' advice to their one-line pitches.

5) The pitches must be for projects in genres the agent judges represent (read below for agent profiles!).

6) Both agents may or may not request more pages from their winners. 

And now for the agent judges!

Weronika Janczuk is a literary agent with Lynn Franklin Associates. Previously she worked with the D4EO Literary Agency and the Bent Agency, as well as at Flux, among others. Currently she represents a wide range of fiction and non-fiction for YA and adults alike—and is very actively building her list, especially  in areas of crime fiction (especially espionage and literary suspense/thrillers), fantasy/sci-fi, horror, women’s fiction and romance, both literary and high-concept YA, memoir, and narrative non-fiction.

Sarah LaPolla began at Curtis Brown in 2008, working with Dave Barbor and Peter Ginsberg. Sarah is interested in literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, science fiction, literary horror, and young adult fiction. She loves complex characters, coming-of-age stories, and strong narrators. Sarah graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Writing and English, and went on to receive her MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. 

You have one week to polish those pitches for Weronika and Sarah, folks! Get to it!

And good luck!

It's Mystery Agent Contest Day!!!

Once again, Operation Awesome has found a Mystery Agent!! If you have a completed manuscript and a one-line pitch, hop on over to the blog and enter. 

Your prize? A full manuscript request!

And who knows? Maybe our Mystery Agent will pick more than one winner. 

*bats eyelashes*

Best of luck to all who enter!!

How Small Goals And Alexander Skarsgard Help Me Write

Confession: Sometimes I have trouble writing. 

I sit down and stare at the computer screen for an eternity, unable to come up with anything remotely good. Through time, I've discovered my biggest problem--I sit down with the wrong attitude.

Writer Me From The Past was all about cranking out a billion words a day. If I didn't, I sucked. A failure at life. Writer Me From Right Now is a bit more carefree, though. 

And it's all because of two things:

1) Small goals

I promise myself to write a paragraph. When I finish that paragraph, I go, "Hmm. I kinda want to do one more." Then I do one more. And I go, "Hmm. Maybe just one more." Then I do one more. 

Rinse. Repeat.

Why does this trick work for me? 

I get excited about the story. After a little taste of what I can do, I want to see if I can push myself a bit more. But I do the pushing in small bursts, not sprints. Sprints tire me out and make me give up. Most of the time, Writer Me From The Past wrote a lot of Bad Scenes while sprinting. I wrote for the sake of saying I'd reached X amount of words. 

Now? I go slow. Then I keep going till I stop and look back.

At a whole bunch of words.

Not So Bad ones.

2) Alexander Skarsgard (from TRUE BLOOD)

I convince myself that if I write that paragraph, or that scene, ASkars will knock on my door. He'll take me to dinner. To the beach. Or wherever else he sees fit. 

If that's not inspiration enough, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.

*clears throat*

So. There you have it, folks. Small goals and Alexander Skarsgard help me write. A lot.

I hope they can help you, too :)

Now tell me: any tips you've found useful for writing a lot of Not So Bad Words?

Reminder: Don't miss Operation Awesome's July Mystery Agent Contest!!! Hop on over to the blog tomorrow for your chance at a full request!! 

Random Sunday Post: Win WHERE SHE WENT by Gayle Forman!!!

So. I don't usually post on Sundays, BUT I had to share the news.

The awesome Frankie Diane Mallis is giving away a SIGNED COPY of Where She Went by the equally awesome Gayle Forman!!

If you've read If I Stay, then I'm sure you've been dying to get your hands on this sequel. Now go check out Frankie's contest here.

Best of luck! And happy week!

April Mystery Agent Contest Starts NOW!

HURRY OVER to the Operation Awesome blog and enter your one-line pitch in the Mystery Agent contest!! The M.A. will pick one winner, who'll get a FULL MANUSCRIPT REQUEST. 

And no, it's not an April Fool's joke. Pinky swear.

See you there! Best of luck to everyone!

And have a great weekend! :)

Genre Hopping: How Do You Cope?

So. I'm working on a manuscript that belongs to a genre (you know... as most manuscripts do...).

I have another WIP on standby. And it's in another genre.

I keep going back and forth between the two, brainstorming ideas for both plots.

All. The. Time.

Folks, I am going insane. 

To the point where I was actually humming a Justin Bieber song yesterday *facepalm*

That's why I wanted to ask ya'll a little question. You know, for the sake of my sanity. If you're a genre hopper like me, how do you cope with getting ideas for both at the same time? How do you choose which manuscript to set aside in order to work on the other? Or do you schedule time to work on both?

And more importantly: Is there a procedure, like some type of brain surgery, where doctors can remove the cells that cause humming Justin Bieber songs???

Any and all help will be VERY much appreciated. :)

Oh, and don't forget! You can still sign up for my Blogoversary Book Giveaway! 

First Page Phobia

Confession: I am terrified of first pages. 

Like, shiver-till-my-nerve-endings-fail-me terrified. 

That's why I've been rereading books in my WIP's genre. And my favorite books in general. I check for overall tone, flow of words, and characterization. To me, the best first pages/chapters give you a sense of everything that's happening and a sense of what's to come later on. Ever heard how agents refer to that opening line as a guarantee? Well, I think the first page strengthens that guarantee. It reinforces the point the author wants to make with the image they create with the opening line. 

No pressure, huh?

*faints*

I guess my my main concern is cramming too much into one place. To me, nailing that perfect balance takes two things:

1) Practice

 2) Patience 

Oh, and critique partners help A LOT, too :)

So yeah, my advice is simple: work x100000000 on that first line/page/chapter/wholemanuscript. Beat the fear with perseverance. And eat some chocolate while you're at it. 

Okay. That last thing doesn't really do anything for your WIP, but... it's... important?

Now tell me: do you have first page phobia? If so, how do you deal with it? 

Oh, and DON'T FORGET: my Blogoversary Book Giveaway is still in full swing! Enter to win a book or preorder from my to-read pile!  

Oh, oh, AND!!! Today I'm discussing YA Boys and Actors over @ Operation Awesome. Go. Swoon with me. 

My 1st Blogoversary Book GIVEAWAY: Your Pick!!

So. Exactly one year ago, I started this blog.

*tosses confetti* 

*dances to every Lady Gaga song* 

*faints*

I soooo cannot believe it's been a year already!  A YEAR. You, my pretty little followers, have made the journey SUCH a blast for me. That's why I decided to celebrate with... what else?

A book giveaway!! 

Woot!

Okay. Here are the rules:

1) One lucky winner will be chosen randomly 

2) The winner will be announced on March 28th

3) You must be a follower to enter :)

4) You must leave a comment on this post telling me which YA book you'd like to win

NOW for the super awesome YA books! The lucky winner will get their pick of one of these super awesome babies:

OR one of these preorders:

  

You can blog/Tweet/put the contest on your sidebar, but I won't make those part of the rules to enter. Easy, peasy. 

Remember to leave your pick in the comments!!! And THANK YOU for giving me the chance to express my lil' old self :)

Happy Monday!!

Outlining With Robert Pattinson: The Turning Points

NOW we get to the good stuff, folks. Yes, I already confessed I love writing the inciting incident, but there are other parts of the story that I believe are just as much fun.

Which parts, you ask?

THE TURNING POINTS

Just like the inciting incident, the turning points change the name of the game for your main character. They introduce a complication that freaks him/her out in such a way that they feel like the end is nigh. Think of the turning points as things your antagonist does to thwart your MC's goal, and with each one that appears in the story, the level of difficulty for achieving that goal gets higher. 

Personally, I stick with three major turning points, and a lot of minor turning points along the way. The minor ones can deal with the main conflict, the subplots, and theme. The major ones deal primarily with the story's main conflict, and has to force my main character to grow in some way. 

During the major turning points, your main character is shocked out of their minds. Peeing-in-their-pants afraid. And they walk around looking like this: 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHH!!!!!"--direct quote from your WIP

So there you go, folks. Turning points can make Robert Pattinson cry.

Next week, I'll be discussing something that might make him bite off your bed's headboard: the climax :)

Now tell me: how do you feel about writing the major turning points?

Reminder: The amazing Erinn is having a LIFE IS AWESOME contest!! There are 3 epic prizes you don't want to miss out on!! Contest runs till March 18th, so go sign up NOW!!

Mystery Agent Contest Starts NOW!

Hop on over to Operation Awesome and share your Tweet-style pitch!! Our Mystery Agent wants to see the first 75 entries, so hurry up before the slots are filled! 

Best of luck to everyone!! :)

As Promised...

My review of Elana Johnson's dystopian debut, POSSESSION, is up over @ Operation Awesome!

And pretty please check out our Mystery Agent Contest tomorrow! 75 entrants will have a shot at winning a full manuscript request! See you there!

Now tell me: what did you read over the weekend??

Mystery Agent CONTEST!

What are you waiting for?? Go nab one of the last spots on Operation Awesome's Mystery Agent Contest!!

Remember: winner gets a FULL manuscript request, and there's a little something for those who don't make the cut. Bottom line? It's worth it.


Good luck!! :)

Fess Up Friday: To Kill Or Not To Kill

Confession: I am a HUGE Southland fan. 

What is Southland? The most awesome cop show ever. 

Why? Because it's awesome.

Okay, okay... I'm not making much sense, BUT trust me. Grittiest streets of L.A. + Flawed yet relatable characters + Emotionally charged plot arcs + Up-close filming that makes you feel like you're in the scene =

AND Ben McKenzie from The O.C. in it. *fist pump*

So. Why I am talking to you about Southland today, you ask? In this week's (super awesome) episode, a character died. A character I l-o-v-e-d. But this character's death was important to move other stories forward. To make other characters change their priorities and reevaluate who they really are. 

Even so, the death hurt me. A lot. *sobs*

That got me thinking about books. Specifically, about creating characters we become attached to as writers, then having to let them go in order to propel the plot in the best direction for the story. 

This week's question: how do you choose which characters to kill in your stories? Do you like dropping the axe on them, or do you sob like me?

Oh, and quick reminder: Operation Awesome's Across the Universe giveaway is still in full swing!!

Query Critique WINNERS!!

*throws confetti*

Okay. My 200 Followers Contest has come to a close. At first, I was supposed to have only five winners, but folks, I'm in a great mood this week. Therefore, I've picked SEVEN winners! 

They are:

Laura Pauling

Stina Lindenblatt

Shallee

Saumya

Erica and Christy 

Emy Shin

Jennifer Williams

*brain explodes*

Winners, please send me your queries to aortizzle (at) gmail (dot) com. :D

Oh, and if you're all still in a contest mood (I totally am), head over to Operation Awesome and enter our ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis giveaway!!! You can win one of TWO COPIES!! 

*brain explodes again*

Thanks to everyone who participated in my contest! And I can't wait to help polish your awesome queries :D