40 WEEKS OF ME- Week 8, #GUTGAA 1st Round Judge

As many of you are aware, I participated in GEARING UP TO GET AN AGENT as a first round judge this week. I admit this is something that would typically be outside my comfort zone, but in the spirit of breaking free of my shell, I jumped in feet first. Notice I didn't say I dived in?

I didn't know what to expect. So I dipped my toes in the water before fully immersing myself in the GUTGAA experience. I've met some really amazing people. Deana Barnhart, I don't know how you managed to organize this opportunity. Thank you for being such an inspiration. You are truly one of a kind.

I also want to give a shout to my fellow judges and blog hosts for donating their time. To the contestants, thank you for having the courage to participate. I wish you all the best of luck as you query widely and confidently knowing that your query rocks! And if it doesn't quite yet, well, keep revising. 

You can never have too many books. Yeah, right.

Some of you may be wondering how I made my choices. Let me tell you...so hard. Since I was voting for Adult, I had a variety of genres: Dystopian, Women's Fiction, Steam Punk, Paranormal Romance, Mainstream, Mystery, Fantasy, Thriller, Memoir, Historical and Science Fiction.

Luckily, I read all these genres. Don't believe me? Check out my overflowing, needs to be organized bookshelf.

Initially, I read through the 43 entries without looking at any comments. I don't like to be influenced by other people's opinions. I documented my initial impression. Was the query tight/polished? Did it hold my attention? Did I finish reading and want more or was I confused? Then I moved to the first 150, and asked the same questions.

I labeled each entry with a rating of 1-5. By the end, I had 1 (F'ing Awesome 5+++), 6 (5's) and 11 (4's). These were all books I would buy if I read the blurb in the bookstore and had a fat gift card with enough money to indulge myself.

Since I have never bought 18 books at one time (five at the most, maybe one a week if I'm feeling splurgey) I went with my rating system. All the 5's were automatic entries. Then I had to choose three 4's. Since they they were all equal in awesomeness in my eyes, I went with genre as the deciding factor.

I had 4's and 5's in every genre, except two which were 3's. So I made sure my last three picks did not come from genres already represented by my 5's, because I wanted to make sure as many of the genres I enjoy reading would be represented next week. Only 6 of my first pick choices will be going forward, but all of the winning entries fell within my 4's and 5's. I have faith all of these books will be on my overflowing bookshelf someday so I can finally read them And I want to read them so bad, drool.

Well, there you go. Apple's convoluted query picking system. 

Since this is a 40 Weeks post, I still have to share something personal about myself. Given all the contestants were brave enough to share their query babies, I thought I would share one of mine. You've seen the query letter for JUJU'S CHILD which landed my agent. But, nobody except the agents I had the temerity to query saw and rejected my very first horrible query letter (602 words).

Look, laugh, learn what NOT to do.

12/24/09

 

Dear Agent,

 

I am seeking representation for my paranormal romance novel, Psychic Journey.  I have 103,000 words completed from an estimated 120-150,000.    

 

Consulting Archeologist Jurnee Fontaine is a woman dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge to the sublimation of her interpersonal relationships.  She values logic and the crispness of the science inherent to her work.  Because Jurnee tends to avoid engaging in displays of emotional weakness, she finds she is routinely confounded by her fairy loving, tarot card reading mother, who constantly encourages her to cultivate her innate psychic ability. 

 

 

Jurnee’s stance on the matter is that foreknowledge never provided her with the ability to alter the future she saw in her visions and trying just left her with a blinding headache, and another aching hole in her heart. 

 

Despite her efforts to focus her attention on her current contract to excavate the site of a ranch built by Steven Durant, in the hills outside of Folsom, CA. in 1868, Jurnee develops an illogical obsession over the suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths of Durant’s wife and young son.  But it is with the discovery of Willa Durant’s diary and subsequent frenetic drive home from the dig site that Jurnee’s life takes an unexpected turn from the norm.   

 

It begins with torrential rain, a bedraggled woman with her daughter standing in the middle of the road, and Jurnee so distracted she fails to see them.  Instead of running them over, Jurnee swerves her truck into an embankment.  The woman’s heartbreaking story of fleeing her abusive husband, added to the guilt of almost pulverizing them, causes Jurnee to take on the responsibility of protecting this woman and child from the danger she senses threatening them. 

 

This triggers a series of uncharacteristic actions by the normally level-headed Jurnee.   She breaks up with her fiancé, falls in lust with a dead man, and is accidently transported by… gasp, magic into the past.  She wakes in the year 1878, tied to the bed of sexy Stephen Durant, who incidentally thinks she’s stark raving mad and hates her with a passion, to discover to her horror that her consciousness has switched bodies with that of his doomed wife, walking Barbie doll, Willa Durant. 

 

Now Jurnee, who despises all things mystical; must figure out a way to survive an unexpected pregnancy by thwarting the bruja trying to steal Willa’s husband, Stephen by murdering her, keep from falling in love with the same husband and return to her own time, all the while, hoping that Willa doesn’t ruin her own life in the future.

 

I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Anthropology, specializing in Native American Studies from California State University, Sacramento.  I realized my dream of working for a consulting archeologist after college. 

 

The site I helped excavate was the inspiration for this novel.  I also discovered that due to seasonal allergies, I would not be the next female Indiana Jones. The stories I write are in the genres that I enjoy reading such as, paranormal romance, fantasy and tend to have a supernatural element.  

 

 

My favorite authors are Charlaine Harris, Laurell K. Hamilton, Rachel Caine, Kim Harrison, David Eddings, Arthur C. Clarke, Stephen King, and so many others that my bookshelves are overflowing. 

 

 

Thank you for your consideration of this proposal.  I look forward to hearing from you. 

 

GUTGAA MADNESS

It’s mad, I say. Mad!

Yes, and I’m loving it. Last week, I spent my free time Meeting and Greeting those participating in the awesome Gearing Up To Get AnAgent contest hosted by Deana Barnhart. I had a wonderful time checking out blogs and learning about their owners’ aspirations and inspirations. How about you?

This week is also going to be full of awesome.

The pitch polish entries are up. Nail biting excitement for the 100 participants who have their pitches up and waiting for constructive feedback. So, please hop over there and show them some love by critiquing their pitches.

 For those who would like feedback on their pitches but didn’t get into the contest, sign up your blog on the linky list and post your query/pitch. The more people help out and provide feedback the better each participant will get at knowing how to draft a query letter, what needs to be in a query, and how to make yours stand out from the crowd.

I talked about what I feel is one of the most important things to have in a query in a guest post on Kate Evangelista's blog. It is subjective. I'm sure others will tell you different things. However, voice is the one thing that draws me in. If the voice of the query is blah, good luck keeping me around very long. My attention span is short. You gotta catch me in the very beginning and use your words to wrap me in sticky tape so I can’t break free.

 

Like I said, I'm speaking for myself here. Now it's your turn. What do you think is important to have in a query. Is it voice? Or something else that draws you in and keeps you moving along to something else? What do you think needs to be included in a kick butt query?

 

 

GUTGAA HOP SCROLL DOWN

Or click HERE if you're looking for the meet and greet questions. 

QUESTIONS FOR #GUTGAA MEET AND GREET

Hello my fellow Gutgaans. I'm so excited to participate in Deana Barnhart's Gearing Up To Get An Agent as a first round judge. I love meeting new people so please leave a comment saying hello. Click here to continue with the blog hop.

Time for the meet and greet.

-Where do you write?

My writing desk is in the corner in my bedroom.

-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?

I have a window to my left and another to the front. I stare outside when I’m daydreaming or having difficulty with a scene. There is a large oak tree which houses squirrels and pigeons perch on the window ledge. It’s is very relaxing.

-Favorite time to write?

I enjoy writing late at night when the kids are asleep. There is something velvety about the night. Sometimes, I’ll sit on the balcony stare up at the sky. I love when the moon is full overhead. It’s very inspiring and sparks my creativity.

-Drink of choice while writing?

I like a cup of coffee with sugar and hazelnut creamer.

-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?

I listen to music. I love Pandora. I have several stations set. There is my new Bollywood station (I love Indian music), Pop/RB station, my Within Temptation/Avenge Sevenfold station, and Opera Station.

-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?

My latest manuscript was inspired by a short story I wrote in college. After my daughter was born it evolved into a bedtime story, QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN APPLE. I decided that it needed more attention during NaNoWriMo and QUEST evolved into a full MG. I lovingly call it my Goonies in the Hood fantasy adventure, and the characters are absolutely adorable. I gush about them here and here.

-What's your most valuable writing tip?

I put off writing when I had my children. I thought I didn’t have enough time to devote to learning my craft and raising little ones at the same time. I didn’t realize that by writing a few hours a day, I would be so much further along in reaching my dreams. So, I say to find the time, heck, make the time to write—even if it’s only fifteen minutes a day. Don’t look back at your life in 10 years and regret the time you’ve lost.

GEARING UP TO GET AN AGENT (GUTGAA) SURPRISE

I bet you're wondering about this #GUTGAA that's being bandied about the internet. Whenever I read the word, I think of some exotic dish.

In a way, that's what it is. A feast for writers who are ready to query/pitch their darling projects to agents and editors from small publishing houses.

Deana Barnhart is putting on a month long extravaganza beginning on August 31st. To participate you must first signed up HERE.

You can find the schedule of activities HERE

You can find me... yep, I'm participating in this as well. That's the surprise part of this post. I'll let you see what I'll be up to for yourself HERE.

So, get your query ready and let's get this party started!