Are you truly ready to query?

I recently went looking through my files for a writing timeline of my manuscript, now called Under the Violet Sky, and what I found surprised me. I was so naive when I began writing this story.

Although being naive has it downsides, I don't think it's entirely a bad thing.

I started writing about these characters in October 2008. I wasn't sure where I was going with it, or how long I'd even stick with it. But the more I wrote the more excited I got to keep going, to prove I could write a whole novel. It went through a lot of changes, including POV and from first person to third.

In my writing diary I had a note from December 2009 stating that I thought I'd be done soon and able to query after the new year.

May 2010, I noted that I'd "officially" completed my first novel.

I sent my first query in July of 2010.

So back to what I was saying about being naive, looking back I realize that I was NO WHERE near ready to query this manuscript. But I thought I was. I was ambitious and enthusiastic. And I queried away. I'm embarrassed for my past self.

But here's the thing ...
If I knew how much work I'd have ahead of me, how many years of writing and learning and querying and rejection were ahead, and how insanely slow and hard the publishing business is ... I might not have stuck with it.

But I did stick with it. Or maybe I should say, it stuck with me. Because there came a point when I wasn't saying I have to keep going to prove I can do this; Instead I was saying I NEED to do this. Period. You couldn't pull me away if you tried.

Let's skip ahead to February 2014. That's right, almost four years later, after working with critique partners and betas, and revising the heck out of this manuscript. I was finally truly ready to query.

So my point is, don't rush. Don't make the mistake I did and query too soon. Get help. Get a second, third, fourth set of eyes on your work. Once my bad writing habits were pointed out I was able to start catching them myself. My writing got tighter and better. 

I've found that writers in general are very supportive of one another. There's all kinds of help out there, you just need to know how to find it. I'd still be lost and flailing on my own if it weren't for the wonderful people I've met through tweeting and blogging.

Here are a couple helpful links and hashtags:

Agent Janet Reid is a great source for answering questions about querying.

On Twitter
#amwriting
#writetip
#yalitchat
#kidlitchat
#querytip
#tenqueries
#askagent
And following @brendadrake is a must. She hosts #pitchwars and #pitmad. She's really awesome.

Do you have a question? Just ask. I'll do whatever I can to help.

  

Alive and Kicking

Hello friends!

It's been a busy summer and I can't believe it's almost over already.

I'm happy to say my summer started with a family reunion, and the healing of old wounds. Don't live with anger and regret, because that's no way to live and it's not healthy. Don't say you should call that person someday. Do it TODAY. Chances are, that person will be glad you did.

It's also been a summer of puppies and kitties and bunnies, and if you know me then you know that makes me a happy camper.

We also spent some time traveling to county fairs for my 17-year-old daughter, Lindsey, to compete in karaoke contests. She won first place at two of them!

Lindsey is in the center.

Click here for Lindsey's winning performance of Hurt by Christina Aguilera

So anyway, I'm still here and I'm still writing, just not so much on the blog. I've been busy with my second novel Give Me A Sign, which I'm about a quarter of the way toward my target word count.
  
And as for my first novel Under the Violet Sky, well, I may have something exciting in the works. But for now, you'll have to wait.

So there you have it, short and sweet, just like me. lol

I'll leave you with this ...

... because I'm hoping it's true. ;)

#ROW80 Check-in 4/13/14

This is my first official check-in since I just started on Wednesday. I'm off to an okay start. Hopefully this week will go better.

My goals were listed as this:

1. Write at least 300 words a day, at least 5 times a week.
2. Read everyday, at least 1 chapter.
3. Work on my time management.
4. Check-in twice a week with a blog post.

My progress went like this:

1. I wrote three out of the five days, totaling about 802 words. Meh.
2. I read everyday. I started reading CHASING BROOKLYN by Lisa Schroeder. It's a 412 page novel in verse and I've almost finished it. That's pretty good for me. I'm a slow reader. Yay!
3. I'm trying to work on my time management, but I haven't been able to fit it into my schedule. Oops.
4. I remembered to check-in. Yay!

For this week, how about I try this:

1. Write at least 1,500 words
2. Keep reading everyday. At least one chapter.
3. Work on time management. Though I'll have extra obstacles this week. Two teens home on spring break.
4. Check-in twice a week with a blog post. And try to make it a little more interesting.

See ya Wednesday!

Goals for ROW80

A Round of Words in 80 Days is the writing challenge that knows you have a life. It's a group of writers who make realistic, measurable goals and support each other. They have check-ins twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays.

This round started on April 7th, but I just learned about it. So I'm jumping in late. You can too! You can find more information here.

Since I'm not very good at routines or setting attainable goals, I'm going to start out #ROW80 with a few simple goals. I'll see how the first week goes and try to bump it up a little for next week.

1. Write at least 300 words a day, at least 5 times a week.
2. Read everyday, at least 1 chapter.
3. Work on my time management.
4. Check-in twice a week with a blog post.

Good luck everyone! I look forward to meeting new people and following their successes.

Interview with debut author Michael Sova

It’s my pleasure to introduce you to debut author Michael Sova. I knew Michael back in high school, and was excited to reconnect with him recently after hearing he’s a fellow writer.

Michael’s first book A SHOT AT REDEMPTION is currently available on Kindle.

When Cash Douglas faces a personal tragedy and an ever-growing stack of medical bills, he relies on his unique talent as a race car driver to try to make ends meet. He swallows his pride, follows the big pay days and doesn't worry about whose toes he might be stepping on in the process. Cash's reputation takes a serious hit but he's got far more important things on his mind. Things begin to look up when he receives a surprise offer to sign on with RaceTech. Frank McKinnel, the owner of RaceTech, has plans to franchise his race parts business. He wants publicity and knows hiring a black sheep like Cash Douglas is a sure way to get people talking. His decision angers at least one person as well. Slashed tires and mysterious warning messages soon lead to sabotage, assault, and attempted murder. Someone is out to get Cash, RaceTech or both. The big question is why? Frank McKinnel appears to be the only one with a clear motive. He has a true knack for turning publicity into profit, but would he trash his own cars and risk the life of his driver just to sell a few more franchises? Cash has to find out before it's too late.

This is a fast paced story of intrigue, suspense, and high octane action.

It sounds intriguing, Michael! I can't wait to read it.

Q:  So tell me about yourself. What have you been up to?

A:  My hobbies include reading, writing and watching NFL football, preferably with a beer nearby. I am a diehard Minnesota Vikings fan which makes the beer even more necessary. I like rock and roll, heavy metal and electric blues, but I've found that classical music is usually the most inspirational when I'm writing. I spent several years working at a large country radio station in North Carolina. Notice I did not list country among my music preferences. During my time in broadcasting, my job titles included: boom box operator, overnight air talent, evening air talent, mid-day air talent, promotions director and music director. I don't miss the radio business. I do miss all the perks. I now live and work in New York. In addition to the novel I've written and the one I'm currently working on, I have two blogs. My Turn the Page blog is dedicated exclusively to book reviews. My Wishful Thinking blog is far more general. Recent topics range from the Beatles, to writer's block, to hernias. I sometimes post original short fiction, and from September through January, I talk a lot of football.


Q:  What authors do you enjoy reading?

A:  I'd be hard pressed to come up with a list of favorite authors. My tastes change all the time. Currently, I really like C. J. Box, Lee Child, Lawrence Block, Jodi Picoult, Nelson DeMille, James Scott Bell and a host of others. Really, though, I'll enjoy any story that's told well. It would be far easier for me to name the authors I don't like… but I'm not going to do that.       

Q:  How did you get started in writing?

A:  I started writing stories when I was probably eight or nine years old. The only one I really remember involved a man stranded alone on a desert island and armed with nothing more than a pen knife. It was written in the first person and my character died at the end of the story. You can see the flaw with that. I suppose that was my first lesson in the importance of proper POV. Other than school, the first "real" writing I did was for the "Oswego Eagle," the weekly program at the Oswego Speedway. At the time, I was only interested in a little pocket money and getting into the races for free. The experience ended up paying much higher dividends than I ever expected because, eventually, it became one of the primary inspirations for A Shot at Redemption.


Q:  How did A Shot at Redemption truly come about?

A:  It actually began as a serial novella. The original version of the story was published in weekly installments in the Oswego Speedway program. It was written for a very specific audience and definitely wouldn't be confused with classic literature. However, by the time the story was finished, I realized I had the foundation for a very strong novel.

Q:  What would you like people to know about your book?

A:  The main thing I'd like people to know about A Shot at Redemption is that it's not just a book about auto racing. Yes, the main character is a race car driver and much of the action takes place on the track. That said, it's a suspense novel, and the true story is in the mystery. I believe it would appeal to anyone who enjoys the genre. I've had great feedback from men and women, many of whom know or care nothing about racing.  

Q:  So let's talk publishing. What led you toward self-publishing?

A:  I decided to self-publish for a few reasons. First, my manuscript took far longer to complete than I ever imagined. There's a lot to be said for traditional publishing but it can be a painfully slow process. Even if I landed an agent with my first query letter and signed a publishing contract the very next day (I'd have a better chance of winning the Powerball jackpot), I'd still be looking at a minimum of 18 months before my book appeared on a bookstore shelf. I just didn't want to wait that long. Second, my main character drives supermodified race cars for a living. That's not exactly mainstream, even among race fans. Most of the first chapter takes place at a racetrack. A cursory inspection could make it appear that my book is all about short track racing in Upstate New York. It's not, but I knew that was going to be a hard sell. And finally, as much as I enjoy writing and would love to have success with my books, the business side of the whole thing really doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. 

Q:  Was the process hard?

A:  I did the whole thing through Kindle Direct Publishing and the entire process was incredibly simple and straight forward. Once I did the proper formatting and hit the Upload button, my book was available for sale within 24 hours.  

Q:  Will there be a print version?

A:  Of course, even in this new digital age, not everyone wants to read e-books. I've had several inquiries about a print edition and plan to make one available in the near future. There are several POD (print on demand) options available.  

Q:  Do you think you’d ever try traditional publishing?

A:  Self-publishing now doesn't mean I wouldn't go a more "traditional" route at some point down the road. I think this was the most logical first step for this particular project. My second book, as yet untitled, will be vastly different and, at least on the surface, more commercially acceptable. I'll finish the manuscript and then worry about where to go from there.    

In addition to the blogs listed, you can find Michael on Twitter and facebook. Also, don't forget to check out A Shot at Redemption on Goodreads and buy it on Amazon.

I'd like to thank Michael for taking the time to stop by my blog. Consider leaving a comment or asking a question. We'd love to hear from you.

#PitMad

Edited:

The original post was available on September 12 "#PitMad Day" only.

However, I have added a tab for my YA novel that I am querying, and I have left the short pitch here.

Title: UNDER THE VIOLET SKY

Genre: YA fantasy

Words: 88,000

16-year-old Melinda learned about Salem witches in eighth grade. Luke learned from his ancestors, the creators of the magically protected society he lives in. For three hundred years that society has been kept secret. Now an uprising has spilled outside its barriers threatening to expose – or worse – to destroy it. As Luke fights to save his world he struggles with his feelings for Melinda, a mortal. Melinda finds herself in the middle of a civil war she doesn't understand, with a target on her back, and in love with a boy she may never see again.

Getting to Know You

Thursday's Children creators Rhiann and Kristina are hosting the Like a Virgin Contest. Click here to go to the website for more information. Part of the festivities include the Getting to Know You Blog Hop, where contestants are answering 7 question.

Here are my answers:

1. How do you remember your first kiss?  This is really sad, but I remember my best friend Kathy more than the boy or the kiss. Lol. Kathy and I were babysitting a neighbor kid. It was a summer night, probably around 11. The kid was in bed. Kathy and I were hanging out in front of the house when a group of neighborhood kids came by. Among them, the boy I liked and had been flirting with. Eventually, Kathy went inside and the others left. Just as the boy started to kiss me we heard a muffled scream and then a grunt. He started to kiss me again, when all of a sudden Kathy comes limping and dirty from the side of the house, past us, and back into the house. She apparently tried to sneak around from the back, so she could spy on us. What she didn’t realize was that the homeowners had dug a huge hole on the side, next to the house, to build a chimney to the basement. Needless to say … she ruined the mood.

2. What was your first favorite love song?  Against All Odds by Phil Collin

 
3. What’s the first thing you do when you begin writing for the day?  I really don’t have a routine or ritual. 

 
4. Who’s the first writer who truly inspired you to become a writer?  Don’t roll your eyes, but Stephenie Meyer. I had written a few picture books, but when I read Twilight I became obsessed. I was going through some health issues at the time, it was way to escape. Then I decided to shift my obsession into my own characters.

5. Did the final revision of your first book have the same first chapter it started with?  No. My first chapter changed more times than the rest of the book combined.

6. For your first book, which came first: major characters, plot or setting?  I just started writing and exploring with a couple of characters. I had a setting in mind, but no plot. I wrote a lot, filling a notebook. None of that actually ended up in the book. Also, I wrote the entire first draft in first person and later changed it to third.

7. What’s the first word you want to roll off the tip of someone’s tongue when they think of your writing? Obsessed.

 A weekly blog hop where

writers share their inspirations

<!– start LinkyTools script –>

---

1. Kristina Perez––For the Very First Time 3	2. Inspired by a Royal Douchebag (Whoops. ) 3	3. A Nest Of Words 2
4. Kate Michael 2	5. Dannie Morin--Left to Write 2	6. Inspiration: Adrenaline (Alana Terry) 2
7. Amber Roettger - All About the Firsts 2	8. Cassandra Page - a picture book 2	9. How To Create A REAL Modern Day Superhero 2
10. Vicki Lemp Weavil 2	11. Jaye Robin Brown - Hanging on to Wonder 1	12. Pat Esden--Like a Virgin Firsts 1
13. Inspired by Moving Forward 1	14. Chris Allen-Riley 1	15. the type writer 1
16. Something New 1	17. Lauren K McKellar 1

You are next... Click here to enter
This list will close in 3 days, 8 hrs, 4 min (7/14/2013 11:59 PM North America - Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time)

Linky Tools  |  Linky Blog 2013

<!– end LinkyTools script –>