Blind Speed Dating is a contest, yes. But really, it's so much more than just another contest.
I've had a lot of fun ideas come to me lately but not a lot of time to do them in, what with the holidays and PitchWars going on. So, I thought I'd be crazy and just do them all together and make for one amazing Blind Speed Dating in 2013! Will I regret this? Possibly. It's gonna be a ton of work on this end. But I hope I don't. And I hope you will all like it, too!
BSD happens in February. It's THEE CLC event of the year. THE YEAR! Cuz you know, February and Cupid kind of go together. Yep, yep. So let's have some fun!
Here's what we'll be doing...
A contest!!!!!!
An auction!!!!!!
A private writer's conference on Mt. Olympus!!!!!!!
and...
A kissing scene competition!
and...
even more goodness iced with gooey epic frosting!
The contest will once again include undercover Bouncers (authors/interns) and undercover Honorary Cupids (agents). And yes! The agents will be shooting arrows again! Eeee! Check out last year's if you're unfamiliar. The auction will likely go similar to the one we had in CAGI. And the writer's conference will take place on the private Mt. Olympus blog, where you can set up an appointment with the participating agents to discuss your work and maybe get a request! Yes, you have to be invited to view Mt. Olympus. And yes, getting an appointment might take some effort since they'll be limited.
Oh, and don't forget to get your kissing scenes ready to compete on V-day!
That's all I'm spilling for now. Just know, I already have some fantastic agents and awesome authors/interns lined up ready to read what you've got to offer.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
Now Meet the Rest of the Quiver!! (#WanWC)
Yay! We can finally meet the rest of the Quiver! As you'll see one of our Cupid's Quiver arrows dropped out, so we're at six plus ME! And you'll also notice some of our team are picture shy, which is totes fine. If you still need to meet the first three members of the Quiver check them out here.
Now welcome...
Nicole Zoltack
I've always
been bitten by the writing bug. The first story I remember writing was a
picture book about a girl who's family dressed up as parts of the Thanksgiving
meal during Thanksgiving and she didn't know what to dress as. LOL I don't know
where the pages to that story are anymore, but I still have that desire to
write stories!
Right now,
I'm finishing up a superhero romance (only about another 5K more!) For WanWc,
I'm writing a MG fantasy story. It's centered on Christmas so now is the
perfect time to write it! I'm normally a pantser, but because this would be the
first story in a 5 book series, I'm actually (gasp!) outlining! Just a little
bit, though, nothing too crazy!
When I'm not
writing, I'm chasing after my three young boys (4, 2, and 9 months.) Hubby and
I love to watch movies. TVD used to be my favorite TV show (Damon fan!), but
Once Upon a Time has taken over as my new obsession. I love horses and going to
Renaissance Faires. Just had my first author signing event at a Victorian
Holiday Village - it was a awesome!
***
Alessa Hinlo
Alessa grew
up on a steady diet of ghost stories, urban legends, and scary movies. Not a
surprise considering she was born in a fishing village where local folklore
said children shouldn't sleep next to windows or the monsters would grab them
in their sleep. Good thing her family immigrated to the U.S. before she was old
enough to develop any ideas about crawling out windows to see if those monsters
actually existed.
She now
lives in the Washington D.C. area, home to gridlocked traffic which is its own
brand of horror. Despite a childhood dream of becoming a fortune teller, Alessa
took her parents' advice to choose something more practical and graduated with
a degree in biology. In her day job, she works as a research laboratory
assistant.
Due to
lifelong love of the fantastical, her first manuscript attempts fell into the
category of epic fantasy. But after two novels and countless unfinished WIPs,
Alessa decided this subgenre wasn't her forte and trunked everything. After
some soul-searching, she decided what she really wanted to do was tell stories
that combined her love of horror with fantastical settings that draw upon her
cultural heritage. Her current WIP is an adult fantasy about a lady con artist
and the ghosts that (literally) haunt her.
***
Hi! My name
is Copil Yáñez. Copil (pronounced Cō-Pēl) is an Aztec name which roughly
translates as “oh, no, no, no, your word count is waaaay off.” I'm still
looking for a commemorative Disneyland coffee mug with my name on it. SO.
BITTER.
Originally from Los Angeles, I currently reside in Virginia
where I do trade show and event consulting while taking care of two wonderful
boys who had BETTER TURN OFF THE LIGHT AND STOP JUMPING ON THE BED THIS
INSTANT! I also have a beautiful wife, a dog, a cat and a water leak somewhere
near the center island in the kitchen. (I just re-read that and it sounds like
a euphemism. It's not.).
I primarily write science fiction with a splash of humor, a soupçon
of snark and just the merest hint of grammar. My Write a Novel With Cupid
project is basically Breakfast Club meets The X-Files, about
social misfits up against a two-hundred-year-old secret society and its plan to
take over the world.
By the way, I've been pronouncing #WanWC as wank (the second W
is silent because giggle-snort-ROTFL). So when I tweet “just #WanWC-ed for two
hours straight, hoping to #WanWC again this evening,” you'll know I'm an idiot.
I'm thrilled to be working alongside Cupid and my fellow arrows
in Cupid's Quiver (again, not a euphemism). In all seriousness, I look forward
to learning more about them and their exciting new novels!
You can read more of my barely coherent ramblings at YAConfidential or in the pages of Full Circle Magazine. You can
also find me on Twitter (@copil) bumming spare cigs and asking strangers if
these pants make my butt look big. Spoiler Alert! They do.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
The Pitch Wars Picks!
Hi everyone! The day has finally come! The Pitch Wars picks are announced!
I hope everyone knows how VERY VERY hard it was to choose! There were soooooo many great entries and you guys amaze me with your unique premises and strong writing! If you weren't picked for Pitch Wars, please don't let it get you down. I'm certain A LOT of great work didn't get through. :)
The main announcement is over on Brenda's blog so jump over there to check that out.
But first, here are my amazing picks:
My top choice:
L.T. Host's ETERNAL EMBRACE! (Yay! She chose me!!!! ;)
My two alternates:
Mara Rae's REINVENTING DOROTHY WEIL
and
Sarah Robinson's THE MEMORY BOX
Woohoo!!!! I can't wait for you guys to get to check them out! They are awesome! But then again, my whole inbox was full of awesome! You guys rock!
Thanks!
I hope everyone knows how VERY VERY hard it was to choose! There were soooooo many great entries and you guys amaze me with your unique premises and strong writing! If you weren't picked for Pitch Wars, please don't let it get you down. I'm certain A LOT of great work didn't get through. :)
The main announcement is over on Brenda's blog so jump over there to check that out.
But first, here are my amazing picks:
My top choice:
L.T. Host's ETERNAL EMBRACE! (Yay! She chose me!!!! ;)
My two alternates:
Mara Rae's REINVENTING DOROTHY WEIL
and
Sarah Robinson's THE MEMORY BOX
Woohoo!!!! I can't wait for you guys to get to check them out! They are awesome! But then again, my whole inbox was full of awesome! You guys rock!
Thanks!
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Come meet Cupid's Quiver!! (#WanWC)
Hey! I'm here to introduce the
first 3 members of my Cupid's Quiver. If you don't know what this is check here for
more info.
Basically, they're my team, and
we're writing a novel together. Our first drafts need to be done by the end of
January, then we move forward from there. We're tweeting over on #WanWC, and YOU can form your own teams and come join us!
(Please say hello and let us know
if you are participating in #WanWC in the comments.)
Now let's welcome....
Sarah Clift
Sarah J. Clift wanted to be
an editor before she wanted to be a writer. It’s much easier to tell someone
they’re doing something wrong than actually do something right yourself. She
was pursuing a degree in English linguistics with a minor in editing at BYU
when she moved out of state with her husband. To finish her degree, she had to
change her major to writing, still with the thought of becoming a freelance
editor. But then she read a book, a whole series actually, about a plain girl
and a sparkly vampire. And she thought, If Ms. Meyer, who is a BYU grad
and stay-at-home mom, can write a book…then so can I! Sarah graduated
through BYU’s Bachelor of General Studies program, and a year later she started
writing her first book. When she finished, she wrote another one. During
#wanwc, she’ll write her third.
Sarah’s first novel,
FOOTPRINTS, was originally a “YA paranormal.” It ended up as an upper MG
contemporary with sci-fi elements (the sci-fi element being…Bigfoot exists!).
Her second novel, MY HERCULES, is a YA contemporary about a pregnant teen who
discovers her baby has a fatal chromosomal disorder. Her third novel will be a
MG contemporary that takes place in Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost city in
the US, and the plot is inspired by The Secret Garden.
Sarah is a walking cliché,
and she’s okay with that. She’s a stay-at-home mom to three fantastic daughters
and is still twitterpated with her husband. Her daughters won’t go to sleep
until she sings them their own special lullabies (#1 gets “Silent Night,” #2
gets “Stay Awake” from Mary Poppins, and #3 gets “I’ll Take You
Dreaming” from The Court Jester), and her husband doesn’t go to
work in the morning until he’s had a good-bye smooch. They’re a regular 50s
sitcom set in northern California. But she can’t scrapbook to save her life. Or
play tennis. But she can write a book.
***
Nikki Urang
Nikki lives in Minnesota with
her husband and two cats. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a
Master’s degree in Addiction Studies. Her day job is at a treatment center as a
counselor. She started writing five years ago, during her sophomore year of
college. But YA Urban Fantasy was not her forte, and after four years of trying
to beat it into shape, she trunked it. She’s been writing YA Contemporary ever
since. Currently, she’s querying one manuscript while another one waits in the
wings. The manuscript she’s writing for WanWc is a YA Contemporary and features
bullying, a suicide pact, and a psych ward. Her favorite author is John Green
and she would love to be able to write on his level one day. It’s physically
impossible for her to write anything good without listening to music because
she gets too distracted by everything else going on around her. Since starting
a WIP set in the Little Havana area of Miami, she has developed a small
obsession with Pitbull, but her favorite artist is Owl City. She hates hot
drinks, including coffee and if she could live in any decade, she would pick
the 1920’s for the music, the fashion, and the gangsters.
***
Kate Larkindale
Having spent a lifetime
travelling the globe, Kate Larkindale is
currently residing in
Wellington, New Zealand. A cinema manager, film
reviewer and mother, she’s
surprised she finds any time to write, but
doesn’t sleep much. As
a result, she can usually be found near the
espresso machine with a long
black in hand. Or later in the day, red
wine which she likes almost
too much.
Her short stories have
appeared in Halfway Down The Stairs, A Fly in
Amber, Daily Flash Anthology,
The Barrier Islands Review, Everyday
Fiction, Death Rattle,
Drastic Measures, Cutlass & Musket and
Residential Aliens, among
others.
She has written seven
contemporary YA novels, four of which other
people are allowed to
see. She has also written one very bad
historical romance. She
is currently working on a new YA novel that
is still looking for a title
other than its Twitter hashtag, #virginamputee.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Pitch Wars...The Agents!!!!!!
And, in no particular order, here are the agents...
Louise Fury
L. Perkins Agency
Twitter: @louisefury
Louise is seeking teen Sci-Fi and Young Adult horror. She's also on the hunt for deep, dark contemporary YA and select Middle Grade fiction with a literary feel--it must be realistic and thought provoking and the characters must be authentic and original. Louise loves horror and romance, especially Regency and Victorian.
Jessica Sinsheimer
Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency
Twitter: @Natalie_Lakosil
Natalie is looking for commercial fiction, with an emphasis in children’s literature (from picture book-teen), romance (contemporary, paranormal and historical), and upmarket women’s fiction. Specific likes include historical, multi-cultural, paranormal, sci-fi/fantasy, gritty, thrilling and darker contemporary novels, and middle grade with heart.
Natalie is looking for commercial fiction, with an emphasis in children’s literature (from picture book-teen), romance (contemporary, paranormal and historical), and upmarket women’s fiction. Specific likes include historical, multi-cultural, paranormal, sci-fi/fantasy, gritty, thrilling and darker contemporary novels, and middle grade with heart.
Twitter: @BookaliciousPam
Pam represents young adult and middle grade children’s book authors, and adult romance authors.
Pam represents young adult and middle grade children’s book authors, and adult romance authors.
Twitter: @bluedragonfly81
Jordy is on the look out for Romance (contemporary, historical/Regency, and paranormal). YA contemporary/historical or dystopian, sci-fi/fantasy with romance elements. She's also open to YA GLBT within those genres. She'd love to see unique, well-developed plots featuring time travel, competitions, or travel.
Jordy is on the look out for Romance (contemporary, historical/Regency, and paranormal). YA contemporary/historical or dystopian, sci-fi/fantasy with romance elements. She's also open to YA GLBT within those genres. She'd love to see unique, well-developed plots featuring time travel, competitions, or travel.
Twitter: @andreasomberg
Andrea's looking for the following categories: Fiction; literary, commercial, womens fiction, romance, thrillers, mystery, paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, young adult, middle grade.
Andrea's looking for the following categories: Fiction; literary, commercial, womens fiction, romance, thrillers, mystery, paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, young adult, middle grade.
Jennifer Mishler
Twitter: @literarycounsel
Jennifer is seeking Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult Contemporary, Young Adult Literary, and Young Adult Historical.
Jennifer is seeking Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult Contemporary, Young Adult Literary, and Young Adult Historical.
New Leaf Literary & Media, Inc.
Twitter: @sztownsend81
Suzie represents adult and children's fiction. In adult, she's specifically looking for romance (historical and paranormal), and fantasy (urban fantasy, science fiction, steampunk, epic fantasy). In Childrens' she loves YA (all subgenres) and is dying to find great Middle Grade projects (especially something akin to the recent movie SUPER 8).
Victoria Marini
Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents, Inc.
Victoria is looking for literary fiction, commercial fiction, pop-culture non-fiction, and young adult. She is very interested in acquiring engaging Literary fiction and mysteries / suspense, commercial women's fiction (romantic suspense, sci-fi, fantasy), and Young Adult (contemporary, sci-fi/fantasy, thriller and horror ).
Kerry is looking for Young Adult and Middle-Grade fiction, both commercial and literary. She tends to shy away from werewolves, zombies, faeries, and the like, but she’ll read anything with a fresh voice and compelling characters. She is particularly keen on contemporary YA, quirky MG, books with a strong cinematic element.
Drea is currently seeking: fiction, memoir, crime, non-fiction and YA. Her roster consists of British, American, and Canadian clients. International talent is welcome.
Katie specializes in fiction and memoir, especially women’s fiction and commercial-scale literary fiction, and realistic YA. She is most interested in coming-of-age stories and stories of unique relationships.
Elise is interested in serious character-driven literary fiction, well-written narrative nonfiction, and short story collections. (Note: She is not interested in Fantasy, young-adult/middle-grade, picture books, romance, and sci-fi.) She aims to work with writers who have a realistic sense of the market and their audience.
Jodell is interested in YA, MG (especially funny) , fiction and nonfiction, book proposals, and picture books. She will also coach writers wanting to self publish. She simply loves a well-paced story that moves her between joy and tears.
Brittany and Michelle are teaming up to look for Adult, YA, and MG manuscripts.
Twitter: @MJsRetweet
Michelle’s published one novel, The Footloose Killer, and edited several others for publishing houses and private clients. She also is a Script/Story consultant on an independent film in Halifax, NS, Canada, and enjoys working closely with writers to help them develop their voice and craft.
Brittany Howard
Twitter: @brittanydhoward
When reading, Brittany loves to be introduced to new and interesting people and places. She looks for strong voice, good storytelling, and fascinating relationships between characters—romantic or otherwise. More than anything, she loves when a book surprises her.
Um....WOWZA!!!!!! Nuf said.
There's just one more day to get your applications in for Pitch Wars! Make sure to check out this post here to get all the details.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)