Kissing Scene Competition Info!

I am SO excited for this!!! *dancing*

The Kissing Scene Competition is only for those who entered the Blind Speed Dating Contest. So if you entered one of the Bouncer rounds, this is for you! If you didn't, you better go find an open window now!

The three winners will go through to the BSD agent round (with the entry they entered in the contest). BUT your kissing scene doesn't have to be from the same manuscript.

Those who have already secured a spot in the agent round can still enter this competition, but PLEASE note on your entry that you are already in the agent round. This way you will not take another spot, but can still receive an honorable mention from one of our Kissing Experts (judges) if they love your scene.

The Kissing Scene Competition will have two rounds!

Round 1 will be a blog hop. If you don't have a blog, borrow one or start one. Sign ups will start tomorrow (30th) and run until the end of Friday (1st). There will be a post here on the blog with instructions and a Mr. Linky sign up button.

You'll then put your kissing scene up for viewing on Monday the 4th. Everyone and anyone can then hop around to all the blogs and comment on the kissing scenes until round 1 closes on the 7th. Each Kissing Expert will be assigned a certain number of scenes to read and choose their favorites by commenting on those scenes' posts. A total of ten entries will pass through to round 2.

But that's not all!

As you read through the kissing scenes in round 1 there are awards that can be given out. Here they are:

Sweetest kiss: Sugar Lips Award
Most embarrassing/funniest kiss: Color Me Red Award
Most intense/hottest kiss: Get A Room Award
Most romantic kiss: Swooning Award
Most lovable characters: Cutest Couple Award

AND...

*Best overall writing: Write In The Kisser Award <-- This is our winning award!

Each of the Kissing Experts will be armed with these awards to give out to any of their entries. They can use all of them or only the winning award. Whatever they choose.

But also, all of you can give out these awards too! Just make sure you only use each award once!

Round 2 entries will be posted here on the CLC blog where all the Kissing Experts and myself will read through them all and vote for our favorites. This will run from 2/11-2/13. The top three winners will be announced on Valentine's Day and they each win a spot in the contest agent round!!!

EEP! I'm so excited!!! Did I already say that? Well, I am!

Blind Speed Dating Contest - Window 5

Window 5 opens tonight (8pm EST)!! And this is important because this is the last window I'll accept new contest entrants. Window 6 is reserved for those who want that second chance before the Bouncers.


For the general contest info go here, then go here to check out the AGENTS.

The window will stay open until full (60). These entries go up on Feb. 11th.

*Remember: I'll accept muliple manuscripts. So if you entered a previous round and want to enter another manuscript, you CAN! You CAN'T enter the same manuscript. That's what window 6 is for!

Window 5 Bouncers: 

Genn Albin

Julie Murphy

Anne Greenwood Brown

(Check those links for more info on what they write and are interested in.)

Remember to read those posts linked above for all directions and formatting guidelines. Email entries to: CupidsLitConnection(at)yahoo(dot)com

Later today I'll be posting information on the Kissing Scene Competition and a list of our Kissing Experts. Remember, you have to be in the BSD contest to enter this competition.

Oh Yeah! Time for Bouncer Round 3!!!!

(If you didn't get into this round, remember we have more windows coming. More info here. )

You'll find links to all the entries in the right hand column. They're labeled "Bouncer Post #__". (Round 3 is #72-107)

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!! PLEASE feel free to leave comments, cheers, and critique on any you like!

*Actually, if you have an entry in this round, I'd love for you to leave a few comments on your fellow entries. Share the love!

And you CAN tell everyone which entry is yours!

If you notice an error with your entry, email me.

The Bouncers can stop by at anytime between Monday and Thursday. They may leave comments on any entry they wish. BUT you only make it into the agent round if you get a "You're in!" somewhere in your comment from one of the Bouncers. They do NOT have to comment more than this if they choose not to.

Remember they each get to choose 3! For a total of 9!

The Bouncers will be using undercover names, so you will not know which Bouncer is judging your entry. It is up to them if they eventually want to give up their identity.

Our Round 3 Bouncers are:

Jennifer Echols
Susan Gloss
Mary Lindsey 

I will (randomly) assign them different groups of entries to read and they will pop up at ANYTIME so be ready! EEP!

Bouncer Post #107

Title: PURGATORY

Genre: Adult/Science Fiction

Word Count: 88,000

Query:

Forget Christianity.  As a matter of fact, forget every religion that humans believe in.  There is only one God per universe, and ours can't keep up with the ever-increasing population rate, while still attempting to manage the evil that plagues our world.  He has created a system that can, or so he thought. 

In 2006, an armed robbery critically injures Clayton and takes the life of his six-year-old brother, Joey.  Clayton struggles to find meaning in life while dealing with the loss of his brother and absence of a father, whom he lost earlier to cancer.  He is a self-proclaimed agnostic but desperately seeks closure regarding his little brother’s ill-timed death. 

Meanwhile, Joey’s soul begins the intricate process of reincarnation that is well hidden from today’s society.  Our God has created a multi-layered system that can automatically recycle souls, erase their previous life, and assign a new host and destination for their next life on Earth.  

Clayton, only eighteen years old, succumbs to the early stages of depression.  He turns to drugs and alcohol for immediate escape but constantly longs for the bond his family once had.  Only after discovering signs from a hidden afterlife, he realizes the family he yearns for can be recreated with his girlfriend, Brittney. 

God’s system is supposedly impeccable, but an erratic malfunction occurs in Purgatory (where the system is located).  Joey’s soul is accidentally sent into the body of Clayton’s newborn son.  This mistake will affect the entire world and only Clayton has the power to stop it, even if he doesn’t realize it yet. 

PURGATORY is a found-footage novel about two worlds secretly coexisting as one, and one brother’s determination to finally solve life’s most sought-out question – what really happens after we die?

First 250 :

“Joey!  Get your fucking ass over here right now!”  Mother screamed at Joey, my ADD six year old brother.  “Don’t make me tell you again.”

It was Black Friday at Greenwood Park Mall and to say it was a bit over-crowded is an understatement.  It was like an emo infested mosh pit except there was no shitty music, just the sounds of fiends scavenging the mall for any type of sale or discount.  Mother, who’s never afraid to speak her mind, seemed scared she was going to lose Joey again, just like she did two years ago at the State Fair.  Memories of that chaotic scene probably replayed in her head as she waited for Joey to return to her clammy, terrifying grip.

“Joey-- I am going to count to three.  If you are not next to me, I am going to spank your ass so hard–you won’t be able to sit on Santa’s lap until next year!” she yelled toward his direction.

As usual, Mother’s filthy mouth seemed to shock shoppers.  I could only imagine, as they most likely stared off in disgust.  But my mother’s cold eyes could over-power anyone’s judging attitude, like an un-even battle in tug-of-war.  By now, Joey hopefully knew she wasn’t playing.  This was exactly what happened to him when she finally found him at the fair.  He got his ass beat, welted, right in front of everyone.  But, Joey simply couldn’t help it.  The countless amounts of Christmas lights and holiday decor outside of the store had caught his attention a little bit better than the lotions our mom sampled at Bath and Body Works.

Bouncer Post #106

Title: WHAT GOES AROUND

Genre: Suspense/thriller

Word Count: 62,000

Query:

In a small mill-town in Washington, tragedy has brought together a group of the locals and romance and friendships blossom. But one man's vendetta may bring them all down.

The deaths of Kay's husband Ricky and brother Tyler has brought home sister Randie from New York City, her dream residence. When Al and Mary, one of Ricky's best friends and his wife, hatch a plan to match up Randie and Joe, Joe rushes to ask Randie out, fearing they've left her feeling awkward and uncomfortable after putting them on the spot. Though Joe enjoys his time and bonding with Randie, he stays guarded after having previously been left by his long-time fiance.

Jared Johnson is the son of the owner of the mill. On a dark day in October Jared, high on coke and irritable, recklessly pulled a lever, unintentionally killing Ricky and his brother-in-law Tyler. His guilty conscience and father issues have caused Jared to be nothing but a hassle to every one around him, especially his sister Stacy, and Joe, who was there when the accident happened. Jared's father and lawyer decide that if there is a possibility of Jared being charged, it would look better to put him to work in the trenches. As Stacy steps in to fill Jared's shoes, Tyler's finance Penny is offered a job. Blaming everyone else but himself, Jared enlists his counterpart and girlfriend, Kris, to help him “take care of the problem.” His plan botched, he decides on a plan B: getting into Penny's good graces, to take care of it himself, but is Penny the only local girl he's got his sights set on? When Randie is attacked at the diner, Joe vows to find her assailant. During the explosive ending we finally find out if Jared shows his true colors and whether or not Joe gets his man.

First 250:

Joe knocks on the door and waits until Mary opens it up and let's him in.

"You guys weren't answering your phone." Mary gives Joe a 'you have no idea' look, she shuts the door behind him and walks back to the kitchen. As Joe looks around the room he sees Al passed out on the couch, dark black circles around his eyes smeared down to his cheek, his mouth is open and the corner is smeared with the green that has colored his lips. His right arm is dangling over the side of the couch, a hint of the green lip color smudged on the back of his hand while a pile of Sweet Tarts lay on the floor, just out of reach. Two sacks of candy lay on the floor on either side of the coffee table, crushed empty juice boxes on top of it, and cobwebs are hanging from everything attached to the ceiling and its corners possible. There are two little boys sitting at the table nursing their chocolate milks, a little sugar to take the edge off, their heads resting in their right hands. After the entire scene is taken in Joe looks over at Mary. "Halloween."  She responds to his questioning look with a roll of her eyes. A 'glad it's not me' exhale of air and shake of his head is Joe's only response.

"I've got the coffee on and I'm getting scrambled eggs and toast together for the boys if you'd like some."

Bouncer Post #105

Title: JUMPING ANTS

Genre: Adult Upmarket Fiction

Word Count: 100,000

Query:

Who gets fired from an unpaid internship? Only someone with a talent for self sabotage as well-honed as Max Walker’s. The charming but aimless twenty-nine-year-old gets himself hired, fired, and evicted from his parents’ house in the same week. Max is then waiting in line at a fast-food drive-thru assessing which friend’s couch he’ll now call home when a stranger opens his car door, points a gun at him, and orders him to drive.  

Max keeps one eye on the road and one eye on the gleaming metal barrel as he drives the peculiar yet desperate stranger, who calls himself “Z,” into rural Pennsylvania. The truth that Z soon reveals, that his screwups have led to the impending nuptials of his ex to another man, bonds the two, and they hatch a plan to win back the woman Z calls his soul mate. 

The car crash, the drunken bar fight, and especially the feisty bartender they meet along the way force Max to admit the unfazed grin he’s been honing hasn’t been fooling anyone, least of all himself. The older, rounder, more beaten-down version of himself Max sees in Z makes him want . . . something, anything, everything. But he plans to start with the bartender. Before it's too late, Max and Z must both convince the women who have found their way into their hearts that although you can't change for someone, you can change because of someone. 

A comedic adventure with a dash of romance and a pinch of soul searching, JUMPING ANTS will appeal to fans of Jonathan Tropper, Nick Hornby, and Lauren Weisberger.

A professional editor and writer for more than seventeen years, I have a B.A. in journalism.

First 250:

“Sorry,” Max said into his cell phone. “It’s like a Bon Jovi concert just let out.” 

That wasn’t exactly a lie. It being 5 p.m. on a rainy Friday in a New Jersey suburb twenty miles from New York City meant Max had been delayed by traffic. But that’s not why he was being delayed right at that moment. Right then, the reason why Max wasn’t pulling into his parents’ driveway, his Mini Cooper bursting with shopping bags, was because he was in line at a drive-thru waiting to order a fast-food burger. Max didn’t even like fast-food burgers. But his stomach was growling like a bear aggressively protecting her cub. 

Max was up next. He couldn’t let his mom know he was waiting to order fast food instead of ticking off another errand on her list. 

“Right, rush hour,” his mother said.

Oh, the guilt. “But I’ll finish as fast as I can,” Max said. 

Beep, beep.

“Sorry, Mom, my phone’s almost out of juice. But I’ll be home soon. I promise.” 

Beep, beep.

“Max, wait, exactly how long do you figure?”

Beep, beep.

The car in front of Max was moving. It was going to be his turn. He had to hang up. Now.

“Mom, I gotta go.”

Beep, beep.

“Okay, Max. Drive safely.”     

“Yeah, Mom, I—” Max’s cell phone went dead.

Just in time. Max pulled up to the menu board and tossed the phone over his head into the backseat. 

“May I take your order?” 

Bouncer Post #104

Title: Precog

Genre: New Adult Paranormal

Word Count: 96,000

Query:

As a psychology major, twenty-four year old Ruth Lacey knows it’s not uncommon for a child raised in an abusive home to feel out of place and alone.  However, it isn’t Ruth’s past that isolates her.  It’s her ability to see the future. 

Wanting only to be normal, Ruth keeps her thoughts firmly in the present and hides her weirdness from everyone, even her two roommates.  In their friendship, Ruth found the only home she’s ever had and she doesn’t want to jeopardize that.

Then Ruth meets David Byrne. The moment his eyes meet hers, her mind slips its tight rein and slides sideways into the what if of David.  She feels his lips on hers, his hands, hot and hard on her back before her vision ends.   Ruth’s glimpse of her future with David comes to pass but Ruth finds out he’s more than a good kisser. He’s educated, ambitious, well-traveled, from a wealthy family, and completely smitten with Ruth.

Despite her roommate, Claudia’s dislike of David and her roommate, Mairin’s too enthusiastic endorsement of him, Ruth wraps herself in the bliss of being with him.  She drives away her misgivings about his odd relationship with his mother, his possessiveness and his flashes of cold anger with a vision of her wedding day. 

The night before their wedding, David reveals his true self, unleashing his rage on Ruth.  Ruth leaves David at the altar, putting her on a path she was never meant to tread and robbing her of her ability to see the future.  Unable to see what awaits, Ruth and both of her roommates are at the mercy of the monster she invited into their lives.

First 250:

Prologue

Pain in my hands. Mom yelling my name.  Fire on the stovetop.  Heat on my face. 

Water.  Need water.  Need water.  Pitcher on the table.  Get it.

“No, Ruthie.  Dammit.” Dad roaring. Water hitting the fire. Flames roaring. 

Dad shoving me.  Pain in my back.

“Get the baking soda, Ellie.”

Mom, pale, wide-eyed, handing the box to Dad.  White powder everywhere.

Flames sputtering, dying.  Dad turning on me.  “Idiot, clumsy, fool girl. Don’t you know better than to use water on a grease fire?”

Back up.  Table there. Can’t go any farther. Oh, no.  Oh, God.

“Ruth.”

Something soft and warm touched my arm.  I cried out, jerked, heard something fall off my desk and slap on the floor. Textbook?

Hands closed on both my arms.  I felt myself being shaken.  “Ruth, look at me.  Are you alright?”

I struggled to make myself focus, focus on the voice, focus on my mom’s face.  I could see her eyes, dark brown, the wrinkles around them parentheses of concern but everything else was spinning.  Nausea rose in me like a riptide.  I coughed, heaved, felt something cool and slick pressed against my chin, heard vomit splatter into the container my mom was holding under my mouth.

“Oh, Peanut.”

I sagged back into my chair and drew a hand across my mouth. My vision was still strange, everything too big, too bright, too close and I was trembling all over.

“What happened, honey?  Are you sick?  You looked like you were having a seizure or something.”