Magestic Mentoring with the Awesome Angela Slatter

Angela Slatter (photo by David Pollitt)

This week I scored myself a mentor! The wonderfully talented Angela Slatter, one of Australia's best speculative fiction short story writers is helping me "cook" my manuscript, guide me through the publishing industry's intricacies and mould me into a "real" spec fic writer. I am blogging about it from the mentee's POV and Angela is blogging about her experiences with me and her other writing wards from a mentor's POV. I strongly recommend you follow her blog to pick up on some great industry advice. Today I'm going to talk about how I got to the point of working with Angela.

I had been writing for myself for years and years. When I finally let one of my friends read some stories, she encouraged me to go further with it. I knew navigating the publishing industry was going to be tough, but I had no idea just how tough. From the research I had done, it encouraged writers to seek advice from people in the industry, and if possible, get feedback from an industry professional on work. Great in theory, but how in the world does a publishing industry noob like me do that?!

About a year ago I went into the Queensland Writers Centre to join up membership, hoping that would introduce me to some new opportunities and give me access to some resources that would help me in my journey. But it has also provided me with networking opportunities, which I've learn can be one of the most important things in publishing.

Angela Slatter met me at the counter. We got chatting and hit it off. She took some time out and starting talking to me in depth about the Australian publishing industry, giving me some advice on agents to query. At the time, I was still so green about querying (my queries are not something I normally blog about, but I'm breaking that rule here).

So fast forward to today. I had stayed in touch with Angela. We worked for the same organisation briefly. Then I got to an interesting stage. I had undertaken major revision to my manuscript and was suffering from query fatigue, but I had some agents offer to see a revised version of my manuscript and they each gave me some feedback to work on. This was exciting, but it also meant more revision. Then, when I was part way through the revision, I got an offer of representation. Now it is all over the internet how agents must love your manuscript and feel as though they are as match as author and agent. Well, I feel the same thing goes for the author. And in this instance, I didn't think I was compatible with the agent, something I didn't know when I queried the agent. I made a scary decision to pass on the offer.

This left me with a half-revised manuscript, some waiting agents and a whole lot of doubt. My main concern was I would second guess myself and make my manuscript worse. I had already done this once as the feedback from agents was to take out bits that weren't part of the original version of my manuscript.

I remembered the advice, get someone from the publishing industry to give you feedback. I saw that a former editor had gone freelance and contacted her, but she was focusing on working with publishers. But I was now set on this course of action.  I knew Angela was flat out busy, but I asked her if she could recommend someone who freelanced to me. I couldn't believe it when Angela came back and said she would take me on and be my mentor. Her belief in me and desire to help me move to the next stage with my writer's journey was just the boost I needed.

So what can aspiring writers learn from my experience? Networking is important in the Australian publishing industry. The publishing world in small, but for Australia it's even smaller. Meeting people already established in the industry will open opportunities. It doesn't mean everyone you meet will offer to mentor you, but you might be invited to be a part of a group blog, learn about submissions opening up or funding opportunities.

So where can you find networking opportunities? Writers' centres are a good start and you can attend conferences. I met some great people at the CYA Conference in Brisbane last year. You can even book in for one-on-one sessions with agents and publishers at these events (if you're quick enough and prepared to pay a bit more for the experience - I've done it and found it was worth the money). Writers' groups is another option, as is going to book launches, writing courses and connecting with people in the publishing industry through social media (but don't be a creepy stalker).
Whatever you do, DON'T rock up on agents' doorsteps.

To paraphrase Angela, the Australian publishing industry is so small that if a writer bad mouths someone, chances are it will get back to them. So don't do it!! Be polite and courteous. Remember that writing is about passion for the author, and while agents and publishers are passionate about books and their clients, for them writing is a business. So grab the opportunities when they present themselves, but be professional and polite.

You never know where you might meet someone that opens a new door for you in the publishing world, but if you don't open the first door yourself to get out there and meet these people then you'll just stay locked in your own writing world. So go forth, mingle, tweet, listen and engage with people in the trade.

One final note, you can get a mentor in a couple of ways. Look out for scholarships (where someone else is paying the person to mentor you) and the like, you take the leap and pay for someone else's time yourself. Remember that their time is precious, but if you find the right match, it's worth the investment - because it's really an investment in yourself.

Photo clitch

Ahhh crud! Blogger has had a glitch and wiped most of my pics...except for John Cusick's for some reason.

It'll take me a bit to load them all back up. So sorry for the awful exclamation marks in the interim.

Agent interview with John Cusick

In In-demand YA agent John Cusick from S©ott Treimel NY is visiting YAtopia next week for a MICRO SYNOPSIS contest (you heard it!). But to give you a bit of an idea of the man behind those hip glasses and classy lit tweets, here's 13 questions with John

1) How did you find yourself as both an author and an agent?

I started as an agent’s assistant in October 2007 at Scott Treimel NY, an all-juvenile literary agency. Scott knew I wanted to write, and asked if I’d like to write for young people. I proposed a story about a sixteen-year-old robot, which became GIRL PARTS. After copious edits, Scott represented and Candlewick published in August 2010. The two jobs— agenting and writing— balance me out. One is exothermic, intense, and critical, the other introspective and private. I like having this Jeckel and Hyde life, the introvert writer and the skull-busting agent ;)

2) Scott Treimel NY literary agency has a rather unique submissions process, would you tell us a bit about it and why the agency went that way instead of traditional email submissions?  

We decided to go electronic with the advent of the e-readers, and because we were sick of hauling printed manuscripts around. Scott and I designed our online submission form hoping to streamline the querying process for ourselves and prospective clients. We require a specific rubric when considering an author for representation, including their publishing history, background, where they’ve submitted before, etc. The form asks for this information specifically. So far we’ve had great feedback about our submission process. It’s simple, environmentally friendly, and removes much of the guess-work of query writing.

3) What is the lure of YA for you?
 

The codes of conduct, the struggles, the newness of everything: adolescence is so intense! Teenagers have a purity of focus. Whatever their struggle, whether finding a date to prom or defeating a dark wizard, they’re stepping into the world for the first time, discovering who they are in relationship to everything else. From the ages of 12 to 18 our brains draw and redraw a map of the universe with a big arrow labeled YOU ARE HERE. Teenagers become themselves. Combine all this with the very adult problems kids often face (drugs, abusive parents, dark wizards), and you have very rich ground for stories. And personally, I’m not sure if I ever really left high school. I still pass notes to girls I like.

4) So we know you specialize in YA, but tell us a bit about the genres that get you salivating and you don't represent?

I love sweeping, heart-breaking literary fiction. My favorites in this category are Vladimir Nabokov, Siri Hustvedt, Claire Messud, A.S. Byatt, and Jeffrey Eugenides. In y.a., I sometimes miss the lush description and interweaving motifs you find in adult literary fiction. In my own writing I have a hard time banishing my internal literature professor. He sneaks in every now and then, cleverly disguised in Converse All Stars. But when he starts to get too boisterous and pretentious, I reach for my red pen and strike him out.

5) It's always a good idea when querying for writers to know a bit about the agent's clients. Would you tell us a bit about some of your clients and what attracted you to their work?

There are too many and their merits too multifarious for me to list them exhaustively, and I hate to leave anyone out. I have an arbitrary stack of client books and manuscripts on my desk right now, so I suppose I’ll limit myself to these:

Michael Kinch, The Blending Time — Gritty realism combined with a vaulting imagination. Mike was my first-ever YA client, and I can’t put down his action-packed stuff.

Gail Giles, Dark Song— Laser focused psychological realism with page-turner tension.

Maribeth Boelts, The P.S. Brothers – Maribeth has such tenderness for her characters. I love them all instantly.

Art Slade, The Hunchback Assignments 3: Empire of Ruins— Art is a bottomless well of original ideas, worlds, and characters. He is also an absolute Gentleman.

Ryan Gebhart, Bear Swear—We just signed Ryan and are working with him on this manuscript. Ryan’s middle-grade narrator grabbed me immediately, a recognizable but fresh character with a true voice. I’m excited to be working with him.

I could go on for pages about these writers, let alone the amazing stable of talent over here.

6) Nailing a YA voice isn't as easy as people think. How did you make sure the voice was authentic in GIRL PARTS?

For Girl Parts I had three main characters: a popular jerk, an unpopular jerk, and a robot. David is modeled on my high school friends (and I): lots of profanity, defensive posturing, and delusions of grandeur. David watches a lot of t.v., and so talks the way t.v. has taught him cool, tough guys speak. His speech also changes depending on his audience. With Rose he’s tender, but a little superior. With his friends he’s more aggressive, funny, and uses more slang. Charlie is a taciturn guy. He adores plants, considers himself a botanist, and so speaks in precise, textbook language. He delivers his thoughts in formal, complete sentences. This is partly because Charlie doesn’t trust others and believes most won’t understand him. Rose was the trickiest. As a robot, she comes preprogrammed with basic language skills, and learns slang and more natural speech patterns over time. It was fun having her ape David, then Charlie, and slowly developing her own tender, curious, sing-song lilt. In each case the character’s voice emerged from his environment, what kinds of media he or she consumed, and how he or she wanted to be perceived.

7) How important is research when writing and what can it add to the process? 

I shy from stories requiring extensive research. I invent my small towns, evil companies, weird technology and celebrities because it’s fun, and also because I’d rather be writing than reading. At times I want to bury particular facts in the text for thematic reasons, and in those moments I use Wikipedia. Character names especially lead to this kind of research: Do roses have natural predators? (Coleo Foridae) How do you say cloud in Spanish? (Nuvola) Bird in German? (Vogel). Developing the mechanisms of Rose’s brain had me brushing up on my Freud, Pavlov and Jung. Really, every waking moment is research, absorbing the world, people, how it all fits together. Research is inspiration fodder.

Rapid Fire Questions
Shoot! 

Cats or dogs?

Raised with cats. I’d like a dog now.

Aliens or robots?

Guess. (hmmmm *looks at beautiful GIRL PARTS cover* I wonder)

Spring or Fall?

Fall. I have a weakness for scarves and corduroy blazers.

Halloween or Easter?

Halloween. No bad egg smell.

Plot driven or character driven?

Character. All good stories start with character. I think “plot driven” is slang for “character driven plus sex and guns.” Which, you know, I also like.

Hard copy or e-book?
Hard copy 4EVA!

So that's the buzz! Interested? Then check out YAtopia next Thursday for more details.

Agent Interview with Vickie Motter

Well known for her Navigating the Slush Pile blog, Vickie Motter is actively building her client list and you've got the opportunity next week (13th July) to pitch her on my group blog YAtopia. But before you do, find out a bit more about Vickie and what she's after so you get your pitch just right.

1) Tell us a bit about your journey to becoming an agent.

Out of college I interned with Andrea Hurst, and realized quickly that I wanted to be an agent. I went into training and soon after became an agent. Not a super glamorous tale, or one involving years of lucky breaks, but it's what I love doing and can't see myself doing anything else. I count myself lucky I was able to find such a great agency and mentor in my home state.

2) Who was the first client you signed and what drew you to their MS?

My first client, Julia Darcey, found me through my blog when I was still an agent in training. I don't want to give away what happens (one of the main draws for me) but let's just say it's the right combination of unique, morbid, and death to catch my interest.

3) You have a strong interest in YA, what do you find so attractive about the it?

YA has as many genres as the entire Adult genres put together but, unlike Adult in which people tend to gravitate towards certain genres over and over again, YA sort of combines it all. From SciFi to contemporary to fantasy to humor, the thing all YA has in common are the characters, unique as they all are, all YA readers can connect with them. It's so diverse that there is something there for everyone. And it's constantly changing so you'll never be bored.

4) You're still taking paranormal submissions when other agents are starting to shy away from it. Where do you see the genre heading?

That's the beauty of paranormal! I have no idea where it's heading. I label genres loosely though. While some people think of "paranormal" as vampires and werewolves, I think of it as a genre in which something extraordinary happens. You can combine paranormal with dystopian, steampunk, scifi, even use it in very contemporary settings. I am looking for something unique though, that's what sells time and time again.

5) What is the most common mistake you see in queries?

People try to put too much into queries. Keep it simple: main character (what makes him or her unique?--why should we care?), brief overview of the world if it's one different than ours, one or two other key players (love interest, bad guy), main conflict. 

6) You're hosting a three line pitch contest on YAtopia next week. What tips can you give people interested in entering?

Use quick descriptors for your characters to garner interest without taking up time away from the unique plot you're pitching. Don't use cliches. Don't overcomplicate your sentences. Don't be overly vague (with three sentences I need a sense of the main conflict--what the character is fighting for). But don't be overly detailed either.

Rapid Fire Questions:

Summer or Winter? Summer

Cinema or DVD? DVD
Beach or mountains? Beach
Mermaids or gargoyles? Mermaids. No! Gargoyles! Okay, mermaids but only if they're the evil kind.
Ice-cream or candy? Ice-cream.

Vickie is interested in any genre of YA, and Adult Paranormal and Urban Fantasy (not MG). If you've for a completed and polished MS that is ready for querying that fits Vickie's wish list then head on over to YAtopia next week and be one of the first 50 people to comment.

Wendy's Sweet publishing deal

Wendy Higgins is the latest inkpop sensation to land a coveted contract with HarperCollins through the writers community. She shares with us some insights into her publishing journey so far.

 

Would you give us an insight into SWEET EVIL and how you came up with the idea?

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in SWEET EVIL.

Anna, a tender-hearted Southern girl, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip forces Anna and Kai to face the reality that hope and love are not options for their kind. When it’s time for Anna to confront her demons, will she choose to embrace her halo or her horns?

This is the hardest question to answer [how she came up with the idea], because it was a ton of little things, and I don’t know where to begin. Basically, once I’d decided I wanted to write for teens I began brainstorming, just for fun. I’d never written fantasy, so I assumed I’d take the realistic route. But then angels and demons popped into my head because of an adult satire I’d read the week prior. I’m fascinated by angels, so it was fun to throw ideas around in my head. It came together very quickly. Within that same day I’d created the main characters, what their powers/specialties would be, and the fact that there’d be a road trip. It came together like a puzzle over time.

Tell us a bit about your experience writing and querying prior to inkpop?

I was impatient, like most writers, and I started querying after my first draft, long before the manuscript was ready. I’d only let my best friend read it at that point. I lost track of how many rejections I received. I deleted the emails and threw away the paper rejections because they were bad for morale, but they were also a reality check. I needed serious critique from fellow writers. I started searching online, and that’s how I came across inkpop.

What was your first impressions of inkpop when you joined up?

I joined during the days when MIC (Morgan Shamy) was the Top Trendsetter. She was the first to pick my book, and then it spent a few days on the top three picks. At the time I didn’t understand exactly what that meant, but I thought it was super cool to see my cover on the home page, haha. J A lot of people gave me free reads, all of which I returned right away. My first impression was that Inkpoppers were very giving and encouraging. It was an awesome experience to feel immediately welcomed into the fold. I’m friends with Morgan to this day.

Describe for us the feelings when you found out you were going to be published by HC?Shock, disbelief, then joy. When I wasn’t contacted by HarperCollins right after my review, I put the idea of it behind me and moved on. I was absolutely not expecting to ever hear from them, so when I did I was almost confused at first, like there’d been some sort of mistake!

Tell us a bit about the editing experience you've had for SWEET EVIL?

I had about six serious critique partners who read my whole manuscript when it was ANGEL PROPHECY, and again after major revisions. They sifted through a lot of crud and helped me whip it into shape before it got into the hands of my actual editor at HarperCollins, Alyson Day. Alyson’s notes to me mostly consisted of places where the content needed to be clarified, condensed, or expanded. I ended up cutting about 10k words, and adding back 8k in new scenes that she’d advised. Currently the story is with copy editors, so that will be the next and final step.

What's left to come for you in the publishing process and what are you looking forward to the most?

There is a ton of behind-the-scenes stuff, which I’m not always privy to. The folks at HC are putting together a marketing plan now. I’m excited to get the book on Goodreads. But what I’m most looking forward to is seeing what cover art they come up with! I can’t wait! [Neither can I!]

How important do you think social networking is for writers in today's market and what are you doing on that front?

I think it’s important, but I also think it can be a hindrance. There needs to be a good balance. Authors who are accessible online and personable will reap the benefits of building those relationships. But you also don’t want to flog yourself to death and make people sick of you. Right now I’m on twitter, I have my website, Facebook, and group blog, but I’m honestly not very good at social networking because of the time it requires. I hope to be better at it when my kids are in school.

How do you think writers' communities are going to affect the publishing industry?Trends definitely show their faces in writing communities, and publishers pay attention. Self-publishing and online manuscript sharing are becoming huge right now. Maybe it’ll be the next big thing; you never know.

Rapid fire questions:

Angels or Demons

Angels (What, no Nephilim? *winks*)
Paper or Computer

Computer (although my 1^st draft of SE was handwritten because I didn’t have my computer yet, ugh!)
Edward or Jacob

Edward in the books. Jacob in the movies.
Coffee or Hot Chocolate

Coffee!!!
Snow or Sand

Sand

A new type of slush pile

Watch out publishing world, there's a new slush pile in town. Okay, inkpop's not exactly new - it's about a year-and-a-half old. But it's coming of age this year.

The second writer off inkpop to be published by HC has just been announced - my wonderful friend, and fellow YAtopian, Wendy Higgins with her novel Sweet Evil. I've been fortunate enough to read an ARC of the first novel off Inkpop being published Carrier of the Mark by another fantastic writing pal and YAtopian, Leigh Fallon.

I'm hanging out like crazy to see these books hit the shelves as I think it will herald in a new age in publishing as it is putting the readers in the drivers seat.

For those of you who don't know how inkpop works it goes a bit like this:

1.  Post your YA work (yep it's a YA friendly site).
2. Members read your work and comment on it. If they really like it they'll "pick it".
3. The most popular pieces of work at the end of each month make the "top five".
4. "Top 5" projects are read by a HC editor and they give you feedback.
5. If the editor falls in love with your story, they'll publish it.

Now there's been more than 50 projects make "Top 5" status and only two projects have been announced so far as getting the publishing tick.

Even work that doesn't make "Top 5" status still benefit from the community. The site was abuzz when it came out that Jeyn Roberts. was being published with Dark Inside. Jeyn only had her project up briefly as it was so good she got snavelled up quickly be an agent and a publisher before it could make the "Top 5". But members know Jeyn from the site and are excited as to read her book. It provides an additional following for members who are getting published.

When my novel Mishca made the "Top 5", it did so out of more than 25,000 pieces of work on the site - a fact I'm pretty proud of. While Mishca wasn't ready for publication at the time, the HC editor review gave me a great start on revisions. It's also the most successful piece of work on the site by an Australian writer. Personally I see that as a great marketing pitch. I know not all agents feel that way, but I wonder if attitudes will start to change once Sweet Evil and Carrier of the Mark rock the YA lit world (and having read the latter, I am sure they will!)

Similar communities are springing up with Figment and Book Country (Penguin). Figment has a specific category for authors to allow them to connect with their fans on the site. It's also great for connecting with other writers and getting feedback. The community created at Book Country is just amazing. I've gotten some of my most constructive feedback from people there. Though it is aimed at genre writers and you must be 18+ to be on the site.

While agents won't necessarily have the time to dredge through these sites looking for a diamond in the rough, I wonder how long it will take before it's universally deemed a positive thing to put inkpop success in a query letter?

I've had a positive response in Australia to my inkpop success so far, and I really hope something more eventuates from it. I think it is a great thing that the readers get the opportunity to have a say on what gets published before it hits the bookshelves. Sites like inkpop are great market research, and when Carrier of the Mark hits the shelves, we'll be able to see just how successful sites like this can be.

The Basics of Life - Book Launch!

Not only did I have my first ever short story published, but I scored the national book launch too!!

I managed not to cry, even though I was talking about why I wrote the story - my dad being diagnosed with terminal cancer. I actually had more sales of the book from other people than the number of copies I bought myself







I remember to thanks the awesome Ian and Karen at Collins Booksellers in Mackay for hosting the event and stocking the book (they rock!).



And I remember the plug:

You can order THE BASICS OF LIFE feature me! and Sophie Masson plus other great authors through Collins Booksellers Mackay (they'll post anywhere - even overseas!). (07) 49532777 or email books@collinsbooksmackay.com.au to order now. It will be in other stores (including online stores) soon. I'll update as I have the details. At $17.99 it's great value.

And finally - if you are an emerging Australian author check out auslit.net for anthology and competition opportunities as well as author interviews.

Looksie here!

Eeee!!  That's how I think most authors react when they see their cover for the first time. That's how excited I was. Followed by "A real book, my stories getting published in a real book."

It's surreal now. Imagine how I'm going to be in two days time for the book launch!

Win an ARC of one of the most anticipated releases of 2011

I am so hanging out for THE DARK INSIDE. I've been fortunate enough to read the first couple of chapters and I want more!

Haven't been lucky enough to read any of it? Well here's your chance to win a signed ARC.

Scoot on over to http://shusky20.blogspot.com/2011/05/guest-post-by-jeyn-roberts-giveaway-arc.html and get commenting!

Everything's coming up Sharon

I must confess I'm on a bit of a writing high at the moment. And there's irony in it all.

I suffered really bad writer's block after my dad died. However, I still had some things out there that I was hoping to get good news on. But I didn't. Things just stayed stagnant.

Frustrated, I got mad at Karma for some reason. I felt I was owed some good after all the bad I had been through in the last 18 months (my grandma died too). Pretty silly I know, but that was how I felt at the time.

After telling Karma exactly what I thought of the lack of good things coming my way a light bulb went off in my head. What if Karma was actually a person? Well not just one person, but a whole clan dedicated to keeping the balance in the universe.

I was planning on making it into a novel after I finished the first draft of Dirty Rainbow, but then I saw a competition for YA short stories. So I wrote Karma as a short story. And it's been short-listed. The first story I've written since Dad died and it's a success. And now I'm expanding it into a novel. (EDIT: Karma was runner-up in the competition and I got feedback as my prize from Sara Foster. She gave me great comments on ways to further develop the plot and characters AND she thought the concept should be expanded!)

And this was after I also found out that a story I wrote dealing with a loved-one being diagnosed with terminal cancer, Growth, was being published in The Australian Literary Review's anthology THE BASICS OF LIFE

These achievements are not huge life changing events in some ways. They are rather small achievements in the publishing world. But it's a start. So thank you Karma, as now I feel like everything's coming up Sharon.

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a Dystopian like no other. I was fortunate enough to read the few chapters while it was on Inkpop and I am hanging out for the rest.



Civilisations crumble from within, humans crumble from within because of the Dark Inside.



Right from the start I had chills.



The opening is not a prologue, but a scene setter. We get to see inside the mind of the evil to come. A taste, a tease.



Conflict, stakes and tortured MC are the great makings of a Dystopian novel. Right from the start we see one of the four MCs, Mason, isolated from his guiding light. When the world is about to implode, it’s the time you need those closest to you to be there to hold you and say everything is alright. Instead Mason faces what would be a teenager’s worst nightmare. When you’re MC is down, kick him some more with bad news, that also serves as great foreshadowing.



The second chapter introduces us to Aries. I could feel myself in her skin at times. I remember the anxiousness of being around weirdo strangers. Keeping the action pace high, we are hit with another seemingly mindless event of horror. No doubt that will fit together with other events once Roberts decides to let us see all the pieces of the puzzle.



What impressed me was the imagery she created. I loved getting inside the characters heads so thoroughly without relying on first person.



I can’t wait to read this all and expand on my review.





View all my reviews

Firming up your manuscript

Come on writers, work that keyboard, tighten those words, firm up your plot, edit hard or go home!

I'm not a big fan of editing. Give me someone else's work and I can do it - hey that's part of my day job after all. But when I re-read my own work my mind often reads what should be there rather than what is there.

Recently, I wrote a short story for a competition that was capped at 3,000 words. I decided to use a concept I already had for a novel and miniaturize it. That meant take the core concept, creating a couple of scenes to explain the plot (personifying a concept - a bit like Terry Pratchett by darker and less humorous) and tying up the conclusion.

I sent it off to my Beta and got some great notes, made her recommended changes and squeezed in just under 3,000 words. I was over the moon, until a thought hit me. Did she like the ending? She had commented on another short story that it felt like the end of a chapter not the end of a short story.

So I asked and she emailed back exactly that. D'oh! She thought there was more to come. So I called her and we thrashed it out. Of course she won - how can I argue with a former Uni Lit Lecturer? Besides, she was right.

Disappointed that I hadn't gotten it right first time, I wrote more, about another 400 words and sent it back. Yep, my Beta confirmed I now had a workable ending - and 400 words too many. So I called again and was told to cut one of two scenes. But I didn't want to - I loved them both.

So I was determined to cut more than 10% of my story without cutting plot content. I was mercilessly on the look out for superfluous words. And I found them! 400 of them!

I rearranged sentences more economically, I cut as many 'thats' and 'ands' I could, I culled unnecessary sentences - the frill bits.

At the end of it when I got to the word count I felt triumphant, then a bit crappy about how sloppy my writing was. But adhering to a word count helped me firm up my manuscript.

I'm thinking I might impose a culling goal on myself from now on so I can get in and edit with focus.

So how do you get motivated to editor or writing, or is it something that comes naturally to you?

BTW readers - I promise this post was not just an excuse to post shirtless men =P

I'm excited!

You betcha I'm excited. I just found out my short story Growth is being published in http://auslit.net/2011/03/30/basics-of-life-anthology/

The irony is the publication date will be around the anniversary of the events in the book. I won't go into details as I don't want to spoil it.

But one last thing:

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Super agent Ammi-Joan Paquette pitch competition on YAtopia

Agent Pitch contest on my Group Blog - YAtopia

Don't post here, the comp is at - YAtopia

Agent Pitch Contest!!

Okay, here is the post you've all been waiting for! (or maybe not, but you should be excited!!).

Super agent Ammi-Joan Paquette has so kindly offered to host a pitch contest - our first, but definitely not last - on YAtopia. And seeing as she's currently closed to submissions, this is an opportunity you simply CANNOT miss out on.

It's really quite simple what you have to do. Ready?

1) Be a follower of the blog. Nice and easy.

2) Blog about this contest and include a link with your entry. If you don't have a blog, you may tweet or make a facebook status. But we prefer blog.

3) Create a TWO SENTENCE pitch. And not a massively long run-on sentence either. Two concise sentences that will hook Joan to your book and have her desperate to read more.

4) Include the opening line of your manuscript.

5) Manuscripts that you submit should be completed. I leave it up to you whether you decide to submit a half finished manuscript. You'll have to deal with it SHOULD Joan request you send her the full.

6) This contest will be capped at either 150 entries OR will end midnight on the 24th March.

7) Winners to be announced (along with prizes) on 31st March.

8) Only childrens and young adult categories will be accepted. Sorry!

What you need to post on YAtopia:

Name:
Email:
Story Name:
Genre:
Blog/Twitter/Facebook link:
2 Sentence Pitch:
Opening sentence:

WriteOnCon and their Fab prizes

Oh My Goodness. The most awesome conference every! Why? Because it's free if you have access to the Internet. Yep - that's it. No travel, no fees.

And there are Prizes!

Right now you can enter to win letter critiques from:

Jill Corcoran with Herman Agency Inc.
Ginger Clark with Curtis Brown LTD
Tina Wexler with ICM
Beth Fleisher with Clear Sailing Creatives
Marietta Zacker with Nancy Gallt Literary
Jennifer Rofe with Andrea Brown Literary
Sarah Davies with Greenhouse Literary

Just go to - http://writeoncon.com/ for more details!


About WriteOnCon in their on words:

WriteOnCon is an Online Children’s Writers Conference (rated MC-18, for Main Characters under 18 only) created by writers, for writers.


Our first Annual Conference was held: Tuesday – Thursday, August 10 – 12, 2010

Where: http://www.writeoncon.com

Cost: Free!

Who: That’s the best part—it’s for EVERYONE!

Attendees don’t need to take time off work, travel, or spend a truckload of money. They can enjoy the conference from the convenience of their own homes, for free—and the schedule is designed around working hours. (Transcripts are also available of the entire conference, should anyone have to miss part of it.) And everything for the conference takes place within this website, which means everyone with basic Internet access will be able to participate in all aspects of the conference—no additional software or technology required.

During the conference, keynote addresses, agent panels, and lectures are presented as blogs, vlogs, moderated chats, webinars, podcasts, and livestreaming. There is also a critique forum, where participants can post query letters and writing samples to receive helpful feedback and comments from their peers and industry professionals. And, as if that weren’t exciting enough, there are also daily contests, giving random winners everything from books to personalized critiques from agents.

It’s everything great about a writer’s conference, without any of the cost or inconvenience. Check back soon for our 2011 annual conference dates. And don’t miss our Monthly Live Events in the meantime!

Don't be a Twitter Twit

Twitter is a fun playground for many authors, agents and editors. They're a very open and giving community, willing to participate in designated Twitter chats where you can ask questions about the industry, trends and anything else that your heart desires relating to the topic.

This fab group also respond to individual tweets in you may have sent them - as long as it's not a creepy tweet or an unsolicited pitch.

Following agents and editors on Twitter allows you to get a glimpse at their personality and an idea if you match up personality wise, which can be important for the agent/author/editor relationship to work.

However there can be a pitfall here. You, and the hundred of other aspiring authors following them, can come to feel like you know these people and expect that when you query them they will automatically offer you representation because you have exactly what they are looking for (according to their tweets).

So here's some things to remember:

• It's not cool to pitch via Twitter to an agent or an author unless they are holding a specific contest that requires it.
• Getting on well with an agent/author on Twitter will not guarantee you'll get a publishing deal.
• Don't rant on Twitter bagging out an agent/editor for rejecting your work. It'll get back to them and score you a bad rep - hello google alerts!
• Remember that the writing industry is subjective. A rejection doesn't mean that your work is not good, it just means that they didn't feel strongly enough about the project you're querying on to take you on (a friend of mine is getting published and scored her agent on around the fourth manuscript she'd queried her with - don't give up, keep writing).
• You can follow these guys on Twitter, but it doesn't mean they want to friend you on Facebook.

Take advantage of what Twitter has to offer writers, but keep it real and be cool about how you engage agents, editors and authors in that space.

Another amazing contest

Aspiring author, Chanelle Gray -  represented by dream agent Victoria Marini & fellow YAtopian - is holding a Twitter pitch contest:

http://chanellegray.blogspot.com/2011/03/twitter-pitch-contest.html

1) The contest is now live!


2) It will be capped at the first 75 entries or, if we don't get 75 entries, it'll cut off at Midnight GMT on the 7th March.

3) You have to be a follower of my blog to enter.

4) You have to blog about this contest and post your link along with the twitter pitch. (If you don't have a blog, then Twitter or Facebook will do. But only if you don't have a blog - not instead).

5) Alongside your 140 twitter pitch (you'll be disqualified if it's longer) you'll be asked to submit the first three sentences of your manuscript - so make sure they're polished and ready to go!

6) Once the contest opens, it'll be first come first serve to enter. Anything after 75 entries won't be counted.

Remember, Michael Carr is looking for any age any genre. And works should be completed if he was to request the full manuscript, but you may take the risk without a finished manuscript if you choose.

Good luck! And don't forget to include a link to your blog post/twitter/facebook with your entry. And I'll allow posts to be made any time before you actually comment here. Including the same day. Please use the format as below:


Your name:

Title:

Genre & Age:

Twitter pitch:

3 Sentences:

Blog post:

So what are you waiting for! Get over to Chanelle's post and enter!

My "It was a Dark and Stormy Blogfest Contest" entry

The wonderful Brenda Blake is holding a first line contest where writer's post their first lines in their blog and people critique them. Once the critiquing is done we post them back on her blog: http://brenleedrake.blogspot.com/2011/01/blogfest-contest-with-prizes-from-agent.html

Here's my entry for my novel Mishca, let me know your thoughts in the comments section by 9th February. Mishca was voted a 'Top Pick' on the YA writer's site Inkpop, like the Carrier of the Mark - the first book to be published off the site.

Name: Sharon Johnston
Title: Mishca
Genre: YA Speculative Fiction

I always knew that I was adopted; it was pretty obvious. 

The prize is a critique on part of a manuscript and query letter with fabulous agent, Weronika Janczuk, so fingers crossed.

So, hit me with your thoughts below.

If you are a participant in the contest as well, please leave a link to your blog in the comment so I can check yours out too.

Leigh's Legacy

If you haven't heard the hype about Leigh Fallon and her debut novel, Carrier of the Mark - where have you been?! Leigh Fallon is the first member of Inkpop to be given a publishing contract by HarperCollins.

For those of you who don't know, Inkpop is a YA writer's site. Members read each others work and vote on their favourites with a 'pick'. Each month the five favourite projects are awarded 'Top Pick' status and their work is read by a HC editor.

Leigh was the first inkie to be offered a contract. Rumour has it there is more to come, but for now we know that Leigh is the first, of hopefully many, in a new way for YA writers to be discovered.

So let's find out about Leigh's journey.

Tell us a bit about your writer’s experience prior to inkpop:

Honestly, I’ve had a short run in. I’ve been quite lucky that things have moved incredibly fast for me. I started writing in March 2009. The Carrier of the Mark was my first manuscript and I had it finished by the end of the summer 2009. As soon as I’d finished, like a complete rookie who hadn’t a clue how the publishing world worked, I sent my manuscript to a few agents in Ireland and two publishers in Ireland who accepted unsolicited manuscripts. I didn’t know what I expected. I didn’t really think I’d be published, I guess I was chancing my arm, hoping that something might come of it. Of course it didn’t. I tried a couple in the UK then the US (just for a laugh), but still no joy. Then I posted my manuscript online on a few writers’ websites, and in December of that 2009 I discovered Inkpop, uploaded The Carrier of the Mark. Four weeks later it was in the top five and got reviewed, and a couple of weeks after that, I had a publishing contract.


How did you get your agent? Did your success on Inkpop contribute to that?

Again for me it was a quick thing and done sort of back to front. I’d half heartedly tried getting an agent before, but I was just getting the usual generic ‘thanks but no thanks’ letters back. HarperCollins offered me the contract and I saw an opportunity to snag an agent of my choice. So I picked my top three agents and typed up an email explaining the situation and sent it out. Within a week I’d made up my mind to go with Tina Wexler of ICM. ICM is huge, an international, and a full service agency, and Tina Wexler is both lovely and talented. We clicked immediately. Having an offer of a published deal obviously helped in my securing Tina, but I like to think that if I didn’t have the HarperCollins deal that she would have eventually found me in her slush pile.

Do you think, if The Carrier of the Mark is a best seller (which I’m sure it will be), that agents and editors will take success on writing sites like inkpop more serious and why?

Oh God, I hope the Carrier of the Mark will be a best seller! Oh could you imagine? *drools*

Actually, this is quite a tough question. I think publishers take the writing web sites more seriously than the agents. Agents can cherry pick. They have thousands of manuscripts being chucked at them every day. It’s easy for them to be dismissive. I don’t blame them, I’d be the same. As far as I can tell, agents really need to click with a manuscript. They need to believe in the work... love it. It’s not enough just to have a manuscript that was loved by loads of people on a website; they need to connect with it. For them, it’s not just a case, oh it will sell. They want be in love with it too. Publishers need to sell a book, and in large numbers in an increasingly difficult market. Writing websites like Inkpop give your book punch, because it’s giving your book potential sales statistics. Unfortunately, to get that book with the super sales statistics to a publisher you need an agent... catch 22.

Tell us a bit about what you’re working on at the moment, apart from ensuring your twins don’t lock you out of the house again?

LOL. Those kids of mine are always plotting against me. I haven’t a hope of staying a few steps ahead of them. I’ve accepted my fate, now I’m waiting for the next twin assault.

On the book front, I’m nearly finished the first draft of the sequel to The Carrier of the Mark. And I have another one or two books in the pipeline for that series. I’m also working on a ghost story called Haunting Jenny. I’ve been working on a book for the adult market; it’s a sarcastic parenting guide. I’m having great fun with that.

What was your reaction when you:

a) Found out that you were going to be published by HC through Inkpop?

Screamed, cried, laughed, and scared a herd of cows out the back of the house while I ran around the garden in hysterics.

b) Landed your agent?

Screamed, laughed, felt ever so smug and self satisfied, and I’m sure I scared the cows again (poor things).

c) Saw your cover for the first time?

I believe I sat at my computer screen in shocked awe... I may even have shed a tear, and I know for certain I didn’t sleep a wink that night.

Have you been practicing your signature? And do you have an exercise program in place to strengthen your hand (I have a feeling you are going to end up with writer’s cramp)?

OMG! I never even thought about practicing my signature, but now you say it; I’ll get right on that. Now will I go for L Fallon or Leigh Fallon or just Leigh ummmm decisions decisions? LOL. And no, I’ve no exercise program in place yet, but I’ve had a couple of personal hand trainers suggested to me. This is a serious business you know.

Rapid Fire questions:

Zombie or Unicorn? Zombie

Night or Day? Day

Cinema or DVD? DVD
Joggers or flip-flops Flip-flops

Fringe or no fringe? No fringe

Batman or Superman? Batman


Thanks so much Leigh! I look forward to reading it.

Here is some links to find out more about Leigh and Inkpop.

http://www.leighfallon.com/
http://www.inkpop.com/
http://mashable.com/2011/01/31/inkpop/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4611175.Leigh_Fallon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do5pwy4ydSQ
http://www.yatopia.blogspot.com/

How writers, readers and publishing industry professional can help flood victims

I am a proud Queensland. But tonight, I am also a sad Queenslander. I've cried at the lives cut short. In particular the 4 year-old boy who somehow fell off a rescue boat into raging flood waters (with a life jacket on) and died. And the 13 year-old boy who insisted that a rescuer take his younger brother, and then was swept to his death seconds later.

(ignore the ad at the start! http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/national/-/watch/23792464/flash-floods-sweep-through-toowoomba/ and here's the link if you want to see more footage)

People are pulling together in this time of crisis, and here is a couple of ways you can help is you like to read (there's an e-book to buy), work in the publishing industry (donate yourself for auction) or want to work in the publishing industry (bid on the auction).

Here's more on it from the wonderful people who came up with the ideas.

Fable Croft's words - not mine:

This limited (only on sale until February 15, 2011) ebook edition is being sold as a fundraiser for Queensland Flood Relief Appeal. All donations will go to the Appeal.

After the Rain was commissioned in 2010 and is due for release in April 2011. However, in the face of the ongoing flood disaster in Queensland, the authors and I have pulled together this limited ebook version as a fundraiser. The authors have freely given their stories for this use.

All payments will go to the Flood Appeal, and we are leaving it up to you to decide how much you want to pay for the book. We recommend at least AUD$10.00, but all donations are gratefully received. We hope you enjoy the book and thank you for your support.

http://fablecroft.com.au/books/after-the-rain/after-the-rain-after-the-floods-limited-ebook-edition
 

Writers Auction 4 QLD Flood Appeal's words, not mine:

This page is administrated by Australian authors Fleur McDonald, Kate Gordon, Katrina Germein and Emily Gale.

All of the donations pledged on the FB page, or through email, will be collated before the auction begins and listed on a central site (still under construction). Following the conclusion of the auction authors will be asked to mail their donation to the winning bidder or contact them about a mentorship etc.

We encourage authors to be creative with their donations - author talks, phone calls to aspiring writers etc. Thanks to everyone for their interest and support.

Email: kgermein@gmail.com, katesgordon@gmail.com, fleur@fleurmcdonald.com

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Writers-Auction-4-Queensland-Flood-Appeal/126145554117564

The Time Travelers Wife: Book verses Film

Warning: There is spoilage below!

I really prefer to read a story before I see the film version. And I'm really glad I did it this way for The Time Travelers Wife.

Usually, I'm a speed reader. I can devour a 300+ pages book in 24 hours then be eagerly looking for what to read next. But not with The Time Travelers Wife. It was so gritty and emotionally raw. And the complexities! I forced myself to slow down and only read small parts at a time, stopping regularly to think about what I had just read. In the end it took me about a month to finish the book. It was like I didn't want the book to end and was prolonging our farewell.

My mother is currently in town visiting and I lent her a stack load of my books to pass the time. The Time Travelers Wife being one of them. I decided to have a girlie night with Mum and hired out the movie version for us to watch. As they always do, the book story was hacked and slashed. Big chunks of the plot and details were missing.

But you know what, it didn't spoil it for me. Even though they took out the bits that made the book such a harsh but amazing love story, not having those bits in was what made the movie work for me.

So I'll explain more what I mean.

Gomez & Clare
The Book
The whole Gomez/Clare relationship made the situation more real, more plausible for me. Everything was all sunshine and roses. Clare was human and made mistakes. Sleeping with her best friends guy, before she was finally reunited with Henry and out of grief after he died showed us she wasn't the perfect heroine. But she was emotional, in love and in need of someone to touch, even if she was consumed with thoughts of Henry. It explained so much of Gomez's behaviour towards Henry. The Gomez/Clare dynamic took us to some really private places and highlighted Clare's frailty.

The Movie
Gomez/Clare having slept together wasn't part of the movie. But we still saw Gomez being overly protective of Clare, insisting that she not marry Henry. I'm not sure if this behaviour would have been a bit off to people who hadn't read the book, but I was there thinking that he was only saying that because he wants back into her pants. We miss out on Charisse's self-doubt and relationships with Clare with the movie adaption, which is what I miss the most. But I didn't mind that removing the Gomez/Clare factor made the story cleaner and more of a fairytale.

Sex and Violence and other seedy stuff.
The Book
Sex plays a strong role in the book. It's actually part of the temporary "cure" for Henry's chrono-displacement. The more sex and exercise he has, the less he time travels. There is also the first sexual encounter between Henry and Clare before they are reunited on the same time-stream. To be honest I found these a but brutal. I wouldn't class myself as a prude, but sometimes the sex scenes made me squirm. In no way were they written like erotica. They were raw and real and animalistic with their physical attraction to each other.

The book has it's share of violence and law breaking. The scene where the boy from school is confronted is rather powerful. I found the ease at which Henry stole interesting and very realistic for the given situation.

The Movie
There was a lack of sex in the movie, which I was happy about sitting next to my mother while watching it, but I was also disappointed that they took away that emotional dynamic from the viewers. Like I said earlier, it makes the story more fairytale like (well more Hollywood), and I didn't mind not seeing the scenes. But I would have liked to have seen that passion in other ways.

The violence was toned down, possibly to ensure a friendlier rating. The scenes where Henry finds himself in trouble were brief. And the incident with the boy from school was completely removed - let's face it, threatening a teenager with a gun in a movie would not go down well with everyone.

Confronting Content
The Book
The ex, the alcohol, the amputation were some of the most confronting parts of the book. Henry is in self destruction mode when he and Clare's times get ready to align. He doesn't know that his love is waiting for him. Just as Gomez highlighted the human flaws in Clare, Ingrid and his alcohol self-medication highlighted them in Henry. The two of them were on a downward spiral together, but Clare pulled Henry out of it. He knew everything was going to be okay because Clare knew it. But Ingrid just knew she had lot him.

One of the hardest parts of the book for me to deal with was the loss of Henry's feet. I was still hoping for a happily ever after, despite the dark foreshadowing earlier in the book. The impact on their relationship and the implication on Henry's time travel, and him ultimately witnessing Ingrid's suicide, grounded the reader in the truth - this is a great love story, but it is not a fairytale love.

The Movie
Some lipstick is the only evidence of Ingrid. Like the Gomez/Clare saga, this has been erase to keep the focus on Henry and Clare. The only evidence of his alcohol issues comes more from his conversations with his father. I would have liked to have seen the self-destructive Henry.

I really liked how they dealt with the frostbite in the movie. The important thing was that he was immobile and he didn't have to lose his feet to achieve that. The results were just as powerful.

Overall
I equally enjoyed the book and the movie, each for very different reasons. I preferred the book over the movie in a lot of ways, but I got something out of the movie that I just didn't get in the book - knowing and waiting for a loved one to die. Maybe it's because I read the book before Dad died of cancer (I possibly read it before he was diagnosed). But I felt this kinship with the movie on this. The heartache of Alba and Clare knowing that his death is coming is an agonising wait. If I reread the book know, I would probably feel this too. But I saw the looks on their faces in my family in the lead-up to my father's death.

The ending of the movie also gave more hope than the book, which I won't spoil here just in case you haven't read/watched it (I know, I know - I've already given it away that he died). The endings are so very different for what they imply and I found more hope in the movie ending, but more true love in the book ending.

In movie form and book form, Henry and Clare go down as one of my favourite couples of all time. Thank you Audrey Niffienegger!

Something new is coming & you could win a copy of Paranormalcy & Blood Countess by being a part of it!

DJ DESMYTER
DJ is a proud writer of young adult paranormal-romance who suffers from Sexy New Idea Syndrome and currently writes from his bedroom. His novel HUNTED will be published by Pendrell Publishing in 2011. In addition to novel-writing, he is also a singer/songwriter and book blogger. His reviews and songs can be found on his site, DJ's Life in Fiction. As he continues to grow as a person and a reader, DJ hopes to continue growing as a writer and can't wait to see where his stories take him. Find HUNTED on Facebook and GoodReads!




 

LEIGH FALLON

Leigh was born in South Africa, raised in Dublin, Ireland and moved to Cork in her 20s. While living in beautiful Kinsale, Co Cork she discovered a love of writing. When Ireland's rich history and magical tales combined with Leigh's convent school upbringing, her brain became a breeding ground for inspiration. She writes mainly for the young adult market. Her debut novel, CARRIER OF THE MARK, is being published by HarperTeen and will be released in September 2011. You can check it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads.

Leigh has another two books in the Carrier series and a few other projects she's working on. She can be found lurking in cyberspace on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Inkpop, and many more. On the odd occasion when she steps back into reality, she spends her time with her husband and four children, sharing her time between her homes in Massachusetts and Ireland. You can find out more about Leigh at http://www.leighfallon.com/

Represented by: Tina Wexler - ICM (International Creative Management), New York.



CHANELLE GRAY

Chanelle Gray is a 23-year-old from London who enjoys a multitude of things, including reading, writing, shopping, and eating! Currently, she works for the Ministry of Justice, where she is the deputy manager of her team. There are no kiddies in her life yet, but she does have two naughty dogs and one adorable nephew, who she dotes on. Her current literary preferences include paranormal romances and all contemporary works. She has completed over eight novels, and spends any free time she has on completing more or reviewing any book she gets her hands on.

Her debut novel MY HEART BE DAMNED will be published in Fall 2012 by kNight Romance publishers. Add it to Goodreads here.

Chanelle blogs over at Beyond Words and also uses twitter, where she tweets about not only writing related matters, but anything that randomly comes to mind. She is represented by Victoria Marini of the Gelfman and Schneider Lit agency.


 

WENDY HIGGINS

Wendy Higgins is a former high school English teacher turned on-the-go mom. She lives with her husband, two children, and their mutt in Northern Virginia. Wendy earned a B.A. in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford University. An avid day-dreamer, she prefers to safely shake-up her stable life by escaping into literature and her own active imagination.

SWEET EVIL, Wendy's debut novel, is being published by HarperTeen in 2012. It came to her in a rush of inspiration when she was feeling disheartened about no longer teaching. Writing for Young Adults has given her the opportunity to delve into the ambiguities of those pivotal years before adulthood. You can follow her writing journey on her personal blog and Twitter.

 

SHARON JOHNSTON (aka ME!)

Sharon is a corporate communication manager and a former journalist from Australia who writes in her spare time. SLEEPER is Sharon's first novel that she is currently querying. Although she normally writes about the strange and the weird, her first publication will be a general fiction short story call GROWTH as part of The Australian Literary Review's anthology THE BASICS OF LIFE.

Sharon loves YA, science-fiction, speculative fiction, paranormal and anything that comes from the deepest darkest parts of someone's mind. She draws inspiration from local writers who have made it in the tough Australian publishing industry such as Tara Moss, Kerri Arthurs, Karen Brooks and Emily Rodda.

Well-known for her fantastic taste in shoes, Sharon has actually been stalked by women wanting to know where she got her high heels from. She invites you to read her personal blog and she is a Twitter fiend so follow her @S_M_Johnston.

SARAH NICOLAS

Sarah is a twenty-something who currently lives in the Florida Keys with her family, four chihuahuas and one 50-lb wannabe chihuahua. Fantasy and Sci-Fi are her favorite genres, but she loves all YA - especially anything written by Laurie Halse Anderson. Sarah believes that some boys are worth trusting, all girls have power, and dragons are people too.

Sarah’s a proud member of the Gator Nation and has a BS in Mechanical Engineering (That’s a “BS ME” for those of you keeping track) with a minor in Sales. Volunteering and non-profit work is important to her and she's always raising money for one cause or another. She interns with a small publisher, reading manuscripts.

She also blogs at http://www.sarahnicolas.com/ and is obsessed with Twitter, so she'd love for you to follow her @sarah_nicolas. Tumblr is her newest favorite distraction. Sarah and her sister, Kayelee, can be seen vlogging every Saturday at the YA Rebels.

KELLEY VITOLLO

Kelley Vitollo was one of those girls who dreamed of growing up and writing stories. Young at heart, her passion has always been writing about teens. Now, in her early thirties (shh, don’t tell), she’s finally working on making that dream come true. Her YA novel, LET'S GET PHYSICAL is currently on submission. She recently finished FREEING CARTER, a book that is extremely close to her heart.

She has a passion for character-driven stories and is a total romantic at heart. In her books, she adores exploring the whole journey of falling in love; from stolen glances, to innocent touches, and ultimately falling head-over-heels in love.

When not writing or devouring books by some of her favorite authors like Sarah Ockler, Cassandra Clare, and Jenny Han (amongst others), you can find her online at her personal blog or on twitter at @KelleyVitollo. Kelley lives in sunny Southern California with her incredible husband and two beautiful daughters.

KELLEY YORK

Kelley York has been a writer and artist for as long as she can remember, and she has a goofy-looking trophy from a first grade story contest to attest to that. She has always been fascinated with character creation and story-telling, leaning toward the dark and slightly morbid side of things in her writing. She's married to a fantastic wife who puts up with all her craziness.

Within young adult, she enjoys writing and reading a variety of genres. The darker, the better. Give her tragic characters and sympathetic villains all the way. Romance is super, but it takes the back-burner to great character development and growth. Kelley likes chasing her characters up trees and pelting them with rocks (and small explosives) before giving them their happily ever afters.

Kelley's dark YA thriller, HUSHED, is now available from Entangled Publishing.

Kelley keeps her own blog at Flowers for Ghosts, and you can follow her on Twitter, @elixing.