Creepy Query Girl

Dream Agent RE: YOUR MANUSCRIPT

2012-02-15T04:08:00.000-08:00

*Gasps* Oh no. It’s only been a few days since I resubmitted. This can’t be good. *clicks on email*

Dear Katie,

Thank you for allowing me to read your revised manuscript.

Okay. Harmless enough so far…

Unfortunately…

Oh.

Shit.

The ‘unfortunately’. - The link that severs the good from the bad. The equivalent of an executioner’s axe in the writing world. Shit shit shit shit shit shit…(this word seemed to repeat without cease in my mind for the remainder of the interlude)

I’m afraid the changes just weren’t enough to…

Oh SHIIIIIT! *clutches chest*. Oh God. I’ve been hit. OUCH! Ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch!!! This HURTS! *Takes deep breaths and moves on.*

I’m very sorry but at this point I can’t offer any more…

OH Noooooooo! *clutches stomach * I think I’m going to puke.

I wish you all the best in your writing endeavors…

*Mouth hangs open in grief, hands reaching towards the sky* WHYYYYYYYYYY!!!?

*Buries face in hands and struggles to breath for a minute. Looks up between her fingers*

Oh God, it’s still there.

*closes email*

What do I do now? Should I write back? Maybe I should write back…*Looks at her hands and wonders why they don’t answer. Starts typing.*

Dear Agent,

I’d like to thank you for the time you took on my manuscript. I wish I could say more but ~~I’m currently dying a slow, painful, bloody, emotional death…~~

~~…Watching my ripped-out heart beat outside my body~~

~~…And planning a video for youtube~~

~~…WHYYYY DO YOU HATE ME????~~

Okay. Maybe I shouldn’t write back.

This is far too emotionally raw. I’ll just go have a drink, chill out, and watch some mindless television for a bit.

*FIVE drinks later*

Dear Agnet,

I thanks you for all your time and fantasmic feedback. You da bom. I juss wanna say I try SO HARD! So. hard… You broke my heart, man. But in the words of the great, late, Whitney- I will always love you…………..SdvUIHILILILILILILILILILILILILILILILILN

*passes out, face down on the keyboard*

***side note: Yes, I did. No, I didn’t. And this is in NO way the real letter that I received (which was much more personal and kind) but you get the gist***

So, I’m going to continue to submit my manuscript elsewhere and I have other projects in the works which I’m focusing on. Despite the roller coaster of emotions, working with an agent was a fantastic experience. Bottom line is, I’m still here. A little more battered and blue in the self-esteem department but I’m still here. Sushi and wine are helping sooth the pain but I’m still not completely ‘over it’, of course.

What do you guys do to get over a really tough rejection?

Origins Blogfest- Dumb Blonde Writing

2012-02-13T03:06:00.000-08:00

Growing up, I always played the ‘dumb blonde’ to perfection. What can I say? I preferred to make people laugh, saying silly things to prove I didn’t take myself too seriously or be taken too seriously by others. Like any other kid, I just wanted to be liked.

And I was. But the ending result is that no one in my entourage ever did take me very seriously. Not my teachers or my friends or my friends’ parents. I was funny in a ditzy kind of way, goofy even- but definitely not someone you would ask to help you change a tire.

But when I wrote, whether it was a creative writing piece or an essay on Aristotle’s Greek tragedy- I couldn’t hide the fact that, inside, I wasn’t really a space cadet. I loved to write. I loved words and how you can get an idea across- prove a point, or completely change someone’s perspective with the perfect combination. And whenever the occasion struck- I just let it rip; used vocabulary and turns of phrase I’d probably never spoken aloud.

There were two occasions where I realized my writing let people glimpse a different side of me and, in some cases, alter the way they saw me altogether.

One was my senior year of high school. Our English professor, Dr. Taylor, pulled me aside a few days before graduation. I don’t think she had addressed more than a few words to me throughout the year. She asked about my plans for college. Asked about the long-term boyfriend I was with at the time. And then she turned to me and said ‘I just wanted to tell you not to settle. I’ve read your work. I know what you’re capable of and I think you could go very, very far.’

No other teacher had ever said that to me before.

The same thing happened in college, with the professor who accompanied my study abroad group to France. We’d become a big family, and I was often the class clown. Which is why he was so surprised after reading a paper I did comparing the women’s movement in France and the United States that made him realize there ‘was more to me than meets the eye’.

Today, of course, I’ve mostly grown out of playing the dumb blonde. It helps that French people don’t understand that kind of humor and might think I’m a little retarded if I’m not careful. But writing still taps into a part of who I am- one that doesn’t get to see the light of day as much as she should. It lets me be my whole self, and I couldn’t imagine a life without it.

Thanks for reading my ‘origins’ story. I look forward to reading yours! Be sure to check out more origins entries here:

2015

2012-02-10T03:58:00.000-08:00

Watching BACK TO THE FUTURE II, I couldn’t help but laugh at how the scenarists pictured 2015 with flying cars and outrageous electronic clothing.

But then again, they did get some things right.

Like the robotic waiters.

Video chatting.

3D movies and television.

For a full list, check out this post.

Me, I’m still waiting for an honest-to-goodness hover board.

What kind of inventions did you think would be available in 2015? What technology makes you stop and wonder at just how far we've come (despite not having hover crafts) ?

For me, the new ipads and iphones, the internet and video games like xbox kinect without contollers really make me feel like I'm living in a pretty interesting era.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

*CQG*

Pretty Woman

2012-02-08T04:03:00.000-08:00

Last night I sat in front of the t.v. with a big bowl of popcorn and watched ‘the original’ romantic comedy. Sure, it might have been dubbed over in French, and the t.v. might have been in our bedroom since my romantically-challenged husband kicked me and my chickflick out of the living room so he could watch something more manly...

But it was still pretty damn good.

Despite being a romcom made in 1990 (when shows like ‘Full House’ were at the height of their popularity) and with Disney having a hand in the production,- I’m still absolutely shocked at the utter lack of corniness in this movie. You would think romantic comedy + the 90’s + Disney would = corniness incarnate.

But no. As fantastic as the plotline is, you believe every minute of it.

And I suddenly found myself wanting Julia Roberts's hair.

And wishing my husband could borrow Richard Gere’s bedroom eyes for one night. (okay, that sounded way better in my head. Now I’ve got a mental image of hubby-dear ripping out Gere’s eyes and presenting me with them like some kind of Viking trophy. Eew.)

What I didn’t envy was Julia’s unabashedly 80’s eyebrows.

Yikes.

I guess what I’m trying to say is- it’s a pretty ironic cycle, isn’t it? How sometimes the originals make us want more of the same- More sappy romantic comedies! More Starwars movies! More blonde teeny-bopper popstars! More books about wolves and vampires and witches and wizards!

And yet, more often than not- you just can’t beat the original.

What are your favorite ‘originals’ ?

Speaking of which- don’t forget to sign up the origins blogfest !

The Secret to Longevity

2012-02-06T03:56:00.000-08:00

I didn’t get to see Madonna’s performance last night-or watch the Superbowl, for that matter because, well, I’m lame and live in France where the Superbowl doesn’t air until after midnight and had to work early this morning:(

I hope all of my fellow Americans enjoyed their buffalo wings and jello shots and yelling at the tv screen. *sniff* I swear- you don’t know whatchya got ‘till it’s gone… *wipes away a tear*

Instead of enjoying Superbowl festivities, I was curled up with the latest book from one of my favorite RomCom authors. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though her main characters are starting to meld together in my mind and share many of the same quirks and catch phrases- But the author didn’t fail to surprise me, make me laugh and even cry! (all great RomCom’s do, don’t they?)

Hearing about Madonna’s performance made me think about longevity. You always hear that when agents sign you on, they want to know you have more than one book in you- more than one idea. They wanna know you have what it takes to sustain a career in the ever-changing market place.

I have to admit, when dealing with an author who has published several books in the same genre, it’s hard not to compare the book you’re reading with their past work.

I know that there have been some romance authors who I enjoyed up until the third or fourth book and then my interest wavered. I felt like I was reading the same story over and over again- given in different settings with different characters. Thus the dangers of using ‘a formula’.

And it made me wonder- how to authors like Meg Cabot and…um...uh…(nope, she’ s the only example I can think of right now just because she’s written so many different books, in various genres and each one of them is SO unique. But please feel free to give me any other examples that come to mind) are able to make it in today’s market?

Is it their name (already established in a specific genre) that gives them the freedom to jump genres and explore ideas that really ‘speak’ to them? Are they setting the trends? Or following them? – (like, does their agent or editor say ‘Hey! There’s a demand for middle grade books about man-eating smurfs! How ‘bout you write it?’ )

Or is it a little of both?

What do you think plays a roll in an author’s long-term success?

National Crêpe Eating Day

2012-02-03T04:01:00.000-08:00

It’s been awhile since I did a Friday Morning Follower’s Bloffee and since yesterday was national Crêpe-Eating day in France (Yes. They actually have a whole holiday devoted to the consumation of crêpes. They even give it a fancy name- the Chandeleur) I thought today would be a good day to start your usual blogging off with some good ol’ fashioned bloffee and crêpes. Banana-nutella is my personal favorite.

For any newbies- here’s the gist:

All you have to do to participate is 1. Comment.

2. Tell me what you’ve brought for morning bloffee. (Today I’ve started out with a pot of coffee and crêpes, of course.)

3. Click on someone you don’t know in the comments section and check out their blog! Voila- a new friend and potential follower connection has been made!

I want to thank you all for your encouraging comments on Wednesday’s slightly dramatic, possibly hormone-induced post. I have yet to ‘hit send’- I’m going through my manuscript one last time. (And let me just say, I’m SO glad I decided to do that. Hello typos. Where hast thou been hiding these last few months?)

Unfortunately I didn’t have a lot of time for visiting or commenting this week. Tell me- what did you guys blog about this week? Did I miss anything big?

Enjoy the spread and hot bloffee! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

2012-02-01T04:23:00.000-08:00

Well, I’ve finished up the very last touches on the revisions for the agent and I’m pretty sure it’s ready to be sent off.

And yet, I just can’t seem to bring myself to do it.

I’m terrified.

The truth is, once I ‘hit send’- that’s it. The agent probably won’t get back to me about it for awhile but once she does, it could very well be the end of a fantastic experience.

Or the beginning of a new one.

I’ve been disappointed before. Very disappointed.-So disappointed that I’ve actually had to ask myself the question:

‘Should I stay or should I go?’

I know I’ve said that just staying in the game is an accomplishment but sometimes— after three years, four manuscripts, and countless rejections- it just doesn’t feel like enough.

Sometimes I feel like I’ll never ever make it- no matter what I do, how hard I try, or how many years I give this.

So what’s the point? Why keep doing this to myself? Would anyone really care if I just dropped out of the running? Or went with self publishing like so many frustrated writers are doing now a’days?

This moment is the closest I’ve ever come to that next step. The closest I’ve ever come to achieving my dream.

And once I ‘hit send’ the ball is no longer in my court. No control over what happens next. And sometimes I hate that fact - that I can keep writing, and keep trying to do better, but in the end, it’s not only up to me whether or not I become a traditionally published author.

It’s up to fate, and to a multitude of individuals that I have yet to meet.

I almost feel like when I ‘hit send’, I’ll be giving up in some way. Because I’m just not sure I’ll be able to bounce back from this one like I did with the others, you guys. If a detailed rejection on a full could have me questioning my place here- what’s going to happen if I fail when things count the most?

Ever feel like self doubt and fear is keeping you from moving forward?

A Call for Crit Material

2012-01-30T03:55:00.000-08:00

So, while I’m waiting for the idea of the century to strike-me-famous, and for some feedback from a couple betas before I finish revisions for ‘the agent’, I’ve got some creative energy to kill.

So I thought I’d make a call for crit material. If anybody has a manuscript they’re sprucing up before submitting to agencies or publishing houses, I’d be happy to take a look. My preferred genres are: Historical, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Supernatural, Chick lit, some Dystopian and anything that combines any or all of the above!

Feel free to post your pitches here if you’re interested in an extra pair of eyes for your MS. I’ll be honest- the manuscripts I pick will probably have more to do with my mood than the quality of your pitches, so no worries- I am not an agent! You’re not being judged! Just give me straight-up what your current wip is about and take as many words as you want!

I’ll only be able to take on two or three for right now but I’ll be sure to come back to this post whenever I’m looking for material to critique in the weeks to come!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

*CQG*

If Buffy Were Bella

2012-01-27T03:53:00.000-08:00

I’m in the mood for some friday morning funnies. I watched this video a long time ago when the first Twilight movie came out and I have to say -I’ve yet to find another video that portrays exactly what would have happened if Buffy had been in Bella’s place.

Favorite lines-

Buffy: *wakes up startled to Edward in her bedroom. She sighs and rolls her eyes*-“Get out.”

Edward: “I like watching you sleep. It’s um, it’s kind of fascin...”

Buffy: “Get out or I will drop you out head first.”

Ready, Set, NO!

2012-01-25T04:24:00.000-08:00

When you're ready to write, do you ever suck it up and start working on an old project just to have something to work on- hoping that inspiration eventually takes the reins and makes it into ‘the’ project?

Or do you brainstorm? Look for that ever-elusive ‘high concept’ that all the agents and editors rave about?

Ask a ouiji board for a story idea?

Meditate in a forest?

Get a tarot card reading?

Make up whacky dialogue for the strangers around you until something sticks?

I’m at a loss. It’s like I’m sitting in a Ferrari, raring to go, only to realise I’m outta gas...in a new town where I don’t know where to get gas. Or even what the best gas for my car is! Oh my God, I’m STRANDED!!!!

(...Aaand there’s today’s writing analogy, people. Oh, how I have missed those gratuitous writing analogies that always seem to go just a little. too. far.)

I’m ready to start another book. I’m ready to discover a whole new set of interesting characters and accompany them around the twists and turns of a whole new plot. I’m ready to get lost in a brand new setting, to spend hours tap-tapping away at my keyboard, lost in the powerful throws of creation! You know, that- ‘in my little world, I am GOD!’ -feeling?

I’m ready to get excited, seeing those word count numbers jump up by the thousands in a matter of days and weeks. And I miss how a new work-in-progress brings me back to the methods, set-backs, questions, and curiosities that always pop up while I’m emerged in a state of ‘writer’ – giving me material a’plenty to spew out into the blogoverse.

There’s just one problem.

I have no book idea. Nothing. Nada. N...(Nope, I can’t think of another cool ‘N’ word that means the same thing.)

Sure, I’ve got a few old ideas in the closet, if I rummage around enough. But none of them have inspired me to take the next steps.

At the same time, I don’t want to just sit around, waiting for lightning to strike.

Any suggestions?

Adolescent Crush

2012-01-23T03:57:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine posted this up on his facebook last week and, while I’m not sure I agree that ‘real men don’t cry’, I do see a significant change in what the epitome of manliness has become for adolescents these days.

While normal fifteen-year-old girls my age were crushing on Zack Morris or Pacey from Dawson’s Creek, I myself had a whole different criteria for crush-worthy so maybe I’m not the best person to comment on the subject.

First of all, my crushes were either dead or hit their hay-day about thirty years before I was born. 'Jailhouse Rock' gave me a glimpse into Elvis’s appeal and I still recommend every woman on the planet see this film at least once. (wow)

Marlon Brando in a ‘Streetcar Name Desire’? Holy Crap! They just don’t make ‘em like that anymore.

Jim Morrison?

John Lennon?

Frank Sinatra?

All hotties in their own time.

But the point is, when I look back, my kind of crushes were sure of themselves, creative, and had a definite ‘edge’.

It seems like, with time, adolescent crushes have changed to reflect a darker, more emotional, tortured (skinny, pale) kind of soul.

Anyone else notice this? Do you think teenager’s tastes have changed over the last twenty years and if so, why do you think this is?

Me and The Boys of Blogland

2012-01-20T03:55:00.000-08:00

I’m happy to announce that February 13^th, I’ll be co-hosting a most awesome endeavor with ‘Zee Boys of Blogland’- Alex J., Matt, and DL. (I’m feeling a little like the tomboy in the clubhouse with all this masculinity!:)

Together we bring you:
DL Hammon’s Origins Blogfest.

The gist: On February 13^th, all participants will answer a most vital question: When and how did you first become a writer? How did it all begin? What are your writing origins?

In an Agent's Shoes

2012-01-18T03:52:00.000-08:00

It’s hard to come to terms with the fact that the manuscript we’ve so carefully crafted, re-read, re-written, re-thought, and spent so much time, love, effort, sweat, and tears on goes right from our loving embrace and...

...straight into an agent’s never-ending slush pile.

-Where we know it will sit in line with hundreds of other manuscripts and risk being avoided, skipped over, or skimmed through if the literary gods look not upon us and the circumstances aren’t in our favor.

It stinks. BUT, I have to say, these last few months— with ebook prices going down and the many many many authors coming out of the woodwork with promotions for their self-pubbed books, my kindle has definitely gotten a little crowded.

My expectations have also gotten higher.

And my attention span has gotten shorter.

And the number of books I actually read all the way through has diminished shamefully.

In the last few months alone I have started five different books and only gotten about a third of the way through four of them before becoming disappointed or disinterested. A year ago this would have been unheard of in katieland!

But it made me realize, if I get overwhelmed just logging through the lists of recently published books and have a hard time getting through stories I’ve paid money for, how hard must it be for an agent to find time and attention for all the pitches that pass through their inbox?

It’s true that agents and editors might let some good stuff slip through their fingers.

But in a perfect world, agents and editors must be pretty amazing creatures- with a love for words and a thirst for stories so profound that they’re able to give every single pitch their full attention and read through chapters of non-client books with a keen eye and an open mind.

I, in any case, would obviously make a pretty crummy slush reader. But it’s reassuring to think that, in a perfect world (I emphasize), the people reading slush are a lot more attentive, patient and open minded than myself.

Do you think YOU could deal with a slush pile objectively?

**I want to thank you all so much for your kind words, thoughts and prayers on Monday’s post. And a special thank you to those who have contacted me by email and shared their own heart-breaking stories. It’s going to be a tough time for awhile but I know I’m not alone in my experience or my grief and that my family and I will be okay so thank you.**

When Real Life is Worse Than Fiction

2012-01-16T03:54:00.000-08:00

I knew a few seconds after the image came up on the screen that something was terribly wrong. At my ultrasound only nine days before, our bonus baby had been sucking his thumb and kicking around and his heartbeat was strong.

But this time, he was motionless and the little throbbing mass in his chest that lets us know everything is okay was nowhere to be found. The doctor kept making the image larger, and searching and looking. She didn’t say a word.

She didn’t have to.

After three years of normal, healthy ultrasounds, I knew the difference.

But finally I just asked, without much hope-

“Do you see the heartbeat?”.

“No, actually.”

She had her colleague, the woman who delivered my daughter Julie, come in and confirm. I made them call in my husband from the waiting room.

And so began one of the longest, most confusing, terrible days of my life.

I guess in a way, all the worst days start out normal. In retrospect, I almost pity that poor couple we were before the appointment; oblivious, tired, excited and worried about being late. We’d hoped this time the doctor might give us a clue as to the sex of the baby like she did when I was pregnant with our daughter at the 14 week appointment. Maybe we’d go out for a celebratory lunch afterwards.

Instead, I spent the afternoon in a hospital maternity waiting room, surrounded by pregnant women with live, healthy babies inside their round bellies and pictures of cuddly newborns all around. I couldn’t help thinking how ‘wrong’ it is to tell me my child is gone and then send me into the one place where it would feel like the biggest slap in the face.

I didn’t belong there. No woman in my situation belongs there.

Needless to say, my husband and I chose to wait out in the hallway after awhile.

-Friday’s events are going to take awhile to come to terms with but we’re doing okay. My girls took it a lot better than I expected, which was a relief. I think I was more worried about their reaction than my own. The hardships still aren’t quite over- I’m going in for the medical intervention tomorrow and perhaps we’ll soon have some answers that will help us grieve. I want to thank you all for allowing me to express myself here, as you always have. The friendship and support of this community means the world to me.

I won’t be changing my normal blogging schedule or anything else that brings harmony to my life.

This experience has changed enough as it is.

Thank you,

*CQG*

I Don't Know Any Writers Who Only Blog About Writing

2012-01-11T04:13:00.000-08:00

My friend Sheri Larson tagged a blogpost that I know caused some controversy over the summer, but hadn't read until recently. Basically, the post suggests that blogging about writing will only exclude, bore, or deflect potential followers.

Now, I’m part of a community of blogging writers that continues to grow every single day and so far, in all my internet travels, I have yet to meet a writer who blogs ONLY about writing in the technical sense. Being a writer in general can open you up to so much more about the world than just the intricacies of the written language.

Sure, writing might be a major theme in most of the blogs I read- but that doesn’t stop them from relating it to film, culture, social media, books, clothes, cleaning, cooking, housekeeping, travelling, or child-rearing! But off-the-beaten-path posts are also frequent, often well thought-out, and welcome!

You see, what I think the original poster forgets is that writers, as a group, are chuck full of imagination. They can write an informative post that contains philosophy, techniques, or deconstruction of writing without it feeling like a post about writing at all.

I, for one never get sick of reading ‘writing posts’-given in new and inventive ways that never cease to teach me or give me new perspective. And I will always stay true to what this blog is about.

What are your opinions? Do you think writers who blog about writing are doing themselves a disservice?

Copyediting for Dummies

2012-01-09T04:03:00.000-08:00

I recently downloaded ‘Copyediting and Proofreading for Dummies.’ (Yes, I am that desperate.) And while most of the book is geared towards people who are looking for a career as a copyeditor, (SO not my case at the moment) there are already two major findings that have stuck out in my mind.

First, apparently every publishing house has their own style guide—a guide to the house’s policies on grammar, punctuation and the rules of writing. I did NOT know this! How could I not know this? Looking up punctuation usage (hyphens anyone?) or spelling/grammar/capitalization rules on the internet can sometimes deliver confusing results. It would be nice to have ONE tried-and-true rule book I could go by. It looks like Random House has published one so I’m going to check into it.

Secondly- the author of CAPFD goes into the publishing process in great detail- naming all the possible people who could be working on your book before a contract is even proposed.

Here's the breakdown: An agent sends the manuscript to the acquisitions editor. If the acquisitions editor likes it, they might work with the author to prepare the book for acceptance by the publishing house. (aka revisions)

Then the manuscript goes to an internal editorial committee or board. The acquisitions editor makes a case for the book. If the board agrees, the book might be pushed on to a second internal/external group who dissect the work and decide if it’s ideal for their house list.

If they give the book the thumbs up, the acquisitions editor brings it back to the author who revises it according to the board’s wishes in order to prepare a final proposal.

They finally offer a contract.

The editor and author begin further revisions.

The book goes from the acquisitions editor to a managing editor who chooses a production editor—who begins the process of creating a print-ready book.

The production editor gives it to a copyeditor and a designer.

When the copyeditor is done it goes back to the acquisitions editor and author for further revisions.

Conclusion— If I’m expecting to ever make it as a published author, learning to look at my work subjectively and make real (as opposed to tweaking, rereading, adjusting, pruning, adding a little of this here- a little of that there) in depth, intelligent revisions that follow and effectively incorporate professional feedback is a must. Nobody is going to do it for me–no matter what step of the game I’m at. And it’s definitely, in my case, a skill that is being learned and honed over time.

I can’t imagine how hard it must be for authors that finally make it to that stage in the game and are confronted with having to change, re-write and resubmit their manuscript upteen times before the house makes it to a final product. Preeessuuure.

Of course, we’d all love to be there:)

Just Keep Swimming

2012-01-06T03:59:00.000-08:00

My New Year’s Resolution this year isn’t to get an agent.

Or a book deal.

Or even get to published in any shape, way, or form.

This year’s resolution is to simply stay in the game.

I will not stop writing.

I will not stop blogging.

I will not stop making connections.

I will not stop querying.

I will not stop critiquing.

I will not stop learning and improving my craft in any way I can.

I will not stop.

Because this is what writers do.

Real writers- the ones that eventually make it onto your bookshelves or into your kindle are there because they did. not. stop.

THAT is my goal this year. No matter what happens- for the next twelve months- January to December, I will keep doing what I’m doing.

Because through the deception, the small victories, the heartache, the difficulties, hair-pulling revisions and personal matters knocking down your door- sometimes the most difficult thing to do is to just. keep. swimming.

Even swimming in place is something to be proud of:)

When Writing Becomes...Work

2012-01-04T04:12:00.000-08:00

Up until now there were very few occasions where writing felt like honest drudge work. The first draft is always a thrill for me- getting to know my characters and being surprised at the twists and turns as my story takes on a life of its own.

The first, second, third and fourth round revisions aren’t so bad. I’m still passionate about the story and focused on making it the best it can be.

I love receiving feedback, weighing my options and finding solutions to obvious problems.

In short, the ‘honeymoon phase’ pushes me through until I have something ready to pitch to agents.

But eventually, if you read enough blogs written by published writers- they all say the same thing. At some point, writing becomes honest to goodness WORK.

Finding that perfect balance, after testing and tweaking things a million times (but it still isn’t quite right) becomes about as fun as solving a really hard math problem.

The honeymoon period is totally over. The passion is gone and your manuscript feels like it’s put on 100 pounds and started vegging out in front of the TV. It doesn’t speak to you anymore. So it’s up to you to carry both sides of the conversation.

On one hand, you think the relationship might be over for good- after all, how can you possibly work like a mad-woman on something you’re no longer passionate about?

But then I realized, as the words no longer tugged at my emotions- that they became just words. Easier to remove. Easier to identify as flowing or not. And even more easy to replace with something better.

When you’ve spent enough time with your characters and finally take a step back, they become more transparent. You made them the way they are. You can change them. They aren’t set in stone. You could have written them differently from the beginning.

Yes it’s work. Yes, it’s not fun. But sometimes the ‘real work’ is the best and most gratifying work you’ll ever do.

What makes you drudge through revisions when the magic is gone? Do you find it’s harder or easier to make effective changes when you are officially sick of your own words? How do you stay motivated?

***PS-I have MISSED you guys so much! I hope you all had a fantastic holiday and it’s great to be back after my two week hiatus! Can’t wait to catch up!***

Twelve Days of a Writer's Christmas

2011-12-19T03:56:00.000-08:00

On the Twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,

A six-figure deal for my trilogy…

Eleven full requests…

Ten-page critique from JK Rowling…

Nine more beta readers…

Eight adverbs permanently erased from my memory…

Seven drafts that auto-revise…

Six days alone with my work in progress…

Five golden story ideas!!

Four more hours before my laptop dies…

Three agents offering representation…

Two cups of coffee…

And a writing hut on an island in the South Seas!

Unfortunately since I’ve yet to receive my magical auto-revising drafts (amongst other gifts), I’m going to be tackling another round of revisions advised by the agent over Christmas break. Therefore I’m taking a blogging hiatus from today through January 2^nd!

I hope you all have a fantabulous Christmas and a Happy New Year!

DL's DEJA VU BLOGFEST is here!

2011-12-16T03:47:00.000-08:00

Today, myself, Nicole Ducleroir, and Lydia K are co-hosting DL Hammon’s

DÉJÀ VU BLOGEST!

The Gist: Today everyone who has signed up will repost an old blogpost- perhaps from their early days- or a post they feel is the most helpful or worthy of a bigger audience.

It was a hard choice but I decided to go with an oldie that helped start it all- the post that sparked those first few comments way back when and set the tone for what Creepy Query Girl is today.

I give you the one, the only, the QUERY SPOOF. A query letter that contains pretty much everything a query…shouldn’t. I’ve itched to send this out to a real agent, but have never dared.

***

Dear Mister Agent,

I came upon your profile through eharmony.com. After reviewing your agency website, I firmly believe my manuscript could be puddy in your strong, well shaped hands. I also like long walks on the beach and sing Sinatra lyrics in the shower.

The world of ‘SAVATAR’ will blow your proverbial socks off. Agent Marmucker has been dealing with the loss of his limbs since the bubblegum factory explosion of 2087. On a secret mission to planet Hooters, Agent M. will have the occasion to live a normal life once more. Through technological mindmelding means, he will incarnate the body of an eleven foot tall native boogyfry named ‘Crut’ and infiltrate their tribe. The knowledge he acquires will change his perception of the human race forever. He alone can prevent a war between the two planets by taming the flaming Spleagle-whats and becoming chief of the boogyfry tribe.

Oh yes, and he SAVES THE WORLD.

This is my first almost finished book and I have been writing non-stop for…..five whole days. I think this could really be the next big thing- bigger than Harry Potter and Twilight put together. I am dead serious. Dead. Serious.

Even my neighborhood psychic Sabine says there’s no doubt that SAVATAR will take the world by storm, and she totally predicted Michael Jackson’s disappearance (he’s still alive, btw) - so trust me when I say that this is a win-win.

Thank you for your time,

Sleep Deprived in Detroit

I Drank the Water

2011-12-14T03:57:00.000-08:00

Most of you probably won’t remember a blogpost I did about living in France entitled ‘Don’t Drink the Water !’ which was a commentary on the number of pregnant women living in and around the Parisian suburbs and how French drinking water must have contributed to my leaving with an extra passenger aboard some nine years ago. (I’m convinced the French government has been secretly slipping folic acid and some other fertility enhancers into their tap water ever since WWII)

Therefore, heeding my own advice, since I’ve moved back to France I resorted to drinking bottled water for a few years or other bottled drinks as often as possible. But then, to cut down on plastics, we got a water filter and eventually, these past few months, I’ve foolishly been filling a clean plastic bottle with tap water and sticking it in the fridge.

I should have known better.

Because, yet again, I have inevitably fallen victim to the French drinking water pregnancy continuum. That’s right, a new addition to the Creepy household is in our conceivable future (pardon the pun). It was a definite surprise and I’m sure on some cosmic divine level, this must have been planned.

It just wasn’t planned by us:)

But never the less, this Creepy Query Girl is thrilled to have another project in the making...even if it isn’t of the writing sort.

How about you guys? Life throw you any pleasant surprises lately?

Love Actually

2011-12-12T03:54:00.000-08:00

Last night I finally bound, gagged, and cajoled my loving husband into watching one of my favorite holiday movies with me: Love Actually. (He is NOT a Hugh Grant fan.) It’s a British comedy that follows several characters and shows love’s various facets. Despite the hubs complaining- I know he secretly liked it too.

It got me thinking about some of my other Christmas faves:

Santa Claus the Movie- To this day I am still convinced David Huddleston is the REAL Santa.

It’s a Wonderful Life- If you don’t at least want to shed a tear at the end of this movie, you might need to worry about your eternal soul.

A Christmas Story- I was a total Ralphie as a kid- the obsessions, the daydreaming. This movie is so genuine and hilarious.

Family Man- This one kind of sneaks up on you over the years. Nicholas Cage and Téa Leoni are both awesome here together.

What are your favorite must-see Christmas movies?

What is Your Favorite Series?

2011-12-07T04:06:00.000-08:00

Bottom line is : A stomach flu is circulating the Creepy household. The house itself needs an in-depth visit from the cleaning fairies. Real job is losing it’s flavor and I’ve got brainstorming to do in order to prepare for another round of KISSING FOR COFFEE revisions.

I need a break from life.

And nothing spells ‘escape’ better than ‘SERIES’! (okay,yeah, I know the word ‘series’ doesn’t really spell ‘escape’ at all. Just work with me here a minute)

For me, there is nothing better than discovering a love for a first book in a series and knowing that there are at least two or three more books following my new favorite characters. So far in 2011 I discovered and devoured the Sookie Stackhouse and Mercy Thompson series- hours and hours of sinfully delightful plotlines and personalities that totally saved me from having a meltdown. After all- when compared to being targeted by murderous vampires or beaten down by evil fairies- a trip to the grocery store with the kids in toe just doesn’t seem so bad anymore.

So here I am looking for suggestions. Please tell me- What is your absolutely favorite book series- one that you could read over and over again? I’m up for anything!

Like Holding a Pen

2011-12-05T03:58:00.000-08:00

I am always in awe of writers who write out their first drafts by hand.

I can definitely see the practicality in this. I mean, wherever you are, you can just whip out a pen and a notebook and get back to your story. –wheras I would have to lug around my laptop and look for a power source when it starts beeping that the battery is low. Not to mention in the area I work, I’d be much more likely to get trampled by a thug going after my computer than beat up for a notebook and pen.

However, there are three reasons I don’t write out my drafts by hand:

One- While I can type about as fast as I can think and keep at it for hours on end, I definitely lack the same stamina while writing long hand. I’m out of practice. If I have more than one check or envelope to write out while doing bills- I seriously get a cramp. It’s pathetic. And by the third envelope, my penmanship is nearly illegible. I am a handwriting wimp.

Two- Due to reason number one, it takes me a lot longer to write out my thoughts by hand which leaves me far too much time to either: lose my train of thought, hate my sentences before I’ve finished writing it out, or pretty much doubt the entire endeavor. While tapping away on my computer, my hands are too busy spewing out my story to give me time for self-doubt or reflection.

Three- My purse suffers from vanishing pen syndrome. No matter how many times I put a pen in my purse, it’s never there when I need it.

What about you guys? Do you feel comfortable doing your writing by hand? Do you write some of it by hand and some of it on a computer? Or are you like me and hand-writing impaired.

You Up For Bloffee? It's Been a While...

2011-12-02T03:53:00.000-08:00

It’s been awhile since I hosted a Friday MorningFollower’s Bloffee. But with this week’s early morning shopping sprees- trying to get those Christmas gifts squared away while they’re still on the shelves- I definitely need to take a few minutes for a nice, hot, sit-down cup of bloffee.

All you need to do to participate is: 1. Comment.

2. Tell me what you’ve brought for morning bloffee.(Today I’ve started out with pancakes and syrup.)

3. Click on someone you don’t know on WEDNESDAY’s (so many awesome commenters in there that I haven’t gotten to get back to yet) comments section and check out their blog! Voila! a new friend and potential follower connection has been made!

How are you guys about Christmas shopping? Do you have it done by the end of November? Or do you find yourself going out the day before Christmas Eve in search of those last minute gifts?

Hope you all have a great weekend!

*CQG*

Are YOU A Stereotypical Writer?

2011-11-30T04:02:00.000-08:00

You gotta admit, writers are pretty stereotypically portrayed in film and television. It would seem, according to the usual portrayal- we all should:

Smoke

Have questionable hygiene while tap tapping away.

Have a window nearby.

Only disconnect from our laptops if the sky is literally falling on our heads.

Not only visit Paris, but wander the streets aimlessly for a while when we do so. That’s what all good writers do, after all.

Be tortured souls.

Okay. I admit to have written late into they day while in my day-old yoga pants and unwashed hair. I don't smoke. Or have a window nearby. I HAVE wandered Paris aimlessly. But that was before I was a writer, so I don't know if it counts. There are times where the world coming to the end would be the only thing to pull me out of my writing. And I can be tortured I suppose:) What about you? How do YOU hold up against the stereotypical writer?

You Can't Find Me...I'm Untraceable:)

2011-11-29T04:05:00.000-08:00

Goodreads Review by Elle Strauss:

Sixteen year old Grace is the daughter of a local wild life officer, who taught her all the survival skills she would ever need, despite her tendency to trip over branches. What her father hadn't bargained for was how badly she would need those skills once he went missing.

Grace isn't the kind of girl to give up easily. Even when he is officially presumed dead, and everyone including the local sheriff, her mother and the town shrink, are telling her to move on with her life, something tells Grace that they're wrong.

The only person who will help her is Wyn, her childhood friend and recent ex-boyfriend. He's not exactly at home in the woods and so his support is of the moral kind.

Then there's Mo, the mysterious boy who rescues Grace from a dangerous encounter in the woods. He likes her and willingly helps her look for her father and track down bear poachers. But who is he, really? Can he be trusted?

Untraceable starts off with a comfortable pace, drawing us into the life of the town and the characters within, building tension with every chapter. And don't think you will be able to stop reading at the end of one. SR is the queen of chapter cliff hangers!

And oh, the ending! You'll have to read it to decide what you think.

I highly recommend Untraceable giving it a strong 4.5 stars out of 5. This is a book that has stayed with me long after I finished reading it, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.

This sounds fantastic! Congrats to S.R. Johannes and I hope you have a fantastic launch day!

If You Fail to Complete Your Mission? - Instant DEATH!!!!

2011-11-28T04:02:00.000-08:00

Last week I couldn’t help thinking about ‘high stakes’. Especially while grocery shopping for Thanksgiving dinner. You forget something like butter and the whole freaking meal risks to become an epic fail. You have to be on top of things- stay focused! Eyes on the prize!! And when you manage to get the turkey and all the fixings on the table at the same time? Well, designated Thanksgiving chefs should be awarded a yearly medal by the mayor or something in my opinion.

Unfortunately, creating the perfect meal probably won’t float when you’re looking for the high stakes in a novel. You need something a little more universal- something that will hit closer to home. This is a list of the leading ‘stakes’ I’ve noticed in most novels:

DEATH

-If you fail- Your loved ones will DIE!

-If you fail- YOU will most surely DIE!

-If you don’t catch the killer, then people you don’t know will DIE!

LOSS

-Society as you know will be forever changed for the worse

-You will lose your reputation/standing/friends

-Lose your worldly goods or capacity to provide

-Lose your chance at True LOVE (in the case of most romance novels)

FAILED GOALS

-When the MC has some person/place/thing/ or status that they wish to obtain at the set out of the story in order to have a better life. If they fail- their lives might not be any worse off than when we began but by the end of the novel, this outcome should feel like it would be a worst-case scenario.

What other frequently used ‘high stakes’ can you think of?

Hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving!

STATS

2011-11-21T04:01:00.000-08:00

QUERIES- sent for KISSING FOR COFFEE since September: 32

Rejections: 13

Requests: 4

No responses: 15

Still waiting on one full and one R&R

NANOWRIMO- has handed my arse back to me, tied in a pretty white bow made from my very own flag of surrender. I’m sad to report that I pretty much stopped writing the first week. My competitive side kept trying to make me go back to it but the truth is I don’t think I can write anything I’ll be proud of in 30 days and time is too precious for me to waste it on a project I’m not 100% in love with.

REAL LIFE- I’m currently doing Thanksgiving with my French students. It’s amazing how many French people have no concept of what Thanksgiving is or why we celebrate it. I’ve heard it referred to as the ‘American Christmas’ or ‘the victory over Indians day’. These people must have gotten their lines crossed somewhere and it is a personal pleasure of mine to teach French kids the truth about this fantastic holiday.

BLOGGING- Thank you guys so much for all of your kind comments about my blogging breakdown. I’m still sticking to a Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule even though time for visiting and commenting has gone down considerably. The thing is, living overseas, I don’t usually post my blog until 1 pm (7 am US time) in order to take part in the usual visiting/commenting banter with the Americans doing their morning blogging. But now that I’m working four afternoons a week, I have to post my blog via phone and don’t get to actually sit down to catch up until after the kiddies are in bed at night and by then I’ve pretty much missed everything going on in bloglandL Hoping to catch up over the holiday vacation!

How are all of you doing? What are your querying/writing/real life/blogging stats?

The Bum Under the Bridge

2011-11-18T04:01:00.000-08:00

I must admit, these past few weeks- Real Life Katie has been one active woman, between work, kids, and outside responsibilities.

Blogger Katie, however, feels like she’s been reduced to some poor blogging bum sitting sorrowfully underneath a dark bridge and muttering to herself.

I haven’t been able to visit and comment on your wonderful blogs as I should the last few weeks and for that, I am so sorry. Sometimes it seems like I just swing from one extreme of the blogging pendulum- like blogging and internet hopping 24/7 (meanwhile avoiding things like making dinner) to another- like barely getting my three posts a week up on time.

To those of you who are still coming around and throwing this mute blogging bum some breadcrumbs and kind words- I am eternally grateful. I do read and look forward to every one of your comments. I know I really need to step up my game. I used to prefer to visit those who’ve commented here and return the favor asap but since this is becoming increasingly difficult with the hub’s and my new work schedules- I’m going to start replying to comments by email as often as I can until I have more time.

Do you guys ever feel like you swing from one extreme to another? Or are you able to pretty much maintain a healthy balance? If so, PLEASE share your secret!

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend and thank you for being here!

*CQG*

Have I Seen This Before?

2011-11-16T04:44:00.000-08:00

Today, myself, Nicole Ducleroir, and Lydia K are co-hosting DL Hammon’s
DÉJÀ VU BLOGEST!

The Gist: On December 16^th, everyone who has signed up will repost an old blogpost- perhaps from their early days- or a post they feel is the most helpful or worthy of a bigger audience.

**What I love about this idea is that it’s a way to unite the blogosphere in a really accessible way- no need to brainstorm, research, or put together a new post, because the posts have already been written! And it's an occasion to reflect on what you want to put back out there now that you’ve been in the blogosphere for awhile. It will be interesting to see what everyone picks to post that day and I wonder if I’ll be able to recognize any of the oldies!**

For more details, be sure to visit DL at Cruising Altitude 2.0.

You can SIGN UP HERE!

This Is Why...

2011-11-14T03:56:00.000-08:00

250 paper pages.

75,000 printed words.

A cast of supporting characters.

A girl named Sadie Brooks.

A whole story with a beginning, middle, and end...

And to think, none of it existed just a few short months ago.

I created this. Out of thin air. Like magic.

I took something invisible and intangible- a simple idea.

And I made it into something concrete- something you can hold in your hands. Words that stick on the page, exactly as I wrote them, even if you crumple it. Something I can share.

That is the power of the written word.

And there's nothing else like it.

*CQG*

We All Know Sacrifice

2011-11-11T04:53:00.000-08:00

Today is the long awaited chart-rush for Jessica Bell’s debut novel ‘String Bridge’- a story about a young woman, Melody, who struggles to go after the dreams she’d set aside in order to become a wife and mother.

We all know sacrifice. It seems like no matter what stage our lives are in, we had to sacrifice something to get there. - Whether it’s sacrificing proximity to our loved ones in order to set out on our own, go to college, or get married.

We might sacrifice time spent with family in order to progress in our career.

Or sacrifice our career in order to have a family.

We give up old pleasures for new ones and it’s a constant balance of cutting out things that once made us tick without cutting out a part of who we are. – Meanwhile trying to make sure we always take a step forward and not a step back.

As writers and artists, sacrifice can come in even more shapes and sizes which is why I think Bell’s book, String Bridge, has touched so many in the writing community:

“Jessica Bell’s STRING BRIDGE strummed the fret of my veins, thrummed my blood into a mad rush, played me taut until the final page, yet with echoes still reverberating. A rhythmic debut with metrical tones of heavied dark, fleeting prisms of light, and finally, a burst of joy—just as with any good song, my hopeful heartbeat kept tempo with Bell’s narrative.” ~ Kathryn Magendie, author of Sweetie and Publishing Editor ofRose & Thorn Journal

“Poet and musician Jessica Bell's debut novel String Bridge is a rich exploration of desire, guilt, and the difficult balancing act of the modern woman. The writing is lyrical throughout, seamlessly integrating setting, character and plot in a musical structure that allows the reader to identify with Melody's growing insecurity as her world begins to unravel … String Bridge is a powerful debut from a promising writer, full of music, metaphor, and just a hint of magic.” ~ Magdalena Ball, author of Repulsion Thrust and Sleep Before Evening

“Jessica Bell is a brilliant writer of great skill and depth. She doesn't pull back from the difficult scenes, from conflict, pain, intensity. She puts it all out there, no holds barred, no holding back. She knows how to craft a scene, how to develop character, how to create suspense. This is an absolutely brilliant debut novel. I look forward to reading her next novel, and next and next.” ~ Karen Jones Gowen, author of Farm Girl,Uncut Diamonds and House of Diamonds

I've known Jessica more than a year now, and I can tell you, she is an amazing, evocative writer. Her descriptions are so real and intense, and she can conjure a difficult scene and fill it with so much emotion, you'll be crawling for the door...- Leigh T. Moore

So today I’ve got my running shoes on and I am rushing Amazon’s chart list to get my own copy of String Bridge! Plus, if you buy it today you get the Sting Bridge sound track for FREE!!! Hope to see you there!

To purchase String Bridge:

Paperback:

Ebook:

Dear JK, It's me, Creepy.

2011-11-09T04:15:00.000-08:00

Okay, so nanowrimo is starting to make me feel a little like Jekyll and Hyde. This weekend I was filled with optimism.

Then this morning I spent fifteen minutes staring at a blank page.

I don’t like what I’ve written.

I’ve begun this book all wrong.

And this idea!?

Okay. I still think the idea has merit. But it’s like having this very specific, vibrant, colorful image in my head- but when I go to paint it, everything is ‘off’’. The colors are dull, the lines blurry- it’s just a shadow of what I’d hoped to capture and not coming out at all the way I’d imagined.

Now comes my inner conflict- After getting almost 4k into it, should I trash it all and start from scratch? 4k isn’t that much, after all. Or in the spirit of Nano- should I just keep writing from the point I’d want to see things change and tell myself I’ll go back and cut at the end of the month?

To be honest, the second idea makes me cringe. Just like old habits dye hard- all the new writing habits I’ve acquired through hard work and study of the craft are making it difficult to just let things slide and move on. My inner editor, who was duct-taped to a chair over the weekend, has broken free and is now gibbering loudly in my ear.

It’s saying : ‘Katie. You’ve tried pantsing a project before and look what happened. It’s still sitting in your closet. You might work through it, with it, or around it but you can’t deny it- you are a revision hater and therefore you can’t give yourself the liberty of spewing out a first draft as it comes. And at this rate, this thing is going to end up needing more editing than you’re honestly willing to deal with. Pull out now and save yourself the heart ache. Abort! Abort!”

So it appears Nanowrimo and I are at a stand still.

Okay, that’s not exactly true. It’s more like:

Nanowrimo: 1

Me: 0

These are the kinds of situations that have me wondering ‘WWJKRD?’.

*CQG*

You Show Me Yours, I'll Show You Mine

2011-11-07T04:07:00.000-08:00

Now, there is a reason I started plotting manuscripts instead of pantsing them. My first manuscript was pantsed.

It was also 180,000 words long.

Just like my natural hair color makes me look naturally gross, my natural writing habits do nothing good for me or my manuscript. So had to tweak them- experiment and try out new methods, lengths and colors until I found one that fit my face. (You know what I mean.)

Some people have the opposite problem- They underwrite; write down conversations with sparse description and then have to go back and fill out their scenes.

For the first time in a long time I find myself writing a pantsed project for Nanowrimo. Okay- it’s practically pantsed. I only outlined the first three chapters and after that all I have are some vague overhead guidelines to follow.

However, my tendency to overwrite might end up coming in handy if I want to meet the 50k mark by the end of the month. Nanowrimo is definitely giving my natural writing tendencies some ugly dark roots.

Some (most) of the details aren’t necessary. Like what the MC has picked out wear or what she’s eating or the layout of her home.

Or the needless descriptions of the building.

Or her town.

Or the state.

Or the weather.

Or her physical health.

And I’m also indulging back-story galore.

Bad bad bad bad bad.

Will I keep most of the gibberish that’s twisting my plot into pretzel–like pieces? Probably not. But I’m having a hell of a lot of fun discovering this new world in minute detail.

What is your natural writing style? (You can be brave and include your natural hair color too if you want:) Mine’s swamp brown. It’s scary.) Would writing 50k in a month be a challenge for you underwriters? Overwriters?

Failure, Finds, and Follower's Bloffee

2011-11-04T04:36:00.000-07:00

Well, the first week of Nanowrimo is already half over and I have written a total of *drumroll please*:

0 words

I know. This isn’t looking good so far. In my defence, I did sit down and outline the first three chapters Tuesday. But since then, I haven’t had any writing time and the scariest thing of all (and my biggest hurdle to overcome) is that it usually takes me weeks to get down the first chapter (see my post on the first chapter hokey pokey)- it’s where I’m meeting my characters and setting for the first time – setting the foundations and I’m one of those writers who just can’t seem to go on until it’s ‘just right’. Once the first chapter is down though- things usually flow a lot faster. But I’m definitely starting to feel as though I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.

It doesn’t help that I’ve recently discovered (been held hostage by) the Mercy Thompson Series by Patricia Briggs. I could eat these books for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. – They remind me a little of the Sookie Stackhouse series but with werewolves and a much less girly protagonist.

Now on to a little bloffee. I could use at least two cups this morning.

All you need to participate in our usual Friday Morning Follower’s Bloffee is:

1. Comment.

2. Tell me what you’ve brought for morning bloffee. (Today I have black coffee with sugar and some 'pains au chocolats' already laid out.)

3. Click on someone you don’t know in the comments section and check out their blog! Voila- a new friend and potential follower connection has been made!

In the meantime, I should be around later on this morning to respond to comments and visit. Tell me- any recurring themes you noticed in blogland this week? Any ‘finds’ or books you couldn’t put down?

I hope you all have a great weekend!

*CQG*

Open your Mind and walk across a String Bridge

2011-11-02T04:17:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know my title is lame but it's the only way I could think of to include both long-anticipated book releases this week- String Bridge by Jessica Bell and Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn. I’m so excited for the authors and- of course to read their new books and you should be too!

In honor of Susan’s release of Open Minds- I’m going to share a recent experience.

As some of you might know, Halloween only arrived in France in 1998. It saw a rise and then a fatal decline. Most shopping centers didn’t even sell Halloween paraphernalia this yearL

But being the stubborn American that I am- determined to give my children and others the authentic ‘experience’, I bit the bullet and went door to door around my neighborhood last week, asking my French neighbors (whom I’d never met- in most cases. French people in the city suburbs really prefer to keep to themselves and not be bothered) if they wanted to participate in the ‘trick or treating’ part of my Halloween party. I explained what they had to do and even offered to bring a bag of candy to hand out before hand (because you can’t go up to a French person and say ‘we’re celebrating Halloween. Go buy candy please.)

To my infinite surprise- not only did most of my neighbors agree, but they congratulated me on my efforts- some offered to buy the candy themselves and others asked if their own children could participate! :) But then I got to one house where the husband agreed with a smile (once I said I’d provide the candy myself) until his wife came downstairs, took one look at me and said: ‘What do you want?’.

Her husband tried to explain to her but the moment she heard the word ‘Halloween’ she shook her head and cried ‘Oh no no no! We want no part of that. Forget it. The answer’s no.’ She and her husband continued to argue while I tried to slink away from their house with my apologies but the husband shook his head at me and explained that his wife was just in a bad mood because the kids had gotten her riled up and to pay her no attention. #awkward.

Against my better judgment, I arrived on their doorstep with a bag of candy the afternoon before the Halloween party. The same woman answered the door- and this time she was looking a lot less worked up. She apologized for biting my head off the week before and confided that she really found Halloween to be ‘dark, ugly, and without sense.’

Thankfully, I’ve been teaching French children about the origins of Halloween for the last four years so I have an entire historical schpiel engraved in my memory. I explained to her how France also celebrates All Hallows Day on November 1^st- here it’s the Toussaint and it’s the day of the dead. Most people bring flowers to dead relatives and clean up their graves.

With that I explained the origin of the idea of All Hallows Eve and how the traditions of dressing up and giving candy came about. She listened with interest, nodding here and there but then at the end said: ‘Well the children do it for the candy in any case.’

I couldn’t disagree with that.

But that night when we arrived at her house- the woman looked at the large group of costumed children in surprise and grinned ear to ear as she handed out candy. She even went and got a camera and followed us to the next house!

I could tell that it went against her grain, but that woman kept an open mind and in the end, shared in the joy and festivities of Halloween. It was, for me, a sight to see.

I hope everybody here had a fantastic Halloween! And be sure to check out Open Minds and String Bridge!!!

Book Release! DARKSPELL by Elizabeth Mueller

2011-10-31T04:14:00.000-07:00

Today in honor of blogger buddy Elizabeth Mueller’s release of her debut novel DARKSPELL- I’m supposed to finish the phrase ‘If I had all the magic in the world, I’d…’

However,

I don’t want to finish that phrase- for the simple reason that I feel I should use all the magic in the world to create world peace and harmony- enlighten all human, animal, vegetable and mineral suffering on this planet. Stop the exploitation of natural resources. Promote peaceful interaction with extraterrestrials.

But the truth is…

I’d probably use telekinesis to start coffee in the morning. And then make it float to my bed so I won’t have to get up.

I’d fly places. Especially when grocery shopping. Who needs to walk all the way to the other side of the store when you forget something? I’ll just fly. And when I only have two items to scan- I’d totally fly over people’s heads to get to the check-out counter before the dude with the over-flowing shopping cart.

Or maybe I’d make food replenish itself. Especially Japanese food. All you can eat sushi. And lobster. Every night. Then maybe I wouldn’t have to go grocery shopping at all.

I’d make my children’s voices mute (only on occasion). With a wiggle of my nose their brain-popping cries of ‘That’s MINE!!! She HIT me!!!’ will disappear in a flash and be replaced with…silence….aaahJ

Yes. It is the ugly truth. Which is probably why I have yet to be bestowed with magic powers. Though it isn’t through lack of trying mind you. I was one of those creepy kids who would try to bend forks with their minds and stare at unlit candles for hours. My attempts at flying never really worked out to my benefit either, as you can imagine.

But I’m sure Mueller’s magic users of the Stormhold coven will put their powers to better use than I would! Be sure to check it out!

Review:

Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary…until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold. As seer of the Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magical realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own.

Darkspell doesn’t fit into a typical YA genre box. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the most original books I’ve read this year. A richly woven drama unfolds as young Winter Sky meets two handsome and mysterious neighbors, both fighting for affection.

But one boy, the boy of her dreams—literally—has already won her heart. But in short order her life is turned upside down as she enters the Stormhold world, a coven of magic users (I’m hesitant to use the world witch/wizard here. This is really something very different) where she is being hunted by the Shadoweaer. Suddenly everything is in jeopardy as she searches for her gift and fights to keep the boy she loves.

Elizabeth Mueller gives a great story, full of normal teen angst without tipping the scales to be annoying, she keeps us guessing, dropping nuggets for us throughout the story, but never tipping her hand. Combine that with the fantastic use of illustrations that give it almost a graphic novel feel as we read, and this is easily a five star read. I can’t wait to pick this up in paperback and you should too! Mueller is a great addition to the YA world and I can’t wait to see what comes next from this talented writer!- YA Book Babes

A Ghost Story

2011-10-27T03:25:00.000-07:00

The funny thing about brushes with the paranormal is that most often than not, I didn’t realise anything paranormal was taking place until after the fact. What I found very strange is how 'normal' the paranormal can feel while it’s happening:) In my experience- there were no cold spots, no hair raising on end, no shadows or apparitions, no warning that anything was amiss.

As a teenager- I actually tried to have a real honest-to-goodness ghost experience. (Doesn’t everyone?) I visited haunted places. (Not alone, mind you. I did stick to the rules of how-to-survive-in-a-horror-movie 101) The reported ‘witches grave’ hidden in the woods off a desolate road. The street that everyone says if you’re going too fast on, your car will shut down mysteriously due to the ghost of a driver who died going too fast around a corner. I even used ouiji boards!

In graveyards.

And sat through the Warren’s (the ghost hunters who investigated the actual Amnityvill Horror incident) presentation at UConn every Halloween.

Alas, I can’t say I ever had a true ghost experience until I came to Europe.

My junior year in college I lived in a Paris appartment on the Rue Campagne Premiere, a few down from this building- the notorious art deco facade of Andre Arfidson created in 1910.

Another American girl and I were assigned the one bedroom apartment- one of the only ones owned by the program. The rest of our study-abroad class stayed at the Cite Universite. The apartment was old- perhaps constructed in the 1800’s. The front door opened into a hallway with the bedroom door at the very end. The door on the left led to a spacious bathroom with an old claw-foot bath. The right entrance-way led into a large living room with a small kitchenette off to the right side.

There was no way around it-our bedroom was creepy. It had a big condemned marble fireplace build into the facing wall- causing us to push our small beds into the room at odd angles. Mine had to block across the extra door leading to the bathroom in order to fit.

But the creepiest thing was the huge intricately-carved gold-plated mirror. It looked heavy and you could tell it was old by the way the mirror itself was yellowed and cracked in some places. It took up the whole wall above the chimney.

The first night in that room I woke up several times and could have sworn my bed was moved into a different place every time. Once I woke up and felt like I was in the middle of the room. Then I awoke but my head was facing the foot of the bed. I was too drowsy and out of my element to be frightened- I just figured it was jet-lag giving me the impression my bed was moving around the room while I slept.

And when I was awoken the next night by a piercing noise and a woman’s voice talking frantically in the night- I was sure it was just some parent calling and leaving a message on the answering machine- not realising the time difference. But in the morning, there was no message.

My roommate had some experiences as well- feeling as though her body was being lifted and flattened against her headboard until she was in a sitting position every time she fell asleep. When she finally got sick of startling herself awake, she ‘went with it’ and told me later that she dreamt my bed was no longer in front of the bathroom door- that the door was open and the light was on in the bathroom. And behind the big double windows with the wrought-iron barrier- a woman was trying to get inside. Even though we lived on the second floor with no platform or latter, she was there, behind the window, slapping the glass and trying to say something but my friend couldn’t hear her.

I also experienced what I later discovered was the ‘old hag’ syndrome. Several times- sometimes in broad daylight, while I was falling asleep or just waking up, it would feel as though someone had stretched out on top of me- like a heavy weight.

I couldn’t move or react. But I could see clearly that nothing was there and hear what was going on around me. I just couldn’t move.

Or the time I dreamt I was bitten by a snake and my hand felt pinched and swollen for a full five minutes after I woke but there were no marks.

I chalked it up to fatigue- I was going out and staying out late. Had a lot going on socially and academically. But I had never experienced the ‘old hag’ syndrome before then. And I haven’t experienced it since.

And yet, throughout all of that- I wasn’t frightened. Not really. It’s now, writing down the experiences- that I know in my gut that all was not right at our little appartment on the rue Campagne-Premiere. And probably still isn’t.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN Everyone:) I hope I was able to contribute some spook to your day! Mwahahahaha!

Have you ever had any close encounters of the ghostly kind? Did you realize something weird was happening while it happened or only afterwards?

I Have...an idea.

2011-10-24T04:19:00.000-07:00

People have thousands of thoughts a day- those synapses are constantly snapping together to form ideas. But only ONE out of a million will grow up to be nurtured and molded into a fully-formed story by our own hands.

But the question is: Which one? And more importantly: Why?

How and why do we choose to write the stories we write?

In my case, I’ll have an idea for a book every few days or so- usually when I’m driving. If my enthusiasm fizzles out in the first ten minutes of daydreaming about the possible plot- I don’t usually bother retaining the idea.

If it doesn’t, and the story idea keeps coming back to me over the course of a few weeks- I’ll go as far as to write it down.

The bar usually stops there.

But then, every once in a blue moon, an idea will pop into my head that I just can’t seem to get rid of. I’ll write it down but then different scene sequences and character details will keep invading my mind until the little story blurb I wrote down begins to grow. I add details as they come- scenes, bits of dialogue, supporting characters...until I’m pretty sure I’ve got enough material for a rough outline.

I plan the plot, add what I’ve come up with so far and brainstorm the rest.

Then I start writing.

Of course- the manuscript inevitably takes on a mind of its own from there. Sometimes I’m able to stick to the basic plot outline- sometimes the plot changes as new twists and turns present themselves, surprising me as though I were reading the book rather than writing it.

But the point is- I never brainstorm story ideas. I write what I feel like reading when I feel like reading it- and so far the hot thrill of creating something from nothing always gets me through the process.

I’m writing this now because I was surprised this week with...an idea. It’s one of ‘those’ ideas. One of the ones I know isn’t going to go away until I write it and I’m excited about it! What caught me off-guard, though, is that after I wrote and began querying FOSSEGRIM, I went through a six month drought. I couldn’t write for the life of me- the querying process just sucked all my hope and creative energy down the drain.

Which is why I’m really surprised by the rapidly growing book idea that’s haunting my days and nights. I just finished KISSING FOR COFFEE in June and began querying it in August. I was almost looking forward to a break between books and figured my creative juices would take awhile to restock.

Alas, this book – another Romantic Comedy with a Paranormal twist- is demanding some attention.

Which is why I’m thinking it might be a good time to give the National Novel Writing Month of November (NaNoWriMo) a shot. I’ve always been too terrified to try. But I figure the book idea is here and raring to go- What have I got to lose? (besides time for sleeping, eating, thinking, and perhaps a good part of my sanity)

Anybody ever attempt NaNoWriMo? Any advice? How do you usually decide which ideas will become full-blown novels?

Bloffee. Stat.

2011-10-21T04:08:00.000-07:00

To anyone who isn’t familiar with Friday MorningFollower’s Bloffee- welcome! Hope you’ve brought your appetite. If not, we’ve got what you need to bring you back to your bright-eyed, bushy-tailed selves.

All you need to do to participate is: 1. Comment.

2. Tell me what you’ve brought for morning bloffee. (Today I’ve started out with some pumkin spice coffee sent fromt the U.S. by my mother dearest.)

3. Click on someone you don’t know in the comments section and check out their blog! Voila- a new friend and potential follower connection has been made!

In the meantime- this week has been absolutely crazy in KatieLand. Oldest daughter had an asthma attack last weekend and was home from school. I had another teaching seminar to go to Tuesday along with my new work schedule. I’ve been preparing Halloween with my classes and today I’m doing workshops at my daughter’s school. And it’s also my middle child Julie’s birthday today. 6 old years:)

The good news is, I finished and sent out my agent revisions this week! Can I get a collective ‘whew’!? *wipes brow* I’m really happy with the final product and as I was reading through the manuscript one last time, it felt so much cleaner and more ‘living, breathing’ than it ever has before. Thanks so much to my beta readers and to everyone who's wished me luck! All that’s left to do now is wait and hope!

I’ve been trying to check out blogs during breaks on my phone but haven’t been able to comment. What have I missed in blogland this week? Any big posts I should know about? Any noticed themes or trends? What did you guys blog about?

Oh Gossip Girl- How Thou Hast So Unrealistically Portrayed the Publishing Industry !

2011-10-19T04:38:00.000-07:00

Why do movies and television series make getting published look so easy? Agents and editors wonder why they receive thousands of queries a month, pitches on planes and in bathrooms...why writers start querying their books right after typing the words ‘the end’ and expect all their publishing dreams to come true?

Well, after Monday night’s Gossip Girl episode it has become painfully clear to me.

The character Dan Humphrey has written a fictional memoir about his upper elite friends. Never planning to publish it, he stuffs it literally in a drawer.

His best friend Vanessa finds the manuscript, takes it and delivers it BY HAND to an editor at a big publisher

Low and behold, the editor loves it and plans to publish it even though 1. This is a rough draft and has seen no editing. And 2. They don’t know who the author is.

Give. Me. A. break.

Then by some powers-that-be, the book creates major buzz around Manhattan. Dan’s mentor steps forward and claims the work as his own in an attempt to get Dan himself to take credit.

Dan takes the bait, and at the launch party it is revealed that he’s the author of the book which has now obtained a top –four spot on amazon and will go on to receive rave reviews in the New York Times.

Oh, come ON!

The entire plot line just had me shaking my head and screaming at the television. Only in tv land are things so incredibly, stupidly simple.

I definitely notice in TV and film we watch the characters either after they’re already published or they manage to get published in some easy, unrealistic way. When you think about it-of course we like to see people succeed but part of me wishes the entertainment industry would show someone who actually struggles beforehand. It makes it all much more worth while, don’t you think?

Love-Triangle Crack: DOUBLE CLUTCH by Liz Reinhardt

2011-10-17T04:26:00.000-07:00

I read a lot of different kinds of YA. I enjoy everything from dystopian to historical to urban fantasy, supernatural, contemporary and everything in between.

But no matter what kind of YA I’m reading, I can always be guilty of turning the pages in search of one thing:

The romance.

Sometimes the romance in the story kind of feels like the cream filling in an oreo cookie. You nibble and pick at the chocolate cookie but all you really want is the good stuff in the middle. Throughout all the life-threatening situations, the mystery, or the mind-control I can’t help but feel an involuntary flair of excitement when the MC and the love interest are finally getting some attention. And if there’s a love triangle- I am usually one happy girl. Don’t ask me why, but I’m a sucker for a really well-done bad boy/good guy face off and if the lines that determine which is which are blurred enough so that I’m not really sure who the MC should end up with? - Even better!

If you’re like me and have ever been guilty of getting more excited about the love triangle in a story than about the bigger picture, I’ve got something special for you here. I discovered Liz Reinhardt through the blogosphere the same week she self-published her first novel ‘Double Clutch’. The premise sounded like something I’d enjoy so I downloaded it onto my kindle.

I started it one evening earlier this week. And finished it the next day.

Brenna Blixen is living a double life. She goes to two different schools- regular public school in the morning and the technical institute in the afternoon as a participant of the program ‘Share Time’. She has two sets of teachers, two sets of friends and two very different boys vying for her attention.

But what happens when the two worlds collide? Brenna might discover that the lines that connect Saxon and Jake could make or break her relationship with either.

The pacing in Double Clutch was fantastic, the characters charismatic (Jake and Saxon were just awesome. I totally wanted them both. I mean *ahem*I wanted her to end up with both. Of course.) and the dialogue authentic. I honestly enjoyed every minute.

This book has officially become my love-triangle crack-- totally addictive, sexy, and Reinhardt captures the exhiliration of falling in love for the first time perfectly.
'Double Clutch' is the oreo cream without the cookie; made up of only the good stuff I find myself constantly looking for in other books.

Congratulations Liz on a job well done! Wishing you tons of success and I look forward to reading your future books!

If you want your own love-triangle crack, get your copy here!

Have a Cup of Bloffee and Pay It Forward...

2011-10-14T04:22:00.000-07:00

Today I’m combining my usual Friday MorningFollower’s Bloffee with Alex and Matt’s Pay It Forward Blogfest! To anyone who is new to the blog- all you have to do to participate in breakfast bloffee is:

1. Comment.

2. Tell me what you’ve brought for morning bloffee. (Today I’ve started out with some coffee and a box of all-important wheaties.)

3. Click on someone you don’t know in the comments section and check out their blog! Voila- a new friend and potential follower connection has been made!

In the meantime, I’m going to give you three blogs newly discovered by my creepy self:

One Little Spark- A Writer’s World by blogger CDMeetens. – I was immediately hooked by the flashy but classy deco and the straight up posts about writing and publishing. The train poem was totally adorable too! Check ‘em out!

Rebecca Mahoney- Writer Becca is a ‘twenty something assistant extraordinaire with a love of good food, animated films, and budget-busting fashion. I’m an aspiring YA author, and I write fantasy, mystery, and horror- sometimes a mix of all three!’ – There’s nothing I enjoy more than meeting aspiring YA authors like myself. We’re all in the same boat!

Crystal’s A Pistol – Well written and introspective posts on life, love, and creativity! Love this woman’s energy!

Hope you guys enjoy the blogfest and bloffee! Have a great weekend!

*CQG*

Everything You Never Wanted To Know...

2011-10-12T04:28:00.000-07:00

...About Creepy Query Girl. I haven’t done an awards post in forever so here I am. Since most of the awards require sharing seven facts, I’m going to try and get that out of the way before presenting the trick'or' treat bag of blogger goodies. All you have to do to grab an award from the bag is comment!

Without further ado, Things You Never Wanted to Know About Me:

1.My parents wanted to name me Christopher Robin if I was a boy. Yes, I am serious. And thankful we avoided the whole situation.

2. The only thing that I’ve ever had an allergic reaction to is the red dye found in a lot of processed foods. I found this out when dye from a fireball candy got on my skin and made me break out in hives my sophomore year of high school. But the same thing happens if I get ketchup on my face. Does this stop me from eating either of these foods? You would think but No.

3. My feet seem to be the temperature regulators for my entire body. If my feet are too hot, my whole body is too hot. Same thing if they’re too cold. I’m barefoot throughout most of the year (while in my house. I don’t, like, go out for jogs around the neighbourhood barefoot like those weird caveman sports extremists) and only wear socks in the dead of winter.

4. I don’t listen to music on purpose. Like, I don’t own cds or watch MTV or have any kind of play lists. BUT I do like to have the radio on while I’m in the car which brings me to my next tid bit:

5. For some strange reason, I prefer to listen to hard core Hip Hop and R&B with the occasional rap while driving alone in my car. I’ll turn it up until the windows are trembling and sing along. Call it nostalgia. In any case, I pretty much look like the creepy lady in the minivan from 'Suburgatory' to any of the conservative French drivers expecting to see someone who looks like 50cent pull up to their side.

Yeah- that’s totally me.

6. When I get anxious, I cover my ears. Whether it’s a scary/sad/suspenseful scene in a movie or the ‘big game’ France-Italy, whenever something’s got my adrenaline going, you can be sure my ears are covered. My husband finds this totally weird. Especially when his friends are over and they’re like ‘why is she covering her ears?”

7. I put soy sauce in my scrambled eggs. Don’t knock it ‘till you tried it.

Okay, now for the awards given to me by the wonderful owners of the following blogs: LTM at That's Write, Miranda Hardy, All About Growing up and Becoming a Famous Author, Mainewords, Angela Brown, Catherine Ensley, N.R. Williams, Jodi Henry, Jaded Love Junkie, Meandering in a Field of Words, Hold On to Your Bloomers. If I missed anyone, please let me know so I can add you!

Take only one now and no pushing!:)

Have a great Wednesday everybody!

Kick A** Debut Author Spotlight

2011-10-10T04:28:00.000-07:00

Today I’m joining a group of fellow bloggers in showing our support for debut authors with the Kick A** Debut Author Spotlight- organized by the wonderful Christina Lee.

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong.

Between the beautiful and mysterious cover art and the cryptic story blurb, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer went immediately into my must-read pile.

After a tragic accident that left her closest friends dead, Mara’s family decides to move to Florida in order to help her cope. But the past comes back to haunt her-the memories of what happened that night slowly seeping back into her subconscious until she must face a terrifying truth.

Let me tell you right now, there are some downright creepy moments in this book. And I know creepy. The emotional investment in Mara is immediate- she’s funny, pragmatic and strong. And the seeping doubt in her own sanity makes the fine line between paranormal and psychotic episodes even more unsettling. The tension stayed with me like a cemetery mist every time I put the book down and wouldn’t go away until I picked it up again.

Michelle Hodkin’s eloquent descriptions, vibrant characters and pitch perfect dialogue had me turning the pages until the very end. Definitely a worthy read for fans of paranormal romance. Congratulations Michelle- Here’s wishing you a long and prosperous career!

Be sure to check out the other blogs and authors participating in today’s Kick A** Debut Author Spotlight:

Rachele raves about IMAGINARY GIRLS
Susan is featuring RIP TIDE
Robyn spotlights ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE
Matt loves SOLSTICE
Nicole wants to tell you about POSSESSION
Janet tells why she loves LIAR SOCIETY
Kate talks about MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN
Sheri admires IRON WITCH
Jen would like to tell you about WITHER
Shannon celebrates DARK PARTIES
Jon loves MY VERY UNFAIRY TALE LIFE
Michelle tells you about SHIFTING
Susan admires WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE
Natalie gives a shout out to AUDITION, THE FAERIE RING, and MY VERY UNFAIRY TALE LIFE
Katie loves THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER
Stina gives you a taste of BAD TASTE IN BOYS
Jessie spotlights SPELLBOUND and BIRTHRIGHT
Willow admires DESTINED
Christine raves about POSSESS
Kristin really really likes CLARITY
Anne features READY PLAYER ONE
Meredith wants to shout about DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE
Amy Rose loves THE NEAR WITCH
Theresa talks about DIVERGENT
Kelly focuses in on EARTHLING HERO and A SCARY GOOD BOOK
Christine gears you up for THE LIPSTICK LAWS

Laura is wild about GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS

Patti tells you about HEREAFTER

Portia admires THE SECRET OF SPRUCE KNOLL

Ali has plenty to say about POSSESSION

Useless Without My Bloffee...

2011-10-07T04:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome everybody to Friday Morning Follower’s Bloffee! -A way to meet new people and up your followers during your normal friday morning rituals. Place your breakfast contribution on the counter and settle in!

All you have to do to participate is 1. Comment.

2. Tell me what you’ve brought for morning bloffee. (Today I’ve started out with coffee and some honey glazed croissants.)

3. Click on someone you don’t know in the comments section and check out their blog! Voila- a new friend and potential follower connection has been made!

In the meantime I’ll be available for chat in the comments section. This week has been the first week in a long time where I couldn't participate in my usual blogging schedule so I've missed everything! :(

Pretty please fill me in!- what did you guys blog about this week? Have you noticed any major themes around the blogosphere? And I wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for all the kind and encouraging comments I recieved about my 'news' in the post below. I don't know where I'd be without the support of the blogging community. Ya'll give me the warm & fuzzies:)

Have a great weekend everyone!

*CQG*

The Next Step

2011-10-05T04:19:00.000-07:00

You’ll probably notice me getting a little quieter over the next week or so. Yes, part of it is that I went back to work Monday and have been in a whirlwind ever since. Today, for example, I’m going to be attending an all-day teachers training seminar with a hundred anglophone students right off the boat. It should be interesting.

But the biggest reason I haven’t been around this week is that I’m doing revisions on my recent manuscript.

But not just any revisions.

This revision is based on agent notes.

And not just any agent,

but THE agent I was most excited about.

If you’ve been following this blog for awhile you’ll know that in Creepy Query Girl’s world, this is huge. After wading through the query trenches for two years with three different manuscripts, this is the first time an agent has shown enough interest to actually READ the manuscript in its entirety and offer ideas as to how to make it better.

At first I panicked. What if I can’t pull off what she has in mind? What if I have to tear the whole thing apart? Trash the story? Or what if she has some kind of existentialist ideas and I have re-write the whole thing from the point of view of a cockroach? Or make my main character Australian? I don’t know how to write an Australian accent!!! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO!???

*ahem*

But when I actually received the notes, it made me see why agent feedback is so valuable. She doesn’t want me to trash my story. The story is what interested her in the first place! Instead I’m focusing on fleshing out certain characters, tweaking plot details, and revisiting the ending. It’s not exactly child’s play for a revision hater like me, but totally do-able and in the end I’m positive my manuscript will be stronger for it.

Will this lead to representation? God, I would love that. But even if for some reason it doesn’t work out, this experience and the benefits my manuscript is receiving from it is priceless and I couldn’t be more thankful.

Creepy's Monday Misdemeanor

2011-10-03T04:02:00.000-07:00

Today’s Misdemeanor : Reckless Driving

A high speed chase in a book or movie can be a cheap thrill or a buzz kill. I admit, I enjoy the crazy maneuvering- the screeching of wheels and shifting of gears. And my favorite is when the car ‘flies’ off of some higher surface to land with impossible accuracy on a moving object- like a freight train, boat, or big ass tow truck.

When the mc’s best friend/lover/mother/father

/sister/goldfish is in absolute danger and the author has made you ADORE this character- the high speed reckless driving scene can be essential to the tension. You want to grab the wheel and scream FASTER! and have to will yourself not to turn a page or two ahead just to make sure they’re safe. (or maybe that’s just me)

Unfortunately, if I were behind the wheel, I’d probably end up driving my car into some obscure, completely-out-of-my-lane object (like a gas tank) and the supporting character would be toast. Sorry.

I’ve never been a very good driver-which is why I decided to take driving lessons in France in order to survive. You can’t just get away with knowing how to drive here. Frenchmen let out some serious inner psycho on the road. If you can’t predict what they’re going to do- you.will.not.live.

This is embarrassing. But in the five years I had my license in the U.S., I managed to get pulled over for:

Speeding- 1^st transgression- I got a ticket for going 60 in a 45 and I decided to take it to court. (I was 18) I told the judge that there was no way I was speeding since I had not only slowed down at the 45m sign but was goinguphill and my piece of junk car won’t go faster than that when I go uphill. (yes, I seriously did use this as an argument). He must have thought I was funny because he went on to explain that they’d got me with a radar-but he told me to get my speedometer checked and waved the ticket.

2^nd transgression- The officer pulled me over and said I’d been going 65 in a 45. I told him that was impossiblebecause my car was overheating and I was crawling to get home. My car WAS overheating. You could see the smoke. He let me go with a warning. (You starting to see a pattern here?)

Headlight out- I had a Ford Probe with those stupid batmat flip-up headlights. One of them wouldn’t open, but I had a special way of ‘fixing’ it. When the officer pulled me over and said I had a headlight out I asked him 'if I could get out of the car?' He said yes. I took my hustry trusty headband, pulled up the headlight and jambed it in underneath to prop it up. The officer scratched his chin and rolled his eyes heavenward muttering something about ‘women’ before letting me go.

Backing Down a Highway On-ramp because there was nobody around to see me....except the officer waiting for me at the end. Sorry folks- there’s just no getting out of that one:)

What do you think about reckless driving scenes in movies and literature? Cheap thrill or buzz kill? For more Monday Misdemeanor's click here.

***PS- I apologize to my old-time followers for today's rerun- I went back to work today and ended up with a lot less free time than I thought I would:( But I’ll be back to my regular schedule Wednesday!***

More Bloffee? Allow me...

2011-09-30T04:04:00.000-07:00

Welcome everybody to Friday Morning Follower’sBloffee! -A way to meet new people and up your followers during your normal friday morning rituals. Place your breakfast contribution on the counter and settle in!

All you have to do to participate is 1. Comment.

2. Tell me what you’ve brought for morning bloffee. (Today I’ve started out with coffee and English muffins dripping with butter. Mmm.)

3. Click on someone you don’t know in the comments section and check out their blog! Voila- a new friend and potential follower connection has been made!

In the meantime I’ll be available for chat in the comments section. The winner of this Banned Book Week’s novel ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ is: Jennifer Hillier! Congrats Jennifer! Please be sure to send your mailing address to katiemills18@hotmail.com.

In other news- what did you guys blog about this week? I know one blog post that caught a lot of attention was the ebookexperiment by Shelli Johannes Wells. – thus leading me to this week’s topic of bloffee conversation: Have you guys noticed a definite shift in mentality when it comes to self ebook publishing these last few months? I know in my mind, self publishing has almost completely lost its taboo connotations. And I think it can definitely work out in some author’s favor if the circumstances are right. To be truthful, after years spent in the query trenches, self publishing is looking very tempting and I’m definitely gathering information and keeping an eye on Shelli’s ebook experiment.

That said- I have to wonder WHY traditional and self publishing are being compared like they’re in some kind of competition. Why must one win the other over? Isn’t there room for both?

Any other big themes you noticed around the blogosphere this week? Be sure to pass the orange juice and have a great weekend everyone!:)

*CQG*

Book Release! SHIFTING by Bethany Wiggins

2011-09-28T04:01:00.000-07:00

After bouncing from foster home to foster home, Magdalene Mae is transferred to what should be her last foster home in the tiny town of Silver City, New Mexico. Now that she's eighteen and has only a year left in high school, she's determined to stay out of trouble and just be normal.

Agreeing to go to the prom with Bridger O'Connell is a good first step.

Fitting in has never been her strong suit, but it's not for the reasons most people would expect-it all has to do with the deep secret that she is a shape shifter.

But even in her new home danger lurks, waiting in the shadows to pounce. They are the Skinwalkers of Navajo legend, who have traded their souls to become the animal whose skin they wear-and Maggie is their next target.

‘Full of romance, mysticism, and intrigue, this dark take on Navajo legend will haunt readers to the final page.’

About the Author:

Bethany Wiggins has always been an avid reader, but not an avid writer. Seriously!!! She failed ninth grade English because she read novels instead of doing her homework. In high school, she sat alone at lunch and read massive hardback fantasy novels (Tad Williams and Robert Jordan anyone?). It wasn't until the end of her senior year that the other students realized she was reading fiction--not the Bible

Several years ago Bethany's sister dared her to start writing an hour a day until she completed a novel. Bethany wrote a seven-hundred page fantasy novel that she wisely let no one read--but it taught her how to write. The fifth novel she wrote, SHIFTING, is being published by Walker Books September 27, 2011.

Blog: www.suzettesaxton.blogspot.com

web page: www.bethanywiggins.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10224627-shifting

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shifting-Bethany-Wiggins/dp/0802722806/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316660383&sr=1-1

***I don’t know about you guys but I think Bethany’s debut novel has a fantastic premise! Definitely going on my tbr list!

also- Be sure to check out Monday's post in honor of Banned Books Week and comment to be in the running for a free copy of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'!

Drive Me Wilde!

2011-09-26T04:07:00.000-07:00

-There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. (The Picture of Dorian Gray)

-Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.

-Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes.(Lady Windermere's Fan)

-When good Americans die they go to Paris. (The Portrait of Dorian Gray)

-It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances. (The Picture of Dorian Gray)

-To many, no doubt, he will seem blatant and bumptious, but we prefer to regard him as being simply British. (Pall Mall Gazette)

-I never play cricket. It requires one to assume such indecent postures.

-One must have some sort of occupation nowadays. If I hadn't my debts I shouldn't have anything to think about.(A Woman of No Importance)

-Duty is what one expects from others, it is not what one does oneself.(A Woman of No Importance)

-It is very easy to endure the difficulties of one's enemies. It is the successes of one's friends that are hard to bear.

-I have nothing to declare except my genius.(at New York customs)

-All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his. (The Importance of Being Earnest)

In high school, I totally had a crush on Oscar Wilde after reading his play ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’. So like I did with every dead artist newly discovered by my teenage heart (Elvis, John Lennon, William Shakespeare, Jim Morrison. Huh-Come to think of it, I guess I kind of had a thing for dead guys back then.)- I quickly went out and bought a book of Oscar’s plays and the only novel he ever wrote ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’.

Wilde wrote plays that mocked high society.

And they loved him for it.

He was a masterful wit- stating the obvious, the absurd, and above all- the truth about the world with a clipped humor that remains unmatched by any other.

‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’, however, touched on a truth that no one of the time was willing to acknowledge. Homosexuality was illegal in England when the book was published, and the insinuations of romantic feelings between two men were denounced by the general public. -Add into that Wilde’s philosophies on aestheticism and hedonism and you’ve got yourself a Molotov cocktail of controversy.

The Daily Chronicle of 30 June 1890 suggested that Wilde's novel contained "one element...which will taint every young mind that comes in contact with it." and the book was banned from many major booksellers.

Today I’m offering up a FREE COPY of ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’- considered today to be one of the greatest works of the time. All you have to do is comment to be entered in the drawing. And be sure to check out the other participants in the Banned Books Week Bloghop!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

*CQG*

Grab Some Bloffee and Pull Up A Chair

2011-09-23T04:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome everybody to Friday Morning Follower’sBloffee! -A way to meet new people and up your followers during your normal friday morning rituals. Place your breakfast contribution on the counter and settle in!

All you have to do to participate is 1. Comment.

2. Tell me what you’ve brought for morning bloffee. (Today I’ve started out with a pot of coffee and a carton of virtual krispy cream donuts because in real life I only get to taste one once every three years or so...which is probably best for my waist line.)

3. Click on someone you don’t know in the comments section and check out their blog! Voila- a new friend and potential follower connection has been made!

In the meantime I’ll be hanging around for chat in the comments (which I hardly ever do) so feel free to check back if you’ve left a question or comment. Tell me- what did you blog about this week and did you notice any big themes going on in the blogging world? I noticed quite a few posts about online personality versus real life personality. Do you think you change while blogging in order to put your best face forward? I also noticed quite a few posts about knowing when to move on in the querying process, including mine. Thanks so much to all who commented! The thing I learned this week is that it’s important to keep going no matter what. -Keep querying the project you’re most excited about at the moment! Any other blog posts that really stuck with you this week I should know about?

Enjoy the food and conversation and have a great weekend everyone!