Q: Will POSSESSION have a sequel? A: YES!!!

Sort of. Okay, not really.

But POSSESSION will have a companion that will be published by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster) in Summer 2012. A lot of you haven't read POSSESSION yet, so I don't want to spoil too much.

Here's the Publisher's Marketplace deal: Elana Johnson's FUGITIVE, a companion to POSSESSION, again to Anica Rissi at Simon Pulse, for publication in Summer 2012, by Michelle Andelman at Regal Literary (NA).

Doesn't tell you much, does it? *lips zipped*

Okay, I will spill a couple of things:
1. FUGITIVE (companion novel, tentatively titled) is set in the same story world as POSSESSION.

2. There are two new narrating characters that you'll get to follow and experience some wicked control stuff with.

3. You will see some characters from POSSESSION on the page in FUGITIVE, so there are sequential elements in the companion novel.

4. No, I will not tell you who you'll see. But...

5. Someone flies.

6. Someone lies.

7. Someone dies.

Okay, enough secretz!

The real question is: Should I celebrate with bacon, sour patch kids, or Big Macs? Hmm...decisions, decisions.

And holy brown cows, Batman! There is an amazing POSSESSION contest going on right now via Ali Cross, Christine Fonseca, Beth Revis, Lisa & Laura Roecker, Jamie Harrington, and Shannon Messenger! CHECK IT OUT.

Friday Festivities

Okay, so there are so many amazing things afoot. That's right, I used the word "afoot." Anyway, I wanted today to be a celebration!

So up first: WriteOnCon

1. A super success story that WOC inspired. I seriously cried when I read this post, and you should too. Or maybe not. But go see what stemmed from one of our live events.

2. The next WriteOnCon live event will be Monday, May 16! That's like, 3 days people. We're hosting the Trifecta of Awesome with HarperCollins editor Molly O'Neill, literary agent Joanna Stampfel-Volpe, and the bestest literary agent ever (that's her official title, yo) Michelle Andelman. (Okay, I'm biased. So sue me.)

Click here for all the details.

3. The winner of Christine Fonseca's 101 SUCCESS SECRETS is... Melissa Sarno! Email me okay? Okay.

4. There's nothing like a little humiliation via video. And hey! I've made it easy for you. I signed up for VYou, where anyone can ask me a question about anything, and I'll record the answer via live video. (Remember that one post a while ago where I said I'd never vlog? What has happened to me??) Click here to VYou it up with me.

5. I'm also celebrating personally this week: I'm done with the conference season for a while. I'm getting prize packages together for my launch events. School is almost out. I have some very exciting things coming soon (a book trailer! Book club materials! An interview with my agent!).

All of this deserves a festival. So I'm festivaling.

What are you celebrating right now? I'm also throwing glitter that blogger is back up. ;)

In Which I Become A Fan of Polish Sausage Over Bacon

Believe it. And in order to understand how something like this could happen, let's go inside a day in Elana-land. This you can survive that? Well, let's go for a ride people.

How about a Tuesday? Sure, let's go with an average Tuesday in Elana's life:

Tuesday, February 8:
7:00 AM: Wake up. Sort of. Midnight came too late, and 7 AM comes way too early. This might be 7:10 or 7:16 or something.
*get ready for work, get kids ready for school*
8:30 AM: Leave for school.
9:00 AM: Arrive at work, frantically check to see which typing lesson to do, erase board from last week, write today's assignments, open Firefox, Safari, and Remote Desktop, log in 37 computers, check gmail.
9:20 AM: 4th grade arrives. Begin typing lesson!
*repeat four times*
*check gmail forty thousand times*

11:35 AM: Lunch
*eat while writing a million+one emails*

12:15 PM: 3rd grade arrives. Begin typing lesson! Sooo exciting. The students are thrilled, trust me.
*repeat for a second time*
1:15 PM: Get email from agent
Subject: possession pierogi!!

Now, I have no idea what that means, but exclamation points in an email from your agent are always good.

The news?

POSSESSION sold in Poland!

1:24 PM: See email and freak out. Reply to agent, even though I'm late to switch classes.
1:25 PM: Switch second grade classes.
1:30 PM: Teach typing! My life is so glamorous. You know you're jealous.
1:34 PM: Text husband.
1:35 PM: Freak out.
2:05 PM: Finish teaching for the day.
2:25 PM: Drop off tax papers at the accountant's office.
3:00 PM: Arrive at girl kidlet's school to switch out the home-reading books for her Kindergarten teacher. Yeah, I volunteer at the school once a week.
3:30 PM: Arrive home. Feed girl kidlet. Hound her to change her clothes.
4:00 PM: Take girl kidlet to dance.
4:30 PM: Take boy kidlet to work.
4:40 PM: Arrive home. Alone.
4:41 PM: Freak out.

I could go on with my night, including a few more taxiing moments, and lots of visiting to people in my neighborhood. I finally got home around 8:30 PM, wherein I changed into my pajamas and...
8:45 PM: Watch Chopped.

Ahhh, Tuesday's are good days. Let's all have some of this:

Or these, which are pierogies, in case you didn't know. (I totally didn't.)

Good news? I know people who've gotten their first full request this week! I know people who have signed with agents. Yay! I know people who have had news from publishers. What have you got?

And I just want to give you a visual of what next week is going to be... One word: EPIC.

The Last 12 Months

Holy brown cows, people. Believe me when I say that I know how lucky I am. I am extremely thankful to look back over the past 12 months and see the road I never thought I'd travel.

A little picture recap for all those of you who are new here, which is about 1400 people.

November 11, 2009: I sign with the most fabulous Michelle Andelman.

February, 24, 2010: My debut novel sells to the amazing editor Anica Rissi at Simon Pulse.

In the ensuing months, I help organize an online writing conference,

edit my novel, change the title, get the cover image,

receive ARCs,

see my book go up for preorder online, make a new author website, a dedicated novel website, and think, sleep, eat, dream marketing ideas with my insane besties (Christine, LiLa, Beth).


November 5, 2010: I receive word that my YA novel will be cross-promoted in the adult catalog at Simon & Schuster. I don't think life can get any better.


I am wrong. Here're some hints...

Ideas?

How about now?

Guess, you know you want to...

It's not just food, people.

One last chance...

November 8, 2010: Possession sells in France. That's right! Michel Lafon (who will also publish Alyson Noel's and Ally Carter's books) will be publishing Possession in French--and the French Canadian market.

Later that day, I cry. And it's the good kind. The thankful kind. The holy-cow-how-did-I-get-so-lucky-and-wow-I'm-overwhelmed kind. And I think I want some of these:

So my message to you today is to be thankful for wherever you are in the process. Just starting. In the middle. Almost there. Wherever. You'll never be in this exact spot again. Enjoy it.

Look back over the last year. How far have you come? Have you been thankful for the journey?

Story of a Girl

December 2007: Girl is about to turn thirty. That's right. The big 3-0.

Girl decides to write about the first three decades of her life.

Girl likes this writing thing.

Girl writes, girl writes, girl writes. A whole book, she writes.

Girl researches, girl researches, girl researches.

Girl queries, girl queries, girl queries.

Girl waits, girl waits, girl waits.

Girl discovers blogging.

Girl blogs, girl blogs, girl blogs.

Girl queries, girl writes, girl waits.

Girl blogs. Girl shelves first failed novel.

February 2009: Girl enters ABNA 2009 with a new novel. Makes it to the quarter-finals.

Girl screams. Girl celebrates. Girl finds much needed confidence.

Girl rewrites, girl rewrites, girl rewrites.

Girl queries new novel.

Girl waits.

Girl blogs.

Girl revises, girl revises, girl revises.

Girl queries.

Girl waits.

November 2009: Girl signs with the amazing Michelle Andelman at Lynn C. Franklin.

Girl screams. Girl celebrates. Girl finds much needed confidence.

Girl writes.

Girl blogs.

Girl rewrites another novel while waiting and blogging.

Girl checks email, checks email, checks email.

Girl waits. Blogs. Breathes -- involuntarily.

February 25, 2010: Girl gets an email.

Opens it.

Girl can't breathe. Black spots crowd her vision.

Phone rings.

Girl snaps to attention. Looks at caller ID. It's a 212 area code.

Girl shoves peanut butter M&M's at girl kidlet and races upstairs, locking the bedroom door behind her. (Super parenting there! Nominate girl for mother of the year!)

Girl talks to agent.

The email is really true.

Girl.

Has.

Book.

Deal.

Girl screams. Girl celebrates. Girl might faint.

From Publisher's Marketplace: Elana Johnson's CONTROL ISSUES, set in a brainwashed society where those gifted with mind control best join the powers that be, but one rebel girl tries to beat them at their own game, to Anica Rissi at Simon Pulse, by Michelle Andelman at Lynn Franklin Associates (NA).

(Girl blogs.)

Girl gets gifts from editor:

Girl wonders what's better than books and chocolate.

Oh yeah.

Sleep. (Girl sleeps. zzzzzzzzz)

Winner, Winner!

Dude, you guys. Last week was quite the ride, right? I had a great time answering questions and seeing all the enthusiasm for the contest. I could blather on and on just to make your life painful, sort of like Bob Barker on The Price is Right, but I won't.

WINNERS:
Literary agent query critiques:

Kate Schafer (will be posted on her blog, Ask Daphne): EMILY ANN BENEDICT!!

Michelle Andelman: JAMIE HOPKINS!!

Mary Kole: TERRI TIFFANY!!

Michelle Wolfson: VR BARKOWSKI!!

Joanna Volpe: MERISSA MURRAY!!

Woot! Congrats guys! Please email me at elanajohnson(at)gmail(dot)com for instructions. DO NOT email the agents!

WINNERS:
Ebook From the Query to the Call:
GUINEVERE ROWELL
JOY WIEDER
LIVIA BLACKBURN
TAMIKA EASON
TIFFANY NEAL

Please email me using an email address you use all the time, as I'll be sending you a code to download the Ebook for free. elanajohnson(at)gmail(dot)com. And hey, if you didn't win, you can purchase your copy of From the Query to the Call for 25% off ($7.50) for the rest of this month. Every buyer gets a free query crititque from me. Discount code: 25percentoff

WINNERS:
Ginormous post-it notes:
CHRISTINA LEE
JENNY TONKS
JOHN SANKOVICH
SUSAN JAMES
KRISTEN YARD

Email me with your mailing address so I can get these out to you. elanajohnson(at)gmail(dot)com.


A big congrats to everyone! Thanks to the literary agents for their participation and for all of you for making this so much fun to do! Be sure to come back next month as I have something epic planned. EP. IC.

Happy Monday!

Pay It Forward Query Critique Contest

The day has arrived! Today could change your life. Okay, not really. But maybe next Monday.

Because I'm having a contest that starts today and ends on Sunday at 10 PM(MST). Winners will then be chosen and announced next Monday, February 22.

Here's what you can win: A query letter critique.

By whom?

By one of these top five literary agents!

1. Kate Testerman-Shafer of KT Literary (critique will be posted on her blog, Ask Daphne)
2. Michelle Andelman of Lynn C. Franklin Associates (my fabulous agent!)
3. Mary Kole of Andrea Brown Literary Agency
4. Michelle Wolfson of Wolfson Literary Agency
5. Joanna Volpe of Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation


Worth entering? You decide. But if you win, one of those agents will be helping you out with your query letter. And who better to do that than the people who read hundreds of them?

I mean, seriously.

In addition to that, FIVE more winners will win a free copy of my eBook, From the Query to the Call, which outlines in great detail how to write a query letter (and other things). All winners--as with all buyers--get a free query critique by me with this eBook.

As if that weren't enough, FIVE more winners will win a package of my all-time favorite writing tools: the super-sticky, super-size Post-it note. I love those things. They're 4x6-inches, so you can really take notes in the middle of the night and stick your scribbles to your laptop. (See photo below -- I missed the "post your workspace" day, so I just decided to include it here. Those Post-it's could be yours! And yes, I constantly work on two computers.)




HOW TO ENTER:
1. You must follow my blog.
2. You must follow Shelli Johannes-Wells' blog.
3. You must fill out the form below. (Lots of ways to earn extra entries--but none of them are required to enter, just follow both blogs, which will earn you 3 entries.)

***NOTE: Shelli is also running a big contest this week, because we're party animals! We're offering extra entries for following each other, but if you're interested in winning the prizes in her contest, you MUST ENTER HER CONTEST. She's having prizes every day with some grand prizes at the end of the week. Mine isn't like that. It's open from now until Sunday night, and then drawings will be held. (This will be my only post this week.)

In other words, if you enter here, you are NOT entered there. They are two separate contests that we're promoting together. Does that make sense? If not, shoot me an email: elanajohnson(at)gmail(dot)com.



My twitter. My facebook.

Good luck! And have a great week -- I'll be around, but not blogging.

Oh! And if you've made it this far, Shannon O'Donnell is having a contest on her blog. You can win my eBook and a query critique from me--or a $20 gift card! So go enter over there too, okay? Okay.

Stay Tuned...

Okay, so I can't keep it inside anymore.

*covers mouth*

Okay, yes I can.

(NO, my book hasn't sold. Don't go there.)

But I have some major exciting things happening right here on my blog in February. I can't spill everything (that's for newsletter subscribers), but here's a teaser:

Shelli Johannes Wells and I have teamed up. And boy, is that gonna be dangerous! We've got The Query Expert (Elana) planning a major World Domination Tactic with a team of agents (that's right -- plural!), a week of Marketing Gurus, and The Marketing Expert (Shelli) is offering a HUGE Prize from her agent, Alyssa Henkin (for unagented authors) and a Massive Marketing Prize (for agented/published writers).

Here's what you can do right now:
1. Follow my blog (little widget right over there -->).
2. Follow Shelli's blog (you'll have to be a follower of both of us to enter, so just do it now).
3. Subscribe to my newsletter (you'll get the scoop FIRST!).
4. Sit back and relax -- or polish up your MS/synop/query letter/combination of the aforementioned. *winkage*

So there's all of that. It's really going to be a cool time, so stay tuned!

As for the whole World Domination Tactic, well, that's still in the works. I am planning some posts on query letters, and I'd like them to be valuable and entertaining. I mean, that's why you come over here, right? Freak, I hope so.

So I'm wondering: What do you want to know about querying? What kind of information are you looking for? What can I help you understand better? About the letter itself, the process of writing the letter or about sending it out, all of it.

I answer a lot of questions in my ebook--which will be on sale during the WDT--but what do you wish you could get in one--hopefully entertaining--blog post--for free? (Sheesh, can I use another em-dash in that sentence? Beat that, bloggers!)

Inquiring minds...

2009: A Good Year

Dear 2009,

You've been good to me. I laughed. I cried. I whined. I chatted. I critiqued. I wrote. I jumped off the ledge a lot. And every moment was worth it.

I wrote three books, one completely by hand. Another on the computer. One in ebook format. And I finished a fourth novel, one that was born in 2008, but that you helped me "grow up."

I queried. Oh, how I queried. And I cried. And laughed. And squeed. And whined. And chatted. And jumped. And every moment was worth it.

Because I signed.

I revised. Oh, how I revised. The last quarter of this year has seen my MS grow and grow and grow until I can't even believe it's the same book I queried.

I blogged. Dude, I can blog. Not only for QueryTracker, but here too. Every day. Five days a week. Very few breaks. I read blogs. Commented on blogs. Followed blogs. Thank you, 2009 for an amazing year of new bloggy friends--321 of them, all from this year. In fact, I had to create a new list just for them. It grows daily. I smile. And read.

Next year is sure to be just as awesome. I look forward to conferences, submissions, reading amazing books, meeting online friends and leaving reviews.

Yes, 2009, you read that right. I know I haven't left a single review this year for any of the books you blessed me with. Even though I said I would. Even though I thought about it. But next year is my year. I'm going to leave reviews for every book I read on Amazon or Goodreads.

It's one thing I can do that I'm not doing now. (And really, 2010, with everything else you hold, one more thing is probably all I can handle.)

Thanks, 2009, for the excellentness you were.

Sincerely,

Elana

My Agent Is Like...

...The best birthday present ever. That's right, it's my birthday today. I'm...one year older than I was last year. And apparently I like ellipses.

Anyway, I'm dedicating my birthday post to my agent, Michelle Andelman aka Booksta (Dawg, don't remember the gangsta names? Check 'em out, yo).

In fact, today a bunch of agented authors are dedicating their posts to their agents (a great idea generated by the fabulous Kody Keplinger). Because they're A) people too and B) work pretty dang hard in behalf of their authors and C) get trashed pretty much everywhere.

But not today, my feathered friends. Not. Today. Because it's Unofficially Official Agent Day. (Try to wrap your head around that.)

So in keeping with my lists this week, I've compiled a few things that make Michelle Andelman worthy to have an agent gangsta name.

1. In the month we've been working together, she's already made me laugh out loud three times. And just through email. And that's impressive, my friends. I'm not just handing out laughs for free. Oh, no.

2. She's got her finger on the pulse of publishing. So really, I have like, this IV I can tap into anytime I want. And I love that. Because, frankly, sometimes I have to check myself and make sure I haven't flatlined yet.

3. Her positivity is infectious. And I mean "infectious" in a good way, not the H1N1 kind.

4. She is lightning fast in both reading and responding. And when you have lightning on your side, what else do you need?? Srsly. That's like commanding the universe or something.

So give it up for Booksta! (Or should I call her The Paperback Kid? Oooh, I kinda like that... Thoughts?)

And then go check out what my agency sisters have to say about Michelle.
Kirsten Hubbard
Kristin Botts
Shari Green
Jennifer Chen

Check out these other authors who have shown the love.
Lisa and Laura Roecker adore Catherine Drayton
Kody Keplinger and Sarah Frances Hardy show the love for Joanna Stampfel-Volpe
Christine Fonseca high-fives Krista Goering
Mary Lindsey dishes about Joan Paquette
Suzette Saxton tells us about Brendan Deneen
Bethany Wiggins gives it up for Marlene Stringer
Gretchen McNeil is infatuated with Ginger Clark
Shelli Johannes-Wells and Kristina McBride write sweet nothings about Alyssa Eisner Henken
Katie Anderson gushes about Cheryl Pientka
Julia Karr and Carrie Harris and Kiki Hamilton are hilariously in love with Kate Shafer Testerman
Scott Tracey sings the praises of Colleen Lindsay
Kiersten White tells us why Michelle Wolfson rules
Susan Adrian relishes in the joy with Janet Reid
Stephanie Burgis buddies up to Barry Goldblatt
Irene Latham hands out the hugs to Rosemary Stimola
Victoria Schwab presents the trophy to Amy Tipton
Andrea Cremer hands out the love to Charlie Olsen
Tabitha Olson brags about Andrea Cascardi
Jennifer Hubbard makes it all about Nathan Bransford
Kristin Miller types the praises of Suzie Townsend

And Lisa and Laura are compiling the whole list over on their blog (check the comments). So go check that out.

Yo. EJ-Jamma, out.

Budlight Presents... Real American Heroes

Budlight Presents...Real American Heroes (Real American Heroes)
Today we salute you, Mr. Fortune Cookie Fortune Writer. (Mr. Fortune Cookie Fortune Writer)

Most writers leave their wisdom in a book
You leave yours in a cookie (crunchy cookie)

Sure they taste good
But it's the information you provide that we're really hungry for (love is round the corner!)

Though your tablet is small
Your message never is (show me the way)

Of course the mushu pork and the egg foo young fill our bellies
It's your inspiration that keeps us well-nourished (yum, yum, yum, yum, egg foo young)

So crack open an ice cold Budlight, Mr. Fortune Cookie Fortune Writer
Because when you say our luck is about to change
We believe you. (We bee-ee-lieeve yoooooou.)


Okay, okay, so I've believed some fortunes at times. Dove dark wrappers, but who's keeping track of those? *wink* But I've always believed in myself. And I hope that you believe in yourself too. Read on...




























Okay, so finding a literary agent is like dating, popping the question and agreeing to work together on something meaningful and worthwhile. Like publishing a book.

And I've found my better half. Shh, don't tell Mr. J. Well, he already knows. So shout away!

Because I'm now represented by Michelle Andelman of Lynn C. Franklin Associates!

Here's me signing the contract. Yes, I antiqued it. Don't ask me why, I don't know. Looked cool? Whatever.

And you can read more about Michelle here. Scroll down to the bottom. She's the literary agent that will be at the Oregon Coast Children's Book Writer's Workshop next July. It gives a good list of books she's worked on. My novel definitely fits on her list as "edgy, emotional Young Adult".

Can I get a "Woot! Woot!"?

And it's YOUR inspiration that's kept me well-nourished through this journey. So thanks to all of you, my favorite Fortune Cookie Fortune Writers.

And your fortune is: Your luck is about to change.... *big smiles*

Oh, and you wanna hear more Real Men of Genius? You know you do. Go here. I l-o-v-e the Mr. Really Bad Toupee Wearer one. Hilarious!!