Meanwhile, you can enter to win The Insider's Case Files (full details here) using the Rafflecopter widget on the right. -->
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Showing posts with label contests. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contests. Show all posts
Monday, April 9, 2012
Viva Las Vegas
Meanwhile, you can enter to win The Insider's Case Files (full details here) using the Rafflecopter widget on the right. -->
Thursday, March 29, 2012
YA Scavenger Hunt, Red Team Style
There will be three loops. Blue, Yellow, and Red. You can win 20 books on each loop, for a total of 60 books! Or just do one loop, and enter to win 20 books.
Today for the hunt, I'm hosting the awesome ninja, Ali Cross, author of BECOME. Let's learn a little about them before I reveal Ali's exclusive content.
Ali is the author of the Desolation series, a young adult urban fantasy about the kick-butt devil’s daughter and her search for a destiny of her own choosing.
Click here to follow Ali and her ninja-tastic news on her blog.
When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—something she’s never had before—a friend.
Dude, you know you need to buy BECOME and read it, stat.
And now, Ali's secret content, the first 2 chapters of DESOLATION, her second novel, due out soon!
DESOLATION sneak peak
And that's not all! You can enter to win a signed paperback or an e-copy of BECOME by Ali Cross simply by clicking twice to let people know you've seen this exclusive content on the Red loop of the YA Scavenger Hunt. Click here. Click tweet.
To continue the hunt, GO TO JANET GURTLER'S blog, where you'll find another amazing author, with more exclusive content.
Oh, and you'll need this letter to help you unscramble the phrase to ENTER TO WIN the 20 books on the Red Loop of the YA Scavenger Hunt. Secret Letter: N.
So go forth, meet new authors, find new books, view exclusive content, gather all the letters, and enter to win!
I'm super excited about my exclusive content today--hope you can find it, because it has to do with SURRENDER and The Insider's Case Files, which you can enter to win HERE. And you have another opportunity to win POSSESSION... So go find where I am today!
Happy hunting!
Monday, March 26, 2012
The YA Scavenger Hunt Is Coming...
I'm on the Red Team, and you will have an opportunity to win 20 books if you follow our loop. There is also a Blue Team and a Yellow Team. Go here for full details.
Hope you'll join us for the hunt!
*I will be blogging on Thursday this week, at Noon Pacific Time, and then revealing the winner of the Red Loop POSSESSION copy on Monday, April 2.
More marketing tips -- including joining together with groups like the YA Scavenger Hunt -- coming on Wednesday.
Monday, July 11, 2011
I May Be Stupid, But...
Okay, so I launched a book. Hopefully, it was helpful to some of you. Maybe you're like me, and you took notes of what you think might work for you when you launch your book. See that positive thinking there? *wink*
Anyway, I feel like I worked my fingers to the bone during pre-release. Sure, I wrote another book in only three months (yes, drafted, revised, sent to betas, revised again, sent to my agent, and revised again), but that was done in February.
In March, April, and May I focused on promotion. I mean, that's what we authors hear, right? Gotta do this thing, and that thing, and build build build the buzz buzz buzz buzz!
Right?
Right.
So I did all that.
And then June 7 came.
And went.
And the book came out. It was all kinds of glorious and fun and parties and stuff.
When I had a chance to sit down and think, it suddenly hit me: My job isn't over. I still need to write another book, sure. (*panic face* When am I going to do that?) But the business side, the marketing, the promotion still isn't over.
An author has to market their book after release as well. Who knew??
Not me. I do now, and I feel like a moron for not realizing it earlier. Maybe I wouldn't have exhausted myself so thoroughly pre-release. Maybe now I wouldn't feel like crying at the thought of marketing my book.
Maybe you won't make the same mistake I did.
Have you thought about this? What's your marketing plan?
Also, in an attempt to continue marketing, there is a Goodgrounds Approved contest going on until the end of the month. Zenn and Vi explain everything here.
Anyway, I feel like I worked my fingers to the bone during pre-release. Sure, I wrote another book in only three months (yes, drafted, revised, sent to betas, revised again, sent to my agent, and revised again), but that was done in February.
In March, April, and May I focused on promotion. I mean, that's what we authors hear, right? Gotta do this thing, and that thing, and build build build the buzz buzz buzz buzz!
Right?
Right.
So I did all that.
And then June 7 came.
And went.
And the book came out. It was all kinds of glorious and fun and parties and stuff.
When I had a chance to sit down and think, it suddenly hit me: My job isn't over. I still need to write another book, sure. (*panic face* When am I going to do that?) But the business side, the marketing, the promotion still isn't over.
An author has to market their book after release as well. Who knew??
Not me. I do now, and I feel like a moron for not realizing it earlier. Maybe I wouldn't have exhausted myself so thoroughly pre-release. Maybe now I wouldn't feel like crying at the thought of marketing my book.
Maybe you won't make the same mistake I did.
Have you thought about this? What's your marketing plan?
Also, in an attempt to continue marketing, there is a Goodgrounds Approved contest going on until the end of the month. Zenn and Vi explain everything here.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Goodgrounds Approved Contests from Zenn and Vi!
I'm a Special Forces recruit for the Goodgrounds. I follow rules. And I make sure other people do too. Today I'm going to be discussing Goodgrounds approved items every Citizen is allowed.
1. Hats. Must be worn at all times to prevent dangerous sunlight from discoloring your skin.
2. Transmissions. Must be plugged in for the mandatory eight hours each night. A device, such as a projection screen, for sending e-comms is permissible.
3. ID cards. Must be carried at all times, regularly updated, and turned over when requested by the authorities.
4. Long-sleeved shirts. Must be worn at all times, no matter the season. Goodies are required to be covered from ankle to hip, wrist to shoulder, and everywhere in between.
There are three ways to get extra entries, and you'll need to fill out the Google form to be counted for them.
1. Make a Resistance video. Examples are found here, and you can comm the videos to Elana (elanajohnson(at)gmail) to be used on the fansite.
2. Purchase POSSESSION from July 8 - July 31. Any retailer, any purchase (ebooks too) from now until the end of the month.
3. Leave a review of Possession. Write a review and post it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Goodreads (or your favorite site) from July 8 - July 31.
This giveaway runs until July 31, and winners will be announced on Monday, August 1.
So. Are you a Goodgrounds approved?
Zenn, out.
----------
Yeah, Vi here. For my part of the contest, I'm going to be giving away a signed copy of Possession. But not here. That totally wouldn't make sense, because I don't want the Thinkers to know.
But I do want everyone to read the book.
So go over to Goodreads and enter to win over there.
Aaand, it looks like the Thinkers on GOODreads haven't approved the giveaway yet. Don't worry. We'll outsmart them. The contest runs until July 31, so you'll be able to slip in an entry once I have Jag hack into their system and approve the giveaway.
"Pending approval." Like that's gonna to happen. Oh... just got word: Jag is on it.
Monday, June 6, 2011
POSSESSION Celebrations!
Okay, so I know I already blogged once today, but this week is jam packed with fun stuff, and I don't want you to miss out!
1. Natalie and Casey at Literary Rambles are hosting a fabulous POSSESSION giveaway and interview. They're gifting copies of POSSESSION and need your comments to up the prizes. So go check that out.
2. Tomorrow is POSSESSION's book birthday! If you don't have a Tuesday post, maybe you can sign up on Ali, Nichole, or Windy's link list and discuss which rules you've broken. (There are a lot of rules in POSSESSION. The first line is: "Good girls don't walk with boys." So yeah.)
3. Have you been #tagged? Well. Christine, Beth, LiLa, Jamie, Shannon, and Ali can do that for you! You can also win one of 15 signed copies of POSSESSION. Go here for details, and @chrstinef on Twitter to get your own #taggedPOSSESSION avatar!
They also have amazing vlogs and contests going up each day on their blogs. Here's the list:
Monday: Visit Beth Revis's blog for 2 more chances to win POSSESSION
Tuesday: Visit Lisa & Laura Roecker's blog for 2 more chances to win POSSESSION
Wednesday: Visit Shannon Messenger's blog for 2 more chances to win POSSESSION
Thursday: Visit Jamie Harrington's blog for 2 more chances to win POSSESSION
Friday: Visit Christine Fonseca's blog for 2 more chances to win POSSESSION
Saturday: Visit Ali Cross's blog for 2 more chances to win POSSESSION
Sunday: Stop by any of the blogs to find out the winners of the 5 signed copies for the Spread the Word contest!
Thanks for indulging me in this regard. I <3 you all.
1. Natalie and Casey at Literary Rambles are hosting a fabulous POSSESSION giveaway and interview. They're gifting copies of POSSESSION and need your comments to up the prizes. So go check that out.
2. Tomorrow is POSSESSION's book birthday! If you don't have a Tuesday post, maybe you can sign up on Ali, Nichole, or Windy's link list and discuss which rules you've broken. (There are a lot of rules in POSSESSION. The first line is: "Good girls don't walk with boys." So yeah.)
3. Have you been #tagged? Well. Christine, Beth, LiLa, Jamie, Shannon, and Ali can do that for you! You can also win one of 15 signed copies of POSSESSION. Go here for details, and @chrstinef on Twitter to get your own #taggedPOSSESSION avatar!
They also have amazing vlogs and contests going up each day on their blogs. Here's the list:
Monday: Visit Beth Revis's blog for 2 more chances to win POSSESSION
Tuesday: Visit Lisa & Laura Roecker's blog for 2 more chances to win POSSESSION
Wednesday: Visit Shannon Messenger's blog for 2 more chances to win POSSESSION
Thursday: Visit Jamie Harrington's blog for 2 more chances to win POSSESSION
Friday: Visit Christine Fonseca's blog for 2 more chances to win POSSESSION
Saturday: Visit Ali Cross's blog for 2 more chances to win POSSESSION
Sunday: Stop by any of the blogs to find out the winners of the 5 signed copies for the Spread the Word contest!
Thanks for indulging me in this regard. I <3 you all.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Tag, You're It
Dude, only two more months until POSSESSION debuts! You know what that means. Or maybe you don't. But it's contest time!!
This month, I'm revealing a little bit more about the world of POSSESSION. It's set in the future, and everything is coded. The people have cards with bar codes. The government uses iris recognizers. They can even implant you with a bar code bracelet if you're particularly troublesome and they want to keep their eye on you.
It's called a tag.
From POSSESSION: "In the Goodgrounds, that's really, really bad. Every scanner, every reader, will pick up the tag. Alarms will wail. Everyone will know what you are. A loser. A criminal."
The main character, Vi, and her prison buddy, Jag, get sentenced to be tagged. This is what Jag has to say about that: "No way. You will not touch me with your Goodie tech crap."
This is what Vi thinks: "No way in hell they're tagging Jag."
So, we're having fun with tags this month in the "Tag, You're It" contest of epic awesomeness!
On the POSSESSION Facebook fanpage wall, participants will “tag” someone they would do anything to keep from getting tagged. Would you bust them out of prison? Stand in a cold shower so they wouldn’t get marked? Endure eating mushrooms to save them?
Anyone who “tags” someone else on the FB fanpage wall AND fills out the form on the “Welcome” tab will be entered to win a prize. What's up for grabs?
Three levels:
1. Exclusive, sneak-peek at an author-notated first chapter of POSSESSION (many)
2. POSSESSION prize pack: bookmarks, bookplates, stickers, and/or postcards (10 prize packs = 10 winners)
3. Signed ARC of POSSESSION + prize pack (1 winner)
Winners will NOT be announced. You’ll just get something fun and amazing in your email inbox. And you won’t know if--or what--you’ve won until you get that email.
The requirements:
1. Post on the FB wall
2. Fill out the form on the "Welcome" tab on the fanpage
3. "Like" the FB Possession page
If you spread the word through blogs/twitter, you can add an entry in the form.
Easy to tweet!
Tweet
And grab this badge for your blog!
So? How'd I do? Excited? You should be, because the email notifications for prize winners are going to be FRAWESOME. Above and beyond a regular email. Just sayin'...
Who would you save from taggage? (Be sure you put this on the fanpage as well!)
This month, I'm revealing a little bit more about the world of POSSESSION. It's set in the future, and everything is coded. The people have cards with bar codes. The government uses iris recognizers. They can even implant you with a bar code bracelet if you're particularly troublesome and they want to keep their eye on you.
It's called a tag.
From POSSESSION: "In the Goodgrounds, that's really, really bad. Every scanner, every reader, will pick up the tag. Alarms will wail. Everyone will know what you are. A loser. A criminal."
The main character, Vi, and her prison buddy, Jag, get sentenced to be tagged. This is what Jag has to say about that: "No way. You will not touch me with your Goodie tech crap."
This is what Vi thinks: "No way in hell they're tagging Jag."
So, we're having fun with tags this month in the "Tag, You're It" contest of epic awesomeness!
On the POSSESSION Facebook fanpage wall, participants will “tag” someone they would do anything to keep from getting tagged. Would you bust them out of prison? Stand in a cold shower so they wouldn’t get marked? Endure eating mushrooms to save them?
Anyone who “tags” someone else on the FB fanpage wall AND fills out the form on the “Welcome” tab will be entered to win a prize. What's up for grabs?
Three levels:
1. Exclusive, sneak-peek at an author-notated first chapter of POSSESSION (many)
2. POSSESSION prize pack: bookmarks, bookplates, stickers, and/or postcards (10 prize packs = 10 winners)
3. Signed ARC of POSSESSION + prize pack (1 winner)
Winners will NOT be announced. You’ll just get something fun and amazing in your email inbox. And you won’t know if--or what--you’ve won until you get that email.
The requirements:
1. Post on the FB wall
2. Fill out the form on the "Welcome" tab on the fanpage
3. "Like" the FB Possession page
If you spread the word through blogs/twitter, you can add an entry in the form.
Easy to tweet!
Tweet
And grab this badge for your blog!
So? How'd I do? Excited? You should be, because the email notifications for prize winners are going to be FRAWESOME. Above and beyond a regular email. Just sayin'...
Who would you save from taggage? (Be sure you put this on the fanpage as well!)
Monday, March 7, 2011
The World of Possession
Okay, so today is March 7. It's the three-month mark until Possession comes out on June 7.
In honor of that, I'm going to be doing a monthly contest: One that launches on March 7th (that's today), one on April 7th, and one on May 6th.
All three contests will be run through the Possession Facebook fanpage. So you can comment here--and you know I love your comments--but if you want to enter and win, you have to do it on the FB fanpage.
Here's what we're doing this month: Your greatest POSSESSION.
In the dystopian society of Possession, everything is mandated by someone else. Someone smarter than you. A Thinker. What classes you take. What you wear. Who you get to hang out with. With that in mind, this contest is going to focus on one particular banned item.
From Possession, where Vi (the female MC) describes something Jag (the male MC) is wearing:
And for this oh-my-heck-there's-only-three-months-until-Possession-comes-out contest you can win one of Jag's chokers!
To enter:
1. Go to the Possession Facebook fanpage. Like it.
2. On the FB fanpage DISCUSSION tab, join the discussion and tell us your greatest possession.
3. Do this by Friday, March 25.
4. A winner will be drawn for this fabulous against-the-rules necklace and announced on the Facebook fanpage wall on Monday, March 28.
You can tweet or blog or facebook about the contest, but I'm not doing extra entries. Yeah, I am just that lazy (and not that smart).
Can you imagine living in a world where you can't even wear jewelry?
Also, get thee over to the WriteOnCon site! Major announcement today! MAY-JOR.
And winners! These five people have won signed copies of THE LIAR SOCIETY by Lisa and Laura Roecker. Please email me (elanajohnson(at)gmail(dot)com with your mailing address.)
1. Tere Kirkland
2. Gabrielle at Biased Book Reviews
3. Jennie Englund
4. Aik at The Bookaholics
5. Peggy Eddleman
In honor of that, I'm going to be doing a monthly contest: One that launches on March 7th (that's today), one on April 7th, and one on May 6th.
All three contests will be run through the Possession Facebook fanpage. So you can comment here--and you know I love your comments--but if you want to enter and win, you have to do it on the FB fanpage.
Here's what we're doing this month: Your greatest POSSESSION.
In the dystopian society of Possession, everything is mandated by someone else. Someone smarter than you. A Thinker. What classes you take. What you wear. Who you get to hang out with. With that in mind, this contest is going to focus on one particular banned item.
From Possession, where Vi (the female MC) describes something Jag (the male MC) is wearing:
He wore a necklace. Jewelry is against the rules in the Goodgrounds.
But here was a boy. Wearing jewelry. The necklace didn’t hang down onto his chest, but barely encircled his throat. It looked like it choked him—almost. The white rocks were shaped like cylinders with different colored jewels alternating between them. Red, blue, purple, and orange. The gems sparkled even though there was no light source in the shelter. Almost like an internal light radiated from them.
And for this oh-my-heck-there's-only-three-months-until-Possession-comes-out contest you can win one of Jag's chokers!
 |
 |
| This is not my sexy neck. But yowsa! That is a sexy necklace. |
To enter:
1. Go to the Possession Facebook fanpage. Like it.
2. On the FB fanpage DISCUSSION tab, join the discussion and tell us your greatest possession.
3. Do this by Friday, March 25.
4. A winner will be drawn for this fabulous against-the-rules necklace and announced on the Facebook fanpage wall on Monday, March 28.
You can tweet or blog or facebook about the contest, but I'm not doing extra entries. Yeah, I am just that lazy (and not that smart).
Can you imagine living in a world where you can't even wear jewelry?
Also, get thee over to the WriteOnCon site! Major announcement today! MAY-JOR.
And winners! These five people have won signed copies of THE LIAR SOCIETY by Lisa and Laura Roecker. Please email me (elanajohnson(at)gmail(dot)com with your mailing address.)
1. Tere Kirkland
2. Gabrielle at Biased Book Reviews
3. Jennie Englund
4. Aik at The Bookaholics
5. Peggy Eddleman
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
One-Sentence Pitching
Okay, so the contest with Chris Richman is coming up. I know putting together one sentence that pitches your book is hard. Terrifying. Chocolate-worthy. Here're some posts that will hopefully help.
Sisters in Scribe did a great post here.
Mary Lindsey gave us some wisdom on the QT blog about the "elevator pitch."
Literary agent, Joanna Volpe, weighed in on pitches here.
Author Michelle McLean gave some insight on writing a logline (repubbed on the QT blog).
I blogged about the high-concept hook here.
Randy Ingermanson analyzes pitches here and here. (Thanks to Nicole for the linkage!)
And what would my pitch be for my YA dystopian novel, CONTROL ISSUES?
Hope something helps! What do you think? Can you craft a single sentence that describes your book? What do you say when people ask you what your book is about? That's your pitch. Make it into one sentence and get ready for the contest!
And so much for only blogging 3 days this week! Sheesh. At least I have nothing planned for Thursday...yet. *grins*
Sisters in Scribe did a great post here.
Mary Lindsey gave us some wisdom on the QT blog about the "elevator pitch."
Literary agent, Joanna Volpe, weighed in on pitches here.
Author Michelle McLean gave some insight on writing a logline (repubbed on the QT blog).
I blogged about the high-concept hook here.
Randy Ingermanson analyzes pitches here and here. (Thanks to Nicole for the linkage!)
And what would my pitch be for my YA dystopian novel, CONTROL ISSUES?
In a world where Thinkers brainwash the population and Rules are not meant to be broken, fifteen-year-old Violet does a hell of a job shattering them to pieces in her search for answers about her “dead” sister and not-so-missing father.
Hope something helps! What do you think? Can you craft a single sentence that describes your book? What do you say when people ask you what your book is about? That's your pitch. Make it into one sentence and get ready for the contest!
And so much for only blogging 3 days this week! Sheesh. At least I have nothing planned for Thursday...yet. *grins*
Monday, April 19, 2010
Upcoming Agent-Judged Contest!
Howdy, people!
Okay, so over on the QueryTracker blog, we've got another agent-judged contest coming up.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 27 (not today! TUESDAY, APRIL 27. That's not even tomorrow.)
WHO: Chris Richman, from the fabulous Upstart Crow Literary Agency.
WHAT: One-sentence pitch of your YA/MG novel.
WHERE: On the QueryTracker blog (not here!). You must be a follower of the QT blog to enter, because Mr. Richman has NOT capped the entries!! That's right, people, no cap! The contest will remain open for 24 hours, and if we get 600 entries, so be it!
So get your novel distilled down to your best one-sentence pitch and join us on Tuesday, April 27.
Do we know how to throw a contest or what?? And do I use too many exclamation points or what?!? Whatever (or what?). Go get your pitch ready!
Okay, so over on the QueryTracker blog, we've got another agent-judged contest coming up.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 27 (not today! TUESDAY, APRIL 27. That's not even tomorrow.)
WHO: Chris Richman, from the fabulous Upstart Crow Literary Agency.
WHAT: One-sentence pitch of your YA/MG novel.
WHERE: On the QueryTracker blog (not here!). You must be a follower of the QT blog to enter, because Mr. Richman has NOT capped the entries!! That's right, people, no cap! The contest will remain open for 24 hours, and if we get 600 entries, so be it!
So get your novel distilled down to your best one-sentence pitch and join us on Tuesday, April 27.
Do we know how to throw a contest or what?? And do I use too many exclamation points or what?!? Whatever (or what?). Go get your pitch ready!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Contest: Are You a Word Wizard?
*nods* Yes, yes I think you are. I've done this before, and it was such fun! There's so many funny, talented people out there. And yes, because I am lame, I basically took what I wrote in that post and copied it here. I am only original on Thursdays and sometimes Saturdays. LOL.
Today I'm hosting my SECOND Comment Contest! This is gonna be so much better than the first one, so I hope you've brought your delicious A-game to the table today. If not, never fear! This contest will be open for a few days so if you're currently playing your B-game, maybe you could take a nap or have a refreshing beverage before participating.
Rules That Must Be Followed:
1. Leave a comment on THIS post.
2. The comment has to be a single sentence. Not two. Not three. Not even a one-word second sentence. One sentence. Em-dashes, commas, hyphens, and semi-colons are encouraged and may earn you extra points. Or maybe not.
3. The sentence must use your verification word in it in a unique and interesting way. Oh, and it must make sense. (Side note: NO CHEATING. You get the word you get, and you can't throw a fit. That's what I tell the kids at school. This means no exiting the page because you "don't like" your verification word. I have no way to police this, so police yourselves people.)
4. Post said sentence with said verification word by Sunday, June 7.
5. Since I am the queen of Mindless Musings, I will choose the one that makes me spray Sprite out my nose the most and meet you back here with the dripping wet winner sometime next week.
6. This contest is open to anyone. Writers, non-writers, boys, girls, facebook addicts, non-twitterers, professional blog readers, everyone. Because of this, please make sure your entry is PG. And spread the word! I want to laugh my fool head off this first week of summer vacay! Okay? Okay.
7. The prize? $10 gift card at Barnes and Noble.
Ready? Set...Go!
Today I'm hosting my SECOND Comment Contest! This is gonna be so much better than the first one, so I hope you've brought your delicious A-game to the table today. If not, never fear! This contest will be open for a few days so if you're currently playing your B-game, maybe you could take a nap or have a refreshing beverage before participating.
Rules That Must Be Followed:
1. Leave a comment on THIS post.
2. The comment has to be a single sentence. Not two. Not three. Not even a one-word second sentence. One sentence. Em-dashes, commas, hyphens, and semi-colons are encouraged and may earn you extra points. Or maybe not.
3. The sentence must use your verification word in it in a unique and interesting way. Oh, and it must make sense. (Side note: NO CHEATING. You get the word you get, and you can't throw a fit. That's what I tell the kids at school. This means no exiting the page because you "don't like" your verification word. I have no way to police this, so police yourselves people.)
4. Post said sentence with said verification word by Sunday, June 7.
5. Since I am the queen of Mindless Musings, I will choose the one that makes me spray Sprite out my nose the most and meet you back here with the dripping wet winner sometime next week.
6. This contest is open to anyone. Writers, non-writers, boys, girls, facebook addicts, non-twitterers, professional blog readers, everyone. Because of this, please make sure your entry is PG. And spread the word! I want to laugh my fool head off this first week of summer vacay! Okay? Okay.
7. The prize? $10 gift card at Barnes and Noble.
Ready? Set...Go!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Odds and Ends, Etc.
Okay, so I've slacked off on several things here at Mindless Musings. The first is the dialog contest thingy I did on my blog, um, gulp, almost three weeks ago.The winner gets to send me their query letter or their first chapter (up to ten pages) for a complete shredding aka, a critique.
And the winner is...Scott!
Email me the Word document to elanajohnson at gmail dot com. I'll do my best to get back to you in a reasonable amount of time, which may mean something different to you than it does to me. *wink, wink*
Moving on.
Point two: I love these "motivational posters" like the one above. I've put one on my blog every day this week. They're really demotivational posters and you can find them at Despair, Inc. Hilarious!
Next. Books I've read since last time I blogged about it.
8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant--and it combines my two favorite things: reality TV and dystopian YA fiction. I only wish I had thought of it.
9. The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum. Seriously, people. This is what Twilight should have been. Read it. Love it. Can't wait for more.
10. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. I'm a lover of all things LHA, and she didn't disappoint here. Like at all. Fantastic read.
What I'm currently reading: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. Ink Exchange by Mellisa Marr. Yes, all at the same time. Deal with it. Hey, I'm in the double-digits now. That's something right? Right?And up next...
Flower short stories for the month of May (here's mine). These are the ones I read and know about. I'm pretty sure Christine is going to be throwing out the next topic, so be ready for that any day now.
KLo Abby Eric
Lisa and Laura Christine
Windsong (Danyelle) Rebecca
Melissa Nisa Mandy
If you posted and I missed it, let me know! I'll edit this post for ya.
One last thing: IT'S THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!! I now have the next 2 1/2 months off--meaning I will waste copious amounts of time laying by the pool, watching my kids play sports and / or spending time with family and teenage girls.
Ah, the life.
Phew! I think that ties up all the loose ends. Have a fantastic weekend!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
QueryTracker Turns Two!
That's right. It's like a proud parent moment. Except I am not the parent, and well, Querytracker.net isn't a kid. But it's the same excitement!
Because we're having a party!
Click on the picture below for more details. Oh, and there's also a little blog chain contest going on. The grand prize of this hulla-baloo is a FREE WEBSITE designed by the awesome Carolyn Kaufman and QT's daddy, Patrick McDonald. That's right. FREE. (They're the Purple Squirrel Web Designers. Check 'em out.)
You want that, don't you? Um, yeah.
You get one entry into the grand prize drawing for every contest you enter. (Details on the carnival page, click below.) You can also get another entry by helping us advertise!
Simply make a post like this one you're reading on your blog. Make sure to use the wicked fun graphic and direct them to the carnival page for more deets. Then come back here and leave a comment with your link and real name. Or email your link with your real name to elanajohnson (at) querytracker (dot) net.
I'll make sure you get in the drawing.
Be sure to tell your readers to EMAIL ME (or comment here) their link and real name so I can put their name in the drawing. You can link to this post so everyone knows how to make sure they're entered for the FREE WEBSITE!
And hurry! You must have your blog post up by next Saturday, May 23 to get the extra entry.
Spread the word! Win a website!
Because we're having a party!
Click on the picture below for more details. Oh, and there's also a little blog chain contest going on. The grand prize of this hulla-baloo is a FREE WEBSITE designed by the awesome Carolyn Kaufman and QT's daddy, Patrick McDonald. That's right. FREE. (They're the Purple Squirrel Web Designers. Check 'em out.)
You want that, don't you? Um, yeah.
You get one entry into the grand prize drawing for every contest you enter. (Details on the carnival page, click below.) You can also get another entry by helping us advertise!
Simply make a post like this one you're reading on your blog. Make sure to use the wicked fun graphic and direct them to the carnival page for more deets. Then come back here and leave a comment with your link and real name. Or email your link with your real name to elanajohnson (at) querytracker (dot) net.
I'll make sure you get in the drawing.
Be sure to tell your readers to EMAIL ME (or comment here) their link and real name so I can put their name in the drawing. You can link to this post so everyone knows how to make sure they're entered for the FREE WEBSITE!
And hurry! You must have your blog post up by next Saturday, May 23 to get the extra entry.
Spread the word! Win a website!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Talking Heads - Teaser Tuesday - Blog Contest
So my friends at critique group challenged me to write something only using dialog. I'm not really sure if it was a challenge or I just transformed it into one in my head. They said something about how they liked my dialog and I actually think one of them was tearing into me [with very sharp teeth] because I didn't have enough sensory details. Or something. And I was saying how sometimes I think it's okay to just let the characters talk without any blocking details or anything. I mean if they're sitting at the breakfast table and you've established that, I don't need the demise of every bite of bacon. I mean, another clue every little bit or so is okay, but not every line of dialog needs an action, internal thought...or sensory detail. (lol)
I just did a post on writing dialog, so you can check that out. Dialog should reveal things. Not only plot things, but character things too. I believe that through dialog, your characters live. Really live.
So I thought I'd write something with only (okay, MOSTLY) dialog. And I'm throwing down the gauntlet. That's right. This is a contest. I want you to submit a snippet of dialog (could be from your novel or something else you've written, or it could be something you specifically write for this Dialog Throwdown) in the comments on this thread. Maximum wordage: 250 words. Enter by say, Friday this week. That's the 15th.
I'll read them. Choose a winner. (Or should we vote? I'm all about a democracy, but I want everyone to play nice-nice.) The prize? I am sort of notorious for slaying queries, so I'll look at and help you privately with your query letter. If you don't need that because you're the query queen/king and/or I've already helped you, I'll shred, er, critique your first chapter.
So here's mine. Just so you know, this is a magic lesson between two humans (Jared and Annie) who don't know much magic and a group of magical beings (including Jon) who, well, know a lot of magic.
----------
"You didn't do your protections," Jon said.
"I did too," I snapped.
"I wasn't talking to you."
"Shut up, Jon," Jared said.
"Jon, so help me…." I threatened.
"Okay, I'll help you." He stood up and threw a purple disc with a long tail spiraling behind it.
I didn't know any spells besides how to protect myself, but Jared set up the lame no-good shield again.
"Jared, what good is that going to do?" I asked.
"Shut up! It's all I know."
"I know you learned more than one spell today. I saw you."
"How many did you learn, princess?"
"I learned protections. That's all I know. Freakin' take them out!"
"I'm using what I have for this damn shield! You have more magic than me, help me out here!"
"I would, but—ack!" Ice snaked over my legs up to my waist. Whoever had done this was so dead. And right now, I could commit Jon's murder, no problem.
"See if you can get out," Jon said.
"What the hell is this?" Jared looked at his encased legs. "I did the shield."
"Two feet off the ground," Jon replied.
I raised my eyebrows at Jared. "Well?"
"Well what? I don't know what to do."
"How about an Inferno?" Jon suggested. Black fire soared across the library in a funnel, licking at me and melting the ice. I couldn't help the scream that tore through my throat. Next to me, Jared cussed like he didn't know any other words.
"Jon," Edgar said, almost wearily. "Dude, do we really need to freak them out?"
-----------
So...given the little you know about Jon, Annie (she's the "I" in the story) and Jared, what do you think Jon would say to that? What about Jared or Annie? Do you get a little glimpse of who they are?
And now it's your turn! Lay it on me, baby!
I just did a post on writing dialog, so you can check that out. Dialog should reveal things. Not only plot things, but character things too. I believe that through dialog, your characters live. Really live.
So I thought I'd write something with only (okay, MOSTLY) dialog. And I'm throwing down the gauntlet. That's right. This is a contest. I want you to submit a snippet of dialog (could be from your novel or something else you've written, or it could be something you specifically write for this Dialog Throwdown) in the comments on this thread. Maximum wordage: 250 words. Enter by say, Friday this week. That's the 15th.I'll read them. Choose a winner. (Or should we vote? I'm all about a democracy, but I want everyone to play nice-nice.) The prize? I am sort of notorious for slaying queries, so I'll look at and help you privately with your query letter. If you don't need that because you're the query queen/king and/or I've already helped you, I'll shred, er, critique your first chapter.
So here's mine. Just so you know, this is a magic lesson between two humans (Jared and Annie) who don't know much magic and a group of magical beings (including Jon) who, well, know a lot of magic.
----------
"You didn't do your protections," Jon said.
"I did too," I snapped.
"I wasn't talking to you."
"Shut up, Jon," Jared said.
"Jon, so help me…." I threatened.
"Okay, I'll help you." He stood up and threw a purple disc with a long tail spiraling behind it.
I didn't know any spells besides how to protect myself, but Jared set up the lame no-good shield again.
"Jared, what good is that going to do?" I asked.
"Shut up! It's all I know."
"I know you learned more than one spell today. I saw you."
"How many did you learn, princess?"
"I learned protections. That's all I know. Freakin' take them out!"
"I'm using what I have for this damn shield! You have more magic than me, help me out here!"
"I would, but—ack!" Ice snaked over my legs up to my waist. Whoever had done this was so dead. And right now, I could commit Jon's murder, no problem.
"See if you can get out," Jon said.
"What the hell is this?" Jared looked at his encased legs. "I did the shield."
"Two feet off the ground," Jon replied.
I raised my eyebrows at Jared. "Well?"
"Well what? I don't know what to do."
"How about an Inferno?" Jon suggested. Black fire soared across the library in a funnel, licking at me and melting the ice. I couldn't help the scream that tore through my throat. Next to me, Jared cussed like he didn't know any other words.
"Jon," Edgar said, almost wearily. "Dude, do we really need to freak them out?"
-----------
So...given the little you know about Jon, Annie (she's the "I" in the story) and Jared, what do you think Jon would say to that? What about Jared or Annie? Do you get a little glimpse of who they are?
And now it's your turn! Lay it on me, baby!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Literary Agent Contest on the QueryTracker Blog
Lookie at what Archetype made! The woman can do anything. Give her some mad love.
Now, before you go all psycho and start sending submissions, be sure to read the directions here. The contest doesn't actually open until MONDAY people. That's Monday, April 13. But use this weekend to get yours ready, tell all your writerly buddies, post in your forums, oh and have a fantabulerific Easter!
Now, before you go all psycho and start sending submissions, be sure to read the directions here. The contest doesn't actually open until MONDAY people. That's Monday, April 13. But use this weekend to get yours ready, tell all your writerly buddies, post in your forums, oh and have a fantabulerific Easter!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Contest Winners! And So Many New Books to Read
Wow, you guys are so full of awesome. There were so many comments on last Friday's call for the best books and authors on the planet. I carefully typed them all up in a fancy Word document and did some serious printage and scouring at the library. And then I'm going to head to the bookstore. And then maybe Amazon. One can never have too many books. Or amazing authors to emulate. But enough babbling about my future plans which may or may not come to fruition (challenge: use this word in a sentence today! ha ha!).
So on to the winner!
It's Sandra!
And you can email me with your prize choice.
1. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
2. Looking for Alaska by John Green
3. Or a critique of the first ten pages of your novel
And the second place winner! You didn't think I was going to have more than one, didja? Ha! I like to keep you on your toes.
Sara Tribble can email me what she wants, in list form, please. Like, "1. Looking for Alaska 2. Critique 3. Wicked Lovely" Then whatever Sandra doesn't pick, I'll give you your top choice if it's available. Does this even make sense? It does inside my own brain, but you never know on the outside.
And the third place winner is Windsong. Just email me. You'll get what you get and you won't throw a fit. Oops! My inner teacher/mom just surfaced.
Email: elanajohnson (at) gmail (dot) com
Thanks for suggesting the great reads! I went to the library yesterday and they had some Patricia McKillip and some Bernard Cornwall. I put Tad Williams on request, same with Cassandra Clare (which I already had on request). And I've had Suzanne Collins' on request for like, two weeks, so we'll see if I ever get that. And I have Diana Gabaldon's book in my closet...I've really got to read that...
So on to the winner!
It's Sandra!
And you can email me with your prize choice.
1. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
2. Looking for Alaska by John Green
3. Or a critique of the first ten pages of your novel
And the second place winner! You didn't think I was going to have more than one, didja? Ha! I like to keep you on your toes.
Sara Tribble can email me what she wants, in list form, please. Like, "1. Looking for Alaska 2. Critique 3. Wicked Lovely" Then whatever Sandra doesn't pick, I'll give you your top choice if it's available. Does this even make sense? It does inside my own brain, but you never know on the outside.
And the third place winner is Windsong. Just email me. You'll get what you get and you won't throw a fit. Oops! My inner teacher/mom just surfaced.
Email: elanajohnson (at) gmail (dot) com
Thanks for suggesting the great reads! I went to the library yesterday and they had some Patricia McKillip and some Bernard Cornwall. I put Tad Williams on request, same with Cassandra Clare (which I already had on request). And I've had Suzanne Collins' on request for like, two weeks, so we'll see if I ever get that. And I have Diana Gabaldon's book in my closet...I've really got to read that...
Friday, April 3, 2009
Contest - Who Do You Love To Read?
Okay, since my readage and postage on The Book Thief, I've been wondering what other super-stud authors there are out there. So here's the deal. Leave me a comment, telling me who (the author's name) and what (the book) that you read that made you shake your head sadly, wondering how you could ever learn to write like that.
I actually have more than one. In no particular order:
Scott Westerfeld, So Yesterday. I adore everything Scott Westerfeld. I have yet to read his Midnighter's series, but it's on my list. I just find his young adult writing fresh and current and relevant. *sadly shaking head*
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter. And not for the reason you think. I think she's brilliant, of course, but the reason why I find myself shaking my head sadly is because she "gets" boys. She doesn't try to make Harry a girl. As a woman author, I find this beyond awesome. And I marvel every time I read a scene where she captures the boyness of Harry. *stewing on how to know how a boy would react to things when I am not a boy*
Then The Book Thief, for reasons I already pontificated on in the post on Monday.
So that's it. I'm opening the comments from now until midnight Sunday, April 5, so you have about 72 hours to figure out which authors and books have you sadly shaking your head. Cuz I want to do that, too.
What will you get? I have a couple of books that had me shaking my head. Looking for Alaska by John Green and Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. Or I'll take a critical look at the first ten pages of your book. You choose.
I actually have more than one. In no particular order:
Scott Westerfeld, So Yesterday. I adore everything Scott Westerfeld. I have yet to read his Midnighter's series, but it's on my list. I just find his young adult writing fresh and current and relevant. *sadly shaking head*
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter. And not for the reason you think. I think she's brilliant, of course, but the reason why I find myself shaking my head sadly is because she "gets" boys. She doesn't try to make Harry a girl. As a woman author, I find this beyond awesome. And I marvel every time I read a scene where she captures the boyness of Harry. *stewing on how to know how a boy would react to things when I am not a boy*Then The Book Thief, for reasons I already pontificated on in the post on Monday.
So that's it. I'm opening the comments from now until midnight Sunday, April 5, so you have about 72 hours to figure out which authors and books have you sadly shaking your head. Cuz I want to do that, too.
What will you get? I have a couple of books that had me shaking my head. Looking for Alaska by John Green and Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. Or I'll take a critical look at the first ten pages of your book. You choose.
Monday, March 23, 2009
And the Winner is...
The Getting to Know You contest was sure a lot of fun. I loved reading about what you all write, what you like to eat, and what you do when you're not online blogging. So, without further ado, the winner is...
Janyece!
You've won TANTALIZE by Cynthia Leitich Smith! Please email me at elanajohnson at gmail dot com with your name and mailing address and I'll get this bad boy in the mail.
Thanks for entering everyone! I love doing contests...but my biggest problem is knowing what people want to win. So, I thought I'd ask. What do you want to win? Books? Query letter critiques? What?
Janyece!
You've won TANTALIZE by Cynthia Leitich Smith! Please email me at elanajohnson at gmail dot com with your name and mailing address and I'll get this bad boy in the mail.
Thanks for entering everyone! I love doing contests...but my biggest problem is knowing what people want to win. So, I thought I'd ask. What do you want to win? Books? Query letter critiques? What?
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Getting to Know You...
Getting to know all about you. Yeah, cue the music, people. (And name that movie/play, if you can.)
Okay, I don't know how many of you are actual subscribers and how many of you slipped and accidentally hit that subscribe button and now you don't know how to undo it. But I'm glad you're here! I love blogging, and I love comments.
So today is "Getting to Know You" day. I want to know who you are! I can see my followers (and I always try to click on you and follow you back. Yes, I have the sheep syndrome from time to time.) and it's fun to see your tiny heads on the side. But I don’t really know you.
So here's the deal. Leave me a comment with who you are. Who you hope wins Survivor or American Idol. What you do for a living. Your favorite food. Whatev. A short little blurb about yourself.
If it were me, I might say something like this: "I write YA fiction, adore reality TV, drive way too fast, and wish bacon alone could sustain life." It doesn't have to be like, your entire life history or anything. But just a little something to get to know you.
And I'm gonna bribe you to do it. Food usually works with teenagers and husbands, but since I can't send you my infamous chocolate pie through cyberspace, I'm going to offer up a copy of TANTALIZE by Cynthia Leitich Smith. Hey, the book is about a girl who runs a restaurant and that's totally food-related, so it's all good. So get introducing yourselves!
**Winners will be chosen by random number. No Sprite-spewage on this. Although bonus points will be awarded for that. ;)
Okay, I don't know how many of you are actual subscribers and how many of you slipped and accidentally hit that subscribe button and now you don't know how to undo it. But I'm glad you're here! I love blogging, and I love comments.
So today is "Getting to Know You" day. I want to know who you are! I can see my followers (and I always try to click on you and follow you back. Yes, I have the sheep syndrome from time to time.) and it's fun to see your tiny heads on the side. But I don’t really know you.
So here's the deal. Leave me a comment with who you are. Who you hope wins Survivor or American Idol. What you do for a living. Your favorite food. Whatev. A short little blurb about yourself.
If it were me, I might say something like this: "I write YA fiction, adore reality TV, drive way too fast, and wish bacon alone could sustain life." It doesn't have to be like, your entire life history or anything. But just a little something to get to know you.
And I'm gonna bribe you to do it. Food usually works with teenagers and husbands, but since I can't send you my infamous chocolate pie through cyberspace, I'm going to offer up a copy of TANTALIZE by Cynthia Leitich Smith. Hey, the book is about a girl who runs a restaurant and that's totally food-related, so it's all good. So get introducing yourselves!
**Winners will be chosen by random number. No Sprite-spewage on this. Although bonus points will be awarded for that. ;)
Monday, March 2, 2009
My Desire to Create
I love making new things. I feel satisfaction when I finish that chocolate pie and it's perfect. Up until very recently, I had a crafting blog. I like to make cards, scrapbook, make personalized notebooks, whatever I feel like. I feel like I accomplished something good when I create.
Of course, recently all of my creation juices have been going toward writing. But, I've recently received an insane number of rejections on my full manuscript. (Not just queries. Query rejections are like a pin prick. Full rejections are like a stab in the stomach. And I've had many. It's a wonder I'm still alive with all this internal bleeding.) It's my first novel, and I've been working on it for 14 months. Sadly, I shelved it yesterday. It seems so final. Like I need to have a funeral or something.
Or maybe a renewal. My good friend, Jenn, posted this on her blog. I think it's what I need to keep myself in the creation vibe.
The first five people to respond to this post will get something from me!
My choice. But for you. Handmade. (And I can wield paper and scissors with flawless ease.
I've been known to sew a mean button on, too.)
This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1: I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.
2: What I create will be just for you.
3: It'll be done this year.
4: You have no clue what it's going to be (nor do I at this point).
If you feel inclined, re-post this on your blog and offer to create something for the first five people who respond. The first five people to leave a comment here will receive a handcrafted something or other.
Of course, recently all of my creation juices have been going toward writing. But, I've recently received an insane number of rejections on my full manuscript. (Not just queries. Query rejections are like a pin prick. Full rejections are like a stab in the stomach. And I've had many. It's a wonder I'm still alive with all this internal bleeding.) It's my first novel, and I've been working on it for 14 months. Sadly, I shelved it yesterday. It seems so final. Like I need to have a funeral or something.
Or maybe a renewal. My good friend, Jenn, posted this on her blog. I think it's what I need to keep myself in the creation vibe.
The first five people to respond to this post will get something from me!
My choice. But for you. Handmade. (And I can wield paper and scissors with flawless ease.
I've been known to sew a mean button on, too.)This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1: I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.
2: What I create will be just for you.
3: It'll be done this year.
4: You have no clue what it's going to be (nor do I at this point).
If you feel inclined, re-post this on your blog and offer to create something for the first five people who respond. The first five people to leave a comment here will receive a handcrafted something or other.
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