Much like the art of passing love notes in the third grade (when you suddenly realized that you didn’t have to tell Chaz Littlefoot that you liked him in person; that you could instead share your feelings via the written word), querying agents in writing is a strenuous process which has a lot of inherent pros and cons. […]
Here’s a picture that I absolutely DID take myself. This is where I write every day. (God Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise, as Janet Reid would say)
You might have noticed a sudden and shocking absence of “flair” on this blog. This is why: http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2012/07/blogging-authors-beware-you-can-get.html You’ve been warned. ***Legal disclaimer: to my knowledge, I have not intentionally used any copyrighted materials without the express permission and/or knowledge of the owner(s). THIS BLOG claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless […]
I’ve always thought the expression “take it like a man” was a hilarious one. Not because I’m super feminist or anything (though, to be fair, I did start a club in college called Manhaters Anonymous…about a year before I broke down and married one of them), or because men (at least the ones I know) are usually big […]
I know this is going to sound a little stupid and formulaic, and it probably is. But when I first began this whole process of shopping myself out (or, as Elle Lothlorien would say, pimping myself out) in the hopes of achieving representation of the literary kind, it felt a lot like when I was in […]
I’ve just begun the querying process, and let me tell you something, folks. In my life, I’ve done a lot of crazy, terrifying things. I’ve gone snowboarding pell-mell down Pepi’s Face in Vail, Colorado when the ice was thicker than a Chicago Pizza crust. I’ve gone whitewater rafting more times than I can count, and have almost […]
My friend John said something to me the other day, and it got me to thinking. First of all, FYI, John is one of my local friends who agreed to be a “beta reader” for my novel’s first draft. In the publishing industry, beta readers are usually family members or trusted friends–sometimes even agents, if […]
There’s an aspiring writer like me behind every book in America, I guess. I’m the girl who can find the words. Nouns, adverbs, even adjectives if you’re partial, an adverb to sell your point with gusto in a dramatic situation. I can find you damn near any words, within reason. But are they the right words? Ah, and […]
If I was trying to be dramatic, I might liken the current stage of my querying process to that of a drowning victim. At first, I was just shocked and disoriented, having suddenly found myself dunked into unfamiliar territory. “Good lord,” I realized. “I actually have a completed manuscript that I have faith in, that I can […]
That’s right, ladies and gentlemen. It’s that time. The time has come. Starting today, I will be live-blogging the exciting and much puked-about thing known as the Querying Process. You’re welcome. Today, I started reading a great book called Query: Everything you need to get started, get noticed and get signed, by C.J. Redwine. So […]
When I finally finish this book, I am going to be on SOOOO many government watch lists. (Based on my google search history alone.) Examples: “How do you make improvised blasting caps?” “Can a mag be turned into a repeating explosive?” “How long does it take a person to die from [insert wound type here]?” […]
This post is about endings. At some point, every writer faces the moment where they have to choose the way their story will end. One of the first and greatest quandaries they face is that of the academic ending vs. the realistic. Whether they know it or not, most people will fight an internal battle […]
It’s embarrassing how many nights a week I lay awake, eyes wide, ears perked, hyper-analyzing every little creak and groan. The chirping of crickets turn into the squeaking of front door hinges. (Though, to be fair, the crickets here do seem adept at mimicking inorganic sounds like car alarms and electric buzzing.) The tree outside […]
Author’s Forward: Mom, don’t read this. Also, if you’re a fan of Stephanie Meyer, 50 Shades of Grey, or any other 50 Shades of Bullsh** spinoff thereof, don’t read this. (And while you’re at it, please leave the site immediately and never come back. J/k all readophiles are welcome. Just don’t say I didn’t warn […]
Someone asked me the other day what kind of books I liked to write. I told them I like to write all kinds of books, but I firmly believe that it’s not the type of book you write that defines you as a writer. It’s all about the style, the voice. So I’m making up a […]
I have a spirit animal, and his name is Todd*. You know those moments in your life, when you look back and realize “that was a moment that influenced me to change.” You might not realize it at the time–in fact, you almost never do–but whether you know it or not, something comes into your […]
If I post something and no one comments on it… was I ever really here? Food for thought.
I’ve now been here for ten days. The mania has started to set in. Today, I went online and started searching for editing jobs, unpaid or not. It’s not that I can’t live without the money, but I think my body is beginning to suffer from the lack of stress that used to augment my blood-pressure. […]
Hello, friends! This is the first official post of my soon-to-be ongoing theme of “Q & A Thursday.” At first, I’ll probably just start off by making up my own questions. But eventually, you can start e-mailing me any writing or island related questions to the following address: FridayIsForWriting@gmail.com (catchy, right?) and I’ll choose one […]
You only get to claim a fresh start a few times in your life. There’s the very first day of school, when no one knows you at all…when you haven’t yet made a single new friend, turned in a single homework assignment or pissed off a single teacher. Then there’s the day you go off […]
A friend of mine recently asked for an example of what a novelization looks like. Here’s one of mine that I did for one of my favorite movies. Joon was a mess. The romantic escape effort had gone horribly awry, and the voices had come back just when Sam was about to take her away forever, […]
A moment of doubt, A brief inhalation; Words become superfluous And instinct rules Time lengthens, Fills all waking memory; The last moment before Is the edge of the first. Feelings rain, The reign of thoughts cease And you’re almost there. Suprising, yet gentle In complete overtaking; Atoms explode, As two bodies collide.
The Freshmen Freeze Out: Part III Three days later, I stood up in front of the ENTIRE school and delivered a speech that I made up on the spot. On the inside, I was FTFO like a gerbil on Adderol. But outwardly, I was witty, acerbic and thought-provoking. (Or at least my academic advisor thought so.) […]
And now, for the second chapter of the epic (and real) teenage saga: The Freshmen Freeze Out: Part 2 I was still left with doubts as to how I was going to survive in the predatory ecosystem that was Inferno High School. Where was I going to fit in? What link of the food chain […]
VP Anderson 
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