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great contest, Shelli. I'm not entering since I don't think my novel is Alyssa's kind of thing (edgy YA), and my other one won't be ready until late spring. BUT I love love love the pay it forward concept. Can't wait to read the winning pitches. :D

Great contest! I won't be entering, but I'll mention your contest on my blog this Wed.

Hi, Shelli,

Fantastic contest. I am so ready and your agent is AWESOME!

Check out my post in about an hour and I will twitter as well.

I will post my entry in the next day or two, but I had to do your shout out right away!


Michael

Hi, Shelli,

Me again. My post is up and I tweeted at Dak86.

Time for me to create my entry.

Thanks again,

Michael

Shelli, thanks for the opportunity. I am following and love your blog.

Jill Mackenzie
[email protected]
YA - Fifteen Minutes Till Maybe
Pitch:
When eighteen year-old Magnolia is abandoned by her mom, she sinks into a funk deeper than the clams she digs for in her small, Oregon Coast town. But when a reality TV dance competition posts open auditions in a neighboring city, she knows she has to make it to the tryouts, and onto the show, no matter what. Because maybe her mom will see her on TV and come home or maybe Magnolia win the grand-prize money and be able to pay that man who promises he'll find her mom. Maybe.

Here is the link to my FB shout out. And, I friended you so you could see it. http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=569006146

I don't have a Twitter account, or a blog.

Thanks again. This is so totally great of you to do.
~Jill

Shelli you are the queen of paying it forward. You must be drenched in good karma.

good luck to all the entrants!

This is such a great opportunity! Thanks so much, Shelli!

Dorothy Dreyer
dorothyanndreyer [at] gmail.com
YA Paranormal Romance

Melody is a young muse who has the misfortune of screwing up most of her inspiration assignments——which pretty much sucks when you have someone as strict as Zeus for a father. After having her license revoked for a hundred years for reckless behavior, Melody is finally released from house arrest and put on probation.

When her Inspiration Officer assigns her to help a pair of down-on-their-luck teen brothers, Melody is glad to be back on the job——even if it means posing as a high school student. But when she starts having feelings for one of the brothers (a big no-no in the muse rule book), she must decide: give up the boy she loves to keep her muse status or succumb to her feelings and give up her immortality.


Pay it Forward Blog Post: http://we-do-write.blogspot.com/2011/01/pay-it-forward.html

Twitter: @DorothyDreyer

Taryn Albright
[email protected]
YA contemp mystery

When Alexis Dart's parents are murdered, the police suspect her boyfriend, but no matter how much her parents and her boyfriend didn't get along, Alexis can't believe Benji did it. She takes charge of the situation, and with Benji, steals a car to catch the murderer. But her cross country chase faces a roadblock when the pair discovers a Gutenberg Bible in the backseat, and suddenly they're headed across the country with the police and the priceless artifact's owner on their tail.

http://afoolsgoldenparadise.blogspot.com/2011/01/as-thank-you.html

@ASwimmerWrites

Bummer! I failed to read it correctly. I do not write YA or Mg :(

Oh well...here is the link to my post today anyway: http://thewriterscocoon.blogspot.com/2011/01/pay-it-forward.html

Shannon O'Donnell
mtso_d at yahoo dot com
MG

Eight-year-old Scott may be lazy and messy and mean to his sister, but it's not until he ruins her birthday party with a well-aimed cup of worms that his fed-up parents ship him off to The Naughty Boy Factory--a place he'd always believed was about as real as Bigfoot or the Bermuda Triangle.

I don't have twitter, but I will post to my FB page tonight - (Shannon LeMoine O'Donnell) and then give you the link.

Thank you SO MUCH for this opportunity, Shelli.

Hi Shelli, thanks so much for all the time and effort you're putting into this!

Christine Arnold
[email protected]
YA Fantasy
Blog:http://christinelarnold.blogspot.com/2011/01/pay-it-forward.html
Twitter: ChristineRnold

When 16-year-old Jemma Stone is attacked by a cult of men in wooden masks, she flees to the safety of Kingery Conservatory of Elemental Enchantment, the school where she will learn to harness her ability to manipulate the four elements. Only, Kingery isn’t as perfect or as safe as it seems. There’s a darkness in it’s past that threatens to creep out of the shadows. And when the masked men start appearing at Kingery, Jemma must figure out why they want her dead and what it has to do with the school’s sinister past before they succeed in killing her, or worse, the person she has come to love most.

Thanks so much, again!
~Christine

Thanks so much for doing this!

Genre: YA
email: [email protected]
blog post: http://lydiakang.blogspot.com/2011/01/medical-mondays-seize-and-desist.html
I'm a follower but I don't do Twitter!

In a futuristic Midwest, 17 year-old Zelia is failing her one promise to her dead father--to keep her younger sister safe. Now stuck in a foster family where mutants are the norm (green skin and extra limbs, anyone?) she must save her sister from another family who thinks they’ve found an exploitable Fountain of Youth. Between the DNA sleuthing gone awry and a Pride and Prejudice romance getting in the way, Zelia will find that it’s not just a life at stake—it’s a life that’s worth forever.

What a nice thing you are doing here. I'll have to think about entering and get back to you. Thanks!

first, last name
S. Kyle Davis

email address
kyle(at)skyledavis(dot)com

genre (only for MG or YA)
YA Fantasy Triller

pitch (no more than 4 sentences)
When a team of elfin spy-school recruiters die saving 16-year-old witch Taylor Keaton's life, she decides to take on their final mission. With only the project name to go on and a few short months to find the truth, Taylor must discover what a team of dark sorcerers are trying to steal and get it before they use it gain even more power and further unbalance the rift between between themselves and the rest of the magical world. Oh, and if she could do it before they kill her, that would help, too.

the link to your "Pay it forward" post (either on FB or blog)
http://skyledavis.blogspot.com/2011/01/paying-it-forward.html

your twitter id (if you have one)
@skyledavisbooks

I checked Ms. Henkin's profile on "Literary Rambles" and it appears she's looking for contemporary books. Since my MG fantasy takes place long ago, I'll have to pass on entering, but will definitely mention this in my weekly post.
Thanks again for such a generous offer.

Awesome contest. I wish everyone entering good luck. :)

New follower

what a great idea! I hope Alyssa finds a real gem through this! :)

Very cool. I posted it to the Blueboards. :)

I totally love the idea for this! Thanks!

Name: Mer Snow
Email: mrs.which (@) gmail.com
Genre: YA
Pitch: "There are three rules Julia must always obey: keep her charge from committing suicide, don’t attract attention to herself, and do not let anyone find out what she really is. But Julia has a secret: she killed the guy she loved—sorta, kinda on accident. The only way she’s going to save herself, or her best friend she’s been assigned to protect, is to break each of the rules. The ghosts of her past aren’t going to make anything easy though, especially his."
Link: http://merbear95695.livejournal.com/69992.html
Twitter: sorry, no account, but I am a blog follower!

I'm following! (But I'm not on Twitter - sorry.) Thanks for the great opportunity:

Theresa Milstein
tmilstein at gmail dot com
The Mist Chasers
Paranormal YA

Pitch: Pitch: Sixteen-year-old Eve and her best friend Adam are the sole witnesses to a badass mist that obliterates a Walmart, launching them on a ludicrous quest to salvage the planet before it reaches the tipping point. If that weren't enough, when Adam tries to kiss Eve, her rejection strains their friendship. And when Eve dates another guy, it makes things even worse. Can Eve save her friendship and the earth?

kathryn - i would only go by her trident bio - she updates it

"Alyssa is currently seeking commercial picture books, middle grade and young adult novels, as well as projects with crossover appeal in women’s fiction. She is especially drawn to mysteries in mansions, adventures that suspend disbelief, wish-fulfillment premises that linger with what ifs, epic love stories, and settings tilled with strong regional flavors."

Jolene Perry
jolenebperry at gmail dot com
YA

Micah Johnson sees things when she touches people - every person, every touch. It makes high school rough and friends impossible. An accidental touch from a boy changes her solitary world when she sees herself through his eyes and feels him falling for her. When another vision shows her in tears, she's forced to put all her trust in him, not knowing if their actions will prevent the vision or become the cause.

http://jolenesbeenwriting.blogspot.com/2011/01/pay-it-forward.html

I don't tweet BUT I'll keep your contest up all week on my blog! Happy reading... I bet you end up with a LOT of entries here.
Oh, and if it matters, my project is finished.

Thanks for the opportunity, Shelli, and for giving back! Here's my entry:

Name: Angelica R. Jackson
Email: strikingnotes(at)yahoo(dot)com
Genre: YA

Pitch:
In 1851, Olivia Herald sets a ship afire while escaping its murderous crew—dooming the Empyreal and all hands aboard it. Now their ghosts want retribution, and so do the authorities. With the prospect of a death sentence hanging over her, Olivia must reclaim her forsaken abilities to speak with the dead for a final reckoning with the vengeful spirits. If she fails, she could lose her soul and the way back to the man she loves.

Post on my blog: http://angelicarjackson.blogspot.com/2011/01/contests-galore.html

On twitter @angelicarjaxon

Name: Amy Johnson
Email: [email protected]
Genre/title: YA Romantic Fantasy – Duty & Death

Pitch:
Being the loyal daughter of an oppressive Emperor is one thing, murdering for him is quite another. That is exactly what is being asked of Skydra, the eldest daughter of Vladimir, the Emperor of Hetia. But Skydra has an unnatural gift: moments of split consciousness allow her access to the thoughts of others, and have made her a silent observer to the atrocities of her father, including her own mother’s death. This gift now shows her that the man she is supposed to kill is in no way worthy of that fate. With the knowledge of exactly what fulfilling her father’s demand, and duty to her country, will cost; she must decide between duty and death.

Blog Post: http://abkeuser.blogspot.com/2011/01/if-you-are-looking-for-agent.html

Twitter: @abkeuser

Name: Eleni Alexandraki
Email: [email protected]
Market: Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Pitch: Drina Hendrix isn't like other girls at her new school: her new best friend is a well-meaning, but magic-wielding witch who wants to help her love life (which is already complicated enough thanks to a sexy 19th-century Irish ghost and the cutie from the local garage band), she’s made an enemy the first day of school, and her spectral grandmother is constantly interfering so much she’ll probably never get a boyfriend! To top it off, she discovers falling in love would fulfill a deadly gypsy curse placed on her family. Who says High School can't kill you?
Pay It Forward link: http://www.facebook.com/#!/eleni.mcknight/posts/193369174022953
Twitter Handle: @ealexandraki

Thanks again, Shelli, for the opportunity!

Donea Weaver
[email protected]
YA - The Glass Prince
Current follower, but no twitter acct.
Link to blog post: http://itwillhappenoneday.blogspot.com/2011/01/paying-it-forward.html

Pitch:
No Broadway, no shopping sprees – it’s time travel and family curses 17-year-old Clara finds when she visits thought-dead Grandma in New York for the summer. A glass prince family heirloom is Clara’s ticket to the past to see how the curse started. And she hopes hobnobbing with a royal family that isn’t supposed to exist (circa Henry VIII’s hey-days) will give her the answers she needs to survive.

Hi Shelli. Thanks for the opportunity. Posted Pay it forward on my blog and Twitter: http://ritamonette.blogspot.com; Twitter account: frmonette
Name: Rita Monette
email: [email protected]
genre: MG

Pitch: Being forced to leave a town she’s grown to call home and her best friend in the whole world, ten-year-old Nikki Landry begins life in an isolated, gator infested, Louisiana bayou. Being raised to not question her papa’s decisions, and using the only control she has over her situation, she vows to hate her new home—and to not make friends with the natives. As the rumors of a voodoo woman and a ghostly dog living on a nearby swamp island enhance her dislike of the new place, Papa reassures her that it is nothing but legend. However, Nikki’s faith in her papa is questioned when her dog, Snooper, goes missing, and she turns to some local kids to help her learn the truth about the Legend of Ghost Dog Island.

Joyce Lansky
jlansky(AT)comcast(DOT)net
genre - YA

For fifteen-year-old Ben, living with his mother in a crappy apartment sucks. It doesn’t help matters when he discovers his mom’s been lying about his father’s death twelve years ago. But things go from bad to worse when Ben finds himself in a twisted world where he’s forced to abandon his friends and live by a gangster’s amoral code. After being tricked into committing a double murder, Ben knows he must find a way out.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=624552512

Joyce_Lansky

Courtney Stevens Potter
[email protected]
YA

Pitch:
O'Hara's great-grand father was a Nazi, who pretended to be a Jew; and got away with it.
O'Hara's father was a white supremacist, who pretended to be normal; and got away with it.
O'Hara loved Zeke, and pretended she didn’t; and got caught. Some Secrets Bleed is an 87,000 word young adult novel about a girl who loved a boy she wasn’t allowed to have.

Here is my facebook link:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=500597338

I follow you on twitter as quartland

I'm following! (But I'm not on Twitter - sorry.) Thanks for the great opportunity:

Theresa Milstein
tmilstein at gmail dot com
The Mist Chasers (57k words)
Paranormal YA

Pitch: Pitch: Sixteen-year-old Eve and her best friend Adam are the sole witnesses to a badass mist that obliterates a Walmart, launching them on a ludicrous quest to salvage the planet before it reaches the tipping point. If that weren't enough, when Adam tries to kiss Eve, her rejection strains their friendship. And when Eve dates another guy, it makes things even worse. Can Eve save her friendship and the earth?

I posted this on Facebook under Theresa Brown Milstein and I put this on my blog sidebar:
http://theresamilstein.blogspot.com

What a fantastic opportunity! You rock!

My Entry ~
Kym Balthazar Fetsko
[email protected]
MG

PITCH ~ Lavender's Blue

Thirteen-year-old Simon Blue’s day stunk from the start, but never did he think he’d find himself trapped in a madcap world inhabited by Mother Goose characters! Only Ole King Cole, Peter Piper, and the other citizens of Cross Patch aren’t warm and fuzzy like the ones in his little sister’s storybook. Now Simon has just twenty-four hours to find the portal out of Cross Patch and back to Philly or else stay trapped forever.

My Pay it Forward Post ~
http://kymbalthazar.com/blog/2011/01/31/pay-it-forward/

Twitter : @kbalzart

Thanks for the opportunity ~

You are so amazing! I love what you are doing for others.

Roland Yeomans

[email protected]

YA urban fantasy

PITCH for THE LEGEND OF VICTOR STANDISH

Thirteen year old Victor Standish is repeatedly abandoned and picked up by his unpredictable mother. A mysterious French Quarter Jazz club owner takes him in. Victor learns the Jazz club is actually the Crossroads of Worlds, and the owner has the blood of Death in his veins. They both find love and adventure as Hurricane Katrina approaches.

LINK to PAY IT FORWARD POST :

http://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com/2011/01/valley-of-shadowpay-it-forward-entry.html

And I have been a follower for a long time. Sorry that I do not have a Twitter account -- so little free time, so much to do, Roland

What a fun contest! Here is my pitch for my middle grade novel, THE BIG FIND.


When ten-year old Ben Wilson loses his pet hamster, Fuzzball, he and his green haired friend Katie go on the hunt to find him and discover an even bigger mystery, a prehistoric fossil in the woods behind Ben’s backyard. After the fossil is stolen, Ben discovers he’s not the only one interested in the 75 million year-old mean chicken fossil. Scary Old Man Creed probably has it stashed somewhere on Skull Island, along with his wife’s bones. Ben’s family needs the money and he’s willing to do anything to get the valuable fossil back, even if it means tangling with a man accused of murder.

Here is the link to my blog. http://www.kathrynthurman.com/2011/02/pay-it-forward/

Yikes. Forgot my name and email.

Kathryn Thurman
[email protected]
Middle Grade Novel, THE BIG FIND

Holly L'Oiseau
holly loiseau at hotmail dot com
Genre: YA urban fantasy

Seventeen-year-old monster killer, Feng Huang, is used slaying the other-worldly creatures that inhabit the Big Apple. But when she falls into an alternate Manhattan, she encouters something much more challenging--the parents she never knew she had.

My "pay it forward" post:
http://cantfightthewrite.blogspot.com/2011/02/pay-it-forward.html

Twitter id: @hollythebird

Thanks, Shelli!

Juanita McConnachie
writersblocknz at gmail dot com
YA steampunk fantasy

Azrael might be vertically challenged and have a serious bully problem, but when Kali, a girl from another land, saves his life, he can’t help but wonder if his luck is changing. He’s never met anyone like her before, and despite an impending war between their countries, he can’t help falling for her. But relationship with Kali is not only forbidden; it’s treasonous, and Azrael learns that some people will stop at nothing to keep them apart. Not even murder.

blog post: http://writersblocknz.weebly.com/1/post/2011/01/pay-it-forward.html

twitter: @writersblocknz

This is a great idea-- thanks for sharing the love.

here is my post- http://katharineowens.blogspot.com/2011/02/query-fest-and-pay-it-forward.html

I am a follower. I don't tweet (I'm planning to figure that out in 2012). Bear with me.

My deets- Katharine Owens, kat.owens(at)gmail.com, YA mystery.

My pitch- Beatrice’s interest in collecting insects is more than a passion: they help her forget her problems. When her summer babysitting job gets weird, she starts snooping around to discover the truth. In work and in love, Beatrice’s choice is the same. She has to decide whether to keep her distance from life or to dive in.

I'm a new follower on your blog and Seekerville, but I've been following you on Twitter for some time. I am agented and working on getting my first book published, and I would *love* a book on marketing.

Thanks!
Delilah
@DelilahSDawson

Hi Shelli,

What a cool concept! I just bopped over from Seekerville but I'm short on time right now, so I'll be back to peruse your site more later.

Rose

RRossZediker at yahoo dot com

Hi Shelli~ what a wonderful contest! It's been so much fun reading all of the Pay It Forward posts. Here's my entry :)

Name: Jess Lawson
Email: [email protected]
Genre: Middle Grade-Waiting For Augusta
Pitch: Benjamin Putter, an eleven-year-old Alabama boy, starts hearing his daddy’s ashes speak soon after the funeral. Based on Daddy’s post-mortem request, they set out on a road trip to Georgia, where Ben will attempt to scatter the ashes on the 18th green of Augusta National Golf Course…during the Masters tournament. With Daddy nagging to be put to rest, his mother crying to the local news (which gets picked up by ESPN), and groundskeepers everywhere, creeping onto Augusta may not be as easy as Ben hoped. Even if he gets the chance, letting go of his father permanently could be the hardest part of all.

Link: http://fallingleaflets.blogspot.com/2011/02/few-ladies-who-pay-it-forward.html

Twitter ID: @jessleelawson

Thanks so much for doing this contest, Shelli. You RAWK!

Marquita Hockaday
[email protected]
Genre: Contemporary YA Mystery

Pitch: Blake Farmer has never spent more than a few hours away from his best friend, high school drug dealer, Kyle. But right after the summer that Blake’s father is murdered everything changes. The girl he teased in middle school is suddenly pretty cool…and Kyle’s nowhere to be found. Blake must delve into the underground world of drugs, and violence to find out what’s happened to Kyle.

Pay it Forward Link: http://tinyurl.com/5rchfuu

Twitter ID: KeeKeeHockaday

Thanks so much for this contest! I actually even had fun with my blog post!

Name: Magan Vernon
Email: [email protected]
Genre: YA

Pitch: A dark alien prophecy looms over Circe Operations Center, where intern Alex Bianchi learns that falling for an alien is only the beginning of her problems.

Blog: http://thepunchingbagfightsback.blogspot.com/2011/02/pay-it-forward-fangirl-style.html

Twitter:
MrsMaganVee

Ohhh eek I guess I should add

Title: HOW TO DATE AN ALIEN

Hi Shelli! I'm not entering the contest, but just wanted to say I enjoyed your post on the Seekerville blog today (Feb. 1). Wonderful tips---which I'm sure I'll refer back to. Thank you! ~ Blessings from Georgia, Patti Jo

Hi, Shelli,

Here is my entry.

Michael Di Gesu

mculi at aol dot com

M/G fantasy


Hidden among humans, eleven-year-old Amber discovers she can control the winds.  Amber's refuge, an enchanted willow grove, is threatened by the evil fairie, Sedah, who creates a plague to kill off all vegatation in both the fae and human worlds. With the help of her best friend, Nina, Amber enlists the aid of the fae folk and the creatures of the Willows to combat Sedah, driving It back to the fairy underworld ... if they don't die in the attempt.

my link. http://writing-art-and-design.blogspot.com/2011/02/pay-it-foward-entry-and-dedication.html

Twitter ID: DAK86

Hi, Shelli! I'm visiting from Seekerville. I'm following your blog and signed up for your newsletter. Not sure if this is the right post for the book giveaway, but it's the most recent I see :) Blessings!

reneeasmith61 [at] yahoo [dot] com

Here is my combined entry for my middle grade novel, THE BIG FIND.
Kathryn Thurman
[email protected]

When ten-year old Ben Wilson loses his pet hamster, Fuzzball, he and his green haired friend Katie go on the hunt to find him and discover an even bigger mystery, a prehistoric fossil in the woods behind Ben’s backyard. After the fossil is stolen, Ben discovers he’s not the only one interested in the 75 million year-old mean chicken fossil. Scary Old Man Creed probably has it stashed somewhere on Skull Island, along with his wife’s bones. Ben’s family needs the money and he’s willing to do anything to get the valuable fossil back, even if it means tangling with a man accused of murder.

Here is the link to my blog. http://www.kathrynthurman.com/2011/02/pay-it-forward/

Name: Jenilyn Tolley
Email: jenilyntolley (at) gmail.com
Genre: YA paranormal
Title: My Stepsister is a Succubus

Pitch: Natalie is shocked to find out that, not only is her birth mother the ruler of all the fire elementals, but Natalie is expected to attend a special school for non-humans on the coast of Turkey to learn how to harness her fire abilities. Her stepsister and best friend, Olivia, is invited over for a short visit, but the vacation turns into a disaster when they both fall for the same guy. When David chooses Natalie, a heartbroken Olivia makes a deal with the Water Lord to become a succubus in order to steal David back. It’s up to Natalie to figure out how to use her fire abilities to rescue both Olivia and David—assuming that the other elementals let her live that long.

Link: http://jenilynmtolley.blogspot.com/2011/02/conferences-and-pay-it-forward-contest.html

Twitter: @jenilynt

Thank you so much, Shelli, for this contest!

Tanya Reimer
[email protected]
Upper MG fantasy

A world where men don’t exist is a scary place for a fourteen-year-old boy.

Gabe had no intention of saving the world, only surviving. He has to tell the grey whisperers what he found out, so they can save the world. Of course, finding a grey whisperer was one thing, discovering that he was the hero he was searching for, was quite another.

My blog post:
http://tanyareimer.blogspot.com/2011/02/so-close-to-project-youre-stupid.html

I facebooked you too! Just for fun, but I'm not sure what twitter is. Have to look into that one. LOL

Thank you so much for the really totally awesome contest. Hope you have fun too!

Hey Shelli -
Loved your post over on Seekerville. I am a new follower, and signed up for your newsletter. I appreciate the opportunity to be included in your drawing and look forward to learning more.

Cindy
thesbgirls(at)comcast(dot)net

Name: Kathryn Jankowski
Email: [email protected]
Genre: MG fantasy-WORSE THAN WICKED

Pitch: Twelve-year-old Roze wins an ancient magic to free her mother, kidnapped by the Mermaid Queen. But Roze can’t resist using her new powers and now she’d rather challenge the throne than pay ransom. As the deadline for her mother’s release nears, Roze must prepare for a battle that could devastate her village or give up control to a queen she doesn’t trust.

Link: http://kjankowski.blogspot.com/2011/02/pay-it-forward-contest.html

Thanks, Shelli!

Hello Shelli.

Thanks for the exciting opportunity! I don't have an active Twitter account, but check out my Pay it Forward post here: http://marierearden.blogspot.com/2011/02/pay-it-forward-and-unlikely-best.html

Marie Rearden
[email protected]
Young Adult

While college sophomore Kat Wake struggles to define her ideas and beliefs on life, a car crash throws her into the Afterlife and not the Heaven-and-Hell version she expected. Doc, the mysterious gatekeeper, offers to send her back to the land of the living if she’ll steal the memories of a man who wants to talk about this secret place. With the help of Doc’s delicious assistant, Kat begins the hunt, but her prey wants something from her as well, and he’s not the only one. She must dig deep for the courage to complete her task or risk losing her own memories or, worse, her life.

Thanks again!

Marie, http://marierearden.blogspot.com

Shelli,

Wonderful blog you have here. Enjoyed your post in Seekerville. I write inspirational historicals, so my writing wouldn't be appropriate for your argent, but your Pay It Forrward contest is a great thing for you to do.

Zora McHenry has been living in the shadow of her best friend while trying to distance herself from her mother. With her father away, it’s even more difficult for Zora to decide who she is. Popular best friend Marcie represents everything to Zora that she thinks she should be. However, the new girl on Zora’s street forces Zora to consider choices she doesn’t want to confront in her conservative, southern town.

Shelli, thanks for this awesome contest and opportunity to say thanks! Here is my link:

http://theendingunplanned.blogspot.com/2011/02/paying-it-forward-and-saying-thanks.html

I am a follower now of both your blog and twitter (@EndingUnplanned)

(I just found you today but am glad I did!)

Contest Entry:
Rachel Harris, [email protected]

2nd Type of Girl, a 67,000 word YA Contemporary Romance, is about what happens when the cute and funny friend decides she wants to be the sexy vixen. Seventeen-year-old Aly Reed is a star volleyball player, hosts killer parties and is best friends with the hottest guy in school--but it’s not enough. Obsessed with Homecoming and ending her curse of hanging just-a-friend dates to her Wall of Shame, she devises Operation Sex Appeal to get her crush to fall in love with her. . . or at least ask her to the dance. Told as a countdown of the fifty-seven days until Homecoming, the story is a love triangle between the boy Aly’s always loved and the boy she’s always wanted.

Thanks for your great contest Shelli!

Name: Janet Johnson
E-mail: [email protected]
Genre: MG Contemporary

Pitch: When her best friend's house is threatened with foreclosure, ten-year-old Annie Jenkins is full of ideas to save it: selling her appendix on e-bay, winning the lottery, finding a hidden treasure . . . But when her plans go awry, Annie discovers there are worse things than her best friend moving.

Link: http://janetsumnerjohnson.blogspot.com/2011/02/pay-it-forward.html

And I don't have a twitter account.

What a great contest Shelli. I love the idea of paying it forward!

Thanks for this great contest ^^ I'm a follower of both your blog and your twitter.

Name: Mai Lee
E-mail: [email protected]
Genre: YA urban fantasy

Pitch: When seventeen-year-old London Howell inadvertently "creates" a person, he draws the attention of the city's ruling magus family, the House of Dering. With enough secrets to fill the Thames, London knows he can't trust them, but might not have a choice when his dad goes missing. The key to finding his dad lies with uncovering how he created the girl, but to accept the House of Dering's help, London might have to pay with his soul.

Link: http://questofdreams.dreamwidth.org/1382.html

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/lorimlee

Name: Nicole Settle
E-mail: settle.nicole[at]gmail[dot]com
Genre: YA Contemporary

Pitch: Falling in love is easy, but deciding to love is hard. But that’s what seventeen-year-old Poppy does when she first sees Peter and vows to love him, beginning her quest to get him to love her in return. Peter doesn’t want anything to do with Poppy, especially when all he knows about love is watching his parents verbally abuse each other. However, the more time Peter spends with her, he realizes being with Poppy isn’t a bad thing, and Poppy comes to realize that loving unconditionally is freaking hard!

link: http://n-settle.livejournal.com/23964.html

twitter: @nicolereads

Shelli, thanks so much for the contest.
Natalie Aguirre
[email protected]
Upper Middle Grade Fantasy-Unlocked Magic

When thirteen-year-old Jasmine convinces her best friend Austin to follow a talking doorknob into the land of Myrrdin, she’s not sure what’s crazier—the helpful doorknob, the magical realm, or that everyone believes she can cast powerful defensive spells just like her mysterious adoptive great-grandmother. Soon they discover a would-be dictator king desperately searching for a special wand he’ll use to destroy the land’s magic needs Jasmine to help him wield its power. And he’ll stop at nothing—even using Austin as a pawn—to make her help him If Jasmine can’t discover how her adoptive mom’s love unlocks her magical powers, she may lose Austin and worse still, may never get home.

I'm a follower, but not on twitter. Here's the link to my Facebook post as I don't have a blog: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?

Hi, Shelli,

Thanks for the great contest. I just scheduled a post that will appear tomorrow on my blog:

lisagalek.blogspot.com

I follow you on Twitter and Facebook and Goodreads. Thanks again!

Here's my pitch:

Name: Lisa Galek

Email: lisagalek at gmail dot com

Genre: Contemporary YA

HIGH HOPES is a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s "Northanger Abbey," but instead of going to Bath, sixteen-year-old Katie Morland takes a trip to Florida for Spring Break week where she meets Hal Tilney, a gorgeous guy who quickly wins her over with his charm and wit, and who also happens to live in one of the most haunted houses in America – the home where the events of "The Amityville Horror" took place. When Katie is invited to visit for the summer, her horror-obsessed brain goes into overdrive and she imagines ghosts and ghouls around every corner. Hal tries to explain to her that all the sinister stories about the house are just rumors, but Katie is convinced that the Amityville home is hiding a dark secret. Katie tries to find the source of her supernatural suspicions, but doesn’t know she also runs the risk of something truly scary – losing the guy she loves.

Name: Lisa M. Basso
Email: angel28140(at)yahoo(dot)com
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Pitch:

When sixteen-year-old Rayna “Ray” Evans spots two angels—one with midnight black wings—nearly four months after her release from the Sunflower Sanitarium, she thinks she’s going crazy again, until she finds her classmate dead from a supposed suicide. With all signs pointing to the angels, Ray must uncover the truth to save the rest of her school from the same fate. But protecting her friends means not only working with the angels but also trusting them; jeopardizing her heart and her sanity.

Pay it Forward blog post:
http://angel28140.livejournal.com/33575.html

Twitter id: @LisaMBasso

Susan James
susan.b.james(at)sbcglobal.net
YA fantasy
@sbjames
Pay it Forward post at
http://elfmama.livejournal.com/

Pitch: Halfblood Rose Woodman is the key to the future of Faerie, and she couldn't care less. Raised in the mortal world, she resents her unknown father and the stigma of her mixed-blood until it allows her to meet Edan, the fascinating and drop-dead gorgeous leader oft he Clan of the Stars. Rose suddenly emphathizes with her late mother's choice and realizes that her father's legacy allows her another option. Now, Rose is determined to tear down the barriers that keep the races apart, and that's exactly what the human-hating Clan of the Snake has been hoping for.

Hi Shelli, thank you SO much for this golden opportunity! Excited to be a part of this! :)

Name: Katie Sparks
Email: [email protected]
Genre: MG

Nine-year-old Natalie Greyson thinks reality television is uber fantastical, and constantly posts her own thoughts on her blog: In a “Nat” Shell. As luck would have it, she has the chance to become the next talk show host of a Saturday morning broadcast for kids. But when Natalie’s naturally talented best friend, Kym, decides to audition too, the once friendly competition suddenly turns nasty. Can Natalie find the creativity within herself to win the contest, or will she risk losing her ultimate dream and her best friend?

I added you as a friend on FB, as well as Twitter. Below is my shout-out link:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=22900937

Twitter: @kathrynsparks

Thanks again! :)

Hi,
Would love to be entered in the drawing for your book. I'm from SEEKERVILLE and a NEW FOLLOWER.
Thanks!

Mandy Mikulencak
[email protected]
Genre: YA

Hannah Spencer has all but ignored her morning visits from the dead until too-beautiful-for-his-own-good Adam appears and demands her help to move on to the afterlife. Hannah insists she’s not the medium for him, but agrees to enlist the aid of an experienced psychic. The woman reveals that Adam is Hannah’s twin flame — the other half of her soul— and the two have been connected for a number of lifetimes, each time with disastrous results. When Hannah links Adam to the terrifying recurring dreams she’s been having, she must decide if helping him is worth risking her life … again.

http://durangowriter.blogspot.com/2011/02/paying-it-forward-in-tweeterverse-and.html

Twitter ID: DurangoWriter

This is a great concept! My one finished novel is for adults, but good luck to everyone!

Good luck to all the entrants! Love this contest, Shelli! It's very generous of you!

R Chazz Chute
Email: [email protected]
YA thriller
Twitter: @RChazzChute
Link: http://chazzwrites.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/writers-check-out-the-pay-it-forward-contest/

To escape poverty in Queens and conquer Hollywood, 17-year-old Romeo Basilon has to get some acting experience in the school play: Romeo and Juliet, naturally. Things go awry when the kid who plays Mercutio dies of a drug overdose. The play is cancelled, Romeo's mom disappears, he's expelled and a mysterious caller who blames him for the boy's death wants our hero dead. In 85,000 witty words (think Bright Lights, Big City with more acne), migraine-prone Romeo must win Juliet's heart, evade a murderer with a hammer and overcome Shakespearian censorship with a little help from his screen idol, John Leguizamo.

Thanks so much for giving us the opportunity!

Elena Solodow
esolodow at gmail dot come
Genre: YA

Pitch:

A teen whose touch heals or infects struggles to unearth her past before the forces of Life and Death deploy her as a weapon.

Blog Post:
http://elenasolodow.blogspot.com/2011/02/pay-it-forward.html

NAME: MarcyKate Connolly
EMAIL: marcykate(a)gmail(dot)com
TITLE: THE GHOST WRITER
GENRE: YA Ghost Story
PITCH: Ever since seventeen-year-old Tessa James moved to Manchester, NH, she's done her damnedest to ignore the rumors of ghosts in the theatre next door, even when letters in a foreign language—and her own handwriting—appear on her nightstand. But when the accidents begin, Tessa discovers the letters are pieces of a diary and the tale of Ava Dubois, a runaway millgirl turned rising starlet, begins to unravel. Now she’s on a mission to make the letters stop—because each entry gets a little more real than the last, not to mention the rising body count. If Tessa doesn’t checkmate her ghosts, she just might be next.
LINK TO PAY-IT-FORWARD POST: http://marcykate.com/?p=1815
TWITTER: @marcykate
FOLLOWER: Blog via Google Friend Connect & Google Reader, and Twitter

* Timnah Gretencord
* [email protected]
* darkly humorous MG, boarding school, ghost story set in Victorian England and the Bavarian Alps
* When Judith Middleton, school queen bee and closet romantic, finds brainy new girl Charlotte is intent on exorcising a real ghost, she is desperate to be involved. But the spirit in question is Charlotte’s dead grandmother, who believes Charlotte is the last member of her family who might amount to anything and who therefore requires her constant instruction. Grandmother uses all her supernatural abilities to resist banishment, resulting in the well-deserved but accidental deaths of multiple power-mad school staffers. Confronted with their vengeful spirits, Charlotte and Judith rush to discover the secret to a successful exorcism . . . or join the ranks of the dead themselves.
* I don't keep a blog anymore. But my eighth grade English teacher, Miss Olsen, taught us how to write novels. It was the best year of English class ever.
* @TimnahG

Miriam Caldwell
[email protected]
Young Adult
Dreaming Isis


Seventeen-year-old Isis has magical abilities, but untrained and out of control they threaten to destroy her. When Dane discovers her powers, he offers to train her if she will join a war between two magical societies. But when her cousin shows up fighting for the other side, Isis must choose between saving her and stopping an impending bombing. A choice no ordinary girl should make--good thing Isis is anything but ordinary.

http://confessionsofafirsttimenovelist.blogspot.com/2011/02/pay-it-forward.html
Twitter ID mll23

Wendy Lawrence
[email protected]
Middle Grade Fantasy/Adventure

Five seventh graders are surprised on their birthdays to learn they belong to a secret society of time-traveling crime fighters. Charlie is a shy, overweight history buff who would never have dreamed of talking to Adriana, a popular cheerleader who tells no one she actually lives in the school supply closet. LV (do NOT call her Elvira!) is a cynical bully with no friends, Thabo is a gifted actor, and 9-year-old Caitlin builds spaceships in her backyard. A shared mission brings the five different personalities together as they navigate the Civil War, the White House, a dangerous enemy, and the trials of middle school life.

blog post: http://kidlitblog.wordpress.com/2011/02/03/she-was-my-ear-my-eye-and-my-arm/

twitter: wendypuck

Name: Stephanie Winkelhake
Email: [email protected]
Genre: YA Paranormal

Pitch: Sixteen-year-old Riley has three more months to live, and her life becomes even more complicated when Hayden, her dead ex-boyfriend, appears. Riley can’t help falling for Hayden all over again, and when it comes time to step into the light, she refuses to leave him. Her decision plunges her into Middle Ground—the world caught between Heaven and Hell—until Middle Ground’s resident bad boy forcefully returns her back to Earth. It may be Riley’s last chance to help those she’s left behind, but if she can’t fix her mistakes in time, there are worse things at stake than matters of life and death.

Blog Post: http://www.stephaniewinkelhake.com/?p=114
Twitter: @StephieWink

Erica Olson
ericao75(at)hotmail(dot)com
YA contemporary Romance

After seventeen-year-old Kenz Grayson is forced to start over in a new town, she meets the ultimate guy and life starts looking a whole lot better. Lincoln's fun, smart, gorgeous, and - even though she's warned that he's a total date-a-holic - irresistible. Unfortunately, now she's constantly worried about losing him. Then again, after a car accident almost kills her mom, sexual abuse allegations are made against Lincoln, and she learns about a super-secret surgery from his past, she's got a lot to worry about.

blog post: http://lynneawest.blogspot.com/2011/02/paying-it-forward.html

Twitter: ericaandchristy

Thanks, Shelli!
Kelly Polark
kpolark (at) yahoo (dot)com
Humorous Contemporary MG
Rock 'n' Roll Princesses Wear Black

Music class and recess totally rock, but being teased in school and ignored at home totally stinks. Stefani Lucas is a rockin’ sixth grader who loves music and dresses like a mini hipster in all black, but there's one thing cramping her style - her lame baby brother who manages to hog all the attention from her parents.
When classmates tease her about her clothes and even double dare her to (gasp!) wear another color, Stef decides a minor makeover may be in order. But Stef gets more than just a new look when an impromptu concert at school, her brother’s medical emergency, and a hoedown help her realize that it is better to just be yourself.

blog post: http://kpolark.blogspot.com/2011/01/pay-it-forward.html
twitter: kellypolark

Okay...I deleted my first comment. Here is the current tally. :-)

Shannon O'Donnell
mrso_d at yahoo dot com
MG

Eight-year-old Scott may be lazy and messy and mean to his sister, but it's not until he ruins her birthday party with a well-aimed cup of worms that his fed-up parents ship him off to The Naughty Boy Factory--a place he'd always believed was about as real as Bigfoot or the Bermuda Triangle.

*Pay it forward posts - TWO of them:Thurs. post to Shannon Messenger; Friday post to Angela Ackerman
http://shannonkodonnell.blogspot.com/

*Facebook post: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000227083515

Thanks SO much for this opportunity, Shelli!

Kirk Kraft
kraftka(at)frontier(dot) com

YA Fantasy

Princesses are supposed to marry a prince and live happily after. 16-year-old Galatrin Lofstra isn’t one of those princesses. She must face not only her doubts and fears but the man who betrayed her family while those she loves struggle for survival.

http://swingsandkeyboards.blogspot.com/2011/02/paying-it-forward.html

Twitter: KAKraft

I'd love to have a personal recommendation to Alyssa! She's one of my top picks. But my ms definitely won't be ready by spring... Anyway, what a nice thing to offer to your bloggers. Good luck picking from so many!

Very excellent idea, Shelli. I can't resist:

Robin Weeks
cardinal_law_76 (at) yahoo (dot) com
@Robin_Weeks
http://robinweeks.blogspot.com/2011/02/paying-it-forward-i-cant-resist-good.html

YA Urban Fantasy

Pitch:
16-year-old half human/half pixie Brina Rapp embodies the last American taboo--at least according to Us Magazine. Though her genetics may be unique, she's nothing special… until an illegal pixie dust harvest triggers her latent abilities. Suddenly, she has the focused attention of human pixie dust addicts, jealous pixie royals, and a group of rebels determined to make their mark on history. To unlock the secret of her heritage, Brina must navigate pixie politics, manipulate the human media, and, if she is very cunning, survive high school.