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Dow Phumiruk is an aspiring children’s book illustrator. She won the 2013 SCBWI On-the-Verge Emerging Voices Award that promotes diversity in children’s books. This feast illustration is from a book idea called Arissa and the Queen’s Mice. Please visit her portfolio site at http://www.artbydow.blogspot.com or her blog at http://www.happydow.blogspot.com to see more of her work.

I’m thrilled to share that… drum roll please… Kelly Calabrese has accepted representation with Sarah LaPolla of Bradford Literary Agency!

Kelly says, “Sarah LaPolla is a super sharp, smart, and witty agent who really *gets* the types of books that I like to write – which I believe is the most important factor in an agent/writer relationship.”

Kelly first met Sarah at the annual NJ SCBWI June Conference, and then again at the Full Manuscript Avalon Writres’ Retreat at the end of September. Sarah critiqued her full manuscript of her YA Thriller-Horror, BEAUTIFUL BLOODY DUCKLING, and gave her editorial notes that were dead-on insightful.

I asked Kelly what happened post the Avalon Writers’ Retreat, here is what she said:

I had the amazing fortune of being accepted into Brenda Drake’s Pitch Wars. As a chosen mentee in this contest, I won the editorial aid of two published mentors – Trisha Leaver and Lindsay Currie – who helped to shape my story into a much stronger version. I can’t shout loud enough from the rooftops about how life-changing Pitch Wars can be. After working day and night on revisions (Sleep? What sleep?!), I completed my manuscript a mere two days before Thanksgiving.

Sarah received my full manuscript on the 25th of November, and offered me representation within two weeks. Crazy. I know. And so very encouraging!!! It’s all very *dream come true* – WHOOT!

I truly believe that Sarah is an ideal agent for me, and that we are going to KICK ASS together. So, watch out world.

Of course, I could not have done it on my own. I am beyond grateful for Dee Falvo (my über talented CP), for the constant encouragement provided by my fellow NJ SCBWI members, and for the empowering mentorship offered through Pitch Wars.

The writing community ROCKS. And I am so thrilled to be a part of it…. #AmWriting #AmReading #Forevermore :)

— @kellycalabrese & @sarahlapolla —-

PS: I started a new BLOG called We Hear YA! It connects YA writers with their teen audience and can be found here: http://wehearya.blogspot.com/ (@WeHear_YA)

LINKS…
Sarah LaPolla: http://www.bradfordlit.com/about/sarah-lapolla-agent/

Pitch Wars: http://www.brenda-drake.com/pitch-wars/

Trisha & Lindsay’s book:

http://www.fluxnow.com/product.php?ean=9780738740805

CONGRATULATIONS KELLY AND SARAH!

FYI: If you have a Kindle, here are two books that have had their prices temporarily reduced. Can’t ever go wrong buying a Lauren Oliver book. I personally read and enjoyed. I just bought RED RISING, but have not read it yet. It has gotten a lot of buzz and awards.

Panic

By Lauren Oliver

A New York Times bestselling author delivers a “fast-paced and captivating book” (School Library Journal). In the small town of Carp, teenagers have invented a dangerous game, and newly graduated Heather and Dodge find themselves competing for thousands of dollars — putting their very lives at risk.

$1.99

Deal ends: January 5

Red Rising

By Pierce Brown

For fans of The Hunger Games comes a New York Times bestseller that’s a “heart-pounding ride” (Entertainment Weekly). Darrow is a Red — part of the lowest level in his color-coded dystopia. Can he infiltrate the ruling Gold caste and bring justice to his people? “Fast-paced, gripping, well-written” (Terry Brooks).

$1.99

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=RED%20RISING

Deal ends: December 27

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Filed under: Agent, authors and illustrators, Book, illustrating, inspiration, success Tagged: Avalon Writer's Retreat, Bradford Literary Agency, Dow Phumiruk, Kelly Calebrese, Sarah LaPolla

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Don’t be afraid of the difference between literary and commercial fiction like these Scaredy Scouts illustrated by B.L. Bachmann below. B.L. is a writer and illustrator living in Los Angeles. Her mission is to make people smile, and even giggle :) See more at http://www.blbachmann.com

I spent last week running two writer’s retreats in Avalon, NJ. The agents at the first retreat were Sarah LaPolla from Bradford Literary and Carly Watters from P.S. Literary. The agents at the second retreat were Ammi-Joan Paguette from Erin Murphy Agency and Heather Alexander from Pippin Properties. 

It was a gorgeous week. Everyone received a full manuscript critique with an agent and a full manuscript critique from everyone in their group. I have to say, I think both of the sessions were the best retreats I have put together. The agents were top notched and each writer  in each group took extreme care with their critiques, so we walked away with lots of ideas for revisions and with many doors open with the agents. On top of that, everyone meshed well and we had a tons of fun. Can’t think of anything that was missing. 

During the week the question came up about the difference between Literary Fiction and Commercial Fiction. Lucky for us, Sarah LaPolla had written an explanation  on her blog and gave me permission to post it on Writing and Illustrating.

Here is Sarah:

I don’t think writers should get too hung up on labels, but it’s important to know what genre you’re writing. You’re expected to give an agent an immediate sense of where they can sell your book, but even more than that you should be able to know who you’ll be next to on a bookshelf so that you can read your comparison titles accordingly.

Figuring out thriller vs. mystery vs. suspense or paranormal romance vs. urban fantasy vs. supernatural horror can be difficult, I know. In these cases, it’s best to just choose the closest and let a professional decide the best way they can sell it. But the line between literary and commercial isn’t as vague. You shouldn’t claim your book is literary fiction if it isn’t. For one, it’s rare you’ll find an agent who looks for literary fiction and genre fiction with the same fervor, if they take on both at all. You don’t want to get a rejection based on a mislabel. Secondly, literary fiction is quite different than genre fiction, and not learning the difference can reflect a lack of research on your part.

The common argument, however, is that all books are technically literary. Right? Well, yes and no. Saying all books are literary is like saying all Young Adult novels are about characters under 25. The genre labels can be misleading, which is why it’s important to know what they mean.

If you’re unsure about which you’ve written, here’s a quick definition of each:

Literary fiction: The focus is on character arc, themes (often existential), and the use of language. I like to compare literary fiction authors to runway designers. The general public isn’t mean to wear the clothes models display on the runway. They exist to impress the other designers and show the fashion industry what they can do. Literary writing is a lot like that, but on a more accessible level. Many dismiss literary fiction as “too artsy” and “books without a plot,” but this isn’t true. At least not most of the time. The plot is there; it’s just incidental. Literary fiction is meant to make the reader reflect, and the author will almost always prefer a clever turn of phrase over plot development.

Commercial fiction: For the purposes of this blog post, I’ve been using this interchangeably with genre fiction. Basically, all genre fiction is commercial, but not all commercial fiction is genre. There is also “upmarket” commercial fiction, which I’ll get to later. Unlike literary fiction, genre fiction is written with a wide audience in mind (aka “commercial”) and always focuses on plot. There is still character development in genre fiction, but it is not as necessary. Characters get idiosyncratic quirks, clever dialogue, and often learn something new about life or themselves by the end. The difference is that their traits are only skin deep. The reader stays with them in the present. Rarely do we see a character’s past unless there is something pertinent to the plot back there. Genre fiction has a Point A and a Point B, and very little stands in the way of telling that story.

Keep in mind that an agent or editor will rarely prefer you to play with these formats, especially if you’re a debut author trying to find (and build) your audience. If you’re writing a plot-driven genre novel that adheres to a sci-fi, romance, or thriller structure, don’t try to load it with literary devices and huge character back-stories that aren’t relevant to the plot. It won’t impress an agent if you have a super literary genre novel. It will more likely confuse us and make your book harder to sell.

“Upmarket” fiction is where things get tricky. Books like The Help, Water for Elephants, Eat, Pray, Love, and authors like Nick Hornby, Ann Patchet, and Tom Perrotta are considered “upmarket.” Their concept and use of language appeal to a wider audience, but they have a slightly more sophisticated style than genre fiction and touch on themes and emotions that go deeper than the plot.

With debut authors, I think the main source of uncertainty tends to come from what they set out to write vs. what they actually write. Genre fiction is written with a clear purpose. The author has an idea and writes a story to accomplish their goal. Literary fiction can be more accidental. A writer may start with an idea, and then discover along the way that they don’t want to write about that anymore. They’ve fallen for their character’s personal tale or the images they want to evoke within the reader. If the writing ends up falling somewhere in the middle, then it might be considered “upmarket.” Or, it could mean it needs more focus one way or the other.

What’s important to remember is that none of these types of fiction is better than the other. It’s all about personal preference, based on what you like to read and how you write. If an agent doesn’t represent a certain genre, it doesn’t mean he or she think it’s bad. It just means you’re better off with someone else. Be aware that a genre label can influence an agent, but be honest about what your genre is. It wastes everyone’s time – most importantly, yours – if you try to guess what you think agents want. We want books we can fall in love with that fall under in genres and styles we represent, whether they’re young adult, adult genre fiction, or literary to a Proustian degree. That’s all.

You should drop by and take a look at Sarah’s blog: http://glasscasesblog.blogspot.com/ Sarah has agreed to be a Guest Blogger in the near future on a different subject, but another enjoyable post that will broaden your knowledge.

Thanks Sarah for sharing.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Filed under: Advice, Agent, article, demystify, need to know, reference Tagged: Bradford Literary, Commercial Fiction definition, Literary Fiction definition, Sarah LaPolla

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This fun illustration was sent in from illustrator Sharon Lane Holm. Sharon is an illustrator/author who has over 20 years of experience in children’s book publishing. She has also written and illustrated 2  apps. available on Itunes, “Kids Counting Kitties 1-10, and Kids Counting Kitties 10-1″; available in English and Spanish.

Carolyn Chambers Clark, SECRETS, YA Coming of Age

Logan Spenser roars his convertible across the school parking lot and idles alongside my half-open window. His black leather jacket shines in the morning sun, setting off his chiseled jaw and the beauty of his mocha skin. I’ve seen him in the halls without the reflective sunglasses he’s wearing now. Something buried deep in his eyes tells me he’s been through some rough stuff himself.

He points his finger at me. “Raz Rinaldi! Thief.”

Chelsea gawks at me from the driver’s seat as if to say answer him, Her yellow sunglasses make her pale face look even more like vanilla pudding, while her blonde hair lies in perfect order against the shoulders of her expensive sweater.
“Thief? You’re calling me a thief?” My words tumble out and I want to duck my head, but force myself to pull back my shoulders and glare at him.

He doesn’t answer me, just laughs and zooms off.

My face gets hotter while I tick through my actions of the last week and find the worst thing I’ve done is “forget” to do the dishes my stepmother left in the sink. “What’s he talking about?”
Chelsea, AKA Speed Demon of Ash City High, and the closest thing I have to a friend, shrugs and laughs. “It’s destiny. The hottest guy in school knows your name.”

I love Chelsea, but she gets everything wrong. “I’m not looking for a hot guy. I have to keep my grades up. You know that.”
Chelsea laughs. “You are one boring chick. I can’t think of one reason why I like you.”

HERE’S SARAH:

Carolyn Chambers Clark, SECRETS:

A clear strength to the writing here is the dialogue, which feels realistic and not forced. We don’t yet know these characters, but I felt like I had a good sense of who they are on the page. However, I felt the writing was expository at times. For instance, “Something buried deep in his eyes tells me he’s been through some rough stuff himself” felt like leading the reader in a very specific direction. I’d much rather get to know Logan as the story progressed before I saw the narrator jump to this conclusion. Similarly, the description of Logan in the first paragraph didn’t feel authentic to a teen voice, which surprised me given the way the teens actually speak in dialogue. Shining leather jackets, chiseled jaw, and roaring convertibles gave the impression of the 1950s and, to me, the adjectives used in this paragraph felt dated, or at least from an older perspective, as well. I appreciated how quickly the love interest – and possible conflict – was introduced right on page 1, and I’m interested in Raz’s friendship with Chelsea. Though, when Logan calls Raz a “thief” I expected more context. Is this a joke they share? Why is Chelsea so shocked he knows Raz’s name if they seem to have a natural banter with each other? We move on to Chelsea and Raz driving away before we get a chance to learn more about Logan, even though the novel opens with him.

____________________________________________________

MARK OF THE SIFTER by Laura Rueckert - YA Contemporary Fantasy

Deep in my chest, I could feel it: the girl was asleep. The itch to jump into her dream almost overpowered me, but I lingered in the arched entrance hall of Rainthorpe Manor, the mansion we’d used as home base on Earth the last twenty years. A new recruit had died this morning, and Beatrice would bring her by any moment to meet me. Not even the peaceful glisten of snow through the leaded windows could curb my urge to depart, and I leaned around the corner to check the grandfather clock again.

Beatrice and an older woman with brown, wind-toughened skin materialized in front of me. I nodded to both of them.

“This is the Head Sifter, Seth,” Bee said, gesturing in my direction.

The new Sifter’s eyes flicked to Bee and back to me.

“Welcome.” I didn’t ask her name. The details of her former life had been included in her contract.

Her voice wavered as she asked, “Are you the one shielding it?”

I gave a short nod, and her hard face looked like it might crack. “Thank you. It was horrible.”

Bee caught my eye and raised a finger to show she understood my impatience. “I’ll introduce you to your partner,” she said, drawing the woman from the hall. “And we’ll go over some of your duties.”

“Thank you!” the woman called over her shoulder, but I was already fading out, diving into the dream world of the destroyer.

It was time to find the problem. Stealing, cheating, taunting—despite our normal methods, none under my command were having any luck with the girl who was supposed to annihilate my team of Sifters.

HERE’S SARAH:

Laura Rueckert, MARK OF THE SIFTER

I really liked the voice here. It’s calm without being passive, and I feel like Seth is a narrator I can trust. I wondered, though, about the genre, which is labeled as “contemporary fantasy.” To me this read much more like sci-fi, in both tone and in what was being said. The mention of “home base on Earth” and being part of a mysterious group of “recruits” that jump into dreams have an Inception-like science fiction concept. The idea of dream-jumping is an interesting premise, and I like how this opens with Seth’s desire to jump into this sleeping girl’s mind. It tells me a lot about him as a character with very few details. Though, overall, I was left with more questions about this concept than intrigue. Who is the sleeping girl and why is she not mentioned when Beatrice enters the scene? Is Seth no longer with her at that point? I also wanted the phrase “dream world of the destroyer” explained a bit more. Is “the destroyer” a person? A threat? Why is Seth involved? Without context, it’s hard to get immersed in the world, and in sci-fi – and fantasy – that is the key element in attracting a reader on the first page. I needed to know what a Sifter was in order to know who our main character was, and also know enough about his world to want to learn more.

____________________________________________________

JUST GO AHEAD by Valerie McCammon, Picture Book

My annoying big brother, Patrick Robert, doesn’t think I can do anything right.
I’ll show him.

I tell him I’m going to swing as high as the sun.

“You just go ahead and do that, Nick.”

I pump and I push, flying higher and higher. I’m Astronaut Nick zooming across the Milky Way.

“Fire the rocket boosters.”

I gain speed as I dodge whizzing asteroids.

Clunk! One hits me in the head. [Illo note: acorn falls]

Patrick laughs and walks away.

I tell him I am going to sail across the ocean to rescue the tribal princess.

“You just go ahead and do that.”

I ready my ship. I hoist anchor, and Captain Nick shoves off.

“To the Skeleton Coast.”

The sail billows in the wind as I shout orders to the crew. [Illo note: Swab that deck, sailor. Batten down the hatches, mates. Report to the brig, cadet.]

Uh-oh. Pirates are boarding. [Illo note: dogs jump in]

As the hull fills with water, one last command: “Abandon ship.”

I lunge for shore as Patrick moors the sinking vessel. He sighs as he also rescues the crew.

I remain confident. I tell Patrick I am sure I can find hidden treasure.

“You just go ahead and do that.”

I don my pith helmet and claw through the attic jungle. Patrick trails me from a safe distance.

Hiss! An anaconda, poised to strike. [Illo note: coiled up garden hose]

HERE’S SARAH:

Valerie McCammon, JUST GO AHEAD

As a picture book concept, I thought this was really fun. I love the idea of a younger brother trying to get the attention of his older brother, and the escalations of each attempt. Though, the illustrator notes left little interpretation for the scene. It’s important to use descriptive language in picture books, but the illustrator should be able to add to that vision with their own. Another thing I liked about this book was that Nick’s first attempt at “swinging as high as the sun” was a realistic thing he’d be doing at a playground, and that in his mind it went to a completely fantastical place. But, the next declaration is to “sale across the ocean to rescue the tribal princess.” This, to me, was the fantastical thing in his head, but didn’t fit the pattern you set up of “real thing vs. imagination.” What also confused me a little bit was the opening line, “… doesn’t think I can do anything right.” None of the scenes that follow really demonstrated him trying to do anything “right” so much as trying to prove he can do something amazing. The phrasing there didn’t really set up what the story was going to be about. That said, I think this is a strong concept overall and can be very fun with a few tweaks for consistency.

_______________________________________________________

The Outlands, a middle grade novel by Julie Artz

The first rule the village elders teach us in Graz? Curiosity kills. It’s the first lesson, the last lesson, and just about every lesson in between from what I can tell. They only let up for a sprinkling of history and a dash of survival. I should know. I’m in year seven of this, the final year before apprenticeships start.

So I’m not surprised to see Curiosity Kills written in tidy script on the whiteboard when I walk into class. I slide my bag under my desk and power on the tablet that’s bolted to the desktop. My fingers trace the graffiti on the wooden surface before swiping at the screen and picking up where yesterday’s notes left off.

Paper is scarce so we type everything. It’s a good thing, too, because my chicken-scratches wouldn’t pass muster with my teacher, Ms. Imma. She’s standing at the front of the class now in a dress as neat and precise as her handwriting on the board. The wooden shutters of our tiny schoolroom are opened wide, hoping to capture enough breeze to keep us from roasting. Or falling asleep.

I tap some of her words with a few added “blah, blah, blahs” into my tablet and glance over at Lisbeth, who types like a bird skimming the surface of the creek at a mayfly hatch. Zip. Zip. Zip. She notes every single word, and probably studies them every night before her bedtime prayers. It makes sense, really, because Ms. Imma is her mother.

Lisbeth is the only one of the year sevens who seems happy with the plan the elders have for her. My best friend, Nico, fidgeting at the desk in front of mine, will dig wells with his father, Aitor. Pablo will tend goats. Both jobs involve hard work and a strict master. Lisbeth will become a teacher. She’ll be perfect after years of practice nagging the three of us.

Then there’s me. Unlike the others, I can’t follow in my father’s footsteps. He’s already got an apprentice. My brother Rim. I feel my ears getting hot just picturing the glee on Rim’s face.

HERE’S SARAH:

Julie Artz, THE OUTLANDS

I loved the opening line of this, and the opening paragraph overall is strong as well. It sets up an interesting premise and I was curious to read further to find out just why curiosity kills and what, exactly, this apprenticeship was all about. I liked the voice, but did have a few concerns about word choice. For example, “chicken scratch” felt like an old-fashioned phrase that a MG-aged character wouldn’t refer to himself. I also didn’t know whether a “bird skimming the surface of the creek at a mayfly hatch” was supposed to mean very quick or very carefully. This, of course, might be regional, but the phrasing of it also felt like the voice of someone much older. I couldn’t picture a young person speaking that way, particularly with the use of simile and metaphor. It didn’t feel true to the voice we opened with. I also wasn’t sure if this was a futuristic world. Paper is scarce, but they don’t seem to be typing on anything that doesn’t already exist. The jobs that are described for the other Year Sevens feel very rural, but without any futuristic advancements that may exist. It made me wonder if it isn’t futuristic, why is paper scarce and why does curiosity kill? I think the world could be better developed here. I also didn’t see the narrator very much after that opening paragraph. I was curious why the story itself begins here and where the plot of the novel is set into motion.

_____________________________________________________

Thank you Sarah for sharing your time and expertise with us. We can all learn a lot from reading and first page and hearing what an editor or agent thinks.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Filed under: Advice, Agent, Process, Writing Tips Tagged: Bradford Literary Agency, First Page Critiques, Free Fall Friday - Results, Kids Counting Kitties, Sarah LaPolla, Sharon Lane Holm

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Each fall I put on a Writer’s Retreat in Avalon, NJ. The nice thing about this retreat is that it consists of a small group of advanced children’s writers with two children’s publishing agents, plus everyone receives:

1. A full manuscript critique from one of the agents

2. A full manuscript group critique

3. A 30-50 page critique with the other agent

4. A first page session with agents,

5. Additional fun group activities, plus lots of time with the agents.

I have two available spots, if you are interested.

There are Two Retreat Sessions – Each with two groups of five -  All agents are interested in MG and YA. Here are the main details.

Place: An upscale house with 8 bedrooms, 7.5 baths, heated pool, and elevator in Avalon, NJ

Cost: $795 – $910 according to room. Cost includes room, food, and critiques.

First Session Dates: Arriving noon on September 21st – departing by 10 am on September 24th.

Agent Carly Watters from PS Literary

Carly is actively looking for new Middle Grade and Young Adult clients. She is a hands-on agent that develops proposals and manuscripts with attention to detail and the relevant markets. PSLA’s mission is to manage authors’ literary brands for their entire career.

Never without a book on hand she reads across categories which is reflected in the genres she represents and is actively seeking new authors in including women’s fiction, commercial fiction, literary thrillers, upmarket non fiction, and all genres of YA. Carly is drawn to emotional, well-paced narratives, with a great voice and characters that readers can get invested in.

She has sold 5 books 2-YA(both two book deals), 1-MG(two book deal), and 2-nonfiction in the past year. They were all very nice deals. Visit http://www.carlywatters.com for a more extensive list of books sold.

Agent Sarah LaPolla from Bradford Literary

Sarah represents YA and adult fiction. On the adult side, she is looking for literary fiction, science fiction, magical realism, dark/psychological mystery, and upmarket commercial and/or women’s fiction. For YA, she is interested in contemporary/realistic fiction that doesn’t shy away from the darker side of adolescence. YA sci-fi, horror, mystery, and magical realism are also welcome; and she would love to find a modern Judy Blume for the MG market. No matter what genre, Sarah is drawn to layered/strong characters, engaging narrators, and a story that’s impossible to put down.

Sarah has sold 4 books in the last six month 3 YA and 1 MG, which was a two book deal

Second Session Dates: Arriving noon on September 25th – departing by September 28th by 10 am.

Agent Ammi-Joan Paquette from Erin Murphy Literary

Amy specializes in children’s publishing. She has sold 12 MG’s and 4 YA’s and numerous picture books in the last year.

She also is a published author and her new book, PETEY AND PRU AND THE HULLABALOO was on the Kirkus Review 2014 Nominated books.

Agent Heather Alexander from Pippin Properties

Heather who was an editor at Dial just started with Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties and of course is looking for clients.

Heather is looking for new talent from a broad range of children’s book authors and illustrators, from picture books through young adult, including graphic novels. She’s most interested in unique characters, strong voices, and quirky humor.

Each year I open a few spots to new writers. If you are interested in joining us, please email me if you want one of the open spots. I will need to know what you will submit – MG, YA, NA, genre such as sci-fi, fantasy, contemporary, romance, thrillers, mystery, etc. The first five pages and a synopsis (if you have not written a synopsis, then just write something up about the story).

Please email me with a little blurb about you, two pages and a synopsis, plus what you are writing. Example: MG Contemporary Time travel book – 40,000 words – 160 pages. If you are interested in joining the group. Click here to see pictures from last year: http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2013/10/07/recap-of-avalon-writers-retreat/

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Filed under: Agent, authors and illustrators, Editor & Agent Info, Events, opportunity, revisions, Young Adult Novel Tagged: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Carly Watters, Heather Alexander, Sarah LaPolla

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CALL FOR SUMMER ILLUSTRATIONS!

This month we had three give-a-way books:

A picture book titled S IS FOR SEAGLASS written by Poet Richard Michelson and illustrator Doris Ettlinger
A Young Adult novel titled, PANDEMIC written by Yvonne Ventresca
A Young Adult thriller titled, KILLER INSTINCT written by S.E. Green

Here are the three winners:

Nancy Furstinger
Heather Ayris Burnell
Karen Lee Hallam

If you are a winner, please email me your name and address and list the three books in order of preference. Number one being your first choice. First come first serve.

Sarah LaPolla from the Bradford Literary Agency is our Guest Critiquer for June. If you are attending the NJSCBWI Conference make sure you look for her. She is on the faculty.

See Submission Guidelines at the bottom of this post.

Sarah LaPolla joined Bradford Literary Agency in May 2013. Prior to joining forces with Laura and Natalie, Sarah worked for five years in the foreign rights department at Curtis Brown, Ltd., and became an associate agent there in 2010. She received her MFA in Creative Writing (Nonfiction) from The New School in 2008 and has a B.A. in Creative Writing from Ithaca College.

Sarah represents YA and adult fiction. On the adult side, she is looking for literary fiction, science fiction, magical realism, dark/psychological mystery, and upmarket commercial and/or women’s fiction. For YA, she is interested in contemporary/realistic fiction that doesn’t shy away from the darker side of adolescence. YA sci-fi, horror, mystery, and magical realism are also welcome; and she would love to find a modern Judy Blume for the MG market. No matter what genre, Sarah is drawn to layered/strong characters, engaging narrators, and a story that’s impossible to put down.

Sarah is not looking for: picture books/children’s, inspirational/spiritual novels, romance, or erotica

Blog: http://glasscasesblog.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @sarahlapolla

Grabbing Sarah’s attention:

There are two things I’ve been searching for in my submissions and am having a hard time finding lately. The first is the element of surprise. I’m not talking about a shocking plot twist, necessarily. Or at least I’m not just talking about that. I need to be surprised by what I’m reading. That could mean a plot twist I didn’t see coming, but it can also mean a number of things. Am I feeling a range of emotions I didn’t expect to experience? Has the main
character grown and changed in a way they didn’t seem capable of at the beginning of the novel? Did the writing itself surprise me in its style, quality, or form? I like knowing what type of novel I’m getting into when I request a submission, but the last thing I want that manuscript to be is predictable.

The other thing I’m not seeing as much of lately are strong male characters. We talk a lot about what makes a female character “strong.” I, for one, talk about it a lot. But, the boys in YA are being forgotten. I see too many perfect boyfriends, perfectly imperfect bad boys, “nice guy” best friends, and sassy gay friends. Maybe it’s because I read a lot of submissions with female main characters, and boys are generally cast as friend, enemy, or love interest to the main character. That’s all well and good, but that doesn’t mean they have to be one-dimensional. Whether it’s a male or female character, I need them to be strong… meaning, they should be able to stand on their own and have just as many complexities as humans in real life.

Here are the submission guidelines for submitting a First Page in June:

Please put “June First Page Critique” in the subject line. Please make sure you include your name, the title of the piece, and whether it is as picture book, middle grade, or young adult, etc. at the top.

Besides pasting it into the body of the email, please attach your first page submission in a Word doc using one inch margins and 12 point font – double spaced, no more than 23 lines and e-mail and send it to: kathy(dot)temean(at)gmail(dot)com. So it should be cut and pasted into the body of the e-mail and then also attached as a Word document to the email.

DEADLINE: June 19th.

RESULTS: June 27th.

Use inch margins – double space your text – 12 pt. New Times Roman font – no more than 23 lines – paste into body of the email and attach.

CALL FOR ILLUSTRATIONS: Still need illustrations for summer. Would love to show off your illustrations during one of my daily posts. So please submit your illustrations: To kathy (dot) temean (at) gmail (dot) com. Illustrations must be at least 500 pixels wide and include a blurb about you that I can use. Put Summer Illustration in the subject area. Thanks!

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Filed under: Agent, opportunity, Places to sumit Tagged: Bradford Literary, Call for Illustrations, Doris Ettlinger, First Page Critiques, S.E. Green, Sarah LaPolla, Yvonne Ventresca

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This month everyone who submits a First Page for critique will have double the opportunity to get their page critiqued, since we have two Guest Critiquers for April.

I announced Agent SAMANTHA BREMEKAMP from the Corvisiero Literary Agency on Free Fall Friday’s post and today I want everyone to know that JENNA POCIUS from Bloomsbury has agreed to read four first pages, too.

Jenna’s information is below. Also, I have listed the Guest for May and June and a number of agents and editors who have been Guest Critiquers in the past. Why am I doing this? Well, here’s my tip:

All these editors and agents will be attending this years New Jersey SCBWI Conference at the end of June. I have provided the link to their critiques next to their name, so you can read about them and go over how they think. It might help you decide on whether you should register for the conference and it definitely will help you decide if you would like a critique with one of them if you go.

If you have already signed up for the conference, it will help you decide who you would like to make sure you meet while you are there.

Even if you can’t attend, this post will give you good information on whether any of the editor/agents are a good fit for your manuscript. Hope you find it helpful.

JENNA POCIUS, Assistant Editor, Bloomsbury – GUEST CRITIQUER APRIL 2014

Jenna Pocius is an Assistant Editor at Bloomsbury who works on everything from picture books to YA. Before joining Bloomsbury, she worked for Abrams BFYR. She has edited numerous books including Dragon’s Extraordinary Egg by Debi Gliori, A Soldier’s Secret by Marissa Moss, and the upcoming Mad Scientist Academy series by Matthew McElligott. She’s most interested in YA with strong voice and emotional depth, and she is particularly interested in contemporary realistic fiction, magic realism, and well-crafted fantasy and science fiction with a contemporary voice. She’s interested in middle grade that is quirky and character-driven, particularly girl-centered stories. And she loves picture books that are poignant and sweet or humorously clever. She is also a sucker for dog stories.

SAMANTHA BREMEKAMP, Junior Agent, Corvisiero Literary Agency – GUEST CRITIQUER APRIL 2014

Samantha Bremekamp started her career in publishing in 2008, and quickly realized that she preferred working directly with authors from the other side of the industry. She runs critique groups and writing groups for fun, as she also loves to write and help others to fulfill their writing ambitions. She is fully aware of how hard of an industry it really is in this day and age. Her favorite writing is children’s, middle grade, young adult, and new adult. There is something so pure about each building block of life these book groups represent. Although there may be a difference between a three year old and a 33 year old, maybe, Samantha finds that all of life’s challenges in these age groups really show the potential for amazing growth in a character. Samantha’s background is in English literature, communications, and Spanish. She really thinks that if a writer is confident and believes in their work, their work will show that without having to showboat to prove it via a pitch. Samantha loves reading Children’s, MG, YA, and NA fiction. She is open to any genre within those age groups, but prefers speculative fiction, mystery, and quirky romance.

QUINLAN LEE, Agent, Adams LiteraryGUEST CRITIQUER MAY 2014

Quinlan Lee is an agent and a published author of numerous books that help young readers learn to read and love reading. She has been a part of the Adams Literary team since 2008, representing clients in all genres from picture books to YA. She enjoys meeting others who share her love of children’s literature and is an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and a founding board member of the Charlotte Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association (WNBA). Quinlan graduated from Tulane University and has lived all over the United States—from the mountains of Western Colorado to the Garden District of New Orleans to downtown Chicago—and for the past 14 years she’s been happily settled in North Carolina.

SARAH LaPOLLA, Literary Agent, Bradford Literary GUEST CRITIQUER JUNE 2014

Sarah LaPolla joined Bradford Literary Agency in May 2013. Prior to joining the team, Sarah worked for five years in the foreign rights department at Curtis Brown, Ltd., and became an associate agent there in 2010. She received her MFA in Creative Writing (Nonfiction) from The New School in 2008 and has a B.A. in Creative Writing from Ithaca College. Sarah represents YA and adult fiction. On the adult side, she is looking for literary fiction, science fiction, magical realism, dark/psychological mystery, and upmarket commercial and/or women’s fiction. For YA, she is interested in contemporary/realistic fiction that doesn’t shy away from the darker side of adolescence. YA sci-fi, horror, mystery, and magical realism are also welcome; and she would love to find a modern Judy Blume for the MG market. No matter what genre,
Sarah is drawn to layered/strong characters, engaging narrators, and a story that’s impossible to put down.

SUSAN DOBINICK, Assistant Editor, Farrar Straus Giroux – GUEST CRITIQUER MARCH

Susan Dobinick is an associate editor at Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers. Among other books, she has edited SPIRIT’S KEY, a middle grade magical realism novel about a girl who sees the ghost of her pet dog and solves a mystery on a small southern island, and DEAR YETI, a picture book about two little boy hikers who go searching for the mythical creature. She is looking for quirky but heartfelt picture books, design-centered picture books, heartfelt middle grade, sophisticated YA, and mysteries and ghost stories for all ages. In nonfiction, she likes books with feminist, social justice, and civil rights themes.

ALLISON MOORE, Assistant Editor, Little, Brown & Co. – GUEST CRITIQUER FEBRUARY

Allison Moore is an assistant editor at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. She works on a range of titles including picture books by Todd Parr, Marc Brown, Andrea and Brian Pinkney, Sujean Rim, Nancy Tafuri, Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton, and Bob Staake; leveled readers; novelty books by Sandra Magsamen and Matthew Reinhart; and novels by Jewell Parker Rhodes, Sherri Winston, and Karen Healey. Allison is particularly interested in smart picture books that can be appreciated by all ages; unique and memorable illustration styles; early readers with a strong voice; inventive novelty ideas; middle grade stories with interesting settings; and YA novels that encourage readers to consider new points of view. Before working at Little, Brown, she interned at Bloomsbury and Walker Books for Young Readers, Barefoot Books, the Kneerim & Williams literary agency, and Simon & Schuster UK; worked at a bookstore and at her hometown library; and attended the Columbia Publishing Course. Originally from Fair Lawn, NJ, Allison graduated from Boston University and now lives in Brooklyn. You can find her on Twitter @allisonm610.

SEAN McCARTHY, Literary Agent, Sean McCarthy Literary Agency – GUEST CRITIQUER JANUARY 2014

Sean McCarthy began his publishing career as an editorial intern at Overlook Press before moving to the Sheldon Fogelman Agency. He worked as the submissions coordinator and permissions manager before becoming a full-time literary agent. In 2013, he founded his own literary agency. He works on children’s books for all ages, and is actively looking to build his client list. His clients include Zachariah O’Hora, Hyewon Yum, Mark Fearing, Jamie Swenson, Andrea Offermann, Dasha Tolstikova, and Judith Robbins Rose. Sean graduated from Macalester College with a degree in English-Creative Writing, and is grateful that he no longer has to spend his winters in Minnesota. He is drawn to flawed, multifaceted characters with devastatingly concise writing in YA, and boy-friendly mysteries or adventures in MG. In picture books, he looks more for unforgettable characters, off-beat humor, and especially clever endings. He is not currently interested in high fantasy, message-driven stories, or query letters that pose too many questions.

MEREDITH MUNDY, Executive Editor, Sterling Publishing – GUEST CRITIQUER APRIL 2013

Meredith Mundy, Executive Editor at Sterling Children’s Books, is nuts about character-centered picture books (recent projects include BROWNIE GROUNDHOG AND THE WINTRY SURPRISE by Susan
Blackaby, RUFUS GOES TO SCHOOL by Kim Griswell, PUDDLE PUG by Kim Norman, and GOODNIGHT SONGS by Margaret Wise Brown), but she is also seeking everything from funny, original board books to unforgettable middle grade novels to gripping YA fiction. (No vampires, angels, werewolves, or dystopian plots, please.) While she enjoys editing lively nonfiction, she wouldn’t be the
right editor for poetry collections or a project geared primarily toward the school and library market.

RACHEL ORR, Literary Agent, Prospect Agency – GUEST CRITIQUER FEBRUARY 2013

RACHEL ORR is celebrating her seventh year at Prospect Agency. She previously worked for eight
rewarding years at HarperCollins Children’s Books, and now uses those editorial skills to help prepare her clients’ work for submission. Her clients include a wide-range of picture-book authors, illustrators, and middle-grade/YA novelists, including A.C.E. Bauer (GIL MARSH), Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen (DUCK, DUCK, MOOSE), Cori Doerrfeld (BARNYARD BABY) and Leeza Hernandez (NEVER PLAY MUSIC RIGHT NEXT TO THE ZOO). Rachel lives in Hoboken, New Jersey, with her husband and two young children. She has no spare time—-but, if she did, she would spend it dancing, running and reading, of course.

PAULA SADLER, Assistant Editor, Random House – GUEST CRITIQUER OCTOBER 2012

Paula Sadler is an Assistant Editor at Random House Books for Young Readers. She joined the group in 2012 after three wonderful years at Putnam Children’s. At Random House, Paula currently edits the Totally True Adventures nonfiction chapter book series and the Ballpark Mysteries, as well as the middle grade Oliver and the Seawigs by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre. At the moment, Paula is looking for narrative nonfiction writers and chapter book series with a strong hook. In middle grade, humor—whether wry or madcap, nostalgic or plucky—is the key to Paula’s heart. Her wish list includes contemporary escapades with a nerdy twist (think Origami Yoda and The Wednesday Wars), mysteries with a spunky wit (like the Enola Holmes mysteries), and epic adventures with a big heart (like How to Train Your Dragon and The True Meaning of Smekday). In books and in real life, she’s a sucker for strong friendships, pesky siblings, scrappy underdogs, colorful sidekicks, a healthy serving of trouble, and a great big dollop of mischief.

SUSAN HAWK, Literary Agent, The Bent Agency – GUEST CRITIQUER JULY 2012

Susan Hawk is a Literary Agent at The Bent Agency, representing middle grade, YA, picture books, and non-fiction for kids. Projects she represents share powerful and original writing, strong story-telling and a distinctive, sometimes off-kilter voice. In middle-grade and YA, she’s looking for unforgettable characters, rich world-building, and she’s a sucker for bittersweet; bonus points for something that makes her laugh out loud. In picture books, she’s looking particularly for author-illustrators, succinct but expressive texts, and indelible characters. Her favorite projects live at the intersection of literary and commercial. Before
agenting, she spent fifteen years in children’s book marketing at Penguin, Henry Holt and North-South Books; she also worked in Editorial at Dutton Children’s Books, and as a children’s librarian and bookseller. http://www.thebentagency.com @susanhawk

LIZA FLEISSIG, Agent, Liza Royce Agency – GUEST CRITIQUER – AUGUST 2011

Liza Fleissig, with her partner Ginger Harris-Dontzin, opened the Liza Royce Agency (LRA) in early 2011. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business with a BSE in Finance, and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law with a JD, Liza brings 20 years of litigation and negotiating experience to the field. On the children’s side of publishing, being a mother to a preschooler girl and a pre-teen boy, she is interested in everything from picture books to middle grade and young adult.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Filed under: authors and illustrators, Conferences and Workshops, Editor & Agent Info, opportunity Tagged: Allison Moore, April First Page Critique, Jenna Pocius, Quinlan Lee, Samantha Bremekamp, Sarah LaPolla, Susan Dobinick

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I belong to a great writers’ workshop, and we put on a writers’ conference every year. And this year, DFWcon melted my face off like Dave Grohl rocking during a Foo Fighters’ encore set.

Lemme give you 10 reasons why:

1. I met my agent, Sara Crowe, in person, for the first time ever!!! She’s so phenomenal in eleventy-billion ways, and hanging out with her all weekend just confirmed them all. I had so much fun gabbing and getting into shenanigans. (In-N-Out Burgers! Panel Discussions! Bull-Riding at Billy Bob’s!)

2. I met many other publishing professionals, and it turns out that PR genius Mer Barnes, and super agents Sarah LaPolla and Jennie Goloboy are just as crazy cool as you’d expect. (Psst…they aren’t bad at Texas two-stepping either.) And editor Stacey Barney? When she talks about YA, drop your fork and take notes. Her taste in good books (and dessert) is impeccable.

3. Alec Shane is at Writers’ House. He’s also a former Hollywood STUNTMAN. Dude. Fo Realz. He might not have an official action figure, but hey, google his IMDB page. Then award 1,000,001 street cred points for appearing in a flick called MAXIMUM CAGE FIGHTER. And award another 1,000,001 points for championing boy YA books. (Note to self: Write heartbreaking, edgy YA about a seventeen-year-old mixed martial arts master. Who cage fights. In Post-Apocalyptic Detroit.)

4. There’s a coffee shop in Hurst called ROOTS. They make blackberry green tea Chai lattes. That taste like warm blackberry cobbler. Don’t tell me how many calories are in a Venti. I don’t want to know.

5. Author Rosemary Clement-Moore is a perfect hotel roommate. She doesn’t snore, she doesn’t hog all the hot water, and you can totally pick her brain at 1:00 a.m.

6. Kate Cornell is the world’s best agent wrangler. She gets your agent coffee, packs a mean conference survival kit, tells perfect anecdotes, and absolutely, positively doesn’t hold it against you when you have to drive back to Abuelo’s and kidnap her because you couldn’t figure out the right exit to get to the airport.

7. DFWcon attendees are charming and sweet and 100% inspiring. When you teach a session, they don’t heckle you and they ask great questions. When they practice pitch you, they blow you away with high concept premises (Hey, Sally Hamiltinez!) and well-developed ideas. (Hello, MR. SECULAR APOCALYPSE, I’m talking to YOU.)

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Here’s my selection of interesting (and sometimes amusing) posts about writing from the last week:

(Read more ...)

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Here’s my selection of interesting (and sometimes amusing) posts about writing from the last week:
 
Is the second novel really easier? (Douglas W. Jacobson)
 
Launching a Book (Elizabeth Spann Craig)
 
The Case for Putting a Manuscript in the Drawer (Nathan Bransford)
 
10 Signs of a Typical Writing Day (Elspeth Antonelli)
 
Asking a Published Author to Read Your Work (Rachelle Gardner)
 
Do You Really Need an Author Blog if You’re on Facebook or Twitter? (Judy Dunn)
 
My Inevitable Prologue Post (Sarah LaPolla)
 
Reader Impact: Why you should preorder (Mike Kabongo aka onyxhawke)
 
Penguin’s Book Country (Jim C. Hines aka jimhines)

 

(Read more ...)

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In a blog post, Curtis Brown literary agent Sarah LaPolla (pictured, via) recommended five “band-aid editing” tips for fixing a manuscript before sending it to an agent.

LaPolla first advised that authors avoid sentences that begin with a conjunction. Here is an excerpt from the post: “Sometimes standalone sentences that begin with ‘And’ can be used for emphasis. And that’s OK. Other sentences, however, can end up sounding like a mere continuation of the previous sentence, making them sound weaker in comparison.”

LaPolla’s other tips elaborate on how to steer clear of weak sentences, redundant points, and the passive voice. Can you think of other “band-aids” that would be helpful? (via Elizabeth S. Craig)

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

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Here’s Sarah choice for winner and some honorable mentions (there were so many good ones!)

Winner: High Hopes by Lisa (contemporary YA)
You win a critique of a query letter and your first chapter!
Lisa - congrads and email me at [email protected] for instructions

HIGH HOPES is a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s “Northanger Abbey,” but instead of going to Bath, eighteen-year-old Katie Moreland takes a trip to Florida for Spring Break week. There, she meets Hal Tilney, 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 weekend, 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.

Honorable Mentions

• Flight by Allison Morris (literary fiction/magical realism)
• Unraveled by Susan Bradley (YA mystery)
• Mercy by Jess (YA magical realism)
• The Last One by Chersti Nieveen (YA dystopia)
• Waiting for April by Jaime Loren (paranormal romance)
• The Ghost Writer by MarcyKate (YA ghost story)

The “honorable mentions” are in no particular order and that they were all great!

Next week, Sarah may post some critiques of these pitches so stay tuned.

I'm unplugging this week and heading out of town to be on faculty for SCBWI Carolina conference in Charlotte. I'll be back next Monday with a whole slew of fun new posts!

Have a great week! :)

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It's time again for another agent pitch contest. I love doing these because not only do they get you in front of an agent but they also help the agents get some fresh queries :)

Today, the pitch is being judged by Sarah LaPolla from Curtis Brown LTD. You can read her interview with me here. And see her agent bio here.

Here are some other interviews to help you get to know her taste and style:
YA Highway
Mother, Write, Repeat
Guide to Literary Agents

Winner: Gets a 1st chapter/query critique from Sarah!

When: Begins today, Tuesday Sept 14th at Noon EST and ends Wed Sept. 15th at midnight EST (I will close comments when it officially ends so if you get a comment in, you are counted.)

What: Leave your paragraph pitch in the comments on this post. Your pitch can be NO MORE than 4 or 5 sentences and MUST be something Sarah is looking for.

Eligibility

• If your manuscript is still in WIP - you may enter since this is a query critique
• Your pitch must only be 4 to 5 sentences. Your entry must follow the rules to be counted.
• This is for unagented/unpublished book writers only. (if you've published articles or essays - you can enter!)
• You can only enter ONCE so choose wisely!
• You must be a follower of my blog and either twitter or my newsletter (whichever you would use more :). If I were you, I would also follow Sarah's blog and Twitter too!
  

In the comments you MUST leave the following information to be considered:

• title of book
• genre
• your paragraph pitch
• your email

Good luck!!

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NEWSFLASH: Sarah LaPolla is doing an Agent Pitch Contest starting tomorrow morning at 9amEST! It will be an paragraph pitch of no more than 4 sentences. Winner gets a special prize (revealed tomorrow :)

So get your pitches ready and come back tomorrow for more deets!

For now, here is a little about Sarah!

Hi Sarah, tell us about yourself and how you got into agenting?

I am an associate agent at Curtis Brown, Ltd. and have been with them since 2008. I started as the foreign rights assistant and a few months ago I started building my own list. Before getting my job at Curtis Brown, I received my MFA in creative nonfiction from The New School. I still vaguely consider myself a writer, but I always knew I wanted to be the one to make things happen for other writers, as opposed to getting my own work published. (Maybe, possibly, someday though…) While I was in grad school, I interned with Loretta Barrett Books and the Renee Zuckerbrot Agency, and I knew I wanted to continue down that career path. So here I am!

What is your biggest pet peeve when receiving submissions? Query fails vs query successes?

It bothers me when it is very clear the writer has done no research whatsoever before querying me. Another pet peeve is when authors compare their books, whether for better or worse, to other popular novels. I’ve been getting a lot of Twilight-meets-blank lately and then realize that the only thing remotely close to Twilight in the book is that a vampire shows up. I want writers to be able to describe their work without relying on anything else other than their own story.

As an agent, how do you plan on helping your clients promote their books?

I have my own blog, which I will use as a marketing tool when the time comes (promote books and events, hold contests, etc.) I’m also pretty active on Twitter. I would encourage my authors to do the same. Ultimately, I think the bulk of publicity still ends up falling on the publisher and the author, but the role of the agent is changing in that way. The outlets for effective marketing also change fairly often, so I plan to keep up with those trends as best I can.

What are you looking for and how can authors submit to you?

I love literary fiction, urban fantasy, magical realism, narrative nonfiction, and young adult fiction. I’m also always looking for eng

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We are excited to kick off our new contest with Sarah LaPolla from Curtis Brown, Ltd and a panel of guest authors who will help you perfect your pitch, lick your logline into shape, and rock your query letter. Over the next few weeks, you'll be paired with a mentor from among our authors, and she, along with our other contestants and our amazing followers, will help you work through the short synopsis and logline elements of your query. Then you will put it all together, and Sarah LaPolla will choose the top three finalists!

The three top finalists will receive a submission request from Sarah LaPolla. In addition, they'll receive:

• 1st Place: Three-chapter manuscript critique from Sarah LaPolla
• 2nd Place: Two-chapter manuscript critique from P.J. Hoover
• 3rd Place: One-chapter manuscript critique from Michele Corriel 

Detailed timetables are here located here, but see below for how today's segment is going to work.

 

To enter, post a comment including:

• Your name or screenname
• The title of your project
• The genre of your project
• Your pitch, no more than 175 words and two paragraphs that briefly synopsize your story.
• If your online profile doesn't include an email address, either provide it or email us privately at kidlit (at) writeedge.com so we'll have a way to contact you. We will not accept anonymous entries or entries without contact info this time. (We spent WAY too much time herding contestants last month!)

8/19 to 8/26: 

• Our panel of mentoring authors will be evaluating and formulating their ideas on your short synopsis (pitch) paragraphs. 

8/26 to 9/1:

• Our mentoring authors will post their comments and suggestions.
• Contestants, please plan to offer courteous, helpful comments on at least five other entries.
• Followers and readers, please help us out and offer your suggestions, too!

9/02: You'll accept your one-sentence logline (elevator pitch) entries. Plan ahead!



Sarah LaPolla began at Curtis Brown in 2008, working with Dave Barbor and Peter Ginsberg. Sarah is interested in literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, science fiction, literary horror, and young adult fiction. She loves complex characters, coming-of-age stories, and strong narrators. Sarah graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Writing and English, and went on to receive her MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. She is always on the lookout for debut authors and welcomes email submissions at sl [at] cbltd.com.

• P. J. Hoover grew up visiting museums and dreaming of finding Atlantis. She eventually married and had two children, shifted her dreams to reality, and began a writing career. PJ enjoys writing fantasy for middle grade and teen readers, boys and girls alike. Her middle grade fantasy novels, T
  A. Grey said, on 8/19/2010 9:00:00 AM
  

  A Grey
  Amarok and the Gone Missing Girl
  Young Adult
  [email protected]
  
  
  
  What would you do if something that frightened you more than anything, suddenly became someone you didn’t want to live without? Ansel Whitetree is an introverted albino Athabaskan Indian who’s more than happy to stay out of the public eye. But when a delirious runaway girl shows up in his parents storage shed, he’s forced to choose between letting her stay, and calling the police. What starts out as an act of kindness quickly turns into a personal crusade to help a girl he doesn’t know but is already beginning to love.
  Determined to save the girl, who he’s nicknamed Catskin, from her lingering demons, Ansel soon finds himself in a struggle between what’s always been, and what might be. In doing what’s right for Catskin, he’s forced to face what has always frightened him the most. No one ever said love was easy, but Ansel knows that love is worth fighting for. If, of course, he and Catskin can survive the changeover from who they were to who they’re becoming.

  Jessica said, on 8/19/2010 9:00:00 AM
  

  Name: Jessica
  Title: TAG-19
  Genre: YA thriller
  Pitch:
  Sixteen-year-old foster-care veteran Kae Ringer is already having a bad week, when she looks in a Philadelphia newspaper and sees her face under a murder headline. The victim’s name and hair are different, but the face is hers. Within a day, she goes for a run and returns to find her latest family brutally murdered. Kidnapped and taken to Switzerland, she learns her secret twin was a student-employee of a special school. Liberta is a residence and training ground for operatives known as Technical Assistance Guides; her sister Charlotte was known as TAG-19.
  
  The Headmaster covers up Charlotte’s death from the rival agency that ordered the murders, and wants to train Kae to take over TAG-19’s duties. In mourning and danger, Kae cooperates. With a newfound sense of identity and purpose, Kae begins to investigate clues about her birth and plan revenge on the killers. Small problem—with Kae walking around, the spy who killed her twin thinks he missed his target. Now he’s waiting for the right moment to finish the job.

  Meagan Spooner said, on 8/19/2010 9:00:00 AM
  

  Meagan Spooner
  THE IRON WOOD
  YA Dystopian Fantasy
  
  Sixteen year-old Lark Ainsley has never seen the sky. Her world ends at the edge of the vast domed Wall enclosing all that's left of humanity. The city harvests every child's innate magic at adolescence to sustain the Wall that keeps out the twisted remains of the world. When it's Lark’s turn to be harvested, she finds herself trapped in a nightmarish web of experiments and learns that she is that rarest of things: a Renewable, able to regenerate her own power after it’s been stripped.
  
  If she stays in the world she's known, she's doomed to a life of agony as a human battery powering the city. Now, the girl who has never seen the sky must fight her way across the terrible and beautiful ruined landscape beyond the edge of the world in search of a place she can be safe. To guide her, she has only the knowledge that somewhere out there are others like her, and that she must find them in the Iron Wood.

  Melissa Gill said, on 8/19/2010 9:00:00 AM
  

  Melissa Gill
  ZOMBIE RABBIT
  Middle Grade/Adventure
  
  Milo Thimbleberry is a rabbit turned into a zombie because he failed to live up to his potential in life. He wants to move on to the Misty Meadow where good rabbits go when they die, but he’ll have to perform a dangerous task to do so. If he fails to complete the task by the next full moon, or if he dissentigrates completely before he completes it, he’ll have to go to The Hot Place, where he’ll be hunted by predators for eternity.
  
  His task is to lead a group of zombies on a mission to rescue a rabbit from an animal testing lab. They have to overcome a series of challenges inspired by Homer’s Odyssey, only for woodland animals. They also have to defeat the Lady in Pink (the LIP) who runs the lab and wants to use zombie animals in her testing. In the end they succeed through team work and sacrafice. Milo goes from loafer to leader and gets the chance to move on.
  
  [email protected]

  Moni said, on 8/19/2010 9:00:00 AM
  

  Name: Monica B.W.
  Genre: YA paranormal (55,000 words)
  Title: Out of My Body
  Email: moni.bw at gmail dot com
  
  Whenever her soul feels like going out for a float, sixteen-year-old Tanya Reinhart finds herself hovering over her limp, drooling body. Sure, you’d think astral experiences are fun. But they’re definitely not fun when you faint in class—or, crap, fall on the lap of Tanya’s high school crush.
  
  One awful night, after finding her mother unconscious, Tanya realizes being a drooling freak is nothing. Because, according to an ethereal stranger who sifts through the door, her mom has left her body—as she’s done for years, serving the Government. Only tonight, her soul is MIA. The stranger cooks a deal with Tanya: if she becomes an out-of-body spy and discovers a traitor in his agency, he’ll get her mother’s soul back. But what could be worse than working undercover while pretending to be a normal high school student? Well, finding out you’re actually helping the bad guys. And that the traitor not only is the good guy, but he’s your crush. Now, if Tanya doesn’t turn him in, she won’t see her mother again.

  Phoebe said, on 8/19/2010 9:00:00 AM
  

  When eighteen-year-old Irene meets Loril Walker at the boardwalk diner where she works, she’s struck by his sparkling eyes and exotic accent. But she’s shocked to find out that he’s more than foreign—he is, in fact half-merman. He’s come to the boardwalk because he faces a choice: spend the rest of his life at sea with his dying pod or settle down in the alien world of a father he’s never met.
  
  Irene’s been facing hard choices, too: breaking up her band, leaving her friends behind to go to art school in New York City. She’s even been considering ditching college completely to stay in the seamy seaside town she loves. Falling in love with Loril makes these choices a little more complicated. But his pod waits for him, hoping he’ll one day take his place as their leader. And soon the couple will discover the terrible truth about Loril’s human family—when one of them threatens Irene’s very life.
  
  SEAS RUN DRY, complete at 75,000 words, is a paranormal romance for young adults.

  Bekah said, on 8/19/2010 9:01:00 AM
  

  • Bekah K.
  • Parallel Earth, Middle Grade
  • Twins are transported to a parallel dimension of earth and discover a group of aliens who despise humans.
  synopsis: Haley Parker is a mess when it comes to running, but she gets straight A's. Wyatt Parker prefers to leave his books at the front door and play sports or his beloved videogames; it's what he's great at. The only way anyone can tell they're related, let alone twins, is by their green eyes. Plus, they barely stand each other. When they see a strange sign at an abandoned Christmas tree farm, they agree to investigate together. They find a Lens, a view to a parallel dimension, and get transported to a wacky place of shimmering colors.
  The twins are lost with flying stump scooters, talking bushes, and two-headed animals. When they meet a friendly race of inhabitants, they are told about the advanced Pyonians who snatch up humans through the Lens' for genetic experiments to make their population stronger and live longer. The Pyonians know where every Lens is, and they have Humadar to know where every human on their dimension is. Haley and Wyatt want to find the nearest Lens, but they know that won't be easy since they're being hunted by crazy aliens, and they don't want to be their next genetic victims.
  • Providing email to kidlit

  Janice said, on 8/19/2010 9:01:00 AM
  

  Name: Janice Foy
  Title: Salvation
  Genre: YA (Dystopian)
  
  Kerry Adams is a genetically perfect seventeen-year-old whose life was mapped out before she was conceived. She has never questioned the rules that govern her future - when she turns eighteen she’ll commit to her life partner and have perfect babies to strengthen a weakened human race.
  
  Kerry’s life is going to plan until her reckless older sister goes missing. Kerry’s search for her sister takes her beneath the streets of New York – where feral societies live their lives without rules or surveillance. It brings her into the arms of Finn Connors, who knows more about her life than he pretends and it will help her discover the truth about herself and the freedom of choice.

  Sarah N Fisk said, on 8/19/2010 9:01:00 AM
  

  Sarah N. Fisk
  MIRANDA’S FIRE
  YA Urban Fantasy
  Contact: Sarah.N.Fisk(at)gmail(dot)com
  
  Miranda Dakin is the most powerful Fire Mage alive and could win this year’s annual Tournament – if she were three days older. Mages must be at least sixteen to attend The Tournament, the paramount event for the secretive modern-day Mage society. Waiting another year to compete becomes the least of her worries when a horde of supposedly-extinct demons attack The Tournament, killing or kidnapping every adult Mage – including her Psychic Mage mother.
  
  After receiving a message from her mother, Miranda must rescue the surviving Mages from a place she was told doesn't exist. She sets off on a cross-country rescue mission with three others: a strange young Holy Knight, her Witch of a best friend, and a powerful Water Mage she's known since birth.
  
  Miranda grapples with a seductive ancient knowledge while discovering most of what she’s been taught about her magic is a strategic lie. An intimate betrayal, public demon attacks, and an unexpected affection complicate matters when all Miranda wants is her mother safely back at home.

  Jennifer Armentrout said, on 8/19/2010 9:01:00 AM
  

  Jen Armentrout
  Title: Half-Blood
  Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
  
  There’s nothing like crushing on the hot and totally forbidden Daemon to take Alexandria’s mind off training to kill her mother.
  
  In a world controlled by pure-blooded demigods, seventeen-year-old half-blood Alex must defy her growing attraction to her Instructor and commit her life to killing those who have turned into murderous Furies. Falling for Daemon is not a complication Alex needs right now. Relationships between halfs and pures are strictly forbidden. Why? The Gods forbid it. Yeah, even Alex thinks that’s a crap excuse. The more time she spends with him, the more she is willing to take that risk. One perfect night with Daemon could be worth a lifetime of servitude, the only other option suitable for a half-blood. But when she discovers that her mother has become what Alex hates most – a Furie, she faces a heartbreaking choice: kill her mother or risk becoming a Furie herself.

  Suzie said, on 8/19/2010 9:02:00 AM
  

  Name: Suzie Musin
  Title: Time Will Tell
  Genre: Young Adult
  
  Pitch:
  Since age three, Vera’s lived within a secret time traveling guild. When an agent rushes up to her in the ancient Roman market, he claims they’re good friends in her future. Problem one: whether to trust him. Problem two: Ethan’s on the run from a murderer who opposes everything the Guild represents.
  
  When they’re attacked, her traveling powers activate without warning. She’s flung into the driver’s seat for the first time at an age too young to handle it. Because of her inexperience, something terrible happens to Ethan. She’s only starting to cope with it when she meets a confrontational boy with sharp intelligence...named Ethan. This time he’s her age and he can tell she’s hiding something. As Vera tries to figures out what she owes him, besides his Guild-mandated right to live without knowledge of his own future, she searches for answers on what sparked her premature abilities. She uncovers family secrets which force her to question everything she knows about her identity and the Guild which runs her entire life.

  Vincent Kale said, on 8/19/2010 9:02:00 AM
  

  • Vincent Kale
  • Blackwatch: Order and Chaos
  • YA/Sci-Fi
  
  When fifteen-year-old Lamarr Jeffers messes with a funky watch he finds in his Uncle’s pawn shop, he unknowingly stops time and causes a tear in the fabric of order. While the world he knows is frozen motionless, scores of nightmarish demons pour through the rift, overwhelming the warriors put in place to defend it.
  
  With the original Guardians now dead, Lamarr and his best friend Tinka are recruited by a leather-clad biker duo wielding samurai swords and high-tech devices. They are trained in the ways of the Blackwatch, a timeless society of warriors that fight the eternal struggle against creatures from the savage, ash-covered jungles of Chaos. Now it’s up to Lamarr and Tinka to learn fast, train hard and stay alive. If they succeed in ridding their world of the abominations of Chaos, they will earn their ranks among the Blackwatch. If they fail, their world will be annihilated. No pressure.
  
  Blackwatch: Order and Chaos, complete at approximately 60,000 words, is a sci-fi novel for young adults.
  
  •[email protected]

  Dawn M said, on 8/19/2010 9:02:00 AM
  

  Hobo Crane’s life is the pits. He’s the star player on his eighth-grade basketball team though he hates playing. Then there’s the nosy neighbor girl with a Jupiter-sized crush on him who invades his kitchen after school every day to help with the Crane family catering business.
  
  When Hobo discovers a runaway named Up living in the giant blue spruce on an overgrown city lot one afternoon, things get interesting. Up is a sneering, sarcastic shrimp boat. He’s also well-read, carries a jar full of mysterious buttons, and has a past he’d rather not talk about. Through several chance meetings, the boys form a tentative bond. Each sees in the other what they crave most – for Hobo it’s a life without boundaries and for Up, it’s someone to trust.
  
  Soon Hobo decides it’s up to him to change Up’s desperate situation. Throughout THE UPSIDE OF DOWN, Hobo risks losing friendships, his parents’ trust, and his status on the team as he helps his unlikely friend continue a cross-country journey to find a family member.
  
  Contemporary middle-grade
  Dawn Malone
  dawnie23 (at) verizon.net

  Marilyn Peake said, on 8/19/2010 9:02:00 AM
  

  Author: Marilyn Peake
  
  Title: Mermaid in the Summer of Burning Water
  
  Genre: YA Fantasy
  
  Pitch:
  As fires lick the floor of heaven and turtles burn in the dark of night, three teenagers sneak past the military guards and find an unconscious mermaid washed up onshore. Coated in seaweed and the black crude of the recent oil disaster, she’s barely breathing. As the teens touch her shimmering scales, their senses intensify. Over the next few days, they develop the ability to see a web of connections among events. They gradually understand some rather troubling events within their families, including a father's spiraling descent into alcoholism when his fishing business is ruined by the oil spill. Able to see beyond the immediate, they recognize tendrils reaching out from the past, sources of addiction and violence that occurred long before they were born. When the mermaid awakens, she offers them a chance of redemption.
  
  
  Email: I’m sending you my email address privately.

  Natalie Aguirre said, on 8/19/2010 9:02:00 AM
  

  Natalie Aguirre
  THE THIRD TOWER
  Middle Grade Fantasy
  
  When twelve-year-old Jasmine and her best friend Austin follow a talking doorknob into the land of Myrrdin, they’re shocked to learn everyone believes she inherited her adoptive great-grandmother’s ability to perform spells. That’s impossible. She was adopted from China as a baby. Soon, their lives take a dangerous turn after they discover Glazdick, an evil man out for revenge, is desperately searching for a wand-like weapon he needs to destroy Myrrdin’s magic and become king. But he can’t use it without Jasmine’s magical powers.
  
  The clock is ticking for Jasmine and Austin to find the magical weapon before Glazdick steals it. But finding it is not enough. Glazdick is hunting for them too. And he’ll stop at nothing—even utilizing Austin as a pawn—to make Jasmine help him. Now Jasmine must discover how her adoption unlocks her newly found magical powers or face a terrible choice: cooperate in Glazdick’s evil plot or lose Austin forever.

  Brenda Drake said, on 8/19/2010 9:03:00 AM
  

  Brenda Drake
  Library Jumpers/YA Urban Fantasy
  
  Seventeen-year-old Gia Kearns would rather spar with boys instead of kiss them. That is until an out-of-place rebel hottie in the pretentious Boston Athenaeum intrigues her. When he disappears in the space of a distracted glance, Gia's search for him leads to the book of world libraries he was reading before he vanished. While flipping through the pages, Gia speaks the key that sucks her and her friends into a photograph and transports them into the National Library of France. The rebel, Arik, and his multicultural gang of magical Paladijns rescue the three from a demonic beast in the library.
  
  Gia learns she's a missing Paladijn destined to protect humans from the creatures traveling across the gateway books. The fact that she must train to be a Paladijn with her deadbeat father, a man she fears is an unstable individual, makes her uneasy. Now to prevent an exiled wizard from releasing an apocalyptic force, Gia must unleash her suppressed magic to stop him.
  
  *providing email to kidlit

  Jess Pettit said, on 8/19/2010 9:03:00 AM
  

  Jess P.
  Leeam and the World of Two Moons
  Fantasy Fiction
  
  Wheelchair-bound fifteen-year old Leeam Locke is lonely and depressed. But when Leeam sees his long-dead cat watching him from the woods one night, he rolls away from his troubles, and into an incredible adventure. After hitting his head on a rock, Leeam wakes again to discover he can walk and that he is taking his first steps in a strange, alternate world.
  
  Leeam quickly falls for a girl named Maybelle, who hails from a tribe of cat-people: shape-shifters who may have more to do with Leeam's childhood than he could imagine. Soon, he discovers that may be the only thing standing between the dying magical races of Maybelle's world and the tyrannical Overseer of Day, a Living God who seeks to exterminate them. But in order to defeat the Overseer, Leeam must uncover the secrets of his own identity and disability. As catastrophe approaches, Leeam has to decide if he is ready to give his life for a world that isn't even his. And, even more horrifying, a world that may not even be real.

  Shelley Watters said, on 8/19/2010 9:03:00 AM
  

  · Shelley Watters (Twitter: @Shelley_Watters)
  · BLUE LOTUS
  · Young Adult Paranormal Romance
  
  When seventeen-year-old Anna Caerulea travels to Egypt to work alongside her father on an archeological dig in Egypt, she meets the man of her dreams and finds herself caught between sides in an ancient war between Osiris and Anubis.
  
  As the Great Pyramids rise up from the scorching desert sand before her, Anna’s dreams have come true. But when statues whisper to her and touching mummies cause her to collapse with hallucinations of ancient Egypt, she wonders if coming to Egypt was a good idea after all.
  
  Together they explore an ancient tomb, narrowly escaping booby traps and thwarting tomb robbers. After a near-death experience, Anna remembers a past that she didn’t know she had and she discovers that Alex is not what he seems.
  
  It is up to Anna to decipher the clues that lead to the location of Osiris’ tomb before the armies can unleash Osiris on Egypt. Her life, her relationship with Alex, and the fate of the Egypt lay in her hands.
  
  · Shelleykuklish at gmail dot com

  Nicole Zoltack said, on 8/19/2010 9:04:00 AM
  

  Nicole Zoltack
  Hidden in Shadows
  Urban fantasy with romantic elements
  Nicole.Zoltack at gmail dot com
  
  Assassin Lorna McCloud has an advantage over her victims – the power to create and hide in artificial shadows; however, the one target she longs for most remains elusive – her father's murderer.
  
  With no leads, Lorna continues to accept assignments including a small island king with a high price on his head. King Alaric is everything Lorna isn't – noble, kind, good. When she falls for Alaric, Lorna distances herself from her assassin lifestyle but cannot escape her past. A massive gravesite on the island provides clues to her father's murder.
  
  Lorna never desired a normal life before. Torn between murder and love, Lorna cannot escape her ardent desire for revenge even if it means losing her only chance of living a happy life with Alaric.

  June G said, on 8/19/2010 9:04:00 AM
  

  Name: June Goodwin
  Title: Paying for the Sins of My Father
  Genre: YA
  Pitch:
  
  When fourteen year-old Sky moves to South Carolina, she learns that some of the inhabitants of her new hometown are not what they appear to be—and they have plans for her.
  Sky’s father bilked a lot of people out of a lot of money, but one woman is not going to let him get away unscathed. She has connections, but they’re not of this world. That’s where seventeen year-old Ryan comes into play. He’s part of an evil immortal network and they owe this woman. What better way to make a father pay for his sins than to destroy his daughter? There’s just one problem—Ryan doesn’t want to do it. And he’s falling in love. That is definitely not part of the plan. The network is not going to let allow this. Sky and Ryan struggle to find love without losing lives.
  
  email: june (at) writingisablessing (dot) com

  Jess Tudor said, on 8/19/2010 9:04:00 AM
  

  Jessica Tudor (Jessica[at]jessicatudor.com)
  MERCY, YA magical realism
  
  The first time, Madelyn drowns accidentally. The second time, her twin sister Camilla lets it happen, a choice that could pull her under.
  
  Eighteen-year-old Camilla Jay can rewind each day if she chooses. After Madelyn’s death, getting through the day is hard enough once. Then she finds notes hinting that Madelyn knew what would happen. As though Camilla’s guilt wasn’t strong enough. She’s flooded with doubts about her ability, their relationship, and her identity. The only way she can find peace is to answer Madelyn’s question: Why did Camilla go back if she wasn’t going to save her sister? Even she doesn’t know, but she’s determined to figure it out.

  L. Bowser said, on 8/19/2010 9:08:00 AM
  

  L. Bowser
  Bailey Blitztrager and the Worrisome Worms
  Christian Fantasy Chapter Book (early/emerging readers?)
  
  Eight year old Bailey Blitztrager is confused when a worm from her garden scolds her. She gets scared when a giant worm eats her backpack. But she's absolutely stunned when she learns that she is a falling angel and this is the first test she has to pass to get her wings back. Best friend TJ, seeing dollar signs and a Gamestation 6E Mobile in his future, agrees to help her. Their first plan doubles Bailey's trouble when they try cutting the worm in half. After observing a robin on the playground, they hatch a new plan using Bailey's gift for animal languages. But there's a catch. So far she only understands worms. Now Bailey must learn the secret of her gift and defeat the worms before it's too late.

  Carol Riggs said, on 8/19/2010 9:08:00 AM
  

  screen name: Carol Riggs (aka artzicarol)
  email: artzicarol [at] gmail.com
  YA light science fiction: SHAPERS
  
  In 2039, seventeen-year-old Morgan Dey accepts the job of Shaper at an innovative weight-loss clinic. There, the transformation from flabby to fabulous is made possible by temporarily replacing a patient's brain waves with a Shaper's, enabling the workers to do all the strenuous work of losing the extra pounds. Morgan "borrows" a body, whips it into shape, and vows never to do that kind of sweaty, grueling work again.
  
  But there's a catch. Morgan doesn't remember anything she did while in the other body. So when Jodine Kowalczyk checks in at 100 pounds overweight, Morgan eagerly signs up to help her lose that weight. Complications soon arise and multiply in the form of a live-in chef, an aggressive trio of Jodine's enemies, and isolated loneliness. Around the time Morgan-as-Jodine stumbles into an unlikely romance, anti-Shaper protestors become increasingly violent, turning from heckling to bombings.
  
  Then, as Morgan makes a horrifying discovery at the heart of the clinic, she stands to lose not only her new job, but her life as well.

  MarcyKate said, on 8/19/2010 9:09:00 AM
  

  Name: MarcyKate
  Title: THE GHOST WRITER
  Genre: YA Ghost Story
  Pitch: Eighteen-year-old Tessa James can’t even watch Casper the Friendly Ghost without nightmares, so when letters written in a foreign language appear on her nightstand she does her damnedest to ignore the implications.
  
  Soon Tessa realizes the letters are pieces of a diary, and the tale of Ava Dubois, a runaway millgirl turned rising starlet, begins to unravel. As Tessa is unwillingly drawn into Ava’s past, connections to the present become stark—and scary. Manchester’s Castle Theatre, her employer and once Ava's, is about to produce Hamlet, the very play canceled by Ava’s untimely death in 1935. A bizarre series of accidents plague the theatre staff, while the steady stream of letters and rumors of ghosts force Tessa into a dangerous game. Tessa wants no part of it, but the spirits won’t leave her alone, nor will the suspicious detective investigating the accidents. With the body count piling up—in the past and present—Tessa must checkmate her ghosts and Ava's if she wants to live long enough to have a future.

  Jamie said, on 8/19/2010 9:11:00 AM
  

  Jamie Manning
  [email protected]
  www.jmanni32.blogspot.com
  Title: EVER
  Genre: YA Paranormal
  
  Waking up in a coffin hungry for blood is only the beginning for sixteen-year-old Everly Blue. Things are about to get a lot worse. First, Ever finds out from super hottie Chance that she’s a vampire. Well, half vampire, not that she sees much difference. Then she meets her maker, Devon – the thousand-year-old vampire who turned her into a monster. He gives Ever a tiny shred of hope – kill 100 vampires to save her humanity.
  
  Deciding that being a murderer of the dead is less frightening than being a monster for eternity, Ever sets out to get her life back. But it won’t be easy. She has to deal with her feelings for Chance (who she’s falling for fast), her waning hatred for Devon, some new-found vampire hunting friends and that pesky taste for blood that just won’t go away. In the end, Ever faces a battle – and a decision – that will destroy the ones she loves and change her life forever.

  Stephanie S. said, on 8/19/2010 9:15:00 AM
  

  Name: Stephanie Sauvinet
  Title: Born To Die
  Genre: YA dytopian fiction
  email: [email protected]
  
  Pitch:
  Axia lives by one motto: kick-ass and don’t ask questions. As a genetically-engineered gladiator, she is used to entertain the crowds, a tamed and controlled killing puppet. The System, the hierarchical echelon dictating everyone’s place in society, has only created her to fight, blades and needles included. But when her master betrays her, Axia finds herself questioning The Rules for the first time.
  
  Her master notices her new found independence and as a remorseful favor allows her to win her freedom. She is released and builds a life out of the arena, falls in love and buries her past. But soon, she discovers she has abilities beyond her planned creation, resulting from illegally tampered genes.
  
  
  As she second-guesses who she really is, her creator hunts her down to fulfill the secret project for which she was created: he wants her to kill The System’s ruler. Axia now has to choose between leaving her past behind and seeking a revenge she never knew possible.

  Traci Van Wagoner said, on 8/19/2010 9:17:00 AM
  

  Title: Searching
  Genre: MG Historical Fantasy
  Chris finds a magical stick that takes her on an adventure she hopes she is strong enough to survive.
  
  When Dad said they were moving west to get a fresh start, twelve year old Crystal, called Chris, had no idea she’d be plopped into the middle of a real live ghost town with a magical stick and buried secrets. All she wants is to go back home. But home is something she'll never have again since Mom died.
  
  After a ghostly figure shows up beneath her window in the middle of the night, she finds a carved stick in an old Indian granary. The Stick is connected to something buried beneath the mountain. And now … so is she. Pulled into a destiny centuries old, from the first age of man when Thunderbirds, beings of power, flew the skies, the task falls to her to find the burial chamber and set the Thunderbird spirit free so he can finally go home. Problem is, she’s not the only one searching for the burial chamber. So is Mr. Blackley, the Boss, and he’s not about to let anyone stand in his way of making the biggest find of the century and becoming rich and powerful. Especially not a few dumb kids. Locked in a smelly root cellar beneath the company store, how can Chris save the Thunderbird spirit and send him home?

  A. J. Spindle said, on 8/19/2010 9:26:00 AM
  

  A. J. Spindle (ajspindle)
  Bennett Nelson and the Maker of the Stones
  Heroic Middle Grade Fiction
  [email protected]
  
  After surviving a fiery shipwreck, twelve-year-old Bennett Nelson washes up on Isla de Sangra Mala, only to find the natives have been anticipating his arrival. Years before his birth, Bennett’s name was carved into the Shield of Stone by a mystical, prophetic creature.
  
  Bennett is placed in a special camp for children of the Bureau; an organization bound together against an evil man who wants control of the island, Luciadoye the Great. There he attends lessons, learns of magical stones that can do almost anything, but most importantly he learns the power of friendship.
  
  When the only known maker of the stones, Dr. Rivers, goes missing, Bennett, wanting to prove himself to the Bureau, sets out to find and rescue him. But time is running out. Bennett has to hurry and find the Doctor before Luciadoye can use his powers for evil.

  Jess Pettit said, on 8/19/2010 9:32:00 AM
  

  Name: Jess Pettit
  Title: Leeam and the World of Two Moons
  Genre: YA Fantasy
  E-mail: [email protected]
  
  Wheelchair-bound fifteen-year old Leeam Locke is lonely and depressed. But when Leeam sees his long-dead cat watching him from the woods one night, he rolls away from his troubles, and into an incredible adventure. After hitting his head on a rock, Leeam wakes again to discover he can walk and that he is taking his first steps in a strange, alternate world.
  
  Leeam quickly falls for a girl named Maybelle, who hails from a tribe of cat-people: shape-shifters who may have more to do with Leeam's childhood than he could imagine. Soon, he discovers that may be the only thing standing between the dying magical races of Maybelle's world and the tyrannical Overseer of Day, a Living God who seeks to exterminate them. But in order to defeat the Overseer, Leeam must uncover the secrets of his own identity and disability. As catastrophe approaches, Leeam has to decide if he is ready to give his life for a world that isn't even his. And, even more horrifying, a world that may not even be real.

  Jim Hill said, on 8/19/2010 9:34:00 AM
  

  Jim Hill
  The Case Against My Sister: Sixth Grade
  Middle-grade
  [email protected]
  
  Marshall spent the summer preparing; downloading school bus schedules, memorizing teacher names, studying school maps, and practicing his clarinet (because in sixth grade you never know when a jam session will breakout). With overloaded backpack and trusty clarinet he plans to hit sixth grade with everything he’s got. M.Alice, his sister, has other ideas. Put Lucy Van Pelt, a pit bull and every mean girl you’ve ever known in a blender and you might end up with her equal.
  
  M.Alice begins her takedown during class assembly hitting Marshall with nuclear-level humiliation by way of a hacked presentation and damning photographic evidence of Marshall’s loser-dom (two words: superhero underwear). Then she gets personal and steals his clarinet. His only chance to find it and get to jazz band on time is to overcome the class bully, survive gym, and solve the riddle she left in his empty instrument case. When your evil sister promises to ruin your life, believe her.

  Lindsey C said, on 8/19/2010 9:42:00 AM
  

  Name: Lindsey
  Title: requiem
  Genre: YA Contemporary
  email: [email protected]
  
  pitch:
  Eighteen-year-old Crick is *that* guy— the one every girl wants to date and every guy wants to be. But when the boy who has everything decides to chase a bottle of Tylenol with a half a handle of vodka, it flips the world on its axis for the people he leaves behind, especially his younger brother Ben.
  
  As if being a social pariah and a recent reform school attendee weren’t enough, Ben believes Crick’s death will only cement his place as the black sheep of the family. But when Ben discovers a note from “M” among his brother’s stuff, two simple words change everything: I’m pregnant. As the days and weeks pass it become apparent that Miriam, the girlfriend Crick left behind, is not pregnant. However, Marissa, the school slut, is.

  Anonymous said, on 8/19/2010 9:42:00 AM
  

  Thanks for this opportunity!
  
  MEGALAND
  Upper Middle Grade – Contemporary
  Stephfeuer at Verizon dot net
  
  
  When 14 year-old artist Inky Kahn picks the new girl as his secret muse, he never imagines his drawings of her will be used by a predatory game developer to ensnare her.
  
  Inky Kahn is stuck in a deep purple funk of extended grief over his father's death, and doomed to another year in his demanding prep school. His geeky Buddhist friend Rungs steers him to a computer game in development, thinking it will help Inky get past his heartache, and showcase his drawings. The boys’ cyber-sleuthing leads them to discover that their new classmate, Amanda, has made a date with the game developer – a convicted child molester - apparently thinking he’s Inky because of the drawings. Equipped with spy gear from Rungs’ intelligence-officer father, a provocative drawing by Inky, and Amanda’s newfound inner courage, they trap the creep and in the process transcend their adolescent isolation and cement their friendships

  lbdiamond said, on 8/19/2010 9:46:00 AM
  

  Name: Laura Diamond
  Title: SHARP'S BLOOD
  Genre: YA Dystopian
  E-mail: [email protected]
  
  Seventeen-year-old Justin Sharp's blood is poisonous, even to bloodsucking immortals. As an anemic, he's an outcast in a world ruled by fanged immortals who see him as a death sentence if they drink him dry. But one cruel bloodsucker, Eric, knows that anemic blood, in small doses, gives a drug-like high, and he wants to keep Justin as a source for his addiction. Justin has no intention of being a personal pharmacy for Eric, especially when the leech is responsible for the death of his kid sister. He's got a great plan to kill Eric—overdose him with his own blood—but he’s got to figure out how to get close enough to do it without losing his own life in the process.

  Bethany said, on 8/19/2010 9:50:00 AM
  

  Bethany Morrow
  The Last Life Of Avrilis
  YA Steampunk Dystopian
  [email protected]
  
  Sixteen-year-old Avrilis is an orphaned Sentient living at the end of the age. Like all her kind, she is aware that time replays itself and that the slightest change will make her one of the hunted – the Sentient guilty of deviating from the repetition. When she saves the life of a street urchin meant to die, the two discover the Sentient Underground – and that the father she believed dead is the prophet with a plan to end the world for good. Now Avrilis must uncover the truth about her family, stay one step ahead of the hunters and the end of the world and choose between the boy whose life she saved and the one she’s loved in lives before.

  Erica Woolridge said, on 8/19/2010 9:53:00 AM
  

  When Bee transferred schools to watch over her self harming sister Matilda, she gave up her charmed life with perfect friends and popularity. One misplaced love letter and too tight pair of jeans later, Bee becomes the latest victim of school bully and narcissist Chris. Chris takes an instant interest in her and decides to make Bee his girlfriend, whether she wants to or not. After rescuing her from the weird scenarios he places her—harrassment by the school sluts, bullies, and Romeos-Bee and Chris begin an awkward friendship. After a Chris ordered attack leaves Bee bruised and bloody, Chris confesses that he has been behind her horrible experiences at Forrester High. They begin a truce until he targets her best friend and boyfriend, ultimately revealing that he hasn’t been the one calling the shots all along.
  
  LIKE, LOVE, & LOATHING is a 55,000 word young adult contemporary novel that follows sixteen year old Bee Hewlett as she falls in and out of like, love, and hate, and starts a bizarre relationship with the person making her life hell.

  DKB said, on 8/19/2010 9:57:00 AM
  

  Your name: DK Burrow
  The title of your project: Into the Shadows
  The genre of your project: YA Fantasy
  E-mail: sent to Kidlit
  
  A world cloaked in darkness... A family buried in secrets.... Cassie Hughes doesn't understand why her recurring dreams cause her mother such panic. They've moved more often than Cassie cares to remember. Just as it seems her family will stay in one place for an entire year, the dream intrudes again. Her mother has always said there's nothing to the dream; but when a stranger arrives at her doorstep, she learns of her hidden past.
  
  Forced to leave everything she knows behind as she journeys to a world she doesn't remember, Cassie is the first of the hidden children called home. One of the last of the Powerful, Cassie must learn to harness her powers by herself. If she can't, both her worlds are in danger.

  Larissa said, on 8/19/2010 10:01:00 AM
  

  • Your name: Larissa
  • Title: LURE
  • Genre: YA
  • Pitch:
  Fifteen-year-old Mitch would rather pound a nail through his thumb than read, so when everyone in his small South Dakota town starts obsessing over a book, he hopes the craze will pass quickly. But Lure is no ordinary book—soon teachers are stopping class to read, and Mitch's mom forgets to make dinner as she turns the pages.
  
  Before long, it seems only Mitch and his best friend Jen have avoided getting sucked in—and the situation has become more dire. The streets are empty. People aren't eating or drinking. When Mitch's dad is injured, he continues to read through the pain, and the hospital is full of nurses and doctors absorbed in Lure, their jobs forgotten. Even as Mitch and Jen realize the town is reading itself to death, Jen succumbs to the book's pull, leaving Mitch alone. He must find Lure's secret ... or lose everyone he loves.

  Laurel Amberdine said, on 8/19/2010 10:02:00 AM
  

  Name: Laurel Amberdine
  Title: Tattered Sky
  Genre: YA SF
  Email: [email protected]
  
  Civilization has been destroyed by a time travel experiment gone wrong. Now every day the sky rips open to show scenes from lives that have never been, showering the world in radiation. Electronics no longer work, mutations abound, and day-by-day, humanity is dying off.
  
  17-year-old Avilon Dex lives in a disused hunting lodge with her mother and little sister. All they want is to be left alone, but when a group of tyrants kidnaps her sister, Avilon learns there is more to her family that she ever realized. Avilon’s mother admits that the little girl is not her daughter — she might not even be human. She appeared the night the sky tore open, seeming to replace an infant born two nights earlier, dead. With her only help a handsome, mysterious rebel, Avilon must rescue a little girl who might not be her sister, but may be the only hope of saving the world.

  Jessica said, on 8/19/2010 10:09:00 AM
  

  Name: Jessica Love
  Title: Giving In
  Genre: YA Contemporary
  E-mail: jessica.love at gmail
  
  Chelsea Park has been kicked off of dance team for hazing, even though she swears it wasn’t a big deal. Now, to fill the empty elective in her schedule so she can graduate and keep her strict Korean father happy, pretty and popular Chelsea finds herself in the place she never expected to be her senior year – drama class.
  
  She has her own dorky secret (no one knows how much time she spends playing video games), but she still feels out of place with the outspoken, brightly colored drama crew. Plus, the sister of the girl she hazed hates her, her dance friends have abandoned her, and there are three very different, very dorky boys she finds herself drawn to.
  
  Soon Chelsea finds unexpected home on stage but is still too embarrassed to tell anyone about her new life. It’s not until her popular girl tricks backfire and she discovers the truth about the hazing that she makes the most important discovery: that it’s high time that she makes peace with her inner dork.

  Carrie Dair said, on 8/19/2010 10:15:00 AM
  

  Name: Carrie Dair
  Title: CONTROL LINE
  Genre: YA contemporary
  
  Kate McCormac's life is out of control. And her summer doesn't look too promising either. When fire steals the life of Kate's father, it takes more than its fair share, forcing Kate to move from the lush beaches of California to the barren desert of Panaca, Nevada where she'll be living with her Grandma and a herd of cows. Kate must now rise to the challenge of starting life anew while dealing with the horrors of her past. Especially those she has held secret from the last summer she spent with her Grandma.
  
  Betrayed by the government and haunted by the memory of her father, Kate's one hope seems to lie in her friend Grant who knows her better than she does herself, but there's only one problem. He's a fire fighter, just like her father. And his attempts to save her life just might result in her final undoing. Can Kate find hope in a world that's quickly falling apart? And can she resist her feelings for Grant before they both lose control?

  Charlie Eve said, on 8/19/2010 10:17:00 AM
  

  Title: Hero and Villain
  Genre: Adventure/Humor/Fantasy
  email: [email protected]
  
  
  Mason Grey is 12 years old and has always been able to write to life her characters.
  
  Now her neurotic, adventurous cast of characters has taken over her home and inspiration. Hero is constantly dragging his loyal and definitely phobic friend, Sidekick, on his backyard blunders where Sidekick is always on the receiving end of swollen hips and bruised up lips. Villain loves Princess, but has an awfully awkward way of showing it and is convinced that Mason is trying to poison him, while bible-beating Gran and her daffodil spray bottle are determined to rid the house of these “abominations” by spraying them all with a daily dousing of holy water.
  
  With all the commotion, Mason has lost her inspiration and it is only when Princess is kidnapped by an evil doll collector that she begins to write again. Along the way, Hero and Villain find out Mason is not good at writing under pressure and soon horses become wild boars and saving Princess is no fairytale.

  cherylangst said, on 8/19/2010 10:23:00 AM
  

  Name: Cheryl
  Title: Nikko's Bond
  Genre: YA sci-fi
  
  Nikko has never left the nursery. He’s never been to the corner store, or met anyone from the outside – not even his parents. Nikko is a host, a child bred to symbiotically support a Guardian. He’s lived his entire life with a single goal: prepare for the moment when he and his symbiont become one. The emotional connection to a Guardian is deep—and most hosts do not bond with other humans—but Nikko is different. With his merge only days away, Nikko must leave the nursery and say goodbye to the person he loves as much as his symbiont, his best friend Samatia.
  
  Unwilling to face the future without Sam, Nikko concocts a risky strategy to bring her along. His plan succeeds, but what began as a means of staying together becomes a death sentence for Sam when her symbiont dies. Torn between friendship and desire, Nikko must decide: merge with his symbiont and become truly whole, or save Sam and spend the rest of his life crippled—and a fugitive from his Guardian.

  Shellie said, on 8/19/2010 10:32:00 AM
  

  Shelliep
  YA/Historical
  THE LAST STATIONMASTER
  
  Meet Nate Daniels, a fifteen-year-old middle-class African-American with a reputation for pranks. His parents worries he's becoming a juvenile delinquent and send him to his grandparents' North Carolina farm for the summer. But soon after he arrives, Nate uncovers a long kept family secret.
  
  Nate learns the farm has been passed through the family since antebellum times. He questions how his African-American forefathers ran the farm during slavery, but no one wants to talk about it.
  
  With laptop and cell phone privileges revoked, Nate's efforts to research the farm's history stalls until he meets Hannah and her brother. The snooping trio uncovers a link between the farm and the Underground Railroad. Good, right? But more research suggests that Nate's very distant and very black grandfather owned slaves.
  
  Things get complicated when Nate finds an accused terrorist hiding on the farm. But when the terrorist saves Nate's life, it convinces Nate he's innocent. To evade disaster Nate must discover the secrets of the farm, deliver the terrorist to safety, and become THE LAST STATIONMASTER.

  Michelle said, on 8/19/2010 10:38:00 AM
  

  Name: Michelle
  Title: Fried Liver
  Genre: MG Contemporary
  Email: [email protected]
  
  For the first time since his mom went AWOL, life is finally looking up for Mike McTavish. When he and his Air Force father land in Wichita, they meet a mysterious mutt. Mike's always wanted a dog, and in Sergeant he finds the first friend he won't have to leave.
  
  Then Mike collides with quirky Carma, who appears and claims the dog, Woofus, belongs to her. She also claims to be the state's top chess player. The McTavish men are all about chess, and Mike's dad gives aid and comfort to the enemy by asking Carma to stay with them and attend chess camp while her mother is abroad. When it seems Mike's life can't get any worse, his mom shows up after three years. His dad sends her away, and Mike follows her on his bike and ends up in the hospital with a head injury. Carma makes a sacrificial move to help Mike reunite his parents, but it may be too late for these "gambit pawns" to save the game.

  brittleighbooks said, on 8/19/2010 10:39:00 AM
  

  Author: Britt Leigh
  Genre/Word Count: YA/ 30K
  Title: Shot on the Wing
  Email: [email protected]
  
  A high school senior journalist probably won’t win the Pulitzer Prize. But feisty Angela Bennett will make headlines when she exposes the seedy underbelly of high school basketball recruitment. Her assignment: the BirchDown BullDogs (and as Angela will tell you, not capitalizing the “d” is a fact error). The Dogs are the town’s saving grace, but not how Angela envisioned launching her reporting career. But the cute JV star at least gets her romantic life on the court.
  
  When Angela accidentally leaves her still-hot tape recorder in the office after an interview with the varsity coach, she stumbles onto a college recruitment scandal involving sex, money, and drugs. Angela must then prove her story, face the repercussions at school and from Ian, and then later in the community, state, and even nation. Everyone’s versions of truth are presented through different media – class notes, bathroom wall graffiti, social networking media, and even news scrawl. With all of these sources, it’s ultimately up to you to decide who has the real message.

  Elan Cross said, on 8/19/2010 10:46:00 AM
  

  Name: Elan Cross
  Title: Grounders
  Genre: YA SF
  Email: elanlove at telus dot net
  
  In the last years of the nineteenth century, children work hard, abusive fathers get away with too much, and teenage girls like Drift Henry are ignored. Since Mama died, Master Henry has gotten worse, drunk, vulgar--he’s a cussed fool. But what can Drift do? She needs a way out. That’s when Ollie contacts her. A boy from the sky city, Chalcis, Ollie promises her a better life: the life of a Peacemaker, one of the most prestigious paths in the game of Grounders. After being thrust into her first task, Drift becomes Ollie’s Grounder.
  She trades her huffing corset and plug-ugly dress for a defensefiber one-piece. And she meets the fourth most highly rated Grounder of all time: the deadly and gorgeous, Mateo Knave. At first Drift’s life improves, but when the prince of Chalcis himself presents her with a glorious, unprecedented task, she must choose whether to complete it (and murder millions of people in the process) or face the consequence of failure. Unfortunately for Drift, when tasks go unfinished, Grounders are expendable.

  Liz Lee Heinecke said, on 8/19/2010 10:47:00 AM
  

  Liz Heinecke
  MERLIN'S DAUGHTER
  middle grade fiction
  
  
  From a granite slab where she’s hanging out with her sister, Jess is literally blown away. She wakes up on an ancient stone table next to her sister Piper and a teenage boy named Will, who joined them just before they vanished. Standing stones surround them, but Jess is sure they’re not in England when they’re attacked by strange wolves. They stumble on Moonstone Castle and discover a society where the adults have been spirited away by Merlin’s son.
  
  Teenage girls have taken over the stone fortress and forced the boys into servitude. Jess butts heads with teen-queen Trina and makes friends with the outcast Seila. The residents of Moonstone Castle all have horses, and Aisling, the black stallion Trina covets, chooses Jess as a companion. The jealous teenager exiles Jess and her friends to the wild mountains, where Seila leads them to her father Merlin’s magical oasis. The friends search for a magic stone as they prepare for a journey that will lead them to old England to find Merlin and his son.

  Slushpile Slut said, on 8/19/2010 11:50:00 AM
  

  Name:Angela
  Genre: YA Historical Fantasy
  Title: Where The Stones Speak
  Email: [email protected]
  
  Iona, clan ruler on The Isle of Virgins, hears the weathered stele as they whisper ancient truths and foretellings. But fearful she will be bound as a sibyl and forced to proclaim prophecy to the multitudes, she tells no one about the oracles she receives.
  
  However, when the Scrolls of Destiny are rebuked by King Tarquin of Rome and he learns of Iona’s existence, he pursues her and those she protects with his armored legions and a newly acquired weapon; Attius, a young augur with prophetic talents of his own. And the demon, Asmode, once bound by the ancient sibyl, Sheba, seeks revenge for his centuries of subdual forcing Iona to find her sacred ring of stones before she can be captured by those who seek to silence the last free sibyl.
  
  But Iona is unsure if man is worthy of the divine prophecy and longs to see the noble truths in man before she will sacrifice her own desires and dreams bound behind the sacred standing stones that will both protect and entrap her.

  Traci Van Wagoner said, on 8/19/2010 11:56:00 AM
  

  Title: Searching
  Genre: MG Historical Fantasy
  
  When Dad said they were moving west to get a fresh start, twelve year old Chris had no idea she’d be plopped into the middle of a real live ghost town with a magical stick and buried secrets. All she wants is to go back home. But home is something she'll never have again since Mom died.
  
  The day after a ghostly figure appears beneath her window in the middle of the night, she finds a magical stick in an old Indian granary. The Stick pulls her into a destiny centuries old, from a time when Thunderbirds flew the skies. The quest falls to her to set the Thunderbird spirit free. Problem is, she’s not the only one searching for the burial chamber. So is Mr. Blackley, the Boss, and he’s not about to let anyone stand in his way of making the find of the century and becoming rich and powerful. Especially not a few dumb kids. Locked in a smelly root cellar, how can Chris save the Thunderbird spirit and send him home?
  
  
  ____
  My earlier synopsis was not my 175 word version. Oops. Sorry.

  Bekah said, on 8/19/2010 12:45:00 PM
  

  Okay, so the one from earlier is gone.
  Bekah
  Parallel Earth, Middle Grade adventure/ sci-fi
  Pitch:Haley Parker is a mess when it comes to running, but she gets straight A's. Wyatt Parker prefers to leave his books at the front door and play sports or his beloved videogames; it's what he's great at. The only way anyone can tell they're related, let alone twins, is by their green eyes. Plus, they can barely stand each other. When they see a strange sign at an abandoned tree farm, they agree to investigate. They find a Lens, a view to a parallel dimension, and get transported to a wacky place of shimmering colors.
  
  The twins are lost with flying stump scooters, talking bushes, and two-headed animals. When they meet a friendly race of inhabitants, they are told about the advanced Pyonians who snatch up humans through the Lens' for genetic experiments to make their population stronger and live longer. The Pyonians know where every Lens is, and they have Humadar to hunt humans. Haley and Wyatt want to find the nearest Len without becoming their next genetic victims.

  Charlie Eve said, on 8/19/2010 1:05:00 PM
  

  Title: Hero and Villain
  Genre: Middle Grade Adventure/Humor/Fantasy
  email: [email protected]
  Name: Charlie Eve
  
  
  Mason Grey is 12 years old and has always been able to write to life her characters.
  
  Now her neurotic, adventurous cast of characters has taken over her home and inspiration. Hero is constantly dragging his loyal and definitely phobic friend, Sidekick, on his backyard blunders where Sidekick is always on the receiving end of swollen hips and bruised up lips. Villain loves Princess, but has an awfully awkward way of showing it and is convinced that Mason is trying to poison him. Meanwhile bible-beating Gran and her daffodil spray bottle are determined to rid the house of these “abominations” by spraying them all with a daily dose of holy water.
  
  With all the commotion, Mason has lost her inspiration and it is only when Princess is kidnapped by an evil doll collector that she begins to write again. Along the way, Hero and Villain find out Mason is not good at writing under pressure and soon horses become wild boars and saving Princess is no fairytale.
  
  
  Fixed genre and resubmitted per your email, thank you.

  Valerie Norris said, on 8/19/2010 1:20:00 PM
  

  Valerie Norris
  Title: Shattered Glass
  Genre: YA Contemporary
  
  Shattered Glass is a young adult coming-of-age novel about Emily, a normal, happy 17-year-old from an intact family. The neighbors ask Emily to babysit their children at a lake rental for a month. They drink and argue and never say a nice thing to each other. While Mr. Locke works, Mrs. Locke messes around with the writer next door. The boy Emily likes was the object of Mrs. Locke’s attention last summer. Then Emily hears that the writer next door is writing about a woman and her teenage babysitter, and his exploits with both. The summer culminates in a drunken scene in which Emily is injured. When she finally gets home, she finds out that her father has had a relationship with Mrs. Locke.
  
  After a summer of trying to hold together another family, Emily faces the wreckage of her own. Her parents separate and give their daughters the choice of which parent they’d prefer to live with. She chooses her mother, the person who needs her more.
  
  [email protected]

  marleneallen3 said, on 8/19/2010 2:02:00 PM
  

  Name: Marlene Allen
  Title of Project: "The Frog and the Mermaid"
  Genre: Illustrated Children's Book on the adventures of the frog and the mermaid
  Synopsis: This book (which could be made into a series) will provide an adventurous tale about an adorable lovable frog who meets a beautiful mermaid. While entertaining the reader with adventures, the story will also provide learning opportunities for the children about safety, responsibility, accepting others for who they are, and other valuable lessons. Example: When the frog and mermaid first meet, they are afraid of each other because of their differences. But they soon learn to accept and eventually love each other for who they are, and learn that their various talents can benefit each other to become stronger together, and enjoy life more by having the other one in their life.
  Email: [email protected]

  Elizabeth Prats said, on 8/19/2010 2:20:00 PM
  

  Name: Elizabeth Prats
  Title: Tainted
  Genre: YA Fantasy
  
  Synopsis:
  
  Evvie Nyx is an abomination within her world, both Light and Dark elf.
  
  She knew the rules; never let the village children see her, keep within the forest, and keep her secret or end up like her dead mother.
  
  Everything changes when she ignores her father’s first rule.
  
  Evvie saves a village boy from drowning and reveals herself to the outside world. Then taken under the wing of the village healing woman, she is able to live an almost normal life--until her sixteenth birthday, when a dark mage murders her friend.
  
  After the fight, dark powers surface within Evvie and an unknown female voice fights for control of Evvie’s thoughts. When a confused Evvie learns that the man who raised her is not her father, she sets out to find the truth about her parentage and instead finds the dark mage and the chance to save another child. In her haste to rescue the child, Evvie stumbles upon a deadly secret about her heritage that she never thought possible.
  
  [email protected]

  Jared Larson said, on 8/19/2010 2:51:00 PM
  

  Name: Jared Larson
  Title: I'm Here to Save Your Day: The Adventures of Bo Wolf.
  Genre: MG Adventure/Fantasy
  
  
  Bo Wolf is just your average bully-slaying fifth grader. Sure, the other kids tease him about his arms looking like flexi-straws, and they tell him to go back to his home on Dweeb Island, but Bo doesn't care. With his mad fencing skills and soon-to-be ravishing good looks, he's convinced he's on the way to the pinnacle of his awesomeness.
  
  After impressing a school yard gang by defeating their leader in a broomstick combat, Bo agrees to help them take on the meanest, ugliest, and biggest bully known to man– Grendul– who's taken the playground jungle gym for his own.
  
  However, when Bo puts the smack-down on Grendul, he finds a much more powerful adversary in the bully's mom, the school lunch lady. Angered by her precious son's defeat, she plots to poison the entire school with her irresistible ginger snaps. When Bo discovers her diabolical plan, he must find his courage to save his friends and the new love of his life, Reagan, from an imminent cafeteria induced death.
  
  Email: [email protected]

  Janet said, on 8/19/2010 3:12:00 PM
  

  Name: Janet Lloyd Weber
  Title: The Book of Makr
  Genre: Contemporary YA
  
  In one horrible crash, 16 year old Mark Henderson’s abusive, meth-cooking, meth-addicted father is killed and Mark suffers the Traumatic Brain Injury that makes his already crappy life even more crappy. He is reunited with the mother who abandoned him 8 years earlier and starts a scary new life with her in a new town, at a new school with a new stepfather and new half-brother. Once school starts, Mark deals with drooling teachers, bitchy girls, green-toothed bullies, and crazy rumors, all while he tries to keep himself from sneaking looks down the top of his only friend, Glenda and stay the hell away from his stepfather who teaches at the very same school. While he tries to pretend that everything is all right, inside Mark is torn between the desire to feel better and the desire to make someone--anyone--pay for the pain of his past.
  
  After the awful wreck, Mark tries to look normal and adjust to his new life. Along the way, he spies on his parents, makes friends with a bullied girl and deals with the seizures that are the result of the Traumatic Brain Injury he suffered in the wreck. When his worst nightmare comes true and he has a seizure in front of the entire student body, life becomes a constant struggle to control his fists.
  
  Life begins to look up for Mark when his best friend, the bullied girl becomes his girlfriend. As the desire for a driver's license builds in him and his doctor and parents won't let him drive, he convinces her to teach him. All of Mark's struggles come to a head when he wrecks his girlfriend's car. As he ponders the possibility of never getting leaving his parents' home, Mark has to decide if life is even worth living.
  
  [email protected]

  Margay said, on 8/19/2010 3:21:00 PM
  

  Name: Margay Leah Justice
  Title: The Goode Girl
  Genre: Contemporary YA
  Contact: [email protected]
  
  Pitch:
  
  
  Growing up in a family of physically unremarkable sisters, Irene Goode is under no illusions about how she is perceived by the world. She simply doesn’t allow that to keep her from pursuing her own dreams. Dreams that include hooking up with the boy next door, Sam Cassidy, the only guy – the only person – who’s ever taken the time to look beyond the wild hair and public perception of Irene to find her true beauty and appreciate it. And if there’s one thing that Irene and Sam learn during the course of their budding friendship, it’s that the road to happiness is often pitted with challenges and complications. Like their own mixed up feelings for one another, the prospect of playing the title roles in a modernistic high school version of Romeo and Juliet, and the revelation of family secrets. Life is anything but boring when you’re The Goode Girl.

  Anonymous said, on 8/19/2010 3:34:00 PM
  

  Name: Kimberley Rizzo
  Title: THE BOOKWORM
  Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
  contact: [email protected]
  
  Pitch:
  Kara is a twelve-year old girl who isn’t able to make it through a single day of the seventh grade without escaping into the pages of a book. On her first day at a new school, she wastes no time getting lost in a new read, "The Princess of Tirolea." But Kara soon discovers that this is no ordinary book; when a Bookworm gnawed his way through the pages, he turned it into a portal into the world of the story, a portal through which anyone and anything can travel.
  
  Kara steps through the wormhole, hoping to help the enslaved pixies in the story to defeat a tyrannical Princess. But Kara comes to understand that the Bookworm doesn’t just create a bridge between the real world and the story world. He actually creates a wormhole between two stories, one that is about the pixies and the Princess, and one that is about Kara. Each world exists within the other as a written story, making Kara’s own world as much make-believe as all the stories she has read and loved. Despite this knowledge, Kara struggles to recognize that she is the hero of her own story, and even after defeating the Princess and restoring balance to the realm of Tirolea, she needs all the courage she can muster to go back through the wormhole and face her own antagonists.

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