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Thursday, July 28, 2011

Just For My Followers Contest #2 WINNER

First of all, thank you, guys, for participating!! I loved to see your comments there, and it made my day!!

So, if you didn't win, there's another chance to get a 10-page critique from me. I'm donating this critique to TLC Auctions, which helps Kaylea Stewart, a six-year-old diagnosed with Leukemia, and Daniel Edmondson, a twenty-four-year-old man who had a severe accident, pay their hospital bills. 

I hope to see some of you guys there

So now... THE WINNER!!

According to random.org the winner is...
DRUM ROLL, please??



 (Isn't the "drum roller" SO cute?)



Ashley Maker!!

CONGRATULATIONS! You won a 10-pg critique.
Email with details coming shortly!!

And, since so many people participated, I decided to throw a 2nd price! =D

I'll critique the first five pages of...

Sharon Bayliss!!!

Email coming shortly, too! ;)

<3
Monica

Monday, July 25, 2011

Just For My Followers Contest #2

THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.
Thanks for participating! ;)

As I promised last month, I'm doing another beta-reading contest now!

SO.
I'll beta read the first 10 pages (double spaced, 12 pt. font) of one of you. To participate, just leave a comment below and your email addy (in case you win). You DON'T need to tweet, blog, or spread the word, since I'm doing this JUST FOR MY FOLLOWERS, because I <3 you, guys.

It doesn't matter if you are agented, or unagented. I mean, we agented writes sometimes need a little feedback, too, right?
I'll choose the winner randomly on Thursday, and see you around!
<3
Monica

PS: Two lovely friends recently interviewed me.
Here are the links to the interviews, if you want to check them out and learn more about me =)
Kelsey Sutton's Blog
Kristin Lynn Thetford's Blog

Monday, July 18, 2011

Interview with Agent Lauren Ruth of BookEnds, LLC

Today I bring another interview with a literary agent! I hope you enjoy this one ;)
Her name is Lauren Ruth and she's a new agent at BookEnds. LLC.

Lauren Ruth started her publishing career as an intern at Simon & Schuster's Touchstone/Fireside imprint while earning her B.A. in English language and literature from Pace University. Shortly thereafter, she completed her second internship at BookEnds, where she fell in love with the literary agency side of the publishing industry. In February 2011, she officially joined BookEnds. She will soon have her master's degree in book publishing. In fiction, Lauren is looking for literary fiction, romance, women's fiction, chick lit, young adult, middle grade, mystery, historical fiction, and steampunk. On the nonfiction side, she's looking for memoir, parenting and family, relationships, food and lifestyle, business, popular science, popular culture, and popular psychology.

Lauren blogs at
www.slushpiletales.wordpress.com
And you can also find her on Twitter!

1. How did you become an agent, and when did you start building your own client list?

I always wanted to be a book editor. When I took an internship at a literary agency at the last minute, I thought I was just getting a taste of the other side of the industry. And then I fell in love with agenting and any desire to wind up in a big corporate publishing house went out the window. I always say the difference between an agent's job and an editor's job it that an agent knows her audience very, very well because that audience--the editors at publishing houses--will actually tell us in plain words what they're looking for. But an editor's audience, essentially, is composed of readers who don't know what they want until they see it. I'm a new agent, so I've only been building my list this year. 

2. What genres are you looking for right now?  Would you rather represent a commercial book like Twilight or a more literary one, like The Book Thief—or both? 

Since I'm just starting to build my client list, I'm looking very broadly for submissions. Literary fiction is the love of my life, but I rarely find something that I can sell to an editor and that I enjoy reading myself. I represent and love romance (all subgenres), women's fiction, chick lit, steampunk, historical fiction, mystery, middle-grade, YA, science fiction and fantasy. I have a special affinity for YA, which has been some of the best reading I've enjoyed since breaking into the industry. I also represent nonfiction. 

My favorite kind of book is the kind that is a commercial success but is also literary and beautiful. 

3. What type of manuscript you definitely wouldn’t represent?
 

This is a difficult question, because I give everything serious consideration. Outside of genres I don't represent at all, like poetry, short stories and screenplays, there is nothing I would definitely not represent. There's no theme or issue that would turn me off so greatly that I'd stop reading the manuscript. I will say, however, that if I can't enjoy what I'm reading, I can't sell it. Sales takes passion and enthusiasm, and if I can't generate that, I shouldn't be the agent for that book. So if I'm falling asleep reading a manuscript and I start to dread getting back to it, I'll reject it. 

4.  Could you tell us about BookEnds, LLC, and your role as a literary agent there?

BookEnds is a smaller agency that is steadily expanding, adding new genres and agents and endeavors. I'm the newest agent, but I've learned from such smart, intuitive, talented people at BookEnds, so my transition was more seamless than I believed it could be. Because we're only four agents, as a literary assistant I was able to get right in the middle of things and help out. Every day was a learning experience and my foundation is definitely more solid because of it.

5.  Are you an editorial agent and a career builder agent, too? 

I believe in building the author's career, as well as her voice and talent. Any author can become a better writer, a better social-networker or a better speaker. I work with my authors to help them become involved in their own careers beyond writing as much as they want to be. Aside from that side of things, I suppose I'm also an editorial agent because I send manuscripts back to my clients with suggested revisions all the time. I want their work to be as polished and perfect as we can get it before we send it off to editors. I brainstorm, offer advice, nit-pick (sometimes), chat and champion for my authors. I'm very passionate about my work, and I'm just as passionate about theirs. 

Now some questions about querying:

6. What’s the best way to query you?

I do not accept snail-mail queries, queries over the phone or queries to my personal email address, blog or social networking profiles. I accept them only by email to my agency address (lruth@bookends-inc.com). The word "query" must be in the subject line so my extra-aggressive spam watchdog doesn't eat it. Many, many agents do not like pasted pages at the end of queries, but I really don't mind them. Sometimes I read them, sometimes I don't. My policy is, I'm not required to read your pages until I've specifically requested them, but I might if you tack them on. 

7. Now, this is something I loved to hear from agents when I was querying. Nowadays, how long (approximately) do you take to read a query and then a full?  Are you the no-answer-means-no type of agent? 

Unfortunately, because of the influx, I reserve up to six weeks to answer a query. It usually takes me about a month to answer a query, but occasionally I need more time. I'll reserve another six to eight weeks for requested material. I think no-answer-means-no is a very inefficient way of communicating. If I were an author, I would rather open an email that just said "No" than never hear anything at all. My email server sends an automatic response to queriers just to let them know their material is sitting in my inbox waiting for me to get to it. For rejections, I try to offer a reason (or some feedback if I have any) to the author. Just a courtesy. I answer all queries, so if within six weeks of querying me, you haven't heard anything, please feel free to resubmit and let me know you submitted six weeks ago.

Last question before the fast five: 
8. Can you tell us why writers would be thrilled to have you as their agent?

I am passionate about my authors. I don't take them on if I don't whole-heartedly believe in them and their careers. I have a tough eye, and the more my inbox fills up, the tougher I seem to get. But I want my authors to succeed. I want to be there for them, to answer questions, ease concerns and explain this intricate business. 

And now for fun:

Guilty pleasure?   
Reading, of course. I never get to read outside of work. A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD has been sitting on the arm of my favorite reading chair for months with a bookmark stuck somewhere near the first page.

Dream vacation?
Morocco. This is the most exotic place I can think of, and the one that is as different from boring ol' New Jersey as it gets.

Random fact about you that we probably don’t know?  
During the week, I eat precisely the same low-fat, low-sugar, low-calorie, low-taste food in exactly the same quantities, to maintain my weight. I'm a freak about it. I would never spontaneously get McDonalds for lunch. Then, from Saturday night to Sunday night, I go totally wild and allow myself anything I want in any quantity. Cheeseburgers and pizza and Chinese. Cake and cookies and candy galore! Thing is, I usually get through half a cheeseburger and some fries and go, "Ugh! I'm sooo full." Darn.

Professional food spiller or spick-and-span lady?
I like things clean, organized and in place. I'm definitely a neat-freak. 

I read on your blog that you have a two-year-old son. And that you like to make him laugh? How? Inquiring mommy minds want to know. ;)
Henry laughs all day long. He even laughs at me when he's in time-out. (At least he does his two minutes). But he has this belly laugh when something's really funny. He throws his head back with abandon and actually slaps his knee and points his chubby little finger. It's hilarious. I"m always trying to make it happen. My favorite way is surprise him with the absurd. Just this morning, I put his shoes on his hands instead of his feet. We showed up to daycare like that. 

Thank you so much for doing this interview on Love YA! 
<3
Monica

Friday, July 15, 2011

July Agent Pitch Contest WINNERS Announced


First of all, I wanted to thank you, guys, for participating. I can only imagine how hard it was to pick a winner. I mean, there were some AMAZING entries out there, right? I wanted to read sooooo many books!

Anyway…

I have excellent news! The fabulous Kristin Miller of D4EO Literary picked 3 winners! And all of them are going to be able to submit a partial for her consideration.


So, in no particular order, please give a great applause to:

1) Derrick Camardo!!!

With MR. SNUGGLYMUFFIN’S RAMPAGE and the following MG pitch:
When Suzy accidentally turns her hamster into a 250-foot monster, she has to save Chicago from her pet before the military starts firing.


2) Jess Morrison!!!
With HOW TO OUTRUN A CROCODILE WHEN YOUR SHOES ARE UNTIED and the following MG pitch:
Crocodile Hunter meets Princess Diaries as 12yo Ana battles between being herself and being normal - a tough call when you live in a zoo.


3) Melodie Wright!!!
With SAVING ANDROMEDA and the following YA pitch:
Emma seeks the truth of her birth mother's murder confession. Family secrets tangle her feet...and the real killer waits for her to fall.

CONGRATULATIONS, guys!
I’ll email you shortly with details about your prize.
<3
Monica

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Pitch Contest with Agent Kristin Miller (D4EO Literary)

THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED! Thank y'all for participating. =)

The contest starts NOW!

So guys, it’s time to post your shiny 140-character pitches on the comment section of THIS post.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, then you probably didn’t read my last post. But no worries, I’ll explain the details about the contest with agent Kristin Miller here, too.

The contest will close at noon (EST) on Thursday, July 14th. 
Kristin Miller will select the winner/s and will ask for a partial of the ms/s!!!!

If you want to know more about Kristin, here is the link to her blog. And here’s an interview on YA Highway. You can also find her on Twitter!

Rules:

1) Your pitch must only be 140 characters long. You can check the word-count on Twitter, or if you don’t have an account, go to Word or go here. If it’s longer, you’ll be disqualified.

2) The pitch can only be for finished YA and MG novels. No other genre, sorry.

3) This is for unagented writers only.

4) Since I’m doing this to help, you don’t need to be a follower, but I’d love it if you are. And I’d love it you follow me on Twitter too. ;)

5) Please, spread the word. I’m not going to haunt you if you don’t, but it’d make me REALLY happy if lots of people came to participate.

What should you post?

-Your Name
-Title of your book
-Genre
-Word-count of your manuscript
-The Twitter (140 characters) pitch
-Your email

If you’re a bit lost: I’m pasting a few links so you can read more about writing short pitches.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Details about the Agent Pitch Contest with Kristin Miller (D4EO Literary)

So guys, I’m thrilled to announce that next week, on July 12th, I’ll be hosting an agent-judged contest with Kristin Miller of the D4EO Literary Agency.

If you want to know more about Kristin, here is the link to her blog. And here’s an interview on YA Highway. You can also find her on Twitter!

Now, about the contest…

Rules:

1) Your pitch must ONLY be 140 characters long. You can check the word-count on Twitter, or if you don’t have an account, go to Word or go here.
2) The pitch can only be for finished YA and MG novels. No other genre, sorry.
3) This is for unagented writers only.
4) Since I’m doing this to help, you don’t need to be a follower, but I’d love it if you are. And I’d love it you follow me on Twitter too. ;)
5) Please, spread the word. I’m not going to haunt you if you don’t, but it’d make me REALLY happy if lots of people came to participate.

DON’T put your pitches on the comment section of this post. On July 12th I’ll have an official post in where you’ll be able to pitch Kristin. But so you can prepare, I’ll let you know what you'll need to include in the comments (NEXT WEEK). 

-Title of book
-Genre
-Word-count of your manuscript
-The Twitter (140 characters) pitch
-Your email

If you’re a bit lost: I’m pasting a few links so you can read more about writing short pitches.

Friday, July 1, 2011

How to Undo Send in Gmail & AGENT-Judged Contest Announcement!!!

A few weeks ago, I posted some of my embarrassing writing bloopers. And if I would have known how to undo send in my Gmail, I could have avoided at least one of them. (!)

I bet some of you already know how to undo send in Gmail, but if you don't, watch this video. It'll tell you how to activate the "unsend" feature.

Now, let's avoid some bloopers, shall we?
















And now THE ANNOUNCEMENT!! =)

On July 12th I'll be hosting an agent-judged contest here. (YA and MG finished mss.)

Hints:
Polish your 140-character pitches!!
I'll post the details next week, so stay tuned. ;)

<3
Monica