Friday Free For All!!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

I first want to tell you all that I'm overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and congratulations I received when I announced that I got an agent. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I LOVE THIS WRITING COMMUNITY!!!

As it turns out, getting an agent isn't the only big thing happening in my life right now.

My hubs is being transferred which mean we are moving. AGAIN! If you have followed this past year and a half with me you'll know my family packed up and moved from Alabama in October 2010 to Kentucky. We were so excited because KY is where we met, and our family is here.

We stayed in my parents basement (yes, with kids and a dog) until we could sell our house in AL. Then we moved out of the basement about a year later and into a house. About six months after that, we moved one last time into our dream home.

Of course when things are going just the way you want, something has to pull the rug out from under you. I am no exception and one month after moving into said dream home, we got word that we would be moving. AGAIN. This time...wait for it...all the way back to Alabama!

Oh geez!

It's a good move for us, but sad because we are leaving family (my hubs grew up here, I went to high school here). But that's life I suppose.


So this weekend we will be heading to Bama to find a house and next month we will say goodbye to this....

And hello to this...

But in my heart I will always bleed blue!

What about you? Anything new happening in your life? 

I'm Telling You It's True! I Got Agent!!!

I almost didn't want to do this post, because I know how it feels to be the writer who checks in to the blog-o-sphere only to read yet another "I got an agent" story. To be so happy for them while at the same time battling the "why them and not me" thoughts. I know how many hours us writers slave over our words, making them just so, only to get the query door slammed in our face over and over and over again. Believe me, I know.

So, yes, I ALMOST didn't want to do this post.

But I say almost, because while I don't want to seem like I'm rubbing it in, I also want everyone out there trying so hard to get a foot in an agents door, to believe that it IS possible! And that when it does happen, you deserve to be happy about it!

I wasn't one of those queriers with a 50% request rate. I didn't even have 30%. I got rejection after rejection.

Still I kept on.

I would enter contests and get ripped to shreds, or be given a chance...but just barely. Still, I kept entering them...and I'm here to tell you that the "just barely" is sometimes all it takes.

Here is my story if you want to hear it...

Back at the beginning of the year I wrote my goals out for the whole blogger world to see. One being that I would query Ripple (then Ripple Effect) and get an agent this year.

Soon after that I was blog hopping and came across Cupids fabulous blog and her Blind Speed Dating Contest. To get into the contest you had to get past the bouncers first. During this round there were submissions getting multiple comments from bouncers telling them, "you're in!"

I got one bouncer comment.

And it wasn't a straight forward, "Yes! You're in!" My bouncer was torn, but let me through anyway. Gennifer Albin, I will be forever grateful for you taking that chance on me!

So. Holy crapola, I was in the door! It was like being the wannabe who got entrance into the high school party that only the cool kids go to:)

Finally, the day came around for agents (who were going by undercover names) to browse the entries. If they liked yours, they'd shoot and arrow at you (hence the whole cupid thing). The more arrows, the better. Again, there were entries getting multiple arrows. Agents were bantering back and forth at how much they wanted this one or that.

I got one arrow.

It was from the Ryan Gosling cupid and the words were music to my ears, "Hey Girl, I know people are saying dystopian is over but I think you have something special here. You've been struck with Honorary Cupid Ryan Gosling's arrow (partial request; 1 arrow)."

My cupid turned out to be Sarah Lapolla, the unbelievably amazing agent from Curtis Brown of all places! I sent her my 100 page partial. Then she requested a full (telling me, by the way, that my story was more sci-fi than dystopian). And the rest is history. I couldn't be more thrilled if I tried! All because two people gave me a chance.

I truly felt like the underdog, and now I feel on top of the world!

I hope that if your feeling beat up and pushed around; ready to quit writing, querying or whatever it is you may be trying to do, that you won't. Because I'm hear to tell you...five years after I started this writing journey, that you can do this! Cheesy, but true:)

I know I still have a long road ahead and that is just fine by me. I have a lot to learn. I'm hoping my journey into the sunset continues on and on and on.

What about you? I'd love to hear where you are and how you're feeling about your writing journey.  

***

Speaking of getting an agent, don't forget about the second annual GUTGAA blogfest coming up in August. If you're ready to get Geared Up to Get an Agent or know of some agents, editors or authors wanting to pitch in and help, go HERE.

Calling All Gearing Up to Get an Agent Helpers!!!

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In my last post I mentioned the upcoming prep I would be doing for the second annual Gearing Up to Get an Agent Blogfest. If you were here last year for the month long GUTGAA event, you may remember the fun we had. If not, go HERE and check it out.

Basically, it's a fest divided up into four weeks where we hone in on areas and that, with some polish, can get us that much further toward publication. I have a lot of fun things and contests in mind, but last year I realized just how much work goes into a month long interactive blogfest...and HOLY CRAP it's a lot!

So, this year I'm trying to be smart and I'm calling all HELPERS! Anyone willing to help, please let me know in the comments section below and leave your email.

Here is the kind of help I'm needing:

Basic helpers - If you have great ideas or are willing to help man the separate events, I'd love to hear from you.

A very cool Blog Button for the blogfest. If you look to the right of my blog you will see the one from last year. I need a new one and I'm so NOT tech savvy.

Agents and Editors - Last year I had help from some fabulous authors and the ever awesome agent, Kathleen Rushall, who helped me judge the contests. This year I would love to have more! I'm not deluded enough to think I have agents and editors browsing my blog, but authors, if you have an agent or editor, or know of any that are looking to add to their list of clients, then I'd love to hear from you!

Authors - If you have a keen eye for editing and are willing to giveaway some critique time, please let me know!

Prizes - I would love to make this years blogfest bigger and better, so if you have anything to contribute for prizes...yep, please let me know

Success Stories - I've heard from a few of you about how this blogfest actually helped you land your agent. If you are one of those lovelies, then I would love to share your story!

I think that's it for know. My brain is just getting into planning mode, so be on the lookout for a survey (I really want to find out what you think would make this blogfest a success), sign ups, and more info.

This is just tentative, but I'm thinking of having the blogfest around August of this year.

What do you think? Are you ready for a blogfest that will get your writing in gear for publication???