American Idol and Writing...Yes they are Alike!

Well, to me they are.

I can't begin to tell you how deep my obsession runs for AI this season.  I don't know if it's having a judge (Jennifer Lopez) actually giving constructive criticism or because Steven Tyler tries so hard to come up with unique quotes.

No, I know what it is...the freaking talent!  Are you kidding me, these kids can belt it out and I would be completely remiss if I didn't acknowledge how much I love Casey Abrams.  The boy is fabulous!

But more than the talent and the stars that show up every night, more than even the songs the finalists slay (in a good way...most of the time), I love that they are following their dreams.

I can only relate the sensation I get watching the show to how I feel when I beat on the key board in my own rhythmic melody.  I  LOVE to write.  They LOVE to sing and low and behold dreams are achieved when you dare to believe.  Am I right or am I right?

Next time you have a free Wednesday night turn on the tube to FOX and tell me if the lovely AI doesn't remind you of a querying frenzy.

Another Awesome Writing Contest

When it rains it pours...in a good way where writing contests are concerned!
The lovlies over at YAtopia are hosting an agent pitch contest with agent Ammi-Joan Paquette.  Now this is good people, because she isn't actually accepting queries!  It doesn't get more exclusive than that right?

So here are the rules:
1) Be a follower of the blog. Nice and easy.

2) Blog about this contest and include a link with your entry. If you don't have a blog, you may tweet or make a facebook status. But we prefer blog.

3) Create a TWO SENTENCE pitch. And not a massively long run-on sentence either. Two concise sentences that will hook Joan to your book and have her desperate to read more.

4) Include the opening line of your manuscript.

5) Manuscripts that you submit should be completed. I leave it up to you whether you decide to submit a half finished manuscript. You'll have to deal with it SHOULD Joan request you send her the full.

6) This contest will be capped at either 150 entries OR will end midnight on the 24th March.

7) Winners to be announced (along with prizes) on 31st March.

8) Only childrens and young adult categories will be accepted. Sorry!

and this is the entry form for ya:
Name:
Email:
Story Name:
Genre:
Blog/Twitter/Facebook link:
2 Sentence Pitch:
Opening sentence:

Good luck writers!

Show Me the Voice! Blogfest

Name: Deana Barnhart
Title: Remebered
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

The only thing Jonas was completely sure of was that Mackenzie Shae was going to die.  As he studied her walking along – practically bouncing – in step to the loud music still playing in the field behind her, he couldn’t help but stare.  Not that Mackenzie intrigued him.  No human had that affect on Jonas.  They were way too predictable.  Sure, she probably attracted a majority of the male population, but she was the whole reason this mess consumed him in the first place.  That annoyance completely trumped how she looked.

            Of course the bond between them continued to aggravate him as well.  He didn’t have time to ponder over some typical teenagers innermost thoughts.  So what if she turned misfit because her sister died?  What difference did it make that the boy standing at her side, eyes caressing her face like they could actually feel her skin, loved her, and she didn’t return that love?  Least of all did he enjoy that this link—which acted more like a shackle at times—forced him into caring.

            What he needed to worry about now consisted of finding out when and how Mackenzie would leave this life, and why he was hers to begin with.  It didn’t seem to him like she had anything extraordinary going for her.

As he waited for her to approach, many possibilities swam through his head in answer to those questions.  However, given all the ways he’d seen death take someone, he never, in the many centuries of doing his job, could have guessed he would actually be the cause.

Queries...AHHHHHH

This post is one filled with mixed emotions.  I am thrilled to say the first 312 words of my YA novel have been picked for third place in Gabriela's Birthday Bash Contest!  I've been doing some dancing let me tell ya. 
As a prize I get to have the uber-lovely Lora Rivera from the Claire Gerus Literary Agency critique my query. 
So this is where the mixed emotions part comes in...I haven't done one before.  I have about a million sites set as favorites giving me tips on how to write a killer query but I fear it like the plague.  For some reason putting a three hundred page book into a couple paragraphs sends me running for the hills. 

Enough whining!  There is no better than the present to get moving on it, especially with Ms. Rivera waiting patiently...or not, as the case may be.

In my quest for all things query, I found an e-book that I really like and thought I would spread the love.  Elana Johnson, From the Query to the Call  Check it out!    

3/12 Birthday Bash Contest Entry

Title: Angel Walker Series Book One: Remebered
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Status: WIP (3/4 finished)


          The only thing Jonas was completely sure of was that Mackenzie Shae was going to die.  As he studied her walking along – practically bouncing – in step to the loud music still playing in the field behind her, he couldn’t help but stare.  Not that Mackenzie intrigued him.  No human had that effect on Jonas.  They were way too predictable.  Sure, she probably attracted a majority of the male population, but she was the whole reason this mess consumed him in the first place.  That annoyance completely trumped how she looked.

            Of course the bond between them continued to aggravate him as well.  He didn’t have time to ponder over some typical teenagers innermost thoughts.  So what if she turned misfit because her sister died?  What difference did it make that the boy standing at her side, eyes caressing her face like they could actually feel her skin, loved her, and she didn’t return that love?  Least of all did he enjoy that this link—which acted more like a shackle at times—forced him into caring.

            What he needed to worry about now consisted of finding out when and how Mackenzie would leave this life, and why he was hers to begin with.  It didn’t seem to him like she had anything extraordinary going for her.

     As he waited for Mackenzie to approach, many possibilities swam through his head in answer to those questions.  However, given all the ways he’d seen death take someone, he never, in the many centuries of doing his job, could have guessed he would actually be the cause.

***

     Mackenzie was not usually the type to escape for fresh air in a portable bathroom, but extreme times called for extreme measures. Taking the ponytail holder from her wrist, she quickly wrapped her hair in a loose fitting ball on top of her head.  Having that small task accomplished

Writing Contests Worth Blogging About

Who doesn't love a contest where the end result could mean having your work critiqued by some amazing agents?  I know I do!  I found a couple that I thought I would share with anyone interested.  One begins today so if you have a polished manuscript and a blog then get to posting.

The 3/12 Birthday Bash (With Critiques from Agents)

Show Me the Voice!...Contest with Agent Natalie Fischer

Thanks to Gabriella at  Aspiring Writer's World, Brenda from Brenda Drake Writes...Under the Influence of Coffee and the wonderful agents willing to celebrate both of their birthdays the way a writer would want.

Changes

This has been something I have been working on since my last critique, but I have decided to do a major overhaul of my guardian angel story. 

Being a writer and learning as I go, I had to write a whole novel to realize that it wasn't what I wanted out of my writing.  I love that I think I am growing...I guess the agents I query will be the true judge of that though.

So far I have done three outlines (which totally works for me because I don't have to hold it all in my brain which is already exploding with thoughts to move the story along as I go).  These outlines are not even close to being uniform but they help me stay on the path intended.  When I see I'm veering off I make sure it is something I want to do and if it is I scribble down another outline. 

I am on chapter 10 and have decided the book is going to be called Angel Walker.  Well, it's what I like either as a first title or as the series name.

Here is a small blurb I wrote to semi-describe what the book is about.   Let me know what you think...is it catchy?  Is it lacking?  I'd love to get some opinions.

Mackenzie Shae discovers her destiny is unlike most seventeen year olds when she turns a guardian angel into a human with the mere touch of her hand.  How will she cope when she realizes she has stripped her only protector of his abilities in a time when she is being hunted by the evils of this world and the one beyond?

Momentary Lapse of Judgement

Don't you hate it when you have the best intentions only to belittle those intentions by not following through with them.

Such seems to be my life when it comes to writing.

Oh to describe what writing is to me...pure adrenalin, all encompassing, passionate and self fulfilling.  Those are just a few of the wonderful attributes that make it a love of my life.  To say it is a perfect union would be a lie.  It's more like an intense rendezvous filled with frenzy and intrigue, solace and oneness.  The ups and downs are many but they are all meaningful.

The problem comes when realization hits that it isn't just me and my computer riding off into the sunset.  My life is full of many wonderful things like children, a husband and a family.  It is also wrangled together with the hated things like guilt and self consciousness as well as the negatives I can't try to ignore such as moving three states over, paying bills, trying to sell a house in an unforgiving market and so on. 

Every day a battle wages in my head about what is more important, possibly fulfilling a lifelong dream of writing and being published or putting it on the back burner because I am not meeting the needs of the other 50 million things in my life. 

For a while writing was losing the fight when one day I talked to my husband who told me it was okay to let go and just do it.  Then my mom, same day, later that evening said, "You really need to finish this book Deana."

The other loves in my life are prepared to make sacrifices so I can do what truly makes me happy which is why they are so special and cause just as much emotion in me as does my writing.

So my quest has once again started.  It actually started a few weeks back and I feel the fires stoked and the power surging.  I am super charged and ready to go.

Look out world, a very passionate woman is on the verge of breaking free!

Crazy Days

Why doesn't life ever go the way you anticipate?  It drives me crazy but I should be accustomed to that just being the way it is.
Here I had planned on moving to KY, getting settled, starting NANO, finishing my book edit and going to the ANWA conference in Feb.
The moving part did happen but so far not one other thing has.  My Grandmother, whom I wrote about on my Mom's The Glue blog, went to the hospital for a headache and was kept for a tumor on her brain that was recently removed through surgery.  I have been there most of my days so naturally there has been time for nothing else.  I would actually have it no other way, I'm thankful that we moved when we did so I could be with her and to help the family out as needed. 
Disappointment, however, looms large when I don't complete tasks.  Instead of beating myself up, I just need a plan.  That is something I plan to work on this weekend.

In other news I found out about a really cool contest I thought I would share with my few and far between readers.  I'm entering and good luck to you if you try it out too!

YA Novel Contest

Anyone NANO?

This is the first year I have even heard of Nano (National Novel Writing Month).  I love the concept and I am really going to try and do it.  I have just moved to a new state so my life is in disarray plus I am trying to meet a deadline to complete the final edit on my current book.  This being said, I do have an idea brewing I would love to expand on and this is the perfect opportunity to get it out.  Even if I can't do the 50,000 words in 30 days it is worth writing something new daily. 

What about you?  Have you ever heard of NANO and are you going to participate this year? 

For anyone that wants to be my NANO buddy I am sunnyd31.  Come join me and we can help each other write awesome novels in a month!

Back to the Drawing Board

Yesterday I got my full critique back and (eye pop) it needs a ton of work!  Instead of discouraging me like I thought it would, however, it thrilled me to receive this feedback.  Since I wrote my book there have been things that have irked me...like Janie annoys me sometimes (she is the main character), Jonas is wishy washy (he is the guardian angel), and the beginning felt wrong. 
After I had read and edited my 390+ page manuscript more times than I care to count, the last thing I wanted to do was go on and do major changes.  I mean, seriously, where would I begin?
What I needed was a fresh pair of eyes and those eyes gave my some excellent suggestions with the very things that have bothered me.
The only thing that bums me out is that I don't know if I can pull all of this off by the conference in Feb!  I may have to actually cancel and go to a later one.  It breaks my heart but I don't want to pitch something that is unpitchable (is that even a word?)  Any hoo, not gonna let it get me down...just heading back to the drawing board.

I did it!

Well, I bit the bullet.  Registration opened up for the ANWA convention and I signed up!  I am so excited.  It is going to be a whopping $750 to cover the whole trip but I feel like it will be so worth it.
 I also signed up to pitch my book.  Just typing that last sentence makes me all nervous and tingly inside.  I keep thinking how many tons of people are going to be there doing the same exact thing and how possibly out of all those pitches could they think my book would be one to choose? 
I have to stop myself, though, because no matter what, this is a chance of a lifetime for me.  I can gather some really valuable information for this convention that can only help me, and if Kirk Shaw (editor over at Covenant) loves my book, that I happen to think is awesome, then that will be even better.
So Arizona, get ready because here I come!

Writing Conferences

I have never been to a writing conference and want to go to one so badly.  I would love to be able to pitch my book in front of an agent or publisher and see what their facial expression is in reguards to it. 

I was searching for some Writing conferences this weekend and found one that is right down my alley.  The 19th Annual ANWA Writers Conference.  It is an LDS (Latter Day Saint) conference and with my book being in that arena I feel this would be perfect for me! 

The only problem is that the conference is in Arizona and I live in Alabama (will be living in Kentucky in Feb. when the conference is being held).  What an opportunity to it would be for me to be able to go and just be in the thick of all that is writing.  I guess I will have to see how it pans out and if I can make my dreams a reality.

Any writers out there been to a conference?  Are they really as completely awesome as I am imaging them?

Full Book Critique

I am super duper pumped!!!  Let me tell you why...

I have done it.  I finally edited my book enough on my own that I feel satisfied to send the whole thing out into the world for some other opinions.  I am scared to death, let me tell you!  I spend enough time telling myself that it could be better and to possibly get a confirmation from others that it's true is terrifying, but you know what?  It has to be done.  I can only learn and grow from this process right?  These are the baby steps that I need to take in order to really become a great writer.  If I live in my own cocoon then I will never grow. 

For anyone out there looking for some awesome critique groups I am part of two.

A Writer's Block is a group that I joined last year and we do a chapter critique a month.  I love this group for grammar and immediate insight per chapter.  Plus as I have gotten to know these ladies I have grown to love them.  They're awesome!!!

Mormon Mommy Writer's is the other group I am a member of.  I am fairly new to this group but still just as excited about it.  Personally, for m this group will help me because I am writing an LDS Romance and this group can relate to that kind of perspective.  You don't have to be a Mormon to be a member of this group however.  With MMW, they have a critique group for chapters as well as a full book critique.  I opted for the full critique and hopefully can get some tips on my book as a whole.

Ready...Set...Go

Welp, here I am.  Over a year ago I got an idea.  I pounded that idea out into the form of a 300+ page book in about three months.  Then, I got discouraged.  I thought, self: who is ever going want to read this? 

Making excuses, I let it sit on my computer, filed away amidst the other half touched ideas that I toyed with over the years.

This one, however, kept haunting me.  So I slowly started editing it.  During that process I would get discouraged, put it away, get haunted again, slowly start editing once more and round and round I went.

Then, about a year ago, I joined a writers group on a whim, through the lovely Twilight Mom's forum.  Putting my book out there to be critiqued was like walking outside completely naked for all to see.  SCARY...for those doing the seeing as well as myself.

When the band aid was finally ripped away, I realized it wasn't so bad.  I actually enjoyed the feedback. 
With that initial shock over, I had the courage to finish two edits and am on my final one.

For additional help I have sent it off to the lovely and talented Linda over at  TreasureLine Books and Publishing.  She is a pro at this kind of thing and I think I have looked at it so much, for so long, I just need some professional help - in more ways than one I'm sure.

After getting it back from Linda I will then put my final touches on the book and send it out into the world and see if it can stand on its own.

Am I nervous?  Heck yea!  Am I excited?  You bet.  This has always been a dream of mine and to finally bring it to some form of fruition is extremely satisfying.

Why the blog?

I started this blog for a few reasons:
1) To document my journey so if I ever get published I can look back and see the road I travelled.

2) To get the premise of my book out there and see what others think about it.

3) To get my name out so if I do ever get published I may already have a few fans, friends and fellow writing buddies:)

So, here is to taking your dream and running with it!