A few thank yous (and news)

I know I've been absent a lot from this blog lately, but it has been CRAZY around here.  Phew!  Especially this past month with two books having deadlines a week apart. 0.o But, I LOVE it. I wouldn't change a thing.

Anyway, onto the post!

Today marks the two year anniversary of when my agent (the fab Natalie Lakosil) offered representation! I am just as excited now as I was then to say she's my agent.  She's been awesome, even when I wanted to yank my hair of of my head and bang it's baldness against my desk (or a handy wall) repeatedly.

She's dealt with my impatience and insecurities without batting so much as an eyelash. And she never once made me feel like I was unimportant. In fact, most of the time, she's made me feel like I was her only client, which obviously isn't true.

So I just wanted to send a public thank you to her for all her awesomeness!

THANK YOU!

And now for some good news I haven't been taken the time to announce, but would like to "officially" share with you.  

First, a minor, but very happy making thing. Book 2 is finished and has been sent to my awesome editor.  I canNOT wait to see what she says about it, so I can start book 3.  Eee! I've got some great things planned out, so I'm jonesing to write it!

A relatively huge thing for me, which isn't a secret as I've posted it on my book page, my website and twitter, but RENEGADE has sold German translation rights to Piper in there new imprint IVI!  

A special thank you to the wonderful Taryn Fagerness and my German editor, Beatrice!

Here's the PM announcement:

Foreign Rights Sale: Jessica Souders' RENEGADE to Piper in Germany, by Taryn Fagerness of Fagerness Literary Agency on behalf of Natalie Lakosil of Bradford Lit.

More news on that when it comes.

Some personal news, I'll share tomorrow. :)

And last, but not least, since I can't ever sit still for long, I'm excited about a new project that's been itching to be written for awhile now. More news on THAT later.

I'll try to keep up with this a bit more now that my crazy days are a little less crazy.


Until later,

Adieu!

Monday Musings: Crit Partners

I've talked here before about crit partners, but in the last two years that I've been serious about writing, I've never been as thankful for my crit partners as I am today. Or this year, really. 

I've been blessed with having found AMAZING crit partners.  We don't always agree on things.  I have one who HATES (maybe that's too strong of a word, I'm sure she'll correct me. :P) when my heros carry my heroines around.  I like it. Not ALL the time, but when I think there's a need for it.  Another of my crit partners is more on the innocent side and doesn't like my more steamy scenes.  And yet another loves both of those things, but hates other things. 

The thing about them all is they all have their strengths.  The one that hates all the sappy, sappy stuff, is the one that knows me the best. I can talk to her about any little idea that pops into my head.  And not only does me encourage me to try it, she'll run with it and come up with something even zanier!  Also, she's not afraid to tell me when something isn't working.  We're both so honest with each other that sometimes, I'm TERRIFIED of opening my crit notes from her.

Like last night I got my latest notes from her, knowing she would "Tear me up"  (I specifically asked her to and she did!) But I also knew that I would probably agree with all of the things she saw as problematic.  I was right.  In fact, if I thought about it, we've been together so long I could have easily pointed out the areas that she had a problem with. 

And she's awesome because she doesn't mind spending 2 hours on skype with me while I whine and hem and haw in her ear about the things she doesn't like.  Especially those heros of mine.  ; )  (LOVE YA!)

Anyway,  moving on.  Another is excellent at pointing out movements and is PERFECT for helping me stage my characters. She'll point out each time she can't get a feeling of where my characters are or how they're moving.

But the thing is, for me crit partners are essential.  They help me brainstorm.  They tell me when things aren't working, and they encourage me when I feel like my book is crap and it's "all wrong. Every thing is WRONG!"  LOL.  And yes, sometimes the only nice thing they have to say about a story is what's up in the little picture, but then that's what they're there for, right?

But my crit partners are more than that.  They've become friends. In some cases,  my best friends and I seriously don't know what I'd do without them.  Even when I want to pull my hair out and go, as I'm saying, "But now I've got to change EVERYTHING!" 

Thanks, guys!  For everything!

So, question for you.  What's your thoughts on crit partners?  Problematic or Godsend?