Winner announced for query crit contest

Hi all!  Just a quick post today to announce the winner of the query/1st chapter crit. 

The winner, as drawn by random.org, is: ashelynn hetland

Congratulations, Ashelynn!

I've emailed you with the details and can't wait to read and crit your work. 

For everyone else who didn't win, the fun isn't over yet.  Please stay tuned for later today or tomorrow where I'll be putting up another prize pack!

And, of course, that all leads up to the biggest contest starting November 1st, 2011 so don't change that dial!

Waiting on Wednesday: Virtuosity

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My selection for this week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:  VIRTOUSITY by Jessica Martinez.

I can't wait to read this because (besides the fact that we share a name.) well, the description made it sound great.  I'm not so keen on the cover, but it IS interesting, so there is that. I'm just not sure what it has to do with the book...Anyway, it sounds like it could be a really great contemporary romance and I've been itching to read a good one for awhile.

Here's the deets from her website and don't forget to add it on goodreads.

Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love.

Two weeks before the most important violin competition of her career, she has bigger things to worry about—like growing out of that suffocating "child prodigy" label, and not disappointing her mother.

But it isn't just the wrong time. It's the wrong guy. Jeremy is Carmen's most talented rival, and according to her mother, he's only interested in one thing: winning.

He isn't the only one.

Carmen is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to control performance nerves. But what started a year ago as an easy fix is now a hungry addiction. Carmen is too terrified to quit, but sick of not feeling anything on stage, sick of doing what she's told.

Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall....

So, what's your WoW?

As a reminder, I'm also posting at the Oasis about those stupid, soggy middles, so don't forget to check that out, too.

And if you're a writer, don't forget to check out my Celebrate the Small Stuff contest to win a query/1st chapter critique.

Reading to our kids

                               Writers don't forget to enter my query/1st chapter critique contest. Here.

Okay I had no idea what I was going to write about today, then I read this article.  My jaw literally dropped.  I couldn't believe this woman was complaining about reading to her kids. Especially after saying how much she remembered enjoying reading CHARLOTTE'S WEB with her own mother. My first thought was, WTF?!

Reading to my kids is singularly the most enjoyable part of my day.  I get to share with them the discovery of new characters, far away places, and most importantly my love of reading.

Sure, we've run into our fair share of issues. there are days I'm just too tired to read and sometimes I do skip pages. I don't exactly like some of the books they want me to read, and I DO get tired of reading the same books over and over, but for the most part, it's enjoyable.  I get to spend quality time with them. I get to see their eyes light up when I pull that worn out copy of Sleeping Beauty (for my daughter) or Bob the Builder (that's when my son was little--he doesn't want me to read with him anymore. :()

And that brings up another thing, this age doesn't last forever. They won't want you to read with them forever.  Pretty soon, reading time will be spent playing video games, or reading quietly on their own. Talking to friends.  Whatever it is they enjoy instead.

So I'm going to cherish these moments for as long as they last.  And I'm going to read to my kids, doing bad character voices, and puppet shows, and giggling at all the silly stuff until my kids beg me to stop.

And person who wrote that article, honestly, you should be ashamed of yourself. (Sorry, I know that's harsh, but it's how I feel.)  I feel sorry for your kids.  If reading to them is such a chore, why not just not do it?  Then maybe you won't ruin reading for your kids.

Celebrate the small stuff

So these last couple of months, I've just been bidding my time, waiting for things to finalize and I'm glad to say that everything has indeed been finalized.  As of last Friday!!  Whoot! 

I'm happily working on the 2nd of my 3-book deal and I can finally stop to rejoice in what is the biggest accomplishment of my life so far.  It's also one of the happiest. Third only to getting married and having my kids.

Why am I only rejoicing now?  And not back when it happened?  Well, because I'm HUGELY superstitious.  I was afraid to celebrate anything until it was final.  So, since the ink has dried and I feel reasonably assured I'm not going to screw things up by doing a happy dance, that's what I'm doing.

I'm now going to celebrate all the small(-ish) but happy things that have happened in the last two years since I started on my publication journey.

It also made me think of all the bumps and potential roadblocks I've hit along the way.  And I just want to say to all you aspiring writers out there, the only thing that separates a published author from an aspiring one is persistence.  Never give up.  Even if you have to take a break now and then to recharge your batteries, keep going for the long haul. It's WAY worth it.

So, to help some of you on your way, and to give me time to think of an AWESOME contest to celebrate, I'm doing a tiny one. I'm celebrating my two year blogging anniversary this month.  It also happens to be one of my favorite months of the year, so I'm in an especially good mood. Which, in my mind, translates to lots of giveaways. 

I'll be giving away query crits, partial crits, and books. Lots and lots of books. :)  And all this will culminate into the awesomest of awesome contests (to celebrate the awesomest of awesome things--the finalization of my book deal).

So, we'll start small today and I'll offer a query and first chapter crit. 

Rules (because nothing is EVER free. ; ) ):

You MUST be a follower of my blog to enter and you’ll need to fill out the Google form.  Also, while I'll read almost any genre, I'm better at critting MSs in the YA genre.  Otherwise, that’s it.  It is of course, open internationally (as long as the MS is in English).  Contest ends October 17, 2011 at midnight, winners will be announced sometime that day.

•   Follow me on Twitter (@jasouders)
•  “Like” me on Facebook
• "Like" RENEGADE on Facebook
•  Add RENEGADE to you TBR list on goodreads
•  Tweeted
•  Blogged
•  Facebooked
  

Good luck!

The power of words

Remember when your mother used to teach you the old saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."? And remember when you realized that wasn't exactly true and words hurt almost as much as sticks and stones?

I talked over at the BNW blog yesterday about how I always wanted to be a writer and it started with my 6^th grade teacher.  And then I remembered a story from a friend, who had a teacher do the exact opposite and she QUIT writing because her teacher was so awful to her.  Which of course, got me thinking.  No surprise there, every thing always gets me thinking.  Pretty annoying for the hubby and kids when I start asking questions out of the blue, but anyway.  That got me thinking about how much influence people in authority have over others.

I’m not just talking about parents and teachers over kids, but bosses and politicians, etc over adults. Even friends and partners, neighbors.  Anyone really. And how easy it is for one person to say something, which could mean absolutely nothing to them, but destroy an entire person’s career, or life, or whatever.

That’s the power of words.  As a writer I know words can be powerful, but I never sat down to think exactly what power they wield.  One simple thank you can completely metamorphisize someone’s entire day, maybe even their life.  And one ill-thought choice of words can cause untold amounts of pain.

Words have started wars and ended them. They’ve caused and cured illnesses.  They are the windows letting people see who and what we are and stand for. And for the most part, we (as humans) spend more time brushing our hair, then we do in thinking about what we say.

But I have to wonder what a world we would live in, if we just took a few minutes to think about what we say before we say them.

I'M PREGNANT (with a book)! or How book publishing is like expecting a baby.

Okay, so I was teasing a few weeks back on twitter about how me waiting for my book to be out on shelves was like being pregnant.  And I kept coming up with these different comparisions.  Then I started getting comparasions from former L & D nurse and fab crit partner Liz Czukas, and we both decided that I should totally do a blogpost detailing the entire process from writing the draft to book birthday.  So here it is.  I hope you enjoy it, or a least giggle a little.

Querying is like on-line dating.  You put up your best photo and make yourself sound 100 times better than you really are out there—that would be the query letter, minus the photo (don’t send photos of yourselves to agents, peeps.  That’s all kinds of creepy. :P).

You get a nibble and go on that first date.  That’s a partial request.  Sometimes the date is a total failure and you never want to see each other again.  That’s a rejection.  You go back and forth with updating your profile page and going out on first dates.  Of course, that would be revising that query and manuscript until it shines and looks NOTHING like it did in the beginning.

FINALLY you meet someone who’s pretty awesome and you go on more dates and maybe even become exclusive  (Whee!).  That’s a full request!  Yay! (Keep in mind while some agents do ask for exclusives, it is not a good idea for an author to grant it—IMO.  In dating, yeah, might want to consider that exclusive. :P) Sometimes, again, you realize that the person you’re with just isn’t right for you and you break up.  There’s that rejection again.  (BOO!)

But then, the unexpected but completely awesomest thing happens.  He/She asks you to marry him/her!  OMG!  That is, of course, the offer.  You accept and say I do (There’s no engagement period here folks. We’re talking running straight to the courthouse and getting married before that boy/girl can change their mind. :P).  That’s signing the contract.  

Now you get to have fun (I’m not going into details about what I mean here, I’m pretty sure every one can figure this part out by themselves.*Boom, chicka wow wow*)  and you go out on submission.

After possibly a few negative pregnancy tests, you finally get an offer from an editor and accept.  That’s TOTALLY the postive and doctor confirmed pregnancy test. 

Then is the hard work, you revise, revise, and revise.  That’s all those monthly visits to the OB. 

Then, OMG, you get a COVER!  Wow!  That’s the ultrasound.  And like any proud parent you show it off to anyone you can trap for 5 seconds.  All during this time, people are asking when you’re due, and how much longer.  And are you excited? What’s it’s name? 

Then, debut day/labor. Even though you think you’ve been ready for months, you wonder if you haven’t just lost your mind.  You panic and tell people you’ve changed your mind. You don’t really want to be a mom (author) any more, but it’s too late, because before you know you’ve got a beautiful bouncing baby (book) in your hot little hands and you’ve forgotten how much hard work it took you to get there and you can’t wait to do it all again.  Because the book (baby) is perfect, and you love it so much!

Okay, I’m guessing on some of these, because I haven’t gotten that far with my book yet.  I’m still happily at the OB visits and waiting for the happy day I’ll get my sonogram.  LOL.  HOWEVER, I’ve had 2 babies, so I’m pretty sure I know what happens on that side. LOL. 

Waiting on Wednesday: The Other LIfe

Goodness Everyone, I'm doing it again and forgetting my little blog.  I promise to start posting more.  Okay, just so you know, I'm over at the BNW blog today talking about the education system in RENEGADE.  It's short, but hopefully sweet, so won't you please stop on by over there?  Thanks.

Also, don't forget that the Oasis is back in town and we have some nifty stuff over there, including once-a-month crits by all us Oasis ladies, including the new (and totally fab.) Larissa Hardesty.

Okay, okay, here's my WoW post.

Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My selection for this week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:  THE OTHER LIFE by fellow apocalypsie Susanne Winnacker.

What interested me about this was the awesome cover (remember I told you before I'm shallow when it comes to books :P), but the description had me from the first paragraph and I knew instantly it was a book I'm going to HAVE to get the first day it's out.

Here's the deets from her website and don't forget to add it on goodreads.

Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.

Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ - rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.

While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.

So...what's your WoW?


 

Tor Tuesday: Anna Dressed in Blood Winner Announced

Hey all!  Sorry I'm a little late this morning with the results. I've been buried under a mountain of laundry and have only just now dug myself out.  :P

And now the results you all have been waiting for.  The winner of ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD is:

                                                   
                                                     DONNAS!


Congratulations!  Email me at j.souders (at) jasouders (dot) com.  Remember you only have 48 hours to claim your prize before I pick another winner.

Again congratulations.

Waiting on Wednesday: Incarnate

Don't forget to enter my ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD giveaway.

Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My selection for this week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows.

There's a lot of talk about ferrets on her website, so that made me curious, then I saw her GORGEOUS cover and that made it a want, then I "met" Jodi through the apocalypsies and she is so awesome that her book is now a must-have. 

Um...ahem...Of course, the book sounds great, too.  :P

Here's the deets from her website and don't forget to add it on goodreads.

NEWSOUL

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL

Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART

Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

So...what's your WoW?

Tor Tuesday: Anna Dressed In Blood Contest

Hi all! I've decided to start something new today.  I'm calling it Tor Tuesday.  It's something that's been simmering in my brain and I finally decided to go for it.  Once a month or so (maybe more depending one when I feel like it :P) I'm going to feature a Tor book I've read and loved (YA or otherwise).  Sometimes there'll be contests--like today--other times author interviews, book spotlights, etc, depending on what I decide to cook up.


Since today is the release day for Kendare Blake's ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD, I'm giving away a copy to one commenter.  All you have to do is comment below and tell me what you're most afraid of (if you can't see the comment box, click on the post title and it'll bring you to the post by itself.  You SHOULD be able to see it then.  If you're STILL having problems, email me and I'll add you manually to the list).

The contest will be open until NEXT Tuesday (Sept 5th at midnight), and the winner will be announced that morning around 10am.

ANNA will be purchased through the book depository, so if they ship to your country you may enter.

To win you must be a blog follower and if you're under 18, you'll need to have parental permission to give me your mailing address.  Also, when I announce, you'll have 48 hours to email me before I find another winner, so make sure to check back next Tuesday.

Here's some information about ANNA from Kendare's website if you don't already know it.

Anna Dressed in Blood

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

Kendare's Bio from her website

Kendare Blake is an import from South Korea who was raised in the United States by caucasian parents. You know, that old chestnut. She received a Bachelor's degree in Business from Ithaca College and a Master's degree in Writing from Middlesex University in London. She brakes for animals, the largest of which was a deer, which sadly didn't make it, and the smallest of which was a mouse, which did, but it took forever. Amongst her likes are Greek Mythology, rare red meat and veganism. She also enjoys girls who can think with the boys like Ayn Rand, and boys who scare the morality into people, like Bret Easton Ellis.