I know that I have said that this blog would be a bit different from other writer's blogs but I've decided a once a month writer's moment can't hurt. So this blog is dedicated to my unending battle with my query. I belong to the great and wonderful family of writers who help other writers work to be the best they can be. That would be the Absolute Write family. Better known as AW'ers!
I have to say that back in November 2010, I discovered a website holding a contest for first time YA novel writers. (Yay--that's me) Unpublished (Uh, yay?--that's me too) Deadline December 31st (Whoa--I just started this novel in Nov. Can I pull this off?--Yeah, go for it!) So every day and every night for nearly thirty days I pounded the keyboard. I must admit, it wasn't as clean as I would have liked it to be but complete nonetheless! I got my novel in before the contest deadline. (Go me!) Unfortunately, my novel was not the selected winner but at that point that was not what mattered to me. I had finished a YA novel! With the extra time now, I can clean up things and bring it to a point where I was ready for submissions.
With the help of some of the most awesomeness of AW'ers as Beta Readers, I have perfected what I am comfortable with submitting! On to writing the query. Uuuggghhh---that means hell on AW. QLH (Query Letter Hell) has been both a blessing and a pulling my hair out experience. It has taken me quite a while to really get my query to a happy point.
When they say hell they mean just that. I started with what I thought was a pretty darn good query and was set back with some of the responses. All of them very helpful but all of them completely different. Which one do you go with? So, I returned to the drawing board and went for it again. Again, helpful suggestions and again very different suggestions. This went on for quite a while, and actually, if I posted another query, I know for sure I would get the same results. Please don't get me wrong--I love everyone there who at least takes the time to stop by and read and suggest. My point is that everyone has a completely different opinion on the who, what, when, where, how and why. It is ultimately up to you--the writer--to figure out what works and what doesn't. I enlisted the help of a few people who followed every query I posted for an extra assist and to them I am truly grateful!
So now, with query in hand... well on file... I embark on my next step. Wish me luck and maybe by next month's Writer Moment, I will be able to share some awesome news! See Ya Soon
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Not Just Me!!
Okay--so maybe it wasn't just me! The blog that I thought had disappeared into cyber-space has now reappeared! I understand that it wasn't me at all---it was the blog site! LMAO! Maybe I am perfectly sane then! :)
Now you can enjoy all three! See ya soon!
Now you can enjoy all three! See ya soon!
Friday, May 13, 2011
That's Just Me!
Yes, you will learn that I have CRS! It's not contagious nor is it something that will affect my health, but damn, it does tick me off sometimes.
I totally had a great post that I wrote on Tuesday--all about my Mother's Day fun. You'll have to take my word for it--it was funny! It involved D's #1 & 2 and had a moral to the story and everything! To my shock, I signed onto my blog today and found it not there! WTH! Damn--it was really good. Some of you who know me, know that my brain plays games with me. I will think I hit the send button on the computer and accidentally hit delete! I have become infamous for doing these silly things. So, my guess is that it has carried over to my blog.
I hit the preview button to make sure what I had typed was error free. I then should have entered the publish post button----obviously, that's not what I did. I really wish you could have read that one! I won't lie, it really was a good one! I had to laugh at myself as I was writing it! :) I wish I could remember the entire story so that I could repost, but alas---CRS!
For now, this one will have to do. I apologize for the loss of such a great story, but be assured, there will be more to come! Oh, yeah---for those of you who have never had or experienced CRS---then you're too young to be affected. For the rest of us---CRS---Can't Remember Shit!! See ya soon!
I totally had a great post that I wrote on Tuesday--all about my Mother's Day fun. You'll have to take my word for it--it was funny! It involved D's #1 & 2 and had a moral to the story and everything! To my shock, I signed onto my blog today and found it not there! WTH! Damn--it was really good. Some of you who know me, know that my brain plays games with me. I will think I hit the send button on the computer and accidentally hit delete! I have become infamous for doing these silly things. So, my guess is that it has carried over to my blog.
I hit the preview button to make sure what I had typed was error free. I then should have entered the publish post button----obviously, that's not what I did. I really wish you could have read that one! I won't lie, it really was a good one! I had to laugh at myself as I was writing it! :) I wish I could remember the entire story so that I could repost, but alas---CRS!
For now, this one will have to do. I apologize for the loss of such a great story, but be assured, there will be more to come! Oh, yeah---for those of you who have never had or experienced CRS---then you're too young to be affected. For the rest of us---CRS---Can't Remember Shit!! See ya soon!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Weekend Fun
I honestly have to say that I had a great Mother's Day! Daughter #2 has recently moved into her own home and decided to have a get-together to celebrate Mother's Day. I believe it was the first time in... well, I won't say how many years, but alot will do, that I did not have a function at my home. Typically, go figure, all the girls with kiddies and hubbie in tow would come to my house for a BBQ. I was pleasantly surprised when Daughter #2 asked me if I wouldn't mind if she did the BBQ this year! YAY! A real Mother's Day where I wasn't the one doing all of the work. It turned out that she did a crawfish boil instead but hey, all I had to do was go and enjoy!
Now, I've told y'all before that there is always drama in my home. When I say my home, I don't literally mean in my house. I mean within my family, more specifically with my girls. Enter Drama! Daughter #1 decides that she also wants to have a get together at her place. No problem. Go early to #2's place, eat crawfish, spend some time with grandbugs then head over to #1's place. NOT. You see, I know #1 too well. I have to watch the clock while I am at #2's place to see just how long I've stayed there so that I can spend the equal amount of time at #1's. D#1 called while I was by D#2's to make sure I was still coming. Of course I am. I will be there in about an hour. Thank goodness they live near each other and I didn't have to go far to get to her place.
So I spend two hours, tops--I swear, at D#2's, say our good-byes, pack up D#3, 4, & 5 and head to D#1's. Having just eaten crawfish, I figured just spending time with other grandbugs would be fun. When we arrive there, she has BBQ'd chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs sitting on the table ready to eat. I told her that maybe D#4 would eat (she's not partial to crawfish) but the rest of us were fine. She asked if I wanted to take some home, to which of course I accepted. We were there for a little over an hour and I could see D#4 & D#5 were wearing down. With school the next day, I told them to get ready we would go ahead and go. D#1 was not going to let that happen! "You stayed longer by D#2's than you did here---why do you want to leave?"
It was the aha moment!! There it is! The point where you know that you know your kids a little too well. Something told me that was coming. Then she broke out temptation. A weakness I have. Filet! Hot off the pit. Seems she knows me as well as I know her. D4 & 5 and I dove into the steak like we hadn't had a thing all day to eat. Needless to say I wound up spending my two hours with D#1 and family anyway!
My moral of this story? Shit on this shit!! Next year, I'm having Mother's Day at my house!! See ya soon!
Now, I've told y'all before that there is always drama in my home. When I say my home, I don't literally mean in my house. I mean within my family, more specifically with my girls. Enter Drama! Daughter #1 decides that she also wants to have a get together at her place. No problem. Go early to #2's place, eat crawfish, spend some time with grandbugs then head over to #1's place. NOT. You see, I know #1 too well. I have to watch the clock while I am at #2's place to see just how long I've stayed there so that I can spend the equal amount of time at #1's. D#1 called while I was by D#2's to make sure I was still coming. Of course I am. I will be there in about an hour. Thank goodness they live near each other and I didn't have to go far to get to her place.
So I spend two hours, tops--I swear, at D#2's, say our good-byes, pack up D#3, 4, & 5 and head to D#1's. Having just eaten crawfish, I figured just spending time with other grandbugs would be fun. When we arrive there, she has BBQ'd chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs sitting on the table ready to eat. I told her that maybe D#4 would eat (she's not partial to crawfish) but the rest of us were fine. She asked if I wanted to take some home, to which of course I accepted. We were there for a little over an hour and I could see D#4 & D#5 were wearing down. With school the next day, I told them to get ready we would go ahead and go. D#1 was not going to let that happen! "You stayed longer by D#2's than you did here---why do you want to leave?"
It was the aha moment!! There it is! The point where you know that you know your kids a little too well. Something told me that was coming. Then she broke out temptation. A weakness I have. Filet! Hot off the pit. Seems she knows me as well as I know her. D4 & 5 and I dove into the steak like we hadn't had a thing all day to eat. Needless to say I wound up spending my two hours with D#1 and family anyway!
My moral of this story? Shit on this shit!! Next year, I'm having Mother's Day at my house!! See ya soon!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Proud Mama
So last night at the girls school they held what they call a Highlights Night! It's purpose is to show parents, friends and everyone else who attends the things your child has learned all year. It is set up throughout the school in every hallway, some things are held in the classroom.
We rush to get there for 6:00pm because daughter #5 is dancing in the gym. It was a Social Studies rap song that a group of 140 kids put together about Paul Revere! Naturally, daughter #5 had said she and just a couple of her friends were the only ones who could really do this particular dance and to my surprise, she was right. You have to picture 140 students trying to move and sing at the same time, all together, in unison...you get my point. She did great! She is definitely my goofy child!! She brings a smile to everyone's face and will have you in stitches with her silliness.
Daughter #4 had met up with some friends and was pretty much on her own until it was time for her art showing. Daughter #5 now has to make a mad dash to her French class where she is serving French pastries. The class was decorated to look like a French cafe--desks pulled together and covered with table cloths, a small vase of flowers for the extra touch and the kids with their French berets! Too cool. And the pastries... nummmmy!! After her time in French class daughter #5 volunteered to sell the Highlight book which has poetry, artwork and other writings from students. Future authors!! Be on the lookout!!
I meet up with both girls for a little dinner. Hot dogs (chili, cheese), Nacho's (chili, cheese) drinks and chips but hey, it hit the spot. We move on to the library where a silent auction was being held but I wasn't there for that. Daughter #4 had her artwork displayed on the other side of the library. I was completely shocked when I saw her work. I have told y'all that she is being tested for talented art...hmmm...next week. The work that we submitted for her came from last year's portfolio.
She has always had a talented hand with art (and I can tell ya--she doesn't get it from me!) but this was beyond what I thought I was going to see. Her detail, the colors and the scenes were amazing. Not that everyone's work was not great, it's just that you can tell when someone's work goes beyond great. I would point out others and say, 'oh, this one is good!' and she would reply, 'yeah, she's in talented art.' Daughter #4's work was damn near, if not better than kids who are already in the talented art program!
All in all, it was a great night and the girls and I had a great time. I'm always proud of my girls no matter how silly or spectacular they do with their interests, I let them know! I am one proud mama! See Ya Soon
We rush to get there for 6:00pm because daughter #5 is dancing in the gym. It was a Social Studies rap song that a group of 140 kids put together about Paul Revere! Naturally, daughter #5 had said she and just a couple of her friends were the only ones who could really do this particular dance and to my surprise, she was right. You have to picture 140 students trying to move and sing at the same time, all together, in unison...you get my point. She did great! She is definitely my goofy child!! She brings a smile to everyone's face and will have you in stitches with her silliness.
Daughter #4 had met up with some friends and was pretty much on her own until it was time for her art showing. Daughter #5 now has to make a mad dash to her French class where she is serving French pastries. The class was decorated to look like a French cafe--desks pulled together and covered with table cloths, a small vase of flowers for the extra touch and the kids with their French berets! Too cool. And the pastries... nummmmy!! After her time in French class daughter #5 volunteered to sell the Highlight book which has poetry, artwork and other writings from students. Future authors!! Be on the lookout!!
I meet up with both girls for a little dinner. Hot dogs (chili, cheese), Nacho's (chili, cheese) drinks and chips but hey, it hit the spot. We move on to the library where a silent auction was being held but I wasn't there for that. Daughter #4 had her artwork displayed on the other side of the library. I was completely shocked when I saw her work. I have told y'all that she is being tested for talented art...hmmm...next week. The work that we submitted for her came from last year's portfolio.
She has always had a talented hand with art (and I can tell ya--she doesn't get it from me!) but this was beyond what I thought I was going to see. Her detail, the colors and the scenes were amazing. Not that everyone's work was not great, it's just that you can tell when someone's work goes beyond great. I would point out others and say, 'oh, this one is good!' and she would reply, 'yeah, she's in talented art.' Daughter #4's work was damn near, if not better than kids who are already in the talented art program!
All in all, it was a great night and the girls and I had a great time. I'm always proud of my girls no matter how silly or spectacular they do with their interests, I let them know! I am one proud mama! See Ya Soon
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