MD/DE/WV SCBWI!

I'm excited to say I will be participating in the MD/DE/WV SCBWI conference on March 29th in Maryland. SCBWI conferences are such great opportunities for writers to meet editors and agents face to face and get personal feedback and to network with other authors...perhaps find a new critique partner!

Are you an SCBWI member of the Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia chapter? Registration is live so check it out here, see who is presenting and take a look at the schedule! If you're not a member of SCBWI I'd really recommend it. Check out your local SCBWI chapter's webpage. Most chapters have one. Find yours here. 

For those who aren't familiar with SCBWI, it stands for Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators. Most chapters have annual or even semi-annual conferences where writers can connect with industry professionals. They often also have group sessions and things like that just for writers throughout the year. 

Anyway back the the MD/DE/WV conference....I am leading a workshop on Fantasy Writing. Here's my blurb for the conference and showcases what I will be discussing. I also will be doing a panel and critiques. My critique slots, however, are already full. 

Fantasy Writing: From World-Building to Querying

How do you come up with unique ideas for a fantasy project and create compelling characters in today’s competitive market? Christa offers her ideas along with tips on world-building and writing within the genre for middle grade and YA audiences.  The difference between writing for adult and middle-grade/teen audiences within fantasy, and suggestions on querying, word count etc will also be addressed.

I plan on posting key points from my workshop on my blog afterward so that even if you can't make it you can learn more about fantasy writing, if that's your genre of choice! 

Hope to see some of you at the conference!

And the Winner is...

Voting closed this morning at 9 am...thus I'm pleased to now announce the winner of the first ever Query Critique and First Chapter Contest...The Swailing by Wendy Brant. Congrats Wendy!!!

Thank you so much everyone for participating. Over 500 people voted :) I hope to do this again sometime in the future.

Wendy, please email me your query and first chapter to my query email: chquery@mcintoshandotis.com

Also, finalists please feel free to query me as well! A special shout-out to Kathleen and Shaylene!

And the finalists are...

Thank you everyone for participating today and posting your pitches! I have selected three entries completely at random. You'll find the finalist's entries below. Take a look and vote for your favorite using the poll at the bottom of the page. Polling is open until 9am Monday, October 21st.  1 vote per person please and anyone can vote, regardless if you entered the contest or not!

Congratulations finalists, Shaylene King, Wendy Brant and Kathleen S. Allen!!!

On a side note, I will be reviewing all the pitches and making requests. I will reply directly to your post, so keep an eye out tomorrow to see if your entry was requested :) 

Shaylene King
LIBERTY LANE AND THE ONE-GIRL REBELUTION
MG Humor
38,500 words

American Idol meets the Bible in this modern retelling of the book of Esther as re-imagned through quirky tweenager Libery Lane O'Shea. Instead of an ancient beauty pagent, it's a cut throat singing competition and Liberty must decide between standing for truth and losing or minding her own business and winning.

Wendy Brant
THE SWAILING
YA Dystopian Romance
90,000

Spunky but naïve Ember and her desperate but cute hired guide, Finn, embark on a quest across the no-longer-united United States to find Ember's missing family. Their challenges while traveling through regions of stubborn extremism teach them a whole lot about themselves, and certainly a little something about love.

Kathleen S. Allen
THE PIRATE’S DAUGHTER
YA historical
62,000

When her pirate mother returns to claim her, seventeen year old servant, Jenny is not interested in being trained as a pirate. Jenny’s refusal triggers the destruction of her village, so Jenny has no choice but to either go with her mother or flee.

Which pitch is your pick?

Query and First Chapter Critique Contest starts now!

The contest is live! From 11am-6pm ET (8-3 PT) today (October 16th) I will be allowing entries. All you have to do is reply in the comments section with your name, the title, genre and word count of your project, along with a two line pitch (children's only please!). I will not be looking at anything that is sent outside of this time frame. One entry per person please!

See my last post for more details on the rest of the contest. I will be updating here and on Twitter. 

Good luck everyone!

Critique and First Chapter Contest is On!

All of you have patiently been waiting for the Critique Contest that was to happen after I reached 1,000 followers. I haven't gotten there yet, but the number isn't important. I just thought it'd be a fun milestone to start the contest. That said, let's just get the contest under way now!

Mark your calendars: Next Wednesday, October 16th is the day to get in your pitches. I will create a post that morning and from 11-6 ET (8-3 PT) will be allowing entries. All you have to do is reply to that blog post in the comments section with your name, the title, genre and word count of your project, along with a two line pitch (children's only please!). I will not be looking at anything that is sent outside of this time frame. One entry per person please!

I will pick three at random and have you guys vote for your favorite on the blog. I will leave this part open for a few days, so you'll have from Thursday, October 17 until Monday, October 21 to vote.

On Monday, October 21 I will contact and announce the winner and critique their query letter and first chapter.

Also, for everyone else, I will read through all the pitches so some requests may also come out of the contest :) Keep checking my blog for updates and I'll also keep everyone informed throughout the contest as well via Twitter.

Critique and First Chapter Contest

Ok, everyone, if you're following me on Twitter then you already know I have decided to offer a critique/first chapter contest once I reach 1,000 followers on Twitter. I thought it'd be a fun thing to do and also a nice reward for all the amazing writers who follow me :) I have some details now, but will give more specifics when I get to 1,000!

The plan is to create a post on my blog (which I will announce on Twitter) and give you guys a few hour window to reply in the comments section with your name, the title, genre and word count of your project, along with a two line pitch (children's only please!). I will pick three at random and have you guys vote for your favorite. I will then contact the winner and critique their query letter and first chapter. Also, for everyone else, I will read through all the pitches so some requests may also come out of the contest :) I just ask that you only post during the time frame (which I will give later on) and do not post after the window has closed.

Welcome Teresa Yea (thelitconnection(at)wordpress(dot)com) to the M&O family!! I fell in love with her YA gothic horror page-turner and we also really connected over our love of movies, especially scary ones!

I always say an Agent/Author relationship is a partnership. We'll be working a lot together so it's always great when you connect on a more personal level as well.