Friday, October 21, 2011

Query for Critique--(It's always bothered me - I didn't mention Mrs. Egremony in query-this one does. She's the landlady)

Abegale’s best friend has a peculiar new landlady. She dresses like she from the pioneering days, and she asks a lot of questions. When she mentions casually to Abegale that her missing grandmother “is near, but far,” It is now Abegale who wants learn more.

In Abegale’s mission to help an old lady with some favors, she comes across the green medicine book and magic cards her grandmother left behind three years ago. Within its pages, she learns of a plant her grandmother went searching for that could heal her brother’s now severe asthma. She also learns more about who or what her grandmother really was. Abegale sets out to track down the plant and get answers her grandmother’s disappearance.

Meanwhile, some of the animals in Three Points are acting strange and seem to be calling her into the woods, a crow that follows her every move, deer pretending to be dead, and there are the dreams, all pointing Abegale back to face Nam’s abandoned cottage. But it isn’t vacant anymore. Abegale is angered by the transformation of Nam’s home into a foie gras processing plant. With the help of friends and the community they bring the lake town of Three Points together and find a way to remove the occupants before things get worse.

ABEGALE FORCE is a contemporary upper middle-grade mystery with supernatural elements, complete at 80,000 words. In writing this manuscript, I drew on my studies in herbalism, nutrition, and The Tarot, as well as my work as an artist and my experience as a parent of middle-graders.

I thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Monday, October 17, 2011

JM Tohline: The Biggest Mistakes Writers Make When Querying Li...

JM Tohline: The Biggest Mistakes Writers Make When Querying Li...: Dear Aspiring Authors, Brew a pot of coffee. Pull up a chair. Heck, grab a notebook and a pen – it couldn't hurt. Make yourself comfortable...