I Have a Book Deal!

I wanted to quickly tell you about my middle-grade book deal!!

I’m over the moon with excitement about this story being released into the world. Where do I begin? There are many stories on the Internet about book deals, and how authors land an agent, so here’s mine.  

Almost two years ago, my writing group MGbetareaders, aka Kidliterati wrangled me in, reluctantly for the NaNoWriMo Camp, one July. I think it was in July? And I wrote like a firestorm, scratching down every crazy idea I had into the composition book where my little Sci-Fi, Fantasy, CTRL+ALT+DELETE began to grow.

Then it was chopped, and chopped again, up and down, and zigzag, by the eagle eyes of the beta-readers from my group of Kidlit authors. I could NOT have written this book without them, seriously. We need our readers! I had three beta-readers for each pass through the manuscript and found another reader outside the group. Collect your beta-readers now, reading for as many writers in your genre as you can. I love critiquing others’ work as it really helps hone my craft.

I put the July Nano project aside and wrote another story. Meanwhile, The Unmoving Sky, a contemporary, thriller, was sold to Leap Books last March (YAY!). I pulled out CTRL+ALT+DELETE to use my fresh eyes after tucking it away for a spell. In the meantime, I searched for agents for my MG, SFF and what I found were few agents who represented this genre. And fewer still that I might be a good fit for me and this project—plus, my future projects, which may run the gamut of genres, and audiences. I might have sent out ten agent queries for CTRL+ALT+DELETE, all R’s except for the Pitch on Twitter picked up by a super amazing agent, who held that manuscript until my very last decision—which was to go with GMMG. Plus I had another agent, who didn't respond to his full request. Even after two nudges inquiring if he’d read, or had any interest—just send a damn form rejection if you request a full. I have to say, this might have been my last straw. But sometimes things happen in a round about way. Right? Mysteriously, right?

Because when I read: A line of books for readers ages 7+, our titles are full of adventure, fantasy, and whimsy. Many of our titles will interest boys and reluctant readers in particular, about Tantrum books. (I have a reluctant reader at home.)

I shot off a query fast, and just under the window for agentless submissions. I think it was just under four weeks later, in early June I received a personal email from Georgia McBride, saying she thinks C.A.D. would make a great addition to the Tantrum line. I made some ungodly sound, enough my coworker jumped up to see if I was all right. Surprised to learn it was my “happy” sound. I was SO THRILLED! 

But then I had to wait. I contacted agents who still had the ms, one agent loved the story and asked for a revision. She gave such amazing feedback, but because Tantrum also wanted a revision I decided to go with the Tantrum revision. It was a significant revision. I still had to wait before announcing anything and continued to revise/edit in stealth.

All I wanted to do was announce the deal, scream it from the roof. The hard work I put into this story, the work I put into forgotten stories, I wanted an emotional release. Still I had to be a big girl and wait. Edits were sent to my amazing editor at Tantrum, Tara Creel, and it was now time for the announcement. Almost. 

Seven moths later, GLITCH is announced in Publishers Weekly.

Every process is as different as each writer. We’re a creative bunch. Create your book goals and try something different, and perhaps a less beaten path. Do I want an agent? You bet I do. Maybe I’ll find one for my Swing Era thriller, but that manuscript still needs much revision. Thank goodness for my beta-readers! Thank goodness, for the inventive creativity that is GMMG, and Month9books, and Tantrum books. I see amazing projects and growth ahead. I’m honored to be among such a talented group authors and editors.  

Thank you!  Happy 2016 ~ here’s to dreams and to following your heart. 

Book Donations for At-Risk Kids

Looking to  share the book ARCS I've collected over the last year, instead of holding a raffle, I went with Melanie Conklin's suggestion to DONATE the books to at-risk kids. She always has the best ideas and gave me the Never Counted Out. web link. 

MISSION STATEMENT

Never Counted Out is a non-profit that bridges the gap between at-risk youth and artists by generating access to creative mentorship. Our model focuses on empowering this underserved population in America via the arts. We believe that arts such as writing, music, painting, photography, film and spoken word educate, invigorate and instill the ability to harness one’s voice. By meeting artists and creating art, youth on the fringe have the ability to be heard and seen not only now but for the rest of their lives.

It was easy-peasy. Sent book rate. Now these great books will be in the hands of teens and kids who actually need the books. And that feels good!  

Happy Holidays!

Holiday Book Giveaway. This MG Book Bundle Could Be Yours!

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Today's Holiday giveaway is for these Great MG books. I was lucky enough to receive these ARCs and I LOVED each one.  Leave a blog comment about what your favorite MG title is for 2015. And that's it. If you want to like my fan page on Facebook, please do, although it's not mandatory. But the comment is. Giveaway ends on Monday Eve December 14th.  Then check back for the YA book bundle giveaways.  
Forgot to ask you to leave your email in the comments. To prevent spam, something like this: Karen(at) gmail (dot) com.

Super Freak by Vanessa Barger: "... a mash up of Nancy Drew meets the Munsters. Tight pacing, fresh concept, and suspenseful..."


The Real Boy by Anne Ursu: "So much to love in this book. It had me filled with goosebumps throughout. And I particularly loved the natural healing aspect ..."   


The Tiara on the Terrace by Kristin: Young and Grace Yang, the tween super sleuths, are at it again and they’ve brought another friend, Trista, into their triumvirate alliance. 


*quotes are from my book reviews. 

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NA Book Review: The Right Kind of Mistake by Rebecca Thomas

Right Kind of Mistake by Rebecca Thomas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Arc for an honest review:



What a sizzling start! I haven’t read many NA books, so I was taken by surprise, and a little flustered, feeling quite the same as the MC, Haylie did, wrestling with her mind, in a tug of war with her heart over dating any more hockey players. Ever. After the last one, Tyler deserted her to follow his dream, even though she followed him to Alaska to attend the same University.

The sacrifice she’s made, and continues to make, being off limits to any hockey players, tests her resolve. But it’s ok because she isn’t looking for a boyfriend. She wants to try being a little daring, adventurous, wild. She throws herself at Cam, also on the hockey team, and sidekick once to Tyler. “Retaliation sex” That’s her reasoning. She convinces herself she can do it—after only ever have one serious boyfriend, she was finished with being good. But she struggles with this idea too.

There’s quite a bit of suspense in Haylie’s wrestling with her doubts. She tries to find a reason—aside from crippling desire—to be with Cam again. He confesses he’s always pined away for her and has actually waited for her. And he’s unlike anybody she’s ever met before. Trust me, he’s pretty damn sexy, and his patience endearing.

Haylie’s two best friends help her along, which is good because I wanted to do what BFF Maya tried to do—and help her to not make the mistake of losing someone really special because of her jaded self-talk. But Cam does one hell of a job convincing her to give him a shot because he isn’t looking for a fling, he’s waited too long for her.

Haylie soon discovers more about herself as her heart opens, her latent artistic talents, that she just may decide to put to good use. I look forward to seeing how Cam and Haylie’s relationship develops. See what else Haylie discovers about herself—her multiple talents and her dreams. It’s time for Haylie to live! Without her ex-boyfriend telling her how to think or to feel—she’s ready to break down every invisible wall! Go Haylie!

Please know this is part one of two, and by the end of The Right Kind of Mistake, the build up's percolating very nicely.



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MG Book Review: The Tiara on the Terrace by Kristen Kittscher

The Tiara on the Terrace by Kristen Kittscher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received an ARC for an honest review.

The second book to The Wig in the Window and I loved this middle-grade adventure just as much, if not more because the main characters feel even more familiar to me. Sophie Young and Grace Yang, the tween super sleuths, are at it again and they’ve brought another friend, Trista, into their triumvirate alliance.

A fun whodunit that kept me guessing the entire way through, and I was completely surprised by the culprit. It’s the biggest crime to hit the girls’ hometown Luna Vista since the last large crime the girls solved, turned them into household names.

And now with the backdrop of the Winter Sun Festival, a festival similar to the Rose Bowl, Sophie and her BFF Grace have quite the caper ahead when the president in charge of the Festival is killed by a freak accident on the first day of preparations. But the girls don’t buy it after they learn that a mechanical marshmallow whipped the Festival president, Mr. Steptoe, out of his senses and left him dead, was an accident. The police assume it was a malfunctioning mechanical marshmallow. The have to act fast before the next president of the Festival gets knocked down and taken out.

It’s too suspicious, and there are so many suspects. The girls try and narrow it down, but first they have to go undercover as court pages. Sophie doesn’t want to. She doesn’t want to have to spend three days alone with High School girls on the Royal Court, covering them with fake tans, sorting their clothes, and doing their bidding. It’s only when Grace has done a sufficient job convincing her, she’s on the team, and they make it in. All three girls make the cut. They spend the next three days, away from their parents, and get busy snooping, and deducing, and creating a little mischief of their own.

But something amazing happens. The seventh-grade girls grow closer with the high school girls, even after Sophie lets out an embarrassing secret that belonged to Grace when she wasn’t around to tell it herself. Things come together–after a few obstacles to a very satisfying end. Such a great middle-grade read. I could probably read about these sleuths in volumes. LOVED this sweet and madcap caper.


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Happy Weekend! May you find a good book and a cozy spot to read.

A HOLD ON ME by Pat Esden Book Review and Giveaway!

A Hold on Me by Pat Esden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Annie Freemont and her father, spend their lives on the road scouring for antiques, and encountering mysteries, and make quite the bargaining pair. Until his illness sends them back to a past, his past, the place her mother died: The family home of Moonhill. The last place her father wants to go.

Annie wants nothing more than to leave Moonhill, after meeting the strange sorts: her aunt, grandfather, and the cousins, especially when she discovers that someone drew a pentacle of salt under her bed. But when her aunt hides her father away, without explanation, Annie’s on the hunt and getting angrier. She soon learns that her mother died under mysterious circumstances, and when she next sees her father, he’s changed. His illness has rapidly progressed, but the methods her aunt and grandfather use to help him are unorthodox to say the least.

Annie questions everything. But Chase, the cute groundskeeper she tries to ignore and eventually can’t, warns her things aren’t what they seem. He’s not what he appears, nor are the others in her family. Plus they own him.


Annie, Chase, and newly aquatinted cousin, Selena join forces to help her father, but they soon discover they’re up against more than they could ever bargain for.


I loved the build up of this book. I didn’t think this was your typical paranormal thriller. The twist near the end gave the story such an exotic humor. An engrossing gothic read. I highly recommend it. I cannot wait to learn more about the Freemont family business in Book 2! Coming February 2016 from Kensington.


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Just leave a comment below about best thing you found at a flea market to win an ARC. Or a random comment. Please leave your email in comments like so:  karen(at)gmail (dot) com.
Open to US residents only. Good Luck.

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