This post is going to be a little different because there are a few things happening around the interwebs that writers (and readers) might be interested in. I LOVE helping my peoples out when I can, so here you go!
1. There’s a new agent at my agency! *throws confetti*
Here are some deets:
Name: Rachel Ekstrom
Currently Seeking: young adult, women’s fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and romance…
Query email: rachel.queries(at)irenegoodman(dot)com
Query Guidelines: Please check out irenegoodman.com for current submission guidelines.
Also, check out Rachel’s twitter feed for all your agent stalking goodness @EkstromRachel
2. My friend Ruth L. Steven is hosting a FABULOUS agent judged contest on her blog!
The details:
You’ll need your query letter and the first five pages to enter. 10 winners will be chosen by Ruth to advance to the agents. (Please note, your manuscript MUST be complete.)
RULES:
1. This is open to all fiction genres of YA and MG.
2. The contest itself will run on the 18th April. The submission window is 9am – 5pm EST.
3. In that window, you’ll need to send your query letter and the first five pages of the ms in the body of the email. The address to send to is lottiehumphries14@yahoo.co.uk
This competition is for Ruth’s followers, so you must be following her blog to enter.
For the FULL contest details and PRIZES click here.
Agents Judging the contest are Julia Churchill of Greenhouse Literary and Gemma Cooper of The Bright Literary Agency. (Contest is open to everyone.)
3. My agent is teaching a webinar TOMORROW! Wheeeeeeee!
The juicy details:
I already touched on this last week, but there are only a few spots left for people to attend. IT’S SO GOOD, GUYS.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
The essential elements of each subgenre within thriller/mystery in adult and young adult
Writing that “killer” query—one that reveals “the hook, the book, and the cook”
The components of a compelling hook within your book
Common themes and trends seen in successful crime books
How a familiar idea can still be unique—i.e., how to distinguish your own work from similar stories flooding the marketplace
The opportunities in both e-book and traditional publishing for thriller and mystery
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Writers who are actively querying agents and publishers in both adult and YA
Writers who feel they are hearing similar themes in rejection letters
Writers in the initial stages of writing who need to nail down what subgenre they are writing in and who would be most interested in their submission
Writers who will be pitching their concept at a conference
Writers who write for adults but are thinking of trying a YA novel in the mystery/thriller genre
To sign up CLICK HERE.
4. One of my best writing pals, Anita Grace Howard revealed her debut’s cover!!!!
It’s SO freaking awesome – have you seen it yet?! If not, here it is: SPLINTERED’s Cover Reveal (video)
SOOOOO PRETTY *pets screen*
Ahem. Back to the point… Anita is doing a HUGE giveaway on her blog to celebrate SPLINTERED’S amazing cover! There will be not one, or two, or even five, but TWELVE lucky winners!!!!!! SQUEEE!!!!
Get over to her blog immediately and enter as the contest is ending promptly at midnight on Friday. (THIS Friday, LIKE TWO DAYS FROM NOW Friday.)
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE PRIZES AND ENTER THE CONTEST
Font of Amazing Information! If I could figure out a cool acronym for that, I’d put it on a t-shirt. All juicy, juicy stuff. Thanks for sharing!
T-shirts AND shot glasses!!! *thinks about acronyms…* Thank YOU for stopping in, agent sister 🙂
Thanks for all the info, Kerri! I love that phrase–“the hook, the book, and the cook.”
It’s great, isn’t it?! 🙂
OH! Barbara just tweeted that she’s already requesting two fulls from the group (on top of the 3 she uses for the webinar) wheee! Are you taking the class?
YAY! I’m so frickin excited about my contest, and it’s all surrounded by coolness right here in this post.
Thanks for the shout out!!
Your contest is going to KICK BUTT!!! xoxoxo
You are officially hired as my PR twinkie! Everyone needs a cream-filled PR person. Hee. You da best, my dear friend! Thank you thank you thank you! So sorry I didn’t see this earlier. I’m just now getting out from under my galleys. Speaking of, me thinks I should send pictures of those your way. YEP.
YESSSSSSSSSS I CANT WAIT TO SEE THESE PICTURES OMGGG! Ahem. I apologize for all caps, but you know how excited this makes me 🙂 SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!