Friday, August 1, 2014

PITCH WARS, BITCHES!!!

Ahoy hoy!

So. Here we are. Mentor bio time! I'll try my best to keep this clean ...

First of all, I should probably fill you in on what I'm looking for. I write New Adult, so I'm going to focus on that, but I also read Adult, so I'm open to that, too. I'm not going to specify genres, because I think all are interesting and wonderfully different!

The one thing your manuscript absolutely MUST HAVE is a strong romantic element. If there's no love interest, you'll lose my interest. Even if the writing is fantastic--even if the story is smart and makes me laugh--I will struggle with a plot that doesn't involve romance. It doesn't have to be all lovey-dovey. I'd actually prefer if it wasn't. To give you an example of what I love in this vein, here's a list of my favourite novels (YA included):

Diana Gabaldon's OUTLANDER series. Because who doesn't love these books? (Crazy people, that's who.)
Laini Taylor's DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE trilogy
Lauren Oliver's DELIRIUM series
Stephenie Meyer's THE HOST
Kaki Warner's PIECES OF SKY (the Blood Rose series)
Christina Lee's ALL OF YOU (the Between Breaths series)
Jennifer Echols' LOVE STORY
Sarah Fine's SANCTUM (the Guards of the Shadowlands series) and OF METAL AND WISHES (releases August 5th!)
Mila Ferrera's SPIRAL / ONLY BETWEEN US / EVERYTHING BETWEEN US
Lori M. Lee's GATES OF THREAD AND STONE (also releases August 5th!!!)
Kendare Blake's ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD (the Anna series)
Jennifer Rush's ALTERED series

In every one of these novels, there's a love story, or a lust story, or both! Honestly, the hotter the better. The more tension, the better. If you're worried about tension, and that's something you want to focus on fixing in your ms, then I'M YOUR GIRL. Apparently. I mean, my CPs do usually send their mss to me with one note: "Hey, Sexual Tension Lady! Help!" So I guess that means I have an eye for it.

What I DON'T want to see are novels about werewolves or vampires. Yes, my favourite show in the whole wide world is Buffy, but no one--NO ONE--will be able to write vampires as well as Joss in that vein (ooooh, punny!). I just can't get into anyone else's vampires. Sorry. (#TeamAngel)

As for my taste in movies (in terms of pacing, perfectly timed humour, and plot), my favourites include:

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (thank you, Shakespeare)
NAPOLEON DYNAMITE
DEFINITELY, MAYBE
HOT FUZZ
SHAUN OF THE DEAD
WEDDING CRASHERS
KICK-ASS
THIS IS THE END
THE HEAT
PITCH PERFECT
THE WEDDING SINGER
50 FIRST DATES
And pretty much anything where the world is about to end.

So, if you're still with me, I guess you want to hear about me, yes? WELL. I'm an Aussie, I swear like a sailor, and I'm an insomniac. I have a medical science degree, as well as a masters in teaching, but right now, I spend my days writing and painting and taking care of my two children.

I've been a photographer, a lab technician, a mortuary technician, a cardiac technician ... a technician technician ... hehe ... he ... *shifty eyes* ... So I have quite a bit of life experience. And some experience with death, too. THEREFORE, you cannot shock me. Seriously. I dare you to try.

So, put those finishing touches on your mss, then COME AT ME. I look forward to seeing your submissions!

*double-chest-pound-peace sign*

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