Ok This is a contest and a Blogfest - the above link will take you there. Heres the rules and what we do!
Thank You Brenda Drake and agent Natalie Fischer for your time and fun contest!
On March 20 and 21, post the first 250 words of your finished manuscript (any genre) on your blog to get critiques from your followers and then hop around to the other participants' sites and give critiques. Polish those 250 words and email them to me at brenleedrake@gmail.com with CONTEST in the subject line by 12:00AM (EST) on March 22
My example is 253 words because I didn't want to cut it off in the middle of a sentence. So if your 250 words ends in the middle of one, please go to the end of the sentence.
All entries submitted before the cut off time will be considered. The first round will be judged by a chosen panel of your peers (agented and unagented). We'll pick the best 20 entries and post them on my blog by March 24. The 20 entries we pick will be judged by Natalie. The winners will be announced on or before Monday, March 28.
Bet you're wondering what prizes Natalie is offering, right? Well, here they are:
1st place - a critique of the first 20 pages
2nd place - a critique of the first 10 pages
3rd place - a query critique
Don't forget to SHOW ME THE VOICE!
Ok so here are my actual first 250 words or so.
Anyone is welcome to comment - anyone can say exactly what they think.(at least to me - play nice with the other people if you jump around)
I do not include the prologue - it is not the voice of the novel but a tiny glimpse into the mind of another character - thus a prologue. Anyway - Red ink is LOVE so even though all you people are really nice - just for a moment, could you try to endevor to be less nice? Like, alot less nice? Border on mean if it is at all possible.
Howlynn Martin
IGNITE
YA Paranormal
On my last day of normal, reality was my friend. My wishes were insignificant, but they had to be earned. I ran beside the sled, demanding destiny, before the bobsleigh of my life began to fall into speed, tilting and slipping precariously into unknown directions. Every single childish day of my life I wished for magic. When magic answered, I had stopped believing. I don’t wish for anything now. I don’t dare.
The loud speaker announces it is on, sounding like a flaming green log, in the most boring class ever invented for the torture of young minds. The math facts teacher winces in frustration, pausing at the board, chalk in hand. The old wooden box, on the job and the wall for over fifty years, with it’s gold dusty speaker crackling says, “The Jr. High, JV and Varsity, Cheerleading tryout packets are now available at the office.” It pops ominously before dozing off into silence. The faint scent of smoke prompts comments about fire alarms, but the teacher quickly squelches such nonsense and the chalk scratches rhythmically once again to her mathematical monotone.
Shivers of daydreams from my armpits to my toe-jammies argue with my self-esteem about the splendid plan I have in mind. A telling rivulet of nervous sweat trickles secretly inside my shirt as my stomach lurches, and my throat plays unwilling gatekeeper.
It may have not been only the announcement. I feel eyes on me and I turn quickly in my third row seat to glare at the place that it issues, from behind me. #################################
Ok that is it - I put this up Way early because I am heading to Dallas for the 'Dreamin' In Dallas' Conference! Also anyone who wants can pop over and enter too - Hurry - before Mr. linky-thing has a heart attack over there!
Show Me The Voice? - well I am up here in Missouri.... show me what you didn't like ...please comment below or whereever the darn thing pops up! And not that it matters - but the main characters name Is----Natalie! hehehe.
