170: Frank and fearless 1000-word critique by KATIE FFORDE
Posted: March 13, 2011 Filed under: Fiction, Manuscript assessment | Tags: Katie Fforde 16 Comments »
ITEM: A frank and fearless critique of 1000 words of your novel by best-selling romantic novelist, KATIE FFORDE.
BIO: Katie Fforde has lived in Stroud for more than twenty years. She didn’t start writing until she had moved there and had the third of her three children.
Her early married life was spent on the water, either at sea with her husband, or with him running a narrow-boat hotel. From there they moved to Wales, where they had two children, an Irish Wolfhound, two cats and five hens and narrowly avoided keeping goats. Leaving behind the hens, they moved to Stroud where they had another baby, and have lived ever since.
Most of her experiences — however minor — tend to end up in her books, as she hates wasting anything. Nowadays, however, she has to turn to research more and more as she’s running out of things in her own life to write about.
While her hobbies include housework and ironing, she has little time for them, as she is too busy with the important things in life like gardening, shopping and watching television.
165: First chapter critique plus a signed copy of Girl on the Run by JANE COSTELLO
Posted: March 13, 2011 Filed under: Fiction, Manuscript assessment, Signed books, Submissions critique | Tags: Jane Costello 10 Comments »
ITEM: First chapter critique plus a signed copy of Jane’s new novel, GIRL ON THE RUN (out in April).
DETAILS: Abby Rogers has been on health kicks before – they involve eating one Blueberry muffin for breakfast instead of two.
But since starting her own business after too many episodes of The Apprentice, the 28-year-old’s waistline has taken even more of a back seat than her long-neglected love life.
When she’s encouraged to join her sporty best friend’s running club – by none other than its gorgeous new captain – she finds a mysterious compulsion to exercise. Sadly, her first session doesn’t go to plan. Between the leggings that resemble strawberry-flavoured condoms and the fact that her lungs feel as though they’ve been set on fire, she vows never to return. Then her colleague Heidi turns up at work and makes a devastating
announcement, one that will change her life – and Abby’s – forever.
BIO: Jane Costello is the Sunday Times bestselling author of chick lit books including Bridesmaids, The Nearly Weds and My Single Friend.
Jane won Romantic Comedy of the Year 2010 for The Nearly Weds.
164: Three chapter critique + signed copy of AND BY THE WAY by Denise Deegan
Posted: March 13, 2011 Filed under: Children's & YA, Manuscript assessment, Signed books | Tags: Denise Deegan 10 Comments »
ITEM: First three chapter critique plus signed copy of AND BY THE WAY by Denise Deegan
DETAILS: At Strandbrook College, we are Kids Of. Kids of diplomats, media stars, musicians, artists, actors, oh, and wealthy people who aspire to all of that,’ Alex Newman says in the first book of the New Butterfly Novels series, And By The Way. Alex’s own dad is a rock star. As far as she’s concerned, that’s the bad news.And By The Way is the story of Alex who has lost her mum to cancer and her dad, ‘The Rockstar’, to work. Alex is angry. With everyone. Especially David McFadden who could have helped her but didn’t. Now, six months later, Alex doesn’t want help. She’s not going to trust anyone, love anyone, rely on anyone. That way, she’ll never get hurt again. At least, that’s her plan….
BIO: Author of four contemporary novels, Denise Deegan hadn’t planned to write for Young Adults but then the voice of Alex Newman, the sixteen-year-old daughter of a rock star, entered her head and wouldn’t go away. The result: AND BY THE WAY, the first in a new series of Young Adult books, The Butterfly Novels. Check out: www.butterflynovels.com. Follow Denise on Twitter @denisedeegan
161: Manuscript/submission package critique + mentoring by YA author KERIS STAINTON + signed books
Posted: March 13, 2011 Filed under: Children's & YA, Manuscript assessment, Mentoring, Signed books, Submissions critique | Tags: Keris Stainton 26 Comments »
ITEM: Manuscript and submission package critique by YA author Keris Stainton, plus signed copies of DELLA SAYS: OMG! and signed proof of JESSIE HEARTS NYC
DETAILS: I will read your YA manuscript (up to 60,000 words) and advise on plot, characterisation, setting and dialogue (nothing puts me off a book faster than bad dialogue). I will help you write a query letter, put together a synopsis and polish your first three chapters until they squeak.
BIO: Keris Stainton is a compulsive writer, voracious reader and obsessive tweeter. Her first YA novel DELLA SAYS: OMG! came out last year and has been shortlisted for Lancashire Book of the Year 2011. Her second, JESSIE HEARTS NYC, comes out in July and she’s hoping to get a trip to New York out of it…
158: Critique of opening chapters of YA/Middle Grade novel + Signed paperback copy of Takeshita Demons by CRISTY BURNE
Posted: March 13, 2011 Filed under: Children's & YA, Manuscript assessment, Signed books, Submissions critique | Tags: Cristy Burne 12 Comments »
ITEM: Critique of opening chapters of YA or Middle Grade novels (2,000 words more or less).
ITEM: Signed paperback copy of Takeshita Demons
BIO: Cristy is a writer who has worked for three years in Japan as a teacher and editor. Cristy has worked as editor of CSIRO’s Scientriffic magazine and as a performer with the Shell Questacon Science Circus. In 2006, Cristy was selected for a Young and Emerging Writer’s Residency at Varuna House, and in 2008 she won the Voices on the Coast Children’s Writing Competition.
Cristy’s debut novel, Takeshita Demons, is a spooky adventure story for 8-12s featuring Japanese demons, or yokai. Takeshita Demons won the 2009 Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Childrens Book Award, was included in the BookTrust’s 2010 Booked Up program, and featured on the BBC’s Blue Peter Book Club in January 2011.
Resources and activities for Takeshita Demons are available from: http://cristyburne.com/resources.html
Takeshita Demons reviews http://cristyburne.wordpress.com/takeshita-demons/
141: Opening Chapter Critique for YA or Middle Grade novels by CANDY GOURLAY (3 of 3)
Posted: March 13, 2011 Filed under: Children's & YA, Manuscript assessment | Tags: Candy Gourlay 12 Comments »
ITEM: Critique of opening chapters of YA or Middle Grade novels (2,000 words more or less).
ABOUT CANDY: Candy Quimpo Gourlay is a Filipino author based in London. She reported on the fall of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986 in Manila. She married a British journalist and ended up in England covering first world issues from a developing world perspective for the news agency Inter Press Service. In 2005, she returned to the Philippines to write and present the Radio 4 documentary, MOTHERLESS NATION, about the children left behind by migrant workers.
Read Candy’s reflection on the Japanese earthquake http://candygourlay.blogspot.com/2011/03/grieving-with-japan-and-hoping.html
Her debut novel Tall Story was published to acclaim in 2010 by David Fickling Books. It’s about a Filipino boy, Bernardo, and his British half-sister, Andi, finally reunited after years of immigration paperwork – only for Andi to find that Bernardo is eight feet tall, a giant! Shortlisted for the UKLA Children’s Book Award, the Blue Peter My Favourite Story Prize and the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize
Reviews http://www.tallstory.net/reviews/
132: Opening Chapter Critique for YA or Middle Grade novels by CANDY GOURLAY (2 of 3)
Posted: March 13, 2011 Filed under: Children's & YA, Manuscript assessment | Tags: Candy Gourlay 8 Comments »
ITEM: Critique of opening chapters of YA or Middle Grade novels (2,000 words more or less).
ABOUT CANDY: Candy Quimpo Gourlay is a Filipino author based in London. She reported on the fall of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986 in Manila. She married a British journalist and ended up in England covering first world issues from a developing world perspective for the news agency Inter Press Service. In 2005, she returned to the Philippines to write and present the Radio 4 documentary, MOTHERLESS NATION, about the children left behind by migrant workers.
Read Candy’s reflection on the Japanese earthquake http://candygourlay.blogspot.com/2011/03/grieving-with-japan-and-hoping.html
Her debut novel Tall Story was published to acclaim in 2010 by David Fickling Books. It’s about a Filipino boy, Bernardo, and his British half-sister, Andi, finally reunited after years of immigration paperwork – only for Andi to find that Bernardo is eight feet tall, a giant! Shortlisted for the UKLA Children’s Book Award, the Blue Peter My Favourite Story Prize and the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize
Reviews http://www.tallstory.net/reviews/
130: Signed copy of TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN by Catherine Cooper + critique of a book synopsis/first chapter
Posted: March 13, 2011 Filed under: Manuscript assessment, Non-fiction, Submissions critique | Tags: Catherine Cooper 1 Comment »
ITEM: Signed copy of TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN by Catherine Cooper plus a critique of a book synopsis/first chapter
DETAILS: Travelling with Children provides information on a variety of holidays that families might consider,from UK ‘staycations’, short-haul package holidays, back-packing and city breaks to skiing, longhaul trips and luxury breaks. The book addresses the practicalities of travelling with children of all ages, from newborn to teenage, and it also discusses how to deal with a group of mixed-aged children and the issues that might arise.
Different modes of travel are addressed, the pros and cons of kids’ clubs and how to get good deals if you are on a tight budget. There is vital information on what to do if anything goes wrong, how to avoid potential problems before you leave and what to do if you’re not happy with your holiday. Written by a parent and travel journalist, this book is a must-have title for families who want to make the most of holidays with their children.
BIO: Catherine Cooper is a freelance journalist specialising in writing about travelling with children. She has written for The Times, The Sunday Telegraph, The Guardian, Practical Parenting and several airline magazines, as well as other publications. She has written about the travels with her own children, including stays in luxury hotels, trips to Butlins and camping in the UK. Catherine now lives in the South of France.
119: Critique of a short story or opening chapter up to 5000 words + signed copies of HIERATH and THE FELINE QUEEN by Joanne Hall
Posted: March 13, 2011 Filed under: Fiction, Manuscript assessment, Short stories, Signed books | Tags: Joanne Hall 5 Comments »
ITEM: I’m offering 1 x signed copy of “Hierath”, 1 x signed copy of “The Feline Queen” (forthcoming), and a critique of up to 5000 words of either a short story or opening chapter.
DETAILS:
Hierath – In this thrilling fantasy novel, the world stands on the brink of peace, the first peace for a thousand years. A fragile alliance has been formed between the New Kingdom and Telesia, and they have agreed in principle to set aside their centuries-old quarrel over land and culture. The deal has been forged by the efforts of Alex, the peace-loving newcomer to the throne. But things are about to change… Alex meets and falls in love with Lydia, a fisher’s daughter from the east, to the displeasure of both his family and his friends. His aunt has already arranged for the alliance with Telesia to become a permanent and marital one, and the sudden arrival of Lydia throws all her carefully laid plans into jeopardy. And then an horrific act of betrayal plunges the world once more to the brink of war…
The Feline Queen is a collection of short stories by Joanne Hall, to be published by Wolfsinger in the next few weeks.
96: Critique of the first three chapters and synopsis of a romance manuscript from DONNA ALWARD
Posted: March 13, 2011 Filed under: Coaching, Manuscript assessment | Tags: Donna Alward 8 Comments »ITEM: A critique of the first three chapters and synopsis of a romance manuscript.
BIO: A busy wife and mother of three (two
daughters and the family dog), Donna Alward believes hers is the best job in the world; a combination of stay-at-home mom and romance novelist.
An avid reader since childhood, Donna always made up her own stories. She completed her Arts Degree in English Literature in 1994, but it wasn’t until 2001 that she penned her first full-length novel, and found herself hooked on writing romance. In 2006 she sold her first manuscript, and now writes warm, emotional stories for Harlequin’s Romance line and Samhain Publishing.
Donna loves being back on the East Coast of Canada after nearly 12 years in Alberta where her Harlequin career began, writing about cowboys and the west. Donna’s debut Romance, Hired by the Cowboy, was awarded the Booksellers Best Award in 2008 for Best Traditional Romance.
Donna loves to hear from readers; you can contact her through her website at www.donnaalward.com, visit her myspace page at www.myspace.com/dalward or through her publisher.
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