Five Month Countdown to the Release of Triangles!

TRIANGLES will be released in about five months! To continue the countdown, I'm introducing another character today, and one each month, until the release on June 18! I'm also including a contest with each character. The details follow the introduction. Today, Joey DeStefano is up!

Hi, my name is Joseph DeStefano, but everyone calls me Joey. I live with my mom and brothers, and I help take care of them—even my mom. It’s hard, but I can handle it. I do what I have to since my dad split and left us alone with no money. With my mom sick and my brothers raising hell, my escape is in cars.

I’m a mechanic in an auto shop, and I’ve got it bad for our cashier, Autumn Taylor. I fell for her the first time I saw her picture, when her mom brought her car in for service. Then, Autumn started working at the shop, and bam!—she stole my heart. She may not be the perfect girl, but she’s perfect for me.

There’s only one, tiny problem. Autumn won’t give me the time of day. She’s so hell-bent on leaving Jersey and keeping everyone at a safe distance that she doesn’t realize how great we could be together. But I have big plans for us, and if she would let me in, I could rock her world. I just need to find a way to convince her to give me a chance, but with her stubborn streak and tough girl act, it won’t be easy.

I’m up for the challenge.

"Five Month Countdown to Triangles Contest"

1. Comment on THIS blog post answering this question: Who or what would you like to get lost in the Bermuda Triangle with? Could be a celebrity, someone you know, or something you couldn’t live without, like your mobile phone!

2. Tweet about this contest using the hashtag #MysteriousBermudaTriangle. The link to that tweet must be included in your comment. If you don't have Twitter, you can do a status update on Facebook. Include that link. Doing both would be even better!

3. If you’d like, add Triangles to your Goodreads to-read list here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13610402-triangles

 And

Like the Triangles page on Facebook here:

https://www.facebook.com/TrianglesYA?ref=hl 

That's it!

Now for the prize:

Your choice of a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card! Previous winners CAN win again!

Some more contest details:

Contest starts January 10 and ends January 23, at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be announced January 24, 2013 on this blog.

Contest is International.

Each month, I will introduce another major character and have other prizes!

You must be 13 years old to enter.

Winner will be chosen using random.org.

 

Six Month Countdown to the Release of Triangles!

TRIANGLES will be released in about six months! To kick off the countdown, I'm going to introduce the six major characters, one each month, until the release on June 18! I'm also including a contest with each character. The details follow the introduction. Today, the main character, Autumn Taylor, is up!

Hi, my name is Autumn Taylor. I'm a Jersey girl, but my one goal in life is to escape Jersey and never come back. Maybe I’ll go out west, or to New England, or even to some quiet place like Montana. I’m sure I’ll be okay out there, even though I’ve never lived anywhere else. After all, if you can survive Jersey, you can survive anything.

Anyway, too much has happened in my life for any seventeen-year-old to deal with, but I’m a survivor. No one else who loves me survives, though, or so it seems. My dad died rushing home for my seventh birthday. If I hadn’t forced everyone to wait for him to blow out my candles, he wouldn’t have been speeding and would still be alive. And my mom? Yeah, she’s in a coma because of me, lying in the hospital like a swollen slab of ham, all full of tubes and wires. If I hadn’t snuck out of the house one night and busted her car, she’d be fine, too. So now, my older sister, Jessica, is stuck babysitting me, even though I know she has better things to do.

See what I mean? I’m like a poison or something.

Besides that, all I have left for me here is my best friend, Nisha. She doesn’t want me to go, but she understands me. And the guy at work who follows me around like a puppy, Joey? I’ll be happy to lose that shadow, no matter how sweet he seems to be. I refuse to get tied down to any guy at this point. Nothing is going to stop me from making my escape.

The only thing I have to look forward to is my cruise to Bermuda with my sister. I’ve never been on a cruise before, but from what I hear, nothing beats a great tropical vacation to take your mind off the crappy stuff in life. Here’s to hoping for the best vacation ever.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Autumn and her story, coming in June! Next month, I’ll introduce Joey, the guy who likes Autumn, and have another contest! Thanks for stopping by!

TODAY’S CONTEST:

1. Comment on this blog post answering this question: What do you think happens to the people who go missing in the Bermuda Triangle? Your answer can be serious, creative, or silly!

2. Tweet about this contest using the hashtag #MysteriousBermudaTriangle. The link to that tweet must be included in your comment. If you don't have Twitter, you can do a status update on Facebook. Include that link. Doing both would be even better!

3. If you’d like, add Triangles to your Goodreads to-read list here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13610402-triangles

 and
Like the Triangles page on Facebook here:

https://www.facebook.com/TrianglesYA?ref=hl 

That's it!

Now for the prize:

Your choice of a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card!

Some more contest details:

Contest starts December 13, 2012 and ends December 26, 2012, 11:59pm EST. Winner will be announced December 27, 2012 on this blog.

Contest is International.

Each month, I will introduce another major character and have other prizes!

You must be 13 years old to enter.

Winner will be chosen using random.org.

HOW DO YOU REVISE?

This topic is close to my heart because I am currently revising for my wonderful editors at Spencer Hill Press. For me, revision comes easy. I love revising and improving my manuscript. The way I do it is simple—I read through the suggestions, whether they come from my betas, critique partners, agents, or editors. Then I take the simplest suggestion first and implement it, then the next easiest, then the next easiest, ending with the hardest change to make.

For example, I received a revise and resubmit request from a wonderful agent last fall. It was three pages long, and it did wonders for my manuscript. Though she ultimately passed, she did like the changes I made. I did, too. How did I tackle those three pages? Like I said above, I made the easiest changes first. One suggestion was to remove a scene that was hokey, so I simply deleted it. Another easy suggestion was to delete a few scenes that had been repetitive, so I went through and deleted half of those scenes. Easy!

The harder suggestions took more thought and planning. For example, this agent suggested developing the relationship between two characters further, so I looked for areas in the manuscript in which I could show some of their history and current interactions and added more depth and detail. The overall result? A better manuscript that landed me my book deal with Spencer Hill!

Don’t fear revision. Embrace the changes that make your manuscript better. If you disagree with them or they don’t match the tone or theme of your story, then the choice is yours. But if they make sense to you, or they even excite you, or more than one person makes the same suggestion, consider moving forward with them to make your story shine. Our beta readers, critique partners, agents, and editors are here to make our books better. Let them guide your book to publication!

Kimmy :) 

TRIANGLES, Kimberly Ann Miller, Spencer Hill Press, June 2013

QUERY CORNER – Successful Queries

Today I’m going to post another query of mine that received a lot of requests. I have since shelved this novel, but the query I wrote really did a good job of getting attention. Since this was my very first try at querying, I posted my original query on the forums at QueryTracker.net and got some wonderful feedback. I encourage everyone to enlist the help of other writers in the querying stage and to take the advice of those who have had successful queries. They can point out any issues with the query and help to perfect it before you send it out. Here is my query for Soul Stalker:

Dear Agent, (Of course, here I put the agent’s name)

High school senior Liz Grayson is no stranger to love triangles—she just doesn't know it yet.  When perfect-in-every-way Mina Manson moves to town and tries to steal Liz's boyfriend, Chris Edwards, the real challenge isn't keeping Chris.  It's dealing with the proof that they battled for his love in another lifetime.  And somebody ended up dead. (This paragraph, and last sentence, should hook the agent/editor and make them want to read more)

When Mina first starts flirting with Chris, Liz is unaware of their unusual history.  Soon Mina catches Liz alone and makes a baffling demand: hand Chris over.  Liz seeks advice on how to deal from the new guidance counselor who believes in karma and reincarnation as much as college planning.  With her help, Liz uncovers the evidence that she'd been involved in a dangerous love triangle with Chris and Mina in another lifetime.  Fearing for their future and her life, Liz searches for ways to stop Mina's interference before someone ends up hurt, or worse, dead again.  What Liz doesn't know is that Mina has her own reasons for going after Chris, and they aren't what she thinks. (This paragraph should read like the back cover a book—it should sound enticing and interesting without giving too much away)

SOUL STALKER is a 67,000 word young adult paranormal romance.  This novel is a standalone with series potential. (This paragraph includes the title, word count, genre, and lists any submission guidelines that were followed)

Thank you for taking the time to consider representing my work.  I look forward to hearing from you. (It is always a good idea to thank them for their time and close the letter professionally)

 

Sincerely,

Kimberly Miller (Following my name would be my contact information—address, phone number, email address, and website, social media links)

Kimmy :)

TRIANGLES, Kimberly Ann Miller, Spencer Hill Press, June 2013

QUERY CORNER – Successful Queries

A query letter is your first, and often only, chance to impress a potential agent or editor. Writing a good query letter is essential to getting your work in front these publishing professionals. There are many websites and blog posts already dedicated to this topic, and many suggestions on what way is the best way to write them. But one piece of advice is consistent—your letter must hook the agent or editor into wanting to read more of your book. Today I will post the letter that got me a full request for my manuscript from Spencer Hill Press, followed by an offer of publication for my debut YA novel, Triangles. As always, it’s very important to follow the agent’s or editor’s guidelines and send them exactly what they ask for. Some writers personalize their letters, others don’t. I usually do, but if you’ve been invited to submit or are submitting following a contest win or referral, always mention that in your opener. Here is my query:

Dear Ms. Kaynak, (The opening should always address a specific person)

I took part in "The Great Query Contest of October 2011" and received a request to submit my YA novel, TRIANGLES, to Spencer Hill Press when you reopened to queries. I hope you will consider TRIANGLES for your list. (Personalization, especially when you’ve been invited to submit or were referred, should be in this first paragraph)

The travel brochure promised an ‘escape from reality’. Her sister promised it would be the best family vacation ever. But when seventeen-year-old Autumn Taylor's ship glides into the Bermuda Triangle, her days become a blur of Twilight Zone episodes—and she's the star of the show. (This paragraph, and last sentence, should hook the agent/editor and make them want to read more)

During her time in the Triangle, she speaks to her dead father, fights with a stepbrother she doesn't have, and finds herself stuck in the middle of a heated love triangle with a coworker and his half-brother. Waking up with cancer pushes her to the edge of a mental breakdown, sending her to the ship's clinic for help. The doctor warns her that any of these alternate lives could become permanent—after all, it happened to her during her own trip through the Triangle. Autumn struggles to figure out what’s going on, but everyone on the ship, including her sister, accepts each day as if it were the norm. When Autumn returns to the clinic for more answers, she finds the doctor is not on the ship's registry and never has been. (This paragraph should read like the back cover of a book—it should sound enticing and interesting without giving too much away)

Now, with no one to help her, Autumn has a few things to figure out: a way out of the Triangle, why she's the only one who's been affected by the strange occurrences, and why this is happening to her. If she can’t get her real life back on track, she may end up spending the next sixty years trapped in a life she was never meant to live. (The body of the query can be two to three paragraphs, each meant to pique the interest of the agent or editor and leave them wanting more)

TRIANGLES is a 63,000 word young adult urban fantasy. This novel is a standalone with series potential. Per your guidelines the first ten pages are pasted below. (This paragraph includes the title, word count, genre, and lists any submission guidelines that were followed)

Thank you for taking the time to consider representing my work. I look forward to hearing from you. (It is always a good idea to thank them for their time and close the letter professionally)

Sincerely,

Kimberly Miller (Following my name would be my contact information—address, phone number, email address, and website, social media links)

Kimmy :)

TRIANGLES, Kimberly Ann Miller, Spencer Hill Press, June 2013

THE AWESOMENESS THAT IS BEA 2012!

I had the amazing opportunity to attend BEA in New York City this year. Words cannot describe the incredible energy that beats in that place! It is truly a booklover’s Heaven on Earth. If you ever have the chance to go, even for one day like I did, do it. It’s amazing. Tons of publishers set up booths where they showcase their titles and have author signings. A long, long row of tables is set up with timed signings for other authors. The place is loaded with agents, editors, authors, publishers, booksellers, buyers, bloggers, and other industry professionals checking the latest things out. And the best part? BOOKS ARE FREE!!!! I got my hands on forty books in just a few hours! Many are ARCs that aren’t published yet. It’s great spending the day with people that love books as much as we do.

And this year, I got to meet my wonderful publisher, Spencer Hill Press, along with many of their authors and editors. What an incredible group of people! We had author signings at our booth and gave out ARCs such as:

We chatted with people. We made friends. We got books:

We had FUN!

Next year, I will be signing my debut YA novel, Triangles, at the Spencer Hill Press booth. Even though it’s a year away, I’m already excited.

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, June 4 - Thursday, June 6, 2013. It’s sure to be awesome!

Kimmy :)

TRIANGLES, Kimberly Ann Miller, Spencer Hill Press, June 2013

Sketcher Girl Studios Grand Opening

GRAND OPENING!!!!

Tomorrow is the day that Sketcher Girl Studios, LLC officially opens for business!

In celebration of this momentous event, Vic Caswell (owner/operator) is hosting a give-a-way.
Using the "Contact Us" form; on the site, send her the secret word from the end of this post and you'll be entered to win.

Sketcher Girl Studios is a freelance illustration company with a focus on book cover design.  Vic Caswell has produced the covers of Emily White's debut novel ELEMENTAL;, as well as it's sequel; FAE (release date not announced yet), and Kimberly Ann Miller's debut novel TRIANGLES; (releasing June 2013).

SGStudios is passionate about books and getting them out there and into the hands of the readers who will love them.  Vic will read your book.  She will work with you to ensure that the design you end up with is something you love.  She doesn't use stock photography, so you are guaranteed an image that is original and she offers full legal usage of her cover images.  So, if you want to print it on swag, and sell that, the money goes straight to you.

Her prices are competitive- affordable for small press publishers as well as self-publishers.

She also provides other services- such as: tattoo design, logo design, header design, artistic prints, children's book illustration, and pretty much anything illustration that you can think up.

Stop by and drop the secret word: Mischief, for your chance to win one of these nifty prizes...

such as:   postcard sized prints of  her work titled PERCHED CREATURE, one of two copies of ELEMENTAL by Emily White, a ten dollar Amazon gift card, an original painting, and  free labor on a book cover (costs may be incurred for props/ models/ wardrobe) and more!

Links:
Sketcher Girl Studios
SGS on Facebook

Testimonials:

Vic Caswell is brilliant! Not only is she super easy to work with, but the things she comes up with are so amazing. She was able to take the half-coherent ideas I was kind of able to articulate and come up with exactly what I was thinking of. I loved working with her on both my books' covers and I can't wait to work with her again!- Emily White (author of ELEMENTAL from Spencer Hill Press)

"I'm loving my new logo!!! Victoria Caswell did a MARVELOUS job and was such a joy to work with. She made the process effortless and I swear she could read my mind. So, if you need some work done, please send it her way! You won't be sorry!" ♥ Nancy  Fennell (owner of Scents of Adventure)