tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19402090882590041062024-03-13T10:17:57.478-04:00K.T. CrowleyK.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.comBlogger591125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-71068149921905066952016-12-26T21:08:00.003-05:002016-12-26T21:46:15.450-05:00Long Lost Me Need Not Apply<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">I've clearly taken
another unscheduled hiatus. Which sucks, cause it's not what I wanted to do.
Back when I promised a 'coming soon' post, I had every intention of posting it.</span></span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">But little did I
know, my anxiety and depression had another plan.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">You see, I've never
been shy about sharing with anyone willing to read this blog. Ups and downs, I
promised that I would remain honest and candid with all whom follow this
journey. As long as I had the will to write and spark to succeed, I'd push
until there was a debt to nothing left.</span></span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">Over the latter part
of 2015, I started to feel a type of lost that confounded me. So I pled the
case (after trying whatever I could to stop it) and my somewhat new doctor
prescribed an antidepressant/anxiety medication I'd never tried before. There
was trepidation, but I was so tired of fighting, of feeling a sadness heavier
than a child on my chest, that the idea of any help at all in this battle was met
with a willing attitude.</span></span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">The first four months
were bliss, to my surprise. In fact, the tremors that caused my primary hand
and arm to shake disappeared three hours after my first dose. I had energy
again, my weight dropped and the anxiety (mostly social) blew away like sand in
the wind. I'd felt happier than I had in months and finally slept more than two
straight hours in a night. My appetite was better, goals seemed clearer than
ever; the list goes on.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">Then my youngest son
choked and my dad had to have open heart surgery (which is where this blog left
off). The brick wall of medication crumbled faster than a wafer. It was as if
the chemical romance was no longer true. My mental and emotional balance were
like the runner up on a season of "The Bachelor"; week after week I
thought I was in love and this was my happy ending, rose after rose. Until I'm
not anymore. Until the meds stopped working when the real challenges tested its
voracity.</span></span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">I never considered
the rise up could (and would) have such a startling fall down.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">Nor did I take into
account the dwindling drive and creativity that has fueled me from the start. I
was so enamored with the new high, I didn't notice all it was stripping in its
path to sunshine. So when the mental blocks came, I passed it off as part of
the stress. When I no longer had the desire to write--or work at all-- on the
things that once brought me such joy, I again blamed the stress and empirically
draining time. Not for lack of trying, I worked as much as I could, but it was far from the same.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">I came to the
realization and contacted my doctor. She agreed we should discuss in person, I
made an appointment, only to go in and find I had yet ANOTHER new physician and
she didn't want to take me off the evil. After arguing with this woman who only
knew me on paper, she agreed to lower my dosage.</span></span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">Since then, I've
changed practices and I'm done with the evil. Guess what? Two weeks after I
stopped it, I had my first spanking NEW story concept in forever. And I wrote and wrote and
WROTE.</span></span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">I'm me again.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">With that all out and
said, I will continue the blog. I am self-publishing a novel. But, and this is
a big one, I will be doing so under a pseudonym. With the candor and
truthfulness of my passages here, came a small price. I had a direct
conversation with an agent who said though they appreciate my "no
curtains" blog, it posed a possible PR problem. I won't get in to the rest
(and it was a wonderful talk, truly), but I saw some validity to what was
addressed. And since I don't want what I say and share to tarnish my chances in
the publishing world, I'm going to test the waters a la pseudo and see where it
goes.</span></span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">Best of both worlds,
I hope. At least to start.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">Happy Holidays
everyone. Love and peace. Be kind to one another. I'll see you soon. </span></span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">❤</span></span></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-46855165937081148192015-12-13T00:25:00.003-05:002015-12-13T00:31:01.999-05:00Surprise! Life Was Eventful Once AgainMy son almost choked to death and my dad had a heart attack.<br />
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That's how my week started. I had to give my three-year-old the Heimlich, after watching him flail and make a soundless, gasping-like fish face while turning an eerily sick purple, grabbing his little throat. Thank goodness, he's okay now, but we're all still a little emotionally traumatized. I hope that no other parent has to face that kind of moment or feel what I felt then, watching my poor three-year-old and the fear register in his eyes. Grateful is not a strong enough word to describe how I feel about knowing CPR and the Heimlich.<br />
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But then the next day, my dad found out he had had a heart attack at the start of a stress test and was instructed (after refusing an ambulance) to go to the emergency room right away. He followed that up with "I'm going to get your mom an iced tea and then to pay some bills, first..".<br />
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Uhmm, what?<br />
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We finally convinced him to go and he's been in the hospital ever since. At first, he was admitted under the care of his cardiologist at our local hospital (a hospital I have no faith in due to a previous issue--or four), but things snowballed, BIG TIME, and now he's at one of the best hospitals in the world under the care of a dream team of doctors, scheduled for open heart surgery. <br />
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Have I mentioned that in his 65 years on this planet, this will be his first ever surgery as well as his first ever stay in a hospital? Or that he is my absolute rock of a parent and I have no idea how to handle any of this? The idea of my super-hero dad going under such a huge procedure with complications in the background posing threats is not one anyone relishes. It's downright terrifying and makes my chest clench and eyes water. He's not just my dad; he's my kids' Papa, a second father to my husband, one of my very best friends, and the only person I trust completely aside from my husband.<br />
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He has literally been there for me and my family whenever we've needed him. And now, he's faced with this and all I can do is sit back, lend my support and entrust doctors to save his heart. I have to watch my mom, his partner of almost 40 years, cope and witness the person who's cared for her all these years suddenly unable to leave a hospital for fear he may have a massive coronary. Knowing that the love of her life is in this situation and trying to put myself in her shoes, to feel what she may be feeling... It's plum horrid. She's terrified, too.<br />
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Feeling this kind of helpless and despair... It's indescribable to those who haven't been through it with their own parent while trying to help the other out along the journey.<br />
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To get to why I'm writing this post, though. First, I ask (beg) that you keep him in your thoughts and send positive vibes his way (and prayers, too, if that's something you believe in).<br />
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Second, I've decided after everything with my baby boy and now my father, there is no more time to wait around for SOURCE to be agented and subsequently published in the traditional manner. I'm going to self publish it. If people love it, awesome. If people hate it, sure, that sucks, but I appreciate the effort. Time doesn't stop moving for anything. I want to write and I want people to read the stories I pour out of my soul on to page. The amount of work and love and effort I've devoted to this particular story... It's unfair to wait around any longer on telling Lexi's story outside of my laptop.<br />
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That's all it is for me right now. Getting the work that I've given so much of myself to, the work that dominates all my passion outside of my family, out there for others to read. I'll continue to work on my other projects, maybe continue to query with those, but as for SOURCE, its time to shine is here. I have to push this baby bird out of the nest and hope that'll fly high.<br />
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Any advice for me on the self-publishing front? I'd love to hear it!<br />
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Depending on how the next few days go, I hope to be back with another post before the end of 2015. If not, I wish you and yours a very wonderful holiday season and a prosperous 2016. I have so much love for all of you. "Everyday is a gift, so appreciate the present." <3K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-46517339748668957502015-08-07T14:54:00.002-04:002015-08-07T15:02:09.599-04:00Life As I Currently Know It<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">August. Again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As always, life has been… Overwhelming. Between being a
mother, running a business and trying to launch a professional writing career,
time is limited. Sometimes I wish there was a way to buy extra hours, just so I
could get that much more done in a day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My last remaining grandparent, my Nana Mary, passed away at
the end of June. It was surprising, only because of how quickly we lost her.
Growing up, if you’re lucky enough to have your grandparents around, you tend
to take them for granted. As you grow older, more aware of how precious the
people in your life are, you begin to forget. Forget that the older you become,
the closer you are to saying goodbye to someone you always assumed would be
there. I can’t really express how much I appreciated having both my
grandmothers for as long as I did. What I can express is how sad and hollow
part of my heart feels knowing that they’re gone. I’ll never get to share
milestones and create memories with them again, feel the warmth of their
embrace. I cherish what memories I do have, though, especially those in which
they were made with my children. I’ll miss their laughs, their smiles and
joyous personalities. Most of all, I’ll miss their unconditional love and their
stories. Both my Nanas were a part of a generation that is now almost extinct.
Stories from their time will now only be shared through somewhat impersonal
channels, like books and retellings. That makes me sadder. Their generation had
a way with stories and words that is hard to replicate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Writing-wise, I’ve been heavily focused on another
manuscript, trying to get it ready for my editor and eventually submission. I’ve
come to terms that it’s not the right time for “Source”, as the market is
saturated by paranormal/urban fantasy and querying it during that kind of
saturation doesn’t give it a fair chance. But, a writing friend of mine
encouraged me to at least sub it to some publishers who accept submissions, for
indy authors. So I have. The wait time on response is six months (yikes), so it’ll
most likely be some time before I have any sort of update on it. Not getting my
hopes up, for obvious reasons, but in order to make progress, I have to at
least try, right? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">While I’m not mothering, working on my writing/focal ms and the
online boutique, I’ve picked up my guitars again. I have SO MISSED PLAYING. I’m
not very good, but I love strumming along, trying to learn all the different
chords. It brings me such happiness. Like, euphoria. So has just listening to the music that ignites my passion. With all the drama my life has dealt
with the past five years, the sadness and loss and struggle, it’s awesome to be
back in a familiar place of comfort with writing and music. Cathartic, even.
When I’m on creative mode, it’s the closest I get to serenity and complete
happiness. That’s not something I ever expected to feel again. And those
feelings lead me to a more positive way of thinking about the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s taken a long time, but I WILL get there. Through it
all, I haven’t given up. That has to count for something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, I’ve been quieting looking (more like lurking) for
new critique partners, as mine have decided to go different ways. Which with
any luck, I’ll find people who get me and my insecurities. I always worry I’ll
do or say something wrong and scare them off haha. Or that I won’t quite get
what they’re telling me and fear I’ll look foolish or amateurish and feel like
an idiot. Sigh. I’m also REALLY trying to get out from behind the screen.
Though I am confident online, the idea of going places and meeting/seeing
people is terrifying for me. I have terrible social anxiety and I’ve let it
make me more reclusive in nature. I’ve become awkward in encounters, simply
because I spend the majority of my time with two small children and don’t have
a lot of interaction with other adults face-to-face. And if I’m going to
brutally honest (aren’t I always?) the fact that I haven’t really progressed
professionally makes me feel like a bit of a failure, which then makes me feel inadequate
to mingle with other writers. Which leads to even more negativity and self-deprecation.
Crippling fear of rejection due to inferiority. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Trust me, I am trying to change. Note the positivity
mentioned above.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I know I mentioned in past posts that I’d like to get back
into hosting critique rounds. Since it’s summer and it tends to be “dead”, I
figure we can try one out come the fall when life gets off summer vacation for
everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope everyone is well and that your writing is progressing
and fulfilling you and your dreams. I’d love updates, so feel free to post a
note in the comments, send me an email or a tweet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">See ya soon. <3 </span><o:p></o:p></div>
K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-23081920837309053452015-05-09T09:00:00.000-04:002015-05-09T10:52:47.114-04:00What's New?<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Have you ever had a gut feeling that was SO STRONG, you let it compel you to keep pushing forward, despite the pile of evidence against it?</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">I took a long drive alone recently (a rarity), and turned up the music. I jammed along, singing and bopping to the happy beats that pulsed through my speakers. It was just what I needed, a fill in an empty cavity of my soul that I had not a clue needed filling. A calm clarity came over my mind, Something that doesn't happen as often as it used to. In reality, I forgot how much I enjoy solo driving.</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Since having children, my life--and writing--have taken a detour. I don't get to focus on things the way I used to, my brain constantly scattered (which if you knew me, you'd know how much that drives me crazy; I'm kind of a super organized control freak). My thoughts are secondary to the thoughts about my children and responsibilities. Writing always possesses a big space in the somewhat less-than-controlled chaos, but this drive made my goals somehow brighten. It was both enlightening and disconcerting.</span></span></span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">You see, after my last post, I decided to pursue another dream of mine while I continue to work toward "the big dream"; traditional publishing. I've opened an online retail boutique (Shameless plug here: www.offnewbury.com). I have a long history in the retail world, and have been told I'm very "astute and business savvy", so putting my skills and affinity for shopping and business management to work seemed like a good idea for my family and our financial security. </span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Here's the thing. I am super duper excited about this new venture, thrilled to be able to actually do it after years of toying with the idea, but it's making me feel like I'm cheating on writing, somehow, giving up in a way. I now have to divide a precious little amount of time between the two. And since I'm known for being brutally honest and open here, I have to say the idea of dividing time and possibly moving further away from a career as an author is breaking my heart. I'm definitely not quitting, I'll never stop, but somehow, this makes me feel like that.</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">I</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">'d hoped by now I'd have good news on the query front, but alas, I do not. Rejections have come, and I'm still waiting on a few responses (one being from my dream agent). Which is depressing; I was prepared for this, but it still bums me out big time. This is definitely a patience test. Overall, I feel like I'm failing because I haven't succeeded in this quest to sign. I know deep down I'm not, but still, it's tough to still not be agented, especially as those around me in the writing world move on in their careers. Without me. I worry they think I don't take it seriously enough, or that I'm not really worth the effort or time anymore. I'm not alone, though; there are many others who feel this same way, which as much as I hate that they're in the same position, makes me feel better that it's not just me. </span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Circling back around to my opening question, I know at this point I may need to consider moving on from the project I'm currently subbing, that clearly it may not be its time (if ever it will have that). I have other stories to pitch, stories I am passionate about. But my gut keeps arguing, saying "DON'T GIVE UP ON THIS ONE". (Which, coincidently, I wish I could say about myself to those who doubt me and this dream I hold so dearly) I can't imagine investing all this love, effort and energy into a story and just putting it away after years of working on it. Lexi and the gang have such an amazing story to follow, and I know if they're given the chance to tell it in whole, it'll be worth the time on an agent and/or editor's end. A lot to ask for, I know, given how busy both are. But I know in my heart that with the right agent to back and support this story, it could be incredible.</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">I just need an agent to believe that, too.</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">This is something that is commonly debated by many writers in this spot, some who've went on to publish other works after retiring an ms that they once believed to be "the one". Deciding to move on and start new submissions on the next project. It's just not spoken of often. It's one of the harder parts of this career choice--shutting the drawer on that beloved manuscript. The chances of landing an agent and a pub deal are actually a lot smaller than believed to be. We do have the option to self-publish now. I've mentioned before that I considered self-publishing SOURCE. And still am considering that. But self-publishing is publishing, and once it's done, it's done. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">It shifts the tides of my writing career and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> is not a decision to make without thought and consideration. </span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">How about you? Have you ever shifted gears and swayed from the goal you truly, gut-wrenchingly love to pursue another you love in a different way? Retired a manuscript you adore? </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">For me personally, this post has been cleansing. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Let's have a therapy session in the comments and see if helps you feel cleansed, too.</span><br>
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<br>K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-29159619178430384062015-04-01T21:19:00.002-04:002015-04-03T09:20:44.938-04:00Let's Talk About Queries, Shall We?<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: inherit; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Querying is a process that most writers go through in the hopes of becoming traditionally published. As I am currently in the thick of this, I have noticed trends of my fellow writers that I want to point out. Why? Because I want you to succeed as much as I want to.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">--Please, research your story's genre!!! There is no such thing at Barnes & Noble as the "Young Adult Sci-Fi romance with magic realism twist" section. Nor is there a section for "Fantasy romance" or "Mystery with supernatural crime edge". I wish I could say I was kidding about these fauxnres (a word I made up for faux genres) but these are actual genres people are listing on their queries. And it's scary. Your story could be PHENOMENAL, but if you can't be bothered to narrow down its genre by doing your research, you're basically telling agents you don't take publishing seriously. To help, here are a couple of great resource for figuring out genres and subgenres:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.writersdigest.com/qp7-migration-all-articles/qp7-migration-fiction/genredefinitions</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">--Don't mass query!! Again, research is key here. Did you write a non-fiction historical novel? Then you need to find agents who represent such. If you send out your query in an email with twenty agents cc'd, guess what? You're most likely going to hear crickets in response. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">--Find agents you want to work with. So Sally Smith may represent middle grade fantasy, but do you know anything about her? Is she someone you think you'd mesh well with? The agent/author relationship is important for many reasons. You'll need to find someone who shares the same interests and enthusiasm for your novel, but also someone you can trust to guide you through things like revisions, submissions, publishing contracts, etc. This is a person you want to like working with. So get to know the agents you plan to query. Follow them on Facebook or Twitter, read their blogs and/or interviews they've done. Take a workshop (if they happen to be offering one nearby or online), meet them at conferences. Get familiarized with authors/books they represent. Most importantly, review their submission guidelines and ms wish lists. Agents want to know you WANT them as your agent for themselves and their skills, not just because they happen to represent what you're trying to sell. Once you've done that, make sure you mention it in your query letter why you chose them, and if there a titles they represent you feel yours would fit in with, mention that, too. Some great places to learn more about your dream agents are just a few clicks away. Google them, check out their profiles on sites like publishersmarketplace.com or querytracker.net. Comb over their agency's site, as well. I know, it sounds a little like virtual stalking. But knowledge is power, and knowing who's the right fit for your novel is key.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">--Market yourself. Above I mention how you should research agents before querying, but did you know that agents you query will research YOU? Oh, heck yes, they will. Google is a vital tool in an agent's quest for signing authors. This is something virtually all agents do now, because the working relationship goes both ways. They have to want the same things listed above in an author, to know that you're serious about what you're doing and that professionally, they can depend on you to do what's needed on your end. And like they represent you as an author, you represent them, as well. A little like an employer/employee. So if you have a public social media presence, make it count. Present yourself professionally, keep things you talk about in open forums civil and clean. If you don't have a social media presence, it's time to make one. A simple author website, Facebook page, twitter account, and/or blog are great ways to put yourself out there for agents to find you. Build your platform, then stand on it with pride and confidence. Think of it as a second chance after querying to prove that you're the author they want to sign. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">--No thank you. So you've received a dreaded rejection. LEAVE IT AT THAT. I can appreciate the desire to respond with a polite note of gratitude for their consideration and time, or the need to say one more thing in the hopes it'll change their minds, but agents typically receive thousands of emails a year. Though a nice gesture, save them the space in their email accounts and just move forward. They'll appreciate that more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">--POLISH YOUR MANUSCRIPT!! This is where my own personal experience is going to shed some unfortunate light on mistakes I made early on, ones I want you to avoid. When I finished my first novel (as in, the first draft of it), I googled how to get a book published, learned about writing a query, and wrote one in a haste. I quickly found the information of the agent whom represents one of my favorite authors, and anxiously--and naively--mailed out my letter and first chapter, without doing any of the crucial steps needed to succeed. Like revising, editing, and getting critiques on my ms and query, giving it that sellable shine. I figured that's what editors at publishing houses are for. Nope. Mind you, this particular agent is amongst some of the most coveted agents in the literary world. So imagine my disappointment when I got a very polite form rejection three weeks later. Knowing what I do now, I'm embarrassed to have done that. But, it led me to learn everything I could, to hone my craft and educate myself. Writing a novel is a tedious endeavor; it takes time, LOADS of patience, a thick skin and hard work. You have to have passion and determination to succeed. So do yourself a favor. Learn everything you can about publishing. Learn how to self-edit (or hire a professional editor with reliable references), find critique partners you can trust. Revise, edit, polish. Join writing associations/groups, take webinars and visit conferences, and READ. You may not realize it, but being familiar with what's in your genre and reading regularly will help you become a well-rounded author. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">--Don't put all your eggs in one basket!! What I mean is, don't query fifty agents at once. DO query agents in small batches of six to eight at a time. Wait and see what the response is. I know this is the tough part as some agents can take up to eight to twelve weeks to respond, but again, this is a marathon, not a sprint. If you receive rejections from all, you'll know you may need to work on your query and/or opening pages. This will allow you to go back, revise and submit to the next group of carefully researched agents on your list.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">--Be PATIENT. As I said above, some agents have response times of eight to twelve weeks. Some a little less. Some more. And those are their best estimates--it could be even longer. What's important to remember is how busy agents are. They have much more on their plates besides slush piles to go through. They're some of the hardest working folks in publishing, so cut them a break and just wait it out. After you send out your queries, put it out of your mind as best you can and keep writing. Don't call, don't email, unless their submission guidelines say it's okay to. You queried an agent fourteen weeks ago and heard nothing back? More often than not, this means they're passing on your ms, so unless they specifically state to follow up after a certain amount of time, don't. For example, I received a rejection today for a query I sent out three months ago. This agent in particular had a typical response time of six to eight weeks listed on their website, so at week ten, I had already closed it out as no response (though I do very much appreciate the closure even this far out). So pad the numbers a little. If they say six weeks, give it eight before you close it out. Waiting stinks, but being professional and courteous is important.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">--Don't trash talk. You receive rejections, and it stings. You may get angry, you may be hurt and disappointed, but don't lash out, don't blast insults about agents on your Twitter account, and definitely don't insult them directly. Would you do that after applying for a job and being passed over? I would think (and hope) not. Their rejections are not a personal attack, and there are countless other writers who know exactly how this same rejection feels. Even many of the most famous authors have felt this same burn. And if you've been doing your publishing homework, you know exactly how competitive and hard it can be to get noticed in mountain-high piles of slush. So instead of calling Agent X a jerk and an idiot or whatever, take a deep breath and turn that frustration into creative energy. Put it back into your writing and use it to make your query stand out to the next agent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lastly, don't give up. I don't mean to scare you with everything I've written about the querying process. It's not a tactic to get you to drop out of the race to the bookshelves. I revel in your successes; they help to keep <i>me</i> going. Stay positive, stay classy and stay focused on the right course. Hard work and dedication will pay off in some way. But if you decide traditional publishing is no longer the direction you want to go, you're in luck. We live in the digital age, and there are several other ways to get your stories out to readers. Querying directly to publishers that are open to submissions or self-publishing are also great options that may offer you more peace of mind and the creative flexibility you desire. Just remember that what you're willing to put in to your writing is what it should give back. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope you've found this helpful, and as always, if you have a question or comment, feel free to post below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Until we meet again. <3</span></div>
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K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-54110112032392194062015-03-04T21:45:00.001-05:002015-03-04T21:45:40.956-05:00Hello, Stranger...It's March. <div>
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It's March, and I have been so wrapped up in writing, querying, researching agents of awesomeness and absorbed in life outside of this blog (My kids and The Walking Dead especially, those of you who follow me on Twitter can attest to that), that you may be feeling a little neglected. I'm sorry! I promise, I have not forgotten you lovelies who have been here for me. I couldn't, ever.</div>
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The pages here have been dusted and updated, finally. I really hope to be updating them again, soon, with news of representation! </div>
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In waves, I have been submitting to my carefully curated list of agents, at random and in no particular order. No joke, I have trouble breathing every time I compose a letter, and my heart pounds when I hover the mouse over the "send" button. Legit, shaking hands and everything else that goes with nerves. Sadly, I have received a handful of rejections; it hasn't stung as badly as I anticipated. BUT I've also received some requests, too! Thrilling and scary, but mostly, nerve wracking. "Waiting is hard!", my four-year-old says. He's right. My anticipation level is higher than ever before.</div>
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I feel a little like a flake because after all of my hard work, all of the time and energy and effort I've dedicated, I realized I didn't edit the info pages here correctly, so they remained outdated. For that, I'm embarrassed (and apologize to anyone researching me for the misinformation), but I will not let that happen again. I'm usually obsessive about having things in perfect order, too, trying to be a consummate professional, so it's like an itch in my brain now. Rookie mistake, lesson learned! And once I learn a lesson, it sticks, trust me. I can't let my excitement and nerves cloud things. </div>
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While I'm patiently awaiting responses--with everything crossed--I'm focusing the rest of my writing energy on some unfinished mansucripts, as well as round one of revisions on one ms and round two on another ms. A new beta reader recently read SOURCE and said she couldn't put it down, which echoed someone else who read it not too long ago. That is the type of validation I needed, and I think it may be part of the reason I've taken the rejections well. One day, I hope that my novels elicit that response from readers worldwide. </div>
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I've missed this, terribly. All of it. Being back at it, pounding the keyboard, racing to jot down thoughts and dialogue, overflowing with creativity and energy, it's...well, it's electrifying. The ever amazing Jen Malone has been such a huge help, too, which has made the process even more wonderful. I hope each of you reading this get to experience the joy and passion I've been feeling.</div>
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That's about all for today. If you want an update sooner rather than later, check my Twitter (@KTCrowley), as I'll be sure to update that with breaking news first. </div>
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Wish me luck! <3</div>
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K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-64928196437694164432014-12-30T20:42:00.001-05:002014-12-30T20:42:35.329-05:002015, I'm Ready...Here we are again, the precipice of another new year. And though last year I laid out a series of resolutions by quarters, I find myself in a different place this time around. I'm embarking on one of the biggest, scariest parts of this journey--querying. I've come so far, and have learned so much more about what it's about than I had ever dreamed I would. I must repeat that I am not the girl who started this blog--she's just a glimmer in the rearview at this point. But I'll never forget her, all doe-eyed and naïve to the process. It's her optimism that brought me here and has pushed me to continue, even in my darkest of hours. Hours that I swore would never end... But it's also been <i>you</i>, my supporters. So before I continue, I want to share a pair of emails I got at this time last year from a writing friend who frequented my critique rounds and has been a wonderful supporter of my goals. I apologize for it taking so long to share his precious words; I wanted to wait for the perfect time to share them, as I have carried them with me this past year like a small security blanket, almost selfishly.<div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"> The first:</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i>"Dear K.T. Crowley,</i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i> </i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i>I read your email this morning and it really touched my heart, as you so often do. I don’t know what your personal resolutions are, or what it is that you believe you need to change about yourself. But let me tell you this, I’m in awe of how you unselfishly render your inner-most feelings to people you’ve never met, sharing your warmth and passion with strangers on screens you barely know. Spellbinding all in your magic with each sentence that’s been read, each paragraph concluded, subtly touching our souls and somehow transforming us into kindling spirits; forming bonds that will make us strangers no longer. Your blogs are moving, warm, and so very human. You write from your heart with a passion and warmth unattainable to most. I thank you for all that you’ve done; your inspiration, your tireless effort, and your un-bias dreams of success for all. My resolution to you… is not to change a single thing about yourself. Not a single thing. Thank you, K. T. Crowley… thank you.</i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i> </i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i> </i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i>Most sincerely,</i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i>Dominic Dinere"</i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i><br></i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">And the response to my email expressing gratitude:</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i><br></i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i>"You are such a special young lady and I honestly meant everything I said. You’re more than welcome to share it if you’d like. I wrote it to you to thank you for everything you’ve done and all that you’ve given. Because I know how tough sometimes it is just to keep going, to keep pushing -- but you have. And you’ve also helped others to keep pushing, to grasp for the stars, reach to the heavens. Believe that one day, someway, dreams will be realized. You have a wonderful gift, and though I will miss your magnanimous presence, which even shines through in cyber-space. I’m a true believer that there’s a reason for everything, even bad years. I know it’s hard, especially with a heart as giving as yours, to step back. But if that’s what it took for you to dedicate more time to your writing, then perhaps it wasn’t such a bad year after all.</i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i> </i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i>The best to you always my dearest friend, I will be an admirer forever. </i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i> </i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i> </i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i>Most sincerely,</i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i> </i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><i>Dominic Dinere"</i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">Dominic, thank you so much again. I wish I could put into such eloquent words as yours what you said has meant to me. Your messages have carried through this year in my heart, and I'll carry them with me always. I will forever appreciate it and you. It's all of you who've supported me that are amazing. I'm blessed to have a place, whether it tiny or large, in your journeys. One of the most incredible parts of the writing community are all the geniune, awesome people I've met. We're a special group of people, us writers, incomparable and unique. It's a darn cool group to be in.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">So what are my resolutions for 2015? I don't have any. Honestly. Sure, I want to exercise more, read more, <i>do</i> more, but what I really want is to continue following my dreams and living life to the best of my abilities. Hugging my babies and absorbing every amazing thing they do into my heart. Writing with the gusto that I always have, not worrying that I may fall out of the PC column. I want to spend more time with the people who matter, my husband and boys especially, and make sure they know exactly how much they mean to me. I want to be there for the people who want me there. What 2014 has taught me, once again, is that life is much too short. That each moment should be cherished, and that regrets take up too much space in time that could be spent living instead of thinking about living. That the people who talk the talk but don't walk the walk have no place in my realm--or in my heart, regardless of relation. That those who need to change for the better are not my responsibility, as I have enough to worry about. And that the people who left a void in my soul by leaving much too soon have taught me to appreciate all that I've listed before. I've lost a lot, sure, but in perspective, I've gained A TON. Because taking anything or anyone for granted is just a waste. Trust me, I've learned that the hard way. Despite all my personal hills and valleys, I've realized just how blessed I am in comparison to many.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">As you may remember, I took some time off from the blog and from offering critique rounds to focus on my own writing and myself. It was one of the best decisions I've made, and now I am starting 2015 where I've long hoped to be. Which means, soon enough, I can get back to offering critique rounds to all of you. I miss them and all of your amazing work, the collaboration and support given to one another. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">What are your goals and resolutions for 2015? I'd love to hear them and support you in keeping them! Post them in the comments or shoot me an email or a tweet. And I'll keep you all apprised of my adventures and progress, because that's one of the best parts of this. :)</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">Happy New Year, my loves. I hope you find what you're looking for and that all your wishes come true. We are the key holders of our destiny, after all; we're capable of anything we set our minds to. We just have to believe and refuse give up. <3</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">P.S., this is also the year of the mustache, cause, yanno, they're all sorts of fabulous. If you've got one, post your pic!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6vIpscuaV9s/VKNUiQ5SJNI/AAAAAAAAAqY/KlVzw8hr8U8/s640/blogger-image--1695042256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6vIpscuaV9s/VKNUiQ5SJNI/AAAAAAAAAqY/KlVzw8hr8U8/s640/blogger-image--1695042256.jpg"></a></div>K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-5641963956067226282014-11-14T11:36:00.001-05:002014-11-14T14:19:20.202-05:00Feeling All the Feels After A Rejection...<div>To the writers who've been chosen for Baker's Dozen 2014, I congratulate you and wish you luck. *High fives* Rock on!! You made it in!! I'm waving my pom poms for you and will be throughout the auction!!</div><div><br></div><div>To those who weren't chosen, well, I have a little more to tell you. I know how you're feeling right now, cause I've been in your shoes multiple times--I AM in your shoes right now, for the forth time. It's a not-so-great pit in your gut, attached to your heart which is probably kind of crushed. You may be feeling defeated, disappointed, sad and maybe even angry and/or bitter. Oh, so many feels... You've hit a bump. But it's okay. Let me say, if the road to publishing were smooth, everyone would be out for the ride. Everyone would get picked and everyone would go home with an agent and a book deal. But that's not possible. This is one contest, of many out there, in a subjective industry. And it's rare that writers walk away with an agent from contests. Most authors published have gone through a similar journey, and they'll all tell you that doing your due-diligence, polishing your manuscript, querying and revising as needed is still the way to go in traditional publishing--not putting all your chips down on agent contests. </div><div><br></div><div>Dry your eyes and take a deep breath. I'm here, holding my hand out to help you back up and to remind you that you wrote a freakin' book, and that is incredible. You're no longer an aspiring writer, you are an unpublished author, and that is pretty kick-ass. Not many people make it to their own story's "the end", but YOU have. You had the guts to enter when many others were afraid to. Pat yourself on the back and remember just how much of a star that makes you. Use this as a learning experience on how to deal with rejection, because it happens a lot in publishing. It's how you handle it and what you take from each one that's important. Just because yours wasn't chosen doesn't mean yours wasn't good enough, I promise. And you're certainly NOT ALONE.</div><div><br></div><div>Be kind and offer congrats to your fellow writer pals who were selected, cheer them on and give your support, say a HUGE thank you to Authoress and Jodi for putting their time and energy in, and be grateful to have had the opportunity to be considered. </div><div><br></div><div>Your time will come, as long as you're willing to continue on and roll with the punches. As long as you're willing to put in the effort and continue to grow as a writer and hone your craft. When you're knocked down, GET BACK UP. Heal from this, then go back, reexamine, find good critique partners and figure out what may have led to this "no". Can't find anything wrong? Then try again, send out some queries and enter some more contests. Maybe it's that your story wasn't their cup of tea (it's subjective, remember?). If after all that you're still getting rejections, then it's time to take off the author goggles and see your work honestly. </div><div><br></div><div>I'll end with one final thing as I hand you virtual chocolates and wine: at the end of all this, you have to always believe in yourself, because if you don't, it'll be hard to get others to. Stay positive, even when you're feeling the stab of rejection. It'll pay off.</div><div><br></div><div>Hugs to everybody and I'm here if you need me! <3</div>K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-58913125836838171872014-10-22T15:20:00.001-04:002014-10-22T15:20:44.043-04:00I'm Just A Believer That Things Will Get Better...<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">About two weeks ago I made an announcement via my social media outlets. In case you missed it, here it is:</span><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">I've finished revisions! And I can now add that my query letter is done, too!</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">I can't tell you how good it feels to have rode the waves of revisions and to have survived. There were a couple moments there where I seriously believed I may be drowning in the blankness that stood between me and some rewrites. But I relaxed, let it flow organically (because that tends to works best for me) and though it took me longer than I'd wanted it to, I did it. Then I celebrated by dancing wildly to my personal "get psyched" playlist. The top song for that amazing moment? "Believer" by American Authors. It's a good jam if you need a pick-me-up, I highly recommend it!</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">With research completed on my first batch of agents-to-query, I will be subbing as soon as next week with any luck. Just waiting on some final feedback to make sure it's in good shape.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">This is craziness doused in awesome sauce. The only way I can describe the idea of querying is its equal parts insanely exciting and painfully terrifying. Rejection is no fun, so preparing for the worst while hoping for the best outcome is all I can do right now. As I've said from the start: I believe in my story and its characters. I don't think I've followed this path for this long if it wasn't meant to be. Now I can finally go on the hunt for an agent who feels the same way, who can see my passion for and dedication to this universe I've created on paper, and who shares my hopes and enthusiasm for its success.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">In other K.T. writerly news, I'm taking one final stab at The 2014 Baker's Dozen over on Authoress' blog. I'm not getting my hopes up, but I can't not try. The first pages have had a total makeover, one that's received (mostly) positive feedback. Fingers crossed this is my year. At this point, it'd be a nice form of validation for all my hard work. Not saying I need validation, but it's always a great feeling to have someone else judge your work as worthy enough to grace their agent auction. I know I'd be honored to say I finally made it in. Again, not getting my hopes up. </div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">Okay, maybe just a little bit.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">Speaking of Baker's Dozen, if anyone needs feedback before next week's adult/NA submissions, or YA/MG, let me know if the comments. If there is enough interest by tomorrow evening, I'll host a critique round for over the weekend (it will be a quick round, so please be quick to respond so you can benefit from this rare opportunity to receive some honest, supportive and helpful feedback!). When commenting, please let me know what you'd like critiqued (logline, first 250, or both). </div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">Stay golden, my lovelies. I'll check in again next week! </div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">Xo</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div>K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-10768979269362005992014-10-05T16:05:00.001-04:002014-10-05T22:34:31.971-04:00Forever A Dreamer, Remain A Believer...<br clear="all" />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">So I’m writing this from quarantine—okay, not like, actual quarantine, but I’m locked away in my bedroom with a temp of 100.7, to keep my little ones from catching whatever I may have. And although I despise being sick, I’m a tad grateful for the solo time, because the past few months I haven’t gotten as much of it as I’d like.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">I can’t believe how much time has passed since my last post. I know one of my resolutions was to post more, but as unpredictable as my life is, I should know better than to make long-term plans. Things are still pretty topsy-turvy in my personal world. But I feel like in spite of all I’ve been through, all my family has been through these past couple of years, my outlook has changed for the better and remains mostly positive now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">With that said, I’ve been elbow deep (more accurately, eyeball deep) in revisions on my pet project, my first baby. The biggest change? I’ve moved it up to New Adult Fiction from YA. Yes, I still write YA, and yes, I’ll always consider myself a YA novelist. My second baby is YA and will remain YA, as well as my third and forth novels (that are on the back burner while I take care of the first two mentioned). I’m just opening my career into a new, blossoming field of hungry readers, in the hopes I can eventually be a trailblazer of NA. Big hopes, big dreams, people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">The next change is the title. I’m no longer calling it “Unnatural”. I’ll announce the title when I feel ready, but for now, it’s something I’m keeping between me and my betas and editors. The third change is that I’ve rewritten the entire beginning and eliminated a chapter that I once believed crucial to the story. And finally, I’ve changed a major character to more reflect on paper how he is in my mind, because he wasn’t coming across as I wanted him to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">These changes I once thought impossible. Why? Because I was seeing my book as the author, not as an editor or a reader. I became blinded by love for my own words, a mistake often made by lots of writers. I was in denial over this fact, but once I opened my eyes to what the issues were and actually worked on them, I became a better writer for it. I’m also extremely happy with where my manuscript is now. It’s healthy, it’s mostly polished, and soon (like, end of the month soon), I hope to FINALLY QUERY IT!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">I’d hope to do interviews/profiles with them, to pay tribute, but for now I’d like to just give a shout out to two people who’ve helped me get to this point. First, T.J. Loveless. T.J. offered her copy editing services on my first 50 pages as a gift, for my work on the Write Stuff for <st1:city><st1:place>Boston</st1:place></st1:city> auction back in April/May 2013. Because of that, I can now see where I make errors and stop making them. That input has saved me a lot of time. I still need a second set of eyes, but thanks to T.J. and her generosity, I can now save myself from most of my silly errors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">And then there is Jen Malone, my content editor. Jen answered my call for a content editor via Twitter back in May. I’ve followed Jen’s blog for a while (since before the auction she so generously contributed to), so to have her take me on as a client was exciting, to say the least. She’s supportive, creative, has a keen eye for editing and is totally awesome sauce. And funny enough, we found out we live 5 minutes away from each other and have a lot in common. I’m thrilled to be working with her on this and hopefully on future projects, for her advice and guidance have been invaluable. She’s gone above and beyond to help me see what needs to be done, with the patience of a saint. I do hope to call her my mentor in the future (no pressure, Jen haha!), cause it’d be an honor to do so. If you’re reading this, Jen, thank you! You’re a writing rock star!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Now that I’m done gushing (and scaring them off with my fangirling, I’m sure haha), I want to share one last thing. Though I love writing novels and such, I think my heart wants to write for TV and movies, too. I don’t just want to write, I want to be a show-runner. I want to be like a Julie Plec, a Shonda Rhimes, a Jerry Bruckheimer or a Kevin Williamson. I don’t want to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">be</i> them, but I do want to do what they do, establish my own name. I want to create stories and characters, and then bring them to life on screen. From writing to casting, to site-scouting and pre/post production and everything in between, I want to be involved with it all, not just one aspect of it. I want to take the worlds out of my head and create them for all to see. I’ve always been fascinated with how TV shows and films are brought together from creation, everything that happens behind the scenes to make viewers tune in, and now I know why. I think I can do it someday, with a lot of hard work and perseverance. It’s a BIG dream, a far-fetched one at that, but a dream I never truly identified until a few days ago. But it clicked. It was a revelation. I tend to live with my head in the clouds, though my feet remain on the ground. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">First thing’s first, though; I need to get these revisions completed and my query letter out the door. I’ll write again once those are done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Until then, Happy Fall and Happy Writing! <3</span></div>
K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-39408048216073034112014-03-31T21:15:00.001-04:002014-03-31T21:15:44.956-04:00Quarter One Is Done Already?!I've reached quarter one's deadline for my list of goals for 2014. My progress report? I've probably accomplished 25% of what I had laid out to do. Whoops. Better crack the whip in quarter 2 if I stand any chance of making 2014 a good year for my writing!!!<div><br></div><div>Last month, I met a new protagonist (or, should I consider him the antagonist, since his story is darker than what I'm used to?). He (yes, he) was such a surprise in my head space that I was almost afraid to push him, scared he may scurry off into a dark recess of my mind, like a lot of my characters have done. When I realized he wasn't going anywhere, I felt such a surge of joy, I almost leapt in the air like in the old Toyota commercials, hoping somehow, someone would catch a freeze frame of me, mid-leap, and pair it with a catchy jingle. I did squeal like a little girl, though. I may have also rocked the Mentos thumbs up, too. This is progress, people. I'm getting there!</div><div><br></div><div>To keep my spirits up and my attitude positive and sunny, I've adopted a new theme song. "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. I can't not smile and enjoy when that song plays. I swear, since hearing it for the first time, my perception of things, my demeanor and my overall outlook has drastically improved. I feel good, in a cautious-but-gradually-not-kind of way. It's a sign I may actually survive my drama-filled days after all. I feel different this time. Thanks, Pharrell!</div><div><br></div><div>In the coming weeks, I'll be preparing myself for an agent contest (gulp), receiving a critique from another agent (double gulp), and sharing with you some precious words that seriously made me misty that I received from one of my rock star readers/writing buddy. And last, but not least, I hope to introduce you to an editor who has helped me tremendously. She's seriously fantastic and I'm so hopeful she'll continue to work with me, despite my absences.</div><div><br></div><div>In news unrelated to writing, I recently went on a mini-vacation with my family and some very special people/relatives. It was fantastic, and I wish I could've stayed longer. I got to shop, which is always a blast for me (I swear my credit card is still hot from burning up the shops but oh boy do I love my spoils), enjoy good food, see majestic mountains and scenery, spend time with my beautiful, amazingly-awesome cousins (who are more like siblings/close friends) and just enjoy quality time with my hubby and babies. I feel beyond blessed to have had those few days, to have that time with the people I love dearly. After 4 losses in 13 months, I've accepted just how time is precious and limited. Spend it with those you value and who value you back, appreciate what time you have and live each moment to the fullest. </div><div><br></div><div>My oldest is turning 4 in a couple of weeks, if that just shows you how quickly time passes. Which means a birthday party, which means lots of work, lots of energy expelled, and one tired Mama afterward. But I'm looking forward to it. I'll save some virtual cupcakes for you all!</div><div><br></div><div>Depending on how the next 6 weeks are, I may offer up a critique round, cause I'm missing them something fierce. I miss you guys something fierce. And just as I typed that, the song "Reunited" came on TV. How fitting.</div><div><br></div><div>Carpe Diem, friends!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-63293293374381762022014-02-22T22:19:00.002-05:002014-02-22T22:19:51.666-05:00The Best Has Yet To Come<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I know. Part of my to-do list for 2014 was to blog more. To which I haven't. When I made that list, I anticipated 2014 being a great year from the start. Whelp, in the first 10 days, two relatives passed away unexpectedly, my husband's job got turned upside down, and my oldest son began a series of appointments to solve some sleep issues, which has since snowballed a little into more than we anticipated. And that was just the first 10 days!!! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Much, much more has been happening. So much more than any person should ever have to deal with, let alone, deal with after everything my family and I have already been through. I feel like I am slowly going insane. And a few days ago, when I thought I was having a heart attack (seriously, chest pain and arm tingling, it was scary) I actually laughed and thought "I know I asked for a break, but I didn't mean like this.". Life truly has a sick sense of humor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, I'm okay. It was stress and anxiety, and I have it under control. For now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You're probably thinking "Man, this chick is bumming me out". I promise you, I'm not trying to. Nor am I trying to gain your sympathy. What I hope is that your laughing and shaking your head, good-naturedly, wondering "what possibly could go wrong for her next?". Because that's the point of insanity I've reached. So please, laugh with me. I feel like I'm at rock bottom, so really, it's only up from here!!! I have to laugh, cause then when I look back on these past few years and start writing about them in what will be surely thought of as crazy fiction, I won't feel so bad about the padded room I'm residing in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All I want to do is get back to writing full time. Get back the burning passion, that pit of excitement when new characters introduce themselves, or the whir of a crazy plot twist that takes my breath away, knocking me on my butt. I miss that. I crave that. I NEED THAT.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another part of my list for the first part of 2014 was to perfect my query and submit to at least 5 agents. Life changed that plan. I don't think I can possibly handle that kind of immense pressure right now. I need to be there for my son, my family, as we face all these challenges. So... I'm reconsidering self-publishing, at least one of my novels, for now. Traditional publishing is the dream, but only one of them. The ultimate dream is to have my work read and enjoyed. I can do that. I think I need to. I need validation that this dream is achievable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Is my list out the window? No, definitely not. I can't give it the attention I thought I'd be able to when I made it, is all. And who knows; the next few weeks, everything could change again, but for the better for once. That could be the insanity speaking, of course, but hey, I have to keep hope alive! To help motivate myself and to remember why that hope should remain, I'll be re-reading the books that inspire me, sporting some accessories that will always remind me to keep chasing my dreams at full speed, and listening to the music that makes me feel alive with emotions. I want to make 2014's goals happen--the timetable just has to be tweaked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for all your support, encouragement, and tolerance. You may not know it, but you guys help inspire and motivate me, too. I'll never forget that.</span></div>
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K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-68195088978054498922013-12-30T21:25:00.001-05:002013-12-30T21:25:16.160-05:00Resolutions, 2014 Style...<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">Happy Holidays (belated, my apologies) to all of you around the world! I hope that you had the chance to celebrate the season with loved ones and cheer.</span><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">As the new year looms, we often find ourselves making resolutions for it. Lose some weight, travel more, keep better touch with friends, spend less, save more, climb a mountain, etc. Personally, I make at least 5 and keep probably 1. A year is a long time that goes by faster than we plan (life, in general, does this to us) and I find myself--as most of you do, I'm sure--making the same resolutions, promising I'll keep them this cycle. In 2014, I plan to change my 80% failure rate by changing the way I make and keep resolutions.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">Like with homework, people tend to put it off until time is running out. If we have a WHOLE YEAR to succeed in something, many times, we'll find ourselves occupied in ways that keep our old habits alive and prevent us from following through with ridding them. Or we'll start out hell bent on succeeding and actually keep our promises at first, only to burn and fizzle out a couple months in (this is especially true for smoking, money and weight loss/diet resolutions, I've seen). So instead of giving ourselves this massive timeframe that will be done in a blink, let's tighten things up, really challenge our willpower. </div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">I have a higher success rate when I set goals without such a broad time line. My resolutions for 2014 won't be just for the entire year. No, I'll be doing it by quarter, by tier. So to start, by March 31, I must complete the tiers of my resolutions to move on to the next phase. The plan is to be reminded regularly, and rewarded quarterly, with progress and ultimately, success. And with each quarterly success, the reward will not only be the self-congratulatory pat on the back; I'll treat myself to something, because what's effort without a little reward?? If I succeed in keeping my resolutions and make it to 2015 without needing to repeat the years prior, I'll give myself a big reward and follow the same game plan for that year.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">Obviously there are resolutions that harder than others. I give everyone who does what they've set out to do on New Year's Eve/Day a huge high five because it's not easy. We shouldn't judge ourselves--or others, for that matter--too harshly when we don't follow through. But I will tell you this: The only person capable of changing you and your ways, is <i>you</i>. No amount of affirmations, positivity chants, meditation, etc., is going to make the changes needed if you're not willing to put the work in to succeed. Invest in yourself, because you're worth it, and no one else will know just how valuable and amazing you are if you don't believe that. I promise. It's hard to believe in someone who doesn't believe in themselves. Change is hard, I can't say that enough, but I believe failure to believe in ourselves and what we're capable of is harder to deal with, because with it comes regret and lost opportunities. We live once, and if there is only one thing to remind of why you need to keep whatever your resolutions are, let that be it. Today is a gift, so live in the present. I love that saying. :) </div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">And my little lecture is more for me and my self-deprecating alter-ego than it is for anyone else. So without further adieu, here are my writing resolutions for quarter 1 of 2014 (I'll save you my personal ones because, well, they're personal, haha):</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">1.) Find a mentor</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">2.) Perfect the query that haunts me</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">3.) Submit said query to at least 5 agents</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">4.) Write every day for at least 60 minutes (this is something I used to do, but stopped once things turned sour).</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">5.) Blog more</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">And there you have it. Number 1 is kind of a doozy, but I think it's a reasonable one to start the year with. On March 31, I'll post my quarter 2 resolutions and my successes/failures from the first batch. I'll also tell you what I reward myself with, because it'll be completely dependent on my rate of success. </div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">What are your resolutions? Got any pointers for success? Post them in the comments!! </div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">One more thing that I'll be changing in 2014... Critique rounds. As much as I love hosting them (I truly, truly do), I may start shying away from those for a bit. I've spent a lot of time helping other writers get the feedback they've needed to grow and polish their work, and over a dozen of the participants have gone on to sign with agents and/or publishers. I've personally critiqued countless writers, and I'm honored to have done so. I've been a cheerleader, a councilor, a friend. I'm proud to be a part of your journeys, proud of these rounds and all the writers who've joined in and shared. I'm also humbled by it all. But in turn, I haven't been helping myself when I'm busy focusing on helping others succeed. It's just another one of the many ways I've lost sight of my own writing journey. Like I mentioned in an earlier blog post, I need to focus on me and my characters more, at least until I get to a place where I can give more of myself to helping fellow writers without it causing my own writing to feel neglected. It's partly why I want a mentor; after all I've been through and all I've given, I think I need someone to guide me back on course and help to keep me there, keep me accountable and level. </div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">It's in my nature to help others, it's something that gives me great joy, but I have a tendency to give more of myself than I can afford, and little-to-none to myself. I can't help it, helping others is something I love to do. I'm very motherly haha. And like a true mother, I am riddled with guilt because no matter how much I give, I never feel like it's enough. But I want to celebrate a writing success of my own soon, outside of NaNoWriMo. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't feeling a tad left behind by my writing pals who've "made it". I'm so happy for them, but sad, too, because I'm not there yet (which is entirely my own fault for falling behind). Time for me to catch up!</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">This decrease in rounds may also help those who enter, though. The number of entrants have started to slide, so I'm hoping that by spreading out the rounds a little, it might increase the traffic when I do host them. Because the more traffic, the more feedback for your work. </div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">I hope you guys understand--it feels like a punishment to lessen the opportunities to get valuable feedback on your work because I know how rare these chances can be, but <i>to me</i> because I'm the one stepping back, if that even makes sense. Maternal guilt, I guess, haha.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">Just know I love and adore you guys and will always be here to offer my support in anyway I can afford. We're all in this writing adventure together. It's time for me to really shine. 2014 has <b>got</b> to be my year. I hope it is for you, as well. </div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">Happy New Year! <3</div>K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-24454349450097171772013-12-04T10:00:00.003-05:002013-12-04T10:00:01.413-05:00Under the Influence #4<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">LOG</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">LINE: When Ella, a spunky cook who loves all things green, is offered her dream of hosting a TV cooking show, she finds that being a celebrity isn’t easy peasy, and someone’s sabotaging her show. With help from her Pomeranian, Artichoke, Ella learns that, holy moley, she’s blaming the wrong person, and she must decide whether to risk her career by telling the truth or play into the network’s plans to exploit her for higher ratings.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">With her mom’s pageant crown nestled in her red curls, Ella Baxter poured blended broccoli into her homemade spaghetti sauce. It was her seventh try for the perfect recipe. She stirred the green into the red and let it bubble for a few minutes before scooping out a spoonful. Blowing across the wooden spoon, Ella closed her eyes, and tasted. Not the kind of taste where you chew twice and swallow. The sauce slid across her tongue, hitting every taste bud. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Wrinkling her freckled nose, she sighed. “Holy moley, I did it. This is it.” Ella imagined what it would be like to stand in front of an audience as the host of her own TV cooking show. After tasting the spaghetti, her fans would jump out of their seats applauding. They’d love her green recipes. Her shoulders slumped. She was just a ten-year-old kid. How old would she have to be before she realized her dream?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Au-au, woof! Ella felt soft paws on her legs. She knelt down and ruffled the neck of the world’s most adorable golden Pomeranian. Holding out the spoon, Ella said, “Okey dokey, Artichokie. What do you think?” His enthusiastic tail told Ella that he thought it was perfect too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Two great things happened on the day Ella found Artichoke. For her birthday, her dad had taken her to the shelter. She fell in love with the tiny three-pound dog when his sad brown eyes peered through the bars of the cage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-50913071073815617502013-12-04T10:00:00.002-05:002013-12-04T10:00:08.081-05:00Under the Influence #3<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Logline: When a demon prince kidnaps her best friend, twenty-two-year-old Sarah Croshen must fulfill a destiny she never asked for, to be unveiled and become a Supreme, or risk her friend’s death.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;">After adjusting the showerhead to pulse, Sarah turned the knob to increase the temperature and drew a deep breath of the moist, dense air. Water pelted against her delicate flesh like hot needles. Her pale skin blotched from the extreme heat, but it felt so good. Sarah closed her eyes against the pain in her abdomen as she slipped under the jets. Her long blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A thirty-year-old tune from 1993 streamed through the house speakers and bounced off the blue-and-white tiled walls of the small bathroom. The sensation of someone watching her crept into her consciousness. Despite the heat, a chill ran down her spine. Sarah opened one eye and looked around. It was a familiar feeling, but as always, no one was there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I’m not going crazy, damn it.” The sound of her voice did little to calm her anxiety. Besides, who would believe her if she told them? Sarah tipped her head to the ceiling and laughed at the idea of how she would sound to her friends and family, then gagged and sputtered from the spray of water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The razor lifted from its cradle. Sarah’s eyes widened. She watched as it crashed to the shower floor, separating the blade from its handle then ricocheting off the glass door. She jumped, nearly losing her footing on the slippery enamel when she landed. Her instincts were correct. She wasn’t alone. </span></div>
K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-23947419108570722692013-12-04T10:00:00.001-05:002013-12-04T10:00:07.468-05:00Under the Influence #2<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">TITLE: Return To Spender<br />GENRE: MG Fantasy<br /><br />LOGLINE: Return To Spender is a story about an eleven-year-old boy who<br />inherits a magical twenty-dollar bill that he can spend over and over,<br />then risks losing it forever when he fails to keep the bill a secret.<br /><br />FIRST 250: </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">William's eyes locked on the large silver mailbox as the<br />school bus pulled up in front of his house. Pushing past everyone, he<br />raced off the bus into the bright sunlight, reaching the box in three<br />giant steps. He tugged the door open and found it empty. Again. In the<br />last four of his eleven years, it had been his job to bring the mail<br />in, but not anymore. Not since Christmas when his mother changed<br />shifts at the bank. It hadn't been a big deal then, but it was now.<br /><br />His backpack, one strap frayed and holding on by a few threads, hung<br />heavily on one shoulder covered by a jacket that was no longer needed.<br />The long sleeves of his Detroit Red Wings shirt threatened to make the<br />trek up the driveway into a workout on the warm mid-March afternoon in<br />Mason, the small Midwestern town where he lived. This only added to<br />his frustration.<br /><br />He sent a small rock halfway up the driveway with a swift kick. Two<br />weeks ago when William found out about the secret family gift, he<br />couldn't wait to see what happened. But now he was anxious to see if<br />being born on the twenty-ninth of February held any real magic. When<br />he came to the same rock again, he slowed and aimed the front end of<br />his sneaker. This time it tumbled across the driveway and into the<br />brown grass. He looked for another but, unable to find one, kicked at<br />nothing.</span>K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-29730782493000506532013-12-04T10:00:00.000-05:002013-12-04T10:00:06.088-05:00Under the Influence #1<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">TITLE: The Blame Collector<br />GENRE: YA Fantasy<br /><br />LOGLINE: With her execution imminent, 16-year-old Selby, who everyone believes brought a curse upon the land by killing her cousin, decides to save herself and her people by using black magic to raise her cousin from the dead, with disastrous consequences. The Blame Collector journeys to remedy the horror that Selby has unleashed, while Selby herself works frantically to solve the mysteries of her past--before the ax falls.<br /><br />FIRST 250:<br /><br /> The black robes were like the shiny black surface of a tar pit, ghostly hands protruding with sharp nails. Poison green eyes gleaming from beneath a heavy hood.<br /><br /> A demon come to take her away.<br /><br /> Tap, tap, tap. Each step forward a warning.<br /><br /> Air swirled around the black robes, billowing them out. The candle on the table flickered.<br /><br /> The curtain ripped from its rod and fluttered to the Blame Collector’s feet. “You cannot hide from me, child.”<br /><br /> Selby pulled her little legs tighter into her body, her chin tucked behind her knees as she tried to push further into the corner. She was only six years old, but she had already done the worst thing in the world.<br /><br /> “For what you have done, I curse you,” the Blame Collector growled. “There will be suffering in this land because of you. Still, I will give you ten years to repent, to rid yourself of your evil. If you fail, you will be subject to whatever punishment the lady of Yarrow sees fit.”<br /><br /> The ghostly hands clapped together. The candle blew out. The air in the room grew still, sticky, warm, like heart’s blood turned to vapor.<br /><br /> Then the robes swished against the flagstones as the dark figure disappeared into the night-black hallway, leaving the little girl alone with her curse.</span>K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-50994900889419526442013-11-30T11:54:00.001-05:002013-11-30T11:54:46.750-05:00Last Day for "Blind" Critique Round Submissions!Hey all! Just a quick reminder that today is the LAST DAY of submissions. I'm accepting all entries, finished or unfinished manuscripts. Loglines are optional. <div><br></div><div>If I don't receive at least 3 more submissions, then I may bump this round out a week, to maximize the pool of entries (silly me, I didn't consider the holiday!). </div><div><br></div><div>If you have any questions, hit me up in the comments or send me an email or tweet. </div><div><br></div><div>Let's get this party roaring!! :)</div>K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-27339671851873991802013-11-26T15:20:00.001-05:002013-12-03T20:20:24.143-05:00"Under the Influence" Blind Critique Round Submission Window Open!!<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>*SUBMISSION WINDOW HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL DECEMBER 4 at 8 AM EST. ENTRIES GO LIVE DECEMBER 4 AT 10 AM AND THE CRITIQUE TIME FRAME ENDS AT 8 PM EST DECEMBER 9.*</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fi</span>rst I must apologize for this being late; Not ten minutes after posting my birthday blog entry, I got news that my beloved Nana has been diagnosed with end stage cancer. As I've said countless times, 2013 has been horrible, and receiving this news on top of everything else I've been through is crushing, to say the least. She is one of the most important people in my life, and this news is sudden and devastating. But, because she would want me to continue doing what I do, I'm keeping positive and appreciating the time I have left with her. Which will, understandably, cause me some more distractions and time away from the site, so please continue to be patient with me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My nana has taught me so much, especially in the strength and courage department, so as much as this is trying to destroy me, I won't let it. She wouldn't want it to, especially after all the progress I've made to get back on track. So for her, I will continue move forward, to honor her and her wishes for my success and happiness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); line-height: 24px;">This month's critique round will be called "Under the Influence". This particular round is especially </span><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); line-height: 24px;">for those of you who entered Baker's Dozen 2013, but didn’t receive the response you’d hoped for or maybe don’t understand why yours wasn’t chosen. The anticipation is over, and now it's time to get back to work. Here is your opportunity to see what might have gone wrong and to help others with the same. I'll accept up to 50 full entries (logline and first page). Hopefully, the feedback you'll receive here will give you what's needed to get your work chosen for the next contest or auction (Secret Agent is right around the corner!).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The catch? This round's critiques will be BLIND. A quote from my last blog post: "I've often wondered how much influence the first critique has on the ones that follow. Not saying everyone is following suit, but just like movie reviews, sometimes our opinions can be swayed, even if only a little, by what the first person who saw/read it said. So, when I post the entries, there will be a critique window. All critiques must be submitted during this time frame. But the catch is, no one but me will see the critiques until the time frame closes. When it does, I'll release the critiques from the queue for all to read. I think it will be really interesting to watch unfold!!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So there you have it! Once the entries go live on Sunday, you will have until Wednesday December 4 at 10 PM EST to leave your comments. At that time, I will open the flood gates, releasing them for all to see.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This round I will accept all genres and it is one entry per person, per genre (So you can submit 1 adult, 1 NA and/or 1 YA/MG).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Starting now, please send submissions to ktcritiques [AT] gmail.com by 10 PM EST Saturday night, November 30. I will post them Sunday, December 1 at KTCROWLEY.COM for critiquing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the subject, please state “DEC BLIND ENTRY”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Please list the TITLE, GENRE and your SCREEN NAME (I will not include screen names in the critique posts, these are for my purposes only. Your screen name is the name you'll use to critique others in the comments.) above your logline and 250 words (format it the way you normally would). Please do not stop in the middle of a sentence. If it goes over the 250 limit by a couple of words, that's fine. If you stop at say, 235 words, that's fine, too. As for the logline word limit, I'll make the cut 75 words, but please note, most loglines should only be a max 50-55 words, so keep in mind that less is more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So your submission should look like this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">SCREEN NAME: Your Screen Name Here</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">TITLE: Your Title Here</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">GENRE: Your Genre Here</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">LOGLINE: (Logline here)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">FIRST 250: (First 250 here).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A confirmation email will be sent, but it may not be right away. Only resend if you don't get one by the last hour of the submission window. Should I receive 50 entries, an email will be sent to notify you if you didn't make the cut and I will update this post to reflect an early closure, so get yours in quickly!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Please check your submission(s) carefully for typos, grammatical errors, etc. before submitting. Once the submission is confirmed by email, it is set to automatically post. Double checking it first will ensure your writing is critiqued appropriately. Also, please leave out "chapter one," chapter "titles", etc. Otherwise, I may count them toward your 250 and you could lose some of your first page entry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you enter, please critique five other entries, so that it's fair for everyone (if you enter multiple times, please critique 5 others for each one of your entries). And spread the word; the more critiques, the merrier! Let's help everyone involved get as much feedback as possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Good luck, everyone! I'm looking forward to seeing all the great writing and supportive critiques. Got questions? Post them in the comments or shoot me an email.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">P.S. If you're not a follower of my blog, I'd love it if you'd follow my journey and join the fun! There are several ways via the right-hand side of the screen. I try to offer open critique rounds monthly to help writers like you perfect your work. Our already amazing writing community only gets better when we help each other. :)</span></div>
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K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-76034465726647026802013-11-22T20:40:00.000-05:002013-11-22T20:40:28.321-05:00Oh No, Not I...I Will Survive!<div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At first, my plan was to go back to the beginning and rehash the hell I've been through--at least a recap. There is no need to relive that pain, the suffering, or the loss. I don't want to drag you (or myself) back down that dark hole I'd started thinking of as home. Instead, I'll tell you where I am now.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I thought I was lost, without a map or a compass, or even an idea of how to get back. I was wrong. I wasn't lost, I just couldn't follow the direction I needed to go. I didn't want to. Change is <i>hard</i>. It's terrifying. Letting go, accepting what is, moving forward when all you want to do is dig your heels in and refuse to move with time because you're not ready, is HARD. But time, life, moves forward whether you want it to or not. Amazingly, against all the odds I thought were against me, I've realized that. I've accepted that. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So today, I'm celebrating my birthday. Technically, I'm *gasp* 32 years young, but I'm considering this a first birthday of sorts. The K.T. Crowley that started this journey, she's gone, and she's not coming back. I guess that, even though I knew this and said it out loud countless times, I never actually <i>believed</i> it until recently. But she left for a reason. She left so I could arrive, grow, learn, remember how to breathe and recover. And now, now I'm stronger. I see shades and colors I wasn't able to before, both beautiful and ugly. I have cut ties with most--if not all--the toxic people in my life, and I am trying to live in a drama-free, positivity only zone. I need to. I <i>deserve</i> to. Because life is WAY too short to deal with even an 1/8 of the crap I'd been dealing with, and if I've learned anything from my brother-in-law's death at the start of this year, it's to LIVE. APPRECIATE. FORGIVE AND MOVE FORWARD.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My wish list for myself is pretty simple now. One thing is to reignite my passion for writing, and I have. I partially have NaNoWriMo to thank for that, and my new editor, whom I'll introduce later in full fanfare. Another wish is to keep my eyes open, my head clear and my judgement impartial. Let rejection (especially of the subjective kind) slide, because everyone has to deal with it. In addition to letting rejection slide, I have to continue to learn from it, but not beat myself up when it happens. Those two things should never go hand-in-hand; they breed negativity like rabbits. Face challenges with feet firmly planted, refuse to get discouraged. And most of all, throw my hat in the ring <i>completely</i>. Not just at my feet, on the edge of said ring, nudging it timidly toward the center at a sluggish rate of progression. I have to be and remain 100% committed, like I was in the beginning. The old K.T. may be gone for good, but that factor carried over to my new self. It just took some time to discover it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now for some updates. My NaNo novel is ah-mazing, I'm so happy with it. It's an adult suspense/crime story in 3rd POV, all of which are brand-spanking new for me to write, so it's been challenging but fun. Just the change of pace I needed to feel fresh again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My very first novel has a shiny glow, but still needs to be buffed by my fabulous editor one more time before it meets my standards. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My husband is back to full health after our 6 month ordeal! Yay!! We're planning a big move, with hopes of building our dream home in a wonderful place. More on that to come.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My boys are growing so fast; my oldest is in preschool now and my youngest is close to walking. They are the light of my life and I don't know how I would've survived 2013 without their precious hearts. I'm seriously the luckiest mom ever. I just wish I could slow down time because it feels like I blink and they're a year older. Another reason I try and appreciate every single moment with them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The site will continue as it has, critique rounds and my random posts about things. Though I am really going to try to write posts much more often than I have been. Hopefully I'll have some interesting things for you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That's it for now... Oh wait, no, it's not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Blind critique round will be opening up for submissions on Monday!! What do I mean by "blind"? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, let me explain. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I've often wondered how much influence the first critique has on the ones that follow. Not saying everyone is following suit, but just like movie reviews, sometimes our opinions can be swayed, even if only a little, by what the first person who saw/read it said. So, when I post the entries, there will be a critique window. All critiques must be submitted during this time frame. But the catch is, no one but me will see the critiques until the time frame closes. When it does, I'll release the critiques from the queue for all to read. I think it will be really interesting to watch unfold!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you've never participated before, now is the time to join the fun, seriously. This is also an excellent opportunity to get feedback on your Baker's Dozen 2013 entry, because, yanno, even though we may not have made it in, we have to keep moving forward, and the best way to start is to identify what may have been the issue.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And with all of that said, I'm done for now. Love to you all, and have a wonderful weekend! <3</span></div>
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K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-62836071012335180762013-10-20T15:00:00.008-04:002013-10-20T15:00:03.902-04:00Prep Work Bonus Round #9<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">TITLE: The Legacy of the Eye<br />GENRE: Adult Science Fiction Romance</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Logline: </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On a planet where merit should trump birthright, David uncovers a secret hereditary government. When he realizes the woman he loves will inherit the rule, his haste to put distance between them binds him to a planet at the other end of the galaxy for as long as it will take him to forget her. But those determined to bring him back will use love as bait.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br />First 250:</span><div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br />A single day can alter the course of someone’s life, and today was meant to reroute mine. After months of hard work, and intense arguing, the Council of Demia had allowed Cat and me to present our proposal. We were a pod ride away from our future, and the freedom of leaving the Academy. I just hoped the instructor chaperoning us did not decide to take undue credit.<br /><br />I ducked as I followed Cat into the underground traveling pod. Inside, I covered the keypad with an outstretched hand and faced our instructor before he could move from the doorway.<br /><br />"Max," I said. "We're leaving the school anyway, why not let me punch the code?" It might be a symbolic gesture, but I needed some control over our destination.<br /><br />Arms crossed over his loose-fitting black tunic, Max obscured the pod's exit despite his short stature. "If I had any say, you wouldn’t be leaving at all. The council should have made you wait until after graduation like everyone else."<br /><br />Cat and I had been confined in the school since we were two. What difference would two weeks make after sixteen years?<br /><br />"We've earned the distinction," I said. Why did he insist on arguing with me?<br /><br />His scowl intensified. "Next you'll ask to stop for a black uniform on the way out."<br /><br />We had probably earned that too, but I knew how to pick my battles.<br /><br />Cat's hand pressed my shoulder. "David, we'll be late."<br /><br />"Tell him that," I said.</span></div>
K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-81463740868278156472013-10-20T15:00:00.007-04:002013-10-20T15:00:02.241-04:00Prep Work Bonus Round #8<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="tab">TITLE: The Last Innocent<br />Genre: New Adult Urban Fantasy<br /><br />Logline: </span></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">22 year old Sarah Croshen hates feeling out of place, always different from her friends. A botched burglary and meeting the handsome detective David Galpren sends her on a wild ride that reveals nothing is as it seems. Nothing. Winged angels? Demons from Hell? Supreme beings with supernatural powers? Preposterous! But when a demon prince kidnaps her best friend, Sarah is forced to accept her fate. Now she must fulfill her destiny or risk Andrea’s death.</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="tab"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br />First 250:</span><br />
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<div class="MsoBodyTextFirstIndent" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He sat with his wings tucked neatly behind him on the roof of the old house located in the heart of the college district in Eugene, Oregon. Muffled music escaped through the warped rafters. The Warrior smiled. She was playing her favorite tunes again. The ones she played when life became too stressful. He envisioned her now, walking through the cramped rooms below, singing with abandon at the top of her lungs. How fast she had grown up.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Warrior shook his head and tried remembering the others. Human time was a blur for him. Surely he could recall at least one of his other assignments, but only bits and fragments surfaced. Mortals’ lives were over in the blink of an eye, and such a shame, too. These creatures possessed so much passion and beauty, and, sadly, equal ugliness. All of it rolled into one fragile package. No, the only details that came to his mind were the battles and carnage. No wonder he suppressed the memories.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>Assignments</i>, he chuckled aloud at his own thoughts. He could hear Michael’s scolding now, the beautiful Archangel lecturing him endlessly that protecting wards—mortals—was an assignment of the highest honor. He could even picture Michael’s finely sculpted eyebrows arch in that way he had when masterfully weaving his words. How an angel could be so dangerous, so powerful, and yet so beautiful mystified him. He shook his head again. God, in all His omnipotence, was the only one who could answer that question; however, that particular question hadn’t made it on the Warrior’s list for when his time came to stand before the Almighty.</span></div>
K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-76122956157787091632013-10-20T15:00:00.006-04:002013-10-20T15:00:00.692-04:00Prep Work Bonus Round #7<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Title: Cltr+Alt+Delte</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Genre: MG Light SciFi</span></div>
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<span class="yiv8399671306Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Logline: </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ten children in Johnson Bays have gone missing, only to turn up </span><i>inside </i><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">the online social media site FacePlace. Something went wrong, and the child responsible for using the top-secret government machine, the Polerizeroid, is inside with them. What they don’t know is they have less than 24 hours to escape. Before they disintegrate into the stratosphere.</span></div>
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<span class="yiv8399671306Apple-style-span"><span class="yiv8399671306Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">First 250:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The heat of summer rolled into the small community of Johnson Bays. The time of year when the children roamed barefoot, playing tag until well after sunset, and the evenings filled with the hum of crickets and gentle breezes.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Kalliope’s shadow loomed over her nine-year-old brother. “You aren’t pulling the wings off that dragonfly? Are you?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Theo dropped the open jar, along with the tweezers, splattering iridescent bugs over the ground, creating a carpet of blinking lights before they lifted off and flew away. “They’re fireflies! And you ruined it!”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“<i>You</i> dropped them.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Kali’s voice had its way of startling Theodore, making him nervous, making him think he did something wrong. Did she always have to be so bossy? Theo wouldn’t actually be hurting the insects, but sometimes his experiments didn’t appear cruelty-free.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> “I’m telling Mom! And Dad. And Grandpa—can’t tell Grandma--but she already saw you, ‘cause she can see ALL now.” Kali imitated an evil eye.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Theo scrambled to collect the items from the street before darkness fell completely, so he didn’t leave anything behind: saucers, cups, and water bottles with mosquito larva, assorted-size jars, and Lego links. Everything on display went into the plastic milk crate on the curb. Kali continued her inspection up close, and zeroed in.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Um, what’s in there?” She pointed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Theo looked around, and pretended not to know what she was talking about. He thought if he ignored her she might just go away. No chance.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“You gotta set those free, too. You can’t keep ‘em.”</span></div>
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K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-29525039758930270542013-10-20T15:00:00.005-04:002013-10-20T15:00:02.950-04:00Prep Work Bonus Round #6<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">TITLE: Fairy Cakes</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">GENRE: MG Magical Realism</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">LOGLINE: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For eleven-year-olds Bobbie and Charlie, the first day of summer is the last day their lives won’t be sticky with frosting, stinky with the smell of brine, and enchanted by the magical world of fairies as they bake their town out from under a pickle spell. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">FIRST 250: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Her stomach rumbling, eleven-year-old Bobbie crashed through the mudroom door, kicked off her sneakers, and tossed her backpack on the floor. Just a step behind her twin sister, Charlie entered the house, slipped off her ballet flats, and brought her lunch bag and homework into the kitchen looking for the note her mom left telling them when she’d be home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Charlie and Bobbie squealed with surprised delight when they spotted a plate of perfectly frosted mini-cupcakes waiting for them in the center of the kitchen table. Bobbie broke into a run, elbowing Charlie to be the one to get there first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Charlie savored a bite as Bobbie went in for seconds, but before she could snag another cupcake, their mom and dad, Anna and Jolly Hart, burst into the kitchen looking excited. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> “We have big news,” Anna announced, her ponytail bobbing up and down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Maybe a bit more vanilla, just a smidge,” Jolly said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“That doesn’t sound like big news,” Bobbie said eager for another cupcake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It actually does have to do with what we want to share with you,” Anna answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“What is it?” Bobbie asked licking some chocolate off her finger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We bought a bakery,” Anna declared, her voice squeaking. Jolly’s bearded grin reached up to his twinkling eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“That’s cool,” Bobbie said as she thought of all the yummy treats she’d get to eat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> “There’s more,” Jolly said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> “It’s in Maine,” they said together. The old wooden clock on the kitchen wall counted ten seconds in the silence that followed.</span></div>
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K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940209088259004106.post-44115593788508155902013-10-20T15:00:00.004-04:002013-10-20T15:00:04.824-04:00Prep Work Bonus Round #5<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Title: ATTIE AND THE MONSTER BOOK<br />Genre: MG Magical Realism<br /><br />LOGLINE: After twelve-year-old Attie Cohen receives a book about monsters from a mysterious family counselor, her siblings suddenly start morphing into deadly, supernatural beasts. The trouble is they morph when their emotions flare, and with their parents' divorce approaching, emotions are constantly on high alert. Attie must do her best to stay alive, keep her siblings human, and get back to that family counselor for some answers before she gets into BIG trouble.<br /><br /><br />FIRST 250:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">My sister’s a monster. No, really. The first time I saw her morph was back in December. My parents had been arguing all day. I’d tried every nook and cranny in the house, but it was no use; I couldn’t escape the sound of their annoying bickering. So I finally left—just walked out the front door and made my way to the ravine. I hoped I might find some peace and quiet there.<br />Instead, I found my sister.<br />I was halfway down the steep slope when something hissed, “Get out of here, Attttttiiieee.”<br />Attie? My name? I looked around, and then I saw—it—her—Gracie. She wasn’t so far away from me, but she was a good ten feet up in the air somehow magically attached to a tree. Her skin was the color of a submarine, and bright blue veins covered her body. They popped out along her arms and legs, making her look like some thirteen-year old girl version of the Hulk. Her hair was sticking straight up over her head, and wrapped around the tree like it had sprouted a mind of its own and decided that today was the day it would finally merge with nature. In other words: OMG. My sister’s into fashion and being pretty and taking a bazillion hours in the bathroom each morning. This was the least pretty I’d ever seen her. And that’s counting the day she threw up five times.</span>K.T. Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08211266985396588133noreply@blogger.com7