CLOSED: In-Depth Query Critique with Agent Kate Testerman

Excellent critique opportunity today with super agent Kate Testerman of KT Literary. She’s offering to critique a query of a young adult or middle grade manuscript (any genre). This will be in-depth, like a very special About My Query post, PLUS Kate’s offering the winner a follow up phone call (or some tea, if you live in the area) to discuss the query, as well as some sweet KT Literary swag: a tote bag and a flashdrive/bracelet. So get a-bidding folks, and help Crits for Water finish with a bang.

This auction is open for bids until 11:59pm, Eastern time, June 26th.

  1. Comment on THIS BLOG POST with your bid. Bidding starts at US$1.
  2. You may, of course, bid more than once.
  3. The highest bid at 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time, June 26th, 2012, will win.
  4. Once the auction closes, if you are the highest bidder, I will contact you with further instructions.
  5. Please DO NOT donate, send the file, etc., unless I email you! SERIOUSLY.
  6. And…go!

—

About Kate:

After nearly ten years with industry powerhouse agency Janklow & Nesbit Associates, Kate Schafer Testerman formed kt literary in early 2008, where she concentrates on middle grade and YA fiction as well as handling some select adult commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction. Bringing to bear the experience of working with a large agency, she enjoys concentrating on all aspects of working with her authors, offering hands-on experience, personal service, and a surfeit of optimism.

Her clients include Maureen Johnson, Ellen Booraem, Stephanie Perkins, S. Terrell French, Thomas E. Sniegoski, Josie Bloss, and Matthew Cody, among other exciting newcomers. Kate is a graduate of the University of Delaware’s Honors Program, a former cast member of the New York Renaissance Faire, and an avid collector of shoes. Her interests cover a broad range including teen chick lit, urban fantasy and magical realism, adventure stories, and romantic comedies. She is an active member of the SCBWI and AAR.

Posted on June 25, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 15 }

CLOSED: Critique of 5 Pages by Authors Emma Pass or Kit Grindstaff

Congrats to the winners, Akossiwa, Jean, and Carolyn!

Got a pledge here to help you polish up your opening pages with one of two great authors, Emma Pass or Kit Grindstaff. Both Emma and Kit are members of the Lucky 13s, with Emma’s debut Acid, YA a dystopian thriller, coming out with Random House, and Kit’s The Flame in the Mist, an MG fantasy, with Delacorte. Emma is offering to critique the first 1250 words of a young adult or middle grade manuscript for one winner, and Kit will have two winners. Please note that Kit prefers speculative fiction. Also, if you have a critiquer preference, please include the author’s name in your comment. :) Thank you!

You can pledge for this critique until June 26th at 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time.

  1. Comment on this blog post saying how much you pledge.
  2. By pledging, you promise to donate the pledged amount only if you win
  3. Pledges must be at least $5.
  4. If you would like to pledge more, go for it! Every additional five dollars will give you another entry. (Ex: pledging $20, enough to give one person in a developing nation clean, safe water, gets you four entries.)
  5. But regardless of how many entries you have, you can only win one of the three critiques.
  6. You do NOT need to pledge more than previous commenters.
  7. Once pledging time ends, I’ll choose a winner using random.org.
  8. Again: please do NOT donate unless I email you saying you’re the winner.

This is a little complicated, so if you have any questions, feel free to comment below or email me.

—

About Kit:
Kit Grindstaff was born near London, and grew up in the rolling countryside of England. After a brush with pop stardom (under her maiden name, Hain) she moved to New York and embarked on her still-thriving career as a pop song writer.

Kit now lives with her husband in the rolling countryside of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the SCBWI. The Flame In The Mist is her first novel.

About Emma:

Emma Pass grew up at an environmental studies centre near London, went to art school in Cornwall and now lives in the North-East Midlands with her artist husband, where she has a day job at her local library. She is represented by Carolyn Whitaker at London Independent Books and her YA dystopian thriller ACID is out from Random House Children’s Books in early 2013.

Posted on June 24, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 15 }

Water Story: Burning Skies

by Linda McLaren

We were told soon after we arrived that it would happen. The dams were running dry. Rivers too. We were in a drought with hot summer days burning in the forties, and skies that burned too.

Orange. Red. Purple twists. Skies in colours I’d never seen. The fires started, but they didn’t need to tell us something like that. Smoke came drifting miles, knocking on our back doors reminding us it was getting close.

How close?

Too close.

Every eye watched out windows. Every breath tasted of smoke. Every day was a reminder.
Better watch out. Things change. Blink of an eye change. Yep, you’d better watch out. Things happen quickly.

Out the window on my way to the mountains, I saw it with my own eyes. The river that wasn’t. There was a line where the water had once been, drawn thick along the bank. Hot, red, bleeding dry clay, and trees bent in sorrow.

People around here had holidays on that river. Water skied down to the bend and then turned around and came back again. No one came now. The old hotel that housed families with running bare feet and sun kissed cheeks was all but gone. The sign hung crooked. It was missing two letters. It was missing a whole lot more.

Hurts seeing something like that. Hurts remembering how things once were. Burns something inside you. Leaves an imprint, an image cut deep.

We don’t water our gardens. Trees die. Plants too. We watch them, hoping for rain. Begging.

We drive dusty cars along dusty roads. It coats our skin, dries our eyes.

A cloud passes overhead. Every eye turns toward it, every hand scratches a head. Everything waits. Waits.

For the next rain.

—

This is a reflection on Linda’s first days in Australia during a time of fires and drought. Her last story was about her time on Lake Erie and the forever vastness of the Great Lakes. ‘Burning Skies’ is in contrast to that. New Zealand and its purity is next, time permitted! :) Learn more about Linda at her blog or by following her on twitter (@writerescape).

Submit a water story! No donation required, and it’ll enter you for a great, water-themed prize drawing that goes to support charity: water the organization. Water stories are accepted any time, from now to June 28. Two more giveaways to win!

Posted on June 23, 2012 in Memory, Water Story · Comments { 1 }

CLOSED: Critique of Three Chapters + Synopsis by Author Claire Legrand

Crazy fab opportunity today with unicornly Claire Legrand, author of the deliciously creepy upcoming middle grade, The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls. Claire is offering to critique the first three chapters of and synopsis for a young adult or middle grade fantasy or science fiction. Claire is pretty much the most amazing thing since sparkles, so get to bidding, folks.

This auction is open for bids until 11:59pm, Eastern time, June 24th.

  1. Comment on THIS BLOG POST with your bid. Bidding starts at US$1.
  2. You may, of course, bid more than once.
  3. The highest bid at 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time, June 24th, 2012, will win.
  4. Once the auction closes, if you are the highest bidder, I will contact you with further instructions.
  5. Please DO NOT donate, send the file, etc., unless I email you! SERIOUSLY.
  6. And…go!

—

About Claire:

Claire is a Texan living in New York City! She writes fantastical stories, and her daemon is an ocelot but sometimes a unicorn.

Her first novel, THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS, due out August 28, 2012 from Simon & Schuster BFYR, will probably give you nightmares. Or at the very least make you buy a nightlight.

Her second novel, THE YEAR OF SHADOWS, due out in Fall 2013 from Simon & Schuster BFYR, involves several ghosts, a girl who lives in a haunted music hall, and a rather insouciant cat.

Her third novel, WINTERSPELL, due out in Fall 2014 from Simon & Schuster BFYR, is a young adult retelling of The Nutcracker, full of faeries, bloody swordfights, and forbidden romance.

Posted on June 23, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 9 }

CLOSED: Critique of a Query or Synopsis by Agent Katie Grimm

Another fabulous Super Agent opportunity, this time with Agent Katie Grimm at Don Congdon Associates. Katie is an incredibly warm and talented agent, and she’s offering to critique a query or one page synopsis. In adult fiction, this can be for: literary fiction, upmarket women’s fiction, historical fiction, mystery, or thriller. In young adult, the MS can be a fantasy or contemporary (but especially a mix between the two), and any genre in middle grade (but preferably something humorous with a creepy twist).

You can pledge for this critique until June 24th at 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time.

  1. Comment on this blog post saying how much you pledge.
  2. By pledging, you promise to donate the pledged amount only if you win
  3. Pledges must be at least $5.
  4. If you would like to pledge more, go for it! Every additional three dollars will give you another entry. (Ex: pledging $20, enough to give one person in a developing nation clean, safe water, gets you six entries.)
  5. You do NOT need to pledge more than previous commenters.
  6. Once pledging time ends, I’ll choose a winner using random.org.
  7. Again: please do NOT donate unless I email you saying you’re the winner.

This is a little complicated, so if you have any questions, feel free to comment below or email me.

—

About Katie:

Katie joined Don Congdon Associates in 2007. In addition to maintaining her own client list, she acts as business manager. She focuses on vivid literary fiction, transportive historical fiction, up-market women’s fiction, cohesive short story collections, and lurid mysteries & thrillers with exotic or historical settings. In young adult, she is actively seeking both contemporary and fantastical high-concepts with a touch of romance. In middle grade, she looks for heart and humor with a strange or creepy twist. Most importantly, she is hooked by fiction with emotional resonance and longevity, and in her opinion, this requires an authentic voice, relatable characters, and a twisting plot that keeps her intrigued. For non-fiction, she is looking for narrative non-fiction about history, popular science, off-beat topics, and counter-culture. She is also a member of SCBWI.

Posted on June 22, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 21 }

CLOSED: Critique of 2500 Words by Author Sarah J Maas

Another fantabulous opportunity to perfect your opening pages, this time with the author of the super-buzzy Throne of Glass. (If you haven’t been reading her novellas set in the same universe, OMG, read them now. FANFRIGGINTASTIC. Ahem.) Sarah J Maas is offering to read the first 2500 words of a young adult paranormal or fantasy novel. She has amazing taste and an equally amazing ability to help improve an MS, so get to bidding, folks.

This auction is open for bids until 11:59pm, Eastern time, June 22nd.

  1. Comment on THIS BLOG POST with your bid. Bidding starts at US$1.
  2. You may, of course, bid more than once.
  3. The highest bid at 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time, June 22nd, 2012, will win.
  4. Once the auction closes, if you are the highest bidder, I will contact you with further instructions.
  5. Please DO NOT donate, send the file, etc., unless I email you! SERIOUSLY.
  6. And…go!

—

About Sarah:

Sarah J. Maas lives in Southern California, and over the years, she has developed an unhealthy appreciation for Disney movies and bad pop music. She adores fairy tales and ballet, drinks too much coffee, and watches absolutely rubbish TV shows. When she’s not busy writing YA fantasy novels, she can be found exploring the California coastline.

Her debut YA epic fantasy novel, THRONE OF GLASS, will be published by Bloomsbury on August 7th, 2012.

Posted on June 21, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 8 }

CLOSED: Critique of 2500 Words by Author AC Gaughen

Get your lucky rabbit foot ready, because AC Gaughen, author of the fantabulous historical YA Scarlet, is offering to critique the first 2500 words of a young adult manuscript for one winner. AC is also part of the genius behind IGNITE Change, an initiative where young adult authors encourage Boston-area teens to pursue college and use writing as a way to express themselves. In other words, AC is awesome. So pledge and win!

You can bid for this critique until June 22d at 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time.

  1. Comment on THIS BLOG POST with your bid. Bidding starts at US$1.
  2. You may, of course, bid more than once.
  3. The highest bid at 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time, June 22nd, 2012, will win.
  4. Once the auction closes, if you are the highest bidder, I will contact you with further instructions.
  5. Please DO NOT donate, send the file, etc., unless I email you! SERIOUSLY.
  6. And…go!

—

About AC:

AC Gaughen has been a lot of things in her life. Freelance writer, wrapper (WITH a “w”, sadly), hotel concierge, retail flunkie, telemarketer, non-profit board member and personal shopper are just the beginning of the list, but young adult novelist is without a doubt her favorite hat to wear.

Posted on June 20, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 6 }

CLOSED: Critique of 7000 Words by Author Kat Zhang

The Crits for Water Auction block is being whetted today by the illustrious Kat Zhang, author of the upcoming mind-blowing speculative young adult, What’s Left of Me. Kat is offering to critique the first 7000 words of a young adult manuscript (any sub-genre). And, if bidding gets above $100, she’ll increase that amount to 10,000 words. One of the largest crits in the campaign offered by an amazing author–so get your non-Kat Kat-Crit now and bid!

This auction is open for bids until 11:59pm, Eastern time, June 20th.

  1. Comment on THIS BLOG POST with your bid. Bidding starts at US$1.
  2. You may, of course, bid more than once.
  3. The highest bid at 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time, June 20th, 2012, will win.
  4. Once the auction closes, if you are the highest bidder, I will contact you with further instructions.
  5. Please DO NOT donate, send the file, etc., unless I email you! SERIOUSLY.
  6. And…go!

—

About Kat:

Kat Zhang is an avid traveler, and after a childhood spent living in one book after another, she now builds stories for other people to visit. An English major at Vanderbilt University, she spends her free time performing Spoken Word poetry, raiding local bookstores, and plotting where to travel next. What’s Left of Me–about a girl with two souls–is her first novel and will be released by HarperCollins on 9/18/2012. She is represented by Emmanuelle Morgen of Stonesong. You can read about her travels, literary and otherwise, on her website or check her out on Twitter.

Posted on June 19, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 8 }

CLOSED: Critique Package with KA Barson and Elle Cosimano

Another wonderful opportunity to work on your opening pages with the authors of the Lucky 13s, this time with Kelly Barson and Elle Cosimano. Elle and Kelly are both offering to both critique the first 2500 words of a young adult or middle grade manuscript (any genre, although Kelly specializes in contemporary or historical, and Elle in thriller/suspense) PLUS both will also critique your query. So get to pledging, guys, because this is a fabulous opportunity to get two sets of great authorly eyes on your work.

You can pledge for this critique until June 20th at 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time.

  1. Comment on this blog post saying how much you pledge.
  2. By pledging, you promise to donate the pledged amount only if you win
  3. Pledges must be at least $10.
  4. If you would like to pledge more, go for it! Every additional five dollars will give you another entry. (Ex: pledging $20, enough to give two people in a developing nation clean, safe water, gets you three entries.)
  5. You do NOT need to pledge more than previous commenters.
  6. Once pledging time ends, I’ll choose a winner using random.org.
  7. Again: please do NOT donate unless I email you saying you’re the winner.

This is a little complicated, so if you have any questions, feel free to comment below or email me.

—

About Kelly:

Kelly Barson graduated from Vermont College of Fine Arts with an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She can usually be found in her messy office sporting no make-up, bed head, and sweats. Her YA debut, 45 POUNDS, is about Ann, a sixteen-year-old girl who doesn’t fit—not in her blended family and certainly not in Snapz! clothes—is convinced that if she could only lose 45 pounds, her life would be perfectly normal. She soon learns that is nothing perfect about normal. 45 POUNDS will be available from Viking Children’s Books, Summer 2013.

About Elle:

Elle Cosimano grew up in the Washington DC suburbs. The daughter of a prison warden and an elementary school teacher who rides a Harley, she majored in Psychology at St Mary’s College of Maryland, and set aside a successful real-estate career to pursue writing. Her debut DEAD BLUE is a thrill-ride of a novel, in which a math-whiz from a trailer park discovers she’s the only student capable of unraveling complex clues left by a serial killer who’s systematically getting rid of her classmates. DEAD BLUE will be coming from Dial/Penguin Fall, 2013.

Posted on June 18, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 10 }

CLOSED: Lucky 13s Critique Pack with Caroline Carlson, Peggy Eddleman, and Stephanie Kuehn

Awesome chance to get your submissions package polished to a shiny, shiny gem with three ladies of the Lucky 13s: Caroline Carlson and Peggy Eddleman are offering to critique the first 2500 words of your young adult or middle grade manuscript (any genre, though they specialize in speculative fiction). Then Stephanie Kuehn will critique your synopsis and query, rounding out your submissions package if you’re getting ready to query. This is a fantastic opportunity to get three separate, genius sets of eyes on your writing, so get to bidding, guys!

  1. Comment on THIS BLOG POST with your bid. Bidding starts at US$1.
  2. You may, of course, bid more than once.
  3. The highest bid at 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time, June 18th, 2012, will win.
  4. Once the auction closes, if you are the highest bidder, I will contact you with further instructions.
  5. Please DO NOT donate, send the file, etc., unless I email you! SERIOUSLY.
  6. And…go!

—

About Caroline:

Caroline Carlson grew up in New England and now lives with her husband in western Pennsylvania. She earned an MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Caroline writes humorous fantasy for middle-grade readers, and her pirate adventure series is forthcoming from HarperCollins Children’s Books.

About Peggy:

Peggy Eddleman is the author of the middle grade post-apocalyptic adventure THROUGH THE BOMB’S BREATH, to be published by Random House in Fall 2013. On school days, she works with fourth graders who are struggling with math and language arts, and the rest of the time she hangs out at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah with her three hilarious and fun kids (two sons and a daughter), and her incredibly supportive husband. Besides writing, Peggy enjoys playing games with her family, making dinner, reading to her kids, toilet papering friends’ houses, doing cartwheels in long hallways, trying new restaurants, and occasionally painting murals on walls.

About Stephanie:

Stephanie grew up in Berkeley, California, which is a quirky sort of a place with a ton of wonderful bookstores. Her very first job was working in one of those bookstores, and she’s been a freakishly avid reader for as long as she can remember. Now, as an adult, she’s found her own passion in writing books for teens. Other passions of hers include mental health advocacy, social justice, and sports of all kinds. She currently lives in Northern California with her husband and three kids. Her debut young adult novel, CHARM & STRANGE, will be published in 2013 by St. Martin’s Press.

Posted on June 17, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 8 }