Tag Archives | Raffles

CLOSED: Critique of a Query by Author Janice Hardy

Congrats to the winner, Mandy!

One of three chances to get Janice Hardy‘s excellent comments for any fiction, though she specializes in science fiction/fantasy! For this raffle, Janice is offering to critique the query for your manuscript. Plus, she’s offered to help over several drafts so it can attain a fantastic polish. Janice is the genius behind the Healing Wars series, but she also runs an incredible blog, The Other Side of the Story, that also has wonderful articles on how to write a home run of a query.

You can enter for this critique until June 17th at 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time.

  1. Go to http://mycharitywater.org/critsforwater2012
  2. Click on the “Donate” button and donate $1.
  3. Then in the comments section, please write in a way to contact you. You can use your email, twitter, or website. Anything’s cool, as long as you check it often :D For example:
  4. When you donate, mycharitywater will ask you to become a member (if you’re not already). That does NOT mean the donation didn’t go through! If in doubt, check your email/bank account before re-donating.
  5. I will use random.org to pick the raffle winner on June 18th
  6. Anyone who does not win the raffle will receive a consolation Kat-Crit of a query or synopsis.

This is a little complicated, so please, if you have any questions, use the comment section below! And thank you so much!

—

About Janice:

A long-time fantasy reader, Janice Hardy always wondered about the darker side of healing. For her fantasy trilogy THE HEALING WARS, she tapped into her own dark side to create a world where healing was dangerous, and those with the best intentions often made the worst choices. Her books include THE SHIFTER, BLUE FIRE, and the final book in the trilogy, DARKFALL. She lives in Georgia with her husband, three cats and one very nervous freshwater eel. You can visit her online at www.janicehardy.com or chat with her about writing on her blog, The Other Side of the Story.

Posted on June 15, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 0 }

CLOSED: Critique of 1250 Words by Agent Elana Roth

Congratulations to Alexandra, Elana’s winner!
But I’ll be contacting everyone for your consolation Kat-Crits as well. :)

Elana Roth, agent at and founder of Red Tree Literary, has offered her amazing expertise to Crits for Water next! She is offering to critique the first 1250 words of any young adult or middle grade manuscript for one winner. Elana has amazing taste (she represents Justina, for example, whose auction is running until the end of June 10th!), so head over to mycharitywater and enter! And if you don’t win, you’ll still receive a consolation Kat-Crit.

Entries will be accepted for this critique until June 12th at 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time.

  1. Go to http://mycharitywater.org/critsforwater2012
  2. Click on the “Donate” button and donate $5.
  3. Then in the comments section, please write in a way to contact you. You can use your email, twitter, or website. Anything’s cool, as long as you check it often :D For example:
  4. When you donate, mycharitywater will ask you to become a member (if you’re not already). That does NOT mean the donation didn’t go through! If in doubt, check your email/bank account before re-donating.
  5. I will use random.org to pick the raffle winner June 13th
  6. Anyone who does not win the raffle will receive a consolation Kat-Crit.

This is a little complicated, so please, if you have any questions, use the comment section below! And thank you so much!

—

About Elana:

Elana Roth is a Brooklyn-based creative type, specifically of the word variety. After 4 years of agenting at other people’s companies, she opened Red Tree Literary to continue working with a select list of children’s and young adult authors on her own.

How she fell in love with children’s content is a long story that begins by sheer dumb luck with an internship at Nickelodeon Magazine. Books followed when she began working as an editor at Parachute Publishing, where she spent 5 years learning the publishing ropes on series for kids of all ages (and that includes some adults). She switched to agenting in 2008.

Educationally, Elana is a graduate of Barnard College and the Jewish Theological Seminary, where she earned degrees in English literature and Bible. Surprisingly, it’s that second degree which comes more in handy when trying to make conversation at cocktail parties.

Posted on June 10, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 2 }

CLOSED: Critique of 25 Pages by Cassandra Marshall

One of the three great opportunities for a super sparkly critique from Cassandra Marshall, freelance editor, YA author, and literary agent staffer of awesome. This raffle is for a critique of the first 25 pages of any YA manuscript! If you donate for this raffle and don’t win–no worries, you’ll still be eligible for a consolation Kat-Crit.

Feel free to enter in all of Cassandra’s critique contests, but be aware that you can only win one. :D

Entries will be accepted for this critique until June 5th at 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time.

  1. Go to http://mycharitywater.org/critsforwater2012
  2. Click on the “Donate” button and donate $10.
  3. Then in the comments section, please write in a way to contact you. You can use your email, twitter, or website. Anything’s cool, as long as you check it often :D For example:
  4. When you donate, mycharitywater will ask you to become a member (if you’re not already). That does NOT mean the donation didn’t go through! If in doubt, check your email/bank account before re-donating.
  5. I will use random.org to pick the raffle winners June 6th
  6. Anyone who does not win the raffle will receive a consolation Kat-Crit.

This is a little complicated, so please, if you have any questions, use the comment section below! And thank you so much!

—

About Cassandra:

Cassandra gets to use her MA in Creative Writing from Newcastle University in her day job as a freelance editor. This means that she can set her own hours and lay around the house in her pajamas all day (not really) and snuggle with her dog Mollie whenever she wants to (really). She’s seriously addicted to that dog.

She’s also addicted to reading queries for a literary agency in NYC. Some are funny, some are horrifying, and some are so awesome that it takes all her reserve not to jump around and shout about them. She does that anyway, but only in the privacy of her own home.

It took a year in the northeast of England to get that MA and even though she’ll be in student debt up to her eyeballs for the rest of her life, it was worth every penny. And before that she attended Rochester College where she earned a BA in Professional Writing.

Posted on June 3, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 0 }

CLOSED: Critique of a Query by Author Jane Kindred

Here’s another stupendous opportunity to get your query looked at by a pro–Ms Jane Kindred, author of the epic fantasy with strong romantic elements, The Fallen Queen, is offering to give one winner a query critique for any adult fantasy manuscript. Don’t miss this opportunity

This raffle is open for entries until 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time, May 11th, 2012. And check out her interview over at Not an Editor for more insight on her critiquerly prowess.

  1. Go to http://mycharitywater.org/critsforwater2012
  2. Click on the “Donate” button and donate $1.
  3. Then in the comments section, please write in a way to contact you. You can use your email, twitter, or website. Anything’s cool, as long as you check it often :D For example:
  4. When you donate, mycharitywater will ask you to become a member (if you’re not already). That does NOT mean the donation didn’t go through! If in doubt, check your email/bank account before re-donating.
  5. I will use random.org to pick the raffle winners on May 11th
  6. Anyone who does not win the raffle will receive a consolation Kat-Crit of a query or synopsis.

This is a little complicated, so please, if you have any questions, use the comment section below! And thank you so much!
—

About Jane:

Jane Kindred began writing fantasy at age 12 in the wayback of a Plymouth Fury—which, as far as she recalls, never killed anyone…who didn’t have it coming. She spent her formative years ruining her eyes reading romance novels in the Tucson sun and watching Star Trek marathons in the dark. Although she was repeatedly urged to learn a marketable skill, she received a B.A. in Creative Writing anyway from the University of Arizona.

She now writes to the sound of San Francisco foghorns while two cats slowly but surely edge her off the side of the bed.

You can find Jane on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and on her website.

Posted on May 9, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 4 }

CLOSED: Critique of 2500 words by Agent Josh Getzler

Big thanks to everyone who donated!

Been awhile since we’ve had an agent raffle, so here’s your chance to get your opening pages read by Super Agent Josh Getzler of Hannigan, Salky, and Getzler Agency and save lives at the same time! This can be for an adult or YA/MG (especially crime/mystery/thrillers). For more information, see his Publisher’s Marketplace page. And no worries, if you don’t win the raffle, you’ll still get a critique by yours truly (Ms Kat Brauer). So enter and lets give folks clean water!

This raffle is open for entries until 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time, May 11th, 2012.

  1. Go to http://mycharitywater.org/critsforwater2012
  2. Click on the “Donate” button and donate $10.
  3. Then in the comments section, please write in a way to contact you. You can use your email, twitter, or website. Anything’s cool, as long as you check it often :D For example:
  4. When you donate, mycharitywater will ask you to become a member (if you’re not already). That does NOT mean the donation didn’t go through! If in doubt, check your email/bank account before re-donating.
  5. I will use random.org to pick the raffle winners on May 12th
  6. Anyone who does not win the raffle will receive a consolation Kat-Crit.

This is a little complicated, so please, if you have any questions, use the comment section below! And thank you so much!

—

About Josh:

Josh left Harcourt in 1993 to get an MBA from Columbia Business School. After Business School, Josh spent 11 years owning and operating a minor league baseball team (the Staten Island Yankees). He left baseball in late 2006 and rejoined the book world on the agent side. Josh worked at Writers House until November 2009, building a list of novelists, YA and children’s book authors, and the occasional nonfiction writer; then joined Russell and Volkening. In his time there, he brought in adult authors such as Nancy Bilyeau (THE CROWN—Touchstone, 2012) and Geoff Rodkey (THE CHRONICLES OF EGG— Putnam Books for Young Readers, beginning in 2012). He represents more than 30 authors, including Joshua Gaylord/Alden Bell (THE REAPERS ARE THE ANGELS), Cali Yost (Work+Life Fit and TWEAK— forthcoming from Center Street), and Gerald Elias (DEVIL’S TRILL and DANSE MACABRE—Minotaur Books).

Josh represents fiction and nonfiction (mostly fiction, much of which is crime-related (mystery, thriller, creepy…)), adult and YA/middle-grade books (though not picture books). And please don’t send religious fiction. He is particularly into foreign and historical thrillers and mysteries, so send your ruthless doges and impious cardinals…and your farmhouse cozies! Give him atmosphere, let him learn something about another time or another place (or both), and kill off nasty Uncle Mortimer in the process—Josh will be yours!

Posted on May 8, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 10 }

CLOSED: Critique of a Query by Author Michael R Underwood

Big thanks to everyone who donated!


Congrats to the winner as chosen by random.org: Juli!

Spot the d20?

Michael R. Underwood, author of the very upcoming Geekomancy, is offering to help refine the query for any science fiction/fantasy MS (adult or YA/MG). This is an excellent opportunity–queries are often the most difficult to write for speculative fiction. So enter and get rocking, folks. If you don’t win, you’ll still receive a query (or 1 page synopsis) critique from Kat! Huzzah!

This raffle is open for entries until 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time, May 6th, 2012.

Read about Mike’s critiquerly aspects in his Not an Editor interview.

  1. Go to http://mycharitywater.org/critsforwater2012
  2. Click on the “Donate” button and donate $1.
  3. Then in the comments section, please write in a way to contact you. You can use your email, twitter, or website. Anything’s cool, as long as you check it often :D For example:
  4. When you donate, mycharitywater will ask you to become a member (if you’re not already). That does NOT mean the donation didn’t go through! If in doubt, check your email/bank account before re-donating.
  5. I will use random.org to pick the raffle winners on May 7th
  6. Anyone who does not win the raffle will receive a consolation Kat-Crit of a query or synopsis.

This is a little complicated, so please, if you have any questions, use the comment section below! And thank you so much!
—

About Michael

Mike started telling stories when he learned to talk and hasn’t seen a reason to stop yet. He grew up playing video games, CCGs, RPGs, and many other delightful games with acronyms. As a teenager, the friendly local game store was his home away from home, and the site of his apprenticeship in geekdom.

Mike earned a B.A. in Creative Mythology and in East Asian Studies from Indiana University, and a M.A. in Folklore Studies from the University of Oregon. Basically, destined to be a novelist.

Properly equipped with lots of ways to develop novel ideas, Mike set about accumulating a ridiculous job history, including bear builder, barista, bookseller, webmaster, web design instructor, and TV/DVD reviewer. He now works as a publisher’s representative, studies renaissance martial arts and dances Argentine Tango on the side.

Mike is a graduate of the 2007 Clarion West Writers Workshop.

Posted on May 4, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 0 }

CLOSED: Critique of 20 pages by agent Kevan Lyon

Big thanks to everyone who donated!

Big huzzah for our winner–Ms. Kerry Lonsdale!

Super Agent Kevan Lyon, of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, has offered a critique of 20 pages for one lucky winner. If you enter, you’ll provide one person in a developing country with clean, safe water, maybe saving their life. Entries are accepted within the following: women’s fiction (including historical, mystery, literary, and commercial), young adult, and all genres of romance. And if you don’t win the raffle, you’ll still receive a 20 page critique from Kat (ahem: me).

This raffle is open for entries until 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time, April 11th, 2012.

  1. Go to http://mycharitywater.org/critsforwater2012
  2. Click on the “Donate” button and donate $20.
  3. Then in the comments section, please write in a way to contact you. You can use your email, twitter, or website. Anything’s cool, as long as you check it often :D For example:
  4. When you donate, mycharitywater will ask you to become a member (if you’re not already). That does NOT mean the donation didn’t go through! If in doubt, check your email/bank account before re-donating.
  5. I will use random.org to pick the raffle winners on April 11th
  6. Anyone who does not win the raffle will receive a consolation Kat-Crit.

This is a little complicated, so please, if you have any questions, use the comment section below! And thank you so much!
—

She's full of awesome.

Kevan Lyon is a founding partner of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. With over 20 years in the publishing business, including 5 years as a Literary Agent with the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency and 17+ years on the wholesale, retail and distribution side of the business, Kevan brings an informed and unique perspective to her work with clients. Her background on the buying and retail side of publishing affords her helpful insight into what types of books will sell and how to market them. Kevan holds an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA.

Kevan handles women’s fiction, with an emphasis on commercial women’s fiction, young adult fiction and all genres of romance. Kevan works with her authors to help them realize their dreams of being published and to build a long term career as a writer. The Marsal Lyon Literary Agency strives to partner with their clients on all phases of the publishing path. Authors on Kevan’s list span a broad range of genres in women’s fiction including historical fiction, mystery, literary, commercial fiction and all genres of romance. She loves to be surprised by a unique plot or characters and is always looking for a new, fresh voice or approach. A few of Kevan’s recent and soon to be published books include SNAPPED by Laura Griffin (Pocket Books); THE SEPTEMBER QUEEN by Gillian Bagwell (Berkley), LEGACY by Cayla Kluver (Harlequin Teen); DARK AWAKENING by Kendra Leigh Castle (Grand Central Publishing); SHADOW OF A QUARTER MOON by Eileen Clymer Schwab (NAL) THE GUARDIAN by Margaret Mallory (Grand Central Publishing) and SILVER SPARKS by Starr Ambrose (Pocket Books).

She is also interested in non-fiction, representing authors in the areas of current events, narrative, memoir, environment, parenting and pets/animals. With non-fiction projects she looks for topics that she is passionate about or that speak to issues of particular concern to women and families.

Posted on April 9, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 1 }

CLOSED: Critique of a Query OR 10 pages by Roni Loren

Coming out in July, 2012.

Has Roni’s auction gotten too hot for your blood? No worries, Roni Loren‘s awesome knows few bounds, and she’s genius at helping folks find and fix their writerly woes, so she’s also offered a one winner a query critique and another winner a critique of 10 pagees. These are for romance or young adult manuscripts (any sub-genres).

This raffle is open for entries until 11:59pm, Eastern Daylight Time, April 6th, 2012.

  1. Go to http://mycharitywater.org/critsforwater2012
  2. Click on the “Donate” button. [Yes, you must donate to enter this raffle.]
  3. Once you’ve filled out everything, choose a donation…
    • $5 for the query critique, or
    • $10 for the 10 page critique, or
    • $15 to enter both drawings.
    • Do NOT do all three. You shouldn’t donate more than $15.
  4. Then in the comments section, please write in a way to contact YOU (yes, use your contact information, please):

    OR


    OR

  5. For your contact information, you may use your email, twitter handle, or website. I don’t care, as long as it’s something you check often.
  6. When you donate, mycharitywater will ask you to become a member (if you’re not already). That does NOT mean the donation didn’t go through! If in doubt, check your email/bank account before re-donating.
  7. I will use random.org to pick the raffle winners on April 7th
  8. And then I will contact those two folks with further instructions.
  9. Though you can enter for both raffles, you CANNOT win both the query and 10 page critiques. If you want both, keep plugging in at Roni’s auction!
  10. Anyone who does not win the raffle will receive a consolation Kat-Crit.

This is a little complicated, so please, if you have any questions, use the comment section below! And thank you so much!
—

About Roni:

Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. After earning a master’s degree in social work from LSU, she worked in a mental hospital, counseled birthmothers as an adoption coordinator, and did management recruiting in her PJs. But she always returned to writing.

Though she’ll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart, she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son. If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars concerts. Her debut novel, CRASH INTO YOU, is now available from Berkley Heat.

Posted on April 4, 2012 in 2012 Crits, Finished · Comments { 0 }

Tokyo and The Water Wars

Hey guys! I’m back. (Woo!) I had a great time in Tokyo. I went to an exhibition of Robert Doisneau’s photographs, a rainbow-brite one by O Ay, and ate more food than I thought my stomach could fit.

Also, I saw this guy:

I heard him sing! In person! I still can't quite get over it.

And also these guys.

Michael Saunders, Chone Figgins, and Ichiro of the Seattle Mariners.

Anyway. That’s not really the point. I may eventually throw up more photos over at my personal blog, but in the meantime…dudes.

Crits for Water starts tomorrow.

TOMORROW.

Yeah, I may be flipping out a little. There is so much awesome. Have you checked out the list of Guest Critiques? We’ve got a crazy amazing starting week for romance writers, with the amazing ladies that are Tessa Dare, Roni Loren, Tiffany Reisz, and Ashlyn Macnamara.

But! Before we begin, my Partner-in-Crime/the smoothest of Peanut Butters, Jess Silva, has offered up possibly one of the most perfect books for a Super Splendiferous Crits for Water Let’s Generate Buzz giveaway!

The Water Wars Super Splendiferous
Generating Buzz about Crits for Water
Giveaway!!

by Mr Cameron Stracher
Vera and her brother, Will, live in the shadow of the Great Panic, in a country that has collapsed from environmental catastrophe. Water is hoarded by governments, rivers are dammed, and clouds are sucked from the sky. But then Vera befriends Kai, who seems to have limitless access to fresh water. When Kai suddenly disappears, Vera and Will set off on a dangerous journey in search of him-pursued by pirates, a paramilitary group, and greedy corporations. Timely and eerily familiar, acclaimed author Cameron Stracher makes a stunning YA debut that’s impossible to forget.

Reading the book, I was especially struck by Stracher’s potent description. Even his word choice when not describing the parched land evoked feelings of, well, thirst. I found myself running for the tap many times, at least, and grateful that I didn’t have to worry about disease when I did. Yet Stracher also showed the dangerous, volatile nature of water (and, ahem, nature), implying that you can’t have life without sacrifice. I also very much admired the world-building, the way Stracher detailed how water affects every. single. thing. we do. How not having it can destroy everything we care about.

Which, yanno. Is kinda apt for Crits for Water.

In addition to entering, you can get extra entries in the giveaway for tweeting or blogging about the Crits for Water 2012 campaign. Just point folks straight to http://critsforwater.katbrauer.com, or you can send them towards the info pages either about the campaign or about charity: water.

Giveaway is open internationally. Huzzah!

Continue Reading →

Posted on March 30, 2012 in Giveaway · Comments { 1 }