Search found 34 matches

by ddegreeff
October 25th, 2013, 4:22 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: Query -- MG thriller
Replies: 1
Views: 3079

Query -- MG thriller

Hey ya'll, it's been a few years since I visited these forums, so thanks for having me back. I'm looking to pitch my new project soon, so any help regarding my query would be super helpful. Thanks everyone! Fifth grade comic geek Jack McLellan is the new kid at an elementary school infested with kid...
by ddegreeff
October 25th, 2013, 2:00 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: STRINGS OF FATE-Any advice?
Replies: 3
Views: 3405

Re: STRINGS OF FATE-Any advice?

Hi Kim, welcome to the forums! Looks like this query might be in its first couple of drafts, so good idea getting it posted up here -- a better group of helpers you'll never find! The story sounds like a fun one, but the query could use a little clarification. Here are a couple points that will hope...
by ddegreeff
October 25th, 2013, 1:44 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: SYMBIOTE: THE LOST GIRL - YA/SF Query
Replies: 1
Views: 2442

Re: SYMBIOTE: THE LOST GIRL - YA/SF Query

Hi QueenViv, welcome back! The book sounds like fun, kind of right up my alley. Concerning the query, there are more detailed areas that I could dive into, but I think we should hit on the high notes first, and just start with a few questions that I have after a single read-through. 1) If Charlie di...
by ddegreeff
November 9th, 2011, 2:07 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Picture book manuscript
Replies: 0
Views: 1104

Picture book manuscript

I'm having trouble finding a good online resource regarding formatting for a picture book manuscript. Anyone out there know of any real humdingers? Thanks!
by ddegreeff
April 20th, 2011, 3:02 pm
Forum: Books
Topic: What Could Have Been
Replies: 7
Views: 2800

Re: What Could Have Been

Maybe I mis-stated what I was trying to say -- I don't think changing the gender of Ky would have improved the book in terms of quality, but I think it might have made the book actually have a bit more meaning. The love story was well-established, and I would have liked to have seen such a mainstrea...
by ddegreeff
April 19th, 2011, 2:38 pm
Forum: Books
Topic: What Could Have Been
Replies: 7
Views: 2800

What Could Have Been

I just finished reading Ally Condie's YA dystopian, MATCHED, and while I thought it was at least mostly enjoyable, I couldn't help but wonder if Condie had missed out on the chance to create something of much greater importance. Check out the Amazon summary at http://amzn.to/fYrEh5 if you're unfamil...
by ddegreeff
February 1st, 2011, 8:51 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: What do you do when the rowing gets weary?
Replies: 15
Views: 4658

Re: What do you do when the rowing gets weary?

You need to concentrate on narrowing your view. How do you possibly have SEVEN DIFFERENT PROJECTS in the works right now? Do you start one, roll on it while it's easy, and then switch to the next spark in your eye as soon as "the rowing gets tough?" Maybe you don't, but if you do, that isn...
by ddegreeff
February 1st, 2011, 8:38 pm
Forum: Books
Topic: Are you more likely to buy a book that won an award?
Replies: 25
Views: 12325

Re: Are you more likely to buy a book that won an award?

If I walk into a book store looking for a random purchase, more often than not I can be won over by an award winner. The reason for this is easy: reading a book is a big investment in time spent, and there are a lot of garbage books out there. Read all the jacket descriptions you want, a cool cover ...
by ddegreeff
December 7th, 2010, 1:32 pm
Forum: Self-Publishing
Topic: Multi-book Advance
Replies: 3
Views: 1567

Multi-book Advance

This is a simple question, but I can't ever remember seeing an answer to it: if someone is awarded a multi-book contract with a publisher, let's randomly pick three books with a $50k advance, does that $50k cover all three books, or is it awarded for the first book, and then reconfigured for the fol...
by ddegreeff
September 30th, 2010, 3:37 pm
Forum: Procrastination
Topic: What's your favorite song that tells a story?
Replies: 58
Views: 28929

Re: What's your favorite song that tells a story?

Am I really going to be the first to mention "A Boy Named Sue" by Johnny Cash, as penned by Shel Silverstein?
Or, if you want to stick with country but go with more of a situation than a straight story, "Settle for a Slowdown" by Dierks Bentley weaves a great little web.
by ddegreeff
September 17th, 2010, 5:39 pm
Forum: Procrastination
Topic: What's your price?
Replies: 24
Views: 9986

Re: What's your price?

I figured most of the responses would follow along this line, but seriously? Like all you folks, I get a certain high from writing that can't be matched, but hell yeah I could be bought off. You're telling me that if someone came to you tomorrow with a suitcase filled with $100 million (okay, maybe ...
by ddegreeff
September 15th, 2010, 9:26 am
Forum: Procrastination
Topic: What's your price?
Replies: 24
Views: 9986

What's your price?

Being the keeper of a wandering mind, I often find myself debating (um, myself) with silly 'this or that' questions, like would I rather lose and arm or a leg? Wrestle Starsky or Hutch? Stop a bank robber or a hostage taker? And so, as I passed a sign advertising the Powerball lottery, I was struck ...
by ddegreeff
July 30th, 2010, 7:36 pm
Forum: Nominate Your Query or First Page for a Critique on the Blog
Topic: Nominate Your First Page for a Critique on the Blog
Replies: 720
Views: 451774

Re: Nominate Your First Page for a Critique on the Blog

Title: GONE, KITTY, GONE: A BROCK ROCKSTER MYSTERY Genre: Middle-grade comedy mystery My steel-toed loafer sent the door flying off its hinges and into the large, dark foyer, and I skidded in after it. “Worst! Day! Ever!” I yelled. I knew everyone in the house was sleeping, but I didn’t care. I was ...
by ddegreeff
July 12th, 2010, 10:21 am
Forum: Procrastination
Topic: Poison: Bourbon or Whisky?
Replies: 21
Views: 10179

Re: Poison: Bourbon or Whisky?

The conversation came up last week at work about what would make for your personal final meal. I figured a bottle of Booker's bourbon would do me just fine.
by ddegreeff
June 16th, 2010, 10:37 am
Forum: Finding An Agent
Topic: Slow-ass query response?
Replies: 8
Views: 3637

Re: Slow-ass query response?

Thanks for the responses, folks. And February, what I've always read is that the industry pretty much shuts down in August, which is why I really worked to have everything finished by early May so I could hopefully get in two rounds of queries before we hit radio silence (of course, I was hoping to ...