Big Picture Reader for YA fantasy mystery

[sarahdee]

I am halfway through a draft of a ms that is completely out of genre for me. Yeah, okay I admit, it was a Nano attempt but I was a bad Nano writer and edited along the way so while I failed to reach 50k, I do have 30k which I think is in good shape.

I'm at that stage where I don't know if to bin it as a laughable Nano attempt, or edit edit edit and try and do something with it. As I said its not my usual genre so I'm at a loss to know if its any good or complete pants (I like but I'm a little biased as its been great fun to write).

I'm not looking for someone to read throughly but perhaps someone who writes in the genre (YA mystery/adventure/fantasy) to have a quick skim through and tell me what they think.

Here's a very quick synopsis.

Mags is a 94 year old witch who works for a secret witch society called the Custodians. This society protects witches from humans (and vice versa), lays down the witch laws and gets involved on other sorts of magic when needed (Mags last assignment was dragon slaying in Chile). Henri is her sidekick and also her almost stepfather since he dated her now deceased mother. He's the planner to her panster. Jacob is a local lad who accidentally drank the wrong tea and ended up with superstength. He's mostly just confused.

The three of them are in a small English village (its the 1920s) trying to find someone who wants to stay hidden. Why is a mystery, the Custodians are always a little vague in their assignments, but as another society, this one evil, are trying to find this person too Mags knows its important. Especially when her sister, the evil Valdheeta, turns up in town.

Its an action adventure type thing, and I hope, humerous!

I'm happy to repay by same or a more through read. My usual genre is crime thriller but I'll read anything.

[nonnocen]

The synopsis is intriguing and makes me want to read more. Fantasy is my area of interest though YA is a side interest withi fantasy. I would love to have a read through if you'd like.

[ajcattapan]

Would you be interested in doing a trade for the first few chapters of a cozy mystery?

My cozy was also a NaNo attempt. I did finish, but like you, I'm not sure if it's worth trying to really work into something. This is my first time writing something that is NOT kids' lit, so getting feedback from an adult beta reader (who is not a friend) would be nice.

Here's what I've written for a query so far to give you an idea of what my cozy is all about:

Never married and almost forty, Cozy McGillicuddy swears she’s been on so many bad blind dates she must have been cursed. In fact, she jokes about cutting off the tongue of the next person who even suggests setting her up.

Cozy’s current blind date is with Victor Biaggio, an art auctioneer who dates the same way he works, by talking fast to sell what he considers a masterpiece—in this case, himself. After an evening of incessant chatter, Vic goes in for the goodnight kiss and nearly bites Cozy’s lip off.

The next morning Cozy wakes to discover her lip has swollen to this size of a walnut and a bloody knife has been left outside her condo door. Thinking the knife is some kind of April Fool’s Joke, Cozy picks it up and heads downstairs to leave it with the doorman at the front desk. But as she heads to the lobby, she gets the jolt of her life when she finds Vic’s dead body crumpled at the bottom of the stairwell.

The police are called, and Cozy looks awfully guilty with a swollen lip and the murder weapon in her possession. If she doesn’t use her gut instincts and her audiographic memory to find the killer, the wrong person’s ending up in jail.

Let me know if you are interested in a trade.

A.J. Cattapan
www.cattapanscookies.blogspot.com

[katiebowden]

Hi ajcattapan and sarahdee -
I'd be happy to read for both of you.

A little about me: I'm an award-winning copywriter working in marketing/advertising. I have had three short stories pubbed in various literary magazines/journals, and I have written a middle grade urban fantasy novel for which I'm seeking representation. I'm currently working on a YA paranormal novel that I am very psyched about, and will eventually want beta-readers for, but I'm not ready yet. I also have several picture books that haven't gone anywhere. :-)

Edit-wise, I won't pull any punches and I'll tell you what I really think - because I know how depressing it is to get useless feedback. I will probably just comment up your doc with thoughts and edit suggestions. Sometimes I'm big-picture, sometimes I drill down and give line edits - depending on the day. I am pretty busy working a full time job and freelancing, so I'll need you to be a bit patient with me!

My blog is here: www.katiebowden.wordpress.com if you want to know more.

If you're interested, just send me a comment on my blog with your email address! I won't approve/publish it, so your address will stay private. Hope that sounds okay.

[NickB]

Hi, This books sounds fun. I'd like to try reading for you, though I'm only just reentering the YA/MG reading world. So, I'm unfamiliar with genre norms. However, I figure Good is Good and if a reader is into the idea and voice of your book s/he may be a helpful reader. I've read the Bosch, Secret series (MG...fun-ny) and am reading Anna and the French Kiss (YA). I read Chris Moore, Carl Hiaasen, Tim Dorsey...and am reading more literary stuff lately than I have in recent years. Hope this gives you an idea of whether I might be helpful to you.

I'm skipping around through the genres myself...but only in the beginning stages. In other words, I've really nothing to trade right now. I'm finishing up one thing. Starting with another...and another...and another. And wondering whether to query the first or stick it in a drawer.

Just send me a message and/or the chapters.

Thanks and Good Luck! Nick

[sarahdee]

Hi Nick

Well I actually found a very good beta reader on here who gave me some great advice on YA writing and the sort of vague rules it follows and my story just doesn't fit: wrong themes, wrong age of character etc. So it appears that what I have written is a paranormal mystery adventure for grown ups. It is finished, just in it's last stages of editing and I've re-written parts to make sure its definatley adult and not YA (don't read that to mean it is erotica, it may not be aimed at YA but its suitable for.... :D )

If you still want to read then I'd love some feedback but give me another week or so as I'd prefer to send out a polished version.

Sarah

[NickB]

Hey Sarah, Still interested. And don't worry. The subject matter won't offend me. (Wait, you're not in prison for something particularly heinous, are you? ;) Send it on whenever you're ready. I'll PM you my e-mail address. Nick