Life After Project Writeway

My last post was before the winner of Project Writeway was announced and then I won! I actually won! You can read the announcement. Throwing Up Words. I've also pasted it below. I sent my 2000 words, cover letter, and synopsis off last Friday. Carol Lynch Williams confirmed that she sent it to Stephen Fraser today. I'll keep you posted. I want to be realistic yet hopeful. I'd love for this to be my "big break." I'd love for Stephen to say, "Here's where you should go with this and I'd love to help you along the way." That's a big confession. I've trained myself to be realistic or as my husband calls it, pessimistic. I've been at this writing thing for over 11 years and received over 100 rejections, but I've continued to learn and revise and kept writing. I'm a conference coordinator for the annual Children's Literature Conference at Boise State sponsored by the Department of Literacy and SCBWI. I love being with other writers and hearing about publishing and learning how to improve my writing. The children's writing world is so welcoming and encouraging. Check it out: Read, wRite, Revise. The WIFYR (Writing and Illustrating For Young Readers) in Utah is also a fabulous class. I've been twice. For this week I'm preparing for the Boise conference which is this Friday and Saturday, April 20-21, 2012. Next week I'll work on revisions of Not of This World keeping in mind the clarity I gained doing the flash fiction.


So Ann Dee, Kyra and I are excited about announcing the winners of our very own Project Writeway.
(Let me put on my plunging neckline dress, my 6-inch heels, a lot of eye make up and say)
This year’s winners receives the biggest prize ever in Ann Dee, Kyra and Carol’s time of doing Project Writeway.
He or she shall receive:
A first chapter CRITIQUE by the amazingly kind and terrific agent STEVE FRASER.

And here is our PROJECT WRITEWAY WINNER!!!!!

Docena Holm
I made a choice.
53 days. I didn’t speak when my parents announced the plan to keep our family together.
36 days. I kept my mouth shut on the day we arrived at the cabin, our ark in a wicked world.
2 days. When Dallin came for me, I left my family, without speaking a word.
0 days. I did not believe the world would end. Mom and Dad ended my world when they took us away.
——-
Light streaks near the moon. My parents were wrong. It will pass us by.
My parents were right.
“This is the end.”

And our Play at Home Winner is Leisha Maw!

Getting abducted by dark elves is a problem. My problem. They took me when I discovered my mom’s illness was really mental slavery. Now I’m stuck in their realm where being human is illegal. Having powers that melt others’ insides is illegal, too.

Accidentally marrying their prince? Um, yeah.

Guilty. So guilty.

Now I just have to master powers I didn’t know I had, decimate a regime that makes Hitler look like a pansy, and restore my mother’s mind—all while trying not to fall for my husband.

It’s a good thing I’m human; they’ll never see me coming.

CONGRATS GIRLS!!!!!!

You played long and hard and it paid off.

Here are the newest set of rules, Winners. Yes, there are more–
Please send your first few pages here– [email protected].
I will be able to make sure that your beginnings get to Steve without sitting in the slush forever.

Your work must be submitted properly, meaning– 12 point font, double spaced, 1 inch margins. Make sure you have a cover letter and throw in a SHORT synopsis.

On your cover letter, make sure you include your name, your contact information–including email address–and the title of the novel. Also, make sure you put if this is a YA, MG or PB AND put word count.
NOTE: No more than 2,000 words. If your first chapter ends before the 2,000 words (mine always do), stop there!

If you think, “It gets interesting in chapter three.” Well, that’s not the book to send.

Make sure you are sending Steve your very best work.

PLEASE make sure you send your work to us by Sunday, April 15, 2012 at 7 pm.
And yahoo!

We’re done with this season of Project Writeway and I am taking off this sequined gown and my pantyhose now.
​
PS Tomorrow, Ann Dee explains the way the judging worked.