So…. A bit late is better than never!

I’m doing a Blog Tour, and each time you comment, you get an entry for the grand prize at the end, which is an ecopy of Slack Tide and Steaming!

So, Here’s the schedule. I’ll update links as I get them!

Feb 21 -Interview at You Gotta Read

Feb 22- Books-n-Kisses

Feb 28 – Close Encounters with the Night Kind

Feb 29 – I Just Wanna Sit Here & Read

March 1 – Simplistik

March 5 – Rute’s Blog

March 6 – Reader Girls

March 9 – Tamaria Soana

March 12 – Reviews by Molly

March 13 – Me & Reading

And then on March 14 around four, I’ll announce a winner!

I hope you’ll join us, and I hope that you enjoy the tour! Keep reading!

http://www.vanessabarger.com

Check it out! Let me know what you think. What do you like? Not like? Anything you wish I’d put in there that I didn’t?

I’ve also finished the first draft of Broken Home! The betas have it now (except one who was SUPER fast – You’re awesome!) and I’m going to work it over myself with the first beta comments and some highlighters of Doom.

I’ve also got a couple outlines to work on and I wrote down the first paragraph of something new last night – but I’m not working on it yet. Just had to get that idea out.

Hope you all have a fantastic week!

I’m nearly done with the current WIP, which has ended up much longer and more involved than I originally planned. Not that I’m complaining. I love this story, and I can’t wait to see what the betas come back like. So far the critters are very complimentary, so I can’t wait to hear what they think of the ending. I’m really concerned I won’t make it creepy enough, so I’m still working through that part of it.

I also have to get a real headshot taken this weekend for the agency website (and since I avoid photos like the plague, I figure I’ll go all out, cause I’m not doing it often!) It may even involve getting someone else to do my makeup! We shall see.

I’m also going to go back and revisit the sucknopsis for Superfreak. It needs help, and I know it.

Then there are outlines, and deciding what story to work on after BH, and I’m assuming edits will be coming from myAgent! (BTW – Its totally a second grade giggly feeling when I type that. I’m not going to get over that for awhile.)

BUT – The website is pretty much put together. While I’m still working out the kinks, I have a poll to take -

What things do you like to see in an author’s website? Is there anything you don’t see you wish would be there? Leave a comment and let me know! (I tried to make a poll but WordPress and I are fighting)

Thanks for stopping by and keep reading!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope you’re sitting down, because I have some FANTASTIC NEWS!

I can say that I officially HAVE AN AGENT! I signed with Jennifer Mishler and Frances Black at Literary Counsel this week! They were enthusiastic, they were helpful and informative, and they loved Superfreak!

I am beyond stoked for this. I know its cliche, but I have wanted to be a writer ever since I can remember. My favorite activity in elementary school was doing a board book. I can still remember writing “Princess Dewdrop” and “Webby and the Tar Monster.” In Kindergarten I won a chance to eat lunch with Normal Bridwell (who writes Clifford books). I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. In middle school I wrote my first novel. It was 200 pages of total crap. But I’d written it. I wrote short stories for me, for the school literary magazine, and tried, occasionally, to send them to magazines. Then college came and I gave up for awhile. I wrote, but it was fan fiction, or snippets that never went anywhere.

Five-ish years ago I decided to try again. I got a couple articles published in an art magazine. And then I wrote several novels. I even finished them. I found a crit group, but it was for adult. Then I tried out a YA idea, and I LOVED it. And the rest is history. Writing is so much a part of my life, that even when I got discouraged, I still came back to it eventually.

And for the ladies at YA Fiction Fanatics, my current critique group – I couldn’t have done it without you. I love you all and thanks!

Whether you want it or not, here’s my story about getting the offer:

Last Monday I went to work after a week and a half of issues. Friends having unexpected heart surgery, a weekend trip to the emergency vet with the cat, another friend whose mother went to the ER, just lots of “stuff.” I was looking forward to a teacher workday where I could get a lot done once my grades were in. I’d even, in the previous weeks, finally managed to accept that I might never get published. And I didn’t like it, and wouldn’t give up completely, but I’d resigned myself. Then I go to an hour long faculty meeting. I come back, get the rest of my grades nearly finished.

I check my email. I saw that Jennifer had responded, and I opened the email, expecting another rejection. Instead, she’s telling me how much they loved the story and they want to offer me representation and when can they call.

I then paused, pulled the email up on my computer screen (I’d been looking at my phone) read it again, just to make sure, and proceeded to skip around my classroom. Thank God no students were present. They already think I’m a little crazy. After that, I called my roommate who teaches at the middle school. I called my mother (who told everyone around the phone my good news. I could hear them all shouting in the background), called my grandmother, started to call my Dad and realized he couldn’t answer the phone at work (so I had to wait for that one). I then had to finish my grades, and then I skipped down the hall to guidance. Again, thank goodness for empty halls.

Wednesday I got someone to watch my class, and I went outside to sit in my truck in the school parking lot and I talked to Jennifer and Frances on the phone. They were enthusiastic, they named specific characters and plot points they liked. They put up with my crappy cell phone connection. They answered every question willingly and seemed like really great people. I told them I had another manuscript out with another agent. They signed off, and I promised an answer by Tuesday. I then went and emailed the other agent.

And waited.

And waited.

And, yup, waited.

I checked the contract, I asked a few more questions, I checked again. Every time I read the offer email I get excited all over again.

So now that I’ve been long winded and annoying - its official! I have a real, honest-to-God literary agent!

It can be done – don’t ever give up. I’d written Superfreak off as being a good manuscript at the wrong time. Jennifer and Frances proved me wrong. It can happen!

I’m so excited and so ready to start in with edits. Let’s go!

In addition, I’ll be doing my very first blog tour this month, starting on the 13th and going until March 13th. I’ll have all the details posted in a dedicated blog post when we get a little closer. I’m a little nervous, since this is the first time, but there are some prizes at the end, so I hope you will stop by!

Also, I’m getting antsy, but hopefully in the next few days there will be some really big news posted!

Thanks for stopping by and hopefully for leaving your opinions! I always appreciate it!

In the meantime, hop on over to Rebekah Purdy’s blog and check out her new cover. Its *almost* as fantastic as the book!

Here’s the link: http://rebekahlpurdy.wordpress.com/

Check it out!

I wanted something that would maybe not be scary when you read it at first, but later when you went to bed your mind might turn back to it and make it in to something even bigger. You know what I mean?

But the question then becomes, what exactly is scary? I hang around teenagers all day and the definitions of what is truly horror changes from person to person. I can remember when the Ghostbusters movie gave me nightmares. Granted, I was in elementary school and secretly watching from the hallway when I was supposed to be in bed, so it serves me right. That giant head with the liquid bubble gum goop was terrifying!

Now, though, that’s a laugh. The things that scare me now are ghosts and creatures that you can’t always see, but who are watching you all the same. Sometimes their reasons are valid and the victim is just in the way. Sometimes the spirit is just dark and wants blood. But they’re still scary.

What do you find scary? Why?

What books or movies have you seen that gave you the willies? Mine is still the Ring (I’d like to add – I didn’t see this by choice. I went with friends, and got outvoted. Since they were the ones driving….) I actually remember staring at the TV screen in my Aunt’s house a week later telling myself that if I made it past midnight and the creepy girl didn’t pop out, I was safe. I can’t admit how old I was when that happened…. And that stupid scene in the grudge where the woman does that weird walk down the stairs with that noise…. *shivers*

 Memory

History oozed from every piece of rain-polished stone. I sidled closer to the wall and ran my hands over a few of the bricks, glancing around as if what I did was illegal. The Yeoman Warder, in all his regalia, stood over the crowd, gesturing and discussing the history of the site. We stood in front of Traitor’s Gate, the water replaced by damp tan and cream gravel.

For a moment, the world darkened, and it seemed the water rose, the crowd disappeared, and a boat slid silently to the other side of the gate. Doom weighed heavily on my shoulders as I watched a cloaked woman with dark tendrils of hair alight.

“Mercy! Come on!”

I blinked, my sister, Anna tugging on my hand as we followed the crowd further into the castle. Everywhere I looked, the Shades of history crowded the visitors. Screams mingled with the wet, grisly thud of the ax when we neared the chopping block. Priests gave service in the chapel as we sat and listened to the Warder talk.

We wandered back into the walls of the Tower, and I blinked again, allowing the Warden to lead me and my sister to a small room. My sister handed him something, and he nodded.

“It will be all right, Mercy. Just rest.”

I turned, and the world stopped. I’d been wearing a windbreaker and jeans when we entered. Now, my image in a tall mirror flickered, just as the electric lights faded from my vision and a Tudor dress weighed down my shoulders.

My sister, dressed similarly appeared behind me, a cold smile curling over her lips. “Now  we’ll see how much you like history.”

“What is going on?”

Her fingers tightened on my shoulders. “I’m tired of the jumps between lifetimes. This time, when they lay your head on that chopping block, you won’t escape the bite of the ax.”

My hand crept to my throat and I searched my mind. I didn’t know what she was talking about.

“Don’t play that game with me, sister. I know your tricks. You remember. You always remember.” Her eyes unfocused for a moment. “That is always the problem.”

***

Now go check out these other fantastic ladies:

Rebekah Purdy

Traci Kenworth

Kit Forbes

But the bigger news is that while going through some old writing journals, I discovered one that was dedicated to a writing prompt book I’d bought eons ago. One of the entries ended up leading to a 3000 word sprint last night and solved a problem I’d been having with Broken Home. Score one for the writing journal! If that didn’t solidify their importance to me, nothing will!

It’s also helped to bridge the gap between one scene and another. Every time I write a story, I always have chunks of scenes that come to me and I write them. Sometimes they make it in, sometimes not. But with this particular work, I’ve got a lot of chunks. For some reason, one chunk will inspire another. And they’re close to each other, timeline-wise, but not close enough. My biggest challenge right now is determining whether they will all fit. But even if they don’t, I know one thing. Two of those chunks have introduced some themes and character interactions I never intended. But I like them. And for once, they’re almost real issues, instead of a paranormal talent or something. Its very interesting, and I think makes my characters way more believable and sympathetic.

So there’s another goal made for the new year. Use the new notebook up. Write with a prompt every day. I’ve got the old writing prompt book. I’ve got tons of pictures pasted into blank pages.

What are some of your favorite writing prompts or prompt books?

BUT.

I’ve become torn. Lately, I’ve discovered I hoard things. Pictures from magazines. Snippets of conversations. That type of stuff. But I don’t know if I want to put it in the notebook with the story snips I write down. I also don’t know that I can keep up with a book of nothing but pasted in scraps. My poor abandoned art journal is a pretty good indicator of that!

What would you do? Try it out and stop later if it isn’t working? Just dump it in there? I always love looking at other people’s journals that are full of everything under the sun. Should I try it myself?

I’ve recently discovered a cache of journals I’d been “saving” so I’ve actually got lots of material to work with.

In the meantime, keep your ears open. I’m getting my butt in gear and should have an announcement regarding a blog tour soon!

Sadly, my writing has taken a back seat over the last month, but I’m hoping to get back in the swing of things over the weekend. I have to clear out space in my “art and writing room” and do some real cleaning instead of the normal shuffling of the piles. It’s about time I admit I just can’t have fifteen thousand hobbies. I’ve got to stick to a handful of crafty things and leave it at that. Hopefully I can post some before and after shots of the room and you’ll be impressed with my mad cleaning skills.