Monday 30 July 2018

Just subbed to March Hamilton

March Hamilton have had an open submission window during July and I've just subbed in the last week 'cos it was the most appropriate one for me... I could have subbed last week 'cos I'm a low income author but this week is for disabled and chronically ill which I have been for the last 20 years.

Too late to do anything about it now though!

Garlic and Onions is out there waiting to be read and hopefully taken on!

Friday 13 July 2018

Book review: what they don't tell you about love in the movies by Claire Watts

✰✰✰✰

This is a good, if slightly confusing book.

It's written in first person but there are several different main characters, all written in first person and the only clue you've got that the character has changed is that the character's name is written in brackets immediately before the character changes... that's the only reason I'm knocking a star off though.

It's a good read, but slightly mature in places.  The main character is 16 so the target reading age is young teens... do you really want a 13 or 14 year old to come out with the swear words that are in the book and there's talk of sex and condoms and being naked/sleeping together that I personally think is too mature for young teens.

There were film credits written at the start of each chapter that I gave up reading after a few chapters because they really didn't add to the story other than being briefly mentioned in passing.

Buy it and encourage your teen to read it, just be prepared for dealing with swearing and the morals of sex after reading this book.

Book review: Just Sam by Kristy Brown

✰✰✰✰✰

Oh
My
Gosh!!

What an awesome book... Kristy has really got into the main characters head and written a book that well and truly speaks to the reader.

Just be prepared to have a few tissues at the ready 'cos there are some bits that really tugged at my heart and I blubbed like a baby as I read them.

If you've got a young teen in your life who is looking for an awesome read, get them this book and a packet of tissues then tell them to curl up with this book and be prepared to really care about Sam.

If you're after a great, easy read, definitely get this book and curl up in a ball in bed with it, just be prepared to snivel a few times and maybe a few tears to drip onto the pages too.

Friday 6 July 2018

Finished editing the last Early Reader, so...

Payj and Scott was only 500 words so I spent yesterday evening and a lot of today writing the rest of it.

Tomorrow I'm gonna start on the Easy Readers now that I know how to format manuscripts!  After that, I'll work on the Early Chapter books which'll take me a while, but it needs to be done if I want to even be considered by publishers and agents.

All set to sub to March Hamilton at the end of this month and to Alice Williams Literary soon then I can mark them off on my spreadsheet and keep me fingers crossed that I'll be taken on!

Wednesday 4 July 2018

After a total edit-athon for the last 2 days...

I've just finished editing Garlic and Onions for the final time before I sub it to March Hamilton at the end of this month.  Two days of total concentration for 12 or more hours each day and I'm happy for it to leave my machine when the appropriate submission window opens up!

Wish me luck!

Monday 2 July 2018

Book review: Brian Brackbrick... Volume 1 by G R Dix


✯✯✯✯


What a funny little book!  The character names and personalities are full of humour and it really got me guessing what would happen next!

The author has really got into the head of young readers and it's one of a sadly lacking minority of Early Chapter Books that don't focus on the main character being at school.  WTG G R Dix!  You've really got into the head of your young readers and made me want to keep reading even though I'm 30 years older than Brian.

Keep up the great work!

The only reason I'm not giving this book the full 5 stars is because there are just too many names to remember even for an adult, let alone a small child who is just starting to discover the delights of reading alone.

Can't wait to read Volume 2!!

Sunday 1 July 2018

I know know exactly what submitted MSs should look like

A combination of SCBWI and Danielle helped me to work out what an ECB, MG and YA should all look like, so tomorrow I'll be editing all the MSs to look how they really should tomorrow!

Hopefully I'll have a publisher and/or an agent by the end of the year if I can remember how to do it by the morning lol

It's Danielle and a SCBWI member (I don't know if she wants me to name her, so I'll protect her identity just in case) coming together this evening that helped me to get it all sorted at last and assuming I get a publisher I'll know that it's my writing rather than the look of the manuscript that they are rejecting.

Next week is going to be a huge editing week for me!

Just in case I forget, it should look like this:

Chapter 1
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