Brandi's Blog

Aspiring Author Sparking Thoughts

Current Mood: Alarmed

I completed TRUE SIGHT in November and since then have been polishing the manuscript. I bet I could edit it thousands of times! I am still looking for the agent that will love it as much as I do. I have also updated my query like a million times.  I did get some great feedback from an author I respect and made those changes to the query. I think it’s great (I better!). Here is an example of the first query I sent out and the most resent I sent yesterday. It has changed SOOOO much!

*****

Query from November:

Dear Agent (I used her name):

Twenty-four year old Trudence Leigh Darling’s life finally began after an electrical accident presented her with enhanced sight, forever changing her, inside and out. Tru must discover her new power to see soul sparks, find their perfect mate, fuse them and still have time to date Weylin, the mysterious billionaire who befriended her bother and rivals her best friend. Eventually, when her heart, soul and mortal existence are on the line, she must choose between her destiny as a sparkler or join the darkness that may truly destroy her. The 75,000 words of my woman’s fiction novel, True Sight, follow Tru’s experience of unbelievable love, untameable evil and her sometime humorous place in the middle. This is book one in the three book sparkler series. Books two and three, True Friends and True Love, are currently in development.

I graduated from the Washington University Biomedical Engineering Science degree program in May 2005. I offer experience as a wife, mother, soul mate, and hold the faith that there is love at first spark.

Most Resent Query:

Dear Agent,

I found your blog link while reading Jennifer Jackson’s Query War’s posting. Your latest post really attracted me. Your sincerity and faith in your client is really inspiring. I really hope you enjoy my novel.

The 80,000 words of my paranormal/Christian novel, TRUE SIGHT, follow Tru’s experiences of unbelievable love, untamable evil and her sometime humorous place in the middle. This is book one in the three book Sparkler series. Books two and three, TRUE FRIENDS and TRUE LOVE, are currently in outline form.

Twenty-four year old Trudence Leigh Darling’s mundane life as a bank loan processor ends after an electrical “accident” gifts her with divine sight, forever changing her, inside and out. Tru’s self-defeating personality concludes she is either insane or has a toxic tumor once she starts seeing brilliant and beautiful, sparksin the eyes of strangers. The sparks call to her and guide her to be more than she ever dreamed possible. Tru isn’t insane or dying but has been chosen to serve a greater purpose. She learns she was chosen to have the divine gift of seeing people’s soul sparks.When a soul is ready for true love, it sparks; only she can see it and must find its perfect mate by finding its matching spark. Attempting to not to look like a crazy stalker chick, she uses her wits, luck and a bit of questionable intervention to fuse the sparks in eternal love. Although surrounded by love, it isn’t her own, which has eluded her despite the most ambitious meddling from a loving mother. While juggling her divine duties she’s determined to find time to date Weylin, the mysterious and devilishly irresistible billionaire who befriends her bother and rivals her best friend. Initially she’s unaware of the evil that lurks in the shadows. When her life and faith are threatened she begins to understand the power of her gift and the danger of choice.

Karlie, Tru’s best friend, begins sketching private moments from Tru’s life; reluctantly she accepts the truth about Weylin. {took out the ending spoiler}. After all, what choice does she really have?

Set in St. Louis Missouri, TRUE SIGHT is the ultimate journey of a young woman’s self-discovery with twists of weakness, peaks of strength, and a glimpse at the holy battle for souls.

I graduated from the Washington University St. Louis Biomedical Engineering Science degree program in May 2005. I offer experience as a wife, mother, soul mate, and hold the faith that there is love at first spark. (I know it’s cheesy, but I really do.) I am an active member of several St. Louis writing groups and have attended writing conventions. I study the publishing business extensively and look forward to your feedback.

*****

So what do you think? Would you want to read more? I am taking all comments. I want it to be the best it can be.  I’ve been reading a blog by agent Jennifer Jackson. She posts each week how many queries she reads and how many she requests. The percent is staggering, less than 1% requested ! I was shocked. With that said, my query better be OUTSTANDING!

THANKS!

OK – I published this at 8:44am and by 9:00 I got a request for a full manuscript read! Holy crap, I guess the query was pretty good!

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I’ve stumbled onto my new obsession….Book Trailers. I know your asking yourself.. What is that? Well for those of you that have been living under a rock like I have, they are a wonderful way to get across your book visually and musically. I love putting music to a novel, it sets the tone for the reader. Here are a bunch of books on u-tube. Check them out! Some I want to read right away like Hush Hush and others are great trailers but not my taste. Of course you have the trailers that totally suck too. You will have to be the judge. 

Nathan Bransford,agent, had a guest blogger on today that wrote about how easy it was to do his own trailer. Now I have to do it! Oh course I will be spending the next month playing and obsessing. Damn you Nathan.

I would love to hear what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UsDkZ1Ej5I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kYv8Vc9tFQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWNGIRTU2u4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_UUVwTaemk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7IpLhITWvs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrZ7IsA79ck

This is a clip by Jakson Pierce – she is hysterical!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ_-TOJhXXk

Note to self: Learn how to add an actual youtube video not just the links!

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My sister, Alex Boles, started this project and is doing so well with it. She is currently putting together her first book. I am so proud of her. Please go an check it out. Write that letter you’ve always wanted to. It’s a great way to get closure.

http://unwrittenlettersproject.wordpress.com/

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After attending Killer Nashville I came back to St. Louis charged and ready to go. I was going to dive right into my book and clean it up. Unfortunately my life got in the way and I had other priorities to deal with. Two weeks later here we are, still not any further. I did finish another master’s class so yeah me. I have now refocused and connected with my muse. I am ready.

OK maybe not! I started editing my first chapter. I added more personality and drama. It was so dry and safe. Not that I want it to be racy, but just fun and cheeky at times. I really like what I did. I changed the POV from first person present to first person past. I couldn’t keep it straight and so I went with the one that felt most comfortable. I like the way it reads.

Another tip I learned at the conference is to read aloud to yourself. It really helps with the logic of your story. Sometimes I write things that aren’t possible. Like seeing someone smirk with your eyes closed. Duh! Not possible even with her super sight.

I think the biggest thing I learned is that I have allot to learn! I am such a newbie, I really don’t know anything. This blog is just my path. I can’t believe people read it, although I am so grateful. Who knew my life would turn out this way.  Each day I am amazed to see where God leads me.

I hope you all find your path. I know today’s world can be dark and depressing, but with him all things are possible. I swear it’s true! If you are ever in St. Louis go to the Faith Church, you will see him there. He is all around us if we just listen. I know I’m getting all “churchy”. I never thought that would be me, but I guess now it is, totally weird.

Open your mind and heart to all the possibilities, it might surprise you.

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I went to Killer Nashville this past weekend and learned the coolest tool for writing. We were taking a seminar dissecting what makes a good story. What it needs, ups and downs, story lines etc…

The suggestion was to rate each book scene between 1 and 10. One being no tension in the scene and ten being you’re on fire, with a gun to your head, driving off a cliff while disarming a bomb that will end the world. Once you have rated all your scenes/chapters then plot your plot. Graphing it in excel or any other program you fancy. It’s suggested that an interesting book will have an up and down hilly graph gradually raising to the big climax.

All I could say was WOW! I am a visual person and this will work great for me. I can’t wait to do it and see what my book “looks” like. 

This wasn’t the only tidbit I got from the seminar. I will be blogging more later so stay tuned.

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This is a question many of my fellow would be authors ask me.  Thinking about it, I have no idea.  Pondering the question, I decided to do some Internet research.  I couldn’t find one site that had all the genres listed with definitions.  So for you, I have put together a short list of the most popular.  I know I missed a bunch, sorry. 

 Romance:  To be considered in the romance genre, a novel should adhere to the following criteria: the story must contain a relationship and romantic love between two people and the story must have an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending

Fantasy:  The genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting. Fantasy is generally distinguished from science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of scientific and macabre themes, respectively, though there is a great deal of overlap between the three (collectively known as speculative fiction).

Science fiction:  Fiction largely based on writing entertainingly and rationally about alternate possibilities in settings that are contrary to known reality.  Examples include future settings, space travel, new technology and time travel.

Horror:  Is a genre of fiction in any medium intended to scare, unsettle, or horrify the audience. Historically, the cause of the “horror” experience has often been the intrusion of a supernatural element into everyday human experience.

Crime:  Is the genre of fiction that deals with crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be, and indeed are, blurred. It has several sub-genres, including detective fiction, legal thriller, courtroom drama and hard-boiled fiction.

Thriller:  Thrillers are characterized by fast pacing, frequent action, and resourceful heroes who must thwart the plans of more-powerful and better-equipped villains. A thriller is villain driven plot, whereby he presents obstacles the hero must overcome.

Mystery:  Fiction is a loosely-defined term that is often used as a synonym for detective fiction — in other words a novel or short story in which a detective (either professional or amateur) investigates and solves a crime.

Paranormal:  I couldn’t find a good definition, so this is my attempt.  Genres that focus on events that can not be explain by science.  Vampires and werewolves fall into this category.  In addition, ghosts, UFO’s and “supernatural” events.

Well this helps me a little.  I have a new subject, something I have never heard of before.  If I had to pick, it would be Paranormal Thriller with romance and a religious element I can’t choose just one.  It’s a little bit of all of them.  Maybe one day when you read my book you can tell me what you think.

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