Query Monsters & Yolanda Renee's Blog Tour

I was going to post about something else this week, but a timely conversation with a friend gave me a different topic. It turns out literary agents are being slammed right now with queries. People are deciding that having some time off work means they should write that novel they've always dreamed of. But these are the people who haven't been attending writing workshops and conferences, reading craft books, or even visiting the blogs of writers, which means they don't realize they're supposed to finish the book before they query it (for fiction).

An agent I know has gotten over 700 queries in the last week. Most of them just ideas for a novel that isn't written.

Guys.

No.

A book shouldn't be queried until it's completed, and by completed I mean written AND edited. And preferably beta read or critiqued in some way. Sure, use this time to get those first novels written, but don't start chasing after agents until it's done and in great shape. You often can't query the same agent later for the same novel, even if it's completed then. These folks are shooting themselves in the foot.

At the same time, if your book is finished, I'm thinking it's a good time to sit on your fingers and prepare those query lists instead of sending them just yet. Think of this like December and January following NaNoWriMo. Agents being flooded means they're digging through endless queries. What happens if the right agent misses your book, which might have otherwise been perfectly suited to them?

Food for thought, anyway.

A final note: publishers are currently looking for humorous, romantic, or inspiring books. If you write in those realms, now's a good time to get those submissions out (assuming the books are ready). It's been projected that this trend will continue for the next two years due to the hard times.

I hope people will still read horror!

Guess what? It's time to welcome Yolanda on her book tour for "Murder, Just Because!"

It’s a pleasure to be participating in author Yolanda Renee’s MURDER, JUST BECAUSE Blog Tour through MC Book Tours today.

The author is offering an awesome tour-wide international giveaway. More information on the giveaway is listed below.

MURDER, JUST BECAUSE
by Yolanda  Renée

◊ Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
◊ Publisher: Yolanda Renee
◊ Series: Detective Quaid Mysteries
◊ Paperback: 291 pages
◊ Print & eBooks
◊ ISBN-10: 0985820632
◊ ISBN-13: 978-0985820633
◊ Contains explicit sex & graphic violence

"While this book does contain explicit sexual language and graphic violence, it could easily be taken from the daily headlines. The content is plausible and realistic as we look at the world around us. The events in the book are not overly done but give a pragmatic look at the terrifying actions killers can and sometimes do take."

It was a matter of beginner’s luck, but rookie detective Steven Quaid’s career and reputation as an elite investigator skyrocketed when he captured one of the most sadistic serial killers in Alaskan history: Stowy Jenkins, AKA the Snowman. But that was ten years ago.

And now…Jenkins is back. Escaped from prison and on the move, his bloodlust is stronger than ever, and his methods of torture are even more horrifying than before. As his bloody rampage continues and the number of mutilated bodies mounts, terrified Alaskans increasingly doubt Quaid’s ability to catch the killer again. The detective’s reputation is on the line, and he’s going to need a lot more than luck, because this time, Jenkins is driven by more than the thrill of a random kill.

This time, it’s more personal. He’s out for revenge…and his ultimate target is Quaid. In a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, Jenkins starts picking off the people in Quaid’s life…slowly, gradually tightening his circle of corpses and drawing ever closer to the most important person in Quaid’s life...his wife. Can Quaid do the impossible again? Can he outmaneuver the killer, or has the detective's luck finally run out?

Author Yolanda Renee

For those who aren’t familiar with the author, here’s a bit of background on her in her own words.

At one time Alaska called to me, and I answered. I learned to sleep under the midnight sun, survive in below zero temperatures, and hike the Mountain Ranges. I’ve traveled from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, and the memories are some of my most valued. The wonders, mysteries and incredible beauty that is Alaska has never left me and thus now influences my writing.

Despite my adventurous spirit, I achieved my educational goals, married, and I have two handsome sons. Writing is now my focus, my newest adventure!

For more on Yolanda and her writing, you can connect with her here:

Blog    *     Facebook     *     Twitter     *     Pinterest    

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This tour-wide giveaway is for a complete set of the Detective Quaid Mystery series books for one winner, paperback copies of MURDER, JUST BECAUSE for five winners, a Kindle copy of MURDER, JUST BECAUSE for 10 winners, and a $25 Amazon gift card.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. If the widget doesn’t show up, just click HERE and you’ll be directed to the widget.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to follow Yolanda on her week-long tour HERE. You never know what you might find out. Do you enjoy watching a character grow from one story to the next?

Congratulations to Yolanda!!

It's been awhile since I talked about what I've read and watched lately, so I'm sure I've forgotten half the things I've [mindlessly] watched throughout the recent upheaval, but here are some of the notables.

BOOKS

I'd seen the movie, of course, but never read the book. Happily, I ended up with a copy including the original ending (the British version ending--the American version removed the final chapter, so it wasn't in Kubrick's film, either.)

The fascinating thing about this book is that Burgess created an entire slang language (which I've since learned was based on Russian, pretty directly actually). It's hard to adjust to, but by the end it's rolling through your head in an oddly familiar way. The movie actually came across as more violent, though in a stylized way. There's a separation between the reader and the incidents being perpetrated. It's an interesting study on treating criminals, much in the same way as Strangeland. What if a criminal is trained out of their bad behavior, only to have society treat them in such a way as to bring it back out again?

This is a gorgeous book, lush and heartfelt. About a girl deemed "swamp trash" by the townspeople who is left to fend for herself when everyone in her life eventually abandons her. What will someone put up with from a person who finally stays? It was engrossing and heartbreaking, but I felt like the last chapter was unnecessary. Unfortunately, you can't skip it, as you get an answer to a big question in that final chapter. Given, it's beautiful, just like the rest of the book, but it tied things up a little too neatly for me. I still highly recommend the book.

MOVIES

This Australian horror film is intense. A teen girl kidnaps the boy who turned her down for prom, and she and her father torture him. Turns out this isn't the first time she's gotten what she wanted in this sadistic fashion. Gore and torture, so don't watch it if you're not a fan. 

Rich "SJWs" hunt "deplorables." The main star is one of the main women from Glow, and she's a fantastic actress with quite a range. I was afraid this one would be too irritably political, but it actually equally mocked the political extremists. My brother and I are politically opposed, and we both enjoyed it. Funny as hell, and quite twisted.

This one's got great special effects and plenty of suspense. An abused wife escapes her husband only to get notice that he's dead and has left everything to her. But is he really dead? If so, who's tormenting her? A touch of horror, a touch of science fiction. And a well acted film.

TV SHOWS

Sounds inappropriate, but it's hysterical. I thought I'd already posted about this one, but I can't find it when I scan my previous posts. This is told from either the couple's POV or the ER doctor's. Some of the situations people get themselves into are hilarious and shocking. (Hulu)

This one's about a catering company and the situations they find themselves in (or get themselves into). I swear, half the cast at any given time was in Veronica Mars. A funny show. (Hulu)

Submission stats

Since I didn't do these last week like I usually do, here are my March submission stats:

2 rejections
0 acceptances
1 notification that a publication that had one of my pieces short listed was closing
7 pieces currently on submission

Accepting Submissions

Bear in mind I'm not endorsing these (unless otherwise stated), merely passing them along. Always do your own due diligence before submitting.

Madness Heart Press is seeking giant monster stories for Devouring Earth: Kaiju and Giant Monster Inspired Horror Anthology. Stories over 1500 words preferred. Pays $5. Deadline April 30 or once filled.

Flash Bang Mysteries is seeking mystery/crime flash stories. 500-700 words. Pays $50. Deadline April 30.

Chicken Soup for the Soul is seeking Pole to Pole Publishing is seeking stories for Twenty Thousand Leagues Remembered. Stories must pay tribute to Jules Verne's story in some way. 3000-5000 words. Pays $.02/word. Deadline April 30.

87 Bedford is seeking historic fantasy short stories. 1000-5000 words. Pays $.08/word. Deadline April 30.

The Sunlight Press is seeking essays, fiction, poetry, reviews, photography, and more. Paying market, but pay not specified. Word count varies by type.

Did you enter to win any of Yolanda's awesome prizes? Have you pre-ordered your copy? Are you writing now? Submitting? What's your opinion on querying agents right now? Have anything humorous or romantic you can query? Any of these publishing links of interest? Anything to share? How are you?

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