It’s Agent Shop pitch day!

OKAY. WE’VE REACHED OUR THIRTY PITCHES AND THIS AGENT SHOP IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED FOR PITCHES. COME BACK TOMORROW AROUND 10:00 AM EST TO SEE IF YOURS WAS ONE OF THE PITCHES THAT MADE IT IN!

GOOD LUCK!

 

Welcome to another ‘Agent Shop’! YAY!

Tomorrow, the awesome Sara Crowe will be here to look at the thirty pitches that make it through.

But today, we have Marianna Baer with her YA novel:

FROST

(Now THAT is a fantastic cover!)

Here’s the blurb:

Leena Thomas’s senior year at boarding school starts with a cruel shock: Frost House, the cozy Victorian dorm where she and her best friends chose to live, has been assigned an unexpected roommate – confrontational, eccentric Celeste Lazar.

What Celeste lacks in social grace, however, her brother, David, a recent transfer student, makes up for in good looks and charm. But while he and Leena hit it off immediately, Leena finds herself struggling to balance her growing attraction with her fear of getting hurt.

As classes get under way, strange happenings begin to bedevil Frost House – frames mysteriously falling off walls, doors locking by themselves, furniture toppling over. Celeste blames the housemates, convinced they want to scare her into leaving. And while Leena tries to play peacekeeper between her best friends and new roommate, soon the mysterious happenings in the dorm, an intense triangle between Leena, Celeste, and David, and the reawakening of childhood fears all push Leena to take increasingly desperate measures to feel safe. But does the threat lie with her new roommate, within Leena’s own mind . . . or in Frost House itself?

Reviews:

“Marianna Baer’s novel, FROST, puts a unique, 21st Century spin on the usual Gothic ghost story.” – Lois Duncan, author of DOWN A DARK HALL and STRANGER WITH MY FACE

“Providing chills and romance at an unflagging pace, Frost is a mysterious, suspenseful thrill ride that refuses to let the reader go even after the last word is read.” – Carrie Jones, NYT bestselling author of the NEED series

You can visit Marianna HERE

And you can buy FROST at Indiebound  or Amazon

And now a little bit about Marianna!

ME: What was your inspiration for this book?

Marianna: My senior year at boarding school, I lived in a tiny dorm called Frost House with a few of my closest friends. Once I started writing YA, I knew I wanted to set a novel there — it’s such an intense social situation, being 17 and living pretty much on your own with your peers. No going home at night to escape any drama. The ghost story/psychological suspense aspect of FROST came from my love of that genre, and from the fact that the real Frost House, a dilapidated old Victorian, always seemed like it held secrets in its walls.

ME: I love it when something specific in an author’s past can roll into something later. So cool. When it comes to writing, are you a plotter or a pantser?

Marianna: Unfortunately, I’m a pantser. In my dreams I’m a plotter — what a luxury, to know where your story is going! But it’s only when I’m living the story along with my characters that I know what they’d do in different situations.

ME: How you said unfortunately cracked me up. I often wish I could be a plotter too. Since we’re all dying to know, how did you find your agent? Care to share the call?

I had just graduated from an MFA program, and both my advisor Cynthia Leitich-Smith and fellow student Varian Johnson recommended Sara to me. I wasn’t surprised when she asked to read my full, considering I had the references, but I was surprised to get a call back in just a couple of days. No beating around the bush — Sara said straight out in her phone message that she loved FROST and wanted to represent me. I remember standing next to the answering machine and literally shaking with excitement. I was so nervous to talk to her that I emailed instead of calling, and asked if we could talk the following week. I needed the weekend to compose myself!

ME: Love, that, story! I can imagine you were nervous, but it sounds like you both hit it off. We all know how hard it is to write, edit, query or submit. What’s one piece of advice you’d pass on to aspiring authors?

Be patient. Be patient with the time it takes to learn the craft, to write your first draft, to revise, to write the best query letter, to hear back from agents, to get your editorial letter, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc… You’re going to be waiting for something at every stage of the process, and it really helps to not be in a rush with any of this. Especially with the writing itself.

ME: Excellent advice! You don’t have to ‘give away’ anything major, but do you have anything new in the works?

I’m writing a second standalone YA titled IMMACULATE. It’s about a 15-year-old girl in Brooklyn who is pregnant, but says she has never had sex. It’s a complicated story (I’m putting my patience to work!), but I’m incredibly excited about it.

ME: Marianna, thanks for visiting us at Musetracks. FROST is on my TBR list. The cover had me hooked, but the blurb solidified the deal. Looking forward to it!

- – - -

Okay, you know what time it is.

It’s

GO

time!

Oh, and BTW, I’ll pick a random comment that uses the word FROST, to win the TOP PITCH SLOT for tomorrow!

Good luck everyone.

AGENT SHOP pitch day w/ Sara Crowe! by Candi Wall

Yes, I’m a touch early for those of us on EST, but tomorrow’s looking nutty, so here it is a few hours earlier than Monday morning…

Let me start by saying I was BUMMED to have to cancel last month’s Agent Shop date.

But I did have a great conversation with Laura Bradford, who suffered from an internet interruption. She’s agreed to come back and do a different Agent Shop date. Yay! Agents are AWESOME! I mean really, all the agents we’ve had here have been stellar!

For this month’s Agent Shop, the awesome SARA CROWE from HARVEY KLINGER, INC., will be our guest agent!

And next week, I’ll find out who our spotlight author will be. So excited. I’ll update when I hear back.

So, here’s the details:

PITCH DAY – OCT. 23rd @ approx 10:00am EST. (Yep BEFORE Halloween, because we all know how crazy THAT can get.)

Wait for the word GO to appear on the main page of the blog BEFORE you send me your pitch. Send to candi_agent_shop @ yahoo.com Please remember to wait until after you see the word go. If it comes in before then – DELETE.

Please remember to read the rules under the AGENT SHOP tab above. I delete without mercy. Sorry, but it has to be done. Look at this as your first step toward following agent guidelines to the letter.

Don’t make me get my ruler out.

Very simple actually, but inevitably, I end up with one or two authors FURIOUS with me because their pitch doesn’t show up the next day. Sorry all, but I’m here to help, not hold hands.

BUT, since I’m all about the helping, here’s a morsel to chew on this fine Columbus day.

Columbus had a vision. He knew what he had to convince people of, was going to be difficult. He had to SELL his idea, his dream, his vision. He had to find the right words, the right people, the right timing, including making sure he could answer the tough questions someone was bound to ask. He had to convince people to give him, AND HIS IDEA, a chance.

SOUND FAMILIAR?!?!?!? Pitching’s been around forever, in so many different ways, yet with so many crazy similarities it’s astounding to think about it. If you’ve done your work, made it the best it can be, have passion and drive and the willingness to put yourself out there, eventually, you will get there. Just keep shooting for the unobtainable and building your way to reaching it!

I mean really, I bet the first being to create fire was looked at oddly by others.

I can hear it now…

Try #1 “Uh, grunt, oh-oh, grunt, ugh.”

Try #2 “Grunt, grunt, ugh, oh-oh, ugh.”

Keep at it, and someday you’ll convince that agent, editor, publisher, that you’ve got something special!

By the way, today is the LAST day to enter the Mills & Boon New Voices contest!

I’d love to have you stop by and read/rate my entry STAY. And of course, enter! There are more than 800 entries and it’ll be chopped down to twenty entries VERY SOON!

Good luck, and I’ll see you all soon.

More updates to come next monday!

MuseTrack’s Link of the Week

Today’s link features Pitch University. You’ve heard us plug this site from time to time. Not just because the head alchemist is a personal friend, but becuase this site has so, so much to offer.

Learn to pitch your novel, write a query, and get helpful advice and insight on marketing, hooks, and proposals. There is even an entire section entitled Indie U devoted to offering career advice to authors pursuing independent publishing, as well as small press and traditional publishing.

Check it out!

http://www.pitch-university.com/main/

Agent Shop day with Weronika Janczuk!

UPDATE:

MS. JANCZUK REQUESTED 7 PARTIALS FROM HER VISIT. E-MAILS WENT OUT TODAY!

Good luck to those who got requests and I’ll see you all at the next agent shop! As always – keep writing!

Congratulations to everyone that made it in.

I’ll make it quick as usual.

Here are the stats.

Pitches received: 72

• Pitches accepted: 30
• Pitches over limit:28

Pitches ditched: 14

• Too long: 6
• Missing info: 7
• NOT a pitch: 1 (Sorry folks, but a Bio & blog/website info inviting the agent to check you out, even in less than 200 words, doesn’t count.)

Not bad! If you’ve followed us for very long, you know I’ve had dates where the pitches I ditched outnumbered the pitches I accepted!

As always, if you didn’t make it in this round, look your pitch over. It may be something as simple as missing wordcount, or a title. You might have also come in after the first thirty viable pitches. Whatever the case, it’s important to look at:

• what might be missing
• if you’ve followed the guidelines

You might find some of the same mistakes in your query!

Okay, now that we have that out of the way, I know you’re dying to scroll down and see if your pitch made it!

Be patient!

We have to announce the winners.

The TOP PITCH slot winner is – well it’s the first one up. If it’s yours – congrats!

The winner of MISERERE is LINDA PENNELL! Please send your address to me at candi_agent_shop (@) yahoo.com and I’ll forward it on to Teresa Frohock. Congrats.

Now let’s welcome Weronika Janczuk.

It’s lovely to have you participate in Agent Shop, and I hope some of the pitches below catch your attention. If there are any you’d like to see more of, please e-mail me the pitch number, what you’d like to see from the author, and how the author should send it to you. (P.S. You can use the danci address we’ve been corresponding with.)

Enjoy!

*****************************************

TOP PITCH SLOT WINNER

#1

SIXTH SENSE

Romantic Suspense

90,000 words

Reluctant Psychic Katherine Crystal, dubbed “Crystal Ball Kate,” is thrust into the national spotlight when she accurately predicts that the five-year-old son of actor Vince Rivers will die in a plane crash. Skeptical Atlanta Police Detective Beauregard Lee Jackson Hale (Jack), who has a deep-seated distrust of psychics, is the by-the-book officer who ignores Katherine’s warnings when she calls to report her premonition. When they are sent toSydney, Australia, to help catch a serial killer, the chase leads to romance and the ultimate discovery of a mystery and a murder surrounding Kate’s birth in the spiritualist community of Cassadaga, Florida. Kate learns to accept her unique abilities and trust her sixth sense about love.

#2

DARK KNIGHT

Paranormal Romance

80,142 words

Dark Knight is about the faraway world of the Shadowlands, a world parallel to our own.  Creatures from the Shadowlands make their way into our world; sometimes simply to survive and sometimes to wreak havoc.  Vampires come from the Shadowlands into the outer world and are an extended human race that live longer, are stronger and possess abilities to control the human mind.  Ethan St. John (an agent working in the secret sector of the U.S. Government) a.k.a. protector and vampire hunter, and Gabriella Woods (a “starving artist” who possesses a unique gene that the vampires need), will evade the vampires, falling in love along their journey.  Gabriella and Ethan are on the run from a powerful vampire (LaCroix) and they visit faraway places like the Shadowlands and Egypt.  Throughout the story, Gabriella will learn how to control her mind and how to break through the strong barrier around Ethan’s heart. This is the first of many books in the Shadowlands series.  I’m currently working on the second book, Donovan’s Fumble, bringing many characters from Dark Knight back into the story.  Readers will follow many of the same characters while reading about the Shadowlands.

#3

LITTLE RED FEATHER

Contemporary fantasy/horror

95,000 words

A pair of werewolf brothers battle over a Montana Indian girl—one hungers for her love, the other for her flesh—in this retelling of the classic fairy tale.

When DENNY HOLT sells his soul and becomes a shape-shifter, half-brother ZACH gets caught in the magical backlash. Denny becomes a murderous black wolf by the full moon, but only Zach’s physical form is affected. Zach becomes a gray wolf and returns to human only when Denny is the black wolf.

One day LITTLE RED FEATHER GORDON, a teenage Blackfeet girl, finds a dying gray wolf and heals his wounds. As July’s full moon approaches Zach is determined to protect his Little Red Feather and reveal his human self to her. When Denny kills one girl and almost kills another, Zach’s plans fail. He’s forced to flee to Glacier National Park and become an alpha.

Zach returns before August’s full moon and defends Little Red Feather from Denny. They flee to Grandmother’s, a two-day journey, and spend the night at a cabin. Zach transforms and Little Red Feather insists they are married. At Grandmother’s Zach battles Denny, and with Little Red Feather’s help Zach slays his brother and breaks the curse.

#4

LIFE TAKE TWO

Women’s Fiction

85,000 Words

Marianne Larson brings a shocking end to her family life when she confronts her cheating spouse at his dominatrix apartment.  She begins her new life by returning to college, without the support of her mother and grown daughter. But secrets from the past, refuse to remain hidden and bring the three women back together to heal their broken relationship and create a new future.

#5

THE BLACK DESERT

Women’s fiction/ elements of suspense

95,000 words

Forty-eight hours into their Moroccan vacation, Julie’s best friend disappears, leaving a terse note of apology and a plea: wait for me.

Days pass. Julie’s anger fades to worry – then fear, when she realizes she is being followed. Then, a vicious attack meant for Julie kills an innocent woman. Julie bolts.

She has learned enough snooping through Fay’s luggage to guess her destination is Taghabene, a remote village. Convinced that Fay is heading into danger and propelled by her own jeopardy, Julie speeds south.

Dust. Wrong turns. Car trouble. Julie finally hitchhikes into Taghabene, but Fay has just departed for a desert camp. Snap decision time: hitchhike back to town and eventually bring help or hurry after her friend.

Julie heads into the desert – and blunders into a military patrol. Thrown into the same cell as Fay and three Moroccans, Julie’s relief at finding Fay is countered by resentment at her betrayal. As the army prepares to transfer the captives to a secret prison deep in the Sahara, Julie must set aside past hurts. Only escape matters. The captives pit their wits against the Moroccan army and the Black Desert in a fight for their lives.

#6

THE RELATIONSHIP COACH

Single Title Contemporary

85,000 words

When relationship coach Lacy Morgan meddles in Reed Hunter’s social life, he decides to use his vocation to expose her as the snake-oil selling fraud he believes her to be. Under the guile of filming a documentary, Reed watches her help her clients through their relationships, making him question his views on long-term relationships. He must choose between ending Lacy’s dreams with his negative slanted documentary, which would boast his career to Michael Moore notoriety, or reaching for the one thing he never thought would touch his life—love.

#7

SKINWALKERS

Paranormal Romance
80,000 words

Skinwalker [skin-waw-ker] (n.) – 1. A being capable of assuming the identity of an animal.  2. God of Norse Mythology 3. Shapeshifter

Werewolf hunter Jace McCannon has one loyalty: the Execution Underground, a council of supernatural hunters sanctioned to protect Rochester. Despite his half-wolf lineage, Jace devotes himself to his job, and he hates nothing more than the monsters he hunts. But when a search for a sexual sadist turns ugly, Jace finds himself with the werewolves’ packmaster, and he’s craving his sworn enemy.

The only alpha female to ever run Rochester’s pack, nothing stops Frankie Amato from protecting her clan. She’s set on massacring the rogue murdering women. Ascending into leadership following her parents’ murder, Frankie can hold her own without the help of any men—until a run-in with a handsome werewolf hunter leaves captive and begging for release.

Jace and Frankie work to end the murders, while battling their differences and growing attraction. Their fate falls on Jace’s shoulders; he needs to embrace his dual nature and shift. But when Jace’s attempts at shifting reveal an unknown bloodline, this news drums up Frankie’s own dark past, and she’d rather stand on the sidelines than at Jace’s side.

#8

DARK DEALINGS

Urban Fantasy

86,000 words

At thirteen, Micaela O’Brien was the sole survivor of a small plane explosion in the skies over Ireland.  She saw it in a vision that she never revealed to her parents, who perished in the accident.  Raised by her grandmother, Micaela fought to be like everyone else, but when your bloodlines go back to the ancient Kings and Druids of Ireland, it’s tough. She attends Ivy League schools and is a very successful investment banker.  On a visit to the Berkshires to see her grandmother, Micaela is called to use the gifts she ran from to find a missing friend.  This attracts certain unusual clients.  Clients with fangs and fur, and long histories.  Some of these vampires and shapeshifters possess a thirst for power that rivals their bloodlust. Others will become her allies and perhaps more. But Micaela insists on being rooted in the rational until she discovers one of her clients brutally murdered in his five star New York hotel suite, and is pursued by the killers to Europe.  More attacks occur around the globe until they return to Micaela’s doorstep.  If she is to survive, Micaela must accept the irrational and herself.

#9

DEMON REINCARNATE

YA Urban Fantasy
72,000 words

Finding a hunky, three-hundred-year old demon in your bed isn’t so bad. Stabbing that demon in the gut? Yeah…probably not the best way to make his acquaintance.

Lucky for Katriona McBain, the infamous supernatural hit-man, Demetrius Fall, is interested in more than sucking out her soul—he needs her to assume her role as the reincarnated Queen of the powerful, British Coven.

The only person who can stop an impending apocalypse and end a long waging, demonic war, Katriona is thrown head first into a dark, magical world she thought only existed in her nightmares. Together, she and Demetrius must search the globe for the four bewitched pieces of her royal ancestor’s necklace. Bringing the charms together and harnessing their power is the only chance Katriona has to destroy Narcissa, an evil succubus and leader of the Dark Coven. But as the clock ticks will Katriona uncover the charms in time, or lose something more precious than the war—her humanity?

DEMON REINCARNATE is the first novel of my YA urban fantasy series. Although DEMON REINCARNATE is the in a series, the story stands alone, and explores the uncertainty and change of being a teen on the cusp of adulthood.

#10

SIDEWALK FLOWER

Edgy Romantic Women’s Fiction

103,800 Words

A thirty-two year old musician assistant extraordinaire, Trista Hart knows she needs to find a way out of the nocturnally persuaded world of her best friend and boss, Jaxon James.  But no matter how dark that route has become lately, he and his band Sin Pointe are her family and she’s not prepared to leave them for Jaxon’s visiting cousin, Lucky Mason of Tennessee, if it’s just going to take her down another of life’s pot-hole littered highways.  She has valid reasons to question Lucky and his beloved south—having experienced at an early age the sometimes hypocritical underbelly of the region’s good manners and charm.

Her hourglass has been turned upside down and now with Lucky’s heartfelt proposal before her, she has to decide one for the other at the most inconvenient of times—just as Sin Pointe’s tour is taking off and on the heels of a horrendous late night attack on her and Jaxon that leaves her sure of only one thing…

It’s time for Trista to be her own savior.

#11

TROUBLE IN THE BREW

Young Adult 

88,000 words

Mrs. Ghoul was up late one night brushing her long stringy hair. She stops to place the hair brush down, as her eerie witchy nails scrap the top of the dresser. She gazes at herself into the mirror; her deceased mother’s reflection appears and disappears quickly. It was a sign of her mother to let know her know that her items are still very powerful. After that particular moment, she gets into a deep thought as she thinks about setting revenge on RayAnn to retrieve the magical items back.

Jake is a wizard, he came to live with his grandmother, in New England, after his mother was vanished into another world. He had no idea that his sweetheart to be lived across the street. Once he lays eyes on RayAnn for the first time, he knew they would have a magical connection between them.

RayAnn and Cindy have been friends for years. Together the girls go through some magical reject spells to try to defeat Mrs. Ghoul at her own game. Nevertheless, their magical adventure will intense throughout the story.

#12

THE DATING GAME

Single-Title Romance

100,000 words

Widow Jeannette Riley’s long-term boyfriend is running from commitment like an escaped convict desperate to stay free.

That’s what her brother implies when he makes her an unconventional offer of help to prove it. She tells him to mind his own business. But when she suggests to her boyfriend she spend an evening listening to his band play at an out-of-town club, he quickly discourages her. One quick phone call to her brother sets the plan in motion, a plan she hopes doesn’t backfire.

When Tyler Morgan’s fiancée chooses her dynamic career over their relationship, he thinks a distraction will help fill the void growing inside him. He believes it’s purchasing the classic car collecting dust in a co-worker’s sister’s garage. When he steps into what turns out to be Jennette’s backyard to ask if she’s willing to sell, what he gets is a case of mistaken identity and an intriguing offer he chooses not to turn down.

What neither Jennette nor Tyler expects is for a chance meeting and one simple date to grow into an all-consuming passion and love neither can deny.

#13

THE PIRATE’S DECEPTION

Regency with paranormal influence

90,000 words

Alexander Barrington flees his tyrannical uncle for the open seas and becomes a ruthless pirate who turns vampire.

Captured and sentence to hang for piracy, a fate he must avoid to keep his vampire self hidden, he gets a reprieve if he recues Lady Laurel Sinclair from French pirates and return her to her fiancé in England. He falls for the woman who sees him as a hero but he knows he is below her nobility status a pirate and must not steal her for himself.

In this Vampire Diaries meets Pirates of the Caribbean, he erases her memory of him so she can live a normal life though he doesn’t want her to go because she treats him like a human, making him feel alive again. Can he really have her without exposing what he is – a thief, the undead? The damned?

#14

GUITAR GOD

YA—Contemporary Fantasy

195,000 Words

Polly’s moment had finally arrived, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time. Barely a teenager, Polly had reluctantly accepted the role of human guardian of the Green. Now, about to begin college and leave her hometown and all the weirdness behind, fate calls her, except to save the Green she must defeat Isaac, the boy she loves.

Isaac was the kid nobody liked until a mysterious faerie granted him his greatest wish. Now bestowed with incredible musical prowess, Isaac is loved and admired by all. But there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Polly is the only one who can save Isaac’s soul, but her first responsibility is to the Green. Can Polly save the Green and save Isaac as well?

Guitar God is a Jewish, suburban rock and roll fantasy with a 1970s soundtrack. It’s urban fantasy in the suburbs. It’s War For The Oaks meets Portnoy’s Complaint. It’s crossover YA for teens and their parents. It’s a world where the faerie folk walk among us, but we don’t know it. It’s about the magical places where we grew up. Maybe we knew about them or maybe we walked by them every day without even noticing.

#15

THE WICKED BARGAIN

Regency

90,000 words

Haunted by a past as a sex slave, nobleman Ethan Warth returns to England as a male courtesan for rich matrons and runs a brothel for wealthy lords. Arabella Covington appears on his door, trained in the medical arts but unable to practice because she is a woman. He hires her to care for his ladies but her inquisitive nature and beauty make him desire to teach her the world of seduction.

Ethan, however, never counted on falling in love…

#16

BETRAYAL

Thriller

105,000 words

When Gerald “Jet” Jameson, an aspiring astronaut, loses control of his perfect life he agrees to murder innocents to stop an escalating nuclear war. His reward. Raising a son he didn’t want, doubting an ego he can’t risk, utilizing technology he can’t possibly understand, while hiding a secret where the only solution is a hangman’s noose.

Add in:

·      An engineered slate wiping virus

·      A world wide manhunt

·      A secret facility that uses humans as telepathic guinea pigs

·      A harvesting operation that steals organs from the dregs of society

·      An impossible space program sold as the only hope for mankind

·      and man’s first contact

This is BETRAYAL.

#17

MYSTERY ON THE COAST

Cozy Mystery with Romantic elements

70,000 words

Levi Mendenham thought taking flak for changing his parents’ Jewish bookstore into a haven for mystery readers was bad, but that’s nothing compared to being the prime suspect in the murders of both his fiance and an ex-  girlfriend. When the woman he recently asked out on a date goes missing as well, Levi, a former agent for the National Security Agency,  has to find a way to stay out of jail and find the real murderer.

#18

WITCH HUNT

Crime

85K words

The only white sheep in a flock of black ones, bank teller and human-lie-detector Lolita Vette aches for the guilty pleasure of a normal life. Instead, she works weekends exploiting her ‘gift’ as a psychic for an embarrassing and expensive family of wanna-be witches.

When she stops a bank robbery to save a mentally handicapped friend from going to jail, Lolita’s interrupted something bigger than a small town payday heist.  Kingpin Queenie Trent doesn’t appreciate the interference and puts the squeeze on Lolita: Break into the vault  or she and her screwy family will suffer the consequences.

Lolita refuses and Queenie sends trouble after her like debt collectors on a past due. She’s been assaulted, robbed, and now Tug Shelby–the man she hadn’t yet decided whether he belonged in a shallow grave or  her bed–is missing.  Leaving behind a little finger and a helluva lot of blood. Now even Lolita can’t help but pray for a little backwater magic.

#19

AMBUSHING THE HEIRESS

Historical/Regency romance

95K words

“The sacrifice of one spoiled heiress for the good of many…” at least that’s how tarnished war-hero Major Vicks Geale quiets his conscience. Newly returned to England, Vicks finds his pay and commission forfeited, he’s inherited a crumbling estate, worthless title and a mountain of debt. With a band of wounded men depending upon him, Geale chooses the feckless and rich Lady Evangeline “Mischief” Moorecroft.

Gorgeous over-indulged Lady Evangeline delights on dancing the razor’s edge between scandal and infamy. Unable to resist Geale’s bait of a notoriously naughty masquerade, Evangeline awakens to discover she’s been ambushed into marriage. As an uneasy alliance forms between them, Evangeline has second thoughts about dissolving the marriage.

Their fierce attraction is put to the test when Evangeline’s treacherous and well-connected mother, the Duchess, gives Evangeline an ultimatum: end the marriage or the Duchess will use her connections to end Geale’s life.

#20

A TASTE OF HONEY
Historical mystery romance with a paranormal element
70,000 words

Dirk McSwain, a gambler from new Orleans, has one goal, to save the family home. He buys first class passage on the Queen Mary ocean liner in order to make the big bucks in a hurry. Meeting a shy young psychic was not in his plans, but when a man he took for a lot of money is killed, Dirk must team up with Eden McGill to solve the case.

#21

HEAVEN SENT WARRIOR

Paranormal Romance

91,000 words

Henri Chevalier’s last memory, before awakening naked within a bronze statue in a museum’s moonlit garden, was Auguste Rodin’s studio in 1886 Paris where he had expected to die to escape his broken heart.

He soon discovers he must learn to use the unexpected powers Heaven has given him to succeed in his mission against otherworldly creatures, such as demons, faeries, and a delectable art museum curator named Annabelle Mackintosh.

Relationship-wary, Belle does not believe Henri’s strange words and dire warnings at first, but their relationship heats up when a demon escapes the underworld and forces Henri and Belle to learn to trust each other.

#22

SWORN TO LOVE

Historical Romance set in the Regency Period with elements of suspense
84,000 words

Before Lieutenant Colonel Amherst, a battle-weary hero, can return to the
fight and avenge the death of his men, he must first honor a promise and
watch over his best friend’s sister, Lady Juliette, an innocent beauty who
fears she may be coerced to marry a lecherous old duke, to save the family
coffers.

Unbeknownst to the ton, the duke’s vengeful sister and a scorned lover are
both desperate to make sure Juliette, and any other young lady, do not wed
him.  One wants her nephew to inherit the ducal title while the other wants
the duke to die a lonely, old man for what he did to her many years ago.

When Juliette unwittingly captures Amherst’s heart, he asks for her father’s
hand in marriage, but is one day too late, forcing Juliette into a world of
greed and murder and a guilt-ridden Amherst into a race against time to save
her and redeem himself and renew their love.

#23

SECOND CHANCE AT LOVE

Historical Romance set in the Regency Period 
85,000 words

Lady Beatrix, a strong-willed young woman, has no wish to marry for anything
less than love and becomes quite taken by Lord Whitby.  However, he is a
grief-stricken widower who has no desire to remarry for he feels responsible
for his wife’s death.  When Beatrix tries to warn him of a notorious widow’s
plot to trap him into marriage, she is the one caught alone instead with
him, and they must wed.  Enthralled by the independent beauty, Whitby never
expected Beatrix could free him from the chains that bind his heart and
cripple his spirit, nor did Beatrix expect a woman to come between them who
would do anything, even murder, to gain Whitby’s love.  United by passion,
Bea and Whitby risk their lives to save not only themselves but each other.

#24

THE ANGEL MADE ME DO IT  

Single Title Contemporary Romance

83,000 words

It’s time to unleash the angels.
This story is my sassy spin on Touched By an Angel meets L.A. Ink.  And when my angel – a 300 lb biker – is tasked with the Heavenly mission of playing cupid to a surly tattoo artist who wants nothing to do with love again, and an uptight accountant struggling to break free from her mother’s shadow, you might think this is a simple case of opposites attract.  Well, not so much.  You see, they both bring plenty of emotional baggage to the table and they simply can’t stand each other!  So, they force their poor cupid to work double time and come up with all sorts of creative ways to make sure the Divine Plan doesn’t fail.

I am a fresh, unpublished author and I’m looking forward to finding my niche.  And though I would never hold myself up to their caliber, I would say my writing sits comfortably somewhere in the pocket of romantic humor with authors such as my chapter mate Christie Craig or even Kristan Higgins, and I dream of someday being somewhere in their stratosphere.  I am also a PRO member of the RWA and the Northwest Houston chapter.

#25

COLLISION

Urban fantasy (with strong romantic elements)

85,000 words

Sienna Wolfe knows it’s going to be an interesting day when a man with golden skin and strange tattoos crashes in her backyard… and ends up tied to her bedposts. She likes her life just the way it is – simple, easy, relaxed. But when the gorgeous new alien in her life asks for her help in an inter-galactic war on a collision course with earth, she can’t say no… but she’ll soon wish she had.

Being the only human on a secret base full of ETs is complicated, especially when she’s sharing her bed with one of them. She struggles with her new, unpredictable world, which includes trying to protect earth from alien domination and dodging attempts on her life. And to make matters worse, her greatest enemy – with annoyingly good looks – offers her a double-edged proposal to end the war. All she has to do is give up her freedom and turn her back on the love of her life. Now it’s up to Sienna to pull off the impossible: save the world and – hopefully – live a little happily ever after.

#26

TROUBLE IN TINSELTOWN

Romantic Mystery

80K words

Dema Maria Morielli is running scared after witnessing her brother get gunned down on a lonely street in Venice, California. The down-on-her-luck actress is desperate to find Micah’s killer and stay alive in the process. There is only one person she can turn to and he’s the one person she is determined to keep out of her life.

Detective Raphael Villegas is harder then diamonds when it comes to law enforcement…and Dema, ever since the hot woman left his bed one morning after an insane night of sex, she has consumed his thoughts. But when his sexy obsession waltzes back into his life via a murder investigation, Rafe has no choice but protect her.

As the pair searches Tinsel town for Micah’s killer, they find a cover-up bigger than any backlot and a romance that burns hotter than a brushfire.  Now if only Rafe can keep Dema alive…and in his bed.

#27

DAUGHTER OF FIRE

Paranormal Romance

55K words

A rash of theft and the destruction of sacred artifacts have brought the wrath of the United States Geological Survey down on Dr. Jack O’Connor’s head.  The handsome volcanologist has been sent a mouthy new assistant to help him get to the heart of the vandalism. Kalama Young is like no woman he has ever known.

Kalama may look like your typical island girl but there is more to the Hawaiian beauty than meets the eye. A secret lies beneath the surface of her fiery demeanor. Kalama is the 230 year old half mortal daughter of Pele, the Goddess of Fire. In desperation, Pele has called Kalama home to Hawaii.

A force beyond anything the world can comprehend is threatening Pele. Only Kalama can stop it. Na-maka-o-kaha’I, the goddess of the sea, has been released from her watery prison at the bottom of the ocean by an earthquake. She wants revenge against her sister Pele and will stop at nothing to get it. Kalama and Jack must join forces and race against time to recover a sacred carving in order to save her mother and all of Hawaii. . For it is written, He who controls the carving, controls Pele.

#28

BRIGHT STAR

Historical/paranormal

98,000 words

Pandora Mavros is on the hunt for one of her own.  A high ranking Siren has gone rogue, murdering innocent men.  Her mission is to locate the rogue and the artifact she has stolen.  If she fails; the destruction of her people will follow.  The licentious and dashing Alexander is a complication she is definitely not looking for.  Could he be working for the rogue?

Alexander Knight is searching for his business partner who mysteriously disappeared and with him the ancient map of the elusive island of Eudora.  Alex doesn’t need the impediment of his desire for the mysterious and guarded Pandora, but something or someone is forcing them together.  Is she his salvation? Or the destruction of everything he holds dear?

#29

DIGGING DEEPER

YA

72,000 words

Ella has a secret. Problem is, she doesn’t know what it is. The car accident that killed her best friend and the two guys they picked up one stupid night after a party – is nothing but a foggy blur.

Her father’s too much of a drunk to help her figure it out, and her mother suffers from denial that anything could possibly be wrong in her perfect life.

That leaves the geeky school psychologist who still uses words like groovy and gnarly in an attempt to be ‘down with the kids’.

Welcome to Ella’s hell – join the club – they’ve got jackets.

Enter one of the dead boy’s older brother’s, and Ella’s secret turns out to be the reason he’s hunted her down.

#30

WHERE THE MAN LIED

Contemporary romance/suspense

89,000 words

What else would any red-blooded American woman with a shred of self-respect do, but sneak around for a night to see what kind of dirt she can find on her cheating, no-good, lying, SOB of an ex-boyfriend?

Okay, so it was lame. Dani Shaffer knows just how lame it is when she stumbles across the wrong place at the wrong time and witnesses the brutal murder of a young hooker.

With an ex-police father who’d shamed the family with his corruption, Dani’s faith in law enforcement is non-existent. Flip, witty, and okay, somewhat smokin’, Officer Hale Dennison, doesn’t do a whole lot to reaffirm her faith. But who else can she trust when the murderers decide she needs to permanently forget what she saw?

It’s Pitch Day at Agent Shop with Weronika Janczuk!

UPDATE: STOP SENDING PITCHES! WE’VE MET OUR NEEDS. CHECK BACK TOMORROW TO SEE IF YOUR PITCH MADE IT IN THE TOP THIRTY. AND OF COURSE, SEE IF YOU WON THE TOP SLOT OR A COPY OF TERESA’S NOVEL!

Good Morning everyone.

It’s Agent Shop PITCH Day! Yay.

We have the awesome Weronika Janczuk (@weronikajanczuk on Twitter) coming tomorrow to look at thirty lucky pitches, and we’re so happy to have one of her clients here today for the author spotlight.

Please welcome Teresa Frohock with her soon to be released novel

MISERERE: AN AUTUMN TALE

How ridiculously awesome is THAT cover?!?

Miserere: An Autumn Tale

(Night Shade Books www.nightshadebooks.com / July 1, 2011)

Exiled exorcist Lucian Negru deserted his lover in Hell in exchange for saving his sister Catarina’s soul, but Catarina doesn’t want salvation. She wants Lucian to help her fulfill her dark covenant with the Fallen Angels by using his power to open the Hell Gates. Catarina intends to lead the Fallen’s hordes out of Hell and into the parallel dimension of Woerld, Heaven’s frontline of defense between Earth and Hell.

When Lucian refuses to help his sister, she imprisons and cripples him, but Lucian learns that Rachael, the lover he betrayed and abandoned in Hell, is dying from a demonic possession. Determined to rescue Rachael from the demon he unleashed on her soul, Lucian flees his sister, but Catarina’s wrath isn’t so easy to escape. In the end, she will force him once more to choose between losing Rachael or opening the Hell Gates so the Fallen’s hordes may overrun Earth, their last obstacle before reaching Heaven’s Gates.

Read the first four chapters of Miserere FREE here:

And check out this trailer!!!

(BTW – At  the bottom of the interview with Teresa, I’m going to post some information that you NEED to read.)

Blurbs for MISERERE:

“MISERERE is about redemption, and the triumph of our best impulses over our worst. It’s also about swords, monsters, chases, ghosts, magic, court intrigues and battles to the death. It’s also (and this is the important part) really, really good.”

–Alex Bledsoe, author of DARK JENNY and THE SWORD-EDGED BLONDE

“In her debut novel, MISERERE: AN AUTUMN TALE, Teresa Frohock has succeeded at creating that all-too-rare phenomenon among first-time story-tellers: a mature prose style combined with a fully realized vision. Her ‘woerld’ will completely immerse the reader with its compelling and striking visuals, fascinating details and thrilling plot turns. The book is almost impossible to put down and it’s harder yet not to actually believe that what Ms. Frohock imagined isn’t terribly real—even if some of us haven’t found an entrée into the parallel existences she’s meticulously crafted. Studded with magic, demons, and terror run amok, dark fantasy and horror fans alike will walk away from MISERERE feeling they’ve found a writer they not only admire, but are anxious to revisit soon in her future works.”

– Lisa Mannetti, Bram Stoker Award-Winning author of THE GENTLING BOX and DEATHWATCH

When and Where can we find it?

MISERERE will release from Night Shade Books on July 1, 2011

You can follow http://www.teresafrohock.com for updates on the blog tour, which started June 24^th and will go through the end of August.

http://www.teresafrohock.com/novels/ has links to Amazon, B&N, IndieBound, and more. The book will be available at bookstores everywhere.

Awesome information Teresa!

How about a bio? We love getting to know authors.

Raised in a small town, Teresa Frohock learned to escape to other worlds through the fiction collection of her local library. She eventually moved away from Reidsville and lived in Virginia and South Carolina before returning to North Carolina, where she currently resides with her husband and daughter.

Teresa has long been accused of telling stories, which is a southern colloquialism for lying. Miserere: An Autumn Tale is her debut novel.

Teresa can be found most often at her blog and web site (www.teresafrohock.com). Every now and then, she heads over to Tumblr and sends out Dark Thoughts, links to movies and reviews that catch her eye. You can also follow Teresa on Twitter and join her author page on Facebook

Can you tell us where the idea for MISERERE came from?

The idea for MISERERE started with Lucian’s character. I’m not the kind of writer who thinks in terms of plot; I tend to begin with a character and formulate the story about him or her.

The concept for Lucian began when I dreamed of a powerful sorcerer, speaking to a young boy dressed in twenty-first century clothing. They were at the edge of a dark forest where there was a hand painted sign nailed to a tree that read: “Jesus Saves.” (If you live in the southeastern United States, you see these scattered around.) Beside the tree was a rusting bumper from a pickup truck with a sticker that read: “Nobody Saves You More Than Winn Dixie.”

The whole dream stayed with me long after I woke, so I started building a story around the man and the boy and the strange world they inhabited where time overlapped from one period to another. I loved the idea of mixing the religious with the secular, my interpretation of the sign/bumper sticker symbolism, to see what kind of world I could build. It wasn’t until I took a college course in the introduction of the Old Testament that the final piece fell into place with the Crimson Veil.

Constructing the actual story was the hardest part. During my research, I read a quote from Toni Morrison’s novel LOVE: “Love is the weather. Betrayal is the lightning that cleaves and reveals it.” When I read that line, I knew I had the crux of Lucian’s conflict for MISERERE.

Care to share your ‘call’ experience? Either from when you were offered representation or when you got the call saying MISERERE: AN AUTUMN TALE had sold?

I met Weronika through Backspace.org before she became a literary agent and I followed her blog and tweets for several months. She impressed me with her many accomplishments and her love of literature. I enjoyed her writing and the way she expressed herself to her blog readers.

So when I saw through one of her tweets that she was striking out as a literary agent, I knew I had to submit MISERERE to her. I thought there wasn’t a chance she would remember me, but she did, and she immediately requested the full manuscript. When she emailed me and told me that she wanted to discuss representation, I was thrilled.

I had a list of questions and concerns I wanted to go over with her, but as we talked, she addressed each of my questions before I had a chance to ask them. I wanted an editing agent, someone who loved not just this particular book but my writing, and someone who would be honest enough with me to tell me when I was off track.

I got all three things with Weronika. The more she talked about MISERERE, the more enthusiastic I became until I was ready to buy my own book! That is salesmanship, and that is what a good agent does. Sure enough, she managed to sell MISERERE after only being on submission for six weeks and she’s really helped me navigate through the process, especially what happens AFTER you sell a book.

That’s a very encouraging way to find your agent. I love that you weren’t scared (well maybe you were at the time) to ask the questions you knew you needed to, to find the right agent for both yourself and your work. I love even more that Weronika answered them before you had to ask. Can you tell us what else you have in the works?

Right now, I’m fleshing out a synopsis for DOLOROSA, this is the second novel in the Katharoi series, and will be more in line with fantasy readers’ expectations in terms of world-building and magic. DOLOROSA will be Rachael’s story and will also give a broader view of Woerld and how the bastions work together to hold back the Fallen.

I’m also working on a novel in a new series that begins in Spain in 1348. Right now, it’s tentatively entitled THE GARDEN and it is the story of Guillermo Ramírez, a blacksmith conscripted into the King’s army. THE GARDEN is turning out much darker than MISERERE, but I’m thoroughly enjoying the characters and the story.

Busy woman! What’s one piece of advice you would pass on to other aspiring authors?

I try to share something different each time I answer this, but one thing remains constant—remain teachable. Always be willing to learn new techniques and experiment with different styles, but at the same time, don’t become so rigid that you stifle your voice. Take time to write whatever pops into your head without paying any attention to grammar or structure. Just write.

There you will find your true voice and once you’ve found your voice, modulate it with the rules of grammar and structure. It is through that critical editing process that my works always begin to take their true form. My rough drafts are little more than stage direction, but the edits are where I refine and groom the novel into a story with depth.

Brilliant. And so very true!

It’s so wonderful to have you here. We wish you the best with your writing, and huge congratulations on your release! Thank you so much for coming to Musetracks. After looking at your blog tour, I can only imagine how super busy ( and super excited) you must be!

As promised, I have some awesome info to share.

Teresa will be giving away a copy of MISERERE to one lucky person who comments using the words AUTUMN and TALE (or TAIL).

We’ll also be awarding the Top Pitch slot to a comment that uses those words.

And if you didn’t already know, Teresa has begun her blog tour and she’s doing a super contest with winner packages including a copy of MISERERE, query, synopsis, and even page critiques from Teresa’s agent, Weronika Janczuk! Check it out here!

Okay, now on to business.

You know the drill. Leave a comment using the words AUTUMN and TALE (or TAIL) to be entered to win the copy of MISERERE or the Top Pitch Slot for tomorrow. Send me your pitch at candi_agent_shop at yahoo.com And yes, replace the word at with the @ symbol) and come back tomorrow to see if you made it in the top thirty.

Good luck to everyone.

GO!

Pitching: What they want to hear

Song of the day: I Melt With You by Modern English

This is what you’ve been waiting for. The nugget of information that will make pitching to an editor or agent a piece of cake. The magical words of wisdom that will surely chase away the butterflies and all but guarantee you a four book deal.

Okay, maybe not that last part. You’re stomach will still flip-flop and you’ll probably not get signed before your ten minutes is up. But you’ll be armed with knowledge to get you that much closer to fulfilling your publishing dreams.

What are those agents and editors looking for in a pitch anyway?

Here is part three and the final section on pitching to the pros as suggested by Scott Eagan of the Greyhaus Literary Agency.

Is your story in the genre the agent/editor is interested in or represents? Don’t waste their time, and yours, by avoiding this simple step. If you pitch your vampire cowboy zombie slayer to someone who clearly is not interested in paranormals, you will come off as looking unprofessional, disrespectful or just plain lazy for not knowing beforehand. You won’t change their minds no matter how much your story rocks.

Ask yourself if your story fits in their line. This goes back to doing your homework. Find at least three ways it fits in with what the agent/editor. An example might be the steam level. How hot is the relationship between the characters? What type of heroine stars in the story?  Is she the über sexy take-no-prisoners kind of woman or the girl next door? Are their historical novels primarily Regency or steeped in lots of historical details? You should go beyond ‘Oh, they take fiction. I write fiction.’

A note here. Scott gave great advice on figuring out your target.  If you don’t know what publisher best fits you and your writing, go take a look at your bookshelf. See what author(s) you like to read in the same genre you write. Check out who published these books. Chances are many of these favorites will be printed by the same publishers. That’s your target market.

Now for the nitty gritty, your book. This is what they want to hear.

High concept. Whoa Nelly. Settle down. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to know what book or movie you should compare to your story. Keep in mind that you may not get the reaction you hope for if you walk in and blurt out how your novel is a perfect creative blend between Zombieland, Brokeback Mountain and Twilight. What they really want is to know what makes your story UNIQUE. Why is it a great story?

Incidentally, what would you think if I told you that I am working on a pirate tale with Smokey and the Bandit and Appaloosa as my working high concept? Things that make you go hmmm…

Tell them about your unique characters. What makes them different from everyone else’s John, Dick and Harry? Is your heroine not rich, not skinny, or not beautiful? Is your hero not a duke, CIA agent, or werewolf? Even if they are, maybe it’s their relationship that makes them unique. Hey – you got your peanut butter in my chocolate. No. You got your chocolate in my peanut butter! Bottom line, why do these characters stand out?

Unique plot. Again, what makes your story different from the rest?

Tell the agent/editor about the internal or external conflict. The conflict cannot be something that is easily resolved or a simple misunderstanding. The agent/editor reserves the right to smack you upside the head for such a heinous crime.

You know what? They also want some of that awesome storytelling. It’s all in the voice. No throat exercises, please.

It doesn’t end there, folks. During a pitch, the agents/editors are also uncovering bits of info about you.

It’s important for you to know where you are at in your career and where you are headed. Do you know enough about the industry? Do you treat your writing with professional regard and not like some passing bucket list fancy? Are you a team player or stubborn, not willing to take advice.  As an author, are you ready to make the move into revisions, deadlines, new material? The agent/editor does not have a crystal ball but they may be able to spot an author’s potential.

Here is another gem from Scott. There is always a do-over. If the agent/editor declines to see more from you, don’t turn in your badge and gun yet.  A no doesn’t mean a no for life. Just on the particular story you pitched.

Now you are armed and ready. Go forth, my writing friends, go forth and pitch. Best of luck to you all.

See you in Orlando!

Pitching – The Job Interview

Song of the Day: Break Your Heart by Taio Cruz

If you popped in last week, you’ll know the do’s and don’ts of submitting masterpieces to coveted agents and editors. If you didn’t, scroll down. Go ahead, we’ll wait.

To give you a quick recap, Scott Eagan of the Greyhaus Literary Agency came to my “home” Romance Writers of America chapter, Northwest Houston RWA, gave us an eye-opening quirky presentation on submitting and pitching.

This week, I’ll share with you the scoop on pitching pointers à la Scott.

Treat a pitching appointment like it is a job interview because in all honesty, there is little difference. You walk into the appointment to sell yourself. Now for all you degenerates out there, and you know who you are, I don’t mean bribery or prostitution. This interview is about you and your resume. Resume = manuscript. Just as in an interview for employment, you are not there to chit chat and yuck it up. You have limited time. Use it wisely. Ask questions, take notes. Keep in mind I’m not referring to items like word counts, genres, and the like. You would know that from your research, right? And I don’t mean advances and royalties, either. That’s putting the cart before the horse and the horse just walked away. Questions that might arise may be more like how your book might fit into the current market.

By now you know that writing is a business. The cool thing about that is you can work at home in front of your computer wearing your PJs, not having showered in days, and entertain the cat with unkempt hair that rivals Edward Scissorhands. No so for a pitching session (or for anytime leaving the house). Dress accordingly. Business casual will be perfect. Sound professional. Act professional. Be intelligent. This falls in line with knowing the business and having confidence about yourself and your work. Let the agent or editor know you are ready to move to the big league.

When going on a job interview, you should know a little something about the company. The same applies to pitching. Do your research. Know what the agent / editor wants and what they like or dislike. Does the agent accept romantic suspense but not women’s fiction? Do they love historical tales but despise time travel? Are they partial to comedy? Do they represent all genres of romance but are only accepting young adult at the moment? Maybe they are really into vampire cowboys. Tailor your pitch to them. Scott put it best; one size does not fit all.

Be prepared. There are several points to this. Don’t pitch if your story is not complete, polished and ready to send immediately. Understand that there is a really good chance the agent / editor will ask questions. Know the answers. Be able to produce your manuscript. Consider keeping your book on a flash drive or stored in a secure web account. That way when you are at a conference and an agent / editor requests to see your manuscript, you can hustle back to your room, do your happy dance and fire off your magnum opus from your laptop. If you don’t have your materials with you, don’t fret. Just be sure to get them what they asked for as soon as possible.

Lastly, let’s talk about pitching no-no’s. Do not dress in costume. Please don’t dress up as a character in your book. That’s frightening. Don’t slide money across the table expecting favors. Avoid auditioning for a stand-up comic gig. Don’t shove a business card under their nose before your pitch session begins. Don’t apologize. And, if you know what’s good for you, don’t argue!

Next week: The Pitch! How to give them exactly what they want!

Hunting Agents

Song of the day: The Promise by When in Rome

Shh…I’m hunting wascally agents.

Christie Craig and Faye Hughes give key tips on the right and wrong way to meet an agent at conferences in this cheeky video.

I am fortunate to call Christie a good friend. She is a constant inspiration to me and I will shamelessly plug her books.  Please check out her latest sexy, fun suspense,  Shut up and Kiss Me, just released this month.

Also released this month is Christie and Faye’s Wild, Wicked & Wanton -  101 Ways to Love Like You’re In A Romance Novel. With a title like that, need I say more?

Agent Days – Lois Winston

Here are the stats for this go’round!

58 – pitches

30 – Accepted

12 – Weren’t first thirty viable – Sorry!

6 – Missing titles!

5 – Too long

3 – Missing contact info

1 – No Genre

1 – Not romance or women’s fiction

It’s really a bummer to have to delete some of these great pitches! The simplest info should be a given for these pitches.

Imagine sending in your pitch to an agent or editor. Let’s say the pitch you revamped and changed and bled over piques the interest of your intended receiver…

Now imagine them wanting to contact you. And they can’t because they don’t have the info!

Agent Shop is more than just a chance to pitch your work. It’s a chance to make sure you know how to pitch. Utilize Agent Shop as the tool it can be and the opportunity it represents.

 

 

Now-

Welcome Ms. Winston! The pitches are below, and as always, please just e-mail me the # and request info on the pitches you’d like to see. Happy shopping, and thanks for attending again!

 

Best~

Candi

 

***

 

#1 – Orion Rising

Women’s fiction

100,000 words

When Mary Byrne runs into someone from her childhood, it plunges her into the past, and forces her to confront a mistake she believed condemned her to live a life without redemption, and possibly without love. Can Jack Ellis prove her wrong?

To the Byrne children, constellations were more than stick figures in the night sky. At their father’s telling, their myths became tales of adventure and romance for Percy, Allie, Mary and Aurie, whose names seem to imbue celestial royalty upon them. When the Orion River floods in 1965, the Byrne children are drawn to it like sailors to a siren’s call. After Aurie disappears in the river, their names seem more like a curse. Though self-imposed, the curse follows them through three decades before each learns the key to breaking it – love, and forgiveness. But sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself.

***

#2 – Jump, Fall
Romance – Contemporary women
60,000 words

Katie Scarborough isn’t like all the other Southern Belles that surround her. She’s brunette, she’s freckled. She’s also short and a little more round than the pageant queens that seem to fill her world. To top things off, she’s painfully shy as well. The one thing that ties her to her Southern sisters is the dream that the fairy tales they all heard as young ladies will somehow come true.

Throughout her coming of age years, she suffers a series of miscues and embarrassments where gentlemen are concerned. She begins to wonder if the fairy tales are just lies and if a girl who doesn’t quite fit the norm is capable of being loved. Although, once she goes off to college and catches the eye of her dream man, she starts to think maybe she was better off single.

Set in the fictional town of Dunham, Mississippi, Katie’s story is the first in a series of novels featuring the quirky, yet lovable characters of the Mississippi Delta. The second novel in the series is completed, a third is in the beginning stages.

***

#3 – The found girl

Contemporary paranormal romance
100,000 words 

Jonas Kavanagh’s life has been predetermined. One day he will be king to a magical elf kingdom and he will also be the first in the royal line to take a human as queen. Only two complications stand in his way. First, the human woman fated to be this queen doesn’t believe in love, magic or even the prediction. Second, and far more difficult to overcome, the person assigned the task of finding this human wants nothing more than see Jonas joined with someone else and he possesses enough power to accomplish this.

Alvina McKellen’s life has been filled with disappointment. Orphaned and unwanted by relatives forced to care for her, then framed by a man who said he loved her, she seeks a new life far from where she began. She sure never expected that new life to involve a frightening man with strange abilities or an unexpected marriage to a supposed king.

Together, a reluctant elf king and a lost girl find passion, love and their destiny together, something not even the most powerful magic of one who would tear them apart can destroy.

***

#4 – In the Heart 

Mainstream with Romantic Elements
Word Count: 120,000

After a tragic shooting claims the life of her fiancé, Celia Bailey returns to her small hometown vowing one day to find love again. A year later, she’s finding it difficult to keep that vow when the man occupying her thoughts and haunting her dreams is a man she knows shouldn’t get involved with.

Toby Colton is about to find his new life turned upside down. He has a steady job as a prison guard and is forming ties in the close-knit community he recently moved to. However, one chance meeting on the side of a road brings a string of complications he never counted on.

For the ex-rodeo rider, Celia is one sad cliché after another: the boss’s daughter…his best friend’s sister…and love at first sight. While the two fight a losing battle to resist their attraction, a scheming and dangerous inmate by the name of Vince Monroe sets his sights on escape—and Celia.

When Toby must risk his own life to save a kidnapped Celia, they learn love doesn’t always play by the rules.

*** 

#5 – Butterfly

Women’s fiction

Word Count:  80,660

Every day, hundreds of women end up in emergency rooms, convincing doctors they fell down the stairs, or ran into a door.  Maybe they married a drunk, or perhaps a control-freak, and for reasons only known to someone in a similar situation, they’ve stayed with the monster.

Every day, my husband abuses me.  But I haven’t got one physical mark as evidence.

He hides my car keys and steals my gas money.  He alienates my friends and family and gets me fired from my job.

He wasn’t always like this.  And that is why I stay.

My sister tells me I deserve better, but I love him.  He gave me four wonderful children; I live for them, now.  I can take his degradation, his selfish attitude, as long as my children are happy and safe.

Until one day they are not.

He has done the unthinkable, and I must find a way to keep my children from harm, away from his foul, lying tongue and his nefarious existence. 

I will stop at nothing.

And he will pay for what he has done.

***

#6 – INHALE

Fantasy Romance

98,000 words

Marine biologist ZOE MORGAN is a die-hard believer in the power of reason.  So when fanciful scenes of a mystery lover and deadly fire creatures begin playing in her dreams, she writes them off as byproducts of an overactive imagination. Until people from her fantasies appear in reality, and she’s faced with two disturbing conclusions: either she’s lost her mind, or her irrational suspicions are true – she’s been targeted by Fire Elements in a scheme to overthrow the Sentinels, including her lover, who protect Elemental balance and shield humans from harm.

Waylaid by a career-crippling case of writer’s block, bad boy musician GAVIN CASSIDY finds his muse when he’s summoned back to duty by the Dreaming – a parallel world where dreams mirror reality – to rescue a woman who holds the key to a weapon he and his fellow Sentinels need to stop the Fires.  Torn between a growing attraction to the muse and his responsibility to the humans he’s sworn to defend, he must choose between losing the only woman he’s ever loved or serving up innocents to the hungry jaws of insatiable Fire Elements who feed off emotions, leaving insanity in their wake.

***

#7 – Damaged Cargo
Sci-fi romance
Word Count: 61000Life in the 22^nd century is heinous and finding a comfortable life in the Levinese Galaxy grows increasingly difficult. 

Emma Gardine, one of a handful of female pirate captains, begs, borrows, steals and cheats her way through the planetary system on the hunt of a profit.  Never showing remorse, she uses people until she gets what she wants then throws them away, always searching for that elusive something which will bring peace to her soul.

Until she meets Tarik Vartouth.  Forced to be a farmer by trade and sick of the mandatory breeding programs for genetic supremacy on his planet, he befriends her and makes a play for her ship in order to carry out his own plot for revenge against his father—the Premier and ruler of Nazulara.  That plan goes awry when basic human need consumes the pair and physical bonding cloud their destinies. 

Now these two independent and strong-willed people must learn how to set aside their own issues in order to work together for survival—unless they kill each other first.

***

#8 – Sleep Fall
Paranormal Romantic Suspense
71,000 Words

Isabelle Debouis is afraid to fall asleep, because when she wakes, she finds what she’d wished in her dreams has now become reality.

Callum Galloway is a telepath with R.E.M. (the Regiment of Enlightened Militia). R.E.M. sends Callum into Isabelle’s dreams to determine if her abilities are real. When Cal is told by R.E.M. to make Isabelle “wish” in her dream, he sees the outside world change, with only the two of them remembering how things had been before that moment.

Darker truths surface about R.E.M., the agency Callum has always believed to be part of the government, forcing him to question their true purpose and fear for Isabelle’s safety. Cal must convince Isabelle to escape with him. The more they learn about R.E.M., the more they fear that neither they nor the rest of the world can be safe unless R.E.M. can be destroyed.

***

#9 – After Thoughts and Before

Paranormal

Word Count: 94,000

All Mallory Donovan ever wanted was a settled life and a little antique shop to call her own. Instead, she’s thrust into the world of the unknown when she travels to Ireland to settle her grandmother’s estate and learns she’s inherited Grayson Castle.  And the apparent ghosts, good and evil, that come with it. Unaware of the deadly blood spell placed on her family centuries ago, she encounters bizarre occurrences and messages warning her to leave or die.   

 Trevor Riley, International Realtor, seals deals–big deals. His motto: wine them, dine them, gain their trust, but never become emotionally involved. When a client offers him the contract to buy Grayson Castle, he knows he’s just the man to schmooze the new owner into selling. Until he falls for her. His choice? Protect her from the evil surrounding the place or making the deal of the century.

Meeting the realtor seems like a godsend as Mallory falls for his charms until the lines between right and wrong become crossed, and she uncovers his motivation for lavishing so much attention on her. She must decide to fight for the love she wants or leave, dooming herself to the blood spell forever.

***

#10 – Do You Hear What I Hear?

YA mystery/paranormal

Word count: 56,000

When Emily Parker’s hearing aid falls out during a kickboxing tournament, she discovers her ability to hear people’s thoughts.  She’s afraid of her power and worries her parents will think she’s insane, so she hides her newfound ability from everyone except her best friend Anya.  But when a rash of unusual burglaries rocks her small town and her perfect older sister is framed for the crime, Emily knows she has to use her power to discover the criminals, clear her sister and keep her secret – all while figuring out how to use her power and falling in love with her kickboxing nemesis.  Emily and Anya’s plan fails miserably, and now Emily is the prime suspect.  When other “listeners” come forward to help, Emily is able to catch the criminals, clear her name, and get the boy.

***

#11 – Redeeming Characters 

Contemporary romance

79,000 words  

Animals may bite but people always suck. It’s the motto thirty-two year old DRUE has lived by all his life. He longs for the snow to melt so he can disappear into the wild with nary a nitwit to be seen—to escape the confines of a narrow-minded and cloying society.  Yet, when he discovers an old friend has published the book he helped create, a new plan surfaces. Revenge. 

Bestselling author DAKOTA WHITMORE is in a slump. Sure, her husband is dead and she’s adopted his long-time mistress’s child, but she’s endured more difficult things.  Maybe what she needs is a little help, a beta reader who will tell her that her work hasn’t turned into a steaming cow pie. How about uber sexy Drue, the man who helped her pen her first—and only, bestseller? Nothing could possibly go wrong. Right?

***

#12 – A GHOST OF A CHANCE

Paranormal Romantic Comedy (Ghosts, Angels, Demons)
70,000 Words

A Ghost of a Chance is a 70,000 word paranormal romantic comedy set in
contemporary Portland, Oregon. An action packed irreverent comedy of
disasters, A Ghost of a Chance would thrill readers of books by Candace
Havens, Marta Acosta, or Dakota Cassidy. This book is the first in a planned
series of three.

Keenan Swanson is your typical, everyday graphic designer. Well, except for
living with hundreds of pesky, prank-loving poltergeists who make his life
interesting (in a Chinese curse sort of way). He finds his situation
precarious yet manageable-until witty, smoking-hot coworker Isabella enters
the scene and Keenan decides he wants her all for himself. With a horny
succubus who has other ideas, a burly city cop determined to lock Keenan
away for good, and an evil entity who’s hell-bent on using Keenan’s seed to
create a living demon, the reluctant psychic realizes he just might not come
out of this alive-or with heart intact.

***

#13 – “Stark”
Young Adult Fantasy
60,000 words  

Spending the summer in the Arctic before returning to Seattle, sixteen year old Charlotte Currier hopes to 1). find a boyfriend and 2). finally need an unpadded bra.   When brooding seventeen year old Victor Rochester declares his love for Charlotte, she’s enchanted.  But Victor can’t trust his dark secrets to anyone; how do you tell the girl you love you’re half demon?   Meanwhile, Charlotte’s sorcery attracts her long absent mother’s attention. Although thrilled at finding her mother, Charlotte is now expected to enter the demon destruction family business.   Charlotte can’t help wondering, what’s a girl got to do to date her immortal enemy?

***

#14 – Remember Me

Romance-Paranormal

Word count: 76,000

After the death of her grandmother, Vanessa escapes to her grandmother’s hometown in Scotland, eager for new experiences and to connect with the extended family she never met. In all of her daydreams, she never expected adventure to take the form of a sexually magnetic ghost named Gowan, who mistakes her for his long lost love.

Aiden is a man with a secret. He has been haunted for the last ten years by a woman who thinks he is his multiple times over great-uncle. Vanessa is the spitting image of the ghost haunting him, and he is convinced that she is the key to his freedom.

In their quest to reunite the ghostly lovers Aiden and Vanessa find themselves consumed in a passion neither expected. In his arms Vanessa discovers the courage to live out her wildest fantasies.  Is what she is feeling true love or is she siphoning off the memories of the past?

And helping the ghosts will not be as simple as they think. It comes with a price that may be more than they’re willing to pay. Will their sacrifice be worth it? Will they take the chance or be doomed to repeat history’s mistakes?

***

#15 – THE MINOAN CHRONICLES, book one NIGHT REINS

Urban fantasy

100,000

Enslaved to protect humanity, torn between a Lord and General, will Tazrein take the reins and save us all?

Lordel ruler of an immortal dynasty that protect humans from the Nox, lures Tazrein into his lavish life style. There, she meets, an elusive general, Mr. Elson. But someone wants her dead. Lordel offers her refuge then seduces her to save his life, which makes her his wife. Sucked into a society she doesn’t understand, she staggers along a path of secrets and death. She tastes Mr. Elson during a replenishing ceremony. Desire wakes. The Nox—evil creatures, imprison her and Mr. Elson. The kindle between them ignites into flames. When free, the lovers must leave their passion behind and return to their duties. Lordel shows his wife compassion with the expectation of loyalty. Though, fire rages between them, a void consumes her. She flees from her role. Mr. Elson kills the Nox leader to save her. Lordel and Mr. Elson duel. She links her life to those of the two men she cannot live without. If one kills the other so shall she die. When they grasp her sacrifice, they understand, they must share her.

***

#16 The Seduction of Phaeton Black

Romance/Paranormal

Word Count: 89,000

It is 1889, and Phaeton Black, dedicated libertine, absinthe drinker and occult detective, has taken up residence in one of London’s most notorious brothels. When the Secret Branch division of Scotland Yard offers him a chance to solve a terrible spate of heinous crimes he reluctantly agrees even though the new case will require time away from a bevy of amusing and talented young ladies. 

America Jones, part English, part Cajun beauty, is after the pirates that stole her father’s merchant shipping business. If Mr. Black has no interest in a monogamy, Miss Jones certainly has no time for romance. In fact, she quite emphatically does not believe in love. As Phaeton pursues a murdering bloody necromancer through the streets of London, America is being chased by the very pirates she seeks to imprison. The last thing these two need is to run into each other in a dark alley.

***

#17 –  HEARTS OF DARKNESS

Apocalyptic paranormal romance
100,000 words (completed)

There is no death, only a Change of Worlds…and the Gate that separates those worlds is about to come crashing down.

Human nurse Kayla Friday doesn’t believe in the supernatural when she returns to Seattle to identify her sister’s body, but she stumbles into the middle of a bloody war where Thunderbirds and Dragon-shifters fight to control the cracked Gate to Hell. Her sister died in possession of the Gate’s key, and now both sides are after Kayla to find where it was hidden. Hart, a fiercely sexy werewolf mercenary, is the only man she can trust–or so she believes.

Hart could care less for the fate of mankind as long as he earns his freedom, and Kayla has something he desperately needs. When he is forced to deliver Kayla to her sister’s killer, Hart must make an impossible choice: to seize his hard fought freedom, or to risk his life for this woman who sparks his cold, long-buried heart. Now in a race to stop the Gate from falling, Hart and Kayla must risk everything–even their love–to save the world from total destruction.

***

#18 – CALLING FIRE
Paranormal Romance
80,000 words

Anaea Salis’s battle with cancer is over and the only thing left in her control is how she dies: wasting away or quickly. Alienated from friends and family by a husband who cheated on her when she fell ill, there is no one who will miss her. But her suicide is thwarted by Hunter–a centuries-old dragon spirit–who is viciously attacked and forced to transfer into her body.

Hunter should have known helping the woman was going to be trouble since humans were responsible for destroying his dragon-body, but he couldn’t stand by and let her throw away a perfectly good life.  With his body too injured, he’d had no choice but to transfer into her and now all he wants is to get out.  But whoever is trying to kill him is now after her, and being the Dragon Prince’s Assassin, the list of who want him dead is long–including his Prince.

Reluctantly, Anaea agrees to help–if only to get rid of him.  With his domineering and far too sexy personality threatening to overwhelm her, she plunges into the dangerous world of dragons and soon finds more than just her life on the line.

***

#19 – “A Love To Remember”

Romantic Suspense

Word Count: 55,000

When Nurse Daphne Maxwell and amnesiac intelligence agent Trace Campbell go on the lam to evade the men who tried to kill Trace they find “A Love to Remember”. 

Daphne had stopped on her way to work to help Trace who had been in a car accident and stabbed.  As Daphne helps nurse Trace back to health, they find themselves falling in love and on the run.   Daphne fights her feelings for Trace but, despite the fact that she believes he is married, they become lovers.  In the isolated mountain cabin where they are hiding out, Daphne learns she is pregnant.  She fears that her child’s life will be endangered if she remains with Trace.  Daphne knows she must leave Trace, without telling him she is pregnant.  When their pursuers catch up with them Daphne has the opportunity to leave.  Separated, Daphne tries to begin her new life and Trace is miserable.   He obsessively searches for her and the men who tried to kill them.   A sting operation to catch their attacker brings them back together.  Their assailant apprehended, Daphne and Trace marry and enter the witness protection program.  Their story closes with the birth of their daughter.

***

#20 – Succubus Unleashed

Humorous Paranormal Romance

Word count: 100K

Beautician Lucia Gregory has serious problems. Who knew opening an antique chest would unleash Hell’s minions? Then again, when the chest is labeled Arca Infernorum, she should’ve known better. Strange things happen the moment it’s opened. Overnight, she turns into a sexpot. Men, including her gay coworkers, fawn over her. Only one is immune—Rafael Deleon, a broodingly sexy man who says he’s a demon. He’s everything she’s avoided—stony and reserved—but that only adds to his mysterious appeal.

Rafael has his own personal demon. Any woman he’s cared for has met a tragic demise. As a demon protector of Limbo, he’s sent to retrieve the chest before it’s opened. He’s too late. Hell is unleashed in the strangest place, a suburban salon. Even worse–Lucy, a beautiful half-succubus, has no idea about her powers. Being a demon, he should be able to resist. That resistance is slipping when he needs it most.

When an evil demon arrives to stake claim, Rafe is determined to protect Lucy, who’d rather fight than flee. Sparks fly as attraction grows. Will Lucy break through the stone fortress Rafe’s built around his heart, or will they suffer their own demonic demise?

***

#21 – The Wilderness Within

Modern paranormal fantasy with a nod to horror

62,000 words

A sentient forest infiltrates the minds of two writers, horror specialist, Frank Harlan Marshall, and magic realist, Bryan Gauge, one of whom (Frank) has a hidden history of murder. The infiltration manipulates thoughts into reality, as real people (comedian Izzy Horenstein and musicians Aleister Blut and Alethea) and fictional people (serial killer, Average Joe) gain foothold in the reality of the madness that unfolds. The madness includes the hyper-textural transformation of Bryan into a tree during a scene of passion with Alethea, and the creation of the uber-monster, an axe-armed version of Average Joe, as well as many peripheral characters sculpted from the warped minds and memories of the two writers. A wrap around story involving the real life Alethea (as opposed to the fantasy Alethea with whom Bryan falls in love) brings the novel to a profound conclusion. The 62,000 word novel is modern paranormal fantasy with a nod to horror.

***

#22 – RUBY STILETTO BLUES

Contemporary Romance with magical elements

Approx. 93K

Somewhere over the rainbow, all hell is breaking loose.

Dorrie Caselotti, a feisty thirty-year-old waitress, needs to find her rare copy of The Wizard of Oz to save Emerald City, kitsch capital of Kansas. Her ex-lover, Grayson Parnell,  needs it to save his academic career. Chaos ensues when an interfering Fate, who fancies herself a modern-day Glinda, attempts to weave matchmaking magic.

The two former lovers are drawn together by a shared quest, faced with obstacles they never expected: flying monkeys, glittering tornadoes, hidden treasure and a skeleton buried under a trailer. Enter Fate – in the form of an interfering fairy godmother – and an impulsive wish for a romantic do-over becomes a horse of a totally different color.

When their enemies join forces, driven by greed and a longing for revenge, Dorrie and Gray have to call on all their resources – their courage, their brains and, most of all, their hearts. All roads lead to the Emerald City on a fantastical journey that forces pragmatic Gray to accept the unbelievable and makes Dorrie, who longed for the fairy tale, wish for an ordinary life.

***

#23 – Dark Obsession

Mainstream mystery with strong romantic and supernatural elements

75,500 word

Ramon (Ray) Chavez is awakened by the spirit of this great-grandmother with a message that something is coming. But Ray, a 33 year old farmer from the Rio Grande Valley has spent his whole life refusing to believe in visions or omens or the mysticism of his Mexican/Indian heritage. However Ray may reconsider his position when he finds Lexie Solis stranded on the edge of town, in search of a new life. Ray feels an instant attraction, as well as a connection, to the skittish young woman, and he pursues a relationship with her. But what Lexie doesn’t tell Ray or his family, is that she is on the run from an abusive ex-boyfriend and he may be more powerful than even she wants to believe. When Lexie is assaulted by an unseen force, they soon learn that Victor Kemp is a master of the dark arts and his obsession with Lexie goes beyond his need to control her; he wants to possess her soul as well. Lexie’s only hope for salvation lies with Ray. But can he embrace his destiny to save the woman he loves as well as his own soul?

***

#24 – STONE KISSED
Paranormal romance
90,000 words

A modern witch seduces a treasure hunter and battles a succubus for control of her ancestral estate.

When an arsonist torches her childhood home in rural Virginia our protagonist returns to care for her badly burned, comatose father. In order to pay the exorbitant medical bills she is forced to sell the magical estate to an irresistible, if cold-hearted treasure hunter. By persuading him to let her oversee restoration of the house, she keeps her heart and hands in the property, which feeds her unique and growing power to animate statues and speak to faces carved in stone.  Her cousin, the succubus, however, will stop at nothing—from arson to marriage to murder–to possess both the man and the land.

***

#25 – The Witch House

Suspense

Approx. 50K

Rule number one: don’t hurt little children. 
There is no rule number two.

Ellie Jefferson’s family ties are as tight as a noose. Her husband Rich has become a stranger, and his mother Dinah is the MIL from hell. When Dinah hurts five-year-old Hannah and eight-month-old Jamie, it’s up to Ellie to save them. 

Knowing her children are no longer safe, Ellie plans their escape. With the wealth and power of the Jefferson name behind them, Rich and Dinah distort the truth and put Ellie in the hands of the law. Only one person believes her – the FBI agent sent to arrest her for child abuse.

Some people read tea leaves or see auras – Jackson Tucker has the unique ability to scent abusers. His ‘instincts’ are never wrong. He knows Ellie is innocent, but proving it is another story. He’s determined to bring her children back safely and to see that justice is done.

As a major storm rolls in, Ellie is drawn into nightmare visions transmitted through Hannah’s eyes. She sees an odd cottage, deep in the woods, but has no clue to its location. Bad things are happening there, and the danger is closing in on Ellie’s children. 

***

#26 – Obsessive Book One of Paranormal Justice Series

Paranormal Romance

90,000 Words

Paranormal Justice, is a chilling view into an underworld that exists only in darkness. It is about a committee of people with paranormal abilities working to solve the most unsolvable crimes, those perpetrated by supernatural means. The first book in the Paranormal Justice series is titled Obsessive and stands complete at 90,000 words.  

Kendra Freeman reports the news by day, and moonlights as a member of the Committee of Paranormal Justice (CPJ) by night. With the ability to read people and objects through her hands, she is able determine a persons guilt with a mere touch. When an innocent young woman is murdered, Kendra investigates the scene and finds she is sympathetic to the dead woman. Wounds inflicted upon the dead one mimic on Kendra’s body.

Demetri Tarus is able to heal Kendra’s wounds, but with every touch, his secrets are slowly revealed. When the murderers stalk Kendra, Demetri is the only one who can keep her safe. His dark past clouds their attraction and threatens both their love and their lives.

***

#27 – The Hooded Man

Historical Romance

80,000 words

In the heart of England there lived a hero armed with bow and arrow, ready to strike down injustice and tyranny—a swashbuckling legend so powerful it has lasted for centuries, captivating the hearts and minds of people the world over. But what if the legend was nothing but a lie?

When her father is brutally murdered in front of her eyes, Marian of Locksley is thrust into a world of treason and greed, where the ultimate prize is the throne of England. Left with little choice, she disguises herself as Robin of the Hood, an outlaw despised by royalty and loved by the people…and the wickedly handsome, steadfast Will Scarlet.

Forced into hiding deep within Sherwood Forest, Will joins Robin Hood’s band of merry men, never realizing the fearless outlaw he follows is really the woman he desires for his own. He dares to risk everything in the fight for justice and love, longing for the day he can claim the courageous beauty. But first, England must be saved and legend must be born.

***

#28 – SHADOWS OF SILENCE

Women’s fiction

90,000 words

As I lay scratched and bleeding, I realised I would give my life for you – that I would do anything to prevent your pain.

Inspired by true events, Shadows of Silence is the story of Ellen Tyler’s fight to bring her five-year-old son, Alex out into a world that terrifies him.

Alex has a condition called Selective Mutism, which stops him from speaking outside his home. When Alex’s silence is misconstrued as a symptom of child abuse, Ellen has to battle the courts and the education system to get him back.

Her fight to save Alex costs Ellen a marriage and a career. Even once the war is won, Ellen’s inner turmoil is not yet over. She can’t carve out a new life for herself until she has faced the demons of her past.

To emerge from her own Shadows of Silence, Ellen must come to terms with the childhood loss of a brother who died because she couldn’t speak to save him. 

Ellen’s tumultuous journey leads her to new relationships and beginnings. She is finally able to throw off the mantel of guilt that has shadowed her, and take back control of her life.

***

#29 – Target of Betrayal

Romantic Suspense
95,000 words

Losing a loved one is never easy, especially when young children are left without a father. 

When Kathleen Landon learns her husband’s death was an attempt to cover up a horrendous crime spree being operated by a traitor inside the FBI, she scrambles to locate the incriminating evidence to expose the cold-blooded killer and save her family before becoming his next target.  Her only hope of survival lies in the hands of the handsome U.S. Marshal sworn to protect her – the one responsible for it all.

***

#30 – ‘Promises from the Sea’

Fantasy Romance

100,000 words

Caspia de Mer works hard at creating a life for herself that has no surprises—and she likes it that way.  She leads a quiet, uneventful life working as an editor and journalist, and is engaged to an average Joe.  She is deeply suspicious of anything that could jeopardize her orderly life and convinces herself that she is content.

When Aqualus of Ionia boldly strides toward her from out of the glittering sea one day, her world turns into everything she always dreaded.  Aqualus is sexy, virile and completely focussed on claiming her—as his lifemate!  He is a merman, a seducer of legend and has no qualms at employing his formidable skills as a lover to woo and make Caspia his. 

Aqualus opens a whole hidden world of magic, of sorcerers and spells, of arcane races long forgotten by human history. 

Caspia had always suppressed the voices in her head whispering to her of the world of the merfolk, but worst of all, she must face the fact that she is a mermaid herself who has been living a life of denial. 

Will Aqualus’ love be enough to break through the solid wall around Caspia’s heart?

It’s “GO” Day

Hope everyone read the rules this time around!

Lois Winston with the Ashley Grayson Literary Agency is our attending agent.

So-

“GO”

Good luck everyone!