A few notes about Kate McKean of Howard Morhaim Literary

I just wanted to say she seems like a nice lady. The open-minded sort. She was another one who made the South Carolina Writer’s Workshop worthwhile for me last year, suggesting I email her at the very last moment of the conference, shortly after the last class. I had asked a question during a panel about young writers and whether my age was something appropriate to mention in a query. She said yes – It’s a marketing point and a strength.

Dream Diary:  I dreamed about getting to see my long-distance boyfriend!

Word Count:  Still around 20,000.

HORROR, WEDDINGS, AND CROCHET :)

I went to the bookstore yesterday on a high from the conference. Never a good idea. Then again, I may singlehandedly save the industry at the rate I’m going.

I’m kidding. What I actually did was sit down with a HUMONGOUS stack of magazines. Like:

This.

Except not that neat.

I looked over the entire back wall of a Books-A-Million and picked up anything that looked interesting to me. I picked up crochet magazines because I used to love to crochet. I picked up wedding magazines because I’ve had some pretty cool wedding stories in my life. I looked over film review magazines because that’s something I want to learn how to do. I looked at horror magazines because that’s a little like fantasy–but, as I decided, not much.

I flipped through to see which one took fictions and checked out a few other sections that I might like to write for. Then I picked a handful that seemed like the best winners for me (and my budget):

Writer’s Journal
Realms of Fantasy
Writer’s Digest
American Girl (which I’ve already discovered does not take fiction submissions)

I also picked up Otaku USA because I’m also running an anime review blog under a persona.

The final think I bought was The Waters and the Wild by Francesca Lia Block. Four things to say about that:

1. I want Jennifer Heuer to do my jacket cover.
2. The synopsis of this book grabbed me…and then I discovered it didn’t do justice to the first chapter.
3. That name is too pretty to be real. It’s either a pseudonym or the lady’s parents are overpassionate.
4.  $17 is too much for that tiny hardback. I only bought it on a binge.

SEVENTEEN AND QUERYING

STATUS:  Home from Camp Powhattan.

What’s the anime freak listening to now? MOONDANCE by NIGHTWISH.

When I slipped into my first writer’s conference last week…
                                                                                        people stared.

“So,” they asked, “where do you go to school?” Wrinkles formed around their questions.

“Fort Mill,” I smiled. “South Carolina.”

“Fort Mill? I haven’t heard of a school there . . . ?”

“Well, there’s a high school.”

Sigh.

Yes, I’m seventeen. I’m seventeen and the first chapter of the novel I’ve written won two awards at my first conference last week. I pretty much completed the book two years ago. I’ve done nothing but minor edits and research since.

My dream has always been to get published before I’m 20. My book is good–I have the talent. The other requirement is perseverence. I paid my own money to spend an extra week of school with classmates who tended to have 40 or more years on me. I’m not giving up any time soon.

I’m hoping to send my first query letter to one of my favorite agents this week. Wish me luck!

ON MY WAY!

STATUS: Charged.

What’s the anime freak listening to now? BIG IN JAPAN by HAPPY HARDCORE

Sunrise just won 2nd place in the Juvenile Fiction Contests and 3rd in the M. L. Brown Contest hosted by the Southeastern Writers Conference! I’m blogging from St. Simon’s now, and I’m ~PSYCHED~!!!

This week has been such a wonderful experience. More tomorrow! I’m out!