An agent at the SCBWI Oregon Storytime conference reviewed the first ten pages of "Metal Heart." She asked me to make revisions, and submit more pages along with a formal query letter.
I was not expecting this - after the previous conference, I’d set my expectations pretty low and was prepared for just feedback.
From my understanding - the wheels of the publishing industry can move slowly... so it might be awhile before I hear anything further.
Pretty exciting though! Thanks again everyone who has supported the book and encouraged me to keep at it. You know you’re getting in the acknowledgements for sure.
I’ll update the first two chapters when the revisions are complete. You can download the whole book here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/689845
It’s been quiet around here as I transitioned jobs and settled into a new role.
However - I took the publisher advice to heart and made some edits to the prologue - splitting it into newly formed chapters: Chapter One and Chapter Two. This streamlined a rather clunky opening and felt like a fresher introduction to the world.
New content has also been added to these chapters. Hopefully Eleni’s voice is much clearer and more compelling now to anyone who wants to dive into her story.
All this cleaning up was in preparation to upload the book to Smashword and enter it into the Multnomah County Library Writer’s Project before the December 15 deadline.
Will update as soon as I hear word back on that publication venue. Hoping this helps expand the readership base and push the book one step closer to publication.
Two months ago we submitted a final draft of the book to an editor friend of the family who works for a local publishing company.
She gave some great feedback and encouraged us to take Metal Heart to a writing conference and secure an agent. That’s the next step in the journey towards publication.
The conference she suggested is the Society of Children’s Books and Writers and Illustrators "Between the Pages" happening in May 2016.
Still waiting for that sweet Copyright relief - which gives me a lot more time to feel anxious about the actual book content. I am in desperate need of more feedback before sending it out to the general public. Feedback before it sees an editor, even.
My book-to-film-adaptation club is getting a special holiday gift ADVANCE COPIES OF "Metal Heart." They are all going to read it (or at least SOME of it) and we're doing a round table in early 2016. Excited but also instantly nervous to see how that will turn out.
Not sure if "Metal Heart" is going to hit even the 250 Inkshares mark, so still looking at a Kickstarter because pretty rad merchandise has already been brainstormed and drafted.
Speaking of drafts - "Tin Road" is at the 72,000 word mark and MAYBE 2/3s completed. I'm so close to hitting a major beat but a nasty head cold and starting a new jobby-job this month (plus hosting two Thanksgivings and raising a toddler) kinda wrecked my Nanowrimo goals for this year. November is actually one of the worst times of the year to devote any significant time to writing.
I'll let you know if there's anymore news fit to print. Happy Reading!!
"Metal Heart" is still circulating in copyright hell, but to kill the time between making the book legally mine and getting published, I've decided to tackle another beast - Nanowrimo 2015.
Yes - the first draft of the second book in the trilogy is well underway and more than halfway finished, so putting a measly 50,000 words to the page is nothing, right?
I've logged about 3k words in the last two days and plan to net about 1,500 words a days to achieve my goal of a completed draft by the end of the month. I'll keep everyone updated here as the goal gets closer.
Thanks for sticking around! We might not make publication in this first round, but I'm still very excited to see what the future holds.
It's been a week since the Nerdist Collection Contest ended, and things are shaping up well for publication. The "Metal Heart" manuscript was sent off to be copywritten last week.
Once we get the thumbs up from the federal government that we own the story - we will submit it to a local publisher - Inkwater Press - to be PROFESSIONALLY copy-edited. Pretty nervous and excited about that process. Getting feedback from folks who edit books for a living is so valuable... and probably expensive. ;)
I will keep folks updated on the progress as things move forward!
The Nerdist Contest Collection is drawing to a close - there's only 24 hours left!
But that doesn't mean the preorders are done! Our Inkshares funding campaign will be going strong now through December 6, 2015. There is still plenty of opportunity to help "Metal Heart" make it to press.
AND if we don't make that lofty goal - we will pursue a $3,000 Kickstarter campaign (with super rad incentives) to gain enough funding to self publish through a local Portland, Oregon company - Inkwater press.
This has been an incredible learning experience about the world of self-publishing and self-marketing.
Super special thanks to everyone who ordered, shared, gave feedback, or followed. Every bit of support has meant so much to me and I appreciate your time and attention. With all the books readily available for purchase out there - it takes a special kind of person to assist with the staggering feat it takes to get an independent book to publication. :)
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN for everything. I promise more updates in the future as our campaign keeps rolling along. :)
An agent at the SCBWI Oregon Storytime conference reviewed the first ten pages of "Metal Heart." She asked me to make revisions, and submit more pages along with a formal query letter.
I was not expecting this - after the previous conference, I’d set my expectations pretty low and was prepared for just feedback.
From my understanding - the wheels of the publishing industry can move slowly... so it might be awhile before I hear anything further.
Pretty exciting though! Thanks again everyone who has supported the book and encouraged me to keep at it. You know you’re getting in the acknowledgements for sure.
I’ll update the first two chapters when the revisions are complete. You can download the whole book here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/689845
It is also available on Smashwords for those of you who are not Portland, Oregon residents. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/689845
It’s been quiet around here as I transitioned jobs and settled into a new role.
However - I took the publisher advice to heart and made some edits to the prologue - splitting it into newly formed chapters: Chapter One and Chapter Two. This streamlined a rather clunky opening and felt like a fresher introduction to the world.
New content has also been added to these chapters. Hopefully Eleni’s voice is much clearer and more compelling now to anyone who wants to dive into her story.
All this cleaning up was in preparation to upload the book to Smashword and enter it into the Multnomah County Library Writer’s Project before the December 15 deadline.
Will update as soon as I hear word back on that publication venue. Hoping this helps expand the readership base and push the book one step closer to publication.
Two months ago we submitted a final draft of the book to an editor friend of the family who works for a local publishing company.
She gave some great feedback and encouraged us to take Metal Heart to a writing conference and secure an agent. That’s the next step in the journey towards publication.
The conference she suggested is the Society of Children’s Books and Writers and Illustrators "Between the Pages" happening in May 2016.
Here is where we want to go!
And we need your help to get there. Consider donating to help us achieve our goal of the $400 registration fee.
Anyone who donates now can get an advanced digital copy of the book and their name in the author acknowledgement page when we finally get published.
Follow us on Facebook!
facebook.com/MetalHeartBook
Still waiting for that sweet Copyright relief - which gives me a lot more time to feel anxious about the actual book content. I am in desperate need of more feedback before sending it out to the general public. Feedback before it sees an editor, even.
My book-to-film-adaptation club is getting a special holiday gift ADVANCE COPIES OF "Metal Heart." They are all going to read it (or at least SOME of it) and we're doing a round table in early 2016. Excited but also instantly nervous to see how that will turn out.
Not sure if "Metal Heart" is going to hit even the 250 Inkshares mark, so still looking at a Kickstarter because pretty rad merchandise has already been brainstormed and drafted.
Speaking of drafts - "Tin Road" is at the 72,000 word mark and MAYBE 2/3s completed. I'm so close to hitting a major beat but a nasty head cold and starting a new jobby-job this month (plus hosting two Thanksgivings and raising a toddler) kinda wrecked my Nanowrimo goals for this year. November is actually one of the worst times of the year to devote any significant time to writing.
I'll let you know if there's anymore news fit to print. Happy Reading!!
Give it a listen and like their page. And pre-order Metal Heart cause there's still time: https://www.inkshares.com/projects/metal-heart
Happy Thanksgiving!
"Metal Heart" is still circulating in copyright hell, but to kill the time between making the book legally mine and getting published, I've decided to tackle another beast - Nanowrimo 2015.
Yes - the first draft of the second book in the trilogy is well underway and more than halfway finished, so putting a measly 50,000 words to the page is nothing, right?
I've logged about 3k words in the last two days and plan to net about 1,500 words a days to achieve my goal of a completed draft by the end of the month. I'll keep everyone updated here as the goal gets closer.
Thanks for sticking around! We might not make publication in this first round, but I'm still very excited to see what the future holds.
It's been a week since the Nerdist Collection Contest ended, and things are shaping up well for publication. The "Metal Heart" manuscript was sent off to be copywritten last week.
Once we get the thumbs up from the federal government that we own the story - we will submit it to a local publisher - Inkwater Press - to be PROFESSIONALLY copy-edited. Pretty nervous and excited about that process. Getting feedback from folks who edit books for a living is so valuable... and probably expensive. ;)
I will keep folks updated on the progress as things move forward!
Happy Reading!
The Nerdist Contest Collection is drawing to a close - there's only 24 hours left!
But that doesn't mean the preorders are done! Our Inkshares funding campaign will be going strong now through December 6, 2015. There is still plenty of opportunity to help "Metal Heart" make it to press.
AND if we don't make that lofty goal - we will pursue a $3,000 Kickstarter campaign (with super rad incentives) to gain enough funding to self publish through a local Portland, Oregon company - Inkwater press.
This has been an incredible learning experience about the world of self-publishing and self-marketing.
Super special thanks to everyone who ordered, shared, gave feedback, or followed. Every bit of support has meant so much to me and I appreciate your time and attention. With all the books readily available for purchase out there - it takes a special kind of person to assist with the staggering feat it takes to get an independent book to publication. :)
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN for everything. I promise more updates in the future as our campaign keeps rolling along. :)