02 May 2013

The Writer's Voice: TWELVE STEPS

Update (7/29)!! My book is going to be a book!! Swoon Romance will be publishing TWELVE STEPS in 2014! (I've removed the excerpt I had posted for the contest, because things are changing and getting so much better as I work through revisions with my editor.)

I'm so excited to be participating in The Writer's Voice contest!



Update: I'm so excited to be a part of Team Cupid for the contest!! I've been busily at work, high atop Mount Olympus with the other phenomenal members of Cupid's team, working on revising and polishing my query and manuscript. This is so thrilling, guys!! I can't wait for the official posts to go up on Monday, May 20th!!

There are 150 writers participating in this first part of the competition, selected randomly via Rafflecopter from the 243 total entries. (Is it silly that I'm thrilled to notice that Rafflecopter assigned the #12 to me, since my manuscript is titled TWELVE STEPS?) Each of us will have our query and first 250 words of our manuscripts up on our blogs by the end of today. Then, the 4 judges: Brenda Drake (the Contest Queen), Cupid of Cupid’s Literary Connection, Krista Van Dolzer of Mother. Write. (Repeat.), Monica B.W. of Love YA will hop from blog to blog to pick their teams.

The contest is based on the TV show "The Voice," and so each team leader will coach the 8 members of their team (+ 1 alternate) to help them polish their entries before the Agent Round (which begins May 20!!).

Here is my entry (wish me luck!!)

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44 comments:

  1. Dahlia AdlerMay 2, 2013 at 10:19 AM

    I love this entry <3 Good luck!!

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    1. Veronica BartlesMay 4, 2013 at 4:34 PM

      Thanks! This means a lot to me, since you're, like, a contemporary YA goddess. *Hugs!!* <3

      Delete
  2. IssyMay 2, 2013 at 12:18 PM

    As the perfect oldest sister in my family, I don't know what your MC could possibly mean about shadows and living in them ;)

    This is cute and fun! I wish you the best of luck-- I hope 2013 *is* your year!

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    1. Veronica BartlesMay 4, 2013 at 4:38 PM

      Well, you know, we perfect older sisters sometimes cast rather large shadows. ;)

      Delete
  3. MariekeMay 2, 2013 at 6:07 PM

    I love this. I love the voice, the concept, the sibling relationships... GOOD LUCK! :D

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  4. LauraMay 2, 2013 at 10:17 PM

    Your first 250 is really strong. I love your opening line!

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    1. Veronica BartlesMay 4, 2013 at 4:39 PM

      Thanks! I had so much fun getting into this character's head. Andi keeps me giggling :)

      Delete
  5. Nikki TrionfoMay 2, 2013 at 11:36 PM

    Yeah, this is great. Good luck in the contest.

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  6. Brandi M.May 3, 2013 at 8:43 AM

    I think this sounds awesome! I like the tie-in to Cinderella--and it's about the stepsister. Nice!

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    1. Veronica BartlesMay 4, 2013 at 4:41 PM

      The Cinderella tie-in was my favorite part of the story to write. :)

      Delete
  7. Dannie MorinMay 3, 2013 at 9:00 AM

    Love the energy in your query! Good luck! :)

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  8. Annette T. DoddMay 3, 2013 at 9:45 AM

    Lol, I liked your opening (I chuckled at the first paragraph). Good luck!

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  9. Ashley TurcotteMay 3, 2013 at 10:03 AM

    I'm here to personally vouch for how absolutely and utterly amazing this book is. Because as Veronica's CP, I've had the very good luck to read the whole manuscript. Veronica really does have the perfect YA voice in this one. I can't wait for it to be published so you will all get to read it, too! :)

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    1. Veronica BartlesMay 4, 2013 at 4:52 PM

      Aww... Thanks, Ash! I totally blame you for a large part of the amazing in this manuscript. Because you're the best CP ever, & I'm so grateful for your help in polishing this story! *Hugs!*

      Delete
  10. AnonymousMay 3, 2013 at 12:33 PM

    Oh, wow! I love this entry! What a fantastic query and opening! Best of luck!

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  11. Jen EstesMay 3, 2013 at 4:31 PM

    Love! I'm a sucker for stories about siblings. Good luck!!!

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  12. UnknownMay 3, 2013 at 4:35 PM

    I liked your description of the slightly OCD cleaning out of the cupboard. Sounded very real to me and nicely, compactly described. Go!

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  13. STBendeMay 3, 2013 at 6:09 PM

    "Second born doesn't mean second best". What a great line. Good luck!

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  14. Artemis GreyMay 3, 2013 at 6:56 PM

    OMG EPIC LOVE FOR THE SIBLING THING!!! I'm sold. Hook line and sinker. The writing is fantastic and the voice has me wanting Andi for a best friend!

    My sister and I never had this sort of rivalry/issue, because we're identical twins. That comes with it's own brand of awkward. But this TOTALLY captures the unique bond (for good or bad) of sisters and I love it. Would buy in a heartbeat. Heck, I'd stand in the aisle at the bookstore and read as much of it as I could before the clerks chased me to the checkout line!

    GOOD LUCK!!!

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    1. Veronica BartlesMay 4, 2013 at 4:55 PM

      Okay, this is the best comment ever! I'm totally saving a screen shot of this for my when-I'm-feeling-low file! *Hugs!!!*

      Delete
  15. AnonymousMay 3, 2013 at 8:52 PM

    Fantastic, V! I hope you're on, like, step 11 of 12 to finding that perfect agent fit. All the love & all the luck.

    Long live the TwitWits.

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    1. Veronica BartlesMay 4, 2013 at 4:57 PM

      Thanks, John! (Fingers crossed!)

      Here's hoping we're both on those final steps :)

      Go TwitWits!!

      Delete
  16. UnknownMay 4, 2013 at 1:04 PM

    I love the premise and I love stories about siblings. Jacob Have I Loved is a favorite of mine. Best of luck to you! Great entry. :)

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  17. Kimberly VanderhorstMay 4, 2013 at 1:21 PM

    You've totally got the voice nailed in this. Love, love, love!

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  18. Jen MMay 4, 2013 at 4:12 PM

    I love the line in your query "second born doesn't necessarily mean second best." And I loved the voice in the opening. Fantastic!

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  19. UnknownMay 4, 2013 at 4:43 PM

    I have to agree with the above - I was hooked with that line of the query! You've also got a great voice going on with your first 250! Great job! Good luck!

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  20. Veronica BartlesMay 4, 2013 at 5:22 PM

    Thanks, Hannah, Kimberly, Jen & Copernicus!

    I loved writing about these 2 sisters so much. They really came to life for me. In fact, my teenagers now speak of these characters as if they're real-life members of our family. :)

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  21. UnknownMay 4, 2013 at 7:37 PM

    Terrific voice! You've really captured your beleaguered MC. Well done.

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  22. black catMay 4, 2013 at 9:58 PM

    This is great! I also loved the "second born doesn't mean second best" bit. And I identified with the MC right away--sorting closets calms me as well! (Kind of like Monica on Friends...) Good luck to you--sounds like a fun, cute book!

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  23. UnknownMay 4, 2013 at 10:30 PM

    Loved your opening line!

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  24. Jessie OliverosMay 4, 2013 at 11:48 PM

    Oh that's nice of you to write a book about my teenage life. I'm serious. Older beautiful sister that all the boys loved and who got a way better role than me in Once Upon A Mattress. And now we are best friends forever. Anyway, a book many can relate to. Well at least I can. Best of luck with this one here and beyond.

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    1. Veronica BartlesMay 4, 2013 at 11:53 PM

      :) Thanks, Kes, Ann & Caroline!

      Jessie - Ironically, I was the older sister always accused of being too perfect. And I was totally jealous of my younger sister, who was cute & knew how to have fun!

      Delete
  25. AnonymousMay 6, 2013 at 5:48 AM

    Sounds like such a fun contemp! Best of luck, Veronica!

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  26. Virginia PierceMay 6, 2013 at 2:02 PM

    Love, love this!! I totally dig the sibling/sister connection as well. (I'm the youngest of 4 kids, 2 of which are sisters!) I fell in love with the query and then the 250 words blew me away...I'd read more in a heartbeat!

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  27. Jenny KaczorowskiMay 6, 2013 at 4:56 PM

    I'm excited to see a good sibling relationship! Good luck!

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  28. Natalie ThorneMay 7, 2013 at 10:19 AM

    I really like this one. As one of 5 children, I love to see sibling relationships play out. Best of luck to you!

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  29. UnknownMay 9, 2013 at 3:38 PM

    "Hi, Veronica! I WANT YOU AND TWELVE STEPS ON TEAMCUPIDSLC13!!!!!!!

    I love the voice here and I'm already in love with your mc! I think we could strengthen the query a bit but I think this is something a lot of teens could relate to and I think the writing is fabulous!!

    Come join me and TeamCupidsLC on Mt. Olympus!!"
    ~Cupid

    WOOO HOOOOO!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! *stuffs confetti cannon with golden sparkles and pink hearts* BOOOOMMMMM!!!!
    ~Sarey

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    1. Veronica BartlesMay 9, 2013 at 4:45 PM

      Yay!!! I'm so excited!! I can't wait to hang out on Mount Olympus!! :)

      Side note: I am SUPER grateful for all of the friends who called, texted & tweeted to let me know I got picked... because blogger totally ate Sarah's comment! I had to fish it out of the spam!

      Delete

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