October First Five Pages Workshop Begins 10/4/14 -- Plus We're Adding Agents to the Workshop!

Hi all, this is Erin Cashman, one of our permanent workshop mentors. And I'm pleased to announce that I'm also the new permanent workshop coordinator!

I have to admit, I am sad to see our September First 5 Pages Workshop come to an end. This group really worked hard and did a fabulous job not just revising, but supporting each other as well. It was fun checking in on our Facebook group, and seeing the great suggestions and improvements! And a huge thanks to our guest mentor, Melissa Grey (I can’t wait to read THE GIRL AT MIDNIGHT!) and also to Becca Puglisi, who filled in for us in an emergency and will be our guest mentor in April. I keep a copy of THE EMOTION THESAURUS by my laptop while I write and revise. And thanks to our own Lisa Gail Green, who took over for Melissa for week 3.

OCTOBER WORKSHOP STARTS 10/4/2014

Our October workshop will open for entries at noon EST on October 4, 2014. We'll take the first five Middle Grade, Young Adult, or New Adult entries that meet all guidelines and formatting requirements. In addition to our wonderful permanent mentors, we have the talented Paula Stokes, author of THE ART OF LAINEY, as our guest mentor!

Click here to get the rules!



WE'RE ADDING AGENTS TO THE WORKSHOP!

And we have some very exciting news! We’ve revised the format of our First Five Pages Workshops, and we will now be adding an agent to help give the last revisions of the month a final polish. It will be a different agent each month. We are thrilled to announce that Jordy Albert, of The Booker Albert Literary Agency, will be our guest agent for October! See below for Jordy’s bio!

OCTOBER GUEST MENTOR

Paula writes stories about flawed characters with good hearts who sometimes make bad decisions. She believes in second chances and happy endings, both in life and in books. 

Paula got her start writing historical novels for a book development company. Then she wrote a fluffy YA romantic comedy called THE ART OF LAINEY. After that, she wrote a dark and twisty mystery called LIARS, INC., followed by VICARIOUS. She has four books out and another six on the way, and her writing has been translated into nine different languages!

In addition to being a writer, she’s also an RN, online instructor, and freelance manuscript consultant. When she’s not working, which is rare, she enjoys kayaking, hiking, reading, or seeking out new adventures in faraway lands.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Art of Lainey
by Paula Stokes
Paperback
Harper Teen
Released 5/20/2014

Soccer star Lainey Mitchell is used to getting what she wants, and when her boyfriend Jason breaks up with her for no reason, what she wants is to win him back before the start of their senior year. Lainey and her friend Bianca check the interwebz for tips and tricks, but the online dating advice is all pretty lame.

Then the girls stumble across a copy of The Art of War. Didn't someone once say that love is a battlefield? Jason isn't going to stand a chance once Lainey and Bee go all Zhou Dynasty on him...

Old school strategy and subterfuge meet modern-day dramarama in the story of a girl who sets out to win at all costs and ends up discovering what's really worth fighting for.


Praise for THE ART OF LAINEY

A satisfying and sweet story." -Publishers Weekly

"Love. Drama. Subterfuge. This one has it all." -Teen Vogue

"...a modern mashup of classic teen movies...Stokes does a good job with the sports subplots as well as the familial relationships. Lainey is a driven athlete who focuses on her passion, which is a refreshing change of pace..." -School Library Journal

"Romantic, witty, and unexpectedly deep. For anyone who has ever had their heart broken, life-plan turned on its head, and future suddenly in question, this book is for you." -Rachel Harris, author of A Tale of Two Centuries and Taste the Heat

Purchase The Art of Lainey at Amazon
Purchase The Art of Lainey at IndieBound
View The Art of Lainey on Goodreads

OCTOBER GUEST AGENT

Jordy Albert is a Literary Agent and co-founder of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. She holds a B.A. in English from Pennsylvania State University, and a M.A. from Millersville University of Pennsylvania. She has worked with Marisa Corvisiero during her time at the L. Perkins Agency and the Corvisiero Literary Agency. Jordy also works as a freelance editor/PR Director. She enjoys studying languages (French/Japanese), spends time teaching herself how to knit, is a HUGE fan of Doctor Who, and loves dogs.

She is looking for stories that capture her attention and keep her turning the page. She is looking for a strong voice, and stories that have the ability to surprise her. She loves intelligent characters with a great sense of humor. She would love to see fresh, well-developed plots featuring travel, competitions/tournaments, or time travel. Jordy is looking for:

*ROMANCE (contemporary, New Adult, erotica, or historical--soft spot for Regency).
* YA: Open to pretty much any genre; however, she's looking especially for YA that has a very strong romantic element.
*Middle Grade (action/adventure, contemporary).