Pitcharama: it’s here!
Posted: June 14, 2013 Filed under: On writing | Tags: aussie-owned, contests, queries, small presses, young adult Leave a commentGot a completed manuscript? Want a chance to put your pitch in front of the eyes of eight small press editors? Now is your chance. Go go go! (NOTE: If you don’t have a blog but want to enter anyway, post your pitch here in the comments section of this post on my blog as per the original requirements, and then link it here on the linky list.)
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s the time you’ve all been waiting for… Pitcharama is here! *Insert trumpeting fanfare*
We are so excited to offer you this opportunity to have your manuscript seen by some of the world’s top independent publishing houses. See who they are here.
Sign up your blog with our dear friend Mister Linky Tools below and then post the following information on your blog:
Manuscript Title:
Author:
Age group: (YA/NA)
Genre:
Word count:
250 word blurb:
Quick, do it now! The Aussie Owned and Read team will stop by and select our favourite 24 queries to go through to the publishers round over the next four days and then, AND THEN, we will share them on our blog on the 28th when the big guns stop by. Don’t worry, though; you will know who made the cut on the 19th, when we announce our top 24.
Don’t get…
View original post 58 more words
Pitcharama: manuscript pitching contest
Posted: June 2, 2013 Filed under: On Books, On writing | Tags: aussie-owned, contests, queries, small presses Leave a commentIf you’re a writer of young adult or new adult fiction, and you have a completed manuscript that’s ready to go, there’s a fantastic opportunity this month over at Aussie Owned and Read!
Eight publishers will be participating – we’ll announce who in the next few days, but they are all open to submissions internationally, so this isn’t just an opportunity for Australians. If I hadn’t just signed with Turquoise Morning Press I’d be really disappointed, because I’m not eligible to enter! :p
The details are on the Aussie Owned blog, so you can start refining your pitch. Make sure you follow the Twitter account as well, so you don’t miss out on any updates.
Interview: Lauren Spieller on query letters
Posted: May 7, 2013 Filed under: On writing | Tags: agents, aussie-owned, Interview, queries Leave a commentI interviewed Lauren over at Aussie Owned and Read.
Space cat. Enough said.
Lauren Spieller is a literary agency intern who has read more queries than the rest of us even want to contemplate. She has kindly agreed to answer a few questions about her job.
First off, let me say THANK YOU for having me! I love talking about querying and writing, so this is a treat.
We’re glad to have you! You’re an editorial intern at a literary agency. Can you tell us what that involves?
I’ve had two internships. The first involved reading the slush—a lot of it—and deciding which queries to forward on to the agent. I loved doing this because it a) taught me how to get a feel for a manuscript from only a few pages, and b) helped me hone my editing skills.
My current internship—with P.S. Literary Agency—is a tad more editorial, which is fabulous. So far my focus has been on reading…
View original post 548 more words
A couple of reviews: ‘Stormdancer’ and ‘Archon’
Posted: April 4, 2013 Filed under: Reviews | Tags: aussie-owned, book covers, reviews, steampunk, young adult Leave a commentThis is just a quick update from me to let you know that in the last week I’ve posted a couple of reviews over at Aussie Owned and Read, if you want to check them out. Even if you don’t, just take a moment to admire the cover art for both of them. Gorgeous!
The first is for Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff, an awesome steampunk set in an alternate feudal Japan.
The US and UK covers of Stormdancer
The other is for Archon by Sabrina Benulis, which is about angels and the end of the world, set on a fictional island run by the Vatican.
The cover of Archon
Keeping your characters in line (reblog)
Posted: February 12, 2013 Filed under: On writing | Tags: aussie-owned, writing Leave a commentSuse suffers from impudent characters too, although hers are even more out of control than mine! o.O
Impossible? I used to think so.
I know that my characters tend to just do whatever they please, whether I like them to or not. I’ve even tried punishing some of them to try and pull them back into line, but I’ve discovered that, in so doing, I have just managed to make them even more rebellious. Whether I drown them, or break their hearts, give them heart attacks or other near death experiences I still have not been able to get them to understand that I am in charge. I am the boss, the authority. I brought them into this world, and I can take them out of it dangnabbit!
And this is only for the characters in one manuscript!
If you are anything like me (and I know there are a few of you out there) you’ll likely have more than one MS on the go at…
View original post 411 more words
Introducing … Cassandra Page
Posted: January 28, 2013 Filed under: On me | Tags: aussie-owned Leave a commentHere is my introductory post from over at Aussie Owned and Read. You could read it for my sparkling wit (HA!) but, more excitingly, there’s a giveaway starting today as well; three Amazon ebooks and a few different edits or critiques from the fabulous Aussie Owned contributors. Gogogo!
Um. Is this thing on? *taptaptap*
Oh, hi! My name is Cassandra and I’m writing to you as the first (alphabetically; I make no other claims) of the Aussie Owned and Read bloggers. You may be wondering why I’m qualified to write about books, especially young adult and new adult books in an Australian context. So here are a few random factoids about me, which may or may not reassure you. :p
I have a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, with a Professional Writing specialisation. I got my degree longer ago than I care to remember. And since 2007 I’ve been a professional editor in the public service. (I live in Canberra; of course I’m a public servant!)
I may not be a teenager anymore (at least, I wasn’t last time I checked!) but I’ve been reading books with teenage and “new adult” protagonists for a long time—certainly longer than NA…
View original post 308 more words
Welcome to Aussie Owned & Read
Posted: January 26, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: aussie-owned Leave a commentCheck out this hot new Australian book blog. I’m proud to say I’m one of the contributing writiers. Yay! 😀
G’day, and welcome to the very first post for Aussie Owned & Read, a blog dedicated to Young and New Adult novels and written by eight Australian ladies involved in the writing and publishing community.
This is a blog for people who read books, people who write books and people who have a passion for all things words. We’d love you to comment on our posts, enter our competitions and basically be our friends; after all, that’s how this whole thing came about!
As anyone who writes or reads knows, the friends you make while writing and reading are some of the best kinds of people. Stacey and Lauren, the blog founders, met through a pitch competition (thanks, Brenda Drake!) and have since exchanged numerous emails, texts and even met in Real Life to share their love of YA and NA books.
Both longed to create a blog where…
View original post 285 more words
Cassandra Page 