Football

There is an American college football game tonight, and so my husband needs the computer.  That is all.

He loves football far more than me, I'm afraid--give me a good water polo game any day!  At least this image looks sort of watery...

Goodreads

I officially joined Goodreads last night, and I've already checked out some of their recommendations.  I haven't entered very many books on my shelf yet--just a couple hundred so far--and it will take me hours to log in the books I own (I don't even know if I can remember everything I've borrowed), but I figure if I update it every time I finish a book, I can keep track of books better from here on out.  I'm not sure if I'm sold on the different versions that pop up for every popular book or the strict one-two-three-four-five star system, and I'll have to take some notes on books I enter in the future, but for now maybe I can start sorting through what I've read in the past and what I want to read in the future.  I'm a fast reader, and some year I'd like to read a book a day--maybe when the kids are older!--or finish all those Influential Books You Have To Read For Cultural Capital (oh, Russian classics, I'll get to you sometime), but for now I'll settle for recording what I read.  So I can buy more of the authors I like, and not forget who I want to buy later! Also, I can always tell my husband where to look for presents...

I'd still prefer a notebook, worn and floppy, but my baby stole my pen and scribbled all over the last one, so online might be a better choice for now...

Ads...

Well, I've still got three more essays to grade, and a lesson plan to make, so here are a few of the ads we'll be analyzing over the next few lectures.  Enjoy!

Cats can claw through rubber gloves, I'm pretty sure...

Buzz?

I like Legos

Cookie Monster!  He is my favorite of the Muppets, just as the Got Milk is my favorite advertising campaign...whee! Analyze away!

Almost...done...grading...

Well, I'm down to my last two days of grading.  IF I finish another essay today.  So in the interest of finishing that essay--and of submitting a few more queries--this is a brief blog post.  Whew!

Query, round three (ish)

I send query letters to agents in small batches, usually batches of four or five.  I haven't sent out many letters hence far, and I haven't sent out any that require a synopsis, or summary of the entire plot.  Each time, I've revised my letter, and each time I've felt unsatisfied with what I've come up with.

Until now.

So here is my query, for the brave or the curious.  It's supposed to make an agent want to read on, sort of like the back of a book cover plus a business letter, and it is jolly difficult to write.  But I'm posting it, for good or ill:

Dear Blog Readers,

Tricia wakes at dawn on her thirteenth birthday—and discovers her parents and little sister have been taken by a monster now creeping toward her room. Tricia barely manages to run out the front door.  Suddenly she finds that she’s glowing.  Weirder still, she can see the supernatural creatures who hide from human sight.  They say she has magic.  They’re drawn to her gift, yet none will help her save her “ordinary” family. 

But Tricia’s mom loves embarrassing her microbiology students with slides of rotting body parts. Tricia’s dad hums so tunelessly that “Happy Birthday” can sound like Nirvana. Tricia’s little sister drags her to the pet store every Saturday to sneak the guinea pigs carrots and apple peels.

People like that can’t be replaced, even with magic.  And Tricia remembers a week before her birthday she’d dreamed of Lillian, a stranger who smelled of oranges and fire and spoke as if she knew the future.  Lillian claimed to have magic, and warned monsters would come for Tricia when her own magic awoke.

Turns out that dream told impossible truths.  So Tricia searches for Lillian, who’s as real as the fingerprint blisters she left on Tricia’s wrist. But Lillian’s known as the Swindle Witch for a reason. Tricia’s trust may be woefully misplaced—and a mistake against the monster could cost Tricia her childhood laughter, her taste for chocolate, or the people she loves the most.

Swindle Witch is a 76,000-word YA contemporary fantasy. I have a Master’s degree in English from the University of Utah, and I’m the recipient of several writing awards, including a 1999 Scholastic Art and Writing Gold Award in the fantasy category.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Brenda McKenna


p.s. Here is a music video I've attached, except it doesn't come with the real queries.  Because that would be weird.  And my three-year-old calls it a "mean song" and doesn't like me listening to it...although I do, when he's not around!

Pizza!

I love pizza with mushrooms, and pepperoni, and olives, and tasty, tasty cheese.  And that is what I am about to eat.  But I thought I'd pop by my blog and post this plug for my friend who is a super-good romance writer and entered the Mills and Boon New Voices contest: go to this link and read her first chapter and write comments.  I've read the whole thing, and I relished the story and characters, even though I'm not a regular romance reader.  I'm all across the board with what I like--so maybe I just haven't given romance enough of a chance!

This is the first image that comes up under 'romance' on Google.  Very sunset-y.  And water!  I approve.

My sister is coming over!

I shall make this brief: three-year-olds + Halloween costumes = indecision.  Also, awesomeness.  The list so far includes a T-Rex, a dragon, a boxer, Darth Vader, and a Stormtrooper.  It is not even September yet.  I bet the list will grow.

Oh, and for tonight my son says I should be Luke Skywalker, my husband should be Obi-Wan Kenobi, and our baby should be R2D2.  I'd rather be Dorrie the little witch, although I'll have to piece together my own outfit...but it will be totally worth it to live out my five-year-old playtime!

Where could I find a hat like that?!? Maybe I'll have to learn how to sew a lot better than I do now...