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In This Issue
Join the Mod Squad!
Member News
From the Submissions Mailbox
April YA Trade Events
Upcoming #yalitchats
Member Grants
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#YALITCHAT Twisdoms
  Wednesday night #YALITCHAT on Twitter is a core part of what we do here at YALITCHAT. Each month in the newsletter we'll be spotlighting  "twisdoms" - the best 140 character bits that our members and guests bring to our weekly Twitter chats. This month we're spotlighting our chat on revising and polishing your manuscript for publication.
 
@ShanaMlawski  I was once told the point of revision is to recall why you loved the idea in the 1st place, then revise accordingly.
 
@Bibliogato Things I've learned this #yalitchat: I'm not the only one whose male MCs who lean, run their hands through their hair, and sigh a lot.
 
@lindsaycwrites Revising? Need some inspiration? PINTEREST BOARDS
 
@sharpegirl I love to use  wordle.net to catch over-used words. Makes it so much easier to just find, delete or replace.
 
@kimcjohnson I export to my kindle when I'm revising and editing. It helps catch things my eyes glaze over. 
 
Don't wait for May to read more Twisdoms - add your voice to the discussions, Wednesday nights at 9 pm ET!
April 2013 Newsletter
Spring is upon us here in the South, even as many members still battle Old Man Winter. While fantasies of flip-flops and lazy afternoons poolside with a great book tease the edges of our imaginations, the YALITCHAT team has been hard at work dreaming up new services and offerings for all of our members. Some have even suggested a conference for 2014! We'd love to hear from you about what you'd like to see at YALITCHAT.ORG and our weekly Twitter chats. Please tell us what we can do for you. You may send comments to [email protected] through June 1.
 
Write well,
Georgia McBride
Founder, YALITCHAT.ORG, #YALITCHAT
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JOIN THE MOD SQUAD

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We are looking for an enthusiastic volunteer who will keep the group up-to-date and active. You'll be moderating the board and leading discussions and critiques on the first pages posted by our members. 

 

As a moderator you'll receive a free Premium Membership and be involved in the active and dedicated all-volunteer staff of YALITCHAT.org.

 

If you are interested, please contact [email protected] with your reasons for applying for the position, and any relevant experience.

MEMBER NEWS
Kathleen Delaney's MURDER BY SYLLABUB, the fifth in the Ellen McKenzie real estate mysteries series, in which a dead man on the dining room floor, the house is locked and only a woman's oldest friend has the key; McKenzie and her niece are convinced the woman is innocent, only how are they going to prove it?, to Catherine Treadgold at Camel Press, by Dawn Dowdle at Blue Ridge Literary Agency.

  

Courtney Alameda's SHUTTER, when a routine assignment goes awry, a seventeen-year-old ghost hunter is infected with a curse known as a soulchain; now she is on the run, pursued as a renegade agent by her monster-hunting father, with only seven days to exorcise the entity or be destroyed body and soul, to Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends, in a pre-empt, for publication in Fall 2014, by John Cusick at Greenhouse Literary Agency (World).

  

Sharon Struth's THE HOURGLASS, until a woman's husband committed suicide, she appeared to have the ideal life: a thriving psychology practice, success as a self-help author and a model family; her failure to fix her husband's distress collides with guilt over her affair with his best friend; did her husband learn of her infidelity?, to Etopia Press, in a nice deal, by Dawn Dowdle at Blue Ridge Literary Agency.

  

Bram Stoker finalist Lisa Kessler's MOONLIGHT, HUNTER'S MOON, and BLOOD MOON, in which rich cowboy werewolves and unscrupulous assassin jaguar shifters tangle, to Danielle Poiesz at Entangled Edge, in a nice deal, for publication in 2013/2014, by Laurie McLean at Foreword Literary (World).

  

Kerry Connor's BREAKING ALL THE RULES, in which a returning US Marine decides he wants more from a fiercely independent woman than the "no strings attached" arrangement that evolved from their one night stand before his deployment, to Heather Howland at Entangled Brazen, by Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary (world).

  

Denise Jaden's FAST FICTION, a step-by-step guide to writing a structurally sound draft of a novel in 30 days, by an author who published her debut novel from material written the during NaNoWriMo writing contest, to Jason Gardner at New World Library, by Michelle Humphrey at the Martha Kaplan Agency (world).

  

Jamie Schultz's debut PREMONITIONS, in which a mercenary takes a job from an untrustworthy crime lord so she can continue paying for the rare drug that keeps her from hallucinating the future, pitched as Stephen King meets Ocean's Eleven, to Jessica Wade at Ace, in a nice deal, in a three-book deal, by Lindsay Ribar at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates (World English).

  

Author of BEAUTIFUL and CRAZY Amy Reed's new two-book series, INVINCIBLE, pitched as Go Ask Alice meets The Fault in Our Stars, about a teenage girl who survives a terminal cancer diagnosis, only to get trapped in the deadly spiral of addiction, and the boy who would do anything to save her, to Anica Rissi at Katherine Tegen Books, by Amy Tipton at Signature Literary Agency (world).

  

Adam Selzer's WHEN IOWA FREEZES OVER, in which a slacker teen enlists the help of his best friend, who just might be Satan, to get his act together before his ex-girlfriend moves back to town, to Dani Young at Simon & Schuster Children's, by Adrienne Rosado of Nancy Yost Literary Agency (World).

  

Author of the upcoming Taste Test, Kelly Fiore's JUST LIKE THE MOVIES, about two high school girls who team up to use tactics from classic romantic comedies like Easy A and Say Anything to score the guys of their dreams, to Mary Kate Castellani of Walker Children's, by Hannah Brown Gordon of Foundry Literary + Media (NA).

  

Elizabeth Holloway's debut CALL ME GRIM, in which a teenage girl accepts a job from a reaper so that she can stay alive long enough to save her best friend from certain damnation, to Georgia McBride at Month9Books, in a nice deal, in a two-book deal, for publication in Fall 2014, by Lindsay Ribar at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates (World English).

  

Barbara Sheridan writing as Kit Forbes's debut SHADOWS FALL AWAY, in which a troubled teenage boy ends up being sucked back in time to the Jack the Ripper murders when the girl he falls for is targeted by the killer and he becomes a prime suspect in the crimes, to Georgia McBride at Month9Books, in a nice deal, for publication in 2014, by Emily Keyes at the L. Perkins Agency (world).

  

Amanda Gray's ENDLESS, in which a teenage girl uncovers memories of a past life in Romanov Russia and a boy with whom she shares a timeless romance, to Georgia McBride at Month9Books, for publication in Fall 2013, by Dan Conaway and Steven Malk of Writers House (NA).

  

Jaime Loren's debut WAITING FOR APRIL, about a girl who is continually reincarnated before her eighteenth birthday, the love of her life who is rendered immortal until they are together again and the one person who will stop at nothing to make sure she dies for good, to Georgia McBride at Month9Books, in a three-book deal, for publication in Fall 2014 (World).

  

Melissa Hill's THE GIFT BOX -- following a collision on a New York street just days before Christmas a woman injures a male pedestrian, and finding a mysterious wrapped package among his belongings, resolves to deliver the gift on his behalf, to Maxine Hitchcock at Simon & Schuster UK, in a significant deal, in a three-book deal, for publication in Fall 2013, by Sheila Crowley at Curtis Brown UK (UK/Commonwealth).

  

Liz de Jager's THE BLACKHART LEGACY, YA urban fantasy set in our world, but here fairytale legends exist: only one family are able to see fae interlopers, never mind fight them, to Bella Pagan at Tor UK, in a very nice deal, in a three-book deal, for publication in 2014, by Juliet Mushens at The Agency Group (World excluding North America).

  

Jeffe Kennedy's next two books in the Covenant of Thorns series, in which a scientist trapped in Faerie must find the key to freeing her friends and the Fae Lord who loves her, to Angela James at Carina Press, by Pam van Hylckama Vlieg at Foreword Literary (World).

  

Tonya Burrows's WILDE NIGHTS IN PARADISE, the first book in her sexy WILDE SECURITY series about three brothers, all former military, who find love with the clients they protect, with ties to HORNET, her much anticipated romantic suspense series, to Heather Howland at Entangled Brazen, in a nice deal, in a three-book deal, for publication in Fall 2013 (World).

  

Christine Bell's next two books in her Dare Me series, beginning with DOWN AND DIRTY, to Heather Howland at Entangled Brazen, which Kerri-Leigh Grady editing, for publication in Winter 2013 (world).

  

Cindy Rodriguez's RESURRECTING EMILY, was acquired by Mary Kate Castellani at Walker Books for Young Readers, a division of Bloomsbury Publishing in a deal by Laura Langlie. 
 
New Releases
THE STONE DEMON
by Karen Mahoney
Release date: April 8, 2013
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
 
The just-unleashed demon hordes have delivered an impossible ultimatum to the Order of the Crow: produce the Philosopher's Stone, or suffer a reaper storm of demonic tribulation. If alchemist's apprentice Donna Underwood can't recreate the mythical artifact, the world will be plunged into a devastating modern-day Dark Age. Pitting her dangerously unpredictable powers against a vengeful demon king, two maleficent faery queens, and an immortal magus with his own shadowy agenda, Donna must be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice-but this time, even death may not be enough.
 
THE BEGINNING OF AFTER
by Jennifer Castle
Release date: April 16, 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins
 

That was it. The end of Before, and the beginning of After

 

Sixteen-year-old Laurel's world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, and overpowering memories lurk everywhere. Through it all there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel's life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their loss-a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways.

 
CHOSEN AT NIGHTFALL (SHADOW FALLS #5)
by C.C. Hunter
Release date: April 23, 2013
Publisher: St Martin's Press

 

When Kylie Galen entered Shadow Falls Camp, she left her old life behind forever and discovered a world more magical than she ever imagined. A place where you're two best friends can be a witch and a vampire...and where love doesn't happen the way you'd expect.

 

When Kylie's most powerful enemy returns to destroy her once and for all, there's only one way to stop him-to step into her full powers and make a stunning transformation that will amaze everyone around her.  But her journey won't be complete until she makes one final choice...which guy to love.  Should she choose to the werewolf who broke her heart but will give anything to win her back, or the half-fae who ran from their attraction before they had a chance?  Everything she's learned at Shadow Falls has been preparing her for this moment-when her fate will be revealed and her heart claimed forever.

 
PRETTY DARK NOTHING
by Heather Reed
Release date: April 23, 2013
Publisher: Month9Books
It's been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don't make a dent. 
 
When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.
 
April Releases
04/02--CAPTIVES by Jill Williamson
04/08--MOONSET by Scott Tracey
04/08--THE STONE DEMON (IRON WITCH #3) by Karen Mahoney
04/09--A HAMMER OF WITCHES by Shana Mlawkski
04/16--BEGINNING OF AFTER by Jennifer Castle
04/16--NOBODY'S SECRET by Michaela Maccoll
04/23--CHOSEN AT NIGHTFALL (SHADOW FALLS #5) by C.C. Hunter
4/23--CRUSH by Nicole Williams
04/23--EXILE by Rebecca Lim
04/23--PRETTY DARK NOTHING by Heather Reed
04/31--IMMORTAL ECLIPSE by Sherry Soule
  
Have a release coming out in May? We want to feature it, so let us know! Contact [email protected] with the details.

 

Deal news reported by Publishers Weekly. Visit:  www.publishersweekly.com.
FROM THE SUBMISSIONS MAILBOX
Each month we spotlight one submission to the Submissions Mailbox. This April enjoy the first 500 words of Sarah Negovetich's successful submission! 

 

About Sarah: Sarah writes because it's the only way to get the voices in her head to stop talking long enough to get any sleep. Her love is YA, because at seventeen the world is your oyster. Only oysters are slimy and more than a little salty, it's accurate if not exactly motivational. 

When she is not writing, she  works in Marketing. Which is not as glamorous as it sounds, but she still loves it. FYI, your high school algebra teacher was right when they told you every job uses math. She is also an intern/PR specialist for the fabulous Marisa Corvisiero.

 

Title: RITE OF REJECTION

Genre: YA Dystopian

First 500 words: 

Thanks to my mother, today is orchestrated to absolute perfection. Right on schedule, I push the glowing blue button and the door slides open with a staccato puff of air. Overhead, an electric bell tinkles as I step into the store packed with other Candidates. Someday I'll coordinate perfect plans of my own, but not today. Not on the eve of my Acceptance ceremony.

 

Cheryl is right behind me, bouncing on her toes with each step. My mother would die of embarrassment if I showed the same lack of decorum as my best friend, but I'm bouncing on the inside. I take a few more measured steps so our mothers can join us and the door slides shut with another whoosh of air.

 

We visited half the shops in Cardinal City this morning in our search for the perfect dresses and dyed-to-match shoes for tomorrow's ceremony. I got a thrill buying my first pair of silk gloves, Cheryl and I gushing over the tiny pearl buttons, but this is the purchase I'm looking forward to the most.

 

Shelves bursting with dance cards cover every square inch of wall space. Dozens of girls sigh and squeal over the small books we'll use to record the names of our dance partners for tomorrow's ball. One of these books is the perfect one for me. Hopefully, by the end of tomorrow night it will hold the name of my future husband.

 

"Isn't anyone going to help us?" My mother stares through the crowd of sixteen-year-old girls fawning over the books covering the display cases.

 

"Now, Mavis, we can hardly expect salesmen to be the example of perfect employees." Cheryl's mother's smile covers her face like a masquerade ball mask. "Their pay is even less than a processor's." She lays a hand on her chest, appearing absolutely scandalized to the untrained eye.

"Dreadful," my mother responds, her gloved fingers gripping the top of her handbag. "Of course, we both know all the money in the world can't buy good manners."

 

I've been watching this back and forth all day. Cheryl's mother making little comments about how expensive Cardinal City must be for some people, knowing full well that my father's processor salary doesn't make a trip like this easy. My mother responding about the number of things money can't buy, being equally aware that Cheryl's occasional lack of refinement is a sore spot for her mother.

 

Maybe shopping together was a bad idea, but this is such a special weekend and I can't imagine not sharing it with Cheryl. We only get one Acceptance ceremony, one chance to make the right first impression on our entrance into society. Between the ceremony and the celebration ball later in the evening, tomorrow is the most important day of our lives. I grab Cheryl's elbow and lead her over to one of the less crowded cases so our mothers can snip at each other without us.

APRIL YA TRADE EVENTS

In addition to our fabulous YALITCHAT events, April is full of awesome conferences and events in the writing world! A few highlights are listed below.  For more details on these events and many others, please check out the Events Tab on YALITCHAT.

 

Writing for Children - Albuquerque, NM
SCBWI Houston Conference - Houston, TX
Pike's Peak Writers Conference - Colorado Springs, CO
Texas Library Association Conference - Fort Worth, TX
LA Times Festival of Books - Los Angeles, CA 
Annual Writers' Institute - Madison, WI
NC Writers' Network Spring Conference - Greensboro, NC

 

We're scouring the Internet to find events that our members might be interested in, but the Internet's a big place! If you know of a conference, festival, or other literary event that is of interest to YA writers and isn't on our calendar, please email [email protected] attention Jessica Capelle.  

 

Check the Events Tab often to see if a great eventis headed your way! 

Upcoming #YALITCHAT Twitter Wednesdays @ 9PM ET

April 3 - Genres: What are they, what do they mean, and can you have more than one in a novel? 

 

April 10 - How far can a character go before it becomes out of character? How to push your character to the limits. 

 

April 17 - Setting: How to turn it into a character. 

 

April 24 - Can you use the same title as someone else? Your Publishing questions answered.

Member Grants

EDUCATION GRANT

Available for Teachers and Librarians who are members of YALITCHAT.ORG. Educators join YALITCHAT.ORG's Premium membership for $25/annually though it is NOT necessary to do so in order to qualify for the EDUCATION GRANT. 

 

Apply for a grant for use on classroom supplies, technology purchase, author visit, etc. Grants available in amounts of $50.00 per member. Five available per membership year. NB: Educators (regardless of membership level) qualify for FREE classroom supplies at beginning of each semester. Join our EDUCATORS group for more info. 

 

HARDSHIP GRANT*

Want to expand your horizons and connect with others in the industry but just don't have the funds? YALITCHAT offers TWO types of Hardship Grants and is available to individuals who desire to join YALITCHAT, SCBWI, RWA, RWAYA and other related organizations but need help doing so. 

 

YALITCHAT Membership Grant 

Covers the cost of a full year's premium membership in YALITCHAT.ORG or $30.00 per grantee.
There are 5 grants available for the 2012-2013 Membership year (July-July).
BALANCE AVAILABLE FOR 2012-2013 MEMBERSHIP YEAR: $150 (5 GRANTS).

 

YALITCHAT OTO Hardship Grant*

Covers the cost to JOIN any Other Trade Organization in disbursements of $25 per grantee.

There are 4 available for the 2012-2013 membership year (July-July). You MUST be a premium member of YALITCHAT.ORG in order to qualify for this grant. 

BALANCE AVAILABLE FOR 2012-2013 MEMBERSHIP YEAR: $100 (4 GRANTS).

 

MARKETING SUPPORT GRANT*

 Are you a newly published author in need of marketing support materials for a new release? How about an author about to head on tour in need of giveaways and promo items? Do you need to purchase more ARCs from your publisher to get exposure for your book? Need money to get that new website off the ground? We can help.

 

Last year we gave away $600 in grants towards supporting published members in promoting their books! There are be five grants available or $100 per person/grantee. Grants are available to premium members only.

 

BALANCE AVAILABLE FOR 2012-2013 MEMBERSHIP YEAR: $500 (5 GRANTS)

 

QUICK LEARNING GRANT*

Up to $50 toward any learning initiative such as a webinar, online course, conference, etc. You must be already registered for said initiative and have already paid in full. Must be writing or publishing industry related.
$250.00 USD year available total and $50 per grantee.
BALANCE AVAILABLE FOR 2012-2013 MEMBERSHIP YEAR: $250 (5 GRANTS).

 

Want to learn more about grants or need an application? Please send an email to grants at yalitchat (dot) org.

 

*Available to Premium Members ONLY!

ABOUT YALITCHAT.ORG

 

YALITCHAT.ORG is an all-volunteer organization run by writers who love what we do! In our spare time, away from family, day jobs and writing time--we work tirelessly to keep the community up and running twenty four hours a day, seven days each week. 

 

The membership dues that come in to the organization are invested directly back into the organization and spent on office supplies, member grants, donations, student memberships (student membership is FREE through high school), member development and general maintenance or what we like to call "rent and utilities." If you share a passion for supporting fellow writers and others in children's literature, please consider volunteering. 

 

Please subscribe to YALITCHAT.ORG for only $30.00. More on membership options can be found by visiting http://www.yalitchat.com.

 

CONTACT US

Questions, comments or corrections may be directed to: inquiries (at) yalitchat.org. Send news to: membership (at) yalitchat.org. 

 

Contact Membership Ambassador, Nicole Olea with any issues relating to membership, site usage, community, forum, etc. 

 

Published authors may contact Nicole Olea for promotional opportunities, marketing grants, etc. at our membership email address. 

 

Publishers and authors may mail books to the below address. If you need a street address, please send a note to our inquiries email address.

 

YALITCHAT.ORG 

PO Box 1892

Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

 

VISIT US ON THE WEB

http://yalitchat.org

http://yalitchat.com (public site for chat schedule, transcripts, etc)

 

NEWSLETTER STAFF AND CREDITS 

Aja Hannah, Copy Editor

Tara Sundaram, Newsletter Producer

Nicole Olea, Membership Ambassador

C. Lee McKenzie, Grants Program Administrator

Georgia McBride, President, Executive Editor

Jennifer Million, Senior Newsletter Producer, Associate Editor 

 

Books and ARCs donated by: Disney*Hyperion, HarperTeen, Simon and Schuster, Simon Pulse, Balzer + Bray, Greenwillow, HarperCollins, Penguin, RandomHouse Kids and Little Brown Books for Young Readers.

 

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YALITCHAT.ORG, YALITCHAT.COM, YALITCHAT and #yalitchat are property of 
YALITCHAT INC. and Georgia McBride.
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