The Writer's Voice Entry - THE PACT - Adult Science Fiction

Thanks to everyone involved in The Writer's Voice contest!


Query:

Dear The Writer's Voice Coaches,

For 21-year old Scarlett Earle, being the President’s daughter has its perks, like getting exempt from a worldwide alien-induced slaughter that happens once every four years.

After an alien race, known as the Otros, set in motion a war that consumed the Earth, the powers that be on both sides made a pact to end the fight. The result was The Clearing, a quadrennial event that allows a harvest of all the Earth’s resources, including humans. For mankind, this means respite from attack and peaceful living for the majority of their lives and for the Otros it means total domination.

After turning 21, she is assigned the task of travelling through North America to help educate and prepare those for the coming Clearing, a task given to her in order for her to prove her allegiance to her country and her parents. Unfortunately for her, Delmar, her fathers charming and chauvinistic chief-of-staff is tagging along as her assistant, but both of them just see it as glorified babysitting.

Their journey takes an unexpected turn in the Deep South where Scarlett sees the poverty, destruction and violence that exist past her sheltered home and life and fears that she is part of the cause. The lies that her parents have been telling her, and the entire world, begin to unravel and Scarlett learns that the pact her father made may not have been so simple and that she may have been on the winning side of the war all along. After learning the truth, Scarlett is in danger, not only from an underground rebel group who plans to overthrow the government, but also from the government itself.

Complete at 100,000 words, THE PACT is a standalone Adult novel with series potential. It is HOUSE OF CARDS meets WAR OF THE WORLDS, as political gameplay and science fiction merge in a story about a corrupt government and a girl who is faced with the ultimate choice: duty or truth?

Thank you for your consideration.

First 250:

The invasion didn’t happen the way it always does in the movies. Instead of screaming, there was only silence. No black, omniscient death ships hovering above in the sky, no unstoppable laser-powered weapons and definitely no little green men.

It was almost anti-climactic in a way, a disappointment where scenarios of world domination are concerned. One could even say that if it wasn’t for living in the age of technology, mankind could have carried on and not even noticed what was happening around them.

The disappearances began in the poorest countries, Liberia, Malawi, the Congo. At first it was just the livestock that was going missing. Large herds seemingly evaporated into thin air overnight, with no evidence left of where they went or who took them. Then there was war, but in places already filled with conflict, this didn’t draw much attention from the rest of the world, not until more precious goods began to go missing. Coffee, cotton, diamonds and oil suffered the same fate as the livestock and this finally made the world notice, but not in a good way. The fighting grew to a larger scale, each countries leaders accusing the others.

 It’s hard to know whether they planned this in the first place, or if it was sheer luck that the human race chose to hurt instead of help each other, but either way it helped moved their plan along smoothly. After fine goods, they moved onto the next commodity they sought, the one that they wanted more than anything else.

Us. 

In Which I Rant About Fictional Female Law Enforcement

I have a bit of a bone to pick today that centers around the genre of crime/thriller/suspense and the way women are portrayed in the law enforcement field.

Now, before I begin, let me give you a bit of a background on me. I have always been interested in being a part of law enforcement. Ever since I was a little kid I dreamed of donning the blue and brass. When we played cops and robbers, I always had to be the cop. While the other girls were playing with Barbies and dressing up like princesses, I had my walkie-talkie and a hair dryer, standing at the side of the road giving out traffic citations. Seriously, this is what I did for fun! As I grew older, I realized that maybe being a police officer wasn't exactly the right route for me, mainly because I could be outrun by a five-year old and would never pass a police fitness test in my life. But I did my research and I held onto my dream, and that is what lead me to the field of Social Work and Criminology.

Here are another few facts about me:

1. I've never been sexually abused, raped, or molested.
2. I've never witnessed a murder.
3. I've never traumatically lost a family member or witnessed one being tortured, tormented, abused, etc.
4. There are absolutely zero cops in my family.
5. I do not have a military background nor a parental figure I have to impress.

And after all these facts, I still have an interest in law enforcement that just blossomed out of my own want and need. According to the television world, THIS IS WRONG!

Let me explain more about what I mean. In the world of television a female cop, nine times out of ten, HAS to have a reason for becoming a cop. Usually this stems from a traumatic event in their childhood or a need to impress an overbearing, over-accomplished law enforcement parental figure. They can't just have wanted to be a cop. There must be some serious reason that a woman would want to be involved in that career. And all this happens while their male counterparts need no explanation as to why they are who they are.

Here are some examples:

Olivia Benson, SVU: Her motivation for becoming a cop, or more specifically a detective in the SVU, is because she is a child of rape. Her counterpart, Elliot Stabler, is just there cause he's there.

Kate Beckett, Castle: Her mother was brutally murdered when she was in college, forcing her to change her major and become a detective after building an obsession with finding her mother's killer. Her counterparts, Ryan and Esposito, never have had their intentions explained.

Olivia Dunham, Fringe: The only reason she works for the FBI is because she had been conditioned to be a soldier since she was a child, leaving her really no choice. The male agents Charlie and Lt.Broyles have never warranted explanation.

Debra Morgan, Dexter: Grew up craving her father's attention so she decided to follow in his footsteps and become a detective for the Miami PD. None of the other males in the squad have had a similar explanation to why they are cops.

Sara Sidle, CSI: Another foster care case. Abusive father, mother who killed him in front of her. Stokes, Grissom, and Brown have never had their pasts explained.

Catherine Willows, CSI: Saved from her life of exotic dancing by a man, of course, who happened to be a detective and sent her on the path of law enforcement.

And these are only a few examples that I could think of off-hand. Now some may say 'oh, well it's just character development!', and they would be right. It is. But my point is why do females need to have their past that led them to law enforcement exposed when their male counterparts don't? I really do believe passionately in this and see it as a problem in the entertainment industry. Writers need to bash it over our heads that 'she's a cop, but she is still a WOMAN! Look, she's crying! Aw, she has a traumatic past. Her femininity is just spilling all over the place so you can feel comfortable watching a woman portray a person in command.' And this thought process makes me sick.

I still do admire and love many of the woman I've talked about above, but at the same time I can't help but cringe sometimes at the way they are portrayed. They are still strong, independent, smart ladies of the law, and I just wish they were there because it was their dream, not because their past led them there.

Is there anything that gets your blood boiling about the way certain people are portrayed?

Reasons For My Absence, A Few Facts, and A Blog Award, OH MY!

Hello bloggies!

Firstly, let me apologize for being a little MIA for the past week and a bit. I have had a few personal and professional things happen to me that forced me to put the blog on the back-burner for a little while. My grandma, who I live with, had her knee replaced two weeks ago so I've been busy helping out and looking after the house. Also late one night I had an epiphany about my MS (hurrah, woo-hoo, and other sarcastic celebration noises) that has had me basically re-working almost the entire thing from third-person to first-person, which has been both a rewarding and taxing experience for me. But alas I have returned and The Write Thrill shall return to its regular unscheduledness!

Now, on to more pressing matters. I was given the...

Yay! The lovely SC_Author bestowed this wonderful award upon me, and I am very grateful. Here are the rules:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award.

2. List the rules.

3. List seven random facts about yourself.

4. Nominate ten people for the award. And notify them that you've given them an award.

Since I've already done steps one and two, on to step three!

Seven random facts about yours truly:

one. I've been the the midnight showing of every single Twilight movie and I'm totally not ashamed.

two. I am obsessed with nail polish. I have a legitimate problem. It is scary. I just bought a bottle of nail polish today that cost $10. TEN DOLLARS. For color you put on the dead, harden cells protruding from your fingers! Obviously still in denial over this problem.

three. My uncle is a published author. * gratuitous pimp slot* He writes the Jake Morgan mystery series, and his first book Raw Deal can be found on Amazon here!

four. I love television. Yes, I know, that really isn't an unknown fact about me, but the extent to which I love television probably is. I realllyyyyy love television. Like, I spend more money on dvd boxsets than I do on food kind of love. 

five. Related to number four, the television shows that I worship at the alter of are as follows: The X-Files, Lost, Battlestar Galactica, Doctor Who, and Fringe.

six. I collect shot glasses. Whenever I travel anywhere, I always have to buy a shot glass and bring it home for my collection. Currently I have ones from Las Vegas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, New York City, Tortuga, Bahamas, St. Thomas, and Myrtle Beach.

seven. I am a master in the art of hair braiding.

eight. If I was a superhero, my name would be Captain Impulsive. I honestly have to be the most impulsive person in the entire world. Example: I have changed my idea on what I want to do with my life about 776504 times, the latest idea being becoming a Top Chef, which led me to getting and quitting a job in a kitchen within a month.

nine. I have a version of mysophobia, which causes me to have an extreme fear of other peoples' dirty utensils and dishes. 

ten. I am addicted to coke. The pop, not the drug silly!

And there you have it! Ten things that you never really needed/wanted to know about me. Now for the nominating!

I don't have very many blog friends *sob*, so most of these people I'll be re-nominating, but they deserve it cause they are awesome :).

Utsav & Brighton, E.B. Black, Kendra, Kela McClelland , Roni Loren, Caterina Torres, Krysten Hill, and I think that is all I can think of right now, ah! Please check out all these wonderful people and their blogs, you will not regret it!   

Music Monday

Music is one of the most important things in my life. You could bring up any moment, trip, hardship, or achievement and I could tell you the pieces of music that I associate with it. Music has helped me get through a lot of tough times in my life and also helped me celebrate all the happy ones.

Music is also amazing for reading and writing books. It can really help enhance the emotional highs and lows of what you are either reading or trying to write yourself. One of the times I always think of is when I was reading Kathy Reichs' Spider Bones. I was really into Bon Iver at the time and was listening to their cd non-stop on my iPod during my read and magically the songs just fit so well with what was going on. It really mad me feel like I was there with her, experiencing all of these things that her MC was. Now, every time I listen to Bon Iver, I'm taken back on a journey to Hawaii (the setting of the book) and feeling all those great things I felt while reading the book for the first time.

I also absolutely have to listen to music while writing. Whether it be during planning, plot brainstorming, character profiles, writing a chapter, or editing and revising, I need music to be there with me. It lets me concentrate on what I'm doing, keeps me in check with my emotions, and helps me take a journey to the land I'm creating, just like it did with Spider Bones. I'm gonna leave talking about my relationship with music and writing on a later Music Monday post, because I want the first one to be all about fun.

Summer. It's hot. It's shiny. It's fun. And you need a damn good soundtrack to help you enjoy the summer the way it should be. Every summer I always have about four or five songs that live through the season with me. They come to the beach, on long road trips with friends, and then follow us back to the bar at night. They are catchy little ditties that have you winding down your windows and singing at the top of your lungs. This summer I have five songs that have taken residency in my awesome summer playlist. And I'd like to share them with you! If you click on the song title, it will bring you to a special website where the music fairy will let you take the song and put it on your computer to listen to. (AKA: Don't want the file sharing police after a lowly, little aspiring author like me.)

Here is my Songs of Summer 2012!

Stranger - My Name is Kay
Sister Christian/Just Like Paradise/Nothin' But a Good Time - Rock of Ages OST
Some Nights - fun.
Out on the Town - fun.
Lies - Marina and the Diamonds

If you take a listen, be sure to let me know what you think! And do you have to have a soundtrack to go along with the seasons of your life?

Writer Wednesday: Contests

I love contests! Who doesn't love contests?! Especially contests that give you a chance to have your work reach an editor/agent/publishing house that normally wouldn't see your stuff.

I feel like there are so many contests going on right now that my head is spinning. It is the summer of the writer apparently, cause we are getting so many excellent chances to have our work see the light of day. Since there seem to be a cagillion (real numeric estimation) contests popping up all over, I thought I would make a little list of links here of some of the ones I plan on entering, or ones I think are just super cool. So read forth and enter like crazy!

• Brenda Drake's 35-Word Pitch Contest to Entangled Publishing 
• Scott Eagen Twitter Pitch (this one is going on right now so hurry up all you women's fic and romance writers!)
• Daisy Carter's YA/MG Pitch Contest with agent Tricia Lawrence
• Lisa Burstein's Chapter Critique Contest
• Agent Wishlist Contest
• Query Critique from Louise Fury
• Christmas In July (this contest is the bomb)
• Critique Contest and Giveaway

Phew, that is a lot of awesome contests! Thanks a lot to the hosts and participants for creating these contests and giving us writers many awesome opportunities! Did I forget any current or upcoming contests that I should add to my list? Do you have any contest success stories? Let me know in the comments!

5 Reasons Why Twitter Is Great For Writers

Ever since I got my iPhone, I have become absolutely addicted to Twitter. I love it. I check in on it when I wake up like its the morning paper. It lets me keep tabs on my favorite celebrities, chefs, media outlets, and friends. And with just a few little clicks, they can be updated on what's going on with me too. I know many of you share my addiction to the little blue bird, but a lot of us may just use Twitter as a way to pass time, when really it holds much more potential, especially for those trying to make a name for themselves in the publishing world. With that said, here are my top 5 reasons why Twitter is great for writers!

1. IT'S FREE! Yes, you read that right. Free. You have to have a computer or smartphone to access it, but the application itself doesn't cost you a thing. This makes it accessible to the over 200-million people that use it. Being a struggling writer and also a university student, money is tight for me, and I know it is for a lot of other aspiring authors out there. The fact that we can access Twitter anytime we want, as much as we want, is a big help in getting ourselves out into the social media world.

2. Community. The population of writers, both published and not, is astounding on Twitter. Ever since I started following and interacting with other writers, I feel almost like I'm part of a little exclusive club, or family. If you are in a writing rut and need a pick me up, someone is always there saying encouraging words. If you are stuck on a problem in your newest chapter, in seconds you can have a fellow writers opinion on your dilemma. If you need a quick edit on something, just give a shout-out and someone will be there. When it comes to published and celebrity authors, many of them will tweet you back or retweet something you've said. It makes their vast knowledge of the industry instantly accessible, and their tips and tricks shared on Twitter are extremely valuable.

3. It makes you a better writer. The majority of us have a few major problems when it comes to writing, and one of them is being concise. How do we take all we want to say and put it into a concise chapter? Twitter is excellent at helping writers hone in on this skill. 140 characters. That is all you have. No matter how hard you try, the character limit will not increase. So you have to learn how to take something important and bring it down to just a few words. This helps you cut out everything that is unnecessary and leave only the words that get your point across, and this is a great exercise in writing.

4. Hashtags. These little things are awesome. They help you group your thoughts into one or a few searchable terms, and also let you discover other writers by searching through them. There are many hashtags out there, but there are a few that every aspiring writer on Twitter must know and use frequently. These include: #amwriting/#amediting, #writetip/#writingtip, #askagent/#askauthor/#askeditor, and #writingprompt. Using hashtags are not only a great way to find others who are interested in the same things as you, but also a way of getting yourself recognized.

5. Promotion/Marketing. This is the big one, folks. Unless you happen to write a book that becomes an overnight sensation, you are going to need to do a lot of work yourself to get people to buy it. The road to this marketing begins with promotion, which usually starts before you even have a book deal. Do you have a blog? A short story you want read? A contest you are participating in? Link to it on Twitter. Using Twitter to spread the word about your online presence is the fastest, easiest, and most effective way. You post something so all your followers can see it, some of your followers may retweet it which will then make it reach a larger audience and so on and so forth. Having an online following of writers, readers, and fans alike will make a critical difference when you release a book.

And there you have it! Those are my top 5 reasons why I think Twitter is awesome for writers. Do you agree or have any others to add? I'd love to hear them!

Writer Wednesdays: Flashbacks.

I love me some good flashbacks. Mainly because I love learning more about my favorite characters and about the moments in their past that helped shape them into who they are today. Hearing about their first kiss, first day on the job, first case, and first heartbreak always makes me feel like I'm getting closer to the characters I enjoy reading about.

On the same subject though, I'm iffy about the use of flashbacks in books. Sometimes it works wonderfully and other times it just clogs up what would be an otherwise decent novel.

In my case, I love my MC in my current WIP, Dr. Stella Lennon. She is a forensic archaeologist who works for the FBI and local police to help solve homicides. I think in order to make a character great, every author has to have an extensive backstory for them, either in their head or planned out on paper. And unfortunately, the majority of this never makes the cut for the final story. Now, I have SO much in my head about Stella and my problem is I want to get it out, but I don't want to put it in my book. She has a past love affair with my other MC, Xavier Martin, and many other interesting tidbits from her past that I want to share with you and with my future readers. So, here's my question:

How would you feel about me posting a little short story every Wednesday, giving you some insight into who my two MCs are? Do you think this would intrigue you and make you want to read my book more, or would it turn you off of my book because you would think you knew everything about them now? Please let me know in the comments cause I think this could be a really fun experiment!