Donor Introductions: Day Eleven!

I'm very excited to announce that we have two more donors to add to the fantastic Writers for Hope roster!

ANDREA DUNLOP


Andrea began her career at Random House in New York, where she worked as a publicist for Doubleday. As Girl Friday’s Publicity and Social Media Coordinator, Andrea works with books and authors across a broad swath of subjects including literary and commercial fiction, memoir, and non-fiction, helping her clients to establish clear brands and build platforms through social media.







DONATED PRIZE: Ninety Minute Social Media & Marketing Session


REBECCA ALLARD

Rebecca Allard is the author of Reckless: A Memoir, the story of her addiction to danger. From 1971 to 1981 she was a professional actor in New York City. She then joined a Fortune 500 accounting and auditing firm and rose to the position of director.

Rebecca retired in 2000 to focus on her writing and was privileged to study with Vivian Gornick and Linsey Abrams. In 2003, she joined Lehman Brothers where she served as senior administrator on the global equity syndicate desk through the collapse in 2008. Rebecca is currently working on her second memoir about her five years at Lehman.

DONATED PRIZE: Signed Copy of RECKLESS

Can't believe the auction is this week! Hope you've all been practicing your subtlest paddle raise. I don't even care that that's not the way bidding goes with this. I just feel like it's something everyone should have down pat.

Donor Introductions: Day Ten!

The final day of the donor countdown is upon us and it's ending with a bang - FIVE DONORS!

JESSICA SINSHEIMER

Jessica has been reading and campaigning for her favorite queries since 2004. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, she went east for Sarah Lawrence College and stayed for the opportunity to read soon-to-be books for a living. Now an Associate Agent at the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency, she’s developed a reputation for fighting office members to see incoming manuscripts first—and for drinking far too much tea.

Always on the lookout for new writers, she is most excited about finding literary, women’s, Young Adult and New Adult fiction, and—on the nonfiction side—psychology, parenting, self-help, cookbooks, memoirs, and works that speak to life in the twenty-first century.






DONATED PRIZE: Query Critique

JAMI NORD

Jami Nord is frequently accused of having a TARDIS, because she gets so much done. Between a day job as a phone monkey, her internship with Bree Ogden, and the rest of life, she's really just an expert at time management, hyper organized, and a very fast reader. She grew up reading mountains of scifi and fantasy, cut her professional chops on romance novels, and has a weak spot for GLBT*, disabled, and racially/ethnically diverse characters told with enrapturing style, where their identities are part of who they are, not just a plot thread. Someday, she'll become an agent, or an editor, and help make dreams come true. In the meantime, she'll settle for trying to make the industry just a bit more transparent, or at least her tiny corner of it. She tweets at @JamiNord and blogs at jaminord.wordpress.com. She lives in Philadelphia, having finally escaped the clutches of south Texas, though she still favors margaritas and good queso.

DONATED PRIZE #1: Query Critique
DONATED PRIZE #2: Query Critique

MARISSA BURT

Marissa writes middle-grade fantasy and is represented by Laura Langlie. As a girl, Marissa was forever getting notes sent home from teachers about reading novels during class, and she still would rather read a good story than do just about anything else. Marissa lives in the Seattle area with her husband, three sons, and heaps of good books. She is the author of STORYBOUND, STORY'S END, and the forthcoming A SLIVER OF STARDUST. You can find her online at www.marissaburt.com.











DONATED PRIZE: Signed Copies of STORYBOUND and STORY'S END

BROOKS BENJAMIN

Brooks is a MG Writer, filmmaker, teacher, husband, SCBWI member, and father to a 75 pound mutt. He's a regular contributor to Middle Grade Minded and a member of the MgBetaReaders critique group. Brooks is represented by Uwe Stender of TriadaUS Literary.

DONATED PRIZE: Query and First Chapter Critique


CHRISTINA HENRY de TESSAN

Christina has worked in publishing for over fifteen years, toiling away as both an in-house editor (Chronicle Books, Seal Press, Night + Day city guides) and a freelance writer before joining Girl Friday Productions, a boutique editorial and writing firm, where she now specializes in editing fiction of all kinds. She loves all aspects of the book business--writing, editing, research, reading, and, of course, other people who share her passion for words. She loves indulging in dim sum in San Francisco, dress-shopping in Brooklyn, late-night book-browsing at Powells in Portland, and doing just about anything in Paris.



DONATED PRIZE: Full Manuscript Critique

So, there they are. All THIRTY TWO of our truly outstanding donors. Use the weekend to make sure you've gotten to know them all and come back on Monday for the auction rules!

Donor Introductions: Day Nine!

Welcome back! We're nearing the end of our donor list and the buckets of awesome just keep on coming. 

CATHERINE McCALL
Catherine McCall, author of Never Tell: A True Story of Overcoming a Terrifying Childhood, is also a regular blogger for Psychology Today Magazine. She has been a marriage and family therapist for 30 years, is a Clinical Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, a member of the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health, and of the RAINN Speakers Bureau. She lives in a suburb of Atlanta with her husband.

DONATED PRIZE: First Chapter Critique

N.K. TRAVER

Nat writes books about teens who like to get themselves in trouble and then expect her to get them out of it. She's completely incapable of planning anything (books, vacations, weekend outings, lunch). She'd like to believe this incapability makes my work random and quirky because let's be honest, she had no idea that was going to happen either. She's represented by Brianne Johnson of Writers House, who can actually turn books into gold.

She love stories. All kinds. Especially ones with antiheroes and/or a tinge of something creepy. She's very interested in why good people are good and bad people are bad and what makes them that way. She likes reversed roles, rules, unexpected humor, sword fights, and puppy dog "Awww" moments.

Nat has also participated as a mentor in Pitch Wars.

DONATED PRIZE: Query Plus First Five Pages Critique

JOY McCULLOUGH-CARRANZA

Joy is a middle grade writer represented by Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger, Inc. She contributes to the group blog Project Mayhem, was a mentor for PitchWars, and works as an assistant to a NYT bestselling middle grade author. She works as a freelance writer and editor, homeschools two children, and eats ridiculous amounts of chocolate. Joy would love to critique any genre of MG or YA (and in a previous life she was an award-winning playwright with a degree in theater from Northwestern University, so if you happen to be writing a play, she would crit that too). Find her at @JMCwrites.

DONATED PRIZE: Full Manuscript Critique

 

Tune in tomorrow for the last of our illustrious donors!

Donor Introductions: Day Eight!

The auction is officially ONE WEEK from today! High fives of excitement all around!!

*Air fives the computer and hopes fervently that you're all doing the same.*

MARIEKE NIJKAMP

Marieke Nijkamp is a dreamer, avid tweeter, and proud-to-be geek with degrees in philosophy, history, and medieval studies. In the midnight hours of the day she is a storyteller, represented by Jennifer Udden at the Donald Maass Literary Agency. Marieke is one of the founding YA Misfits and founder of DiversifYA. She's been a slush reader for several years and currently edits by referral only.








DONATED PRIZE: Query and Three Chapter Critique

GAIL NALL

Gail hugs trees, does camel spins, & writes contracts - all at the same time! MG debut BREAKING THE ICE (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, Spring 2015). PLEASE RSVP, Books One & Two, with Jen Malone (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, Summer & Fall 2015). Contributor at www.kidliterati.com and member of http://fearlessfifteeners.wordpress.com/. SCBWI member. Represented by Julia A. Weber of J.A. Weber Literaturagentur.










DONATED PRIZE: First Ten Pages Critique

VERONICA BARTLES

Veronica writes children's books, from picture books to YA novels. Her debut novel, TWELVE STEPS (a YA contemporary romance) was released in March 2014.

She believes that creativity is the cornerstone of life, and she's am known among my children's friends as "the one with all the stories to tell." She's also known for her off-the-wall Halloween costumes, original cookie recipes and Crock Pot Gourmet creations. And she knits purses and other accessories out of recycled plastic grocery bags and old video tapes. 

She's represented by Jessica Sinsheimer (Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency, LLC), and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Sub It Club, the Y Knot Knitters, and I'm a Mormon.

DONATED PRIZE: Query/First Chapter Critique OR Full Picture Book Critique

Okay, one more high five for good measure. Come on.......don't leave me hanging. 

My computer just started sparking. I'm going to assume it was from the power of all the high fives you just sent. And not a maintenance issue. 

Donor Introductions: Day Seven!

Hey everyone! More phenomenal donors and great auction items for you to peruse today.

REBECCA YARROS

Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and lover of all things chocolate, coffee, and Paleo. In addition to being a mom, military wife, and blogger, she can never choose between Young Adult and New Adult fiction, so she writes both. She’s a graduate of Troy University, where she studied European history and English, but still holds out hope for an acceptance letter to Hogwarts. Her blog, The Only Girl Among Boys, has been voted the Top Military Mom Blog the last two years, and celebrates the complex issues surrounding the military life she adores. Rebecca is the author of FULL MEASURES (Entangled-Embrace), an Amazon.com bestseller.

She is represented by Jamie Bodnar Drowley at Inklings Literary Agency, LLC. 

DONATED PRIZE: Query and First Chapter Critique


STEPHANIE SAUVINET 

As the reading editor for World Weaver Press, Stephanie happily meddles in slush pile goodness. She wanted to be an archeologist for a long time just so she could find the Stargate but settled for the endless possibilities of the SF/F genres. She is a science-fiction nerd who doesn’t get tangled in the “Are you a Star Wars fan or a Trekkie?” debacle because she loves both and doesn’t see why she would have to choose between Luke and Picard (Pike or Kirk if you’re going old school.) When she doesn’t read or write, Stephanie practices as an oncology nurse, loves puzzling her cats by speaking French and enjoys the wonders of New Orleans. Her twitter: @StephanieSauvin You can also find WWP online: @WorldWeaver_wwp  and http://worldweaverpress.com/.





DONATED PRIZE #1: Query and First First Five Pages Critique
DONATED PRIZE #2: Partial Manuscript Critique + Permission to email and discuss comments



MOLLY LEE
Molly is a YA author represented by the amazing Jamie Bodnar Drowley of Inklings Literary Agency for her YA Paranormal Romance novel entitled Judges. She's a military spouse who married her best friend, has a spoiled english bulldog named Whiskey, and love falling into books and losing track of time.

Molly has also volunteered her time as a Pitch Wars mentor for the last two years. 





DONATED PRIZE: First Chapter Critique

Join me again tomorrow as I continue to look for adjectives to adequately describe how awesome all these donors are. (Spoiler alert: there are none.)

Donor Introductions: Day Six!

Hello all! Hope your weekends were all bright and shiny.

I'm happy to present to you the next batch of superb donors for next week's Writers For Hope Auction to benefit RAINN!

AVA JAE
Ava Jae is a writer, artist and editorial intern represented by Louise Fury of The Bent Agency. She writes NA and YA novels because she loves writing about self-discovery and the complicated worlds of young people. Then she likes to take their emotionally ridden lives, rip them apart, and set them on fire. She also has an addiction to movies, but that’s another matter entirely. You can find her weekly musings on her blog Writability, follow her on Twitter and tumblr or like her Facebook page.

DONATED PRIZE: Query and First Five Pages Critique


BRENDA DRAKE

Brenda Drake, the youngest of three children, grew up an Air Force brat and the continual new kid at school until her family settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Brenda’s fondest memories growing up is of her eccentric, Irish grandmother’s animated tales, which gave her a strong love for storytelling. So it was only fitting that she would choose to write young adult and middle grade novels with a bend toward the fantastical. When Brenda’s not writing or doing the social media thing, she’s haunting libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops or reading someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).

She is represented by Peter Knapp at Park Literary.

DONATED PRIZE: Query Critique

EMMANUELLE MORGEN

Emmanuelle Morgen is a literary agent at Stonesong Literary Agency, representing adult and children’s fiction, as well as memoir and select narrative nonfiction books.

In children’s books, she represents YA and middle grade. Her authors include Jamie Blair (Leap of Faith, Simon & Schuster Children’s), Kathleen Peacock (The Hemlock Trilogy, Katherine Tegen Books), Louise Rozett (Confessions of an Angry Girl, Harlequin Teen), Amy Tintera (Reboot, HarperTeen), and Kat Zhang (What’s Left of Me, HarperTeen).

In adult books, she represents general fiction, women’s fiction and romance, historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy, and a certain kind of thriller. Her adult fiction clients include Dear Author contributor Alison Atlee (The Typewriter Girl, Gallery/Simon & Schuster), RITA nominees Alissa Johnson (An Unexpected Gentleman, Berkley) and Marcella Burnard (Enemy Within, Berkley), Cecilia Grant (A Lady Awakened, Bantam), Kelli Maine (Taken,Hachette), Katja Millay (The Sea of Tranquility), Jeanette Murray (The Officer Says “I Do”, Sourcebooks), Kat Murray (Taking the Reins, Kensington), Christina Phillips (Forbidden, Berkley), Sugar Jamison (Dangerous Curves Ahead, St. Martin’s Press), and Danielle Younge-Ullman (Falling Under, Plume).

Her nonfiction sales include family therapist Catherine McCall’s UK bestseller When the Piano Stops (Seal Press), M.E. Thomas’s Confessions of a Sociopath (Crown), and food writer and memoirist Candace Walsh’s Licking the Spoon (Seal Press).

DONATED PRIZE: Thirty Page Critique

Okay, well I am getting quite excited about all this. So much generosity! And still four more days of donor intros to go!

Spread the word!

Donor Introductions: Day Five!

Welcome to the conclusion of Donor Week One!

MARIA MURNANE

Maria Murnane spent nearly a decade working at a public relations agency in San Francisco before deciding she needed a change. She quit her job and went to Argentina by herself for what was supposed to be a two-week trip before figuring out what to do next. Instead, she ended up staying for a year to play semi-professional soccer, and while down there she also decided to write a novel based on her experiences as a single woman in San Francisco. Fast forward a few years, and she’s now the best-selling author of four romantic comedies known as the Waverly Bryson books, which have sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide. Cassidy Lane is her first non-Waverly novel. Katwalk, another stand-alone story, will be released in August 2014. Learn more at www.mariamurnane.com.

DONATED PRIZE: Signed Copy of CASSIDY LANE

TAMARA MATAYA

Tamara is a YA/NA/Adult writer, represented by The Seymour Agency out of New York. She  may or may not be a diabolical super genius. And is a renegade librarian. SHHHH!! 

Tamara also offers editorial services: http://tamaramataya.blogspot.ca/

DONATED PRIZE: Full Manuscript Critique

CAITLIN SINEAD 

Caitlin has been writing since the second grade when she drafted a riveting piece about witches who turned out to be friendly. She's represented by Andrea Somberg at Harvey Klinger, Inc. Her writing has appeared (or is forthcoming) in multiple publications including The Alarmist, The Binnacle, Crunchable, Jersey Devil Press, and Northern Virginia Magazine. She earned a master's degree in writing from Johns Hopkins University in 2011 and has also studied writing at the College of William and Mary and Yale University. She currently works as an editorial manager and continues to keep an eye out for good stories.


DONATED PRIZE: Query and First Five Pages Critique

All right folks, we'll be back on Monday with another week of donors. Take this time to really let the auction anticipation build. Just twelve days!!

Donor Introductions: Day Four!

Welcome back for more awesome donors, plus prizes for both writers AND readers today!

LAUREN SPIELLER
Lauren Spieller is a graduate of University of Illinois and University of Notre Dame. She writes young adult and adult novels, as well as short stories for adults. She enjoys adult literary fiction and young adult genre fiction above all else, but anything with a strong main character and an exciting premise will have her hooked. When she’s not reading or writing, Lauren interns for a literary agent.

Lauren also offers query, pitch, and synopsis critiques. Click here to see her services.

Follow her on Twitter @laurenspieller.

Lauren is represented by Jim McCarthy of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. 

DONATED PRIZE #1: Query Critique
DONATED PRIZE #2: First Five Pages Critique

LAUREN BARATZ-LOGSTED
Lauren Baratz-Logsted is the author of over 30 books for nearly every age group and in nearly every genre imaginable, including (adults), Little Women and Me (YA), and the nine-book series for young readers, The Sisters 8, which she created with her husband and daughter. Before being published, she was an independent bookseller, a freelance editor, a book reviewer, a sort-of librarian, and a window-washer. Visit her at www.laurenbaratzlogsted.com or follow her on Twitter @LaurenBaratzL.  





DONATED PRIZE: Signed Copy of THE TWIN'S DAUGHTER


JULIANA BRANDT
Juliana L. Brandt has been writing seriously since 2010 and tends to mainly write Young Adult fiction, though she has dabbled in both Middle Grade and Adult fiction. She is represented by Emmanuelle Morgen of the Stonesong Literary Agency. When she's not writing, you can find her exploring Tennessee's State Parks with her family, rock climbing, or finding new creative outlets like making paper snowflakes.











DONATED PRIZE: Query and First Chapter Critique

More big auction items revealed tomorrow! Make sure you check it out. It's never too early to start developing your strategy for the 23rd!

Donor Introductions: Day Three!

Welcome back for more donor updates! There are some great people and prizes to talk about today, so let's not waste any time!

KAREN DIONNE

Karen Dionne is the internationally published author of Freezing Point, a science thriller nominated by RT Book Reviews as Best First Mystery of 2008. A second environmental thriller, Boiling Point, about an erupting volcano, a missing researcher, and a radical scheme to end global warming published from Berkley in January 2011. Her newest novel, an original story based on the popular Fox television series “The Killing” starring Joel Kinnaman and Mirelle Enos will publish from Titan Books June 24, 2014.

Karen is cofounder of the online writers community Backspace, and organizes the Salt Cay Writers Retreat held every year on a private island in the Bahamas. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and the International Thriller Writers, where she served on the board of directors as Vice President, Technology.

DONATED PRIZE: Query and First Chapter Critique

FIONA McLAREN

Fiona McLaren spends her life torn between the sun-drenched island of Cyprus where she lives, and the windswept hills of Scotland where she grew up.  Despite the numerous beaches, pina coladas and water sports close to her home (jealous yet?!), Fiona still manages to squirrel herself away into a dark corner in order to write and read a ridiculous quantity of YA books.

She is a fan of all things YA, but especially dark, gritty contemporary work, fantasy and horror.  However, she also loves light sci-fi and fantasy MGs.  If it has a teen or pre-teen, then it is sure to grab her attention.  

Fiona can most commonly be found writing about dark, edgy issues and prying into the places that other people look away from.  She is represented by the amazing Jamie Bodnar Drowley of Inklings Literary Agency.

DONATED PRIZE: Full Manuscript Critique

DAHLIA ADLER

Dahlia is an Assistant Editor of mathematics by day, a Copy Editor by night, and a YA author and blogger at every spare moment in between. She's also been a Production Intern and Editorial Assistant at Simon & Schuster, a Publicity Intern at HarperCollins, and a Fashion Intern at Maxim. So, she's kind of into that whole publishing thing.

Her debut novel, BEHIND THE SCENES, releases from Spencer Hill Contemporary on June 24, 2014, but you can pre-order it from Amazon or B&N now, if you're so inclined!

She lives in New York City with my husband and our overstuffed bookshelves, and she's represented by Lana Popovic at Zachary Shuster Harmsworth. You can find her on Twitter at @MissDahlELama and blogging at The Daily Dahlia, YA Misfits, and Barnes & Noble. She's also a member of OneFourKidLit. 

DONATED PRIZE: Query Critique 

More news and prizes tomorrow! Don't miss it!

Donor Introductions: Day Two!

And the donors of awesomeness just keep on coming!


MARIE MEYER

Marie Meyer makes her home in southern Illinois where she enjoys helping her oldest daughter train for the Special Olympics, making up silly stories with her youngest daughter, and binging on weeks of DVR’d television shows with her husband.

Marie earned her Bachelors of Science in Education and spends her days teaching elementary and middle school students. When the sun goes down, Marie likes to escape into the pages of a good book—either reading one or writing one of her own.

Marie is represented by Louise Fury of The Bent Agency. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the St. Louis Writers’ Guild.

DONATED PRIZE: Query Critique



ELIZABETH BRIGGS
Elizabeth Briggs is a Young Adult and New Adult author who lives in Los Angeles with her British husband and a bunch of fluffy white rescue dogs. She's a guitar-playing geek who loves video games and books, goes to Comic Con every year, and is still hoping to be a Jedi when she grows up.

Elizabeth currently works with WriteGirl to mentor at-risk or pregnant teen girls in writing, to help them get through high school and into college. She also volunteers with Bichon FurKids to help rescued dogs find a new, loving home.

Elizabeth is represented by Kate Schafer Testerman of KT Literary. She previously worked as an intern for literary agent Jill Corcoran of Jill Corcoran Literary Agency, an intern for Entangled Publishing, and an editor for Curiosity Quills Press.

DONATED PRIZE: Query & First Ten Pages Critique



JODI MEADOWS

Photo by Housden Photography.

Jodi Meadows lives and writes in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, with her husband, a Kippy*, and an alarming number of ferrets. She is a confessed book addict, and has wanted to be a writer ever since she decided against becoming an astronaut. She is the author of the INCARNATE Trilogy and the forthcoming ORPHAN QUEEN Duology (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen). Visit her at www.jodimeadows.com.

*A Kippy is a cat.

DONATED PRIZE #1: Query Critique
DONATED PRIZE #2: First Chapter Critique



More exciting donor news tomorrow. See you then!