3 Top Literary Agents - Writerly Wednesday

 

Authors Looking for a Literary Agent should check out these agents:

One of the Best Nonfiction Agents:

Celeste Fine (Park & Fine Literary and Media) https://parkfine.com/team/celeste-fine/

Submission Instructions:

Queries only by email.

List the first and last name of the agent you are submitting. Include the category and genre of your manuscript. 

Example for Subject Line: “Celeste Fine- Adult Nonfiction”) 

No attachments. Include query in the body of the email. 

Queries to: queries @ parkfine . com

One of the Best Picture Book Agents

Paul Rodeen (Rodeen Literary Management) https://www.rodeenliterary.com/about-rlm

Submission Instructions:

Queries only by email.

In Subject Line: list the agent’s name you are submitting to and whether it is okay to have other agents consider your work, in the body of your letter.

Include: Query letter, synopsis and contact info in the body of your email.

Attachments over 10 MB are not accepted.

Portfolios are e-accepted but images must be 72 dpi. Please also include a link to your website. 

Picture book dummies are e-accepted but new writers who only write picture book texts are not currently being considered.  

Queries to: submissions @ rodeenliterary . com

One of the Best MG Agents

Barry Goldblatt (Barry Goldblatt Literary) 

Check his query instructions here: https://bgliterary.com/submission-guidelines/

Homemade Halloween Quilt

Can you see my Halloween Quilt behind my dog? She is tired of me sewing and wants me to go outside and play. So, we did go outside, but only for a little while because it was hot today in Portland, Oregon. 

But, I threw her ball for her. 

Now, it's on to my next project for Halloween because I have a lot of them I want to get done over the  next two months. Still, I was  really pleased  with this super simple quilt. I love  the pops of orange on the back of the couch.

How about you - do you make your own homemade holiday decorations and does any of your projects include sewing? 

Now, I'm planning on making some holiday pillows to toss around the house. Those little pillows are simple and they sure add some more color to the fall months.

If you decorate, let me know  what you're making. I'd love to hear from y'all.  And, let me know what you think of my quilt. I think Freya likes  it because she's guarding it ;D

Ghost Hunting ... FAIL

We wanted to go search for spirits...so we started out in the Black Rabbit Restaurant & Bar - so we'd be sure to find some...and at least we did here!

Of course we should have realized  that finding ghosts in the middle of the day in a popular restaurant/hotel wouldn't be so easy. But,  if you'd like to join us on our journey, simply click on the video below or come visit me over on my YouTube channel for more creepy videos. 

And, if you visit Edgefield, McMenamins and go searching for your own spirits, let me know. I'm sure we could e-chat about our adventures ;D

Ghost Stuffing - DIY Halloween Decorations

YIKES!

Do you love the Holidays? Well, if you're like me, and  you love every holiday that happens to come around, then you decorate for all of them. 

And one of my favorite holidays to decorate and celebrate is Halloween. So, I start early.

I mean who doesn't love dressing up and getting free goodies? 

Plus, I have so much fun seeing the kids' faces when they come around, that I look forward to the entire season. 

But, the one thing I don't like is spending money. So, I make most off my decorations myself (or with a little help from my kids and husband). 

If you are interested in seeing how I made this little ghost and gave him his 3-D stuffing, simply click on the video below or visit my YouTube Channel - just search for Kim Kasch, and I should come up. I mean how many Kim Kasch's can there be?

And, if you make a little ghost like this, then please share in the comment section below because I'd love to see what you came up with.

2 Halloween DIY Crafts in 5 minutes

I went to the Dollar Store and bought a bunch of frame...yep, for a dollar. Then I wanted to fancy-them-up. So I did. It was super simple to age them and give them that Halloween-style. Then I went to Joann Craft and Fabrics and bought an 80% off basic wooden frame, for about $7.00, that said, "Welcome" and I had a few  ideas of what  I wanted to do to embellish it with a Halloween-themed appeal.

If you're interested in Homemade Holidays or DIY Decorations, click on the 5 minute video below to see how I made these inexpensive items into Halloween Decor.

And, if you're like me, and you want to create, make and maybe even bake some things  for Fall and the upcoming holidays, subscribe to my channel and join me on my journey. 

Ghost Story

Do you believe in ghosts? Well, if not, maybe you should. Check out this true story. Spoiler Alert: It's a 6th Sense sort of Ghost Story. A sheriff's office sent out an officer to investigate this ghost sighting in the Madera County Mountains last week. And, I'd love to know what you think about the story.

If you don't believe me, check out this news report from KATU: https://katu.com/news/nation-world/sheriff-investigates-reported-ghost-like-sighting-in-california-mountain-range

DON'T HESITATE - TAKE ACTION . . . verbs in your story

 

Action Verbs

Action Verbs are “in-the-moment” words that move a story forward. As writers, we want our reader’s eyes to keep scanning the page, not to stop on a term, word or lack luster phrase.

Mark Twain was once quoted for saying: “When in doubt, strike it out.”

An Action Verb describes the action taking place in the story by using immediate words such as run, walk, do, smile, drive, jump.

Here’s an example of a passive word choice opposed to an action verb.

Before: She was running…

Action: She ran …

Before: She was talking about …

Action: She told…

 Before: The group was beginning to come toward the table…

Action: The group sat at the table … 

Here are some examples of Passive words versus Powerful terms:

Powerful                                                                  Passive

Is	Am
Does	Did
Are	Was
Be	Were
Being	Been
Should	Would
Have	Has
Can	Could
Must	Might

 

Here's a list of Action verbs (or strong, powerful, and descriptive words):

Charge

Shoot

Plunge

Hurl

Fling

Lob

Carve

Forge

Force

 

And, if you need more examples of stronger word choices:

INSTEAD OF:                                           USE THIS:

Increased                                                    Advanced

Helped                                                        Strengthened

Started                                                       Launched

Found                                                        Discovered

 

Last, but not least, here is a short list of strong action verbs to use in your writing:

Advance . . . your story

Advise

Alter

Amend

Amplify

Attack

Balloon

Bash

Batter

Beam

Blab

Blast

Bolt

Boost

Brood

Burst

Bust

Cackle

Capture

Catch

Charge

Chip

Clasp

Climb

Clutch

Collide

Command

Cower

Crash

Crave

Crush

Dangle

Dash

Demolish

Depart

Deposit

Detect

Deviate

Devour

Discover

Dismantle

Drag

Drain

Drip

Drop

Engage

Engulf

Enlarge

Ensnare

Erase

Expand

Explode

Explore

Expose

Extend

Extract

Fight

Fish

Fling

Fly

Frown

Fuse

Garble

Gaze

Glare

Gleam

Glisten

Glitter

Gobble

Govern

Grasp

Gravitate

Grip

Groan

Grope

Growl

Guide

Gush

Hack

Hail

Heighten

Hobble

Hover

Ignite

Illuminate

Inspect

Instruct

Impart

Jostle

Launch

Lead

Leap

Locate

Lurch

Lurk

Mimic

Moan

Multiply

Muse

Mushroom

Mystify

Notify

Obtain

Oppress

Order

Paint

Park

Peck

Peek

Peer

Pilot

Poison

Pop

Power

Prick

Probe

Prune

Recite

Recoil

Remove

Report

Retreat

Reveal

Reverberate

Revolve

Rip

Rise

Ruin

Rush

Rust

Saunter

Scamper

Scan

Scorch

Scrape

Scratch

Scrawl

Seize

Serve

Shatter

Shepherd

Shimmer

Shine

Shock

Shrivel

Sizzle

Skip

Skulk

Slash

Slide

Slink

Slip

Slump

Slurp

Smash

Snag

Snarl

Sneak

Soar

Stare

Starve

Steal

Steer

Storm

Strain

Stretch

Strip

Stroll

Struggle

Stumble

Surge

Survey

Swell

Swipe

Swoon

Tail

Tattle

Toddle

Transfigure

Transform

Travel

Treat

Trim

Trip

Trudge

Tussle

Untangle

Unveil

Usher

Veil

Wail

Weave

Wreck

Wrench

Wrest

Wrestle

Wring

Yank

Zap

Zing

Zip