02-27-2012 Update

Just like the last post, just saying that I'm not dead and I have also not abandoned this blog. A very cool update is that I've enrolled in a community college to get my A.F.A and intend to go to a university to get a B.F.A in Creative Writing. I'm successfully taking on enough credits this first term (and in the following terms if I can help it) to probably get it all done in 3 years. So, in short, my writings, and Spark, are on hold for the time being as I'm rather busy with my 16 credits and my job.

I have an awesome friend doing a proofread/edit on Spark: Evolution, so when she is done with that, I'll possibly consider a small publisher and forget about getting an agent. Time will tell, but I still dream of landing an agent and being lucky enough to land a large publisher who will give me an advance for Spark: Evolution  so I can finish my schooling and not have to worry about holding a job at the same time (seriously, I've been living off bare minimum for years, so even a smally-small advance could be enough).

The Magic Button

Just posting to show I haven't abandoned my blog or died.

So, First I give you, my UPDATE:

I've sent out some queries to several literary agents and have yet to receive a partial request. Recently, I changed my query to what I feel is better, sadly, I had to be form rejected by all the agents I've already sent a query to in order to realize I needed a better query (Ok, one sent me two short sentences which I'm very thankful for the personal feedback, except it was a contest like deal with a "follow the rules" get feedback guaranteed).

All I want is a, "Your query kinda blew ass and I was turned off by your lack of personal brown nosing." Or perhaps a, "I'm starving, I know I have 10,000 more queries to get to before I can allow myself to sate my hunger, and you query didn't blow my socks off enough for me to give it a chance." I don't need your positive outlook, I'm confident that even dribble can make it to print if the person is persistent enough (not that you would know that and thus have to be careful not to break the hearts of peoples). I'd honestly feel better about getting the below than a form rejection:

Dear Bruce,

Meh.

Signed,
Agent

Can there be a magical section of a query that shows how tempered I am to feedback in correlation to what the agent has typed?

With the presence of said magic button, after you type out your response to my query letter (no matter the length), look at the color of the button (Seriously, as I imagine this, it will take you no longer to type and view button than sticking that form rejection in the email).

If you see the magic button in the green, you have not been too harsh and there is no risk of me jumping off a bridge.

If you see it is yellow, I can handle it, but might shed a tear and take a few shots of alcohol later in the night. The chance I'll "angry monkey from the closet" point at the cat is 100% (but I do that anyways at all my animals)

If you see red, send me a form rejection! There are 3 possible reasons the button will be red. 1) My query blows so hardcore, that even though it was typed up on a computer, you feel compelled to be disgusted on how many trees it could have wasted if given the chance. 2) You (the agent) are either too much of a meanie to relate to people on a human level and/or have been unreasonably harsh. 3) I'm too sensitive and my name being in the public eye will likely lead to me shaving my head, doing a lot of drugs, buying a PT Cruiser with fake wood paneling, and burning my house down via Easy-Bake oven. (Not me so much, but the probability of someone more emotional than myself doing those things if thrown into the spotlight is very likely).

I notice a lot of agents respond to people on Twitter, some even seem to reside on twitter. Should I query via Twitter so I get a real response?

@Agent Thank you for your time and consideration. In the next 211 tweets is my first 5 pages as requested via agency website (32/243)

Adam's Spark: Evolution Appearance

This is the kind of scene you end up in if you ask to be in my novel, not that Adam doesn't approve of his presence. As usual, not a final draft and may contain rough spots, enjoy the silliness.

Magnis took a big breath of the outside air. “What now?” he asked.

Melanie shielded her eyes from the sun and looked into town, “I’m not a fan of walking. What do you say we find some transportation?”

Magnis put his hand over his eyes and scoped the area. “Is there a place in this dinky town that sells cars?”

A dirty ragged dressed man ran at them from the direction the sun was coming from. “Eve! Eve! Eve it’s you!” Half hunched over, he ran waving his arms above his head right over to Melanie.

“Gah, what the hell are you doing?” The strange man tried to rub his hands on her legs or hug her, what he intended to do was not exactly clear at that point. She backpedaled to avoid his touch.

Spark: Evolution Chapter 5

The chapter's between the 1st and this 5th one are used for giving a stronger impression of who and what my characters are. This will be the first chapter through Laura's eyes, it takes you back to what happened to Magnis at the start of the novel. I wanted to share this chapter next because you'll get a first hand look at what a spark can do as well as meet a character that I absolutely love, Lazarus. (I'll post a picture of what I feel his attire looks like, at the end of this chapter)

As before, this is not a final draft, and may still contain some errors which I hope you can excuse and simply enjoy my work.

Chapter 5

Laura sat up in bed. Was there a crash downstairs just now? She waited and heard only her own breathe accompanied by the dancing gusts of wind in the night. I must have been dreaming. She looked over at the alarm clock and saw it was after two. Five hours before I have to get up. She looked over at her sleeping husband, smiled, yawned, and began to wiggle her head into that perfect spot atop her pillow.

Glass shattered moments later.

She gasped, opening her eyes wide. That sounded very real. Someone’s in our house! She shook Magnis gently and whispered in his ear, “Magnis,” no reaction. She repeated his name a little louder, “Magnis.” He stirred in his sleep and said a random jumble of words. She pushed on him violently. “Magnis wake up,” she pleaded.

Spark: Evolution Chapter 1

Alright, well, time to see if my hard work paid off and I produced a chapter that can grab you the reader's attention. The length of this chapter is a mere 1,276 words, so it won't take you very long. This is not a final draft, so some errors of certain types may still exist, so please excuse any mistakes and enjoy the opening chapter to my novel. Thank you in advance for your time and I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

“Beep. Beep. Beep.”

Magnis twitched with annoyance from the first sounds of morning. He opened his eyes to meet the morning sun and felt pain. The sensation radiated from his back and spread throughout the top half of his body. He narrowed his eyes and rotated his jaw licking the inside of his mouth. Blood.

His eyes moved along the ceiling. The ceiling fan should be above me. He spread his fingers apart. Cold and smooth. Not the bed sheets and blanket he fell asleep with.

He lifted his right forearm and dug his elbow into the wood. With his head raised, he watched his feet. I can move my toes, I’m not paralyzed.

 His heartbeat accelerated. Laura would have shut the alarm off long before I would wake up from it.

“Laura!” Magnis yelled. The acoustics of the room muttered a faint echo in response.

He winced and grunted trying to accomplish the simple action of sitting up.

“Lau-ra! Where are you?” He jerked his head from side to side. I hope she is at work safe and sound? Please God just let her be at work.

Magnis' Truck Ride

This is a test to see if an otherwise unexciting and boring scene will still hold the attention of a reader. Please leave comments! This is still somewhat rough, so don't expect expert grammar and the like.


INFO: Magnis is traveling by foot to a town on an information gathering mission for Nowhere by pretending to be a traveler. After being covertly taken out of Nowhere via a 50-gallon drum to a dump, he figures out that he is going to use a fake name while in the town, Sinbad. (Explains why he says his name is different without copy/paste'ing the previous scene with him premeditating things.)

The walk was extremely boring. He muttered some of the songs he knew for a while, but soon exhausted the list of ones he knew the words to. It wasn’t long before he just zoned out and didn’t think of anything except what the road looked like.

Dirt. Rocks. More dirt. Oh hey look… more rocks with a hundred percent chance of dirt.

Unexpectedly Magnis realized headlights appeared behind him. They were already too close for him to duck into the ditch and go unnoticed. No problem, I’ll just act natural, if the wrong sorts of people happen to be in whatever type of vehicle that is, I need to not seem like a threat. If worse case happens, I can fight. With the training Nowhere has given me I’m certain I can fight even a few normal people if I have to. Unless… unless they are the people I’m looking for. In that case it might be very bad… or very good, I’m not sure.

Laura's Spark Unlocking

Here is a excerpt from Spark: Evolution that I just finished doing my recent edits on. The only thing you need to know is a man named Lazarus made Laura kill her husband Magnis before taking her to The Institution.

This is not a final copy and may still contain some technical or grammatical errors, please excuse them and read the story as intended, as entertainment. As always, enjoy!
 

Laura looked tired and unenthusiastic sitting in a cubical with several brain activity sensors attached to her head. One of The Institution’s mentors continued working with her trying their best to help her gain access to the spark and tap into its power. After a week and a day, the disappointment took a toll on both of them.

Her mentor Glen looked rather nerdy Laura thought. It must be the way he styles his short hair and the thick-rimmed glasses he wears. Although his physical build would not be typical for someone with that description. It’s hard for me to believe he is over forty when he doesn’t look any older than me.

“Laura,” he took off his nerdy glasses and tried to ease her mind, “it’s a new day. New chances for possibility. Today can be the day you find your spark, so think positive.”

Laura looked down at the floor, “Glen, how many times do we have to go through sitting here? How does The Institution even know I have the spark?”