Wassup?

Hey gang!  With WRiTECLUB wrapped for another year I thought it would be a good time to catch you up with all things DL.  How does that sound?

First things first.  On the personal front, I have been traveling a heck of a lot this year for my day-job (away 26 out of 40 weeks – with more to come) but I’m still managing to keep a half-step ahead of everything.  My family has been wonderful through it all.  My wife Kim is fully recovered from her tussle with breast cancer last year, and our youngest has voyaged into the fantastical world of high school. This is huge because as all of you know, without a solid foundation…everything else is just a matter of going through the motions.

On the writing front I recently sent out my YA Horror manuscript -- Moving Fear -- to five trusted beta readers and here’s a snippet of what they had to say.

“This was a great read!  You totally consumed my weekend. I had a To-Do List, and I got almost none of it done because I couldn’t put your book down.”

“An excellent story.  I'm smiling.” 

“YES.  I think you've got a good shot with this one! I don't typically read suspense (I scare easily) but I still enjoyed it.”

“I had an immense good time reading this. The first scene was utterly chilling and fantastic. What a great opening!!  We definitely need more true horror stories in YA and this will be a fantastic addition!”

“Holy Shit!!!  Moving Fear is not only a great story, but also a marketable, successful, publishable book. If not, then there is simply no hope for anyone of us.”

Needless to say, I’m pumped!  With the awesome feedback from my beta’s, as well as the experience of letting Dianne Salerni and Marcy Hatch critique my first page on their First Impressions series, I undertook another round of revisions and put together a query letter (which was I also received input on from the QQQE). After sending out my first one (to the agent who is #1 on my list), I already have a full request.  Talking about starting out strong!

I’ve also helped form a new critique group and we’ve already had a couple of meetings.  The talent involved is amazing (present company excluded) and I feel the collaboration has already elevated my writing to another level.  I look for good things from us very soon.

The BLOG BLITZ has been a little herky jerky as I struggle with time and availability issues, but I’m determined to keep it going.  We’re up to 489 members and going strong.

That’s it.  I have every intention to start making my way around the blogosphere between book revisions and critiques, but please be patient with me. I’ve signed up for a couple of blog tours to help support blogging buddies with books coming out, and who knows, there could be another blogfest on the horizon. :)

Thanks for stopping in and checking on me.  Hope to visit you back soon!

DL