My novel and where you come in

[cornerofmadness]

Hey All,

I decided to do something a little different and entered my novel Machiavelli Moon in the First Chapters contest at gather.com. It's sort of like American Idol for novels where the fans vote on the chapters and the novels progress to the next round. (which is ironic since i recently said I'm not a fan of 'popularity contest' and begging for votes and I'm not but for the publishing contract prize, I'd be willing to at least mention it once.)

How does this work? Well you visit my novel here Machiavelli Moon Chapter One. Even if you don't want to vote feel free to read. I've sold short stories in this universe in the past. Vampires, Werewolves, Deadwood SD, murder, it might be fun. I'm a little afraid to go look at the comments left, because let's face it this is a forum where people can flame anonymously more or less and feel good about themselves for doing it. I expect it. I was pleased last night when i got the link and saw the first two comments were positive, from complete strangers. It was kinda cool.

If you do decide you want to cast a vote for me, then you'd have to join (i know, that sucks, it's free but it sucks and if you don't want to, no pressure, don't, if you do want to vote for me, lots of love to you)
join

if you want to let me know what you think here or there, feel free

Comments

[married-n-mich.livejournal.com]

Aren't you afraid of someone stealing your stuff and calling it their own?

[mulzrule.livejournal.com]

So you ARE a professional writer? How exciting! Good luck, and I'll have to check it out when I get the chance. :P

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

thanks. Well i've sold a few stories. I wouldn't say i'm professional though, not yet

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

not this. It's already been excerpted in other magazines under my name

[married-n-mich.livejournal.com]

Ah... that makes sense.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

and registering it here would pretty much be proof that it was yours should someone try to steal it. Also it's only up two weeks so there's no problems elsewhere later on

[married-n-mich.livejournal.com]

That helps too. I guess I'm a smidge paranoid :o)

[mulzrule.livejournal.com]

That's farther then the rest of us have gotten. *grins*

[0-mother-0.livejournal.com]

I didn't vote, but I did read it AND I LOVE IT! Rock on and WRITE ON, Ms. Com!

Query: Is this also based on characters from a series or anime?

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

thanks. I'm glad you liked it.

Oh no, this is all original work here.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

i'm back trying to sell more short stories now that the internet makes it so i don't lose money rtying to publish

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

you have to get over that to publish, really. Especially in genre where nowadays agents like to know how many contests you might have won and the like. It's a good way to work towards publishing

[married-n-mich.livejournal.com]

Eeck!

What kinds of contests?

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

if you're a member of let's say the mystery writers (romance writers etc) of america you can participate in all sorts of legtimate contests. Other ones you can find on line and else where may or may not be, i keep saying i need to join my genre group but when i do a mix of mystery, horror and fantasy it's hard to know WHO to join

[married-n-mich.livejournal.com]

I haven't done any of that. I was hoping FanFic would could!

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

i haven't either. BUt it helps. there are contests just for your synopsis which right now is my biggest problem. You can obviously still get an agent without that but sometimes a leg up helps

[married-n-mich.livejournal.com]

What do you consider a synopsis. I thought I had a summary, and db2305 said it was more a sales pitch!

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

that is a real problem, it differs with EVERY agent. Some want one page, others want one page per 10 of the novel etc

[married-n-mich.livejournal.com]

Wonderful

[mzzgoddessblue.livejournal.com]

heh heh. i've read the whole thing. i even printed it out and bound it so i could read it like a real book.

and you KNOW i love it, right???

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

yes i do and i'm very thankful

[mzzgoddessblue.livejournal.com]

and when it gets published, i want an autographed copy, you know that, don't you?

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

you don't even have to ask

[lejlkwiet.livejournal.com]

I joined up, read it and voted. (I meant to do so before but around the time you made this post registration on the site was closed cause they were updating or something).

I enjoyed the chapter, after reading the first two paragraphs I was sucked in and read it right through to the end (and I've lately been the poster child for ADHD, I haven't been able to settle down to read or do ANYTHING so reading it all at once was quite something). Even though it's only one chapter all the characters you introduced are really interesting, especially the narrator herself. Are the vampire politics she mentions so much expanded on in the rest of the book?

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

thanks for reading and voting. I'm glad you liked it. And yes the vampire politics will play a role in the story

[lejlkwiet.livejournal.com]

Are there any more chapters available yet?

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

not yet. If i don't go to the next round I can send you some more if you'd like it

[lejlkwiet.livejournal.com]

That would be great :D Good luck with getting to the next round!

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

thanks