Offer of Representation: So You Think You’re Asexual

Posted on 05/21/2013 by Julie Sondra

I’m super happy to announce that my book So You Think You’re Asexual has one offer of representation from a literary agent. So . . . I’m going to have two agents, with one representing my fiction and one representing my nonfiction. How cool is that?

My call with the offering agent was this morning and I’ll be able to make a more detailed post about it once I’m finished going back to the other agents who have the proposal and letting them know the situation. More details will be revealed–including who the lucky agent is who gets to work with little old me, haha–once I actually sign a paper and make it official.

I have a feeling this is going to be a good thing. . . .

New Video: On Mary Sues

Posted on 04/30/2013 by Julie Sondra

Here’s me on Mary Sues.

This video discusses the “Mary Sue” character—defines what it is, discusses how the term is sometimes misused, and teaches you how to write extraordinary characters without making them Sues.

Interview: 429Magazine

Posted on 03/18/2013 by Julie Sondra

I was interviewed in 429Magazine, a GLBT issues publication, on the topic of asexuality and how it fits into the queer spectrum. I’m quoted in this article:

Acknowledging asexuality on the queer spectrum by Morgan Welch.

New Video: On Taking Criticism

Posted on 03/16/2013 by Julie Sondra

Here’s me on taking criticism.

This video on taking criticism teaches new authors the importance of criticism, how to solicit it, and how to get the most mileage out of feedback they receive.

Many writers—especially newer authors—have a tendency to feel insulted by criticism or prefer to defend their material instead of trying to figure out how to use the feedback. Readers can be wrong, but sometimes you can even take your test audience’s misconceptions and poor reading comprehension into account to make your work better.

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2013, Quarter-Finals: Stupid Questions

Posted on 03/12/2013 by Julie Sondra

The 500 quarter-finalists for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award were announced today, and for the first time since entering in 2011, I didn’t make the cut. I’m actually surprised because I thought I had a better chance at making quarter-finals than I did at making the second round; usually my writing is stronger than my pitching skills. But even though my reviews were not particularly negative, I’m guessing either my reviewers graded me harder than their reviews indicated OR I just had a lot of excellent competition.

My critique partner and friend J.C. Fann did make the quarter-finals and I’m very proud to have been involved in helping prepare the book for the contest, so if you’re interested in downloading and reading/rating/reviewing the excerpt, here is a link to The Queenschair!

And if you’d like to see my reviews and analysis of the comments:

Continue reading →

New Video: On Originality

Posted on 03/10/2013 by Julie Sondra

Here’s me on originality.

This video covers why it’s so important to be original in your writing, even if you’re heavily influenced by one of the greats. Some basic philosophy on why lifting others’ plot elements, character ideas, and settings will not result in a good story for you, why “there are no new ideas!” is not a good excuse to copy, and a couple hints on how to teach yourself to use influence without being a rip-off artist.

New YouTube channel for writing videos

Posted on 03/05/2013 by Julie Sondra

I’ve decided to start video-blogging about writing-related things. Sometimes I will post how-tos on things I know how to do in the writing world, and sometimes I will post personal perspectives. You can subscribe to my new YouTube channel at Channel JulieSondra.

Here is my video on writing query letters:

And here is my video on how I got my agent:

Feel free to let me know in the comments of this blog post or the comments of the YouTube videos whether you’d like me to do a video on any particular topic. It should be noted that optional captions are always installed in my videos for anyone who needs/wants them.

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2013, Second Round: Stupid Questions

Posted on 02/13/2013 by Julie Sondra

Stupid Questions advanced to the second round of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition. I am one of the 2,000 left of the original 10,000 entrants.

Now my first chapter goes on to be read by two Amazon judges. I’ll get rated and reviewed. If I pass, I will be one of 500 left to be named quarter-finalists.

This year I was sleeping when the results came in and a friend who is also in the contest had to tell me I made it. Haha. (We both got in. It’s going to be disappointing when either of us gets cut, but I think it will be really sad and weird if one of us gets cut before the other.)

Representation Change: Inklings Literary

Posted on 02/03/2013 by Julie Sondra

My agent, Michelle Johnson, has started her own agency. She has decided to call it Inklings Literary, and I have elected to migrate to her agency with her instead of staying with her old agency. (I already have a great rapport with Michelle, but hadn’t had any interaction with her agency’s president, so I thought Michelle would be a better advocate for my work.)

I’ve signed with the new agency and my book is still being considered by the same editors as before the move. (I’m not talking publicly about who’s considering it, but yes, my book Bad Fairy is in consideration by more than one major publisher.) Everything’s gone pretty smoothly, and I’m crossing my fingers to be Michelle’s first sale as the president of her own agency. 🙂

Edit: She was interviewed here in Writer’s Digest. You can learn all about what she’s like and what she wants to see in her inbox.

Edit again: She was interviewed here on S.K. Whiteside’s blog.

Edit again: She gave some perspectives here in First Five Frenzy on Chasing the Crazies.

Panel Experience at Creating Change

Posted on 01/28/2013 by Julie Sondra

As mentioned in my last post, I was one of the speakers on the Asexual Voices panel at Creating Change 2013 in Atlanta, a national LGBT conference that included asexual people in its workshop lineup for the first time.

I was one of four speakers. We had me (an aromantic asexual woman), Tristan (a gay graysexual man), Rin (a panromantic asexual agender person), and M. (a panromantic asexual agender person) on the panel. We all talked about our experiences with asexuality and the community, and gave a sixty-minute question-and-answer session, followed by a caucus of asexual people and allies. It was a good experience.

Besides the panel, I got to go to other people’s workshops and network with other folks in the queer community. President Obama sent a video in support of LGBT organizers and the community, which was really huge. And I got to meet David Jay (founder of AVEN), Sara Beth Brooks (founder of Asexual Awareness Week), the other panelists Tristan (of the Asexual Agenda), Rin, and M., and also Hannah (who was there for work stuff) and a couple other asexual people we went to dinner with.

David Jay did some report-outs from each day of the conference. Day 1 happened before I got there, and Day 2 and Day 3 include me in the videos.

I had a lot of good experiences, and now I’m ready to start working on my nonfiction book again. I already have a bunch of test reader volunteers, but if anyone reading this wants to be a test reader, let me know.