I absolutely love contests! I've participated in a few of them recently, and received a couple of agent requests, which is always exciting. Plus, I've found that contests with short samples often help me discover how to streamline my manuscripts in ways I've never considered before. It's amazing how many tweaks can be made when you're hoping to reach a certain part of your manuscript in only 250 words. Even though my critique groups have given me a green light and I believe my MG is ready to submit, I would love the chance to receive feedback from a Writer's Voice coach. I'm always looking for ways to make my manuscripts shine even brighter!
The Writer's Voice is a multi-blog, multi-agent contest hosted by Cupid of Cupid's Literary Connection, Brenda Drake of Brenda Drake Writes, Monica B.W. of Love YA, and Krista Van Dolzer of Mother. Write. (Repeat). They're basing it on NBC's singing reality show The Voice, with the four of them serving as coaches and selecting projects for their teams based on our queries and first pages. So here's my entry:
Dear Writer’s Voice coaches,
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to put together this amazing contest. I would love for you to consider my completed 35,000 word middle grade novel, Mom Wars.
Throwing globs of invisible food is the only thing that gets twelve year-old Jennifer Lauren Michaels through her grueling Mom Wars. Jennifer and her Mom fight over everything…especially Dad. She isn’t even allowed to say his name, and Mom has kept her away from him since he divorced them six years ago. But Dad must want her back in his life, because he sent Jennifer a $10,000 check—that Mom hid from her! Now that Jennifer found it, Mom still refuses to give her the money. And won’t explain why. It doesn’t make sense! Almost none of Jennifer’s clothes fit, the fridge is almost empty, and they’re in danger of losing their apartment.
When Mom won’t let Jennifer’s best friend take her on a family vacation and forces her to babysit all summer, Jennifer is imaginary pie-throwing mad…until she discovers the most hottielicious guy in the universe lives next door to her new job. Babysitting turns out to be fun—even with attacking bees, psycho ducks, and a ballerina guinea pig that almost becomes dog-chow. But devastation strikes when Jennifer learns that her first-ever kiss (with a hottie) happened for the wrong reason. And the sorta cute and totally sweet guy she started to depend on during this wacky summer suddenly seems to have a dark side. Once Jennifer stops escaping into her hope-bubble fantasies, she realizes that things aren’t always the way they first appear—families and even kisses can have secrets behind them. But there might not be enough time to make things right with people she judged too quickly.
I'm an active SCBWI PAL member, the FL SCBWI Listserv Editor, an Administrator on Verla Kay’s Blueboard, and a member of From the Mixed-Up Files…of Middle-Grade Authors. I’ve been published in Highlights magazine, and two of my manuscripts placed in the 80th Annual Writer’s Digest Competition.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I have included the first 250 words of Mom Wars below, and hope you’ll choose me for your team!
Best,
Mindy Alyse Weiss
Mom Wars (First 250 words)
“Omigod!” Kelly squeals so loud, I almost drop the phone. “Do you really think she’ll let you go?”
“Yes.” Hope bubbles float around me, filled with images of Kelly and me on vacation. I dump my school stuff out of last year’s semi-holey backpack and open my drawers. Empty. Empty. Empty. Except for a pair of stretched-out sweats and a bra so tight it makes me look like I have four boobs.
“I can’t pack. All my clothes are dirty!”
“Sorry, Jen. My mom is in a clothes-washing-frenzy, or I’d let you use our washing machine. But don’t worry, you can wear my stuff.”
I glance down at my boobs and hips that seemed to magically appear overnight. I won’t be borrowing clothes from Kelly anytime soon.
“Thanks, Kell. But I probably should hand wash mine…right after Mom tells me the good news.”
“Cool. I’ll let my parents know you’re coming to South Carolina with us.”
“We’ll have the best summer ever.” I hang up the phone and practically dance into the den. “Can you tell me the surprise now?”
Mom nods. “I didn’t want you to be stuck home all summer, soooooooo—”
“I’m going with Kelly and her parents!” The words gush out of my mouth. “I knew you’d change your mind. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
I give Mom a gigantic hug. She just stands there.
Uh oh.