Author Heather McCorkle

My blogging friend Shelley Watters is hosting a fantastic blogfest in which the participants post their 140 character or less Twitter pitch on their blog for critique. Once it has been critiqued and polished we are to post it on her contest and the winner is awarded a full manuscript request from super agent Suzie Townsend. Yep, you read that right, a full request! But there's more, Shelley is going to pick additional winners who will receive a query critique from her. So here's my 140 characters or less pitch. Tell me what you think and don't be shy. All help is welcome! One of the last of the druids during the worst invasion of Ireland must master her power if she is to keep her kind from being wiped out. Revised version: During the twelth century invasion of Ireland, Emily, last of the druids, must master her power to keep her kind from being annihilated. It's vague, I know, but remember it has to be under 140 characters. Not words, characters! That can be ...

The winner of the Heather's Odyssey prize for Carolina's Agent Signing Mega Giveaway is: Rachel Harrie Congratulations Rachel! She has chosen The Fire In Fiction by Donald Maass. Enjoy Rachel, it's an excellent book and it's on its way to you now! Thank you to everyone who entered. This contest was a blast~for an excellent cause~and I'm so glad to have met so many great new people. I look forward to getting to know each of you better.

There are many different points of view you can choose to write your novel in. First you must choose which character's point of view that you are going to tell the novel from, then you get to decide what kind of point of view to use. It's easier for me to choose the character and get to know them first, then the type of POV I'm going to use falls into place. Here are the types of POV: 1st Person POV past tense: This is a popular style among young adult novels and is becoming increasingly popular among adult genres as well. It reads much like the person is telling you their story. Example: I walked into the room. 1st Person POV present tense: This is becoming increasingly popular in young adult novels. It is believed that there is more sense of immediacy and tension, as if the reader isn't certain the narrator will live or be all right. Example: I walk into the room. 2nd Person POV past tense: This one is so tough to pull off you almost never see it done anymor...

Wow what a week. I've been caught up in the whirlwind that is finishing a novel and preparing for editing. But of course I made time to drop in on Twitter and find a few good tweets for you peeps. This first one is an interview by Chuck Sambuchino of Writer's Digest featuring a new agent with Folio Literary: @WritersDigest New Agent Alert: Sarah Sper McLellan of Folio Literary - Reminder: Newer agents are golden opportunities for new wri... http://ow.ly/4hZjA Ever wonder why I think Chuck from WD is the shiz? Check out his interview with @PStoltey and you'll see why! @ChuckSambuchino I talked about submissions and researching agents in my interview with @PStoltey on the @Chiseledinrock blog: http://tinyurl.com/6jfn9me Agent Sarah LaPolla brings us this great link on what's hot in Sci-Fi right now (and what she wants to see): @sarahlapolla Sci-fi writers (who want to query me), read this 1st. I want a Firefly, not a Star Trek: http://bit.ly/hWWXED  (via @...

This picture seemed so appropriate for the last chapter of my novel that I could hardly wait to use it! Finally, last week I was able to as I closed in on The End of my rough draft. It came together beautifully. My characters surprised me a little but in good ways. Even though I write an outline I allow the story to grow organically based on where the characters take it. Now comes the part I like best, editing. No, I'm not crazy (well okay, maybe a little). I think I figured out why I love editing so much. For those who don't know, I'm an outliner. A lot of the kinks, character arcs, plot twists, and subplots are all worked out before I even write the first page. I also write chapter by chapter so there isn't much to flesh out later. I end up cutting more than I add. This makes the editing process a lot easier and a lot faster. I didn't always outline though. I was a pantser (write by the seat of your pants) once and back then it took me 7-12 months to complete an...

This week's tweets were full of great contests and advice for writers. Spring seems to be contest season, yet another great reason to be happy it's here! But first Writer's Digest brings us an interview with agent Doug Grad: @WritersDigest Interview with lit agent Doug Grad, who seeks nonfiction, fiction, memoir and YA: http://tinyurl.com/47vkx95 If you've ever wondered about the power of Twitter and what it can do for writers then you have to read this link from Writer's Digest: @WritersDigest How Writers Can Use Twitter for Networking and Success, column by @alexisgrant http://tinyurl.com/258brjt Magazine credits under your belt can look great on a query letter. Writer's Digest gives us tips on how to break into their magazine: @WritersDigest 5 Ways to Break Into Writer's Digest Magazine http://ow.ly/4fWiJ Agent Vickie Motter tweeted this great link from one of her clients about improving query letters: @Vickie_Motter Writing. For Real...

This painting is called The Morning Of The Battle Of Agincourt and is by Sir John Gilbert . It embodied the atmosphere of last week's chapter quite well. Though it may seem like the climax chapter from this painting, it is actually the chapter before the climax. My characters must face what they fear and want most and they'll never be the same. As you might imagine, it was a tough chapter to write because it was so visceral. I finished The Iron Witch and loved it! It more than passed the test, I will absolutely be buying the sequel! Author Karen Mahoney has made me a fan with that novel. The Clearing by Anne Riley arrived just in time for me to start a new book and wow am I glad it did. So far I am loving this book! I'll let you know how things progress with it. If you want to learn more about it just click on the picture of the cover to the right. With all the tension and battles I've been writing about lately the only appropriate music seems to be Iron Maiden. No ...

Watching the news lately breaks my heart but part of me feels compelled to watch, as if I am somehow obligated to bear witness and remember so the people who have died and suffered will not have done so in vain. Those of you who know that Heather's Odyssey is strictly a writing focused blog may be wondering what this has to do with writing. Life has everything to do with writing for me. Much of what I see and experience makes it into my writing in some way, shape, or form. But it's more than that. The writing community is one of the most amazing communities I know of because when something bad happens, it comes together to help. In the wake of the horrible tragedy that has befallen Japan the writing community has done just that. Led by author Keris Stainton , a generous group of authors is auctioning off everything from signed books to manuscript critiques. The proceeds will go to relief efforts in Japan. If you've been wondering what you can do to help, this is an excell...

First I have to welcome all my new followers. I'm blown away by the success of Carol's blog party and am touched by how many people are joining in. You peeps rock! I hope to keep my new followers well entertained and informed. Back to regularly scheduled programming :) It was a good week on Twitter for anyone who is looking for an agent! Don't worry if you missed it though, I've got you covered. This first one is a great workshop mentioned by agent Vickie Motter: @Vickie_Motter Announcing a Monthly First Five Pages Workshop http://bit.ly/eJucfd One of my new favorite bloggers tweeted this link to help YA Fantasy writers find the right agents: @YAFantasyGuide Are you a YA Fantasy Writer? Do you know which Agencies will consider your Novel? Here's a Good Place to Start: http://tinyurl.com/22u9rfm If you haven't heard the news about the new agent joining D4EO literary yet, check this out: @WritersDigest New literary agent seeking young adult and middle g...

Every now and then something fabulous happens to someone who truly deserves it. Now is one of those times. My dear friend Carolina Valdez Miller just signed with agent Vickie Motter! Two of my favorite people are joining forces and I couldn't be happier! The fact that agents are still looking, still falling in love with books, and still signing clients means the industry is still going strong. That's something we all need to celebrate because you never who could be next, it could be you! As soon as I heard the news I knew it called for a party, so party we shall! And wow, this is one mega party. Carolina wants to give back and pay it forward~because she is fabulous like that~and I wanted to help her. That means some great giveaways for you! Here are the prizes you can enter to win: *From Heather's Odyssey winner's choice of   Writers Digest Guide To Query Letters  or The Fire In Fiction  by Donald Maass. *From Critique Sisters Corner winner's choice of 2011 G...

If you don't know what WriteOnCon  is then you are in for a treat. It is only the most awesome phenomenon to sweep the literary online world ever. Okay maybe not ever, but it's close I have no doubt. Last year a group of amazing ladies (some with book deals, some with agents, others with just a lot of heart) got together to put on the first massive free online conference for young adult and middle grade writers. It was beyond awesome. Top agents and editors attended and contributed in vlogs, live chats, and blog posts. There were giveaways and contests every day, often several different prizes throughout the day. The prizes included books, query critiques, and manuscript critiques. At least one person that I know of ended up with an agent as a result of WriteOnCon 2010. See, awesome! It was such a huge success that they're doing it again this year. And guess what? It's already started! Monday marked the beginning of the fabulous prizes. Hurry over to the site. There...

There are some tweets in here you don't want to miss! The first one up is a cruise with~among others~the fabulous Deidre Knight of The Knight Agency. I wish I could go in an awful way! If you get to go be sure to tell me all about it: @DeidreKnight I'm going to be speaking on a fab cruise in Aug! Intimate group, great chance to interact with me on a vacay! Deadline soon! http://www.plrw.org/ Here is some big news shared by a Twitter friend of mine about the changing model for E-books involving the Big Six publishers: @debamarshall The last of the Big Six makes its change Random House Switches to Agency Model For E-book Sales: http://bit.ly/h1sohs Chuck Sambuchino of Writer's Digest shares his interview with agent Eddie Schneider. If you write MG or YA you must check this out: @ChuckSambuchino Interview with agent Eddie Schneider of JABberwocky Literary who is seeking fiction, kids fiction & nonfiction http://tinyurl.com/49a9l8n Writer's Digest feature...

Last week's chapter was so dark and emotionally charged that at times it was really hard to write. Those are the ones that turn out the best for me though so I made my way through it. That's probably why the climax is often so difficult for me to write. The entire story comes together and my heart and soul goes into it. Ah but what a feeling, being so close to the end! I'm only a few chapters away now. I'm still reading The Iron Witch, and loving it more with each page, but I'm almost done with it! Last week I bought The Vespertine  by Saundra Mitchell~whom I love~and The Clearing  by Anne Riley~whom I love~so I have no idea which I'm going to read first. Can't wait! By the way, you can still enter to win a copy of The Clearing by going here. The music that fed my muse this last week was the Dropkick Murphy's new CD, Going Out In Style . I’m a huge fan and as soon as I heard they had a new CD out I HAD to buy it. Wow am I glad I did. Do you love w...

This month it is my pleasure to feature my good friend, Anne Riley . I  have had the pleasure of sharing a bit of her journey to publication and am really excited about her debut novel, The Clearing. First a bit about The Clearing. Natalie Watson doesn’t believe the reports about the way her parents died. In fact, she’s not sure she believes in much of anything these days. But after moving from her home in Georgia to her aunt’s boarding school in Maine, solving the mystery of her parents’ deaths is just one of several things on her mind. When she’s not fending off attacks from the popular kids or taking refuge in the pages of a novel, she ponders the rumors circulating about a certain boy in her math class… a boy with fiery red hair who never speaks to anyone. Despite suspicions that he may have murdered his sister a year earlier, Natalie finds it impossible to stay away from Liam Abernathy – especially when he confesses to knowing something about her parents. Soon sh...

I've had a busy week and didn't make it onto Twitter much but I did manage to catch a few great tweets for you. And as you can see, I've been doing some early spring cleaning on Heather's Odyssey. I hope you like the fresh look! Great news for young adult writers everywhere! Fabulous agent Weronika Janczuk will now be accepting young adult. If you don't know who Weronika is you've got to check her out: @WeronikaJanczuk New blog post! What I Will Be Looking For In YA: When I reopen to queries on March 8th, I will also be opening t... http://bit.ly/hr4xXY Writer and friend, Iris Blasi tweeting this great link to Twitter's affect on publishing that you don't want to miss: @IrisBlasi "How Twitter is Helping Publishers Reach 100,000 Readers 140 Characters at a Time" http://bit.ly/i4jKyD Chuck Sambuchino of Writer's Digest shares his interview with agent Kathleen Ortiz: @ChuckSambuchino Interview w/ lit agent Kathleen Ortiz (@KOrtizzl...