Book Review: Texas Destiny

TEXAS DESTINY
Fiction/Historical Romance
Author:  Lorraine Heath
Back Cover Summary:  She was his brother's bride...Arriving on the Fort Worth train, Miss Amelia Carson, mail-order bride, had never met Dallas Leigh, the Texan she promised to marry. The tall cowboy at the station wasn't Dallas. He was Houston, Dallas's brother, sent to escort her on the rugged three-week trek to the ranch where Dallas waited. Brought up in war-ravaged Georgia, Amelia thought Dallas's letters made Texas sound like heaven, a place for her dreams to grow with the right man beside her.
And his only love...By all appearances, Houston Leigh would hardly be considered the "right man." The war he survived had scarred him inside and out, and he was little competition for his handsome brother. But from the moment Houston met Amelia, he knew she possessed the courage this wild land needed. She had eyes that could see past his wounded face to his soul. And he would fight any man--except his brother--for her heart. Now he and Amelia were riding down dangerous trails, sleeping under the stars, and, God help them, they were falling in love...


"His was not the face women carried into their dreams..."

This first sentence alone gave me a glimpse of what this book would be like even before reading the back cover. This was actually the first romance novel I ever read and so it seemed appropriate for me to write my first review about it. (My first fiction review) I loved it back when I was ten, and I love it even more now. No, it is not appropriate for ten year olds, but I was curious.
So yesterday I picked this book off my shelf once again and gave it a good reading. And, just as every other time before, I found my heart racing as I laughed and cried along with the characters. A sucker for cowboys, this book gave me a full dose of them with the main character Houston Leigh. He is the epitome of what cowboys should be, mixed with a good dose of realism with the hurt he suffers. Though I've only really read a handful of books from her--I do admit that Heath has a knack for making us feel for her MC right from the start. And the way she makes us fall hard for the Leigh brothers, not just Houston, only makes the next books in the series (Texas Glory and Texas Splendor) more delicious.

If you love romance, you will love this book. It's not only a love story, but one of forgiveness and acceptance that sometimes can only come after years of regret. I would definitely reccomend this It's an older book, so you may have trouble finding it in a bookstore but your local library should have a copy. Of course, there's also Amazon. :)

Would I read this again?:  Yes!
My rating:   * * * * * (5stars)

Query Letters

That's right. Oh the horror!

But oh...the importance of them. Yes, they are important. Yes, agents really read them. Yes, they can be a pain. And, yes, there is a right and wrong way of writing one.

Unfortunately there are also dozens, if not hundreds, of books and articles that claim to 'know the art of query letters.' So it can be frustrating when you're trying to get answers to your questions because they'll be coming from so many different directions that you won't know which one to take. Believe me, I've been there. Which is why I decided to blog about it. This is not the only way to write a query letter, but I'm hoping this will put the do's and don'ts in a way you all can understand.

Alright, first things first. In order to understand what a query letter is, let's talk about what it isn't.

• It is not a resume
• It's not an opportunity to regail the agent with your ups and downs as an aspiring author
• It's not a comparison letter so don't go rambling about how you are the next Stephen King, Danielle Steele or JK Rowling.
• It's not an informal "Hey you" friendly letter
• And it's never more than one page

A query letter is simply this:

• The hook (the one line, attention grabbing line of your book that reels the agent in)
• The synopsis (the fun part, where you get to condense your 100k+word novel into one/two paragraph)
• Your biogrophy (the easiest part...it's about you!)

And it's all in a nutshell. Not an eggshell, not a coconut shell...a nutshell.

So now that you know what a query letter is and isn't, let's dive deeper.

A hook. Ah, yes, the one line that is supposed to make the agent want to read your book. It is your book's tagline. Straight to the heart of the story. No beating around the bush when it comes to the hook. That is how you write a hook. This might require some thinking though. Here's a few examples:

"Bridges of Madison County"
When Robert Kincaid drives through the heat and dust of an Iowa summer and turns into Francesca Johnson's farm lane looking for directions, the world-class photographer and the Iowa farm wife are joined in an experience that will haunt them forever.
 
"The Da Vinci Code"
A murder in the silent after-hour halls of the Louvre museum reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by a clandestine society since the days of Christ.

"The Perfect Storm"
The true story of the meteorological conditions that created the "Storm of the Century" and the impact the Perfect Storm had on many of the people caught in its path; chiefly, among these are the six crew members of the swordfish boat the Andrea Gail, all of whom were lost 500 miles from home beneath rolling seas.


The second paragraph-mini synopsis. And I do mean mini. One or two paragraphs is definitely the way to go. This one is going to be trickier to do. Chances are you have a 200-300 (maybe more) page manuscript in your hands. Now you have to take that MS and condense, condense, condense, until you have a single paragraph. So here is where you must resist. Resist talking about how beautiful a blue your MC's eyes are, or how they are a family trait. How she has this quirky habit of stomping her foot every time she gets angry. How he likes to play pranks. Or even how there is this amazing tear jerking scene in chapter 7 that the agent just HAS to read. Resist! Get to the point of your story, even if you have to start with five paragraphs and work your way down.
 
And now the final paragraph. The mini bio that is all about you! Don't be scared when you get to this part. Even if you don't have any awards to brag about, or if you're not published. It's okay. Be truthful and tell the agent a little about yourself. The less you say, the more space you have for your synopsis. And please, for the love of all that's good, don't talk about your day job. Unless your character is also a nurse, teacher, or lawyer (which means you have been able to write a story that is true to the facts)...the agent doesn't really care. I know this sounds harsh, but it's true. They aren't going to say yes to your book just because you spent years in school, or because your job is super cool.
 
 
Congratulations! You've successfully written a query letter! Now for the formalities, random tips, and other stuff....
 

• Always address the agent specifically. Writing 'To Whom it May Concern' could very well wind your query in the trash or in the trash box of the agents email account. Probably on accident. So make sure you take the extra time to look up the agent and figure out if it's a Mr. or Ms. Oh man, I cannot stress enough how important this is! You do NOT want to address C. White as Mr., when in reality her name is Cornelia White.
• Please don't forget to mention the title of your book, the genre, and word count. After putting all that work, sweat and tears into your query...If you forget the title, well, wouldn't that just suck? So don't forget to do that! (oh and please note that most, if not all, agents will NOT look at first time novels that are more than 120,000 words long, so make sure of your word count before submitting)
• Don't sound like you have a stick shoved up your butt. There is a right and wrong way to write a query, but it should also carry the tone of your book. Is your novel a supernatural romance with an arrogant hero? Or maybe your heroine is a sappy love sick puppy who just got jaded. Wait! What if your novel is more mysterious? No...don't write the letter through your MC's point of view...but yes, do show your voice in it. Your style. Give that agent a taste of your writing!
• One page! One page! Single spaced, 12pt font, left margin, no paragraph indents. Extra space between paragraphs. I'm saying this because I was even freaking out about this and I don't want anyone else to wonder but feel too embarassed to ask. Also, keep in mind that when emailing your query, the fonts tend to change when pasting so sending yourself a 'preview' email might help get all the quirks out beforehand. Oh and btw...using a smaller font isn't the way to go.
• If using snail mail...include a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) Don't use a speedy mail delivery service. It doesn't make you look more awesome than the other aspiring authors.
• Include your name and email and other contact information. Never include sample chapters unless the agent's submission guidelines say it is okay to do so. If you really, really think you need to send something, try not to send more than five pages of your novel until you get the go ahead.
• No smelly, neon colored paper. For the love of everything good...please don't do that!
• Make sure you don't compare your novel to other novels by famous authors. It's just not going to help you. Though, it is okay to let the agent know how your novel is similar to those she/he has sold.

Well, I really hope I've answered some of your questions about query letters. If you have anymore that weren't covered, feel free to leave a comment or email me directly.

Happy Writing!

FEATURED AUTHOR: Julieanne Lynch

February's featured author is Julieanne Lynch!

Ree Vera: Tell us about yourself, Julieanne.

Julieanne: Well, first things first. I am a thirty-something, sometimes domestic goddess, married to my childhood sweet heart and a mother of four children. I first started writing when I was eleven years old, after falling in love with Lewis Caroll's "Alice in Wonderland." I began drafting my own stories, penning songs, scripts, and reading book after book. As I got older, my writing became an outlet to me whilst battling school bullies. I found the whole process of creating my own worlds therapeutic and, in a sense, my creativity saved me. At sixteen I penned my first novel, "Dynamite" and pretty much wrote consistently after that. I write mainly genre fiction, with urban fantasy being my favorite. However, I also like to work in horror and erotica and have also penned one mainstream fiction novel. At present I am waiting for the release date by my publisher and hope to have my book in the stores by summer.


Ree Vera: Why should people read your work?

Julieanne: People should read my work because I delve beyond the boundaries of our typical folklore tales. I take creatures and make them my own. I love writing about Vampires, Angels, Demons, and twisting things as I go along. I also love a good love story, but like dabbling with heartbreak and inner turmoil. Most of all, I love to shock my readers.


Ree Vera: What are you currently working on?

Julieanne: At present, I am working on book 2 in my Shadow World series, "Walking with Shadows." I am also writing a book called Ice Goddess and a few short stories.


Ree Vera: Is there a place people can view samples of your writing?

Julieanne: I have posted some short stories in my blogs and there are also some snippets of my work in the discussions tab on my Facebook page. Below is a short snippet of Chapter 7 of "In the Shadows," my debut novel.


Thank you for taking the time to read about this amazing aspiring author. If you would like to contact Julieanne Lynch, here is how:

Blog:  Sometimes, Even I Talk Nonsense
Twitter: @Funkyjules
Live Journal:  The Dark Side
Facebook:  Julieanne Lynch Aspiring Author



"In the Shadows" (chapter 7)


Alarming as it may be, I was quite excited. Sounds pretty crazy, but I got caught up in the moment, and being made a fuss of was definitely something I could get used to. But as always, reality has a nasty way of hitting you hard in the face.


I walked behind Atarah and Angelika as they led me through corridors that looked like something out of a gothic fairy tale. The walls were a strange shade of pomegranate; its boldness illuminated by softly lit candles. The wooden floors were temporarily covered with a bluish red runner that ran the whole length of the hall. Amaranthine drapes hung over the grand bay windows. The air had a distinct aroma, I couldn't quite place the smell, but I was sure it was incence, its strong fragrant smoke brushed the back of my nostrils resulting in a few disapproving sneezes.


Sniffling, "Excuse me!" as we entered the hall, through a large set of oak doors.


It was a very dramatic entrance. Stood below me were hundreds of unknown faces. A few stood out, but they were strangers all the same. They wore a mixture of black and purple clothes.


The women dressed in floor length gowns, their hair pulled back tight and their hands covered by long lace gloves. The men's attire consisted of black herringbone frockcoats with matching black trousers. All wore purple shirts with black cravats.


I looked around trying to find Alex, and there he stood, with Leonid in front of an altar. It was the most spectacular thing I had ever seen. Lit canldes and floral arrangments of violets, orchids, red roses, lilies and irises filled the entire room. The scent was overwhelming.


Silence fell, and all eyes were on me. My stomach churned and panic set in. I wanted to run through the doors and as far from here as I could but behind me were two large men standing in front of the doors. They weren't going to move for me.


I stood alone and watched the smile spread across Alex's face as he ushered me to him.


I must have floated down the stairs as I can't remember walking down. The crowd moved as I walked through an aisle strewn with rose petals.


Alex looked amazing. I had never seen him look so handsome. He wore identical clothes to the rest of the men, except his cravat matched the grey marl in the sash I wore around my waist. His smile radiated the whole room and in normal circumstances it would have melted my heart, but there was something sinister in his eyes.


The deep redness flickered in the light of the candles.


I was so out of my depth.


Taking my hand he led me to a stoe slab in front of the altar. Shaking, my voice qui


vered as I whsipered to him.


"What's going on?"


"It's your consecration. Remember, you will be blessed tonight. Just follow my lead."


He was so calm and expected me to mirror his demure behavior. But I was anything but calm. Sweat began to seep in the palms of my hands. So many eyes were on me.


Breathe, Giselle, just breathe!


Alex directed me to lie down on the stone slab. I obliged and rested my body on the coldness of the concrete beneath me. Incense filled the space around mem; no air just smoky fumes. Four men stood at each corner of the slab, each holding a staff. Their eyes filled with the crimson tide that was visible in both Alex and Leonid. Alex stood back and disappeared behind his father. I was alone with the strange men, each mumbling to himself.


From the alter came the voice of someone I knew.


Atarah.


"Tonight, we rejoice in the awakening of our sister Giselle. She will be the vessel in which our new blood will run. It has been spoken by our forefathers that a mortal will bore the child of our beloved Prince Alexander. Our Goddess Lilith, bless this union and with her consent we will commence."


Not a sound was heard. I lay still and held my own breath. Wind blew around the room sending shivers down my spine.