Sheri McGuinn – Official Website

Sheri McGuinn – Official Website

Home Page News

¯¯ February 2010 ¯¯

News:

¯ Michael Dolan McCarthy is an official entry in the Young Adult category of the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards.

¯ The submission period closes February 7 or when 5000 entries have been received in each of the two categories, whichever comes first.

¯ Amazon has deleted last year’s excerpt, so there should be no confusion, assuming Michael Dolan McCarthy makes it to the quarter-finals again.

How the contest works:

¯ By February 23, Amazon editors will select up to 1,000 Second Round entries in each category by rating each Pitch on three criteria: originality of idea, overall strength of the Pitch, and the quality of writing.

¯ Then the Amazon editors and at least one Amazon Top Reviewer will choose the Quarterfinalists by rating the second round Excerpts based on overall strength of the excerpt, prose/style, plot/hook, and originality of idea.

¯ About March 23, they will post each Quarterfinalist’s Excerpt and the reviews online at www.amazon.com/abna. Amazon customers may download and read any Excerpt, then write a review and rate it. However, from reading the rules, these reviews do not impact the contest. The Semi-Finalists will be chosen based on the Publishers Weekly reviews and ratings of each complete manuscript.

¯ About April 27, the Semifinalists and their Publishers Weekly reviews will be posted on amazon.com. The Penguin judging panel will select three Finalists in the two categories (General Fiction and Young Adult). Finalists will be announced about May 25.

¯ Once the Finalists are announced, through June 2, Amazon customers will be able to download and read each Finalist Excerpt and vote for one finalist in each category via a voting mechanism at www.amazon.com/abna and the winner in each category will be based on the total number of valid votes they receive from customers. That’s where you will have a say in what gets published. Make sure you participate. Let them know what you like!

Other Updates:

¯ Check out What I’m Reading for reviews of the light reading I did this month.

¯ Calendar Notes have been updated, too.

¯ Click Short-Short for the new free story each month. The new story is Mortal. It’s always nice to know my stories are being read. I need to figure out how to add a blog so you all can discuss them; meanwhile Email to let me know how you like them.

If You’re New:

¯ For samples of the screenplays click: Running Away and Michael Dolan McCarthy. They’ve both been registered with WGA and are protected by copyright. Producers: Email to let me know if you want to see more. Students: who want to use the excerpt for a short production: contact me!

¯ My first published novel, Running Away, won an Honorable Mention in Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Book Awards.

Judge’s commentary: “I could not put this book down.”

¯ Michael Dolan McCarthy was an Amazon Breakout Novel Award Quarter-Finalist in 2009 and got a review from Publishers Weekly. While they pointed out significant problems with the plot in the middle, which necessitated major revisions before entering this year, they also offered praise.

Publishers Weekly: “issues of race and identity are nicely handled.”

¯ The other pages include book club/teacher extras, ways to use Running Away with troubled youth and families, and more.

All emails go to sherimauthor@yahoo.com

“Add me to updates” Remember there’s a new short-short story each month for free.

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Thanks for visiting!

Click on Cover

Available

Fall 2009

Available Now!

Click on a Cover for:

Ø Reviews

Ø Description

Ø Excerpt link

Ø Purchase links

Contact Author: sherimauthor@yahoo.com