Hey everyone,
It's been a while since I've used this site (I got my BA and college has taken up much of my time), but thought I would post here and see if I get any takers.
Before I tell you what you the book is about, let me tell you what I'm looking for. I'm looking for someone to read the novel from start to finish and tell me what you think about it as you would if it was published, like you were writing a review for Goodreads.com or amazon.com. I'm not looking for anything in-depth at the moment. I think I could benefit from that, but no one has read it start to finish yet (a couple of friends have it, but they aren't writers and aren't big readers). I'm not at all saying that notes aren't appreciated as you read (I know it's hard for some people to not do that), but I'm really after a general over all feel of what's good and what's bad. I'm willing to do the same level of work for another person. Also, I can send the first 5,000 words (or whatever amount you want) before sending over the full manuscript to make sure it's something you're interested in.
I'm hoping to query next month and the timeline in my head is that a beta would have the book back to me in two weeks. Though that timeline is open to be made longer or shorter depending on the beta(s) schedule and all the unexpected things life can throw at a person. I would have your book back to you in two weeks barring unexpected circumstances. I check my email multiple times a day and can give daily updates if someone wants that. I know this is long, but I've found it's best to be upfront and direct about what I want to prevent confusion, frustration, and potential hurt feelings later.
Okay, so if you're still interested, here is the synopsis/query/thing I've gotten worked up:
Elsea Roth is determined to do one thing before she graduates from the school for Dragon Fighting: rescue the cursed, sleeping Prince Briar. It would be a simple task if the Forest of Death wasn’t in her way. She needs to rescue him for more than bragging rights: she needs Prince Briar to take back the throne from his evil step-father, King Richard.
Elsea needs Briar to be a warrior, to help her restore the kingdom to it’s former glory, but Briar’s one goal is find to find his mother and forget his abusive step-father exists. Finding his mother means getting back to him home—the impenetrable castle. Finding his mother means putting him face-to-face with the man he most despises and puts he and Elsea into the path of the kingdom’s most nefarious villain: Regmal. Briar remembers the malicious fairy clearly. After all, she is the one who cursed him into a slumber for nearly ten years.
Briar doesn’t know of the thousands of unlawful executions committed under Richard's rule. He doesn’t know where his mother is or if she is alive. He doesn’t know the people of Rosethorne look to him to be their savior. He doesn’t know how or want to be a warrior.
But everything changes when Briar sees the destruction Richard wrought. Can he become a warrior, a ruler, a king? Can he trust Elsea to help instead of destroy him?
Obviously summary style things are not my forte. I've been saying this is a gender swapped retelling of Sleeping Beauty, but calling it a retelling is a bit of misnomer. Saying it's inspired by Sleeping Beauty is more accurate as it starts with Elsea on her way to rescue Briar and what comes after instead of what leads to Briar being cursed.
I've self-edited the entire manuscript three times, so it's polished but not perfect. I think there is still work to be done (I think I will always think that ), but I'm not sending out a rough draft.
This is very heavy on the fantasy and magic. It is also told in alternating perspectives (generally two chapters for Elsea then two chapters for Briar though they are exceptions) and can be rather dark. There are disturbing images and some gore. It's a little more in the vein of the classic fairy tales instead of Disney fairy tales as far as violence goes.
Oh, and I'm willing to read pretty much anything YA (I prefer fantasy and sci-fi for pleasure reading), but do also read realistic YA (John Green, Sarah Dessen, Ellen Hopkins, Deb Caletti). I do enjoy MG too. But if you're willing to be a beta and need me to be a beta, I'll pretty much read anything.
Thanks for reading such a long post and contact me if you're interested!
It's been a while since I've used this site (I got my BA and college has taken up much of my time), but thought I would post here and see if I get any takers.
Before I tell you what you the book is about, let me tell you what I'm looking for. I'm looking for someone to read the novel from start to finish and tell me what you think about it as you would if it was published, like you were writing a review for Goodreads.com or amazon.com. I'm not looking for anything in-depth at the moment. I think I could benefit from that, but no one has read it start to finish yet (a couple of friends have it, but they aren't writers and aren't big readers). I'm not at all saying that notes aren't appreciated as you read (I know it's hard for some people to not do that), but I'm really after a general over all feel of what's good and what's bad. I'm willing to do the same level of work for another person. Also, I can send the first 5,000 words (or whatever amount you want) before sending over the full manuscript to make sure it's something you're interested in.
I'm hoping to query next month and the timeline in my head is that a beta would have the book back to me in two weeks. Though that timeline is open to be made longer or shorter depending on the beta(s) schedule and all the unexpected things life can throw at a person. I would have your book back to you in two weeks barring unexpected circumstances. I check my email multiple times a day and can give daily updates if someone wants that. I know this is long, but I've found it's best to be upfront and direct about what I want to prevent confusion, frustration, and potential hurt feelings later.
Okay, so if you're still interested, here is the synopsis/query/thing I've gotten worked up:
Elsea Roth is determined to do one thing before she graduates from the school for Dragon Fighting: rescue the cursed, sleeping Prince Briar. It would be a simple task if the Forest of Death wasn’t in her way. She needs to rescue him for more than bragging rights: she needs Prince Briar to take back the throne from his evil step-father, King Richard.
Elsea needs Briar to be a warrior, to help her restore the kingdom to it’s former glory, but Briar’s one goal is find to find his mother and forget his abusive step-father exists. Finding his mother means getting back to him home—the impenetrable castle. Finding his mother means putting him face-to-face with the man he most despises and puts he and Elsea into the path of the kingdom’s most nefarious villain: Regmal. Briar remembers the malicious fairy clearly. After all, she is the one who cursed him into a slumber for nearly ten years.
Briar doesn’t know of the thousands of unlawful executions committed under Richard's rule. He doesn’t know where his mother is or if she is alive. He doesn’t know the people of Rosethorne look to him to be their savior. He doesn’t know how or want to be a warrior.
But everything changes when Briar sees the destruction Richard wrought. Can he become a warrior, a ruler, a king? Can he trust Elsea to help instead of destroy him?
Obviously summary style things are not my forte. I've been saying this is a gender swapped retelling of Sleeping Beauty, but calling it a retelling is a bit of misnomer. Saying it's inspired by Sleeping Beauty is more accurate as it starts with Elsea on her way to rescue Briar and what comes after instead of what leads to Briar being cursed.
I've self-edited the entire manuscript three times, so it's polished but not perfect. I think there is still work to be done (I think I will always think that ), but I'm not sending out a rough draft.
This is very heavy on the fantasy and magic. It is also told in alternating perspectives (generally two chapters for Elsea then two chapters for Briar though they are exceptions) and can be rather dark. There are disturbing images and some gore. It's a little more in the vein of the classic fairy tales instead of Disney fairy tales as far as violence goes.
Oh, and I'm willing to read pretty much anything YA (I prefer fantasy and sci-fi for pleasure reading), but do also read realistic YA (John Green, Sarah Dessen, Ellen Hopkins, Deb Caletti). I do enjoy MG too. But if you're willing to be a beta and need me to be a beta, I'll pretty much read anything.
Thanks for reading such a long post and contact me if you're interested!
