The Call with Melody Dean Dimick

After Joyce Sweeney and I met at a Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) conference in Miami, she became my content editor. Through her wise guidance, I found my voice and a traditional PAL publisher,Taylor and Seale Publishing. At a subsequent SCBWI conference in Orlando, Joyce bestowed one of her coveted Magic Bean Ceremonies on me. We continued working together. She knew I was seeking an agent, and she loved my novel in verse. Joyce suggested I submit What Lies Beneath to her.

                

About Melody Dean Dimick:

Melody Dean Dimick is an award-winning author, the president of the Florida Writers Foundation—a not-for-profit organization promoting literacy—and a member of the Florida Writers Association (FWA), the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Daytona Writers Guild, the Florida State Poets Association, and the Florida Authors and Publishers Association. She draws on her experiences teaching at Northern Adirondack Central School and the State University of New York at Plattsburgh to write YA fiction and poetry. Dimick leads the Lake Helen Villa Writers.

Nine of Melody’s short works appear in (FWA) collections. Both her Backpack Blues and What Lies Beneath won First Place in the unpublished general category of the Florida Writers Association’s Royal Palm Literary Awards. Blame and Backpack Blues: Ignite the Fire Within won Daytona Writers Guild Excellence in Arts awards. Taylor and Seale recently published Ain’t It a Shame, a three-act play based on Backpack Blues: Ignite the Fire Within. Her poem, “Ysobel Gomez,” captured Second Place in an FWA Royal Palm contest. Her No Parents Allowed is a semi-finalist for this year’s RPLA Young Adult Novel of the Year.

Other books by Melody Dean Dimick include Silent Screams, Sinister Silence, Cat Girl, No Parents Allowed, and the three-act play Ain’t It a Shame. She is represented by Joyce Sweeney, literary agent with The Seymour Agency.

Melody conducts poetry workshops, served as a speaker on the First Books Panel at a Miami SCBWI conference, participated in a panel discussion at the Museum of Arts & Sciences as part of the Volusia County National Endowment for the Arts NEA Big Read, visits and speaks for writers’ groups and at schools and libraries. She has conducted workshops at conferences in Altamonte Springs/Orlando, and Port Charlotte. Local radio host, Mary Flynn interviewed Melody and her husband, Barry, on Orlando’s 1520 WBZW. To learn more about Melody and her books, readers can follow her blog under: My News at https://www.melodydeandimick.com/.

In her spare time, Melody loves to read, play pickleball with her husband, Barry, attend and judge poetry slams, and play pinochle with her son and his wife.

The Call with Joel Shulkin, MD

Since I'd found Lynnette on Twitter, I was already following her, when I saw her tweet about a thriller manuscript she was really enjoying & hoped it would hold her interest through to the end. Naturally, I was hoping it was mine, but there was no way to be sure. A day or two later, she again tweeted how much she loved the manuscript. I "liked" the tweet. A few minutes later, she followed me back. My heart jumped. Okay, I thought, don't get your hopes up. I'd been close to getting an agent before, but after 80 rejections it was hard to think she was really talking about my manuscript, right?

An hour later, an email appeared in my inbox. Again, I tried not to get overly excited, but my body didn't want to listen as my hands started to sweat and my pulse accelerated. I opened the email and read, "ADVERSE EFFECTS is AMAZING!!! I would love to talk to you..."

I had to wait until the next day to talk to her on the phone, so overnight the adrenaline had ebbed but the exhilaration remained. By the time we finally spoke, I could barely think straight. She talked about what she loved about the book and asked me about other projects I had written or had in the works, and then she said, "So, I'd like to offer you representation." Since I had already read through her MSWL & profile and decided she was the perfect one to advocate for my book, and her enthusiasm only confirmed my decision, it took less than a second for me to say yes. With the help and support she's provided over the past two years, I haven't regretted that decision for a single moment.

About Joel Shulkin, MD:

Joel Shulkin, MD, is a developmental-behavioral pediatrician and United States Air Force veteran with a master’s in public health. Having been lucky enough to be mentored by the legendary Michael Palmer, his short stories have appeared in various print and online journals, and he has won several national and local writing awards for fiction and poetry. He lives in Florida with his wife and twin daughters.

Website: https://www.authorjoelshulkin.com/ Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/drjoelshulkin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjoelshulkin/ Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/drjoelshulkin/

Query Tips from Tina Wainscott

Things to Consider When Querying:

Always make sure the important information is in the body of your query: genre of book; pitch line/hook; then a paragraph about the book and its strengths; your credentials and most importantly for non-fiction, your platform. If I only have a few minutes to consider your query, and I have to go hunting for your stats via your website, I may just save it for later. You don't want me to save it for later, trust me. 

 Additional tips: 

--Don’t just attach your proposal without any letter. And a letter does not mean: “Hey, check this out!” Yes, I did get something like that once. 

--Please spell my name right. And make sure it’s actually my name. I won’t pass for that reason, but it shows that you’re paying attention to details. 

--Please make sure I rep what you’re pitching. If you haven’t done your homework by reading my bio, I’m less likely to suggest another agent or send it over for you. 

--Make your subject line catchy. I have read queries out of order simply because the subject snagged my attention. But make sure it’s relevant to the material and not clickbait. 

--Try to format your letter so it’s not a huge paragraph. White space—nice. In fact, it’s a great idea to email yourself your letter. Some emails come in with different fonts and spacing, which makes it look like a mess. 

--For me, you can attach a proposal that includes one or two sample chapters. Saves me time if I’m interested. 

As always, best of luck to everyone looking for the perfect agent!

About Tina Wainscott:

Tina Wainscott is the USA Today bestselling author of over 30 novels with romantic thrills and suspenseful chills. She’s been published with houses such as St. Martin’s Press, Harper Collins, Hachette, and Random House since 1995, so she understands the business from the author’s perspective. As an agent, she’s looking for self-help non-fiction that inspires people to reach for their best and overcome life’s challenges.

Twitter: @TinawainscottS

The Call with Lauren H Brandenburg

I knew I wanted an agent who was more than business. It had to be personal. Because writing is personal. That’s why I totally stalked Julie Gwinn. Her online presence revealed her love of the craft and her authors. I researched her, read bio’s, followed her on social media, and even wore an Ohio State sweatshirt the first time I met her, hoping she would pay a bit more attention to the person in the room with a shared a mutual support for OSU football.  At the time, Julie was president of the Middle Tennessee chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. I had never attended a meeting before or any type of writer’s group for that matter. But she was going to be there, and I knew I had to meet her. I don’t know exactly what I was hoping to get from our first encounter as I had already indie-pubbed three middle grades and had found my niche in the homeschool market. I guess I just knew I needed an agent to take my writing to the next level, to help me sort my thoughts, add a wrung to my invisible ladder of literary expectations. Because at the core, my personality was bent towards the structure a traditional publisher would bring, and I couldn’t get there on my own.  But it wasn’t until a year or so later, after many chapter meetings, shared conversations, and a publishing company reaching out to me that I knew it was time to make the ask. I needed help and Julie was willing. However, I didn’t sign with her. Through a series of events and connections, I signed with a family friend – a fabulous agent with quite a few big names under his belt. But six months in, next to no communication, and feeling super uncomfortable in asking for updates, I remembered why I had sought out Julie in the first place. It had to be personal. With the blessing of the agent, I had another conversation with Julie. Her words: “I believe in you. It doesn’t matter what you write. I believe in you. I always have.” And with forgiveness and grace for ditching her, she signed me, and I have never looked back.  It has to be personal. Julie knows me and my writing. She knows the ins and outs of my life that affect not only the words that go on paper but the highs and lows in my marketing. She also knows when it’s time to refocus, and in my case rebrand. I had an idea, but in my mind, it wasn’t time. There were other books to write. But Julie, knowing the industry and knowing what I needed to get what my heart longed for – the coveted traditional contract – encouraged me to write what would become my dearest work, the story that helped me find my voice – The Death of Mungo Blackwell. In October of 2018, I signed with Lion Hudson. With Julie Gwinn, it is personal. And I am so thankful that she knows me not only as a writer but as her friend.  The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson The Death of Mungo Blackwell

About Lauren H. Brandenburg:

Lauren H. Brandenburg is a mentor, speaker, and author who happily blurs the lines between traditional genres in both middle grade and humorous family fiction. She has currently written six of the ten books in The Books of the Gardener series — Orlo: The Chosen (#4) was a finalist for the Selah Award middle grade novel of the year. The Death of Mungo Blackwell, a humorous family fiction (Lion Hudson publishing) is a finalist for The People's Book Prize in the United Kingdom as well as an American Christian Fiction Writer's Carol Award Finalist in Contemporary Fiction. Lauren is a former junior high and high school English teacher who stepped away from her profession to raise and homeschool her two children. She currently lives with her husband, Jamie, and their two children in a lovely little town just south of Nashville, Tennessee where they eat and laugh a lot.

The Call with Jennifer Graeser Dornbush

I knew from the time I was eight years old that I would be a writer. I was always writing little stories and making little books. I was that kid always making up plays and getting her sisters and friends to play the parts. As I grew up, that love for writing morphed into careers in journalism where I was telling human interest stories, and then, public relations and development where I was telling the stories of non-profits and organizations. Eventually, I leaned into my desire to get back to writing fiction and I dove headfirst into screenwriting. I found my forensic, crime writing voice and started to write a bunch of film and TV scripts. As these began to pile up, I got the spark of an idea to turn them into novels. It wasn't soon after that I found myself teaching a day-long forensic bootcamp for writers at the ACFW conference in 2014. That's where I met Julie Gwinn. It was the final hours of the conference and I was standing in line at the Starbucks when someone introduce her to me because they knew I was looking for a literary agent. We probably said five sentences to each other, but that was the start of my journey with Julie and Seymour! I had never written a novel before, so Julie TOTALLY took a chance on me. I spent the next year writing my first novel under Julie's gentle guidance. Then Julie spent the next year plus trying to sell it. In the meantime I had written a movie, God Bless the Broken Road, and we decided to novelize it. That was actually my first book contract! I remember I wrote the first three chapters while we were filming. Two weeks after I turned in those pages, we received several offers. We chose one and that was my first fiction contract with a publisher! It wasn't long after we sold my first novel to another publisher. 

Jennifer's Newest Release, Hole in the Woods

About the Author, Jennifer Graeser Dornbush:

Jennifer Graeser Dornbush is a screenwriter, author, international speaker and forensic specialist. As she says, “I grew up around death.” 

The television or movie screen is the closest most people will ever come to witnessing the forensic world. But Jennifer was raised in it, as the daughter of a small town medical examiner whose office was in their home. There were body parts in the fridge. She investigated her first fatality, an airplane crash, when she was 8 years old, picking up pieces of skull with her father who simply saw it as an anatomy lesson. It was the first of many coroner lessons she experienced over two decades. 

After exploring journalism and high school teaching, Jennifer turned seriously to screenwriting where she began to connect her coroner world to her writing. She sought out a degree at the Forensic Science Academy in Los Angeles to gain more forensic training and earned a unique kinship with LA’s top CSIs, fingerprint specialists, DNA scientists and detectives. To share her love of forensics with the writing world, she authored the top-selling non-fiction authoritative book, Forensic Speak, used not only by show-runners and writers, but also crime investigators and law enforcement. As a forensic consultant, she is frequently asked to consult with TV writers on shows such as Bull, Conviction, Hawaii Five-O, Leverage, Suits and Rectify. 

She created an Amazon top-selling mystery novel series, The Coroner’s Daughter. The first book in the series, The Coroner, released August 2018. The second in the series, Secret Remains, released January 2020. She is developing the series for TV. She wrote the theatrically released film and novel, God Bless the Broken Road (2018). She has developed a TV crime drama series with Echo Lake and Hoplite Entertainment. She also adapted a popular YA novel to script and sold a children’s show. 

She teaches screenwriting and mentors aspiring writers. Jennifer is a member of the Writers’ Guild of America, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America and FBI Citizen’s Academy Alumni. And she has a great sense of gallows humor. 

Website:  www.jenniferdornbush.com

Facebook: Jennifer Graeser Dornbush

Twitter: @JGDornbush

Instagram: @JGDornbush

LinkedIn: Jennifer Dornbush 

The Seymour Agency Q&A with Author Jen J. Danna

Seymour Agency: You recently launched your new series, the NYPD Negotiators, with EXIT STRATEGY. Why hostage negotiation?

Jen J. Danna: In LONE WOLF, the first book in the FBI K-9s series, I wrote a character who was a hostage negotiator. This guy had a really tough job as the middle man between the FBI, who wanted to close the case, and an armed gunman, who was holed up with his family. The negotiator was not only trying to save lives, but was also fighting to satisfy his law enforcement brethren, many of whom saw force as the best way to quickly get their man. This character really stuck with me, partly because the situation he had to deal with was different than anything I’d written before.

SA: How was it different?

JJD: In all my other police procedurals, the protagonist is always reacting to the initial situation, usually a murder, sometimes a natural disaster. I wanted to explore police work from the opposite, proactive angle. Yes, there’s a crisis in play, but the challenge is to save lives before they’re lost, to get the hostages out in one piece, and hopefully contain and arrest the person responsible.

SA: How did you develop Gemma Capello and her first responder family?

JJD: This was the first book I wrote solo, so it was fun to take advantage of my own family history to flesh out Gemma. Like me, her family hails from Siculiana in Sicily. Like me she lost a parent at a young age (though her loss is by very violent means). But I like writing ensemble pieces, where the characters appear throughout the series, so I crafted a family around her, a father and four brothers, who with only one exception are all NYPD officers in various branches of the department (the other brother joined the FDNY). In this way, she can work with at least one of them during her cases.

SA: How does her family play a part in EXIT STRATEGY?

JJD: When an alert goes out, interrupting a family celebration, Gemma, her father, the Chief of Special Operations, and her two older brothers respond. But when the hostage situation takes a turn for the worse and Gemma has to put herself at risk with the hostage taker, everything, including her life, will rest in the hands of her younger brother.

SA: What can we expect next from Gemma?

JJD: The second book in the series, SHOT CALLER, will release in summer 2021 from Kensington Books and Dreamscape Media. In it, Gemma is called to New York City’s notorious Rikers Island jail when a riot occurs and both correctional officers and inmates are taken hostage. It’s a contained but extremely volatile situation, and Gemma and her negotiating team are pulled in different directions as everyone tries to steer the crisis—from the inmates, to the staff at Rikers, to the city administrators that run the Department of Corrections, to the NYPD. She also has to balance her need to peacefully resolve the situation, which takes time, with the tactical team’s desire to go in and rapidly resolve the crisis with force. It’s a real nail biter. Then the third book in the series, LOCKDOWN, will follow in the summer of 2022.

About the Book, Exit Strategy:

In this taut new suspense series featuring NYPD detective Gemma Capello and her close-knit law enforcement family, a madman brings a halt to the heart of the city that never sleeps . . .

After her mother’s death during a bank robbery when she was a child, Gemma Capello grew up to become one of the NYPD’s elite hostage negotiators. In a family of cops, there’s rarely a day when a Capello isn’t facing down some form of threat. Still, despite their unpredictable schedules, they always find time for their annual family summer picnic. But this year, a sudden phone call changes everything. 

A heavily armed gunman has taken hostages at City Hall. Gemma races downtown to join the rest of the Hostage Negotiation Team as they scramble to identify the captives—fearing the mayor may be among them. But as they scramble for answers and struggle to gain control of the circumstances, it becomes clear that the mayor is at the center of it all, just not in the way they initially believed. 

With several lives on the line and a criminal who always seems to be one step ahead, Gemma is the only one able to connect with the suspect. Soon, she finds herself engaging in a battle of wits while enduring a battle of egos in the command center. With time running out and a mastermind who has proven he’ll do whatever it takes to get what he wants, Gemma risks it all—her career and her life—in a last-ditch effort to save the hostages. Now, she needs to figure out how to save herself . . .

About the Author, Jen J. Danna:  

A scientist specializing in infectious diseases, Jen J. Danna works as part of a dynamic research group at a cutting-edge Canadian university. However, her true passion lies in indulging her love of the mysterious through her writing. 

With Ann Vanderlaan, she writes two series. Under Danna and Vanderlaan, they craft suspenseful crime fiction with a realistic scientific edge. Their five Abbott and Lowell Forensic Mysteries include DEAD, WITHOUT A STONE TO TELL IT; NO ONE SEES ME ’TILL I FALL; A FLAME IN THE WIND OF DEATH; TWO PARTS BLOODY MURDER; and LAMENT THE COMMON BONES.

Under the joint pseudonym of Sara Driscoll, they write the FBI K-9s mysteries series, starring search-and-rescue team Meg Jennings and her black lab, Hawk. The series includes LONE WOLF and BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE, STORM RISING, and NO MAN’S LAND. The fifth book in the series, LEAVE NO TRACE, will release in January 2020.

Jen is also the author of the upcoming NYPD Negotiators thriller series, with the first book, EXIT STRATEGY, releasing in August 2020. The second book in the series, SHOT CALLER, will release in 2021, and the third book, LOCKDOWN, will release in 2022.

Jen lives near Toronto, Ontario with her husband, two daughters, and three rescued cats, and is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada.

You can reach her through the contact page on her website or by email at jenjdanna@gmail.com.

Social media links: Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram.

The Call with Shachi Kaushik

I first happened to cross paths with Lynnette Novak on Twitter. I sent her my manuscript seeing her pinned tweet. In a couple of days Lynnette got back to me expressing keen interest and requesting to have a phone call.   

Being a first timer, this was an exciting as well a nervous moment for me. I took help from my SCBWI community to understand what to expect from an agent call.

What I thought would be like a job interview turned out to be a candid conversation between me and my agent Lynnette. 
 
She was seeking more clarity on my work, my motivation behind writing picture books, my long-term vision and goal, and gauging if a working relationship could be established. Right from the get-go Lynnette made me feel at ease. She spoke of my manuscript’s potential.
 
As much as Lynnette, I was also trying to figure out if my agent would be a right fit for me. This is a long-term relationship.
 
She answered all my questions and cleared my doubts about the process and the final product. She discussed her approach when it comes to showcasing work to publishers. I can recall Lynnette’s words stating ‘teach my clients how to improve their writing and grow as authors’ was a very important factor for me. Knowing that she herself has been a writer and worked as a freelancer editor, I knew I wanted someone like her. I knew a writer with the editorial eye could help me tweak my work and further enrich my ideas.
 
Lynnette offered representation to me over the phone. Finally, I accepted Lynnette’s offer in writing. I really liked her enthusiasm for my work and felt a great connection and was able to imagine her being part of my picture book writing journey.
 
My agent and I finally made it official on Social Media using Twitter (#TeamNovak) and also on other platforms consecutively. YAY!!!
 
For me it was a stay at home celebration maintaining social distancing. 
 

About Shachi Kaushik:

Hailing from a legal profession back in India, Shachi found her new calling in life when she moved to the US a couple years back to start her married life. Shachi spends significant time volunteering for activities at the Round Rock Public Library as the host for Bilingual Hindi-English Storytime. Shachi’s writing is a whole-hearted attempt to retain the diminishing culture and tradition that could be passed to generations to come. 

 

Shachi also spends time mentoring students which further helps her develop new ideas to serve the Children-Parent community through her book writing. She is a monthly contributor to Austin South Asian for the “Picture Book World” section and her articles have also appeared in Austin Family and BrownGirl Magazine.

 

Twitter: 

@KaushikShachi

 

 

The Call with Felicia Bridges

My call story is a little unique and demonstrates the Lord's perfect timing. I had been to Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference several times over the previous five years. I had pitched my series and received requests from several publishers and editors for the full, but always returned home and convinced myself that it was not quite ready. They were just being kind. 

In 2015, I made a commitment to myself that I would join the scant 30% of writers at a conference who follow through and submit their manuscript as requested. And I added some teeth to the commitment -- I would submit whatever was requested within 30 days of the conference, or I would not attend another writers' conference. As the rarest of creatures, an extroverted writer, swearing off conferences would be a devastating loss of community. Having made many connections with other authors, my conference buddy and I were delighted to discover that one of our friends was having her first book signing in Asheville the day before the conference. We decided it was worth an extra night's stay to be able to celebrate her debut and be rested and ready to go when the conference began the following day. What an exciting moment to see a friend sitting in the midst of the Barnes and Noble, stacks of freshly printed books beside her on the table awaiting her autograph! As we chatted with the author, her publisher introduced herself and my friend mentioned that we were in town for the writers' conference. Her publisher asked us about what we wrote and, after I stumbled through my pitch -- thinking I'd have the rest of the day to practice before the conference began -- she scribbled her email on a scrap of paper and asked me to send her my manuscript. 

Over the course of the next several days, I pitched to several publishers and received other requests for the manuscript, and also pitched to Julie Gwinn. Julie happened to represent the same author friend we had come up early to celebrate! When the conference ended, I pushed through additional edits based on once again learning so much from the conference faculty, and hit send on the emails to those who'd requested my manuscript for CzechMate. There is really nothing quite like that moment. The thrill! The relief! The absolute terror! Within thirty days, I received an email back from Dawn Carrington, Editor-in-Chief with Vinspire Publishing, letting me know that they might be interested in publishing my novel. I immediately reached out to Julie, eager to have a savvy agent in my corner for this next step in the publishing process. She has proven to be a tremendous asset, helping me land a two-book deal and then to augment that with a contract for four more books in the International Mission Force series. 

I love sharing this story because I couldn't have orchestrated this path if I had tried. It demonstrates the importance of supporting fellow authors and building relationships that encourage, support, and promote one another, and trusting God to put us in the right place at the right time.

Czech Mate

Bolivia Knight

Kenya Quest

About Felicia Bridges: 

 

Felicia Bridges writes adventures that inspire action. Her own escapades as an Army BRAT included living in eight states and two foreign countries by the time she was fifteen. Along with a strong foundation of faith, this nomadic childhood created a passion for missions and travel which leads her writing to exotic places. Her YA series debut, The International Mission Force, features the adventures of teenage missionaries around the globe and currently includes CzechMate, which is set in Prague, Czech Republic; BoliviaKnight, set in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia; and KenyaQuest, set in Mombasa, Kenya. Volume IV, IslandGambit, which is set on the beautiful island of Papua New Guinea, is due to release in  2020. She loves sharing the excitement and adventure of living on mission and is happy to speak to your student group or women's retreat about missions, discipleship, and the gospel. While her degree in Psychology helps her craft realistic characters, her adventures as an HR Manager, short term missionary, mother of four, and Pastor's wife provide her most entertaining tales. Names may be changed to protect the not-so-innocent. 

You can find Felicia at:

Gmail: feliciabowenbridges@gmail.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FeliciaBBridges
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FeliciaBowenBridges/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/FeliciaBBridges/
YouTube: https://www.instagram.com/FeliciaBridges_Author/

 

Receiving the “Email” From The Seymour Agency

Once I noticed an agent’s message in my email, I pre-judged it. My first reaction assumed the worst. Ok, who can I query next? To my surprise, Marisa’s response was better than I anticipated. Not only did she ask if my manuscript was still available—it brought a smile to her face, she wanted to know more, and wished her mother could have read it to her when she was a child. Not many more details needed, she had me at “it brought a smile to my face!”

After celebrating the news with my family, I informed Marisa that my manuscript was definitely still available. Subsequent emails with Marisa demonstrated that her personality matched mine. Her outlook on the world mirrored mine and we had even tackled similar topics in our earlier writings. One of the sayings that rings true with me is to think outside the box. Marisa counters with the idea of ‘no box.” Forget about the box. Initially, without context, I didn’t understand what that meant. Now I support her version of that idea, and I am onboard—literally and figuratively. I appreciate how Marisa and Nicole are receptive to the variety of “no box” ideas and suggestions I offer regarding my manuscripts. 

A friendly Zoom meeting with Marisa and Nicole finally sealed the deal. The more I interact with Marisa, Nicole, and various other agency members, like Joyce and Julie, the more I am convinced that The Seymour Agency is the right agency for my manuscripts. The personnel and clients are a kind, congenial group who work as a team for the best outcomes. 

I am honored to be represented by The Seymour Agency, and if you become a Seymour client— 

celebrate! You’ll be in great hands!

About Bethanie Baker Henderson

  

Bethanie writes cozy fictional and biographical picture books. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and works with youth in her church and school district. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and a concentration in English from Columbia University and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan. She enjoys learning about new underwater discoveries, especially the mysteries in the deep sea. Bethanie lives with her husband, two remarkable daughters and their cat in eastern PA. 

Connect with her on her website at www.WhenReadingMatters.com, on Twitter @bbakerhenderson and on Facebook at Bethanie Baker Henderson Author.                             

The Call with Jill Watson

I met Joyce Sweeney at Florida SCBWI meetings and through a writing course of hers I'd taken. In 2019, she edited THE MAGNIFICENT ROLLING ROXIE before I sent it out to agents. Afterwards, she always checked in to offer encouragement and ask how my submissions were going. She really loved my book, and was rooting for me! Joyce was the first one I hugged after I won my SCBWI Rising Kite Award in January 2020, and I ran across the ballroom to do it. I felt like she was in it with me 100%, and I wanted to share that moment with her. 

At 7:15 one morning, Joyce sent me a text. "Could you please send me the full again, along with your query?" The address she gave was at The Seymour Agency. She was their newest agent!

Needless to say, I woke up fast. I laughed, I cried, I danced around on my roller skates. There is no better agent I could have in my corner than Joyce Sweeney!

BIO:

Jill Watson started her career as Associate Editor of True Confessions magazine. (Don't ask if the stories were real, she'll never tell.) After three years, plot twist! Jill moved over to the production end of publishing, where she managed Graphic Design departments at CBS, USA TODAY and a mutual funds company. She was also Type Consultant on fanzines for Amblin' Entertainment. Fun!

Every chance she got, Jill danced on her roller skates and in her cowboy boots. She appeared on several TV shows, as well as in a Top 10 Country Music video. All this, without the ability to hear the music well.

In 2017, Jill gave up the 9-to-whenever-o’clock life to concentrate on writing. Her first middle grade book, THE MAGNIFICENT ROLLING ROXIE, won a Rising Kite Award from SCBWI in 2020.

When she's not writing, Jill still dances on her skates. She also raises butterflies in her Florida garden and feeds two bunnies who visit every day. Jill is a member of SCBWI and the Central Park Dance Skaters Association. She’s represented by Joyce Sweeney. 

CONNECT WITH JILL:

jillwatsonwrites.com

https://twitter.com/jill_watson326

https://www.facebook.com/jill.watson.3557/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-watson-3013736/

The Call with Stephanie Spence

From the moment I signed the contract with Tina Wainscott and The Seymour Agency, I felt like I had been welcomed into a family that cared deeply for their writers and people who love books. While waiting to hear if someone would be interested in my book, I created a daily ritual that I practiced every day. I would wake and take a moment to give gratitude for having the passion, dedication, and courage to share my story. Gratitude for having the courage to follow my dreams. I'd follow that with a hope that if my words found someone I could help, that would be all the success I needed. I then saw Tina (in my mind) pitching my proposal to people and them smiling. I saw her jumping up and down calling me to say she had found the perfect publisher and publishing deal just for me. Here's the critical part: I would see me already having this. It wasn't a future event. It was "now." I'd FEEL how great it would be getting the call, like it was happening in real time. I did this every day for a year (which wasn't always easy, but I was committed to staying calm, upbeat, and optimistic while waiting) until finally, on a sunny morning, she called to tell me the great news. The only change in my vision: I was the one jumping up and down. 

[Tina note: I too was jumping up and down! It’s just as exciting for me to get an offer…well, almost as exciting as it is for the author!]

About Stephanie:

With an eye towards the future, but steeped in wisdom from 40 years of practicing yoga Stephanie Spence is a Yoga Educator, Author, Inspirational Speaker, Activist, and Creative Leader. Based in Coronado, California Stephanie is a trail blazer with an inspiring and empowering approach to self-inquiry and personal development. Stephanie is committed to helping ignite the desire for others to create a life of health and joy for themselves. Connect with her via her award-winning website, StephanieSpence.com or @Stephanieyogini. Her book “Yoga Wisdom: Warrior Tales Inspiring You On And Off Your Mat”, Nautilus Book Awards Winner, is available wherever fine books are sold.

Website: StephanieSpence.com 

Interview with Jessica Lemmon

Hello Readers! 

Welcome to 5-stars Friday! 

Today we have an interview with 5-stars author Jessica Lemmon, another giveaway, and the announcement of the winner from the last 5-stars Friday. Jessica writes super amazing contemporary romance novels, and you can follow her on Instagram by clicking here.

***Risa's Interview with Jessica***

Risa: What advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time before you were published?

Jessica: Calm down! You can’t run before you can walk. Savor every moment of the journey. They’ll be good times and not-so-good times, but you’re going to be better than okay.

Risa: That's really great advice! You've hit so many career milestones and reached destinations emerging authors are still striving for. I saw on your website that you have around 30 books (including the coming soon ones). How long does it take you to write a book?

Jessica: About 4 weeks.

Risa: Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks, or hardcover?

Jessica: I find myself reading more and more paperbacks lately! I like to take a break from the screen.

Risa: Speaking of taking a break from the screen... what do you do when you're not writing?

Jessica: I’ve recently started a health and wellness blog called Lemmony.com. I hand-draw all of the illustrations on the website.

Risa: That's an awesome website! Okay, last question. What's one thing you can't live without?

Jessica: I’m incredibly adaptable and can live without almost anything, but if there’s one thing I prefer to always have in my arsenal, it’s coffee. 

Super thanks to Jessica for taking the time to answer some questions!

***GIVEAWAY ALERT***

One random and lucky commenter will receive a copy of Best Friends, Secret Lovers (Book 1, The Bachelor Pact). Not sure what to say in the comments? If you've read books by Jessica Lemmon, what title was your favorite so far? Or let us know if the last books you've read have been ebooks, paperbacks, or hardcovers. If you have a favorite local bookstore, what's the name of the bookstore?

***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT***

Congratulations to Taylor R. Williams! You won a copy of Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower, coloring bookmarks, and a sticker signed by Amanda Flower. By Monday, October 28, 2019, please confirm if you'd like a Kindle copy or mass market paperback of Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower, as well as the U.S. mailing address for the coloring bookmarks and signed sticker. If you choose the Kindle copy, please provide an email for the Kindle copy to be gifted to you. This message was sent to the email you provided in the comment section. If you did not receive the email, please email assistant@theseymouragency.com. Thanks!

xox~Risa

IG: @thereisnobox

*GIVEAWAY RULES AND REGULATIONS
U.S. mailing addresses only. If prize is Kindle-related, winner must have a valid Amazon email to receive prize. Must be at least 18 years of age to win. Void where prohibited. Giveaway hostesses are not responsible for items once shipped. We reserve the right to change any and all rules or conditions as needed. Complete and correct information must be provided as requested, or the entry will automatically and immediately be null and void. Bounced email will automatically void an entry. If we cannot locate your follow or other entry options, your entry will be voided. Once the winner email is sent, that winner will have 48 hours to respond to the win with the information requested in notification email.

*Giveaway winner announced during next 5-star Friday. Contest closes on Thursday, November 28, 2019.