Okay, ladies. I know I said I’d sum it all up NEXT Wednesday but even though she’s super busy, Nicole has been incredibly kind to us & stopped by EVERY query today:) And she sent me this totally cool email & asked me to pass it along on my blog. So here it is:
First, HUGE BIG HUGS to Jamie for establishing this query contest and kick-starting her blog with so many talented authors. Jamie is smart and exceptionally creative and I can’t wait to read her new YA.
I’m really impressed with the level of talent here. I sincerely hope I’ll find my next client among these submissions!
Query-wise, everyone should shoot for a concise, gripping blurb with the vital information (word count, genre, affiliations, contest wins, etc.). Examine your title. Is it an attention grabber? Is it memorable? Make the body of your query sound like a book you would want to read. Tip: read the back covers of your favorite novels and pay attention to what grabs you.
To Query Entry #16, Donna Weaver, and Query Entry #11, Tasha Hacaga, I’d like the full please!
I want to take a look at the first three chapters and the synopsis for all the other participants as well!
Above all, I want to THANK each of you for submitting your query. You are all talented authors in your own right, and I suspect many of you will find yourselves in print very soon.
Thanks again!
~ Nicole
Jamie Ayres 
*squeal*
THIS IS SO AWESOME!!!!! 😀 😀 😀
I may have said this a bajillion times, but thanks so much for doing this, Jamie! And to Nicole for taking the time to look at all our queries! This is really amazing!
*cough*
Okay. Time to stop acting like an overexcited fangirl and get to work. Thanks again!
xx Jasmine
LOL. No thanks needed on my part, all the kuddos goes to you guys & Nicole! And yeah, I’m so excited you’d think I won something;)
Thank you, Jamie and Nicole, for putting forth this opportunity and thanks to all those who left comments on queries. This has been a wonderful learning experience for us all!
How cool! Thanks, Jamie and Nicole, and congrats to everyone! 😀
Wow this is so amazing!!! What a wonderful surprise for all of us. Nicole is a rockstar! And you too, Jamie! Thank you so much for doing this!!
What a great agent! Thank you, Nicole and thank you Jamie for this most exciting opportunity!
Sharron
A huge thanks to Jamie and Nicole! This is just so exciting I can barely sip my morning coffee! Keeping my fingers crossed for good news across the land!
Whaa! That is about the coolest news I’ve heard…well ever! Thanks so much Jamie and Nicole for giving us this awesome oppurtunity! I wonder Jamie, do you know if there is a deadline on getting the synop and partial in to Nicole? I’ve got a synopsis to write:)
Oh, and to everyone who entered their query, I did crit all of them, but for some reason it didn’t show up on all of them. Sorry about that:)
I can’t believe every one of the queries were written by women. That’s right, not one single man entered the contest…Go Girl Power! I loved this contest and all of the helpful feedback. I even enjoyed reading the comments posted under the other queries. Thanks Jamie and Nicole!
Yay! Congrats to Donna and Tasha!! And all of us! So exciting! I love exclamation points!!!!!!
Jamie–could you ask Nicole if she wants those as attachments? I THINK the size makes that obvious, but I’d be more comfortable with a definitive yes or no.
Thanks again, Jamie and Nicole!
Agree with everyone here on the enthusiasm for Jamie for providing this opportunity and congratulations to all for stepping forward for it!
Extra special kudos to Donna and Tasha – AWESOME.
And without a doubt, so many thanks to Ms. Resciniti for taking the time to do this
Can you ask Nicole whether or not she wants this sent via snail mail? I was looking at the Seymour Agency’s guidelines and it says they don’t accept attachments, and a synopsis and partial is rather clunky to fit into the body of a single email.
*faints*
Good question, Jasmine. What about a full?
Lucky, Lucky!
Awesome, congrats all!
Thanks so much Jamie and Nicole!!
Debbie
YAY for Girl Power:):) Big cyber hugs to everyone . . . I’m feelin’ the love! I sent Nicole a message about how she wants the partials sent but haven’t heard back from her. I’m sure she’s busy with stuff. I know she’s always reading stuff on her phone so I’m thinking no Snail Mail for sure. From personal experience, when I’ve gotten partial or full requests from agents, they’ve told me to put my Name, ms. Title, and “Requested Material” in the Subject line of the email and then attach the files. Synopsis doc’s aren’t too long if you want to send that with the query and then just attach your pages? That’s what I’d do, but feel free to wait to see if I hear from Nicole herself. I’ll post back under here if I do:)
Also, the industry standard is to submit materials within 2 WEEKS of the request, so please don’t wait any longer than that.
I sent my synopsis and 3 chaps in the body of the email. I’d err on that side vs. attachment.
Yes, but what if it’s a full ms? I’m game, but that’s 92,000 words in the body of an email.
I went ahead and did the normal partial submission (50 pages) as part of an attached partial submission package (query, title page, 50 pages, synopsis) with REQUESTED MATERIALS in the subject line. I will follow up with her after the normal turnaround time if I don’t get a response. This is a great opportunity for us all!
Sounds like a good plan, Kimberly! I’d send a request for a full as an attachment for sure:) Please let me know if any of you end of signing with her!
Oh, if any of you are still looking for more feedback on your query, check out agent’s Meredith Barnes blog before tomorrow at midnight: http://merbarnes.blogspot.com/
This was an AWESOME surprise!! Thanks again for hosting it, Jamie. You’ve definitely re-lit the fire under me 🙂