Linkage Catch-Up

Normally I try to do something like this on an occasional Saturday, but let's face it, it's the growing season and all my spare time is spent outside in battle trying to reclaim my yard from the weeds the landlord let go rampant everywhere. So let's play a little catch-up on some of the really good blog links that have recently come out. And hey, if you've run across a really good one I didn't spot, mention it in the comments.

Let's start with some new agent alerts from GLA:
Jennifer Azantian, now at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency: "Jennifer is only interested in: young adult science fiction and fantasy (including all of their subgenres)."

Okay then, here's a fresh new agent for all of you writing speculative fiction from the YA POV.

Sarah Joy Freese, now at Wordserve Literary: "Christian romance, Christian historical romance, Christian suspense, and paranormal romance...I am looking for full-length fiction, 65,000-100,000 words in either the general or Christian market."

So if you are writing paranormal romance with a Christian bent, you might want to check her out.

Sara Sciuto, now at Full Circle Literary: "Sara is actively building her list with a focus on middle grade and young adult, in particular, dystopian, science fiction, fantasy, and unique paranormal. She also enjoys contemporary stories with a strong, authentic voice (but no chick-lit, please). She has a particular soft spot for anything in the Deep South (sweet contemporary to dark paranormal), gritty contemporary, utilitarian dystopias or dystopian thrillers, anything with international locales or period settings (think flappers or “Mad Men”), and anything with artistic themes. Sara is also looking for standout picture books, especially those with a quirky or humorous narrative. She’s also considering select nonfiction in the areas of craft, design, how-to, lifestyle, and pop culture. Currently, she is NOT considering any adult fiction (all genres)."

Again, here's one for the YA/MG writing crowd.

Andrew Wetzel, now at Martin Literary Management: "Speaking of my tastes, the areas I’d most like to carve out for myself with Martin Literary Management would be ‘Literary with a capital L’ fiction (think Eugenides, Houellebecq, Murakami, Cormac McCarthy, Martin Amis) as well as the dark corner of the literary list that is slightly less pretentious and slightly more commercial (think Palahniuk, Bret Easton Ellis, Dennis Johnson). That’s a very ‘male’ list and it is definitely where my personal tastes lie. I love a great story but style is just as important to me sometimes. I’m also very interested in reading Young Adult novels, specifically those with a macabre sensibility or a fascinating dystopian or fantasy setting."

Promising for many speculative fiction writers whether writing to adults or YA.

And now onto some good blogpost links:
Write to Express, Not To Impress by Bernadette Pajer
Confusion is Not the Same as Mystery by Mary Kole
The Real Beginning by Mary Kole
Fridays With Agent Kristin: Episode 7 - What is a Plot Catalyst?
The Criteron for Evaluating an Agent by Kristin Nelson
7 Bad Habits of Successful Writers by Rachelle Gardner
Quality Books Take Time by Rachelle Gardner
Contracts by Anne Elliot (The contract between writer and reader)
Something Old, Something New by Sophie Masson
Going Deeper: A Process Rather Than a Technique by Robin LaFevers
How NOT to write a series, OR, Don't put all your eggs in one basket by Jennifer Laughran
ProTips for Published Authors Pt.1: Website Tips by Jennifer Laughran
ProTips for Published Authors Pt. 2: The Bookstore Event by Jennifer Laughran
April Offers--FAQs by Vickie Motter
May Conferences: Prep Work by Vickie Motter
May Conferences: Etiquette by Vickie Motter
Checking References by Sarah LaPolla
Start Your Story: a post from TBA Intern Y on The Bent Agency blog
It's in the details, writers! by Alan Rinzler
Writers Wednesday: An Authors Greatest Tools by E.M. LaBonte
The Five Stages of Query Revisions by Riley Redgate
What Are You Looking for in an Agent? by Jami Gold
Cliffhangers: Not Just for the End of a Book by Jami Gold
Thinking about first person by Patricia C.Wrede
What Kind of Skeleton by Patricia C. Wrede (Plot structure)

I think if I do more your eyes will glaze over. What's listed should fill any spare blog reading time.