Wednesday, April 13, 2011

A to Z Challenge - K (and Critique Partners)

For the A to Z Challenge, I am featuring some awesome bloggers. These individuals have offered so much support of my book, CassaStar, and me on my blogger journey. Of course, I’ll be keeping up with the world of movies, music, and pop culture stuff as well! Ninjas are just talented that way...


Kelly Polark
Kelly is a delight! In every picture, there’s that big, beautiful smile, and her joy bubbles over into every post and comment. Need a shot of happiness? Want to hear her sing? Visit Kelly today!


I want to thank everyone who answered my call for critique partners. Clarissa, Ellie, Stephanie, and Matthew, I really appreciate your offers. And any of you who need a first chapter critique – Clarissa is powerful! She’ll whip your work into shape in a heartbeat.

After much debating and deep Ninja thoughts (those hurt!), my new critique parters are Jeffrey at World of the Scribe and Rusty at Blutonian Death Egg. Jeffrey has a great sense of where I’m going with my words, and Rusty knows how to catch things I miss. Plus the dude has a great sense of humor – I about died laughing while reading his critique comments!

And Anne at Piedmont Writer will be helping me with the relationship stuff. (Translation – the man/woman stuff!) She’s a fantastic writer – I’m in awe of her use of language in her Regency romance. (And yes, this Ninja DOES know the difference between Regency romance and the Hyatt Regency.) Thanks guys!

59 comments:

Anne Gallagher said...

Thanks Alex. And hey, we all have our niches. I don't know the first thing about warp speed.

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Pleased you have people to help ,
you're spoilt for choice.

Have a good day
Yvonne.

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

You know I'm not Sci-fi but with a name like Blutonian Death Egg..... How can I not check the guy out.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

congrats on your new crit partners :)

Jeff Beesler said...

I am proud to be in the service of the captain ninja!

The Words Crafter said...

Congrats on your crit partners!!! *waving at Anne*

I'll have to come back this afternoon and 'meet' the others you've linked....

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Sounds like a great critique group, Alex!

N. R. Williams said...

It sounds like you have everything lined up. Good luck with critique.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Anne, all I know is it's fast!

Yvonne, spoiled or blessed!

Jeffrey, proud to have you!

Thanks, everyone!

Liz P said...

Congrats on your new crit partners! Sounds like a good team you got there. :)

Laura Pauling said...

Glad you found some crit partners! That's def. important and sounds like a good balance too.

Laura Eno said...

Congrats! Finding the right crit partners can be challenging!

Jules said...

Congrats on the partners and Yes Clarissa rocks! :)
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

SharleneT said...

I can imagine what a tough decision that was -- congratulations on finding your crit partners. So much fun! coming up; no?

Hello, fellow A-Z Challenger! Here's my latest entry. Come visit either of my blogs when you can
and leave some comment love:

K is for Kitchen Konvenience - http://bit.ly/hU4v0h

Twitter: @SolarChief

baygirl32 said...

sounds like a great team!

Tara said...

Great critique partners make our books so much better. Glad you found yours :)

Chris Phillips said...

I think it's important to have crit partners who play different roles/have different strengths.

Sarah Ahiers said...

I will vouch for Anne too, since she beta'd for me and was AWESOME, AMAZING and FAST!!!

Author Joshua Hoyt said...

sounds like things are coming together good luck with it all.

L.A. Colvin said...

Congrats on finding critters you like. Good luck and I hope it all comes together.

Kelly Polark said...

Thank you for featuring me today, Alex! A big smile for you!

Good crits are good to have!

Hart Johnson said...

It's so interesting what different partners bring to the table, isn't it? I've got Legacy with it's 3rd round of people, and have had fabulous advice from many different folks, yet there isn't that much overlap--everyone spots different kinds of things.

Talli Roland said...

Yay for all these awesome people. We're so lucky to have such great bloggers around us.

Leovi said...

Masterful, not to miss any detail of this beautiful blog POLARK KELLY

Bish Denham said...

Looks like you found yourself some excellent crit partners.

(Kelly and Anne have been/are good friends to me!)

Dafeenah said...

Congrats on the critique partners! Best of luck!

LTM said...

Critters are the best, and you've got some great ones listed there. Yay for you guys~ :o)

Anonymous said...

Its great to have friends. I know most of these people. Rusty's great and gives deep thought provoking feedback and comments. Best wishes on your second book, you busy guy you.

mshatch said...

I'm impressed you know the difference between Regency Romance and Hyatt Regency.

Matthew MacNish said...

I didn't know you were working with Jeff, that's very cool!

Scarlett Clay said...

Sound like you are one serious writer!

I homschool my 15 yr. old in literature/history and am always tyring to critique her writing in a way that's constructive and not discouraging. Not always easy to do.

Things got better when I threw away the red pen. :)

Scarlett Clay said...

sorry for the spelling errors (on a writer's blog! yikes!)
I have about 10 minute to look at blogs each day so I'm typing super fasttttttttt

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Jules, she does!

Sarah, she is really good and fast - her critique was the first I received back!

Kelly, you're welcome!

Hart, I discovered this! Everyone sees something different.

LTM, critique partners are critters - I like that!

MsHatch, Ninjas need to know these things...

Matthew, I am now!

Scarlett, that's all right - I wouldn't have even noticed! That's why I need critique partners.

Cheeseboy said...

Alex, you have surrounded yourself with the right kind of supportive bloggers and others. You can only succeed as far as the company you keep. You will only continue to do well in life.

Unknown said...

it's nice how your blogs always seem to be thanking people. It's nice to hear & see thanks from people that you help in anyway, sometimes people just forget that now a days and that little word can mean a lot to someone that is feeling a little underappreciated or invisible:-)

Stop by and give K is for Karma a read:-)

Ella said...

Nice to meet new Ninjas! lol Sounds like a great team you have lined up~
Off to check out the new gals!
I use to work with a Hyatt at a Best Western, poor kid. YOU can hear the jokes now,"Hyatt you should work at the Hyatt"...it was lame~ Good to know you can tell the difference; Some Ninjas can't...

Ellie Garratt said...

No need for thanks - getting to read part of your sequel was thanks enough!

It sounds as if you have the right crit partners set up. I must send something to Clarissa!

Ellie Garratt

Unknown said...

I need a critique partner, she says in a very small voice :(

Elizabeth Mueller said...

Hi, Alex! So happy for friends! Looks like you're well loved. :)

♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥

Stephanie Lorée said...

So glad you found some partners! Best of luck in everything.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Cheeseboy, I accept that fortune!

Up, I wouldn't be where I'm at without my online friends.

Ella, I'm a clever Ninja.

Ellie, you should! Wow, she did an awesome job.

Lauracea, check with Clarissa and Stephanie - they do super critiques!

The Old Silly said...

Good use of the 'K' post. :) But - there is a difference between Regency Romance and the Hyatt? Hmm ...

Marvin D Wilson

Patricia A. Timms-McGehee said...

Congrats on your new crit partners. I agree with you on Kelly. She's awesome! I love her.

You guys are doing a great job on the blogging challenge by the way. I enjoyed reading the various posts on my phone while I was on Spring Break.

Unknown said...

Congrats on finding the critique partners. And thanks for Kelly's link I'll have to check her out.

Michael Di Gesu said...

That's terrific, Alex. I'm glad you found crit partners that will push you into your next published novel.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Marvin, one houses more than just romance...

Patricia, glad you could check in on us!

Michael, they will push, prod, shove, fling...

Old Kitty said...

Yay for amazing Cap'n Ninja's Army of Adorable Angels!!!

Take care
x

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

You are wonderful, Alex. Thanks for all the kind words and for Thursday's post (in advance).
xo Robyn

Denise Covey said...

These are some awesome bloggers you feature.

Denise<3

Geech! Just listening to the American deficit as I type here. How many trillions was that again?? One scary economy!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Kitty, the name just keeps getting longer...

You are welcome, Robyn - in advance!

Scary isn't it Denise?

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Alex, you're killing me here. I'm trying to visit hundreds of blogs from the challenge in some semblance of order and you keep giving me suggestions for other great links.

Rusty Carl said...

I am honored you chose to go with humor over substance... sigh. Lucky for me my wife made the same choice.

Seriously, I'm totally jazzed about reading the whole thing. Can't wait to get started.

Helen Ginger said...

Congratulations of finding compatible critique partners. That's not always an easy thing to do!

Arlee Bird said...

Rusty and Jeffrey are good choices. I think they will give some great feedback.


Lee
Tossing It Out

Jai Joshi said...

Have fun with your new critique partners! I treasure my own writing support network so I hope you have as much fun with yours as I do with mine.

Jai

Unknown said...

I'm so glad you found your crit partners. Mine are invaluable and they have whipped my work into shape faster than exercise is whipping my body into shape.

mymy said...

i love sci-fi! i should check out your book. now! :)

mymy
My bric-a-brac

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Sorry, Susan!

Rusty, isn't that how all wives make their choice?

Mymy, thanks!

Will Burke said...

Glad that you found your right- fits. It's a fine line between "good" and "good for this project," eh?