Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Gearing Up to Get an Agent


Deana Barnhart
Yesterday, I visited Marcie Colleen’s blog, The Write Routine, and found out she was participating in the GUTGAA blogfest.  Curious, I clicked over to Deana Barnhart’s blog to see what it was all about. 

GUTGAA, which stands for Gearing Up to Get an Agent, is a month-long challenge of meet and greet activities, polishing pitches, and making connections with other serious writers, in hopes to land an agent.

For today's exercise, I give you a brief bio and answer questions posted by Deanna Barnhart.  So to all my fellow GUTGAA challengers and to those who are curious as I was...

WELCOME!

Bio:  My name is pronounced, RO-mah-lee.  It’s a combination of my parents’ names.  Why my name is spelled the way it is, is another story.  Anyway, I am a dental hygienist, mother of two young boys, marathoner, triathlete-in-training, student of the Picture Book Academy, and children's writer.  My husband tells me I don’t know how to rest.  It’s true.  Even in my dreams, I am thinking about my next big story. 

Where do you write?
I write anywhere and everywhere.  Whenever I have the time to write, I write.  I have my handy composition book and pen with me at all times.  Sometimes I’ll write in my car while waiting for my kids to get out of school or after I've dropped them off.  I also write during my lunch break at work, during half-time at my sons’ soccer games, and before bedtime (if I’m not too exhausted).  If you want to see my varying work space, visit My Desk.

Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?
My husband is next to me in bed, watching videos of my son’s baseball games on his iPhone while I am working on answering these meet and greet questions.  Romantic, isn’t it.

Favorite time to write?
My favorite time to write is in the morning after I’ve dropped the kids off to school.  I’d sit in my car in the school’s parking lot and write while waiting for the traffic to die before I head out to work.  It’s pretty quiet if I keep my windows closed.  The playground in front of me gives me inspiration for my stories.

Drink of choice while writing?
My favorite drink is a nice hot cup of chai tea latte.  It warms my soul, soothes my mind, and takes me to my happy place.  It helps my writing muse.  But the reality is, I drink mostly water.


When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?
I prefer to write in silence.  Music distracts me.  I can’t write and dance at the same time.

What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?
My inspiration for my manuscripts always comes from my two boys.  They are fun, active, witty, and silly- perfect qualities for a great picture book.

What's your most valuable writing tip?
Aside from READ, READ, READ and WRITE, WRITE, WRITE, I recommend finding a critique group.  It made a huge difference in my writing career.  I’ve learned a great deal from my peers.  Feedback is valuable!

~Happy Writing!

24 comments:

  1. Hey Romelle,

    Just dropping by during my optimal reading time to say nice to meet you! You seem to have the perfect "favourite time to write" for your work :)

    Cheers and have fun during #GUTGAA!

    John
    http://www.johnkrissilas.com/

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    1. My first visitor of GUTGAA! Thank you for stopping by!

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  2. So glad to meet you! I love that you use your kids as inspiration. I've stolen a story idea or two from mine.

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    1. They are also responsible for me writing children's stories in the first place.

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  3. Hi! Great to meet another children's writer - are you a member of SCBWI? GUTGAA

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    1. Yes, I am! Heading over to your blog now. I'm looking for more children's author participating in GUTGAA.

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  4. So true about critique groups. Also writing and reading. Nice to meet you!

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    1. Nice to meet you too. Thanks for stopping by, Liz.

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  6. Romelle, as someone with a name that not everyone can pronounce, I appreciate the pronunciation clues!

    Doing triathalons on top of raising children is about two degrees of energy beyond me, but you go, girl!

    I'm happy to make your acquaintance during the blogfest.

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    1. With a name like this, it forced me to overcome my shyness growing up...always trying to correct the people with the pronunciation. So I'm used to it. Nice to meet you too!

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  7. GUTGAA sent me to meet you, and glad I did! Hahaha so romantic how the iPhones are so handy and well, ... always in hand, too! I can picture you with the boys and love the advice for writing. I have not participated in a Critique Group... always up for taking it to the next level...thanks!!!

    Dr Margaret Aranda
    www.drmargaretaranda.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks for stopping by! Yes, you should hook up with a critique group in your genre. My genre is picture books. I took classes on it, read many books, but the most I've gained was from my critique group!

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  8. Yum, chai tea latte. I say yay to that! I also love the post-school-drop-off calm. See you around Gutgaa!

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    1. "CALM" is rare in my household so, yes, it's lovely! Thanks for stopping by, Jenn.

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  9. I can't write and dance, either. ^_^ Best wishes with GUTGAA!

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    1. LOL! How about chew gum and write? There's a story in there somewhere...

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  10. My kids inspire me as well. You never know what they're gonna come up with.

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    1. So true! Hey, nice to meet another children's writer. I was starting to feel like a kid in a new school.

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  11. Hey! It's nice to meet you through GUTGAA! It's funny, we both answered the same on the 2nd question!
    Best wishes during the blogfest. It's gong to be so much fun:) I'm finding lots of new blogs to follow:)
    Talynn #28

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    1. Nice meeting you too. I stopped by your blog earlier. That's so nice to get a personalized rejection from an agent. We should always look for the good in everything!

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  12. I had no idea you were a dental hygienist. Do you think of stories when you are in a patient's mouth? You must have a lot of stories about saliva and spitting and people talking like Charlie Brown's teachers.

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    1. LOL! Yes, I do. But I only wrote one story, a nonfiction article, for STORIES FOR CHILDREN magazine titled, POTTY MOUTH, in the August 2009 issue. You'd think I'd have more on that topic to write about.

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  13. Sounds like you need to write on the run, because you are on the run a lot! I laughed about the hubby on the iPhone. The technology is often close by (at all times) in our family.

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