Join Colleen Houck (author of TIGER'S CURSE) and a boatload of other YALITCHAT.ORG member authors on the YA Scavenger Hunt. You have three days to visit these amazing author sites & enter to win prizes, while checking out exclusive content from each of the participating writers. To name a…

Author Sherry Soule’s YA paranormal novel BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN was recently released by Moonlight Publishing. She dropped by to answer a few questions and share some information on her fantastic Spellbound series.

Can you tell us a bit about your…

A list of contests happening right now! Featuring members Brinda Berry, Ebyss, Susan Kaye Quinn, and Lisa Desrochers, to name a few: http://bit.ly/osXOhD

If you're running a contest or giveaway and I've missed you, please add a link in the comments!

Beginning a new blog series on common writing redundancies:

http://bit.ly/l5ERXz

Author Jen K. Blom's MG debut--POSSUM SUMMER--releases today. Jen stopped by YALitchat.org to reflect on her journey now that her long-awaited novel is going out into the world. Not everything went as expected and she shares a few pearls of wisdom for all of us aspiring…

We're thrilled to have Jasmine Denton on YALitChat.org! Her debut INNER DEMONS releases today, and she has several more releases lined up in the coming months, including FROM THE DAMAGE: OPPOSITES ATTRACT (5/22) and SOUL OF THE SEA (6/15). Not too shabby, eh? We're impressed and we're sure that…

Today is release day for debut author Rebecca Ryals Russell! ODESSA, The first novel in her Seraphym Wars Series is now out with Muse It Up Publishing. Rebecca dropped by YALitchat.org to share her thanks and a bit about how she'll be spending the day. Please drop by Rebecca's page to wish her well, or find her off-site on twitter or her…

Kirsten Hubbard's debut, LIKE MANDARIN releases today! As part of the celebration, she stopped by YALitchat.org to share how she'll be spending her day. If you'd like to wish Kirsten a happy book birthday, you can find her at her website or on twitter @kirstenhubbard. Use the hashtag #likemandarin to connect with Kirsten and help her spread the word about this great new…

Lots of releases dropping today, including three from YALitchat.org members Lee Nichols, Rachel Hawkins, and Kim Harrington. Some beautiful covers, catchy sequels, and great plots!

BETRAYAL (Haunting Emma #2) by Lee Nichols

http://www.leenicholsbooks.com/

Emma Vaile is the most powerful ghostkeeper in centuries. Which is…

Shannon Delany dropped by YALitchat.org to share how she'll be celebrating the book birthday for her second novel SECRETS AND SHADOWS. If you can't stop by her release party at The Green Toad (in Oneonta, NY) please drop by #yalitchat on twitter on 2/23. Shannon obtained her contract for 13 TO LIFE after it was serialized as a cell phone novel and will be chatting with us on non-traditional paths to traditional publishing deals.

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So you sign with an agent. They have all kinds of fantastic suggestions for improvements to your novel.



Yay! Fanfare! Much cheering and embarrassing celebratory behavior!!



Next comes the hard work.



I'm just winding down my first round of agent edits on Captive Magic (with full knowledge that a second round of tweaks is to follow). It has been A LOT more work than I expected. All productive, necessary work, but no less brain melting for that.



Exhibit A:…