Pitch Wars 2015 Mentee Bio!

Hello, fellow PitchWars members, mentors, and general passerby!
My name is Jami Montgomery, and as you can tell by the date of my last post, I am terrible at keeping up with a blog.
In fact, if you farther than a week back on my Twitter, you'll see that everything I used to post was linked to my Instagram.
Basically, I use my use Facebook author page Jami's Author Page to keep my friends, family, and fans up to date on my life.
But you're here because you either found the link on my Twitter account, happen to still follow this dead blog, or happened upon it somehow or another. And you're here to learn a little about me. So here's some random facts.

1) I love cupcakes. With sprinkles. Lots of sprinkles.
2) I live in a VERY small town in South Texas.
3) I have two dogs. A poodle named Cooper and a pomapoo named Melody. They are my loves.
4) I have the most amazing, nerdy boyfriend EVER.
5) Through said boyfriend, I have a stepson who I call my own. He's 14 months old and entirely too adorable.
6) I love baby animals. Puppies, kittens, elephants, penguins. Even opossums.
7) I'm a giant nerd. I'm talking anime, video games, card games, the works.
8) I love books, obviously.
9) I write books, also obviously. I've finished a Sci-Fi trilogy with my best friend, a contemporary NA novel, also with said friend, a historical fantasy, a supernatural book dealing with ghosts and reapers, a dark YA contemporary, and a YA urban fantasy as of this moment.
10) I hate writing synopsis'
11) My pitch wars novel is a Dark YA Contemporary titled The Slum Heirs
12) I work as a waitress part time
13) I commute an hour a day, and I use this time to listen to audio books so I keep caught up on my Goodreads reading goal
14) I love to cook
15) I also love to bake
16) I'm really bad at talking about myself. I never feel like I have anything interesting to say
17) I'm twenty-five!
18) My dream is to be a full time writer/editor someday. Basically, I want words to pay my bills
19) I like watching someone else play video games more than I like playing them myself.


And that's all I can think of, folks! Happy PitchWars to all you entrants out there! Let's be friends! And good luck!!

Worst. Blogger. Ever

No, this isn't a post made to bash someone who I think is a terrible blogger. It's an admission that I, myself, am horrible. I can never seem to remember I have a blog. Or, when I do remember, I never know what to write about.

That seems to be a running trend with me, these days.

So today, I was sitting on my couch surrounded by pens, notebooks, maps of fantasy worlds, my laptop, two different flash drives and a half empty Cherry Coke when I realized I was a quarter of the way through rewriting a novel, and I was still struggling. Why? Because I truly wasn't happy with how the first draft turned out, but I was having a hard time getting through the new draft.

Not for lack of trying, mind you. I really love this new draft. But the first draft wrote itself. Truly. I'd sit down at my keyboard, open the doc, and just go. And a wonderful story that I loved that just needed a bit of fine tuning popped out.

Now when I sit down to write, I stare at the screen wondering what I'm doing with my life. And maybe that's the problem. Because you see, it's not just the rewrite giving me problems. It's literally everything I sit down to work on. (except this blog post... go figure). Nothing seems to want to work for me right now. And while I want to chalk it up to my best friend/twin/writing buddy extraordinaire being away at camp, maybe it's all just me.

I've been having a lot of doubts lately. Book sales have been slow, writing has been impossible. I'm at that point where I'm wondering if I'm good enough to do this. I can write book after book, but that doesn't mean they'll ever actually get me anywhere. Sure, I have people who've enjoyed what I've written. Not on any kind of grand scale, and most of them are friends, but it counts, right? Maybe?

Maybe I'm just too hard to please. Maybe I'll never be fully satisfied with anything that I write. But I Guess the important thing is that I keep trying. Even when I go through a few months where every word I write just seems like crap that adds nothing to the story or changes the plot too much and ends up erased. Even when I don't have anyone behind me, cheering me on.

What I need right now is to finish another book, whether it be something I'm co-writing or something completely my own.

All that requires is sitting down and writing, right? *sigh* The one thing I haven't been able to do.

Sorry for the long, angsty, rantish post. Just wanted you all to know that I'm alive and semi-well and still going after this crazy dream.

Happy reading!

Jami

Pitcharama

Title: Standing Up and Standing Out
Author: Jami Montgomery and Caitlan Honer
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Word count: 91,000
Synopsis:

Charlie Onyx: On the surface: Resident Prep. Rich kid. Spoiled. Cocky, sarcastic, and loves to hit on anything that walks.
Underneath: Gay. Abused. Scared to be who he is because of the pain that comes with it.

Zee Bargo: On the surface: Cynical. Sarcastic. Dating the hottest girl from prep school. Doesn’t need anyone.
Underneath: Dealing with family illness. Previous drug abuser and cutter. Doesn’t let people in because his past is filled with betrayal.

Charlie and Zee: Learning how to stand up, so that they can stand out.

Long Time, No See

So, I realize I have been horribly absent lately. Here's a list of why:

1) I started a new book review blog with a friend of mine, and it's taken up quite a bit of time between designing it and reading books and writing reviews. We've set up author interviews and giveaways, and it's just been so much fun. You can go to www.blogger.com/dualperspectivesreviews to check it out.

2) I am in the process of rewriting Knight's End. "But Jami! You already published that one!" Yes, yes, I know. But with all of the LotR I've been watching lately and the fantasy novels I've been reading, I started to notice something wrong with Knight's End. It's supposed to be a historical fantasy, but the fantasy elements are just barely there. Not only that, but I have an elaborate world of corrupt monarchs and knights and forests and mind readers and I don't really show any of that in the first book, aside from the Rogue murdering people. I just sort of realized that it could have been so much better, and now I am working on making it that better book (I am 12,000 words into the rewrite, so it'll be a bit before you see it.)

3) I have also been busy doing final edits on a ghost story called Otherworldly that I plan to release in January of next year. I wrote most of the book in June and then did rewrites and finished the story in October. After more rewrites, added and deleted scenes and work with a couple of excellent photographers and designers on the cover, I am waiting for the files to be approved so I can do my final read-through, touch some stuff up, and then release it on kindle and in paperback. It is available to add to your goodreads "To-Read" list now, though, at this link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16287012-otherworldly

4) Work and school. I switched jobs *which I may have mentioned in an earlier post, since it's been a few months* and I actually like my job so I've actually been going to work. And it pretty much wipes me out for the night. On my nights off, I am blogging, writing, reading, and therefore not spending any time at all with my blog. School... here's a touchy subject. I am currently taking the last Business Management class offered at my college, as well as two introductory Criminal Justice classes. I am not enjoying any of them, and they just stress me out to no ends. Finals are this coming Tuesday, so guess what I've been doing?! Not studying. No, just doing last minute homework and looking forward to kissing these classes goodbye.

5) Thinking about moving. Looking for apartments in different cities and restaurants I could work at and colleges with writing programs has taken so much time out of my life. And I still have no idea where I want to go. I basically know what I want to do for the rest of my life (write and work for a publishing company), but I have no idea where I want to do that...

And that's about it... my life in five paragraphs. That's sort of sad, really. Until next time, happy reading!

Jami

Spreading the Book Love

So, apparently November is book love month. Or share the book love month. In any case, it's sort of fitting. Next weekend, I am heading up to South Carolina to meet a fellow writer/book lover friend. We are going to go book shopping and spend Saturday at YALL Fest, a huge festival of over 40 YA authors who will be talking and signing books. I also have a pitch session that day, but you know. *brushes off shoulders*

In any case, in honor of book love month, here's what I love about books, whether it be reading them or writing them.

Reading: You can be anyone you want to be when you are reading a book. You're a girl trapped in space who may never see her parents again. You're a boy in a dystopian setting fighting for your life and the lives of your friends. You're a dragon, a princess, a knight, an astronaut, a normal girl with problems too big for you to handle (and yet, somehow, you make it out okay). I think the best part about reading is being transported into someone else's life so far that you feel like you ARE that someone else. It's a great escape from whatever is going on in your own life.

Writing: Being the person who lets someone else escape. Basically, the same thing, only the opposite end. Making people feel something with your words. Making people cry, laugh, feel happy for things that happen to your characters.

I guess I should say something about my favorite authors. I love Sherrilyn Kenyon, Cassie Clare, Beth Revis, Michelle Hodkin, and so, so, SO many others. I own so many books that I am running out of room, and yet there always seems to be just enough space for ONE. MORE. SHELF.

If you love books, head over to Ms. Revis' blog. She is running an awesome contest for book lovers in the US.

To get to the contest, go to the following address and fill out the raffle copter to enter to win. Blog posts and such give you extra entries. So spread the love!!

http://bethrevis.blogspot.com/


Best of luck! If you win, share with me ;)

Until next time!


Jami Montgomery

M.I.A

Yes, I know I have been gone for a while. A rather long while. Here's what's up with me:

Knight's End is on Amazon as an ebook and a paperback, and on Smashwords as an ebook.
I am in the process of rewriting Nineteen, which I intend to self-publish next (maybe after querying a bit).
I am in the process of planning the second Knight novel and about fifteen other books.
School started today and I am already stressed. (I'm a sophomore in college, for those of you who don't know).
I have a new job! Still waiting tables but at a better place and I am so, so, so happy!
I am looking for Beta readers for the new version of Nineteen and for Otherworldly (which I hope to finish this year and start editing to publish).

I guess that's all that's new with me. I've been super busy lately trying to get a book review blog up-and-running (It's called Word Splash and I severely need to update it). Not to mention with work and getting ready for college to start and cleaning up around my house, I just don't have much time for anything lately. But I will try to keep this updated with how my writing is going, even if I have to make a new page with a word count meter to do it!

Ciao for now, friends!

Jami Montgomery

What makes a Hook a Hook?

What makes a hook a hook? A red trench coat, just the right amount of brass, and a crocodile craving your other hand. 

Oh, you thought I meant a book hook. Well, you’re right. What makes an agent take a look at your manuscript and immediately know they have a winner? What does it take to make that perfect first line that makes everyone want to read more? That’s what I am going to try and find out, with you along for the ride.

    Different sources say different things. Some say a great hook is the first line while others say the hook can reside anywhere in the first paragraph. To start off, let’s take a look at a few “hooks” from well known books and authors.

    I’m sure you know who J.K Rowling is, as well as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley. What was the line that started it all for J.K Rowling, allowing her world to take off, take form, and take over?

“Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of Number Four, Privet Drive were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.”

     While not entirely hooking, you still have to wonder. Why do they feel the need to claim they are normal? Why do they feel the need to express this fact? Is it because they are, in fact, of the not normal crowd?   Questions coming from the opening line of a book will make the reader want to read more, explore until they find the answers to these questions. All in all, such a simple sentence proved to be an amazing hook, as most kids and young adults have read the miraculous story that is Harry Potter.

     How about a lesser known author, someone not many people have read. The next book hook I am about to feature happens to be my all time favorite book. Coming from someone who has read about 700 books, maybe more, in her lifetime, that is truly saying something. Anyone know who Tamora Pierce is? Have you read her Alana series? The first book in said series is the hook I am about to lay into.

     “That is my decision.”

     See? Again, the hook is not all that descriptive, nor does it give you any helpful information as to what the book is about. But it DOES raise questions. What decision? Who is making them? Who are they deciding against? What are they deciding? This is without a doubt my all time favorite book, as I said before, even though it doesn’t have the strongest hook. Sometimes, you have to read further in to find the real hook, the real piece of the story that makes you want to continue reading. Once I started Alana, I never put it down, and I have reread it dozens of times. It never ceases to amaze me.

     Hmm,.. let’s go into someone else not so well know who is heading the way into the new Dystopian trend. Lauren Oliver!

     “It had been sixty-four years since the president and the Consortium identified love as a disease, and forty-three since the scientists had perfected a cure.”

     That is the opening line of Lauren Oliver’s newest book, Delirium, the first book of a new, Dystopian trilogy. I was instantly drawn into this book, and it was another that I could not stop reading once I had started.

     Okay, how about another pretty well known woman? Well, she’s well known where I live. I am sure she is known by a lot of ya’ll as well. If she isn’t, you are living a sad, sad existence. P.C. Cast anyone? Her House of Night novels have taken over, and I can only hope they will soon trump the Twilight phase. Bye bye, Edward and Bella. HELLO Stark and Zoey!

     “Just when I thought my day couldn’t get any worse I saw the dead guy standing at my locker.”

     Okay.. now who doesn’t want to read more, right!! I mean, a dead guy standing at this poor person’s locker? And how did a dead guy manage to get into the school, anyway?

     I think that’s enough example. How about some helpful tips for building YOUR perfect hook, taken from answers.com:

         1)     Do not try to write your hook sentence first. If you already have an idea for one, awesome. Go ahead and write some of your novel before coming back to make sure that hook is perfect and eye catching, as well as attention grabbing.

    2)      Make certain you start your story at the right place. Many sources will tell you to start as close to the action as possible. If your character is going to be kidnapped, don’t start your book a year in advance. Start maybe a day ahead, at the most. That way, you aren’t bogging your book down with annoying, useless, time consuming details.

   3)       Try not to infodump! A lot of infodumping after a great hook can immediately turn a reader off to your book. SHOW us what you want us to know through your characters’ actions, your scenery, your dialogue. Don’t TELL us what we need to know. We WILL tune out and throw the book across the room..

4)           Think of a question the reader will want to find the answer to, like I said in my above hook posts. If the hook makes your reader ask questions, they will most likely continue to read. As they read, make more questions rise so that they have to read until the end to have all of their questions answered. If you are writing a series, end the first book with more questions that will make them anxious to read the next and answer those as well.

     I hope this has been helpful. I suppose I will end this essay length blog with one more awesome hook, as well as take a look at my own hook and let you see what you think of it.  How about the hook from Amanda Ashley’s Captive, by far my favorite book by this particular author, which is saying something since I have read every single one of her books. :)

     “The first time Lady Ashlynne Myrafloures saw the prisoner who would be known as Number Four, he was nearly naked, lying in an ever-widening pool of his own blood.”

     See! Catching! Makes questions such as who is this Lady Ashlynne? Why is she watching a prisoner? In fact, why is there a prisoner at all? Is there a war? Is he a captured man? Is he a disobedient servant? Ect…

     Okay, now the hook to my newest NIP, Knight’s End. Tell me what you think. Does it make you question what is happening? Does it make you want to read more? I will post my prologue hook and my chapter one hook, simply because I skipped the hooks from prologues of the above books.

     Prologue Hook:

     “Adrenaline had gotten him this far.”

     Chapter One Hook:

    “He’d never been summoned without reason before.”

    Tell me what you think of my hooks. Could they be better? Do they make you think? Thanks for reading my obnoxiously long but hopefully helpful blog! I really enjoyed writing it and I hope it helps you in your own writing.  The next time you read a book, stop after the first sentence, grab a piece of paper and a pen, and write down all the questions that come to mind. When you finish reading the book, go back to that list (use it as a book mark so you don’t lose it) and see how many of your questions were answered. It’ll be a fun exercise. In fact, I am about to start reading The Hunger Games, and I think I’m going to do this.. Should be fun :D Til next time!

PHOTOS COPYRIGHT THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS
Knight's End cover COPYRIGHT Jami Montgomery