M.K. Sholund - Author #amquerying

Had an awesome time last night at the Scary Stories to Tell at Cult Classic last night reading my Weird Wild West story “The Whistler of Silver Creek” with 20 other talented authors!

I’m doing #NovNov and working on some prep stuff. Curious to know what #characterdevelopment questions do you ask your characters? What’s in their fridge? What’s their favorite holiday? What grinds their gears? Fav movie? #writerscommunity #writerssky #authors #novelnovember

Random photo I took today in while finding some locations for a future photo shoot. It’s of Liberty Reservoir in Sykesville/Eldersburg, MD. #maryland

Sorry to hear you got another rejection. I too got another form rej this week and my stats are similar to yours. 110 submissions, 5 full requests - 3 of those are declines/rejections and two are out and do have a revise and resubmit (that I’m working on as the asks are reasonable). 🍀

My novel’s based on true events involving a dilapidated farmhouse and its outbuildings that are falling apart. This is the detached garage that is quoted in the book as “it would fall down if a butterfly landed on it.”

Today I finished my slides for a talk I’m giving Saturday where I get to share my research for my next novel based on a local who murdered his estranged wife in the late 1930s, sentenced for life and lived to be 93. It’s crazy and needs to be told. #writerssky #writerscommunity #booktalk #maryland

Right! Having a beginning to ground the reader - minus info dumps - that can be sprinkled in. Then an inciting incident that throws them for a spin not matter if it’s a coming of age or cross country adventure to find someone or themselves to see how they overcome is what makes a story a story.

I feel the biggest issue in revising is not asking yourself questions about does the beginning hook you, or is it just a bland fact, is it clear who the main character is, can you identify the theme of the book, is it clear what the MC wants and what’s at stake? Also concepts doesn’t = plot.

Some super cheesy ghost jokes shared from a friend. 👻
#opeaghost #podcast #paranormal #funny #ghostjokes

Had a nice time with the Fredrick chapter of the @marylandwriters.bsky.social sharing tips on different ways writers can use #writingprompts like working though problem area in a novel, experiment with different genres or POVs, or as motivation to boost your writing routine.

I agree with this! Often feels like spinning wheels preventing me from working on new stories or projects.

Had positive critique feedback on my first 10 pages with an agent today at the Maryland Writers Association conference #brainstobookshelf ! She liked my writing, said it was polished Suggested to add more sinister language in a few areas. Requested to read 75 pages! #amquerying #wishmeluck #writers

@lizaachilles.bsky.social hey! Great presentation at the @marylandwriters.bsky.social Brains To Bookshelf conference! Happy to follow you. Feel free to follow back if you find my content interesting! Great talk

a man sitting at a desk with a pen and a netflix logo ALT: a man sitting at a desk with a pen and a netflix logo

Today and tomorrow is the #BrainstoBookshelfMWAconference and looking forward to the workshops and my critique with an agent today. What are you up to today? #writerslife #Writingcommunity #critique #amquerying

I just so happen to double check and never put the two together that in querying Megan, I never got a reply (didn’t get a rejection), she’s the person I requested to have my first 10 pages critiqued this weekend at the MWA conference. For that reason I’m not submitting to you at this time.

Double checking as I understand you are seeking horror. Not sure if what I have fits. My comps are Devil in Ohio, The Spite House and Netflix’s the Watcher for atmosphere, folkloric elements, strong female lead, a secret involving a sentient house and it’s ties to a man made reservoir. Helpful?

I queried Meghan F. back my horror novel 1/2024 and got a pass. It's been heavily edited since. Can I query you, BURIED SECRETS ON DARBYTOWN ROAD? Meghan Howard's rural Maryland community unravels after a neighbor's bizarre death reveals buried secrets from the areas past. Based on true events.

My author e-newsletter dropped last night! It now has an all new look and easier to navigate. There's only 4 sections including events I'll be attending this October, a C3 writing conference recap and photos from the month of me out in the wild! #writerscommunity #authorslife #authornewsletter

This is a photo of New York Times Best Selling Author Tom Straw, a Keynote Speaker of Creatures, Crimes and Creativity Con.

This is a photo of me, M.K. Sholund moderating a panel with Robert Creekmore and Susan Gray and Phil Giunta on Voice in the Dark

This photo is of a panels at the C3 Con regarding writing genre bending novels.

This is a photo of myself, M.K. Sholund standing behind at table featuring my book 150+ Prompts: A Creative Writing Journal at the C3 conference as others set up for the Author Signing.

Finally able to share that I was at Creatures Crimes and Creativity Con this past weekend and it was sooo much fun! I was on a panel and moderated another. Soaked in great advice from the Keynote speakers. Sold 6 books. Here’s some pics from the event! #writersconference #authorssky #C3con

Looking for suggestions for an easy to read and distribute my author newsletter. I use MailerLite, but feel like it involves never ending scrolling to read the content. I’ve made traditional ones via Canva, pretty but not easy to read on the phone. What should I do? #authorsky #authorcommunity

Great Carroll Chapter with the Maryland Writer’s Association meeting with Hannah K. On Library Resources for Research. Great group, great questions, fun times!

I love writing during fall and that comes through in my stories as many are set during fall months. Can anyone else relate? #authorsky #writerssky #writersconmunity #amwriting #writers

How about…
The owner of a dilapidated farmhouse is found dead next to an odd symbol. A buried secret tied to the house, seeped in local lore, wreaks havoc on a rural community. One woman’s need to keep her found family together, is forced to right the wrongs of the past before it’s too late.

Horror on the Page is back! To kick things off, here's some of my horror picks to read and watch and exciting writing news I have to share to get into the Halloween spirit.

My Substack, Horror on the Page is back from summer break! My recent post covers my picks for fall #horrormovies and #hortorbooks + info about a Weird Wild West flash story I wrote and will be read at an Oct. event + a horror writing prompt. #horror
open.substack.com/pub/mksholun...

Featured on Duosuma: Feisty Women - Fiction Feisty Women - Fiction by CafeLit ⭐ is accepting submissions through Duosuma. #WritingCommunity

Feisty Women - Fiction by CafeLit ⭐ is accepting submissions through Duosuma. #WritingCommunity

Currently working on getting some new content up on my free substack “Horror on the Page”. Excited to get back into sharing all kinds of things related to the horror genre! #horror #substack #amwriting

Despite it being Labor Day, I used this time to send to finally email two query letters out to two people who are heads of small presses I pitched to at a writing conference back in April - one wanted a full the other requested my first three chapters. #amquerrying #writingcommunity

Good for you in sticking to your guns. That awful “company” has a huge reputation for doing that over and over . Glad you got your refund.

Finished the 5th draft of my horror novel #amquerrying. Very confident this is the very best version and super proud of it. Only hoping an agent will believe in it, this draft as something worth championing! #litagents #horror
#tradpuborbust #writerssky #writingcommunity

I gave a talk at a historical group this past Wednesday sharing my research for an upcoming novel involving a murder that happen where I live in 1938 with the trial in 1939. A relative of the murder brought this matchstick box he made in prison to show me. How cool! #truecrime #writingcommunity