Well, it’s summertime in my neck of the woods and I’m having a blast—sleeping in, spending time with my kids, and enjoying the weather. Now if only I had some good reading material…Aha!
CONTEST CLOSED!

It’s Critiques 4 U Time!
If you’re working on a first page and would like some objective feedback, please leave a comment that includes:
1) your email address. Some of you have expressed concern about making your email address public; if you’re sure that the email address associated with your WordPress account is correct, you don’t have to include it here. But if you do win and I’m unable to contact you through that email address, I’ll have to choose an alternate winner.
2) your story’s genre (no erotica, please)
ONLY ENTRIES THAT FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED
Three commenters’ names will be randomly drawn and posted tomorrow. If you win, you can email me your first page and I’ll offer my feedback. Best of luck!
Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.
And the winners are…
Louise Willis
Mary Kate
Mary Incontro
Thanks for entering, everyone! See you next month :).
Hi Becca,
Thank you for the generous opportunity!
tambrakendall@att.net
Paranormal Romance
jones . dylan 19 @ yahoo . com No Spaces
Urban Fantasy YA
Hi Becca,
Thanks for offering your valuable time.
sloantamar@gmail.com
YA contemporary romance
Have a fabulous day!
sumjemgam@frontier.com
middle-grade fiction
Thanks!
I would love to know your thoughts on my historical romance, “River Farm.” Thank you so much! lonnaseibert@yahoo.com
Love to win. Literary Fiction—Mystery —
Thank you.
This is an awesome opportunity! Thank you for doing it. I love all of the thesauri/thesauruses you both have published. I have a New Adult Paranormal Romance that I’d love to get the first page critiqued.
email: judylmohr@gmail.com
YA Military Science Fiction
I would love help with the start of my second book of my middle grade fantasy/adventure. Thanks for the opportunity.
verbatimak@aol.com
Hi, Becca,
I’d love to get a critique on the first page of one of my YA SF novels. My email address is diana.beebe at gmail.com.
Thanks!
Diana
Would love feedback on my YA contemporary. My wordpress is connected to my email so we should be good. Thanks!
Thank you Becca. I appreciate that you’re doing this.
I’m Sylvie and my email is soumyana (at) gmail (dot) com
I write (YA) fantasy.
Thank YOU!
karen sargent 87 @ gmail.com (no spaces) 🙂
Christian women’s fiction
i write women’s fiction
I’d love to win a critique. Thanks.
1) carols64 (at) live (dot) co (dot) uk
2) YA fantasy
My story, “Silent Voices,” is mainstream, literary fiction.
OK, I’m in!
Email address added to “Leave a Reply” (and should be on WP).
GENRE: Historical Fiction
Science Fantasy
Gloin and Tatiana stood on a rock watching the new Lieutenant strut around importantly, and fill his boots with sand. The rock was one they regularly stood on, although from time to time they would find that it had been moved. Their vantage point afforded them an excellent view of the beaches of the coastline while allowing them to remain sheltered below the ridges of fused sand that marked the edge of the Scour. To the north and south stretched white sand untouched by the pollution that blackened the rest of the coastline, though it still stank of dead fish. Gloin tapped up the gain on his nasal filters.
“I was never that young,” Tatiana insisted. “I was born with the sense not to invite sand-fleas into my shoes.”
The Lieutenant had been like a puppy, eager to give chase when the six heliothopters had raced by the base engines screaming. Gloin had tried to dissuade him from pursuing them, but he’d called them all a bunch of slackers, and refused to listen when he was told there was nothing to worry about.
“But those are Yeol ‘thopters.”
He’d harried the Captain, who’d finally raised her head from her hammock and told him he could take a detail and chase after them if he wanted. She was hungover after a long weekend in Port Aobern. He grinned wisely. Joan Anthes did like the troll johnnies.
Gloin turned his attention to his battle companion and chuckled. “And yet, here you are, babysitting yet another surplus high-born son until he serves his family well by getting himself killed.” Before them, on this particular day, the rock gave them a nice view into the Corson Divide without raising them into the path of the noxious black smoke that marked the funeral pyre of the six ‘thopters they’d been chasing.
“And you’re not babysitting?”
Gloin grinned and admired Tatiana’s human form. “I never claimed to have sense. After all, here I am still in the Patrol when I should be back home on the loch bouncing great-grandbabies on my knee. There are compensations.”
justlo1@shaw.ca
High Fantasy
Oh! I had a question. What counts as a page?
Hi, Sherry. If you format your manuscript to double-spaced and 12-point font, I’ll be able to read the first page of it :).
OK, thanks!! 🙂
GENRE: Romance (I think)
EMAIL: jcmartellgm at gmail dot com
Summer in Alabama at 97 degrees. Enjoying the sunshine from my windows!
Sure do need your help. Here’s hoping.
Thanks for the opportunity.
This is contemporary romance.
Where to start doesn’t usually stump me, but I need help on Raven’s Cry to know if it has any life or zip or HOOK!
I love your books and look forward to a critique from you.
1) Email–included
2) Genre–fanfiction (fantasy/adventure)
My story’s genre is contemporary realistic fiction
Email: ofamily17@gmail.com
Genre: paranormal romance
cathybrockmanromance@gmail.com
genre: sweet and spicy contemporary romance
cowboys, baseball players, older woman/younger man a touch of humor
Kristengjohnson@gmail.com
Historical fiction
Thanks
Your Emotional Thesaurus is by my side every time I write a story. I’m currently resurrecting a manuscript I started years ago, before I knew how to write. It’s still kicking my butt and I’d love some feedback.
writerwitz@pacbell.net
Genre: Your selection choice from 7 short stories…
1-Sci-Fi
2-Mystery
3-Literary Fiction-Mystery
4-Romantic Thriller
5-Horror Comedy
6-Tragedy
7-Literary Fiction-Coming of Age
I’m throwing my hat into the ring! My email is the one associated with my WP account, and my genre is YA epic fantasy.
Literary fiction.
e-mail : bjbischof@gmail.com
genre: (cozy) murder mystery
icrusoe@live.se
Paranormal romance YA