Happy Monday, everyone! Do I sound as manic as Effie Trinket, or what? So sorry. But it is the start of a new week and we may as well make it a good one, right? I’ve had an amazing writing retreat weekend with my fabulous critique partners Cici and Carol, who flew out to stay with me on Friday and are heading back to Texas tomorrow. Friday night we got to spend time with Marissa, too, who then promptly ditched us for a weekend in her sick bed. Meanwhile, the three of us plotted and polished and sound-boarded, watched movies, and drank a LOT of wine, but did I mention that we also made serious writing progress? Having those extra eyes and ears and hearts to help you wrap your head around something is just incredible, and the extra hands cracking the whip don’t hurt either.

All of that being the case, here’s the final round of edits for the September First Five Pages workshop. We are down to three manuscripts due to illness and a new job that started last week. But I hope you will give these three entries the extra attention. Help us out. Tell us what you think about each one. Does it hook you? What makes you stop reading? What would make it even stronger?

Comment on all three and you’ll be eligible for a copy of Liz Gallagher’s MY NOT SO STILL LIFE.

Here’s what Goodreads has to say:

Vanessa is wise beyond her years. She’s never really fit in at school, where all the kids act and dress the same. She’s an artist who expresses her talent in the wacky colors she dyes her hair, her makeup and clothes. She’s working on her biggest art project, and counting the days until she’s grown up and can really start living. That adult world seems closer when Vanessa gets her dream job at the art supply store, Palette, where she worships the couple who runs it, Oscar and Maye. And she’s drawn to a mysterious guy named James, who leads her into new, sometimes risky situations. Is she ready for this world, or not?