Friday Freestyle: Crescent Moon Press is Having a YA Contest

Okay, Oasis Seekers, remember back in May when we introduced you to Heather Howland, the acquiring editor at Crescent Moon Press? (If not, here’s the link so you can go study up.) Well, we’ve asked Heather to join us again and share some VERY EXCITING NEWS FOR ALL YOU DEBUT YA AUTHORS OUT THERE.

Heather, I don’t want to steal your thunder, so take it away...

Thanks, Jessie! And thanks to all the Oasis ladies for inviting me to stop by and share our fabulous news!

Crescent Moon Press, an award-winning boutique publisher of fantasy, futuristic,
and paranormal romance, is hosting its annual Ides of March writing contest.
This year, we've added a new twist...

Would you like YOUR manuscript to launch our brand new YA imprint?

That's right, CMP is branching out! If you write paranormal or fantasy YA with
strong romantic elements, we'd love to take a look at your work. Enter our Ides
of March contest for a chance to win a cash prize and a publishing contract!

Contest info can be found here: http://www.crescentmoonpress.com/contest.html

Being a YA writer and book-devourer, I’m thrilled to be opening CMP’s proverbial doors to the genre I love. With how fast the industry is embracing ebooks, and half the teens on the planet asking for Nooks, Kindles, and iPhones for Christmas, the demand for YA in electronic format will grow exponentially.

And it all starts with the Ides of March Contest.

Wow - pretty awesome, right? Assuming some anonymous blog reader out there *cough, cough* were interested in the contest, he or she might want a few follow up details about what it really means to win the Ides of March contest. So, inquiring minds want to know...

Can you tell us more about CMP and how it works with its authors. For example, are your authors placed in retailers as well as on Amazon? How has CMP been supporting its authors in marketing and publicity?

Crescent Moon Press titles are distributed through Ingrams and Baker & Taylor – two of the largest print distributors out there. Currently, print books are available online through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powells, and Target, to name a few. Our titles can be bought in electronic format through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and All Romance Ebooks. Booksellers are also able to order directly from Crescent Moon Press. A number of our books are carried in smaller book chains and in specialty shops.

We have a very active marketing community, and an equally active marketing manager. CMP places ads in magazines (such as Romantic Times), helps locate and/or provides promotional opportunities, and supplies ARCs for reviews. Our authors are incredible when it comes to networking and drawing new authors into the fold. They organize blog tours and cross-promote each other’s work regularly.

I have to confess, I’m in lust with most of the CMP-produced covers. Who does the artwork and how is it born? Can you tell us about that process and do the authors have any say?

All authors fill out a cover art sheet, which is sent through their editor and onto the cover artist assigned to the project. We definitely take the author’s vision into consideration!

Check out these awesome covers from among CMP's new releases --

What can an author expect if he or she signs a contract with CMP? Like, how quickly will the book go to print? Will there be ARCs? We want to know all the fun, squee-worthy details.

Our books are typically released within four to six months of acquisition, during which time you’ll work on edits and cover design, prepare your press kit, and schedule reviews/ interviews/appearances. With how much work needs to get done, those months fly by!

I know you love what you do. Tell us why we’ll love working with you and CMP.

My favorite thing about working for CMP tends to be the same reason authors sign with us instead of the larger houses—our extremely supportive atmosphere. From the marketing manager to the editors to the authors who are all very active on our email loop, you’ll never feel like you’re “in it” alone. Because we’re a smaller press, you can count on more time spent with your editor. I’m always available to brainstorm and answer questions.

Okay, okay. Enough about the day job. Give us a peak into Heather Howland’s “night life” as an author represented by the fabulous Becca Stumpf of the Prospect Agency.

Becca is fabulous. She has this innate ability to take what I’ve written and tease out seemingly unimportant plot threads that, when expanded on, add the exact layers my books need. We have successfully achieved agent-author mind meld, as she says, which is the most important aspect of our relationship.

We’re about to go on submission with FLAWED, my dark, gut-wrenching YA thriller, and I’m working on two additional projects on the side—one of which is a super top secret YA paranormal romance. Only a couple people know about that last one per agent’s orders, but man… I can’t wait to share that book with the world!

To stay current on Heather's latest news, check out her website/blog.

We want to read your books. We want you to read our books. There’s just a lot of shared book loving going on right now. :) So, BONUS QUESTION: You’re stranded on a desert oasis with your most-loved book and your favorite food. What are they?

Hmmm… I have to say, I’ve been blessed with the most talented CPs on the planet. The books I love most? Theirs. So I’d probably cheat and paste Katy Upperman’s LOVING MAX HOLDEN, Jus Accardo’s TOUCH, AE Rought’s RESONANCE, and Liz Pelletier’s DARK SURRENDER into one document, send it off to Kinkos for printing, and take that with me. As for food, gallons and gallons of raspberry limeade. This is a desert, right? :)

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your fun news, Heather! This is an exciting opportunity, guys. Good luck to all who decide to enter!