Sunday, April 15, 2012

Finalist #1

Our first finalist is Maureen McCabe.

 Tell us about your book:
 Aurie Robinson has never had a family.  Molly Danvers has always wanted one.  Together, despite overwhelming differences, they try to make one.

Why do you want to attend Backspace:
 To participate and learn from the Agent-Author seminars and to meet Ms. Reid (and the other great agents).


Are you afraid to eat lunch with a Shark:
As long as the Shark wasn't having me for lunch, then no, I think it would be a great experience.


West Side Story: Jets or Sharks?
 Sharks, because while they're both cool, the Sharks don't have to work at it.


If you could save the life of any one fictional character who would it be and why?
 Jay Gatsby, because maybe, just maybe, there are second acts in American lives and he deserved one.


Is there a book that makes you think "If I could write one thing like that, I'd die happy?"
 To Kill a Mockingbird, because it is one of the rare books that changed people's hearts and minds and lives.


What's the most terrifying thing you've lived through?
 Getting robbed at gunpoint making the night deposit drop for the store I used to work for.
 

When you're published, what will you do to Pay it Forward?
 Set up a contest where the winner would get a grant to enable them to take a year off from work to finish a novel.



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47 comments:

  1. Lanette4/15/12, 9:14 AM

    Congratulations to Maureen and the other eight. It's obvious from this that the finalists were previously contacted.

    Thank you, Janet for providing an entertaining contest. Now I need to polish my query again... and probably my manuscript since the competition in the slush piles is just as fierce.

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  2. Cindy C4/15/12, 9:21 AM

    Congratulations to Maureen! And I love your answers to the questions.

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  3. Dana4/15/12, 9:24 AM

    Congratulations, Maureen!

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  4. Laura Hughes, MittensMorgul4/15/12, 9:29 AM

    Congratulations, Maureen!

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  5. M.V.Freeman4/15/12, 9:29 AM

    Congratulations Maureen! ;)

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  6. Anonymous4/15/12, 9:33 AM

    Congratulations, Maureen! Best of luck in the finals.

    Thanks for the opportunity, Janet! It's been fun. :)

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  7. Bonnee Crawford4/15/12, 9:46 AM

    Robbed at gunpoint... that's not one you hear every day! Congrats for becoming a finalist, Maureen :)

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  8. LN4/15/12, 9:48 AM

    Congratulations, Maureen! Best of luck!

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  9. Rick Anderson4/15/12, 10:08 AM

    Great going, Maureen!

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  10. Susan Colarullo4/15/12, 10:12 AM

    A talented and lucky girl. Now, if you can make it through 10 days of intense scrutiny...

    Just wondering if Janet will let you post the title of your book.

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  11. ProfeJMarie (Janet Rundquist)4/15/12, 10:12 AM

    Yay Maureen! (Plus, To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my all time faves.)

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  12. Unknown4/15/12, 10:16 AM

    Congratulations Maureen!

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  13. Regina Castillo4/15/12, 10:22 AM

    Congratulations! So very excited for you!

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  14. Brandi M. Lynch4/15/12, 10:39 AM

    Congrats! And good luck!

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  15. Angelica R. Jackson4/15/12, 10:41 AM

    Congratualations Maureen, the first of the Sharkly Nine!

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  16. Lisa Gomley4/15/12, 10:48 AM

    Congratulations Maureen! And all the other finalists!

    To Janet, and Liz Norris, thank you for this opportunity. And Janet thank you for your positive feedback. And thank you to all of the judges for their time reading the 400+ entries.

    It has been an exciting ride!

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  17. Anonymous4/15/12, 10:56 AM

    Yay! A finalist! Finally! Congratulations Maureen!!!!!

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  18. A.J. Cattapan4/15/12, 11:21 AM

    Congratulations to all the finalists!

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  19. Charley4/15/12, 11:31 AM

    Congrats, you nine! And to everyone else who entered.

    Hey, it occurs to me I'll be in NYC for Thrillerfest in July. Any other entrants going? We could have a reunion. Or union; not "re" as we haven't met. If you can make it, Janet, I'll buy you the biggest beer you can drink.

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  20. Stephanie Garber4/15/12, 11:32 AM

    Congratulations! And nice answers, Maureen!

    I'm sorry you were robbed at gunpoint, though. That's terrible.

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  21. Anonymous4/15/12, 11:36 AM

    Huge congratulations to all the finalists! It's been an amazing experience to watch this contest develop, one teasing update at a time. :)

    Many thanks to Janet and the other judges for plowing through 400 plus manuscripts. You must be ready for a relaxing vacation by now!

    And also kudos to everyone who entered--as several commenters have said, those of us in the "gray and blue zones" should be happy, too -- we're putting our work out there and moving ahead in our writing careers. Hurrah for us!

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  22. Unknown4/15/12, 11:38 AM

    Congrats, Maureen!

    And, hey--can we have links to webpages / blogs / twitter / etc of the finalists? If they have them, of course.

    Thanks, Janet for the fun contest!

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  23. Michelle 4 Laughs4/15/12, 11:40 AM

    Good luck, Maureen. I'm happy for you!

    It was a fun and wild ride. Thanks for the chance, Janet.

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  24. Dora Dee4/15/12, 11:55 AM

    Congratulations Maureen and to the other eight who survived the shark infested waters. Though I didn't enter this time, it's been exciting following the winnowing down and triumphant unveiling of the finalists and that incredibly lucky winner (I know -- luck has nothing to do with it!!).

    And "To Kill A Mockingbird" is my favorite book as well.

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  25. Carolynnwith2Ns4/15/12, 12:43 PM

    Congrats to all and thanks for a wonderful learning experience and chance to dream.

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  26. Lune4/15/12, 12:56 PM

    Congrats! Looking forward to finding out the other eight finalists! Thanks for a fun contest!

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  27. Britni Patterson4/15/12, 1:27 PM

    Congratulations Maureen! I love the character name Aurie,by the way.

    :D

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  28. Rose Glitschka4/15/12, 2:33 PM

    Congrats Maureen!!

    Two women coming together to make a family they've always wanted sounds like a great book.

    I hope we get to hear more about it in the future!

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  29. Anonymous4/15/12, 2:46 PM

    I just had a horrific realization.

    Are you really going to torture us by posting one winner per day until UNRAVELING comes out????

    I can almost hear your evil laughter all the way on the west coast.

    *maniacal laugh*

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  30. Colin Smith4/15/12, 2:50 PM

    Congrats, Maureen! And thank you Janet (and others) for this competition, and for selecting my novel as a join-tenth place semi-finialist. I'm honored. :)

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  31. HK4/15/12, 3:47 PM

    Congratulations, everyone! All your hard work is paying off.

    Thanks to Janet and her crew, this has all been so much fun to follow.

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  32. Lisa Gomley4/15/12, 3:52 PM

    Jessa,

    I had that thought also! And that seems like it would be right up the sadistic alley she travels.

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  33. ao4/15/12, 4:12 PM

    Congratulations. Nice answer to the Jets v. Sharks question. Since the Shark has Jet in her blog name, that one might have tripped me up.

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  34. Janet Reid4/15/12, 4:18 PM

    jessa, yup.

    :)))))))

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous4/15/12, 6:13 PM

      Oh, you're good. You've got us right where you want us. Sadistic overlords of the universe take note!!! Lol

      Delete
  35. Anonymous4/15/12, 4:57 PM

    Congratulations!! Although I'm quite jealous! I sure you're ms is amazing and deserves it. : )

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  36. Brandon4/15/12, 4:57 PM

    Congrats Maureen!

    So, uh, various comments lead me to believe both that the finalists know they're finalists and don't yet know they are.

    Help me, sharkly Janet, you're my only hope.

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  37. Judith Gonda4/15/12, 7:28 PM

    Congrats to Maureen and all other finalists!

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  38. Leah4/15/12, 7:44 PM

    Congratulations, Maureen! You just referenced two of my favorite books, so I have a feeling when yours comes out I'll be buying it. :)

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  39. Brent Stratford4/15/12, 8:58 PM

    Congratulations Maureen.

    If these nice, succinct answers are indicative of your writing I'm sure you have a bright future as an author.

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  40. Krista McLaughlin4/15/12, 9:57 PM

    Congrats to Maureen!!

    I'm curious too... do all of the finalists know that they are? Just wondering... :)

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  41. Barbara4/15/12, 10:19 PM

    Yay Maureen - you must be very proud and excited - I am both for you!

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  42. sparky4/15/12, 10:24 PM

    Congrats Maureen and everyone else how exciting!

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  43. Maureen McCabe4/15/12, 10:47 PM

    Thank you Janet and Liz for the oppportunity to participate in this great contest and thank you everyone for your kind remarks. And congratulations to everyone who entered, I know how much hard work and courage that took.

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  44. Ann Landsberger4/16/12, 12:08 PM

    Congrats, Maureen!

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  45. elizabeth norris4/17/12, 1:07 PM

    Congratulations Maureen! I would totally save Jay Gatsby too!

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  46. Julie4/17/12, 3:46 PM

    Congrats Maureen! I totally agree on the To Kill A Mocking Bird comment.

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