Critique Partner Match Up Master List

Happy Thursday everyone! We've had some fantastic entries come in for our Critique Partner Match Up. Each entry has been posted here as an individual blog post, but below you'll find a master list of links to take you to any entries you may be interested in. Thanks so much to all who are participating! If you see something you like, please leave a comment for the author with a way to contact you. And a huge CONGRATULATIONS to those who entered the Match Up and who I see have made it into Pitch Wars! It was fantastic seeing familiar names on the list, and we wish you all the best as you edit over the next two months!

MIDDLE GRADE

WORLD WEAVER
Contemporary Fantasy
by Sarah Pripas

UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
Magical Realism
by Kathi Morrison-Taylor

THE CHALCEDONY TRAP
Fantasy
by Brigid Gaffikin

WUNDERKIND
Science Fiction
by Matt Handle

THE BOOK DOCTOR
Fantasy
by Sussu Leclerc

THE SECRET OF SHANGRI-LA
Fantasy
by Lisa Gold

THE SECRETS IN MERLIN'S JOURNAL
Fantasy
by Alexandria Rogers

THE FINAL SEGMENT
Science Fiction
by Juliana Jones

YOUNG ADULT

TODAY, TOMORROW, FOREVER
Contemporary
by Kristi Radford

UNTITLED
Science Fiction
by Ashley Northup

EDEN
Science Fiction
by Heather Carpenter

PAPER SEEDS
Fantasy
by Erin King

I AM DRAGON
Fantasy
by Elizabeth Gibson

DREAMSCAPE
Fantasy
by Amanda Kelley-Goodhew

ART OF IN BETWEEN
Fantasy
by Jennifer McBride

NASCENT
Paranormal
by Elizabeth A.

NOT SWEET
Contemporary
by Rachel Hanville

FEAR NO EVIL
Post-Apocalypse
by Rachel Hanville

THE ADEPT
Fantasy
by Ashley Darling

FLESH AND INK
Fantasy
by Morgan Hazelwood

A NINE DAYS' WONDER
Historical
by Maria Hossain

STILL DREAMING
Fantasy
by Ariane Peveto

FORTUNE DAYS
Fantasy (Steampunk)
by Jacqueline Peveto

MY HOUSE IS MADE OF CLAY
Fantasy
by Audrey Maldonado

KINGSMAIDEN
Fantasy
by Emily Honigsfeld

ACCRUE'S END: PURSUIT
Fantasy
by Eric Smolinski

UNIVERSE
Science Fiction
by EL Cruz

THINGS WE WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO KNOW
Contemporary
Lucy Hallowell

INNATE
Fantasy
by Jessica Goodsell

WALKING ON KNIVES
Fantasy
by Kimberly Bea

CHILDREN OF THE DUST
Historical
by Shawn Barnes

THE KEEPER'S SECRET
Fantasy
by Leila Oicles

TAKING ON THE TEACHERS
Contemporary
by Raimey Gallant

THE ORDER OF EMENDS
Contemporary
by Stella Nadene

THE GATEKEEPER
Fantasy
by Kristin Clouthier

DROWNING IN AIR
Contemporary
by Valerie Bodden

LIFELINE
Contemporary
by Leah Epstein

UNTITLED (there are dragons)
Fantasy
by Lyla Lawless

SAVING GRACE
Contemporary
by Karis Rogerson

ANCIENT BLOOD
Paranormal
by Stormy Acuna

THE J CREW
Contemporary
by Stormy Acuna

ABDUCTED HOPE
Science Fiction
by Tracy McMechan

ADULT

ROAD OF THE LOST
Fantasy
by Aidan Russell

THE SONG WEAVER'S SON
Fantasy
by Katrina Ariel

EYE-SPLICE
Fantasy
by Meg Frye

THE OMEN OF THE MISSING CHERUB
Supernatural
by Marc Stansberry

VERVAIN
Magical Realism
by Christi Lynn

BEST LAID PLANS IN SCOTLAND
Contemporary Romance
by Lisa Leoni

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
Urban Fantasy
by Vicki Cooke

RAINBOW MAN
Historical
by Gifford MacShane

THE WITCH OF CAELHEARTH
Fantasy
by ReLynn Vaughn

Adult Fantasy: THE WITCH OF CAELHEARTH

Author's Name: ReLynn Vaughn

Category: Adult

Genre: Fantasy

Stage of Completion: Mostly Polished and Looking to Query

Preferred Critique Style: Straight to the Point

Cat Person or Dog Person: Cat person. Will take any cat on the planet. More selective about owning a dog.

Tea or Coffee: Allergic to both! Haha! Hot Cocoa forever!

 Short Pitch

When spellcaster Willa Garrity finds that the enemy she thought dead in battle is very much alive and plotting a new coup, she’ll have to reenter the Royal Court and find his henchman in the heart of power. If she fails, the Kingdom will fall and the war that haunts her will end up killing her.
 

Writing Sample

Smoke from the last of the fires, sulfur from the blunderbusses, blood and offal and decay all perfumed the early evening air. Across the field, ravens hopped among the bodies and a few human scavengers hunted for trophies or gold in the uniforms of the fallen. Here and there, a broken pike or spear rose from the earth, fluttering with a tattered flag on the breeze.

There remained little to be done now, at the end of the battle. The living had retreated, in victory or defeat. They took the injured with them, to be tended back to health or nursed into the grave. And the dead…well, the dead were unconcerned.

She stood like a statue in front of what had been their command tent, the steel of her breast plate shining through the smudges of red ichor and yellow mud. The same wind that moved the flags whipped the tatters of her own gown around her ankles. Pain clawed at her, stretching her muscles to the breaking point and grinding into her bones. She longed to fold down onto the ground and never get up. To sleep eternally like so many others who lay staining the grass and churned mud in front of her. Instead, her horror rooted her to the ground.

Atticus stood just to her left and behind her. He'd remained after coming to her side after the Baron's men broke and ran.

Adult Historical Romance: RAINBOW MAN

Author's Name: Gifford MacShane

Category: Adult

Genre: Historical Romance

Stage of Completion: Mostly polished, still too long

Preferred Critique Style: A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down

Cat person or dog person: Cat Person

Tea or Coffee: More tea than coffee, mostly water

Short Pitch

In the 1880s Arizona Territory, renowned silversmith Alec Twelve Trees is beaten by a rogue US Cavalry patrol, then nursed back to health by Irene Donovan, daughter of the village's most prominent citizen. Alec has loved Irene since childhood, but has convinced himself her family would never accept him as a suitor because of his mixed Spanish/Navajo heritage.

It's not the only thing he's wrong about.

 Writing Sample

From the wide porch of the Trading Post, Adam Donovan watched a U. S. Cavalry patrol ride into town. His brows drew together, his eyes darkened. He threw down his cigarette, crushed it out and stepped off the porch in one stride, directly into the path of the oncoming horses.

The patrol leader pulled his pony up roughly. “Whaddya think yer doin’? Get outa the way!”

“Get off that horse,” Donovan growled.

“Who d’ya think–?” Before he could finish, the sergeant lay in the dust, staring up the barrel of a Colt .45. The man who held it had fire in his eyes and a reputation only a fool would ignore.

“You goddam horse thief! You're lucky I don’t kill you!” Adam fought to control his rage. “I’ve had enough of you–all of you. We don’t need you here and we don’t want you here.” Again the rumbling in his throat, like a big cat’s warning. “Get out!”

With his face screwed up in terror, the soldier crab-walked back, then scrambled to his feet and ran. His troop scuttled behind him. Wearily, Adam sheathed his gun and turned to the young man they had abandoned. He stood tall and proud, but swayed with every breath. His hands were tied in front of him, the ropes cutting cruelly into his wrists. He wore only the flared black trousers of the vaquero; his dusky skin was covered with dust and grass, his long hair dull around his fiery black eyes.

Adult Urban Fantasy: GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

Author's Name: Vicki Cooke

Category: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Stage of Completion: Mostly polished, I hope.

Preferred Critique Style: Straight to the point.

Cat Person or Dog Person: Dog

Tea or Coffee: Neither, I prefer Pepsi.

Short Pitch

Siobhan thought starting over after her husband left for his pregnant secretary was bad; then she inherits a job she has no training for, and spends her time protecting the creatures people think don’t exist. Now, someone is hunting her charges, whoever it is has Siobhan firmly in their sights.

Writing Sample

 I crept like the fat, forty-four-year-old woman I am through the torrential downpour of an Oregon spring evening. Staying in the shadows, I tried not to look as if I were a thief about to case the joint as I moved toward the tall wooden fence. I felt like a cartoon character as I tiptoed from one shadow laden area to the next. I neared the fence where my target hid moving into position. Donal, my partner, waited to let me into the backyard.

At the gate, I raised my hand to knock on the weather-beaten wood. The latch released with a quiet click before the gate swung toward my face, attempting to turn it into a piñata. A quick step to the side, I grasped the gate slipping through the opening. Donal stood to the side frowning as I turned to pull the gate closed behind me. A quick glance showed me Donal was steaming, in the literal sense of the word. Steam wafted off him in waves like fog.

"Any sign of Norman?" I whispered. I looked where I assumed Donal's face should be. As a five-foot four-inch-tall woman, it's difficult to look someone in the eye under normal circumstances. If the person is at least six and a half feet tall, it's even harder. If it's dark...worse yet.

"No," Donal growled. What would you expect from a thousand-year-old dragon? He may appear human on the outside, but inside he's still one grumpy dragon.

Adult Contemporary Romance: BEST LAID PLANS IN SCOTLAND

Author's Name: Lisa Leoni

Category: Adult
Genre: Contemporary romance

Stage of Completion: Mostly polished

Preferred Critique Style: Straight to the Point

Cat Person or Dog Person: Dog person

Tea or Coffee: Coffee

Short Pitch

If you like happily ever afters, in your adult books,
If you’re not into adverbs, if you like good hooks,
If you like sending gifs at midnight with a good swear,
I’m the CP that you’ve looked for. Write to me and let’s share.

I write snarky and funny romance with some cussing and a sex scene or two. I tend to write a full draft then revise. I want CP relationships that include brainstorming, chapter/full MS swaps, cheerleading, safe space for venting, and career support. Be my romance writing bestie?

Writing Sample

Marie never considered herself a complete and utter moron, but she supposed the lack of self-awareness was the first sign of being one.

She wiped her muddied light gray slacks with the single napkin she'd grabbed on her way out of Stumptown Coffee. It shredded, leaving paper specks behind. Great. The taxi had come out of nowhere like the Night Bus from Harry Potter. The front wheels screamed as the driver had taken the corner too fast, racing through a puddle. The bottom half of her pants bore witness to the tragedy.

A polished woman in a bodycon royal blue dress raised an eyebrow and smiled with her hand covering her mouth. Marie weighed the pros and cons of duplicating her own stains on the woman's dress, but decided against wasting her caffeinated ambrosia.

The meeting with her boss would begin in twenty minutes and she still had to hop on the streetcar. No time to change clothes. It would take ten of those minutes to walk back to her condo. A taxi wouldn't save any time at rush hour. She wasn't too hot on taxis at the moment, anyway.

She could hide the stain most of the day in her cubicle. It wasn't worth being late so she'd soldier on. Marie held her head high as she strode through the double glass doors that read Rose City Software Solutions.

A soft buzz from her bag signaled a five-minute warning for her meeting.