This year, aside from changing categories, I also changed the *way* that I received my manuscripts... in previous years, I received loose leaf paper manuscripts which I physically flipped through to read, take notes, and basically take up space in my house (LOL). So, this year when the option to receive the manuscripts as Kindle documents was offered, I jumped at the chance. Now some of you may know that my ereader is actually a Nook...so why on earth did I accept Kindle manuscripts? Well, because I have a Kindle app on my phone and figured that would be just as easy...and less bulky to carry around.
And...I was sort of right. It was GREAT not having to carry around the equivalent of two or three reams worth of paper while reading. I'm one of those people who can read just fine on an ereader, so having the electronic copies didn't bother me at all. Being able to highlight in the text and then just check for my highlighted "notes" like bookmarks was amazing...I didn't have to physically flip through an entire manuscript each time to verify info I used in my reviews. BUT... I wasn't able to transfer my manuscripts to the Kindle Cloud app where I could have read them on my computer (which would have made things even easier sometimes!) and I found that trying to read on my phone while laying in bed pretty much sent me straight off to dreamland...
All in all, though, I think I will do the same thing next year... if I don't enter the ABNA contest myself! (I keep considering that...and I might be ready next year...I don't know...)
So, what did I read this year? Well, I can't tell you much because we have to wait for the results of the judging, but here's a little teaser for each manuscript:
Novel 1 - A scifi story with an alien presence that speculates that humans use of genetic manipulation is slowly causing the species to lose its ability to naturally survive...
Novel 2 - A dark fantasy where a grieving girl is taken to another world only to be pursued by a murderous being...
Novel 3 - A scifi story where a girl strives to outdo her wildly successful, but cold half-brother who is secretly pursuing his own agenda...
Novel 4 - An alternate history following Napoleon's escape from Elba Island in a world where magic influenced the outcome of the war...
Novel 5 - (My favorite of this year's bunch) A murder mystery set out west, told from the perspective of the ghost who ends up trying to find the murderer in order to save the living girl he's haunting...
So, this year's quarterfinal judging is officially over today...and as always, I feel both accomplished..and EXHAUSTED, LOL. I can't wait to find out which manuscripts make it to the next round...and I'll be VERY interested to see what happens in the finals! Until next year...
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