AUCTION BOX #1 - CLAN UNICORN

In order to avoid additional charges and fees, we've decided to run this auction under the model used by Authors for Japan / Authors for The Philippines. Bidding will take place in the comments below each item in the corresponding post.

At the end of the auction, a 'perk' will be created for the winner on our Indiegogo page. The winner must purchase their perk within 24 hours, or the next bidder will be contacted. Please leave your email address (or a twitter handle, a way to contact you) with the comment. Indiegogo does not charge us fees to use the service or take a commission, so this is the most effective way to get maximum proceeds to Stonewall. Unfortunately, they don't have an auction function and prices must be set.

In the meantime, please feel free to donate to the cause! If everyone who visited this page donated £5, we'd make tons of money for Stonewall! Don't be a bystander, participate in the causes you believe in.

Stonewall's #NoBystanders Video

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    Clan Unicorn – Box 1

    Books: Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda (signed, hardcover), This is Not a Love Story (signed, paperback), Unspeakable (signed, paperback), Supermassive (signed, paperback), Parrotfish (signed, hardcover), Beautiful Music for Ugly Children (signed, paperback).

    Wildcards (agent/editor perks):

    1 x Query Critique with Ms. Maria Vicente at P.S. Literary Agency

    1 x Twitter Contest Pitch Critique with Laura Zats at Red Sofa Literary Agency

    1 x 5pg Critique with Mr. Stephen Morgan at Entangled Publishing

    1 x ‘Skip the Query Line’ pass with Ms. Saba Sulaiman at Talcott Notch Literary Agency

THE AUCTION IS COMING :D

Stonewall Auction

It’s finally time! We are proud to announce the commencement of the second, and most important, phase of the Queer YA Blogathon. This week, we will be running a charity auction on behalf of Stonewall. The auction will not only feature all of the amazing YA titles that we were able to give away during the Scrabble phase, but also a variety of fantastic perks for writers of Young Adult fiction, generously provided by some great agents and editors. The author ‘teams’ will remain the same as during the Giveaway phase – so if you didn’t win, you have a second chance to get your hands on all the signed books!

The auction will run from June 8 to 15, inclusive. It will begin at 11:30PM Greenwich Mean Time (UK) on the 8^th and conclude at 11:30PM on the 15^th. Winners will have 24 hours to pay or the box will pass down to the next bidder.

The bidding page will go live at 11:30PM at the start of the auction. Links will be posted on all the team pages (above) as well as amended into this blog post. In addition, we will be maintaining a JustGiving page alongside the auction. If you’d like to donate to Stonewall without bidding on perks (even £5 helps, and it adds up!), you’ll be able to donate through this page.

 What am I bidding on?

We have five boxes filled with Signed Young Adult Books for bid. Many of these books are signed by the author and contain additional signed swag items such as bookmarks, bookplates and original drawings. Tess Sharpe has also donated a special manuscript – not previously published and read by only the select and lucky few! All of the books will come beautifully gift-wrapped, so that you can effectively enjoy a Queer Christmas in June or give them directly as gifts to your friends. Each box also contains a selection of ‘wild cards’ from Agents and Editors. If you are an author writing Young Adult fiction, this is a terrific opportunity for you to get feedback both on your opening chapters, your query letter and your pitch. All of the participating agents are actively looking for Diverse YA in particular – not only LGBTQIA books, but also novels that are racially and culturally diverse. Once the auction is over, the boxes will be dispatched within five working days.

  

    Here is the Master List of Everything in the Boxes!

  

    Clan Unicorn – Box 1

    Books: Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda (signed, hardcover), This is Not a Love Story (signed, paperback), Unspeakable (signed, paperback), Supermassive (signed, paperback), Parrotfish (signed, hardcover), Beautiful Music for Ugly Children (signed, paperback).

    Wildcards (agent/editor perks):

    1 x Query Critique with Ms. Maria Vicente at P.S. Literary Agency

    1 x Twitter Contest Pitch Critique with Laura Zats at Red Sofa Literary Agency

    1 x 5pg Critique with Mr. Stephen Morgan at Entangled Publishing

    1 x ‘Skip the Query Line’ pass with Ms. Saba Sulaiman at Talcott Notch Literary Agency

  

   Clan Hydra – Box 2

  Books: Shadowplay (signed, paperback), Far from You (signed, paperback), Beloved Pilgrim (paperback), Vivaldi in the Dark (paperback), Lies We Tell Ourselves (signed, paperback), I’ll Give You the Sun (paperback), All Devils Here (signed, paperback).

   Wildcards:

   1 x Query Critique with Mr. Brent Taylor at Triada US Literary Agency

   1 x 10pg Critique with Mr. Peter J. Knapp at Park Literary Agency

   1 x ‘Skip the Query Line’ Pass with Ms. Saba Sulaiman at Talcott Notch Literary Agency

   Additional:

   1 x Exclusive Short Story by Tess Sharpe, author of Far from You!

  Clan Phoenix – Box 3

  Books: The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley (signed, hardcover), Martyr (signed, paperback), Trust Me, I’m Trouble (signed, paperback), Pitch (paperback), The Art of Being Normal (hardcover), Rainbow Briefs (paperback).

  Wildcards:

  1 x Query Critique with Mr. Brent Taylor at Triada US Literary Agency

  1 x 10pg Critique with Ms. Patricia Nelson at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency

  1 x Query Critique with Mr. Stephen Morgan at Entangled Publishing

  1 x ‘Skip the Query Line’ Pass with Ms. Saba Sulaiman at Talcott Notch Literary Agency

  Clan Dragon – Box 4

 Books: None of the Above (signed, hardcover), Pukawiss the Outcast (paperback), A Kiss in the Dark (signed, paperback), Boyfriends with Girlfriends (hardcover), The Beast of Callaire (signed, paperback), The Other Me (paperback).

  Wildcards:

 1 x 10pg Critique with Ms. Rebecca Podos at Rees Literary Agency

 1 x ‘Skip the Query Line’ Pass with Ms. Marietta Zacker at Nancy Gallt Literary

 1 x ‘Skip the Query Line’ Pass with Ms. Saba Sulaiman at Talcott Notch

 Clan Griffin – Box 5

 Books: Freakboy (signed, hardcover), Noble Falling (signed, paperback), The Summer I Wasn’t Me (paperback), Red Caps (paperback), The Summer Prince (hardcover), Liberty’s Fire (paperback).

 Wildcards:

 1 x Query Critique with Ms. Rachel Brooks at L. Perkins Literary Agency

 1 x Query Critique with Ms. Maria Vicente at P.S. Literary Agency

 1 x ‘Skip the Query Line’ Pass with Ms. Marietta Zacker at Nancy Gallt Literary

 1 x ‘Skip the Query Line’ Pass with Ms. Saba Sulaiman at Talcott Notch

We are genuinely so grateful to all of our donors. Many of our participating authors shipped books from as far away as the Caribbean or Sweden, all the way to Edinburgh. Our participating publishing professionals are donating lots of their time to the event and to helping writers get their submissions packages ready. During the week of the auction, we will be doing individual agent/editor focus posts to tell you more about them!

Tell Me About Stonewall!

Stonewall is an international charity dedicated to educating communities and helping marginalised LGBTQ people – especially teenagers and young people. This Blogathon and Auction were inspired by a recent programme run by Stonewall in the UK:  a writing competition for LGBTQ teenagers. That event recently concluded and was featured in the Guardian. They create education packets for schools, run hotlines for struggling teens and generally try to make the world a more equal and accepting place.

Stonewall run hundreds of local initiatives aimed at increasing awareness and promoting LGBTQ friendly education. In upcoming months, they will be running a large Education for All Conference in London, an Equality Walk in Brighton, teamed up with Arsenal Football Club in a ‘Kick out Homophobia’ Event, and countless other initiatives. The work they do is invaluable. Through this auction, we’re hoping to raise some money to help them keep doing all the wonderful things they do!

For more information about Stonewall, please browse their terrific website: http://www.stonewall.org.uk and follow them @stonewalluk on Twitter.

Blogathon

Even if you missed the Giveaway and Blogathon of the weekend, please do check out the fantastic posts! Our bloggers have generated some really terrific reviews and interviews. Definitely worth a read for all YA aficionados.

 

POST MASTER LIST - GIVEAWAY BLOGATHON

Post Master-List

Click on the clan's pages above to find the entry forms! 

Keep checking this list, we will update it as new posts go live so that you can find all the clues and win the books!

Clan UNICORN with Ava Jae at Writability *ALL Letters have been Posted!! Enterable. 

       Introductory Post 
       Author Interview Master Post Featuring: Suki Fleet, Becky Albertalli, Nina Rossing, Ellen Wittlinger, Abbie Rushton, Kirstin Cronn-Mills <--- complete anagram.

Anagram Hint:

'Normal' sexuality is a man and a woman ... blergh!

Clan PHOENIX with Cynthia at Afterwritten *ALL Letters have been Posted!! Enterable.

       Introductory Post

       Interview with Lisa Williamson
       Excerpt from Mary Elizabeth Summer's Trust Me I'm Trouble
       Interview with A.R. Kahler
       Excerpt from Will Parkinson's Pitch
       Interview with Kira Harp
       Excerpt from the Five Stages of Andrew Brawley

Clan GRIFFIN with Caroline at QueerYa.org *ALL Letters have been Posted!! Enterable.

     

        Introductory Post
        Excerpt from Sara Gaine's Noble Falling
        Review of Kristin Elizabeth Clark's Freakboy
        Excerpt from Steve Berman's Red Caps
        Review of Jessica Verdi's Summer I Wasn't Me 
        Review of Lydia Syson's Liberty's Fire
        Review of Alaya Dawn Johnson's Summer Prince

Clan HYDRA with Nicole at YA Interrobang *ALL Letters have been Posted!! Enterable.

        Introductory Post <--- complete anagram. 

        Excerpt from Tess Sharpe's Far From You <--- complete anagram.
        Interview with Christopher Hawthorne Moss
        Excerpt from Astor Penn's All Devil's Here

        Interview with Matthew J. Metzger
        Interview with Robin Talley
        Excerpt from Jandy Nelson's I'll Give You the Sun

Clan DRAGON with Vee, Nadia, Nina and Maria at GayYa.org *ALL Letters have been Posted!! Enterable.

       Introductory Post
       Interview with Saruuh Kelsey
       Spotlight on Alex Sanchez's Boyfriends with Girlfriends
       Giveaway Post for Cat Clarke's Undone
       Interview with Suzanne von Rooyen
       Excerpt from Jay Jordan Hawke's Pukawiss the Outcast
       Excerpt from Cat Clarke's Kiss in the Dark

WE ARE LIVE! :D

At long last, it is TIME. The Queer YA Blogathon is live, starting with our magnificent giveaway. We are giving away THIRTY-TWO fantastic Young Adult books, featuring LGBTIQA characters.

Take a look at a few of the awesome prize packs you could win:

In order to have a chance of winning each pack, you must solve the clan's anagram. The clues to the anagram will be concealed (but not too cleverly) in posts featuring the books. To enter a particular clan's giveaway once you've solved the puzzle, click on the team headings above. 

These books are beautiful, and most of them are signed:

To help you out, I will be updating this post with a master list of all the blog posts as they go live by clan. 

Post Master-List

Click on the clan's pages above to find the entry forms! 

Keep checking this list, we will update it as new posts go live so that you can find all the clues and win the books!

Clan UNICORN with Ava Jae at Writability <--- complete anagram. 

       Introductory Post 
       Author Interview Master Post <--- complete anagram. 

Clan PHOENIX with Cynthia at Afterwritten 

       Introductory Post

       Interview with Lisa Williamson
       Excerpt from Mary Elizabeth Summer's Trust Me I'm Trouble
       Excerpt from Will Parkinson's Pitch
       Interview with Kira Harp

Clan GRIFFIN with Caroline at QueerYa.org

     

        Introductory Post
        Excerpt from Sara Gaine's Noble Falling
        Review of Kristin Elizabeth Clark's Freakboy

Clan HYDRA with Nicole at YA Interrobang <--- complete anagram.

        Introductory Post <--- complete anagram. 

        Excerpt from Tess Sharpe's Far From You <--- complete anagram.
        Interview with Christopher Hawthorne Moss 

Clan DRAGON with Vee, Nadia, Nina and Maria at GayYa.org 

       Introductory Post
       Interview with Saruuh Kelsey
       Spotlight on Alex Sanchez's Boyfriends with Girlfriends

ONE DAY MORE :D

As a die-hard Les Miserables fan, I can't resist posting this video: 

Seriously ... watch it and get pumped BECAUSE

THE QUEER YA BLOGATHON IS FINALLY HERE!

Well ... TOMORROW. 

The bloggers are already hard at work on their post and have started posting introductions. Tomorrow morning, bright and early, I will post a master list linking you to all the posts and keeping it updated. It's time to win great books! 

Remember: 

The Giveaway will run from June 6-8, winners announced on the 9th. 

The Auction for STONEWALL will run June 8-15. Informational posts will start on the 7th.

Final Notes: 

(1) We will be using the #QueerYA throughout the event. Please use this to promote and chat about the giveaway, the books and the auction. Please RT wherever possible, and spread the word!

(2) It's never too late to get involved. If you're an agent or an editor wanting to contribute, we would love to hear from you. 

(3) The BIGGEST THANK YOU IN THE WORLD to all the authors, bloggers, agents and editors who have made this virtual event possible. 

What's in the BOX - HOW DO I GET ALL THE THINGS

I think many of you are probably wondering the same questions: "What's in the box? What can I buy? WHAT CAN I WIN? HOW DO I ENTER??!"

In this post, I'm going to answer all of those things for you as clearly as possible.

Listed above, you will see links to FIVE TEAMS. These teams will all be featured on different blogs, indicated on the pages themselves.

Each team has a giveaway box and an auction box. Both of the boxes contain all of the books listed on the team's page, as well as some bookmarks, signed swag and humorous magical items. Most of the books are signed. All of these items will be beautifully gift-wrapped -- so you can open your box and experience a fabulous, queer, Christmas-in-June or you could give books away to friends as individual gifts.

All of these boxes have been lovingly donated by their authors, who believe in the mission of Stonewall UK and in promoting Queer YA Lit.

The auction boxes contain special perks wonderfully provided by a group of FABULOUS agents and editors. Each box will contain THREE OR FOUR Wildcards from these magnanimous publishing professionals. Want some professional feedback on your writing or submission package? Writing YA? The cards in each box are listed below.

We are genuinely so grateful to the authors and publishing professionals who have made this possible.

From June 6 - 8, we will run the giveaway. To enter, you can visit the team pages linked above and below. There will be a form for you to complete asking for your email, address, name, etc. -- and the solution to an anagram that will be concealed in the host bloggers' posts. So read them carefully :D

Giveaway winners will be notified on the 9th.

Starting on the 7th, we will open the Auction. This will run until the 15th. All proceeds will be donated to Stonewall to continue the work that they do on behalf of LGBTQIA teens.

TEAM UNICORN 

Box Contents: 

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda - Hardcover, Signed, with bookmarks and stickers. 

Unspeakable - Paperback, Signed. 

This is Not a Love Story - Paperback, Signed. 

Supermassive - Paperback, Signed. 

Parrotfish - Hardcover, Signed.

Beautiful Music for Ugly Children - Paperback, Signed. 

Wildcards (auction box only):

1 x QUERY CRITIQUE with Ms. Maria Vicente at P.S. Literary

1 x TWITTER PITCH CRITIQUE with Ms. Laura Zats of Red Sofa Literary

1 x 5pg CRITIQUE with Mr. Stephen Morgan at Entangled Publishing

1 x 'SKIP THE QUERY LINE' with Ms. Saba Sulaiman at Talcott Notch

TEAM PHOENIX

Box Contents: 

The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley - Hardcover, Signed. 

Martyr - Paperback, Signed. 

Trust Me, I'm Trouble - Paperback, Signed, with bookmarks and swag.

Pitch - Paperback.

The Art of Being Normal - Hardcover, Signed. 

Rainbow Briefs - Paperback.

Wildcards (auction box only):

1 x QUERY CRITIQUE with Mr. Brent Taylor at Triada US Literary

1 x 10pg CRITIQUE with Ms. Patricia Nelson at Marsal Lyon Literary 

1 x QUERY CRITIQUE with Mr. Stephen Morgan at Entangled Publishing

1 x 'SKIP THE QUERY LINE' with Ms. Saba Sulaiman at Talcott Notch

TEAM HYDRA

Box Contents: 

Shadowplay - Paperback, Signed. 

Far from You - Paperback, Signed

Accompanied by a specially written short story! 

Beloved Pilgrim, Paperback.

Vivaldi in the Dark, Paperback. 

Lies We Tell Ourselves - Paperback, Signed with Swag!

I'll Give You the Sun - Paperback. 

All Devils Here - Paperback, Signed. 

Wildcards (auction box only): 

1 x QUERY CRITIQUE with Mr. Brent Taylor at Triada US Literary

1 x 10PG CRITIQUE with Mr. Peter J. Knapp at Park Literary Group

1 x 'SKIP THE QUERY LINE' with Ms. Saba Sulaiman at Talcott Notch

TEAM DRAGON

Box Contents: 

None of the Above - Hardcover, Signed with Swag!

Pukawiss the Outcast - Paperback. 

A Kiss in the Dark - Paperback, Signed. 

Boyfriends with Girlfriends - Hardcover. 

The Beast of Callaire - Paperback, Signed. 

The Other Me - Paperback. 

Wildcards (auction box only) 

1 x 10PG CRITIQUE with Ms. Rebecca Podos at Rees Literary 

1 x 'SKIP THE QUERY QUEUE' with Ms. Marietta Zacker at Nancy Gallt Literary

1 x 'SKIP THE QUERY LINE' with Ms. Saba Sulaiman at Talcott Notch

TEAM GRIFFIN

Box Contents: 

Noble Falling - Paperback, Signed. 

Freakboy - Hardcover, Signed. 

The Summer I Wasn't Me - Paperback.

Red Caps - Paperback. 

The Summer Prince - Hardcover. 

Liberty's Fire - Paperback. 

Wildcards (auction box only):

1 x QUERY CRITIQUE with Ms. Rachel Brooks at L. Perkins Agency

1 x QUERY CRITIQUE with Ms. Maria Vicente at P.S. Literary

1 x 'SKIP THE QUERY QUEUE' with Ms. Marietta Zacker at Nancy Gallt Literary

1 x 'SKIP THE QUERY LINE' with Ms. Saba Sulaiman at Talcott Notch

There are also a few additional giveaways going on at the individual blogs! In these case, either the author or their publisher has generously provided us with extra free copies to give away! These can be entered via rafflecopter on the blogs themselves. 

Vee at GayYa.org will be giving away a SIGNED copy of Cat Clarke's Undone. 

Caroline at QueerYa.org will be giving away TWO copies of Lydia Syson's Liberty's Fire. 

Ava Jae at Writability will be giving away a copy of Suki Fleet's The Glass House. 

It's almost time!

In a few short days, the Queer YA Blogathon and Scrabble event will finally kick off! Final teams and their hosts are linked via the panel above, so check them out!

Here is the timeline of events for the weekend:

June 6, 6:00AM GMT: By this time, all our participating bloggers will have posted introductory posts detailing how they're going to present the authors working with them, and how you can look for clues for the Scrabble Giveaway!

June 6, 12:00PM GMT: Entries are open! Start collecting clues and trying to solve the anagram associated with each team. If you solve it, you could win a beautiful gift box full of the team's books (many are signed copies), book swag, support swag for Stonewall UK and little gifts to enhance your reading experience (even exclusive manuscripts!)

The Giveaways are open to the following countries: United Kingdom, Ireland, United States of America, Canada,  Mexico, Anywhere in Continental Europe except Russia. Unfortunately, do to the prohibitive cost of shipping, the giveaway/auctions are not open to countries in Africa, South America, Asia or Australia.

June 9, 3:00PM GMT - The Giveaway will close! Never fear, the auction is about to start.

June 9, 3:30PM GMT - Three wildcards from participating agents and editors will be added to the second box for each team. These wildcards range from query critiques to twitter pitch help to manuscript edits. Each box will have a balance of items put inside, appropriate for writers of Diverse YA fiction.

Additional wildcards will be available for a base price (yet to be determined) and the right to first pick will cost £80. All proceeds will be donated to Stonewall UK.

June 9, 6:00PM GMT - Winners of the Giveaway will be notified.
June 15, 3:30PM - The auction will end and winners will be notified.