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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Query a Tune Winner!

Okay, QT's- I have reviewed the wonderful entries to the Query a Tune Contest. I have forced friends and family members to obsess over them as well.

It was VERY difficult to choose a winner. In case you have not yet read all the entries, I submit the following facts in evidence:

The honorable mentions:

JPM didn't query a specific project, but gave us a lovely parody about the query process in general


To the tune of “Copa Cabana” by Barry Manilow:

Her name was Lola, she was an agent
With yellow cushions on her chair and many manuscripts over there
She would make sales and writers moola
And while she was looking for a star, she got my query from afar
Across five states or more, she wanted chapters 1 through 4
His writing was so fun, but could she take on yet another?
And yet she asked for more!

It was the query, query I sent her
A great idea put in the letter
It was the query, query I sent her
Format and action had caused a strong reaction
To my query….she fell in love


Kat Harris shared her amazing video of a song she wrote and performed...



Windsong's entry intrigued me, as I wasn't sure whether it was a frog who made the promise, or that the prospects of obtaining a frog were promising.

There was no moon
No roses
No wine
No shooting star
To show you were mine

Chorus:

Just an emerald necklace
And the promise of a frog
Just an emerald necklace
Emerald necklace and a song

When I looked at you
White feathers
A beak
Surely a jest
For birds cannot speak

I had no promise
Of your heart
Just the
Word of a frog

Chorus

Now I see you
Bird outside
Girl in
In the game of my life
I'm going to win

Chorus (repeat twice)


I loved the images and language in this one from Nisa

The following is to the tune of "The Riddle" from the musical The Scarlet Pimpernel and depicts my novel "Power's Touch". -

See the dreams pass before her eyes
See the youth stripped clean with the lies
Angels speak no words
In a land so cursed

Just trace a portrait of darkness
You'll have an image of yourself
Betray the night
Gain a sense of right

Oh we all can taste bitter-sweet scars
Like moonlight spilling 'cross falling stars
I need more
One thing that is sure

The power, glitter, they lead us
In a dance trapping away trust
We cast our lot
And with luck it will pay off

And I am sorely disappointed that the video associated with this entry from Janet Lane never made it online. It sounds like AWESOME performance.

It's to the tune of "Chapel of Love" recorded by the Dixie Cups in 1964.
I had three women singing, a la the Dixie Cups, with two men as back-up for the "whoa, whoa, whoa's."

GYPSY TO THE CHAPEL ... to "Chapel of Love" by Dixie Cups, 1964. New lyrics by Janet Lane

CHORUS
Goin' to the chapel
And we're gonna get married
Goin' to the chapel
And we're gonna get married
Chose to be a Gypsy
And we're gonna get married
Goin' to the Chapel of Love

Fall is here
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Time for bliss
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Break the tile
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
And then we'll kiss
But Big John says, "Something's amiss!"
And my Gypsy King is headed to jail! So now we're ...

CHORUS:
Goin' to the gallows
And we'll never get married
Goin' to the gallows
And we'll never get married
Lookin' for the chalice
And that naughty monk's secrets
Lookin' for the chalice, and LOVE!

Two days left
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
A big surprise
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
My Gypsy King
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Told me lies!
That surly knight is always right
And the chalice is finally in our hands!

CHORUS
And now I found a true lover
But we'll never get married
Found a true lover
But we'll never get married
I'm half Gypsy
Will I ever get married?
Lookin' for the Chapel of Love.
(Yeah, yeah yeah yeah)
Lookin' for the Chapel of Love
(Yeah, ONE MORE TIME!)

(Slow, with full harmony): Lookin' for the Chapel of ... Loooooove!
(Baritone): Whoa, YEAH!


But for sheer entertainment value (plus extra marks for bravery and enthusiasm), the winning entry:



Angels, Demons, and Beauty Queens*
* With Michael Jackson clawed hands swaying back and forth to the tune of “Thriller.”
(Lots of wolf howls)
It’s close to mid-night and Linny’s on a very scary plane
Out of her body, she sees a sight that makes her want to faint
She wants to run, but Elvis imp-er-sonators take the plane
She starts to scream, but Lycra stares her right between the eyes
She’s mortified!

Cause it’s a thriller, a real bone chiller
Agents jump to read it, oww
And publishers scream for it, yoww
It’s a diller, a real thriller yarn
But my query really sucks
I’ll have to rip it up
Toooonight!!!!
(Jackson howl)

Back on the airplane, Mary melts the bomb with laser beams
Annette raises a dead man and wonders if her powers are a dream
They want to run, but the FBI believes they’re double agents,
They strategize, but an evil demon stalks them from the skies
They’re terrified!

Cause it’s a thriller, a real bone chiller
Agents please, please read it!
And publishers scream for it(in a good way)
Cause it’s a thriller, a real genuine chiller
I want to win that book cause’
I need another, another, another hook!!
Tooonightttt!!!!
(Jackson howl)

by Taryn L. Hook




So, congratulations, Taryn! You've won a copy of Agent Demystified by Authoress of Miss Snark's First Victim.



So watch your email for instructions!

And seriously, all the entries were beyond awesome. I was blown away by your amazing creativity and willingness to take risks. I loved them all. BIG thanks to everyone who "pitched" in.

You guys rock. Literally.

H. L. Dyer, M.D. writes women's fiction and works as the Clinical and Academic Director for the Hospitalist Program at a pediatric teaching hospital near Chicago. In addition to all things literary, she enjoys experimental cooking and composing impromptu parodies to annoy close friends and family. Click to visit her personal blog, Trying to Do the Write Thing.

7 comments:

Amanda Bonilla said...

Great job everyone! I'm impressed!

Michelle McLean said...

Congratulations Taryn!! And wow everyone - I am impressed at the creativity!!

Unknown said...

Congratulations, Taryn! These were so creative and so much fun!

B.J. Anderson said...

Wow, good job everyone who entered! These are awesome!

Suzette Saxton said...

Congrats, everyone, and thanks Heather for an entertaining morning!

Danyelle L. said...

Congrats Taryn! And good job to everyone who entered. This was a blast!

JPM said...

Congrats!! That was fun!