Official Beta Reader: Alexandra Maxwell
Updated: Jun 11, 2021
Meet Alexandra, our resident sword-wielding archeress and cosplay enthusiast!
About Alexandra Maxwell
I'm a proud Florida girl who basically grew up at Renaissance festivals where my father worked as a blacksmith and sold knives and swords. This may have had a formative effect on me! I've loved everything to do with fantasy from a young age and I ended up completing my first novel at the age of 12. When I'm not writing, I spend my time as an Irish dance performer and teacher, sewing and wearing my own elaborate costumes to any faire or festival I can find, and playing with my Medieval weapons.
With almost a dozen completed books under my belt, I have many years of experience as both a writer and beta reader, as well as extensive querying experience. I am excited to share my hard-won knowledge with other writers. While I will be blunt if something is not working, I also love to tell a writer what IS working and what I love about their book. Writing friends are the best friends and I hope that we can cheer on your book together! My specialties are identifying where the POV could be deeper, pacing, and brainstorming new ideas.
My current "book crushes" include:
Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo
Protector of the Small quartet by Tamora Pierce
For this competition, I am looking for:
Categories: YA, NA
Genres: fantasy, historical, urban fantasy
Please do NOT submit to me if your manuscript is science fiction, romance, adult. I will not accept any book where the dog or animal sidekick dies. To clarify, I'm OK with a bit of romance if it's a natural part of the story, but if the romance is the driving plot, if there's insta-love, or a love triangle, it's not for me. Basically, I'm that kid in The Princess Bride who doesn't want a kissing book!
DO give me your morally gray characters and anti-heroes! I want to be swept away by lush and gritty settings, betrayals, plot twists, and dark fantasy stories.
Connect with me on Twitter using @A_ShredsMaxwell!
If you're struggling to find a good beta reader who will provide constructive criticism and is sure to help you improve your writing, you're not alone! Why not enter the Slushpile Monster's writing contest to win a free critique from an experienced beta reader like Alexandra?
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