NEWSFLASH! - Deb Werksman of Sourcebooks is Taking Pitches & Answering Questions on the Casablanca Authors Blog!

Deb Werksman, Editorial Manager of Sourcebooks Casablanca is taking pitches and answering any questions on the Casablanca Authors Blog right now!

Deb from the blog:

What do YOU want to know? You can ask me about:

*the book marketplace
*the publishing or editorial process
*your specific project (yes! I'm taking pitches today too!)
*anything else you want to know!

Stop by, pitch, and ask away!

Casablanca Aurthors Blog

The Marshall Plan Contest For Aspiring Authors

Get a Fiction Makeover for National Novel Writing Month!

A Contest Sponsored by The Marshall Plan®

In celebration of National Novel Writing Month (November 2010), Evan Marshall and Martha Jewett, leading literary agents and authors of The Marshall Plan® Novel Writing Software and The Marshall Plan® for Novel Writing ebook, are sponsoring a contest for aspiring novelists. Send them a proposal for your novel for a chance at winning a free copy of the software and a free Fiction Makeover—professional advice on revising your material for better chances of a sale!

Contest rules:

Entrants must not have published a novel with a major commercial publisher. Submit the first 25 (no more!) double-spaced pages of your novel, any genre, along with a synopsis no longer than 1 single-spaced page. Send your material in one .doc file as an email attachment to: evanmarshall@optonline.net.

Submission deadline:

November 15, 2010. Winners will be announced on November 30, 2010, on writeanovelfast.com as well as Facebook and Twitter. Entrants who do not follow rules exactly will be disqualified.

Become a fan on Facebook and follow on Twitter for contest updates and writing tips.

Prizes:

2 Grand Prizes:

•The Marshall Plan® Novel Writing Software ($149 value)
• A copy of The Marshall Plan® for Novel Writing Ebook ($10 value)
• A Free Fiction Makeover for your novel proposal: top literary agents Evan Marshall and Martha Jewett will tell you what you need to do to get your novel published faster in today’s competitive publishing climate. 3 Runner-Ups:
•A copy of The Marshall Plan® for Novel Writing Ebook ($10 value)

About Evan Marshall & Martha Jewett

Evan Marshall is an internationally recognized expert on fiction writing and author of the “Hidden Manhattan” and “Jane Stuart and Winky” mystery series. A former book editor, for 27 years he has been a leading literary agent specializing in fiction. His Marshall Plan® Novel Writing Software, written with Martha Jewett, is an adaptation of his bestselling Marshall Plan® series.

Martha Jewett is an internationally recognized expert on business books. A former award-winning business book editor at McGraw-Hill, John Wiley & Sons, and HarperBusiness, she is currently a literary agent and editorial consultant specializing in business books. An avid memoirist, she blogs at http://www.writeyourmemoir.com/. She co-created with Evan Marshall The Marshall Plan® Novel Writing Software, an adaptation of the bestselling Marshall Plan® series.

QueryTracker Contest for Writer's of Children's/YA Fiction

Do you write Children's books? If so, here's a great oppourtunity at QueryTracker to get your work in front of Agent Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. This is a ONE DAY ONLY contest that begins today, Wednesday, October 27th at 9:00am Eastern time and ends on Thursday, October 28th at 9:00am Eastern time.

Ms. Paquette wants to see a one-line pitch and the FIRST 100 words (plus or minus 1/2 sentence--don't just cut it off mid sentence) of completed children's picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, or young adult novels. More details on this contest will be posted as the opening date for submissions nears!

I don't write childrens' or YA, but apparently Ms. Paquette does not accept queries outside of referrals or personal contact (conferences), so this is a GREAT opportunity, so hurry and get pitch and submissions in!

Go here for more info.

Good Luck!

QueryTracker Blog

Author Tawny Taylor's SOME LIKE IT HOT Writing Contest

Starting October 25th, 2010, Romance Author Tawny Taylor will be hosting a FREE writing contest!

The final judge is an editor from Ellora’s Cave.

All SubGenres of erotic romance accepted.

This contest is open to both unpublished and published authors of erotic romance fiction. All entries shall be the author's original work and not contracted for publication prior to the entry deadline. (Authors currently published with Ellora's Cave are not eligible to enter.)

How the contest works:

* You may submit one chapter--not to exceed 5000 words. Stories must be complete. (A one-page synopsis may be included.)

* Each Monday, two stories will be selected by Ellora's Cave editor Grace Bradley. At the end, six weekly winning authors will submit a partial (first three chapters, last chapter and synopsis) to the final judge for ranking.

The first place winner will receive ...

A critique of the full winning manuscript by EC editor Grace Bradley!

The second place winner will receive...A critique of the partial manuscript by EC editor Grace Bradley (first three chapters, last and synop).

The third place winner will receive...

A critique of the first chapter by EC editor Grace Bradley.

Additional Prizes:

One entry will be selected each week by random drawing to received a detailed critique by an author published with Ellora's Cave.
THE DETAILS:

* Starting Date: October 25th 2010. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 pm November 12, 2010.

* Three rounds

Submissions received between 12:00 am October 25th and 11:59 pm October 29th will be considered for round one. Submissions received between 12:00am Oct. 30 and 11:59 pm November 5th will be considered for round two. And submissions received between 12:00am November 6th and 11:59 November 12th will be considered for round three.

* Weekly Finalists Announced on November 1, 2010, November 8, 2010 and November 15, 2010.

* NO Entry Fee or purchase necessary to win.

* Send entries to writingcontest@tawnytaylor.com. Include genre, word count, and your name and contact information. A one-page synopsis may be included.

Before entering, please see all the details at: http://www.tawnytaylor.com/WritingContest.html

For any questions, email Tawny (tawny@tawnytaylor.com)

Tawny Taylor Writing Contest
Tawny Taylor Website

Harlequin's "So You Think You Can Write" Editorial Week

So you think you can write? Here's your chance to show us!"

Join Harlequin editors November 1st-5th for a week of insights on writing romance. They invite writers to, "come by to hone your skills and get started on the path to publication."  There will be podcasts, chats, critiques, challenges and more!

*Snipped from the Harlequin blog:

Does your imagination run wild with vivid characters? Have you ever dreamed of becoming a USA TODAY bestselling author? Well, our editors want to make those dreams come true. We are hungry to find talented new writers for Harlequin Books. Through podcasts, blogs, and discussions with our expert editors and current authors, we’re going to help you understand the appeal of the romance genre. And there’s a special daily challenge with feedback that will give some great insights into crafting the perfect story. So for the next week, come by to hone your skills and get started on the path to publication. So you think you can write? Here’s your chance to show us!

To learn more, visit the Harlequin So You Think You Can Write site.