NEWSFLASH! - Kensington/Brava Writing With The Stars Contest For Unpublished Writers

(Snipped from The Brava Authors blog)

In conjunction with RT Book Reviews, Brava is sending out a call to unpublished writers of paranormal, historical and contemporary romance , as well as romantic suspense: We’re looking for a hot debut novel to be published in 2012 under the Brava imprint at Kensington.

If you’ve written a sensual full-length romance novel, this is a great opportunity to submit to the editors at Brava, who will be reading the entries and selecting the top ten finalists. Starting in September, each of our top ten will be paired with one of Brava’s star authors for the next stage of the competition – creating one-of-a kind opening hooks, to-die-for heroes, sizzling love scenes and more.

For more info, vist The Brava Authors blog.

Workshop Proposals/Instructors Wanted At Savvy Authors

*Permission to Forward Granted and Gratefully Encouraged*

Savvy Authors, a website for writers, is accepting proposals from interested instructors and presenters for the remainder of our 2010 education program and also for our 2011 schedule. We are seeking in-depth, well-structured workshops that are NOT already scheduled more than twice during the 2010 or 2011 calendar year.

We are open to a range of teaching styles including forum and chat based mixtures, and also podcasts and workshops that include an audio or video component. Our workshops are conducted via a bulletin board based forum that can function like an email loop or list.

At this time we are accepting proposals for workshops of all lengths including 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks of all types (Craft, Topics, Promotion, Business, and Life Issues.)Â All workshops are open to anyone regardless of membership in Savvy Authors. Our stipend structure accommodates a flat fee structure as well as a split of the class fees.

Savvy Authors is committed to supporting published and aspiring authors by providing excellence in educational resources targeted to the specific needs of our membership. Hence, while interested in proposals on any craft, promotion or publishing topic, Savvy Authors is specifically soliciting proposals in the areas described below.

Of particular interest are craft workshops that address the following subjects:

• Character Driven Plotting
• Weaving Together Plot and Character Arcs in a Romance Novel
• Three Act Structure
• Writing in the Active Voice
• Scenes and Sequels
• Revision and Editing, optionally including Grammar and Punctuati
• Subplots and Plot Layers
• World Building
• Deep POV
• Dialogue
• Bad Boys, Wicked Women, Villains, and Antagonists
• Writing Dark Heroines and Heroes
• Planning and Writing a Series or Sequels
• Showing vs Telling
• Crafting a Mystery
• Using Folklore, Religion and Myth to Worldbuild
• The Dark Paranormal
• Urban Fantasy
• Writing Novellas and Short Stories
• Writing a Modern Western
• Writing a Historical Western

Proposals for Preparing Submittal Packages and Responding to Requests, Life as an Author, and the Business Side of Writing are also of interest.

Examples of topics include, but are NOT limited to:

• Researching and Working with Agents
• Query Letters
• The Synopsis
• Contests
• Critiquing
• Professional Behavior for the Author
• What to expect as a Debut Author
• Contracts
• Record Keeping and Taxes
• Writers Block
• The Muse
• Writing on a Shoestring
• Organization for the Writer

Proposals for workshops targeted towards promotion that think outside the box and include innovative strategies will be warmly welcomed. Emphasis will be given to short, intensively focused workshops that address one subject.

Examples of topics include but are NOT limited to:

• Podcasting
• Creating and Maintaining a Blog
• Making a Book Trailer
• Guest Blogging
• Developing a Blog Tour
• Developing a Promotion Campaign for the Debut Author
• Setting Up Book Signings
• Developing a Relationship with Your Local Bookstores
• What Happens After Your Rights Revert to You – Keeping Your Backlist Available
• Designing a Website
• Using a Template for Your Website
• HTML
• Networking for the Introvert
• Promotion for Beginners
• Interacting with Readers and Fans
• Finding Book Reviewers
• Using Social Media
• Second Life as an Avenue for Promotion

Genre specific workshops such as (but not limited to) crafting a mystery or creating an alien are also sought.

In addition we are actively seeking workshops on topics of interests to writers of all genres, including historicals, mysteries, thrillers, novels in a medical setting (or any other specific setting with a requirement for technical accuracy), PI and/or police procedurals, regencies, steam punk, and science fiction.

Examples of topics include but is NOT limited to:

• Medieval Castles 
• Medieval Life 
• Victorian England/Victoriana 
• Weapons and Weapons Use 
• Martial Arts 
• Police Procedures 
• Life in a Hospital, ER or ICU 
• The Napoleonic Wars 
• Regency Society 
• Sleuthing
• Computer Hacking 
• Espionage 
• Life in the Army, Navy or Air Force  
• Special Forces 
• Non Traditional Healing and Medicine  
• Witchcraft 
• Vampire Lore 
• Werewolf Lore 
• Celtic Legends and Folklore 
• Life on the Western Frontier
• Colonial America 
• The Revolutionary War 
• The Civil War 
• The Home Front During WWI or WWII 
• WWI 
• WWII 
• Prohibition  
• The Roaring Twenties 
• Ranching 
• Small Town Sheriff 
• The Old Time Cattle Drive 
• Rodeos
• Cowboys

Instructors and presenters selected for the 2010 calendar year will be asked to provide a complete course promotion package, including a finished course précis, syllabus, bio, book blurb and either a cover graphic or picture of themselves, within five days of notification of selection.

Your proposal MUST specifically include:

1.Class Title and Length
2.Target Audience (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced or Mixed)
3.Prerequisites
4.Description and Syllabus
5. Presenter Bio (including relevant experience and education – first time presenters of topics welcomes and encouraged to apply.)
6.Availability to Present
7. Degree of Instructor Involvement (e.g., will there be assignments and will they be reviewed individually or only as examples)
8. Is this workshop is currently scheduled for anytime in 2010 or 2011? If so provide the dates and sponsor.
9. Email Address

We recognize in order to achieve our goals and best serve our membership it is sometimes necessary a workshop be developed or tailored to our specifications. We also recognize that some instructors or workshop topics in and of themselves may provide a degree of added value not found in other instances. Hence we are willing to negotiate a stipend that reflects that understanding. If you feel that your workshop falls into the latter category please include that information in your proposal.

We make every effort to promote the workshops as widely as possible and ask our instructors to do the same. Therefore we also ask our instructors to guest blog 2-4 weeks prior to the workshop as a part of the promotion for same.

Selected instructors will be asked to agree to not present a workshop on our schedule six months prior to or six months after the date agreed to with us.

Prospective and interested instructors and presenters are STRONGLY encouraged to visit Savvy Authors and its sister site, Savvy Readers , and to ask all questions before submitting a proposal.

Send a complete proposal for all workshops. Incomplete proposal packages will not be considered. Proposals are due by April 1, 2010. All proposals should be addressed to:

Sharon L. Pickrel
Savvy Authors Workshop Coordinator

workshops@savvyauthors.com

savvyauthors.com - Writers Helping Writers
http://www.savvyauthors.com/workshops.cfm

March 7 - 13 Is Read An eBook Week

Hey Everyone, Did You Know From March 7th Through March13th is Read An E-Book Week? What exactly is Read An E-Book Week, you ask?

(Snipped from the website)
Read an E-Book Week was first registered with Chase's Calendar of Events in 2004. Chase's is a day by day directory of special days, weeks and months used by event planners or anyone looking for a reason to celebrate. By having the week officially recognized, e-book authors and publishers acquired a certain extra "legitimacy" during that week to promote the new technology of e-books. The public and media were initially wary of e-books and many doors were closed to promotion. With the week officially recognized by Chase's, authors reported they now had access to television morning chat shows and were allowed to set up library displays during the week-long event.

Read an E-Book Week educates and informs the public about the pleasures and advantages of reading electronically. Authors, publishers, vendors, the media and readers world-wide are welcome to join in the effort. We encourage you to promote electronic reading with any event. These could include: public readings, library displays, reading challenges, school visits, newspaper and blog articles, chat show appearances, internet radio interviews, e-book give-ways, and banners on your website.

E-book information and free e-books define Read an E-Book Week. From March 7-13th major e-book retailers and authors offer free, or deeply discounted e-books for the event. These e-books will be available in the E-Book Store. Many of the participants offer free, or discounted e-books throughout the year, so please return often to see what is available.

The Read an E-Book Website is there to provide the latest information on e-books and to act as a collection point where you can list your event or give-away.

For more information, visit the website and download a banner, go to: http://ebookweek.com/index.html

Classic Romance Revival's First Flight Contest For Aspiring Romance Authors

From

Classic Romance Revival & CRR Publishing

"Giving Wings to Classic Romance"

If you write sweet, sensual or sophisticated romance in all genres, and are an unpublished and un-contracted author, this is the contest for you!

As part of our commitment to "growing" the "classic" romance genre, Classic Romance Revival is now hosting the First Flight Contest for aspiring authors, and the stakes just got higher - you could win a publishing contract plus three month's promo! Along with this is a copy of Barri Bryan's "A Core Curriculum for Creative Writing", a must-have for every writer...

Over the next few months you will have the opportunity to showcase your writing skills and your works in progress, and stand in line to win the Classic Romance Revival "First Flight" award. Not only that, the top stories from our Short Story category will be published in CRR's "First Flight" anthology.

We hope to make this an ongoing contest, a regular opportunity for aspiring authors to reach readers and, hopefully, other publishers as well.

For rules & guidelines, visit: http://www.classicromancerevival.com/first-flight-contest.html

The Wild Rose Press AND Pocket Books/Juno Imprint Call For Submissions

Hey guys, I have a couple calls for submissions for you.

Good Luck!

(Snipped from an email)

The Wild Rose Press is actively recruiting short stories across all lines immediately. If you have a short story in mind, now is the golden time to get that submission in. If you've never written anything short - try it. Sometimes trying to do something with less can be very satisfying. As always, please review our guidelines and remember we only publish romance.

According to the email I received, WRP considers anything under 65K a short and anything over full.

For more info, visit The Wild Rose Website or email Rhonda at: rpenders@thewildrosepress.com

The Wild Rose Press Website
The Wild Rose Press Submissions Page.

Also, Pocket Books/Juno Editor/Paula Guran is currently accepting submissions for the Juno line. For more information, visit the Juno Books Blog or the Juno submission guidelines Page.

Juno Books Blog
Juno Submission Guidelines

TKA's Nephele Tempest I'M IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE Submissions Festival

I'M IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE Submissions Festival

In honor of Valentine's Day, Agent Nephele Tempest of The Knight Agency is accepting pitches on her blog from now until Sunday, February 14th, at 11:59pm, Pacific Time.

Accepted genres: Literary fiction, contemporary/mainstream fiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, romance (including contemporary, historical, paranormal, and romantic suspense), young adult fiction (no children's or middle grade please), steampunk, and urban fantasy.

Attn: Your book needs to be completed and ready to be sent out. This means revised and edited and in a state that makes you proud.

Visit Nephele's blog for for rules and giudelines.

Good Luck!

Nephele Tempest Blog
TKA Blog

Avon Romance Contest

*reposted with permission from Cindi Myers Market News Blog:

Avon Books is giving away $1000 to the person who comes up with the best idea for a collection of Regency-set historical novellas. The novella collection will be titled It Happened One Season and the novellas will be written by best-selling authors Stephanie Laurens, Mary Balogh, Jacquie D’Alessandro and Candice Hern. You job is to come up with the theme of the stories and three major plot points.

The deadline is Valentines Day, February 14th, 2010. Go here  for rules and guidelines. .

Avon Blog
It Happened One Season Contest Page
Cindi Myers Market News Blog

This N' That

Below are a few things you might be interested in.

Have fun!

~Carol

* Over at the Happy Ending Blog, Jeannie Ruesch is giving a book video/book trailer workshop. You can follow her lessons by reading them on the blog, or you can sign up to have them emailed to your inbox. The choice is yours. And make sure you check out all the other posts on the blog, too. There's a goldmine of info.

*Need a boost to get going on your writing each morning? Check out Author C.M. Mayo's Daily 5 Minute Writing Exercises. There's an exercise for every day of the year, all 365 of them. Sign up to have them delivered to your inbox , or read them off her website. Whichever way you choose, they'll definitely give you a daily kick start.

*Visit The Bookshelf Muse and check out the EMOTION THESAURUS that Author Angela Ackerman has put together. Is your character disappointed, and you can't think of a way to describe it? Maybe her chin dipped to her chest, or her shoulder's slumped, sagged or drooped. Can't think of a way to show that your character's exhausted? How about if her eyes were red, or she/he yawned uncontrollably? With the Emotion Thesaurus , you'll find these descriptions and more. There are ton's of jump off/starting points to help if you get stuck.This is a blog you really should add to your bookmarks. Go here and see for yourself.

*Looking to take a Creative Writing course? If so, sign up for Writer's Village University's Y2K course. It starts April 7th, and it's FREE!

WVU offers ton's of other writing workshops for a fee, but they're worth it. I signed up for the free course(s) about ten years ago when I first started writing, and I was so impressed that I ended up buying a membership. The price is reasonable, and the courses are great. Go here and see for yourself.

Miss Snark's February Secret Agent Contest Is A Go!

I apologize for posting twice today, but I just ran across this and it's VERY time sensitive.

Good Luck!

*permission granted to forward*
It's that time again! Submissions for our next Secret Agent contest will post on Monday, February 8, at noon EST.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

* Submissions will be open for 24 hours or until 50 eligible entries have been received, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST.

* Submissions received before the contest opens will be disqualified.

* Submissions are for COMPLETED MANUSCRIPTS ONLY. If you wouldn't want an agent to read the entire thing, DON'T SEND IT. If an "entire thing" doesn't exist, you shouldn't even be reading these rules.

* Manuscripts THAT HAVE BEEN IN A SECRET AGENT CONTEST DURING THE PAST SIX MONTHS (August-January) will not be accepted.

* You may submit A DIFFERENT MANUSCRIPT if you've participated in any of the 2009 Secret Agent contests.

* Only ONE ENTRY per person per contest. If you send more than one, your subsequent entry(ies) will be deleted.

* If you are PAST WINNER, please DO NOT ENTER THIS CONTEST. (Unless it's a different manuscript.)

* Submissions are for THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your manuscript. Please do not stop in the middle of a

Your submission for this contest should be formatted as follows:

SCREEN NAME
TITLE
GENRE

(Followed by the excerpt here.)

* No "chapter one," chapter titles, etc.

* You will receive a confirmation email with your post number. I don't always get through quickly. Don't resend.

* Submissions go to facelesswords(at)gmail.com. They DO NOT GO to my authoressmail address. Those of you who are subscribed to this blog via email will note the latter address as the "from." If you use this address for the contest, I WILL NOT SEE YOUR SUBMISSION.

This month's contest will include the following genres:

• literary fiction
• young adult fiction
• science fiction
• mystery and suspense
• historical fiction

 (Please note: No middle grade this time.)

 As always, post your questions in the comment box.

Miss Snark's First Victim Blog

Eric Maisel FREE Creativity Coach

Once again Dr. Eric Maisel is offering 16 weeks of FREE Creativity Coaching to interested persons. The next round begins the week of February 8th. Coaches-in-training will be working with clients for free via email.

For more information visit: http://www.ericmaisel.com/creativity_trainings.html

Agent Pitch At Musetracks Coming up SOON!

Want a opportunity to pitch your ms to an agent? On Sunday Feb. 7th.at 10:00 a.m. E.S.T. you'll have your chance, and you won't even have to leave your house!

Once a month Musetracks blog hosts an "Agent Shop" where the first 30 people to submit their pitch will have the opportunity to get their ms in front of an agent. This month (February) Stan Soper from the Soper Literary Agency will be the featured agent.

Pitches accepted in: Romance – All genres, subgenres, elements and Women’s fiction. (At this time we are not offering any other areas of writing, but you can always check back. If more agents become interested – we might expand.)

The following is from the site:

Agent Shop will only be ‘open’ one day, per month, and I’m only taking the first thirty pitches that I receive. But don’t worry, if you don’t get in the top thirty this time, you can try again the next month. Hopefully, enough great pitches come in to keep these agents coming back for more.

After the pitches go up, the agent(s) have one week to read and decide. They will then contact me and I will forward on information to the author(s) who received requests. I will also be posting results after the week is up. Just the total number of requests made – no specifics or names.

 Sounds awesome, doesn't it? For rules, guidelines and more info, visit  MUSETRACKS.

MUSETRACKS 
Soper Literary Agency

Nathan Bransford YA Writing Prompt Contest

In celebration of Jennifer Hubbard's YA debut novel,THE SECRET YEAR, Nathan Bransford is having a writing prompt contest.  To enter, write the most compelling (fictional) teen diary entry. It may be a diary entry or an unsent letter, but it should be in a teen's voice.

Prizes:
The GRAND PRIZE ULTIMATE WINNER of the THE SECRET YEAR Teen Diary Writing Contest Extravaganza will win:

- A signed copy of THE SECRET YEAR (pending winner's proximity to the US of A)

- Their choice of a query critique, partial critique, or 10 minute phone conversation/consultation/dish session

- The pride of knowing OMG you are like the greatest writer for teens ever.

Runners up will receive a signed THE SECRET YEAR bookmark (pending finalists' proximity to USA), plus a query critique and/or other agreed-upon prize.

The contest deadline is 4:00 PM Pacific Time on Wednesday January 6th.

Visit Nathan's Blog for rules & guldelines.

Good Luck!

Secret Agent Contest For Middle Grade and YA

Every so often (I think every month) over at the Miss Snark blog, there is a Secret Agent Contest for certain genres. This month's contest is for:

Middle Grade fiction, all genres

Young Adult fiction, all genres

Submissions will open on Monday, January 11 at 12:00 PM EST

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Submissions will be open for 24 hours or until 50 eligible entries have been received, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST.
• Submissions received before the contest opens will be disqualified.
• Submissions are for COMPLETED MANUSCRIPTS ONLY. If you wouldn't want an agent to read the entire thing, DON'T SEND IT. If an "entire thing" doesn't exist, you shouldn't even be reading these rules.
• Manuscripts THAT HAVE BEEN IN A SECRET AGENT CONTEST DURING THE PAST SIX MONTHS (June-November) will not be accepted.
• You may submit A DIFFERENT MANUSCRIPT if you've participated in any of the 2009 Secret Agent contests.
• Only ONE ENTRY per person per contest. If you send more than one, your subsequent entry(ies) will be deleted. 
• If you are PAST WINNER, please DO NOT ENTER THIS CONTEST. (Unless it's a different manuscript.)
• Submissions are for THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your manuscript. Please do not stop in the middle of a

Your submission for this contest should be formatted as follows:

SCREEN NAME

TITLE
GENRE

(Followed by the excerpt here.)

•  No "chapter one," chapter titles, etc.
• You will receive a confirmation email with your post number. I don't always get through quickly. Don't resend.
• Submissions go to facelesswords(at)gmail.com. They DO NOT GO to my authoressmail address. Those of you who are subscribed to this blog via email will note the latter address as the "from." If you use this address for the contest, I WILL NOT SEE YOUR SUBMISSION.

For more information, visit Miss Snark Blog

FREE Query Letter Critique

I received the info below today and thought I'd pass it on.
~Carol

FREE Query Letter Critique

At Romance University, CJ Redwine picks one reader's query letter each month for a detailed critique that she then posts on our site for educational purposes. If you've ever taken CJ's query letter critique class, you'll understand how valuable her recommendations are.

 We're seeking more query letters for 2010. This is a FREE service. CJ can block out any personal identification information at your request.

If interested, please send your query letter in the body of an email to: QueryWriting101@RomanceUniversity.org. Query critiques are posted on the first Monday of each month.

Romance University