My New Blog Award

I opened my inbox yesterday to find the following message from Polka Dot Banner:

Congratulations Carol Burge!

You have just been awarded the "2010 Web Supporter" at http://www.polkadotbanner.com/

Best regards,

PolkaDotBanner.com Staff

And this was posted on my profile page, along with the award graphic:

Thanks for spreading good words about the PDB out on the web. Links you posted have been reported in our site analytics. (Cool!) This icon award on your profile is the PDB's way of thanking you for support of PolkaDotBanner.com. Huzzah!

Nice, huh? I've proudly added the award to my side bar.

Thanks PDB!

Polka Dot Banner
An Author's Gathering Place

The History Channel Magazine American Hero Contest

Here's a fun little contest for all of you history buffs out there.

The folks at the History Channel are currently putting together the next issue of The History Channel Magazine and they need your help! They're looking for one of their Living History readers to write a 500 to 800 word article about their favorite American history hero and why he/she's important to you. This can be anyone: Abe Lincoln, Ben Franklin, Rosa Parks, Mickey Mantle ... anyone. It's up to you. The most well-written submission will be published in the History Alive section of an upcoming issue under the Heroes department. This contest is open to anyone interested in American history, so let your friends and family know.

Please e-mail all submissions—along with a digital image of yourself to: editorial@thehistorychannelclub.com

Good Luck!

*NOTE: For the record, I got this info from the History Channel's Living History Newsletter. I tried to verify the guidelines and the deadline, etc., but I couldn't find anything about the contest on the website. If you want to try and check it out yourself, links to the website are below. Hopefully you'll have better luck then I did. :)

History Channel
History Channel Magazine

Call For Submissions For Aspen Mountain Press New Regency Romance Line

-----------------------------------
On October 15, 2010, Aspen Mountain Press launched its new Aurora Regency imprint, a line devoted to Regency romance.

Traditional Regency romances, as exemplified by Georgette Heyer's work, is historical fiction that takes place during a very specific (and short) era (1811-1820).

Aurora is looking for well-researched Regency romances between 35,000 and 70,000 words, although they will bend on the upper word limit if the story merits it.

Aspen Mountain Press is a royalty-paying e-publishing company, and they do not charge set-up or editing fees. Their contract requests rights to the contracted work, including digital and print formats, as they will provide some titles in print later this year. 

For complete guidelines visit the Aspen Mountain Press Submission Page:  http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/submissions/info_6.html

Aspen Mountain Press: http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/

Cleopatra Literary Contest for Young Women

This literary contest is named after the inspirational Cleopatra VII of Egypt, who was an author of works about cosmetics, pharmacology and weights & measures. Established and sponsored by author Stephanie Dray, the competition is aimed at discovering and mentoring aspiring young female writers. In particular, the award seeks to foster new voices with an appreciation for women’s history. Deadline March 1, 2011. Entries are limited in length to 2,000 words. Short stories, essays, poems, and excerpts from novels and novellas are welcome, in any genre, as long as they focus on one of the themes.

Teen Category Winner: Choice of $100 cash or a brand new E-reader, in addition to an award certificate, a month-long writing mentorship with Ms. Dray, a feature article in her blog and newsletter, and a critique from NY literary agent, Jennifer Schober of Spencerhill Associates.

Young Women Category Winner: Choice of $100 cash or a brand new E-reader, in addition to an award certificate, a month-long writing mentorship with Ms. Dray, a feature article in her blog and newsletter, and a critique from NY literary agent, Jennifer Schober of Spencerhill Associates.

Finalists: Constructive feedback from publishing professionals, mention on Ms. Dray’s blog and newsletter, an award certificate, and a free book courtesy of contest sponsors.

Females ages 13-18 for the teen category.

Females ages 19-22 for the young women’s category.

This is an international contest, so writers outside of the US are eligible.

Before she wrote novels, Stephanie Dray was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the transformative power of magic realism to illuminate the stories of women in history and inspire the young women of today. She remains fascinated by all things Roman or Egyptian. Her book Lily of the Nile, comes out in January 2011, about the daughter of Mark Antony and Cleopatra.

Read more at Stephanie’s website.

NOTE: I snipped this contest info from Hope Clark’s blog. C. Hope Clark is editor and founder of FundsforWriters.com . Her newsletters reach over 37,000 writers. Writer's Digest selected FundsforWriters one of its 101 Best Websites for Writers every year since 2001. www.fundsforwriters.com

You can sign up for Hope’s newsletter(s) on her blog. I recommend you subscribe to at least one of them, if you haven’t already. They’re chock FULL of information.

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.

Call For Submissions At Desert Breeze Publishing

*Permission to forward and share granted and encouraged*

Submissions are open at Desert Breeze Publishing! We are seeking manuscripts to fill our 2011 release schedule. At Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc., we are seeking manuscripts from novella length (between 30,000 and 35,000 words approximately) to super novel length (exceeding 100,000 words), with a preference for novels between 65,000 and 90,000 words. We are more than willing to accept queries on book series, and will consider a series concept when at least one book is completed and the series has been thoroughly formulated. We are also willing to look at rereleases as long as proof of release can be provided and the author can submit new work as well.

We are looking for submissions in all of the following romance sub-genres:

• Contemporary Romance
• Romantic Suspense 
• Romantic Comedy/Humorous Romance 
• Inspirational/Christian Romance -Both Traditional Christian Romance and
• Edgier Christian Romance 
• Fantasy Romance 
• Paranormal Romance
• Time Travel Romance
• Science Fiction Romance/Futuristic Romance/Speculative Fiction Romance
• Steampunk Romance 
• Urban Fantasy Romance
• Modern Cowboy Romance
• 20th Century Historical Romance (1901 through the Viet Nam War)
• Historical Romance (Prior to the 1900's)
• YA Romance in all sub genres

We love romance, and we love happy endings. Now, a happy ending doesn't have to be wedding bells and proposals -- but leave us no doubt that your hero and heroine could easily ride off into the sunset together.

Desert Breeze Publishing is a royalty paying publisher of romance in electronic novel format. We publish from the sweet to the heated, with the exclusion of erotica or erotic romance. Our books are currently distributed through Amazon and Amazon UK for Kindle, Barnes and Noble, Books on Board, All Romance eBooks, Kobo, and the Apple iBookstore for distribution in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. Coming soon, all our Inspirational/Christian Romances will be available at Christianbooks.com.

Full submission guidelines, along with instructions for submitting, can  be found at our website: http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/ under Submissions. We strongly encourage authors who are interested in submitting to also review our FAQ page, so you can understand more about DBP as a whole.

We anticipate a 4-6 week response time to all queries.

Thanks!

Gail R. Delaney

Editor-In-Chief
Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc

Win a Contract for Christmas with Pink Petal Books

I received the following contest info in my inbox this morning. I'm posting it for those of you who are interested.

Good Luck!

*permission to forward*

Pink Petal Books is spreading the holiday cheer with a Contract For Christmas contest! We're looking for erotic romance novellas between 25,000 and 40,000 words long. Give us any pairing (or multiples), any orientation, and any sub-genre of romance as long as it is hot! We want erotic romance where the sexual tension starts from the first page and maintains its intensity throughout the entire story.

Submissions accepted through December 1. We will announce the winners on December 24, and yes, we'll be offering a contract for at least one lucky author's Christmas (or other winter holiday).

Want to find out how to enter? Visit our Contract for Christmas page for more information!

Pink Petal Books...because love is a beautiful thing!

http://www.pinkpetalbooks.com/

* Pink Petal Book is listed with the RWA as a non-vanity, non-subsidy publisher *

BLOGMANIA 2010

BLOGMANIA 2010 is here! Today (Wednesday) & Tomorrow (Thursday) 170 blogs are having contests, huge giveaways & lot's and lot's of prizes.

What is BLOGMANIA, you ask? Welll, a bit of a description is below:

Snipped from the Blogmania site: 

Each blog will have published a post describing their giveaway theme and prizes and clearly letting you know how to enter their giveaway. At that end of that post, you will find a link list containing all BLOGMANIA giveaways. Read each post carefully , as how to enter will vary blog to blog. Each blog is responsible for drawing and notifying their own winners and handling the prize distribution, in partnership with their sponsors. BLOGMANIA and Parker PR Online are not responsible for any claims, opinions, or prizes offered by any participating blog/blogger. We do expect blogs to have announced their winners on their blogs by or around September 20, 2010 and for the prizes to be distributed within a timely manner upon receipt of shipping information.

You can start here – http://www.parkerpronline.com/ – or on any participating blog.


Bitten by Books is a participating blog, and they're giving away an Amazon Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, and man would I LOVE to win it! I've been wanting one for a long time, but being unemployed the past two years just doesn't allow for it. I have a ton of ebook's on my computer, but I haven't read any of them because I have a hard time reading on my desktop. A Kindle would certainly remedy the situation, don't ya think?  :)

I couldn't resit, and I entered the Bitten by Books contest. If you'd like to enter, too, just click on the bbb badge below, and take it from there.

Wish Me Luck!

Angela James Taking Pitches At Carina Press/eHarlequin.com Community

Here's an opportunity for those of you who would like to pitch to eHarlequin/Carina Press Editor Angela James!

(snipped from the blog)

We're at it again! And this time, we're giving you an oppurtunity to pitch anything! Well, almost! Send us your: Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Futuristic, Erotica, Mystery, Thrillers, Horror, Family Saga, Women's Fiction, Interactive Fiction with Multiple/Alternate Endings, because Carina Press is looking for YOUR manuscript and Executive Editor, Angela James will be on hand to take your pitch!

Deadline is October 12, 2010. For more information, rules and guidelines, visit Carina Press/eHarlequin.com Community

Good Luck!

Carina Press/eHarlequin
Carina Press Submission Guidelines

D. Renee Bagby First Chapters Blog Halloween Contest/Promo Opportunity

*** Permission to Forward Granted *** 



D. Renee Bagby Presents First Chapters' is looking for Halloween romance titles (and/or titles featuring vampires, shape-shifters, demons, or witches) and Inspirational romance titles (and/or titles featuring angels) for two separate events.

-- First Event --

48 Hours of Halloween

Halloween is on a Sunday this year, which means most people will be partying on Saturday. DRB 1st Chapters is partying on both days. Every hour, one minute past the hour, a new first chapter post will drop. That's 48 chapters in all starting 12:01AM EST 30 October.


WHAT I NEED

48 first chapters that are either...

*** Halloween-themed romance

OR

*** Romance featuring (ie - one of the main characters is) either vampires, shape-shifters, demons, or witches.

DEADLINE

*** 15 October

HOW TO SUBMIT

*** http://dreneebagbypresentsfirstchapters.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html

Follow the guidelines at the above link and you can read more about the event there as well.


WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?

*** Promotion, of course. Also, the post with the most people commenting (counting individual people, not the comments themselves and comments from me and the author of the title don't count) will win a two week spot in "Blatant Plug" box AND the author will have their blog link added to the blog roll.

*** Bonus - Winning also means your book becomes the prize for the lottery. Me, myself, and I will purchase FOUR copies of your title (ebook through All Romance eBooks, though other arrangements will be made if your title is not available in ebook and/or via ARe) to be given to the lottery winners. That's right. The tab is on me.

-- Second Event --

All Saints' Day Event

Time for the flip side of the coin. 01 November is All Saints' Day and DRB 1st Chapters will host inspirational romance and romance titles featuring angels (good or bad). Every hour, one minute past the hour, a new first chapter post will drop. That's 24 chapters in all starting 12:01AM EST 01 November.

WHAT I NEED

Like I said above, I need 24 first chapters that are either...

*** Inspirational romance

OR

*** Romance first chapters featuring angels (good or bad)

DEADLINE

*** 15 October

HOW TO SUBMIT

*** http://dreneebagbypresentsfirstchapters.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html

Follow the guidelines at the above link and you can read more about the event there as well.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?

*** Promotion, of course. Also, the post with the most people commenting (counting individual people, not the comments themselves and comments from me and the author of the title don't count) will win a two week spot in "Blatant Plug" box AND the author will have their blog link added to the blog roll.

*** Bonus - Winning also means your book becomes the prize for the lottery. Me, myself, and I will purchase TWO copies of your title (ebook through All Romance eBooks, though other arrangements will be made if your title is not available in ebook and/or via ARe) to be given to the lottery winners. That's right. The tab is on me.

Email me with questions or comments, but be sure to read the FAQ located at the link above first.

D. Reneé Bagby Presents First Chapters

D. Reneé Bagby
Building New Realms of Passion...
http://dreneebagby.com/