Hello everyone! And Happy New Year!
I know I've been gone a good little while (talk about that later) but I just wanted to let you all know about two writing contests whose deadlines are coming up soon.
Here's the info:
1) The 2014 Sandy Writing Contest
This contest, sponsored by the Crested Butte Writers Conference, features categories of romance, mainstream adult fiction, suspense/thriller/mystery, fantasy and science fiction, and Children's and YA.
The judge for Children's & YA is Tracey Keevan, Senior Editor at Disney Hyperion. Check out her bio, and interview with the contest coordinator.
Basic entry fee is $30 for Crested Butte Writer members, for all others $35
Entries must be received by midnight, February 10, 2014.
Payments snail mailed (USPS) must be postmarked by February 12th.
And they are only accepting 250 entries so get those entries in soon!
2) 2014 Writers-Editors Network International Writing Competition
For complete guidelines, rules, fees, and entry form go here
Categories include Nonfiction (articles, essays, book chapters, columns), Fiction (short story or novel chapter), Children's Literature (short story, nonfiction article, book , poem), and Poetry.
Entry fee is $5 for members, $10 non-members for each entry under 3,000 words. For entries of 3,000 to 5,000 words, the fee is $10 (members) or $20 (non-members). For complete fee listings, see link to guidelines above.
Entries must be postmarked no later than March 15, 2014.
Enter by postal mail or email
LASTLY, check out this wonderful interview with Carol J. Perry who placed 1st in 2013 for her Novel Chapter, which she later sold to Kensington Publishing in a 3-book deal!
GOOD LUCK, everyone!
Getting back to my absence. . . . When I last posted, my family and I were in the middle of a BIG move from New Jersey to Connecticut, dealing with issues of employment and readjustment. And somewhere along the line I think I lost confidence in myself and my writing, to the point where I couldn't even think about storylines and such. I think even my two daughters lost faith in me!
I didn't TOTALLY forget about the blogosphere, though. I still browsed around the blueboards, and a few authors' and agents' blogs and websites. Now that things are a bit calmer, I am slowly creeping back into the writing life and restarting my journey toward publication.
And so I would like to share links to 2 very encouraging blog posts. The posts aren't recent but they do give HOPE and ENCOURAGEMENT, which I think all of us aspiring writers need!
The first post is by my good blogging friend, Tess Hilmo, middle grade author of the wonderfully heartwarming historical novel, With A Name Like Love (2011, FSG Books for Young Readers). It's called "The Quitting Place." Ever been there? I have. Numerous times. But I'm not stayin'!
Thank you, Tess, for your encouragement and this post! Tess' new book Skies Like These will be released on July 15, 2014, by FSG. Can't wait to read it!
Next, I want to share this post, "Stinky Self-Doubt," by middle grade author Danette Vigilante. This post really hit home for me because it pinpoints what I've been feeling: self-doubt.
Many thanks to Danette for this inspiring post! Danette's a talented writer, too, and uses NYC for her settings. This brings back many good memories for me since I was born and raised in NYC, too. :) Danette's first book, The Trouble with Half A Moon,came out in 2011, and her second book, Saving Baby Doe, is due March 2014 from G.P. Putnam's Sons.
Well, that's it for me right now, guys . . . hope some of this was helpful! :)
Showing posts with label Tess Hilmo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tess Hilmo. Show all posts
Monday, February 3, 2014
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Sunday Musings . . . I'm back, yes, really!
Hi everyone!
Long time, no see . . . yes, I’m back. So sorry I was gone so long but I had to deal with a few personal issues, including unemployment (lost my job in 2010). And with my husband working only part-time, it has been quite stressful to say the least. But I’ve been quite busy, nevertheless, transporting the kids to school and their various activities, doing some freelance proofreading, and of course, working on my middle-grade novel.
But enough about me . . . what I really want to focus on with this comeback post is the DEBUT PUBLICATION of my long-time blogger friend, TESS HILMO’s middle-grade mystery, WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE (Farrar, Straus & Giroux/Macmillan, Margaret Ferguson Books, 2011). The excerpts I read on amazon had me wishin’ I had a Kindle to download the story right away. With a Name Like Love received 2 fantastic STARRED REVIEWS—from Kirkus and the esteemed School Library Journal—before it’s publication date (Sept. 27, 2011). That is a HUGE accomplishment! Congratulations, Tess!
You’ll find a wonderful interview with Tess on Robyn Campbell’s blog, Putting Pen to Paper (Hi Robyn!), as well as this interview with Tess over at CYNSATIONS, the blog of well-known author & resource of publishing info, Cynthia Leitich Smith. (And speaking of Cynthia, you have got to check out this inspiring guest post she wrote over at Adventures in Children’s Publishing, “Your Only Real Competition is Yourself.” Doesn’t she speak the truth?)
*** CONTEST ALERT ***
IN CASE YOU’RE INTERESTED, you can win a copy of TESS HILMO’s With A Name Like Love by leaving a comment at Mother Daughter Book Club.com under the post Book Review and Giveaway: With A Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo. THE CONTEST ENDS OCT. 12th midnight (PDT). Good Luck!
AND, don’t forget to read Tess’ guest post at this same site, where she offers great writerly wisdom on The Power of Words.
You know, there’s been so, so many great blog posts this past year. Did anyone see the wonderful Tribute to Rita Williams-Garcia (author of the 2011 Scott O’Dell and 2011 Coretta Scott King Award-winning novel, One Crazy Summer) by her editor Rosemary Brosnan? This greatly inspiring read is in the July/August 2011 issue of The Horn Book magazine. I think most writers would give their right arm (and leg!) to have such a wonderful author-editor relationship as theirs!
Another great motivational read I came across was a post back in June entitled What’s Holding You Back? by guest writer, Joanne Kraft, on the blog of literary agent Rachelle Gardner.
Finally, here’s another post I though I’d mention. I came across it a few days ago, and it is SO TRUE. It’s called Write What You Love, But Make Sure Only You Can Write It, written by Martina, one of the bloggers at Adventures in Children’s Publishing. I wholeheartedly agree with Martina when she says, “If your pages could have been written by anyone else, there probably isn’t enough of you on them yet.”
Well, that’s it for now folks. I’ve really enjoyed writing this post and intend to post more in the coming days, weeks, and months. I can’t promise a set schedule but I do hope to be more consistent!
And I must give a shout-out to a great blogger friend, Robyn Campbell, who, commenting on my last blog entry, encouraged me to come back to the blogosphere. Thank you, Robyn! :)
Enjoy your week, everyone! :)
Long time, no see . . . yes, I’m back. So sorry I was gone so long but I had to deal with a few personal issues, including unemployment (lost my job in 2010). And with my husband working only part-time, it has been quite stressful to say the least. But I’ve been quite busy, nevertheless, transporting the kids to school and their various activities, doing some freelance proofreading, and of course, working on my middle-grade novel.
But enough about me . . . what I really want to focus on with this comeback post is the DEBUT PUBLICATION of my long-time blogger friend, TESS HILMO’s middle-grade mystery, WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE (Farrar, Straus & Giroux/Macmillan, Margaret Ferguson Books, 2011). The excerpts I read on amazon had me wishin’ I had a Kindle to download the story right away. With a Name Like Love received 2 fantastic STARRED REVIEWS—from Kirkus and the esteemed School Library Journal—before it’s publication date (Sept. 27, 2011). That is a HUGE accomplishment! Congratulations, Tess!
You’ll find a wonderful interview with Tess on Robyn Campbell’s blog, Putting Pen to Paper (Hi Robyn!), as well as this interview with Tess over at CYNSATIONS, the blog of well-known author & resource of publishing info, Cynthia Leitich Smith. (And speaking of Cynthia, you have got to check out this inspiring guest post she wrote over at Adventures in Children’s Publishing, “Your Only Real Competition is Yourself.” Doesn’t she speak the truth?)
*** CONTEST ALERT ***
IN CASE YOU’RE INTERESTED, you can win a copy of TESS HILMO’s With A Name Like Love by leaving a comment at Mother Daughter Book Club.com under the post Book Review and Giveaway: With A Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo. THE CONTEST ENDS OCT. 12th midnight (PDT). Good Luck!
AND, don’t forget to read Tess’ guest post at this same site, where she offers great writerly wisdom on The Power of Words.
You know, there’s been so, so many great blog posts this past year. Did anyone see the wonderful Tribute to Rita Williams-Garcia (author of the 2011 Scott O’Dell and 2011 Coretta Scott King Award-winning novel, One Crazy Summer) by her editor Rosemary Brosnan? This greatly inspiring read is in the July/August 2011 issue of The Horn Book magazine. I think most writers would give their right arm (and leg!) to have such a wonderful author-editor relationship as theirs!
Another great motivational read I came across was a post back in June entitled What’s Holding You Back? by guest writer, Joanne Kraft, on the blog of literary agent Rachelle Gardner.
Finally, here’s another post I though I’d mention. I came across it a few days ago, and it is SO TRUE. It’s called Write What You Love, But Make Sure Only You Can Write It, written by Martina, one of the bloggers at Adventures in Children’s Publishing. I wholeheartedly agree with Martina when she says, “If your pages could have been written by anyone else, there probably isn’t enough of you on them yet.”
Well, that’s it for now folks. I’ve really enjoyed writing this post and intend to post more in the coming days, weeks, and months. I can’t promise a set schedule but I do hope to be more consistent!
And I must give a shout-out to a great blogger friend, Robyn Campbell, who, commenting on my last blog entry, encouraged me to come back to the blogosphere. Thank you, Robyn! :)
Enjoy your week, everyone! :)
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