MORE BITS & PIECES #121

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #121
REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - DOMINICK DUNNE, age 82, writer, investigative journalist, author of ten books. 4 films and a TV series. In novels, like The Two Mrs. Grenvilles and People Like Us, he has skewered those in society's upper reaches with knowing portraits that demonstrate an innate understanding of how the other half operates during the worst of times. At Vanity Fair, he has given readers his unique inside account of several high-profile cases including the murder trials of Claus von Bulow, the Menenedez brothers murder of their parents, Ethel Kennedy's nephew Michael Skakel and O.J. Simpson.

BBC LAUNCHES ONLINE JOURNALISM SCHOOL IN 33 LANGUAGES - The site, which should launch in six weeks, will feature 2,500 pages of articles, 250 films and a self-testing facility. ARTICLE: http://www.journalism.co.uk/2/articles/533726.php

LIST OF POETRY CONTESTS - http://pluginamp.com/network/node/2124

POETRY ENJOYING A RESURGANCE THANKS TO INTERNET – Article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/4863351/Internet-is-causing-poetry-boom.html

FIRST BREAKOUT NOVEL SCHOLARSHIP - Free Expressions Seminars is offering a scholarship to its acclaimed “Writing the Breakout Novel Weeklong Intensive” with top NY literary agent, Donald Maass. The scholarship is available for one student who wishes to participate in the Sept. 21-27, 2009 workshop to be held in San Antonio, Texas. It covers complete room, board, tuition and all other workshop expenses, except transportation. The workshop offers 35 writers the opportunity to dig into their novels-in-progress in an intensive workshop in which they'll take daily classes w/Don Maass and receive in-depth feedback on their work from Maass and a roster of experienced industry professionals. Suitable for published and pre-published writers alike, the workshop's core focus is on creating a "breakout" work, one that transcends genre to offer a rich, dramatic, and memorable experience to the reader. INFO & APPLICATION: http://www.free-expressions.com/site/default.htm Or call toll-free: 866-497-4832.

HOME COOKING MAGAZINE - newsprint magazine; each issue has recipes, cookbook reviews, tips for busy cooks, fun food facts and more. $20/300. All rights. Send completed article or query to: Shelly Vaughan James, Editor Editor@HomeCookingmagazine.com URL: http://www.homecookingmagazine.com

INSIDEOUT TRAVEL MAGAZINE - online publication for travelers, from first-time backpackers to those who have made traveling a lifestyle, for anyone who values the experience of traveling and learning about other cultures. $10-$20. Guidelines: http://www.insideoutmag.com/contribute.htm

SPIELBERG AND PLAGERISM – http://www.weirdwildrealm.com/f-amistad-plagiarist.html

ITALIAN AMERICA, USA - Freelance writers are invited to submit queries for feature articles. Topics can include an important personality living or dead; a colorful aspect of contemporary Italian or Italian American life; a little-known chapter in Italian American history; a new or historical Italian festival, product, cultural institution or societal issue. 750/1000/wds. Non-exclusive worldwide periodical publication and syndication rights in all languages, in all mediums. Articles/ photographs: $50/250. All syndication fees are shared with the author. Query by mail. Italian America magazine, Dona De Sanctis, Editor ddesanctis@osia.org Guidelines: http://www.osia.org/public/magazine/freelance_guidelines.asp

JAZZIZ MAGAZINE - designed to attract an audience that may not typically subscribe to a jazz music magazine. Features a monthly companion CD, graphics, and photography, and lifestyle-oriented coverage. 5-10 cents per word + Photos All rights. Contact for writer’s guidelines: Michael Fagien, Editor mfagien@jazziz.com URL: http://www.jazziz.com

THE LONDON MAGAZINE - seeks stories, poems, articles and critical reviews of the arts in the UK and abroad. Short stories, features, memoirs, critical articles: max. 5000/wds; reviews: max. 2000/wds; poetry: no longer than 800 lines. Payment is strictly by negotiation with editor. Guidelines: http://www.thelondonmagazine.net/londonmagazine_contribute.aspx

LOVE SONG CARDS - ground floor opportunity. Company need someone who can write text for web site that is creative and can make it sell. You do not need to know html or how to build a site. We could use you if you know how to use search term relevancy to get high search engine ranking as well as having strong selling skills. You will only be working on 3 pgs so this is a simple job. For more experience applicants, if you have a web site, we will put a link or possibly a banner to your site. Anyone who is chosen will be used for more work later on our additional sites as our company grows. Contact Cliff Posey cliff1000@sbcglobal.net Guidelines: http://www.lovesongs.com

LEAPFROG PRESS 2009 FICTION AWARD - Deadline: May 1st, 2009. Entry fee $25
Publication contract with $1000 advance given for a book-length work of literary fiction. Judges include Michael Lee and Michael Mirolla. Finalists receive $150 plus manuscript critique. Guidelines: http://www.leapfrogpress.com/main-pages/FictionContest.htm

14th ANNUAL PARSEC SHORT STORY CONTEST - Deadline: April 15, 2009. Short stories. For the promotion of literary Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and other Speculative Fictions. The Theme for this year's contest is Dark Glass. This can be used as a metaphor, literally, or anything in between. Confluence attracts many families and the story will be printed in the program book. A certain restraint and subtlety is called for. 3500 wds max. $200 prize. Guidelines: http://www.parsec-sff.org/contest/contest09.html

AT&T FORWARDING COPYRIGHT WARNINGS – Article by PETER SVENSSON, AP Technology Writer. AT&T Inc., the nation's largest Internet service provider, will start sending warnings to its subscribers when music labels and movie studios allege that they are trafficking in pirated material, according to an executive. http://tinyurl.com/czyrb9

MORE BITS & PIECES #120

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #120
REASONS TO KEEP WRITING – AGATHA CHRISTIE, age 85, a prolific writer up to the year she died. She wrote 66 detective novels (including “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile”), 163 short stories, 19 plays, 4 nonfiction works (including her self-titled autobiography) and 6 romantic novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. She killed off Poirot in her 1975 novel, “Curtain,” a death reported in a front-page obituary for Poirot in The New York Times on Aug. 6, 1975. She was fiercely protective of her characters.

I JUST FINISHED.COM - online book lover's community whose goal is to bring authors and readers together for the conversation of books. As well as creative, informed book reviews, readers can tune in to a conversational weekly podcast "Coffee with an Author," and participate in the "Featured Author" interactive interview on the homepage. The site also offers active forums, reader profiles and a weekly newsletter and blog. URL: http://ijustfinished.com

PITCHRATE.COM - pitch your book’s subject matter to journalists and list your expertise for journalists to find. URL: http://www.pitchrate.com/content/content-article.asp?ArticleID=4597

PUBLICITY HOUND - If you need publicity for your book then check out this fantastic site. URL: http://publicityhound.com

MEDIA BISTRO – Looking for promotion ideas? Here's advice/ideas on promoting oneself online these days: URL: http://tinyurl.com/cfkxm7

THIS ENGLAND, UK - want non-fiction about England's people and places, its natural beauty, towns and villages, traditions, odd customs, legends, folklore, surviving crafts, etc. 250/1500/wds. Submissions by snail mail only, with SASE or IRC's. No email subs. Material submitted is automatically considered for Evergreen and vice versa. £25/1000/wds; poems £5. URL: http://www.thisengland.co.uk

EXPATICA, Netherlands - provides information, community and voice to English-speaking expatriates in Europe. Extensive knowledge of expatriate life and the issues that affect expats needed. 500/1000/wds. Also restaurant reviews, bars, cafes and shops 200/wds. Send query or the completed article. Simon Payn, Editorial Dir. simon.payn@expatica.com Contact Link: http://www.expatica.com/common/contact_us.html

EVENT - publishes fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, mostly by Canadian writers (but is open to anyone writing in English). Looks for readability, style, well-handled characters and a strong, effective point of view; in poetry, they prefer the narrative and confessional modes. Submit 3 to 8 poems, or 2 short stories 5000/wds/max. each. $22/printed pg, w/min $25 for 1 pg and a max $500. Guidelines: http://event.douglas.bc.ca/visitors/event-magazine/submissionguide.html

FAMILY BUSINESS MAGAZINE - focuses on the family aspect of businesses, and the business aspect of families, e.g. succession, estate planning, sibling rivalries, cousin jealousies, attracting and holding non-family talent, etc. Query: Barbara Spector, Exec. Editor bspector@familybusinessmagazine.com Guidelines: http://www.familybusinessmagazine.com/editsub.html

FILIPINAS MAGAZINE - stories of heroes, achievers, mavericks and leaders in the community. Always looking for freelancers from all parts of North America. Query first by regular mail or email, with samples. Editor: editorial@filipinasmag.com Contact page: http://www.filipinasmag.com/?page_id=224

FRICTION ZONE - motorcycle publication distributed throughout California/parts of Nevada. Editorial focus on local travel, motorcycle information, rider safety. Publishes 15 feature articles/issue. Stories are assigned based on writers' proposals. Features: 800/1500/wds. $0.15/wd. Query: editor@friction-zone.com Guidelines: http://www.friction-zone.com/west/contactus.html

GUAVA MAGAZINE - print travel magazine for women travelers who are strong, independent, who revel in the fruits of travel. 500/2000/wds. $25/100 depending on length. Send completed article or query to: Sabrina Sakata, Editor editorial@guavamag.com Guidelines: http://www.guavamag.com/editorial/guidelines.html

HIGH TIMES MAGAZINE - independent voice of today's culture through provocative coverage of politics, arts and entertainment, news, fiction, fashion not found in mainstream media. Richard Stratton, Ed-in-Chief hteditor@hightimes.com 10-15/cts/wd, Photos: Photos $25/300. First North American Rights. Guidelines: http://hightimes.com/entertainment/ht_admin/2482

MORE BITS & PIECES #119

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #119
REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - JOHN ASHBERY, age 81, poet, is having his first art exhibit in New York. Of the hundreds of openings in the city this fall, this one will be particularly distinctive. Because the artist is the pre-eminent American poet John Ashbery, making his solo debut as professional artist at 81, with a modest but polished exhibition of two dozen small collages.

EVERYTHING YOU SHOULD KNOW - offers useful advice on marketing and occasional free telephone seminars. URL: http://www.everythingyoushouldknow.com

CONJUNCTIONS - see website and author index for the types of articles the magazine is looking for. Direct submissions to Editorial Office, 21 East 10th St, NY, NY 10003. Manuscripts returned w/SASE. No eSubs. Guidelines: http://www.conjunctions.com/about.htm

OnceWritten.com SPRING SHORT STORY CONTEST - Deadline: April 30, 2009. Entry Fee: $20. Award: $1,000. Guidelines: http://www.oncewritten.com/Writing-Competitions.php

DIABETES SELF-MANAGEMENT - written for the growing number w.diabetes who want to know more about controlling and managing their diabetes. Ingrid Strauch, Managing Editor editor@diabetes-self-mgmt.com Kill fee: 20%. Guidelines: http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/about/authors.cfm


BOOK FESTIVALS - are a great avenue for promoting your title and putting you in direct contact with book enthusiasts. Publishers Weekly offers great information on 27 upcoming book festivals http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6637854.html?rssid=192

7th BOOK EXPO AMERICA, NY - Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, in New York City. Reserve your table in the IRC today and follow breaking BEA news. http://www.writersdigest.com/bea

WRITERS NET - Some of the highest paying magazine markets are now requesting that writers submit fiction through an agent. While most literary agents will not represent writers of magazine articles and stories, a few will. Here's a link that lists several pages of agents for fiction and short stories: http://www.writers.net/agents/topic/31/0

BEE CULTURE.com - covers beekeeping, history, how-to, equipment and the humorous side; we touch on pollination’s, honey plants, gardening with bees, wildlife, woodland plantings, all the creatures that bees affect and interact with. There's a serious side too, pesticides, politics, imports, marketing, pests and predators. Bee Culture has a constant demand for articles on bees and beekeeping, pollination and honey plants, the business side, and a wide variety of related topics. $100/200. 800/2000/wds w/photos/art. Contact the editor link on webpage. Guidelines: http://www.beeculture.com

The Monster List of Freelancing Job Sites – many disciplines listed. Worth a look. URL: http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/the-monster-list-of-freelancing-job-sites

HOME & HERITAGE MAGAZINES – Advocate Magazine operates urban living magazines in Dallas neighborhoods, articles on personalities, events and topics of interest to people in these communities. Works with unpublished but talented writers. Interested in ideas writers have for stories in the Far North Dallas, Lakewood/East Dallas, Lake Highlands, Oak Cliff, and Preston Hollow communities of Dallas. We do not profile businesses unless the owner is a resident,. We cover people, schools, arts and entertainment, community organizations, etc. Prefer to work with writers in our publishing area. Guidelines by email: Kris Scott, Editor kscott@advocatemag.com URL: http://www.advocatemag.com

SOCIETY OF SOUTHWESTERN AUTHORS(SSA) 1-ACT PLAYWRITING CONTEST - 30-40 minutes in length, max 8 characters. Deadline June 30, 2009. $10.00 entry fee. (SSA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and educating writers - fees offset contest expenses) Prizes: 1st $300. 2nd $200. 3rd $100. Three finalists will receive free admission including hotel accommodations to the annual Wrangling With Writing conference sponsored by the Society, to be held Sept. 26th - 27th in Tucson, Arizona at the Palo Verde Holiday Inn. The plays will be read on Saturday night and audience members will choose the first, second, and third place winners. All plays will also be considered for the SSA’s ongoing Readers Theater series. Send one bound copy of your play with the entry fee to: SSA -- Attn: Playwriting Contest; P.O. Box 35484; Tucson, AZ 85740. Please include your name and contact information on the title page of the script. Questions about the contest or the conference contact: Carol Costa at ccstarlit@q.com

THE COMPLETE REVIEW – worth a look, an opinionated survey of books old and new, trying to meet all your book review, preview, and information needs. URL: http://www.complete-review.com/main/main.html

MAD ANTHONY WRITERS CONFERENCE – April 17-18, 2009. Attendees will experience hands on classes in fingerprinting, handcuffing, arrest techniques, weapons interview and interrogation etc. The conference will also feature K9 demos and classes. For more info and registration: http://www.madanthonycbf.org/index.htm

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR WRITERS/AUTHORS #118

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #118
REASONS TO KEEP WRITING – ROBERT GIROUX, age 94, publisher, gold standard of literary taste, who guided and supported dozens of great writers from T.S. Eliot and Jack Kerouac to Bernard Malamud and Susan Sontag, Giroux helped create one of the most notable publishing houses. Farrar, Straus & Giroux. During Giroux's 60-yr career, some of the world's most celebrated writers published works for FSG, including Nobel Prize winners Isaac Bashevis Singer, Derek Walcott, Nadine Gordimer and Seamus Heaney. Giroux was a strong critic of contemporary publishing, which he believed had become too money-minded. "Editors used to be known by their authors," he observed in a 1981 lecture. "Now some of them are known by their restaurants."

myWRITERTOOLS - software for writers, editors and proofreaders. Add-ins to Microsoft Word (Windows) that turn it into a powerful tool for writers, editors and proofreaders. Accomplish tasks that were previously either impossible or incredibly time-consuming. Once installed, these programs are instantly accessible from the myWriterTools toolbar in Word.
URL: http://www.mywritertools.com

PITCHRATE.com - Pitch your book’s subject matter to journalists and list your expertise for journalists to find. URL: http://www.pitchrate.com/content/content-article.asp?ArticleID=4597

WINGSPAN, JAPAN - in-flight magazine of All Nippon Airways. Looking for original, entertaining and informative stories from ANA's international destinations, especially those with a strong human element. Sections include: The Occasional Tourist , Japan from A to B, A Family Album, Japanese Things, Fiction. Query: editors@mcedit.com Guidelines: http://www.mcedit.com/?page=guidelines

PEN AMERICAN CENTER WRITER’S GRANTS - an emergency fund for professional, published or produced, writers in acute, emergency financial crisis. Depending on the situation, the Fund gives grants of up to $2,000. The maximum amount is given only under especially dire circumstances and when monies are available. Also see links to the right of the page about other resources. URL: http://www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/251

WRITERS WEEKLY - seeking articles on ways writers can make money from writing i.e. unique assignments, corporate services, self publishing, marketing and networking advice, alternative products and services that writers can pursue and sell, and seek articles on how authors can successfully market their books to the public. Guidelines: http://www.writersweekly.com/misc/guidelines.html

AMERICAN LAWYER - glossy feature magazine about the business of large American law firms and the leading personalities in that business, lawyers, and because our readers work only at the largest law firms, we don't pay attention to everyday legal news. Long-form narrative features. Query: editorial@amlaw.com All editor contacts are on website's contact page. URLs: http://www.americanlawyer.com or Contact Page: http://www.law.com/jsp/tal/contact_us.jsp

LENORE MARSHALL POETRY PRIZE - Submissions are accepted from April 1 to June 15, any year. Established in 1975, this $25,000 award recognizes the most outstanding book of poetry published in the U.S. in the previous year. Submissions are accepted each year from April 1 to June 15. The Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize honors the memory of Lenore Marshall (1897-1971), a poet, novelist, essayist, and political activist. She was the author of three novels, three books of poetry, a collection of short stories, and selections from her notebooks. Her work appeared in such distinguished literary magazines as The New Yorker, The Saturday Review, and Partisan Review. In 1956 she helped found the National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy, the citizens organization that lobbied successfully for passage of the 1963 partial nuclear test ban treaty. Entry Form: http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/117

NORTHWOODS WRITERS FESTIVAL, Canada - Deadline: April 30, 2009. The Northwoods Writers Festival invites fiction and non-fiction entries for The Great Northern Canada Writing Contest 2009. First prize: 500 +publication in above&beyond magazine; special Emerging Writer prize: $250. Theme: life in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik or Northern Labrador. Guidelines: http://www.northwordsfestival.ca-a.googlepages.com/writingcontest

ASIA PACIFIC TROPICAL HOMES, Thailand - Regional Perspective, Asia-Pacific Personality, Tropical Lifestyle, The Finest Touch. Dept. 50/250/wds include: Life & Style, Hot Hot Property, Buy By Design. Query first by mail or email editor@trophomes.com together with notes on your pub history and samples of published work. US$200/450 for stories 1200/wds+. The Editor, ARTASIA PRESS, 32/11 Ban Prangthong, Moo3,Tambon Vichit, Chao Fa Road, Amphur Muang, Phuket 83000, Thailand. Guidelines: http://www.trophomes.com/about_the_magzine/Contributor_Guidelines.htm

UPDATE ON PUBLISH AMERICA LAWSUIT - Larry Cooperman is collecting names of interested PA authors for a potential class action against PublishAmerica. PA authors who believe they fit a "fraud" situation, i.e. who have signed a contract based on the "traditional publisher" moniker are asked to contact Mr. Cooperman at coop@newmillguitar.com
Better Business Bureau rating for PA: http://greatermd.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=41&bbb=0011&firm=32010985

DUOTROPE’s DIGEST - has listings for short fiction, poetry and novels, response time to submissions. It also lists by genre. Well worth checking out. URL: http://www.duotrope.com/index.aspx

A LONG STORY SHORT - online venue publishing a variety of genres and also offers workshops/classes. URL: http://www.alongstoryshort.homestead.com

LAS VEGAS WRITERS CONFERENCE - April 16-18, 2009. Las Vegas, NV.
Info: http://hendersonwriters.com/LVWC.htm

BLACK BELT MAGAZINE - accepts freelance articles on martial arts topics, including style analysis, how-to, interviews, profiles, historical and philosophical manuscripts, training. Articles require supplemental color photos to illustrate segments of the manuscript. Query Robert Young, Editor byoung@sabot.net Guidelines: http://www.blackbeltmag.com/contact

SUPREME COURT & FREELANCERS, PUBLISHERS - The Supreme Court will consider reviving the $18 million settlement involving payment to freelance writers for use of their work online. The case largely applied to articles, photographs, illustrations that were produced 15 or more years ago, before freelance contracts provided for the material's electronic use.The case is Reed Elsevier v. Pogebrin, 08-103.
SOURCE: http://tinyurl.com/bh3uv6