MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #165

REASONS TO KEEP WRITING: DAME VERA LYNN, age 92, singer, still holds Britain's No. 1 record “Till We Meet Again,” a WW2 song. Lynn was known as the "Forces' Sweetheart," and her songs, including "We'll Meet Again," and “The White Cliffs of Dover" were wartime anthems. As servicemen all over the world heard Lynn on the radio, and many saw her in person, in far-flung places like Burma and Egypt, she became the voice that would remind them of home. Her wartime BBC radio show, "Sincerely Yours," followed the Sunday evening news and was a must-listen for British troops abroad. She read messages from their families and performed songs they requested. Lynn is still speaking out for soldiers, appearing recently in major British newspapers to urge support for troops fighting in Afghanistan. Made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975, she has been part of important national functions, such as the 2005 anniversary celebrations of World War II's Victory in Europe Day and the late Queen Mother's birthday.

METROPOLIS MAGAZINE - examines contemporary life through design, architecture, interior design, product design, graphic design, crafts, planning, preservation. Explores the economic, environmental, social, cultural, political, technological context. Nonfiction, columns/depts, photos/artwork. Guidelines: http://www.metropolismag.com/story/20061206/submissions-editorial-calendar

SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE – 700/wd humor column to 4000/wd full-length feature. Considers focused subjects that fall within the general range of Smithsonian Institution interests, cultural history, physical science, art and natural history. Always looking for offbeat subjects and profiles. Guidelines: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/contact-us/submission-guidelines.html

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT, UK - official magazine of Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Pubs articles on all aspects of human resource management, industrial relations and employment issues. Guidelines: http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2005/07/6439.htm

AIR FORCES MONTHLY, UK - deals with matters concerning modern military aviation. Also accepts up-to-date images of military aviation from all countries. Must be current. No archive or old material. Contact page to request guidelines: http://www.airforcesmonthly.com/contact.asp or Contact: Alan Warnes, Editor edafm@keypublishing.com

ITALY MAGAZINE, UK - general interest mag covering a wide variety of topics concerning Italian life. Regular features include holidays, wine, food, gardens, house interiors, culture, learning Italian, fashion and sport, lifestyle, crafts or lesser-known holiday destinations. 800-1200/wds. Guidelines: On request from editor, Melissa Ormiston melissa@italymag.co.uk URL: http://www.italymag.co.uk

THE SUN MAGAZINE - publishes essays, interviews, fiction, and poetry, favors personal writing and thoughtful, well-written essays on political, cultural, and philosophical themes. Guidelines: http://www.thesunmagazine.org/about/submission_guidelines/writing

STAR IQ – astrology, looking for daily content articles, 800/wds/max, on health, sports, business, politics, relationships, celebrities, gardening & spirituality. Guidelines: http://www.stariq.com/Pagetemplate/T1-Secured.asp?pageid=141

CREATION ILLUSTRATED – looking for high quality photos, articles, poetry that bring glory to God through the wonders of His creation. Guidelines: http://www.creationillustrated.com/article.php?id=8&PHPSESSID=786eaff66fb8de94fb71214df3d41c9e

BOSTON REVIEW - nonfiction, fiction, fillers on culture, political analysis, reviews, poetry. 4000-5000/wds. Reads fiction and poetry submissions between Sept. 15 and May 15 each year. Boston Review also runs an annual short story contest. Guidelines: http://www.bostonreview.net/about/writers_guidelines

MILLER’S POND – looking for poetry, interviews with poets. Guidelines: http://millerspondpoetry.com/index.php?page=Guidelines

LORIAN HEMINGWAY SHORT STORY COMPETITION - Deadline April 1, 2010. Entry fee: $12. First-place $1000. 2nd $500; 3rd $500.. Honorable mentions will also be awarded to entrants whose work demonstrates promise. The Saturday Evening Post will publish the first-place winner in its pages. Stories must be original unpublished fiction, 3000/wds/max. Open to all U.S.and international writers whose fiction has not appeared in a nationally distributed publication with a circulation of 5000 or more. Guidelines: http://www.shortstorycompetition.com/guidelines.php

OnceWritten ANNUAL POETRY CONTEST – Deadline: March 31, 2010. Entry fee: $15.
Award: $500 & publication. Guidelines: http://www.oncewritten.com/Contests/PoetryContest.php

NARRATIVE MAGAZINE - An iStory (iPhone Application) is a short, dramatic narrative, fiction or nonfiction, up to 150 words long. Particularly interested in works that give readers a strong sense of having read a full and complete story in a brief space. $250 for each iStory accepted for publication Guidelines: http://www.narrativemagazine.com/iStory

DUNES & DREAMS ONLINE WORKSHOP - RWA Chapter Online Workshop. March 1 through March 29 (four weeks): Past Life Regression for the Writers’ Soul: A New Approach to Character Creation w/Dawna Richard. Info: http://www.dunesanddreams.org/writing-workshops

WATERMAN FUND ALPINE ESSAY CONTEST - Deadline: March 15, 2010. No entry fee.
Creative nonfiction open to US residents who have not previously published a book
or national magazine article on the subject of exploring the relationship between the human spirit and the environment. 2500-4000/wds. $1500 prize. Guidelines: http://www.watermanfund.org/categories/essay_contest/2010_contest.php

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT ANTHOLOGY – Deadline: May, 1, 2010. The Christmas Spirit is a book project contracted with St. Martin's Press for the fall of 2011. Author Debbie Macomber has agreed to write the foreword. Seeking true stories that emphasize the significance of the Christmas season. The authors of the stories selected will receive $50. Guidelines: http://www.christmasspiritbook.com/story.html

BOOKSTORE CATALOG MAILING - mail to 3500 independent bookstore &chain buyers http://www.ibpa-online.org/programs/coopcats_bksllr.aspx

LITERARY CONTEST SCAMS –Writers should bookmark this link & check the list before entering any contest. http://windpub.com/literary.scams

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #164

REASONS TO KEEP WRITING: LARRY GELBART, age 81, Comedy writer, who co-created M*A*S*H and co-wrote the Dustin Hoffman movie Tootsie. Gelbart got his big break writing jokes for comedians Sid Caesar and Danny Thomas and became a staff member on The Red Buttons Show in the early 1950s. He went on to write for variety shows fronted by Judy Garland and Danny Kaye. He also wrote the book A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, which became a hit play and movie.

WRITER’S JOURNAL - a bimonthly mag for writers, including professional communicators, self/independent publishers, part-time or full-time freelancers, screenwriters, desk-top publishers, authors, editors, teachers, poets. Guidelines: http://www.writersjournal.com/Writer'sGuidelines.htm

SCRAP MAGAZINE – trade mag, Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), a Washington, D.C. based trade association W/1500 member companies that process, broker, and consume scrap commodities, including ferrous and nonferrous metals, paper, glass, textiles, rubber, and plastics. Looking for articles on scrap processing and handling equipment, environmental regulations, legislation, market trends. Guidelines: http://www.scrap.org/contact_us.htm#Scrap%20Writer%E2%80%99s%20Guidelines

SEW NEWS - welcomes article and project ideas on sewing, how-to. Articles should teach a specific technique, inspire the reader to try a project, introduce the reader to a new product or company related to sewing, or inform the reader about current fashion and sewing trends. Guidelines: http://www.sewnews.com/about/write_for_us.html

AGNI - publishes poetry, short fiction, essays, nonfiction, fiction between Sept. 1st and May 31, any year. Submit online only or snail mail. Guidelines: http://www.bu.edu/agni/submit.html

CHILDREN’S WRITER NEWSLETTER – monthly newsletter about nonfiction subjects: Children's writing, trends in books and magazines, approaching editors, editorial needs. Guidelines: http://www.childrenswriter.com/guidelines.htm

LOG HOME LIVING - monthly mag for people who own or are planning to build contemporary log homes. Nonfiction, photos/artwork. Guidelines: http://www.loghome.com/articles/98

HOUSTON WRITERS GUILD SPRING WRITERS CONTEST – Deadline: March 3, 2010. Entry fee: $15-$20. Three categories: Novels & Screenplays, any Genre. First Prize $1000. 2nd $500. 3rd $250. Submit first 15 pgs + synopsis. Short Story: Any Genre. First Prize $100. 3500/wd/max. Personal Essay: First Prize $100. 3500/wd/max. Guidelines: http://www.houstonwritersguild.org/Contests.htm

GEMINI MAGAZINE SHORT STORY CONTEST - Deadline March 31, 2010. Entry fee: $4
Grand prize: $1000. 2nd: $100. 3 Honorable mentions. All five finalists published in the June 2010 issue of Gemini. No restrictions on content, style, genre or length, all types of short fiction are welcome. Both new and established writers welcome. Guidelines: http://www.gemini-magazine.com/contest.html

NEWS LIBRARY.com - This site allows users to search many (not all) newspapers and their web sites for keywords. It’s excellent for research and to find out if a press release was picked up. If your story appeared, NewsLibrary automatically provides you with a small summary, you only pay for the full article. http://www.newslibrary.com

8th ANNUAL TEN-MINUTE PLAY CONTEST - Deadline: March 30, 2010. Entry fee: $5
Fire Rose Productions in N. Hollywood, CA. Adult and Youth Categories. FREE for Youth division. Each division winners will receive a cash prize ($200) and a professionally mounted production. Fire Rose Production is a non profit corporation formed in 2000 to promote multi-cultural awareness and education in the performing arts. Guidelines & application form: http://www.fireroseproductions.com

BUY-BUTTON GONE MISSING?- Don't know if your buy button's gone missing?
http://www.whomovedmybuybutton.com

PubSub - Similar to Google News Alerts. Free and also worthwhile. http://www.pubsub.com

SELF PUBLISHERS - Taking your books or documents and placing them in Word
http://www.katscan-ocr.com

PUBLIC LIBRARY MAILING - Send flyers to 4000 acquisition librarians at public librarys http://www.ibpa-online.org/programs/library.aspx

LITERARY CONTEST SCAMS – Writers should bookmark this link & check the list before entering any contest. http://windpub.com/literary.scams

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #163

REASONS TO KEEP WRITING: DICK MARTIN, age 86, American comedian and director, best known for his role as the co-host of the sketch comedy program Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In from 1968 to 1973. "We designed the show so that we are two relatively normal guys wandering through a sea of madness," Martin later said. Martin was a frequent panelist on game shows such as Match Game and Password Plus. He was also the host of two game shows: a parody game show called The Cheap Show in 1978, and Mindreaders in 1979. Starting on The Bob Newhart Show, he directed for over a dozen series. Martin later became the chief director of the 1980s sitcom Newhart. He became one of television's busiest directors, and worked until a few months before his death.

COMPANION PARROT QUARTERLY – about parrots, behavior & personality, in-depth care articles. Particularly interested in personal experience with an emphasis on behavior and personality. Neg. fees. Paying market. Guidelines: http://www.companionparrot.com/submissions.htm

5 to 7 EDUCATOR, UK - monthly mag aimed at Key Stage 1 teachers in UK education system. Publishes practical and professional articles on all aspects of education at that level. Runs sections covering lesson plans, managing behaviour, training and professional development, special needs, practical advice, together with 'how-to' articles and news. World serial rights. Guidelines: http://www.fivetoseven.co.uk/contribute.shtml

CAT WORLD, UK - monthly mag distributed in UK and USA, covering all aspects of keeping cats as a pets, anything from natural health and behaviour to personal stories that are entertaining and well-written, & funny photos. Include illustrations or photos to accompany projects and features where possible. World rights. Guidelines: http://www.catworld.co.uk/cat_contribute.asp

IS THAT HOLLYWOOD CALLING? – Lowcountry Romance Writers Workshop. March 5-31, 2010; Deadline to register: March 2, 2010. Fee: $16. Do you have a plot that could be a movie or TV series? Join Cindy Carroll and put your novel through a month long boot camp. Learn the difference between writing screenplays and novels. And improve your novel writing skills with her comprehensive course. Info: http://www.lowcountryrwa.com/online-workshops

INDUSTRY WEEK - informs manufacturing executives about trends, technologies and management strategies that drive continuous improvement enterprise-wide, and provides the link between the CEO suite and the plant-floor. Looking for non-fiction, photos. Guidelines: http://www.industryweek.com/about/writers_guide.aspx Contact page: http://www.industryweek.com/Contact

THE NEW PHYSICIAN MAGAZINE - ethical and political issues facing medical education and health care. Looking for nonfiction, columns/deps, Neg. fees. Guidelines: http://www.amsa.org/AMSA/Homepage/Publications/TheNewPhysician/Contributions.aspx

THE OUT TRAVELER – travel mag from the gay/lesbian point of view. Looking for nonfiction, columns/depts, photos/artwork Neg. fees. Contact page. http://www.outtraveler.com/contact.asp

DIVE NEW ZEALAND - Diving in New Zealand and other areas. Looking for nonfiction, photos/artwork. Guidelines: http://www.divenewzealand.com/index.asp?s1=dive-nz-magazine&s2=Contributions

NIMROD LITERARY AWARDS - (International Journal of Prose & Poetry) seeks submissions from January 1st to April 30th of each year. First Prize: $2000 +publication. Second: $1000 + publication. Guidelines: http://www.utulsa.edu/nimrod/awards.html

10th ANNUAL MARJORIE J. WILSON AWARD FOR BEST POEM CONTEST – Deadline: April 26, 2010. Entry fee: $15. Grand Prize: $1000. All finalists’ poems considered for publication. Guidelines: http://www.margiereview.com/CONTESTS/10MJW.html

DRUE HEINZ LITERATURE PRIZE 2011 – Deadline is between May and June 2010. Open to writers who have pub’d a book-length collection of fiction or a minimum of three short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals of national distribution. On-line publication does not count toward this requirement. Guidelines: http://www.upress.pitt.edu/renderHtmlPage.aspx?srcHtml=htmlSourceFiles/drueheinz.htm

2010 NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS – Deadline: March 31, 2010. Entry fee: $65 per entry/per Category. Winners and Finalists will receive National Media & Industry Exposure. Guidelines: http://www.IndieExcellence.com

WRITE CORNER: E.M. KOEPPEL’s $1100 SHORT FICTION AWARD - Annual Submission Period: Between Oct. 1 and April 30. Entry fee: $15.First Place: $1100; Editors' Choices: $100 each. If the winning story is by anyone attending a college, a university, or a school when the story is submitted, the winner will receive, in addition to the $1100 award, the $500 P.L.Titus Scholarship. Guidelines: http://www.writecorner.com/award_guidelines.asp

MORE AUTHORS SIGNING EXCLUSIVE KINDLE DEALS - (article) http://gigaom.com/2010/02/08/more-authors-signing-exclusive-kindle-deals

BOOKS 4 REVIEW CATALOG MAILING - mail to 3500 book reviewers at daily metro & weekly newspapers http://www.ibpa-online.org/programs/coopcats_bfr.aspx

LITERARY CONTEST SCAMS – Writers should bookmark this link & check the list before entering any contest. http://windpub.com/literary.scams

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #162

REASONS TO KEEP WRITING: FORREST J. ACKERMAN, age 92, science-fiction writer, actor, literary agent, magazine editor and full-time bon vivant who discovered author Ray Bradbury and was widely credited with coining the term "sci-fi." He was a founder of science fiction fandom and possibly the world's most avid collector of genre books and movie memorabilia. He was the editor and principal writer of the American magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland, as well as an actor and producer. Ackerman was central to the formation, organization, and spread of science fiction, and a key figure in the wider cultural perception of science fiction as a literary, art and film genre. His stories have been translated into six languages. Ackerman had cameos in over 210 films, including bit parts in many monster movies and science fiction films (The Howling, Innocent Blood, Return of the Living Dead Part II), more traditional "imagi-movies" The Time Travelers, Future War), spoofs and comedies (Amazon Women on the Moon, Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold, The Wizard of Speed and Time), and at least one major music video (Michael Jackson's Thriller) Ackerman appeared extensively on-screen discussing his life and the history of science fiction fandom in the 2006 documentary film Finding the Future. In 2007, Roadhouse Films of Canada released a documentary, Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman.

COUNTRY WOMAN - 68-pg, full-color, bimonthly mag for women who live in or long for the country. short, photo-illustrated profiles of rural women doing interesting things, be it having a special hobby or avocation, running a rural-based business, or engaging in a special volunteer activity, and includes informative articles on health and lifestyles Every issue features a large food section filled w/mouth-watering recipes for today’s country cook. Guidelines: http://www.countrywomanmagazine.com/Misc_Pages/cGuidelines.asp

RUSSIAN LIFE - culture, travel, history, cities, towns, politics, art, geography, issues, business and society. RL focuses on current issues and events facing Russia and Russians. Guidelines: http://www.russianlife.com/freelance.cfm

WRITERS’ JOURNAL - nonfiction, fiction, fillers on the subject of writing, all phases for the professional communicators, self/independent publishers, freelancers. Guidelines: http://www.writersjournal.com/Writer%27sGuidelines.htm

CANTICLE MAGAZINE - the only journal dedicated solely to the woman’s vocation within the Church. Seeking nonfiction, columns/depts, fillers, photos/artwork on Catholic femininity: intellectual, physical, spiritual, emotional and vocational. Guidelines: http://lhla.org/canticle/guidelines.html

FURNITURE & CABINETMAKING, UK - focused exclusively on fine furniture making. Features projects and technical articles by and for professional and non-professional designer/makers. Seeks articles about projects, techniques or technical pieces, equipment reviews. Submissions to be accompanied by good-quality images. Guidelines: http://tinyurl.com/3r5q3p

CAROLINA GARDNER - nonfiction, photos/artwork about gardening in the Southeast. Guidelines: http://www.carolinagardener.com Click on “about us” then “writers guidelines.”

8th BIG SUR WRITING WORKSHOP – March 12-14, 2010. Adult, Young Adult & Middle Grade Fiction $720, includes a shared room at the Big Sur Lodge, all meals (incl. Tax and grats), the entire workshop, and reception Friday evening. Info/Registration: http://www.henrymiller.org/AFW3.html

THE SOUTH CAROLINA REVIEW POETRY CONTEST - Deadline March 15, 2010. Entry fee: $20 One winning poem will be awarded $500, and two runners-up will receive $100 and $50, respectively. Winning poems/selected finalists will be pub’d in the Fall 2010 issue. Entries must be original, unpublished, and not have won a monetary award in other contests. Guidelines: http://www.clemson.edu/caah/cedp/cudp/writers_nook/writers_nook.htm

SEVENTH GLASS WOMAN PRIZE - Deadline March 21, 2010. No entry fee. Short fiction or creative non-fiction (prose) written by a woman. 50-5000/wds. Top prize US $600 and possible (but not obligatory) online publication; one runner up $100; one runner of $50, together with possible (but not obligatory) online publication. Subject is open, but must be of significance to women. Copyright is retained by the author. Guidelines: http://www.sigriddaughter.com/GlassWomanPrize.htm

GERMAN NEWSPAPERS will begin to pay equitable fees for freelancers.(article)
http://europe.ifj.org/assets/docs/038/048/9f20326-8d18730.pdf

WRITE WAY PRO - novel writing software designed by writers http://www.writewaypro.com

TEXT BLOCK WRITER – (FREE download) a virtual index card program for writers. http://softwarebybrian.com/cms/content/view/20/2

REFERENCE/DIRECTORIES TARGET MAILING - mail to 3500 bookstore buyers, 3500 reviewers, 4000 acquisition librarians. http://www.ibpa-online.org/programs/coopcats_target.aspx

BOOKEXPO AMERICA (BEA) SHOW - Get your own booth or display book(s) https://www.ibpaonline.org/pubresources/exhibits_pma.aspx

LITERARY CONTEST SCAMS –Writers should bookmark this link & check the list before entering any contest. http://windpub.com/literary.scams