SNIPS & TIPS & KEYBOARD BITS

2011-02-02T04:57:00.000-08:00

Still very ill from cancer surgery. Be back soonest. ~Elizabeth

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #207

2010-12-24T09:11:00.000-08:00

BITS & PIECES WILL RETURN JANUARY 28, 2011.
Have a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous, blessed New Year.

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: DAVID L. WOLPER, age 82, his 1977 miniseries "Roots" engrossed the nation with its saga of an American family descended from an African slave. The series won a slew of honors including nine Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award. Wolper was a consummate salesman and advocate for filmmakers. He helped establish a new "school" of West Coast films at a time when New York-based TV networks' news divisions and filmmakers dominated the field. He brought the documentary to Hollywood and became the major force in Hollywood for making documentaries. Before becoming a titan in the miniseries genre, Wolper had a series of highly successful TV documentaries, including "The Making of the President 1960," which received 4 trophies including program of the year. He obtained Soviet space footage for a documentary that was carried by 100-plus stations after networks refused to air an independent production. "The Race for Space" earned a 1960 Academy Award nomination. During his lengthy career, Wolper produced the children's classic "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and demonstrated his showman instincts with New York's 1986 extravaganza celebrating the Statue of Liberty centennial and the 1984 Olympic Games ceremonies in Los Angeles. He also produced the National Geographic special "The World of Jacques-Yves Cousteau," which opened up the ocean depths for television viewers. Wolper branched out into docudramas such as "The Trial of Lt. Calley," sitcom hits "Welcome Back, Kotter" and "Chico and the Man," and films including the Oscar-winning "L.A. Confidential." His opening and closing ceremonies for the 1984 Olympics featured a spaceship floating mysteriously above the Coliseum. In 2002, Wolper produced a 25th-anniversary special on the impact of "Roots," which aired on NBC after ABC turned down the idea. Wolper also produced several other miniseries, including the 1979 sequel "Roots: The Next Generations," "The Thorn Birds" and "North and South." Time magazine crowned him "Mr. Documentary."

IGUANA MAGAZINE - children’s mag, written entirely in Spanish. Guidelines: http://www.nicagal.com/iguana/eng/ig_submission.html

NEO-OPSIS SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINE - Open for submissions Sept 1–Nov 30, 2011. Guidelines: http://www.neo-opsis.ca/guidelines.htm

ROCKY MOUNTAIN RIDER - looking for positive, human interest stories that appeal to an audience of horsepeople, ranchers, seniors, and folks who live in the West. Pieces may include profiles of unusual people or animals, history, humor, anecdotes, coverage of regional events and new products. Occasionally accepts excerpt from books by regional authors. Guidelines: http://www.rockymountainrider.com/writers.htm

TRAVEL THRU HISTORY - publishes stories featuring the historical, archaeological, and cultural aspects of a destination. We also accept stories about literary journeys and exotic adventures. Stories should convey a strong sense of place so the reader can experience the destination. Guidelines: http://www.travelthruhistory.com/html/submissions.html

AMERICAN STYLE MAGAZINE - consumer mag focused on contemporary craft, craft collectors and the artists who create studio craft art. Explores eclectic lifestyles of artists, elegant homes of craft collectors and features about “the art of creative living.” Guidelines: http://www.americanstyle.com/about

PASSAGE MAKER MAGAZINE - covers all aspects of trawlers and ocean motorboats, welcomes contributions from around the world. Lifestyle focus addresses the realities of cruising under power and passage making. Looking for balanced articles that are creative, constructive, and informational w/depth. The combination of personal experiences with technical or informative aspects is the type of story interested in. Guidelines: http://www.passagemaker.com/TheMagazine/SubmissionGuidelines/tabid/307/Default.aspx

DISCOVERY BOSTON REVIEW 2011 POETRY CONTEST - Deadline: Jan 15, 2011. Open to poets who have not pub’d a book of poems (chapbooks and self-pub’d books included). Those who have a book contract at the time of submission or who are subsequently awarded a book contract are not eligible for the contest if their book is scheduled for publication before Fall 2011. Individual poems that have been or will be published in periodicals or anthologies may be submitted; however, at least two of the submitted poems must be unpublished and under two pages in length. http://bostonreview.net/about/contest/#Thirteenth (scroll down)

2011 JAMES LAUGHLIN AWARD - $25 Entry Fee. Given to recognize and support a poet's second book. It is the only second-book award for poetry in the United States. Submissions are accepted each year from January 1 to May 15. Guidelines: http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/109

WRITERS DIGEST CONFERENCE - January 21-23, 2011, in New York City at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers. Pitch 50+ agents as well as attend various panels. Info: https://www.etouches.com/writersdigestconference

29TH KEY WEST LITERARY SEMINAR – Jan 6-9, 2011. The Hungry Muse: An Exploration of Food in Literature will present dozens of today’s most compelling, thought-provoking, and funniest writers–memoirists, novelists, poets, historians, journalists, and all manner of lettered gastronome, gourmand, and epicure. Info: http://www.kwls.org/lit

BOOK COVER DESIGN FOR SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHORS – http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/book-cover-design_b13309

CHECK BEFORE SENDING OFF YOUR NOVEL - http://io9.com/5520058/4-danger-signs-to-search-for-before-sending-off-your-novel

INDEPENDENT BOOK STORE LIST - Stop in &introduce yourself. Leave a stack of your book flyers. Offer to do a signing. http://www.newpages.com/bookstores/default.htm

FROM MY TWITTER THREAD:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Blurb it - Jan 31-Feb 7, 2011 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=401

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Career Building - Jan 31-Feb 13, 2011 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=485

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Podcasting - Jan 31-Feb 27, 2011 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=664

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Weapons, Violence & Wounds Jan 31-Feb 27, 2011 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=563

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #206

2010-12-17T11:01:00.000-08:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: TONY JUDT, age 62, Pulitzer Prize finalist, a highly praised and controversial historian who wrote with sharp persistence about the changing world at large and the tragic world within, the fatal Lou Gehrig’s disease that paralyzed him. Judt was a professor of European studies at New York University. Although confined like "a modern-day mummy," his thinking was unimpaired, and Judt demonstrated as much in 2010 through a series of personal essays for The New York Review of Books. Judt's illness and his determination to tell the tale brought sympathy and admiration for a historian not known for sparing feelings. He took on communists, free marketers, supporters of the Iraq war and, most contentiously, Israel. In an admiring review of "Postwar," The New Yorker's Louis Menand noted that the book's strength was inseparable "from the personality of its author, who does not count self-effacement a literary virtue." In 2009, Judt received an honorary George Orwell Prize for "intelligence, insight and conspicuous courage." In 2010, he completed "Ill Fares the Land," a passionate call for a return to liberal governance and for a close look at the "ways in which our grandparents' generation handled comparable challenges and threats."

POETRY IRELAND REVIEW, Ireland - journal of poetry, accepts unsolicited submissions from both emerging and established poets, writing in Irish or English. There are no restrictions on style or subject, but strongly dislikes sexism or racism. Will also consider proposals (but not completed manuscripts) for articles and reviews. Guidelines: http://www.poetryireland.ie/publications/submissions.html

SNOWBOOKS, UK - independent book publisher, winner of the 2008 Independent Publisher of the Year award. Publishes about 20 titles a year in the fields of general fiction, sci-fi, horror, fitness, sport, historical and general non-fiction. Considers complete fiction manuscripts and proposals for non-fiction books. For fiction send full manuscript. For non-fiction a proposal and short example of the proposed work, e.g. a sample chapter. Read detailed descriptions of their procedure on submissions page. Royalties on sales. Guidelines: http://www.snowbooks.com/submissions.html

CHILDBIRTH SOLUTIONS.com - 90% freelance written, the online storehouse of info, services and support for childbearing women worldwide. It includes several main categories: Preconception, Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum and Birth Stories as well as other slots currently in the planning stages, including; humor, poetry, and Dad's page. Guidelines: http://www.childbirthsolutions.com/about/submissions.php

KNOW MAGAZINE, Canada - the science magazine for curious kids ages 6-9. contains short news items, regular departments, a lengthy section related to our theme, short fiction, activities, hands-on projects, interviews and more. Guidelines: http://www.knowmag.ca/about/guidelines.php

ALPINIST MAGAZINE - celebrating world alpinism and adventure climbing in the simplest, most beautiful manner possible, in first-person accounts of long routes from around the world, investigative reports of subjects compelling to climbing aficionados, and documentary pieces that capture the spirit of ascent in any of its myriad forms. Guidelines: http://www.alpinist.com/p/magazine/contribute

DIABETES HEALTH – provides patients, educators and healthcare professionals with practical advice and the latest information on new methods, technologies and research related to diabetes. Guidelines: http://www.diabeteshealth.com/company/submission-guidelines.html

HIGHLIGHTS MAGAZINE – gen’l-interest, advertising-free magazine for and by children up to age twelve. The mag has no religious or organizational affiliation. Individual guideline links on the guideline page. Seeks fiction, non-fiction,children art, crafts, etc. Guidelines: http://www.highlights.com/contributor-guidelines

RELISH MAGAZINE - celebrates America’s love of food. The best things in life happen around the table from Wisconsin's cheesemakers to New Mexico’s chile pepper farmers. Advises on the best cooking gadgets and cookbooks, nutrition tips and helps you get dinner on the table fast. Guidelines: http://www.relishmag.com/aboutus (scroll down for guidelines)

JAMES LAUGHLIN AWARD - January 1 to May 15, any year. Given to recognize and support a poet's second book. It is the only second-book award for poetry in the U.S. It is named for the poet and publisher James Laughlin (1914-1997), who founded New Directions in 1936. Only manuscripts already under contract with publishers are considered for the Award. The Academy awards the winning poet a cash prize of $5,000 and purchases copies of the book for distribution to its members. Submissions are accepted An entry form, signed by the publisher, is required.
Guidelines: http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/118
Entry Form: http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/119

ALEX AWARDS – January. American Library Association Children & Young Adult Book Award. The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. The winning titles are selected from the previous year's publishing. Submission form: http://yalsa.ala.org/forms/alexnominate.php

25th ANNUAL AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB FICTION CONTEST - Deadline Jan. 31, 2011. No entry fee. Winning stories are pub’d in AKC Gazette and AKC Family Dog. Entries can be on any subject, but must feature either an AKC-registrable breed or a breed listed in Miscellaneous class. 2000 wds/max. Guidelines: http://www.akc.org/pubs/fictioncontest

FROM MY TWITTER FEED:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Slippery Art of Book Reviewing Jan 24-Feb 11, 2011 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=663

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Roman Empire Promotion for Authors - Jan 31-Feb 6, 2011
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=547

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Structure 4 Character-driven Stories Jan 31-Feb 6, 2011
http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=557

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #205

2010-12-10T10:48:00.000-08:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: TOM MANKIEWICZ, age 68, screenwriter of such James Bond films as "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Live and Let Die" and the first two "Superman" movies. Mankiewicz began his career as an assistant director on Curtiz's last film, "The Comancheros" in 1961, in which John Wayne starred. In 1970, he was hired to rewrite "Diamonds Are Forever," which was the beginning of a longtime association with the Broccoli family and the Bond franchise. He also wrote "The Man With the Golden Gun" and made uncredited contributions to "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "Moonraker." Director Richard Donner asked Mankiewicz to rewrite and condense the scripts for 1978's "Superman" and the 1980 sequel "Superman II," for which he received credit as a creative consultant but not as a writer. Mankiewicz again went by the "creative consultant" credit on "Hart to Hart," which aired from 1979-84, even though he was a writer and director on the series. Mankiewicz directed the 1987 movie "Dragnet," starring Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks, and several episodes of the TV series "Hart to Hart." He taught filmmaking to graduate students at Chapman University in Orange, Calif.

CHARLOTTE PARENT – readers include parents, teachers, child-care providers and other advocates for children ages newborn through teens. Each issue has a theme, regular features and departments. We seek new perspectives, voices and viewpoints from local parents about the issues that impact families. Guidelines: http://www.charlotteparent.com/aboutus/writerguidelines.php

AMERICAN STYLE - full-color, focused on contemporary craft, craft collectors and the artists who create studio craft art, provides art lovers w/valuable collecting, interior design and display ideas, focusing on everything from designer jewelry and art glass to collectible teapots, art furniture and sculptural ceramics. Those who travel with the arts in mind will find hundreds of art festivals, gallery exhibitions and museum events in the Datebook listings, Datebook Previews and Arts Travel sections. With every issue, readers explore eclectic lifestyles of artists, elegant homes of craft collectors and features about “the art of creative living.” City Arts Tours and small Arts Walks in AmericanStyle promote awareness of the economic and aesthetic contributions that art and craft bring to our homes and communities. Each year, cities compete to be included in AmericanStyle’s Top 25 Arts Destinations edition. Contact form to query: http://www.americanstyle.com/contact

PASSAGE MAKER MAGAZINE – covers all aspects of trawlers and ocean motorboats, welcomes contributions from around the world. Addresses the realities of cruising under power and passage-making. Wants balanced articles that are creative, constructive, informational, personal experiences w/technical or informative aspects. Guidelines: http://www.passagemaker.com/TheMagazine/SubmissionGuidelines/tabid/307/Default.aspx

THE SATURDAY EVENING POST - focus has broadened to include well-researched, timely and informative articles on finance, unusual photo/story packages, home improvement, humor, transportation, travel, fashion, entertainment, personality profiles, technology, communication w/healthy emphasis on medical breakthroughs, promising new treatments, prevention, fitness. The Post's goal is to remain unique, with content that provides additional perspective on the ever-evolving American scene. In addition to feature-length articles, the Post buys anecdotes suitable for "Post Scripts," as well as cartoons, illustrations and photos. Guidelines: http://saturdayeveningpost.com/submission-guidelines.html

YOUR CAT, UK - for all cat lovers, giving practical info on the care of both pedigree and non-pedigree cats and kittens. Looking for true life stories that are unusual, entertaining or contain information. Only considers practical articles from experienced journalists or people who write on their topic of expertise -- behaviourists for example. Guidelines: On request from Sue Parslow, Editor s.parslow@bournepublishinggroup.co.uk Mag link: http://www.bournepublishinggroup.com/mag_yourcat.html

TRANSITIONS ONLINE, Czech Republic - online journal providing unique coverage of Eastern Europe's 28 post-communist countries. Publishes news, features, opinion and analyses. Seeks new contributors who can provide relevant and timely reports, articles, commentaries, interviews, book reviews covering a broad range of topics. Interested in original stories, under-reported or ones that give an alternative angle on the more conventional news. Authors are paid per word, and illustrators and photographers per published work. Guidelines: http://www.tol.cz/look/TOL/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=18&NrIssue=1&NrSection=4&NrArticle=11877

AUSTRALIAN YOGA LIFE – conveys the broad message of yoga without being linked to any one style or school of yoga, to give readers a deeper understanding of yoga. Stories and articles are sourced from practising yogis throughout Australia. Guidelines: http://www.ayl.com.au/contribute.html

MYSTERY CONTESTS - http://us.macmillan.com/Content.aspx?publisher=smpminotaur&id=4933

CLOUDBANK POETRY CONTEST – Deadline: Dec. 31, 2010. Entry Fee: $15. $200 prize awarded for one poem. Two contributors' copies will be sent to writers whose
work appears in the mag. All poets who enter the contest will receive a 1 yr subscription to Cloudbank mag. Guidelines: http://www.cloudbankbooks.com/Contest.html

LILITH MAGAZINE: Annual Fiction & Poetry Competition - Deadline: Dec. 15, 2010. First prize $250. Guidelines: http://www.lilith.org/writers.htm

23rd ANNUAL BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AWARDS - SECOND CALL — Deadline: Dec. 31, 2010. Primarily for titles published September 1 – December 31, 2010. All titles carrying a 2010 copyright date will be accepted in this round of entries.
Guidelines: http://ibpabenjaminfranklinawards.com

BOOK CONFERENCES & FESTIVALS – check back often for updates
http://www.writermag.com/wrt/community/events/events.asp

FROM MY TWITTER FEED:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Inside the Criminal Mind - Jan 3 – 30, 2011
http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=552

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Changing Genres: What 2 Keep/What 2 Dump Jan 3 - 30 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=283

ONLINE WORKSHOP: One Story, Many Voices - Jan 3 – 30, 2011
http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=254

ONLINE WORKSHOP: The First Chapter - Jan 3 – 31, 2011 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=331

ONLINE WORKSHOP: The Dark Hero - Jan 3 - 31, 2011 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=508

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Short Story - From Idea to Draft in 30 Days - Jan 3 - 31, 2011
http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=391

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Achieve Your Goals in Writing & Life - Jan 3 – 31, 2011
http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=351

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Powerhouse Scenes - Jan 3 – 31, 2011 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=397

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Richard the Lionheart & the Crusades - Jan 3 - Feb 6, 2011
http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=343

10 PLACES TO USE YOUR BOOK FRONT COVER:
Signature on your emails
Each page of your website
Your blog
Your comments on other blogs
With articles you submit to online newsletters
In the package you send out to get testimonials
Your business card and letterhead
Each page of your book's media kit
Your speaker/book blurb sheet
Your book order blank
ANY PLACE IN YOUR SOCIAL NETWORK profiles where you are using your photo

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #204

2010-12-03T09:26:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a super Thanksgiving. ~Elizabeth

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: MITCH MILLER, age 99, an influential record producer who became a hugely popular recording artist and an unlikely television star a half century ago by leading a choral group in familiar old songs and inviting people to sing along. The “Sing Along With Mitch” album series, which began in 1958, was an immense success, finding an eager audience among older listeners looking for an alternative to rock ’n’ roll. Mitch Miller and the Gang serenaded them with chestnuts like “Home on the Range,” “That Old Gang of Mine,” “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen” and “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary.” When the concept was adapted for television in 1961, with the lyrics appearing at the bottom of the screen, Mr. Miller, with his beaming smile and neatly trimmed mustache and goatee, became a national celebrity. Miller was a studio innovator. Along with the guitarist Les Paul and a few others, he helped pioneer overdubbing, the technique by which different tracks are laid over one another to produce a richer effect. He also achieved what he called a sonic “halo” on numerous recordings by the use of what came to be called an echo chamber, an effect an engineer produced by placing a speaker and a microphone in a tiled restroom. Miller and the Gang eventually recorded more than 20 long-playing discs, many of which made the Top 40. By 1966 they had sold about 17 million copies. 1980s and ’90s he was a frequent guest conductor of symphony orchestras.

WESTERN NY FAMILY MAGAZINE - 90% freelance-written, about current parenting issues with a Western NY tie-in whenever possible. Strong emphasis is placed on how and where to find family-oriented events, as well as goods and services for children, (newborn to 14 yrs) in Western NY (the Buffalo metro area). Guidelines: http://www.wnyfamilymagazine.com/writers-guidelines.aspx

AMERICAN JOURNALISM REVIEW – current events, features, book reviews. Guidelines: http://www.ajr.org/ajrgart.asp

THE ARTIST’s MAGAZINE – created for artists and art enthusiasts. It showcases the best work in all media and in all styles of the best artists working today. Practical lessons in technique, engaging interviews, lively discussions of timely issues and news of exhibitions and events. Guidelines: http://www.artistsnetwork.com/tam-submissions

INTERGALACTIC MEDICINE SHOW – opportunity for sci-fi/fanatasy writers. Guidelines: http://www.intergalacticmedicineshow.com/cgi-bin/mag.cgi?do=content&article=submissions

SIERRA – nat’l mag publishing writing, photography, art about the natural world. Readers are environmentally concerned, politically diverse, actively enjoy the outdoors. We are looking for painstaking reporting and smart writing that will provoke, entertain, inform, and enlighten this readership. Guidelines: http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/guidelines/writers.aspx

ASTRONOMY MAGAZINE – science and hobby mag, serves readers who want to keep up with the latest discoveries and understand astronomical science, as well as those who want to know what is happening in the sky each month. Guidelines: http://www.astronomy.com/en/sitecore/content/Home/Magazine/About%20Magazine/Contributor%20Guidelines/2004/06/Article%20submission%20guidelines.aspx

CANADIAN AVIATOR MAGAZINE – about flying, buys features and contributions to depts. Aviation enthusiasts across the country share a common interest in flying. The bulk of our writers and photographers come from Western Canada and Ontario. Guidelines: http://www.canadianaviatormagazine.com/about-us/writer-submission-guidelines

FRANKLIN-CHRISTOPH POETRY CONTEST – Deadline: Dec. 31, 2010. Poetry. Enter up to 3 poems of not more than 100 lines each, any style. $1000 Grand Prize - $2450 total. Guidelines: http://www.franklin-christoph.com/Writing/PoetryContest.html

2011 ARTSMITH LITERARY AWARD POETRY CONTEST - Deadline: Dec, 31, 2010. Entry fee: $5. Theme: Home. Guidelines: http://www.orcasartsmith.org/contest.html

DREAM QUEST ONE POETRY & WRITING CONTEST – Deadline: Dec. 31, 2010. Entry Fee: $5 - $10. Write your best short story or poem for a chance to win cash prizes. All works must be original. Guidelines/Entry form: http://www.dreamquestone.com

NASHVILLE INTERNATIONAL SONG & LYRIC COMPETITION – Over $100,000 cash & prizes awarded; Multiple contests throughout the year mean prizes are awarded faster and more often than contests that happen only once a year. Emerging songwriters don't have to compete with writers who've already had major-label recordings. Entry instructions: http://www.paramountsong.com/song-contests

29th ANNUAL DELACORTE PRESS CONTEST - for a First Young Adult Novel. Deadline: Dec. 31, 2010. The prize of a book contract (on the publisher’s standard form) covering world rights for a hardcover and a paperback edition, including an advance and royalties, will be awarded annually to encourage the writing of contemporary young adult fiction. The award consists of $1500 in cash and a $7500 advance against royalties. Guidelines: http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/writingcontests/#youngadult

FROM MY TWITTER FEED:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: How To Create A Professional Self-Published Book - Dec 13- 15, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=561

ONLINE WORKSHOP: MATCHMAKING 101 in Romance - Jan 3 – 17, 2011 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=486

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Loglines – Just the Facts, Ma’am - Jan 3 – 23, 2011
http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=400

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Warrior Writer - Jan 3 – 24, 2011
http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=352

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Writing a Mystery - Jan 3 - Jan 30, 2011 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=505

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

THANKSGIVING

2010-11-25T18:31:00.000-08:00

Have a wonderful and special THANKSGIVING.

No job board this holiday weekend. Check back next Friday for an extended list of contests and freelance. ~Elizabeth

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #203

2010-11-19T09:56:00.000-08:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: DANIEL SCHORR, age 93, longtime journalist, remembered for a hot scoop: the contents of President Richard Nixon's "enemies list," and was stunned when he got to No. 17 and it said: "Schorr, Daniel, CBS. A real media enemy." Schorr won Emmys for his Watergate coverage, scored the first U.S. TV interview with Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev and reported on the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall. In 1975, Mr. Schorr reported that the CIA conducted assassinations of foreign leaders. In a White House briefing, an infuriated former CIA director, Richard Helms, publicly labeled him "Killer Schorr," along with unprintable epithets. Schorr leaked to the Village Voice a report on a congressional probe into the CIA in 1976. For this “transgression,” he was fired. Schorr got started in the news business at age 12 when he sold an item to the Bronx Home News about a woman who was killed in a plunge from the apartment building where his family lived. After editing the newspaper at New York's City College, Schorr joined the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. He worked stateside in an Army intelligence unit during World War II, and was later sent to the Hague as a correspondent for a New York-based Netherlands news agency. In 1953, Schorr was recruited as one of the "Murrow Boys," Edward R. Murrow's crack group of correspondents at CBS. Two years later, he traveled to Moscow to open CBS's Moscow bureau. After being barred from the Soviet Union as a “provocateur,” Schorr became a roving international correspondent, following Mr. Khrushchev on his 1959 tour of the U.S., interviewing Fidel Castro in Havana, and then being stationed in Germany in time for the Berlin crisis of 1961. He returned to the U.S. in 1966 and covered Great Society programs. He was one of the main contributors to the CBS Reports documentary "Don't Get Sick in America," an early critique of the nation's healthcare system. After helping pioneer broadcast news, Schorr moved to cable, joining CNN as a commentator in 1979. He was slower to adapt to the Internet, but in 2009, Schorr got a Twitter account. He used it to tweet that he had just given up his typewriter for a word processor. Schorr said it made him "terribly nervous" not to work, and despite occasional criticism that he had stayed too long, he provided commentary for NPR's "All Things Considered."

FELINE WELLNESS – billed 'Number One' natural pet mag in North America, provides readers with the info needed to make wise health care choices for animal companions. Holistic spectrum, from physical health issues to emotional and spiritual well being of our animals. Guidelines: http://www.felinewellness.com/submissions.php

MONTANA OUTDOORS - published by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, advocates the conservation and sustainable use of Montana’s fish, wildlife, parks. Editorial bent is one of skepticism and curiosity. Guidelines: http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/HTML/writers.htm

DRIVE MAGAZINE – publication by Subaru of America, Inc. and distributed to more than 850,000 owners of Subaru vehicles in the US. Each issue includes a variety of feature articles geared toward the interests of Subaru owners. Looking for stories that are timely, appropriately researched, engagingly written, tailored to Drive readers. Proposals are preferred to finished mss submissions. Guidelines: http://www.drive.subaru.com/WritersGuidelines.htm

ALTERNATIVES JOURNAL, Canada - dedicated to in-depth analysis of environmental issues, including ecological, social and economic, combines the learned rigor of an academic journal w/the accessible style and format of a gen’l audience mag. Publishes the best environmental writing that is engaging to read and provides a deeper level of analysis and insight than can be gained from the mainstream press. Invites feature articles, shorter reports, notes, interviews, resource guides, visual images related to article themes, cultural commentary and humor. Guidelines: http://www.alternativesjournal.ca/contributors-guidelines

LISTEN MAGAZINE - primarily aimed at teenagers, but some younger and many older readers are subscribers as well. Encourages development of good habits and high ideals of physical, social, mental health. It bases its editorial philosophy of primary drug prevention on total abstinence from tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. Because it is used extensively in public high school classes, it does not accept articles and stories with overt religious emphasis. Guidelines: http://www.listenmagazine.org/article.php?id=17

MAKE MAGAZINE - a 'do-it-yourself' technology mag written by makers. Tell us the story behind your project. Projects, Features, Reviews, and Everything Else. If you have an idea for something that doesn't fit in one of the first three areas but is still related to do-it-yourself technology, we'd like to hear about it, too at the Everything Else category. Guidelines: http://makezine.com/submissions.csp

THE RAVEN CHRONICLES, Canada & US – (online & print) publishes work which reflects the cultural diversity of the Pacific Northwest, Canada, and other areas of America. Promotes art, literature and the spoken word for an audience that is hip, literate, funny, informed, and lives in a society that has a multicultural sensibility. Publishes fiction, talk art/spoken word, poetry, essays, reflective articles, reviews, interviews and contemporary art, work that reflects the author's experiences, perceptions and insights. Guidelines: http://www.ravenchronicles.org/raven/rvsubm.html

THE CHELSEA AWARDS for POETRY & FICTION - Deadline: Dec. 15, ANY YEAR. Follow guidelines for each contest. The editors look for overall excellence. Guidelines: http://www.chelseamag.org/awards/guidelines.asp

WRITERS DIGEST POETRY AWARDS - Deadline: Dec, 15, 2010. Now accepting entries in the Writer's Digest Poetry Awards. Don't miss your chance to enter the only Writer's Digest competition exclusively for poets! Top prize $500. Guidelines: http://www.writersdigest.com/contests/poetry

L RON HUBBARD'S WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS OF THE FUTURE CONTEST - Prizes every 3 months: $1000, $750, $500. Annual Grand Prize: $5000. Guidelines: http://www.writersofthefuture.com/contest (click on ‘contest rules’)

2010 AMY FOUNDATION WRITING AWARDS – Deadline: Jan 31, 2011. Nonfiction. Designed to recognize creative, skillful writing that presents in a sensitive, thought-provoking manner the biblical position on issues affecting the world today. To be eligible, submitted articles must be published in a secular, non-religious publication and must be reinforced w/at least one passage of scripture. Prizes: $1000-$10,000. Guidelines & Entry Forms: http://www.amyfound.org/amy_writing_awards/amy_writing_awards.html

TOPS OPEN HEART POETRY COMPETITION, Canada - The Ontario Poetry Society. Deadline: Dec. 25, 2010. Entry fee: $5 for the first poem; add’l poems $1 each.
Poems must include at least one of the following Heart themes: Love won, Love lost, Love of family, Love of animals, Love of humanity, Valentine poems, Bonding, Charity, Generosity, Compassion, Courage, Heart health problems, Heart wood, Broken heart, Heartache, Hard hearted, Emotions carried in the heart.. Prize: $100 plus $100 donated to the winner's favorite charity. All winners pub'd in chapbook. Guidelines: http://www.theontariopoetrysociety.ca/Openheartpcomp.html

GENRE Definitions - AND other useful info: http://en.allexperts.com/e/g/ge/genre_fiction.htm

FROM MY TWITTER FEED:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: How 2 Create A Professional Self-Pub’d Book Dec 13 - 15, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=561

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Sherlock Holmes/The Movie Dec 13 - 19, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=582

ONLINE WORKSHOP: What the World of Dr. Who Can Teach You Dec 13 - 19, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=640

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Murder on the Orient Express/Agatha Christie Dec 27, 2010 - Jan 2, 2011 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=643

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #202

2010-11-12T13:36:00.000-08:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: ALEXANDER ANDERSON, JR., age 90, pioneering TV cartoon artist who created Rocky the flying squirrel and Bullwinkle the moose. Before Rocky and Bullwinkle, Anderson worked on "Mighty Mouse" while apprenticing for his uncle, Paul Terry, whose Terrytoons cartoons were distributed in movie theaters by 20th Century Fox. Anderson began his own company with former U of C, Berkeley fraternity brother, Jay Ward, after Terry refused his suggestion to produce cartoons specifically for TV. They created Crusader Rabbit and his friend Rags the Tiger along with Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties and Rocky and Bullwinkle. "Crusader Rabbit" was among the first animated series produced for TV and aired on NBC in1950s. The inspiration for Bullwinkle came from a dream Anderson had where he was playing poker with friends, and a moose doing "silly card things" was sitting next to him. The character's name came from a car dealership in Berkeley called "Bullwinkel Motors." Anderson told the San Francisco Chronicle in 1991 that he found there was "something majestic" about a moose. "They're macho, but they have a comic aspect with that schnozzola. There are few creatures begging to be caricatured," he said. As for Rocky, Anderson told the newspaper he couldn't quite understand how a mouse or Superman would be able to flY, but some squirrels, in fact, could fly. "That gave (Rocky) the mantle of superness without having to stretch the truth." Ward would go on to produce "Rocky and His Friends" on ABC in 1959. With Rocky leading his somewhat slow but good-natured friend, Bullwinkle, the duo battled villains Boris and Natasha, agents of the nation of Pottsylvania, in the fictional town of Frostbite Falls, Minn. Anderson decided to pursue a career in advertising and was not involved in the venture. He later said he felt he had not received credit for his creations. He won a lawsuit against Jay Ward Productions in 1993 that recognized him as the creator of the first versions of Rocky, Bullwinkle and Dudley Do-Right.

ATLANTA TRIBUNE: THE MAGAZINE - Black Atlanta's leading source for relevant, thought-provoking news and info on business and wealth-building. Educates readers and presents ideas, viewpoints and possible solutions that economically, politically and socially empower. (slow loading) Guidelines: http://www.atlantatribune.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=63

BELIZEAN JOURNEYS – destinations and off the beaten path experiences of Belize featuring a particular interest, activity, characteristic, or personality that represents the destination or an aspect of Belizean life. These are done from the perspectives of various authors. Guidelines: http://www.belizeanjourneys.com/writers_guide.html

DOG & DRIVER MAGAZINE - for the Intern’l Sled Dog Racing Association. Features articles concerning all aspects of sled dog sports, sled dog races, sled dog care and nutrition, first-hand accounts of races, sled dog training, sled dog equipment, anything that pertains to the care and training of sled dogs are welcomed Guidelines: http://www.isdra.org/Magazine/writers_guide.htm

JUST 4 KIDS MAGAZINE – designed for families with toddlers to teens. Each page affirms a child's self-worth. Included are fun and exciting puzzles, games, stories, poems, recipes, colorful pictures, scripture readings, Bible Stories and family devotions. Guidelines: http://just4kidsmagazine.com/writer_guidelines.html

YOUTH TODAY – nat’l trade newspaper for people who work with children and youth. Readers are primarily professional youth workers and administrators of youth service, youth advocacy and youth policy programs, to include direct care workers (teachers, day care providers, counselors, recreation staff, juvenile corrections officers), managers of nonprofit and for-profit agencies (from the YMCA down to the smallest community-based agencies), operators of faith-based programs and public agencies, academics, lobbyists, government administrators, and legislative and executive staff. Guidelines: http://www.youthtoday.org/template/page.cfm?id=137

EPHEMERA - Seeks slogan writers for buttons, magnets and stickers. Wants satirical slogans about pop culture, politics, job attitudes, women's & men's issues, coffee, booze, pot, drugs, religion, food, sexual come-ons & put-downs, etc. Guidelines: http://www.ephemera-inc.com/Submit-Your-Idea.html

HISTORY TODAY, UK - covers history in its widest sense, political, economic, social, biography and archaeology, from all parts of the world. Also seeks prints and original photographs. Best freelance opportunities are for contributions dealing with genuinely new historical and archaeological research. Contact page for query: http://www.historytoday.com/contact (see dropdown menu)

BUSINESS TODAY EGYPT - covers Egyptian and Middle Eastern business and economic news. Seeks both medium-length news pieces and profiles, and feature-length work. No fiction, poetry or 'exotic Egypt' pieces. Writer-reporters based outside Egypt must make clear in their pitches whether or not they have supporting professional photography available. Accepts reprints provided not previously published in the region. Paid in Egyptian or Pounds to freelancers based in Egypt, or US dollars to those abroad. Guidelines: http://www.businesstodayegypt.com/btjobs.aspx#Freelance_Guidelines (scroll down to freelance guidelines)

2011 EDGAR ALLAN POE AWARDS - Deadline: Nov 30, 2010. No entry fee. # For works published/released October 1-December 30: Submit by Nov 30, 2010. Books with a December publication date may be submitted in galleys. (See other deadlines) Works should be submitted by the publisher, but may also be submitted by the author or agent. All books, short stories, television shows, films [and plays] in the mystery, crime, suspense, and intrigue fields are eligible in their respective category if they were published or produced for the first time in the U.S. during this calendar year. Guidelines, Entry Forms: http://www.mysterywriters.org/?q=Edgars-Forms

WRITERS DIGEST SHORT SHORT STORY COMPETITION – Deadline: Dec. 1, 2010. Accepting entries in the 11th Annual Short Short Story Competition. Looking for fiction that's bold, brilliant...but brief. Guidelines: http://www.writersdigest.com/short

St. LOUIS WRITERS GUILD ANNUAL SHORT STORY CONTEST – Deadline: Dec. 4, 2010 postmark. $15 entry fee. 5000 words max. One of the oldest, if not the oldest, writing contests in the country. Tennessee Williams won first place in this contest in 1935 for his story, "Stella for Star." The St. Louis Writers Guild Annual Short Story Contest opens for submissions every October and prizes are awarded in December. Historically, entries have come from all across the nation and Canada. Stories are blind-judged by one or more expert(s) in the fields of writing and literature. Writers do not need to be a member of the Guild in order to participate in this contest. Guidelines: http://www.stlwritersguild.org/zfiles/calendarprograms/contests/shortstory/shortstory.php

CHARLOTTE NEWBERGER PRIZE FOR POETRY – Deadline: Dec. 15, 2010. "Edgy, exciting poems touching in any way on Jewish women's experience." Contest is open to both male and female authors, but entrants should familiarize themselves with the magazine, which is geared toward Jewish women. Entries need to have both feminist and Jewish content. Guidelines: http://www.lilith.org/writers.htm

6TH ANNUAL WRITERS DIGEST POETY AWARDS COMPETITION - Deadline: Dec 15, 2010. Don't miss your chance to win cash, a trip to the Writer's Digest Conference and exposure in August 2011 issue. Guidelines: http://www.writersdigest.com/poetryawards

JOHN LENNON SONGWRITING CONTEST – Next deadline: Dec. 15, 2010 URL: http://www.jlsc.com

FRANKLIN-CHRISTOPH POETRY CONTEST – Deadline: Dec 31, 2010. No entry fee. Poetry, up to 2 original, unpublished poems of not more than 100 lines each, any style. $2500 in prizes, including the $1000 cash grand prize; 10 Merit Award Winners will receive $150 writing instruments. Guidelines:
http://www.franklin-christoph.com/Writing/PoetryContest.html

FROM MY TWITTER FEED:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Grabbers Nov 29 - Dec 12, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=359

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Police Use of Force Nov 29 - Dec 19, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=417

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Business of Creative Writing Nov 29 – Dec 19, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=295

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Writing the YA Paranormal Nov 29, 2010 - Jan 3, 2011
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=374

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Labrynth Dec 6-12, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=578

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Manning the Submission's Box Dec 6-19, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=482

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Polishing Your Sample Pages Dec 6-19, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=409

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #201

2010-11-05T09:23:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: ROBERT N. BUTLER, age 83, Pulitzer Prize-winning author/doctor, focused on the study of aging, and was the founder of the National Institute for Aging and the International Longevity Center. He published: ‘Why Survive? Being Old in America’ and ‘The Longevity Prescription: The 8 Proven Keys to a Long, Healthy Life’. He was a revolutionary gerontologist whose passion helped overcome the stigma surrounding aging in this country, and empowered people to discover their enormous potential in their later years. His work influenced clinicians, scientists, researchers, and policy makers all over the world, and will continue to impact us for generations to come.

LATIN JAZZ CLUB MAGAZINE - giant literary cyber-emporium of related music news, articles, interviews, CD reviews and info, LatinJazzClub is a virtual on-line magazine dedicated to the advancement, education and historical preservation of Latin Jazz. Guidelines: http://www.latinjazzclub.com/writers_guidelines.html

HEROIC FANATASY QUARTERLY – dedicated to publishing heroic fantasy in both prose and poetry. Looking for quality banner art to accompany each new issue. Guidelines: http://www.heroicfantasyquarterly.com/?page_id=39

HINDUISM TODAY – the face of Hindu culture, tradition and values, an international journal affirming the Sanatana Dharma and recording the history of a billion strong global religion in renaissance. Query/submission form: http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/liaise/?form_id=2.shtml

KIDS’ PAGES FAMILY MAGAZINE – family related topics, emphasize stories w/a local (Denver) focus and prefer to work w/local established writers. Occasionally uses reprints of articles from publications outside region. Guidelines: http://kidspages.org/submissions-queries

NORTH OF 50, Canada – regional mag, readers are 30+ and socially aware, likes "issues" articles that inform, educate and instigate discussion, history and lifestyle pieces, regional personality and arts stories. Prefers articles that have a Thompson, South Cariboo, Nicola, Okanagan, Shuswap, Similkameen slant. Guidelines: http://www.northof50.com/writers-guidelines.html

THE SEWANEE REVIEW - America's oldest continuously pub’d literary quarterly of erudite work representing depth of knowledge and skill of expression. Guidelines: http://www.sewanee.edu/sewanee_review/writersguidelines

GRAY’S SPORTING JOURNAL – 90% of readers are bird hunters and 85% are fly fishers, so looking for good fly-fishing and upland-bird-hunting mss for these issues and throughout the year. Other subjects of interest include: Waterfowl, Turkeys, Small Game, Big Game, Unusual Quarry, Foreign Adventures in exotic locales, Yarns—tall tales or true, Poetry. Guidelines: http://grayssportingjournal.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=222&Itemid=106

ARTLINK MAGAZINE, Australia – open to a very wide range of writers throughout Australia, themed mag which tries to make art relevant across society. Needs contributors who have expert knowledge of subjects outside of the art area who can put the work of artists in a broader context. Guidelines: http://www.artlink.com.au/future.cfm

WALTER CRONKITE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TV POLITICAL JOURNALISM - The early-bird entry deadline is Dec 14, 2010; entry deadline is Jan 14, 2011. Entry forms, fees and guidelines: http://www.CronkiteAwards.org

RALPH NADING HILL CONTEST, Vermont – Deadline: Nov 15 each year. $1500 cash prize. Co-sponsored by Green Mountain Power and Vermont Life, contest is open to any student or resident of Vermont. Submit your thoughts on "Vermont, Its People, The Place, Its History, or Its Values" as an essay, short story, play, or poem. 1500/wds or less. Guidelines: http://www.greenmountainpower.com/about/contest.html

FRANKLIN-CHRISTOPH POETRY CONTEST – Deadline: Dec 31, 2010. No entry fee. $2500 in prizes. Guidelines:
http://www.franklin-christoph.com/Writing/PoetryContest.html

DIGITAL BOOK WORLD CONFERENCE & EXPO – Jan 24-26, 2011. New York City.
Main page: http://dbw2010.digitalbookworld.com/GeneralMenu

FROM MY TWITTER FEED:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell Nov 29-Dec 5, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=590

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Using Grammar to Develop Writing Tone & Voice Nov 29-Dec 12, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=281

ONLINE WORKSHOP: The Conflict of Character - Nov 29-Dec 12, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=358

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #200

2010-10-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: DAME BERYL BAINBRIDGE, age 75, maverick, unique and horribly funny, according to her fellow authors. One of the grand dames of the UK's literary scene, Bainbridge was a prolific writer whose short, dark comic novels – which invariably included a streak of tragedy - landed her five shortlistings for the Man Booker prize (and the label of perennial Booker bridesmaid), made her a two-time winner of the Whitbread award and saw her awarded a DBE in 2000. Bainbridge's literary career can be divided neatly in two: her earlier novels, from ‘The Dressmaker and Sweet William’ to Guardian fiction prize winner ‘The Bottle Factory Outing’, drew on her own life – her upbringing in Liverpool, her time working as an actor (including a stint on Coronation Street), her life in Camden in the 1960s. She then began to write historical novels, tackling Scott of the Antarctic in ‘The Birthday Boys’, Samuel Johnson in ‘According to Queeney’ and the voyage of the Titanic in ‘Every Man for Himself’, and died with 18 novels, two collections of short stories and a handful of plays for stage and television to her name. Bainbridge was "putting the finishing touches" to a novel – her 19th – which she had been working on for the last six months when she died, ‘The Girl in the Polka Dot Dress,’ about the assassination of Bobby Kennedy.

AMERICAN FORESTS MAGAZINE – nat’l mag w/stories and photos about trees, forests, forestry issues, to foster appreciation for trees and forests and to offer a responsible, science-based discussion of the trends, issues, policies, and management of America's forest resources. Seeks to educate, entertain, and enlighten audiences. Guidelines: http://www.americanforests.org/productsandpubs/magazine/guidelines.php

enROUTE, Canada – in-flight travel mag, source of relevant, entertaining and thought-provoking info for an on-the-go, global reader. Interested in everything from wine to design and popular science to pop music, celebrates the excitement of travel and, as many travelers’ first introduction to Canada, is proudly Canadian but never parochial about Canadian content. Guidelines: http://enroute.aircanada.com/en/articles/writers-guidelines

MINNESOTA CONSERVATION VOLUNTEER - magazine of the Minnesota Dept of Natural Resources looking for features, essays, and reprints relative to Minn. Guidelines: http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/publications/volunteer/writersguidelines.pdf

THE PARIS REVIEW – looking for well-written fiction, essays, poetry in English. Guidelines: http://www.theparisreview.org/about/submissions

BAJA LIFE MAGAZINE - glossy coffee-table mag devoted to promoting tourism, education and protection of the environment and earth-kind economic development on the Baja peninsula, Recreational Activities, Marine and Desert Ecology, Tourist Interests, The Native People of Baja, Environmental Issues, Historical Figures and Events, Retirement and Living, Cultural and Tradition, Arts and Music and Business and Resort Development. Guidelines: http://www.bajalifemag.com/Writers.htm

CANADIAN BIKER MAGAZINE, Canada - offers a uniquely Canadian take on the sport and lifestyle of motorcycling, delivers experiential-style accounts of life on two wheels in our ten provinces and three territories. Motorcycling is about having fun and enjoying life. Guidelines: http://www.canadianbiker.com/writers-guidelines.html

EQUUS MAGAZINE - horse health publication for laymen, features articles on health care, behavior, training techniques, veterinary breakthroughs and exercise physiology. Guidelines: http://www.equisearch.com/equus/submissions

GOLF EVENT – nat’l trade mag, resource for golf outings, events, provides readers w/invaluable insight from industry experts, updates on products,services, destination spotlights, planning tools and much more, from the latest trends in golf to what's hot in food and beverage. Offers specific ideas, tips, resources readers can use to take their events to the next level. Guidelines: http://www.golfeventmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&type=gen&mod=Core+Pages&gid=98E4F6E776F948ACA0CB266D4E0EF38D

TURN COMPUTER FONT INTO HANDWRITING - http://www.pilothandwriting.com/en

BOOK COVER DESIGN RESOURCES – for Self-Pub’d Authors
http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/book-cover-design_b13309

INDIE READER SELECTS (IRS) - a service of IndieReader.com, the only source for branded indie books, is the first distribution program to combine the selling power of the independent bookstore with the vast community of self-pub’d authors. Books on IRS are searchable by zip code, author and book category. For further info go to http://www.indiereaderselects.com

TO FIND YOUR TITLE or to see if a your new mss title has been overused http://www.BookFinder.com

SHORT STORY CONTESTS - http://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/2363.asp

SHORT STORIES/COLLECTIONS COMPETITIONS - http://www.mwgraves.com/Writers/sscontests.html

LIST OF MYSTERY CONTESTS - http://us.macmillan.com/Content.aspx?publisher=smpminotaur&id=4933

FROM MY TWITTER FEED:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Casablanca w/Humphrey Bogart Nov 1–7, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=588

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Storm Front by Jim Butcher Nov 8–14, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=569

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Creating Bad Guys and Girls - Nov 15-Dec 19, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=509

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Dance w/the Devil by Sherrilyn Kenyon Nov 15-21, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=589

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Weaving Together Characters & Plotting Nov 15 - Dec 5, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=381

ONLINE WORKSHOP: The Proposal w/Sandra Bullock Nov 22-28, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=630

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #199

2010-10-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: STEPHEN CANNELL, age 69, Hollywood writer, producer of TV shows like "The A-Team" and "The Rockford Files." Cannell struggled with dyslexia at school, wrote hundreds of episodes for television shows in the 1970s and 1980s and created the character of private investigator Jim Rockford that ran for six years until 1980 and won an Emmy for best drama series. Cannell created or co-created almost 40 TV series including "Baretta," "The Greatest American Hero," "Hardcastle and McCormick," "21 Jump Street," "The A-Team" and "Wiseguy." Cannell acted occasionally, including a regular supporting role as "Dutch" Dixon on his series “Renegade.” He also took a turn in an episode of Silk Stalkings, in which the script called for one character to tell him, "You look just like that writer on TV," to which Cannell's character responds, "I get that all the time." Cannell appeared as himself in the pilot of the ABC show Castle and again in season 2. Along with James Patterson and Michael Connelly, he was one of Castle's poker buddies. (You are missed.)

STANFORD MAGAZINE - published by the Stanford Alumni Association. Every article has some Stanford connection, direct and obvious (a profile of a Stanford faculty member) or indirect and casual (the impact of a technology with Stanford origins), a broad spectrum that includes contemporary research, public policy, higher education, medicine, science and technology, art and entertainment, history, humor and sports. Guidelines: http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/faqs/writersguide.html

TIN HOUSE MAGAZINE – themed, accepting submissions for 2011. Stories, poems, essays about the unknown and the unknowable, from quantum physics to the what lies in the depths of the soul, from unexplainable phenomenon to interpersonal mysteries. Guidelines: http://www.tinhouse.com/mag/mag_submit.htm

THE WRITER MAGAZINE – articles helping professional and aspiring writers w/a straightforward presentation of information, instruction, motivation. 123-year-old mag. Share their experiences, expertise, struggles, successes, suggestions. Mags efforts have been recognized in recent years w/gold and silver medals for Editorial Excellence in Folio magazine's nat’l competition. Guidelines: http://www.writermag.com/en/The%20Magazine/Submission%20Guidelines/2003/06/Submission%20guidelines%20for%20The%20Writer.aspx

JEN MAGAZINE - fashion and lifestyle magazine specifically for LDS teen and young adult women. Articles and stories should be similar to the types found in the popular young women's magazines except that they will be positive, clean, spiritual at times, coming from an LDS point of view and upholding LDS standards. Unless a story or article is unusually age-specific, it should read as if the writer is speaking to an 18-year old. Guidelines: http://www.jenmagazine.com/contribute.asp

SAN DIEGO FAMILY MAGAZINE – publishes informative and educational family articles and resources through the entire year. The Editorial and Advertising Planner will give you a glimpse of the hot topics that families are interested in as well as which months the magazine will be cover these topics. Accepts book reviews, articles, business, editorial, teen life, health, etc. Guidelines: http://www.sandiegofamily.com/advertising/guidelines

THE YELLOW ROOM, UK - literary mag publishing the best in short stories written 'by women for women'. Seeks 'grown-up stories for grown-up women' from British female short-story writers. May commission non-fiction articles from time to time. Does not accept poetry. Guidelines: http://www.theyellowroom-magazine.co.uk/www.theyellowroom-magazine.co.uk/Guidelines.html

GREEN FUTURES, UK - covers the latest in environmental solutions and sustainable futures. Aims to demonstrate that the pursuit of sustainable development is feasible, practical, profitable and life-enhancing. Readers include politicians, business people, local authorities, campaigners, the media, educators and students. Seeks short, relevant news stories and feature articles on energy, travel, transport, food, health, business, entrepreneurs, finance, cities and the countryside. Guidelines: http://www.forumforthefuture.org/greenfutures/contribute

SHIPS MONTHLY, UK - covers news and features for shipping enthusiasts. Features articles about all types of craft except yachts, but prefers them to be about 20-21st century vessels. Also considers articles on ports' histories. Articles should be well-researched and factual. Contact page to query: http://www.shipsmonthly.com/contact

SHORT STORY CONTESTS - http://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/2363.asp

SHORT STORIES/COLLECTIONS COMPETITIONS - http://www.mwgraves.com/Writers/sscontests.html

LIST OF MYSTERY CONTESTS - http://us.macmillan.com/Content.aspx?publisher=smpminotaur&id=4933

2011 BOTTLE TREE ONE ACT PLAY COMPETITION FOR WRITERS, Canada - Deadline: Nov. 30, 2010. Entry Fee: $25. First Prize $1000; Second Prize $250; Third Prize $100. One Act Plays of up to 70 minutes may be submitted. Guidelines: http://www.bottletreeinc.com/script_contest.html

HILLERMAN WRITER’S WEEKEND – Nov. 11-3, 2010 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, including many panels, as well as private sessions with authors.
http://www.wordharvest.com/conferences-and-workshops.php

MYSTERY ON THE HIGH SEAS; A CRUISE TO DIE FOR – Nov. 14-21, 2010 on the
Mexican Riviera. Includes panels on editing, marketing, promotion, setting, developing characters, dialogue and pitch sessions. http://www.2010mysterycruise.blogspot.com

FROM MY TWITTER FEED:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: The Original Idea Nov 1 - 21, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=416

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Principles of Good Website Design 4 Writers Nov 7 - 20, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=353

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Roman Empire Promotion for Authors - Nov 15 - 21, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=547

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Art of Developing Great Conflict - Nov 15 - Dec 18,2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=473

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #198

2010-10-15T10:56:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: RONALD NEAME, age 99, nominated for three Oscars, produced and co-wrote acclaimed British films like "Great Expectations," saw Hollywood success as director of "The Poseidon Adventure.” Neame began his career of more than 60 years In 1929 when he worked as a cameraman for Alfred Hitchcock on the first British sound film, 1929's "Blackmail." He was nominated for Oscars with director David Lean as co-writer of 1945's "Brief Encounter" and 1946's "Great Expectations." He went on to direct the acclaimed 1969 film "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" and the critically panned 1972 box office hit "The Poseidon Adventure."

US AIRWAYS MAGAZINE - looking for smart, pithy copy, humor, a light tone, and writers who can deliver short pieces as well as longer stories. Lead features, travel features, photos, adventure. Guidelines: http://www.usairwaysmag.com/pdfs/USAWwriterguide.pdf

RIDE TEXAS – award-winning travel mag for motorcyclists. Emphasizes strong photography and a story-telling narrative. Focus is regional, includes Texas and the South Central U.S., but will consider travel topics outside this area. We include all types of motorcycles on back roads, highways and dual-sport rides. Guidelines: http://www.ridetexas.com/RTM/SubmissionGuidelines.htm

EDUCATION WEEK - readership is made up of school administrators, policymakers, teachers, includes lawmakers, scholars, government officials, business leaders, professionals in fields of health, social services, parents, community advocates, those with an interest in young people and their development. Commentaries should be written on issues that affect K-12 education and are of interest to a broad range of people. Guidelines: http://www.edweek.org/info/about/submit-commentary.html

PLANET:THE WELSH INTERNATIONALIST - features the latest stories from Wales on the arts and politics, as well as on environmental and social issues. We believe that Wales can only be fully understood in an international context, so in every issue you will also find informed comment on the global issues of the day. Publishes 1 story and 6-10 poems/issue. Guidelines: http://www.planetmagazine.org.uk/html/contrib.htm

ALBERTA VIEWS, Canada - journalism about the culture, politics and economy of Alberta. Each issue contains three feature articles of approximately 3,000 words on matters of concern to Albertans. Alberta Views is only interested in articles with a strong Alberta focus. Will consider synopses for feature ideas as well as reprints from various media of up to 1000/wds for Eye on Alberta. Guidelines: http://www.albertaviews.ab.ca/guidelines.html

BUGLE MAGAZINE - to help educate members about habitat conservation, natural history and wildlife management. We seek to publish an array of conservation articles and essays from a diversity of writers—from wildlife professionals who write well, and professional writers knowledgeable about wildlife and conservation. Guidelines: http://www.rmef.org/NewsandMedia/PubsTV/Bugle/guidecons.htm

GRIPPED, The Climbing Magazine – welcomes submissions from writers, photographers, athletes, coaches and enthusiasts from all climbing disciplines, richly illustrated with superb climbing photography. Guidelines: http://gripped.com/contact/editorial

RALPH NADING HILL CONTEST, Vermont – Deadline: postmarked Nov. 15 each year. $1,500 cash prize. Co-sponsored by Green Mountain Power and Vermont Life, the contest is open to any student or resident of Vermont. Submit your thoughts on "Vermont, Its People, The Place, Its History, or Its Values" as an essay, short story, play, or poem. Your entry must be 1500 words or less. Guidelines: http://www.greenmountainpower.com/about/contest.html

2011 FRANCIS MacMANUS SHORT STORY COMPETITION (Ireland) – Deadline: Dec. 31, 2010. A competition for original short stories written specifically for radio, commemorating the life and work of Irish writer, broadcaster Francis MacManus. Open to anyone who was born in Ireland, or is normally resident there. The author of the overall winning story will receive €3,000 with prizes of €2,000 & €1,000 awarded to the second and third prize winners. Guidelines: http://www.rte.ie/radio1/francismacmanus

2011 LENORE MARSHALL POETRY PRIZE - $25 Entry Fee. Books must be submitted in the year after their publication, which means that books published in 2010 may be submitted for consideration until May 15, 2011. The 2011 contest is open to any book of original poetry, in English, published in the U.S. during 2010 in a standard edition by a living American citizen. A standard edition is 40 pages or more in length and 500 or more copies. Guidelines: http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/108

2011 WALT WHITMAN AWARD - $25 Entry Fee. For first-book publication, a cash prize of $5000, and a one-month residency at the Vermont Studio Center to an American who has never before published a book of poetry. The winning manuscript, chosen by an eminent poet, is published by Louisiana State University Press. Submissions for this year's contest will be accepted between Sept. 15 and Nov. 15. Guidelines: http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/110

SHORT STORY CONTESTS - http://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/2363.asp

SHORT STORIES/COLLECTIONS COMPETITIONS - http://www.mwgraves.com/Writers/sscontests.html

LIST OF MYSTERY CONTESTS - http://us.macmillan.com/Content.aspx?publisher=smpminotaur&id=4933

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #197

2010-10-08T10:54:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: JOSE SARAMAGO, age 87, Portuguese Nobel Prize-winning novelist (1998), playwright and journalist. Saramago often found himself going against the tide of popular opinion. His works, some of which can be seen as allegories, commonly present subversive perspectives on historic events, emphasizing the human factor. His novel “Blindness” which was made into a 2008 movie starring Mark Ruffalo and Julianne Moore, about the population of an unnamed city struck by a mysterious blindness which is never explained. Society's fragilities come to the fore as a general breakdown of infrastructures ensues. This work introduced many readers to Saramago’s impressive body of work--which included novels, poetry, and short stories. He was also the author of the novels “The Gospel According to Jesus Christ” and “Baltasar and Blimunda.” He opened his 1998 Nobel Prize lecture with these words: "The wisest man I ever knew in my whole life could not read or write." His last book was “Cain,” published in 2009. From the 1980s Saramago was one of Portugal's best-selling contemporary writers and his works have been translated into more than 20 languages.

BOUNDARY WATERS JOURNAL(BWJ) - features articles, articles that help readers enjoy their trips to canoe country. Articles must be informative, entertaining and inspiring. Subjects include detailed wilderness canoe trip journals, fishing how/where to, camping advice, hiking trips, wildlife profiles, history, natural resource issues, fiction, wilderness essays, hunting, winter camping/activities and interesting area people, about wilderness recreation, nature and conservation within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), Quetico Provincial Park and Superior National Forest. Contact page to query: http://www.boundarywatersjournal.com/cms/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=1&Itemid=15

AUREALIS, Australia - science fiction, fantasy or horror short stories between 2000 and 8000 words. All types of science fiction, fantasy and horror that are of a "speculative" nature will be considered, some w/Australian characterization and background. Guidelines: http://www.aurealis.com.au/submissions.php

RIDDLE FENCE, Newfoundland - accepting poetry for some issues, fiction and creative non-fiction Deadline for each issue. No electronic submissions. Watch for current deadlines and needs. Guidelines: http://riddlefence.com/submissions

MAD MAGAZINE - actively looking to expand pool of freelance comedy writers and there's more opportunity to join The Usual Gang Of Idiots than ever. If you have a twisted sense of humor, a peculiar way of looking at the world, or are simply eager to express your immature, strange or just plain silly side, then we want to see your stuff. Guidelines: http://www.dccomics.com/mad/?action=submissions

EPIC's 2010 WRITING COMPETITION FOR STUDENTS - Deadline: Oct. 20, 2010. Open to Students worldwide, attending public, private, or home schools. Entries may be a story, poem, or essay, written specifically for the contest or as a school assignment for grades 6-8/ages 11 to 14 (Middle School categories) or grades 9-12/ages 15 to18 (High School categories). $100 prize. Guidelines: http://newvoicesyoungwriters.com/enter.html

2011 CHICKEN HOUSE CHILDREN’S FICTION COMPETITION, UK - Deadline Oct. 29, 2010. No entry fee. Prize is the offer of a worldwide publishing contract w/Chicken House, w/royalty advance of £10,000. The entrant must not have previously published any book in any country, whether fiction or nonfiction. The entry should be suitable for childrens' audience aged between 9 and 16. Picture books and graphic novels will not be accepted and illustrations will not be considered. Guidelines:
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/children/article7074710.ece

DISCOVERING NEW MYSTERIES COMPETITION - Deadline: Oct. 31, 2010. No entry fee.
Short Stories, Scriptwriting, Submit mystery plays, short stories, which can be performed or read in under an hour. Categories: outstanding screenplay or teleplay, best work for young adults 12 - 18, best short mystery play (including one-act plays, short screenplays and short stories). $2500 for Best New Work (one prize across all genres). $1000 for Best New Writer. $1500 for Outstanding Screenplay or Teleplay. $500 for Best Work for Young Adults (12 - 18). $500 for Best Short Mystery Play. Guidelines: http://www.newmysteries.org/submission_guidelines

2011 ERIC GREGORY TRUST FUND AWARDS, Great Britain - Deadline: Oct. 31, 2010 Open to British subjects by birth who reside in the UK and under age 30 as of March 31, 2011. Poetry, verse-drama, or belles letters. Max 30 poems. £24,000 in total prizes, average of £4000 per winning poet. List of ongoing contests: http://www.societyofauthors.org/prizes-fiction-non-fiction-and-poetry

INTERNATIONAL NEW MYSTERIES COMPETITION (Angie Awards) - Deadline: Oct. 31, 2010. No Entry Fee. Short Stories, Novels, Scripts and Screenplays for both adult and youth audiences. BEST NEW WORK, +$2500 prize; MOST PROMISING NEW WRITER, +$1000 prize; OUTSTANDING SCREENPLAY or TELEPLAY, +$1000 prize; BEST WORK FOR YOUNG ADULTS OR CHILDREN, +$500; BEST SHORT MYSTERY (1-Act plays, short screenplay, short story), +$500. Guidelines: http://www.newmysteries.org/documents/Submission%20Form%202011.pdf

ONCE WRITTEN.com FALL FICTION CONTEST - Deadline: Oct. 31, 2010. Entry Fee: $15. Award: $1000. Guidelines: http://www.oncewritten.com/Contests/FictionContest.php

DZANC BOOK PRIZE - Deadline: Nov. 1, 2010. Open to all US citizens and residents only. All writers applying must have a literary work-in-progress they can submit for review, and present the judges with a Community Service Program they can facilitate. Such programs may include anything deemed "educational" in relation to writing and much take place in the US. $5000 prize. Guidelines: http://www.dzancbooks.org/dzanc-prize

MANY VOICES PROJECT LITERARY COMPETITION - Deadline: Nov. 1, 2010. Short Stories, Nonfiction, Poetry. Open to US Citizens. Book length unpublished manuscripts. Poetry prize open to US citizens, prose and genre open only to legal residents of
Minnesota or NYC. $1000 prize and standard book contract.
Guidelines: http://www.mnstate.edu/newriverspress/submissions/mvpproject.cfm

ARTIST’S MAGAZINE ALL-MEDIA ONLINE COMPETITION - Deadline: Nov. 1, 2010. Entry fee: $15 per slide or image. Compete and Win in 7 Categories! Oil and oil pastel, Acrylic, Watercolor, Pastel, Mixed media and collage, Graphite, charcoal and colored pencil, Digital Art. Guidelines: http://www.artistsnetwork.com/allmedia

WRITERS DIGEST SHORT STORY POPULAR FICTION CONTEST – Deadline: Nov. 1, 2010. Entry fee $20. Grand Prize-Winner - $2,500 cash, $100 worth of Writer's Digest Books and the 2009 Novel & Short Story Writer's market. All manuscripts must be 4,000 words or fewer. 5 Categories! Romance; Mystery/Crime Fiction; Science Fiction/Fantasy; Thriller/Suspense; Horror. Guidelines: http://www.writersdigest.com/popularfictionawards

MINOTAUR BKS/MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA CRIME NOVEL CONTEST -
Deadline: Nov. 13, 2010. Open to any writer, regardless of nationality, who has never been pub'd. Self-pub'd writers may enter, as long as the entry has not itself been self-pub'd. $10,000 advance +publishing contract from Minotaur Books. Guidelines: http://us.macmillan.com/Content.aspx?publisher=minotaurbooks&id=4933

FROM MY TWITTER THREAD:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Promotion and Marketing - Nov 1 – 28, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=491

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Principles of Good Website Design 4 Writers - Nov 7 – 20, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=353

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Twisting History - Nov 8 - 14, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=268

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Using Grammar 2 Develop &/or Strengthen - Nov 8 – 21, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=280

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #196

2010-10-01T14:54:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: RUE McCLANAHAN, age 76, gained fame as the star of two long-running sitcoms, "Maude" and "The Golden Girls." Ms. McClanahan was nominated four times for an Emmy Award for "Golden Girls," winning once. In her latter years, McClanahan returned to the stage. She replaced Carole Shelley as Madame Morrible in the musical Wicked in May 2005, playing the role for eight months, and appeared in a Broadway revival of The Women. She did stints in summer stock and in The Vagina Monologues. She also appeared in productions of Annie, Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music as well as two productions of Nunsense. Early Broadway credits including her 1966 debut The Best Laid Plans; Jimmy Shine, a John Sebastian musical starring Dustin Hoffman; Father's Day; and the David Rabe play Sticks and Bones. In the 1970s, she acted in Neil Simon's California Suite. Off-Broadway shows included Who's Happy Now, for which she won an Obie Award; After-Play; Macbird!; The Secret Life of Walter Mitty; Tonight! In Living Color!; Dark of the Moon; and Dylan. She had a juicy early role on daytime television, playing Caroline Johnson on "Another World" in 1970 and 1971. While taking care of twins Michael and Marianne Randolph, Johnson fell in love with their father, John. To eliminate his inconvenient wife, she began poisoning the twins' mother. Her 2007 memoir was titled "My First Five Husbands...And the Ones Who Got Away."

VARIANT, UK - arts and culture mag, based in Scotland but distributed across the UK and Ireland. Welcomes news, previews, articles, interviews, polemical pieces and artists pages. Guidelines: http://www.variant.org.uk/writers.html

AMERICAN PROFILE – stories spotlight people, places and things that make America great. American Artisan, American Roots, Celebrities, Cover story, Hometown Hero, Hometown Spotlight, Incredible Kids, Made in American, My Collection, Odd Jobs, On the Job, Places and Profiles in History. Coverage must have broad national relevance. Also covers family matters, health, gardening, home projects, personal finance. Articles should have a long shelf life. Guidelines: http://www.americanprofile.com/aboutus/writer.html

BACKWOODS HOME MAGAZINE – country oriented “how to” magazine, How to build your own home, raising animals, food preservation, country skills, home schooling. Guidelines: http://www.backwoodshome.com/docs/writerguidelines.html

MISSISSIPPI MAGAZINE – Mississippi interesting people and places, homes, gardens, food, history, culture. Guidelines: http://www.mismag.com/story_ideas.htm

ON-SPEC MAGAZINE – Short stories and poetry, fantasy, horror, ghost stories, fairy stories, magic realism, artwork. Guidelines: http://www.onspec.ca/submissions

PRACTICAL eCOMMERCE – to help eCommerce merchants grow and prosper with easy-to-follow articles, blogs, podcasts and newsletters, all delivered electronically. Guidelines: http://www.practicalecommerce.com/about/editorial

RANGE MAGAZINE – award-winning quarterly devoted to the issues that threaten the West, its people, lifestyles, lands, wildlife. Exposes a land in crisis and shows how daily challenges are being met with grit, determination and humor, the leading forum for opposing viewpoints in the search for solutions that will halt the depletion of a national resource, the American cowboy. Guidelines: http://www.rangemagazine.com/guidelines

PLANNING MAGAZINE – offers articles, book reviews, news and analyses of events in planning including suburban, rural, and small town planning, environmental planning, neighborhood revitalization, economic development, social planning, and urban design. Guidelines: http://www.planning.org/planning/suggestions.htm

9th ANNUAL FUNDS 4 WRITERS ESSAY CONTEST - Deadline: Oct. 31, 2010. No entry fee. Open to 18+ for Nonfiction. $50, $30, $20 prizes. Guidelines: http://www.fundsforwriters.com/annualcontest.htm

MCKITTERICK PRIZE – Deadline: Oct. 31, 2010. No entry fee. Open to authors over 40, published or unpublished. £4000 prize. Guidelines: http://www.societyofauthors.org/mckitterick

FROM MY TWITTER FEED:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Deep Point of View - Nov 1 - Dec 6, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=332

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Edit As You Go - Nov 1 – 6, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=413

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Discovering Your Writing Process - Nov 1 – 14, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=420

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Scene & Structure - Nov 1 – 14, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=423

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Breaking Things Down Into 3s - Nov 1 – 21, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=105

ONLINE WORKSHOP: The Heart of Your Story & Conflict - Nov 1 – 21, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=416

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #195

2010-09-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: LOUISE BOURGEOIS, age 98, artist, sculptor, whose sculptures explored womens deepest feelings on birth, sexuality and death were highly influential on younger artists. Among her most famous pieces are a series of giant spiders presented as symbols of the mother, entitled "Maman," with one standing more than 30 feet (nine meters) high outside the National Gallery of Canada. Working in a wide variety of materials, she tackled themes relating to male and female bodies and emotions of anger, betrayal, even murder. Her work reflected influences of surrealism, primitivism and the early modernist sculptors such as Alberto Giacometti and Constantin Brancusi. "The Destruction of the father," a 1974 installation, depicts her traumatic relationship with her father. Bourgeois' work was almost unknown to the wider art world until she was 70, when New York's Museum of Modern Art presented a solo show of her career in 1982. Among the honors coming to her were a National Medal of Arts, awarded by President Clinton in 1997. In October, she was inducted into the Nat'l Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY. France awarded her the Legion d'Honneur in New York in 2008. Bourgeois worked until two days before her death, helping the Italian foundation prepare an exhibition of her work to open in Venice. Some of Bourgeois' works have fetched over a million dollars at auctions in recent years.

INTERVIEW w/ELIZABETH: Author Kayelle Allen’s interview of author E. Lucas-Taylor http://romancelivesforever.blogspot.com/2010/09/interview-with-author-elizabeth-lucas.html

NEW YORK CITY SPIRIT – Holistic, creating cultural and personal history, a tool for understanding what has occurred and is occurring in our culture and our personal lives today. Brief Guidelines: http://www.nyspirit.com/about_us

SOUTHERN REVIEW – publishes the very best new fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and literary essays by established and emerging writers. Considers novel excerpts if they stand alone, short short stories, experimental work, and translations (provided the translator has secured appropriate rights.) No genre. Guidelines: http://www.lsu.edu/tsr or http://www.lsu.edu/tsr/submit.html (see submissions calendar)

OHIO MAGAZINE - stories that celebrate Ohio, its people, its rich culture, heritage, and especially its travel spots. Audience is educated, active, affluent and very loyal to Ohio. Contains stories about interesting Ohioans, top travel destinations, Ohio’s arts and cultural institutions, trend pieces and service pieces that provide readers with a statewide set of options on a particular topic, art to accompany. Guidelines: http://www.ohiomagazine.com/Main/WritersPhotographerGuidelines.aspx

THE EDGE, UK - short stories: modern crime, Gothic horror, fantasy, science fiction, slipstream, crime fiction or erotica. Experimental work welcome. Non-fiction: features, interviews, popular culture. Also interested in serious or humorous comic strips. Guidelines: http://www.theedge.abelgratis.co.uk/order.htm

AQUILA, UK - encourages children 8-13 to explore facts, find out about things for themselves, develop a caring nature. Carries mix of non-fiction under topics such as science, history, mathematics, crafts, language, fiction (sometimes serialized). Guidelines: http://www.aquila.co.uk/contact_us.html or http://www.aquila.co.uk/resources/Author_Guidelines.pdf

GROW YOUR OWN, UK - gardening mag giving info on growing (and cooking) fresh food from the garden. Seeks fresh and interesting contributions on anything relevant to vegetable, fruit, or herb-growing, or allotments, small greenhouses and similar. Guidelines: Query editor http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/contact.php

COLLISION POETRY & CREATIVE NONFICTION CONTEST – Deadline: Oct. 17, 2010. No entry fee. Open to Undergraduates anywhere in the world for Personal essays and narratives, travel pieces, feature articles, and poems accepted. $150 prize.
Guidelines: http://collision.honorscollege.pitt.edu (click on “submit”)

NEW VOICES YOUNG WRITERS COMPETITION – Deadline: Oct. 20, 2010. No entry fee. Open to Students worldwide, attending public, private, or home schools. Students must be in junior high/middle school or high school in the U.S., or the equivalent grade level in their specific internat'l school system. Genres: Poetry, Short Stories, Nonfiction. $100 grand prize +publication. Guidelines: http://newvoicesyoungwriters.com/enter.html

SCN ANNUAL NOVEL PITCH & FIRST 5 PAGES CONTEST – Deadline: Nov. 15, 2010. Entry fee: $8.50. Open internationally. First prize - $150. Second prize - $75. Third prize - $40. 6 HM. JUDGE - Agent Jeff Kleinman/ Folio Literary Management, NY, NY. Guidelines: http://www.janicewiley-dorn.com/smokecitynarrators/scnnovelpitchcontest.html

FROM MY TWITTER FEED:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Scene of the Crime: Who Killed This Sentence? Oct 18-31, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=279

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Romancing Nonfiction: How 2 Pay Bills While Fiction Career…Oct 3-16, 2010 http://fthrw.com/workshops/wkshop_2010_10.php

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Geisha Marketing for Authors - Oct 25 – 31, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=546

ONLINE WORKSHOP: How to Hook Your Reader - Nov 1 – 4, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=361

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Brainstorming Characters - Nov 1 – 6, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=503

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #194

2010-09-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: ANDREI VOZNESENSKY, age 77, a daring and popular poet of the Soviet era, was one of the so-called "children of the '60s," a generation of thinkers who tasted intellectual freedom during the post-Stalin thaw. His unusual rhymes and bold metaphors contrasted sharply with other Soviet poetry. His innovative verse thrilled readers but irked authorities and criticized by orthodox Soviet writers. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev once threatened to exile him, yelling at a him during a meeting with Soviet art and literary figures. His books of poems included "The Triangular Pear," ''Antiworlds," ''Stained-glass Master," ''Violoncello Oakleaf," ''Videoms and Fortune Telling by the Book." Some of his works were turned into theater productions, like "Antiworlds" and "Save your Faces" at the Taganka Theater, "Juno and Avos" at the Lenkom Theater and others both in Russia and abroad.

PARAMETERS – mature thought on topics of current interest to senior Army officers and the defense community. Focus is on the art and science of land warfare, national and international security affairs, military strategy, senior leadership, ethics, and military history w/contemporary relevance. Guidelines: http://www.carlisle.army.mil/usawc/parameters/WritingforParameters.cfm

ROOM OF ONES OWN, Canada – Original short stories, poems, creative non-fiction, or art by women. Guidelines: http://www.roommagazine.com/submit.html

WAVE-LENGTH MAGAZINE – promotes safe, ecologically sensitive paddling info, guides readers to useful products and services, explores marine issues. Now in 19th year, distributed around North America free-of-charge through select paddling, outdoor and marine stores, tour operators, paddling clubs, recreation centers, outdoor events and shows, book stores, libraries, and around the world electronically via the internet. Guidelines: http://www.wavelengthmagazine.com/Submissions.html

THE MASSACHUSETTS REVIEW – (South College U of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA) interested in material of variety, vitality w/a broad appeal. Articles, essays, fiction, poetry. Guidelines: http://www.massreview.org/faq.html

CHILD CARE, UK - anyone who works in child care, whether in the home, nursery or crèche, or in any other daycare setting. Seeks latest news, in-depth reports, practical advice, ideas. Also contains a 16-page practical pull-out section w/separate requirements. Guidelines: http://www.professionalchildcare.co.uk/contribute.shtml

NEED 2 KNOW BOOKS, UK - Publisher of books that give solutions, strategies to wide range of problem areas: teenage pregnancy and diabetes to the everyday situations like coping w/stress and single parenting, breast cancer, prostate cancer, anger management, men's health/women's health. Guidelines: http://www.need2knowbooks.co.uk/pages/Contact-Us.html

TUCSON CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP - “Hook, Line and Homicide: Writing the Mystery” at Pima Community College, West Campus, in Tucson AZ, Oct 1-3, 2010.
For more info e-mail: mfiles@pima.edu

BOUCHERCON BY THE BAY – San Francisco, Oct 14-17. Sisters will receive free food and beverages in their own hospitality suite. “SinC Into Great Writing” workshop will be held the day before, Oct. 13, 2010. Info: http://www.bcon2010.com

2nd ANNUAL SEDONA BOOK FESTIVAL - Sedona, AZ. Oct 2, 2010. Yavapai College Sedona Center, 4215 Arts Village Drive (at the intersection of Hwy 89A and Cultural Park Place) 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Festival admission is free and open to the public. http://www.sedonalibrary.org/fol.html

BOOK CONFERENCES & FESTIVALS -
http://www.writermag.com/wrt/community/events/events.asp

FROM MY TWITTER FEED:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Stripping Down the Heroine Archetypes Oct 11 - Nov 7, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=506

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Writing the Biker Oct 11 - Nov 22, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=426

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Create Your Own Book Trailer Oct 15 - 28, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=549

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Research & Working w/Experts Oct 18 - 31, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=528

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Writing the Paranormal Oct 18 - Nov 14, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=425

ONLINE WORKSHOP: From Idea to Completion Oct 18 - Nov 14, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=419

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #193

2010-09-10T15:28:00.000-07:00

WE WILL NEVER FORGET:
9/11, “peaceful” MUSLIMS hijacked 4 jetliners in US - cut throats of women in front of their children & brutally stabbed others w/boxcutters. Thousands also lost their lives in the same barbaric "peaceful" Muslim attack on the WTC.

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: ART LINKLETTER, age 97, hosted the popular TV shows "People Are Funny" and "House Party" in the 1950s & 1960s. "Art Linkletter's House Party," one of television's longest-running variety shows, debuted on radio in 1944 and was seen on CBS-TV from 1952-1969. The best known segment was the daily interviews with schoolchildren. Linkletter collected sayings from the children into "Kids Say The Darndest Things," and it sold in the millions. The book "70 Years of Best Sellers 1895-1965" ranked "Kids Say the Darndest Things" as the 15th top seller among nonfiction books in that period. The primetime "People Are Funny," which began on radio in 1942 and ran on TV from 1954 to 1961, emphasized slapstick humor and audience participation. Linkletter got his first taste of broadcasting with a part-time job while attending San Diego State College in the early 1930s. He held a series of radio and promotion jobs in California and Texas, experimenting with audience participation and remote broadcasts, before forming his own production company in the 1940s and striking it big. After leaving daily broadcasting in 1969, Linkletter continued to write, lecture and appear in television commercials. Among his other books, were "Old Age is Not for Sissies," "How To Be a Super-salesman," "Confessions of a Happy Man," "Hobo on the Way to Heaven" and his autobiography, '`I Didn't Do It Alone." A recording Linkletter made with his daughter Diane not long before she died, "We Love You, Call Collect," was issued after her death and won a Grammy award for best spoken word recording.

ASTRONOMY MAGAZINE – science and hobby mag serves readers who want to keep up with the latest discoveries and understand astronomical science, as well as those who want to know what is happening in the sky each month. Occasionally publishes unsolicited material, news features, human interest stories, hobby. Guidelines: (articles & bk reviews) http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=ss&id=115

sub-TERRAIN, Canada - fiction, poetry, photography and graphic illustration from uprising Canadian, U.S. & International writers and artists. Poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, commentary, photos. Guidelines: http://subterrain.ca/about/35/sub-terrain-writer-s-guidelines

GOOD WOODWORKING, UK - for the serious woodworker, seeks ideas, advice and projects for the amateur. Guidelines: Contact editor - http://www.getwoodworking.com/about URL: http://www.getwoodworking.com

TRAZZLER - helps would-be travelers answer the question “Where should I go?” Make us forget about our mundane lives and take us to a place that we’ve never been before. Guidelines: http://www.trazzler.com/about/write-for-trazzler

NEW MOBILITY – active wheelchair lifestyle mag w/articles on art, culture, recreation, travel, people, relationships, medical news, civil rights and resources. Eighty-five percent of readers have disabilities, most caused by spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, post-polio syndrome, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy or ALS. Looking for the unusual, the quirky, the humorous angle, but also needs well-reported service articles. These include pieces on health (innovations in bladder or bowel management, pain or fatigue prevention, stem cell news); technology (new products for work or play) and travel. Guidelines: http://www.newmobility.com/magazine_writers_guidelines.cfm
FETCH THE PAPER - serving the greater San Francisco Bay Area.Looking for expertly written topics on health, travel, humor, training, and things to do with dogs. We also speak out on issues of social importance. Contact page to query: http://www.fetchthepaper.com/contactus.aspx

NORTHERN WOODLANDS MAGAZINE – audience consists of conservation-minded people with an interest in all aspects of the forests of the Northeast. Looking for book reviews, articles, photos. Guidelines & Editorial Calendar: http://northernwoodlands.org/issues/writers-photographers?/submissions/writers_photographers

THE STINGING FLY, Ireland - provides an outlet for short story writers: each issue features several short stories and from time to time entire issues are devoted to new fiction. Also publishes poetry, creative non-fiction and book reviews. Only accepts submissions between January and March, cutoff date March 31, send by postal mail only, giving e-mail address. Prefers to respond by e-mail but enclose an SAE (with Irish stamps, or an IRC). Rates low +2 contributor's copies. Guidelines: http://www.stingingfly.org/submissions.html

OnceWritten.com - keeps a comprehensive list of contests that pay a grand prize of $500+ http://www.oncewritten.com/WritingContests.php

AMAZING KIDS! - has contests for kids http://www.amazing-kids.org/contests.html

GIFTED HANDS WRITING - children’s writing contests http://www.giftedhandswriting.com/node/66

FROM MY TWITTER THREAD:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Prologue Structure 4 Character driven/Plot-driven stories Oct 3-6, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=282

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Cant & Historical Slang 4 Authors Oct 4-10, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=269

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Writing Serial Novels Oct 4-31, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=294

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Master the 3 Act Structure Oct 4-31, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=179

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Using Description to Enhance Storyline Oct 4-31 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=184

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Creating a Believable Paranormal, Fantasy, or SF
World Oct 4-31 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=173

ONLINE WORKSHOP: The Art of Rewriting Oct 4-31 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=363

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Handling Backstory the Right Way Oct 4-31
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=478

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Alphas: Leaders of the Pack Oct 4-29
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=525

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #192

2010-09-03T12:04:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: MARTIN GARDNER, age 95, teased brains with math puzzles in Scientific American for a quarter-century and indulged his own restless curiosity by writing more than 70 books on topics as diverse as magic, philosophy and the nuances of Alice in Wonderland. Gardner also wrote fiction, poetry, literary and film criticism, as well as puzzle books. He was a leading voice in refuting pseudo-scientific theories, from ESP to flying saucers. His mathematical writings intrigued a generation of mathematicians, but he never took a college math course. In 1983 he began a column in Skeptical Inquirer, "Notes of a Fringe Watcher," which he continued to write until 2002. He had already begun beating this drum, debunking pseudoscience, in his book "Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science." He helped found the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal.

BE AWARE! NEW YORK Companies Short Freelancers $4.7B Last Year
http://www.mediabistro.com/mediajobsdaily/freelance/companies_short_freelancers_47b_in_new_york_last_year_172207.asp

FORM MAGAZINE - audience is architects, interior designers, professional designers throughout the country, primarily in urban centers such as LA, NY, San Francisco, Austin and Miami. FORM is published bimonthly and available on newsstands nationally through independent and wholesale distributors. Contact page: http://www.formmag.net/contact click on editorial inquiries to query.

NORTHERN AQUACULTURE, Canada – trade publication for all aquaculture industry professionals in North America. For industry professionals Aquaculture North America follows the trends, the issues, the people and events that have set the pace for the fastest growing agribusiness sector on the continent. Coverage is relevant to all finfish and shellfish species grown in North America plus special reports from other regions around the world. Guidelines: http://www.aquaculturenorthamerica.com click on “Editor” to query.

QUEENS QUARTERLY, Canada - multidisciplinary journal aimed at educated reader. Publishes articles, reviews, short stories, poetry. Guidelines: http://www.queensu.ca/quarterly/correspondencesubmissions.html

SHENANDOAH - Washington and Lee University, publishes splendid poems, stories, essays and reviews which display passionate understanding, formal accomplishment and serious mischief. Guidelines: http://www.wlu.edu/x32921.xml

TRUE NORTH – Central Oregon parenting mag. Goal is to provide local parents of all backgrounds w/info and resources that will inspire, support, empower as they navigate their way through the choices of family life. Produces well researched, thought provoking articles that address the seemingly infinite number of parenting styles, choices, tools available to families today; current topics that concern and effect parents on both a local and global level. Guidelines: http://www.truenorthparenting.com/submission.php

MYSTERY SCENE -.Every issue contains commentary, critical overviews, interviews of authors/other media professionals, developments in TV and film, appreciations, diatribes, letters, a wide variety of reviews. Throw in jokes, quotes, anecdotes. Guidelines: http://www.mysteryscenemag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36&Itemid=145

TEXAS BOOK FESTIVAL - Texas State Capitol, Colorado/11th Streets, Austin
Oct. 16-17, 2010. http://www.texasbookfestival.org/index.php

GLIMMER TRAIN STANDARD SHORT FICTION - Deadlines: Jan, April, July, October. First day to the last day of the month. No entry fee. 12,000/wds/max. Online submissions preferred. No children's stories. $700 +publication in Glimmer Train Stories, +10 copies of that issue. Guidelines: http://glimmertrain.com/test.html

LUCIDITY POETRY JOURNAL CLARITY AWARDS - Deadline: Oct. 4, 2010. OPEN TO:18+. Submit 5 poems, max 36 lines per poem including stanza breaks. Seeking poetry that deals w/people, relationships, life issues, events, in English. Form of the poem is open. Prizes: $100, $40, $25 and possible publication. Email for further guidelines & entry fee: tedbadger1@yahoo.com URL: http://lucidityjournal.00books.com

AMY LOWELL POETRY TRAVELING SCHOLARSHIP - Deadline: Oct. 15, 2010. Open to all US poets. Submit 40 pgs of poetry or copy of pub’d poetry book w/20 add’l pages of poetry. Prize: $52,000 fellowship to spend a year abroad. Guidelines: http://www.amylowell.org/instructions.htm

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN HOUSE LITERARY PRIZE, UK - Deadline: Oct. 15, 2010. Nonfiction. A contest for short essays with 2 categories: Young Writers and Professional Writers. Submit 1000-1500/wd essay on a question exploring Franklin's relevance for our time. 2010 theme is "In politics, what can laws do without morals? Prize: £500 for young writers (18-25), £1000 for prof’l writers and publication in The Daily Telegraph, a British newspaper. Guidelines: http://www.benjaminfranklinhouse.org/site/sections/news/literary_prize.html

CURRENCY & MEASUREMENT CONVERTERS - http://www.convertit.com/Go/ConvertIt

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #191

2010-08-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: HANK JONES, age 91, Jazz pianist, composer, Grammy lifetime achievement recipient 2009, whose 70-year career included a stint as Ella Fitzgerald's pianist and Marilyn Monroe's accompanist when she sang "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy. He began performing at the age of 13, playing w/territory bands that toured Michigan and Ohio. During those tours he met saxophonist Lucky Thompson, who helped him land a job in trumpeter Hot Lips Page's band in 1944. After moving to New York in 1943, Jones embraced bebop and toured with Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic from 1947-51. As part of the ensemble, he became Fitzgerald's pianist, touring with her from 1948-53. His versatility landed him gigs in Broadway stage bands, including a long-running stint as the pianist and conductor for "Ain't Misbehavin'," the hit 1970s musical revue based on songs by pianist Thomas "Fats" Waller. Jones most recent recordings were "Pleased to Meet You," and "Come Sunday," an as-yet unreleased duet recording with bassist Charlie Haden, a sequel to their 1995 album of spirituals, hymns and folk songs, "Steal Away," which received two Grammy nominations. Jones received the Nat’l Medal of Arts from President George W. Bush in 2008. A tireless musician, he performed his blend of swing and bebop until the end of his life. Jones made hundreds of recordings, including more than 60 as a leader. He played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Wes Montgomery, Nancy Wilson, Lester Young, Charlie Parker and Coltrane. At the 2009 Jazz Awards, Jones was voted pianist of the year by the Jazz Journalists Association. In 1989, the Nat’l Endowment for the Arts named Jones as a Jazz Master, the nation's highest honor in jazz.

MAD MAGAZINE- looking to expand pool of freelance comedy writers and there's more opportunity to join ‘The Usual Gang Of Idiots’ than ever. If you have a twisted sense of humor, a peculiar way of looking at the world, or are simply eager to express your immature, strange or just plain silly side, then submit your stuff. Guidelines: http://www.dccomics.com/mad/?action=submissions

THE ATLANTA TRIBUNE (The Magazine) – Black Atlanta's leading source for relevant, thought-provoking news, info on business and wealth-building. We educate our readers and present ideas, viewpoints and possible solutions that economically, politically and socially empower them. Staff list to query: http://www.atlantatribune.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59&Itemid=57 Scroll down for “Calendar Submissions”

THE BEAR DELUXE MAGAZINE - environmental arts publication, includes a wider array and a higher-percentage of visual art work and design than many other publications. Artwork is included both as editorial support and as stand alone or independent art. Accepts Fiction/Essay/Poetry/Other and Theme Issues and Sections. Guidelines: http://www.orlo.org/bear_submit.htm

BECKETT ANIME AND MAGNA – looking to add to its pool of freelance collectibles writers. We continue to seek market-intensive stories that reflect trends in the card and collectibles industry. Guidelines: http://www.beckett.com/HR/employment.html scroll down.

ASSOCIATIONS NOW – looking for feature article ideas, ideas for Intelligence, CEO to CEO, Small Scale, Commentators, Case studies, Government Relations, Technology, Component Relations, Ethics, Foundations and Philanthropy and more. Guidelines: http://www.asaecenter.org/PublicationsResources/content.cfm?ItemNumber=40450&navItemNumber=16415

ANIMAL WELLNESS - provides readers w/info needed to make wise health care choices for animal companions, embraces the entire holistic spectrum, from physical health issues to the emotional and spiritual well being of animals. Guidelines: http://animalwellnessmagazine.com/p/awsubmit.htm

FAN STORY ACROSTIC POETRY CONTEST – loads of contest lists http://www.fanstory.com/contests.jsp

WRITER CORNER: E.M. KOEPPEL’s $1100 SHORT FICTION AWARD - Annual Submission Period: Between Oct. 1 - April 30, any year. 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

14th ZOETROPE ALL-STORY SHORT FICTION CONTEST – Deadline: Oct. 1, 2010. Entry fee: $15. First prize is $1000; second prize $500; and third prize $250. The winners and 7 finalists will be considered for representation The three prizewinners and seven honorable mentions will be considered for representation by the William Morris Agency, ICM, Regal Literary, the Elaine Markson Literary Agency, Inkwell Management, Sterling Lord Literistic, and the Georges Borchardt Literary Agency. Guidelines: http://www.all-story.com/contests.cgi

(New York) CHAPTER ONE CONTEST - Deadline Oct, 1, 2010. An annual competition and reading series, open to residents of New York City, that provides opportunities for emerging novelists to share their work with an audience, while emphasizing the importance of a strong first chapter. Five prizes of $1000. Guidelines: http://www.bronxarts.org/bwc_chapterone.asp

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #190

2010-08-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: FRANK FRAZETTA, age 82, still painting at 82, renowned fantasy illustrator of the 20th Century. Frazetta created covers and illustrations for more than 150 books and comic books, along with album covers, movie posters and original paintings. His illustrations of Conan the Barbarian, Tarzan, Vampirella and other characters influenced many later artists.

RANGE MAGAZINE - award-winning quarterly devoted to issues that threaten the West, its people, lifestyles, lands, and wildlife, portrays "The Cowboy Spirit on America’s Outback." Guidelines: http://www.rangemagazine.com/guidelines/index.htm

HOBBY FARMS - directed towards hobby & small farmers or those simply living (or wishing to live) in the country. Hobby farmers are homesteaders, and/or living in rural areas near larger, suburban areas, raise traditional livestock and alternative livestock such as alpacas, llamas, emus, Jacob sheep, Scotch Highland cattle and other rare breeds. Mag caters to all aspects of rural living—from small farm equipment to country cooking—with an emphasis on the issues relevant to small and hobby farmers. Editorial Team to query: http://www.hobbyfarms.com/corporate/about-us.aspx (scroll down)

GOOD OLD BOAT – niche is cruising sailboats from the 1950s, '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s. Publishes articles focused on pride of ownership and that discuss upgrades, maintenance, refits, restoration of good old boats, about vendors of good old boat products and services and histories of sailing industry companies and individuals who have influenced the industry. Guidelines: http://www.goodoldboat.com/writers_guidelines

MILWAUKEE – covering the people, issues, places of Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin. # interested in timely stories about current issues, local personalities, area business, sports, healthcare, education, politics, arts, culture, architecture, urban life, history, food, shopping, music/nightlife, recreation and the environment. Also in the market for two-page "breaker" stories, which are often short on copy and long on visuals. Guidelines: http://www.milwaukeemagazine.com/resources/guidelines.asp

THE PROGRESSIVE - exposes corporate malfeasance and governmental wrongdoing. Detail the problem, relying as much as possible on public documents and on interviews. Use plenty of quotations. Be sure to give fair comment to the corporation, government agency, or individual you are covering. Guidelines: http://www.progressive.org/mag/guidelines

WASHINGTONIAN - focuses almost exclusively on the Washington metropolitan area. Readers are concentrated in the District, in Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland, in Arlington and Fairfax counties and the city of Alexandria in Virginia, and in Loudoun and other counties surrounding the metropolitan area. About 75 percent of readers live in the Maryland and Virginia suburbs, 15% in the District, and 10% outside the metro area. Guidelines: http://www.washingtonian.com/guidelines.html

THE "SCARE THE DICKENS OUT OF US" SHORT STORY CONTEST 2010 - Deadline Oct. 1, 2010. Entry fee: $20. The contest is a Friends of the Dr. Eugene Clark Library fundraiser and is privately funded. The contest is open to published and unpublished writers alike. First prize, $1,000 and a trophy. Second, $500 and a ribbon; Third, $250 and a ribbon. Junior contest prize $250 and a trophy. All entry fees go to the Friends and are used for library projects. Guidelines: http://clarklibraryfriends.com

AURA ESTRADA SHORT STORY CONTEST - Deadline: Oct. 1, 2010. Entry fee: $20. First Prize: $1,500 Any author writing in English is eligible, unless he or she is a relative, current student, former student, or close personal friend of the judge. The winning author will receive $1500 and have his/her work published in Boston Review, the summer of 2011. Guidelines: http://bostonreview.net/about/contest/#Thirteenth (scroll down)

29th ANNUAL DELACORTE PRESS CONTEST 4 FIRST YA NOVEL - submit between Oct 1-Dec 31, 2010. Guidelines: http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/writingcontests

JERWOOD AWARDS FOR NON-FICTION - Deadline: Oct. 4, 2010. Open to UK or Irish citizens, or residents of the UK for at least 3 yrs, and working on their first major commissioned works of nonfiction. Submit a book proposal synopsis w/information about the status of your project and a copy of the publishing contract. £10,000 prize. Guidelines: http://www.rslit.org/content/jerwood Entry form: http://www.rslit.org/docs/content/2010_jerwood_entry_form.pdf

BOOK CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS - http://writing.shawguides.com

WRITER’S CONTESTS - http://www.writers-free-reference.com/contests.htm

FROM MY TWITTER FEED
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Stripping Down Hero Archetypes Sept 20 - Oct 17, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=337

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Got High Concept? Sept 20 - Oct 3, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=178

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Let Your Characters Do The Plotting Sept 20 - Sept 26, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=360

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #189

2010-08-12T20:24:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: LENA HORNE, age 92, sultry singer, actress, was the first black performer to be signed by a major Hollywood studio and went on to gain international fame as a singer. She performed in several musicals including Thousands Cheer (1943), Ziegfeld Follies (1946), Words and Music (1948). Frank Nugent, critic, screenwriter, later wrote in Liberty magazine that Lena Horne was "the nations top Negro entertainer." At the time, Horne was earning $1000 a week from MGM in addition to $1500 for each radio appearance and $6500 for playing nightclubs. Her first movie was ‘The Duke Is Tops’ in 1938. During WWII that Horne began criticizing the way black soldiers were being treated. As a result, the songstress was dubbed a communist sympathizer by Senator Joseph McCarthy (McCarthyism) and was blacklisted. She didn't do any new movies or television for the next seven years when her tenure with MGM was up in 1950. In 1957, Horne recorded her album, “Lena Horne at the Waldorf-Astoria,” which was recorded live at the famous hotel owned by Conrad Hilton. It went on to ‘Top Ten’ status and was the best-selling album by a female singer in RCA Victor's history. Lena Horne received the Lifetime Achievement Award during the 1989 Grammy's, was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1991, and has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame - one for motion pictures, the other for her recordings. A brilliant, gracious, productive woman to the end.

AMERICAN SNOWMOBILER – looking for travel stories, sled modification stories, How-to describing how to modify or improve sled -complete w/pictures, personality stories about interesting people of note in the snowmobile world, any topics that give readers a look at and solid info about new areas where they can snowmobile. Guidelines: http://www.amsnow.com/en/sitecore/content/Home/The%20Magazine/Contributor%20Guidelines/2005/06/CONTRIBUTOR%20GUIDELINES.aspx

ARMY MAGAZINE – features 1000-1500/wds. Sidebars to features or photo essays 250-500/wds. Accepts book reviews, guest columns. If interested in book reviewing, write regarding your areas of interest, expertise. Guidelines: http://www.ausa.org/publications/armymagazine/aboutarmy/Pages/ARMYMagazine%27sWriter_sGuidelines.aspx

THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY – accepts nonfiction, fiction, fillers, book excerpts, essays, general interest, humor, personal experience, travel, poetry. Contact page to query Senior Editors: http://www.theatlantic.com/masthead Faq page for additional contact info: http://www.theatlantic.com/faq

CHRYSALIS READER – spiritual, literary topics, poetry. Audience includes people from numerous faiths and backgrounds. Many work in psychology, education, religion, the arts, sciences, or one of the helping professions. The style of writing may be humorous, serious, or some combination of these approaches. Essays, poetry, and fiction that are not evangelical in tone but that are unique in addressing the Chrysalis Reader theme are more likely to be accepted. Readers are interested in expanding, enriching, or challenging their intellects, hearts, and philosophies, and many also just want to enjoy a good read. Guidelines: http://www.swedenborg.com/page.asp?page_name=ChrysalisWriterGuidelines

ESCAPEES MAGAZINE - RV club mag, primarily a compilation of articles, tips, personal views submitted by Escapees members. Although member material is considered first priority, nonmember material is also reviewed. Travel/destinations-type articles are kept to a minimum and generally selected only when the location coincides with an Escapees national event. Well researched technical and informational articles are in high demand. Guidelines: http://www.escapees.com/magazine/ArticleSubmissions.asp

KUNGFU QIGONG – Topics should be of interest to advanced, traditional Chinese Martial Arts aficionado as well as the rank beginner of any style. We welcome articles on martial arts history, weapons, training, techniques, philosophy, well-known martial artists, notable individual experiences. We are not accepting any fiction, poetry, personality profiles, comics or cartoons, or articles for or about children at this time. Guidelines: http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/about/guidelines.php

2010 WRITERS WEEKLY 24-HOUR SHORT STORY CONTEST – Start time: Sept. 11, 2010. Deadline: When there are 500 applicants. Entry Fee: $5. Each contest is limited to 500 entrants & usually fills up fast. Guidelines: http://www.writersweekly.com/misc/contest.php

BOOK CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS - http://writing.shawguides.com

WRITER’S CONTESTS - http://www.writers-free-reference.com/contests.htm

FROM MY TWITTER THREAD:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Harness Creativity w/a Vision Board - Sept 13 - Sept 26, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=389

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Thinking Like an Editor - Sept 13 - Sept 26, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=481

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Stripping Down Hero & Heroine Archetypes Sept 20 - Nov 7, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=507

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Creating Unbreakable Conn Betwn Characters/Readers Sept 20-Oct 18, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=527

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #188

2010-08-06T09:17:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: ALAN SILLITOE, age 82, "Saturday Night And Sunday Morning," and "The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner" chronicled the bleak postwar realities of the country's poor. Sillitoe, a leading member of the 1950s group of so-called angry young men of British fiction, was acclaimed for his uncompromising social criticism and depiction of domestic tensions, often dubbed kitchen sink dramas. "He put somehow forgotten places at center-stage," British poet Ian MacMillan told the BBC. "He made the ordinary life into a kind of poetry." Recalling his own modest upbringing in Nottingham, central England, Sillitoe once recalled the smells of "leaking gas, stale fat, and layers of moldering wallpaper." In 2008, the author was bestowed with the freedom of Nottingham, an ancient ceremonial honor that allows recipients to drove sheep through the center of the city. In 2007, Sillitoe published "Gadfly In Russia," an account of four decades of travel through Russia.

AMERICAN FORESTS - quarterly nat’l mag w/stories & photographs about trees, forests, forestry issues, to foster appreciation for trees & forests & to offer a responsible, science-based discussion of the trends, issues, policies, & management of America's forest resources. Many depts to choose from. Guidelines: http://www.americanforests.org/productsandpubs/magazine/guidelines.php

AMERICAN HERITAGE MAGAZINE – the Nation's portal to American History, provides information on nearly 4,000 museums and historical societies nationwide, a collaboration between American Heritage and the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), whose organizational members are largely included in the system. Guidelines: http://www.americanheritage.com/contact/writersguidelinesAH.pdf

AMERICAN JOURNALISM REVIEW – nat’l mag covers all aspects of print, television, radio and online media. Publishes exciting features, strong opinions, lively articles and profiles. Every issue is packed with valuable information, continuing assessment of news and industry issues and much more. Guidelines: http://www.ajr.org/ajrgart.asp

AMERICAN PROFILE - celebrates the American spirit, audience is hometown America, generally communities with populations under 100,000. Stories spotlight the people, places and things that make America great. Guidelines: http://www.americanprofile.com/aboutus/writer.html

ASIMOV’S SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINE - looking for “character oriented” stories, those in which the characters, rather than science, provide the main focus for the reader’s interest. Serious, thoughtful, yet accessible fiction. Guidelines: http://www.asimovs.com/info/guidelines.shtml

AIR & SPACE/Smithsonion – gen’l interest mag about flight, purpose is to enlighten and entertain. Its goal is to show readers, both the knowledgeable and the novice, facets of the enterprise of flight that they are unlikely to encounter elsewhere. Emphasis is on the human rather than technological, on the ideas behind events, rather than a simple recounting of details. Guidelines: http://www.airspacemag.com/contact-us/asm-submission-guidelines.html

HUNGER MOUNTAIN CREATIVE NONFICTION PRIZE – Deadline: Sept. 10, 2010 . Holds five contests annually, April, June Sept. Dec. Guidelines: http://www.hungermtn.org/hunger-mountain-creative-nonfiction-prize

14th ANNUAL ROBERT FROST FOUNDATION POETY AWARD – Deadline: Sept 15, 2010. Guidelines: http://www.frostfoundation.org

WALT WHITMAN AWARD – to honor a poet's first book. Entry must be postmarked between Sept 15 & Nov 15, 2010. Guidelines: http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/121

8th GLASS WOMAN PRIZE – Deadline: Sept. 21, 2010. For a work of short fiction or creative non-fiction (prose) written by a woman. Subject is open, but must be of significance to women. Criterion is passion, excellence, authenticity in the woman’s writing voice. http://www.sigriddaughter.com/GlassWomanPrize.htm

FROM MY TWITTER THREAD
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Cracking the Romance Code Aug 23 - Sept 12, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=529

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Theme & Story Question Sept 6 - Oct 3, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=386

ONLINE WORKSHOP: How Details Change How We Read Sept 6 – 20,2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=368

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Plotting Strategy Sept 6 - Oct 3, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=183

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Historical Angles: Writing Historical Fiction Sept 6 - Oct 3, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=188

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Writing Erotic Love Scenes Sept 6 – 12, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=239

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Your Thesaurus Doesn’t Know Everything Sept 6 – 19, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=277

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Guilt-free & Cost Effective PR Options Aug 15 - 28, 2010 http://neorwa.com/index.php/Workshops/Workshops

ONLINE WORKSHOP: From Fanfiction to Fantastic Fiction Sept 6 - Oct 3, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=430

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #187

2010-07-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: MARSHALL LEE, age 89, Writer, Editor, Designer, and Book Publisher. His influential book, BOOKMAKING, was first released in 1965 and its third edition was published in 2004 by Norton. His half-century in publishing included serving as an executive at Harry N. Abrams and Fratelli Fabbri in Italy. Through his own two companies, Balance House, and The International Archive of Art, he created and produced books for major publishers in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE – As the title implies, mysteries. Looking for 12,000/wds or less. Do check mss formatting guide. Guidelines: http://www.themysteryplace.com/ahmm/guidelines

ALPINIST MAGAZINE - first-person accounts of long routes from around the world, investigative reports of subjects compelling to climbing aficionados, and documentary pieces that capture the spirit of ascent in any of its myriad forms. Guidelines: http://www.alpinist.com/p/magazine/contribute

AMERICA - Most, but not all, readers are Catholic. One-third are religious or clergy, but most are laypersons, college educated, two-thirds have graduate degrees, most are not specialists. Write for an audience of alumni and alumnae of your school. Guidelines: http://www.americamagazine.org/content/contact-us.cfm?p=3

BRAIN, CHILD - mag for thinking mothers, motherhood. Guidelines: http://www.brainchildmag.com/guidelines.html

ELLERY QUEEN’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE – needs hard-boiled stories as well as "cozies," but not interested in explicit sex or violence. With the exception of regular book review and blog review columns, EQMM publishes only fiction. Guidelines: http://www.themysteryplace.com/eqmm/guidelines

2010 PRESERVATION FOUNDATION CONTESTS – Deadline: Aug 31, 2010. For unpublished nonfiction, general fiction, and travel. 1500/5000/wds, First entry is free, $10-/add’l entry. First prize: $100 in each category. Certificates for runners-up and finalists. Guidelines: http://www.storyhouse.org/contest2010.html

2010 INNERMOONLIT AWARD FOR BEST SHORT-SHORT STORY - Deadline Sept 1, 2010. No entry fee. Entrants must specify that they are entering the Best Short-Short Story Contest and must indicate the number of words in their submission (500/wds/max). URL: http://www.brianagincourtmassey.com Guidelines: http://www.brianagincourtmassey.com/contests/ssfguidelines.html

INTERNATIONAL 3-DAY NOVEL CONTEST – Deadline Septa 4-6, 2010. Can you produce a masterwork of fiction in a mere 72 hours? Here is your chance to find out. Outlines are permitted prior to the contest. Guidelines: http://www.3daynovel.com

FROM MY TWITTER PAGE:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Characterization & Plotting Aug 9-20, 2010 http://www.dunesanddreams.org/writing-workshops

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Editing Dialogue 4 Snap, Crackle & Punch! (via Yahoo Groups) Aug 10-17, 2010 http://www.christinefairchild.com/classes.html

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Basic Historical Research - Aug 30-Sept 5, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=270

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Finding Your Voice - Aug 30-Sept 27, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=390

ONLINE WORKSHOP: The Conflict Grid, Tool for Success Aug 30-Sept 26, 2010 http://www.romance-ffp.com/event.cfm?EventID=108

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Novel Perspectives - Sept 2-Oct 4, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=176

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Creating Your Own Book Trailer - Sept 5-15, 2010
http://www.Savvyauthors.Com/Event.Cfm?Eventid=394

JUMPSTART YOUR WRITING CAREER (Phoenix location) Sept 11, 2010 Info: http://www.vijayaschartz.com/seminar.html

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #186

2010-07-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: DEDE ALLEN, age 86, film editor whose pioneering work on movies like "The Hustler" and "Bonnie and Clyde" brought a new approach to shaping the look and sound of American movies. Allen became the first film editor to receive sole credit on a movie. She was nominated for Academy Awards for that movie, 1975's "Dog Day Afternoon," "Reds" in 1981 and "Wonder Boys" in 2000. Allen was the first American to embrace European methods of editing by beginning sequences with close-ups or jump cuts and using the sound from the next shot while the previous scene was still playing. Greg S. Faller, professor of film studies at Towson University in Maryland, said "The Hustler" and "Bonnie and Clyde" "must be considered benchmark films in the history of editing." Many of her techniques are now standard in modern filmmaking. Allen edited or co-edited 20 major films over four decades. She began working on television commercials before getting her first big break in the late 1950s editing Robert Wise's "Odds Against Tomorrow." In 1994, Allen received a career achievement award given by American Cinema Editors. In November 2007 she received the Motion Picture Editors Guild's Fellowship and Service Award.

ALASKA AIRLINES MAGAZINE – monthly in-flight mag reaching more than 1.8 million travelers in Alaska, California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Nevada, Western Canada and 10 cities in Mexico each month. Recent additions include Denver, Chicago, Boston, NY, Washington, D.C., Miami, Orlando, Hawaii. Mission to inform and entertain a well-educated, sophisticated, affluent audience w/high-quality writing/striking photography. Guidelines: http://www.alaskaairlinesmagazine.com/contributor/writers.php

ALBERTA VIEWS, Canada – about culture, politics, economy of Alberta. Accepts feature ideas as well as reprints from various media of up to 1000/wds for ‘Eye on Alberta’. Guidelines: http://www.albertaviews.ab.ca/guidelines.html

BALTIMORE MAGAZINE – focus is on local people, events, trends, ideas. The best way to break into Baltimore is through shorter articles that run before and after features. Guidelines: http://www.baltimoremagazine.net/article.asp?t=1&m=1&c=30&s=492&ai=68145#writer

THE BARK - about man's best friend, dogs, a literate and entertaining spectrum of dog-centric articles and stories. Commentaries, essays, stories, fiction and well-researched non-fiction will be considered but all work must prominently include dogs. (long response time) Guidelines: http://www.thebark.com/content/submission-guidelines

BAY NATURE – quarterly mag dedicated to educating the people of San Francisco Bay Area, celebrating the beauty of the surrounding natural world. Aims to inspire residents to explore and preserve the diverse and unique natural heritage of the region, and of nurturing productive relationships among the many organizations and individuals working towards these same goals. Guidelines: http://baynature.org/about/submissions

2010 RWA GATEWAY TO THE BEST CONTEST – for unpublished authors. Deadline Sept. 10, 2010. (submissions accepted beginning Aug. 2) Categories: Contemporary Series; Historical; Paranormal; Single Title/Mainstream Romance; Suspense; Young Adult. Official rules/instructions: http://www.morwa.org/gatewayrules.htm

2010 SinC INTO GREAT WRITING - Oct. 13, 1010. Conference being held one day prior to Bouchercon By the Bay in San Francisco. Hyatt Regency. You do not need to be registered for the conference to attend this one day workshop. Sisters in Crime has discounted this workshop for its members. The cost for the entire day including dinner is $50. Charge for non-members is $150 so join Sisters in Crime and save money. Info: http://www.sistersincrime.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=56

2010 BOUCHERCON BY THE BAY - To make reservations for Bouchercon go to http://www.bcon2010.com/welcome.php

BOOK CONFERENCES & FESTIVALS - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_writers'_conferences

FROM MY TWITTER PAGE…
ONLINE WORKSHOP: The Selling Query Letter & Synopsis - Aug 16 - 30
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=307

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Problem Words, Phrases & Punctuation Aug 16 - 29
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=275

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Going to the Dark Side: Paranormal Types - Aug 16 - 27 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=395

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Developing an Active Voice Aug 23 - 30 http://www.romance-ffp.com/event.cfm?EventID=164

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #185

2010-07-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING: MARSHALL LEE, age 89, Writer, Editor, Designer, and Book Publisher. His influential book, BOOKMAKING, was first released in 1965 and its third edition was published in 2004 by Norton. His half-century in publishing included serving as an executive at Harry N. Abrams and Fratelli Fabbri in Italy. Through his own two companies, Balance House, and The International Archive of Art, he created and produced books for major publishers in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD - periodical of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. Mennonite Religion and Lifestyle, Poetry. Guidelines: http://www.mbherald.com/contact/writers.en.html

AIR & SPACE - general interest mag about flight, purpose is to enlighten and entertain, goal to show readers, both the knowledgeable and novice, facets of the enterprise of flight they are unlikely to encounter elsewhere. Guidelines: http://www.airspacemag.com/contact-us/asm-submission-guidelines.html

ANALOG SCIENCE FICTION – publishes science fiction stories (4000/wds) where some aspect of future science or technology is integral to the plot. The science can be physical, sociological, psychological. The technology can be anything from electronic engineering to biogenetic engineering. But the stories must be strong and realistic, with believable people (who needn't be human) doing believable things–no matter how fantastic the background might be. Guidelines: http://www.analogsf.com/information/submissions.shtml

AKRON LIFE & LEISURE (Ohio) – lifestyles publication committed to providing information that enhances and enriches the experience of living in or visiting Akron and the surrounding region of Summit, Portage, Medina and Stark Counties. Issue profiles interesting places, personalities, events in the arts, sports, entertainment, business, politics, social scene. We cover issues important to the Greater Akron area and significant trends affecting the lives of those who live here. Also offers timely tips on fashion, retail shopping in the area, terrific places to dine, and vacation destinations worth the trip. Our calendar of events is a lively guide to the arts, culture, leisure and entertainment in the area. Contact page: http://www.akronlife.com/contact-us.html

BACKPACKER MAGAZINE – written for knowledgeable, experienced backpackers, accepts only authentic, well-researched, well-crafted stories w/style, depth, emotional impact, take-away value for the reader. Guidelines: http://www.backpacker.com/guidelines

BACKWOODS HOME MAGAZINE – country oriented “how to” mag that specializes in showing people how to build their own home, produce independent energy, grow their own food, how to make a living without being tied to a city. Also covers related subjects such as health, raising animals, food preservation, country skills, home schooling, arts/crafts, recipes, and book reviews. Guidelines: http://www.backwoodshome.com/docs/writerguidelines.html

BAJA LIFE MAGAZINE – glossy, coffee-table mag devoted to promoting tourism, education, protection of the environment, earth-kind economic development on the Baja peninsula. Contributors should have a strong basic understanding of their subject matter. Subjects: Recreational Activities, Marine and Desert Ecology, Tourist Interests, The Native People of Baja, Environmental Issues, Historical Figures and Events, Retirement, Living, Cultural and Tradition, Arts and Music, Business and Resort Development. Guidelines: http://www.bajalifemag.com/Writers.htm

33RD INTERNATIONAL 3-DAY NOVEL CONTEST – Deadline Sept. 4 - 6, 2010. Outlines are permitted prior to the contest. Guidelines: http://www.3daynovel.com

GLOSA POEM COMPETITION, Canada – Deadline: Sept. 30, 2010. Entry fee: $5.
http://www.theontariopoetrysociety.ca/Glossacontest.htm

FROM MY POSTINGS @TWITTER:
ONLINE WORKSHOP: Motivation & Conflict Aug 1 – 29 http://www.romance-ffp.com/event.cfm?EventID=98

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Show and Tell Aug 2 – 30 http://www.romance-ffp.com/event.cfm?EventID=161

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Polishing Your Sample Pages - Aug 2 - 15
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=409

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Active vs. Passive Voice - Aug 3 - 31 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=319

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Creating Your Own Book Trailer - Aug 7 - 21
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=261

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Writing for Teens - Aug 8 - 21 http://fthrw.com/workshops/wkshop_2010_08.php

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Edit As You Go Aug 9 - 15 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=413

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Writing Basics Aug 9 - Sept 5 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=321

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Word Choice Workout Presented – Aug 9 – 15 http://www.passionateink.org/workshops

WELCOME NEW LINK: Daniel Audet Journal http://www.thewritersroad.wordpress.com

LITERARY SCAMS – Suggest writers bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #184

2010-07-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - PATRICIA WRIGHTSON, age 88, internationally acclaimed Australian childrens author who attracted praise - and then criticism - for entwining Aboriginal mythology into her writing. In 1986, Wrightson was awarded the biennial Hans Christian Andersen Medal - the highest accolade for a writer of childrens fiction - given by the Swiss-based International Board on Books for Young People for an author's body of work. "She was trying to create a kind of pan Australia - a whole new Australian mythology which was part non-indigenous and part indigenous," said Macleod, who edited three of her books in the 1990s. She wrote the first of her 27 books, "The Crooked Snake," by watching her childrens reaction to pages read by her father as soon as they were typed. Her books have been published in 16 languages.

MIDWEST HOME & GARDEN – features stories on beautiful and functional spaces inside and outside Minnesota homes. Looking for examples of fine design in area homes, remodels, rooms, landscapes, gardens. Encourages freelancers to contact w/story ideas about stylish homes, outstanding or unusual gardens, current shelter issues, design trends, entertaining, and gardening ideas. Guidelines: http://www.midwesthomemag.com/media/Midwest-Home/Join-In/Writers-Guide

ST. ANTHONY MESSENGER - Catholic Church; Marriage, Family/Parenting; Social; Inspiration; some Poetry. Majority of readers age 40-70. Also publishes books: seek mss that educate and inspire adult Catholic Christians, identify trends surfacing in the Catholic world & helps Catholics and those who want to be Catholic understand their faith better. Guidelines: http://www.americancatholic.org/ContactUS/writers.asp

ISLAND – seeks nonfiction market, short stories, poetry, extracts from novels, articles and essays topics of social, culture interest. Guidelines: http://www.islandmag.com/contributions.html

GEIST, Canada - mag is intelligent, plain-talking, inclusive and offbeat. Looking for short fiction, non-fiction, poetry, photography, art, reviews, little-known facts of interest, cartography, and the legendary Geist crossword puzzle. Guidelines: http://www.geist.com/contributors-guidelines

ADVISOR TODAY - Life insurance & financial planning mag seeks nonfiction, columns/depts, ideas or techniques the reader can immediately implement in their businesses. Stories should spell out the strategies and methods that work best for the author, rather than give a general description of them. Writers are encouraged to use several examples and case histories when writing sales stories. See Editorial Calendar for 2010. Guidelines: http://advisortoday.com/about/contribute.html

AGNI online MAGAZINE – founded in 1972 at Antioch College by undergraduate Askold Melnyczuk, a then-aspiring (now accomplished) writer w/his own vision of a vehicle for alternative news, visual arts, and literature. Melnyczuk was interested in creating a mag that would feature a new generation of writers and visual artists. Publishes fiction, poetry, essays between Sept. 1st - May 31st any year. Guidelines: http://www.bu.edu/agni/submit.html

AMERICAN STYLE - consumer mag focused on contemporary craft, craft collectors, the artists who create studio craft art, seeks nonfiction, columns/depts, photos/artwork relating to Arts travel, profiles of contemporary craft collectors, established studio artists. Contact page for query: http://www.americanstyle.com/about/our-staff

2010 WRANGLING W/WRITING CONFERENCE – Sept 24-26, 2010. Polish those manuscript proposals and bring along your passion for writing, no matter what the genre. Join fellow writers, agents, editors, and an international faculty line-up, for two days of keynotes, workshops, agent pitch sessions, and book signings at the beautiful Tucson Radisson Hotel and Conference Center. This year’s conference promises to be the very best ever. Info and registration: http://www.ssa-az.org/wranglingwithwriting/registration.htm

ALLWORTH PRESS - Book publisher. Subjects: business, self-help books for artists, designers, photographers, writers, film & performing artists. Guidelines: http://www.allworth.com/Articles.asp?ID=132

BALCONY PRESS – book publisher, interested in mss on art, architecture and design topics. Books normally take a historic or cultural slant as opposed to technical, biographical or how-to. Guidelines: http://www.balconypress.com/html/submit.html

FREE LINKUP - Join Reporter Connection today for free and every business day you'll receive free email alerts listing stories for which reporters and producers need expert sources. http://www.FreePublicity.com/Info835

FROM TWITTER:
DESKTOP DEATH GREATLY EXAGGERATED (article) - http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/desktop-death-is-somewhat-exaggerated/6801?tag=nl.e550

2010 WRANGLING W/WRITING CONFERENCE –Sept 24-26, Info & registration: http://www.ssa-az.org/wranglingwithwriting/registration.htm

ONLINE WORKSHOP: 10 Commandments of Grammar 4 Fiction Writers - July 26 - Aug 8 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=274

ONLINE WRKSHP: From Sabers 2 Winchesters: Arming Your Historical Hero - July 26 - Aug 1 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=271

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Life in a Medieval Castle - Aug 2 - Sept 11
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=318

ONLINE WORKSHOP: A Writer's Guide to Harry Potter - Aug 2 - Sept 5
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=186

ONLINE WORKSHIP: How Goal, Motivation, Conflict, Disaster Factor in - Aug 2 - 30 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=333

ONLINE WORKSHOP: 3 Secrets to Creating Dynamic Dialogue - Aug 2 - 8
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=350

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Self-Editing 4 Pub/d & Unpub’d Authors - Aug 2 - 16
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=247

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Undercover Ops for Writers - Aug 2 - 29
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=194

LITERARY SCAMS – Writers should bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #183

2010-07-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - SID FLEISCHMAN, age 90, children’s author, Newbery Award-winning author who never set out to write for children but flung himself into the field on a dare. Fleischman’s work was praised by critics for its sly humor, carefully controlled suspense and dexterous sleights-of-hand, characteristics that served him well in his previous careers as a magician, Hollywood screenwriter and novelist for adults. In childhood he taught himself sleight-of-hand from books. By the time he was a teenager, he was touring the country with vaudeville acts with names like Mr. Arthur Bull’s Francisco Spook Show. Over time Mr. Fleischman compiled a handbook of magic tricks, “Between Cocktails,” published by the Abbott Magic Company when he was 19. While at San Diego State College, he began selling short stories to magazines. In the late 1940s Fleischman began writing suspense novels for adults. His first screenplay was “Blood Alley,” an adaptation of his 1955 novel. Fleischman’s other screenwriting credits include “Lafayette Escadrille” (1958, from a story by its director, Mr. Wellman) and “The Deadly Companions” (1961), an adaptation of “Yellowleg” directed by Sam Peckinpah. Besides his son, Paul, whose Newbery Award-winning book is “Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices” (1988). “Mr. Mysterious & Company” (1962), was the first of his dozens of children’s books. A few years later, he knew he had arrived. Signing books at his local library one day, he looked up to see his younger daughter, Anne, standing in line, waiting for his autograph.

ADDICUS BOOKS – a publisher to consider for consumer health, self-help, psychology, business, economics, investing, and books of regional interest, true crime. Guidelines: http://www.addicusbooks.com/submission_guidelines.cfm

ADDitude MAGZINE – open to submissions for first-person articles by parents, employers, teachers, etc. who have personal experience w/ADHD or LD and whose insights might be helpful to ADDitude's readers. Guidelines: http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/writers-guidelines.html

ADIRONDACK LIFE - addresses the unique natural and social aspects of New York State's Adirondack Park, and gives those concerns local and national exposure, history, culture, recreation, wildlife and personalities of the area. See submission deadlines. Guidelines: http://www.adirondacklife.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=112

NEW CITY CHICAGO – looking for timely, mag-style stories about Chicago, about its culture both high and low, or about almost any topic of interest to the urban dweller. Likes stories about politics, the arts, virtually all aspects of social affairs and social policy. We love a sense of humor; "we want our readers to have fun with us." Guidelines: http://www.newcitychicago.com/chicago/freelance.html

NORTH WEST REGIONAL MAGAZINES – publishes Northwest Travel and Oregon Coast, bimonthly family-oriented magazines, features stories of regional interest. Insists on accuracy in details, history, background essential. Include brief information, if applicable, that allows and motivates readers to follow in your footsteps: how to get to a featured destination, nearby places of interest or accommodations, opening and closing times of attractions, and how to obtain additional information. Guidelines: http://www.northwestmagazines.com/guidlin.php

APEX MAGAZINE - sci-fi, horror, dark sci-fi, unvarnished awesomeness. We want the stories it scared you to write. We want stories full of marrow and passion, stories that are twisted, strange, and beautiful. We want science fiction, fantasy, horror, and mash-ups of all three—the dark, weird stuff down at the bottom of your little literary heart. Guidelines: http://www.apexbookcompany.com/submissions

THE SOUTHERN REVIEW - publishes fiction, poetry, critical essays, interviews, book reviews, and excerpts from novels in progress, with emphasis on contemporary literature in the United States and abroad. Poems and fiction are selected with careful attention to craftsmanship and technique and to the seriousness of the subject matter. Reads submissions September 1 through June 1, any year. Guidelines: http://www.lsu.edu/thesouthernreview/submit.html

GLIMMER TRAIN STANDARD SHORT FICTION CONTEST - Deadlines: July 1-30, 2010. No entry fee. 12,000/wds/max. Online submissions preferred. No children's stories. $700, publication in Glimmer Train Stories, and 10 copies of that issue. Guidelines: http://glimmertrain.com/test.html

EPIC's 2011 WRITING COMPETITION FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL & HIGH SCHOOL - accepting entries beginning Aug. 1, 2010. Guidelines: http://www.newvoicesyoungwriters.com/enter.html

MEMOIRS INK ANNUAL PERSONAL ESSAY CONTEST - Deadline: Aug. 14, 2010. Entry fee: US$15. Entries of memoirs, personal essays, and creative non-fiction stories are invited. Any topic. Length: 3000 words max. First prize: US$1000. Guidelines: http://www.memoirsink.com/writingcontestguidelines

MEMOIR JOURNAL PRIZES FOR PROSE & POETRY -Deadline: Aug. 15, 2010. No entry fee. Grand prize $500. Traditional & experimental prose, poetry, graphic memoir, narrative photography, lies, more, can be biography, autobiography, autobiographical fiction, flash memoir, essay, reportage, diary, etc. Guidelines: http://memoirjournal.squarespace.com/general-submissions

DALLAS WEBCOMICS EXPO – Aug. 21, 2010. 11am to 6pm. Admission: $5. Location: The Southfork Hotel, Plano, Texas, Central Expressway (Highway 75) at the 15th St. Exit. Info: http://dwex.info

AESTHETICA CREATIVE WORKS COMPETITION, UK - Deadline: Aug. 31, 2010. Entry Fee: £10. Three categories, Artwork, Poetry and Fiction. Award: £500; http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/submission_guide.htm

LITERARY SCAMS – Writers should bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html
http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #182

2010-06-25T08:01:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - JOHN FORSYTHE, age 92, actor who made his fortune as TV's affable "Bachelor Father" and the scheming oil tycoon in "Dynasty," and was the mysterious “Charlie” on Charlie’s Angels. Despite his distinguished work in theater and films, Forsythe's greatest fame arose from his role of Blake Carrington in the 1981-1989 primetime soap opera "Dynasty." With his full head of silver hair, tanned face and soothing voice, Forsythe as Carrington attracted the ardor of millions of female television viewers.

COUNTRY KIDS.com - local resource publication for parents of children age newborn to teenage. Accepts submissions on any subject that would help Connecticut parents. Publication is intended as a resource for parents. Guidelines: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=476239&BRD=1665&PAG=461&dept_id=14535&rfi=6

CQ AMATEUR RADIO - hams sharing their knowledge and experience with each other, both on the air and through the pages of ham radio magazines. Guidelines: http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/guide.html

THE WRITE MARKETS REPORT - purchases articles for 2 publications: “WritersWeekly.com” and “The Write Markets Report.” Seeks articles on how to make more money doing what you love....writing, and other forms of home-based businesses, self-employment that may result from writing, self-publishing, corporate writing, ghostwriting, etc. All ideas that help writers support themselves performing the work they love are warmly welcomed. Guidelines: http://www.writersweekly.com/misc/guidelines.php

5280 MAGAZINE - premiere monthly guide to the arts, entertainment, dining, lifestyle issues in Denver. Accepts pitches for front-of-the-book section, Atmosphere; for "departments;" and for feature well. Atmosphere stories, lively takes on life in Denver, run anywhere from 50-400/wds. Depts 800-1200/wds, and covers everything from travel to sports to politics. Features 6000/wds/max. Guidelines: http://www.5280.com/about_guidelines.php

AD BUSTERS - audience is global; relishes all truly political materials, whether they be scholarly probes into the decline of civilization, environmental forays into the forests, sci-fi carpet rides into cyberspace or humorous spoofs about commercial culture. Guidelines: https://www.adbusters.org/about/submissions

2010 CV2 2-DAY POETRY CONTEST, Canada – Deadline: July 1, extended to Nov. 1, 2010. Entry fee: $24. The Canadian Journal of Poetry and Critical Writing is proud to offer the international 2-Day Poem Contest. $500 first prize. Guidelines: http://www.contemporaryverse2.ca/index.php/contests/anniversary-contest

DREAM QUEST ONE POETRY & WRITING CONTEST - Deadline: July 31, 2010 Entry Fee: $5 - $10. Guidelines & Entry form: http://www.dreamquestone.com/page2.html

LIST OF WRITERS CONFERENCES BY STATE - http://www.newpages.com/writing-conferences

EPIC's 2011 WRITING COMPETITION FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL & HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS - accepting entries August 1, 2010. Guidelines: http://www.newvoicesyoungwriters.com/enter.html

2010 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS WRITERS GUILD CONTEST - Deadline: Aug. 1, 2010. Entry fee: $5. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Prizes: $100 1st; $50 2nd; $25 3rd, in each category. Guidelines: http://www.jalc.edu/activities/siwg/contest.html

Online Workshop: How to Cut Up to 5000 Wds from Your MSS - Jul 12 - Jul 18, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=273

Online Workshop: Where to Begin Your Book - Jul 12 - Jul 18, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=185

Online Workshop: ReVISIONING - Jul 19 - Jul 26, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=349

Online workshop: Character Driven Plotting – July 26 - Aug 22, 2010
http://www.romance-ffp.com/event.cfm?EventID=162

Online workshop: Deep POV - July 26 - Aug 22, 2010
http://www.romance-ffp.com/event.cfm?EventID=107

LITERARY SCAMS – Writers should bookmark these links & check lists before embarking on any writing venture. A search will give you more links.
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware
http://www.spamlaws.com/literary-scams.html http://www.bookawards.bizland.com/literary_scams.htm
http://www.authorslawyer.com/litscam.shtml
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php
http://www.squidoo.com/writingscams
http://www.writing-world.com/rights/contests.shtml

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #181

2010-06-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - STEWART UDALL, age 90, former Interior Secretary, sowed the seeds of the modern environmental movement as secretary during the 1960s. Under Udall's leadership from 1961 through 1968, the Interior Department aggressively promoted an expansion of public lands and helped win enactment of major environmental laws, including ones to protect endangered species. He later became a crusader for victims of radiation exposure from the government's Cold War nuclear programs.

SCOUTING MAGAZINE – pub’d by Boy Scouts of America. Articles are mainly about successful program activities, Boy Scout troops, Venturing crews, features on winning leadership techniques and styles, profiles of outstanding individual leaders, and inspirational accounts of Scouting's impact on an individual, either as youth or while serving as a volunteer adult leader. Guidelines: http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/about/contributors/writers.html

PROCEEDINGS – the flagship mag of U.S. Naval Institute, aims to stimulate, illuminate, provoke, entertain, seeks to engage readers by providing them with information of value to their pursuit of the profession of arms. Several columns to contribute. Guidelines: http://www.usni.org/magazines/AuthorGuidelines.asp

THE CHRISTIAN CENTURY – ecumenical biweekly mag examines developments in the contemporary church and probes the religious and moral issues of our day. Seeks manuscripts that articulate public meaning of faith, such topics as poverty, human rights, economic justice, international relations, national priorities, popular culture, pieces that examine or critique the theology and ethos of individual religious communities. Guidelines: http://www.christiancentury.org/cpage.lasso?cpage=submission

OUTDOOR CANADA MAGAZINE – nat’l mag for those interested in traditional outdoor activities, covers fishing, hunting and related conservation issues. Content is entirely Canadian. Most articles 2000 -4000/wds, shorter pieces 100-600/wds. Guidelines: http://articles.outdoorcanada.ca/outdoor/client/en/homepage/DetailNews.asp?idNews=245856

FORESTRY JOURNAL, UK - monthly mag covering all aspects of sustainable forestry and timber production as a commercial enterprise, w/particular focus on the machinery used in woodland maintenance and timber harvesting. A 'hands-on' magazine, and essential reading for the contractor, machinery operator, estate worker and tree surgeon. Guidelines: http://www.forestryjournal.co.uk/submitart.htm

SinC DESERT SLEUTHS, Phoenix, AZ - Write Now! 2010: Crime Seen, August 14th at The Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix. There are just a few spots remaining for critique sessions with Dr. Allen Kates, so register today before they're completely sold out! http://www.desertsleuths.com

CHEERIOS SPOONFULS OF STORIES CHILDREN'S BOOK CONTEST - Deadline: July 15th, 2010. No entry fee. Cheerios® is searching for the next great children's book author. Guidelines: http://www.spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com

2010 CV2 2-DAY POETRY CONTEST, Canada – Deadline: July 1, 2010. Entry fee: $24. The Canadian Journal of Poetry and Critical Writing is proud to offer the international 2-Day Poem Contest. $500 first prize. Guidelines: http://www.contemporaryverse2.ca/index.php/contests/anniversary-contest

Online Workshop: Flash Fiction: What is it? Jun 20 - Jul 3, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/members/Admin/event.cfm?EventID=299

Online Workshop: Characterization- Jul 5 - Jul 18, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=392

Online Workshop: Comics, Graphic Novels, & Manga Jul 5 - Jul 11, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=356

Online Workshop: How to Write Emotion - July 5 - Aug 1, 2010
http://www.romance-ffp.com/event.cfm?EventID=113

Online Workshop: Sleuth Facts: Real PI Procedures for Your Plots - Jul 5 - Aug 1, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=181

Online Workshop: Plotting Subplots - Jul 5 - Jul 12, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=190

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 #180

2010-06-11T15:25:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - HORTON FOOTE, age 92, Pulitzer Prize and Oscar winning playwright and screenwriter, movingly portrayed the broken dreams of common people in "The Trip to Bountiful," "Tender Mercies" and his Oscar-winning screen adaptation of "To Kill a Mockingbird." Foote died in his sleep in his apartment in Hartford where he was preparing work on "The Orphans' Home Cycle," a collection of nine plays, for next September at the nonprofit theater. Foote was nearly 80 when he won the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for his drama "The Young Man From Atlanta," about a Houston suburban couple in the 1950s trying to understand their son's mysterious death. In 1997, he won an Emmy for best writing for a TV miniseries or special for the CBS movie "Old Man," based on a novella by William Faulkner. Many viewers knew Foote best for his first film credit, the screen adaptation of "To Kill a Mockingbird," Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about childhood and racial injustice in a Depression-era Alabama town. "I knew little about adapting or writing for the screen," Foote later wrote. But the 1962 film won Oscars for star Gregory Peck as lawyer Atticus Finch, and for art direction as well as for Foote.

PHOTO LIFE, Canada - Canada’s leading source for photography including technical knowledge and tips, industry news and events, international travel photography editorials, as well as interviews and profiles of major Canadian and international photographers. Photographs to accompany articles 800-1200/wds. Guidelines: http://www.photolife.com/submission.php

MAKE(technology on your time)ZINE - a do-it-yourself technology mag, Projects, Features, Reviews, and Everything Else. (If you have an idea for something that doesn't fit in one of the first three areas but is still related to do-it-yourself technology, please query. $25-100 for a review. Payment for other types of content negotiated. Guidelines: http://makezine.com/submissions.csp

TRAVEL THRU HISTORY - looking for new writers who want to establish their travel journalism careers. Pubs stories featuring historical, archaeological, and cultural aspects of a destination. Also accept stories about literary journeys and exotic adventures. Guidelines: http://www.travelthruhistory.com/html/submissions.html

PAPER HOUSE GREETING CARDS, UK – accepts artist's submissions for cute, contemporary, humorous, ﬁne art, photographic, traditional and childrens cards. Makes cards for just about every occasion from “New Baby” to “With Sympathy”, for all the “milestone” birthdays and for all the family, Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Valentine's Day. Guidelines: http://www.paperhouse.co.uk/faqs.php

CONTINGENCIES - mag of the actuarial profession, published by the American Academy of Actuaries. It presents both feature articles and more technical articles that demonstrate the ways actuarial science can be used to illuminate many of the most difficult economic and social issues of the day. Guidelines: http://www.contingencies.org/submit.asp#manuscript Editorial calendar: http://www.contingencies.org/kit/calendar.pdf

SinC DESERT SLEUTHS, Phoenix, AZ - Write Now! 2010: Crime Seen, August 14, 2010 at The Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix. Only a few spots remaining for critique sessions with Dr. Allen Kates, so register today before they're completely sold out! URL: http://www.desertsleuths.com

DREAM QUEST ONE POETRY & WRITING CONTEST - Deadline: July 31, 2010 .Entry Fee: $5 - $10. Guidelines & Entry form: http://www.dreamquestone.com/page2.html

ANNUAL AD COMMUNITY SHORTS PROGRAM - Deadline: July 31st, 2010. Entry Fee: $25. The Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) and The Midwest Independent Film Festival will present the second annual Advertising Community Shorts Program this fall. Guidelines: http://www.midwestfilm.com/pages/ad_community_shorts_submission_deadline_2010/376.php

MARGARET REID POETRY CONTEST FOR TRADITIONAL VERSE – Deadline: June, 30, 2010. Entry fee is $7 for every 25 lines. Guidelines: http://www.winningwriters.com/margaret

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

CHEERIOS SPOONFULS OF STORIES CHILDRENS BOOK CONTEST - Deadline: July 15th, 2010. No entry fee. Cheerios® is searching for the next great childrens book author. Guidelines: http://www.spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com

NASHVILLE INTERNATIONAL SONG & LYRIC COMPETITION - Over $100,000 cash & prizes awarded; Multiple contests throughout the year. Emerging songwriters don't have to compete with writers who've already had major-label recordings. To add your name to mailing list: http://www.paramountsong.com/song-contests.php

RICHARD J MARGOLIS AWARD – Deadline: July 1, 2010. Nonfiction. $5000 stipend and Month-long residency at the Blue Mountain Center, a writers' and artists' colony in the Adirondacks in Blue Mountain Lake, New York. Guidelines: http://www.margolis.com/award

YOU DO NOT NEED A KINDLE TO READ KINDLE BOOKS - They can be read on PCs, Macs, iPhones, BlackBerrys and iPADs. Download the free software at
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=pe_70030_14900930_nav_1/?ie=UTF8&docId=100049

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 #179

2010-06-04T13:49:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - KIRK DOUGLAS, age 92, has appeared in over 75 movies, author of 9 books, recipient of an honorary Oscar, is rehearsing his new one-man show "Before I Forget." "But I found it was easier to write a one-man show than to present it," he said in an interview in the theatre lobby. "Because as you know, I have an impediment in my speech because of my stroke. But that's a challenge for me, and I have always welcomed a challenge." He notes in the interview that he's most proud of his work on 1960's "Spartacus," created during the anti-communist paranoia of the 1950s. "It was a low point in our history," Douglas said. "I hired Dalton Trumbo, who spent a year in jail, because he was blacklisted, and I hired him under the false name of Sam Jackson. ... Well, I was ashamed of myself for being such a hypocrite. And in the middle of shooting, I decided to use his correct name. And 'Spartacus' was the first movie to use the correct name of a blacklisted writer. And the blacklist was broken. That's something to be proud of."

MONITORING TIMES - Ameteur radio, broadcasting, antennas, technical, scanning, HF radio, longwave, etc. Consult suggested list of starter topics. Guidelines: http://www.monitoringtimes.com/html/write_for_mt.html

POETRY MAGAZINE – accepts submissions year round. Guidelines: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/submissions.html

RURAL HERITAGE MAGAZINE – accepts How-to articles on any subject pertaining to draft animals and their uses, Profiles of farmers or loggers who use draft-animal power, Specific farming, ranching, or logging options, Results of work animal and implement auctions, Humorous articles related to general subject matter. Guidelines: http://www.ruralheritage.com/business_office/guidelines.htm

NAVAL HISTORY – all mss are evaluated by a panel of Naval History editors, whose list of accepted and rejected articles is presented at the monthly meeting of the U.S. Naval Institute Editorial Board. 3500 wds/max. Guidelines: http://www.usni.org/magazines/NavalHistoryAuthorGuidelines.asp

NEW MOON GIRLS – portrays girls and women as powerful, active and in charge of their own lives. All material should be pro-girl and focus on girls, women, or female issues, edited by and for girls ages 8-12. Pay attention to upcoming themes. Guidelines: http://www.newmoon.com/content/?id=1006&type=1

ERIC HOFFER AWARD FOR SHORT PROSE - DEADLINE: June 30, 2010. Short Stories, Nonfiction. DETAILS: Unpublished short fiction or essays up to 10,000 words.
Deadlines are quarterly but the prize is awarded annually.
PRIZE: $500 and publication in Best New Writing anthology http://www.hofferaward.com

L. RON HUBBARD'S WRITERS OF THE FUTURE CONTEST - DEADLINE: June 30, 2010
Open to unpublished authors. Fantasy, Sci-Fi or Horror: All types of science fiction, fantasy and horror with fantastic elements are welcome. 17,000 words welcome. $1000 first prize awarded each quarter; one of those winners also receives the $5000 annual "Gold Award" grand prize. Guidelines: http://www.writersofthefuture.com/index2.htm

THE ARBOREALIS PRIZE FOR POETRY, Canada - Deadline: June 30, 2010 Entry fee: $15. First prize: $200 + 2 anthology copies. Winners and selected entries to be published in perfect bound anthology. Open theme. Length: 36 lines max. Open to all Canadian poets. http://www.theontariopoetrysociety.ca/Arborealis09.htm

ANTIGONISH REVIEW 9th GREAT BLUE HERON POETRY CONTEST - Deadline: June 30, 2010. Entry fee: Canada $25.; the US $30.00 (US funds); All others $40 (US funds)..Poetry must be postmarked by June 30, 2010. Guidelines: http://www.antigonishreview.com/contest.html

GLIMMER TRAIN STANDARD SHORT FICTION - Deadlines: Jan, April, July, October. No entry fee. 12,000/wds/max. $700 +publication in Glimmer Train Stories, +10 copies of that issue. Guidelines: http://glimmertrain.com/test.html

2010 CV2 2-DAY POETRY CONTEST, Canada – Deadline: July 1, 2010. Entry fee: $24. The Canadian Journal of Poetry and Critical Writing 2-Day Poem Contest. $500 first prize. Guidelines: http://www.contemporaryverse2.ca/index.php/contests/anniversary-contest

ONLINE WORKSHOP: “Beyond Fangs” - 6-28 - 7-14, 2010 http://www.Romance-Ffp.Com/Event.Cfm?Eventid=156

HEART POETRY AWARD - $500 - Deadline: 6-30-10 http://www.nostalgiapress.com/guidelines.htm

AMERICAN POET PRIZE - $500 - Deadline: 6-30-10 http://www.americanpoetryjournal.com

ALEHOUSE HAPPY HOUR POETRY AWARDS - $1000 - Deadline: 7-01-10 http://www.alehousepress.com

INTERNATIONAL POETRY FOR PEACE CONTEST - $500 - Deadline: 7-15-10 http://lindbergpeacefoundation.org/Registration.htm

YOU DO NOT NEED A KINDLE TO READ KINDLE BOOKS - They can be read on PCs, Macs, iPhones, BlackBerrys and iPADs. Download the free software at
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=pe_70030_14900930_nav_1/?ie=UTF8&docId=100049

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 #178

2010-05-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - PAUL HARVEY, age 90, news commentator, talk-radio pioneer and Medal of Freedom recipient, his staccato style made him one of the nation's most familiar voices. Known for his resonant voice and trademark delivery of "The Rest of the Story," Harvey had been heard nationally since 1951, when he began his "News and Comment" for ABC Radio Networks. In 2005, Harvey was one of 14 notables chosen as recipients of the presidential Medal of Freedom. He also was an inductee in the Radio Hall of Fame. At the peak of his career, Harvey reached more than 24 million listeners on more than 1,200 radio stations and charged $30,000 to give a speech. His syndicated column was carried by 300 newspapers. In 2000, at age 82, he signed a new 10-year contract with ABC Radio Networks. http://www.paulharvey.com
http://www.radiohof.org/news/paulharvey.html

POLICE TIMES & CHIEF OF POLICE MAGAZINES – official journal of the American Federation of Police & Concerned Citizens, seeks articles on all areas of law enforcement, w/special emphasis on stories involving smaller police departments or individuals who have made a special place in law enforcement...past or present. The Chief of Police Magazine, is the official journal of the Nat’l Assoc. of Chiefs of Police and seeks articles of interest to command rank American law enforcement personnel. Guidelines: http://www.aphf.org/ptguidelines.html

ALASKA MAGAZINE - about Alaska for Alaskans by Alaskans and focus must be on Alaska: Issues, travel, history, adventure, profiles, sports, .Guidelines: http://www.alaskamagazine.com/contact/writers_guidelines

CICADA - literary mag for teenagers and young adults, published by Cricket Magazine Group. Publishes original short stories, poems, first-person essays written for readers age 14 and up. In some cases, CICADA purchases rights for excerpts from books yet to be published. Each issue also includes several reprints of high-quality selections. Guidelines: http://www.cobblestonepub.com/guides_CIC.html

GRANTA MAGAZINE – founded in 1889 by students at Cambridge University, a periodical of student politics, student badinage and student literary enterprise, including essays, Fiction, Non-fiction, Memoir, Poetry. Guidelines: http://www.granta.com/Magazine/Submissions-policy

HIGH COUNTRY NEWS – for people who care about the West: Rocky Mountain West, the Great Basin, and Pacific Northwest environment, rural communities. award-winning nonprofit news magazine. Covers environmental, cultural, social issues in the Western US. Guidelines: http://www.hcn.org/about/submissions

THE ROTARIAN – dedicated to reporting on topics relevant to members of Rotary clubs worldwide. Majority of readers are civic-minded business professionals who live in North America. Members are volunteers who work locally, regionally, and internationally to combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace, and eradicate polio under the motto ‘Service Above Self’. Guidelines: http://www.rotary.org/en/MediaAndNews/TheRotarian/GuidelinesForFreelanceWriters/Pages/ridefault.aspx

2010 WRITERS LEAGUE OF TEXAS CONFERENCE - June 25-27, 2010, Hyatt Regency Austin, 208 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78704. The place to meet agents & editors & to learn the latest trends in publishing. Check link often for updates & new info. http://www.writersleague.org/events/10-conf.htm

THE BBC NATIONAL SHORT STORY PRIZE - DEADLINE: June 18, 2010
GENRE: Short Stories. OPEN TO: UK residents and British Citizens aged 18+ with some print publication history. DETAILS: One story, any genre, max 8000 words. 1st £15,000; 2nd £3,000; three at £500. http://www.theshortstory.org.uk/nssp

RICHARD J MARGOLIS AWARD – Deadline: July 1, 2010. Contest offers a $5000 stipend and one-month residency at Blue Mountain Center in the Adirondacks for a promising new journalist or essayist whose work combines warmth, humor, wisdom and concern with social justice. Guidelines: http://www.margolis.com/award

BLR LITERARY PRIZE (NYU) – Deadline: July 1, 2010. Entry Fee: $15. Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, $1000 prize (in each genre)+publication in the Spring 2011 issue of the BLR. Guidelines: http://blr.med.nyu.edu/submissions/prize-guidelines

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Guide To Character Naming June 20-June 26, 2010
http://www.Savvyauthors.Com/Event.Cfm?Eventid=303

ONLINE WORKSHOP: ‘Character Development’ June 20 - July 17, 2010 http://www.Savvyauthors.Com/Event.Cfm?Eventid=306

ONLINE WORKSHOP: “Flash Fiction: What is it?” June 20 - July 3, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/members/Admin/event.cfm?EventID=299

ONLINE WORKSHOP: *Silencing Your Inner Saboteur* June 21-July 11, 2010
http://www.Savvyauthors.Com/Event.Cfm?Eventid=287

SUGGESTED READING - if you are a writer: BookLife by Jeff Vandermeer.
http://www.amazon.com/Booklife-Strategies-Survival-Century-Writer/dp/1892391902

YOU DO NOT NEED A KINDLE TO READ KINDLE BOOKS - They can be read on PCs, Macs, iPhones, BlackBerrys and iPADs. Download the free software at
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=pe_70030_14900930_nav_1/?ie=UTF8&docId=100049

THE WRITE JOBS - job board and career resource for journalism, media, publishing and writing professionals. http://www.writejobs.com

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 #177

2010-05-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - JAMES WHITMORE, age 87, the Emmy-and Tony-winning, Golden Globe, many-faceted character actor who delivered strong performances in movies, television and especially the theater with his popular one-man shows about Harry Truman, Will Rogers and Theodore Roosevelt. Whitmore was nominated for an Academy Award as best actor, marking the only time in Oscar history that an actor has been nominated for a film in which he was the only cast member. He was in a 2007 episode of the TV drama "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" Whitmore also appeared in TV commercials in 2008 for the "First Freedom First" campaign, which advocates religious liberty and preserving the separation of church and state.

TRICYCLE: THE BUDDHIST REVIEW – about American Buddhism, abortion, AIDS, politics, sports, food, art, ecology, and history, and how Buddhist principles are taking root in America. Guidelines: http://www.tricycle.com/submission-guidelines

LAW AND ORDER MAGAZINE - deals with law enforcement, looking for press releases, articles and photographs. Guidelines & Editorial Calendar: http://www.hendonpub.com/publications/lawandorder/submitarticles

NORTH CAROLINA LITERARY REVIEW - pub'd by East Carolina University and North Carolina Literary & Historical Association. Poetry, fiction, nonfiction by and interviews with North Carolina writers, articles and essays about North Carolina writers, literature, and literary history and culture. Guidelines: http://www.nclr.ecu.edu

TOWARD FREEDOM - envisions a world ethic that honors the human spirit and right of individuals to freedom of thought and creativity; advances movements for human rights, peace, justice, enlightenment, and freedom from oppression; and celebrates the contributions of the world's diverse cultures on human rights, globalization, trade, labor, environmental preservation, political prisoners. Guidelines: http://towardfreedom.com/home/content/view/397/76 (also click on “about”)

THE MALAHAT REVIEW, Canada - pubs poetry, short fiction, and creative non-fiction by new and established writers from Canada and abroad and reviews of Canadian books. In alternate years, it runs the Long Poem (two $1,000 prizes) and Novella (one $1,500 prize) Contests and the poetry and fiction categories of the Far Horizons Award ($1,000). It also holds an annual Creative Non-fiction Contest (one $1,000 prize), as well as the annual Open Season Awards (one $1000 prize in each of three categories: poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction). Guidelines: http://web.uvic.ca/malahat/submission_guidelines.html

OPEN SPACES – general interest, gives voice to the Northwest on issues that are regional, national and international in scope. Profiles, book excerpts (prior to publication), essays, public affairs, medicine, business, law, education, the family, economics, the environment, natural history, science, the arts, religion, culture and society. Guidelines: http://www.open-spaces.com/submissions.php

ANNUAL DREAM HORSE PRESS POETRY CHAPBOOK PRIZE - $500-Deadline: 6-30-10 http://home.comcast.net/~jpdancingbear/dhpcontests.html

1st ANNUAL FOUR SEASONS POETRY CONTEST - $300-Deadline: 6-30-10 http://yorktown.net/poetry_contest.htm

BELLEVUE LITERARY REVIEW PRIZES - $1000-Deadline: 7-01-10 http://blr.med.nyu.edu/submissions/prize-guidelines

Online workshop - 'Weapons, Violence And Reality’ June 7-July 4, 2010
http://www.Savvyauthors.Com/Event.Cfm?Eventid=195

Online workshop - 'Completing Your Mystery' June 7-June 21, 2010 http://www.Savvyauthors.Com/Event.Cfm?Eventid=276

SSA-AZ 2010 Writing Contest - Deadline: June 1, 2010 – short stories, short story children, essay, poetry http://www.ssa-az.org/contest.html

Online workshop - 'Show Don’t Tell' June 14-July 3, 2010 http://www.Savvyauthors.Com/Event.Cfm?Eventid=301

Online workshop - 'Romantic Suspense' June 15-July 5, 2010 http://www.Savvyauthors.Com/Event.Cfm?Eventid=300

KINDERART LIST OF CHILDREN’S CONTESTS - http://www.kinderart.com/contests

BOOKS BY CHILDREN - no cost to schools to submit and enter http://booksbychildren.com

NEW MILLENNIUM AWARDS FOR FICTION, POETRY, NON-FICTION - $1000-Deadline: 6-17-10 http://www.newmillenniumwritings.com/awards.php

YOU DO NOT NEED A KINDLE TO READ KINDLE BOOKS - They can be read on PCs, Macs, iPhones, BlackBerrys and iPADs. Download free software at
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=pe_70030_14900930_nav_1/?ie=UTF8&docId=100049

FREELANCE JOB SEARCH - Jobs for writers, graphic designers, photographers and Web designers. http://www.freelancejobsearch.com

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 #176

2010-05-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - MARY CRIST FLEMING, age 98, founder of American schools abroad. Fleming graduated from Harvard University in 1933 with a degree in French. She traveled widely in Europe and in 1944 established Frog Hollow Country Day School in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, which she directed until 1955. In 1956, Fleming founded The American School in Switzerland, as an experiment in international education designed to give students strong preparation for American colleges and universities, with the additional dimension of exposure to cultures and training in languages other than their own. She went on to found several other schools including The American School in England in Thorpe, Surrey. In all, 25,000 pupils have passed through Fleming's schools and summer programs.

NATIVE PEOPLES MAGAZINE - offers a sensitive portrayal of the arts and lifeways of Native peoples of the Americas. Seeks writers and photographers--Native and non-Native--who have a unique expertise about their subject. If you are Native, please let us know. Competition is stiff. Guidelines: http://www.nativepeoples.com/about/editorial.php

PERSIMMON HILL MAGAZINE – Nat’l Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum's award-winning journal on the West. Audience interested in western art, history, ranching and rodeo. Guidelines: http://www.nationalcowboymuseum.org/involvement/WritersGuide.aspx

UTNE READER – accepts previously pub’d articles (from many independent sources); query letters (regarding original ideas); books, films, and CDs (for possible review); artwork submissions. Guidelines: http://www.utne.com/about/submissions.aspx

ABLE MAGAZINE, UK - consumer/lifestyle mag aimed at disabled people & their families, careers/enablers, the health/social care professionals who work with them. Content is focused on the positive personal experiences of disabled people and those close to them. Contact page for query form: http://ablemagazine.co.uk/contact-us

SCOTTISH ISLANDS EXPLORER MAGAZINE, UK - devoted to exploring the islands of Scotland. Considers articles on: current affairs, lifestyles, wildlife, environmental issues, culture, travel, history and archaeology. Guidelines: http://www.scottishislandsexplorer.com/submittingmaterial.html

FAMILY BUSINESS MAGAZINE – accepts articles on family-owned businesses, estate planning, sibling rivalries, cousin jealousies. Guidelines: http://www.familybusinessmagazine.com/index.php?/articles/contribute

GUY OWEN PRIZE - (poetry) $1000+pub - Deadline: 6-15-10 http://www.spr.armstrong.edu/guyowen.html

2010 NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS - $10,000 - Deadline: 6-15-10 http://www.nationalbook.org/nbaentry.html

PULITZER PRIZES IN LETTERS - $10,000 - Deadline: 6-15-10 http://www.pulitzer.org/how_to_enter

TOWSON PRIZE FOR LITERATURE - $1000 - Deadline: 6-15-10 http://www.towson.edu/english/7.1%20Towson%20Prize%20for%20Literature/index.asp

2010 FRANCES LOCKE MEMORIAL POETRY AWARD - $1000 - Deadline: 6-15-10 http://www.bitteroleander.com/contest.html

YOU DO NOT NEED A KINDLE TO READ KINDLE BOOKS - They can be read on PCs, Macs, iPhones, BlackBerrys and iPADs. Download the free software at
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=pe_70030_14900930_nav_1/?ie=UTF8&docId=100049

TELECOMUTING JOBS - work offsite via computer. http://www.tjobs.com/index.php?cat=97

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 #175

2010-05-07T16:55:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - EDDIE LOGAN, age 98, who shined shoes at Santa Anita since the racetrack opened on Christmas Day 1934 and was a former boxer and Negro League baseball player. Logan worked at Santa Anita for nearly 75 years, servicing such Hall of Fame jockeys as Eddie Arcaro, John Longden, Bill Shoemaker, Laffit Pincy Jr. and Chris McCarron. Logan would often lecture horsemen about the care of their boots and shoes and the perils the stable area presented for leather. Logan played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League in the 1920s and early '30s. He appeared in Santa Anita's winner's circle to present the trophy for the Eddie Logan Stakes on Dec. 27.

MS. MAGAZINE - looking for articles on politics, social commentary, popular culture, law, education, art, pieces that use a feminist lens. Guidelines: http://www.msmagazine.com/contact.asp#submissions

GIRL’S LIFE - advice, girl-talk, entertainment ideas, fun stuff, quizzes, of interest to girls 10-15. Guidelines: http://www.girlslife.com/page/Writers-Guidelines.aspx

AUREALIS, Australia - looking for science fiction, fantasy or horror short stories between 2000 and 8000 words. Stories do not have to be explicitly Australian. Guidelines: http://www.aurealis.com.au/submissions.php

NEW ENGLAND REVIEW - submissions period is Sept 1 through May 31, any year for nonfiction, fiction, fillers, literary, short stories, novellas, novel excerpts, poetry. Guidelines: http://www.nereview.com/guidelines.html

DIABLO MAGAZINE - general interest lifestyle mag about travel, food, home style, profiles in Contra Costa,and parts of Alameda, Oakland and Berkley, CA. 75 to 2000/wds depending on dept. Guidelines: http://www.diablomag.com/Diablo-Magazine/About-Us/Writers-Guidelines

EMMY – looking for 500/wds, front-of-the book profiles of TV people and their passions. Readers include the members of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and other television industry professionals. Its articles must appeal to the TV pro while being understandable to the enthusiast. Guidelines: http://www.emmys.org/emmy-magazine/editorial-info/writer-guidelines

LIVING A BETTER LIFE – devoted to original Crafts and homemade gifts that families can make on a budget. Guidelines: http://www.betterbudgeting.com/craftsubmissions.htm

WONDERFUL LANGUAGE TRANSLATOR – you can do words, phrases, and pages. http://translatorbar.com

HILLERMAN MYSTERY CONTEST – Deadline: June 1, 2010. Open to any professional or non-professional writer, regardless of nationality, who has never been the author of a published mystery and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a mystery. The story's primary setting is the Southwestern United States, including at least one of the following states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah. 60,000 wds/min. $10,000 advance against royalties and publication by St. Martin's Press. Guidelines: http://www.wordharvest.com/index.php/contests/novelcontest

2010 ROBERT TRAVER AWARD - Deadline: May 15, 2010. Nonfiction/Short Stories, Essays up to 3500 words demonstrating a love of fly-fishing. $2,000 First Prize, from the John D. Voelker Foundation, sponsor of the award; a 2nd Place award of $750 will be included this year; 3rd Place is $250. Guidelines: http://www.flyrodreel.com/fly-fishing/robert-traver-fly-fishing-writing

13th ANNUAL BOSTON REVIEW POETRY CONTEST – Deadline: June 1, 2010. Entry fee: $20/30. $1500 prize + publication. http://bostonreview.net/about/contest/#Thirteenth

2010 STRONGEST START NOVEL COMPETITION - Deadline: June 8th, 2010. $3300 in prizes and is the only in-progress novel competition in the writing world. Writers submit their entry, receive feedback from our online workshop, and can improve their entry as the contest progresses. The version posted on the site on the deadline of June 8 is the one the judges will read. Writers only need to enter the first three chapters of their book/novel. For more on the competition: http://www.thenextbigwriter.com/referer.php?id=101658

WRITE WORDS - Writing jobs for UK writers. http://www.writewords.org.uk/jobs

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 #174

2010-04-30T14:48:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - ARTHUR C. CLARKE, age 90, science fiction writer, inventor, futurist, author of more than 100 books, including "2001: A Space Odyssey." host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. Clarke served in the Royal Air Force as a radar instructor and technician from 1941-1946, proposed satellite communication systems in 1945, which won him the Franklin Institute Stuart Ballantine Gold Medal in 1963. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1994. He was the chairman of the British Interplanetary Society from 1947-1950 and again in 1953. Later, he helped fight for the preservation of lowland gorillas. He won the UNESCO-Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science in 1961. Clarke emigrated to Sri Lanka in 1956 largely to pursue his interest in scuba diving, and lived there until his death. He was knighted by the United Kingdom in 1998, and was awarded Sri Lanka's highest civil honor, Sri Lankabhimanya, in 2005.

MONTANA MAGAZINE – looking for well-researched articles on issues, interesting people, life in Montana. Guidelines: http://www.montanamagazine.com/submissions.php

Note: Most states have their own magazines. Do a search.

CHRONOGRAM MAGAZINE – looking for news, politics, art, green living articles. Mag is distributed in counties abutting the mighty Hudson River, including Ulster, Dutchess, Greene, Columbia, Orange, Putnam, Westchester. Guidelines: http://www.chronogram.com/submissions

STEVE JACKSON GAMES – Have a game idea in you? Role-play, card games, board games. Guidelines: http://www.sjgames.com/general/guidelines/writers

LUTHERN WOMAN TODAY - audience primarily Lutheran women—young, older, in-between, career women, students, mothers, volunteers, those active in the Women of the ELCA and those not, single, married, divorced, widowed, liberal, conservative, and moderate. Articles are assigned, so have good query. Guidelines: http://www.lutheranwomantoday.org/writers/index.html

YOU & ME (AMERICA’S MEDICAL MAGAZINE) – seeks non-fiction articles about the human aspects of dealing w/all medical issues, from life threatening to chronic, some poetry and expressionistic pieces, cartoons. No informational articles. Guidelines: http://www.youandmemagazine.com/pages/submissions

2010 WRITE NOW!: CrimeSEEN CONFERENCE - Pre-Registration is now open at http://www.DesertSleuths.com August 14th, 2010. The conference has a new home at The Wrigley Mansion, an appropriately mysterious hilltop location. The conference will have a new bookstore feature this year enabling members and attendees to sell their books. Space is limited, so members who are interested please e-mail us ASAP at DesertSleuths@gmail.com for details.

COMPLEAT BIOGRAPHERS CONFERENCE - May 15, 2010, in Boston. Sponsored by Biographers International Organization (BIO). The daylong conference will focus on the practical aspects of the craft and art of biography and will feature workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities with other writers, editors, and agents, speeches by prominent biographers such as Pulitzer Prize winner and BIO president Debby Applegate and the recipient of this year's BIO Award Jean Strouse. Info: http://www.biographersinternational.org/conference.html

NERO WOLFE BLACK ORCHID NOVELLA AWARD - Deadline May 31, 2010. Entries must be 15,000 to 20,000 words in length.. Guidelines: http://www.nerowolfe.org/htm/neroaward/black_orchid_award/BO_award_proc.htm

DRUE HEINZ LITERATURE PRIZE 2011 – Deadline: 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

WINNING WRITERS 9th WAR POETRY CONTEST – Deadline: May 31, 2010. Entry fee: $15. Fifteen cash prizes. Top prize $2,000. Submit 1-3 unpublished poems on the theme of war, up to 500 lines in all. Winning entries published online. Guidelines: http://www.winningwriters.com/war

ARTICLE: Speaking Of Bill Collectors, One City Steps Up For Freelancers http://www.mediabistro.com/mediajobsdaily/freelance/speaking_of_bill_collectors_one_city_steps_up_for_freelancers_160002.asp

YOU DO NOT NEED A KINDLE TO READ KINDLE BOOKS - They can be read on PCs, Macs, iPhones, BlackBerrys and iPADs. Download the free software at
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=pe_70030_14900930_nav_1/?ie=UTF8&docId=100049

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 #173

2010-04-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - PAUL SCOFIELD, age 86, the towering British stage actor who won international fame and an Academy Award for the film "A Man for All Seasons." His first picture was That Lady (1955). Further acclaim greeted the actor for his work in films such as Kenneth Branagh's Henry V (1989) and Franco Zeffirelli's Hamlet (1990). In 1994, at the age of seventy-two, Scofield was once again nominated for an Oscar, this time for his performance as American poet Mark Van Doren in director Robert Redford's Quiz Show. Two years later, audiences could see him in The Crucible, lending somber authority to the role of Judge Danforth.

MILITARY OFFICER – Audience is commissioned and warrant officers, families, and surviving spouses of the 7 uniformed services: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, & Nat’l Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration,includes members of the Nat’l Guard & Reserve, actively serving and retired. 1000-2000/wds. Guidelines: http://www.moaa.org/pubs/pubs_mom/pubs_guidelines.htm

NOTRE DAME MAGAZINE – looking for fresh story ideas, writing meet very high standards. The editors value articles strong in storytelling quality, journalistic technique, and substance. They do not encourage promotional or nostalgia pieces, stories on sports or essays that are sentimentally religious. 750-2000/wds depending on dept. Guidelines http://magazine.nd.edu/about/writers-guidelines

INTERNET GENEALOGY, Canada – a "how-to" mag. Most articles should give clear information about how the reader can conduct their research..700-2000/wds Guidelines: http://internet-genealogy.com/author_notes.htm

WISCONSIN TRAILS – bi-monthly publication to showcase travel destinations, outdoor/indoor activities, nature, history, culture and people that make Wisconsin a great state. 250-500/wds for short, 500-1500/wds for long. Pays kill fee. Guidelines: http://www.wistrails.com/content/64.php

SUN OASIS - writing jobs, freelance writing jobs and online writing jobs. http://www.sunoasis.com

LORIAN HEMINGWAY SHORT STORY COMPETITION – Deadline May 15, 2010. created to recognize and encourage the efforts of writers who have not yet achieved major-market success. Stories in all genres of fiction are welcome. Maximum length is 3,000/wds, writers retain all rights to their work. Guidelines: http://www.shortstorycompetition.com

THE WRITER SHORT STORY CONTEST - Deadline May 31, 2010. Entry Fee: $10. Looking for original fiction on any theme 2000/wds/max. First Place: $1,000 +publication, free 10-wk creative writing workshop offered online by Gotham Writers' Workshop ($420 value) +1-yr subscription to The Writer magazine. Guidelines:
http://www.writingclasses.com/ContestPages/writer.php

2ND ANNUAL U.S. MILITARY WIVES WRITING CONTEST - contest will run from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend. Open to ALL U.S. Military Families: Moms, Dads, Sons, Daughters, Wives, Husbands, Sisters, and Brothers. If you have a family member that is serving our country...tell us about them! Guidelines: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-taney-humphreys/second-annual-us-military_b_541954.html?ref=twitter

NASHVILLE INTERNATIONAL SONG & LYRIC COMPETITION - Over $100,000 cash & prizes awarded; Multiple contests throughout the year mean prizes are awarded faster and more often than contests that happen only once a year. Whether you write complete songs or lyrics only, this competition welcomes you. Get on mailing list: http://www.paramountsong.com/song-contests.php

WINNING WRITERS WAR POETRY CONTEST - Postmark deadline: May 31, 2010. $15 entry fee, payable to Winning Writers. Guidelines: http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/war/wa_guidelines.php

YOU DO NOT NEED A KINDLE TO READ KINDLE BOOKS - They can be read on PCs, Macs, iPhones, BlackBerrys and iPADs. Download the free software at
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=pe_70030_14900930_nav_1/?ie=UTF8&docId=100049

ONLINE WORKSHOP - Defining Erotica – Primer 4 All Genres - Apr 26-May 2, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=174

ONLINE WORKSHOP - What an Editor Wants - Apr 26-May 7, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=117

ONLINE WORKSHOP - Fairies & Other Magic Folk - May 2-May 29, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=260

ONLINE WORKSHOP - Growing More Words - May 3-May 10, 2010 http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=267

ONLINE WORKSHOP - The Role of Secondary Characters in Romance - May 3-May 31,2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=118

ONLINE WORKSHOP - The Anatomy of Writing Steampunk - May 3-May 31, 2010
http://www.savvyauthors.com/event.cfm?EventID=187

JOB BOARD LISTS - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art1440.asp

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 #172

2010-04-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - ROY SCHEIDER, age 75, an actor trained in the classics but best known for his role as the agonized police chief in the film "Jaws," his role as Joe Gideon in All That Jazz, and as detective Sonny Grosso in The French Connection. Scheider's final role comes as Joseph in the 2009 thriller Iron Cross. When Scheider died in February 2008, he had two movies upcoming: Dark Honeymoon, which had been completed, and British thriller Iron Cross, released in 2009.

SOUTH AMERICAN EXPLORER - 64-pg quarterly pub w/book reviews; travel tips & bargains; news from the Ithaca, NY headquarters and the clubhouses in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Quito, Ecuador and Lima and Cusco, Peru; news briefs; and classified ads. 800-3000/wds. Guidelines: http://www.saexplorers.org/publications/home

STAND MAGAZINE, UK (and VA) – quarterly literary mag, "an attempt to remedy the intellectual situation of reader and poet" 3000/wds/max. Guidelines: http://www.people.vcu.edu/~dlatane/stand-maga/submissions.html

WITTENBUR DOOR - brilliant humor, wicked satire, jaw-dropping interviews, Religious humor. Exposes venal televangelists not because opposed to Christians, but because opposed to people who make a mockery of the Cross. Guidelines: http://www.wittenburgdoor.com/writers-guidelines

ZYZZYVA - the journal of west coast writers & artists. West Coast writers and artists only. This means currently living in AK, HI, WA, OR, or CA. Pays honorarium. Guidelines: http://www.zyzzyva.org/zy-subs.htm

E/THE ENVIRONMENTAL MAGAZINE – largest independent environmental mag w/circulation of 50,000. E serves an important role as the voice for the environmental movement and as a vital info source on national and international coverage of environmental issues. 100-4200/wds/depending on dept. Guidelines: http://www.emagazine.com/view/?1512 E/The Environmental Magazine

HOW TO GET GOOD PR WITHOUT BIG RETAINER FEES –
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/advice/goodpr.htm

KID SPIRIT MAGAZINE - unaffiliated spiritual mag written by and for 11-15 yr old. Goal is to foster dialogue and understanding among kids of diverse backgrounds and traditions about values, spirituality and life's big questions. Free of advertising, KidSpirit empowers today's youth to explore deep issues and mankind's search for meaning in a spirit of openness. Guidelines: http://kidspiritmagazine.com/submit.html

JERRY JAZZ MUSICIAN FICTION CONTEST – Deadline: May 31. No entry fee.
Short Stories 1000-5000/wds. $100 +pub on website & anthology.
Guidelines: http://tinyurl.com/yeuyaah

ANTIGONISH REVIEW 5th SHELDON CURRIE FICTION PRIZE – Deadline: May 31, 2010. Entry fee: Canada $25; the US $30.00 (US funds); All others $40 (US funds). Guidelines: http://www.antigonishreview.com/contest.html

2010 NORTON PRESS STUDENT WRITER’S PRIZE – Deadline: May 28, 2010. Prize awarded annually for outstanding essay: literacy narratives, literary and other textual analyses, reports, profiles, evaluations, arguments, memoirs, proposals, mixed-genre pieces, and more: any excellent writing done for an undergraduate writing class will be considered. Cash award of $1500. Two runners-up: cash award of $1000. Guidelines: http://books.wwnorton.com/books/norton-writers-prize/?mid=145

BLACK ORCHID NOVELLA AWARD - Deadline: May 31, 2010. No entry fee. 15,000- 20,000/wds/max. Guidelines: http://www.nerowolfe.org/htm/neroaward/black_orchid_award/BO_award_proc.htm

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

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #171

2010-04-09T13:46:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - SUZANNE PLESHETTE, age 70, actress, star of films and Broadway plays who found her greatest fame portraying Bob Newhart's sardonic wife on television's long-running "The Bob Newhart Show." She also was nominated for an Emmy in 1962 for a guest appearance on the TV series "Dr. Kildare" (1961) and in 1991 for playing the eponymous Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean (1990)(TV)in a 1990 TV movie. She co-starred with Hal Linden in another short-lived CBS TV series "The Boys Are Back" in the 1994-95 season, then had recurring roles in the TV series "Good Morning, Miami" and "8 Simple Rules...for Dating My Teenage Daughter." Her acting career lasted almost 50 years.

PANGAIA – dedicated to helping explore spiritual, emotional, practical lives in a way that respects all persons, creatures, and the Earth while offering immediate application to our everyday lives. Folks of all paths may send their work, but focus falls on material expressing an Earth-centered spirituality. Earth Spirituality is the topic. Guidelines: http://www.pangaia.com/contributorguidelines.html

PRISM INTERNATIONAL, Canada - original, unpublished material in short fiction, poetry, translation, literary non-fiction, drama. Contemporary writing and translation from Canada and around the world. Guidelines: http://prism.arts.ubc.ca/submit.php

CRIMELINE – Take the challenge: for writers who can introduce a crime, a suspect and a prosecution case and list witnesses by writing a short story about them, and +for crime fans who want to game play by selecting a judge, one or two prosecutors, one or two defenders, twelve jurors, a crime, prosecution and defense with witnesses and ask the writers of the back stories to participate in character in the online trial. http://crimeonline.wordpress.com/2010/03/31/10

DRAFT MAGAZINE - Beer, beer/brewery news, trends and ideas, current, accurate and creative coverage of beer and other areas of life. Guidelines: http://www.draftmag.com/submissions

PARADE MAGAZINE - General interest. Stories, involve news, social issues, common health concerns, sports, community problem-solving or extraordinary achievements of ordinary people. We seek unique angles on all topics—this is especially important for subjects that have already received national attention in newspapers and other media. Guidelines (slow loading): http://www.parade.com/export/sites/default/images/WritersGuidelines.pdf

AMERICAN BAR ASSOC. ‘BUSINESS LAW TODAY’ - Basic articles, 3000/wds/max directed to business lawyers unfamiliar with a substantive area; technical legal issue. Guidelines: http://www.abanet.org/buslaw/blt/guidelines.html

LADIES’ HOME JOURNAL - Style, health, relationships, women's interests. Neg. fees & rights. Guidelines: http://www.lhj.com/lhj/file.jsp?item=/help/writersGuidelines

EL ANDAR - Best writing and visual journalism for and about Latinos in North America. It encourages iconoclastic thinking and new ways of looking at the world. Guidelines: http://www.elandar.com/submit.html

BOOKRIX WRITING CONTEST: "My Best Fiction" - Deadline: May 10, 2010. No entry fee. $1800 in prize money. All genres welcome. The work must be at least 20 BookRix pages long, but there is no maximum page limit. Guidelines: http://www.bookrix.com/precontest.html?show=BX_1268319265

H.O.W JOURNAL SHORT STORY CONTEST - Deadline May 15, 2010. Entry fee: $20. Open to all writers and all themes. 12,000/wds/max. 1st Place - $1000 +publication in H.O.W. Journal. 2nd Place - $300 +publication in H.O.W. Journal. 3rd Place - $100 +publication in H.O.W. Journal. Guidelines: http://www.howjournal.com/submit-contests.html

READING WRITERS’ ONCE UPON A DAY’ CONTEST – Deadline: May 15, 2010. No entry fee. 1000/wds/max. $100 prize. Guidelines: http://www.readingwriters.com/contest.htm

10th ANNIVERSARY FAILBETTER NOVELLA CONTEST– Deadline: May 15, 2010. No entry fee: Short Stories, Books. 8000/wds and suitable for serial publication. $500 +publication at Failbetter.com, a literary journal. Guidelines: http://www.failbetter.com/Novella.php

ROBERT TRAVER FLY-FISHING WRITING AWARD – Deadline: May 15, 2010. No entry fee. Short Stories and Creative Nonfiction. 3500/wds/max. Prizes: .$2000, $750, $250 +publication in Fly, Rod & Reel and on website. Guidelines: http://www.flyrodreel.com/fly-fishing/robert-traver-fly-fishing-writing

5 DEADLY SINS OF SUBMITTING SELF-PUB’D BOOKS FOR REVIEW –
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/advice/fivedead.htm

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 #170

2010-04-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - GERALD FLAMM, age 93, former newspaper reporter, public relations and a public official, but he was best known for his books, "Good Life in Hard Times" and "Hometown San Francisco." Published in 1977, "Good Life in Hard Times" took a fond look at the Bay Area during the Great Depression. "Hometown San Francisco," published in 1994, contained biographical sketches of Mayor "Sunny Jim" Rolph, of local prizefighters, and Flamm's father, David, a veteran San Francisco police officer. He worked as a copy boy for The Chronicle in 1939 and in 1940 and 1941 was a reporter for the United Press and New York Herald Tribune bureaus in Mexico City. Flamm served in a number of positions in San Francisco city government, including a term as press secretary for Mayor Joseph Alioto, before turning to a career as an author and as editor of a monthly newspaper published by the Teamsters union.

TURTLE; JACK & JILL; HUMPTY-DUMPTY (US Kids) - needs high-quality stories, articles, and activities with a broad health and fitness focus that includes kids’ emotional lives, interests, and educational needs. All material submitted should reflect good values and healthy living. Guidelines: http://www.uskidsmags.com/cbhi/writersguidelines.shtml

THE MISSOURI REVIEW – looking for poetry, fiction and nonfiction of general interest. Novella-length manuscripts (30,000+ wds) or "flash fiction" (2000/wds/max) must be truly exceptional to be published. Guidelines: http://www.missourireview.org/main_info/guidelines.php

BREW YOUR OWN - each issue contains at least one feature that offers tips, techniques and recipes for brewing a particular style or category of beer, for all-extract, partial-mash and all-grain techniques, dry-hopping, lautering, priming, bottle conditioning and yeast harvesting. Guidelines: http://byo.com/about/guidelines

PHIL HARRIS’ BLOG RADIO SHOW - topics include spiritual, religious, political. social, environmental, global, economic and basically, "all things that matter" including authors and their books. URL: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pharris

CITY LIGHTS BOOKS – independent publisher of fiction, essays, memoirs, translations, poetry, and books on social and political issues. Guidelines: http://www.citylights.com/CLpubmanu.html

ESSENCE - mag for African-Amer/Caribbean women featuring personal-growth articles, celebrity profiles, well-reported pieces on political, social issues, relationships, careers, money, health, fitness, short items on community activists and people in the arts. Word length is given upon assignment. Guidelines: http://www.essence.com/writers_guidelines

DARK RECESSES - horror & dark fiction http://www.darkrecesses.com/?page_id=7

CRUCIBLE POETRY & FICTION COMPETITION – Deadline: May 5, 2010. No entry fee.
Poetry: 1-5 poems; Fiction: one story, 8000/wds/max. $150 prize in each category +publication in Crucible Literary Journal. Guidelines:
http://www.barton.edu/academics/english/crucible.htm

2011 DRUE HEINZ LITERATURE PRIZE – Deadline: 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

E.M. KOEPPEL SHORT FICTION AWARD – Deadline: April 30, 2010. 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

WRITER’S DIGEST SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK AWARDS - Deadline: May 3, 2010. Whether you're a professional writer, part-time freelancer, or a self-starting student, here's your chance to enter the only competition exclusively for self-published books! $17,000 in prizes. Guidelines: http://www.writersdigest.com/contests/self_published.asp

2011 NOVELLO LITERARY AWARD - Deadline May 1, 2010. The contest gives Carolina writers an opportunity to have their work published and distributed nationally. The winning author receives a book contract with NFP, which includes publication of the work and a $1000 advance against royalties. The contest is open to anyone over the age of 18 who is a legal resident of N.C. or S.C. Guidelines: http://www.plcmc.org/Novello_Press/newsdetails.asp?id=83

5th ANNUAL PORTIA STEELE AWARDS for POETRY & PROSE – Deadline: April 15, 2010. Poetry/Nonfiction. For women aged 50 or older. $100 award. Guidelines: http://www.portiasteeleaward.org/contest.htm

SONGWRITING CONTESTS - Find links to all the important songwriting contests in the world. http://www.allsongwritingcontests.com

CREATING AUTHOR & PUBLISHER EMAIL TAGLINES -
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/advice/taglines.htm

EXPERIMENTAL WRITING - including articles, markets, discussions, sample stories, etc. URL: http://experimentalwriting.weebly.com

BOOK PROPOSALS - Writing a book proposal? Keep from making these 5 mistakes. http://www.hiwrite.com/mistakes.html

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 #169

2010-03-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

REASON TO KEEP WRITING - PETER GRAVES, age 83, star of the television series Mission Impossible and the Flying High films. Graves was best known for his portrayal of Jim Phelps, leader of a gang of special agents who battled evil conspirators in the long-running television series Mission: Impossible. Normally cast as a hero, he turned in an unforgettable performance early in his career as the treacherous Nazi spy in Billy Wilder's 1953 prisoner-of-war drama ‘Stalag 17’. He also masterfully lampooned his straight-arrow image when he portrayed bumbling airline pilot Clarence Oveur in the 1980 disaster movie spoof ‘Airplane!’, which was released in Australia as Flying High.

CONSCIOUS CHOICE - editorial content builds community; promotes social, political, environmental awareness; supports wellness through natural foods, nutrition, integrative health care. Pays up to $150. Guidelines: http://www.consciouschoice.com/info/submissions.html

ROAD KING MAGAZINE - readers are owner-operators and fleet truck drivers who average 23 nights a month on the road. Covers new truck equipment, technology, finances and driving tips, health advice, sports, music reviews and hobbies. Guidelines: http://roadking.com/writers-guidelines

AMERICAN HISTORY - a history magazine for a general audience. One of America’s most respected history publications tells the stories behind the people and events of U.S. history and provides insight into the cultural, military, political, and social forces that have shaped our nation. $500/700 on acceptance for first rights +Byline. URL: http://www.historynet.com

ATLANTA TRIBUNE - source for relevant, thought-provoking news, info on business, careers, technology, wealth building, politics, education. Audience is metropolitan Atlanta's progressive, politically concerned, culturally aware, family-oriented Black executives, prof’ls, entrepreneurs. Features: 1200/2500/wds. $250/600. Sections: 600/wds. $100/ 200. All print and electronic rights for assigned articles. E-queries only: Fredrick Robinson, Ed. frobinson@atlantatribune.com T: 770-587-0501, Fax: 770-642-6501. The Magazine, 875 Old Roswell Rd. #C-100, Roswell GA 30076. Main Link: http://www.atlantatribune.com

CONCRETE HOMES – nonfiction. $100-300/article, the benefits of concrete homes, new technology and design, environmental benefits, safety and durability, as well as other benefits that make concrete homes an attractive home-building alternative. Guidelines: http://www.concretehomesmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=182&Itemid=33

HORSE & RIDER - mag of Western riding, to educate, inform, entertain both competitive and recreational Western riders w/tightly focused training articles, practical stable management techniques, hands-on health care tips, safe trail riding practices, well-researched consumer advice, a behind-the-scenes, "you-are-there" approach to major equine events. Neg. fees & rights. Guidelines: http://www.equisearch.com/horseandrider/submissions

5th ANNUAL PORTIA STEELE AWARDS – Deadline: April 15, 2010. No entry fee. Poetry/Nonfiction. For women aged 50 or older. Poetry: 50 words of text or less. Prose: 200 words of text or less. $100 prize. Guidelines: http://www.portiasteeleaward.org/contest.htm

RELIX – non-fiction, the latest about upcoming tours, festivals, special events, new music and other happenings in the world of Relix: blues, reggae, bluegrass and jazz. Contact page to query: http://www.relix.com/contact-us

POETRY PUBLISHERS - http://www.wmich.edu/newissues & http://www.perseabooks.com & http://www.ausablepress.org

GERMAN NEWSPAPERS - (article) agree to pay equitable freelancer fees
http://europe.ifj.org/en/articles/german-newspapers-agree-equitable-fees-for-freelancers

ADVICE FOR PUBLISHERS ARTICLES:
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/advice/advice.htm

REPETITION DETECTOR – helps writers show words repeated in mss. Free download http://softfive.com/repetition-detector-1-02

READABILITY PLUS - software for writers & screenwriters http://www.storyscribe.com/readability-plus-software.php

CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK COMPETITION - chance to show the world how good you are at your craft. Guidelines: http://www.abcbookcompetition.org/overview.html

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 #168

2010-03-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

REASONS TO KEEP WRITING: DICK FRANCIS, age 89, the jockey who turned to writing bestselling thrillers set in the world of horse racing. There were more than 40 novels, selling more than 60 million copies. Francis, who left school at 15, always admitted that his wife, a former teacher and university graduate, helped with the research – she even learned to fly to assist with one book – and that she tidied his grammar, spelling and punctuation. The couple had an arrangement with publisher Michael Joseph that all Francis books, including his first, a biography called The Sport of Queens, would remain in print so long as he produced a new novel each year. Accordingly, he sat down to write on January 1st and produced a finished manuscript on March 31st, before they both embarked on the research for the following year’s book. Francis was champion jockey in 1953-54, but it was the Devon Loch disaster that made him a national hero, in the traditional British way as a gallant loser. The queen mother’s horse, well ahead of the field, was haring for victory when it suddenly did a belly-flop a few yards short of the winning post. By the time jockey and horse had recovered, most of the rest of the field had gone past.

RUNNING TIMES – the authoritative voice for the dedicated runner. Willing to work with unpub’d writers. Features 1500-3000/wds. Columns 800-1200/wds. Fiction 1500-3500/wds. Any genre, related to running and runners. Guidelines: http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=6878

SEA KAYAKER – looking for destination and journal articles. Depts open to ideas. Guidelines: http://www.seakayakermag.com/contribute/writers_guidelines.htm

COMMUNICATIONS NEWS – mag written for enterprise telecommunications, data communications and network managers who are looking for solutions for their corporate or organization networks that are practical, proven and cost-effective. Looking for features, cover stories, product spotlight. Neg. fees & rights. Guidelines: http://www.comnews.com/mediakit/contributing.aspx

TRAVEL + LEISURE - about Travel, the latest resorts, hotels, fashions, foods and drinks. Guidelines: http://www.travelandleisure.com/contact (scroll down for submissions)

ZOETROPE – looking for short stories and one-act plays no longer than 7000/wds/max. Neg. fees & rights. (Also see info on short fiction contest) Guidelines: http://www.all-story.com/submissions.cgi

THE CHRONICLE OF THE HORSE – mag of competition results, how-to equitation, horse care, interviews with prominent horse people. Nonfiction, fillers, photos & artwork. Guidelines: http://www.chronofhorse.com/search/node/writers%20guidelines

THREADS – bimonthly how-to mag celebrating garment sewing, design, embellishment, machine and hand embroidery. Looking for new authors. Guidelines: http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/th_authorguidelines.asp

MOAA MAGAZINE (Military Officers Association of America) - for commissioned and warrant officers, families, surviving spouses of Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, Nat’l Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin. actively serving and retired. Topics: Current military/political affairs; recent military history, especially Vietnam, Korea; travel; financial planning; health, fitness; military family; retirement lifestyles; general interest. No fiction, poetry, or fillers. No reprints. First rights, to include Internet and reprint rights. Features, up to $1800; mini-features, up to $1000. Guidelines: http://www.moaa.org/Magazine/Guidelines.asp

HERIZONS, Canada - publishes articles related to "health, social and political issues, environmental issues, equality issues, justice issues, spiritual issues, parenting issues and all issues informed by diverse racial and cultural experiences". The main pieces published are news (500-800 words), features 1000-3000/wds; reviews 400/wds. Pays $200/thousand wds. First North American Rights. Guidelines: http://www.herizons.ca/writers.html

GLIMMERTRAIN SHORT STORY AWARDS FOR NEW WRITERS – Deadlines: Feb., May, Aug., Nov. Entry fee $15. 1st place: $1200. Guidelines: http://www.glimmertrain.com/shorawfornew2.html

2010 PYRICAL PASSION VERY SHORT FICTION AWARD – Deadline: June 10, 2010. Entry fee: $4/story. $10/collection. 1st prize $200. Seeking high quality short fiction of 1000/wds. Guidelines: http://lyricalpassionpoetry.yolasite.com

71st ACW CLUB WRITING CONTEST – monthly contests, see list http://www.acwclub.com

FANSTORY CONTESTS – See monthly list: http://www.fanstory.com/contests.jsp

yWriter 2 – a writers help to show words used most repeated in mss. Free download http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter.html

ABOUT THOSE LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEWS - TIP: If you don't get a review when you first submit your ARC to review journals, don't give up. Research the reviewers who write for that journal or site, send them personal queries. You have to find a reviewer who likes your genre and submits reviews in it. Go to the Library Journal site and sign up for their editorial schedule, or email their marketing dept and tell them you'd like to receive an editorial schedule. They may have a whole issue dedicated to your genre. The regular notice they send out may or may not give you the name of reviewers. Another way is to get reviews by going around the system they have set up. To read about getting in the backdoor of Library Journal, read the rest of this article at http://www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/#uds-search-results

DIGITAL BK PRINTING 4 DUMMIES® - complete guide 2 navigating the world of digital printg & POD. URL: https://www.ibpa-online.org/digitalfordummies.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 #167

2010-03-12T13:44:00.000-08:00

REASONS TO KEEP WRITING: WILLIAM SAFIRE, age 79, of the New York Times and Pulitzer Prize-winning conservative columnist, language expert and former White House speechwriter for President Richard Nixon. Safire spent more than 30 years writing on the Op-Ed page of The New York Times. In his "On Language" column in The New York Times Magazine and 15 books, Safire traced the origins of words and everyday phrases such as "straw-man," ''under the bus" and "the proof is in the pudding." As a speechwriter in the Nixon White House, Safire penned Vice President Spiro Agnew's famous phrase, "nattering nabobs of negativism," a tongue-in-cheek alliteration that Safire claimed was directed not at the press but Vietnam defeatists.

2010 OKLAHOMA WRITERs FEDERATION (OWFI) WRITERS CONFERENCE - April 29-May 1, 2010, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Four agents, 8 editors. Info: http://www.owfi.org/Conference/Welcome/tabid/60/Default.aspx

Ms. MAGAZINE - intern’l womens issues w/emphasis on in-depth investigative reporting and feminist political analysis. Considers articles on politics, social commentary, popular culture, law, education, art, environment. Considers only queries for non-fiction. Guidelines: http://www.msmagazine.com/about.asp

OKLAHOMA TODAY - regional bi-monthly magazine. Stories, essays, columns, etc. focus on Oklahoma's people and places, of what Oklahoma is all about. Guidelines: http://www.oklahomatoday.com/site/editorial/editorialGuidelines.aspx

PHOTO LIFE MAGAZINE, Canada - submit a collection of images for publication or an article w/ photos. Negotiate fees and rights. Guidelines: http://www.photolife.com/submission.php

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE - the Outdoor Magazine of Texas. Looking for strong, well-researched and eloquently written stories on all aspects of the Texas outdoors, state park destinations, conservation issues, trends, and such outdoor activities as fishing, hunting, camping, bicycling, canoeing and hiking. Also publishes many features that don't necessarily fit into the categories listed. Guidelines: http://www.tpwmagazine.com/editorial

OREGON QUARTERLY MAGAZINE – regional mag of features and U of O alumni profiles. 1500–3000/wds; short subjects 400–1000/wds. $100 to $350+. Pays kill fee. Guidelines: http://www.oregonquarterly.com/guidelines.php

THE COUNTRY CONNECTION, Canada – Ontario's mag of choice for history, heritage, nostalgia, nature, environment, travel and the arts, published twice a year: winter/spring & summer/autumn. Accepting material for summer/autumn issue. 1000-1500/wds. Guidelines: http://www.pinecone.on.ca/MAGAZINE/writers.html

JUST CAUSE – looking for nonfiction, photos/artwork on the Arts, Education, Healthcare, Environment, Civic Causes and International Issues. Guidelines: http://justcauseit.com/help/contributor-guidelines

READER’S DIGEST – looking for General interest subjects, dramatic narratives, articles about everyday heroes, crime dramas, adventure stories. Reprints up to $400. Guidelines: http://www.rd.com/submissions/article10717.html

WARREN ADLER SHORT STORY CONTEST – Deadline: April 11, 2010. Entry fee: $15. 2500/wds. Subject matter is completely open to the author. The goal of the contest is to encourage and publicize the short story as a viable and quality literary form. First Prize: $1000. People's Choice Prize: $500. Three remaining finalists: $150 each. Guidelines: http://www.warrenadler.com/writing-contest.shtml

FRIENDS OF ACADIA POETRY COMPETITION – Deadline: April 30, 2010. No entry fee.
Nature-based poems of 30 lines max. Prizes: $350, $250, $150. Guidelines: http://www.friendsofacadia.org/events/poetrycompetition.shtml

OnceWritten SPRING FICTION CONTEST - Deadline: April 30, 2010. Entry fee: $20
$1000 & publication. Guidelines: http://www.oncewritten.com/Contests/FictionContest.php

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION (ALA) ANNUAL SHOW - display your book(s) at annual show. Info: https://www.ibpa-online.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

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #166

2010-03-04T12:36:00.000-08:00

REASONS TO KEEP WRITING: MARY TRAVERS, age 72, of Peter, Paul and Mary helped popularize such tunes as "Puff (The Magic Dragon)" and "If I Had a Hammer." With a group called the Song Swappers, Travers backed Seeger on one album and two shows at Carnegie Hall. In the book "Positively 4th Street" by David Hajdu, The trio mingled their music with liberal politics, both onstage and off. Their version of "If I Had a Hammer" became an anthem for racial equality. Other hits included "Lemon Tree," "Leaving on a Jet Plane" and "Puff (The Magic Dragon.)" They were early champions of Dylan and performed his "Blowin' in the Wind" at the August 1963 March on Washington. The group collected five Grammy Awards for their three-part harmony on enduring songs. They continued as boosters for young songwriters, recording numbers written by then-little-known Gordon Lightfoot and Laura Nyro. Over the years they enjoyed several reunions, including a performance at a 1978 anti-nuclear benefit organized by Yarrow and a 35th anniversary album, "Lifelines," with fellow folkies Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Dave Van Ronk and Seeger.

WASHINGTON MONTHLY - covering politics, government, culture and the media. Looking for nonfiction investigative and opinion-based feature articles 2000-5000/wds, occasional short news items and humorous sidebars 500-1000/wds), book reviews of recent political and cultural titles 800/wds. Guidelines: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/inside/writersguidelines.html

BBC SCRIPTWRITING, UK - Britain's public broadcasting service for radio and television. Accepts unsolicited scripts in a wide range of genres - radio and TV plays, sitcoms, serials, short film and factual drama. Rates variable depending on final broadcast. Guidelines: http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/writing/submissions.shtml

TOWARD FREEDOM - Human rights, globalization, trade, labor, environmental preservation, political prisoners. Looking for nonfiction, columns/depts, photos/artwork. Looking for articles under 3000/wds. Negotiate pay & rights. Guidelines: http://towardfreedom.com/home/content/view/397/76

ANALOG SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINE – looking for nonfiction, fiction. Guidelines: http://www.analogsf.com/information/submissions.shtml

HONOLULU MAGAZINE - Hawaii related, personality profiles, historical events, sports, politics and lifestyle trends. Guidelines: http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/Contact-Us/Guidelines-for-Freelance-Writers

PORTHOLE CRUISE MAGAZINE – travel related articles, all stories published in Porthole must relate to things that are cruise passenger accessible. Guidelines: http://216.247.229.94/html/PortholeWriters.htm

THE CATTLEMAN – articles on cattle, range, pasture, property rights, animal health, water, new innovations and marketing. Guidelines: http://www.texascattleraisers.org/cattlemanWritersGuide.asp

2010 GREAT AMERICAN THINK-OFF CONTEST – Deadline: April 1, 2010. Essays 750/wds/max. 2010 debate question has been released: "Do the wealthy have an obligation to help the poor?" will be debated by 4 finalists on Saturday, June 12th, 2010. Guidelines: http://www.think-off.org

ERIC HOFFER SHORT PROSE AWARD – Prose Deadline: March 31, 2010
Short Stories or nonfiction: 10,000/wds/max. $500 prize and all entries considered for publication in Best New Writing annual anthology. Guidelines: http://www.hofferaward.com/HofferProseForm.html

GEMINI MAGAZINE SHORT STORY CONTEST – Deadline: March 31, 2010. Entry fee: $4. Grand Prize: $1000, 2nd: $100. Guidelines: http://www.gemini-magazine.com/contest.html

DIANA RAFFLE ONCE-ACT PLAY COMPETITION - Deadline: April 2, 2010. No entry fee. First prize: £100 http://www.plays4theatre.com/compy.htm

2010 ONCE WRITTEN POETY CONTEST – Deadline: March 31, 2010. Entry fee: $10/$15. First Prize: $500 +publication. Runner Up: $100 +publication. Guidelines: http://www.oncewritten.com/Contests/PoetryContest.php

USTREAM - worth a look if you want to start your own website. http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/4907274#utm_campaign=twitter.com&utm_source=4907274&utm_medium=social

PUBLIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION (PLA) Display book(s)-this show attracts public librarians, support staff. 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

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #165

2010-02-26T15:20:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-19T13:18:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-12T14:40:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-05T13:08:00.000-08:00

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

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #161

2010-01-29T12:30:00.000-08:00

REASONS TO KEEP WRITING: ARMY ARCHERD, age 87, whose breezy column for the entertainment trade publication Daily Variety kept tabs on various Hollywood doings for more than a half-century. Archerd's first brush with the studios came in the early 1940s when he worked in the Paramount mailroom while a student at the University of California, Los Angeles. After wartime service in the Navy, he returned to Los Angeles and began his news career working with longtime entertainment reporter Bob Thomas on a daily Hollywood column for The Associated Press. Three years later he became an aide to Harrison Carroll, the gossip columnist for the now-defunct Los Angeles Herald-Examiner. In 1953 he was chosen to write Daily Variety's "Just for Variety" column, which was required morning reading for Hollywood's movers and shakers. He later went on to become one of the first journalists to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Archerd won praise from the Hollywood establishment for always checking the accuracy of his news tips before printing them.

THE CHICAGO READER - nonfiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork about Chicago topics. Guidelines: http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/about-chicago-reader/Page?oid=1215880&/freelance.html Click on “freelancers wanted.”

GLIMMER TRAIN PRESS – fiction, short stories. See editorial calendar for word count and deadlines. Guidelines: http://www.glimmertrain.com/writguid1.html

CEMETARY DANCE - nonfiction, fiction, photos/artwork, articles, essays, and interviews relating to the horror, suspense and crime genres. Guidelines: http://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/category/guidelines/%22

DESERT SLEUTHS 2nd SHORT STORY ANTHOLOGY (SinC) – Deadline: April 1, 2010. Call for submissions "How NOT to Survive a Vacation"! We're looking for mystery/crime fiction 5000/wds/max w/'vacation' theme. Guidelines: http://www.desertsleuths.com

DOLLARS & SENSE - a progressive economics magazine that explains in a popular way both the workings of the economy and struggles to change it. Articles may be on the environment, community organizing, urban conflict, inflation, unemployment, union reform, welfare, changes in government regulation—a broad range of topics that have an economic theme. Guidelines: http://www.dollarsandsense.org/write.html

APOGEE PHOTO MAGAZINE - is interested in providing an electronic forum for high quality work from photographic writers and photographers for nonfiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork. Guidelines: http://www.apogeephoto.com/mag1-6/guidelines.html

BRICK: A LITERARY JOURNAL - nonfiction, photos/artwork, Essays, historical, interviews, opinion, travel. Guidelines: http://www.brickmag.com/submissions.html

NEW PAGES - call for submissions http://www.newpages.com/literary/submissions.htm

2010 INDIE EXCELLENCE BOOK AWARDS - $65 per entry/per Category. All entries must be postmarked by March 31, 2010. Prizes are from some of the best marketing and publicity people & companies in the business and the value this year is about $12,000. http://www.IndieExcellence.com

2010 ARTS & LETTERS COMPETITION - $15 submission fee, includes a two-issue subscription to Arts & Letters. Accepts submissions from Jan. 1, 2010 to March 15, 2010 (postmark deadline). Publication and $1000. Guidelines: http://al.gcsu.edu/currentcontest.htm

2010 AGNES LYNCH STARRETT POETY PRIZE COMPETITION – Deadline: March 1, 2010 to April 30.2010. Entry fee $25. The U of Pittsburgh Press announces the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize for a first full-length book of poems. The prize carries a cash award of $5000 and publication by the U of Pittsburgh Press in the Pitt Poetry Series under its standard royalty contract. Guidelines: http://www.upress.pitt.edu/renderHtmlPage.aspx?srcHtml=htmlSourceFiles/starrett.htm

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ALL ROADS FILM PROJECT - Deadline: Quarterly (next is March 15, 2010.) A National Geographic initiative dedicated to helping indigenous and underrepresented minority-culture storytellers around the world showcase their works. Includes a film festival, photography program and seed-grant program. Open to indigenous and underrepresented minority-culture filmmakers and filmmakers who can demonstrate they’ve been designated by indigenous or minority communities to tell their story. Awards grants ranging from $1000 to $10,000 and up to 16 film projects annually.
http://events.nationalgeographic.com/events/all-roads/seed-grants

SOCIAL NETWORKING TIMESAVERS - FREE tools that allow you to post a single message to multiple social media accounts at once.
Ping.fm http://ping.fm
Pixelpipe http://pixelpipe.com
Quub http://quub.com
Minggl http://minggl.com
HelloTxt http://hellotxt.com

For more info on the capabilities of these types of tools: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9135596/Review_3_services_help_keep_all_your_social_networks_up_to_date

PSYCHOLOGY/SELF-HELP BOOKS TARGET MAILING - mail to 3500 bookstore buyers, 3500 reviewers, 4000 acquisition librarians. http://www.ibpaonline.org/programs/coopcats_target.aspx

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #160

2010-01-22T17:24:00.000-08:00

MORE REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - WILLIAM SHATNER, age 78, star of Boston Legal, beloved Captain Kirk, author, doing precisely what he wants to, and finally no longer terrified about making a living. "Live life like you're gonna die, because you're gonna," he sang a few years ago. And he does: "There is so much going on with me right now, it's difficult to believe all of it," he says. "I have all of the hungers and passions and desires of when I was 20," Shatner says. "There's nothing I can't do." (You GO!)

CERT CITIES.com - online mag geared towards needs of IT professionals who are certified or are seeking certification. Offers readers several types of original editorial, both certification and non-certification related. Guidelines: http://certcities.com/resources/about_us/writer_guidelines/default.asp

360 USA Inc - all topics related to wheelchair community. Overall tone is informative and entertaining. Core readers are men and women between the ages of 18 to 45, living with a spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, post-polio syndrome, spina bifida, amputation or other physical disability that frequently requires use of a wheelchair. Guidelines: http://www.360usainc.com/submissions.cfm

MASSAGE MAGAZINE - internationally circulated trade publication for massage therapists and allied health professionals. Comprehensive coverage of the art and science of massage therapy and related healing arts, w/goal of supporting our readers as they work to promote the benefits of healing touch. Guidelines: http://www.massagemag.com/Advertisers/mediakit/readers.php

INTERACTIVE DAD.com – mag that appeal to dads between 24-40 years old that can't easily be found elsewhere. Expert interviews, household finance issues of concern to dads, children's issues from fathers' perspective, product reviews, sports, ways to save money, celebrity dad profiles, and other subjects of interest to fathers and fathers-to-be, etc. Guidelines: http://www.interactivedadmagazine.com/contributingwriters.htm

FLASHQUAKE MAGAZINE - an independent, quarterly, web-based publication that focuses on works of flash fiction, flash nonfiction (memoirs, essays, creative nonfiction, humor) and short poetry. Awards stipends to all chosen contributors in each category. Guidelines: http://www.flashquake.org/guidelines.html

9-1-1 MAGAZINE - for the public safety communications industry. Serving law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, and disaster management, 9-1-1 Magazine provides valuable information to readers in all aspects of the public safety communications and response community. Each issue contains a blending of product-related, technical, operational, and people-oriented stories, covering the skills, training, and equipment which these professions all share in common. Guidelines: http://www.9-1-1magazine.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=43

CONNECTED HOME MAGAZINE - helps IT prof’ls & technically savvy consumers implement home technologies and make them work together. Looking for articles about how to set up, add on to, and maintain home technologies for target audience- to keep our readers up-to-date about high-tech products and how to make them work securely and effectively. Guidelines: http://www.connectedhomemag.com/Info/Index.cfm?Action=Write

DESCANT’s GHOSTS & THE UNCANNY ANTHOLOGY (Canada) - Deadline March 1, 2010. For this special issue, Descant turns ghost hunter and dares to explore the murky connections between life and death, science & superstition, folk beliefs & fiction. We want to document the existence of ghosts, both literal and metaphorical, on our pages. Poems, short stories, novel excerpts, plays, essays, interviews, musical scores and visual presentations. $100 honorarium on publication. (Check out their other contests, too.) http://www.descant.ca/submit.html

PRIMARY TREASURE - published continuously since 1890; Primary Treasure® (PT) since 1957. Both spiritually oriented mags written for children. Seeks nonfiction: Christian stories for children. Guidelines: http://www.pacificpress.com/index.php?pgName=newsOLFPTsub

GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE – business mag, pub of Nat’l Journal Group Inc., serving executives & managers in federal government. Seeks nonfiction: Business, government. 1000-2500/wds. Any sidebars must be figured into the total word count. Guidelines: http://www.govexec.com/fyi/guidelines.htm

THE LEDGE MAGAZINE 2010 FICTION CONTEST – Deadline: March 1, 2010. Entry fee: $10. First prize: $1000 +publication in The Ledge Magazine. Second prize: $250 +publication in The Ledge Magazine. Third prize: $100 +publication in The Ledge Magazine. ALL STORIES must be previously unpublished and not exceed 7500/wds. Guidelines: http://www.theledgemagazine.com/Annual%20Contests.html

2010 STAFFORD POETRY COMPETITION (UK) – Deadline: Feb. 28, 2010. Entry fee: £4
Open to anyone, any age, 40 lines max. £1000. 5 runners up will receive £50 each. There is also an extra prize of £250 for the best poem w/local Staffordshire connection. Guidelines: http://www.imaginingstaffordshire.org.uk/poetrycomp2010.htm

NEW YORK WRITERS PERFECT PITCH FICTION CONFERENCE - April 9-11, 2010. Location: Ripley-Grier Studios, 520 8th Avenue at 36th St., 16th Floor, NYC, NY. Cost: $395 for the three-day Perfect Pitch Fiction Conference, $420 for the Perfect Pitch Fiction Conference + the optional Agents Panel. Info: http://www.newyorkwritersworkshop.com/pitch_fiction.html

MEMOIRS INK HALF YEARLY CONTEST – Deadline: Feb. 15, 2010. Entry fee: $15.
First Prize: $1000. Second Prize: $500. Third Prize: $250. 1,500 words. Guidelines: http://memoirsink.blogspot.com/2009/12/memoirs-inks-half-yearly-writing.html Entry form: http://www.memoirsink.com/writing-contest-entry-form

ACFW BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS - You must be a member of the ACFW to enter. book must be written from a Christian worldview in any Christian fiction genre through a publisher on the ACFW Recognized Publishers list* and for which the author did not participate financially in the production or distribution. Also, e-books will be allowed entry in BOTY for the first time. Guidelines & Eligibility Criteria for this year's contest can be found at http://www.acfw.com/boty.shtml

HOW TO RESPOND TO FALSE CLAIMS OF COPYRIGHT OR TRADEMARK - One of the favorite tools of both cults & corporations seeking to take embarrassing info off the Internet is to falsely claim a violation of copyright or trademark. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, enacted in 1998, set out a notification procedure that can be used to request an ISP to remove allegedly infringing material from a web page. However, there is a defense against this attack if you feel you’ve been targeted: it's called a COUNTER NOTIFICATION LETTER. Most people don't know how to write such a letter, which is why Dave Touretzky put together this helpful form. URL: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Terrorism/form-letter.html

AUTOBIOGRAPHY/BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIRS TARGET MAILING - mails to 3500 bookstore buyers, 3500 reviewers, 4000 acquisition librarians. URL: http://www.ibpaonline.org/programs/coopcats_target.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 #159

2010-01-14T14:42:00.000-08:00

MORE REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - LEO ROSTEN, age 89, a teacher, academic and humorist best remembered for his stories about the night-school "prodigy" Hyman Kaplan (first published in The New Yorker in the 1930s) He is also well-known for his encyclopedic volume “The Joys of Yiddish” (1968), a guide to the Yiddish language and to Jewish culture (as well as a source for anecdotes and Jewish humor). It was followed by "O Kaplan! My Kaplan!" 1976, and Hooray for Yiddish! (1982) , a humorous lexicon of the American language as influenced by Jewish culture. A favorite “Carnival of Wit: From Aristotle to Woody Allen” (1996) was published when he was age 88.

SWITCH HOLIDAYS - holidays of all sorts make for great promo opps. Work it in with a title of your book. Have Halloween in April or Thanksgiving in June. Make it fun, make it visual and invite the press!).

PER CONTRA - The International Journal of the Arts, Literature and Ideas. Submissions open until March 1, 2010. Seeks nonfiction, fiction. 3000/wds/max. Guidelines: http://www.percontra.net/16guidelinesfiction.htm

PERDIDO MAGAZINE - devoted to examining organizational life as it relates to leadership. Seeks nonfiction, columns/depts on current trends in business, new ways of doing things, new concepts. Guidelines: http://www.perdidomagazine.com/main/submissions.php

RANGE MAGAZINE - award-winning quarterly devoted to issues that threaten the West, its people, lifestyles, lands, wildlife. Known for its powerful photos and straight talk, portrays "The Cowboy Spirit on Americaís Outback." Seeks nonfiction, photos/artwork. Tight writing required. 1200-2000/wds; Guidelines: http://www.rangemagazine.com/guidelines/index.htm

RUTGERS MAGAZINE – mag reaches 70,000 alumni, faculty, and friends of Rutgers University as well as important members of the New Jersey government, education, corporate and community-affairs sectors. Seeks nonfiction about Rutgers issues and to Rutgers alumni, faculty, staff & students. Guidelines: http://ur.rutgers.edu/magazine/page/contact (click on writers guidelines)

DEVOZINE UPPER ROOM – mag to help teen readers grow in their faith and explore the relevancy of the Christian faith. Seeks nonfiction, fiction, fillers, photos/artwork. Guidelines: http://www.upperroom.org/devozine/2008/mayjun/writers_guidelines.asp

JAZZ UP YOUR BIO:
http://www.mainstreetmediasavvy.com/bye-bye-boring-bio-action-eguide

2010 WRITERS LEAGUE OF TEXAS CONFERENCE - June 25-27, 2010, Hyatt Regency Austin, 208 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78704. One of the best conferences around, and the place to meet agents & editors & to learn the latest trends in publishing. Check link often for updates & new info. Early bird registration ends Jan. 31, 2010. Info: http://www.writersleague.org/events/10-conf.htm

100 WORDS WRITING CONTEST – Deadline: Feb. 9, 2010. Entry fee: $15. Each entry must be fiction in 100 wds or less. Contest 1: Any subject, any style (no poetry). Contest 2: "The Walk." The story takes place on a walk. Contest 3: Use non-gerund pronouns only--I, me, ours, you, yours, them, their, theirs. Any subject. Contest 1 awards: $300, $50, $50. Contest 2 awards: $150, $50. Contest 3 awards: $150, $50. Guidelines: http://www.100wordsorfewerwritingcontest.com

2010 TINY LIGHTS ESSAY CONTEST - Deadline: Feb. 19, 2010. Entry fee: $15. 1st Place: $350. 2nd: $250. 3rd: $150. Two Honorable Mentions: $100 each. Guidelines: http://www.tiny-lights.com/contest.php

2010 WRITERS & ARTISTS SHORT STORY COMPETITION (UK) - Deadline Feb. 14, 2010. No entry fee: For published and aspiring writers-win a cash prize of £500, a place on an Arvon Foundation residential writing course worth at least £575, and publication of your story on the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook website. 2000 wds on the theme of 'Unity or Union'. Guidelines: http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/short-story-competition

2010-11 STARCHERONE PRIZE FOR INNOVATIVE FICTION - Deadline Feb. 15, 2010. Entry fee: $30. $1000 and publication w/Starcherone Books. Short story collections, novels or indeterminate prose. 400 pgs max. Guidelines: http://www.starcherone.com/prize.htm

2010 NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARDS – Deadline: March 10, 2010. $50 discount if you register before Jan. 31, 2010. Call for entries all indie authors & publishers – including small & mid-size independent publishers, university presses, e-book publishers, self-published authors. Cash prizes $1500, awards, exposure, & recognition as one of the top independently pub’d books of the year. Top 60 books will be reviewed by NY literary agent Marilyn Allen or her co-agents for possible representation in areas such as distribution, foreign rights, film rights. (Ms. Allen has served as Senior Vice President of Harper Collins, directed sales & marketing teams for Simon & Schuster, Penguin Books, worked w/authors such as Stephen King, Ken Follett, Barbara Kingsolver.) Guidelines: http://www.IndieBookAwards.com

THE LONDON BOOK FAIR – April 19-21, 2010. Get your passports ready. The London Book Fair is the global marketplace for rights negotiation and the sale and distribution of content across print, audio, TV, film and digital channels. Even in the digital age, the power of meeting face-to-face cannot be underestimated. Wherever in the world you want to do business, you can do so much more at The London Book Fair. Info & registration: http://www.londonbookfair.co.uk

HARVARD WRITER’S WORKSHOP - March 25 – 27, 2010 • Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, Boston, MA. URL: http://www.harvardwriters.com

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 #158

2010-01-01T20:51:00.000-08:00

HAPPY, HAPPY AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!!

MORE REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - PAUL NEWMAN, age 83, actor, director, entrepreneur, children’s advocate, race car driver. Newman's Own, which began as a joke, grew into a multimillion-dollar business selling popcorn, salad dressing, spaghetti sauce and other foods. All the company's profits are donated to charities. By 2007, the company had donated more than $175 million, according to its Web site. Michael Brockman, Newman's racing team partner, said Newman told him before he died that he wanted to get back into his race car for a test run and possibly another competition. Newman’s last race was 2007, age 82. He died in 2008.

ABA JOURNAL - read by half of the nation’s 1 million lawyers every month. It covers the trends, people and finances of the legal profession from Wall Street to Main Street to Pennsylvania Avenue. Nonfiction: Current events in the law. Guidelines: http://www.abajournal.com/submissions

PC PHOTO – nat’l mag for people who want to explore and expand their application of photography by making good use of the computer. Takes a fresh look at modern photographic world by encouraging photography and the use of new technologies. Practical use of the camera and the computer, highlighting the technique rather than the technical. Nonfiction, photos/artwork about Photography. Guidelines: http://www.dpmag.com/submissions.html

THE COTTAGER - features that inform, entertain or help cottagers in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario explore lakeside living and the great outdoors. We profile unique cottages and cottagers, and the issues - environmental, social or financial - that affect cottage communities and lifestyles. Nonfiction, columns/depts, photos/artwork. Guidelines: http://thecottager.mb.ca/contact_us.php?ID=contributors_guidelines

OUTDOOR CALIFORNIA - state, non-profit, four-color mag provides readers with access and insight into California's wildlife and wild lands, and the people who work to protect and maintain those resources. Looking for the best in both writing and photography. Nonfiction, photos/artwork. Fee schedule recently changed. Guidelines: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/ocal/submit.html

SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE - Covering the natural world and history. The most open sections are the depts, especially The Back Page, a humor section. Other depts open to freelancers include Phenomena & Curiosities (science and nature), Points of Interest (Americana), and Presence of Mind (opinion essays). Also accepts features up to 4000/wds. Submit through online query form only. Submission page: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/contact-us

WEIDER HISTORY GROUP - Publishers of ten magazines including America's Civil War; American History; Aviation History; British Heritage; Civil War Times; Military History Quarterly; Military History; Vietnam; Wild West; World War II. Has a constant appetite for well-written, popular level history that is exciting to the general reader. Note that British Heritage is moving away from straight history articles, but welcomes articles that have a historical bent showing how British culture became what it is today. The military magazines prefer new angles on big subjects, or coverage of little-known aspects of past wars. Payment varies, pays extra for photos. See website for individual contact info under “about us.” Main Link: http://www.historynet.com

HOMELAND SECURITY ESSAY CONTEST - Deadline Jan. 31, 2010. No entry fee. This year's essay question: "How can, or should, the US make homeland security a more layered, networked, and resilient endeavor involving all citizens?" Contest is open to anyone. Essay should be no more than five pages, single-spaced, in 12pt type and in Word or PDF format. $1,500 cash award and an invitation to the Center for Homeland Defense and Security located at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California where he/she will be recognized at the CHDS Forum. Additionally, the winning and four top finalist's essays will be considered for publication by Homeland Security Affairs, the online journal published by the Naval Postgraduate School's Center for the Homeland Defense and Security. Guidelines: http://www.chds.us/?essay/overview

NORTH CAROLINA WRITERS NETWORK DORIS BETTS FICTION PRIZE – Deadline Feb. 1, 2010. Entry fee: $10-$20. Open to any writer who is a legal resident of North Carolina or a member of the North Carolina Writers' Network. North Carolina Literary Review subscribers w/NC connections (lives or has lived in NC) are also eligible. The competition is for short stories up to 6000/wds. $250 and publication in the North Carolina Literary Review. Guidelines: http://www.ncwriters.org/programs-and-services/competitions/19-competitions/25-doris-betts-fiction-prize

PHOENIX DESERT DREAMS 2010 WRITERS CONFERENCE - April 16-17-18, 2010. One of the best conferences around. Chaparral Suites Resort, 5001 N. Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85250. Complete conference and hotel info:
http://www.desertroserwa.org/conference.htm Registration: http://www.desertroserwa.org/registerform.htm Updates on the Desert Dreams Conference blog at: http://desertdreamswritersconference.blogspot.com

PUBLISHERS MARKETPLACE JOB BOARD - http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/jobs

WRITE AN ADVICE COLUMN - Think of yourself as the neighborhood or city, or whatever location’s concierge. New people moving into an area will thank you. Even people living in an area for decades may not know what is available around them. People are always looking for advice about parenting, love, home repairs, career strategies, money. Send a handful of sample columns with cover letters to publications likely to be receptive. Be your city’s historian.

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 #157

2009-12-18T15:34:00.000-08:00

Column will return on January 2, 2010.
A very Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah to all my readers and my good wishes for a prosperous and fulfilling New Year.

MORE REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - JULIETTE LACOVARO, age 84, for three decades drew maps for the U.S. government, charted the intricate contours of Hawaii and handled classified work during the Vietnam War. Now 84, the McLean resident sees a dream task emerging just a mile from her home: mapping the new Tysons Corner. She still keeps busy, and works refilling stacks of maps, helping hungry and lost shoppers find their way in the mall, ushering Northern Virginia's political and commercial luminaries up a sweltering elevator to a birthday bash and transportation ribbon-cutting ceremony atop a seven-story parking garage.

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

RENAISSANCE MAGAZINE - mag targeted towards re-enactors of Late Medieval and Renaissance periods. While they do publish straight history articles, it's best to have articles be of direct use to re-enactors. Such articles in the past have included pieces on costume, armor, and the culture of the period. Average feature length 2,000 words. Pays $0.10/word on publication. Guidelines: http://www.renaissancemagazine.com/subguide.html

CREATE & DECORATE – gen’l craft pub designed to teach readers principles and techniques for crafts, lay foundations that encourage readers to develop their own ideas. Offers columns that are informative and of interest to inform readers of new ideas, products, and trends within the industry. Seeks nonfiction, photos/artwork. Neg. fees and rights. Guidelines: http://www.createanddecorate.com/information/guidelines.shtml

AMERICAN HERITAGE - Devoted to American history, like articles showing how the American experience is different from that of other countries w/some link to the present. 6000/wds/max. Neg rates. Guidelines: http://www.americanheritage.com/contact (link bottom of page)

PYRAMID - tabletop role-playing games (RPGs), with most articles devoted to either generic (systemless) gaming or GURPS, with the occasional (rare) dabbling into other systems as the mood strikes us. Seeks nonfiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork for Role playing games, board games, card games, strategy games, miniatures, wa rgames. 4cts/wd and they edit. Guidelines: http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/writing.html

APRON STRINGS, UK - Essential reading for all mothers. Personal essays to be of length 800/4000/wds. Original, insightful works. Fiction (up to 4500 words) - we welcome pieces in the short story format but it’s really the personal essays that make up the bulk of this publication. €60 - €100/essay. For commissioned pieces such as book reviews and longer feature articles, we neg. w/individual writers. Guidelines: http://www.apronstringsmag.com/index_files/Page2047.htm

ROCK AND ICE - climbing mag, the leading pub for world-class writing, training and technical tips for climbers of all levels, hard-hitting gear reviews and stunning photography. Seeks nonfiction, fiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork on climbing, profiles, destinations, current outdoor/climbing-related issues. Guidelines: http://www.rockandice.com/contributorinfo.php

BRITISH COLUMBIA MAGAZINE, BC - quarterly geographic and travel magazine which focuses on British Columbia. Seeks nonfiction, columns/depts, photos/artwork. Guidelines: http://www.bcmag.ca/guidelines

PILL HILL PRESS “LOVE KILLS” SHORT STORY CONTEST - Deadline Jan. 15, 2010. No Entry Fee. Winning stories will be published in a print anthology. 1st - $125 + 1 copy; 2nd - $50 + 1 copy; 3rd - $25 + 1. Runners-up - 1 copy. Looking for SCARY stories, written in third person, featuring the theme LOVE KILLS: MY BLOODY VALENTINE. Stories should take place at or around Valentine's Day. 3000-5000/wds. Guidelines: http://www.pillhillpress.com/love-kills-contest.html

MALAHAT REVIEW NOVELLA PRIZE (Canada) - Deadline: Feb. 1, 2010. Entry Fee: $35 CAD; $40 USD;. Submit a single work of fiction, 10,000 wds/min- 20,000/wds/max.. No restrictions as to genre, subject matter, or aesthetic approach. $500 CAD is awarded, plus payment at the rate of $40CAD/pg upon publication. Guidelines: http://www.malahatreview.ca/novella_contest/info.html

ATLAS ECONOMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION’S SOUND MONEY ESSAY CONTEST – Deadline: Jan. 15, 2010. You must be a legal resident of the U.S. or engaged as a full-time student in the U.S. You must also be no more than 35 years old on the date of the contest deadline. $5000 prize. Two additional prizes of $1000 each will be given to outstanding essays written by junior faculty, graduate students, or policy writers. Three additional prizes of $500 each will be given to outstanding essays written by undergraduate students. http://atlasnetwork.org/programs/sound-money-project/sound-money-essay-contest-2009

HIGHLIGHTS FOR CHILDREN FICTION CONTEST - Deadline: Jan. 31, 2010. Short Stories Open to age 16+. Write a children's story based on your family. 750/wds/max. Stories for beginning readers 475/wds/max. 3 prizes of $1000 or tuition for the Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop at Chautauqua. Guidelines: http://www.highlights.com/highlights-fiction-contest

AUTHORS NOTE - Work created by unidentified (unknown) authors have a copyright life of only 95 years from publication or 120 years from the work’s creation—whichever comes first. If the author is named (known) and registers his pen name (whether it's his real name or a pseudonym), the copyright term for the work is the author’s life plus 70 years.

CONSUMER MAGAZINES: These are the types of magazines you might find in a grocery store check-out line, convenience store, in your airplane seat pocket, or your doctor’s office and they pay the best.

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 #156

2009-12-11T15:31:00.000-08:00

MORE REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - ALEKSANDR SOLZHENITSYN, age 89, whose stubborn, lonely and combative literary struggles gained the force of prophecy as he revealed the heavy afflictions of Soviet Communism in some of the most powerful works of the 20th century. Solzhenitsyn had been an obscure, middle-aged, unpublished high school science teacher in a provincial Russian town when he burst onto the literary stage in 1962 with “A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.” The book, a mold-breaking novel about a prison camp inmate. Suddenly he was being compared to giants of Russian literature like Tolstoy, Dostoyevski and Chekhov. Over the next five decades, Solzhenitsyn’s fame spread throughout the world as he drew upon his experiences of totalitarian duress to write evocative novels like “The First Circle” and “The Cancer Ward” and historical works like “The Gulag Archipelago.” “Gulag” was a monumental account of the Soviet labor camp system, a chain of prisons that some 60 million people had entered during the 20th century.

VETERINARY ECONOMICS – monthly prof’l trade mag for practicing veterinarians that provides detailed articles about the business of client and patient care. We cover topics related to practice management, including personnel solutions, communication, practice finances, personal finances, day-to-day management issues, client relations, life balance, and more. 250-1200/wds, depending on dept. Guidelines: http://veterinarybusiness.dvm360.com/vetec/static/staticHtml.jsp?id=356190

TEXAS MONTHLY – solidly researched reporting that uncovers issues of public concern, reveals offbeat and previously unreported topics, or uses a novel approach to familiar topics. Any issue of the magazine would be a helpful guide. Stories must appeal to an educated Texas audience. Covers Texas, general interest, travel, business, technology. Seeks nonfiction, columns/depts, photos/artwork. Neg. fees. Guidelines: http://www.texasmonthly.com/writeguide

ONLINE – Exploring Technology & Resources for Information Professionals. Written and edited for librarians and other professionals who routinely use online services for information delivery, research, and knowledge management. Practical, how-to advice on the efficient and effective use of electronic information. The readership runs the gamut from novice to experienced researcher, and covers the entire range of electronic information topics, including industry trends; new products and technologies; professional, business and consumer online services; the internet; enterprise-wide information management; practical search and information management techniques; information professional roles and responsibilities, electronic content; quality issues; web design from an information professional perspective; intranet/extranet creation and promotion; and search engines. Seeks nonfiction, photos/artwork. Guidelines: http://www.infotoday.com/online/authors.shtml

2010 NORTHWEST PERSPECTIVES ESSAY CONTEST – (University of Oregon) Deadline: Jan. 31, 2010. No entry fee. Open and Student categories. 2000 wds/1500 wds for Student category. Prizes: Open Category – 1st $750; 2nd $300; 3rd $100. Student Category – 1st $500; 2nd $200; 3rd $75. Guidelines: http://www.oregonquarterly.com/essay.php

DAME LISBET THROCKMORTON FICTION CONTEST – Deadline: Jan. 31, 2010. Entry fee: $17. Original short stories, or chapters that stand on their own, should use 3500/wds/max to dazzle the judges. Four cash prizes: $350, $125, $75, and $50. Winning stories will be pub’d in an anthology w/selections from the short list. Four winners will receive complimentary copies. Also offers a critique service for those who wish to see their story's score and comments from the judges. (This service is an additional $25.) Guidelines: http://www.coffeehousefiction.com

PLOUGHSHARES - Seeks fiction, fillers. Subjects: Short story, poetry, novel exerpts. Also see editorial callender. Guidelines: http://www.pshares.org/submissions/page.cfm?intContentID=28

SCALE AUTO ENTHUSIAST MAGAZINE – All about model cars. Seeks nonfiction, photos/artwork, and looking for model builders, collectors, enthusiasts who feel their models and/or modeling techniques, experiences would be of interest and benefit to our readership. Looks at the quality of accompanying photos and illustrations, content of the how-to-material, and the writing style. Guidelines: http://www.scaleautomag.com/en/The%20Magazine/Submission%20Guidelines/2009/11/ARTICLE%20SUBMISSION%20GUIDELINES.aspx

WILLIAM SAROYAN INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FOR WRITING 2010 - Deadline: Jan. 31st, 2010. Given by Stanford University Libraries in partnership w/William Saroyan Foundation, recognizes newly published works of fiction and non-fiction w/$5000 award for the winner in each category. The prize is designed to encourage new or emerging writers and honor the Saroyan literary legacy of originality, vitality and stylistic innovation. Official entry forms: http://library.stanford.edu/saroyan

TRAVEL AFRICA, UK - quarterly mag w/8-9 features on traveling in Africa per issue w/a variety of destinations and themes - wildlife, history, travelogue and activities. Prefers articles with accompanying high-resolution photographs. 1000-2000/wds. Deadlines given in Writers' Guidelines. Rates negotiable depending on length and if illustrations available. Guidelines: http://www.travelafricamag.com/content/blogcategory/104/65 (follow link for pdf doc)

W.B.YEATS SOCIETY of NY POETRY COMPETITION - Deadline Feb. 1, 2010. Open to members and nonmembers of any age. Entry fee $8. Poems in English up to 60 lines, not previously pub’d, on any subject. First prize $250, 2nd $100. Winners and honorable mentions receive 1-yr memberships in the Society and are honored at a Society event. Guidelines: http://www.yeatssociety.org/contest.html

CARIBBEAN TRAVEL & LIFE - requirements are that the writing be superb, the subject be something unique and interesting, and the writer must know his/her material. Readers demand behind-the-scenes stories, off-the-beaten-path destinations and ahead-of-the-curve knowledge about the Caribbean. Seeks nonfiction, columns/depts, fillers, photos/artwork about vacation, travel, recreational, cultural opportunities of the Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda Island. Guidelines: http://www.caribbeantravelmag.com/article.jsp?ID=36466

DO YOU LIKE ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES? – Then write about your interest. Visit thrift shops, granny's attic, secondhand bookstores in person for old books and mags w/glimpses of the good ol' days. Write about the history of objects. Reseach the net for information to help. Find an unusual object? Look it up, and write an article.

JOURNAL WRITING - Canvass local shelters. Lead creative writing workshops at abused women's shelters, juvenile offenders' centers and other places where writing can heal and illuminate. Select projects that build on strengths. Workshop leaders help participants express previously inexpressible thoughts and feelings. Team up with a psychologist or other behavioral therapist for the most beneficial effect on your students.

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 #155

2009-12-04T08:31:00.000-08:00

MORE REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - JOSHUA LOGAN, age 79, American stage and film director and writer. Logan began his Broadway career as an actor in Carry Nation in 1932. When most people are already well into retirement, Logan form 1983-1986 taught theater at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton until his death in 1988. He was also responsible for bringing Carol Channing to Broadway in Lend an Ear.

VBT/ WRITERS ON THE MOVE – Ongoing virtual book tours w/new & famous authors about books, tips, & more. URL: http://vbt-writersonthemove.blogspot.com/2009/11/december-2009-virtual-book-and.html

TECH DIRECTIONS – pubs elementary school science teaching techniques, classroom projects, laboratory admin procedures.Looking for nonfiction, columns/depts, photos/artwork. Guidelines: http://www.techdirections.com/guidelines.html

REASON - covers politics, economics, culture, and science from a broad-minded libertarian perspective. Looks for original analysis and research and do not like simple rehashes of well-worn libertarian positions. Seeks nonfiction, columns/depts. Guidelines: http://reason.com/submissions

RESPONSE MAGAZINE - Cutting-edge content for professionals involved in all facets of direct response marketing. Seeks nonfiction, columns/depts, photos/artwork. Editorial Calendar: http://www.responsemagazine.com/editorial-calendar Guidelines: http://www.responsemagazine.com/contributor-guidelines

GEIST 6th LITERAL LITERARY POSTCARD STORY CONTEST (Canada) - Deadline: Jan. 15, 2010. Entry Fee: $20, $5 for each additional entry. First prize: $250; 2nd $150; 3rd $100.. Submit a postcard along with a story that relates to the image. 500 words max. Guidelines: http://www.geist.com/contest/6th-annual-geist-literal-literary-postcard-story-contest

4th ANNUAL SAINTS & SINNERS GLBT LITERARY FESTIVAL FULL-LENGTH PLAYWRITING COMPETITION – Deadline: Dec. 31, 2009. Entry Fee: $10. The winning play will be produced by the Marigny Theatre Corporation and will premiere the weekend of the 8th annual Saints and Sinners Literary Festival, May 13-16, 2010. The winning entry will receive complimentary registration to the Saints and Sinners Literary Festival and a stipend of $250. Previously produced plays will be considered as long as they have not been produced in the greater New Orleans area. Characters should be kept to a minimum--5 or under. Staging should be simple or adaptable to a small stage. Guidelines: http://sasfest.org/first-annual-short-fiction-contest

UNIVERSITY OF LaVERNE JOSH PRIZES - Deadline Dec. 15, 2009. Entry Fee: $10. Poetry: Submit 1-3 poems (5/pg/max. Fiction: Submit one short story 8000/wds/max.Prize: $250 plus publication. Guidelines: http://www.laverne.edu/academics/arts-sciences/prism-review/contests

POOR MOJO'S ALMANAC 33 1/3 CONTEST - Deadline Dec. 31, 2009. No entry fee. In the spirit of our dear Morgan Johnson's popular essay "Industrial Espionage and the World's Greatest Sangria Recipe", we currently seek RANTS featuring "The Best Recipe You'd Never Guess." Rants should be fewer than 3000/wds. The finest rant will be rewarded with $33.33 in legal US tender. Guidelines: http://www.poormojo.org/contest.html

2009 NAT’L FANTASY FAN FEDERATION AMATEUR SHORT STORY CONTEST – Deadline Dec. 31, 2009. Entry Fee: $3 & $5. Open to all amateur writers in the field, no membership required. An amateur is someone who has sold no more than two (2) stories to prof’l science fiction or fantasy pubs. Stories must be original, unpub’d,, 8500/wds/max in length, be related to science fiction, fantasy, or similar genres in the opinion of the judges. 1st is $50, 2nd- $30, and 3rd - $20. Honorable mentions & semi-finalists will receive a certificate of award. Guidelines: http://www.n3f.org/N3Fssc.shtml

CLOUDBANK BOOKS POETRY CONTEST – Deadline: Dec. 31, 2009. Entry Fee: $15. $200 prize awarded for one poem. Two contributors' copies will be sent to writers whose
work appears in the mag. All poets who enter the contest will receive a 1 yr subscription to Cloudbank mag. Guidelines: http://www.cloudbankbooks.com/Contest.html

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