Three Days Left To Enter the SUZANNAH Contest

I don't enter many contests, but perhaps because I won 2nd place (with my book, THE HOUSE IN GROSVENOR SQUARE)in the IRCC (Inspirational Reader's Choice Contest) from my RWA chapter this past summer, I entered another, this one, in fact. The Suzannah. I like this one because it actually awards a little money and a trophy. Cool.

If you're thinking about entering, think fast, because the deadline's almost here.
Good luck~!


***Permission to forward granted and encouraged!***

Three days left to enter the 2010 Suzannah Contest!

This unique contest sponsored by the RWA-NOLA STARS is for PUBLISHED and
UNPUBLISHED writers and mimics an editor's desk by pitting genre against genre
for six finaling spots.

That's right, if you final, your manuscript goes in front of all SIX industry
judges. They are:

Emmanuelle Alspaugh (Judith Ehrlich Literary Agency)
Alexandra Machinist (Linda Chester Literary Agency)
Jill Marsal (Marsal Lyon Literary Agency)
Keyren Gerlach, Harlequin/Silhouette
Lauren Plude, Grand Central Publishing
Danielle Poiesz, Pocket Books

The winner of the Suzannah receives $300.00, provided by the Suzannah
Nelson family, along with a beautiful trophy. So spiff up your entry (7200
words including a synopsis) and send it in! For more information and Contest
Rules, visit

http://www.nolastars.com

The contest opens closes midnight CST, Oct. 1st. We will take only 120 entries.

Please share with your chapters and loops.

--Candace Irvin
Suzannah Contest Coordinator

***Permission to forward granted and encouraged!***

Three days left to enter the 2010 Suzannah Contest!

This unique contest sponsored by the RWA-NOLA STARS is for PUBLISHED and
UNPUBLISHED writers and mimics an editor's desk by pitting genre against genre
for six finaling spots.

That's right, if you final, your manuscript goes in front of all SIX industry
judges. They are:

Emmanuelle Alspaugh (Judith Ehrlich Literary Agency)
Alexandra Machinist (Linda Chester Literary Agency)
Jill Marsal (Marsal Lyon Literary Agency)
Keyren Gerlach, Harlequin/Silhouette
Lauren Plude, Grand Central Publishing
Danielle Poiesz, Pocket Books

The winner of the Suzannah receives $300.00, provided by the Suzannah
Nelson family, along with a beautiful trophy. So spiff up your entry (7200
words including a synopsis) and send it in! For more information and Contest
Rules, visit http://www.nolastars.com

The contest opens closes midnight CST, Oct. 1st. We will take only 120 entries.

Please share with your chapters and loops.

--Candace Irvin
Suzannah Contest Coordinator

How About Some Conflicting Advice

Everyone knows that a good novel has to have good conflict, right? But should it be internal conflict or external? Or should it be both? And, is there such a thing as good conflict?

Have no fear--my post today will give you all the "conflicting" advice you could want.

In all seriousness, yes, every good novel (or movie, or play) needs to have some juicy conflicts going. In a literary sense, all conflict is good, and the more layers of it you can keep juggling throughout your story, the better and more compelling the book will be.

But should it be external or internal, you ask? I try to use both in every book.

Heating Things Up ...

Internal conflict can be excruciating and is strong enough to carry a well-told story; however, it never hurts to add to the internal drama by heating things up outside your protagonist, too. In other words, layer on the external problems that amount to more conflict for your character(s).

Every conflict raises a question or two that your reader desperately wants answered. Such as:

* How will this problem be solved?
* What will happen to end this conflict?
* Which will keep them reading?

Before the end of the story, your job is to go back and make sure you have answered the questions, and you do this by solving the conflicts. If a conflict ends by chapter ten, create a new one in chapter eleven....

[To read the rest of this article, please click the title. You'll be taken to the blog "A Pen For Your Thoughts," where I wrote this as a guest post. Enjoy!]

In Honor of One Year Being Published--Author Rita Gerlach

A Deeper Look into Surrender the Wind

~ When an American patriot of the Revolution inherits his grandfather’s estate in faraway England, he inherits more than an isolated manor house. He discovers Juleah’s love and a plot that leads to kidnapping, murder, and betrayal, in this stirring tale of fidelity and forgiveness. ~

Instead of answering interview questions, I’m commenting on some quotes from reviewers to give my readers a deeper glimpse into the storyline in Surrender the Wind.

* * *

From author Marylu Tyndall ~ Ms. Gerlach's historic research is evident throughout the story, and her attention to detail and literary descriptions of scenes placed me right in the middle of the action.

If a writer wishes to write a historical novel, research is a vital, essential part of developing a great story. When I began Surrender the Wind, I read numerous accountants of the Battle of Yorktown where the book opens in the prologue. I researched uniforms, dress, weaponry, food, and culture.

As the book moves forward into Chapter 1, the reader is taken to England, to a crumbling manor house in Devonshire. The historical research from this point on had to be in the details. I wanted my reader to see in their mind the scene, outdoors and indoors. Everything from a tallow candle in the socket of a brass candlestick, to the blue and white pitcher and bowl on the heroine’s washing table, adds strong visual imagery. My editor told me once that a place can become a character in a book. I feel that is true for Ten Width Manor. It's walls hold secrets of lives past and present in the story. Because it is the ancestral home of the Braxtons, Ten Width has a stronghold on those living in it.

Then there are the historical cultural markings in a book that make up the characters. Dress. Etiquette. Traditional family life. I studied 18th century wills and marriage customs, the fashions of the period, and how the classes interacted with each other.

* * *

From author Linda Clare ~ The American Revolutionary period comes to life as Gerlach explores themes of patriotism with a faith element.

In America today there is a resurgence of patriotism. We are returning to our roots, our Constitution, and faith. In the 18th century faith played a major role in the lives of people in both the Colonies and United Kingdom. In Surrender the Wind, I bring faith into the story as a lifestyle. It is delicately woven into the characters' personalities. One thing I did not want to do is write a ‘religious novel’. My goal was to write a novel where readers would become immersed into the characters by relating to the struggles they faced which bring about spiritual breakthroughs.

* * *

From Annette Temple ~ A Well-Watered Garden Blog' This book is one of the most romantic books I've ever read. The passion and love that is poetically described between Seth and Juleah was rousing.

I am so grateful to Annette for this comment. She helped me realize that I achieved my goal. Most of us ladies want a bit of romance in our stories, don’t we? We want a hero that is tough with the world, but tender with his lady. And a heroine that is strong in the face of tribulation, but swept away by the love of a man. Romance in a novel, in my opinion, is the most intriguing when what is written is just enough to leave the rest up to the reader’s imagination. In Christian fiction a writer brings out romance deftly, love that goes beyond the material, but deeper into the heart and spirit of the characters.

I’ll close here with a romantic excerpt from Surrender the Wind . It is Seth and Juleah’s wedding night. I hope you will consider reading my novel, and keep an eye out for the release of book 1 in a new series, Daughters of the Potomac, coming out in May, 2012, entitled ‘Before the Scarlet Dawn’.

* * * * * *


In his bedchamber, which they now shared, Juleah slipped on her silk nightdress. Thin white ribbons laced the front. She sat at the dressing table brushing her hair. Tinted with the golden splendor of the candles, she smoothed it over her shoulder and ran her fingers down its length. Excitement filled her, tripped over her skin along with desire. She glanced around the room. How masculine it appeared. A fresh coat of paint would improve its appearance, and white curtains over the windows would bring it warmth and light.

She set the candlestick on the table next to their bed. The brass clock on the mantelpiece chimed out the hour. She paused to listen to the musical sound it made, while she pulled down the coverlet. The door drifted open. Seth came inside, shut it, and proceeded to pull off his waistcoat.

“Ah, have you seen the moon?” She opened the drapes wide to let the moonlight pour in. It bathed the room soft blue. “Is it not lovely, Seth?”

He joined her at the window. Wrapping his arms around his wife’s waist, he stood close behind her. His breath brushed against her neck and she sighed.

He whispered in her ear. “Doubt thou the stars are fire. Doubt that the sun doth move. Doubt truth to be a liar. But never doubt I love.”

It pleased her that he, a Virginian rebel, had memorized the beauty of Shakespeare’s verses. Melting with longing, she turned to him. He took her into his arms. She reached up and pushed back a lock of hair that fell over his brow. “I will never doubt your love, not for anything in the world.”

He brought his lips to hers and she strained against him. Love rose within each heart. He lifted her, and her feet dangled above the floor. Holding her, he kissed her, turned with Juleah toward their bed, and took his bride away from the window.


* * * * * *


Read Chapter One: http://www.abingdonpress.com/forms/displayImage.aspx?pcid=1173111

Rita’s Website: http://www.ritagerlach.com/index.html

Surrender the Wind is available wherever books are sold. Kindle additions available from Amazon.com

Cokesbury Bookstore is having an amazing sale. http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=783958

The Success "Secret"

Sometimes newer writers feel like no matter what they do, success (ie., publication) remains out of their reach. Successful authors, they think, must know a secret or two that they are simply unaware of. Why else aren't they published by now?

If you are feeling like that, beware.

While success is sometimes a matter of being in the right place at the right time, or a result of who you know, more often it is a result of something completely within your grasp: Perseverance and work.

Perseverance can get you in the right place at the right time, and hard work will help you meet the people you need to know.

Colin Powell said, "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."

Before you start to feel that life is unfair or that all of your time spent writing and editing your work is fruitless, ask yourself if you have prepared sufficiently, done the work that is necessary, and learned from your failures.

If you aren't published in book length fiction and that is your goal, then it stands to reason that your work is not done. (Even when you get published, your work is not done!)
Before getting that first contract, however, it is doubly important that you prepare--and keep preparing.
You must work hard--and keep working hard.
And you need to learn from every failure, which is, every rejection, every critique. (Some criticism will not be accurate, but learning to find the grain of truth in it can be very, very helpful.)

Only the Lord knows the right time, the right publisher, or the right agent for you.
And every time you get a rejection, you can accept that it was not the right place, time, or person for you or for your work.
The key is to find the right one, and that takes time, and patience.

"Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance." Samuel Johnson

It's hard to keep believing that success will happen when it hasn't happened, yet. It's difficult to persevere in the face of rejections. But this is precisely what you must do. This is the time to lean on your God, and remember that HE is the one who has called you to do this thing called writing. Your publishing success will come in His time and in His way.

In the meantime, remember that you write not because you may be published, not to impress an agent or editor, not to show your family or friends that you can, but to serve GOD. To steward the resources of creativity and imagination that He has entrusted to your care. When you remember that it is GOD you serve,you are always a success, so long as you are faithful.

His yoke is easy and His burden is light!

For more of Linore's instruction on writing, sign up for the Greater Harvest Newsletter. You'll receive announcements of upcoming Greater Harvest Workshops for writers and speakers, which you can attend for more in-depth help in your writing career.

The HOOK ME Contest

This is a contest run by my very own chapter of the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). I may even end up as one of the judges, so don't be shy! This is our first year but we're planning on making it an annual event. Here's the info:

The HOOK ME Contest, sponsored by the Ohio chapter of ACFW, is now open for submissions.

This contest is geared to help you polish your book for the Genesis and other writing contests!

Please check our web site for the contest page for the rules and a sample of the judging sheet. (Please note: we are still refining the page)

www.acfwohio.com/hookmerules.htm

Essentially, the HOOK ME Contest focuses on the opening of your book. You have to grab the attention of editors/agents/bookstore browsers in the first five minutes (if they even give you that much time!) and persuade them to keep reading.

ACFW Ohio offers judges who are published authors, editors, and/or experienced in judging other contests.

Every entrant will receive PDF downloads of articles that chapter members have written with writing, editing and research tips.
PLUS comments/suggestions from the judges, to assist you in polishing your opening in preparation for the Genesis next year, and other contests such as the Golden Heart.

There are two prizes available, along with winners' names being announced here on the main loop and posted on our web site.

DEADLINE: October 31, with winners announced at the beginning of December.

Please check out our site, OR you can email us for a .doc download of the rules.

Also, look for printouts at the conference in Indy!

Michelle Levigne
ACFW Ohio president
www.acfwohio.com
acfwohio@aol.com

Contests All Around

Kathryn Hayes Love and Laughter Contest (EO - U)
New York City Chapter RWA
Deadline, September 13, 2010
Enter: A scene from anywhere in your novel*,
between the hero and heroine illustrating humor and
love/romance (fifteen pages max.), story/background
summary (two pages max., not judged)
http://www.rwanyc.com/Love-LaughterContest.html
....
....
OCTOBER CONTEST DEADLINES
..
Beacon Contest - Unpublished (U - P/3 - EO)
First Coast Romance Writers
Received by October 1, 2010
First thirty pages plus optional synopsis.
http://www.firstcoastromancewriters.com/contest_un.htm
..
First Kiss Contest
New England Chapter
Emailed by October 1, 2010
Up to ten page scene where hero and heroine first kiss.
http://necrwa.org/kisscontest.html
..
MERWA Synopsis Contest (EO - U - P)
Maine RWA
E-Sub Receipt Deadline: October 1, 2010
Synopsis of no more than ten pages.
http://www.mainerwa.com/
..
Scare the Dickens Out of Us (U - P)
Clark Library Friends
Postmarked October 1, 2010
Enter five thousand word short story.
http://clarklibraryfriends.com/
..
The Suzannah
NOLA Stars
Received by midnight CST, October 1, 2010
Beginning and synopsis not to exceed 7,200 computer word count.
http://www.nolastars.com/node/84
..
Get Your Stiletto in the Door - Unpublished
ChickLit Writers of the World Chapter 204
Received by 11:59 EDT October 2, 2010
First 5000 words/500 word unjudged synopsis
http://chicklitwriters.com/home/get-your-stiletto-in-the-door/
..
The Emily (U - PC/3 - EO)
West Houston RWA
Deadline: October 7, 2010
First 7,000 words or less (end on a hook).
http://whrwa.com/emily/
..
Dawn Thompson Memorial Haunted Hearts Contest (U - P/5 - EA)
Gothic Romance Writers
Postmarked by October 8, 2010 - Emailed by same date.
First chapter - twenty-five page max. plus one page synopsis.
http://www.gothrom.net/contest.html
..
Linda Howard Award of Excellence
Southern Magic
Emailed by October 11, 2010
First twenty-five pages or less.
http://www.southernmagic.org/lindahowardcontest.html
..
Get Your Stiletto in the Door - Published
ChickLit Writers of the World Chapter 204
Due Date: Received by October 15, 2010
Published 4 copies of print book copyright of 2009
http://chicklitwriters.com/home/get-your-stiletto-in-the-door/
..
Sweet, Spicy and Spooky Contest (EO - U - P/3)
Smoky Mountain RWA
Received by October 31, 2010
First ten pages of short story or novella.
http://www.smrw.org/contest.htm
....
....
NOVEMBER CONTEST DEADLINES
..
Hook, Line and Sinker
Hudson Valley RWA
Mailed or emailed by November 1, 2010
First three pages.
http://www.hudsonvalleyrwa.com/contest
....
....
DECEMBER CONTEST DEADLINES
..
Picture Perfect Cover Contest
Dunes & Dreams RWA
Entry Forms Received by December 1, 2010
Cover Front and Blurb on the back.
http://dunesanddreams.org/picture-perfect/
....
....

Check out Contests and Contest Winners on: http://contestdivas.blogspot.com/
Check out the Award Winning Romance Books on: http://awardwinningromances.blogspot.com/
....
Contest Alert-All the news on upcoming contests, plus Finalist & Winner listings, questions, etc. Sign up now!
ContestAlert-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
....
Announcement only list:
ContestDeadlines-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
....
For Published Authors
ContestAlertPublished-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
....
If you're a Contest Judge, join
ContestsJudges-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
....
Donna Caubarreaux is a member of Coeur de Louisiane, Scriptscene Chapter, NOLA Stars, Heart of Louisiana, and Kiss of Death. She received a RWA Service Award in 1997

Back to top

Another Contest Deadline is Imminent!

******* Permission to Forward Granted and Encouraged! *******

We are in the home stretch now, there are only FOUR days left to get your
entries in before the September 10th deadline.

With EIGHT categories, we�re sure to have the one perfect for you. Each
category will be judged by at least ONE published author in the first round.

In the final round, entries will be judged by BOTH an editor AND an agent.

Categories and Final Round Judges include:

Category Romance - Susan Litman, Harlequin/Silhouette

Contemporary Single Title - Danielle Poiesz, Pocket Books

Historical - Tessa Woodward, Avon Books

Romantic Suspense - Lauren Plude, Grand Central Publishing

Paranormal - Meredith Giordan, Berkley Publishing Group

Erotic Romance - Meghan Conrad, Ellora's Cave

Young Adult - Natashya Wilson, Harlequin Teen

Inspirational - Melissa Endlich, Steeple Hill

*Agents*

Sara Megibow, Nelson Literary Agency

Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary Agency

Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency

Karen Solem, Spencerhill Associates

Claudia Cross, Sterling Lord Literistic

FMI � visit our website at www.mararwa.com

Keri Smith & Heather Snow

MARA Contest Coordinators

Writer's Contest Closing September 10!

This info is regarding THE GATEWAY TO THE BEST Writer's Contest, and it is closing in three days so get that entry in if you're interested!

FINAL JUDGES:

SINGLE
TITLE: Katherine Pelz, Berkley

ROMANTIC
SUSPENSE: Margo Lipshultz, HQN

CONTEMPORARY
SERIES: Laura Barth, Harlequin

PARANORMAL:
LaToya Smith, Grand Central

HISTORICAL:
Esi Sogah, Avon

YA:
Kathy Dawson, Dial Books/Penguin

If you would like a direct quote from the editor as to exactly what she is looking for in a manuscript, please feel free tocontact the Gateway to the Best Coordinator and she will email you the quote. jlitt67@yahoo.com

Hurry! The contest closes midnight SEPTEMBER 10 and will not be extended for any reason.

Gateway to the Best is sponsored by Missouri Romance
Writers.
Check out all the rules, judges and details at: www.morwa.org

Deadline Looming for this Contest!

(Permission granted to forward...)

Oklahoma Romance Writers of America invites you to enter our 2010 FAB...

***Over 50% of last year's finaling entries were requested by editors***


Finally a Bride Contest

Sponsor: Oklahoma Romance Writers of America - (OKRWA)
Fee: $25-30
Deadline: September 10th, 2010
Eligibility: All unpublished authors of novel length romantic fiction,
with a manuscript that has finaled but not won an RWA sponsored contest.
Entry: Electronic entries. First 30 pages - No Synopsis in first round
First round Judges: trained, published, and un-published.

***All finalists will have an opportunity to revise their entries after
receiving the first round judge comments. A synopsis is required in the final
round before entry is seen by the editors.

Final Round Judges: TWO EDITORS WILL JUDGE EACH FINALING ENTRY!!!

Historical:
Deb Werksman with Sourcebooks AND Carly Corcoran with Harlequin Historical

Inspirational:
Melissa Endlich with Steeple Hill AND Barbara Scott with Abingdon Press

Mainstream with Romantic Elements:
Keyren Gerlach with HQN AND Esi Sogah with Avon

Paranormal/Time-Travel/Futuristic:
Margo Lipschultz with HQN AND Alicia Condon with Kensington

Romantic Suspense:
Alex Logan with Grand Central Publishing AND Charles Griemsman with
Silhouette

Series Contemporary:
Wanda Ottewell with Harlequin AND Patience Smith with Silhouette

Young Adult: Anne Bensson with St. Martin's AND Leah Wilson with BenBella
Books

Top Prize: An engraved cake server and knife to be used to cut the cake
when you get 'the call'

FMI: _www.OKRWA.com_ (http://www.okrwa.com/) or contact _FAB@OKRWA.com_
(mailto:FAB@OKRWA.com)

Contest News--The Suzannah Contest

Here's news of a writing contest called The Suzannah.
For the future, I'll be posting more contests as I learn about them. So stay tuned!

***Permission to forward granted and encouraged!***

On your mark! Get set! Go prep your entry for the 2010 Suzannah Contest!

Everyone knows contests are an excellent way to get work in front of industry professionals and get honest feedback. Today our super contest opens for entries! And get this, if you final, your manuscript goes in front of SIX judges. Yes. SIX!

The contest opens Sept. 1st. We will take only 120 entries.

This unique contest sponsored by the NOLA STARS is for PUBLISHED and UNPUBLISHED writers and mimics an editor's desk pitting genre against genre for six finaling spots. Here's who we've lined up to judge:

Emmanuelle Alspaugh (Judith Ehrlich Literary Agency)
Alexandra Machinist (Linda Chester Literary Agency)
Jill Marsal (Marsal Lyon Literary Agency)
Keyren Gerlach, Harlequin/Silhouette
Lauren Plude, Grand Central Publishing
Danielle Poiesz, Pocket Books

The winner of the Suzannah receives $300.00 provided by the Suzannah Nelson family along with a beautiful trophy. So spiff up your entry (7200 words including a one page set-up) and get ready to enter by September 31st. For more information, visit http://www.nolastars.com

Please share with your chapters and loops.

Thanks,

Liz Talley, president of NOLA STARS
http://www.liztalleybooks.com