Market News, Contests, Conferences and Classes #2

Conferences

Dreamin’ in Dallas
Plano, TX – April 4, 5
8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Southfork Hotel

Conference 2008: Fantastic Forty–Writers Glory
OWFI announces its “FANTASTIC FORTY–WRITERS GLORY” 40th ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE to be held May 2nd and 3rd, 2008. The annual OWFI conference features writers, editors, agents, and informative programs to help you learn to write better and get published. It also helps you meet, network, and make lasting friendships, and to take advantage of the opportunity to learn from writing and publishing professionals. This is one of the finest and least expensive writers’ conferences in the country, so plan to attend. Register early as the conference has sold out in the past. More information about the 2008 conference will be posted as it becomes available. For a taste of what to expect, please access the Conference link for last year’s event.

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Contests

East Texas RWA Southern Heat
Heart of Louisiana Labor of Love Contest
Fiction from the Heartland Contest

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1993 Pulitzer Prize-Winning author Robert Olen Butler, an English professor at Florida State University, has accused Gawker, a website based in NYC, of stealing an e-mail he sent to a circle of friends. The e-mail’s contents reportedly contained the information that is wife, novelist Elizabeth Dewberry, has left him for Ted Turner. The News-Press.com website says that they remain “the best of friends” and they will both be attending the Sanibel Island Writer’s Conference Oct. 4-7. Turner owns a plantation next to Butler’s…(looks like someone was a might too neighborly–DW….)

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GalleyCat reports more about the never-ending Nan Talese/James Frey/Million Little Pieces drama:

Not everybody is impressed by Nan Talese’s belated jab at Oprah. Earlier this week, Andrew Sullivan held the Doubleday editor up as a prime example of what’s wrong with the publishing industry, “one of the shallowest, dumbest and most archaic in the U.S.” For Sullivan, that scene from the literary festival in Grapevine boils down to a bitter complaint from someone who got caught perpetuating the fraud of A Million Little Pieces. “Is Talese ashamed?” he asks. “No. Does she still have her job? Of course. It made money, and the people running the publishing industry have no other values but mercenary ones.”

See GalleyCat for more of this post.******************************************************************************************************************************

From Publisher’s Lunch:

Personnel News
At the Hachette Book Group USA, Little, Brown publisher Michael Pietsch and Warner publisher Jamie Raab have both been promoted to executive vice president for the group, Megan Tingley has been promoted to senior vice president, and Maja Thomas has been promoted to senior vice president of Hachette Book Group USA Audio and Digital Publishing.

At Basic Books, Lara Heimert has been promoted to vp and editorial director, responsible for overseeing the editorial staff, and executive editor William Frucht has been promoted to vp.

At Workman, Page Edmunds has been promoted to associate publisher, working with sales, marketing and publicity to create strategic promotional campaigns and focus on increasing sales through various selling channels. Edmunds, who has been a director of national account sales, will continue to sell to Ingram and the warehouse clubs and will continue as in-house liaison with HighBridge Audio.

Also at Workman, Matthew Benjamin is joining the house as senior editor in early September, and he will continue to acquire men’s interest, humor, sports, nature/outdoors, and popular culture. He has been at Collins.

Ayesha Pande has moved to Collins Literary as agent and foreign rights director, as of August 1.

At St. Martin’s, David Moldawer has been promoted to associate editor, and he will continue to build his nonfiction list in the pop culture, humor, science and technology, and reference.

Abroad, Hachette has hired Thomas Abraham away from Penguin India to start a division in India for Hachette. Penguin international sales and marketing director Mike Bryan will take over as ceo and president of Penguin India on September 1.

Lisa Lyons has become president of Kids Can Press. She has been serving as interim leader. Her previous publishing experience includes a stint as director of marketing for Harper Canada.

Charles Simic was named our 15th poet laureate by the Librarian of Congress.

JT Leroy fraud Laura Alpert was ordered by a judge to pay $350,000 in legal fees to Antidote International Films, on top of the $116,000 in damages. (The company had asked for $1 million in fees.)

Get Lunch
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Brought to you by Cader Books.

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From Cynthia Sterling:

Looking for inspiration? Finding it tough to keep going in the face of rejection? Write Attitude is a site offering lots of inspirational and practical help. http://www.writeattitude.net/

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Wanda Ottewell has been promoted to Senior Editor in charge of the Superromance line. Laura Shin is no longer with the company.

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Dark Recesses (http://www.darkrecesses.com) is a quarterly ezine that publishes horror and dark fantasy. The publication pays 3 cents a word, up to $150 for stories 500-5000 words (shorter pieces have a better chance here.) Complete guidelines are available at the website. There are plans in the works to move into a print publication in 2008.

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Midnight Showcase (http://www.midnightshowcase.com) is an ebook publisher that offers a wide variety of genre fiction, from westerns and mysteries to paranormal, including historical and contemporary and erotic romance. They publish short stories, novels, and complete novels available for download. They are open to submissions. Guidelines are available on the website.

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Feel free to pass along this newsletter and to encourage others to sign up to receive it. If you reprint or forward the newsletter, all I ask is that I be given credit for it. Anyone can sign up by sending a blank email to cynthiasterling-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Cindi Myers
The Man Tamer Harlequin Blaze, May 2007
A Wedding in Paris, Harlequin Anthology, June 12, 2007
Men at Work, Blaze Anthology, July 1, 2007
www.CindiMyers.com

Market News, Contests, Classes and Conferences #1

Nan Talese rips Oprah a new one over treatment of James Frey and his A MILLION LITTLE PIECES.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/073007gltalese.26b1b7f.html

The GalleyCat blog is skeptical, though, about Nan Talese’s supposed
naivete about some kind of confrontation with Oprah over the whole deal.

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This book and book news blog called Texas Pages looks pretty
interesting. Thought y’all might want to check it out when you have a
minute.
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Online class: August 6-31, 2007
“In And Out – Writing Believable Conflict” by Sherry Lewis
Registration at www.WriterUniv.com/

This workshop focuses on the art and craft of creating realistic, believable conflict for your character, both internal and external, and on weaving those conflicts together in ways that are fresh, exciting, and powerful enough to catch an editor’s eye.

* Understanding how a character’s core beliefs create conflict
* How internal and external conflicts work together
* When to hang onto a character’s past and when to let it go
* Keeping conflicts realistic
* Creating layers of conflict
* Why urgency matters in conflict
* Applying conflict to each scene you write
* Avoiding anticipated conflict

Sherry Lewis is a career writer with more than 25 published mystery, contemporary romance, and time travel romance novels to her credit. She loves sharing that she has learned since selling her first book more than a decade ago, and has given workshops all over the country. Sherry has also taught online workshops for several years.

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Ft. Bend Writers Guild
Sat, August 25
Screenwriting Workshop
Finding Your Voice and Turning an Idea into a Story
with Jason Heimberg
http://www.ftbendwritersguild.com

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West Texas Book & Music Festival
September 25-29
Abilene, Texas
http://www.abilenetx.com/apl/book_music_fest.html

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From Cindi Myers:

Bantam/Dell Publishing editor Shauna Summers announced at the Romance Writers of America Conference that in Spring 2008 Bantam will launch Bantam Discovery, a line of books that will be released simultaneously in mass market and trade paperback editions.The plan right now is to release one book a month. The idea is to market the books to different audiences. 2008 slots for Bantam Discovery are already filled. Ms. Summers also said she’s interested in acquiring straight contemporary romance. While paranormal continues to sell well for them, she’s not keen on acquiring new paranormal right now. Bantam is also interested in romantic suspense and thrillers. Ms. Summers is interested in both previously published and unpublished authors. Bantam will consider queries from unagented authors — snail mail only, please. Send your queries to 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10009

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Shades of Romance Magazine (http://www.sormag.com) is hosting its fifth annual online conference August 26-September 1, 2007. The conference is free and will be hosted at http://sormag.blogspot.com. Register to participate and you’ll be eligible for doorprizes and can participate in discussions with authors on a variety of topics

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Anica Rissi has moved from Scholastic to Simon & Schuster Children’s, where she’ll be an editor for their imprint of paperback young adult fiction (including YA romance), Simon Pulse.

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Check out the cover for my October American romance, Marriage on Her Mind at http://tinyurl.com/25m53l

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Men At Work, a Blaze anthology by Karen Kendall, Colleen Collins and myself, is in stores now. These three fun stories feature construction workers who are posing for a charity calendar. Check out this fun summer read.

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Feel free to pass along this newsletter and to encourage others to sign up to receive it. If you reprint or forward the newsletter, all I ask is that I be given credit for it. Anyone can sign up by sending a blank email to cynthiasterling-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Cindi Myers
The Man Tamer Harlequin Blaze, May 2007
A Wedding in Paris, Harlequin Anthology, June 12, 2007
Men at Work, Blaze Anthology, July 1, 2007
www.CindiMyers.com

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Brava Novella Contest http://www.bravaauthors.com/novella-contest/

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*Permission to Forward*

Where the Magic Begins 2007

* Electronic Contest for Unpublished Authors

Romance Writers Ink, Tulsa, OK

* All entries must be submitted as an RTF file. Entry length is 25 pages,
plus a one-page unjudged synopsis.

Entry Fee: $25 check, $27 PayPal

Receipt Deadline: August 15, 2007

For more information, go to http://www.rwi-rwa.com

** New this year**

Long and short contemporary have been combined in the Sensual Contemporary
category. Traditional and Inspirational have been combined in the Sweet
Contemporary category.

Categories and final judges:

- Erotica: Angie James, Samhain Publishing

- Historical: Kate Seaver & Allison Brandau, Berkley

- Paranormal: Heather Osborn, Tor

- Romantic Suspense: Megan McKeever, Pocket

- Sensual Contemporary: Suzanne Clarke, Harlequin

- Single Title: Rose Hilliard, St. Martin’s Press

- Sweet Contemporary: Bryony Green, Harlequin Mills & Boon

First-round judges are published authors or have undergone judge’s training.

Winners will be announced at the Cimarron Dreamin’ Conference, Tulsa, Oklahoma, October 2007.

For questions, email magicbegins@rwi-rwa.com

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Limited Enrollment

BREAK INTO FICTION™

- Power Plotting Workshop Weekend

Offered by Mary Buckham and co-author of the upcoming

non-fiction book: THE BREAK INTO FICTION™ NOTEBOOK

· Plot your next novel in just two days

· Discover the powerful elements of selling your plots

· Find out more about clarifying Conflict, Conflict, Conflict

· Take home Break In Novel™ Templates to use Again and Again

· Take advantage of Pre-Issue Savings Discount of $100!

Using actual premises and templates from Mary Buckham and Dianna Love Snell’s upcoming non-fiction book: THE BREAK INTO FICTION™ NOTEBOOK: Simple Steps to Complex Novels – This two-day intensive and interactive plotting workshop provides you with the tools to create a new book, or to tighten an exiting one using methods that have helped hundreds of writers.

Limited to 15 students. The small class size allows for individual attention while in-class instruction and synergy guarantees a power-punch opportunity to truly ratchet up your novel writing.

Whether you’re a seat-of-the pants writer or analytical plotter, THE BREAK INTO FICTION™ POWER PLOTTING WORKSHOP gives you everything you need to take your novel to the next level. Plus, you’ll be able to use the Power Plotting techniques for future books, creating compelling stories sure to thrill your readers.

Use the coupon available at www.TheBreakIntoNovel.com and enjoy a
special Pre Issue Discount

3 Three-ring binder of templates with examples ($100 value)

3 Additional Templates on Openings, Endings, POV, Characterization and Pacing

3 Money-Back Guarantee: If after the 1^st session you don’t feel this program can help you with your book, return the materials and you get your money back, no questions asked!

Please act today. Visit www.TheBreakIntoNovel.com to register now!

Seattle [Renton] August 24-26, 2007 Atlanta -Jan. 18-20, 2008

Houston – April 18-20, 2008

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Win a TV!

As you can see, I love gadgets and techie stuff.  I know just enough to be dangerous.   What I learned about today, I learned from Judy.  I found a website/blog called 5 Minutes for Mom, and not only is it a neat site, but they give away PRIZES!  This latest contest is for a 37″ Flat-Screen LCD HDTV!!, courtesy of Best Buy.

Winning contests is not my strong suit, but SOMEONE will win, and I won’t win if I don’t try!

Hmmmm….kinda like submitting work for publication….

WAY TO GO!

Congratulations to my friend Jacquie Rogers for winning the PEARL Award for the best Novella/Short Story with her title Faery Good Advice in the No Law Against Love Anthology by Highland Press!

WhoohOOO!  Chocolate all around!

Again with the contest!

Round 1-187th out of 513 entries (I think)
Round 2-152nd out of ? entries (over 300 I think)

In round three, there were 276 entries submitted. The top 10 in this round will be decided on Wednesday, and the winner announced by Friday, I believe. Then starts round 4.
I can be happy about that. Somewhere in the middle both times so far. I’ve had some good comments in all the entries, and in round three. I was worried I hadn’t written enough, but I ended up having to edit to make it fit the character count, and I think that left me with a couple of plot holes.

Oh well.  I’m not doing too bad since I’ve never even tried to write Regency.

Round Two!

Okay, I spent all evening preparing my entry for round two of the Avon FanLit contest. Again, I’m at least getting the satisfaction of beginning, ending and meeting a deadline. If nothing else, it’s good practice!

Thanks for the boost that helped me decide to go on, y’all!

Up and Down, Up and Down

Okay, so today I wake up and check my ranking on the Avon contest (now I almost know how pubs feel when checking theirs on the Amazon site.) This morning, I was in a pretty decent place. This evening, I come home from work to see I’ve dipped again. But I had some constructive comments.

Valkyrie said, “I liked this. Nice twist. But I’m expectin’ this fella to Yeehah! like a Texas cowboy at Billy Bob’s on a Saturday night instead of a Virginia planter.”

Well, I guess I can think of this as having a strong voice, seeing I AM from Texas. And I admit, I am having second thoughts about the line regarding his having to go see a man about a horse. It is corny and really doesn’t fit. Too “yeehaw” to borrow V.’s phrase. But he wasn’t THAT bad. I didn’t describe him as being a bumpkin, and a reader can tell he was educated. I just felt that his voice needed to be distinctly different than that of an Englishman. And I have a customer that’s from Virginia, and I borrowed from her tone of voice when she speaks, so I feel that it works for me. I don’t want to justify anything really, just talk about why I did what, not that it really matters to anyone but me at this point.

Lindseywfu says, “Though you’ve created some entertaining secondary characters, you don’t take this scene far enough – the focus needs to be on Damien and the Countess.”

and

Tawney says, “Nice writing but too much backstory bogs down the pace.”

This was something I was worried about. See, for those that aren’t following, they give you the storyline of the scene, not to be over 8,500 characters, (about 1500 words.) That works out to be roughly about 6 manuscript pages, and I’m used to writing chapters that run between 15-20 pages. Not to mention that the method of submitting this doesn’t really allow for formatting of the passage so it’s not hard on the eyes. So even after I felt I was done, I had to find stuff to cut that I really wanted to keep in there. There is some backstory, and I worried I was putting too much in, but it felt right to me. And I have read plenty of books where about this much doesn’t bother me to read, so I gave it a try. I was concerned that there wasn’t enough of the heroine. I wonder if this really will come back to bite me, since I’d be lucky to have an editor read 6 pages before deciding the pace is too slow and sending me one of those lovely form rejection letters.

I’ve also had some really GREAT comments.

CM:”This is an inventive scenario, and I’m quite interested to hear more!”

Stargaze: “The imagery the writer had for this scene was incredible. The words jumped off the page and became a reality in my mind. I hope that I see more writing of this magnitude. This writer has a true talent that should not be ignored. “

Jenny: “Yes”

PT Mama: “This was great it caught my interest.”

Cleo’s Mom: “Great!”

liesesf: “Good dialogue and interesting twist.”

So that’s uplifting too. Well, I’d talk more, but I have to go check my ranking…

Que es ‘vanilla?’

So I’ve entered the Avon FanLit Contest.

It’s the first time in a long time I’ve had the momentum to write, and it was like a long drink of cold ice water on a hot summer day. I had fun with it, too. I put my printer into shock when I ran copies off to take to my critique group. And I found out how rusty I was at reading aloud. But I was warmed by the support of my CPs.

It’s quite a rollercoaster over there, watching my ranking go up and down. I’ve had some heartwarming comments, and thankfully, the people who’ve read my entry and ranked it low have adhered to the ‘if you can’t say something nice’ rule. One comment kind of threw me though, the reviewer said that they like more vanilla in their Regencies. As I haven’t any ‘hot’ scenes or dialogue in my chapter, I have to ask, “What does this reader mean by ‘vanilla?’ What is vanilla? I don’t know, but now I want an ice cream cone.

And reading my entry over again, and though I know a writer will always find something to grimace at upon re-reading, I made one spelling error and didn’t strictly adhere to the storyline, so I think this might hinder me some. And a friend told me about some shenanigans that might be going on with other readers and entrants that I didn’t know about, so I can’t be disappointed if I don’t get anywhere with this thing. What’s good about it is I’m flexing my near-petrified writing muscles, and making myself meet a deadline imposed by the contest.

Another thing I’m doing is taking part in The Writing Workshop hosted by Candace Havens, where she’s teaching her Fast Draft, which is how to write your first draft in two weeks. This method has worked great for a lot of people, but I feel it will be a particular challenge for me. I am having discipline problems, and have for a really long time. Some of it was health-related, some of it has developed into a bad habit. Either way, I’m looking to shake it.

I was able to spend some time with a friend from out of town who writes today, and that was yet another shot in the arm. I always feel so motivated when I leave my critique groups each week, but then I lose the buzz. But that’s becoming less and less acceptable to me. For Pete’s sake, I’m not just some wannabe, but lately all this talk and no action is sure making me look like one.

Wowee! 2006 RITA FINALISTS!

I am so thrilled! Many of my favorite authors have been nominated, but some of them are actually friends of mine! YAYAYAY! CONGRATULATIONS!

Shelly Bates has been nominated for an Inspirational novel entitled Pocketful of Pearls.

Jennifer Archer has been nominated for in the category of Best Book with Strong Romantic Elements for her book The Me I Used to Be.

Candace Havens has been nominated for Best First Book and Best Book with Strong Romantic Elements for her novel Charmed and Dangerous!

Way to go, Ladies!

Another author I have read quite a bit and have been acquainted with was nominated as well. Jodi Thomas was nominated for The Texan’s Reward.

The Golden Heart and the new RWR

I got my issue of the new RWR in the mail today. Some very interesting stuff in it. La Nora DID publish her letter to RWA in this issue, just as she said she would. And the first letter on the opinion pages was an apology to Nora and the RWA Membership. Maybe I am glad I didn’t go this year, after all.

This issue also contained the forms and rules for the 2006 RITA and Golden Heart competitions. For the first time in years, I read that over and felt a rush of “You should enter.” Should I trust that inner voice and push to get this accomplished? Was it a “sign?” Or am I delusional and just yearn to burn another entry fee? Hmmm. The manuscript I would enter has done VERY well in other contests so far. Hmmmm….