Nationally Known Authors Headline Fall 2013 Hillerman Writers Conference

2013 TONY HILLERMAN WRITERS CONFERENCE:

NATIONALLY KNOWN AUTHORS TO TEACH AT GATHERING

SANTA FE, NM –A handpicked faculty of award-winning published authors, who are also accomplished teachers, will headline the 2013 Tony Hillerman Writers Conference.

Established to honor author Tony Hillerman, the conference keeps Hillerman’s legacy alive and welcomes writers of all genres and abilities. The 2013 conference will be Nov. 7–9, 2013  in Santa Fe at the Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza.

The event features faculty members such as:

·      Margaret Coel, award-winning author of the Wind River Mysteries and the Catherine McLeod Novels

·      Kirk Ellis, Emmy-award winning writer of the HBO mini-series John Adams

·      Craig Johnson, New York Times’ best-selling author of the Walt Longmire series that inspired the hit TV drama on A&E. His newest honor is The Rocky for the best mystery novel set in the west. His writing has also been honored with the Western Writers of America’s Spur Award; Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, and Library Journal as the Best Mystery of the Year.

·      David Morrell, winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel and the ThrillerMaster Award from the International Thrillers Writers.

·      James McGrath Morris, recipient of two New Mexico Book Awards and the Eagleton-Waters Book Award for his biographies

·      Anne Hillerman, winner of the independent booksellers Mountains and Plains Book Award and first-place honors from the National Federation of Press Women

The conference features workshops on getting published and marketing books, as well as on the craft of writing. It opens with two half-day hands-on workshops for authors on “Perfect Plotting,” facilitated by Margaret Coel, and “Great Openings and Endings,” taught by James McGrath Morris.

The Tony Hillerman Writers Conference is intentionally designed as an intimate event, where writers have the opportunity to interact with and get feedback from faculty members and their fellow writers. “The small size of the conference enables students to interact informally with each other and our faculty at nightly book signings and during our flash critique session with thriller master David Morrell and literary agent Liz Trupin Pulli,” says Anne Hillerman.

“We’re also proud to offer an opportunity for our participants to talk about their work at the ‘New Book/New Author Breakfast’,” says conference co-founder Jean Schaumberg.

The Tony Hillerman Writer’s conference began in 2004. Tony Hillerman offered ideas and encouragement to Schaumberg and co-founder Anne Hillerman until his death in 2008. In selecting faculty, Hillerman and Schaumberg focus on highlighting the wealth of literary talent in New Mexico and the Southwest, of which Tony Hillerman was always a fan.       

For further details, please visit http://www.wordharvest.com/registration.php

10 Classic Books All Teens Should Read

Young Adult literature is enjoying an almost unprecedented explosion in popularity, moving more and more teens to lose themselves in the wonderful world of books. While the shelves of the local big-box retailer may be weighted down with plenty of offerings from bestselling authors, there are also a plethora of classics that no teenage bookworm should miss. These ten classics are among the most moving, inspiring and thought-provoking out there, giving today’s YA lit a run for it’s proverbial money.

Visit the website: http://www.babysittingjobs.com/blog/10-classic-books-all-teens-should-read/

M Writer Residencies Open to Applications 2014-15

M Writer Residencies Open to Applications
—————————————–
Applications for the 2014-5 M Writer’s Residencies are now open. The Programme funds three-month residencies in Bangalore, India and Shanghai, China for writers of fiction, nonfiction, poetry or dramatic prose. (The residency in India is at Sangam House, which can also be applied to separately at http://www.sangamhouse.org )

The M Writer’s Residencies have been established to disseminate a broader knowledge of contemporary life and writing in India and China today and to foster deeper intellectual, cultural and artistic links across individuals and communities.

Applications close on June 1, 2013.

Visit the website:

http://www.m-restaurantgroup.com/mbund/Ms_residency.html

Virginia Beach Writers’ Conference to Connect Writers with Literary Agents, Editors, and Publishers

Hampton Roads Writers, Inc. (HRW), a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for writers to achieve publication success, will host its fifth annual conference in Virginia Beach, September 19-21, 2013, at the Westin Town Center hotel.  The multi-day conference will provide opportunities for attendees to hone their writing craft, pitch their book manuscripts to New York literary agents actively seeking clients, and network with writers and other writing professionals.
“We are proud of the expansive selection of workshops offered this year,” said Lauran Strait, HRW founder and President of the Board of Directors. “There’s something for all writers at the conference.”

In total, attendees will be able to choose from twenty-eight workshops, covering topics such as poetry, screenplays, fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and the business of getting published.  “Since most of the craft workshops will be interactive, we expect that attendees will depart the sessions with short works-in-progress in hand,” said Strait.

The conference kicks off the evening of September 19 when attendees may choose from four workshops.  One workshop designed to help writers pitch their manuscripts to a literary agent is expected to fill to capacity as more and more writers take advantage of the free ten-minute agent pitch sessions that have come to be a popular feature of the HRW conferences.  “Last year, of the more than seventy-five conference attendees who pitched,” said Strait, “a few were subsequently asked to submit full manuscripts.”  This year’s agents include Ethan Vaughan, from Kimberley Cameron and Associates, and Jeff Ourvan, of the Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency.

Friday’s keynote speaker will be Lisa McMann, New York Times bestselling author of the WAKE Trilogy, the VISIONS series, and the UNWANTEDS series.  Kevin Maurer, award-winning reporter and New York Times bestselling co-author of No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden will deliver the keynote on Saturday.  McMann and Maurer also will lead several one-hour workshops.

Other workshop presenters include fiction writers Clifford Garstang, Lydia Netzer, Jeff Andrews, and Chantelle Aimée Osman, Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist Mitch Weiss, author and Certified Public Accountant Jack Downs, and poet Jeanne Larsen.

Three writers’ contests offered as a free component of the conference allow attendees an opportunity to win cash prizes.  Anyone who registers for the conference on or before July 26 may submit a short story, a nonfiction piece, and/or a poem for competition.  Winners will be announced and awarded prizes at the conclusion of the conference on September 21.  Prizes range from $100 to $250, and it’s possible for entrants to win something in all three categories.

One of the most eagerly anticipated segments of past conferences, the First-10-Line Critique sessions, will occur again this year on Friday and Saturday mornings.  Agents and bestselling authors who make up the critiquing panel aren’t afraid to say what they think about the work and whether they would continue reading or not, and often they offer suggestions for improvement.

“Each year we lengthen the critique sessions to accommodate as many first-ten-line submissions as possible,” said Nancy Blumenberg, HRW’s Vice President and Publicity Director. “Since attendees aren’t told ahead of time if their work will be read, everyone who submitted something sits poised in anxious anticipation, wondering if their work will be picked for critique.”

A book store that features books on writing craft and the business of publishing and also books written by HRW members attending the conference will be available for attendees.

An optional networking social with silent auction will occur from 5 – 7 PM on Friday, September 20.  Proceeds from the auction will be used, in part, to provide full and partial scholarships to HRW’s Traveling Pen Series workshops and to the conference.  New York Times bestselling authors, Michael Palmer and Lisa McMann, as well as a host of other local and not so local writers and businesses, have donated items to the auction.

Businesses interested in advertising, exhibiting, or distributing samples or premiums during the conference, or donating products or services for the silent auction are welcome to contact HRW at HRWriters@cox.net.  “The conference bags given to all attendees offer Blockbuster and Award-Winner sponsors the perfect opportunity for advertisement,” said Blumenberg.  “Their logos emblazoned on the bags will be seen throughout the conference and then beyond since the bag is perfect for carrying around books and other things.”

Early bird registration for the conference is $175 for HRW members and $215 for nonmembers and will conclude July 26.  The fee climbs to $215 for HRW members and $255 for nonmembers after that.  Conference fees include lunch both days, the conference bag filled with goodies, and a complete set of handouts from every workshop.  Annual HRW membership — which can be had for as little as $35 — confers substantial price reductions for all HRW fee-based activities.

Hampton Roads Writers, 150 members strong and growing, supports Virginia’s established and emerging writers.  For additional information about HRW or the conference, visit hamptonroadswriters.org or email Lauran Strait at HRWriters@cox.net, or call Donna at  757-639-6146 .

4 Keys to a Killer Book Cover Design—a free webinar

INTRODUCING the 4 Keys to a Killer Book Cover Design—a free webinar!

Your book cover is often the most powerful and sometimes the best marketing tool to help grab attention at bookstores and online. So you want to make sure you know the keys to designing a great cover.

In this free webinar, hosted by Archway Publishing, Jason Heuer, Assistant Art Director at Simon & Schuster will reveal the keys to creating eye-catching covers for fiction and non-fiction books. Whether you plan to pay a designer or do your own design, you don’t want to miss this event.

Time:

Thursday, May 2, 2013 – 12:00 pm EST

Registration Link:

https://simonandschuster.webex.com/simonandschuster/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=680132791

Last Call: BookBaby’s Mega Book Launch Sweepstakes

Enter to win $16,000 in prizes!

This is our most amazing grand prize package ever! Featuring everything an indie author could possibly need to publish, promote, and sell their book, this grand prize is positively packed with goodies.

Deadline for entries is 04/30/2013!

The Grand Prize includes:

• BookBaby – Premium eBook Publishing Package (A $249 value!)
• BookBaby Print – 300 Books, Deluxe Cover Design, Interior Formatting (A $3,000 value!)
• HostBaby – 12 Months Web Hosting (A $199 value!)
• BEA Trip – BEA Passes, Transportation, Hotel, Book Signing (A $4,000 value!)
• IndieReader.com – Interview & Review (A $500 value!)
• Circle of Seven Productions – Book Trailer Production/Distribution (A $2,000 value!)
• Smith Publicity – Press Release, Media Blast (through Net Galley), Publicity Consultation (A $3,000 value!)
• BookDisplays.com – CityStand Book Stands (A $80 value!)
• JKSCommunications – 15-Date Virtual Book Tour (A $1,750 value!)
• PR Newswire – Web ReachPLUS Press Release Distribution (A $400 value!)
• PR by the Book – Social Media Consultation (A $900 value!)

Total Prize Value: $16,078

There’s no cost to enter. Hurry! Deadline for entries is 04/30/2013.

Void where prohibited by law.

View complete sweepstakes rules here.

Fiction Writing Bootcamp May 3-5, 2013

Two Publishing Pros to Offer Fiction Writing Bootcamp May 3-5 in Santa Barbara

Two literary insiders team up to help budding authors craft novels that will catch the eye of agents and publishers. Shelly Lowenkopf and Toni Lopopolo began the bootcamps in 2010 in the Santa Barbara/Ventura area. The latest edition is “Bare Knuckles Bootcamp” which brings their accumulated knowledge and street creds as Executive Editors with Macmillan, St. Martins, Bantam and Dell, along with Ms. Lopopolo’s literary agency work, to help writers achieve their dreams of publication.
“We’re looking for a few good writers who have the stamina and imagination to reach the level of marketable authors,” Ms Lopopolo said. “We wanted to hone the skills of more talented area writers.” The camp is a three-day intensive limited to ten writers who must submit up to ten pages and a synopsis in advance to be accepted.

The bootcamp will delve into: your opening page (velocity vs. set up); refining point of view; how to avoid fatal story errors; and an area where many writers never do enough, revision, revision, revision. Other areas covered include: creating charged dialogue; how to create your character’s defining moment; how to make your story win every round; and, much more.

“So many people dive into writing without understanding that novel writing is not like a thesis for an English Lit class,” Shelly Lowenkopf said. “To be published, a writer must meet a high standard, one that is achievable IF you know where the bar is. Toni and I have been raising that bar for years and will now pass on our experience to new writers.”
Shelly Lowenkopf has held major editorial positions with Sherbourne Press (Editor-in-Chief); Dell Publishing (Director, Los Angeles office); Clio Books (Editor-in-Chief); Ross-Erickson (Editor-in-Chief); and, Capra Press (Advisory and Acquisitions Editor). He has seen over seven hundred books and hundreds of short story and essay projects through the publishing process.  Currently a freelance consultant and teacher, his clients include novelists, retired and active academics, and the humorist creator of one of the most popular television series of all time.  For over 30 years, he was a fixture at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, running his famous nightly Pirate Sessions.

Lowenkopf taught courses in short story, novel, dramatic writing, editing, genre fiction, and revision at the graduate level in one of the most prestigious writing programs in America at University of Southern California, where he was given a Lifetime Teaching Award.  He is a past regional president of the Mystery Writers of America. His most recent book, The Fiction Writer’s Companion, is a guide to terms, concepts, and forms related to storytelling.

Literary Agent, Toni Lopopolo, brings a book publishing resume that began in 1970 in the publicity dept of Bantam Books, where she helped publicize authors such as Philip Roth, Barbara Cartland, Isaac Asimov, and Louis L’Amour.

She next served as Library Promotion Director at Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, until Houghton Mifflin offered her a position in Boston as Marketing Manager, Paperback Books. Her big campaigns included Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins.  When Macmillan offered Toni the title of Executive Editor, she moved back to New York City and published Judy Mazel’s Beverly Hills Diet, Elvis 56 by Al Wertheimer, among other hits. Next St. Martin’s Press made an offer she couldn’t refuse and Toni became Executive Editor from 1981 to 1990. She published Hot Flashes by Barbara Raskin and Rich and Famous by Kate Coscarelli plus Elsa Lanchester, Herself, by Elsa Lanchester, On The Other Hand by Fay Wray as well biographies of Lillian Hellman, Mary McCarthy, and many other titles. She has taught fiction and narrative non-fiction writing at Temple University in Philadelphia.

In 1991, Toni opened Literary Management and has sold books for authors Sol Stein, Lee Silber, Lillian Glass, Steve Duno, Nancy Baer, Flo Fitzgerald, Judith Smith-Levin, Howard Olgin, Jeanette Baker, Larry Seeley, Shelly Lowenkopf, and many others.

To learn more about the bootcamp curriculum or how to submit pages for acceptance, visit:  www.writingbootcamps.com or email Toni Lopopolo at LopopoloBooks@aol.com.

The bootcamp is presented by the Pacific Institute for Professional Writing, a California 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit,
CALENDAR INFORMATION: WHAT:  Bare Knuckles Bootcamp
WHEN: May 3-4-5

TIME: Friday: 5:30 to 8:30 pm – Saturday and Sunday: 9:30 am to 4:30 pm

PLACE: Private home in Santa Barbara

###

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS: “A CELEBRATION OF WORDS” IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS

“A CELEBRATION OF WORDS” IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS

Final day of Ojai WordFest needs helpers at Libbey Bowl event

 

(Ventura, CA – April 1, 2013) Volunteers are needed to help in a variety of positions for “A Celebration of Words,” the daylong finale of Ojai WordFest on Saturday, April 13. Scheduled festivities will include stage readings and performances by authors, poets, and songwriters. There will be a create workshop for children, a poetry panel discussion and a special presentation of “I Sing Walt Whitman!” by actor/playwright John Slade.

A “Book Fair at the Bowl” will be held on the lawn above the bowl featuring authors and poets with books and other literary items for sale. The event is free to the public and will run from 10 am to 5 pm.

There are several ways to assist:

Stage Manager: Will work with the authors, poets and emcee to bring people to the staging area, escort on stage and monitor the sound system. We would like one person but could split morning and afternoon duties.

Move in or Move out: Starting at 8 AM, we need people to direct the exhibitors where to unload their cars and where to set up their tables. Starting at 4 PM, we need a second shift to direct traffic at the Bowl’s loading dock as they pack up and move out.

Welcomers: We will position two people to stand near the entrance arch and welcomes people to the event, answers questions, and hands out programs. There will be a third person at the top of the bowl to direct people and oversee water distribution. These will go in two-hour shifts.

Table Sitters: Several of our authors are both speaking and exhibiting. We need people to sit at their exhibit table while they are reading on stage.

Help with Anything: There will always be places where we need a person to sit or direct people, help exhibitors find their tables, etc. Good-natured people required to move from one position to another.

To learn more visit: http://www.wordfestbookfair.com and click on Volunteers at the top or contact Kate Sexton, Event Coordinator, at Kate@KateSexton.com

New writers conference launched in Glendale, CA

 

Pacific Institute for Professional Writing to Expand its Highly Successful Writers Weekend Events

 

New Writers Conference to Launch July 20 & 21 in Glendale, CA

 

Writers wishing to learn more about the craft and business of publishable stories, memoir, and informative narrative, will find significant opportunities Saturday and Sunday, July 20 & 21 at Glendale College in Glendale, CA.

The PIPW Writers Weekend: Glendale, features publishing professionals as speakers and panelists for the educational seminars. The event, open to emerging and intermediate writers of all ages, is produced by the Pacific Institute for Professional Writing (PIPW). Co-sponsors are the Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC) and the Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network (SPAWN). Additional writers’ groups have been invited to join the weekend activities as sponsors.

“We’re pleased to produce this event in Glendale,” said Kate Sexton, Executive Director of the Pacific Institute for Professional Writing. “Last year, our Ventura County Writers Weekend was well received, with attendance growing 41% from the prior year. This year we will continue to offer professional advice writers need to know in order to grow into 21st century conventions and writing styles. We’ve secured two top west coast literary agents, a leading book editor, and a popular memoirist, to lead seminars.”

The educational focus will be for writers of novels and narrative nonfiction. Saturday’s theme is: “The Business of Writing.” Sunday’s theme is “The Craft of Writing.” Each session is 90-minutes long with time for Q&A. Interested writers may purchase a session ticket, a day pass, or a two-day pass.

The website, www.PIPWWritersWeekend.com will launch May 1st with a schedule of sessions offered, and a list of the speakers.

Regional writing groups are welcome to co-sponsor the event and should contact Ms. Sexton at  805-524-6970  or Kate@PIPW.org for more details.

PIPW produces the annual Ventura County Writers Weekend event along with workshops and other services to deliver professional advise to area writers. Founded in 2010, PIPW’s mission: to promote the skills and standards for professional writing. The Institute’s goal: to see the art and craft of writing continue to be a prominent part of our communities by connecting unpublished writers with the professional community of editors, agents and publishers.

“We were founded to deliver professional level education for all genres of writing,” said Kate Sexton, executive director of PIPW. “We’ve been fortunate to have the support of area professionals who lead our workshops and participate on panels for the conferences. We began in Santa Barbara because of its rich literary traditions and the quality of authors, editors and publishers living there. Our programs quickly moved into Ventura County.”

PIPW has also sponsored other events including Ojai WordFest and Ojai Writers Conference, along with the series of very popular Writers Workshops with Toni Lopopolo and Fiction Writers Bootcamp with Ms. Lopopolo and legendary West Coast editor, author, and former professor from USC’s Masters in Professional Writing Program, Shelly Lowenkopf. Mr. Lowenkopf is a co-founder of PIPW.

To learn more about PIPW visit www.PacificInstituteforProfessionalWriting.com.

So what really goes on at a writers’ retreat?

There’s been a real boom in the popularity of creative writing weekends over the last few years.

There are some who say writers retreats are a waste of time, pandering to writers’ fragile egos

and encouraging people to believe they have writing talents which they, frankly, lack.

But on the other hand, many writers really enjoy them and swear that a weekend away

with other writers is a positive part of the creative process.

 The truth about writers’ weekends away By Mark Hoult:

http://www.westsussex.info/what-really-goes-on-at-a-writers-retreat.shtml

 

10 REASONS POEMS DON’T ALWAYS NEED TO RHYME

While the traditional view of formal poetry includes a very strict rhyme scheme that must be adhered to, the free verse style popularized by the great Ezra Pound largely eschews rhyme schemes altogether, instead relying on the power of the words themselves to paint a vivid portrait of the poet’s feelings. Free verse has become so widely accepted by publishers of modern poetry, in fact, that some won’t even entertain submissions of formal poetry. These are ten of the reasons why it’s okay to break the traditional mold in your own poetry, opting instead for something a bit less rigid.

Visit the website for details:

http://www.kenneymyers.com/blog/10-reasons-poems-dont-always-need-to-rhyme/

Recording Artist Gloria Gaynor Seeks Personal Stories of Survival for New Book: Paid Market

Have you survived an illness, personal tragedy, devastating loss, abusive relationship, financial ruin, or other life experience that brought you to your knees? Did the song “I Will Survive,” by Grammy Award-winning songstress Gloria Gaynor, inspire you to rise, survive, and move forward? If so, we’d love to share your story in a new book of personal narrative essays that tell the story of how you survived the experience and how the song influenced your life (essential). We’re looking for real-life stories that read like fiction — similar to those in the Cup of Comfort book series, compiled and edited by Colleen Sell. The book, to be published by Gray Harbor Press, will include 50 stories of 1,000-1,500 words each. For each essay selected for publication in the book, the author will receive $75, a complimentary copy of the book signed by Gloria Gaynor, and a signed photo of Ms. Gaynor.

Submit by April 30, 2013

to glolo2004@me.com or susancarswell@aol.com

How to submit, visit the website:

http://www.gloriagaynor.com/

Last Call for Applications Submissions for Asian American Writer’s – Creative Nonfiction Fellowship

Open City, an online magazine published by the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, documents the pulse of metropolitan Asian America as it’s being lived on the streets of New York right now. Covered by the Wall Street Journal and NPR, a collaborative partner with the New Museum and the Museum of Chinese in America, Open City grants a $5,000 fellowship, career guidance, and publishing opportunities to five Creative Nonfiction Fellows to write and produce both short-form and long-form editorial content on the vibrant immigrant communities of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.If you’re an emerging creative nonfiction writer looking for financial support, a place to publish, and career mentorship, apply to become a Creative Nonfiction Fellow. 

Applications Deadline: April 8th, 2013

Visit the website for submission details:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFVGQURtWEFFSlJMUUJyemM5ZGo0MWc6MQ#gid=0

Ojai WordFest to Host “A Celebration of Words” at Libbey Bowl Saturday, April 13th Day-long event will feature authors, poets, songwriters, and Book Fair

The third annual Ojai WordFest will host “A Celebration of Words” at Libbey Bowl on Saturday, April 13th. The event will be the highlight to the 8-day Ojai WordFest, which runs Saturday April 6 through Saturday April 13. Scheduled festivities will include stage readings and performances by authors, poets, playwrights, songwriters, and other word-artists. A “Book Fair at the Bowl” will be held on the lawn above the bowl featuring authors and poets with books and other literary items for sale. The event is free to the public and will run from 10 am to 5 pm. “We’re thrilled to offer a full day celebrating the written and spoken word at Libbey Bowl,” said Sequoia Hamilton, WordFest director and co-founder. “The renovated Bowl is the perfect place to welcome the Ojai community and out-of-town guests to a free event showcasing the wealth of literary talent from this area.”Hamilton adds, “We invite you to return to WordFest or experience the literary festival for the first time. As an incentive to draw folks out, we have a special hour-long performance that promises to delight the literary community and book lovers. You’ll want to stay to the very end of the day for this surprise performance.”

The family-friendly event is open to authors, poets, playwrights, songwriters and word-artists, representing all genres and ages wishing to participate. For consideration, please submit a copy of what you wish to read to Catelyn Howard at Catelyn@zaziepress.com. To reserve a booth at the Book Fair or share a space, please contact Kate Sexton at Kate@KateSexton.com or register at www.WordFestBookFair.com. Saturday’s events are sponsored by the Ventura County Writers Club, the Ojai Academy of Arts, Ojai Writers Conference & Workshops, Soul Centered Metaphysical Shoppe & Dome and the Krishnamurti Foundation of America.”We’re grateful for the outpouring of support from local businesses, organizations and individuals including an arts grant from the City of Ojai,” said Hamilton.

For more press information on “A Celebration of Words” at Libbey Bowl on Saturday, April 13th, call  (805) 524-6970  or email Kathleen@KathleenKaiser.com.

 

For general information on Ojai WordFest, visit www.OjaiWordFest.com

Looking@Democracy: A national contest for creative media pieces about strengthening American democracy.

LOOKING@DEMOCRACY CONTEST FOR CREATIVE MEDIA

NO ENTRY FEE

Tired of partisan bickering? Feel your voice is left out of our democracy? Have a great idea about how we can all work together?

Deadline April 30, 2013.

Create and send us short digital media content that either:

(a) Tells a story about why government is important to our lives, or
(b) Tells how we might together strengthen American democracy.

Your submission can come in many formats such as short videos, audio stories, animation, music videos, public service announcements, infographics, graphic art, even Facebook and iPhone apps. They all just need to be digital Then Looking@Democracy is the national competition for you! Prizes range from $5,000 to $25,000.

Visit the website for details: http://lookingatdemocracy.org/

The 22nd Annual James Jones First Novel Fellowship 2013

JAMES JONES FIRST NOVEL FELLOWSHIP

$25 ENTRY FEE

The 22nd Annual James Jones First Novel Fellowship will be awarded to an American author of a first fiction novel-in-progress, in 2013, by the James Jones Literary Society. Novellas and collections of closely linked short stories may also be considered for the competition. $10,000 award with two runner-up awards of $750each. A two-page (maximum) outline of the entire novel and the first 50 pages of the novel-in-progress are to be submitted. If a manuscript is selected for the final round, the author will be asked to send another copy of the originally submitted first 50 pages plus pages 51-100. The competition is open to United States citizens who have not previously published a novel. We do not accept entires from authors who have self-published.

Deadline March 1, 2013.

Visit the website for further details: http://www.wilkes.edu/pages/1159.asp

Fermoy International Poetry Festival

Fermoy International Poetry Festival are calling for submissions for this year’s International competition for entry into the BLUE MAX REVIEW.

This year’s festival will run from Thursday August 1st to Monday August 5th and once again the three international winners will be flown to Ireland for the Fermoy International Poetry Festival and will read at the festival. We are delighted to announce that poet Noel King is this year’s competition judge.

Entrants must be resident outside the island of Ireland
Entrants can submit only once
Three poems per submission
Poems submitted must be unpublished

Submissions will only be accepted by post to:

Submissions
Fermoy International Poetry Festival
Festival Office
7 Store Lane
Fermoy
County Cork
Ireland

• Submission costs €10.00 or US$13.50 for three poems
• Payments via PayPal at www.fermoypoetryfestival.com or by bank draft, postal order or money order
• Bank draft, postal order and money order payments must be included with submissions

Closing date March 31st 2013

• Noel King’s decision is final

Visit the website: http://www.fermoypoetryfestival.com/

For further information please email: fermoypoetryfestival@gmail.com

The Poetry Market Ezine Newletter is accepting poetry news, review submissions, contest info & more…

Poetry News and Update Reminders:

Send in your poetry news for inclusion
in an upcoming issue (as space permits).
Poetry news can be of poem publications,
chapbook or book publications, or awards,
etc. News items have to be poetry or
writing related. Poetry contest info
needs to include contact info and be a
short condensed listing (i.e. don’t send
us a press release or a website link only)

TIPS: Do not send Press Releases.
No poems. We don’t publish poems.

Currently accepting review submissions of
poetry books or chapbooks. Guidelines
http://www.thepoetrymarket.com
click on ABOUT) or email for guidelines.

Email news items to:
thepoetrymarket@yahoo.com

For general info:
tpme@thepoetrymarket.com

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The 12th Annual Poetry Super Highway Great Poetry Exchange

The 12th Annual Poetry Super Highway
Great Poetry Exchange

The mission of the Poetry Super Highway
is to expose as many people to as many
other people’s poetry as possible.

What? – Send a book – Get a book

In February 2013, the Poetry Super Highway will coordinate a great free exchange of poetry publications amongst poets worldwide.

It’s not a contest. There are no judges, entry fees, winners, or losers.

Last year, 78 poets participated both sending their book and receiving another poet’s book from another randomly selected participant

By agreeing to participate, someone will be exposed to your poetry, and you will be exposed to someone else’s poetry.

How?

To participate you must volunteer to mail one copy of one poetry book that you have written to one other person participating. Just one book. In exchange, you will receive in the mail one copy of one poetry book written by another participating poet.

E-books are not eligible for the Great Poetry Exchange. Your book must be physical entity. Even if it’s self published, or one of one that you printed from your computer and stapled together…but please no e-books. (Though we will be repeating our annual Great E-Book Free For All later in the year!)

To Join In:

Go to http://poetrysuperhighway.com/psh/great_poetry_exchange/. Make sure you’ve read all the guidelines and click on “ONLINE SUBMISSION FORM” to enter your book’s information

In early March, we will randomly assign the books to each participant and email to you the name and address of the person you are supposed to send your book to.

We will also list your book and description on this web page along with the link to your website for all to see. In addition we will list the new books in our weekly e-mailed update which goes out to thousands of people.

What else?

Please note, as the Great Poetry Exchange is open to everyone on planet Earth, it’s possible that you will be required to send your book to someone outside of your own country which will, of course cost you more in postage than it would to send it domestically.

Also, we’ll ask that you send us an e-mail in March once your book has actually been sent so we can keep track and make sure that all participants who send a book also get one.

You also must agree to send out your book within 2 weeks of being notified of who to send your book to.

Please note, it’s a circular exchange: You will be sending a book to a different person than you will be receiving one from.

Get all the details at http://poetrysuperhighway.com/psh/great_poetry_exchange/

WinningWriters.com – Free 10 day Trial of Poetry Contest Insider

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FREE 10-DAY TRIAL OF POETRY CONTEST INSIDER
View over 1,250 poetry and prose contest profiles online

Choosing which contests to enter this year? The expert online database at Poetry Contest Insider will save you time and money. Search and sort contests by deadline, prize, fee, recommendation level and more. We don’t just list contests, we point you to the ones that will gain the most attention for your work, whether you are just starting out or are well-established. Exclusive interviews with contest judges and editors help you understand how your submissions are evaluated.

Recent honors for our subscribers include wins and runner-up prizes in contests such as Atlanta Review’s Poetry 2012 International Poetry Competition, the Connecticut Poetry Award, the Contemporary American Poetry Prize from ChicagoPoetry.com, the Eric Hoffer Award for Independent Books, the Gulf Coast Ethnic & Heritage Jazz Festival Poetry Contest, the Inspired by Tagore Writing Competition, the Little Red Tree International Poetry Prize, the Lucidity Poetry Journal Clarity Awards, the Nantucket Directory Poetry Contest, the Nautilus Book Awards, the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and the Poetry Society of New Hampshire National Contest.

Poetry Contest Insider is published by Winning Writers, one of the “101 Best Writing Websites” (Writer’s Digest, 2005-2012). Get instant access for just $9.95 per quarter, with a free 10-day trial at the start. Cancel at any time. Learn more and start your free trial now at http://winningwriters.com/pci

THE POETRY MARKET EZINE!

Attention poets! Searching for poetry markets and contest?

Then subscribe to the free monthly newsletter, The Poetry Market Ezine.

Each monthly issue features poetry markets and contests, poetry and writing news and reviews.

The Poetry Market Ezine is exclusively dedicated to poets, poetry publishers and poetry readers.

Markets and contests are all geared towards poetry only.

Affordable advertisement options and/or poem critique service also available. Publishing since 2001.

Visit:

http://www.thepoetrymarket.com

http://twitter.com/frugalpoet

@frugalpoet

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National Novel Writing Month – November 1 – 30, 2012

National Novel Writing Month is a fun and frenetic approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.

Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.

Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It’s all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.
> Continue reading here

Social Media Networking Expert Laurie Hurley to speak at Fearless Women Rising November Meetings in Ventura and Westlake Village

(Ventura, CA -) - Fearless Women Rising (FWR), a new monthly training class that takes the fear out of sales and marketing for women, will have social media navigator Laurie Hurley as the featured speaker for its November meetings. Ms. Hurley is an established social media expert who partners with small business owners on how to implement these online platforms to expand their presence and drive sales. She will focus her talk on building relationships through social media, which follows the FWR method for sales. Ms Hurley was to speak in September but was rescheduled to November.

“We selected Laurie to speak because of her proven record of success,” said Linda Murphrey, Co-Founder of Fearless Women Rising. “She is helping me expand our FWR presence on Facebook, Twitter and beyond. Her techniques are simple to apply to any business’ marketing plan – offering tools to effectively expand the company’s reach. Social media can be the best relationship builder.”

“Social networking, when done correctly is a giver’s gain situation,” said Laurie Hurley. “Social media is merely the outlet(s) for a business owner to build relationships with their followers, prospects, and clients. It’s absolutely possible to become virtual friends with people in your business network. It’s human nature that like-minded people find each other on social media and forge a relationship that is beneficial to each other. The result can be anything from a new friend who enjoys the same kind of food as you, to a business partnership that was nurtured through communication online – leading to an in-person meeting or phone call. The possibilities are endless!”

“Although I cannot take credit for this statement – People buy from people they like and trust – I have seen this to be true with many of my clients. Once they overcome their limiting beliefs about social media being nothing more than posting cute kid pictures and silly pet videos, a whole new world awaits them and that is what I teach people to do – all in 30-45 minutes a day.”

Laurie Hurley has been an entrepreneur since 1998. Teaching and coaching is her passion, as well as speaking at small business seminars, women’s groups, and educational venues. A dynamic in-person networker, Laurie teaches how to balance and complement online marketing efforts with face-to-face networking, maximizing exposure to the firm’s target market and potential customers.

At the November FWR meetings, Laurie will show attendees how to take off in the fast lane, without stalling. For those attending with a laptop, they will receive hands-on experience, following Laurie’s simple directions.

FWR monthly meetings consist of a keynote speaker whose knowledge promotes positive skills or tools that FWR members can take home and start using the next day. There is an opening address each meeting by FWR founders, Kate Sexton Kaiser and Linda Murphrey, on a special skill set and how they can use it to increase sales. After the keynote there will be group exercises to reinforce each lesson, as well as a time of interactive Q&A.

The goal of Fearless Women Rising is to pass on the experience and knowledge from female trailblazers who have conquered their fears, mastered their skills and now want to share what they have learned with like-minded women who have a burning desire to be…fearless. The meetings are not designed to be networking meetings, but educational trainings on key topics that expand the sales and marketing toolkit. FWR’s target audience is entrepreneurs, small business owners, and mid to upper level sales and marketing professionals.

FWR Memberships are available that offer additional trainings, discounts on meetings, monthly video blogging and online exercises to improve skills. Fearless Women Rising holds monthly meetings focused on specific sales or marketing techniques. The current schedule of speakers and topics are:

November Topic: Social Media Made Easy (Speaker, Laurie Hurley)

November 19  — Poinsettia Pavilion, Ventura, CA – 7 to 9 pm (combined Ventura and Santa Barbara meeting)

November 28  — Hyatt Westlake Plaza, 880 S. Westlake Blvd, Westlake Village, CA – 7 to 9 pm

Fee to attend: FWR members $25, non-members $30

For more details visit: FearlessWomenRising.com

Media Contact:
Karen Marshall, 805-524-6970
Karen@KathleenKaiserAndAssociates.com

Summer Programs for High School Students at Georgetown University

Uncover your potential this next summer at Georgetown.

Explore an array of exciting subjects ranging from Law to History and the Arts.

Interested in a career in medicine? Apply to the Medical Programs for High School Students

to learn about a variety of current topics and medical breakthroughs.

Study what interests you while experiencing campus life before you graduate high school.

Visit our website for more info and to start an online application.

http://scs.georgetown.edu/

Weathervane Playhouse’s third annual festival of 10-minute plays — eight plays, 10 minutes each

Weathervane Playhouse (Akron, OH)  is excited to announce that the 3rd Annual 8×10 TheatreFest will be held on August 16-18, 2013.   

CALL FOR ENTRIES: Playwrights from around the country are invited to submit 10 minute plays which will be read by a committee of volunteers, who will choose eight finalist plays.    Over TheatreFest weekend, each finalist play will be given three performances.  Guest judges will choose First and Second Place winners and the audiences will vote for their favorite.   Following Sunday’s matinee performance, winners will be announced and cash prizes awarded!   

$350 – First Place

$250 – Second Place

$150 – Audience Favorite

$50 each  – Five Runners Up

Deadline for submission is 5pm on Friday, May 31, 2013.  

There is a $10 administrative fee per playwright. Playwrights may submit a maximum of two entries for this fee.
• Please CLICK HERE to read why we charge a fee.

For guidelines, rules and how to enter, go to  www.weathervaneplayhouse.com. (Click on Shows & Events, Special Events.) 

For questions please contact Eileen Moushey, Coordinator, email:  10minuteplay@weathervaneplayhouse.com

Guidelines: http://www.weathervaneplayhouse.com/8×10-theatrefest-playwright-info