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

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

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

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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.

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/

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

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 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/

Ideas Tap: Bursary for arts students and recent graduates – Must be United Kingdom based

Saddled by student debt? Whether you’re a first-year student or a graduate, if you embarked on a BA or BMus in 2006* or later, you could benefit from having £9,000 wiped off your Student Loans Company balance by IdeasTap. 

For a chance to win, simply tell us in 100 words or less what you could offer to IdeasTap’s network in exchange for the money. It could be an idea or a service, for example “This is how you could improve your site…” or “I’ll run this Spa event for your members…” – the more imaginative, original and feasible the idea, the better!

We’ll then invite a shortlist of our favourite 50 ideas to submit further information, from which we’ll select one lucky winner of a £9,000 lump sum, paid directly to the Student Loans Company – and four runners-up, who will each receive a £500 lump sum, also paid directly to the Student Loans Company. The winner will then be required to deliver their idea with appropriate support from IdeasTap.

To be eligible to enter, you must be UK-based and have:

• embarked on a Bachelor of Arts or BMus degree in 2006 or later.

• £9,000 or more in debt (we’ll ask to see a Student Loans statement, if shortlisted).

• studied in the UK and taken out a loan with the Student Loans Company.

• a first degree – we won’t pay towards a Masters or Postgraduate qualification.

• a profile picture on your IdeasTap profile.

• intellectual property of the ideas submitted – IdeasTap must be able to use any of the ideas from submissions, shortlisted entrants, runners-up and the winner.

 Find out more and apply by 29 March at www.ideastap.com/unifeefund

The brief closes on Friday 29 March at 5pm and is open to IdeasTap members aged 18 and over. If you have any technical queries, please visit our Help Centre. Late entries will not be accepted under any circumstances, including technical issues – so make sure you don’t leave your application to the last minute.
*Please note, this opportunity is open to those who commenced Higher Education study in September 2006 onwards, to reflect the introduction of £3,070 per year top-up fees.

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

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

Valhalla Press is pleased to announce all the winners of the first Valhalla Press Literary Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Writing Contest

Washington, DC October 17, 2012 – Valhalla Press is pleased to announce all the winners of the first Valhalla Press Literary Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Contest. The contest sought out the best in original short literary fiction and nonfiction work written in English.

We previously announced that the First Prize winner in the Valhalla Press Literary Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Writing Contest is Jan English Leary for her story, Mother’s Helper, a classic short story reminiscent of John Updike. Jan received $500 and her e-reader of choice, the Nook ST with Glolight.

We also previously announced that Mary Beth Ellis won second prize for her creative nonfiction piece, People Who Choose to Run, written in the New Journalism tradition of Tom Wolfe. Mary selected a Nook Color for her prize, which will be sent as soon as the new version is available.

We are now pleased to announce our list of Honorable Mention winners. Each of these pieces will appear in the inaugural issue of Ragnarok, Valhalla Press’ e-lit journal, which will be published on November 1, 2012. The Honorable Mention winners also received payment of $25 for their work. The winners are:

Loss by Jamie Derkenne

Hip, Hip Harrumph! by Mark Levine

The Atrocities of War by Jennifer Peckinpaugh

Canadian Geese in Phoenix by Davey Jones

The Leaving of Things by Jaidev Antani

The judges will provide individual feedback to each contest entrant over the next few weeks. We apologize for the brief delay in feedback – we are hard at work. Valhalla Press would like to thank all entrants for their help in making our inaugural writing contest a success.

For more information, go to www.valhallapress.com/contest.php

About Valhalla Press

Valhalla Press is a publisher of an eclectic list of ebooks and soon the e-lit journal, Ragnarok. Our authors include seasoned published writers as well as newly discovered writers.

November 3 & 4 in Camarillo Speakers include media experts, publishers, literary agents, and published authors

Top SoCal Publishing Professionals to Speak at Ventura County Writers’ Weekend,

(Ventura, CA -) Thirty publishing industry figures are booked in Camarillo on Saturday and Sunday, November 3 & 4 to speak at the second annual Ventura County Writers’ Weekend. Saturday’s schedule presents the Business of Writing; Sunday the Craft of Writing. Sessions speakers include:

- Memoirists Diana Raab, and Reyna Grande whose new book The Distance Between Us was hailed by the Los Angeles Times as the Angela’s Ashes of the modern Mexican immigrant experience. This panel discussion will be lead by literary agent Toni Lopopolo, who when she served as executive editor in New York publishing, houses, signed and published many memoirs.

- Media experts on two different panels will discuss the basics that authors must master to promote their books to today’s book buyers. The panelists include Penny Sansevieri, CEO of Author Marketing Experts, considered the originator of the Virtual Book Tour, one of the many new ways to use social media and the Internet. Other media speakers include Laurie Hurley, the social media navigator who handles media for clients, Patricia Fry, author of numerous books for writers on promotion and marketing, and Kate Sexton, publicist and creator of the Author Promote Thyself workshops.

- Publishers from small presses who are gaining success with new publicity and distribution media including Caitland Alexander, author of over 100 children’s books who now publishes directly to eBook; Stan Corwin, former CEO of Pinnacle Books and now a small-press publisher, and Christopher Meeks of White Whiskers Publishing, a Southern California independent press.

- Three area editors who work with writers to develop publishable manuscripts, include Cheri Rae of Santa Barbara, Greg Elliot of Agoura, and Flo Selfman of Words a la Mode in Los Angeles. These speakers will discuss the most common errors writers make and how to prepare a well-edited manuscript.

Seating is limited to 40 people per panel. The event takes place at the Pleasant Valley Community Park in the Senior Center and runs from 9 to 5 on Saturday and 10 to 4 on Sunday.

Registration and full details for each class is at: www.VCWritersWeekend.com, or phone 805-633-1506.

True False Theatre’s, “Polygraph Tests,” Playwrights Residency

Polygraph (n.) 1. a machine designed to detect and record changes in biological characteristics 2. an author who can write on a variety of different subjects
The Polygraph Tests is a residency program committed to enriching the process of theatre development by pairing selected playwrights with collaborators eager to guide and inspire the scripts’ evolution. We are looking for dangerous stories that expose and examine the ways in which desire and impulse define human relationships. Writers of all ages and from all experience levels are invited to submit plays that align with our mission statement:

True False Theatre is a group of artists dedicated to creating high-quality dramatic theatre that challenges the imagination and inspires a more conscious and compassionate community. Our goal is to probe modern value systems through entertaining productions of socially relevant plays, which uphold a commitment to exciting and empowering New York City.

This program features a three-week rehearsal period focused on giving writers the time and tools they need to experiment and develop strong character development, plot structure, and dialogue. Each playwright will work alongside a director and actors who are excited to inspire the author’s vision and provide him or her with feedback regarding the rewrites made during the residency. After a mid-process public reading allows each artist to experience their play with an audience, everyone returns to the rehearsal room for another week of collaborating with the writer. The residency ends with a second public reading celebrating the plays in whatever state they are in at the time.

Important Dates:

• Sept 14 – Nov 16: Application Period
• Nov 16 – Dec 7: Reading Period
• Dec 7: Finalist Playwrights Announced
• Dec 7 – Dec 13: Playwright Interviews
• Dec 14: Selected Playwrights Announced
• Dec 21: Invited Directors and Actors Announced
• Jan 20 – Feb 9: Rehearsal Period
• Feb 2: First Public Reading
• Feb 9: Final Public Reading

Submission Guidelines:

• We select playwrights based on two factors: (1) the quality and potential of the writing, and (2) a one-on-one interview during the first week of December 2012.
• We are looking for plays on all subject matters- story and structure that dare to be different.
• Scripts don’t need to be perfectly polished; we will happily accept unfinished work.
• We accept only unpublished plays (but un-produced and previously produced plays are both acceptable).
• You can send us one or several scripts- we prefer you send us two plays so we can understand your voice as much as possible.
• Scripts can be any length (plays less than 75 pages are preferred).

Please fill out the application form at www.truefalsetheatre.org and send your play(s) to submit@truefalsetheatre.org. Sending us your resume and/or artistic statement in addition to your work is acceptable. Submissions received after the November 16, 2012 deadline will not be reviewed.

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS: VENTURA COUNTY WRITERS’ WEEKEND IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS

(Ventura, CA – September 19, 2012) The Ventura County Writers’ Weekend needs volunteers to help in a variety of positions for this year’s event, to be held Saturday and Sunday, November 3 & 4 at the Pleasant Valley Senior Center in Camarillo. The event is open to the public and will host two days of educational seminars.
The Pacific Institute for Professional Writing, producer of the event, is asking for the public’s support by volunteering. As a nonprofit organization, the community’s involvement welcomed and appreciated. The Ventura County Writers Club (VCWC), Ojai Writers Conference, Mystery Writers of America SoCal chapter, Independent Writers of Southern California and the Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network (SPAWN) are co-sponsors.

 

Volunteer positions include: ticket takers, registration desk, poster and flier distribution, and more. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should sign up on the volunteer page of the website: www.vcwritersweekend.com/volunteers.html

 

To learn more about the Writers’ Weekend, visit: www.VCWritersWeekend.com/ or contact Kate Sexton, Event Coordinator, at Kate@KateSexton.com, or by calling 805-633-1506.
The Pacific Institute for Professional Writing is a California 501 (c) (3) corporation. The mission and goals of Institute are:
To bridge the unpublished with the professional community of editors, agents and publishers
To publish exceptional works of fiction and nonfiction that benefit the community
To produce quality events for the writing community and book lovers.
To inspire a curiosity for written and performance related vision
To deliver professional level education on all types of writing
To encourage all new forms of written communication
To demonstrate effective written communication
To mentor the next generation of writers
To learn more about the Institute, visit: www.PacificInstituteforProfessionalWriting.com

Ventura County Writers’ Weekend, November 3 & 4

THE VENTURA COUNTY BOOK & AUTHOR FAIR LAUNCHES

VC WRITERS’ WEEKEND, NOVEMBER 3&4

Two-day event in Camarillo will cover the craft and business of writing

(Ventura, CA September 6, 2012) A literary event for writers wishing to learn more about the craft and business of writing, will take place Saturday and Sunday, November 3&4 at the Pleasant Valley Senior Center in Camarillo. The Ventura County Book & Author Fair will morph into the VC Writers Weekend featuring speakers and educational seminars. The event is produced by the Pacific Institute for Professional Writing (PIPW) and co-sponsored by the Ventura County Writers Club (VCWC), Ojai Writers Conference, Global Writing Adventures, and the Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network (SPAWN).

“We are very excited to produce this educational event in Camarillo,” said Kate Sexton, Executive Director of the Pacific Institute for Professional Writing. “Last year the Book & Author Fair was well received. Afterwards, we discovered that people were very big on our educational offerings, wanting more of them, and not so much for the Book Expo. This year we’re mining PIPW’s core principles and offering professional advise for writers. We have already secured two top west coast literary agents, a leading book editor, and memoirist to lead seminars.”

Saturday’s theme will be “The Business of Writing,” covering book marketing, social networking for authors, self-publishing, small independent presses and an agents panel discussing the current desires of publishers.      

Sunday’s theme is “The Craft of Writing,” with sessions on memoir, writing for stage and television, writing for women and the necessary elements a book needs to get published. Some sessions will be two-hours long and others 90-minutes. There will be a fee for all sessions. People can purchase per session, per day or two-day pass.
The website, www.VCWritersWeekend.com will launch September 15th with full sessions and speakers. Other regional writing groups are welcome to co-sponsor the event and should contact Ms. Sexton at 805-633-1506 or Kate@PIPW.org for more details.
To learn more about PIPW visit www.PacificInstituteforProfessionalWriting.com.

Press Contact:
Kathleen Kaiser
805-524-6970
Kathleen@KathleenKaiser.com

call for writing/art: Lit Undressed: Women in Disguise

In Conjunction with (downtown) omaha lit fest Lit Undressed Presents:
WOMEN IN DISGUISE
October 24 & 25, 2012, 8pm House of Loom, 1012 S. 10th St. $10, 21+ facebook.com/litundressed omahalitfest.com

The focus of this year’s (downtown) omaha lit fest (October 19-20) is Women Writers. Authors will participate in panels, readings and discussions by authors, who, according to VIDA Women in the Literary Arts “Count 2011” are underrepresented as writers in publications and getting books reviewed (For example, The New York Review of Books shows a strong bias. Among authors reviewed, 83% are men (306 compared to 59 women and 306 men), and the same statistic is true of reviewers (200 men, 39 women).)

For the fourth installment of LIT UNDRESSED, a project that combines performance and reading with an emphasis on literature beyond the naked, we are focusing on WOMEN IN DISGUISE. Historically to get around the bias of getting published as females, women writers often disguised themselves with pen names (Bronte sisters, Louisa May Alcott, Metta Victoria Fuller Victor, to name a few). Some writers were concerned more with gender identity, like Claude Cahun, born as Lucy Schowb, who began disguising herself at age 16 and whose work examined the issues of female self-identity and subjectivity before they were really formulated as such. Other literary works such as Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte, 1947), East Lynne (Reginald Easton, 1861), and Third Girl (Agatha Christie, 1966) had strong characters that spent much of their time in disguise or dressed as the opposite sex.

The nude performance (including male and female readers) will include classic excerpts such as these, as well as selected poems and prose from a call for entries on the theme of WOMEN IN DISGUISE.

New to this performance, a call for art will result in a visual exhibit only on view during the performances on the same theme.

“Under this mask, another mask I will never be finished removing all these faces.” ~Claude Cahun (artist/writer, 1894-­1954)

“To unclothe, to allow your body to be read—scars and all—may be the most primitive and powerful expression of all.”
–Timothy Schaffert, director/founder, (downtown) omaha lit fest

CALL FOR ENTRIES; POETRY, SHORT-SHORT FICTION
Lit Undressed is calling for poetry and short-short fiction inspired by “women in disguise” maximum of 400 words. Send to litundressed@yahoo.com by August 15, 2012 along with a 50-word bio. The selected pieces will be performed live by nude figure models and featured in the performance program; authors will also receive one free ticket to the performance. Notification by September 5, 2012.

Above: “Baroness Karen Blixen,” painting by Elbert Price; Behind a Mask, Or, a Woman’s Power, by Louisa May Alcott (“A.M. Barnard” 1866); Pope Joan, by Donna Woolfolk Cross, 2009)

CALL FOR ART

During the performance October 24 & 25 at House of Loom, Lit Undressed is also calling for 2-dimensional art on the theme of “women in disguise.” Artists must be able to deliver and pick up work to House of Loom, 1012 S. 10th Street in October 2012. Art will also be considered for Lit Undressed: Women in Disguise press images. Email up to 5 .jpg images including title, dimensions, medium, and 50 word artist bio to litundressed@yahoo.com before September 1. Notification by September 14, 2012

Sally Deskins

sallydeskins@yahoo.com

402-880-5579

Visit the website: Les Femmes Folles: Celebrating Women in Art

A Tribute To Ray Bradbury at Ojai Library Saturday June 23 Bradbury’s goddaughter to speak about growing up around “Uncle Ray”

(Ojai, CA – June 8, 2012) Author Ray Bradbury loved books and libraries. He divined his inspiration for the futuristic “Fahrenheit 451″ while wandering through the stacks of books in the UCLA library. To honor his memory, the public is welcomed to a series of Bradbury events on Saturday June 23 to celebrate his illustrious writings, career and life. The events are hosted by Ojai Writers Workshops, which is offering numerous writing workshops and literary events throughout the month of June.

June 23 events include a morning Book Tea to benefit the Ojai Library and an afternoon tribute to Ray Bradbury with readings from his classics by community members.

“Both events are open to the public,” states Sequoia Hamilton, founder of Ojai Writers Workshops, “and are intended for anyone who loves books and values local libraries.”

The Book Tea will be from 10-11:30am at World University, 107 N. Ventura Street in downtown Ojai and includes a buffet of lavender-infused scones, organic fruit, honey and jams from local Ojai growers and Zhena’s Gypsy Teas. The event till honor four area literary volunteers for their contributions to the community and feature Yorkshire-born screenwriter, actor, artist and musician Peter Bellwood, who will offer a keynote on “Passion.” Tickets for the fundraiser are $30 each or $250 for a reserved table of six persons.

The free afternoon literary event, from 2-5pm at the Ojai Library, includes a talk by Bradbury’s goddaughter E.E. King whose father and “Uncle Ray” meet in her home each Thursday for their weekly writers group. Evie Elizabeth starting writing after listening in to the weekly literary discussions between her father, Dolph Sharp, and his writers’ group containing Ray Bradbury, Sanora Babb, Wilma Shore, Joseph Petracca, Elliott Grennard and Ben Maddow. Ray Bradbury would often ask E.E. throughout her life -until just months ago – to read him her stories and afterward would offer candid comments such as “Throw it up in the morning and clean it up in the afternoon!”

In her one-hour talk E.E. will share the imagery and imagination of Ray Bradbury and other classic short story techniques such as the O’Henry twist and the brevity of Hemingway. She’ll discuss how short stories can grow into longer works and illustrate how fact is utilized in fiction, no matter how strange.

E.E.’s talk will be followed by readings of Bradbury’s classics by community members. Ray Bradbury authored more than 27 novels and 600 short stories most notably in fantasy and in the newly emerging genre of science fiction. He is best known for his masterpieces -  “The Martian Chronicles,” “Fahrenheit 451,” “Dandelion Wine” and “Something Wicked This Way Comes” – mixing small-town charm with otherworldly settings.

“The Ojai Library is grateful for the support,” said Mary Lynch, city librarian. “Our book budget was cut by 65% this fiscal year so any donations will go to buy new books.” The Ojai library, which opened in 1893 on Montgomery Street, has been at its current location on the corner of Ojai Avenue and Ventura Street since 1928.

For more information, to buy a ticket or to make a donation: (805) 669-7373 or www.OjaiWritersWorkshops.com

Announcing Writing Contests for 2013 Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival

The Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival is pleased to announce that our annual fiction and one-act play contests are now accepting submissions. Our team is gearing up for our 27th celebration of our namesake playwright and the city in which he found his “spiritual home.” Details are below.

5th Annual Fiction Contest

Judge: Michael Cunningham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Hours

Grand Prize

• $1,500
• Domestic airfare (up to $500) and French Quarter accommodations to attend the 2013 Festival in New Orleans
• VIP All-Access Festival Pass ($500 value)
• Public reading at a literary panel at the 2013 Festival (March 20-24)
• Publication in Louisiana Literature

Top Ten Finalists

• Names will appear on website. Finalists will also receive a panel pass ($75 value) to attend the 2013 Festival.

Submit unpublished short stories up to 7,000 words. Unlimited entries per person.

Deadline: November 15, 2012

**For eligibility and full guidelines see our contest page: www.tennesseewilliams.net/contests

Contact: contests@tennesseewilliams.net

25th Annual One-Act Play Contest

Grand Prize:

• $1,500
• Staged reading at the 2013 Festival (March 20-24)
• Full production at the 2014 Festival
• VIP All-Access Festival pass for 2013 and 2014 ($1,000 value)
• Publication in Bayou

Top Ten Finalists

• Names will appear on website. Finalists will also receive a panel pass ($75 value) to attend the 2013 Festival

Submit unpublished, never publicly performed one-act plays up to one hour in length.

Deadline: November 1, 2012

**For eligibility and full guidelines see our contest page: www.tennesseewilliams.net/contests

Contact: contests@tennesseewilliams.net

Tennessee Williams/New Orleans
Literary Festival
938 Lafayette Street, Suite 514
New Orleans, LA 70113
504-581-1144
www.tennesseewilliams.net
facebook.com/TWFestNOLA
twitter.com/TWFestNOLA

Writing contests for playwrights, poets, and short story writers. Big prizes! www.tennesseewilliams.net/contests

27th annual Festival: March 20-24, 2013

The Festival’s mission is threefold: to serve the community through educational, theatrical, literary, and musical programs; to nurture, support, and showcase regional, national and international writers, actors, musicians, and other artists; to honor the creative genius of Tennessee Williams, who considered this city his spiritual home.

Musicworks magazine’s 2nd Annual Sonic Geography Writing Contest

Cash prizes, and winners are published in Musicworks magazine!

Details: Write 500 words about the sound of a specific location. How does it influence the space?

Check out http://issuu.com/musicworksmagazine/docs/2012_contest

for some examples of Sonic Geographies.

To enter: www.musicworks.ca/contest/contest.asp

Deadline: June 25, 2012

Each $20 entry fee includes the price of a 1 year subscription to Musicworks (3 magazines and 3 CDs)

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“Write Your Book Now: A Proven System to Start and Finish the Book You’ve Always Wanted to Write” is the topic for VCWC July meeting

Emmy Award-winning comedy author Gene Perret will discuss how anyone

following his formula can complete a book

(Ventura, CA – June 5, 2012)  We’ve heard for years that laughter is the best medicine.  A study at Stanford Medical School confirmed that, indeed, laugher is good medicine. Blood pressure, heart rate and muscle tension subside after a good laugh. Certainly then, the audience will leave Gene Perret’s presentation at the Ventura County Writers Club July 10 meeting feeling more relaxed and more healthy than when they came in.

Gene Perret is funny. He wrote comedy for many of TV’s top rated shows. He won three Emmys for his work on “The Carol Burnett Show.” He wrote for Bob Hope for almost thirty years, the last twelve as Bob Hope’s head writer. He also wrote for Phyllis Diller, “The Jim Nabors Show,” “Laugh-in,” “The New Bill Cosby Show” and others. He was the head writer/producer for “Three’s Company,” “The Tim Conway Show” and “Welcome Back Kotter.”

 He has published humorous articles in many magazines including “Reader’s Digest,” “Good Housekeeping” and “Toastmaster.” For nine years he wrote a humor column, “Wit Stop,” for “Arizona Highways Magazine.” Gene has published over forty books, one of which was the top selling book on writing comedy. His most recent book, “Write your Book Now!“ was listed in the December 2011 issue of The Writeras one of the year’s ten best books on writing. Gene will share the wisdom from that book at the VCWC July meeting.More specifically, he will tell those present how to organize different segments of a book into a logical format and then create a writing schedule, which includes the planning, the writing, the rewriting, the publication, and the marketing. But above all, he’ll admonish all, “Have some fun with this.” That became his motto when he started teaching aspiring writers: “Whatever you’re writing, have fun with it.”

Gene has always had fun with his writing, but writing comedy was just a hobby at the beginning of his work years. He paid the bills by working at an industrial plant. One day, a fellow worker asked him to emcee at a retirement party for which he received such rave reviews that he was asked to emcee another and another until another worker who was interviewing Phyllis Diller for a local paper told her about Gene’s comedy writing. She asked to see some of his jokes; his career changed.

His process is guaranteed to help all writers: those who aspire to become renowned authors as well as those who simply want to write for friends and family. And the guarantee for non-writers in the audience is, besides having some great laughs, they will go home more relaxed and healthier.

CALENDAR INFORMATION

July Meeting of the Ventura County Writers Club
July 10, 7 PM
Pleasant Valley Senior Center,
1605 Burnley St, Camarillo, CA
Topic: Write Your Book Now! A Proven System to Start and Finish the Book You’ve
Always Wanted to Write
Open to Members and non-members.  No fee

For more information on the Ventura county Writers Club, visit:
http://www.venturacountywriters.com/