Great New Books that Are a Must Read

Harlequin 2009 Writing Competition: Now Open

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:13:00 +0000

The Harlequin Presents Writing Competition 2009 has officially arrived!

by Presents/Mills & Boon editor Joanne Grant

Yes, the moment all you aspiring authors have been waiting for has arrived – we are thrilled to announce that our writing competition is now open to entries! Here are the all-important details:

• The competition entry must consist of either the first chapter and synopsis of a Harlequin Presents or Modern Heat novel
• Please email your entry to writingcompetition@hmb.co.uk
• The WINNER receives an editor for a year
• TWO RUNNERS-UP will be given critiques of their first chapter entries and an editorial consultation
• The competition will close on November 2nd 2009 and the winner will be announced in December 2009 on I Heart Presents

The Harlequin Presents and Modern Heat guidelines have very recently been updated and will be posted on this blog July 14, but if you can’t wait until then, we have updated all of our UK acquired series guidelines and they can be found here on eHarlequin.com.

And now for the serious part!
Rules:
• Your entry must be aimed at Harlequin Presents or Modern Heat
• Your entry must NOT have been submitted previously to Harlequin Mills & Boon
• Only ONE entry per person
• Submissions received after the closing date will NOT be assessed!

We look forward to hearing from you soon and keep coming back to visit the blog for updates, editorial tips by editors and authors, and blogs by our previous winners!

The HARLEQUIN PRESENTS WRITING COMPETITION 2009
BE PART OF IT!

Bridge House Publishing: Call for Submissions

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:11:00 +0000

Call for submissions for 2010 titles - Bridge House Publishing

Animal Anthology for CHARITY

This anthology will support our 2010 charity, the Born Free Foundation. Stories should be for adults 2,000 – 8,000 words long. An animal must be the central character and the story should be about or told from the animal's point of view appropriate for our charity, though they do not have to be closely tied to it. We do not want stories about caged or performing animals; they must be true to the beliefs of Born Free.

We are looking for special stories, with a touch of the unusual that will make you laugh or make you cry... foreword to be written and selection assisted by Richard Adams acclaimed author of Watership Down - for more information about the charity and this book see the CHARITY page.

Deadline: 30th November 2009 Publication: March 2010

Travel Anthology

Anything to do with travel. Your characters may travel in time, abroad, space or undertake a spiritual journey. But what we want is a real feeling of time and space and again we are looking for something unusual, something a little out of the ordinary.

The anthology might be a good holiday read, hence the date of publication. These stories should be just for adults, and should be between 2,000 and 8,000 words long.

Deadline: 31st December 2009 Publication: May 2010

Open Anthology

Something quite interesting has happened as we’ve received submissions. We’ve found some quite exciting and well written stories that didn’t quite fit one of our themed anthologies. So, we’re inviting you to send whatever adult story you like up until 31st January 2010. Successful stories will then go into an anthology which will be published in July 2010. Stories can be any length between 500 and 8,000 words.

Deadline: 31st January 2010 Publication: July 2010

Devils, Demons and Werewolves

This is a Young Adult collection. We’re looking for well written stories about vampires, werewolves, devils and things that goes bump in the night, 2,000 – 6,000 words.

Deadline: 31st March 2010 Publication: September 2010

Winter Stories for Little Ones

We’re looking for stories 600 – 2000 words to be read to infant school children. They don’t have to be about the winter, but they should be suitable for listening to on those dark days just before and after Christmas.

Deadline: 31st May 2010 Publication: December 2010

Modern Fables

Remember the Aesop's Fable collection? Well we want some interesting and thought-provoking new version of fables, written for adults. 3,000 – 6,000 words.

Deadline: 30th July 2010 Publication: January 2011

Submission Process

Please email your submission to editor@bridgehousepublishing.co.uk

DO NOT FOLLOW THESE RULES TO THE LETTER WE SHALL NOT LOOK AT YOUR WORK EVEN IF YOU SEEM TO BE THE NEXT STEPHEN KING OR J K ROWLING

* Your submission should be sent as a Word document attachment to you email.
* Use standard format: double-spaced, indent paragraphs, justified left, ragged right.
* House-style: double curly quotes for direct speech, italics for thoughts
* Please use a header and footer on your document. In the header, please put your name as you would like it to appear in the book, should we accept you, the anthology to which you are submitting, the full title of the story, the page number and the number of pages. Use the “view” function on Word. e.g.

Real Bible Stories Mantek’s Journey 2 of 17 Gill James

* In the footer, please put your full contact details and your name as you would like it to appear in the contract should your work be accepted. E.g

Gillian M. James, 43, The Crescent, Benton, Lancs M24 9BC, 0161 453 675, g.james@bestinternet.com

* Please name your document the collection, the title of the story and your surname. You may shorten this if you wish; e.g.

Open Curious Incident Haddon.doc

* In the subject of the email, please put Submission for …. E.g.

Submission for Ghost Stories 2009

* In the body of the email, tell us a bit about yourself. This is just so that we get to know you and will not be used for anything. No more than 200 words, please.
* At the end of the submission please give us a bio of 50-70 words as you would like it to appear in the book. Do include your web site address and if your story has appeared elsewhere, please mention it here. You may if you wish also include a dedication. You can if you wish reuse some of the introduction in your email.

Decisions will be made within a few weeks of each submission deadline. However, we may reject your manuscript before that time if it is obviously unsuitable. Do try again.

If we hang on to your script for longer, this is a good sign. We may ask for revisions, sometimes substantial. Some scripts need less revision. Those are of course more attractive to us.

There have been a lot of “almosts” for all of our anthologies. We hope those people will try for one of our other anthologies.

We offer a high royalty – it is in effect a 50% profit share pro rata. That’s the equivalent of a single author 15%, after first 100 books have been sold. Authors may also purchase books at 75% of retail price and may sell them on. They still get the profit share royalty on these.

We do not have a massive publicity budget – we market to the big guys and hope you will do the small stuff, but we’ll give you masses of help and pointers.

Everyone involved in our first anthologies will probably agree it has all been great fun.

If you have any queries regarding submissions, either the process or the titles for which we are currently accepting submissions, please contact us.

Inherent Vice: Thomas Pynchon's New Novel

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:57:00 +0000

Inherent Vice

Most of Thomas Pynchon’s novels operate in hindsight. He tends to reimagine cusp situations or the ends of eras from his privileged contemporary position, a vantage point his characters can only vaguely intuit. This typically makes Pynchon’s fiction nostalgic and faintly sad.

The last three novels, including this one, have examined epochal niches of American history. Inherent Vice reads to me as the final instalment of a trilogy, following Mason & Dixon (1997) and Against the Day (2006). Where Mason & Dixon explored the end of the American 18th century via the two eponymous surveyors and Against the Day represented the twilight of the 19th century with a view to the present, Inherent Vicereassesses the end of the hippie era of the 1960s. Pynchon’s primary concern in these novels is to explore what America has lost culturally. His novels, then, always have a melancholic quality in which the lead characters tend to seem to know that whatever is innocent about their time is vanishing.

Inherent Viceis a hybrid in which the generic elements of crime fiction collide with the hippie movement of Southern California. The year is 1970 and the petals of the flower-power movement are falling. Protagonist Larry “Doc” Sportello is a hippie private investigator who smokes joints, engages in free love and lives with abandon in the fading glow of the era. Just as Doc is an unlikely fit for his occupation, so too is he a square peg in the circles he must enter to investigate his cases. The police treat him with contempt; lawyers and the DA keep him at a distance; he is even an outsider in the very insider group with which he should feel most at home, the surfer-rock-band element. That he frequently wears disguises has more to do with his inability to be part of any group than it is a need for investigative subterfuge.

Grab a copy of Inherent Vice now,or read the rest of the review here.

The Nurse Left Work At Five O'Clock: NPRs Second Writing Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 19:54:00 +0000

National Public Radio has announced their second round in their writing contest.

For the second round of our "Three-Minute Fiction" contest, we want you to send us original works of fiction that begin with this sentence:

"The nurse left work at five o'clock."

One entry per person, and no more than 600 words, please. Stories must be received by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, Aug. 25.

We'll post a favorite story weekly until The New Yorker's James Wood picks our winner and reads his or her story on the air. The winner will also receive a signed copy of Wood's book, How Fiction Works.

Happy writing!

Visit the site to enter your fiction piece.

New South Writing Contest: Georgia State University

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:43:00 +0000

Poetry Prize
First Place: $1000
Second Place: $250

Fiction Prize
First Place: $1000
Second Place: $250

Deadline: All entries must be postmarked by March 4, 2010

Reading Fee: $15.00 per entry

Each entry must include the following:

• A check or money order (NO CASH) made payable to GSU (or Georgia State University) for fifteen dollars ($15). Entry fee includes a copy of the Spring / Summer 2009 issue, which will contain the winning entries.

• A cover letter with a 3- to 4-line bio, title(s) of the work submitted, and your name, mailing address, phone number, and email address.

POETRY
• Address poetry submissions to James Thomas Miller, Poetry Editor.
• Poems must be typed.
• Submit up to three (3) poems per $15 Reading Fee.
• All poems must have name, address, phone, and e-mail appearing on each page.

PROSE
• Address fiction and non-fiction submissions to Peter Fontaine, Fiction Editor.
• Manuscripts must be typed.
• Include name, address, phone, email, & word count on the first page of the manuscript only.
• Short-short stories are welcome.
• Submit one (1) story or essay per $15 Reading Fee.

While we take the greatest care in handling your entries, we assume no responsibility for lost or damaged manuscripts. Only unpublished work considered. Simultaneous submissions considered with notification. All rights20revert to author after publication. Current students, staff, and faculty at Georgia State University are not eligible.

New South publishes quality literary art promoting the work of emerging and established writers. New South holds no subject biases. The staff will select the best work regardless of style or genre.

Send all work to the appropriate editor:

New South/Writing Contest
Campus Box 1894
Georgia State University
MSC 8R0322 Unit 8
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3083

Literary Harvest Writing Contest: Central Oregon Writers Guild

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:39:00 +0000

Central Oregon Writers Guild’s 2009 Literary Harvest Writing Contest

Central Oregon Writers Guild is pleased to announce its 2009 Literary Harvest Writing Contest. Ten winners will be selected by a volunteer editorial board of literary professionals The board will not know the identity of the writers whose work they are reviewing.

Upon entering the contest, winning writers agree to read their piece at the Literary Harvest on October 16, 2009, 6:30 to 9 PM, at the Comfort Suites in Redmond, and to follow the reading procedures established by Central Oregon Writers Guild.

The top ten winning entries will be published in the Second Annual Literary Harvest Chapbook which will be published in January of 2010. A single first-place prize of $50 will be awarded to the top entry.

Contest Rules

* Deadline for submissions is midnight, September 15, 2009. Submissions postmarked or e-mailed after midnight on September 15 will not be accepted.

* Short stories, poems, articles, essays, or stand-alone book chapters will be accepted. Each reader must be able to read their writing within eight minutes The entry may be more than one piece, totaling eight minutes or less of reading time; for example, two poems which each take four minutes to read.

* All entries must be typed in a twelve-point standard font, double-spaced and pages numbered. Work should be edited for grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. Pieces that require heavy editing will not be accepted.

* One entry is allowed per writer and requires a ten-dollar fee to submit. Entry and fee must be submitted together. Checks should be made payable to Central Oregon Writers Guild or C.O.W.G. and sent to Lindy Jacobs. Please do not send cash.

* Each entry requires a cover sheet with writer’s name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address if writer has one, title, total number of pages, and number of minutes required to read. Please include a short paragraph detailing writing interests or background. Writer’s name or another identifying mark should appear only on the cover sheet.

* Entries can be e-mailed as a Word document or PDF to lindyj@bendcable.com or mailed to Lindy Jacobs, 19412 Charleswood Lane, Bend 97702.

* Pieces submitted for contest must be original work of entrant. If work has been published, the writer must have right or obtain permission for reading work in public. Writers retain all copyrights to their work.

* Save a copy of work, as it will not be returned. COWG and selected editorial board will not share writers’ work with any third party for any reason.

* Entrants will be notified by phone or e-mail that their writing has been received. COWG is not responsible for entries not received because of postal mail or e-mail failure. Winners will be notified by October 9.

* Entries which do not meet all contest rules will be disqualified.

Entrants with questions can contact Lindy Jacobs at (541)408-6306 or e-mail her at lindyj@bendcable.com or visit the official site here.

Mrs P Children's Writing Contest: Future Famous Writers Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:36:00 +0000

Enter the Mrs P Children’s writing contest!

Sponsored by Powell's Books

Mrs P invites children to write a story on any topic, no less than 250 words and not to exceed 1,000 words. It may be fiction or non-fiction. All participants must be between the ages of 4 and 13 years old. There are two age competition categories: 4 to 8 years of age, and 9 to 13 years of age.

The two (2) Grand Prize winners’ stories will be read by Mrs P and original illustrations will be created. The lucky child will receive an actual copy of the story in addition to having it posted on the web site (www.MrsP.com) for viewers to watch and enjoy. MrsP Enterpises, LLC pays all costs of producing the winning book.

The two (2) Grand Prize Winners’ stories will be the sole property of MrsP Enterprises, LLC. For complete details, see the following Mrs P’s 2008 Children's Book Writing Contest Official Rules. You’ll need your parents’ permission to participate – so get them to read through the contest rules and regulations! Then have your story ready to cut and paste into the story entry form. Powell’s Books is a proud sponsor of this writing contest!

For more on the contest, visit the site.

Pink Petal Books Seeking Romance Authors

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 22:48:00 +0000

Pink Petal Books Seeking Romance Authors

Do these covers inspire you? If so, then Pink Petal Books wants to see your novellas (or novels) of at least 25,000 words. One lucky story will receive the cover (which, of course, will showcase your name and title, because you don't have to use the suggested ones) and a contract with us. Our standard contract pays 35% royalties on gross and we actively pursue third-party distribution channels (where we pay 40% on what we receive).

For more on the contest, and to see the covers, visit the site.

Do It Yourself Book Festival: Call for Entries

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:46:00 +0000

2009 DIY BOOK FESTIVAL CALL FOR ENTRIES

LOS ANGELES _ The 2009 DIY Book Festival has issued a call for entries for its eighth annual program celebrating the success of independent authors and publishers.

The DIY Book Festival will consider self-published or independent publisher non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography, children's books, teenage, how-to, cookbooks, science fiction, audio/spoken word, photography, art, comics, 'zines, fan fiction, poetry and e-books published on or after Jan. 1, 2006. All entries must be in English and have been self-published or issued by an independent publishing house.

*** Please note that print-on-demand (POD) authors with iUniverse, PublishAmerica, Infinity Publishing and other outlets are eligible for the competition.

Our grand prize for the 2009 DIYBF Book of the Year is $1500 cash and a flight to the awards ceremony, held in February, 2010 as part of the annual DIY Convention: Do It Yourself in Film, Music & Books in Los Angeles.

Submitted works will be judged by a panel of industry experts using the following criteria:

1) General excellence and the author's passion for telling a good story.

2) The unique use of guerilla marketing tactics to reach a wider audience. This includes innovative marketing, merchandising, publicity tactics and other innovative methods of reaching an independent audience.

ENTRIES: Please classify your book and enter it in the following categories.Multiple entries must be accompanied by a separate fee for each book.

1) General Non-fiction
2) General Fiction
3) Children's books
4) How-to
5) E-books (word or .pdf file acceptable)
6) Comics
7) 'zines
8) Photography
9) Fan Fiction
10) Poetry
11) Art
12) Teenage
13) Biography/Autobiography
14) Audio/spoken word
15) Compilations/Anthologies
16) Best Unpublished Short Story
17) Cookbooks
18) Science Fiction

In addition to honoring the top selections in the above categories, The DIY Book Festival will award the following chosen from submissions:

1) DIY Author of the Year-Honors the outstanding book of the competition.

2) DIY Book Design of the Year --- Honors outstanding and innovative design.

3) DIY Independent Publisher of the Year-Honors the top publisher based on materials displaying excellence in marketing and promotional materials, as determined by our judges.

FESTIVAL RULES: DIY Book Festival submissions cannot be returned. Each entry must contain the official entry form, including your e-mail address and contact telephone number. All shipping and handling costs must be borne by entrants.

NOTIFICATION AND DEADLINES: We will notify each entry of the receipt of their package via e-mail and will announce the winning entries on our web site (www.diyconvention.com). Because of the anticipated high volume of entries, we can only respond to e-mail inquiries.

Deadline submissions in each category must be postmarked by the close of business on November 25, 2009. Winners in each category will be notified by e-mail. Please note that judges read and consider submissions on an ongoing basis, comparing early entries with later submissions at our meetings.

TO ENTER: Entry forms are available online at www.diyconvention.com or may be faxed/e-mailed to you. Please contact our office for fax requests. Applications must be accompanied by a non-refundable entry fee of $10-$50 (see entry form drop-down menu for specific category prices) in the form of a check, money order or PayPal online payment in U.S. dollars for each submission. Multiple submissions are permitted but each entry must be accompanied by a separate form and entry fee.

Entry fee checks should be made payable to JM Northern Media LLC. We're sorry, but entries must be mailed and cannot be delivered in person or by messenger services to the JM Northern Media offices.

Entry packages MUST include:

1) One copy of the book;

2) Your official entry form or a copy;

3) The entry fee or receipt for online payment;

4) Any marketing materials you wish to send. Marketing is used as a tie-breaking consideration by our judges.

Entries should be mailed to:

JM Northern Media LLC
attn: DIY Book Festival
7095 Hollywood Boulevard
Suite 864
Hollywood, CA 90028-0893
Phone: 323-665-8080

AWARDS: The DIY Book Festival selection committee reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any project.

The 2009 DIY Book Festival is part of the DIY Convention: Do It Yourself in Film, Music & Books, which also produces the DIY Film Festival and the DIY Music Festival. The 2009 DIY Book Festival is sponsored by the Larimar St. Croix Writers Retreat, The Hollywood Creative Directory; eDivvy, Shopanista, Westside Websites and The DIY Reporter.com.

EPIC Student Writing Competition: Now Open

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:43:00 +0000

EPIC New Voices 2010 Writing Competition

EPIC established the annual New Voices writing competition to encourage reading and writing among middle school and high school students and to promote e-book literacy in public and private schools.

The contest is open to students attending public, private, or home schools, and each entrant is permitted to submit one entry in each category.

2009-2010 New Voices Handout (PDF download)

2009-2010 New Voices Tri-fold Brochure (PDF download)

Childrens Creative Writing Contest: Imaginator Press

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:41:00 +0000

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the publication of the award-winning fantasy The Dark Dreamweaver, Imaginator Press is sponsoring a creative writing contest for children and teens up to age 14.

The Dark Dreamweaver is the first book of The Remin Chronicles, about a land literally powered by dreams. Imaginator Press invites children to write a creative story on the theme of "Dream Power," for a chance to win an 8 GB iPod Touch. Four second-prize winners will receive $25 iTunes gift cards, and five third-prize winners will receive $10 iTunes gift cards. An anthology of the winning stories will be published.

Stories will be judged on originality and creativity, writing quality, grammar and spelling, and appropriateness to "Dream Power" theme. Everyone who enters and includes a self-addressed, stamped envelope with their entry will receive a certificate and a gold "Powered by Dreams" sticker. Entries must be received by Oct. 31, 2009. Contest rules and entry forms are available at www.reminchronicles.com

The Dark Dreamweaver is a captivating, fascinating and adventurous story that tells young people that there are indeed tremendous rewards for pursuing your dreams and using your imagination. In The Dark Dreamweaver, an epidemic of nightmares seems to have infected the Earth. Eleven-year-old David takes matters into his own hands and embarks on an adventure to Remin, a land powered by dreams. Aided by a caterpillar wizard, a jellyfish-man, two wise-cracking water serpents, and several other unusual characters, he sets out to find and confront the evil wizard who is causing the nightmares. The challenges that he encounters will require all of his intelligence, his courage, and most of all, his imagination.

Free Remin Chronicles Packet for Teachers

In addition to the contest, a free Remin Chronicles Classroom/Book Club Packet is available on request to teachers, librarians, and booksellers. The packet includes:

The Dark Dreamweaver Teachers Guide
The Dark Dreamweaver Book Club Discussion Guide
Raising Monarch Butterflies brochure
30 gold "Powered by Dreams" stickers
30 The Breezes of Inspire "What's Your Power" bookmarks

To request a packet, teachers, librarians, and booksellers should e-mail reading@imaginatorpress.com.

Homeschoolers are eligible to receive the packet, but should specify how many stickers and bookmarks are actually needed.

A Life In Ink: Tattoo Machine Tells Fascinating Tale Of Jeff Johnson

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 12:50:00 +0000

Tattoo Machine: Tall Tales, True Stories, and My Life in Ink

Want some absolutely fascinating information you'll absolutely never use? Tattoo Machine is the book for you. Let me add a qualifier or two. If you have one or two little "tats," you already have some of this information, and if you have several, you have a bit more, and if you have the First Amendment tattooed on your right bicep (Hi Chris Frink -- tattooed journalist from Louisiana), you probably have quite a bit. Nevertheless, to have all the information Jeff Johnson has, you need to be, like him, a tattoo artist -- and there are mighty few of those in the general population.

Let me add, for the record, that though I am tattoo-free, I did know a tattoo artist, the one and only Carol "Smokey" Nightingale, aka the "Man With the Golden Needle." A Canadian by birth who had learned how to tattoo from his mother (she gave him his first tattoo when he was 11), Mr. Nightingale had a shop just off New York Avenue Northwest, around the corner from the old Greyhound bus station in the District.

In addition to being a walking art gallery, Mr. Nightingale was a clotheshorse, a real Beau Brummell (to use an old term) complete with diamond stickpin in his tie, and if you saw him dressed in one of his fine suits, you would never guess that except for his hands, feet and head, his entire body was covered with tattoos.

Although Mr. Johnson doesn't mention Mr. Nightingale in Tattoo Machine,given his oft-mentioned respect for the great tattoo artists of the past, I am sure he knows of him. Mr. Nightingale held a patent on an improved version of the basic tattoo machine and was celebrated for the vibrancy of his colors, both subjects covered well by Mr. Johnson. However, lest I leave the impression that the book is a how-to manual or a dry history, let me hasten to say it is anything but.

Grab a copy of Tattoo Machine now,or read the rest of the review here.

Fiction Writing Contest From Family Circle: Entry Deadline Fast Approaching

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:44:00 +0000

Deadline: August 31, 2009

Entry Fee: FREE

Guidelines: http://www.parents.com/family-life/fitness/stress-relaxation/fiction-contest-winners/?page=12

You may have a story ready to submit to this contest in your computer files right now. Family Circle Magazine sponsors this annual writing contest, although they don’t publicize heavily for it. The guideline page is titled “Fiction Contest Winners,” but don’t be misled. The entry rules are on the same page as the winning entries. They are looking for stories up to 2,500 words, on any topic that would appeal to their demographic of readers.

The winner receives $750 plus publication in Family Circle Magazine. In addition, the prize includes a voucher for one class and a one-year subscription at mediabistro.com. All submissions must be mailed through the postal service with an arrival date of no later than September 7, 2009. They will accept up to two original stories from each writer.

Here is the address:

Family Circle Fiction Writing Contest
c/o Family Circle Magazine
375 Lexington Avenue
9th Floor, New York, NY 10017

New York City Writing Contest: Win a $10,000 Writer-in-Residence Contract

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 20:40:00 +0000

Win a $10,000 writer-in-residence contract in New York City, brought to you by nycgo.com.
Sponsored by JetBlue and AKA luxury hotel residences. There are 13 freelance contracts, too.

Theme: Oasis

Oasis

1. 1 n. a fertile or green area in an arid region (as a desert).
2. 2 n. something that provides refuge, relief, or pleasant contrast

(Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009.)

Modern life can often feel like a trek through the desert. For this contest, we want you to write about a place that not only satisfies your thirst for a change of scenery, but goes beyond this, breaking the spell of everyday existence and providing the "refuge, relief, or pleasant contrast" that we all crave, especially in the summer. We're leaving this theme very open to interpretation. Your oasis might be an urban park, a meal in a restaurant that you'll replay for years, a swimming hole on a hot summer day, a romantic hideaway that you return to again and again, a museum where you lose yourself for hours... really any place of extreme beauty, culture, flavor, respite, or relaxation. » Examples

Our grand prize winner will win a two-week writer's residency in the heart of New York City's own urban oasis, where he or she will discover (and write about) one of the world's great cities.

When you sit down to write, get cinematic and zoom in: on a particular moment, action, experience, observation, insight, sensation—sound, sight, taste, smell, feeling—transport us to this place through your writing. Our travel-writing philosophy is different from anything else out there, so be sure to study our writing guide and ramble through our editor's favorites before creating your first trips.

For more on the contest, visit the site.

The End of Food in France: New Book Chronicles Decline in French Cuisine

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:59:00 +0000

Au Revoir to All That: Food, Wine, and the End of France

Go out to eat in France and you can be assured of a certain standard of food, from restaurants on the boulevards of Paris to corner eateries in provincial towns.

Yes, we’re talking McDonald’s Corp.

A total of 1,130 outlets serve 1.3 million customers a day. As of 2007, France was the most profitable market for McDonald’s outside the U.S. and annual sales there were growing at twice the rate of the U.S., according to the Oak Brook, Illinois-based company.

In “Au Revoir to All That,” Michael Steinberger examines how the country that once ruled the (Western) food world has not only embraced fast food but lost its luster in haute cuisine. Chefs in Spain and Italy -- and even the U.S. and U.K. -- are now the trailblazers.

(It’s a situation reflected in wine, where nations from Australia to Chile have challenged France for sales and where France’s pre-eminence in quality has been questioned since the so-called Judgment of Paris, when U.S. wines triumphed in a blind tasting in 1976.)

Let’s get the relative decline of French cooking into perspective. You can eat out fabulously in France, at both Michelin-starred restaurants and local brasseries. Also, there are innovative chefs such as Pierre Gagnaire who ally classical training with openness to new ideas and techniques.

Grab a copy of Au Revoir to All That: Food, Wine, and the End of France now,or read the rest of the review here.

New Book Takes Reader On Journey Through Bangkok Nights

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:52:00 +0000

Bangkok Days

I suspect Lawrence Osborne once tried to frame this heartsick tale of being adrift in Bangkok as fiction. The wounded man who hopes (and fails) to outrun his shrouded past in a far-off land has populated novels for centuries. Any reader of Melville and Conrad has met this doomed, romantic type; film noir wouldn’t exist without him.

It’s just as well Mr. Osborne sidestepped that approach. The potency of his writing emanates from his ability to channel reporting, history and an intense sense of atmosphere through his introspections. He is a first-rate observer and analyst:

“The decor of the Bamboo is rattan and lacquer, for the word ‘colonial’ has nothing but positive connotations in Asia these days, and everything colonial is deemed handsome, stylish. The Bamboo Bar is the most touristy bar in the city, so touristy that it seems to wink at itself, so it is also the most colonial.”

He is the sort of nocturnal sensualist who experiences Bangkok through his nostrils and tongue as well as other organs. A shortage of funds is an opportunity to dine on insects at a roadside stall. “Your first waterbug: what a relief. It isn’t really necessary, it’s just that one doesn’t want to be a square to oneself.”

Grab a copy of Bangkok Days now,or read the rest of the review here.

Submissions Wanted for Issue Focusing on African American Writing Life

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:49:00 +0000

Call for Authors: Auto/Biography Studies

Auto/Biography Studies invites submissions for a special issue focusing on African American life writing. We are interested in essays that focus on the contemporary issues of identity that complicate the categories “African American” and “life writing,” particularly where these intersect with discussions of genre or discipline. We would like especially to see essays addressing neglected texts, authors, or forms, including life writing in new or neglected media. Essays that advance new approaches to African American life writing, emphasize new critical approaches, discuss lesser known authors, or that address larger generic issues within African American life writing are welcome.

Manuscripts should be e-mailed to the guest editor Stacy Boyd sboyd@westga.edu by November 2, 2009.

REAP Food for Thought Contest: Poetry, Memoir, and Short Fiction

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:47:00 +0000

Inspired by the talents of Michael Pollan, REAP Food Group has announced a writing contest as part of the 2009 Food for Thought Festival, an annual Madison event that celebrates local food and sustainable food systems. Pollan, acclaimed author of “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and other books on sustainable food, will give the keynote address at this year’s festival on Sept. 26.

With support from Madison Magazine, the contest is soliciting entries through Sept. 4 in three categories: Poetry (500 words or less), Memoir (800 words or less) and Short, Short Fiction (1,200 words or less).

Winners in each category will be announced and invited to read at the festival. Each will receive $100 and have their piece published in Madison Magazine. Entrants must be at least 18 and submit a $12 registration fee that will support REAP’s programs. More details and the entry form are available at www.reapfoodgroup.org.

“In recent decades we’ve become disconnected from our food, but now Americans are beginning to ‘take back the table,’ ” Madison author Terese Allen, REAP board chair, said in a press release. “They’re getting to know food again, paying attention to where food comes from, shopping locally and seasonally and reconnecting with heritage recipes. All of these things are great fodder for stories about food…”

The festival will be held from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sept. 26 along Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. off the Capitol Square. It aims to reconnect people with food on a local level through speakers, presentations and demonstrations; kids’ activities; booths from dozens of local vendors and food producers; and more.

Michael Pollan will speak at 10 a.m.

In its 11th year, the festival is organized by REAP (Research, Education, Action, and Policy) Food Group, with support from a variety of local businesses, government entities and educational institutions.

For a festival schedule and more, visit the Web site, e-mail info@reapfoodgroup.org or call (608) 310-7836.

Fiction in a Nutshell: Moorpark Acorn Fiction Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 17:44:00 +0000

If you have a knack for writing, we invite you to put your creative juices to work in the annual Moorpark Acorn contest, "Fiction in a Nutshell."

Here's how it works:

In 100 words or less, write a fiction story and e-mail it to moorpark@theacorn.com. You can also send it by mail to the address on page 4. Include your name, address, age and phone number. This information must be included or entries will not be accepted.

Make it scifi, drama, adventure, romance or anything else fictitious. You'll be judged on writing, creativity and topic. Remember, no more than 100 words, fiction only (nothing from the real world) and no poems, please.

One entry per person.

"Fiction in a Nutshell" winners will be announced in two categories: under18 and 18andover. Each winner will receive a $50 prize and their story will be printed in the Acorn.

All entries must be received by Mon., Aug. 10. Winners will be announced on a dark and stormy morning, Fri., Aug. 28. For more on the contest, visit the site.

Paul Madriani's New Novel A Fast-Moving Techno-Adventure: Guardian of Lies

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 20:50:00 +0000

Guardian of Lies: A Paul Madriani Novel

In Guardian of Lies,Steve Martini brings back California attorney Paul Madriani in a fast-moving techno-adventure that ranges from San Diego to Costa Rica and back through the Baja. Not only is his client, the beautiful Katia Solaz, charged with stabbing her supposed paramour, but Madriani finds the San Diego prosecutor building a strong case against him for abetting the elderly man’s murder. Central to the plot are several seemingly innocuous photographs sought by a professional killer trained in Mexico’s drug wars, as well as by various federal agencies. The plot grows even thicker as the importance of the photographs is revealed: they hint at a plot by Colombian revolutionaries and middle-east terrorists to smuggle an atomic warhead into the U.S.

Shifting his narrative from one participant in the tale to another, Martini focuses less on the mystery of the photographs than on the multilevel chase they cause. Madriani and his cohorts, pursued by the San Diego County DA, flee to Costa Rica on a hunt for the original photographs which will prove Katia’s innocence. But the cold blooded “Mexecutioner” is hunting them, and an unlikely twist leads Madriani into the worst hole he could imagine. Meanwhile, back in San Diego, the FBI, CIA, CHP, and the revenge hungry DA, are chasing all and sundry while each tries to establish legal grounds for taking over the case.

Though the choice of multiple narrators generates repetition as well as a heavy reliance on straight exposition, when Mr. Martini deals with legal scenes, he’s at his best. Not only the dialogue, but the depiction of legal jousting and the mechanics of procedure are convincing, as in this passage from a hearing in the judge’s chambers:

“‘I think we can cut through this very quickly,’ says Howard. She reaches behind her without looking. Her assistant puts the file in her hand, like a relay runner passing the baton. Howard pulls a sheaf of stapled papers from it, maybe three or four pages, and hands it to [Judge Quinn].

Pick up a copy of Guardian of Lies now,or read the rest of the review here.

Moonbeam Children's Books Call for Entries Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:47:00 +0000

2009 Moonbeam Children's Books Call for Entries

Announcing the call for entries into the third annual Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards, designed to honor the year's best children’s books, authors and illustrators. This exciting new book awards program is accepting entries until August 8th, 2009 for books with 2008 or 2009 copyrights or that were released in 2008 or 2009, and is open to authors, illustrators, and publishers of children’s books written in English or Spanish and intended for the North American market.

Presented by Jenkins Group and Independent Publisher Online, the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards are designed to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading. Awards will be given in 36 categories covering the full range of subjects, styles and age groups that children’s books are written and published in today.

As our society has gotten more complex and growing up has become more complicated, children’s book authors and publishers have risen to the occasion, creating books that not only celebrate the joys of childhood, but also help kids and families deal with its challenges. The Moonbeam Awards will recognize and reward the best of these books and bring them to the attention of parents, booksellers, librarians, parents and children.

The Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards are presented by publishing services company Jenkins Group, Inc. of Traverse City, Michigan. Jenkins Group has been involved in book packaging, marketing and distribution since 1988, and many of its founders and employees now have children and grandchildren who strongly influence the company culture with their youthful exuberance and love of books.

Writing and publishing books that teach and inspire our children is an extremely important task, and these awards are conducted in appreciation of those efforts. Thank you and best of luck in the Moonbeam Awards!

Click here to receive email updates about the 2009 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards for 2008/2009 copyrights and releases.

Memoirs Ink Elements Contest: Still time for Fire, Earth, and Air

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:45:00 +0000

Elements are some of the most powerful forces around us. We are made of them. They recur as character in our lives, as subtext, and as so much more.

Submit a short personal essay, or vignette, that has something to do with one of these elements--it can be about anything, but the element must be an important part of the story. You are welcome to submit creative non-fiction, essay, poemoir, etc. You may submit as many as you like. The winners will receive monetary prizes as well as publication in our Elements Anthology. Each element has a different deadline. Please see below.

WATER - Deadline: July 15, 2009

FIRE - Deadline: Oct 15, 2009

EARTH - Deadline: January 15, 2010

AIR/WIND/SPACE - Deadline: April 15, 2010

Entry Fee: $10 first entry. Subsequent entries $7 (Make check or money order payable to Memoirs Ink. International entrants, please contact us for payment info.)

Prizes: $500, $250, $125 + publication.

Max word count: 750 words.

Submit essays to:

Memoirs Ink Elements - (Name of element).

10866 Washington Blvd., Ste 518

Culver City, CA 90232

Please submit essays typed, double spaced, stapled with an entry form: contest submission form.

Email questions or comments to info at memoirsink dot com.

Magma Poetry Calls for Poems for Upcoming Issue

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:35:00 +0000

From Jacqueline Saphra at Magma Poetry...

I’m thrilled and excited to be editing Magma 46 with Norbert Hirschhorn as assistant editor. This issue will be launched in Spring 2010 and the theme is Hunger in all its possible manifestations.

I hope that it will inspire some visceral, strongly felt poems touching on some areas that are very close to my heart as both writer and reader: food, sex and desire, intimacy or the lack of it, spiritual hunger, as well as the wider, political aspects. You may want to take some surprising sideways glances at the subject too; maybe your own cravings take you to some unpredictable places, or perhaps you hunger for something unexpected. We’d love to read poems that have an unusual take on our theme.

As ever, we will welcome poems on other subjects too, and we can’t wait to get stuck in, so to speak, so please get your contributions to us as soon as you can. The deadline is the end of October. Please see the contributions page for details of how to submit your poems. Happy writing!

Tennessee Williams and New Orleans Literary Festival Writing Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:22:00 +0000

The Second Annual Fiction Writing Contest Now Accepting Submissions

Grand Prize

* $1,500
* VIP All Access Pass ($500 value) for the 24th annual Festival: March 24-28, 2010
* Publication in the New Orleans Review
* Domestic Airfare and Accommodations to attend the 2010 Festival in New Orleans
* Public Reading at the 2010 Festival

The top ten finalists' names will be published on www.tennesseewilliams.net

Judge will be an established fiction writer. Last year's judge was Richard Ford. This year's judge TBA.

Eligibility and Guidelines: Short stories, written in English, up to 7,000 words. Only open to writers who have not yet published a book of fiction. Only previously unpublished stories accepted. Unlimited entries per person. Simultaneous submissions accepted; please notify the Festival if your story is accepted elsewhere. Stories that won this contest in previous years are ineligible; their authors remain eligible but must submit new work. Stories submitted to this contest in previous years that did not place are eligible. Author's name should not appear on manuscript. Include a separate page with story title and name, address, phone, and email of author.

Deadline: November 16, 2009 (postmark). Winner will be announced by March 1, 2010.

Entry Fee: $25

Manuscripts will not be returned.
To enter by mail:

Send your manuscript and check or money order for $25
(made out Tennessee Williams Literary Festival ) to:

Fiction Contest
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
938 Lafayette Street, Suite 514
New Orleans, LA 70113

To enter online:

To enter the Fiction Writing Contest, you must begin by paying your entry fee. After paying your $25 entry fee, you'll be asked to confirm your contact information and submit your entry document. A payment fee and submission form must be completed for each entry.

To enter or find out more about the contest, visit the website here.

Walmart Announces Writing Contest for Students, Teachers, and Parents

noreply@blogger.com (Peter N. Jones) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:20:00 +0000

Write to Change the Classroom

In his first address to Congress in February, President Obama read an extremely important letter to the nation … from an eighth-grader.

The letter was from Ty'Sheoma Bethea of J.V. Martin Junior High School in South Carolina. She was looking for help for her school, which was in need of some tender loving care. The day after hearing Ty'Sheoma's plea, a local furniture store owner arranged for a classroom makeover. The students, the teachers, Ty'Sheoma and the entire community celebrated this amazing gift that was entirely inspired by one … courageous … letter.

At Walmart, we know a little about all the supplies teachers, students and schools need, so Ty'Sheoma's letter inspired us too. In the spirit of this heartwarming story, we created the "Write to Change the Classroom," program, an opportunity for teachers and students alike to improve their classrooms and enhance every student's learning experience. And all it takes is one … inspiring … letter.

Submit a letter before 11:59 p.m. (EDT) July 24, 2009 explaining what school supplies your classroom or school needs, and you may be hearing from us before you can say, "back to school."

For more on Walmarts Writing Contest, visit the site.