WritersCrunch - Writing News, Author Profiles, Books Award, Writing Career & Contests

Barack Obama Joins the Red Room - Social Network for Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:09:23 PST

Recently, I joined the Red Room - a social network and professional hub for writers, after I reviewed the site here on WritersCrunch. But unfortunately, I haven't been 100% active with the social network for reasons beyond my control. I've been a member since 4 weeks.Today, I recieved an email from the Member Services Manager of Red Room. No not what you're thinking...I wasn't about to be

Novels Of The Month: February 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:13:33 PST

As the month of February begins today, I'm happy to be sharing this month's book releases. Most of the books will be released on February 7. If you have any book in mind that is not on this list, please feel free to comment about it.  Happy reading!:-)We

Grisham: Presidential primaries and elections can be bought

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:08:20 PST

As fiction readers like me welcome the release of John Grisham's latest legal thriller, The Appeal (now in stores ) the best-selling author comments in a Q&A session where he suggests that the ongoing U.S Presidential primaries could be bought with over one billion dollars floating around the campaign. Read more hereThe Appeal is a powerful, timely, and shocking story of political and legal

Write To Done: Leo Babauta's Unmissable Articles About Writing

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:21:12 PST

I'm wondering if anyone noticed that I took a voluntary break in writing WritersCrunch...I've been really busy with some projects that I'm starting off February 1st. These projects took me away from being online and have been more of brainstorming, research and writing offline. More gists later.I took a peep today at my Reader and found that I've got lots to catch up with. My first look was at

And The 2007 T.S. Eliot Prize Goes to...Sean O'Brien for The Drowned Book!

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:14:09 PST

British poet, Sean O'Brien has claimed the 2007 T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry with The Drowned Book after winning the Forward prize for best collection an unprecedented third time following Ghost Train in 1995 and Downriver in 2001, making him the first author ever to take the UK's two top poetry awards in the same year. The T. S. Eliot Prize is the biggest cash

Would That Power Called 'Plagiarism' Prevail?

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 19:13:36 PST

Plagiarism has been the power phrase of the past week with several accusations on copyright infringement, defamation and plagiarism. Last Monday, Missy Chase Lapine, the author of The Sneaky Chef, a cookbook whose recipes camouflage puréed vegetables and fruits in comfort food for children, sued Jessica and Jerry Seinfeld last Monday, charging copyright infringement and defamation.It was all over

Fiction Writers Now Mash And Make Money At StoryMash

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 03:23:08 PST

Now, this really got my attention. Probably because I have a flare for fiction. A new social community called StoryMash, for collaboration, constructive criticism and a place to experiment and discover different writing styles is mashing up fiction readers and writers together.StoryMash is a place where fiction folks start new stories, continue existing stories, or take a story in a different

The Times Lists Greatest British Writers Since 1945

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:11:17 PST

Erica Wagner of The Times recently wrote an article which introduced "The Times list of the Greatest British Writers Since 1945". The list was presented to stir up an argument into the new year.But the list raises questions the criteria for considering the best postwar British writers, doesn't it? Because there was no scientific method for the analysis and then the results, certain factors were

Library of Virginia Literary Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 20:08:01 PST

The Library of Virginia and the Library of Virginia Foundation is currently accepting nominations for the 2008 Library of Virginia Literary Awards for books published in the calendar year 2007. These awards honor outstanding Virginia authors and books about Virginia in the areas of fiction, nonfiction and poetry.Here are the 2007 winners...Deborah Eisenberg for Twilight of the Superheroes (

Catherine O'Flynn Wins 2007 Costa First Novel Award

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 04:08:20 PST

As an aspiring novelist, I have been asked a couple of times what my greatest challenge is in my career as a writer (currently working on a fiction thriller about an immigrant...). My answer has always been: getting a publisher! You probably consider that too as a major challenge and perhaps get discouraged and disheartened.But negative emotions like that could dash one's dream to become an

Tom Wolfe Drops Long-term Deal With Farrar, Straus & Giroux

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:15:31 PST

As we see in the entertainment industry where artists could end a music deal with their record companies, so we see today in the world of writers and publishing houses.According to the New York Times, Tom Wolfe, the author of social genre novels such as “The Bonfire of the Vanities” and “A Man in Full,” has severed his 42-year publishing relationship with Farrar, Straus & Giroux and has agreed to

Novels Of The Month: January 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:38:21 PST

As novel readers usher in the new year, it would be nice to know what books to anticipate reading and I'm glad to give you a scoop on WritersCrunch. Starting from January, you can find new novels as well as updates on them. Perhaps your favorite novel might just be eyeing the bestseller lists. So why not keep an eye here:)This year begins with...Homecoming by Bernhard Schlink, the international

WriteCrunchers...Bienvenue au 2008!

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 11:27:00 PST

Well, now that every part of the world has welcomed 2008...Australia, Japan, France, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada...it gives me great pleasure to be writing my first post of the year!This blog started off on October 27, 2007 and posted 60 posts in the last year. This year, it's going to get better. I hope to keep improving on the content of WritersCrunch and

The 10 Best Posts of WritersCrunch in 2007!

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 17:10:22 PST

It was an interesting year for me for so many reasons. Most importantly, I started this blog in October 2007, though I had been blogging since late 2006 for other sites. Since I wrote my first post on this blog, my passion has not quenched.Here, I'm presenting to you my 10 best posts since October 2007 to date especially for new readers and my current subscribers too.They are... Amazon Reveals

Have You Taken The Books Quiz At Guardian Unlimited?

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 21:06:26 PST

The Guardian Unlimited wants to know if you were paying attention to the news that made the year 2007 a busy one for books, authors and the like. Were you paying attention or just too busy to be in the know?Why not take the definitive test and find out...Personally, it was very tasking! When I scrolled down to see the nature of questions, I was intimidated. I had to start by answering the

Would You Like To Be A Book Critic's Critic?

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 21:13:24 PST

Recently, I have found myself very interested in the reviews of book critics that I sometimes criticize some of their views and opinions. Most times I wonder their criteria for choosing the books they write reviews about. I am talking about full-time book critics of The New York Times.Despite being immersed in books they find appealing, as the nearly 300 books chosen for the daily reviews in The

Why Books Are The Best Christmas Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:10:10 PST

Christmas has become a time of the year when people share gifts to loved ones (amongst other things). For many the choice gift will be electronics such as digital cameras, mobile phones, computers, mp3 players, etcAs Christmas may be seen as an electric holiday with strings of blinking light bulbs adorning colorful displays and trees throughout the city and in many homes, people would naturally

What Did You Do This Christmas?

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 21:20:27 PST

While millions around the world where busy celebrating Christmas, I spent most of the day alone reading and researching. Strange isn't it? Well, I wasn't the only one that skipped Christmas, so don't think I'm a weirdo.Well, my research found this article on Christmas Classic Books which I decided to share on this blog. If you've read them, your comments about them could motivate others to read

Annie Dillard Award for Creative Nonfiction

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:24:01 PST

Writing Contests could be a great way of kick starting a career in writing. Personally, I have participated in some writing contests in the past, but given the fact that my writing career has passed what I'll call the 'puberty stage', I recently have directed my writing efforts on my novel, blogs and other writing activities.Since I started this blog, I've posted a few writing contests for

Could Any Spy Thriller Be Told Better Than "An Ordinary Spy"?

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 10:33:00 PST

Perhaps the story of espionage will never be told better by anyone else except by an ex-C.I.A. agent. If that's true, then, Joseph Weisberg would be the master of spy thrillers. In a thrilling story of two CIA Case Officers whose lives are permanently changed by the agents they recruit and run, Weisberg spotlights the confusing but strangely bureaucratic world of the C.I.A in his new novel, An

Scholastic Plans "The 39 Clues" to Succeed Harry Potter

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:44:00 PST

Scholastic, publisher of those wildly successful books by J. K. Rowling is moving forward with what it hopes will be its follow-up blockbuster series after completing the Harry Potter series. Called “The 39 Clues", this series will feature 10 books - the first of which is to go on sale next September - as well as related Web-based games, collectors’ cards and cash prizes.The series consisting of

Are You Bold Enough To Write A Bestseller?

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 08:31:21 PST

I recently read an excellent article about 'writing a bestseller' from Creative Writing Blog, and I thought I should share a few more tips on this topic. The article provided 3 things to consider before writing a book that could become a bestseller.Of course, an author who has previously published several books typically stands a better chance of making the bestsellers list than a new author, but

Francis Coppola Makes A Come Back With The Film "Youth Without Youth"

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:38:36 PST

After a 10-year break away from the film industry, Francis Coppola, the five-time Academy Award winner, film director, producer, and screenwriter returns to film-making with the film, Youth Without Youth following the accomplished movie The Rainmaker since 1997, based on John Grisham's 1995 novel, The Rainmaker.The film, Youth Without Youth is an adaptation of a novella by the Romanian

Amazon Reveals Itself As J.K. Rowling's Fairy Tales Buyer

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 02:48:51 PST

Two days ago I wrote a post about J.K. Rowlings Christmas Gift. Finally the 'Father Christmas' is unveiled! Amazon has revealed that it paid nearly $4 million for J.K. Rowling’s hand-written volume of the fairy tales of “The Tales of Beedle the Bard”.The Tales of Beedle the Bard is extensively illustrated and handwritten by the "bard" herself - all 157 pages of it. It's bound in brown Moroccan

The Second Annual Warren Adler Short Story Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Loy) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 21:50:33 PST

The Second Annual Warren Adler Short Story Contest is seeking submissions that capture the essence of New York in an endeavor to publicize and promote the art of the fictional short story and restore its place as a prime literary format.The first prize winner, to be announced in conjunction with the publication of Warren Adler’s latest short story collection New York Echoes, will be awarded