August Contest Update

YOU ARE HERE!

But where is here? Have you accomplished your goals and strategies for the year? That year is fading fast. The 2010 Golden Heart is upon us.


Good news! To celebrate the Seekerville birthday month in October we will hold our own Book In a Week Challenge. It's not about page count, it is all about personal best. All you have to do is show up. Details to come, but mark your calendars to clear the decks from October 5-10. We'll give you a chance to sign up in September. The prize vault will be open if you dare to accept the challenge.


Today the prize vault is open and we have a copy of Camy Tang's, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense, Deadly Intent to giveaway to one visitor, and one surprise book gift. So be sure to say hi and let us know what's going on in your contest life. Winners will be announced Saturday in the Weekend Edition.









As you check out these contest opportunities, note how many are now allowing published authors to enter. The competition just got tougher.



Published Contests:

2009 Laurel Wreath Contest. Deadline August 31st. *Books must have a copyright date of 2008. Electronic books appearing for the first time in print in 2008 are also eligible for entry.
Categories for entry:
* Short Contemporary (50,000 to 70,000 words)
* Long Contemporary (over 70,000 words)
* Romantic Suspense
* Historical / Regency
* Romantic Elements
* Paranormal / Time Travel / Fantasy/ Futuristic




Unpublished Contests:

Heart to Heart. Electronic only. Deadline August 15. Entries will be accepted in four categories in digital format only. The top three finalists in each category will have their entries read by three final judges: a print editor, an e-pub editor, and an agent. Submission is the first 15 pages. Each entry will be judged by four first—round judges, one of whom is a published author. The lowest score received is dropped and the three highest scores are averaged to constitute a final score.


* Paranormal
Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency
Print Editor: Esi Sogah, Avon Books
ePub Editor: Raelene Gorlinsky, Cerridwen Press/li>
* Contemporary
Agent: Elaine English, Elaine P. English, PLLC
Print Editor: Shauna Summers, Bantam-Dell
ePub Editor: Bethany Morgan, Samhain Publishing
* Historical
Agent: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary Agency
Print Editor: Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks
ePub Editor: Patricia Tanner, Wild Rose Press
* Erotica
Agent: Roberta Brown, Brown Literary Agency
Print Editor: Susan Swinwood, Harlequin Spice
ePub Editor: Theresa Stevens, Red Sage



The Golden Pen. Contest Opens June 1. Entries must be emailed to the appropriate Category Coordinator. Payment and entry form also must be received by Contest Coordinator no later than August 15, 2009. Entry shall include a synopsis plus manuscript pages, together totaling not more than 55 pages.

Each entry will have three first-round judges, including at least one published author, one Golden Heart finalist, and one PRO. The lowest of the three scores will be dropped, giving entrants a final total from their two highest scores. If you final in any category, you will have the opportunity, FOR ONE WEEK ONLY, to edit your manuscript based on the preliminary comments, before your manuscript is sent to the final judges.

• Series Contemporary Romance: Susan Litman, Editor, Harlequin
• Single Title: Jennifer Enderlin, Executive Editor, St. Martin's Press
• Historical: Allison Brandau, Assistant Editor, Berkley
• Paranormal: Kerry Donovan, Associate Editor, NAL
• Romantic Suspense: Megan McKeever, Associate Editor, Pocket Books
• Inspirational: Melissa Endlich, Senior Editor, Steeple Hill
• Young Adult: Regina Griffin, Executive Editor, Egmont USA
• Novel with Strong Romantic Elements:Valerie Gray, Executive Editor, Mira

While the e-deadline is August 15. This contest has a limit on entries (150) and you can reserve your spot by sending in your entry form now and your entry later. BTW, our own Glynna Kaye sold directly from an editor request, when she won the inspy category of this contest in 2008.



Hot Prospects Contest. Note: This contest is open to Published and Unpublished authors. Deadline September 1. Added bonus besides a great line up of editor/agent judges: GRAND PRIZE: The winner can choose between a book trailer, static banner and active banner from Bella Entertainment for the book of their choice (a $300.00 value) or $100.00 USD. Contest is open to electronic and traditional mail entries. Entry includes a synopsis and the first 25 pages.

Categories and Final Round Judges:

1) Historical/Regency:Editor-TBA/Agent - Paige Wheeler, agent, Folio Literary Manag

2) Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal:Editor- Leah Hultenschmidt, Editor, Dorchester Publishing/Agent - Michelle Grajkowski, 3 Seas Literary Agency

3) Romantic Suspense:Editor - Deb Werksman, editor, Sourcebooks/Agent - JL Stermer, agent, Donald Maass Literary Agency

4) Contemporary Long/Single Title:Katherine N. Pelz, Edit. Ass.Berkley Publishing Group/
Sharene Martin-Brown, Author Representative, Wylie- Merrick Literary Agency

5) Series Contemporary:Editor - Johanna Raisanen, Harlequin Enterprises/ Editor - Leanne Morgena, Senior Editor, the Wild Rose Press

6) Erotica: Editor - Theresa Stevens, editor, Red Sage Publishing/Editor - Kelli Collins, editor-in-chief, Ellora's Cave



Southern Heat. Open to Published and Unpublished authors. Another bang for your buck contest with editor and agent final judges. E deadline is September 1. FIRST 10 PAGES plus a 5-page max double-spaced SYNOPSIS.

Young Adult (including all YA sub-genres like paranormal/fantasy -- not strictly "romance") (Sarah Shumway, Senior Ed. HarperCollins and Jennifer Schober, Spencerhill Associates)

Paranormal (Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester and Laurie McLean, Larsen-Pomada Agency)
Historical (Amanda Bergeron, Avon/HarperCollins and Susannah Taylor, Richard Henshaw Group)

Contemporary Single Title (Margo Lipschultz, HQN and Tina Wexler, ICM)

Contemporary Series (Wanda Ottewell, Senior Ed. Harlequin SuperRomance and Melissa Jeglinski, The Knight Agency)

Romantic Suspense (Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks and Firebrand Literary Agency)

Inspirational (Melissa Endlich, Harlequin Steeple Hill and Agent TBA)



Where The Magic Begins. E deadline Sept 1. Published authors may enter any category in which they have not been published in the last three years. Entry includes 25 pages of manuscript and a one-page synopsis (unjudged). NEW THIS YEAR: Each entry will receive three scores from three different first round judges, then the low score will be dropped. A second round of judging will be held in the case of a tie.

DARK PARANORMAL — LaToya Smith, Hachette Books

EROTIC ROMANCE — Kathryn Lye, Harlequin

HISTORICAL — Leis Pedersen, Berkley

LIGHT PARANORMAL — Kate Seaver, Berkley

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE — Diana Ventimiglia, Silhouette

SENSUAL CONTEMPORARY — Krista Stroever, Silhouette

SINGLE TITLE — Heather Osborn , Tor

SWEET CONTEMPORARY — Emily Rodmell, Steeple Hill



Finally A Bride. Note this contest led to Ruth Logan Herne's first sale! E deadline is September 4. First pages of your manuscript - total entry no longer than 30 pages. Proof of eligibility required upon demand. (First Place Winner) in each category will receive a lovely engraved knife and cake server, suitable for cutting the cake in celebration of THE CALL. In addition, any book that is published as a result of this contest will receive a free entry into the National Readers' Choice Award the first year of eligibility.

• Traditional/Inspirational: Melissa Endlich -- Steeple Hill/Nicola Martinez - White Rose Publishing
• Series Contemporary: Patience Smith -- Silhouette/Wanda Ottewell -- Harlequin
• Romantic Suspense: Charles Griemsman -- Silhouette/Alex Logan -- Grand Central Publishing
• Historical/ Regency: Deb Werksman -- Casablanca Sourcebooks/Chris Keeslar -- Dorchester
• Paranormal/Time-Travel/Futuristic/Fantasy:Leah Hultenschmidt -- Dorchester/Margo Lipschultz -- HQN
• Mainstream with Romantic Elements:Keyren Gerlach -- HQN/Megan McKeever -- Pocket
• Young Adult:Anne Bensson -- St. Martin's/Leah Wilson - BenBella Books

Gateway to the Best. Deadline September 11. Electronic entry includes the first 25 pages. Each entry will be judged by three experienced judges with the lowest of the three scores dropped from the final tabulation.The Grand Prize Winner will receive US $100, a full reading and critique of her entire manuscript by a MORWA Published Author, a certificate, and a "Gateway to the Best Grand Prize Winner" electronic banner announcing the win for the author’s website."

Historical - Esi Sogah, Avon
Contemporary Series - Laura Barth, Harlequin
Paranormal - LaToya Smith, Grand Central
Single Title - TBA
Suspense - TBA
It is unfortunate that this contest does not have all the judges lined up; however, I added it because the final prizes are very exciting. ( Cash is always a plus!)


Just for Fun:

Scribeophile Computer Love Contest

Do you love writing science fiction? Then get your word processors ready for the Computer Love Contest! Write a science fiction short story (under 3000 words) featuring the theme “Computer Love.” Find a way to combine that warmest and fuzziest emotion, love, with something cool and mechanical, and the rest is up to you! 1st prize is a $100 Amazon.com gift card, and entries are due Sept. 30. Entry is free.


Only In A Woman's World. The Inspire Us At “Only In A Woman's World” Promotion is open only to legal residents of any of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia, who are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Contest ends at 10:00:00 a.m. CT on August 17, 2009. Your story should speak to women, describing a situation that would happen “Only in a woman's world”. Your story may be in a standard script/screenplay format or in narrative form. The judges must be able to identify the following in your story: who, what, when, where, and why . Your Contest Entry must contain a minimum of 100 characters and no more than 2000 characters. Web site will only accept a story containing up to 2000 characters. Winner's Contest Entry will be adapted into a Webisode. Winner will receive a trip for himself/herself and his/her guest to New York to attend the recording session for the Webisode. Trip includes round-trip air transportation , double-occupancy hotel accommodations for three (3) nights, spa treatment for winner and guest (valued at $250.00 per person), New York tourist activity(ies), $500.00 spending money, and a basket of Sponsor's products in hotel room.

Become a fan of Only in a Woman's World on Facebook.




Our last bit of fun is the Breyer's Dreamy Hollywood Sweepstakes, only because they mention GWW (Gone With The Wind), which everyone knows is Seeker Julie Lessman's favorite book. The contest ends September 30.

But wait. There's more...

Breyer's has given Seekerville an opportunity to be in a scene with Julie's favorite GWW leading man, Rhett Butler.

Go ahead...you know you want to do it!

Check it out here.
















That's all the fun you get this month. Good luck and keep your eye on the calendar.


Oh, and don't forget to review the July Contest Update for contests that are still open.