Happy New Year!
Three Seekers sold last year thanks to contests...
Glynna Kaye, Ruth Logan Herne, and Cara Lynn James.
So what's your excuse?
In Seekerville we always do our best to encourage you to step out of your comfort zone. The prize vault is open and one New Year's Day poster will receive a lovely necklace mailed to your home from Unpubbed Island, via the artisans at ETSY.COM. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.
Time to resolve to enter a contest this year!
Unpublished Contests:
Marlene Awards:Deadline January 15, 2010. All entries must be paid by PayPal and submitted electronically. Each entry will be read by three judges and scored using a 50 point scale. The lowest score will be dropped. The winner of each category will receive a Marlene Medallion and a detailed critique of her or his submission by a published author. Entry is synopsis and the beginning of the manuscript up to 35 pages total.
Final Judges:
Single Title Contemporary Romance
Final Editor Judge: Alicia Condon, Dorchester
Critique Author: Elise Chidley (www.elisechidley.com), 2009 Rita finalist for Single Title and Best First Book
Series Contemporary Romance (long and short)
Final Editor Judge: Patience Smith, Harlequin/Silhouette
Critique Author: Dana Marton (www.danamarton.com), 2009 Rita nominee for Best Contemporary Series--Suspense/Adventure
Historical Romance
Final Editor Judge: Jen Enderlin, St. Martin’s
Critique Author: Diane Gaston (www.dianegaston.com), 2006 Rita winner for Best Regency Romance
Paranormal/Fantasy/Futuristic Romance
Final Editor Judge: Katherine Pelz, Berkley
Critique Author: Gwyn Cready (www.cready.com), 2009 Rita winner for Best Paranormal Romance
Romantic Elements
Final Editor Judge: Latoya Smith, Grand Central
Critique Author: Lani Diane Rich (www.lanidianerich.com)
Young Adult
Final Editor Judge: Emilia Rhodes, Simon Pulse
Critique Author: Carrie Jones (www.carriejonesbooks.com)
(VINCE AND TINA ARE ENTERING THE MARLENE!!)
Yellow Rose Award for Excellence Unpublished: Deadline for all print and electronic submissions is January 23, 2010. Entries shall consist of four (4) print copies and one (1) electronic copy of the first 25 pages of the novel. A prologue and/or second chapter may be included if within total page guidelines. Yellow Rose RWA reserves the right to limit entries to the first seventy-five (75) manuscripts received in each category.
Contemporary Single Title: Theresa Stevens, Red Sage
Historical (includes Regency): Alicia Condon, Dorchester
Mainstream: Danielle Poisez, Pocket Books
Paranormal: Emmanuelle Alspaugh, Judith Ehrlich Literary
Romantic Suspense: Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks
Series Contemporary: Victoria Curran, Harlequin
Young Adult: Melissa Frain, TOR
2010 Grand Prize (Agent Read):Scott Eagan, Grayhaus Literary Agency
Fire and Ice: Deadline February 1st. Entry consists of the first 25 pages. This is an electronic contest.
Single Title Final Judge: Emily Ohanjanians, Harlequin
Series Romance Final Judge: Scott Eagan, Greyhaus Literary Agency
Historical Romance Final Judge: Amanda Bergeron, Avon
Women's Fiction w/Romantic Elements Final Judge: Alex Logan, Grand Central Publishing
Paranormal Romance Final Judge: Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary Agency
Young Adult Final Judge: Katherine Pelz, Berkley
Merritt: Opens January first. The deadline for submission is midnight, February 14, 2010. The entry is 25 pages total, including a maximum 5-page synopsis.
Mainstream w/Romantic Elements – Latoya Smith, Grand Central
Romantic Suspense – Katherine Pelz, Berkley
Contemporary Series – Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin
Paranormal – Selena James, Kensington
Historical – Meredith Giordan, Berkley
Inspirational— Melissa Endlich, Steeple Hill
The 2102 Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense opens to entries January 15 and closes March 15. Entry consists of first 5,000 words (approx. 15 pages) and synopsis. This is an electronic contest. Note that there are category entry caps.
Category (Series) Romantic Mystery /Suspense
Patience Smith, Silhouette Intimate Moments & Michelle Grajkowski, Three
Seas Literary Agency
Historical Romantic Mystery /Suspense
Alex Logan, Grand Central Publishing & Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary
Agency
Inspirational Romantic Mystery /Suspense
Caleb Sjogren, Tyndale House Publishers & Steve Laube Agency
Paranormal (PTTF) Romantic Mystery /Suspense
Heather Osborn, Tor/Forge & Paige Wheeler, Folio Literary Management
Single Title Romantic Mystery /Suspense
Margaret Marbury, MIRA/HQN & Stephanie Maclean, Trident Media Group
Mainstream Mystery /Suspense
Toni Plummer, St. Martin's/Thomas Dunne & Stacia Decker, Donald Maass
Literary Agency
Published Contests:
Contests for books with a copyright date from January 2009 to December 2009.
The Colorado Award of Excellence:Deadline January 8, 2010
The Holt Medallion:Deadline is not posted yet. (Due to unforeseen circumstances, the HOLT Medallion Contest is running behind schedule this year. VRW hopes to have the rules and entry form posted on the web site as soon as possible. When the contest opens for entries, notice will be posted on the RWA loops.)
The Write Touch Reader's Award:Deadline January 9, 2010
The Golden Quill:Deadline January 10, 2010
Reader's Choice Bean Pot Award: Deadline January 11, 2010
Reader's Choice Bean Pot Award: Deadline January 11, 2010
Bookseller's Best Award: Deadline January 15, 2010
Winter Rose Award of Excellence: Deadline January 23, 2010
Other Contests and Just For Fun:
Deadline is February 28th for the...Wow! Women on Writing Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest.
Word Count:Maximum: 750, Minimum: 250 OPEN PROMPT! That’s right, this is your chance to shine, and get creative. You can write about anything, as long as it’s within the word count and fiction. So, dig out those stories you started way back when and tailor them to the word count.
Any style and genre. From horror to romance! So, get creative, and most of all, have fun.Entries limited to a maximum of 300 stories. Please enter early to ensure inclusion. The winner not only gets cash and goodies but an agent read! The guest agent judge is Elise Capron with the Sandra Dijkstra Agency.
Jennifer Hudson - This Is Love: Ultimate Valentine's Day Contest!
To celebrate the release of Jennifer's second single 'If This Isn't Love,' Bossip.com and JenniferHudsonOnline.com are teaming up to give one lucky couple the ultimate Valentine's Day date. Whether you've found that special someone, or are looking to impress somebody this Valentine's Day, MAKE AN IMPRESSION THIS VALENTINE'S DAY, ON US!
HOW TO ENTER:
Record a video, write a message or call 312-488-1904
Tell us why you deserve a chance to win the Ultimate Valentine's Day date. How did you fall in love? Is there someone you’re looking to impress this Valentine's day?
Tell us about it! Contest begins January 16 and ends February 98
That's it until February! Keep writing.
Please note the rules for giveaways in the right-hand column. If you have not received a December giveaway yet, it is on its way. Since we here in Seekerville do not have a death wish, we avoid post offices until after the holidays.
I've done some thinking about entering contests this year. I'd like to try my latest ms out to see how it does. Thank you making this list.
ReplyDeleteWell I have no talent as a writer so I won't be entering but I wish alll published and unpublished authors the best of luck. I hope somebody wins the Valentine's Date LOL cause that ain't gonna be me either! :-P
ReplyDeleteHappy 2010!
XOXO~ Renee
steelergirl83(at)gmail(dot)com
There are at least two on this list that I play to enter.
ReplyDeleteHelen
Thank you for posting the short story WOW link...I am going to try to write some short stories this year and that would be a great goal for me :)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! I cannot wait to see what The Seekers have in store for 2010!
Happy New Year ladies and gentlemen.
ReplyDeleteAfter wild partying last night (I stayed up till 9:30 and ate some dip!) I am getting a late start on the new year. I think it's going to be an amazing one.
In fact, to celebrate, I'm making smiley face pancakes. Shout out if you want one or two.
P.S. Thanks for the contest list Tina but do I have to wait that long to enter the Daphne?
Debra, I had to laugh at your 9:30 bedtime on New Year's Eve. I tried hard to stay awake and made it almost to 10:00. I watched part of a classic movie, After the Thin Man, on TV, really enjoyed it, but couldn't stay awake.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year everyone! And enter contests this year--they worked for me!
Happy New Year Seekersville...
ReplyDeleteGood Luck to all of the writers planning to enter the writing contests this year.
karenk
kmkuka(at)yahoo(dot)Com
Great contest line up for January!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update.
Rose
Happy New Year, Seekerville! And oh how I've missed you!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, I think I have the shakes. The past two weeks have been crazy busy, so I've only taken seconds to scan Seekerville posts!! Oh the withdrawal...
I'm so blessed by blogs like the Seekerville beach bums who impart wisdom from their hammocks and talk shop over frothy drinks with paper umbrellas. Thank you!
I'm planning to enter ACFW's Genesis contest this year. Beyond that, I'm not sure. We'll see what happens. :-)
Ooooo, one of my goals this year was to enter 3 contests! I'm definitely going to enter a couple of those you listed. One of those contests will force me to do another one of my goals, which is to learn to write a synopsis! lol...Yikes! I don't have much time, do I?
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year. Sorry for the late appearance. I took the opportunity to sleep in....and did I ever!!!
ReplyDeleteGood to see your faces in Seekerville today!!
Debra!! Good news. The Daphne coordinator will be posting in Seekerville Thursday on the contest.
ReplyDeleteWOOHOOO!!
Hi Seekers:
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
I had a dream last night that I was in a book store and there on display was a Love Inspired book with the new Yankee Stadium on the cover.
Is anyone here writing an inspirational romance about a baseball player making a comeback after finding God and the love of a good woman? If you are, I’ve seen the cover.
I was too far away to get the title or author.
BTW, this would be a fun book to research. You’d almost have to interview some players and of course it would all be tax deductible. : )
Vince
Happy New Year, everyone! Yes, I made it until midnight AND slept in this morning. Hmm what does that say for the new year???
ReplyDeleteDebra, are those pancakes whole grain? Tradition mandates January 1 is the kick off day for dieting, but I will take my smily face pancake with dimples, of course : )
Sherrinda! When you unlock the secret of synopsis writing, do share!!
And Vince? I do believe you are vying for Madame Zelda's crystal ball, aren't you? No matter. Encouraging predictions are welcome by everyone : )
I brought a fine, high caffeine European Roast with an assortment of celebratory creamers to welcome in 2010!
Hi Tina:
ReplyDeleteThanks. That’s a great line-up of contests. I think this year I will keep entering the first chapter of my WIP, with recommended changes, in successive contests.
Last year I tried out four different subgenres to get a feel for the contest experience. This year I have to get serious.
I have a full manuscript now -- which I owe to the motivation and inspiration the Seekers have provided me over the past year.
Maybe I can be one of the six friends who gets the call in 2010. : )
Thanks to all!
Vince
Happy 2010!
ReplyDeleteI would like to try a contest this year.
I look forward to hearing many success stories in the new year.
RUTH!!! RUTH!!! QUICK!!! Vince just saw your future. OH MY GOSH..or in the words of Ruthy...OH MY STARS!!
ReplyDeleteWow, congrats to all you folks who are stepping out bravely in the New Year. Way to go. I am impressed.
Renee, Vince, Kerri, Helen, Sherrinda, Lisa, Debra. Kudos. Go for it.
BTW last year both Vince and I entered The Marlene. Neither of us finaled. We are hoping we have grown and this year we will FINAL.
Anyone care to join us????
No guts. NO GLORY!!!
Happy New Year, everyone ... can't wait to see what God has in store for each one of us!! Thanks, Tina, for the contest update.
ReplyDeleteUh, Renee (SteelerGirl), you may say that you have "no talent as a writer," but you're loaded with talent for being an encourager to we writers who need it, so THANK YOU!
Christy ... you go for it, girl!! Get those short stories written and entered. We're pulling for ya. :)
Deb ... the smiley-face pancakes sound SO good, but the groan of my scale says otherwise this morning, so I'm back on a regimen of peach oatmeal and coffee ...
Hugs,
Julie
I am bound and determined to enter the Genesis contest this year at ACFW. Thanks for the list, I find this site very encouraging and fun to visit. Thanks so much! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeletecaseym(dot)writer(at)gmail(dot)com
Vince, your dream has Ruthy written all over it. lol
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be fun to read her comment
if.she.ever.gets.here!
Hey Joy, I'm a short story writer too. Not many of our kind out there. Rose writes shorts too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that list of contests, Tina! You're totally awesome! I see a whole bunch of contests I'll be entering, getting my books sent off next December. The only problem I'll have is deciding which category to enter my book in--Young Adult or Inspirational. I can hardly wait!!! Mwahahahaha!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMelly you are such a tease!!
ReplyDeleteGo for it Kerri.
ReplyDeleteHey, Casey, we like you too.
Enter the Genesis, great feedback.
Vince's dream - too funny! Where is Ruthy anyway?
ReplyDeleteI can see a lot of people are hoping to be part of "the six".
Optimism runs high today--Let's just make it sixteen!
Julie. It will be back to sticks and twigs for me too, but after the weekend.
thanks, Tina! And happy new year everyone!!
ReplyDeleteI've been out of town since Tuesday with no Internet, so I need to catch up on everyone!
Happy New Year, everybody! Here's to a great year of contest finals and wins and contracts!
ReplyDeleteCamy
Thanks for the wonderful contest update - as usual, Tina.
ReplyDeleteTwo on the list caught my fancy, so I might have to send my wip in for some advice. :-)
Happy New Year and future writing blessings to all Seekers and Seeker-friends.
Here's to Tina leaving her hut behind in 2010!!
You're welcome Julie! I'm glad I can help encourage you guys! I haven't read all of the books written by Seekers but the books that I have read, I've loved! From the looks of things I'll have a lot of "Seeker" reading to do this year too! :-)
ReplyDeleteXOXO~ Renee
Thanks everyone - it's not really a 'placement' but, oooh, I was so happy.
ReplyDeleteThe judges were super and hit me right where I needed the punch
Each contest helps me so much, and I know a lot of you guys are veteran contest-entrants, but I'm new to it.
What a great (albeit humbling) learning experience!
Oh mylanta, talk about a day late and a dollar short.
ReplyDeleteVince.
I'm so THAT DREAM!!!!
:)
You know what's so funny, Vince-baby is that I have a book in my head about the Yankees and it's got this great story line and I absolutely, positively plan to approach some editor about it one of these days, when I'm established enough to make them think I can pull it off. AND IT'S SUCH A FUN, FUN STORY!!!! Of course with inspirational elements, because even my pinstriped boys of summer need a good, healthy dose of inspiration.
I love this, Vince!!!
And as to where I am...
My computer is recognizing Seekerville as a threat. It does this when Camy (sorry, Camster) posts, it locks up and won't let me in. After a few days it must sense an ease in the threat. My Norton security cites the times I've tried to get on since Camy's last post and it detects something from her end, and blocks it.
Thereby blocking me.
Oh my stars, I keep telling it that Camy's a nice person, that she's a fellow LI compardre and colleague and an author of great renown, well-respected among her peers.
To no avail.
Sigh.
But today it let me in, so I'm happy with that! We'll see how this rolls over the next few days, but it's the second time it's happened when Camy posts, so obviously my HP is having issues with her.
Bad HP. Very bad.
Oh my goodness, I'm prattling too much, I have to go and see what else is going on.
I love the line-up. Allen Arnold. Are you kidding me????
YES!!!!! :)
I wonder if he likes the Yankees?
Ruthy