May Contest Update

Welcome to the May 2010 Seekerville contest update.

The contest vault is open and we are giving away a copy of The Art of War for Writers: Fiction Writing Strategies, Tactics, and Exercises by James Scott Bell.

Just say hi and leave a valid email address or have a working link back to your email address to enter. Time is words, and if I can't reach you then the prize goes back in the vault.



Here's some interesting trivia for you. The 2005 Maggies Unpublished Division. I won and Glynna and Debby placed. Debby sold first, followed by Glynna and moi trailing last, five years after this contest placing. Contests are great for many reasons. ( If you need reasons check here or here.) But in the end, it is the editor you are pleasing.




Published Contests

Aspen Gold. Deadline May 15th. The official entry form and entry fee must accompany each submission. Entries must have an original copyright or first printing date of January, 2009 through December, 2009.
Categories:
Young Adult
Contemporary
Historical
Single Title
Paranormal/Time-Travel/Futuristic
Romantic Suspense
Erotica




Unpublished Contests

Today is April 30th. So if you are really good you can get in on the Fool For Love Contest extension which ends at midnight tonight. They're low on entries in all categories. This spells a great opp. for you.

Come on. You know you wanna!



Fool For Love. Deadline April 30th. ALL entrants must enter electronically. First chapter (up to 20 pages maximum) and optional synopsis (5 pages maximum). A prologue may be included with the first chapter as long as the entry does not exceed 20 pages.
Short Contemporary - Jonathan Clements, Agent, Wheelhouse Literary Group
Long Contemporary - Katelynn Lacopo, Literary Assistant, BookEnds, LLC
Historical - Lucy Gilmour, Harlequin Editor
Paranormal/Futuristic/Fantasy/Time Travel - Amanda Barnett, Senior Editor, The Wild Rose Press
Inspirational - Elizabeth Mazer, Assistant Editor, Steeple Hill
Romantic Suspense - Keyren Gerlach, Associate Editor Harlequin




TARA. Deadline May 1st. Electronic entries. The first chapter, 4,000 words max (actual word count), including prologue if applicable. *Word count will be verified. No part of a second or any additional chapters will be judged. Per editor request, finalists must include a synopsis of up to 1,500 words at the time they submit revised entry for final judging.
Series Contemporary: Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin
Historical: Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks
Paranormal: Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester
Single Title: Jhanteigh Kupihea, NAL
Women's Fiction: Amy Pierpont, Grand Central
Romantic Suspense: Peter Senftleben, Kensington
Inspirational: JoAnne Simmons, Barbour Books



Ignite The Flame. Deadline May 8th. Accepts electronic and print submissions. Your entry should be the scene of your hero and heroine's first meeting or reunion (up to 15 pages). You may also submit an optional, non-judged one-page set-up providing necessary background for the first-meeting, as a page within your attached submission.

Young Adult: Andrea Somberg, Harvey Klinger Agency
Category-Length Contemporary: Elizabeth Mazer, Steeple Hill/Silhouette
Erotic Romance: Deb Werksmen, Executive Editor, Sourcebooks
Historical Romance: Susannah Taylor, Richard Henshaw Group
Paranormal Romance: Michelle Grajkowski, Three Seas Literary Agency
Single Title Contemporary: Leis Pederson, Berkley Publishing Group
Suspense Romance - Esi Sogah, Avon Books, Harper Collins




Golden Claddagh. Deadline May 14th. The beginning of your manuscript, including prologue, cannot exceed thirty (30) pages.
Contemporary: Lois Winston - Ashley Grayson Literary Agency
FF&P: Leis Pederson - Berkley/Jove
Historical: Barbara Poelle Irene Goodman Agency
Celtic: Deb Werksman – Sourcebooks



The Molly. May 25th deadline. Or enter by the early bird deadline of April 25th to save $5. Pretty hefty entry fee for an electronic contest: non HODRW members:$35, non RWA members $40. Ouch! First (up to) thirty (30) pages of your manuscript. This can be a combination of Prologue plus Chapter One+, but 30 pages maximum.

Contemporary: Patience Smith, Harlequin
Historical: TBA
Paranormal/TimeTravel/Futuristic: Chris Keeslar, Dorchester Publishing
Young Adult: Katelynn Lacopo, BookEnds Literary Agency
Single Title: Holly Blanck, St Martins Press
Romantic Suspense: Danielle Poiesz, Simon and Schuster, Pocket Books




The Emerald City Opener. Deadline is June 1st for this electronic contest. "Submit your polished (think sparkling) first seven pages of your manuscript to enter. Your novel's opening hook." Categories are listed but not names of finalist editors and/or agents. (Bummer)
Historical Romance
Romantic Elements
Paranormal
Romantic Suspense
Series/Category Romance
Contemporary

Submit young adult or erotic entries in the best fitting category.

Finalists will be judged by editors and agents. And there's still more. . .finalists will also receive a private appointment with an editor or agent at the Emerald City Writers' Conference happening October 1-3, 2010 at the Bellevue Hilton.




The 26th Annual Colorado Gold Writing Contest. Contest opens April 1 and the deadline is June 1. Submission is the first twenty pages and a synopsis. Categories include: romance, mystery, speculative fiction, action/thriller and mainstream fiction. Five category winners receive a $100 dollar prize. Final judge is an acquiring agent or editor. Check out the website for a contest instruction video!


Reveal Your Inner Vixen. Deadline June 1. All electronic. "Send us your most sizzling scene showcasing sensual tension between your hero and heroine. Your scene can be a flirtation, a kiss, or a hot and heavy love scene, just as long as the reader can feel that tension!" Finalist judges TBA. Enter up to 20 pages of any scene that showcases your use of sensual tension, plus an unjudged 1-page set-up (optional). Open to published and unpublished authors. RWA membership not needed.
Categories:
Series Contemporary
Single Title
Historical
Alternative: time travel, fantasy, futuristic, paranormal
Erotic Romance
Young Adult



Maggie Unpublished Division. Deadline June 5. All electronic. Limited to first 70 entries in each category. The Maggie is a highly prestigious contest and not for beginners. Entrants do not receive scores. Entry to consist of synopsis and prologue (if applicable) and first chapter(s). Total number of pages may not exceed 35 per entry. Judges TBA.

Single Title: LaToya Smith, Grand Central Publishing
Paranormal/Fantasy: Esi Sogah, Avon
Historical: Danielle Poiesz, Pocket Books
Contemporary Series Romance: Kathryn Lye, Harlequin
Inspirational: David Long, Bethany House



The Lone Star. Deadline June 6. All electronic contest. First 25 pages, including prologue, if desired. 20$ Early bird special good until May 23rd. What a bang for your buck with editor and agent judge and early bird discount.
Final judges:

Inspirational Category:
Editor - Lindsay Guzzardo – Guideposts Books
Agent - Tamela Hancock Murray – Hartline Literary

Young Adult Category:
Editor – Kat O'She – Leap Books
Agent –Tina Wexler – International Creative Management

Romantic Suspense Category:
Editor: Leis Pederson – Penguin
Agent: Tina Tsallas – Great Titles, Inc.

Contemporary Series Category:
Editor: Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin
Agent: Pam Strickler with Pam Strickler Author Management

Single Title Category:
Editor: Deb Werksman – Sourcebooks
Agent: Lois Winston – Ashley Grayson Literary Agency

Historical Category:
Editor: Alicia Condon – Kensington
Agent: Sara Megibow – Nelson Literary Agency

Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Category:
Editor: Tara Gavin – Harlequin Nocturne
Agent: Alexandra Machinist with Linda Chester Agency






Just for Fun


Deadline is May 31st 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. Entry cap at 300.

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 Jenny Bent of The Bent Agency.



The Gift of A Second Chance Contest. A chance to win 10 thousand dollars or a copy of Debbie Macomber's latest hardcover, Hannah's List.

What would you do with a second chance? Share your story (in 100 words or less) with Debbie and MIRA® Books for a chance to win $10,000. Contest ends May 29th.