September Seekerville Contest Update

Welcome to the September Contest Update. The contest vault is open and all you have to do for a shot at two copies of Ruth Logan Herne's newest release, Ready Made Family, is tell us what your contest plans are for September. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.



Ready or not here's the Golden Heart and RITA submission time line for 2011 More info available on the RWA website:

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September 21, 2010
Golden Heart contest will open for entries. Contest entry form will be available on this date.

November 15, 2010
Entry forms and fees must be received by the RWA Office.

December 2, 2010
Entered works must be received in the RWA Office. Failure to meet this deadline shall result in disqualification and forfeiture of the entry fee.


December 30, 2010
Preliminary-round judging begins.

March 1, 2011
Preliminary-round score sheets due to RWA Office.

March 25, 2011
Notification will be sent to finalists by two-day delivery. Phone calls to notify finalists will also commence. Release of official finalist list on RWA website by 2 p.m. CT.


RITA

September 21, 2010
RITA contest entry is available for Eligible Novels and Novellas. Contest entry form will be available on this date.

December 1, 2010
Deadline for entry forms and fees to be received by the RWA Office.

January 4, 2011
Deadline for books to be received at the RWA Office. Failure to meet this deadline will result in disqualification and forfeiture of the entry fee.

January 20, 2011
Preliminary-round judging begins.

March 9, 2011
Preliminary-round score sheets due to RWA Office.

March 25, 2011
Notification will be sent to finalists by two-day delivery. Phone calls to notify finalists will also commence. Release of official finalist list on RWA website by 2 p.m. CT.

Unpublished Contests

Finally a Bride. Electronic Deadline September 10th (Extended!). THANKS RENEE! Each manuscript must have finaled, but not won in a previous RWA or RWA chapter-sponsored contest. Submit the first thirty pages of your manuscript. The 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. TWO EDITORS JUDGES EACH CATEGORY.

Traditional/Inspirational
Melissa Endlich -- Steeple Hill
Barbara Scott -- Abingdon Press

Series Contemporary
Patience Smith -- Silhouette
Wanda Ottewell -- Harlequin

Romantic Suspense
Charles Griemsman -- Silhouette
Alex Logan -- Grand Central Publishing

Historical/ Regency
Deb Werksman -- Casablanca Sourcebooks
Carly Corcoran -- Harlequin Historical

Paranormal/Time-Travel/Futuristic/Fantasy
Margo Lipschultz -- HQN
TBA

Mainstream with Romantic Elements
Keyren Gerlach -- HQN
Esi Sogah -- Avon

YA
Anne Bensson -- St. Martin's
Leah Wilson - BenBella Books




Launching a STAR. Electronic deadline of September 8. First 25 pages. One editor and one agent judge in each category. The overall contest winner has a star named in their honor through the International Star Registry. An engraved, star-shaped paperweight is presented to the first place winner of each category, and stars cover the frameable certificate provided to all finalists.

BTW The *Launching A Star Contest* is low on *Inspirational *and *Romantic
Suspense* categories.

FINAL JUDGES:

Single Title:Selina McLenmore, Grand Central-Becca Stumpf, Prospect Agency

General Paranormal:Meredith Giordan, Berkley/Jove-Laurie Mclean, Larsen-Pomada Agcy

Futuristic/Fantasy:Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester-Suzie Townsend, FinePrint Literary

Historical:Talia Platz, North American Library-Michelle Grajkowski, 3 Seas Agcy

Series Contemporary:Susan Litman, Harlequin Special Edition-Roberta Brown, Brown Agcy

Romantic Suspense:Katherine Pelz, Berkley-Laura Bradford, The Bradford Agency
Inspirational:Natalie Hanemann, Thomas Nelson-Rachelle Gardner, WordServe Lit.
Young Adult:Kristin Daly, Harper Collins-Elaine Spencer, The Knight Agency

Gateway to the Best. Deadline September 10. 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. The final judges for each category are:
Contemporary Series - Laura Barth, Editor, Harlequin
Historical - Esi Sogah, Editor, Avon
Single Title - Katherine Pelz, Editor, Berkley
Paranormal - LaToya Smith, Editor, Grand Central Publishing
Romantic Suspense - Margo Lipschultz, Editor, Harlequin
Young Adult - Kathy Dawson, Editor, Dial Books/Penguin Group




Fiction From the Heartland. Deadline September 10. Prologue/First Chapter and Synopsis (35 pages total). Finalists entries will be judged by both an editor and an agent. Each entrant will receive two one-page written critiques and detailed score sheets. This is a snail mail contest and electronic contest.

Manuscripts that final are read by BOTH an Editor and an AGENT

Editors
Category Romance - Susan Litman, Harlequin/Silhouette
Contemporary Single Title - Danielle Poiesz, Pocket Books
Historical - Tessa Woodward, Avon Books
Romantic Suspense - Lauren Plude, Grand Central Publishing
Paranormal - Meredith Giordan, Berkley Publishing Group
Erotic Romance - Meghan Conrad, Ellora's Cave Young Adult - Natashya Wilson, Harlequin Teen
Inspirational - Melissa Endlich, Steeple Hill

Agents

• Sara Megibow, Nelson Literary Agency
• Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary Agency
• Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary
• Agency Karen Solem, Spencerhill Associates
• Claudia Cross, Sterling Lord Literistic

Beacon Award, Unpublished. October 1 deadline. Electronic Entries only. The first 30 pages. First place per category - Beacon Lapel Pin, and .gif for website (if applicable).
Final Round Judges:

Single Title / Contemporary
Editor: Georgia Woods - Samhain
Agent: TBA

Erotic Romance
Editor: Raelene Gorlinski - Elora's Cave
Agent: TBA

Contemporary Series
Editor: Rhonda Penders - Wild Rose Press
Agent: Michelle Grajkowski - 3 Seas Literary Agency

Romantic Suspense
Editor: Tessa Woodward - Harper Collins Publishers
Agent: Paige Wheeler - Folio Literary Agency

Paranormal
Editor: Leis Pederson - Penguin / Berkley
Agent: TBA

Inspirational
Editor: Elizabeth Mazer - Steeple Hill
Agent: TBA

Chick Lit / Mainstream
Editor: Mercedes Fernandez - Kensington
Agent: TBA

Young Adult
Editor: TBA
Agent: Sara Crowe - Harvey Klinger Agency

Historical
Editor: TBA
Agent: Amy Boggs - Donald Maass Literary Agencyp

First Kiss. October 1 e-deadline. Send the scene from your book where your couple first kisses. The scene should convey the emotion and romantic conflict between the characters, sparkle with creative dialogue, description, and characterization, and move the story forward. As one of our authors said, “Good kiss scenes are essentially emotional discoveries. The first kiss brings a new closeness… but also a new set of complications.” The final judge is Patience Smith, Senior Editor, Silhouette Romantic Suspense at Harlequin, will judge six finalists.
Cash Prizes. Submission : 10 page maximum scene, plus one set up page.

The Suzannah. October 1 e-deadline. Limit 120 entries. Entry should be a maximum of 7,200 words (including synopsis that can be any length, so long as entire entry does NOT exceed 7,200).

"The Suzannah is different from most other writers’ contests in that published authors and unpublished writers all compete against one another in a single pool of entries without categories. Yep, you read that right. Published and unpublished writers all hashing it out together for a spot as one of the six finalists. The only criteria we require is that the manuscript fit within the romance genre and that it be unpublished and uncontracted."


The final round judges will rank each of the six finalists from 1st place to 6th place. The total of all the rankings will be added and the lowest ranking entry will win the grand prize. No other rankings will be given. The respective rankings of the 5 other finalists will not be publicized and all 5 will be listed (and celebrated) on all publicity as finalists, without regard to final round ranking. (see FAQs for examples.) The entrants will receive their final score, but information regarding which judges gave which score will not be given.


Grand Prize Winner Receives Three hundred dollars in cash, donated in memory of romance author Suzannah Nelson Davis, and a trophy.
Final Round
All six finalists will have their entries evaluated by the full panel of agents and editors.

• Danielle Poiesz - Pocket Books
• Emmanuelle Alspaugh -- Judith Ehrlich Literary
• Alexandra Machinist -- Linda Chester Literary Agency
• Jill Marsal -- Marsall Lyon Literary Agency
• Keyren Gerlach -- Harlequin/Silhouette
• Lauren Plude, Grand Central Publishing
• Dr. Julie Nelson, sponsor of The Suzannah

MERA: Synospis is not a Four-Letter Word. October 1 deadline. USPS and electronic entries. Submit a synopsis of ten pages or less.The top entry in each category will go to a final judge, an acquiring editor, to choose the overall winner.
Categories: Contemporary Romance- Historical Romance - Paranormal Romance -Romantic Suspense - Romance Elements.

Ask us to write a synopsis (which we hate) and don't tell us the final judge. Arrgh.





Get Your Stiletto In The Door. e-deadline is October 2. First 5,000 words and an optional synopsis.
Final Round Slate Judges for 2010:

Single Title:
Agent: Paige Wheeler, Folio Literary Management
Editor: Amanada Bergeron, Harper-Collins

Women’s Fiction:
Agent: Scott Eagan, Greyhaus Literary Agency
Editor: Leis Pederson, The Berkley Publishing Group

Thrill:
Agent: TBA
Editor: Kathleen Gilligan, St. Martin’s Press

Paranormal:
Agent: Chelsea M. Gilmore, Maria Carvainis Agency, Inc.
Editor: Megan Records, Kensington Publishing

Inspirational:
Agent: Kelly Mortimer, Mortimer Literary Agency
Editor: Beth Adams, Guideposts Books

Red Hot:
Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency
Editor: Sharon DeVita, Red Sage Publishing

Young Adult:
Agent: Mandy Hubbard, D4EO Literary Agency
Editor: Emilia Rhodes, Simon Pulse





The Emily. Deadline October 7. All electronic. Submit the first 7 thousand words of your manuscript. No synopsis. Each finalist will go to both an editor and an agent and a bookseller.

TALK ABOUT BANG FOR YOUR BUCK!!!

Contemporary Single Title

Agent – Jessica Faust, Bookends, LLC
Editor – Frances Jalet-Miller, Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group USA
Bookseller – Stacy Morris, Katy Budget Books

Contemporary Series
Agent – Scott Eagan, Greyhaus Literary Agency
Editor – Patience Smith, Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense
Bookseller – Diana Perini, Barnes & Noble (Town and Country)

Erotic Romance
Agent – Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency
Editor – Martin Biro, Kensington Publishing
Bookseller – Arshi Naqvi, Katy Budget Books

Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal
Agent – Emmanuelle Morgen, Judith Ehrlich Literary Management
Editor – Amanda Bergeron of Avon Books, HarperCollins Publishers
Bookseller – Gary Robson, Red Lodge Books

Historical Romance
Agent – Jenny Bent, The Bent Agency
Editor – Caitlin Alexander, Random House, Inc.
Bookseller – Kathy Robson, Red Lodge Books

Novel with Elements of Romance
Agent – Stephany Evans, FinePrint Literary Management
Editor – Esi Sogah, Avon Books, HarperCollins Publishers
Bookseller – Teresa Kennedy, The Book Cellar

Romantic Suspense
Agent – Elizabeth Pomada – Michael Larsen, Elizabeth Pomada Literary Agents
Editor – Susan Litman, Silhouette Special Editions, Harlequin Enterprises
Bookseller – John Kwiatkowski – Murder By The Book

Young Adult
Agent – Holly Root, Waxman Literary Agency
Editor – Sarah Shumway, Katherine Tegen Books, HarperCollins Publishers
Bookseller – Cathy Berner – Blue Willow Bookshop

Best of the Best is a competition between the first place winners of each category. The winner will receive a critique of the first 50 pages by the fabulous Leis Pederson, Berkley Books, Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Best of the Best Judges:
Booksellers – Jan Crow and Karla Hoode, Katy Budget Books
Bookseller – Kay Meriam, Barnes & Noble





And There's More...




Mills & Boon New Voices! First Chapter submission period is September 6-22. Each chapter may not be longer than 10 thousand words. The Writing Contest is open only to legal residents of the U.K., U.S., Canada (excluding Quebec), Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Check out all the details on the New Voices site.


The winner of the competition will win some fantastic prizes, including publication of the winning entry by Mills & Boon and a Mills & Boon editor for a year!

How Do I Enter?
Anyone who hasn’t been published before can enter the competition; all you need to do is upload the first chapter of your Mills & Boon novel to the M&B New Voices website. There’ll be just one entry per person allowed, so make sure that it’s your best! So, get writing!

How Will It Work?
There’ll be FOUR stages to the competition:

Stage One
We want everyone to upload the first chapter of their Mills & Boon novel! The best bit is that you’ll be able to read everyone else’s entry as well – and be able to comment on them too. Let’s get the romance debate going!

Stage Two
The Mills & Boon editorial team will whittle down all the entries to just ten finalists, who’ll be asked to write the second chapter of their Mills & Boon novel.

Stage Three
We’ll ask YOU to vote for your favourite entry out of the top ten. Along with the judges, you’ll decide on the four finalists who go through to the next round!

Stage Four
The finalists will write the ‘pivotal moment’ of their Mills & Boon novel. Then, with the judges, you’ll decide the winner by voting for your favourite.




Now go forth and contest!