September Contest Update

It's September and while the rest of the world thinks,
pencils, erasers and school buses..romance writers think

GOLDEN HEART AWARDS & THE RITA

Welcome to the monthly Contest Update.

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The prize vault is open and one commenter will receive a copy of
Mary Connealy's,Out of Control and another,
Tina Radcliffe's Oklahoma Reunion.
Both in print format.
Winners announced in the Weekend Edition.

Unpublished Author Contests


Gateway to the Best. Deadline September 9. Electronic only. 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. Submit up to the first 7000 words (approx 25-28 pages) of manuscript.

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 - Adam Wilson, HQ Teen



2011 Four Seasons Contest. Deadline: EXTENDED! NEW DEADLINE: Midnight, September 15, 2011. Categories capped at 30 entries each. Electronic submissions only. First 25 pages, lowest score is dropped.

Single Title Contemporary:
Editor, Adam Wilson, Harlequin, MIRA
Agent, Scott Eagan, Greyhaus Literary Agency

Short/Long Contemporary:
Editor, Charles Geiemsman, Harlequin
Agent, Cori Deyoe, Three Seas Literary Agency

Historical:
Editor, Helen Rosburg, Medallion Press
Agent, Pam Strickler, Pam Strickler Author Mgmt

Fantasy/Futuristic/Paranormal:
Editor, Leis Pederson, Berkley Publishing
Agent, TBA

Young Adult Romance:
Editor, Leah Hultenschmidt, Sourcebooks Publishing
Agent, Diana Fox, Fox Literary

Okay, deadline extended means low on entries. SO ENTER THIS ONE!!! (although the whole TBA thing disturbs me)


Finally A Bride. Deadline Midnight, September 16. All electronic. Participation is open to all unpublished authors of novel-length romance fiction. Each manuscript must have finaled, but not won in a previous RWA or RWA chapter-sponsored contest. (Manuscripts which placed in the Top Quarter of the Golden Heart are also eligible.) Enter your first thirty pages.

Traditional/Inspirational
Melissa Endlich -- Steeple Hill
Nicola Martinez - White Rose Publishing

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

Romantic Suspense
Charles Griemsman -- Silhouette
TBA

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

Paranormal/Time-Travel/Futuristic/Fantasy
Margo Lipschultz -- HQN
Alicia Condon -- Kensington

Mainstream with Romantic Elements
Jewelann Cone -- Cascade Literary Agency

Young Adult
Leah Wilson -- BenBella Books
Nicole Sohl -- St. Martin's Press



The Emily Contest. Deadline: September 30, 2011.All Electronic No synopsis ~ maximum of 7,000 words, Three first-round judges ~ lowest score dropped

Final Round Judges:
Contemporary Single Title:
Agent ~ Stephany Evans, FinePrint Literary Management
Editor ~ Frances Jalet-Miller, Grand Central Publishing

Contemporary Series:
Agent ~ Scott Eagan, Greyhaus Literary Agency
Editor ~ Susan Litman, Harlequin Enterprises

Erotic Romance:
Agent ~ Jessica Alvarez, BookEnds, LLC
Editor ~ Katherine Pelz, Berkley

Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal:
Agent ~ Vickie Motter, Andrea Hurst & Associates
Editor ~ Amanda Bergeron, Avon Books

Historical:
Agent ~ Laura Bradford, Bradford Agency
Editor ~ Leah Hultenschmid, Sourcebooks

Novel with Elements of Romance (including Women's Fiction):
Agent ~ Jenny Bent, The Bent Agency
Editor ~ Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks

Romantic Suspense:
Agent ~ Elizabeth Pomada, Michael Larsen - Elizabeth Pomada Literary Agents
Editor ~ Patience Bloom, Harlequin Enterprises

Young Adult:
Agent ~ Suzie Townsend. FinePrint Literary Management
Editor ~ Sarah Shumway, Katherine Tegen Books

Best of the Best:
Overall contest winner receives a critique of the first 50 pages by Leis Pederson, Berkley Books, Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Judge ~ Karla Hoode, Katy Budget Books



2012 Golden Heart Contest

September 21, 2011
2012 Golden Heart Contest opens to entries. Contest entry form will be available on this date.

November 15, 2011
Entry forms and fees must be received by the RWA Office.

December 2, 2011
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 20, 2011
In case of dispute as to whether the entry form and fee were received, the entrant must produce proof of receipt via copy of canceled check, front and back, or evidence of a credit card charge.

Early January 2012
Preliminary-round judging begins.

March 1, 2012
Preliminary-round score sheets due to RWA Office.

March 26, 2012
Notification will be sent to finalists via e-mail and in writing via a method with signature confirmation. Phone calls to notify finalists will also commence. Complete release of the official finalist list on the RWA website by 2 p.m. CT.

April 14, 2012
Final-round judging begins.

June 1, 2012
RWA Office to receive all final-round score sheets.




The Phoenix Rattler. Opens October 1 and closes October 29. Ten page entry. All electronic.

Contemporary Fiction Don Pape, Publisher, David C Cook
Bill Jensen, William K Jensen Literary Agency

Historical Fiction Karen Schurrer, Acquisitions Editor, Adult Fiction, Bethany Hs
Joyce Hart, Agent, Hartline Literary Agency

Suspense/Thriller/Mystery Sue Brower, Executive Editor for Fiction, Zondervan
Elizabeth Mazer, Assistant Editor, Love Inspired Suspense

Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Allegory Jeff Gerke, Owner, Marcher Lord Press, Author, Jefferson Scott
Amanda Luedeke, Agent, MacGregor Literary

Young Adult Becky Monds, Associate Editor, Fiction, Thomas Nelson
Rachel Kent, Agent, Books & Such LiteraryAgency
Joanna MacKenzie, Browne & Miller Literary Associates

Women’s Fiction Ami McConnell, Senior Acquisitions Editor, Thomas Nelson
Sandra Bishop, Agent, MacGregor Literary
Judy Mikalonis, Senior Agent, Andrea Hurst & Associates



And we're still waiting for the Mills & Moon New Voices Contest which launches September 13.



Published Author Contests


RWA RITA Award

September 21, 2011
RITA Contest entry is available for Eligible Novels and Novellas. Contest entry form will be available on this date.

November 30, 2011
Deadline for entry forms and fees to be received by the RWA Office.

January 2, 2012
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, 2012
Preliminary-round judging begins.

January 20, 2012
In case of dispute as to whether the entry form and fees were received, the entrant must produce proof of receipt via a copy of a canceled check, front and back, or evidence of a credit card charge.

March 7, 2012
Preliminary-round score sheets due to RWA Office.

March 26, 2012
Notification will be sent to finalists via e-mail and in writing via a method with signature confirmation. Phone calls to notify finalists will also commence. Complete release of the official finalist list on RWA website by 2 p.m. CT.

April 9, 2012
Deadline for finalists to send additional books to the RWA Office.

April 14, 2012
Final-round judging begins.

June 1, 2012
RWA Office to receive all final-round score sheets.




Just For Fun

The Suzannah fits both the Published and Unpublished Categories so it is definitely a fun contest concept, here's more...

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.

Why would we do such a thing? Because this format allows published authors to anonymously test the waters in a new genre. It also gives unpublished writers the experience and prestige of having their writing judged as in the ‘real world’ against already established authors—just the way it is on an editor’s desk! And the best part is, if you final, your work will go before a panel of at least six (YES SIX!!) agents and editors who will pick the best of the lot.



September 1st–the Suzannah is open for entries from the general public

October 1st–the Suzannah is closed for entries. Entries must be received by midnight CST.

All six finalists will have their entries evaluated by the full panel of agents and editors.

Our 2011 panel of final round judges includes:
• Megan Records, Editor, Kensington Books
• Leah Hultenschmidt, Senior Editor, Sourcebooks
• Johanna Raisanen, Editor, Harlequin American
• Helen Breitwieser, Literary Agent, Cornerstone Literary Agency
• Weronika Janczuk, Literary Agent, D4EO Literary Agency
• Laura Bradford, Literary Agent, The Bradford Literary Agency

Grand Prize Winner Will Receive:
Three hundred dollars in cash, donated by the Nelson Family in memory of romance author Suzannah Nelson Davis, and a trophy.

Contest capped at 120 entries. Entry should be a maximum of 7,200 words, including synopsis.


That's it for this month!! What are your contest plans??