September Contest Update

September isn't just back to school. It's the ushering in of a busy contests season. What are your contest plans?  And remember, the contest update is available on the Seekerville the Town website all month long!

Today we're giving away a fantastic ebook to download to your eReader or your computer.The Busy Writer's Kickstart Program by Marg McAllister. (I own a copy and it's terrific!)

And to one reader a copy of Mary Connealy's Over the Edge! Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.



ADDITIONALLY, because we are trying to get you folks to get out there and BE BRAVE. NO RISK. NO REWARD. If you enter a contest this month.-any contest mentioned in the Contest Update-send Seekerville (Seekers at Seekerville dot net) the email acknowledgement from the contest coordinator and you will be entered in a random drawing to win a $25 Amazon gift card.

 NO GUTS. NO GLORY. 

Starts Today. Ends Sunday, September 30th. Open to published and unpublished writers and your grandmother. You can also include contests from the August Contest Update that end today. You simply have to adhere to the August 31 start for this contest and the contest must be one mentioned in the Seekerville Contest Update.

Unpublished  (and some Published) Author Contests


Hold Me! Thrill Me!  Deadline September 1. Electronic.  The first 20 pages of an unpublished manuscript featuring romantic elements. Cash prizes too!

Contemporary: Jhanteigh Kupihea, New American Library
Historical: Leah Hultenschmidt, Sourcebooks
Paranormal: Whitney Ross, Tor
Romantic Suspense: Leslie Wainger, Harlequin
Young Adult: Leis Pederson, Berkley




Hot Prospects.  Postmark and Electronic Deadline: September 1. Entry: 3-5-page synopsis and up to 25 pages of story (30 pages max). Entry or synopsis may be shorter, but neither may be longer than specified. Grand Prize Winner wins $250. Eligibility: Any uncontracted and unpublished work.

Historical/Regency
Editor - Lauren Plude, Grand Central Publishing
Agent - Michelle Grajkowski, 3 Seas Literary Agency

Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal
Editor – Holly Blanck, St. Martins Press
Agent – Agent Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary Agency

Romantic Suspense
Editor – Deb Werskman, Sourcebooks
Agent – Elaine English

Contemporary Long/Single Title
Editor – Katherine N. Pelz, The Berkley Publishing Group
Agent – Paige Wheeler, Folio Literary Management

Series Contemporary
Editor - Harlequin Johanna Raisanen, Associate Editor, Harlequin
Editor - Leanne Morgena, Senior Editor, Sweetheart Rose, The Wild Rose Press


 
Phoenix Rattler. Deadline September 1. Electronic. Entry:  10 pages plus 100-word synopsis; required synopsis does not count in page total; formatting guidelines and contest rules available on contest web pages. Completed manuscript not required to enter this contest.GRAND PRIZE:2013 ACFW Conference ‘paid’ registration. 

FINAL ROUND JUDGES:
Karen Schurrer...Bethany House
Joyce Hart...Hartline Literary Agency
Sue Brower...Zondervan
Elizabeth Mazer...Harlequin
Amanda Luedeke...MacGregor Literary Agency
Amanda Bostic...Thomas Nelson
Sandra Bishop...MacGregor Literary
Tamela Hancock Murray...Steve Laube Agency
Terry Burns...Hartline Literary Agency
Nicola Martinez...Harbourlight/Penquin
Melissa Jeglinski...The Knight Agency
Nicole Rescuniti...The Seymour Agency
MarySue Seymour...The Seymour Agency
Michelle Grajkowski...Three Seas Literary Agency

The deadline the 2012 Golden Gateway contest is Sunday September 2 and they are short on entries in all categories. The odds of moving on to the next round are excellent. This contest is open to published and unpublished authors alike, so be sure to check out the guidelines today! Entry consists of: One (1) copy of the beginning of your manuscript and 5-page maximum synopsis (55 pages total maximum). The synopsis will be judged.Printed or electronic entries.

Final Round Judges:

Unpublished Golden Gateway

Long/Short Contemporary Series Romance – Rachel Burkot, Love Inspired
Single Title Romance – Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks
Mainstream Fiction with Romantic Elements – Katherine Pelz, Berkley Editorial
Historical Romance – Erika Tsang, Avon Books
Romantic Suspense – Latoya Smith, Grand Central Publishing
Paranormal/Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance – Liz Pelletier, Entangled
Publishing LLC

Published Golden Gateway

Laura Barth, Harlequin Heartwarming
Tessa Woodward, HarperCollins/Avon
Michelle Grajkowski, 3 Seas Literary Agency

Melody of Love. Deadline September 5. Electronic. Author can be published, including in the category entered. Manuscript being entered cannot have been published and cannot be currently contracted to be published via any means at any time, including self or subsidy publishing. Entry: first 25 (or fewer) pages, no synopsis, emailed to contest coordinator as an attachment.  (Note: finalists may need to provide a short synopsis at the request of the final round judges.)
 
Contemporary – Libby Murphy, Entangled Publishing

Paranormal – Dana Hamilton, Harlequin Nocturne

Historical – Debra Dixon, BelleBooks

YA – Kristin Daly Rens, Balzer & Bray/Harper Collins

 

Gateway to the Best. Deadline September 7. All Electronic. Entries: up to the first 7000 words (approx 25-28 pages) of manuscript.

 Paranormal:  Latoya Smith, Grand Central Publishing
Single Title: Katherine Pelz, Berkeley Publishing Group
Historical:  Esi Sogah, HarperCollins
Contemporary Series:  Laura Barth, Harlequin
Romantic Suspense:  Patience Smith, Harlequin
Young Adult:  Stacey Barney, Penguin Putnam

Four Seasons Unpublished Romance Writing Contest. Extended to September 15. All electronic.  Entry" The first 25 pages of your manuscript.You may include an optional one-page, single-spaced synopsis. The synopsis will not be judged.

 Single Title Contemporary
Editor: Valerie Gray, MIRA
Agent: Scott Eagan, Greyhaus Literary Agency

Short/Long Contemporary
Editor: Charles Griemsman, Harlequin
Agent: TBA

Historical
Editor: Ali DeGray, Medallion Press
Agent: Pam Strickler, Pam Strickler Author Mgmt

F/F/P
Editor: Katherine Pelz, Berkley Publishing
Agent: Michelle Grajkowski, Three Seas Literary Agency

Young Adult
Editor: Leah Hultenschmidt, Fire, Casablanca
Agent: Sara Megibow Nelson Literary Agency

EVA Query Letter Contest. Deadline September 15. All Electronic. The finalist entries will be read and judged by Micki Nuding, Senior Editor at Pocket Books. Entries will consist of a one-page query letter, a synopsis (no more than 5 pages), and a writing sample of the first 5 pages of the manuscript (not to be used for judging purposes).  

Launching a Star. Deadline September 15. All Electronic. Each entry will consist of up to the first fifteen pages of an unpublished manuscript (not published in any form). Contestants may include a Prologue (if one exists) as long as the total submission does not exceed fifteen pages. 

 Single Title (including WF)  
Lauren Plude Grand Central,Rackel Ekstrom Irene Goodman Agency

General Paranormal  
Angela James Carina Press,Jessica Alvarez Bookends, LLC

Futuristic / Fantasy  
Liz Pelletier,Entangled Publishing,Laura Bradford Bradford Literary Agency

Historical  
Emilia Pisani Simon & Schuster,Suzie Townsend Nancy Coffey Literary & Media 

Representation

Series Contemporary  
Laura Barth Harlequin Heartwarming, Roberta Brown The Brown Agency

Romantic Suspense  
LIzzie Poteet St. Martin's Press, Jill Lyons Marsal Lyon Literary Agency

Inspirational  
Emily Rodmell Harlequin Steeple Hill, Nicole Resiniti The Seymour Agency

Young Adult  
Kristin Daly Rens Harper Collins, Helen BreitwieserCornerstone Literary Inc.

Finally A Bride. Deadline September 21. All Electronic. Each manuscript must have finaled, but not won in a previous RWA or RWA chapter-sponsored contest not contracted in novel length fiction for the past five years in the category they are entering are eligible to enter. (Manuscripts which placed in the Top Quarter of the Golden Heart are also eligible.) Enter the first thirty pages. Synopsis is required for final round.

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


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


Romantic Suspense
Alex Logan -- Grand Central Publishing
Elizabeth Poteet - St. Martin's Press


Historical/ Regency
Aubrey Pool -- Sourcebooks
Carly Corcoran -- Harlequin Historical


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


Single Title/Mainstream with Romantic Elements
Keyren Gerlach -- Harlequin
Melissa Singer -- TOR


Young Adult

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

The Emily Contest opens on 9/1/12, and closes at midnight, September 30, 2012. All Electronic. No synopsis ~ maximum of 7,000 words. Open to published authors (not published in category for three years)
 
Final Round Judges:
Contemporary Single Title:
Agent ~ Stephany Evans, FinePrint Literary Management
Editor ~ Katherine Pelz, The Berkley Publishing Group

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

Erotic Romance:
Agent ~ Roberta Brown, Brown Literary Agency
Editor ~ Chelsey Emmelhainz, Editorial Asst. Avon Harper Collins

Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal:
Agent ~ Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency
Editor ~ Jennifer Lawler, Crimson Romance /Adams Media

Historical:
Agent ~ Jessica Alvarez, Bookends, LLC
Editor ~ Leah Hultenschmidt, Sourcebooks

Novel with Elements of Romance (including Women's Fiction):
Agent ~ Suzie Townsend, Nancy Coffee Literary & Media Rep
Editor ~ Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks

Romantic Suspense:
Agent ~ Karen Solem, Spencerhill Literary
Editor ~ Patience Bloom, Harlequin Enterprises

Young Adult:
Agent ~ Pam van Hylckama Vlieg, Larsen Pomoda Literary Agents
Editor ~ Aubrey Poole, Associate Editor, Sourcebooks


Best of the Best:
Overall contest winner receives a cash prize of $100
Judge ~ Karla Hodde, Katy Budget Books




First Kiss Contest. Deadline October 1. Electronic. First kiss scene, ten pages max, plus one page set-up.The final judge is Patience Smith, Senior Editor, Silhouette Romantic Suspense at Harlequin, will judge six finalists. Cash prizes including: FIRST PRIZE: $50.00 or FREE registration to the New England Chapter’s “LET YOUR IMAGINATION TAKE FLIGHT” Conference (2011 value: $209.00), to be held in April 2012. (Not including hotel, transportation or conference extras.)

The Suzannah. Deadline October 1. All Electronic. Contest. Capped at 120 entries. Entry should be a maximum of 7,200 words, including synopsis (there is no restriction on length of synopsis, so long as the entire entry does NOT exceed 7,200.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.

"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."


All six finalists will have their entries evaluated by the full panel of agents and editors. Our 2012 panel of final round judges includes:

Erika Tsang, Executive Editor, Avon Romance/Harper Collins
Wanda Ottewell, Senior Editor, Harlequin Superromance
Leah Hultenschmidt, Senior Editor, Sourcebooks
Saritza Hernandez, Literary Agent, The Corvisiero Literary Agency
Alicia Condon, Editorial Director/Editor, Kensington/Brava
Michelle Grajkowski, Literary Agent, 3 Seas Literary Agency

Categories:
Contemporary Romance 
Historical Romance
Inspirational Romance 
Novel with Strong Romantic Elements 
Paranormal Romance 
Romantic Suspense 
Young Adult Romance 

ACFW First Impressions is coming and we're so excited we want to share, even though it's too early to enter. The contest will begin October 15, 2012 at 9:00 AM central time. All contest entries and contest fees must be received by 5:00 PM central time on November 15, 2012. More info here.



AND!!!  Seekerville's Fifth Birthday Party is coming October 1-31. Get those manuscripts polished. We have a contest coming up...shh, it's a surprise.

Random Contests & Just For Fun



HARPER TEEN- DEFY THE DARK, Short Story Contest. Deadline TOMORROW.   The grand-prize winner will receive a $500 cash prize awarded by HarperCollins and five copies of Defy the Dark. Entry should be between 2,000 and 4,000 words.

2012 Family Circle Fiction Contest. Contest begins March 1, 2012, and ends September 7, 2012. Entries must be postmarked on or before September 7, 2012, and received by September 14,2012.Submit an original (written by entrant), fiction short story of no more than 2,500 words. Entries must be unpublished and may not have won any prize or award. Cash prizes.

 

REMEMBER the Harlequin SYTYCW Online Conference and Contest is coming up September 7-21. The final date for the contest is October 13th. Press Release here.

 
The Fifth Annual, Real Simple, Life Lessons Essay Contest.

If you could change one decision that you made in the past, what would it be? No, you can't go back in time, but here's the next best thing. Think of a decision that you regret—anything from a ridiculous choice of prom date to a serious lapse in judgment—and tell us what the mistake taught you about yourself. 

Enter Real Simple’s Fifth Annual Life Lessons Essay Contest and you could:

• Have your essay published in Real Simple
• Win round-trip tickets for two to New York City, hotel accommodations for two nights, tickets to a Broadway play, and a lunch with Real Simple editors
• Receive a prize of $3,000

To enter, send your typed, double-spaced submission (1,500 words maximum, preferably in a Microsoft Word document) to lifelessons@realsimple.com. Contest begins at 12:01 a.m. EST on May 12, 2012, and runs through 11:50 p.m. EST on September 13, 2012. All submitted essays must be nonfiction. Open to legal residents of the United States age 19 or older at time of entry. Void where prohibited by law. (Entries will not be returned.) Click here to see complete contest rules.

That's it for this month. Now go forth and contest!