White Lady Release Day: I bet you've never been asked a question like this before ...

Yes. This is me.

Ready for some fun?

If you put a White Lady, two rubber duckies, a man with crooked eyebrows, and a carving knife in a garage for 24 hours, what will you find in the morning?

White Lady is IN THE HOUSE! To celebrate the release of my latest novel, WHITE LADY, I am giving away an e-copy (mobi, ePub, or PDF), and a $10 Amazon gift card to the person who answers the above question the most creatively in the comments. Be sure to leave your email address!

If you win, you will be notified personally by email within 48 hours. 

Want more chances to win? You can comment on as many blogs and Facebook posts as you wish for a chance to win the book. In each post you will be given three statements about me, or the book. Two are lies and one is true. You need to guess which statement is true. The first person to answer correctly within 48 hours on each post will win a copy of the book. Also, at the end of October, one random commenter will be chosen from all the posts to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card (or cash via PayPal). Click HERE for blog and Facebook links.

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Now I have a small favour to ask. Please please please help spread the word through Twitter and Facebook, and any other social media platforms for me. It would be very much appreciated!

Here are a couple of posts to make it easier for you.

Just copy/paste and tada!

For Facebook

Do you like to read psychological thrillers? Well, Jessica Bell's giving away her latest release, WHITE LADY, for FREE. Comment on as many blogs and Facebook posts as you wish for a chance to win the book! At the end of October, one random commenter will be chosen from all the posts to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card (or cash via PayPal). Visit this link for a list of blogs to leave your comment. Jessica will be very happy to see you! http://goo.gl/5Y24av

For Twitter

Comment on @MsBessieBell's #WHITELADY tour posts 4 over 100 chances 2 win! http://goo.gl/5Y24av #thriller #chicknoir #contest #newrelease

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*This novel contains coarse language, violence, and sexual themes.

​Sonia yearns for sharp objects and blood. But now that she’s rehabilitating herself as a “normal” mother and mathematics teacher, it’s time to stop dreaming about slicing people’s throats.

While being the wife of Melbourne’s leading drug lord and simultaneously dating his best mate is not ideal, she’s determined to make it work.

It does work. Until Mia, her lover’s daughter, starts exchanging saliva with her son, Mick. They plan to commit a crime behind Sonia’s back. It isn’t long before she finds out and gets involved to protect them.

But is protecting the kids really Sonia’s motive?

Click HERE to view the book trailer.

Click HERE for purchase links.

***For Amazon Prime members and Kindle Unlimited subscribers, White Lady is FREE on Kindle until January 2015.***

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Thanks for your support, everyone!

Note: The Artist Unleashed has been put on hold until next Wednesday.

What's your view on contest entry fees?

I'm over at Vine Leaves Literary Journal today talking about contest entry fees. There are a lot of myths out there (rather negative ones) and felt the need to set things straight.

You can read the article and comment here:
WE’RE NOT ASKING FOR YOUR MONEY SO WE CAN CHILL OUT ON AN ISLAND RESORT: A literary journal editor’s view on contest entry fees

Would love it if you dropped by and contributed to the discussion.

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Easy Tweet:

WE’RE NOT ASKING 4 YR MONEY SO WE CAN CHILL ON AN ISLAND RESORT @VineLeavesLJ's view on #contest entry fees http://goo.gl/PjLTJr #litmags

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Behind the Scenes at a Literary Journal: What Do They Actually Do?

Running a literary journal is labour of love.

You think it’s going to be easy-peasy when you start it up. People submit their work. You read. You choose the vignettes you want to publish. You publish them.

Four steps. Sounds simple, right?

It’s not, really. But it’s certainly rewarding, and somehow, the more Vine Leaves grows, and the busier we get, the more hyped about it we become. Every time we send an acceptance letter out, it’s like a drug high. But it lasts so much longer, and we never experience that period of “coming down.”

Today, I thought I’d give you a glimpse into our world. Some things might get a little technical, but it doesn’t matter. I want you to see how this all works, so that when you submit your writing to a magazine, you can do so with a bit more assurance that it’s not just going into some random slush pile that barely sees the light of day. There’s a lot of work involved, and we care about you.

I’ll also break down the costs, so you can see for yourself, that any money we make is like giving water to a man stranded in the desert. Though we’re not suffering. So maybe that analogy doesn’t quite work. Let’s try this: It’s like giving water to a man stranded in the desert, though he’s still able to survive on the water of a little oasis called “We Love Our Job.” There ... that’s better.

Okay, this post is long. So if you’re out of time, maybe you’d like to bookmark it, because it’s worth coming back to when you do have time. Even if to read in short bursts.

First, let me tell you that Vine Leaves Literary Journal has just surpassed its second year anniversary. We’re still going strong and have every intention of getting bigger, bolder, and better every year. We want to last. A long time.

A few facts before I get into the nitty-gritty:

• It’s FREE to submit.

• It’s FREE to read.

• We pay contributors for their work.

• The only thing we ask a submission fee for is a contest—but this is because we need to earn enough money to match the value of the prize. Most of the time we don’t even do that and have to dig into our own pockets, but that’s okay and to be expected.

• The anthology isn’t free. But it’s a paperback. It costs money to make, print and ship. It’s also in COLOUR, and therefore more expensive to produce. The prices we have set, however, we believe are very reasonable, and do not actually earn us much of a profit, as you will see below.

• All staff are volunteers.

• We receive, on average, 400 submissions every reading period.

• Every quarter, Dawn and I spend about 50+ hours each considering the shortlist of submissions, an extra 30+ hours designing the journal, and another 20+ hours taking care of administrative tasks. We also have two readers and an assistant editor who spend time reading submissions and doing editorial tasks. Let’s add on another 20+ hours to each of their input. That’s a total of 210+ hours every three months spent keeping Vine Leaves alive. All combined, that’s a whole month of full-time work. We wouldn’t put in this amount of time without pay if we didn’t love it. Trust me.

Without further ado, let me give you a breakdown of some of the costs and tasks involved in running Vine Leaves. The reason I’m giving up all this information is because we want you to see that we’re willing to do the very best we possibly can to maintain a venue that showcases and celebrates excellent literature and art.

The Website

Cost to date: $360. This includes the annual costs of the domain name, and the use of Weebly, our webhosting service.

Tasks: Initial design and creation. Then, regular updates with every new issue, new editor, new feature, new cover art, new links, new etc,. We want to make sure that the information on the website is always comprehensive and up-to-date. There’s nothing worse than having a question and not having the answer at the place it should be. We log into it at least once a day to make a change, or a tweak, or to update something. We spend about five to ten minutes on the website, three to four times a week. That time triples when we have a new issue coming out.

NewPages.com, Duotrope, & ReviewReview

 

Cost to date: $480. Call for submissions adverts.

Tasks: These are online avenues where we advertise

all call for submissions, and any contests we may have running. There’s no use running a literary journal if there’s nowhere people can find out about you. These ads are written, sent to the appropriate people, and paid for, all on particular scheduled dates.

Submishmash & The Online Journal

Cost to date: $120. Submishmash membership fees.

Tasks: Submishmash is a service provided to literary magazines to make receiving, reading, and accepting/declining submissions easier to tackle. But that doesn’t mean there is no work involved in setting it up. Every submission period we rewrite the automatic responses: Thank you for your submission; Default Decline; Default Accept; Default Made Our Shortlist. We also make sure these are done on a particular date so that people who start submitting work for a new reading period do not receive an email thanking them for submitting to an issue that has already been published.

In addition, once submissions have been read, we:

• accept all the submissions we want to publish.

• decline all the submissions that made our shortlist, but didn’t make it in, with a personal rejection.

• decline all the submissions we don’t want to publish, and send constructive feedback to at least 20% of them. (This is important to us as part of our mandate to help writers.)

• extract all the accepted pieces and compile them into the manuscript which will become the new issue.

• extract all the author bios, format them, and post them to the website.

• extract all the PayPal addresses, compile them into a separate document so we know who to pay once the issue has gone live.

• archive all submissions, so they don’t get in the way of any new submissions coming in.

• design the journal and upload it to the website.

• upload all the issue’s art/photography to our Vine Leaves Facebook page.

• write and send out a newsletter announcing the new issue and any other information we want to relay.

• pimp the issue on social media.

The Annual Anthology

Cost to date: $882 (this does not yet reflect all the costs for this year, however). Typesetting and interior design (I just don’t have time to do this myself, though I would if I could), Lightning Source title set-up fees, ISBNs, printing costs, galleys, postage and handling, sample copies for reviewers, giveaway copies for promotion.

Tasks: Dawn and I read through all four of the year’s issues and choose our favourites, which is not an easy task considering we published them online in the first place because they were ALL our favourites. Narrowing it down to the best of the best is time consuming, and requires repetitive reading and discussion of choices. But it’s totally worth it. It always brings a smile to our faces reading all the pieces again, and it’s certainly a great reminder about why we do this.

This is how it all goes down:

• Choose the best pieces.

• Compile a manuscript, proofread it.

• Assign an ISBN.

• Send manuscript and photography to designer with house-style instructions and an idea of our “vision” for its appearance.

• Calculate retail costs, input the data into Thorpe-Bowker, and Lightning Source.

• Design the cover.

• Edit the designed first proofs, and compile the contents page, send edits back to the designer.

• Create a page for the anthology on the website.

• Compile a list of emails for all the anthology contributors and email them to let them know that they’ve made it in.

• Set up a public pre-order system and add it to the website.

• Set up a deep author discount link and send it to the contributors. (We can’t afford to give copies away to each contributor at this time but we hope to be able to do this in the future.)

• Send second proofs (PDF) to contributors to check we have spelled their names correctly and nothing has gone awry with their work.

• Input any changes that the contributors spot.

• Give it one last proofread, put changes through, and send to designer.

• Upload the interior and cover to Lighting Source, hit submit, and wait for them to approve it.

• Once LS approves it, we order a print proof, and if it's all ok, we approve it so that LS can start distributing to retailers, if not we go through the last two points again.

• Pay all related fees.

• Input all pre-orders into the Lightning Source system so they can be shipped to all who purchase directly through our website. These have to be done one by one. It’s quite the task!

Contest Prizes

Cost to date: Last year we awarded a spot at the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop that was worth 1550 Euro. Next year we’re giving away $500 + publication for a vignette collection. This contest will end up costing us anywhere between $700-$1000. You can’t have a contest without an awesome incentive to enter, right? If it’s not appealing to us, it’s not going to be appealing to submitters, so we do the best we can to make the prize the best possible within our means.

Tasks: Setting up the contest, acquiring judges, sending out adverts, reading—lots of reading, discussing—lots of discussing. We have to be totally sure of our choices, and we don’t just want to skim people’s work. They have paid good money to enter the contest. We give it the attention it deserves. Then comes the tasks involved after we’ve announced a winner (which is a task in itself) and will follow much of the same pattern as what is done for the anthology.

Facebook Ads

Cost to date: $190.

Tasks: Inputting the necessary information into Facebook for anything we feel could do with a little more exposure. Fiddly, and a little time consuming, but worth it, even if just to get our writers a little more attention than usual.

Contributor Fees

Cost to date: $614. We pay $5 USD to each author whose work we publish. This adds up to about 125 - 150 every quarter. From next year we will be paying in Euro as it makes more sense for me being in Greece. Though, it will still be the equivalent of $5 USD.

Tasks: Gathering authors’ PayPal emails and depositing their cash ... ONE BY ONE. Yes, it takes time. Quite a bit, actually. But I like to imagine the tiny thrill at the other end. It’s always nice to be paid for your writing, even if it is just the cost of a coffee.


The Pushcart Prize

Cost to date: 2 x standard postage to New York.

Tasks: The Pushcart Prize is for little magazine and small book press editors (print or online). Come November, we read through the "best of" anthology. Again. And choose our Top SIX pieces of work. This is even harder than choosing for the anthology! But what a great way to show appreciation for an author's work, huh?

TOTAL PROFIT TO DATE FROM CONTEST FEES, ANTHOLOGY SALES, AND DONATIONS: $950.

As you can see we haven’t made much. We aren’t even close to breaking even. But we hope to change that soon. Though really, any money we make will just go straight back into the journal. And one day we hope to pay contributors professional rates. And hopefully our volunteer editors and book reviewers as well.

Miscellaneous

Costs: Well-spent time.

Tasks: Emails, emails, emails, emails, emails, coffee, emails, questions, emails, emails, praise, thank yous, THANK YOUS, emails, coffee ... ACCOMPLISHMENT ... lots of it, smiles, laughs, emails, vignettes .... and there is: A HUGE LOVE OF THE WRITTEN WORD.

We love our job. We love our writers. We love our supporters. To date we have published the works of almost 350 authors and artists. THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY. Can you believe it? We are so proud of that. And we love the work of each and every single one of them.

If you’re a fan of Vine Leaves, and feel like offering some water to the man stranded in the desert, you can do so HERE. Any amount, big or small, would be very much appreciated! Alternatively, you could purchase our 2013 annual anthology, and get some great literature and art to boot!

So how did this all way up with your expectations? Did you have any idea that this amount of work went into running a literary journal?

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CLICK HERE to subscribe to my newsletter. Every subscriber will receive The Hum of Sin Against Skin for free, and be the first to know about new releases and special subscriber giveaways.

WIN A SCHOLARSHIP TO THIS RETREAT, which is worth 1,550* Euros, plus more!

Vine Leaves Literary Journal is proud to announce that you have the chance to WIN A SCHOLARSHIP TO THIS RETREAT, which is worth 1,550 Euros, plus more!

If you’re considering a writing event this year, but are looking for just as much of an opportunity to sit down and write as you are to learn from the pros, then how about you write a vignette to win a spot at the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop, Aug. 1-7, 2013?

It’s held on the beautiful Greek isle of Ithaca which remains unspoiled by the modern world. Even in the height of summer you can find a secluded beach or a rustic corner to contemplate your thoughts. On Ithaca you'll discover the island’s rich culture and the reason why it holds such a special place in the hearts of those who have visited its shores. Learn more on the website.

HOW TO ENTER:

Submit your vignette (one poem, or one piece of prose) at THIS LINK.

• ONE vignette per entry. (If you want to submit more than one vignette, you will need to submit each as a separate entry. $5.00 entry fee)
• Poems: no longer than 40 lines
• Prose: no longer than 800 words.

First Prize:

• A scholarship to the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop.
• Publication in Vine Leaves Literary Journal Issue #07
• Publication in The Best of Vine Leaves Literary Journal 2013 anthology (print) 
• A detailed first chapter critique by the lovely Dawn Ius.
• A copy of The Best of Vine Leaves Literary Journal 2012.

Second Prize:

• A detailed first chapter critique by the lovely Dawn Ius.
• Publication in Vine Leaves Literary Journal Issue #07 (and the possibility of being chosen for the anthology).
• A copy of The Best of Vine Leaves Literary Journal 2012.

Third Prize:

• Publication in Vine Leaves Literary Journal Issue #07 (and the possibility of being chosen for the anthology).
• A copy of The Best of Vine Leaves Literary Journal 2012.

Find vignette writing tips here!

Contest ends April 30.
Winners announced on or before May 31.

*Travel expenses not included. Winners of the scholarship must finance their own travel to the island. If winners can't attend, they may gift the scholarship to someone who can.

Want to win a query critique from Chuck Sambuchino of Writer's Digest, and a one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com? Then keep reading ...

To celebrate the beginning of summer, Vine Leaves Literary Journal is offering you the opportunity to win  free critiques from publishing experts and a one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com! All you have to do is email the logline of your novel (any genre, and no longer than two sentences), and the three best will be chosen. Winners will be announced in Vine Leaves Literary Journal Issue #03, out on Friday, July 6.

Here’s what you’ll receive:

First Prize

• A query critique by Chuck Sambuchino of Writer’s Digest.
• A free one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com.
• A detailed vignette, short story, script, or poem critique (800 words max) by me and Dawn Ius, the editors of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, with follow-up guidance via email. (Plus inclusion in Issue #04 of the magazine if the changes suggested are implemented and well-done.)

Second Prize

• A query critique by Chuck Sambuchino of Writer’s Digest.
• A free one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com.

Third Prize

• A detailed vignette, short story, script, or poem critique (800 words max) by me and Dawn Ius, the editors of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, with follow-up guidance via email. (Plus inclusion in Issue #04 of the magazine if the changes suggested are implemented and well-done.)

How to enter:

email: vineleaves.contests@gmail.com

subject line: logline contest June 2012

details needed:

• your name
• title of project
• genre of project
• your logline

Contest ends June 30. Spread the word!

PS: thank you to Talli Roland, Sheri Larsen, and Tracy Blowers for promoting FABRIC last Friday and today! :)

When editorial errors have a positive outcome ...

Source

When Dawn and I decided to start a literary magazine we had no idea how well it would kick off. We were thinking that we'd have to beg for people to submit to get the ball rolling. But nope. After listing the mag on Duotrope, we realized how sought after our vision actually was.

So as a celebration and thank you to the 1,500 unique people who checked out our inaugural issue, and to our wonderful contributors, we're giving away a $40 gift card from an online bookstore of your choice. To see how you can win it, check out the Vine Leaves blog post today.

See ... sometimes editorial errors have a positive outcome! You'll just have to read the post to find out why ...

Hope to see you there!


PS: If you had trouble following the Vine Leaves Blog last time, you can now subscribe with just one click through HERE.

Didn't receive an ARC of String Bridge? Then enter to win one of two copies available!

Just a quick post to let you know that Bridge Social Media are giving away two print ARCs of my debut String Bridge. If you're interested, hop on over and leave a comment HERE to enter into the draw! You don't have to be following the blog to enter, but I think it just common courtesy if you do, yeah? Just for me? Pretty please with a cherry on top?

On another awesomely exciting note, Karen Gowen, author of Farm Girl, Uncut Diamonds and forthcoming, House of Diamonds, (this October) has posted an early review of String Bridge today on her blog. If you don't know Karen, take this opportunity to get to know her a little and follow her blog too. She's an amazing an inspiring woman!

I'll be off from blogging for the rest of the week due to a heavy workload. So, see you next Monday and good luck in the draw! :o)

Dribz and Drabz, Bitz and Piecez and Reminderz ... Tell me your news and I'll add you to this post!

If you think your manuscript is ready for submission and are considering giving it to a professional editor for a fine-tuning, I am now expanding my Editing Services. Check out what I offer HERE or HERE.

An anthology called School Days, which includes a short story of mine called Knickers With Trucks On Them is now available at Pill Hill Press. It will also be available on Amazon soon.

Don't forget about signing up to win a signed copy of Someone To Blame, by C.S. Lakin. All you have to do is answer the following question in the comments of THIS POST and leave your email address:

How is blame destructive to ourselves and others? And what are some ways we engage in blame and don’t even notice?

C.S. Lakin will read all your comments on my blog and choose the best answer. The winner will be announced next Monday 13th.

Last but not least, don't forget about Shannon McMahon's Anonymous Critique #3! Shuffle on over and join in the fun!!!

Have you got any exciting news? Let me know, give me the appropriate links and I'll add you to this post!!!


Additions:
Hannah Kincade, Summer, Sarah (Falen) are hosting a NaNoWriMo 2010 blogfest in January! Go check out the details!

Elena Solodow has just announced her 100 Words for $100 Blogfest! Wow! $1 per word! Check it out!

Jackee is having a 200th post celebration where for every time someone buys a book for a child (any child) this Christmas, I'll match it with a donation of a school supply kit to a humanitarian aid organization. There are also chances to win books for commenters.

Chris Phillips has a haiku contest on his blog that will end with his 65th follower!

Jamie Gibbs just received a letter saying that he achieved a distinction in his Egyptology Master's Degree :P (woohoo! Congrats, Jamie!)
Deniz Bevan is *this* close to finishing her second draft and only 11 followers away from 100 - she's holding a thank you contest on her blog!

Carolyn Abiad had a small victory this week. On December 5th, the Turkish national newspaper Milliyet's blog recognized my blog for presenting Turkish women in a positive light.

A quick 'Thank you' and 'Welcome!'

I just wanted to give a big public warm thank you to all who have entered the giveaway (and sorry for not replying to you all personally, but there's just no time!), and a warm welcome to all those new followers. Thank you so much! I will definitely be coming around to check out your awesome blogs in the coming week. Good luck to all who've entered so far!!! Enjoy your Sunday!

A morning in the life of me: How my man distracts me from nagging ...

ME: Ela, Re! (Come on, Man!) *I crash the dishes about in the sink* You've left your Greek coffee sludge to dry in your cup again. I've been asking you for FIVE years to wash it out. It's disgusting. Every time I wash the dishes I have to stick my hand in what looks like shit infested dishwater.
HIM: *rolls eyes* Well, stop leaving your hair in the sink.
ME: *laughs* I'll stop leaving my hair in the sink when you start emptying your sludge.
HIM: No, I'll start emptying my sludge when you stop leaving your hair in the sink.
ME: Malakies mou les twra, etsi? (You saying crap now, right?) Just because you don't know what it's like to have hair! What would you like me to do, exactly? Scour the bathroom for strands of hair I can barely see?
HIM: *ignores me and goes to his office*
ME: Ok. Fine. From now on I don't wash your coffee cups, and then see how you like it when you run out, and have to wash them yourself.
HIM: Ela tho, re vlaka. (Come here, you cute idiot).
ME: Ti? (What?) *I walk into office*
HIM: Can you tell me if this is correct?
ME: *I totally forget about coffee sludge, sit in his lap, and edit his email out loud*

PS: Thanks to all who entered the Giveaway yesterday! :o) And welcome to all the new faces! I hope you enjoy you time here. If you are new, and haven't commented, please do so that I can follow you right back as some of you haven't made your blogs accessible via your profile pages. If you haven't signed up for the giveaway yet, you can do so HERE.

I've also decided that if any winners of the Amazon gift cards would like to trade it for 'a surprise something Greek', you will be very welcome to! I will update the giveaway post with this info too.

Have a great weekend everyone!

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

I'm only 45 followers away from 400 followers! Woohoo! I can't believe it. *jaw agape in shock* This is more than I ever dreamed of achieving here in blogland. So, I've decided to do a giveaway to celebrate!


or not so little things ... because this is a big thing to me!

This is going to be easy-peasy. All you have to do to win, is be a follower. Deadline is end Thursday 2nd December. First Place ($40 Amazon card), Second Place ($20 Amazon card), or Third Place ($10 Amazon card), Runner-up (Surprise Prize - Something Greek!).
But there's a twist. If I reach 500 followers by the deadline. The prizes will double! Prizes will be: First Place ($80 Amazon card), Second Place ($40 Amazon card), or Third Place ($20 Amazon card), Runner-up (Surprise Prize - Something Greek!).

Just comment on this post and tell me how many points you have and include any relavant links.


Here's the entry system:

Already a follower = 2

New Follower = 1

Dedicate a whole blog post to plugging it = 6

Mention it in a blog post = 3

Put it in your side bar = 1

Facebook/Tweet = 2

Happy entering, folks!!! :o)

PS: If you win an Amazon gift card and would prefer 'a something Greek surprise ', it would be a pleasure to do so!

Feelin' groovy, cause I got my groove back!

HAPPY MONDAY! 

I critiqued Nicole Ducleroir's first chapters of her WIP on the weekend. Guys ... if you ever get the chance to read her work I suggest you don't even think twice! She certainly has a stunningly unique way with words. I was drooling all weekend thanks to her! (Ugh, my chin's still sticky!)

Looks like I'd better purchase a bib before I get stuck into anymore :o)

Anyway, critiquing her work gave me back my groove! My stink disappeared! So relieved! Yesterday I wrote a whole chapter, right from where I'd left off the last time without changing anything, and without seeking out the stink. Because I didn't have to. What I was suffering from was lack of personal inspiration. And Nicole's work kicked me in the butt and inspired the pants off me. THANKS NICOLE!

Have you ever had a stink terminator as a critique buddy? And did they help remove the stink?

PS: Check out this writing competition: "Brian Martin's community short story project"

Brian Martin and The Writing Show would like to invite you to contribute to a 2500-word short story that will be written in five approximately 500-word installments.

The author of each entry chosen for the final story will be able to select a prize from a list of options. Prizes are: an appearance on The Writing Show; a 750-word critique of a first chapter from Paula B.; a perfect-bound paperback from the Espresso Book Machine at the McMaster University bookstore; a copy of Maralys Wills' inspiring book Damn the Rejections, Full Speed Ahead: The Bumpy Road to Getting Published; help with a query letter from Paula B.

If you're interested visit The Writing Show for details or listen to the announcement/instructions HERE.

CONTEST WINNERS!!!!!

Process ...

Drawing Runner-up ...

Kristie, you have won a $15 Barnes and Noble gift card and an illustration, drawn by the wonderfully talented Elizabeth Mueller! All you have to do is provide her with a summary of your WIP and she'll illustrate a mock cover of it for you! Seeing as you're published, and you may not want something like this right now, maybe you can negotiate with Elizabeth to write up a review of your book on her blog. I'll get you in touch with her today.

Drawing winner ...

 drum roll ..................................

@

#

$

%

^

&

*

!!!!

 Leigh, you've won an interview with Paula B. on The Writing Show. Paula will also plug your blog or website on the home page. She will also publish a short piece of your writing on the website, with a short biography and any links or other information you wish to include accompanying it. You've won a $100 dollar Amazon gift card and a copyedit/proofread of your full manuscript whenever it’s ready from moi :o)

Woohoo! Congrats Guys! You'll get an email from me giving you further instructions :o)

And a BIG thank you to all who donated and supported The Writing Show!!!

RLCNVZJELLJMJKADTS: these letters stand for ....

As I said last Friday, today is the last day to enter into this contest. You've still got until end today to donate, so just because you didn't make it into this blogpost, it doesn't mean you can't still enter at the last minute. If you enter while I'm still at my computer. I'll add you to this list!

Right. The following are the generous writers who donated to The Writing Show, and why I love'em:

Roland Yeomans

"Dreamer. Writer. Believer in the worth of each soul I meet. It is not so bad a thing to have been born with the gift of laughter and the knowledge that the world is mad."

Roland must be the sweetest guy around the blogosphere. He's always ready to boost my ego, when I need it! Not only that, but his writing is exquisite - beyond beautiful - stunningly elaborate. When I read his blog, I feel 100 times more intelligent for understanding his prose! :o)

Leigh T. Moore

"I'm a writer, editor, and public relations professional."

This girl knocks my socks off. She has got a quirk and a wit I thought you could only find in Aussies like me! And I love how she thinks I have a cockney accent! (Um, ... even though, cockney is a British thing, but never mind!) ;o)

Candace Ganger

"I sometimes go by my real name, Candace Ganger and I have a head, I swear. Born in a small village on the outskirts of Ipanema...wait, that wasn't me. Though I was a musician, I'm currently a SAHM (for those down with lingo) of one, and YA author, lover of all things New Medicine & The Used. When I'm not covered in peanut butter and urine, I'm writing. Cause that's how I roll."

I think this gal and I were sisters in another life - in fact, maybe we are sisters in this life and just don't know it. Both our hearts were in rock 'n' roll until something hit us both on the head and said we should be writers ... um ... we'll never know who dunnit, but I reckon it was a guitar pleading for a breather.

Nicole Ducleroir

"I'm a Literary Fiction writer using this blog to hone my craft. As I tackle my first novel project (*gulp*), my blog entries below document my journey, although some posts are exercises that fall into two categories: Fiction and Creative Nonfiction. Fictional entries labeled "From The Lips Of..." are not written by me (*wink*) but penned by one of the characters from my WIP. Those entries are first person accounts in the voice of the featured character. Creative Nonfiction entries labeled "Captured Moments" are snapshots of my life, written while flexing my descriptive voice."

Ah Nicole, I can't express how thrilled I am that we have become critique partners. I couldn't have wished for a more talented, kind-hearted, and generous soul to share my work with. You truly are one of a kind. Can't wait to get underway!

Vicki Rocho (donated but not entering)

"Don't you hate it when you have a popcorn hull stuck in your tooth and no amount of brushing, flossing, or digging at it with the tip of your tongue will dislodge it?"

Vicki, every morning you seem to have gotten up at just the right time to post and make me laugh as soon as I turn my computer on. THANK YOU!

Zoe Courtman Smith

"I'm a freelance copywriter and editor by day, aspiring horror novelist by the rest of the day."

Zoe, without you I would never had had to answer the most embarrassing question ever. Trust me to think of something so *cringe* and then win your contest and have to answer it! But I had a ball being interviewed by you, and guess what? My WIP is on that groovy gold flash drive!

Janie Sullivan

"I have been writing since I was a teenager, have published articles in magazines, newspapers, and many newsletters. My family are all writers in some form or other and I published a family anthology a couple years ago with submissions from my parents, brothers, children and grandchildren. It was a great Christmas present and a wonderful way to showcase my family's talent."

I don't know Janie very well, but I would like to thank her for entering and plugging the contest on her website! Thank you, Janie!

Elizabeth Mueller

"I'm a mother of four wonderful kidlets who, more often than not, drive me nuts. I'm very grateful that I can be home at the crossroads for my children and have been blessed with that privilege. I've been writing for as long as I can remember. I've finished 8 novels, and 3 children's books and have tons more stories waiting to be told. I believe with all of my heart that it takes a lot of guts to be a writer--especially an aspiring author."

This generous sweetheart is a very special lady. She has more talents than I can count on my fingers! Elizabeth always makes me feel at peace when I'm speaking to her. There is something about the way I imagine her voice sounds that calms me. Perhaps it's all the mermaids and fairies she illustrates that makes me feel that way! And thanks so much for donating your time and money to the RUNNER UP prize!

Lindsay (aka Isabella)

"I'm a Brit with a love of literature and a lot of books. After years of quietening the characters in my head, I listened. I've been writing ever since. I live in The UK where I blog, eat chocolate and write Young Adult Fiction."

For some reason I think Lindsay is shy behind her computer screen, but she sure knows how to hide it! Sweet, kind, edgy, and always ready to offer herself up for support! Thanks so much for reading my poetry too!

 

Lydia Kang (donated but not entering)

"I'm still trying to figure out how to squeeze 25 hours of life into a normal day. I'm a mom, wife, part-time doctor, writer, sister, daughter, blogger, and when I get the chance, I sleep. I write poetry, creative non-fiction, and young adult fiction."

Lydia is the answer to your medical drama questions. Got a character who's injured? Ask her a question about it and see what she has to say on her Medical Monday blog posts! Thanks so much for answering mine!

Jenn

"I am a girl in her 30s who has lived with Endometriosis for over ten years. With the recent increase in severity of my once-tolerated symptoms, Endo has nearly taken over my life. Join me as I share my total experience as I search for help & healing. Let's discover a cure with a smile & support each other with Friendship. Won't you be my Endo Friendo?"

I am SOOO new to your blog Jenny, please tell me that I've linked the right one! I'll just die if I've made a mistake!!!!

Matthew Rush

"I'm a novice writer who made a lot of mistakes when I prematurely tried to get my novel published. I've learned a lot since then with a lot of help from a lot of other writers. I want to do my part to help other writers avoid the same mistakes I made. Feel free to have a laugh at my expense or share some some of your own embarrassing moments. The only thing I ask is that you respect all the other writers who comment or follow here. If you feel the need to make a sarcastic remark or point out someone's faults, please direct it at me. And please don't try to figure out who any of these agents are or get angry at them. They were just doing their job."

Matthew and I almost got off on the wrong foot when I accused him of ignoring me and my blog! Yikes! Am I an idiot or what? Luckily, he took no offense and we became great friends. Thanks so much for featuring one of my queries on your blog, Matt!

Julie Musil

"I'm Julie Musil, children's author, wife, and mother. I live in a rural California town amid hiking trails and dirt bikes. I married my high school sweetheart, John. Together we have three amazing sons, one cute little doggie, and three leopard geckos. [I write] little bit of everything. Picture books, nonfiction books, magazine stories and articles. I'm seeking representation for my middle grade novel, SPECIAL FORCES. My current work in progress is a YA novel."

Julie, thanks so much for donating! I'm looking forward to getting to know you a little better!

Kristie Cook

"I write, read, work, play, laugh, cry, cook, eat, love, hurt, teach, learn...order varies, as do results. The voices in my head keep me amused, so if you see me laughing out loud for no apparent reason, you know why. Read what they say here and in my upcoming books."

As you know I've purchased your book! I CAN'T WAIT to read it!

Amamda Sablan

"Everybody was kung-fu writing! I am a displaced Texan in Georgia and am on the lookout for a literary agent to represent me and my first novel, which is a literary thriller with a dash of spiritual fantasy. Besides that, I am also interested in acting and criminal justice."

I owe you an apology. You've been coming by my blog for so long and I've hardly paid yours any attention. Now that my work load is lighter, I'll be sure to drop by more often!!! Please know that I do think about you, though!

Donna Hole

"I work at a social services agency, a job I enjoy nearly as much as writing. Although I've always been interested in writing, I didn't think I had a novel in me until about four years ago. Even then it was just a short story that kept needing details filled in. I write about women's issues, and have three novels completed. I have three ex-husbands, five children (four of them grown), a daughter-in-law, almost son-in-law, and two granddaughters to goad my muse into a creative frenzy."

Donna is being published!!!! Woohoo!!!! Believe me, she deserves to be. Her writing is FANTASTIC! I can't wait to buy her book :o)

T.J Carson

"Well first off, TJC is a pen name I made up! Kinda catchy right? Anyways, I write. I am a DEAN'S LIST student @ the UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE and 19 years old. I found I enjoy writing after ONE English TEACHER changed everything for me. Just trying to write some novels that I feel PASSIONATE about, and get them out into the WORLD. Feel free to follow me on my writing extravaganza and the SHENANIGANS of publishing. Hope I can make the CUT. I strive for EXCELLENCE and don't give up. And I should WARN all agents... I've never quit anything in my LIFE... except the stupid SAXOPHONE in middle school (the teacher was a... colorful noun.)"

I first 'met' T.J when we were both participating in the VIDEO BATTLES, Jen was hosting. We had a ball! And my oh my does she have a sense of humour!!!

Sheri Larsen
"Writer of all YA/MG, wife, and mother of four—diva stripe intact, according to the hubs—hopeless romantic, sports FANatic, chocoholic, self-proclaimed rebel, and lover of all things paranormal. Here, I share my short stories, the novels I'm working on, struggles & successes while writing, tips I've learned in the craft, insights on motherhood, friendship...ooh, and I dance. I'll show you as soon as I figure out how to vlog."
This darling woman has a heart of gold! A gmail chat with Sheri always makes me feel like gold too! Thanks so much for being online when I need to whine! You're a lifesaver! :o)

So, thank you everyone for your donations to The Writing Show! I wish you all the best of luck! Don't forget to check in tomorrow for the results!

A substantial edit for FREE??? Seriously?

 This lovely lady, Cassandra, who is a literary agent intern is offering a substantial edit to a lucky winner! Do you know how much one of these costs??? TOO much, believe me. I've hired someone to do so before and it broke the bank. So, my guess is you'd probably LOVE to get one for free. To enter, just CLICK HERE!