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Friday, April 30, 2010

West Virginia Fiction Award and Competition Deadline Approaches

(This news courtesy of Ethan Fischer)

Just a reminder that the submission deadline for the WV Fiction Competition is next Monday. Any submissions posted or emailed through Monday will be accepted.

West Virginia Fiction Award and Competition

Shepherd University's Appalachian Heritage Literary Project announces the West Virginia Fiction Competition, a literary competition to encourage writers and storytellers, whose talent and ability in creative writing is distinctive and promising, and to foster an appreciation of Appalachian culture and values represented in the diverse writing of the region. Submissions are encouraged from any resident of West Virginia or student in West Virginia who meets the criteria below. Click here to view a list of past Fiction Competition winners.

Who can submit? Any resident of West Virginia or student attending school in West Virginia.
What are the limitations upon submissions? Any original, unpublished work of fiction, between 500 and 2,500 words, one submission only. The submission may not have received any other award, recognition, or special honor.

What is the deadline for submissions? May 1, 2010.

Where should submissions be mailed?

West Virginia Fiction Competition
Department of English
Shepherd University
P.O. Box 5000
Shepherdstown, WV 25443-5000


Electronic submissions should be sent to bfeltner@shepherd.edu.

What should accompany submissions? The application form below.

What prize will be awarded? $500.00 First Prize Award and possible publication, $100 each Second and Third Prize Awards.

Who will select the fiction contest winner? A panel of writers, editors, and creative writing instructors will choose finalists, and the 2010 Appalachian Heritage Writer-in-Residence, Bobbie Ann Mason, will select first, second, and third place winners from these finalists. The first place winner will receive the West Virginia Fiction Award and accompanying $500 prize ($100 prizes for second and third prizes) on the night of Thursday, September 30, 2010, at the Appalachian Heritage Awards Presentation; and the winning story will be read at the Appalachian Heritage Festival Concert the following night. Both events are part of the 2010 AHWIR residency: "In My Country: the Fictional World of Bobbie Ann Mason. Ms. Mason will present the awards and offer story critiques to the competition finalists. First, second, and third place prize winners will dine with Ms. Mason on the evening of the awards. The fiction competition is supported by the West Virginia Center for the Book and the Shepherd University Foundation.

When will the winner be notified? August 1, 2010



West Virginia Fiction Competition
Name:________________________________________________________________________
Title of Submission:____________________________________________________________
Address:____________________________________________________________
E-mail:____________________ Phone:_____________________
Brief Biography (limit 100 words):________________________________________________

MacGuffin's 15th National Poet Hunt Contest

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

The MacGuffin’s 15th National Poet Hunt Contest
Judged by Jim Daniels

First Place Prize $500
*Two Honorable Mentions*
http://www.schoolcraft.edu/pdfs/macguffin/Poet_Hunt_Contest.pdf

Contest Rules
1. Each entrant will receive one FREE issue of The MacGuffin that includes the 15th
National Poet Hunt winners.
2. Staff members and their families are not eligible to participate.
3. An entry consists of five poems.
4. Poems must be typed on sheets of 81/2 x 11 paper. Clean photocopies are
acceptable. DO NOT place name and address on submissions.
5. Each entrant must include a 3 x 5 index card that includes poem titles and the
contestant’s name, address, daytime telephone number, and email
address.
6. There is a $15.00 entry fee. Please send check or money order payable to
“Schoolcraft College.” Please do not send cash.
7. Poems must not be previously published, and must be the original work of the
contestant. Poems may be under consideration elsewhere. The MacGuffin reserves
the right to disqualify a work that is accepted elsewhere.
8. No entries will be returned.
9. Entrants wishing to receive a list of winners should send a stamped SASE.
10. Entries must be postmarked between April 1, 2010 and June 3, 2010.
Mail entries to:
The MacGuffin/Poet Hunt Contest
Schoolcraft College
18600 Haggerty Road
Livonia, MI 48152
Winners will be announced in September 2010
First Place and Honorable Mention poems will be published in a future issue of The MacGuffin.
The MacGuffin reserves the right not to award any Honorable Mentions.
www.macguffin.org

WVW Podcast Bonus Show #11- Mary Lucille DeBerry (REBROADCAST)



Concluding our National Poetry Month celebration, this week for the WVW Podcast Bonus Show 11, we play a rebroadcast with poet Mary Lucille DeBerry, originally posted as Episode #13 last July. In it we speak to Mary Lucille about her poetry collection Bertha Butcher's Coat. The interview also features several readings from that work as well as discussions of the techniques Mary Lucille has used to inspire those poems.

You can find this episode at Podcast.WVWriters.org, or by subscribing through iTunes or your favorite RSS-based feed reading phone or device.


Thursday, April 29, 2010

The Womens' Conference Celebrates National Poetry Month

(This news courtesy of Laura Treacy Bentley)

An interesting opportunity for ladies with poetry and webcams. Check out some of the poetry submitted by well known personages.

http://www.womensconference.org/celebrate-national-poetry-month/

Atlanta Review Poetry Contest

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

WIN $2,010 Mail Entry Guidelines:

Entry fee: $5 for the first poem, $3 for each additional poem.

Include your name, address and email in a cover letter or on each poem. (A phone number is optional, but we do like to call the winner personally!)

Please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope (SASE) for notification of results. (Outside the U.S., email notification only.) Manuscripts will not be returned.

Make checks or money orders (in U.S. dollars) payable to Atlanta Review. Entrants not able to pay in U.S. dollars must use Online Entry.

Deadline: entries must be postmarked by May 7, 2010. The postmark is all that matters. No need for express mail--buy a subscription instead!

The Contest Issue is just $5 additional, or FREE with a $10 subscription!

Please send your entry to: POETRY 2010, PO Box 8248, Atlanta GA 31106 USA.

Thank You!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

ANP SPRING NON-FICTION CHAPBOOK CONTEST

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

ANP SPRING NON-FICTION CHAPBOOK CONTEST
http://allnationspress.homestead.com/submissions.html

(go to website for entry fee payment link)

No More than 40 Pages Text
One Story or a Series of Stories
$15 Entry Fee per Entry
$1000 1st Place Prize plus Publication
May 31st Deadline
Any Format allowed. Submit via email to
(replace (at) with @ in e-mail)

and include the title/name on the notes section of payment
OR
send submission and check to

ANP NONCHAP
PO BOX 689
WHITE MARSH, VA 23183

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

WVW 2010 Summer Conference Pitch Session Information

On the morning of Saturday, June 12th, West Virginia Writers, Inc., will kick off a day of extreme opportunity with an open discussion forum entitled "Agents, Editors and You." The Cedar Lakes assembly hall will still be buzzing with Saturday Registrations, but center stage will take precedence as we proudly bring you:

1. PETER LYNCH, Editorial Manager (trade) at Sourcebooks, Inc., one of the country’s largest and most innovative independent publishers. Peter has worked for Sourcebooks as Editorial Manager for the past ten years. He acquires and develops 20–30 books per year, across a variety of categories. Peter’s nonfiction interests include, but are not limited to, books on parenting, history, memoir, self-help, reference, humor, and college/study aids. He is also interested in historical fiction and commercial women’s fiction. Peter is always interested in hearing from authors who are self-motivated and willing to publicize their books in innovative ways. Sourcebooks, Inc (www.sourcebooks.com) is currently looking for: romance fiction (single title all subgenres, 80,000 words +), YA fiction and non-fiction, historical fiction, Jane Austen sequels/retellings/contemporary romances/etc., commercial women's fiction (must have a really unusual premise), multi-media and digital book projects, non-fiction: memoir, how-to, humor, college guides, study aids, parenting, business, careers, personal finance.

2. CHRISTINE WITTHOHN is a literary agent and the founder of Book Cents Literary Agency. She is one of the main sponsors of the International Women’s Fiction Festival held annually in Matera, Italy, and has strong ties to the international market. She is member of AAR, RWA, MWA and is actively building her client list. She is on the hunt for well-written commercial and women’s fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and would love to find some great new YA projects. Christine is looking for: young adult, mystery/suspense, thrillers, romance: contemporary, rom coms, paranormal, light and urban fantasy. She is NOT looking for: inspirational, westerns, sci-fi, horror, erotica, or poetry. Website: www.bookcentsliteraryagency.com

3. KAYLAN ADAIR is an associate editor at Candlewick Press, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She works with such authors and illustrators as Mark London Williams, Valeri Gorbachev, Lisa Moser, Jill Murphy, and Lucy Cousins (of Maisy fame). While her interests run the gamut from picture books to young adult, she is particularly keen to add more middle grade and young adult titles to her list. Kaylan is looking for strong, original voices and compelling, engrossing stories. PLEASE NOTE: Kaylan's one on one critique sessions have already been scheduled and her schedule for them is full. She will not be doing pitch sessions at the conference. However, anyone attending any of Kaylan’s workshops at the conference will receive a validation to submit a full manuscript for Candlewick’s consideration. (Candlewick Press is not currently accepting submissions otherwise, so this is a prime opportunity.)

4. KELLY MORTIMER started Mortimer Literary Agency with one thought in mind: there were too many great writers who couldn't get their foot in the door. She's only 5'4”, but she wears a size 8-1/2 shoe, so she thought she could help. And she did, selling manuscripts for her first two clients in the same week. Kelly is a two-time nominee and the 2008 winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers "Agent of the Year" award. In 2008, Kelly made the Top Five on the Publisher’s Marketplace list of “Top 100 Dealmakers” – Romance Category, and with a fraction of the clients most agents represent. (She bested her Top 10 standing from 2007. Boo-Yah!) She’s also a recipient of the Orange County Chapter RWA’s “Volunteer of the Year” award. Mortimer Literary only signs PRE-PUBLISHED writers (those who have yet to snag a contract with a traditional pub house), or haven’t had a book pubbed within the last three years. (Sorry, Nora—still no dice.) Kelly wants to ferret out those pre-published writers whose manuscripts are great as is, but no one'll give ’em a chance, or those whose manuscripts are close, but need some work to catch an editor's eye. Kelly is actively seeking: Comedy, Contemporary Romance - Single Title and Category, Fantasy/Urban Fantasy, Historical Romance - Single Title and Category (other than westerns), Mainstream/General Fiction, Paranormal, Thrillers/Suspense, Young Adult (protagonist is 16 years old and above), Nonfiction (with a proper proposal, not to mention either a killer platform, or a gigantic hook). She's open to many categories, accepts queries on almost any subject, but does not represent books that are: anti-God, anti-Jesus, anti-military, anti-liberating wars, or anti-the-Greatest-Freakin’-Country-on-the-Planet. (The United States of America.)

Okay, that’s four industry pros going one on one with YOU in an Agent / Editor Forum and three pros fielding pitches in the afternoon of Saturday, June 12th.

Each individual pitch session will cost $10 and will be timed to precisely five minutes and we will have an intern on the clock. So if you must script and rehearse your pitch to hit this five minute window, by all means do it (usually 2.5 double spaced pages equals 5 minutes, if you're memorizing).


HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:

Pitch sessions will be limited for each of our editor/agents, so early reservation for them is recommended.
  • In order to participate in these Pitch Sessions, you must register and pay for at least the day of Saturday, June 12, of the Conference.
  • The cost of each session is $10 per FIVE MINUTE PITCH. No allowances will be made for anything longer than five minutes so please rehearse. The cost of these pitches will help offset the agent/editor expenses for WVW.
  • You may pay for the pitch session(s) as well as schedule the time at the conference.
  • You may pitch to any or all of those agents/editors who are taking pitches or do multiple pitches at a cost of $10 per pitch.
  • To schedule your PITCH SESSION(S) with: Peter Lynch, Kelly Mortimer, and/or Christine Witthohn, send an email to Rhonda White. You may reach Rhonda at: rwhite_writes@cfl.rr.com
And for a HOW TO session on giving pitches, Christine Witthohn will be conducting both an upcoming interview on that very topic for the WV Writers Podcast, as well as a Saturday morning workshop on that topic at our conference.

PLEASE don’t pass up this incredible opportunity, these folks are aggressively seeking new authors and they publish nearly every genre in any given bookstore. If you would like to verify what they publish, take a look at their websites.

And just so you know…… The appearance of Peter Lynch, Kaylan Adair, and Kelly Mortimer is due in great part to the incredible efforts of Christine Witthohn of Book Cents Literary Agency and WVW Secretary, Teresa Newsome.

Books Cents has become an outstanding advocate to the writing community in West Virginia and Kentucky. Much thanks to our good friend, Christine!

For conference registration information: http://www.wvwriters.org/conference.html

Monday, April 26, 2010

Woodland Press's Michael Knost offering online writing course THIS Thursday.

Michael Knost, recent Bram Stoker Award winner for nonfiction and editor with Woodland Press, will be offering an online class this Thursday on How to Bulletproof Your Manuscript.

Get details at Michael's website HERE.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

WVW Summer Conference Agents and Editors Update

(This news courtesy WV Writers President Terry McNemar)

ON THE MORNING OF SATURDAY JUNE 12th WEST VIRGINIA WRITERS, INC. WILL KICK OFF A DAY OF EXTREME OPPORTUNITY WITH AN OPEN DISCUSSION FORUM ENTITLED, “AGENTS, EDITORS, AND YOU.”

THE CEDAR LAKES ASSEMBLY HALL WILL STILL BE BUZZING WITH SATURDAY REGISTRATIONS BUT CENTER STAGE WILL TAKE PRECEDENCE AS WE PROUDLY BRING TO YOU:

  1. PETER LYNCH, Editorial Manager (trade) at Sourcebooks, Inc., one of the country’s largest and most innovative independent publishers. Peter has worked for Sourcebooks as Editorial Manager, trade for the past ten years. He acquires and develops 20–30 books per year, across a variety of categories. Peter’s nonfiction interests include, but are not limited to, books on parenting, history, memoir, self-help, reference, humor, and college/study aids. He is also interested in historical fiction and commercial women’s fiction. Peter is always interested in hearing from authors who are self-motivated and willing to publicize their books in innovative ways. Sourcebooks, Inc (www.sourcebooks.com) is currently looking for: romance fiction (single title all subgenres, 80,000 words +), YA fiction and non-fiction, historical fiction, Jane Austen sequels/retellings/contemporary romances/etc., commercial women's fiction (must have a really unusual premise), multi-media and digital book projects, non-fiction: memoir, how-to, humor, college guides, study aids, parenting, business, careers, personal finance.
  2. Christine Witthohn is a literary agent and the founder of Book Cents Literary Agency. She is one of the main sponsors of the International Women’s Fiction Festival held annually in Matera, Italy, and has strong ties to the international market. She is member of AAR, RWA, MWA and is actively building her client list. She is on the hunt for well-written commercial and women’s fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and would love to find some great new YA projects. Christine is looking for: young adult, mystery/suspense, thrillers, romance: contemporary, rom coms, paranormal, light and urban fantasy. She is NOT looking for: inspirational, westerns, sci-fi, horror, erotica, or poetry. Website: www.bookcentsliteraryagency.com
  3. Kaylan Adair is an associate editor at Candlewick Press, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She works with such authors and illustrators as Mark London Williams, Valeri Gorbachev, Lisa Moser, Jill Murphy, and Lucy Cousins (of Maisy fame). While her interests run the gamut from picture books to young adult, she is particularly keen to add more middle grade and young adult titles to her list. Kaylan is looking for strong, original voices and compelling, engrossing stories. Kaylan will do one-on-one critique sessions (fee required), and workshops. Anyone attending these workshops will receive a validation to submit a full manuscript for Candlewick’s consideration.
  4. Kelly Mortimer started Mortimer Literary Agency with one thought in mind: there were too many great writers who couldn't get their foot in the door. She's only 5'4”, but she wears a size 8-1/2 shoe, so she thought she could help. And she did, selling manuscripts for her first two clients in the same week. Kelly is a two-time nominee and the 2008 winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers "Agent of the Year" award. In 2008, Kelly made the Top Five on the Publisher’s Marketplace list of “Top 100 Dealmakers” – Romance Category, and with a fraction of the clients most agents represent. (She bested her Top 10 standing from 2007. Boo-Yah!) She’s also a recipient of the Orange County Chapter RWA’s “Volunteer of the Year” award. Mortimer Literary only signs PRE-PUBLISHED writers (those who have yet to snag a contract with a traditional pub house), or haven’t had a book pubbed within the last three years. (Sorry, Nora—still no dice.) Kelly wants to ferret out those pre-published writers whose manuscripts are great as is, but no one'll give ’em a chance, or those whose manuscripts are close, but need some work to catch an editor's eye.
Okay, that’s four industry pros going one on one with YOU first thing, Saturday, June 12th.

WHAT? You ask how could it get better than this? How about a day of pitches and presentations from these four pros? WILL THAT DO IT?

Each individual pitch session will cost $10 and will be timed to precisely five minutes and we will have an intern on the clock so if you must script and rehearse your pitch to hit this five minute window, by all means do it. While you’re rehearsing, sit tight. Ehe schedule and pitch reservation details will be posted very soon, so don’t wait to pre-register for the conference and your room!
Here’s how it works:
  • Pitch sessions will be limited for each of our editor/agents, so early reservation for them is recommended.
  • In order to participate in these Pitch Sessions, you must register and pay for at least the day of Saturday, June 12, of the Conference.
  • The cost of each session is $10 per FIVE MINUTE PITCH. No allowances will be made for anything longer than five minutes so please rehearse! The cost of these pitches will help offset the agent/editor expense.
  • You may pay for the pitch session(s) at the conference.
  • You may pitch any or all of those giving pitches or mutiple pitches at a cost of $10 per pitch.
  • Reservation contact information will be available NEXT WEEK!!!
PLEASE don’t pass up this incredible opportunity, these folks are aggressively seeking new authors and they publish nearly every genre in any given bookstore. If you would like to verify what they publish, take a look at their websites.

And just so you know…… The appearance of Peter Lynch, Kaylan Adair, and Kelly Mortimer is due in great part to the incredible efforts of Christine Witthohn of Book Cents Literary Agency and WVW Secretary, Teresa Newsome.

Books Cents has become an outstanding advocate to the writing community in West Virginia and Kentucky. Much thanks to our good friend, Christine!

For conference registration information: http://www.wvwriters.org/conference.html

Saturday, April 24, 2010

West Virginia Writers, Inc,, taking part in FestiVAL events!

West Virginia Writers, Inc. is proud to be part of Charleston’s FestivAll events!

“The Many Paths to Publishing.” Are you dreaming of becoming a published author? Do you wonder how to get included in those lovely literary magazines with your poetry, short stories and essays? Come hear a panel of publishing experts at Taylor Books in Charleston on Capital Street June 19, from 2-4 p. m.

Panelists include the representatives from Woodland Press, Keith Davis and Michael Knost, who’ll speak about their award winning press and what they look for in a promising author. Woodland Press, LLC is a proud West Virginia company that focuses on Appalachian-based stories that uphold and encourage the rich culture and colorful history of Appalachia. Some of their recent books: Dark Tales of Terror, Writers Workshop of Horror (winner of the 2010 Bram Stoker award), Tale of the Devil: a biography of Devil Anse Hatfield.

Also available is Thomas McKenna, who began the quarterly, literary magazine Holler, which focuses on poetry and short prose. Come learn what the magazine seeks from writers to increase your chances for inclusion.

Cathy Teets, with Headline Books in Terra Alta, WV, offers full service publishing. Find out what that means as she speaks about what they offer and what they seek from writers.

AND

MORE FESTIVALL EVENTS!

On June 23, 7 p.m., at Taylor Books: “Seeking the Swan: showcasing West Virginia Writers,” A reading by the winning writers from West Virginia Writers annual contest for the past several years, collected in a beautiful presentation in the anthology, Seeking the Swan. Come hear these winners read. A few you may know: Geoff Fuller, Eddy Pendarvis, Larua Bently, Llewellyn McKernan, to name a few. All quality writers and readers you’ll enjoy hearing. Sale of the anthology will follow the reading.

Moderated by Cat Pleska

All events free and open to the public.

The Agents and Editors Updates

ON THE MORNING OF SATURDAY JUNE 12th WEST VIRGINIA WRITERS, INC. WILL KICK OFF A DAY OF EXTREME OPPORTUNITY WITH AN OPEN DISCUSSION FORUM ENTITLED, “AGENTS, EDITORS, AND YOU.”

THE CEDAR LAKES ASSEMBLY HALL WILL STILL BE BUZZING WITH SATURDAY REGISTRATIONS BUT CENTER STAGE WILL TAKE PRECEDENCE AS WE PROUDLY BRING TO YOU:

1. PETER LYNCH, Editorial Manager (trade) at Sourcebooks, Inc., one of the country’s largest and most innovative independent publishers. Peter has worked for Sourcebooks as Editorial Manager, trade for the past ten years. He acquires and develops 20–30 books per year, across a variety of categories. Peter’s nonfiction interests include, but are not limited to, books on parenting, history, memoir, self-help, reference, humor, and college/study aids. He is also interested in historical fiction and commercial women’s fiction. Peter is always interested in hearing from authors who are self-motivated and willing to publicize their books in innovative ways. Sourcebooks, Inc (www.sourcebooks.com) is currently looking for: romance fiction (single title all subgenres, 80,000 words +), YA fiction and non-fiction, historical fiction, Jane Austen sequels/retellings/contemporary romances/etc., commercial women's fiction (must have a really unusual premise), multi-media and digital book projects, non-fiction: memoir, how-to, humor, college guides, study aids, parenting, business, careers, personal finance.

2. Christine Witthohn is a literary agent and the founder of Book Cents Literary Agency. She is one of the main sponsors of the International Women’s Fiction Festival held annually in Matera, Italy, and has strong ties to the international market. She is member of AAR, RWA, MWA and is actively building her client list. She is on the hunt for well-written commercial and women’s fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and would love to find some great new YA projects. Christine is looking for: young adult, mystery/suspense, thrillers, romance: contemporary, rom coms, paranormal, light and urban fantasy. She is NOT looking for: inspirational, westerns, sci-fi, horror, erotica, or poetry. Website: www.bookcentsliteraryagency.com

3. Kaylan Adair is an associate editor at Candlewick Press, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She works with such authors and illustrators as Mark London Williams, Valeri Gorbachev, Lisa Moser, Jill Murphy, and Lucy Cousins (of Maisy fame). While her interests run the gamut from picture books to young adult, she is particularly keen to add more middle grade and young adult titles to her list. Kaylan is looking for strong, original voices and compelling, engrossing stories.
Kaylan will do one-on-one critique sessions (fee required), and workshops. Anyone attending these workshops will receive a validation to submit a full manuscript for Candlewick’s consideration.

4. Kelly Mortimer started Mortimer Literary Agency with one thought in mind: there were too many great writers who couldn't get their foot in the door. She's only 5'4”, but she wears a size 8-1/2 shoe, so she thought she could help. And she did, selling manuscripts for her first two clients in the same week.
Kelly is a two-time nominee and the 2008 winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers "Agent of the Year" award. In 2008, Kelly made the Top Five on the Publisher’s Marketplace list of “Top 100 Dealmakers” – Romance Category, and with a fraction of the clients most agents represent. (She bested her Top 10 standing from 2007. Boo-Yah!) She’s also a recipient of the Orange County Chapter RWA’s “Volunteer of the Year” award.
Mortimer Literary only signs PRE-PUBLISHED writers (those who have yet to snag a contract with a traditional pub house), or haven’t had a book pubbed within the last three years. (Sorry, Nora—still no dice.) Kelly wants to ferret out those pre-published writers whose manuscripts are great as is, but no one'll give ’em a chance, or those whose manuscripts are close, but need some work to catch an editor's eye.

Okay, that’s four industry pros going one on one with YOU first thing, Saturday, June 12th.
WHAT?
You ask how could it get better than this? How about a day of pitches and presentations from these four pros?
WILL THAT DO IT?
Each individual pitch session will cost $10 and will be timed to precisely five minutes and we will have an intern on the clock so if you must script and rehearse your pitch to hit this five minute window, by all means do it. While you’re rehearsing, sit tight. Ehe schedule and pitch reservation details will be posted very soon, so don’t wait to pre-register for the conference and your room!
Here’s how it works:
q Pitch sessions will be limited for each of our editor/agents, so early reservation for them is recommended.

q In order to participate in these Pitch Sessions, you must register and pay for at least the day of Saturday, June 12, of the Conference.

q The cost of each session is $10 per FIVE MINUTE PITCH. No allowances will be made for anything longer than five minutes so please rehearse! The cost of these pitches will help offset the agent/editor expense.

q You may pay for the pitch session(s) at the conference.

q You may pitch any or all of those giving pitches or mutiple pitches at a cost of $10 per pitch.

q Reservation contact information will be available NEXT WEEK!!!





PLEASE don’t pass up this incredible opportunity, these folks are aggressively seeking new authors and they publish nearly every genre in any given bookstore. If you would like to verify what they publish, take a look at their websites.And just so you know…… The appearance of Peter Lynch, Kaylan Adair, and Kelly Mortimer is due in great part to the incredible efforts of Christine Witthohn of Book Cents Literary Agency and WVW Secretary, Teresa Newsome. Books Cents has become an outstanding advocate to the writing community in West Virginia and Kentucky. Much thanks to our good friend, Christine!For conference registration information: http://www.wvwriters.org/conference.html

4 Danger Signs To Search For, Before Sending Off Your Novel

SciFi site io9 recently posted a piece aimed at writers called "4 Danger Signs To Search For, Before Sending Off Your Novel." While the site itself is science fiction in basis, the advice is universal.

Check it out HERE.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Woodland Press Anthology Seeking Submissions

Sunday, April 18, 2010

New anthology guidelines

Submission Guidelines:

Title: Appalachian Folklore: Dark Tales of Superstition and Old Wives’ Tales

Publisher: Woodland Press

Editors: Michael Knost and Eugene Johnson

Format: Trade Paperback

Payment: Three-cents per word and one contributor copy.

Story Length: Up to 2500 words

Deadline: September 1, 2010

Please do not query about submissions until November 1, 2010.

Send Submissions to: appalachianfolklore@yahoo.com

Please send attachments (.doc or .rtf) when submitting, please do not copy and paste in the body of the email.

Publication Date: Late 2010

Please take note this is a theme anthology…if your story does not fit the theme, it will not be considered. Therefore, please adhere to the following: Stories should be horror or dark fiction and dealing with a known Appalachian superstition or old wives’ tale. We DO NOT want stories with excessive content or language.

We purchase First English Anthology Rights, non-exclusive audio and e-rights for publication in the English language anywhere in the world.

Manuscript format: Please double-space, use 12-point Times New Roman font, use a slug line in the header (not into the manuscript itself), use bold, italics, underline where desired…format just as you intend the reader to see it. Also don't forget to include your name and contact info in the manuscript.

WV Writers Podcast seeks Mother's Day Poems and Stories

UPDATE 5/6/10: The Hotline for the WV Writers MomCast 2010 is now closed.

In honor of Mother's Day (May 9, 2010), the WV Writers Podcast is seeking your poems, short stories and essays on the topic of your mom. Furthermore, we'd like to broadcast you reading them.

In order to do this, we've set up a special Mother's Day Hotline which will allow us to record your poems, stories, etc. and be able to play them back on our Mother's Day Podcast, which will be posted May 9.

The instructions for this are as follows:
  1. Have your piece in hand.
  2. Phone our Mother's Day hotline at 304-661-9745 (this is a WV-based cellular number, so long distance charges may apply). Wait for the voicemail to pick up (usually after 4 rings) and listen to the opening.
  3. After the beep, please state your name, your town and anything you think people might need to know about your piece. After that...
  4. Read your story, essay or poem. Please try to keep them under 2 minutes 45 seconds in length. Anything longer than this will be automatically cut off by the voicemail. If you have a longer piece, feel free to call back and continue it in a second segment. However, please limit the entire piece to between 4 and 5 minutes. Preference may be given to pieces shorter than 2:45. Depending on the number of pieces we receive, we may or may not be able to use all of them.
  5. If you mess up while reading, it's no problem. Just pause and then say "THREE, TWO, ONE..." and start where you left off. We'll edit out the messups on our end.
  6. The hotline will take Mother's Day pieces through May 8, 2010. (After that, we'll try to keep the line open for Recorded Live Readings for possible use in future shows.)
This is something of an experiment, so please help us out by participating. Everybody's got a good mother story in them, so please share yours.

Participation is not limited to WV Writers members, though, if we have more entries than we can use, preference will be shown to our members.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Cat Pleska appears as part of Ivy and Stone.

On Monday, May 4, 2010, radio essayist, memoirist and WV Writers 1st VP Cat Pleska will be appearing at 1p in the commons area of the New River Community and Technical College branch in Summersville as part of the Ivy and Stone Council on the Arts series.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

A Renaissance Evening

The Greater Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation and the Shepherd's Center of Greenbrier County invite you to attend A Renaissance Evening. The event will take place Sunday, April 25, 2010 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Old Stone Presbyterian Church, 200 Church Street in Lewisburg.

Enjoy Renaissance music by Stephanie Bachman, Ves Burford and Franes Layton. You can also learn about Sir Walter Raleigh, sample hors d'oeuvres and hear the winning poems from the Horizontal Vertical Poetry Contest. The event is pay what you will, with donations benefiting the Shepherd's Center.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

(REMINDER) Poetry Reading in Morgantown

(This news courtesy of Ted Webb of Morgantown Writers Group)

What: A Poetry Reading
Who: Pittsburgh poets Michael Simms and Richard St. John
When: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 7:30pm
Where: The Zenclay Gallery (2862 University Avenue, Morgantown, WV)
Why: To feed your soul!

The Poets:

Michael Simms is the founder and editor-in-chief of Autumn House Press, a Pittsburgh-based publisher of fine editions of poetry and fiction. He is the author of five collections of poetry: Black Stone, The Happiness of Animals, The Fire-Eater, Migration, and Notes on Continuing Light, as well as the co-author of The Longman Dictionary and Handbook of Poetry. He teaches poetry and publishing in the Master of Fine Arts Program at Chatham University. Michael lives with his wife Eva and their two children in the historic Mount Washington neighborhood overlooking downtown Pittsburgh and the Monongahela River.

Richard St. John's book of poems, The Pure Inconstancy of Grace, was published in 2005 by Truman State University Press. His work has also appeared in Sewanee Review, Poet Lore and Carolina Quarterly, as well as other periodicals and anthologies. Rick is Executive Director for Autumn House Press, a national, nonprofit literary press, based in Pittsburgh. He received degrees in English from Princeton University and the University of Virginia. In 2002, he completed a mid-career Loeb Fellowship at Harvard University. He lives in the Greenfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh with his wife Kate.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Camber Press Fiction Chapbook Award

Deadline:
May 30, 2010
First Prize:
$1,000 and publication of chapbook
Judge: Chuck Kinder

Submission guidelines:

The winning fiction writer will receive $1,000 and have his or her manuscript published by Camber Press, Inc. The winner will also receive ten copies of the book. Only typed manuscripts no greater than 10,000 words of original English-language fiction will be considered.

Manuscripts must include a cover page listing the author's name, address, phone number, e-mail address, word count, and manuscript title. Names should not appear anywhere else. A title page with no biographical information should follow. Simultaneous submissions are allowed if Camber Press is immediately notified of acceptance elsewhere. Submissions will be recycled, not returned. Include a self-addressed, stamped postcard if you wish acknowledgment of receipt.

A $15 entry fee payable to Camber Press must accompany all submissions. International submissions are $15 provided they are in US funds. Submissions must be postmarked no later than May 30, 2010.

The winner will be announced on or before August 1, 2010 via our Web site, Twitter feed and Facebook page. E-mail us for more information.

Send entries to:
Fiction Award
Camber Press
807 Central Avenue
Suite 2
Peeksill, NY 10566

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Assisi online journal seeks submissions

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

Assisi:An Online Journal of Arts & Letters, published by St. Francis College in Brooklyn, is now accepting submissions (poetry, short stories, non-fiction essays, photography and art work) for our second issue.

To see our inaugural issue, and our submission guidelines, go to www.stfranciscollege.edu/academics/Publications/assisi and follow the link.

If you have questions, or need further information, please contact Dr. Wendy Galgan, Editor, at (replace (at) with @). NOTE WELL: This is not the e-mail to which you should send your submissions. Please follow the directions in the submission guidelines.

Assisi holds first rights for publication; we also reserve the right to use your name and the title of your work in press releases and on sections of our website other than the pages of Assisi. Beyond this use, and following publication in Assisi, rights revert to the author/artist providing Assisi is acknowledged in any subsequent publication of the work.

Spoken Word event in Wheeling

As part of the Oglebay Institute's Imagination Celebration (celebrating the organization's 80th birthday), a poetry and open mic event will be held TONIGHT, Saturday, April 17, at the West Virginia Northern Community College – B&O Building at 7 p.m., in Wheeling.

This event is presented by Wheeling's Independent Theatre Collective. There will be poetry readings and dramatic readings as the body of the evening, followed by an open mic session.

WV Writers' own Eric Fritzius will be the Master of Ceremonies for the evening.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Call for Poetry Submissions: Knocking at the Door

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

Knocking at the Door: Approaching the Other seeks fresh work exploring the theme of reconciling and/or coming to an understanding with the Other as it appears in all aspects of life: personal, political and societal. We want honest chronicles of your struggles to come to terms with the Other in all its forms and your sense of humor. Some of the editor’s favorite authors include Rilke, Ilya Kaminsky, Jack McCarthy and Harryette Mullen, but most of all we love poems with a unique voice of their own that defy categorization.

Think along the lines of Daphne Gottlieb in her book “Final Girl”, Margaret Atwood’s “Solstice Poem”, Paul Celan, Tess Gallagher’s “Conversation with a Fireman from Brooklyn” or Patricia Smith’s “Skinhead”. We’re less interested in poems written to reflect the woe or angst of the persona than poems reaching to understand and explore the world outside.

Submission Guidelines:


Submissions will be accepted from February 15, 2010 to May 15, 2010
No previously published work or simultaneous submissions, please.
Send your submissions via an email to (replace (at) with @)
with the subject line “Submission for Knocking at the Door from ” and an attached file in .doc or .rtf format including:

Your name & contact information
A brief author bio
3 – 5 poems, 10 pages maximum, single-spaced in at least 12 pt. font. We will think less of you if you use Comic Sans.

Any submissions that do not follow these guidelines will not be considered.
Notifications will be sent out via email in August 2010.
Payment for publication of accepted poems: 2 copies of the completed anthology in which your work appears.

Send your best words our way! We read and choose writing democratically, pluralistically, ecumenically; therefore, we like to print a mix of writing regardless of its form, genre, school, or politics. We publish newcomers and established writers alike.

- Lisa Sisler & Lea C. Deschenes, Knocking at the Door Editors

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Alabama Writers' Conclave 2010 Contest Nears its End

WRITING COMPETITION GUIDELINES
http://alabamawritersconclave.com/contests.html

Deadline: April 20, 2010 (postmark).

Prizes: 1st: $100; 2nd: $75; 3rd: $50; 4th: $25and up to 4 Honorable Mentions.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED at the AWC Conference Banquet at the Hilton Birmingham Perimeter Park Hotel, Birmingham, Alabama on JULY 17, 2010.

Contest Rules: Entries must be original, unpublished, and may not have won a money prize in any contest. (Sitting AWC voting Board Members are not eligible.) Multiple entries are accepted, but only one prize is awarded for each category.

Send one copy of each entry on standard white paper in standard manuscript format (double-spaced, one-inch margins, 12pt. Courier or Times Roman font). (Note: manuscripts are not returned, so applicants should retain a copy).

On first page include: Title, Category and Word Count (DO NOT show author name on the manuscript).

Please number the pages.

Enclose a separate cover sheet for each piece submitted showing: Contest category; manuscript title; your name, mailing address, e-mail address and phone number; and whether you are an AWC Member or non-member.

Please be sure to provide a separate cover sheet for each piece submitted.
Entry Fees

For all categories (EXCEPT Poem and First Chapter Novel): $5.00 per entry if AWC member, $8.00 per entry if non-member.

For First Chapter Novel: $10.00 if member, $12.00 if non-member.

For Poem: $3.00 per poem if member, $5.00 if non-member.

Make checks to: Alabama Writers' Conclave. (Note: Membership and conference fees must be submitted separately to the AWC Treasurer)

Send contest entry manuscripts and checks to: Marian Lewis, AWC Contest Chair, 250 Hartside Rd., Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763.

NOTE: Please include a #10 SASE if you would like to receive a Winners' List after the AWC conference in July. If you would like confirmation that your entry has been received, also include aself-addressed stamped postcard (SASP)

Writing Competition Categories

Fiction - maximum 2500 words.

Short Fiction - maximum 1000 words.

Juvenile Fiction (stories for ages 4-12) - maximum 2500 words. MUST LIST GENRE AND TARGETED AGE GROUP (i.e. picture book, 3 & up).

Nonfiction - maximum 2500 words (PLEASE SPECIFY IF WRITTEN FOR ADULT OR CHILDREN).

Humor (fiction, nonfiction, or poetry) - maximum 2000 words or 50 lines (for poems).

Traditional Poem (any "form" poem, i.e. villanelle, sonnet, sestina) - maximum 40 lines.

Free Verse Poem - maximum 60 lines.

First Chapter of Novel - up to 10 double-spaced pages, first chapter ONLY.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Jayne Anne Phillips added to WV Book Festival

(This news courtesy of Phyllis Wilson Moore)

"West Virginia native Jayne Anne Phillips is the fourth author announced for the West Virginia Book Festival, to be held Oct. 16 and 17 at the Charleston Civic Center. Phillips will present the Settle Session on Sunday, Oct. 17, at 12:30 p.m. The session is named in honor of the grande dame of West Virginia literature, Mary Lee Settle.

http://blogs.wvgazette.com/wvbookfestival/

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Past Loves Day Story Contest

To foster awareness of PAST LOVES DAY, SEPTEMBER 17, Spruce Mountain Press sponsors an annual Story Contest. The Contest, and the Day, offer an opportunity to acknowledge a truth that lingers in your heart.

First Prize: $100 Second Prize: $75 Third Prize: $50 Honorable Mention(s)

Winning stories will be posted (anonymously, if requested by author) on this website.

Some stories may also be selected for inclusion in an upcoming anthology, to be published by Spruce Mountain Press. Please specify if you would prefer that your story NOT be included in this selection process for the anthology OR for posting on this website. This in no way affects your eligibility to win.

CLOSING DATE:

Entries must be sent by midnight, August 17. Winning stories will be posted on this website within one month after Past Loves Day, September 17. Individuals who have won prizes will be informed when the selection process has been completed.

Learn all the details at their website http://ourpastloves.com/contest

Monday, April 12, 2010

Poetry Reading in Morgantown

(This news courtesy of Ted Webb of Morgantown Writers Group)

What: A Poetry Reading
Who: Pittsburgh poets Michael Simms and Richard St. John
When: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 7:30pm
Where: The Zenclay Gallery (2862 University Avenue, Morgantown, WV)
Why: To feed your soul!

The Poets:

Michael Simms is the founder and editor-in-chief of Autumn House Press, a Pittsburgh-based publisher of fine editions of poetry and fiction. He is the author of five collections of poetry: Black Stone, The Happiness of Animals, The Fire-Eater, Migration, and Notes on Continuing Light, as well as the co-author of The Longman Dictionary and Handbook of Poetry. He teaches poetry and publishing in the Master of Fine Arts Program at Chatham University. Michael lives with his wife Eva and their two children in the historic Mount Washington neighborhood overlooking downtown Pittsburgh and the Monongahela River.

Richard St. John's book of poems, The Pure Inconstancy of Grace, was published in 2005 by Truman State University Press. His work has also appeared in Sewanee Review, Poet Lore and Carolina Quarterly, as well as other periodicals and anthologies. Rick is Executive Director for Autumn House Press, a national, nonprofit literary press, based in Pittsburgh. He received degrees in English from Princeton University and the University of Virginia. In 2002, he completed a mid-career Loeb Fellowship at Harvard University. He lives in the Greenfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh with his wife Kate.

Thursday, April 08, 2010

One Act Play Competition for Writers 2010

Bottle Tree Productions
ONE ACT PLAY COMPETITION FOR WRITERS 2010

First Prize $1,000
Second Prize $250
Third Prize $100

One Act Plays of up to 70 minutes may be submitted
to Bottle Tree Productions
at 445 Southwood Drive, Kingston, Ontario K7M-5P8
Phone 613-542-0070 OR 384-8433 or email info@bottletreeinc.com

Please have your copy bound and if you wish it returned, please include a manuscript-sized SASE. Or check out www.bottletreeinc.com/script_contest.html for email submissions, Paypal options and further details.

The entry fee for each submission is $25. Please make cheque payable to Bottle Tree Productions.

Multiple submissions accepted

Plays can have previously been produced but not professionally
Please do not attach your name or contact name to the script but have that information on a separate sheet of paper.

The competition runs until November 30th 2010.

Winners will be announced in January of 2011.

If you want a critical analysis of your work please enclose a cheque for $50 made payable to Bottle Tree Productions.

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Whispering Tree Writing Contest

Spring blossoms. You can smell it in the air. The sparrows and swallows are soon to return. The mountains fade from their long winter white into newly born greens; snow and ice melt begin a long quest to stream and river, and finally the sea. The clouds will burst with water and lightning, and seeds and flowers mimic the skies.

Once again, we are looking for spiritual, seasonal, personal, inspirational, uplifting, touching, motivational, or just plain heart-warming stories, poems, and essays up to 2,500 words that celebrate the Spring Season, including any upcoming holidays ...

* First Prize is a $35.00 (US) gift credit to our online store.
* Second Prize is a $25.00 (US) gift credit to our online store.
* Third Prize is a $15.00 (US) gift credit to our online store.

In no particular order, the following considerations are taken into account for all contest entries: writing and writing style, individuality, holiday and/ or winter themes, and spiritual/ inspirational/ motivational themes, and apropriateness for the whisperingtree.net website.

Please submit your work through our Online Form. We will publish all thematically appropriate submitted work to our Community Stories area on whisperingtree.net. We retain the right to reject any submitted work deemed not to be appropriate for whisperingtree.net; all judging is done by the whisperingtree.net staff, is anonymous, and all prize decisions are final

If you have any problems, please contact us at customerservice@whisperingtree.net This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

So that we have time to review all submissions and prepare for the next season, the contest ends June 15, 2010.

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Breakwater Review seeking submissions

(This news courtesy of Rhonda White)

The editors at Breakwater Review, a literary journal at the MFA program at UMass Boston, is seeking high-quality poetry and prose for our summer issue. We are accepting submissions of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction through our online submissions manager until our May 1 deadline.

Here's a link:
http://breakwaterreview.com/submission_mgr/

Writers should submit up to 5,000 words of fiction, up to 3,000 words of nonfiction, or up to five poems.

Breakwater Review will also consider interviews and reviews, but please query first by emailing us at (replace (at) with @)

To check out the great writers in the current issue of Breakwater Review, and to get an idea of the type of work we're interested in, check out their website at: http://breakwaterreview.com/

Monday, April 05, 2010

Children's Book Editor Headed for WV Writers Conference

This year’s conference will offer a special treat for children’s book writers! Kaylan Adair, Associate Editor of Candlewick Press, will be presenting on Saturday, June 12. She has a special treat for all those who attend her workshop - during the 90 days that follow the conference, you may submit a full children's manuscript to her for consideration! Details for submission will be given at her workshop.
ALSO . . .
Ms. Adair has offered to do manuscript critiques (10 page maximum), which include a 15-minute personal consultation during the conference! Because of the time involved for consultations, the number of critiques will be limited to 15 and there is a $30 fee for each critique. To register for a one-on-one consulation with a professional children's editor, e-mail me at t_newsome01@yahoo.com.
Please don’t miss these great opportunities to have a completed manuscript considered by Kaylan Adair, Associate Editor of Candlewick, or to get professional feedback on a work in progress!
It's gonna be a great conference!
Teresa Newsome, Secretary

Kirk Judd featured with Morgantown Poets

(This news courtesy of the Morgantown Poets)

Poet, performance artist and West Virginia Writers, Inc. founding member Kirk Judd will be featured with Morgantown Poets at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 15, at Monongalia Arts Center (MAC).

The event is free and open to the public. The MAC is at 107 High Street, downtown Morgantown (beside Hotel Morgan).

Judd has performed poetry across West Virginia at fairs, concerts and festivals for the past 30 years. The author is internationally known for his performance work combining poetry and old time music.

Judd is the author of two collections of poetry, “Field of Vision” and “Tao-Billy.” He’s a coeditor of the widely acclaimed anthology, “Wild, Sweet Notes – 50 Years of West Virginia Poetry 1950 – 1999.”

The author is a founding member of Allegheny Echoes, Inc., dedicated to the support and preservation of WV cultural heritage arts. As part of a cultural heritage exchange with the Ulster-American Folk Park in Omagh, Northern Ireland, Judd has presented his original poetry with Allegheny Echoes staff members and musicians on the BBC and in a highly successful performance tour across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Judd was also a member of the Appalachian Literary League and a former president of West Virginia Writers, Inc., the statewide writing organization. The poet has lived, worked, trout fished and wandered around in West Virginia all of his life.

Public parking is available near the MAC in the parking garage at the corner of Pleasant and Chestnut streets and at the city lot behind 142 High Street (enter off Spruce). The MAC is accessible to individuals with special mobility requirements; schedule ahead at least seven days prior to the event by calling 304-292-3325, or write to info@monartscenter.com.

Morgantown Poets is an informal not-for-profit, all-volunteer community group that meets 7-9 p.m. the third Thursday each month at the MAC, providing literary enthusiasts in north-central West Virginia the opportunity to express themselves, share their work, network and to connect up-and-coming writers with more established authors. New writers are welcome. Join on Facebook by entering “Morgantown Poets” in the search. Or join the mailing list at morgantownpoets@yahoo.com or the listserve, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/motownpoetry.

Friday, April 02, 2010

WVW Podcast Episode 28

Episode 28 of the WVW Podcast is now online. In it we celebrate National Poetry Month by playing part 1 of our two part recorded live reading taken from the WVW co-sponsored poetry edition of the literary tea series this past November at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre in Lewisburg. The featured poets for this recording are Sarah Crickenberger (2nd place winner of the Short Poetry category of the 2009 WVW Writing Contest) and our member Sammye Lewis.

Find the episode available at our podcast page...

http://podcast.wvwriters.org/