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Sunday, May 30, 2010

Members Matter

WVW's own Raymond Neely has had a poem entitled "Moth Screams" accepted for publication in the forthcoming issue of Holler. Holler is a quarterly journal published by the Princeton Poetry Society. You can pick up a free issue of it at the 2010 WVW Summer Conference, or at locations in the Princeton/Bluefield area.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Podcast Episode 33: Belinda Anderson Interview

We had intended to podcast our Pitch Session Primer interview with Christine Witthohn for this week's podcast, but due to a wicked case of laryngitis followed by a convention trip, we've had to delay that recording until next week.

Instead, this week we're speaking with Belinda Anderson, writer, journalist, nomination for WV Writers' parliamentarian and presenter at the 2010 WV Writers Summer Conference. We cover Belinda's extensive past history with WV Writers, what she will be teaching at the conference and cover some of her current and past writing projects that she's involved with, including an oral history project detailing the history of a lost community located atop Wolf Creek Mountain, near Alderson, WV.

Check it out at our podcast page... Podcast.WVWriters.org.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Online College article on rejected authors.

The OnlineCollege.org blog has an article entitled "50 Iconic Writers Who Were Repeatedly Rejected".

Always fun to see rejection comes to the best of us.

Monday, May 24, 2010

First Book Contest: De Novo Poetry Contest

(This news courtesy Rhonda Browning White)

2010 De Novo Poetry Contest

http://www.wix.com/crpress/crpress

For our fourth De Novo Award, C&R Press continues to seek the best manuscript from a previously unpublished American poet (a writer who has not published a full-length collection of poetry before). In this annual contest, we look for manuscripts that exhibit striking language, memorable imagery, intellectual depth, and a respect for diversity in all areas of life. Ultimately we are interested in supporting the best, most exciting work we can find. As is our tradition to date, we also carefully consider publishing other outstanding and deserving manuscripts from the De Novo contest. Please include:

• 55-85 page manuscript (single-spaced & anonymous)

• One paragraph biography in your cover letter that includes ms. title & your contact information, including email & phone # (will be removed during the judging phase)

• $25 entry fee payable to C&R Press. (Optional--include an additional $5 to receive a copy of winning book).

Guidelines:

• Submission of more than one manuscript is acceptable; each manuscript must be submitted separately, each with entry fee

• Please let us know immediately if your manuscript is accepted by another publisher while under our consideration

• No revisions to submitted manuscripts will be considered; the winning manuscript may be revised before publication

• Manuscripts may consist of poems that have been published, but the manuscript as a whole must not have been previously published

• Close friends, former students, and current or former colleagues of the judge are ineligible

• Translations ineligible

• Winner receives $500 and 20 copies. All entries will be considered for publication.

2010 Contest Submission Period: March 15 - June 15. (Entries received after June 15 will NOT be considered for the 2010 De Novo Contest.)

2010 Judge: Richard Jackson

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Contest for poetry about disability: Inglis House

(This news courtesy Rhonda Browning White)


2010 Inglis House Poetry Contest Guidelines
http://www.wordgathering.com/contest.html

Each year for the past seven years, the Inglis House Poetry Workshop has sponsored an annual contest on disability-related poetry. The purpose of the contest has been two-fold. The first is to promote the writing of poets with disabilities and put their names and poetry before the public. The second is to encourage all writers to think about the issues surrounding and try to respond to them in their poetry. It goes almost without saying that submissions should avoid both cliches and stereotypes about disability. There are two categories for submission. A writer with a disability may submit to either or both. The guidelines for the 2010 contest are listed below.

Category 1: Open to All

Subject: Disabilities

First Place: $50
Second Place: $30
Third Place: $20

Contest Rules

Any style poetry
Two Poem Limit
Each poem on separate page
Poem length - 75 lines or less
Name, address & category on each page
Poem must relate to disabilities
Category 2: Open Only to Writers With Disabilities

Contest Rules

First Place: $50
Second Place: $30
Third Place: $20

Contest Rules

Any subject, any style poetry

Three Poem Limit

Each poem on separate page

Poem length - 75 lines or less

Name, address & category on each page

Indicate Disability in Cover Letter

Deadline: June 1, 2010

Mail entries to:
Inglis House Poetry Contest
2600 Belmont Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19131
or
Email to<inglispoetry(at)hotmail.com> (replace (at) with @)

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Poetry chapbook contest: Finishing Line Press

(This news courtesy of Rhonda White)

http://www.finishinglinepress.com/submissionguidelines.htm

A prize of $1,000 and publication will be awarded by Finishing Line Press for a chapbook-length poetry collection. Open to all.

All entries will be considered for publication.

The top-ten finalists will be offered publication.

Submit up to 26 pages of poetry (one poem per page) , PLUS bio, acknowledgments, SASE and cover letter with a $15 entry fee.

Deadline: June 30, 2010 (POSTMARK).

Ned Balbo will final judge.

Send to:
Open Chapbook Competition
Finishing Line Press
P.O. Box 1626
Georgetown, KY 40324
USA

Send check or money order to above address in US funds only

IMPORTANT: CONFERENCE UPDATES

May 21, 2010
Conference update!

Okay, with the conference three short weeks away we need to discuss the changes that have occurred lately. There are several things that have happened and I want you all to know about them.
First, Lee Maynard will not be attending this year. Due to matters beyond his control, he can’t make the conference but he was so gracious as to ask me to send his love to everyone and to let it be known, he will return when he can.
Stepping in for Lee is none other than the author of The Miner’s Daughter and The Midwife’s Tale, Gretchen Moran Laskas with a class on how to write Appalachian style so that the rest of the world gets it.
Kelly Mortimer of Mortimer Literary Agency will fill Lee’s other class. Kelly will discuss why not to use the passive voice in fiction.
Another major presenter facing a family crisis is poet Rick Campbell.
Rick is also being replaced by two very powerful substitutes. From the Kestrel Literary Group at Fairmont State University comes Kestrel editor, Donna Long. We’re thrilled to welcome this fascinating editor and poet.
Also joining us in Rick’s stead is one of West Virginia’s leading African American poets, Norman Jordan. Norman is anthologized in Wild Sweet Notes and 41 other collections and has accolades from West Virginia to the United Nations. We are happy to have Norman join us with a reading as well as a new voice on the Appalachian panel discussion.
These and a few minor changes can be heard on Eric’s latest podcast (http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fpodcast.wvwriters.org%2F2010%2F05%2Fepisode-32-conferencecast-2.html&h=3063a )
Please have a listen and also take a look at the schedule changes posted on our website (http://www.wvwriters.org/conference.html )


Okay, let’s talk about the rooms again….
Several of the lodges at Cedar Lakes are full. The remaining options are: 1. Ask the folks at Cedar Lakes to convert a dorm room into a motel style room, 2. Stay in a dorm room (kinda like summer camp), 3. Stay in a nearby motel/hotel in Ripley. These are discussed in the podcast and you can see them on our website at: OTHER LODGING POSSIBILITIES (Updated 3/25/09) …take a look and READ CAREFULLY.


DO YOU HAVE A BOOK TO PITCH ? TRUST ME, NOW IS THE TIME! 2010 CONFERENCE PITCH SESSION DETAILS

SEE YOU SOON!

Friday, May 21, 2010

The Smoking Poet Third Annual Short Story Contest

(This news courtesy Rhonda Browning White)

The Smoking Poet Third Annual Short Story Contest
http://www.thesmokingpoet.net/id22.html

The Smoking Poet is a literary ezine, established in 2006, and published online on a quarterly basis. TSP's third annual short story contest is open to all writers, whether they have been past
contributors to TSP or not, and in any genre.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three stories: first prize, $300; second prize, $100; third prize, $50. All of the winners will be published in the summer issue of The Smoking Poet, online in mid June 2010.

An entry fee of $10 per submission is required, payment to be made through PayPal. Once you have sent in your submission and we determine it meets our contest guidelines, we will send you the PayPal link for payment with an invoice for your records.

Entries must be submitted as a Word doc file, one per e-mail, in Times New Roman, 12-point font, and double-spaced. The author's name, address, and telephone number must appear in the upper right hand corner. Word count must not exceed 4,000. Please include a short bio statement, not to exceed 100 words, in the body of your e-mail.

The judges for the contest are Zinta Aistars, editor-in-chief of The Smoking Poet; Lorena Audra Rutens, "A Good Cause" editor at The Smoking Poet; and honorary judge of TSP's Third Annual Short Story Contest is Kevin Morgan Watson, founding publisher and editor of Press 53, a small literary publishing company in Winston-Salem, NC. Literate Yourself!

Submission deadline for the contest is May 31, 2010. Please send your submission with the subject line stating CONTEST/Last Name to <thesmokingpoet(at)gmail.com> (replace (at) with @) If the subject line does not state CONTEST, then we will assume it is a submission for the ezine.

We look forward to reading your best work! See also general submission guidelines for the upcoming summer issue.

Mystery novel contest: Hillerman Mystery Competition

(This news courtesy Rhonda Browning White)


DEADLINE: June 1, 2010!!!!

Rules for the 2010 HILLERMAN MYSTERY COMPETITION
http://www.wordharvest.com/novel_contest.php

Sponsored by the Tony Hillerman Writers Conference (THWC) and St. Martin's Press, LLC

1. The Competition is open to any professional or non-professional writer, regardless of nationality, who has never been the author of a published mystery (as defined in subparagraph 2(a) below) and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a mystery. Only one
manuscript entry is permitted per writer.

2. All manuscripts submitted: a) must be original, previously unpublished works of book length (no less than 220 typewritten pages or approximately 60,000 words) written in the English language by the entrant; b) must not violate any right of any third party or be libelous; and c) must generally follow the guidelines below.

GUIDELINES

1. Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story and emphasis is on the solution rather than the details of the crime.

2. The story's primary setting is the Southwestern United States, including at least one of the following states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Southern California and/or Utah. (The decision of the competition's judges as to whether or not a manuscript qualifies will be final.)

3. Nominees will be selected by judges chosen by the editorial staff of St. Martin's Press, with the assistance of organizers of the THWC, and the winner will be chosen by St. Martin's editors. The decision of the editors as to the winner of the Competition will be final. St. Martin's reserves the right not to select any winner if, in the sole opinion of the editors, none of the manuscripts submitted are of publishable quality.

4. An attempt will be made to notify the Competition winner, if any, no later than October 31, 2010.

5. If a winner is selected, St. Martin's Press will offer to enter into its standard form author's agreement with the entrant for publication of the winning manuscript. After execution of the standard form authors' agreement by both parties, the winner will receive an advance against future royalties of $10,000. Those terms of the offer not specified in the printed text of the St. Martin's Press standard form author's agreement will be determined by St. Martin's Press at
its sole discretion. The entrant may request reasonable changes in the offered terms, but St. Martin's shall not be obligated to agree to any such changes. St. Martin's may, but will not be required to, consider for publication manuscripts submitted by other entrants.

6. All entries must be received or postmarked no later than June 1, 2010, and must include:
a) A double-spaced and neatly typed copy of the manuscript (photocopies are acceptable) with pages numbered consecutively from beginning to end. The authors name should appear only on the title page and otherwise not appear anywhere on the manuscript pages.
b) A letter or cover sheet containing the name, address, email address and telephone number of the entrant and the entrant's previous writing credits, if any.
c) The application form, duly completed, and a self-addressed letter-sized envelope for our response.

All entries must be mailed to St. Martin's Press at the address below. For additional copies of the rules and to request an entry form, please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to:

St. Martin's Press/ Hillerman Mystery Competition
Thomas Dunne Books
St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10010

Each entrant must keep a copy of the manuscript for his or her own protection. St. Martin's Press will not be responsible for lost, stolen, or mislaid manuscripts. Because of the great volume of submissions we receive, the fact that judges are volunteers with full-time responsibilities elsewhere, and the fact that most writers now have the work in their computers, manuscripts will not be returned. Please do not send return postage or envelopes for return of your manuscript.

7. No critical evaluation or commentary will be offered by the judges or the editorial staff of St. Martin's Press unless, in the sole opinion of the editorial staff, evaluation or commentary is
appropriate in the case of a manuscript being considered for publication.

8. This competition is void where prohibited or restricted by law.

It is important that you submit your manuscript as early as possible. Our judges are volunteers who are extremely busy with their primary concerns, and it is inevitable that your submission will get a more careful reading if the judge does not have to contend with a flood of last-minute entries. However, it is not necessary to send it the most expensive way. We judge its on-time performance by the post-mark or equivalent, not by the date the judge receives the manuscript.

Good luck!

Entry Form for the 2010 HILLERMAN MYSTERY COMPETITION

Sponsored by the Tony Hillerman Writers Conference (THWC)

and St. Martin's Press, LLC

I have read, understood and agree to the foregoing rules. I affirm that the enclosed manuscript is original and was written by me. I further affirm that I have never written a published mystery novel of the type described in the rules.

Signature of Entrant: ____________________________________________
Name of Entrant: _______________________________________________
(please print or type)
Manuscript Title:__________________________________________________

Address of Entrant:________________________________________________
City____________________________State_____________Zip______________
Phone:______________________________________Email:________________
Date:__________________________________________________________

Please send your manuscript to:

St. Martin's Press/ Hillerman Mystery Competition
Thomas Dunne Books
St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10010

And mark the outside of the package HILLERMAN MYSTERY COMPETITION

A word about self-published mysteries:

A note from WORDHARVEST in response to your most common question: Although the judges make the final call, in general self-published mysteries are allowed. If a self-published book sold thousands of copies, got a starred review in Publishers Weekly, or otherwise made a big splash, it would be disqualified.

WVW Summer Conference Attendee Checklist

A handy checklist for attendees of the WV Writers Summer Conference.

  1. If you've never been to the conference, check out the Conference First Timers Guide for some handy tips.
  2. Remember to bring material to pin to the Writers Wall, be it poetry or prose. Remember not to put your name on the Writers Wall material.
  3. Remember to bring material to read in the People's Choice competitions on Friday or Saturday, be it poetry or prose.
  4. Remember that name badges are required in order to attend workshops, so that will help in knowing who people are in all the activities. This year we've chosen the much-requested hanging badges instead of the pin-style so they won't snag clothes, so this will make them easier to wear.
  5. Remember to bring something to donate to the silent auction. People have brought books, crafts, jewelry, art, sculpture and many other kinds of things. If it looks interesting, chances are it will do well. (Eric is especially interested in starting and winning a bidding war on one of those Flatwoods Monster porcelain lanterns, if you've got one lying around.) If you don't have something already, maybe ask a local business to donate something. WV Writers can send them a tax receipt.
  6. Remember to bring a food item or drink item for the Reception Table in the Main Hall. This can be something home baked or store bought, like cookies, candy bar minis, doughnuts, or, God help us, something healthy like fruit. Chips, not so good. Likewise for drinks, a 12 pack of canned soft drinks or water is greatly appreciated. We'll have coffee and fruit/veggie trays on hand, but if you have healthy food you'd like to bring, that's always appreciated too. We like to have enough food and drinks on hand so there are refreshments throughout the weekend, so if everyone brings a food item and a drink item, we'll be good to go.
  7. If you have a cooler and ice you can loan us for the weekend please do bring it. We use them to keep the refreshment drinks cold.
  8. If you're doing a Pitch Session with Peter Lynch, Christine Witthohn or Kelly Mortimer, you might stop by the following address for some Pitch Session How To suggestions. Or check out our Pitch Session Primer interview with Christine on next week's WVW Podcast.
  9. If you've registered for your room and meals with Cedar Lakes, be sure they have your meal choice for the Saturday evening banquet (baked steak or stuffed chicken). Every year Cedar Lakes has to spend countless hours calling people to get their choice.
  10. Check out the finalized schedule online for the latest changes, so you can plan your days accordingly.
  11. Remember to bring a hoodie, sweater or something warm to pull on, as it does get nippy at night. Similarly, a rain coat or umbrella would be good, as traditionally there is an annual torrential downpour at some point.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Poetry and fiction book contests: Autumn House

(This news courtesy of R.S. White).

The 2010 Autumn House Poetry and Fiction Contests Guidelines for the 2010 Autumn House Poetry Contest

Since 2003, the annual Autumn House Poetry Contest has awarded publication of a full-length manuscript and $2,500 to the winner. The 2010 judge is Claudia Emerson. The postmark deadline for entries is June 30, 2010.

The winners will receive book publication, $1,000 advance against royalties, and a $1,500 travel grant to participate in the 2011 Autumn House Master Authors Series in Pittsburgh.
The deadline is June 30, 2010.

We ask that all submissions from authors new to Autumn House come through one of our annual contests.

All finalists will be considered for publication.

The final judge for the Poetry Prize is Claudia Emerson.

All full-length collections of poetry 50-80 pages in length are eligible.
If you wish to be informed of the results of the competition, please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Autumn House Press assumes no responsibility for lost or damaged manuscripts.
All entries must be clearly marked "Poetry Prize" on the outside envelope.
Twenty five dollar handling fee (check or money order) must be enclosed.

MANUSCRIPTS WILL NOT BE RETURNED.

Send manuscript and $25.00 fee to:
Autumn House Press
PO Box 60100
Pittsburgh, PA 15211

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

The One About Conference Pitches, Ads, Donations, and YOU!!

Let's talk pitches, shall we?

This thing we do, the writing thing, we work at it, get better, work more, tear it apart, build it again. We work at getting to the point where our novels, short stories, poetry, and plays are ready for the world. We think these writings are just fine. Our friends think it's good work. So then what? Ah, time to get it out there - publication, validation. Okay, let's do it.

HOW?

Basic realization #1 – There is no silver bullet made that will subdue this beast known as publishing. You must be savvy enough to get an agent or editor's attention and then pitch your writing. You have to find someone interested in reading a query and proposal, then you must fashion a query letter so that the agent couldn't live without the project.

Basic realization #2 – You have to know the basic three things an agent/editor is looking for and you have to know how to say it so the agent can draw confidence in your project from the confidence you are projecting.

Basic realization #3 – You discover that inside information of the publishing industry actually guides you toward avenues of success that are very specific to your own style and suddenly your options are multiplying at a rate you couldn't have imagined a few months ago.

Basic realization #4 – ALL OF THESE TOOLS, AS WELL AS THE AGENTS AND EDITORS ARE WAITING FOR YOU AT THE 2010 WEST VIRGINIA WRITERS, INC. ANNUAL CONFERENCE, JUNE 11 – 13 IN RIPLEY, WV.

Basic realization #5 – This opportunity doesn't happen every year.

Basic realization #6 – The response has been so great, Rhonda has convinced our guest editors and agents to accept more pitches. DON'T LET THIS GET AWAY!!

It's never too late to become what you might have been.

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

For more info on these agents and editors - http://blog.wvwriters.org/2010/04/wvw-2010-summer-conference-pitch.html

For more info on the conference - http://www.wvwriters.org/conference.html

See you there.

If you would like to donate to the WV Writers, Inc Conference Silent Auction, (books, services, art, gift certificates, curios, etc.) please contact Teresa Newsome at: T_newsome01@yahoo.com and we'll appreciate it forever!

WANT A GREAT DEAL ON ADVERTISING?

Would you like your business to reach 160-250 writers and writing professionals? Would you like to advertise your book to potential readers? Would you like to advertise your editing or proofreading services to writers? Well, we're here to help.

West Virginia Writers, Inc, is offering low-price ads to be printed in this year's Conference program. The program will be distributed to each attendee at the June 12-14 Annual Conference at Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley, West Virginia. The ads that appear in the program will also be offered for a limited time on the WVW website (www.WVWriters.org). The ads will be printed in black and white in the 8 ½ by 11 spiral-bound program. (Ads on the website can be in color.)

Ad rates and approximate sizes are:

Full page (8 ½ x 11) - $85

Half page (8 ½ x 5) - $45

Quarter page (4 x 5) - $25

Business Card size - $15

Ads may be submitted as either a camera-ready print or emailed as a high quality jpeg, .tif or Microsoft Word document. Ads may be emailed to twmcnemar@verizon.net . Paper copy should be snail-mailed to: T.W. McNemar, 1107 Cost Road, Stonewood, WV 26301. Checks should be made payable to West Virginia Writers, Inc. Please be sure to include contact information with your ad copy and ads must be received by May 29th.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at twmcnemar@verizon.net .

Since it is literally impossible to get these last minute announcements into the newsletter, we must rely on this email newsletter, the WVWriters Weblog, and "word of mouth" to get it to our membership, so don't hesitate to forward these announcements to anyone who you think would like to know. If this has been forwarded to you and you would like your name added to the list to receive the email newsletter, or send your email address to the addresses listed on our website and make sure your settings list WV Writers, Inc. as "non-spam"

Thanks…

\

Famous quote: The freelance writer is a man who is paid per piece or per word or perhaps.
Robt. Benchley

Call for submissions: Nashville Review

(This news courtesy of R.S. White)

Vanderbilt University's national literary magazine, Nashville Review, will be accepting submissions of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction until June 1 for its Summer 2010 issue. Fiction and nonfiction contributors are offered a flat fee of $100; poetry contributors are offered $25 per poem.

For submission guidelines, please visit
www.vanderbilt.edu/english/nashvillereview/submit

Writers Workshop in Huntington

Bram Stoker Award winning editor offers Writers Workshop in Huntington

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - For those who are serious about becoming a writer,
or improving in the writing craft, the first step may be a
comprehensive writing course to be held locally next weekend. For the
first time in the Huntington area, international Bram Stoker Award
winning editor Michael Knost will be the lead instructor as he offers
Writers Workshop: Level One, to be held Sat., May 22, from 9:00 a.m. -
2:00 p.m., at Mountwest Community & Technical College.

"If you are serious about improving as a storyteller, and if your goal
is to be published, then this one day intensive writing course, which
includes four distinct classes, is the first step toward a successful
writing career," Knost said, explaining that he will be personally
teaching a class that will focus on four writing themes, including:
Plot and Story (9 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.); Description (10 a.m. – 10:45
a.m.); Point of View and Dialogue (11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.); and Creating
Great Characters (1 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.). Although lunch is not included
in the cost, Knost will host a "free-for-all writing craft discussion"
for all who would like to attend during the lunch hour, from 12-noon
to 1:00 p.m.

Knost's book, Writers Workshop of Horror (Woodland Press), recently
won the 2009 Bram Stoker Award in the nonfiction category. The Bram
Stoker Award is hosted by the Horror Writers Association and is
considered the highest honor for authors and editors in the horror and
dark fiction genres.

The tuition for Writers Workshop: Level One, which includes includes
all four classes during the one-day course, is $125. For additional
information, or to sign up for the one day class at Mountwest
Community and Technical College, see www.michaelknost.com, or call
(304) 688-0191. Mountwest Community & Technical College is located at
3rd Ave. and 18th Street, Huntington, WV (Next to the Cam Henderson
Center). Class size is restricted, so interested individuals are
encouraged to sign-up early.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Fiction and poetry chapbook contest for LGBT authors: Bloom

(This news courtesy of Rhonda White)

GUIDELINES

THE FIRST ANNUAL BLOOM CHAPBOOK CONTEST
http://www.artsinbloom.com/chapbook.html
http://www.artsinbloom.com/BLOOMChapbookForm.pdf

FOR POETRY & SHORT FICTION
Please read the following guidelines carefully before sending any
questions to <queerarts(at)gmail.com> (replace (at) with @).

1) Contest is open to any author who identifies as Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual or Transgender.

2) Any entry by an author who is not LGBT will be disqualified upon
BLOOM's confirmation of author's identity. Any entry fee will not be
refunded.

3) Previous publication in BLOOM does not privilege or diminish an
author's eligibility.

4) For Fiction, material must be original and unpublished, either in
print or online. An excerpt from a larger work is eligible, but should
not be identified as such. The excerpt will be judged as a stand-alone
piece of work.

5) For Poetry, material must be original and at least 50% unpublished.
If poems have been published in literary journals, either in print or
online, please list the acknowledgments on the Submission Form and not
anywhere in the Manuscript. Poems published in books, including
anthologies and e-books, are not eligible.

6) No joint authors. An author may enter both contests, but each entry
requires a Submission Form (download PDF at
http://www.artsinbloom.com/BLOOMChapbookForm.pdf), a Manuscript, and
an Entry Fee.

7) Manuscripts will be judged anonymously. The author's name should
appear only on the Submission Form that accompanies the manuscript and
nowhere else, including Headers and Footers.

8) No translations; manuscripts must be in English.

9) Manuscript Preparation:

Poetry – Every manuscript must have a Title Page, with the title of
the manuscript and a table of the contents (i.e. a list of the poems
included). Pages should be numbered in upper right corner, with the
Title of the manuscript in the heading. No more than one poem per
page; no more than 25 pages (does not include Title Page). A paper
clip is preferred, but staples are fine.

Fiction – Every manuscript must have a Title Page, with only title of
the manuscript (no personal information, no word counts, nada). Pages
should be numbered in upper right corner, with the Title of the
manuscript in the heading. Please double-space the text; use standard
margins; no more than 25 pages (does not include Title Page). A paper
clip is preferred, but a staple is fine.

10) ENTRY FEE: $15 by check (payable to BLOOM Magazine) or paid online. Each fee
entitles author to one issue of BLOOM.

11) DEADLINE: Submission must be postmarked or emailed by June 15, 2010.

12) REGULAR SUBMISSION: Send Submission Form, Manuscript, and Entry
Fee to BLOOM Chapbook Contest, 5482 Wilshire Blvd, #1616, Los Angeles,
CA 90036. If you want to be notified of receipt, please include a
self-addressed, stamped postcard or envelope.

13) ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION: Email manuscript to
<queerarts(at)gmail.com>(replace (at) with @) with one of two subject
headings (Fiction Chapbook Contest or Poetry Chapbook Contest).
Submission Form may be emailed or sent separately. Entry Fee may be
paid online or sent separately. NOTE: Work will not be considered
until all three items are present.

14) ANNOUNCEMENT: A list of finalists will be announced by September
1, 2010, and the winner by October 1, 2010.

15) Finalists and winners may be published in a future issue of BLOOM
or on BLOOM's website.

16) Each winner receives $250 and 25 copies of chapbook.

17) Additional guidelines may emerge if we forgot something, but we
tried to cover everything.

Books for Readers Newsletter #131 now online

Meredith Sue Willis’s BOOKS FOR READERS Newsletter # 131 is online at http://www.meredithsuewillis.com/booksforreaders.html.

If you want to link to this newsletter, please use this permanent link : http://www.meredithsuewillis.com/bfrarchive131-135.html#131.

Monday, May 17, 2010

The Mysterious World of Publishing with Christine Witthohn Clay Center Luncheon

Are you an aspiring author? Have you ever wondered how the publishing world works? Please join us as local literary agent Christine Witthohn discusses the trials and tribulations of her profession and unravels the mysteries of publishing in a talk called The Mysterious World of Publishing. This will take place Wednesday, June 9, at 12:15 p.m., at the Clay Center in Charleston.

Christine Witthohn will be one of the agents conducting pitch sessions at the 2010 West Virginia Writers Summer Conference, which kicks off just two days after Christine's talk.

www.bookcentsliteraryagency.com

Book Cents Literary Agency is a proud sponsor of the International Women's Fiction Festival in Matera, Italy. For more information, visit: www.womensfictionfestival.com.

Film Office hosting Business of Film workshop in Bluefield

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Pam Haynes, WV Film Office
304-957-9382, pamela.j.haynes@wv.gov
CONTACT: Marie Blackwell, Mercer County Convention & Visitors Bureau
304-325-8438, marie@visitmercercounty.com


State Film Office heads to Bluefield with community-oriented workshop


CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Film Office will sponsor a
half-day workshop in Bluefield on May 19 on issues related to the film
industry and, particularly, how communities can work with the Film
Office to recruit more film production to the state.

The workshop begins at 9:30 a.m. and wraps by 12:30 p.m. at Bluefield
State College Research & Development Center, 704 Bland Street, in the
auditorium on the main level. Parking is available in the lot beside
the building. The workshop is free and open to the public. RSVPs are
requested by May 14. To register, contact Misty Dailey at
304-957-9366, or by e-mail at misty.g.dailey@wv.gov.

"Interest in filming in West Virginia is increasing because of our tax
incentive program, and it is important for the Film Office to reach
out to communities and community leaders to better prepare them when
their region is chosen for filming," said Pam Haynes, director of the
Film Office.

Haynes encourages academic instructors for film/television studies,
business leaders, members of convention and visitor bureaus, chambers
of commerce, economic development authorities, mayors and city
managers, county managers and commissioners, film and video production
companies, and freelance production crew to attend.

"This is a great opportunity for our businesses and community leaders
to learn more about how producers choose filming locations and how our
communities can support the Film Office's efforts to draw more film
business into the state," said Marie Blackwell, director of the Mercer
County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Having assisted the Film Office
over the years with location searches and connections to community
leaders, Blackwell said the information offered is a great tool for
anyone interested in becoming involved in the film industry as well as
for property owners who would like to make their homes or businesses
available for filming locations.

Haynes explained that an increase in filming activity is a result of
tax credit incentives recently passed by the West Virginia
Legislature. "The incentives allow the Film Office to be more
competitive with other states in recruiting film, television and other
productions," she said. Haynes said the most recent productions that
participated in the program are GCM Productions of Los Angeles, which
produced the ABC show "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" filmed in
Huntington, and My Tupelo Entertainment of New York City, which
produced The Learning Channel show "Ghost Adventures Live" filmed in
Weston.

Haynes said the workshop, titled "Business of Film: Paths to
Opportunity," will provide an overview of the tax incentives and how
they will benefit West Virginia businesses, how communities may become
film friendly, what to expect and how to handle filming when it knocks
on the door, and how to work effectively with the Film Office. A brief
tutorial on location scouting also will be highlighted, and there will
be an assortment of helpful handouts.

Haynes said additional workshops will be scheduled around the state as
needed. The workshop has been previously presented in Charleston,
Fairmont, Follansbee, Huntington, Lewisburg, Lost River, Martinsburg,
Morgantown, Weirton and Wheeling. She added that the Film Office will
conduct the workshops in any county or community where interest and
participation would be significant.

The West Virginia Film Office is a section under the WV Department of
Commerce, Division of Tourism, and can be visited at www.wvfilm.com.

Short essay contest: Sonora Review

(This news courtesy Rhonda Browning White)

Short Essay Contest: Sonora Review
http://sonorareview.com/contest/

$1000 and publication in Sonora Review will be given for the first annual Concentrated Nonfiction Contest. The inaugural contest will be judged by Ander Monson. Submit a work of unpublished nonfiction, up to 1,000 words, by June 1st. Entry fee is $15, which includes a copy of
the Summer 2010 issue of Sonora Review. Include a cover letter with full name, title of work, mailing and email address. The author's name should not appear anywhere on the manuscript. No previous published work will be accepted.

By "concentrated nonfiction" we mean a short essay of any variety under 1000 words, not limited to any specific type of essay. In fact, we encourage creativity that projects the malleability of the form. We also are willing to publish multimedia essays as long as the main force of the essay is through language (and it is short).

Submit Online Through Submishmash
http://sonorareview.submishmash.com/Submit

Simply click on the type of contest you'd like to submit to, register, pay, and we're all good to go.

Send Submissions To:

Sonora Review. Contest

Department of English, University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ 85721

No-fee fiction contest: Jerry Jazz Musician

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

http://www.jerryjazzmusician.com/mainHTML.cfm?page=fictioncontest.html

Three times a year, Jerry Jazz Musician awards a writer who submits, in our opinion, the best original, previously unpublished work of approximately one - five thousand words. The winner will be announced via a special mailing of our Jerry Jazz Musician newsletter. Publishers, artists, musicians and interested readers are among those who subscribe to the newsletter. Additionally, the work will be published on the home page of Jerry Jazz Musician and featured there for at least four weeks.

The Jerry Jazz Musician reader has interests in music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theatre, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America. Your writing should appeal to a reader with these characteristics.

Contest details

A prize of $100 will be awarded for the winning story. In addition to the story being published on Jerry Jazz Musician, the author's acceptance of the prize money gives Jerry Jazz Musician the right to include the story in an anthology that will appear in book or magazine form. No entry fee is required. One story entry only.

Submission deadline for the next contest is May 31, 2010. Publishing date will be July 1, 2010.

Please submit your story by May 31, 2010 via Word or Adobe attachment to <jm(at)jerryjazz.com> (replace (at) with @). Please be sure to include your name, address and phone number with your submission. Please include "Short Fiction Contest Submission" in the subject heading of the email.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

The one about Conference Pitches, Ads, Donations, and YOU!!

(This news courtesy WVW President Terry McNemar)

Let's talk pitches, shall we?

This thing we do, the writing thing, we work at it, get better, work more, tear it apart, build it again. We work at getting to the point where our novels, short stories, poetry, and plays are ready for the world. We think these writings are just fine. Our friends think it's good work. So then what? Ah, time to get it out there - publication, validation. Okay, let's do it.

HOW?

Basic realization #1 – There is no silver bullet made that will subdue this beast known as publishing. You must be savvy enough to get an agent or editor's attention and then pitch your writing. You have to find someone interested in reading a query and proposal, then you must
fashion a query letter so that the agent couldn't live without the project.

Basic realization #2 – You have to know the basic three things an agent/editor is looking for and you have to know how to say it so the agent can draw confidence in your project from the confidence you are projecting.

Basic realization #3 – You discover that inside information of the publishing industry actually guides you toward avenues of success that are very specific to your own style and suddenly your options are multiplying at a rate you couldn't have imagined a few months ago.

Basic realization #4 – ALL OF THESE TOOLS, AS WELL AS THE AGENTS AND EDITORS ARE WAITING FOR YOU AT THE 2010 WEST VIRGINIA WRITERS, INC. ANNUAL CONFERENCE, JUNE 11 – 13 IN RIPLEY, WV.

Basic realization #5 – This opportunity doesn't happen every year.

Basic realization #6 – The response has been so great, Rhonda has convinced our guest editors and agents to accept more pitches. DON'T LET THIS GET AWAY!!

It's never too late to become what you might have been.

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

For more info on these agents and editors -
http://blog.wvwriters.org/2010/04/wvw-2010-summer-conference-pitch.html

For more info on the conference - http://www.wvwriters.org/conference.html

See you there.

If you would like to donate to the WV Writers, Inc Conference Silent Auction, (books, services, art, gift certificates, curios, etc.) please contact Teresa Newsome at: T_newsome01@yahoo.com and we'll appreciate it forever!

WANT A GREAT DEAL ON ADVERTISING?

Would you like your business to reach 160-250 writers and writing professionals? Would you like to advertise your book to potential readers? Would you like to advertise your editing or proofreading services to writers? Well, we're here to help.

West Virginia Writers, Inc, is offering low-price ads to be printed in this year's Conference program. The program will be distributed to each attendee at the June 12-14 Annual Conference at Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley, West Virginia. The ads that appear in the program will also be offered for a limited time on the WVW website (www.WVWriters.org). The ads will be printed in black and white in the 8 ½ by 11 spiral-bound program. (Ads on the website can be in color.)

Ad rates and approximate sizes are:

Full page (8 ½ x 11) - $85

Half page (8 ½ x 5) - $45

Quarter page (4 x 5) - $25

Business Card size - $15

Ads may be submitted as either a camera-ready print or emailed as a high quality jpeg, .tif or Microsoft Word document. Ads may be emailed to twmcnemar@verizon.net . Paper copy should be snail-mailed to: T.W. McNemar, 1107 Cost Road, Stonewood, WV 26301. Checks should be made payable to West Virginia Writers, Inc. Please be sure to include contact information with your ad copy and ads must be received by May 29th.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at twmcnemar@verizon.net .

Since it is literally impossible to get these last minute announcements into the newsletter, we must rely on this email newsletter, the WVWriters Weblog, and "word of mouth" to get it to our
membership, so don't hesitate to forward these announcements to anyone who you think would like to know. If this has been forwarded to you and you would like your name added to the list to receive the email newsletter, or send your email address to the addresses listed on our website and make sure your settings list WV Writers, Inc. as "non-spam"

Thanks…

Poetry contest: Southern Poetry Review

(This news courtesy Rhonda Browning White)

Guy Owen Prize Contest

http://www.spr.armstrong.edu/guyowen.html

$1000 and publication in SPR awarded to the winning poem selected by a distinguished poet. Send 3-5 unpublished poems (10 pages max.), postmarked between March 1 and June 15. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for reply only, and a check for $15 payable to Southern Poetry Review. We consider work published online or posted there as previously published. Include all contact information on cover sheet only; do not include name or contact information on poems. Please indicate simultaneous submissions. All entries will be considered for publication. We cannot accept electronic mail submissions, nor can we accept them on disk.

Manuscripts will not be returned. The entry fee includes a one-year subscription to the
journal.

Southern Poetry Review
Guy Owen Prize
Dept. of Languages, Literature and Philosophy
Armstrong Atlantic State University
11935 Abercorn Street
Savannah, Georgia 31419-1997

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Pushcart Prize winner Sarah Einstein featured May 20 at MAC

Sarah Einstein, an author of creative nonfiction who recently won a Pushcart Prize, will be featured with Morgantown Poets at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 20, 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).

Einstein is currently working on a book-length memoir, "Mot." An essay of the same name was recently published in Ninth Letter and has been awarded a Pushcart Prize. The author has published essays in Fringe and Whitefish Review, and she has a piece in the upcoming special edition of Pank.

Einstein is a third year master of fine arts student in creative nonfiction at West Virginia University. She hopes to go on to a doctoral program in creative writing. Her writing explores those parts of life we rarely see; the intersections of middle class lives and those lived on the margins, the secrets we keep, the things we don't say.

"I'm thankful for all the encouragement I've received from the generous community of Morgantown area writers, particularly Ethel Morgan Smith, Kevin Oderman and Sara Pritchard," Einstein said.

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.

Room Magazine's Annual Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Non-fiction Contest – 2010

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

Room is Canada’s oldest literary journal by, for, and about women. Published quarterly by a group of volunteers based in Vancouver, Room showcases fiction, poetry, reviews, art work, interviews and profiles about the female experience. Many of our contributors are at the beginning of their writing careers, looking for an opportunity to get published for the first time. Some later go on to great acclaim.

Room is a space where women can speak, connect,and showcase their creativity. Each quarter we publish original,thought-provoking works that reflect women’s strength, sensuality,vulnerability, and wit.

http://www.roommagazine.com/news.html

It's that time of year again—sharpen your pencils or fire up your laptop and send us your fiction, poetry, or creative non-fiction contest entries.

Deadline: Entries must be postmarked no later than June 15, 2010.

Entry Fee: $27 per entry (includes a complimentary one-year subscription to Room). Payment by cheque or money order made out to Room.

Non-Canadian entries: $39 Canadian dollars

Prizes: 1st prize in each category – $500, 2nd prize – $250. Winners will be published in a 2011 issue of Room. Other manuscripts may be published.

Judges:
Fiction: June Hutton
Poetry: Jennica Harper
Creative Non-Fiction: Lynn Van Luven

Rules & Details:
Send entries to:
Room Contest 2010
P.O. Box 46160, Station D
Vancouver, BC V6J 5G5
Canada

More than one entry will be accepted as long as fee is paid for each entry. No manuscripts will be returned. Only winners will be notified.

Poetry: max. 3 poems or 150 lines | Fiction: max. 3,500 words

There will be blind judging, therefore, do not put your name or address on entry submission,but enclose a cover sheet with your name, address, phone number and title(s) of entry. Entries must be typed on 8.5 X 11 white paper. Prose must be double-spaced. Each entry must be original, unpublished, not submitted or accepted elsewhere for publication and not entered simultaneously in any other contest or competition.

Poetry and prose contest: Tidal Basin Review

(This news courtesy Rhonda Browning White)

Announcing the 2010 Tidal Basin Review Editorial Prize Call

http://www.tidalbasinpress.org/#/tbreditorialprize2010/

The Tidal Basin Review invites prose and poetry submissions for the first annual Editorial Prize. One poem and one prose piece (fiction or creative nonfiction) will be chosen for this prize.

The 2010 Tidal Basin Review Editorial Prize includes:
- $200.00 for each winner;
- a framed Tidal Basin Review Editorial Prize Certificate;
- publication in the Summer Issue of the Tidal Basin Review;
- a feature reading in Washington, DC; and
- an interview on 89.3 WPFW's, The Poet's Corner.

For details, please visit the Tidal Basin Review site.

SUBMISSION PERIOD: Submissions will be accepted by email only at tbrprize@gmail.comfrom May 1, 2010 through June 30, 2010, 11:59 p.m. Any submissions received outside of this submission period will neither be considered for the contest issue nor for general publication in the Tidal Basin Review. The winners will be announced by Thursday, July 15, 2010.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In accord with Tidal Basin Review's mission and vision, submissions from non-US residents and/or citizens are not eligible and will not be considered for the TBR Editorial Prize.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Sci-fi and fantasy submissions

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

Redstone is opening for new submissions June 1 to June 15. Get 'em ready to mail!

http://redstonesciencefiction.com/guidelines/

Salamander 2010 Fiction Prize

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

Salamander 2010 Fiction Prize
$1,500 Honorarium and Publication
http://media.cas.suffolk.edu/salamander/public/pdfs/2010contest.pdf

Final Judge: Jill McCorkle

SEND ENTRIES: May 15 through June 15, 2010 READING FEE: $15
• All entries will be considered for publication. All entries will be considered anonymously.
• Send no more than one story per entry. Each story must not exceed 40 double-spaced pages in 12 point font. Multiple entries are acceptable, provided that a separate reading fee is included with each entry.
• Please submit two separate cover sheets with each entry, one with the title of the story ONLY, and the other with the title of the story and your name, address, phone number, and email. Your name should NOT appear anywhere on the story itself.
• Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but the contest fee is non-refundable if the submission is withdrawn. Please notify the editors as soon as possible if a submitted story is accepted elsewhere.
• Previously published works and works accepted for publication elsewhere cannot be considered. Salamander’s definition of publishing includes electronic publication.
• No handwritten, faxed, emailed, or poorly copied/printed manuscripts will be considered.
• Salamander will not consider work from anyone currently or recently (within the past 4 years) affiliated with Suffolk University or the prize judge.
• If you wish to be notified of the arrival of your manuscript, please enclose a self-addressed stamped postcard. Please also include a self-addressed stamped business-sized envelope for notification of contest results.
• Contest reading fee includes a one-year subscription. Checks should be made out to Salamander. We will send your subscription to the address on your cover sheet unless instructed otherwise. Overseas addresses, please add $10 for subscription postage ($5 for addresses in Canada).

Please note that we cannot accept money orders or checks from foreign banks.

Jill McCorkle has published five novels and three collections of short stories, the most recent being Going Away Shoes (2009). Five of her eight books have been named New York Times notable books. She has received the New England Book Award, the John Dos Passos Prize for
Excellence in Literature, and the North Carolina Award for Literature.

She teaches in the MFA in Creative Writing Program at North Carolina State.

SEND ENTRIES FROM MAY 15 THROUGH JUNE 15 (postmark deadline) to:

2010 Fiction Prize
Salamander/Suffolk University English Dept.
41 Temple Street
Boston, MA 02114
www.salamandermag.org

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Writers Digest Narrative Spring Story Contest and Other Awards for Writers

(This news courtesy Rhonda Browning White)

BRINGING GREAT LITERATURE TO THE WORLD. ONLINE. FREE.
NOW IS THE TIME to enter the Spring Story Contest. It's open to all fiction and nonfiction writers, and we're looking for short stories, short shorts, essays, memoirs, photo essays, graphic stories, all forms of literary nonfiction, and excerpts from longer works of both fiction and nonfiction. Our one criterion is excellence.

All entries will be considered for publication.
$3,250 First Prize
$1,500 Second Prize
$750 Third Prize
Ten finalists receive $100 each.


The $5,000 Narrative Prize is awarded annually for the best short story, novel excerpt, poem, graphic story, or literary nonfiction published by a new or emerging writer in Narrative.
The deadline for entries for the 2010 award is JUNE 15.

For more information, and to read works by previous Narrative Prize winners, please visit our prize page.

Poetry Contest for Emerging Poets

(This news courtesy Rhonda Browning White)

$1,000 and publication in Boulevard awarded for the winning group of three poems by a poet who has not yet published a book of poetry with a nationally distributed press.

RULES
The poems may be a sequence or unrelated. All entries must be postmarked by June 1, 2010. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but previously accepted or published work is ineligible. Entries will be judged by the editors of Boulevard magazine. No one editorially or financially affiliated with Boulevard can enter the contest. Send typed manuscript(s) and SAS postcard for acknowledgment of receipt to: Boulevard Emerging Poets Contest, PMB 325, 6614 Clayton Road, Richmond Heights, MO 63117. No manuscripts will be returned.

Entry fee is $15 per group of three poems, and $15 for each additional group of three poems. Entry fee includes a one-year subscription to Boulevard (one per author). Make check payable to Boulevard.

Author's name, address, and telephone number, in addition to the titles of the three poems, should appear on page one of your first poem. Please also include a 3 x 5 inch index card with your name, address, telephone number and the titles of your poems.

The winning poems will be published in the Fall 2010 or Spring 2011 issue of Boulevard.

All entries will be considered for publication and for payment at our regular rates.

These are the complete guidelines.



Sunday, May 09, 2010

MOMCAST 2010


This week, the WVW Podcast celebrates Mother's Day with a triple-sized MOMCAST 2010. This special podcast features poems, stories, essays and memories as phoned in by our members and sundry listeners.

Contributors inclue Elvera Denning, Terry McNemar, Tracy Seiffers, Sandra Clay, Barbara Wittington, Llewellyn McKernan, Sal Buttacci, Kate Dooley, John Nagle, C.J. Farnsworth, Dianne Tarantini, Tim Armentrout, Susan DeVan, Charlotte Sneed, Linda Hoagland, Barbara Smith, Cat Pleska, Heidi Hartwicker and Eric Fritzius.

Download it for yourselves at our Podcast Page.

Saturday, May 08, 2010

A GLIMPSE AT OUR NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS!

May 7, 2010

Dear membership of West Virginia Writers, Inc.

Included in this letter are the nominations for officers being recommended by the WV Writers nominating committee. These nominations will be presented for election at our annual business meeting, held on June 11, 2010, at 1 p.m., during the 2010 WV Writers Summer Conference. They are to serve for fiscal year 2010 – 2011.

The Nominating Committee for 2010 included: Eric Fritzius, Ethan Fischer, Sandy Tritt, Belinda Anderson, and Jay Tabor.

Eric Fritzius
Nominating Committee Chairman

2010-2011 SLATE OF OFFICERS

President
Cat Pleska is a freelance writer/editor, radio essayist, university teacher, performer and traveler. She has been a member of WVW, Inc. for 12 years, and has served as secretary, treasurer, and currently 1st. VP. She is also been a board member of two other WV organizations and is used to committee work, executive board decision-making and is no stranger to hard work. Most of all, she is a writer--lives and breathes writing--and is dedicated to supporting writers/writing across the state in whatever way she can. Her plans are to raise the awareness of and appreciation for WVW, Inc., in the minds of State Arts Groups, the State Government, and citizens from border to border and beyond. Cat is a 6th generation West Virginian and lives in Scott Depot with her husband, Dan, dog, Lexi, and cat, Zoe, but is not too far from her daughter Katie, who lives in St. Albans. Check out Cat's activities on her web site and blog: www.catpleska.com .

1st Vice President
Teresa Newsome is our current secretary. She and her husband, Terry, live in Madison where they enjoy spoiling their two grandchildren. Teresa is a graduate of Marshall University and works at the law firm of Shaffer & Shaffer as a certified paralegal. She is the recipient of a WV Commission on the Arts Individual Artist Award and has enjoyed being a member of WV Writers for many years.



2nd Vice President
Susan Nicholas grew up in Milton, WV and graduated from Milton High School in 1986. She anchors the Saturday 6am news and Sundays at 6 & 11pm for WSAZ in Huntington. Her story, "The Suit," won first place at the West Virginia Writers Conference in 2008. She is currently working on several picture books and magazine articles for Highlights Magazine. When Susan isn't writing stories or anchoring the news she is leading her daughter's Girl Scout troop. Of all the things Susan has gotten to do during her 20 years in broadcasting she feels her greatest accomplishments are her two daughters. One is in fourth grade this year and the other just started kindergarten.

Secretary
Craig Snider is thirty-one year old resident of Clarksburg. He grew up in rural West Virginia in a little town called Volga. He is currently a student at Southern New Hampshire University, seeking a degree in English Literature, with a minor in Creative Writing. His ambition is to become a Professor of English studies, and perhaps write a book or two. As a father of a four year old, most of life’s other obstacles seem easy in comparison, and he wouldn't have it any other way. His wife of seven years has been a great support, and bears the lion's share of the responsibilities as he works many hours in online classes to finish his degree. Also in the family are a dog, a cat with a clamorous purr, three lizards, and a chronically agoraphobic rabbit.

Parliamentarian
Belinda Anderson returns to the WV Writers board, having served before as the organization’s 1st Vice President, alongside Cat Pleska, in the 1990s. She holds a bachelor's degree in news-editorial journalism and a master's of liberal arts studies. She's written for such publications as The West Virginia Encyclopedia, Goldenseal, Wonderful West Virginia, Book Page and Writers' Journal, among others. Among her collections of award-winning short stories published by Mountain State Press are The Well Ain't Dry Yet (2001), The Bingo Cheaters (2006), and Buckle Up, Buttercup (2008). Mentoring of other writers earned Belinda Anderson a Just Uncommonly Good (JUG) award from WVW. Her own writing earned her a spot on the first Literary Map of West Virginia.

Treasurer
Henry Palek served as regional rep before graciously stepping in to act as interim treasurer. Henry hails from a small burg in western Pennsylvania, attended a small college in the Midwest playing football and received a degree in biochemistry. After retiring as an executive in the glass industry, Henry worked as a consultant and instructor at the business college in Clarksburg. He loves to travel the USA extensively, always enjoying the company of his wife, Susan.
Henry is the author of the paranormal romance, Return to Io and the second installment in this thrilling series, The Deadly Probes Scenario. Henry is an active member of The Crow’s Quill critique group in Clarksburg.

ABZ 2010 PoetryContest

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

ABZ will continue the ABZ Poetry Prize for a first full-length book of poems.

In 2007, David Baker selected Postcard on Parchment by Christine Stewart-Nunez. Her book was published in 2008.

In 2008, Heather McHugh selected The Other Language by Mark Brazaitis, which was published in 2009.

Most recently, Mark Halliday chose Ordinary Mourning by Carrie Shipers, which has just been published.

We are looking for original poetry manuscripts between 48-76 pages.

ABZ will publish the winning manuscript and award the author one thousand dollars and fifty copies of the winning book.

The winning manuscript this year will be chosen by Angela Ball.

Each manuscript must be bound only with a binder clip and sent in an envelope or package with a May or June 2010 postmark with a reading fee of $28.00 in US Dollars as a check or money order payable to ABZ PRESS. The deadline is June 30 2010. Include a table of contents, acknowledgments, and two title pages. One title page should have only the title. The second title page should have the author’s name, address, phone number with area code, and e-mail address. Please indicate any poetry books or chapbooks (with fewer than 48 pages) you may have published. Simultaneous submissions are OK with us. Let us know if you win another prize.

Manuscripts will not be returned. Please keep a copy of your manuscript.

To receive notice of manuscript arrival, include a stamped, self-addressed postcard.

To receive notice of contest results, you must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. You will not receive the notice in 2010 unless you include such an envelope.

The reading fee entitles the entrant to one copy of the winning book. Copies of the book will be sent in May 2011 when the book is published.

Send manuscript to:

ABZ Poetry Prize
ABZ Press
PO Box 2746
Huntington WV 25727-2746.

Thursday, May 06, 2010

Article on WV Book Festival and Mary Lucille DeBerry

The Charleston Gazette has a nice article on the subject of the WV Book Festival, as well as WVW member Mary Lucille Deberry's first poetry collection, Bertha Butcher's Coat.

Read the article HERE. And hear our podcast with Mary Lucille, rebroadcast last weekend, HERE.

THE GATEWOOD PRIZE

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

***There are important changes to our contest this year. Please read the new guidelines carefully.***

The Gatewood Prize is Switchback Books' annual competition for a first or second full-length (48-80 pp.) collection of poems by a woman writing in the English language. It is named after Emma Gatewood, the first woman to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.

JUDGE: Cathy Park Hong

CATHY PARK HONG's first book, Translating Mo'um, was published in 2002 by Hanging Loose Press. Her second collection, Dance Dance Revolution, was chosen for the Barnard Women Poets Prize and was published in 2007 by W.W. Norton. Hong is also the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. Her poems have been published in A Public Space, Paris Review,Poetry, American Letters & Commentary, Denver Quarterly, Jubilat, and other journals, and she has reported for the Village Voice,The Guardian, Salon, and Christian Science Monitor. She now lives in New York City and is an Assistant Professor at Sarah Lawrence College.

READING PERIOD: March 1 - June 1, 2010

GENERAL TERMS:

Poet must be a woman; our definition of "woman" is broad and includes transsexual, transgender, genderqueer, and female-identified individuals.

Entry fee of $15 must accompany each submission; scroll down for PayPal button under "Payment."

We no longer accept cash, check, or money orders.

Multiple submissions are acceptable, but each manuscript must be entered under separate cover and fee.

You must let us know immediately if your manuscript is accepted by another publisher while under our consideration.

No revisions to submitted manuscripts will be considered; the winning manuscript may be revised before publication.

Translations ineligible.

Manuscripts by close friends and former students of the judge are ineligible. If the judge would recognize your manuscript for any reason, please wait until next year to enter the contest.

Co-written collections are eligible provided both poets meet all eligibility requirements.

Submissions will be read by Switchback editors and staff members. We will select ten manuscripts to send on to the judge, who will choose the final winner.

Manuscripts remain anonymous until a winner is selected. Please remove any identifying references from your manuscript (including those in the body of the manuscript).


Entries that do not meet these terms may be disqualified. Please email becca [at] switchbackbooks [dot] com with any questions.


MANUSCRIPT REQUIREMENTS:

Manuscripts should be between 48 and 80 pages, paginated.

Please include a cover page with ONLY the title of the manuscript.

No acknowledgments page.


NOTIFICATION:

You will be notified of the winner and finalists of the contest via email.


PAYMENT:

Please submit your $15 entry fee via PayPal here:
http://www.switchbackbooks.com/contest.html


SUBMISSION FORMAT:

Create an account at ManuscriptHub (http://www.manuscripthub.com/users/index.php) and upload your manuscript in .PDF (preferred) or .DOC format. Find Switchback Books among the listed venues and choose to submit to the Gatewood Prize.

***Please note: There is a $2 handling fee for using ManuscriptHub. This fee is separate from our contest fee, and is payable to the good folks who run the ManuscriptHub system.

DEADLINE: Manuscripts will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. on June 1st, 2010.


We strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with our aesthetics before submitting a manuscript to our contest. You can do this by reading sample poems on our website, or checking out the work of previous contest winners and finalists:

http://www.switchbackbooks.com/contest.html

Wednesday, May 05, 2010

Jean Ritchie Fellowship in Writing

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

About the Jean Ritchie Fellowship http://www.lmunet.edu/mhlf/fellowship.shtml

Through literature, a region tells stories to its citizens and the world. The Jean Ritchie Fellowship seeks to support, encourage and honor writers from the Southern Appalachians.
The fellowship is the first of its kind for the region's writers, and is committed to Appalachian voices.

Jean Ritchie of Viper, Kentucky, and Port Washington, New York, is a musician, author of prose and poetry, social activist, teacher, historian and folk music collector. The fellowship strives to support artists who, like Ritchie, create works of beauty and social relevance, while honoring traditional heritage and forging a new path.

Find out more about Jean Ritchie at http://www.jeanritchie.com/.

Award amount: $1,500

Fellowship Guidelines:

Poetry: Submit no more than ten pages.

Prose (Fiction and Nonfiction): Submit no more than twenty pages.

All work samples must be double-side printed and page numbered.

Previously published material will not be accepted.

No collaborative work samples or joint applications, please.

Include a very brief, one page cover letter. To ensure an anonymous reading process, please do not put your name on any application materials excepting the cover letter.

For all genres, include a statement of purpose—no more than two pages—summarizing:
1. What Appalachia means to you (for example: identity, culture, sense of place, values, economics, environment).
2. What does writing mean in your life?
3. Your current writing project.
4. How would you utilize the fellowship funding?
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.

If awarded a fellowship, you will not be eligible to apply for another five years.

Please consult the map found at http://www.lmunet.edu/mhlf/fellowship.shtml) to determine if the county and state in which you live, or are originally from, is eligible as defined by the fellowship requirements. Indicate your county and state in the cover letter.

Fee: Ten dollars per submission. You may apply in more than one genre. For each genre in which you apply, there is an additional five dollar reading fee.

A check or money order should be made out to LMU, Jean Ritchie Fellowship. No cash.
Submissions will be accepted between March 1 and May 1, 2010.

Postmarked deadlines are firm. Early, late, ineligible and incomplete applications will be rejected.

Manuscripts will not be returned but will be recycled.

Fellowship winner will be announced at the Mountain Heritage Literary Festival, Saturday, June 12, 2010, and posted on this website within the following week. Email notification will be sent to contest entrants if a working email address is included with your submission. Contest results will only be announced online and by email; please do not send a SASE for results.

Please do not seek information on the status of your application before the announcement date listed above.

The winner of the 2008 Jean Ritchie Fellowship in Writing was Mindy Beth Miller from Hazard, Kentucky.

The winner of the 2009 Jean Ritchie Fellowship in Writing was Larry Bingham of Portland, Oregon.

Submissions for the Jean Ritchie Fellowship in Writing come from literally every state in the region, as well as from natives who live in various states across the country. Our judges are consistently impressed by the quality of the manuscripts and the purpose statements of our applicants. The judging process for the fellowship is strictly blind—not one judge ever sees one name attached to the submissions.

Please mail your submission to:
The Jean Ritchie Fellowship
c/o Silas House
Lincoln Memorial University
P.O. Box 2005
Harrogate, Tennessee 37752
If you have questions, email: (replace (at) with @)

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

THROWING OUT THE FIRST PITCH!!!

I have a favor to ask. It’s an important favor and it might just make a difference in your life.

RESERVE YOUR PITCH SESSION TODAY!!!!

I’ll give you the scenario.

We write. It’s what we do. We work hard at it and once in a while we do something to grow as a writer. We take classes, attend seminars, get our work critiqued and as a result our writing evolves. It evolves daily! We win a few contests and are published a little here and there and the hard work and the passion we have for this art form is validated in all sort and form.

Then the conference agent/editor lineup is announced and we start the tea party again. NOT THE ONE WITH ALL THE HEAVY POLITICS!!! The REAL tea party, the one we have all by ourselves. The one where we sit there at the keyboard and stare at our best story and then we say it only loud enough for us to hear - that sad old phrase.

“I’m probably not their “CUP O” TEA.” I’ll just go to the workshops and skip the pitch sessions. I was gonna do it last year and I got nervous, it wouldn’t do me any good anyhow, so…”

FIRST, you must stop beating yourself up for a few moments and ask question number one. If Peter Lynch and Christine Witthohn didn’t believe last year’s sessions were successful, why are they running back? They aren’t paid presenters so it isn’t for any financial reward other than adding to their stable and last year they did just that.

SECOND. Why are they encouraging their friends to come? Christine Witthohn saw an abundance of untapped talent in the area of Inspirational Writing and Inspirational Romance and mentioned this to me and Kelly Mortimer. Next thing you know, Kelly’s willing to come and folks, she is just great. Plus, I think when Kelly and Christine get together, the energy level increases 500%.

THIRD. Kaylan Adair is bringing so much to the table in the form of a professional children’s editor, her sessions are “must see” events.

FOUR. The Agents and Editors Forum. If you’re nervous about pitching, we have a forum planned that will act as an icebreaker to show you how accessible these folks can be. They all understand how pre-published authors feel AND they also understand the Mother Lode of hidden talent in this group. Right after the forum, Christine will give a fail-safe class on pitching. Still not sure? Then Kelly will give a class on writing that agents want to see.

Agents and Editors don’t come to our conference every year and at a cost of only $10 dollars per pitch, you could pitch the same project more than once. (THE ODDS JUST DOUBLED)

Have you read what genre all of these folks are seeking? (IT’S LIKE EVERYTHING EXCEPT . . . WELL, IT’S EVERYTHING…)

Another thing…sshhh…..ALL OF THESE AGENTS WANTED TO ATTEND THE AWARDS BANQUET…..THINK ABOUT THAT WHILE YOU’RE SENDING YOUR PITCH REQUEST.

It’s easy. Just send an email to : rwhite_writes@cfl.rr.com and request one or more pitch sessions and specify that the session is to be with Peter Lynch, Kelly Mortimer, or Christine Witthohn….or ALL OF THEM…at just $10 each, you couldn’t get an agent at these prices at WALMART, or K-Mart, or Southern States!!!

We’re waiting for your call NOW……

See, I told you it was important! It’s all for you!

Monday, May 03, 2010

Diverse Voices Quarterly Seeks Submissions

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

Diverse Voices Quarterly is celebrating its second year of publishing online! Issue Five is available for a download on our website.

For Issue 6, we're now accepting online submissions for poetry and prose:
http://www.diversevoicesquarterly.com/submissions

Artwork still must be sent directly to (replace (at) with @)

Complete submission guidelines are available here:
http://www.diversevoicesquarterly.com/submission-guidelines/

Sunday, May 02, 2010

Iron Horse Literary Review Facebook Issue Seeking Submissions

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

In October 2010, Iron Horse Literary Review will publish a Facebook Issue. They’re looking for stories, poems, and essays that parody or make use of Facebook paraphernalia—the quizzes (i.e., What Famous Novel Are You? or Have You Done It?), 25 Random Things lists, status updates, profile pictures, any and all things FB. You can write about your FB experiences, as well, but we’ll be wary of those experiences that seem stereotypical or are represented in a stale fashion.

Surprise us! Be creative! Show off your artistry! Your stories must tell a story, your essays must flesh out an idea fully, your poems must be poems—so write some beautiful literary masterpieces. The cover will be a collage of profile pics.

Submission Deadline: June 1, 2010, 5:00 p.m.

They do pay our contributors: $40 for poems and short-shorts; $100 for prose pieces.

They'll also be putting together an AWP panel called In Your Face. So please submit early if you want to be considered for that panel.

Send mss to:
Iron Horse Literary Review, The Facebook Issue, English Department, Texas Tech University, Mail Stop 43091, Lubbock, TX 79409-3091

Saturday, May 01, 2010

The Mountain Heritage Literary Festival Writing Contest

(This news courtesy of Rhonda Browning White)

The Mountain Heritage Literary Festival
June 11-13, 2010
http://www.lmunet.edu/mhlf/guide.shtml

Contest Guidelines

The Mountain Heritage Literary Festival at Lincoln Memorial University announces its fourth annual writing competition. Prize amounts of $300 for first place, $150 for second place and $100 for third place are awarded in each category. Honorable mentions are awarded at the discretion of the judges.

$300 for first place
$150 for second place
$100 for third place

The Jesse Stuart Prize for Young Adult Fiction Entries for this prize are limited to no more than 2,000 words and may not be entered simultaneously in the Still contest. Paul Brett Johnson will judge. Johnson is a native of Kentucky, which he still calls home. He has published over twenty books for children. His work has garnered numerous honors including two Kentucky Bluegrass Awards and a California Young Readers’ Medal.

The James Still Prize for Short Story Entries for this prize should be no more than 4,000 words and there is no restriction on subject matter. Amy Greene will judge. Greene is the author of Bloodroot, released in January 2010. She was born and raised in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, where she continues to live with her husband and children. Her second novel, Long Man, is forthcoming also from Knopf.

The George Scarbrough Prize for Poetry There are no restrictions on subject matter for this prize. One entry is considered a single poem or a set of up to three poems. Kathryn Stripling Byer will judge. Byer grew up in southwest Georgia. Her books of poetry include Catching Light, Black Shawl, Wildwood Flower and The Girl in the Midst of the Harvest.

The Emma Bell Miles Prize for Essay This prize is restricted to essays that address Appalachian life, literature, religion, folklore, culture and/or values. Entries for this prize should be no more than 4,000 words. Erik Reece will judge. Reece is the author of two acclaimed books of nonfiction, Lost Mountain: A Year in the Vanishing Wilderness: Radical Strip Mining and the Devastation of Appalachia and An American Gospel: On Family, History, and The Kingdom of God. He is writer-in-residence at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, teaching environmental journalism, writing and literature.

General Contest Rules

Submitted entries must be unpublished. Simultaneous entries are accepted. Manuscripts should be typed in a “plain” 12 point font (i.e. Times, Arial). Photocopies are accepted. Prose must be double spaced. Poetry must be single spaced.

Submit two copies of your manuscript with one title page that includes your name, address, telephone number, email address, the title of the piece and the name of the contest to which you are submitting. Make sure that your name does not appear anywhere besides the title page to insure blind judging.

Please enclose a check or money order for $7 per entry. Multiple entries are welcome and may be submitted in one envelope (this includes even if you’re submitting in multiple genres, which we welcome), but please include a separate entry fee for each contest submission, as well as separate title pages for each entry. There is no need to write multiple checks or money orders for more than one entry; one payment for the total amount is encouraged.

We do not acknowledge receipt of submissions. And, while we take the greatest care in handling your submissions, we assume no responsibility for lost or damaged manuscripts. Contest entry fees cannot be refunded under any circumstances.

Contest winners will be announced and recognized at the Mountain Heritage Literary Festival at LMU on June 12, 2010. Contest prizes will be mailed to winners who are not present on June 12, 2010.

Contest results will be announced on the festival’s website within the following week. Email notification will be sent to contest entrants if a working email address is included on the submitted title page. Contest results will only be announced online and by email; please do not send a SASE for results.

Deadline for postmark is Friday, May 14, 2010. Any entry that is not postmarked on or before that date will not be opened. Failure to follow any of the above guidelines could result in disqualification. Do not send the only copy of your work as all entries will be recycled.

Please enclose $7 fee per entry (unlimited entries per person) and send your submission to:
Mountain Heritage Literary Festival Writing Contest

Lincoln Memorial University
P.O. Box 2005
6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway
Harrogate, TN 37752

Send email inquiries to Denton Loving at (replace (at) with @)
denton.loving@lmunet.edu.

Funded in part by The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc