Bookmark this!

My new site, devoted entirely to the competitions calendar has a domain name. Bookmark this, folks:

http://www.writingcalendar.com

All you'll get at the moment is an 'Under construction' page as I want it perfect before I open the doors, probably about the last week of December, but I hope you approve of the nice restful colours I've chosen.

As its title suggests, I'm aiming not just to list writing comps, but also intend to list festivals, workshops and other writing related events. So if you organise any, or know of any, contact me at mail(at)writingcalendar(dot)com

That will be the new email address for competition notifications too. It will help me to keep everything in one place so that nothing gets missed. I hope!

When that's done, I intend to give a complete overhaul to my own website. It's got a bit messy of late, with so much going on and me cramming pages here there and everywhere. So my aim is to make that simpler, throw out a few pages, especially those all about me, me me, and hopefully have more pages of help to writers. Watch this space!

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Writing Competitions Calendar

Carina Press - Harlequin's new digital only imprint

This should be of interest to many of my visitors, and not just those of the female persuasion. Harlequin have launched a new digital imprint called Carina Press, and are looking for a wide ranging selection of novels, including sci-fi and horror. Guidelines below.

Carina Press is now accepting submissions for our digital publishing line.

Our mission is to connect readers with authors who write the stories they want to read. We will be introducing the bestsellers of tomorrow.

Carina Press will feature books from talented authors in all genres of romance, erotica, science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery, women’s fiction, and more. If the book of your heart fits into a niche that has very little shelf space in a traditional bookstore, Carina Press is eager to read and potentially publish your story.

WHAT WE’RE SEEKING…
Carina Press will consider shorter length stories of less than 50,000 words, genre novels between 50,000 to 100,000 words and longer and complex narratives of over 100,000 words. We expect to publish a majority of romance and erotic romance but are also very interested in women’s fiction, science fiction, fantasy, futuristic, mystery, thrillers, horror, and niches. If you have something new and fresh we would be happy to read your story!

Your passion, quality of writing and voice is what will make your manuscript stand out and be considered for publication.

At this time we are not acquiring young adult novels. Additionally, Carina Press is not acquiring non-fiction or poetry of any kind.

Romance
Science Fiction, Fantasy, Futuristic
Erotica
Mystery
Thrillers
Horror
Family Saga
Women’s Fiction
Choose Your Own Adventure
Previously Released Material
How to Submit
Romance and Erotic Romance
We are seeking submissions in all subgenres and all levels of sensuality. We welcome everything from the very sweet to the incredibly sexy, featuring couples (or multiples) from all walks of life and sexual orientation, including same-sex romances. Romances should focus on the development of the relationship, as well as external and internal conflict; the heat level should be appropriate to the book and enhance the story, and the primary relationship in the book should offer a happily ever after (HEA) or happily for now in an emotionally satisfying manner.

The key element to a successful romance is characterization, creating a unique, believable hero and heroine who need to end up together in order to achieve the happily ever after. Alpha heroes remain popular.

Subgenres of romance we are seeking include, but are not limited to, historical, romantic suspense, romantic comedy, futuristic, contemporary, western, Egyptian, Roman, paranormal, erotic romance and fantasy.

Miniseries have proven to be very popular with readers and Carina Press is looking for interesting twists on established, popular romance themes (marriage of convenience, cowboys, vampires, babies). We are interested in seeing your fresh interpretation on novels featuring astrology, pets – especially rescue animals – playing a role within the story as matchmaker or catalyst, and other unusual or fresh themes. The only limit is your imagination!

Please also see the science fiction, fantasy and futuristic guidelines.

Science fiction, fantasy, futuristic
Carina Press is keen to acquire manuscripts in this genre, both those that fall within the romance category and those that have only romantic elements or little to no romance. Under this genre, we are also very interested in space opera, steampunk, cyberpunk and other similar genres and subgenres.

Erotica
Erotica, differing from erotic romance in not promising a happily ever after within the story line, will also be considered. The story must still contain good character and plot development, and the sexual content must be integral to the development of the story. No Penthouse Letters, please! No incest or bestiality.

Mystery
We are open to the full range of mysteries, from soft to hard including cozies, procedurals, historical mysteries, and contemporary PIs. We are very open to seeing mysteries in the 60,000 to 80,000 word range.

Thrillers
Thrill us with your edge-of-the-seat suspense story. We are open to all types and very eager to find psychological, legal, medical, and political thrillers.

Horror
Scare us!

Family Saga
Focusing on the loves, lives, dramas, traumas of several generations of a family.

Choose Your Own Adventure
Do you have a 21st century way of telling a choose your own adventure story?

Previously released material
Carina Press will also acquire books that have been previously released in print form, but for which the author has either retained digital rights or had digital rights revert to them. Please contact: malle_vallik@carinapress.com

HOW TO SUBMIT
Please submit queries for only completed, fully polished manuscripts. In the subject line of your query, please type manuscript name, author name, genre. Queries should include the following:

Brief, introductory query letter listing genre, word count and a short description of the book, as well as any pertinent information about the author, including both legal name and pen name and any writing credits.
The manuscript saved as an RTF file and attached, with file name TITLE_MANUSCRIPT where you substitute your book’s title in place of TITLE.
2-5 page synopsis of book that details character development, plot, and conflict/story resolution. Attach as an RTF file with file name TITLE_SYNOPSIS where you substitute your book’s title in place of TITLE.
Please be sure to put the following information on the first page of all files: manuscript name, author pen name/legal name, email address, phone number, genre, and word count.

Submissions should be sent to submissions@carinapress.com.

All submissions will receive an auto-response acknowledging receipt of submission. Please allow 8-10 weeks for an editorial response to your submission. If a response has not been received after 10 weeks, please follow-up with the submissions@carinapress.com email address.

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Writing Competitions Calendar

Thank you!

Thank you to all you wonderful people for the messages of support and good will after my last post, and to all those who've been supporting me behind the scenes. I felt really bad about dropping NaNoWriMo, because it was something I really wanted to do again, and because I'd made such a thing about asking for plot ninjas. But now it's like a weight off my mind, and I feel I can work on my other projects without that feeling that I should be adding a few more words to my nano novel. I've accepted that it's just not the right thing for me this year, but hopefully next year I'll be better placed to have another go.

But first this morning we're off to the opening of the new Tescos in Chesterfield. Well they are giving out champers and cake!

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Writing Competitions Calendar

Nano and out - sorry

I'm afraid that for only the second time since I started taking part 7 years ago, I am ducking out of NaNoWriMo.

I do have a good excuse. I went to the doctors on Thursday and my blood pressure is up. Not heart attack high, but high enough for the doctor to start me on some extra medication. I spent all day yesterday feeling rough, after a sleepless night, and whilst I tried to write some NaNo last night, my heart wasn't in it and I haven't felt like even looking at it today. I've decided it's a stress I can do without at the moment. Especially as I have commissioned work to do by the 20th, and I start two new OU short courses on the 10th. It all felt a bit too overwhelming. As the NaNo isn't something I absolutely have to do, I'm afraid it has to go by the wayside. For this year at least.

I do apologise to all those lovely people who've given me plot ninjas. Maybe I'll save them for next year, yes?

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Writing Competitions Calendar

Here Come The Girls for a TNW Hat Trick

We didn't set out for world domination, honestly, but me and my utterly wonderful pals, Womag and Helen Hunt, are filling the pages of The New Writer with our articles this month! What's more, Womag hasn't only got her own article in, but my article, Womagwriter's Anonymous is about her and her fab blog.

I haven't received my copy yet, so am looking forward to its arrival. Being published is still a huge thrill for me. Being published in a magazine with my pals is an even bigger thrill.

Added: My New Writer arrived this morning, along with my contributor copy of Seriously Sexy Stocking Fillers, from Xcite. Such is this writing life!



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Writing Competitions Calendar

I've been Twinterviewed!

Fellow Twitterer and all round good egg, Scattyjan, has interviewed me for her twinterview blog.

I am blushing scarlet, but quietly chuffed about the nice things she says about me.

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Writing Competitions Calendar

News about the Competition Calendar

I've got exciting (to me at least) news about my competition calendar. From January 2010 (or sooner depending on how quickly I can get it up and running) it will be moving to its own dedicated site.

So instead of everything being cramped onto one page on my website, it will be spread out over 12-18 pages (thinking 18 months ahead in closing date terms and with a page per month), as well as having pages for tips, and some of my old Writers Forum articles. I'm hoping that will make it all easier to follow. I don't have a web address yet (am waiting for software to arrive), and don't want to announce that until I've got the site as I want it.

But I'm really excited about it!

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Writing Competitions Calendar

First plot ninja

I've already used my first, and so far, only, plot ninja. I thought I'd share the extract with everyone, so you can see for yourselves how I mix them in. I'd love some more, if anyone has them. Don't worry if they don't seem at all relevant to my story. The more off-the-wall the better.

I've played a tart on The Bill and asked for a drink in the Rovers Return. But as most actresses have I don’t suppose that singles me out. Just ask your dad about the silver hotpants. If he doesn’t remember me from Pandora’s Vox, he’ll know me from that cider advert. The one without the arrows landing on the table.

I only managed about 600 words yesterday, as it turned out to be a busy day, so my goal today is to get about 4k written to get me back on target.


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Writing Competitions Calendar

Plot Ninjas revisited

For Geraldine and anyone else who might be a bit confused about plot ninjas, here's an answer I made earlier ;-)

Thanks to Juliet for getting me started. As my MC is an actress down on her luck, you've no idea how apt this plot ninja is!

An arrow landing on the table in front of a character in cider advert style.

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Writing Competitions Calendar

It's November so it must be NaNoWriMo and Plot Ninjas!

National Novel Writing Month is upon us again and you know what that means, don't you folks? I need plot ninjas and lots of them. Though my story is pretty much written (as a 'Twitter novel') I need to fill it out good and proper. I haven't even started yet, having looked after my granddaughter last night, but am hoping to get a few words down later.

The more plot ninjas the better. As I've said before, I'm not sharing my NaNo novel this year, but I will post up extracts where I've used the plot ninjas (provided they don't give too much of the story away).

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Writing Competitions Calendar

And the winner is ...

I did a computing version of pulling names out of a hat, which involved closing my eyes then scrolling my mouse up and down all the comments before stopping. As a result, I can announce that the winner of the signed copy of Cally Taylor's Heaven Can Wait is ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

GEMMA NOON! (Gem)


I've contacted Gemma and let her know. I'm sorry to everyone else who didn't win, but hey, the book is just under a fiver on Amazon. Treat yourself, then if you ever meet up with Cally, get her to sign it!

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Writing Competitions Calendar