free contests for memoir/lifestory & historical fiction

Chuck Sambuchino of Writer’s Digest just announced these interesting free contests. Thanks, Chuck.

 

If You are Writing Memoir or Historical Fiction, Enter These FREE Agent-Judged Contests!

Welcome to the 28th and 29th (free!) "Dear Lucky Agent" Contests on the GLA Blog. The "Dear Lucky Agent" Contest is a free recurring online contest with agent judges and super-cool prizes. Here's the deal: With every contest, the details are essentially the same, but the niche itself changes-meaning each contest is focused around a specific category or two. If you're writing Memoir/Lifestory, then the 28th contest is for you! Check out all the details and rules here. It is judged by agent Jennifer Wills of The Seymour Agency. If you're writing Historical Fiction, then the 29th contest is for you! Check out all the details and rules here. It is judged by agent Elise Erickson of Harold Ober Associates. The contests are both live through end of day, Dec. 31, 2016.

 

opportunities from Eastern Iowa Review

For writers of lyric essays  http://www.portyonderpress.com/2017-guidelines.html

For debut writers  http://www.portyonderpress.com/2017-ten-debut-authors-only-edition.html

 

laughs for authors & editors

Here are some laughs for authors & editors, passed on to me by Eileen, a Kamloops author. Thanks, Eileen. My favourite is the one about the three-year-old.

 

"Lexophile" is a word used to describe those that have a love for words, such as "you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish", or "to write with a broken pencil is pointless." A competition to see who can come up with the best lexophiles is held every year in an undisclosed location.     This year's winning submission is posted at the very end.   ... When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate.  ... A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.  ... When the smog lifts in Los Angeles U.C.L.A.  .. The batteries were given out free of charge.  ... A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail.  ... A will is a dead giveaway.  .. With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.  ... A boiled egg is hard to beat.  ... When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.  ... Police were summoned to a daycare center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.  ... Did you hear about the fellow whose entire left side was cut off?   He's all right now.  ... A bicycle can't stand alone; it's just two tired.  ... When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.  ... The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine is now fully recovered.  ... He had a photographic memory which was never developed.  ... When she saw her first strands of grey hair she thought she'd dye.  ... Acupuncture is a jab well done. That's the point of it.     And the cream of the twisted crop: . Those who get too big for their pants will be totally exposed in the end. ALWAYS LAUGH WHEN YOU CAN;  IT'S CHEAP MEDICINE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

sunflowers bloom on Amazon.ca

My 1940s Saskatchewan Mennonite novel CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS is now on Amazon.ca ! It's never been there before. If you've read it, please consider posting a review. It can be short. https://www.amazon.ca/Consider-Sunflowers-Elma-Schemenauer/dp/0888875754/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479787213&sr=8-1&keywords=elma+schemenauer

a published voice for the homeless

A Boston literary magazine gives a published voice to homeless people. This is a good idea that I believe is being tried in other places too. The following article may provide inspiration and a concrete example: http://www.pw.org/content/lit_mag_gives_voice_to_homeless .

legal tips for publishing memoir & nonfiction

Good article at the following website. The links lead to other useful information. http://selfpublishingrelief.com/9-important-legal-tips-for-self-publishing-memoir-and-nonfiction/  .

IAG 2016 award winners Janet Miller & Virginia Laveau

As previously announced, Janet Miller and Virginia Laveau won the 2016 Dr. Robert & Elma Schemenauer Awards for

 

-WRITING WITH A KAMLOOPS & AREA THEME and

-WRITING SHOWING AN APPRECIATION OF NATURE THEME

 

Janet’s winning poem and Virginia’s winning article have now been posted on the Awards website. You can read them at http://elmams.wixsite.com/awards/award-winners .

 

The awards will be offered again in 2017 for writing on the same two themes. See the Awards website for details.

 

socially acceptable ways of talking about your writing on social media

 

When some authors talk on social media about their books or other writing, they interest people and get them on their side. However, other authors’ promotional activities tend to irritate people. Why? How can authors increase their chances of being in the first group? Good article here:

http://www.webdesignrelief.com/socially-acceptable-grandstanding-7-tips-talking-social-media/ .

Sahali Mall Market

I enjoyed another fun day at the Sahali Mall Market here in Kamloops. It’s a great place to shop for local MEATS, EGGS, BAKING, HEIRLOOM SEEDS, PREPARED FOOD, CRAFTS, BOOKS, & MORE. It happens EVERY SATURDAY NOW TILL CHRISTMAS, 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM IN SAHALI MALL, 945 Columbia Street West, Kamloops (Jan. through Apr. 1^st & 3^rd Saturdays). Brought to you by VISIONS FARMERS MARKET SOCIETY, Andy Balogh, 250-577-3810, http://met.marketplacebc.ca/market/visions-farmers-market-society .

 

developing characters in one's writing

Good article here on developing realistic characters in one’s writing: http://tinyurl.com/gp6yof4 .

 

CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS in Sahali Mall, Kamloops

My 1940s Saskatchewan Mennonite novel CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS was at the Sahali Mall Market in Kamloops last Saturday, at the Interior Authors Group table. The sunflowers & I had a good time. We plan to be there every Saturday from now through December 17. Please drop in if you're in the area.