Writing Contest: Valley of the Sun-Hot Prospects

Hi Everyone,

I've never submitted to this particular contest, but I thought some of you may be interested in the information. Looks like the deadline is this Tuesday, September 1st! :D

Good Luck!!

Hope you're all doing well.

Take Care,

Michele

****Permission to forward****

Finalists get their entry in front of TWO industry professionals.

GRAND PRIZE: The winner can choose between a book trailer, static banner and active banner from Bella Entertainment for the book of their choice (a $300.00 value) or $100.00 USD.

Fee: $25 for Valley of the Sun RW chapter members
$30 for non-chapter members

Postmark Deadline: September 1st, 2009
E-Submit Deadline: September 1st, 2009

Eligibility: Any uncontracted work by an RWA member in good standing. This includes both published and unpublished authors.

Enter: 3-5-page synopsis and up to 25 pages of story (30 pages max). Entry or synopsis may be shorter, but neither may be longer than specified.

Categories/Judges: Trained judges for preliminary round,
Editors and Agents for final round.

Historical/Regency
Editor-Talia Platz, Editorial Assistant, NAL
Agent - Paige Wheeler, agent, Folio Literary Management

Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal
Editor – Leah Hultenschmidt, Editor, Dorchester Publishing
Agent - Michelle Grajkowski, agent, 3 Seas Literary Agency

Romantic Suspense
Editor - Deb Werksman, editor, Sourcebooks
Agent - JL Stermer, agent, Donald Maass Literary Agency

Contemporary Long/Single Title
Editor - Katherine N. Pelz, Editorial Assistant, The Berkley Publishing Group
Agent - Sharene Martin-Brown,Author Representative, Wylie-Merrick Literary Agency

Series Contemporary
Editor - Johanna Raisanen, Harlequin Enterprises
Editor - Leanne Morgena, Senior Editor, the Wild Rose Press

Erotica
Editor - Theresa Stevens, editor, Red Sage Publishing
Editor - Kelli Collins, editor-in-chief, Ellora's Cave

For More Information, entry form, and rules, see website at
www.valleyofthesunrw.com.

Linda Andrews
Valley of the Sun Hot Prospects Coordinator

Signed Books Auctioned to Benefit "Light The Night"

*UPDATE 8/9/09: A Bonus: Two more signed books added to the bundle! Please see the bottom of the post for more info. Thanks!

Hi Everyone!

Our Team Jack's Mannequin--Anaheim is still adding items to our Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's "Light The Night" eBay auction. And the best part? 100% of the proceeds from the auctions we list will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society--Orange County/Inland Empire!

And a Big Time thanks to my friend, Jennifer Lyon, for contacting some of our friends and several of hers to ask them if they'd be willing to help us by donating a few signed books for our auction. The response to her call was amazing! I'm so touched by everyone's generosity. Thank you, Jen. As always, you're a great friend. :)

Several authors sent along their brand new releases, books in a series, and even complete trilogies--AUTOGRAPHED! How cool is that?! A total of 23 books in all, but starting bid is only $80!! What an outstanding collection for any reader or writer! :)

Here's the link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170368228683&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

So, a HUGE Thank You to the following authors who have so graciously donated signed copies of their novels to our Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's "Light The Night" eBay auction:

NYT Bestselling author Allison Brennan (suspense/thriller):

KILLING FEAR
TEMPTING EVIL
PLAYING DEAD

As well as an anthology (SIGNED ONLY BY ALLISON BRENNAN) with Allison Brennan, Roxanne St. Claire, and Karin Tabke.

WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE



***
NYT Bestselling author Kate Carlisle (mystery):

HOMICIDE IN HARDCOVER



***
Toni McGee Causey (romantic suspense)

CHARMED AND DANGEROUS: A Bobbie Faye Novel
GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE GUNS: A Bobbie Faye Novel




***
USA TODAY Bestselling author Maureen Child (paranormal romance)

BEDEVILED
BEGUILED



***
National Bestselling author Sylvia Day (historical romance):

THE STRANGER I MARRIED

w/a S. J. Day (urban fantasy):

EVE OF DARKNESS

w/a Livia Dare (paranormal romance):

IN THE FLESH



***
Deborah LeBlanc (horror, paranormal)

A HOUSE DIVIDED
WATER WITCH





***
Jennifer Lyon (paranormal romance)

BLOOD MAGIC



***
National Bestselling author Roxanne St. Claire (romantic suspense)

FIRST YOU RUN
THEN YOU HIDE
NOW YOU DIE




***
Bestselling author Debra Webb (romantic suspense)

FIND ME
FACELESS
EVERYWHERE SHE TURNS





Also in the bundle of signed books, we'll be auctioning off two more signed cozy mystery novels (thanks to Kate Carlisle!) :

DYING TO BE THIN by Kathryn Lilley
A VICKY HILL EXCLUSIVE by Hannah Dennison

Please bid and bid often... help us raise some funds so we can find a CURE for blood cancers!!

Also, Please feel free to Spread the Word... tell your friends on your blogs, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, or through good ol' e-mail and word of mouth! Thank you so much!!

And remember, if you prefer to make a direct donation to LLS, feel free to do so! Click HERE to view my "Light The Night" page and read why this cause is personal to me. Thank you!! :)

Take Care,

Michele

*8/9/09 UPDATE: BONUS BOOKS ADDED! A big, BIG Thank You to Karin Tabke for signing and donating two of her books to our auction as well:

JADED
MASTER OF TORMENT



Thank you so much, Karin!

Michele

More eBay Auction Items That Benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

As promised, Team Jack's Mannequin-Anaheim has added a few more items to our eBay auction that will help us raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Please see the previous post, "eBay Auctions For Leukemia & Lymphoma Society" (June 24, 2009), for more Rockin' items and information. :)

We've recently added:

Rod Carew Autographed Rawlings Baseball



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170363645665&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

Up for bidding is a Rawlings Official League CROLB Baseball autographed by Hall of Fame legend and California Angel Rod Carew. Rod has also added the inscription "HOF 91". This item was acquired through the Angels organization and offered directly to us for this fundraising auction. Rod Carew is continually active as part of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and supports many of their events including the annual Light The Night Walk held at Angel Stadium. 100% of the proceeds of this auction will go towards Team Jack's Mannequin-Anaheim for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's 2009 "Light The Night" Walk. Your winning bid will help us raise money to fight and eventually CURE blood cancers.


WE ALSO HAVE:

Water Trout 8 CD set-AUTOGRAPHED!!! Plus T-Shirt!






http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170363655506&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

OK Walter Trout fans... THIS is for YOU! Up for bidding is a set of 8, (That's right: Eight!) Walter Trout CDs. Not only do you get Walter's AMAZING blues/rock sounds but EVERY CD is autographed by WALTER HIMSELF! Albums include: Walter Trout and Friends: Full Circle, Walter Trout and The Radicals: Relentless, Walter Trout Presents: Deep Trout, Walter Trout and The Radicals: Go the Distance, Walter Trout and The Radicals: Livin' Every Day, Walter Trout: The Outsider, Walter Trout: Unspoiled By Progress, and the self-titled album: Walter Trout. And as if those items weren't enough, Walter's thrown in an Extra Large concert T-Shirt that asks the question: "Got Trout?"

Walter is a great friend and has offered up these amazing items specifically for this auction. Best of all: 100% of the proceeds of this auction will go towards Team Jack's Mannequin-Anaheim for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's 2009 "Light The Night" Walk. Your bids will help us raise money to fight and eventually cure blood cancers.

Note from Michele: I know I'd written 7 CDs in my post yesterday, but it's actually 8 CDs!!


AND ONE MORE FOR TODAY:

James Stewart Autographed Poster - Ride With The Champ!




http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170363649838&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

Supercross Fans! Up for bidding is a colorful poster autographed by 2009 Supercross Champion James Stewart. The poster was made to advertise James' popular "Come Ride With The Champ" day in Riverside, CA on June 20th, 2009. This item was signed for me in person and is being offered up for this charity auction. Poster will ship in a sturdy cardboard tube to prevent damage. Best of all: 100% of the proceeds of this auction will go towards Team Jack's Mannequin-Anaheim for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's 2009 Light The Night Walk. Your bids will help us raise money to fight and eventually cure blood cancers.


Okay, more items will be posted soon! And please don't forget about the signed CD from the B-52s and The 88's CDs (also signed!)... see previous post for more information about those cool items! :)

Please bid and bid often... help us raise some funds so we can find a CURE for blood cancers!!

And remember, if you prefer to make a direct donation to LLS, feel free to do so! Click HERE to view my "Light The Night" page and read why this cause is personal to me. Thank you!! :)

Take Care,

Michele

eBay Auctions for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!

Hi Everyone,

Okay, so our Jack's Mannequin Team--Anaheim has been brainstorming different ways to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's "Light The Night Walk" and one of them includes eBay auctions with 100% of the proceeds going towards the LLS--Orange County/Inland Empire.

Now, I know I shouldn't be surprised by this anymore... but I still am (we all are): The response to our call for donations has been outstanding! We cannot thank our friends and their friends enough. We're constantly blown away by those who reach out so willingly to help others. So thank you again to everyone who has donated and those who have agreed to donate items to the eBay auctions. You're amazing! :)

A few items are up and and running and more will be posted over this next week, as well as the following.

First up: Two very Cool and Rockin' bands!

Autographed B-52s Double CD -- FUNPLEX

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170363229108&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123




Up for bidding is a copy of the album FUNPLEX autographed by the B-52s. This 2 CD album is signed by ALL 4 members: Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland, Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. This item was signed by the band and mailed directly to us for this auction. 100% of the proceeds of this auction will go towards Team Jack's Mannequin-Anaheim for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's "Light The Night" Walk. Your bids will help us raise money to fight and eventually CURE blood cancers.

AND WE ALSO HAVE:

3 CD Set Autographed by The 88

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170363236454&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123




Up for bidding is a set of 3 CDs autographed by the The 88 - Kind of Light, Over and Over and Not Only... But Also. These 3 albums have been signed by ALL 5 members: Keith Slettedahl, Adam Merrin, Anthony Zimmitti, Todd O'Keefe and Brett Farkas. This set was signed by the band and handed directly to us for this auction. 100% of the proceeds of this auction will go towards Team Jack's Mannequin-Anaheim for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's "Light The Night" Walk. Your bids will help us raise money to fight and eventually CURE blood cancers.

If you're not looking to bid on the 3 CD set, then The 88 also donated a few extra CDs as well! :)

Kind of Light CD - Autographed by The 88!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170363239379&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

Not Only... But Also CD - Autographed by The 88!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170363240128&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123


So please bid and bid often!

And I'll be posting more items soon... We'll be auctioning off something for everyone! Baseball fans will love the Rod Carew and Gaylord Perry signed baseballs donated to us by the Angels Organization (those items will be two separate auctions). Rock-Blues fans... be sure to check out Walter Trout's 7 CD set (7 signed CDs!!) that includes a Walter Trout t-shirt. Oh, and for the readers and writers out there... we're going to have a big bundle of signed books from some AMAZING and FANTASTIC authors (I'll release the names soon... I promise!). And of course, we have Jack's Mannequin signed items!

So help us raise some funds... your winning bid will go toward the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! But don't forget, if you'd prefer to make a direct donation to our "Light the Night" Team, you're more than welcome to do so! Click HERE to go to my "Light The Night" page and find out why this cause matters to me.

Thank you so much for your support!

Take Care,

Michele

Online Writing Class: "Conflict and Pacing"

The details for a few more online KOD courses found their way into my inbox, so I'm posting the information for them here, too.

The deadline to sign up is the 27th of this month, so if you're interested in either class... probably shouldn't wait too long. :)

Hope you're all doing well and your writing is going smoothly!

Take Care,

Michele

************ ********* **Permission to Forward***** ********* ********* **

RWA's Mystery/Suspense Chapter is pleased to announce our COFFIN College of Felony and Intrigue KILLER INSTINCT online workshop for the month of August 2009.

WORKSHOP: Conflict and Pacing

Using the character's internal motivation to create conflict. Finding the right level of conflict for your story. Organize the plot to create rising conflict. Modifying conflict to individualize scenes and characters. Designing scenes for greater conflict. Heating up pacing with conflict turning points. If you're looking for an in-depth exploration of conflict in fiction, this course is for you!

INSTRUCTOR: Alicia Rasley

Alicia Rasley is a nationally known writing teacher and the author of The Power of Point of View (Writer's Digest Books, 2008). Her writing articles can be found at www.rasley.com.

KILLER INSTINCT workshops encompass writing and craft topics.

PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE 27TH day of the month PRIOR to the start of the COFFIN class. Cost of each Workshop is (Currently) $15.00 US for KOD Members, $30.00 US for non-KOD Members. (RWA membership NOT required to take the course).

For more information check out our website at http://www.rwamysterysuspense.org

************ *****Permission to Forward***** ********* ********* *****

RWA's Mystery/Suspense Chapter is pleased to announce our COFFIN College of Felony and Intrigue MURDER ONE online Workshop for the month of August 2009.

WORKSHOP: Homicide Investigation

Over the last few years, John Foxjohn has spoken to many writer's group, workshops, and conferences about one of his specialties—police procedures. John's biography states, "He epitomizes the phrase, been there—done that."

For ten years, John worked in law enforcement. He started out on the bottom like all, but rose through the ranks rapidly. Patrolman, Patrol training officer, detective, then the last four years as a homicide detective. With over three-hundred investigated homicides, and an intense love of forensics, police schools that include fingerprinting, interrogations, profiling, and counterfeiting, John becomes the perfect person to write crime novels and mysteries.

John is also the perfect person to teach writers about police procedures. Many books today sit on bookstore shelves with the name John Foxjohn in the acknowledgements. But all the questions writers have asked him has led him to teach about what he calls the "problem areas" most writers face. John's class includes the differences and techniques of the interview and the interrogation. He'll also cover lineups, jurisdictions, and the structures of police and sheriff departments.

Other topics will include custody or chain of evidence, television fallacies and how they relate to writing, the beginnings of a homicide investigation, differences between large, medium, and small law enforcement departments, collection of evidence and processing the crime scene,and students will have an opportunity to ask questions about things that trouble
them in their knowledge or research.

INSTRUCTOR: John Foxjohn

Best-selling author John Foxjohn epitomizes the phrase "been there—done that." Whether consciously or unconsciously, maybe one of the first authors he followed contributed to this.

Many years ago, John became afflicted with a disease he calls "readaholism. " His addiction to reading led him to Louis L'Amour, and even today, he continues to reread books by this author. Louis L'Amour had a diverse background before he began to write and John followed that path—born and raised in the rural East Texas town of Nacogdoches, he quit high school and joined the Army at seventeen. Viet Nam veteran, Army Airborne Ranger, policeman and homicide detective, retired teacher and coach, and now he is a multi-published author.

Although John writes an entirely different genre than Louis L'Amour, he followed the author's path by using his diverse background and meticulous research. Although John's novels are fictional, many readers believe they are true stories. Like his favorite author, John creates characters that readers love and root for—not cardboard cutouts. John says, "Normal people have faults and strengths—they make mistakes and need to overcome them and other obstacles
thrown in their path. People judge others by how they handle adversity. That's how I attempt to create characters."

If you have read John's novels, you know that he is successful. John hasn't yet reached the huge success of Louis L'Amour, but I wouldn't bet against him.

John is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, Elements of Romance, Kiss of Death, Lethal Ladies, Sisters-in-Crime, East Texas Writers Guild, League of Texas Writers, and more online writing groups than he can count. He is a full time writer and speaker and lives in Lufkin, Texas but travels extensively across the U.S.

MURDER ONE workshops encompass the technical aspects of murder and mayhem.

PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE 27TH day of the month PRIOR to the start of the COFFIN class. Cost of each workshop is (Currently) $15.00 US for KOD Members, $30.00 US for non-KOD Members (RWA membership NOT required to take the course).

For more information check out our website at http://www.rwamysterysuspense. org

Already Thinking of Nashville, 2010.

I won't be attending this year's RWA National Conference in D.C, but I'm certainly looking forward to the one next year in Nashville! And once again, the Valley Forge Romance Writers will be running their annual Writer's Rafflemania where the winner will be presented with $1000 to help defray the cost of the conference.

Good luck! And if you're going to D.C this year, have a fantastic time!! :)

Take Care,

Michele


***permission to forward granted***

$1000 Toward National in Nashville, 2010

It's Baaaaaaaaack!

The 3rd Annual Writers' Rafflemania from Valley Forge Romance Writers
Win $1000 toward the cost of attending RWA National in Nashville, TN in 2010.

Tickets go on sale at Moonlight Madness at the RWA National Conference in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, July 16, 2009 and online at www.vfrw.com.

2008 Winner - Nancy Naigle
2009 Winner - Meagan Hatfield
2010 ??? Could be you!

All information on our website ( http://www.vfrw.com/raffle/rules-and-regulations/ ) or look for our table at Moonlight Madness.

Still Swimming

My apologies once again for this pertaining to something other than writing, but I'd like to update those who have expressed concern and support for Matt over the past year. :)

And a huge, huge, HUGE thank you to everyone who commented in the previous post! Matt is determined to beat this once and for all... he is truly a warrior.

The "update" quote is from my Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's "Light The Night" page. We all hope you will be able to join us on 8/22 at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, California as we walk for a CURE (it's at night, so the weather will be perfect). We'd love to have as many of Matt's friends, family, and supporters there as possible!!

UPDATE (7/02/09): Last Friday, we learned Matt's EBV-HLH and NK T-cell lymphoma have returned for another battle. This time, the lymphoma has manifested as two tumors in the brain and one in his knee. So, instead of celebrating with Matt at the walk, we'll be there with him as he once again fights these blood diseases. Currently, he's undergoing chemo treatments and will soon be participating in an experimental t-cell clinical trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, which we're all positive will put him back on track for a full recovery. And then we'll find the CURE for blood cancers!

Also, if possible, please consider a $5, $10, or $25 (or more) donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. We need to find a CURE. And please feel free to pass this along to your friends... Thank you!

Thank you again for all of your kind words and support... you're the best!

Michele

Swimming in the Dark.

I've had Jack's Mannequin's song "Swim" on a continual loop all weekend, reminding me to never give up the fight. No matter what.

See, on Friday, we'd discovered Matt is no longer in remission and has one heck of a battle ahead of him. Again. This news hit all of us in gut...simply sucker punched. We'd thought sunny days were finally ahead of us and had just started to breath a little easier; instead, we now face more darkness.

But that doesn't mean those bright days aren't on the horizon. We definitely have to hold on to that.

Just recently, I'd posted a bit about his fight in "Not Giving In" and in "Here With You." And now, just as before, we need him to focus and give this next stage in his journey every ounce of energy he's got because his parents, brothers, sisters, nephews, niece, best friend, good friends, and even strangers need him to SWIM. We love him. We need him in our lives. We're all ready to do whatever it takes to help him.

So, Matt, just "swim in the dark." There'll be a sunrise soon.

Take Care,

Michele

P.S. I've posted the Internet version of the "Swim" video, newly released by Jack's Mannequin. It's from the JM MySpace page and was posted by JM for fans before the Official video is released.

Jack's Mannequin - New Music - More Music Videos

Online Writing Workshop: Writing Romantic Suspense That Works

Here's another writing workshop I thought I'd pass along to you guys...

Looks like you'll need to sign up by June 27th, so you'll need to act quickly. KOD members pay $15, and non-KOD members pay $30.

Hope you're all well!

Take Care,

Michele

************ ********* *Permission to Forward***** ********* ********* **

RWA's Mystery/Suspense Chapter is pleased to announce our COFFIN College of Felony and Intrigue KILLER INSTINCT online workshop for the month of July 2009.

WORKSHOP: Writing Romantic Suspense That Works

It's twice - not half - as hard to write good romantic suspense as it is to write "just" a romance or thriller. Or maybe make that three times tougher. Your suspense plotting has to be impeccable, your romantic development an emotional grabber - and they've both got to work together on pretty much every page. And on top of that, you're writing in a genre that's already full of bestselling authors, talented newcomers and everyone in between. So how do you not only get
the basics right but find a way to stand out in a crowded marketplace? If you're looking for tips and advice, not to mention answers, this could be the course you've been waiting for.

INSTRUCTOR: Leslie Wainger

Leslie Wainger leads dual but complementary careers as a freelance book doctor and editor-at-large for Harlequin Single Titles, with a hand in series romance, as well. Authors she works with include Heather Graham, Linda Howard, Maggie Shayne, Sharon Sala, Emilie Richards and many more. She's also the author of "Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies" (Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2004) and the 2005 recipient of Romance Writers of America's industry award.
KILLER INSTINCT workshops encompass writing and craft topics.

PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE 27TH day of the month PRIOR to the start of the COFFIN class. Cost of each Workshop is (Currently) $15.00 US for KOD Members, $30.00 US for non-KOD Members. (RWA membership NOT required to take the course).

For more information check out our website at http://www.rwamysterysuspense.org

Writing Contest: 17th Annual Heart of the West Contest

Here's another writing contest that is electronic submission only -- a money saver. But you'll have to hurry to enter this one, as the deadline is July 1, 2009.

Good Luck!

Hope you're all having a great summer and your writing is going smoothly. :)

Take Care,

Michele

****PERMISSION TO FORWARD****

17th Annual Heart of the West Contest deadline is July 1 and will be here before we know it!

Now is the time to make your final edits, get your pages together, fill out that entry form, and EMAIL your manuscript(s). Yes, the contest is totally electronic, saving you precious money by not having to mail anything! Enter for the chance to get your story in front of one of the awesome acquiring editors and agents that we have judging.

Contemporary: Amanda Bergeron, Editor, Avon Books/Harper Collins.
Historical: Megan Records, Editor, Kensington.
Paranormal: Heather Osborn, Editor, Tor/Forge.
Mystery/Suspense: Lara Hyde, Editor, MIRA.
Inspirational: Jewelann Cone, Agent, Atlantis Literary Agency.
Published: Miriam Kriss, Agent, The Irene Goodman Agency.

17th Annual Heart of the West Contest
Sponsor: Utah Chapter of Romance Writers
Fee: $25
Receipt Deadline: July 1, 2009
Entry: Enter the opening twenty (20) pages of romance novels of all sub-genres (projected length of at least 50,000 words). Contest is open to published and unpublished authors. Unpublished authors are ranked separately from published authors. Published authors may submit only unpublished, uncontracted manuscripts. NOTE: If you have a romance novel published by a non-recognized RWA publisher, Utah RWA Considers you to be published.

First round judges: published authors and RWA trained judges
Final round judges: editors and agents
Multiple entries encouraged. Awardees will be announced October 10,2009, at the Heart of the West Conference in Park City, Utah. Winners will be awarded $40 and a certificate. Please check out the website for all the details. http://www.utahrwa.com