Armed with Kindness

Kind Girls Make Strong Women attended Franklin's STEM Community Activity. This wasn't our first invitation but it will forever be the most memorable.

 Two young women, kind and strong, spent the last year dedicating their free time to bettering our little part of the world. Sixty five families were given Christmas, parks were cleaned, the hungry were fed...and so much more.

 These girls were a little embarrassed; they're used to putting the spotlight on others, not accepting it for themselves. They were given two medals, Friends of Franklin and Making a Difference.

They were also introduced to Dignity's Hello Human Kindness marketing team (expect collaboration in the very, very near future).

Earlier today I was driving and blinking back tears. To say it'd been a rough day would be laughable. It's been a rough week and that dark fear of failure that every parent feels was at my side. But then tonight, hearing how these girls touched other people's lives...tears came for another reason entirely. 

That's how kindness works. 

It spreads, strengthening us so that we can turn and strengthen others. After all, kind girls make strong women.

Contests and Competitions

 (click on the appropriate links for more info)

2018 Golden Rose Contest
Fee:  April 1–30, $30 RCRW members, $35 RWA non-RCRW members.
Deadline: April 30, 2018
rosecityromancewriters.com. 

Martha's Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing

Parent-Writer Fellowships

Deadline: 

April 21, 2018

Entry Fee: 

$25

Cash Prize: 

$1,600

http://www.mvicw.com

Whiting Foundation

Creative Nonfiction Grants

Cash Prize: $40,000

Entry Fee: $0

Application Deadline: 5/1/18

Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society

William Faulkner-Wisdom Competition

Cash Prize: $7,500

Entry Fee: $35

Application Deadline: 5/1/18

Del Sol Press

First Novel Competition

Cash Prize: $1,500

Entry Fee: $30

Application Deadline: 5/15/18

Ploughshares

Emerging Writer's Contest

Cash Prize: $2,000

Entry Fee: $24

Application Deadline: 5/15/18

National Book Foundation

National Book Awards

Cash Prize: $10,000

Entry Fee: $135

Application Deadline: 5/16/18

Three Weeks Left

Giving a shout out to all our Dan McGuire Blog Challengers!

Roughly three weeks left and these beauties are blogging to the bitter end. Give 'em a pat on the back (or a comment on their site).

Ann Cook http://cookpeak.com
Joan http://joanraymondwriting.com/blog
Sudha doctorslounge4all.blogspot.com
Shirley http://pelicanfamily.com/blog
Patrick http://patternsofexplanation.wordpress.com
Judy Salamacha www.judysalamacha.com
Srey Khoy www.sreykhoy.com
Brent Gill brentgwriter.blogspot.com
Isabella Tagore passioncruit.com
Judy Kukuruza definitionstruths.blogspot.com
Lily www.justonething.site
Mary Morton www.iwondergirl.com
Carla Martin carlajoypoetry.com

The Prescription

Harry Potter is my daughter's service animal and hands down, the greatest prescription a doctor could give Rose (she asked me to refer to her as Rose, her new pen name).

At eleven years old, this kid oozes charisma and creativity. She's president of her school, runs the yearbook club and pretty much the entire student body. She's kind, gentle and all that is good in the world but sometimes, her brain shuts down and she stops functioning. This only happens in medical situations, such as going to the pediatrician, dentist or getting blood drawn. A glaze slides over her eyes and she becomes animalistic with little understanding of what took place. 

After receiving a prescription from her psychiatrist, this little beauty hauled Harry to her appointments. He'd lick her face, sit on her lap or give a little whimper to remind her to breathe, in and out until she realizes she's safe. Her ability to function in those stressful moments was all because of a bundle of black fur.

At least, it's supposed to work that way. Rose needed to update her immunizations for middle school next year. Her records showed she was missing a vaccine. We show up to her pediatrician's office, Harry in tow. After changing into the hideous medical gown, Rose's hands started to shake. Her skin broke out in chills, panic on the verge. Harry began licking her when she didn't respond.

The pediatrician walked in and stared at the dog. She backed up against the door stating she's terrified of dogs. Rose started humming and rocking on the exam table. Harry jumped to the table to get to her. 

The doctor yelped, flattening against the door. She yelled for the dog to be removed. Harry laid on top of Rose, forcing her to still, to calm down.

The doctor screamed at me to take the dog out. Harry turned toward the doctor, whimpering for her to calm down for Rose's sake. 

The doctor snapped at me. Harry jumped down, standing between her and Rose.

I snapped a leash on Harry and looked from both Rose to the doctor, not sure what to do. The doctor said service dogs aren't allowed and that she'd prescribe medication for Rose's anxiety. She yelled (because Rose and Harry were too loud) that service dogs were for the blind, not someone Rose (she quite literally said, she has good grades, she doesn't need a dog). 

The doctor then approached Rose for the exam. Rose lost it, and then Harry leapt towards her, trying to do the job he was meant to do. The doctor panicked and shrieked, ensuing complete and total chaos. In one fell swoop, the enormous amount of effort we'd taken to ease Rose's functionality in medical situations was destroyed. 

At the end of the appointment (if I could call it that) the doctor said Rose already had the "missing" vaccine. The office hadn't updated the records properly.

I took my trembling child and her dog home. She didn't speak, her lips gray and her skin ashen. She's still ashamed. 

Doctors are human, that I know. But so is Rose. She kept repeating the law stating no one can take her dog from her (it is illegal to separate a service dog from the handler). 

And so here I am, begging for understanding. Next time you see someone with a service dog, remember Rose and Harry. Instead of judging, be kind.

Critique Central

It's the umpteenth time you've tackled your villain's death scene and all you can focus on killing is the blinking cursor and the pretty adverb you already deleted twice before.

We've been there, shoot, some of us are still there.

Maybe you've even taken the next step and joined a critique group only to find they're just not that into writing. Or they've read your thriller so many times they've memorized the dialogue and are just as blind as you are.

That's where I come in. 

If you're stuck in your critique group, switch it up. Or join a second one. 

If you don't live near any writers, join an online group (or two or three). 

Critique groups force us to do one thing, schedule. We submit on a certain day and meet on another, whether in person or through a computer. More than anything else, critique groups give us a foundation with our fellow authors. 

We write. 

We critique and then we write again.

Click here for help on joining a critique group.

Word Count vs Page Count

Wondering why your agent of choice asks for a word count instead of the number of pages?

Page length can vary widely on the publishing end. If the font is a bit smaller or the margins are a bit wider, or the page size is a bit larger, it will result in a completely different page count.

If the agents and editors (the publishing industry as a whole) used page numbers, the number would constantly change depending on the stage (from the writer's computer to a bookstore's shelf). Word count, however, stays pretty much the same.

Throughout the years, word count has shifted back and forth, especially with genre fiction. There might be a few outliers (Agatha Christie, JK Rowling...) who have much higher or much lower word count than their peers. But, unless you have an absolute slam dunk of a book, you'll spook an industry that has become increasingly risk adverse. 

Even if you opt for the self publishing route, statistics show readers give better reviews (and return for more) with the following word counts.

Novella: 40,000 or less

General Fiction: roughly 80,000

Science Fiction & Fantasy: 115,000 or less

Mystery: 75,000 to 80,000

Young Adult: roughly 60,000

Reverence and Respect

 The entire family sought out historic sites in and around Washington D.C., including Arlington, Virginia, where the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier rests. Signs requested silence and I am ever so grateful for the peace those instructions provided. 

  My daughters watched the Changing of the Guard ceremony with quiet reverence. Immediately afterward, we were lucky enough to witness two wreath ceremonies with our rights hands covering our hearts. There are few moments more profound than a bugle playing the taps.

  Damon and I spoke of our grandfathers who'd served but weren't around to tell their stories. We'd already visited and paid our respects to several other war memorials but a living, breathing soul performing for the unknown adds an unfathomable depth.

Not one, but two separate funerals were held that day in the sacred cemetery. It was a gentle reminder of our mortality and the cost of our freedom. 

We paid tribute to the Eternal Flame and other past presidents. The greatest moments followed us, blossoming again each time one of my daughter's asked another poignant question. Their begging for understanding reminded me of all that I have, not just in this country but in my life.

WOK's Future...and You

Your back aches and your neck is kinked from hours and hours of writing. You've plastered your rejection letters with pride. You've read the books, attended the conferences...but your resume is still lacking a bit of shine.

The publishing industry looks for dedication and craft. Simply put, if you're dedicated enough, even the roughest draft will become polished.

Volunteer. And volunteer with pride.

We're gearing up for our 2018-2019 year and are on the lookout for just that.

Here's just a few of our needs...

Critique Co-Coordinator

Publicity

Co-Vice Presidents (2)

Critique Group Leaders

Helping Animals Live Tomorrow

This post is for my daughters. 

Once a quarter, they host a donation drive for a worthy non-profit. They're driven with compassion to change the world (no matter how small it is).

If you're on Instagram or Facebook, you can follow their efforts by searching for Kind Girls Make Strong Women.

A Child's Heart

Two of my daughters earned new phones (that was a grandparent deal, not one of mine). The younger of the two couldn't sit still, her excitement palpable. She played with the features, the sound at full volume. She took videos and pictures of everyone in the house, pets included. By the afternoon, the older of the two bared her teeth and all but strangled the younger.

Older (and supposedly wiser) she berated the younger and went too far. Damon and I intervened and took her new phone. There was weeping and gnashing of teeth, not to mention the full court defense she launched. And yet, Damon and I said, no. She had to take responsibility for her mistreatment of her little sister.

It wasn't ten minutes later that the younger came to us in tears, big crocodile droplets. She handed me her phone saying, "take my phone and give hers back." When I told her that her sister needed to learn, she responded, "I do too. It's my fault. Take my phone."

Her offer to sacrifice shifted the mood of the entire house. Kindness crept back in and order was restored. It was only a moment of tenderness that invited love in. 

It's been a few weeks since that incident and I can't shake the image of my daughter's tear streaked face begging to take her sister's place.

Compassion leaves a mark, imprints the memory on our hearts. I hope one day I'll be the person my daughter already is. 

The Best of Pitches, the Worst of Pitches

I absolutely loved judging Writers of Kern's Pitch Contest. Each of these submissions were given at the conference without preparation. I do have a confession, I loved reading the worst pitches. It truly takes talent to purposely write badly.

Best Pitch

Winner: Rossely Harmon

A young troublemaker accidentally turns her town into stone and must embark on the dangerous journey of defeating the Beast on the Mount in order to reverse the spell and get back to her family.

Runner up: Rossely Harmon

Years after witnessing the brutal slaughter of her family by a blood-thirsty dictator, a young Haitian girl attempts to escape the racially divided society by befriending a highly  ranked soldier.

Runner up: Lori Renee

Young love dares to overcome the social stigma and complications of mental illness while searching for a missing teen.

Worst Pitch

Winner: Ian Cant

This may not be the best of books, but on the other hand, it may not be the worst of books either…I think.

Set in a recent revolutionary episode in an exotic foreign locale, the English milord foils his foes and liberates his fair lady. He does a noble thing, which is good but dies at the end, which is not so good. But in between the story is action-packed and no more gory than necessary.

Runner Up: Joan Raymond

All my friends told me this is a good book. It’s like the love story where everyone dies. From Poison. Then one person gets a dog. And then they find out its magic—and everyone comes back to life.

Runner Up: Ava Rose

The characters aren’t nice. The main character dies because of them. She can’t runway. They all die.

The End.

Blogger Help

You might have the blogging system down, posting twice a week or shoot, thrice a week sometimes.

Or,

You might feel like you're drowning.

Here's a quick hint.

If you think of something, do a draft. Then leave it.

When you think of something else, write another draft. Even upload a picture.

Pretty soon you have five, maybe eight draft posts. They'll take a bit more love before publishing but it won't be overwhelming.

Bit by bit, you'll have the rest of your twenty six posts. Better yet, you'll be in the habit of writing. You (and your brain) will be trained to write a few times a week, maybe even daily.

You can do this.

Save The Date

Writers of Kern would like to hear from you. Not through the phone or via computer, but in the flesh. Face to face.

Come join us for our first annual Strategy Meeting, April 7th 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

We'll talk about the 2018-2019 year as well as the future of Writers of Kern.

RSVP for details.

Pitch your Best, Pitch your Worst

Writers of Kern is changing its conference game.

For the first time, we're offering a pitch contest like no other. Pitch us your best and pitch us your worst.

Come prepared or do it on the fly. No more than 200 words per pitch.

See you at the conference (whether its your worst or best yet).

Four adults, three children...one capital

My family (plus my parents) are headed to Washington, DC in just a few weeks. The girls have researched historical sites and museums galore. We'll arrive at the height of Cherry Blossom season and hopefully the end of blistering cold nights.

But, having never been, I'd love to hear about your must-see sites?

Keep in mind, our children are aged eight, eleven and thirteen. They're eager to learn but still fairly naive (the Holocaust museum will have to wait until they're older).

Send your suggestions on over!

It's never too late to join

It doesn't take a poet to be a blogger. It takes just a moment. Join the challenge. 

It's never too late. 

Blog about your spoiled milk. Blog about your family. 

There's nothing too mundane or too insignificant for a post. 

Because here's the deal. We're human. And when we read about someone else's ordinary life, it connects us. And that's what we're all searching for. 

You don't need to be eloquent and you don't need to be glamorous. You just need to be you.

Email me to join. You can do it.

To Conference or Not to Conference?

What's the deal with writers conferences?

I've been asked this at least a dozen times in the last month. I, for one, am a conference junkie. I'm headed to Writers of Kern in a few weeks and Storymakers in May.

The publishing industry is a far cry from the loner's paradise it once was. Agents (like this one) attend for "three reasons: relationships, relationships, relationships."

Only at a writers conference can we experience a high concentration of creative energy. There's a fluidity to it. The speaker shares an idea or guidance, which in turns touches a writer who then shares their own idea to another writer...and then a writer talks with the speaker, who is given a new idea to ponder.

I've met lifelong friends because of writer conferences. I've not yet attended the conference in May and already this morning I spoke (via Zoom) with future attendees (one from Scotland, one from Idaho and one from Utah). 

For those of you who are sitting behind a screen shaking your head...

Trust me, it's not nearly as scary as you're thinking. Come join the fun, who knows, your future agent might be waiting for you.

Contests & Competitions

Colorado Review: Nelligan Prize

Deadline: March 14, 2018
Entry Fee: $15
Cash Prize: $2,000
http://nelliganprize.colostate.edu for more info

Bellingham Review: Literary Awards

Deadline: March 15, 2018
Entry Fee: $20
Cash Prize: $1,000
http://www.bhreview.org/contest-submissions-guidelines for more info

Sonora Review

Deadline: March 15, 2018
Entry Fee: $15
Cash Prize: $1,000
http://www.sonorareview.com for more info

Washington College

Hodson Trust-John Carter Brown Library Fellowship
Deadline: March 15, 2018
Cash Prize: $20,000
http://starrcenter.washcoll.edu for more info

The Writer's Center

Deadline: March 15, 2018
Cash Prize: $500
http://www.writer.org for more info

James Jones Literary Society: First Novel Fellowship

Deadline: March 15, 2018
Entry Fee: $30
Cash Prize: $10,000
http://www.wilkes.edu/pages/1159.asp for more info

Diamonds in the Desert Contest

Deadline: March 16, 2018
Entry Fee: $25 for members, $30 nonmembers
Cash Prize: Agent & Editor review
http://desertroserwa.org/desert-diamonds for more info

Happy Submitting!

Willow Kate

 The Struve family tucked their sweet baby, Willow Kate, into bed unaware it would be the last time. The cause was undetermined, SIDS. Still grieving, they've made it their mission to shield other families from this heartbreak. Their goal is to bring  awareness to SIDS and raise funds that in turn, will help gift Owlet Smart Socks monitoring system to families with little ones in order to help keep our babies safe.

 Lash Out Lash & Brow Bar are raffling a free brow microblading session (worth $650). To participate,  donate at least $25. Bonus entry if you repost/share via blog, Facebook or Instagram.

I cannot imagine the grief...and I cannot image the strength of character it would take to turn heartbreak into hope.

Lonely or Lovely?

Most say writing is a lonely endeavor (say that to my cat), but does it have to be? It's true that only your hands can type your story but what about the rest of the process? 

No one is great at everything, even in publishing. 

You might be a master of dialogue but fall a little short on scenery or that quiet writer in the corner of the conference might be a master of characterization. Conceptual edits are my love but the nitty gritty of punctuation are nails on the chalkboard.

How do can we, in the lonely field of writing, weave our strengths with others?

Take Inventory

What are your strengths and weaknesses (be brutally honest)?

If you're not sure what you've conquered and what you've neglected, join a critique group or submit to contests. Listen to the feedback, especially the repetitive suggestions.

Go Fishing

How do we find authors who have mastered your weaknesses?

Join a local writers group, extend your hand to other writers at conferences, join online writers groups...in short, reach out. And ask for help. There's no shame in humble requests.

Lonely writing is not. There's a bond that happens between authors as we share the most intimate thoughts with each other. Because of my literary journey, I've secured lifelong friends. Strangers have become family as ideas blossom and prejudices fall away. 

And that, my fellow writers, is how we change the world, a few words at a time.

The Strength of the Olive Branch

Choosing the olive branch to surround the words Kind Girls Make Strong Women was deliberate and intentional. Most believe the olive branch to be a symbol of peace, but there is greater depth in the symbol.

Long before modern civilization heralded the olive tree's healing properties and long before the olive branch represented war torn countries the tree became sacred by its own strength. Not only drought resistant and adaptable to even the rockiest soil, a single tree can live for thousands of years through limb cutting or limb transferring. In other words, no matter how destitute its foundation or how many times it's cut, the tree will live on.

Much like truth.
Much like kindness.
And very much like powerful peace.

I've witnessed a growing chasm between civility and tyranny within my own family. To say it's heart breaking would be a massive understatement. Everything I am and everything I try to teach my girls, is to be kind and strong. My little (immediate) family discuss politics, religion and even taboo subjects like mental health. We are far from perfect but I pray that Damon and I have created a safe place to question. The exact opposite of what my extended family has become.

Shouting opinions and brow beating under the guise of "educating" has become the norm. Dismissing the ideas and feelings of others by saying "they're young" or they're ______ (insert any label).

The most terrifying part is this isn't new. Any time there is an "us" and there is a "them" we wade into dangerous waters. I cannot save the world but I can nourish my roots, have them cling to the rocky soil. I can take heart that my children will leave my home and spread their peaceful strength out to the world, transferring their strength to others, like the olive tree.


For those interested in why it's dangerous to draw the line between old/young, Christian/Nonchristian, American/NonAmerican, Republican/Democrat...
Click here, or here, or even here. 

We Need You

Dear Writers,

We, as in Writers of Kern, need you. Change is on the horizon and we'd like your input. Mark your calendars for April 7th and join us for a strategy meeting. We'll discuss WOK's future both in leadership and direction.



For questions or additional information, please click here.

Spread the Love

Last year my daughters launched Kind Girls Make Strong Women both on Facebook and Instagram. They sold clothes and charms (without profit) to help spread the message. They appeared on the news both locally and in other hot pockets across the country. Their reach has spread as far as London but here, they've deepened their service. They've appeared and spoken at school districts, cleaned parks and much more.

Once a quarter, they host a donation drive to feed the hungry. 

This Saturday (February 17th, 2018) from 10 am. to 2 p.m. they'll be collecting non perishable food for their Spread the Love Donation Drive. And, like always, they are offering free tacos to boot. They've spent countless hours organizing and marketing this event. If you're able, please stop on by. There will be prizes for donors and local booths from our sponsors.

Query Camp Recap

Fifteen fearless writers signed up for our first webinar of the year but due to a glitch, our recorded video is unavailable. Have no fear, I’ve jotted down the basics.

Query Breakdown:

This is a letter we, as authors, send to an editor or an agent for publication. It absolutely must include the following components.

1. Agent

2. Pitch

3. Bio

Agent: 

Address your query to one agent, not an agency. Do your homework (and show your homework, I’m querying you because…)

Don’t forget to follow that particular agent’s submission guidelines.

Pitch:

It’s a clever summary without the ending—only the tension. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. 

A pitch is like a skirt, long enough to cover the basics but short enough to get attention.

Bio:

This is not a memoir, this is a bio to show you’re the real deal. Don’t over or undersell your work (or yourself). Remember, this is a job interview. You wouldn’t show up in pajamas nor would you show up in a tux. Be calm, be confident and keep it simple.

Tips: Your writing should stand out, not the actual query. Don’t use atypical font. Stick with 12 point size. Keep it to roughly 250 words total.

If you’re feeling nervous, then you’re doing something right.

Dan McGuire Blog Challenge

Give a shout-out to these ambitious writers. They’ve accepted the Dan McGuire Challenge. 

Rules:

1. Publish 26 posts on your blog by May 6th (twice a week for 13 weeks if you break it down)
2. Comment or like (on Facebook) at least three other blog posts (see list below)
3. Take a deep breath. You only need to write a few sentences, not a nove

Yours Truly,

Clarissa

Ann Cook http://cookpeak.com
Brent Gill brentgwriter.blogspot.com
Joan Raymond http://joanraymondwriting.com/blog/
Sudha Reddy doctorslounge4all.blogspot.com
Shirley Castro https://pelicanfamily.com/blog/
Patrick Kelly http://patternsofexplanation.wordpress.com
Judy Salamacha www.judysalamacha.com
Srey Khoy www.skreykhoy.com

Isabella Tagore passioncruit.com

Judy Kukuruza definitionstruths.blogspot.com 
Lily Hobbs www.justonething.site
Carla Martin www.carlajoypoetry.com
Mary Morton www.iwondergirl.com

***if your blog address is incorrect, please let me know ASAP***

Last Call for Query Camp

Registration ends January 29th (midnight).

Join our Query Camp on January 30th (6 p.m.) from the comfort of your couch. No matter where you are in the publishing journey, we'll help explain, critique and polish your query.

Click here to register.

You've Got This!

If our blog challenge has you nibbling on your nails and your knees shaking, take heart. It’s not as terrifying or dare I say, challenging, as it seems. 

The beauty of blogging is there are no rules, no word counts (in fact, the shorter, the better) and tons of cheerleaders. 

The idea is to write, regardless of how simple or tedious your day might be, we want to hear it. Each blogger will be “liking” or “commenting” on a fellow bloggers. We’re all in it together.

And get this, you can even blog about not having anything to blog about. Twenty six posts in thirteen weeks, you’ve got this!

Contests & Competitions

Black Lawrence Press

Big Moose Prize

Deadline: 

January 31, 2018

Entry Fee: 

$25

Cash Prize: 

$1,000

E-mail address: 

diane@blacklawrencepress.com

Website: 

http://www.blacklawrence.com/submissions-and-contests/the-big-moose-prize

A prize of $1,000, publication by Black Lawrence Press, and 10 author copies is given annually for a novel. The editors will judge. Using the online submission system, submit a manuscript of 90 to 1,000 pages with a $25 entry fee by January 31. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Black Lawrence Press, Big Moose Prize, 326 Bigham Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15211. (412) 488-8833. Diane Goettel, Executive Editor.

Red Hen, Women’s Prose

Deadline: 

February 28, 2018

Entry Fee: 

$25

Cash Prize: 

$1,000

E-mail address: 

editorial@redhen.org

Website: 

http://www.redhen.org

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Red Hen Press is given annually for a book of fiction or nonfiction by a woman. Lidia Yuknavitch will judge. Using the online submission system, submit a story or essay collection, a novel, or a memoir of 45,000 to 80,000 words with a $25 entry fee by February 28. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Red Hen Press, Women's Prose Prize, 1335 North Lake Avenue #200, Pasadena, CA 91104. (626) 356-4760. Keaton Maddox, Associate Editor.

James Jones Literary Society

First Novel Fellowship

Deadline: 

March 15, 2018

Entry Fee: 

$30

Cash Prize: 

$10,000

E-mail address: 

jamesjonesfirstnovel@wilkes.edu

Website: 

http://www.wilkes.edu/pages/1159.asp

A prize of $10,000 is given annually for a novel-in-progress by a U.S. writer who has not published a novel. A selection from the winning work will be published in Provincetown Arts. Runners-up will each receive $1,000. Submit the first 50 pages of a novel-in-progress and a two-page outline with a $30 entry fee ($33 for electronic submissions) by March 15. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

James Jones Literary Society, First Novel Fellowship, Wilkes University, Creative Writing Program, 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766. Bonnie Culver, Program Director.

Sarabande Books

Morton and McCarthy Prizes

Deadline: 

March 15, 2018

Entry Fee: 

$29

Cash Prize: 

$2,000

E-mail address: 

info@sarabandebooks.org

Website: 

http://www.sarabandebooks.org

Two prizes of $2,000 each and publication by Sarabande Books are given annually for collections of poetry and fiction. For the Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry, submit a manuscript of at least 48 pages with a $29 entry fee by March 15. Ocean Vuong will judge. For the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction, submit a manuscript of 150 to 250 pages of stories, novellas, or a short novel with a $29 entry fee by March 15. Aimee Bender will judge. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Sarabande Books, Morton and McCarthy Prizes, 822 East Market Street, Louisville, KY 40206.

Dan McGuire Blog Challenge

Dan took a detour to Smith’s Bakery every time we had a board meeting. He’d show up with Apple Fritters and a joke or two in his pocket. The last time time I went to lunch with him, we joked about how food filled his belly and his blog. 

The Tuesday after he died, I bought an Apple Fritter. I couldn’t eat it and wound up giving it to a mother with a crying toddler. The loss of Dan still catches me off guard but there’s hope in continuing his legacy. 

Dan published his (now defunct) blog, Bako Heat three times a week. There are times I still scroll through his site, mostly to hear his humor. And his voice. He was a man easy to love and hard to forget. 

In his honor, we’re hosting the Dan McGuire Blog Challenge.

From February 5th to May 6th each participant will post 26 articles on his or her blog—and comment on fellow bloggers.

Please join us in our tribute to a great man.

Participants: please email me your blog (I’ll be listing each blog to encourage participation).

2018 Live Webinar Kick off!

Writers, 

Thank you for your wishlist feedback. We’re kicking off 2018 with not just one live webinar, but a series. 

First up, Queries!

Join our Query Camp on January 30th from the comfort of your couch. No matter where you are in the publishing journey, we’ll help explain, critique and polish your query.

Click here to register!