Home
About
News
Workshops
Competitions
Scene of the Crime
Member Sites
Links

Calendar

Aug. 21
Monthly Workshop: Critique Groups

In News:

Member News

Contests & Markets

Conferences & Workshops

Critique Groups

HEADLINES

Help with Character Development -- From the newsletter: We've compiled a sampling of online tools and guides for building great characters.

♦ ♦ ♦

Contests & Markets Online

Click here or scroll down for info on open contests and markets available to submit your work.

The Latest:

  • Prairie Book Festival in Hutchinson sponsors trio of contests
  • Memoir (and) Prize for Memoir in Prose or Poetry through Aug. 15
  • Writers Matrix Grabber 1250 Contest through Nov. 1
  • Writer’s Digest 11th Annual Short Short Story Competition through Dec. 1

KWA Newsletters

The newsletter needs you! Send your member news and article ideas to Erin at newsletter@ kwawriters.org

JULY 2010

2010

In this issue:

  • New contest listings
  • President's Remarks: Writing Contests Have a Lot to Teach Us
  • H.B. Berlow on A Modern Writer’s Life
  • Member news and more!

Submit your news and contributions to Erin at newsletter@kwawriters.org

January
February
March
April
May
June


Member News

Bernell Baldwin’s story, “The Man From Ohio, a dust storm and the measles,” was published in the April issue of Active Aging.

Starla Criser, aka Starla Kaye, has sold two medieval romance novels. Great Scottish Devil is currently being published as a weekly serialized novel with Blushing Books. Their Lady Gloriana will be published by Black Velvet Seductions, release date TBA.

Erin Perry O’Donnell wrote three articles for the June issue of Women’s Focus, including the cover story, “Meet the Jake Legs: Wichita’s own ‘Rat Pack’.”

B.D. Tharp appeared on the KSCW-TV morning show this month to talk about her novel, Feisty Family Values. On July 18, she will be the guest blogger at SavvyAuthors.com on the topic of interviewing. On July 22, she’ll give a talk at 7 p.m. at the Sedgwick Senior Center in Sedgwick.

Arlene Graber signing Arlene Rains Graber had a reading and signing for her book, Devoted to Traveling, April 18 at Watermark Books. Members of her critique group were among those attending. From left to right: Hazel Hart, Bonnie Eaton, Arlene (seated), and Vicki Hermes-Bond.

Jennifer Sparlin’s humorous ghost story, "Ghosted," was published in the May issue of Cover of Darkness.

Starla Criser, writing as Starla Kaye, sold a novel, Maggie Mine, and a novella, Cupid's Mistake, to Blushing Publications. Cupid's Mistake was published in March. Maggie Mine began publication as a 12-week serial April 1.

Bill DeArmond, professor of mass communications and film at Southwestern College, has published his fifth book, Mortal Silences, Graveyard Talk. The book is a compilation of short stories capturing moments in time. His story “The Wyr of Slater House” won the grand prize in fiction for the 2003 Kansas Voices contest. DeArmond has announced plans for a poetry book to be his next endeavor. He hopes to have that published within the next 16 months. Mortal Silences, Graveyard Talk can be purchased online at www.lulu.com, or at Moonshadow Book Store and College Hill Coffee in Winfield.

Erin Perry O’Donnell wrote three articles for the April issue of Women’s Focus magazine. One is a guide to summer camps, activities, and volunteer opportunities for kids in Wichita. She also interviewed Denise Brown, who has become an activist against domestic violence since the murder of her sister, Nicole Brown Simpson. And she wrote a companion story about two clients of the Wichita Women’s Initiative Net-work (WIN), which helps women recovering from abusive relationships to complete their education, develop job skills and live independently.

Conrad Jestmore has had his article "The Courage to Walk Through Doors" published in the spring issue of The Reiki News Magazine. It recounts his efforts and successes in giving Reiki treatments to puppy mill survivors at the Kansas Humane Society.

Richard Walkup's supernatural horror novel THE HAINT has been accepted by publisher Freya's Bower.

DEVOTED TO TRAVELINGA unique devotional book by Arlene Rains Graber has just been released by AWOC Publishers. DEVOTED TO TRAVELING is a chronicle of the experiences of the author whose adventures are written with lessons learned. From the healing of San Francisco to renewal in an ancient cathedral, readers experience the highs and lows of traveling. As a travel professional since 1983, Graber also addresses how to pack, security issues, and what happens at the airport when "canceled" blazes over the departure screen. The book is available at www.awocbooks.com and Amazon.com, and is soon to be in bookstores. Watch for the book-signing schedule at www.arlenerainsgraber.com.

FEISTY FAMILY VALUESB.D. Tharp's debut novel, FEISTY FAMILY VALUES, was published in February by Five Star Expressions. The story centers on three ladies who discover the truth about what makes a poignant but feisty family.

THE SEA AT MUGHAINJennifer Sparlin's historical fantasy novel for young adults and up, THE SEA AT MUGHAIN, was published in February by Sam's Dot Publishing. It is available for order at www.genremall.com, where it debuted on the February bestseller list.

Poetry is for Everyone Conrad Jestmore has had five poems published in the anthology POETRY IS FOR EVERYONE, edited by Mary M. Chase and published by Rough Road Books. They include four previously published poems ("Scanning the Cartographer's Lines," "Uisce Beatha," "Red Draw," and "On the Cottonwood") and one new poem ("Seeking Protection, KS"). The anthology is available through Amazon.com.

SUPREMACY AND SURVIVAL Stephanie A. Mann, author of SUPREMACY AND SURVIVAL: HOW CATHOLICS ENDURED THE ENGLISH REFORMATION, had a review essay published in the Nov. 16 online edition of First Things' On the Square: "There’s Something about Bloody Mary". Her article "In the Shadow of Tyburn Tree: Who were the Martyrs of England and Wales" appears as the cover story of the January/February 2010 issue of The Catholic Answer magazine. See www.supremacyandsurvival.com for details.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Have something published? Have a very kind rejection? Be sure to let us know! Email Erin at newsletter@kwawriters.org


Contests & Markets
(Chronological by deadline)

MULTI-CATEGORY

Prairie Book Festival Contests
The Hutchinson Public Library will host the Prairie Book Festival on Sept. 25. The festival is a celebration of reading, writing and literature and will feature a combination of Kansas authors, with book sales and autographing; storytelling and crafts for children; book valuations; memoir readings; musical entertainment and other attractions. In conjunction with the Festival, the library is holding three creative writing contests: 100 Word Fiction, Limerick, and Longest Sentence. Unlimited entries. Entry forms are available online at prairiebookfestival.com and at the library, 901 N. Main St.
Deadline: Aug. 31
Click here for details.


The Gulf Coast Writers Association Anthology
Submissions are being accepted for the third annual anthology. Theme and location must be U.S. Southern. Previously published stories accepted. Length of 2,500 words or less. Limit two entries per author. A few poems may be selected as well. Authors of accepted stories are paid $25.
Deadline: Sept. 1
Click here for details.


"Scare The Dickens Out of Us" Ghost Story Contest
The second annual "Scare The Dickens Out of Us" contest offers $1,000 first place, $500 second place and $250 third place prize money this year for a new, original ghost story up to 5,000 words. Any genre is welcome. This literary contest is a fundraiser for the Friends of the Dr. Eugene Clark Library in Lockhart, Texas, the oldest continuously in-use library in Texas. The contest is privately funded; all entry fees go to the Friends for Library projects. We are also supporting a "Junior Scare the Dickens Out of Us" ghost story contest with a $250 first prize. This is for ages 12-18 and requires a $5 entry fee.
Entry fee: $20 ($5 for Junior contest)
Entry period: July 1-Oct. 1
Click here for details.


Main Street Rag is accepting Short Fiction and Essays/Creative Nonfiction/Reviews. No email submissions accepted. For submission requirements, visit www.mainstreetrag.com/How2GetIn.html.
Main Street Rag
P.O. Box 690100
Charlotte, NC 28227-7001


FICTION

Fault Zone: Words from the Edge anthology
Fault Zone: Words from the Edge, an anthology of short stories, will be published this fall by the San Francisco/Peninsula Branch of California Writers. Non-members of our branch are encouraged to submit their short stories in our writing contest. Your piece should relate to the anthology's theme in some way. First prize: $300 and publication in our anthology. Second prize: $100. Third prize: $50.
Entry fee: $15
Deadline: Aug. 15
Click here for details.


The Tommy Award for Excellence in Writing
Given by WritersNewsWeekly for novels and short stories. No entry fee and no prize money. The first place short story will be published in WritersNewsWeekly; the first place novel will be reviewed on the website.
Deadline: Aug. 15
Click here for details.


Writers Matrix Grabber 1250 Contest
KWA co-founder Gordon Kessler is running a contest for best opening hook of a book. All genres welcome. The top three finalists will be judged by an established editor at a major New York publishing house. 1st place, $100; 2nd place, $50; 3rd place, $25. The first 50 entries will be line-edited and critiqued.
Entry fee: $10
Deadline: Nov. 1
Click here for details.


Writer’s Digest 11th Annual Short Short Story Competition
Maximum length is 1,500 words. First place is $3,000 and a trip to the Writer's Digest Conference in New York City. Cash prizes up to $1,500 also given through 10th place. Winners will appear in the June 2011 issue.
Deadline: Dec. 1
Click here for details.


New Love Stories—Fiction
Overall theme should involve short stories of Male/Female love and romance. These stories may be contemporary, historic, inspirational, paranormal, or any other theme as long as love and romance are the main thrust of the story. Story length range from 3,000 to 5,000 words. Pays up to $300.
www.newlovestories.com/wrgu.html


POETRY

The Great American Poetry Show is a hardcover serial poetry anthology open year-round to submissions of poems in English on any subject and in any style, length and number by mail with a SASE or by email.
The Great American Poetry Show
P.O. Box 69506
West Hollywood, CA 90069
www.tgaps.net
info@tgaps.net


New Love Stories Magazine—Poetry
Will buy global, electronic and Internet rights in all languages as well as future anthology rights. You may not resell your story before it is published in Love Stories Magazine. After you sign the release they will issue a payment of $50 to $75 to you on publication along with complimentary copies of the magazine.
www.newlovestories.com/poems.html


NON-FICTION

Memoir (and) Prize for Memoir in Prose or Poetry
A prize of $500 and publication in Memoir (and) is given twice yearly for a memoir in the form of a poem, a short story, or an essay. The editors will judge. Submit up to five poems or up to 10,000 words of prose. No entry fee.
Deadline: Aug. 15
Click here for details.


Family Chronicle
Based in Toronto, Canada, but 90 percent of circulation is in the U.S. Payment varies but not less than $55 per page and average is considerably higher. Average 2,000 words or up to 7,000. If information is useful and well presented, an article of this length is likely to be accepted.
www.familychronicle.com/anotes.htm


Y'All Magazine
Magazine of Southern People. Queries must be on or about Southern celebrities or extraordinary ordinary Southerners, or elements of Southern culture. Fiction or true life. Pays 15 cents a word. Query via email to editor@yall.com) or mail:
Y'all Editorial Dept.
P.O. Box 1217
Oxford, MS 38655
No phone calls, please.
www.yall.com/guidelines.shtml


Conferences & Workshops
Critique Groups

Complete Critique

The Complete Critique writing group meets in Borders East (1715 N. Rock Road, Wichita) every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the café area. We are a diverse group of writers who vary in age, writing style, and expertise and are currently working in a wide range of genres (memoir, horror, science fiction, mystery, and paranormal romance).

Generally two or three members hand out writing one week and we critique it the next. We strive to present honest, constructive criticism that ranges from grammar to plot consistency, as we all desire to be published, and are working hard to improve both our writing and our stories. During November we stop critiquing in order to participate in National Novel Writing Month; those meetings are used for brainstorming sessions and writing sprees.

We welcome new members. Please feel free to drop in, but we prefer that you call so we can be watching for you.

If you are interested, please contact us. Click a name to email:

Do you write poetry?

Some KWA members are looking for a new poetry critique group. If you write poetry and are interested, contact Colleen at ckjohnston@aol.com. There is no particular date or hour set for meeting, so make your preferences known. This group is not for those with no experience in poetry at all.


 

 

© 2004-2010, Kansas Writers Association. All rights reserved. CONTACT US