If y’all don’t already know, Brenda Drake is an amazing author that hosts some amazing opportunities for writers via contests. Pitch Madness is one of these awesome events that helps connect writers with literary agents! Writers submit a 35-word (max) pitch and the first 250 words of their completed manuscript on submission day. Then a team of readers choose the top sixty (60) entries to go onto the agent round.
The submission window for 2017 Pitch Madness is February 24, 2017. This is a blog contest, so stay tuned to Brenda’s site for entry information!
It’s time for another picture book twitter party using #PBPitch! So, if you write or illustrate picture books, this is the event for you. This party will take place Thursday, February 23, 2017 from 8am-8pm EST. But remember, anyone can trawl the feed, so be sure and do your research! There will be legit agents and editors that pop in and out, including those that haven’t confirmed attendance. But those that have confirmed are:
Be sure and only pitch once before 2pm and once after! (Yes, twice is all you get per manuscript!) If you’re an illustrator, you can attach an image to the pitch. For complete rules and proper hashtags, go here.
The deadline for Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest is approaching. All unpublished entries must be received by February 17, 2017. This is also a chance to get feedback on your work. There are twelve categories:
mainstream
historical
romance/women’s fiction
mystery/thriller
sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal
young adult
middle grade
nonfiction/memoir
poetry
short story
children’s picture/chapter book
adult short topics (articles/essays/memoir)
There are three monetary prizes:
FIRST PLACE:$600
SECOND PLACE:$300
THIRD PLACE: $100
Eight finalist will receive two critiques on their submissions. The agents and editors participating in the PNWA‘s summer conference will pick winners out of the finalists. Go here for complete details. As always, good luck!
Submissions for the Lindquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry will be closing February 15, 2017. So, don’t delay if you want to enter. This is an annual regional prize, presented in partnership by Milkweed Editions and the Lindquist & Vennum Foundation. Submittors must currently reside in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, or Wisconsin. The submitted manuscript must be unpublished, though individual poems may have been previously published. The prize awards $10,000 and publication by Milkweed Editions. The winner is selected from a small number of finalists by an independent judge.
For complete details regarding submissions and guidelines, go here.
Gotham Writers want you to enter your 16-word memoir that reflects on 2016. The winner will receive a free class of choice from Gotham Writers. And writers should always be about honing the craft! Am I right?
The Details:
Submit a 16-word memoir (true story) that reflects on 2016.
Entry must consist of no more than 16 words. Longer entries will be disregarded.
Entries must be submitted online by midnight Eastern Time, February 20, 2017.
Only online entries will be accepted.
Entry is free. Limit one entry per person.
Entry must be original and unpublished.
Entries will be judged on originality, quality, spelling, and grammar.
Gotham will post the winning entry at GothamWriters.com
The World Illustration Awards are open to illustrators in any country working in any medium or context. Work must be entered as either a New Talent entry or a Professional entry. There are eight categories for works to be submitted. However, keep in mind there is an entry fee for this contest.
All submissions should be completed by Monday, February 6, 2017. All category winners will receive a complimentary software package from the Design Category sponsor, Affinity Designer.
It’s with great pleasure I announce Bone Jack by Sara Crowe is being released in the United States on February 7, 2017. I originally interviewed Sara in June of 2014 regarding Bone Jack in the UK. However, the US link on that interview goes to the Book Depository for the UK version. BUT…now you can get the US version with a brand new cover design. And doesn’t it look fabulous?
Synopsis:
Times have been tough for Ash lately, and all he wants is for everything to go back to the way it used to be. Back before drought ruined the land and disease killed off the livestock. Before Ash’s father went off to war and returned carrying psychological scars. Before his best friend, Mark, started acting strangely.
As Ash trains for his town’s annual Stag Chase—a race rooted in violent, ancient lore—he’s certain that if he can win and make his father proud, life will return to normal. But the line between reality and illusion is rapidly blurring, and the past has a way of threatening the present.
When a run in the mountains brings Ash face-to-face with Bone Jack—a figure that guards the boundary between the living world and the dead—everything changes once more. As dark energies take root and the world as he knows it is upended, it’s up to Ash to restore things to their proper order and literally run for his life.
Sara Crowe
If you would like to learn more about Sara, visit her on twitter or Instagram. She is a wonderful photographer, as well. So check out all she has to offer!
***Congrats to Giveaway Winner: Diana Debolt***
If you live in the United States, be sure and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway (Closed) for a free copy of the US version of Bone Jack! (Yes, this is for U.S. only, sorry guys.) As always, good luck!
BeckyTara Books is hosting Writing With The Stars, a mentorship opportunity for picture book writers and illustrators. The industry stars who have generously agreed to donate their time and knowledge to this program can be found here. Applicants who are selected will be paired with one of these amazing author/illustrators for a three-month mentorship. Wowza!
The winning story will be awarded $2000 and publication online. Second and third place stories will be awarded publication and $200 and $100 respectively. All winners and honorable mentions will receive agency review by: Amy Williams of The Williams Agency, Victoria Marini from Irene Goodman, and Laura Biagi from Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, Inc. We want you to succeed, and we want your writing to be read. It’s been our mission to support emerging writers since day one.
They say they don’t have any preferences topically or in terms of style. They’re simply looking for the best. Also, they don’t define, nor are we interested in, stories identified by their genre. However, they consider themselves a publication that focuses on literary fiction and are looking for stories that dazzle, take chances, are bold — and do so by focusing on more than plot.
You can check out the complete guidelines for submissions and previous winners here. Please note the deadline to enter is January 15, 2017.
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers announces the LITTLE, BROWN EMERGING ARTIST AWARD for an unpublished artist with a great picture book idea. This new initiative seeks promising new talent and encourages the development of high-quality picture books that resonate with readers of diverse backgrounds and experience, while also providing valuable mentorship by an acclaimed illustrator and children’s book professionals.
Only one award will be given:
American Express® gift cards totaling $2,500;
Round-trip travel for the winner to New York City;
A day at LBYR’s offices in New York, including lunch with an editor, an art director, and the Artist Mentor, an in-person portfolio review by the Artist Mentor and the LBYR publishing staff, and a tour of the office; and
An opportunity for the winning submission to be reviewed by LBYR’s editorial team for possible future publication. (**A subsequent book publishing deal, if any, would be separately negotiated, and is not considered part of the Award).
Submissions must be received by January 15, 2017. Be sure and check out the complete official rules. As always, good luck!
![Bone Jack by [Crowe, Sara]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/512Ybp52caL.jpg)
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