Tag Archives: Authors

Merry Christmas

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Santa

Wishing all my family and friends a Merry Christmas! Safe travels to everyone going out of town. I hope everyone has plenty of food to stuff their bellies and joy to fill their hearts. And if it’s within your power, remember those less fortunate. Christmas should be about giving and less about taking.

Also, I send prayers out to those whom are ill this Christmas and fighting diseases. May God touch you with his grace, heal you, and bless this day and everyday for your future.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

San Francisco Writers Conference

Literary, Writing Conferences & Getaways, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Image result for san francisco writers conference

The 2017 San Francisco Writers Conference will be held on February 16-19 at the historical Mark Hopkins Hotel. Meet keynoters:  

But the SFWC presenters list also includes many more bestselling authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers from major publishing houses.  There are experts on self-publishing, book promotion, platform building, social media, and author websites.

PRESENTERS:
Jon Agee, children’s book author/illustrator
Nina Amir, author, speaker, journalist, nonfiction editor/coach/consultant
Kathleen Antrim, author, Co-President, of International Thriller Writers
Jim Azevedo, Smashwords Marketing Director
Aya de Leon, author and poet
Frances Caballo, SFWC social media director
Zoe FitzGerald Carter, author of Imperfect Endings: A Daughter’s Story of Love, Loss, and Letting Go
Stephanie Chandler, author, speaker and CEO
Mark Coker, Smashwords Founder
Rana DiOrio, Chief Executive Officer of Little Pickle Press
Julia Drake, co-founder of Wildbound PR
Selden Edwards, author of The Lost Prince
Kate Farrell, author, librarian, storyteller
Steaphen Fick, founder of the Davenriche Martial Artes School
Elizabeth Fishel, author of Getting To 30:  A Parent’s Guide to the 20-Something Years (coauthored with Jeffrey Arnett)
Diane Frank, poet and author of six books of poems
Joel Friedlander, award-winning book designer and blogger
Tanya Egan Gibson, author, freelance editor and consultant
Cali Gilbert, author
Jewelle Gomez, author, poet, critic and playwright
Constance Hale, journalist and author
Melissa Hart, author and contributing editor at The Writer Magazine
K.J. Howe, author and Executive Director of ThrillerFest
Stuart Horwitz, founder and principal of Book Architecture
Carla King, adventure travel author, Founder of Self-Pub Boot Camp and Author Friendly
Michael Larsen, author, co-founder/co-director of the SFWC
Linda Lee, web site designer and WordPress expert 
Donna Levin, author/writing teacher
Richard Loranger, writer, performer, visual artist
Mary Mackey, novelist, poet, screenwriter
Susie Meserve, memoirist, essayist, and poet
Tim McCanna, author of Bitty Bot and Watersong
Jennie Nash, author, teacher and CCO of AuthorAccelerator
Louise Nayer, co-authored How To Bury A Goldfish: 113 Rituals for Everyday Life.
Kathryn Otoshi, children’s book author
Douglas Rees, children’s book author and librarian
Olivia Rivers, children’s book author
Jordan E. Rosenfeld, author, editor and writing coach
Orna Ross, Irish indie author. She writes and publishes novels, poetry and the Go Creative!
Naheed Senzai, children’s book author
Lida Sideris, author of Murder and Other Unnatural Disasters
Justin Sloan, video game writer, novelist and screenwriter
Steven Spatz, writer,marketer and President of BookBaby
Elizabeth Stark, author,mentor and podcaster
Penny Warner, author and Agatha Award winner
Dylan Yates, author, writer and vocal coach

The lists for attending agents and editors looks topnotch! Some of the agents will even be accepting pitches during the Speed Dating For Agents. You can see a list of those participating here. Their are also editors doing eight minute consultations. More information on the consults is here. But for an idea of the many agents and editors that will be in attendance, here is a list:

AGENTS:
Lisa Abellera, Kimberley Cameron and Associates (CA)
Peter Beren, Peter Beren Literary Agency (CA)
Jennifer Chen Tran, Fuse Literary (CA)
Amy Cloughley, Kimberley Cameron & Assoc. (CA)
Sorche Elizabeth Fairbank, Fairbank Literary Representation (NY)
Mark Gottlieb, Trident Media Group, LLC (NYC)
Sarah Levitt, Aevitas Creative Management (NY)
Laurie McLean, Fuse Literary (CA)
Mary C. Moore, Kimberley Cameron & Associates (CA)
Dana Newman, Dana Newman Literary (CA)
Kim Perel, Irene Goodman Literary Agency (NY)
Jody Rein, Jody Rein Books (CO)
Andy Ross, Andy Ross Agency (CA)
Rayhané Sanders, Lippincott Massie McQuilkin (NY)
Ken Sherman, Ken Sherman & Associates (CA)
Jennifer March Soloway, Associate Agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (CA)
Gordon Warnock, Fuse Literary (CA)
Carlie Webber, CK Webber Associates (CA)
Ted Weinstein, Ted Weinstein Literary (CA)
Anna Worrall, The Gernert Company (NY)
Adriann Ranta Zurhellen, Foundry Literary + Media (NY)

EDITORS:
Chuck Adams, Executive editor at Algonquin Books
Brenda Copeland, St. Martins Press
Jason Gardner, New World Library
Mary Knippel, Independent Editor
Heather Lazare, Editor & Publishing Consultant
Tyler Moss, Managing Editor at Writers Digest
Taylor Norman, Chronicle Books
Jane Ormerod, Founding editor at great weather for MEDIA
Mary Rakow, Independent Editor
Leila Sales, author and Associate Publishing Manager at Viking Children’s Books
Lauren Spiegel, Senior Editor at Touchstone (S&S)
Liz Stein, Editor at Park Row Books, a division of Harlequin/HarperCollins
Annie Tucker, independent writing coach, developmental editor, and copy editor 
Monica Wesolowska, Editor and teacher of fiction and creative non-fiction
Lisa Westmoreland, Executive Editor at 10 Speed Press

For those attending, this sounds like a great four days of learning and marketing yourself!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Contest Time!

Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hey Readers! Take a look at this contest I came across! Don’t you just love “Press This” on WordPress? If you’re looking for a cover design, this ones for you. Oh, and there are a few books to be won! Woot!

Hello readers and writers! Today marks the first day in a month-long contest. The talented Sean Lowery with High Impact Covers and author Allison Maruska have generously donated prizes to 6 …

Source: Contest Time!

#PitchMAS Twitter Party Tomorrow!

Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

PaPitchmasLogo

Jessa Russo and Tamara Mataya are celebrating the success of their blog contest with a #PitchMAS twitter party December 16, 2016 from 6am-6pm PST. This is for completed and polished unpublished manuscripts! You will need to create a 140 character pitch for twitter and use the age category and genre (if possible). Participating agents and editors will fave pitches that interested them. Check their twitter feed and/or agency website for guidelines on how to submit.

As for the twitter party guidelines, go here. As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Dan Kobolt’s #SFFpit is Tomorrow!

Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

sffpit-contest

It’s that time of year again for science fiction and fantasy writers to polish their pitches for Dan Koboldt’s #SFFpit writing contest on twitter! It starts tomorrow December 8, 2016 between 8am-6pm EST. This contest allows 10 pitches total and Dan asks that you use them wisely! As usual, it needs to be a 140 character pitch for twitter and includes the hashtag #SFFpit. For all the rules, including how to properly insert the age group and category, go here. And remember to research any agents or editors that favorite your tweet because ANY ONE can trawl the feed!

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Bath Children’s Novel Award

Awards, Contests, Critiques, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

bath-childrens-novel-award

The Bath Children’s Novel Award is an international writing competition for unpublished and independently published novelists. This years judge is literary agent Julia Churchill of AM Heath. And the sponsor is Cornerstones Literary Consultancy. The winner will receive £2,000 (approximately $2467 US) and a shortlist prize of £500 (approximately $616 US)Cornerstones Literary Consultancy vouchers.

This is The Bath Children’s Novel Award’s second year. Inaugural winner Lucy Van Smit was swiftly signed by literary agent Sallyanne Sweeney, Jane Brittan attracted a Carnegie Medal nomination for her indie-published debut and shortlistee Sophie Cameron signed a book deal with Macmillan Children’s after accepting representation with literary agent Hellie Ogden for her YA novel Out of the Blue.

Entry for the award ends November 20th, 2016 (and remember, this is UK time zone)! For complete guidelines and entry fee information, go here. As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Under The Volcano Writing Retreat

Literary, Writing Conferences & Getaways, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

tepoztlan-mexico

Under The Volcano has master classes over a nine day stay in Tepoztlan, Mexico. This retreat is for writers wanting to vacation, learn, and write on their WIP simultaneously. Even greater, these types of trips are tax deductible for writers. (Yes, you heard that right.)

The next session will be January 12-22, 2017 and costs $1795 (US). This fee includes:

  • Tuition for 6 three-hour workshops
  • One individual conference
  • Opening reception, orientation and closing dinners and one other group dinner
  • Daily lunches by Cocinar Mexicano
  • Private faculty reading and dinner
  • Public readings and book signings
  • Village tour and other cultural events
  • Escorted pyramid hike
  • Closing dinner

The fee does NOT include Airfare, accommodation and ground transportation for the workshop. For information or questions, you can go to their website to access their email form. (Disclaimer: I’ve not attended this workshop, so do your own research!)

 

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Twitter Pitch Party #AdPit

Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Heidi Norrod is hosting another fabulous twitter pitch event for writers called AdPit. In order to participate, authors need to have a finished manuscript and tweet their 140 character pitch using the hashtag #AdPit on November 16. 2016. The contest will be between 9am-3pm CST (Chicago time). You will allowed to pitch six times over the course of the event. I’d suggest once every hour, as the event is six hours long.

This contest is open to ADULT and NEW ADULT COMPLETED, fiction and non-fiction books. And remember, be sure to research the trawling LITERARY AGENTS and EDITORS before submissions. As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Writer and blogger of MG/YA fiction.

Writer’s Digest Short Story Competition

Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

wd-short-story-competition

Writer’s Digest is hosting a writing competition for short stories (1,500 words or less) with a grand prize worth $3,000, a feature in Writer’s Digest magazine and more.

Make it bold. Make it brilliant. Most importantly, make it brief.

One First Place Winner will receive:

  • $3,000 in cash
  • Their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2017 issue
  • A paid trip to the ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference!
  • A copy of the 17th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection
  • A copy of the 2017 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market
  • A copy of the 2017 Guide to Literary Agents

There will also be monetary prizes, books and/or certificates given to 2nd-25th place winners! (There is a fee for entering.) If your interested in submitting, go here by the Early-Bird Deadline of November 15!

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Heidi Norrod’s #KidPit on Twitter

Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

images (1)

Heidi Norrod is hosting another fabulous twitter pitch event for writers called KidPit. In order to participate, authors need to have a finished manuscript and tweet their 140 character pitch using the hashtag #KidPit on November 9. 2016. The contest will be between 9am-3pm CST (Chicago time). You will allowed to pitch six times over the course of the event. I’d suggest once every hour, as the event is six hours long.

This event is open to BOARD BOOKS, PICTURE BOOKS, EASY READER/CHAPTER BOOKS, MIDDLE GRADE, and/or YOUNG ADULT COMPLETED novel, fiction and non-fiction books. When typing your pitch, be sure to include either #BB (Board Book), #PB (Picture Books), #CB (Chapter Books and Early Readers), #MG (Middle Grade), or #YA (Young Adult) and tag with the genre. And don’t forget to add the hashtag #KidPit so it will show up in the feed.

Also, I’d like to remind everyone that twitter pitch parties are open to everyone, meaning anyone can trawl the feed! Be sure to research before you send any submissions from a favored pitch. As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.