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Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest

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The deadline for Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest is approaching. All unpublished entries must be received by March 1, 2020 (online entries) or March 27, 2020 (paper entries by 6pm). This is also a chance to get feedback on your work. There are twelve categories:

  1. Mainstream
  2. Historical
  3. Romance/Women’s fiction
  4. Mystery/Thriller
  5. Sci-fi/Fantasy/Paranormal
  6. Young adult
  7. Middle grade
  8. Nonfiction/Memoir
  9. Short story
  10. Children’s picture/Chapter book
  11. Adult short topics (articles/essays/memoir)
  12. Screenwriting/TV pilots

There are three monetary prizes:

  • FIRST PLACE: $600
  • SECOND PLACE: $250
  • THIRD PLACE: $150

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 contest details. As always, good luck!

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

#WriteOnCon is Almost Here!

WriteOnCon

The WriteOnCon creators of this marvelous online gathering say this is “A writing conference you don’t even have to wear pants to. (Please wear pants, though.)” And yep, this is my favorite line! The conference isn’t just an opportunity to attend a writing workshop, but it’ll be the cheapest (aside from being free, of course) and closest conference you’ll ever attend. Seriously, you can participate from your home! And while you might have missed the raffles and perks to buy critiques, there is still time to sign up to join. Admission is either $10 (General Admission), $15 (Full Admission), $20 (Extended Admission) or $25 (Time Traveler Admission). You can’t go wrong with any choice!

WriteOnCon is an online conference for kidlit writers and illustrators. Connect with writers, authors, and agents in this event. There will even be SUPERHEREOS (agents and authors) sneaking around the forum to give you feedback on your queries and manuscripts. This year’s heroes are:

SuperAgents:

SuperAuthors and Editors:

Check their disguises out here. There will also be live pitch sessions! Check the schedule for all 3 days and who the speakers will be. But hurry to get registered because it’ll take place Friday-Sunday, February 21-23, 2020.

As always, good luck!

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

Pikes Peak Writers Conference

Pikes Peak logo

Pikes Peak Writers Conference is an opportunity to get literary advise from a professional in the business or get invaluable feedback on your manuscript. The conference will be April 17-19, 2020 held  in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

  • Delilah Dawson (New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Phasma and more!)
  • Laura DiSilverio (National bestselling and award-winning author of 21 mystery, suspense and young adult sci-fi novels.)
  • Mary Jo Putney (New York Times bestselling author, won ten RWA RITA nominations, two RITA wins, and received RWA’s 2013 Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award.)
  • Chuck Wendig (New York Time bestselling author of Star Wars: Aftermath, alongside other works across comics, games, film, and more.)
  • Reavis Wortham (Spur Award winner and author of historical mysteries and contempory westerns.)

ACQUIRING EDITORS:

AGENTS:

For more authors and specialist, go here. And be sure to register before the workshop fills up and make your reservations at the DoubleTree by Hilton Colorado Spring. As always, have fun!

P.D. Pabst

Author Mentor Match #AMM Round 7

Author Mentor Match was created by Heather Kaczynski and Alexa Donne. The object is to match new writers with authors further along in the publishing process and gain invaluable mentoring! That’s right, this is an opportunity to get your manuscript critiqued (for free) before submitting to agents!

Authors can select up to four mentors during the submission window which is already opened! Submissions close tomorrow February 16, 2020. Watch for the mentor BIOS to be posted to learn what age groups and genres they wish to see in their inbox!

Please note there is a two-step process for entering:

  1. Fill out the submission form. (I believe the form will appear during the sub window period.)
  2. Email the proper information to authormentormatch@gmail.com:
  • A query (pasted in the body of the email!)
  • The first 50 pages/3 chapters of your novel (whichever is longer & can be attached)
  • A synopsis

Be sure to include in the subject line the manuscripts Age Category +Genre + Title. (ie: YA Sci-Fi – Mars Plants are the Bomb) on the email submission. And check out the site in order to know how to select the mentors you wish to submit because it isn’t clear quite yet. (I’m guessing this might be part of the submission form.) As always, good luck!

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

SAN FRANCISCO WRITERS CONFERENCE

San Francisco Writers Conference

The 2020 San Francisco Writers Conference will be held on February 13-16 at the historical Hyatt Regency Embarcadero. 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.

2020 SFWC PRESENTERS:
Nina Amir, author and writing coach
Kathleen Antrim, author, copresident of International Thriller Writers
Jim Azevedo, marketing director at Smashwords
Armand Baltazar, author/illustrator ***KID’S EVENT PRESENTER***
Jordan Bernal, author and past president of CWC Tri-Valley Branch
Cara Black, bestselling mystery novelist
Carole Bumpus, travel/food writer
Stephen E. Browne, online editor and marketing pro
Stephanie Chandler, author and CEO of the Nonfiction Authors Association
Paula Chinick, author and past president of California Writers Club Tri-Valley Branch
Amanda Clay, novelist
Mark Coker, author and founder of major ebook distributor Smashwords
Christine Conradt, screenwriter, author, director and producer
E.J. DeBrun, animator and storyteller
Aya de Leon, author, activist, teacher
Laurie Ann Doyle, author, essayist, writing teacher
Taryn Edwards, Strategic Partnerships Manager and Historian, Mechanics’ Institute of San Francisco
Kate Farrell, author, librarian, storyteller
Grant Faulkner, author, Executive Director of NaNoWriMo, Co-founder of 100 Word Story
Joey Garcia, author, journalist, love expert
Joan Gelfand, poet, author, book coach
Cali Gilbert, author, screenwriter, filmmaker
Sarah Granger, author, playwright and screenwriter
Seth Greenwald, author, speaker, creativity coach
Connie Hale, author, journalist
Barbara Hall, TV producer, screenwriter and author
Dorothy Hearst, author
Rebecca Hunter, author
Meredith Jaeger
, author
Dr. Andy Jones, poet & Pub Quiz Host
Elizabeth Kauffman, indie editor and social media guru
Carla King, author and self-publishing expert, founder of Self-Publishing Boot Camp
Mary E. Knippel, independent editor, writing mentor, and author
C. S. Lakin, author, copy-editor, and writing coach
Rocky Lang, author, producer, director, screenwriter
Heather Lazare, editorial & publishing consultant
Linda Lee, website designer and WordPress expert, SFWC Volunteer Director
Christopher Locke, IBPA and author
Richard Loranger, poet, performance artist,
Jill Lublin, marketing guru
Louise Marley, novelist
Claire McKinney, PR professional
Brian D. Meeks, nonfiction author, fantasy novelist
Kira Ming, author, indie editor
Louise Nayer, memoirist, poet, and writing instructor
Anne Perry, NYT bestselling novelist
Adam Plantinga, police sergeant, author
Lissa Provost, poet, author and SFWC Operations Manager
Jordan Rosenfeld, author, editor, and coach
Bob Saenz, screenwriter
Barbara Santos, author of Practice Aloha and two cookbooks, and Marketing Director for SFWC
Kate Schatz, feminist writer, activist, educator
Maw Shein Win, poet
Kevin Smokler, author, performer, and public speaker
Miriam Klein Stahl, artist, activist, educator
Suzette Standring, author, TV host, syndicated columnist, national speaker
Ransom Stephens, novelist, scientist, international speaker
Alex Tillson, novelist, attorney
Kevin Tumlinson, Director of Marketing for Draft2Digital and host of Wordslinger Podcast
Eleanor Vincent, author
Lyzette Wanzer, novelist, essayist, writing instructor
Monica Wesolowska, author, independent editor, teacher
Victoria Zackheim, author
Paul Zeidman, screenwriter and actor

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. But for an idea of the many agents and editors that will be in attendance, here is a list:

AGENTS:
Alicia Brooks, Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency
Karly Caserza, Fuse Literary
Michele Crim, Miller, Bowers, Griffin Literary
Karyn Fischer, Bookstop Literary
Rachelle Gardner, Books & Such Literary
Nicole Geiger, Full Circle Literary
Jennie Kendrick, Red Fox Literary
Liz Kracht, Kimberley Cameron & Assoc.
Rachel Letofsky, Cooke Literary
Paul S. Levine, Paul S. Levine Literary Agency (also entertainment lawyer)
Em Lysaght, Ladderbird Literary
Dorian Maffei, Kimberley Cameron & Assoc.
Jill Marr, Sandra Dijkstra Literary
Laurie McLean
, Fuse Literary and Director of SFWC
Mary C. Moore, Kimberley Cameron & Assoc.
Andy Ross
, Andy Ross Agency
Katharine Sands, Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency
Emma Sector, Prospect Agency
Alec Shane, Writers House
Eric Smith, P.S. Literary
Jennifer March Soloway
, Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Saba Sulaiman, Talcott Notch Literary Agency
Gordon Warnock
, Fuse Literary

EDITORS/INDEPENDENT EDITORS:
Sylvan Creekmore
, Wednesday Books/Macmillan
Rachel Diebel, St. Martins/Macmillan
Diane Frank, poet and publisher of Blue Light Press
Georgia Hughes, New World Library
Joyce Jenkins, poet and publisher of Poetry Flash
Jennifer Joseph, Manic D Press
Brenda Knight, Mango Press
Danielle Marshall, Amazon Publishing (Lake Union)
Laura Mazer, Seal Press/Hachette
Michelle Millet, Indie editor
Taylor Norman, Chronicle Books
Amber Oliver, Perennial/HarperCollins
Jill Roberts, Tachyon Publications
Jodi Warshaw, Amazon Publishing (Lake Union)
Jacob Weisman, Tachyon Publications
 

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

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

The Houston Writing Workshop

Houston Writing Workshop

If you’re in the Houston area, this is the event for you. According to The Houston Writing Workshop site, this writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the event (100 total). There are a few seats available, but you must hurry because this Workshop is November 16, 2019. Seats will close fast!

This year’s faculty so far includes:

I hope you have a great time and receive awesome feedback!

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

Women Over 40 Writing Contest

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Gransnet and HQ (imprint of HarperCollins) are launching a fiction writing competition for women writers over 40. Applicants can submit 20,000 words to HQ by September 30, 2019 at 11:59pm BST, however the leading character must also be female and over 40. Five shortlisted writers will receive editorial feedback, with the overall winner being offered a publishing contract with HQ.

Judges of the competition include Gransnet editor Cari Rosen, HQ Publishing Director Kate Mills, author Sarah Morgan and journalist Nina Pottell. For more information, please go here. And as always, good luck!

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

STORMRISE by Jillian Boehme Released Today! (Yes, this is Authoress!) + Giveaway

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I’m pleased to announce that the author many of us have admired, Jillian Boehme, has her debut novel released today…STORMRISE! Jillian kept her identity secret for many years, pledging she’d only reveal herself when she got a book deal. Watching her progress over the years and waiting for the unveiling was like watching the final episode of the Masked Singer. This was because her talent and passion shown through every post, so by the end of her secrecy, all her fans were on the edge of their seats singing “Whooooo are you, who-who?”

AuthoressAnon

Many of us learned to love her as Authoress on her blog Miss Snark’s First Victim. She gave awesome advise to aspiring writers, edited and gave critiques, and had many contests to help authors get agents. Yes, all while being incognito. She poured her heart and soul into her blog, so not know who she was still made it easy to connect to her. We knew it was a human behind the hat and not a BOT. (See what I did there? Fans and Jillian might be the only ones to get this, so reader don’t fret.)

But let’s talk about why you’re really here. STORMRISE! A combat warrior will risk everything to awaken the dragons and save her kingdom.

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If Rain weren’t a girl, she would be respected as a Neshu combat master. Instead, her gender dooms her to a colorless future. When an army of nomads invades her kingdom, and a draft forces every household to send one man to fight, Rain takes her chance to seize the life she wants.

Knowing she’ll be killed if she’s discovered, Rain purchases powder made from dragon magic that enables her to disguise herself as a boy. Then she hurries to the war camps, where she excels in her training―and wrestles with the voice that has taken shape inside her head. The voice of a dragon she never truly believed existed.

As war looms and Rain is enlisted into an elite, secret unit tasked with rescuing the High King, she begins to realize this dragon tincture may hold the key to her kingdom’s victory. For the dragons that once guarded her land have slumbered for centuries . . . and someone must awaken them to fight once more.

So, without delay, go purchase it now, or ask for it from your local library! Let’s show Jillian the love and support she has shown us for so many years! And if your hoping to keep a copy for yourself without purchasing, just enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win a copy!

All my LOVE to Jillian and the hopes of a very successful debut!

 

WIN>>WIN>>WIN>>RAFFELCOPTER<<WIN<<WIN<<WIN

 

Amazon | BN | Kobo | Google Play | Goodreads | Macmillan | Target | BAM! | Audible

YA4YA Mentoring Program

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The YA4YA platform is for writers of YA looking for free mentoring from industry professionals. This can range form query critiques, the first twenty-five pages, or an on-going mentorship until their manuscript is ready for submission. The actual critique is determined by the mentor participating. Check them out, along with their wish lists:

This mentorship doesn’t offer an agent round at the end, but what it does offer is help revising your manuscript without a deadline. The end result, of course, is hopefully polishing the writer’s manuscript so they DO get an agent. Submissions are October 1-15, 2019. And as always, good luck!

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

Pitch Wars Is Almost Here!

PitchWars Logo

For many writers, Pitch Wars is considered the crème de la crème of writing contests that was created by Brenda Drake. It is ran by Managing Director Sarah Nicolas, and a full committee (yeah, it’s grown that much!) Unfamiliar with Pitch Wars? This is an event where mentors select a mentee’s manuscript to revise to help them get ready for an agent round. That’s right, they help a mentee rework their entire manuscript for free. This is because authors and editors want to give back to the writerly community. How exciting is that? There is so much love people!

Submissions will be open from September 25, 2019 (midnight EST) and ends on September 27, 2019 (10pm EST). Manuscripts must be completed and polished in order to enter. This is the crème de la crème of writing contests and only happens once a year! So, get those manuscripts edited for the mentors you hope to sub to because you only get to pick four. Soon, their wish lists will be posted! And as always, good luck!

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