The contest train continues

Two sets of exciting news over the last few days. First – my Four Seasons finalist entry Rural Rendezvous garnered an agent request. I’m polishing up that partial!

Second, When Jonny Came was a finalist in the Golden Acorn contest. I get to spiff up my entry before it gets sent to a Harlequin editor for further review. I’m not holding my breath on that one, but being a finalist is still an awesome feeling.

And – I sent my thanks off right away! I was fortunate to get decent scores from all three judges plus useful comments.

I’m not sure about another part of my resolution though, I really want to submit an entry for Heart of the West but it closes tomorrow. Groan. I might have to break that one unless I can squeak something in tonight.

The moral of my story—if it needs one—is that contests are still a viable and valuable way of getting your stuff in front of editors!

Have a great week everyone, and a safe and happy Fourth of July.

I’ll be biting my fingernails and waiting for my galley copy of Learning to Let Go. We’re getting down to the wire and I should have a release date within the next month.

Much excitement!

Elizabeth

My Contest Resolutions

I feel very proud of myself today - not only did I send out the last handful of thanks to judges for a contest I'd coordinated (with apologies for my tardiness) BUT I finished up my outstanding thank you notes as well.

I therefore resolve:

As a contestant -
*I will try to enter BEFORE the last minute. Like at least one day before entries close!
*I will send thanks to ALL my judges (even the ones that hated my work) as soon as I get the score sheets back. Well - within a few days ; )

As a contest judge -
*I will get my entries back to the coordinator in speedy order and NOT wait until she's tearing her hair out!
*I will be constructive and not destructive, encouraging and not belittling.

As a contest coordinator -
*I will continue to assist my contestants and answer questions / allow entry fixing until the cows come home. Or at least until entries close.
*I will celebrate with those that final and be supportive of those that don't.
*I will keep excellent records and get those score sheets back post haste.
*I will forward thanks ASAP.

Whew - I feel better now!

My first novel

Not the one about to be published - but the FIRST one I wrote, almost two years ago.

I dusted it off and read through it yesterday, wondering if it could be salvaged. My writing is far from perfect now but oh dear! I broke a lot of rules back then. Lots and lots and lots.

But what fun to read the "one" that started it all.

And yes, it can be salvaged. I love the story. Need to add a hero POV, get rid of the !!! and was-ings, and use contractions!

A couple of dozen other things too but it is definitely on my to-do list.

Has anyone ever got the FIRST thing they wrote published? Or do they learn and move on?

Seeing the light - and it's a train

I was a little disappointed today. Make that a lot. In the first round of a recent contest I was a finalist in two categories. I scored highest with one MS and tied for highest with another. Can't get much more promising than that!

I've been eagerly awaiting results and comments from the final round judges.

Well, today I got the results. 3rd out of five with the one I thought needed the most work and Honorable Mention with the other. She apparently couldn't bear to place me fifth so I guess I got the HM by default. It's been a while since I received a failing grade and a little hard to swallow.

This is the second MS (of mine) the latter editor has seen. She does not like my work, will never like my work. I understand and that's okay. She probably enjoys stuff I hate to read.

These entries plus a third are (courtesy contest finals) under review by other editors at that particular, and my dream, publishing house, but it's occurred to me I'm wasting my time there.

I know there are, and will be, other dreams. But it's always sad when something turns to dust.

Chatting with Anna Kathryn

Hi everyone!

I'm blogging with Anna Kathryn Lanier today, come and check it out!

http://annakathrynlanier.blogspot.com/2009/06/learning-to-let-go.html