Author, Writing Coach, Speaker
Christmas Eve, and here I am posting Merry Christmas! Nothing like being a day late and dollar short, huh? But to quote another cliché–better late than never.
We’re rejoicing in the wonder of Christ’s birth, and sending Christmas blessings your way.
Merry Christmas from
Jessica & Jim
The Greater Detroit RWA 2014 Booksellers Best Award announced the finalist for their annual contest, and guess what! The Last Daughter is one of them! If you remember, in my previous post, I wondered if I would ever write again so this is just the shot of encouragement I need to MAKE time. Sometimes it seems like too much of a challenge between the wedding planning, retired hubby, church work, renovation and decorating. Surely I don’t have a touch of laziness! Surely not!
I’m not really familiar with this contest. Every month or so, we RWA members get our trade magazine that lists contests and conferences and I decided to enter The Last Daughter in the novella category. I chose this contest because of the judges. They’re booksellers. That makes being a finalist even more special to me. I had to print out several copies of The Last Daughter and have them bound for the judges. It was time consuming and at times I wondered if I was wasting a tree, but now … I’m so glad I took the time. I’m flattered and honored, excited and super-pumped, even though I’ve got some wonderful competition in the other five contestants.
Next month–Saturday, November 9, 2013–is our Bayou Writers’ Group annual conference called Bridge To Publication. It’s a small, cheap conference but we always have quality speakers. Just look at this line-up.
Jill Marr – Agent with Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency: Jill is interested in commercial fiction, with an emphasis on mysteries, thrillers and horror, women’s commercial fiction and historical fiction. She is also looking for nonfiction by authors who are getting their work published regularly in magazines and who have a realistic sense of the market and their audience. Jill is looking for nonfiction projects in the areas of self-help, inspirational, cookbooks, memoir (she especially loves travel and foodie memoirs), health & nutrition, pop culture, humor and music. She will be taking pitches. http://www.dijkstraagency.com/Stella Riley – Aquisitions Editor for Soul Mate Publishing – She will be taking pitches. http://www.bayouwritersgroup.
If you want to drive to Lake Charles, LA for this one-day event we’d love to have you. Go to our blog where you can download the registration form. Did I say cheap? Just look at these prices!
_________ $35 for BWG Members (Must be received by Nov. 1)
_________ $40 for Non-Members (Must be received by Nov. 1)
_________$50 At the Door on Nov. 9
_________$25 Students— with ID