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Monday, October 25, 2010
Getting the Pirate Vote Out
***EDITED FOR CORRECTIONS: This will teach me to do this stuff on the fly. This is actually the Writing With The Stars competition and each round is unique. Round 1 was the Best First Paragraph & Last Line. Round 2 will be Best Hero & Heroine and voting will run November 8 thru 28th. Rounds 3, 4, & 5 will run in subsequent months with the winner being announced at the RT Convention in April.
There, I think I got the facts straight this time. Now, back to the blog already in progress.
Before you run for another blog, this is not about politics or elections or this crazy tea vs. coffee party stuff. (Though I’d love to attend the Rally to Restore Sanity. Just sayin’.)
Ahem.
This is a sort of favor to a loyal lurker though she’s really doing me a favor since I had no blog topic for today. If you were around for our Open Letter to the Lurkers blog, then you might recognize the name Maria Zannini. She came out of lurking that day and even won herself an Amazon gift card for her troubles.
Off to the makings of a solid epublishing career, Maria has set her sights on a contest that could move her into traditional print and I think we should help her. You may have heard of the Romantic Times Great American Title contest. (I hope that’s what it’s called. I’m not doing a lot of research for this one. Have I mentioned I have a million things to pack before Friday?) Anywhatsit, this time around they are having a First Paragraph and Last Line contest. This contest runs for five months with several rounds and in the end, the last author standing will win a contract with Kensington.
That is one damn cool prize.
Maria has an entry in the running and to make it all the more perfect, it’s a sexy pirate paranormal. I mean, it’s like she wrote about us. (Slight exaggeration but go with me on this.) Her entry is called MISTRESS OF THE STONE and though I voted for it before reading all the entries, I totally would have voted for it no matter what. IMO, it’s the best one in there.
Here are the links.
The story is here. (Hers is the last story on the page.)
A bit about Maria is here. (She was BLIND! She deserves your vote.)
Maria’s blog is here. (I like the look of the place.)
The link to her latest e-releases is here. (Check out the cool pirate chick!)
For the sake of full disclosure, in seeking out all these links I realized that doing this blog qualifies me to win a prize. I know pirates are not always known for their honesty, but I swear on me Bo’sun whistle I did not know a thing about her “mention me and win” contest until after I put this together.
Now, who among us would take a shot at getting pubbed in this way? Would you have the guts to put your stuff out there? How are we doing on the GH entries? (I’ve done nothing but as soon as these damn boxes are unpacked I’ll get to it!)
PS: I’m not a fan of the snarky comments of the “guest judge” so consider yourself warned. I’d skip them if I were you.
There, I think I got the facts straight this time. Now, back to the blog already in progress.
Before you run for another blog, this is not about politics or elections or this crazy tea vs. coffee party stuff. (Though I’d love to attend the Rally to Restore Sanity. Just sayin’.)
Ahem.
This is a sort of favor to a loyal lurker though she’s really doing me a favor since I had no blog topic for today. If you were around for our Open Letter to the Lurkers blog, then you might recognize the name Maria Zannini. She came out of lurking that day and even won herself an Amazon gift card for her troubles.
Off to the makings of a solid epublishing career, Maria has set her sights on a contest that could move her into traditional print and I think we should help her. You may have heard of the Romantic Times Great American Title contest. (I hope that’s what it’s called. I’m not doing a lot of research for this one. Have I mentioned I have a million things to pack before Friday?) Anywhatsit, this time around they are having a First Paragraph and Last Line contest. This contest runs for five months with several rounds and in the end, the last author standing will win a contract with Kensington.
That is one damn cool prize.
Maria has an entry in the running and to make it all the more perfect, it’s a sexy pirate paranormal. I mean, it’s like she wrote about us. (Slight exaggeration but go with me on this.) Her entry is called MISTRESS OF THE STONE and though I voted for it before reading all the entries, I totally would have voted for it no matter what. IMO, it’s the best one in there.
Here are the links.
The story is here. (Hers is the last story on the page.)
A bit about Maria is here. (She was BLIND! She deserves your vote.)
Maria’s blog is here. (I like the look of the place.)
The link to her latest e-releases is here. (Check out the cool pirate chick!)
For the sake of full disclosure, in seeking out all these links I realized that doing this blog qualifies me to win a prize. I know pirates are not always known for their honesty, but I swear on me Bo’sun whistle I did not know a thing about her “mention me and win” contest until after I put this together.
Now, who among us would take a shot at getting pubbed in this way? Would you have the guts to put your stuff out there? How are we doing on the GH entries? (I’ve done nothing but as soon as these damn boxes are unpacked I’ll get to it!)
PS: I’m not a fan of the snarky comments of the “guest judge” so consider yourself warned. I’d skip them if I were you.
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37 comments:
Mayhap, the judge knows every regency term out there but can't be bothered to learn basic pirate lingo... Argh!
Snarky indeed!
As for would I go this route to publish? Nope! Total coward, gone the public reaction route with my query letter (accidentally)and found it ... unappealing!
But I like the look of Maria's snippet! Best of luck ta her...and she used the term chance! Hope she wins and you, too, Bo'sun!
We should throw around "mayhaps" all day just for the fun of it. LOL!
You do realize that when you're pubbed, your stuff will be out there for all the world to see? Not that I'm trying to stress you or anything.
I have no illusions of a win, Chance. I'm just hoping to make the dang entry date.
Wow, this is great. I saw her name recently and thought, "Why does this sound familiar? Oh yeah, she won the lurker prize!" Looks like she's just burstin' with luck.
I'll go check out all the links. . . AFTER I drink my coffee.
I'm debating about the GH. I was hoping I'd not be qualified to enter -- LOL -- but I still am unless things change at the last minute. I wonder if maybe my contest days are behind me. Mmm.
Terri, I don't envy you the packing! Do you get any time off work to get 'er done?
I'm not sure I would. The 2nd judges comments are enough to break me out in hives. I mean, I grant you some of the comments are valid (perhaps), but the one about the guy who was driving like a maniac and she though he was a tool--all from like two sentences. All I was thinking was, "He drives like he's from around here." Clearly the judge comes from Mayberry where they don't drive faster than 20 miles an hour and brake for squirrels. And maybe the character is ticked off and getting ready to confront someone, but we don't know that until paragraph three--however, if she had started the paragraph with "he was pissed", the judge would have been annoyed that she was telling and not showing.
And there is nothing wrong with the word "mayhap"!
2nd Chance: Do I get extra points for using the word "chance"? :lol:
Thank you, Terri, for the plug. And mayhap I'm getting a 'second chance'.
RT Reviews/Kensington is extending the vote until today because of a computer glitch over the weekend.
Any tweets, whistles, mentions, or making your intentions clear at the point of a cutlass is very much appreciated if you'd pass the word around. I could use all the help I can get.
Crap, I forgot about the GH. When is that due?
You're welcome, Maria! Really, I didn't even know the round was supposed to be over before today. LOL! That would have been bad considering I might have been too late. Here's to giving you that last minute push you need!
Hellie - Considering who that judge is, I could care less. Not a fan but to each her own.
I think we have until Dec 3 to get the stuff in there. But we probably need to actually sign up and pay pretty soon.
Donna - Forgot to answer your question. Nope, no time off work. I have exactly enough vacation time to take off Friday for the actual move. But I got all the boxes I need last night so the goal is to get it all in boxes tonight and tomorrow then load up my car Thursday night. Movers arrive early Friday morning and all I have to do is watch them carry stuff up and down the steps.
Here's hoping they're worth watching.
I went off to vote! Go Maria!
Mayhaps my humble click will help your efforts.
(This Mayhaps stuff is fun....)
No GH for me. But I think I'm getting closer to rewriting/revising after weeks of percolating.
Hope packing's going great, Bo'sun. Hells, hope your costume is shaping up.
Thanks, Marn. Mayhaps your percolating will pay off!
Maria, we were posting at the same time -- so that's why I was referring to you in 3rd person - I didn't know you were here! LOL
Now you guys know why I need so much coffee to get the brain cells going. . .
I totally thought Maria's was best too -- it's the only one that pulled me in enough to actually create an image in my head (rather than me just staring at the text).
And yeah, Sarah Wendell's comments were MEAN! Several of them were probably accurate, but they were hardly fair. You don't have to sugarcoat your opinion, but you can at least be polite. Jeez!
Good luck Maria - I voted for you! I'm not sure I'd have the nerve to do it. Though it could be a fun contest if it were anonymous or less snarky.
Actually, what would be really fun is to do the opposite - let people write in with the most cliched first/last paragraph they can think of and vote for the "worst"...lol! (of the made-up entries, of course, not people's real stuff!)
Oh, and in a totally off note, I'm going to the Rally to Restore Sanity on Saturday - I can't wait :)
Mayhaps I'm skip GH too this year, mostly because I'd have to both renew my RWA membership and pay the entry fee, and I don't feel like paying that much.
(I have no idea how to use mayhaps, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the word!)
It is a fun word, Hal. LOL! Me thinks you used it right. :)
I think there is a contest for the worst first line that is held every year in honor (?) of that dude who wrote "It was a dark and stormy night..." Some of those entries are hysterical.
I couldn't vote! It said "Poll Closed". Am I supposed to do something else?
Dang it, have we passed the first round deadline? Well, we'll have to wait and keep our fingers crossed she makes it into round two. I need to figure out what round two involves...
I think we can officially declare this blog dead. LOL! Someone pass me a drink...
It's not dead! I am going out for lunch in a few though, AND it's warm and sunny so I have to go out and enjoy it. NOT that I'm avoiding writing. No, not at all. I'm doing it. . .later. Like tonight. :)
See ya in a bit, pirates!
You ran me off when you started asking me how the GH entry was coming. I still don't have a costume--let alone writing. You should ask me how my procrastinating is coming--that I can tell you. Or how cool it is to get your eyebrows threaded and how great they look this morning.
Wahoo! Go Maria go!
I'm off to vote, but wanted to say I would totally go this route. I entered the Mills & Boon New Voices contest and got great feedback and met so many great newbies. It even helped me form and join a critique group - our first online exchange was this past week so I'll give it some time to see if it really fits.
Ok...now off to vote!
How cool is it to get your eyebrows threaded and how are they looking this morning?
Enjoy the warmth and sunshine, Donna. It's pouring here and has been for two days. With temps in the high 80s. WTF?!
I'm going to nuke my lunch.
Well damn...just saw you mention voting is closed...
I should really type faster...
Come back, Scape, come back! Voting is closed. *sigh* We just missed it. But we'll check back in during November to follow Maria's progress. Fingers crossed she wins the first round. I know I voted about four times. Gotta love those contests that let you vote as many times as you want.
Good luck with the crit group. Finding a good one of those is like finding a pot o'gold.
How cool is it to get your eyebrows threaded and how are they looking this morning?
It's COOL! And weird. And better than being plucked. Not sure if I like it better than waxing, except I like the result a lot better than waxing. It's not bad; and very affordable. :) And my eyebrows look awesome!
I'm definitely having that done the next time I'm at the mall. I'm not a fan of waxing and plucking takes such dilligence.
I voted last night. Mayhap the deadline was midnight?
Mayhap some might consider visiting http://www.deannawadsworth.blogspot.com/ where my character, Alan Silvestri is being interviewed by Ichabod Crane...
Maria - Well, I got my vote in on time! Mayhap enough did to see you to the next round. Then ya must come by and prod us to get our...assets over ta the site and keep voting!
I just read the interview. I love it! But there are some really diverting, uhm, images on that there page. Makes it very hard to focus on the actual words. LOL!
Fun interview, Chance! But I want to hear your answer to Captain Silvestri's question: how do you do all that blogging and still find time to write?
I admire those who enter these online contests and invite voting and comments. I lack the courage to do it. I seriously considered entering The Season's writing contest, but the more I thought about people reading and voting, the sicker I got. I chickened out. I might bring myself to enter the GH because there it is less publib, bit, like Hal, I let my RWA membership lapse, and that fee plus the GH fee is more than I'm willing to spend, especially this close to Christmas.
You remind me I never answered my own question, Janga. I don't know that I'd do this kind of contest either. I admire those who have the nerve, and if I had something I really believed in, I might try it. But having something I feel is finished and polished and ready for public consumption feels so far away right now.
Well, Janga ... I don't know how I do it! Somedays, I don't and it's all blogging, but other days, I slip in the writing on the sly. ;-)
The writing contest stuff is strange. Go for a more public one and you'll get more feedback. The GH, all you get is a placement notice unless you do real good. And it costs the most! But it is private... Like being between the devil and the deep blue sea!
If you guys are considering a contest, I'll put in a word for the Chase the Dream contest that starts in January. You submit the 1st 1000 words in an email to one of the contest sponsors, and she picks one of the entries to be the finalist -- it's published for everyone to read and comment on (which has always been very nice -- no snark). Plus she comments on what made her select it.
Then they pick one for a mini-critique by the other author sponsor. It's never harsh or cruel, and readers can comment as well.
There are a total of 8 weekly finalists, who get comments from agents and editors at the end.
I did it last year and was one of the finalists -- it's a nice blend of public and private. :)
Sounds like you found a good one, Donnaroo!
Thanks for the good wishes, guys. Yes, the contest closed earlier today.
I don't know when we'll get the results, but I'll pop in later to let you know.
Normally, I wouldn't do a contest like this but for one very enticing carrot--they offered each finalist a mentor, (a veteran published author).
For that experience alone, this contest has been worth it. The advice and suggestions my mentor made were brilliant and lessons I'll keep for the rest of my career.
Here's hoping I'll see Round 2. Wish me luck!
Maria - Will you share who your mentor was? Just curious, you know!
Ref: Will you share who your mentor was?
Her name is Terri Brisbin. She was extremely generous with her time and experience. I learned so much from her and in a very short period of time. Someday, I hope to pay that forward.
Donna - I met some ladies at Nationals who told me about that one and gave me a post card with all the details. I just found it while I was packing up books and made sure to slide it in the box for further consideration.
Maria - We'll keep our fingers crossed, but I have much faith you'll go far in this one. I am so curious to meet your hero! And I can see how having that kind of time and attention from a mentor would definitely be worth putting yourself out there.
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