Commercial Time

NEW: Three first round judges (lowest score dropped), and special category for Southern Magic members.

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First 25 pages without synopsis. See rules for further information.

Must be emailed by October 11, 2009 – 10 p.m. central
Finalists should be announced by January 1, 2010
Revised final entries must be emailed by January 25, 2009 (with synopses)
Winners should be announced on April 1, 2010

Categories and final judges:

Series/Short & Long Contemporary - Susan Litman, Editor, Harlequin

Single Title - Latoya Smith, Editor, Grand Central Publishers

Suspense (series or single title) - Megan MeKeever, Associate Editor, Pocket Books (Simon & Schuster)

Historical - Alicia Condon, VP, Editorial Director, Dorchester

Unique Genres (Paranormal, Futuristic, Fantasy, Time Travel) - Heather Osborn, Acquisitions Editor, Tor

Romantic Sensual and Sizzling (Erotica) - Raelene Gorlinsky, Editor, Ellora’s Cave

Young Adult - Natashya Wilson, Senior Editor, Harlequin Teen

Inspirational - Tina James, Senior Editor, Love Inspired Suspense & Love Inspired Historical, Steeple Hill

The Write Magic -For Southern Magic members only, Final judge: Sara Megibow, Associate Agent, Nelson Literary Agency

Thanks.
Carla Swafford
LH AoE Contest Coordinator
Southern Magic, Birmingham
http://www.southernmagic.org/

Seventh Heaven

The other day I saw commericals for Seventh Heaven. I use to love that show. The first two-three seasons I watched every episode. Then I realized I was crying at the end of each one. Talk about emotional scenes. They were excellent, but I didn't like the tearing up or crying all the time. I rather laugh. Though I didn't care for their spoilt kids. I did like the relationship between the parents most of the time and how the family would pull together at the last minute. Actually, made them all appear more real.

Say What?

I receive emails from Catherines, a clothing line for "plus-size" women (such a PC word, isn't it?), about their sales. This time they mentioned GLAMOUR magazine had a "plus-size" model featured in it. Get this, she's a size 12. Isn't that sad? The average size of American women is 14, but she's considered large in the modeling world. Crazy.

Click here to read about it and see the picture.

Thankful Friday

After reading a certain news article today, I'm determined to think of something totally positive to be thankful for as I want to lighten my mood.

I'm thankful for movies. I love watching romantic comedies, sci-fi's, adventures, period pieces and westerns. Ocassionally, I'll watch a thriller or suspense. I avoid horror and "making a statement" films. Movies are a way to escape from life for a couple hours.

I especially love watching old movies from the 40's. The clothes, men in fedoras, hmmm. Would I like living back then? Goodness, no. Just like visiting for a while.

Backstory

In most of the books (if not all) I read about writing, they say not to dump the backstory in the beginning. In fact, anywhere in your manuscript. To give the reader small bits in the natural flow of the story.

If you want to read an author who handles backstory rather well, then I suggest Linda Howard.

Getting Closer

I'm so close to the end of editing. YEAH! One scene to add and one to change and then voila! I will be finished.

Then it will be query time!

Personality Test

Saturday during the workshop, we took a personality test. We checked off a word in each row that best described ourselves. When we finished, the speaker said for everyone to count up their scores and look at the next page. There was a large square divided in four colored squares. In each square was a short description of each personality. She said for us to take our top two scores. The highest score is your dominant personality and next to highest is your secondary personality. Those two personalities will be beside or on top of each other but not diagonally.

Guess what?

Mine was diagonally. Too funny.

Then the instructions said to go over it again and try again, this time choosing answers that I might have second thoughts about. So I did. I received the same result with higher scores in the same personalities.

Let’s just say I have some issues with parents or my spouse. I believe they’re right on both counts.

Meeting New People

Probably everyone is the same way, but every time I have a lengthy conversation with a new acquaintance, that night or/and the next day, I dwell on every word and wonder if I sounded boastful, stupid, rude, crude or a know-it-all. During the whole time, I say to myself to be myself and not care. If they like you, they'll like you. Otherwise, nothing you can do will make a difference. Like every human in the world (who's normal) wants to be liked. But I promised myself years ago to always be natural, not degrade myself just to make another feel better about themselves and then I'll know who my real friends are.

At the same time, I love meeting people and though they may not agree with my point of view of everything, I don't have a problem with it. That's why the world is such a great place. Everyone has different experiences that shape their thought patterns. Every time they disagree with me, I learn something new. It's a shame others don't view it that way.

Thankful Friday

Today, I'm thankful I had the opportunity to meet Mary Buckham. Delightful, smart and generous.

Thunderstorms In The South

All day the weather reports talked about storms. As I left work, it was dark and sprinkling. On the interstate driving home, there's a section where you can see a good bit of the horizon. As I reached that section, I could see the edge of the storm outlined with the lighter clouds in the distance. The rain was coming down so thick it looked like streaks of gray paint against the sky. It was beautiful.