Have You Heard?

Barbour's Mystery Book Club is closing. It seems that the bad economy has touched them, too. This is the post that Joanne made on Friday: http://editcafe.blogspot.com/

This is a big disappointment to me, as well. As a writer of Christian mysteries, this puts even more limitations on where an unagented writer can submit. It's not that I'm giving up~I enjoy writing too much.

But it seems like a set-back, of sorts. I do write romance, so I can keep submitting to Barbour through that section. I've always loved Barbour. They are such a personal, friendly company and I wish the best for their publishing house in the future. And maybe, just maybe, their mystery line will make a come back!

R~Mary

Writing Contests

Are any of you thinking of entering the 2009 ACFW The Genesis contest? I have been a member of the ACFW for a few years, but I've never entered the contest before.

The Genesis is a contest for unpublished writers, open to ACFW members only. You are required to enter the first fifteen pages of your manuscript, plus an optional one page synopsis of the book. There are ten categories, so there is a category for almost everyone. You may submit more than one manuscript but there is a separate fee for each entry. The 2009 guidelines have not yet been posted, but the moderator informed members that the guidelines would be very similar to 2008--which included a $35 fee per manuscript entry.

My youngest daughter and I (we will be entering as co-authors) have a WIP that we think may be good for the Contemporary Romance category. We know this category will probably have the most competition, but we do feel it is a good story and it's a little different from the usual romance plot.

Here is the link to the 2008 contest (it should be updated in a couple of weeks for 2009).

http://www.acfw.com/genesis/

Are you writing now? I have a hard time getting back into any sort of writing schedule after a long break.

I am slowly making some revisions on a project I hope to send out in a couple of weeks. By next week, I hope to finish a short story I've had on the back burner for a while. Still, it's a very sluggish kind of start.

What about you? Is is easy for you to jump back in after a break?

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.”

Edith Lovejoy Pierce

May your new writing year meet with much success!

Christmas Week

I don't think I'll be getting much writing done this week, though I'll try to sneak a few minutes in here and there. I did manage to get in about 30 minutes worth late last night. Of course, when I only have a few moments, I tend to rewrite something that's already there. I really need to stop doing that! I can go back and edit later. Bad habit, so I guess I'll have to work on it.

Have a great week!

Well, I managed to send out one of my submissions today. A completed Christian romance that I am doing a little polishing on while I wait to hear back.

I have another query letter ready to go concerning a novel I wrote two years ago. I've only submitted it to one publisher~and it was rejected. I put it on the back burner for a while, trying to figure out exactly where this novel 'fits' in the Christian writing world.

Is it a cozy or a romantic suspense? That has been the question. I wrote it intending it to be a cozy, but, as many of you know, a novel has a way of taking on a life of it's own, and sometimes the writer is just along for the ride. All I know to do is to put it out there and see what happens.

I love writing these books and stories, but submitting them is always a challenge for me. I tend to write, rewrite, and the write again!

What about all of you? Do have projects out there being considered? How long, once you are completed with a project, does it take to really be 'ready' to send off to a publisher?

The Christmas Season

This is probably my favorite time of the year. My house is colorful and pretty, there are a lot of phone calls between relatives, we get little bits of snow spitting from the sky on windy days, and best of all, we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

If things weren't so busy, I could probably be more productive in my writing at this time of year. As it is, I've been fairly lax since Thanksgiving, but I do find that this season provides me with a lot of inspiration for my novels.

I am happy to say that I have two submissions going out on Monday! One has been rejected by another publisher, and the other is on its 'maiden voyage'. Whatever the outcome, I am happy to have them on their way.