New Give-a-Way contest! Win 100 free post cards!

Post Card Give-a-Way from UPrinting.com!

Giveaway Prize: 100 Postcards for one (1) lucky winner
Size: 4x6
Paper: 14pt Cardstock Gloss
Printing: Full color both sides
Shipping: Sponsored bloggers and Winners have to pay for shipping

Visit the posting link (above) to my interview blog to learn more and enter!

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Lighthouse Coastal Literary

Lighthouse Coastal Productions

Lighthouse News Bureau

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Sardis City, AL 35956

tel. 256-281-9399

Agent@lighthousecoastalliterary.com

Agent@fabulousafter50.com

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Earn a $3000 Scholarship to the College of Your Choice

Register for the Master Books 2010 Scholarship Essay Program!

About the Master Books Essay Scholarship:

• Master Books, an imprint of New Leaf Publishing Group, will award one $3000 scholarship for the 2010-2011 academic school year. This scholarship is open to all high school juniors, seniors or equivalent from any public, private or homeschool venue. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 or above.
• This scholarship is a one-time award and may be used at any accredited two-year, four-year or trade school within the contiguous United States. The award covers only tuition and university-provided room and board and will be forwarded to the college, university or trade school of the winner’s choice in the winner’s name.

Instructions:

• Download your free chapters of The New Answers Book II below
• Download the application below
• Send the application form, essay, and your original high school transcripts or their equivalents signed by high school counselors, homeschool evaluators/supervisors or principals to:
  
  Master Books Scholarship Essay Program
  PO Box 726
  Green Forest, AR 72638
  
  *Note: Scholarship submission name and address must be exactly as noted on the grades
  
  
  

Revision notes...

Thank you, Mart, for passing along this newest writing resource...

The Ten-Point Revision Strategy

1. Remove unnecessary exposition - RUE (resist urge to explain) - keep them guessing
2. Show don't tell—No adverbs
3. Know each character's motivation
4. Tighten dialogue - no direct answers
5. End chapter earlier - cut last paragraph
6. Kill adverbs
7. Tighten words—i.e. show pause rather than saying: He paused. - i.e. step to the door and give a backward glance at the photo on the table or such.
8. Describe through movement - .e Describe the chaos as he steps over piles.
9. Shorten as tension increases
10. Move story forward

Dialogue - no more than 3 sentences. We tend to never speak more than 3 sentences during a conversation before the other person interrupts us with a comment.

http://learnedaboutwriting.blogspot.com/2008/05/ten-point-revision-strategy-rue.html

Schedule an online radio interview!

"Aging Outside the Box®" Syndicated Radio Show is a Weekly One-Hour LIVE Broadcast with Celebrity Radio Talk Show Host, Shirley W. Mitchell, aired on the LA Talk Radio Network every Thursday night at 2PM-HIST, 3PM-AKST, 4PM-PST, 5PM-MST, 6PM-CST, 7PM-EST & 8PM-AST. The Show features Special Guests and Important Topics like Aging, Baby Boomers, Seniors and Senior Lifestyles, Over 50, Women’s and Men's Issues, Health, Diet, Exercise, Fashion, Beauty, Nutrition, Faith, Travel, Reference, Culinary and Literary, along with some of the most important Medical Information of today as we interview Authors, Writers, Speakers, Artists and, Business, Medical and Media Professionals. Listeners can "Call-In" to the Show at 1-323-203-0815, or Skype-LA Talk Radio, or Send Us an E-Mail to: Host@agingoutsidethebox.net. The Show is "Aired" on 5 Websites and "Linked" to 48 other Sites. All Shows are "Archived" in .mp3 on 4 Websites.

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"Aging Outside the Box®" Syndicated Radio Show, Fabulous after 50® and Sensational after 60® is a ® Registered Trademark of Shirley W. Mitchell

Lighthouse Coastal Literary

Lighthouse Coastal Productions

Lighthouse News Bureau

466 Sardis Cutoff Road

Sardis City, AL 35956

tel. 256-281-9399

Agent@lighthousecoastalliterary.com

Promote Your Blog & Freebies to boot!

For any of you who have a blog and would like to host your own giveaway, you can apply for blog sponsorship @ http://www.uprinting.com/blog-sponsor-program/

Also, check out their latest Sales and coupons @ http://coupons.uprinting.com/

Valle Pintado Writing Contest: Deadline December 15th!

http://www.visualartsjunction.com/?p=3585

Valle Pintato Writing Contest: Deadline Dec 15, 2009

Valle Pintado by Aggie Villanueva
See Aggie’s Limited Edition Photo Art
Join Aggie on her Virtual Photo Shoots

Be sure to also enter sister contest, our art Raffle,“Become an Art Collector for Under $5.00”
A picture is worth a thousand words, as they say, and that is your assignment. Well, more accurately, 500 — 600 words.

Write about the above photo art, Valle Pintado by Aggie Villanueva. Study the image, Valle Pintado means painted valley, and then write a story that this photo art inspires. You don’t have to write only fiction. Enter an essay if that’s what this image inspires in you. (No poetry please until we have poetry judges.)

Enter the sister art raffle here to winlimited edition print of Valle Pintado for yourself.

The Winner:The winner gains triple exposure on Aggie Villanueva’s three sites, and a post on the blogs of our prestigious panel of judges.

Plus, and this is a huge plus; every one of our contest supporters (and this list is constantly growing) will also post your winning entry. See our sponsor list below. So, if this image inspires your muse, go for it. You’ll be read by thousands.

Rules:This contest is open only to unpublished and amateur writers, or those who have been published less than 7 times in the past two years. Not qualified to enter if you have books published, either by traditional publishers or self published.

Study this image, “Valle Pintado”, which means painted valley, then write a story the photo art inspires. You don’t have to write only fiction. Enter an essay if that’s what this image inspires in you. (No poetry, please. We hope to have some poetry judges in the near future)

Deadline for the Valle Pintado Writing Contest is December 15, 2009. The winning entry will receive two critique statements from each judge; what that judge likes about your entry and what could be improved. See The Fine Print below.

Email your entry to Aggie at the Cabin. Be sure to type “Valle Pintado Writing Contest” in the subject line.

• 
  Include with your entry a short bio and attach your photo.
• 
  Include all links you want posted with your winning entry.
• 
  Include your telephone number if you want to be notified of a win by phone as well as by email.

If you do not send you phone number, you will only be notified by email.

Winning entries will be posted at all participating sites as near as possible to the 25th of each month.

You must respond within 5 days of the date on your winning email announcement. If you do not reply to your winning email announcement within that time limit, your prize will be assigned to the second place entrant.

The Fine Print: The judges’ critiques are confined to short comments; no in depth critique/editing. Entrants will be automatically added to the Visual Arts Junction newsletter. You many unsubscribe at any time. All rights to the Valle Pintado image remain with the creator, Aggie Villanueva.

Cindy Bauer Books partners up with Books-N-Sync!

News Flash!

Cindy Bauer Books has partnered up with Books N Sync!

Flyer/Brochure Give-a-Way Winner!

Congratulations to The Egypsy Speaks for her entry into the flyer/brochure give-a-way contest sponsored by UPrinting.com!

Check back often for more great give-a-ways!

Flyers & Brochures Give-a-Way!

Giveaway Prize:

100 Brochures for One Lucky Winner !!!

100 - 8.5 x11" Brochure / Flyers

on 100lb gloss text paper ; 4 color printing on both sides

Folding Choices:

Half fold; Trifold/Letterfold; Z-fold; Accordion (4 panels) Roll Fold (4 Panels)

Shipping: FREE

UPS Ground ShippingEligibility: Limited to US Residents due to shipping costs.

This giveaway is sponsored by Uprinting.com & the winner will be posted right here by November 10, 2009 !!!

To enter for your chance to win:

Post a comment to this blog post about the giveaway explaining how you will use your flyers/brochures, should you win.

It's that simple!!!

Not only will the winner receive the give-a-way prize, but I will too! - just for hosting this really great give-a-way on my blog!

To get things rolling, here's an example of what my flyers will look like!

For more information, visit these links:

Brochure Printing

Flyer Printing

You are welcome to post this contest on your blog as well, but please link it back to this posting and also to Uprinting.com. And don't forget to tweet your followers!

ENTER TODAY!!!

Winner of 250 Free Business Cards!

Congratulations goes to Carmen for her entry to win 250 Free Business Cards from UPrinting.com!

Watch for upcoming give-a-ways from my sponsor for your chance to win!

Magazine accepting submissions!

Magazine Submission Guidelines

Moon’s Eye Magazine is a publication of mindseye.ning.com and we are looking for high quality and professionally-presented, original art in a variety of formats, including poetry, short stories and novel excerpts (all genres), and the visual arts (painting, sculpture, sketching, etc). Word limit for stories is approximately 3500 words; for novel excerpts, approximately 5,000 words. Poems should not be any longer than 50 lines.

Manuscripts should be sent via email in a Microsoft Word Document or Rich Text format and included as an attachment. The manuscript should be double-spaced, with paragraphs properly indented 0.25″ with at least 1″ wide margins all around. Please include your name, a pen name if you’re choosing to use one, and a valid email address where you can be contacted in the upper right hand corner of the first page of your manuscript. Right under this, please put the length of your manuscript in number of words.

Submissions should also include, on a separate page, a short contributors bio or other information concerning the submitted work.

Submissions should be sent to: mindseyemag@gmail.com. The current deadline for submissions is November 15, 2009.

If there are any questions or problems with the submission process, please contact Henry Moon Fortune at the submissions address.

Win 250 FREE Business Cards!

Uprinting is hosting another great give-a-way!

Giveaway Prize:

250 business cards for One Lucky Winner (Free UPS Ground Shipping in USA)

Sizes: 2 x 3.5”, 2 x 3”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.5 x 3.5” (skinny card)

Paper: 14 pt gloss cardstock, 14 pt matte cardstock or 13 pt recycled uncoated cardstock

Specifications: Full Color Both Sides; Offset Press; 3 Business Day Printing

Restrictions:

Free UPS Ground Shipping in the USA.

Canadian Residents must Pay Shipping and Taxes.

Residents of other countries are not eligible

Winner will be announced by October 22, 2009!

This giveaway is sponsored by Uprinting.com

To enter for your chance to win, post a comment to this blog post about the giveaway explaining how you will use your business cards, should you win. It's that simple!!!

Not only will the winner receive the 250 free business cards, but I will too, just for hosting this really neat give-a-way! To get things rolling, here's one example of what my business card might look like!

My book business card - Front

My book business card - Back

For more information, visit these links:

Uprinting.com - Online Printing Company

or

Uprinting.com - Business Card Printing

You are welcome to post this contest on your blog as well, but please link it back to this posting and also to Uprinting.com. And don't forget to tweet your followers!

ENTER TODAY!!!

Congratulations C.C. Cowan!

C.C. Cowan has won the

18 x 24 Rolled Poster Give-a-Way!

Congratulations C.C. !!!

How can I increase traffic to my blog?

We'd all like to increase foot traffic to our blogs, which inevitably will increase foot traffic to our websites, right? Here is a great resource for tips on how to increase traffic to your blog:

http://uprinting.ning.com/forum/topics/10-ways-to-increase-blog

Win a free 18 x 24 poster!

Prize: (1) 18" x 24" Rolled Poster Print
(Free UPS Ground Shipping!)

Winner will be announced by September 30, 2009

This giveaway is sponsored by DigitalRoom.com.

**This offer is open to US Residents only.

To enter for your chance to win, post a comment to this blog post about the giveaway explaining how you will use your poster, should you win. The posters can be done from any photo you already have or one you design yourself, as I've done below.

It's that simple!!!

Not only will the winner receive a free rolled poster print, but I will too! To get things rolling, here's the print I will be using on my poster to help promote my books. I'll take it to signing events!

For more information, visit:
Poster Printing or Digital Printing

**You are welcome to post this contest on your blog as well, but please link it back to this posting. And don't forget to tweet your followers!

ENTER TODAY!!!

Some Review Sites......

Here are just a few more review sites for you to submit your books to for a review...

Mind Fog Reviews (pdf version accepted)
clangstroth@authormeetingplace.com

Ghostwriter Reviews (pdf version accepted)
reviews@ghostwriterreviews.com

Bookpleasures.com (pdf version not accepted)
bookpleasures@gmail.com

Come and Follow Me/Writer Resources

Hi everyone!

I would like to invite you to follow my blog. I would love to have you!!!

Most of my posts are geared for writers. I just added a few new articles.

What do Agents Hate
Chuck Sambuchino

Camy Tang
Know How And Where To Begin Your Novel
Crafting A Riveting Open Hook

Tighten Up Your Manuscript/ agent Rachelle Gardner

Come follow me at:

www.martzbookz.blogspot.com

Sites you can use to promote your books!

Some old, but most new. Here's a list of sites for you to check out and promote your books! Remember to keep your name and book titles out there and promote your work daily!

• Blazing Trailers
• Blogged
• Jacketflap
• Book Army
• Perfect Networker
• Authors on the Net

Blazing Trailers is having a contest!

Contest #1 - New Authors

For the month of September, we will be having a little contest to see who can refer the most new authors to Blazing Trailers. The three people who refer the most new authors will each get a week on the homepage.

Here are the guidelines for Contest #1:

1. On the online submission form there is now a referral field. It's right below the contact information and is introduced by this line: If one of our authors referred you to Blazing Trailers, please tell us who so we can thank them. Ask your friends and colleagues to join Blazing Trailers and make sure they put your name down in the referral line.

2. Authors may not put their own name in the referral box.

3. Referrals are for new authors only.

4. If a new author posts 6 trailers and mentions Santa Claus in the referral field, this is still only considered 1 referral for Santa Claus.

5. Erotica authors get to play too. The top 2 referring erotica authors will have their trailers featured on the adult site.

6. Winners will be chosen at the end of September and the trailers will be featured for a week in October.

Contest #2 for Readers

One week a month will go to the "Random Act of Blazing Trailers." This will be a random author (one each for the mainstream site and the erotica site) that I choose. To get chosen, I need to see you, using your Blazing Trailers links. I still see so many Blazing Trailers authors using YouTube links. Breaks my heart every time. I can only think that you may have lost sales by using that dead end link.

Here are the guidelines for Contest #2:

In your internet travels, post your link to Blazing Trailers on chats forums and newsletters. I belong to over 40 yahoo groups. I'm a lurker in most, but I'm there. I also get Google alerts for Blazing Trailers. Every time I see an author using his/her BT link I'll add that name to a hat. The more times you use it, the more chances to win. At the end of the month, I'll draw one name.

If you're worried I won't see your promotion, cc to:

http://us.mc578.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=blazingtrailers@yahoogroups.com.This way, we will grow both our readership and author library.

If you have any questions please email me at kimm@blazingtrailers.com

How else do I get my trailer in the coveted "Featured Trailer," you might ask. Eventually, this spot will go up for sale. Right now, the trailers featured in Rick's Picks will be featured. Rick chooses the trailers to review, though. Finally, I have made an agreement with The New Covey Trailer Awards. The trailer that wins the 'Most intriguing trailer' each month will be featured too.

Blogs for Writers

Here are a list of a few writer/agent blogs I currently am following. All have great info for writers who are thirsty to learn.

Enjoy!

Agent Chip MacGregor's blog
Publishing tips, insights, and wisdom from a seasoned pro in the book business

Writing Right from Novelist Gail Martin


Author Camy Tang's Story Sensei
Tips to help writers doctor their own manuscripts

The Kill Zone
Insider perspectives from today's hottest thriller and mystery writers

Guide to Literary Agents
EDITOR'S BLOGWhen & How To Find an Agent To Represent Your WorkAgent

Rachelle Gardner's blog
Rants & Ramblings
On a Life as a Literary Agent

Literary Agent
Nathan Bransford's blog

The Creative Penn - Articles & Ezines

To give you a boost of information and inspiration, here is the latest Creative Penn ezine http://www.thecreativepenn.com/articles/ezines/- packed with links, free audio and video this month includes:

• How to make 6 figures with the Business of words (audio)
• The launch of Get Published TV
• How to use mind maps to help structure your book
• Tips for your author website and making the most of selling your backlist

And much more.

The ezine is a downloadable 2 page PDF - just right click on the link on this page http://www.thecreativepenn.com/articles/ezines/

Running Wild Writers LLC

Contact: Lisa Kastner

Founder

lisa@runningwildwriters.org

http://www.runningwildwriters.org/

610-235-9626

Local Writers Make Room to Run Wild

Running Wild Writers, LLC debuts as Philadelphia’s newest writers’ community with its first Fiction Workshop beginning September 2009. Founded by Philadelphia-based writer Lisa Diane Kastner, Running Wild provides a venue for writers of all forms and all genres to learn and succeed in the craft.

Kastner is a fiction writer, former correspondent for the Philadelphia Theater Review, freelance journalist for the Delaware County Times, Features Editor for the Picolata Review, and President of Pennwriters, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit writers’ organization.

“In my years with the creative writing community, I have repeatedly been asked to provide writers a venue to more thoroughly explore the craft of writing. Running Wild Writers is the answer to that request.”

The inaugural Fiction Workshop will begin September 24 and will run once a week for ten weeks through December 2009. Attendees will have two opportunities to submit up to 5,000 words of original material to be reviewed by participants and to receive a detailed assessment from Kastner.

“What makes Running Wild Writers unique is that we believe all forms and genres are valuable. Most workshops specialize in a specific genre such as literary, thriller, mystery, romance and so forth. At Running Wild, we believe that writers can learn and grow by reading and writing across genres,” said Kastner. “The same is true for form. Writers need to experiment in creative non-fiction, poetry, and fiction writing to hone their skills and discover who they are as writers.”

Workshop Details Running Wild Writers Community will hold a 10-week Fiction Writers Workshop from September 24 – December 3, 2009. The group will meet on Thursdays at 7 PM. Participants will have the opportunity to workshop two pieces, maximum of 5,000 words each, during the sessions. Each work will be given thorough written feedback by the instructor as well as feedback from fellow attendees. In addition, the instructor will select elements of the craft to discuss during the sessions. Craft discussions will be based on the pieces workshopped that evening. Workshops will be held at 1241 Carpenter St., Philadelphia, PA 19147. In the heart of a thriving Philadelphia arts community.

Lisa’s Bio

Lisa Diane Kastner, fiction writer, creative non-fiction explorer, and former journalist writes fiction from Philadelphia and draws inspiration from her local experience. Kastner promises that her flaming red head tendencies will neither detract nor overly add to the commentary. If anything, it will bring a bit of flavor, like cinnamon.A former correspondent for the Philadelphia Theatre Review and Features Editor for the Picolata Review, Kastner currently writes freelance and by invitation in literature and the arts. Her literary interviews include Charles Baxter (Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature 1997) and Lee Martin (Pulitzer Prize Nominee 2006). Kastner is the Founder of Running Wild Writers Community, LLC and President of Pennwriters, Inc. (http://www.pennwriters.com/) , a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to assisting the novice to the award winning and multipublished writers to learn and succeed in the craft. She is the founder of the Pennwriters King of Prussia and Philadelphia Critique Groups, and can be found throughout the region leading workshops on business communications, and occasionally performing on the local stage or such theater companies as CelebrationTheater. Her short stories have been published in 63 Channels Journal and The StraightJackets Magazine. For more information go to www.runningwildwriters.org or contact Kastner at the phone number noted above.

How can you sell books and...

How can you sell books and not yourself?

This is a question that has been troubling me for some time now. New authors. They want to sell a million copies but… they don’t want to “communicate” in order to do that.

Why?In retrospect, let me say this. I’m a shy person, typically, around people I don’t know. So when I ventured into the “publishing” world, a green horn (aren’t we all?), I was like (as the kids now say) “Oh my gosh, I gotta do what?”

Keep in mind, folks, I’m over that “50″ hill mark now. But I still see “me” in the mirror as being “16″ going on “21″. Following me so far? All my fears of “staying underground to keep outta trouble” had to be conquered (okay, I was just a tad bit rebellious). And… if you want to write, publish and actually sell the durned things, you have to as well!

I get these kinds of responses all the time when talking to “new authors” about how to promote their books:

“I want to sell books, but I don’t want to give out my email address.”

“Do I really need a website?”

“Why don’t they read my book and see that I’m the greatest author that ever crossed their email inbox?” (not really – but it is what the person meant)

I’m not kidding here. I’ve actually heard these and more!

If you want to write, then publish, then have a zillion people actually read it and thus, make you rich (which I’m pretty sure is your main objective)… then you are in for a rude awakening.

But don’t give up if writing and publishing really is in “your blood” and don’t cry when someone says “…you call yourself a writer?” Because you might hear that or worse!

The true satisfication in ANY endeavor, whether it works out for you or not, is that you can go to sleep at night and say “I did my best” and be happy with that!

After all, if your book doesn’t sell, you can at least say “I wrote a book” instead of “I could write a book” because hey… we can all “could” all we want, but can we at least try to ”do it?”

In summary, if you want to sell books, whether you are a big name or not, you have to work hard at promoting it AND you! How can you sell a book if no one knows about you or your book?

Unless you’ve lucked into a traditional, well known publishing company, have an agent and maybe a public relations associate working for you as well, it’s not going to happen unless you MAKE it happen.

Browse well known author websites. Check out their site structure, what types of books they write that sell well, and what they are doing to promote their books.

Read interviews of well known authors. There you will learn what kinds of questions you might be asked if ever interviewed and you can learn a lot from the author’s answers.

Research publishers before submitting and prepare for rejections. Keep in mind that while it is true that it’s easier to get into a good publishing company if you have an agent, that it is also more difficult to convince an agent you have a worthwhile project than convincing a publisher.

So get out there and sell yourself and your book! And don’t be shy! When your famous you can “hide out” from the public but until then, make your presence known!

The Dreaded Comma Dilemma...

I’ve dubbed this topic “the dreaded comma dilemma” from my experience while working for a daily newspaper. Trust me; I was confused at first as well. The late Kay White Miles was the publisher for many years and a close friend. She often had the final say in an article prior to publishing and thus, the “dilemma” begins. Leave it in or take it out?

We had a reporter who consistently put commas in everywhere. And Kay, inevitably, would mark her article to take out most of the commas. Thus the office joke - “the dreaded comma dilemma”.

When I attended school, we were taught to use a comma before the word “and”. However, I was taught at the newspaper that the “and” actually replaces the comma, thus the comma is not needed. I’ve found visual aids are often better when explaining something. Here’s an example:

The box contained some thread, needles, straight pins, and scissors.

The box contained some thread, needles, straight pins and scissors.

Technically, both are acceptable. However, if I were to edit your writing I would remove the comma before the “and”.

You can also use a comma to break up a sentence or indicate a “pause”. But be careful not to have a run-on sentence with too many commas. And keep in mind that a semi-colon might be the correct way to go. We’ll get into that in a minute. Here’s an example of using a comma to break up a sentence:

She climbed the stairs to the second floor and entered the room where she had last seen it, and wished there were an easier way to find it.

Notice I’ve left the comma in before the last “and”. This is not a sentence using description as the sample above. It’s a long sentence with more than one “and” so therefore, the comma before the last “and” is acceptable and helps to break up the sentence.

On to the subject of using a comma before the word “but”. This one is often a toughie for writers and better explained with another example for visual aid. You do not always put a comma before the word “but”.

What else could she do but give in?

There is another way you could get that to them sooner, but you’ll have to drive there instead.

When editing someone’s writing, I often run across improperly placed commas and semi-colons. When do you use the comma and when do you use a semi-colon instead? Commas are used between words in sentences where the remainder of the sentence is not a sentence, whereas semi-colons are used in place of a comma if the remainder of the sentence can be considered a sentence. So here’s another “visual aid” to help you understand better:

“Yes, he invited me to go, but I turned him down.”

“Yes, he invited me to go; I turned him down.”

Next time, providing I don’t forget again (LOL), we’ll discuss thesauruses.