FREE contest for YA manuscripts

Nov. 30 deadline; first 250 words of YA manuscript; Info and entry here:

http://www.writingclasses.com/ContestPages/YAPitch.php

Contest for completed romance novel

http://rwanational.org/cs/contests_and_awards/golden_heart_awards

Golden Heart Awards; 20,000+ words; Nov. 16 deadline (info & entry at link above)

10 QUESTIONS FOR… Deborah DeNicola, “The Future That Brought Her Here”

Author interview with Deborah DeNicola

Deborah DeNicola’s memoir The Future That Brought Her Here is from Ibis Press 2009. She has six previous books, including the anthology she edited. A new collection of poems, Original Human, is scheduled for 2010. Among several other awards, she received a Poetry Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.  Deborah studied dream work at The Jung Institutes in Boston and Zurich and trained with Robert Bosnak. Her web site is: www.intuitivegateways.com

1. Tell us about your latest book.

My latest book is my spiritual memoir, The Future That Brought Her Here; Memoir of a Call to Awaken. It’s the story of a normal, struggling, single woman who finds one day she has new senses, can see through her closed eyes, has visions and senses changes in energy. I have been meditating for over 20 years and when new senses emerged, I began a quest for what was behind our 3-D reality. This quest consisted of reading, going to channeling sessions and asking spirits what was happening to me as well as traveling through  synchronicity to other countries. My excursion to Southern France to follow the mystery of the Black Madonnas takes up the latter half of the book.

The book contains medieval history, science, and occult mysteries as well as a personal story of healing from my father’s death when I was an adolescent. It’s also about creative process and dreaming and dream image work.  At the end I come to some conclusions about where human evolution is going and ways to be in the world, living the ideals of A Course in Miracles. It actually took me 8 years to write and I started it as a novel because I was an “academic” and didn’t want to step out of the metaphysical closet. The story and writing the story helped me come to terms with some of these experiences.                     

2. How did you get started as a writer?

I’ve written every since I learned to write. I think it might have helped that I had an older brother who wrote and he was like my mentor/tormentor. He’d assign me certain books to read and I just accepted him as my  teacher. We subscribed to the old “Classics Illustrated” which were wonderful comic books of the Great Canon.  As a kid I used to write mostly stories and didn’t start writing  poetry till adolescence, of course, love poems came first.

3. What does a typical day look like for you?

Currently I’m busy marketing my book and my dream process workshops as well as my mentoring new writers. I do two things: I help people process dreams, discover meaning, amplify their dreams, and relate them to issues in their current life. I also help writers develop material, create their book with exercises in writing, edit their work, and find the order and sequence of their experiences. My days vary considerably depending on what I’m working on.

I had a schedule when I was writing the book steadily and teaching. Almost three years ago I came to Florida from Boston because my mother was ill. I ended up staying because of her. All my belongings are still in storage in Boston. I moved in with her to help her. I realized it was a time I could also move to change my career. I’d been an adjunct professor teaching as many as 6 courses a semester and going away to writing colonies on fellowships when I had some breaks.

I found a huge holistic and spiritual community in Florida (of all places, I was quite surprised!) Then I found a publisher here, so in many ways, though I still miss Boston’s intellectual community, I feel I was led here . I’m living completely in the moment now. Every day I network, spend many hours on the computer but I also dance three hours a week, go to the ocean frequently and try to stay balanced. I’ve had another book of poetry accepted since I’ve been here; Original Human is coming out in 2010. And an earlier chapbook, Inside Light, was published the year after I arrived.  Florida’s been good to me. I am somewhat free to pursue writing and marketing and somewhat tied down with an ill 93 year old mother. (Another book to write!)

I have been working on a book of essays on Dream Image Work and I think it’s halfway finished.

4. Describe your workspace.

I have a wonderful red bookcase from Ikea that is the center of my study. I have a MAC laptop and desk and several filing cabinets. I try to keep conscious of the concepts of Feng Shui so I get the maximum out of my work hours in energy. I’m very aware of energy in a room and how clear it is, how supportive. Here’s a tip, keep your north-west corner uncluttered as it’s your money area. I have, of course, piles of clutter elsewhere.

5. Favorite books (especially for writers)

Let me start with favorite writers. Oh, so many. I love contemporary fiction, read all nationalities but I am also a classic scholar. All the Greek material; I read and taught Ovid, Homer, the major Greek playwrights. I compiled and edited an anthology of contemporary poetry on Greek myths called Orpheus & Company, published by University Press of New England. It had some course adoption which was nice for me.  The Harvard Review called it “An important book.” As much as I could I taught what I loved or was interested in, the poetry of Rumi and Rilke, the Romantics, the Moderns, poetry being my first love.

I designed and taught a class on the literature of war which deeply moved me. It struck me that Homer’s Illiad , the first book in Western Civilization, says everything that’s ever been said about war, it’s glory and it’s horror. I have been troubled to understand this dichotomy. I read a lot of Viet Nam novels, a lot on the Serbo-Croatain tragedies, and the literature of the Holocaust.

For some reason I was drawn to try and understand the concept of evil. In many ways, my book looks for answers to that question. I believe we are all One, living in the illusion of separation. I’m a Course in Miracles practitioner. Fear and ignorance of our true spiritual connection are basically the reasons we don’t treat each other well. The lack of understanding that everything we think and feel has a frequency that attracts situations to us is probably to blame. I think however, that as bad as the world looks, these ideas are spreading exponentially. Spirituality has exploded into its own industry. Then of course there is the topic of religion, man-made institutions that have failed. Okay, so I’m off-task. Naming favorite books . . .

Tim O’Brien’s The things They Carried is a wonderful book on writing as much as it is on war. It’s about story telling, how to tell a war story. And as addicted to drama as humanity is, this book teaches so much. I was a French major in college so I love a lot of the big nineteenth century French novels by Zola, Balzac and Stendhal. I recently read a wonderful novel by A Mexican author, Thomas Louis Urrea, The Hummingbird’s Daughter.  I love all the South  American poets, Neruda being the be-all and end-all for me. And as for South American novelists, no one can top the late Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Then for Americans, oh, the whole lot of Fitzgerald, some of Hemingway, and their short stories. The short story form in general, is so unappreciated by the public, except, of course, for M.F.A. students . . . Flannery O’Conor, Cheever, Updike,  Faulkner, Katherine Mansfield that whole generation . . . then Ann Beattie, Joyce Carol Oates (although I o.d.ed on her) Tobias Wolf, Alice Walker, Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, is a book I’ve read several times.

I could go on an on, but I’ll just add that one of my favorite contemporary novels is Ann Padget’s Bel Canto and I recently read and loved the story collections of  Jhumpa Lahiri, Interpreter of Maladies and  Unaccustomed Earth.

6. Tell us 3 interesting/crazy things about you

(A) Well, I do dream work. I think it’s one of the most important things we need to do. The unconscious mind is a treasure trove. And if we can take back and own our projections, and realize everything in our dreams, atmosphere, landscape, objects, figures, are ALL US, we will see we all have the same fears and complexes. When we make those conscious, we have more compassion for ourselves and others. We can’t change others, we can only change ourselves, change our reactions to stimulus of our separation. I fervently believe this. But it is so difficult to change our neuron pathways because our unconscious mind does not always believe what we consciously want to create. We do create our reality, but we create it unconsciously a lot of the time and therefore we project and have conflict and war and injustice. Working on your dreams and making them conscious shows you what you really are feeling, what is sabotaging your plans, as well as what you could become. The unconscious is extremely wise. But it speaks a different language. We must learn the language. It is universal. We all dream and dreams take us out of our reality to another reality. If we live to be 80 we’ll have spent 20 years dreaming. It only makes sense to try and make sense out of our dreams.

I have learned a process that reveals meaning rather than “interprets it.” It is experiental and emotional, and it works.

 (B) I’m a poet. Everyone knows poets are crazy. No one pays them. We agonize over whether to put an “and” or a “but” for hours, days maybe and no one cares but us. But poetry, like life, contains ambiguity. And poetry resolves paradox; it holds the opposites in tension where they can produce a reconciling image. It’s the ultimate healer. It’s also greatly expressionistic of our most intense emotions. Poetry heals, especially its dark side, heals. We get to experience in the moment, which is where we need to be. It’s actually not that crazy, though mainstream people have no idea what it’s about. But when someone writes poetry, to be in the act of it, puts you totally in the moment and the unconscious delivers. it’s like channeling. One is given so much solace. Poetry is addictive, in a good way. And it has correspondences with dreaming, so it seems natural to me as I love imagery.

(C) My third eye is open. My book goes into this. I’ve been meditating over 20 years and one day during meditation I saw an eye looking back at me. I also became aware of invisible presences around me. This awakening is at the heart of my story. The Future That Brought Her Here  is a quest to understand what had happened to me, is happening to me. I’ve acquired senses I never had, although I did have imaginary friends when I was very young, and now it makes me wonder . . . I was never interested in the occult, always frightened of it actually. However, I was led on a fascinating journey, calling me to different locations where I had different experiences, Israel, Colorado, France. I read a lot of history of the occult and then quantum physics. I studied near death experiences, the world between worlds, and I believe my visions are related to past lives. I found a British physicist , Rupert Sheldrake, who writes about the Presence of the Past. I came to some amazing conclusions and then found that there are thousands, maybe millions of people on similar spiritual journeys, different symptoms but we all agree that humanity is evolving and we are in for great changes of our whole civilization. I will leave it al that . . . hopefully tempting you to read my book.

7. Favorite quote 

C.G.Jung:  “Unless the unconscious is made conscious on the inside, it will happen on the outside, as fate.”

8. Best and worst part of being a writer

Best—it’s so enriching, so satisfying to feel you’ve expressed what you intended, such a healing release. And then the added bonus—other people like it!

Worst—it’s lonely. Although I’ve been in a lot of writing groups, the ultimate work is done alone and requires long hours. Two other worsts, (“worse and worser” . . . ) very few writers make a lot of money, even if they’re good. And the “worser”, it’s hard work.

9. Advice for other writers

Read. Read before you write. Read and write every day. Don’t become a writer unless you can’t help it.

10. Tell us a story about your writing experience.

Well, I once drove 300 miles to read to one person. But that’s a reading experience? Hmm… I once stopped making love, to jot down some notes . . .  how’s that?

Where can people buy your books?

You can get my book online through my distributor, http://www.redwheelweiser.com/ just put in the title or my name in the search box. Also on amazon.com and bn.com. My publisher’s web site:

http://www.nicolashays.com  I’ve read at Borders here, but not every Borders may have it, though you can order it. And the same with Barnes and Nobles. If there’s a spiritual bookstore near you, they should have it.  My web site www.intuitivegateways.com lists my books and blurbs, will direct you to them although I don’t sell them from there.

**

Deborah DeNicola is the author of five poetry collections and she edited the anthology Orpheus & Company; Contemporary Poems on Greek Mythology. Among other awards she won a Poetry Fellowship in 1997 from the National Endowment for the Arts. Deborah has been a recipient of many writing colony residencies. Her most recent book is her spiritual memoir published by Nicolas Hays/Ibis Press, The Future That Brought Her Here. Another full collection of poetry Original Human is forthcoming from Custom Word Press in 2010. She teaches dream image work and mentors writers online at her web site www.intuitivegateways.com.

For a limited time, you can purchase The Future That Brought Her Here from Amazon and receive bonus gifts. Click here for details: http://www.thefuturethatbroughtherhere.com/bonusoffers/ To learn more about this virtual blog tour, please visit: http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2009/10/future-that-brought-her-here-by-deborah.html

Wanna write a novel? NaNoWriMo is here!

November is National Novel Writing Month. There’s an entire Web site dedicated to those who want to participate. Be sure to check out the “Night of Writing Dangerously Write-a-thon!” on November 22.

Info on NANOWRIMO here: http://www.NaNoWritMo.org

Like paranormal? Bram Stoker winner to read ghost stories on radio 10/30

My father, Steve Burt, will be reading some of his ghost stories live on www.newsradio970.com on October 30 (Friday)  at 8:30 a.m. Mountain Time. Also known as “The Sinister Minister,” Dad is the author of 12 book and won the Bram Stoker Award for Young Adult ‘Horror’ (more like scary than gore) in 2005, tying with Clive Barker! You can learn more about Dad on his Web site, www.BurtCreations.com

10 QUESTIONS FOR…Leah Beth Evans, author & high school freshman!

Author Interview Leah Beth Evans

My name is Leah Beth Evans and I’m a freshman at Valley View High School. I live in the town of Peckville located in the state of PA.I enjoy composing songs and literature.I have one published book,a childrens book, called “A Different Kind of Hero”.

1. Tell us about your latest book.

My latest published book,“A Different Kind of Hero”, is a fictional children’s book about a Monkey who seeks out his special talent or prowess.

2. How did you get started as a writer?

Ever since I was young,I would write short story’s or poems. In fourth grade though, I was “influenced” by a nonfictional story I had read in class all about the rainforest.Soon after,I wrote “A Different Kind of Hero”.

3. What does a typical day look like for you?

My typical day consists of attending school,studying,writing,practicing the piano,and occasionally socializing with friends.

4. Describe your workspace.

I have a variety of workplaces.My computer desk,my kitchen table,and my bedroom.

5. Favorite books 

My favorite books consist of “The Twilight Series”,”the Diary of Ann Frank”,”Flowers for Algernon,and “Little Women.”

6. Tell us 3 interesting/crazy things about you

I am capable of writing with both hands, sometimes I sleep on the opposite end of my bed (helps me sleep better),I not only have a love for writing but also music/theatre.

7. Favorite quote

I find all quotes to be special and creative and generally do not favor one over the other.

8. Best and worst part of being a writer

The best part of being a writer is getting to fill just a simple sheet of paper with your own thoughts and feelings.The worst part of being a writer is being given a limit to writing. As a writer, I do not enjoy writing essays that have a limit of “At least 5 paragraphs” or “No more than 3 pages”. As a writer, I believe that one should have the freedom of writing as much or as little as wanted. I believe a story should be written until the author feels it is complete,not when you are at your limit (3 pages or 5 paragraphs).

9. Advice for other writers

Write what you feel and love creating. Writing is beautiful and should be enjoyed and appreciated.

10. Tell us a story about your writing experience. 

When I started seventh grade my parents got my book published. It was an unforgetable day. One of my goals had been “achieved” and one of my dreams “come true”.

Where can people buy your book?

My book can be published at Amazon.com, Borders(online store),Barnes n’ Noble(online store),and Target.com. Also, fans can follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/theatregirl2

Thank you for this oppertunity,

                                        Leah Beth Evans

Question for Ask Wendy

Q: “What happens when a publisher with a submission guideline of’query only’ receives a query letter that accompanies a manuscript? I would think that way if they’re interested in reading the ms. it’s right there, and if not they can chuck it. Is it viewed as such an affront such that there are audible gasps in the room when the envelope is opened or is the envelope not even opened, based on its weight? Or could it just be that too many mss. clutter the office? Seems after reading countless times that editors just want a good manuscript, that it’s anathema to this perspective that a query letter that doesn’t dazzle can’t keep them from reading a book that does. And by not accepting mss. they are hurting the economy due to the lower cost of postage. Thanks – G”

A: From everything I’ve read, the agent’s guidelines (such as “query only”) are in place for a reason: it’s just too time-consuming to read manuscripts. I do not recommend sending a complete manuscript (or for that matter, a synopsis or proposal) if the guidelines specifically say “query only.” If anything, it will likely make the agent think that either A) you didn’t bother to read their guidelines before submitting or B) you read their guidelines and completely ignored them. If you read articles on agents’ biggest ‘pet peeves,’ almost all mention “writers not following our guidelines for submission.” My suggestion is to write a great query letter that makes them WANT to request the full manuscript. Thanks for the question!

Need help with your query letter?

Yes, I offer query letter consulting. For $50, you receive:

1. A review of your first-draft, one-page query letter with suggestions/edits

2. A review of a second draft with suggestions/edits

3. Five suggestions for agents/agencies that represent your type of manuscript

I also do consulting on proposals for $40/hour. (checks and PayPal accepted)

10 QUESTIONS FOR…Marilyn Meredith -writes a mystery series & crime series!

Author interview with Marilyn Meredith

I’m the author of over 25 books, most of them mysteries. I write two series, the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series and the Rocky Bluff P.D. crime series. I also do some ghost writing. I live in the foothills of the Central Coast in a town much like Bear Creek where my heroine, Tempe, lives. I belong to three chapters of Sisters in Crime and I’m on the board of the Public Safety Writers Association, and I also belong to Epic and MWA.

1. Tell us about your latest book.

In Dispel the Mist, Tempe investigates the murder of a popular county supervisor and has an encounter with the Hairy Man. The Hairy Man is similar to Big Foot, but he resides in the mountains above the Bear Creek Indian Reservation. The Hairy Man is really a Tule River Indian legend—but I borrowed him for this mystery.

2. How did you get started as a writer?

I’ve written since I was a kid. However, I didn’t get published until 1981. My first book was a historical family saga based on my own family’s genealogy.

After writing a second one based on the other side of the family, I began writing mysteries since that’s what I like most to read.

3. What does a typical day look like for you?

Usually I check my emails first—I shouldn’t, but I always want to see if there’s something important that I need to take care of. If I have a work-in-progress, that’s the next thing on my list. Right now I’m involved with promoting Dispel the Mist, so I’m doing things like making posters for my in-town personal appearances and promoting them and other physical appearances on the Internet. Because I’m doing a virtual book tour as well, I’m spending some time doing interviews like this. Actually, I enjoy them.

4. Describe your workspace.

I have a nice office with my desktop computer, two printers, two bookcases filled with books and supplies, a long table for piling things up that I’m planning to take this place or that. There is one window where I can look out at the foothills and the high mountains beyond.

5. Favorite books (especially for writers)

Before I was published it was always the Writers Market. I have a lot of writing books, but my favorite book is my thesaurus to help me find descriptive action verbs.  I also have several books about Native Americans and Indian legends. I refer to them sometimes to find good quotes for book titles.

6. Tell us 3 interesting/crazy things about you

My crazy days are long past. I’ve got a big family; we raised five children, now have eighteen grandchildren and eleven great grandkids.  I’ve been married to the same man for nearly 58 years and he’s still my best friend. We love to travel and have fun going to mystery conferences and conventions in new places we’ve never visited before.

7. Favorite quote

“I’m too blessed to be stressed.” And I live by that.

8. Best and worst part of being a writer

Best part about being a writer is letting my imagination go wild and seeing the people who live inside my mind live out their lives in the pages of the books I write. I love it when a reader tells me they loved a book of mine.  The worst part of being a writer is not having enough time to do all the things I’d like to do.

9. Advice for other writers

Never give up.  My first book was rejected nearly 30 times before it was finally accepted.  Don’t pay anyone in order to be published. If your book is good enough, you’ll find a publisher one day.  To be a writer you need to sit in front of your computer and write every day, or at least nearly every day.

10. Tell us a story about your writing experience. 

It’s a wonder I didn’t give up somewhere along the line. I’ve had two publishers die on me. I had two publishers who were crooks. One was actually put in jail and the other one took off never to be found, as far as I know. I had one publisher who never bothered to pay me my royalties even though I knew books were being bought. I’ve had two publishers who decided to quit the business. That’s why I say “never give up.” At the moment I have two very good—and honest—publishers.

Where can people buy your books?

Dispel the Mist can be purchased from the publisher http://www.mundaniapress.com as an e-book or trade paperback. It is also available from other bookstores.

You can read the first chapter of Dispel the Mist on my website: http://fictionforyou.com

My blog is http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com

Looking for an awesome gift for only $15 or $17 – including shipping?

 

(Work It, Girl! is only $15 including shipping)

Order an autographed copy of my book TODAY! The $17 includes the price of the book plus media mail shipping to you or your friend. I’ll inscribe it to your friend with a personal message. Don’t wait until the last minute or the shipping rates will go up! Payment via PayPal at WendyBurt@aol.com

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(Guide to Query Letters is $17 including shipping)