What's on in May (plus #writemotivation post, Beta Match, and winners of my Writing Prompts Contest)

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I hope everyone had an awesome April, whether taking part in the A to Z Challenge, having a rest, or blogging on as usual. While my A to Z Writing Prompts Contest was running (the winners are announced below!), I took a little time off writing to settle into my new house and get over some health issues, then I started plotting my new novel, DARK. It's so exciting to start something new like this - I'm sure you all know the feeling. I'm all pumped up now and ready to get writing.

How about you: How do you feel when you start a new novel - excited, nervous, scared, exhilarated, all of the above or something else altogether???

What's coming up in May on Rach Writes...

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I've got a massive schedule coming up for May. It's going to involve a month of Monday guest posts, all around the subject of self-publishing and digital publishing. I'll have guest posts from:

1. Michael Offutt (May 7 - as part of his SLIPSTREAM book tour), 
2. Rachel Morgan from Rachel Morgan Writes (May 14), 
3. Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi from The Bookshelf Muse (May 21), and 
4. Adina West from Stairways and Landings (May 28). 

They're all either already published or have books that are coming out soon via self-publishing or digital publishing, and they're going to share some of their publishing journeys with you, give you interesting information about self/digital publishing, and perhaps even give you the chance to win some cool loot!

So make sure you pop back each Monday during May for the next step in the self-publishing/digital publishing journey :) And each of the four weeks, I'll be popping in some interesting agent tips on self or digital publishing as well!

Beta Match

It's been a little while since I've done a Beta Match, so I'm going to hold one on Monday, June 4, 2012. Anyone who is looking for a critique partner or beta reader, make sure you pop back then :)

#writemotivation

I'm about to start writing my first draft of DARK, so I decided I could use some help and people to cheer me on. I've joined K.T. Hanna's #writemotivation, where I've set goals for myself during the month of May, and I can work to achieve those goals while cheering on other #writemotivation peeps on Twitter (and being cheered on myself too, I hope).

As part of #writemotivation we need to be accountable for our goals, so here goes. My May goals are:

1. Finish plotting DARK (and incorporate any comments by CPs into plotting notes)
2. More detailed characterization of secondary characters
3. Organize Scrivener so I'm all ready to begin writing
4. Write. Write. Write
5. Finish first draft by May 31, 2012

There's a lot there, but it's all doable, I hope. I've already got some very detailed plotting finished, so I'm hoping that will take a lot of guesswork out of my writing (unlike FROM THE OTHER SIDE, where I pretty much pantsed the whole thing then took forever in revisions!). So wish me luck!

How about you: What are your writing goals for May???

Winners of my A to Z Challenge Writing Prompts Contest!

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It was so awesome to see so many people take part in my Writing Prompts Contest. Diving headfirst into my complicated rules (to ensure that the entries fitted into the A to Z Challenge), were a grand total of 56 entrants, and many others cheered them on. The entries were so creative, sometimes funny, sometimes very moving, and I loved reading every one of them.

Special props go to Nemoswriting, who entered 17 times, many of them inspirational! And also to C. Lee McKenzie, who (until her computer crashed) managed to complete 12 entries by using only words starting with the letter of the day - she had me in stitches with all of them!

So...*drumroll*...the winners for the best entries as determined by yours truly are:

• guest post on Rach Writes... - C. Lee McKenzie
• interview on Rach Writes... - Jericha Senyak
• book (from The Book Depository) or Amazon gift card (emailed) to the value of $15 - Nemoswriting
• a query critique by me - Tracy Bermeo

And I enjoyed her entry so much I'm going to add another query critique as well, so congratulations to Teresa Cypher! While unfortunately not winners of a prize, honorable mentions go to the following people for their awesome entries:

• Dawn M. Hamsher
• Super Happy Jen

Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks again to all who took part or commented on my post :) Winners, please email me on rachael[dot]harrie[at]gmail[dot]com to claim your prize.

Well, I think that's it for me for the moment. Can't wait to hear all about how your April was and what you're working on at the moment. I'll see you back next Monday for Michael's guest post!

 

A to Z Blogging Challenge (Rach's Writing Prompts CONTEST!!!)

My internet problems are still ongoing, so I've had to rethink how I'll be participating in the A to Z Blogging Challenge this year. I've got a little creative *grins*. I've decided to hold a contest, which will run for the whole month of April. The theme of the contest is Writing Prompts (from A to Z), and there'll be prizes at the end of the contest for the winners :)

Here's how it will work:

For those of you participating in the A to Z Blogging Challenge (and those of you who are not), write a short story/flash fiction/poetry/other writing in the comments section of this post. The entry should be based on this picture and should be less than 150 words.

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In keeping with the A to Z Blogging Challenge, the entries should also comply with the following, based on the day you write your entry (for consistency, we'll be working in US EDT time):

• Sunday April 1 - base your entry around the letter "A"
• Monday April 2 - your entry should contain the words "brackish" and "bend"
• Tuesday April 3 - begin and end your entry with a word beginning with the letter "C"
• Wednesday April 4 - include four words starting with the letter "D" in your entry
• Thursday April 5 - base your entry around the letter "E"
• Friday April 6 -  your entry should contain the words "flight", "forlorn", and "fog"
• Saturday April 7 -  begin and end your entry with a word beginning with the letter "G"
• Sunday April 8 - free choice - no requirements for your entry. Alternatively, for an added challenge, see how many words beginning with the different letters of the alphabet you can include
• Monday April 9 - include four words starting with the letter "H" in your entry
• Tuesday April 10 -  base your entry around the letter "I"
• Wednesday April 11 - include three words starting with the letter "J" in your entry 
• Thursday April 12 - your entry should contain the words "king", "kestrel", and "key"
• Friday April 13 - begin and end your entry with a word beginning with the letter "L"
• Saturday April 14 - include four words starting with the letter "M" in your entry 
• Sunday April 15 - free choice - no requirements for your entry. Alternatively, for an added challenge, see how many words beginning with the different letters of the alphabet you can include
• Monday April 16 - base your entry around the letter "N"
• Tuesday April 17 - your entry should contain the words "own" and "orient"
• Wednesday April 18 - begin and end your entry with a word beginning with the letter "P"
• Thursday April 19 - include three words starting with the letter "Q" in your entry
• Friday April 20 - base your entry around the letter "R"
• Saturday April 21 - your entry should contain the words "silent" and "slinks"
• Sunday April 22 - free choice - no requirements for your entry. Alternatively, for an added challenge, see how many words beginning with the different letters of the alphabet you can include
• Monday April 23 - base your entry around the letter "T"
• Tuesday April 24 - your entry should contain the words "unsure" and "unknown"
• Wednesday April 25 - include three words starting with the letter "V" in your entry
• Thursday April 26 - begin and end your entry with a word beginning with the letter "W" 
• Friday April 27 - see how many X's you can include in words in your entry
• Saturday April 28 - include as many words beginning with the letter "Y" as you can
• Sunday April 29 - free choice - no requirements for your entry. Alternatively, for an added challenge, see how many words beginning with the different letters of the alphabet you can include
• Monday April 30 - base your entry around the letter "Z"

I hope you have fun taking part in my contest! Feel free to enter as many times as you wish and on as many days as you wish - the only requirements for you to claim a prize are that you are following me, and that you include your email address in your entry if it's not already included in your user profile. And I'd love it if you'd tweet or facebook or Google+ the contest or mention it on your blog.

And the prizes (international) for the best entries as determined by yours truly are:

- guest post on Rach Writes...
- interview on Rach Writes...
- book (from The Book Depository) or Amazon gift card (emailed) to the maximum value of $15
- a query critique by me

Good luck, and I can't wait to see what you come up with :)

Winners - Second Campaigner Challenge (Fourth Campaign)

Apologies to everyone for my long silence - I recently moved house and have had huge issues with my internet provider that still haven't been properly sorted out! I really appreciate the concern shown for my absence, and thanks so much to those who checked in to make sure I was okay :) Hopefully, the wait has made the following announcement all the sweeter.

As with previous Challenges, Winners have been chosen in three categories:

1. People's Choice Awards - chosen by you in the voting (by clicking "Like" on the entries);
2. Places awarded by the judges, who've done an absolutely fantastic job of winnowing 110 entries down to the top 14 under the wonderful wizardry of Mark Koopmans; and
3. Random prizes (chosen by Mr. Random.org).

Before I reveal the winners, I'd love you all to offer up a huge thanks to four awesome people who helped me out with this Second Campaigner Challenge: Mark Koopmans, who shepherded the many awesome judges through three rounds of judging and shone a light into the administrative chaos - I couldn't have done this without him! And Ozlem Yikici, Kathleen Doyle, and K.T. Hanna who've done amazing jobs administering the prizes, communicating with the prize donors, and helping with the Campaigner Notice-Board.

To thank them for all of their help, I'd love them to accept this Campaign Appreciation Badge if they haven't already downloaded it from my last post :)

And now to the winners...*drumroll*

People's Choice Awards

1. First Place - Kevin Hiatt (43 points)
2. Second Place - Morgan Shamy (37 points)
3. Third Place - Liza (31 points)
4. Fourth Place - Alynza (30 points)
5. Fifth Place - Nancy S. Thompson (21 points)
6. Sixth Place - Elise Fallon (18 points)
7. Seventh Place - Carrie Butler (16 points) (tied)
7. Seventh Place - Melissa Maygrove (16 points) (tied)

Congratulations guys!!! And as for what you've won, here it is:

In First Place, Kevin Hiatt has won:

• A full critique of a complete manuscript, donated by K.Z. Ozbirn.
• A $50 Amazon gift card plus Scrivener software (download/disc), donated by Melissa Sugar.
• A signed copy of EDEN’S GARDEN (hot off the press on March 15th, 2012), donated by Juliet.

In Second Place, Morgan Shamy has won:

• A critique of the winner's query and first 50 pages, donated by Nancy S. Thompson.
• A book cover design or blog banner, donated by Shelley Koon.
• An ARC of THE BEGINNING OF AFTER by Jennifer Castle (Contemporary YA) [Print -US/Canada only], donated by Jenn Baker-Henry.
• An autographed photo of Cate Blanchett from her movie, ELIZABETH, THE GOLDEN YEARS, donated by Roland D. Yeomans.

In Third Place, Liza has won:

• A 30 page critique and a copy of THE VEIL by K. S. Collier (critique - international, book - US/Canada/UK/France only), donated by K.S.Collier.
• A $15 (£10) giftcard from Amazon, donated by Claire Hennessy.
• A signed copy of THE WRITER'S WORKOUT by Christina Katz US/Canada only, donated by Vicki Orians.

In Fourth Place, Alynza has won:

• A critique of the first five chapters of a manuscript, donated by Misha.
• A fancy writing pen, donated by Lesann.
• A signed copy of each of the current books in the MEANT TO BE series (MEANT TO BE and THE COUPLES) by Richard Alan (and a free download via Smashwords coupon of both books), donated by Richard Alan (US/Canada only for the books).

In Fifth Place, Nancy S. Thompson has won:

• a blog critique, donated by Shelley Brown. Shelley says the critique will “help you get the most out of your blog and your time.”

In Sixth Place, Elise Fallon has won:

• first chapter critique, donated by Charity. Charity says “the three women of Unicorn Bell will give a first chapter critique. That's three pairs of eyes on your first chapter!”

In Seventh Place (tied), Carrie Butler has won:

• A paperback of HOMECOMING, first novel by Sue Ann Bowling, winner of Reader Views Reviewer's Choice Award. [US/Canada only], donated by Sue Ann Bowling.

In Seventh Place, Melissa Maygrove has won:

• A copy of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS by Sara Gruen, donated by Hedda Black.

Judging Round

The prizes below have been awarded based on the standard of your entries, as judged by our awesome judges! Once the judges determined the top 14 Finalists, I decided which place each Finalist would be awarded. And boy was it hard, the entries were all SOOOO good!

Here are the Finalists and their prizes:

First Place - C.B. Wentworth
Second Place - Jocelyn Rish
Third Place - Kevin Hiatt
Fourth Place - Liza
Fifth Place - Amy Marie
Sixth Place - Alynza
Seventh Place - Fairview
Eighth Place - Claire
Ninth Place - Mina Burrows
Tenth Place - Elise Fallson
Eleventh Place - Randy Lindsay
Twelfth Place - Laurie Dennison
Thirteenth Place - Elizabeth Towns
Fourteenth Place - Sabrina A. Fish

Congratulations, you all really deserve it!!!

In First Place, C.B. Wentworth has won:

• A critique of the first thirty pages of a manuscript, donated by Hannah Hale. Hannah says, “I will identify if the winner's partial is ready for agents and editors, by focusing on the following areas (as well as pointing out other aspects not listed below): Does the opening scene hook the reader? Is the beginning conflict/tension clear? Is the characterization engaging? Does the story show, not tell? Does the story flow and is the writing tight? I'll also point out strengths of the sample as well as areas to improve, with examples”
• An ebook/gift certificate from No Boundaries Press and a free promotions workshop, donated by Kharisma Rhayne, co-owner of No Boundaries Press.
• An ARC of ALISON IN WONDERLAND by Helen Smith (Contemporary Fiction) [Print - US/Canada only], donated by Jenn Baker-Henry.

In Second Place, Jocelyn Rish has won:

• A critique (First 3 chapters), donated by Callie Kingston.
• A $25 Amazon gift card/e-card voucher, donated by Lara Schiffbauer.
• A signed paperback copy of SUFFERSTONE: Book I of the Dolvia Saga, a fantasy novel, by Stella Atrium [USA only] donated by Stella Atrium.
• A PDF copy of PERFECT SCORE by Sue Roebuck, donated Sue Roebuck.

In Third Place, Kevin Hiatt has won:

• A10 page critique and a DVD copy of the short film SAYING GOODBYE, donated by Jocelyn Rish.
• A $10 e-giftcard to Barnes & Noble, donated by Komal Lewis.
• Copies of FAERIE TALE FROM THE WHITE FOREST (Book One) and BRIGITTA OF THE WHITE FOREST THE RUINS OF NOE (Book Two, available in April 2012) [U.S. and Canada only, or ebook form if international], donated by Danika Dinsmore.
• An ARC of ONE DAY I WILL WRITE ABOUT THIS PLACE by Binyavanga Wainaina (Memoir) [Print - US/Canada only] donated by Jenn Baker-Henry.

In Fourth Place, Liza has won:

• An ARC or paper copy of the ebook HER HEART’S DESIRE by Adriana Ryan, plus a 15 page critique, plus an opportunity to “take over” her blog for the day, donated by Adriana Ryan. Adriana says that the winner can have a guest post or interview, or could use a book trailer, vlog, character interview, etc. to provide information on them and their books/characters.
• An eBook of DEFYING GRAVITY, donated by Cherie Reich.
• The book UNDERTOW by Callie Kingston, donated by Callie Kingston.

In Fifth Place, Amy Marie has won:

• A first chapter and query critique donated by David P. King.
• An eBook of CURSE OF ANCIENT SHADOWS by Rod Tyson (YA fantasy novel), donated by Rod Tyson.
• A copy of the book ABANDONED FOOTSTEPS and the poetry ebook PROLONGED FAREWELL, both by and donated by Sylvia van Bruggen.

In Sixth Place, Alynza has won:

• A five page critique by four published authors in a critique group, donated by Dawn from WriteOn.
• An eBook IF I COULD BE LIKE JENNIFER TAYLOR by Barbara Ehrentreu (in PDF form), donated by Barbara Ehrentreu.
• An eBook THE BEST OF RAVEN AND THE WRITING DESK, donated by Cherie Reich.

In Seventh Place, Fairview has won:

• A first chapter (up to 20 pages) critique, donated by Meradeth.
• An eBook ONCE UPON A DECEMBER, donated by Cherie Reich.

In Eighth Place, Claire has won:

• An edit/proofread/critique of a first chapter (or first 2000 words) of a novel donated by author Louise Wise.
• An E-copy of OPPRESION (Children of the Gods #1) by Jessica Therrien (debut novel), donated by Jessica Therrien.

In Ninth Place, Mina Burrows has won:

• A 15 page critique donated by Kathleen Doyle.

In Tenth Place, Elise Fallson has won:

• A first chapter critique, donated by Melanie Fowler.

In Eleventh Place, Randy Lindsay has won:

• An ebook of THE BONES OF THE EARTH by Scott Bury, donated by Scott Bury.

In Twelfth Place, Laurie Dennison has won:

• An ARC of RUNNING THE RIFT by Naomi Benaron (Historical Fiction) [Print - US/Canada only], donated by Jenn Baker-Henry.

In Thirteenth Place, Elizabeth Towns has won:

• An eBook of GUARDIAN (CREEPY HOLLOW, #1) donated by Rachel Morgan.

In Fourteenth Place, Sabrina A. Fish has won:

• A Kindle copy of UNDERTOW by Callie Kingston (Kindle) donated by Callie Kingston.

Random Prizes

I'm also awarding 5 random prizes, chosen by Mr. Random.org! The winners (and prizes) are:

1. Jenn Baker-Henry - Copies of FAERIE TALE FROM THE WHITE FOREST (Books One) and BRIGITTA OF THE WHITE FOREST THE RUINS OF NOE (Book Two, available in April 2012) [U.S. and Canada only, or ebook form if international], donated by Danika Dinsmore.
2. Cherie Reich - A query letter and first ten pages of a manuscript, donated by Rachele Alpine.
3. Rekha - A new copy of THE PLOT by Martha Alderson (or a book to the value of $20), donated by Melissa Sugar.
4. J.E. Fritz - Book: WANTED: DEAD OR UNDEAD (Book One in The Zombie West Series). Plus Zombie Swag: Zombie-T-shirt, package of brains (not real of course), Zombie Necklace, Etc... [Package may not be shipped until April. US/Canada Only, though the ebook can be sent internationally], donated by Angela Scott.
5. Erin Kane Spock – A critique of a query letter and the first 250 words of a completed manuscript, donated by Daisy Carter.

Congratulations to all the winners, you've done such a great job in this Challenge!!! Remember, you've been chosen from 110 entries - how awesome is that!

I'll be getting in touch with both winners and prize donors over the next few days regarding the prizes - please be patient, as I have limited internet access. If you have any questions/concerns about your prize, please email me.

Campaigner Notice-Board (Friday, March 9th, 2012)

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Check out these great blogfests, contests, and other announcements:

1. From Megan at The Bittersweet Blog: We’re having a giveaway! Get Feedback on your Novel. Check it out here! 
2. From Jessica Therrien at Jessica Therrien: From Imagination to Publication: I'll be bouncing around blogs for my OPPRESSION Blog Tour. Stop by the tour stops and comment to win some great prizes. 
3. From Ryann Kerekes at Novel Addiction: Skip the slush! Let me refer you! Hosting a query contest with my agents. Winner gets a referral. Check it out over here! 
4. From Meradeth at Write Stuff: To celebrate the release of my cover for my debut novel, Colors Like Memories, I'm holding a little contest. Enter to win a book of your choice! 
5. From Sher A Hart at Sher A Hart: My Best Part: I added a contest, open through the end of March, to my campaign challenge entry. Guess my three word challenge theme or come closest to the ending of my book pitch, and you can win one of two prizes, a large envelope mailer of books from my collection (US only) or $10 USD in books (worldwide). You can come back and guess as many times as you want. I'll add more hints in the last week if nobody is close by then. Also, I have a books and chocolate contest posted on my, ahem, "Win chocolate and books" page. It ends on the 10th of March and the next goes from March 11th -10 April. This may be the last one with chocolate because when I buy it for the winner, I also buy some for me. Check it out here! 
6. From Danika Dinsmore at The Accidental Novelist: The final round of the 50 First Lines challenge is on. Anyone can join in the fun. Deadline for this round is midnight PST on Monday, March 12 – Visit my blog for details! 
7. Brooke R. Busse at Paper Mountain: This month, my blog is all about YOU! Have a book coming out, a blogfest, or just simply want to advertise yourself? Stop by to learn how. 

If you have a blogfest, a contest, or a something-or-other you want me to let people know about, fill out this form and I'll run your announcement in the following Friday's post. Make sure you include all the details please. If your announcement is for a continuing event that you want included in other Notice-Boards, you'll need to fill out the form again each week.

Winners - First Campaigner Challenge (Fourth Campaign)

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Well, the votes and judging for the First Campaigner Challenge are now in, and I'm really excited to be able to announce all the winners in this post! With 210 awesome entries in the Challenge, and hundreds of people voting on those they liked the best (not to mention the fantastic work by the judges), it's been an awesome few weeks. I hope you've all had a great time too!

As with previous Challenges, Winners have been chosen in three categories:

1. People's Choice Awards - chosen by you in the voting (by clicking "Like" on the entries);
2. Places awarded by the judges, who've done an absolutely fantastic job of winnowing 210 entries down to the top 10 under the supreme organizational genius of Michael Offutt; and
3. Random prizes (chosen by Mr. Random.org).

Before I reveal the winners, I'd love you all to offer up a huge thanks to five awesome people who helped me out with this First Campaigner Challenge. Michael Offutt, who single-handedly organized the legion of judges through three rounds of judging and brought order into the depths of chaos - I couldn't have done this without him! And Ozlem Yikici, Steph Schmidt, and Kathleen Doyle, who've done an amazing job administering the prizes and communicating with the prize donors.  I'd also like to thank K.T. Hanna, for all her awesome help with the Campaigner Notice-Board.

To thank them for all of their help, I'd love them to accept this Campaign Appreciation Badge :)

And now to the winners...*drumroll* (We have heaps of prizes, so if by chance you receive a US only prize but you live internationally, email me asap and we'll see what we can come up with).

People's Choice Awards

First Place: Kevin Hiatt (120 votes)
Second Place: Jessica McKendry (108 votes)
Third Place: Carrie Butler (48 votes)
Fourth Place: David Powers King (42 votes)
Fifth Place: Alynza (37 votes)
Sixth Place: Morgan Shamy (33 votes)
Seventh Place (tied): Alyssa McKendry (30 votes)
Seventh Place (tied): Rachel Morgan (30 votes)

Congratulations guys!!! And as for what you've won, here it is:

In First Place, Kevin Hiatt has won:

1. A full manuscript critique, donated by Carl Duzett. Carl says: “I will provide a critical read of a full-length work. The winner must contact me via email with their work attached. My feedback will be honest and geared towards improvement, not towards validation. Allow a 2-3 week turnaround on the critique.” 
2. ARCs of Anna Carey's EVE (YA Dystopia), Martha Southgate's A TASTE OF SALT (Contemporary Fiction), and Jennifer Castle's THE BEGINNING OF AFTER and/or AMERICAN DERVISH, donated by Jenn Baker-Henry (US/Canada only). 

In Second Place, Jessica McKendry has won:

1. A critique of the first five chapters/twenty pages of your manuscript (whichever is longer) or a complete short story. In addition I will offer a critique for the overall design of your book cover and advice on artistic direction, donated by Ozlem Yikici.
2. ARCs of INTERRUPTED by Rachel Coker (release March 2012), NUMBERS INFINITY by Rachel Ward (Release May 2012), and ONCE by Anna Carey (Release July 2012), donated by Alison Miller.

In Third Place, Carrie Butler has won:

1. A detailed 20 page critique (double-spaced) or first chapter critique (whichever is smaller), and a $15 Barnes & Noble voucher (by email), donated by K.T. Hanna.
2. An ARC of LIVING VIOLET by Jaime Reed, and a copy of HEREAFTER by Tara Hudson, donated by Akossiwa Ketoglo (US/Canada only).
3. A copy of the ebook CURSE OF ANCIENT SHADOWS (YA Fantasy) by Rod Tyson, donated by Rod Tyson.

In Fourth Place, David Powers King has won:

1. A partial critique (up to 30 pages) of a manuscript and/or query letter donated by Jenn Baker-Henry .
2. A signed copy of Holly Black’s WHITE CAT, donated by Celesta (US only).
3. The first three books in the Sefuty Chronicles by Alberta Ross (e-books from Smashwords, in the format the winner prefers), donated by Alberta Ross.

In Fifth Place, Alynza has won:

1. A query and first chapter critique, donated by Mark Koopmans.
2. A TOUCH MORTAL by Leah Clifford, ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis, SNITCH by Allison van Diepen, donated by Liz (US only)
3. Book Swag (for ORACLE by J.C. Martin) including postcard, bookmarks, and magnet, donated by J.C. Martin.

In Sixth Place, Morgan Shamy has won:

1. A first chapter or first 2000 words critique, donated by Lynda R. Young.
2. An ebook copy of URCHIN KING (YA Historical Fantasy) by Katherina Gerlach (Smashwords voucher or directly via email), donated by Katherina Gerlach. 

In Seventh Place, Alyssa McKendry has won:

1. A first chapter critique, donated by Amymarie
   

In Seventh Place, Rachel Morgan has won:

1. A 10 page critique of a manuscript, donated by Jenny.

Judging Round

The prizes below have been awarded based on the standard of your entries, as judged by our awesome judges! Once the judges had determined the top 10 Finalists, I decided which place each Finalist would be awarded. And boy was it hard, the entries were all SOOOO good!

Here are the Finalists and their prizes:

1. First Place: Kevin Hiatt (and congratulations on winning both first places!) 
2. Second Place: Sher A Hart 
3. Third Place: Angeline Trevena 
4. Fourth Place: Brooke R. Busse 
5. Fifth Place: Carrie Bastyr 
6. Sixth Place: Kerri Cuevas 
7. Seventh Place: Sarah Pearson 
8. Eighth Place: Esther Spurrill-Jones 
9. Ninth Place: Andy Brokaw 
10. Tenth Place: Tara Tyler 

Congratulations, you all really deserve it!!! 

In First Place, Kevin Hiatt has won:

1. A $20 Amazon/Kindle giftcard, donated by Melissa.
2. A signed copy of BRISTOL bOYZ STOMP by Doreen McGettigan and a 100 page critique, donated by Doreen McGettigan.
3. A copy of HOOKED: WRITE FICTION THAT GRABS READERS AT PAGE ONE AND NEVER LETS THEM GO by Les Edgerton, donated by Christine Tyler (USPS media mail - US only).

In Second Place, Sher A Hart has won:

1. A book of the winner’s choosing up to a $15 value on Amazon, donated by David P. King.
2. A 5K or 20 page critique (whichever comes first), donated by Melissa.
3. A signed copy of each of the current books in the MEANT TO BE series (MEANT TO BE and THE COUPLES) by Richard Alan (and a free download via Smashwords coupon of both books), donated by Richard Alan (US/Canada only).
4. An ebook copy of OPRESSION (CHILDREN OF THE GODS #1) by Jessica Therrien, donated by Jessica Therrien.

In Third Place, Angeline Trevena has won:

1. A query and first 20 page critique, donated by Cortney Pearson.
2. A $10 e-giftcard to Barnes & Noble, donated by Komal Lewis.
3. An ARC of GRIMM by Anna Waggener, donated by Anna Waggener (US/Canada only).
4. An ebook copy of CURSE OF ANCIENT SHADOWS by Rod Tyson, donated by Rod Tyson.

In Fourth Place, Brooke R. Busse has won:

1. A $10 Amazon gift card, donated by Lady Gwen.
2. A signed copy of ARTICLE 5 by Kristen Simmons and a first chapter critique, donated by Julie Maughon.
3. A copy of DARK MIND by Jennifer Chase, donated by Jennifer Chase (US/Canada only).

In Fifth Place, Carrie Bastyr has won:

1. A $10 e-gift card to a national coffee shop chain, donated by Jenn Baker-Henry. 
2. A ten page critique and a signed copy of ERAGON by Christopher Paolini, donated by Kate Coursey (US/Canada only).



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3. An ebook copy of HOW TO DATE AN ALIEN by Magan Vernon, donated by Magan Vernon.

In Sixth Place, Kerri Cuevas has won:

1. A critique of a first chapter (up to 10 pages or 3000 words) OR query critique,
2. donated by Julie Daines.
3. A copy of BESTEST.RAMADAN.EVER by Medeia Sharif, donated by Medeia Sharif (US/Canada only).

In Seventh Place, Sarah Pearson has won:

1. A 15 page critique, donated by Avery Marsh.
2. An ebook copy of VOODOO DUES and a copy of the follow-up VAMPIRE BLUES by Stephany Simmons, donated by Stephany Simmons.

In Eighth Place, Esther Spurrill-Jones has won:

1. A query critique OR a critique of the first ten pages of a manuscript, donated by Susan Francino.
2. A signed copy of THE DRAGON AND THE CROW by T.B. McKenzie, donated by T.B. McKenzie

In Ninth Place, Andy Brokaw has won:

1. A detailed critique of first 15 pages, donated by Margo Kelly.

In Tenth Place, Tara Tyler has won:

1. A critique of 2500 words, donated by Jodi Su Tharan.

Random Prizes

And just because I can, I'm awarding 7 random prizes, chosen by Mr. Random.org! The winners (and prizes) are:

1. Cortney Pearson - A book cover design or blog banner, donated by Shelley Koon and a one page critique, donated by Cherie Reich. 
2. Roland Yeomans - A $10 Barnes & Noble gift card, donated by Miranda Hardy (US only) and a one page critique, donated by Cherie Reich. 
3. Synithia W - A signed copy of DEPRESSION COOKIES by Tia Bach, donated by Tia Bach.
4. Siv Maria - A copy of the ebook CURSE OF ANCIENT SHADOWS by Rod Tyson, donated by Rod Tyson.
5. RaeAnn - A critique of winner’s query, donated by Nancy S. Thompson.
6. Sylvia van Bruggen - An ebook copy of BLUEBERRY TRUTH by Ute Carbone (in a format preferred by the winner), donated by Ute Carbone. 
7. Megan Orsini - A one page critique, donated by Cherie Reich.

Congratulations to all the winners, you've done such a great job in this Challenge!!! Remember, you've been chosen from 210 entries - how awesome is that! We'll be asking the donors to contact you directly regarding your prizes in most cases, but some donors have asked some winners to get in touch with them - if that is the case, we'll send you an email to let you know. If you have any questions/concerns about your prize, please email me.

And don't forget, the Second Campaigner Challenge is now taking place, so make sure you enter before 11.59pm EDT on Friday.

 

Second Campaigner Challenge (of my Fourth Campaign, February 2012)

I’ve been asked for a more difficult Challenge this time, while at the same time I know many of you would prefer not to be *too* challenged. So I’ve given you a range of different activities you could do below, all based on the same prompts, and it’s up to you whether you do one or some or all of them. I’ve determined the judging criteria in advance too, so it will enable the judge to assess all your entries equally no matter what you decide to do. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Prompt 1:

Two people are sitting together under the remains of a concrete bridge. Their backs are against a rusted bridge support. One person’s leg is cut. The other person has wet hair.

Prompt 2:

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Prompt 3

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Prompt 4

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Prompt 5

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Second Campaigner Challenge

Do one or more of the following:

1. Write a pitch/logline for a book based on the prompts (less than 100 words)
2. Write a short story/flash fiction piece of less than 200 words based on the prompts
3. Write a poem with a twist using the prompts as inspiration (in less than 200 words)
4. Write a story/poem in five sentences, each sentence based on one of the prompts
5. Write a poem/flash fiction piece (in less than 200 words) about the water pear *without* using the words “pear”, “spoon”, or “droplet”.

For added difficulty/challenge:

• Complete at least three of the above activities and tie them all together with a common theme (feel free to either state the theme in your post or leave us to guess what it might be)
• Write in a genre that is not your own
• Ask Challenge entrants to critique your writing. After the Challenge closes, you may wish to re-post your revised piece(s), and I’ll include a Linky List at the bottom of this post for those wishing more feedback on their revisions (note: revised entries will not be judged, so please label clearly your original post and your revisions. Please do not offer critique unless someone asks for it, as per the usual blogging conventions. If you do ask for critique, make sure you ask for it clearly so people know you want it, and please be prepared to receive feedback that may not be 100% glowing. If you are a critiquer, please be tactful and courteous, and remember to provide positives as well as negatives.)

Judging criteria

Judging will be based on:

• How creatively the prompts are used (possible 5 points awarded)
• How well the entries are written (possible 5 points awarded)
• How engaging/entertaining/unique the entries are (possible 5 points awarded)
• If the entrant completes more than one of the activities in their post, how well their pieces are tied together by a common theme and how strongly their theme shines through in their writing OR If the entrant only completes one of the activities in their post, how strongly their theme shines through in their writing (possible 5 points awarded)
• Whether the judge wants to read more (possible 3 points awarded)
• Creativeness/uniqueness of the entry’s title (possible 2 points awarded)

I hope you all enjoy!!!

Challenge details

Once you’ve posted your Challenge post on your blog, pop back here and link directly to it in the Linky List below. Please make sure you include the direct URL link to your post, not just the link to your blog! Otherwise we won't be able to find your entry.

I've also set up the Linky List so you can "Like" entries, so make sure you come back here and vote for the People's Choice Awards!!! Like voting will remain open for the week after the Challenge ends, so you can take your time reading some/all of the entries and voting. As the like voting is not a popularity contest, it is only intended that people taking part in the actual Challenge should vote. So please don't go out and get your family/friends/other bloggers to vote for you. If you only have time to read/vote for a few entries, consider randomly selecting entries or starting at the end rather than at the beginning, so that the people at the end have their entries read and voted on as well.

Entries in the First Campaigner Challenge will close on Friday, March 9th (at 11.59pm EDT), so make sure you get your post in the Linky List before then. As usual, while everyone is very welcome to take part in this Challenge, only Campaigners will be eligible for prizes.

Thank you so much to all the Campaigners who have volunteered to judge one or more of the Challenges. I'm amazed by your generosity—you all rock!!! In terms of judging, Mark Koopmans will be in touch about that very soon. I'd love you all to take a moment to pop over and follow Mark, to say thanks for all his hard work in co-ordinating the judging.

There will be a stack of prizes awarded this Challenge, both for the entries that are judged the best (by the judges and by yourselves) and through Random.org. We're talking ARCs, books, critiques, and other items galore! I'll be announcing the winners in the weeks after the Challenge finishes, so keep an eye out.

And as to that, thank you so much to everyone who donated the dozens of prizes we'll be awarding in the Challenges. I'm blown away by your generosity! And a huge thanks to Ozlem Yiciki and Kathleen Doyle for their awesome work in administering the prizes. And would everyone please take the time to follow Ozlem and follow Kathleen as a sign of your appreciation for their help - without them, I wouldn't have been able to offer prizes.

So, all that remains is to enjoy. Leave a comment to let me know you're doing the Challenge. Have fun writing your post, then pop round to the other entrants, check out their posts, follow and comment, and decide which entry or entries YOU like the best!

And don't forget to add your name and post link to the Linky Link below before 11.59 pm this Friday!

CHALLENGE ENTRIES LINKY LIST

IMPORTANT: DON'T PUT YOUR NAME IN THE LINKY LIST UNTIL YOU'VE WRITTEN YOUR POST - THEN LINK DIRECT TO THAT POST PLEASE (ie, insert the complete URL to your Challenge post, not your blog address/URL)



REVISION LINKY LIST (not included in judging)

Campaigner Notice-Board (Friday, March 2nd, 2012)

It’s been a busy week full of admin relating to the First Campaigner Challenge. The prize list is finalized, and we’re in the process of determining the ultimate winners from a list of awesome finalists. “Like” voting is now closed, and we’ve got our top 5 Peoples’ Choice Award winners too. So stay tuned next week for the prize winner’s post! And make sure you come by Rach Writes… on Monday for the Second Campaigner Challenge!!!

Check out these great blogfests, contests, and other announcements:

• From Megan at The Bittersweet Blog: We’re having a giveaway! Get Feedback on your Novel. Check it out here! 
• From Mark Koopmans at Aloha, and Hi! from Hi!: "I was born and reared in Dublin, Ireland and I'm mad excited for my Blog O'Hop with the theme of Got Irish - Get Pinched If You Don't Post! The linky list will officially open from March 12 to March 16, with the invitation to post the next day, which is, of course St. Patrick's Day :) Check out this post! 
• From Charmaine Clancy at Wagging Tales: To celebrate the release of MY ZOMBIE DOG, Charmaine is hosting a Kindle giveaway for the month of March. You could WIN a Kindle Fire (or Kindle Keyboard 3G). Details on her Blog! 
• From Danika Dinsmore at The Accidental Novelist: Round Two of the 50 First Lines Challenge has begun. You can still join in the fun and earn entries for prizes. This round's deadline is Monday, March 5. 
• From Elodie at Elodie’s Life as a Commuting Writer: Love of reading International GIVEWAY - You can win 2 books: one for you and one for a teenager or a child or a baby you want to share your love of books with. If you’re a teenager, that’s one for you and one for a friend or somebody younger than you. Check it out here! 
• From Rachel Morgan at Rachel Morgan Writes: GUARDIAN (CREEPY HOLLOW #1) launches on Monday 5 March! There will be a giveaway on Rachel’s blog and a blog tour of awesomeness beginning on Tues 6 March. Make sure you stop by and leave a comment (and don’t forget to buy a copy!) 
• From Amanda at Born Bookish: Amanda at Born Bookish is having a book giveaway. Come by and enter for your chance to win a copy of May B by Caroline Starr Rose, as well as some signed swag! Enter here!

If you have a blogfest, a contest, or a something-or-other you want me to let people know about, fill out this form and I'll run your announcement in the following Friday's post. Make sure you include all the details please. If your announcement is for a continuing event that you want included in other Notice-Boards, you'll need to fill out the form again each week.

Of shoes and ships and sealing wax-- Of captcha and kings (who stand on platforms)

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Guys, I'm not planning a huge post today. Rather, I thought I would catch up with you all. How are you going? We're two months into 2012 now - is everyone meeting their writing goals? I must confess that I've been struggling a bit, though that's starting to turn around now. I've been trying to re-plot FROM THE OTHER SIDE, which I've renamed REVENGE, ahead of a giant re-write. You know the feeling, when you've got such a huge task ahead of you that it all seems too daunting...

But I've been taking inspiration from this passage of Mary Kole's:

So if you feel like you’re just tinkering, shoveling text like a kid pushing peas around his plate, be brave and try starting over completely. You know what you want to accomplish with the section, so just take a brand new run at it. Or maybe you’ll realize that the section wasn’t working and trash it entirely, or find another, better part that fits. Change is tough, especially when you’ve been working on something for years and are eager to see it in print. But it’s once you kick the ladder out from under yourself completely, I’ve found, that you discover resources and ideas you never could’ve imagined.

If you're facing the thought of big revisions ahead, Mary's post might give you some helpful insights - it did me :)

Talking about motivational posts, did you catch this post by the legendary Angela Ackerman of The Bookshelf Muse (in a guest post at Write to Done)? It gives a number of practical ways in which you can turn your writing weaknesses into strength, and is a must-read for all writers. And Angela was kind enough to mention me and my Beta Matches in her point about finding critique partners to help identify your weak areas and offer strategies to improve.

Captcha

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It used to be bad enough, but the word verification (now commonly known as captcha - "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart," according to Wikipedia) at the bottom of many bloggers' comments boxes is causing all of us huge headaches! In their quest to trick spammers, the writing has become almost indecipherable to us mere mortal humans. So we're forced to squint, guess, re-enter words over and over again, all of which is a waste of time. Many bloggers refuse to comment if they know you use captcha, so you might even be missing out on comments if you use it!

Did you know you can turn word verification off? While I can't speak for other blogging platforms, Blogger does a pretty good job of filtering spammers. True, you receive an email telling you exactly what the spam message is, but the message isn't seen on your blog. So I guess it's worth considering. Anything to make things easier, right? Here's a recent post by Siv Maria, who's definitely not feeling the love. She tells you how to turn word verification off, with step by step instructions for those of us who are more technologically challenged :)

Writers' Platforms

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You know I'm all about platforms, right? Well, it's important to build one, of course. But have you thought about what happens then? And what a platform is anyway? Sher A Hart has written an awesome post about what exactly a writers' platform is, and more importantly, how not to fall off once you've built one. Check it out - I think you might find it useful.

Well, my not-so-huge post has gone on a little longer than I planned. So that's it me for today :)

How about you, any thoughts or helpful links you'd like to share? Do you just want to tear captcha to shreds? Have you got the philosophy *behind* your writers' platform in place?

Campaigner Notice-Board (Friday, February 24th, 2012)

Hey guys, another week of my Fourth Campaign has now passed :)

The First Campaigner Challenge is going fabulously, and we've just hit the magic 200 entries!!! There's still time to enter, though only a few hours left until 11.59pm Friday, EDT, so get in quick! "Like" voting will be open for another week for those making their way through all the awesome entries. The judges are hard at work (thank you judges!) on judging your entries, and we're sorting out and allocating prizes as we speak.

Make sure you come back for the Second Campaigner Challenge on Monday, March 5th. I'm putting the finishing touches on the Challenge now, and it'll be much harder *grins* (though there'll be easier options too for those of you who wish to take them). Here's a clue:

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And, of course, check out these great blogfests, contests, and other announcements:

• From K.T. Hanna at K.T. Hanna – The Scribble Muse: March 2012 is a #writemotivation Goal-Check Month! "The point of a #writemotivation Goal-Check Months is not about competition or getting first or second place - the only competition is with yourself and that damned writer’s ego. There will be rewards in the way of critiques, betas, and perhaps technical blog help for those who achieve their personal goals. Sign Up closes Feb 28 11:59pm CST. Check it out here! 
• From Callie Kingston at Callie Kingston: Blog Tour for Undertow runs Feb. 16 through March 13th. Giveaways at each stop, plus entry to grand prize drawing. Drop by my blog and take a look! 
• From Mark Koopmans at Aloha, and Hi! from Hi!: As I was born and reared in Dublin, Ireland, I'm mad excited for my Blog O'Hop with the theme of Got Irish - Get Pinched If You Don't Post! The linky list will officially open from March 12 to March 16, with the invitation to post the next day, which is, of course St. Patrick's Day :) 
• From Daniel R. Marvello at The Vaetra Files: If you have published a fantasy book that includes magic, consider joining your peers at The Magic Appreciation Tour and Book Sale. This is a unique Web-site is specifically for fans of magical fantasy, where readers find books and authors find friends. The Magic Appreciation Tour includes other Campaign alumnae (Roger Eschbacher and Katharina Gerlach) and the current Campaigner Vanna Smythe.
• From Daisy Carter at Fresh as a Daisy: In honor of the campaign, Daisy Carter is having a multiple books GIVEAWAY! Enter by March 5th for your chance to win! Check it out here! 
• From Alison Miller at Left Brained all Day; Write Brained - All the Time: Alison Miller is giving away ARCs of Wanderlove, I Hunt Killers, and more. Contest ends March 2. Check out this post! 
• From A.E. Martin at A.E. Martin: I'm giving a way a signed copy of Jessica Spotswood's debut novel Born Wicked. Follow my blog and leave a comment for a chance to win! Giveaway closes 2/29/12. 
• From Komal at Komal Lewis: I'm holding a giveaway to celebrate reaching 100 followers! Head on over for your chance to win e-gift cards for Barnes & Noble or Amazon! Check it out here! 
• From Amanda at Born Bookish: Do you love novels in verse? Amanda's hosting a novels in verse reading challenge. Click here to learn more. 
• From Jessica Therrien at Jessica Therrien - From Imagination to Publication: The Kindle edition of my debut novel, Oppression (Children of the Gods #1), is available for only .99 cents on Amazon! 
• From Kathy McKendry at Imagine Today: Join the Knights of Micro-Fiction, the last Monday of every month, in our quest to spark the creative genius in us all! Check it out here! 
• From Tina Moss at Tina Moss | Urban Fantasy & Romance Author: Twitter-Sized Pitch Contest from today Friday, Feb. 24th until Friday, March 2nd. Three winners will receive a query and first five page critique from me and my agents at Literary Counsel. The details are here! 
• And don’t forget to sign up for my Beta-Match (an opportunity for you to find critique partners and/or beta readers).

If you have a blogfest, a contest, or a something-or-other you want me to let people know about, fill out this form and I'll run your announcement in the following Friday's post. Make sure you include all the details please. If your announcement is for a continuing event that you want included in other Notice-Boards, you'll need to fill out the form again each week.

First Campaigner Challenge (of my Fourth Campaign, February 2012)

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The time has come for my First Campaigner Challenge, woot!!! The Challenge is:

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “Shadows crept across the wall”. These five words will be included in the word count. 

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), do one or more of these:

• end the story with the words: "everything faded." (also included in the word count)

• include the word "orange" in the story

• write in the same genre you normally write

• make your story 200 words exactly!

Feel free to use the picture to inspire you, or else see how whacky, creative, and original you can get :)

Once you’ve posted your Challenge post on your blog, pop back here and link directly to it in the Linky List below. Please make sure you include the direct URL link to your post, not just the link to your blog! Otherwise we won't be able to find your entry.

I've also set up the Linky List so you can "Like" entries, so make sure you come back here and vote for the People's Choice Awards!!! Like voting will remain open for the week after the Challenge ends, so you can take your time reading some/all of the entries and voting. As the like voting is not a popularity contest, it is only intended that people taking part in the actual Challenge should vote. So please don't go out and get your family/friends/other bloggers to vote for you. If you only have time to read/vote for a few entries, consider randomly selecting entries or starting at the end rather than at the beginning, so that the people at the end have their entries read and voted on as well.

Entries in the First Campaigner Challenge will close on Friday, February 24th (at 11.59pm EDT), so make sure you get your post in the Linky List before then. As usual, while everyone is very welcome to take part in this Challenge, only Campaigners will be eligible for prizes.

Thank you so much to all the Campaigners who have volunteered to judge one or more of the Challenges. I'm amazed by your generosity—you all rock!!! In terms of judging, Michael Offutt from SLC Kismet will be in touch about that very soon. If you don't hear from us this Challenge, we may contact you to judge the Second Challenge (there are more judges than we need though, so it's possible we might not need your help this time, though we would love to take you up on it in my next Campaign in August). I'd love you all to take a moment to pop over and follow Michael, to say thanks for all his hard work in co-ordinating the judging.

There will be a stack of prizes awarded this Challenge (and the Second Challenges), both for the entries that are judged the best (by the judges and by yourselves) and through Random.org. We're talking ARCs, books, critiques, and other items galore! I'll be announcing the winners in the weeks after the Challenge finishes, so keep an eye out.

And as to that, thank you so much to everyone who donated the dozens of prizes we'll be awarding in the Challenges. I'm blown away by your generosity! Ozlem Yiciki or Steph Schmidt will be in touch over the course of the Campaign to discuss details of your prize donation. And would everyone please take the time to follow Ozlem and follow Steph as a sign of your appreciation for their help - without them, I wouldn't have been able to offer prizes.

So, all that remains is to enjoy. Leave a comment to let me know you're doing the Challenge. Have fun writing your post, then pop round to the other entrants, check out their posts, follow and comment, and decide which entry or entries YOU like the best!

And don't forget to add your name and post link to the Linky Link below before 11.59 pm this Friday!

IMPORTANT: DON'T PUT YOUR NAME IN THE LINKY LIST UNTIL YOU'VE WRITTEN YOUR POST - THEN LINK DIRECT TO THAT POST PLEASE (ie, insert the complete URL to your Challenge post, not your blog address/URL)