With Gratitude

WRITING

In April 2024, literary agent Janet Reid passed away.

Her blog was a place for learning and growing in the craft, for encouragement and support, for humor and snark, for cats and sharks. Ms. Reid gave her “Reiders” room to stretch those creative muscles by holding many, many flash fiction contests. I actually won the first one I entered, in May 2012. The moment I saw her comment – Holy Smokes! – is still one of the best of my writing journey.  

Whenever self-doubt looms – and it does, large and often - I return to that moment, and to her many comments over the years. I tell myself that if the Janet Reid saw something in my weird words and my creepy stories then maybe I can do this writing thing after all, that I should keep going. 

 

My gratitude, unlike those flash fiction contest rules, will never have a word count limit. 

*****

 

READING

A couple of unique reads for you – 

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden is tagged as historical fiction/fantasy/paranormal, and I would say it’s all that . . . and more.

 

The Deadly Daylight (Alice England Mysteries #1) by Ash Harrier is a Middle Grade mystery, and one I can’t stop raving about. I love the writing, but I adore the main character of Alice and the dynamics of her relationships with others, especially her father. 

*****

 

WATCHING

My husband and I finally finished our re-watch of the original series, “24”. Even the seasons that were kind of clunkers had great scenes and episodes. Overall, we had a blast!

 

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Were you familiar with Janet Reid, her blog, Query Shark? Are there words you return to when you doubt yourself, in your writing or in your life? Have any books/movies/shows to recommend? 

Digging In This December

I'll be brief – good thing I write flash fiction! -  because I'm still struggling with my novel/novella draft, and I am determined to be done by the end of the year. 

 

This holiday post is short on words, but it is long on gratitude. As 2023 draws to a close, I am grateful for so much in my life, including all of you. Thank you for reading my dark, weird little stories. Thank you for stopping by this blog. Thank you for all the comments. Your encouragement and support, humor and information are thoroughly appreciated. 

 

*** All of us here at TSR wish you 

a wonderful holiday season and a new year 

that exceeds your dreams and expectations!!! *** 

Anew in November

We can finally open the windows in our house now and let the crisp, cooler air blow through, moving out and away some of the mental health issues that plagued the last couple of months. A combination of things became a slow slide I struggled to stop. 

 

But, once again, I've regrouped. My birthday was last month, and I'm grateful for another year, another chance to breathe fresh air, to walk with my husband beneath palm trees and blue skies, to pet the tortoises, and to pen the possibilities – the light and the dark - living in my imagination.

 

WRITING

I was thrilled to be one of three winners in a recent flash fiction contest held by lit agent, Janet Reid! I so needed that creative boost. Here's the link to the results post where you can read all three stories.

 

It's been a few years since I participated in NaNo, and I considered it this time around, but I don't have the oomph for it. I'm doing my own looser version in order to get this novel/novella done or as close to done as I can before the month is over. Please wish me luck!

 

 

READING

Both THE TRAP by Catherine Ryan Howard and THE LAST ONE by Will Dean were so suspenseful and twisty, I almost got paper cuts I turned those pages so fast and furious. 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the debut novel, THE VIOLIN CONSPIRACY by Brendan Slocumb. It's a tense mystery whose characters practically jump off the page. 

 

*****

 

Are you enjoying the weather where you are? Read anything amazing lately? Any writing goals or goals in general for this month? If you're participating in NaNo, I wish you all the luck and all the words! 

Progress! And a Story!

I didn't accomplish everything I set out to do this summer, but I did make progress on a number of fronts so I'm counting the season as a win.

 

Back in June, I posted about wanting to get the following done – 

 

* Do some cleaning up, de-cluttering and organizing inside and outside the house.

 

Eh. A little bit here and there. 

 

* Finish the 202.2 miles challenge. Maybe start one of the 100 miles challenges.

 

Nope. I really wanted to get the 202.2 miles challenge done by the end of the summer, but for a number of reasons – not all of them my lazy butt's fault! -  that didn't happen. I did keep slogging along so miles were made!

 

Stats as of 8/31/2022 = 

163.2/202.2 miles (walking only)

0/100 miles

0/100 miles

 

* Get at least one draft of my novella done.

 

Nope. But I got organized, have a loose outline, wrote a chunk of chapters. I believe, think, hope, pray I've got a better handle on it than I did before.

 

* Write and submit at least two stories to markets.

 

Yes! I revised one for a contest where it made the finals but didn't rank in the top three. And I wrote a story for a flash fiction contest on literary agent, Janet Reid's, blog. It didn't make the finals, but it received a couple of nice comments from fellow readers. Some of the rules included a word count of 100 words or fewer, and it must contain five words: Depth, Froth, Phase, Showy, Atoll.

 

Maybe the story will give you a chill despite the summer heat . . .  

 

*****

 

Dearest Uncle,

My terror has no depth.

With the moon's every phase, this land's black soul takes root, spreads. I curse myself for bringing my family here!

You recall the elusive beasts, tearing nightly through the fields, strewing shredded entrails as if for show. You suggested I hunt. I found no tracks.

Until now.

They led to the house. Inside, three beasts, blood frothing their mouths, fed on my wife's body.

I pray these words find you, Uncle. Before accepting the legal responsibility that befalls you after my death, know the truth.

Be afraid of my children.

Yours,
A. Tolliver

 

*****

 

How was your summer? Accomplish any goals? Make progress on some projects? Have fun?

Out of the Way

Story A Day September went well. I achieved my goal of writing one story every weekday for a total of 22 stories. Of course, some stink like tortoise poop, while others have potential. 

 

But writing momentum came to a standstill in October. I could not get anything going. Everything I wrote came across blah, flat. I couldn't submit my work anywhere. Nothing I wrote was good enough. 

 

An entry for one of Janet Reid's flash fiction contests had me tearing my hair out (and since I have very short hair, this is a real problem.) I liked my idea but could not for the life of me get it to work. I finally said f@ck it (this is a tortoise friendly blog, people!) and wrote it – fast, sharp, without the usual protagonist and set-up, etc. It was good enough to submit. It didn’t win, but it made Ms. Reid's list of standout entries. Her comments gave me a creative boost and a sense of validation. 

 

Next project – I spent days on an idea I liked, but once written, turned into such a big yawn fest I put myself to sleep. So, again, I said f@ck it (which I really hope is not going to be my new mantra or I'll have to start covering the tortoises' ears.) The new story came together in a day, and off it went to a Crystal Lake Publishing contest. I'm pleased to announce it made the finals!  

 

Both times, I got out of my own way, but more importantly, I got out of the story's way. Sometimes I'm afraid to let the story "go there." To let a twisted protagonist rule. To let an inanimate object own the POV. To let the story roar over the page like a hurricane. To let it slither onto the scene, licking lines with a poisonous tongue. 

To let the story lead the way.

 

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Here's my entry from the No One Moves to NY for the Weather contest with Ms. Reid's comments at the end. A list of rules apply, like the 100 word limit and the inclusion of the following words: cold, blue, shiver, sox, fox. I hope you enjoy it!

 

She is his oxygen. His passion. His obsession. She just doesn't know it. Yet. 

He is the shiver down her spine. The shadow sliding behind her on the sidewalk. The sly fox slinking in the woods near her house. The presence she senses but does not see. 

He daydreams. His knife traces the cold blue roadmap of her veins. He licks the hot red river it leaves behind. 

She pays attention now. Looks over her shoulder. Watches out her window. 

He has gotten sloppy. She has gotten ready. 

He just doesn't know it. Yet. 

Utterly brilliant. It's not quite a story, but this is stunning writing. 

*****

Are you standing in your own way, with writing or something else? Or have you in the past? Any suggestions on how keep out of the way? 

When Icy is a Compliment

It's no secret I've been in a bit of a creative slump lately. Blame it on the heat. Blame it on the second season of Netflix's GLOW being over. Blame it on Ben and Jerry. Blame it on the old guy on the next treadmill who runs faster than I ever will (unless I'm chasing Ben and Jerry.)

Whatever the case, I had to do something. So when literary agent Janet Reid ran another flash fiction contest recently, instead of whining to the tortoises - again! - that I have no business being a writer, I pulled on my Minion pajama pants and got going.

I wrote with no expectations. I wanted to experiment, to reach. I wanted to stretch and tone that flabby creative muscle.

My entry made the finals.

The always encouraging and supportive Reiders rooted for my work.

Ms. Reid blew me away with her comments about my story.

And . . . I won!

I'm not sure who's happier - me or the tortoises. (After all, I can - and do - whine a lot.)

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For the contest, we had a maximum limit of 100 words and had to include the following - city, lie, sam, hawke, woo hoo. If you'd like to read all the finalists, click here. My story and Ms. Reid's comments (in blue) are below. 

Deer Momma

I shouldn't open the door when your working, but Mister Sam
said it was an emrgenz. The city is full of flew bugs!

We're going someplace safe, sekret. He'll keep a hawk eye on
me until you come. He's a nabor, not a stranger so it's okay. And I scarred of bugs.

Missus Woo came, yelled NO GO! ALL LIES! Missus Woo hooked
her fingers into claws, scratched Mister Sam's face! They fighted until she fell down asleep.

Mister Sam screamed HURRY! so I am.

Don't be scarred, Momma. See you soon!

Your sun Marty

This made me gasp out loud.  The story is icy, but what elevates this is that it's written in a vernacular of sorts, but you still understand every word. That's not as easy as it looks. 

The More Creeped Out You Are

I am socially awkward at the best of times, but I usually manage to come up with a coherent and interesting (hopefully!) answer to the general question about what I write - something along the lines of short fiction, dark fiction, horror. Now, if you ask me specifically what my novel is about, you get this -

"Um...."

Doesn't that just sound deliciously creepy and like something you're dying to read? NOT! Napping tortoises are more interesting than that. (And definitely cuter.)  

Literary agent Janet Reid wrote an excellent post - What's Your Book About? - about her experience at a conference speaking with authors and what happened when she asked them about their work. I absolutely recommend heading over and reading the whole post, but here's the biggest takeaway for me:

"You simply MUST be prepared to tell people, in a compelling way, what your book is about. . . . First thing to remember is start NOW. No matter where you are in the publishing cycle: querying, sold, pubbed, you need to be able to say what your book is about."

I'm working on it!

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And speaking of Ms. Reid, I entered her Writing Without Rules Flash Fiction Contest last month, and although my story didn't win, her comments on it (below, in blue) made my entire month.  

Gregory, old and gnarled, slumps on his porch. His lawn, overgrown with weeds and wild things, chokes the once neat path. At the gate, nettles cling, watch deserted streets. He calls out, can only hope for more survivors.

A man and woman appear, dirty, laden with packs.

"Please help! I fell."

They hesitate, the rules different now.

Gregory is desperate. "I have food, water. It's yours."

They nod, start toward him.

He watches the lawn shiver, the monsters within slither out to feed. He listens to the screams.

Gregory is spared. Again. He stands, stretches.

The rules are different now.

Honestly this creeped me out so much I could barely read it the second time.
Thank all deities foreign and domestic that I live in Brooklyn, a place with few lawns.
Of course, the more creeped out you are, the better the writing.

*****

Are you prepared to talk about your novel? Or are you like me, still working on it? Do overgrown lawns creep you out? If you have a lawn, do you know what's lurking in it? 

Make Something Happen

One of my big goals this year is to take my horror novella/novel as far as I can then move to the next step . . . whatever that is. Is it sending it to beta readers? Is it hiring a professional editor? Is it querying agents? I don't know. And right now, that's okay.

What I do know is that I have to Write. This. Book.

I'm tired of not writing it.

I'm tired of whining about not writing it (as are my husband and the tortoises!)

I'm tired of complaining, crying, envying, moping.

I'm tired of watching time tick by, taking my dreams with it.

So, I am heeding these words -

"YOUR CAREER IS IN YOUR HANDS NOW.

MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN."
(Janet Reid)

*****

How's your writing career going? Are you in the process of making something happen? And what does that "something" look like for you? Is it getting a novel written, going to a conference, learning a new marketing/publishing/social media tool? 

Round and Round We Go

You all know by now how much I enjoy writing short fiction to prompts or themes. Well, over the holidays, literary agent Janet Reid held a flash fiction contest. But this was no ordinary flash fiction contest. Usually, we have about 48 hours to write a 100 word story that must include all five prompt words.

This time? Rounds. Four of them.

Round One: Prompt Word = bird, Number of Words = 30
Round Two: Prompt Word = ring, Number of Words = 25
Round Three: Prompt Word = colly, Number of Words = 25
Round Four: Prompt Word = sent, Number of Words = 20

Most of the usual rules applied along with a big twist: You could write individual stories each time OR build on a previous "starter" - yours or someone else's (with attribution, of course.)

It. Was. A. Blast.

I chose to build on my story. It was a risk because I didn't know what the next round's prompt word would be until it opened. I kept my story creepy (big surprise!) and my fingers crossed that I could make the prompt words work. My entry is below, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

*****

Fog shrouds the house.

A bird flits by a window, the old glass broken from within.

The fog breathes, escapes.

The bird does not.

Inside, the occupants are still hungry.

Long ago, they gathered at the dinner bell's ring.

But the meal was not for them.

The only thing to grow up was their rage.

Now, they're the monsters. Cursed, caged.

Desperate, their tongues, long and twisted, bruised colly and cobalt, lick the walls, tasting memories of blood and bone.

When they turn on each other, it's swift, unsentimental.

Only one remains.

She crunches her brothers' bones, satiated.

For now.

***** 

Would you build on your own story? Someone else's? Or would you write a new one - with that tiny word count! - each round? Do you enjoy writing to prompts or themes or super small word counts? Or do you find them too restrictive?

Goodbye, Sleep!

In celebration of Halloween month and all things that go bump in the night, I've got a few treats - no tricks! - for you:

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My flash fiction collection, Garden of Lost Souls, is FREE this week (Monday - Friday.) Think of these creepy tiny tales like those miniature candy bars - some are full of nuts, none are particularly good for you, yet they're so small, so yummy, they keep you coming back for just . . . one . . . more.

Available on Amazon

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I've opened up the Ask the Author feature on Goodreads, so if you're a member over there and have questions about my stories, my writing or how I sleep at night with all those creepy-crawlies lurking in my imagination, please stop by. I'll keep my eyes peeled for your questions. (Peeled eyes. Sleep? What sleep?) 

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And so I won't be the only one around here not sleeping . . . . Back in September, I entered one of lit agent Janet Reid's flash fiction contests. (Some of the rules include keeping the word count to 100 or fewer and using the required words, which in this case were - snap, gator, ask, tie, iron.) My story didn't win or place, but it did receive one of my favorite mentions ever by the Shark herself -

"THE START OF A STORY (OR NOVEL) THAT I'D BE TOO CHICKEN TO READ"

Mwahahaha! Enjoy!

***

Beneath a sky the color of iron, through air as heavy, Lily paddles her kayak. Spanish moss, gray and tangled, hangs like the hair of bent old women.

The river is blocked. Gnarled fingers of branches reach, twine across the water.

Gators watch with hooded eyes. Their silence ties her nerves in knots. Lily focuses on one task – leaving.

No breeze caresses Lily's skin yet the Spanish moss shivers. A rattling rips through the silence. She looks up. Hanging bones judder, collide. Lily's sanity snaps. She screams as a creature older, deeper than the dark, creeps down toward her. 

***

The Writing Path: Keep Your Machete Sharp and Your Cake Fork Handy

"THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE EASY, AND THE PATH IS NEVER GOING TO BE CLEAR. THE BEST YOU CAN DO IS KEEP YOUR MACHETE SHARP AND WHACK AWAY AT THE FOLIAGE TILL YOU CLEAR YOUR PATH."

(Janet Reid)

So, how's your writing path looking lately? Is it neat and edged, lined with flowers? Or is it more like mine:

I recently took a blogging break in the hopes of organizing my writing and writing-related work, of making huge progress on my novella, of revising and submitting more stories, etc. Well, for a number of reasons, including one that blew away my focus and rattled my nerves - I'm looking at you, Hurricane Irma! - little to nothing got done. Throw in a few rejections and a possible new project I'm torn about pursuing, and I might as well grow roots I'm so stuck.

But I'm starting to see some sunlight beckoning to me through the brambles and the branches, and I know my writing and I will be okay. Eventually. I just really hope there's some cake and a big glass of milk up ahead for sustenance. (Hey, you have your path, I have mine. If you want boring old trail mix, that's your problem.) 

When the Snake Slithers In

The other day, literary agent Janet Reid wrote a fantastic post advising someone who'd received destructive feedback on their work AND on themselves as a writer. Even though Ms. Reid's words are geared toward the writing life, I think they work on a personal level as well.

Ms. Reid, referring to the beta reader, says, "She's quite clearly someone who takes great satisfaction in making people feel small . . . It's the behavior of a third grade bully. Again, not the conduct of a self-actualized adult . . . ."

Have you ever dealt with someone like that? I have, and I admit, I was gobsmacked (love that word!) by the incident. But as time went on, I became more upset with myself than the person because I continued to let the words hurt me. They would slither into my brain, a snake sinking its venomous fangs into my spirit, poisoning all that was creative and good and wacky in my mind. I struggled with how to stop it from happening, but I didn't have the antidote.

Until now. 

"There is no way her words won't continue to cut at you. Words do that. It will take a while to stop thinking about what she said. One way to do that (and you do need to stop that) is give yourself a mantra to say every time you think of her, and a specific thing to divert your mind to instead. (I use the rosary for this; when I think of something that is unsettling me I recite one Hail Mary and then turn my mind to something else. It takes practice but it works.)"

I probably won't use the Hail Mary (much to my maternal grandmother's chagrin) so I'm open to suggestions. I've got lots of affirming and positive quotes I can fish through but I'm turning to you all first. What's your antidote for that darn snake, your go-to mantra, your action plan? How do you keep the bullies from winning?

Gasp!

One of my favorite books of 2016 was I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh. It was a great read for a number of reasons, one of which were the twists. But . . . I read a lot of books with twists. Why did this one stay with me? I couldn't put my finger on it until I read this post - "Surprise Me" by literary agent extraordinaire, Janet Reid, where she says:

"I want to gasp. I want to put the manuscript down and just enjoy that moment when the author turns the story upside down."

Yes! And that's exactly what happened to me when I read I Let You Go. I found myself scrabbling back through the pages to see what I missed. But you know what? I hadn't actually missed anything.  

Ms Reid explains it like this: "That's what surprise is: we had the info, but we didn't know what it meant. . . A good surprise makes perfect sense but you just didn't see it coming."

I want to do that for my readers, whether it's in the short form of a story or in the long form of a novel. I want them to have that moment, maybe even more than one. It's certainly something worth striving for, even if it is, as Ms. Reid says, ". . . really, really simple stuff . . . and hard as hell to carry off."

Is there a book that stays with you because of its twists and turns? How about a movie or TV show? Do you aim for that in your own writing? How do you achieve it? 

The Write Way to Start 2016

I'm excited to share some recent publications and writing news with you all!

First up, most of my regular readers know I'm a huge fan of Nailpolish Stories (stories are 25 words, titles are nail polish colors.) My story, Coming Up Roses, originally published in the July 2015 issue, made it into The Best of 2015 issue. I loved taking a positive phrase and giving it a dark spin. (I know, I know, big surprise.) And, in the January 2016 issue are two more stories, Fade to Black and Shifting Power. 

Next, as a huge fan of literary agent Janet Reid's blog and her flash fiction contests, I was thrilled to see my most recent entry make Finalist. Here's what she had to say about it:

This is incredibly creepy given the clues about the character's age/s.  So much is left to the reader's imagination, but there's exactly the right amount of information here so we can fill it in with all the horror it deserves.  This is very elegant writing.

Whoo hoo!

Click here if you'd like to read all the Finalists and the Winner.

Click here if you'd like to read all the entries. 

How's your writing going so far this year? Any exciting news - writing or otherwise - you'd like to share?

A Flash Fiction Finalist!

It's no secret around here that I'm a big fan of literary agent Janet Reid's blog, and that I am a total sucker for her flash fiction contests. I enter more often than not, and even though my entry doesn't always garner recognition or finalist standing, I love the challenge, love stretching that creative muscle.

So, I was excited to see that my entry - "The creature leaves Janella gifts...." - was a finalist for last week's contest! Not only that, but all the finalists' entries received comments from Ms. Reid herself, saying why she enjoyed that piece.  

If you'd like to read my story and all the finalists, including the winner, click here.

If you'd like to see the contest details and read all the entries, click here. 

The Thief, Some Science and a Couple of Contests

I don't know about you all, but this has felt like one loooooong summer to me. I am so ready for Fall! But, before we say goodbye to August, I wanted to share some things you might find interesting....

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I am a HUGE fan of Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. I read it years and years ago, fell in love with it, then promptly sent Mr. Zusak a gushing, geeky fan email to which he very kindly responded. So, when I heard TBT was going to be turned into a movie, I was nervous, torn between wanting to see it and not wanting to see it...until I saw the movie trailer and fell in love with it all over again. I don't even care if it's different than the book - the movie looks amazing in itself.

*****

Kate, over at My Next Life, is running a custom art contest. She just finished up a project and she's "dying to create something else." Lucky for us! You've got some time - winner announced on September 25th - but don't wait too long. Head on over and check out how to enter. (No worries - it's really easy!)

*****

Lisa Cron wrote a fantastic post, "6 Ways to Make Sure Your Reader's Brain Syncs with Your Protagonist's Brain," over at Writer UnBoxed. I've been trying to apply her Wired for Story to my WiP but her book is so meaty that I think I'm just going to sit and read it through, absorbing as much as I can first. 

***** 

Did you know that literary agent Janet Reid runs flash fiction contests? I'm not sure when her next one will be, but keep an eye out. The contests are a lot of fun and a real creative challenge. I love seeing what everyone comes up with - the talent out in the blogosphere is amazing!

And under the "toot my own horn" category, two of my entries received recognition: 

For "A Dangerous Fiction" Contest = Special Recognition for Entries that had a Wonderful Line

For the "Gone Fishin'" Contest = Not Quite A Story But Just Glorious Imagery 

*****

Are you ready for Fall? Do you plan on reading - or re-reading - The Book Thief? Will you see the movie? Going to enter Kate's contest? How about Ms. Reid's next one? Have you read Wired for Story?

From Blog Blitzing to The Walking Dead Comes Alive: An Eclectic Post

Here are some things you all might find interesting.... 

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Have you signed up for DL Hammond's Blog Blitz yet? 

I joined early on and it's been so much fun surprising totally unsuspecting fellow bloggers with a day of focused support and encouragement. I've met some great bloggers through the Blitz, like Dana at The Daily Dose, whose Friday posts ALWAYS make me laugh.

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Some book and writing related posts for you:

Over at Writer Unboxed, Robin LaFevers does it again - she talks about how fear affects creativity in "The Uninvited Guest" and then how we have to watch out for ruts in our writing life in "When Nothing Goes Right, Go Left."

I am a big fan of Hugh Howey's The Silo Series - WOOL introduces the silo. SHIFT is the story of their beginnings, and DUST - out this month! - will chronicle their undoing. This post, "Two Years...," shows how much a great story, good writing and a lot of hard work can make dreams a reality.

Literary agent Janet Reid's post, "The Shoe Test," is a great reminder to take out all those unnecessary words in our writing. Check out the comments, too - they're a hoot!

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And this...well, I don't know whether to cry with delight or to scream in total fear.

(The video is short and shows a bit of what went on during the last TWD - Halloween Horror Nights. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go hide under the bed....)

From the AMC website:

"Fans of AMC’s The Walking Dead will have a chance to walk in the footsteps of human survivors when Universal Studios Hollywood andUniversal Orlando Resort debut all-new terrifying mazes inspired by Season 3 of the critically-acclaimed, award-winning television series at this year’s “Halloween Horror Nights” events beginning Fri., Sep. 20...

Universal Orlando is also dedicating its entire “Halloween Horror Nights” street experience to The Walking Dead – making this the first time ever that all of the scare zones throughout the park will be themed after a hit television series. Guests brave enough to walk the streets of Universal Studios Florida will encounter iconic scenes from all three seasons of the hit show — including the perilous city of Atlanta and Hershel’s dismal barn — and fleets of blood-thirsty walkers who are hungry for their next victim."

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Are you a member of The Blitz team or do you plan on joining? Are fear or ruts stalling your creativity?  Are unnecessary words bogging down your writing? Are you a fan of The Silo Series? And does the idea of The Walking Dead coming "alive" freak you out as much as it does me? 

Call Out for Contest Entries: The Liz Norris Pay It Forward Writing Contest

Literary agent Janet Reid is hosting an amazing contest over at her blog. All the information can be found here, with some more information available here. 

The basic idea: "To celebrate the publication of UNRAVELING by debut author Liz Norris we're sponsoring the Pay It Forward Writing Contest. We're looking for a debut writer with a great voice and energetic prose (like Liz!) We're looking for a novel that grabs us, enchants us, and keeps us glued to the page (like UNRAVELING!)"

Oh, and check this out:  "The prize is: 
1. Registration for the Backspace Writing Conference in NYC (May 24-26)
2. Hotel for three nights (Thurs, Fri, Sat)
3. Travel stipend of $300
4. Lunch with Liz Norris' agent"

You've got to send the query and the novel - any category or genre! Check out the above links and Janet Reid's blog for all the rules. But you've got to hurry - the deadline is March 15th!

I so wish I had something ready to send! But I know a number of you have manuscripts almost-there or ready already. I wish you all the best of luck! Go for it!