2015 - A New Year

There is an increasing trend for people to denigrate the idea of making New Year's resolutions. This makes no sense to me as I don't see anything wrong with taking stock in the new year and looking at what we have achieved and what we still want to achieve. "Resolutions" is just another word for "goals." What is wrong with making goals? 

Some of the nay-sayers point out that many people make these resolutions and then forget about them. While it's sad that they forget their resolutions and don't make any strides towards achieving them, that doesn't make resolution-making (or goal-setting) as a whole a bad thing. Some people are better at sticking to their goals and working towards their goals than others - It doesn't matter what time of the year you set your goals; this fact will still be true.

So if you are making new year's resolutions (and it doesn't matter if you call them resolutions, goals or a to-do list), just keep one thing in mind while you do; these goals you are making are meant to be worked towards throughout the year, not just set and then forgotten.

Here are my writing-and-publishing-related goals for 2015:

1. Edit, revise, re-write and otherwise make my novel "Ink" ready for publication and publish it.

2. Edit, revise, re-write, add pictures and otherwise make my non-fiction book "The 28 Day Fitness Challenge" and its accompanying food journal ready for publication and publish it.

3. Edit, revise, re-write, illustrate and otherwise make my collection of mermaid-themed stories "Mermaid's Muse" ready for publication and publish it.

4. Grow Melusine Muse Press. (Below are possible ways to do so, in no particular order.)

   4a. Buy a large amount of ISBNs.
   4b. Get the website created.
   4c. Publish novels by others, not just in anthologies.

   4d. Publish at least two picture books.

   4e. Find out what things would work more efficiently when crowd-sourced.

   4f. Work on press releases.

   4g. Publish through venues other than just Amazon/CreateSpace/Kindle.

   4h. Hire others to work for Melusine Muse Press.

   4i.  Check out small indie company grants.

   4j.  Crowdsourcing?

   4k. Registering the company.

5. Work on my Daughters of Poseidon series. Get the first draft of book one in the series written.

6. Edit, revise and rewrite middle-grade book "The Day My Shadow Tried to Kill Me."

7. Find and convince some amazing published authors, agents and editors to guest post for this year's Chapter Book Challenge.

8. Get all of the 2015 anthologies published no later than November 1st. (Finish publication of the two remaining 2014 anthologies - "SuperHERo Tales: Volume Two" (Melusine Muse Press) and "The Superhero Chronicles" (Your Kids' Creations) within January.)

9. Help more kids with their writing and publication goals through Your Kids' Creations. Maybe coordinate something with local schools. (Also get a new logo created for the site.)

10. Schedule my writing time into set periods of time throughout the day and do not deviate.


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Lists, Timelines Goals & Submission Dates

Lately, I am finding it difficult to keep up with all of the submission dates and writing deadlines I either have committed to or would like to do. I seem to have built up a huge To-Do List when it comes to my writing and my writing goals, and it is not easy to keep track of it all.

So I am writing this post to help remind me of dates that are coming up (and then I am going to plug all of these dates into my Windows Calendar and set it to send me reminders). This will do two things: 1 - It will remind me of my own submission dates and timely goals. 2 - It will give my blog readers some idea of when some of my publications will be made available.

Anthology projects I am in charge of:

1 - The Chapter Book Challenge's fairy tale anthology is due to come out on August 1st, 2013. We are still choosing a name and voting on a cover for it, and I am putting it all together. (Anyone who has not gotten back to me with their revised stories - if you were sent the editor's comments  - please do so in the next week.)

2 - The Creating a Female Superhero Challenge is over and the anthology is being created. I still need a cover for it, and I am still deciding whether or not to crowdsource it in order to get some professional artwork done for the 27 stories and female superheroes. (I know of a fabulous artist who creates them for $50 per character, which would cost about $1,350 in order to have each female superhero represented, not including the cover art. Possibly I could ask for a discount since this is an anthology for charity. Still thinking this one through. We may only have cover art, in the end.) There is still a lot to do for the anthology and some things that are not decided yet, but I want it available for Christmas shopping. so although there is no hard and fast completion date yet, I am shooting for no later than November 1st, 2013 to make this anthology available for purchase. (Also, if anyone would still like to submit to this anthology, see this post to check out the details. The competition is closed, but I will take submissions for the anthology up until August 7th.) The winner of the competition is to be announced on August 7th, 2013.

3 - Amazing Pets: An anthology of short stories in memory of those special pets who stole our hearts - This one has not been officially announced yet. Proceeds will go to an animal shelter. It will be announced both here and on The Kitty's Corner. No set date yet. Publication will be sometime in 2014.

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Anthology projects I have committed to writing for:

Crock of Charms - submission date of September 1st, 2013

Keepsakes - submission deadline of February 1st, 2014

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Anthology projects I am thinking about submitting to:

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game - submission deadline of July 29th, 2013

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Multitsking Mom's Survival Guide - submission deadline of July 31st, 2013

Dreamspinner Press: Heartwarming - submission deadline of August 1st, 2013

Vampirical Lyrical Press' Vampire anthology (for charity): submission deadline of August 1st, 2013

Open Doors: Monstrous Myths and Legends anthology (for charity) - submission deadline of August 2nd, 2013

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles Happen - submission deadline of August 15th, 2013

Xyler Publishing: Back to the Future (fantasy) Anthology: submission deadline of August 31st, 2013


Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories about Cats - submission deadline of August 31st, 2013


Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories about Dogs - submission deadline of August 31st, 2013


Shadows of a fading World: A Sword & Sorcery Anthology: submission deadline of October 31st, 2013


Hauntings: An Anthology - submission deadline of October 31st, 2013

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Overcoming Challenges - submission deadline of October 31st, 2013

A Crampus Antholgy by World Weaver Press - submission deadline of November 30th

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Reboot your Life - submission deadline November 30th, 2013


Xyler Publishing: Around the World in 80 Days (steampunk) Anthology: submission deadline of November 30th, 2013


Deepwood Publishing: Ruined Cities, The Death God's Chosen, The Ways of Magic, and Splintered Lands - all four anthologies open until filled

Vamptasy Publishing: Cirque d'Obscure: A Dark Carnival Anthology - details soon

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Picture Book Submissions:

Cheerio Spoonful of Stories - submission deadline of July 31st, 2013

Various 12 x 12 agents - submissions monthly from the 1st to the last day of each month in 2013

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Other goals for 2013:

Finish editing and revising picture book "Jenny Dreams" and begin submitting - deadline of July 30th, 2013

Finish editing and revising picture book "Bluebell the Fairy"and begin submitting - deadline of August 15th, 2013

Finish editing and revising picture book "Princess Parade" and begin submitting- deadline of September 1st, 2013

Create Isabella's collection of short stories for her Tangle Fairies series (after getting Robert to complete the drawings) - tentative release date of November 1st, 2013 (author: Isabella Fyfe)

Create photo-picture book about Caspian (similar to the one I helped Kayla create when she was 5) - tentative release date of November 1st, 2013

Create collection of my own short stories and make available in print and ebook - tentative release date November 15th, 2013

Create poetry collection or very short story collection to accompany Robert's beautiful fairy photos - tentative release date of November 15th, 2013

Create poetry and photo collection book using my photos and poetry - tentative release date November 15th, 2013

Create Skinny Dreaming Recipes (healthy recipes) book - tentative release date of February 28th, 2014

Create Kids Creating Cakes: Cooking for Kids recipe book - tentative release date of March 31st, 2014

And I can't forget that I am part of the 12 x 12 community and need to write one first draft of a completed picture book every month.

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Long-term writing goals (deadlines to be added soon):

Finish writing the Skinny Dreaming book

Finish editing and revising "Walking With the Dead"  YA novelette

Finish editing and revising "Prophecy Girl" urban fantasy novel

Finish editing and revising "The Magic Necklace" chapter book

Finish editing and revising "The Guardian" chapter book

Finish writing "Through the Veil" YA novel

Finish editing and revising three of my other picture books


Other goals and deadlines to be added later in all categories


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2013 - the Year to BELIEVE

A friend of mine (Joanna Marple) was asking what my "word for the year" was going to be. She had decided that hers was going to be "centered," and she encouraged me to take risks this year. I hadn't really thought about what my word for the year would be before she asked. I took my time thinking about it. In 2010, my word for the year was "courage." In 2011, although I didn't specifically pick a word, it would have been "dream," and in 2012, due to all of the challenges I participated in and goals I challenged myself to complete, it would have been "challenge."

This year's word is "BELIEVE." I believe that good things are going to happen this year. I believe that 2013 is going to be the year I reach several of my goals. And most of all, I believe in myself and in my ability to reach my goals.

What's your word for 2013? Think about it and then post it in the comments below.

And here are my writing goals for 2013:

-Submitting one piece of writing to either competitions or anthologies or book publishers every month.
-Editing my urban fantasy novel and getting it ready for either submission to agents/publishers or self-publishing.
-Editing my urban fantasy YA novella and getting it ready for either submission to agents/publishers or self-publishing.
-Editing my children's chapter book and getting it ready for either submission to agents/publishers or self-publishing.
-Writing a new chapter book (first draft) during the month of March for the Chapter Book Challenge.
-Writing enough short stories and flash fiction pieces (added to the ones I have already written) to put together my own anthology.
-Writing at least three fully edited and ready for submission children's picture books (out of the 12 first drafts I will be writing for the 12 x 12 challenge).

I have other writing goals, but I will leave the ones written down to the ones above, lest I overwhelm myself.

Happy New Year! May your 2013 be full of success, happiness, health and magic!


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Writing: Advice for Writers

This is my post for Day 21 of the Author Blog Challenge.




What is the single best piece of advice you’ve ever received about the publishing process and/or would advice would you offer to a first-time author?


I'm not really sure how to answer this one. I suppose the best piece of advice would be from all of the authors out there who have repeated the phrase, "Don't give up." I've heard many published authors say that their writing was rejected many times before finding a publisher who loved it. And other authors have mentioned not being able to find a traditional publisher who would take their story on but later becoming quite successful at self-publishing, despite the lack of interest from traditional publishers.


If I was going to give advice to a first time author, here are the three things I would say:

1. Believe in yourself and in your writing. Even when you are struggling to find the words, even when no one else seems to appreciate what you are writing, believe in yourself. You can write the story you have in your head if you are willing to work at it and willing to believe in yourself.

2. Learn everything you can about the craft of writing and be patient with yourself while you learn. No one creates a masterpiece without some missteps. No one finds perfection without first practicing their art. Read everything you can get your hands on within your genre. Write daily, even if you need a break from your story and end up writing something completely different for an evening. Go to writers' conferences. Talk to other authors. Read about the craft of writing and practice what you are learning.

3. Be willing to work for your dream. Writing, editing, marketing our books, it can all be a lot of hard work. But dreaming about writing a book isn't going to get your book written. Thinking about your story isn't going to get it typed for you. Talking to others about your novel isn't going to get the novel finished. Sure, you can come up with fresh ideas by dreaming, thinking and talking about your story. But if you want to have something publishable, you are going to have to sit your butt in a chair and start writing your story.

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A Writing Project Every Month in 2012

In order to keep up with my goal of sumbitting a short story every month to publishers and contests, I have been trying to make a list of projects that are available for me this year, one for each month. I will continue to come back and edit this list to add more competitions and publishing submission openings as I find them. I want to be able to choose which ones I write for each month, and I prefer ones that don't cost to enter.

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January

CHOC LIT SHORT STORY COMPETITION
ENTRY FEE £3
Looking for short stories of up to 1,500 words in
which the central theme is chocolate - eating it, drinking
it, cooking with it, or anything else. Your entry must be
a maximum of 1,500 words. Deadline January 31, 2012. 1st
prize £200, publication here and Choc Lit's authors' corner
blog and a box of chocolates from Plush Chocolates. A Runner
Up will receive £50 and a box of chocolates from Plush
Chocolates.

Glimmertrain Press, Inc. has both competition entries available (at a cost of $15 per entry) and standard submissions available (free and up to 3 entries allowed). For the competition entries, for very short stories, the stories are not to exceed 3,000 words. Prizes are, for 1st place - $1,500, publication in Glimmer Train Stories and 20 free copies of the book, 2nd place - $500 and 3rd place - $300. Closing date is January 31st. Results will be posted March 31st. For the standard submissions, the payment for being chosen is $700 and 10 free copies of the book. Stories must not exceed 12,000 words (but less than 500 words would be much to short). Closing date is January 31st. Results will be posted by April 30th.

Crossed Genres magazine is currently accepting submissions of short stories, poetry, articles, audio/podcasts and artwork. Submissions are to be in the science fiction and fantasy genres, along with the current genre of choice for the month. Short stories are to be up to 10,000 words. Poetry is to be any style up to 5,000 words. Audio/podcasts can be up to 15 minutes long. Articles can be up to 5,000 words. Artwork should be science fiction or fantasy and photo manipulation is now accepted. Crossed Genres takes Exclusive World Online, ebook and print rights for one year. Fiction, poetry, articles, podcasts and inside art that are accepted for publication will receive a flat payment of $10 USD. Contributors will also receive a free ebook of the quarterly publication in which their contribution appears.

SKIRT!
Submissions read year-round. The submission deadline for each issue is the 1st of the month for the following month (Nov. 1st for the December issue, and so on), but we prefer to work two months in advance. Skirt!® magazine publishes 5-6 personal essays every month on topics relating to women and women's interests. A personal essay is a narrative that emphasizes a personal, subjective view. All essays for consideration should be submitted in their entirety and be between 800 and 1,100 words. Essays must fit one of our monthly 2012 print themes. Does not accept fiction or poetry. Negotiates payment. Estimate $100-$200.

February

Glimmertrain Press, Inc. is taking submissions for the Short Story Award for New Writers available (at a cost of $15 per entry) to writers whose fiction has not been presented in a print publication with a circulation over 5,000. Most submissions to this category run 1,500 to 6,000 words, but should not exceed 12,000 words. Enter as many times as you like. Prizes are, for 1st place - $1,500, publication in Glimmer Train Stories and 20 free copies of that issue, 2nd place - $500 and 3rd place - $300. Closing date is February 29th. Results will be posted April 30th.

Crossed Genres magazine is currently accepting submissions of short stories, poetry, articles, audio/podcasts and artwork. Submissions are to be in the science fiction and fantasy genres, along with the current genre of choice for the month. Short stories are to be up to 10,000 words. Poetry is to be any style up to 5,000 words. Audio/podcasts can be up to 15 minutes long. Articles can be up to 5,000 words. Artwork should be science fiction or fantasy and photo manipulation is now accepted. Crossed Genres takes Exclusive World Online, ebook and print rights for one year. Fiction, poetry, articles, podcasts and inside art that are accepted for publication will receive a flat payment of $10 USD. Contributors will also receive a free ebook of the quarterly publication in which their contribution appears.

SKIRT!
Submissions read year-round. The submission deadline for each issue is the 1st of the month for the following month (Nov. 1st for the December issue, and so on), but we prefer to work two months in advance. Skirt!® magazine publishes 5-6 personal essays every month on topics relating to women and women's interests. A personal essay is a narrative that emphasizes a personal, subjective view. All essays for consideration should be submitted in their entirety and be between 800 and 1,100 words. Essays must fit one of our monthly 2012 print themes. Does not accept fiction or poetry. Negotiates payment. Estimate $100-$200.

March

In the Chicken Soup For The Souls series of books, they are looking for short stories on the topic of new friends. Short stories should be around 1,200 words. Heart warming short stories or poems are being looked for and if your story or poem is accepted for publication, you will be paid $200 plus 10 free copies of the book. Closing date is March 31st.

Glimmertrain Press, Inc. is taking submissions for the Fiction Open available (at a cost of $18 per entry. Submissions to this category should run 2,000 to 20,000 words. Enter as many times as you like. Prizes are, for 1st place - $2,000, publication in Glimmer Train Stories and 20 free copies of that issue, 2nd place - $1,000 and 3rd place - $600. Closing date is March 31st. Results will be posted May 31st.

Crossed Genres magazine is currently accepting submissions of short stories, poetry, articles, audio/podcasts and artwork. Submissions are to be in the science fiction and fantasy genres, along with the current genre of choice for the month. Short stories are to be up to 10,000 words. Poetry is to be any style up to 5,000 words. Audio/podcasts can be up to 15 minutes long. Articles can be up to 5,000 words. Artwork should be science fiction or fantasy and photo manipulation is now accepted. Crossed Genres takes Exclusive World Online, ebook and print rights for one year. Fiction, poetry, articles, podcasts and inside art that are accepted for publication will receive a flat payment of $10 USD. Contributors will also receive a free ebook of the quarterly publication in which their contribution appears.

SKIRT!
Submissions read year-round. The submission deadline for each issue is the 1st of the month for the following month (Nov. 1st for the December issue, and so on), but we prefer to work two months in advance. Skirt!® magazine publishes 5-6 personal essays every month on topics relating to women and women's interests. A personal essay is a narrative that emphasizes a personal, subjective view. All essays for consideration should be submitted in their entirety and be between 800 and 1,100 words. Essays must fit one of our monthly 2012 print themes. Does not accept fiction or poetry. Negotiates payment. Estimate $100-$200.

April

MAN ON THE TRAIN WRITING COMPETITION
ENTRY FEE £3
Deadline April 7, 2012. 1st Prize: £150, 2nd Prize: £100, 3rd Prize: £75, 4th Prize: 3 months Creative Competitor Premier1 membership
Using the photo for inspiration, create a story that depicts
a man on a journey by train, but a journey to where? What
happens to him en-route? Who does he meet? What happens when
he reaches his destination? We welcome creative
interpretations of the theme. Limit 2,000 words.

WRITER ADVICE FLASH PROSE CONTEST
$12 ENTRY FEE
WriterAdvice is searching for flash fiction, memoir, and creative non-fiction that grabs, surprises, and mesmerizes readers in 750 words or less. If you have a story or memoir with a strong theme, sharp images, a solid structure, and an unexpected discovery, please submit. Deadline April 18, 2012. First Place earns $200; Second Place earns $100; Third Place earns $50; Honorable Mentions will also be published.

Glimmertrain Press, Inc. has both Family Matters competition available (at a cost of $15 per entry) and standard submissions available (free and up to 3 entries allowed). For the Family Matters competition entries, stories--about family--are specifically invited. Submissions to this category typically run 1,500 to 6,000 words, but can go up to 12,000 words. Prizes are, for 1st place - $1,500, publication in Glimmer Train Stories and 20 free copies of the book, 2nd place - $500 and 3rd place - $300. Closing date is April 30th. Results will be posted June 30th. For the standard submissions, the payment for being chosen is $700, publication in Glimmer Train Stories and 10 free copies of the book. Stories must not exceed 12,000 words (but less than 500 words would be much to short). Closing date is April 30th. Results will be posted by July 31st.

Crossed Genres magazine is currently accepting submissions of short stories, poetry, articles, audio/podcasts and artwork. Submissions are to be in the science fiction and fantasy genres, along with the current genre of choice for the month. Short stories are to be up to 10,000 words. Poetry is to be any style up to 5,000 words. Audio/podcasts can be up to 15 minutes long. Articles can be up to 5,000 words. Artwork should be science fiction or fantasy and photo manipulation is now accepted. Crossed Genres takes Exclusive World Online, ebook and print rights for one year. Fiction, poetry, articles, podcasts and inside art that are accepted for publication will receive a flat payment of $10 USD. Contributors will also receive a free ebook of the quarterly publication in which their contribution appears.

SKIRT!
Submissions read year-round. The submission deadline for each issue is the 1st of the month for the following month (Nov. 1st for the December issue, and so on), but we prefer to work two months in advance. Skirt!® magazine publishes 5-6 personal essays every month on topics relating to women and women's interests. A personal essay is a narrative that emphasizes a personal, subjective view. All essays for consideration should be submitted in their entirety and be between 800 and 1,100 words. Essays must fit one of our monthly 2012 print themes. Does not accept fiction or poetry. Negotiates payment. Estimate $100-$200.

May

Glimmertrain Press, Inc. is taking submissions for the Short Story Award for New Writers available (at a cost of $15 per entry) to writers whose fiction has not been presented in a print publication with a circulation over 5,000. Most submissions to this category run 1,500 to 6,000 words, but should not exceed 12,000 words. Enter as many times as you like. Prizes are, for 1st place - $1,500, publication in Glimmer Train Stories and 20 free copies of that issue, 2nd place - $500 and 3rd place - $300. Closing date is May 31st. Results will be posted July 31st.


The Alchemy Press is seeking submissions for THE ALCHEMY PRESS
BOOK OF PULP HEROES, edited by Mike Chinn. Sports stories, spy stories, aircraft & zeppelin stories, sea & pirate stories, Westerns, medieval romance, horror, science fiction and fantasy, movies and car racing; there's no limit. Successful contributors will receive a copy of the book and a £10 advance against royalties on publication. We are after original fiction, but reprints will be considered if they are exceptional. Contributions must be in the range of 2,000-6,000 words firm, with full contact details on the front page. Deadline May 30, 2012.

Crossed Genres magazine is currently accepting submissions of short stories, poetry, articles, audio/podcasts and artwork. Submissions are to be in the science fiction and fantasy genres, along with the current genre of choice for the month. Short stories are to be up to 10,000 words. Poetry is to be any style up to 5,000 words. Audio/podcasts can be up to 15 minutes long. Articles can be up to 5,000 words. Artwork should be science fiction or fantasy and photo manipulation is now accepted. Crossed Genres takes Exclusive World Online, ebook and print rights for one year. Fiction, poetry, articles, podcasts and inside art that are accepted for publication will receive a flat payment of $10 USD. Contributors will also receive a free ebook of the quarterly publication in which their contribution appears.

SKIRT!
Submissions read year-round. The submission deadline for each issue is the 1st of the month for the following month (Nov. 1st for the December issue, and so on), but we prefer to work two months in advance. Skirt!® magazine publishes 5-6 personal essays every month on topics relating to women and women's interests. A personal essay is a narrative that emphasizes a personal, subjective view. All essays for consideration should be submitted in their entirety and be between 800 and 1,100 words. Essays must fit one of our monthly 2012 print themes. Does not accept fiction or poetry. Negotiates payment. Estimate $100-$200.

June

Kayelle Press is taking submissions for its Tomorrow Anthology. Submissions must be 3,000 to 6,000 words long. “Tomorrow” will be a short fiction post-apocalyptic anthology featuring speculative fiction stories written by established and upcoming writers from around the world. Payment is $20 AUD. Submissions start being accepted as of June 1st. Closing date is September 30th.

In the Chicken Soup For The Souls series of books, they are looking for short stories on the topic of parenthood. Short stories should be around 1,200 words. Heart warming short stories or poems are being looked for and if your story or poem is accepted for publication, you will be paid $200 plus 10 free copies of the book. Closing date is June 30th.

Glimmertrain Press, Inc. is taking submissions for the Fiction Open available (at a cost of $18 per entry. Submissions to this category should run 2,000 to 20,000 words. Enter as many times as you like. Prizes are, for 1st place - $2,000, publication in Glimmer Train Stories and 20 free copies of that issue, 2nd place - $1,000 and 3rd place - $600. Closing date is June 30th. Results will be posted August 31st.

Crossed Genres magazine is currently accepting submissions of short stories, poetry, articles, audio/podcasts and artwork. Submissions are to be in the science fiction and fantasy genres, along with the current genre of choice for the month. Short stories are to be up to 10,000 words. Poetry is to be any style up to 5,000 words. Audio/podcasts can be up to 15 minutes long. Articles can be up to 5,000 words. Artwork should be science fiction or fantasy and photo manipulation is now accepted. Crossed Genres takes Exclusive World Online, ebook and print rights for one year. Fiction, poetry, articles, podcasts and inside art that are accepted for publication will receive a flat payment of $10 USD. Contributors will also receive a free ebook of the quarterly publication in which their contribution appears.

SKIRT!
Submissions read year-round. The submission deadline for each issue is the 1st of the month for the following month (Nov. 1st for the December issue, and so on), but we prefer to work two months in advance. Skirt!® magazine publishes 5-6 personal essays every month on topics relating to women and women's interests. A personal essay is a narrative that emphasizes a personal, subjective view. All essays for consideration should be submitted in their entirety and be between 800 and 1,100 words. Essays must fit one of our monthly 2012 print themes. Does not accept fiction or poetry. Negotiates payment. Estimate $100-$200.

July

Glimmertrain Press, Inc. has Very Short Fiction competition available (at a cost of $15 per entry). For Very Short Fiction, the stories are not to exceed 3,000 words. Prizes are, for 1st place - $1,500, publication in Glimmer Train Stories and 20 free copies of the book, 2nd place - $500 and 3rd place - $300. Closing date is July 31st. Results will be posted September 30th.


Big Bad Anthology is taking submissions of short stories (6,000 words max) that feature a bad guy or evil character as the protagonist. It can be fantasy, urban fantasy, superhero, horror, whatever. Just send in your best bad guy story. Will select 20. Email submissions tojohnhartness@gmail.com as a .doc or .txt attachment. Include a brief author's bio. Paying $50 for one year's exclusive electronic and print rights plus two contributor's copies. After that the antholgy retains rights to publish electronically in the anthology only, and in print in this anthology only, but you can take it and sell it somewhere else, or sell it yourself as a standalone. Deadline July 31, 2012.

Crossed Genres magazine is currently accepting submissions of short stories, poetry, articles, audio/podcasts and artwork. Submissions are to be in the science fiction and fantasy genres, along with the current genre of choice for the month. Short stories are to be up to 10,000 words. Poetry is to be any style up to 5,000 words. Audio/podcasts can be up to 15 minutes long. Articles can be up to 5,000 words. Artwork should be science fiction or fantasy and photo manipulation is now accepted. Crossed Genres takes Exclusive World Online, ebook and print rights for one year. Fiction, poetry, articles, podcasts and inside art that are accepted for publication will receive a flat payment of $10 USD. Contributors will also receive a free ebook of the quarterly publication in which their contribution appears.

SKIRT!
Submissions read year-round. The submission deadline for each issue is the 1st of the month for the following month (Nov. 1st for the December issue, and so on), but we prefer to work two months in advance. Skirt!® magazine publishes 5-6 personal essays every month on topics relating to women and women's interests. A personal essay is a narrative that emphasizes a personal, subjective view. All essays for consideration should be submitted in their entirety and be between 800 and 1,100 words. Essays must fit one of our monthly 2012 print themes. Does not accept fiction or poetry. Negotiates payment. Estimate $100-$200.

SCARE THE DICKENS OUT OF US CONTEST. Entry fee is $20 for an adulkt and $5 for a junior. First prize is $1,000 and a trophy. Second prize is $500 and a ribbon. Third prize is $250 and a ribbon. Junior contest prize is $250 and a trophy. The Scare The Dickens Out of Us ghost story contest and the Junior Scare The Dickens Out of Us ghost story contest share identical rules except the entry fees and the following: Junior contest writers must be age 12-18. Winners will have to provide proof of age. The contest is open to published and unpublished writers alike. All publication rights remain with the author. The ghost story must be 5,000 words or less, in English, and typed double-spaced. Entries accepted beginning July 1, 2012. Deadline October 1, 2012.

August

Glimmertrain Press, Inc. is taking submissions for the Short Story Award for New Writers available (at a cost of $15 per entry) to writers whose fiction has not been presented in a print publication with a circulation over 5,000. Most submissions to this category run 1,500 to 6,000 words, but should not exceed 12,000 words. Enter as many times as you like. Prizes are, for 1st place - $1,500, publication in Glimmer Train Stories and 20 free copies of that issue, 2nd place - $500 and 3rd place - $300. Closing date is August 31st. Results will be posted October 30th.

Crossed Genres magazine is currently accepting submissions of short stories, poetry, articles, audio/podcasts and artwork. Submissions are to be in the science fiction and fantasy genres, along with the current genre of choice for the month. Short stories are to be up to 10,000 words. Poetry is to be any style up to 5,000 words. Audio/podcasts can be up to 15 minutes long. Articles can be up to 5,000 words. Artwork should be science fiction or fantasy and photo manipulation is now accepted. Crossed Genres takes Exclusive World Online, ebook and print rights for one year. Fiction, poetry, articles, podcasts and inside art that are accepted for publication will receive a flat payment of $10 USD. Contributors will also receive a free ebook of the quarterly publication in which their contribution appears.

SKIRT!
Submissions read year-round. The submission deadline for each issue is the 1st of the month for the following month (Nov. 1st for the December issue, and so on), but we prefer to work two months in advance. Skirt!® magazine publishes 5-6 personal essays every month on topics relating to women and women's interests. A personal essay is a narrative that emphasizes a personal, subjective view. All essays for consideration should be submitted in their entirety and be between 800 and 1,100 words. Essays must fit one of our monthly 2012 print themes. Does not accept fiction or poetry. Negotiates payment. Estimate $100-$200.

September

Glimmertrain Press, Inc. is taking submissions for the Fiction Open available (at a cost of $18 per entry. Submissions to this category should run 2,000 to 20,000 words. Enter as many times as you like. Prizes are, for 1st place - $2,000, publication in Glimmer Train Stories and 20 free copies of that issue, 2nd place - $1,000 and 3rd place - $600. Closing date is September 30th. Results will be posted November 30th.

Crossed Genres magazine is currently accepting submissions of short stories, poetry, articles, audio/podcasts and artwork. Submissions are to be in the science fiction and fantasy genres, along with the current genre of choice for the month. Short stories are to be up to 10,000 words. Poetry is to be any style up to 5,000 words. Audio/podcasts can be up to 15 minutes long. Articles can be up to 5,000 words. Artwork should be science fiction or fantasy and photo manipulation is now accepted. Crossed Genres takes Exclusive World Online, ebook and print rights for one year. Fiction, poetry, articles, podcasts and inside art that are accepted for publication will receive a flat payment of $10 USD. Contributors will also receive a free ebook of the quarterly publication in which their contribution appears.

SKIRT!
Submissions read year-round. The submission deadline for each issue is the 1st of the month for the following month (Nov. 1st for the December issue, and so on), but we prefer to work two months in advance. Skirt!® magazine publishes 5-6 personal essays every month on topics relating to women and women's interests. A personal essay is a narrative that emphasizes a personal, subjective view. All essays for consideration should be submitted in their entirety and be between 800 and 1,100 words. Essays must fit one of our monthly 2012 print themes. Does not accept fiction or poetry. Negotiates payment. Estimate $100-$200.

October

Glimmertrain Press, Inc. has both Family Matters competition available (at a cost of $15 per entry) and standard submissions available (free and up to 3 entries allowed). For the Family Matters competition entries, stories--about family--are specifically invited. Submissions to this category typically run 1,500 to 6,000 words, but can go up to 12,000 words. Prizes are, for 1st place - $1,500, publication in Glimmer Train Stories and 20 free copies of the book, 2nd place - $500 and 3rd place - $300. Closing date is October 31st. Results will be posted December 31st. For the standard submissions, the payment for being chosen is $700, publication in Glimmer Train Stories and 10 free copies of the book. Stories must not exceed 12,000 words (but less than 500 words would be much to short). Closing date is October 31st. Results will be posted by January 31st.

Crossed Genres magazine is currently accepting submissions of short stories, poetry, articles, audio/podcasts and artwork. Submissions are to be in the science fiction and fantasy genres, along with the current genre of choice for the month. Short stories are to be up to 10,000 words. Poetry is to be any style up to 5,000 words. Audio/podcasts can be up to 15 minutes long. Articles can be up to 5,000 words. Artwork should be science fiction or fantasy and photo manipulation is now accepted. Crossed Genres takes Exclusive World Online, ebook and print rights for one year. Fiction, poetry, articles, podcasts and inside art that are accepted for publication will receive a flat payment of $10 USD. Contributors will also receive a free ebook of the quarterly publication in which their contribution appears.

SKIRT!
Submissions read year-round. The submission deadline for each issue is the 1st of the month for the following month (Nov. 1st for the December issue, and so on), but we prefer to work two months in advance. Skirt!® magazine publishes 5-6 personal essays every month on topics relating to women and women's interests. A personal essay is a narrative that emphasizes a personal, subjective view. All essays for consideration should be submitted in their entirety and be between 800 and 1,100 words. Essays must fit one of our monthly 2012 print themes. Does not accept fiction or poetry. Negotiates payment. Estimate $100-$200.

November

Glimmertrain Press, Inc. is taking submissions for the Short Story Award for New Writers available (at a cost of $15 per entry) to writers whose fiction has not been presented in a print publication with a circulation over 5,000. Most submissions to this category run 1,500 to 6,000 words, but should not exceed 12,000 words. Enter as many times as you like. Prizes are, for 1st place - $1,500, publication in Glimmer Train Stories and 20 free copies of that issue, 2nd place - $500 and 3rd place - $300. Closing date is November 30th. Results will be posted January 31st.

Crossed Genres magazine is currently accepting submissions of short stories, poetry, articles, audio/podcasts and artwork. Submissions are to be in the science fiction and fantasy genres, along with the current genre of choice for the month. Short stories are to be up to 10,000 words. Poetry is to be any style up to 5,000 words. Audio/podcasts can be up to 15 minutes long. Articles can be up to 5,000 words. Artwork should be science fiction or fantasy and photo manipulation is now accepted. Crossed Genres takes Exclusive World Online, ebook and print rights for one year. Fiction, poetry, articles, podcasts and inside art that are accepted for publication will receive a flat payment of $10 USD. Contributors will also receive a free ebook of the quarterly publication in which their contribution appears.

SKIRT!
Submissions read year-round. The submission deadline for each issue is the 1st of the month for the following month (Nov. 1st for the December issue, and so on), but we prefer to work two months in advance. Skirt!® magazine publishes 5-6 personal essays every month on topics relating to women and women's interests. A personal essay is a narrative that emphasizes a personal, subjective view. All essays for consideration should be submitted in their entirety and be between 800 and 1,100 words. Essays must fit one of our monthly 2012 print themes. Does not accept fiction or poetry. Negotiates payment. Estimate $100-$200.

December

Glimmertrain Press, Inc. is taking submissions for the Fiction Open available (at a cost of $18 per entry. Submissions to this category should run 2,000 to 20,000 words. Enter as many times as you like. Prizes are, for 1st place - $2,000, publication in Glimmer Train Stories and 20 free copies of that issue, 2nd place - $1,000 and 3rd place - $600. Closing date is December 31st. Results will be posted February 28th.

Crossed Genres magazine is currently accepting submissions of short stories, poetry, articles, audio/podcasts and artwork. Submissions are to be in the science fiction and fantasy genres, along with the current genre of choice for the month. Short stories are to be up to 10,000 words. Poetry is to be any style up to 5,000 words. Audio/podcasts can be up to 15 minutes long. Articles can be up to 5,000 words. Artwork should be science fiction or fantasy and photo manipulation is now accepted. Crossed Genres takes Exclusive World Online, ebook and print rights for one year. Fiction, poetry, articles, podcasts and inside art that are accepted for publication will receive a flat payment of $10 USD. Contributors will also receive a free ebook of the quarterly publication in which their contribution appears.

SKIRT!
Submissions read year-round. The submission deadline for each issue is the 1st of the month for the following month (Nov. 1st for the December issue, and so on), but we prefer to work two months in advance. Skirt!® magazine publishes 5-6 personal essays every month on topics relating to women and women's interests. A personal essay is a narrative that emphasizes a personal, subjective view. All essays for consideration should be submitted in their entirety and be between 800 and 1,100 words. Essays must fit one of our monthly 2012 print themes. Does not accept fiction or poetry. Negotiates payment. Estimate $100-$200.

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If you know of any contests, anthologies or magazines that I can include to this list, please e-mail me with the details and I will happily add them to the list.

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My Goals For 2012

I recently submitted a short story to Kayelle Press for their Night Terrors anthology. It is part of my new determination to start sending my work out into the world. Until now, I've been keeping my writing private, not sharing much of it with others. I've been letting that nasty, deceiving voice in my head whisper into my mind and tell me that I might not be good enough. That voice has made me afraid to really try, afraid to let my work be exposed in a way that will tell me one way or another whether or not my writing is good enough.

But I know that voice is a liar. That same voice used to tell me, when I was morbidly obese, that I would never be able to lose all of that extra weight. And then I did. I lost over 145 lbs. and reached a tiny and healthy weight, despite that voice telling me that I couldn't do it. So I know that voice lies.

So I am going to be taking risks with my writing now, letting my writing be sent out there into the world and into the publishing industry and we will see what happens. The worst that can happen is that my writing isn't good enough yet, and that just means I will have to continue improving it. It doesn't mean I will give up, because I never will.

So I am setting myself some goals for 2012, goals that will keep me writing.

1 - I am going to submit and average of one short story a month to publishers or competitions.

2 - I am going to finish writing and editing at least one of the four novels I have started writing.

3 - I am going to share some new writing here on this blog, maybe one new piece a month (more if I can swing it).

4 - I am going to be publishing a little bit on my own. I have three cookbooks in mind that I intend to complete for Kindle and ebook formats.

5 - I am going to make writing a priority and write a minimum of 500 words a day.

6 - I am going to start sending my children's stories (I have written four) out to agents and/or publishers.

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Writing for Real

I feel as though most of my writing up until now has been hobby writing, and I feel this way because I haven't actually done much with the stories, articles and poems I have written. I haven't shared them here. I haven't completed either of my novels or started editing them. I still have my three children's stories and they aren't illustrated yet.

What I have done that is not just hobby writing is I have become a regular writer for a magazine. I write monthly on the topic of raising healthy kids for Beverly Hills Child Magazine. This is great, but it's only a start.

I have career goals for my writing and those goals are achievable. I just need to keep working towards them. To this end, I have decided to set up a list of tasks for myself to do in which, with each of the tasks that I achieve, I will be getting closer to reaching my goals.

Watch this space, because I will be published this year and in more than one venue!

What would you include in a list of tasks if you were making the list of tasks for yourself?

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Tips For Sticking To Your New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year! I hope 2011 is going to be a wonderful year for us all.

It is that time of year again when everyone starts to think about what they have achieved over the past year and what they hope to achieve in the new one. A lot of people will make new year's resolutions now. And most of those people will not stick with them any longer than next month.

Just how are you supposed to go about making resolutions and then making sure you achieve them?

Here are some quick tips, just from the top of my head.

1. Make realistic resolutions. Don't over-reach your abilities. Yes, you might be able to get your book published this year, but if you haven't even started it, then aiming to have it published by March is unrealistic. However, deciding that you want to have three short stories entered into competitions by March is a more realisitic goal.

2. Resolve to WORK towards your goals. You will never reach any of your resolutions if you are not willing to put in the effort and take the steps needed to attain them.

3. Believe in yourself. It is very important that you believe in your ability to reach your goals. Without that belief and confidence, you run the risk of sabatoging your own efforts.

4. Surround yourself with people who support you and believe in your goals. There is nothing more helpful than supportive friends and family who believe in you. The last thing you need if you are trying to become a published author is to have the people around you acting like you spend too much time writing or telling you that you are wasting your time.

5. Reward yourself for every step closer you get to achieving you goals. It is easy, on a long journey, to lose sight of how far you have come and to instead keep dwelling on how far you have left to go. Try to focus on what you have already achieved and how it brings you closer to your ultimate goal.

6. Write it down. Don't just write down your resolutions, but write down each step you need to take to get there. Reference this note whenever you feel tempted to slack in your efforts. Writing your ideas down has an effect on your subconscious. Also, keep a journal of your thoughts during this time. Sometimes fresh ideas can be sparked through journal writing.


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