LaurelWanrow.com

I’d heard about this writing craft book written by agent Noah Lukeman and thumbed through it a RWA National conference bookstore. A repeat mention in a self-editing workshop tape put the book on my Christmas list. The dh had to order it online, but so far it’s worth the extra trouble.

The format is chapters, ranked according to an (this) agent or editor’s patience with the writer’s skill at getting his message across. The first is Presentation, the second Adjective and Adverb (mis)use.  Okay, soon after my first contest returns three years ago I got on the train with those two, though a recent crit had a gentle reminder about those pesky ly words. (Hey, the heroine is an emotional savant – she’s all about touchy-feely.)

The third chapter is titled Sound. Interesting. How one divides and punctuates sentences creates a pleasing sound. Well, I’d heard to mix the short and long sentence

Indiana’s Golden Opportunity 2009

Congratulations to all our Winners!
Best of the Best will be announced approximately November 18th.

Historical Finalists Judge — Jesse Feldman, NAL

The Soldier by Patricia Patton

Love and the Heir by Patricia Patton

The Yard Man Affair by Jill Stone

Mainstream Finalists Judge — Paige Wheeler, Folio Literary Management

Odin’s End** by Dawna Fichtner

The End at River’s Bend by Cathryn Pritchard

Damaged Goods by Barbara Binns

Paranormal Finalists Judge — Kerry Donovan, NAL

Darkness Dawns by Leslie Duvall

The Story Queen by Joe Fraser

The Chimera Courtships: In Like a Lion by Karin Shah

Single Title Finalists Judge — Latoya Smith, Grand Central

Chocolate Kisses** by Kelli Zeiher Riley

Uncivilized by Meghan Murphy

Once Upon a Margarita by Heidi Luchterhand

Romantic Suspense Finalists Judge — Megan McKeever, Pocket Books

Degrees of Death by Linda Lovely

Dangerous Choices by Donna Meier

Trail of Secrets by Greta MacEachern

Young Adult Finalists Judge — Holly Root, Waxman Literary Agency

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

The Dead Guy Downstairs by Sheri Adkins

Seaside Sorcery by Laurel

I’m backtracking and posting my other contest co-winners. I think it’ll be fun to keep a watch on these manuscripts that are making the journey at the same time I am.

NORTHWEST HOUSTON RWA

presents the winners of the

The Seventeenth Annual

LONE STAR WRITING COMPETITION

The 2009 Lone Star Writing Competition committee is proud to announce the 2009 winners.  A third of our winners had requests from an agent, an editor or both.  Congratulations!

Contemporary Series

Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin

Natanya Wheeler, Nancy Yost Literary Agency

1st: HEAD GAMES, Denise Cychosz, Waukesha, Wisconsin*

2nd: THE BILLIONAIRE’S PURCHASED PRINCESS, Robyn Anders, Long Beach
 California (formerly of Dallas)

3rd: LAURA TAKES A LOVER, Mary Oldham, Beaverton, Oregon

*Partial request from editor

Young Adult

Kat O’She, Leap Books

Jim McCarthy, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management

1st: WILDFLOWERS AND WINGED BOYS, Laurel Wanrow, Reston, VA*

2nd: A WITCH’S WISH, Martha Ferris, Freedom, WY

3rd: JOURNEY TO EDEN, Natasha Hanova, Overland Park, KS

*Partial request from

Drum roll, please …… Day 100: 295 words!

I completed my personal challenge of writing at least 100 words for 100 days. I logged my daily count with others on the loop Club100writers@yahoogroups.com and I have to say that once I started I didn’t consider quitting on this encouraging group. While I only wrote just over my minimum most days, one writer completed NaNoWriMo, often logging on after midnight with her 1700 plus counts.

I did have a few high days. I kept track my 100 day total working on a new YA fantasy, Conifer Curse. With the exception of about 5 days writing on a different ms, I totaled 35027 words.

A fun feature the group encourages is designing your finishing tiara. Several others described theirs and gave me ideas, so mine was set in silver, covered with glittery diamonds and sported an amethyst in the center front.

I am happy to have finished

The winners of RWA’s Futuristic, Fantasy and Paranormal Chapter unpublished writing contest were announced a few days ago and I’m excited to report my two manuscripts entries placed second and third: Passages was second in the Futuristc category and Seaside Sorcery third in the Young Adult category.

Here’s the announcement of all the winners:
Fantasy Futuristic & Paranormal Special-Interest Chapter is proud to
announce the following winners in the 2009 On The Far Side contest.
Congratulations to all the winners!

Romantic Elements:

1 – Soul Trade by Melanie Card

2 – The Darkshaper Invasion by Karen McCullough

3 – Windborne by Brenda Nelson-Davis

Erotic:

1 – MIA Case Files: Wolfsbane by Tracy Truman

2 – Gods and Mortals by Rebecca Zanetti

3 – Catacomb Bound by Robin Haseltine

Fantasy:

1 – Rites of Clay by Bonnie Johnston

2 – Wild Fire by Rashda Khan

3 – A Soul for Trouble by Crista McHugh

Futuristic:

1 – Unspeakable Acts by Cheryl Alldredge

2 – Passages