Friday 23 April 2010

Rowan Coleman's short story Comp


There's a great short story competition being run by Rowan Coleman
Rowan worked in bookselling and publishing for seven years before entering and winning Company Magazine Young Writer of the Year Competition in 2001. Since then Rowan has written eight novels for adults and six for teens.

All you have to do is write a 1000 word (approx)story on the theme of starting over.

There're some fabulous prizes to be won.

FIRST PRIZE: 3 months creative writing online mentoring from Rowan Coleman, Tea and Cakes at Random House Publishing with Arrow Publishing Director Kate Elton and Rowan Coleman, a letter of introduction and agent feedback from David Higham Associates, £100 to spend on Random House books, your story to be published on Rowan Coleman's blog/website and a signed copy of THE HAPPY HOME FOR BROKEN HEARTS.

SECOND PRIZE: 1 months creative writing online mentoring from Rowan Coleman, £50 book vouchers to spend on Random House books and the story to be posted on my blog and a signed copy of THE HAPPY HOME FOR BROKEN HEARTS. THIRD PRIZE: £25 Worth of vouchers to spend on Random House books and the story to be posted on my website and a signed copy of THE HAPPY HOME FOR BROKEN HEARTS.

All the details and guidelines for submission are on her blog.

Thursday 22 April 2010

I'm in the My Weekly Spring Special

Woop, woop! It's a super issue, too. 15 stories in all, some from my writing friends and a couple I don't know but am sure to come across at some time. Congratulations to all. Teresa, if you're reading this, I loved your story!
I always like My Weekly and Woman's Weekly's illustrations. The one accompanying mine has the Colosseum in the background (of course, because it's set in Italy)and a woman pointing at a Roman gladiator - though to me he looks oddly like a Viking with his flowing locks and beardy thing going on.

Not sure about my little author box comment. I always find them so difficult for some reason. And other writers' sound so much more interesting. This time, I had to supply a few words on my favourite flower and I don't really have one to be honest so I wrote that I like sweet William because when I smell them I know summer's not long in coming. Wish I could smell them now, because though the suns out here in Notts, it's blummin' chilly still. Hopefully, it's going to get up to 18 degrees at the weekend so I might save reading the rest of the stories until then when I'll sit out in the garden, swaying in my hammock, sipping a glass of pinot...I can dream can't I?

I'm currently putting a pitch together for a 3 part serial aimed at My Weekly. I've yet to be successful with a serial. They usually come back with 'We've carried a similar subject before'. Well, this one has a fairground as the backdrop. It's a mystery with a touch of romance and a splash of humour. Still only got a working title and I've only written the first episode and first episode synopsis which I might send off today. Then if I get a rejection, I haven't wasted my time. Not that one word will be wasted, I'll probably finish it at some point, but where can you place a 9000 word womag type story these days?