My Essay on How I Met My Husband is in Sasee's October Magazine

Photo, Oct 17 Sasee Magazine

"Melodies and Memories"

Cover Artist: Mike Daneshi

If you're curious how a nineteen-year-old teenage girl from St. Louis met a twenty-year-old airman/immigrant who was born in the German Bavarian Alps, you can read about it by following the link below.

My essay titled "Living the American Dream" appears in Sasee's October 2017 issue with the theme "Melodies and Memories." The beautifully vivid and evocative cover art is done by Mike Daneshi.

If you're a writer interested in submitting to Sasee, here's a copy of their guidelines.

Hope you enjoy!

Note: Next week I will begin posting interviews I've received from contributors to Mysteries of the Ozarks, V.

I'm Back with a Quick Deadline Call for Submissions for Veterans and their Families

If you've been wondering where I've been for the past two months, I'm still around, although I haven't been spending a lot of time on social media this winter.

Earlier this year, after scrubbing my kitchen and bathroom floors, I was so out of breath I had to sit down and rest. Around the same time, my Internet service provider "upgraded" their system and threw my program speed and capability for a loop.

Frustrated with not being able to easily do what I used to do both physically and on line, I took some action.

I joined a local fitness center and began a nutrition and exercise program, and my husband figured out what was wrong with my laptop.

Now that I have more energy and my computer is behaving itself, I hope to blog more often.

I wanted to begin with this call for submissions because it's for such a good cause and there is no fee to enter.

Here are some details:

For all military personnel, Veterans, and their families:
Call for Submissions for Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors volume 4
Deadline: June 1, 2015
No fee
Prize: $250
Categories: Short fiction, Poetry, Interview with a Warrior, Essay, Photography
Writing must be by veterans, military-service personnel or their families.  Include the connection in your short bio.

You can find more information by clicking on this link from Walrus Publishing.

Don't Let the Truth Get in the Way of a Good Story: When Facts and Truth Matter

In June of 1995, my sisters Kathleen, Bridget, and I toured Ireland. I have many memories of that trip, but the recent media flap over NBC news broadcast journalist Bryan Williams reminded me of a saying I first heard our Irish bus driver say twenty years ago: “Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.”

Our bus driver/tour guide was a cheerful and funny man with a "gift of gab" I’ll call Tommy. To quote the TV show “Dragnet,” Tommy’s “name has been changed to protect the innocent.”

During our daily trips, Tommy shared some history of Ireland and entertained us with jokes and long-winded tales. And usually, after one of his far-fetched stories, someone would ask him: “Is that a true story?” 

He would grin and wink then say, “The Irish have a saying: Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.” 

After hearing some of his stories, one might conclude that Tommy not only kissed the Blarney Stone, he went back for seconds.

As he skillfully drove down busy highways and wended across narrow roads, stopping for flocks of sheep, which he called “Irish traffic jams,” he would break out into song and encourage everyone to sing along. When one of the tourists complimented him on his singing, he smiled widely and humbly bragged that his voice wasn’t as good as his cousin’s, who belonged to the Irish rock group, “The Cranberries.” 

After I returned to the USA, I shared his don’t-let-the-truth saying with several writing friends, some who often quote it and a few who claim it as their own.

I’ve also used Tommy’s principle in my own writing--my fiction writing that is. In fiction, it is all right to embellish and change details or facts to fit a story. That’s why it’s called fiction.

But in non-fiction, facts are important, and truth is the critical element.  

When I write personal essays, I try to remain as faithful to the truth as possible, or at least as I remember it. 

But memories can fade, especially over long periods of time. Was it sunny or overcast thirty day years ago? Was I wearing a blue dress or a red sweater? Using vivid details can color a story and make it stronger, but they aren’t as important as the essence of the essay--the universal truth I’m trying to convey. And while those details might be innocent mis-remembrances, they aren’t deliberate falsehoods, like the ones Bryan Williams told when he reported that the helicopter he was riding in was shot at by RPGs.

Using dialogue in personal essays is especially tricky. I’ve often tried to recall conversations verbatim. For example, I've asked myself: Is that exactly what my mom said when I told her my teacher died? If I can’t recall the exact words, I stay true to my memory of how I felt and what I believe she said. On occasion I'll ask one of my siblings to compare memories.

So, while I’ll continue to embellish and not let the truth get in the way of my fiction writing, for my non-fiction, while I might occasionally “change a name to protect the innocent,” I’ll follow the advice of Sergeant Joe Friday on “Dragnet” and do my best only to use “Just the facts, ma’am.”

Retreat to Bunker Hill and Surrender to Your Passion for Creativity, October 4-6

Accord to ancient Spartan law, there motto was, "No retreat, no surrender!"

So, why am I suggesting writers and other creative types retreat and surrender?

Well, what better time than the glorious fall weather in Southern Missouri to go on a weekend retreat and surrender to your passion for creativity?

That's what I'll be doing October 4-6 at the third annual Missouri State Teachers Association Creative Retreat for writers and photographers.

The retreat will be at the scenic Bunker Hill Retreat Center in Mountain View, Missouri, and I am  excited to be a faculty member for the retreat.

Here's a synopsis of the topics included during the retreat:

Writing: Donna Volkenannt, will present "Think outside the book: writing short stories and personal essays." During workshops participants will be guided through writing exercises to get their creative juices flowing and keep them motivated to continue.

Publishing: Lou Turner will present "Let the adventure begin!" She will share her step-by-step plan to get writers from their first word to their book signing.

Photography: Angie Carmack will encourage photographers to "explore your passion for photography." Workshops will be for both beginners, mid-level, and advanced photographers.

Gates open Friday at 1 p.m. to check in and enjoy leisure activities. From 5-7 there will be a "Make and Take" class for card making with Daphney Partridge. The meet and greet begins at 7 p.m. on Friday followed by meeting with faculty for overview and assignments.

Weekend fees ($215 for MSTA members and $250 for non-members) include workshop fee and Friday lodging, three meals on Saturday, Saturday lodging, and breakfast and lunch on Sunday. You do not have to belong to MSTA to attend.

According to the welcome letter I received from MSTA's Sarah Kohnle, during the weekend retreat, writers and photographers can "unplug from the outside world, soak up inspiration, and create."

If you would like to sign up or for more information, e-mail Sarah Kohnle at skohnle @ msta.org (Remove spaces in Sarah's e-mail address when writing to her.)

Or, e-mail me at dvolkenannt @ charter.net (without spaces) and I will send you a PDF file of the retreat brochure, which includes what participants need to bring with them to the retreat.





























































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































 

Spring into Action: Enter Writing Contests from Saturday Writers and the Arkansas Writers' Conference

The past few days have been gray and dreary, but I don't need to look at the calendar to know that spring is just around the corner. Daylight comes earlier and lasts longer; daffodils are sprouting green leaves out of the brown earth; robins, cardinals, and mourning doves are busy building nests.

What better way to spring into the new season than by entering these writing contests?

The first group of colorful contests is from Saturday Writers.

 

Full disclosure: Although I'm no longer on the board, I am a founding member of SW. The current board has boundless energy and is full of fresh ideas, like their 2013 contests. Each month has a specific theme related to one or more colors. 



Saturday Writers 2013 Contests

Besides being colorful, here's what I like about the Saturday Writers' contests:

Anyone can enter
You don't have to belong to Saturday Writers to submit
The entry fees are modest ($5 for members $7 for non-members)
Although most contests are for short stories, others are for poetry and nonfiction
Judging is blind
Judges are from outside Saturday Writers (so everyone gets a fair shake.)
If you are a winner and want to be published, your work can be published in the Saturday Writers anthology. (Note: I'm not sure what happens if you win and don't want your work published, but I'm sure you can inquire about that.)
Deadlines are monthly
If you miss one month, you can plan ahead and enter another

To learn more about these colorful contests, visit the Saturday Writers website.

The second group of contests are part of the 69th Annual Arkansas Writers' Conference.

 

Several years ago I attended this conference with a friend. The organizers were welcoming and friendly, and the conference was informative, entertaining, and a lot of fun. I even won a few contests--woo hoo! What I like most about this group of contests is the variety of contest categories. Here's what else I like:

Anyone can enter
You don't have to attend the conference to win (although more categories are open to attendees)
One entry fee of $15 allows you to enter more than 20 contests (you can enter as many as 40 if you attend and are from Arkansas)
There are lots of generous prizes
Categories include poetry, essays, articles, and stories (mystery, children, humor, romance)
Categories are judged by sponsors or groups (Variety of judges makes for better chances for winning.)
Deadline is April 25, so there's still time to gather some entries
All entries are to be mailed to one address, so there's no confusion as to where to mail each entry. (Unlike some organizations that require separate checks and entries to be mailed to several different locations.)

To find out more, visit the AWC contest website.

Good luck if you enter. I'm thinking of entering a few contests myself.

Good News: Missouri Writers’ Guild Chapter and Sponsor Contest Deadlines Extended

Friends, writers, Missourians, warm up your pens (or keyboards as the case may be).

Unless your name is Julius Caesar, I have some good news.

You don’t need to "beware of the ides of March," but to prepare for the ides of March. And in this case, being ambitious is not a grievous fault.

The entry deadlines for the Chapter and Sponsor contests for the MissouriWriters’ Guild Annual Conference have been extended to the March 15 (The Ides of March).

Contests are open to members of MWG and its state chapters, as well as anyone attending the annual conference in April.

Happy day; the extension gives me extra time to enter my favorite chapter’s contests. Saturday Writers is sponsoring two categories: #7 Flash Fiction and #9 Inspirational Essay.

On the topic of being given second chances, the Writer’s Society of Jefferson County is sponsoring an additional contest not listed on the MWG website. Category #17 is an essay contest on "Second Chances" with a limit of 1500 words. Send your essays for that category to entry coordinator

Anna Wells

10632 St. Andrew's Court
Festus, MO 63028

For a full list of all chapter and sponsor contests, including where to send entries for other categories, visit http://missouriwritersguild.org/2013AnnualContestRules.pdf

All contests have a $5 entry fee.

Note: This extension only applies to the Chapter and Sponsor contests, not the President's contests. (Woops! I already missed that deadline.)

Personal note: If you are eligible to enter, please consider the Saturday Writer’s Flash Fiction and Inspirational Essay contests.

Final note: Apologies to Will Shakespeare for my attempt at humor with Julius Caesar. My granddaughter and I visited the campus of Mizzou this weekend. While we were in Columbia, we ate at Shakespeare’s Pizza. Quick restaurant review: Long wait, great pizza!

Good luck, and happy writing!

Advice on Writing Good Prose

Last weekend I caught a program on Book TV that got me excited about writing.

Yep. That's the word that describes how I felt watching Tracy Kidder and Richard Todd talk about their new book: Good Prose: the Art of Nonfiction - Stories and Advice from a Lifetime of Writing and Editing.

I'm always looking for new ways to think about writing, and what could be better than to listen to advice from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tracy Kidder and former executive editor of The Atlantic Richard Todd.

Although it was late at night and I was sleepy, I pulled out my handy-dandy black-and-white 2013 writing notebook and started writing. Here are some notes I jotted down:

Three forms of nonfiction:
- Essay
- Memoir
- Factual narrative

On Beginnings:
- Imagine the reader is intelligent and has knowledge not available to you.
- "There's a lot to be said for the quiet beginning." (e.g. "Call me Ishmael.")
- Invite the reader into a conversation
- Don't tell it all at once
- Trust yourself as a writer
- Trust the reader

Goal:
- Broader way of thinking
- Reveal the dramatic truth

Narrative of revelation:
- Problem unfolds
- Something is important or at stake
- Someone is learning something that transforms
- Most important conflict comes from within the character
- Without revelation, leaves one asking: "Is that all?"

Finding the story:
- Have an idea
- Let it blossom
- "Luck of the conception"
- "Grace descending"
- Chance encounter
- A story is not a subject
- Begins with character

Forget the cocktail party rule for summarizing your story: "It isn't always a bad sign when a potential story does not talk well."

Writing (after research):
- Don't commit too soon
- Seek to understand
- Don't delay too long
- Find a method that works
- Write in blocks to find connections
- Make mistakes early

Editing:
- Fall out of love with your words
- Let go of words that don't fit
- Leave something unsaid
- Help the reader to think
- Don't make it harder than necessary
- Read out loud
- Something that is good must go for the good of the whole
- Learn in revising

"A writer cannot hide from the sound of his voice."

"The best thing an editor can do is to help a writer to think."

That sums up most of what I wrote down.

Yesterday I visited our local library to check out Good Prose until I buy my own copy. Alas, the copy at the branch I visited had already been checked out.  Until my copy arrives, I'll rely on my notes.

So, any comments on Good Prose?

Writing by the Numbers: 14 Writing Exercises, 20 Markets, and One Poem

At lunch over the weekend I was part of a discussion on the topic of which is more important--numbers or words--math versus reading. Of course, I took the side of words.

While numbers have been called the universal language, where would we be without words? We learn to talk before we learn to count, don't we? And if we can't read, how can we recognize numbers?

While I'm still a word nerd, the discussion got me to give numbers their due.

Numbers and words are important in different ways; often they are complementary. I even have examples:

The other day I stumbled upon this list of writing exercises in Stumbleupon with 14 writing exercises.

The first six focus on scenes, narration, verbs and most of all STORY. The next eight focus on creating rounded CHARACTERS.

Here's something writing-related with even more numbers.

Earlier this week Becky Povich sent me a link to Meghan Ward's blog Writerland, whose blog post includes a listing 20 markets for personal essays.

Oh, and then there's Elizabeth Barrett Browning's famous sonnet,  "How Do I Love Thee? Let me count the ways. . ."

Silver Boomer Books Call for Submissions on Widowhood

This morning I received an e-mail from Becky Haigler, one of the principals at Silver Boomer Books, announcing a call for anthology submissions.

The editors are looking for stories, essays, poems, and interviews on the theme of Widowhood for the anthology.

Short works, especially poetry, are favored. Their emphasis is on "quality rather than quantity."

The submission period opens December 1, 2011 and closes March 30, 2012.

Writers whose works are selected will be notified in August 2012.

Expected release date is October 2012.

For complete details, visit the Silver Boomer Books submission page.

Through the grace of God my husband is still alive, so I don't have anything to submit for this anthology, but I thought some of my visitors might be widows or have something to write about on the topic.

Good luck if you submit, and God bless you if you are a widow.

Submission Opportunity from LaChance Publishing

Last week two writing friends, Linda O'Connell and Julie Earhart, forwarded e-mails to me announcing a call for submissions for Volume 2 of Voices of Breast Cancer from LaChance Publishing. Last Tuesday, Alice, a 15-year breast cancer survivor and a member of our Tuesday critique group, asked for advice on what she plans to send them. I thought visitors of my blog be interested in submitting as well.

The publisher wants: "first-hand stories of literary merit. If you or someone you know has had breast cancer and wish to share your heartfelt, inspiring, true story of facing this life-defining challenge, this could be a great way for you to give courage and comfort to others while building your writing resume."

Deadline: March 1, 2011

Expected publication date: October 2011

Stories should focus on one of the topics listed below:
Discovery and Diagnosis
Taking Charge of Treatment
Dealing with Physical Changes
Family and Friends
Looking Back

Multiple submissions accepted.

Word Count: Minimum 600 words, maximum 4,500 words.

A fee will be paid for stories accepted for publication.

Complete submission guidelines can be found at http://www.lachancepublishing.com/

Good luck!

Is English Dead?

In a tongue-in-cheek essay in The Washington Post last weekend, Gene Weingarten lamented, "Goodbye cruel words: English is dead to me."

In Weingarten's article he pointed out examples from the Washington Post and other media of mistakes in print. Some reasons he cites for the demise of the proper use of English are decreased attention to grammar, punctuation, and syntax. Unedited blogs, instant messaging, and newspapers cutting back on copy editors have also contributed to the death of the English language, according to Weingarten. Some examples he cites are humorous; others are sad.

Everyone makes mistakes when writing or speaking. I've often made mistakes posting on my blog. When I discover them I feel embarrassed and make changes right away. On some occasions, a few writing pals have e-mailed me to let me know when I've messed up--and I appreciate it when they do.

For those who care about the proper use of English, what do you think:

Is English dead? Is it on life support? How can we save it? Should we care?

Last Call - Whispering Prairie Press Contest

Yesterday at critique group, Debbie, one of our newer members, read a lovely and emotionally charged piece that moved most of us at the table to tears. Well, me for sure. After giving my critique I encouraged Debbie to enter it in the Whispering Prairie Press contest.

I posted about the contest earlier, but if you're like me you wait till the last minute. And with Donna's Book Pub being a pub and all, I thought I would issue a "Last Call."

If you have an essay, a poem, or a flash fiction piece ready or almost ready, Whispering Prairie Press has a contest for you!

And there's still time to enter --- but not much! The deadline is June 30.

Contest categories are:

Poetry: any style, any subject. Limit: 36 lines.
Flash Fiction: 1,000 words or less
Personal Essay: 1,000 words or less

Entry fee: $5 each or 3 for $10 (May mix categories)
Prizes: $100, $50, $25 (in each category)

Results will be announced by Aug 1.

For complete guidelines, visit the Kansas City Voices site.

P.S. The organization is also having a 2010 Creativity Conference for Writers in July. Details can be found on the Kansas City Voices site. Early Bird deadline for the conference is also June 30.

What Do You Know About School Days?

For a few months now we've been receiving AARP bulletins in our mailbox for someone who, as far as I know, doesn't exist--at least not at our home address. Each month I mark through the man's name and write: "No such person at this address." Then I mail the bulletin back to AARP, hoping the man will eventually get his bulletin. About a week or so later the bulletin shows up again in my mailbox with my writing on the front page. Frustrating!

Guess AARP has unlimited postage funds, or maybe they're inflating their subscription numbers by mailing bulletins to solid addresses but to people who don't really exist. Who knows? Anyway, before tossing this month's boomeranging bulletin I browsed through it and found a call for submissions.

In the "In The Know" section, under YOUR TURN! the editors are looking for essays about "What you really know about school days."

I know some of my readers are or have been teachers, and we've all been to school, so it sounds perfect for you all! If you want to see you name in print in a national magazine (don't know if it pays), e-mail an essay of up to 400 words to whatiknow@aarp.org or mail it to "What I Really Know," AARP Bulletin, 601 E. St., N.S., Washington, DC 20049. Be sure to include your name, phone number and e-mail address.

I couldn't find a deadline anywhere on the copy; just contact the editors to find out if there is one. Of course, if the editors are as inefficient as the folks who mail out the AARP bulletins, you might never get an answer, or you answer will be sent to someone else.

MORE One Amazing Thing Contest

Because visitors to Donna's Book Pub are so utterly AMAZING, I'm certain this call for entries must be true of all of you.

Has one amazing experience ever happened in your life? If so, MORE wants to hear your story.

According to contest rules:
* Stories must be approximately 700 words and written by entrant
* Unpublished and may not have won any prize or award
* No changes to entries accepted after submission
* Entry period ends at 11:59 p.m., E.T. June 30, 2010
* Open to women who are legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia
* Must be 21 years or older
* One entry per person
* Read complete contest rules before entering

And good luck to all of my AMAZING friends!

Dove Bar My Mini Moment Photo and Essay Contest

Have a favorite mini moment to relax? Dove ice cream wants to see and hear about it in their Dove Brand Ice Cream Photo and Essay My Mini Moment Contest. Download a photo and an essay of no more than 1,000 characters by June 7. Prizes include a mini getaway to Napa Valley, a mini spa escape, and an ultimate mini oasis room makeover. Click here for prize information. Check out complete contest rules. If one of my belog vsitors wins I'll be happy, but also a little jealous. :-)

That reminds me of another reason to enjoy the month of June: Ice cream.

Call for Submissions from ApronStrings

Being an Irish-American, I have a fondness for all things Irish, and the trip my sisters Kathleen, Bridget, and I made to Ireland in 1995 is one of my favorite memories. My writing friend Dianna Graveman knows about my fondness for Ireland, and she sends me call outs with an Irish slant.

Last year she sent me a call out for an Irish Inspirations anthology from Blue Mountain Arts. I submitted an essay "Coming Home," which was accepted for publication and is included in the anthology.

Anyway, Dianna e-mailed the other day with a call-out, which she also posted about on her Write in the Midwest blog. The magazine, in Wicklow, Ireland, is ApronStrings: Essential Reading for all Mothers. The editors are looking for stories from "mothers of all ages in all stages." The primary focus of their magazine is on personal essays, but they accept feature articles and some short stories. Irish and International writers are invited to submit. Payment varies, depending on length.

For complete details, including payment information, visit the writers' guidelines page of their website.

Go n-éirí an t-ádh leat! (that's Good Luck! in Irish Gaelic)

Whispering Prairie Press 2010 Writing Competitions

Here's a contest announcement from the Kansas City Writers' Group and Whispering Prairie Press. The contest has a category for most types of writing.

KCWG is a chapter of the Missouri Writers' Guild and publisher of Kansas City Voices magazine.

Whispering Prairie 2010 Poetry, Flash Fiction, and Essay Writing Awards

Prizes in Each Category: 1st place $100, 2nd place $50, 3rd place $25, plus one honorable mention for every 10 entries.

Open to all writers age 18 and up, except members of the Board of Directors of Whispering Prairie Press. All work must be the author’s original work.

Poetry: Any style, any subject. Limit: 36 lines

Flash Fiction: A complete fictional short story with a beginning, middle and end. 1,000 words or less

Non-fiction Personal Essay: 1,000 words or less

Submissions: All entries must be unpublished at the time of submission.
1. No limit on number of entries.
2. Submit hard copy with no name on manuscript.
3. Put word count for fiction or line count for poetry in the top right corner.
4. Include a cover sheet with name, address, e-mail, telephone number with area code, category, and title of entry. If author is a full-time college student, add the name of the school
5. Prose must be double-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman or Courier. Poetry may be single spaced.
6. Enclose SASE for next year’s guidelines. Entries not returned.

Entry fee: $5 for each entry or 3 entries for $10. (nonrefundable)
Full-time college students: 2 entries for $5 May mix categories.

Address:

Whispering Prairie Press Writing Awards
PO Box 8342
Prairie Village, KS 66208-0342

Postmark Deadline: June 30, 2010

Winners will be announced by August 1, 2010, and winners’ names posted at http://www.kansascityvoices.com/.Judges’ decisions are final.

Good luck!

Note: If you visit the KC Voices link you can also read their regular submission guidelines.

Today in St. Peters, MO: Windy, high 81 degrees.

Yipee! I've Got Some Good News to Share

Today in St. Peters, MO: Snow showers, high 35.

Last month over on Cathy C. Hall's blog I read about a flash fiction writing contest with no entry fee. Cathy is a funny and generous writer from Georgia who shares contest information and whose posts generally are a hoot.

The theme for the contest Cathy posted about was "Snow." The contest was sponsored by Elizabeth Guy on her ReadingWriters site. Talk about timing, that was right around when our record-setting low temperatures appeared to accompany our snowstorms and blizzards. With snow on my mind, I dashed off an entry, just shy of the 100-word limit.

Last week Cathy e-mailed that our stories made it through the first round. Along with about 80 others we made the cut for "Excellence in Milieu, The Ambiance of Snow." That was out of 388 total entries. Yipee!

When I checked the site I noticed the names of two more writer/bloggers I know, Claudia (aka Bookie) and Linda. Yesterday I checked again and discovered all four of us were among the around 40 finalists who made it through to the second round. The second round was for "Excellence in Storytelling, The Structure within the Snow. " So, what better news than finding out that not only I made the cut, but so did three other of my writer/blogger buddies. The winner will be announced on February 1.

To top that off, last week I received an SASE with results of a contest sponsored by the friends of the Decatur, Illinois Public Library. Some months ago I submitted "Santa Wore Cowboy Boots" in their essay contest, which permitted previously published works. I was pleased to find out my essay received an honorable mention and a commendation. What was neat about their contest was the judges provided comments for the top 10 winners in each category. The bad news is that at the top of the sheet which provided the names of the winners the words "Cancelled for lact of interest" was printed. So, I'm not sure if they will have the contest again next year.

My lesson from all this is to keep on submitting and share good news with your friends!

Redbook and Cup of Comfort Love Story Contest Announced

Got a love story? How about entering it in a no-entry fee contest about LOVE with a nice payoff?

Today in St. Peters, MO: Fog and mist, high 40 degrees. Today's weather reminds me of a Clint Eastwood movie with a twisted kind of love. It's a "Play Misty for Me" kind of day.

Now, back to the contest: REDBOOK magazine is co-sponsoring another story contest with the folks from Cup of Comfort. This time the topic is LOVE. (LOVE Image courtesy of Flickr).

The Cup of Comfort/REDBOOK Love Story Contest will be announced in the February 2010 issue of REDBOOK, which should be on newsstands by January 26. Meanwhile, the Contest Rules will be posted on the Cup of Comfort site today. The top 50 (or so) submissions will be published in A Cup of Comfort for Couples.

New new submissions for the contest/book will be accepted through April 20, 2010.

Adams Media, the Cup of Comfort publisher, will award one $1,000 grand prize as well as three runner-up prizes of $150 each. The grand-prize winner and runners-up will also receive a full run of all Cup of Comfort books, including A Cup of Comfort for Couples. The remaining stories selected for publication in A Cup of Comfort for Couples will receive the standard $100 stipend, plus a complimentary copy of the book.

For more information as the contest and book progess, tune into the Cup of Comfort blog. They will also post updates in the Cup of Comfort News Forum and future issues of their newsletter.

Call for Valley Voices from Highway 24 Alliance in Kansas

Today in St. Peters: Fog and mist. Rain, rain, go away.


Claudia M. from Carthage, MO, e-mailed me the other day with a contest announcement. It's the Solomon Valley Writing Contest: Call for Valley Voices, a small group promoting the Highway 24 Alliance in northern Kansas. They are looking for: poetry, fiction, essay, non-fiction, and biography. There is no entry fee or cash prizes, but there is the possibility of being included in an anthology they will publish in 2010. The submission deadline for their fifth annual contest is November 1.


Last year Claudia won a first place Adult Fiction category, and her sister-in-law from Great Falls won third place Adult Autobiography. Thanks for the information, Claudia, and good luck to all who enter!

Visit the website for complete guidelines. According to their website, "The Solomon Valley is full of fascinating cultural treasures to explore. Where else can you find the World's Largest Ball of Twine (Cawker City), the only Black settlement west of the Mississippi (Nicodemus), and an 1880s working sheep ranch (Cottonwood Ranch State Historic Site at Studley)." Sounds fun!