Just Released from Mozark Press: That Mysterious Woman

Earlier this month I received an early Christmas present -- my check and contributor copies of That Mysterious Woman.

The book with the striking cover is part of the award-winning Shaker of Margaritas Anthology series from Mozark Press.

That Mysterious Woman includes mystery tales ranging from cozies, soft-boiled mysteries, suspense tales, capers, and whodunnits, with emphasis on character, plot, and good old-fashioned storytelling -- each with a female protagonist. Topics covered in the anthology are tales of: "murder, retribution, paranormal activity, thievery, strange disappearances, deception, and other mysterious situations."

The anthology includes short stories from 27 writers who hail from coast-to-coast across the United States.

Contributing writers are: David K. Aycock, Paula Gail Benson, Steven Clark, Lisa Ricard Claro, Karen Mocker Dabson, E. B. Davis, Caroline Dohack, Eileen Dunbaugh, Linda Fisher, J. D. Frost, Jodie Jackson Jr., Mitch Hale, Cathy C. Hall, Sharon Woods Hopkins, Jennifer Jank, Suzanne Lilly, Mary Ellen Martin, Edith Maxwell, Carolyn Mulford, KM Rockwood, Martha Rosenthal, Georgia Ruth, Harriette Sackler, Rosemary Shomaker, Susan E. Thomas, Donna Volkenannt (that's me), Kari Wainwright, and Frank Watson.

For more information about That Mysterious Woman and to find out about future calls for submission, visit the Mozark Press site.

Call for Submissions: A Shaker of Margaritas: That Mysterious Woman

For all you mystery writers out there, here's a paid submission opportunity from Linda Fisher, publisher of Mozark Press.  

Mozark Press is seeking short mystery fiction for the popular Shaker of Margaritas series. 

This issue is called A Shaker of Margaritas: That Mysterious Woman. 

For this anthology, the editors are looking for mysteries with female protagonists. 

Send them your cozies, soft-boiled mysteries, suspenseful tales, capers, or whodunits with a strong emphasis on character, plot -- but most of all good old-fashioned storytelling.

Submission deadline: July 25, 2014

Word Count: Between 2,000 and 3,500 

Approximately 20-25 stories will be selected for the anthology

Previously unpublished work only

One entry per person

No poetry

Keep it clean - PG stories only

Upon publication, authors will be paid $20 

Authors whose work appears in the book will be given a one-time opportunity to pre-purchase books at 60% of retail price + postage.

Author will receive one free copy of the book with his/her story in it -- if author pre-purchases a minimum of one additional copy at the author’s discount.

Electronic submissions only

E-mail to publisher@Mozarkpress.com with subject line: "That Mysterious Woman"

Click here for the complete submission guidelines and publisher's tips for success.

From personal experience, I can attest that Linda is a thorough editor who does a top-notch job with any project she is involved.

Good luck if you submit! 

Call for Submissions: Bad Hair Days, Travel and On Being a Stupid Kid

If you're looking for something to do during the sizzling days of summer, here are some submission call outs with red hot deadlines in July and August:

Yesterday I received an e-mail from Linda Fisher, publisher of Mozark Press, reminding me about the deadline for the Shaker of Margaritas: Bad Hair Day anthology. I'm not sure I can get something together by then, but maybe some of my visitors can. Here are the details:

The deadline is July 15. Linda is looking for humorous fiction stories about a bad hair day, "one of those days when things don’t go according to plan; in fact, it is as horrible as a bad perm or hair that turns green—unintentionally. Things go wrong, but with humor, stubbornness, and attitude—the female protagonist can survive any kind of bad hair day."

Approximately 20-25 stories will be selected for the anthology and will be paid $20 upon publication. For submissions guidelines visit the "Bad Hair Day" page on http://www.mozarkpress.blogspot.com/ or http://www.mozarkpress.com/

***

Last week in the comment section on my post about the Chicken Soup for the Soul dispute settlement, Dahlynn McKowen, editor of Publishing Syndicate, issued this invitation to my visitors:

". . . I have created a competing anthology -- "Not Your Mother's Book...[subtitle]." It's a new anthology for a new century and I invite you and your fans to submit stories! http://www.publishingsyndicate.com/ Thanks!"

The August 1 deadlines are for: On Travel and On Being a Stupid Kid. Here's a link to the submission guidelines  where you can also read details about compensation options.

Call for Anthology Submissions - A Shaker of Margaritas: A Bad Hair Day

Bad hair day? Don't fret. Write about it!

Mozark Press has just announced a call for humorous fiction stories (no poetry or essays) for A Shaker of Margaritas: A Bad Hair Day.

According to the publisher's e-mail announcement about the anthology, "a bad hair day is one of those days when things don’t go according to plan; in fact, it is as horrible as a bad perm or hair that turns green—unintentionally. Things go wrong, but with humor, stubbornness, and attitude—the female protagonist can survive any kind of bad hair day."


Submissions deadline is July 15, 2012
Approximately 20-25 stories will be selected for the anthology.
Contributors will be paid $20 upon publication.

For submissions guidelines visit the "Bad Hair Day" page.
I've had stories in two A Shaker of Margaritas anthologies and can attest that Linda Fisher does a first-class job as editor. The Shaker of Margaritas anthologies are fun to read--and the covers are lovely!
 
Good luck if you submit!

For this Writer, 2011 Has Been a Good Year

It's hard to believe 2011 has come to an end. In my little writing world, 2011 has been a good year, but the year hasn't been so great for some of my writing friends.

My heart goes out to the people from Joplin who were affected by the tornado last May. But out of the tragedy, hope arose. It was gratifying to see how many members of the writing community rolled up their sleeves and uncapped their pens to help.

After the tornado, Claudia Mundell, president of the Joplin Chapter of the Missouri Writers' Guild, came up with the idea for an anthology as a way that writers could help our Joplin neighbors. Thus, the Storm Country Anthology was born, under the leadership of  Deb Marshall and Kelli Allen of the Missouri Writers Guild, published and copyedited by Linda Fisher from Mozark Press, with special guest editor Dianna Graveman from 2 Riverscommunications.

I was fortunate to have my short story "Golden Lilacs Under the Worm Moon" included in Storm Country anthology, and I got to attend the book launch in November, where I was able to read and hear several of my writing friends read their works included in the anthology.

In addition to Storm Country, my work also appeared this year in the following anthologies:

    "Read Away Vacation" in Flashlight Memories  from Silver Boomer Books
    "The Night the Circus Came to Town" in Mysteries of the Ozarks IV from Ozark Writers
    "Look Back, But Don't Stare" in A Shaker of Margaritas: Cougars on the Prowl from Mozark Press
    "Bridie O'Shea's Golden Haired Visitor" in Cactus Country from High Hill Press
    "Under Grandma's Bottle Tree" in Voices IV from High Hill Press

In 2011, my work was recognized for some awards:

   * Short story  "Criminal Minds" received First Place in the MWG President's Award for Short Stories
   * Limerick "Summer Help Wanted" awarded Honorable Mention in the Summer Poetry Contest by the Missouri State Poetry Society
    * Personal essay "Sweet Memories" received First Place in the Dan Saults Awards Category from the Ozarks Writers League
    *Short story "The Window Washer" received Third Place in the Dr. Doris Mueller Poetry and Fiction Contest

Two of my short stories have been nominated for awards:

    * My short story "Bridie O'Shea's Golden Haired Visitor" has been nominated for a Spur Award
    * My short story "Under Grandma's Bottle Tree" has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize

In 2011 I reviewed almost 40 books and wrote interview questions for more than half-a-dozen writers for the Bookreporter network.

In addition to my acceptances and wins, I received my share of rejections and non-responses to submissions, and I didn't win anything in several contests I entered. But rejections and near misses are part of being a writer.

This year I've had several new followers on my blog, had numerous giveaways, and a few special guests. Those feats are something I hope will continue in 2012.

All-in-all, 2011 was a good year, and I'm hoping 2012 will be good for me --- and for you!

Happy writing and reading--and I hope to hear from you next year!

Coming Soon - Cougars on the Prowl

It's official!

Several weeks ago I signed and returned my contract to Mozark Press, and the cover art has recently been posted on their website.

I'm tickled to announce that my short story, "Look Back, But Don't Stare," will be included in A Shaker of Margaritas: Cougars on the Prowl anthology.

For the record: My short story is definitely a work of fiction. No one has ever accused me of being a cougar!

Cougars on the Prowl is the second book in the Shaker of Magaritas series, both edited by L. S. Fisher and published by Mozark Press.

Linda does a fantastic job editing, and I love the covers for both anthologies.

Last year, my short story, "Criminal Minds," which appeared in A Shaker of Margaritas: Hot Flash Mommas--won FIRST PLACE in the 2011 Missouri Writers' Guild President's Award for best short story . Woo hoo!

As more details become available on Cougars on the Prowl, including the release date and purchasing information, I'll post them here.

If any of my blog visitors has a story that will be included in the anthology, please let me know. I'll be happy to share the news!

For more information about Mozark Press, including titles of possible future Shaker of Margaritas anthologies click on the link.

Stay tuned!

Tra La, It's May, the Lovely Month of May

Every year during the month of May, I think of the lyrics "Tra La It's May, the lovely month of May" from Camelot--one of my favorite musicals.

Like the song in Camelot, May is a month full of hope and promise.

For me, May is already starting off on a happy note.

This morning I opened an e-mail from Linda Fisher, editor of Mozark Press. Linda is attending a conference, but she took time to notify me that my short story, "Look Back, But Don't Stare," has been accepted for possible inclusion in "A Shaker of Margaritas: Cougars on the Prowl."

Thanks to members of my critique group for their suggestions and comments when I brought portions of the story in for critique. Special thanks to Marcia and Alice for detailed edits on the full story. I need to tweek the story a bit to adjust the characters' ages, but that should be an easy fix.

So, I just wanted to share my news before I go off and enjoy this beautiful day.

Wishing you a month full of hope and promises--and lovely surprises!

Cougars on the Prowl Deadline Extended

Good news for procrastinating writers--ahem, that would be me.

Yesterday I received an e-mail from Linda Fisher, publisher of Mozark Press, a small press located in Central Missouri.

Last year one of my short stories ("Criminal Minds") was included in Shaker of Margaritas: Hot Flash Mommas, published by Mozark Press. It's a lovely anthology, and from the publisher's reports, it sold better than expected.

With the success of that anthology, a few months ago Linda put out a call for Cougars on the Prowl. Here's the good news from Linda:

"We have extended the Cougars on the Prowl submissions deadline to March 31. Although we've received some excellent entries, we do not have enough to make selections for the anthology. It is important that only the judges' top picks will be published in the book."

Payment for selected short fiction stories between 1,500 and 3,000 words set in modern times is $20 and one contributor copy. Contributors also may purchase additional books at a substantial discount.

Here is a link to the guidelines. Be sure to read the guidelines because they are quite specific, especially for the main character.

To be honest, because of the title I wasn't going to submit. I let the original deadline pass. I'm not a prude, but I'm not the "cougar on the prowl" type either.

But, after carefully reading the guidelines I've decided the content in this "cougar" publication is tamer than I originally tought. So I'm going to get busy and try to come up with an acceptable story by the end of the month.

It definitely will be a work of fiction!

Interview with Linda Fisher, Publisher of Mozark Press

Today I have a special guest at Donna's Book Pub. Please welcome Linda Fisher, award-winning writer and editor, and publisher of Mozark Press. I've known Linda for several years through the Missouri Writers' Guild, and I was fortunate enough to have a short story of mine included in Shaker of Margaritas: Hot Flash Mommas, a recent anthology from Mozark Press.

I've co-edited a few anthologies, but I've always been curious about how the publishing end works and Linda was kind enough to answer interview questions about her press. I thought my blog readers would enjoy hearing first-hand from Linda about her publishing company.

DV: First, Linda, thank you for answering my interview questions. Besides being an editor and a publisher, you are an award-winning writer. Please tell us about some of your writing accomplishments.

LF: The first writing contest I ever entered was at our local bookstore and I won first place. That gave me confidence to enter other contests. I’ve had a lot of opportunities to enter contest through writing groups—Ozarks Writers League, Columbia Chapter of the Missouri Writers’ Guild, and the Missouri Writers Guild—and won prizes from each of them. I was thrilled to win the 2010 Best Book of the Year Award from Ozark Writers League for Early Onset Blog: Essays From an Online Journal. I accepted the other awards I won that night with dignity, but I jumped, hopped, and skipped forward to accept the Book of the Year award! Winning contests is not about the money for me, it’s about validation, especially on those days when my writing doesn’t measure up to my vision of the story.

DV: Wow! Winning Best Book of the Year is an impressive accomplish. Now, a question about publishing: With all the changes in the publishing industry, what inspired you to start Mozark Press?

LF: Not every author can find an agent or sign a contract with a major publishing company. The Shaker anthologies give authors a place to submit short stories for publication. I hope that Mozark Press opens doors for talented authors to see their work in print.

DV: That is so generous of you. I was fortunate enough to have one of my short stories included in Shaker of Margaritas: Hot Flash Mommas. The cover is wonderful and all the stories are great. What has been the response to this anthology?

LF: I’m pleased with the response to Hot Flash Mommas, especially since it was Mozark Press’s first anthology. My expectations were to break even and (yay!) we actually made a small profit. Some of the authors turned out to be fantastic at promotion and sales. Their enthusiasm was contagious. Everything worked for the book—attractive cover, great stories, and promotion from authors, bloggers, and the authors’ local media.

DV: It's wonderful that your first anthology was so successful. You have a submission call-out for a new anthology with a deadline of March 1--Shaker of Margaritas: Cougars on the Prowl. What is the focus of the anthology, and what kind of submissions are you hoping to receive? Where can writers find specific submission guidelines for Cougars on the Prowl?

LF: Cougars on the Prowl will be a fun anthology geared toward “women of a certain age.” I want submissions to tell a great story with a boomer aged protagonist and a younger man. I would recommend that writers don’t go for the obvious, but dig deep to pull off the unusual. The “cougar” portion of the story might be peripheral rather than the focus of the story. The complete guidelines can be found at http://www.mozarkpress.com/.

DV: I imagine you receive tons of submissions for your anthologies. What are some common mistakes you see in submissions?

LF: Among the common mistakes: stilted dialog, not enough dialog, too many characters for a short story, and sentences and paragraphs that do not flow. A lot of errors can be caught when the writer reads the story aloud. I appreciate authors who use one space at the end of sentences (not two) and paragraph indentions rather than tabs. The less time I spend formatting, the more time I have to edit.

DV: Thanks for that advice. Any other tips for writers who submit to Mozark Press?

LF: First, make sure you follow the guidelines. Have another author give you an honest critique of your story. Don’t send me your rough draft—write, re-write, and edit. One of the judges asked me to tell the writers to proofread, proofread, proofread. Here’s a clue—I don’t edit before I send the stories to the judges.

DV: I agree that getting another writer's opinion is so helpful. Beyond your most recent call for submissions, do you have any plans for more anthologies?

LF: I plan to have more Shaker anthologies in the future. They are a lot of fun and it is a pleasure to work with the authors.

DV: That's good news! As an author with a story in your first anthology, I have to say it was a pleasure to work with you. How can readers and writers contact you for more information?

LF: Email me at publisher@mozarkpress.com or become a friend on Mozark Press Facebook. More information can be found at www.mozarkpress.com and http://mozarkpress.blogspot.com.

Thanks again, Linda, for taking time from your busy schedule to visit Donna's Book Pub. I hope you get lots of wonderful submissions for your future anthologies.

Shaker of Margaritas: Hot Flash Mommas is available from Amazon and Mozark Press.

A Winner, Some Wins, and Happy Anniversary, Walter

Thanks to all my visitors who took time to leave a comment last week about my giveaway in honor of veterans.

Drum roll, please . . . The winner of the copy of A Cup of Comfort for Military Families, which includes my true story "Welcome Home," is . . .

ALICE. Please e-mail me at dvolkenannt (at) charter.net to make arrangements for me to get the copy to you.

Speaking of winners, I was happy to find out three of my submissions won awards in the Ozarks Writers League (OWL) writing contests. The awards were presented during the First Annual Hillbilly Formal last Friday evening in Branson, MO. Although I wasn't able to be there, some of my writing friends called, e-mailed, or posted the good news about my wins on Facebook.

My non-fiction article "Nicholas Cage and the Magic of Writing" won first place in the Storyteller Magazine contest. A short story of mine, "The Window Washer," won second place in a short story contest sponsored by High Hill Press. Last, "Criminal Minds," a short story that has recently been published in Hot Flash Mommas: A Shaker of Margaritas, won honorable mention in the Mystery/Suspense/Paranormal short story contest, sponsored by OWL President Delois McGrew. Several of my writing pals also were big winners, including Linda Fisher, Judy Stock, Bill Mueller, and others I'm hoping to hear from soon. Congratulations to all!

Saving the best for last: Happy anniversary to my husband Walter, who became a United States citizen on this date in 1968, a little more than six years after he emigrated to the USA from West Germany. Walt was in the US Air Force at the time stationed at Scott AFB, in Illinois, which is where we met.

We had been married only four months, and I remember him studying for his citizenship test at nights after he got off work. For almost a year a captain at the base had tutored him on the constitution and American law.

The day Walt became a citizen, the judge at the courthouse in East St. Louis, IL, gave him his citizenship test, which was not about the Constitution or laws, but to write in English this sentence: "It is a fine day."

Walt passed with flying colors. And, for us, it was a fine day!

Call for Submissions - Shaker of Margaritas: Hot Flash Mommas

How could I not post this call for submissions from Linda Fisher of Mozark Press? Linda's anthology sounds like a lot of fun! Here's the deal:

Shaker of Margaritas: Hot Flash Mommas
Fiction, Fun, and Forties Writing Contest
Mozark Press – Call for Submissions
Short Fiction: 1,000 – 3,000 words
Deadline: May 30, 2010

Mozark Press is a small publishing company in central Missouri dedicated to producing quality paperback books. They publish short story collections, inspirational works, anthologies, general fiction and non-fiction.

Right now they are seeking fiction stories for an upcoming anthology, A Shaker of Margaritas: Hot Flash Mommas. The anthology will be comprised of stories about women living the adventure of midlife. The protagonist must be a woman in her forties with a colorful character and intriguing storyline.

Your audience will be Hot Flash Mommas who never waste a second reading a boring story. Grab them at the beginning, give them an unusual situation—or a usual situation handled in an unusual way—and bring it all to a satisfying conclusion. Give your imagination free rein. Any style will be considered except pornographic. Approximately 25-30 stories will be selected for the anthology.

The prize amounts and other specifics can be found at http://www.mozarkpress.com/ Contest coordinator and anthology editor is Linda Fisher.

Good luck!

Today in St. Peters, MO: Windy, expected to reach 80 degrees. (Note: March did come in like a lion and is going out like a lamb.)