Fall is in the Air, "The Conspirator" and Mary Surratt

Yesterday was rainy. We needed the rain, but it came down in buckets. I'm not complaining; I just got a bit soggy running errands.

Last night it got downright cold. Good weather for chili and hot chocolate--but not together.

In weather like this I am inspired to read and write. 

I also like to watch movies when there's a chill in the air. Last night, after the grandkiddos went to bed, I watched "The Conspirator." The film is about the trial of Mary Surratt, a Southern woman accused of conspiring and harboring John Wilkes Booth and others who plotted to assassinate President Lincoln.

After the movie I found myself up into the wee hours doing research on Mary Surratt. I thought she would be a great character for a story.

How about you? Does cooler weather affect your writing?

Not Just Any Contest! - The Missouri Review Editors' Prize Contest

"Not Just Any Contest!"

That's the way the editors describe the Missouri Review's 21st annual Jeffrey E. Smith Editors' Prize Contest in Fiction, Essay and Poetry.  Here's why:

* Top prizes are $5,000 in Fiction, $5,000 in Poetry and $5,000 in Essay.

* $20 Entry Fee per entry, which entitles entrant to a one-year subscription of The Missouri Review (print or digital).

* For compete guidelines and downloadable entry form, visit the contest website.

* The postmark deadline is October 1, so get writing!

* In the past, selected winning entries have been included in the "Best American" series.

* If you have any questions about the contest, e-mail contest_question@moreview.com

Good luck!

Blog Me Baby Welcome and Questions about Judging Contests

Today I want to take time to welcome my newest follower, Abby from Something to Write About. If you get a chance pop on over to Abby's blog and check it out. Thanks for signing on, Abby. I hope you visit often and join the conversation.

I could use some advice.

I have been a contest judge several time in the past and am going to judge a contest in the immediate future. When I've judged works of fiction I first look at the basics (format, spelling, grammar, etc). Then I focus on story elements: character, voice and the story itself--does it have a beginning, a middle, and an end. I also like titles that enhance the story, and the language and images are also important. If an entry has a  unique voice, strong characters, and good writing I'll overlook minor spelling and grammar hiccups. I separate the entries into Yes, No, and Maybe piles and work from there.

The final question I ask to set the winning entries from the others is: Will I remember this story a year from now? For me, that's the key to pick the winner.

But I'm wondering if there are some elements other judges focus on when they decide which entries are the best.  Is there something I'm missing?

So, for my questions:

* Have you ever been a writing contest judge? 

* If you have been a judge, what do you look for in a winning entry?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Update on Storm Country Anthology to benefit Joplin School District Libraries

It's hard to believe it's been more than three months since the killer tornado touched down and destroyed much of the city of Joplin, Missouri. Since then, the Joplin Chapter of the Missouri Writers Guild, officers of MWG, and members of the regional writing community have been working on ways to help replace books lost because of the tornado. One way the MWG is contributing to the effort, which I blogged about last May, is the publication of the Storm Country Anthology.

Yesterday I received an e-mail from Deborah Marshall, President of the Missouri Writers' Guild, informing me that my short story, "Golden Lilacs Under the Worm Moon," has been selected to be included in the Storm Country Anthology .  

I was excited to learn my story will be included, and even more excited after I read the names of the other contributors, which include several writing friends, blogger buddies--and some famous writers and poets.

Claudia Mundell, President of the Joplin Chapter of the MWG--and the person who came up with the idea for an anthology--will have a piece called "Weather Tantrum" included in the anthology.

Other writing friends and blogger buddies whose works will be included are Pat Wahler, Linda O'Connell, and Lynn Obermoeller.

Some of the writers and poets I know or have met whose works are included are: Susan Swartwout from Southeast Missouri University Press; Linda Fisher from Mozark Press; Kelli Allen, editor of Natural Bridge; mystery writer Elaine Viets, and Walter Bargen, Missouri's first poet laureate. 

I'm looking forward to buying copies of the anthology to read and keep in my own library and to give away as gifts to family and friends.  All proceeds from the anthology go toward buying books for the Joplin School District libraries to help replace the books lost by the killer tornado that hit Joplin last May.

You can find a complete list of contributurs at the Storm Country blog. Maybe you'll recognize some names I haven't listed today. Congratulations to everyone whose works will appear in the anthology, which is slated to be published in October.

Special thanks to Claudia and the Joplin Chapter, along with MWG officers Debbie Marshall, Kelli Allen, and Susan Kirkpatrick, and anyone else who worked behind the scenes to make Storm Country: A Tribute to Joplin a reality.

When I find out more details about the release date I will post them here.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Call Out for Heavenly Stories

I’m not sure why items I hear or read of late are triggering memories of classic rock songs. Saturday night after “I just got back from Illinois,’ I kept singing songs by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Today, after reading a submission call out from Chicken Soup for the Soul: Messages from Heaven, I’ve been humming the lyrics, “Well, I’ve never been to Heaven, but I’ve been to Oklahoma,” from the Three Dog Night Song, “I’ve Never Been to Spain.”

Who knows when I’ll stop humming lyrics from Three Dog Night songs?

The most recent Chicken Soup call-out is for “stories of signs from beyond--amazing connections and love that doesn’t die.” The call-out suggests writers avoid “as told to” stories or “stories about messages from heaven in the form of rainbows, birds, butterflies, and coins.”

Expected publication date is spring 2012. With a quick production schedule there’s a very short deadline--October 3, 2011.

If your message from heaven story is accepted, payment is $200 plus 10 copies of the anthology.

For complete deadlines, visit the www.chickensoup.com website.

If your story gets accepted, it will be time to “Celebrate, Celebrate!” and shout “Joy to the World!” (In case you're on the young side and don't recognize these references, they're Three Dog Night songs.)

Just Got Back from Illinois and News to Share

Last Friday I didn't mean to stir up so much drama with my post when I wrote that I'd have some exciting news to share this week when I got back from the Labor Day soccer tournament.

After reading all the comments and e-mails telling me I wasn't being fair keeping everyone in suspense, I was surprised and felt bad. So, sorry if I left anyone feeling left out or hanging with my last-minute post before I left to go out of town.

The drama and suspense weren't  intentional. I wanted last Friday's post to focus on the winner of the Cactus Country anthology--not on my news.  So, congratulations again Becky for winning the Cactus Country anthology, and thanks to everyone else who left comments about their favorite cowboys, western movies or series.

Since late last night when we "just got back from Illinois," the lyrics from the Creedence Clear Water Revival song, "Looking Out My Back Door," have been replaying in my mind. The Labor Day weekend soccer tournament in Bollingbrook, Illinois, (west of Chicago) was interesting--the thunderstorms there on Saturday were scary. Oh, and believe it or not, while it was raining outside I went to the hotel room and flipped TV channels and watched an episode of "Rawhide" with none other than my favorite cowboy actor--Clint Eastwood. What a coincidence! I hadn't seen an episode of "Rawhide" in a long, long time.

On to my exciting news:

Last Thursday I received a big brown envelope in the mail with the return address of Delois McGrew, co-editor of Voices Anthology. Inside were a check, a letter, and a contract. The letter informed me that my short story, "Under Grandma's Bottle Tree," won first place in the Voices Anthology contest. Wowser!

Seeing the check raised my eyebrows and put a smile on my face, but reading the letter brought tears of joy. I was shocked and thrilled when I learned that my short story is being nominated for a Pushcart Prize by the editors of Voices Anthology. Double Wowser!!

Thursday afternoon, when my husband -- who had just returned from having two new tires put on the van so I would have a safe trip -- noticed I was crying, he asked me why.  Speechless, I showed him the letter with the check attached. Always the practical one, his comment was, "Good. That will pay for about half of what it cost to get the van fixed."

Later that day I called Lou Turner, one of the Voices co-editors, and thanked her for picking my story. Being the insecure writer that I am, I wanted to make sure my story wasn't picked because we are friends. During our conversation Lou assured me that was not the case, and she gave me insight into how the contest selection process worked.

From more than 60 stories submitted, a panel of three judges independently selected their top three picks. My story was in the top three of all three judges. From those three top picks they then selected one story to win, and my short story was the winning entry.

"Under Grandma's Bottle Tree" is a short story I wrote this summer. It's edgier and darker than what I usually write, so I wasn't sure how it would be received. I'm grateful and happy it won, and I'm excited and humbled at the Pushcart Prize nomination.

The Voices Anthology will be published this fall, and I'm not sure how the Pushcart Prize nomination process works, but as has been said and written by others thousands of times before--and I sincerely mean this-- it is truly an honor to be nominated for the award.

Cowboys and Westerns and the Winner of Cactus Country

Thanks to everyone who left a comment about their favorite cowboy or western movie or series.

We had a broad range of opinions and several similarities from Roy Rogers and John Wayne to Bonanza and Broken Arrow and at least one I'd never heard of before. I have to stick with Clint Eastwood as my favorite. Seriously, I don't care what role he plays, I can't take my eyes off him when he's on the screen. I've even been known to drool. Enough about Clint Eastwood.

From all the visitors, the randomly selected name to win the Cactus Country anthology is . . .

                                                        BECKY

If you will please e-mail me at dvolkenannt (at) charter (dot) net I can make arrangements to get the anthology to you.  To everyone else, thanks again for leaving a comment, and special thanks to Lou Turner from High Hill Press for donating the copy of Cactus Country Anthology as a giveaway.

Before I sign off, I have something to share. Yesterday in the midst of trying to get submissions ready to meet the OWL contest deadline, I received some exciting news in the mail that I'm still trying to digest. I keep pinching myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. I'll let you all know all about it next week.

Hope you all stay safe this Labor Day weekend. I'm headed to the Chicago area tomorrow for a soccer tournament--and some shopping.