Writer’s Friends—Conferences and Contests

Yikes! It’s a new year and I’ve been so busy editing that I’ve neglected this wonderful blog. Never mind. I’ll bring you up-to-date. I finished off the year with a writing conference. Every writer should avail herself or himself of the chance to mingle with like-minded individuals, and published authors who offer educational insights as well as personal advice. Some conferences for 2016

Crime Bake!

Once again, the November conference put on by Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America was wonderful. Elizabeth George, the guest author, proved to be witty, friendly, and happy to share her writing knowledge and experience. All the authors made themselves available and the panels were informative and humorous. The Master Classes provided up-to-date information on a variety of subjects and made time for Q and A. It was also a great time to catch up with all those writers I haven’t seen for a while.

Conference Opportunities: One of the perks of conferences is pitching your manuscript. This year, Crime Bake held a pitch slam or the chance to pitch to multiple agents. What an opportunity. Two agents asked me to send in partials. Another perk is a manuscript critique. I had an excellent twenty-page critique with Lucy Burdette, who gave me an in-depth review and a written assessment.

Contests: For the Crime Bake Flash

Words contest, a story having to do with crime, and no more than 150 words with 10 chosen from a list of 20 (ashes, blood, body, careless, consequences, death, deception, edge, enemy, evil, hiding, memory, missing, murder, payment, pursuit, shadows, traitor, vengeance, witness).  I was a winner for the fourth year in a row. What an exciting moment, especially sweet after reading all the other excellent submissions. Here is my winner:

Sweet Thing

I was at the River’s Edge Café when he spoke to me—the same chilling words that dogged my nightmares, “Hey there, sweet thing.”

Memories flooded my mind. I was thirteen years old, hiding to spy on my sister and her date. She’d always been careless about boys, and Mom had warned her of the consequences. That night, payment came due, and I was the witness. From the shadows, I’d listened. I’d listened as she laughed. I’d listened as she died. Since her death, I’d thirsted for vengeance.

I blinked and looked at him. The fire in his eyes almost undid me. His honeyed tongue dripped evil. “I was just headed outside for a smoke. Care to join me?”

I sucked back the fear and followed him. Tonight would be different. Tonight I was the one with the gun and the badge to back it up.

###

I’m beginning the new year on a high note with a Submission. On the heels of Crime Bake, I sat down and began re-editing my manuscript, Trace of Evil, to send in to a Ghostwoods Books, as they were accepting submissions until the end of the year. That done, I’m working on a synopsis for the same book to send to RWA’s Golden Heart contest. Once that is out (before 1/11/16), I will work on the changes one of the agents suggested in “Watcher Clan”. Some excellent free writing contests 

This is the year! I'm going to be published. All I have to do is keep on writing.

Going to Crime Bake

The temperature this morning was in the 40's. Brrr! Almost too cold to type. All right, maybe not that cold, but I had hoped that, by this time, I'd be in the toasty, warm climate of southwest Florida instead of the cooling temps of Massachusetts. We just can't seem to sell our house. Something always happens. The Universe speaking to us? 

One saving grace, however, is that I won't have to take a plane to get to this year's New England Crime Bake conference.

The weekend of November 6th, I'll be driving to Dedham with my writing cohort, Dianne Herlihy. We've gone together for the past four years. 

This year's theme is Murder by George with Elizabeth George as guest author.

If you've never been to a writing conference, you're missing a great opportunity to schmooze with your peers, take writing classes that range from setting up Chapter 1 to promoting sales for your published novel, and, oh yes, speak to agents.    

I've already submitted my twenty pages for a manuscript critique, sent in my 150-word flash story to their competition, put in my name for a manuscript pitch, and signed up for the banquet where everyone is encouraged to dress up as an English crime solver. 

I'm on the fence about that last one, but I know I'll have a wonderful time. Last year's award winning guest author was Craig Johnson, whose books were made into the television series, Longmire. Dianne and I dressed the part.

Positive attitude! This conference may be the one where my work finds an agent or publisher. So, instead of worrying about selling the house, I'll be worrying about choosing my vacation home.

Remember, Keep Writing!
                             

Winning With Flash Fiction

How many ways can you win with Flash Fiction? Check out my blog post  on Winning With Flash Fiction at Mostly Mystery. I think you'll like it.

Horror Short Story Contest

Just a brief note to tell you what I'm up to.

My friend and writing bud, Lisa, sent me a list of contests from Writers Relief. She is such a sweetheart. Her blog, Enchanted Notebook, is listed on the right under favorite Sites.

I found a contest for Horror short stories, due in ten days. Picture me in determination mode. Two nights ago I began setting up a story. It took me ten tries to find the bones of a plot I liked. Then I played the "what if" game. So, then I needed  a good reason why my protagonist would act the way he does. You know, this isn't easy.

It came to me. What would hurt him the most? I found it. Then I posited that he would be hit with that scenario. Oh no! Poor thing.

Now I could see him acting in a way ordinarily foreign to him. Let the horror begin!

I'm presently in the process of fleshing out my characters, setting a believable scene, and wondering how best to end it, because I know what is going to happen.

This is exciting. I don't usually take the time to have all my information set up before I write. I like to rely on my muse. Unfortunately, my muse isn't a fairy godmother. She needs to know a little bit about the story before she can do her work.

Due Damn Diligence! 

Okay, I'm doing that. I'll get back to you on this after I submit my story.

Remember, keep writing.

  

New England Crime Bake 2014

This past weekend at Crime Bake was the best so far! Every November for the past five years, I've driven with my friend Dianne to Dedham, MA for the Crime Bake weekend, but we both agreed that this conference outdid the others. The guest author was Craig Johnson.

For all you fans familiar with the Longmire series, its author Craig Johnson does the cowboy persona proud. From the top of his hat to the tip of his boots, Craig is a good looking and gracious gentleman from Wyoming with a dynamite sense of humor. 

In keeping with the western theme, the workshops had titles like: Desperadoes Waiting for a Train: Why Do We Write Crime Fiction?, I Shot the Sheriff: Lawmen & PIs Getting It Right, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys: Ordinary People in Extraordinary Situations, Home on the Range: When Setting Becomes Character, and Don't Fence Me In: Big Press, Little Press, ePress, Oh!

Four excellent Master Classes, agent pitches, and an actual crime scene set up by State Police officers added to a productive weekend. At the end of the conference, we learned whether we had guessed correctly about the clues in the crime scene and how the actual crime was solved.

Saturday evening we put on our cowboy hats and boots and headed to the Wordslinger's Ball and Barbecue. Yummy food, good company, and an introduction to country line dancing filled out our evening. I got up and kicked my boots with the rest of the crowd. I've never been that great at following instructions, but I kept at it, laughing most of the time.

Sunday morning, as we finished breakfast, the winners of the 2014 Flashwords Contest were announced. My story, Don't Go in the House, was one of the winners!!!! I stood up in front of all my peers to read it. 

My 150-word entry, using ten words from Craig Johnson's book titles: 

Don't Go In the House

“No way!”

“Come on, Joey. It’s Halloween.”

“It’s haunted by evil spirits.”

Chad coaxed Joey past “No Trespassing” signs and around the junkyard mess, but had to shove him through the door into the dark, empty house.

Minutes later, screams. The boys came barreling out, startling a huge crow.

Mrs. Bedloe saw them.

“What’s the matter?

Joey choked. “It’s awful.”

“Oh dear. Come in boys.

She gave them hot cocoa and a dish of cookies.

“We saw something bad.”

“Yeah,” Chad said, “A pile of bones.”

“Lord. You must have been scared to death. Drink up boys.”

Two heads nodded as they finished their cocoa.

Chad rubbed his eyes. “I’m getting tired.”

Joey gave a huge yawn, mumbling, “Someone was murdered.”

“Yes dear, I know.”

“You know?” But his eyes closed. He missed her next words.

“Indeed yes. That pesky old man. How did his bones get uncovered? Dogs, perhaps?

What a wonderful weekend. I spent most of the time with a happy grin on my face. I did lose it for a few hours before I gave my pitch, but got it back in a hurry when the agent, Paula Munier, asked for 50 pages of my manuscript. 

Next year, same time, same place, I'm there. And, the guest of honor for Crime Bake 2015 will be none other than Elizabeth George whose novels were adapted for British television in the Inspector Lynley Mysteries.

Remember, keep writing!