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When talking with Charlotte Bennardo on Friday at the conference, she showed me a receipt that she received at Barnes and Noble after buying a cup of coffee. I just thought this was so cool. Imagine seeing your book suggested on the receipt. Must have been very exciting for Charlotte. Another reason to make sure you look at your receipts.

In its nearly three centuries of existence, The Saturday Evening Post has published short fiction by a who’s who of American authors including F. Scott Fitzgerald; William Faulkner; Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.; Ray Bradbury; Louis L’Amour; Sinclair Lewis; Jack London; and Edgar Allan Poe. Now you have the opportunity to join that illustrious line-up by taking part in The Saturday Evening Post’s Second Annual Great American Fiction Contest.

The winning story will be published in the Jan/Feb 2014 edition of the magazine and on our website. The winning writer will receive a payment of $500. Five runners-up will be published on our website and receive payment of $100 each.

Helpful Hints:

“We like a good story! Entries should be character- or plot-driven pieces in any genre of fiction, but keep it readable, please! “We are looking for stories with universal appeal touching on shared experiences and themes that will resonate with readers from diverse backgrounds and experience,” says Joan SerVaas, publisher of The Saturday Evening Post.” Think local. The Post has historically played a role in defining what it means to be an American. Your story should in some way touch upon the publication’s mission: Celebrating America, Past, Present, and Future.

Submission Guidelines:

Stories must be submitted by the author, previously unpublished (excluding personal websites and blogs), and 1,500-5,000 words in length. No extreme profanity or graphic sex scenes, please. All stories must be submitted online and should be in Microsoft Word format with the author’s name, address, telephone number, and email address on the first page. There is a $10 entry fee, which helps defray a portion of the cost of operating the contest.

Click on the “Fiction Contest Entry Form” link below to upload your story and make a secure payment. Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. (EST), July 1, 2013.

Fiction Contest Entry Form

Thanks in advance for participating! The Editors

We’re pleased to announce “Wolf” by Lucy Jane Bledsoe the winner of our 2013 Great American Fiction Contest! Click here to read the prize-winning fiction from our winner and six runners-up.

- See more at: http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/fiction-contest#sthash.sEifrf2J.dpuf

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Most of the New Jersey SCBWI members know Natalie Zaman and Charlotte Bennardo and were so happy for them when their book, SIRENZ came out in June.  It was so much fun for me to read, because they both took a character and took turns writing the chapters from their characters POV. 

Their own personal voices came through loud and clear, which only added to the fun of reading the book for me.  Everyone who has read the book has told me how much they enjoyed reading SIRENZ, so you might want to add it to your collection and see how they handled co-authoring a YA novel.

This made me think that there maybe writers out there who could use a reminder of the basics of Point-of -View.

• POV is the eyes through which you’re seeing a scene. Also
  called character voice.
• There are three types of POV: Omniscient, First Person,
  Third Person
• Omniscient POV is where you’re not in any particular head.
  This POV lets you tell and know all, but lacks intimacy.
• First Person is where you’re in one character’s head, and
  speaks in terms of I. This POV is immediate, emotive, and intimate, but
  can be limiting and difficult to write.
• Third Person can be in a limited number of heads, and speaks
  in terms of he/she.

More on POV:  http://wp.me/pss2W-1Xv

Now for the inside scoop.  Over at Eve’s Fan Garden, Natalie and Charlotte take you down the road they took to get their book off the ground and published.  I think you will really enjoy reading about their journey.  Don’t miss clicking over.

http://evesfangarden.com/blog/2011/07/27/sirenz-blog-tour-the-sirenz-journey-by-natalie-zaman-and-charlotte-bennardo/

I don’t normally post jobs, but with this economy I figured it might be a good idea to let you know of this opportunity at fwmedia.  http://www.fwmedia.com/careers/publicist

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy