Hello everyone! And Happy New Year!

I know I've been gone a good little while (talk about that later) but I just wanted to let you all know about two writing contests whose deadlines are coming up soon.

Here's the info:

1)  The 2014 Sandy Writing Contest

This contest, sponsored by the Crested Butte Writers Conference, features categories of romance, mainstream adult fiction, suspense/thriller/mystery, fantasy and science fiction, and Children's and YA.

The judge for Children's & YA is Tracey Keevan, Senior Editor at Disney Hyperion. Check out her bio, and interview with the contest coordinator.

Basic entry fee is $30 for Crested Butte Writer members, for all others $35

Entries must be received by midnight, February 10, 2014.
Payments snail mailed (USPS) must be postmarked by February 12th.

And they are only accepting 250 entries so get those entries in soon!


2) 2014 Writers-Editors Network International Writing Competition

For complete guidelines, rules, fees, and entry form go here

Categories include Nonfiction (articles, essays, book chapters, columns), Fiction (short story or novel chapter), Children's Literature (short story, nonfiction article, book , poem), and Poetry.

Entry fee is $5 for members, $10 non-members for each entry under 3,000 words.  For entries of 3,000 to 5,000 words, the fee is $10 (members) or $20 (non-members). For complete  fee listings, see link to guidelines above.

Entries must be postmarked no later than March 15, 2014.
Enter by postal mail or email

LASTLY, check out this wonderful interview with Carol J. Perry who placed 1st in 2013 for her Novel Chapter, which she later sold to Kensington Publishing in a 3-book deal!

GOOD LUCK, everyone!

Getting back to my absence. . . . When I last posted, my family and I were in the middle of a BIG move from New Jersey to Connecticut, dealing with issues of employment and readjustment.  And somewhere along the line I think I lost confidence in myself and my writing, to the point where I couldn't even think about storylines and such.  I think even my two daughters lost faith in me!

I didn't TOTALLY forget about the blogosphere, though.  I still browsed around the blueboards, and a few authors' and agents' blogs and websites.  Now that things are a bit calmer, I am slowly creeping back into the writing life and restarting my journey toward publication.

And so I would like to share links to 2 very encouraging blog posts.  The posts aren't recent but they do give HOPE and ENCOURAGEMENT, which I think all of us aspiring writers need!

The first post is by my good blogging friend, Tess Hilmo, middle grade author of the wonderfully heartwarming historical novel, With A Name Like Love (2011, FSG Books for Young Readers).  It's called "The Quitting Place."  Ever been there?  I have. Numerous times.  But I'm not stayin'!

Thank you, Tess, for your encouragement and this post!   Tess' new book Skies Like These will be released on July 15, 2014, by FSG.  Can't wait to read it!

Next, I want to share this post, "Stinky Self-Doubt," by middle grade author Danette Vigilante. This post really  hit home for me because it pinpoints what I've been feeling: self-doubt.

Many thanks to Danette for this inspiring post!  Danette's a talented writer, too, and uses NYC for her settings.  This brings back many good memories for me since I was born and raised in NYC, too.  :)   Danette's first book, The Trouble with Half A Moon,came out in 2011, and her second book, Saving Baby Doe, is due March 2014 from G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Well, that's it for me right now, guys . . . hope some of this was helpful! :)