Social Media: 5 Things You Can Do To Support EWW

1.  Share quotes on Facebook, or other content.

In Facebook, when you see a post you like, there are three options:  like, comment, and share.  “Like” allow you to click a button and tell the person you appreciate their post.  “Comment” lets you say something to the poster about it.  “Share” takes that post, and let s you post it on your own “timeline,” the list of things you say and share.  You can say something with it or not, as you like.  This extends the reach of the post because it’s now seen by people not necessarily in the audience of the original post.

2.  Comment and interact with posts on Facebook, Twitter, and the ShopNotes blog.

The “social” in “social media” means that it’s about interaction.  Gone are the days of the static website, which was essentially just a poster on a wall or a magazine that people could read, but not talk with.  Now, the conversation is expected.

3.  Ask your Facebook and Twitter followers to “like” the EWW page. 

You’ve probably seen this done before, and it can be anywhere from annoying to polite.  I tend to err on the side of “If you’re willing, please consider liking,” rather than the ubiquitous “like my stuff” requests.  I find that has a better success rate.

4.  Share tips on writing or writing prompts that you like. 

Twitter has a 160 character limit, so it disciplines you to be brief; but if you just have to say something in more words then post to Facebook.

5.  A picture’s worth a thousand words.

Share pictures you take of writing events, cool gadgets, or things you see during your daily round.  We have a global audience.  What is “everyday and pedestrian” to you is exotic to someone living in a different place and culture.

Above all, join the conversation!  We’re writers and communicators by nature; let’s have fun together!

The Giant Metal Chicken

Seriously, folks.  A Giant Metal Chicken.

Check it out:

"And That's Why You Should Learn To Pick Your Battles"

(Thank you to author Dayna Hart for brining this to our attention.)

Silly Saturday - by Mark Hudson - "The Texan"

This piece needs a little introduction.  At a recent Prompt Group meeting, we played with a prompt from Ursula K. LeGuin called "No Punctuation."  The objective was to write a piece with absolutely no punctuation, from start to finish, as an exercise in understanding the role of grammar in our writing.  Her recommendation, if you can't think of something to write for the prompt, is to pick something with action such as the beginning of a battle or the first day of a large sale.

Mark Hudson, one of our regulars, read this poetic piece of alliteration and we roared by the end of it.  As you read it, try reading it out loud:  it'll make a real difference.  He added a few periods and commas, but we'll let him get away with it - you'll understand when you read it.  Awesome job, Mark!

I hope you enjoy! -A. Catherine Noon

"The Texan"
by Mark Hudson

The landlord told me that I had to get out the Texans were taking over the country and turning America into a giant Texas Tex the Texan was textin’ while I was reading a textbook, telling me to turn in the keys to his totalitarian tyrannical trickery I located the landlady and lavished a loud rant AND rave revolving around rent, reporting resentment about relocation referring to repulsive ricocheting ranch hands robbing me of my remaining rights. I tore up the lease and responded that my lawyer would love to list my loft locally, leaving limited love for the lone star local, letting a lobotomy loom literally left of the line between the legally loony and lost in limbo. Tex took a taxi to town to tolerate a timetable to tell me to take off to Timbuktu, and take my towels, tubs of books, toiletries, tapes and cds, turntable and toys, and try and take the turnpike to temporarily turn off and don’t trick or treat on the way to Tor’s techno-thriller table-top tournament. Slowly I turned, inch by inch, step by step, inch by inch, step by step, and told Tex to take his ZZ Top looking self back home.

Up In The Air

While the C-5 was turning over its engines, a female crewman gave the G.I.'s on board the usual information regarding seat belts, emergency exits, etc.

Finally, she said, "Now sit back and enjoy your trip while your captain, Judith Campbell, and crew take you safely to Afghanistan."

An old Master Sergeant sitting in the eighth row thought to himself, "Did I hear her right? Is the captain a woman?"

When the attendant came by he said, "Did I understand you right? Is the captain a woman?"

"Yes," said the attendant, "in fact, this entire crew is female."

"My God," he said, "I wish I had two double scotch and sodas. I don't know what to think with only women up there in the cockpit."

"That's another thing, Sergeant," said the crew member, "we no longer call it the Cockpit. It's The Box Office."

I knew it!

EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, Inc. Seeking Anthology Submissions

NOW OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS

EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing is delighted to announce that the Professor Challenger Anthology, is now open for submissions.

Submissions close May 31, 2012.

EDITORS

J.R. Campbell and Charles Prepolec.

WHAT WE'RE AFTER

A broad range of new and original stories built around Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's LOST WORLD character Professor George Edward Challenger. Stories derived from the aftermath of events in the Lost World are welcome however simply revisiting or rehashing the Lost World without good cause is not. Challenger is a man of science first and foremost, not an explorer. Mash-ups or crossovers with public domain literary characters are welcome.
For inspiration think X-files, Quartermass, DR. Who, cryptozoology, aliens among us, supernatural occurrences, science gone awry in a Dr. Moreau, Invisible Man, Dr Jekyll vein, nature run amuck, monsters large and small, world threatening cataclysm, Lovecraft mythos, think H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, E.R. Burroghs, John Wyndham, Nigel Kneale, alternate history, new lost places, steampunk, whatever -- Be creative.
Mine the potential for all it's worth! Push it out there, get weird, play, have fun!

SUBMISSION DETAILS: 

• The anthology is part invitation and part open submission. Priority will be given to invited authors but an invitation to submit is not a guarantee of acceptance. A minimum of two slots will be held for open submissions. Acceptance is based entirely on suitability of story and quality of writing.
• The maximum length for stories is 10,000 words, with shorter works preferred.
• Deadline: May 31, 2012 - midnight).
• Do not query before submitting.
• Email submissions to: mailto:%20Charles@bakerstreetdozen.com
• Emails MUST contain the word "submission" in the subject line, or they will be deleted automatically by the server. Please also include the story title in the subject line.
• Submissions MUST come in an attachment: Rich Text Format (.rtf) or Microsoft Word (.doc) are the only acceptable formats.
• Emails MUST contain a cover letter in the body of the email; for security reasons, email attachments with no cover letter will be deleted unread and unanswered.
• Cover letter: include your name, the title of your story, your full contact information (address, phone, email), and a brief bio. Do not describe or summarize the story.
• Reprints (stories having previously appeared in English in any format, print or electronic, including but not limited to any form of web publication) will NOT be considered.
• Submission format: no strange formatting, colour fonts, changing fonts, borders, backgrounds, etc. Leave italics in italics, NOT underlined. Put your full contact information on the first page (name, address, email address, phone). No headers, no footers, no page numbering. DO NOT leave a blank line between paragraphs. Indent paragraphs. ALWAYS put a # to indicate scene breaks (a blank line is NOT enough).
• ALWAYS include your full contact information (name/address/email/phone number) on the first page of the attached submission.
• This is a professional market paying up to 5 cents per word plus a single copy of the book. Full rate to 7,500 words, half rate for balance to 10,000 words.
• Rights: for original fiction, first World English publication, with a two-month exclusive from publication date; for all, non-exclusive anthology rights; all other rights remain with the author.
• Spelling: the editors will consider stories using British, Canadian and American spellings.
• Response time: initial responses (no / rewrite request / hold for further consideration) will be prompt, usually within fifteen days. Please query if you've not heard back within 30 days.
• We do not advise that you submit more than one story.
• Simultaneous submissions are not encouraged but are acceptable. Should you receive a "rewrite request" or "hold for further consideration" response, please indicate immediately whether your story is under consideration anywhere else.
• Publication date: TBA (trade paperback & e-Book).
• Email submissions to: Charles@bakerstreetdozen.com

Additional information can be found at http://www.edgewebsite.com/books/professorchallenger/pch-guidelines.html

Interview Studio - Jannifer Hoffman

Please join me in welcoming Jannifer Hoffman to the Interview Studio.  Jannifer writes Romance for Resplendence Publishing was born in North Dakota and currently resides in Minnesota.  Welcome Jannifer!

For your Douglas Family Series at Resplendence, What have you enjoyed most about writing a series and what has been the most challenging? 

I loved bringing back characters that I had grown attached to. Most challenging was the last one’ Random Fire. I wanted to bring together Virgil (the oldest Douglas brother) and Katie (from Rough Edges) I had many request to do both so I thought, okay why not do them both at the same time. To make it interesting I had to dig deep into Virgil’s past find his problems. These are like real people to me. LOL

You write for both Resplendence and Treble Heart.  Do you find any particular challenge in writing for multiple publishers?

No. Treble Heart was my first sale. I wasn’t happy with them so I wanted a change. My dream is still to find a mass market publisher.

What was the inspiration for your recent book, Bittersweet Memories?  What gave you the idea for the title?

I wanted to do a tormented woman I guess. It’s the only one I actually sat at the computer sobbing as I did the ending. I could readily relate to Joan Wilder in Romancing the Stone. (Smile)  For the title my editor and I brainstormed. She didn’t like my original title (Twisted Memories) so she made suggestion and I worked them over to come up with Bittersweet.  Not the first time we did it either. Edge of Daybreak was even worse. I didn’t have a title at all until she helped. Again we brainstormed. By the way, I always check prospective titles on Amazon to find something that hasn’t been used. Not easy!

Do you have any writing rituals that you follow on a regular basis?

I wish. I’m almost always writing under a deadline. I envy writers who can start with an outline.

What are your must-have writing tools?

It might be a given for most people but since I started writing on an old black Remington upright I would definitely say my computer. One could really understand that if I they knew how bad my typing skills are. Also I use Sandra Brown books like dictionaries. I think she knows more words. LOL

Where do you get your ideas?

I read, read, read. It only takes a tiny seed for me to work it into a story.  I start typing and it just comes to me.  When I get a block, I lose a lot of sleep.

Dark or milk chocolate?  

Dark, only because it's healthier.

Coffee or tea? 

Definitely tea, preferably iced tea. I’ve never drank coffee.

Sunday Dinner with Medallion Press

In the spirit of the New Year we chose to spotlight some editors who publish YA.  We hope you will join us every Sunday as someone from the business of Writing joins us.  Today we welcome Medallion Press

Q:  Tell us a little bit about Medallion Press and what you are looking for in YA.

Founded in June of 2003 by Helen Rosburg, Medallion Press publishes fiction and nonfiction in hardcover, trade paperback, e-book, and interactive e-book formats, and we have national distribution on many levels. Every book Medallion produces is considered a work of art. From concept to cover, it is nurtured each step of the way. Our goal is to have readers find the treasure they expect in every one of our books. This dedication to quality is what drives our dedicated and talented staff. For YA, we’re looking for engaging voices and well-crafted, compelling, unique stories.

Q: I’d like to know whether you think there are certain tones of voice that fit certain subgenres better.

The appropriate tone is dependent on the goal of each book. Certainly, readers have some expectations when they approach a genre, but we all know when we find a voice that can successfully turn that expectation on its head, pull us in, and keep us turning the pages.

Q: What’s hot for 2012?

In YA, what’s hot in 2012 are zombies, vampires, contemporary fiction, speculative fiction, and interactive e-books.

Q:  I was wondering if you could give a quick overview/calendar of a book being published by Medallion from initial submission to publication date.

Approximately twelve to eighteen months before the release: The book is acquired. The author fills in an info sheet for our marketing and art teams so they can market the book and design the cover. Approximately six months before the release: Our marketing team contacts the author to coordinate marketing efforts. Our editors have line edited and copyedited the manuscript and send it to the author, who then reviews and revises the manuscript. Our editors proofread the manuscript and send it to the art team to be formatted. Approximately four months before the release: Our marketing team begins receiving and sharing reviews for the book. Our editors and the author proofread the formatted manuscript. Approximately three months before the release: the book goes to the printer and/or e-book conversion. The author's local news outlets are contacted. One month before the release date: Ads are placed in selected venues. Release: Time to celebrate the release, congratulate the author, and share the title through all of our online media.

Q:  Do you consider whether a story is a stand alone versus being a series when buying from an author?

Whether a book is a single title or a part of a series, we require that the book be able to stand as a satisfying read on its own. We are most concerned with the quality of each manuscript on its own.

Q: From blog tours to book trailers--what have you seen lately that really pays off for an author in terms of garnering reader interest? And what has worked for some of the Medallion authors to get readers to click & buy? How involved is Medallion in author promotion?

The most successful promotions we’ve seen are from authors who actively participate in communities of writers and fans of their genre. They actively blog, Tweet, and do blog tours. On Twitter, they promote not only their own work but others’, and they connect intentionally with their fans. In other words, they build relationships. What we’ve found to be extremely successful is limited-time reduced-price or free e-book promotions through booksellers. Medallion Press is highly involved in promotion, marketing in Student Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, PW Daily, targeted media outlets, consumer outlets Facebook ads and mentions, and Twitter. Our motto is that publishing is a partnership, and we make a concerted effort to assist our authors with self-promotion as well.

Q: Are all contracts standard or do you negotiate depending on author experience (published etc.) word count, sub-genre?

Our contracts are standard in the industry, and our royalties are competitive. The terms of each are confidential.

Q: I was wondering what percentage of your authors are new, previously unpublished authors?

About one-third of our authors are new, previously unpublished authors. Particularly with YA and fiction, we care more about the quality of the manuscript than about the author's marketing platform and we do our very best to coordinate marketing efforts to help every author build his/her audience.

Q:  Where can writers and readers learn more about Medallion Press?

The best place to learn more about us is at medallionpress.com. We hope to hear from your members soon!

Thank you for this opportunity to connect with the writers in Evanston Writers Group. From all of us at Medallion Press, we wish you a fantastic New Year.