Thursday, January 17, 2008

Contest Kiss for Passionate Ink

Happy Cats All, the Kougaress -- hope,hope -- has finally received her edits for Red Lioness Tamed, and snow blessed the tame prairie last night -- just a tiny coating, lovely in its own way. And now, sundown blazes a spectacular path across the horizon. While the Kougar continues to blink her muzziness away. The Passionate Ink forum is always a huge help to getting the Kougaress's mind in gear.
And speaking of, the yowling call has gone out for more entries into Passionate Ink's annual writer's contest for published and unpublished authors. If you adore running on the wild side of sizzle in your smut-pen-to-paper or paws-upon-the-keyboard, check out this wonderful opportunity at Passionate Ink, passionateink.org -- the RWA Contest page. Below is the general announcement:

Passionate Ink’s Third Annual
The Passionate Plume Contest for Published Authors
Deadline: Deadline: 2/4/08
The only published, all erotic romance award in RWA!
Five Sizzling Finalists in Five Categories:
Contemporary - novels with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in a contemporary setting. Includes series and single-title length romances. Can also include elements of romantic suspense/intrigue.
Historical - novels with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in a historical setting.
Futuristic/Fantasy/Sci-fi -novels with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in any setting in the future, an alternate world/reality, or another planet. Includes elements such as elves/faerie, sword and sorcery, aliens, etc.
Paranormal/Time Travel - novels with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in any setting that includes elements of time travel, angels, vampires, werewolves or other paranormal themes.
Novellas - novellas of 25,000 words or less with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in any setting.
All novels entered must be at least 25,000 words in length. Novellas are considered 10,000 to 25,000 words.
All categories are open to alternative lifestyle entries–and any entry that reflects an erotic romance between two or more people, straight, gay, bi, or any romantic combination.
Judging and Prizes:
First Round: Will be judged by readers, writers, reviewers, booksellers and librarians.
Final Round: Five finalists will be judged by multi-published authors and reviewers.
The decisions of judges are final.
Winners will be announced at the Passionate Ink gathering at RWA National in San Francisco. First place winners will receive a Passionate Ink pendant and an award graphic for their website. All others will receive certificates and a finalist graphic for their website. Results will be listed in Passionate Ink’s newsletter, on the website, as well as have their names published in the ROMANCE WRITER’S REPORT.
Passionate Ink’s Third Annual
Stroke of Midnight Contest
Deadline: Deadline: 2/4/08
**ALL ENTRANTS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO RECEIVE ONE OF FIVE FREE REGISTRATIONS TO A PASSIONATE INK WORKSHOP OF THEIR CHOICE.
Remember The Stroke of Midnight is a contest for unpublished erotic manuscripts. BOTH PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED AUTHORS MAY ENTER. However, if published, this must be a new genre for the author (For example, if the author has published in paranormal erotic romance, she can enter in one of the other categories) **
Five Sizzling Finalists in Five Categories:
Contemporary - novels with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in a contemporary setting. Includes series and single-title length romances. Can also include elements of romantic suspense/intrigue.
Historical - novels with erotic elements that focus on the developing
romantic relationship in a historical setting.
Futuristic/Fantasy/Sci-fi - novels with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in any setting in the future, an alternate world/reality, or another planet. Includes elements such as elves/faerie, sword and sorcery, aliens, etc.
Paranormal/Time Travel - novels with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in any setting that includes elements of time travel, angels, vampires, werewolves or other paranormal themes.
Novellas - novellas of 25,000 words or less with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in any setting.
All novels entered must be at least 25,000 words in length. Novellas are considered 10,000 to 25,000 words.
All categories are open to alternative lifestyle entries–and any entry that reflects an erotic romance between two or more people, straight, gay, bi, or any romantic combination.
Judging and Prizes:
Preliminary-round judging will be completed by three qualified judges - Passionate Ink and other RWA members experienced in critiquing and/or published authors familiar with our genre. All scores will be added and averaged to determine the entrant’s ranking. Every attempt will be made to provide entrants with detailed score sheets and judges’ comments from this preliminary round. Top five entries in each category will move to final round.
The top five finalists in each category will be ranked by the following industry professionals:
Contemporary: Kate Seaver, Berkley
Historical: Hilary Sares, Kensington Aphrodisia
Futuristic/Fantasy/Sci-fi: Angela James, Samhain Publishing
Paranormal/Time Travel: Roberta Brown, Brown Literary Agency
Novella: Raelene Gorlinsky, Ellora’s Cave
First place winners in each category will receive a free one year membership in Passionate Ink ($25 value), a certificate, and an award graphic for their website. (Writing teams will split the membership.) All other finalists will receive certificates and and a finalist graphic for their website. All entries will be returned after finalists are determined and statistical information is complete. Winners will be announced at the Passionate Ink gathering at the Romance Writers’ of America National Conference in Dallas. Results will be listed on the Passionate Ink website and in the chapter’s newsletter.
The decisions of judges are final.

Hop and leap on over to Title Magic for Anitra's informative blog on tax paying for writers -- that is, if you've earned enough fishies to pay. Moi is definitely not! in that category.
Big Cats, to pay the fishes or not to pay, that is the growling question.

Anitra, this is a big fat sore point for me. Nothing against your accounting ability, a wonderful skill and knowledge to have. Actually, I'm so poor I don't have to worry about the income tax. And it's a good thing in my case because then I don't have to battle with my integrity over this. Since the income tax is technically illegal under the Constitution of the united states. The problem being they'll throw you in jail or worse, anyway. So I never tell anyone not to file or pay. Although, I'm betting more and more people will revolt simply because they can't pay in our current falling economy. And, truthfully, I'm not sure what I'm going to do if I ever fall into 'their' paying category again. Truth is truth.

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