*A Great Day - Books, Writing & Contests*

It's been a great day! A couple of days ago I made up my mind to begin a new routine, starting today, November 1st. It's nearing midnight and I'm very happy to report that it's gone better than I'd even hoped. I won't divulge everything on my new schedule, because.....well, just because! I know I will not fail, though.

First bit of news:  I wrote 1,381 words today! That is a very good number for me.

Second: I sold 2 Cuivre River Anthologies today! "Thank you" to a couple of wonderful friends!

Third: Lovely friend and blogger, Lisa Ricard Claro is having her first blog contest. Jump on over there and check it out. She has beautiful autumn prizes and promises the winner will receive them before Thanksgiving!

Fourth: Saturday Writers is having its:
2010 Saturday Writers 9th Annual Short Story Contest


DEADLINE: November 10, 2010 (postmarked) Word Limit: 2010 (as in the year 2010)
Contest is open to all writers. (you don't have to be a member!) Open subject, open genre. (Please, no pornography or gore.)
Prizes: 1st place - $100, 2nd place - $50, 3rd place - $25, 4th place - $15, 5th place - $10. 6-10th places receive certificates. Winners may be invited to submit their story to Cuivre River Anthology.
Entry fee: $7 per story Maximum of three entries per person (separate fee for each entry)
• Members of Saturday Writers, OWL, MWG, or other MWG Chapters: $5 per story
• Checks payable to: Saturday Writers.
• Short stories only (no poems, essays or articles) must be in English
• Unpublished at time of submission and the original work of the contestant
• Contestants retain all rights to their stories
• Standard manuscript format: 8 1/2 x 11 paper
• Two copies of each entry
• Typed and double-spaced on one side of the paper
• Pages numbered, title of entry on every page
• Times New Roman 12-point
• Paper clip pages together (do not staple)
• No name or other identifying information should appear anywhere on entry
• Attach a separate cover sheet and include: story title, name, address, e-mail, phone number, and MWG chapter name (if applicable)
• Do NOT send by certified mail!
• Mail fee and two copies of each entry, flat, not folded, by November 10 (postmark) to:
2010 Saturday Writers
9th Annual Short Story Contest
c/o Pat Wahler
18 Pershing Lake Drive
St. Peters, MO 63376

Keep a copy of your entry because stories will not be returned. Winners' names will be announced during the December Saturday Writers meeting. For a list of winners, visit the Saturday Writers CONTESTS page in December: www.saturdaywriters.org Certificates and prizes will be mailed by the end of December 2010. Questions? E-mail Pat Wahler, K9friend1@sbcglobal.net

My Own Note: This is a wonderful contest with only a $7.00 entry fee, per story. AND Members of Saturday Writers, OWL, MWG, or other MWG Chapters: it's only $5 per story.
It's not one that usually receives hundreds or thousands of entries....like some writing contests do....so your chances of winning are much greater! How about giving it a try? Let's show my favorite writer organization that my blog friends are "Writer-contest-entering-kind-of-people"! (And in case you're wondering....knowing me won't help in the judging! I have nothing to do with it!)

"A sense of humor... is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life." -- Hugh Sidey