“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” Les Brown
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Harlequin Books and Wattpad are teaming up to sponsor the 2015 So You Think You Can Write competition. Since the competition began in 2010, 30 authors have been awarded publishing contracts with Harlequin as a result. There is no fee to enter. Entrants post their manuscripts on Wattpad and receive feedback from readers as well as Harlequin editors. Categories include all subgenres of romance, including scifi/futuristic, LGBTQ and New Adult. To enter, sign up for Wattpad and post your entry by September 21, 2015. For all the details, go here.
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Sixpenny is a quarterly publication that combines short stories and art in a pocket-sized publication. Sixpenny publishes three stories per issue and pays $150 per story. Submit your 1000 to 1250 word story of any type. The editors state they are looking for “literary fiction with a punch.” Find out more here.
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Editors at Lamplight are reading now for the fall issue of this quarterly publication. Lamplight publishes “literary dark fiction” and pays $150 per story. They publish stories up to 7,000 words. The reading period for the fall issue ends July 15. For details, go here.
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Lawman Protection, Book Two in my Ranger Brigade series, is in stores and available online now. The first book in the series, The Guardian, is also still available. Lawman Protection received 4 1/2 stars from RT Magazine,, which said “With exhilarating action and an “aww”-inspiring sweet romance, Lawman Protection is an Intrigue reader’s delight.”
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Circlet Press is looking for erotic short stories for an upcoming anthology, “Like a Spell: Erotic Stories of Wizards.” Editor Jennifer Levine wants stories stories with elements of fantasy or science fiction, with a magic user as a main character, with explicit sex that is integral to the story. Stories should be between 2,000 and 8,000 words, though the preferred length is 3,000 to 7,000 words. The deadline for submissions is August 15, 2015. Get the details here.
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As always, feel free to share this information in this blog post with others. Please give me credit as the source and include a link back to the blog. To find out more about me and my books, check out my websites here and here or find me on Facebook.
“A writer never has a vacation. For a writer life consists of either writing or thinking about writing.” Eugene Ionesco
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Library Journal is sponsoring a contest for self-published e-books. There is no fee to enter and the top prize is $1,000. Enter your self-published romance, mystery, science fiction or fantasy novel. in addition to cash prizes, the first prize winner and two honorable mentions receive reviews in Library Journal and ads in the publication. The deadline to enter is August 31, 2015. Get all the details here.
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Pockets, a Christian magazine for children ages 6 – 12, is holding a short story contest. Submit your 750-1000 words short story by the deadline of August 15 for a chance to win the $500 first prize. There is no fee to enter. Get the details here.
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Good Housekeeping Magazine wants your stories for its “Silver Linings” story contest. “Tell us about a time when a wrong turn took you to the right place or you found unexpected happiness at the end of a long road.” Your story should be 1,500 to 2,500 words. The story should be non-fiction and will be judged on the basis of originality, adherence to the theme and writing style. The deadline to enter is September 1, 2015. There is no fee to enter. The winning entrant will receive $2,000. Find out more here.
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The fourth book in my Eureka, Colorado series, Above It All hit the shelves this week. You don’t have to have read the previous books to enjoy this one — each book is designed to stand alone. In Above It All, a woman with a secret past learns to let go and embrace the future. Check it out here. 
Chicken Soup For the Soul is seeking submissions for two upcoming anthologies: “My Very Good, Very Bad Cat” and “My Very Good, Very Bad Dog.” “We want your funny stories, your heartwarming stories, and your mindboggling stories about all the very good, very bad, simply amazing things that your cat [or dog] does.” The editors appreciate humor in the stories. Stories should be true, and up to 1,200 words. Payment is $200. Be sure to check out the book topic page here for ideas you might want to explore in your story. The deadline for submissions is August 31, 2015.
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The Writer magazine is sponsoring a Crime Fiction contest. The Crime Pays! contest runs from July 1 to July 31, 2015. Submit your 1,000 to 2,000 word short story that “explore[s] the human experience through a criminal action and a strong central character.” Find out more here.
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As always, feel free to share the information in this blog post with others. Please give me credit as the source and include a link to the blog. To find out more about me and my books, check out my websites here and here or find me on Facebook.
Lawman Protection, Book Two in my Ranger Brigade series, is in stores and available online now. The first book in the series, The Guardian, is also still available. Lawman Protection received 4 1/2 stars from RT Magazine,, which said “With exhilarating action and an “aww”-inspiring sweet romance, Lawman Protection is an Intrigue reader’s delight.”
Cindi Myers Market News's Blog 