It's time for the 2007 Stella Cameron Scarlet Boa Contest!
I have a soft spot for this contest. I entered it back in 2005, and it changed my life.
No, really! :)
I finalled in the contest, and after the excerpts were posted on the web, the contest coordinator forwarded me an e-mail from an editor for a new e-publishing company. She was interested in seeing the manuscript.
As it turns out, Angie didn't buy that particular book, but I did end up sending her a couple of novellas. Three weeks later, I received an e-mail with contracts attached, and the rest is history.
Who knows? I may have tracked down Samhain on my own. Heaven knows it's become a real powerhouse in the short time its been in business. But at the time, I'd only been targeting print pubs, and knew very little about the e-publishing side of things.
I can honestly say that Stella's Scarlet Boa contest directly led to my being published. So thanks, Stella! And for all you authors out there -- published and unpubbed -- looking for a venue to try out your work, I can't recommend it highly enough.
Here's a little info on it. And good luck!
2007 Contest: a paranormal interlude.
The revelation that a human character is enmeshed with a vampire, werewolf, or the other-worldly and highly dangerous but completely magnetic character of your choice.
Pour on the emotion, but keep control of your characters. This is your chance to rip the throats out of your competition, heh-heh!
The Scarlet Boa contest is open to published and non-published authors alike. Submit your entry (approximately 500 words). We'll accept submissions until September 1st and start posting links to them below.
So who's going to judge this thing? You are! Scenes will be judged by readers—who knows better what makes them tingle?
The author of the winning scene will receive (apart from kudos, bragging rights and press coverage) the coveted Scarlet Boa, a gorgeous red feather boa that will simply scream "I write Romance!" (well, it will scream something). And since we can't leave out the judges, one lucky voter's name will be drawn at random and they'll receive a sumptious white boa to wear while reading their new romance novels.
Important dates:
August 1 through September 1:
Submissions accepted
September 6:
Submissions posted online
October 15-28:
Voting (first round)
November 1:
Finalists announced
November 1 thru November 10:
Voting (2nd round)
November 14:
Winner announced in a LIVE chat at Writerspace!
4 comments:
Awesome! That is some story:)
Maybe it is just me. But I don;t get it. Sometimes I can be dense.
So you can write anything? Does it have to be an ms that you have written? Or can it be a random 500 words that pop up into your head?
With the judging does it have a final elimination round?
Sorry but I have never entered one before but this one intruges me b/c
it is run by an author.
Hey Gabriella!
As far as I know, there isn't a "must be finished" requirement for the contest. I entered with a scene from one of my works in progress that year, because I had something about half-done that fit the theme (romantic suspense). So I don't see why you couldn't write up a scene specifically for the contest.
And the way it's set up is, all entries are posted. After the initial round of voting (open to the public), the top ten are selected. Then there's another round of judging before the winner is chosen.
Good luck if you decide to go for it! :)
Oh yeah I remember that cuz I voted for you. I think you were on Lori Foster's loop, right? (Or the Scamps). I'm so glad it turned out so well for you :)
Hi Stacy! Yup, I was on the Lori Foster loop back then. Now I'm so crazy busy I barely have time for any loops!
And I'm still working on getting that book sold -- keep your fingers crossed!
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