ACFW 2007 Genesis contest

Captain’s Log, Stardate 02.13.2007

I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned anything about the Genesis contest yet.

Well, it’s finally here! The 2007 Genesis contest for unpublished writers, put on by American Christian Fiction Writers.

The Genesis contest, formerly known as the Noble Theme contest, is becoming one of the largest Christian Fiction writing contests in the world.

Yours truly is the contest coordinator (again) this year. Head on over to the Genesis page on the ACFW website for more information.

Some highlights of the contest:

--We have TEN CATEGORIES of Christian Fiction

--You can enter as many entries as you like, in as many categories as you like (although you need to pay a separate entry fee for each entry)

--It is all electronic this year, which means no postage, no printing, no copying, no self-addressed stamped envelope, no entries or scoresheets lost in the mail.

All entries will be judged using Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature. And if you don’t have Microsoft Word, no problem! We can return your judged entries in .pdf file format so you can still see the comments.

--Each entry gets THREE judges in the first round. (That’s three critiques of your manuscript’s first 25 pages! It’s a great price for objective feedback.)

The top five scoring entries in each category are Category Finalists who go on to the second round.

--We have a great lineup of editors and agents as second round judges in each of our categories.

• Contemporary Romance: JoAnne Simmons, Barbour Publishing, and Stephanie Broene, Tyndale

• Historical Romance: Melissa Endlich, Steeple Hill, and Tamela Hancock Murray, Hartline Literary Agency

• Romantic Suspense: Sue Brower, Zondervan, and Joyce Hart, Hartline Literary Agency

• Women’s Fiction: Beth Jusino, Alive Communications, and Steve Laube, the Steve Laube Agency

• Chick/Mom/Hen/Lady Lit: Ahna Phillips, Eames Literary and Krista Stroever, Steeple Hill

• Suspense/Thriller/Mystery: Susan Downs, Barbour Publishing, and Kelly Mortimer, Mortimer Literary Agency

• Contemporary Fiction: Janet Grant, Books and Such Literary Agency, and Chip MacGregor, MacGregor Literary

• Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Allegory: Andy Meisenheimer, Zondervan, and Reagan Reed, NavPress

• Historical Fiction: Rebecca Germany, Barbour Publishing and Charlene Patterson, Bethany House Publishers

• Young Adult: Barbara Scott, Zondervan, and Annie Tipton, Barbour Publishing

--This year, we have a terrific FAQ page that will answer all your questions. On the Genesis webpage, we also have a Manuscript Formatting Article, the Genesis scoresheet, a Sample Manuscript, and a Sample Track Changes .pdf file.

--The deadline for submissions is APRIL 15TH, 2007, but we're strongly suggesting you get your entries in by April 1st so that if there's any problem with your file, there's plenty of time to fix it!

I hope you all enter the Genesis contest this year! It’s going to be great!

Comments

Demian Farnworth said…

Eeeaaak! April 15th. Well, April 1st, really, huh? I had hoped to submit my completed historical romance ms. But it has now morphed back into a WIP. Last night I tore it apart. No, I didn't literally tear the paper but I might as well have. My prologue is now toast and my first scene has been sliced and diced. Ahhh well, who needs to sleep before April?

Tue Feb 13, 07:47:00 AM 2007

Chinese Take-Out and Sushi for One

Captain’s Log, Supplemental My agent sent me an article from Publisher’s Weekly that discussed this incident: Chinese Take-Out Spawns Christian Controversy And here’s also a blog post that talks about it in more detail: The Fighting 44s This is Soong-Chan Rah’s blog: The PCS blog In sum: Apparently Zondervan (yes, my publisher), who has partnered with Youth Specialties, had put out a youth leaders skit that had stereotypical Asian dialogue, which offended many Christian Asian Americans. In response to the outcry, Zondervan/Youth Specialities put out a sincere apology and is not only freezing the remaining stock of the book, but also reprinting it and replacing the copies people have already bought. I am very proud of my publisher for how they have handled this situation. The skit writers have also issued a public apology . (I feel sorry for them, because they were only trying to write a funny skit, not stir up this maelstrom of internet controversy. I’ve been in youth work long enou...

Toilet seat cover

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Update August 2008: I wrote up the pattern for this with "improvements"! Here's the link to my No Cold Bums toilet seat cover ! Okay, remember a few days ago I was complaining about the cold toilet seat in my bathroom? Well, I decided to knit a seat cover. Not a lid cover, but a seat cover. I went online and couldn’t find anything for the seat, just one pattern for the lid by Feminitz.com . However, I took her pattern for the inside edge of the lid cover and modified it to make a seat cover. Here it is! It’s really ugly stitch-wise because originally I made it too small and had to extend it a couple inches on each side. I figured I’d be the one staring at it, so who cared if the extension wasn’t perfectly invisible? I used acrylic yarn since, well, that’s what I had, and also because it’s easy to wash. I’ll probably have to wash this cover every week or so, but it’s easy to take off—I made ties which you can see near the back of the seat. And...

No Cold Bums toilet seat cover

Captain's Log, Stardate 08.22.2008 I actually wrote out my pattern! I was getting a lot of hits on my infamous toilet seat cover , and I wanted to make a new one with “improvements,” so I paid attention and wrote things down as I made the new one. This was originally based off the Potty Mouth toilet cover , but I altered it to fit over the seat instead of the lid. Yarn: any worsted weight yarn, about 120 yards (this is a really tight number, I used exactly 118 yards. My suggestion is to make sure you have about 130 yards.) I suggest using acrylic yarn because you’re going to be washing this often. Needle: I used US 8, but you can use whatever needle size is recommended by the yarn you’re using. Gauge: Not that important. Mine was 4 sts/1 inch in garter stitch. 6 buttons (I used some leftover shell buttons I had in my stash) tapestry needle Crochet hook (optional) Cover: Using a provisional cast on, cast on 12 stitches. Work in garter st until liner measures...

Excerpt - A HUNDRED YEARS OF HAPPINESS by Nicole Seitz

Captain's Log, Stardate 03.05.2009 Update: Sorry, this giveaway is closed. A Hundred Years of Happiness by Nicole Seitz A beautiful young woman. An American soldier. A war-torn country. Nearly forty years of silence. Now, two daughters search for the truth they hope will set them free and the elusive peace their parents have never found. In the South Carolina Lowcountry, a young mother named Katherine Ann is struggling to help her tempestuous father, by plunging into a world of secrets he never talks about. A fry cook named Lisa is trying desperately to reach her grieving Vietnamese mother, who has never fully adjusted to life in the States. And somewhere far away, a lost soul named Ernest is drifting, treading water, searching for what he lost on a long-ago mountain. They're all longing for connection. For the war that touched them to finally end. For their hundred years of happiness at long last to begin. From the beloved author of The Spirit of Sweetgrass...

Brainstorm - character occupation

Captain's Log, Stardate 03.23.2009 Hey guys, I could use some help. In my current manuscript, The Year of the Dog , which is a humorous contemporary romance, I have a minor character, Eddie. He’s my heroine’s ex-boyfriend, and they’re on good terms with each other. He’s a bit irresponsible, but not so much so that he’s a complete loser. He’s got a very easy going attitude, he forgets to pay his bills sometimes, he’s friendly and charming. He’s adventurous and fun to be around, but he’s a little forgetful sometimes, and he tends to spend a little outside his income. I need an occupation for him. What would a charming, easy going, slightly irresponsible guy do for a living? He’s not too irresponsible, because otherwise readers will wonder what in the world my heroine saw in him to date him in the first place. She was attracted to his charm, his easy going attitude (her family’s uptight, and he was a nice contrast), and his adventurousness. But his forgetfulness and irresponsibility ...

Search This Blog