Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Write Club Deadline and Upcoming Release Our Beautiful Child



I’m still on hiatus, but I needed to announce two upcoming events, one with a looming deadline.


First off, I’d like to thank Diane for the opportunity to talk to you today about something near and dear to my heart…WRiTE CLUB. My modest writing contest has proven so popular that the DFW Writers Conference is now considering incorporating it into their agenda for 2015. 

For the newbies out there, let me explain what WRiTE CLUB is? It’s a modest writing competition whose inspiration was derived from the movie FIGHT CLUB. There are numerous versions of this concept around the internet, but nothing like we do it. Its essence embodies simple, good-natured competition, with lots and lots of fun sprinkled on top. 

Over the course of eight weeks I hold twice-weekly bouts in which the winners advance to the play-offs, which will ultimately lead to a single champion. Bouts between who…or what…you ask? Anonymous 500 word writing samples, submitted under a pen name by anyone who wishes to take part, that’s who. The writing can be any genre, any style (even poetry) with the word count being the only restriction. It’s a way to get your writing in front of a lot of readers, without having to suffer the agony of exposure. 

And the winners are determined by WRiTE CLUB readers!

To find out how to become part of the fun just head on over to
DLHammons.com and click on the WRiTE CLUB tab. 

Submissions are open until May 31st. After that date a panel of a dozen judges will read all of the entries we received and pre-select 32 of the best writing samples to climb into the ring. Those 32 participants will then be randomly matched to compete over the next eight weeks, each of them hoping to make it into the play-off rounds and moving towards the ultimate goal – WRiTE CLUB Champion. No one (other than my wife)…not even the judges being used to pre-select the 32 contestants, will see the true identity of any sample. Unless you win, of course.

Again this year, the most exciting part is the winner of the final round will be chosen by a panel of publishing industry professionals! Judges include New York Times best-selling and multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning horror and thriller author Jonathan Maberry, Agents Katie Grim of Don Congdon Associates, Margaret Bail of the Andrea Hurst Agency, Sarah Negovetich of the Corvisiero Literary Agency, Brittany Booker of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. Also included is Candace Havens, Editorial Director of Entangled Publishing Covet line, Authors Les Edgerton and Lydia Kang, and previous WRiTE CLUB winners Tiana Smith (2011), Mark Hough (2012) and Tex Thompson (2013).

Are you willing to WRiTE for what you want? Then crack those knuckles and get ready to flex that imagination. And whatever you do, tell your friends!

WRiTE CLUB – The contest where the audience gets clobbered!

 * * * * * 

Title: Our Beautiful Child
Author: Annalisa Crawford
Release date: 10th June 2014
Publisher: Battered Suitcase Press

“The Boathouse collects misfits. Strange solitary creatures that yearn for contact with the outside world, but not too much. They sit, glass in hand, either staring at the table in front of them, or at some distant point on the horizon.”
… so says the narrator of Our Beautiful Child. And he’s been around long enough to know.
People end up in this town almost by accident. Ella is running away from her nightmares, Sally is running away from the memories of previous boyfriends and Rona is running away from university. Each of them seek sanctuary in the 18th century pub, The Boathouse; but in fact, that’s where their troubles begin.
Ella finds love, a moment too late; Rona discovers a beautiful ability which needs refining before she gets hurt; and Sally meets the captivating Murray, who threatens to ruin everything.
Three women. Three stories. One pub.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I live in Cornwall UK, with a good supply of beaches and moorland right on my doorstep to keep me inspired. I live with my husband, two sons, a dog and a cat.
Despite my location, I neither surf nor sail, and have never had any inclination to try. I much prefer walking along a deserted beach and listening to the waves crashing over rocks. For this reason, I really love the beach in the winter!

Links:


39 comments:

Nick Wilford said...

Congrats Annalisa! Good to see the support for her today.

Mason Canyon said...

Congratulations to Annalisa on her upcoming release. Sounds intriguing. Looking forward to the 'bouts of WRITE CLUB. Wonderful idea, DL.

DL Hammons said...

I too wish to offer my congratulations to Annalisa for her upcoming release. Exciting times!

And thank you again Diane for allowing me to steal space on your blog to promote WRiTE CLUB. Not long now until that first bell rings! :)

Annalisa Crawford said...

Thanks for sharing my news today, Diane.

And good luck to everyone taking part in Write Club.

Unknown said...

Isn't that cover awesome? Love it.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Diane .. great to be supporting DL with his WriteClub once again - seems it's going to be a success .. and then Annalisa's upcoming release .. is great news for our Cornish author ...

I love her cover for Our Beautiful Child by Annalisa ..

Cheers Hilary

H. R. Sinclair said...

Congrats to Annalisa!

The Write Club should be good!

(I noticed the link to the Publisher: Battered Suitcase Press is missing.)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Congratulations to Annalisa!
Write Club will be awesome this year.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Congratulations to Annalisa!

I've only just started hearing about Write Club, but noticed a couple of different writers blogging on it today. Sounds very cool!

Karen Lange said...

Thanks for the info. Hope your hiatus is everything you need it to be!

Sheena-kay Graham said...

Congrats Annalisa that cover is eye catching and the story intriguing. I wish DL and all participants all the best with write club.

cleemckenzie said...

Love the idea of strangers coming together in a place and watching as their stories unfold.

Annalisa Crawford said...

Thanks for all the lovely comments!

Southpaw - yep, totally forgot to link to my publisher. The book isn't featured on the site yet, and my head was all about linking to the book!

This is the link (they are in the process of designing a new site): http://www.vagabondagepress.com/batteredsuitcasepress.html#.U4ZNY_ldVUU

M Pax said...

Woot for another round of Write Club and major congrats to Annalisa!

Anonymous said...

That's a great list of professionals.

I love Annalisa's cover.

Michelle Wallace said...

I love the premise of Annalisa's book.
Write Club is already here... again! Looking forward to it.
Enjoy your break Diane!

Michael Di Gesu said...

Congrats Annalisa! ALL the best!

Hope to submit something later today for WriteClub!

Gossip_Grl said...

The Write Club sure has an all star line up of judges this year! I have always wanted to submit something for it, but have always been afraid especially after reading the submissions.

Love the cover for Annalisa's new book! Great job!

Tyrean Martinson said...

Go, Write Club!

And congratulations to Annalisa!!!

LD Masterson said...

Sneaking in here while you're supposed to be on hiatus, huh?

Congratulations to Annalisa. And I can't wait for Write Club to begin.

Unknown said...

Write Club is such a cool concept! One of those things I've always wanted to do but never seem to have the time. I'm stuck revising a novel this year, so I'll be standing ringside once again. :)

Steven said...

Yay for Annalisa! Enjoy your hiatus, Diane.

kjmckendry said...

Congratulations to Annalisa!

I just sent in my entry for WRiTE Club today! :)

Ella said...

Congrats Annalisa! I have to find out what happens to Ella-gorgeous cover by the way~

I must visit I have heard great things about Write Club~

Happy weekend to you L.Diane-I hope you and the hubby have good weather. It is kinda odd in my neck of the woods. One day humid hot the next day I am in New England~

Shah Wharton said...
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Shah Wharton said...
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Shah Wharton said...

Congrats Annalisa! The book sounds intriguing an I am a quarter Cornish/love Cornwall. My Supes Series takes place in part in Sti Ives, where my great grandfather originated.

Have a great weekend!

shahwharton.com

Shah Wharton said...
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Vanessa Morgan said...

I should definitely find out more about that Write Club. Sounds fascinating.

klahanie said...

Hi Diane and enjoy your hiatus.

Hi DL and once again, my good sir, I wish you and all involved with your Write Club, to have a fighting good time.

Dear Annalisa, I'm so delighted for you. I shall be asking for an autographed copy of your upcoming book.

Thank you for this, Diane.

Gary

Anonymous said...

Way to go, Annalisa, and good on you for the promotion, Diane. Maybe if I ever take a break from Write1Sub1, I'll give the Write Club a shot.

Rhonda Albom said...

I thought about write club this year, but missed the deadline while basking in the tropics without internet. (good excuse?)

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

I love the sound of Our Beautiful Child. Congratulations, Annalisa! I can picture them sitting there, while all sorts of questions come to mind. Thanks, Diane.

Misha Gerrick said...

Love that cover.

I also missed the Write Club deadline this year. Just couldn't get into draft mode in time after all the crap from the past few months. Oh well...

Jay Noel said...

You're still so darn busy during your hiatus!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Congrats to DL for making the WriteClub a huge success. And congrats to Annalisa.

debi o'neille said...

I'll keep the competition in mind for next year, but congratulations on how well it's doing. and Congratulations Annalisa!
Deb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.com

Cherie Reich said...

Thanks for sharing the news! Annalisa's cover is lovely.

Mark Koopmans said...

Good luck to Annalisa and I'm sure WC will be another success this year!

I, of course, missed the deadline again... and yes, my wake *will* begin without me :)