Volume 9, Issue 12
March 22, 2009

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FUNDS FOR WRITERS

Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

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Our subscriber list is NOT made available to others. Use information
listed at your own risk. FundsforWriters gives no warranty to
completeness, accuracy, or fitness of the markets, contests and grants
although research is done to the best of our ability.

                
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EDITOR'S THOUGHTS
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Read newsletter online at: http://www.fundsforwriters.com/FFW.htm
Read past issues at: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?fundsforwriters

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A WRITING BOOK REVIEW

Every once in a while, I review a book that I consider an
asset to the struggling writer. This wonderful gift book
is a light-hearted tome of tongue-in-cheek advice for writers
while at the same time scolding, conjoling and motivating
the majority of us who stumble through our day. Just released
by Writer's Digest Books, "Pep Talks, Warnings & Screeds" is
a light read with substance.

GEORGE SINGLETON
Author of "Pep Talks, Warnings & Screeds"
Writer's Digest Books

Pep Talk No. 133 - "If you believe you were meant to continue
writing, then when someone comes up to you and says, "I think
you're the worst writer I've ever come across," you should
say, "Okay." If someone says, "You're an idiot if you think
you can make it as a writer," then you should say, "Okay."
If someone comes up to you and says, "I think you're the
greatest writer ever," you should say, "Thank you." Continue
moving forward."

Pep Talk No. 54 - "If you feel breain-dead, get out one of
those literary journals to which you subscribe. Read the last
paragraph of someone's story, and continue it. This works with
the last line of a poem, too."

Pep Talk No. 61 - If a person wakes up sick to his stomach
due to some type of previous overindulgence, he has to options.
He can walk around with the dry heaves all day, or he can
stick his finger down his throat within the first ten minutes
of being awake, clean up the mess, feel better, and move forward
in the day.
   
"Dry-heave writing: writing, rewriting, rerewriting, rererewriting
a single sentence over and over--one single sentence--for three
hours.

"Finger-down-throat writing: writing 1,000 words over three hours,
then rewriting it the next day plus another 1,000 new words, on
back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back days."

In Pep Talks, Warnings & Screeds, acclaimed Southern story
writer and novelist George Singleton serves up everything
you ever need to know to become a real writer (meaning one
who actually writes), in bite-sized aphorisms. It's Nietzsche's
Beyond Good & Evil meets Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird. It's
cough syrup that tastes like chocolate cake. In other words,
don't expect to get better unless you get a good dose of it,
maybe two. Accompanied by more than fifty original full-color
illustrations by novelist Daniel Wallace, these laugh-out-loud
funny, candid, and surprisingly useful lessons will help you
find your own writerly balance so you can continue to move
forward.  (http://www.georgesingleton.com/)

    Hope

GRACIOUS...A NEW EBOOK!

FEROCIOUS PROMOTION FOR THE TIMID AUTHOR

Emphasizing the self-publishing author, the joint authorship
of Gwynne Spencer and C. Hope Clark penned a 64-page ebook
packed with ideas on how to make those sales. With an emphasis
on selling locally and regionally, the book gives you hope
and savvy advice through the occasional sprinkling of cute
weener dog paws throughout.

Being a small doesn't mean you can't be ferocious.

www.fundsforwriters.com/ferocious.htm

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A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

GENIE AKIN & CURTISWOOD FARM
Cordially Welcomes C. HOPE CLARK, of FundsforWriters
to the First Annual Writer's Retreat at Curtiswood Farm

July 17-19, 2009

"A Weekend of Freelance Hope in Kentucky"

Limited to 35 writers.

http://www.fundsforwriters.com/Kentucky_Retreat.htm

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THE BLOG, THE BLOG!
http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com

TWITTER ME
http://twitter.com/hopeclark

CONSULT WITH HOPE
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/ConsultHope.htm

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WORDS OF SUCCESS
 
The person who has not learned to be happy and content
while completely alone for an hour a day, or a week
has missed life's greatest serenity.

~ H. Clay Tate (Building a Better Home Town)

 
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SUCCESS OF THE WEEK
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Hope,

I wanted to let you know that one of the markets listed in
your newsletter, You and Me (America's Medical Magazine), has
accepted my article about my mini-stroke episode that I
suffered two years ago for their summer edition. As a humor
writer I am always seeking venues, this way I was able to tie
in a serious health piece with humor. Thank you for this and
for all of your wonderful information on writing, submitting
and of course publishing. I am happy to say this is my third
piece sold since the new year. Continued Blessings and thank
you for doing what you do for us writers

Carol Gee
Author of books, The Venus Chronicles and Diary of a 'Flygirl'
Wannabe (Life Lessons of a Cool Girl In Training)
http://www.venuschronicles.net/

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ARTICLE
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A SHORT INTERVIEW OF GEORGE SINGLETON
Author of "Pep Talks, Warnings & Screeds"
Writer's Digest Books

By C. Hope Clark

George Singleton has published four collections of stories
(These People Are Us, The Half-Mammals of Dixie, Why Dogs
Chase Cars, Drowning in Gruel) and two novels (Novel, Work
Shirts for Madmen). He's published more than one hundred
stories in magazines and literary journals such as The Atlanta
Monthly, Harper's, Zoetrope, Playboy, The Georgia Review,
Virginia Quarterly Review, and Shenandoah. His work has been
anthologized often. He's taught on the secondary, post-secondary,
and graduate levels, and his students have done well.

HOPE: You must be an amazing dinner party guest. Your wit is
remarkably crisp and refreshing. Do you attribute being
Southern to your dry humor and endless source of stories?

GEORGE: That's funny. I doubt anyone's ever said, "Hey,
let's invite George to dinner." I might have--in the past,
at least--more of a reputation of being like Mr. Pollock in
the movie Pollock at a dinner party. My father was an ex-
merchant marine, a fabulous storyteller of tall tales, and
a Texan by birth. So that's probably the seed.

HOPE: Do you prefer short stories or the novel? From your
credits and one-liners, it appears you like brevity in your
work. Any reason why?

GEORGE: Probably short stories. It doesn't seem to matter
anymore. I can tell you this: I don't like writing poetry,
book reviews, non-fiction pieces, scripts. So short stories
and novels seem to be what's left. I'm impatient, so there's
why the love of the story.

HOPE: Warning Number 58 in your book suggests tongue-in-cheek
that the only way to avoid writing a bad book is to write one
good book and stop, like Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.
Do you love all your books the same or did you have one book
you love best?

GEORGE: A great question: I love all of them while I'm writing
them, and I don't think about them when the book tour's over.
I don't even remember them, for the most part. I like a story
called "Show and Tell." I'm not very embarrassed when I read
it in front of an audience. The others I could take or leave,
I think.

HOPE: I sense you stand on the side of literary fiction. What's
your honest opinion about genre fiction? Remember, you're being
interviewed by someone who loves a good mystery.

GEORGE: I've learned as much from Robert C. Parker and Mickey
Spillane about writing than I have from anyone else's work. I,
too, love a great mystery. But I despise a bad mystery, just as
I would wonder how what I deem a bad piece of "literary fiction"
ever got published. My problem with some genre fiction occurs
when I notice a slew of adverbs trying to tell me what a
character's doing or how she's acting, instead of a sentence
showing me the character's inner thoughts and motives.

HOPE: Pep Talks, Warnings & Screeds is a light read with advice
for writers, offering a blend of wisdom and sarcastic humor. How
close is the tone of this book to your short story books in case
readers want to read more of your work?

GEORGE: I'd say right about on target. I'm sarcastic. My
characters walk left of center. They keep a wary eye out to
authority figures, public officials, and the like.

George was born in Anaheim, California and lived there until
he was seven. He grew up in Greenwood, South Carolina. He
graduated from Furman University in 1980 with a degree in
philosophy, and from UNC-Greensboro with an MFA in creative
writing. Singleton has taught English and fiction writing at
Francis Marion College, the Fine Arts Center of Greenville
County, and the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts
and Humanities. He has been a visiting professor at the University
of South Carolina and UNC-Wilmington, and has given readings and
taught classes at a number of universities and secondary schools.
His papers are reposited at the Jackson Library at the University
of North Carolina at Greensboro. He lives in Pickens County,
South Carolina, with the clay artist Glenda Guion and their
eleven dogs and one cat.

BIO
C. Hope Clark enjoyed the quick wit and sharp cracks of
Mr. Singleton's brand-spanking new book. Learn more about
the book and Mr. Singleton at http://www.georgesingleton.com/
and at Amazon.com at http://tinyurl.com/cyun7t .

 
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COMPETITIONS
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PROSE FOR PAPA SHORT STORY CONTEST
http://www.visitsunvalley.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=555
---
$15 ENTRY FEE
Deadline May 15, 2009. Cash prize of $500. First place winner
will be published on this website. Entries must be previously
unpublished, original work, typed double spaced, and no longer
than 2,600 words or 10 pages.

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THE WRITER SHORT STORY CONTEST
http://www.writermag.com/wrt/objects/pdf/2009_contest.pdf
---
$10 ENTRY FEE
$1,000, first place; $300, second place; $200, third place.
The first-place entry, along with the finalist judge's
comments, will be published in The Writer magazine. All
three winning entries will be posted on The Writer Web site,
www.WriterMag.com. Deadline May 31, 2009. Limit 2,000 words.

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KEATS-SHELLEY PRIZE 2009
http://www.keats-shelley.co.uk/noticeboard.html
---
ENTRY FEE: £5
Two competitions - an essay and a poem. £3,000 in prizes.
The essay can be on any aspect of the lives and works of
John Keats, P B Shelley, Mary Shelley or Lord Byron, and
should be of 2,000 - 3,000 words, including quotations. It
should focus on the theme 'Find'. It may be of any length
up to 50 lines.
 

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GRANTS
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NES ARTIST RESIDENCY
Location Iceland
http://www.neslist.is/xenglish/application.html
---
Nes artist residency has been sponsored by the Cultural
Committee of North-western Iceland to enhance the cultural
life of the region. This enables us to award partial stipends
to 15-20 artists per year in the years 2009 and 2010. This
partial stipend will be awarded to about one artist a month
who wants to interact with the community in any way in the
year 2009 and 2010. This may be a performance, a "happening,"
an art class, a presentation or any other activity that would
engage or interact with the public at large in the North
western region of Iceland. The recipients will receive the
stipend after the event, and all applicants are eligible to
apply. The application deadline for a partial stipend is
August 1, 2009 for the remainder of 2009 and for 2010.

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POLLI TALU ARTS CENTER WRITERS RESIDENCIES
http://www.pollitalu.org/english/about/about.english.html
---
Artists pay EURO 35 for studio, housing and meals per day/
per person. Meals are mostly vegetarian (with occasional
chicken and fish), prepared from organic vegetables from
Polli Talu's kitchen garden, when available, and local produce,
including eggs and dairy. Applications are accepted throughout
the year for residencies in the following summer. Polli Talu
(literally, "Polly's Farm") is a traditional Estonian farm
complex situated near the Baltic Sea, 150 km southwest of
the capital city Tallinn, not far from the port town of
Virtsu. It consists of five log buildings with thatched
roofs made from locally-harvested reeds. The structures
date back to the beginning of the 20th century.

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MISSISSIPPI CONFERENCE FOR PERFORMING ARTISTS
Diane Williams, Arts Industry Director
Mississippi Arts Commission
Email: dwilliams@arts.state.ms.us
(601) 359-6529
Friday, April 3, 2009 - 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
The MSU Riley Center 
2200 5th Street, Meridian, MS 39301
---
This is a no fee conference, sponsored by the Mississippi
Arts Commission. The Mississippi Arts Presenters Network
(MAP) is a consortium of arts presenters with a mission to
provide high-quality performing arts experiences to the
people of Mississippi.  The MAP represents a cross-section
of arts organizations, cultural centers with professional
concert seasons, symphony orchestras, folk arts festivals,
colleges and universities presenters and arts and letters
series, as well as libraries and smaller entities.  MAP
activities range from full-scale main stage performances
to workshops, master classes and other activities in
intimate settings.  No matter the size of your organization,
you can benefit from joining the presenters network.

Agenda Topics
What is a Presenter?
What is the Benefits of Being Part of a Presenters Network?
How Does My Organization Fit the Picture?
Southern Arts Federation and Mississippi Arts Commission
Funding available to Presenters.
Professional Development Training and Network Opportunities
for Presenters.

A small number of travel subsidies will be available -
for those traveling more than 100 miles. This conference
is FREE to registered attendees.  Continental breakfast
and lunch included.

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FREELANCE MARKETS
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COSMOS
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/pdf/Cosmos_writers_guidelines.pdf
---
In many ways, it is a unique magazine: its discussion of
science, society, and the future might range over topics as
diverse as art, design, travel, exploration history,
philosophy and politics. It is a magazine about who we are
as a species and what we might become, our place in the world
and our future in the cosmos. While it does not seek to hide
the fact it is Australian, Cosmos is internationalist in
outlook and not overly focused on its home country.

Most of the smaller sections are in Express and are between
300 and 1,200 words in length. Payment for departments is
between A$180 and A$720 (between US$135 and US$520). There
is also a Profile section for interviews (between 2,000 and
3,000 words in length) an opinion column of about 700 words.
Cosmos welcomes travel pieces of up to 2,000 words. There are
usually five features per issue, from 1,500 words to 3,500
words in length; we will also consider a substantive article
of up 7,000 words. Payment for features ranges from A$900 to
a maximum of A$3,000 (US$650 to US$2,130).

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HUNTING NET
http://www.huntingnet.com/editorial.aspx
---
HuntingNet.Com is especially interested in topnotch writers
who can make hunting and outdoor related topics entertaining
while maintaining accuracy. We like a variety of articles
from those that have a human element imposed (i.e. Me and
Joe stories) to those that are more factual in nature. Our
readers also enjoy "how to" articles. Above all, we strive
to provide our visitors with articles and editorials that are
fun to read while providing useful information to assist in
their pursuit of outdoor activities. Articles and editorials
should be the word length of 750 to 1,500 maximum. Pays up to
$350.

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FINE BOOKS & COLLECTIONS
http://www.finebooksmagazine.com/writing/
---
Fine Books & Collections covers a broad range of topics and
subjects of interest to book collectors and bibliophiles,
from early manuscripts to modern first editions and everything
in between. Our writers use the artifact--the book itself--as a
starting place to tell an interesting story. Lists of facts,
the minutiae of first edition identification, and author
bibliographies are typically addressed in sidebars. The core
of each article is an engaging narrative. In addition to
features, which run 1,200 to 3,000 words, we need regular book
reviewers (400 to 800 words) and writers for short news
pieces (300 to 600 words). Payment ranges from $100 to $400,
depending on length, difficulty, and amount of editing
required. Book reviews pay $25 to $75 and news items $50
to $100.

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JOBS
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WEB EDITOR
Location Houston, TX
http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?Media=Online%20Media&JobID=1032069
---
Houston Press has an immediate opening for a web editor. This
position combines online journalism and social media marketing,
with the overall goal of growing houstonpress.com's readership
and community. In any given day, the web editor could go from
blogging about an event to building a slideshow to posting that
content on social media sites.

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TECHNICAL WRITER-EDITOR
Location Washington DC
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov
Job Announcement Number: CO-2009-0230
---
Deadline April 2, 2009. Agency: Bureau of Prisons/Federal
Prison System. The incumbents directs operations that involve
the collection and evaluation of information from all
components of NIC and non-NIC sources, in order to fulfill
the duties and responsibilities associated with the writing,
editing, production, and/or review of a variety of publications,
reports, and other print based media (whether disseminated in
hard copy or on the web) regarding, involving, and affecting
NIC, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and the corrections
field.

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ASSISTANT NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Location Evanston, Illinois
http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?Media=Online%20Media&JobID=215781
---
We're looking for strong writers and editors who can quickly
identify the "gist" of a breaking news story and summarize it
in a clean, concise fashion. Candidates should have a strong
academic record, a strong interest in science and/or health
care, a sharp eye for detail, a good sense of relevance and
the ability to juggle multiple tasks. Coursework in biology,
medical sciences and business is a plus but not required. Work
or internship experience as a journalist, copywriter or editor
is also a plus, but not required.

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PUBLISHERS/AGENTS
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HILL STREET PRESS
http://hillstreetpress.com/
---
Founded in 1998, Hill Street Press currently publishes books
under six imprints:

HILL STREET PRESS: nonfiction trade books that have something
to do with the American South.

HOT CROSS BOOKS: 100% thematic crossword puzzle books.

GRAPHEDIA BOOKS: graphic format fiction (graphic novel) and
non-fiction for children from ages six to eighteen.

BROAD STREET BOOKS: traditional children's fiction and nonfiction.

COLLEGE TRIVIA BOOKS: college- or university-specific trivia books.

CLASSIC CITY CUSTOM: publishing services provided for clients
whose books to not fit into one of the previous categories.
 
Books published by Hill Street Press are widely distributed
and sold by independent and chain retailers, nationally and
internationally.

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FIVE STAR PUBLISHING
http://www.gale.cengage.com/fivestar/
---
Five Star has hundreds of books in print in the Western,
Romance, Mystery and Science Fiction & Fantasy genres, and
we publish almost 150 books a year. Our books are frequently
reviewed in well-known publications such as Publishers Weekly,
Library Journal and Booklist.

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BLACKSMITH BOOKS
http://www.blacksmithbooks.com/submissions.htm
---
Blacksmith Books publishes 10-12 titles a year. We are happy
to hear from agents or directly from prospective authors.
We are currently accepting submissions mainly in the field
of non-fiction: biography, culture, business and photography.
Manuscripts should have a strong Asian theme or connection.

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SPONSORS
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AWARD WINNING NOVELIST, STORY WRITER WILL EDIT YOUR WORK

Winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award from UNC Chapel Hill,
Richard Krawiec has published novels, story collections, plays,
poetry, feature articles, and Young Adult biographies. He's won
national awards and regional awards, been nominated for the
National Book Award, and Pushcart Prize.

It's hard to publish these days. 
Let Mr. Krawiec help you prepare your work for publication.

http://home.mindspring.com/~rkwriter/id2.html

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Find out how to deliver a compelling answer to the #1 question
asked of writers when VIP Author Talks host Shelley Lieber
interviews business success coach Pamela Bruner on Wednesday,
March 25 at 8:00pm ET.
 
On this call you'll learn: