Genre Favorites Blogfest:
Before I get to this week's contests, blog hops and giveaways, I'm participating today in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Blogfest. List your favorite genre of movie, music, books and a guilty pleasure from any of those categories.
Music: Coffee House Rock. I'm convinced one of God's greatest creations is Pandora. I love my Damien Rice station. Ironically, I'm a bit burned out on Damien himself, but I love what Pandora offers me as his contemporaries.
Books: Young Adult. In the last few years, I've started reading almost exclusively YA, partly because I'm a middle school English teacher. But also because I've stopped wanting to read books about serious "adult" topics. YA books tend to have an element of hope and naiveté that keep them just a bit more lighthearted. Naturally, I especially love YA with an element of romance to it.
My guilty pleasure: Pretty much any story about young love, which often makes me feel like a literary cougar. I've found myself loving Peeta, Four, even Edward pre-Rob Pattinson. My other guilty pleasure involves whatever genre mash-up makes up Princess Bride, and lately Snow White and the Huntsman.
Contests, Blog Hops and Giveaways:
Krista Van Dolzer is hosting "An Agent's Inbox" with literary agent Victoria Marini. Entries include queries and the first 250 words of your MS. Ms. Marini will select the winners and announce the prizes after reading the entries. Submission window opens on Sept 17 at 1:00 EST.
Brenda Drake of Brenda Drake Writes...under the influence of coffee has worked really hard to put together FOUR upcoming contests. Seriously? She's amazing. Critiques by a Teen Intern on Sept 17; Novella Pitch to Month9Books on Oct 1; A Super Secret Pitch Contest on Oct 15-19; and Trick or Treat with an Agent on Oct 24.
Deana Barnhart has done a spectacular job of putting together GUTGAA (Gearing Up To Get An Agent). If you haven't checked this out yet, you should. Small Press Pitch Contest Call for Entries is Friday, Sept 28.
Karen Wojcik Berner of Bibliophilic Blather is hosting Fright Fest 2012, a flash fiction contest. Entries should be 1,000 words or less. Due Sept 21.
Writer Therapy is having a first page contest. Enter your first pages for a chance to win critiques by literary agents Sara Crowe, Molly Ker Hawn, and Nicole Resciniti. Entries must be in by Sept 29.
Jessa Russo is celebrating her book release with Ghosts and the Girls Who Love Them, a flash fiction blog hop and giveaway of amazing prizes including signed books and critiques. Check out the list - it's pretty incredible. Flash fiction entries should be about ghosts and should be between 300-1,000 words. Entries should be posted between Sept 15 and Sept 30.
Miss Snark's First Victim is hosting her third annual Baker's Dozen contest with 13 agents. Enter your first 250 and a log-line. Critique rounds begin Sept 24. The actual contest begins Oct 30.
Harper Voyager, the scifi/fant imprint of HarperCollins will be accepting unagented manuscripts from Oct 1-Oct 14. This isn't a contest, but it's too great an opportunity not to mention.
Women on Writing is hosting a flash fiction contest due Nov 30. Open prompt should be 750 words or less. The contest will be judged by agent Jessica Sinsheimer.
You're a romantic at heart!
ReplyDeletePandora is great for finding new music in the genre you enjoy.
Thanks for participating in my blogfest!
i am not sure what coffee house music is, i am intrigued.
ReplyDeleteJeremy [Retro-Zombie]
Howlin' Wolf Records: On-Line Magazine
Now that you mention it, I too like some romance in my action films. And the Princess Bride is a classic and I loved that film, but was disappointed in Snow White and the Huntsman.
ReplyDeleteThe Princess Bride is one of my all time favorites. And like Elise, Snow White and the Huntsman disappointed me.
ReplyDeleteBut I love action films, good, bad and in between.
Fun to read and learn more about you. I have stopped reading most adult books in favor of the hope aspect of middle grade books. But I do throw an occasional YA in the mix too.
ReplyDeleteI love Pandora, though I confess I don't listen to current music. And nothing beats a good fight scene.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I'm going to have to look up Pandora.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I'm half way through your critique. I'll have it back to you soon. My daughter's birthday took up more of my weekend than I planned.
Hey, maybe that's why so many adults love YA! The element of hope! Much needed in today's society!
ReplyDeleteYou have all the YA guys covered! But you're right, there is something endearing about YA romance and young love.
ReplyDeleteGreat list!
ReplyDeleteI get what you are saying about the YA books. My son is in Middle School now. I saw his book list and thought they all looked like cool stories!
Tim
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/
I love YA because it is so easy to read. Often you just can't put those books down!
ReplyDeleteAllison (Geek Banter)
What a great set of links, thanks for sharing. (And great blogfest choices!)
ReplyDeleteWe have a lot of similar tastes! Except I like my music with a little more edge to it, but Damien Rice isn't bad ;)
ReplyDeleteI've switched mostly to YA too. A few others slip in, but not many. There are way too many good YA books out there.
ReplyDeleteOh dear - I'm clueless on your music choices but I do love a good action movie. I'm just starting to read YA because my oldest grandkids have hit their teens. I don't remember all those YA options when my own kids were that age.
ReplyDeleteLove to see a girl who loves action movies! A rare breed for sure.
ReplyDeleteIt's always great to see what our blogger friends enjoy when not plugging away at their WIPS.
Great links ... thanks for the info.
Great list! I've been reading a lot of YA this year too. So many awesome stories out there now.
ReplyDeleteOkay. We are obviously long lost twins, separated at birth. haha. Only, where is your listing of Disney movies?
ReplyDeleteI love action, but it HAS to have some romance.
I only read YA
I'm addicted to Pandora and also love Damien Rice
The boys of YA are amazing. I adore Peeta and Four. Also, Jace (Mortal Instruments) Will and Jem (Infernal Devices) and Adam. (Shatter Me) I would go on but it would get embarrassing.
P.S. Jessa Russo is having a Ghostly Flash Fiction contest. Entries are still open and the prizes are cool. I thought you might want to list it. :) I have the link on my site.
ReplyDeleteA good romance / romantic element makes anything better. :) Great post!
ReplyDeleteParticipant #125
go action thrillers! all simpatico choices! and thanks for the opportunity links!
ReplyDeleteThere is something sweet yet intense about young love that can sometimes make for good reading. Saying hello from the blogfest...thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit the same with thriller movies. Yes to twists and turns, yes to romance (as long as it's well done and doesn't consume too much of the story) and yes to a good fight scene!
ReplyDeleteI love drama movies too! Those are pure entertainment, especially the ones that give you a little bit of everything!
ReplyDeleteI love your guilty pleasures. I've become a fanfic fan lately too. All good. Thanks for the links at the bottom of your post.
ReplyDeleteI love YA with romance in it, too.
ReplyDeleteYou always have the best links for contests, Kimberly. I never think of putting them on my Cool Links Friday post. Maybe I should just be linking your contest link post instead. :D
Kimberly- love the wrap up...Sorry it's been forever!!! I'll have to shoot you an e-mail soon. How's your novel going? How's the baby?
ReplyDeleteGreat picks! One of the great disappointments in my life is that I can't use Pandora in my country. :-(
ReplyDeleteInconceivable!! :) Hello, Kimberly. We love The Princess Bride in our house, too. I read and write horror, but I'd rather they hold the gore as well. Good to meet you and Happy early Birthday. *waves*
ReplyDelete-Jimmy
http://jamesgarciajr.blogspot.com/
I love the Princess Bride too. I wish I'd included it in my favourite movies list! Nice to get to know you. :-)
ReplyDeleteAction/adventure is great for me, movie-wise. Can't beat a pulse-pounding adventure. Nice to meet you.
ReplyDeletePrincess Bride is a classic. I love adventure/action myself. Thanks for listing down all those bloghops!
ReplyDeleteNutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
Love your genres post - I like having just a bit of romance in all the adventurous movies I like too - I've been a tad disappointed that some of my latest favorites haven't had enough romance . . .Avengers could have had something tiny thrown in there.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the updates for all the stuff going on!
I do love Pandora and now know I can set up a channel (or something like that - I'm new to it) for Enya so I get some good instrumental for while I'm writing. Woo-hoo! I do love a good action movie, as well, though I can also do without the gore.
ReplyDeleteMy Genre Favorites & Guilty Pleasures