The Penn Writer newsletter, Jan/Feb 2016, Pennwriters.org

the

the NewSletter oF PeNNwriterS iNc. JaNUary/FeBrUary 2016 • vol. XXiv No. 1

Friday Evening Keynote

mark your calendar

Jonathan Maberry Saturday keynote

Kathryn Craft

The 2016 Pennwriters Annual Writing Contest is Now Open The writing contest closes on Jan. 31, 2016, at midnight, EST. Winners will be announced during the Pennwriters Conference in May and contacted thereafter. Prizes will be awarded to the highest-rated entries in each category.

• Novel BegiNNiNg—Submit no more than 10 pages. include your genre, so we can match your entry with a suitable judge. $15 entry fee per piece.

• Short Story—Short Story entries must present a complete story within the allotted 10 pages. include your genre, so we can match your entry with a suitable judge. $15 entry fee per story.

• NoNFictioN—this includes creative nonfiction, narrative nonfiction and articles. Submit no more than 10 pages.

Must present a complete piece within the allotted 10 pages. $15 entry fee per piece.

• Poetry—Up to 40 lines per poem. $15 entry fee for up to three poems. (1, 2 or 3 poems/$15; 4, 5 or 6 poems/$30) visit pennwriterswritingcontest.com to read contest guidelines and to submit your entries.

iN thiS iSSUe annual writing contest ...........................1 President’s column .............................2-3 Pw officers and online groups .............3 Pennwriters areas Map ..........................3 Member News......................................4-5

Pw online courses: January ..................6 character Soundtrack ............................7 Pw online courses: February ................8 ideas Spark Stories—or do they? ...........9 My Kindle Scout experience ..................9

a Novel idea.............................10, 13, 15 2016 Pennwriters conference ......11, 13 writers Project runway ........................12 Market News ...................................14-15 Submission Details...............................16

President’s Column Happy New Year, and happy writing in 2016.

Now is a good time to reflect on your 2015 writing plans and accomplishments.

Did you meet your word goals? Did you finish and submit work? Have you continued to improve your craft? Is there anything you can do differently in 2016 that will bring you closer to publication?

carol Silvis, area 3 PreSiDeNt

Pennwriters Happenings

is an email newsletter that showcases the achievements and writing-related activities of Pennwriters members. visit www.pennwriters.org to subscribe.

Scroll to the bottom of the webpage to PUBliShiNg NewS, submit your email address, then complete the Mailchimp form. you must be a current, duespaying Pennwriters member in good standing in order to have your news published in Pennwriters happenings.

Submit your news to will Kesling at PennNews@Pennwriters.org

Becoming a published writer is difficult without the proper goals and inspiration.

Goals help us focus on what is most important to us. Without a clear focus, we will have a difficult time turning our ideas and inspiration into a publishable piece. Goals with focus give us the staying power needed to put pen to paper long enough to complete our work. Goals commit us, and this commitment motivates us to find the time and energy to devote to our projects. Set reasonable, measurable writing goals that will guide you through 2016, and you will be on your way.

“Ideas and inspiration,” this issue’s theme, presents a great lead-in for the 2016 Pennwriters Conference in Lancaster. If you are looking for inspiration, chances are you will find it in the Friday night keynote speaker, Jonathan Maberry. Jonathan is one of the most inspirational speakers I’ve had the pleasure of listening to several times. He’s also a most generous author when it comes to helping fellow writers.

Your conference inspiration will continue with the Saturday keynote by Kathryn Craft and by mingling with and sharing experiences with fellow Pennwriters. We are fortunate to have many members who are published in a variety of genres. These authors inspire us to work hard at our craft and to strive for publication.

Numerous books, courses and conferences on the writing craft provide inspiration and ideas that take our writing to higher levels. As with any other profession, we should never stop learning about writing and honing our skills.

Board News Tina Crone recently resigned as Area 5 Representative, and the Board welcomed Melissa Gettys, who has taken on the role as Area 5 Rep. Dave Szymanowski resigned as Coordinator of Area Reps (CAR). If you are a current or former Area Rep and are interested in this position, please contact me or any board member. next page

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Notice: Publication herein of articles, interviews, and news concerning markets, contests, seminars, classes, etc., does not imply an endorsement, recommendation or any warranty given by Pennwriters, inc. readers are urged to determine for themselves the reliability, integrity, and financial responsibility of those with whom they deal. The contents of this newsletter are copyrighted ©2016 by Pennwriters, Inc. All rights are reserved. Permission to photocopy is expressly denied. All rights revert to individual authors immediately upon publication. any time you change your mailing address or email address, please notify Jackie Shaffmaster at treasurer@Pennwriters.org. we thank you in advance for helping to keep our member roster current.

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the PeNN writer • January/February 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

President

carol Silvis, 724-327-2725 President@Pennwriters.org

Don’t forget to submit your entries to the Pennwriters Annual Writing Contest before January 31. For details, visit www.pennwriterswritingcontest.com.

Area 7 Rep Bobbi Carducci is organizing a one-day mini-conference on April 2, 2016, in Leesburg, Virginia. For more information, contact Bobbi at Area7Rep@Pennwriters.org.

If you haven’t visited the Pennwriters website recently, please log on to www.pennwriters.org and take note of the changes and updates. Check out the member forum, blog and critique partner matching program. If you have trouble logging on, please email Charli Mac at Webmaster@Pennwriters.org or Area 2 Rep Mark Boerma at Area2Rep@Pennwriters.org. As always, you can also contact your local Area Rep with questions and concerns.

Pennwriters continues to bring you online classes. For information or to suggest a class, please contact Pauline Drozeski at OnlineCoordinator@Pennwriters.org.

–Carol

Vice President

annette Dashofy, 724-255-7955 vicePresident@Pennwriters.org Secretary

Susan gourley Secretary@Pennwriters.org Treasurer

Jackie Shaffmaster, 570-878-7056 treasurer@Pennwriters.org Author Advocate & 2016 Conference Coordinator

ayleen gontz, 717-359-9279 authoradvocate@Pennwriters.org Webmaster

charli Mac webmaster@Pennwriters.org Newsletter Editor

heather Desuta, 412-337-6966 Newsletter@Pennwriters.org Public Relations Chair

leslie Smeltz Publicrelations@Pennwriters.org Bylaws Chair

Jean Jenkins, 814-774-0557 Bylawschair@Pennwriters.org

Pennwriters Online

Internet Activities & Online Courses Coordinator

website: www.pennwriters.org yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pennwriters/join Facebook groups: Pennwriters; Pennwriters annual conference you can also join the Pennwriters linkedin group and follow us on twitter.

Election Chair

Pauline Drozeski onlinecoordinator@Pennwriters.org terry Friedman, 843-236-8189 electionchair@Pennwriters.org Annual Writing Contest Coordinator

Pennwriters Areas Map

Deborah Stevenson writingcontestcoordinator@ Pennwriters.org AREA 1 Rep: todd Main

area1rep@Pennwriters.org AREA 2 Rep: Mark Boerma

area2rep@Pennwriters.org AREA 3 Rep: candace Banks

area3rep@Pennwriters.org AREA 4 Rep: hilary hauck

area4rep@Pennwriters.org AREA 5 Rep: Melissa gettys

area5rep@Pennwriters.org AREA 6 Rep: charli Mac

area6rep@Pennwriters.org All areas outside of Pennsylvania are Area 7

AREA 7 Rep: Bobbi carducci

area7rep@Pennwriters.org the PeNN writer • January/February 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

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Member News & Accomplishments to Share yoUr NewS, email Newsletter@Pennwriters.org with “Penn writer Submission” in the subject line.

Please include your Pennwriters area # in the message.

In her career as a writer, instructor, and book author, Area 7’s Deanna Adams has learned a few things about the craft and business of being a writer. After a decade of teaching a course on “What It Takes to Write a Book,” she decided to write one that takes aspiring writers by the hand and leads them through the process. THE WRITER’S GPS: A GUIDE TO WRITING AND SELLING YOUR BOOK is a guide book, reference book, workshop book, and Get-It-Done book—chockfull of information, inspiration and the resources you need to write a book, from start to finish. You’re going to love this road trip! Visit www.deannaadams.com.

Area 3 Terri Bertha recently signed a contract with MuseItUp Publishing for her Middle Grade manuscripts SPOOKY TWISTIES I and SPOOKY TWISTIES II.

Area 1 Judy Ann Davis’s rom-com novella, SWEET KISS, was just released by Wild Rose Press as part of their “Candy Hearts Series,” where the books are titled from the many sayings on Valentine’s Day candy hearts.

SWEET KiSS is the story of old childhood friends, Tappe Vanderberg, a marina owner, and Kate Clark, a local bistro owner, who rediscover their mutual attraction, despite the antics of the quirky post mistress who’s looking for husband number three. But can one sweet kiss revive an old love?

Visit www.judyanndavis.com.

Area 3 Wende Dikec will release TIGER LILY (Inkspell Publishing, Jan. 13) and TRAVELLER (Wild Rose Press, Feb. 26).

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publication of the best work from the Madwomen in the Attic, a group of women, ages 21-98, who meet weekly at Carlow to study the craft of writing.

TIGER LILY—Lily Madison thought dying because of a bad manicure was the worst thing that could happen. Waking up in the hospital and being stalked by a herd of ghosts makes Lily doubt her sanity. Most of the ghosts look like fuzzy blobs, but one is not blobby at all. He’s a hot, annoying dead guy named Nick. Although they dislike each other on sight, Nick soon realizes Lily is his only hope. She has only days to get Nick and the other ghosts back where they belong, or the world will be in terrible danger. But sending the ghosts back means saying goodbye to Nick forever, and Lily isn’t sure she’ll ever be able to let him go.

TRAVELLER—Former “Jr. Miss Kentucky” Emerson Shaw won pageants using martial arts as her talent, but a painful secret puts her in the path of tattooed-andpierced bad boy Michael Nightingale.

He’s a Traveller, part of an ancient line of mercenary gypsies who protect the world from vicious monsters. When Emerson gets attacked, she must accept Michael’s offer of protection or face certain death.

Traveller society, full of outdated rules and superstitions, isn’t a good fit for headstrong Emerson. Traveller women aren’t allowed to fight, win or leave. But Emerson will do what she must, even if it means losing the one person who matters most.

To learn more, visit wendedikec.com.

An excerpt from Area 3 Colette Garmer’s novel MY FATHER’S KEEPER was published in Carlow University’s anthology VOICES FROM THE ATTIC. e anthology is a

Joy Givens, Area 3 has co-authored THE NEW SAT HANDBOOK, a guide to the College Board’s new SAT test.

Featuring concise-yet-detailed concept explanations, proven strategies and practice sets, the book will target students’ individual needs for success on the new test. It will be available in paperback and e-book at Amazon and other retailers, beginning Jan. 19. To learn more about the book and Givens Academic and Preparatory Tutoring, visit www.givenstutoring.com.

Suzanne Grieco Mattaboni, Area 6, had a short piece featured in the Dec/Jan issue of Mysterious Ways magazine, in the “Mysterious Moments” section.

(She is humbled to note that it appeared right under an entry by Guideposts’ Editor-in-Chief Edward Grinnan.) Also, on Nov. 30, Suzanne had an article from her blog featured on huffingtonpost.com, in their Post50 section.

Area 3 Hana Haatainen-Caye’s story “Charity” appeared in CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL: MERRY CHRISTMAS! Her stories have appeared in eight of the CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL books. Her article “Fad or Inspiration? 5 Reasons Why

the PeNN writer • January/February 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

Coloring is Good for the Soul” ran in the Oct/Nov issue of Zip Code magazine in Las Vegas. She sold her 90th children’s book to iStorybooks in November.

Area 2 Martha Johnson, writing as Marta Perry, had a November release from HQN Books. WHEN SECRETS STRIKE is Book Two of the author’s House of Secrets romantic suspense series. To learn more, visit www.martaperry.com.

Jim Lee, Area 4, had two more horror stories published in the 9 TALES TOLD IN THE DARK e-book series. All are available from his Amazon Page: amazon.com/author/leejim.

Area 3 Carolyn Menke’s debut historical fiction, RETURN TO ME, was published by e Wild Rose Press in September.

Eighteen-year-old Sadie Stark has the world on a string. She doesn’t need the mother who left her any more than she needs the fiance who promises to change. When war-bound James Pasko returns her stolen clutch and shows her what’s missing in her life, she gains the courage to search for the truth about her past. What Sadie uncovers rattles her to the core, but James’ steadfast love gives her hope for the future. When James disappears over enemy lines and Sadie makes a startling discovery, she must decide to follow in the footsteps of the mother who gave her away or face a life of hardship like she’s never known.

In the prequel novella, I’M YOURS— Decades earlier...the Roaring Twenties spell opportunity for Audrey McCall, a starlet who’s as irresistible as the illegal booze

poured behind every shuttered speakeasy.

Her big dreams include landing a role on Broadway, but she’s fallen in love with a man who wants her to be his leading lady and his alone. Visit carolynmenke.com.

Area 1 Babs Mountjoy’s short story “Keeping Christmas” (published under her pen name Alana Lorens) will appear in the anthology CHRISTMAS LITES V. “Keeping Christmas” is about a Las Vegas pastor, retiring after Christmas Eve services, who encounters a young girl with an interesting attitude about the holiday.

Every dime raised from sales of this book will go directly to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV). Not a single person who worked on the book received compensation, other than the knowledge that he or she is making a difference in those affected by domestic violence.

It’s available now on amazon.com.

Area 3 Rhonda Paglia, an indie author, received two awards for her children’s books. e 2015 Inkspoke Select Book Awards named her book, THREE LITTLE GNOMES AND A BOY NAMED ORION to their ages 6-8 list.

GRAMMY ’S ROCKIN’ COLOR RAP-A-LICIOUS RAP: TEACHING KIDS COLORS, made the 2015 Gittle Top 10 List

by Aviva Gittle Publishing. For more, visit www.rhondapagliaauthor.com

Fritze Roberts, Area 1, released PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR AUTHORS, a concise guide to getting more success and satisfaction from your life as an author. e book is available in print and ebook at Amazon. To learn more, visit www.APeculiarProject.com.

Area 1 Dave Szymanowski’s article, “Budding Solutions to Violence: Using eater to interrupt the cycle of violence in Erie,” was published in the Nov. 25, 2015 edition of the Erie Reader.

Cheryle Williams, Area 3, released her second YA novel with Desert Breeze Publishing, STRANGERS IN THE PROVINCE OF JOY, available now through Amazon, B&N, All Romance Ebooks and Desert Breeze Publishing.

Area 5 Judy Wolfman’s book, A SLAVE NO MORE, is now available. It’s the true story of Henry Brown, born into slavery in 1815, who escaped to freedom by arranging to have himself mailed from Virginia to Philadelphia in a 3-foot by 2.5-foot by 3-foot wooden crate. Henry became a noted abolitionist speaker and writer of his own autobiographical narrative, published in 1849, which provided the core for Judy’s book. Visit www.judybwolfman.com.

the PeNN writer • January/February 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

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Pennwriters Online Courses

Area 1 todd Main • area 1 representative 814-459-8752 • area1rep@Pennwriters.org Meadville vicinity Pennwriters (MvP) Meets 1st Saturday, 1-4 p.m. at tim horton’s on conneaut lake road. contact Babs Mountjoy at bmountjoy@zoominternet.net.

North east group Meets 2nd tuesday, 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. at Mccord Memorial library in North east. contact Diane wickles at dwickles@yahoo.com.

Presque isle group Meets 2nd Saturday, 1-4 p.m. at tom ridge environmental center on Presque isle. contact todd Main at todd_main@steris.com.

Shenango valley Pennwriters (SvP) Meets 3rd Saturday, 1-4 p.m. at the Shenango valley library in Sharon. contact catherine Mclean at catherinemclean@windstream.net. erie group Meets 4th Saturday, 1-4 p.m. at Barnes & Noble near the Millcreek Mall in erie. contact Dave Szymanowski at daveszy@adelphia.net.

Fellowship of the Quill (FotQ) Meets every thursday, 7-10 p.m. at tim horton’s, 2565 west 12th, erie. contact todd Main at todd_main@steris.com Meadville group Meets third tuesdays, 7-10 p.m. at Barnes & Noble at 5909 Peach Street. contact Jean Jenkins at jean.jenkins10@gmail.com (group geared for more experienced writers)

The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.

worDPreSS worKShoP JaNUary 4-30, 2016 instructor: Pat Haggerty cost: $49 enrollment deadline: Jan 8. enroll now at www.pennwriters.org. coUrSe DeScriPtioN: an author today can hardly get by without having some kind of website. if you don’t have the resources to hire a web developer, then there’s a good chance that you might find yourself out in the internet wilds, attempting to build a site all on your own. a quality site needs three things: vision, content, and a website framework. the vision is the mental plan for the site. ideally, it should be mapped to some brand that you are attempting to create. once you see your site, even roughly in your mind’s eye, you can start to assemble the graphics and text that will make up the site content. Finally, to get it all online, most authors will utilize some web development framework to simplify the actual development process. wordPress is one of the most popular web development frameworks. it’s easy to install, well supported and feature rich. with a little guidance, it’s easy to use. this course is designed to give you the skills you’ll need to combine your vision and your content, using wordPress to bring your site to life. course content will include: • Understanding wordPress and its place in the web development world • obtaining a domain name and a wordPress enabled host • Differentiating between wordPress and wordPress.com • Determining when to use posts and when to use pages • creating a Blog or brochure style site • assembling pages • adding images, text, and other media content • editing images (basic editing only) • obtaining and installing wordPress plugins • linking pages and creating navigation • establishing a standard site look with themes • Backing up your site • lectures will be presented using videos and email discussions. (lectures are through our yahoo classroom group. Pat will provide the link to the videos for the students.)

- heNry DaviD thoreaU

Area 2 Mark Boerma • area 2 representative area2rep@Pennwriters.org Danville group Meets 1st and 3rd wednesdays, 7 p.m. at the episcopal church on Market Street. contact Dave Freas at quillracer@pa.metrocast.net.

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aBoUt the iNStrUctor: after four years in the USMc, Pat haggerty studied actuarial Science and computers at georgia State University. he has spent the past 16+ years developing and delivering technical training courses for learning tree international and runs a successful consulting practice doing web application development for clients ranging from the United States Marines to Delta airlines.

Seven years ago, stuck reading a mediocre book in yet another hotel, Pat decided to try his hand at fiction. he may not be published, but these days you are much more likely to find him spending his evenings writing romance than code. Patrick is an active member of rwa, rwaustralia, rwNew Zealand, and is president of gcrwa and oirwa.

For more course information or to register, visit www.pennwriters.org.

the PeNN writer • January/February 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

Music and the Muse: Giving Your Characters a Soundtrack

By KeviN FalloN

Characters with unique personalities and clear voices are an essential part of a great story. If someone handed you an X-Files script with Mulder’s and Scully’s names removed, I bet you’d be able to identify who was speaking from the dialogue alone. It’s clear the writers really knew their characters—their moods, their mindsets, their manner of speech. The better you understand the characters you’re writing about, the more they come alive to the reader. A great way to delve deeper into your characters and make them more dynamic is to give them a musical soundtrack.

Often in movies, characters have a musical theme.

My favorite is the ominous “Imperial March” that plays whenever Darth Vader looms near. Writers only have the written word, but we can let our characters be influenced by the music we listen to while we write different characters and scenes. Writers may not have the advantage of music in their final product, but if they connect characters to music in the writing process, the overall vibe can translate to the page.

If your hard-boiled detective and his hard-boiled partner are sounding like twins, play Springsteen when writing one character, and Buddy Holly when writing the other. If music distracts you when writing, take five minutes beforehand and listen to a few songs.

Having trouble jumping into the mind of your serialkiller antagonist? Try finding some dark music (i.e. Marilyn Manson), and play it as you write. Exploring your dark side might help your villain develop. Think of it as a form of method acting.

Assigning Marilyn Manson to a killer may be an obvious choice, so let’s take this concept a little farther.

What if you changed your villain’s theme to show tunes?

What does that do to your character’s point of view? How about Miles Davis? The Cure? Write your character’s POV as inspired by different music, and see how it affects the character. Find something that connects with your character and serves as your muse.

Music can be a powerful influence in shaping fiction.

This example is from film, but it can also apply to the written word. The movie American Psycho used 80s pop music to help make Christian Bale’s Patrick Bateman character one of the most iconic killers in film. The music of Huey Lewis and Phil Collins perfectly matched his 80s-businessman persona, adding dark humor to the scenes and setting the tone.

I was recently writing a scene where one of the characters wasn’t working for me. Elle was sweet, nice and, well, boring. I didn’t know her well enough, and it was coming through on the page. Then I came across a picture of a girl who matched my mental image of Elle, and the girl in the photo wore an Iron Maiden t-shirt. The photo prompted me to cue up some Iron Maiden and begin to rewrite the scene. For those not familiar with Iron Maiden, they play upbeat heavy metal that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Matching the character to the mood of the song gave Elle a street-smart edge, balanced with a bubbly fun side. This insight into Elle rang true for me, and the words began to flow.

Another helpful practice is to think of the setting as a character. For example, my current novel is set in New York City around Christmas time. Over the summer, when I was writing, I played “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” to inject holiday spirit. Unlike most yuletide songs, there’s a sense of melancholy in that particular song that fits with the atmosphere of my novel.

Many times, music has helped me break writer’s block.

For example, I’ve been using Ellie Goulding’s Halcyon Days album as an emotional anchor for my protagonist, Levi, a young Angel of Death. The CD helps me access the darkness and drama that I want to inject into the character.

As I was writing, one of Levi’s scenes fell a little flat.

He and another character were walking and talking, not doing much. I’d rewritten it several times, but nothing seemed to click. I gave Goulding’s CD Delirium a listen, hoping for new inspiration. I was plodding through yet another rewrite when the song “Lost and Found” came on.

It sparked an idea for the scene to be set in the lost and found section of a drug store. The new scene worked much better. The motivation for going to the lost and found provided needed character development, and their conversation about the lost items supplied subtext—an interesting way for the characters to discuss their own feelings of abandonment.

Try giving your characters a musical theme. The tunes will flow from your ears to your fingers and help make your characters stand out. It will be music to your readers’ ears.

Kevin Fallon is an Erie resident who teaches high school literature.

His freelance articles about music have been published in the erie times News. He is currently working on his first novel, a supernatural mystery about a young Angel of Death.

the PeNN writer • January/February 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

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Pennwriters Online Courses

Area 3 candace Banks • area 3 representative area3rep@Pennwriters.org Second tuesday of the Month group oN BreaK UNitl aPril 2016 the group is still looking for a permanent host. if you would consider hosting or co-hosting, contact interim coordinators carol Moessinger at pcmoes@verizon.net; cheryl williams at cherylewilliams205@yahoo.com or candace Banks at area3rep@Pennwriters.org. the Mindful writers group our goal is to complete a manuscript in 9 months using writing Meditation Method.

Meets every wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at eat ’n Park at the wexford exit of i-79. to join, contact Madhu wangu at madhu.wangu@me.com. group is currently at its 20-member limit.

Pittsburgh east writers group Small critique group focusing on fiction. all genres welcome. Meets 3rd Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Monroeville Public library’s upstairs conference room. contact chuck rakiecz at crakiecz@verizon.net.

South hills writers group experienced fiction writers meeting weekly for camaraderie in writing, studying of craft, and critiquing. group is limited to four members. we presently have one opening. Meets every thursday at 10 a.m. (meetings last about 4 hours w/writing) at Market District express on washington road in Peter’s township. contact Stephanie claypool at stephanieclaypool@outlook.com. critique group North group is full, but interested writers may submit their names for the waiting list. Meets 2nd thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at King’s restaurant at wexford exit of i-79. contact Maryalice at maryalicemeli@yahoo.com. robinson evening critique group Meets the fourth wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Panera in Settlers ridge. the group is limited to six members. we currently have four. we welcome anyone, published or not. anyone who would like to join the group, get additional info, or come to a session and see how we work, contact Barb D'Souza at barbrett@verizon.net.

caUSe & eFFect SeQUeNceS FeBrUary 1-29, 2016 instructor: Catherine E. McLean cost: $60 limited class size. enroll now at www.pennwriters.org. coUrSe DeScriPtioN: what grabs a reader’s attention and keeps him or her turning pages requires a smoothly flowing sequence of words and sentences that paint instant and vivid pictures in a reader’s mind. to do that means employing the fiction writing techniques and devices of cause & effect Sequences. in this course, weekly assignments will be given, and participation is expected. this course is for writers who are familiar with story structure, writing and story terms, and who have completed and have been marketing short stories or novels. this hands-on, intensive course will teach you how to use cause & effect Sequences to: • add or enhance urgency, suspense, and drama to scenes and plots • enhance the flow of the story • validate motivations for character's behavior, thinking, reactions & decisions • seamlessly enter or depart flashbacks or remembrances • ensure the reader can suspend disbelief • produce cleaner, more marketable copy by recognizing “red flag” words that often indicate skewed cause-effects PleaSe Note: Participants may submit the first 250 words from the opening of one of their stories. instructions for that submission will be given the first day of the course. Submissions will be privately critiqued by the instructor for use of cause & effect Sequences, however, with permission, some may be used as examples for the group. also, Free with this course: “Bloopers & Blunders,” catherine’s list of 46 common fiction-writing mistakes. aBoUt the iNStrUctor: catherine Mclean is a published author of short stories and novels. She’s a longtime Pennwriters member who gives online and in-person workshops and has had two dozen articles published on the devices and techniques of writing fiction. For more information about catherine, visit www.writerscheatSheets.com. teStiMoNialS: “Catherine is the person to call if you want a professional read. Her attention to detail is excellent. I have also attended many of Catherine's workshops.

They are informative, fun and always knowledgeable on the basics of writing.”

- N.S., cincinnati, oh “She knows the mechanics of writing and the structure of story inside and out.”

- J.e., Pittsburgh, Pa For more course information or to register, visit www.pennwriters.org.

The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.

- MUriel rUKeySer

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the PeNN writer • January/February 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

Ideas Spark Stories—or do they? My Kindle Scout Experience By catheriNe e. McleaN, area 1

By NorMa hUSS, area 5

e inception of a story is an idea. Sounds straightforward enough. However, all too often, a writer gets an idea and thinks it’s going to spark a jewel of a story. at story-sparker may be a what-if, a character coming onstage, a bit of dialogue, or just about anything interesting. e writer writes—only to discover the story dead-ends or another character seems more interesting—and the story goes off on a tangent. e result is a dead-end.

Such unsustainable writing is frustrating. Many writers wonder if there isn’t some way to tell if an idea will turn into a completed, marketable story before writing word one.

When ideas pop up, it can be an opportunity to stop and and ask: can this kernel of an idea be extrapolated into a concept with questions? A writer can pause and mull over possibilities before wasting his or her time, writing into a dead-end. e four most important questions I’ve found are:

Several months ago I noticed authors mentioning Kindle Scout and asking for nominations. I checked it out at kindlescout.amazon.com/about. As a writer who reads more than she writes, I liked what I saw.

Kindle Scout (KS) will place your novel on their site for 30 days, giving readers the opportunity to nominate (vote on) your novel as one they’d like to read. en KS decides whether or not to publish the novel as an ebook.

If they publish your novel, KS gives you a $1,500 advance, 50% royalties and a five-year renewable contract with welldefined ways to terminate the contract. Plus, you still have all rights to publish your book in paper or hardcover.

Of course there are conditions to be met before your manuscript is placed on the site. Kindle Scout wants fiction—a fully ready novel of at least 50,000 words, in English, and in one of the categories they seek. Current categories are Literature & Fiction; Mystery, riller & Suspense; Romance; Science Fiction & Fantasy; and Teen & Young Adult. Your manuscript must be titled, and you must have a cover image. e rest is easy. You fill in your elevator pitch, your short blurb, your bio, add your photo, answer your choice of three questions from their list, and add links to all your social media and your Amazon author page (if you have one). All of those answers are limited in length, but you can edit until you achieve the desired effect.

Your KS page will include images and links for all of your previously published works.

Benefits for the reader are the free books they receive shortly before each book is published. (And hopefully, many of those readers will choose to review the books, adding to their appeal.)

Kindle Scout is probably the only venue, other than self-publishing, that accepts later books of an orphaned series. I know one woman who had three books in her series published by a major publisher in hard cover, then was dropped. Right now, I’m waiting for my free copy of one of her series books from Kindle Scout. (Oh, yes, I didn’t mention. So far they have worked with the writer and further edited each of the books they published, although they don’t promise to do so.)

As I write this, my new mystery, Forgotten Body, is on the site. By the time the newsletter is published, I’ll know if it was chosen for publication. For me, it has been an interesting journey. e Kindle Scout experience has been win-win for me so far. I don’t know if I will get the contract, but I have had visibility and several great free reads.

1.) Who wants what? e who is the protagonist. What he or she wants is the heart’s desire, want, or goal. It’s what the protagonist thinks will make him or her happy. For example, in e Wizard of Oz, Dorothy wants a place with no strife.

Why? Because her teen years have been filled with strife.

2.) Why can't the protagonist have his or her goal? is is an internal reason, the character’s “fatal flaw” or “Achilles heel” that holds him or her back from achieving their “heart’s desire.” With Dorothy, it’s that she runs away from strife or tries to avoid it.

3.) What stands in the protagonist’s way? is will be the antagonist that opposes and thwarts the protagonist. is is also known as the “external problem” the plot deals with.

In Dorothy’s case, she must face the challenges which are represented by her main opponent, e Wicked Witch.

4.) What happens if the protagonist fails? (Also known as “What’s at stake?” Remember, the stakes must be high.) For Dorothy, failure means never returning to Kansas and her family. e lesson she learns is that there’s no place like home.

Just asking such questions stimulates the imagination to give the writer more material to work with. Questions beget more questions, until there’s a broad brush-stroke of the story’s plot, with a climax that can be jotted down. If nothing more is forthcoming, that “story sparker” of an idea can be filed away for another day. Periodically revisiting ideas allows the imagination to ponder the problem. One day, the imagination may surprise the writer with what’s needed to make that initial concept into a great story.

Author Catherine E. McLean has contributed many articles on the craft of writing to The Penn Writer. During the month of February, she'll be leading the Pennwriters Online Course "Cause & Effect Sequences." To learn more about Catherine, visit www.CatherineEmclean.com. For a list of her other workshops and courses, visit www.writerscheatsheets.com/workshops.html.

Author Norma Huss, “the Grandma Moses of Mystery,” blogs at blog.normahuss.com.

For more information about her writing, visit www.normahuss.com.

the PeNN writer • January/February 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

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Area 4

Perry Co. Council of the Arts: A Novel Idea

hilary hauck • area 4 representative area4rep@Pennwriters.org

By DoN heliN, area 5

the Southern alleghenies writers guild (Johnstown, Pa) Meets 3rd Saturdays from noon-3 p.m. contact Jim lee at 814-442-1241 or jimlee.author@gmail.com. the inkwell (Duncansville, Pa) Meets 3rd thursdays from 6-8:30 p.m. at Marzoni’s at 164 Patchway road. contact hilary at area4rep@Pennwriters.org.

Additional writers groups meeting in Area 4: Nittany valley writers Network Meets 2nd tuesdays from 6-7:30 p.m. at Schlow library (211 S. allen St.). (on winter break until March 2016.)

Nittany valley writers Network: the early risers Meets 3rd wednesday from 7-8:00 a.m. at the waffle Shop on w. college avenue.

Nittany valley writers Network: Social Meets 4th tuesdays from 5:30-7 p.m. at the autoport (1405 S. atherton St.).

Area 5 Melissa gettys • area 5 representative area5rep@Pennwriters.org york area group critique structure: bring 6 copies of up to 5 pgs. of manuscript, double spaced.

Meets 2nd thursdays from 7-9 p.m. at Books-a-Million, 3000 whiteford rd, york, Pa. harrisburg area group critique structure: bring 10 copies of up to 5 pages, double spaced. all genres welcome.

Meets 4th wednesdays from 6-9 p.m. at the New cumberland library’s back annex (1 Benjamin Plaza, New cumberland). contact Don helin at dhelin@copper.net. lancaster area group Meets 2nd & 4th tuesdays from 7-9 p.m. in the lancaster Barnes & Noble cafe. contact walt honsinger at walthonsinger@hotmail.com.

Area 6 charli Mac • area 6 representative area6rep@Pennwriters.org there are currently no Pennwriters area 6 groups meeting, but if you are interested in forming a group, please email charli-mac@comcast.net.

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e following is an update on A Novel Idea, a program through the Perry County Council of the Arts.We have now completed the first four months of the 12-month program on How to Write a Novel. Last year we had 18 students. We are proud that this year we have 22 students. Our one-day courses have been very popular. e sessions have included Cathy Jordan teaching “Creating a Premise,” Lori Myers on “How to Set the Scene,” Ann Stewart on “Developing a plot,” and Don Helin on “How to Create Spellbinding Characters,” and Lori Myers on “How to Write a Memoir.”

here is a list of classes that are being offered in 2016.

For more information, visit www.perrycountyarts.org.

• March: lori Myers on “writing Plays” • aPril: laurie edwards on “So you want to Be a writer” • May: ann Stewart on “critiquing your Manuscript” • JUly: cathy Jordan on “writing and Marketing Short Stories” • SePteMBer: Maria v. Snyder on “Putting Magic & Fantasy into your Fiction” • NoveMBer: laurie edwards on “writing young adult Fiction”

“Creating Premise” Workshop Recap Area 2 Representative Mark Boerma has been attending the A NOVEL IDEA workshops in Perry County. Each Pennwriters newsletter in 2016 wil feature recaps of those sessions.

Prior to attending this workshop, I had a limited idea of premise and its impact on my writing. anks to instructor Catherine Jordan, I am happy to report that my view and usage of this technique has been amplified. e class was given a handout that contained definitions of premise. en a group exercise was assigned and workshopped. We eventually ended up tying together a story structure of beginning, middle and end.

Here are some definitions that were discussed: Premise is the meaningful act by a person that causes changes in themselves through a battle with an opponent.

Premise is what the drama is all about. Premise commits the story to one sentence and evokes its essential meaning. it answers the question, what is the beginning, middle and end? A premise is a promise concerning the sort of story you intend to tell that will not be broken so long as the story “proves” the premise. A premise is something asserted as true; it is the writer’s truth concerning the great issues that confront human existence—the ideas and values that inform and confound us— love, death, loyalty, jealousy, prejudice, the nature of our responsibilities to ourselves and to others. A premise states what the story is about, what it means, rather than simply recounting what happens. A premise is a guide to how well every part of the story supports or resonates with every other part of the story. it may be a stepping stone or a catalyst in the quest to dig ever deeper into the story and to find something unexpected there. Your premise should point the direction and vividly illuminate the ultimate goal and meaning of the actions of the characters.

In order for the writer to make the premise the foundation for the story, there is a series of steps involved. 1) Identify the core structure of your story. is first step helps you identify the seven structural components [character; deficiency; quest; change bomb; focal relationship; pressure & response; brink] present in any story, regardless of genre. 2) Map the core structure to the anatomy of a premise line. Do you have a story or a situation? 3) Finalize the premise line. Here you will see the entire structure of the story in a single sentence. 4) Test the premise line with objective readers. Does your trusted reader get a gestalt picture of the overall structure—beginning, middle, end?

the PeNN writer • January/February 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

Looking Ahead to the 29th Annual Pennwriters Conference By ayleeN goNtZ, 2016 coNFereNce coorDiNator & PeNNwriterS’ aUthor aDvocate

2016 is upon us, and so is the 29th annual Pennwriters conference. to see what we have to offer this year, visit www.pennwriters.org regularly to find out the latest news, and watch for registration to open in February!

Friday Keynote: Jonathan Maberry I am thrilled to invite Jonathan back to Pennwriters!

He has been a fabulous workshop presenter in the past and is currently enjoying outstanding success as he continues to push the boundaries of what a motivated author can accomplish: nonfiction, novels, short stories, anthologies, comic books, graphic novels, tie-ins, television...

This New York Times bestselling author and multiple winner of the Bram Stoker Award continues to grow his readerships through social media and self-published back stories that support his fictional characters.

DEADLANDS: GHOSTWALKERS is his first novel in a series of books based on the role-playing game set in the West. He is also co-creator (with Laura Schrock) of “On the Slab,” an entertainment news show in development by Stage 9 for ABC Disney / Stage 9. Please join us Friday night for dinner and what promises to be a rousing presentation by a Pennwriters favorite. To learn more about Jonathan, visit www.jonathanmaberry.com.

You’ll also see him in a workshop or two as he presents information from his books, BLUEPRINT YOUR BOOK (published by Penguin/Perigee and chosen as one of the best books on writing in 2013 by The Writer magazine), BOOK ARCHITECTURE, and FINISH YOUR BOOK IN THREE DRAFTS (due out in Feb 2016). To learn more about Stuart, visit www.bookarchitecture.com.

Three Days of Workshops Friday, Saturday, and Sunday feature an open-attendance slate of 1-hour workshops on all things writing. The schedule is structured with open attendance, so you can take whatever classes appeal to you—and are helpful to you—at the time of the conference. Choose from craftbased classes taught by published authors, promotion and business classes, or panels featuring agents and editors.

Here are a few examples of what’s already scheduled: • Pitch Perfect, an interactive experience with sci-fi author

Jon Sprunk Saturday Keynote: Kathryn Craft The Saturday keynote spot is reserved for a Pennwriters member who has met with great success. I first met Kathryn Craft at the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Guild conference in Allentown a handful of years ago, and it’s been exciting to watch as her career in literary fiction has blossomed. Her debut novel, THE ART OF FALLING, was published by Sourcebooks in 2014, and her second novel, THE FAR END OF HAPPY, was released by Sourcebooks in 2015. She is currently working on her third novel. You’ll hear more about her intriguing tale as she joins us for lunch Saturday afternoon. To learn more about Kathryn, visit www.kathryncraft.com.

Friday Networking Lunch featuring Stuart Horwitz Stuart’s name is a familiar one to Pennwriters, as he’s been a regular workshop presenter and speaker at several conferences. Stuart is uber-connected to the writing world and has a wealth of information to share with new writers, which is why I’ve asked him to be the speaker for our Friday Networking Lunch for new and unpublished writers.

• Getting Your Manuscript Past the Gatekeeper, with

YA author Donna Galanti • Self-Publishing intensive, a special class in three sessions

with self-publishing specialist Jamie Saloff • Writing the Modern-Day Romance, with Harlequin author

Susan Meier • The Cold Hard Slog, aka Writing the Middle, with fantasy

author Maria V. Snyder • Genre Breakouts, with published writers in fields from

historical fiction to memoir • The Business of Writing, with freelance writer and

voiceover artist Hana Haatainen Caye Direct Access to Literary Agents and Editors When you register for the conference, writers with finished manuscripts will be able to sign up for 10-minute pitch sessions with agents or editors. Use that time to pitch your idea directly to a person who can make the ultimate

the PeNN writer • January/February 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

continued on page 13

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Area 7

Save the Date

Bobbi carducci • area 7 representative 540-338-5064 • area7rep@Pennwriters.org Blue ridge group (virginia) Meetings include critique on request, sharing resources, writing exercises and discussion.

Beginning to multi-published writers welcome.

Meets 2nd & 4th wednesdays from 7-9 p.m. at the Purcellville library in Purcellville, virginia. contact Bobbi at area7rep@Pennwriters.org.

Northern Delaware group Meetings will be held monthly. all levels of experience are welcome. For details, email cindy callaghan at callaghancindy@gmail.com. anyone interested in forming a group, please contact area rep Bobbi carducci. if you have a place to meet and a desire to spend time with fellow writers, it is possible to host a group.

Imagination is like a muscle.

I found out that the more I wrote, the bigger it got.

Pennwriters area 7 is thrilled to announce it is again hosting a one-day mini conference in leesburg, virginia. open to all writers, this conference is also designed to introduce Pennwriters to aspiring and published authors in the Northern virginia, Maryland, west virginia and washington, D.c. areas.

Join us for a day of ideas, inspiration and networking with people like you who are ready to take their writing to new heights.

Scheduled speakers include the following published authors, journalists, publishers and book sellers:

- PhiliP JoSé FarMer

WrITer’s

Nancy Martin author

Toolbox:

carol Silvis author

Bobbi carducci author

linda Sittig author

val Muller author

Jay Foreman author

local collaBoratorS

Don’t just think national for collaborator opportunities. Local companies, colleges and nonprofits hire speakers and order books all the time. You may be the only fish in the local pond, where people don’t realize they have a published author in their midst. e appeal of hometown heroes and celebrities can transform locals into active fans. And local speaking gigs can pay, often more than the book sales dollars you’ll make.

-from STRATEGIC MARKETING MADE EASy FOR WRITERS: OPTIMIzE yOuR PROMOTIONS FOR BESTSELLER RESuLTS by Nate Hardy, Area 6, www.PlusSignProductions.org

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eric egger publisher

Dixiane hallaj publisher/author

Dan Morrow publisher/author

David Sackrider playwright

Kathy Jo Shea Owner, Second Chapter Books

online registration opens Jan. 31, 2016 Sign-in: 8 a.m.; workshops 9 a.m.-4 p.m. author Signing and Book sale: 4-5 p.m. $75 for Pennwriters members; $100 for non-members; $85 for students catered lunch included Stay tuned for details on www.pennwriters.org and our social media sites. contact Bobbi carducci at area7rep@Pennwriters.org.

the PeNN writer • January/February 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

continued from page 11

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difference in your writing career. You’ll also be able to attend panel sessions and workshops with agents who are willing to answer your questions about the publishing process and provide information about the state of the industry. Agents and editors are also part of our Friday night read-and-critique sessions, where you can get feedback on your writing from industry pros.

The Pennwriters Conference also features— • Area Meetings – Meet Pennwriters members and

the Area Representative from your Area.

• Saturday Night Special – Find the perfect Mardi Gras

mask and come mingle with agents, editors, and other writers. This is a great opportunity to network.

• Networking Opportunities – Chat with Pennwriters,

agents, editors and speakers throughout the conference.

Learn what agents and editors are seeking, find a critique partner, make new friends and rekindle old friendships.

• Saturday Author’s Book Signing – Authors can register

to participate in the book signing. Attendees can meet authors, purchase books, and get books signed at this event.

• Freebies Table – Find lots of goodies from magazines

and journals to pens and bookmarks.

• Auction Baskets – Auction basket proceeds help our

organization provide future speakers and conferences.

• Fabulous Accommodations – Discounted rates, delicious

meals, and a writer-friendly atmosphere in the heart of Lancaster County are provided by the Best Western Eden Resort. www.edenresort.com

Stay Connected Visit our website regularly at www.pennwriters.org.

Follow us online on Facebook (Pennwriters Annual Conference) and Twitter (Pennwriters) for the latest Pennwriters Conference news. Specific questions can be directed to Ayleen Gontz, conference coordinator, at ayleengontz@gmail.com.

Calling All Volunteers! if you plan to attend the conference, please consider volunteering. we have a number of opportunites. Many jobs take only a few minutes, while others may take an hour. Positions are available prior to and during the conference. the rewards of volunteering are many. in addition to getting to see what happens behind the scenes, you can get up close and personal with many accomplished authors and speakers. Some jobs even pair you with agents and editors. MoDeratorS introduce a session speaker by reading a short bio (already written and provided to you) and distribute handouts if necessary. tiMeKeePerS for agent and editor pitch appointments keep the 10-minute appointments running smoothly. PeNN PalS greet agents, editors and speakers. they pass out conference materials and answer questions that arise throughout the conference. if you would like to volunteer for any of these spots or would like to offer help but do not have a particular preference, contact the conference coordinator, ayleen gontz, at ayleengontz@gmail.com.

“How to Set the Scene” Workshop Recap Area 2 Representative Mark Boerma has been attending the A NOVEL IDEA workshops in Perry County. Each Pennwriters newsletter in 2016 wil feature recaps of those sessions.

Workshop instructor Lori Myers put an interesting twist on setting. Setting is more than the surroundings or environment of a scene. Setting is a sense of place, and that place can be like a character...a character that breathes life and influences a story. Setting is crucial, and there are various tools in the writer’s toolbox to accomplish this. Techniques were discussed, and assignments were workshopped. e keys to transforming setting into attributes of a character were: Setting as the World, Setting as a Camera, Setting as Mood and Symbol, and Setting as Action.

An example of Setting as the World came from Richard Ford’s INDEPENDENCE DAY: “e 4th is still three days off, but traffic is jamming into Frenchy’s Gulf and through the parking lot at Pelcher’s Market, citizens shouting out greetings from the dry cleaners and Town Liquors, as the morning heat is drumming up... all merchants are staging ‘firecracker sales,’ setting out derelict merchandise they haven’t moved since Christmas and draping sun racks with patriotic bunting and gimmicky signs that say wasting hard-earned money is the American way.” (Way better than “a typical small town on Fourth of July weekend.”)

An example of Setting as Camera came from John McNeel’s story ON THE FEDALA ROAD: “e thin line of the approaching daybreak always seemed to emphasize the strangeness and foreignness of our battalion’s bivouac area on a country road outside continued on page 15 the PeNN writer • January/February 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

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Market News

colUMN #111

By JiM lee, area 4, aSSociate eDitor, MarKet rePortS

Let’s start with some book publishers and various anthology projects…

Forever yours is a digital-only romance line of the hachette Publishing group. Unlike the rest of the company (and most of the other major book publishers), you don’t need to have an agent to submit here. they do all types of romance fiction and use a wide range of lengths (15,000-100,000 wds). you’ll need to send them a proposal and a couple sample chapters of your completed manuscript. www.hachettebookgroup.com the Poisoned Pencil is an imprint of young adult Mysteries from Poisoned Pen Press. they do books in both electronic and trade paperback and pay a $1,000 advance on royalties. they use novels of 45,000-80,000 wds, and the protagonist should be age 13-18. For their guides and online submission form, visit https://thepoisonedpencil.submittable.com/submit. an outfit called the Book Smugglers is now looking to buy four SF/F novellas (17,500-40,000 wds), for publication in 2017. they want unpublished works only (no reprints). rather than an advance against royalties, they’re paying a “signing bonus.” authors get some money up-front then periodic royalty payments on every copy sold. amounts aren’t specified in their guides (www.thebooksmugglers.com), but it’s an interesting idea. this company is scheduled to release four superhero-oriented novellas in 2016, apparently already in the works.

Daddy Dearest is a new line of gay-oriented romance books where the gay (or bisexual male) love interest has children. (absolutely no incest or underage stuff involved!) they’re looking for original stories, 20,000-60,000 wds in length, and all heat levels (from sweet to explicitly erotic), all should end happily.

Pay is royalties only (50% net royalty from all sources) and first editions of all will be e-books. if an e-book over 40,000 wds sells 50+ electronic copies, they then release a paperback edition at the same pay rate. Deadline to submit is July 31, 2016. For guides, visit www.jms-books.com.

Blood, Sweat & Fears is an anthology of horror stories inspired by the 1970s. editors David t. Neal and christine M. Scott want tales from 3,000-10,000 wds for a flat fee of $25 plus contributor copy. Deadline is Feb. 29. as always, check their guides before submitting: www.nosetouchpress.com. comet Press is looking for erotic horror stories published in 2015 for a Best of the year collection called the 2015 hardcore horror annual. Deadline to submit is Jan. 31, 2016.

No mention of pay rate for this one, but getting in a “best of” type book always looks good on a resume. Meanwhile, editors randy chandler and cheryl Mullenax are also reading new stories for Stiff things: an erotic horror anthology until March. that one pays 3 cents/wd and will use stories up to 9,000 wds. visit www.cometpress.us/guidelines.

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all the King’s Men is an anthology of unpublished SF stories and comics about things that are broken and can’t be mended. editor Shane w. Smith is paying 4 cents/wd (probably in australian money) for fiction and $12.50/page for comics. there is no firm length limit, but he obviously won’t have room for a full-length novel. Deadline is March 31, and his guides include a number of suggested story ideas—or send your own take on the theme. he recommends sending a query/pitch before sending a story to insure against more than one person writing about the exact same subject. www.shanewsmith.com

Lots of nonfiction-oriented magazines, special-topic websites and blogs that pay guest writers this time… trains Magazine pays 10 cents/wd for articles about the current railroad industry and colorful incidents from train history. they want freelancers to query before submitting and pay extra for accompanying photos (rate not specified). visit www.trn.trains.com.

Knitty.com is a website dedicated to articles on knitting. they pay $75-150 for these. the guidelines include info about the online submission form you need to use to contribute. visit www.knitty.com/subguide.php. cosmopolitan.com is looking for short essays (800 wds max) on aspects of college life. they’re paying $100 each, and if you impress them enough, they may ask you to do additional work on assignment! www.cosmopolitan.com/career/news/a/16298 visit www.bmichellepippin.com for guidelines and required pitch/submission form to be a guest writer at B. Michelle Pippin’s blog-site. her blog offers tips and articles for small business owners. Pay range is $50-150. xoJane.com is a woman-focused webpage. they pay $50 for essays on “crazy things that have happened to you,” “fashion and beauty trends” and other things of interest to women. guides: www.xojane.com/page/xojane-pitching-guidelines/.

Site Point is an online site for website developers. they need technical articles (800-1,200 wds) on aspects of web design. check their very detailed guides and pitch/query before sending (www.sitepoint.com/writingguidelines/). No pay level mentioned, but elsewhere it was reported as $50 and up. two Plus two, a website about poker and poker players, pays $200/article. www.twoplustwo.com/magazine/contribute.php.

Dorkly is all about pop culture, using nonfiction about music, tv, anime, video games, movies, etc. others say they focus on “click-bait” type material. Pay is $35 for 1 published page, $75 for longer. guides: www.dorkly.com/static/write-for-us.

the PeNN writer • January/February 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

another pop culture-oriented site, Paste Magazine pays $50 for freelance articles and reviews. guides are at www.pastemagazine.com. they proudly proclaim they’re about “all things geek!” the Penny hoarder is all about money—earning, saving and growing it. they particularly love hearing about “wacky & weird ways of making extra money.” their 700-900 wd articles get $75 to start, with bonus cash for ones that attract lots of views. visit www.thepennyhoarder.com. in addition to listing a number of the above markets, the Make a living writing website is a paying market itself. have tips/fresh ideas about how to make money as a writer? they pay $75-100 per post for guest writers. very detailed guides at www.makealivingwriting.com/why-i-pay-writers/.

And news on magazines that focus on fiction… editor Sandy Marlowe takes unpublished crime fiction (250-20,000 wds, but ideal length is 2,500-8,000) for ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. this long-running monthly pays 5-8 cents/wd and these days they use an online sub form. www.themysteryplace.com/eqmm/guidelines/ Zoetrope: all-Story is a rarity in several ways. the quarterly uses all varieties of fiction (except probably erotica). they also accept only paper submissions (send to Zoetrope: all-Story, attn: Fiction editor, 916 Kearny St., San Francisco, ca 94133— and don’t forget that once-universal SaSe or they won’t respond). their guides are online (www.all-story.com/submissions.cgi), and you can query using an online form located there. Pay is pro-level (exact amount not specified), and in addition to buying First Publication rights, they need a 1-year-long option to buy it for film. editor Michael rey uses works up to 7,000 wds and reads now through august 31, 2016. he strongly advises you read a few issues before submitting. the online pro-SF/F zine crossed genre and the tiny fantasy e-zine Sorcerous Signals have both ceased publication.

continued from page 13

an e-zine of SF/F that pays an excellent 15 cents/wd for original work, Fantastic Stories of the imagination occasionally uses reprints as well. they recently upgraded their pay level for these to 1 cent/wd, with a $25 minimum. Full guides are online at www.fantasticstoriesoftheimagination.com. lovecraft e-zine uses horror fiction. it doesn’t have to be specifically set in lovecraft’s universe, but it can be. either way, they look for cosmic horror. they pay $50 for stories of 3,000+ wds; $25 for shorter. they strongly prefer originals but will consider reprints if the story hasn’t been on the web. info at www.lovecraftezine.com/submissions. email subs to lovecraftezinesubmissions@gmail.com. Subject line of subs: yoUr title (in all caps), your name and word count. woman’s world uses very short romantic stories (800 wds max) and pays $1/wd. they want postal subs only, mailed to woman’s world, 270 Sylvan ave., englewood cliffs. NJ 07632. write “romance” on front of the envelope. hot chilli erotica is a new online site using about every genre of erotic romance, as long as it’s sex-positive and not abusive to women (or men). guides are at www.hotchillierotica.com. they use works of up to 4,000 wds but only pay for items 1,500 wds and up ($20 for new/$5 for reprints). they will use shorter (including poetry), but there’s no pay for these. they respond quickly to subs.

Mystery weekly Magazine uses all types of crime/mystery/ suspense fiction. 1,000-10,000 wds, no reprints or postal subs. this new e-zine pays via Paypal at a rate of a half-cent per word. avoid intense profanity and excessive violence.

Submit through the online form attached to their guides: www.mysteryweekly.com/submit.asp.

Sources: Ralan.com; Cindy Myers’ Market Blog; Duotrope.com; MakeaLivingWriting.com; FreedomwithWriting.com; The Open Calls for Submission pages on Facebook; The Erotica Readers & Writers Association website. To submit market tips, email jimlee.author@gmail.com.

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of Casablanca. Every morning a heavy mist covered the land just before the sun rose. en, as the light grew, odd-looking shapes and things came slowly into view... Dim, moving figures behind the mist, dressed in ghostly white, materialized as Arabs perched on the hindquarters of spindly donkeys or walking along the road.” See how McNeel began with a wide angle and movied to closer focus that eventually introduced us to an exotic locale?

An example of Setting as Mood and Symbol came from Saul Bellow’s MEMOIR OF A BOOTLEGGER’S SON: “e bakery was a shanty. e rats took refuge from the winter there, and drowned in the oil and fish suffocated from the jelly. e dogs and cats could not police them, they were so numerous. e thick ice did not float leisurely, it ran the swift current. in March and even April the snow still lay heavy. When it melted, the drains couldn’t carry off the water. ere were gray lagoons in the hollows of old ice; they were sullen or flashing according to the color of the sky. ” All these convey scene but also the man’s loss of self-determination. Of giving up.

An example of Setting as Action was Alice Walker’s short story EVERYDAY USE: “i will wait for her in the yard that Maggie and i made so clean and wavy yesterday afternoon. A yard like this is more comfortable than most people know. it is not just a yard. it is like an extended living room. When the hard clay is swept clean as a floor and the fine sand around the edges lined with tiny, irregular grooves, anyone can come and sit and look up into the elm tree and wait for the breezes that never come inside the house.” Is the character comfortable or uncomfortable in your setting? the PeNN writer • January/February 2016 • www.pennwriters.org

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THE

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PA I D Pittsburgh, PA Permit No. 2516

911 W. Park Rd. Slippery Rock, PA 16057 Return Service Requested

2016 Penn Writer Newsletter Themes and Submission Deadlines March/april theme: networking Submission deadline: Feb. 1 May/June theme: writers toolbox—what you use to help you in your writing Submission deadline: april 1 July/aug theme: poetry and language Submission deadline: June 1 Sept/oct theme: writers market—selling your work, your writing career, making money, etc.

Submission deadline: aug. 1 Nov/Dec theme: short stories, articles and nonfiction Submission deadline: oct. 1

About Pennwriters

Submissions

e Mission of Pennwriters Inc. is to help writers of all levels, from the novice to the award-winning and multipublished, improve and succeed in their craft. Pennwriters, a not-for-profit organization of more than 390 members from Pennsylvania and beyond, was established in 1988 as a networking organization for published and aspiring writers of all genres. e group offers an annual three-day writers conference and area events and has a strong internet presence, with email groups, online classes and social networks. Authors who meet set criteria are granted Published Author status. For more information about Pennwriters and its members, visit www.pennwriters.org or contact Carol Silvis at President@pennwriters.org.

NeXt DeaDliNe: FeB. 1 (March/aPril iSSUe) e Penn Writer newsletter is published bimonthly.

Contact Heather Desuta, newsletter editor, at Newsletter@pennwriters.org. Please share your news, accomplishments, tips, book recommendations, great quotes, etc. Include relevant artwork, photos and book cover images. Word counts—articles: 800 words (1-pg), 1,600 (2-pg). For articles exceeding 1,600 words, contact the editor in advance. Blurb submissions of any length are welcome. Type “PENN WRITER SUBMISSION” in the subject line of your email message, and please include your Area number. (See the map on page 3.)