Break Up The Winter Doldrums With a Contest From the Casablanca Authors and Our Acquiring Editor Deb Werksman!
Deb will make her monthly visit to the blog on Thursday, January 29. The Casa Authors invite you to submit a 50-word pitch for your book in the comment section of Deb's blog. If we like yours the best, Deb will request your full manuscript and provide feedback. Two runners up will be asked to submit a synopsis to Deb. As an added extra, several of the Casa Authors have offered critiques of a first chapter and synopsis (up to 50 pages) to selected runners-up!
What is Deb Looking For?
Single title romance (series/trilogies too!) in all sub-genres:
*paranormal
*historical
*contemporary
*romantic suspense
*erotic romance
minimum 90,000 words, please
*a heroine the reader can identify with
*a hero she can fall in love with
*a world is created
*a "hook" Deb can use to sell the book in 2-3 sentences
Contest Rules
--The contest will run from 12:01 a.m. on January 29 and end at noon on January 30. All pitches must be entered into the comments section of Deb's blog by noon on Jan. 30. No pitches may be emailed to the blog, to individual authors or to Deb. Emailed pitches will be automatically disqualified.
--Please enter pitches ONLY for finished, polished manuscripts that are at least 90,000 words in length. No works in progress please.
--Winners will be announced on Saturday, February 14 on the Casablanca Authors blog. No individual messages will be sent to winners. The winner and runners up have until 5 p.m. on Monday, February 16 to send the full manuscript/and or requested synopsis to Deb's assistant Lisa Acosta at lisa.acosta@sourcebooks.com. If the winning MS is not received by the deadline, a runner up will be chosen. Deb will respond within three to four weeks. Critique runners up will be notified as to how to proceed.
--Decisions of the judges (Deb, our publicist Danielle, and the Casa Authors) are final.
--Winning this contest does not in any way constitute a guarantee of publication or further consideration by Sourcebooks Casablanca.
What is Deb Looking For?
Single title romance (series/trilogies too!) in all sub-genres:
*paranormal
*historical
*contemporary
*romantic suspense
*erotic romance
minimum 90,000 words, please
*a heroine the reader can identify with
*a hero she can fall in love with
*a world is created
*a "hook" Deb can use to sell the book in 2-3 sentences
Contest Rules
--The contest will run from 12:01 a.m. on January 29 and end at noon on January 30. All pitches must be entered into the comments section of Deb's blog by noon on Jan. 30. No pitches may be emailed to the blog, to individual authors or to Deb. Emailed pitches will be automatically disqualified.
--Please enter pitches ONLY for finished, polished manuscripts that are at least 90,000 words in length. No works in progress please.
--Winners will be announced on Saturday, February 14 on the Casablanca Authors blog. No individual messages will be sent to winners. The winner and runners up have until 5 p.m. on Monday, February 16 to send the full manuscript/and or requested synopsis to Deb's assistant Lisa Acosta at lisa.acosta@sourcebooks.com. If the winning MS is not received by the deadline, a runner up will be chosen. Deb will respond within three to four weeks. Critique runners up will be notified as to how to proceed.
--Decisions of the judges (Deb, our publicist Danielle, and the Casa Authors) are final.
--Winning this contest does not in any way constitute a guarantee of publication or further consideration by Sourcebooks Casablanca.
I'm going to answer Karen Duvall's question from yesterday about whether to use proper names in a pitch.
ReplyDeleteAs my friend Virginia Kantra says, "There are no firm rules for writing. There's only what works/what doesn't work."
Remeber what Deb is looking for:a heroine to identify with, a hero to fall in love with, and two or three sentences (in this case fifty words)wrapped around the book's hook.
If proper names help you achieve those objectives, use them. But there is no rule in this contest that says you should, or should not name the characters.
Thanks, Mary, for answering my question. I've tried it both ways, and I think without names it's distancing, not very intimate.
ReplyDeleteWhen you say "Deb's blog" you're not talking about an actual blog url for Deb, right? You mean the blog entry she makes here on the 29th, is that right?
"When you say "Deb's blog" you're not talking about an actual blog url for Deb, right? You mean the blog entry she makes here on the 29th, is that right?"
ReplyDeleteRight. Right here. Jan. 29 http://www.casablancaauthors.blogspot.com/
Good luck!
What an excellent opportunity. I'll post it to my blog on Monday, get the word out.
ReplyDeleteThis is an incredible opportunity! How very exciting! I've marked my calendar and I'm off to spit-polish my pitch now. Thank you to Deb and the Casa authors for putting together this contest!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Pat, this is a great opportunity being offered and I, for one, am thrilled.
ReplyDeleteTo Deb Werksman and Casa authors, thanks.
~Sia~