NCF Tuesday: Writing Receiving Bad Press; Writing Contests; Death Star Canteen


News

Book Bombs

In Jakarta, terrorists aim book bombs at moderate Muslim figures and anti-terror official, striking fear into Indonesia with explosive words.

What do you predict will be the outcome of this tactic?

   
Jennifer Egan’s Win Overshadowed by Jonathan Franzen Loss

Jennifer Egan’s novel A Visit From the Goon Squad won the National Book Critics Circle fiction prize.  The online article incited an uproar when  the LA Times focused on Jonathan Franzen’s loss by only including his photo and only mentioning his novel in the sub headline.  

Why are women still a minority within the writing community? 


Jane Bond Shattering Stereotypes

Valerie Plame Wilson, best known for the memoir of her days in the C.I.A. called Fair Game, has signed a deal with Penguin Group to write a series of mystery novels with a female C.I.A. agent protagonist. “The idea for the books, Ms. Wilson said, “was born out of my frustration and continuing disappointment in how female C.I.A. officers are portrayed in popular culture.”


Who is your favorite female mystery character?


Contests

FICTION
 New American Fiction Prize
-       Fiction: Approx. 100-500 pages of your best fiction
-       First Place Prize: $1,000, publication contract, 25 complimentary copies and 15% royalties
-       Deadline: May 15, 2011
-       Details here 


E.M Koeppel Short Fiction Award
-       Unpublished Fiction
-       First Place Prize: $1,100
-       Deadline: April 3, 2011
-       Details here

Glimmer Train Literary Journal
-       Open Fiction
-       First Place Prize: $2,000
-       Deadline: March 31, 2011
-       Details here 

Narrative Magazine
-       Fiction and Nonfiction
-       First Place Prize: $3,250
-       Deadline: March 31, 2011
-       Details here 

Writer’s Digest Magazine
-       80th Annual Writing Competition
o   Fiction and Nonfiction
o   Grand Prize: $3,000
o   Deadline: May 2, 2011
o   Details here 
-       5-Minute Memoir, “Tales From the Writing Life”
o   Personal Essay (600 words or less)
o   Prize: Publication in Writer’s Digest magazine
o   Deadline: Rolling submissions
o   Details here 
POETRY
American Poetry Talent Search Contest
-       Poetry (100 lines or less)
-       First Prize: $250
-       Deadline: March 31, 2011
-       Details here 

Writecorner Press Annual Poetry Award
-       Poetry (40 lines max.)
-       First Prize: $500
-       Deadline: March 31, 2011
-       Details here


Fun
Another Eddie Izzard Lego-animated stand-up clip. Enjoy!




Comments

Anna said…
Jonathan Franzen and the literati need to get over themselves. "A Visit From the Goon Squad" was a brilliant little book that deserves all the attention it can get.
March 22, 2011 at 9:49 AM
Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said…
I think women are the majority in the writing community Laura. I read somewhere that the publishing industry was 85% women now and that most authors are women and that women buy the most books.
March 22, 2011 at 11:38 AM
Alex Villasante said…
Favorite female mystery character, hands down, is Harriet Vane from the Dorothy L. Sayers Lord Peter Wimsey books. Firstly, she's a very modern woman, especially for 1930's London. Secondly, she's a writer. And finally, Sayer's writing is so nuanced, so thoughtful and unapologetically feminist (small f) that I find Harriet Vane irresistible. I even have a t-shirt that says 'What Would Harriet Vane Do?' I often wonder that.
March 22, 2011 at 12:36 PM
Amie Kaufman said…
I'm going to go look up Anvil's recommendation--I haven't heard of Harriet Vane, and I'm intrigued! Sayers, here I come.

I'll be really interested to see the books that come out of Valerie Plame Wilson's experiences!
March 24, 2011 at 4:51 AM
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