Hot! Hot! Hot! by Carol L. Wright
July 13, 2024 by Bethlehem Writers Group in category From a Cabin in the Woods by Members of Bethlehem Writers Group tagged as 2025 Short Story Award, anthologies, BWG, Carol L Wright
And we’re not even talking about the summer weather. What’s so hot right now?
Hot topic #1:
This month, the Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC, announced the winners of its 2024 Short Story Award competition for works of 2000 words or fewer on the theme of “Holiday Tales.” For this competition, “holiday” was defined as anything from U.S. Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. The talented authors whose stories are honored are:
First Place: Rhonda Zangwill, New York, NY, for “Oh! Christmas Tree”
Second Place: Bettie Nebergall, Mt. Dora, FL, for “Just Ask Santa”
Third Place: Mary Adler, Forestville, CA, for “Nellie the Narragansett and the Transferware Platter”
Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order by author’s last name):
- A. C. Blake, West Columbia, SC for “A Feast to Die For”
- J. Bosley, New York, NY for “A Wintry Mix”
- Joan Mularz, Palm Beach Gardens, FL for “Cousin Bonnie’s Plus One”
Many thanks to Marlo Berliner, our Guest Judge, who selected this year’s winners.
Hot topic #2:
For the first time in the history of the Short Story Award, BWG decided to offer print publication to the second- and third-place winners instead of only to the one who won first-place. This means that you’ll get to read all three of these terrific stories in one volume.
Hot topic #3:
The book in which these stories will appear, Season’s Readings: More Sweet, Funny, and Strange® Holiday Tales will be published this fall in print (ISBN: 978-1-954675-04-9) and ebook (ISBN: 978-1-954675-05-6). In addition to this year’s contest winners, the 2023 contest first-place winner, Sally Milliken’s “First Thanksgiving,” will also be included. And, of course, you’ll also get stories from the authors of the Bethlehem Writers Group. Some of the stories are heart-warming, others quirky, and still others with a hint of magic. Watch for the book to be available on October 1.
And a bonus sizzle for writers!
As if the book coming out on October 1 weren’t enough excitement, we’ll also be unveiling the 2025 Short Story Award competition that day in the fall issue of Bethlehem Writers Roundtable (https://bwgwritersroundtable.com). For next year’s contest, which will open on January 1, 2025, we’ll be looking for stories of science fiction and/or fantasy, and this year we’ll allow the stories to be a bit longer with a 2500 word maximum. The top three winners will receive cash and offers of publication (in print or online in Roundtable). We’ll have all the info for you in October, but until then, sharpen your pencils, grab a cool drink, find a place in the shade, and fire up your sci-fi/fantasy muse. Your story could be the next hot topic!
Enjoy your simmer, er summer.
Book from BWG
Books by Carol L. Wright
A Month of Happily Ever After
July 12, 2024 by Denise M. Colby in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as debut novel, Denise M. Colby, romanceWriting a romance is all about the happy ever after. As a reader, I love the “ah” at the end when the two characters are finally together. Where they learned something new about themselves, opened their heart, and found the one that completes them.
That said, a happily ever after at the end of our novels doesn’t necessarily mean the hero and heroine get married at the end of the book. They could be newly engaged. The couple could decide they are now in a committed relationship. Or they could say I love you for the first time. There are so many options, that it really is the character journey that determines what fits best for our endings.
Personally this past month has been filled with happily ever afters. One fiction, one real life.
The Fiction Happily Every After
The first one was my debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, released in early June. Luke and Olivia’s story is not so much a will they/won’t they (although they didn’t know they would, we did). But the how were they going to figure it out and end up together.
I won’t give away what happens to them at the end, but it’s been so well received and I have found it so much fun to talk with readers about the characters and the town of Washton, like they were real people. Having these discussions has made me feel the happily ever after my characters feel, and that has been so motivating for me as a writer.
Here are several review statements. Also last month I shared information about the launch activities and launch party held in my honor.
The Real Happily Every After
The second example and the real life one, is that my middle son found his happily ever after and married his sweetheart the last weekend of June. A beautiful ceremony, beautiful couple, and a wonderful day filled with love, laughter, family, and friends. With lots of planning before hand, everything came together perfectly.
And I now have a daughter in the family. It’s been so fun to have a front row seat watching them grow and bond as a couple and plan their future life together.
The Magic of Cinderella
As a little girl the story of Cinderella was my favorite. She has a fairy Godmother, she finds her prince (or the prince finds her), and they all live happily ever after. I now know that life is not as simple as that and that those endings are a moment in time where the couple is happy together. But they are still my favorite stories to read.
A story has to end somewhere, why not have it end happy. We all want that hope, love, and joyful feeling when we realize we are in a committed relationship and someone loves us just as much as we love them.
There’s something about escaping in a story where the ending is just that. And that is what I love to read and love to write.
Here’s to many more stories of happily ever afters in our lives. Both fiction and real life.
The Ophans of Berlin speak French and me, too, in my videos by Jina Bacarr
July 11, 2024 by Jina Bacarr in category historical, Jina’s Book Chat, Paris, sexual assault, sexual violence, World War 2, Writing tagged as #sexual assault, historcal, Paris, sequel, sexual violence, sisters, Translation, women, World War 2
Once upon another lifetime, I was hired by Universal Studios as a tour guide for French and German tourists. I still have my Universal ID and parking pass…
So when my Boldwood Books ‘The Orphans of Berlin’ was translated into French by City-Editions, well, I couldn’t resist giving it a Parisian try…
I made a bunch of videos in French. Voila! Here are the links to my FACEBOOK page and story to see them.
https://www.facebook.com/stories/10218318286764331/UzpfSVNDOjEyNDQ2ODU2MzY5Njg1Njc=/?view_single=1
https://www.facebook.com/jina.bacarr
Sisters of the Resistance I is off to the proofreader!
Writing the sequel to ‘Sisters At War’ (Paris WW2 — the story of two sisters and how sexual assault on a sister by the SS affects both their lives),
It’s also the story of the women of the French Resistance.
LINK to more info on Sisters At War and Sisters of the Resistance
Who are the Beaufort Sisters?
They’re beautiful
They’re smart
They’re dangerous
They’re at war with the Nazis… and each other.
BONUS The Orphans of Berlin in French
MY FIRST KICKSTARTER by Kitty Bucholtz
July 9, 2024 by Kitty Bucholtz in category It's Worth It by Kitty Bucholtz tagged as kickstarter, Kitty Bucholtz, Little Miss Lovesick
I’m so excited!
On the one hand, my health issues the last couple years have led me to decide to essentially take the summer off and try to figure out how to heal (faster). I’m trying to do that—vacation starts on Saturday!
On the other hand, an opportunity came up, and it sounded fun—so I jumped in! 😅 (This might be the sort of decision that has led to my health improving so slowly!)
I’ve just created my very first Kickstarter campaign! If it funds, I’ll create a special edition of my first book, Little Miss Lovesick. The 13th anniversary edition! 😂 It’s part of Kickstarter’s July promotion for romance books called Heartstrings and Hardbacks. The page just went live today. Here is the link:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kittybucholtz/littlemisslovesick
Let me know what you think. I am still adding a few more things (digital only this time since I’m just learning Kickstarter, so no paperbacks yet), and I’d love to know if there’s anything you’d like to see available that’s not there. Especially anything funny/fun. I have a few ideas.
And if you’re wondering how easy or hard it was, or why now, let me know and I’ll try to answer your question. Maybe you’ve been thinking about doing a Kickstarter for something too.
And would you do me a favor? Will you go click on the Remind Me button near the top right of the page if you don’t have time to check it out? Maybe even share on your social media? I’m a little desperate to feel that people are even a little bit excited about it. 😅 After all, I’ve never done anything like this before. 😃
Thank you so much!! 😃😍 Reply and ask me your questions!
Some of Kitty’s Books
Unusual Novel Spin Off
July 5, 2024 by Tracy Reed in category WritingOriginally, the book was for sale, then I made it perma free. Since making it perma free, it has stayed in the top 100 Free in three categories at Amazon:
#5 in Poetry About Love
#6 in Love & Erotic Poetry
#12 in One-Hour Parenting & Relationships Short Reads
I’m a little biased, but I don’t see where the book should be considered Erotic or a Parenting & Relationships short read.
I don’t complain about the category listing because it gets a great lead into on my other books.
LOVE NOTES NO. 14
I am not easily aroused, however,
When the tips of your fingers graze my skin, igniting visions of what could be, I am.
I am not easily aroused, however,
When I feel the warm air of your breath enter my ear followed by your passionate request, I am.
I am not easily aroused, however,
When I see the deep sway of your back moving to the rhythm only you can hear, I am.
I am not easily aroused, however,
When you walk past me leaving a trail of your intoxicating scent, I am.
I am not easily aroused, however
When you smile, I am.
When I am with you, I am easily aroused.
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