Looking to
sign your first book contract, switch from a small press to
a large publisher or simply explore another genre of
romantic fiction? Turn up the heat on your writing career
with the Hot Prospects Contest.
Categories
and Final Round Judges (Editors/Literary Agencies):
1)
Historical/Regency
Editor - TBA
Agent - Sharene Martin-Brown,
Author Representative, Wylie-Merrick Literary Agency
2) Fantasy, Futuristic &
Paranormal
Editor - Jennifer Enderlin, St.
Martins' Press
Agent - Amy Boggs, Associate
Agent, Donald Maass Literary Agency
3) Romantic Suspense
Editor - Katherine N. Pelz, The
Berkley Publishing Group
Agent - TBA
4)
Contemporary Long/Single Title
Editor - Deb Werksmen ,
Sourcebooks, Inc.
Agent - Elaine Spencer,
Associate Agent, The Knight Agency
5) Series Contemporary
Editor - Johanna Raisanen,
Harlequin
Editor - Leanne Morgena, Senior
Editor, The Wild Rose Press
GRAND PRIZE:
The winner can choose between a book trailer, static banner
and active banner from Firebird Web Designs for the book of
their choice (a $300.00 value) or $100.00 USD.
Entry Fee:
$30.00 (U.S. funds) per entry. Make check payable to Valley
of the Sun RW or pay with Paypal. Fees are non-refundable.
Deadline:
Entries must be postmarked by
September 1st, 2010. Electronic entries must be received
by 11:59pm PST September 1st, 2010.
Eligibility:
The Hot Prospects Contest is
open to any RWA member in good standing, including both
published and unpublished authors. The work of
romantic fiction entered must be uncontracted and
unpublished at the time of entry.
Contents: A
synopsis (up to five pages) and the first 25 pages of the
manuscript.
The same entry cannot be placed in
more than one category.
Contestants may submit more than
one entry in a category or enter multiple categories, but
each entry must be accompanied by a separate Entry Form and
Fee.
Judging:
Each entry will be judged by two
trained judges in the preliminary round. Judges are
published and unpublished authors who have been through the
chapter training for contest judging. The preliminary
judges are encouraged make comments directly on the
manuscripts or in the electronic files and each will provide
a score sheet to be attached to the manuscript for return to
the contestant.
The total number of points
possible is 65. If the preliminary scores for any entry
vary as much as a 26 point spread, the entry will be judged
a third time and the lowest score (of the three) will be
thrown out.
NOTE:
All judging is confidential. The Contest Coordinators will
not reveal the names of the judges.
Finalists:
The top three finalists will be determined based on the
average of the two preliminary scores for each entry and
will be notified by October 31st, 2010. All
finalists will have approximately 1 week to review judges'
critiques and make changes to her/his manuscript before it
goes to the final-round judge.
The synopsis and the revised
manuscript (or the original manuscript on file, if the
entrant does not revise) will be sent to the
editor/agent judge.
Winners:
Editors/Agents will read the top three manuscripts in each
category to determine final placements, which will be
returned to the contest coordinator via email. These
entries will not be returned, as the editors/agents
traditionally do not make any notes on them. So we have
modified the contest this year to ask the editors/agents to
shred those finalist entries rather than return them.
Those
entries that do not final will be returned approximately
November 7th, 2010 to help those who plan to enter RWA's
Golden Heart.
Prizes:
Grand Prize Winner:
The single highest scoring first place entry across all
categories can choose between a book trailer, static banner
and active banner from Firebird Web Designs for the book of
their choice (a $300.00 value) or $100.00 USD.
All finalists
in each category will receive a certificate, a graphic for
their website and an acknowledgement in the Romance Writers
Report.
Approximate
date of winner notification is December 15th, 2010.
Failure to Comply:
Any entry failing to comply with the rules as stated
herein will be disqualified and entry free forfeited. No
fees will be refunded on the basis of disqualification or
withdrawal. The Hot Prospects Contest Chair reserves the
right to return any entry that does not comply with the
contest rules.
Categories:
Contemporary Series:
Romantic novels, which may also include sensuality that
may or may not be intense. Projected word count: More
than 50,000 words.
Long/Single Title:
Romantic novels released as individual titles, not
usually part of a series. Projected word count: over
70,000 words.
Romantic Suspense:
A
suspense/mystery/thriller plot is integrated within a
romantic novel. Projected word count: over 70,000 words.
Historical:
Romantic
novels set in a time period prior to 1945. Projected
word count: over 70,000 words.
Fantasy/Futuristic/Paranormal:
Futuristic,
fantasy, or paranormal elements are integrated within
the love story. Projected word count: over 70,000 words.
Valley of the Sun RW reserves the
right to return all entries and fees if the minimum entry
number for each category (5) is not received. Entrants will
be contracted to see if they wish to place their entry in
another category before entries are returned.
HOW TO ENTER
Complete the entry form
below.
If submitting electronically, paste or attach the entry form
to an e-mail and type author name(s) on the signature line.
Manuscript and Synopsis
Format:
All entries, whether
electronic or print, must be in standard, professional
format:
8.5 x 11 inch paper
1-inch margins all around
Double spaced
12 pt. Courier/Courier New or
Times New Roman font
First page of prologue (if
applicable) and of every chapter must begin one-third of
the page
Header information on every
page should include category, title and page number only
Author's name and/or personal
information must NOT appear anywhere on the manuscript
or synopsis pages or the entry will be disqualified.
For hardcopy entries:
1) 1 signed copy of ENTRY
FORM
2) 3 copies of SYNOPSIS
up to 5 double-spaced pages.
3) 3 copies of
MANUSCRIPT, up to the first 25 double-spaced pages.
Prologue, if included, will be counted in entry pages
and total count cannot exceed 25.
4) 1 CHECK payable to
Valley of the Sun Romance Writers for $30.00 USD, or
indication that payment was made via PAYPAL.
Mail to:
Hot Prospects Contest
c/o Linda Andrews
2901 West Kathleen Road
Phoenix, Arizona 85053
USA
For Electronic
Submissions:
1) 1 copy of the ENTRY
FORM (submission of an electronic entry form is
considered the same as a signed hardcopy). Please
include this in a separate file.
2) 1 copy of SYNOPSIS
(same rules as above). Can be a separate file or
combined with manuscript entry.
3) 1 copy of MANUSCRIPT
(same rules as above). Can be a separate file combined
with synopsis.
4) 1 CHECK payable to
Valley of the Sun Romance Writers may be mailed
separately or indicate payment has been made via
PAYPAL. Note: Entry will not be accepted if PayPal
payment cannot be verified prior to cutoff date.
All documents attached to
an Electronic Submission must be in .rtf format
Any document submitted in a format
other than .rtf will be returned to the contestant unopened.
E-mail the complete entry to:
[email protected]
Postage:
We pay the return postage and your
preliminary judging manuscripts of hardcopy entries will be
returned to you along with your score sheets.
Acknowledgement of entry will be sent via email. If you do
not have an email address, please include a stamped,
self-addressed postcard.
ENTRY FORM
Read the following legalese and
sign below�
Contest Waiver. I hereby request that the enclosed
manuscripts, which I certify are my original work, be
entered in the 2008 Hot Prospects Contest. I understand that
contest judging is subjective by nature. In consideration of
Valley of the Sun�s acceptance of my entry, I agree to
indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the chapter, its
officers, members and all judges of the Hot Prospects
Contest from liability for its/their actions arising from,
or relating to, judging and from liability for its/their
handling my entry and conducting, sponsoring and advertising
this contest, which expressly results from my entry.
Name of
Manuscript: ___________________________________________ Word
count:__________
(Word count
represents the total word count for the entire work; not
just the entry)
Preferred
Category:
_________________________________________________________________
Second
Choice Category:
____________________________________________________________
(used only if there are not enough entries in preferred
category)
Mailing
Address:
___________________________________________________________________
Phone
Number: ___________ Email Address:
___________________________________________
Print
Author�s Name:
______________________________________________ RWA
No:_________
Author�s
Signature:
_____________________________________________________ Date:
__/__/__
(typed name is considered
signature for electronic submissions)
If two
people are authors of this manuscript, both must sign this
waiver.
Print 2nd Author�s Name:
___________________________________________ RWA No:_________
2nd Author�s
Signature:___________________________________________________
Date:__/__/__
(typed name is
considered signature for electronic submissions)
Indicate
amount paid: $________ Check One:
Check___ Money Order___ Cash___
PayPal___
Mail
Hardcopy Submissions and checks To:
Hot Prospects Contest
Linda Andrews
2901 West Kathleen Rd
Phoenix, Arizona 85053
USA
Email
Electronic Submissions To:
[email protected]
For more information
contact: [email protected]
Permission to copy this form
for entry purpose is granted to all RWA chapters and
members.
TO PAY WITH PAYPAL, CLICK
BELOW:
(Be sure to specify
author and entry name on PayPal transaction.)
