Tuesday, October 02, 2007

October's Write-Away Contest

Harvest MoonOh this is going to be fun! I wanted to do something a little different . . . something a little "out there." It's October, right? That means fall and Halloween, right? So the theme for the month will be "Things That Scare Me." This could be anything from the mold in your bathroom to the worries you may have as a parent, but share with us what scares and frightens you, what keeps you up at night.

If you'd like to participate, here are the rules:

1. Write a post or find one in your archives about things that scare you and email your post's permalink to me at: scribbit at gmail.com any time through Wednesday October 17th. If you fail to meet the October 17th deadline I will still happily publish the link to your post and include it in the list of entries but it will not be judged. I reserve the right to reject submissions if they fail to meet the topic or if they contain objectionable content.

2. Publish a link to the contest page here at Scribbit in either your entry post or in a separate post.

3. Check back here on Friday October 19th when I will post a complete list of the entries along with the Write-Away Winner and any honorable mentions our judge sees fit to award.

Our guest judge this month is Shalee from Shalee's Diner who, far from being a terrifying person is an absolute sweetie, and will judge the entries based on the quality of writing, the applicability to the topic and the overall ability to engage (or scare) the reader.

The prize you're writing for is a collection of brand new mystery, crime and thriller novels. Last week I attend Bouchercon 2007, the world's biggest mystery writers convention where writers, editors and fans gathered to talk about the genre and learn from the masters. Diana Gabaldon, Robert S. Levinson, James Sallis, Otto Penzler, the big names were all there and they gave out a lot of cool stuff. I have fourteen new mystery stories as this month's prize (let's hope you like to be thrilled!) including:

* Missing Witness by Gordon Campbell (hardcover). Set in 1973 Arizona "Combining the riveting suspense f Presumed Innocent with the raw ambition and power of All the King's Men."

* Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurdardottir (hardcover). An "Icelandic novel of secret symbols, medieval witchcraft and modern murder."

* No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay (softcover). "Fourteen-year-old Cynthia Bigge woke one morning to find herself alone, her entire family had vanished. No note, no trace of them. Now, twenty-five years later, she may learn the truth. Sometimes it's better not to know . . ."

* The Saddlemaker's Wife by Earlene Fowler (paperback), author of the Benni Harper mystery series, as her first cross-over novel of family drama.

* The Cage by Kenzo Kitakata (softcover). Described as "A towering masterpiece of the hardboiled genre, a searing portrayal of the violence of the Japanese underworld and a tender meditation on the ties of love and friendship that can save men from madness--or plunge them deeper into it."

* Soho Crime Sampler Fall-Winter 2007-2008 (paperback). Described by the Wall Street Journal as a source for "Some of the best exotic crime fiction" this is a compilation of six short stories set in exotic locales.

* Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine November 2007 editions. The latest editions of the best mystery magazines in the world with 18 excellent short stories, puzzles and reviews.

* Copper River by William Kent Krueger (paperback). A Cork O'Connor mystery by a two-time Anthony Award winner.

* The Lightning Rule by Brett Ellen Block (hardcover). Set in 1967 New Jersey, Detective Martin Emmett is out to catch a serial killer stalking black teens.

* Volk's Game by Brent Ghelfi (hardcover). Alexey Volkoi is being described as a Russian Jason Bourne in this debut novel of Russian intrigue.

* Dead Man's Hand: Crime Fiction at the Poker Table edited by Otto Penzler (softcover). Fifteen short stories by the likes of Joyce Carol Oates, Laura Lippman and Alexander McCall Smith where poker is the weapon of choice.

* The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith (paperback). The fifth book in the popular "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series set in Botswana.

* The Wrong Kind of Blood by Declan Hughes (paperback). An Irish novel of suspense which Michael Connelly describes as "[an] artiful thrill ride of deception."

* The Berlin Conspiracy by Tom Gabbay (paperback). Described as "A Cold War thriller of real brilliance. John le Carre with a witty ironic edge that will start you thinking about the real truth behind the Kennedy assassination."

One hundred seventy dollars worth of suspense--plus shipping--that ought to keep you busy for a week or two. So get busy and send in your best posts and show me what gives you nightmares (I know for my husband it would be mushrooms).

But besides this the winner and all runners-up or honorable mentions (I leave that up to the judge to award them) will also get to take home this attractive Write-Away Winner button which he or she may display in their sidebar if they wish.
Write-Away Contest WinnerGood luck, I look forward to reading your entries.

***

Congratulations to Lee from Concord, Ohio for winning this week's giveaway from Handmade Pretties.

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27 comments:

Anonymous said...

hi michelle: here is my entry. this scares me (terrifies me to do this), but i am glad i can do this occasionally. this is sacred to me to do this though and i will continue to do this occasionally. glad to hear you did this recently michelle. good job :) sunday, a little primary kid was an example to me and she not seem scared. blessings, kathleen

http://sogratefultobemormon.blogspot.com/2007/09/i-needed-to-speak-in-testimony-mtg.html

Anonymous said...

wow. great contest! I look forward to reading everyone's fears ...

Cynthia said...

You have so many great contests! Things that scare me (I'm not a writer)...I might have to try this one, I'll give it some thought!

madamspud169 said...

mines up

http://madamspud169.blogspot.com/2007/10/deadly-fear.html

Ice Cream said...

Ooooooo, I love to be scared and I love to read. How could I possibly say no to the perfect Halloween Write-Away Contest?

Shalee said...

Dang... Now I'm really sorry I said I'd be a judge. Those are some great books you're giving away!

Oh, alright... I'll put my selfishness aside and do it cheerfully. And I think it's funny that you said I was "far from being a terrifying person is an absolute sweetie." I'm pretty sure that Mr. Right would beg to differ with you on some days...

Jenna said...

This seems like fun! Now, I've never participated before...is it supposed to be fiction, or more like an essay? I'd like to give it a shot! You are so cool, BTW!

Anonymous said...

Here's my entry:

Things That Go Bump in The Night and Other Tales

Shawn said...

Oddly enough, I've been thinking about this very topic lately. Partly because of a book I'm reading, and also because of a great little post Jen Lemen wrote recently about a ritual to let go of fears.

So, thanks ... you've kicked this idea into overdrive and now I shall write about it.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for such a fun topic! I was excited to write this!
http://lookmomlook.wordpress.com/2007/10/05/masks-snakes-and-an-occasional-sea-weed/

Anonymous said...

OK, I'm going to think of what scares me and enter this one!! Just do it, right?

wynne said...

Okay, I did it. Check your email.

Tiffany G said...

thanks

Anonymous said...

Since I was just thinking of the topic yesterday, it wasn't hard to come up with a theme. :)

My humble post is at http://community.eons.com/blogs/entry/346929-Boo-Who-s-scared-too- .

Bonnie Jacobs said...

Here's my link, which I have also emailed to you: My worst fear.

Jen at Semantically driven said...

Michelle, Have done my entry. http://www.semanticallydriven.com/2007/10/things-that-sca.html

Anonymous said...

My post on fear:
http://www.cre8buzz.com/profiles/321/blogs/2175/blog_entries/8597

Kate said...

the act of writing this was a little scary but here's mine: http://weberific.blogspot.com/2007/10/in-honor-of-halloweenthings-that-scare.html

Anonymous said...

My first time entering this contest: http://www.lifenut.com/blog/?p=781

Thanks!

deedee said...

here's my entry:

http://poppyinprovence.blogspot.com/2007/10/scary-season-indeed.html

Ice Cream said...

I had to get special permission to share this story. Enjoy!

http://icecreamdiary.blogspot.com/2007/10/sounds-that-scare-me.html

We are Tommy's Advocates said...

So much fun . . . thanks for hosting this!

Here is mine: http://strivingfordivinelove.blogspot.com/2007/10/things-that-scare-me.html

betty R.~Simply Southern said...

Great contest! would really love to win this..
Blogged you here as well as my entry! thanks again..
nannabees blog about life

Melissa Stover said...

last minute pressure. here it is:
http://afamiliarpath.blogspot.com/2007/10/what-scares-me.html

Melissa Markham said...

Cool contest! Here is my post:

http://www.melissaomarkham.com/2007/10/what_scares_me.html


Phew...I almost getting it to you in time!

jewellspring said...

I just posted my entry today:

http://www.teapartygirl.com/tea-party-girls-fight-and-fright

Mary@notbefore7 said...

I am late...darn sleepless nights...but here it is, my first one.
http://notbefore7.blogspot.com/2007/10/thing-that-scares-me.html