January News, Events & Links

PPW News

Pikes Peak Writers is presenting a free half-day writing workshop February 23rd at the Colorado Springs Marriott.  PPW invites you to "Write Your Heart Out" with presentations by multiple PPWC 2013 presenters.  Whatever "writing your heart out" means to you - whether that's banishing the inner editor, organizing your schedule/writing space, or putting "heart" in your prose - this half-day event will have something for you.  Appropriate for fiction writers of all genres at all levels of ability/experience.  Start your writing year off right with this FREE half-day workshop from Pikes Peak Writers!  

Saturday, February 23rd, 1:00 to 5:00 P.M. (doors open at 12:30).  
Colorado Springs Marriott - Library, 5580 Tech Center Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80919.

Space is limited -RSVP required: rsvp@pikespeakwriters.com.  For attendees under 18 years of age, pre-authorization and parental permission slip are required.  Please inquire at administrator@pikespeakwriters.com.

The Pikes Peak Write Brain, always a free event, will occur Tuesday, January 15, from 6:30 to 8:30 P.M., at Penrose Library, the Adult Room (please note, this is a different room than usual, due to a scheduling conflict), 20 North Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.  There's plenty of parking, and it's free after 6 P.M.  The theme of the Write Brain is Resolved to Write - The Body and Soul of Writing, presented by our very own Aaron Ritchey.  For more information, please view the Events Tab above.

PPW Night at Poor Richard's, will be Monday, January 28, from 6:30 to 8:30 P.M., in the bookstore.  Come enjoy wine, chocolate and coffee, and chat about writing.  Open to topics of discussion and questions.  More information on the Events tab.

PPW Open Critique Night will occur Wednesday, January 16, 6:30-8:30 P.M at the Cottonwood Center for the Arts.  The first 8 to RSVP may bring 8 pages of their manuscript to critique.  More information on the Events tab.


Other "Local" Events

Agent Sara Megibow, of the Nelson Literary Agency, is leading a 2-hour workshop on How to Get Your Book Published.  This will take place Sunday, January 13, 1:00 to 3:00 P.M., at Denver Jewish Day School Discovery Lab. Cost is $50. 

Friends of the Pikes Peak Library District will be having their annual meeting Saturday, January 19, from 9:00 to 11:00 A.M in the East Library Community Meeting Room.    Immediately following the business meeting (likely between 10:30 and 11:00 A.M.) will be some great programming: Vincent Colicchio will present "How to Turn Old and Discarded Books into Works of Art."  "Describing the 21st Century Library" will be presented by Humphries-Poli Architects.  Finally, attendees will be introduced to members of the Manitou Springs Public Library staff and Manitou Springs Friends, as they have joined PPLD.

Lighthouse Writers has some great January workshops touching on many different genres and topics.  They are also having a Open House & Faculty Reading on Saturday, January 5, from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. at Lighthouse: 1515 Race St, Denver, CO.  For other events, click here.  For a full listing of their workshops, click here.

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers will host Bree Ervin, who will be presenting Writing Sex in YA on Saturday, January 12, 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.  Click here for location and programming information.

The Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of American will have Tom Adair presenting "Fingerprinting Techniques" on January 10 in Denver.  For more information, click here.

Colorado Springs Fiction Writers Group has various meetings throughout the month for critique and discussion.  Visitors are welcome.

The Pikes Peak Branch of the National League of American Pen Women will be presenting a Writer's Workshop February 13, 2013, from 9:30 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. at the PEO Chapter House on West Cheyenne Road.  Cost is $23. Workshops will address memoir writing, publishing on the internet and blogging for writers.  There will also be a special experience dealing in the interconnectivity of the arts.


Publications Open for Submissions & Contests
Please note: Inclusion of links in this post does not equal sponsorship by Pikes Peak Writers or a relationship between the two entities.  Please always be sure to pursue due diligence before submitting anything to a publication or contest.

The Great Novel Contest opened January 1.  Cost is $40 to enter.  It's sponsored by the Columbus Creative Cooperative.  The winner will receive their choice between $1000 and a publishing contract with Columbus Press. Closes the last day of January, or sooner if 200 entries are received.

The Pikes Peak Branch of the National League of American Pen Women has opened their annual Flash Fiction Contest with the theme "Hidden Amongst These Worlds."  Deadline is May 1, 2013.  Cost to enter is $10 first entry, $8 each subsequent entry, and $10 for optional critique.  $100 first prize, $50 second, $25 for third.

Cemetery Dance is accepting fiction submissions until all 2013 slots are filled.  Paying market.  Looking for horror, dark mystery and suspense.  May query for non-fiction and artwork.

Belladonna Publishing is looking for Gothic fairy tale submissions for their anthology Black Apples.  Paying market.  Closes January 15.

Indigo Mosaic Publishing is open for submissions on multiple anthologies, including Chocolate Dreams.  Each anthology pays in royalties.

World Weaver Press is seeking submissions for an anthology entitled Far Orbit: Speculative Space Adventures.  Pays $.01 per word.  Open January 1 through March 31, 2013. 

The Delizon Annual Short Story Competition is on for 2013.  Cash prizes for 1st through 10th place, with 1st being $1200.  Deadline April 15, 2013.  $25 entry fee.

Electric Spec is taking submissions of speculative fiction.  They prefer science fiction, fantasy and the macabre.  Paying market. 

Carina Press is accepting submissions in multiple arenas.  They pay 40-50% royalties, digital first, print maybe.

Sylvan Dell is open to submissions of creative and educational books for kids, primarily in earth and physical science.  Paying market.

Any questions on these events or links?  If you belong to an organization that is taking submissions, hosting a writing contest or presenting a workshop or other enrichment for writers, locally, please email the editor at editor [at] pikespeakwriters [dot] com.

About the Writer:  Shannon Lawrence is a mom of two, a freelance writer and aspiring novelist.  She lives in Colorado Springs and is inspired by the beauty of Pikes Peak and the Rockies.  After years of letting her writing fall by the wayside, she has recently thrown herself back into it.  Her main focus is fantasy and horror and she has just finished a Young Adult Fantasy novel.  She has a flash fiction piece featured in the anthology Sunday Snaps: The Stories, due out in late 2012.  She has also discovered a love of photography and enjoys photographing the breathtaking Colorado scenery and wildlife, as well as her children.  She blogs about reading, writing and photography at www.thewarriormuse.com.