How annoying is it when you’re trying to get that perfect piece of cling wrap cut and the tube jumps out of the box? I know! Pretty much the only things worse are shark attacks and weird suntan lines from sunglasses.
Did you know that there are little tabs on either side of the plastic wrap box that you can press in? They keep the tube securely in place. In my twenty some odd years of using such products I had NEVER seen the tabs. It took a tip section in a women’s magazine to clue me in. (I’m guessing a few of you just left to check your box … I did the same. We’ll wait for you to return.)
Makes me wonder how many other things in life I use frequently, but never really look at. How much easier life could be if I paid more attention to the little things.
Another tip, this one passed on from the ACFW loop–with permission–for unpublished writers:
The countdown for the 2009 Launching A Star contest has begun! You won’t want to miss your chance to enter this terrific contest where last year’s acquiring editors and agents requested an amazing 10 manuscripts, resulting in at least two sales.
This year, we’ve added new categories – Romantic Suspense, Inspirational and Novellas – in our efforts to bring you the most value for your contest dollars.
To enter, submit the first chapter (25 page max) of your romance in any of our nine categories. All first round judges (2 per entry, one trained, one published in romance) will provide constructive comments on every entry. Two industry professionals (one agent and one editor) will judge each category in the final round.
Complete details and entry forms are available on the STAR Chapter website: www.authorsofromance.com But hurry! You must send your entry in no later than September 5th.
Launching a Star 2009
Sponsor: SpacecoasT Authors of Romance Chapter (STAR)
Fee: $25-$30, SASE
Please Note: The deadlines listed in RWR are incorrect. The correct deadlines are:
Deadline: Post-marked by September 5th, Received by September 12th
E-deadline (for non-US residents only): Emailed by September 5th, received by September 6th.
Eligibility: Unpublished or not PAN Eligible
Enter: The first 25 pages. No synopsis.
First round judges: One trained; one published.
Final round judges: One editor and one agent for each category
Single Title – Editor Selina McLenmore, Grand Central; Agent Becca Stumpf, Prospect Agency
Romantic Suspense – Editor Sara Goodman, St. Martin’s; Agent Kimberly Whalen, Trident Media
Inspirational – Editor Natalie Hanemann, Thomas Nelson; Agent Rachelle Gardner, WordServe Agency
Historical – Editor Talia Platz, NAL; Agent Elizabeth Pomada, Larsen-Pomada Agency
General Paranormal: Editor Heather Osborne, TOR; Agent Laurie McLean, Larsen-Pomada Agency
Fantasy/Futuristic: Editor Meredith Giordan, Berkley/Jove; Agent Deidre Knight, The Knight Agency
Series Contemp: Editor Susan Litman, Harlequin Special Edition; Agent Michelle Grajkowski, 3 Seas Agency
Young Adult: Editor Kristen Daly, HarperCollins; Agent Elaine Spencer, The Knight Agency
Novellas: Editor Angela James, Samhain; Agent Roberta Brown, Brown Literary Agency
Prizes: Star named in honor of overall contest winner;
Engraved paperweights for all First Place in category;
Certificates for all finalists
FMI: www.authorsofromance.com
Hi Christina,
Is this contest through ACFW and promoted at the conference in Sept.? I hadn’t heard of it before. Thanks for bringing it to light!
When they say unpublished, do they mean unpublished novelist or unpublished in anything period? I’ve had a couple articles published by Focus on the Family and recently by Chicken Soup for the Soul, but no novels. So am I ineligible?
Hi Christina –
Thanks for the tip about the plastic wrap. 🙂
I started a romance novel awhile back, but haven’t done much with it. Maybe next year.
Blessings,
Susan
Jody, it’s not affiliated with ACFW, but I did hear about it on the loop. Just one of the many benefits of membership. 😉
Tammy, I would guess unpublished novelist. Did you go to the website to see if there was any clarification? In past contests I’ve entered, I know that non-fiction is considered an entirely different discipline …
Susan, have to share a comment on my facebook version of this blog. An fellow OCW member was mentioned that her aluminum wrap had jumped out of the box and run the length of the kitchen.
I replied, “Curses, foiled again!”