The Bellevue Literary Review Prizes

Bellevue Literary ReviewThe BLR Prizes award outstanding writing related to themes of health, healing, illness, the mind, and the body. First prize is $1000 (in each genre) and publication in the Spring 2013 issue of the BLR.

Prose should be limited to 5000 words.Poetry submissions should have no more than 3 poems. Please include all poems in one document.

Deadline July 1, 2012. Winners will be announced by December 31, 2012. Entry fee is $15 per submission. For an additional $5, you will receive a one-year subscription to the BLR. (Maximum: four submissions per person).

For more information, please visit their website.

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Indies Unlimited is pleased to provide this contest information for the convenience of our readers. We do not, however, endorse this or any contest/competition. Entrants should always research a competition prior to entering.[subscribe2]

Hot And Fresh Out The Kitchen

Editing. Not a concept that fills most writers with joy. For many, it’s the unpleasant yet necessary shadow accompanying the act of writing itself, sort of how a painful rash can follow a good… um, hike through poison ivy. And I see why many of us feel that way, I really do. Or I did. Lately, along with extra wrinkles around my eyes and greyer hair at my temples (okay, not just my temples, but we don’t need to get all TMI, do we?), I’ve begun to appreciate editing for what it is. I’m not talking about the editing I do for others, necessarily, although I could be. No, I’m referring more to my own process in that regard. Something dawned on me: I’m starting to enjoy it. Now, either I am growing more masochistic than I ever believed possible, or my new realisation has actual substance. Again, for TMI-avoidance purposes, let’s go with the latter.

Here, I’ll just say it: editing is an integral part of the creative process and isn’t really qualitatively different from writing. What we tend to call “writing” is in fact “initial drafting” and what we often think of as “editing” is just a deeper form of “writing”. Every bit as creative, and potentially just as satisfying. At its best, it’s the layers of paint over the pencil sketch. I realise there may be folks reading this who are kind of looking askance at me and thinking “no, duh, did you just receive your first clue via a Wells Fargo stagecoach?”, and to those people I hold up my hands, guilty as charged: what others have perhaps known for a goodly while genuinely occurred to me, like, yesterday. Look, I’m a slow learner, okay, but at least I’m a learner. Continue reading “Hot And Fresh Out The Kitchen”

Melissa Pearl Joins The Staff of Indies Unlimited

Author Melissa Pearl

I am pleased to announce that my satellite-based tranquilizer gun is working and I have now been able to—um, persuade New Zealand based author Melissa Pearl to join the team here at Indies Unlimited.

Melissa is the author of the Time Spirit Trilogy, which includes Golden Blood, Black Blood, and Pure Blood. She was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan… not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband.

She is now relocating to China with her husband and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November, 2011. She loves learning about the craft of writing and endeavours to make each new book better than the last.

You can learn more about author Melissa Pearl and her writing at her blogs, Melissa Pearl and YALicious. You can also find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Please give a warm Indies Unlimited welcome to Melissa Pearl!

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Week 19 Flash Fiction Challenge Winner: Ed Drury

Today we’re pleased to announce the winner of the 19th weekly Flash Fiction competition at Indies Unlimited.

The winning entry is rewarded with a special feature here today and a place in our collection of winners which will be published as an e-book at year end.

A total of 18 votes were cast in the contest this week. The winner (with 67% of those votes) is Ed Drury.

Congratulations to Ed, and thanks to everyone who participated – excellent entries! Now, without further ado, here’s the winning entry: Continue reading “Week 19 Flash Fiction Challenge Winner: Ed Drury”