THE INVINCIBLE NINE

trying to tell you something, right now, right now, right now, right now, right now

2007-05-12T21:10:00.000-07:00

I write the Invincible Nine a lot of love letters. Love letters are, in fact, my specialty, but this is really a love testimonial.

I write to keep myself from living my fantasies. When I am not writing, I am reckless, fearless, and destructive. Like many, there are lots of times when I don't want to be medicated and sane, yet I hate the emotional highs and lows and the very real consequences that await me when I come back to the page. A post or an e-mail from The Invincible Nine tethers me to an identity that gives me a place in the world.
I treat this writing group like a support group. Writers can be anti-social, especially sci-fi writers. If 85% of people are deaf, dumb, and blind (no, I'm not a 5percenter; although, I do believe the black man is God :) then one would imagine a sci-fi writer--with super-sensitive hearing, an overactive imagination, and bionic vision--could have a pretty tough time talking about clothes, cars, videos and day-time television, which seems to be the text of 85% of conversation. If there is a fantasy to drift into, I will go. Sometimes, being in, on, and of this Earth seems so optional...
Yet, as much as I desire to be left alone, I desire the company of sensitive observers, if not like-minds. The Invincible Nine provides me with both of these things. One of us updates the blog, or a member initiates a round of e-mails, or someone announces a success for us to celebrate, and I am, once again, a writer amongst writers--no longer a mutant in an alien world; I have a place on this Earth.
I am not writing for publication, right now, for a lot of reasons that I am scared to investigate. Perhaps if I just let go of this passion, this habit, this complicated coping mechanism--this writing--I would resolve my issues through retail therapy, or beautification treatments, or domestic tyranny, like most adult women. (That was a mean, insensitive, gross generalization--I guess.) Happy for me (and posterity), if for no one else in my life, the Invincible Nine make it very hard for me to abandon my identity as a writer; they believe in me. I hope they all know how much I admire them and treasure their company.
Love,
Jewel

Whispers in the Night: Dark Dreams III

2007-05-07T15:27:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to let you know that Whispers in the Night: Dark Dreams III will be out next month. It received a starred review from Publishers Weekly this week.

Brandon sent me a copy of this review today:

Whispers in the Night
Edited by Brandon Massey. Dafina, $14 paper (320p) ISBN 978-0-7582-1741-7
African-American horror writer and editor Massey has another slam dunk with his third Dark Dreams anthology (after 2006's Voices from the Other Side). Outstanding stories by returning contributors include Tananarive Due's "Summer," exploring a toddler's eerie possession; Robert Fleming's "The Wasp," a heartbreaking portrait of an abused wife; Chesya Burke's "My Sister's Keeper," examining a sister's terrifying choice; and the best of the bunch, Terence Taylor's brilliant discussion of racism, friendship and Hurricane Katrina in "WET PAIN." Bright newcomers' tales include Lexi Davis's hilarious cautionary tale about bad brothas, "Are You My Daddy?"; Randy Walker's obsessive-compulsive "To Get Bread and Butter"; and Tenea Johnson's provocative meditation on revenge, "The Taken." In Massey's introduction, he hopes someday "any black writer can pen a tale of horror and suspense... without being likened to being merely a black version of a white author, without being viewed with suspicion or even fear." In the meantime, this excellent series continues to fill a now shrinking void. (July)

Story published.

2007-04-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

I had a story published at http://www.deadmule.com/fiction. scroll down, it's the third from the bottom.

Library Closing

2007-03-05T12:37:00.000-08:00

I read this online today and it made my heart sink. When I was leaving Memphis, one of the libraries had pulled out of the countywide system and others were considering it. Now this:

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/03/04/MNGC7N6Q3M1.DTL

FeLicia

Stories

2007-02-25T18:50:00.000-08:00

Jewel and Donnie, I read your stories and will put my red-penned changes to you in snail mail. I don't mind, I have a lot of 34 cents stamps, so I can spare the postage. I have your address, Jewel, but I can't even get your email to work, Donnie. Could you send me both addresses so I can update my list? Thanks. I enjoyed both stories, especially the update on yours Donnie. FeLicia

I want you to tell me, what do you say?

2007-02-25T16:22:00.000-08:00

For the casual reader of the Invincible Nine, Donnie's story was a futuristic tale about a society run on kinetitrade, a futuristic type of exchange where commerce is no longer tied to paper or coin but to the physical person. I don't want to be to specific, because I don't want to be responsible for the theft of Donnie's intellectual property. I just thought a precis may be in order. So, here are my general comments:

Great ending. What do you want to say or prove with this story. I like the arc of it, but the ending is so abrupt that I will go back to it searching for the message. Is there one? Is it a message of understanding? Whatever the case, I don’t think the story should end any differently, but I do wish there was more indication about what Donnie wants to say. It may be too simple to say that one character is right and another wrong, but if the message is that those ideas are complicated I think the prose could be more explicit.

Repost from My Blog

2007-02-13T15:03:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to repost an entry from my blog (Randy Bandit's Musings) because I figured it might be worth discussing among our group.

POV Problem Solver

Once upon a time, I stated on this blog that one of the keys to good writing is reading a lot (Steven Barnes, see his link off to the side, believes you need to read at least one level above what you write--and I agree). I always say this because it helps you to avoid cliches, helps you to see other writers' ways of dealing with plot issues, and inspires you on the occasion that you need a reminder of why you saddled yourself with such a challenging professional goal. Recently, I figured out something else though, something that was probably common sense to every other writer but me.

I won't declare this to be a hard and fast rule, but I will say that the congress of my mind has met and decided to abide by this rule until such time that it sees fit to do away with it.

Randy's New Rule of Writing: If you're writing a book in a particular point of view, then read only works written in that point of view until you finish your first draft.

I can see people shaking their heads now, but let me explain.

I read a lot--I mean, A LOT, so when I'm working on a story in first person, and I read a very well-written story in third person limited or omniscient, I get jealous and want to do my story the same way. (As I admitted a while back, I often obsess over POV when I begin writing.) For example, I was working on a current book, took a peak at some Toni Morrison, and immediately felt the urge to turn my first person POV into a third person POV, under the assumption that I could only be taken seriously as a literary writer if I could insert all of this addition information and tell my story in such a fable-styled way. So I would write, using that POV, writing more complex sentences--which in all honesty would probably alienate the audience of my first novel. Then I would pick up an Ernest Gaines book and think to myself, "I can still be literary while writing from a first person POV." And this ocillation would continue on, totally reliant upon whatever book I managed to pick up on any given day. That's when it hit me: read only books using one particular point of view, if only to reduce the temptation to flip-flop back and forth.

Now I have several books in my libary, resting on the shelf, waiting to be read, and guess what? They're all consistent with the POV of my current project. And that seems to be making my job of writing a little more focused and less painless.

Writers out there, what do you think about this suggestion? Let me hear from you.

Calls for Submission

2007-01-31T18:41:00.000-08:00

The first is for youth writers; the second is for students of hip hop.
The second one is mad long. Sorry.

>>PUB: osbey books seeks youth writers for anthology
================================================

Speaking Me, Volume 1 will be a must have collection of thoughts of young writers between the ages of 12 and 18. Speaking ME is now accepting submissions for young poets, writers, and lyricists who are willing and ready to spill their thoughts on pages for all to see. The collection is about _expressions, healing, and positive vibes that will be creative and unique. The platform for this anthology is set the stage for young voices to express themselves through spoken word, lyricism and short stories that center around deeply reflective _expressions of their souls and spirits. This collection seeks young writers who are unafraid of their pen and the stories that their pens can tell others.

GUIDELINES:

POETRY: Please submit no more than 3 poems via electronical submission, writing your FULL name, address, city, state and zip code on each poem. If submitting via word, please type your name in the upper right corner of the page, and type your poetry title and poem. Submit all three poems in one electronical file in word format or rich text files. SHORT STORIES: Please submit no more than two short stories via electronical submission, writing your FULL name, address, city, state and zip code on each poem. Submit a clean (edit-free short story) no longer than 3,000 words via Word or Rich Text File format. LYRICISM (rap-hip hop, songs, etcetera) can be submitted via electronical submissions as well. Please submit no more than 2 originally written raps, hip hop lyrics, or songs in this category.

SPOKEN WORD : We will highlight six audio tracks of youth in this publication. In order to take part of this, youth must send original spoken word and or music via wav or mp3 audio files. Please make sure to send that you own the copyright to the music. Any and all MUSIC sales of the spoken word will be paid to the song writers on a QUARTERLY basis, every four months, after the book is officially released. The themes of the music must reflect the poetic themes of identity, self love, self worth, coming of age, change, life as a teen, etcetera.

ORIGINAL COVER ART : We are seeking graphic art for the book cover. Submit jpeg files or send in hard copies of the artwork in Early February - April 2007 for CONSIDERATION. Ensure you submit work that you originally created yourself and own the legal copyrights to. Cover artist will be listed in the credits for the book along with all the writers who contributed to the anthology

THEMES: We are seeking coming of age stories, poems about life, struggle to be independent youth, or have an identity, social, political, familial, dedications, poems about words and other general topics that will highlight the soul and the spirit of the writer in question. Poems or stories about self esteem, worth, self-love, strength, overcoming obstacles, and change are welcomed.

CERTIFICATION:

To ensure that all work being submitted is original work written, please send the following quote with your submission: "This work is original text written by me and I certify that I am the full owner of such work." Make sure to WRITE YOUR FULL NAME on this document and send via pdf or scanned and sent to speakingme@gmail.com

NOTES:

All accepted writers of this anthology will receive one copy of the book in leiu of payment. No monetary compensation will be given to any of the writers of this collection. Speaking ME will retain non exclusive rights of the work given for the anthology, however, writers can submit any of their work to any other
publications simultaneously if necessary. Speaking ME will publish any accepted work in any format within this specific project.

If you accept the conditions of the submission policy, please send your work to Speaking ME, Volume 1, via email speakingme@gmail.com.

Emailed submissions are open as of January 9 and end on February 8th. Mailed submissions will begin on February 8, 2007 and end on May 1, 2007. Anticipated publication date is August 9, 2007.

TOP POET WINS $25.00

All writers will be notified by June 1, 2007. This anthology is being published by Osbey Books.

**CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS**
I USED TO LOVE HER:How The Commercialization Of Rap Music Has Destroyed Black America
Edited by: Ryan C Greene
Published by: Bakari Book Publishers (www.bakaribooks.com)
Projected Release Date: September 2007

“I USED TO LOVE HER” is a call for reformation in the message that rap music is sending its listeners, particularly Black America. This book is not designed to bash the hip-hop culture nor is it a call to abolish hip-hop music. It is time for the emcees and the record labels to take responsibility for their lyrics and take responsibility for the lives they are destroying. Too many emcees justify the blood on their hands by saying they are just "Keeping it real" but this book is calling for an end to the "I'm the victim of my society" mentality and to take seriously their social responsibility to pour life into their communities as opposed to reaping benefits from sucking the life out of those very communities. Like it or not, just like our sports heroes, rappers are role models.

This book is an open letter to the emcee and the entire hip-hop community to take inventory on the destruction that has been sewn into our community. If you are truly "Baaaallin'" then stand up to the powers that be and demand to spread positive messages to your people through your music that will empower and uplift us all as opposed to raising up a few at the expense of many. What once started as a positive culture of musical poets that embraced education, creativity, and empowerment of our race has evolved into a money making machine that promotes sex, drugs and getting rich by any means necessary. The true emcee has become a dying breed that has been forced into obscurity by large conglomerates that now run hip hop. While artists such as The Roots, Nas, Mos Def and SALIM cry for the resurrection of real hip hop that once built strong communities; the corporate decision makers continue to force feed destructive messages to our community through commercial rap music. “I USED TO LOVE HER” will be a collection of commentaries and writings from people from all walks of life discussing the effects of commercialized rap music on different aspects of black culture.

SUBMISSION CATEGORIES

Sex

How is sex dealt with in rap music? How does rap music's view on sex bleed over into the black community? How much sex is enough? How has rap music affected your view of sex? Is rap music responsible for the spread of HIV and other STDs in the black community? What correlations can we draw from the growth of the macho sex driven male in hip-hop to African American females representing the largest group of new HIV cases in America?

Relationships

How has rap music affected our ability to trust others and build relationships? How has the music affected the way men and women treat each other in relationships? How has it affected our expectations of the opposite sex in relationships? How does rap music teach us to cope with dysfunctional families, single parent homes etc? With rap music bombarding young men with the idea that being a “pimp” or a “playa” is how a man should be, how has that affected young men’s views on relationships , responsibility and raising families?

Drug/Alcohol Use
How does the celebration of illicit drug and alcohol use affect our community? What effect does this message have on our youth? Do you feel your alcohol or drug use is directly or indirectly a result of the messages of rap music? When did it become cool to smoke weed and publicly admit how proud you are that you smoke it?

Drug Dealing
Knowing that drugs have been forced into the black communities for decades by the US government in an effort to destroy black communities, why is this lifestyle of drug dealing the #1 most celebrated occupation in rap music? Why if every rapper talks about wanting to get away from the evils of the drug game, do they promote and encourage our youth to get into it? With drugs being the #1 cause behind most black on black violence, what stance should the hip hop community take in an effort to save our youth from this lifestyle?

Religion
Hip-Hop was founded on the precepts of the 5 Percent Nation, a religion which teaches that non-whites are all our own gods and our existence revolves around supreme mathematics. This religion is taught, unknowingly to many listeners, in the lyrics of the music, how has this belief system affected our communities? Both Christianity and Islam hold their followers to very high standards of acceptance of what is considered holy. What impact has this contradictory lifestyle portrayed in the media through rap music had on the black community that has traditionally used religion as the common glue to hold us all together? Can a rapper who promotes promiscuous sex, violence and drug use in his music, really be thankful to God when he wins a Grammy?

Gangs/Violence
What responsibility must rap music bear for the rise and spread of gangs throughout the nation's black communities? Gangs use to be about territory and drugs, now junior high school kids are forming gangs just because Snoop Dogg or Jim Jones rap about gangs. How has the prominence of gangs affected our youth's ability to get a good education and be safe without joining a gang? What can hip hop do to right this wrong?

Crime (Snitching)
How has rap music contributed to the prevalent crime rates in some black communities? When did helping the police to keep your neighborhood safe become "Snitching"? Why does rap music support a vigilante style of justice which endorses refusing to help police so that you may exact your own form of justice? How has the fact that rap music rarely explains the consequences of one's criminal actions affected our youth's decisions to enter into a life of crime? Why are rap stars glorified for going to jail and seen as heroes for such?

Materialism
The Bible states "The love of money is the root of all evil", how does this relate to rap music? How has the pursuit of "Bling" affected the decision making of Black America? How has Black America been destroyed since rap music's focus shifted from self empowerment through education to self empowerment through money? What responsibility should hip hop have to teach Black America about proper financial stewardship?

Beauty
How has rap music affected black women's view of themselves and what is beautiful? Why are black women willing to prance around half-naked and be used as sex objects in music videos? How do these images affect the minds of young black girls trying to find themselves? What does rap music say to black women about what is beautiful? Is there any correlation between rap music and growing low self esteem issues among black females? Why aren't black men held to the same high standards of beauty as black women?

Education
When did it become acceptable and cool to be dumb? Why isn't education stressed in rap music? How has rap music's message changed as it relates to education? What role should hip hop play in urging youth to get a college education? What responsibility does rap music bear for the rising high school drop-out rates of black males? What should hip hop's message be as it relates to education?

Respect For Authority
What role has rap music played in today's disregard for authority figures (i.e. parents, teachers, law enforcement etc)? When did it become acceptable for youth to curse at or around adults? Does rap music make listeners feel like they can live by their own rules and disregard established rules and laws?

"Nigga"
How can we ignore the past and think it's acceptable to call each other "nigga"? Can we really be mad when white folks call us nigga when all they hear us call ourselves is nigga? What role has rap music played in making the use of "nigga" mainstream and acceptable in our community? Can we really think that giving "nigga" an acronym (Never Ignorant Getting Goals Accomplished) makes it better? When is it OK to use "nigga"? Who can use the word "nigga"? What are your thoughts on businesses like www.niggaspace.com? Is that rap music's fault? As creative as Black Americans are, why have we not come up with a better name by which to identify ourselves?

Disregard for our past
What would Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, Sojourer Truth, Frederick Douglass, Carter G Woodson, Booker T Washington and W.E.B. DuBois say about the state of Black America? How would they feel if they could come back to life for one day and listen to the Top 10 albums on the Billboard Rap Charts? Why does it seem like our forefathers lives were meaningless and in vain when listening to some of today's rap music? How should rap music embrace our past and teach the next generations? What role has rap music played in the growing apathy among blacks toward voting?

How other people view Blacks
How do other races view blacks as a result of rap music? How does it make you feel to be judged by what you wear or by what you listen to? If Americans base their image of Black America predominantly on the images portrayed through rap music, how does that hinder Black America? How does that make you feel? Should we be concerned with how others view Black America? Is hip hop responsible to carry the burden of Black America's image?

Our future
How do you feel about your future? How do you feel about the future of the hip hop generation? With 70% of black males dropping out of school, 80% of prison populations being black men and 70% of all new HIV cases being black women, what hope is there for the future of Black America? How do we protect our babies and snatch back our youth from this warped mindset of today's rap artist? With the elevation to "hip hop god" status after the deaths of Tupac Shakur, Notorious BIG and many others in hip hop, black youths are now planning for their funerals instead of planning for their graduations and future. What message must hip hop send to overcome this tragic mindset and plant hope into the minds of our youth?

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK

Ø Submissions must be an original work by the submitting author.

Ø Submissions can be in essay, poetry or journal/letter format.

Ø Submissions should be emailed in an MS Word Document to usetoloveher@bakaribooks.com.

Ø Submissions are due by March 31, 2007.

Ø The submissions should be limited to 1000 words or less.

Ø You may submit up to 3 submissions. Each submission should cover a different topic.

Ø Include your Name, Email Address, Phone Number, Job Title and a 4-line bio along with your submission.

Ø Copyright must be owned by submitting author.

Ø Please use and cite as much supporting documentation as possible when writing your commentary.

Ø If you quote lyrics, please include the artist and song title with the quote.

Ø Please have your submissions edited before you submit it.

Ø There is no guarantee that your submission will be included in the book.

Ø If your submission is selected for inclusion in the book, you will be sent a release form to complete.

Ø You will still own the copyright to your commentary.

Ø There is no monetary compensation for your submission. However you will receive a free copy of the book if your submission is included.

Ø Please refer all questions to info@bakaribooks.com

Contact Info

2007-01-27T14:56:00.000-08:00

Felicia,
Do you have an updated e-mail address yet? I want to make sure I have it.
BTW, has anyone heard from Dakota lately? I hope she's merely in her underground lab working on some classic literary endeavors. Peace.
Donnie

FYI on Zane's Anthology

2007-01-22T17:19:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to drop a quick note to let you all know that Zane accepted my story "Fondling My Muse" for her Chocolate Flava 2 anthology.

With the story I have coming out in Brandon Massey's Dark Dreams III ("To Get Bread and Butter"), that will make two anthologies for the summer.

I call the anthologies "literary mixtapes." In other words, how many 16 bar verses can a brotha drop before a major label picks him up on the solo tip.

Stay inspired, and keep writing.

Peace.

Randy

James Baldwin

2007-01-22T09:38:00.000-08:00

I have a question. When we discuss books and authors and people talk about their favorites, most folks on this blog say that Toni Morrison someone like that is their favorite author. I never hear James Baldwin mentioned. Is anybody a fan? I am and read all of his books when I was in high school, but haven't thought about them much until recently. Let me know. I'm just curious, if it's a southern thang or if I was interested in Baldwin because he was the black male author that I had the most access to growing up in Whitefolksville.

NAACP IMAGE AWARDS

2007-01-21T18:04:00.000-08:00

I got an email from Dwight Fryer, fellow Memphian, 2004 Alumni of H/W, and his debut novel, LEGEND OF QUITO ROAD, has been nominated a NAACP IMAGE award in the debut category. I went to their website to see if voting had begun and saw the Marita Golden's book AFTER has been nominated in the Fiction category. Voting hasn't begun, but I think it would be good if we kept our eyes on it and voted for our HW folks. www.naacp.org.

A Post Taken From Kalamu's Listserve

2007-01-21T15:18:00.000-08:00

>>PUB: heinlein centennial science fiction contest

=============================================

Short Fiction Writing Contest for the Heinlein Centennial

http://www.heinleincentennial.com/rahcwritingcontest.html

Purpose & Concept

To promote the creation of short fiction in the style of Robert A. Heinlein.

Keep in mind that Heinlein’s work is the prototype for much of modern science

fiction. He did his best to be scientifically precise (allowing for

imagination and extrapolation). His stories followed a logical structure, and often

looked at ordinary things (marriage, technology, politics, death) in

extraordinary ways.

Guidelines

Each manuscript must meet the following requirements:

1. Length – 1,500 to 7,500 words.

2. Typed – Double spaced on one side of the paper (or equivalent in

word processing file). Use a clear font type such as Times New Roman or

Courier.

3. Title Page – Include name address, phone number, story title, and

length. Add e-mail address if available. The author information should only

be on the cover/title page. Start story on separate page and include only

story title and page number on each page of story.

4. E-mail entries must be submitted in .RTF (Rich Text Format). We

will make a good faith attempt to open other formats but only RTF is guaranteed

of acceptance and readability.

5. Mail a clean copy—Do NOT submit originals. Manuscripts will NOT

be returned.

6. All stories must be “Heinleinesque” in nature. They must display

well-manufactured plots, distinctive characters, and any science must be

thoughtfully developed. Judges will be the final arbiters of the interpretation of

“Heinleinesque.”

7. Stories should be previously unpublished in either print or

electronic format.

8. Stories must be emailed or postmarked no later than Midnight

(12:00 a.m.), February 15, 2007, to the Heinlein Short Fiction Contest

coordinator.

Categories

Professional Division

Professionals are defined as those writers who have sold 3 stories to a pro

fessional publication (defined as one paying $.03 per word or more) or 1 novel.

Winning Story: $175.00

Honorable Mention: $75.00

Amateur Division

Authors 16 years or older who do not meet the definition of professional as

listed above.

Winning Story: $175.00

Honorable Mention: $75.00

Young Writer Division

Authors 16 years or younger who don't meet who do not meet the definition of

professional as listed above.

Winning Story: $175.00

Honorable Mention: $75.00

Additionally all stories will be awarded prize certificates during a special

event at the Centennial as well as publication in the Centennial program

and/or other related publications.

Judging

Stories will be judged by professional writers, editors and publishers

prominent in the science fiction field.

Decisions of the judges, including those of appropriateness and suitability,

will be final.

Notification

Winners will be notified after May 31, 2007 by either first class mail or by

e-mail.

How to Get Disqualified

1. Make sure the manuscript does not meet the above-specified

requirements.

2. Submit a story that has been previously published in print or

electronic format.

3. Submit a story that contains unnecessary crude language, explicit

sex, violence or is in bad taste in any way that is not essential to the

story.

4. Submit a story written by someone other than the submitting

author.

Rights

All stories submitted must be unpublished works not in current submission to

other publication venues. All rights to works that are not selected as winners

are immediately and automatically released for submission elsewhere upon

announcement of the winning candidates.

Heinlein Centennial Inc. and its heirs and assigns reserve the right of first

publication of each winning story, in any form, in up to three publications

(paper, electronic or other) published by and for attendees and supporters of

the Heinlein Centennial, within one year of the award announcement. All

subsequent rights to each winning story are automatically released back to the author

after the first of these publications is made.

Submissions & More Information

Send submissions (mail or email) to:

Heinlein Short Story Contest Coordinator

(Writing.Contest(at)HeinleinCentennial.com) (replace (at) with @)

Heinlein Short Fiction Contest, P.O. Box 2000, Lee’s Summit,

Missouri 64063

Submission materials will not be returned.

Send questions & inquiries to:

Susan Satterfield, Heinlein Short Story Contest Coordinator

(Susan.Satterfield(at)HeinleinCentennial.com) (replace (at) with @)

Heinlein Short Fiction Contest, P.O. Box 2000, Lee’s Summit,

Missouri 64063

Please include an SASE if you send inquiries via mail.

A New Year Note

2007-01-06T12:45:00.000-08:00

Now that the new year is here, I find myself trying to realize a number of goals that would help my writing career. Following Dakota's suggestion, I submitted for the Zane anthology. Did anyone else do that? I thought about submitting that Lolita-esqe story, but then I got a better idea: a story about two people getting it on at a writing conference. Yeah, I know.

What are your plans for the year? Please feel free to share. I'm a bit concerned that if we don't keep our line of communication open, then we might drift apart, and I definitely don't want that to happen.

I hope you are all having a wonderful new year, and I promise to keep up with your individual blogs much better.

Peace, love, and soul.

Waking Up the Posts :)

2006-12-14T10:02:00.000-08:00

I know I have been incredibly slack in posting on this page, but I just wanted to see how everyone was doing. I finally finished my first semester of teaching at my new college, and now I'm starting to get focused on this new novel, a tale about a bluesman. The first novel will be making its rounds in January since I just completed the last revision.

Someone--everyone--holler at your boy. One of the beautiful things about our group is that we exude a collective energy. Let's keep it strong and keep it going.

Have a wonderful holiday, and keep me posted on how your writing is going.

Peace,

Randy

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2006-11-23T10:47:00.000-08:00

To the Nine:

Happy Thanksgiving and Many Blessings to you and your families.

Keep the dreams alive!

Donnie

CSU literary magazine call for submissions

2006-11-17T14:46:00.000-08:00

Warpland_____________________________________________ A Journal of Black Literature and Ideas

Extended Call for Submissions

The spring 2007 issue will highlight work related to the state of Black Literature and Black People in post Katrina US.

WarpLand is published annually by the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing at Chicago State University. WarpLand is committed to the study of black literature and ideas. The journal accepts visual art, essays, interviews, short fiction, poetry, and book reviews for publication. Work on subjects unrelated to the theme will also be accepted.

1. All manuscripts must be typed. For multiple page manuscripts the title of the work and page number must appear on each page.

2. Manuscripts may be emailed to gbc_warpland@yahoo.com in a Microsoft Word or WordPerfect file.

3. A cover letter must be included listing the titles of the submitted works and the author’s contact information.

4. All submitted material must include an e-mail address and additional contact information including a mailing address and phone number. Submissions without this information will not be considered.

5. Artwork should be e-mailed or submitted as prints or slides, along with a copy on disk in jpeg or gif format. Artwork does not need to be submitted in triplicate.

6. Friday December 15, 2006 is the deadline for consideration for this special extended call. Submissions received after that date will be considered for the following volume.

Please Do Not re-submit work from previous calls.
All work will be considered for the spring volume.
No phone calls will be accepted regarding submission status.
Submissions will not be accepted by fax transmission.

Please e-mail submissions to:
gbc_warpland@yahoo.com

Artwork may be submitted by mail to:
WarpLand Submissions
Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing
Chicago State University
LIB 210-A
9501 S. King Drive
Chicago, IL 60628-1598

E-mail general questions only to gbc_warpland@yahoo.com

CALLALOO IS ACCEPTING APPS

2006-11-08T08:55:00.000-08:00

Callaloo/Texas A&M is accepting apps for their summer workshop until March 13, 2007. Check out there website at www.callaloo.tamu.edu and go to workshop. They are accepting 10 poets and 6 fiction writers. I'm working on my app right now because I'd like to go and I'd like to see at least on H/W alum there.

FeLicia

Interesting Site

2006-10-31T08:56:00.000-08:00

Hey All,

I was persuing the web and came across this website: www.agentquery.com. There's a list of agents, e-journals and online magazines, literary journals, major publishers and small publishing houses. I found about three e-journals I'm submitting stories to. I found this site to be helpful, they have advice about querying agents, etc... Check it out if you have time.

FeLicia

And I owe it all to you fine people and my miserable ex

2006-10-30T10:29:00.000-08:00

Remember when I got dumped on the last day of our writing conference?
Well, I wrote a little story about it. Want to read it? Well, now you and every other subscriber to African Voices Magazine can because Maitefa Angaza called me early this morning to say that she thought the story was hilarious and touching and that African Voices would publish it either in the November issue or the issue after.
Yeah!!!!!!!
A great prophet once sang, "joy and pain are like sunshine and rain." That prophet was later remixed by EZ Rock and Rob Base.

Writing Opportunity

2006-10-28T08:22:00.000-07:00

I don't know if anybody is interested but, I thought I'd post this just in case:

Call for Entries: The Nickelodeon Writing Fellowship

Nickelodeon is offering writing fellowships in live action and
animated television to culturally and ethnically diverse new writers.
Participants will have hands-on experience writing spec scripts and
pitching story ideas.

The program, developed to broaden Nickelodeon's outreach efforts,
provides a salaried position for up to one year. The '07 - '08 cycle
is tentatively scheduled to begin in October 2007.

The next submission period runs from January 2 - February 28, 2007.
Applications and submission guidelines are available on our website at
www.nickwriting.com.

I've got my SOLA Bookmarks!

2006-10-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I've been crazy busy, but I did receive bookmarks for SOLA from my publisher today! Yeah! If you want a bookmark or two, send your name and address to dakotaknightwrites @ hotmail.com and I'll make sure to send them out. Only one month until SOLA arrives in stores and I'm so nervous and excited, I can hardly stand it! I'll write more soon....

Congratulations to Tyehimba!!!

2006-10-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

This is just a brief note to let you know that Tyehimba Jess, the workshop coach for the poetry group, recently received one of the Whiting Awards this year, valued at $40,000.

It's national news and further proof that we were all blessed to connect with each other over the course of this past summer.

Peace.

Dakota's Blowin' Up with "SOLA" Power!

2006-10-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

To the Nine:
Just wanted all of you to know if you don't know already:
This month's VIBE issue (with Diddy on the cover) has an advertisement for Urban Books, with the Nine's very own Ms. Dakota Knight's "SOLA" on the bottom right corner of the page.

Congrats, Dakota! I hope that we all get a chance to support you once the finished product comes out. Keep us posted on the release dates for the book, and your rescheduled tour.

Donnie

It was the best of times...

2006-10-14T15:23:00.000-07:00

Blurb from RAWSISTAZ

"Sola is a well-developed novel with a different flavor (than the average book)...the tension and suspense will keep you turning pages until you reach the end."

- Alice Holman of RAWSISTAZ.com

It was the worst of times...

The most difficult parts of making changes are the hard decisions that you know you have to make...despite the consequences. Unfortunately, I will have to postpone my entire Hair Raiser Tour until late 2007. Believe me, I don't want to (especially as a debut author having spent the better part of four months planning and scheduling), but it's necessary...for now. I encourage everyone to please support the stores that agreed to have me at their facilities. The names and addresses of the stores are located on my website, www.dakotaknight.com. Click on the Hair Raiser tour link by the Dreamers Book Trailer.

Share a panel with Haki Madhabuti

2006-10-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

Olive Harvey College hosts the oldest running Black Studies Conference in the country--30 years. Each year they have a series of panels and forums to raise money for the conference. This year, the first panel is for writers, and they are asking for panelist. The first invited writer on the panel is Haki Madhabhuti of Third World Press.

So, the catch is they can't afford to fly you here. They want to sell your books and take 10 dollars off the top to support the conference. I told them that I think $10 dollars is too much because my book only costs $5.00. So, I think they will soften on the flat fee and maybe ask for a percentage.

So, the panel is on Saturday, January 28, 2007. The time is still TBA.

Anyway, if you are interested, please e-mail me at 53935@blackplanet.com. Pass it on to anyone who has a book. I think it would be such an honor to share a panel with Haki Madhabuti. I have been a fan of his ever since he was Don Lee. (Well, maybe he abandoned Don Lee before I was born, but I know his given name. I'm a believer, right?)

I'm off to New York to see my play tomorrow. Hope it doesn't suck!

Love,
Jewel

Message For The Nine From the Zen Master

2006-10-13T17:32:00.000-07:00

Hey, all.
Just wanted to let you know that I talked to Steve Barnes last week. He gave me invaluable words of encouragement as I walk the path towards getting published on a national and (hopefully) international level. He wanted the Nine to know that we all still need to encourage each other, and he hopes to see us all in print.

I told him I appreciate all of his support, and also told him he should drop us a line on the blog sometime. He said he had published a post earlier, but I couldn't locate it. Anybody know where it is?

Pepper and Randy Bandit: Holla atcha boy sometime.
SPB, Felicia, Kimm, Fairhearts, Dakota: Keep us posted on your advancement into the stratosphere.
Cheddarbob007: Where are you?

Peace.
Donnie

Hip-Hop Lit is Hot

2006-10-11T18:59:00.000-07:00

I found this article on writersdigest.com. I thought a few of you might find it interesting.

http://www.writersdigest.com/articles/uhl_hiphop.asp

FeLicia

I'm a West Coast Leftie

2006-10-08T10:04:00.000-07:00

HEY EVERYBODY

I LIVE IN PORTLAND NOW!!! We left on Monday (aka my birthday) and got here Thursday afternoon. It was a long uneventful drive with hardly any rain or road construction. Wyoming looks like the surface of the moon except it has antelopes and oil pumps and people are born there so they can grow up and leave.

We have no gas or hot water or internet or phone or furniture, but hope to have some of that stuff within the next seven days. I'm at a coffee shop now. Cheddarbob007, if you're ever in town (and you should be because I'm here), stop by and see me. (That goes for all you West Coast people who read our blog and think we don't know about it) RandyBandit, I owe you an email and knew you were busy when YOU DIDN"T EMAIL ME BACK (but I forgive you). I hope you're liking Jackson. Do you know about the Southern Festival of Books next weekend in Memphis?

SPB, I owe you a critique for that NOVEL you submitted, and now that I have an address I can get that to you. You thought I forgot. I never forget. Everybody take care. If you want my street address or phone number, email me and I'll send them to you.

FeLicia

Article about Dwayne from Hurston/Wright

2006-10-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to an article about our friend Dwayne from the conference. He’s in the Washington Post with pics and there is a mention of Hurston/Wright Foundation. You’ll need to register with the Post to view it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/01/AR2006100101160.html

Eileen

Call for Submissions from Zane!

2006-09-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS Strebor Books International/ATRIA Books/Simon and Schuster are currently seeking submissions for the following anthologies:

ASIAN SPICE: The Eroticanoir.com Anthology Edited by Zane

Zane is seeking submissions for Asian Spice: The Eroticanoir.com Anthology to be published by ATRIA/Simon and Schuster. Stories must prominently feature Asians in one or more of the key roles and contain some sort of Asian theme. Stories should be between 2,500-3,500 in length (no longer). Stories must not just be strictly sex-filled but must actually have a storyline and character development. The deadline for submissions is January 1, 2007. Please allow 4-5 months for a response to your submissions as the submissions process will be very competitive.

Contributors will be paid a one-time fee of $300 and receive 5 complimentary copies of the finished book. Emailed submissions will not be accepted. All submissions must be double-spaced with 1" margins and in 12-pt. Times New Roman font or will not be considered.

Please send your submissions to: Strebor Books/Simon and Schuster, ATTN: Asian Spice, PO Box 6505, Largo, MD 20792.

CHOCOLATE FLAVA 2: The Eroticanoir.com Anthology Edited by Zane

Zane is seeking submissions for Chocolate Flava 2: The Eroticanoir.com Anthology to be published by ATRIA/Simon and Schuster. Stories must prominently feature African-Americans in one or more of the key roles. Stories should be between 2,500-3,500 in length (no longer). Stories must not just be strictly sex-filled but must actually have a storyline and character development. The deadline for submissions is January 1, 2007. Please allow 4-5 months for a response to your submissions as the submissions process will be very competitive.

Contributors will be paid a one-time fee of $300 and receive 5 complimentary copies of the finished book. Emailed submissions will not be accepted. All submissions must be double-spaced with 1" margins and in 12-pt. Times New Roman font or will not be considered.

Please send your submissions to: Strebor Books/Simon and Schuster, ATTN: Chocolate Flava 2, PO Box 6505, Largo, MD 20792.

A FLESH TO FLESH Edited by Lee A. Hayes

Strebor Books/Atria, a division of Simon & Schuster, is accepting submissions for Flesh to Flesh (tentative title), a gay erotic anthology that will be edited by Lee Hayes and published in fall 2007 or early 2008. This anthology is an opportunity for up-and-coming writers to gain national exposure as the anthology will be available in all major bookstores.

Selected authors will be paid a one time fee of $100 and receive 5 complimentary copies of the anthology. Stories must be between 3,000 and 5,000 words. Stories must be erotic and if you have no idea what my idea of erotica is, I suggest reading you Chocolate Flava, edited by Zane. We are not looking for stories with weak, sugar-coated sex. Nor am I looking for stories that are nothing but fluff. There must be a storyline and characters readers can get into. Stories cannot be degrading to either sex. In fact, they should empower the reader to discover sexual liberation. The deadline for submissions is November 1, 2006.

All submissions must be sent to Strebor Books International, ATTN: LEE HAYES, PO Box 6505, Largo, MD 20792.

For this anthology, Lee Hayes is searching for the hottest male cover model around. Men can be of any sexual preference but please note that the book is a gay anthology. To enter the contest, there is no official entry fee but you must submit three photos and an original receipt for either Passion Marks by Lee Hayes or A Deeper Blue: Passion Marks 2 by Lee Hayes to be considered. Please mail the materials to: Strebor Books: ATTN: LEE HAYES CONTEST, PO Box 6505, Largo, MD 20792

PURPLE PANTIES (Tentative Title)Edited by Zane

Zane is seeking submissions for Purple Panties. Stories must prominently feature lesbian activities with African-Americans in one or more of the key roles. Stories should be between 2,500-3,500 in length (no longer). Stories must not just be strictly sex-filled but must actually have a storyline and character development. The deadline for submissions is April 1, 2007. Please allow 4-5 months for a response to your submissions as the submissions process will be very competitive.

Contributors will be paid a one-time fee of $200 and receive 5 complimentary copies of the finished book. Emailed submissions will not be accepted. All submissions must be double-spaced with 1" margins and in 12-pt. Times New Roman font or will not be considered.

Please send your submissions to: Strebor Books/Simon and Schuster, ATTN: PP, PO Box 6505, Largo, MD 20792.

LOVING WITHIN BOUNDARIES Edited by Zane

Zane is seeking testimonials for a non-fiction book that she is compiling on the HIV/AIDS epidemic. She would like to hear from those battling the disease as well as those who have loved ones suffering from the disease. This is a topic that is rarely discussed openly in the African-American community and Zane would like to bring attention to it so that people will greater understand the epidemic and ways to prevent it. Testimonials should be no longer than 3,000 words and be honest expressions of feelings. The deadline for submissions is April 1, 2007. Please allow 4-5 months for a response to your submissions as the submissions process will be very competitive.

Contributors will be paid a one-time fee of $200 and receive 5 complimentary copies of the finished book. Emailed submissions will not be accepted. All submissions must be double-spaced with 1" margins and in 12-pt. Times New Roman font or will not be considered.

Please send your submissions to: Strebor Books/Simon and Schuster, ATTN: PP, PO Box 6505, Largo, MD 20792.

TO THE NINE - LET'S GET WRITING!

DAKOTA

Check out Blogging in Black!

2006-09-25T13:18:00.000-07:00

Blogging in Black is a collective effort of literary professionals sharing their views on the writing life, publishing, and anything else on their minds. With commentary beginning on Sunday, October 1, 2006, BIB promises to be a strong and consistent outlet for opinion from literary professionals.

This week, we're introducing our collective of columnists. Visit Blogging in Black to view their bios: http://www.blogginginblack.com

Check out our line-up for Launch Week, beginning October 1, 2006!

Sunday, October 1, 2006: Regular Columnist Dakota Knight writes about the importance of libraries in the effort to increase visibility of black literature.

Monday, October 2, 2006: Guest Commentary - New York Times Bestselling sci-fi author Steven Barnes shares his views on writing.

Tuesday, October 3, 2006: Regular Columnist and budding YA author Paula Chase-Hyman writes about being a part of the next wave in black literature.

Wednesday, October 4, 2006: Roving Regular Column: Ten Questions - A top literary agent will answer ten questions.

Thursday, October 5, 2006: Guest Commentary - Kwame Alexander writes about why events such as the Capital BookFest are important for black authors.

Friday, October 6, 2006: Regular Columnist Shelia E. Lipsey provides inspirational commentary about the trials and tribulations of being a Christian Fiction author.

Saturday, October 7, 2006: Roving Regular Column: Promo Maven answers questions about marketing and promotions. Have a question? Send it to msmaven [at] hotmail.com.

Week two promises to be just as exciting with commentary from columnists Vincent Alexandria, Shelia Goss, Belinda from All Things Literary, Sylvia Hubbard, and Wendy Coakley-Thompson!

We hope that you'll stop by BIB to share your views. Readers can add their own comments at the end of each column. Please support us by adding the BIB link to your blogs and websites!

Vanity Fair Essay Contest

2006-09-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

You know I post on this thing more, lately, than I post on my own blog? I NEED you PEEPLE. YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO MEEEEEEE. You all keep me writing right now.

Hold on. You know there is a lot of text here. So, I am gonna try some fancy isht, and put some of the information on another window. You know like, click here, and it appears in full somewhere else.

Silence, ladies and gentleman, while I attempt this mind blowing feat of iternetelligence.

GUIDELINES FOR VANITY FAIR ESSAY CONTEST
http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/pressroom2

Essays must address the following topic: What is reality to Americans today?
And did we ever have a grasp of it?
All entries must be received by midnight E.D.T. on September 30, 2006.
Essays must be e-mailed to EssayContest(at)vf.com as a Microsoft Word
document or as an Adobe Acrobat P.D.F. file (replace (at) with @).
The text area of the submission e-mail must state the entrant's full name,
home address, date of birth, and daytime telephone number. No other
information
should appear in the text area of the e-mail.
Entrant's name must not appear anywhere in the attached essay file.
Essays must be no longer than 1,500 words (excluding title and any notes or
bibliography).
Essays must be in English.
Essays must have a title.
Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and legal residents of one of the
50 United States or the District of Columbia at the time of entry.
Each entrant may submit only one essay.
Essays must be the original work of the entrants, must not violate any
copyright or other rights, and must not have been previously published in any
form.
Employees of the Condé Nast Publications Inc. or of Montblanc (and their
immediate family members) are not eligible.

Full Contest Rules Here....Fa sho'!

2006 VANITY FAIR ESSAY CONTEST RULES

1. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.
2. ELIGIBILITY: All entrants must be 18 years of age or older and legal
residents of one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia at the
time of
entry. Employees of Condé Nast Publications Inc. and Montblanc (and their
immediate family members) are not eligible.
3. HOW TO ENTER: Entries will be accepted beginning August 10, 2006. To
enter, send your essay as an e-mail attachment to EssayContest(at)vf.com
(replace
(at) with @). Essays must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document or as an
Adobe Acrobat P.D.F. file. The text of the e-mail message must state your
full
legal name, home address, date of birth, and daytime telephone number, and no
further information. Your name must not appear anywhere in the attached essay
file. Entrants must provide true, accurate, and complete information in the
e-mail. E-mails must be received no later than midnight E.D.T. on September
30,
2006. One entry per person/e-mail address. Entries that are lost, late,
misdirected, or incompletely received, for any reason, including by reason of
hardware, software, browser, or network failure, malfunction, congestion, or
incompatibility at Vanity Fair or elsewhere will not be eligible. Vanity
Fair, in its
sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any person tampering with
the entry process or who is otherwise in violation of the rules. Vanity Fair
further reserves the right to cancel, terminate, or modify any promotion not
capable of completion as planned for any reason, including by reason of
infection
by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, or technical
failures of any sort. Following electronic submission of an essay, entrants
will
receive an automatic e-mail reply stating that Vanity Fair has received the
message. Entrants will not be able to check the status of their essays and
will
receive no other notification unless they are selected as a potential winner.
However, after an essay is submitted, Vanity Fair may contact entrants by
e-mail or telephone to request additional information.
4. ORIGINAL WORKS ONLY: Essays must be the original work of the entrants,
must not violate any copyright or other rights, and must not have been
previously
published in any form.
5. ESSAY FORMAT: Essays must address the following topic: "What is reality to
Americans today? And did we ever have a grasp of it?" Essays may not exceed
1,500 words (not including title, notes, bibliography, and other ancillary
materials). Essays must be in English. Essays must have a title. Essays must
be
double-spaced, in 12-point type, and should follow standard essay format.
6. ANONYMITY: The entrant's name must not appear in any part of the essay.
There must be no language, symbol, or other information in the essay that
indicates the entrant's identity. The entrant shall identify himself or
herself only
in the text of the e-mail submission. Each essay will be assigned a unique
code that will be used throughout the judging process to ensure each
entrant's
anonymity.
7. JOINT AUTHORSHIP: Essays with either one or two authors are eligible.
Essays with more than two authors are not eligible. If there are co-authors,
provide the full name, address, date of birth, and daytime telephone number
of both
authors in the submission e-mail.
8. EXCERPTS AND QUOTATIONS: Each entrant is responsible for obtaining all
necessary permissions for use of excerpts and quotations from third-party
works.
Excerpts and quotations must be properly credited with footnotes, endnotes,
and/or a bibliography. Extensive use of notes is discouraged. Any essay that
includes third-party material without the required permission will be
disqualified.
9. JUDGING AND AWARDING OF PRIZES: Winning essays will be selected based on
the quality of the writing and on the clarity, effectiveness, and originality
of the argument. Quality of writing will count for 50 percent, clarity for 20
percent, effectiveness for 20 percent, and originality for 10 percent. Essays
will be judged by Vanity Fair staff and/or other qualified writing
professionals. Contest winners will be announced on or around June 20, 2007,
and potential
winners may be notified by mail, telephone, or e-mail in advance of the
announcement. All decisions of the judges are final. There will be one grand
prize
of $15,000, a trip to Donnini, Italy, including economy-class airfare and six
nights of accommodation at the Santa Maddalena writers' colony, and a
Montblanc Meisterstück 149 fountain pen. The approximate retail value
(A.R.V.) of the
grand-prize package, if the winning essay has one author, is $17,725,
depending on exact itinerary. Additional meals, transportation, and other
expenses are
the responsibility of the winner(s). Trip must be completed by March 31,
2008. Certain restrictions and blackout dates may apply. There will be one
second
prize of $5,000 and a Montblanc Bohème fountain pen. The A.R.V. of the second
prize is $5,355. There will be one third prize of $1,000 and a Montblanc
StarWalker Fine Liner. The A.R.V. of the third prize is $1,235. In the event
that a
co-authored essay wins any of the three prizes, the prize money will be split
equally between the two authors, and each author will receive the specified
Montblanc pen. In the event that a co-authored essay wins the grand prize,
both
authors will be permitted to take the trip to Italy. Thus, the A.R.V. for
each co-author will be: grand prize, $10,225; second prize, $2,855; third
prize,
$735.
10. PUBLICATION OF AWARD-WINNING ESSAY: The grand-prize-winning essay will
appear online at www.vanityfair.com. Grand-prize winner(s) may be required to
sign Vanity Fair's standard author contract assigning the magazine all
worldwide
copyright rights to the essay.
11. PUBLICITY OF WINNING ENTRANTS AND RELEASE FROM LIABILITY: Acceptance of
prize constitutes consent to use winner's name, likeness, and essay for
editorial, advertising, and publicity purposes without further compensation,
except
where prohibited. Potential winners may be required to sign an affidavit of
eligibility (including social security number), a
liability/publicity/permission
release, and (in the case of the grand prize winner) the all rights author
contract, within 14 days of receiving the documents, or an alternate winner
may
be chosen.
12. TAXES: Income taxes and other taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility
of the winners.
13. OTHER REGULATIONS AND LEGAL MATTERS: a. Subject to all federal, state,
and local laws and regulations. Void outside the 50 United States and the
District of Columbia and where prohibited.
b. Prizes are not transferable. No substitutions for prizes except by Vanity
Fair, in which case a prize of equal or greater value will be substituted.
Vanity Fair and Montblanc are not responsible for errors in the
administration or
fulfillment of this contest, including without limitation mechanical, human,
printing, distribution, or production errors, and may modify or cancel this
promotion based on such error at their sole discretion.
c. All entries become the property of Vanity Fair and will not be
acknowledged or returned.
14. NAMES OF CONTEST WINNERS: For the names of the contest winners, send an
e-mail to EssayContest(at)vf.com (replace (at) with @). Such requests must be
received before December 31, 2007.
15. SPONSOR: The sponsor of this contest is Montblanc, 430 Mountain Avenue,
Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974

Call for Submissions at Howard

2006-09-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

Do you all remember Abdul Ali from Hurston/Wright? He was in the poetry group? Well, he is working with Howard's Amistad and is looking for submissions.

A Call for Submissions—Deadline October 15, 2006

Howard University’s English Department presents The Amistad--an online literary journal that is currently seeking poems, short stories, critical essays, book reviews that delve beneath the surface in examining where we are in the 21st century.

We are looking for poems that go beyond clichés. We’d like to capture what is on the minds of writers about our collective human condition, including but not limited to war, terrorism, religion, freedom, privacy, health issues (AIDS, Cancer, etc) sexuality, popular culture, and the state of black love and/or family. Your writing may respond to the following questions: What’s up and coming in black literature? What and who is on the margins? What has yet to be discussed? How can we talk about the old with a fresh voice? With this issue—we are trying to define and understand where we are, and where we ought to go next with our writing. Most important, what do the current literary trends suggest about the future of Literature produced by African Americans?

You may send your submissions and/or queries to submitamistadhu@aol.com

Words of Wisdom

2006-09-04T17:17:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody,

I saw the following online and thought that they were pretty good words to contemplate, especially in light of what we discussed at HWWW. I hope someone can benefit from them. I just wanted to share.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK

Whatever you plant in your subconscious mind and nourish every day with conviction and emotion will one day become a reality. Constant repetition carries conviction. Repeat something often enough and it will start to become you. A change in what you tell yourself will result in a change in your behavior. What you impress upon your mind,you'll inevitably become. Self suggestion will make you master of yourself. FeLicia

Yeah! I've Been Nominated for an Award and I Need Your Vote!

2006-09-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!!!! I'm running up against another deadline and you know what that means...

Anyway, imagine my excitement when I found out that my website, http://www.dakotaknight.com/, is a Finalist for the 2007 Black Web Awards in the Category of Best Personal Website by an Individual!This is amazing! Someone out there thought my website was good enough to be recognized. I feel very blessed!!!

Now, I need your help. Web Visitors vote on the winners and I need you to visit:

http://www.blackwebawards.com/lifestyles_ballot

Enter in your country and your zip code and then scroll down to the nominees for Best Personal Website by an Individual. VOTE FOR DAKOTA KNIGHT.com! Submit your entry. You can vote as many times as you want. I need you, my blogging friends! Voting ends on October 20, 2006. Thank you in advance for your vote.

HWWW Update: Poetry

2006-09-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Check out my HWWW roommate, Van G. Garrett, at this website:

http://www.blastro.com/poets/player/vanggarrettdancingonair.html

He's doing things in the poetry world, so keep an eye out for him.

Peace.

Reminder: Deadline Approaching

2006-08-30T11:51:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that the deadline for the romance anthology that Dakota told us about is on September 1st. If anyone needs the information, contact Dakota, or if necessary, I can post the e-mail that she forwarded to me.

Keep writing!

Randy

One Month Later - State of the NINE

2006-08-24T06:26:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

It's been just over one month since we all met at Hurston Wright! So, what's your status - one month later? Have you finished a short story? Have you submitted anything? Are you a work in progress? Let us know!!!!

Africa Anyone?

2006-08-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

As sent via listserve by Kalamu ya Salaam:

The 2006 Summer Literary Seminars-Kenya
Fiction, Nonfiction and Poetry Contests, in Affiliation with Tin House and
Maisonneuve magazines.

Nonfiction Judge: Phillip Lopate
Fiction/Poetry Judge: Tin House Editorial Board

SLS is pleased to announce that its 2006 contest will be held in affiliation
with Tin House (USA) and Maisonneuve (Canada) magazines, two of the most
interesting and prominent publications in North America.

The authors of the winning poem and prose entries will receive airfare,
accommodations, and a full tuition waiver to the 2006 Summer Literary Seminars
program in Kenya, AND publication of the winning entry in one of these
magazines--fiction and poetry in Tin House, nonfiction in Maisonneuve. Second place
receives a full tuition waiver to SLS 2006, and third place receives a substantial
tuition scholarship. Other hand-picked finalists will be offered tuition
scholarships as well.

The complete guidelines for the 2006 contests are as follows:
One essay, story or novel/memoir excerpt, maximum 25 pages per entry.
No more than three poems per entry.
Only previously unpublished work can be submitted.
Include a $10 reading fee for each entry. This fee should be in US Dollars.
Multiple entries are permissible as long as separate reading fees are included.
Checks should be made out to Summer Literary Seminars, Inc.
Include your complete contact information (address, telephone, email address)
on the manuscript. Entries are not judged blind.
All entrants will be notified of the winners in the fall by email.
Do NOT include a SASE. Cover letters are not required.
Previous First Place winners may not re-enter.
Postmark deadline: September 15th, 2006.

Entries from Canada may be sent to:
Summer Literary Seminars
KENYA Fiction/Nonfiction/Poetry Contest
English Department
Concordia University
1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W.
Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8 Canada

Entries from the US and other countries may be sent to:
Summer Literary Seminars
KENYA Fiction/Nonfiction/Poetry Contest
PO Box 225
Northampton, MA 01061
These are the complete guidelines, in their entirety.

2006-08-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

THE INVINCIBLE NINE
Hey, everyone. I also want to share another article that was done on us near the end of Writers' Week. A lady "cornered" me on Thursday at the end of class and did a quick interview. Well, she didn't exactly pressure me. She only asked if I would be a part of her interview for the Washington Informer for a story on Writer's Week. I thought it was a pretty cool article to give Hurston Wright exposure, and the lady, Shantella Sherman, did exactly what she said and put the names of folks she interviewed right in the article, including yours truly!
Check it out:

Washington Post Informer Article

Tell me what you think.
Also, got pics and will put them on the blogsite soon. Just bare with me as I try to get through this week. Peace.
Donnie

Update on a Monday

2006-08-13T22:20:00.000-07:00

I'm sure most of you already know that Wil Haygood did an article on Trenise Robinson (the sister from New Orleans) in the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/07/AR2006080701058.html?referrer=emailarticle). Feel free to check it out. She was in the poetry section.

Also, Van G. Garrett, my roommate from HW, served as a judge for the National Slam Poetry Competition this past weekend in Austin, TX.

I expect huge things out of the HW class this year, especially from the Invincible Nine. So please keep doing your thing, and we are eventually going to make it happen.

Peace.

Critiques and Pictures

2006-08-09T16:43:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I have a couple of links for those of us interested in getting brutally honest critiques. These are for SF, Fantasy and Horror stories. The first is: http://sff.onlinewritingworkshop.com/
which is good but you have to pay for membership. The second is: http://critters.org/ which is free and I think the better of the two. I’ve submitted to both of these workshops and found them to be very helpful.

Now for pictures. Joyce from the memoir workshop sent a link with pictures and she didn’t mind sharing. Here is the link: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8Abt2blq3ctWOb

And I have a question. Are any of you interested in writing tv anime reviews for a website? If so let me know.

Eileen

Man I got all excited about the mysterious Pepper

2006-08-09T12:57:00.000-07:00

I got an e-mail from someone commenting on my blog. I'm thinking I done hit the big time, and its Warren. Hi Warren :)

Hello, everyone. I hope everyone is doing better than I am. It's not that I am doing all that bad, just that for the past two mornings in a row, when my alarm clock went off to wake me for writing time, I have turned it off and gone back to bed.

I know. I'm shamed.

The story I am working on is hard, and I am scared of it. Not even the temptation of that for which Warren constantly searches could drag me to that dang keyboard.

Fear not! I will return to the computer. After all, today is not even over.

How was New York, Dakota?
Bye

Must See Short Film - A Girl Like Me

2006-08-08T20:48:00.000-07:00

This short film will chill your bones...believe that. A high school female - that's right - high school, made an excellent documentary that explores how young black women view themselves. The part about the little girls doing the "doll test" made me shed a couple tears. I would love to read your opinions.

Watch here or just copy and paste the link to your Navigation Bar.

http://www.mediathatmattersfest.org/6/a_girl_like_me/

Interesting Link

2006-08-07T17:40:00.000-07:00

Hello,

I came across this on a website I go to sometimes. I thought it might be helpful (since we are the Invincible Nine) for us to exchange this type of info. The site is pretty good. If anybody is looking for places to submit stories, go to www.pw.org and click on the "links". It will take you to a list of publications (in case you don't frequent Poets & Writers). It's where I found this article. (writing world also has some links for places to submit stories.)

http://www.writing-world.com/publish/pitch2.shtml

FeLicia

The Invincible Nine?

2006-08-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

Hey, did everyone see Donnie's idea for a group name? He suggested The Invincible Nine. Check out the first post, Welcome, for his reasons. What does everyone think? I think it's pretty cool. (Warren, I liked yours too, but...:-))

Checking In/ Pictures

2006-08-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

I finally moved into my apartment in Jackson, Tennessee, and am anxious to start work as an English Instructor next Friday. While at Wal-Mart, I picked up a frame for my Hurston/Wright certificate, and it made me think back to the energy level that we had there. Is everyone still motivated to finish their books? I hope so.

If anyone has pictures from the Writers' Week, please feel free to post them to this blog.

Peace.

THE BOOK

2006-07-29T18:25:00.000-07:00

Hello, I got THE BOOK today in the mail. I ordered it when I got home last week and had been looking for it for days. I was standing at the mailbox like a little kid when the postman came by. I bought the least expensive version I could find ($84) that was in reasonably decent shape. It has about 277 pages and I would have to take a whole day just to scan it in. Let me know if you are interested in a copy of THE BOOK and we can work out distribution later. Holla, FeLicia

What's Your Favorite Book?

2006-07-28T17:27:00.000-07:00

This past week, I read a couple of books (for some reason, I couldn't write a thing). I read a J.A. Konrath mystery, a Niobia Bryant romance, and I'm finishing up Steven Barnes' Great Sky Woman. For some reason, I decided to read The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky again. It is, by far, one of my favorite books. There are several titles I truly love, that I return to every now and then to read again. I have a thing for Dostoevsky though. He kind of speaks to me. There are others, such as Carl Sagan's Contact and John Grisham's The Partner. So, what are your favorite books?

Gwen Brooks Conference Journal

2006-07-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

Journal Submissions
This year’s conference theme will focus on the rich literacy, cultural, and creative contributions emerging from and pertaining to the African Diaspora. We invite you to send two poems, a short story, or a critical essay for possible publication in the 2006 edition of WarpLand: A Journal of Black Literature and Ideas. Topics should focus on the conference theme or works of a writer listed in the previous paragraph.Please submit a printed copy and WordPerfect or Microsoft Word file on a PC formatted disk.

Send submissions to:
Journal Submissions/Gwendolyn Brooks Center

Chicago State University
9501 S. King Drive LIB 210A
Writers whose submissions have been selected will be contacted October 16, 2006.

Gwendolyn Brooks Writer's Conference Literary Awards

2006-07-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

The Gwendolyn Brooks Center announces its annual literary awards in creative writing and criticism in conjunction with the 15th Annual Gwendolyn Brooks Writers' Conference October 25, 2006 - October 28, 2006, at Chicago State University (CSU). The Center will award seven prizes in poetry, fiction, script writing, and literary criticism in its continuing efforts to encourage writing that explores, explicates, embraces, and celebrates the richness of Black World Culture.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award
The Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award is open to all Chicago State University students. Applicants must be current CSU students and are asked to submit two poems, 30 lines or less each, that uniquely express the Black experience. The award includes a $1,000 honorarium.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Fuller, Kent, Turner, Gayle Award for Literary Criticism
The Hoyt W. Fuller, George Kent, Darwin T. Turner, Addison Gayle Jr. Award for Literary Criticism is open to unpublished writers. Applicants are asked to submit an essay (maximum 15 dbl. spaced pages) that explores some aspect of Black literature. This award includes a $350 honorarium. NOT OPEN TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Zora Neale Hurston-Bessie Head Fiction Award
The Hurston-Head Fiction Award is open to unpublished writers. Applicants are asked to submit a story (maximum of 20 dbl. spaced pages) that explores some aspect of the Black experience. This award includes a $250 honorarium. NOT OPEN TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Hughes, Diop, Knight Poetry Award
The Langston Hughes, David Diop, Etheridge Knight Poetry Award is open to unpublished writers. Applicants are asked to submit two poems, 30 lines or less each, that uniquely express the Black experience. This award includes a $250 honorarium. NOT OPEN TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Douglas Turner Ward / Alice ChildressScript Writing Award
The Douglass Turner Ward/Alice Childress Script Writing Award is open to unpublished writers. Applicants are asked to submit a script of no more than 50 dbl. spaced pages that explores some aspect of the Black experience. This award includes a $250 honorarium. NOT OPEN TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Dudley Randall Poetry Award
The Dudley Randall Poetry Award is open ONLY to high school students in the state of Illinois . Applicants are asked to submit two poems, 30 lines or less each, that uniquely express the Black experience. This award includes a $250 honorarium.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Alice Walker Short Story Award
The Alice Walker Short Story Award is open ONLY to high school students in the state of Illinois . Applicants are asked to submit a maximum of 10 dbl. spaced pages that explore some aspect of the Black experience. This award includes a $250 honorarium.

Submissions must be mailed to:
2006 Literary AwardsThe Gwendolyn Brooks Center
Chicago State University
9501 S. King Drive, LIB 210A
Chicago, IL 60628-1598

The deadline (POSTMARK DATE) for all submissions is September 22, 2006. SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE RETURNED.

All winners will be announced at the 16th Annual Gwendolyn Brooks Writers' Conference on the evening of Saturday, October 28, 2006

Fringe Magazine Call for Submissions

2006-07-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

Fringe Magazine Call for Submission

Theme Issue.
Our February 2007 issue will focus on feminism. We want work that illuminates feminism in all its glorious complexity. How has feminism shaped your life? How can we address some of society's challenges to it? What does it mean to be a feminist? We'd love to read about feminism in cultural contexts, women and men who are feminists, and innovative forms of feminism.

When submitting for this special issue, please include "Feminism" in your subject line.

General Guidelines.

We would like to read your work. To ensure that we do, please follow both the general and the genre guidelines carefully. Incorrectly formatted submissions may be ignored.

Please do not send us previously published work.

Submission Deadlines/Reading Periods.
We accept submissions on a rolling basis.

How to Submit.
Email submissions to the appropriate genre address (see below). In your email, please include a cover letter, brief bio and your full name. Your subject line should include your name, the title(s) of the work(s), and word count (line count(s) for poetry).

We prefer Word or RTF attachments (PC platform) but will accept almost any compatible document form we can open, including text of e-mail messages. You may submit in .doc, .jpg, .gif, or .png format. Please note: We cannot open .wps or .bin files.

If you submit work in an attachment, please do NOT include your personal information within the file, as our submissions process is blind.

Simultaneous Submissions.
Are accepted. Please do not send us more than two total submissions at a single time. Please notify us immediately if your piece has been accepted elsewhere.

Acceptance.
If your work is accepted, you will receive an email to the address you provide. The work that is accepted remains part of Fringe's online archive system for readers to access in the future. We are granted first electronic publishing rights. All other rights revert to the writer after publication.

Genre Guidelines.
Read our guidelines for submission in the following genres:

Art
Critical Essays
(de)Classified
Fiction
Nonfiction
Poetry

Art
Submit 3-7 works of visual art, clearly labeled, attached in .jpg, .gif, or .png format.

FringeArt@gmail.com

Critical Essays
We like criticism on artistic works or social trends with fully documented sources in MLA format. Annotations of poems are also welcome. Keep it to 5,000 words, and use endnotes instead of footnotes for formatting purposes, please.

FringeCriticism@gmail.com

(de)Classified
Can't mash your art into our categories? Submit it here. This genre includes, but is not limited to: experimental work, monologues, scripts, spoken word, and six word novels. We also accept audio with a bitrate of 160 or above in .mp3 format.

No word limit here, but be advised that the longer your work is, the better it must be to justify the space devoted to it. Surprise us!

FringeOther@gmail.com

Fiction
Short stories and self-contained novel exerpts should be 7,000 words or shorter — about 22 double spaced pages. Please submit only 1 short story or novel excerpt at a time.

For Fringe purposes, a flash fiction (or short short) piece is less than 1,000 words. Submit 1-3 at a time, and please put "Flash Fiction" in the subject line.

FringeFiction@gmail.com

Nonfiction
Creative Nonfiction should be no more than 7,000 words and includes memoir, personal essays, columns, etc.

FringeNonFiction@gmail.com

Poetry
Please submit a minimum of 4 poems, but no more than 7 poems at a time, in a single attachment.

Longer poetry (40 lines or more) must be submitted separately, only one poem per submission. Please send in an attachment, and include the words "Long Poem" in the subject heading of your email.

FringePoetry@gmail.com

Hi everyone

2006-07-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

Thank you for setting up this blog. I think this will be a fun way to communicate. I wish I could offer a call for submissions, maybe after I check my e-mail, but I can say that I have been waking up at 4:20 every morning to (ahem) think and write a short story. I was in the middle of checking ya'lls e-mail, and diligently pretending to work. I must get back to it.
Jewel Sophia Younge

Publisher HarperCollins Announces Major Contests

2006-07-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

HarperCollins Publishers and FanLib Launch Groundbreaking Online Community EventsWednesday July 26, 10:24 am ET

Romance and Teen Genres Focus of Upcoming Contests

NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 26, 2006--HarperCollins Publishers and FanLib, an online entertainment company, today announced a partnership to create a series of innovative online events.The partnership kicks off with the Avon FanLit "Express Your Desires" contest. This collaboration between Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, and FanLib marks the first ever online event inviting fans of romance fiction to work together on the creation of an original story. Catering to the 65 million romance readers in the United States, the Web site unites the passionate audience of romance readers and aspiring authors with bestselling Avon authors and their editors. Contest winners will see their work polished and published in a HarperCollins ebook, with one grand prize winner flown to New York City to present her own idea for a romance novel. Avon FanLit "Express Your Desires" is slated to launch August 23, 2006. Attendees to the Romance Writers of America Conference, July 26-29 in Atlanta, will get an overview of the event.

At the start of the eight-week event, located at http://AvonFanLit.com/, romance fans will vote for a favorite story premise. Participants will then submit chapters based on a weekly storyline. The vast majority of participants will contribute by reading, discussing, reviewing and rating the fan-written submissions. In addition to reviews and ratings from peers, submissions will be judged by a panel of Avon authors, including Victoria Alexander, Eloisa James, Cathy Maxwell, Teresa Medeiros, and Julia Quinn. At the end of each week, the highest rated chapter will be added to the developing manuscript until the story is complete. In addition to the judges, other Avon authors will also be available throughout the course of the event to provide writing tips, comments on work, and blog entries. HarperCollins will partner with retailers and sponsors to co-market the events and contribute prizes that will be awarded along the way.

"HarperCollins is committed to bringing new and innovative programs to our consumers," said Jane Friedman, President and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide. "Our partnership with FanLib enables us to reach readers and aspiring authors through a unique online community, and bring them inside the writing process to interact with their favorite authors and our talented editorial staff, led by Liate Stehlik, Senior Vice President and Publisher Avon Books.""Romance readers are one of the most undervalued audiences on the web," said Chris M. Williams, CEO of FanLib. "They represent a massive group of literate, well-educated women who spend an incredible amount of time online. Through our partnership with HarperCollins, Avon FanLit is the first exciting platform to bring these readers together in a moderated community setting that is also designed with marketers in mind."

In October 2006 HarperCollins and FanLib will once again join forces on an online teen contest, HarperTeen FanLit "Your Words. Everybody's Story." The event will initiate the upcoming launch, in January 2007, of the HarperTeen imprint, home of the most exciting teen publishing happening anywhere.HarperTeen FanLit, led by Diane Naughton, vice president of marketing, HarperCollins Children's Books, will invite young adult fans to collaborate on the creation of an original story, and is designed to speak to girls ages 13 to 17 years. The author panel will consist of three bestselling author judges from the HarperTeen imprint. Authors will review submissions and provide writing tips and comments, in addition to rating entries.FanLib's innovative technologies enable HarperCollins to conduct events that harness the passion, creativity, and collective wisdom of massive online audiences. These unique capabilities will foster the creation of an incomparable consumer-generated media community of readers, writers, and editors.

"Connecting readers with writers online allows HarperCollins to add value for our authors and build our brands. This is yet another example of our Publishing+ and Author+ program in action," added Friedman.The Avon and HarperTeen FanLit events will be promoted throughout all HarperCollins web properties and with a multitude of promotional partners. In addition, HarperCollins will leverage its extensive database of readers and FanLib's existing online fan community.At the conclusion of each event, HarperCollins and FanLib will publish HarperCollins ebooks featuring the completed manuscripts, plus a number of alternative chapters and editorial features, including profiles of the winning contributors and other participants.

About HarperCollins

HarperCollins Publishers is one of the leading English-language publishers in the world and is a subsidiary of News Corporation (NYSE: NWS - News, NWS.A - News; ASX: NCP - News, NCPDP - News). Headquartered in New York, the company has publishing groups in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia. Its publishing groups include the HarperCollins General Books Group, HarperCollins Children's Books Group, Zondervan, HarperCollins UK, HarperCollins Canada, HarperCollins Australia/New Zealand, and HarperCollins India. You can visit HarperCollins Publishers on the Internet at http://www.harpercollins.com.

About FanLib

FanLib® is driven by a simple idea -- People powered entertainment. FanLib's software and services unleash the creativity of entertainment fans at the intersection of entertainment, marketing, and technology. In synch with the Participation Age, FanLib's community-driven online experiences produce consumer-generated media that is ready for the marketplace. The result: More value for marketers, more manageability for producers, and, most importantly, more fun for fans. Conceived by veteran film writer/director Craig Singer and developed by online entertainment pioneer David B. Williams, the patent-pending FanLib platform empowers mass audiences to create quality stories and scripts collectively and democratically. FanLib is a division of My2Centences LLC®, a provider of entertainment, technology, and marketing solutions founded in 2001 by Craig Singer and former Yahoo! executive Chris M. Williams. On the Web: www.FanLib.com.

Contact:Beck Media & Marketing (for FanLib)Todd Beck, 310-689-7363todd@beckmedia.comorHarperCollins PublishersErin Crum, 212-207-7223Erin.Crum@HarperCollins.com

Need Links

2006-07-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

Do any of you have links you want me to add to the links area of our blog? Websites, My Space Profiles, etc? Should we add Steven Barnes website or blog? Let me know...

Welcome

2006-07-25T08:14:00.000-07:00

Hello Advanced Workshop Alumni!

Thanks for Eileen for coming up with the excellent idea of creating a place where we can all keep in touch. I look forward to sharing all of my news and well as hearing about yours. Please leave posts as often as you can.

I had a great time at the workshop and meeting all of you was a wonderful experience. I hope we can use that initial connection as a support base as we all try to navigate the publishing game.

One thing, does anyone have suggestions for our blog name? I just chose Advanced Writing Alumni for something quick. Although that will always be the name of the URL, we can change it on the site itself. Let us know...

Write to you soon!!!!

Dakota