Win Something! But Don't be a Deadhead[er]

This is the posting #200 on Novel Thoughts! Yeah! Let's celebrate.

Comment here or email me [but I prefer you comment so we can all, you know, share.] In one week--that's by next Tuesday, Sept. 15--I'll draw a name and mail you something cool...like a galley or a book or some seeds.

Meanwhile, you're not a dead header, right? don't go deadheading your coneflowers. Pleassssse don't. In fact, in the fall garden, you can sit back and enjoy the show-- the birds and butterflies. They'll feast on the seeds-- coneflower, butterfly bush, black-eyed susan, sunflowers, Joe-pye weed...leave 'em. Hands off, hubby. Clippers away, Pedro. It's feasting time for the critters. And a neat garden-- is a hungry, sad place this season. On the other hand, a big ol' seed-filled, rattling pods, undead-headed garden is so fun and generous and filled with critters. Goldfinches galore!

Blog Tour Today: Writers Inspired

Mary Jo Cambell interviews me today on her blog, Writers Inspired, a "a community for writers to gather up courage and inspiration."
Here's one Q&A...you can read the entire interview here.

1. Wow, Mindy, your list of credentials are a novel in itself. Let’s talk about your fiction awards. Are you always on the look out for contests that suit your writing style, or is this something your agent or publisher does for you? How do you prepare your work for a particular contest? What about a residency contest?

Something I love about entering writing contests: the deadlines. Sounds funny, maybe, but consider two important points:
1. You have to prepare and submit something by a certain date—which can motivate you to finish or polish.
2. You’ll find out whether your manuscript made it or not within a certain time frame. Even if your work didn’t make it this time, take heart. So often when you submit a story or article for publication, you wait a loooong time to find out if it was read, much less accepted. At least in contests, you’ll know for certain if your work was considered or not. And you can move on.
Poets & Writers has an excellent calendar and listing of contests. You can find it at bookstores and also online. >>CONTINUE READING<<