New Writing Contest: The Wild Rose Press

Got Wolf?
Black Rose Writing Contest
If you've got a hot hero/heroine that also happens to turn furry at
least once a month, then Black Rose is looking for your story.
We are interested in werewolf stories with tight, well-written
storylines and plots. If the hero is female make sure the male is
equally impressive. All stories must have at least one HOT
consummated love scene and, of course, the traditional story
requirements still stand.
Please take a moment to look at our submission requirements
(www.thewildrosepress.com and click on the tab for "Submissions" )
before sending in your stories. Stories that do not follow
traditional guidelines will be disqualified.
Submissions are now open!
Please place "Got Wolf? Contest Entry" in your subject line along
with the traditional subject line matter, also found on the
Submissions Guide.
Contest deadline: August 30, 2008
Winners to be announced: October 31, 2008
Contest details:
4 shorts -- 15-25,000 word maximum and
2 full shorts -- 25-45,000 word maximum will be chosen from the
entries.
All six winners will be included in a Black Rose anthology and will
also receive a special Black Rose contest T-shirt. In addition, one
winner will be chosen from those six to receive an author's survival
basket full of goodies.
Anthology Publication (estimated release) date June 2009
Judges: Ami Russell, Callie Lynn Wolfe, Jade Alexander, Amanda
Barnett, Joan Archer, and Rene Stephens

A Treat for my Fellow Jane Austen Fans

I thought it would be fun to share one of my favorite Pride & Prejudice passages, accompanied by a romantic Regency image. Enjoy!












"Elizabeth, feeling all the more than common awkwardness and anxiety of his situation, now forced herself to speak; and immediately, though not very fluently, gave him to understand that her sentiments had undergone so material a change, since the period to which he alluded, as to make her receive with gratitude and pleasure his present assurances. The happiness which this reply produced, was such as he had probably never felt before; and he expressed himself on the occasion as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can be supposed to do. Had Elizabeth been able to encounter his eye, she might have seen how well the expression of heartfelt delight, diffused over his face, became him; but, though she could not look, she could listen, and he told her of feelings, which, in proving of what importance she was to him, made his affection every moment more valuable."
Jane Austen, Pride & Prejudice (1813)

Plagiarism and Authors

Paul Tolme, one of the authors whose work was lifted by Cassie Edwards, wrote an interesting and thought-provoking column on the topic in Newsweek Online. You can find Tolme's article here; his remarks about plagiarism at the end of the article are particularly astute, and I plan to share the article with my Composition students to open up a discussion about the fair use of research. As Tolme's remarks, "Plagiarism victimizes writers. It betrays the trust of readers. It tarnishes the craft of writing." As an English instructor, I've always been attuned to how I incorporate other authors in my research on the nineteenth century, which has helped when I approach research for my fiction writing. It's just plain courtesy, thanking the people who have helped you along the way to complete your research by acknowledging their contributions.

The Complete Jane Austen on PBS

Rediscover the timeless novels of Jane Austen in celebration of Masterpiece's Complete Jane Austen film festival—airing on PBS this winter.

Viewing Schedule:
• January 13—Persuasion
• January 20—Northanger Abbey
• January 27—Mansfield Park
• February 10—Pride & Prejudice (Part I)
• February 17—Pride & Prejudice (Part II)
• February 24—Pride & Prejudice (Part III)
• March 23—Emma
• March 30—Sense & Sensibility (Part I)
• April 6—Sense & Sensibility (Part II)

For more information, visit pbs.org
The Masterpiece Theatre® broadcast of Pride and Prejudice is the first in the U.S. other than on A&E Television Networks

Red Roses for Authors: Nomination

I just found out that my short story, "The Earl's Enchantment," was nominated for the Red Roses for Authors Christmas award. As the blog owner stated, "I just want to remind visitors to this blog that our reviewers read well over two hundred books since we began in March 2007. It was hard to choose a shortlist from those authors." Although my story didn't win the award, I was thrilled to find out that my story was one of just five nominations in the Short/Novella category. Thank you to Red Roses for Authors, and congratulations to Sloane Taylor and Desiree Holt for winning!

New Reviews: A Seaside Enchantment

I was happy to find out that a few more reviews for my latest release, A Seaside Enchantment, have been posted on the web.




Tammy, from Fallen Angel Reviews, had the following to say: "A Seaside Enchantment by Sara Freeze is an unique tale that mixes a little bit of romance, a pinch of the paranormal and a dash of historical into a very flavorful story that flows along beautifully."








At Sensual Reads & Reviews, L.E. Kelly said "A Seaside Enchantment is a touching story that plays upon the hope of all true romantics—‘somewhere, in some time, is the One Love for me, and nothing will keep us apart when I find that person.’"



Rose, the Romance at Heart Magazine reviewer, stated " Sara Freeze has concocted a delightful tale of lust, danger, magic, and matchmaking."

RWA Responds to Plagiarism Case

As many of you have no doubt heard by now, the popular romance author, Cassie Edwards, is under scrutiny for charges of plagiarism. The Smart Bitches Who Read Trashy Novels website was the first to raise the issue, and other sites have quickly jumped on board with their own take on the subject. If you visit the Dear Author website, you'll see a side-by-side comparison of the texts in question, so you can judge for yourself.

The following alert was sent out to all RWA members, and it addresses the situation:

RWA Alert: RWA Responds to Plagiarism Accusations

There are heated discussions on various loops and blogs regarding the accusations of plagiarism against a published romance author. Some questions have also been raised regarding RWA’s stand on the matter. To be clear, RWA does not condone plagiarism or any type of copyright infringement. (Please see RWA’s Code of Ethics http://www.rwanational.org/cs/code_of_ethics).

RWA takes all accusations of plagiarism very seriously. RWA also stands behind the idea that guilt or innocence should be determined after a thorough review of all documents and sources, not based on discussions or articles found on the internet or in other news media.

Within RWA, there is a process in place to examine claims of plagiarism made against RWA members. That process includes a set of procedures that affords the individual due process. Any member found to be in violation of RWA’s Code of Ethics is subject to disciplinary action including loss of membership.

According to information RWA has, Cassie Edwards was once a member of RWA and is listed on RWA’s Honor Roll; however, it appears she allowed her membership to lapse four or more years ago. If guilt is admitted or established, RWA will take appropriate steps with regard to the Honor Roll listing.

Members have raised questions about a news article that includes a quote by RWA’s president. The president was asked to give an expert opinion on the issue based solely upon information available in internet blogs. The president does not have enough first-hand information to adequately assess the allegations.

Romance Writers of America

Publisher's Weekly: 15 Trends to Watch in 2008

Mike Shatzkin makes some interesting predictions for the publishing industry in his article "15 Trends to Watch in 2008." I think his first prediction, that ebooks will see increased sales, is absolutely correct. Many users are comfortable with using the Internet for shopping, doing research, and making friends, so it's logical they will demand more opportunities for reading online. Check out the list to see all his predictions; it'll be interesting to see how many of them come true.

Preditors & Editors Readers Poll

Happy New Year everyone! I'm happy to announce that my short story, The Earl's Enchantment, has been nominated in the romance short story category of the Preditors & Editors Readers Poll. This annual poll has a number of categories, and you can vote until January 15th. Click on the image below to be taken to the poll website.