Slip into Something Victorian

This is a blog created by 12 writers who write books about the Victorian era. We're generally blogging about the information we uncover as we research the era. Nothing is out of the realm of our posting, from Victorian England, to Victorian Canada, to Victorian America. We love the Old West, The Civil War, the Gilded age. We love the literature, the etiquette and the social upheaval of the era.

Caroline Clemmons, Isabel Roman, Denise Eagan, Jeanmarie Hamilton, Jennifer Ross, Mary Ann Webber, Nicole McCaffrey, Paisley Kirkpatrick, Susan Macatee

Daughters of Circe

Demi-God, Sorcerer, had that bizarre craving to turn men into beasts...

The Daughters of Circe promise not to got that far... well, unless you need a sexy shape shifter. That we can do *grin*

This is the home of authors: Jennie Andrus, Piper Evyns, Kim Rees, Kim Knox, Bianca D'Arc, Merris Hawk, Michelle Hasker, Keelia Greer, Tambra Kendall, Aline de Chevigny, Olivia Lorenz, Elena Croft, Jessica D. Russell, Dawn Montgomery and Tina Bendoni

Alpha Males and their Authors

A group for anyone who loves to read and/or write about those hot, hunky, irresistible alpha male heroes! Alpha Males and Their Authors is hosted by erotic romance authors Paige Tyler and L.A. Day!

Paige Tyler, LA Day

The Macaronis

Historical Romance Out of the Closet.

The Macaronis are a group of talented authors who write same sex romance fiction with an emphasis on bringing history to life.  What you will find in our books: exciting stories full of action and passion, set in times very different from our own.  Times during which, in many cases, it was punishable by death to love someone of the same sex as yourself.  You'll find an escape from the modern world to eras more vibrant and dangerous than our own, with characters whose humanity and love transcends the restrictions of their cultures and times.

Come and chat to us and find out what makes historical romance so difficult to write, so enchanting to read.

The League of Amazing Writers

Join Cynnara Tregarth, Maggie Nash, Nikita Gordyn, Lucynda Storey, Aline de Chevigny, Jeanne Barrack, Jet Mykles, Dawn Montgomery, Ashlyn Chase, Sharyn Tregarth, Darragha Foster,Maura Anderson and Michelle Hasker as they talk books, men, and other things of interest. They might even grace the group with excerpts and other fun things. Sit back and find out what these Amazing people do when they're not writing, editing or saving the world from boredom! 

An erotic and romance publisher, Freya’s Bower has been in business since March 2006. You will find straight erotica, straight romance, and romantic erotica in nearly every genre.

Freya’s Bower’s titles can be purchased at Fictionwise, All Romance eBooks, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Amazon, and at Freya’s Bower

Known for quality, Freya’s Bower publishes some of the finest romance and erotica on the Internet.

Weaving passion into words…Freya’s Bower.

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Wild Child Publishing, a mainstream publisher and parent company of Freya’s Bower, has been online since September 1999. Since its inception, Wild Child Publishing’s goal has been to offer high quality, entertaining reading material. We love a well-written, fast-paced story that compels us to finish the tale to find out what happens.

We focus on quality, and our catalog reflects that. While not large, it’s growing, and our readers are very happy with our books. Willing to take a chance on good material, you won’t find what we have anywhere else. Exciting, fresh, frightening, gripping are just a few of the adjectives used to describe our books. Step into our world – the world of the wild child.
 
Break free…read wild!

The Witchy Chicks

Nine wicked good women who write about magic, fantasy, and the paranormal. Hold onto your hat, Toto. ou aren't in Kansas anymore!

Yasmine Galenorn, Linda Wisdom, Lisa Croll Di Dio, Madelyn Alt, Terese Daly Ramin, Candace Mavens, Kate Austin, Annette Blair, Maura Anderson

Erotic Cravings - Feed the Hunger, Savor the Romance

Erotic Cravings is the home of multi-published authors, Eden Rivers, KyAnn Waters, Liza James and Meagan Hatfield. Eden is a 2009 EPPIE finalist with Nature's Pentacle available at Loose ID. KyAnn is a 2009 EPPIE finalist with Impulsive Pleasures from Ellora's Cave. Look for Hot for Teacher from author Liza James. Coming to eRed Sage. Meagan Hatfield's Dragon Fire is coming soon from Silhouette Nocturne.

Plotting for Pantsters (or How I used a Role Playing Game to Plot!)

March 16-29

We all love to write organically- letting our mind wander, taking the time to ponder over each step as the story flows from our fingertips. Yet, there comes a time when just winging it doesn't work completely. So, how can you find a way to plot your story, yet not make it feel like you've written it while plotting? Is there a way to balance the organic writing technique and the detailed plotlines that many authors follow?

What you'll learn--

- Create characters and how to keep track of their stats
- how to create a story blurb
- how to find the major plot points and use them to framework - your story
- Colour coding the plot points to keep balance for your choice of subgenre
- Using a chapter plotter, learn how to give yourself the detail YOU want, balanced with the need to write organically
- Organizing your work to make your writing more efficient and easier for you to get back to.

Cynnara Tregarth lives in a land where the sun shines and she can honestly say she lives on the male genitalia of the United States. An erotic romance writer, she was proud to be a pantster-- up til the point when it took more than her muse to keep writing. Then she discovered her fear of overplotting, thus creating this system that's allowed her to plot just enough to keep her going and be free enough to not feel like she's repeating them.

The Basics of Romance Writing

April 1-15, 2009

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at writing a romance?

This class will give you the chance! Lots of hand outs and one-on-one help from from author Tambra Kendall. Tambra is published in small press and e-published from sweet to highly sensual romance.

BDSM in Romance- It's not Just about Kinky Sex

These days, when it comes to romance- almost anything goes. But the underground sex culture of BDSM is getting a lot of play lately. Though it's not new to the sex scene, its popularity and the people involved are now coming out. Ever wonder what makes BDSM the way it is and how you, someone who might not have experienced it, can write accurately about the lifestyle and incorporate not just the physical, but the emotional components as well? In BDSM in Romance- It's not just kinky sex, you'll discover just how broad the acronym covers and how you can accurately write a BDSM novel without feeling like you're a stranger in a strange land. From learning the players in BDSM to toys to about the scene play- you'll discover within yourself- your hidden sexual triggers and how to bring out those needs in your characters.

Cynnara Tregarth lives in a land where the sun shines and she can honestly say she lives on the male genitalia of the United States. An erotic romance writer, she was proud to be a pantster-- up til the point when it took more than her muse to keep writing. Then she discovered her fear of overplotting, thus creating this system that's allowed her to plot just enough to keep her going and be free enough to not feel like she's repeating them.

Writing Realistic Native American Characters and Cultures in Fiction

A month long seminar for those that are interested in adding Native American characters, and cultures to their stories but maybe don't know where to start, or are concerned about creating Native American characters, and cultures that are realistic and truthful, rather than being based on stereotypes and incorrect historical information.

* What stereotypes are and how to avoid them when writing about Native American cultures and characters

* Learning and understanding the differences between Native Americans in the past, and modern day Native Americans

*A quick and dirty general overview of Native American Spirituality and why it's important to include it when writing about Native American characters

*Learning and understanding Native American family dynamics and why this is important when writing fiction that includes Native American characters

* The correct way to use your imagination when writing about Native American characters and cultures ie when it's a good time to make something up, and when it's not

We all love books and there are many MANY events that points out the excellence and achievements in this industry, but sometimes it is hard to find them. So we are working on gathering all of this information so you can find it in one place. If you know of something that isn't here, tell us!

 

ARIANA

The best cover in each category will win the ARIANA Best in Category award. The fifteen ARIANA winners will go on to compete for the QUASAR Best Cover of 2008 Award. The QUASAR and the ARIANA are engraved awards presented at the EPICon awards banquet. Awards are mailed to any winners not present.

Caldecott Medal

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

The New Covey Awards

Cover Awards

Currently there are two Award Categories.

1. Most Eye-Catching Cover
   
2. Most Relevant Cover

What do these categories mean?

Most Eye-Catching Cover is simple. This is the Cover that would make you stop and pick up the novel for a closer look.

Most Relevant Cover refers to how relevant the Cover is in relation to the back cover blurb. In other words, does the cover reflect the idea of the novel?

Trailer Awards

The NEW Covey Trailer Awards are the same as The NEW Covey Awards but for Book Trailers (sometimes also called Book Peeks) instead of Book Covers.

The goal of The NEW Covey Trailer Awards is to recognize Book Trailers that would make you interested in the book, make you stop and perhaps visit the authors website to read the excerpt. Like The NEW Covey Awards, it is also a forum that provides additional exposure for new authors.

Each person who wins a NEW Covey Trailer Award will receive an icon and will be listed as an Award Recipient. The icon and a link can be posted on their website or blog to show the world that their Book Trailer rocks.

Trailer Awards Site

Bram Stoker Awards

Each year, the Horror Writer's Association presents the Bram Stoker Awards for Superior Achievement, named in honor of Bram Stoker, author of the seminal horror work, Dracula. The Stoker Awards were instituted immediately after the organization's incorporation in 1987. While many members, including HWA's first President, Dean Koontz, had reservations about awards for writing -- since the point of HWA was for writers to cooperate for their mutual benefit, not to compete against one another -- the majority of members heavily favored presenting awards, both to recognize outstanding work in the horror field and to publicize HWA's activities.

To ameliorate the competitive nature of awards, the Stokers are given "for superior achievement," not for "best of the year," and the rules are deliberately designed to make ties fairly probable. The first awards were presented in 1988 (for works published in 1987), and they have been presented every year since. The award itself is an eight-inch replica of a fanciful haunted house, designed specifically for HWA by sculptor Steven Kirk. The door of the house opens to reveal a brass plaque engraved with the name of the winning work and its author.

EPPIE Awards

The EPPIE Awards have been given annually since the first EPIC conference to recognize outstanding achievement in e-publishing.

The categories are judged by members of EPIC, all published authors. After the first round of judging, the works of the finalists are sent to another panel of judges, and winners in all eighteen categories are selected. The winners are announced at the EPIC conference's gala award ceremony at the annual EPICon Convention.

The Hammett Prize

IACW/NA awards THE HAMMETT PRIZE annually for literary excellence in the field of crime-writing, as reflected in a book published in the English language in the US and/or Canada. The winner receives a "Thin Man" trophy, designed by sculptor Peter Boiger.

James Beard/KitchenAid Award

The James Beard/KitchenAid Awards recognize the best books on culinary topics in categories including Cookbook of the Year, Wine and Spirits and Baking and Desserts. James Beard is recognized as the father of American gastronomy, and his restaurant awards are considered extremely prestigious.

Click on the sidebar to see winners from previous years. Past winners include "A Vineyard Garden" by Molly Chappellet and "A Mediterranean Feast" by Clifford A. Wright.

Man Booker Prize for Fiction

The Man Booker Prize promotes the finest in fiction by rewarding the very best book of the year. The prize is the world's most important literary award and has the power to transform the fortunes of authors and even publishers.

The Man Booker judges are selected from the country's finest critics, writers and academics to maintain the consistent excellence of the prize.  The winner of the Man Booker Prize receives £50,000 and both the winner and the shortlisted authors are guaranteed a worldwide readership plus a dramatic increase in book sales.

Newbery Medal

The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

Nobel Prize in Literature

The very first Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded in 1901 to the French poet and philosopher Sully Prudhomme, who in his poetry showed the "rare combination of the qualities of both heart and intellect". Over the years, the Nobel Prize in Literature has distinguished the works of authors from many different languages and cultural backgrounds. The prize has been awarded to unknown masters as well as authors acclaimed worldwide.

PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction

The PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction is a national prize which honors the best published works of fiction by American citizens in a calendar year. Three judges, chosen annually by the directors of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation, select five books from among the more than 300 works submitted, making this the largest peer-juried award in the country. The winning writer and four finalists are honored at a ceremony held in Washington at the Folger Shakespeare Library in May.

Pulitzer Prize

The will of Joseph Pulitzer, a crusading newspaper journalist, provided for the establishment of the Pulitzer Prizes. Since its inception in 1917, the prizes have recognized the best in journalism, letters, drama and music. Many consider it the most prestigious award a journalist or author can achieve.

QUASAR

Recognizing Excellence in E-book Covers

Rita Awards

The RITA Award. RITA awards are presented annually to the best published romance novels of the year. The award itself is a golden statuette named after RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada, and has become the symbol for the best in published romance fiction.

The Ruby Awards

The Ruby Award for Website Excellence is to encourage authors who are using the internet in positive and innovative ways to market their writing, and for community groups providing reviews, education, and other services for authors. It will be offered in four parts.

• Author - Author designed sites
• Design - Professionally designed sites (graphic will go to author and to designer)
• Simple - Simple free sites such as freewebs, geocities, etc.
• Community - Community sites providing reviews, education, or other services

Each award will be held for a one year period.

Prizes may include free featured author space, banner creation, author promos, marketing workshops, promo material, interviews, book promos,  advertising, and more.

After the conclusion of the nomination period (open to the public), a panel of judges will visit nominated sites and vote. An online presentation party will be held in a live chat format and the awards will be announced. Nominees will receive graphics to post on their sites, and the winners will receive recognition on sites sponsoring the event and awards (i.e., Coffee Time Romance, Romance Junkies, The Romance Studio, and AuthorMBA Blog have already expressed interest).

The Spur Awards

The Spur Awards, given annually for distinguished writing about the American West, are among the oldest and most prestigious in American literature. In 1953, when the awards were established by WWA, western fiction was a staple of American publishing. At the time awards were given to the best western novel, best historical novel, best juvenile, and best short story.

Since then the awards have been broadened to include other types of writing about the West. Today, Spurs are offered for the best western novel (short novel), best novel of the west (long novel), best original paperback novel, best short story, best short nonfiction. Also, best contemporary nonfiction, best biography, best history, best juvenile fiction and nonfiction, best TV or motion picture drama, best TV or motion picture documentary, and best first novel (called The Medicine Pipe Bearer's Award).