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Central Florida Romance Writers

2009 Touch of Magic Contest

We're please to announce our final rankings for Touch of Magic, 2009.
 

Series Contemporary - judged by Gail Chasan, Harlequin

1st Riley's Reputation - Pam Baker Menz*

2nd The Christmas Bargain - Cat Schield

3rd Restoring Mitch's Heart - Nancy Evertz

Single Title - judged by Danielle Poiesz, Simon and Schuster

1st The Gavel's Echo - Anne Marie Carroll

2nd Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure - Diane Kelly

3rd Notorious - Sarah Castleberry

Paranormal - judged by Meredith Giordan, Berkeley

1st Lover Enslaved - Jodi Redford*

2nd Xenophobe - Tracy Truman

3rd Strong, Sweet and Haunting - Kate Freiman

Novel With Strong Romantic Elements - Esi Sogah, HarperCollins

1st Prior Sins - Deborah Gross

2nd The End at Rivers Bend - Catherine Pritchard

3rd Fat Fridays - Judith Keim

Sandy Star Award: Restoring Mitch's Heart
 

*Full manuscript requested


Thank you to everyone who entered, judged, and coordinated.
 


Quick Facts

NOTE:  New deadline, new policies: and this year, we're accepting electronic submissions.

Fee:  $30 - $35:  Includes Return Postage!  Subtract $5 if submitting electronically.

Eligibility:  RWA members, not published in novel-length fiction by RWA-approved publisher at deadline

Receipt Deadline:  March 16, 2009.  Results should be back in time to polish your pitch at Nationals.

Enter:  1st 25 pages, synopsis (3 page max, not judged)

Categories:  Series Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal, Single Title, Novel with Strong Romantic Elements

Judges:  published, PRO, experienced

Final round judges:  Editors

Paranormal - Allison Brandau, The Berkley Publishing Group

Series - Gail Chasan, Silhouette Special Edition

NSRE, Esi Sogah, Avon/HarperCollins

Historical/Regency - Helen Rosburg, Medallion Press

Single Title - Danielle Poiesz, Pocket Books

Finalists will have entries returned for revision before they are forwarded to the editors

Prizes:  Top prize:  Touch of Magic pendant.  Certificates to all finalists.  Announced in  RWR

~~

Download printable forms in PDF format. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Entry Form  (Also in .rtf format here)

Official 2009 Rules

Score Sheets:

Series Contemporary

Single Title

Historical

Paranormal

Novel with Strong Romantic Elements

 

 

Who Can Enter
The contest is open to RWA® members not published in book–length fiction during the past five years. For the purposes of this contest, “book–length fiction” is defined as 40,000 words or more, and “published” means having fully executed a contract with an RWA®–recognized publisher. No entrant may submit a manuscript for which a publication offer is pending, or under contract by any publisher (recognized or not). Previous Touch of Magic finalists may not re-enter the same manuscript. No entrant may submit a manuscript to a contest category s/he is judging or coordinating. If the entry is authored by more than one person in partnership, both authors must meet all entry requirements.

Submission Guidelines
A complete submission will include four (4) copies of the beginning of a manuscript (including prologue, if applicable), not to exceed 25 pages total, and four copies of a synopsis, not to exceed 3 pages (double-spaced) of your original manuscript. The synopsis will be used for reference only and will not be scored.

Electronic Entries: this year, we're accepting entries electronically. Send only one copy (see below for format); otherwise, all rules are the same.

Your entry must fit into one of our five official categories:

  • Series Contemporary (Long and Short): manuscripts intended for submission to one of the Harlequin or Silhouette category romance lines
  • Single Title Contemporary: manuscripts intended for submission to a single title publishing house
  • Historical: manuscripts in which the action takes place previous to 1900
  • Paranormal: manuscripts which include paranormal elements, time travels, or futuristics
  • Novel with Strong Romantic Elements: manuscripts in which romance is a strong, but not primary, theme; e.g. chick lit, women’s fiction

Contestants may enter more than one manuscript, but each entry must be mailed separately, and each submission may be entered in only one contest category. Each entry must contain a separate entry form which must bear an original signature.

Entry Fee
$30 for CFRW members, $35 for non-members. This includes return postage. Fees may be paid by check or money order. Make checks payable to Central Florida Romance Writers. You may use a single check to pay for multiple entries; however, each entry requires a separate fee. If you send a check or MO for an electronic entry, please be sure to indicate that.

Electronic Entries save $5!: $25 for CFRW members; $30 for non-members

(Note: as a convenience for international and electronic entrants, you may use PayPal. Be aware for international entrants,there is a surcharge to cover the additional cost of postage for returning manuscripts.)

International Entry - $40

Electronic Entry - Non-Member - $30
Electronic Entry - Member - $25

Entry Deadline
Complete entries and fees must be received by the appropriate category coordinator no later than March 16, 2009. Contest entries will be capped at a total of 125. Should a category not receive a minimum of 7 entries, that category will not be judged. Contestants will have the option of entering another category or having their manuscript and fees returned.

Electronic Entries: same deadline

Manuscript Format
Both manuscript and synopsis must be double–spaced in an appropriate 12–point font (script fonts will be disqualified), collated, with one–inch margins and approximately 24–27 lines per page. Page headers should contain the title and contest category on the left, and page number on the right. Example:  

Title/Contest Category    

Page #

 

 

Entrant’s name(s) must not appear on the manuscript or synopsis. Entries with names will be disqualified. For any disqualified entries, checks will be returned, and the entry destroyed.

Each manuscript should be separated from the synopsis with a piece of colored paper and bound with a binder or butterfly clip. Do not use staples.

Electronic Entries: send one copy of the manuscript, and one copy of the synopsis (in a separate document), in .rtf format, to . In subject line, put name of manuscript/ category.

Judging
Each entry will be judged in the initial round by three judges. CFRW will make every effort (but cannot guarantee) to provide experienced and/or certified contest judges, including at least one published judge, per entry. The top three entries in each category will become finalists.

Finalists will proceed to a second round of judging. CFRW will make every effort (but cannot guarantee) to provide an actively acquiring editor or agent for the final round of judging.

Final round judges:

Series Contemporary, Gail Chasan, Silhouette Special Edition

Paranormal, Allison Brandau, The Berkley Publishing Group

Historical, Helen Rosburg, Medallion Press

Single Title, Danielle Poiesz, Pocket Books

NSRE, Esi Sogah, Avon/HarperCollins

Finalists will be notified of their status by either telephone or email on approximately May 15, 2009. CFRW will make every effort to notify finalists promptly. Finalists will have one week to make any revisions and return their entries before they are sent to the final round judges. If revisions are not received, the original entry will be sent.

CFRW reserves the right to cancel any or all contest categories due to non–participation. In the event that a category is canceled, the entries will be returned using the address label provided.

Prizes
Finalists will be notified and their status posted on the CFRW website (www.cfrwa.org) on or about May 15, 2009. Final round results will be posted by early July. A list of all winners and finalists will be submitted for inclusion in RWR.

All finalists will receive a certificate suitable for framing. Winners will receive a Touch of Magic charm.

Entry Preparation
A completed entry contains the following:

  • One completed, signed entry form(pdf)
  • One check or money order for the appropriate entry fee
  • Four copies of the manuscript and synopsis bound with a binder clip
  • One self-addressed Priority Mail address label for return of score sheets (free at the Post Office) Label only; no postage or envelope. Your fee includes return postage.
  • Optional – SAS postcard to confirm receipt of entry.

Please mail your completed entry to the appropriate coordinator:

Series Contemporary

Tracy Truman
8815 Dunes Court
Apt. 7-305
Kissimmee, FL  34747
NSRE

Traci Yates-Poff
524 Sparrow Hawk Cove
Chuluota, FL 32766
Historical/Regency

Anne Sheridan
508 Darcey Drive
Winter Park, FL 32792
Single Title

Terry Odell
PO Box 692042
Orlando, Fl 32869-2042

Paranormal

L. Logiudice
1627 Lawndale Circle
Winter Park, FL 32792

 

CFRW is not responsible for materials lost in the mail.

Entries must be RECEIVED no later than Monday, March 16, 2009!

Entrant Agreement
All entrants, by signing the entry form, acknowledge that they have read and understand the official rules of CFRW’s 2009 Touch of Magic Contest; that they realize and accept that manuscript judging is subjective; that they agree to abide by the decisions of any judge and/or contest official; and that they shall hold harmless CFRW, its contest personnel, and its judges for any and all disputes arising from contest rulings and/or decisions and/or circumstances beyond the control of contest officials.

Thank you for entering the Touch of Magic Contest.

Good luck!



 

Past Touch of Magic Winners

 

 

2008 Winners

Single Title
1st  Love on a Limb, Lauren Darcey
2nd  Through My Eyes, Susan Peek
3rd  She Shot the Chair, Donna Helmedag

Series
1st  Finding His Way Home, Libby Hougland Banks **Partial Requested**
2nd  Bad Boy, Good Man, Anna Sugden **Partial Requested**
3rd  Too Sweet to Eat, Christine Glover

Historical
1st  Cleopatra's Heart, Loretta DeMarino **Full Requested**
2nd  Maiden Widow, Victoria Whitaker
3rd  The Masquerading Duke, Stephie Smith

Paranormal
1st  The Trouble with Ghosts, Jodi Redford
2nd  Chains of Honor, Kristin Welker
3rd  Better Dead, Pamela Kopfler

Novel with Strong Romantic Elements
1st  Lost Mountain, Rita Horiguchi
2nd  Shrine of the Heavens, Shauna Roberts
3rd  Call Sign Scarlett, Julie Whitby

2007 Winners

Paranormal
1st Raven's War by Barbara Cool Lee
2nd Magic Man by Jacqui Jacoby
3rd Shadowalker by Sena Conway *



Historical
1st Gold Dust Lover ** by Alison Atwater
2nd The Angel's Assassin by Laurel O'Donnell
3rd Being My Sister by Donna Hall

Novel with Strong Romantic Elements
1st The Professor *** by Cathy Perkins
2nd Flaherty's Crossing by Kristina McMorris & Linda Yashida
3rd Better Than Sex by Mary Jo Scheibl



Single Title
1st Between The Lines by Kristina Y. McMorris
2nd Beauty and the Geek by Sarah L. Castleberry
3rd Broken Wings by Karen Docter

Series
1st Die Again** by Annie Oortman
2nd Long Shadows** by Donna Meier
3rd Cold Truth by Michelle Odell

* Sandy Star Award.
** partial requested
*** full requested

2006 Winners

Series Contemporary, Judged by Wanda Ottewell

1st Place: The First Time Again, Teresa Elliott Brown

2nd Place: Last Resort: Marriage, Pamela Stone

3rd Place: Haunting Passion, Robyn Grady

 

Single Title, Judged by Megan McKeever

1st Place: The Summer Secret, Laurie Saloman

2nd Place: Murder, Mayhem & Mama, Christie Craig

3rd Place: Romancing the Bone, Patricia Canavan  

 

Historical, Judged by Hilary Sares

1st Place (manuscript requested): Isabella's Dream, Caroline Fyffe

2nd Place: Fire at Midnight, Lisa Wilkinson

3rd Place: The Prince's Spy, Peggy Brown

 

Novel With Strong Romantic Elements, Judged by Melissa Ann Singer

1st Place (manuscript requested): Remembering How to Make Music, Teresa Elliott Brown

2nd Place: Death Ledger, AliceFairbanks-Burton

3rd Place: The Magic Knot, Helen Taylor

Honorable Mention: Child of Atlantis, Jennifer Haymore

 

*Sandy Star Award *  Romancing the Bone, Patricia Canavan

(Highest overall score, in memory of Sandi Haddad)


2005 Winners

Series Contemporary

Final Round Editor  -- Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin

First - request for partial: Lethal Medicine by Victoria Wasserman

Second- request for partial: Hearts Under Fire by Karen Beeching

Third: Fantasy Fest by Darlene Brindell

 

Single Title Contemporary

Final Round Editor -- Susan MaCarty, Penguin

First: Risk by Sally Young Moore

Second: Lily's Pad by Janet Shirah

Third: Reality Island by Phyllis J. Towzey

 

Historical/Regency

Final Round Editor -- Hilary Sares, Kennsington

First: Cold Hearts by Debra K. Maher

Second: Maiden Voyage by Marissa Doyle

Third: The Chieftain by Sheila-Rae Z. Mohs

 

Paranormal

Final Round Editor -- Helen Rosburg, Medallion Books

First - request for full: Wish You Were Here by Catherine Chant

Second: Love in a Twisted Garden by Barbara Monajem

Third: Composure by Melinda Kimberly

 

Novel w/ Strong Romantic Elements

Final Round Editor -- Megan McKeever, Pocket Books

First: Big Mean Girl by Willena Ferguson

Second: Straight Stalk by Tera Lynn Childs

Third: A Delicate Shade of Gray by Karen Andries

 

Sandi Star - Maiden Voyage by Marissa Doyle

(Highest overall score, in memory of Sandi Haddad)

 

2004 Winners

Series Contemporary
Final Round Editor  -
- Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin
First: A Will to Love by Dawn Temple
Second: Till Death Do Us Part by Beth Watson
Third: Operation: Date Escape by Kimberly Duffy
Honorable Mention: A Match Made in Montana by Linda Carroll-Bradd
Honorable Mention: Jane Millionaire by Janice Lynn

Single Title Contemporary
Final Round Editor -- Erica Orden, BantamDell
First: Finding Trouble by Laurie Kellogg
Second: Wide Open Spaces by Terry McLaughlin
Third: Throw Your Heart Over by Linda Ingmanson
Honorable Mention: Kiss Daddy Good–bye by Yvonne Harris
Honorable Mention: For Love or Money by Robin Lanier

Historical/Regency
Final Round Editor
-- Lauren McKenna, Pocket Books
First: A Knight’s Vengeance by Catherine Kean
Second: Decurion by Linda Raper
Third: Secrets and Seduction by Elizabeth Stock
Honorable Mention: The Leopard Prince by Nancy M. Finne
Honorable Mention: Fight the Wind by Catherine Saydlowski

 

Paranormal

Final Round Editor --Hilary Sares, Kensington Books
First: Lady Halverson’s Ghost by Pam Labud
Second: The Saints of Midland by Terri Schaefer
Third: An Unexpected Hero Barbara O’Neal Rom
Honorable Mention: By Jove! by Marissa Doyle
Honorable Mention:  Alice and the Green Man by Constance Sprague
 

Novel w/ Strong Romantic Elements

Final Round Editor -- Laura Cifelli, NAL
First: The Foundation by Alan Chaput
Second:On Occasion, Duplicity by Karen Davenport
Third: Leading a Charmed Life by Beth Watson
Honorable Mention:  Welcome Home, Ruby by Suzanne Kaufman Kalb
Honorable Mention: Anything But Beige by Brenda Quinn

Sandi Star -Wide Open Spaces by Terry McLaughlin
(Highest overall score, in memory of Sandi Haddad)

 

Congratulations to all our winners!

 

 

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All Rights Reserved