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Central Florida Romance Writers
2008 Touch of Magic Contest
Who Can Enter
| Quick Facts
NOTE: New deadline, new policies
Fee: $30
- $35: Includes Return Postage!
Eligibility:
RWA members, not published in novel-length fiction by RWA-approved publisher
at deadline
Receipt Deadline:
March 13, 2008. 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 - Kate Seaver, The
Berkley Publishing Group
Series - Wanda Ottewell,
Harlequin
NSRE - Melissa Singer, TOR
Historical/Regency - Hilary Sares,
Kensington
Single Title - Paula Eykelhof,
Harlequin
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
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Download printable
forms in PDF format. Requires
Adobe
Acrobat Reader.
Entry Form
Official 2008 Rules
Score Sheets:
Series Contemporary
Single Title
Historical
Paranormal
Novel with Strong Romantic Eements
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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.
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.
Entry Deadline
Complete entries and fees must be received by the appropriate category
coordinator no later than March 13, 2008. 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.
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:
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Title/Contest Category |
Page #
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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.
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:
Paranormal - Kate Seaver, The Berkley
Publishing Group
Series - Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin
NSRE - Melissa Singer, TOR
Historical/Regency - Hilary Sares, Kensington
Single Title - Paula Eykelhof, Harlequin
Finalists will be notified of their status by either
telephone or email on approximately May 15, 2008. 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, 2008. 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
191 N. Triplet Lake Drive Casselberry, FL 32707
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NSRE
3416 Sebring Ave.
Orlando, FL 32806 |
Historical/Regency
5909 Bent Pine Drive # 226
Orlando, FL 32822 |
Single
Title
9295 NE 16th Terr.
Anthony, FL 32617 |
Paranormal
1583 Maidencane Lp.
Oviedo, Fl. 32765 |
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FRW is not responsible for materials lost in the mail.
Entries must be RECEIVED no later than
Thursday, March 13, 2008!
Entrant Agreement
All entrants, by signing the entry form, acknowledge that they have read and
understand the official rules of CFRW’s 2008 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
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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
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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) |
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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)
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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)
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Congratulations
to all our winners!
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