Hey, all! I'm about to enter this AWESOME "Dear Lucky Agent" writing contest on C. Sambuchino's GLA blog! U should enter, 2! Check out his blog!
Friday, January 18, 2013
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
New Memior-Imprisoned By A Memory
We're happy to announce the debut of a new author and their work. Imprisoned By A Memory from Balboa Press is a roller coaster ride of emotions, and shows a kid who comes from poverty and family turmoil to break through the oppressive, binding chains of his past fears and heartbreaks, to succeed in life. It is written by Johnny M. Sanchez of East Los Angeles.
He wrote this book to show others out there that the adversities and traumas of your childhood can be conquered, and you can have success and peace in your life. Johnny works as a subcontractor for the military, specializing in non-slip deck coatings on navy flight decks. Johnny enjoys barbeques and spending time with his family. He also enjoys working out in his gym he built in his backyard.
I had the privlege of working with Mister Sanchez two months ago on this project as his editor. Check out his book's official Balboa Press site for more info: Imprisoned By A Memory
He wrote this book to show others out there that the adversities and traumas of your childhood can be conquered, and you can have success and peace in your life. Johnny works as a subcontractor for the military, specializing in non-slip deck coatings on navy flight decks. Johnny enjoys barbeques and spending time with his family. He also enjoys working out in his gym he built in his backyard.
I had the privlege of working with Mister Sanchez two months ago on this project as his editor. Check out his book's official Balboa Press site for more info: Imprisoned By A Memory
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| Johnny's first work is available on BalboaPress.com & Amazon.com. |
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Our First Writing Center Fiction Contest!
Hello, everyone! Thank you for your interest in our very first writing contest. We are currently accepting your best flash fiction, (super short stories, 2,000 words or less), for our first annual Writing Center Flash Fiction Contest! The grand prize is $100.00 and publication of their work on our blog; 2nd place gets $50.00; and third place gets $25.00. 4th through 10th place will receive honorable mention on this blog. This is a great opportunity for you newbie writers to make some waves in the vast literary sea! If you're a seasoned vet, well, this contest will be a walk in the park for you and a chance for a little extra cash in your pocket. Who couldn't use that?!
Please email your entries to: lanewritingcenter@gmail.com. Then either use the PayPal "Pay Now" tab at the top right corner of this blog home page or send the $5.00 entry fee via PayPal to lanewritingcenter@gmail.com. You will be able to make a PayPal or credit/debit card payment even if you do not have a PayPal account. Multiple entries, up to five per author, will be accepted, as long as the reading fee is paid for each. Keep in mind that any submissions that are emailed to us but are not accompanied by the $5.00 entry fee will NOT be read and will be deleted after 24 hours. ENTRY DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 1, 2011.
In conclusion . . . happy writing! And may the best piece win!
*A minimum of 35 entries will be needed to fulfill and commence the contest.
Please email your entries to: lanewritingcenter@gmail.com. Then either use the PayPal "Pay Now" tab at the top right corner of this blog home page or send the $5.00 entry fee via PayPal to lanewritingcenter@gmail.com. You will be able to make a PayPal or credit/debit card payment even if you do not have a PayPal account. Multiple entries, up to five per author, will be accepted, as long as the reading fee is paid for each. Keep in mind that any submissions that are emailed to us but are not accompanied by the $5.00 entry fee will NOT be read and will be deleted after 24 hours. ENTRY DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 1, 2011.
In conclusion . . . happy writing! And may the best piece win!
*A minimum of 35 entries will be needed to fulfill and commence the contest.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Redeeming Cain Is Here!
Hello, everyone. After a long, cold winter and busy spring, it is my pleasure to announce that this mid-summer will see the completion of my most challenging project yet-Redeeming Cain! So far, this is my favorite manuscript. As I finish up the final edit, my next step is to find a suitable literary agent to represent Cain to potential publishing houses. You'll find a brief synapses of what the story is all about below. Thanks for all your support!
Synopses of Redeeming Cain
Your child has just been murdered. Is forgiveness anywhere close to paramount in your mind? REDEEMING CAIN is a veridical 51,721-word story about two high school students-Sean Davis and Kyle Ross. Sean is a likeable senior who has the perfect family and the world ahead of him; Kyle is a deeply troubled freshman who envisions little more in his future than frequent trips to detention and, ultimately, expulsion. When a crush on the beautiful, charismatic Cindy Goldfinch comes to the fore, Kyle feels optimistic that things might alas end up going his way.
However, when Sean also shows interest in Cindy, a jealous rage consumes the volatile Kyle who ushers Sean to his untimely death on prom night. Sean's mother, Maggie, shares the close-knit community's outrage and seeks full prosecution of her son's killer. Yet her husband, Rick, lacks the same hatred for Kyle, for whom he feels pity. Will the idealistic rift between the Davises destroy their marriage? How will Kyle answer for Sean's murder? From where will Kyle attain true redemption? From the most unlikely of sources.
Synopses of Redeeming Cain
Your child has just been murdered. Is forgiveness anywhere close to paramount in your mind? REDEEMING CAIN is a veridical 51,721-word story about two high school students-Sean Davis and Kyle Ross. Sean is a likeable senior who has the perfect family and the world ahead of him; Kyle is a deeply troubled freshman who envisions little more in his future than frequent trips to detention and, ultimately, expulsion. When a crush on the beautiful, charismatic Cindy Goldfinch comes to the fore, Kyle feels optimistic that things might alas end up going his way.
However, when Sean also shows interest in Cindy, a jealous rage consumes the volatile Kyle who ushers Sean to his untimely death on prom night. Sean's mother, Maggie, shares the close-knit community's outrage and seeks full prosecution of her son's killer. Yet her husband, Rick, lacks the same hatred for Kyle, for whom he feels pity. Will the idealistic rift between the Davises destroy their marriage? How will Kyle answer for Sean's murder? From where will Kyle attain true redemption? From the most unlikely of sources.
Writers' Digest "Short Short" Competition
Hey, all. Check out this upcoming contest from Writers' Digest. I plan on entering, too. Thanks!
Writers' Digest Short Short Competition
Writers' Digest Short Short Competition
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Redeeming Cain Is Nigh!!!
Greetings from a unusually chilly San Diego! My newest work, Redeeming Cain, has been completely penned. I am presently in the tedious work of editing the manuscript-hopefully I'll be done sometime this Spring. Below you'll find an exerpt from Maggie; the sentimental mother of the story's protagonist, Sean. Here's the setting: The family is playing an evening round of miniture golf together. Let me know what you think. Take care!
The voice of Maggie Davis as found in an excerpt from chapter three of Redeeming Cain:
As the boys and me walk back to the rental booth to replace Tim's triple bogey, I rub him briskly on his bony right arm and clutch him close to my side, subconsciously relieved he didn't fall into that dirty water.
Then Sean asks me, “Is Dad coming?”
“I'm not sure,” is my answer.
Rick was supposed to join us, though he's been working so hard lately. That darn McKinley case. It's always some case, one after another after another. Poor guy. He'll probably be too tired to come. I don't blame him. He's been saying how he wants to leave the firm soon and do something else. Exactly what, he's unsure of, but something-anything else. The funner and riskier, the better, he says. And he isn't one to just up and quit like that. He's serious, and I'm proud of him for it. It's kind of a turn on. So we'll have to see wha-.
“Yeeeah!”
“Oh! Nice one, dude!” I exclaim to Sean in a terribly desperate attempt at sounding cool.
Then I seamlessly segue into an inquiry I've been muling over in my mind for the past few weeks: “So, how's your senior project coming along?” the hopes that he'll finish it as smoothly and as effectively as the hole-in-one he just sank evident in the timbre of my voice.
“Mom, you just asked me about that three days ago,” he huffed, exasperated that his moment of glory was so short-lived.
I ask, “Did I? Oh, I'm sorry. I don't remember.”
“It's alright. I'm almost done. I'm gonna ask Mr. Tucker to be my sponsor.”
“That's right, you did tell me that,” I acknowledge. “Sounds good.”
I can't believe my oldest is already about to graduate from high school. Wow. Where did the time go? To think he'll be off at college this time next year, wrapping up his freshman year. He's such a bright kid. He's got a lot going for him. The next few weeks are going to be a whirlwind for him.
I'm thinking once Sean's gone and Timmy gets older and moves out, maybe Rick and I'll sell the house and move into some little, cute place out in the country. Or perhaps we'll start saving up now and travel the world. We never did have a honeymoon. And I've always wanted to go to Tahiti . . . I don't know. But we want to do something.
It's amazing how intertwined we all are-what Sean and Tim do, what they get or don't get into-has such an effect on what Rick and I end up doing. Or not doing. When your kids are in a state of transition, you can't help but go along for the ride with them. Sean's almost grown now. So it would seem a whole new phase of life is starting for us, too.
As the boys finish their game-Sean beating Timmy but not by as much as I would've thought, (Timmy's getting better!), we walk back to the booth and check their clubs and balls back in. Then we make our way to the makeshift dining area where we order a large pepperoni pizza, an order of spicy buffalo wings, and a pitcher of Coke. Sean fusses over Timmy nabbing the biggest pizza slice. Timmy pours too much soda into his red plastic cup, its overflow spreading across the table top and instantly saturating a tall stack of clean, white napkins; over this Sean, too, fusses. I bite into a chicken drummette and realize my palette for spicy foods isn't the same as it was when I was Sean's age. I nibble only passively at the tiny leg before finally and completely giving up and trying my hand at a sliver of pizza. And both with swollen mouths full of gummy, half-eaten food, the boys argue about whether Sean golfed fairly or cheated to gain victory-his actions on hole #17 falling under particular scrutiny. They're loud. They're tiring.
And I'd have it no other way.
The voice of Maggie Davis as found in an excerpt from chapter three of Redeeming Cain:
As the boys and me walk back to the rental booth to replace Tim's triple bogey, I rub him briskly on his bony right arm and clutch him close to my side, subconsciously relieved he didn't fall into that dirty water.
Then Sean asks me, “Is Dad coming?”
“I'm not sure,” is my answer.
Rick was supposed to join us, though he's been working so hard lately. That darn McKinley case. It's always some case, one after another after another. Poor guy. He'll probably be too tired to come. I don't blame him. He's been saying how he wants to leave the firm soon and do something else. Exactly what, he's unsure of, but something-anything else. The funner and riskier, the better, he says. And he isn't one to just up and quit like that. He's serious, and I'm proud of him for it. It's kind of a turn on. So we'll have to see wha-.
“Yeeeah!”
“Oh! Nice one, dude!” I exclaim to Sean in a terribly desperate attempt at sounding cool.
Then I seamlessly segue into an inquiry I've been muling over in my mind for the past few weeks: “So, how's your senior project coming along?” the hopes that he'll finish it as smoothly and as effectively as the hole-in-one he just sank evident in the timbre of my voice.
“Mom, you just asked me about that three days ago,” he huffed, exasperated that his moment of glory was so short-lived.
I ask, “Did I? Oh, I'm sorry. I don't remember.”
“It's alright. I'm almost done. I'm gonna ask Mr. Tucker to be my sponsor.”
“That's right, you did tell me that,” I acknowledge. “Sounds good.”
I can't believe my oldest is already about to graduate from high school. Wow. Where did the time go? To think he'll be off at college this time next year, wrapping up his freshman year. He's such a bright kid. He's got a lot going for him. The next few weeks are going to be a whirlwind for him.
I'm thinking once Sean's gone and Timmy gets older and moves out, maybe Rick and I'll sell the house and move into some little, cute place out in the country. Or perhaps we'll start saving up now and travel the world. We never did have a honeymoon. And I've always wanted to go to Tahiti . . . I don't know. But we want to do something.
It's amazing how intertwined we all are-what Sean and Tim do, what they get or don't get into-has such an effect on what Rick and I end up doing. Or not doing. When your kids are in a state of transition, you can't help but go along for the ride with them. Sean's almost grown now. So it would seem a whole new phase of life is starting for us, too.
As the boys finish their game-Sean beating Timmy but not by as much as I would've thought, (Timmy's getting better!), we walk back to the booth and check their clubs and balls back in. Then we make our way to the makeshift dining area where we order a large pepperoni pizza, an order of spicy buffalo wings, and a pitcher of Coke. Sean fusses over Timmy nabbing the biggest pizza slice. Timmy pours too much soda into his red plastic cup, its overflow spreading across the table top and instantly saturating a tall stack of clean, white napkins; over this Sean, too, fusses. I bite into a chicken drummette and realize my palette for spicy foods isn't the same as it was when I was Sean's age. I nibble only passively at the tiny leg before finally and completely giving up and trying my hand at a sliver of pizza. And both with swollen mouths full of gummy, half-eaten food, the boys argue about whether Sean golfed fairly or cheated to gain victory-his actions on hole #17 falling under particular scrutiny. They're loud. They're tiring.
And I'd have it no other way.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
The 2011 Bridport Prize
Hey, everyone. Check out the link below for this year's Bridport Prize literary contest, which takes place in England:
www.bridportprize.org.uk
www.bridportprize.org.uk
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