It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group!
Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to
those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the
tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I
encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a
comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.
The awesome co-hosts for the May 5 posting of the IWSG are Erika Beebe, PJ Colando, Tonja Drecker, Sadira Stone, and Cathrina Constantine!
May 5 optional question - Has any of your readers ever responded to your writing in a way that you didn't expect? If so, did it surprise you?
Our next anthology is now available!
Dark Matter: Artificial
An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology
Discover dark matter’s secrets…
What is an AI’s true role? Will bumbling siblings find their way home
from deep space? Dark matter is judging us—are we worthy of existence?
Would you step through a portal into another reality? Can the discoverer
of dark matter uncover its secrets?
Ten authors explore dark matter, unraveling its secrets and revealing
its mysterious nature. Featuring the talents of Stephanie Espinoza
Villamor, C.D. Gallant-King, Tara Tyler, Mark Alpert, Olga Godim, Steph
Wolmarans, Charles Kowalski, Kim Mannix, Elizabeth Mueller, and Deniz
Bevan.
Hand-picked by a panel of agents, authors, and editors, these ten tales
will take readers on a journey across time and space. Prepare for
ignition!
Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group
offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online
database; articles; monthly blog posting; Facebook, Twitter, &
Instagram groups; #IWSGPit, and a newsletter.
Release date: May 4, 2021
Print ISBN 9781939844828 $14.95
EBook ISBN 9781939844835 $4.99v
Science Fiction: Collections & Anthologies / Space Exploration / Genetic Engineering
Artificial -
Stephanie Espinoza Villamor
Space Folds and Broomsticks -
C.D. Gallant-King
Rift –
Kim Mannix
The Utten Mission –
Steph Wolmarans
Sentient –
Tara Tyler
One to Another –
Deniz Bevan
Resident Alien -
Charles Kowalski
Nano Pursuit –
Olga Godim
Resurgence –
Elizabeth Mueller
Vera’s Last Voyage –
Mark Alpert
LINKS:
Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, Barnes and Nobel, and
Goodreads
Our official judges:
Dan Koboldt, author and #SFFpit founder
Dan Koboldt is the author of the Gateways to Alissia trilogy (Harper
Voyager), the editor of Putting the Science in Fiction (Writers Digest,
2018), and the creator of the sci-fi adventure serial The Triangle
(Serial Box, 2019). As a genetics researcher, he has co-authored more
than 80 publications in Nature, Science, The New England Journal of
Medicine, and other scientific journals. He is represented by Paul
Stevens of Donald Maass Literary Agency.
Lynda R. Young, author
Lynda R. Young is an Aussie writing fantasy novels as Elle Cardy.
Wielder’s Prize is her debut YA epic fantasy. She is also an editor,
game developer, 3D artist, graphic designer, photographer, gamer and
more.
Colleen Oefelein, agent, The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency
Colleen Oefelein is an author of YA, picture books, and author promotion
guides, a devourer of books, and the owner of the book review site
North of Normal. Formerly an associate agent and PR manager with
Inklings Literary Agency, Colleen has hosted numerous “Pitch Perfect”
and “Rejection Correction” workshops on Facebook and at conferences
nationwide, and she’s mentored several authors one-on-one through online
pitch contests such as Pitch Wars.
Damien Larkin
Damien Larkin is an Irish science fiction author and co-founder of the
British and Irish Writing Community. His debut novel Big Red was
published by Dancing Lemur Press and went on to be longlisted for the
BSFA award for Best Novel. He currently lives in Dublin, Ireland and is
working on his next novel Blood Red Sand.
Ion Newcombe
is the editor and publisher of AntipodeanSF, Australia's longest running
online speculative fiction magazine, regularly issued since January
1998. His qualifications and employment range from horticulture through
electronics into literature and communications.
Julie Gwinn, agent, The Seymour Agency
Julie Gwinn most recently served as Marketing Manager for the Christian
Living line at Abingdon Press and before that served as Trade Book
Marketing Manager and then Fiction Publisher for the Pure Enjoyment line
at B&H Publishing Group, a Division of LifeWay Christian Resources.
Recently, she was awarded Editor of the Year from the American
Christian Fiction Writers and won B&H’s first Christy award for
Ginny Yttrup’s debut novel Words.
David Powers King, author
David's works include Woven, The Undead Road,, and Full Dark: An
Anthology. He currently resides in the Mountain West with his wife and 4
children.
AND NOW......
The Seventh Annual IWSG Anthology Contest!
Guidelines and rules:
Word count: 5000-6000
Genre: Sweet Romance
Theme: First Love
Submissions accepted: May 7 - September 1, 2021
How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (double-spaced, no
footers or headers), previously unpublished story to admin @
insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please
include your full contact details, your social links, and if you are
part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group. You
must belong to at least one aspect of the IWSG to enter.
Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges.
Our official judges:
Author Nancy Gideon
Nancy Gideon is the award-winning bestseller of over 70 romances
ranging from historical, Regency, and series contemporary suspense to
dark paranormal and horror, with a couple of produced screenplays and
non-fiction writing books tossed into the mix. She’s also written under
the pseudonyms Dana Ransom, Rosalyn West, and Lauren Giddings.
Agent Caitlin Blasdell, Liza Dawson Associates
Caitlin Blasdell has been a literary agent with Liza Dawson Associates
since 2002 with a focus on commercial fiction. Before becoming an
agent, she was a senior editor at HarperCollins Publishers.
Author Susan Gourley
Susan Gourley is traditionally published in fantasy and science
fiction romance using the name Susan Kelley. She is currently serving as
the President of the Pennwriters writing group renowned for the annual
conference.
Agent Melissa Gaines, Victress Literary
Author Jennifer Lane
Jennifer Lane writes sports romance and romantic suspense with a
psychological twist. She has published nine novels and two short
stories, including Behind the Catcher’s Mask as part of the IWSG
Masquerade Anthology.
Agent Rachel Beck, Liza Dawson Associates
Rachel Beck joined Liza Dawson Associates in January 2020 after
working at a boutique literary agency for four years. She has been in
the publishing industry since 2009 and worked at Harlequin editing
romance novels for nearly six years before transitioning her skills to
the agent world in order to be an advocate and champion for authors.
Chrys Fey is the author of the Disaster Crimes series, a unique
concept blending romance, crimes, and disasters. Hurricane Crimes, Book
One, is an award-winning romantic-suspense novella.
Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Dancing Lemur Press' imprint
, Freedom Fox Press, next
year in the IWSG anthology. (Please see their site for general
submission guidelines.) Authors will receive royalties on books sold,
both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the
anthology its title.
This is our seventh anthology contest! In addition to Dark Matter:
Artificial, previous titles include Voyagers: The Third Ghost,
Masquerade: Oddly Suited, Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime, Hero Lost, The
Mysteries of Death and Life, and Parallels: Felix Was Here.
