Saturday, October 31, 2015

Love Letters ~ Where your fellow writers are getting published & Writer to Writer

Hi, Brian.
My short story “Waiting” got published in The Broken City magazine. They used a beautiful illustration. Check it out in the current edition of Broken City here.
Speak soon,
Hannah McKinnon
For information on submitting to Broken City, see here.


Hi, Brian.
You started it all!  You gave me the confidence to believe in my writing and now I'm slowly gaining more and more success.  Excited to report I just heard I won the grand prize in the 2015 John Kenneth Galbraith Literary Award contest, one I know you've judged and also recommended to your students. 
Thank you, Brian!
Best,
Heather Rath
You can read Heather’s story, "Stalker" on Quick Brown Fox here.
The winner of the Galbraith Award takes home a $2,000 prize. For information about this contest, see here.


Hi, Brian.
I recently published Tricksy Critters: A Halloween Picture Book.
Regards,
Michelle de Villiers
Tricksy Critters is available for the excellent price of absolutely free. Check out Tricksy Critters and Michelle’s other two books on Amazon, here.

Hi, 
This seems to be my week for painful stories. Here is one (disturbing – but free!) that just landed on the Psychology Tomorrow site. Brian, you read it last winter, but it will be new to the rest of you.
Sally B
Read Sally’s story here
For information about submitting to Psychology Tomorrow, see here.

Writer to Writer
Dear Brian,
I’ve just launched a Kickstarter campaign that is trying to spread happiness (and feeling in general) through letter-writing. Using creative writing, I believe we can reconnect people in our disconnected digital world. We can empower people to feel.
I think this relates to your writing blog, and I would greatly appreciate if you would give me a shoutout or write something about my project!  The more people that join in, the more people who feel.  The motive is purely social — otherwise I would definitely charge more than $2 Canadian per letter.
Check it out here.
Sincerely,
Andrew Luba
Mailing address available on request (for letters!!!)

See Brian Henry's schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Barrie, Bracebridge, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Friday, October 30, 2015

Exile Editions pays for monster stories, Outlook pays for stories, essays & poetry, Brain Mill offers royalties for book-length LGBTQ+ fiction, Horrified Press offers royalties for stories & Postcard Stories wants flash fiction

Exile Editions seeks Canadian myth and monster stories for Those Who Make Us anthology. Length 2,000 to 7,000 words, but under 5,000 preferred. Payment: 5 cents / word.
Deadline: November 2, 2015. Submission guidelines here.

Outlook Springs magazine accepts short stories, essays and poetry. Pays $25 U.S. for short stories and nonfiction and $10 U.S. per poem.
Submissions period runs Sept 15 through June 15. Full submission guidelines here.

Brain Mill Press is currently seeking full-length LGBTQ+ submissions across all genres and the full spectrum of sexualities and identities. We’re looking for books written with passion and conviction that speak to a diverse readership, because we believe that everyone deserves to tell their story and everyone deserves to have their story told.
While we’ll consider any submission that centralizes queer characters and queer experience, we are especially interested in the following broad categories:
Love Is Love. Swoonily romantic and heartfelt queer stories that affirm the intimacy, reality and validity of love beyond heteronormative expectations.
All the Colors of the Rainbow: We’d love to see stories of any kind that feature the less-represented queer identities, particularly women of any sexuality, trans* people, non-binary people, the aro/ace spectrum, and bisexuals. And, of course, anyone you feel should have been included in that list.
Post Queer: Stories of any genre that just happen to have queer protagonists. Because you don’t have to be a heterosexual white man to solve a crime, slay a dragon, save the galaxy or be bodyguard to the President.
Hellum and Neal Series editor Alexis Hall will select books for digital and print publication in the series. Submit complete manuscripts of 45,000-100,000+ words. Books in this series will be offered a contract for publication and royalties, and will be professionally edited and produced. The ebook and trade print will be internationally distributed. All published books will be promoted by the press, submitted for industry review, and chosen and promoted by the series editor.
Full submission guidelines here.

Horrified Press seeks short stories for several anthologies/ For example: 3,000 – 5,000 word stories for The King of the Living Dead. No advance, just royalties.
Deadline: As soon as they have enough stories they like.  Submission guidelines here.

Postcard Shorts has several hundred diverse and diverting short stories, for you to read, share and enjoy. The inspiration for this site comes from a challenge made by George Hay, a science fiction magazine editor in the 1970s, to Arthur C. Clarke (and others). The challenge was to write a short story to put on a postcard. One result was Arthur C. Clarke's story "Quarantine", which you can read here.
Postcard Shorts is looking for original material, about 250 words or so – as much as you could more or less fit on a postcard. Postcard shorts is open to all genres of flash fiction.
Submission guidelines here.

Note: Don't ever miss a post on Quick Brown Fox. Fill in your email in the box to the right under my bio, and get each post delivered to your Inbox. ~ Brian

See Brian Henry's schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Barrie, Bracebridge, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Algonquin in June Writing Retreat, Arowhon Pines Resort, Algonquin Park


Algonquin in June Writing Retreat
Friday – Sunday
June 10 – 12, 2016
Arowhon Pines Resort, Arowhon Pines Rd, Little Joe Lake, Algonquin Park, Ontario, Canada

Give yourself three days of writing time. Three days of instruction, inspiration and creativity. Award yourself with time away from distractions, with no dishes to do and wonderful food at every  meal, as you sit with your feet up and write in the most beautiful wilderness setting in Ontario. This is where the Group of Seven got its inspiration (Tom Thompson is buried just a couple of lakes over); it’s a wonderful place for you to find your inspiration, too.

The retreat will feature both instruction and guided writing exercises, plus one-on-one critiquing and coaching from Brian.  You’ll also have lots of time to relax, rejuvenate, and reconnect with your creativity. 

All writing levels welcome. Whether you are just beginning or have a novel in progress, please join us. 

The setting: Arowhon Pines is a peaceful, quiet resort nestled in the woods on Little Joe Lake inside Algonquin Park. There are no motorboats on the lake, except for the resort’s own pontoon boat which takes guests on occasional wildlife tours.

The resort is without TV and is far from the roar of traffic. The cry of a loon is the loudest noise you’re likely to hear all day.
Rates include charming accommodation (cabins have a mix of queen beds for one person or couples or twin beds for two people rooming together; rooms also have private bathrooms and each cabin has a lounge with fireplace to share with your fellow writers). 

Three all-you-can-eat gourmet meals per day are provided, featuring an abundance of fresh food prepared by master chefs and an inspired kitchen staff. (Bring your own wine or beer!)

All activities included. When you’re not writing or for spouses who accompany you, there is plenty to do: canoe or kayak a series of lakes or hike trails to see wildlife (moose, loons, beaver, turtles, fox, deer), swim in the lake, sail, stand up paddleboard, play tennis, relax. For indoor activities there is a games room with table tennis, shuffleboard, books, board games. Your stay also includes access to all Algonquin Park programs and activities including a car pass for you to fully enjoy the park.



Check-in isn’t until 3 p.m., but guests can arrive in the morning to fully take advantage of the facilities (though the meals included in your package don’t begin until after check-in time, so lunch on Friday is extra if you arrive early). Each guest will get a day pass for Algonquin Park. The formal retreat will begin late Friday afternoon. On Sunday morning, we’ll have our last formal get-together ending at 12 noon. Check out time is at 1 p.m.  Most guests have lunch while the bellhops load the car. But once you’ve had lunch, don’t feel you have to rush off!

Participants are welcome to bring spouses, partners or friends, as there will be plenty to do while you’re writing – canoeing, kayaking or sailing, swimming if warm enough, tennis, reading and just plain resting and unwinding, enjoying the wilderness.

Read more about Arowhon Pines
 here.

Instructor Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada’s most popular blog for writers, teaches creative writing at Ryerson University and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Saint John. But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get their first book published and launch their careers as authors.

Read two reviews of our fall writing retreat at Arowhon Pines, see here. 
To see more reviews of Brian’s weekly courses and Saturday workshops, just scroll down the page. 

Accommodation fee: 440 per person either single- or double- occupancy for the two nights (that’s $100 off the regular price for double-occupancy; $276 off the regular single-occupancy price). Plus 15% service charge (in lieu of tipping, no extra tipping allowed), then 13% hst added to these rates.

Seminar fee (special June 2016 price): 123.89 plus hst = 140
Full receipts issued. Space is very limited.

For more information or to register, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Note: Don't ever miss a post on Quick Brown Fox. Fill in your email in the box to the right under my bio, and get each post delivered to your Inbox.  ~ Brian

Who can attend the retreat?
Everyone interested in developing their writing skills is welcome to attend, whether you're aspiring writer or an accomplished author or simply enjoy writing as a hobby. There is no requirement for you to have been previously published or even to have an intention to publish.

I'm a poet / playwright / other writer. Is this retreat for me?
The retreat is open to anyone who enjoys writing. Instruction will focus on narrative writing; i.e., stories, whether fiction or memoir. But if you’re an essayist or poet or whatever, you’re entirely welcome.

Should I bring my work in progress?
Yes, if you have an on-going writing project, bring it with you! If you’re not currently working on anything, don’t worry, we’ll get you writing.

Should I bring my laptop?
Yes, if you prefer to work on your laptop. During the day, we’ll have use of tables by power outlets in the dining room for writing. If you prefer to work on paper bring that.


 Can you cater to specific dietary requirements?
Yes, just let the staff at Arowhon Pines know about your needs.

I want to stay longer or arrive early. Is it possible to do that?
If you want to arrive early and stay longer, that is fine. Just arrange it with the resort. There is plenty to see and do in the park, and Arowhon Pines is a lovely place to base from.

Can I bring my spouse (or partner or friend)?
Certainly. Just let them know you’ll be spending most of your time writing, (though you will have some free time every day), and make sure they enjoy superb food, the beauty of the fall woods, and relaxing on the deck or the dock or out on a canoe as they glide past a moose munching on water lilies….

For more information or to register, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca


See Brian's full schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Barrie, Bracebridge, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Literary agent Mary South of Lowenstein Associates seeks literary fiction and nonfiction

Barbara Lowenstein
Lowenstein Associates
115 East 23rd Street
4th floor
New York, NY 10001
http://www.lowensteinassociates.com/

Note: Don't ever miss a post on Quick Brown Fox. Fill in your email in the box to the right under my bio, and get each post delivered to your Inbox.  ~ Brian

Lowenstein Associates represents a diverse array of writers, including authors of bestselling commercial fiction, adult sci-fi-/fantasy/horror, thriller and crime fiction, young adult fiction, narrative non-fiction, and exceptional literary fiction; prominent cultural icons; and leading experts in medicine, psychology, and contemporary issues.

Mary South is the newest member of the team and like all new agents, she needs authors. Besides being a literary agent, Mary is also the digital marketing manager and foreign rights liaison. She is also a senior editor at NOON. Previously, she worked for Random House, Google, The New Yorker, and McGraw-Hill. She has an MFA in fiction from Columbia University and a B.A. in literature, with honors, from Northwestern University. 

Mary is interested in receiving queries for literary fiction with a compelling voice, an exquisite use of form, and the utmost attention paid to the beauty of the sentence. She also has an interest in nonfiction on subjects such as neuroscience, bioengineering, women's rights, design, and digital humanities, as well as investigative journalism, essays, and memoir.

Query Mary at: assistant@bookhaven.com
Put the word QUERY and the title of your project in the subject field of your email and address it to the agent of your choice. For fiction, include the first ten pages; for nonfiction, please include a table of contents and, if available, a proposal pasted into the body of the email. No attachments.
Full submission guidelines here. 

Olga Filina
Brian Henry will lead a How to Get Published  workshop on Saturday, Feb 20, in Kitchener, with literary agent Olga Filina of The Rights Factory (see here).

Brian Henry will also lead a Writing for Children & for Young Adults workshop on Saturday, March 5, in Burlington, with Monica Pacheco, literary agent with The McDermid Agency (see here).

Other upcoming workshops include  You can write great dialogue, Saturday, Nov 7, in Oakville (see here) and Saturday, Nov 21, in Ingersoll (see here), How to Build Your Story, Sunday, Nov 22, in Windsor (see here), How to Make Yourself Write Saturday, Nov 28, in Mississauga (see here), and Writing Your Life, Saturday, Dec 5, in Burlington (see  here).   

For more information or to register, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

But the best way to grow as a writer or to get your manuscript ready for publication may be with a weekly class. Starting in the new year, Brian will be offering a full range of courses for both beginning writers and more experienced writers. (Details of all five classes here.) 
Welcome to Creative Writing, Thursday afternoons, Jan 28 – March 31, (no class March 17), in Burlington. (Details of this class here.)
Writing Personal Stories, Tuesday afternoons, Feb 2 – March 29, (no class March 15) in Burlington (Details of this class here.)
The Next Step in Creative Writing, Wednesday evenings, Jan 20 – March 30 (no class March 16), in Burlington
Intermediate Creative Writing, Thurs evenings, Jan 21 – March 31, (no class March 17), in Georgetown
Intensive Creative Writing, Wednesday afternoons, Jan 20 – March 9, in Burlington
See details of all five classes here.

To register or for more information, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Read reviews of Brian’s courses and workshops here.

See Brian's full schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Barrie, Bracebridge, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Monday, October 26, 2015

Four great workshops coming soon, starting November 7: Writing Great Dialogue (2 locales), How to Build Your Story & How to Make Yourself Write

You can write great dialogue
The writer’s most important tool
Offered in two locales this coming month:
Saturday, November 7, 2015
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Oakville Central Library, 120 Navy Street, Oakville, Ontario (Map here.)
Fee: 46 paid in advance or 49 if you wait to pay at the door
And
Saturday, November 21, 2015
1:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Ingersoll Public Library, 130 Oxford Street, Ingersoll, Ontario (Map here)
Fee: $46 paid in advance or $49 at the door
Fee:  34.51 + hst = 39 in advance or 37.17 + hst = 42 if you wait to pay at the door
Accessible to beginners and meaty enough for experienced writers, this workshop will show you how to use dialogue to make your stories more dynamic and dramatic. Whether you’re writing fiction or memoir, you need to be able to write great dialogue and need to know how to mix your dialogue and narrative so that your characters come alive.  Come to this workshop and learn both the basics and the best tricks of the trade so that you'll never write a lifeless scene again.
To reserve a spot now, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

How to Build Your Story
Plotting novels & Writing short stories
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Registration and coffee: 9:30 a.m.
10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
The RainDance Centre, 716 Pelissier Street, Windsor, Ontario (Map here.) 
This workshop will show you how writers plot a novel and will give you the best tips on writing short stories. We’ll also look at where to get your stories published and how to win contests. Best yet, you’ll see how to apply the story-building techniques you’ve learned to your own writing
Fee (including lunch):  56 paid in advance or 59 if you wait to pay at the door.
To reserve a spot now, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca


How to Make Yourself Write
A creativity workout
Saturday, November 28, 2015
10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Unity Church, Unit 8, 3075 Ridgeway Drive, Mississauga (Map here.)
Let's get motivated! This workshop is designed to help you find the time and the inspiration to write. No more staring at a blank screen. Come to this workshop and learn the five keys to beating procrastination. Then give yourself a kick-start and discover how to keep going. This creativity workout will get your words flowing and help you make the breakthrough into the next level of writing.
Fee: 46 paid in advance or 49 if you wait to pay at the door
To reserve a spot now, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada’s most popular blog for writers, teaches creative writing at Ryerson University and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Saint John. But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get their first book published and launch their careers as authors.
Read reviews of Brian's weekly classes and Saturday workshops here.

Kelley Armstrong
What previous attendees have to say:
“Brian’s the real deal.  He isn't just an inspiring teacher – he's plugged into the publishing world! He got me an agent who sold my first novel, to publishers around the world.  My 13th novel, The Awakening, hit number 1 on the New York Times bestsellers list. To date I’ve published 28 books, and thirteen of them have been turned into a TV show with the same name as my first novel, Bitten.”
~ Kelley Armstrong, Aylmer, Ontario

Note: Don't ever miss a post on Quick Brown Fox. Fill in your email in the box to the right under my bio, and get each post delivered to your Inbox. ~ Brian

See Brian’s full schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Barrie, Bracebridge, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.