Kudos to Corinne, John and Dave on their news book and to Susan and Pearl for their recognition in writing contests

Hi, Brian.

I recently finished writing a novel coauthored by Canadian master of horror David Demchuk! We have written the untold story of Mrs. Lovett, noted pie-baker and helpmate to the notorious Sweeney Todd. It's a Victorian Gothic thriller, now out on submission with our agent Barbara Berson {of the Helen Heller Agency}. 

A young female journalist in Victorian London engages in an increasingly menacing correspondence with an older woman who might be the titular pie-baking murderess. The story uses the ever-popular Sweeney Todd legend as a jumping off point, but the focus is on Mrs. Lovett. It was a lot of fun to write!

I will keep you posted as to any developments.

All the best,

Corinne Clark

For information on submitting to the Helen Heller Agency, see here.  

 

Hi, Brian.

I want to send a note thanking you for sharing with us writing competitions that we might not know about. I entered the Seniors' Literary Competition because I saw it in your newsletter, and I found out today that I came in second in the short story competition – which made my day.

Thank you for everything you do!

Best,

Susan Cross 

You can find occasional listings of writing contests and literary journals looking for your short pieces here {and scroll down}.

 

Hi, Brian.

I saw your post about the Canadian Legion Literary Contest at least a couple days after you posted it; I wrote to the contest organizers for guidelines … and then the night before the deadline, I sat down very late to write a personal essay, writing into the wee hours of the morning and editing the next day. I submitted the piece the evening of April 30, which was the deadline. I also submitted a poem in a different category.

The poem did not get recognized for any awards, but I was notified today that the essay won an Honorable Mention.

I hadn’t previously entered any writing contests in years, but am so glad I came across your listing for this contest, and was moved enough to write something, albeit very quickly.

Thanks, Brian.

Pearl Adler Saban

 

Hi, Brian.

Thought I would let you know my self-published book, Dancing in the Blue Room, is on Amazon here.

All the best,

John Sargent

 And very appropriate it's available for Pride Month!

Great news, Brian! 

My just-completed third novel, Sparkles and Karim, has been accepted by Middleroad Publishers and is going through the editing process. First and foremost it’s the story of a perilous quest, but one that is character-driven and touches on the realities of the human condition and the roles of belief and duty in the context of armed insurrection.

As you can tell, it’s nothing like my first two published novels, but then they weren’t much like each other, either. Something I’ve learned as a writer, especially in the case of Sparkles and Karim, is how much you learn doing research, kind of a side-benefit.

The story unfolds in Iraq in 2014. ISIS is on a roll. The protagonists are Major Michelle Wilson, age 32, callsign Sparkles, a US fighter pilot, and Karim Hamid, age 21, callsign Black Flag, a US soldier of Iraqi descent, raised in the US and planted inside ISIS by the CIA.

Both break away from their assigned duties and commit serious infractions, albeit for reasons readers will applaud. To escape punishment, they find themselves forced to team up on a perilous mission from Baghdad to Mosul – a city already taken by ISIS – posing as an ISIS couple. He’s an impulsive risk-taker with little sense of fear, she’s a driven, uptight perfectionist. They’re skeptical of each other initially, but as they face betrayal and the barbarity of jihad, they learn to value each other and become a team in ways they had never imagined.

While this story displays an authenticity born of diligent research, it’s important to note that it is not an indictment of Islam.

As for the title Sparkles and Karim, it’s not final yet and my writing buddies are evenly split. If people don’t like it, I’m open to suggestions!

All the best,

Dave

Dave Moores has previously published two books: Windward Legs,  a novel for adults, featuring fast and frisky action both on and off the water. Read an excerpt here,  and it’s available here. And Attitude, a young adult novel available here, both from Middleroad Publishers.

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If you’ve had a story (or a book!) published, if you’ve won or placed in a writing contest, if you’ve gotten yourself an agent, or if you have any other news, send me an email so I can share your success. As writers, we’re all in this together, and your good news gives us all a boost. 

Also, be sure to let know if you're looking for a writers' group or beta readers; a notice in Quick Brown Fox, will help you find them. 

Email me at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

See Brian Henry’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.