First Kiss Contest (Go to Bean Pot Contest)
Congratulations to the 6 finalists in NEC-RWA’s First Kiss Contest.
Katy Regnery: “It’s You”
Susan Chambers: Dragonfly **
Crystal Eliot: Lessons in Scandal
Tina Evans: One More Night
Virginia Frost: Prop Girl
Anna Richland: The Soldier
These entries will now move on to the final round and be judged by Patience Bloom, Editor at Harlequin.
*NEC Member
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Send us the scene from your book where your couple first kisses. The scene should convey the emotion and romantic conflict between the characters, sparkle with creative dialogue, description, and characterization, and move the story forward. As one of our authors said, “Good kiss scenes are essentially emotional discoveries. The first kiss brings a new closeness… but also a new set of complications.”
FIRST PRIZE: $50.00 or FREE registration to the New England Chapter’s “LET YOUR IMAGINATION TAKE FLIGHT” Conference (2012 value: $189.00), to be held in April 2013. (Not including hotel, transportation or conference extras.)
SECOND PRIZE: $35.OO
THIRD PRIZE: $25.00
Entries will be scored by one published author and one qualified, unpublished judge. Score sheets and marked manuscript pages will be returned to entrants.
The final judge is Patience Smith, Senior Editor, Silhouette Romantic Suspense at Harlequin, will judge six finalists.
Click here to download entry form.
Click here to download First Kiss Contest Rules and Information.
Click here to download sample score sheet.
Deadline:
Entries must be emailed by October 1, 2012.
Instructions:
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Scene should be 10 pages maximum plus 1 set-up page. Use standard manuscript format, double-spaced, 1-inch margins top and bottom.
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Set-up page: On a separate page, set up the scene to inform judges what has happened prior to the first kiss scene. It may be helpful to state conflict and setting of your story. Use standard format as explained above. Note: This is not a synopsis but rather an aid to help judges understand what has led up to the First Kiss.
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It is preferable to number pages as they would appear in your manuscript.
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NO author’s name may appear on any manuscript or set-up pages. Include story title, page number, and manuscript category.
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Return of first round, judged entries should be approximately December 15 (based on return from judges).
Judging:
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Judges will consist of at least one published author.
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Judges will be encouraged to insert comments directly on manuscript and will complete a score sheet identifying strengths and weaknesses of your scene.
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In the event of a difference of 30 points or more in the entrants scores, and if that point spread would keep an entrant out of the final round, a third judge will score the entry and the highest two scores will then be used.
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Final Judge: The final judge to be announced.
Rules:
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Entrants must be unpublished in book-length fiction.
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All entrants must send an application form along with their entry.
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The contest may be canceled if less than 25 entries are received by October 1.
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Past finalists and winners may enter but with a different scene.
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Entrants do not need to be a member of RWA®.
What to send:
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Set up page and manuscript to be submitted in rich text format.
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NO author name on pages: One set-up page and the First Kiss Scene. Manuscript will be electronically marked up by judges.
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Type in your name and date the entry form. This will constitute your acceptance to the Entry Agreement.
Fees:
Fee: $25.00 for each entry, $20.00 for NEC members, Outside U.S. $28.00.
Deadline: Entries must be emailed by October 1, 2012.
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Bean Pot Contest for Published Authors (Go to First Kiss Contest)
The 2013 New England Reader’s Choice Bean Pot Award – A contest for published authors to award excellence in published romance fiction. The contest is judged exclusively by readers, librarians and booksellers. The first place winners in each category are awarded a Bean Pot engraved trophy and a certificate. The second and third place winners in each category are awarded a certificate. Winners announced on our website, in our newsletter, and in RWR.
Eligibility:
- Books must have a 2012 copyright date and must be postmarked by January 30, 2013.
- Entry fee is $25 for each title submitted. An author may submit more than one 2012 released book with separate entry form and fee for each title.
- Author must submit three autographed copies of the entered book. Books will not be returned and are given to the judges as thank you gifts for judging.
- E-books accepted in electronic form ONLY IF PRINT BOOK NOT AVAILABLE and should be mailed in PDF format to beanpot@necrwa.org (E-books do not need to be autographed)
- No self-published entries. No membership requirements.
- Finalists will be notified by March 25, 2013.
- Winners announced at our 2013 Let Your Imagination Take Flight conference, April 26, 2013 and the Bean Pot trophy presented at our dinner reception.
Categories for entry:
Contemporary
Romantic Suspense
Historical
Erotic Romance
Futuristic; Fantasy; Paranormal or Time Travel
Mainstream with Romantic Elements
Young Adult
(Any category with less than eight entries will be incorporated into another category if possible. Entrants should suggest an alternate category.)
Judging:
- Judges give each entry a score of 3-10 (10 being the highest).
- The judges’ decisions are final.
For the entry form, more information, and further contact details, download the contest entry form in .doc format or in PDF format.
Pay now using Paypal”