Many thanks for dropping by to my blog.
For further information please visit my website http://www.michelle-smart.com/

Saturday 29 September 2012

So Much Talent (SYTYCW 2012)

(scroll down for update)

Approximately ten days ago I was doing my best to fight off flu. I was working on the book I wanted to enter So You Think You Can Write, Harlequin Mills & Boons competition where the winner gets a book contract with them. I am now ineligible! (I'm sorry, I'm still struggling to come to terms with being a bona-fide HMB author and keep squealing at random intervals). Having entered New Voices in 2010 and 2011, I know all about the craziness that can take you when entering a competition of this magnitude, and while I am relieved I can no longer enter, a part of me is jealous that I'm missing out on all the camaraderie that occurs between the contestants. At least it means I can read the entries without constantly comparing the writing and storyline with my own and trying to second guess the judges. I can read them simply for the pleasure of reading, and it really has been a pleasure. For me, the only disappointment with the competition is the lack of facility to leave comments on the entries - there are some fantastic entries out there and I would have loved to shout it out to the world what I loved about them. Instead, I am providing the links to the ones I particularly enjoyed.

So, without any further ado, here are my recommended reads:

Joanne Cleary (Catherine Coles): The Midwife's Reluctant Family

Aimee Duffy: Flirting With Trouble

Amalie Berlin: Mountain Man MD

Joanne Ryves (Jo Fereday): The Sweetest Gig of All

Fiona Marsden: After the Funeral

Jennifer Drogell: The Divorce Party

Incy Black: Sins of the Fathers

Jennifer Stroka (Jennifer Faye): Her Cowboy Hero


Update 2nd October 2012:

Unfortunately I have not had the time to read many more entries but here are a couple more of my recommended reads:

Jennifer Satterfield (Edie Danford): Maid by Day

Jane O'Reilly: Once a Bad Girl

I really wish I had more time to read some more - unfortunately stupid life keeps getting in the way of my reading pleasure! There's a few I want to read tomorrow but I can't guarantee I'll be able to put any more recs up. If anyone wants to post the link to their entry in the comments below then please feel free and hopefully your chapters should find some new readers.

To those of you who don't make it into the top 28, please, try not to be too dejected (it's hard, I know). I entered New Voices 2010 and 2011 and got nowhere. Nada. The slush pile worked for me and it can work for you too.

I wish you all the very best of luck.
xxx

11 comments:

  1. Michelle your blog looks awesome, love your tag line!! and thank you :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ah you will always be a part of the comps! Your call story will have inspired many aspiring writers and we will be looking to you for your words of wisdom (and humour). After hearing your call story I went to bed wishing I was you - and woke with the flu, so nearly!
    Enjoy the craziness as a Presents girl x

    ReplyDelete
  3. Definitely bursting with talent this year! Good luck to everyone xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great tag line!!! And I'm still squealing for you. Am so very happy that I'll get to hold your book in my hands soon.

    And thank you for the mention in your post. So honored to make the list w/ other such talented ladies. :-)

    Good luck to all of the brave souls who had the courage to enter this contest.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Must keep up on blogs better after digging out from under WIP before it whips me :)

    Thanks for the recommendation, lady! Good to be included in such august company!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Addendum:

    captcha is a sick little monkey. I think they use random letters and all that but I really have to stop trying to sound them out.

    URINTRAI <-- go ahead, sound it out, I dare ya!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Heheh So Agree Amalie. Before they introduced the photo numbers I used to imagine they were names for Fantasy SciFi characters. Got some beauties.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Please check out my entry if you have a moment. Thank you!
    http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/manuscripts/double-trouble-torn-between-two-loves/

    ReplyDelete
  9. Good luck to all you lovely ladies - and yes, captcha is a biatch! xxx

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks so much for the recommend. You totally rock!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. As a first-time entrant, I'd love any and all feedback!

    http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/manuscripts/breaking-away

    Good luck to all!

    ReplyDelete