Textnovel contest

August 31st has such a daunting ring to it these days.  My fellow textnovel followers and contestants know what I mean.  August 31st is the cut-off date for entries.  Thus will begin the harder part, finding out if any of my entries have made the top 20-30 cut to be a semi-finalist and begin the long march to November when the winner is announced. 

While I know in the grand scheme of publishing as a business, textnovel and indeed the textnovel contests are what the industry is referring to as virtual slush piles.  While I acknowledging a basic truth in that analogy, I would like to now expound how it is so much more than the sum of its parts, or contest entries. 

What textnovel has done for me is allowed me to push past personal fears, build confidence in my writing and grow.   I have received a wide range of encouragement and help every step of this journey.  My stories are being read and reaching people all over the world via the internet.  At first I was afraid of having my story stolen or losing my copy rights.  At the end of the day what I craved most was reaching an audience. 

Now I am not saying my desire for a published novel, all my precious words tucked between 2 covers has lost any of its allure.  If anything my appetite for that kind of success has only been whetted since beginning this journey.  My respect and appreciation for marketing to a reader has grown, and hopefully my skills in that arena continue to do the same. 

More than anything I value the wonderful habit of writing nearly every day.  I have posted 2 complete novels and a novella!  I have 2 others currently in early draft stages.  The opportunity I have had to be mentored and mentor and encourage others has helped be grow as an artist and word smith.  Now if they only had a miracle cure for my bad spelling and typo's. 

Thank you to all who have supported and continue to support me.  It is getting down to the wire.  Votes, comments and views (just clicking on a story) all help me gain the attention of the contest judges. 

My three projects are:

The Raven and the Wolf    - Complete  (So many drafts into it I lost count)


Box Five: Opera Ghost    - Complete (2nd draft stage)

The Strange Tale of Rose Berg   - In progress  (1st draft)


I am a little worried that I might not make the 50,000 word quota on Rose Berg but there is still time and I have 2 weekends left.  So let me know if you have a favorite that you are rooting for.  It is hard for me to pick a favorite child but The Raven and the Wolf is my first "born" and the result of 15 years of starts and stops.  It broke the barriers of not believing in myself and lead me to textnovel along with a great pitch for the site on Linkedin by a fellow author.

I wish all the best to my fellow and favorite textnovel authors (ladies you ought to know who you are by now) I continue to learn by your comments and examples. 

Happy Writing!