Jan. 10, 2011– A day late for this normal "Monday blog."  My excuse is time needed to catch up with home chores after a ten-day visit from a dear California writer friend.

Any ice hokey fans/players out there?  Chicken Soup for the Soul publishers have a call out for stories from devotees of ice hockey.  As an observer or a player, get your fingers dancing on the keys to tell your story.  For full details go to www.Chickensoup.com

Gemini Magazine is seeking entries for its annual short story contest.  Deadline is March 31,  "No restrictions on content, style, genre or lenght,  Flashes, novel excerpts, experimental, etc email or snailmail.  see http://www.gemini-magazine.com/contest.html

I'v had an interesting call from a Canada "snowbird," residing in the area in her RV.  She will visit one of my workshops soon, hoping to market her writing.  Her blog shows beautiful photos and very competent writing.  Other snowbirds have been members of my workshops from time to time bringing great perspectives on writing and yielding personal histories of interest to all.

Woops WRITER company at the door.  More next Monday.  Willma

12.26/11–  I found yesterday, to my surprise and delight that some people–even businesses  do business on Christmas Day.

In 2009 I submitted a humorous essay, "Dancing On The Waters" to a publishing house in Tampa, Florida.  The editor of Tampa Publishing had sent out a call for essays suitable for an anthology he was planning to publish.  Within about two months I received notice that my essay was accepted for the anthology and that a check would follow.   It did within a month. Only $50–not much–but it was a credit and would add No. 10 to the number of anthologies in which my writing has appeared.  I didn't hear and didn't hear.  I moved in 2010 and did not think to send my change of email AND change of address to the Tampa editor.

Sorting through the list of new contests/new markets I receive regularly from the PWP Webmaster, I found Ocean Magazine listed.  Reading the guidelines, I felt that my essay would fit their needs.  However, if that anthology was still to be printed, I  needed to know what rights they claimed (first or all?)   I found the email of the Tampa Publishers–a "Bill"@ same. On Christmas morning (Santa was not due to arrive here until afternoon) I emailed Bill.  Surprise!  Surprise!  Within an hour I had his reply along with a return of the "Merry Christmas" greeting I'd included.  Apparently when the company suffered difficulties financially, he had notified all contributors.  His message had not reached me saying he was returning all rights.  Nice Xmas "present."  I packaged the essay and it went into the mail to Ocean Mag. today.  Until next news, Willma

12/20/11:  My usual blog day slipped past in a "holidaze" blur, but Tuesday dawns with a little more open space.  I managed to get into the email my monthly column for Stimulus, the Phoenix Writer Club newsletter. and for those of you who do not see it, here are some of the markets/contests I listed there that you may want to consider as you launch your 2012 writing efforts.

OCEAN MAGAZINE publishes stories, articles, essays ad poetry about the ocean–scientific, creative, environmental, recreational, spiritual–inkeeping with its celebration and protection of our oceans. For details: www.oceanmagazine.org/contributorsguidelines.aspx

THE PREMISES:  "If you'd like to get paid for your fiction. . . On the Premises magazine aims to promote newer and/or relatively unknown writers who can write creative, compelling stories."  Pay is between $40 and $150 for short stories that fit each issue's broad story premise:  ". . .any gentre, literary, mystery, fantasy–aimed at adult readers.  Current contest theme is HOME."  Deadline, Jan 28, 2012.

ESCAPE INTO LIFE first annual fiction contest.  Cash prizes with winners to be nominated for nationally-recognized awards in 2012. See www.escapeintolife.com/fiction/eil-announces-first-annual-fiction-contest/

Happy Writing !–Willma