Friday Photo: Look at what I got in the mail

Posted on October 19, 2012 by SloanParker

As a member of Romance Writers of America, I like to support the individual chapters who accept digital-first and digital-only books in their published author contests. Earlier this year, I entered Take Me Home in the Oklahoma RWA’s International Digital Awards. It won first place in the Contemporary Novel category, and I recently received this awesome plaque in the mail.

Huge thanks to the contest coordinators and judges for their time and efforts in running and judging such a professional contest, their tweets and other mentions of my book’s win, and for the beautiful personalized award. I love it!

The Good and Bad of my Blogging Hiatus

Posted on September 3, 2012 by SloanParker

“Life can be like a roller coaster…
And just when you think you’ve had enough,
and you’re ready to get off the ride
and take the calm, easy merry-go round…
You change your mind, throw your hands in the air
and ride the roller coaster all over again.
That’s exhilaration…that’s living a bit on the edge…that’s being ALIVE.”

–Stacey Charter

Here’s some news from my recent blogging hiatus:

The Good News

Breathe was listed in RT Book Reviews magazine as a must-have from RT readers alongside some of my favorite authors and books. The mention (on page 3) was part of the very exciting feature article “It’s Raining Men: Tackling The Torrents Of Male/Male Romantic Fiction Flooding The Market.” Huge thanks to all who mentioned the book to RT!
The Happily Ever After blog at USA TODAY featured the trailer for TAKE ME HOME. Thanks to author Robin Covington for the mention!
TAKE ME HOME placed first in the Erotica category of the 2012 FTHRW Lories Best Published contest.
TAKE ME HOME also won first place in the Contemporary category of the 2012 Oklahoma RWA’s International Digital Awards.
For the first time, books from digital-first publishers won in the Romance Writers of America RITA awards.
My friend and critique partner’s first book Fairyproof is out this week (print is out now). Congrats, Constance Phillips! So proud of you!

The Bad

I lost my writing buddy in July. He held on for almost a year since his bad crash the vet thought he wouldn’t make it through. For most of that year, he did really well, so it was hard to see him lose all his strength and energy in the very end. He definitely wasn’t ready to go, and I wasn’t ready to let him. It’s not quite the same in my writing room anymore. I kept plugging away on the final edits for How to Save a Life (and it was nice to have something else to focus on), but it also made the moment bittersweet without him there.

Good-bye, my bubby. You made every day special in so many ways. Writing sure is lonelier without you.

Breathe Named One of Joyfully Reviewed’s Best of 2011

Posted on April 16, 2012 by SloanParker

I’m thrilled to share that Breathe was selected as a Joyfully Reviewed Best Romance in 2011.

Huge thanks to the reviewer Nannette for taking the time to read and review the book last year and to Joyfully Reviewed for posting their reviewers’ top picks. I was incredibly honored to see it on the Best of 2011 page alongside so many amazing authors. Also very cool to see the number of m/m books on their list.

I’d like to also thank everyone who has picked up a copy of Breathe and gave it a try. It is now my bestselling book. I am touched and grateful for each and every email and comment I get from readers about this story.

Thank you all!!

2011 Rainbow Awards Still Open for Entries

Posted on July 6, 2011 by SloanParker

For all my author friends out there, this year’s Rainbow Awards are still accepting entries for LGBT fiction and non-fiction.

Awards Guidelines re-posted with permission:

SUBMISSION PROCESS

Books submitted for consideration will be accepted between March 15 and September 15. Winners will be announced in December.
A book can be submitted only by its author or by its publisher. Submit a book in the category most appropriate: please indicate Gender (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual/Transgender) and Genre (Coming of Age / Young Adult, Contemporary General Fiction, Contemporary Erotica, Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Mystery / Thriller, Paranormal / Horror, Sci-Fic / Futuristic, Non Fiction).
The commision can include some books at their own expenses, if they are eligible, especially in those categories with not enough submissions.
Books are submitted in electronic version (PDFs); exceptions will be considered (please contact me). Submitting the ebook, authors/publishers agree for its distribution with the only purpose of being read by the commission (from 3 to 5 judges). It’s recommended but not mandatory, that the PDF file has some kind of protection, like a specific disclaimer or similar.
No submission fees required.
Books (PDF format) have to be sent to the following address: elisa(dot)rolle(at)libero(dot)it

CATEGORIES

A book can be submitted in only one category.
If a category receives fewer than five (5) submissions, the category will not be active in this awards cycle. The submitted books will be reassigned to another category if appropriate.
Gender Category: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual/Transgender
Genre Category: Coming of Age / Young Adult, Contemporary General Fiction, Contemporary Erotica, Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Mystery / Thriller, Paranormal / Horror, Sci-Fic / Futuristic, Non Fiction
Length Category: Novel of more than 41,000 Words. Novellas and Short Stories will be considered only on the following conditions: Novellas (between 18,000 and 41,000 Words) only in Collection of 2 or more collected together; Short Stories (<18,000 Words) only in Collection of 4 or more collected together. A single submission has to be of more than 41.000 Words. Exception will be considered if a single category will have not enough submissions.

Thank you to Elisa and all the volunteers for continuing this award to celebrate LGBT fiction and non-fiction. Good luck to all who enter!

MORE is a finalist in More Than Magic RWA contest

Posted on June 22, 2011 by SloanParker

I’m thrilled to share that MORE was selected as a finalist in the First Book category of the More Than Magic RWA (Romance Writers of America) contest.

As I posted before, MORE and BREATHE were finalists in the Passionate Plume Contest and BREATHE won third place in the New England Reader’s Choice awards. (Final results for the More Than Magic and the Passionate Plume contests will be announced in July.)

I cannot tell you how blown away and thrilled I am with those results in this year’s RWA contests for my highly erotic m/m/m and angst-filled high-drama m/m love stories. Well done Luke, Richard, Matthew, Lincoln, and Jay!

A special thank-you to the New England, Passionate Ink, and Romance Writers Ink chapters, their contest coordinators for putting together the awards, and the judges. I was very impressed by the organization and professional communication from all. Also a huge kudos to these chapters for hosting contests that recognize digital-only books in electronic formats.

ebooks as ebooks & Congrats to Breathe’s Cover Artist

Posted on January 28, 2011 by SloanParker

Recently I decided to enter my 2010 book releases in a few RWA (Romance Writers of America) contests, not only because I am proud of my work (who knows if my explicit love stories will have a shot, but it was fun to enter), but also to support the individual chapters of RWA since the contests are often a way for chapters to earn money.

But I wanted to give my support (and money) to those chapters who recognize ebooks, and not ebooks that are printed and bound as print books (some require you to submit bound books even when entering an ebook). When I’m done entering the contests on my list, I’ll post the names of the chapters to thank them for accepting ebook submissions, but for now, I have news…

Included in the ones I’ve entered so far were two cover art contests.

Well, one of the contests has posted its results, and I’m happy to say, the Loose Id cover for BREATHE (cover artist: Valerie Tibbs) is a finalist in the Dunes & Dreams Picture Perfect Cover Contest. CONGRATULATIONS Valerie!!!

This contest looks at both the cover and the blurb together. Not only do I love this cover and the story (obviously), but I wrote the blurb, with a few tweaks by Loose Id, so I’m really happy with this contest final for many reasons.

Thank you again to Valerie and Loose Id for such a beautiful cover.
Sloan

Rainbow Awards of Excellence for published authors

Posted on June 3, 2010 by SloanParker

Information from: Kimberly Gardner, RRW President

The Rainbow Romance Writers, the first and only LGBT chapter of Romance Writers of America, is proud to announce the first annual Rainbow Awards of Excellence (RAES) for published authors.

This contest, sponsored by RRW, will recognize the best in published LGBT romance. The contest is open to all authors published in novel or novella length romantic fiction during the 2009 publishing year as long as the story in question has an LGBT romance as its focus and fits within one of our seven categories.

All entries must be submitted electronically and will be accepted beginning June 1 2010 through August 31, 2010. The entry fee is $15 and is payable through Paypal. Entrants need not be members of either Rainbow Romance Writers or RWA. All heat levels are welcome from sweet to sizzling.

For more information, or to submit an entry, please visit our web site at

http://www.rainbowromancewriters.com/2010/04/contest-2010-rainbow-romance-award-for-excellence-in-romantic-fiction/