Shark Summer Poetry Contest

SHARK SUMMER POETRY CONTEST
http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/sharksummer/poetry_contest/
—
Express your feelings about sharks and rays. The winner will
have his or her poem posted on the Aquarium’s website and
published in the Aquarium’s exclusive magazine Pacific
Currents, along with passes to the Aquarium and a behind the
scenes tour for four people. Entries will be accepted online
or via mail through July 31, 2009. Poems must be no longer
than 200 words. You must be 16 years old to enter. Only one
entry per person. All entries must be received by July 30, 2009.
Submit online or at:
Shark Poetry Contest
Aquarium of the Pacific
320 Golden Shore, Suite 150
Long Beach, CA 90808

Revision

Revision. When I was working on my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults, an adviser told me, “Revision is seeing our stories again. Seeing them differently.”

This month, I’m participating in Holly’s and Jolie’s  Summer Revision Smackdown.  My goal is to revise my young adult romance novel. This is a novel which I started at the end of my MFA program, and has been emerging very slowly.

In September, I vowed to make this novel my focus for as long as it took to finish. It’s now June and the manuscript has been progressing steadily.

In the Fall, I fast drafted to the end, and then used Darcy Pattison’s Novel Metamorphosis to do a full manuscript revision. The novel shifted and changed with the help of her wonderful revision program!

In November, I revised again and rewrote the manuscript during National Writing Novel in a Month Challenge. This was my second year to participate and win in NANOWRIMO and I love the process!

And then, I let the novel sit for a couple months while I worked on other things–beginning to brainstorm and plot out a middle grade novel.

Late this winter, I submitted the young adult novel to one agent who told me, “There was a lot to love but it wasn’t strong enough for this market.”

So, I decided to hunt down the experts–the manuscript critique experts, and I found Bev Katz Rosenbaum. She’s a former editor of Harlequin along with being a young adult writer herself. I figured if anyone would know how to write romance it would be her!

I was right! I sent the manuscript off to her, and she returned it with me six pages of revision notes–with the main emphasis on structure–or restructure.

The novel is written in alternating voices, and Bev helped me see when and how to change point of views, and how to increase my stakes for my female character. She also helped me understand a bit more about the arc of plotting a romance with enough tension to keep turning the pages!

I’m very pleased with this revision, and moving along quickly. Up to page 100 and hope to have the whole thing finished by the end of the month–Go Revision!

Teens in Juvenile Detention

One of the most powerful things I do is run a weekly poetry workshop with kids in a juvenile detention. This work is a way to share the healing power of writing and poetry with kids and it gives me an incredible depth of story ideas.

The program director recently shared how kids in another juvenile detention facility created a video which used some of their poems to tell their story. I felt the video says a lot about why I enjoy working with youth in detention.

Columbia Kids Spring 2009

A new edition of Columbia Kids has been posted. Columbia Kids e-zine is published by the Washington State History Museum and offers stories, pod-puzzles, and non-fiction articles about the Pacific Northwest. This edition includes stories by Kirby Larson and illustratrations by Richard Jesse Watson. There are also exciting stories about Northwesterners such as sculptor Dudley Carver and a junior Iditarod musher, as well as a rebus for very young readers and a Ghosts of the Great Hall ghostly reappearance of the popular Miss L. Peckinpaugh who sang a boat load of women and children to safety.

Sniplits Short Story Featured This Week

If you’re in the mood for a fun, quick, audio short story, check out Sniplits!

My tween story, “I Believe” is one of the featured stories this week! Enjoy!

Story Summary: Twelve-year-old Samantha has always believed in unicorns, dragons and fairies, but when her new Junior High history teacher says she must put away her childish ideas, Samantha is determined to stand up for her belief in the unseen.

Teen Writing Workshop–Everett Downtown Library

As a part of the Big Read sponsored by the Everett and Sno-Isle Library systems, I will be presenting a teen writing workshop.

Date: 05/16/2009 2:00 pm to 3:30 am

Writing the Supernatural Mystery: A Workshop for Teens

Location:
Everett Public Library, Main Branch, 2702 Hoyt Avenue
Everett, WA 98201

Description:
Ghosts, vampires, and surreal stories that scare–come explore the world of the supernatural mystery. In this workshop, we’ll look at elements used in creating the supernatural mystery including: establishing ground rules for the ghost, and building characters when our characters are not of this world. Before the end of the workshop, we’ll surely find the mysterious ghost who lurks in our stories! This is a hands-on writing workshop so bring paper, pencil, and all your creative ideas!

YA Ghost Romance Short Story Sold!

I’m thrilled to announce that my young adult paranormal romance short story entitled, “Ghost in the Batting Cage,” sold to Bridgehouse Publishing (UK).  The story is about seventeen-year-old Max who is a run-away and living in a high school batting cage. In the cage, he meets and falls in love with ghost, Angelina. She helps him to tell the truth and get out of the cage. The story will be published in an anthology of young adult horror stories.

Marvelous Mosaics Chosen for Best of Anthology

I received great news today. The article, Marvelous Mosaics, which I wrote for Stories for Children and was originally published in March 2008 was chosen to be included in the Stories for Children Magazine Best of 2008 Anthology.

Body Swap Writing Contest for Ages 9-19

“THE BODY SWAP WRITING CONTEST” for young writers! Ages 9-19

Official Rules

In DEAD GIRL WALKING, DEAD GIRL DANCING and DEAD GIRL IN LOVE, by Linda Joy Singleton, 17- year-old Amber swaps bodies with Ms. Popularity, Ms. College-Girl and her very own best friend.

Question: If you could temporarily trade bodies with anyone, who would you choose? Why? And what do you think the experience would be like?

Answer this question in 300 words or less, then submit your entry to: lindajoysingleton@yahoo.com, stating that this is your original writing and that you have permission from your parents/guardian to enter and share your work.

Include you age, full name, and contact information (email/address).

Contest ends on July 31st. First place & honorable mention winners will be announced in August at Linda Joy Singleton.

Prizes:
1st place: $100 plus autographed book!

Five honorable mentions will win either a free DEAD GIRL, THE SEER or STRANGE ENCOUNTERS book of their choice, autographed by Linda Joy Singleton. And the winning entries will be posted on LJS’s blog(s).

A panel of published authors will select the winning entries.

Entrants must be between ages 9 to 19. One entry per person.

Youth Speaks Seattle Poetry Slam

Youth Speaks Seattle is hosting it’s annual Poetry Slam Competition.  The Grand Slam Finals will be held on May 15 at 7 p.m. at Seattle’s Town Hall. Twelve poets will compete for a chance to attend Nationals.

Each year, 500+ young poets from 50 cities converge in a different city at Brave New Voices, the National Youth Poetry Festival and Slam. Since 2000, Seattle has had a strong presence at this competition, regularly placing among the top 10 teams. Watch this year’s group of 12 local finalists use their words to enlighten, excite, conjure, and set your heart aflame while they compete for a chance to represent their city at a nationally renowned and life-changing event.

Youth Speaks Seattle Presents
Seattle Youth Poetry GRAND SLAM FINALS
@ Seattle’s Town Hall
Friday, May 15, 2009  7pm
1119 8th Ave
Seattle, WA 98101

Order tickets here.