Feb. 2003 Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop newsletter

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ERMA BOMBECK WRITERS' WORKSHOP NEWSLETTER

University of Dayton

February 4, 2003

mailto:erma@udayton.edu

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More than 1,100 writers from 48 states and 21 countries

entered the 2003 Erma Bombeck Writing Competition. Winners

will be announced in late February. Good luck to all who

entered!

We have a great surprise planned for you on Erma's

birthday, Friday, Feb. 21. I'll send you an e-mail on that

day, so watch your in-box.

Keep writing!

Tim Bete

Humor columnist (http://www.timbete.com) and co-director,

Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop

(http://www.HumorWriters.org)

P.S. Feel free to forward this newsletter to all your

writer friends.

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SELF-PUBLISHING USING XLIBRIS

Cappy Hall Rearick published her book "Simply Southern"

using Xlibris, a print-on-demand (POD) publishing company.

In this interview, she provides some great tips and things

to think about if you're considering self-publishing.

(Cappy is also our featured writer of the month. See

below.)

See http://www.humorwriters.org/Cappy.html

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MEET THE FLIGHT HUMOR CONTEST JUDGES

They write funny and they're flying high!

See http://www.flighthumor.org/judges.html

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ERMA FEATURED ON DAILYCELEBRATIONS.COM

Our own Erma will be featured on DailyCelebratins.com on

Feb. 21. Take a sneak peek.

See http://www.dailycelebrations.com/022103.htm

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HUMOR IN CHILDREN'S BOOKS

Laura Backes, publisher of Children's Book Insider, shares

secrets of making children laugh.

See

http://www.bookzonepro.com/insights/articles/article-29.html

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THE AGENT GAME

Author Chris Gavaler says getting an agent is a game. He

also offers some tips on how to win.

See http://www.writersinsite.com/featgavaler1.html

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INTERVIEW WITH COMEDY WRITER LENNY RIPPS

How did a social worker in Baltimore become a professional

comedy writer for Joan Rivers and several television

series?

See http://www.writersstore.com/article.php?article_id=64

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MONEY OR NOTHING?

Robyn Jackson weighs in on the age-old controversy about

whether or not to write for free.

See http://www.robynjackson.com/pages/898660/index.htm

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WHO'S PUBLISHING WHAT?

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SWEET POTATO QUEEN STRIKES AGAIN

Three Rivers Press has published "The Sweet Potato Queens'

Big-Ass Cookbook and Financial Planner," the third in Jill

Conner Browne's Sweet Potato Queen series. The book

includes stories such as "Queenly adventures in mothering,"

"The tiniest bit of plastic surgery" and "Sound financial

planning." (Tip number one: Hope that Daddy lives forever.)

See

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/books/060980877X

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DISANDRO PUBLISHES TALES OF SUPERMOM

Deb DiSandro's "Tales of a Slightly Off Supermom: Fighting

for truth, justice and clean underwear!" has been published

by Pelican Publishing Company. Although she's been known to

fly around in a cape with a big red "Mom" printed on her

sweatshirt, most days she's disguised as a regular mom. But

don't be fooled, she's faster than a speeding toddler, more

powerful than a teenage temper tantrum, able to leap loads

of laundry in a single bound!

See

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=1589800702&itm=1

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WREN PUBLISHES "OVERWORKED & UNDERPAID (AGAIN)"

Why does Sharon Wren hate Cindy Crawford? What happened

when she tried to dye her hair? Why does she keep falling

off the caffeine wagon? These questions and many more are

answered in "Overworked & Underpaid." This version

includes new columns never before published! Wait 'til you

read "The FEMA Free Cookbook!"

See http://www.pineapplepath.net/wren/index.html

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THOMPSON HAS COLUMN PUBLISHED IN EASTERN SHORE NEWS

Dorothy Thompson's column, "A tractor-trailer almost ran

into my house," appeared in the Jan. 11 issue of the

Eastern Shore News (Virginia). Thompson is also editor of

The Writer's Life Web site

(http://thewriterslife.homestead.com)

See

http://www.delmarvanow.com/easternshore/stories/20030111/756068.html

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ANTHOLOGIES SEEKING SUBMISSIONS

A CUP OF COMFORT

The publisher of A Cup of Comfort now sponsors several

inspiring true-story contests each year. Every contest

results in the publication of a handsome anthology,

featuring real-life stories about the people and events

that bring comfort, joy, and meaning to our lives.

One grand prize of $500 is awarded for each

contest/anthology, and ALL contributors receive a monetary

fee and a free copy of the book in which their story

appears.

They are currently compiling and seeking submissions for

the following volumes:

A CUP OF COMFORT FOR CHRISTMAS: Uplifting, inspiring,

and/or heartwarming stories celebrating the spirit of

giving, the joy of sharing, and the magic of the holiday.

Submission Deadline: Feb. 5, 2003

A CUP OF COMFORT: INSPIRATION: Soul-stirring stories about

inspiring people and enlightening experiences. Possible

themes include: significant doing for others; compassion

and kindness (large and small) for others; triumph over

tragedy; grace under fire; making dreams come true; making

a difference; affecting positive change; thriving in the

face of serious illness, disability, or challenge.

Submission Deadline: March 1, 2003

A CUP OF COMFORT FOR TEACHERS: Heartwarming stories

honoring exceptional teachers and mentors, celebrating the

joys and rewards of teaching, and about dedicated teachers

overcoming challenges and helping difficult students.

Submission Deadline: April 15, 2003

A CUP OF COMFORT: COURAGE: Positive and poignant stories

about extraordinary acts of heroism; people who are heroes

of their own lives or in the lives of others; and facing

life's challenges with courage, dignity, inner strength,

and grace. Submission Deadline: May 15, 2003

See http://www.cupofcomfort.com

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GOD ALLOWS U-TURNS

Christian inspirational book series that contains hundreds

of uplifting and encouraging true short stories written by

contributors from all over the world. Pays $50 Honorarium

per story upon publication plus one copy of book.

See http://www.godallowsuturns.com/writersguide.htm

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STORIES ABOUT MOVIES

NightsAndWeekends.com is looking for funny stories about

movies and the role they've played in our lives. Tell the

story of a run-in with a movie star, the night you and your

friends stayed up all night watching movies, the time you

spent working in a movie theater or even the time you tried

to make your very own movie. Deadline for submissions and

queries is February 14, 2003.

See http://www.nightsandweekends.com/anthology

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ROMANCING THE SOUL SERIES

Seeking stories for "True Spiritual Stories of the

Afterlife."

See

http://thewriterslife.homestead.com/RomancingtheSpiritsSoul.html

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HUMOR WRITER OF THE MONTH: CAPPY HALL REARICK

Cappy Hall Rearick is an award-winning short story writer

and author of three successful columns, "Alive and Well in

Hollywood," "Tidings" and "Simply Southern." She is past

president of the Southeastern Writers Association and a

member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.

See

http://www.simplysoutherncappy.com/color_coordinated.html

If you'd like to be considered as our featured writer, send

an e-mail with a link to one of your columns to:

mailto:bete@udayton.edu

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BOOK GIVEAWAY

Each month we give away a book to one of the subscribers to

this newsletter. If you're subscribed, you're entered to

win! This issue's winner is Delores Liesner from Racine,

Wis. Delores has won a copy of "Comedy Writing Secrets" by

Mel Helitzer, as well as an Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop

mouse pad.

Stay tuned! You could be next issue's winner!

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MARKETS FOR WRITERS

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WOMAN'S DAY: Includes two essays in each issue -- "Back

Talk" and "Words of Wisdom." Pays $2,000 on acceptance. See

http://www.womansday.com/article.asp?section_id=7&article_id=5808&page_number=1

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CHICAGO PARENT: Has a regular column called "Laughing

Matters." Pays about $125. Better if you're local to the

Chicago metro area. See

http://www.chicagoparent.com/submissions.htm

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iPARENTING.COM: A network of family-oriented Web sites

including Preconception.com, Pregnancy Today, Babies Today,

Toddlers Today, Preschoolers Today, Children Today,

Preteenagers Today, Breastfeed.com and Recipes Today.

Minimum payment is $25 per article, but can be more based

on project. Purchases all rights. See

http://iparenting.com/resources/articles/guidelines.htm

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THE FUNNY TIMES: Looking for humorous stories on politics,

news, relationships, food, technology, pets, work, death,

environmental issues, business, religion, seasonal events

and everything else relating to the general human

condition. Pays $50 for stories. See

http://www.funnytimes.com/submissions.html

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WRITER'S ROOM MAGAZINE ANNUAL SHORT STORY CONTEST: Looking

for short stories, including humorous ones. $10 entry fee.

$150 first prize. See

http://writersroom.tripod.com/shortstorycontest.htm

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RESOURCES FOR WRITERS

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FREE SCREEN SAVER FOR HUMOR WRITERS: Get the "18 Tips for

Humor Writers" screen saver which includes sage advice such

as "Don't go out and give birth to three children just to

have something to write about" and "There are two people in

this world who need attorneys: people writing their first

book and people who own Yorkshire terriers." See

http://www.humorwriters.org/Screensaver.html

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NATL. ASSN. OF WOMEN WRITERS (NAWW): Get FREE resources for

writers when you sign up for the FREE NAWW weekly e-zine.

Send a blank email to naww@onebox.com with "Subscribe" in

the subject area or visit the NAWW Web site at

http://www.naww.org

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BLUEBERRY PRESS: Blueberry Press publishes books on

marketing your writing, nutrition, and martial arts, and

also has a FREE newsletter for writers and one for health

enthusiasts and parents. See http://www.blueberrypress.com

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ERMA T-SHIRTS MAKE GREAT VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS: The

official Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop T-shirt has the

writers' workshop logo on the front and, on the back, the

Erma quote, "When I stand before God at the end of my life,

I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent

left and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'" Buy

one at the Erma gift shop. See

http://alumni.udayton.edu/rd.asp?cd=ermashirt&rf=EBWW1202

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NETWORK WITH OTHER HUMOR WRITERS: Network with other humor

writers. Join the e-mail discussion group for past

attendees of the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop and those

who would like to attend in the future. To join, visit

the Yahoo! Group at

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/humor_writers

SUGGEST A RESOURCE If you have a favorite book or Web

site, let me know at bete@udayton.edu.

mailto:bete@udayton.edu

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OTHER ERMA BOMBECK WRITING WORKSHOP LINKS

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ERMA MUSEUM http://www.ErmaMuseum.org

FLIGHT HUMOR CONTEST http://www.flighthumor.org

ERMA T-SHIRT

http://alumni.udayton.edu/rd.asp?cd=ermashirt&rf=EBWW0203

FREE SCREEN SAVER

http://www.humorwriters.org/Screensaver.html

FREE NEWSLETTER http://www.humorwriters.org/Newsletter.html

WORKSHOP SPONSORS http://www.humorwriters.org/Sponsors.html

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