Music City Romance Writers 
Melody of Love 2008 

Music City Romance Writers is now accepting entries in the tenth annual Melody of Love competition.  Why enter our contest when there are so many to choose from?  Because we:

1) Accept a limited number of entries so our judges can concentrate on each one;
2) Have annual judge training and a resident Grammar Wench;
3) Constantly improve our score sheet and rules from year to year based on judge and entrant feedback;
4) Have a high ratio of published to unpublished authors who help with the contest;
5) Employ experienced discrepancy judges when needed;
6) Accept electronic entries and PayPal payments for those who like the e-life;
7) Give finalists a chance to incorporate judge comments before mailing manuscripts to the editors and agents;
8) Don't require a synopsis....and
9) Get our entrants noticed!  Many past finalists' manuscripts have been requested in full by editors and even published since they entered our contest.  

Says Robin T. Popp, author of TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN and MCRW's 3rd place Paranormal category winner in 2000:  "I'm a big proponent of contests because I think they're a great source of feedback while you're learning your craft and a terrific opportunity to get noticed. I sold my first book, TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN, as the result of finaling in a contest. The Melody of Love will always be one of my favorite contests because it is the first one I ever finaled in."

Robin also finaled in the 2003 Golden Hearts and her novel won the the RT Reviewers' Choice Nominee for Best Futuristic.  From that same year, another of the paranormal finalists, Patti O'Shea, has since published her winning manuscript RAVYN'S FLIGHT.

Catherine Kean, author of DANCE OF DESIRE, from Medallion Press had what she called a "great experience with the Melody of Love Contest. Winning second place was a tremendous thrill. Not only did I receive solid feedback from the contest judges and the opportunity to have an editor read [DANCE OF DESIRE], but the much-needed encouragement to keep writing. Thirty contest finals and nine first-place wins later, I clinched my first sale!"

Final round judges for 2008:

Contemporary: Holly Root, Waxman Literary Agency
Historical: Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester Publishing
Paranormal: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency

Deadline for Entry Receipt:

July 1, 2008

Link to:

Rules
Print Entry Form
Electronic Entry Form
Payment Page
Sample Scoresheet

Contest Entry Tips!

Questions?  Email contest coordinator Jody Wallace contest (at) mcrw.com.  Please read the complete rules before submitting contest entries, payment or entry forms.

Æ2007 Results
Æ2006 Results
Æ2005 Results
Æ2004 Results
Æ2003 Results
Æ2002 Results
Æ2001 Results
Æ2000 Results
Æ1999 Results