Music City Romance Writers 
Melody of Love 200
9
 

Update July 2, 2009: We are now closed for entries. If you have
questions, please contact the coordinator: contest@mcrw.com

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

1) Welcome electronic entries and PayPal payments for those who like to be green and/or save postage;
2) Don't require a synopsis for the initial round (yay!);
3) Give finalists a chance to incorporate judge comments (including optional comments from our resident Grammar Wench) before mailing the manuscripts to the editors and agents;
4) Accept a limited number of entries so judges can focus on each manuscript;
5) Allow contestants to specify alternate subcategories such as erotic, inspirational or romantic elements for precise judge assignment;
6) Constantly improve our score sheet and rules from year to year based on judge and entrant feedback;
7) Have a high ratio of published to unpublished authors who help with the contest;
8) Use almost all in-chapter judges who are personally known to the contest coordinator;
9) Employ experienced discrepancy judges when needed; and...
10) Get our entrants noticed! Many finalists' manuscripts have been requested by editors and even published since they entered our contest.

Lisa Cooke, author of TEXAS HOLD HIM, a 2006 finalist, was purchased by Dorchester publishing and released in 2008! Lisa said, "Thank you for the great feedback from your judges and the exposure your contest provided!"

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!"

Said 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. That was a good year for paranormals!

Final round judges for 2009:

Contemporary: Johanna Raisanen, Harlequin/Silhouette
Paranormal: Michelle Grajkowski, 3 Seas Literary Agency
Historical: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary Agency

Deadline for Entry Receipt:

July 2, 2009

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.

Æ2008 Results
Æ2007 Results
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2006 Results
Æ2005 Results
Æ2004 Results
Æ2003 Results
Æ2002 Results
Æ2001 Results
Æ2000 Results
Æ1999 Results

  

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Nashville skyline photo courtesy of Robin Conover Photography; color modified by Music City Romance Writers.