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7) Have a high ratio of published to unpublished authors who help with the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.
