Monday 7 September 2015

IWSG Anthology Competition and T.B. Markinson's Amazing Giveaway

The start of another week, and I bring you two exciting pieces of news. First up, a very exciting contest to mark the fourth anniversary of the Insecure Writers' Support Group, which has been such a boon to so many of us over the years.


You have until November 1st to craft a 5-6000 word story on the theme of Alternate History/Parallel Universes. The ten best entries will be selected by a panel of judges including top authors, editors and agents to appear in the anthology, and will receive a share of royalties. The top story will also give the anthology its title. Pretty cool, right? I've got my thinking cap on already! Go here for more details.

Also, this month, I'm honoured to be a part of T.B. Markinson's monthly giveaway, with my collection, A Change of Mind and Other Stories. Five great books are up for grabs throughout the month. Here are all the details.



TBMs giveaway 2

Welcome to the kickoff for September's giveaway. All of the books are fab and the authors are amazing. Seriously you don't want to miss out. Here's the link to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. And here are the books.

September Giveaway Covers









AVALON by VANESSA MORGAN

avalonSome cats need nine lives to make a difference. Avalon only needed one.

From Amazon bestselling author Vanessa Morgan, Avalon is the heartwarming and once-in-a-lifetime love story of a girl and her neurotic Turkish Van cat.

With humor, the author details how Avalon made other creatures cringe in distress whenever he was around, how he threw her dates out by means of special techniques, and how he rendered it almost impossible for her to leave the house. Avalon was so incorrigible that even her landlord ordered her to get rid of him. But beneath Avalon’s demonic boisterousness, Vanessa recognized her own flaws and insecurities, and she understood that abandoning Avalon would be the worst she could do to him. Thanks to her unswerving loyalty, Avalon transformed into a tender feline, and even landed a major role in a horror movie. In turn, Avalon made it his mission to be there for his human companion.

By turns jubilant and deeply moving, Avalon is a memoir for anyone who has ever been obsessively in love with a pet.

A CHANGE OF MIND and OTHER STORIES by NICK WILFORD

e3142-nc3A Change of Mind and Other Stories consists of a novella, four short stories and one flash fiction piece. This collection puts the extremes of human behaviour under the microscope with the help of lashings of dark humour, and includes four pieces previously published in Writer’s Muse magazine.

In A Change of Mind, Reuben is an office worker so meek and mild he puts up with daily bullying from his boorish male colleagues as if it’s just a normal part of his day. But when a stranger points him in the direction of a surgeon offering a revolutionary new procedure, he can’t pass up the chance to turn his life around.

But this isn’t your average surgeon. For a start, he operates alone in a small room above a mechanic’s. And he promises to alter his patients’ personality so they can be anything they want to be…

In Marissa, a man who is determined to find evidence of his girlfriend’s infidelity ends up wondering if he should have left well alone.

The Dog God finds a chink in the armour of a man with a megalomaniacal desire to take over the world.

In The Insomniac, a man who leads an obsessively regimented lifestyle on one hour’s sleep a night finds a disruption to his routine doesn’t work for him.

Hole In One sees a dedicated golfer achieving a lifelong ambition.

The Loner ends the collection on a note of hope as two family members try to rebuild their lives after they are torn apart by jealousy.

PEOPLE OF FOXWICK and THEIR NEIGHBORS by CHERIE REICH

people of foxwickWar threatens Foxwick on all sides.

The dreaded Shadowlands gains more souls. From the shrouded trees in Greymist Forest to the arid Blackden Barrens, monsters roam in search of their next victim. Sirens lure ships beneath Merrilea Sea. In cold and snowy Wintermill, royals plot to claim Foxwick as their own, even if they must use dragons and sorcery. Marriage between Foxwick’s king and Lochhollow’s princess creates a perilous alliance. Although brave Valdale will come to Foxwick’s aid, the cost may be more than a true friend can stomach.

Set over a hundred years, these seventeen fantasy short stories explore the people, creatures, and lands in and around the Kingdom of Foxwick.

DANGLED CARAT by HILARY GROSSMAN

Dangled Carat Hilary GrossmanFor every girl who wondered if she should love him or dump him…..For every girl who listened to her heart instead of her friends advice….

For every girl who l wondered if she was wasting her time dating that guy….

meet Hilary….

She had gotten used to dating the commitment-phobic Marc, thirteen years her senior. They had a great relationship–why rush into things? She saw no need to pressure him for marriage, believing that when the time was right, he would propose. But after they had been together for four years, their friends decided to take matters into their own hands, pushing Marc to propose and making Hilary realize how much she really did want to marry the man that she loved. Unfortunately, Marc still wasn’t ready–and their friends’ meddling in the form of a faux engagement party led to a disastrous New Year’s Eve that brought their relationship to an inevitable turning point.

For anyone who has ever dated a commitment-phobe, who has found their patience wearing thin with the one they love, or who has sat around wondering if he is ever going to pop the question while trying to remain the very picture of patience and grace, Hilary’s humorous and honest story will hit home.

CONFESSIONS OF A PARIS PARTY GIRL by VICKI LESAGE

confessions-of-a-paris-party-girl-coverWhen newly-single party girl Vicki moved to Paris, she was hoping to indulge in wine, stuff her face with croissants, and fall in love. It proved to be much more difficile than she'd imagined. In this laugh-out-loud memoir, this cheeky storyteller recounts the highs and lows of her life in the City of Light. Sassy and shamefully honest, Vicki makes you feel as if you're right there in Paris stumbling along the cobblestones with her.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

28 comments:

L.G. Keltner said...

I just started my entry for the short story contest. I had an idea on the back burner that fits the criteria, so I got straight to it. Good luck to anyone else who plans to enter! This is an extraordinary opportunity and I can't wait to see the wonderful stories that ultimately make it into the anthology.

Heather R. Holden said...

What a fantastic giveaway! The books all sound awesome. The IWSG anthology contest is pretty exciting, too. Best of luck with your entry, Nick!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks for plugging the IWSG Anthology Contest! We are so excited about it.
Good giveaway. I own most of the books already.

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Wow, awesome giveaway and books to offer.

JeffO said...

A great opportunity awaits!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

A wonderful selection of books for the giveaway.

I hope we get a lot of entries in the anthology contest.

Misha Gerrick said...

I'm still mulling over whether I'll enter the contest. On the other hand, Alex took me of the IWSG list sometime during my absence last year and I'm using my Wednesdays for other things. So it doesn't look likely that I'll enter.

The books you have up for the giveaway look awesome. :-)

Anonymous said...

What a great set of prizes. I hope to enter the contest.

betty said...

Entered the contest for the books; sounds like a great one. I have to remember to come back tomorrow and enter again. Sounds like a great writing contest too for those that write!

betty

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Thanks for promoting the contest. I already have two of those books including yours.

Susan Says

cleemckenzie said...

All entered for this great Giveaway! How exciting.

H. R. Sinclair said...

Oh boy, did read that wrong! I read it as we have until November 1st to write five 6000 words stories. I just went with it thinking that seems like a lot. I think it is nappy time.

Mary Aalgaard said...

The IWSG contest is brilliant. I am seriously considering entering, even though I haven't written anything in an alternate history/universe setting.

Meradeth Houston said...

Thanks for letting me know about the competition! That sounds like a lot of fun :) And some great books to win!

Liz A. said...

Lots of great books. So little time...

J E Oneil said...

I really hope I can think up a story for the anthology. Writing short is so difficult. And congrats on being part of the giveaway :)

Melissa said...

The IWSG is an awesome opportunity. I wish I had a short story ready.

Great line-up of books, TB. :)

Christine Rains said...

I'm trying to think of an idea for the contest. I don't have one yet. Good luck! TB's contests are fantastic. :)

Sherry Ellis said...

Great books in the giveaway! I've read a couple of them.

I've started working on my entry for the anthology contest. We'll see if I can crank it out on time.

Sherry Ellis said...

Great books in the giveaway! I've read a couple of them.

I've started working on my entry for the anthology contest. We'll see if I can crank it out on time.

Stephanie Faris said...

What a great collection. I love that you guys are joining together for this. GREAT idea!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Thanks so much for spreading the word about the IWSG writing contest. You're awesome.

And I loved the story of Avalon. Such an amazing cat.

Crystal Collier said...

I saw the giveaway somewhere else, and I'm stoked about all those pretty, pretty books. =)

The anthology is going to be awesome, right? Now I just need to spare some minutes to get writing my piece.

Cherie Reich said...

It's great to be in a giveaway with you, Nick!

And the IWSG anthology should be awesome. I have an idea and have been working on a story, and if it doesn't work for this anthology, then I know another anthology to place it.

David Powers King said...

Cool giveaway! I've been thinking about an ebook giveway routine, but haven't figured the details yet. Glad to see the IWSG contest is gaining more steam. :)

Melissa Sugar said...

Amazing giveaway with so many cool books. The IWSG contest is an amazing opportunity. I wish I could write in that genre. I love reading it, but wouldn't know the first thing about writing it.

Jemi Fraser said...

So many great books in this giveway! :)

TBM said...

The writing contest sounds like a great opportunity for many authors.

Thanks so much for donating a book to the giveaway and for promoting. Cheers!