Competition update

Well when I had the idea to follow in the footsteps of my very successful friend Rebbecca Emin, little did I know what to expect!

This is my first competition run on this blog and depending on the success of this one I may do more with more prizes! The entries are now trickling in, would love to receive more to give my judges who are non writing folk, they are readers. It will be whose they most enjoy who will win. I will not judge but print them and pass them to them and await their feedback.

Whatever our genre and the topic is not age, despite my title being is 50 the new 40, no the topic is 50.
It could be a golden wedding, it could be 50 red balloons anything you fancy, yes even 50 monsters/ vampires if that is your genre, as long as 50 is in there somewhere. I am not that strict on word count, and I am certainly not going to count them, so have a go, even if you don't want a copy of my book, I am sure someone will. Unfortunately we will all know someone who lives with Chronic pain and my book is easy steps to help them gain control.

Despite all my years of assisting others to control their pain, I have needed to take my own lessons and no I am not always the best patient but I know live with chronic pain but yes I am in control, it does not control me. I have needed to work with my health practitioner to gain the right medication for me but it works. I know have a range of methods to control my pain.I am currently working on the second edition and have made the decision that everyone who has purchased the 1st edition but get the update for free.

It has been an interesting week, I attended an webinar on how to attract more attention to my blog run by Gary at Bubblecow and Freya at Bookbuzzr. If you have not come across either of this fabulous folk before, please check them out. I have hyperlinked there names. It is the second webinar I have attended and I will certainly attend more given the opportunity. If you cannot make the allotted time slot to hear it live, provided you register, you can download it and listen to it later.

I will certainly be implementing some changes to this blog baised on the excellant advice from Gary.
So my tips from this blog, one enter the competition, no seriously if you only do one thing check out the links I have included on this blog, you will learn so much as I have, afterall if you want success as we all do in one shape or another than what better than to follow and emulate successful people.

Any questions regarding this or the competion please feel free to comment below. Look forward to hearing from you soon

Is 50 really the new 40? Short Story Competition

In a few short weeks I turn 50, I was hoping to have a huge big party and celebrate with a bang. After all isn't 50 supposed to be the new 40 so life will begin again. Certainly the last 10 years have brought there fair amount of change.

I enjoyed watching felllow writer and online friend Rebecca Emin launch a competition of Flash Fiction for her recent birthday. I enjoyed the excitement it built towards her big day. She recommended I follow suit, so I thought I am useless at her skill of Flash Fiction but short stories would be more suited to me.

So I thought what does 50 mean to you?

You can write any genre and 50 does not need to mean age but I would like your story around the topic 50 and to be around 500 words.


First prize will be £10 (or equivalent) plus a copy of one of Take Control of your pain.

Second prize will be a copy of Take control of your pain.

Third prize will be a choice of a copy of Festival on Lyris Five  by Nick Daws.


Here's the obligatory list of rules:

1. E-mail your entry to sloanwriter@btinternet.com Your entry should be in word format. Please do not include your name on the word document itself. 

2. Wordcount is 500 maximum including the title but not your name. This can be plus or minus 5%

3. Please only submit your own work. Previously blogged/published/adapted works are allowed, and copyright remains with the author at all times.

4.If you enter this competition, you agree that your entry may be published on my blog after the competition closes.

5. The competition is open to anyone, until the last timezone passes midnight on 6th June 2011

6. Your entry will be disregarded if it does not include the theme 50.

7. Any genre is allowed.

8. Only one entry per person please.

9. Judging will be by a carefully selected panel of readers. Their decision will be final, whether I agree with them or  not ;o)

10. I will acknowledge receipt of every entry. If you do not hear from me within 3 days of submission, please feel free to query.

You can find an update on the competition here

Rules kindly adapted from Rebecca Emin