52 Perfect Days 2008 Travel Writing Contest

Do you know of an "off-the-beaten-track" area of the United States? If so, you are invited to submit a travel article to the First Annual 52 Perfect Days Travel Writing Contest. 52PerfectDays.com is looking for 750 to 1500 word submissions written by authors who have firsthand knowledge of an undiscovered section of city, or a relatively unheard of town or experience. Articles should appeal to those who enjoy U.S. travel and are willing to get a bit adventurous. Whether you want to explore the ethnic foods in a certain section of town, backpacking in a remote location, or know of a coastal town yet to be discovered, they want to know your story! Share how to spend a perfect day in the location of your choice. They're not interested in travelogues or diaries, but do tell them what makes your location unique or why is it off the main travel radar and why it is worth a visit. You have until October to submit your entry to travelwritingcontest(at)52perfectdays(dot)com.

• First Place Prize is $150
• Second Place Prize is $75
• Third Place Prize is $25

So, whether you are a freelancer, professional writer, or just looking for an excuse to finally write about your travels, this NO-FEE contest could be perfect for you. Please check out their website for the rest of the contest guidelines.

Flash Fiction Contest

The Wilda Hearne Flash Fiction Contest (maximum of 500 words) deadline is September 1, 2008.

In their own words:

We're searching for the best short-short story of any theme. Semi-finalists will be chosen by a regional team of published writers. The final manuscript will be chosen by Susan Swartwout, publisher of Southeast Missouri State University Press. Winner receives an award of $200 and publication in Big Muddy: A Journal of the Mississippi River Valley.

There is a $15 reading fee.

Work Needed for "When Mother Died" Anthology

This just in from Sellingham Publishing:

The relationship between a mother and a child offers us glimpses of complexity, fragility, challenge and faith. The death of a mother provides opportunity to reflect upon so much of that complex world.

Sellingham Publishing is currently accepting submissions for the publication of an anthology of stories entitled "When Mother Died."

Below please find submission guidelines. If you would prefer to receive this as an attachment please send email to SellinghamPublishing@yahoo.com. If you wish to receive it via US Postal Service, please send a self addressed stamped envelop to the following address:

Corlis F. Carroll, Editor
Sellingham Publishing
1855 Western Avenue
Albany, NY 12203

If you are submitting work, please send email indicating your desire to participate in this project to SellinghamPublishing@yahoo.com. This helps us to prepare our editorial staff with regard to the quantity of work anticipated.

Submissions will only be accepted until August 31, 2008. It is the editor's belief that submissions challenged by an urgency due to limited time constraints convey an authenticity and edge to the work that contributes to an enhanced quality that lengthy deadline options can otherwise compromise.

Submissions must be non-fiction and can be in the form of poetry, eulogy or memoir.

Your submission must include the following:

Cover letter to include a statement as to why you would like to see your work published in this anthology.

A brief summary (100 words or less) of the author's background.

Submissions must be in English, double-spaced with 1 inch margins in 12 point type on white paper. Your name and page number must appear on every page.

Submissions must not exceed twenty pages (page described above).

Email submissions are not accepted.

Include a stamped self-addressed envelope for return of your submission if it is not accepted for publication. Include a self addressed, stamped blank postcard for acknowledgment of receipt of materials if desired. International submissions will not be returned. Notification via email only will be provided to International Submissions.

Only send copies of your materials. Keep original work for your own files.

Your complete daytime contact information including telephone and email must accompany your submission.

Only one submission per person will be considered. (1 poem, 1 eulogy or 1 memoir)

Mail your submission in a page-size envelope. Submissions should not be stapled or folded and your envelope must reflect your name and address.

Simultaneous submissions to other publications is not allowed. You will be notified by October 31 if your work has been accepted for publication.

Submission fee for inclusion in this anthology should accompany your submission and should be a postal money order or personal check payable to Sellingham LLC in the amount of $20. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Arthritis Foundation for research into the causes and cures for Rheumatoid Arthritis, an illness that caused pain and suffering for over 70 years for the mother of the editor, Dorothy Mae Sellingham Carroll (1913-2004).

Payment for your submission if accepted for publication will be a signed first edition copy of the anthology, "When Mother Died" and $50 payable 3 months after publication.

As acknowledgment of and agreement with the terms for inclusion in this publication, print this email and sign and date it before a Notary Public and include it with your submission. Your signature acknowledges your understanding and acceptance of this agreement and grants permission for the editor of the anthology "When Mother Died" to publish your submission in the first and all subsequent editions of this anthology, to promote the sale of "When Mother Died" through book signing but promotion shall not restricted to book signing.

We look forward to receiving your submissions.

Sincerely,

Corlis F. Carroll
Editor
Sellingham Publishing

Hire Wordhustler.com to Submit Your Work

OK this has got to be the coolest web-based service for writers I've ever seen, and they're locals, so of course I love them doubly now. As a member of Wordhustler.com, they submit your work for you, poetry, fiction, screenplays, you name it. They print, lick, stamp, mail, and even track your submissions. Don't know where to submit, no problem! They have a thing-a-majigee that helps you match your work with places to submit.

I am seething with jealousy that I didn't come up with this idea, and am always impressed with someone who can not only come us with a great idea but actually invest the time and money to make it a reality, especially when it's something groovy for writers.

The one thing I couldn't discern from the site had to do with pricing. For example, currently their price for a project that is "Under 4 pages (Query Letters, poetry submissions)" is $2.99. I wasn't sure if that meant 2.99 per project per place submitted or 2.99 up to a certain number of places to submit. Perhaps they will chime in here and clear that up. If it is 2.99 per project per place submitted, which I presume it is, I can see that getting rather expensive for the writer, especially someone who is submitting a lot of poetry and short-fiction. In that case, it makes more sense price-wise for the screenwriter or novelist. I'd like to see a subscription based pricing option, where the writer gets X number of submissions a month. It would sure motivate me to keep sending stuff out, if I knew I was paying monthly for it and getting a slightly better bulk deal.

That said, a mere $2.99 in lieu of my time printing, licking, mailing, and tracking seems worth it. In fact, I'm digging into my money jar right now and running to the nearest CoinStar machine. You should check them out too. Run. Hurry. Now.

In their own words:

WordHustler Opens Literary Marketplace to World

California-based WordHustler launches its new service that enables writers all over the world to submit manuscripts to US literary markets without ever having to lick a stamp.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - May 19th, 2008 - WordHustler, a writing services company, today launches a web-based application that enables writers all over the world to submit manuscripts to US literary markets. Formed by two Los Angeles writers, WordHustler, available at www.wordhustler.com, provides writers with a bevy of innovative tools designed to help authors of all genres get their manuscripts into the hands of editors and find publishing success. WordHustler offers a free database of over 3,000 community-moderated US literary markets, a submission tracker, a cover letter composer, a project manager, and OS X dashboard widgets for submission tracking on-the-go.

WordHustler doesn't just help writers find places to publish. Indeed, WordHustler will print, ship, and help writers track manuscripts of any length or genre. "What we've done is significant. The main reason that writers don't send their work out more often is actually quite simple: it's a pain," says John L. Singleton, chief architect and co-founder of WordHustler. "First, you have to write something brilliant. Then there's the costly printing, postage, and SASEs. When you're all done you still have to track those submissions and follow up. Otherwise it just ends up wasting a lot of time and money. We invented WordHustler so writers could spend their time writing."

Writer’s Digest - 101 Best Sites

Check out the 2008 Writer’s Digest - 101 Best Sites for writers. Lots of great resources for us writerly types, whether your looking for an agent, resources for writers, or online critique groups. Beware though: one could lose an entire afternoon clicking around on the links.

Premier Book Awards Deadline August 15th

The folks at Premier Book Awards asked us to remind you of their upcoming deadline. In their own words:

Your members may be interested in a reminder that the deadline for the 2008 Premier Book Awards in both fiction and non-fiction is fast approaching. Final entries must be postmarked by August 15, 2008.

With so many new titles published every year it is increasingly difficult for an individual book to stand out. Winning a contest is an opportunity for publicity-exposure for the author and the book. There is no better way to gain credibility and increased sales than to win an award for writing excellence.

Premier Book Awards were established to recognize meritorious works by writers who self-published or had their books published by a small press or independent book publisher. POD books are welcome. The contest is open to selected book length fiction and non-fiction titles with a 2007 or 2008 copyright, published in the English language and targeted for an adult audience in the North American market. There are $100 cash awards for the winners in each category, plus a $500 award each for the best fiction and best non-fiction of the year. Winners also receive a certificate suitable for framing and Premier Book Awards will issue a press release to announce the achievement. Check out the website for details: www.PremierBookAwards.com.

Database of Literary Magazines and Journals

You may already know about this but I just discovered Poets & Writers' superfly listing of literary journals and details of reading times, genres published, and whether or not they accept simultaneous and/or electronic submissions. In their own words:

Poets & Writers | Database of Literary Magazines and Journals: "Connect your poems, stories, essays, and reviews to the right audiences by researching hundreds of literary magazines in our database. Here, you'll find editorial policies, submission guidelines, contact information—everything you need to direct your work to the publications most amenable to your vision."

Click now. Go check it out and submit, submit, submit.

Cat Short Story Contest ~ Got Feline Fiction?

For all of the kitty-loving writers, Fireside Publications of Florida is sponsoring a Cat Short Story Contest. If you have 3,000 words or less dedicated to the furry feline(s) in your life, you may get the chance to see your four-pawed friend immortalized in print. Twenty to twenty-five winning stories will be published after all the stories have been selected, and the winners will receive a complimentary copy of the book. Submit your story, (fiction or non-fiction), and a $2 registration fee, as soon as possible to: Cat Short Story Contest, Fireside Publications, 1004 San Felipe Lane, Suite 200, The Villages, Florida, 32159. The deadline is June 30, 2008. Please go to their website for the rest of the contest guidelines.

Helpful Hints ~

Often writers sabotage their chances of getting published without realizing it. Not utilizing the spell-check feature is one way. Another is by not making sure their work is professional-looking. To help guide your pieces to publication, make sure they look good. Jendi Reiter, editor of Poetry Contest Insider and judge of the Winning Writers poetry contests, has listed several important formatting tips to help guide the writer to success. Along with valuable suggestions regarding fonts & paper, front matter, cover & title pages, table of contents, acknowledgments, text, cover letter, and the famous SASE, she includes links to samples that provide a concrete look at what she means. Take a few minutes to read her Manuscript Tips, and help yourself avoid some of the more typical ways writers can unintentionally stand in their own way.

WordClay Short Story Contest ~

If you have a short story, up to 5,000 words, why not enter it in the Wordclay Short Story Contest? All you need to do is register at www.wordclay.com, and then email your entry and a cover letter to contests(at)wordclay(dot)com before June 1, 2008. Fifteen of the finalists stories will be published in an anthology and the finalists whose work is published will receive a printed, bound copy at no cost. In addition to bound copies, the Grand Prize Winner will receive a check for $500, and the Runner Up will receive one for $250. There's something for everyone at Wordclay: even if you're not a runner up, all non-finalist participants will receive an electronic copy (e-book) of the anthology. You may enter up to three short stories; just be sure they are double-spaced and written in Times New Roman. Go to their website for the rest of the contest guidelines.

Narrative Prize

Narrative Magazine is holding a fabulous writing competition. According to their site:

"The $4,000 Narrative Prize will be awarded annually for the best short story, novel excerpt, poem, or work of literary nonfiction published by a new or emerging writer in Narrative.

The deadline for entries for each year’s award is June 15.

The winner is announced each September, and the prize is awarded in October.

Notices of the award, citing the winner’s name and the title and genre of the winning piece, will be placed in prominent literary periodicals. Each winner will also be cited in an ongoing listing in Narrative. The prize will be given to the best work published each year in Narrative by a new or emerging writer, as judged by the magazine’s editors. In some years, the prize may be divided between winners, when more than one work merits the award.

All submissions are carefully considered for publication. To submit your work for the Narrative Prize, please see the submission form below or visit our Submission Guidelines page.

Submissions by new and emerging writers are eligible for the prize, and we accept submissions year-round. For further information, please read our Submission Guidelines."

$150 Dollars For 50 Words!!

That's the prize for feedback being offered by The Summerset Review. All you have to do is send them your opinion, (at least fifty words worth), of stories and essays appearing in the current issue! In addition, winners will receive a copy of Volume One. They will publish your comments in the following issue, along with your name and home town. Only one entry is allowed per person per quarter, and the entry must pertain to a piece appearing in the current issue. They are particularly interested in how the story or essay affected you; what impact it had, what memory it stirred. Be honest and lucid. The deadline for comments is two weeks before the release date. Issues are released on the 15th of March, June, September and December. Email your entry to editor(at)summersetreview(dot)org, and be sure to include your name, town, state and country (if outside the USA). There's nothing to lose and much to gain: check out their website to read the current stories and essays, and then read some of the previous winning comments to get an idea of what they like.

"I Love Cats" Magazine Accepting Submissions

For those of us with delightful furry companions, Lisa Allmendinger, editer of I Love Cats is now looking at stories for 2009 and beyond. They seldom publish poetry, but are interested in feature stories about cats and their owners, (no talking cats, please), interesting or odd happenings with cats, tips for cat owners, health issues, non-fiction, behavior problems, etc. They ask that you not send pieces about cats that go or live outdoors. She prefers stories with with photos or drawing that are between 500 - 800 words (1,000 words max). Payment upon publication is $50, ($25 for short fillers, which are also welcome). Please send your queries and/or completed stories to ilovecatseditor(at)sbcglobal.net. Check out the I Love Cats website for sample copies and further submission guidelines.

Finding Something "On the Premises"

Nothing beats a contest that provides a writing prompt, and On the Premises has one going on now with a delightful theme: "Found." If words are indeed like suitcases, how much can be packed inside this one, yes? The challenge is to write a creative, compelling, and well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words that clearly uses the premise, to wit: "One or more characters unexpectedly finds one or more physical objects somewhere. Something about the object(s) raises questions the character(s) want answered." Send your entry before midnight, Eastern Time, Saturday, May 31st, 2008, to entries(at)onthepremises(dot)com. Prizes are as follows:

• 1st Prize: $140
• 2nd Prize: $100
• 3rd Prize: $70
• Honorable Mention: $25

On the Premises is published every four months, and the stories published are the winning entries. They also occasionally run mini-contests with smaller prizes. To be eligible to enter these, all that is necessary is to sign up for their free, short, monthly newsletter.
Also delightful: there are no entry fees for any of their contests! Please go to their website to read the current issue and check out the rest of the contest guidelines.

Whose Fawlt Is It?

Nobody's perfect, and now there is a magazine based on that premise: Fawlt Magazine is dedicating each of it's quarterly issues to human flaws. Guess I'll stop procrastinating long enough to tell you about it. ;) They are now taking submissions for their next issue, which will focus on Perfectionism. You have until August 1, 2008 to submit previously unpublished prose, poetry, art and photographs that will examine such issues as: who is affected by it, its impact on individuals, in which circumstances it can be especially bad (or actually good!), and any other aspect of the flaw that may be worth investigating. Please send your submissions to fiction(at)fawltmag.com, poetry(at)fawltmag.com, or artandphoto(at)fawltmag.com, depending on the category (don't forget to attach a cover letter). The Perfectionism issue will be launched online on September 15, 2008. They are also taking submissions for upcoming issues, Apathy and Arrogance. They ask that you do not send more than three prose pieces or five poems at a time, and if you are submitting to more than one issue, please send your submissions separately.

A Cappella Zoo Short-Story Contest ~

If you can think of a beginning, a start, a famous first step, this new magazine may be perfect for you. A Cappella Zoo is looking for short stories with the theme, "origins," to celebrate their first issue. For a mere $5 entry fee, you may submit stories between 1,000 and 10,000 words via email to contest(at)acappellazoo(dot)com, or via snail mail to A Cappella Zoo, 635 1/2 E. Benton, Pocatello, ID, 83201. The first place prize is $250 dollars, publication in their first issue, as well as a complimentary copy of said first issue. The rest of their contest guidelines may be found at this link.
They are also accepting submissions of fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, plays, bi-lingual works, translations, photography, art, and "genre-bending" works, up to 10,000 words for prose, or up to 3 poems or visual works of art. They are currently paying $5 per printed page, up to $50. Submissions may be sent via email to submissions(at)acappellazoo(dot)com, or snail mail. For the rest of the submission guidelines, please go to their website.
They are especially looking for work that is unique and experimental in technique, form, language and thought, so if you are a "square peg," who knows better than to try to fit into "round holes," you may find your work very welcome here.

Fireside Publications Contests

Fireside Publications, a brand new independent publisher, while not currently accepting submissions, they do have the following upcoming contests:

Mystery / Suspense / Thriller Novel Contest Deadline May 31, 2008

Short Stories about Cats: Deadline is June 30, 2008

Contemporary Novel Contest: Deadline is June 30th, 2008

Global Short Story Competition

Globalshortstories.net runs a monthly short story competition open to writers from any country, and possibly even every planet? galaxy? Here's what they say on their site:

"We’re up and running - and the monthly Global Short Story Competition is proving a success. The competition is designed to appeal to writers everywhere, from the arid outback of Australia to the baking deserts of Africa, the towering skyscrapers of the United States to the humid cities of Asia, the bustling capitals of Europe to the steamy villages of South America.
What makes this competition different? Well, for a start we will be marketing it in every country in the world and it will happen every month.
Each month, we will select a winning story and a highly commended work to receive a cash prize. Winning stories will also be posted on our website. At the end of twelve months, each winning story will be considered for an annual cash prize."

Jerry Jazz No Fee Fiction Contest

Three times a year, Jerry Jazz Musician, a Web site "...devoted to jazz and American civilization..." awards a writer who submits, in our opinion, the best original, previously unpublished work of approximately one - five thousand words. The winner will be announced via a special mailing of our Jerry Jazz Musician newsletter. Publishers, artists, musicians and interested readers are among those who subscribe to the newsletter. Additionally, the work will be published on the home page of Jerry Jazz Musician and featured there for at least four weeks.

The Jerry Jazz Musician reader has interests in music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theatre, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America. Your writing should appeal to a reader with these characteristics.

Contest details

A prize of $100 will be awarded for the winning story. In addition to the story being published on Jerry Jazz Musician, the author's acceptance of the prize money gives Jerry Jazz Musician the right to include the story in an anthology that will appear in book or magazine form. No entry fee is required. One story entry only.

Submission deadline for the next contest is May 31, 2008. Publishing date will be July 1, 2008.

Cezanne's Carrot Literary Journal ~

Paul Cezanne said, "The day is coming when a single carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution." At Cezanne's Carrrot, they believe that day has arrived! Published quarterly (on each Solstice and Equinox), they accept submissions of short fiction, creative non-fiction, and visual art that "celebrates the universe and the human experience in uplifting revolutionary ways." They are looking for work that:

• Creates a sense of possibilities
• Looks at the more expansive aspects of human nature, our interactions with the natural world, or our relationships with each other. The prefer works that highlights the connections between us, rather than what divides us.
• Explores the range and depth of our experiences with what lies beyond the five senses. Call it the Universe, God, a different dimension, or simply the great mysterious unknown, but show them how our common reality blends with the next.

The deadline for their Summer Solstice issue (6-21-08), is May 21, 2008. Two $25 Editor's Prizes will be awarded each issue; all fiction and creative non-fiction will be considered. Please check out their website for the rest of their submission guidelines and addresses to send your work.

Interested in Breaking the Rules?

For those of you who appreciate that beauty lies in imperfection or in uneven intervals, the Interstitial Arts Foundation has issued it's 2nd annual call for their Second Anthology of Interstitial Writing called Interfictions II. According to their Web site, they are "a not–for–profit organization dedicated to the study, support, and promotion of interstitial art: literature, music, visual and performance art found in between categories and genres — art that crosses borders."

From their Web site:

Submission Guidelines for
Interfictions II: The Second Anthology of Interstitial Writing

What We’re Looking For
Interstitial Fiction is all about breaking rules, ignoring boundaries, cross-pollinating the fields of literature. It’s about working between, across, through, and at the edges and borders of literary genres, including fiction and non-fiction. It falls between the cracks of other movements, terms, and definitions. If you have a story idea that’s impossible to describe in a couple of sentences, it may be interstitial.

We’re looking for previously unpublished stories that engage us and make us think about literature in new ways. Rather than defining “interstitial” for you, we’d like you to show us what genre-bending fiction looks like. Surprise us; make us see that literature holds possibilities we haven’t yet imagined.

We are also open to graphic stories of about 10 pages.

Who We’re Looking For
Writers in all genres of fiction (contemporary realism, mystery, historical, fantasy, whatever) who have an idea that challenges generic tropes and expectations..

Practical Matters
Our submission period will be from October 1, 2008 to December 2, 2008.

No Fee Poetry Contest - Spiritual Directors International

Spiritual Directors International puts out a publication called Presence, which is ."..a peer-reviewed journal that publishes thought-provoking articles addressing topics of interest to spiritual directors. The goal of Presence is to identify current trends in the field, to provide background and resources for spiritual directors as well as others interested in the ministry of spiritual direction, and to look ahead at what might be developing in the future."

They are currently holding a no-fee Poetry Contest.

Deadline May 15!

Details from their Web site:

"Presence: An International Journal of Spiritual Direction announces its fourth annual juried poetry contest.

The grand prize winner will be awarded a US$100.00 cash prize. Three runners up will receive US $75.00 each. The top four selections will be published in the September, December, March, and June issues of Presence, respectively. A number of honorable mentions will also be selected for future publication. Everyone may enter."

How to Pitch an Idea to Hollywood

This morning's Los Angeles Times Magazine has a very informative story written by none other than Michael Wright himself (V.P. at Turner) about how to pitch show ideas to networks. His main point? Skip the gimmicks, remember you are selling to a buyer who reps a certain brand, go straight for the why-this-works-for-your-brand sell and then back it up with the goods and talent to actually make your project happen. Well, with one caveat. Sometimes gimmicks do work as he reveals at the end of his article. So let's see... follow the rules only to find the right moment to break them? It's so much more fun to just break the rules right out of the gate, though...

Read the article.

LitMatch.net Launches Upgraded Listing Pages

This just in from LitMatch.net:

LitMatch.net, the largest and most complete database of literary agents and agencies on the web, recently launched a major upgrade to their agent and agency listing pages. The new layout was designed with ease of use in mind, and brings key information to the forefront while organizing the rest in a simple, intuitive format.

The new layout features an at-a glance style, with large, friendly icons that indicate an agent or agency’s submission status, if they accept email queries, and if they accept postal queries. Other important information; like response times, comments, and clients & projects; is arranged in a simple, tabbed format on the right side of the page. The tabs keep things organized and allow users to limit their view to only the information that’s of most interest to them. Everything from layout to colors to fonts has been given an update for a fresh, clean look in order to make searching for a literary agent as easy and painless as possible.

“This upgrade represents a big step forward for us, and addresses some issues with the site that have been nagging me since the site launched back in September.” said Christopher Hawkins, creator and lead developer of LitMatch. “We’re excited about the change because it gives our listings a first-class presentation that matches the first-class quality of their content.”

Other features of this upgrade include:

• Clearer division between content areas for faster browsing and increased readability.
• Contact information that’s more prominent and easier to cut and paste into word processing programs.
• A redesigned “Genre Information” section.
• Flag icons that visually identify an agent’s or agency’s country.
• A reformatted user summary area that keeps all queries to a given agent or agency close at hand.
• More prominent hotlist links.
• An updated look to the submission stats table.
• Reformatted comments and comment entry form.

Atlanta Review International Poetry Competition Deadline Looms

The Atlanta Review, despite it's somewhat primitave Web site, is a well-known poetry publication that boasts the poetic publication of Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners. Their 2008 International Poetry Competition is open and the deadline is less than a week away. Entries must be postmarked on May 9th, 2008.

GRAND PRIZE: $2,008
(not bad!)
and 30 International Merit Awards that includes Certificate, Honorable Mention in Atlanta Review, and Free Issue

A few extra details from their Web site:

20 International Publication Awards
Winners will be published in Atlanta Review and appear in over 120 countries.
This is the only poetry competition that guarantees you international recognition!
Winners will be announced in August. The Poetry 2008 contest issue will be published in October.

Profit From Mood Swings in Many Ways ~

If you are one of the estimated 5.7 million people with bi-polar disorder, you might be interested to know that there is an online magazine for you: bphope.com, whose aim is to provide "hope and harmony for people with bipolar." It is not a medical journal, but rather a lively and information-rich consumer magazine. The reason I mention it here is that, happily, they accept submissions -- articles and stories -- that relate to this often crippling disorder. They seek features that are:

• Useful to their readers, ie., they can relate the material to their own lives.
• Meaningful to readers on a personal level, through the use of stories, quotes, anecdotes and humor.
• Educational and rich in comments from experts and those living with bipolar.
• Informational and inclusive of resources such as Websites, books, and so on.

Main articles are between 1,500 and 2,500 words, and they also publish short features (650 to 750 words) on such topics as interviews with those living with bipolar; food and nutrition; healthy living; spirituality; parenting with childhood depression; exercise; wellness and so on. Email a query letter to queries (at) bphope (dot) com. Please go to their website for complete writer's guidelines.
Fees are negotiated on a per story basis, based on length, experience, complexity, etc. They pay for North American rights for original material, and for rights to post stories on their website, www.bphope.com.

* Celebrating the Goddess in Every Woman *

SageWoman, a quarterly magazine of women's spirituality, is dedicated to helping women explore their spiritual, emotional and daily lives in a way that respects all persons, creatures, and the Earth. Their readers relate positively with the term "Goddess," and include women from a variety of religious faiths, from Roman Catholic to Lesbian Separatist Witch and everything in-between. Their focus is on issues of concern to Pagan and other Goddess-friendly women, and they are accepting submissions (written by women), of non-fiction prose that relate to women's spiritual experience. They also accept modest amounts of poetry, photographs and graphic artwork. They do not accept fiction, screenplays, long narrative poems, erotica, or press releases. Since their editorial style focuses on personal experiences, please write in the first person!
Your articles should be between 800 and 5000 words in length. All material should be sent to the attention of the Editor to either meditor (at) sagewoman (dot) com, or P.O. Box 687, Forest Grove, OR. 97116. They'll pay $.01 per word for unsolicited material, with a minimum of $10, as well as one copy of the issue in which your work appears. They are often able to pay more for work that is commissioned especially for SageWoman, so please contact them directly if you are interested in working for them on this basis.
The theme of their next issue is "Giving and Receiving." For those of us who are already aware of some of the many instances that life is a plethora of give-and-take and sharings, that we are not as isolated and alone as we may feel, it might be a fun challenge to dip into this awareness and come up with something personal to illustrate this. You have until August 1, 2008 to send them your submission.
Please go to their website for more information and to find samples of articles they have published.

SheKnows Presents the “Defining Moment” Poetry Contest.

If you work best under pressure, The Life Before Her Eyes Poetry Contest just might be one to inspire you to get some of your work out there, paid for and read by people you don't know. Might lead to a nice way to meet and greet, practice social skills, show off your talents, bask in the glow of pride. Fun, yes? You could ENTER TO WIN $500! Nothing to sneeze at (gesundheit) Pretend the part about laying your ego on the line is the least aspect of the venture. "The Life Before Her Eyes" is a movie made by the same director, Vadim Perleman, who created "House of Sand and Fog", one of the more devastatingly powerful movies to come out in recent years.
Moving backwards and forwards in time, "The Life Before Her Eyes" combines the dramatic intensity of "Sophie's Choice" with the eerie mystery of a ghost story like "The Others."
How much more does a contest need to be totally compelling?? Not much. "The Life Before Her Eyes" explores the reverberations stemming from the collision of past and future, reality and dream.
They are asking us to submit poems that capture a moment in our lives in which we had to make a difficult choice and how that choice impacted the course of our lives.
Please email entries to poetry (at) magpicture (dot) com. Enter your poems by May 8th to win the Grand Prize $500 Amazon.com gift card, or be one of five runners up to win $100 Amazon.com gift card.

"Inscribed" Sponsors Two Writing Contests ~

Inscribed is not only a small press not-for-profit publishing company operating out of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. Their mission goal is to provide excellence in literature, poetry and art from around the world to international audiences through their publications in order to support artistic and environmental education and programs. They are also hosting one poetry and one short story competition in 2008. The deadline for both is December 1, 2008, so you have plenty of time to fine-tune your entries! Prizes:

• 1st Place: $50
• 2nd Place: $25
• 3rd Place: $15
• All winners will receive a copy of the printed anthology.

Send all submissions to submissions (at) inscribed (dot) org, with "Poetry Contest" or "Short Story Contest" in the subject.

Glass Woman Prize

The Fourth Glass Woman Prize submission deadline is September 21, 2008. What, you may ask, is a Glass Woman? It is someone who is able to acknowledge, transparently, who she is. The contest sponsor, Beate Sigriddaughter, would depict her as:

a woman of glass, with a blood system and gut system visible inside her, pipes and veins, and in those there would be bits of poetry, newspapers, roses, sentimental things, baby’s teeth, locks of baby hair, all kinds of lace bits, birds, and foxes, ice-picks, wedding rings, veils, and wedding cake doves, graduations gowns, tarot cards, sacred stones, pressed flowers, and a whole lot of joy and a whole lot of sorrow. She’d have a flute and a piano key, an ankh, and a woman symbol (♀), everything, anger and joy, hiking gear, rock climbing gear, motorcycle gear, dirt, fear, bras, lilacs, mirrors, underwear.

I'm thinking that pretty much includes all of us, so, if you have a short piece of fiction, or creative non-fiction between 50 to 5,000 words, you have nothing to lose (No Entry Fee!), and the possibility of gaining $600 if you win, or $100 if you're one of the two runners up. Her criterion is passion, excellence, and authenticity in the women's writing voice. You may email your submission to glasswomanprize (at) comcast (dot) net, or send it via regular mail to Beatte Sigriddaughter, 333 East 16th Avenue, #517, Denver, CO, 80203. Please visit her website for more information and links to previous winning entries.

For Women Only ~

Here's one for women only: Underwired Magazine publishes personal essays every month! They set the theme, and all we have to do is submit an essay, from 800 to 1200 words, by the 15th of every month for publication in the following month's issue. June's will be The Getaway Issue, and they are looking for essays that relate to being adventure bound, the road less traveled, roving, wandering, rambling, planes, trains and automobiles, going abroad, seeing the world, globe-trotting, getting lost, and getting found. Sounds like fun, yes? And they'll pay $100 per essay! Submissions may be sent via regular mail to the attention of the editor, P.O. Box 2158, Louisville, KY, 40255-0128, or via email to editor (at) unmag (dot) com. Please include a brief bio with your submission. You may go to their website for further details.

Writer's Block: Where in Your Head is it Really???

Some of us struggle with where to begin or how to continue making progress with what turns out not to be as simple as it should be: slinging words along a page in a meaningful progression. We're adults, we see movies, we read books, we know what makes something good or great, and there are no gates around the masters built to shut the rest of us out. Anyone with a pen/pencil paper or a computer (you can use them free at libraries!), is faced with the truth that it is only that which is within us that prevents us from writing, from pouring forth what we feel, observations on what others feel; the Great Stifler is our own. Sigh. In her article: "Writer's Block: Is It All in Your Head?", Leslie What tackles this thorny subject with understanding, insight, and -- Hugh Sigh of Relief! -- Possible solutions and recommended reading. Whereas not much research has been done this topic, she has unearthed and compiled enough of it that many of us who have suffered with this affliction may be inspired to take courage and sally forth to the realm of the written word with more confidence.

LA Times Festival of Books Writing Seminars

For the very first time in the Festival’s history, six intensive 2-hour writing seminars are being offered featuring worldwide renowned writers in an intimate setting – only 50 seats per seminar!

• Tickets will be open to the general public when the Festival program is published in the Sunday, April 20^th edition of the Los Angeles Times.
• Tickets cost $100 per seminar.
• Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1209582/ or at select Ticketmaster locations, including Ritmo Latino, Beverly Center and select Macy’s locations. Only 50 seats are available! Tickets are not available over the phone.

Ron Carlson

Saturday, April 26^th, 11:00am – 1:00pm

Title: The Short Story: Surviving the Draft

Celebrated author Ron Carlson will lead this 2-hour seminar with a lecture including samples of fiction from his work and others that illustrate the craft of fiction writing and the way forward into the darkness. His primary focus will be on the short story and will talk about the entire process: idea to draft, with all notes in between focusing on surviving the draft. A Q & A session will be incorporated towards the end of the seminar.

Novelist and short story writer Ron Carlson has received citations in Best American Short Stories twelve times since 1984. His work has appeared in a variety of publications including Harper’s and GQ. He is the author of two story collections, “Plan B for the Middle Class” and “The News of the World”, and three novels, the most recent of which, “Five Skies” is his first adult novel in more than 20 years. Ron currently teaches at University of California, Irvine.

Thomas Curwen

Saturday, April 26^th, 1:30pm – 3:30pm

Title: Bring on the Lions: Writing the Non-fiction Narrative from the Inside Out

Human beings are hard-wired for narratives. We fall effortless into the spell of a good story, and there is no greater game than capturing a portrait of life that keeps readers hanging on until the bitter end. Yet the road to writing a successful narrative is dark and perilous. It is also both an art and science. It begins with sound reporting and a love of language. It combines strategic pacing with a jazzman's sense of rhythm. You must be a strong writer, a good editor -- and finally, you must love what you're doing. In this seminar, Thomas Curwen will have an extended conversation about the writing and pleasure of a good story. So bring pen and paper, and be ready to write, talk and discuss the meaning of this wonderfully foolhardy endeavor.

Thomas Curwen is an editor at large for the Los Angeles Times. He has a master's degree in Creative Writing from USC and was a recipient of a 1991 Academy of American Poets prize. In 2002, he received a Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for mental health journalism.

A. Scott Berg

Title: Biography: Telling Lives

Saturday, April 26^th, 4:00pm – 6:00pm

A. Scott Berg will conduct a two-hour seminar on Life Writing in its various incarnations--including “objective” biography, autobiography, psychobiography, memoirs, and diaries. Part lecture, part question-and-answer period, the class will examine some of the elements that go into the writing of life stories--selecting a topic, primary research, interviews, secondary research, organizing and analyzing material, writing and rewriting techniques.

A. Scott Berg is a renowned biographer of "Max Perkins: Editor of Genius," for which he received the National Book Award, "Goldwyn: A Biography”, which bestowed upon him a Guggenheim Fellowship, and "Lindbergh”, for which he was awarded 1999's Pulitzer Prize for biography. His most recent book is a memoir of a legendary star Katharine Hepburn, called, "Kate Remembered." He is currently working on a biography of Woodrow Wilson.

Jane Smiley

Sunday, April 27^th, 10:00am – 12:00pm

Title: Write a Novel in Two Hours!

Or not! What is a novel? How do you write one? Novelist Jane Smiley will use material from her book, “Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel”, to illustrate some of the ways an aspiring writer might approach his or her own ambition to write a novel. Lecture, Q and A, and discussion will be interspersed throughout the two hours. Seminar participants may read the two chapters in Thirteen Ways entitled "A Novel of Your Own, part 1" and "A Novel of Your Own, part 2", but advanced preparation is not essential.

Jane Smiley is one of the most beloved novelists and author of more than ten works of fiction. She is the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize, and in 2001 was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She received the PEN USA Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature in 2006. Her latest novel is “Ten Days in the Hills”. Smiley lives in Northern California.

Robert Pinsky

Sunday, April 27^th, 12:30pm – 2:30pm

Title: Listening to Words: The Vocality of Poetry

Robert Pinsky will lead this 2 hour seminar by concentrating on the physical materials of poetry: the sounds of vowels and consonants arranged to make words and sentences. As when someone is noodling at a piano or shooting baskets or playing with paints or whittling, the physical material sometimes draws out ideas and feelings. The group will view some of the Favorite Poem Project videos from the DVD included with an Invitation to Poetry. A Q & A session will be incorporated towards the end of the seminar.

Robert Pinsky, an American poet and former Poet Laureate of the United States, is the author of several collections of poetry, most recently, “Gulf Music: Poems”. He received the 1997 Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize and was a Pulitzer Prize nominee for “The Figured Wheel: New and Collected Poems 1966-1996”. He is also the author of several prose titles, including “The Sounds of Poetry”, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Stephen J. Cannell

Sunday, April 27^th, 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Title: Television, Film and Bestselling Novels

Stephen J. Cannell will lecture on how to adapt a novel to the screen. He will talk about modifying and condensing material without compromising its creative content, how to interface with the marketplace and get your work seen, as well as tips on construction when writing novels, screenplays and for television. A Q & A session will be incorporated towards the end of the seminar.

Stephen J. Cannell is the bestselling author of numerous novels, including the critically acclaimed Shane Scully series, which includes his latest installment, “Three Shirt Deal”. He is one of television's most prolific writers, having created or co-created more than 40 shows, including The A-Team and 21 Jump Street. Cannell has received multiple awards including the Marlow Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Writers of America and the WGA Paddy Chaefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement.

For more information on the Festival of Books Writing Seminars, please contact Elizabeth Samson at xcxesamson@tribune.com or go to www.latimesfestivalofbooks.com

The Great American Poetry Show ~

The Great American Poetry Show is a hardbound serial anthology open year-round to submissions of poems in English on any subject and in any style, length and number. The editors are asking us to send them "a lot of poems," and such a generous invitation should not go unnoticed. Each contributor will receive one copy of the volume in which his/her poems appears. Volume 2 is scheduled to appear in 2008, if they receive enough good poems (about 120). If they don't, they will hold publication until they do. You may send submissions via email to info(at)tgaps.net, or via regular mail to:

The Great American Poetry Show
P.O. Box 69506
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Write to Win!

For a $5 reading/entry fee, Writer's Journal: The Complete Writer's Magazine, will give you the chance to win $150, publication in their magazine, and: starter phrases! This short-story contest is a great opportunity for those of you who want to write, but don't know what to write about! Postmark deadlines and starter phrases are:

• April 20, 2008 ~ They both stared at ...
• June 20, 2008 ~ The cellar was open, but ...
• August 20, 2008 ~ Those ungrateful ...
• October 20, 2008 ~ Twenty minutes later ...

Maximum word count is 1500 words, entries must begin with the starter phrase, but it may be dialogue, that's your choice. Please go to their website for the rest of the contest guidelines.

What? Me Worry?

Yes, Alfred E. Newman and MAD Magazine are still alive, kicking, and looking to expand their pool of freelance comedy writers. If you have a twisted sense of humor, a peculiar way of looking at the world, or are particularly eager to express your immature, strange, or just plain silly side, they want to see your stuff! They are looking for:

• Material for The Fundalini Pages
• Comic Strips
• Hard-Hitting Satire/Cutting-Edge Yuks
• Media Parody
• Utter Silliness
• MAD 20 Features

Send them a paragraph or two explaining the premise of your article, with 3 or 4 examples of how you would carry it through. They strongly advise checking out the MAD Magazine of today, not the one we grew up with (although that helps!) They pay top rates: $500 per MAD page (for new contributors), on acceptance. Pieces that are less than a page are pro-rated accordingly.
Please go to their website for the rest of their submission guidelines.

For the Birds ~

LBJ is not only an acronym for "Little Brown Job," (used by birders to describe those difficult-to-identify species, such as many sparrows); it is also the name of an upcoming literary magazine. The LBJ is a uniquely literary venue, publishing creative non-fiction, fiction, poetry, narrative scholarship, and literary journalism of the feathered variety. The inaugural issue will be out this June, for which they are not only accepting submissions, but are also announcing prizes of $300 for the best previously unpublished poetry and prose. You may submit only one contest entry per genre. For poetry, each entry may include up to 5 poems; for prose, submit only 1 piece of no more than 20 double-space single-sided pages. The reading fee for the contest is $10 for one category, $15 for both. The deadline for both contest entries and submissions is May 15, 2008, and all contest entries will be considered for publication.
They are also looking for visual art, as well as cutting edge stories about birds, their habitats, and the people around them! So if you are into birding (bird-brained?) or know anyone who is, please go to The LBJ website for further details and the addresses (snail and email) of where to send your work.

Book Works - Experimental Prose Fiction Needed

Semina -- "where the novel has a nervous breakdown", published by Book Works in London is looking for artists and writers interested in experimental prose fiction, drawing inspiration from art as much as it does from literature. Think of the ways in which time and space died yesterday, how acceleration exceeds accumulation, the dead city and the perpetual twilight of technology: Georges Bataille, Henri Michaux, Alexander Trocchi, William Burroughs, Ann Quin, Clarence Cooper Jr, Claude Cahun etc. Above all weâ•˙re looking for artists and writers willing to take risks with their prose and who demonstrate total disregard for the conventions that structure received ideas about fiction.

Semina takes its inspiration from a series of nine loose-leaf magazines issued by Californian beat artist Wallace Berman in the 1950s and 1960s. The series is commissioned and edited by artist and writer Stewart Home. The series will publish nine books, six of which will be selected from open submission, two commissioned by the editor, with Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie by Stewart Home the final title in the series.

The selection from open submissions will be made by Stewart Home and Book Works. The series is designed by Fraser Muggeridge studio.

Deadline for applications is 30 May 2008.

Contact gavin@bookworks.org.uk or visit our website for more information http://www.bookworks.org.uk

Forthcoming in the Semina series:

• No. 1 Index by Bridget Penney (2008)
• No. 2 One Break, A Thousand Blows! by Maxi Kim
• (2008)
• No. 3 Bubble Entendre by Mark Waugh (2009)
• No. 9 Blood Rites of the Bourgeoise by Stewart Home (2010)
  

Up for Writing Yourself into a Frenzy?

Our friends over at Script Frenzy, a nonprofit who also runs the popular NaNoWriMo site have issued the following stage play writing challenge:

Script Frenzy is the 100-page challenge designed to inspire everyone who's ever aspired to write a stage play.

The curtain opens and the show begins April 1. Take on the challenge! Write the story you've been threatening to write and have a blast doing it. Thousands of writers will be right there beside you, both online in the forums and at write-ins around the globe.

Script Frenzy charges no fee to participate; no valuable prizes are awarded or best scripts singled out. In order to "win" at Script Frenzy, you need only sign up and complete the goal of writing 100 pages in 30 days. In return for your valiant efforts, Script Frenzy winners are granted a Script Frenzy Winner's Certificate, web icon, and eternal bragging rights.

This is the time to get your brilliant idea written in a whirlwind adventure with an unflinching deadline.

Sign up at www.scriptfrenzy.org and get writing.

Calling All Writers!

Steve Lopez of the LA Times is inviting all LA Times readers to collaborate with him on a novel! His column in next Sunday's paper (March 30th) will be Chapter 1 of "Birds of Paradise: A Novel Collaboration," and readers are invited to contribute chapters 3, 4, 5, and so on until noon PST on Thursday, April 24, 2008 -- just in time for the LA Times Festival of Books on April 25-26! Entries must:

• Be 600 words or fewer
• Be entirely original
• Be submitted under the entrants real name

The final chapter, to be published online on April 25th and in the newspaper on April 26th, will be written by Steve Lopez.
Winners will have their entries published online and in the newspaper, receive two tickets to the LA Times Festival of Books Prize Ceremony April 25th at 8:00 PM, and be invited to read their chapter at the festival. The contest is open to all legal California residents who are 18 years or older as of the first day of the contest period. Please go to the contest website to read the rest of the guidelines and who knows where this could lead you??

2008 Cave Canem Poetry Prize for African American Poets

Details from the Cave Canem site:

Established in 1999, this first book award is dedicated to the discovery of exceptional
manuscripts by African American poets. The participation of distinguished judges and
prominent literary presses has made this prize highly competitive.


2008 CAVE CANEM POETRY PRIZE

Judge: Clarence Major

Publisher: Graywolf Press

Clarence Major is a prizewinning poet, painter and novelist whose first collection of poems, Swallow the Lake, won the National Council on the Arts Award in 1970. Author of 10 books of poetry Major was a 1999 Bronze Medal finalist for the National Book Award for Configurations: New and Selected Poems, 1958-1998. Major’s poetry also earned him a 1971 New York Cultural Foundation prize. He is a contributor to more than 100 periodicals and anthologies. He has read his poetry at the Guggenheim Museum, the Folger Theatre, and in hundreds of universities, theaters, and cultural centers in the United States and Europe. In Yugoslavia he represented the United States in 1975 at the International Poetry Festival. He is also the editor of several landmark anthologies. Clarence Major lives in northern California.

Click here for details and a downloadable PDF of the complete guidelines.

Articles Needed - Cahoots Online Magazine

This just in from Cahoots online magazine:

Cahoots is a Canadian magazine freshly re-designed for the web for women who want more than the "same old same old" from a women’s magazine. Cahoots is a magazine for the creative, engaged, curious, soulful woman in all women. We are seeking submissions of articles, visual art, creative writing, and proposals for regular reviews and columns about things that really matter (and it’s not bee-stung lips!). Conspire to inspire. Visit www.cahootsmagazine.com for full submission guidelines.

Thirty-two Statements About Writing Poetry ~

If you aren't familiar with Marvin Bell (and I wasn't until I came across this gem!), his Thirty-two Statements About Writing Poetry is a wonderful introduction to this astute and insightful man. This award-winning author and poet has succinctly and clearly enumerated several (thirty-two, in fact), thought-provoking observations. Different ones will speak to you each time you read through them.

Get Connected

It was only a matter of time. Variety.com has launched a social networking site focused, of course, on the entertainment industry. Or, as we -- and they -- like to call it, "The Biz."

Think craigslist on caffeine and toting its screenplay or headshot along everywhere. If this sounds a little close to home, know that you're in good company. And now, you know where to find that company online.

What's Your Semicolon IQ?

It's not often that a punctuation mark makes headlines in the New York Times. How thrilling that not only was this particular semicolon noticed; it was found remarkable enough for a journalist to write about, and for the editor to accept that article for publication! Heartening, yes, that something as simple as this could bring fame to the writer; this can be an inspiration to us all!

Congratulations to Beyond Baroque

Los Angeles is known as an industry town. We are lucky that it is an industry filled with creative people, and we are fortunate to have so many talented and hyper-creative people in our midst, but many industry people have creative interests that extend beyond just movie making and there are also many creative people here who are not associated with the movie industry. Los Angeles poets, for example, are an unsung and undiscovered gem in this town. Poets rarely get the kind of press here (and perhaps everywhere) that they deserve. Because Los Angeles is an industry town, many of the artistic services and support around town are focused on movie making, so when a literary arts center such as Beyond Baroque exists, we must relish and preserve it.

LAwritersgroup.com congratulates Beyond Baroque on it's survival and lease extension, and we extend our literary hand in friendship and well wishes to this Los Angeles gem.

Comparing Agent Web Sites

Check out the Poe's Deadly Daughters blog, where Darlene Ryan has written an informative blog post called Agent Check about how to compare literary agents sites and screen them based on their Web sites.

Besides, despite the fact that the mere mention of the word 'homework' makes me cringe (I can handle 'home' and I can handle 'work' just not both off them together), I'm automatically a fan of someone who compares agents to bras and writes:

"Do your homework. A good agent, like a good bra, can lift you to the next level."

Here Comes The Sun * * *

The Sun Magazine publishes essays, interviews, fiction and poetry. They tend to favor personal writing, but they're also open to thoughtful, well-written essays on political, cultural, and philosophical themes. In fact, they're open to just about anything except journalistic features, academic works or opinion pieces. They invite us to "surprise them:" they often don't know what they'll like until they read it. This generous attitude is matched by generosity of payment also:

• $300 to $3000 for essays and interviews
• $300 to $2000 for fiction
• $100 to $500 for poetry, the amount determined by length and quality

They may pay less for very short works. Contributors will receive a complimentary one-year subscription to The Sun. They also use 10 to 30 photographs in each issue, so if your creativity includes talent in that direction, The Sun is equally as generous on that score as well:

• $100 to $300 for one-time use of photographs inside the magazine
• $500 for those they use on the cover
• $500 to $1000 for photo essays

The give contributors four copies of the issue in which their work appears, as well as a complimentary one-year subscription. Please go to their website to check out the rest of their submission guidelines and also the snail-mail address to send your work.

The Beat Goes On

One of the last living Beat poets, Michael McClure, will be reading from his work, signing books, talking about his longtime friendship with Bob Dylan, and diving into discussion about the seminal artists community that defined the 60's counter-cultural movement. This rare chance to hear a living legend and award-winning writer will be March 20, at 8pm, at the Skirball Center.

Writing Poetry For FUN and PROFIT ~

Writing poetry can be such a deeply personal thing, sometimes it's difficult to think about ways to make money from it, but, not only can it be done, it can be done in ways other then entering contests and/or sending submissions and hoping. In this article, "Taking the PO Out of Poet," poet and author Jennifer Brown Banks shares some terrific "outside the box" ideas for how to turn your passion into a venture that can net you some cash benefits.