Betsie's Literary Page Newsletter
"We need anything politically important rationed out like Pez: small, sweet, and coming out of a funny, plastic head."
Greetings to One and All!
Welcome to our newest subscribers!
Wow baseball season is over... was bummed out that
Cards had lost, but hey the Redsox are a great team
too!
Election raming has died down... well sort of. At least
now we can get back to our regularly scheduled
program.
This week we have loads of new books to tell you
about, as well as much information we hope will aid
everyone in the promotion of their works. So get
those printers ready!
This week we've also added a number of job listings if
you're interested!
*****
We appreciate and hope you continue to send us
your comments, opinions, articles and suggestions.
Remember if you submit anything to our newsletter -
include a link back to your site for a free plug.
Betsie's Literary Page is where readers and shoppers
are respected, books are cherished, aspiring writers
are encouraged and authors are adored.
Have a great weekend!
Betsie
CELEBRITY GOSSIP
LOVE GETTING BACK TOGETHER WITH JIM
BARBER? - The former boyfriend at the centre of
two of rocker COURTNEY LOVE's legal woes is keen to
reunite with the former HOLE star. JIM BARBER was in
court to ''support'' his ex yesterday (03NOV04) on
what was supposed to be the first day of her Beverly
Hills, California felony drug trial. And he told the press
outside the courthouse that he hopes to have
reunited with Love before the stalled trial fully gets
underway on 14 December (04). Ironically, Love is on
trial for her behaviour outside the music producer's
Los Angeles home last year (03), where she smashed
windows and hurled abuse before allegedly overdosing
at her own home nearby. Barber was also at the
centre of Love's felony assault charges seven months
later, after his ex beat up KRISTIN KING, a visitor to
his home.
U2 TEAM UP WITH CSI - Rockers U2 will
preview songs from their upcoming HOW TO
DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB album on America's
number one TV drama CSI: CRIME SCENE
INVESTIGATION. Two tracks from the disc will appear
on the show on 18 November (04) - a week before
the LP is released. A third track, which is yet to be
decided upon, will appear in the 25 November CSI
episode - two days after the release of the new U2
album.
FORMER PUMPKINS REUNITE - Former
SMASHING PUMPKINS and ZWAN star JIMMY
CHAMBERLIN (corr) has teamed up with former band
leader BILLY CORGAN on his first solo album. The
rocker wanted to record with Corgan again because it
was him who encouraged him to go solo and
celebrate his love for ''jazz fusion'' on record. The
new album also features guest spots from former
CATHERINE WHEEL frontman ROB DICKINSON and
veteran RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS crooner BILL MEDLEY.
JAGGER DENIES WOMANISING REPUTATION -
Rock legend MICK JAGGER has laughed off any
similarities between him and JUDE LAW's womanising
character in ALFIE. The ROLLING STONE frontman,
who worked on the movie remake's soundtrack,
insists he's the opposite of the film's lothario
character, despite being romancing a number of
beauties over the decades including SOPHIE DAHL,
JANICE DICKINSON and LUCIANA MORAD. Jagger tells
website PAGESIX.COM, ''I have always been a career-
minded person, and any vague resemblance to a
playboy is coincidental.''
DOUBLE BLOW FOR JOHN EDWARDS -
American vice-presidential hopeful JOHN EDWARDS
and his family were dealt two severe blows yesterday
(03NOV04) - they missed out on a chance to run
America and Edwards' wife ELIZABETH was diagnosed
with breast cancer. Edwards learned the news about
his wife shortly after his running mate Senator JOHN
KERRY conceded defeat in the presidential election to
PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH. Edwards reportedly
discovered a lump in her breast last week
CHIKLIS THRILLED WITH CLOSE CALL-UP -
Actor MICHAEL CHIKLIS is so thrilled to hear his
heroine GLENN CLOSE is to join him on TV drama THE
SHIELD he's offering to do all he can to make her
stay on the show as comfortable as possible. The
generous star, who plays tough cop VIC MACKEY
(corr) on The Shield, has told producers he wants
Close to get the best trailer available for her run on
the series next year (05). He says, ''I will concede to
her comfort anytime.'' FATAL ATTRACTION star Close
will play Chiklis' boss on the new season of The Shield.
A Beginner's Guide to Exchanging Links
Reciprocal linking is an effective, free way to get
more visitors to your website.
Exchanging links with other webmasters can help you
in two ways.
Firstly, by getting your link displayed on other
websites you are increasing the number of paths
leading back to your your own site. This in turn will
increase the number of visitors.
Secondly, exchanging links will increase the chances
of getting your web page ranked more highly in the
results returned by search engines.
The reason for this is that for most search engines,
the number of links pointing to a site plays a huge
part in determining where that site ranks. Why? Well,
wouldn't you be more likely to visit a place that had
been recommended to you by a friend? The same
reasoning applies to search engine positioning.
A link from site A to site B is like a vote for site B.
The more votes that site B gets, the higher it is
regarded by search engines.
However, quantity is not everything! A link carries
more weight if it is from a high quality site - in the
same way that a recommendation from a trusted
friend would be taken more seriously than a
recommendation from a casual acquaintance.
If you have been reading up on the subject of search
engine positioning, you may be familiar with the
term "PR", or "Page Rank". Page Rank is Google's way
of measuring the "importance" of a web page. In
simple terms PR is a number between 1 and 10 and
can be viewed by downloading the Google toolbar.
So, how do you start reciprocal linking?
The first step is to find other sites that you want to
link to. Use search engines and links from other
websites to find sites that complement your own and
try to request links from sites that you think would
interest your visitors.
You can find some linking
directory resources to help you.
You may have been recommended to avoid linking
with your direct competitors. Whether you do this or
not is entirely up to you - the main disadvantage of
doing this is the chance of losing business, whereas
the advantage is the extra traffic that you will gain
by doing so.
Before you start your linking campaign here are a few
tips to help you:
(1) Ensure that there is a visible link to the "Links"
directory on the index page of the site you are
requesting the link from and that the links directory is
organized. It's unlikely that visitors will find your link if
it is one of the 100 links on an unorganized links
page.
(2) Follow the above rules for your own website - it's
only fair.
(3) Once you have found a page it is good manners
to add a link to your own site before requesting a link
from another. This way the webmaster of that site
will know that you are serious and will be more likely
to link back to your site.
(4) Being highly organized whilst requesting links is
also important. Using link management software to
keep track of all your link requests and automatically
add them to your web page literally halves the time
taken to request and manage links.
(5) Keep track of all the links you have requested,
either through link management software or in a
spreadsheet. Add the URL, date requested and
contact information for all the links you have
requested and update this every time a link is
approved or declined. This will help you to keep track
of your reciprocal linking campaign and prevent you
from looking stupid by requesting a link from the same
site multiple times.
(6) Use tools to help you decide which sites to link to
and to help monitor your own progress. Tools that I
use include:
- Alexa
Toolbar
- Google
Toolbar
- Link
Popularity tool
Finally, set yourself a goal to request a specific
number of links per week or per month. Keep going
until you meet this target. It may be boring, but once
you get into the way of doing this, it will seem like
second nature and you will start to reap the benefits
in the form of increased traffic to your website!
IN THE NEWS
Of Dreams and Nightmares by Shirley Roe -
Many of you may be familiar with Shirley Roe,
Managing Editor of Allbooks Reviews. Shirley has
helped promote many up and coming authors over the
years and has finally published her first novel.
Of Dreams and Nightmares is a historical romance
taking the reader on a journey from the English
aristocracy to the trials and tribulations of pioneer
life. Martha McGuire's arranged marriage to Jebediah
Whittaker turns her life into her worst nightmare.
Calamity follows, leaving her alone with a devil of a
man and his three sons in a vast wilderness of
Wyoming. Will hero Austin Wells find her and rescue
her from her nightmare. How does brother-in-law
Jeremy fit into the scenario? Can she ever find true
and lasting love?
Reviewer, Maria Romero: The authors' research of
the period shines through with captivating three-
dimensional characters readers will easily relate to.
Overall, the feel of this romantic tale is of epic
proportions, moving at a fast, intriguing pace, that
will keep readers glued to each page, lusting for
more, even after they reach the end! A sequel
perhaps?
*Now available for preorder through PublishAmerica
For more information:
Shirley Roe
email: Allbookreviews@aol.com
Award-Winning Author to Teach UCLA Class for
Writers - Carolyn Howard-Johnson, the author of
the newly released THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER:
HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T, will be
teaching a class for UCLA Extension Writers Program
this fall quarter.
The world-renowned program offers writers classes--
from the craft of writing to promoting one's writing--
at several different venues and online. Howard-
Johnson's weekend seminar, CREATING A SAVVY
MARKETING PLAN FOR YOUR BOOK: A WORKSHOP FOR
REALISTS DETERMINED TO PLAN AHEAD will be taught
Nov. 20 and 21 at Bunche Hall on the UCLA campus.
The class will be based on the content of her book
THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT
YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T, a best-selling E-book and
newly released as a paperback on online and other
bookstores.
Howard-Johnson was named Woman of the Year in
Arts and Entertainment this year by the 43rd and
44th District of the California Legislature. Her first
novel, This is the Place, and her book of creative
nonfiction, Harkening: A Collection of Stories
Remembered, are both award winners. Her fiction,
nonfiction and poems have appeared in national
magazines, anthologies and review journals. She
speaks on Utah's culture, tolerance and other
subjects and has appeared on TV and hundreds of
radio stations nationwide.
For more information on UCLA's Writers Program or to
request their Writers Program catalog, your may send
an e-mail to writers@uclaextension.edu or call 310)
825-9415.
For more information:
Carolyn
Howard-Johnson
email: HoJoNews@aol.com
The registration number for the class is Q8103B.
"After reading, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER you
may know more about book publicity than your
publisher." Tim Bete, director of the Erma
Bombeck's Writers' Workshop and author of In The
Beginning There Were No Diapers
Legendary French/British Stop-Motion Master Ivor
Wood Dies - Ivor Wood, the animator who
worked on some of the best-loved children's
television programs, including THE MAGIC
ROUNDABOUT, THE WOMBLES, PADDINGTON and
POSTMAN PAT, has died in London, reports THE
TIMES. He was 72 years old.
KIDS' WB! POWERS UP FOR THIRD SEASON OF
SHOPRO'S MEGAMAN NT WARRIOR: Kids' WB! and
ShoPro Ent. team up for the third season of
MEGAMAN NT WARRIOR: AXESS. The network has
ordered 30 never-before-seen episodes of the
dynamic Japanese animated series that will begin
airing in spring 2005. The third season order brings
the total commitment of the series to 70
episodes. "MEGAMAN NT WARRIOR has proven to be a
breakout hit and continues to outperform its
broadcast time period competition.
NETWORK PRIME-TIME SHOW, DREW CAREY'S
GREEN SCREEN SHOW CONTINUES! - Don't miss
DREW CAREY'S GREEN SCREEN SHOW Thursdays on
The WB! Network. This innovative improv comedy
show sets top improvers Drew Carey, Colin Mochrie,
Greg Proops, Brad Sherwood, Jeff Davis and others
against a greenscreen effects set in a host of various
improvisational games. Later, Acme Filmworks' roster
of top animation talent from around the globe adds to
the hilarity with animated backdrops and props that
compliment the performances of the actors.
BOOK REVIEWS
Beautiful: Seeing
Yourself Through God's Eyes by Angela
Thomas
Publisher: Transit Books a division of Thomas Nelson,
Inc (September 2004)
Genre: Children/Youth Interests/ Christian Living
ISBN: 1400304261
Paperback: 183 pages
Price: $14.99
Rating: Highly Recommended
A Magnificent Book that will make every girl feel
like Cinderella.
Oct. 28, 2004
This brilliant interactive study will show your resident
princess how beautiful she is in God's eyes. Angela
Thomas begins with asking out loud a question every
girl, young or old, longs to ask. Using chapters in a
progressive type of story line of a girl going to the
dance (or Cinderella going to the ball) will help young
girls visualize the love affair between the divine
creator and his princess bride.
I highly recommend this book. Angela Thomas uses
personal experiences to illustrate the points of her
book. Sometimes funny and often endearing, I found
myself relating to Thomas' memories of her childhood
and teen experiences.
Reviewed by Deven Vasko
Waiting for White
Horses by Nathan Jorgenson
Publisher: Flat Rock Publishing (December 2003)
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0974637009
Paperback: 492 pages
Price: $16.95
Rating: Highly Recommended
A Celebration of Life!
Oct. 28, 2004
Waiting for White Horses is a true celebration of all
the changes we must face as we travel down the
road of life. Grant Thorson is sustained through
several traumatic losses by his unique bond with his
best friend, Will Campbell. This friendship is the basis
of how Grant views the world and the path all
humans travel. Will tenderly helps Grant define and
understand why bad things happen to one person one
way and why it will happen another way to someone
else. But, when tragedy once again visits Grant's life,
he must make a choice to live this river of life or to
stop living.
Nathan Jorgenson has written a beautiful and
compelling first novel. I highly recommend Waiting
for White Horses to everyone. It's sure to
become a modern classic.
Reviewed by Deven Vasko
Snake Eyes by
John Jay Richardson
Publisher: PublishAmerica LLP; (November 2004)
Genre: Crime/ Mystery/Suspense
ISBN: 141373037X
Paperback; 292pp
$ 24.95
Rating: Highly Recommended
A quaint world of old-fashioned mystery
solving.
October 29, 2004
Alexander Hamilton Stone, a modern-day Bogart type
with a sense of humor is a private investigator in the
city of Memphis, Tennessee. His reputation, based
upon honesty, integrity, and a twenty-five year
warranty on your new roof.
Penelope Harmon is the superbly beautiful devoted
secretary. She constantly gives off the aura that she
has had a physical relationship with Hamilton in the
past and that some of it still hangs around even
though nothing has ever come of their "friendly"
relationship.
Stone receives a call from Detective Felton Isaac
Bradshaw summoning him to 225 Dexter Avenue. Both
men have known each other since grade school. Upon
arriving at the requested location, Stone finds
Bradshaw standing next to a barely discernible corpse.
The oddity of this encounter is that Bradshaw allows
Stone to move the body around, as well as handle
evidence without the crime scene techs present. This
doesn't register with Stone until it is too late. He's
struck from behind.
When Stone comes to, he discovers Bradshaw is
dead!
The same day: Penny is summoned away by her
mother- supposedly her forgotten stepbrother is back
in town. Nicholas Sevier, a homicide lieutenant and
his partner shows up at his office. Stone is arrested
for the suspected murder of his friend then released.
By the next day the plot thickens when the widow
Bradshaw asks Hamilton to investigate her husband's
murder, federal agents join the investigation, an
intelligent-homeless hacker gives aide, bodies are
beginning to pile up, and an APB goes out, making
Hamilton again a wanted man!
I got such a kick out of this detective novel, so much
that I think I was grinning from ear to ear. The other
characters in this story are extraordinary, they
completely hold your attention and are just as
interesting, perhaps even more so, than the 1941
sleuth actors.
If you're a mystery connoisseur, you will without
doubt enjoy Snake Eyes!
Reviewed by Betsie
Blue Water
Adventure by Rick Magers
Publisher: Grizzly Bookz Publishing-GBP
Genre: Adventure/Fiction
ISBN: 0974795100
Paperback: 446 pages -44 pictures
$17.00
October 29, 2004
Blue Water Adventure is based on a true story. The
author's personal experience as a Florida commercial
fisherman and the people he lived and worked with
provide the basis for this novel. He has cleverly
included individual photos, which give the novel a
personal touch.
Raymond James and his father Bol trap Florida lobster
(crawfish) for a living. Leaving their home in Florida to
escape crawfish thieves, they move to the Virgin
Islands. Life in paradise is good until once again,
crawfish pirates steal their catch and they are forced
to take the law into their own hands. The story
takes us from Florida, to the Virgin Islands, Bahamas
and back to Florida over a span of about twenty
years. Boats get bigger and airplanes are added. The
temptation of large sums of money beacons to our
weary fisherman. Drug lords, pirates and island life
mix and mingle to create an exciting novel by author,
Rick Magers.
Characters are lively and entertaining. Rita also
known as "Little Bug", Raymond's island girl adds
sparkle and wit to the dialogue. Ray's best friend,
Bangor, provides comedy relief. Roland, Becky and
the many crewmen are real life characters with
interesting pasts, all forming a melting pot of spicy
camaraderie and conflict. Island jargon and local
expressions are peppered throughout the dialogue
bringing the Caribbean settings to life.
Rick Mager's experience with crawfish trapping along
with his extensive research, provide an in depth,
highly detailed look at the industry.
The original book was more than 600 pages. The
printer's choice of a large font, made the book
unnecessarily bulky. The final product published by
Grizzly Bookz is shorter and less epic in proportion,
improving the readability.
All in all a good read with lots of excitement,
adventure and romance-a good gift for the
fishermen and boating enthusiast in your life.
Reviewed Shirley Roe, Allbooks Reviews
The Girl Who Loved
Tom Gordon by Stephen King
Illustrations by: Alan Dingman
Publisher: Little Simon; Pop-Up edition (October 2004)
Genre: Children's Fiction Books
Reading level: Ages 9-12
ISBN: 0689862725
Hardcover: 14pp
$24.95
Also available in Paperback and Audio Cassette
Rating: Highly Recommended
Exciting, Suspense Thriller
October 30, 2004
The tale begins when Trisha, 9 and her older brother
Peter are taken by their divorced mother on a hiking
trip along the Appalachian Trail. Mother and son
argue the entire ride up (mainly about their living
arrangements) and then continue the bickering on
the trail. Trisha announces her need to use the
bathroom, although mother and son are too busy
arguing to even hear her.
Assuming it's okay, Trisha wanders off in search of a
remote spot. What happens next is every parent's
worst nightmare. Trisha determined to have some
quiet time, instead of listening to the bickering
decides to take a shortcut to end the expedition
quicker. Though things don't work out as planned,
and Trisha accidentally gets lost.
Amongst the wilderness, fear sets in, giving way to
auditory hallucinations as well as visual ones. Trisha
carries in her backpack, an egg, a tuna sandwich, a
soda (lime), a bottle of water, celery sticks, 2
Twinkies, and a Walkman. To distract herself she
focuses on baseball, especially her favorite closing
pitcher, Tom Gordon.
Trisha's survival skills are put to the test day after
day, as she struggles to manage alone in the woods
for a week! She does so buy eating raw fish, berries,
nuts, then drinking from ponds, and puddles - once
her own supplies have run out.
The question is: How many nine-year-olds could
survive such a traumatic event?
Stephen King has done a wonderful job with this
book, and the illustrations certainly helped bring his
words to life. There are subtle symbolisms that
address issues like religion and self-realization.
Children of all ages are sure to love this spooky-
adventurous tale-- I know I did!
Reviewed by Betsie
Room for a Little
One: A Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell
Illustrated by: Jason Cockcroft
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry; 1st US edition
(October 2004)
Genre: Children's Books
Reading level: Age 6 & up
ISBN: 0689868413
Hardcover: 32 pages
$15.95
Rating: Highly Recommended
A delightful twist on a historical tale!
October 30, 2004
About two thousand years ago, in the town of
Nazareth, a miracle occurred. There were Shepherds,
the Angels and, on Epiphany, the Wise Men.
In author Martin Waddell's version: This particular
winter night is cold, and Kind Ox lies in his stable
sheltered from the harsh bitter airs. He is snuggled in
the warmth of his straw bed until Old Dog comes
along in search of shelter and a warm place to rest
his weary bones. Kind Ox invites him in. Not long after
do more travelers arrive, also in need of shelter.
Stray Cat, and Small Mouse, to be precise.
Then Tired Donkey arrives, leading Joseph along, as
he carries Mary on his back. Mary is very tired and
needed a place to stay. At each inn, the story was
the same. There was no room for them.
"Where will my baby be born?" Mary
asked.
Kind Ox invited Tired Donkey in. Mary gives birth to
Jesus with the animals around them.
Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale, is not only
simply written and easy to understand, but is also
exquisitely illustrated. This is a book your child will
read everyday of the year!
Reviewed by Betsie
The Compound by
Gloria Shepherd
Publisher: Aventine Press; (August, 2004)
Genre: Fiction-Espionage/Thriller
ISBN: 159330224X
Paperback: 324 pages
$17.95
Rating: Highly Recommended
A well written thriller and an exciting love
story.
November 1, 2004
Carly Manning encounters a group of men on a road
after loosing control of her vehicle. She realizes that
she has stumbled into the wrong place at the wrong
time, but fortunately, she mentions the name of a
mutual acquaintance and the group agrees to assist
her. She meets Ken Morgan, a charismatic musician
and the leader of a group called "The Compound." As
Carly and Ken interact with one another you get the
distinct impression that they are meant to be
together. From that point forward they have begun
an adventure that becomes the plot for The
Compound.
Most espionage type thrillers consist of two-
dimensional characters that simply do what you
expect them to do. Without conscience or remorse
they bed anyone necessary to achieve their
objective. Although Carly and Ken are attractive and
attracted to each other, they keep a respectable
distance from one another. That fact creates a
cloak of sexual tension that the reader can detect on
any page on which the names Ken and Carly are
mentioned together. It is as if they want to put their
past "exploits" behind them and experience true
love. Both characters have a colorful past in
which "love" simply means sexual relations, but that
may change as the hero and heroine fall deeply in
love.
Ken has become Carly's protector in a sense. From
her innermost thoughts you can sense that she can
take care of herself but she allows Ken to defend her,
mainly from some of the other members of Ken's
team. Now, the tables have turned and Carly must
fight to save Ken from his destruction. His team, the
Compound, has become obsolete and an assassin has
been sent to bring Ken down. Carly has decided that
she will do what is necessary to save the man that
she loves. Will she fail? Will she succeed? Is she
more than what she appears to be? Read the book
and you will surrender yourself to a literary roller
coaster that you will not be able to put down.
A three dimensional plot has been merged with two
three dimensional characters to create a realistic
adventure that will entice and entertain the senses.
Enter The Compound and sample the work of
Gloria Shepherd. Ms. Shepherd is a seasoned,
veteran writer with the ability to create believable
characters tackling realistic issues. She writes with a
romantic edge that will draw multiple audiences into
the book with a desire to see how the book ends. Do
the two heroes fall in love and stay together? Or,
will the covert world of espionage tear them apart?
I'm not going to tell...
Reviewed by Tyrone Vincent Banks
Third-Grade
Detectives #10: The Mystery of the Stolen Statue
by George E. Stanley
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks, an imprint of Simon &
Schuster Children's Publishing Division (November
2004)
Genre: Children's Fiction
Reading level: 6-9
ISBN: 0689864914
Paperback: 70 pages
Price: $3.99
Rating: Recommended
Forensics by Number
November 1, 2004
In the tenth book of the Third Grade Detectives
series, the young detectives stumble onto a mystery
during a field trip to an art museum. The "priceless
fifteenth-century statue of Joan of Arc," on loan from
a Paris museum that they have come to see has been
stolen! There is something very suspicious about
Willie, the janitor who works at the museum. And, it
is apparent that the director of the museum, Dr. Kirk,
is not terribly eager for the children's assistance in
finding the statue. Since these third graders are also
intrepid detectives, under the guidance of Mr. Merlin -
who is not only their teacher, but also a former spy -
they are sure that they can help solve the mystery
of what has become of the statue. Before they can
begin their search, however, the police discover the
statue, broken into tiny pieces, in a nearby
dumpster. It is up to the third graders to break the
coded messages given to them by Mr. Merlin in order
to reveal the truth about the statue and why it was
stolen. Using forensic evidence and the help of a
police crime lab, they ultimately discover they
mystery of the stolen statue.
The stated age group for this book is 6-9 years old
and readers of this series will find that this book lives
up to their expectations. The author follows the
formula used in previous books and not only provides
readers with a mystery to solve, but uses interactive
clues so that his young readers will scramble to
uncover the answers along with the children in the
book. He also provides age-appropriate scientific
information for his readers, which is a fun way for
young children to learn new science facts. Young
readers will enjoy solving the mystery and learning
new information at the same time.
Reviewed by Nancy Machlis Rechtman
SCREENWRITING TIPS
Scene structure
Just as the screenplay as a whole has structure, so
should individual scenes.
Although a screenwriting rule of thumb stipulates that
scenes should not run much more than two minutes
(two full script pages), you should still regard them
as mini-dramas. Some short scenes, called
transitional scenes, merely connect one place or time
to another like a bridge and don't require special
treatment. Each character in a scene should have an
objective, or need, and the tension created by these
needs should rise throughout the scene.
Once you have the ARCHETYPE of your story, you
are commited to plot development and still need to
work out its structure. What happens to these
characters that turns situation into story?
Structure. Because without structure you have a
story that comes across like telling someone about a
dream you had the night before. Because structure is
the very reason why stories are important to us.
Because without structure a story ends up just as
messy as our every day lives, which is not what we
go to the movies to see. Whether it is for escape or
clarity, thrill or insight, to fall in love or to be caused
to think--we go to be shown what we can't see
ourselves.
This is all fine and good, but what exactly is
structure and how do you achieve it? At its simplest,
structure can bee seen to fall into the three acts
movie execs are so fond of, but this is misleading.
You have to have a feel for it; the way comics have
a feel for timing. It involves knowing what scenes
work in relation to each other and how long a scene
can go on before having to cut away to another,
contrary scene. It has to do with when, exactly, at
what beat, to cut away from a scene and what to
cut to, knowing what scenes work in opposition to
each other and which work together, like rhythm in a
piece of music. It has to do with how the scenes
need to be laid out to make a cohesive whole.
Ultimately, though, there are no strict rules on how
to do this--this despite the fact that scriptwriting
teachers will tell you things like always enter a scene
as close to the end as possible.
Structure must grow from story, holding tension at a
maximum while keeping the conclusion at bay until,
inevitably, but still surprisingly, it comes together
with all the pieces falling naturally in place like a
puzzle waiting to be completed.
Author Writing Tips
How to write a Cover Letter
Covers letters and queries are a source of great
anxiety for writers.
One of the biggest mistakes that writers make today
is underestimating the importance of their cover
letters. The cover letter is a best way to get noticed
and should be given just as much attention.
Cover letters are viewed by many as talismans or
lucky charms, the magic object that will open the
door leading to publication, fame and fortune.
Not quite.
Cover letters have never sold bad manuscripts.
So what is a good cover letter?
Here are some tips to make sure that your cover
letter sends the right message!
1. Use the right format. -A cover letter
should follow the format of Introduction, Sales pitch,
Call to action. That means that, in a succinct
manner, you tell the reader who you are, why he
needs you and when you are going to contact him.
2. Get a name. -If you have no other option,
then use the Dear Sir or Madam greeting, but if at all
possible find out the name of the particular editor for
submissions and use it. Addressing the letter to "Dear
Editor" is fine. It 's direct and gender neutral.
3. Publishers are aware of the major markets for
the kind of books they publish. -Don't spend too
much space on marketing ideas.
4. Avoid starting every sentence with I. -A
cover letter can get very monotonous when each
statement begins with I did, I do, I feel... be creative
and you will keep the readers attention. Try phrases
like "My background includes..." or descriptions of the
results of your projects.
5. Refer to your accomplishments in the cover
letter. -Qualifying and quantifying your
accomplishments in your cover letter is just as
important. If you don't have any publishing history,
just don't mention it. Apologies are not necessary.
6. Unless you are an artist: -Don't send
cover art when your manuscript is requested.
Publishers are responsible for the production of the
book, including the cover art.
7. Follow-up. -Instead of saying that you
are looking forward to hearing from the person, say
you will be contacting her office on a specific date (3-
4months) to discuss the manuscript.
8. Proofread, proofread, proofread. -If there
are typos in your cover letter, you are not going to
get called, interviewed or considered! It is as simple
as that.
9. What sort of book or what it's about. -A
letter that tells the entire plot, or in case of a picture
book, a synopsis that is as long as the manuscript -
will probably be tossed out. Keep it short and simple.
A Cover Letter is 1 page!
10. Always include a self-addressed stamped
envelope. Otherwise how do you expect
someone to contact you?
Following one of the basic rules of good writing to
show, not tell - will certainly garner more responses!
SCREENWRITERS
Scripts Wanted!
** Remember - DO NOT SEND MATERIAL TO ANYONE
LISTED UNLESS YOU ARE CERTAIN THE COMPANY
AND/OR PRODUCER IS LEGIT AND YOUR WORK HAS
BEEN COPYRIGHTED.
----- 1) Crosshairs Entertainment -----
Production company behind MASSHOLES, VENICE
UNDERGROUND (see IMDb) looking for low budget ($2-
$5 million) psychological horror/thriller high concept
scripts.
Submit a one-sentence logline (no attachments) to
crosshairsent@hotmail.com
----- 2) Raw Entertainment -----
I am looking for completed smart action stories.
Examples of these are: 'Clear and Present
Danger', 'Patriot Games', 'Man on Fire' and 'Hunt for
Red October' (not looking for a submarine movie,
though). The story must be based in reality.
I am NOT looking for comedy action such as 'Lethal
Weapon' or 'Tango and Cash'.
Please keep in mind that I am not going to buy your
script, as I am looking for writer(s) to work with to
develop other stories. However, I will need to see a
sample of your writing. I am ONLY looking for writers
who have completed screenplays, which meet the
above requirements.
I have taken on 4 writers through InkTip and one of
the scripts from one of the writers is out to the
majors now. I am partnered with Brian Oliver whose
credits include 'Auto Focus' and the TV series 'The
Badge'.
Please email a logline and synopsis followed by a
resume (if available) in the body of the email (NO
email attachments. Those emails will be deleted
without being read) to Rich Newey:
Badcard2004@aol.com
-------- 3) Canary Films ---------
A NY independent production company was started in
2001. We are developing our film slate and currently
searching for a coming of age drama set in the United
States. We do not have financing in place for these
projects. Currently we are looking to spec option
material. We are also looking for novels for screenplay
adaptation.
1. Subject line: requested from MovieBytes
2. Send a logline, synopsis, and any additional
information about yourself.
3. Indicate if your screenplay has won any
awards.
4. No attachments please.
Email to: jlschweitzer@earthlink.net
------ 4) WE WANT COMEDIES! ---------
Professional Denver Theater Company seeks comedy
scripts for world premiere productions. Especially
interested in adaptable movie and TV scripts.
Please send a brief email containing logline and
synopsis
Email to: john@avenuetheater.com
----- 5) Workshop Productions LLC -----
We are looking for a completed comedy or drama
script that has a BASEBALL theme and is intended for
a family audience. It can be like 'Hard Ball' or 'The
Sandlot'. We are not interested in an 'Any Given
Sunday' type of baseball story (too adult) or 'Major
League' (too much traveling).
Budget range is 1 million. Please do not send us a
story that involves scenes in a packed stadium or
that involves traveling from city to city.
Workshop Productions is a new production company
whose members have won numerous awards,
including a Student Academy Award for 'Zen and the
Art of Landscaping'. As production manager/line
producer, their member credits include: Ed
Harris' 'Pollock', Hal Hartley's 'No Such Thing' and
David Mamet's 'The Spanish Prisoner', among others.
Last year, we produced the feature 'Messengers',
which we found through InkTip.
Please put 'Inktip/Baseball' in the subject of the email.
Please email a logline and synopsis followed by a
resume (if available) in the body of the email (NO
email attachments. Those emails will be deleted
without being read) to Alvaro Donado:
Adonado@Workshopentertainment.com
-------- 6) Lucky Girl Productions ---------
We are currently seeking original scripts of all genres
to develop and produce. Focus of the company is
strong leading lady and character driven stories.
Treatments, Logline with Synopsis OK. Include SASE
for return.
Lucky Girl Productions
263 W. Olive #315
Burbank, CA 91502
** Once you are certain the listing is legit, submit
material through an attorney or agent. Never, never,
never send your complete script to anyone over the
net. A half page synopsis is all that should be
expected via email, the requestor should supply full
postal details for anything more. Unless you intend to
make more money from the potential lawsuit than
selling your script, make sure your script is registered
with the AWG/wga-west or east. Best of luck!
WHERE TO GET PUBLISHED ONLINE FOR -FREE
Expression Magazine is looking for poetry or
fiction submissions. Mainstream and literary only. No
genre, pornography, gratuitous violence or racism of
any kind.
Presen
ting Anathematic, a new webzine featuring dark
fiction. Issue one will hit the either December
2nd, '04. "We're looking for horror, primarily. Dark,
speculative fiction in general. That includes science
fiction and fantasy with dark tones. Traditional
themes are welcome, as are stories that defy
convention or challenge ready definition.
Submit to The American Drivel Review: A
Unified Field Theory of Wit. - Utilizing the power of
atoms and science, The American Drivel Review
provides a truly American home for humorous works
of Americans and like-minded citizens of the world.
We are seeking a few good submissions for this
journal and think you've got the right stuff for this
noble cause. This is your opportunity to join the elite
*wonderfew* whose lives and works ignite the funny
buds of your friends, family, and government!
Please send up to five pages of fiction, essay, drama,
poetry, letters to the editor, reviews, illustration,
advertisements, hybrid works, memoir, found art,
collage, screen-plays, lyrics, academic papers, photo-
graphs, journal entries, or scientific studies via United
States Postal Service or Atomic-Powered Electro-Mail
to:
The American Drivel Review
1425 Stuart Street #1
Longmont, CO 80501
americandrivelreview@hotmail.com
Query for longer works or large electronic files. For
more information contact David Wester at the e-mail
address above.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Print Magazines
Remember pitching your story idea to any one of
these magazines will bring your book or product to
the attention of thousands!
Unmuzzled Ox
105 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10013-2331
Frequency: 4 x year
Circulation: 6,000
Editorial Profile: Publication contains poetry, art, and
political articles.
Woodward Magazine
799 Industrial Court
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
Email: info@woodwardmagazine.com
Frequency: 4 x year
Circulation: 26,000
Editorial Profile: Consumer
The Explicator
1319 18th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036-1802
Frequency: 4 x year
Circulation: 1,627
Email: exp@heldref.org
Editorial Profile: Publication is an academic guide to
various interpretations of literary matter; each issue
contains short essays of literary explication.
The Cresset
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Frequency: 7 x year
Circulation: 4,700
Email: cresset@valpo.edu
Editorial Profile: Publication is a review of literature,
the arts, and public affairs.
San Diego Writer's Monthly
3910 Chapman Street
San Diego, CA 92110
Frequency: 1 x month
Circulation: 2,000
Editorial Profile: Publication features fiction, non-
fiction, poetry, and tips for getting published.
Many Mountains Moving
420 22nd Street
Boulder, CO 80302-7909
Frequency: 2 x year
Circulation: 2,250
Email: mmm@mmminc.org
Editorial Profile: Publication contains, poetry, fiction,
nonfiction, and art from all cultures.
Conjunctions
21 East 10th Street
New York, NY 10003
Frequency: 2 x year
Circulation: 7,000
Email: conjunctions@bard.edu
Editorial Profile: Publication contains art, fiction,
poetry, interviews, and essays.
Landing a feature in any one of these magazines
could also add up in sales - so don't procrastinate -
get cracking and call, write, or morse code your news
today!
Online Book Reviewers
We strongly suggest that you DO NOT submit
anything without querying first!
Kathy Boswell
Co-managing Editor
The Best
Reviews
2503 Glendale Lane
Beaufort, SC 29902
e-Mail: boswell@islc.net
Reviewers Categories: E-books; Fiction, General
Romance
Elise Holm
Cloudy
Mountain Books
106 Blake Avenue
Muscle Shoals, AL 35661
Phone: 256-383-7624
row@fictionforest.com
Reviewers Categories: Art, Audiobooks, Books From
Small Presses, Cookbook, Fiction, General, Health,
How-To, Lifestyle, Metaphysical, Romance, Serials,
Spiritual, Women, Psychology/Mental Health,
Biography, Parenting, Thriller/Suspense, Theater,
Politics, Film History
Christian Perring, Ph.D.
Metapsychology
Online Review
c/o Philosophy Dept
Dowling College
Oakdale , NY 11769
Phone: 631-244-3349
metapsychology@mentalhelp.net
Categories: Art, Audiobooks, Books From Small
Presses, Fiction, Gay/Lesbian Fiction, Gay/Lesbian
Non-Fiction, General, Health, Humanities, Literature,
Metaphysical, Mystery, Pop Culture, Sociology,
Women, Young Adult - Children, Psychology/Mental
Health, Biography, Parenting, Comics, Science
Sarah Johnson, Coordinating Editor (USA)
Historica
l Novels Review
Booth Library, Reference Services
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, IL 61920
Phone: 217-581-7538
cfsln@eiu.edu
Reviewers Categories: Australian Books, Books From
Small Presses, Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Sci-
Fi/Fantasy, Thriller/Suspense, Adventure Historical
fiction (pre-1950s setting) and its associated
subgenres: historical mystery, fantasy, religious
fiction, and romance IF history plays a strong role in
story. No e-books. Please query first w/ title, author,
and brief description.
Melanie C. Duncan, Christian Fiction
Columnist
Library Journal
444 Forest Hill Road, #813
Macon, GA 31210
MCDuncan@bookdragonreview.com
Categories: Fiction, Religion Religious fiction only
(hardcover or paperback) of Christian denominations.
Also interested in Jewish, Catholic, Mormon fiction.
Galleys may be sent without a query.
Rachel A
Hyde
2 Meadow Close
Budleigh Salterton, Devon EX9 6JN
rachelahyde@ntlworld.com
Reviewers Categories: Books From Small Presses,
Fiction, Literature, Mystery, Romance, Sci-
Fi/Fantasy, Thriller/Suspense, Adventure, Horror
Jeanette Lambert
Tennessee Tribune
6940 Sunderland Circle
Nashville, TN 37221-4621
Phone: 615-321-3268
jbl96@aol.com
Reviewers Categories: Children's Book, Cookbook,
Fiction, General, How-To, Library, Lifestyle, Mystery,
Non-Fiction, Reference, Sociology, Travel/Hospitality,
Women, Young Adult/Children's, Biography,
Thriller/Suspense, African-American Fiction and
Nonfiction , Self-help, Writing, promotion & publishing,
Education
Diana Pederson
3809 Calvin Drive
Lansing, MI 48911
onlinewriter@ameritech.net
Reviewers Categories: Christian, nature study books
and field guides, gardening books.
Reviews will be posted at one of my online columns
(gardening.bellaonline.com,
houseplants.bellaonline.com or
christianliterature.bellaonline.com) or in Grandiflora
magazine (garden magazine for the Mid-Atlantic
States).
Query via eMail before sending book.
Jade Walker, Editor
Inscriptions
Magazine
500 Seventh Avenue, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10018
e-Mail: Editor@inscriptionsmagazine.com
Reviewers Categories: E-books; Fiction, Non-fiction
Dave Jenkinson
CM/Canadian
Review Materials
Faculty of Education
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2
Phone: 204-474-8780
e-Mail: jenkinson@ms.umanitoba.ca
Categories: Audiobooks; General, Children, Young
Adults
Newspapers
Smaller papers are more apt to getting the news out
about your book or product in front of readers, so
don't leave them out!
Boise Weekly
P.O. Box 1657
Boise, ID 83701-1657
Email: info@boiseweekly.com
Daily Circulation: 25,000
Frequency: 1 x week
Caribou County Sun
169 South 1st Street West
Soda Springs, ID 83276-1501
Daily Circulation: 2,900
Frequency: 1 x week
Idaho Enterprise
P.O. Box 205
Malad City, ID 83252-0205
Daily Circulation: 1,600
Frequency: 1 x week
LatahEagle
P.O. Box 624
Potlatch, ID 83855
Email: lujane@lataheagle.com
Daily Circulation: 3,500
Frequency: 1 x week
Minidoka County News
518 6th Street
Rupert, ID 83350-1621
Daily Circulation: 1,390
Frequency: 1 x week
News-Examiner
847 Washington
Montpelier, ID 83254
Daily Circulation: 2,100
Frequency: 1 x week
Post Falls Press
318 Spokane Street
Post Falls, ID 83854
Daily Circulation: 4,200
Frequency: 7 x week
Teton Valley News
80 East Little Avenue
Driggs, ID 83422
Email: tvnews@tetonvalley.net
Daily Circulation: 2,500
Frequency: 1 x week
Wood River Journal
11 East Bullion
Hailey, ID 83333
Email: wrjidaho@micron.net
Daily Circulation: 12,000
Frequency: 1 x week
Book Stores
Popular Alberta, Canada Independent Bookstores
What many authors may not realize is that you
can call these bookstores, pitch your book, and
ultimately have the owner stock it on the shelf!
Then make sure you post this information on your
website under "available at the following locatiions."
Outlooks Outbooks
Box 439, Suite 100
1039 17th Ave. S.W
Calgary, AB
Ph.403-228-7735
Woman's Place Bookstore
1412 Centre St. S
Calgary, AB T2G 2E4
Tel: 1 403 263-5256
womansplbk@bigfoot.com
University of Calgary Bookstore
2500 University Dr. N.W.
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
P: (403) 220-5936
F: (403) 284-4454
bkstore@ucalgary.ca
Books For You
#36, 6601 - 48 Ave., Duggan Mall
Camrose, AB T4V 3G8
P: (780) 672-1707
F: (780) 672-2967
Café Books
100 - 826 Main St.
Canmore, AB T1W 2B7
P: (403) 678-0908
F: (403) 678-6987
books@monarch.net
University of Alberta Bookstore
166 Student Union Bldg.
Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4
P: (403) 492-9257
F: (403) 492-9256
todd.anderson@ualberta.ca
Greenwoods' Bookshoppe
7925 - 104 St.
Edmonton, AB T6E 4C9
P: (780) 439-2005
F: (780) 433-5774
books@greenwoods.com
The Sentry Box
1835-10th Avenue. S.W.
Calgary, AB T3C 0K2
Canada
Phone: 403-245-2121
Toll-Free: 1-888-220-2121
sentrybox@sentrybox.com
ANNIE'S BOOK COMPANY
912 - 16 Avenue N.W.
Calgary, AB, CANADA T2M 0K3
Tel: (403) 282-1330
annie@anniesbookcompany.ca
Nikki's Book Nook
192 Bernard Dr. NW
Calgary, AB T3K 2B7
CANADA
info@nikkisbooknook.com
Pages Books on Kensington
1135 Kensington Road NW
Calgary, AB T2N 3P4, Canada
Ph. (403) 283-6655
Fax (403) 283-6676
info@pages.ab.ca
Blurbs .. More than a Bookstore
5109B - 50th Avenue
Wetaskiwin, AB T9A 0S5
P: (780) 352-0618
F: (780) 361-5380
blurbsbokstore@yahoo.com
Owl's Nest Books
815A 49th Avenue SW
Calgary, AB T2S 1G8
Tel: (403) 287-9557
Fax: (403) 287-9558
owlsnestbooks@shaw.ca
Contact: Michael Hare or Brenda Mackie
Reader's World Books Ltd
127 Wood Willow Close SW
Calgary, AB T2W 4H2
Tel.: 403-281-0108
Pilgrim Books
110 11 Avenue SW
Calgary, AB T2R 0B8
Tel.: 403-233-2409
Fair's Fair "For Book Lovers" Inc.
#1430, 1609 14 Street SW
Calgary, AB T3C 1E4
Tel: 1 403 245-2778
Audrey's Books Ltd.
10702 Jasper Ave.
Edmonton, AB T5J 3J5
P: (780) 423-3487
F: (780) 425-8446
audrey@audreysbooks.com
Literary Agents
Always query first! DO NOT send materials until
requested.
Browne & Miller Literary Associates
410 S. Michigan Avenue, Suite 460
Chicago, IL 60605
Contact: Danielle Egan-Miller
mail@browneandmiller.com
Alison Bond Literary Agency
155 West 72nd Street
New York, NY 10023
Contact: Alison Bond
alison@bondlit.com
Creative Word Management
19528 Ventura Blvd., #372
Tarzana, CA 91356
Contact: Giselle Springer
cwm@socal.rr.com
Linda Konner Literary Agency
10 West 15th Street Suite 1918
New York, NY 10011
Contact: Linda Konner
ldkonner@cs.com
The Peter Lampack Agency
551 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1613
New York, NY 10176
Contact: Peter Lampack
sandyblanton@verizon.net
Contact: Loren Soeiro
sandyblanton@verizon.net
Bleecker Street Associates
532 La Guardia Place #617
New York, NY 10012
Contact: Agnes Birnbaum
bleeckerst@hotmail.com
Celebrity Contacts
Whether your looking for an autograph, celebrity
endorsement or just interested in communicating with
a star... here's the latest addresses.
Remember: Celebrity endorsements are a good
way to boost book sales or any product for that
matter, so don't be shy about sending out those
requests!
Producers of "Superman Returns" announced
that newcomer Brandon Routh will be the new
Superman. This former IMG model has so far only
appeared in "Will & Grace," "Gilmore Girls" and "Cold
Case." Request an autograph now so you can add this
generation's Superman in your collection!
Brandon Routh
c/o Staff Member
Main Title Entertainment
5225 Wilshire Blvd #500
Los Angeles, CA 90036
USA
Lil' Kim
c/o Mark Cheatham
International Creative Management (ICM-NY)
40 W 57th St
New York, NY 10019
USA
Elisabeth Hasselbeck
c/o Staff Member
The View
320 W 66th St
New York, NY 10023
USA
Christina Applegate
c/o Tami Lynn
Tami Lynn Productions
20411 Chapter Drive
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
Edie Falco
c/o Staff Member
Innovative Artists (NY)
235 Park Ave S Fl 7
New York, NY 10003
USA
Lucy Liu
c/o Maryellen Mulcahy
Framework Entertainment (LA)
9057 Nemo St #C
W Hollywood, CA 90069
USA
UPCOMING CONTESTS & FESTIVALS
Black
Maria Film & Video Festival Looking for Films -
Since 1981, the annual Black Maria Film and Video
festival has been fulfilling its mission to advocate,
exhibit and reward the poetic, expressive and
insightful vision of independent film and video
makers. The festival is known for its national public
exhibition program, which features a variety of bold
contemporary works drawn from the annual collection
of 50 award-winning films and videos. More than 70
institutions welcome the Black Maria Festival, and
each individual program is custom tailored, ensuring
an accessible and meaningful experience for varied
audiences at theaters, museums, colleges, libraries,
film societies, microcinemas and community
organizations from coast to coast. There are no
category restrictions, and the Black Maria is
recognized by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts
and Sciences as an Academy Award qualifying
festival for short animation and live-action films.
January 4 - June 29, 2005
Entry Deadline: November 20, 2004
Nashville
Film Festival (NaFF) will host its 36th
international competition for features, shorts,
documentaries, animation, experimental work, music
videos and young filmmaker videos. The event was
picked by MOVIEMAKER MAGAZINE as one of "20 Film
Festivals Worth The Entry Fee" in its Winter 2004
edition. The festival also features archival screenings,
workshops, panel discussions, music showcases,
vendor and product expo, and guest appearances by
nationally recognized film and video artists. First
prizes in the Short Narrative and Animation categories
qualify the winning films for Academy Award
consideration. The Early Entry Deadline is Oct. 29,
2004, the Regular Entry Deadline is Nov. 19, 2004 and
the Extended Entry Deadline is Dec. 17, 2004
CUCALORUS
FILM FESTIVAL - March 30 - April 3, 2005. Early
deadline: Nov 24, 2004. Final deadline: Dec 24, 2004.
The 11th annual Cucalorus Film Festival seeks
submissions from independent filmmakers. Cucalorus is
a non-competitive showcase of independent
features, shorts and documentaries from around the
world. The festival is held in historic downtown
Wilmington, NC, one of the leading film production
cities in the US. Formats: 35mm, 16mm, various video
formats. Cucaloriland accepts films from all genres. All
entries on VHS(NTSC) must include entry form and
fee, $20 early/$30 late. Please download an entry
form from our Website. Call 910/343-5995 or write
lovely poems and send them to: Cucalorus, PO Box
2763, Wilmington, NC 28402. E-mail:
mail@cucalorus.org
GRASSROO
TS CINEMA - Q: Why enter a film festival? A: To
find distribution and get paid. GC cuts to the chase,
distributing and paying while holding a touring
festival. Rather than play to festivalgoers in Small
Town, USA, we expose your film to the media and the
public in LA, NY, SF and more, garnering the same
exposure big films get. We believe the filmmaker is a
partner and the film is the show, not just a
showcase. Festival tours March - May, 2005. Feature
and Short Film deadlines: January 16, 2005
HBO FILMS
PRESENTS FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER
STUDENT TRAILER COMPETITION - Want to see
your name on a film screen at one of the most
important cultural institutions in the world? Create a
dynamic :45 video trailer showcasing the Film Society
of Lincoln Center's 40-year reputation of exhibiting
cutting-edge, international and independent films and
you could win our student trailer competition. The
winning trailer will be professionally finished by HBO
Films producers and will appear, with the winner's
name credited, before every Film Society screening
at Lincoln Center for two years. The winner also
receives $5,000 and a trip to New York City to see
their trailer premiere at New Directors/New Films in
March 2005. For more information, including entry
forms and official rules, visit our website. ENTRIES
MUST BE RECEIVED BY DEC. 31, 2004
SCRIPTAPAL
OOZA 6TH ANNUAL TELEVISION WRITING
COMPETITION - Scriptapalooza TV, has grown in
reputation and stature over the last three years with
several of its past winners gaining access to top
television production companies and literary
representatives. Barbara Schwartz has won a 2003
Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Children's Animated
for the TV series, Rugrats. Scott Gray, also a 2003
Daytime EMMY winner, for Outstanding Children's
Animated for the TV series, Rugrats. Deadline is
November 15, 2004. We accept existing 1 hour spec
scripts, existing half hour spec scripts and pilots. Visit
our website or e-mail us at info@scriptapalooza.com
or call 323/654-5809
THE
SEDONA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL &
WORKSHOP announces its call for submissions for
the 11th annual festival, March 3-6, 2005. The four-
day festival features more than 125 films, including
features, documentaries, shorts and animation.
Filmmakers and audiences from around the world have
heralded Sedona's festival as one of their favorites.
The deadline for submissions to the Sedona
International Film Festival & Workshop is Dec. 15,
2004. Visit our website to download a film submission
form. For more information, please call the festival
office at 928/282-1177.
THE SHORT
SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL is proud to announce a
Call For Entries for a special event at EXPO 2005 (the
World's Fair) in Aichi, Japan. Short films under 25
minutes, with an environmental theme are eligible to
apply. There is NO ENTRY FEE and no year of
production requirements. For more information, please
visit our website.
THE SWISS
AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL is seven days of the
best New American and Swiss Cinema screened in
Manhattan's finest venues. Dramatic, comedic,
documentary, animated and experimental films are
welcome. The largest U.S. showcase of its kind,
SWISSAM provides Swiss and American filmmakers an
opportunity to screen their work in New York City
from November 5th to November 11th, 2004 at the
Quad Cinema, Anthology Film Archives and the Lincoln
Center. This year, SWISSAM is proud to receive The
Locarno International Film Festival as a special guest.
Don't miss this seven-day opportunity to join us. Log
onto our website to find out more.
JOB LISTINGS
Mandeville Films and Television Feature
Development
Internship Mandeville Films and Television, a
production company at the Disney Studios (currently
producing the hit TV show Monk, as well as the films
BEAUTY SHOP and SHAGGY DOG) is currently looking
for part time interns with an eye for feature film
development.
Location: Burbank, CA
Contact: Only resumes sent as MS Word or .RTF files
will be accepted. Given the high volume of resumes,
we cannot guarantee a reply to each and every
single one of you. Thanks!
Via email: boz@mandfilms.com
Do NOT send resume as text in body of email
This employer will accept your resume as an
attachment
DVD Designer
job description: DVD Designers needed immediately.
Must be proficient with Photoshop. After Effects
experience a plus but not necessary.
Requirements/skills: Must be a California
resident.
No phone calls please.
Email resume / reel to- bryce@b1media.com
or mail to:
B1 Media
11846 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 300
Studio City, CA 91604
Att: Production Manager
Maya Particle Artist
Job description: Cobalt FX is in need of midlevel or
higher Maya particle artist. Ideal candidates should
be extremely knowledgeable of Maya's particle engine
as well as have a broad based understanding of
Maya's underlying fundamentals. Applicants must be
able to perform at a consistently high artistic level in
a fast paced production environment.
Requirements/skills:3D artistic positions require:
2-3 years professional experience preferred.
Maya experience REQUIERD.
MEL scripting background.
Lighting and texturing knowledge a plus.
Mental ray experience a plus.
Experience with Stroika a plus.
Students who can show a high level of capabilities
encouraged. Any applicant who is still in school or
attending class must include a written
recommendation from a professor who has had them
in class or has extensive knowledge of the students
work. Position to be filed ASAP. Qualified applicants
should MAIL their resume, demo reel, on NTSC VHS or
DVD Video and links to any published works to:
Human Resources
Particle - please specify which position you are
applying for.
1750 14th St., Suite E
Santa Monica, CA 90404
*IMPORTANT* Only HARD COPIES of resumes will be
considered for artist positions. However if you wish to
e-mail us your resume in addition to sending a hard
copy via mail you may do so at: hr@cobaltfx.com.
2D Traditional Animator
Job description: We are putting together a new
animation division in the company-looking to see
some new material
Requirements/skills:2D traditional animator-please
have reel to send if requested
Type of contract: freelance
Atlantic Motion
New York, NY USA
email: adam@atlanticmotion.com
Network Programmer
Job description: Castaway Entertainment is looking
for a great problem solver who is both a team player
and self-motivated. This person should be committed
to excellence and be willing to do whatever it takes
to ship a title
Requirements/skills:
Excellence in C/C++
Game engine programming (RPG - Role Playing Games
strongly preferred)
Experience with client-server architecture and TCP/IP
networking
Must have demonstrated ability shipping a PC
title
Experience in any of the following a plus:
Hierarchical Animation Systems
Audio and/or UI Design
AI
Game Balance
Game Scripting Systems
Special Effects
Castaway Entertainment is a video game
development studio founded by a team of animators,
character artists, programmers, level designers,
background artists, producers, and designers who
brought you Diablo and Diablo II. Joined by industry
veterans from the Might and Magic series, the Sims,
and many others, Castaway Entertainment is
dedicated to making games people love to play.
Located in Redwood City, CA USA
email: ethomas@ea.com
HAVE SMILE ON US!
* * * * A MAN'S PERSPECTIVE * * * * *
I know I'm not going to understand women.
I'll never understand how you can take boiling hot
wax, pour it onto your upper thigh, rip the hair out by
the root, and still be afraid of a spider.
* * * * WOMEN'S REVENGE * * * *
"Cash, check or charge?" I asked, after folding items
the woman wished to purchase.
As she fumbled for her wallet I noticed a remote
control for a television set in her purse. "So, do you
always carry your TV remote?" I asked.
"No," she replied, "but my husband refused to come
shopping with me, so I figured this was the most legal
evil thing I could do to him."
* * * * * MARRIAGE SEMINAR * * * * *
While attending a Marriage Seminar dealing with
communication, Tom and his wife Grace listened to
the instructor, "It is essential that husbands and
wives know the things that are important to each
other." He addressed the man,
"Can you describe your wife's favorite flower?" Tom
leaned over, touched his wife's arm gently and
whispered, "It's Pillsbury, isn't it?
The rest of the story gets rather ugly, so we'll stop
right here.
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BLOCKING SPAM
What to do if you don't receive our newsletter.
If ever you should find yourself NOT receiving our
newsletter its probably due to your ISP blocking
Constant Contact, which powers the email
communications I send - considering it SPAM.
We value each and everyone of our subscribers and
hold strictly to a NO SPAM rule, as well as never
sharing nor selling our subscriber list.
However, we should hope you never consider us to
be spam, while at the same time we respect your
decision to opt out.
We do have a safe unsubscribe link at the top and at
the bottom of this newsletter for your convenience.
Although when an ISP begins to block our newsletter
we wait after 3 have not been received then send
out an annoucement. If this should occur, below is a
letter you can send to your ISP. When you receive a
response from your ISP, please forward the response
email to the following address:
ops@constantcontact.com. The Ops Department at
Constant Contact will follow-up with your ISP once
they receive your email.
You may want to print a copy and keep somewhere in
a file and we certainly apologize for any incovenience.
Letter You Can Send to Your ISP
To: ISP Customer Support
Subject: Remove Constant Contact Block
Hello. My name is XXXX and I have been a
customer of your services since XXXX. I understand
that you have a blacklist in place to protect
customers like myself from unsolicited email;
however, this blacklist has made it impossible for me
to receive newsletters, announcements, and
promotions that I have subscribed to receive. I value
these communications and would like to receive them
using this email address.
The sender of these emails uses an email marketing
service called Constant Contact. Constant Contact is
not an open relay and has extremely strict anti-spam
policies in place. Because you block emails from
Constant Contact I am unable to receive these
communications.
I ask that you add Constant Contact to your white
list. For further information about Constant Contact
you may contact the Ops team at Constant Contact -
781.444.6160 ext. 303 or
ops@constantcontact.com.
Technical Notes for your Network Department
- IP: 63.251.135.74
- IP: 63.251.135.75
- IP: 63.251.135.115
- IP: 63.251.135.98
- IP: 63.251.135.103
- IP: 63.251.135.109
- IP: 64.95.77.162
- IP: 64.95.77.163
- IP: 64.95.77.164
- To be notified of changes send email to
ops@roving.com
Please contact me when this problem has been
resolved.
Sincerely,
XXXXXX
Many times you'll find this can be corrected by simply
adding our address to your address book.
BLP's BOOK OF THE MONTH
Crossing the Meadow
by Kfir Luzzatto
"I've often wondered about the journey that we
take when we pass away. Does everything fade
away or do the memories that we've harbored begin
to come to light; causing you to seek answers to
forgotten questions?" Tyrone Banks, author of
The Melting Pot
This book is entertaining and worthy of every second
of your time. Kfir Luzzatto has written a winner!
Get your copy today!
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