Monday, September 7, 2015

Anthology, Millionaire Wills,

On September 2, our fearless leader, and the man who's brainchild was IWSG, Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavenaugh, posted the following exciting announcement:

Today marks four years since the group began and two years since we opened the website. So what better way to celebrate than offer our members an amazing opportunity! Presenting…

The IWSG Short Story Contest 2015

After the success of last year’s IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond, we decided to create another book. This time it’s a short story competition with the top ten stories getting published in an anthology. (Authors will also receive royalties on sales.) 

Eligibility: Any member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group is encouraged to enter – blogging or Facebookmember. The story must be previously unpublished. Entry is free. 

Word count: 5000-6000

Theme: Alternate History/Parallel Universe. That’s right, we’ve decided to go the speculative route. This theme has plenty of scope and we’re open to pretty much anything along these lines, except erotica or graphic violence. 

Story deadline: November 1st 2015

How to enter: Send your polished, formatted, previously unpublished story to TheIWSG at gmail dot com before the deadline passes. Make sure to include your contact details. 

Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges: 
Laura Maisano - Senior editor at Anaiah Press for their YA/NA Christian fiction
Russell Connor – Author and owner of Dark Filament Publishing Startup
Candace Havens – Editorial Director for the Covet, Select, Select Otherworld, Select Historical, Embrace, Indulgence for Entangled Publishing. She is also a nationally syndicated columnist and award-winning and best-selling author. 
Dawn Frederick – Literary agent and the founder of Red Sofa Literary
Alice Speilburg – Founder of the Speilburg Literary Agency
Michelle Johnson – Literary agent and the founder of Inklings Literary Agency
Kendare Blake - Author
Lydia Moëd - Associate agent at The Rights Factory

Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title. The winners will also receive an exclusive badge to display on their blog. 

Makes me wish I was a writer. I once co-operated on a short story and that is the extent of my writing career. What a line up of judges. Most impressive.

Read an article on Sunday morning about a millionaire leaving $100,000 to her 32 cockatiels to pay for their care. She has asked that they be cared for in her home. Another woman left $12 million to her dog but nothing to her grandkids. The judge pared this down to $2 million. Sorry, I don't think the judge should be able to do this. I am not saying I agree with leaving all that money for the care of your animals, but it's your money and if that is your wish, that wish should be followed. Don't you agree?

The author of The Bookseller, Mark Pryor, has a blog, D.A. Confidential, I have just discovered. And his latest is funny. He is intending to run for President and states his platform therein. Do read it. Gives a lighter side to the interminable US political machine, especially at election time.

Salmon is, of course, a very popular fish. This is a recipe from the New York Times.

Salmon Roasted In Butter

  • Yield 4 to 6 servings
 

  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
  • 4 tablespoons minced chervil, parsley or dill
  • 1 salmon fillet, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Lemon wedges

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Place the butter and half the herb in a roasting pan just large enough to fit the salmon and place it in the oven. Heat about 5 minutes, until the butter melts and the herb begins to sizzle.
  2. Add the salmon to the pan, skin side up. Roast 4 minutes. Remove from the oven, then peel the skin off. (If the skin does not lift right off, cook 2 minutes longer.) Sprinkle with salt and pepper and turn the fillet over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper again.
  3. Roast 3 to 5 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the fillet and the degree of doneness you prefer. Cut into serving portions, spoon a little of the butter over each and garnish with the remaining herb. Serve with lemon wedges.

Have a great day
 

28 comments:

  1. I'm definitely excited about the short story contest! I just started working on my entry. I don't know how it will turn out, but I have to try. Thanks for helping to spread the word! This contest deserves all the amazing entries it can get!

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    1. I think it is a wonderful contest L.G. and I too hope it will get lots of entries.

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  2. If enough people contest a Will and can show that they did stuff for the deceased, the judge will often reach some kind of compromise as to the estate. I don't know the details of the case you noted above but I suspect that's what happened.

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    1. I didn't know that JoJo. I always assumed if someone made a will, that is what was done.

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  3. That's the best way to prepare salmon.

    Where did that other 10 million go if not to the dog?

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    1. I have no idea Diane. Presumably to the family, there were two grandsons I believe.

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  4. I didn't know you collaborated on a short story before. That's fantastic. We're both big fans of that kind of writing.

    And this is pretty similar to how I make my own salmon, but I like to put some balsamic truffle vinaigrette and some smoked sea salt over it before I cook it. Really kicks up the flavor.

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    1. It was basically my only attempt though Bryan.

      Balsamic truffle vinaigrette - we really are gourmet here. Sounds good. Will visit next time you do some. Had an Irish friend who had lived in the east, moved back to Cyprus and used to always cook her salmon in the microwave in summer along with anything else she needed to cook in summer.

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    2. Salmon in the microwave? That's culinary blasphemy! Oh well, I guess it's not any worse than cooking your salmon in the dishwasher.

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    3. Actually, poaching is one of the best ways of cooking salmon Bryan, and poaching in the microwave is easy to do. I have heard of cooking it in a dishwasher too, must admit it sounds odd but.......

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  5. Well I'll just have to add both the chicken cacciatore and the salmon recipe to my list of things I need to make in the near future. Both sound positively delicious!

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  6. Tasty!
    Thanks for plugging the anthology contest. This is going to be epic.

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    1. Yes.

      You're welcome Alex. I agree it will be epic.

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  7. I agree that's it's crazy to leave money to pets but I also agree with you that you should be able to do with it what you want. I have to check out Mark's blog. I love his books.

    Susan Says

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    1. With you there Susan.

      Yes, his books are great.

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  8. I had heard about the parrots and if she wants to do this, let her! It's her money and she is wanting her animals to be cared for because they give her tons of love and pleasure. I say the same with the dog and I don't think it should have been overturned. We do not know the whole story and it could be that her grandchildren never visited her. They could have been spoiled rotten and she felt they have too much anyway. I may not want to give all my money to my animals but I would want to make sure animals are being protected. I would make sure the animals get the care before some executive's pockets gets it. I make my salmon this way basically and find it tastes the best

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    1. I think so too Birgit. Mind you I tend to think it's a crime to leave $12 million to a dog, but... trouble is, the do can't make a will so then what happens to the money, only just thought of that.

      Delicious.

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  9. The IWSG contest is such a neat opportunity for writers. I wish I knew how to write short stories. Don't have anything I could submit...

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    1. I think it's great too Melissa. I would have thought you could write a short story, you are a good writer after all.

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  10. Leaving 12 million dollars to a dog doesn't sound like something a person in their right mind would do. Definitely leave enough for the care of your dog but if she disliked her grand kids that much she could have given the money to charity. The judge must have deemed her to be a bit mad.

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    1. I agree Pinky, but it was still her money. I agree, to have given some of it to charity would have been better.

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  11. The fish looks killer. I miss having good fish, near by.

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    1. Fish is better than it used to be here Ivy. Still not like it used to be when we lived in NC or even in the UK.

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  12. That salmon dish looks great, thanks for sharing.

    All the best Jan

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  13. Family can contest a will and depending on the lawyers it can go either way. The fights cam dramatic and last years and years and years. I think animals should be cared for, but she'd have had less of an argument if she'd have given them something. It's a shame, maybe setting these things up while still alive is better. A trust for the animals and then give it all away before you're gone. Leave those behind with nothing to inherit or file a lawsuit over.

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    1. Yes, I know they can, just didn't occur to me that such a drastic change could be made Yolanda. I agree, if she had set it all up before she went it would have been better.

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