Leigh Michaels

Leigh Michael’s Writing Between the Sexes Class

I just spoke with author Leigh Michaels about a conference she spoke at a year ago where she talked about the differences between how men and women think. She gives a great talk and I’d recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity to attend. She said she’s offering another Writing Between the Sexes seminar next month for the FFP chapter of RWA, and maybe later in the year for Carolina Writers online. There’s a link to the first one on the homepage of her website.

I contacted Leigh because of CNN article by Louann Brizendine where she discusses how the male brain works.

Chase The Dream Contest

The third annual CHASE THE DREAM contest will officially kick off on January 1, 2010. Once again, author Rachelle Chase (www.rachellechase.com) and Leigh Michaels are teaming up to offer what may be one of the best contests in the romance-writing world.

Details about rules and prizes and how to enter are on the contest website at http://chasethedreamcontest.wordpress.com/

But here’s the short (unofficial) version: Enter the first 1,000 words of a romance novel (or novel with a romantic theme). Each week Rachelle chooses a finalist; each week author Leigh Michaels of Harlequin Romance fame will choose a non-winning entry to receive a mini-critique.

The eight finaling entries will all be reviewed by a panel of editors and agents. (This year’s agents and editors include Alex Logan of Grand Central Publishing; Deb Werksman of Sourcebooks; Theresa Stevens of Red Sage Publishing; Susan Swinwood of Harlequin/Mira/Spice; Esi Sogah of Avon Books; Kelli Martin of Kumani Press; Christine Witthohn of Book Cents Literary Agency, and Laura Bradford of Bradford Literary Agency — with more to be announced.)

No promises about what might happen this year, but in previous contests, many finalists have received offers of agent representation and requests for full manuscripts, and several have been published as a result of entering CHASE THE DREAM. (See my friend Jeannie Lin’s story on her blog, All That You Desire.)

The contest is free, and they have great prizes — including a free class donated by Gotham Writers Workshop, manuscript critiques, books, and other goodies. Check it out — and polish up the first 1,000 words of YOUR book to enter!