Laurel Anne Hill

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Carry the Light! 2012 San Mateo County Fair Writing Contest and Planned Anthology

Literary Arts

ATTENTION ALL WRITERS

300-ToryfinalWe invite you to include your work in our first published collection!

“CARRY THE LIGHT” – THE SAN MATEO COUNTY FAIR LITERARY ANTHOLOGY 2012 will be published by Sand Hill Review Press.

Be part of the 2012 literary anthology and you will be a published author in a 6×9 soft cover trade paperback that will be available for public purchase at the fair, as well as Amazon.com! Every entrant will have at least one piece published; all winning entries will be included, even if a writer has won multiple awards.

NOTE: If you do not wish to be included in this anthology, you must click the designated box on the entry form.

Theme

Carry the Light of 2012 is the published anthology of short story, poetry, essay, and sponsored contest submissions. Themes range from free form poetry to science fiction short stories to personal essays, all of which tell a story. Do you have such a story to share?

Special Note

In exchange for being published by Sand Hill Review Press in a soft cover trade paperback available for public purchase, writers will authorize their work to be printed without compensation, and will retain all ownership rights. Writers are invited to participate in local promotions and book signings.

New this Year

Because we are publishing an anthology, we prefer entries to be submitted in a .doc or .docx file but you will not be excluded if you don’t have access to the Internet. See General Literary Contest Rules for all entry requirements.


Note: We also offer a cover art contest for this anthology in the fine arts dept. PREORDER NOW! A limited number of books will be available during the fair for the special promo price of $10.00 (deadline May 9, 2012). Preorder now on the guidebook entry form or fair website to ensure your copies at the sale price; regular price will be $12.00 plus tax and shipping, and order will take approx 7-10 days.

There will be an Anthology Book Signing Event (day and time tba on our website, you do not need to purchase a book in order to attend.

Carry the Light of 2012 will be available to purchase online at Amazon.com. See similar books at www.amazon.comand www.sandhillreview.org


NOTE: In order to print this book in time, our new entry deadline for all literary entries is April 16, 2012

WATCH THE SAN MATEO COUNTRY FAIR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS:  https://www.sanmateocountyfair.com/contests/departments/literary-arts

 (Note: Under “contests,” click on “general entry form” or “online entry.”  The fee for each writing entry is $10, except in the case of youths entering special contests for youths, for which the entry fee is $1.  The additional $4 processing fee per entry does not apply for online entries.)

So enter and get published.  You DO NOT need to live in San Mateo County to enter.  Entries from all areas are welcome, inside AND outside of California.

Laurel Anne Hill  (http://www.laurelannehill.com)

 

 

 

 

 

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Land Mine Clearance Technology Rolls Along

Here’s a link to my latest podcast, “Land Mine Clearance Technology Rolls Along.”

http://laurelannehill.libsyn.com/webpage/landmine-clearance-technology-rolls-along 

 

In this thirteen-minute podcast, I share my experiences as I sought information about the “Mine Kafon,” a wind-powered device for potential use in clearing hidden, unexploded land mines.  The Mine Kafon, created by Massoud Hassani, recently won a London Design Museum Award nomination.  Final winners will be announced in April 2012.  Hassani was born in Afghanistan, which currently has over ten million hidden, unexploded land mines.

For more information about the Mine Kafon, visit Hassani’s blog site, http://minekafon.blogspot.com .  For additional information about other land mine clearance technologies in recent years, go to the links posted on http://www.mindsclearinglandmines.org .

Warm wishes,

Laurel Anne Hill  (Author of “Heroes Arise”)
http://www.laurelannehill.com

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Podcast/Writing Contest for Women Who Write Horror or Aspire to Write Horror

2012 WWW Challenge:  Horror Takes No Holidays
Attention Wicked Women Writers (WWW).  Are you ready to help horror take over a holiday? Below are the details for the 2012 WWW Challenge. 

What is the WWW Challenge?
A challenge to all women horror writers, published or unpublished.  To listen to the stories submitted during the 2011 WWW Challenge, go to http://wickedwomenwriters.wordpress.com/www-2011/.

2012 Theme:
Horror Takes No Holidays

What are the guidelines?
Each entrant will be given: 
1.) A holiday
2.) A place
3.) An object
 
Entrants are then to write and record (or have another person record) a horror story about said holiday containing the other two elements. Whoever the fans vote the winner will receive the most coveted “Most Wicked 2012” award. As always, one lucky listener (voter) will win prizes from each of the entrants.  Entrants can provide prizes ranging from a free book, free e-book, promotional gifts, to a simple letter thanking the voter for participating.

Story Specifications:
Podcasted stories between 15-35 minutes long (approx. 1500- 3500 words) in .mp3 format.  If you need help on how to record your story, the www-facebook group is a wealth of information and the gals are always happy to explain how it works.  Remember to take 30 seconds after the story to tell the listeners how they can find more of your writing.  (Example:  “Thank you for listening to the WWW Challenge.  Remember to vote for your favorite story.  To read or listen to more of my work, go to www.____ or join me on Facebook.com/_________.)

To Sign up to Participate: 
1.) Email wwwchallenge2012@gmail.com by April 15, 2012.  Send your entrant information (see below) in the body of that email.  Then Laurel Anne Hill will email you a contract.

Entrant Information: 
Name: 
Email:
Website (or blog if  you have no website):
Skype Name (if you have one):
Publications? Or first time writer?
 
2.)  Return signed contract, a short bio (50 words or less) and your headshot towwwchallenge2012@gmail.com by May 1, 2012.
 
3.)  Laurel Anne Hill will email Holiday/place/object assignments to entrants approximately May 1, 2012.

Podcasted story audio will be due:
July 1, 2012

Other Story Dates: 
August 11, 2012:  WWW will air and voting starts.
September 13, 2012:  Voting will end.
October 6, 2012: Winner will be announced on the HorrorAddicts.net show.
 
Remember to be Wicked!

Laurel Anne Hill (Most Wicked 2011)

 

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Ask Doctor Fortune (One author’s answer to navigating the uncertain world of writing and publishing)

Ever ponder whether your novel, short story or nonfiction piece would be accepted for publication?  Or if your next project at work would shine or flop?  Well, enlightenment is available.  All you have to do is ask “Doctor Fortune.”

Listen to my ten-minute podcast to learn the details.  Go to:  

Ask Doctor Fortune mp3

Warm wishes,

Laurel Anne Hill  (Author of “Heroes Arise”)
http://www.laurelannehill.com 

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Steampunk Laptop Computer (Gestational Stage One: The Prototype)

Testing the red mahogany stain

Okay, I did it.  Totally went over the top as 2011 drew to a close.  I ordered an amazing piece of functional art I couldn’t afford.  Oh, but I’m so glad I did.  In this era of iPhones and iPads — neither of which I own — the time had arrived to assert my passion for yesteryear’s technology.  Thus, I contacted artist Richard “Doc” Nagy of Datamancer and put in my request for a steampunk laptop computer: a state-of-the-art electronic marvel in a masterpiece case of wood, brass and clockwork.  Doesn’t everyone want a laptop that turns on by using the equivalent of an old-fashioned skate key?

So now, my “steampunk baby” has entered gestational stage one — the prototype.  I just received photos of Nagy’s red mahogany stain test on a prototype frame.  Check out the Datamancer website (http://www.datamancer.net) to view a picture of the steampunk laptop he created several years ago.  Cool!

Happy New Year!

Laurel Anne Hill  (Author of Heroes Arise)
http://www.laurelannehill.com