Traveling Mamas Anthology

Traveling Mamas is looking for true, funny and heartwarming stories for an upcoming anthology on travel. Despite the name, contributors do not need to be mothers.

Submissions should be between 300 and 1,000 words and potential subjects include family travel, romantic trips, girly getaways and even traveling on your own. Some reprints may be acceptable. More than one submission per person is acceptable, and payment is $50 upon publication as well as a copy of the anthology.

The deadline for entries is midnight on 1 September, and full guidelines can be found here.

Good luck!

CBI National Conference 2008

Anyone interested in children's books, either reading them or writing them, might want to look into Children's Books Ireland's National Conference.

This two day event will take place on 24 and 25 May (Saturday and Sunday) at Pearse St. Library, Dublin 2. This year's theme is "Voices In Children's Books". Speakers will include Robert Dunbar, Julia Eccleshare, Tim Bowler, Mary Finn and more.

Places are filling up fast, so book quickly by calling 01 872 7475. The cost is €100 for non-members for both days (€90 for members), or €50 for non-members for one day (€40 for members).

The full timetable is available here.

Have fun!

The Hourglass Readings at the Irish Writers' Centre

A new series of fortnightly readings is kicking off at the Irish Writers' Centre. Dubbed "The Hourglass Readings" they have been organised by novelist and poet Dermot Bolger and will take place at the Centre (19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1). All readings will begin at 7pm.

The line-up so far is spectacular. On 20 May Jennifer Johnston is reading, followed by Roddy Doyle on 3 June and Colm Tóibín on 17 June. Joseph O’Connor will take his turn on 1 July followed by Claire Kilroy on 15 July and Glenn Patterson on 29 July. The series will continue on into the Autumn with authors such as Anne Enright already scheduled.

Tickets are only €5 for each evening, or €25 for all six when purchased together. Tickets can be purchased up to two weeks prior to the reading by calling 01 872 1302.

Have fun!

More Markets

Freelancing in Ireland can be tough because markets in this country are limited. Expanding beyond our borders is one option that I have taken to nicely. However, then there comes the slight problem that there aren't many people to chat to about new markets, inside tips for existing markets, etc. I'm hoping to rectify that soon by organising a freelance writer's group, but there are two sites that I also find particularly helpful for a little more market information about American publications.

The Renegade Writer Markets Wiki is a great resource that (like all wikis) allows readers to enter the most up to date information that they have about their favourite markets. There's info on here on everything from The Engravers Journal to Swimming Times magazine. Just having a quick browse can be enough to get a few ideas flowing.

MediaBistro is one of those "everything but the kitchen sink" sites for writers, but only once I became an AvantGuild member did I realise it's true value. Several sections of their subscription content, including How to Pitch, Pitches that Worked, Editorial Calendar Guides and Mastheads, have helped me find out more about publications and feel confident in sending in queries. I would highly recommend it to writers looking to expand. One year membership is about $50/€30.

As much as I love these two resources, I still advise that writers due their homework and confirm all information before acting on it. However, I can tell you that I have landed assignments with the help of information from each of these sites, so it's definitely worth it to browse around when you have some free time.

Good luck!

Girls Write Now In New York

I love this story: With Mentors at Their Sides, Girls in Need Write Their Stories and Find New Lives.

I wish I had the faintest idea how to start a mentoring programme similar to Girls Write Now here in Dublin.

Digital Magazines at Barnes & Noble

Fabulous freelancer Dinsa Sachan has just let me know that the American bookstore chain Barnes & Noble are now offering digital downloads of select single issues of some popular magazine titles.

This is great news for those of us who want to break into new markets but can't do any research if the titles aren't in our newsagents. Plus, given the current exchange rate, the issues are definitely going to cost less than that tepid cup of tea that you'll read them with.

And if you stumble on something you love, check to see if you can get a digital subscription.

Have fun!

Freelance Writing Jobs

If you haven't stopped by Deborah Ng's Freelance Writing Jobs for the daily round-ups of, em, freelance writing jobs then you need to visit immediately.

Not only are there some great job leads on weekdays, but there are weekend "Link Love" posts that offer links to fantastic writer resources and a whole heap of guest posts that get to the heart of the writing life.

Two guest posts that I've recently enjoyed were Confessions of a Cofeehouse Writer by Rhonda Franz (it really is ok to write in coffee shops! honest!) and Five Ways to Boost Your Writing with Social Bookmarking by none other than Susan Johnston, The Urban Muse.

Have fun!