Easter 2025

I'm praying you are able to find the meaning and time you need in your life this week.

I hope you are all able to enjoy some much-needed time of relaxation, fun, and love this weekend as well.

Looking for a great Easter read? Check out This Easter Reading List.

For a little Easter writing inspiration, check out one of my former posts 4 Easter Inspired Prompts, or this list I came across: Easter Journal Prompts.

Do you celebrate Easter? How are you celebrating this season? Have you tried writing anything Easter inspired, or similar to the above prompts? Do you want to share anything that you have felt pulling at your heart lately?

2025 National Library Week

It's the annual National Library Week (April 6 - 12, 2024) in America. This is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries and library workers and to promote library use and support. The first National Library Week was observed in 1958 with the theme "Wake Up and Read!"

From free access to books and online resources for families to library business centers that help support entrepreneurship and retraining, libraries offer opportunity to all. The theme for National Library Week 2025 is "Drawn to the Library". It illustrates the fact that whatever draws you in, the library has something for everyone.

Libraries are full of stories in a variety of formats from picture books to large print, audiobooks to ebooks, and more. But there's so much more to the story. Libraries lend items like museum passes, games, musical instruments, and tools. Library programming brings communities together for entertainment, education, and connection through book clubs, story times, movie nights, crafting classes, and lectures. Library infrastructure advances communities, providing internet and technology access, literacy skills, and support for businesses, job seekers, and entrepreneurs. National Library Week 2024 will be a great time to tell your library’s multi-faceted story.

Award-winning author and illustrator Raina Telgemeier and cartoonist and comic theorist Scott McCloud have been selected Honorary Chairs of National Library Week 2025.

Telgemeier and McCloud have partnered to create a one-of-a-kind graphic novel, The Cartoonists Club, coming from Scholastic’s Graphix imprint on April 1, 2025.

Their book tells the story of Makayla, who is bursting with ideas but doesn’t know how to make them into a story, and Howard, who loves to draw but struggles to come up with ideas. These two new friends, shy Lynda and inventive Art, come together to form The Cartoonists Club. Their beloved school librarian helps them discover the magic of comics, imagination, and their own storytelling powers. The result is a book where friendship is a work of art.

Celebration Days During National Library Week

Monday, April 7: Right to Read Day, a day for readers, advocates, and library lovers to take action to protect, defend, and celebrate the right to read. The American Library Association (ALA) kicks off National Library Week with the release of its State of America's Libraries Report, including the list of Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2023.

Tuesday, April 8: National Library Workers Day, a day for library staff, users, administrators, and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers.

Wednesday, April 9: National Library Outreach Day (formerly National Bookmobile Day), a day to celebrate library outreach and the dedicated library professionals who are meeting their patrons where they are.

Thursday, April 10: Take Action for Libraries Day, a day to rally advocates to support libraries.

For more ways to celebrate, visit: http://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks/natlibraryweek

- First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and observed in libraries across the country each April. All types of libraries - school, public, academic and special - participate.

Most writers and readers adore their local libraries, and it's often an included vacation locale. However, many don't realize the full range of services a good library offers. For great examples, check out this article at The Write Life.

Do you celebrate this event? What is your favorite aspect of libraries?

IWSG: Fantasy Characters - Morgan le Fay

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

APRIL QUESTION - What fantasy character would you like to fight, go on a quest with, or have a beer/glass of wine with?

MY ANSWER - Morgan le Fay - Queen of the Faeries, enchantress, and Lady of Avalon - maybe best known from the Arthurian legends (King Arthur's possible half-sister). She also appears in "Sir Gawain and Green Night", Shakespeare, Harry Potter, various Marvel comics, the "Magic Tree House" series, The Librarians, Trollhunters, and more. She is often depicted as either a benevolent sorceress, or a villainous fairy queen.

How about you? What fantasy character would you like to fight, go on a quest with, or have a beer/glass of wine with?

A Hint of Romance

Today, we are visited by award winning author Pamela S. Thibodeaux and reviewing her new release: a collection of short stories published under the title A Hint of Romance.

Whether married or looking for another chance at romance, love is always in the air for these couples…

Twin Flames: Twins, Raymond and Raelee MacFarland have spent a couple of years and a ton of money turning the property they inherited from their uncle into a small guest ranch, rebuilding their lives after her husband runs off with his wife. Will they succeed and perhaps, get a second chance at love?

Like a Rock: Macey finds herself at a crossroads when her and Jerry’s youngest child leaves for college. Will their love survive midlife crisis and empty nest syndrome? 

The Big Catch: Karla and, the love of her life, Jeff, have uncovered some uncommon ground: The Great Outdoors. For the life of her, she does not understand his love of fishing and how he can spend so much time doing so. Will she come to love the sport as much as he or will his passion for a rod and reel tangle up their relationship?

A Hero for Jessica: Anthony Paul Seville is known as the ‘most eligible bachelor’ in New Orleans, possibly even the entire state of Louisiana, but finds himself alone—completely and explicitly alone. Jessica Aucoin is a writer on her way to fame and fortune but is haunted by a man from her past. Will the “champion” lawyer and the author of romantic suspense find love written in their future?

In His Sight: Grade schoolteacher Carson Alexander has a gift—a gift that has driven a wedge between him and his family. Worse, it’s put him at odds with God. Feeling alone and misunderstood, Carson views God’s gift of prophecy as the worst kind of curse…that is until he meets Lorelei Conner, landscape artist extraordinaire, and perhaps the one person who may need Carson and his gift more than anyone ever has. Lorelei Connor is a mother on the run. Her abusive ex-husband has followed her all over the country trying to steal their daughter. Distrusting of men and needing to keep on the move, she’s surprised by her desire to remain close to Carson Alexander. Through her fear and hesitation, she must learn to rely on God to guide her—not an easy task when He’s prompting her to trust a man. Can their relationship withstand the tragedy lurking on the horizon?

Review of Love: Jason Stockwell has been commissioned to interview Kylie Erickson and to review her books. The only problem is, she won’t give the time of day much less an interview to someone whose type of writing she deems not worthy of respect. Can they suspend their judgmental attitudes and find true love?

Paper Roses: Widowed eleven years, Patti Howard has found herself enamored with her son’s football coach. Will a homecoming tradition give them a chance at romance?

Journey’s End: Ellie Thibaudeau’s travelling days ended when she bore a daughter who, in turn, left a granddaughter to be reared in the small town of Wellington, Florida. With retirement on the horizon will her dream of seeing the world come true with a new man or will she be resigned to staying put and live vicariously through her Angel Girl, Callyn?

Soul Mates Jolie LeBlanc has used her Masters in Archeology and Minor in Anthropology to study the paranormal all over the world and ends up on five acres of land supposedly haunted by the famed pirate, Jean Lafitte. Will she and her soul mate will reconnect once again or will she live another lifetime without him?

Why I Wrote These Stories: As a novel writer, short stories are a welcome diversion, but also a challenge. To tell a complete story in so few words can sometimes frustrate one who thrives on the detail and description found in a novel. Some of these were written with a particular women’s magazine in mind. Others were for the publisher I was with earlier in my career who listed them for free through the website or for 99cents at Amazon. ALL were written for fun and the experience. A friend of mine said I write excellent short stories. I hope I’ve done well enough in these to entice you to want to read my longer works.

Keyword/Tags: inspirational short stories, christian fiction, supernatural elements, paranormal elements, prophetic tendencies, prophecy, reincarnation, romantic suspense, later in life romance, after life, magic, leprachauns, Irishman, romance and fishing, outdoor romance, married romance, women's fiction

Bio: Pamela S Thibodeaux is a native of SWLA and is the Co-Founder of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles. She is an award-winning author, life coach and mentor. Her tagline, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ defines her life, writing, and coaching style.

Find Pam at the sites listed on LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/pamelasthibodeauxauthor Sign up to receive her newsletter and get access to a free short story!

If you enjoyed hearing about A Hint of Romance, get Pam's brand new collection, A Hint of Holiday Romance at the introductory price of $2.99 but hurry, the #sale ends March 25th!  https://amzn.to/4iiS4G2 

Pamela S Thibodeaux

"Inspirational with an Edge!" (tm)

Website: http://pamelathibodeaux.com

Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com

Sign up to Receive my Newsletter and get a FREE short story!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

March 17 is the traditional day to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Some of the best-known celebrations in the United States include Walt Disney World's Raglan Road experience, Chicago River Dyeing, and parades in New York.

If you're interested in participating in some St. Patrick's Day fun, but not quite sure how or where near you, check out this article I shared a couple of years ago: Irish Classics, Prompts, and Party Tips.

Feeling Lucky? Check out the post about where I and a few other writers get their inspiration: https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2022/03/feeling-lucky.html

Some additional educational and fun holiday ideas include:

• Streaming Irish jigs and songs.
• Watching traditional Irish dance on YouTube or chrome cast to your TV.
• Adding green food dye to your short bread cookie recipes.
• Sewing or gluing crazy Green Irish hats, ties or belts using felt, ribbons, or fabrics.
• Cooking Irish Stew, scones and clotted cream or butter from scratch or from cans. 
• Telling Irish fables about leprechauns, rainbows, pots of gold, or gnomes.
• Reminding your children about the “kiss of the blarney” and the folkloric tradition known today as “the gift of the gab”.
• Research the real St. Patrick.

How about you? Are you celebrating St. Patrick's Day? How are you spending this time?

2025 A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal

Don't forget to join the "A to Z" blog hop and post your theme reveal this week! 

I thought about joining again this year, but I've just taken on too many responsibilities at the moment and I'm not certain I'll be around to post each day, let alone have time to visit all of the blogs each day. I do plan to stop by and visit as possible. I just know it will be difficult to dedicate a lot of time over the next two months.

Best of luck to all who are participating. I look forward to visiting as possible.

To learn more about this challenge, or what you can expect to see this April, be sure to follow their website http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/ 

Theme reveal sign up: March 9 - 15
Master list opens: March 24
Master list closes: April 5
After-survey: May 1-8
Reflections: May 3-8
Road-trip: May 10

Have you ever participated in this challenge? Will you be taking part this year? What other hops or challenges do you enjoy?

IWSG: Anyone or Anything - Shakespeare, Lewis, or Christie

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

MARCH QUESTION - If, for one day, you could be anyone or *thing* in the world, what would it be? Describe, tell why, and any themes, goals, or values they/it inspire in you.

MY ANSWER - The first three that come to mind would be William Shakespeare, C.S. Lewis, or Agatha Christie. I would choose Shakespeare or Lewis for the gender, cultural, literary, and even historical experience and Christie for similar reasons. However, beyond that would also be the group experience. These authors were a part of an artistic community that I don't believe we see on this scale except at conferences and conventions today. It would be amazing to have regular access to LIVE discussions among artists both of similar and varying backgrounds, genres, and views. While it's possible to achieve this online. Many of us rarely get to experience this type of immersive discussions frequently. I would love to do this more regularly.

2025 A to Z Challenge and Other Blog Hops

It's almost time for the 15th annual "A to Z" blogging challenge. Most repeat participants have already begun planning their posts for this April and will soon be posting theme reveals. Are there any themes you would particularly care to see, or learn about in April?

Sign-ups usually begin in March.  Followed by a schedule similar to below:

Theme reveal sign up: March 9 - 15
Master list opens: March 24
Master list closes: April 5
After-survey: May 1-8
Reflections: May 3-8
Road-trip: May 10

To learn more about this challenge, or what you can expect to see this April, be sure to follow their website http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/ 

Have you ever participated in this challenge? Will you be taking part this year? What other hops or challenges do you enjoy?

12 Submission Deadlines Fast Approaching

12 Submission Deadlines over the next month. 

1. Deadline: February 27, 2025 - Entries are now being accepted for the 2025 Next Generation Short Story Awards, a not-for-profit international awards program for authors of short stories. The Short Story Awards offers 30+ categories to choose from and accepts original, unpublished stories (5000 words or less) written in English by authors in the U.S., Canada, or internationally. Take advantage of this exciting opportunity to have your story considered for 30+ cash prizes, gold medals, complimentary gold digital stickers, literary exposure and recognition as one of the top stories of the year! Winners in each of the 30+ categories will have their story published in an annual Anthology of Winners (you maintain copyright) and will receive a complimentary copy of the Anthology of Winners. Three Finalists in each of the 30+ categories will have their author name and story title mentioned in the Anthology of Winners. Three Grand Prize Winners selected from all entries will be invited to attend the Next Generation Indie Book Awards annual gala. Enter today at www.ShortStoryAwards.com. 

2. WRITING MAGAZINE NEW YEAR PROMPT COMPETITION - https://www.writers-online.co.uk/writing-competitions/free-to-enter-new-year-new-you NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 28, 2025. To get your new year off to a flying start, you could win a cash prize and publication by entering stories up to 800 words about someone who resolves to make a change in the year ahead. The winner will receive £150 and online publication.

3. 2025 ESSAY COMPETITION - https://www.sejongculturalsociety.org/writing/current/essay.php NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 28, 2025. Divisions: adult (age 19 - 30 years), senior (grade 9th - 12th), and junior (grade 8th and younger). Essays must not exceed 1,000 words in length. Each division has a topic. One entry per category per contestant is permitted. Adult division: First ($1,000), Second ($750), Third ($500). Senior division: First ($500), Second ($400), Third ($300). Junior division: First ($300), Second ($200), Third ($100). Honorable mention (for all divisions listed above): Friends of Pacific Rim Awards ($50 each). Winners' works may be published in the Korea Times Chicago or the Korean Quarterly or Azalea: A Journal of Korean Literature and Culture.

4. 2025 SIJO COMPETITION - https://www.sejongculturalsociety.org/writing/current/sijo.php NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 28, 2025. Divisions: adult division (age 19 and older) and pre-college division (age 18 and younger). Adult division: First ($1,000), Second ($750), Third ($500). Pre-college division: First ($500), Second ($400), Third ($300). Honorable mention (for both divisions listed above): ($50 each). Competition winners may be announced in AZALEA: Journal of Korean Literature and Culture, published by the Korea Institute at Harvard University. Contestants are permitted one sijo entry.

5. DIANA WOODS MEMORIAL AWARD FOR NONFICTION - https://lunchticket.org/contests/dwm/ Reading period month of February. Creative nonfiction authors are invited to submit work of up to 3,500 words on the subject of their choice to be considered for the Diana Woods Memorial Award in creative nonfiction. Winners will receive $250 and their work will be featured in the next issue of Lunch Ticket. Each award recipient must submit a 100-word biography, current photo, and send a brief note of thanks to the Woods family.

 6. IMAGINE LITTLE TOKYO SHORT STORY CONTEST - https://www.littletokyohs.org/imagine-2024 Deadline February 28, 2025. The story must be original, fictional, written in either Japanese or English by the submitting author and never been published (even online). Submitted manuscript should be 2,500 words or less for English or 5,000 ji or less for Japanese and have a title. If your submitted short story wins first place for the Youth, English Language or Japanese Language categories, you will receive a monetary prize of $500 after providing an e-mail of acceptance and biographical information for publication purposes.

7. TORONTO STAR SHORT STORY CONTEST - https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/01/03/3004034/0/en/Toronto-Star-and-Toronto-Public-Library-Launch-2025-Short-Story-Contest.html. NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 26, 2025. Open to Ontario residents 16 years of age or older. One of the biggest prizes in Canada for a short story contest, with the first-place winner receiving $5,000. In addition to seeing their story in the largest newspaper and on one of the most-visited websites in Canada, the winner also gets to study with some of the country’s best creative writing teachers. Part of the top prize includes the tuition fee for one of two programs at the Humber School for Writers, either the Creative Writing Graduate program, which has an approximate retail value of $3,895, or the Summer Workshop in Creative Writing, valued at $1,665. The second-place winner receives a cash prize of $2,000 and the third-place winner will be awarded $1,000. All three winners will be selected by a distinguished panel of judges.

8. WATERMAN FUND ESSAY CONTEST - https://www.watermanfund.org/essay-contest/enter-essay-contest/ NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2025. Since 2008, Appalachia, the mountaineering and conservation journal published by the Appalachian Mountain Club, and the Waterman Fund have joined to sponsor an annual essay contest for emerging writers. Writers who have not published a major work Contestof fiction or narrative nonfiction on topics of wilderness, wildness, or the ethics and ecology of environmental issues are eligible. The Waterman Fund provides generous prize money of $3,000 for the first-place essay selection and $1,000 for a runner-up. Submissions should be 2000-3000 words.  

9. PILGRIMAGES – 2025 TRAVEL WRITING COMPETITION - https://intrepidtimes.com/pilgrimages-2025-travel-writing-competition-now-open/ NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2025. Intrepid Times is inviting writers to explore the concept of the pilgrimage. Literary, secular, personal, or spiritual. Your story should be non-fiction, between 1200 and 1800 words, and written in the narrative style favored by Intrepid Times stories. The winning writer will be paid $300 USD and have their original story and accompanying photographs published in Intrepid Times. Up to four runners-up will also be selected for publication at our standard article rates. 

10. ALPINE FELLOWSHIP POETRY PRIZE - https://alpinefellowship.com/poetry-prize Deadline March 1, 2025. Awarded for the best poetic response on the 2025 theme, which will be announced in January. The winner and runners-up will receive cash prizes and will be invited to attend our annual symposium. First place: £3,000. Second place: £1,000. Third place: £1,000. Will also offer up to £500 travel expenses to help with travel to the event and meals and accommodation during the symposium dates are also covered. Open to all nationalities. You may submit one poem or a collection of poems as long as all the poems in the collection speak to the theme. There is a maximum of 500 words per entry.

11. NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST - https://www.arts.gov/grants/creative-writing-fellowships Deadline March 12, 2025. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Creative Writing Fellowships program offers $50,000 grants in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) to published creative writers that enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Individual U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. who meet specific publication requirements are eligible to apply.

12. Chicken Soup for the Soul has a call out for several titles including one about Miracle and one about Pets which are both due March 31. NO ENTRY FEE. To learn more: Possible Book Topics | Chicken Soup for the Soul

Week of Love

Many are already making plans for the next holiday, but did you know there is actually an entire week of love that thousands celebrate? Most of the people I know only celebrate, or dread, the most famous day which is Valentine's. However, according to multiple sites, there is an entire week of love and each day leading up to Valentine's has a significant meaning or purpose.

According to those love experts, the days are as follows:

 

While I love flowers and jewelry, my family and friends know my favorite gifts are a good book and chocolate.

Interested in a few FREE romantic flash fiction pieces? Try my stories:

Thankful Every Day
Madame Tooshkas Spell
Masters in Love
Love's New Beginning

Or order the last IWSG anthology on the right - First Love: The Art of Making Doughnuts.

Not sure what to get the writer in your life? Check out this list of suggested Valentines day gifts for writers or check out these Six Ways to Participate in Romance Week at Goodreads.

Want to share the theme of love with children? Check out these 10 Best Children's Books About Love.

So many of us love reading and writing. We have favorites that we return to again and again. How about you? I am especially grateful for a warm home full of books as I've been seeing the massive freezes and storms sweeping parts of the world. I hope you all stay safe, warm, and loved. Happy Valentine's!

Will you be participating in the week of love? What is your favorite genre? Favorite author? Favorite book from childhood? Are you doing something special that week, or for Valentine's Day?

IWSG: Changing Your Story

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

FEBRUARY QUESTION - Is there a story or book you've written you want to or wish you could go back and change?

MY ANSWER - I always think there could be room for improvement. The truth is, are any of us ever really finished with a piece, even after it's in print? I try not to regret a piece once it's been published. If there is something I realize I don't like after publication, I use that information while working on my future pieces. If I don't feel a piece is ready, I simply don't submit it (usually). There are times I reflect on older work versus newer and feel like "What happened? I used to be fairly good" and other times, I'm like "Wow, I'm glad that is no longer in print". Like any artist, I'm constantly changing moods, experiences, and issues. The quality of my work is often a reflection of this. So, yes, there are times I wish I could change something, but those feelings are generally more directed toward pieces that have not been published yet. If we let ourselves become too engrossed in wanting to change the past, we might not move forward. While it's impossible to live without any regrets, it's more likely we will regret giving up than any failed attempts toward "perfection". So instead, focus on changing your story as it is evolving now. Could you commit more time to writing, to editing, to submitting? If the answer is yes, make that change when and if possible. Everything has a season. I wish you all the best - keep moving forward!

How about you? Is there a story or book you've written you want to or wish you could go back and change?

Weather Days: Reading, Writing, and Submitting

We've been enjoying some unexpected weather in southeast Texas lately: snow. While it's normal for us to get sleet and ice in the winter months, we only see snow every few years. Even then, it usually melts as it lands or at the most you might get a few pockets of an inch or so that melts withing a few hours. This past week, however, we received six to seven inches that coated our neighborhoods for several days. 

Unfortunately, because it is such a rare occurrence here, no one knows how to cope. Literally, everything closed down for a few days including schools and most businesses. Officials advised people to stay home and not drive if possible. Many didn't listen and there was an abundance of wrecks in our area including overturned vehicles in ditches, pileups on the interstate, and in a couple of cases people driving into buildings (at least one restaurant and one home in separate incidents).

I was lucky. I enjoyed a couple of extra days off to stay home, play in the snow with my family, snuggle with my dog, and enjoy some extra reading and writing time. It felt like a blessing to me.

As a result, I found a dozen writing opportunities I thought I would share:

1. BEAUTIFUL TRAGEDIES 4 - Hellbound books' anthology of dark poetry: A Dark Poetry Anthology project now accepting submissions for an anti-romance poetry anthology. Give us your darkest nights, your most pain- filled and heart wrenching moments in prose. Deadline: when full. For more information, click here.

2.- 6. Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers, Vol. 10. - is looking for original horror stories 1,500-10,000 words in length. This is one of six different anthologies this publisher is currently open to submissions. Deadline: May 1 2025 (BEGINS FEB 1 2025). For more information, click here.

7. hotpoet has launched Equinox, a biannual digital multimedia journal that showcases poets, writers, and artists. We invite you to send us your poems, flash fiction, flash essay, photography, and art. We look for contemplative, argumentative, globally aware, despair-resistant, and apathy-abolishing works. Deadline Feb. 18. For more information, click here.

8. - 12. Grapevine - Fort Worth, Texas "Quicksilver Poetry Festival" on March 29. This group is also open to multiple submission and contest opportunities. To learn more, click here.

How about you? Have you been enjoying any unusual weather? Have you read an excellent book lately that you'd like to recommend? Have you found any great submission opportunities?

National Polka Dot Day and Writers

Wednesday is National Polka Dot Day!

It's also the day Minnie Mouse finally received her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame several years ago - a mere 40 years after her counterpart, Mickey. You can find out more about that here. 

Many of my family members are Disney fans. I'm from Southern California, and even though I live in Texas, we head back as often as possible to visit family and friends. We also visit Hollywood and The Walk of Fame from time to time. You can see pictures here. We also visit the Florida Parks.

Another reason I mention all of this is because the original article I read announcing Minnie's big day, as well as a visit to Hollywood, led me down a rabbit hole of reading. I became curious about writers who have earned a star on that famous walkway. I knew of a few, but I was surprised at the number. Some of these authors I know have brought joy to many and will be immediately recognized: Raymond Chandler, Ray Bradbury, Stephen J. Cannell, Frank Capra, quite a few others I recognized, and a few I didn't. Here is a list the Los Angeles Times has comprised of all the writers who've earned that coveted star.

Have you been to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, or a Disney Park? Which authors are your favorites? Who would you like to see earn a star? Are you celebrating National Polka Dot Day?

2025 Conferences, Workshops, and Literary Festivals

This list started out mostly focus on Texas (where I am) and Louisiana. However, there are some others listed here for you. Also, keep in mind, many are virtual now, so your own location may not matter. Please let me know if you would like to recommend any others to be added to the list. The list below is what I know of as of today.

First, please let me recommend MASTERCLASS. This is an online set of instructional and motivational videos given by some of the industry's top professionals and gathered together in one location. These are very reasonably priced, and you can read about my personal experiences with it by clicking on the link in the labels below. There are other genres besides just writing that are extremely beneficial and interesting as well. They just added quite a few more options this past month. 

There is also a similar site called SKILLSHARE, but I have no personal experience with it. Let us know in the comments if you have, and what you think of them.

Any Time: More than a dozen authors - https://www.masterclass.com/homepage

Any Time: Skill Share

1/22 - 24 - Writer's Digest University Novel Writing Virtual Conference

1/31 - 2/2 - SCBWI (Children's literature) In-Person Conference in New York - https://www.scbwi.org/events

2/6 - 9 San Francisco Writers Conference

2/21 - 22 - SCBWI (Children's literature) Virtual Conference - https://www.scbwi.org/events

2/21 - 23 - Writer's Digest Romance Writing Virtual Conference

February 23 - 26 - American Booksellers Association Winter Institute in Denver, Colorado.

3/7 - 15 - SXSW Film and writers festival in Austin - http://www.sxsw.com/

3/13 - 16 - Left Coast Crime in Denver, Colorado - https://leftcoastcrime.org/

3/21 - 23 - Writer's Digest Virtual Mystery and Thriller Convention

3/26 - 30 - New Orleans Literary Festival - http://www.tennesseewilliams.net/

3/27 - 29 - New Orleans Book Festival - New Orleans Book Festival

3/29 - The Pre-Quill Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah - The Pre-Quill Conference | League of Utah Writers

March 30 - April 1 - Social Media Marketing Conference in San Diego, California.

5/3 - 4 - TENTATIVE - Austin Writer's and Illustrators Conference - https://www.scbwi.org/events/texas-writers-and-illustrators-conference

6/7 - 8 - Lone Star Book Festival - https://www.lonestarfestival.fun/

6/7 - 14 - The Gutsy Great Novelist Retreat, Bar Harbor, Maine 

6/7 - 20 - Virtual Inkerscon

6/12 - 14 - Children's Institute in Portland, Oregon.

6/18 - 21 - Reader Author Get Together

6/18 - 22 - Florida - Space Coast Book Lovers and here.

6/26 - 28 - Historical Novel Society in Las Vegas, Nevada - https://hns-conference.com/

8/7 - 10 - Quills Conference in Utah - https://www.leagueofutahwriters.com/quills-conference-preview

8/15 - 16 - Love N Book in Seattle - Lovenbooks

9/3 - 7 - World Mystery Convention - New Orleans, Louisiana - http://www.bouchercon.com/

9/17 - 21 - NINC Conference - Novelists Inc.

9/26 - 27 - in Florida - Once Upon a Book Author Signing

10/4 - 5 - Dallas Writer's Conference in Hurst, Texas - http://dfwcon.org/

10/15 - 18 - TENTATIVE In-Person - Houston, Texas - https://romanceauthormastermind.com/

10/23 - 30 - Austin Film Festival -  https://austinfilmfestival.com/

11/3 - 7 - (Tentative) - https://20booksvegas.com/about/

11/6 - 8 - (Tentative) - https://hamptonroadswriters.org/

11/8 - 9 - Austin Book Festival - https://www.texasbookfestival.org/

11/12 - 15 - TENTATIVE - Virtual - Romance Author Mastermind

Year Round - Interested in a more expansive list of national and international options? Checkout this list: Insecure Writer's Support Group: Conferences, Workshops, etc. / Publications (insecurewriterssupportgroup.com)

OR: Writer's Conferences 2025

Please feel free to comment with any you would like to see added to this list even if it's not happening in the USA.  You never know when an opportunity will arise. Right? :-)

Also, if you are looking for a writer's group in Texas, check out: Writers' Groups | Lone Star Literary Life

HAPPY WRITING!