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Welcome
to the Charter Oak Romance Writers' Golden Acorn
Excellence in Writing Award. Our contest is selective,
limiting itself to 68 entrants, so that we
are able to provide valuable feedback to aid you in
your goal to publish.
Our score sheet includes detailed comments on the
first 20 pages of your work with an emphasis on whether
your work hooked the reader.
Our purpose is to encourage, inspire and motivate
unpublished authors of novel-length romance fiction.
Eligibility:
- Participation
is open to unpublished writers in any category.
- Published
writers are published as defined by the requirements
for PAN.
- Published
authors may enter any category in which they
have not been published in the previous five
years.
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Categories:
A
"Novel" is a work of Romance Fiction
of at least 40,000 words as determined by computer word
count.
"Series"
is defined as those books issued under a common imprint/series
name which are usually numbered sequentially and released
at regular intervals, usually monthly, with the same
number of releases each time.
All
categories may have varying levels of sensuality,
ranging from sweet to extremely hot.
- Contemporary
Series Romance: Series romance novels
that focus primarily on the romantic relationship.
This category includes any series novels including
contemporary, paranormal, or romantic suspense..
- Contemporary
Single Title:
Romance novels which focus primarily on the
romantic relationship, released as individual
titles, not as part of a series. This category
may include novels with a strong adventure
or suspense subplot.
- Paranormal:
Time Travel, Futuristic, Fantasy, and Paranormal.
Romantic novels with any time setting that
contain elements such as time-travel, angels,
vampires or other new-age / mystical / paranormal
themes, or set in the future, on other planets
or in other dimensions.
- Historical:
Romance
novels set in any time period prior to 1945,
and taking place in any location.
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Final
Round Judges:
- Contemporary
Series Romance:
Lucy Gilmour, Harlequin
- Contemporary
Single Title: Shauna
Summers, Random House
- Paranormal:
Megan Records, Kensington
- Historical:
Sally
Williamson, Harlequin
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Entry
Information:
- Entries
are electronic only.
- You
may "reserve" a spot in the contest
by filling out an entry form and sending it
to the coordinator. Please send the entry
form as a doc or rtf attachment .
- Once
the coordinator has processed your entry,
she will send you an email with a Paypal link
and an address. Payment may be made through
Paypal or paid with a check.
- Once
payment has been received, you have "reserved"
a spot.
- Entries
may be sent anytime up until the March
31, 2010 deadline. If the entry is
not received by March 31st, the entry fee
is forfeited.
- A
waiting list will be formed if necessary.
- Finalists
will be announced around May 31, 2010.
- Winners
will be announced around July 15, 2010.
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Entry
Fee:
-
$25.00 in US funds
- Information
regarding payment will be sent after your
entry form has been accepted.
- Payment
may be sent via Paypal or check.
- Payment
must be received before you can "reserve"
a spot.
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Awards:
- Five
finalists in each round will receive certificates.
- The
first place winner will receive $25.00 and
a certificate.
- Results
will be publicized.
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Scoring:
- Our
score sheet is set up to provide feedback
on the first chapter with an emphasis on whether
the piece has hooked the reader.
- View
a copy of the scoresheet here.
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Electronic
Entry:
- Fill
out the electronic
 .
It is in the form of a Word Document. Please
save the entry form, fill it in, attach it
to an email and email it to contest coordinator,
Stefani
de Ravin. The entry form can be used
to "reserve" a spot for the contest.
- Email
your
entry followed by the synopsis and saved as
one file (rtf or doc) to the
contest coordinator, Stefani
de Ravin prior to
the March 31st deadline.
- Finalists
from the United States will be asked to send
a hard copy of their revised work to the contest
coordinator to be submitted to the final judge.
- Finalists
from outside the U.S. will have the option
to send an electronic copy of their revised
work to the contest coordinator to be submitted
to the final judge.
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Entry
Details/Checklist:
- Entries
will be accepted in electronic (email) submissions
only. If you have problems sending electronically,
please contact the contest coordinator.
- Send
one (1) completed electronic entry form.
- Send
one (1) copy of up to the first 20 pages of
your work and 1 synopsis up to 5 pages double
spaced in one file. The synopsis will not
be judged. Send both to the contest coordinator,
Stefani
de Ravin.
- Entries
MUST be sent in RTF (rich text
format) format only. It should be formatted
in standard manuscript format, ready for printing.
This includes header and page numbers.
- The
name of the category you are entering must
be listed in the subject line of the email
entry.
- You
will receive a confirmation when the entry
is received. If you do not receive confirmation
within 72 hours please email the coordinator.
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Formatting:
- One
inch margins, double spaced, TNR or Courier,
font size 12.
- Header
on the manuscript pages must contain title
and category in the upper left corner.
- Page
number should be in the upper right corner.
- Your
name should only be on the electronic entry
form and not on the entry anywhere.
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Questions
should be directed to the contest coordinator Stefani
de Ravin.
Failure
to comply with any of the above rules may disqualify
the entry and the entry fee may not be refunded.
Thank
you for entering the Golden Acorn Excellence in Writing
Award.
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