We will accept contest submissions beginning February 1, 2011
About Carina Press
Carina Press, Harlequin’s digital-first imprint, is open to submissions. Our mission is to connect readers with authors who write the stories they want to read. Carina Press features books from talented authors in all genres of romance, erotica, science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery, women’s fiction, and more. If the book of your heart fits into a niche that has very little shelf space in a traditional bookstore, Carina Press is eager to read and potentially publish your story.
The Prizes for the Readers!
The voting process allows readers to provide feedback to the writers through our online form. Each week an email address will be selected at random from these posts and will receive a digital Carina title of the winner’s choice.
The Grand Prize will be 25 digital Carina titles of the winner’s choice and will be selected at random from all of those who voted.
The Prizes for the Writers!
The Editorial Staff of Carina Press will select winners from among the Finalists.
The Grand Prize will be a Kindle plus a critique* from a Carina editor.
Second, Third, and Fourth place critiqued* by editorial staff of Carina Press.
*Critiques will be offered for a set number of pages, not just the contest entry. Length of critique piece will be decrease from Grand Prize to Fourth place, but will not be less than 15 pages.
FAQs
1. It's free.
2. Contest is open to both published and unpublished authors, however authors contracted with Carina Press are not eligible to enter or win.
3. Categories were created for the convenience of the readers. All entries will be judged the same, we will not be breaking it up into winners by category.
4. Each week we post a group of entries to be voted on by readers.
5. The entry that receives the most votes from each week will be entered into the final round of competition..
6. Two Wildcard Finalists will be selected by the Romance Junkies staff from the entries that did not win their week.
7. Carina Press editors will review the Finalists and select a Grand prize winner and three runners-up
Contest Schedule
February 1st– April 1st-- Take in Entries
Feb 14th– thru May 14th– Post entries (every week a group of entries are posted on the contest page to be voted on by readers)
May 30th– Winners Announced
Contest Rules and Regulations
1. Contest is free and open to all published and non-published authors, with the exception of all contracted Carina Press authors. If you are a published author (print published, epublished or self published), we request that you submit under an assumed name in order to assure unbiased voting.
2. All work must be original, unpublished work. No previously 'published' works will be considered including, but not limited to; print publishing, epublishing, and self publishing.
3. You can enter more than once, but are limited to only three entries per person.
4. Romance Junkies is a PG-13 site and the entries need to be PG13. Please ensure that your entry adheres to this policy. If you have any questions as to what is allowable please contact Cat Brown at writingcontest @romancejunkies.com. Your manuscript can be more than PG13, but the part you send into us has to be PG13 so we can post it on our website for voting.
5. The entry should contain two scenes: the first 2500-3000 words of the book and then one scene or 2500-3000 words of the author’s choice that features a pivotal moment. This could be the meeting of two characters, a first kiss, a conflict scene, an action scene, a scene of discovery or anything else the author considers a pivotal moment in the book.
6. Entrant fully understands that the judging is subjective, and that they may receive critiques with which they do not agree. Entrant will accept and abide by the decision of the judges.
7. Entrant will hold Romance Junkies, its members, officers and the judges of this contest harmless and hereby release them from any liability, which may arise from this contest. By submitting the entry, entrant specifically waives any right they may have to bring suit against Romance Junkies, its members, officers, representatives or judges. Participants understand there is no implication of a publishing contract with Carina Press and the participants agree that by entering contest they will hold Carina Press harmless from any liability resulting from reviews, critiques, etc.
8. Contest entrants are eligible for the reader prizes, including weekly download prize, awarded to readers for voting in the contest.
9. We have online voting software which allows us to track anyone who is double voting or trying to use multiple click software that is floating around the net to increase their votes. If you cheat you will be dropped from the contest.
10. We want the winner of the contest to be based on talent, not popularity, so you can't post the entry title on websites, blogs, yahoo groups or forums. You can tell people about the contest, but you can not reveal the title or name you are writing under. Anyone found soliciting votes will be immediately disqualified.
More information here.
This blog is no longer updated. Please instead visit Writers For Diversity for new opportunities for women/ LGBT writers and writers of color. Thank you.
