Happy Monday! Happy May!

I’m a little remiss on my poetry but today I want to present the winning poems of April’s Poetry Contest. Congratulations to them again and I hope you enjoy reading these as much as we judges enjoyed reading them

1st Place 
INSPIRED INSANITY by Coralie Rowe

Inspiration does come
And it also does go
What inspires me to write
I really don’t know

Sometimes it is
The whisper of a word
Other times it is a thought
That’s really quite absurd

I dream of oceans
Being kissed by the moon
I envision creepy specters
That would make you swoon

I paint visions in my mind
Using words as my art
Some are dark and spooky
While others are from my heart

Just little random words
I write as they come to me
A joyous culmination
Of inspiration and insanity
***

2nd Place
Words Expressed by David Jacks

I don’t always find my words
too easily expressed.
So if I were to speak them,
sometimes they are suppressed.

But if pen touches paper,
such worlds I can create.
It then frees me from my own,
as if lifting a weight.

Cut the strings that hold me down.
Please tie me up no more.
Let loose feelings once secret
and open wide the door.

I can’t do this on my own.
Writing helps me to find,
all the things that were once sealed
somewhere deep in my mind.

For all the thoughts left behind,
I must pour out my soul.
Forever searching for them,
just to make myself whole.
***

3rd Place
A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS by James Matthews Byers

The subtle sound of soothing calm-
A bumblebee in flight;
Anointed treasure in my palm-
Considerate delight;
Amazement on a newborn’s face-
Transitions, foot to mouth;
Impressions of a living space-
The springtime in the South;
Combustion of a beating heart-
Removed from single life;
Conditioning a humble start-
A husband and a wife;
Perplexing rhythm of a song-
Commanding vocal cord;
The distance, short or ever long-
The pen, a mighty sword;
Forever in a lover’s eyes-
The sigh of falling fast;
Chameleons in their disguise-
The colors floating past;
Commencement of a wild parade-
An alter full of hope;
The jester and his vast charade-
The hangman and his rope;
Surrender to the burning fire-
Intrinsic is the fuse;
And so these many things inspire-
Combined, they are my Muse …
***

____________________________________________________

Thank you to everyone who participated but a huge Congratulations to the winners! And a big thank you to the judges as well to the authors who contributed their work for prizes!

Speaking of poetry and awards, my poetry book, THE BOOK OF NOW, just won it’s second award! First I won a Silver Award for Poetry in the 2017 eLit Book Awards and now I’m the winner of —- drum roll —————-

2017 Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite, Book Cover Non-Fiction

I must say I had an idea for my book cover and I knew how I wanted it to look. BUT I am NOT a designer and I am pleased that Marisa-rose Shor of Cover Me Darling created the most fabulous book cover for me. She translated my wishes perfectly and designed a beautiful custom cover (from scratch, no stock pictures photographs). Thank you, Marisa! I share this award with you.

_________________________________________

NOW– NEW BOOK COVER REVEAL!! I’m so excited! My newest book is about to be released. Now I can share the book cover with you (also designed by Marisa-rose Shor) and with model Haleyy Loan. I’m delighted to present the new book, THE GYPSY THORN.

Isn’t it awesome?? Stay tuned because the release will be this month. And you will want to get your copy. This is a prequel novel that sets up the Evening Bower series. The first book is projected for October 2017. That’s right. THIS YEAR.

So, read my Midnight Assassin – A Tale of Lust and Revenge and follow that one up with The Gypsy Thorn. Then you will be ready for the first in the new series.

_______________________________________

Thank you everyone for your continued support of my books and for checking in here. Please feel free to leave comments (I moderate them but they go up the same day in most cases). And also continue to send me questions via my contact sheet or on my Facebook Author Page. I love hearing from you and I will answer your questions on my next live chat, this month.

Yours Between the Lines,
Sherry

Tomorrow is World Poetry Day. Created in 1999 by UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the day was designed to promote poetry throughout the world, to “give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional and international poetry movements”.

On World Poetry Day there will be festivals, celebrations, mic events, random readings. Check with your local schools, libraries, community centers, universities to see what is going on near you. Look for open mic nights and show up to support those brave souls who recite aloud.

And don’t forget to try your hand at poetry tomorrow. After all, poetry is the music of the soul.  I’m telling you now in order for you to seek out some poetic fun.

Years ago, I knew a lady online who wrote some fabulous poetry. She did a poem I’ve kept with me that had a line in it, “just for one day, because we’re all poets.”

Well that’s World Poetry Day!  Because deep down we’re all a bit of a poet, reach in and tap into that crazy, secret part of you and write something funny, odd, serious, sad, wild, unusual or normal! But just for one day let your inner poet have free reign. And leave me something to read later, please?  So here I offer this for you. (Thanks K.K.)

Spring Haiku

Blooming daffodil,
yellow ink of Springtime tales
written for the heart.

-Sherry Rentschler

Ok, how about a CLEAN Limerick?

There once was a girl they called “Sherry,”
Whose poetry was really quite scary.
But you count on good times,
Despite her bad rhymes,
‘Cause at least her poems weren’t hairy!

Now, leave me one of yours! Go on, play! Release your poetic cracken and be a titan, if just for one day.

Don’t forget April is coming and that is National Poetry Month! I plan to share lots of goodies with you, so stay tuned.

_________________

Now for some odds and ends:

• The winner of the Name My Bar contest will be announced this week. I hope you entered! All the details will be revealed — I hope I got a name that I will like!
• Breaking The Glass Slipper won The Book Designer’s Ebook Cover Contest for Jan 2017. I was very excited and psyched! Enter those contests! Here’s my award:

 

• Finally, look for a LIVE FACEBOOK event coming at the end of the month. Don’t know where to find me. Follow me here and watch for an announcement. I’ll also put a note here in the blog.

Before I go, I want to wish you all a Happy Spring! Wherever you are, know that winter is being pushed aside and the world is turning to a new season. The winds of change are here; the rains, the flowers, and the twitterpation of birds follows. This is the season of love and color. Allow yourself to be enchanted.

Thank you for dropping by.
I remain, Yours Between the Lines,
Sherry

Award season is upon us! The Director’s Guild, the Screen Actors’ Guild, The Emmy’s, the Oscar nominations…awards galore.

Indie Authors, take notice. Awards aren’t just for Hollywood or Broadway. You need to be interested in them too.

Now, I’ve heard the outcries: They cost too much so they must be a scam.  I don’t write to win awards. Who cares?

First, yes, applying for awards can get expensive. What are you paying for? The judges who participate and review hundreds of applicants’ books. You are also paying for the time to collect the information and do the administrative portion of the website and winners packets. Money is used to give every applicant a fair shot and to manage the rewards afterwards.

Second, you don’t write to win awards. Agreed. You do write to be seen and heard. And one of the ways to be seen is to be an award winner. Those who do win awards elevate themselves into the second layer of writers. Imagine when your readers see, “award-winning author.” Once you win an award (from an established competition) that tag line is yours. And even small awards count. For example, one day I hope I might land a bestseller title (Amazon, USA or NYT), but until then I keep trying to win a prestigious award for each of my books. It helps my readers see that I’m a chance worth taking.

And that goes into the “who cares” category. Readers do care. When they are scanning for a new book and they see you are an award winner, they will stop and give you a second look. Maybe you don’t care because you are a bestseller. Why not add to your recognition with an award that screams quality on top of your sellability?

I’m going to give you an EXTRA REASON to apply for an award. When a librarian is looking at two books and one has award sticker on it and the other doesn’t, your award sticker may be the deciding factor to be carried or not by that library. I’ve seen it in action. Additionally, at book signings, people will stop when they see award stickers and will ask about the book(s). So, go for the visual and be seen!

For what awards should you apply? There are lists upon lists out there for the Indie author. I’ll give you my favorite and the reputable ones. You can google Indie Author Awards and see if there are others you want to look into. Do vet them before applying though, ok?  I’m not going to give you the requirements here but I will tell you that I know these are good and the links work.

Next Generation Indie Book Awards – Deadline Feb 17 – ACT NOW

The Independent Publisher Book Awards – Deadline Feb 25  – ACT NOW

Independent Press Award – Deadline Mar 31

National Indie Excellence Award – Deadline Mar 31

Global Ebook Awards – Deadline Apr 30

Readers Favorite International Book Awards – Deadline Jun 1 (early registration Apr 1)

Kindle Ebook Awards – Deadline May 1

(You’re too late this year for Eric Hoffer and eLit Book Awards but make a note for next year!)

* * *

I encourage every author to consider a couple award entries every year for each newly published work.  Check the categories and eligibility requirements and then go for it!

And the award goes to…..?

You could surprise yourself and end up an award-winning author, too.

_________________________________________________

****The following items will always appear to keep you posted on activities.*****

WIP (Works in Progress):

– Writer’s Workbook – Learning to Write Everyday – Beginners Volume  (expected April 2017)
– first novel in the Evening Bower series, about vampires and other supernatural creatures (Nov 2017)
– prequel novella to the Bower series (May 2017)
– four-part fairy story (part one complete) (Christmas 2017)

On the Desk: (next reading): waiting on my next book

Off the Desk (book just finished): Prince Lestat 2 by Anne Rice

Coming Soon:  Interview with new folks and more about upcoming giveaways, plus more commentaries.