Hello Writers and Readers,

Basking in the warmth of some much requested sunshine, thoughts of new growth and renewal come to mind. But in the wake of the current US economic downdraft, I wonder what will happen to book sales and the authors who live by them. In keeping with thoughts about new growth I am led to books on survival - all kinds of survival. Instead of the next Stephen King, publishers are looking for the next book that contains the magical formula for fixing our problems.

Until next month,

Sandra

Markets:

BOMB Magazine seeks submissions for their forthcoming poetry competition. Deadline: April 15, 2008. Submission guidelines: http://bombsite.com/issues/0/articles/2959

Event seeks submissions for its Creative Non-Fiction Contest. Deadline:April 15, 2008 Submission guidelines:http://event.douglas.bc.ca/community/event-magazine/contestdetails.html

The Spoon River Poetry Review seeks submissions for its Editors' Prize. Deadline:April 15, 2008. Submission guidelines:http://www.litline.org/spoon/contest.html

subTerrain seeks submissions for its Annual Literary Awards Competition. Deadline: April 15, 2008. Submission guidelines: http://www.subterrain.ca/

The Baltimore Review seeks submissions for its Annual Creative Nonfiction Competition. Deadline:April 20, 2008. Submission guidelines: http://baltimorereview.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=7&Itemid=34

Kennesaw Review seeks submissions for its Don Russ Poetry Prize. Submission guidelines:http://www.kennesawreview.org/artman2/publish/contests/Don_Russ_Poetry_Prize_2007.php

Glimmer Train seeks submissions for its annual short story competition. Submission guidelines: http://www.glimmertrain.com/writguid1.html

The Ledge seeks submissions for its Annual Poetry Awards Competition. Submission guidelines: http://www.theledgemagazine.com/public_html/Poetry%20Awards%20guidelines.htm

The National Poetry Review seeks submissions for its Annie Finch Prize for Poetry. Submission guidelines: http://www.nationalpoetryreview.com/

Perigee seeks submissions for its Fiction Contest. Submission guidelines:http://www.perigee-art.com/

Blue Collar Review seeks submissions for its Working People's Poetry Contest. Submission guidelines:http://www.partisanpress.org/

The Journal seeks submissions for its Short Story Contest. Submission guidelines:http://english.osu.edu/research/journals/thejournal/shortstorycontest.cfm

Knock seeks submissions for its Green Art & Ecolit Contest. Submission guidelines: http://www.knockjournal.org/submit/ecolit-contest.html

April discount of 25% to all newsletter subscribers

Manuscript Evaluation -Treat yourself or a writing friend/relative to a manuscript evaluation from a publishing professional. This could include advice on a short story before submitting it to publishers or an evaluation of your novel or non-fiction book. Ask for details by e-mailing Windshift. Please put 'manuscript critique' in the subject line.

Publishing News:

The Long Tail of a Book

Pennie Clark Ianniciello, Costco's book buyer, has picked Beneath a
Marble Sky by John Shors, originally published in 2004, as her pick for April.

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The Ever Changing Face of Bookselling

On April 4, Borders is opening its second new concept store, in Las Vegas, Nev. Like the first new concept store, opened in February in Ann Arbor, Mich., this store includes a digital center, where customers can download books and music, make their own CDs, print photos and make photo albums, use POD to print their own work as well as trace their roots through Borders Genealogy Services. The digital center has computer stations and special staff.

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Armchair Author Tours

Two-time Booker Prize-winning author Peter Carey read to booklovers in an Ottawa bookstore last week. With the help of modern technology, he didn't even have to leave his home in New York to do so.

The Collected Works bookstore connected with Carey via a webcam and the internet for the 7:30 p.m. event, in which the author read from his latest novel His Illegal Self.

Collected Works co-owner Craig Poile spent the last few days setting up a webcam, a projector and a large screen in his Wellington Street West bookstore to launch what he's calling the first-ever "Giant Talking Head" event.

By streaming live webcasts of author readings, Poile said he hopes to draw more customers into his independent store. As well, Poile said it has been getting harder to attract writers to Ottawa as part of traditional in-person book tours.

Random House publicist Sharon Klein agreed, saying book tours tend to hit fewer cities partly due to publisher's budgets but Klein added that webcam readings will not replace traditional readings, which give booklovers the feeling of meeting an author in person.

Home News:

Despite the cold spring weather on the coast Windshift Press is busy with book events, bookfairs and new books to be published later this spring.

If you are in the Vancouver Island area, watch for news about the series of publishing and marketing workshops that Sandra Janssen will offer during April and May. Sponsored by Printorium BookWorks, the workshops will be held at their premises in Victoria.

Note: While every effort is made to check the markets suggested in this newsletter, writers must use their own judgment when submitting their work.

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