Thought for the Month

" Summer's lease hath all to short a date." - William Shakespeare

Hello Writers and Readers,

Now that the days are cooler I have returned to my novel, abandoned at the beginning of the season for summer things and people. I look at it now with the critical eye of distance and see so much I feel must be changed.

A writer must dare to believe in their own creativity no matter where it takes them.

Happy journeys,

Sandra

Markets:

Writer's Journal seeks submissions. Submission guidelines:http://www.writersjournal.com/CalendarofContests.htm

The Writers' Workshop seeks submissions. Submission guidelines:http://www.twwoa.org/

Glimmer Train seeks submissions. Submission guidelines:http://www.glimmertrain.com/writguid1.html

Gulf Coast Journal seeks submissions. Submission guidelines:http://www.gulfcoastmag.org/index.php?n=7

Juked seeks submission for their forthcoming fiction and poetry contests. Submission guidelines:http://www.juked.com/prize/

M A R G I E, The American Journal of Poetry seeks submissions. Submission guidelines:http://www.margiereview.com/CONTESTS/contests.html

The National Poetry Review seeks submissions for their Laureate Prize. Submission guidelines:http://www.nationalpoetryreview.com/

Perigee seeks poetry submissions. Submission guidelines:http://www.perigee-art.com/index-5.php

Southern California Review seeks submissions. Submission guidelines:http://college.usc.edu/mpw/experience/student_life.cfm#review

Whidbey Island Writers Association seeks submissions monthly for a variety of contests. Submission guideliens:http://whidbeystudents.com/student-choice-contest/

The Writing It Real No-Contest Contest seeks submissions. Submission guideliens:http://www.writingitreal.com/page.php?p=essay_contest

American Literary Review Short Fiction Contest seeks submissions. submission guidelines:http://www.engl.unt.edu/alr/contests.html

Consequence Magazine announces The Consequence Prize in Poetry. Submission guidelienes:http://www.consequencemagazine.org/

Naugatuck River Review seeks submissions. Submission guidelienes:http://naugatuckriverreview.wordpress.com/

August discount of 20% 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:

Summer Report Card

With earnings results announced from most of the publicly-reporting companies with trade publishing divisions, below is a little chart of the recent summer school grades. The primary drivers of success in the current marketplace is currency exchange. When underlying business is strong most companies will tell you that foreign exchange doesn't matter that much to them but in a declining market the impact-both positive and negative--becomes more prominent.

Publishers
Lagardere +10.4% (FX was marginal
Harlequin +8.7% (all FX)
S&S -2.5% ("principally" FX)
Penguin +11% (all from FX; -8 on "currency neutral" basis)*
Scholastic -5.4% (primarily FX)
Wiley P/T -15% (overall Wiley was -6.7, all due to FX; P/T is professional/trade only)
Harper -20.5%
*Six-month report rather than quarterly

The big three US bookselling chains will report earnings later this month, so this report-in-progress spans back through their most recent earnings releases in May. For the retailers, the percentages shown below are all same-store sales comparisons to the same quarter from a year ago rather than comparisons of gross sales. (Retailers' overall numbers fluctuate based on store openings and closings; same-store sales show the underlying performance of the stores themselves.)

Retailers
Indigo +1.4% (superstores)
Amazon NA (flat)

BAM -1.1%
Waterstone's -3.8% (full-year)
Hastings -4.7% (book-only comps +0.2)
WH Smith -5%
BN -5.7%
Borders -13.5% (superstores)

Home News:

We have begun work on autumn marketing campaigns this month. We are currently working on a new Autumn Winter catalogue which should be ready to go with our books to Frankfurt in October. It is our busiest season so we are glad of the cooler weather.

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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