by Joanne Carr, editor
I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone since I posted here and launched the Feel the Heat Modern Heat Writing Competition! In that time, we have had some wonderful blogs from authors sharing their expertise, encouragement and their time answering many questions, so I just want to say a huge thank you to all of you! 
Thank you too for all of the entries we have received so far and if you haven’t yet entered – what’s stopping you? Seriously, what have you got to lose? You have heard all the tips, have read the books and probably have that chapter written, but feel apprehensive about letting it go…well, we don’t bite, so send it on! Oh, and you’ll be pleased to know that the auto-confirmation email is now working (better late then never – apologies for this blip!).
The editorial team are looking forward to reading through all of your submissions and unearthing some new talent…so with that deadline approaching on Monday September 15th, the one last thing I have to say is have a great weekend, cheers and GOOD LUCK!
Joanne!
What a great pic of you! Looks like a fun place with a fun refreshment!
I wasn’t sure about sending an entry, but finding your cheery message was a great encouragement. So if I can get it paired down . . .
Anyway, thanks to the Ed’s and author’s and everyone who has taken time to convey tips.
Have a great weekend!
MARIAN
Thanks Joanne,
It’s always nice to receive a last minute boost of confidence.
My deadline for submission is tomorrow so I’d better post this and get off the internet!!
Aideen.
If we didn’t get a confirmation email does that mean the submission didn’t get through?
Thanks,
Maisey
Thanks Joanne – but yes, I too am worried that my entry may not have arrived. Is there any way to check without being WAY TOO annoying! Would hate to miss out on this FABULOUS opportunity.
Good luck everyone
RACH!
Hi all.
Thanks for the encouragement and the tidbits of wonderful advice. Like Rach, I’m concerned about my submission being recieved. I didn’t get an email bounce, so can I safely assume it arrived on time?
Once again, thanks for this fabulous opportunity. I know the eds will find several treasures in the submission pile.
There are so many talented writers entering I can’t imagine how hard it will be choosing from the “treasures”. Good luck everyone!
Now, I’ve got to go and prepare for yet another hurricane marching in nearby. Though (thankfully) we are not in its direct path this time, we are still under plenty of advisories and warnings. Especially tornados, wind and flash flooding. Yikes! Kinda makes me wish I was in London. LOL.
Ooh, the nerves are kicking in! I just submitted my first chapter and synopsis. These competitions are so exciting, just having a deadline and the opportunity to be read by such talented editors.
Good luck everyone!
I have been in alternate states of nervousness and excitement since I made my entry. My poor husband is probably getting whiplash from my mood swings. Just kidding.
Good luck to everyone who entered, and thank you to the editors for this awesome opportunity.
Anyone who wants to enter, but doesn’t have the courage, I encourage you to bite the bullet and do it! I had never written romance before submitting to the Instant Seduction competition, and even thought I never heard back at all about that submission, it really got the ball rolling for me and I’ve been writing every day since. I’m so glad I took and chance and tried, it’s amazing how rejection erases your fear of rejection. I hope that you try too.
Good luck to everyone!
Maisey
Hi all – if you are concerned that your submission never reached us, send another email and we will check for you and we will email you back. I would hate it if we missed out on any entries.
Tamelia – keep safe, if must quite an unnerving time. Shouldn’t hurricane season be over soon? I’m off to Cuba in late October for my honeymoon, so here’s hoping that a/ the current hurricanes pass over and there is only minimal damage b/ they stop all together! c/ Cuba is still standing
Joanne
Joanne,
Cuba took a hard hit from Gustave, then Ike twice- basically the entire country. 80% of the buildings are destroyed or damaged according to the news. Hurricane season here is only mid-way through. This is peak time. Novemember is when it officially ends. You may want to check on that before you go. Congrats on honeymoon by the way! Have a great and safe trip whereever you end up.
Anyway good luck all!
Oh boy, Joanne, make sure it’s okay over there. October is right around the corner. Bet you’re so excited. As I recall, it really doesn’t matter WHERE you go on your honeymoon, as long as you go! It’s bliss!
Congrats!!!
MARIAN STEVENS
Hi all,
This comp is such a great opportunity. It’s just a shame we’re limited by one entry only
I had a mod heat book completed before I heard of the comp and was just polishing it when I decided to go for the comp instead. Since then I’ve started another mod heat and would love to get feedback on it. I’m greedy I know! Although I’m just glad to have one entry in. The entry is true to my voice and I feel it’s the best work I’m capable of at the moment so I’ll stop being greedy and just be grateful for the comp.
Thanks Joanne and congrats on the wedding
C
Best of luck, everyone! I’m so excited for you all. Can’t wait to hear the results!
Robbie
Hi Everyone,
Best of luck to all those who’ve entered.
And Marian, you can do it. There’s still one day to go and it sounds like you just about had it ready but weren’t sure whether or not to send it. The answer’s yes, if it’s not going to stress you too much.
Madeline, glad to know you got an entry in. Hope you enjoyed your Sexy Sensation research.
Clarissa, if your entry is both true to your voice and your best effort then submitting it has got to be a great feeling. And working on your new one is a bonus because it’ll help the time pass!
And to Maisey, I think a lot of us have husbands who’re wondering what all the fuss is about. Perhaps it’s a girl thing to still keep stressing after the send button has been hit?
Robyn
Robyn/Emerald!
You’re so sweet! And you’re right, I was wavering . . . I’m still working today! Just about done I think — to have it within requirements. Talking midnight hour here!
Good luck to all!
MARIAN
I’m getting an error message when I pressed send. I copied and pasted the email. Any suggestions?
Sherri
Sherri,
Not to sound flippant, but have you tried shutting down the computer then turning it back on to try again? Computers are real finicky sometimes.
If that doesen’t help then maybe you need to check that you don’t have two http:// symbols. I’ve done that before myself. Good luck getting yours in.
Wow. Tomorrow is the deadline (my time at least) Good luck everyone! (myself included)
Sherri, I just sent and it worked. I got the confirmation. So keep trying. Did your computer click offline, perhaps?
Maybe ramp back up, like Tamelia suggested. Then start over with a fresh email and insert again. Computers can be so persnickety!
Good luck!
MARIAN
So, okay, here I go again…haha…I sent an email asking if my submission had been recieved and I got the auto confirm back. Was the auto confirm just a result of my email? Or is it safe to assume my submission made it…
Is that what happened to the other ladies who were concerned about their submission? Just wondering…
Thanks,
Maisey
Hi everyone,
I sent a submission a few days ago. Although, I didn’t get confirmation from the contest’s website, AOL said it went through, hopefully.
I sent the synopsis and first chapter as an attachment. Is this correct or are we supposed to copy and paste in the body of the email.
I hope someone can answer this before the cutoff time.
Thanks in advance,
SuzyB
SuzyB,
It’s supposed to be in word file format, so I think you were right in sending it as an attachment. That’s how I did it.
Good luck to you!
Maisey
Thanks…Myates.
I felt that had to be right, but someone earlier said something about copying and pasting.
Anyway, appreciate the help and good luck to you, as well.
Very exciting.
SuzyB
Hiya gals
I submitted a while back and didn’t get an auto-confirmation, so after Joanne’s message I submitted again. Figured sending a query email and sending the attachment would save time if they hadn’t received it earlier and if they had, they could just delete the extra email. Hope this was okay. I got a confirmation second time.
Good luck everyone…
The next two weeks are gonna be excruciating!
Rach!
Well, have just submitted. Don’t feel good about it. All my prose seemed so lame. Tried to re-write at the last minute. Then sent the chapter and synopsis, then realised after I’d pressed send that I’d made some typos on the covering email (though none in the manuscript or synopsis, thank god). Aaaaah!
Aspiring–I think a lot of us were hustling to beat the deadline. Goodness knows you can go over and over the work and still find something each time it seems. And sometimes edit the life right out of it. There is a time you just have to let go. And hit send. Congratulate yourself on having the courage to submit. The experience is good and it got you working on your next book. And that’s great. Celebrate! We all should!
Good luck!
I agree Marian,
Like many others, I felt the squeeze of the deadline and hit the send button at 10pm on Sunday night. No matter how many times I go over my entries, there was always something missing or a small word in the wrong place. But if it is any consolation, there have been very few books that I have read where I don’t see the same thing from vetran authors in a published work.
I also agree that there comes a time to say enough and press the send. We can drive ourselves crazy looking for that one elusive quotation mark or the missing “a” before one of the word. LOL oops… I found two such ommissions after my entry was sent and I had printed the chapter out 6 times, proof reading each time and making the changes.
The deadline is here and the entries are sent. Now all we can do is wait and hope that we have met the expectations of the contest. If nothing more, it has been a great opportunity and a wonderful experience. Each time I submit, I learn so much more.
Thanks to the authors for their encouragement, helpful hints and for sharing their insight with us.
Congrats to all who had the courage to entered and good luck!!!
I just wanted to say thank you for another wonderful contest!
Congratulations to *everyone* who submitted. You took the hardest step … getting your writing out there for others to read.
Congratulations to all those who sent in their entries! I just did. *gulp* No fear here. That’s what I keep telling myself. LOL!
Thanks for hosting another exciting contest!
All the best,
Gail
Oh no! I think I missed it!
I think Hurricane Ike might have beaten me
We had no power or internet from Hurricane Ike until last night. I jumped on the computer and emailed my entry at 11:55 pm, thinking the contest gods were smiling on me and I had 5 minutes to spare.
I got the reply that my entry was received, but I also got a return receipt email that my message was deleted without being open.
Darn! I really thought I stuck the landing with this story. {hangs head and sadly walks away muttering “stupid trickster contest gods”}
I didn’t even think about the deadline being on London time.
Best of luck to all who entered.
Connie
Connie
That is a real shame. I can understand how disappointed you must be. When I sent in my Golden Heart entry, it got lost in the mail. The letter was express post and insured so Canada Post even called RWA and told them it had been mailed a month before the deadline and that they would track it down. Unfortunately the deadline had passed.
Try not to be too disheartened. I know that is easier said than done, but any time you make an effort to do something well, it is eventually rewarded. If you really believe this was your ‘kick at the can’, Polish up the next two chapters and send it off to the editors as a regular submission. Either way it will be read for consideration. Who knows, maybe it will even have a better shot being on its own instead of being one of hundreds.
Good luck and the story takes off and does well!
Connie,
oops! I meant to say I hope your story takes off and does well!
I wonder if they will tell us how many they received like they did with the Presents contest?
Good luck to everyone who entered. Thank you Joanne for having the contest.
Oops, Betty, I just asked the same thing on a different thread! I am very interested too – not only out of curiosity, but of course to know the competition
Best of luck everyone. I hope you’ve taken a few days break before getting back into the writing!
Madeline
Connie!!! I am sure your entry wouldn’t have been deleted without being entered – we have nothing as sophisticated as an automatic ‘delete if late’ function! It is just probably the way we have our contest inbox set up…
The contest didn’t offically close until end of day US time anyway, so send an email just to check – but we probably have it safe and sound!
I hope to be back to give you updates on the contest soon!
Joanne
Thanks so much, Joanne, for responding to my comments. I just sent off an email to check on my entry as you suggested.
I really appreciate your reply. You’ve put a bright spot in my day!
Connie