Market of the Month: A Two For!

I just couldn't make up my market mind this month, so I'm doing a Two For. And if I'm being perfectly honest, we all know that it will be December 1st or so before I find another market. So, off we go!

I came across Dew on the Kudzu whilst zipping around on Twitter. When The South combines with short fiction, I'm going to stop zipping and settle in for awhile to see what I can find. So I found that Dew on the Kudzu is looking for stories for November and December, and I also found that this is a non-paying market.

Sometimes, a writer has a story he or she wants to tell. Perhaps he or she has not had much success in getting that story out there. This ezine is ready and waiting for you, and honestly, I really liked what Idgie the Editor had to say. But really, Dew on the Kudzu had me at "celebrating the Southern way of life."

My next market might seem a little strange, me being a city girl and all, but I love The Farmer's Almanac. There's so much interesting information in that book! I never knew how fascinating the Almanac was until I picked up a copy once while visiting the Beneficent Mr. Hall's mom (who grew up out in the country and never quite left her farm roots). Oh my gosh, I couldn't believe all the neat stuff I'd been missing!

I'm not sure I'll be able to think up an article pitch for the Almanac, but I'm going to try and channel my mother-in-law (may she rest in peace) for ideas.

Click on the Market(s) of the Month in the sidebar for the writing guidelines and submission details. And good luck until we meet again. Or should I just say, "Merry Christmas!"

Market of the Month: Patchwork Path Books

I like to mix up the markets here at the Hall of Fame, so this month, I decided to go with nonfiction. But fiction will work quite well, too. (It's a dilly-dally market.) Which brings us to Patchwork Path Books.

Choice Publishing Group is looking for stories right this very minute on living the American Dream. But you can write a non-fiction essay, too. They'll be reading stories and essays till...let's see, December 31st! So, you have plenty of time to come up with something between 250 and 2000 words for Patchwork Path: Star Spangled Banner. And if the editors choose you, you'll receive payment of $50.00.

That's a nice bit for a story. Or even an essay. (But don't dilly-dally too long!)

Tooting My Horn Tuesday: Deep South Magazine on Being Polite

Dadgum it!

I meant to tell all y'all about my essay in Deep South Magazine-and remind you to vote for your favorite Southern saying in the T shirt contest. Now, it's too late to vote! But you can still check out the Southern sayings. (I sent in "Hush up," which is just about as Southern as it comes. It didn't get picked. Maybe the folks at Deep South thought I was telling them to hush up.)

Anyway, you may recall that Deep South Magazine was the Market of the Month-and I didn't waste any time sending over my essay, "Being Polite." I'd be tickled to death if you gave it a read. You can't make these things up, as they say.

Well, you can. But in this case, I didn't. When I was visiting with family last week, an argument of sorts broke out as we all remembered that evening differently. In the end, my version prevailed as the truth. Mostly. Which just goes to show, you can't put a roomful of Southerners in one place without folks making a fuss. (Coincidentally, another Southern expression I sent in.)

So, how about you? Do you have a favorite Southern saying? I'd really like to know.

Honest to Pete.

Market of the Month: Sniplits!

I didn't exactly intend to take off last week, but for some hot and humid reason, I just didn't get into the writing zone. Thank goodness, I've found a market to give me a push in the write direction. (Um, sorry. I'll wait while you finish groaning...)

Now, on to the market of the month: Sniplits! Here's a spot that's all about short stories and getting those stories out there to tech-savvy readers on the go. It's a downloadable service that offers literary as well as genre writing, so there's literally something for every reader (and writer!). You can hear stories on I-phones, I-pods, MP3 players, Blackberries...well, if it's got downloading capability, it's a fit for Sniplits.

The question you're asking now is if it's a fit for your writing. Check out their guidelines for word counts, payment, rights, and other info. You'll see that thay accept previously published works (though the pay will be lower). And don't forget to peruse the Submissions calendar to make sure that what you want to submit is open now. I think I counted six different categories open in July. You're bound to find the write stuff, right? Write.

Um, SO sorry. I should probably get a tall, cool drink and hydrate my brain cells. Or at the very least, drown those cells that keep making awful puns.

Market of the Month: Deep South Magazine

Sometimes, the oak-lined road beckons and you've just got to skedaddle down it.

Which explains the market of the month, Deep South Magazine. They're looking for all kinds of pieces, Southern-style. That means articles, stories, poems, and whatever else you can drawl on and on about.

AND, I have a writing buddy who had a story accepted. Good to know since Deep South is a relatively new magazine. And P.S., she's not even Southern. So, you can't use that as an excuse not to submit to this lovely market.

Time for this little Georgia peach to get on down that road to publication. And best of luck to y'all.

(Thanks to Hope Clark's FFW for this tip, and stock.xchng for the photo.)

Finding Something Friday on Market of the Month (Yeah, Finally)

What can I say about the Market of the Month?

How about...

1. It's kinda late.

2. It's an anthology looking for humorous submissions.

3. It's about Monster Mashups.

I'm a big fan of mashups (where you take two of something, like a song, and mash it together to make a whole of something). I'm a big fan of humor. And, I'm a big fan of horror. So when I saw Groanology, it spoke to me. And what it said was, "Cathy C. Hall, here's your crazy market of the month. Finally!"

Fortunately, I've got a little time on my hands to write this story. I need two monsters and a humorous plot. And I need to keep the witty words short (1200 to 3200) and turn them in by June 1st.

So, there's your Market of the Month, finally. What have you got to say?

Market of the Month: Oatmeal Studios

Oatmeal Studios is a greeting card market. Yeah, that's right. But a humorous greeting card market. Maybe there's something terribly amusing about oatmeal that I just don't grasp. Which might make it difficult for me to break into this market.

But hope springs eternal. I'm always sending out greeting card ideas. I've got, as the saying goes, a million of 'em. And one day, a Cathy C. Hall funny bon mot or two is going to sit up on that greeting card shelf in the grocery store. And I'm going to wait behind the shelf, watching people read cards. Possibly pushing, er, pointing them politely to a humorous Oatmeal Studios card.

Hey, it could happen. But I've got to actually write them first. So, let's check out this market and put our funny pens to paper. Because I bet you've got a million ideas, too. And if you think oatmeal is hilarious, you're already one step ahead of me.

Market of the Month: Bylines Desk Calendar

Time to change the market of the month, mateys! Okay, I got a little carried away with the whole alliteration thing. But that's because I'm so excited about this month's market: Bylines Desk Calendar!

You can visit the website for all the information you need to submit. Or you can check out Donna's Book Pub here; the editor, Sylvia Forbes, visited and shared some fine tips. What you can't do is sit around on your thumbs. 'Cause the deadline for next year's submissions is March 1st!

So, c'mon. You know you've got 300 scathingly brilliant writing words in you. (Gee, I hope I didn't use my month's allotment up when I submitted!) Shove off with you, now, and good luck, mateys!