Prize Draw Winners Announced!

A big THANK YOU to everyone! We've just broken the $100 mark! It's still a long way to our target of $1,500, but it's a start! If you have purchased Stories for Sendai and enjoyed it, why not let others know? We would also really appreciate some reviews, either on your site, or on sites like Goodreads and Amazon.

And now, on to the exciting announcement! We have winners for the prize draw! Now, we received more prize donations than entries, so what we did was to randomly draw a winner using Random.org, and then draw them a random prize from the list of prizes.

And so, without further ado, the list of winners...

Cherie Reich 

wins

the First Chapter / Short Story Critique (up to 2 hours and 3,000 words) from J.R. McRae!

Jennifer Poulter

wins

an e-book copy of Celestial Seduction by Jessica E. Subject!

Damyanti Ghosh

wins

an e-book copy of Celestial Seduction by Jessica E. Subject!

Michael di Gesu

wins

a First Chapter / Query / Synopsis Critique from J.C. Martin!

Robyn Campbell

wins

a First Chapter / Query / Synopsis Critique from Michelle Davidson Argyle!

Jessica E. Subject

wins

an e-book copy of Middlewitch Mayhem by Heather Parker!

Congratulations, all! We will be in touch shortly with your prizes! :)

Competition Deadline Extended!

Right, so for some frustrating reason the print version of Stories for Sendai is still not available on Amazon UK. :( It is, however, available on Amazon DE, the German site, and our British friends can purchase it on there in GBP.

In lieu of the delay of the book being made available to those in the UK, we are extending the deadline for the prize draw. You now have till Friday July 22nd to forward us your receipt to be in the running for cool prizes! Check out COMPETITION for more details.

Wunderbar! Find Us on Amazon DE!!

Stories for Sendai can now be purchased from Amazon Germany! Can't believe it's still not available from Amazon UK. The only copy they have available through some third party store costs a crazy £28.45! Daylight robbery! :(

J.C. couldn't wait for it to get to Amazon UK, and has purchased 10 copies from the German store. She'll be flogging them to friends and family!

Still time to send us your receipt to be entered into our prize draw! See COMPETITIONS for more details.

Stories for Sendai: An Update

The blog tours are nearing their end, and we've had a busy but enjoyable time hopping from blog to blog promoting Stories for Sendai! As of posting, we've raised US$86 for charity. but as you can see, we're hoping to raise much more! 

If you've already purchased a copy, good on you, and thank you very much! If you've read and enjoyed it, why not pass the news on and tell your friends to buy a copy too? If you haven't bought one, why not give it a go? It's only $7.99 for the paperback on Amazon.com and the Createspace eStore, £3.46 for the Kindle version (US), and £2.15 for the Kindle version (UK). For our Canadian friends, it's CDN$7.66 on Amazon.ca.

We are still waiting for the print version of the anthology to be available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.de.

Anyone who's purchased a copy can still be in the running for our prize draw, which will end July 15th. Here's a reminder of the prizes available:

1 x $10 (or £10 if you live in the UK) Amazon gift voucher

1 x First Chapter/Query/Synopsis Critique from Michelle Davidson Argyle

2 x First Chapter/Query/Synopsis Critiques from J.C. Martin

1 x First Chapter/Short Story Critique (up to 2 hours and 3,000 words) from J.R. McRae

2 x Print book of your choice from the Book Depository top 1000 bestsellers list

2 x e-book copies of Celestial Seduction by Jessica E. Subject, donated by author

1 x e-book copy of Middlewitch Mayhem by Heather Parker, donated by author

Competition details

1. Purchase a copy (or more!) of Stories for Sendai when it releases.
2. Email your receipt to storiesforsendai (at) ymail (dot) com.
3. One contest entry per purchase--so buy extra copies for your friends/family! :)
4. Contest closes on July 15th at 10.00pm GMT. Winners will be drawn randomly.
5. Check back here on July 16th for the list of winners! 

RELEASE DAY!!

*EDIT: Kindle version (US) now available! :)

It's the official release day today! It's been a whirlwind of a time, with edits and promos and blog tours, and the day is finally here! :) And here is our latest status:

The print version of Stories for Sendai has been available on Amazon for a few days now. We've encountered some glitches with the Kindle version, which somehow keeps failing at the review stage without giving us a reason why! :( So please be patient while we keep plugging on that...

See the new-fangled thermometer on the right? Help us raise the mercury all the way to the top! For every sale of the print version, $2.24 will go towards funds in aid of Japan's quake victims. This is 100% of the proceeds, minus the cuts taken by Amazon and Createspace.

As of today, Stories for Sendai is #20 in the Hot New Releases bestsellers list for Genre Fiction Anthologies!! Overall in books, we're a less impressive #58,164. Let's try to get Stories for Sendai to climb higher! If you're planning on getting a copy, why not buy it TODAY to help us rush the charts and move us up the lists?

And don't forget to email us a copy of your receipt to be in the running for awesome prizes! Check out the COMPETITIONS page--one entry per receipt!

There's been quite a bit of Twittering about the anthology in the past few days, and we're really grateful to everyone who's been re-Tweeting and promoting Stories for Sendai to their followers. Now comes the big question: could we get #StoriesforSendai to actually trend? *gasp* With your help, we'll find out!

I'd like to thank everyone for their support so far. We're halfway through our blog tour, so I hope you'll continue to join us the rest of the way! With your help, we can make this project a success!

Meet the Authors: J.C. Martin

Release day is tomorrow! We round up this Meet the Authors feature with contributing author and co-editor...

J.C. Martin

Brief Bio:

J.C. Martin was born in Malaysia but now lives in London, where she works as a martial arts instructor to fund her writing obsession. Her past occupations include being a school teacher and a cancer research technician. Her short stories have appeared in anthologies for New Asian Writing, Pill Hill Press and Static Movement, and she is the winner of the 2010 IFWG Publishing Story Quest Short Story Contest. Her short story, Tommy's Legacy, will be published in the Stories for Sendai anthology. She blogs about the art of writing and fighting on her blog J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer. For shorter, 140-character versions of her ramblings, follow her on Twitter @JCMartin_author. She can also be found roaming on Facebook.

What genres do you write?

The two novels I am currently working on are both crime fiction featuring the same detective. My short stories are mainly horror, and I am toying with the idea of a couple of young adult/new adult paranormal fantasies.

What are you currently writing? Sum it up in 10 words or less.

Serial killer stalks London leading up to the 2012 Olympics.

What do you do when you're not writing?

I practice or teach Wing Chun kung fu, play badminton, pick up after my three dogs and my husband (usually my husband), and spend more time than I should blogging.

What is your ultimate goal as a writer?

To be a full-time writer/part-time martial arts instructor. At the moment, it's the wrong way round!

How close are you to achieving this goal?

I'm almost done with one of my novels, Oracle. After rewrites, I need to find some beta readers for it, followed by even more edits before it's ready to even grace an agent's slush pile. So...still a couple of years yet! But seeing as my novel has a very current theme (the 2012 Olympics) I want to try and capitalise on, I'm hoping to try and speed the process along--somehow!

What is the single most important piece of advice you can give a fellow writer?

You may be your own harshest critic, but you may also be the most biased. A good critique partner is worth their weight in gold!

Meet the Authors: Michelle Davidson Argyle

As we near the official release day, we are super-excited to announce that the print version of the anthology is now AVAILABLE ON AMAZON! Woo-hoo! Kindle version should follow shortly. In the meantime, it's time to introduce contributing author, fellow co-editor and all-around awesome chick...

Michelle Davidson Argyle

Brief Bio:

Michelle Davidson Argyle currently resides in the Rocky Mountains with her daughter and actor-husband who keeps lots of swords around the house. Everyone thinks this is a fabulous arrangement, and urges him to acquire more on a regular basis. Michelle happily writes novels as part of her stay-at-home-mom-and-artist career. Her short story, Thread, will appear in the Stories for Sendai anthology. Her first novel, Monarch, is set for release September of 2011 by Rhemalda Publishing. You can find out more about her on her author site: http://michelledavidsonargyle.com and sign up to her mailing list here. She can also be found on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and various Blogger sites. She welcomes emails at ladyglamis (at) gmail (dot) com.

What genres do you write?

I write contemporary, fantasy, and literary fiction. My literary fiction is mostly short stories, and my fantasy so far has been three fairy-tale themed novellas. My adult thriller, Monarch, is contemporary, while my novel which will be published after that is categorized as young adult/new adult contemporary. I plan to keep dabbling in different genres because my main focus is stories, not genres.

What are you currently writing? Sum it up in 10 words or less.

What happens before the classic tale, Sleeping Beauty.

What do you do when you're not writing?

Taking care of my daughter or husband, cleaning, eating, or spending time in Photoshop or outside.

What is your ultimate goal as a writer?

To keep writing stories and sharing them, no matter how they're published.

How close are you to achieving this goal?

I'm attaining it as we speak, so yay!

What is the single most important piece of advice you can give a fellow writer?

Read a lot and write a lot and never, ever give up.

Stories for Sendai Now Available!!

We have super-exciting news! The print version of Stories for Sendai is now available on Amazon! Only $7.99! Do your bid for charity and get a copy--or two!

Also, don't forget that each purchase entitles you to one entry in our prize draw! Click on the COMPETITIONS tab for more details and a list of the prizes on offer!

The Kindle version will be ready soon. The official release date is June 30th. Remember that we're trying to rush the Amazon charts, so if you want to buy the book, try to get it on the 30th if you can to really push it up the charts for more exposure!

As we move towards release day, we've introduced our entire cast of contributing authors--except two. Tomorrow and the day after, we will post interviews with the co-editors of the anthology, who both have short stories included in the book!

Meet the Authors: Davin Malasarn

It's nearly release day! If you hadn't already noticed, check out our COMPETITIONS page, with full details of a contest draw with lots of cool prizes!

Today's featured author is...

Davin Malasarn

Brief Bio:

Davin Malasarn is a recipient of the 2008 Emerging Voices Fellowship by PEN Center USA and a proud member of the Word Knot Writer's Group. He lives in California and blogs at The Literary Lab with co-authors Scott G. F. Bailey and Michelle Davidson Argyle. His collection The Wild Grasses and Other Stories will be published in July 2011. His short story, Obaachan, will appear in the Stories for Sendai anthology.

What genres do you write?

I write what other people call literary fiction, but I really think the genre should get a less misleading name that doesn't automatically bother so many people. What that name is, I haven't figured it out yet.

What are you currently writing? Sum it up in 10 words or less.

A story about Japanese-Americans with super powers for my sister-in-law.

What do you do when you're not writing?

When I'm not writing, I'm usually still writing, but in the technical realm. I also really like to cook, which means I spend a lot of time cleaning up my kitchen messes. 

What is your ultimate goal as a writer?

I don't know any more, these days. Vaguely, my goal is to get better as a writer and to figure out a way to talk about my work so that other people "get it".

How close are you to achieving this goal?

I feel far away from the goal these days. My writing is getting better, so that's good. But I have a hard time talking about it. 

What is the single most important piece of advice you can give a fellow writer?

I think the best thing I've ever said it to write for yourself, to try and please yourself before you think about the rest of the world.

Meet the Authors: Cherie Reich

Introducing today's featured contributing author...

Cherie Reich

Brief Bio:

Cherie Reich is a writer, freelance editor, and library assistant living in Virginia. Her works have appeared in various magazines and anthologies. Her ebook Once Upon a December Nightmare is published by Wild Child Publishing. She is a member of Valley Writers and Virginia Writers Club, and placed third in Roanoke Valley's Big Read writing competition. Her short story, Folding Hope, will appear in the Stories for Sendai anthology. For more information, please visit her website, http://cheriereich.webs.com, and blog, http://cheriereich.blogspot.com. She is also on Facebook and Twitter.

What genres do you write?

horror, mystery, and fantasy, but I've branched into general fiction, romance, and science fiction. I write flash fiction to short stories to novel-length works for children and adults. I suppose I'm versatile or fickle. I'm not sure which. *laughs*

What are you currently writing? Sum it up in 10 words or less.

After a fatal accident, Nadia restores her shattered life. (YA Paranormal, Virtuoso)

What do you do when you're not writing?

I work as a freelance editor and library assistant. I blog, watch TV, read and review books, play with my cats, and spend time with my family.

What is your ultimate goal as a writer?

I'd like to make enough with my writing to supplement my income and right at this moment, I would love to have Virtuoso rewritten, edited, and polished so I can query agents.

How close are you to achieving this goal?

Supplementing my income with writing is probably 2-5 years away, if things work out. As for getting Virtuoso polished and in agents' hands, I hope to achieve that goal by October.

What is the single most important piece of advice you can give a fellow writer?

Write, write, write some more and read...a lot. Also, be willing to learn. Don't settle for mediocrity, but work hard on what you write to make it the best you possibly can.

Meet the Authors: Aron White

And today's featured author is...

Aron White

Brief Bio:

Aron White lives in Seattle and assumes his secret storyteller identity whenever possible. Originally from Motor City, he's always had a soft spot for Chevys, enjoys collecting vintage movie posters and is a member of the Knights of Columbus. Some day when his regime comes to power he plans to require society to read more books and watch less television. His short story, Moving the Mountain, will be published in the Stories for Sendai anthology. His secret lair is at http://www.aronwhite.com. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.

What genres do you write?

Short Fiction, Young Adult Fiction.

What are you currently writing? Sum it up in 10 words or less.

The zombie apocalypse: where will you be when the end comes? 

[That's eleven words, but I'll let you off!]

What do you do when you're not writing?

Collect vintage movie posters, volunteer with Knights of Columbus, couch potato-type stuff.

What is your ultimate goal as a writer?

Keep readers coming back for more. If you enjoyed one of my stories then you've made my day.

How close are you to achieving this goal?

At the very beginning, but looking forward to the long trek ahead.

What is the single most important piece of advice you can give a fellow writer?

Have fun and never let anyone convince you otherwise.

Meet the Authors: C. N. Nevets

And today's featured author is...

C. N. Nevets

Brief Bio:

C. N. Nevets has worked in a variety of fields, including archaeology, forensics, radio, and information technology. He and his wife currently live in Indiana, where Nevets writes psychological suspense under the influence of coffee and incense. He has been previously published in the anthologies Genre Wars and Notes from Underground. His short story, Kansai Oniisan, will be published in the Stories for Sendai anthology.He can be found on the web at http://www.Nevets-QST.com. 

What genres do you write?

I write psychological suspense and short, character-driven literary fiction.

What are you currently writing? Sum it up in 10 words or less.

A man of gamemanship versus a woman of rules.

What do you do when you're not writing?

I work as an IT manager and a volunteer EMT. I learn languages. I drink coffee.

What is your ultimate goal as a writer?

To make my living telling stories that fool people into thinking.

How close are you to achieving this goal?

Well, I tell stories anyway.

What is the single most important piece of advice you can give a fellow writer?

Be true to yourself, not to anyone else's expectations, warnings, or advice.

Meet the Authors: Kirsty Logan

And today's featured author is...

Kirsty Logan

Brief Bio:

Kirsty Logan is 27 and lives in Glasgow. Her short fiction has been published in around 80 anthologies and literary magazines, and broadcast on BBC Radio 4. She has a semicolon tattooed on her toe. Her short story, Floating House in the Fleeting World, will be published in the Stories for Sendai anthology. Say "hello" at kirstylogan.com.

What genres do you write?

Magical realism, suburban fantasy, queer erotica, and literary fiction with odd structures. 

What are you currently writing? Sum it up in 10 words or less.

Dark fairytale novel about mythical creatures on a Scottish island.

What do you do when you're not writing?

Read trashy horror novels, co-edit Fractured West magazine, and sing (very loudly and very badly) to Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush.

What is your ultimate goal as a writer?

To be described as 'the literary love-child of Angela Carter and Michelle Tea'.

How close are you to achieving this goal?

I have no idea! No-one's said it yet, but there's still time.

What is the single most important piece of advice you can give a fellow writer?

Don't write a story just because you feel you should get words on the page. It's only worth writing if it's so true that it hurts.

Meet the Authors: Julie Christine

And today's featured author is...

Julie Christine

Brief Bio:

After a career that took her from teaching English in Chad and Japan to coordinating university study abroad and exchange programs, Julie chucked it in and moved with her husband to New Zealand. For nearly two years they worked together in Waipara Valley vineyards. Returning to their native Washington state in 2008, they settled in Seattle. Julie now works as a wine specialist for a natural foods retailer. She is currently pursuing a non-residency writing program, training for her second triathlon, and dreams of making goat cheese in the garrigue of southwestern France. You can also find her blogging at Chalk the Sun.

What genres do you write?

Contemporary fiction, personal essay. 

What are you currently writing? Sum it up in 10 words or less.

A short story collection in which place informs character development.

What do you do when you're not writing?

I sell beautiful wines and tantalizing beers; run, bike, swim; read until my head throbs.

What is your ultimate goal as a writer?

To craft moving, imaginative, personal stories that will be read by someone other than my writing mentor-teacher. 

How close are you to achieving this goal?

This is a thrill of firsts: my first submitted work and the first to be published. Every day I show up at the page is another step forward in my writing life.

What is the single most important piece of advice you can give a fellow writer?

Allow the story to lead and be prepared to follow with your words. 

Meet the Authors: Damyanti Ghosh

Meet today's featured author...

Damyanti Ghosh

Brief Bio:

Damyanti Ghosh is an established freelance writer for various magazines and journals. Her short fiction has been published in the Quarterly Literary Review Singapore and Muse India, and in print anthologies by Marshall Cavendish, Monsoon Books and MPH Publications. Her short story, Kartar Singh's Birthday, will be published in the Stories for Sendai anthology. You can find her at www.amloki.com.

What genres do you write?

Literary short stories, but also some flash fiction in various genres like horror and fantasy.

What are you currently writing? Sum it up in 10 words or less.

E-book based on A-Z Challenge and a short story collection.

What do you do when you're not writing?

Read, cook, clean, meet people, spend time with my pets and plants, but this is what you see on the outside. On the inside, I'm still writing, struggling inside my head with plots, words, characters. So there's hardly an hour in my day when I'm not writing. :)

What is your ultimate goal as a writer?

to be able to look back on my work over the years and be pleased with it..

How close are you to achieving this goal?

Very very far away indeed. I only submit stuff for publication because I have to be practical and finish working on a story in order to begin others!

What is the single most important piece of advice you can give a fellow writer?

Persevere, because perseverance can be as important as talent when it comes to writing.

Meet the Authors: Lucy Cripps

Introducing today's featured author...

Lucy Cripps

Brief Bio:

Born and educated as an English teacher in England, Lucy Cripps now lives in Salzburg, Austria with her young family. Lucy lectures at the University of Salzburg and writes as a hired pen, proofreader and copy-editor. Her short story, Final Solution, will be published in the Stories for Sendai anthology. Follow her day-to-day escapades teaching, writing and studying for her MA in professional writing at University College Falmouth at http://www.lucycripps.com.

What genres do you write?

Most typically, I write non-fiction, buttering my bread with online business writing--from scaffold towers to cleaning, and online marketing to wedding photography. Last year, I was commissioned to write about twenty press freedom heroes for the International Press Institute's 60th anniversary commemorative book, which was incredibly interesting.

What are you currently writing? Sum it up in 10 words or less.

Ghost/co-writing a Palestinian journalist's memoires of taking Sesame Street to Palestine. We met when I wrote about him for the IPI's book.

What do you do when you're not writing?

Marking, editing and proofreading other people's writing--or sleeping. Sleeping is great, but I also enjoy baking and eating cakes, swimming in the rain, and travelling with my family and my netbook.

What is your ultimate goal as a writer?

What a question! Thanks to my teaching at the University of Salzburg, I've had to get to grips with areas of grammar that, a few years ago, I didn't know existed. While writing is very close to my heart, forging a successful career in the grammatical perfection that is the editing/proofreading world would be the biggest buzz for me.

How close are you to achieving this goal?

Some days I'm within spitting distance of it, others it's just a light at the end of a very long tunnel.

What is the single most important piece of advice you can give a fellow writer?

Learn to use apostrophes correctly, or find an editor that can. Of all the punctuation points, apostrophes, for some reason, cause the most hassle, and they look most obvious when they're incorrectly used.

And, of course, read.