First of all, I want to congratulate my friends and the many members of the Writers Rendezvous who placed in the Connecticut Press Club Awards, who announced the winners this month. Among them were: Carol Leonetti Dannhauser, Nancy McMillan, Elizabeth Chatsworth, Elizabeth Keyser, Megan Smith-Harris, Veronique Klemow, Barbara Anne King, Mitzy Sky, Marlou Newkirk and Laurie Newkirk, Linda Zohman Avellar, Aline Doino Weiller, and Tom Renner. My wonderful social media queen, Kiana Stockwell, came first for the social media campaign for my forthcoming memoir, which was brilliant! And I should probably mention that this website came first in its category too. When I urge you to submit to this prestigious contest, it’s for a reason 🙂 Submissions for work done this year (2022) will open in December. Make sure you don’t miss it!

You may not know that the Westport Writers Workshop has an outreach program serving those who have special challenges or who have survived some type of hardship, abuse, or trauma. They send instructors out to organizations such as The Center for Empowerment and Education (formerly the Danbury Women’s Shelter), Homes for the Brave, Caroline House, Harlem Village Academies, Training at Amherst Writers and Artists, as well as hosting free workshops for Women affected by Breast Cancer, College Essay Writing for Fairfield Seniors, and Moms of Special Needs Children. To raise funds for this, they hold an annual fundraiser, which takes place this year on April 29 at Wakeman Farm in Westport. Be a part of this effort by donating or attending. $129.

Hill-Stead, the Connecticut landmark in Farmington, has opened submissions for its annual Fresh Voices Poetry Competition. The contest is open to Connecticut High school-age students. Previous winners may not enter again, and you must be prepared to participate in the live reading on June 23 if you win. Winning poems will be published in the museum’s online poetry journal, Theodate and there are monetary awards too. Check the submission guidelines and entry form for more details. Deadline April 29.

Al Blanchard Crime Award was established by the New England Crime Bake Committee in his memory to annually honor the best crime short story (up to 5000 words) by a New England writer or with a New England setting. First Prize: $100. Deadline: April 30. Submission info here.

Westport Writers Workshop continues its series of one-day workshops with a series of new topics that include Sketch Comedy Creation with Eliza Schneider on April 30 (virtual), Writing Short with Marcelle Soviero (in-person) on April 30,  Tell My Story: Write to Prompts Inspired by their Current Art Exhibit with Liz Matthews (in-person) on May 3, and for those writing screenplays, and in-person class with Doug Moser on  Dialogue for Film, Theater, & Prose on May 14. Register at the links above.

Connecticut Center for the Book at Connecticut Humanities is now accepting submissions for the 2022 Connecticut Book Awards. The awards are given for the best books by Connecticut authors and illustrators or books about Connecticut published in 2021. Entry fee: $50.00. Submission details here. Deadline May 2.

Submissions are now being accepted for Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors, the annual climate fiction contest from Fix, Grist’s solutions lab. There is no fee to enter. Submit your short story (3,000-5,000 words) by midnight PST on May 5. They like stories that envision the next 180 years of clean, green, and just futures. The top three winners will be awarded $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000, respectively, and nine finalists will receive a $300 honorarium. No fee to enter. Submit here.

I’ll be appearing at the Westport Library to talk about my book, Love’s Journey Home, on May 11 at 7pm. My friend Tricia Tierney will interview me about the book and provide moral support! Tricia was the spirit behind the Writers Rendezvous when she asked me to come up with an event for writers that could be held at Barnes and Noble back in February 2014. We’ve gone from strength to strength since then and now have over 500 members! You can listen to the first chapter of the book here.

Extinction Rebellion aims to do something good for the planet by highlighting the issue of climate change. Their latest venture is Extinction Rebellion Creative Hub, an anthology of songs, fiction, and poetry that’s inspiring, meaningful, and original, and that reflects the principles, concerns, and values of the Extinction Rebellion from a global, regional or local perspective. They’re looking for submissions of poetry, songs, flash fiction, short stories, prose poems, and scripts for plays or films addressing climate justice, the current climate crisis, and possible aftermaths and future worlds here on earth, so there’s plenty of scope! Check their submission guidelines here.

That’s all for now, but there’s more to come on Monday. Have a great weekend!