Headlines for Highlights Contest

I cam across two headlines that you might be able to work with for a submission to the Highlights 2012 Fiction Contest.

1. Monkey 'Banana Sam' stolen from SF Zoo

2. Couple lost in corn maze calls 911

Remember, the idea is to write a funny story inspired by an unusual newspaper headline.

Have you found any headlines you'd like to share?

Chance to win Guide to Literary Agents

Don't miss your chance to win the 2012 edition of Guide to Literary Agents. All you have to do is comment on Chuck Sambuchino's post to get in the drawing. Good luck to all who enter.

Contest for children's book authors

MeeGenius is searching for the "next great children’s book author" according to its post. Read all the details and enter by Nov. 1. Good luck to all of you who enter.

I love the e-edition on my iPad

My York Sunday News column for June 5, 2011

Hubs surprised me with a 25th anniversary trip to Key West. Yeah, I know. Got married when I was 10. One of the best things about the trip -- well, besides the awesome seaplane adventure to the Dry Tortugas, seeing where Hemingway penned some of his greatest work, visiting the house where President Harry Truman enjoyed spending time away from the White House, watching the interesting characters, enjoying the tropical climate and dynamic nightlife and nightly sunset festival in Mallory Square (Whew!) -- was getting the York Daily Record/Sunday News E-edition on my iPad.


I know. I know. But once a news junkie, always a news junkie. And my trusty old iPad -- that Hubs bought me (wink) for Christmas but had no idea how much he paid for it until after the bill arrived -- made staying connected and up to date on hometown news a breeze.

If you own an iPad and you subscribe to our e-edition, you definitely should check out the presentation on your tablet. Just go to the App Store and search for "York Daily Record" and install. Use the same username and password you use to access your e-edition online.

The e-edition replicates the print issue and the iPad delivers an enjoyable viewing experience. For iPad users, it's intuitive. Touch the page number at the end of a story on the front page to go to the jump page to finish reading it. Touch URLs to go to websites and email addresses to send emails. Use the pinching method to reduce or enlarge type. Touch a story with two fingers and the screen splits, putting the replicated page on one side and the story on the other, which you can then enlarge if you need to.

I know that I'm raving about this e-edition on my iPad, but I'm in love with it. It's convenient, easy to use and truly allows me to know what's going on at home anytime, anywhere I am.

I hope that if you have an iPad you give this a whirl. I'd love to know what you think of it.

And just to make sure you're in the loop, here's the skinny on some of our other great apps.

-- We have a really cool free (emphasize free) smartphone app for those of you who love going to yard sales. And I know there are a lot of you. Just download the Yardsalespa app for Android or iPhone and you're in business.

This totally sweet app lets you find yard sales by street address and gives you GPS directions to each sale. Plus, you can save your searches and map out your day. Seems like a gotta-have tool for bargain hunters.

-- Our York Daily Record smartphone app is available for Android and iPhone. And it's free. Get the latest news on the go. Unlike the e-edition, it's constantly updated with the latest news and information.

-- To get live high school sports scores and more, download our free GameTimePA app. It's available for both Android and iPhone.

Social media and the newspaper

As the newspaper industry continues to evolve, one of the many ways we connect with our readers, in addition to print, is through social media.

Some of you we see regularly on our Facebook page or on Twitter or the Exchange or one of our many blogs.

We understand that social media is an important tool for citizen journalism, and it's my job, as social media coordinator, to make you aware of all of the ways you can get the news and information you want.

Chance to win tickets to Hersheypark

Comment on my "Don't Miss" post of June 3, 2011, on Buffy's World blog (http://www.yorkblog.com/buffy) and you'll be put in a random drawing for two tickets to Hersheypark.
Deadline to comment is June 9, 2011.

Some of my posts

Dear Social Gaming, I'm just not that into you. Sorry. You're too needy and, well, I just don't have time to raise crops or expand franchises or build armies.

I don't know how I ever wrote without a computer. I mean, the dang thing is like an appendage.

Waiting for coffee to kick in. Come on, joe. Get your act together.

I don't understand why my computer can't keep up with me. I swear it's slow on purpose. Ugh!

Why did I just down a Hershey's bar when I have carrots sitting on my desk?

I wish writing was like eating chocolate. I never have any problem eating chocolate and it always tastes great.

Follow me online

Twitter: @Buffyandrews

Facebook:
Smartmamapa (http://www.facebook.com/smartmamapa)
Flipsidepa (http://www.facebook.com/flipsidepa)
York Daily Record/Sunday News (http://www.facebook.com/YorkDailyRecord)

Blogs:
Buffy's World (http://www.yorkblog.com/buffy)
Buffy's Write Zone (http://buffyswritezone.blogspot.com)

YA contest under way

Check out QueryTracker Blog's YA contest. Agent Roseanne Wells from the Marianne Strong Literary Agency is the judge. Good luck to all who enter.

Awesome contest to check out

I wanted to let you know that I'm running a contest on my other blog, Buffy's World. Many of you will know the answer to my question immediately because it relates to my writing. Anyway, pop over, join in the fun and you'll have a chance to win a $25 Target gift card. Sweet:)

Chance to win $25 Target gift card

Pop over to my other blog, Buffy's World, to learn how you can get in a random drawing for a $25 Target gift card. And thanks in advance for your support.

BTW, what's your favorite form of social media?

Query Tracker contest

Here's the skinny on the latest contest from the Query Tracker blog:
Agent Joan Paquette from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency will judge the entries. Contest begins at 9 a.m. Oct. 27 and ends at 9 a.m. Oct. 28. It is for completed children's picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, or young adult novels.Good luck to everyone who enters.

Contest alert

Here's the skinny on the October Secret Agent Contest, which begins Oct. 11. This month's contest will
 include the following genres: Adult commercial fiction (NO SF/F) and young adult. Good luck to everyone who enters. Details here.

Contest starts tonight

Just a reminder that the QueryTracker contest starts tonight. Only 100 entries will be accepted. Genres are young adult and middle grade.
QueryTracker contest details here

New contest

Check Contests tab above for newest Lucky Agent Contest. And good luck to all who enter.

Still time to enter YA contest

There's still time to enter Delacorte Press Contest for a First Young Adult Novel. Deadline is Dec. 31. Go here for details: http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/writingcontests/#youngadult

There was no winner this year in the Delacorte Yearling Contest for a First Middle-Grade Novel. According to this post http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/writingcontests/ they have decided to discontinue this contest. Bah-humbug!
Good luck to everyone who enters the YA contest. I hope that 2010 is a great year for everyone. If you know of a contest, please let others know by using the comments function. Happy Friday and I hope your weekend is filled with fun.

Highlights 2010 Fiction Contest

You can enter the Highlights 2010 Fiction Contest starting Jan. 1. Three prizes of $1,000 or tuition for the Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop at Chautauqua. Looking for fiction based on a true story from your family. All entries must be postmarked between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31, 2010.
Check link for details.
http://www.highlights.com/highlights-fiction-contest

Another great contest to check out

This one's for YA writers. Good luck to everyone:)

http://www.writingclasses.com/ContestPages/YAPitch.php

Check out this contest

Wander over to Buried in the Slush Pile and check out this one page summary contest. And good luck to all who enter.

http://cbaybooks.blogspot.com/2009/11/one-page-summary-contest-information.html

YA novel discovery contest

Hey fellow writers, this sounds like a great opportunity. Serendipity Literary Agency, in collaboration with Sourcebooks and Gotham Writers' Workshop, is hosting its first Young Adult Novel Discovery Competition. Get all the details here. And good luck!

http://www.writingclasses.com/ContestPages/YAPitch.php

Kidlit query contest

Check out Mary Kole's query letter contest. She is an associate agent at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Entries due by Oct. 31.

http://kidlit.com/kidlit-contest/

First paragraph challenge

Check out Nathan Bransford's First Paragraph Challenge. Details here:

http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2009/10/3rd-sort-of-annual-stupendously.html