Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Big step, little step and step-up-to-the-plate contest and surprise!

Squelching through a muddy patch in a river bottom, my friend and I discovered the tracks of previous visitors.
They're sort of ghostly, don't you think? Does this not raise speculation about who passed this way? Or warm fuzzies about springtime and baby feet? I think this photo is a great writing prompt if anyone is inclined.
Thinking about the steps we take brings me to a most-awesome contest. Really. This tandem affair offers prizes that should propel any writer along the journey.
Two fantastic bloggers Elana Johnson and Shelli Johannes-Wells have week-long contests underway. First requirement is to follow them both. At stake in Elana's is a query critique by one of five literary agents. Five more winners will receive a query crit from Elana and a copy of her eBook, From the Query to the Call. Shelli is offering a query and first chapter critique from an agent, marketing consultation and books. For details, read their blogs and enter!
Even if you don't win, contests like this are an excellent kick-in-the-pants to polish your query and first chapter. Be ready for any steps towards living your dream. Good luck and great journey, everyone!
Addendum extraordinaire:
FAT TUESDAY SURPRISE!
The mailman came to my door, wiping his brow, and saying, "That's a heavy one."
He delivered my Mardi Gras contest winning prize from amazing writer/blogger Tere Kirkland at The Lesser Key.
The parades are rolling on the streets of New Orleans, and I'm rolling in beads and pralines and chicory coffee and gumbo mix and hot stuff! It's the best thing, other than being there. Thank you soooo much, Tere. My day is made.

30 comments:

Corey Schwartz said...

Oh, I've already entered. Love those two!

Cool prints.

Shannon Messenger said...

Thanks for the links to the contests, and awesome picture. You're right--there's definitely an untold story there!

Sorry I haven't been by recently (revisions have been killing me) but I'm trying to get back to my blog hopping ways)

Laurel Garver said...

Hi Tricia, I have an award for you over at my blog. You might have this one already, but I want you to know how much your encouragement has meant!

Unknown said...

It has certainly done the job to get me to work on my query! Those ladies are awesome!

Stephanie Thornton said...

My daughter and I love finding footprints when we go on walks. Of course, ours are all in snow, but there are a lot of snowshoe hare prints and some sort of weasel I'm going to have to look up.

Diana Paz said...

Woo hoo mardi gras!! Love it :) And thanks for the contest info!

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Hi, Corey!

Shannon: Writing first is the way to go. We'll be here when you're back. I love that photo, too.

Laurel: Thank you. I shall come on by. :)

Nisa: Hasn't it? I'm turning to my query ASAP.

Stephanie: I love footprints in sand, in mud, in snow. Among my favorites are baby feet in sand, but I admit to getting scared when I saw a fresh bear print once.

Diana: I know! It was such a wonderful surprise, and I had to add to today's post, because, well, TODAY!

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Great pic. (as always) and woo-hoo for Shelli and Elana's contests!

Oh, I SO wanted to win Tere's contest, you lucky duck! :-)

Yat-Yee said...

You have the most amazing pictures. Maybe that's because you are so observant and mindful of your world. Thank you.

Davin Malasarn said...

That's a great prize you won from Tere! I like how you describe those wonderful footprints too!

Unknown said...

Love the first pic and your description!

Thanks for the contest info:)

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Thanks, Shannon, and, yes, I feel lucky duckish indeed!

Yat-Yee: That was a lovely thing to say--thank you!

Davin: I know, I feel special. I'm going to wear those Mardi Gras beads to my critique group tonight. Glad you liked the footprints.

Wendy: Thank you!

storyqueen said...

Tricia, did you ever think of doing a book of photography and poetry?

So, um, I think you should think about it....(Yeah, I know there was no poetry in this post...but I keep forgetting to tell you I think you should do this.)

Shelley

Paul Greci said...

Nice photo of the tracks. And your prize from Terry--awesome!

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Shelley: I used to think about doing little watercolor sketches with haiku, but the photo/haiku thing just fell in place on my blog. Thank you for suggesting it. I'm honored you think it would be worthwhile.

Hi Paul, thanks! And, yeah, it's made of awesome.

Just Another Sarah said...

Awesome Fat Tuesday Surprise for you! :) It brings a touch of New Orleans right home, eh? :) Swell!

MG Higgins said...

"Slap Ya Mama?" I am sooo curious what that is. (Interesting, I'm more curious about what's in your basket than what made the tracks. Raccoons, I think.)

Jemi Fraser said...

Great photos! Love the tracks :)

Elana & Shelli are awesome & it's a great contest!

Anonymous said...

Oh brilliant prints! They are really kind of creepy!

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

JASarah: I even wore my beads to my crit group tonight and tossed some to my fellow writers. It was swell.

Mel: Slap Ya Mama is so hot it sizzles. Red peppah, black peppah and garlic. Keep the water handy.

Jemi: Those are some of the best tracks I've seen.

Wen: Yeah, creepy, ghostly looking, but way cool.

Yvonne Osborne said...

That was a mama and her baby....methinks. And it looks like snow, not mud. Maybe I just have snow on the brain.

Thanks for the contest links. You mean I'd have to polish my query? Oh, yeah, the query. The query and the manuscript, what this is really all about.

VR Barkowski said...

Beautiful photos, the first evocative, the second... well what can I say? My soul lives in The city that care forgot.

Congratulations on your win and Kudos to Shelli and Elana for their amazing contests!

Tere Kirkland said...

Raccoon, or possum? Great pic, whatever it is!

Glad you enjoyed your goodies! It was a heavy box, but I kept wanting to put more and more stuff in it!

Natalie said...

What a fun prize Tricia! It seems like blog contests have been plentiful lately. I've entered Elana and Shelli's contest too. It's such a great one.

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Yvonne: Interesting that you see snow. I've always been fascinated by how we see what we expect a lot of times and then realize it was slightly different. And, oh, yeah, that's what it's about. ;)

VR: Thanks, and I adore that city, too. It's been too long since my last visit.

Tere: I'm so glad you loaded me up! I'm dancing!

Natalie: I know! So many contests, people sharing and having fun.

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

thanks for the shout out girlie! :)

kah said...

Yummy! Look at all those goodies. Congrats. :)
And those feet look like they could belong to a fun mythical creature.

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Shelli: You more than deserve it!

Karen: Ooooo, yes, mythical, mystical, magic. I like that.

Roni Loren said...

Hope you enjoy all your New Orleans goodies. Looks likes a great prize. :) Makes me miss home (grew up in New Orleans.)

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Roni: Oh, yes, I'm enjoying!