Happy Yorkshire Day! By 'eck, tha' knows...

Today is officially Yorkshire Day, so being the proud daughter of Yorkshire parents (Ilkley Moor Ba' t'hat, tha' knows) I thought I'd celebrate with a sneaky giveaway...

Both my parents were born and raised in lovely Ilkley, West Yorkshire, before moving down to the Black Country for Dad's job when they got married. Consequently my sister and I grew up knowing that we could 'play cricket for Yorkshire one day' (allegedly), that Yorkshire was God's Own Country and that it was, officially, the 'right side of the Pennines'. We watched Emmerdale (both Farm and not) because it was filmed not far from Ilkley (where my grandparents and uncle still lived) and drank Yorkshire Tea, largely because the artwork on the box featured the Cow and Calf - the twin rock formations on the top of Ilkley Moor. We visited most holidays and certainly in our early years spent most of our free time in the lovely Dales.

This has fostered a lifelong love of the county in me and is why, when I wrote what became Fairytale of New York, I made sure that Rosie's parcel from home that her brother brings contained Yorkshire Tea, both as a nod to my heritage and also because it's still my favourite. A year after Fairytale of New York was published, the lovely people at Yorkshire Tea found out I'd name-checked them and sent me a box of goodies, including a box of 'Miranda's Tea' (see picture above) which now has pride of place on my desk!

So, if you'll forgive the tenuous link, I'm offering two signed copies of Fairytale of New York as a special Yorkshire Day giveaway... Want to win one? Just leave a comment in the box below!

Miranda Writes 9: The New Rose Prize 2013!

All this year I will be documenting the writing, editing and publishing of my fifth novel, giving you a unique, behind-the-scenes look at my life as a writer. This week, I'll tell you all about my writing competition for unpublished writers, The New Rose Prize 2013 and bring you exciting details of my sparkly online writing course, which is coming soon...

2013 will see the return of The New Rose Prize for unpublished writers! I'm extending the competition this year to include separate prizes for Crime, Literary, Romantic Comedy and YA short stories, plus for the first time I'm adding a First Chapter award for the most impressive first chapter of a novel (open genre). I'm so excited to be bringing this competition back after a cracking opening year in 2011, which was won by Naomi Frisby. There is a stellar line-up of judges and awesome prizes. Submissions will open on WEDNESDAY 8th MAY and close on Saturday 31st August, with the shortlist announced on 6th September and winners announced on 20th September.

My judges are: TAMSYN MURRAY for the YA Prize, MEL SHERRATT for the Crime Prize, JAMIE GUINEY for the Literary Fiction Prize and I'll be judging both the Romantic Comedy Prize and the First Chapter Award.

The announcement of the official opening for submissions, plus all the entry details for New Rose Prize 2013 will be published HERE at 1PM on WEDNESDAY 8TH MAY - so make sure you check back then!

I'll tell you more in this week's vlog below - enjoy!

p.s. This week's YouTube-nominated freeze-frame is entitled, 'New Summer Hat'...

Could YOU be one of my Future Stars?

Are you a writer? How would you like the chance to be personally mentored by me for a whole year?
I am thrilled to launch my search for five talented writers who will embark on a year of challenge, scary adventure, huge opportunities and lots of fun!

FUTURE STARS is a one year mentoring programme where my chosen writers will have me on hand as their personal cheerleader, mentor, challenger and (hopefully) inspiration coach. I will work with each writer on their personal writing goals, offer help and advice with their work in progress, provide help with editing, give advice on promotion and social media, and will introduce them to people within the publishing industry to experience first-hand what agents and publishers are looking for. Each writer will receive a 30min phone call from me each month and there will be an exclusive networking group for all five writers and me to chat to and support one another throughout the year. There will also be opportunities to meet up!

What I'm looking for

I'm looking for writers of any genre who are committed to investing a year in their writing. Not only will talent count but also a demonstrable desire to make this year the year when things happen. Because of this, four of the chosen writers will be asked to pay a course fee of £80 (because this is an investment in your future career) - and I will choose one writer to receive a scholarship place for free. I'm asking all entrants to submit a chapter of their work, plus complete a personal statement outlining their goals for their writing. It all sounds very serious, but this way people who are really determined to be writers will stand out. I can't promise you a publishing deal (I wish I could!) but I can promise you will learn about yourself as a writer, hone your craft and put yourself in the best possible place to pursue your dream.

So, are you up for a year of awesome writing adventure?

To enter, download the application form HERE and send it with ONE chapter of your work to: mirandawurdy@gmail.com.

APPLICATIONS WILL CLOSE AT MIDNIGHT ON THURSDAY 14TH FEBRUARY. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON SATURDAY 16TH FEB.

GO FOR IT!

BIG Announcement - enter my ChoirStars competition!

I have been waiting for ages to announce this to you and I'm really excited about it! Read on for news of a mahoosive competition that could see you and your friends performing at my swanky London book-launch for When I Fall in Love!!!

Drumroll, please...

I'm launching a search for a choir...

My new novel, When I Fall in Love is being published on 8th November this year. At the heart of the novel is a choir that Elsie Maynard forms with the help of former rock-singer of an '80s one-hit-wonder rockband, Woody Jensen. The Sundaes are a choir like no other, performing crazy medleys in places as diverse as pubs, Brighton Pier (flashmob-style) and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. More than anything, the choir's aim is to have fun and the community they build as they sing together becomes something really special.

So, I am launching a nationwide search to find the best choir. It doesn't matter if you've been singing together for years or have only just joined - in fact, you could start a choir especially for this competition! It's free to enter - all you have to do is to make a video of your choir singing and send me the link. I will then showcase the entries on this blog (linking with Twitter and Facebook)and will hold a public vote. The choir with the most votes will win not only the awesome title of When I Fall in Love CHOIRSTARS 2012, but will also be invited down to London to perform at an exclusive event to celebrate the launch of When I Fall in Love and all the choir members will receive signed first edition copies of the book!

So, what are you waiting for?!

Email your video links to me: mirandawurdy@gmail.com (to arrive no later than SUNDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER 2012)and I will begin to showcase the entries at the start of August. Have fun, go for it and show me what you've got! Please pass this on to anyone you know who fancies having a go - I can't wait to see your entries!!!!

New Rose Prize 2011 - The Shortlist!

At the end of July I launched the first ever New Rose Prize for short stories from unpublished writers. Nearly 80 entries were submitted, the judges pored over each one and now I am very proud to announce our shortlist!

First of all, I need to say an enormous thank you to everyone who entered. The standard of entries was very high and ranged from intense emotional pieces to shock fiction, comedy and even a fairytale! It has been a privilege to read your work and I know that the judges have enjoyed every minute of it.

So, without further ado, here is the shortlist for the New Rose Prize 2011...

The Apple by Jo Burnett
In Loco Parentis by Laura Sandell
Because I was too much by Naomi Frisby
Books, Scars and Me by Matthew Laurence
When I Died by Stacey Matheson
Margaret by Heather Gauthier

Massive congratulations to all our shortlisted authors and commiserations to our other entrants. Over the next week, I am going to mention a couple of entries that I liked which didn't make the list and we have also decided to award a Judges Special Mention Award for one entry which all of the judges felt should be recognised. So keep watching for that!

So now Jamie, Ruth and myself will be re-reading the shortlisted stories and deciding who will be our two runners-up and overall winner. We'll announce the result in the next couple of weeks, so keep watching and make sure you're following me on Twitter @wurdsmyth to be the first to hear the news.

Best of British to all of you! xx

A BIG announcement!

I've decided to launch a Short Story prize!


The New Rose Prize 2011 is looking for new writing talent and is open to all unpublished writers. To enter, write a short story of any genre, maximum 2,500 words - amaze us, thrill us, make us cry, it's up to you. The closing date for entries is midnight (UK time) on Wednesday 31st August.

So what are you waiting for?

The top prize is wonderful - a place on one of RNA-nominated author Ruth Saberton's writing holidays, plus signed goodies from me and a starring role on my blog. Two runners-up will win a short story critique from competition judge Jamie Guiney (see below), as well as signed goodies and their stories published on my blog. (Please note that the first prize does not include travel - sorry!)

So, why short stories?
I love writing short stories. As an art form they are truly special: the chance to take your readers on a brief journey into someone else's world. I began a short story blog in 2008, before I was discovered by my publisher AVON (HarperCollins) and writing these stories was a great way to learn my craft.

I wanted to run something more than just a writing competition - to celebrate the wealth of writing talent that I know is out there. So, together with wonderful short story master Jamie Guiney (see Judges below) and brilliant author Ruth Saberton, we have created this special competition to celebrate the short story.

THE JUDGES

Jamie Guiney
Jamie Guiney is a literary fiction writer from County Armagh, Northern Ireland. His short stories have been published in literary journals, newspapers and digitally on iPhones and iPads. In 2011, his short story 'A Quarter Yellow Sun' was nominated for 'The Pushcart Prize.'

Jamie is also a graduate of the Faber & Faber Writing Academy and a member of the Newman Writers Group. His work has been backed by the Northern Ireland Arts Council through several Individual Artist Awards.

He is currently working on a short story collection, a novel, and when time permits, a screenplay set during the Belfast Blitz.

Ruth Saberton
Ruth Saberton has written 8 romantic comedy novels in total under the names of Jessie Fox (for Little Black Dress), Ruth Saberton (for Orion) and Georgie Carter (for AVON HarperCollins).

Ruth's first novel for Orion, Katy Carter Wants a Hero was nominated for The Romantic Novelists' Association's Romantic Comedy of the Year award this year.

Ruth runs amazing writing weekends and retreats in her home village of Polperro in Cornwall - and the first prize for this competition is a place on one of her holidays. She has a real eye for pace, comic timing and great characterisation.

Miranda Dickinson
Miranda Dickinson is a Sunday Times Bestselling novelist. Her first novel, Fairytale of New York was discovered on Authonomy.com and went on to sell over 107,000 copies, become a bestseller in Germany and Turkey and was nominated for the RNA Novel of the Year award 2010. Her second novel, Welcome to My World became her second Sunday Times Bestseller.

Miranda is currently writing her third novel, It Started With a Kiss (published 10th November this year) and is vlogging all year about the writing and publishing process of this novel on her blog.

ENTER NOW!
Send your entries on a Word document (double-spaced and 12 point text) to:
mirandawurdy@gmail.com
to arrive no later than midnight on Wednesday 31st August. Please write 'New Rose Prize entry' in the subject line. Your story must not have been published anywhere before and must be no longer than 2,500 words.

I'll announce the winners on Coffee and Roses and will publish the top three stories there for everyone to see.

Best of luck!

Just to qualify the rules for submission: we are looking for UNPUBLISHED stories by UNPUBLISHED writers. If your stories have been posted on a Facebook page, blog or forum post you MAY enter it for the New Rose Prize. If your stories have been published in a magazine, book, compilation or any other printed matter then they DO NOT qualify for this prize. The New Rose Prize is looking for writers who have previously not been published - as a way of giving an opportunity to those who have not seen their work in print. Hope that clarifies things - and sorry for any confusion!

I made the semi-finals!

Well, I think I almost made it...

I just got my results for the UK Songwriting Competition and it appears I made the semi-finals! 5,000 people entered this year and my entry, Man Behind The Smile, was in the top 23%... Not bad for a warbler from the glorious Black Country, eh?!

Being the eternal optimist that I am, I will of course ignore the fact that my song is, actually, FAB - and a million times better than the 6 out of 10 score I got... Instead, I will be quite chuffed that A: I entered in the first place; and B: I actually did quite well!

To hear the song, visit my website at www.mirandadickinson.com or go to my profile at www.broadjam.com

I think I will allow myself a very small helping of smugness... Yay!