Mills and Boon have announced the New Voices comp 2011. It is open to anyone who has not had a full length novel published and does not have an agent.
Will I enter this year? No, I won’t. I was dismayed by all the animosity towards anyone who had been published last year, even those of us who hadn’t, at that point, had a full length novel published. Also, I’m thinking that Sunlit Secrets (aka Just Like Jesse James!) which comes out next week on 27th July, as my first published 50k novella, may well count as a full length novel. Finally, my family have practically banned me from the comp, on account of me becoming so emotionally involved last year. I also remember not getting much work done during the three months of the competition. I do want to write for Mills and Boon, but would prefer to go via normal means. I had some great and helpful feedback from them about The Venetian’s Command Performance, which I hope I can take to another novel.
I will, however, be cheering on all my pals who do enter New Voices 2011, and reading and commenting on their work. I’ll probably set up a link system from here too to get others reading my pals’ work, so watch this space.
Good luck to all who do decide to enter!
I’ll give it a go – have an idea just hope it doesn’t appear too contrived…
Good luck, Sally!
I really enjoyed last year’s competition, despite the bizarre rose thing and all the dreary tactical voting that was clearly going on. However, I’m pretty thrilled that I’m not actually eligible to enter this time around!
I’m looking forward to reading the entries when they start filtering onto the site.
Woo hoo Melanie! That’s fantastic! Yes, I’m looking forward to seeing the new entries, but must remember not to spend too much time reading them!
I was thinking of entering this – it would give me great impetus to finish that novella I began in MYWYN. The problem is I don’t know if I’m eligible. See I’m an Irish citizen, but I left 17 years ago to come out and join my then fiance now husband in India, so technically, I’m not resident in Ireland despite having an Irish passport and a home address there. In the NV rules, India is not mentioned as a country from which participants can enter. The reason is probably because M&B India have their own “Passions” contest, which is a writing competition specifically aimed at Indian writers writing about Indian couple based M&Bs. While I’m perfectly sure I could have ago at writing such a story, I don’t think I’m exactly what M&B India have in mind when they put up the contest. So I’l rather like to have a shot at NV. Could you possibly point me in the right direction where I could find out if I’m eligible to enter or not? I’d be ever so grateful….
I hope you do have a go, Maria. Do you follow @MillsandBoonUK on Twitter? If so they’re always very helpful about answering questions. There’s an M&B page on Facebook too. They might be able to clarify it for you.
Good luck!
Hi Sally.
I’m not entering this year’s comp either. My entry last year ‘Animal Instincts’ (don’t know if you remember that, but you left a nice comment – I copied and saved them all!) was rejected by M&B. That didn’t deter me as I set about writing another, but after much umming and arring, it was rejected too. I was gutted and never wanted to write again until one of my Facebook friends said maybe I should try Candlelight Romance. I’d never heard of them, so I Googled, but nothing came to light. However, I did find Siren Bookstrand, and after reading their submission guidelines, thought I had nothing to lose so I e-mailed my MS to them. 2 weeks later I got an e-mail saying “Yes please” and on 25th August ‘Secret Eyes’ was released as an e-book!
I really wanted to enter this year’s comp, but even though I’ve yet to receive any monies, I’m seen as a published author. Pity that, I’m sure I have the winning entry (she says with just a bit of a smug smile!) And anyway, the readers are the best critics. I would love to know what they thought.
Not that I’m sad to the point of crying. Oh no, because last Monday, I received another e-mail from Siren saying “Yes Please” to my second book ‘Together Forever’! Which coincidently not only did M&B reject that one too, but its the first in a series of 4 books. And ‘Animal Instincts’ is the second! After both were rejected, I didn’t bother finishing the third or fourth books, but now I’m gonna have to. That’s if I can get off the competition site long enough to write them!
There are a lot of good entries, but I must admit to feeling a little uneasy. Madame Guillottine (love that!) above says about tactical voting, but this year I’m sure something else is going on. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m keeping my eye on one entry in particular.
Marie I most do certainly remember your entry. Congratulations with Siren! That’s wonderful! Well done for perservering. That really is what this business is about.
By an amazing coincidence – I’ll reveal it now since you mentioned it – Siren Bookstrand are the publishers I sent my last year’s reject to! I haven’t heard back from them yet, so it’s early days for me, but you’ve given me some hope! I too noticed they take series, which is why I’m hoping that if they like the one I’ve sent them, they’ll like my series with my hunky Derbyshire brothers.
Re the M&B comp, I don’t think there’s much more going on than people not playing the game fairly. I’m just glad I’m not taking part this year. My nerves can’t stand it!
‘most do certainly’. God I’m a crappy writer at 7.30 in the morning
Ohhhh, I would love to read about your hunky Derbyshire brothers! Good luck with Siren and do tell me how you get on. xx
Tactical voting you say? Very interesting.
I submitted my application as a first time anything and was absolutely over the moon when someone gave me an extremely high mark.
The next time I looked I’d had 2 more fantastic comments – but six users had voted, and my score had dropped by 30%.
Being a newbie (and therefore extremely insecure :-!) l I thought that it must have sucked but now I’m thinking… hmm.
You guys have made be feel a lot better. Thanks.