Wine Country Writers' Festival
Taking Inspiration from The Beauty Around Us
Just a quick reminder.
If you want to order the Wine Country Writers’ Festival first ever Contest Anthology then now is the time.
Deadline for orders to receive by Christmas is NOVEMBER 30, 2021!
E-transfer only to WCWFestival@gmail.com
If order is coming from outside of Canada. Please contact us.
Order now…
Hi All.
The first ever Wine Country Writer’s Festival Anthology is now complete and ready for order.
If you’d like a copy before Christmas then orders need to be made and paid for BY NOVEMBER 30, 2021 for Canada
Cost is $18 each.
For orders outside of Canada, please notify us.
Payment will be by E-Transfer to wcwfestival@gmail.com
Questions welcome to the same email.
Remember too, to check out the BOOK BAR for Christmas gifts. Support our authors.
Thanks All.
Hi All. Well, we’ve come through the other side of the Festival. A month has now passed and loose ends are almost tied up.
The Anthology will be ready before Christmas.
The price is $18 each.
Payment can be sent via e-transfer to:
WCWFestival@gmail.com
Don’t hesitate to email me at the same email address if you have any questions. Remember we’ll need your full name and address along with the payment.
Pictures Please…
If you have any pictures from the Festival or with your writing contest certificate–please forward them so we can put them on the website! We’d love to see and display them online.
Just So You Know…
We’ve gone through the feedback forms. You’re all amazing! Thanks so much for taking the time to do that.
With the feedback forms we can only get better.
This year there were a few glitches and definitely things we hadn’t anticipated, but with your help we’ll be able to correct those and charge forward with the best Okanagan writing event!
The Book Bar…
The Book Bar will continue to be online and promoted monthly. Please check it out and support your fellow authors.
See you soon.
With full congratulations, the winners for the inaugural Wine Country Writers’ Festival Writing Contest were:
POETRY— Judged by Josephine LoRe
FIRST PLACE: “There Will Be Moths” by Linda Hatfield
SECOND PLACE: “August” by Sally Quon
THIRD PLACE: “evolution of the word ll” by Laurie Anne Fuhr
HONOURABLE MENTION: “From the Garden” by Leanne Shirtliffe
NON-FICTION: Judged by Simone Blais
FIRST PLACE: Prejudice and Necrotizing Enterocolitis by Johanna Van Zanten
SECOND PLACE: Stan: Alone in the Attic by Cherie Hanson
THIRD PLACE: Eocene Walk by Donald Gayton
FICTION: Judged by Lorna Schultz Nicholson
FIRST PLACE: The Rhee Family by Finnian Burnett
SECOND PLACE: Fat Friday by Garry Litke
THIRD PLACE: Sweet Michael Sky by Andrea Heidebrecht
HONOURABLE MENTION: The Day Jesus Came to Work by Svea Beson
The Anthology is $18 and can be purchased via e-transfer or PayPal to WCWFestival@gmail.com
Hi Everyone.
Today is the Master Class at 2:30 PST.
All the links for the Festival Weekend will be sent out today at 2PM (Vancouver, B.C. time).
Check your Email.
Contact me if you haven’t received anything…. remember to check your spam. It will be coming from Jim Jackson.
The email includes links to all rooms and classes.
Please DO NOT share or forward links as it can cause tech problems.
Have a GREAT weekend. LEARN lots. I want to HEAR ALL ABOUT IT!!
Happy Wine Country Writers’ Fest.
Hi everyone.
The day is coming quickly. Now it’s a matter of details and having things run as smoothly as possible. Isn’t this exciting?!
So, mailers will be going out to the email you provided with your registration. Watch for them.
Specific times for Blue Pencils and Pitches are being Finalized.
Links will be sent the DAY OF …
Any questions? Just email WCWFestival@gmail.com
Looking forward to “meeting” you all on Friday.
The deadline for REGISTRATION is NOON pst Monday September 20, 2021
There is ONE 6-minute PITCH SPOT still available with Sam Hiyate. Cost $25
Here are some TIPS for pitching. Take a look.
There is TWO BLUE PENCIL SPOTS still available. Cost is $15
We are nearing capacity for The FREE Saturday Workshops.
Master Class has spots Available. Cost is $20
Get your BLUE PENCIL submissions in if you haven’t already! And… Don’t forget to submit to the SLUSH and A QUERY LETTER (the query letter only applies to the Master Class).
And don’t forget to plan your day. Here’s the SCHEDULE.
Remember too that this week we’ll be busy sending out links for the Friday and Saturday events. There may individual emails through the gmail.com and larger emails to everyone via MailerLite. Please make sure you check your sp*m folders. Don’t hesitate to email if you have a question.
Any questions email: WCWFestival@gmail.com
There’ve been a few questions about the Slush Pile….
Submit your first page of your story/manuscript: This means a page like you would submit to an agent. It should be double spaced, 12 font Times New Roman.
Pages submitted will be drawn at random and read aloud. As many as possible will be done but be aware that yours may not be read. Random is the thing.
If the panel says stop…
The reader stops…
Critique/discussion starts…What is good? What is not so great? How could it be better?
If you want to discuss your individual work with one of the presenters, sign up for a $15 blue pencil which is a 12 minute one on one of your first few pages (750 word).
Now get those slush pages in….
Remember one page, double spaced….
Send to WCWFestival@gmail.com with SLUSH in subject line or on top of page.
Hi Everyone! As promised, here is the information on our Keynote Speaker.
Welcome Roark Critchlow!
Roark has generously agreed to give a keynote speech on Friday September 24th. We will learn about his journey from small town guy to Hollywood actor. Check out his bio below and make sure you plan to join us on Friday September 24th for the Keynote before the Master Class.
Roark Critchlow is a Canadian actor and writer. He grew up in Summerland , BC, studied theatre at the University of Victoria and spent 5 years building a theatre and tv career in Vancouver before spending 20 years in Hollywood.
There he starred on Days of our Lives, Pretty Little Liars, V as well as playing guest star on over 90 productions. 6 years ago he returned to Summerland to spend time with his family and pursue a writing career in earnest.
He has completed one novel, is working on his second and recently formed a songwriting partnership with Chayce Kennedy.
Visit his website: (not suitable for children, sensitive readers/viewers) Nonsensical Ravings of a Lunatic Mind
In order to get access to the Keynote and opening Words of Wine Country Writers Festival, you must be registered. The Festival is FREE to attend. Master class, Pitches, Blue Pencil, and Book Bar have fees attached but are at the request of attendees.
More information coming soon…Lots of it!
Did you check the schedule? The schedule is jam packed with great presenters!
The last class of Saturday September 24 at 1700-1750 (5pm -5:50pm–PST) will be a SLUSH PILE.
What’s a slush pile? Wikipedia does a great job of defining it as follows:
In publishing, a slush pile is a set of unsolicited query letters or manuscripts that have either been directly sent to a publisher by an author, or which have been delivered via a literary agent representing the author who may or may not be familiar to the publisher.
as per Wikipedia
Polish off that first page of your manuscript or story and send it to wcwfestival@gmail.com
Pages will be randomly selected and read to the panel who will then tell everyone their thoughts on the writing, the premise, the hook… How very exciting.
This means you can hear the good and perhaps the not-so-good, of each reading. Learn from the different styles, voices, and techniques. Listen to what the expert panel has to say.
This is an opportunity for anonymous feedback from industry professionals. Send in those SLUSH PILE SUBMISSIONS to: wcwfestival@gmail.com
Send them now–come on…what are you waiting for?
The other part of the schedule is below or click HERE for the break down.
Remember, even if you’re just doing the FREE classes, you still need to be registered. Space is limited so you best do it now.
Source of cover pic: DrewChialAuthor.com
Wine Country Writers' Festival 