Update 4/17/09 - Congratulations to the Stroke of Midnight and Passionate Plume Finalists!
The first round scoring for the 4th Annual Stroke of Midnight and Passionate Plume is complete, and the books this year were phenomenal! Several categories had books miss the top 5 by hundredths of a point - it was a truly competitive round.

Thank you to everyone who entered for your support, and congratulations to the finalists :
Stroke of Midnight
Futuristic/Fantasy
Jeffe Kennedy - Obsidian
Ella Drake - Caught in Silver
Leigh Court-The Edge of Time
Michelle Polaris - Bound Odyssey
Sara Avellino - Renegade

Contemporary
Janet Mullany - A Subtext of Sex
Nett Robbens - Falling Again
Grace Hood - Come on Baby, Light My Fire
Alannah Lynne - Last Call
Kate Macarthur - The Third Piece

Paranormal
Paris Brandon - Blood on the Moon
Letitia Brave - Pandora’s Box
Erika Sands - D’Nar
Lyra Verna - Mastering Her Dark Soul
Serena Shay - The Challenge

Novella
Michal Scott - Pandora’s Box
Michal Scott - Alone on Earth
Michal Scott - Possessed by the Past
Minx Malone - Milo’s Revenge
Trinity Blake - Time Pirate

Passionate Plume
Contemporary
Jenna Bayley-Burke - Her Cinderella Complex
Eileen Ann Brennan - Marnie’s Secret
Mari Carr - Erotic Research
Katie Reus - Running From The Past
Saskia Walker - Reckless

Futuristic /Fantasy/Science Fiction
Mechele Armstrong - Settler’s Mine 3: The Woman
Dee Brice - His Virtual Assassin
Mari Freeman - Birthright
Mima - In Service
Denise Rossetti - Strongman

Historical
Elizabeth Amber - Lyon, The Lords of Satyr
Alice Gaines - Sans Regret
Samantha Kane - Retreat From Love (Brothers In Arms
Kate Pearce - Simply Sinful
Emma Wildes - A Devil’s Bargain

Novella
Jade Buchanan - Horsfall: Tail of Two Brothers
Samantha Kane - A Lady In Waiting
Anna Leigh Keaton - Sweetest Desires
Natasha Moore - Sunrise in Jewel of the Nile II
Carolina Valdez - Tie ‘Em Up, Hold ‘Em Down

Paranormal / Time Travel
Dana Marie Bell - The Wallflower, Halle Pumas Book 1
Crystal Jordan - Treasured
Mackenzie McKade - Black Widow
Jennifer North - Party Vamps
Eden Rivers - Broken Pentacle

Look for the next contest submission period to open in November 2009.

See the previous finalists and winners (click here)!!

Passionate Ink’s 4th Annual The Passionate Plume Contest for Published Authors

The only published, all erotic romance award in RWA!

Five Sizzling Finalists in Five Categories:

Contemporary - novels with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in a contemporary setting. Includes series and single-title length romances. Can also include elements of romantic suspense/intrigue.

Historical - novels with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in a historical setting.

Futuristic/Fantasy/Sci-fi -novels with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in any setting in the future, an alternate world/reality, or another planet. Includes elements such as elves/faerie, sword and sorcery, aliens, etc.

Paranormal/Time Travel - novels with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in any setting that includes elements of time travel, angels, vampires, werewolves or other paranormal themes.

Novellas - novellas of 25,000 words or less with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in any setting. All novels entered must be at least 25,000 words in length. Novellas are considered 10,000 to 25,000 words. All categories are open to alternative lifestyle entries–and any entry that reflects an erotic romance between two or more people, straight, gay, bi, or any romantic combination.

Judging and Prizes:

First Round: Will be judged by readers, writers, reviewers, booksellers and librarians.

Final Round: Five finalists will be judged by multi-published authors and reviewers. The decisions of judges are final. Winners will be announced at the Passionate Ink gathering at RWA National in Washington DC. First place winners will receive a Passionate Ink pendant and an award graphic for their website. All others will receive certificates and a finalist graphic for their website. Results will be listed in Passionate Ink’s newsletter, on the website, as well as have their names published in the ROMANCE WRITER’S REPORT.

Rules for Entry

Eligibility:

Contest is open to all published authors (25,000 word min. to be considerated “published” for all categories except Novella, which allows authors published in shorter works of 10,000 words or more) in the erotic romance sub-genre with any erotic romance publisher (regardless of RWA non-subsidy, non-vanity publisher status).
All entries must possess a first copyright date or first North American printing date of 2008.

Entry Deadline and Mailing: Mail print entries and materials to:

Passionate Ink

Passionate Plume Contest

c/o Karen Steele
1304 Forest Marsh Dr
Neptune Beach, FL 32266

Email ebook entries and entry form to pp4@passionateink.org.

Must be in .pdf format. Official Publisher-released digital versions of print books in .pdf are acceptable. Otherwise, print book submissions must be snail mailed in quantities of four books per entry.

~~All entries must be received by February 7, 2009. Any that arrive after this date will be disqualified and returned unopened.~~ Entry in the 4th Annual Passionate Plume is now closed. Good luck to all our entrants!
It is the author’s responsibility to enter the book in the correct category. All clarifications as to category should be made prior to submission.
One novel cannot be entered in multiple categories, but multiple novels (up to three per category) are welcome if accompanied by the proper paperwork and full entry fee.
There must be a minimum of five entries or the category will be canceled. If the minimum number of entries is not attained, entrants will be notified. The entrant will be asked to provide a second choice of categories. If the entrant does not wish to place the entry in another category, the entry and associated fees will be returned.
If you are submitting a print book, feel free to sign your books. Remember, you must send four copies of the print book.
Failure to comply with the rules will result in disqualification.
Decisions of the Contest Coordinator are final.

Entry Fees: Passionate Ink members: $15 Others: $25 Email payments via PayPal to: Treasurer@passionateink.org or mail payments to:

Passionate Ink
Passionate Plume
c/o Robin L. Rotham
PO Box 2412
Norfolk, NE 68701

Make checks payable to: Passionate Ink ** A returned check fee of $7 will be charged for an NSF check**

**Be sure to write Passionate Plume and the title of your entry in someplace (such as the Memo field on a check, or the Other or Messages field in Paypal) so we can match your payment with your entry.**

Entry fees must be received prior to the entry deadline.
Include your name in the subject line and the titles of your entry(ies) in the Paypal comments box.

Email questions to Karen at pp4@passionateink.org. Entry if via email - Entry form to be copied into your email can be found at Passionate Plume Entry Form **If you have any problems or questions, email Karen at pp4@passionateink.org

Passionate Ink’s 4th Annual Stroke of Midnight Contest

**Remember The Stroke of Midnight is a contest for unpublished erotic manuscripts. BOTH PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED AUTHORS MAY ENTER. However, if published, this must be a new genre for the author (For example, if the author has published in paranormal erotic romance, she can enter in one of the other categories) **

Five Sizzling Finalists in Five Categories:

Historical - novels with erotic elements that focus on the developing

romantic relationship in a historical setting.

Futuristic/Fantasy/Sci-fi - novels with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in any setting in the future, an alternate world/reality, or another planet. Includes elements such as elves/faerie, sword and sorcery, aliens, etc.

Novellas - novellas of 25,000 words or less with erotic elements that focus on the developing romantic relationship in any setting.

1. All novels entered must be at least 25,000 words in length. Novellas are considered 10,000 to 25,000 words.

2. All categories are open to alternative lifestyle entries–and any entry that reflects an erotic romance between two or more people, straight, gay, bi, or any romantic combination.

Judging and Prizes:

First Round : Preliminary-round judging will be completed by three qualified judges - Passionate Ink and other RWA members experienced in critiquing and/or published authors familiar with our genre. All scores will be added and averaged to determine the entrant’s ranking. Every attempt will be made to provide entrants with detailed score sheets and judges’ comments from this preliminary round. Top five entries in each category will move to final round.

Final Round : The top five finalists in each category will be ranked by the following industry professionals:

Contemporary: Adam Neville, Black Lace

Historical: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency

Futuristic/Fantasy/Sci-fi: Peter Senftleben, Kensington Aphrodisia

Paranormal/Time Travel: Jessica Faust, BookEnds Literary Agency

Novella: Tracy Bernstein, NAL Heat

First place winners in each category will receive a free one year membership in Passionate Ink ($25 value), a certificate, and an award graphic for their website. (Writing teams will split the membership.) All other finalists will receive certificates and and a finalist graphic for their website. All entries will be returned after finalists are determined and statistical information is complete. Winners will be announced at the Passionate Ink gathering at the Romance Writers’ of America National Conference in Washington DC. Results will be listed on the Passionate Ink website and in the chapter’s newsletter.

The decisions of judges are final.

Rules for Entry

Eligibility:

Contest is open to all authors with unpublished, uncontracted full-length erotic romance manuscripts (at least 10,000 words) in the category they wish to enter.

Entry Deadline and Mailing:

Deadline for entry is ~~February 7, 2009~~ extended to Feb 22, 2009. All materials must be received by then.

Three easy steps to enter!

# 1 - Email all information from the entry form (click here) to som4@passionateink.org with the title "SOM Entry". All entries will be confirmed.

# 2 - Attach your entry to your email in RTF or a Word 2003 compatible format.

# 3 - Send your entry fee, either via Paypal to Treasurer@passionateink.org or by check to

Passionate Ink

Stroke of Midnight Contest

c/o Robin L. Rotham

PO Box 2412

Norfolk, NE 68701

1. Entry form and payment must be received by the Contest Coordinator by February 7, 2009. Any entries received without corresponding entry form and fee by the deadline will be disqualified.

2. Submit entries (or questions) via email to SOM4@passionateink.org. It is the author’s responsibility to enter the manuscript in the correct category. All clarifications as to category should be made prior to submission.

3. Entrants may enter as many categories as they wish with DIFFERENT submissions, but cannot enter the same manuscript in two categories. Each entry must be accompanied by the appropriate entry fee and Entry form.

4. There is a minimum requirement of 10 entries per category. If a category does not receive a sufficient number of submissions to make the category viable, the category will be canceled. The entrant will be asked to provide a second choice of categories. If the entrant does not wish to place the entry in another category, the entry and associated fees will be returned.

Entry Fees:

Passionate Ink members: $15

Others: $25

Email payments via PayPal to: Treasurer@passionateink.org

or mail payments to:

Passionate Ink

Stroke of Midnight Contest
c/o Robin L. Rotham
PO Box 2412
Norfolk, NE 68701

Make checks payable to: Passionate Ink ** A returned check fee of $7 will be charged for an NSF check**

**Be sure to write Stroke of Midnight and the title of your entry in someplace (such as the Memo field on a check, or the Other or Messages field in Paypal) so we can match your payment with your entry.**

1. Entry fees must be received prior to the entry deadline.

2. Include your name in the subject line and the titles of your entry(ies) in the Paypal comments box.

Entry Format:

1. All entries must be electronic in RTF or a Word 2003 compatible format.

2. Send a maximum of the first 35 pages of your manuscript, 20 pages for novella entries.

3. Entries must be in proper manuscript format: One sided, double-spaced with one inch margins all around, size 12 font (like Times New Roman or Courier) is recommended.

4. On the first page only, title and category on top left; page number on top right. Subsequent pages should include only title and page number.

5. Name of author should not appear anywhere on manuscript; the entry will be disqualified if name is on submission.

6. A synopsis of up to 5 single-spaced pages (which will not be judged) must also be included. No cover page is necessary.

Email questions to Felicia at som4@passionateink.org.

**If you have any problems or questions, email som4@passionateink.org

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