May 16, 2007

Dear Writers,
I am pleased to announce a new "whirlwind" Community of Voices Writing Contest. DEADLINE June 9, 2007.

THE PRIZE: A Day Student scholarship* to the 2007 Santa Barbara Writers Conference, June 22-29. (This scholarship includes all of the official events of the conference but does not include room or meals.)

THE RULES:
1. Send up to 1200 words of your best writing. Your entry my be an excerpt from a larger work.

2. You may send fiction, creative nonfiction, personal essay, humor, poetry or experimental.

3. Your topic or theme can be ANYTHING. If you prefer to have a theme to work with, your theme is "MOTHER" or "FATHER."

4. Entry fee is $10.00. Make checks payable to GRACE RACHOW. Please put COMMUNITY OF VOICES SCHOLARSHIP on the "for" line of your check. ALL the entry fee money will go directly to SBWC scholarships.

5. Multiple entries? Yes. You may enter as many times as you wish, but each entry must include a $10.00 entry fee. Multiple entries may be sent in the same envelope. Several poems may be grouped as a single entry.

6. How to enter? You may send your manuscript via MS Word attachemnt to grachow@aol.com.

Your entry fee check must be sent by mail to:
   Grace Rachow
   Community of Voices
   P.O. Box 30302
   Santa Barbara, CA 93130

Make sure it's clear which contest entry goes with the check you send. Or you may, if you prefer, send a paper manuscript to the above PO address with your entry fee check.

Your manuscript (either paper or email attachment) and your check must be received by me before judging time begins. You may send your check ahead, and send your manuscript via email attachment, anytime before noon on June 9, 2007.

• MAKE SURE YOUR MANUSCRIPT INCLUDES YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE, AND E-MAIL.
• Make sure you give a phone number where you can be reached the week following June 9.
• Cover letter optional.
  

7. Deadline: Judging will take place on June 9, 2007. (Yes I know this is very soon. This is a whirlwind contest! Don't procrastinate.) So all entries must be in my hands by noon, June 9.

8. Winners (two or more) will be announced shortly after June 9, as soon as they can be chosen and notified.

9. Winners will be selected on writing merit by a panel of judges.

10. The only eligibility requirement is that you follow all the rules and want to (and be able to) attend the 2007 Santa Barbara Writers Conference. If you are chosen a winner, but are not able to attend, the scholarship will go to a runner-up in this contest. You will still retain the honor of being a winner of the CoV writing contest.

11. How many scholarships will be awarded? Two and maybe more. The more entry fees and donations, the more scholarships. All contest fees and donation money will go to scholarships. Please spread the word to any writers who might like to attend the SBWC.

12. If you happen to love the idea of sending promising writers to attend this conference, and you would like to contribute directly (in any amount) to this contest scholarship fund, your help would be very much appreciated. Special thanks to those who contributed last year. Three writers attended last year's SBWC on CoV scholarships thanks to the generosity of the Santa Barbara writing community.

*The prize scholarship includes registration for all of the regular workshops and official events of the 2007 Santa Barbara Writers Conference, but does NOT include master classes, appointments with agents, room or meals. All of those additional items will be available to you for the regular fees paid by regular enrollees.

Grace Rachow, editor
Community of Voices
phone: 805-682-6943