CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: A CUP OF COMFORT FOR FRIENDS

A PAID PUBLISHING OPPORTUNITY FOR TRUE STORIES OF INSPIRING FRIENDSHIPS!

Adams Media Corporation seeks true stories of remarkable friends and extraordinary friendships for publication in A CUP OF COMFORT FOR FRIENDS, the second book in an exciting new series.

We're looking for true stories that evoke emotion, insight, inspiration, compassion, memories, laughter, and tears. Compelling stories that touch your heart, make you think, and soothe your soul. Well-written stories that weave lessons of humanity into vividly told tales.

Aspiring, new, and experienced writers welcome.

No entry or reading fees.

STORY LENGTH: 1,000 to 2,000 words

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: July 31, 2001

SELECTION DEADLINE: October 2001

A Cup of Comfort for Friends is scheduled for spring 2002 release.

AUDIENCE: Adult female and male mainstream

GENRE: Short, original nonfiction. NO fiction, adaptations of other authors' works, or unauthorized use of other people's experiences/stories

ACCEPTABLE THEMES: Unique relationships; inspiring/soulful acts of friendship; powerful moments/experiences shared between friends; kindred spirits; friendship lost and found; celebration/recognition of special friend; best times with best friends; friends as family. The story can focus on friendships between men, between women, between men and women, between people and pets (very limited number will be published, however) and among different cultures and ages.

ACCEPTABLE STYLE/STRUCTURE: First-person or third-person -- narrative, essay, humor, or creative nonfiction.

NO news articles, journalistic features or profiles, poems, opinion pieces, academic papers, biographies, dogmatic treatises, or "alternative" nonfiction. Creativity is encouraged and welcomed, but please remember that the audience is mainstream.

------------------------------------------------------------ A CUP OF COMFORT FOR FRIENDS: SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

* Author must be 18 years or older.

* Story must be at least 1000 and no more than 2000 words in length.

* Stories must be nonfiction (based on real people and true experiences)

* Submission must be original (created by Author and not derived from another work).

* Unpublished material preferred, but submissions may be previously published material for which Author owns all rights, with the exception of stories published or pending publication in a book other than one comprised solely of the Author's work.

* Authors may submit as many relevant stories as they like.

* Submissions must be typed. NO handwritten manuscripts, audio tapes, or videos.

* Submissions must be written in English.

* Each submission must include the following identification data:

Author name
Mailing address
Phone number
Email address
Word count
Copyright date (date you completed story)
Submission date
Rights currently retained by Author
Details of any previous and anticipated publication:
title, publisher, publication date, type of publication
* Stories may be submitted on paper or electronically -- by mail or email.

MAIL: Include both a formatted printed copy and an unformatted electronic file (text only) on a 3x5" computer diskette. (Manuscripts prepared on a typewriter are acceptable.) Do not include an SASE (manuscripts not returned).

EMAIL: Include (cut & paste) the story as text only within body of email. NO formatted text. NO attachments. Submit one story per email. Type "Cup of Comfort Submission" as the Subject of your email.

* Submit to:

MAIL: Editor, P.O. Box 863, Eugene, OR 97440 EMAIL: wordsinger@aol.com

* NO formatted, rich text, URL, PDF, or graphics (computer) files.

* NO faxed submissions.

* Author should retain a dated copy of each submission.

* Author receives byline (in book).

* Only finalists will be apprised of the status of their submissions. NO notification will be issued to those authors whose stories do not make the finalist cut. If we do not contact you by the selection deadline, you can safely assume your story is not a finalist.

* Manuscripts will NOT be returned.

* NO phone calls, please.

* The Publisher (Adams Media Corporation) will likely reserve one-time book and electronic rights for a specified period (usually two years), after which rights revert to Author. Publisher reserves the right to fact-check, modify, abridge, edit, rewrite, and re-title any material for which it has purchased rights.

* Contributor (story published in book) receives $100-$200 per story, upon acceptance.

* Contributor receives byline in book and on website (if posted).

* Contributor receives one complimentary copy of book.

ADAMS MEDIA CORPORATION is an independent book publisher with an active list of more than 200 trade titles, distributed throughout North America and overseas. Check out Adams Media online at: www: adamsmedia.com

Coming soon: www.cupofcomfort.com

The debut book in the new series - A CUP OF COMFORT: STORIES THAT WARM YOUR HEART, LIFT YOUR SPIRIT, AND ENRICH YOUR LIFE -- will be available fall 2001.

WRITING TIP: Tell your story by SHOWING, rather than telling.