Does the "Shy Girl" AI Accusation Mean Writers Should Stop Using the Em Dash? - Anne R. Allen's Blog ... with Ruth Harris

AI fights give me a headache.

Here's a helpful post for writers wondering about AI generated material Panzer found on the Anne R. Allen's Blog ... with Ruth Harris site.

  

Anne R. Allen's post brings up interesting points authors face with their writing in today's AI fiction generated world. Included in the post are links to other information about accusations of AI generated fiction.

 

Panzer says, "This little kitty wants to know: What's that Em Dash thingy everybody is talking about and how do you make one?"

  

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of hot chocolate and four chocolate chip cookies (biscuits) for today's snack.

 

To read the post tootle over to AI Accusation 

76 Calls for Submissions in January 2026 - Paying markets - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve.

Panzer stopped in at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site.

 

There, Erica Verrillo's post  lists 76 markets accepting submissions. Included are fiction, novel, short story, flash, nonfiction. and poetry.

 

Panzer says, "Several of these have restrictions, so be sure to read the submission guidelines."

 

Note: This is a long post. You'll need to decide what you want to bring to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to 73 Calls for Submissions

12 (Warm) Writing Conferences and Workshops in January 2026 - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Everything is closing for Christmas.

Panzer's second stop in the Catosphere today was at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site.

 

Erica Verrillo's list has 12 in-person and online poetry and/or fiction writing conferences and workshops in January.

 

Panzer says, "Be sure to read the guidelines as some application deadlines have already passed."

 

Note: This is a short list. Bring a cup of tea to drink while you read.

 

To read the post tootle over to Conferences and Workshops 

2026 Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition - Minotaur Books

Traditional mystery only.

Today, Panzer's first stop was at the Minotaur Books site. There he found a mystery novel competition.

 

The competition rules, submission rules, entry form, and upload instructions are all found on the landing page. 

 

Panzer says, "Read everything on the landing page carefully before you submit your entry."

 

Note: This is a long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on. 

 

To read the post tootle over to Minotaur/Malice Domestic 

44 Writing Contests in July 2025 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

There are two I'll enter for sure.

Today for all the writers who visit here Panzer made a stop at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. He found a post there of July writing contests.

 

Erica Verrillo's list includes fiction, nonfiction, novels and poetry contests with July deadlines.  Some of them have July 1 deadlines!

 

Panzer says, "Be sure to read the guidelines before you submit."

 

Note: This is a long post. You'll need to decide what you want to bring to snack on.

 

to read the post tootle over to  44 Writing Contests

34 Great Writing Conferences and Workshops in July 2025 - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

There some interesting workshops here.

Panzer made a stop at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There with no digging at all he found a post about conferences and workshops for writers in July.

 

Erica Verrillo's list includes workshops and conferences for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, novel, short story, and memoir writers. Most of them are in-person, but there are a few online.

 

Panzer says, "Be sure to read all the guidelines, because some of the deadlines have already passed."

 

Note:This is a long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to Writing Conferences and Workshops

35 Magnificent Writing Conferences and Workshops in March 2025 - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

I need a long nap after that trip to the vet.

Today after Panzer went to the vet for his annual check-up, our traveling kitty made a quick trip to the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There he found a post about writing conferences and workshops.

 

 In the post Erica Verrillo lists 35 conferences and workshops which happen in March. They range from one day to five weeks long. Some are in-person and some are online and some are even free to attend.

Panzer says, "Some have strict attendee limits so be sure to read the guidelines."

  

Note: With information about thirty-five conferences and workshops this is long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on while you read.

 

To read the post tootle over to Writing Conferences and Workshops

Wales' Dylan Thomas Prize Names Its 2025 Longlist - Publishing Perspectives

In his continuing travels in the Catosphere today Panzer stopped at the Publishing Perspectives site. There he found a post about this year's Dylan Thomas Prize.

 

According to Porter Anderson's post, the longlist of 12 nominees for this year's Dylan Thomas Prize has been announced. The list includes novels, short story collections, and poetry collections.

 

Panzer says, "It's an interesting collection of nominees."

 

Note:This is a long, short length post or a short, medium length post. Your choice. Bring a cup of tea to drink while you read the list.

 

To read the post tootle over to Dylan Thomas Prize Longlist

66 Free Writing Contests in January 2025 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

These look really interesting.

Panzer stopped at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site today. There he found a post about January's writing contests.

Erica Verrillo's list includes contests for fiction, short stories and novels, and nonfiction, poetry and plays. None of them charge an entry fee.

Panzer says, "You know what I always say: Read the rules and guidelines before you submit your entry."

Note: With 66 contests on this list it's a very long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on while you read.

To read the full list tootle over to January Writing Contests

51 Writing Contests in December 2024 - no entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

These look intetesting.

Today, Panzer stopped back in at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There he found a list of writing contests for December.

 

Erica Verrillo's list includes contests for short stories, novels, nonfiction, poetry, and more. Something for everyone.

 

Panzer says, "As always, remember to read the guidelines for entry restrictions."

 

Note: This is a long list. You'll need to decide what you want to bring to snack on while you read.

 

To read the post tootle over to Writing Contests

Scotland's Highland Book Prize Names Sally Huband It's Winner - Publishing Perspectives

It's hard to keep track of all the prizes and awards.

Panzer made a stop at the Publishing Perspectives site.

 

There our traveling kitty boy found Porter Anderson's post about the 2023 winner of Scotland's Highland Book Prize. The post explains the criteria for the prize and who the supporters of it are. It also includes links to information about the winner, the prize and the supporters.

 

Panzer says, "This little kitty doesn't remember ever hearing about this prize before."

 

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection.

 

To read the post tootle over to Scotland's Highland Book Prize

Nordic Nominees - The Rap Sheet

It has an interesting origin.

On a quick stop at The Rap Sheet site Panzer discovered information about the Petrona Award.

 

J. Kingston Pierce's post lists the long list nominees for the Scandinavian Petrona Award. The list contains the 10 novels announced. To be considered for the Award the novel must be published in the U.K., but translated from Scandinavian.

 

Panzer says, "There are more rules a novel needs to qualify, so read the whole post."

 

Note: This is a short-medium length post. A cup of tea will do it for your snack while you read.

 

To read the post tootle over to  Nordic Nominees

Free Cozy Mystery Audiobook: Murder at the Vicarage

I love cozy mysteries.

If you like your mysteries cozy, Panzer found a Miss Marple mystery at the Agatha Audiobook channel on YouTube.

 

The cozy audiobook Murder at the Vicarage is a 1930 Miss Marple novel written by Agatha Christie. It's narrated by Joan Hickson and is 7 hours 21 minutes long.

Make a cup of tea (you can't listen to a Miss Marple mystery without a cup of tea), sit back and relax while she solves the murder.

Enjoy!

 

To listen to the audiobook tootle over to Agatha Christie

The Claymore Award Opens

Where is that novel you wrote last year?

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere, when the Panzermobile was shaken by clapping from outside. Following all the noise took our brave kitty pilot to the Killer Nashville site. 

 

There he discovered Killer Nashville has announced the 2024 Claymore Award is open for submissions. The competition is for the first fifty pages of an unpublished novel. The entry deadline is April 1, 2024.

The site has all the submission rules. Also included are testimonials from past winners about the publishing opportunities winning the competition offered them.

To read about The Claymore Award tootle over to The Claymore Award

77 Writing Contests in June 2023 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

 

Time for my nap.

Sorry this is late, but Panzer just found it at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site.

 

Erica Verrillo's post lists 77 contests with deadlines in June. There are contests for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, novels and short stories. None of the contests charges an entry fee. Some of the them do have submission restrictions.

Panzer say, "Be sure to read the submission guidelines before you enter."

Note: The post is very long because it includes 77 contests, so you'll need to decide what to bring to eat and drink while you read.

To read the post tootle over to June Writing Contests

Val McDermid's Dead Cert on BBC Sounds

When Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere today, he stopped in at the BBC Sounds* site.

 

I like to listen in bed.

There he discovered Val McDermid's novel Dead Cert performed on BBC's Sounds and available for free. There are performers acting in the various character roles from the novel. The show was recorded in 2019.

 

 In Val McDermid's novel DCI Alma Blair investigates the world of horse racing and associated crimes.The book is abridged to 5 episodes of 14 minutes each. The narrator fills in some of the missing portions.

To listen to the novel tootle over to Dead Cert

 

 

 

* A tip of the fedora to Robert Lopresti for posting about the BBC Sounds site at SleuthSayers blog

40 Writing Contests in August 2022 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There with a little digging he found a post about writing contests in August.

 

Erica Verrillo's post lists 40 contests accepting entries in August. There are contests for short stories, novels and nonfiction. None of the contests charge an entry fee. Be sure to read the rules as some have restrictions.

 

Cats don't hurry. Ever.

Panzer says, "Be sure to read the submission deadlines. Some dates are August 1 or 2, so you'll need to hurry."

 

Note: With 40 contests on the list this is a very long post. Bring a thermos of iced tea, a muffins and an orange for your reading today. If you follow the links to the contest sites, you'll need to decide what to bring to eat and drink while you read.

 

To read the post tootle over to August Writing Contests

73 Writing Contests in February 2022- No entry fee - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There he discovered a post about writing contests in February.

 

There's something for everyone.

Erica Verrillo's post includes 73 writing contests with February entry deadlines. There are competitions for flash fiction, short stories, novels, poetry, and nonfiction. None of the competitions has an entry fee. There are restrictions for some of the competitions.

Panzer says, "To make sure your entry isn't disqualified always read the submission rules."

 

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of cocoa and a large muffin for today's reading selection. Depending on which competitions you're interested in reading about, you'll need to decide what else to bring to eat and drink.

 

To read the post tootle over to writing contests

Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction to Launch in 2022 - Publishers Weekly News Release

Today, Panzer decided to make a stop at the Publishers Weekly site. There with some digging in the posts he found a news release about the Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction.

 

It looks like an interesting contest.

According to the News Release, the first Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction will be awarded next year. Acceptance of submissions of novels for consideration will begin on February 1, 2022. The prize of $25,000 will be awarded on October 21.

 

Panzer says, "The News Release includes more information about the jurors, rules and prize."

 

Note: This is a short post. Bring half a cup of tea for today's reading selection.

 

To read the post tootle over to Ursula K. Le Guin Prize

Pulling Out the Macavitys - The Rap Sheet

Panzer was shaken from his noon nap by clapping and cheering coming from the Catosphere. Dragging his poor tired little kitty body into the pilot's seat of the Panzermobile, he headed into the Catosphere. Following all the jocularity took him to The Rap Sheet site. There he discovered all the noise was for the announcement of the Macavity Award winners.

 

J. Kingston Pierce's post lists the winner and the fellow-nominees in each Macavity category. The categories are for novel, first novel, short story, biography, and the historical. Mystery Readers International subscribers and friends nominate and then vote for the winner in each category.

 

Mom should subscribe and vote.

Panzer says, "So ... It's kind of like the readers' favorite award?"

Note: This is a long-short length post. Bring a glass of iced tea for today's reading selection.

 

To read the post about the Macavity winners tootle over to Macavitys