Then, a month before your book is to be released, a catastrophic bomb is dropped... your book has been cancelled due to low Amazon preorders. The print run is small, and hope for that sequel you'd already written is fading fast. What would you do?

Both Marie Lamba and her literary agent Jennifer DeChiara say, "Stand up and fight!" We love that spirit at WOW! The spirit to never give up despite the apparent setbacks.

That's why we're urging you to read this groundbreaking interview and show your support to your fellow woman writer by pre-ordering her book on Amazon.

What if you were in this position? Wouldn't you want WOW! to support you?

This interview is not to be missed.

35 Flash Fiction Winners

Our esteemed guest judge, Mary Rosenblum, has carefully made her decision. With her experience, talent, and a bridal bouquet in hand -- she tosses it up in the air -- let's see who catches the winning bouquets!

This season was a rough one, as you all know. With more contestants entering our judging has become tighter. We now have a roundtable of 4-6 judges who blindly score submissions based on: Style, Subject, Content, and Technical. That's the first step of the process... to learn more Please read our special note to contestants.

All of you are winners of our hearts and souls. This was the toughest contest yet! You all had amazing stories, original, and well-crafted. Each season there's a new chance for winning -- it all depends on the prompt, and how much you are inspired by it!

The publishing industry is changing faster than anyone expected, providing writers with more options than ever before to see their books in print. Traditional and Vanity publishing are not the only choices for an author...

Find out everything you need to know about self-publishing to get started!

These are not just random points -- Arlene walks you through the process in a comprehensive guide to promoting your self-published book -- including the best ways to garner book reviews through media and print.

You've poured your heart onto each page and those pages have finally become a completed manuscript. The next step is to make it look like a book. When the time comes to have your manuscript edited, the cover designed, and the interior set, your most important decision is: who do you choose for your design A Team?

Peri Poloni-Gabriel of Knockout Design shares her experience with WOW! readers and reveals what you, as an author, should be looking for in a cover designer.

Vicky Vaughn, of Vicky Vaughn Design, gives us the information we need to know when choosing an interior book designer, and tricks of the trade.

Brenda Hill, expert editor and author, loves to help authors shape and polish their manuscripts with novel editing and plotting! Learn from a professional copy editor what to look for in your manuscript, and why a second pair of eyes is always useful.

These Markets are listed as a courtesy by The Best of the Magazine Markets for Writers. This is the best guide for freelancers out there! WOW! highly reccomends this guide as your ultimate resource.

Would you like to see your thoughts posted on the WOW! Blog? Join Friday Speak Out! Share your thoughts on writing, how you balance your writing within your "other" life, or how you find and maintain inspiration. Of course, you might have another idea spinning in your mind. Go for it. We'd love to read your work and hear your voice.

Written by our 20 Questions interviewee, Brenda Hill

"Plot Your Way to Publication"

A simple, step-by-step method for building a successful storyline.

What type of content should you submit? Submit your unique and compelling text, video, audio and images on the topics of your choice.

Where is it published? Your content is included in the AC library, displayed on your profile page, and may even be distributed to partner sites.

How do you gain exposure? AC attracts millions of information seekers each month, and now they can discover your content, too!

And what's this about earning cash? AC offers upfront payments for some content submissions as well as a monthly Performance Bonus payment for all of your original content.

Next Session Starts Monday, July 30, 2007

If you want to write for magazines but don't know how to get started - or if you need some motivation to get you going - this course is for you.

In eight weekly lessons, Linda will walk you through:

• Coming up with a salable idea
• Finding markets that would be interested in your idea
• Finding the right editors to send your idea to
• Interviewing people for the query letter (the proposal that sells the editor on your idea and yourself as a writer)
• Writing a winning query letter
• Getting your query out the door!

Each lesson includes an assignment. You can do much of the assignments after work, during your lunch break, on weekends - whenever YOU have the time. The best part is, you can use the lessons you learn in this course over and over again. The more queries you write and send, the better the chances that you'll get published!

The basic course includes eight weekly lessons and the premium course includes personalized e-mail support as well (Linda sets aside Wednesdays and Fridays to answer e-mails). She says, "I am here to guide you through the program and to answer any questions you might have."

For more details on how the course works, the course schedule, and Linda's teaching philosophy, please download and read the E-Course FAQ on Linda's site (PDF format).

Premium Course - Eight weekly lessons, eight assignments, and eight weeks of unlimited e-mail support ($240)

Basic Course - Eight weekly lessons and eight assignments ($120)

------------------------------

If you missed our last issue's 20 Questions Column with Linda Formichelli, Renegade Writer be sure to check it out! Linda knows all the tricks of the trade, and as you'll see in this unique WOW! interview, she's got a handle on balancing life & writing.

***NOTE: Please be sure to say that WOW! Women On Writing referred you :-)

"My grandparents were the most important people in my life. They literally gave me the glimmer of light I needed to rise above what was going on my house and helped save me from becoming a statistic. Without them, I wouldn't be here. Period. In their memory, and in celebration of grandparents all over the world, I would like to hear quotes about why grandparents are important and a brief description of why.

This isn't a Chicken Soup For The Soul project so I don't need actual stories. Just brief quotes (maybe a paragraph or two) of how grandparents have sprinkled their stardust in your lives. I want to hear from parents, grandparents, kids and even experts (psychologists, counselors, social workers, etc) about this special relationship. I want to include as many of the quotes as possible in the first section of my upcoming book.

Please send your quips to lilywolf@telus.net I will accept quotes until July 31, 2007. When sending your quote, please specify how you want to be quoted: full name, first name only or anonymous. Totally up to you. For kids, they can send their own statement or parents can write for them."

Kathryn Jordan

Last Chance to LIVE THE FANTASY Check out WOW's blog post on Kathryn's fabulous event! Friday, July 27 - Sunday, July 29. Get into HOT WATER with Kathryn Jordan! Click HERE for full details. If you're in the area, this event is not to be missed! Check out WOW's TWO BUNCH PALMS GETAWAY WITH KATHRYN JORDAN to find out the wonderful time you're in store for.

Currently, Kathryn is hard at work on her novel, GLADYS AND CAPONE, which is featured in the link above to our getaway at Two Bunch Palms.

Kathryn also donated several signed books and HOT WATER cd's to our Spring 2007 Flash Fiction Contest Winners! If you receive them as part of your prize pack, you'll have to stop by Kathryn's website: www.kathrynjordan.com and say thanks!

Lauren Baratz-Logsted

I asked Lauren, "Got news for WOW?" Here's what she wrote in:

"What's up with me? The latest, in case I haven't mentioned it, is that Houghton Mifflin bought the first four in a projected nine-book series for young readers called THE SISTERS EIGHT. The fun part is that the books are being written by me with my husband, the novelist Greg Logsted, and our seven-year-old daughter Jackie. The series is about octuplets, the Huit sisters, whose parents disappear on New Year's Eve when Mom goes to the kitchen for eggnog, Dad goes out to the woodshed for firewood...and neither come back. Over the course of the series the Eights, as they are known, have to solve the mystety behind the twin disappearances while keeping the rest of the world from finding out that eight little girls are home alone. The first two volumes are slated to hit the shelves in fall 2008.

In more recent news, I was excited to see the cover for my next YA book go up on Amazon. The book is called Secrets of My Suburban Life and is about a girl whose novelist mother gets crushed to death by a stack of Harry Potter books. When her father moves the family to CT in the wake of the tragedy, Ren becomes involved in a sort-of mystery involving an online predator. It goes on sale January 8, but is available for preorder now." To find out more, visit Lauren's website: http://www.laurenbaratzlogsted.com/

Betsy Amster Literary Agency

Betsy Amster writes in: "The news from my end is that I've started handling some interesting graphic work-sold a graphic memoir called THE SHINIEST JEWEL: A FAMILY LOVE STORY by Marian Henley to Springboard (a division of Grand Central, formerly known as Warner) and a graphic diet book called THE BIG SKINNY: HOW I CHANGED MY FATTITUDE by Carol Lay to Villard. Very very very fun. THE SHINIEST JEWEL will be out in Fall '08 and THE BIG SKINNY will be out in January '09."

Pen Pal Project

Our friend and Contest donator, Maqueda, from aWhimsicalThought.Com has an announcement:

Does anyone else miss the fun of receiving a good ole fashioned handwritten (or typed for those who aren't so fond of their writing) letter in the mail? Like a pleasant cool breeze and a string of smiles sealed up in an envelope?
The simple pleasure of an unexpected pick-me-up dressed in a little color & personality peeking through amongst the sea of white window envelopes so persistently demanding your attention?

If you'd be interested in joining a pool of nostalgic Pen Pal-ers, please click below to fill out a brief form and if there's enough interest, we will pull something together through our Writing Club/website at aWhimsicalThought.Com.

Submit your Pen Pal info here

Are you an Alumni Member (previously featured on WOW!) who'd like to be in our announcements section?

We'd love to hear what you've been up to! Drop us a note: buzz@wow-womenonwriting.com

The WECAI NETWORK is excited to present this three-day (plus) Webinar/teleconference Event to "Help Women Do Business On and Off the Web." Here is your chance to attend the Virtual event that is both educational and inspirational.

Bringing together best-selling authors, top editors, agents, and publishers, the Women's Writing & Publishing Summit offers writers the opportunity to meet the people who can make a difference in their writing career.

This Summit is sure to be an important learning experience for aspiring and seasoned writers alike. This three-day virtual event features interviews, workshops and networking led by some of the worlds most talented authors, publishers and literary agents. Our Summit is designed to help you develop your writing, stimulate your thinking and assist all stages of writers in the craft and the business of writing. During this summit you will get to meet, chat, network, and get to pick some of the best brains in the writing and publishing world.

Here is a sampling of the things you will learn:

- How to get the book inside you on paper.
- How to promote your books all around the globe ... for free!
- How you can effectively sell more books.
- How to expand the audience for your book by utilizing radio, TV, Internet, and print media.
- How to get on the top of the charts at Amazon.

You will also have an opportunity to attend our Virtual Reception where you can share your book ideas, network with peers and professionals and even win some great prizes!

When you register for the Women's Writing & Publishing Summit you will receive more than a dozen resources including GET it WRITE! How to write, publish and promote the book inside you - as well as a workbook complete with interview questions, outlines, forms and other valuable information to help you capitalize on the information gleaned from this event... and more!

• Do you have a book inside you waiting to get out?
• Do you have a manuscript just waiting for an agent or publisher?
• Do you want to learn what it really takes to self-publish?
• Do you want to learn how to promote your book to bookstores and alternate venues?
• Would you like to see your book become an Amazon bestseller?

Schedule:

Thursday, July 19, 2007 (5pm to 9 pm)
5:00 pm - Opening remarks and 1st session Partnership Publishing - How and when to use the Combined Forces of Publisher and Author to Produce Your Next Book with Linda Radke
6:30 pm - So You Want to Write a Book! with Ann McIndoo
8:00 pm - What to Expect When Working With a Literary Agent with Sharlene Martin

Friday, July 20, 2007 (12 noon to 7:30 pm)
12 Noon - Publishing Books - The New Book Model with Dan Poynter
1:30 pm - How to Leverage Your Contacts to Promote Your Book with Lynn Waymon
2:30 pm - Publishing Options "Which One Is Right For YOU with Sherri McConnell
3:30 pm - Are you about to Be Published? Insider "Secrets" to Get into Major Publishing Houses and Into the Hands of Your Readers! with Kim Weiss
4:30 pm - The Art and Science of Working with a Co-Author and Writing Children's Books with Debra Shively Welch
6:00 - 7:30 pm "Networking Reception" be sure and join us for networking, your chance to meet other authors and publishers and take part in our prize drawings! During this time we will acknowledge sponsors and a prize will be given away every 5 minutes!

Saturday, July 21, 2007 (10 am to 5 pm)
10:00 am - Copywriting Secrets Every Author Needs to Know with Rosalind Sedacca
11:30 am - How to Make Your Book an AMAZON.com Best Seller with Kathleen Gage
1:00 pm - From Book Signing to Best Seller: An Insider's Guide to Conducting a Successful Low-Cost Book Signing Tour with Jo Condrill
2:30 pm - The Busy Author's Guide to Writing on the Run with Linda & Allen Anderson
4:00 pm - How to Set up Your Own Small Publishing Company with Betty Dobson
4:55 pm Closing remarks and acknowledge sponsors, thank guest experts and attendees

NEW - Bonus Sessions:
Wednesday July 25 - How to use the Internet to Promote Your Book with Donna Gunther (2 PM Eastern Time)
"Let the Universe be Your Guide - Using the Laws of Attraction to Get Your Book Written and Published and So Much More!" with Marilyn Jennet (3:30 PM Eastern Time).

Come Join WOW! at the Summit, stop by, and say hello!