Is SWA really of benefit to a writer?

Revisited - 4/10/15

 Meet Sheila S. Hudson

Award Winning Author and SWA Board Member Emeritus

1993 Met Amy Munnell at local book club

1994 First attended SWA, won award for Inspiration and gained encouragement from Linda Tomlin  and Cec Murphey to launch freelance career. Completed course from Christian Writers Guild;  3rd Place for Inspiration SWA; 3rd place for Linda Tomblin Inspirational Writing Award.

1995 Won Honorable Mention for “On Forgiveness” from The Black Mountains Christian Writers Retreat sponsored by Linda Tomblin; 1st Place for Most Rejection Slips from 2nd Wednesday Writers; 1st Place for Most Outrageous Rejection Slip from 2nd Wednesday Writers, 1st Place for SWA Limerick Award.

1996 2nd Place for SWA Non-fiction and 2nd place for Children’s Literature. 

1997 3rd Place for SWA Limerick Award and 3rd Place for Non-fiction.

1999 1st Place for SWA Limerick Award and 3rd Place for Inspiration.

2000 Two Honorable Mentions SWA Limerick Awards; Honorable Mention for Juvenile Writing;  Honorable Mention for Non-fiction.

2002 Honorable Mention for SWA Limerick Award; 1st Place Limerick Award; Honorable Mention for Inspiration.

2003-2012 Joined SWA board as Assistant PP Editor. Remained on SWA board until 2012 serving two two-year terms as SWA President. Served another two-year term as co-president with Amy Munnell. I served as Registrar for many years and assisted Tim Hudson with his role as meeting planner.

2013 2nd Place for Bill Westhead Award; 1st Place for Holiday Seasonal Writing; and 2nd Place for Inspiration.

2014 1st Place for Humor Award; 1st Place for Holiday Seasonal Writing;  1st Place for Bill Westhead Award; 2nd Place for Inspiration; published 13 Decisions That Will Change Your Life in November with Dancing with Bear Publishing.

2015 Published Murder at Golden Palms (Thursday Club Mysteries Book 1) with Take Me Away Books in July 2015; published 13 Decisions That Will Transform Your Marriage with Dancing with Bear Publisher in August and Murder at Sea (Thursday Club Mysteries Book 2) in October also from Take Me Away Books.

2016 Published Thursday Club Mysteries Book 3 and Book 4 - Murder at the Monastery (February) and Murder at the Mandelay (May) also from Take Me Away Books.

Register today!

41st Southeastern Writers Workshop 

June 17-21, 2016 

Epworth by the Sea 

St. Simons Island, Georgia

Contests Deadline EXTENDED!

The SWA Board of Directors has extended the deadline for submitting work to our contests. 

The new deadline is May 28 by 11:59pm.

The 9 Contests are:

• The Hal Bernard Memorial Award for Novel
• The G.T. Youngblood Award for Short Fiction
• The Vega Award for Speculative Short Fiction
• The Julie L. Cannon Award
• The Bill Westhead Memorial Award
• The Angel Award for Holiday Seasonal Writing
• The Thomas Max "You Are Published" Contest
• The Award for Excellence in Inspirational Writing
• The Humor Award

Don't miss out on all the CASH PRIZES!  See the submission guidelines here!

Register today!

41st Southeastern Writers Workshop 

June 17-21, 2016 

Epworth by the Sea 

St. Simons Island, Georgia

WIN SOME CASH! FINAL DAYS!

The Countdown Is On!

The deadline for submitting to SWA's 9 Workshop Contests is May 15 (@11:59pm)!

The 2016 Contests

• The Hal Bernard Memorial Award for Novel
• The G.T. Youngblood Award for Short Fiction
• The Vega Award for Speculative Short Fiction
• The Julie L. Cannon Award
• The Bill Westhead Memorial Award
• The Angel Award for Holiday Seasonal Writing
• The Thomas Max "You Are Published" Contest
• The Award for Excellence in Inspirational Writing
• The Humor Award 

★  NO Entry Fees* ★  Cash Prizes  ★

See the complete guidelines here.  Look at some of our happy 2015 winners!  That could be you!

Register today!

41st Southeastern Writers Workshop 

June 17-21, 2016 

Epworth by the Sea 

St. Simons Island, Georgia

*Contests are open to workshop attendees only.

Meet Our Scholarship Winners!

Congratulations to Charles Harned and Teresa Durham! 

We look forward to seeing you in June!

Many thanks to all our fine applicants!

41st Southeastern Writers Workshop 

June 17-21, 2016 

Epworth by the Sea 

St. Simons Island, Georgia

Register Today!

WIN SOME CASH!!!

Join us for the 41st Southeastern Writers Workshop, June 17-21, and you can submit any or all of our contests ~ for FREE!

Register for one day or all four ~ there's no minimum requirement!  And there a so many contests to choose from!  Do you have a novel, a short story?  Maybe humor, inspirational or personal narratives?  No matter!  There's a contest for you!  And best of all...

Every contests awards CASH PRIZES!!

2016 CONTESTS:

• The Hal Bernard Memorial Award for Novel
• The G.T. Youngblood Award for Short Fiction
• The Vega Award for Speculative Short Fiction
• The Julie L. Cannon Award
• The Bill Westhead Memorial Award
• The Angel Award for Holiday Seasonal Writing
• The Thomas Max "You Are Published" Contest
• The Award for Excellence in Inspirational Writing
• The Humor Award

The submission DEADLINE IS May 15, 2016.  

Read the full guidelines on our website.

41st Southeastern Writers Workshop 

June 17-21, 2016 

Epworth by the Sea 

St. Simons Island, Georgia

Bonus Blog — 7 Days Remaining!

★☆★ WRITERS ★☆★

Would you like to attend the 41st Southeastern Writers Workshop

TUITION FREE?

The 41st Southeastern Writers Workshop is June 17-21 at Epworth by the Sea on the gorgeous St. Simons Island, GA!  SWA is offering two scholarships!  One for Student Writers (high school and college) and one for Adult Writers!

Win one of two scholarships to the SWA Writers Workshop!

Here’s how to enter:

• Student Writer: ages 15-25 and enrolled in high school or college.  If the student writer is under 18, a parent or guardian must accompany him/her.
• Adult Writer: age 18 or older
• Submit a 500-word essay describing your journey as a writer and how attending the 41st Southeastern Writers Workshop will change your writing life.  Include why you are the most deserving of the scholarship.  Student Writers must include the name of their school or college.
• The entry deadline is midnight on April 18th. Please email your entry to purple@southeasternwriters.org with a subject line of SWA Student Scholarship or SWA Adult Scholarship.
• The scholarship pays for tuition only.
• Winners will be announced May 1st

41st Southeastern Writers Workshop: Contests with Cash Prizes!!!

41st Southeastern Writers Workshop ~ June 17-21 

All attendees of the 41st Southeastern Writers Workshop are eligible to enter our many contests.  And you can write just about anything you want: novels, short fiction, essays, funny stories, true stories, stories with a Southern flair, stories set in other worlds!  And best of all....

There is MONEY to be WON !!!

Contests include:

• The Hal Bernard Memorial Award for Novel 
• The GT Youngblood Short Fiction Award
• The Vega Award for Speculative Short Fiction 
• The Julie L. Cannon Award
• The Bill Westhead Memorial Award
• The Angel Award for Holiday Seasonal Writing
• The ThomasMax “You are Published” Contest
• The Award for Excellence in Inspirational Writing
• The Humor Award 

Click here for complete descriptions and guidelines.  Deadline is May 15.

Contests are open to attendees ONLY.  Click here to learn more and to register.

A Former Possum Queen, Miss Cow Patty Cotillion 2005, and a Writer Walk into the SWA Conference...

“But I’m due at the SWA writer’s conference in two days,” I whined in the E.R. as the evil nurse slapped a hospital bracelet on my wrist and kick-started my IV pole. Wouldn’t you know it? Struck down in my prime by a bowl of… coldhearted blackberry cobbler? 

That was last time. This year I’m happy to report I made it to St. Simon’s Island and came away with more than when I left home—gotta love that new Michelin radial. As the bonafide “Mistress of Mayhem” and budding humor writer, I rely heavily on personal experiences for inspiration. Predictably, the SWA Conference provided me with plenty of material—albeit at my own expense. For you newbies I recommend this wonderful workshop and have included some helpful items for your conference checklist. In addition to the usual arsenal of pens, notebooks, and IPad, I suggest the following: 

 A Spare Tire

This will come in handy when you have a blow-out five minutes into your conference adventure leaving you stranded on the highway like metallic road-kill. Don’t forget your phone, AAA card, and some kindling and matches for those smoke signals you’ll be sending while awaiting help. “I’m sitting underneath a big palm tree,” does little to help you out in Florida.

Your Best Karaoke Get-up

Hand gestures are also crucial, (sorry, no sock puppets) as are your talented back-up singers who must be able to read acronyms and groove in sync while belting out, Harper Valley P.T.A. And while the moves from the famed “chicken dance” are entertaining, they can scream, “America’s Got No Talent.” 

Shoes 

Nine pairs of “matching” shoes should do it – matching shoes. While considering swing dancing confident you’ve packed the perfect clodhoppers keep in mind, donning a stiletto with a stylish flip-flop, even if they’re the same color, won’t make you the conference twinkle toes.

Mr. Magoo Cheaters 

If a bout of “temporary vanity” strikes and you decide to insert your contacts before being suddenly called to read your writing masterpiece aloud, pandemonium will surely ensue. This is complicated when one lens goes loosey-goosey and the other gums up, gluing both eyelids together. You’re guaranteed to wander your hotel cockeyed and dependent upon the kindness of the first unfortunate stranger you can grab. Thank-you Linda Joyce for agreeing to channel your inner Annie Sullivan.

An Open Mind

While pitching your book to the literary god of the north, (the prospective agent) and she suggests you’re better suited for You Tube, bear in mind, “There’s no crying in writer’s conferences.”

 “Depends” 

These are essential while laughing yourself silly over lunch with your new BFFs following your fifth glass of sweet tea while pondering your upcoming YouTube debut.

Heading home with my first-place certificates proudly riding shotgun on the adjacent seat I realized I’d gained more than valuable writing skills and my awards, I’d acquired a wonderful support group whose motto truly is, “Writers Helping Writers.” Lord help them. Remember, when all else fails, just add humor. Until next year…

Mellie Justad writes humorous stories about everyday life. her work has appeared in anthologies, NYMB on Being a Mom, NYMB on Sex, The Storyteller, Smile, American Humor, Parenting Plus, New England Writers Journal, and online: Midlife Boulevard, Midlife Collage, Dew on the Kudzu, and Muscadine Lines. Please visit her at justadshumor.com 

The 2015 workshop had many highlights. Purple t-shirts. Special tote bags. New members! 

Everyone came away with knowledge and new writing connections. 

While there are many noteworthy moments from the workshop, I'm going to focus on one. Awards. Congratulations to ALL the winners!

2015 SWA Workshop Contest Winners

The Hal Bernard Memorial Award for Novel 

1. Weather Permitting – Jody Herpin--$60

2. My Friend Albert –John Sheffield--$40

The GT Youngblood Short Fiction Award

1. The Boy Who Drew the Spidery X – Tom Jordan

2. The Rise and Fall of Superdad – Stuart Blandford

3. The Hardest Part – Sandra Giles

HM  Bullied to Death – Nicole Blandford

The Microcosm Award 

1. Color of Pain - $50 Kris Burnett

2. My name is Hana - $30 Nicole Blandford

3. The Diary - $20 Sheila Hudson

The Vega Award for Speculative Short Fiction

1. Lucifer – Amy Wethington $100

2. The World of Alphabet Soup (Was) Point of Departure – Diane Douglas $50

3. You Can’t Go Home Again – Stuart Blandford  $25

Lines of Worth Award 

1. Familial – Bonnie Tobias

The Julie L. Cannon Award

Two first place winners

       1. High Hopes – Susan Lindsley $50 each

       1. Yellow Bellied – Mellie Justad $50 each

The Bill Westhead Memorial Award

1. It Takes a Suburb – Sheila S. Hudson

2. Up in Flames – Elaine Cameron

3. Angel on a Bicycle – Kristin Burnett

The Angel Award for Holiday Seasonal Writing

1. Christmas at the Hub and Hubbub – 

Sheila S. Hudson  $60

2. Easter Always – Ardsley Ames - $40

The Award for Excellence in Inspirational Writing

1. Peachy – Judith Barban

2. Heaven’s Gate – Catherine Fendig

3. Looking Back – Elaine Cameron

HM – Find Your Star and Shine – 

   Cheryl Hildebrand

The Cappy Award for Humor 

1. Don’t Flip Your Wu-ig – Millie Justad

2. No Sign of Relief – Cheryl Hildebrand

3. My Mama’s Teeth – Judith Barban

HM The Transparent Attack on American   

   Heroes – Stuart Blandford

HM On the Road Less Traveled – 

   Sheila S. Hudson

Edna Sampson Award

My Friend Albert –John Sheffield

For more photos of all the winners, please check out SWA's Facebook page

SWA Facebook

2014 Southeastern Writers Workshop Awards Night

We wrapped up the 2014 Southeastern Writers Workshop with our Awards Night: Celebrating the Great American Author!  And celebrate we did!

Guest speaker Darrell Huckaby gave a rousing rendition of Johnny Cash's "Ragged Old Flag" and had us in stitches as he recounted his first forays into the literary life.  President Lee Clevenger introduced new SWA Board members, passing the torch -- literally --to (photo l-r) Meredith Brown - The Purple Pros editor; Patrick Hempfing -treasurer; and Sandra Giles - secretary/registrar.  Alex Christle joined the Board the next morning at the Board meeting, taking on the manuscript coordinator and webmaster job. Lee and Kay Eaton (also pictured) are retiring from the Board.

But the real stars of the night are our WINNERS!  We had 13 contests with cash prizes up for grabs this year.  Thank you to our contests sponsors for their loyal support of SWA!

The Hal Bernard Memorial Award For Novel - sponsored by H.W. "Buzz" Bernard
1st:   Behind the Mask by Dana Ridenour
2nd:   The Rose and the Spider by Z.J. Czupor
3rd:   Illusions by L. M. W. Bro
HM:   The Refugee Territory by Tiffany Chacon

The Past Presidents’ Romance Award - sponsored by Debra A. Brown
1st:   Harvest by Linda Joyce
2nd:   Between Nowhere And Lost by Alexandra Christle

The Edna Sampson Award Of Excellence For The Best Novel By A First Time Attendee - sponsored by Vicki Hinze, Cheryl Norman & Marge Smith
Behind the Mask by Dana Ridenour

The GT Youngblood Short Fiction Award - sponsored by Adrian Drost
1st:   Bobby’s Battle by Linda Joyce
2nd:   Encounter With Yesterday by Susan Lindsley
HM:   The Bridge by Dana Ridenour

The Microcosm Award - sponsored by Charlotte Babb
1st:    Rivalry by Micki Morency
2nd:   Innocence by Dawn Burr
3rd:   View of a lifetime by Jody S. Herpin

Lines Of Worth Award - sponsored by Margaret Pennycook
Nonagenarians by Mary Stripling

The Julie L. Cannon Award - sponsored by Cheryl Walz & Frances Ruffin
1st:   To Fall Off The Mountain by Edward D. Anderson
2nd:   Me And Woot And The Redbone Hound by Susan Lindsley
3rd:   The "Write" Way by Georgia Mellie Justad

The Bill Westhead Memorial Award - sponsored by John House
1st:   The Legacy by Sheila S. Hudson
2nd:   My Personal Journey by Micki Morency
3rd:    From My Mouth by Patrick L. Hempfing

The Angel Award For Holiday Seasonal Writing - sponsored by Lee & Emily Sue Harvey
1st:   A Very Southern Tradition by Sheila S. Hudson
2nd:   The Most Wonderful Time by Patrick L. Hempfing
3rd:   Devilishly Good Skeleton Soup by Carol Dumas

The ThomasMax “You Are Published” Contest - sponsored by Lee Clevenger
When Darkness Fell by Susan Lindsley

The Very Merrie Bosom Buddy Award - sponsored by Janet S. Kelleher
1st:   Jonas Rules For Cats by Amy Wethington   
2nd:   Joy To The Fish That Got Away by Mary Stripling

The Award For Excellence In Inspirational Writing - sponsored by Mary Stripling
1st:   Grief by Micki Morency
2nd:   Broken Wings by Sheila S. Hudson
3rd:   Claiming Our Gifts by Candi Deal
HM:   The List by Patrick L. Hempfing

The Cappy Award For Humor - sponsor by Cappy Hall Rearick
Flower Power by Sheila S. Hudson

2014 SWA Winners!