Random House Update/Poetry Seminar and Contest

Writer’s Thought for the Week: A study from Britain's National Literacy Trust says that literate people are more likely to be happy.

Random House Publishing Group announced this week that it will "decentralize" trade paperback publishing. Individual publishers and imprints will manage their own trade paperbacks and publish books through their full life cycle: hardcover, eBook, and paperback. Jane von Mehren, trade paperbacks publisher, is leaving the company after more than eight years. She leaves behind an impressive track record in a broad range of categories. She edited Jamie Ford's Hotel On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, a book I highly recommend if you have not already read it.

The International Writing Program’s virtual poetry seminar will be offered free to 15 selected applicants. January 28, 2013 is the deadline to submit your application. The online 7-week course begins in February. The course will be conducted in English, but international writers are encouraged to apply.

Spirit First Poetry Contest
Deadline: January 31, 2013

1st/2nd/3rd prizes: $175/$125/$75

Limit of three poems per author
No entry fee

Spirit First’s 4th annual meditation poetry contest seeks previously unpublished poetry of any length and any style but must have a theme of meditation, mindfulness, stillness, or silence.