Submissions Open...Are You Ready?

Hey all! Just in case you've been living under a rock since January, I thought I'd give a shout out to the KAS and any other writers who read the blog. Submissions for the latest anthology open October 1 and will be accepted throughout the month of October. The details are below. (I stole them right off the website.) Bernard and I look forward to reading your stories!

By the way, please remember we have a contest for the cover design as well. Submissions for the cover art should go to the same address. Details for the contest can be found here.

Submissions for the second Kindle All-Stars project will be open from October 1st to October 31st, 2012.  

ALL of the following guidelines MUST be adhered to, or your story will be returned to you un-read. 

THEME GUIDELINES FOR KAS 2

The theme for the second Kindle All-Stars Project is Cryptozoology.  

Your story must pertain in some way to the list of cryptids found on this page.  

Note: We are open to more than one story about the main cryptids (Bigfoot, Nessie, etc.) so do not be discouraged in submitting your work. That being said, there will be a limit to how many we take about one creature. Choose your cryptid wisely. 

Just as with Resistance Front, all profits from this book will be donated to a designated charity. The charity will be announced closer to the book's release date.  

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES FOR KAS 2

1.    All submissions must be emailed to KindleAllStars@gmail.com with "KAS2" in the subject heading. 

2.    All submissions must be orginal, never-before-published works.  

3.     Word count: Maximum 6k words.  

4.     Format as follows: 

        - 12 point, Times New Roman font.  

        - Double spaced. 

        - Two spaces after every period. (Not negotiable. Don't try to convince El Presidente otherwise.)     

        - Microsoft Word .doc or .docx only

        - Improperly formatted stories will not be accepted.  

5.    Only finished work will be accepted.  Do not send rough drafts, first drafts, or story ideas. We are only accepting edited, proofread, finished pieces for KAS2.  

        *If you require editorial assistance, contact Laurie after you've read the KAS editorial services webpage.

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE, and we look forward to seeing your work.

*Fair warning: It's too late to contact me for editorial assistance, but I may be able to hook you up with one of the associate editors if they have time to work with you between now and October 31. No, it's not a complementary service and no, editing by the service does not guarantee your submission will be accepted.

You Made It...Are You Selling It?

Every so often, I'll see a comment on one of my patterns, either free or for sale, thanking me for allowing/encouraging the sale of finished objects made from them. Truth is that I love when you all tell me you're selling your finished objects on Etsy or at craft fairs. I simply don't have the time these days to make finished objects for my shop. And I miss doing craft fairs. So I live vicariously through those of you who do have the time. Or make the time.

Therefore, I'd like to offer you some free promotional space. I want to set up a page here on the blog where I can link your blogs or your Etsy shops. Leave a comment below with your link. Tell me what you sell* and where. I'll add your link and a short description to the page. It's really that simple. I can add a picture as well, but choose wisely. It will be a small one, and only one. (The photo of the Oval Tiny Bubbles Scrubby above is a good size reference.) Please email your pics to me at biggirljewelry[at]yahoo[dot]com along with your link and other information (so I get them correctly matched).

*Please make sure your link is to an item made from my designs, not someone else's.

Now get to work! Um, I mean, Happy Crocheting!

Cover Art Contest for KAS2

Last year's cover was designed by Glendon Haddix of Streetlight Graphics

Do you have the skills to design the next cover for the Kindle All-Stars?  

The contest is open to any and all participants, and the winner will be announced on November 1st, 2012.  SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN NOW until October 31st.  

Email your submission to: KindleAllStars [at] gmail [dot] com

The rules are as follows: 

Your cover must include only artwork to which you own the rights. 

It must pertain to the theme of the anthology:  Cryptozoology.

You agree to donate your cover to the project, as all profits will be earmarked for a predetermined charity.  

The winner will be prominently featured in the book as well as all KAS literature and websites.  

The Kindle All-Stars donates all profits from its various projects to charity. 

How to Get a Free Hat Pattern

Big Girl Hat #1

I don't always wear my heart on my sleeve here on the blog. I post very few personal items online in general, unless they pertain to my work. So not many people know that I lost a friend to cancer earlier this year. We weren't the closest of friends; Stephanie was my best friend's sister. But we had known each other, through her sister, for about fifteen years and had become faraway friends of a sort, connecting at family gatherings and chatting online.

Anyhow, I don't necessarily have the resources to make a grand gesture in her honor, but there is something I can do: crochet and design. That's where you all come in.

I currently have three different pdf hat patterns available: 

1. The Big Girl Hat #1 which is posted on Ravelry and on the blog for free
2. The Astro Hat which is listed as a men's hat but is really unisex
3. The Simple Earth Hat which is also a unisex style

Now, except for promotions and classes, I normally don't offer pdf's of the Big Girl (or Blog Collection*) patterns because I post them here on the blog at no charge, but I'm including the Big Girl Hat as a pdf for this purpose.

Here's how to get one or all of the pdf patterns absolutely free of charge:

Pledge to make and donate a minimum of two hats as "chemo caps." That's it. It really is that simple. No kidding.

Simply leave a comment below and make sure I can get your email address easily. That is to say your profile will allow me to collect your address or you put it in your comment in a way that a spammer can't easily harvest it. For instance, my older email is BigGirlJewelry at yahoo dot com. Don't forget to tell me which pattern(s) you would like. I will email the file as quickly as possible. Expect an email from downloads at Ravelry dot com within 48 hours.

Simple Earth Hat
on my older nephew

But remember, the first two that you make from the pattern should be donated, preferably as chemo caps, but if you want to give them to a homeless shelter or simply throw them in with your next donation to Goodwill, be my guest. Yes, I will send all three patterns if you request all three, but then I will expect you to make and donate six hats.

And please be honest. After the two hats, your obligation is done. Make a bunch for family and friends...for your Etsy shop...for your cat...

One more thing! I want to see pictures. Email pics to me at the address above. I will do a blog post in the future, probably early in the new year, to show off your handiwork.

But I don't know where to send them! Do you have any recommendations?

Astro Hat
on my younger nephew

I'm glad you asked. Stephanie spent a whole lot of time at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. And an online buddy of mine started the Teal Hat Project a couple of years ago. Why not start there?
Added 9/26/12:  Halos of Hope also provides crafted hats to chemo patients. (Thank you for the suggestion, Jessica!)

But what if this post is out of date?

That one's not going to be an issue for a while, but if you happen to come across this post say, six months, a year, even five years after I've posted it, fear not. I will honor this offer for the life of this blog...unless it outlives me. Further, any other hats I design in the future will be included as well.

Happy Crocheting!

*As I transition away from the Big Girl Jewelry label, you will begin to see my items renamed to The Blog Collection by Laurie Laliberte Designs. Fear not, the Blog Collection will continue to be available here at no charge to my readers.

To reiterate: You are pledging to make two hats for each pattern you request. Four hats are available as of 1/8/2013. If you request all four patterns, I would expect that you would make and donate eight hats, two of each pattern. Also, I specifically request that you do NOT email your requests to me. Leave a comment below in the comments section. Emailed requests are not likely to be answered as this is not my main email account.