Jerry Hatchett
Widely published magazine writer
"Swifter than a speeding bullet, and light years faster
than the Chicago Manual of Style,
Linda will tell
you if your pronouns match your antecedents, when
your numbers should be spelled out in letters, and
where to stick your comma. It has been a pleasure to work
with Linda for over 15 years (or should I say 'more
than,' Linda?).
"When we at Crown & Covenant want to avoid embarrassment
on publication release day, we call on
Linda. She is
not only a crackerjack grammarian, but also
proficient at style and publishing conventions. I
highly recommend her services, as long as it doesn't
interfere with her work for us!"
Lynne Gordon
Director of Publications
Crown & Covenant Publications
Writing Awards/Sales
Fair enough. You're right. Proofreaders don't get awards,
although we should. The Onion
once had an article about the Fonty Awards (for best
typeface) that I giddily thought was real for a few days. Once I
realized it was just a joke I retreated to my office and refused
to come out for a week, eating nothing but
Ho-Ho's and Ruffles potato chips, washing them down with
gallon-size bottles of Starbucks Frappuccino.
But, writers sometimes get awards and prizes
for stuff they write. Like most people behind the scenes in
publishing, I also write (and then I edit myself to death).
Naturally, I'm egotistical enough to include a small list of
my small prizes and small awards for my small writing. Just so
you can see that I, as a fellow writer, feel your pain.
Also, in November each year, I participate in the National
Novel Writing Month challenge. I get to write a 50,000-word
piece of junk in 30 days! Give me a good deadline, and I'll
stoop to it.
November 2007:
National Novel Writing Month (http://www.nanowrimo.org)
Title: "Mrs. Needlemeier's Novel Idea"
June 2007:
1st Place
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Category: Adult Fiction
Title: "The Scarlet Letter Opener" (chapter 8 in a cozy
mystery)
1st Place
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Category: Personal Experience Feature
Title: "Gigabytes and God"
1st Place
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Daily faculty roast contests
Also: Article sale:
"Yore Spell-Checker Stinks," to
April
2007:
Honorable Mention
Mercer One-Day Conference
Category: Childhood Memory
Title: "The Skating Rink"
November 2006:
National Novel Writing Month (http://www.nanowrimo.org)
Title: "Black and White and Blood All Over"
June 2006:
1st Place
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Category: Humor
Title: "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Cement, But
Were Afraid to Ask"
This win entered me into the St. Davids Hall of Fame for the
Humor category.
1st Place
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Daily faculty roast contests
April
2006:
2nd Place
Mercer One-Day Conference
Category: Story Beginning
Title: "Good Men Doing Nothing"
February
2006:
Top 4 Runner-Up
Operation First Book contest (sponsored by Tyndale House and
Christian Writers Guild; judged by author Jerry Jenkins)
Title: "Do-It-Yourself Widow"
November 2005:
National Novel Writing Month (http://www.nanowrimo.org)
Title: "Black Soul Choir"
June 2005:
1st Place
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Category: Humor
Title: "Dear Santa"
1st Place
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Category: Adult/Young Adult Fiction
Title: "Do-It-Yourself Widow" (chapter 1)
2nd Place
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Category: Personal Experience Feature
Title: "Pennies in the Couch"
Several 1st Place honors
Daily faculty roast contests
November 2004:
National Novel Writing Month (http://www.nanowrimo.org)
Title: "Do-It-Yourself Widow"
June 2004:
2nd Place
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Category: Humor
Title: "Tightening Your Belt"
Honorable Mention
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Category: Adult/Young Adult Fiction
Title: "Gray Area" (chapter 6)
1st Place
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Daily faculty roast contests
April 2004:
Top 20 Semifinalists
Operation First Novel contest (sponsored by Tyndale House and
Jerry Jenkins' Christian Writers Guild)
Title: "Gray Area"
June 2003:
1st Place
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Category: Adult/Young Adult Fiction
Title: "Gray Area" (chapter 4)
1st Place
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Category: Humor
Title: "Rash Behavior"
3rd Place
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Category: Personal Experience Feature
Title: "Gullible's Travels"
2nd Place
St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference
Daily faculty roast contests
April 2003:
1st Place
Mercer One-Day Conference
Category: Life-Changing Moment
Title: "Say 'Ahhh!'"
September 2000:
1st Place
BrassRing.com's online national essay contest
Category: Humor and Technology
Title: "Brave New World, Scared Old Mom"
Junior High School, circa
mid-1970s:
1st Place
Two winning limericks on potato salad for a local deli company
Used in two separate local radio ads
Yes, I'm serious. Potato salad.
