a celebration of and resource for writers in Kawartha Lakes, including authors, poets, playwrights, and aspiring
While other markets have their own guidelines for how they want manuscript submissions, here’s how to format your work to submit to Kawartha Lakes Stories.
Font: Times New Roman, 12-point
Spacing: double space between the lines; single space between sentences
Indents: indent paragraphs 1/2-inch
Breaks: indicate breaks in the story with # centred on a line of its own
Page One
Page Two and subsequent pages
Have a look:
Page One:
Page Two and subsequent pages:
File Format
Send manuscript as Word .doc file or Pages file.
Do not send .pdf or any other type of file.
Submit Questions in comments below.
You’ve probably heard of the poem, “The Cremation of Sam McGee” by Robert W. Service. If not, enjoy this version read by Johnny Cash with paintings by Ted Harrison:
Here’s what you might not know: the titular character, “Sam McGee” was from Kawartha Lakes.
Robert Service was a clerk for CIBC in Whitehorse, when a form crossed his desk with Sam McGee’s name on it. The rhythm of the name captured Service, and he knew it would fit a ballad. So he wrote to Sam McGee, a prosperous builder of roads in the Klondike, to ask about using his name. McGee said yes, and the rest is poetry. (https://archiveofourown.org/works/139140)
Now here’s the history.
“Sam McGee” was born William Samuel McGee on August 28, 1868 on a farm just outside Lindsay. In fact, that farm was in (at the time) Fenelon Township, just up the road from Cameron, and registered in his mother’s name, Ellen McGee. (http://www.ancestry.ca/genealogy/records/william-samuel-mcgee_168378630; http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/vic-m-fenelon.htm)
William Samuel McGee married in Peterborough in 1901:
William Samuel McGEE, 32, miner, Cameron – Victoria Co., Whitehorse Yukon, s/o Joseph McGEE & Ellen McCULLOUGH, married Ruth WARNER, 20, Liverpool England, Harvey twp., d/o James WARNER & Betsy JENKINSON, witn: George WARNER & Mrs. Annie EARL, both of Harvey twp., 5 June 1901 at Peterborough (http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maryc/peter01.htm)
More about Sam McGee (with photo): http://virtualwalk.ca/index.php/Lindsay-Ontario/Famous-Residents-Lindsay.html
Borrow The Cremation of Sam McGee from the library.
Looking for volunteers to assist with building the individual pages in the Writers’ Directory.
WordPress experience is an asset but not required.
If you are interested, send an email to kawarthaauthors@gmail.com.
Here’s a list of the upcoming events for authors and writers in Kawartha Lakes. Click on the links for more information.
Ongoing
Workshop – Ann Douglas – “Get That Book Out of Your Head: A Workshop for Authors-to-be” – $299
Poetry – every Wednesday – 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM – Carpe Diem Cafe
Writers Group – every second Thursday – 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM – Peterborough Speculative Fiction Writers Group
Writers Group – every second Wednesday – 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM – Lindsay Library
April
Monday, April 1 – 5:00 PM – DEADLINE – submissions to Playpen, Mysterious Entity Theatre’s script development program
Thursday, April 11 – 7:00 PM – Bobcaygeon Library – Local Author Series: Jean Booker
Saturday, April 13 – 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM – Lindsay Library – Book Sale
Tuesday, April 16 – 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM – Lindsay Library – Book Sale
May
Friday, May 10 – 6:00 PM – DEADLINE – submissions to Lakefield Literary Festival’s Young Writers Contest
July
July 15 – Lakefield Literary Festival
Kawartha Lakes Authors & Writers Network is now on Facebook! Like us to catch all the information:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kawartha-Lakes-Authors-Writers-Network/
SHARON OVEREND is an award-winning author whose short stories have appeared in several Canadian and international literary journals and anthologies. A graduate of the University of Toronto Continuing Studies creative writing program, Sharon’s short story, For Sale, won the 2010 Random House Student Award. In 2011, she was named a finalist for the same award. In 2014, her short story, Step Away, was nominated for a Journey Prize. Sharon’s first novel, Look Over Your Shoulder, is currently on submission. She and her husband recently moved to Kawartha Lakes where she plans to let nature inspire many more writing projects including her latest work-in-progress, Stillwater Lake.
Author of “Cottage Wars,” Hersey lives near Coboconk during cottage season.
Available for borrowing from Kawartha Lakes Public Library.
