Beyonce's Mrs. Carter Tour 2013

As many of you know, I've been trying to see all the people I admire by the time I had turned forty years old. Well, I'm forty and my forty-first birthday is fast approaching. I had managed to see everyone on my list except Beyonce and Oprah. Well, HOT DAMN! Because I attended the Mrs. Carter Tour two weeks ago, July 13, 2013 in Nashville, TN.

I can't begin to describe how amazing the show was visually and vocally. I'd just had knee surgery a little over a week before the concert and my ticket was for general admission standing only. I was afraid I was not going to make it through the entire concert without giving into pain and going back to my hotel room. I had purchased an early entry ticket so I could get in earlier. However, there was over 200 people with early entry tickets as well, not to mention the other attendees at the sold out concert. I wore a brace on my knee to stabilize it because it was fairly weak. There was another young lady with a boot on her foot because she had just broke it recently. Thankfully, a woman named Ivy (what a sign right?), that worked for the promotion company agreed to let me and the young lady with the boot in early. She had friends with her that were allowed to come in as well. I was alone, so it was just lil ole me. We were allowed to go in ten minutes early as to not get trampled by the crowd. So glory to God, I was able to walk in unhurried and I got the best spot in the arena. Front row, dead center. I was so elated, if I could've danced, I would've. Everyone kept saying, you have the best spot in the whole place. It was divine, I tell you. Here it was, I thought I wasn't going to be able to make it through the concert and I had the best view out of thousands of fans.

Now, I did end up standing for nearly seven hours. My knee was shot by the next day. I was confined to bed for several days after that. Physical therapy has been kicking my butt and I've been chopping on Tylenol and Advil like Tic Tacs. My best friend said, "was it worth it?" I said, "yes. But ask me again in a couple of weeks and I may have a different answer if my knee doesn't get better." I can say without a doubt, that was the best concert I'd ever been to. Beyonce gave one hellava performance. I think we shared a few personal moments too, but that could be all in my head. Well, enjoy the photos. I think I got some really great shots. Whatcha think?

Now, if I can only find Oprah.....

Singer Luke James

Singer, Luke James

The fog machine was right in front of us. Don't I look happy anyway?

Sitting on the floor waiting for the concert to start. 

The concert is about to start and we're waiting on the opening act, Luke James. I think I look a little too excited.

This post is hardly wordless today, but 'eh... so what. These are special circumstances. 
:-) 

Don't forget to leave your wordless wednesday post on the linky list below. 

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Writing Contests for 2013

It's summer time, so take out your pen, paper or laptop and start writing. Here are few writing contests that will be accepting entries this year. You have the entire summer to go ahead and get 'er done. So start writing now, you may just earn the title award winning writer. If you need a boost in your creativity, check out my Wordless Wednesday posts for writing prompts. Happy writing and good luck!

MudfishPoetry Prize
Judged by Charles
Postmark submission deadline: July 15, 2013

Every poem read with care and considered for publication in Mudfish. Deadline extended and prize increased. See for details. New postmark submission deadline: July 15, 2013. $1,200 and publication for the winning poem. Two honorable mentions will also be published. Enclose $15 for three poems and $3 for each additional poem. Include a cover letter with a name, address and titles of poems. Also include an SASE for reply. Include contact info on cover letter page only. Send to: Mudfish Poetry Prize, 184 Franklin Street, New York, NY 10013.


The First Annual Bone Bouquet Experimental Prose Award
Final Judge: Barbara Henning

Online submission deadline: June 30, 2013
Bone Bouquet is now open to submissions for our first annual contest for experimental prose by women-identified writers, which includes transgender and genderqueer writers who identify as female. The winning writer is awarded with $50 and publication in issue 5.1 of Bone Bouquet. Previous issues have featured work by Rachel Levitsky, Carmen Giménez Smith, Becca Klaver, Khadijah Queen and more. Submit your work(s) of experimental prose, up to 5,000 words per entry. Multiple submissions are allowed along with multiple entry fees. Contest deadline: June 30, 2013. Online submissions via Submittable only. Contest fee: $5.00 per entry or $14.00 per entry with a 1-year subscription.


First Annual Otis Nebula Poetry Prize
Online submission deadline: June 15, 2013

Announcing the first annual Otis Nebula Poetry Prize for a book-length volume of poetry. Donald Revell will select the winning entry, along with one runner up. Winner receives book and ebook publication and $250; runner up ebook publication and $50. Manuscripts should be between 40 and 100 pages and accompany a $15 reading fee. Manuscripts may consist of individual poems that have been published, however the manuscript as a whole must be unpublished. Translations not accepted. Winners will be announced on the website on October 1, 2013. Visit Nebula guidelines.



Anna Davidson Rosenberg Poetry Prize 2013
Postmark deadline: November 15, 2013

Anna Davidson Rosenberg Poetry Prize 2013 on the Jewish experience. Please submit 1-2 one-page poems, single space, submit in quadruplicate hard copy, cover page with contact information and list of poems. No email submissions. Deadline: November 15, 2013. NO FEE. For more information, visit Poetic Magazine. 



Salamander 2013 Fiction Prize:
Judged by Edith Pearlman

Online/Postmark submission deadline: June 15, 2013
Salamander magazine will award a cash prize of $1,500 plus publication for the best fiction story. All entries will be considered for publication. Send no more than one story per entry. Each story must not exceed 30 double-spaced pages in 12 point font. Multiple entries are acceptable, provided that a separate $15 reading fee is included with each entry. Contest reading fee includes a one-year subscription. Full guidelines: Salamander Magazine.
Judge: Edith Pearlman. Submit Entries Online or by Mail to: 2013 Fiction Prize, Salamander/Suffolk University English Dept., 41 Temple Street, Boston, MA 02114.



Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival Poetry Contest
Online/Postmark submission deadline: August 15, 2013
A single entry is 2-4 unpublished poems of any theme with combined length of up to 400 lines. Prize: $1,000, public reading, VIP Festival pass ($500 value) at 28th annual Festival (March 19-23, 2014), and publication. Judge: Robert Pinsky. Deadline: August 15. $20 entry fee. Poetry Contest, 938 Lafayette Street, Suite 514, New Orleans, LA 70113. Guidelines and online submission: Tennessee Williams Literary Festival.



Gulf Coast's Barthelme Prize for Short Prose Now Accepting Entries
Online/Postmark submission deadline: August 31, 2013
Gulf Coastis now accepting entries for the 2013 Barthelme Prize for Short Prose, judged by Robert Coover. The contest is open to pieces of prose poetry, flash fiction, and micro-essays of 500 words or fewer. Established in 2008, the contest awards its winner $1,000 and publication in the journal. Two honorable mentions will also appear in issue 26.2, due out in April 2014, and all entries will be considered for paid publication. All entrants will receive a one-year subscription to Gulf Coast with their contest fee. Entries accepted both online and via postal mail. Visit Gulf Coast Barthelme for more information.



The Second Annual Thomas Morton Memorial Prize in Literary Excellence
Online submission deadline: September 30, 2013

The Puritan is proud to announce the return of the Thomas Morton Memorial Prize in Literary Excellence! Two winners in the fields of poetry and fiction will receive a generous prize package, including cash ($900/fiction and $600/poetry) and a collection of books (approx. $600 for each winner) from Canada’s most celebrated publishers (including Coach House Books, House of Anansi, ECW Press, and many more). The winning entries will also appear in The Puritan Issue XXIII: Fall 2013 and be honoured at a launch party. See our website, for submission details! Deadline: Sept. 30, 2013. Brave the frontier today!



2nd Annual Romancing the Craft of Poetry & Fiction Contest
Online submission deadline: June 30, 2013
There is no entry fee or theme. Poems may be any length or style. Fiction stories should have no more than 3000 words. Three winners will receive cash prizes and publication in Volume VIII of the Torrid Literature Journal. Visit our website for submission guidelines and previous winners: Torrid Literature.



Great Lakes Commonwealth of Letters Inaugural Short Story Contest
Online submission deadline: June 30, 2013
Great Lakes Commonwealth of Letters (GLCL) is thrilled to announce our inaugural Short Story Contest with final judge Caitlin Horrocks. The winning story, in addition to being celebrated at a special reading hosted by GLCL in October, will be published in Passages North in January of 2014. The entry fee per submission is $10.00. In addition to granting entry into the writing contest, your fee also helps GLCL host more author events, writing workshops, and book launches. Submit your story at Great Lakes Sumbittable. For more information, please visit Great Lakes Commonwealth.



Flash Fiction Online Contest
Online submission deadline: May 31, 2013
CALYX Press is accepting short-short fiction (or poetry!) submissions for the 2013 Online Competition from strong women writers. This year’s theme is "A new creation story." Make it the title of your work, a jumping-off point, or a general suggestion that gets you moving in a totally new direction. We accept fiction, poetry, or reeeeeaaalllly short, one-act plays. All we want is innovative, beautiful, edgy, brilliant writing… in 250 words or less. The top five submissions will be published on our website, Calyx.