Casey Lawrence's Blog, page 22
September 24, 2023
Shoutout: Check Out These Writers!
To celebrate reaching 3K followers, I’m spotlighting some of my favorite writers on Medium
September 19, 2023
September 18, 2023
September 16, 2023
Monthly Theme 3: Entries & Winner
The Reviewsday Tuesday Monthly Theme for August 2023 was “Vacation.” Reviewers were asked to submit entries based on the theme for the opportunity to win a small cash prize.
Unfortunately, this theme did not generate that many entries. In fact, throughout August, submission rates to Reviewsday Tuesday were at an all-time low since I started the publication last March. I know that with the changes to Medium recently, many writers have changed their writing habits — and that some months/seasons are just slower than others…
Perhaps everyone has been on vacation!
Since there weren’t many entries into this month’s contest, I was faced with a couple of options: select a winner from a just a handful of stories, roll the contest winnings over into the September monthly theme, or cancel the contest this month (what a bummer!).
What I’ve decided to do instead of any of these options is to celebrate a writer who has consistently submitted at least one story every week, without taking a vacation. Their reviews have been both on-theme and off, but consistently offer insightful commentary. This writer has stories scheduled with the publication well into October and works tirelessly to post quality book reviews of ARCs (advance review copies of forthcoming books) to promote indie authors.
🏆 🏖️ 🚣♂️ 🏄 🏊♀️ 🏖️ 🏆 The Winner 🏆 🏖️ 🚣♂️ 🏄 🏊♀️ 🏖️ 🏆If you follow Reviewsday Tuesday, you already know I am talking about the fantastic work of Margherita Reads. A nonbinary reader and indie author from Italy, Margherita has 7.4k followers on TikTok (!!!) and 2.8k followers on Instagram, but less than one hundred followers here on Medium so far. Please follow Margherita Reads for consistent and quality book content!
Their work focuses on marginalized authors and characters, including the LGBT community, disability and mental health representation, and intersectional feminism. I hope you’ll join me in reading, clapping for, and commenting on their book reviews, some of which I list below:
Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings (August theme: “Vacation”)
[ book review ] Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings
When Life Gives You Lemons by Noor Sasha (July theme: “Family”)
[ book review ] When Life Gives You Lemons by Noor Sasha
Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks (July theme: “Family”)
[ book review ] Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks
Dirty Little Secret by Fern V. Bedek (June theme: “Pride”)
[ book review ] Dirty Little Secret by Fern V. Bedek
If You’ll Have Me by Eunnie (June theme: “Pride”)
[ book review ] If You’ll Have Me by Eunnie
Congratulations Margherita! Reach out to me in a private note with your PayPal address to arrange payment.
Photo by Link Hoang on UnsplashI would also like to give an honourable mention to Willow Dickerson, who sent in two lovely reviews on the August theme that I want to make sure are highlighted in the newsletter:
Mammoth Caves in KentuckyCamping During a Canoe TripWillow has also been a great help to me while I’ve been traveling this summer, accepting stories for Reviewsday Tuesday when my internet access wasn’t always consistent.
Finally, thank you also to all of our loyal readers and writers who made this contest possible every month. Even though August was a bit of a slow month for Reviewsday, I’m so happy to be your editor and to read the fantastic stories that come across my desk. Whether you’ve submitted one review or a dozen, I appreciate each and every one of my writers, so let’s take a moment to thank all the writers for Reviewsday Tuesday:
Grace Mary Power ▪️ JamieWrites ▪️ Willow Dickerson ▪️ Afif Salem ▪️ Andrew Pretzel ▪️ Ann Ogochukwu ▪️ Barney Abramson ▪️ Beth Tate ▪️ Chanu Rupasinghe ▪️ Chidera G. Marizu ▪️ Claire Elizabeth Levesque ▪️ Coriander Wolfgang Rainbeaux ▪️ Denise Lance ▪️ Elin Melaas ▪️ Frances A. Chiu ▪️ Greenland Genealogy ▪️ Casey Lawrence ▪️ Heather Lawrence ▪️ Julia A. Keirns ▪️ Jenna Franzese ▪️ J. S. Wong ▪️ Kaumudi Singh ▪️ Kenny Minker ▪️ Ken Yie ▪️ Madelaine Bell ▪️ Margherita Reads ▪️ Molly Willett ▪️ Molly Miller ▪️ Monica Ray, M.Ed, MS ▪️ Nuha Hassan ▪️ petrichor ▪️ Prtorcangabe ▪️ Rabiawahid ▪️ Ria Vieira ▪️ Sally Morem ▪️ Sanchari Pait ▪️ S. G. S. Abel ▪️ KD ▪️ Sruthi Korlakunta ▪️ Walter Bowne ▪️ Tiffany T. ▪️ Tovah Rainsong ▪️ Transylvanian ▪️ Yalım
If you have suggestions for future Monthly Theme topics, please leave them in the comments of this post.
There’s still lots of time to submit an entry or two for the September Monthly Theme:
Reviewsday Tuesday Monthly Theme: September 2023
And remember: even if a theme is over, I would very happily take reviews on that theme in the future. Only themed submissions accepted during the monthly contest will be eligible for the prize, but all reviews are welcome here on Reviewsday Tuesday year-round, and “late” themed submissions can still be featured on the monthly theme page and earn through Medium’s partnership program if the writer is enrolled.
[image error]Monthly Theme 3: Entries & Winner was originally published in Reviewsday Tuesday on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
September 5, 2023
September 4, 2023
September 3, 2023
August 30, 2023
Reviewsday Tuesday Monthly Theme: September 2023
Photo by Mike Fox on UnsplashGreetings reviewers! Welcome to Reviewsday Tuesday, the publication that posts reviews of all kinds. Books, movies, TV shows, people, places, things, even words in the English dictionary — you name it, you can review it.
In September 2023, there will be a small honorarium ($5 USD) awarded for the best review submitted during the month based on the theme outline below.
Ground RulesYou must be a writer for Reviewsday Tuesday in order to participate. You can join by following the Submission Guidelines. All entries must adhere to the rules outlined in the Guidelines, including formatting, tagging, and citation of images.All entries must be submitted before the final Tuesday of the month. Since all our stories are published on Tuesdays, stories submitted too late will end up being posted the following month and will therefore be ineligible to win.Each entry must use the tag ‘Monthly Theme’ and identify itself as participating by linking back to this post at the bottom of the story.All entrants must be following Reviewsday Tuesday in order to be eligible for the prize. If you have Twitter, please also follow @Reviewsdays. The winner will be announced on Twitter and the Newsday newsletter.The PrizeThe best review submitted to Reviewsday Tuesday that follows the monthly theme will receive $5 USD. I know it isn’t much, but it’s the cost of one month on Medium! The prize will be paid via PayPal unless otherwise arranged. If the contest is successful and helps Reviewsday Tuesday to grow, future prizes may increase in value.
Photo by Deleece Cook on UnsplashMonthly Theme: Back to SchoolI remember when I was a kid, the end of summer was always super exciting. We went out to buy supplies for the school year, and I got to pick out binders and pens and, inevitably, new shoes and clothes because I had grown over the summer. The first day of school meant getting to see all my friends again, which made up for the fact that vacation was over.
I’m sure all the parents were relieved, too, that their mischief makers would be out of the house again and back on a fixed schedule!
This month, I want to read your best reviews on the theme “back to school.” The theme can be interpreted as literally or as broadly as you want. Here are some prompts to get you going:
Review a book, movie, TV show, or video game that takes place in a school or has school-aged characters. How does education feature? Is school important to the plot? Here are a few examples off the top of my head: Stranger Things, Matilda, The Hate U Give, Wednesday, Looking for Alaska, Pretty Little Liars, Riverdale (and Archie comics), Ouran High School Host Club, Never Have I Ever, 21 Jump Street.Review a book that you were forced to read for school. Is it better or worse in hindsight than you remember?Review your school or college experience, or your school’s mascot, music program, prom, or marching band.What was your favourite class in school? What was your least favourite subject? Review or rank the courses you’ve taken.Review your favourite (or least favourite) school supplies. Do #2 pencils really rub you the wrong way? Why are three-ring binders superior to duotangs?Remember, these prompts are designed to inspire your creativity and encourage you to write engaging reviews. (And of course, not all reviews submitted to Reviewsday Tuesday need to follow the theme. Unrelated stories will still be published, they just won’t be eligible for the prize.) Feel free to personalize these topics according to your preferences, or submit something totally unexpected: other entries related to the monthly theme are very much welcome and encouraged!
Good luck to everyone who participates!
I will be announcing the winner of August’s monthly theme prize soon.
[image error]Reviewsday Tuesday Monthly Theme: September 2023 was originally published in Reviewsday Tuesday on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
