That time again...

Yes, it's late January so it's time to enter the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. It's a chance to win a publishing contract with Penguin and a $15 000 advance. Who doesn't want that?

I wasn't going to enter this year. I'd hoped to have The Boyfriend Plague ready in time, but even after working like a madwoman the last two nights, I still haven't written an ending I'm happy with (yeah, I'm that close). So I decided to enter Taillights, almost on a whim.

It's always a gamble. The first round is judged on a pitch, and of 10 000 entries, 8 000 will get cut right there. I've made it through the pitch round twice now, so I hope I can make it through again this year. The second round is judged on 5000 words of the MS, and I'm pretty sure if I can make it to this stage, I have a better chance of moving on.

But at the end of the day, there's no point in thinking too much about it. It's a contest and out of all those entries, there can be only one winner, so the chances of being that one are pretty slim. The most entertaining part of the process is reading the forums when people are knocked out. There can be some hilarious vitriol spouted....

Have you entered? Why not? Entries don't close until February 5th (or each category fills up). What are you waiting for?