I'd like to take this oppportunity to thank all Writers and Authors readers for their support this year.

Since the relaunch of this site in October this year Writers and Authors has been nominated for various awards and has won both the Preditors and Editors Truely Useful Site Award (October) and the Randal's Sanctuary Writing Matters Web Excellence Merit Award (December). Thank you to all who nominated or voted for this site and helped make it an award winner.

As a special Christmas gift for Writers and Authors readers, I'm giving away FREE copies of the 43 page Writing from the Soul: Critiques Don't Bite ebook. The members of the MuseItUp Club have kindly offered this FREE ebook. Within, you’ll find helpful information on why and how critiques are an important area in a writer’s life. Copyright 2008 to the writers of this Ebook. To get your FREE copy just email me at writersandauthors@yahoo.it with 'Christmas Gift' in the subject line.

I'm also giving away a FREE copy of my ebook Free Promotional Techniques: Ways to market your books to one lucky reader. Joylene Nowell Butler has shown great support for this site this year and contributed to the comments section on the highest number of posts (with real comments not spam :)) and therefore is the winner of this ebook. Thank you Joylene. To receive your FREE gift please email me at writersandauthors@yahoo.it.

I'd also like to invite you all to take part in PROMO DAY which will take place on Saturday 9th May 2009. There are lots of FREE promotional opportunities for writers and other members of the writing industry on site. Preparations are already underway and updates can be found on the blog http://promoday.blogspot.com. I'm still looking for moderators for the event. Anyone interested, please email promoday@ymail.com.

Starting in January, I will also be posting to a new site called 'The Weekly Book Review'. Anyone interested in having their book reviewed, please email theweeklybookreview@ymail.com.

Writers and Authors will be back after the Christmas holidays on Monday 5th January 2009. I hope you will all continue to enjoy this blog in the New Year.

Best wishes and happy holidays,

Jo Linsdell - Feliciani
Founder and Manager
Writers and Authors

Writers and Authors has won another award!

"After a thorough review of your site, http://writersandauthors.blogspot.com/, I am pleased to present you with our Writing Matters Web Excellence Merit Award. Your site was a delight to visit and I look forward to visiting again in the future".