Word arrived today that my unpublished novel, The Uninitiated, is one of ten finalists for Tarcher/Penguin’s Tarcher Top Artist competition!
You can read more at Tarcher Top Artist. Here’s some of what the web site says: “The competition consists of two parts – writing and drawing […] entries will be judged on their technical merit as well as their artistic expression.” (Fyi, I’m a finalist for the writing portion, not the drawing.) Finalists were selected based on 10-page samples; the winner will be selected on the basis of a full-length novel, novella, or non-fiction manuscript. (Tarcher is generally a non-fiction imprint, whatever that says about my chances of winning. Also, it was for writers ages 14 and older, which is strange. It’s going to be depressing when I lose out to an eighth grader.) The competition is for unpublished works only.
The winner of the writing portion will be announced in August, and receive $5000 and a manuscript consultation with an editor from Penguin Group. There’s no publication associated with the prize, but getting prize money and retaining the rights to my work isn’t so bad either. Wish me luck.
Theodore Wheeler 
Hi. My novel was one of the finalists, too. I wrote to Ms. Lam, who notified us back in June, and the e-mail was returned. I called the number on her e-mail and spoke to the voice mail of an anonymous male. I don’t have a good feeling about this. Let me know if you know anything. I’ve read in the rules that they reserve the right to cancel the contest. I feel they should let us know, unless someone has won and the rest of us don’t get notified. Have been check Tarcher’s FB page for a clue. Nothing.
Cathy
Hi, Cathy.
Here’s what I heard from a publicist ten days ago:
“Apologies for the delay. We will be announcing the winners before the end of this month! Thank you so much for your patience.”
Best of luck!
Ted
Hi Ted, I finally saw this reply. Nothing from Tarcher. I assume it will be posted somewhere, eventually.
Best of luck to you, too. Cathy
Yeah, this is getting a little ridiculous. Glad I’m not the only one in the dark, though. I’ll pester them again in the New Year if there isn’t any word before then.
Yes, it has been like being in the dark. I regret I picked up the phone to inquire in October b/c I want to remain upbeat and discreet. Better you pester them than me. As I said, Andrea Lam is no longer at the e-mail address that came with our finalist notification e-mails. The position of publicist is apparently the lowest rung in the job ladder at a publisher and the turnover is rapid. I wonder if this contest wasn’t her brainchild, and got abandoned. Just wondering.
That’s what I was thinking. My hope for a while was that they were waiting for a fresh group of interns to come in this fall, but that hope was dashed.
I am disappointed, as I’m sure you are. Have been through many hoops with agents and publishers and it always seems to go this way. Great hopes, then fizzle. You could make up a mixed drink based on the sensation! Best wishes.