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John Howard Reid
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A Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney, John Howard Reid founded his own book wholesale distribution service shortly after graduation. He then moved into publishing and finally into book retailing. As a Publisher, he served as his own Chief Editor and also contributed articles and stories to magazines and newspapers. In his spare time, he acted as a film critic, reviewing both new movies and TV offerings for two rival weekly newspapers (for one of which of course he used a pseudonym).
After selling his book shops, Reid concentrated on his own writing career, although he now also spends a lot of time working as Chief Judge for three of America's largest literary competitions: The Tom Howard Poetry Contest for All Styles and Genres; The Margaret Reid Prize for Traditional Verse; The Tom Howard Short Story, Essay and Prose Contest.
As a fiction writer, Reid first achieved fame for a series of detective novels, all featuring a police sergeant called Tom Howard, who made his debut in "The Health Farm Murders" and followed up with "The Beach-Front Murders" and "The Rim of Heaven". Although these three novels all delighted the critics, it was Reid's next book, "The Last Generation", a series of inter-related short stories, that brought him universal praise from all sections of the media. The book was even selected as Best Novel of the Year by the influential "Sunday Telegraph" newspaper. However, Reid's next books, "All Possible Avenues", "Howard's Price" and "A Way of Life" divided the critics, receiving ecstatic praise in some quarters, lukewarm reviews in others.
To retrieve his reputation in all quarters, Reid wrote "Dead Lucky" for a Rupert Murdoch publishing subsidiary, Angus and Robertson. This book was a huge success with both critics and readers. Unfortunately, like all the other titles quoted above, it is now out of print, although a new edition of "The Health Farm Murders" is planned for 2010.
In recent years, Reid has written little fiction, but concentrated on books of movie history and criticism. His current project is "Silent Films & Early Talkies on DVD: A Classic Movie Fan's Guide" which is scheduled for publication in both America and Europe in late June 2008.
Reid has also edited five books of poetry and has published an anthology of his own work entitled "Anyone for Love?"
A life-long Bible scholar, Reid commenced translating the New Testament some years agao when new versions such as the Jerusalem Bible and the Living Bible and the Amplified Bible first appeared. "I had high hopes that at least one or two of these new Bibles would correct ALL the problems inherent in the older versions like the King James, the RSV, the Knox and the Confraternity, but with two or three notable exceptions, this has not been the case."
Reid agrees with most Christian ministers that the present Bible is too bulky, but feels the Reformers threw away the wrong books. To correct this imbalance, Reid is translating a series of 124-page selections. The first, "Bible Wisdom for Modern Times: Selections from the Orthodox Old Testament" was published in 2007. For 2008, Reid has already published "More Bible Wisdom for Modern Times: Selections from the Early New Testament."
Birth Place: Sydney, Australia
Accomplishments: Bachelor of Arts, University of Sydney, 1962; First Prize, Non Fiction, Southern Cross Literary Competition 2002; First Prize, Screenplay, Gold Coast Writers 2003; Third Prize, Poetry, Sun City Writers 2003; Hills Library Prize, Best Essay 2002; Judges' Award, First Prize, Short Story, Donard U.K. 2003; One of seven Finalists for Best Novel in worldwide contest conducted by the Australian Booksellers Association 2004; Best Novel of the Year, 1986 Sunday Telegraph Award; One of the Ten Best Novels of the Year, 1986 Courier-Mail Award; Best Mystery Novel of the Year, 1986 Canberra Times Award; numerous other citations and Very Highly Commended and Commended awards.
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Books

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Short Stories
 A Packet of Dreams by John Howard Reid Is it possible to purchase a dream? Your own? Someone else''s? A fairground tale by the Chief Judge of the Tom Howard Short Story, Essay and Prose Contest and author of MICAELA MORRIS IN JO''S HEAVEN....
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Articles
 Is Free Verse Traditional? by John Howard Reid The term, "Traditional Verse", is often thought to mean rhyming and/or metrical poetry in the vein of such 19th century masters as William Wordsworth and Ralph Waldo Emerson. This interpretation, howe...
Poetry Recycling by John Howard Reid Compared to prose writers, the poet who wishes to be published (and who doesn''t?) suffers many disadvantages, including low fees and unreasonable terms. ...
What Is Traditional Verse and How Is It Defined for Margaret Reid Prize? by John Howard Reid A brief summation of what can be termed "Traditional Poetry" and how it applies to poems entered in the annual Margaret Reid Prize for Traditional Verse. ...
How To Win Writing Contests in 2008 by John Howard Reid Winning a prestigious literary competition is often the first step towards both recognition and publication. ...
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News
 Free Publication for Poetry Winners by John Howard Reid All our poetry contest prizewinners will be offered traditional book publication in an anthology of winning poems at no cost whatever. ...
$2,000 Poetry First Prize by John Howard Reid $2,000 cash is offered as a First Prize in the annual $5,250 Margaret Reid Prize for Traditional Verse. Other cash prizes include $1,000 Second Prize and $500 Third Prize. Fourteen cash prizes in all,...
Published Poems Wanted by John Howard Reid If your poem has been published or has won awards, you can still enter it in the annual $5,250 Tom Howard Poetry Contest, provided you still hold the electronic rights (that is, the right to publish y...
$5,250 Poetry Contest with No Line Limits! by John Howard Reid The Margaret Reid Prize for Traditional Verse not only offers $5,250 in total prize money, but, unlike most other literary contests, imposes no limit on the number or the length of entries that writer...
Published Work Welcome in Prose Contest by John Howard Reid Unlike most writing contests, the $5,250 Tom Howard Short Story, Essay & Prose Contest will accept published work, so long as you hold the electronic rights. But closing date is March 31, 2008....
$5,250 Last Chance for 2008 Prose Contest by John Howard Reid The 2008 Tom Howard Short Story, Essay & Prose Contest closes midnight March 31....
Humorous Prose Wanted by John Howard Reid The 2008 Tom Howard Short Story, Essay & Prose Contest Closes March 31. ...
Where Have All the Humorous Stories Gone? by John Howard Reid Just one month left to enter the $5,250 Tom Howard Short Story, Essay and Prose Contest for 2008....
$5,250 Story Contest closing March 31 by John Howard Reid The $5,250 Tom Howard Short Story, Essay and Prose Contest closes on March 31, 2008....
Tom Howard Poetry 2007 Results Announced by John Howard Reid All the winners from the 2007 Tom Howard Poetry Contest have now been announced and posted....
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Links
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| Bible Wisdom
Contains extracts from my two books on Bible Wisdom and discusses some of the issues raised.
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New Film Books on Classic Movies
Summarizes the contents of all books in the Hollywood Classics series, plus other relevant titles.
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Poetry Contests
Provides details of the current Tom Howard Poetry Contest and of The Margaret Reid Prize for Traditional Verse.
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Short Story and Essay Contest
Provides entry details for the current Tom Howard Short Story, Essay and Prose Contest. This contest will close on March 31, 2008.
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Additional information
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| Recent works: "In All His Glory", historical novel set in Ancient Egypt; "Mexican Autumn", inter-related short stories set in contemporary Mexico; "Micaela Morris in Jo's Heaven and Other Stories", set mainly in Kentucky; "Sailing in the Mist of Time" (editor), anthology of award-winning poems; "Hollywood's Classic Comedies"; "Science-Fiction and Fantasy Cinema"; "Great Hollywood Westerns"; "Great Cinema Detectives"; "Write Ways To Win Writing Contests"; "Bible Wisdom for Modern Times: Selections from the Orthodox Old Testament"; "More Bible Wisdom for Modern Times: Selections from the Early New Testament"; "Essential Bible Wisdom: GOOD NEWS by John, the Beloved Disciple, and John, the Elder." |
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Contact
Information
Reid Books PO Box 237 Wyong
2259
Australia |
Work phone: 01161243532521 |
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