Glimmertrain

Glimmertrain is a short story market in the US which offers a variety of competitions throughout the year. They also have certain months when they accept Standard Submissions, which are free to enter. The other competitions have an entry fee, but the reward is much higher prize money.

Submissions are made online and, once contributors register, you can keep a check on whether or not your story has been read. It seems to be a very worthwhile publication, although I have yet to order a copy to do proper market research of the type of stories they have published!

Full submission details are on their excellent website.

Why not give it a try.
Rosemary

Writers' Village

I want to mention the excellent Writers' Village website, as many short story writers may not be aware of it, and its quarterly short story competition. Run by John Yeoman, author and a creative writing lecturer, the next short story competition deadline is 30th June 2010.

As well as first, second and third prizes, there are also ten generous 'shortlisted winners' prizes of £10. All winning entries are published online. I was lucky enough to be one of the shortlisted winners in the 2010 spring competition, and all winning entries from this and the previous competition can now be read on the website.

In addition to the competitions, there is the opportunity to receive regular email tips on what makes a good short story. Full details can be found here.

Good luck,
Rosemary

Link to Update on That's Life Fast Fiction

There is a new editor of That's Life Fast Fiction in Australia, which was mentioned in this month's Writers' Forum. Further details on submitting stories are on the excellent Womag blog.

Rosemary

Audio Version of Stories for Haiti

It has just been confirmed that a digital audio version of some of the stories from '100 Stories for Haiti' has been produced by BBC Audiobooks America.

Twenty of the stories (unabridged) are included and I’m so delighted my story, ‘Reshaping the Past’, is one of them! They have been narrated by actors from different countries and the audio version was made in California.


'Stories for Haiti' will be available to download from 15th April from online retailers including iTunes and Amazon. As before, all proceeds are going to the Red Cross. Stop Press: the date has been changed to 1st May due to technical hitches.

Further details can be found here.

Rosemary

Crime Writing Opportunities

There are a couple of crime writing opportunities that came to my attention recently. One is for a short story competition, and the other is a publisher who is accepting crime novels.


Alibi Short Crime Story Competition

This is for a short crime story of between 2,000 and 5,000 words. Author Stuart MacBride has provided the opening sentence: ‘In my opinion, those who beg for mercy seldom deserve it’. Closing date is 15th May 2010. Three finalists will win tickets to the famous Theakstons Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, including accommodation.

The winner will be announced at the weekend. Overall prize is 100 crime books, a Sony e-reader and the winning story published as a special downloadable e-edition.

Full details are available online, where stories can also be submitted.

Crème De La Crime

This is a well known small independent publishing company which is looking for high quality crime novels – and they particularly encourage first time crime novelists. These can be set in modern times or in the past and should be 70,000 to 80,000 words.

They have a very comprehensive list of the kind of novels they do and don’t want on their website. Rather than advances, authors receive Royalties on their work and it’s encouraging to see that they target the UK and the US.

Send the first 10,000 words of the novel, plus a 1000 to 1500 word synopsis. Full details of their submission requirements can be found here.

Good luck,
Rosemary