The Glass Woman Prize is sponsoring a ghost story contest. The deadline is November 18 for short stories of 1,000 to 3,000 words. The contest is open to all women writing in English. The definition of "ghost story" is left up to the author. The prize is $100 for the winning story. Details at http://www.sigriddaughter.com/GlassWomanPrize.htm
Magnolia: A Journal of Women's Literature is open for subs to their second issue. The deadline is December 31 for shorts up to 5000 words of socially engaged literature. Payment is two copies of the anthology. Details at http://www.theiase.org/publications/magnolia-journal
Friday, October 7, 2011
The Bone Daddy Story Cupboard
Every once in a while I come across a news story that just begs to be turned into a short story. Yesterday I found this one http://www.timesleader.com/news/Man-to-face-skull-theft-charges-in-court-.html (On my computer, I had to scroll down the page for the story)
Yep, a man broke into a mausoleum and stole a skull. Odd thing was, he threw it into the river after he stole it. After the floods this summer, there's no telling where that skull might wash up! But the best thing about the story was he likes to be called "Bone Daddy" or "L" for Lucifer. Makes you wonder how tightly he's wrapped.
The woman whose skull he stole passed away in 1926, and they've added her picture to the article since yesterday. It also adds another layer to a possible short story. Why her skull? Just random or did he have a specific purpose?
As a straight robbery story, this has possiblities, but with Halloween coming up, putting a horror spin on this could give you an entirely different way to spin your story. How you ask? Well, you could put a "Sleepy Hollow" twist on it. You could bring in a cult (coven?) of warlocks or witches. Perhaps the woman was a fabled witch or a murderess. Then again, maybe when the police find the skull, they discover that the woman had been murdered. You're only limited by your imagination skills here in the story cupboard.
Yep, a man broke into a mausoleum and stole a skull. Odd thing was, he threw it into the river after he stole it. After the floods this summer, there's no telling where that skull might wash up! But the best thing about the story was he likes to be called "Bone Daddy" or "L" for Lucifer. Makes you wonder how tightly he's wrapped.
The woman whose skull he stole passed away in 1926, and they've added her picture to the article since yesterday. It also adds another layer to a possible short story. Why her skull? Just random or did he have a specific purpose?
As a straight robbery story, this has possiblities, but with Halloween coming up, putting a horror spin on this could give you an entirely different way to spin your story. How you ask? Well, you could put a "Sleepy Hollow" twist on it. You could bring in a cult (coven?) of warlocks or witches. Perhaps the woman was a fabled witch or a murderess. Then again, maybe when the police find the skull, they discover that the woman had been murdered. You're only limited by your imagination skills here in the story cupboard.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Warmed and Bound
Spinetingler is posting reviews today of the stories contained in the Velvet Press anthology, "Warmed and Bound". Up already are reviews from Patti Abbott, Jed Ayres, and Chris Rhatigan. There will be more posted throughout the day. You'll find them all at this link http://www.spinetinglermag.com/tag/warmed-and-bound
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Market Notes
I almost missed this contest from Esquire, but there's still two days left to enter and they're only looking for 78 words! Deadline is October 7 and prizes are scholarships for writing workshops in NY and Aspen. You can find all the details here http://www.esquire.com/fiction/short-short-fiction-contest-2011 Open to American writers only.
From friend of the blog, Paul Brazill, we have FolioFirst a new UK based zine looking for short stories of less than 10,000 words. The issues are themed and Octobers theme is transgression. This is a non-paying market. http://FolioFirst.wordpress.com/news/
Liars' League is also a non-paying market but I love the idea. Writers supply the stories and actors read them to a live audience in London! They accept shorts of 800 to 2000 words and there are themes. Payment is an ipod copy of the reading. http://liarsleague.typepad.com/liars_league/writers.html
Duotrope has declared Thieves Jargon a dead market. I've been checking regularly and there have been no new issues since March. If you haven't checked out TJ, you should. There's some really great short stories on the site. http://www.thievesjargon.com
From friend of the blog, Paul Brazill, we have FolioFirst a new UK based zine looking for short stories of less than 10,000 words. The issues are themed and Octobers theme is transgression. This is a non-paying market. http://FolioFirst.wordpress.com/news/
Liars' League is also a non-paying market but I love the idea. Writers supply the stories and actors read them to a live audience in London! They accept shorts of 800 to 2000 words and there are themes. Payment is an ipod copy of the reading. http://liarsleague.typepad.com/liars_league/writers.html
Duotrope has declared Thieves Jargon a dead market. I've been checking regularly and there have been no new issues since March. If you haven't checked out TJ, you should. There's some really great short stories on the site. http://www.thievesjargon.com
Epubbing Links
It's been a good week for finding thoughtful and informative posts about epubbing.
Allan Guthrie started out the week with 10 things he learned (and yes, a couple aren't about epubbing) http://criminal-e.blogspot.com/2011/10/ten-things-i-learned-this-week.html
Brian Lindenmuth takes a look at ebook covers over at Do Some Damage http://dosomedamage.blogspot.com/2011/10/will-ebooks-change-rules-for-cover.html
And Chuch Wendig thinks it's time to move the epubbing discussion from selling to writing. http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/10/05/the-publishing-cart-before-the-storytelling-horse/
Allan Guthrie started out the week with 10 things he learned (and yes, a couple aren't about epubbing) http://criminal-e.blogspot.com/2011/10/ten-things-i-learned-this-week.html
Brian Lindenmuth takes a look at ebook covers over at Do Some Damage http://dosomedamage.blogspot.com/2011/10/will-ebooks-change-rules-for-cover.html
And Chuch Wendig thinks it's time to move the epubbing discussion from selling to writing. http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/10/05/the-publishing-cart-before-the-storytelling-horse/
Dave Boyer Update
Brian Keene has issued a call to arms for all those writers who have been plagiarized by Dave Boyer. You can read about it here http://www.briankeene.com/?p=9232
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
A Pair of Interviews
Chris Rhatigan has an interview up on his blog with short story writer and reviewer R. Thomas Brown. http://death-by-killing.blogspot.com/2011/10/interview-with-r-thomas-brown.html
And Needle editor, Steve Weddle is interviewed here http://thegingernutcase.blogspot.com/2011/10/interview-with-steve-weddle.html
And Needle editor, Steve Weddle is interviewed here http://thegingernutcase.blogspot.com/2011/10/interview-with-steve-weddle.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)