Writing – Submission – Riptide: Seize the day!

Riptide Journal has the tagline ‘short stories with an undercurrent’.

This journal has been around quite a while. [And should not to be confused with the bodyboard magazine!]

Riptide publishes anthologies of new short fiction by both established and emerging writers. They state that they are ‘committed to providing a forum for high quality, innovative fiction, expanding the readership of the short story genre and enhancing its standing. We invite work by prominent authors who believe in the continuing importance of the short story, but we aim to include new voices in every issue.’ [My italics]

Whether prominent or new, now might be the time to seize the day.

Riptide is now inviting submissions for their 11th volume. [It’s a bi-annual publication, so don’t delay!] Their 10th volume features the theme 'The Suburbs' in prose, life-writing and poetry.

Deadline : 30 November, 2015.

Stories should in some way reflect on the theme ‘Carpe diem’ – taken from the poet Horace‘s Odes, – usually thought of as meaning ‘Seize – or pluck – the day’.

 

 

Riptide's latest news snippet says: ‘Submissions on our theme of Carpe Diem have been flooding in from all over the world.  Today in the Riptide office we have been busy reading, reading and reading some more.  We have made the tiniest dent in the pile! Undaunted, we are asking for still more. The deadline is the end of November so seize the day, get writing, get polishing what you’ve already written and ping it across to the editors here.  As Shakespeare bemoaned: “I wasted time, and now doth time waste me” so avoid that fate, stop wasting time and send us your tale.’

So, what are you waiting for? Make time for this.

I understand it is a paying market too.

Submission Guidelines:

All submissions must be original work and not previously published.

Prose – one story only per writer – no more than 5,000 words in length. (There is no minimum length).

Submit as a word attachment by email to editors@riptidejournal.co.uk

with ‘Carpe Diem’ in the subject line.

Website: http://www.riptidejournal.co.uk/

I’m not associated with Riptide in any way; just passing on the news. Good luck!
 

Writing competition - first mystery novel

Writing competition - Best First Traditional Mystery Novel

 

 

Prize: $10,000.00. Entry fee: $0.00. Deadline: October 15, 2014

Minotaur Books and Malice Domestic, imprints of St. Martin's Press, are inviting mystery fiction writers to enter this year's Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition.

The judges will award a $10,000 standard publishing contract to the author who has written the best book-length story in the mystery genre.

Submission guidelines:

1. Submit one manuscript of over 65K words written in English.

2. The manuscript must be original, unpublished, and the work of the author.

3. The author must not have had a mystery book previously published.

4. Murder, mystery, and/or crime should be the core elements of the story.

5. The characters, both the innocent and the presumed guilty, should know one another. The suspects should display valid intentions and logical possibility to have executed the crime. The protagonist must be the "detective" who solves the crime.

The $10,000 prize is offered as an advance against royalty payments.

http://www.freelancewriting.com/freewritingcontests/FWC-mystery-novel-competition.php

I can’t enter as I fail on guideline 3, but I wish everyone who is able to enter the best of luck!

 

 

Historic House short story competition!

To celebrate the publication of the e-book of The Property of a Gentleman, here is a unique opportunity for short story writers. Enter the historic house short story competition to win a cash prize, membership to the Historic Houses Association and a private tour of Levens Hall in Cumbria!

Corazon Books

 

Catherine Gaskin's historical and romantic fiction novels have entertained generations of readers. Her books have sold over 40 million copies worldwide, leading her to be called "The Queen of Storytellers" and "The Girl With the Golden Pen."

Always meticulously researched, Catherine Gaskin's books take her readers on journeys to fascinating times and places. Her stories draw you into a world of characters and events that stay with you long after you have read the final page. See her website http://www.catherinegaskin.com/

The competition is free to enter and is open to both published and unpublished writers.

http://www.catherinegaskin.com/enter-historic-house-short-story.htm

Prizes
The winner (and a guest) will be treated to a private tour of Levens Hall in Cumbria, followed by afternoon tea with the owners. The winner will also receive £150 and a year's free Double Friends membership to the Historic Houses Association.
  

Two runners up will each receive a year's free Double Friends membership to the Historic Houses Association.

The story must take place in, or be inspired by, a historic house (real or fictional).
The submissions deadline is Friday 26th September 2014
and the winner will be announced on Monday 17th November 2014.
Only one entry per writer is allowed.
The story must be a minimum of 1,500 and a maximum of 2,500 words in length.
The story must be previously unpublished and not have appeared in print, online or in any other format.
The winner and their guest must make their own travel arrangements to and from Levens Hall, at their own expense. No expenses will be paid for any aspect of the trip (including, but not limited to, travel and accommodation).
Entrants must submit their story between 9am on Monday 10th March 2014 and 4pm on Friday 26th September 2014.
There is no fee for entry to the competition.

See the website for full rules and conditions.

 

History short story competition

 

The annual The Writers & Artists’ Short Story Competition is seeking work from all writers of historical fiction, all nationalities, in English. The guest judge is Celia Brayfield.

What they want:

“Clearly evoke the time and place your historical piece is set within no more than 1,000 words.  

“That means we don’t just want a title of ‘Hastings: 1066’. We want to get a sense of the world your protagonist is walking through. What’s happening? How are people dressed? What are they eating? How do they talk?  The winning entry will have succeeded in completely immersing us in their chosen period.

“Your entry can be a standalone story or part of a larger piece you’re working on. And it CAN involve fantastical elements if you so wish, though it must still be set in the real world. So long as it’s unpublished and it’s set in the past then you’re eligible to enter. Entries must be submitted via email to competition@bloomsbury.com with the subject heading: 'Historical fiction competition'.  Best of luck!”

See the rules here: https://www.writersandartists.co.uk/competitions

Competition deadlines:

Entries must be submitted by midnight (GMT) on Sunday 11th May.

A winner and two runners up will be announced on this website on Tuesday 27th May.

Prizes:

First prize: £150, a pair of tickets to visit Beamish Museum and a copy of Writing Historical Fiction: a Writers & Artists Companion [I’ve been to Beamish more than once and it’s a fantastic venue to visit- Nik]

Runners up: £25 each and a copy of Writing Historical Fiction: a Writers & Artists Companion

 

 

Countdown to 2nd Old West anthology-01

Express Westerns has begun the countdown to the next Old West anthology of short stories.

Deadline date for finished stories - Sunday 26 July. For no other reason than on that date in 1878 Wyatt Earp had a gunfight in Dodge City!

Publisher Ian Parnham has featured an interview with me at
http://ijparnham.blogspot.com/2009/04/interview-with-nik-morton.html