Check out these if you write essays or short stories
Chicken Soup For the Soul is looking for submissions for a couple of books that will have a Christmas theme including Christmas in Canada
http://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/submit-your-story
The Short Story is seeking stories between 1,000-5,000 words. There is an entry fee of 5 pounds which is payable through PayPal. On the site you can check out previous winning stories. This year’s winner gets 300 pounds.
I got this e-mail from Darlene at Pages Of Stories and thought I’d share it with you just in case anyone wants to try their hand at a story based on an ABBA song-
Hi Everyone!
As many of you are aware Pages Of Stories has returned from hiatus! About a year ago I announced that Pages Of Stories was coming back in the form of a new magazine. Ficta Fabula officially launched in August 2013 and we carry the same kinds of awesome stories that you might remember in the Pages Of Stories magazine. We’ve now published two issues showcasing all the different genres of fiction from some pretty talented authors from all over the world. If you haven’t yet got your copy just send me an email.
But that’s not why I’m contacting you today. I’m in touch with you to issue a challenge. ABBA is one of the most successful groups in the world and they created a wealth of music that has lasted for nearly 40 years. I’ve found nearly 100 songs and most of them – like many songs – tell a story. My challenge to you is to take an ABBA song and turn it into a story.
If you would like the guidelines please send me an email and I’ll get that out to you. I’m looking at a deadline of early September so you have plenty of time to come up with some great work. All I ask is that you let me know which song your story is based on so that we can avoid too many stories that are using the same song.
If your story is chosen for this special publication, it will be specially bound and intended as a keepsake for all those that purchase it. There will be a great deal of marketing and promotion for this special issue that will give you a lot of exposure. It’s an opportunity for you to really show the world the wonderful gifts of storytelling that you have.
I look forward to hearing from you all.
Take care and happy reading!
Darlene Poier
Publisher
Ficta Fabula
Inspiring Creativity and Imagination
Self-publishing is here to stay. I know the major emphasis has been on electronic books but if you still have your heart set on being published in print (and self-publishing print books), here’s something that might interest you FeedARead.com
Tell us about Feed a Read and how it got started.
FeedARead.com is independently run and was programmed with two Arts Council grants to enable all authors to publish paperbacks with feedback for the highest selling authors from Random House and Orion, publishers of authors such as Dan Brown and Terry Pratchett. The aim is to help all authors to publish and for the top selling authors to receive consideration from world leading mainstream publishers. We publish print-on-demand books, each time a reader orders a copy a paperback is printed and delivered to them. Feedback from our authors is displayed on the top of the FeedARead.com homepage and we have now published hundreds of books.
Is there any cost to the writer?
Authors can sell their paperbacks directly through feedaread.com with no charge. If they wish to also have their books distributed so that they may be bought through leading bookseller sites such as Amazon and Waterstones there is a cost of £88 for this service.
Can Feed a Read be used for both fiction and non-fiction?
Yes it can.
How about ISBN, is that included?
The ISBN is included.
Does the manuscript have to be formatted a certain way?
We provide paperback sized Word document templates for writers to download and paste their book manuscripts into and then upload to the feedaread.com site in a simple publishing process.
Can a writer from any country use Feed a Read?
All nationalities are welcome to publish.
What percentage does the writer earn and how are they paid?
FeedARead pays higher net royalties than the largest print on demand publishers. For sales of a book through bookseller distribution channels – Amazon, etc – the author will receive 80% of royalties after the retailer – Amazon etc – take their bookseller discount, which is typically 30 to 55% of retail price, and after print costs have been deducted. UK Royalty Example Example royalties for a £7.99 book in bookseller distribution. Book Price £7.99 minus bookseller discount minus print cost = £1.80 net profit. 80% of £1.80 = £1.44 royalty to the author per book sale. FeedARead receives the remaining 20%.
For sales of books bought directly by a reader from FeedARead.com, the author will receive even higher royalties as there is no percentage of the retail price to pay to book retailers (Amazon, etc) on these sales. Direct Site Sales UK Royalty Example 200 page book priced at £7.99 For a 200 page book the author receives £3.27 royalty for every book they sell.
What other sites sell these books?
Our printers are one of the world’s largest and, with distribution links to over 30,000 wholesalers, retailers and booksellers in over 100 countries, book titles gain the maximum exposure in the market today.
Tell us more about the publisher feedback that the books receive?
The highest selling new feedaread authors receive feedback from Random House and Orion, publishers of authors such as Dan Brown and Terry Pratchett. The feedback is on their opening chapters, up to 10,000 words. The aim is that authors receive further development advice plus consideration by these leading publishers.
And what about book covers? Does the writer have to supply their own?
The author can upload their own images on our cover creation page, which sizes the images they upload correctly for them in a simple process, or the author can choose a cover template, examples are on the feedaread.com site once logged in.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about Feed a Read?
We welcome all authors. Our aim is to provide top quality paperbacks which are great reads for readers, with great royalties for authors. Feedback from our authors, and examples of our books, can be viewed on the feedaread.com homepage.
Champagne Book Group is seeking talented authors and their stories for
Carnal Passions, our erotic imprint. Carnal Passions accepts erotic romance in all its variations (BDSM, Alternate Lifestyle, Gay/Lesbian and any and all combinations thereof).
To find this new talent and terrific stories, Champagne Book Group is
having a submissions contest for both published and unpublished authors.
Entries must be complete works, ranging in word count between 15,000-70,000 words and fit into one of the following subgenre categories:
· Science Fiction Romance
· Fantasy
· Paranormal or Urban Fantasy
· Contemporary
· Historical Romance
· M/M and F/F Romance
· BDSM and Ménage
· Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
*Prizes:*
*Overall High Score*: $100 advance and digital publishing contract (advance payable as $50 upon finalized contract and $50 upon publication).
* *
*Top-Scoring Contestant* in each category will receive an acquiring
editor’s critique of synopsis and the first 25 pages of the manuscript and will be considered for a contract offer if the manuscript fits our current needs.
Entries will be accepted from *July 2, 2012 through July 22, 2012*, and must be emailed to eroticwriterscontest@champagnebooks.com. Please include Contest and book title in the email subject line (Contest_Booktitle). Attach full manuscript and 2-3 page synopsis in RTF format (Booktitle_MS and Booktitle_SYN as file names–your book title replaces “Booktitle”).
No entry fee is required. Judges reserve the right to Decline to Judge any entry if it does not fit our lines, the level of writing is not acceptable or the contest guidelines are not followed.
Entries will be judged on the following criteria: Hook, Pacing/Plot,
Characterization, Dialogue, Mechanics, and Author Voice.
While entering does not guarantee a contract, any manuscript, even if it is not selected as a winner, may be offered a contract solely at Champagne Book Group’s discretion.
Winners will be announced on August 13, 2012 via our blog and direct emails to winners.
Follow the contest on Twitter! #summerheat
* *
*Guidelines:*
· File type: .rtf or .doc, or .docx only
· New Times Roman 12pt black font
· Double spaced
· No footers or headers
· Margins: 1″ all
· Page-breaks between chapters
Please include a title page listing the following information:
· Legal name
· Pen name
· Email address
· Contact phone
· Working title (include series name and details if applicable)
· Word count
· Genre/category
Please see http://www.carnalpassions.com/store/cms.php?id_cms=10 for a list of subject matters we will not accept.
*Contest submissions not adhering to the above guidelines or are not
something Champagne Book Group/Carnal Passions publishes will be deleted unread.*
Call for Submissions for Yellow Rose
thewildrosepress.com
Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:06 am (PST)
Honky Tonk Hearts
Lonely hearts seem to gravitate to the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk.
Owner and bartender, Gus Rankin, has seen his share of the wandering souls cross his bar and dance floor over the years—he’d even like to think he helped a few find true love along the way.
Submission Information:
One pivotal scene MUST take place at the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk. This could be the hero and heroine’s first meeting, the black moment, big finale, a scene where important information is divulged or an important realization is made etc.
Other than the above requirement, your story can be anything and anywhere within the genre of contemporary cowboys. It can take place from Texas to Alberta, Alaska to Australia. Wherever a cowboy rides, works, plays or competes could be the setting for your story as long as at some important point, their hearts cross the threshold of the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk.
Whether your hero’s truck breaks down near the honky tonk, friends take your heroine there for a good time, or either one stop for a break on a long journey, the possibilities for this series are endless and we are excited to see where you as authors can take a couple of honky tonk hearts.
Honky Tonk Hearts will be a limited series of 12 to 15 contracted stories so it is important to do your best, write with heart, proof, proof, proof and submit!
Please follow the general submission guidelines on the website for formatting and submit through the queryus@thewildrose press.com. Important: Use the subject line: TWRP Honky Tonk Hearts Submission: YOUR TITLE
For questions please feel free to email Stacy D. Holmes, Senior Editor of Yellow Rose, at stacy@thewildrosepr ess.com
Submitting Specifics:
Word count: 20,000-40,000
Background Information:
The Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk: A few miles outside Amarillo off historical Route 66, the large wood-paneled structure boast a large neon star with a single flashing steer riding away from it. Inside, a long bar runs the length of the back wall, a dance floor takes up a large chunk of space with old round tables filling most of the rest and two pool tables tucked in the back corner. A small stage hosts Open-Mike Nights on Sundays, Karaoke Thursdays and a booked band most Saturday nights with the other nights filled in with a big old jukebox or the DJ. The establishment offers food when the kitchen is staffed, but the Lonesome Steer can never seem to keep cooks too long and waitresses come and go—Gus is always ready to lend a hand when someone comes in down on their luck.
Gus Rankin: His hair is more grey than dark brown these days and a handlebar moustache sits prominently on a face tanned and weathered by the Texas sun.
Tall, broad and still in good shape although a bit of a belly hangs over the buckle of his faded blue jeans, you can usually find him wearing his favorite black leather vest with a light denim shirt beneath.
Though he prefers to man the bar, every once in a while he sneaks back to his messy office, takes a break in the rickety, torn leather chair and props his feet on his desk as he smiles at the bulletin board filled with pictures from couples that have tossed aside their lonesome hearts to take a chance on love.
Keira Rankin: Gus’s daughter works at the honky tonk alongside her father. She keeps the books, waitresses and does a little Karaoke when the stage gets quiet on Thursday nights. With long blonde hair, soft doe eyes and heart-shape face, she’s the spitting image of her mother, Gus’s one and only true love who died ten years ago when Keira was fourteen.
Marshall Dekes: This part-time bartender/DJ is a good old boy with a bit of a past. Tall, dark and handsome, he keeps to himself but is there whenever Gus needs work done around the place.
Important Note: The above-mentioned characters are to be used as “mentions only” and not as main or important secondary characters. These established characters are spoken for and will be used to finish the series when the time comes. Use them to create atmosphere and realism in your scenes at the Lonesome Steer, but then leave them there LOL.
Feel free to forward this to your fellow writers, loops, blogs, etc.
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"A lady's imagination is very rapid."--Jane Austen
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