Callout for Submissions

Here are a few upcoming submission deadlines I thought some of you might want to check out:  

From Every Day Fiction's March Table of Contents: "We’ve got Tax Day coming up in April (stories need to be in by March 27th, please!) and then Mother’s Day and Victoria Day in May (stories in by April 26th, and thank you!). We also welcome stories for and about holidays from other cultures and other parts of the world, so please know that you’re strongly encouraged to get inspired by any traditions you may have or festivals you may celebrate."

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The First Line's Summer deadline is May 1, 2013. Check out that "first line" and the Fall and Winter ones, too.

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The Lascaux Review is running their second annual Lascaux Flash Fiction Contest. The deadline is March 20, 2013. The maximum word count is 250 words and there's a photo prompt for inspiration. Check out the site for all the rules. 

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Good luck!

Callout for Submissions

Here are a handful of upcoming submission deadlines I thought some of you might want to check out: 

Every Day Fiction's January Table of Contents says that - "Moving forward, we need those Valentine stories (or anti-Valentine) stories by January 27th at the latest, and don’t forget to mark them Targeted so we can find them." Not much time left on this one. 

(I've got a story in the works, but I'm struggling with the title. Any suggestions for how to come up with a good one? Fingers crossed, I'll be able to sub it in time.) 

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The First Line's Spring deadline is February 1st so don't wait too long to check it out. Plus, you can see all the upcoming "first lines" and their deadlines for the rest of the year.

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Flash Fiction Chronicles "is  having its fifth annual contest—String-of-10 FIVE—for the best 250-word story written from a specific prompt.  At 12:01 on Sunday morning, February 3rd, we will post  a string of ten random words and a thought-provoking aphorism as our contest prompt.  Entries will be accepted during the designated time period  using our SUBMISSION MANAGER.  Guidelines and List of Prizes forthcoming."

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Good Luck!

Call Out For Submissions: THE FIRST LINE'S First Line Contest

I just love the idea behind The First Line - every story in the issue starts with the same first line. My story, "Weekend Escapes," was published in the Summer 2010 issue and it was so much fun to see how many different paths the other stories took.

And now, to celebrate its 15th year, the folks at The First Line are holding a contest. They're looking for the best starter sentences . . . from you! Click on the above link for all the information but here's a quick summary:

* Submit up to 2 sentences for consideration

* Winners receive $50 and five copies of the issue using their first line

* Deadline is August 31, 2012

Good luck!

You Never Know Who's Reading...

Depending on the heading, I tend to delete email from people I don't know.  I am so glad I read Jenny Tai's email.  Turns out, Jenny is the Features Editor for the New York University (NYU) student newspaper, The Washington News, and she was doing a review of The First Line magazine.  She had enjoyed my story, "Weekend Escapes," in the Summer 2010 issue and wondered if I would give her a quote.  Me?  Me!

Yes, I know that when something of mine is published, whether online or in print, other people are reading it.  That's the point.  But sometimes it takes something tangible, like a nice note from a reader or a request for a quote for an article to bring that surreal concept home to me.  When I write my stories, they feel so small and private.  When I send them out into the world, they become something bigger, more universal than just "my story."  I imagine it's what it's like when you send your child off to school or out into the world - you hope you've made them good, made them strong enough to stand on their own.  You hope they leave a good impression on all they meet.   You hope you've done your best, and you hope you've done enough.

(Unfortunately, I didn't make it into the final piece, but I was thrilled to be asked in the first place.  If you're interested, you can read the article here.)  

Weekend Escapes in The First Line

The First Line is one of those little magazines with a big concept.  Their mission:

The purpose of The First Line is to jump start the imagination-to help writers break through the block that is the blank page. Each issue contains short stories that stem from a common first line; it also provides a forum for discussing favorite first lines in literature. The First Line is an exercise in creativity for writers and a chance for readers to see how many different directions we can take when we start from the same place.

Don't you love that?  It really is amazing how many different stories can come from the same line.    

My story, Weekend Escapes, appears in the Summer 2010 issue.  The first line is "Paul and Miriam Kaufman met the old-fashioned way."  As soon as I read that line, I had visions of sock hops and soda fountains.  Then I wondered if that scenario was ever really true or just one of those made-up nostalgia moments.  Who would yearn for that story to be true?  Why?

You can see how winding - and wonderful - a road that can be!  To see where my road ended up and to see where the other authors traveled, check out the Summer 2010 issue.  It's available for purchase on The First Line website and in select stores. 

(For all you writers out there, check out the upcoming "first lines" and submission guidelines!)