Hi readers! I’m so very excited by this announcement!! In the past I’ve read several short story anthologies that I exceedingly enjoyed! So happy to hear that I can eagerly anticipate more!
Interested in submitting an entry? Here’s what you need to know!
Meryton Press Short Story Contest
Summer Lovin’
BEGINS – 9:00 a.m. Feb 1, 2015 (US Pacific time)
ENDS – 11:59 p.m. March 15, 2015 (US Pacific Time)
Meryton Press is conducting a contest to find the best short stories.
The theme of the contest, “Summer Lovin’,” represents the summer season. The interpretation of the theme is left to the writer’s imagination; the story may have summer as a backdrop or may convey a sense of happiness and light. It might be a romantic comedy set in the South Pacific, a thriller in the everglades of Florida, a romance in Queen Victoria’s summer court, an ode to the ocean and Elizabeth Bennet, or a mail -order bride in the Old West—anything your summer muse suggests.
Any genre is acceptable as long as there is ROMANCE. Austenesque is a plus, but is not required. In other words, so long as there is a commonly accepted or acceptable interpretation of the theme embedded in the plot, it works for us. However, this contest is not for children’s stories. Our target audience is readers over 18 years old.
The contest will be judged by a panel of independent judges, and the results will be announced by mid-April 2015.
A long list of entries will be selected for final judging by a panel of expert editors and reviewers. The long list will consist of at least eight quality entries. All entries on the long list will receive a letter with constructive criticism on how the story could have been improved. Four winners will be selected from the long list and will be awarded prizes as detailed in the guidelines below (see “Contest Prizes”).
In addition, all four winning entries will be published in an anthology planned for early summer 2015. The anthology will include not only the four winners but stories from Meryton Press’ popular and award-winning authors.
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Contest Prizes: Prizes will be awarded as below. Payment will be through PayPal.
- First Prize:
- Runners up:
- US$100
- Professional editing of entry
- Publication in the anthology
- Two copies of published anthology
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*Download the PDF file for detailed guidelines and rules or visit merytonpress.com/anthology
*To receive email updates about this contest, sign up for the Anthology Contest Updates mailing list at merytonpress.com/mailing-list
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What do you think readers? Are you a fan of short stories?
How exciting!!!!!
Thx for posting!!!!!
I am a huge fan of Jane Austen Made Me Do It! This was an exciting post for me to read. I am a fan of anthologies like this. I am looking forward to some great summer Austenesque!
If I could be granted 2 magic wishes (not the big life decision ones 🙂 ) regarding the subject of short story anthologies they would be…. 1. That more of them would be published and available for a reasonable price, 2. That many many people would purchase them so that a) publishers and authors would see success through them, and b) readers would be open to discovering authors they previously wouldn’t have known about or were on the fence about for whatever reason.
I own and have read many anthologies in several genres, sometimes purchasing them for just one author I knew to have published a short story or novella only available in that collection. Fans of that author will often complain bitterly about ‘having to buy a whole book of authors they don’t know just to enjoy their favorite author’s short.’ Oh. My. Goodness. Don’t get me started. 😉 But I usually read all the other authors and have discovered some new favorites that way, and a large list of authors I follow and read when the title sounds interesting, and more importantly to publishers and authors have purchased lots of other books as a result.
I’ve done this for more years than I care to admit, and long before Amazon and Kindle (my guilty pleasure, my addiction, my lifeline, my mental health medicine, my education tool, etc., etc.) Back to when I was taking my son to the library for his bi-weekly lot-limit stack of books and I was desperate to read something for my grownup brain….but didn’t know when to start…..or have very much time to read for pleasure.
So, although I dearly wish I could write myself, I wish the contest entrees all the very best luck and hope they keep writing even if they don’t win this one. I’m looking forward to that book when it come out.
This is exciting! I like anthologies because you get a bit of everything, and you can get a taste of authors you’ve not read before and if you like it, you can seek out their longer works (if they have some; or you can become a fan and bug them to write some!)
I agree with Michelle and Monica. I like short story anthologies because one gets to read stories by authors one has never heard of or gets to try authors one might be leery about trying. I know sometimes I am nervous about spending the money on a book of an author unknown to me.
Best of luck to all entrants! 🙂 Looking forward to reading this anthology. 🙂
I, too, am an anthology fan. Just the hope of being introduced to new writers who may not be intimidated by having to complete an 80,000 word novel is exciting to me. Go Meryton Press!!!
I love anthologies, especially when I don’t have the time to start a longer book! I hope one of the commenters on this blog is one of the winners!