Two Years!
Contests, Upcoming Readings, & Congratulations
Winter quarter is winding down, and the weekly meetings for the two writing workshops I taught this term felt like shelter from the storm.
Bookish has a similar salubrious effect - thank you for being here. I published my first post almost exactly two years ago (a special thanks to Sean Singer, who writes The Sharpener, for advice and early encouragement).
Today’s post is a short roundup of literary news and contest announcements. 📗
Book contests (and an essay contest) open for submissions
- Black Lawrence Press’ Hudson Prize: the prize is given annually to an unpublished collection of poetry or prose (fiction or nonfiction). “The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers. Publication by Black Lawrence Press, $1,000, and ten author copies. Deadline: March 31.
- Dzanc’s annual contests are open now through September 30: novels, short story collections, and works of nonfiction. 1. Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction: this year’s judges are Tara Isabel Zambrano and Mubanga Kalimamukwento; $5,000 advance and publication. 2. Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Prize The short story collection prize is judged in house; $2,500 advance and publication. 3. Dzanc Books Nonfiction Prize “recognizes innovative approaches, daring writing, and works of stunning journalism in book-length nonfiction manuscripts”; $1,500 advance (no judge mentioned) and publication.
- Jaded Ibis Press Uplift Voices Fiction Award “given annually for a novel, a novel in stories, or a short story collection by an author who identifies as having a historically marginalized voice.” $1,500, publication by Jaded Ibis Press, and 25 author copies. Deadline: April 15.
- Fourth Genre Steinberg Memorial Essay Prize: publication in Fourth Genre and $1,000 prize for the winning essay. Sonya Huber will judge, all entries considered for publication. Deadline: April 15.
A few upcoming readings
If you’re in the Oklahoma City area, this Friday, March 21, at 6 PM, Kurt Baumeister will be in conversation at Literati Books in the Paseo with Constance E. Squires to discuss his just-published second novel Twilight of the Gods.
If you attend the Associated Writers and Writing Programs conference next week in Los Angeles, I’ll be participating in a reading on Wednesday evening, March 26, 7 PM at 826LA’s Time Travel Mart in Echo Park, 1714 W. Sunset Blvd., and I’ll be cohosting a reading the next day, March 27, at 12 PM, 831 Venice Blvd., Ste. 102 - both events are free.
Congratulations to Oregon-based writer and artist Pip Craighead
(and fellow Substacker at The Mount Hood Review of Books), whose new collection of illustrated short stories, World Exhibition, will be out later this spring. You can preorder it from Mist Castle Press, and read a sample here.
Lastly, if you have a creative project in need of support, you might consider creating a “Buy Me a Coffee” account. Many writers (on Substack, Patreon, and elsewhere) maintain one and include buttons in their posts such as “Tip Jar” and “Buy Me a Coffee” (e.g. Robyn Ryle, Laura Durnell ♿️ ♀️, Kathy Fish). You can modify the button to suit your whimsy.
Congrats! It’s a great Substack.
Congratulations on 2 years! 🩷