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Friday, November 4, 2011

Get your short story published, enter a contest and win $500 for Christmas

I grabbed the following post from the Double Dragon Publishing blog.  BTW, my book is now on Goodreads with no cover art. If you have a goodreads account, even if you never intend to buy it or read it, a click on the "to read" button would feel like Christmas :) because I could pretend people liked me :). I also haven't set up the author portion of it yet. I'll do that this weekend when I'm drinking coffee and have time. It won't come out 'til May 2012.

From the DDP website ==>TALES OF FORTANNIS: A BARD’S EYE VIEW was published last year by Double Dragon, and features a number of excellent fantasy stories in the magical world of Fortannis.

The sequel is being prepared now, and submissions are open for short stories of under 10,000 words.

Unpublished authors are encouraged to submit, but will still face the same standards for submissions as the published authors.

All stories should be double-spaced in word or rtf format with 12 point Times Roman font. There should be no spacing after the paragraphs. The first page must contain the name of the story, the word count, and your name, address, email, and phone number. Your cover letter should list any previous publications.

Keep in mind that although these are fantasy stories, you are not limited to telling tales of adventure, with knights fighting dragons and wizards casting powerful spells. The world is merely the setting for the stories.

The first book, while containing plenty of adventures, has much more. There is one story about someone trying to steal the recipe for his favorite pie. Another concerns three goblin children spying on the curious humans. A third involves a con artist trying to mislead a nobleman. The theme of the TALES OF FORTANNIS series is the fantasy world, not the type of story.

Proposals and inquiries must be emailed to michael.ventrella@gmail.com.

Also... there's a short story contest being run by Lulu.  Here's the details from their blog:

Throughout the month of November, Lulu is offering big prizes for quick creativity. All you have to do for a chance to win $500 cash, a professional review, a Barnes and Noble NOOK™, free distribution to the iBookstoreSM and Barnes & Noble NOOK Bookstore™, and free mentions in upcoming Lulu publicity is submit a 600-word short story.

Pretty easy huh?

To find out how you can play just visit the lulu blog.

Winners will be selected by a panel of Lulu judges and announced mid-December after review of all submissions. Bring on your remarkable stories for a chance to win some amazing prizes!

==> My words... if you are sitting on a short story...send it in. Get published. Don't let it sit in a drawer. The worst that could happen is a "no" and a rejection. It's not like we don't suffer through those already on a daily basis.

Have a great weekend.

41 comments:

  1. I've added your book on my Goodreads list. It actually does sound like my kind of thing. I'm looking forward to the release.

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  2. Awesome. Thanks for the heads up!

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  3. Thanks for sharing. I would like to join Lulu contest, unfortunately this is one of those damn US only ones :D

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  4. Man, USA, only. So unfair. Thanks for the heads-up, I'll pass it along to my pals.

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  5. I added your book on Goodreads and read the blurb. I've been wondering what Slipstream is all about and found it very intriguing! Looking forward to reading.

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  6. Tales of Fortannis looks fun. Thanks.

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  7. I DO have some short stories that are crying to me from my draws. Thanks for the tip.

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  8. Too bad I don't have any Fantasy short stories. I don't have anything 600 words or less either. That seems more like flash fiction to me, but whatever.

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  9. Sounds awesome! I would probably have tried to write something for Tales of Fortannis, but my NaNo project took me quite far from that sort of project. :-'

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  10. Awesome. We're going to share a release month. My sophomore title is releasing May 2012. Woot!!!!!!!!!! Exciting times. Enjoy the journey! :)

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  11. You've been added to my Goodreads shelf!

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  12. Thanks for highlighting some of the excellent opportunities for writers out there.

    Have a good weekend yourself Michael.

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  13. I wish I had a short story I was sitting on because I'd submit it for the contest. Those are some great prizes.

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  14. Good opportunity for short story writer.
    I'll tag your book this weekend. Mine' there as well.

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  15. Marked it "to read," and will check out these open submissions.

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  16. I really should submit a short story out of pure literary motivation, but the sad fact is I need the money. Meanwhile, Slipstream is on my gonna read list.

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  17. Just for you, Michael, I joined Goodreads. It required me to click on a Twitter button to sign in with my Twitter account, and then to search for your name, AND THEN to click on the thing that would let me click "To Read" on your book.

    But I was willing to click all three of those times, because I always go the extra mile for my Internet Friends. My clicking finger is WORN TO THE NUB but I did that for you.

    That book better be worth it! And now I hear there's a SEQUEL? Is there a cliffhanger at the end of your book? Are you going to leave us hanging for several years? WAS ALL MY CLICKING IN VAIN?

    Just kidding. Clicking is never in vain. Every time a person clicks on a link, an angel gets a new pair of sandals.

    Thanks for the news about the short story contests. I can't wait to read your book.

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  18. I guess I'd better break down and finally join Goodreads.

    I guess it's about time I got back to those short stories that I've been meaning to edit. Or perhaps I should just start a new one.

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  19. Will add your book, Michael.

    Thanks for all the news. Maybe I'll look into brushing up a story or two.

    Have a great weekend.

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  20. Book added. No pressure or anything, but I'm really looking forward to reading it.

    I don't have any short stories less than 10k words that are available. I clearly don't know how to write them.

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  21. Cool contests. I've also gone to Goodreads and marked your book as to-read.

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  22. Done and done! I've gotten it on my to-read list!

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  23. To-read.
    I've just added it to mine own account (no affiliation with good-reads)... PS. you know we like you.

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  24. Thanks for the heads up. I'll definitely check into these.

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  25. Thanks for sharing Michael! I'll have to look into this & your story too! ; )

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  26. Michael: You'll be much liked on Goodreads now.I'm heading off after I write this.

    Thanks for the links. I like the sound of the lulu short story contest. I'll be checking it out.

    Sorry about the pics not loading on your Chrome. I use Chrome but when I checked last night they came up blurry for awhile then rectified. Who knows? Obviously they did it again.

    Happy trails

    Denise

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  27. Great contest... thanks for the update. And congrats on having your story on goodreads... will go and like it:)

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  28. Those are cool!
    Great HU's Michael.
    I keep thinking I need to enter a few more story contest.

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  29. 600 words? Can do! Thanks for the tip.

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  30. A very impressive posting. I shall duly check out your links and big respect to you in your ongoing writing endeavours.

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  31. I'm not a writer at all but its looks like a good contest! thanx for visiting.

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  32. Thanks Michael for the info. Both the avenues seem easy enough. Ishall give my neices the first one. I am not so sure about Lulu, yet. I still have to make sure they are legit.

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  33. I never enter these contests... don't know why. But I'm ass deep in NaNo right now so... I'm not entering this one either. ;)

    And I will "like you"

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  34. Goodness me, what a lot of info... I am now off to act on all of those. Goodreads for your book first and then to find out more about the shorts contests. Thanks Michael and Happy Sunday!
    LX

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  35. Thanks for the suggestions. I will look into that Lulu contest. Shouldn't be too hard to write for, but I bet there will be a lot of competition. Good luck to everyone.

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  36. I've got untold numbers of short stories I'm "sitting" on, but not sure any of them are ready. LOL. Thanks for the heads up though!

    I have TBRd your book on GoodReads :)

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  37. Thanks for the info, I think I still have a good reads account. I haven't been there in awhile though. And btw, I love the tiger banner at the top!

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  38. Thanks for the info. I'm working on a short story that's contemporary fiction - no fantasy. I don't even know if I can pull off non-fantasy. This one sounds so much more tempting...

    The possibilities...

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  39. I'll add it to my TBR list on my computer - I like short story anthologies.

    Does twisted fairy tales count as fantasy? I've got this one I need to do a little polishing on . .

    .......dhole

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