Thema Literary Journal: Many Plots, One Premise ~

Do you have a flair for writing cleverly-constructed plots? Good character delineation? Clever plot twists? Or if poetry's your thing, are your poems thoughtfully constructed and carefully distilled? In either case, Thema Literary Journal might be interested in accepting your submissions for publication. They are also kind enough to provide themes for your inspiration. Upcoming themes and deadlines are:

• In Kay's kitchen -- November 1, 2008
• Put it in your pocket, Lillian -- March 1, 2009
• The dean's cat -- July 1, 2009

The premise must be an integral part of your story or poem, not merely incidental to it. They prefer fewer than 20 double-spaced pages of short fiction, and no more than three poems. On acceptance for publication, they will pay:

• Short Story: $25
• Short-Short Piece (up to 1000 words): $10
• Poem: $10

There is no reading/submission fee and both traditional and experimental short stories and all types of poetic forms are welcome. Send your short stories to Virgina Howard, editor, (poems to Gail Howard, poetry editor), Box 8747, Metairie, LA, 70011-8747. Be sure to include SASE and indicate premise! If you are submitting for more than one premise, be sure to include a separate SASE for each premise. Do not put the author's name on any page beyond the title page, and indicate the target theme in your cover letter or first page of your manuscript. Please go to their website for additional info.

A Sign Of The Times???

Here's another war-related contest, but the folks at Diversion Press are looking for short stories, not poetry, for their upcoming anthology: War is All We Know. Their anthology is designed to collect the best FICTION on war; historical or other fiction is fine, but they do not want real-live battle stories! Each story must include, as a quote or somewhere else in the text, the phrase "War is all we know."
Prizes are :

• 1^st: $30 dollars
• 2nd: $20 dollars
• 3rd: $10 dollars

All three winners will have their short-stories published and receive a free copy, including free shipping, of the publication. Winners may also have their stories and name featured on their web-site. While only three prizes will be given, other work may be considered for publication in the anthology. Please go to their website to look at the rest of their submission and proposal guidelines.
You have until December 1st 2008 to get your 20 to 40 page story submitted to them. They prefer regular mail, [Diversion Press Inc., Attn: Acquisitions Editor, P.O. Box 30277, Clarksville, TN 37040] but will also accept your work via email at divisionpress(at)yahoo(dot)com.

What's In That Drawer?

Ya gotta love a contest that gives you a theme and lots of ideas with which to flush it out. (At least, I always do!) Here's one that especially intriguing: The Muse Marquee's Mother Hen Contest has it all: a cash prize of $25, no entry fee, and a link to an article with an amazing plethora of suggestions on what to write about and how to finesse it into your short story of 1,000 words or less (less is better). The deadline isn't until October 10th 2008, so you have plenty of time to be inspired, write and then submit your story to museitupeditor(at)yahoo(dot)ca. The winning story will also be published in their November 2008 issue!

Are You Able To Come Up With Edgy One-Liners?

If so, this will interest you: Kate Harper Designs is accepting submissions of "edgy quotes with a twist of humor," and will pay $50 for each one she accepts!! Quotes should be appropriate for a greeting card, bookmark, or coffee cup, 20 words or less, and original (by you). She also provides a handy link to a page with helpful suggestions; among them:

• What have you said to a friend lately that made them laugh?
• What is the best piece of advice your pet would give you?
• Think of someone who did something nice for you lately. What would you like to say to them?

Send as many quotes as you want to quotesub(at)aol(dot)com, but first, go to her website to look at the rest of the submission guidelines.

Barn Owl Review Accepting Submissions ~

Barn Owl Review, a handsomely-designed print journal of poetry, literary fiction and critical prose, offers several options for submissions to it's upcoming 2009 issue. They are looking for high-quality work that takes risks while connecting to its readers. You may submit 3 to 5 poems to the attention of their poetry editors, (nothing of a greeting card or inspirational verse nature, please), 1 to 3 short shorts of 1,000 words or less OR one short story (5,000-word maximum), to the attention of fiction editors, or critical prose (also up to 5,000 words), to the attention of Adam Deutsch. Barn Owl Review 2 will be released February, 2009, so be sure to have your submissions in by November 1st, 2008. They will pay two copies of the issue that your work appears in, and offer half off for additional copies. Please go to their website to check out the rest of their submission guidelines.

Queer, Here, and Accepting Submissions!

Queer Collection is accepting submissions for the June 2009 publication of The Queer Collection: Prose and Poetry 2009. They are looking for original prose and poetry by and for a gay, lesbian, bi, transgender and queer audience. Poems may be up to 40 lines, the prose word-count limit is 3000 words, and you may submit up to 5 pieces for consideration. Authors whose work is selected for publication will receive $25; there is no entry or reading fee. Mail your submissions, along with a cover letter and bio to Gregory A. Kompes, Editor, Queer Collection, Fabulist Flash Publishing, P.O. Box 570368, Las Vegas, NV 89157. Please go to their website for the rest of the submission guidelines.

Support Local Poets

The Valley Contemporary Poets present a special night of poetry with Jamie O’Halloran on Tuesday, August 19
9:00 pm
open reading sign up 8:30 pm

Cobalt Cafe
22047 Sherman Way in Canoga Park, Canoga Park (just west of Topanga Canyon)
Free – one drink minimum, open reading

Jamie O’Halloran is an honored past director of the Valley Contemporary Poets who has been published with the VCP Press imprint. She is the recipient of several awards for her poetry including the Ann Stanford Poetry Prize and has been nominated three times for the Pushcart Prize.

The Best Advice You Ever Had ~

FundsforWriters, (and its annual sponsor IdeaWeaver), is announcing its 7th Annual FundsforWriters Essay Contest. FundsforWriters changes its theme every year; this year they are offering two topics to choose from that have one thing in common: write about the best advice you ever had.

• Topic 1: The Best Advice I Ever Had and Ignored
• Topic 2: The Best Advice I Ever Had and Followed.

FundsforWriters is "all about the writer," so your essay should be writing-related, or, at least will tie back into a writing lesson. The deadline is October 31, 2008, essays should be 750 words or less, and you have both No Fee and $5 Entry Fee options, (the $5 entry fee option has bigger prizes). Those that select the $5 entry fee option will also receive the ebook of their choice.
$5 Entry Fee Category:

• First Place: $200
• Second Place: $20 - and a free copy of IdeaWeaver software (a $49.95 value)
• Third Place: $10

No Entry Fee Category:

• First Place: $50
• Second Place: $20
• Third Place: $20

The same piece cannot be entered in both categories. Submit your entry in the body of an email to hope(at)fundsforwriters(dot)com. Please go to their website for the rest of the contest guidelines and to read previous winning essays.

WRITERS' Journal Poetry Contest ~

There's a small $3.00 entry fee for this one, but sometimes you have to "give a little to get a little," and who knows where this could lead for you, yes? The deadline for Writer's Journal Poetry Contest isn't until August 30, 2008, so you have plenty of time to fine-tune a poem of 25 lines or less. (Maybe bring one to your writer's group for them to critique!)

• 1st Prize: $50 plus publication in Writers' Journal
• 2nd Prize: $25 plus publication
• 3rd Prize: $15 plus publication
• Plus Honorable Mentions

Send your entries to "Poetry Contest," Val-Tech Media, P.O. Box 394, Perham, MN, 56573, with a check or money order payable to WRITERS' Journal. There's a few more guidelines, so please go to their website before you mail them your work.