Looking For The Write Word?

This handy-dandy website, RhymeZone, that modestly bills itself as a mere rhyming dictionary, is really a doorway to sooooo much more!!! Here you can not only find words that rhyme: you can find definitions, synonyms, antonyms, related words, similar sounding words, quotations, match specific letters, and even search in Shakespeare! As if that weren't plethora enough, you can even type in a word, and search for pictures, which will bring up a whole slew of related links!

Short Fiction Contest - International Aeon Award

Albedo One (Ireland’s premiere magazine of speculative fiction) has now launched the International Aeon Award 2008 short fiction contest.

The Aeon Award is all about promoting new writers and writing in the speculative fields, which has long been the goal of Albedo One. The quality of stories and submissions to the first and second Award has served to affirm our faith in the value of the speculative genres, and in the direction they will be taking in the future. Last year’s winner was Nina Allan’s “Angelus”, which was announced at a ceremony during the 29th European Science Fiction Convention, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2007. The story will be published in issue 34 of Albedo One, due out in February.

This year's contest is open to submissions of up to 8000 words (no minimum word limit) in any speculative fiction genre, from Fantasy and Science Fiction to Horror or anything in-between or unclassifiable. The judges have very broad tastes in this regard. The grand prize is 1000 euro and publication in Albedo One. Thanks to the success of last year’s Award, we’ve been able to add a second and third place cash prize of 200 and 100 euro respectively for this year. The second and third place stories will also be published in Albedo One.

The contest will run in four rounds from January 1st 2008 to November 30th 2008. Submissions can be made at any time between those two dates, and stories making the shortlist will be announced shortly after the end of each of the rounds, which end on March 31st, June 30th, September 30th and finally November 30th. After the last round, the top six stories from the shortlist will be chosen and passed on to respected science fiction, fantasy and horror author, Ian Watson (www.ianwatson.info), who will act as Grand Judge and pick the winner and second and third place stories.

The contest is open to writers from all nationalities, though the entries must be written in English. Indeed, we’re keen to have entries from as many nationalities as possible! Full details and guidelines for entering the Award can be found on the Albedo One website at the following link: http://www.albedo1.com/html/aeon_award.html The entry fee for the Award is a paltry €7 (euro) and can be paid easily and securely on the Albedo One site. Email submissions may be made to fraslaw@yahoo.co.uk

Love Story Contest - Story Quarterly and Narrative Magazine

StoryQuarterly announces the SQ Love Story Contest

Open to fiction and nonfiction entries,the contest offers a First Prize of $2,500, a Second Prize of $1,500, a Third Prize of $750, and ten Finalists each will receive $100.

Deadline for entries: March 31, 2008.

Click here for complete details.

Greek and Roman Mythology Poetry Contest

The Tapestry of Bronze is sponsoring a series of poetry contests to celebrate Greek and Roman mythology and the Olympian gods. The subject of the first contest is Zeus (also known as Jupiter), the King of the Gods.

Each poem may be no longer than 30 lines and each poem must be in English.

The first contest opens on February 15, 2008 and remains open until March 31, 2008. However, you can read about the rules and the prizes now by going to

http://www.tapestryofbronze.com/OdeForm.html

Poetry Reading: Los Angeles

This just in from Valley Contemporary Poets:

Please join the VCP for our first reading in the new year!
Sunday
January 13, 2008
3 pm

Valley Contemporary Poets
present
Doug Knott
Scott Wannberg

$5.00 Suggested Donation

Tarzana Community and Cultural Center
19130 Ventura Boulevard, Tarzana, California 91356

The Pedestal Magazine Will Be Accepting Submissions ~

You have until January 19th to tighten and polish your work before The Pedestal Magazine starts accepting submissions for their February issue. Supporting both established and burgeoning writers, they are committed to promoting diversity and "celebrating the voice of the individual." Wouldn't your individual voice appreciate some celebrating? They publish bi-monthly and their schedule of accepting submissions, located on their website, hinges on the publication dates. Pay scale:

• Poetry: $30 per poem
• Fiction: .05 per word (up to 6,000 words)
• Flash Fiction: .05 per word (up to 1,000 words)
• Book Reviews: .02 per word (850 to 1,000 words)

Writing Contest Open to All!

You don't have to be a member of Florida Freelance Writer's Association to enter their 25th Annual Florida State Writing Competition, but it will save you a little on the entrance fees if you are. You may submit work in any or all of six categories: Nonfiction (either unpublished/self-published or previously published), Fiction (unpublished/self-published or previously published Short Story or Chapter), Children's Literature (unpublished/ self-published), and Poetry (unpublished/self-published Traditional or Free Verse). Prizes:

• 1st Place -- $100 plus certificate
• 2nd Place: $75 plus certificate
• 3rd Place: $50 plus certificate
• Honorable Mention: Certificates will be awarded in each category as warranted
  

Entry fees range from $3 to $20, depending on if you are a member, which category you're entering, and the length of your work. The deadline is March 15, 2008, and if you enclose a self-addressed envelope, they will mail you a winner's list by March 31st. Also, if you send them a self-addressed, stamped postcard, they will notify you upon receiving your manuscripts.