A leading bookstore and book publisher on the Eastern Shore of Maryland are joining forces to select and publish the year’s best short stories devoted to the theme of communication between dogs and humans.
The subject is especially timely coming after a year of worldwide pandemic in which so many people have been confined to their homes and pets have been more psychologically important than ever to millions.
More than one-third of all American households are believed to own dogs, with research showing how important they are as dependable sources of companionship, psychological support, and physical exercise for their owners – even in the best and healthiest of times.
One gold medal winner will be awarded a cash prize of $500; two silver medal finalists will receive $250 each.
The contest is being sponsored by The Greyhound – An Indie Bookstore, in Berlin, whose owners, Susan and Maury Wimbrow, are not only independent booksellers but also adopters of rescue greyhounds. A book-length anthology of up to 30 entries drawn from contest submissions will be published by Secant Publishing of Salisbury in time for the 2021 holiday season. A book launch party will be held at The Greyhound.
Criteria
Original pieces of fiction, never before published, 500-3,000 words long. Winners will be readable, entertaining, and emotionally affecting. They can be in any genre, from literary and mystery to romance and paranormal. Humor is always welcome.
Stories may or may not have conventionally happy endings, but they all must demonstrate understanding of the human-canine connection and illuminate some aspect of communication across our species. Stories featuring gratuitous cruelty or violence to animals will be rejected.
Eligibility
Anyone 18 and above is eligible to enter. There will be a reading fee of $10 which is payable at the time of submission. All contributors chosen for the anthology will receive two complimentary copies of the book upon publication.
Timetable
The contest is open now. Deadline for submissions is May 1, 2021. The finished volume will be published in Fall 2021.
How to Submit
All stories must be submitted through the Duosuma website. More than 7,400 publishers and agents maintain listings on Duosuma and its parent platform for writers, Duotrope. For more information and to be directed to the submissions link see www.secantpublishing.com/
Judges
Winners will be chosen by a panel of independent judges:
Joan Drescher Cooper is the author of Birds Like Me, a poetry collection published by Finishing Line Press, and three novels in the Lilac Hill series through Salt Water Media of Berlin, Maryland. Joan reviews books for The Greyhound – An Indie Bookstore. She is an avid walker of her rescue dog Hopper. See www.joandcooper.com.
Bonnie Feldstein, writing as Anna Gill, has spent her literary career studying and writing about important vanishing cultures in America. Chesapeake Bay country is where she centers most of her six novels. She is a public speaker and newsletter editor. Bonnie lives in Rochester, New York.
David Healey has written several novels, including the popular Caje Cole World War II series and a mystery, The House that Went Down with the Ship. His nonfiction books include Great Storms of the Chesapeake and 1812: Rediscovering Chesapeake Bay’s Forgotten War. He lives in Chesapeake City, Maryland.
Kenton Kilgore is the author of the post-apocalypse novel Lost Dogs, as well as other science-fiction and fantasy books. He has lived on Kent Island, Maryland since 1998 and has just wrapped up a two-year term as president of the Eastern Shore Writers Association. See www.kentonkilgore.com.
Judy Reveal is a published author in several genres including mystery, memoir, paranormal, and nonfiction. She is a professional book reviewer and scholarly journal editor based in Greensboro, Maryland. Visit her website at www.justcreativewriting.com
Lizanne Waterman spent 32 years as a middle school English teacher in New York State. She and her husband, a falconer, retired near Berlin, where she helps walk their three pointers, works part-time for a local winery, and participates in a book club at The Greyhound – An Indie Bookstore.
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