Today, the shortest day of the year, is National Short Story Day. Here are a few links for story fans:
• The official National Short Story Day website includes a wonderful long list of classic and modern short story recommendations from authors, including their reasons for choosing them, as well as story readings and events news. This year there’s a special list of science fiction short story recommendations – including a couple from me. There’s also a 140-character story competition – just tweet your story to @shortstoryday using the hashtag #nssd – the deadline is midnight tonight, and the winner will receive a preview copy of Comma Press’s Morphologies – a collection of essays on short story writers by short story writers.
• On the Booktrust Short Story Advent Calendar, authors recommend one of their favourite short story collections. Check out Dec 14 for mine.
• There’s still time to enter the Synaesthesia magazine short story competition. The entries will be judged anonymously, and I have the honour of picking the winner from the shortlist. The top prize is a £60 Amazon voucher, two books courtesy of Comma Press, and publication and an interview in Synaesthesia Magazine’s February 2014 issue. The story must be no longer than 2,500 words and previously unpublished. The deadline for entries is 7 Jan 2014. For the full terms and conditions, and to enter, visit the Synaesthesia Magazine Blog.
• Over at the WordFactory website, Paul McVeigh has posted this month’s roundup of short story news and opportunities for writers.
• ShortStops is a new site curated by story maven Tania Hershman. It includes a comprehensive list of online and print magazines accepting story submissions, as well as story news and live lit events info.
• And the Thresholds Short Story Forum has posted a festive story: New Year Martyrs by Chekhov which makes me think about poor Santa having to scoff half the world’s mince pies and drink its brandy shots.
Have a good day y’all. ‘Tis winter today, the season for hot water bottles and hardbacks.