This weeks competitions that have caught my eye:

FICTION:

The CWA Debut Dagger

Fancy a stab at crime writing?

All these authors were short-listed for the Crime Writers’ Association’s Debut Dagger Competition. Think you’ve got what it takes to be a published author? Read on.

The 2012 Competition opens on 22 October 2011 and closes on 21 January 2012. The shortlisted entries will be announced at Crimefest in May. The overall winner will be announced at the CWA Awards ceremony in July.

Website: http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/debut/

A Woman’s Write Good Read Fiction Book
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   30th November 2011
Fees:   $40 for one entry. Includes Professional critique
Prizes:   $500 for first place. Annual Prize.
Details:   A fiction book competition for aspiring women writers, each entry receives a thorough, professional and prompt critique and the chance to re-enter the contest after making suggested changes. Now in our 10th year, we have inspired many new writers to take the plunge. We highlight the success of our authors and support them as they pursue their dreams.
Country:   United States
Email:   editor@awomanswrite.com
Website:   http://www.awomanswrite.com

American Short Fiction Short Story Comp.
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   8th December 2011
Fees:   $20 for one entry.
Prizes:   $1,000 for first place. Also publication. $500.
Details:   For unpublished short fiction up to 6,000 words.
Country:   United States
Email:   editors@americanshortfiction.org
Website:   http://www.americanshortfiction.org/index.php?option=com_content&%3bview=article&%3bid=38-contest&%3bcatid=6-announcements

Wanna win €100?
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   15th December 2011
Fees:   €5 for one entry.
Prizes:   €100 for first place.
Details:   Just write a story to make us laugh and send it to our next quarterly competition. Maximum length is 1500 words. For the full list of rules and regs, visit our website, where you can also read the winning entries from the first three competitions. Get writing, have fun, and we hope to hear from you soon.
Country:   Portugal
Website:   http://cheerreader.co.uk

Flash 500
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   31st December 2011
Fees:   £5 for one entry. £8 for two stories.
Prizes:   £250 for first place. 2nd £100. 3rd £50.
Details:   500 word flash fiction story open-themed. Open to 18 years and over. The results will be announced within six weeks of each closing date and the three winning entries each quarter will be published on this website.The winner will also be published. Optional critiques available at £10 per story. Highly Commended a copy of The Writer’s ABC Checklist.
Country:   France
Website:   http://www.flash500.com/

The TRYAngle Project Short Story
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   10th November 2011
Fees:   £5 for one entry. £8/2 stories, £11/3 stories
Prizes:   £150 for first place. 2nd Prize £75.00, 3rd Prize £40, High Commendation £10 x 2
Details:   For previously unpublished short stories on the theme of Domestic Violence and Abuse. Stories must be in English Language up to 1,500 words long. Top 5 stories will receive first publication. A third of net entry fees goes to help the charity helping victims of domestic violence.
Contact:   Excel for Charity, Eastern Light EPM International, Unit 136, 113-115 George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1AB
Country:   United Kingdom
Email:   excelforcharity@easternlightepm.com
Website:   http://easternlightepm.com/excelforcharity/tryangle-short-story-competition-2011/

Robert J. Demott Short Prose Contest
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   1st December 2011
Fees:   $15 for one entry.
Prizes:   $1,000 for first place. Also publication.
Details:   For short prose up to 500 words.
Contact:   Quarter After Eight, Ohio University, 360 Ellis Hall, Athens, OH 45701
Country:   United States
Website:   http://www.quarteraftereight.org/submissions.htm

Halloween Horror Story
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   31st October 2011
Fees:   £0 for one entry.
Prizes:   £0 for first place. The winner will be published online on the blog.
Details:   The kind of story we’re looking for will be heart-thumpingly thrilling, spine-tinglingly scary, and maybe just a bit stomach-churningly gory. If you think you can step up to the challenge, get writing and send us your story!
Country:   United Kingdom
Email:   ongoingworlds@gmail.com
Website:   http://ongoingworlds.wordpress.com/2011/10/01/halloween-story-competition/

In Development Anthology
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   20th May 2012
Fees:   £0 for one entry. Free to enter.
Prizes:   £0 for first place. Selected works will appear in an anthology. Authors receive free copy.
Details:   We’re looking for stories between 3-8,000 words by aid workers, development workers, international volunteers and disaster relief personnel. Have you got a story to tell? Then we’d like to read it. Follow the website link for more information. All entries will be treated in confidence. Pseudonyms are accepted.
Country:   United Kingdom
Email:   info@authormgw.co.uk
Website:    http://tinyurl.com/6exxzw9

FictionGarden Ghost Story Writing Comp.
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   29th October 2011
Fees:   £3 for one entry. £5 for two.
Prizes:   £100 for first place. £40; £20.
Details:   For stories up to 2,500 words on a ghostly theme.
Country:   United Kingdom
Email:   GhostStoryComp@yahoo.co.uk
Website:   http://www.fictiongarden.co.uk/ghoststorywritingcontest.html

ROMANCE WRITERS OF AMERICA:

2012 Award of Excellence
Sponsor: Colorado Romance Writers
Fee: $20.00
Receipt Deadline: January 13, 2012
Eligibility: Books published in 2011. Bound hard copies of e-books also eligible.
Categories: Short Contemporary (60,000 words or less), Long Contemporary (over 60,000 words), Historical, Romantic Suspense, Single Title, P/TT/F/F, Inspirational, Mainstream w/Romantic Elements, Erotic Romance.
Judges: Readers, booksellers, published authors.
Top Prize: Award of Excellence Trophy and certificate; letter congratulating the editor.
FMI, contact Jessica Aspen (aoecoordinator1@yahoo.com) or see www.coloradoromancewriters.com.

2012 Booksellers Best Award Contest
Sponsor: Greater Detroit RWA
Fee: $27.00, add’l $6.00 Best First Book
Deadline: January 15, 2012
Entry: See Website for criteria, published authors only
Judges: booksellers and librarians
FMI, www.gdrwa.org/contests.html#bba or email pattishenberger@comcast.net.

Please remember to check out legitimacy of all contests before you enter and to copyright all work.

Good luck and let me know how you get on.

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