Saturday, 14 February 2026

Happy Valentine's!

Happy Valentine's! I've picked you some flowers (from my photo archives).




We're away in our campervan for a couple of days – just because we can. Hopefully I'll be surrounded by flowers today, as we're going to Kingston Lacy to look at the snowdrops. I'm becoming a galanthophile! We're doing something for Gary too, which will involve a bracing and character building walk.



Free entry writing competitions

This month, The Scottish Book Trust want 50 words about a fox, and offer an appropriately small prize. Thanks to Alyson for the reminder about that one. I know it's a regular thing, but keep forgetting both to mention it her, and to enter.


The Libraro Prize
is somewhat bigger, being valued at £50,000 and including a publishing contract with Hatchette. They do want a whole book though - fiction or crossover YA
, and you'd need to have finished it already as it's just about to close. Sorry for the late notice. I'm hoping late is better than never. There are reader prizes too, so it might be worth looking at even if your novel isn't quite ready (or not yet started) as it looks as though this is an annual competition.

The Jay Yes competition is for stories of 2,500 to 4,000 words, by unpublished writers. The prize is publication and publicity. There's plenty of time to get something written for this one.

Here's a romance novel writing competition for UK writers from a Black, Asian, mixed heritage and/or multiple ethnic background. The prize package includes £1,000 cash and help to get your book written and published.


Womag / competition news

Best have a new competition, this time with the theme of cosy crime. Thanks to Hazel (HB) for the picure with the details. Best take all writes for winning and runner up stories.









1 comment:

Fiona said...

Thanks for the Valentine’s Day flowers and the reminder Patsy!
Was busy writing - having a go at the Verse and Voice competition that was listed a few weeks ago - stopped to make tea and clicked on to read the blog while the kettle boiled. Oh no - the 14th!
Have delved in the freezer and now have some heart-shaped biscuits in the air fryer (we don’t do cards).
So sending thanks on behalf of my other half who will appear in about an hour’s time! And thanks from me to you Patsy and everyone who’s shared the competition details today. Always appreciated.