Sorry, I don't have any womag news or competitions for you. That's probably partly because I'm travelling and so not online as much, but things do seem to be very quiet at the moment. (If you're interested in my travels, you can find more details and photos here.)
My news
The ebook of my romance novel Escape to the Country is currently on sale for 99p. This is the book which Ulverscroft will be publishing as a large print edition. It's already available as paperback, ebook and audiobook.
I'll be posting updates of the process, so you'll know what to expect, should you decide to submit something.
I submitted several novels on 30th July. These were acknowledged a few weeks later. Escape to the Country was accepted on 13th October. I've yet to receive a contract*, but have been told the terms. I've been given the expected publication date (Ist May) and the ISBN. Of course I'll read it carefully and only sign if I agree, but I'm not expecting a problem.
*I believe the relevant person was on leave. They have been in contact to request banking details.
Do you have any news?
16 comments:
Thanks for all the Ulverscroft info Patsy, really interesting. Like you, I’ve not seen many competitions around lately other than paying ones. I clicked on the link to your blog - so many super autumn photos!
My only news is that I entered the Calibre Audio competition and my story was short-listed. Didn’t win, but I was invited to record it for the audio anthology, so had a go at that yesterday. Can’t remember who found the competition but thank you and thanks to Patsy for sharing!
Well done Fiona and to all with positive news.
I haven't any news, I'm afraid.
I begun a story yesterday but half way through, I realised it wasn't a womag story. But I'll finish it and send it to a no fee project.
Sonder books, who publish anthologies, are looking for new material.
Their anthologies are themed, so your story must fit around the themes. They don't pay but you keep copyright.
Their business model is based on the writer paying for the anthologies, then selling them on at a higher fee.
They are very fussy about formatting. I've had a few stories accepted but I decided not to submit any more for the time being.
Some good news! To my shock and amazement, I received an email at about 4.00pm on Tuesday afternoon to say I was a runner up in the Best Halloween competition!!! Couldn't believe it.
That's lovely news, Helen!☺️
Well done, Fiona. I hope your recording adventures go okay. I will look up Sonder: thank you, Sharon. I was heartened to see on the front of BOWWF: "Written by people - never AI" on the area where the bar code is. The Ulverscroft is looking good for you, Patsy ☺️. Looking forward to the next Little Mallow...
Wonderful news Fiona and Helen! Enjoyed the Sutton Hoo photos, Patsy.
Thank you Sharon for the Sonder info.
Marguerite - pleased to hear BWWF’s stance on AI. 😊
Just a reminder - Happiful Magazine is looking for poems that ‘explore mental health and wellbeing in unique, engaging and empowering ways’. Closing date this Friday 30 October. Free entry and every entrant is invited to an exclusive poetry webinar.
Dee
Well done Helen. That's great news.
I write rhyming poems but it would strain my brain to write a poem about mental health and well being!
If it was on the theme of say, nature, that wouldn't be too bad.
Does anyone know what's happened to Crowvus?
It says on their website that entries for their Hooded anthology will open on October 1.
But no info has been updated. It's very strange, especially as we're almost in in November.
Congratulations, Helen! I always read Best’s winning entries, but I find I often don’t recognise most of the authors’ names. So it’s nice to learn that somebody on this blog has won.
I also entered, but never mind. Hopefully they’ll have a Christmas competition.
Michael
Well done, Helen and Fiona.
I hope Best will be running a Christmas comp, too, Michael. That seems to be their model at the moment.
Thanks for the info about Ulverscroft, Patsy. When your book is released make sure you sign up for PLR - think I got enough for a cup of coffee and a slice of cake last year! Hoping I might have moved up to fish and chips with this year's borrowings from libraries...
Alyson
Well done Fiona & Helen, great achievements. I've no real news myself just ambling along.
Well done, Fiona, I too entered Calibre audio, didn't make the shortlist. I do have a couple of links to free to enter Christmas story comps though -
https://weirdchristmas.com/2026/09/27/announcing-the-ninth-annual-weird-christmas-flash-fiction-conthology/
You might have had this one before, Patsy, but here's another from The Writing Club https://thewritingclubroom.com/christmas-ghost-story-competition-2026/ and https://storystreetwriters.com/ keep running micro story comps which I enter and haven't got anywhere (as yet) with :)
and for those writers living in Yorkshire there's this free sub call https://rickdanforth.wordpress.com/white-rose/
Hope some of this is helpful
Life has been a bit busy lately, but I've finally had a moment to come on here. It's lovely to read of some successes - congratulations to everyone. I've made a couple of submissions, so that is my news.
Thanks for posting about the Linford opportunity a while back, Patsy. I'm delighted to report that I've just signed a contract with them for my novella, Venetian Interlude!
Don't know if my previous one went through - I'm the 'anonymous' post above!
Congratulations to Fiona, Helen and Rosemary on your successes! It's always encouraging to hear that writers I 'know' are doing well. After a quiet spell, I recently had three magazine story acceptances, all of different lengths and subject matter, so I'm suitably delighted and eager to write more. Hope everyone is staying safe and dry during this stormy weather - thinking of you, Patsy, on your travels.
@ Fiona - congratulations! Do let us know what happens if it gets included (not that we're nosy!)
@ Sharon - Thanks for the info on Sonder. I think the chances of authors being able to sell on many copies of the anthologies are slim, but some people might like to be published without bothering with that side of things.
@ Helen - great news. Well done!
@ Marguerite - Ooh, that's interesting and heartening, as you say. But hasn't it come to something when that statement is seen as a selling point, rather than stating the obvious?
@ Dee - We've been to some really interesting places already on this trip, and have more planned. I must download the photos of climbing down into a mine, and up into a tower.
Thanks for the reminder about Happiful.
@ Sharon - nature is good for wellbeing, could that be your theme?
@ Micheal - It is nice when someone we know virtually has success.
I expect they will have a Christmas competition.
@ Alyson – Cake? I'm in!
@ Sheelagh – I hope you amble into some good news soon.
@ Aly - Thanks for those. I'll copy them into my next post.
@ Marian - Submission is an important step! Good luck.
@ Rosemary - Well done! (I deduced it was you from the book title.)
@ Eirin - well done!
It's been windy, and we had some 'fun' with a fallen tree blocking one road, but we've found sheltered places to spend the nights.
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