Writer's Center Happy Hour, March 26!

That's right! Come on out and enjoy a drink (or pop, depending) at The Writer's Center's first ever happy hour. It's on Thursday, March 26 beginning at 6p.m at Gaffney's Restaurant in downtown Bethesda. This has been mentioned over at The Writer's Center's Facebook page--so if you've not become a member of the group there, why not join today?

That's right, why not. So here's some news. Abdul Ali, my colleague at The Writer's Center, is now hosting WPFW's "Poets' Corner". It's broadcast on Mondays at 7p.m. (He's replacing the great Reuben Jackson.) Next week's guest is none other than Elizabeth Alexander. Pretty cool, eh?

Other news: Tammy Greenwood, WC instructor and author of the novel Two Rivers, was recently interviewed at podbean.com. Here's a link to that podcast.

Lots of excellent stuff going on. Art Taylor interviewed WC instructor David Taylor--no relation!--author of the recent Soul of a People: The WPA Writers' Project Discovers Depression America, over at Art & Literature. If you don't know Art's blog, you should!

Now on to the second contest announcement of the week. I'll continue to announce these unless I get inundated with too many. Later this week, look for a related post on our new lit journal discount program (which I'm totally psyched about).

American Short(er) Fiction PrizeOur new contest highlights great work in shorter fiction--stories of 1,000 words or less, to be exact.

www.americanshortfiction.org

First prize *receives $500 and publication.
Second prize* receives $250 and publication.

Judged by the editorial staff of American Short Fiction.

Contest is open from February 16 to May 1. Submissions accepted online via the /ASF /Submission Manager.

Guidelines

1. All entries must be unpublished and 1,000 words or less. Please type and double-space.

2. The entry fee is $15, payable through our publisher’s online store.

Please pay the entry fee before submitting your work through the Submission Manager. When you have paid the entry fee, you will be given access to the Submission Manager to submit your work.

3. You may send up to three shorts per entry, but make sure they are all combined into *ONE *file for uploading. Each individual short may be up to 1,000 words, so the file can contain a maximum of 3,000 words.

4. You may enter as many times as you like. Each separate entry requires its own entry fee of $15. (Please refer to the previous guideline.)

5. Entrant’s name should NOT appear anywhere on the uploaded file.

6. Previously published stories and stories forthcoming at other publications cannot be considered. This includes online journals and other websites. Entries may be simultaneous submissions, but the entry fee is nonrefundable if the story is accepted elsewhere. Please notify us immediately to withdraw a story that is taken by another publication.

7. Winners will be announced on June 1, 2009, on the /American Short Fiction/ website.

8. Current employees or others affiliated with Badgerdog Literary Publishing are ineligible for consideration or publication. In addition, writers who have a strong personal or professional relationship with the editorial staff are asked to abstain from entering the contest in order to prevent a conflict of interest.

9. We comply with the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) Code of Ethics.

Questions? Contact us at editors [at] americanshortfiction.org