Submissions Closed 2021 Short Story Anthology
Carolina Crimes: 20 Tales of Rock, Roll, and Ruin
Eligibility
To submit a manuscript, you must be a current member of Sisters in Crime (national), and either
a resident of either North or South Carolina.
OR
a current member of the Triangle SinC chapter.
Each author may submit one manuscript.
Deadline for submissions: June 1, 2021 - Submissions Closed
Theme: ROCK & ROLL.
The theme completes our TriSinC Chapter trilogy. SEX was the theme of our 2013 anthology, Carolina Crimes: 19 Tales of Lust, Love, and Longing (Wildside). The theme of 2017’s Carolina Crimes: 21 Tales of Need, Greed, and Dirty Deeds (Down & Out) was ADDICTION, aka drugs. And what segues from sex and drugs?
That’s right, rock & roll.
So, Carolina SinC writers, put on your thinking caps and develop a connection between music and crime – rock & roll or any other kind! You can broaden the theme to include any music-related mayhem. For example:
All subgenres of mystery are encouraged: thrillers, police procedurals, true crime, amateur sleuth, private detective, historical, etc. Stories may cross genres, including romance, supernatural, or futuristic elements with tones from dark and gritty to cozy or humorous.
Do not submit stories that would be considered erotica, pornographic, or offensively graphic.
Stories must include a crime, not necessarily murder.
Manuscript
Your story must contain 1500-5000 words (including title) and must be an original story that has not been published previously anywhere, in print, electronically, or online.
Send the manuscript as an MS Word file (.doc or .docx) attachment to an email (do not embed it in the body of the email), to the submissions coordinator, Toni Goodyear: [email protected]. The email subject line should read:
Anthology Submission: MY STORY TITLE. (That’s your story’s title, not literally MY STORY TITLE.)
In the body of the email, include a bio of up to 250 words. Also include your name, your pen name if any, your address, phone number, email address, title of story and word count.
All manuscripts must be submitted electronically using standard formatting (double spaced, Times New Roman 12, one-inch margins, paginated in the header).
The manuscript must NOT contain the name of the author anywhere. Strip your name from the document’s Properties. Each manuscript will be given a code, for blind readings by judges.
Once we accept your submission for judging you will be sent an email confirmation of receipt.
All authors will be notified of the results in mid-July.
Judging and Story Selection Criteria
The judging will be blind; the judges will not know who wrote the stories.
Judges will evaluate stories based on quality of writing, originality, characters, setting, plot, dialogue, and incorporation of theme.
Highest-scoring stories will be submitted to the editor. The anthology committee reserves the right to read all stories and make final decisions on anthology content.
Editing
If your story has been selected for inclusion in the anthology, the editor will contact you to discuss what is needed to finalize your story.
When revisions have been agreed upon, it is expected that they will occur in the timeframe set by the editor. Failure to meet that deadline may result in disqualification.
The editor may propose to the anthology committee that a story be omitted from the anthology if agreement with an author on content revision cannot be reached. The anthology committee retains the right to disqualify a story. Authors retain the right to withdraw a story if they are unable to agree with requested content revisions.
Anthology authors will be required to sign a contract giving Triangle Sisters in Crime exclusive first print and e-book publication rights to their story for a specified period of time; the author will retain all other rights. Upon receipt of the contract, Triangle Sisters in Crime will pay the author $50. Any royalties will go to the chapter.
Karen Pullen has agreed to edit the anthology. She is a founding member of the Triangle chapter, author of the mystery novels Cold Feet and Cold Heart (Five Star Cengage) and a short story collection, Restless Dreams (Bedazzled Ink). She edited TriSinC’s first anthology, which was nominated for a 2015 Anthony award.
Publication
After editing the anthology into final form, Triangle Sisters in Crime will prepare a query package to send to likely publishers. The anthology committee will examine and negotiate any contract offer. If we are not successful in finding an acceptable publisher, we will publish the anthology ourselves in a professional manner; promote and market it; allow authors to purchase copies at a discount for resale.
Marketing
Authors are expected to promote the anthology through their social media.
To submit a manuscript, you must be a current member of Sisters in Crime (national), and either
a resident of either North or South Carolina.
OR
a current member of the Triangle SinC chapter.
Each author may submit one manuscript.
Deadline for submissions: June 1, 2021 - Submissions Closed
Theme: ROCK & ROLL.
The theme completes our TriSinC Chapter trilogy. SEX was the theme of our 2013 anthology, Carolina Crimes: 19 Tales of Lust, Love, and Longing (Wildside). The theme of 2017’s Carolina Crimes: 21 Tales of Need, Greed, and Dirty Deeds (Down & Out) was ADDICTION, aka drugs. And what segues from sex and drugs?
That’s right, rock & roll.
So, Carolina SinC writers, put on your thinking caps and develop a connection between music and crime – rock & roll or any other kind! You can broaden the theme to include any music-related mayhem. For example:
- A couple breaks up—what happens to their record collection?
- Neighbor’s band practice is deafening.
- Two members of an opera troupe compete for a lead role.
- My child wants tickets to a Harry Styles performance.
- A couple takes dancing lessons.
- A favorite guitar is vandalized.
- A new job: concession stand at a music venue.
- An unauthorized video of an impromptu jazz session goes viral
- The conductor of the local symphony fails to appear at show time
- Someone has stolen a prized antique music box
- Two street rappers battle for a local prize
- A would-be country star comes to the big city
All subgenres of mystery are encouraged: thrillers, police procedurals, true crime, amateur sleuth, private detective, historical, etc. Stories may cross genres, including romance, supernatural, or futuristic elements with tones from dark and gritty to cozy or humorous.
Do not submit stories that would be considered erotica, pornographic, or offensively graphic.
Stories must include a crime, not necessarily murder.
Manuscript
Your story must contain 1500-5000 words (including title) and must be an original story that has not been published previously anywhere, in print, electronically, or online.
Send the manuscript as an MS Word file (.doc or .docx) attachment to an email (do not embed it in the body of the email), to the submissions coordinator, Toni Goodyear: [email protected]. The email subject line should read:
Anthology Submission: MY STORY TITLE. (That’s your story’s title, not literally MY STORY TITLE.)
In the body of the email, include a bio of up to 250 words. Also include your name, your pen name if any, your address, phone number, email address, title of story and word count.
All manuscripts must be submitted electronically using standard formatting (double spaced, Times New Roman 12, one-inch margins, paginated in the header).
The manuscript must NOT contain the name of the author anywhere. Strip your name from the document’s Properties. Each manuscript will be given a code, for blind readings by judges.
Once we accept your submission for judging you will be sent an email confirmation of receipt.
All authors will be notified of the results in mid-July.
Judging and Story Selection Criteria
The judging will be blind; the judges will not know who wrote the stories.
Judges will evaluate stories based on quality of writing, originality, characters, setting, plot, dialogue, and incorporation of theme.
Highest-scoring stories will be submitted to the editor. The anthology committee reserves the right to read all stories and make final decisions on anthology content.
Editing
If your story has been selected for inclusion in the anthology, the editor will contact you to discuss what is needed to finalize your story.
When revisions have been agreed upon, it is expected that they will occur in the timeframe set by the editor. Failure to meet that deadline may result in disqualification.
The editor may propose to the anthology committee that a story be omitted from the anthology if agreement with an author on content revision cannot be reached. The anthology committee retains the right to disqualify a story. Authors retain the right to withdraw a story if they are unable to agree with requested content revisions.
Anthology authors will be required to sign a contract giving Triangle Sisters in Crime exclusive first print and e-book publication rights to their story for a specified period of time; the author will retain all other rights. Upon receipt of the contract, Triangle Sisters in Crime will pay the author $50. Any royalties will go to the chapter.
Karen Pullen has agreed to edit the anthology. She is a founding member of the Triangle chapter, author of the mystery novels Cold Feet and Cold Heart (Five Star Cengage) and a short story collection, Restless Dreams (Bedazzled Ink). She edited TriSinC’s first anthology, which was nominated for a 2015 Anthony award.
Publication
After editing the anthology into final form, Triangle Sisters in Crime will prepare a query package to send to likely publishers. The anthology committee will examine and negotiate any contract offer. If we are not successful in finding an acceptable publisher, we will publish the anthology ourselves in a professional manner; promote and market it; allow authors to purchase copies at a discount for resale.
Marketing
Authors are expected to promote the anthology through their social media.