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Open Call for Submissions

The Central Virginia chapter of Sisters in Crime announces an open call for submissions for an anthology to be published in 2024, tentatively titled Crime in the Old Dominion

To be eligible for inclusion, you must be a member of SinC National and the Central Virginia chapter, both at the time of submission and at the time of publication. (You don't need to reside in Central Virginia to join the chapter, and it's perfectly fine to be a member of multiple chapters.)

 

This is not a themed anthology, though stories must involve a crime and must be set in Virginia. Word count is 3000-5000 words. Stories may fit into any of crime fiction's subgenres, but gratuitous sex and violence should be avoided.

Pursuant to SinC National guidelines for chapter anthologies, all royalties will accrue to the chapter. However, we expect that contributing authors (those whose stories are accepted and published) will receive a small fee on publication that will make their stories eligible for certain industry awards/recognition.

Format:

  • Submit your story as a .doc or .docx file. No other file formats will be considered. 

  • Use Times New Roman, 12 pt, and double space. 

  • Indent the first line of each paragraph one-half inch. Don't add an extra blank line between paragraphs, except to indicate a scene break. 

  • Put a header including the name of your story and a page number at the top of every page (except p. 1).

 

We will be using a blind-submission process. Your name should not appear anywhere on your manuscript or in its document properties. (Entries will be checked for personal information and assigned a number as an identifier before they are sent to judges for selection.)

 

To submit:

  • Attach your file to an email and send it to our chapter email address (sinc_cva@yahoo.com) with the subject line: Chapter Anthology Submission. 

  • In the body of your email, include your name and confirm that you are a member of SinC National and the Central Virginia SinC chapter. No other information is necessary at this point, although authors of accepted stories will be asked to provide a mailing address, a brief bio, and a high-rez headshot for promotional purposes.

 

Originals only; no reprints. No simultaneous or multiple submissions. Send your best story, not an assortment.

The deadline for submission is November 30, 2023. Please don't ask for an extension of this deadline. Authors will be notified of acceptance on or before February 29, 2024. Accepted stories are subject to editing, and you may be asked to participate in the editing process; if you're not prepared to be professionally edited, you should not submit.

 

The author of an accepted story will be asked to sign a permission agreement giving the chapter the right to include the story in all editions of the anthology, and the exclusive right to the story for a period of six months after the anthology's original publication date. All other rights remain with the author.

 

We have identified an MWA-approved publisher and are awaiting a signed contract before providing additional details, but we are confident you’ll be happy with them when you know who they are.

SinC-CV Anthologies

DEADLY SOUTHERN CHARM

“Deliciously devious and absolutely delightful, these marvelous stories will keep you captivated! Sweeter than sweet tea on the surface, but with smartly sinister secrets only a true southern writer can provide. What a joy to read!” —Hank Phillippi Ryan best-selling Agatha and Mary Higgins Clark Award winner

This volume collects original tales by Frances Aylor, Mollie Cox Bryan, Lynn Cahoon, J.A. Chalkey, Stacie Giles, Barb Goffman, Libby Hall, Bradley Harper, Sherry Harris, Maggie King, Kristin Kisska, Samantha McGraw, K.L. Murphy, Genilee Swope Parente, Deb Rolfe, Rod Sterling, S.A. Warwick, and Heather Weidner.

Wildside Press

Wildside Press - eBook

Amazon

Amazon eBook

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VIRGINIA IS FOR MYSTERIES VOL. 2

Yes, Virginia may be for lovers, but to nineteen authors Virginia is for Mysteries: Volume II. This anthology of nineteen short stories, set in and around the Commonwealth, features Virginia landmarks and locations such as Virginia Wine Country, the Poe Museum, Luray Caverns, Colonial Williamsburg, the Great Dismal Swamp, Nimrod Hall, Barter Theater, and Mill Mountain, to name a few.

Authors: Meriah Lysistrata Crawford, Adele Gardner, Debbiann Holmes, Maria Hudgins, Teresa Inge, Maggie King, Kristin Kisska, C. B. Lane, Vivian Lawry, Michael McGowan, Kathleen Mix, Jayne Ormerod, Yvonne Saxon, Rosemary Shomaker, Rosemary Stevens, Linda Thornburg, Heather Weidner, Lee Wells, and Ken Wingate

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

IndieBound

VIFM2 Cover.jpg

VIRGINIA IS FOR MYSTERIES

Virginia Is for Mysteries is a collection of sixteen short stories set in and around the state of Virginia. All stories are written by Virginia residents with “murder” in mind. Stories are set in Virginia in locales like Williamsburg, Cape Charles, Roanoke, Richmond, Virginia Beach, Yorktown, and Luray Caverns.

Authors: Meredith Cole, Maria Hudgins, Teresa Inge, Maggie King, May Layne, Vivian Lawry, Michael McGowan, Smita Harish Jain, Jayne Ormerod, Yvonne Saxon, Rosemary Shomaker, Fiona Quinn, Linda Thornburg, and Heather Weidner

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

IndieBound

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