The 1st Annual Dark Moon Anthology Short Story Contest: Zombies!

If you like zombies (and who doesn't?) and you like to write, then get out your ink pens or limber up those fingers, because here is your chance!

Dark Moon Books (an imprint of Stony Meadow Publishing) is sponsoring it's first annual horror short story writing contest. The contest is open to all writers, whether published or unpublished, and we are looking forward to reading some great short stories!

RULE #1: (And this is perhaps the most important rule) Your short story must be zombie oriented!

That's right. Only zombie short stories will be considered for this contest. Zombies must be the main factor in your horror short story. It should not, for example, be about vampires and werewolves with a zombie thrown into the mix for no good reason. Zombies, zombies, zombies! Need we say more?

The story style does not matter. It can be a straight slasher type story (although we have to admit right up front, those are not our favorites) or a humorous short story. But most importantly, it must be an entertaining horror short story. We must want to turn that next page to say what happens next in the story and how things end.

Here are the rest of the rules:

• All short stories must be submitted by the author holding the copyright. (If your short story is not copyrighted, don't worry. Copyright laws protect your work from the moment you started writing it.)

• Contest Deadline has been extended: January 1, 2010.

• Your zombie short story must be previously unpublished in print format. (Online publication is okay as long as you hold the copyright and are not bound by exclusivity to any person, party or website.)

• By submitting your zombie short story, you authorize us to use the work as promotional content as needed. You also give Stony Meadow Publishing and Dark Moon Books First North American Serial Rights if we decide to publish your story in the anthology. (Check here for more information on copyrights.) All other rights remain yours. We only desire single time use rights.

• All submitted short stories should be at least 2,000 words and should not be longer than about 6,000 words. This is not a strict guideline, but anything differing from these figures should be the exception rather than the rule.

• Once again, all short stories need to be zombie-oriented.

• Please submit no more than two short stories.

• You may withdraw your short story from consideration at any point before the 01/01/2010 contest end date, but this request must be made in writing.

• Entrants selected as finalists for the contest will be notified within 60 days of the contest's end.

• Submit all entries via e-mail to StonyMeadowBooks@aol.com as an attachment that is either in Word (.doc) format or rich text format.

• Include your name, address, phone number and e-mail address on the first page of your short story. All subsequent pages should be numbered and include author name and title.

• Please use a serif type to format your short story. (i.e. Times Roman, Georgia, Courier).

Winners of the First Annual Dark Moon Anthology Horror Short Story Writing Contest will be announced within 60 days after the contest closes.

Prizes are as follows:

• 1st Prize: $100 and publication as the winning entry in the Dark Moon Anthology: A Collection of Zombie Short Stories.

• 2nd Prize: $50 and publication in the Dark Moon Anthology: A Collection of Zombie Short Stories.

• 3rd Prize: $25 and publication in the Dark Moon Anthology: A Collection of Zombie Short Stories.

All other stories selected for the Dark Moon Anthology: A Collection of Zombie Short Stories will receive a complimentary copy of the book upon publication. (No other remuneration will be provided.) We expect to include about 12-15 short stories depending on story length, etc.

All prize money and complimentary copies will be awarded upon publication of the book.

Please send all entires, questions and inquiries to StonyMeadowBooks@aol.com. We will also accept questions and queries by snail mail (Dark Moon Books, Stony Meadow Publishing, 1690 Dunn Avenue #619, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, but all manuscripts must be in either .doc or rich text format. Phone inquiries will also be accepted by calling 386-366-0109.

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