I’ve teamed up with my local library to judge a horror writing contest with my partner, Lori Michelle. 1st prize gets you $50 and publication in our magazine, Dark Moon Digest. 2nd and 3rd will receive Amazon gift cards and complimentary copies of DMD. Details on how to register can be found here.

It is free to enter, of course. Any contest that requires money up front from writers is immoral. Same goes for regular anthology and magazine open calls. Submission fees will forever be bullshit. Money should go toward the writer, not the other way around.

While I have you, however, I will advertise something that does cost money. Over on our Patreon, I give out a monthly creative writing prompt. Patrons then write up a short story and email it to me. I read every story and offer editorial notes. I do not publish these stories. I only edit them. What you do with the story afterward is entirely your choice.

My usual editing fee is $0.01 per word. With these Patreon prompts, however? It’ll only cost you $5 a month. There’s still a little time to join August’s session.