WHC 2005 Dark Fiction Contest

WHC 2005 Dark Fiction Contest
Please note: You must be a registered member of WHC 2005 to participate in this contest.

Cemetery Dance Publications and Flesh and Blood Press are proud to sponsor the 2005 Word Horror Convention Dark Fiction Contest. This contest is open to all contributing and supporting members of the 2005 World Horror Convention. Stories may contain elements of science fiction or fantasy, but must contain a strong element of the dark or horrific.

First place winner will be also be published in a future issue of either Cemetery Dance or Flesh & Blood, to be determined by the editors of those magazines. Winners will be announced and payment/prize winnings will be handed out during the World Horror Convention weekend.

WHC2005 members may submit one story in the following category:

Short Fiction: Stories up to 7500 words.
o First Prize: $500 and 3 contributor copies
o Second Prize: $350
o Third Prize: $150

Judges:
Richard Chizmar, Senior Editor and Publisher of Cemetery Dance Publications, and Jack Fisher, Editor-in-chief and Publisher of Flesh & Blood Magazine.

Rules:
All stories must be original works of fiction, not submitted to any other contest or publication. Only one entry per person will be accepted and it must be the creation of that person in whose name it is submitted. Should work be discovered as a copy or contain plagiarized material, applicant/writer and his work will be disqualified.

Stories that have been published previously are not eligible. Reprints (regardless of how obscure the source), stories published in electronic markets or on the web in any form, fan fiction, or stories based on gaming systems are not eligible.

One entry per person.

Decision of the judges is final.

The author’s name should not appear beyond the cover sheet. The story title should appear on all pages of the manuscript. The contest is run on a blind review and judges do not see the entrant's name until winners are chosen.

A cover page must be attached to the story, including the story name, the name and address of the author, telephone number, approximate word count and e-mail address if applicable. Do not put your name on manuscript pages. Include your Membership ID number or Paypal confirmation number on the cover page.

All entries must be typed and double-spaced on one side of 8 1/2" x 11" paper.

Manuscripts will not be returned.

Professional writers (those who make at least half of their income writing fiction) and teachers of creative writing at the college level are not eligible to enter. World Horror Convention Committee members (as listed on the WHC2005.org website), and employees of Cemetery Dance Publications are not eligible to enter.

The Sponsors will retain the non-exclusive right to publish the winning entry in either Cemetery Dance magazine or Flesh & Blood magazine.

Winners will be announced during the World Horror Convention’s Opening Ceremonies on Thursday, April 7, 2005.

The Sponsors are not responsible for late, stolen, incomplete, illegible or misdirected mail or submissions.

Any entry that does not conform to these rules will not be entered into the contest.

How to submit:

Stories will be accepted by regular mail only. Send one copy, with the envelope clearly marked as WHC Contest Entry, to both:

Cemetery Dance
Richard Chizmar
P.O. Box 623
Forest Hill, MD 21050
USA

Flesh & Blood Press
Jack Fisher
121 Joseph Street
Bayville, NJ 08721
USA

Deadline: Entries must be received by March 21, 2005.

Questions? Contact the WHC at Committee@whc2005.org.