The 11th-annual Okanagan Short Story Contest is once again open to entries. Anyone living in B.C.’s Southern Interior, within the listening area of CBC Radio One from Kelowna, is eligible. This includes all residents west of the Alberta border, south of William’s Lake, east of Hope and north of the U.S. border.
Writers have until May 15, 2009, to submit short stories for the Okanagan Short Fiction Contest, sponsored by Okanagan College, UBC Okanagan, CBC Radio One and the Central Okanagan Foundation.
Cash prizes are offered for the best adult short fiction from the Southern Interior. Stories ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 words are eligible; however, all entries must be original, unpublished works of fiction, submitted on 8 ½” by 11″ plain white paper, double-spaced and typed. There is no limit on the number of entries, but a $12 entry fee is required with each.
“The competition for this contest is something else,” says Michael V. Smith, a creative writing professor at UBC Okanagan and one of the contest’s organizers. “This is a great chance for local writers to show off their stuff. We’re buzzing with talent in the Okanagan and this contest always helps prove that point. The short story contest is putting the Okanagan on Canada’s literary map.”
Winners will receive cash prizes of $500 for first prize, $200 for second and $100 for third, and they participate in a public reading with contest judge Gail Anderson-Dargatz.
Entries are judged by creative writing faculty from Okanagan College and UBC Okanagan, and an external judge Gail Anderson-Dargatz.
Mail entries and a $12 cheque to:
Okanagan Short Fiction Contest
c/o Barbra MacDonald
Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
UBC Okanagan
Arts 173 – 3333 University Way
Kelowna, B.C. V1V 1V7
For more info, contact Michael V. Smith at 250-807-9706. Complete contest rules are online at www.okstorycontest.org.
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