Shallow Waters - a monthly flash fiction challenge by Crystal Lake Publishing

[Joe Mynhardt]

Authors, it's time to start writing your August flash fiction story!

The winner will be published in one of Crystal Lake Publishing's upcoming Shallow Waters anthologies, as well as receive $20 via PayPal and an Author Spotlight on our Patreon page and in our newsletter.

Submission guidelines:
You have up to 750 words to write a flash fiction story based on the theme 'Karma is a bitch." Please submit your story in the body of an email to crystallakepub(at)gmail(dot)com. Submissions close late Sunday night. It's free to enter and you don't have to be a Crystal Lake patron.

For those not familiar with this challenge... I'll read all the submissions (normally between 20 and 50) and put the best 10 to 15 stories on the Crystal Lake Publishing Patreon page for our patrons to read and vote on. The great part is that even the popular stories that didn't win might still get published in our series of flash fiction anthologies.

If you're interested, you'll find both volumes on Amazon Kindle and Kindle Unlimited:
Shallow Waters Vol.1: http://getbook.at/SWaters1
Shallow Waters Vol.2: http://getbook.at/SWaters2

Or check out the Crystal Lake Patreon page if you're more interested in reading the stories: https://www.patreon.com/CLP

[Joe Mynhardt]

Authors, it’s time for the September Flash Fiction Challenge!

This month’s theme is Travel Horror, so any stories taking place on planes, trains, boats and goats. Or any other medium of travel you can think of. The prize includes a $20 token payment, publication in an upcoming Shallow Waters anthology, and an Author Spotlight on the Crystal Lake Patreon page and newsletter.

Submission guidelines:
Your story must fit the theme
Must be under 1,000 words
Should be submitted in the body of an email to crystallakepub(at)gmail(dot)com
Your entry must be submitted by Thursday night (19 September) at the latest

For those not familiar with the challenge, it’s open to all authors, and you don’t have to be a Crystal Lake Patreon supporter/patron to enter. I’ll personally read the stories and choose the best stories, which I’ll then post to the Crystal Lake patrons. They’ll read and vote for a winner. And even if you don’t win, the most popular stories will be invited to one of our Shallow Waters anthologies.

[DGSquared]

Gee Joe, even though we are Facebook friends and friends here, I've missed this the past few months. Do you have an October Challenge?

I'd love the opportunity to get involved.

[Joe Mynhardt]

Gee Joe, even though we are Facebook friends and friends here, I've missed this the past few months. Do you have an October Challenge?

I'd love the opportunity to get involved.

Hi. Yes. Here's the info on the new challenge: https://www.patreon.com/posts/30811014

[Joe Mynhardt]

Authors, the theme for this month's flash fiction challenge is, of course, Halloween! Check out the details here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/30811014

The winner will receive $20, publication, and an Author Spotlight.

AND for a bonus this month... Every writer who makes it to the voting round will receive a #CrystalLake2020 Lucky Draw entry.

[Joe Mynhardt]

And here we go: The 1st Shallow Waters Flash Fiction Writing Challenge of 2020.

Authors, you have up to 1,000 words to write a Dark Fiction or Horror story with a WAR theme. It can be set during war time, be about war itself, be a fictional war, space war, etc. You have artistic freedom.

Check out the submission guidelines right here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/33036286

[DGSquared]

Thank you, Joe. For once, I found one of these on the first day it's posted. I'm usually late to discover these opportunities.

Something interesting to consider.  I'll go have a look.

[DGSquared]

Yikes! That's a short submission window.    Thus the "Flash."

[Joe Mynhardt]

The April flash fiction challenge is on!

To celebrate the launch of Crystal Lake Publishing’s Still Water Bay series (on our Patreon page) on the 27th, as well the launch of SHALLOW WATERS VOL.5 (eBook only) on the 15th, and my birthday on the 9th), there’s no theme this month. As long as your story is scary, I want to read it. You can go all out horror or even Sci-Fi and Fantasy, but it needs elements of fear and suspense.

This challenge is open to all authors, but you only get one submission. The word count is of course 1,000 words or less. Please submit your entry in the body of an email to crystallakepub(at)gmail(dot)com before midnight on the 10th of April. The best stories will be posted on the Crystal Lake Patreon page (https://www.patreon.com/CLP) where our $5-a-month and higher tier patrons will read the entries and vote for a winner. The winner will receive $0.01 a word payment, publication in an upcoming Shallow Waters anthology, and an Author Spotlight in our newsletter and on our Patreon page.

Have fun!

[DGSquared]

Thanks for this, Joe. I have some scary poetry for NaPoWriMo this month.

Happy Birthday and best of luck with this one.


~Deb

[Joe Mynhardt]

Thanks for this, Joe. I have some scary poetry for NaPoWriMo this month.
Happy Birthday and best of luck with this one.
~Deb

Thank you!

[Joe Mynhardt]

Time to write those flash fiction stories!

Since so many of us have been or are still stuck at home, the theme for this month is Home Alone. Do with that what you want. Scary thrillers, home invasions, strange neighbors, alien abductions, or the supernatural etc. As long as it's scary or dark and 1,000 words or less.

The winner will receive $0.02 a word. $10 each in the case of a first place tie. The winner will also receive publication in a Shallow Waters anthology and an Author Spotlight on the Crystal Lake newsletter and Patreon page.

The deadline is Thursday the 14th of May, at midnight. Please submit your stories to me at crystallakepub(at)gmail(dot)com. The subject of your email must please be the title of your story.