Contest Opportunities for Young and Old

Here are a couple of contests that should be of interest to all The Writers Circle.

First, for adults, the latest round of NPR’s Three Minute Fiction contest has begun. The judge this time is Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Cunningham. The rules are simple: write a story of no more than 600 words that opens with the line: “Some people swore that the house was haunted,” and ends with the line: “Nothing was ever the same again after that.” Complete information and a submission form are available online. The deadline for submission midnight on September 26, 2010.

For children under 14, here’s an opportunity a little closer to home. I’m judging an essay contest hosted by Words Bookstore to benefit a local charity, the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Essex County. Here’s the full information.

Young aspiring writers ages 14 and under living in Essex County, New Jersey, are invited to participate in a celebratory contest this fall in honor of families. In appreciation of the importance of family life, young adults should submit an essay entitled, “A Picture of My Family Illustrated in Words” by October 15th to Words Bookstore, 179 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, NJ to be reviewed by published author and creative writing teacher, Judith Lindbergh, Director of The Writers Circle Creative Writing Workshops.

Three essays will be honored at Words Bookstore at a reception at their store at an upcoming event this fall. The authors of the essays will receive gift certificates to Words Bookstore.

Additionally, the winning essays will be shared at this year’s fundraising breakfast for Interfaith Hospitality Network. Scheduled for November 11th from 8-9 AM at Mayfair Farms in West Orange, this breakfast will highlight the important work that IHN of Essex County does to keep families together. The theme of this year’s breakfast is “Picture the Family”. We invite residents to attend the breakfast and share the words written by a young adult expressing the importance of their family life.

The charity of honor, Interfaith Hospitality Network began in 1988, when one woman recognized the need to preserve the family unit by providing emergency food and shelter through a network of local congregations. IHN of Essex County continues this mission of keeping homeless families together by helping parents secure permanent housing and achieve lasting independence. Please visit the web site: IHNEssexNJ.org for more information about this essential organization. A (suggested) contribution of IHN of $5.00 with each essay is appreciated.

Hope to see many of you submit your work. Good luck!

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