Calling all UK based short story writers and poets. You are invited to submit your work for our new anthology inspired by the objects and archaeological discoveries cared for by the Corinium Museum in Cirencester.
In collaboration with the Corinium Museum, we’re inviting you to respond to the artefacts in their collection. An artefact is an object which has been made or used by a person. It may be a tool or a pottery vessel, or a bead or a bone, or even a pebble used as a fishing weight. The object itself may be fascinating, or the circumstances in which it was found may be the key. Your story or poem should relate to a historical object in some way … but how it relates is up to you.
Some useful resources:
Featured objects – Corinium Museum
Artefact Showcase from the Corinium Museum — Google Arts & Culture
Corinium Museum 3D models – Corinium Museum
This book will be launched in late 2024.
We are a collaborative publisher, so authors of successful submissions will be asked to make a contribution towards the cost of publication.
What are we looking for?
Short stories of between 800 and 2000 words, and poetry.
This is a history themed anthology, inspired by the work of the Corinium Museum. We always love stories about mystery and magic, real places and true memories, fairy tales and the gothic.
Connection is important for this collection, so think carefully about how to relate your story to a historical artefact, a museum, or an archaeological site. We’d particularly love to read submissions which relate to the Corinium Museum, the museum’s collection or its work in some way, but this is not compulsory.
Your theme might be spooky, or funny, or place an unusual twist upon a common theme. You might explore romance or mystery or even tell a tale based on true life.
Some suggested keywords for your premise might be: history, unearthed, lost, found.
Submissions should not have been previously published. This means that the work should not have appeared in any form in publications, journals, serials, on blogs or social media.
New and established authors are welcome!
Exclusions:
Although murder and mayhem are not strictly prohibited, it should not be graphically described. Submissions should not include extreme or sexualised violence. Very dark horror will be excluded sorry – we scare easily!
We do not accept work which contains AI generated text.
About the finished book:
Each of our titles is creatively produced to reflect the subject, and this anthology will be beautiful inside and out and suitable for the Young Adult and adult readership.
This book will feature a number of black and white illustrations, produced in-house.
We publish in paperback and ebook.
What to submit:
You can submit up to 5 short stories or poems. Please make your submission by email in Word format. We can also accept .pages files.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself in your covering email.
Submissions are open:
DEADLINE: 11 July 2024
Terms and Conditions:
Our decision to offer a publishing opportunity is final.
If we notify you that one or more of your submissions has been accepted, you will be offered the opportunity to sign a simple contract.
Authors must be UK based, or be able to provide a UK postal address to receive copies of the finished book and details of a UK bank account (for royalty payments).
We take your rights as the author of your work very seriously. Your work will not be shared with any third party without your agreement. If your submission is unsuccessful, you can ask for your work to be deleted from our system at any time.
We do not accept work which contains AI generated text. You will be asked to confirm that you are the sole author of your work when you sign a publishing agreement.
The author contribution: this is collaborative publishing so authors of successful submissions will be asked to contribute a share of the publishing costs, on a per author basis (rather than per accepted work) payable at the point of signing a contract. There is no reading fee.
Costs for this publication are still being finalised, but rest assured that you will have plenty of time to ask any questions you may have at the next stage.
Please be aware that we reserve the right to select multiple works from some authors and single works by others. Each work will be assessed on its individual merits. We will give feedback where we are able.
Royalties: authors whose work is published in this anthology will receive royalties.
We publish in paperback and ebook.
Are you a young writer aged 8 to 15?