CALLS FOR SUBMISSION at Prairie Rose

In addition to accepting manuscript submissions for novels, novellas, and short stories whenever anyone wants to send them, Prairie Rose Publications currently seeks submissions for two anthologies and one series.

A Cowboy Celebration

Imprint: Prairie Rose Publications
Theme: love on the Fourth of July
Length: 10,000 to 15,000 words
Deadline: May 1, 2015
Heat: sweet to spicy (no erotica, please)

Fireworks, fried chicken, and true love…

What kind of Fourth of July cowboy celebration is going on at Prairie Rose Publications? Well, hold on to your Stetsons, because we’re bringing out another hot-as-a-firecracker bunch of stories that take place on American Independence Day.

This collection will contain some great Fourth of July stories for everyone, along with the mention of a “special recipe” in each story. The recipes will be included in the back of the book. We had great success with this in the past—and this time, we’re looking for a tasty dish that might be taken to a Fourth of July picnic. These will be western historical romance stories that have a happily-ever-after ending, just in time for an Independence Day release.

Rugged cowboys, daring heroines, and a Fourth of July holiday in the mix are a sure-fire way to get ready for a hot, hot summer.

Your story needs to include mention of a certain food, and the recipe will need to be submitted in a separate document for inclusion at the end of the book. Stories should be 10K-15K in length. Any heat level is fine for this anthology. (We do not publish erotica.)

Deadline for submissions is May 1, 2015.

Email the completed manuscript, along with a query letter (in the body of the email), to Editor in Chief Cheryl Pierson at prairierosepublications@yahoo.com. Please put COWBOY CELEBRATION SUBMISSION in the subject line.

Don't forget: All submissions must be in Times New Roman 12-point font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins.

We look forward to reading the best summer love stories you can dream up, featuring heart-stopping cowboys, saucy heroines, and whatever excitement you can create for them during A Cowboy Celebration.

Nine Deadly Lives: An Anthology of Feline Felonies

Imprint: Fire Star Press
Theme: Cozy mystery
Length: 6,000 to 8,000 words
Deadline: May 1, 2015

Cats...charming, lovable creatures or deadly, razor-clawed predators? This mixture of the sweet and the dangerous is one of the things that makes cats endlessly fascinating and appealing.

If you have a cozy mystery story featuring one or more of our feline friends, Fire Star Press wants to hear from you. Nine Deadly Lives, an anthology of cozy cat mysteries, is now open for submissions. Stories should be 6000 to 8000 words, with no graphic violence, sex, or language.

Deadline for submissions is May 1, 2015.

Submissions must be emailed as an attached Word document to Livia Reasoner at livia@flash.net.

We look forward to reading your submissions!

Duets Series

Imprint: Fire Star Press
Theme: The music of life and love
Length: 15,000 to 25,000 words
Deadline: November 1, 2015
Heat: sweet to spicy (no erotica, please)

Some song titles evoke memories not only of the song, but also of the time…the era…the place. They call for stories all their own, and at Fire Star Press they’ve inspired a new line of novella-length stories we’re calling “duets” because each book will contain two romantic tales.

Someone to Watch Over Me: 1940s—Paranormal

When you think of the song "Someone To Watch Over Me," you probably think of the comfort of a safe haven in the arms of your true love. But what if the “someone” was not what he or she appeared to be? What if he were a ghost from the past, or a figment of the future? What if she were an alien from another world or a shapeshifter? This novella duet lends itself to all kinds of intrigue. Stories should be set in the 1940s. We’re not looking for graphic horror or sex—just an “aha” moment and the inevitable decision: What will your hero or heroine do when they discover exactly who—or what—watches over them?

If I Loved You: 1950s—Misunderstood love

If I Loved You will contain two stories of misunderstood love set in the 1950s. This could be anything from a series of events that are misunderstood by one partner or the other to one big misunderstanding that could cloud the issue of a relationship forever. A man sees his intended bride kiss another man on the cheek and gaze into his eyes and calls off the wedding, only to discover later the man is her brother. A woman learns her boyfriend’s tumultuous break up with her happens because he’s found out some devastating news: He’s suffering from an illness that will take all his energy to battle, and he doesn’t want to burden her. The possibilities are endless.

This Magic Moment: 1960s—A revealing moment changes everything

This Magic Moment will contain two stories set in the 1960s, one of the most turbulent times in American history. "Free love," rock-and-roll, and the civil rights movement changed society daily. In these stories, a revelation changes everything. Maybe a civil rights worker must decide between his passion for his job and his passion for his woman. A Woodstock musician realizes the love he feels for his girlfriend is stronger than the music he makes with his band when he sees her leaving the festival. A preacher’s daughter becomes pregnant and her boyfriend, whom her parents despise, shows them what love truly is when he learns he’s going to be a dad. These are just a few examples of the kind of thing we’re looking for in This Magic Moment. What “magic moment” will drive your story?

Wonderful Tonight: 1970s—Can true love happen in just one night?

Eric Clapton's “Wonderful Tonight” tells the story of what happens to a couple in one single night. That’s what we’re looking for in this novella duet, set in the 1970s, with a twist. In the song, the couple has been together a while, but in these two stories, we are looking for tales about couples who may be barely acquainted, or maybe just met. An incident throws them into a situation where they find love. We’re not talking about just lust, but also a mutual caring that blossoms into the fragile beginnings of love between two people. These stories should be no hotter than spicy, given these parameters. We’re eager to see what kind of wonderful—or maybe not so wonderful—night brings your characters to the brink of true love.

I'm On Fire: 1980s—Unlikely love blossoms

Bruce Springsteen’s hit "I’m On Fire" is the inspiration for this duet of 1980s-set stories about love between two people who are a highly unlikely match. Remember Pretty Woman? Trading Places? The real-life romance of Prince Edward and Wallis Simpson? If you have a story about an interracial couple, a librarian and a party guy, a rock star and a schoolteacher, a wealthy heiress and her chauffeur—any unlikely pair for the decade—we’d love to see it. Make the story sizzle: This duet will be spicy to hot, but no erotica, please. What would make your hero or heroine say “I’m on fire”?

Wicked Game: 1990s—Circumstances aren’t always what they seem

Chris Isaak’s haunting hit “Wicked Game” makes us wonder about the things people will do for desire. The two stories in this volume will feature characters who do something they wouldn't ever have done ordinarily…but are driven to do for the love or desire of another person. Maybe the “wicked games” people play trap two people in a web of deceit. Perhaps a faulty news report threatens to destroy one or both lives, or maybe friends, family, or life itself conspire against the couple to keep them apart by playing one against the other. Could be the hero sets out to destroy the heroine for some reason, only to realize the object of his hatred is not the monster he thought she was.It’s up to you to determine the reasoning and rules for love’s Wicked Game.

If you have a novella-length story idea for one or more of the duet books, e-mail editor Cheryl Pierson at prairierosepublications@yahoo.com and let let her know your interest so she can plan accordingly and “pair up” potential stories. Please put DUETS INQUIRY in the subject line. Both published and un-published storytellers are welcome to submit.

Deadline for submissions is November 1, 2015.

The line will debut in 2016.

Here are today's burning questions:

 

Authors, which of the above sounds like the most fun?

 

Readers, what story would you like to see in any of the above? You just might inspire an author to write it!