Win Dirk Danger Loves Life

Chris Rothe wants to give away some eBook copies of his “silly little novel Dirk Danger Loves Life … There is a catch of course – I want you to make me laugh.”

To win the eBook send him a tweet, email, Goodreads post, etc. Deadline is May 15th. Check his website to discover how to enter – and make him smile.

Mail on Sunday competition

The Mail on Sunday is running a novel competition. All you need to do is to write the opening of a novel (50-150 words) introducing the word 'set'. "It could be a set expression, a set to, setting off; you could use it as an adjective, noun or verb." The prize is £400 in book tokens and a place on an Arvon writing course. Send your entry to arrive no later than 29 October to The Mail on Sunday Novel Competition, PO Box 150, Rochester, Kent, ME1 9AG. Further information here.

New Media Writing Prize

Last call for entries!

Poole Literary Festival in partnership with the Media School at Bournemouth University has established a prize for new media writing. The prize creates an exciting opportunity for writers working with new media to showcase their skills, provoke discussion and raise awareness of new media writing and the future of the written word. The competition deadline is approaching rapidly, with a cut-off point of midday on 15 September.

There are two awards, one for Best New Media Writing and one for Best Student New Media Writing. Prizes will be awarded at a prestigious Awards Ceremony on 31 October 2010. Information about the competition is available here.

Who can enter? Anyone can! Whether you’re a student, a professional, an artist, a writer, a Flash designer, or an enthusiast, the competition is open to all. It’s also an international competition, open to all outside the UK. For competition rules click here.

Each entry should be submitted by email to prize@poolelitfest.com by midday on 15 September, 2010.

Dead End of the Street competition

Think you can write like Lee Child, Michael Connelly or Val McDermid?

Want to get some advice on how to write the perfect short crime story?

Top crime writers SJ Rozan and Jonathan Santlofer will answer the ten best questions on how to write crime fiction, exclusively from Bloomsbury.
Send in your question to marketing@bloomsbury.com by Friday 3 September 2010. The most thrilling and chilling questions will be answered and posted here on Monday 6 September 2010. And if your question makes the cut you will win a copy of The Dark End of the Street and the new novels from debut crime writers, Conor Fitzgerald and Jason Eliot.

Black Static and WHC2011's Short Story Contest

News from WHC2011: Black Static magazine and the World Horror Convention 2011 have previously announced the WHC2011 Short Story Contest. Writers should submit their "most engaging and terrifying short fiction" to the judging panel for the chance to have their story published in the collectible WHC2011 Souvenir Book. The story will appear along work by Sarah Langan, Joe Hill, Steve Niles, Peter Crowther, Joe R. Lansdale, Brian Keene and other top names. In addition, the winning entry will be republished in Black Static and will be paid industry professional standard rate. Full details and rules can be found on the WHC2011 website.

Next year's World Horror Convention takes place in Austen, Texas, from 28 April to 1 May. The guests of honour are Steve Niles, Joe Hill, Sarah Langan, Vincent Chong, Brett Alexander Savory, Sandra Kasturi with toastmaster Joe R Lansdale. The above link will lead you to all the important details -- how to register, etc, etc.

2009 BBC National Short Story Award

The 2009 BBC National Short Story Award was launched on 26 March. This year's panel of judges are: singer-songwriter Will Young, broadcaster and journalist Tom Sutcliffe (chair), author Dame Margaret Drabble, Orange Prize winner Helen Dunmore and BBC Radio 4’s Editor Di Speirs. The shortlist will be announced on Friday 27 November with the five stories broadcast on BBC Radio 4 each weekday before the winner is announced. The five stories will also be published in a special collection. Entries are now open for the Award. The deadline for entries is 5pm on 15 June 2009

Go to the Beeb for details.

Conrad's Competitions

Conrad Williams is running a competiton from his website. You have a chance of winning signed books, including a couple of rare items -- assuming you get the answer right of course ... and that you send in the best photo of yourself reading one of Conrad's books, in an exotic location. I suppose that rules out my patio.