Recently, I returned from a six-week stay at Unpack Studio in Havana, Cuba. I completed an exceptional amount of work on my novel and, through the kindness and professionalism of the studio’s staff, discovered so much about Cuba and its people.

The residency program runs three to seven weeks. Residents stay in a restored building that now is nearly 100 years old. Check out the blog entry here, and cruise through Unpack’s studio for information on how you can write, paint, or research in Havana.

I’m sharing this information on a writing workshop program in Greece again just before their early-bird discount closes:

Join us for a life-changing writing workshop residency at Rosemary’s House, in a location that the ancients used to call “phlegra” or “land of fire” in Greece.  With the support of an esteemed mentor you’ll hone your craft in the company of just 13 select writers from around the world.

Whether you are working on a novel, memoir, play, musical, collection of poems, screenplay, pilot, or other genre-bending pursuit, this is an opportunity to propel your progress alongside a group of exceptional peers. 

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis! APPLY HERE 

(Apply by July 1st for our early-bird rate and priority review)
FALL MENTORS

August 24-31 Rebecca Abrams
An Oxford University Tutor, REBECCA is an author, editor, teacher and journalist. She is the author of eight works of fiction and non-fiction, a verse play,  and two stage plays. She has written for many years for the UK’s national press as a feature writer, columnist, commissioning editor and book reviewer. She is a regular literary critic for the Financial Times and the recipient of an Amnesty International Award for Journalism.

September 1-8 Sally Bayley
A University of Oxford Royal Literary Fund Fellow, SALLY  is the author of books featured in Radio 4’s Book of the Week and The Spectator Book of the Year; She is the host of the Podcast “A Reading Life, A Writing LIfe”.

September 9-16 Jake Brunger
JAKE’s film “Love Sarah” was #1 in New Zealand’s Box Office and #5 in Netflix Top 10 Films; His work has additionally appeared at the West End’s Ambassadors Theatre, Old Vic Theatre, and Noel COWARD THEATRE; He’s been a staff writer for multiple shows including an Emmy-Nominated Animated TV Series.

September 25- October 2nd Jenny Zhang
JENNY’s work has received the Pen/Bingham Award for Debut Fiction, LA Times Art Seidenbaum Award, and  the O. Henry Award; Her Work Has been Published with Lena Dunham’s Lenny Books via Random House; She Worked as a staff writer for HBO and Facebook and is currently adapting her work “Sour Heart” into a feature-length film for A24 (Moonlight, Euphoria, Everything Everywhere All At Once).

PLEASE DIRECT ALL QUERIES TO ANGELICA AT APPLY@ROSEMARYSHOUSE.ORG

Sunspot Lit accepts all types of prose including essays, memoir, travel, teleplays, film and stage scripts. Submissions under the Flash category can be one or two pieces of flash fiction or nonfiction, with the length of the entire submission not to exceed 1,000 words.

Up to three poems are also accepted under this call, with the total submission not to exceed three pages.

Flash graphic novels of 1 to 4 pages are welcome.

Artwork can be one or two images

Note that mix submission formats(for example, provide one poem and one flash piece as a single entry) are not accepted for this open call. 

Send in your work before the quarterly deadline using Submittable or Duotrope.

Sunspot Lit seeks all types of fiction and nonfiction including essays, memoir, travel, teleplays, film and stage scripts. Single works of fiction or nonfiction should run between 1,001 and 3,500 words.

Graphic novels should run 5 to 10 pages.

Please note that collections are not accepted in this category.

Send in your work before the quarterly deadline using Submittable or Duotrope.

Rigel, the contest seeking the brightest example from different creative categories, has been judged. The prose, poetry, CNF, stories, graphic novels and art submissions ranged from micro length to longform narratives, while art ran the gambit from collage to painting and photography. The quality of submissions was so high that the pieces designated as runners-up achieved nearly the same level as the winner. Best Of designations were given to individual categories that rose to the finalist list.

Winner

Book, Escape, Sanctuary / Lesley Finn / Essay with Erased & Collaged Pages

Runners-up

Hope your heart is lighter than a feather / Quentin Pace / Best of Art (in this post)

A Brief History of a Flood / J Carraher / Best of Essay

Lavender / Marilyn Hope / Best of Fiction (tied)

Salvatore Milione / Maureen Hall / Best of Fiction (tied)

Finalists

Adrift in Deep Sea / Penny Senanarong / Art

Body Count / Michael Cullinane / Fiction

Motorcycling to Mexican Time and the Zen Sea WC-3244 / Essay

Fishing for her children / Dave Sims / Art

Seeing the Spider / Luann Lewis / Fiction

The winner received $500 and will be published in the next digital edition as well as the annual print edition. Runners-up and finalists will also be offered publication. Congratulations to everyone called out as a Best Of, as well as those that rose to the semifinalist and quarterfinalist ranks.

We welcome all submissions to Sunspot. Remember that our calls for longer poetry, fiction, and nonfiction close earlier than the calls for shorter works. Click here to find out what we’re accepting now.

To support great literature and art, consider preordering a print copy of the 2023 print edition. Shipping to US locations is included in the price.

It was a true pleasure to engage with so many unique submissions.

Angel Leya, a staff member of Sunspot Literary Journal, offers feedback on genre fiction, which includes short stories and novel excerpts. She specializes in fantasy and paranormal, with experience in light sci-fi, contemporary romance, and YA.

Leya is the coauthor of the USA Today bestselling book, Shifted (Siren Prophecy series), with over 12 additional novels, novellas, and short stories to her name. She’s been published in  several anthologies, including Fiddlehead Press and The Alliance of YA Authors. She specializes in giving practical advice, with a bent toward characterization and dialog, as well as word flow, breaks in logic, and hooks.

Submissions are capped each month, and the form will shut off once the cap is reached. Visit Sunspot Lit’s Submittable page for options and guidelines.

I’m sharing this information on a writing workshop program in Greece. The instructors are all stellar authors offering an array of choices. Here’s hoping your fall is spent on at this island.

Join us for a life-changing writing workshop residency at Rosemary’s House, in a location that the ancients used to call “phlegra” or “land of fire” in Greece.  With the support of an esteemed mentor you’ll hone your craft in the company of just 13 select writers from around the world.

Whether you are working on a novel, memoir, play, musical, collection of poems, screenplay, pilot, or other genre-bending pursuit, this is an opportunity to propel your progress alongside a group of exceptional peers. 

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis! APPLY HERE 

(Apply by July 1st for our early-bird rate and priority review)
FALL MENTORS

August 24-31 Rebecca Abrams
An Oxford University Tutor, REBECCA is an author, editor, teacher and journalist. She is the author of eight works of fiction and non-fiction, a verse play,  and two stage plays. She has written for many years for the UK’s national press as a feature writer, columnist, commissioning editor and book reviewer. She is a regular literary critic for the Financial Times and the recipient of an Amnesty International Award for Journalism.

September 1-8 Sally Bayley
A University of Oxford Royal Literary Fund Fellow, SALLY  is the author of books featured in Radio 4’s Book of the Week and The Spectator Book of the Year; She is the host of the Podcast “A Reading Life, A Writing LIfe”.

September 9-16 Jake Brunger
JAKE’s film “Love Sarah” was #1 in New Zealand’s Box Office and #5 in Netflix Top 10 Films; His work has additionally appeared at the West End’s Ambassadors Theatre, Old Vic Theatre, and Noel COWARD THEATRE; He’s been a staff writer for multiple shows including an Emmy-Nominated Animated TV Series.

September 25- October 2nd Jenny Zhang
JENNY’s work has received the Pen/Bingham Award for Debut Fiction, LA Times Art Seidenbaum Award, and  the O. Henry Award; Her Work Has been Published with Lena Dunham’s Lenny Books via Random House; She Worked as a staff writer for HBO and Facebook and is currently adapting her work “Sour Heart” into a feature-length film for A24 (Moonlight, Euphoria, Everything Everywhere All At Once).

PLEASE DIRECT ALL QUERIES TO ANGELICA AT APPLY@ROSEMARYSHOUSE.ORG

This is from the fabulous folks over at Winning Writers. They’ve worked hard to bring writers top information and opportunities. I’m a subscriber myself, and wanted to pass along this chance.

Deadline: June 30. The North Street Book Prize from Winning Writers is now in its ninth year. Grand prize of $10,000. Top winner in each category will win $1,000. Categories: Poetry, Mainstream/Literary Fiction, Genre Fiction, Creative Nonfiction & Memoir, Children’s Picture Book, Middle Grade (new), Graphic Novel & Memoir, and Art Book. $20,400 in total cash prizes. Fee: $75 per book. Gifts for everyone who enters. This contest is recommended by Reedsy. Final judges: Jendi Reiter and Ellen LaFleche. Submit online or by mail.

Check out this great opportunity here: https://winningwriters.com/northstreet23

Sunspot Lit seeks fiction and nonfiction, including scripts and screenplays, between 3,501 and 7,500 words. 

Graphic novels should run 11 to 25 pages. 

A single poemof 4 to 10 pages is also accepted.

Please note that collections are not accepted in this category.

This call is open for only a limited time. Send in your work before the deadline using Submittable or Duotrope.

Authors & Artists Eligible

Rigel is the brightest star in the Orion constellation. Sunspot Lit is looking for the single short story, novel, novella, artwork, graphic novel, or poem that outshines all the rest. Literary or genre works accepted; the only requirement is quality. 

Rigel offers $500 plus publication to the winner, and offers publication to select finalists. No restrictions on theme or category. The length for prose is restricted to a maximum of 5,000 words for short stories, or ten pages for poetry, scripts, and graphic novels. 

Excerpts from longer works are eligible, should start with the beginning of the manuscript, and must include a synopsis. The synopsis counts toward the entry’s total word/page count. An excerpt selected as the winner or as a finalist will be offered publication only for the submitted sample.

Titles do not count toward the limit for any prose piece. Epigraphs are included in the word count for works of prose. Artwork should consist of a single piece. 

Feedback is available for fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels for an additional fee. This is entirely optional and will not impact the judging process. The written comments will consider the work’s strengths, point out critical weaknesses, and make recommendations for any changes that would make the work stronger. The commentary will be provided 4-6 weeks after the contest closes. 

Open: April 1, 2023

Close: May 31, 2023

Entry fee: $10

Prize: $500 cash and publication for the winner; publication offered to runners-up and finalists. 

Sunspot asks for first rights only; all rights revert to the contributor after publication. Works, along with the creators’ bylines, are published in the next quarterly digital edition an average of two months after contest completion, as well as in the annual print edition. 

Works should be unpublished except on a personal blog or website. Artists offered publication may display their pieces in galleries, festivals or shows throughout the publication contract period.  

Enter as many times as you like, but only one piece per submission. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw your piece if it is published elsewhere before the winner is selected. Enter through Submittable or Duotrope.

Sunspot Lit accepts all types of prose including essays, memoir, travel, teleplays, film and stage scripts. Submissions under the Flash category can be one or two pieces of flash fiction or nonfiction, with the length of the entire submission not to exceed 1,000 words.

Up to three poems are also accepted under this call, with the total submission not to exceed three pages.

Flash graphic novels of 1 to 4 pages are welcome.

Artwork can be one or two images

Note that mix submission formats(for example, provide one poem and one flash piece as a single entry) are not accepted for this open call. 

Send in your work before the quarterly deadline using Submittable or Duotrope.

Authors & Artists Eligible

Rigel is the brightest star in the Orion constellation. Sunspot Lit is looking for the single short story, novel, novella, artwork, graphic novel, or poem that outshines all the rest. Literary or genre works accepted; the only requirement is quality. 

Rigel offers $500 plus publication to the winner, and offers publication to select finalists. No restrictions on theme or category. The length for prose is restricted to a maximum of 5,000 words for short stories, or ten pages for poetry, scripts, and graphic novels. 

Excerpts from longer works are eligible, should start with the beginning of the manuscript, and must include a synopsis. The synopsis counts toward the entry’s total word/page count. An excerpt selected as the winner or as a finalist will be offered publication only for the submitted sample.

Titles do not count toward the limit for any prose piece. Epigraphs are included in the word count for works of prose. Artwork should consist of a single piece. 

Feedback is available for fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels for an additional fee. This is entirely optional and will not impact the judging process. The written comments will consider the work’s strengths, point out critical weaknesses, and make recommendations for any changes that would make the work stronger. The commentary will be provided 4-6 weeks after the contest closes. 

Open: April 1, 2023

Close: May 31, 2023

Entry fee: $10

Prize: $500 cash and publication for the winner; publication offered to runners-up and finalists. 

Sunspot asks for first rights only; all rights revert to the contributor after publication. Works, along with the creators’ bylines, are published in the next quarterly digital edition an average of two months after contest completion, as well as in the annual print edition. 

Works should be unpublished except on a personal blog or website. Artists offered publication may display their pieces in galleries, festivals or shows throughout the publication contract period.  

Enter as many times as you like, but only one piece per submission. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw your piece if it is published elsewhere before the winner is selected. Enter through Submittable or Duotrope.

Sunspot Lit seeks works of fiction or nonfiction, including scripts and screenplays, from 7,501 words up to 17,500 words in their Supernova category. 

Graphic novels should be 26 to 40 pages. 

A single poembetween 11 and 15 pages is also accepted. 

Please note that collections are not accepted in this category.

This call is open for only a limited time. Send in your work before the deadline using Submittable or Duotrope.

Sunspot Lit’s poetry editor, Morrow Dowdle, offers feedback for poets.

Dowdle is the author of the chapbook Nature v. Nurture (Artagem Graphic Library). Her poetry has been featured in River and South Review, Poetry South, Dandelion Review, NonBinary Review, Pink Panther Magazine, Panoply, APIARY, The Schuylkill Valley Journal of the Arts, Edison Literary Review, River Poets Quarterly, The Griffin, Philadelphia Stories, and Prism, among other publications. She has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net.  She is an active member of the Living Poetry collective in the North Carolina Triangle area.

Sunspot is happy to offer three different options for feedback based on the length of the poem. Please note that poets can submit only one poem every three months.

Find out more by reviewing the guidelines on Sunspot’s Submittable page.