Monday, June 24, 2013

Submit to "Diner Stories"!

Hello, this is my very first blog. I'm pleased to announce that I will be editing a collection of stories soon to come out from Mountain State Press. The collection is tentatively titled "Diner Stories", but that may change.

I thought I'd start out by putting out the guidelines for submission. Please, read them and see if you have something to contribute.

 
Guidelines for "Diner Stories"
 
 
 
1. Story length: up to 5,000 words.
 
2. Genre: Any. Including literary fiction, non-fiction, memoir, or flash fiction.
 
3. Payment: 2 copies per author.
 
4. Submission period: July 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013.
 
5. Submit stories to: diner.stories@yahoo.com in RTF (Rich Text Format).
 
6. Double space manuscripts in size 12 Times New Roman font.
 
7. Publish date: Summer or Fall 2014.
 
8. Please no excessive profanity. Also, no gratuitous sex or violence.
 
9. Please include name, address, and e-mail at the top of your manuscript.
 
10. Please do not check on submission status until at least March 1, 2014.
  
I am looking for stories that take place in diner or revolve around them. Diners resonate with people in a way that fast food chains and franchises can not. They have shaped American culture and given a mystique to the road and those that travel upon it.
 
Good diners have unique characteristics. Parts of them stay with people after they leave. Your diners should be as much a character in your story as the people. They're not just places to eat. They are refuges, gathering places, and watering holes.
 
That said, please no stories about McDonald's, Shoney's, Bob Evans, or other such places. I'm after tales that evoke the mystique of the mom and pop shop. I recommend spending some time in a diner to absorb the sound and conversations that pervade the atmosphere. But don't be invisible. Get to know the people there. Inspiration may just come from a strange corner.
 
For further inspiration, feel free to check out the facebook page for Diner Poems. There are photos and albums of various types of diners and eateries for you to view. If you have any questions about these guidelines or anything about the collection, please post here or send me an e-mail at the above address. I look forward to seeing what comes from your pen.
 
Good writing and good dining,
 
Daniel McTaggart
Editor


6 comments:

  1. I love the idea and I'm plotting my story out now!

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  2. I so look forward to all the terrific diner stories. I know the book will be a fun and fabulous read!

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  3. Plotting...and shaping a few diners and dinees, and those who serve them. :-)

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