Erika Dreifus

Now that there are lots of little kiddies in our extended family, I have the privilege and pleasure of attending plenty of interesting birthday parties. At one little one’s celebration last month, “temporary tattoos” were part of the fun. They made quite an impression; my not-yet-three-year-old niece is still talking about them.

Too bad she can’t write yet. It seems that grownups find tattoos worth discussing, too; right now there’s a call for submissions for a volume to be titled Chick Ink: Every Tattoo Has A Story. The editor is looking for “original, true, personal stories by women on the experience of being a woman with a tattoo–the ups, the downs, and everything in between.” The publisher is Adams Media, and the submission deadline is May 31, 2006. Essays should run 1,000-1,500 words. Note: “Stories must be TRUE, we do not publish fiction or poetry.” You may submit multiple essays. Payment for selected writers will be $100 plus one copy of the book.

To read the complete call with submission instructions, click here.

As a timely follow-up to my recent post on a market for baseball writing, I’m happy to share this call for submissions just received from Adam Pachter (actually, I’ll ‘fess up and say that it was a conversation with Adam at the Grub Street “Muse and the Marketplace” conference this weekend that reminded me to post the other baseball writing news, too):

Adam Pachter, editor of Fenway Fiction, the first all-fiction anthology devoted to stories about the Boston Red Sox, is currently working on a sequel and would welcome submissions of short stories, play and novel excerpts, poems, etc. There are only two real requirements: 1)the submission must be fiction; and 2)it must relate in some way to the Red Sox. Stories from 1,000-10,000 words are fine, and I’d like to have submissions in at some point this summer. Everyone whose story is published in the sequel will receive a share of the royalties as payment. Send submissions to adampachter(at)yahoo(dot)com; if you’d like more information about Fenway Fiction, it’s in bookstores now or you can visit http://rounderbooks.com.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: People Helping People is open for submissions. The deadline is August 31, 2006 (“but don’t procrastinate!”). Payment for accepted stories is $200 (or 16 complimentary copies of the book–your choice), per story. Payment for published poems is $50 on publication. You may submit previously published work. Details about what’s sought and how to send it here.

Adams Media, Inc., (publishers of A Cup of Comfort and The Rocking Chair anthologies), is looking for stories written as letters for a new book. Tentative title: Letters to My Mother: Tributes to the Women Who Gave Us Life—and Love. The book is scheduled for publication in late 2006, and will contain “true stories written by people of all ages—who celebrate the valuable lessons learned from the mothers in our lives.”

Be sure to read the very detailed guidelines, including links to sample letters. Some important points: letters “should have a clear beginning, middle, and end,” and run 500-750 words. You can submit previously published material, “with the exception of stories that have been or will be published in a mass market anthology (print) distributed in North America.” You may submit multiple letters. Electronic submissions are preferred. Deadline: May 14, 2006 (Mother’s Day here in the United States).

Payment is low: $10, on publication. “The author whose letter is chosen as the most inspirational will receive $100. The best letter submitted by a child will receive $50.” You’ll also receive a copy of the book when it is published.

And if you’re writing a letter for Mom anyway….

Recently found out about this call on the PayingWriterJobs list.

Stories are sought for a volume of Chicken Soup for the Stepfamily Soul. Pieces must be “inspirational true stories, 1500 words or less, that will make readers laugh, cry, or be inspired. Stories should be positive, universal, and non-controversial. The ‘point’ or ‘message’ should be evident without preaching.”

See the volume guidelines for more chapter topics and submission instructions.

Payment will be $200 for stories, $50 for poems. Submission deadline: April 29, 2006.