The Kelly Barnhill Micro-Fiction Prize Call for Submissions

Ex LibrisCall for Submissions, Creative Writing

The Book Stall Announces The Kelly Barnhill Micro-Fiction Prize

The Book Stall, an independent bookstore in Winnetka, Illinois, is pleased to announce their first-ever micro-fiction contest in conjunction with Newbery Medalist Kelly Barnhill’s reading on Tuesday, February 27th at 6:30 PM. Ms. Barnhill will be sharing work from her new book, Dreadful Young Ladies and Other Stories. The contest winner will get an opening spot on the program that evening, and receive 25 copies of a limited-edition broadside of their work, as well as a $100.00 gift card from the store

  • Submit your 300 – 1,000 prose poem/flash fiction piece by Friday February 9th to Fiction Contest, The Book Stall, 811 Elm Street, Winnetka, Il 60093. Or email your entry to events@thebookstall.com, with the subject heading “Fiction Contest.” Your piece should be sent in the body of the text, not as an attachment. Include your name, phone number, and email address.

Entries should have a fabulist, fantasy, or surreal theme or tone, and be no longer than 1,000 words. Kirkus Reviews says of Dreadful Young Ladies and Other Stories,“Reminiscent of Ray Bradbury or Angela Carter . . . Whether Barnhill’s settings are contemporary, historical, or dystopian, she mixes the feeling of fairy tales with the psychological preoccupations of literary fiction.”  Booklist adds, “This is a well-crafted short story collection featuring elements of magic realism while touching on the themes of love, grief, hope, jealousy, and more. Fantasy readers–especially fans of Neil Gaiman or even Kelly Link–will appreciate this spellbinding collection.”

  • Kelly Barnhill will select the winner from a pool of finalists selected by Book Stall staffers.
  • The winner will be announced on or about February 20th.  The winner should expect to attend Ms. Barnhill’s reading and share their own work at the Book Stall on Feb. 27th.  The Book Stall cannot pay for travel or accommodations for winners of this contest.
  • One entry per person, please.
  • Former and current Book Stall employees and their families are not eligible for this prize.
  • There is no entry fee.
  • Entries will not be returned.

Author Kelly Barnhill lives in Minnesota with her husband and three children. She is the author of four novels, most recently The Girl Who Drank the Moon, winner of the 2017 John Newbery Medal. She is also the winner of the World Fantasy Award and the Parents’ Choice Gold Award, and has been a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award, the NCTE Charlotte Huck Award, the SFWA Andre Norton Award, and the PEN/USA literary prize. Visit her online at kellybarnhill.wordpress.com.

Questions?  Please contact Robert McDonald at events@thebookstall.com. No phone calls please.