Our next theme is going to be a fun one, and I invite/challenge all authors to give it a try (keep reading for info on a free Patreon trial). Just remember, you don’t have to be a Patreon patron to enter.

So, the theme for our next flash writing contest is…
A Horror Story, featuring a dead body, filled with either dark humor or a humorous twist at the end.

Before we get to the submission guidelines, please know that the stories will be read by me (Joe Mynhardt), and the top 15 to 20 stories will be posted on our Patreon page for our patrons to vote on. The winner will receive $0.03 per word, publication, and an Author Spotlight on our newsletter and Patreon page. The second place winner will receive $0.02 a word, and the third place winner $0.01 per word.

Submission guidelines:
-Max 1,500 words
-Submit your entry in the body of an email to crystallakepub@gmail.com (no attachments)
-The email subject line should be the story’s title and your author name / pseudonym
-The deadline is midnight at the end of February, wherever in the world you may reside.
-No multiple submissions (only your best story)
-Reprints are allowed if they naturally fit the theme.
-Put your bio below your story (max 500 words).

Please take note… You do not need to be a Crystal Lake Patreon patron to enter. This is a contest and only the top three placing stories receive payment. If you’re chosen as a finalist, our $5-a-month and higher tier patrons will read all the entries, posted one per day, and vote for a winner at the end of the month. Some editors/publishers may consider having your story posted on a subscription-based platform, like Patreon, as a first publication. If your story does not win, we will remove it upon request.

In other great news, Patreon now offers 30 day free trials, so you can now join us on Patreon as a reader or author and give us a chance to impress you. The trials are available on the $5 tiers (there’s one for authors and one for readers). These tiers (and the ones above them) will give you full access to all the stories as well as all our other content. I’m currently reading the last few subs in the current contest (theme: 2nd chances). Finalist will be emailed tomorrow, and then we’ll start posting the stories the following day. Come try it out.