Monday 19 March 2012

Flashbang crime writing contest

Happy news! Entries for the Flashbang contest are now open. It occured to me that I really ought to fulfil my duties as SouthWest Coordinator for National Flash Fiction Day, and also in support of CrimeFest, which is on my doorstep here in Bristol. So I came up with the idea of a crime flash fiction contest and, thanks to the generosity of lots of people whom I'll be thanking in a minute, the idea is now a reality.

Flashbang is a brand new crime writing contest, sponsored by CrimeFest, who are providing the first prize of two free passes, as well as the second prize of DVD boxed sets of The Killing (plus its new novelisation). Hersilia Press is sponsoring the third prize: four of their Italian crime books. Comma Press is kindly providing five copies of MO: Crimes of Practice to runners up.

As well as terrific prizes, Flashbang is free to enter and gives eight lucky writers the chance to be published on websites read by crime buffs the world over. All the details of how to enter and what’s up for grabs, can found here, together with tips from the judges on what they’re after in a winning entry.

My heartfelt thanks to the sponsors (listed above) and to those who agreed to be judges: Rhian Davies of It's a Crime; Karen Meek of Euro Crime; Laura Crosby from Foyles, Bristol; Ayo Onatade of Shots, crime and thriller mag; Rin Simpson, founder of The Steady Table writing group, and Linda Wilson, UK editor of Reviewing the Evidence. Special thanks to internationally bestselling crime author, Zoë Sharp, who's agreed to have the final say on the top three winners and five runners-up.

Thanks, too, to everyone who's helping to spread the word about the contest. Please do consider entering, and pass on the good news of a free contest with great prizes!



4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Am looking forward to it!

Sarah Hilary said...

Thanks, Freya!

Rachel Fenton said...

Looks like a fab competition, Sarah, I hope it really takes off.

Sarah Hilary said...

Thanks, Rachel, I hope so too. Lots of kind people are helping to spread the word, which is great.