The “SCARE THE DICKENS OUT OF US”
Short Story Contest 2011
AND
The JUNIOR “SCARE THE DICKENS OUT OF US”
Contest 2011 FOR AGES 12-18
Sponsored by the Friends of the Dr. Eugene Clark Library in Lockhart, Texas.
First prize, $1000.00 and a trophy.
Second prize, $500.00 and a ribbon.
Third prize, $250.00 and a ribbon.
Junior contest prize $250.00 and a trophy.Download contest entry form here.
Download junior contest entry form here.
Entry fee $20.00 (check or money order).
Junior contest entry fee $5.00 (check or money order).The Scare The Dickens Out of Us ghost story contest and the Junior Scare The Dickens Out of Us ghost story contest share identical rules except the entry fees and the following: Junior contest writers must be age 12-18. Winners will have to provide proof of age.
All publication rights remain with the author.
The contest is a Friends of the Dr. Eugene Clark Library fundraiser and is privately funded. All entry fees go to the Friends and are used for library projects.
The “Scare The Dickens Out of Us” Short Story Contest is in conjunction with the annual “A Dickens Christmas In Lockhart” which is held on the first weekend in December (Friday night, Saturday) in Lockhart, Texas.We want ghost stories. Any genre, any tone, any subject, whatever type of ghost story you can come up with.
CONTEST RULES:
1. The contest is open to published and unpublished writers alike. All publication rights remain with the author.
2. The ghost story must be 5,000 words or less, in English, and typed double-spaced. Entries must be original and unpublished. There are no other restrictions.3. Only one entry per writer.
4. The judging will be done in a blind format. Do not put your name or any other identifying information on the manuscript itself except for the name of the story. Download, print and submit our entry form or our junior contest entry form. The information will include the name of your story, the author’s name, address, phone number, and email address, where you heard of this contest, and your permission to have your story read out loud at a literary gathering if you are one of the winners.
5. Your manuscript and entry fee must be mailed to us at P.O. Box 821, Lockhart, TX 78644 and must be postmarked no later than October 1, 2011. We will accept entries beginning July 1, 2011.
Winners will be contacted at contest end. Winners also will be announced at the “A Dickens Christmas in Lockhart” festival in December, and will be posted at our web site www.clarklibraryfriends.org.
No manuscripts will be returned. Keep the original copy. At the end of the contest entries will be shredded.
Send your manuscript with entry form and entry fee to:
“Scare The Dickens Out of Us” or Junior “Scare The Dickens Out of Us” Short Story Contest, co/Friends of the Library
PO Box 821, Lockhart, Texas 78644.Make out your check or money order to Friends of the Dr. Eugene Clark Library. International entries, please send your entry fee via international money order if possible.
Administrators of the contest, the judges of the contest and the immediate family members of the judges are ineligible to enter this contest.
WINNERS of the 2010 Scare The Dickens Out of Us ghost story writing contest, which is a fundraiser for the Friends of the Dr. Eugene Clark Library in Lockhart, Texas, are:
First place--Karen Katchur of Bethlehem, PA.
Second place--Steven Utley of Smyrna, TN.
Third place--Patricia A. Peirson of Winnetka, CA.In order, places Four through Fifteen were:
John Ankers of Liverpool, UK; Trace Riles of Ontario, Canada; Karen S. Swensson, Chris Lovett and Sharon Lyle of Georgetown, TX; Valerie Whisenand of Glencoe, AR; Tyler Miller of Cheney, WA; Jaclyn S. Miller of Mishawaka, IN; Carl Jonsgma of South Australia; Steven Dake of Jackson, Michigan; Bill Goodwin of Hill City, Kansas; Winona Howe of Riverside, CA; Aaron Peterson of Santa Rosa, CA; and A.F. Schwier of Marble Falls, TX.
First place prize was $1000.00 and a trophy. Second place prize was $500.00 and a ribbon. Third place prize was $250.00 and a ribbon. Fourth through fifteenth prizes were ribbons.
The Junior Scare The Dickens Out of Us ghost story writing contest winners are as follows.
First place winner-- Jerico Espinas of Oshawa in Ontario, Canada.
Second place winner--Jonathan Kim of Allen, Texas.
Third place winner--Rachel Reimer of Manitoba, Canada.
First place was $250.00 and a trophy. All other prizes were ribbons.Fourth through Tenth place winners were M. Shale Carey of Westminister, MA; Megan Stevens of Remus, MI; Alexa Smith of Round Rock, TX; Thomas Young of Edmond, OK; Shelly Crouch of Woodville, TX; Joe Duncko of Canfield, OH; and Peter Brand of Rochester, NY.
We congratulate all of our winners and all of the other entrants as well. The top winners were formally announced Saturday night December 4, 2010 at the Dickens Christmas in Lockhart festival.
WINNERS of the 2009 Scare The Dickens Out of Us ghost story writing contest, which is a fundraiser for the Friends of the Dr. Eugene Clark Library in Lockhart, Texas, are:
First place-- Jon L. Gillum of Red Rock, Texas ($500.00 and a trophy)
Second place-- Gary W. Brandt of Round Rock, Texas ($250.00 and a ribbon)
Third place-- Monique Hayes of Fort Washington, Maryland ($150.00 and a ribbon)
Caldwell County winner Robyn Gammill ($100.00 and a trophy)
Fourth place-- Michelle Homan of Big Spring, Texas (ribbon)
Fifth place-- Julian G. Martin of Austin, Texas (ribbon)
Honorable Mention-- Miriam King of Kingwood, Texas (ribbon)
We congratulate all of our 2009 winners and all of the other entrants as well. The top winners were formally announced Saturday night December 5, 2009 at the Dickens Christmas in Lockhart festival.Questions about this contest? Please contact the contest coordinators by email - click here.