Thursday, January 2, 2014

FIVE GLASS SLIPPERS update and query


If you are here for the Veiled Rose read-along, it is still posted today . . . just check the post right before this one!

But I want to offer a quick update concerning the Five Glass Slippers creative writing contest.

First . . . is there an Elizabeth Ash or someone writing as Elizabeth Ash out there who could please email me (aestengl@gmail.com)? I received a submission form on time, but I cannot find an email address to go with the name. So if you are she, please email me so I can send this form back to you! I don't want to miss reading your story.

Otherwise, the deadline is finished. There are still a few last-minute submission forms coming in, but as long as they are postmarked on or before Dec. 31, they will still be counted in the contest.

I have been reading submissions like crazy for the last several months, but more than 30 stories showed up right at the very end . . . so I'm going to be at this for a while!

That being said, I am hoping that I and the other editors reviewing these manuscripts will be able to get everything read and the winners selected before the end of this month. Which means that the announcement of the winners will be bumped up to February 1, rather than March 1. If this proves to be the case, there will be an announcement here, and I will also be emailing all of the contenders to let them know. So keep your eyes open!

There have been so many absolutely fantastic stories sent in. I am just in awe. Last night I read one that had me in tears . . . of laughter! So adorable and clever. But there have also been romantic stories, serious dramas, a gripping horror story or two, mini-epics, westerns, contemporaries, mysteries, one that put me in mind of a Shakespearean comedy, a handful of sci fi, several dystopian, a couple of steam punks, one time-travel tale . . . nearly every genre under the sun! And no two stories have been alike. All serving to prove the versatility of this classic fairy tale, not to mention the endless inventiveness of all of you writers.

My job is going to be a tough one. At this point, I really have no idea what the final collection is going to look like. I only know this for certain: it's going to be fantastic!

16 comments:

Rachel Heffington said...

This is so exciting. I absolutely cannot wait. Thank heaven I have my debut-novel release to help me pass the time between now and February... (!) Otherwise I think I'd go bonkers.

Rachel Rossano said...

I am eager to see who won. :)

Bookishqueen said...

Wow, this sounds amazing. Can't wait until the end of the month!

Hannah said...

EEK! Febuary 1st?? Oh my gosh, how exciting! Wow, that's an incredible amount of stories. 30 at the end? Whew! That's jaw-dropping. I know whatever stories you choose will be fantastic!

Anna said...

OHMYGOODNESS!!!! I will BURST I am so crazy nervous! :D

How many entries were there altogether, or can you not say?

Anne Elisabeth Stengl said...

@Anna: I'm actually not certain if I can/should say, at least not at the moment. So I'll keep mum for now. I will say that the number of entries GREATLY exceeded my expectations! And they aren't all in yet . . .

Meredith said...

So very exciting and such a challenge for all the editors! I wish you all the very best and am so eager to see what stories are chosen.

Clara said...

Yay! I'm so excited for this contest! So many wonderful sounding stories...can't wait to read the book:)

Anonymous said...

I'm definitely putting this book on my 2014 to read list. I know it will be fantastic. I'm not one of the writers, but it just blesses my heart that Anne Elisabeth, Rohan, and the rest of Rooglewood Press made this amazing contest available to all of you writers, young and old. Thank you to Rooglewood, and God's blessings to all.

Unknown said...

So we can read "Shadow Hand" and see who wins the contest on the same day! Huzzah! Keep on writing, Anne Elisabeth!

Jenelle Leanne said...

Ah! I am so nervou-cited! (As Pinkie-Pie would say... my girls are big My Little Pony fans... LOL)

Molly said...

oh my goodness...time travel and steam punk and sci-fi, oh my! I'm so excited! I'm very curious to whose story got you laughing! (it made me smile to know that it did!) Do we get to find out when the announcements are made? (I'm just really curious) :D
I'm so excited!

Rebekah said...

Oh, I really, really, can't wait to find out who won, and read their stories.
@Clara Darling: Did you enter anything?

Olivia Smit said...

Eeeee, how exciting! ;) I can't wait to find out who the lucky winners are...and to grab a copy of the book for myself! Thanks for keeping us updated.

Kendra E. Ardnek said...

I really wanted to enter, but I just couldn't get my story finished in time. I have other plans for it, however, so it will be in print hopefully late spring early summer.

Can't wait to see the winners, though! I don't envy you the decision ... though I do envy the fact that you get to read all of them ...

Anonymous said...

Got the biggest, goofiest grin on my face after reading this! SO excited to see who won & read the anthology once it's out!