Wakefield Press is delighted to announce a new YA (Young Adult) short-story anthology, Hometown Haunts: #LoveOzYA Horror Tales, generously funded by a grant from the Australia Council’s 2020 Resilience Fund – Create.
Hometown Haunts, which will be published in October 2021, is the brainchild of acclaimed YA author and Wakefield Press staff member Poppy Nwosu, who will curate the anthology and contribute a story. Confirmed contributors are Wai Chim, Sarah Epstein, Alison Evans, Lisa Fuller, Holden Sheppard, Jared Thomas and Vikki Wakefield.
In an exciting opportunity, four additional stories will be selected from an open call-out across Australia, published alongside some of the most respected names in Australian YA fiction.
All contributors will receive a $500 payment for their story.
“I feel so excited by the opportunity to bring this horror anthology to life,” says Nwosu. “I love scary stories, and I believe that publishing strong genre fiction encourages teens of all reading tastes to consume Australian stories. Our horror anthology will provide Australian teenagers with an opportunity to face their fears, contemplate their futures, and be challenged, thrilled and excited.”
The horror theme seems perfectly suited to our uncertain times. Writers might explore their feelings around the unfolding landscape of 2020 and beyond – or dig deep into the everyday darkness and disquiet beneath the surface of Australian homes and neighbourhoods. They might choose to explore urban legends or inherited lore … or let their imaginations run riot! What have we seen, experienced or imagined within our bush landscapes, red deserts and lush rainforests? Our claustrophobic cityscapes and quiet small towns? Often, it is only by facing our fears that we can discover new pathways forward.
This competition is open to anyone living permanently in Australia. Wakefield Press is keen to showcase writers who reflect a diversity of Australian identities and regions. Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander writers are especially encouraged to enter. Wakefield Press is looking for stories of young adult fiction of up to 5000 words, responding to the horror theme.
Entries close Thursday, 1 October 2020. Entry guidelines are available on the Wakefield Press website blog.
More News
