Other Comps in the Sea

There has to be more than one competition for budding authors, right? I've been focused on the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future for two reasons. The first is that it is a free competition. The second is that it runs quarterly, making it a fantastic forcing function to stick to a deadline. I am going to try my hand at other competitions. I found three, but if you know of more, don't hesitate to share them:

• Kurt Vonnegut Speculative Fiction Prize (Nov 1, $23)
• F(r)fiction (Nov 1, $15)
• Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition (Nov 16, Free)

I put "The Pod Chaser" on hold for a week or two as I concentrate on the story "Last Era of Mankind." I found the feedback more than just helpful but inspiring. As a result, I am adding a bit more to the story to fill out some exciting concepts.

In the meantime, I am still shopping "I Will Save You." Clarkesworld passed (a nice way to say "rejected"), so I am now submitting it to Uncanny Magazine.