The new issue of The A3 Review will be published on October 1. You can pre-order a copy via this link.

Each month we choose two winning pieces, then we publish them in an issue twice a year. We’re already on the look-out for new work to feature in Issue #6, and our first monthly contest ends on September 24th. Even if you missed it, there are five more till February.

The theme this month is ISLANDS. We want your best short fiction (as well as poetry or artwork) about desert islands or private islands, unexplored islands, prison islands, treasure islands, remote islands or the island you live on. Write about the islands you’ve never been to. Think about the geography of an island – does it have palm-fringed beaches or sheer cliffs? Is it covered in forest or volcanic wasteland? Who are the people and creatures that live on the island – are they hostile or friendly? Strange or familiar?

Think about other types of islands – islands of plastic in the middle of the ocean, log islands moving down river, misty islands in the middle of lakes. Tell the story (in no more than 150 words) about a surreal island where time and reality is subtly changed. Find inspiration in the symbolism of islands – their separation, their independence, their aloneness. Explore the word itself, the phrases hidden in it, its sound. Eye land. Aye! Land!

We welcome short stories, flash fiction, poetry, comics, graphic stories, a snippet of memoir, photographs, illustrations, and any combination of the above. The only restriction is a word-limit of 150 and images should fit well into an A6 panel. The deadline is 24th September 2016.

Editor KM Elkes will choose two winners for publication in Issue #6. All winning entries will receive Writing Maps and contributor copies, while three overall winners receive cash prizes.

You can get more inspiration by following The A3 Review on Twitter @TheA3Review and sign up for our newsletter here.

Editors KM Elkes and Shaun Levin also offer a critique service for writers looking for detailed, knowledgeable and forward-looking feedback on their work. To find out more about The A3 Review‘s Critique Service, click here.