Author Archives: thecasket

Call for Submissions

Posted
Filed under flash fiction, Podcast, short stories, submissions

The Casket of Fictional Delights is an online short story and flash fiction website which specialises in producing professional podcasts. We are looking for submissions for the following slots :~

Short Stories – The vast majority of short stories are made into podcasts, therefore should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. This is an optimum length for a podcast.  There is flexibility on word count and, in terms of theme, other than Valentines, there are no restrictions. 

November 2022 short story

February 2023 short story (Valentines)

June 2023 short story

October 2023 short story

November 2023 short story

2023 Summer Flash Fiction Collection – this will be a group of flash fictions on the theme of ‘Summer’ in its widest interpretation.  We anticipating there will be between 6 and 12 in the collection.  Flash fictions should be no more than 500 words (excluding title). The Summer Flash Fiction Collection will be made into a series of podcasts. 

We do not publish stories  containing excessive swearing, sex or violence (we do not have an ‘explicit licence’ from Apple iTunes).

Deadline – 1st May 2022.

Contact The Casket with ShortStops in the subject. Thank you.

We look forward to hearing from you and Good Writing Vibes.

2018 Flash Fiction Competition Long List Announced

Posted
Filed under Lit mag

The Casket of Fictional Delights

2018 Flash Fiction Competition Long List Announced

 The Casket of Fictional Delights is delighted to announce the publication of the LongList for the 2018 Flash Fiction Competition.  The list is available on The Casket of Fictional Delights website Competitions page.  The list consists of titles only in order to maintain anonymity.  Good Luck to all those on the Long List.  Winners will be announced in September.

LONG LIST

Thank you everyone who entered the 2018 Flash Fiction Competition.

This year’s judge is award-winning writer David Gaffney.

Prizes

  • The winning Flash Fiction receives a £150 prize.
  • The top four Flash Fictions will be professionally recorded and broadcast as a special audio podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, TuneIn and Stitcher.
  • The top eight Flash Fictions will be published on The Casket of Fictional Delights.

2018 Flash Fiction Competition

Posted
Filed under Competitions, flash fiction

The Casket of Fictional Delights

HURRY CLOSING DATE 31st MAY 2018

We are looking for entries with a maximum of 300 words (excluding title). The competition is open to anyone over 18.

Judge: David Gaffney

Entry: £5 per Flash Fiction. 

Prizes                

  • The winning Flash Fiction will receive £150.
  • The top Eight Flash Fictions will be published online on The Casket of Fictional Delights
  • The top Four Flash Fictions will be professionally recorded and broadcast in a special audio podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, TuneIn and Stitcher, promoted by The Casket of Fictional Delights.

Full set of Rules and writing Tips available on the website.

Judge David Gaffney has the following advice –

“I do not expect to understand it at first. I expect to be a little confused. I hope to be a little confused. I will expect to have to read it again, and maybe again after that. And the feeling I want to have after finishing it is a feeling that I have understood something I didn’t understand before but I still don’t really know what it is.”

Enter

Good Luck Everyone

#FindYourStory

2018 Flash Fiction Competition

Posted
Filed under Competitions, Lit mag

The Casket of Fictional Delights

Launched as part of the nationwide Get Creative Festival. We are looking for entries with a maximum of 300 words (excluding title). The competition is open to anyone over 18.

Judge: David Gaffney
Closing date: 31st May 2018

Entry

£5 per Flash Fiction. 

Prizes                

  • The winning Flash Fiction will receive £150.
  • The top Eight Flash Fictions will be published online on The Casket of Fictional Delights
  • The top Four Flash Fictions will be professionally recorded and broadcast in a special audio podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, TuneIn and Stitcher, promoted by The Casket of Fictional Delights.

Full set of Rules and writing Tips available on the website.

Judge David Gaffney has the following advice –

“I do not expect to understand it at first. I expect to be a little confused. I hope to be a little confused. I will expect to have to read it again, and maybe again after that. And the feeling I want to have after finishing it is a feeling that I have understood something I didn’t understand before but I still don’t really know what it is.”

Enter

Good Luck Everyone

#FindYourStory

 

THE 2017 FLASH FICTION COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Posted
Filed under Competitions

The Casket of Fictional Delights

We are delighted to announce the winners of the 2017 Flash Fiction Competition.

The competition was judged by award winning writer Kit de Waal who says “Flash Fiction is the study of a moment in a much longer narrative. In a few hundred words, the writer must evoke character, place and setting”.

FIRST PLACE

Mam and She Worries by Douglas Bruton
“Mam worries ‘bout stuff. Smallest things sometimes. Like when Mrs Kinnear was having her baby and she was rushed to the daytime hospital and no-one had opened the curtains on Mrs Kinnear’s windows.”……

SECOND PLACE

Kala Pani by Neema Shah
“There was a smidge of Radha in my pocket, a smattering of her on the cruddy wooden deck. I drew the string together and put the cotton bag in my pocket.”….

THIRD PLACE

The Replacement by Zoe Meager
“One year ago, Anne received almost exactly what she wanted for Christmas. It was me. I first detected signs of unease in February. The sideways looks and locked doors.”…

RUNNERS UP

Soiled by Alex Reece Abbott
The Ties that Bind by Gina Headden
Heavyweight Dreams by Louise Mangos
A Womb of One’s Own by Rosie Canning
Checkout Girl by Shirley Golden
Fragile by Shirley Golden
To See a Star by Susan Carey

All the winning stories have been professionally recorded and broadcast as a special audio podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, TuneIn and Stitcher internet radio and published as a download audio on The Casket website.

2017 Flash Fiction Podcast

Judge’s Report

Thank you to everyone who entered this year’s competition, we have been encouraged and overwhelmed by the response.

If you have not been successful this time there will be another opportunity next year, the 2018 Flash Fiction Competition will open for submissions on 17th March 2018.

2017 Flash Fiction Competition – LongList Announced

Posted
Filed under Competitions, Lit mag

The Casket of Fictional Delights

2017 Flash Fiction Competition LongList Announced

The Casket of Fictional Delights is delighted to announce the publication of the LongList for the 2017 Flash Fiction Competition.  The list is available on The Casket of Fictional Delights website Competitions page.  The list consists of titles only in order to maintain anonymity.  Good Luck to all those on the LongList.  Winners will be announced in September.

LONGLIST Link

Thank you everyone who entered the 2017 Flash Fiction Competition.  If you have not been successful this time there will be another opportunity next year, the 2018 Flash Fiction Competition will open for submissions on 17th March 2018.

This year’s judge is award-winning writer Kit De Waal.

Prizes

  • The winning flash fiction receives a £150 prize.
  • The top three flash fictions will be published on The Casket of Fictional Delights.
  • The top 10 flash fictions will be professionally recorded and broadcast as a special audio podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, TuneIn and Stitcher.

2017 Flash Fiction Competition – Don’t miss your chance to submit

Posted
Filed under Competitions, Lit mag

The Casket of Fictional Delights

 

2017 Flash Fiction Competition

Closing Date 31st May 2017 

We are looking for entries with a maximum of 300 words (excluding title). The competition is open to anyone over 18.

Judge: Kit de Waal
Entry: £5 per flash fiction, £12.50 for 3 or £20 for 5

PRIZES

  • The winning flash fiction will receive £150.
  • The top three flash fictions will be published on The Casket of Fictional Delights.
  • The top 10 flash fictions will be professionally recorded and broadcast as a special audio podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, TuneIn and Stitcher, and promoted by The Casket of Fictional Delights.

Full set of rules and writing tips available on the website The Casket of Fictional Delights 

Enter

Good Luck Everyone

Watch our interview with Kit de Waal talking about what she is looking for in a flash fiction

2017 Flash Fiction Competition

Posted
Filed under Competitions, Lit mag

The Casket of Fictional Delights

2017 Flash Fiction Competition 

Launched as part of the nationwide Get Creative weekend. We are looking for entries with a maximum of 300 words (excluding title). The competition is open to anyone over 18.

Judge: Kit de Waal
Closing date: 31st May 2017

Entry: £5 per flash fiction, £12.50 for 3 or £20 for 5

PRIZES

  • The winning flash fiction will receive £150.
  • The top three flash fictions will be published on The Casket of Fictional Delights.
  • The top 10 flash fictions will be professionally recorded and broadcast as a special audio podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, TuneIn and Stitcher, and promoted by The Casket of Fictional Delights.

Full set of rules and writing tips available on the website The Casket of Fictional Delights 

Enter

Good Luck Everyone

Check out our interview with Kit De Waal talking about what she is looking for in a flash fiction

Writers’ Views

Posted
Filed under Lit mag

The Casket of Fictional Delights has been running for five years and is looking to the future.  Up till now it has been a totally free service but is considering possible ways of recouping some of its running costs. Advertising is a possibility but we really don’t want to go down this route as it would spoil the whole look and feel of the website.

If you could spare a few minutes to complete a survey to help us work out what to do next we would be extremely grateful.  The survey is anonymous.  To compete the Writers’ Views Survey CLICK HERE

Thank you for your time and help it is much appreciated.

Joanna

The Casket of Fictional Delights

 JS-0116-1-2835_11

TubeFlash – Last Call for Submissions

Posted
Filed under Lit mag

The Casket of Fictional Delights sister site TubeFlash is calling for Flash Fiction submissions.

TubeFlash in motion with words

12 London Underground Stations have been paired with 12 brooches.  Flash Fiction stories of 300 words or less inspired by either the station, station area or brooch are sought. Knowledge of London or the Tube is not essential. A new Resources section has been added, providing advice and guidance. Successful writers will have their work published online and recorded by professional actors/voiceover artists as podcasts for iTunes.  This is a great opportunity to be part of a unique anthology of flash fiction. To date 78 stories by new, established and award winning writers have been published.

TubeFlash is part of BBC Arts Creative Writing initiative and is working with partners Spread the Word and the CityLit to bring Flash Fiction to as wide an audience as possible. 

Closing date 31st October 2015.  Entry is free.

Find out more and submit at TubeFlash full T&Cs available on the website

Follow on Twitter @tubeflashtales

TubeFlash is Back – Flash Fiction Submission Sought

Posted
Filed under Uncategorized

The Casket of Fictional Delights sister site TubeFlash is calling for Flash Fiction submissions.

TubeFlash is an exciting writing project looking for Writers to Submit.  TubeFlash is part of BBC Arts Creative Writing initiative and is working with partners Spread the Word and the CityLit to bring Flash Fiction to as wide an audience as possible.  The project is also supported by Transport for London.

12 London Underground Stations have been paired with 12 brooches.  Flash Fiction stories of 300 words or less inspired by either the station, station area or brooch are sought. Knowledge of London or the Tube is not essential. A new Resources section has been added, providing advice and guidance. Successful writers will have their work published online and recorded by professional actors/voiceover artists as podcasts for iTunes.  This is a great opportunity to be part of a unique anthology of flash fiction. To date 78 stories by new, established and award winning writers have been published.

Closing date 31st October 2015, entry is free.

Find out more and submit at TubeFlash full T&Cs available on the website

Follow on Twitter @tubeflashtales

TubeFlash Quizzes

Posted
Filed under Quiz

The Casket of Fictional Delights current series of TubeFlash flash fiction stories finished at the end of 2014 with the story ‘All’s Well that Ends Badly’.  We hope to be able to bring TubeFlash back for one last time later in 2015.  But for those of you suffering withdrawal symptoms why not try one of our TubeFlash quizzes.

All’s Well that Ends Badly – contained in the last TubeFlash story ‘All’s Well that Ends Badly’ I have incorporated references to 25 of the 78 TubeFlash stories. Clues are in the form of names or items from stories, stations or brooches, visual references, colours etc.  How many can you find and identify? To enter Click Here

For those who would like something a little more frivolous why not try our visual quiz.

Christmas Tree Brooches – Identify the 20 London Underground Stations  – here’s one to help you on your way

Casket_0115_1-052_20

Bond Street – To enter Click Here 

I do hope you all will have a go at one of the quizzes or both.  Spread the word, let your friends know, anyone can enter, there is no restriction to entry. Great TubeFlash inspired prizes to be won. Closing date end of February 2015.

GOOD LUCK

The Casket of Fictional Delights continues to accept submissions for Short Stories and Flash Fiction please refer to our submissions page for details.

To find out more visit The Casket of Fictional Delights website where you can subscribe to the mailing list to receive all Short Stories and Flash Fiction stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE

Follow on Twitter or Facebook

Last Call for Submissions for Christmas Story

Posted
Filed under blog, call for submissions

The Casket of Fictional Delights is calling for Submissions for its Christmas Short Story.

We are looking for our annual unconventional  Christmas Short Story.    Submissions close at the end of September.  christmas tree

Your story should be between 1200- 3000 words.  In the past we have had a ‘tongue in cheek’ take on the nativity story, a series of Christmas letters, and a carol service with a difference.  So why not join our band of guest writers.  Please submit by the end of September.  The sucessful Christmas short story will be published on The Casket of Fictional Delights in December and recorded as an audio Storycast and published on iTunes as a podcast.

To submit go to The Casket Submit Short Story ~ In the title section please include in brackets (Christmas Story). Please note – The Casket of Fictional Delights does not publish work containing excessive swearing, sex or violence.

Thank You and we look forward to receiving your stories by the end of September.

To find out more visit The Casket of Fictional Delights website where you can subscribe to the mailing list to receive all Short Stories, Flash Fiction and Tube-Flash stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE

Follow on Twitter or Facebook

Call for Submission – Christmas Stories

Posted
Filed under blog, literary magazine

The Casket of Fictional Delights is calling for Submissions for its Christmas Short Story. It may be flaming June, with the sun shining  and the BBQ smouldering in the garden, but here at The Casket of Fictional Delights we have our thoughts firmly on tinsel, turkey, mince pies, mistletoe and stories.

 

We are looking for our annual unconventional  Christmas Short Storychristmas tree

It should be between 1200- 3000 words.  In the past we have had a ‘tongue in cheek’ take on the nativity story, a series of Christmas letters, and a carol service with a difference.  So why not join our band of guest writers and submit your Christmas Story.  Please submit by the end of September.  The Christmas short story will be published on The Casket of Fictional Delights in December and recorded as an audio Storycast and published on iTunes as a podcast.

To submit go to The Casket Submit Short Story ~ In the title section please include in brackets (Christmas Story). Please note – The Casket of Fictional Delights does not publish work containing excessive swearing, sex or violence.

Thank You and we look forward to receiving your stories.

To find out more visit The Casket of Fictional Delights website where you can subscribe to the mailing list to receive all Short Stories, Flash Fiction and Tube-Flash stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE

Follow on Twitter or Facebook

 

New Writer & New Luggage from The Casket

Posted
Filed under blog, literary magazine, News

The Casket Logo

The Casket of Fictional Delights welcomes a new Guest author this month Lauren Bell with her Flash Fiction ‘Current Girl’.  Lauren lives in Birmingham and recently graduated from Birmingham City University.

Also arriving this month the seventh Tube-Flash audio – ‘Keep your Luggage with you’  featuring the six most recent Tube-Flash stories.  Tube-Flash audios are recorded by professional voice over artists and actors & there are tube sounds just to add authenticity.

Train with no background

Happiness is Wanting What You Have by Stephanie Brann

Values Laid Bear by Stephen Ryder

Transubstantiation  by Zoe Fairbairns

The Landed Sea Witch by Delijah Sakaki

The Belvedere-Kensington Interaction by Eric Carlton

Up the Hammers! by James Brinsford

Tube-Flash audios are available free on Apple iTunes as podcasts

iTunesBadge

Follow on Twitter or Facebook.

Last Call for Submissions – Tube-Flash

Posted
Filed under literary magazine

Train with no background

Last Chance to Submit

There are only days left if you want to be part of this unique project from The Casket of Fictional Delights.

Tube-Flash is a project with Transport for London where vintage and contemporary brooches have been paired with 78 London Underground stations. An anthology of flash fiction stories inspired by either the station/area or brooch is being collated. Knowledge of London or the Tube is not essential. To date over 60 stories by new, established and award winning writers have either been published or are in the pipeline. Submissions are sought for the last remaining stations/brooches. Successful writers will have their work published online, in a book and recorded for Apple iTunes.

Submissions for Tube-Flash close on 28th February.

Find out more and Submit Now  Tube-Flash

This is a great opportunity to be part of an exciting new adventure and showcase your work.