Contests
1st Anniversary Contest
To celebrate the 1st anniversary of the DarkWinter Literary Magazine launch, we’re hosting a writing contest! Submit your poetry (1 poem per entry, max. 500 words) or short fiction (1 story per entry, max. 2000 words) by April 15th. Winners will be chosen by our judging panel and will be announced on May 15th, 2023. There is no entry fee. The shortlist will be published and the first place entries will receive a cash prize of $50. Please see our regular submissions guidelines to find out what kinds of things excite us, and include the words “1st Anniversary Contest” in the subject line of your email submission. We can’t wait to read your work! Send it to darkwinterlit@gmail.com
Poetry Judge: Kim Fahner
Kim Fahner lives and writes in Sudbury, Ontario. Her most recent book of poems is Emptying the Ocean (Frontenac House, 2022). Kim was poet laureate for the City of Greater Sudbury from 2016-18. She is the Ontario Representative for The Writers’ Union of Canada (2020-24), and is a member of the League of Canadian Poets and a supporting member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada. Her first novel, The Donoghue Girl, will be published in Spring 2024 by Latitude 46 Publishing. She may reached via her author website at www.kimfahner.com
Short Fiction Judge: Rod Carley
Rod is the award-winning author of three works of literary fiction: his interconnected short story collection GRIN REAPING (Finalist for Foreword Reviews 2022 INDIES Award for Humour), KINMOUNT (top ten finalist for the 2021 Leacock Medal for Humour and winner of the 2021 Silver Medal for Best Regional Fiction from the Independent Publishers Book Awards), and A Matter of Will (finalist for the Northern Lit Award for Fiction) – all with Latitude 46 Publishing.
His short stories and creative non-fiction have appeared in a variety of literary magazines including Broadview, Cloud Lake Literary, Blank Spaces, Exile, and the anthology 150 years Up North And More. He was a finalist for the 2021 Carter V. Cooper Short Fiction Prize as well as a co-writer on the independent feature film Red Pine City, shot in Edmonton in 2022.
Rod is currently working on his next novel RUFF as well as translating his cat Hilton’s adaptation of The Great Catsby into English. Fortunately, he did a minor in Tabby at York University. He recently finished recording the audio book for KINMOUNT alongside author/actor Heidi von Palleske.
