Killer Shorts Horror Writing Competition Open NOW With New Category for Feature Screenplays!
bloody-disgusting.com – Sunday June 7, 2026
The annual genre competition dedicated to finding and launching the next generation of horror writing talent, this year’s Killer Shorts is now officially open for entries!
Founded in 2019, Killer Shorts has established itself as a premier industry launchpad. The competition connects screenwriters and prose authors directly with the executives, managers, and producers who actively greenlight and option dark genre cinema.
But this year’s competition isn’t only about killer horror shorts…
For this brand new season, Killer Shorts is expanding its categories to include feature-length screenplays alongside its traditional short script, one-page script, and short story divisions.
Wiley Buys Emerald Publishing
mrweb.com – Sunday June 7, 2026
In New Jersey, research publisher Wiley has acquired Emerald Publishing from Cambridge Information Group (CIG) in an all-cash transaction valued at £337 million. The buy strengthens Wiley's offer in the social sciences - especially economics, business and finance.
Wiley, established in 1807, is today positioned as 'a global leader in research, publishing and knowledge solutions... dedicated to the creation and application of knowledge'. It operates AI-powered platforms which it says 'transform how knowledge is discovered, accessed, and applied.'
Emerald was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in the UK. The 'scholarly' publisher boasts nearly 500 journal brands, 8,000 book titles, and an extensive archive of case studies and backfile content worldwide. Wiley's positions in accounting, management, strategy, education, engineering, information and knowledge management, operations, public policy and environmental management will all be boosted by the deal, and will deepen its proprietary content offer for AI and data analytics. Following the buy Wiley's journal portfolio will rise to c.2,500 titles.
"The power of the internet:" How a Chicago writer founded an international literary magazine from her bedroom
cbsnews.com – Friday June 5, 2026
Saber-toothed tigers have been extinct for millennia, but for one Chicago writer, the name is alive with meaning.
Sabr Tooth Tiger Magazine is a new Chicago-based publication with, as founder Madeline Blair describes it, "claws, teeth, and heart."
The name has a dual meaning. "The Arabic word 'sabr' means steadfastness, resilience, and patience," Blair said, which she learned as she began to explore Islam.
The 2023 University of Illinois creative writing graduate wanted the name to carry the magazine's mission.
"Saber-toothed tigers used to be a huge pinnacle of strength and ferocity, so I want that to exhibit our strength in writing," she said.
But strength and resilience aren't just themes in her magazine. They're a part of her own life. Blair had lived with long COVID for nearly a year after her first infection in 2022.
She described "strange" health issues: lung problems, blood vessel complications, "bruising so severe my arm would turn purple after blood draws," Blair said. "Doctors noted hazy opacities on my lungs, but couldn't fully explain."
Star-studded line-up unveiled for Scottish crime writing festival
thenational.scot – Friday June 5, 2026
Richard Osman, Lucy Foley and Lee Child will be among the authors taking part in a “sensational” crime writing festival in September, organisers have announced.
Writer Denise Mina, guest programmer for the Bloody Scotland festival, has unveiled the programme for the event which takes place in Stirling later this year.
Other authors appearing include Liz Nugent, Sarah Pinborough, Gregg Hurwitz and Robert Bryndza, as well as Irish crime writer Andrea Mara and one of China’s bestselling writers Cai Jun.
Scottish writers on the line-up include Harriet Tyce, Chris Brookmyre, Alex Gray, Lin Anderson, Louise Welsh and Graeme Macrae Burnet.
Denise Mina said: “If Bloody Scotland 2026 is even half as much fun as I had helping to put this festival together then it’s going to be bloody brilliant. See you there!”
Broadcasters Robert Peston, Olly Smith and Jeremy Vine will also be taking part in the festival, as will Irish comedian and Father Ted actor, Ardal O’Hanlon.
There will also be a range of non-fiction events including How to Clean A Crime Scene with Ben Giles and A History Of Modern Britain In Twenty Murders with Professor David Wilson.
Publishing professionals are becoming prime targets for impersonation
thenextweb.com – Thursday June 4, 2026
An aspiring author receives an email from a “literary agent” expressing enthusiasm about their manuscript. The message is polished, personalized, and professional. The sender references recent bestsellers, adaptation potential, and submission strategy. The agency website looks legitimate, the LinkedIn profile appears credible, and the tone sounds authoritative and reassuring. Then comes the catch with one of the following: a “representation onboarding fee,” a paid representation package, a marketing retainer, or perhaps a request for the full manuscript that surreptitiously disappears into piracy networks. The real literary agent whose identity was stolen may not even know the scam is happening.
As Mark Gottlieb, an Executive Vice President & Literary Agent at Trident Media Group, has observed firsthand: artificial intelligence has not merely accelerated publishing fraud, it has industrialized it. Increasingly, literary agents have become some of the easiest and most effective identities for scammers to impersonate.
For over 100 years, literary agents have served as trusted intermediaries between writers and the publishing industry. They have functioned as curators, advocates, negotiators, editors, strategists, and gatekeepers. Their role has traditionally depended on one essential currency above all else: trust. Tech-driven impersonators are threatening to erode that trust.
New Literary Agent Listing: Flo Sandelson
firstwriter.com – Thursday June 4, 2026
Handles speculative fiction across adult and young adult markets, with a strong interest in work that blends the real and the imagined. Seeks emotionally rich stories with grounded worldbuilding, including urban fantasy, high fantasy, dystopian fiction, and speculative narratives that tilt subtly into the surreal. Particularly drawn to writing that explores technology, the environment, identity and memory in intimate, character driven ways, as well as literary leaning speculative fiction that is bold and playful with form. Interested in YA fantasy with emotional depth, convincing worldbuilding, morally complex protagonists, and both romantic and non-romantic stakes. Welcomes work featuring mythology, reimagined non-Western traditions, real world commentary framed through fantastical or dystopian settings, and horror or suspense with strong emotional intelligence.
Renowned authors to appear at this year’s Frome Festival
frometimes.co.uk – Wednesday June 3, 2026
A wealth of literary events, including talks from well-known authors and writing workshops, are planned as part of this year’s Frome Festival.
The group organising the literary events, Words at Frome Festival, says this year’s festival will feature more events than in previous years, alongside the 10th anniversary of the Frome Publishing Fair.
Local author Alison Clink, speaking on behalf of the group, said, “We have many more literary events this year than in the past. Audiences will be treated to talks by well-known writers, writing workshops and the opportunity for budding novelists to meet with literary agents who will be coming to Frome to help guide them towards publication.”
During the festival, which runs from 3rd to 12th July, Frome will welcome Booker Prize shortlisted author Andrew Miller, who will discuss his latest novel The Land in Winter with author Emma Craigie; novelist and biographer Nicholas Shakespeare, whose political thriller Frame 37 is published this May; novelist and academic Emily Hauser, author of Mythica, a study of women in ancient Greek mythology; plus Satish Kumar, Winnie Li, Lily Dunn, Harriet Derioz, poets Kate Fox and Jenny Mitchell, and local authors Peter Clark and Annie Elliot.
New Literary Agent Listing: Maria Carolina Ministeri
firstwriter.com – Monday June 1, 2026
Looking for adult, crossover, and YA fiction across genres that feature compelling characters, complex relationships, and immersive settings (real or imagined). Please send your query letter, contact information, and the first 15 pages of your manuscript via email.
Whisper it: becoming a mum can make you a more productive writer
theguardian.com – Friday May 29, 2026
Before having a child, I had endless days to think about writing. Now, half an hour can suddenly become a window of creativity
Becoming a parent is hard. Eight to 12 hours a day are spent breastfeeding or preparing formula milk and washing bottles. In addition, there is carrying, singing, soothing, putting to sleep, trying to sleep yourself and waking up to repeat this several times a night. So many new activities that before were unknown, filling up every day.
This is time that was once completely at your own discretion, and the new constriction is a shock.
But – after the necessary physical and mental healing – it is also what can make parents become creative about their use of time: being a parent can make you more productive by using the gaps in the daily routine. While enhancing productivity is a trope of self-optimisation content, this is not a capitalistic productivity. Caring for a baby can feel like a remove from the self previously constructed. To me, writing felt like an alleviation of this loss of self. Simply draft a paragraph, a few sentences, get on with a text as a means to stimulate the insufficiently challenged mind.
New Magazine Listing: The Blue Bell Review
firstwriter.com – Wednesday May 27, 2026
A student-run digital magazine that accepts writing, art and multimedia from students ages 6-16 based anywhere in the world. Aims to amplify youth voices. Publishes poetry, short stories, essays, op-eds, book reviews, fiction, nonfiction, and creative writing. Also features visual art in any medium or style, including paintings, drawings, digital art, and photography, along with audio pieces such as podcasts, audio essays, spoken word, and music, and video work including short films, animations, and video essays under two minutes. Accepts only original, unpublished material apart from work previously shared on personal blogs or social media. Reviews all submissions blind and considers simultaneous submissions. Seeks work suitable for a student editorial board, avoiding violent, discriminatory, or overly mature content. Publishes selected pieces in a quarterly digital magazine, weekly newsletter, and online platforms, with rights reverting to the author after publication.
Get the free newsletter | Submit a news item or article | Get Writers' News for your website
