From: Stringybark <thejudges@stringybarkstories.net>
Date: 27 April 2022 at 11:41:49 am AEST
To: joniscott@bigpond.com
Subject: HIGHLY COMMENDED – CONGRATULATIONS!  — “Fruitcake Frenzy” — Stringybark Stories

G’day Joni,

By now you will have read the good news on the Stringybark Stories website or on Facebook, so please accept my congratulations on receiving a Highly Commended in the Stringybark Short Story Award 2022.

With 287 entries submitted to the competition to be chosen as a highly commended and published author is an impressive achievement. Your story has been edited and published in our newest anthology Fruitcake Frenzy.

Printed anthology and pre-orders

The printed anthology is currently being prepared, and it is expected that it will be delivered by late May for all those who pre-order (probably earlier although it depends a little on Covid absences at our printer). Pre-ordering is done via the Bookshop.  Please click here to pre-order.

We are most grateful for receiving pre-orders as it assists us in setting the size of the print-run and avoids us having to do extra print runs (which incur bigger costs). In addition, you get your copy of the book faster. If you wish to pre-order a copy (or copies) of the paperback, please do so via the Bookshop (note we now offer direct deposit for book purchases if you don’t wish to use PayPal). If you or your buyer is not in Australia, they should email for a postage quote before purchasing via the Bookshop. Australia Post charges through the nose to transport our books overseas.

Promote Stringybark Stories.

May I invite you to promote your success to your friends and colleagues via as many channels as possible — emails, facebook, twitter, carrier pigeon, ink on paper, blog, shouting from your bedroom window, instagram. tiktok vids etc.  The more sales of Fruitcake Frenzy we can achieve, the greater the impact of your writing and the more likely we can offer bigger prizes in future. Attached is a jpg of the cover image for your use.

Review Stringybark Stories

Please also take a moment to review Fruitcake Frenzy on the Smashwords page (after you have had a chance to read it!). This is a very important part of promoting the book. We are not asking you to review your own story but the anthology as a whole. It doesn’t take more than a couple of minutes to write a review. Please consider doing so. We are always disappointed how few authors review the anthologies — writer’s block perhaps? [Our last anthology, The Lighthouse received just THREE reviews, despite it being a marvellous read and it had over 30 authors showcased! Stringybark Stories relies on the generous support of writers to help promote their writing.  Writing a review is the simplest way to help.

Printed copies of the story anthology are available to your friends and colleagues at the normal rate and can be ordered via the Bookshop. 

On behalf of all the judges may I thank you for entering the competition and we hope to read more of your wonderful writing in future.

I look forward to hearing from you shortly.

With very best wishes,

David

On behalf of Dr Mel Baker, Antoinette Merrillees and Dr Rick Williams the other hardworking and sadly unpaid judges. If you are a Facebook user, do ‘like’ Stringybark Stories on Facebook so as to keep up with our latest news.