Basket Weaving (short story) by Leanne Dyck

I love to play with genre--romances that don't have a happy ending and... In this short story a mystery with a twist. I love twists (you may have noticed)

(photo ldyck)

Basket Weaving

"You're listening to My Island Neighbour, I'm your host Andrea Whistle." She tries to whistle but fails. "And we're speaking to... Hmm... Er..." Papers rustled. "Please introduce yourself to our listening audience.”

Name, city of residence that was what was expected, but instead...

“I'll soon be a widow.”

Dead air. Andrea cut it as quickly as possible. “Oh, your husband's off for the weekend. Is he into golf, hockey..." More papers rustled.

“No, it's worse than that.”

“Basket weaving. Ah, baskets. Why don't you tell us about the baskets you make for ch —.”

“My husband wants to get rid of me — you know, like kill. He's tried more than once. Why just the other day I was standing too close to the pool and he tried to push me in. He may have drowned me had I not kept my ground. But it's not going to be me who d —.”

More dead air. This time cut by a man's voice. “Mindy can't talk.” Click. The interview was over.



Hey, know what? You just read a micro text. Now why don't you write one.

Why?

Here's a reason...

Emerging authors (and CRD residents) 
enter for a chance to win $500
Deadline:  January 22, 2017

The Malahat Review (literary journal) Poetry and Micro Text contest

or if that's too short why not try this...

Prism International Jacob Zilber Prize for Short Fiction

Deadline:  January 15

(once on the site, scroll down)

Picture Books in Canada

Red Deer Press is a Canadian multi-genre book publisher.
Canadian authors may submit manuscripts by email or mail.
Submission guidelines

Sharing my Author Journey...

Life, the universe is encouraging me to be more focused. I have

No MFA? Submit to these literary magazines by Leanne Dyck

In her article -- What Your Writer's Resume Says About Your Chances for Recognition -- Sharon Bially outlines steps authors can take to keep their manuscripts out of the shredder and increase the likelihood that your potential publisher will read it. Among these steps, Ms. Bially recommends submitting short stories to literary journals. 

To this recommendation, Paula Cappa wrote:  'My question is how does a serious writer break into literary magazines without writing or academic credentials already established? Would you be able to give us a few names of lit magazines that you know to be open to new writers who don't have MFAs or a list of previously published short stories?'

Canadian literary magazines that are open to new writers who don't have MFAs or a list of previously published short stories...

The Fiddlehead

From their website:  'Work is read on an on going basis, the acceptance is rate is around 1-2%'
Welcomes international submitters.


The Malahat Review 

From their website: 'It publishers poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction by new and established writers mostly from Canada as well as reviews of Canadian books, and the best writing from abroad.'

Room

From their website: '[P]ublishes orriginal work by women.'

Prism International 

Welcomes international submitters.

The New Quarterly

From their website: 'Please be advised that we only publish writing by Canadian citizens (whether living at home or abroad) and landed immigrants.'


Grain

From their website: '[I]internationally acclaimed literary journal that publishes engaging, surprising, eclectic, and challenging writing and art by Canadian and international writers and artists.'

Prairie Fire

Welcomes international submitters.

Capilano Review

Welcomes international submitters.

This list was last updated on February 15, 2025.

All of these journals pay contributors. In 2014, I submitted a manuscript to each of these journals -- at least one, some more than one. I haven't been published, yet -- but I've come close.
Submitting to literary magazines is like dating: you should have fun, be polite, and get to know each other. Not all of them will be a good fit, but you'll meet some nice people.

Sharing my author journey...