Mace and Jones Short Story Competition

Leading Merseyside law firm, Mace & Jones, is launching a short story competition to coincide with Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture.

Mace & Jones head of employment law and celebrated crime fiction author Martin Edwards [who edited the recent Crime Writers Association anthology M.O. which I'm enjoying at the moment--Ed.] said the firm is aiming to make a meaningful contribution to the Capital of Culture celebrations. “The short story is a marvellous literary form I am passionate about,” he said.  “The idea is simple. We encourage both amateurs and professionals to submit a story on the theme of ‘justice’. From the judging panel’s viewpoint the field is wide open.”

The competition has a maximum word count of 3,000 words and a deadline of August 31 2008. All entry fees of £10 go to Local Solutions, a charity supported by Mace & Jones. The short story competition is open to entrants of any age and background, whether they are published authors or beginners, with the prizes on offer being first prize £500, second prize £250, third prize £150 and fourth, £100.

All entries should be typed, indented, double-spaced and written in Size 12 Times New Roman font. Entries can be submitted by email via the Mace & Jones Website, www.maceandjones.co.uk, or by standard post to: Samantha Kinnear, Mace & Jones, Drury House, 19 Water Street, Liverpool, L2 0RP. Cheques and Postal Orders should be made payable to Mace & Jones and please include a Self Addressed Postcard with all postal entries to receive notification of receipt of entry.

Further details can be obtained from Mace & Jones’ Marketing Manager, Samantha Kinnear, on samantha.kinnear[AT]maceandjones.co.uk.

Mace & Jones, which has offices in Liverpool, Manchester and Knutsford in Cheshire, has long had literary connections. Two previous senior partners, Brian Fraser Harrison and Barrie Marsh, published books and, more recently, Martin Edwards has published non-fiction books, edited and contributed to short story anthologies and written highly acclaimed crime fiction novels, including his much loved Lake District Mysteries and the ever popular Harry Devlin series which is set to return in May with Waterloo Sunset (Alison & Busby).