11 February 2023 – Submissions are now closed
Sincere thanks to everyone who has submitted their writing for consideration and shared their enthusiasm for this project. It is much appreciated.
There were a large number of submissions, with many creative responses to the botanical theme.
I will respond to any outstanding queries as soon as possible.
I hope to be in touch with the outcome within six weeks of the closing date. Please keep an eye on this website and social media for updates.
20 October 2022
Botanical Short Stories is an anthology of contemporary writing about plants and flowers which will be published by The History Press in spring 2024. The book’s editor is Emma Timpany and illustrations are by RHS Gold medal winning botanical illustrator Sarah Jane Humphrey.
From tokens of love to neolithic burial gifts, bridal bouquets to seasonal wreaths, healing potions to artistic masterpieces, flowers and plants have a multitude of meanings and a long and complex relationship with all our lives. They are the stuff of myth, of gods’ metamorphoses and the emblems of kings and saints. They brighten our homes and bring joy to our senses, delight us in gardens and countryside, convey our emotions, symbolise new birth and human mortality, and yet are often overlooked as an inspiration for writers of fiction.
This stunning collection of contemporary fiction will celebrate the world of flowers and plants and the meanings they hold, in twelve intriguing and surprising new short stories.
Please see the submission guidelines below for further details.
Submission Guidelines
I am looking for stories of approximately 3,000 to 5,000 words by new, emerging and established writers. If you have a story that falls outside this range but which you feel is suitable for the anthology, please contact me at botanicalshortstories@gmail.com before submitting.
All entries must be original, unpublished and the author’s own work. Stories for children are not suitable for this publication.
Writers should send a maximum of two stories. Payment and terms are at the bottom of this page.
Please send each story separately as an email attachment in a Word document formatted in an easily legible, 12pt font such as Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri and use double spacing.
Please include a brief biographical note (around 50 words) in your covering email which tells me a little about yourself, your writing, and your interest in plants and flowers.
Email your submission(s) to botanicalshortstories@gmail.com
Submissions close at 12pm on Friday 10 February 2023.
Payment and terms
The History Press are offering each contributor 15 complimentary copies of Botanical Short Stories upon publication. The anthology is expected to retail at £10.99 per copy.
Contributors are able to buy further author copies at 50% of the retail price if wished.
After publication, contributors will be eligible for ALCS and PLR payments based on their contribution.
On publication, The History Press ask for a three-year exclusive licence and a non-exclusive licence thereafter. Stories may be republished, for example in a sole-authored short story collection, within the exclusive period with permission from The History Press.
Copyright remains with the author.
Please email any queries to botanicalshortstories@gmail.com
Botanical Short Stories 