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Comma Press are looking for new Short Stories set in Liverpool for an anthology called 'Reberth.' The book will be published in December and will be made up of short stories from the ‘Cities on the Edge’. ‘Cities on the Edge’ is a partnership of six European cities: Bremen, Gdansk, Istanbul, Liverpool, Marseille and Naples. The Comma Press website explains: "At Liverpool's invitation, they have come together in Liverpool's European Capital of Culture ‘08 year to examine their roles as historic ports. The cities all share a sense of independence (almost as city states, as islands within their national territories). Equally, they are characterised by a critical edge; a rare combination of individualism and a strong sense of community; a reputation for creativity; and a long and vivid history. They are essential to the definition of the cultural identity of their respective countries, but don't always feel loved or understood by their countrymen. "Featuring two 2 stories set in each of the ‘Cities on the Edge’, ReBerth aims to give a flavour of the peculiar cultural potency of these cities: their diverse traditions and religions; their cultural practices (both old and new); their movement away from reliance on a shipping economy, and towards a model of cultural regeneration and exchange; and above all, their ‘edginess’. "We particularly welcome stories embracing the notion that port cities are a destination – and sometimes a stepping-off point - for migrant communities: people embarking on a new life; in search of sanctuary, salvation, or rebirth." What they are looking for: • Cohesive, subtle, insightful and well-shaped stories of literary merit. • Stories which touch on one or more of the above themes. • Stories set against the recognizable backdrop of the city of Liverpool (or in which geographical features of the city play a role in the story). • Contemporary stories (stories set within the past twenty-five years). What they are not looking for: • Character sketches, anecdotes, comic capers (particularly comic capers featuring ‘loveable rogues’), benign childhood memoirs. • Stories which set aside clunky, separate passages for scene setting, characterization, plot exposition or flashback. • Stories including any material to which the author does not own copyright (e.g. song lyrics). • Previously published works. Submissions should be between 1000 and 5000 words in length (approx). 2 submissions maximum per author will be considered. We will pay authors £200 for each story we use in the anthology. You are strongly urged to visit the ‘General Guidelines’ below and the Editorial page of the website (www.commapress.co.uk) for further guidance on submitting manuscripts. Email submissions as a double-spaced word document attachment before Friday 1st August 2008 to [email protected] Good luck

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