Editor’s note

With the new year’s arrival, January will likely bring overcast skies and the occasional snowfall to the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania, home base for the Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. It’s a time for hunkering down near the fire with a good book or movie, while the chimes on the porch clang in the winter gusts.

Here at the BWR, we are excited to announce that our 2023 Short Story Award is now open for submissions. The theme is holiday tales—stories can include any holiday from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. See the Award page on the site for more details.

We’re also looking ahead to this year’s issues. As mentioned in the last issue, we have switched to two three-month submission periods for the year. Our first limited submission period runs until January 31. The second will start June 1 and end August 31.

We look forward to seeing your work while also showcasing our members’ work.

In this Winter issue, our featured story, “For the Love of Dottie” by Ellen Kazimer, took third place in the 2022 BWG Short Story Award. Congratulations, Ellen!

The issue also highlights excerpts of longer works by several of our members. Debra H. Goldstein shares two excerpts, one from her mystery One Taste Too Many, and the other from her recently released mystery, Five Belles Too Many.

Paula Benson shares a chapter from “Candlemas,” part of Love in the Lowcountry, Volume 2. Christopher D. Ochs shares a chapter from his urban fantasy, My Friend Jackson, and Carol L. Wright shares an excerpt from her cozy mystery, Death in Glenville Falls.

Later this year, we’ll unveil a group story told from various points of view, each character written by a different BWG member.

Our 2023 Short Story Award

Is now open for submissions!

See the 2023 Short Story Award tab for more information.

Featured story

“For the Love of Dottie” by Ellen Kazimer

I was searching for my wife, Dottie when I found Tom face down in the pink oleander bushes that ringed the community putting green. From the contusion on the back of his head, I guessed someone had clobbered him with his own putter. I could not feel a pulse. He had not been dead long, though. The grounds crew at Citrus Grove Senior Living would have already removed him. They keep this place immaculate, and poor Tom was unsightly.

Read more . . .