As many know, I am a member of the Mavens of Mayhem, a chapter of the national organization: Sisters in Crime. We have programs every month.
Coming in January:
Next up: An opportunity for writers. Here’s a chance to have your short story featured in the Mavens Anthology. Rules below.
The Mavens of Mayhem are pleased to announce that submissions are now open for our upcoming anthology. All subgenres of mystery and crime fiction are welcome, including but not limited to: traditional mysteries, cozies, police procedurals, psychological suspense, thrillers, hardboiled detectives, noir, historicals, capers, comedy, and cross-genre stories including elements of urban fantasy, paranormal, and speculative fiction.
Stories must include a crime and a New York setting. We welcome stories set anywhere from Adirondack State Park to Central Park; from the Hudson River to Niagara Falls, and from Fire Island to Henderson Harbor [pop. 1,400] Whichever you choose, the Empire State offers a range of possibilities for artful dodgers and evil masterminds.
Word count: Stories must be between 1,500 and 5,000 words
Content: Stories must be original to the author and cannot rely, in whole or in part, on AI-generated content.
Requirements for Submission
Each author must be a member in good standing of both Sisters in Crime National and a local New York State chapter: the Upper Hudson River Mavens of Mayhem, OR the New York/Tri-State Chapter, OR Central/Western NY Murder on Ice.
(You can update your membership with the Mavens at https://upperhudsonsinc.com/join-us/)
Only one story per author may be submitted.
Only previously unpublished stories will be considered. The story may not have appeared in print, online (including e-zines and personal websites) or in any other public forum.
Mandatory Manuscript Guidelines
1. Formatting and Font: · MS Word document (.doc, not .docx, please), 12 point Times New Roman, double-spaced, one-inch margins on all sides. You may use italics as needed within the text.
2. Leave two lines, then center title, ALL CAPS BOLD, Leave two lines below title, then start story – do not indent first line of first paragraph · Use Format > Paragraph > to indent the first line of paragraphs 0.5″ (do not use the tab key to indent) ·
3. Separate sections with a centered # and do not indent first line of first paragraph beginning new section/ Indicate end of story with ### centered (format line for no indentation before centering)
4. Pagination and Rubrics: Paginate with page numbers at top right, including first page · Add story title only (not author name) as header at top left on all pages ·
5. Manuscript file name should be story title only ·
6.Strip manuscript of all metadata before submitting, as submissions will be evaluated anonymously.
7. Cover Sheet: Submit a cover sheet along with the story manuscript as a separate email attachment. The cover sheet must include: author/member real name, pen name, mailing address, telephone number, email address, title of story, and word count
8. Cover sheet file name should be author name and story title or an appropriate abbreviation.
9. Submissions: The story and cover sheet should be submitted together as two (2) attachments to anthology@upperhudsonsinc.com
The subject line should read: Anthology Submission – [Author Name] – “[Story Title]” ·
10. Anonymity: Do not include the author’s name below the title or anywhere on manuscript. Strip manuscript of all identifying metadata before submitting.
Decision-making and Revisions: All stories will be read and ranked anonymously by at least two volunteer evaluators in addition to the editors. The final selection for inclusion in the anthology will be ratified by the Board of Directors of the Mavens of Mayhem and may include editorial considerations beyond numeric scores. Authors and the chapter at large will be notified when final selections are made. · Please note that you may be asked to make revisions, either as a condition for selection or after selection as part of the editorial process.
All editing will be done using Word’s Track Changes, which has become standard for most publishers these days and is worth learning if you haven’t used it before.
This anthology is tentatively scheduled for publication October 2026, but that date may change.
Payment is $25 for accepted entries.
We look forward to reading your work!
Empire State Crimes Co-Editors: Ellen Higgins and Lori Robbins
Empire State Crimes Co-Editors: Ellen Higgins and Lori Robbins