Announcing Hometown Haunts, an Australian YA horror anthology to be published in 2021

Wakefield Press is delighted to announce a new YA short-story anthology, Hometown Haunts: #LoveOzYA Horror Tales, generously funded by a grant from the Australia Council’s 2020 Resilience Fund – Create.

Hometown Haunts, which will be published in October 2021, is the brainchild of acclaimed YA author and Wakefield Press staff member Poppy Nwosu, who will curate the anthology and contribute a story. Confirmed contributors are Wai Chim, Sarah Epstein, Alison Evans, Lisa Fuller, Holden Sheppard, Jared Thomas and Vikki Wakefield.
And in an exciting opportunity, four additional stories will be selected from an open call-out across Australia, published alongside some of the most respected names in Australian YA. All contributors will receive $500 payment for their story. Find out how to enter here.

‘I feel so excited by the opportunity to bring this horror anthology to life,’ says Nwosu. ‘I love scary stories, and I believe that publishing strong genre fiction encourages teens of all reading tastes to consume Australian stories. Our horror anthology will provide Australian teenagers an opportunity to face their fears, contemplate their futures, and be challenged, thrilled and excited.’

The horror theme seems perfectly suited to our uncertain times. Writers might explore their feelings around the unfolding landscape of 2020 and beyond – or dig deep into the everyday darkness or disquiet beneath the surface of Australian homes and neighbourhoods. Or they might choose to explore urban legends or inherited lore ... or let their imaginations run riot! What have we seen, experienced or imagined within our bush landscapes, red deserts and lush rainforests? Our claustrophobic cityscapes and quiet small towns? Often, it is only by facing our fears that we can discover new pathways forward.

‘This anthology is a great opportunity for Wakefield Press, in our second year as a dedicated YA publisher, to discover new writers – and to work with some of Australia’s best,’ says Jo Case, who took over from inaugural YA Publisher Margot Lloyd in June, and will be working with Poppy to judge the open entries. ‘I can’t wait to see the stories that come from this. And we’re all grateful to the Australia Council for their funding, which allows Poppy’s vision to come to life – and will help us to pay twelve Australian writers for original new work.’

This competition is open to anyone living permanently in Australia, and we’re keen to showcase writers who reflect a diversity of Australian identities and regions. We especially encourage entries from Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander writers. We’re looking for stories of young adult fiction of up to 5000 words, responding to the horror theme.
Entries close Thursday 1 October 2020.
Submission instructions can be found here.