Featured Author: Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC
March 29, 2026 by Bethlehem Writers Group in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Contests, Featured Author of the Month tagged as Bethlehem Writers Group, Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Award, Susan Kaye Quinn, The BWG
About Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC
The Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC (BWG), is a community of mutually supportive fiction and nonfiction authors based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The members are as different from each other as their stories. BWG also publishes quality fiction through their online literary journal, Bethlehem Writers Roundtable, and their award-winning A Sweet, Funny, and Strange Anthology series.
Next up for BWG
BWG is working on their ninth anthology, Illusive Worlds: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Tales of Science Fiction and Fantasy.
In connection with this anthology, they are hosting The Bethlehem Writers 2026 Short Story Award.
The contest deadline is April 30, 2025. The theme is Speculative Fiction (tales of science fiction and fantasy, broadly interpreted).
BWG is seeking never-published short stories of 2,500 words or fewer.
First Place:
$250 and consideration for publication in our upcoming anthology: Illusive Worlds: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Tales of Science Fiction and Fantasy or Bethlehem Writers Roundtable
Second Place:
$100 and publication in Bethlehem Writers Roundtable
Third Place:
$50 and publication in Bethlehem Writers Roundtable
The 2026 contest judge is speculative fiction author Susan Kaye Quinn.
About the 2026 Contest Judge
Susan Kaye Quinn has designed aircraft engines and studied global warming, getting a PhD in environmental engineering along the way, but now she invents cool stuff in books. She’s been writing across multiple genres for 15 years, with her latest works focusing on hopepunk, solarpunk, and the new stories we need to build a more just and sustainable world. Her short fiction can be found in Grist, Solarpunk Magazine, Reckoning, and all her novels and short stories can be found on her website: SusanKayeQuinn.com. She is the host of the Bright Green Futures podcast.
Read BWG’s interview of Susan here.
For more information on the 2026 Short Story Award and for information on how to enter, click here.
Books from Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC
The Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC (BWG), founded in 2006, is a community of mutually supportive, fiction and nonfiction authors based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The members are as different from each other as their stories, spanning a range of genres including: children’s, fantasy, humor, inspiration, literary, memoir, mystery, paranormal, romance, science fiction, women’s fiction, and young adult.
See the schedule of meetings and events here.
Announcing Fur, Feathers, and Scales
November 13, 2020 by Bethlehem Writers Group in category From a Cabin in the Woods by Members of Bethlehem Writers Group tagged as Animal Tales, Bethlehem Writers Group, new release, pre-orders, The BWG
Fur, Feather, and Scales available for pre-order November 13 at the special price of 99¢
The award-winning “Sweet, Funny, and Strange” series of anthologies from the Bethlehem Writers Group, continues with this collection of twenty-five tales about real, legendary, or imaginary animals. From snakes to ducks to unicorns, there are tales here to match any mood, provide a chuckle, or warm a heart.
Among our tales, Peter Barbour recounts a legend in “Why Bats Live in Caves,” Jerome W. McFadden asks the question of what animal to choose to be in “Recycled,” A. E. Decker shares an appreciation of cephalopods in “Tipping Point,” Ralph Hieb imagines an unconventional pet in “Buttons,” and Diane Sismour, in “Critter,” reveals that mules are not the only equines that can have a stubborn streak.
In addition, we are happy to present the winning stories from the 20I9 and 2020 Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Awards. Angela Albertson, our 20I9 winner, shares her heartfelt “Oranges and Roses,” and our 2020 winner, Brett Wolff, gives us a good laugh in “Hubbard Has a Fancy Bra.”
This eclectic assemblage of stories includes terrific tales from beloved BWG authors including Courtney Annicchiarico, Jeff Baird, Jodi Bogert, Marianne H. Donley, DT Krippene, Emily P. W. Murphy, Christopher D. Ochs, Dianna Sinovic, Kidd Wadsworth, Paul Weidknecht, Carol L. Wright, and Will Wright.
So cuddle up with your favorite pet-real or imaginary. No matter. You’ll find just the right story to share.
The special price is only good from now until December 1, 2020.
Other Sweet, Funny, and Strange Anthologies
Nothing Found
Write Now! Workshop Podcast by Kitty Bucholtz
August 9, 2019 by Kitty Bucholtz in category It's Worth It by Kitty Bucholtz tagged as anthologies, Bethlehem Writers Group LLC, Kitty Bucholtz, self-publishing, Short Stories, The BWG, Untethered
Anthologies for Writers Groups
An Interview with Marianne H. Donley
Write Now! Workshop Podcast EPISODE 153I
Today’s guest is Marianne H. Donley, a writer who has worked with her writers group to put out several fiction anthologies over the last several years. She uses this experience as an example for her tips and suggestions for you if you’re thinking about getting some writers together and creating an anthology.
There are a lot of pieces and parts to consider if you want to put together a multi-author anthology. It takes far more time than you think it will, especially for whomever edits it. (Unless you hire out an editor, the best editor in your group is going to need to read every story and give notes where appropriate.)
You also will have to cover all the production items within your group, or decide how to pay for hiring it out – editing, cover design, formatting, etc. Someone will have to be in charge of the uploading – and under whose name will that be? That segues into the topic of money – will the costs come from one person or evenly from the group? And how will proceeds from sales be distributed? Or will you offer the book for free?
These are just a small sampling of the many issues Marianne helps us consider as she walks us through the process of creating an anthology. Here are links to some of the things she mentioned:
Bethlehem Writers Roundtable ezine
Submit to the ezine
Short Story Award contest page
Bethlehem Writers Group anthologies
A Slice of Orange
…and its bookstore
Request to be an interviewed author
Charmed Writers free Flash Fiction book
5-Minute Covers
(may or may not still be in business)
The Book Designer
with Joel Friedland
Write Now! Workshop podcasts
(audio only)
Write Now! Workshop YouTube Channel
Books by Kitty Bucholtz
The Bethlehem Writers Round Table 2019 Short Story Award
March 4, 2019 by Bethlehem Writers Group in category Writing Contest tagged as Bethlehem Writers Group, Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Award, The BWG, Writing contest
The 2019 Short Story Award will open on January 1, 2019
Our theme will be Animal Stories, broadly interpreted.
Stories of 2,000 words or fewer about WILD ANIMALS,PETS, or IMAGINARY BEASTS will be welcome (so long as an animal is an important character or element of the story).
The winner will receive $200 and may be offered publication in our upcoming anthology.
For more information or to enter follow this link.
A few writing promts to help you come up with a winning story.
The 2019 Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Award
February 7, 2019 by Bethlehem Writers Group in category Contests, Writing Contest tagged as Animal Stories, Bethlehem Writers Group, Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Award, The BWG, Writing Prompts
The 2019 Short Story Award Is Now Accepting Entries
The theme is Animal Stories, broadly interpreted.
Stories of 2,000 words or fewer about
WILD ANIMALS, PETS, or IMAGINARY BEASTS
are welcome
(so long as an animal is an important
character or element of the story)
The winner will receive $200
and may be offered publication in BWG’s upcoming anthology,
Fur, Feathers & Scales
Sweet, Funny, and Strange Animal Tales.
For more information or to enter the contest go to The 2019 Short Story Award.
Just in case you need some ideas, here are a few writing prompts.
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