AN INVITATION STRICTLY FOR GROWN-UPS

West of the Moon: More Australian Fairy Tales for the 21st Century, our second illustrated anthology requires original, unpublished stories, flash fiction and poems from emerging talent and established writers.

The tales selected – through a blind judging process – may be old or new, slippery or subversive, haunted by the dark, leavened by sweet revenge or filled with sheer delight.

All must have something in common; a contemporary edge. Even those set in earlier times require a modern sensibility that reflects Australian landscapes, characters and voices, within the 21st century.

Those selected will join award-winning guest contributors, Cate Kennedy, Donna Cameron, Eugen Bacon, June Perkins, Serene Conneeley, our cover artist Helen McCosker, and others we’ve yet to reveal.

So, if you’re ready to submit between June 15 and September 30, 2025 –

Once upon a time.

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Notes – extracted from the full submissions guidelines

We will buy non-exclusive rights to include work in the print and digital anthology. All other rights remain with contracted authors. Your piece must not be published elsewhere for twelve months after the release of the anthology.

Each entry (i.e. individual short story, flash fiction and/or poem) will attract a $10 entry fee, payable via bank transfer. A limited number of entry fee bursaries are available to those in genuine need.

Queries are welcome to ausfairytale.anthology@gmail.com

You’re welcome to share the love to your networks and/or join the mailing list for updates. Thank you!

The Committee consists of volunteers who have contributed a significant amount of time to this project and will continue to edit, produce and publish a quality anthology. To assist with costs, including cover art, payment of authors and artists, professional cover design and interior design, copy editing, proofreading and printing of hard copies, we would appreciate contributions to our Australian Cultural Fund crowdfunding campaign. Thanks in advance!

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IN THE BEGINNING…
SOUTH OF THE SUN: AUSTRALIAN FAIRY TALES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

In late 2021, the Australian Fairy Tale Society released its first anthology, South of the Sun – funny and sweet, dark and delightful, this illustrated collection of enchanting bedtime stories, strictly for grown-ups, saw incredible success.

Featuring stories from emerging talent and leading award-winning Australian writers including Carmel Bird, Sophie Masson, Cate Kennedy and Eugen Bacon, along with artwork by foremost illustrators such as as Lorena Carrington and Kathleen Jennings, South of the Sun has sold nearly every copy printed.

Now we’re ready for the next volume, West of the Moon. Are you?