Could you write a 750 word story with bars and restaurants as the theme?  How about for $1000 and the chance to have your story broadcast on the Selected Shorts public radio series?   Those are the prizes in the 2011 Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Contest.

The entry fee is $25, the deadline March 1, and this year’s judge will be Jennifer Egan:  “a National Book Award finalist and the author of The Invisible Circus, Look at Me, The Keep, as well as a short story collection, Emerald City. Her new book, A Visit from the Goon Squad, was published in June and her short story Safari was selected by Richard Russo for Best American Short Stories 2010″

The following link has all the details and a FAQ that explains a bit about the contest and the Selected Shorts organization:

http://www.writingclasses.com/ContestPages/Kupferberg.php?utm_content=13221253?utm_campaign=New%20Writing%20Contest%20-%20New%20Workshops%20-%20Advice%20from%20Janet%20Evanovich?utm_source=streamsend?utm_medium=email

Let’s see:

It was a dark and stormy night.  “Of all the gin-joints in all the world,” he muttered…

Only 733 words to go!