Please send your stories to story@epcc.ca Attach your text as a Word file, or paste it directly into the body of your email. Include your name, and a pen name if you like. We will publish under the name that you choose.
Dear Author,
Our goal is to encourage the creative voices of those who are opposed to the practice of killing people in the name of medicine, or of assisting them to kill themselves in the name of personal liberty. We want to provide a space for such folks to share their reflections and their experience; where they may create a body of literary messaging, to shape perception and belief.
Because we are an advocacy group, we make no promise of publishing anything, and most definitely, we will not hold ourselves to ideal standards, of “balance” or “fairness”.
Cash prizes (to be awarded in a perfectly arbitrary fashion) are merely the “cherry on the sundae”. A little excitement to spice things up.
If you would like to participate (and we certainly hope that you will) we ask only that you be the rightful owner of the text submitted (and you will retain all rights therein). We also ask for a name, for a pen name (if applicable), and for a contact e-mail. We are not in the business of verifying peoples’ identities. We will publish your story under whatever name you please. Be aware, however, that cheques cannot be written to “A. Nonymous”.
This is not a literary contest in the usual way. Because our larger focus is expression, we will not be rejecting texts for cosmetic or stylistic reasons. Nor will our volunteers “fix” your work. Instead, we will depend upon the discernment of our readers, to appreciate both those finely cut literary jewels which will be remembered through the ages, and the true value of those (much more numerous) “diamonds in the rough”.
Similarly, there are no preconceived notions of length or style. We have merely created two categories “The Simple Truth” and “Literary Gems”. The first is non-fictional witness to real events, and the second is any sort of romanced version of real (or purely invented) circumstances. In practice, it is often impossible to tell which is which. We ask only that you tell us to which category you think your text belongs.
We take no responsibility for the literal veracity of anything published. And that, indeed, is the whole point: We are seeking to communicate wisdom beyond knowledge; not facts alone, but the human truth and meaning which surround them.
Sincerely,
The EPC Story Contest Team