Somewhere in the sticky syrup flood…
Step onto our greasy griddle and delight in our bone-bleached flour, overcooked coffee, and tree blood menagerie. Join us beneath fluorescent lights. Slide into the creaking upholstered booth. Sidle up to us and tell us your story.
Guidelines:
Theme: Waffle House
Genres: Literary fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, visual art welcome
Length: 2,000 words max
Deadline: June 8 at 11:59 p.m. EST
Entry Fee: Free
Submission:
Send your work to: waffleflux2026@gmail.com
Your work will be judged anonymously by Jon T, Will Boucher, Keith Long and Sandolore Sykes
Your manuscript should include only:
title
the work itself
Do not include your name or identifying information on the manuscript. If your name appears on the document, the submission will be disqualified.
In the body of your email, include:
your name and Substack handle
title of your submission
Wendy Russell, smacking gum beneath a towering beehive with a pen tucked in her bun, will be the only one handling submissions before they reach the judges. Her eyes alone will see the names attached to the stories. Tipping Wendy will not buy you favor. She already knows all your secrets anyway.
We’re looking for the kind of writing that leaves the plate sticky.
Winning pieces will be published in SumFlux.
Tip Jar:
Submissions are free.
A Ko-fi tip jar will be open to readers and writers alike. If you include “Waffle House” in the subject line of your tip, that contribution will go directly to the contest winner.
I'm so ridiculously excited about this i can't breathe....
Anyway I was born for this. May is a hell month for me but I shall try