NEW and seasoned writers across the south west are invited to submit their work to the Somerset literary group - Axe River Books.

Until the end of January, Axe River Books is requesting submissions of literary fiction that embodies the richness of the region, from writers or manuscripts connected to the south west.

The company is accepting long-form prose fiction, or any genre with a “literary edge” from both emerging writers and seasoned storytellers. Novellas, short stories, poetry and illustrated books are not accepted for submission at this time.

The community interest company (CIC) was founded in 2022 by three literature enthusiasts to offer publishing opportunities to writers in the south west of England, with a focus on those unpublished or unrepresented by literary agents. Inspired by the Mendip Hill’s river of the same name, River Axe Books provides a platform for emerging voices and promotes original talent from the region.

The group’s first publication ‘Axe River Books Short Story Prize: Anthology 1’ was released in October of this year. A collection of competition-winning short stories submitted to the Axe River Books Short Story Prize, the anthology includes a first-place story from multi-award-winning writer Clare Reddaway and runner-up stories from the best of their contributors.

As a CIC, all Axe River Books’ profits from publications such as this are reinvested in future projects that align with its mission of supporting local writers.

Eager to discover narratives that captivate, challenge and endure, River Axe Books are inviting writers to submit the first three chapters of their novel, with a synopsis, by January 31, 2025 to be considered for this run.

Full submission guidelines are available on the Axe River Books website and to submit work or find out more, email [email protected]