Ink & Consequences: May 2027 — A Mother’s Nature Gold Star Program Gold Star Free Tip Jar Option

Deadline: Saturday, October 17, 2026 11:59 PM CDT (in 16 days).

We're looking for stories about mothers in all their forms.

Nurturing or complicated.
Protective or possessive.
Present or absent.
Biological, adoptive, chosen, or unexpected.
Tender, funny, heartbreaking, strange, or dark.
Any genre.

Golden Rule: The maternal relationship must shape the story.

Guidelines:

Monthly theme-based issues
Original short fiction only
Maximum 6,000 words
One story per submission
No fan fiction
No poetry
No novellas or novels
Submit as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx)
Do not include your name or identifying information in the manuscript
All submissions are evaluated blind

Submissions that do not follow these guidelines will be returned unread.

Category: Fiction
File types: .doc, .docx
Number of Pieces: 1 piece

Anonymous submissions are required (no identifying information in files).
Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Reprints are not allowed.
Multiple entries are not allowed.
AI-assisted works are allowed (check guidelines for any restrictions).

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