Purple Ink Press

This is the fast decision option for the Cat's Eye fiction Chapbook Contest. This contest is open to everyone. We are accepting works between 16 and 35 pages. You can submit several shorter pieces (stories or flash) or one longer work. Hybrid pieces are welcome. Share what you’ve got!
You will have a decision with 2 weeks whether your work is continuing on to the next stage of judging. Winners will still be selected in 2026, but you will know you status sooner. Authors whose work progresses to the next level of judging are automatically semi-finalists.

This selection will be the first of the Cat’s Eye Fiction series, named in honor of Margaret Atwood’s incredible novel, Cat’s Eye.

The contest will be judged by the editors at Purple Ink. Depending on the judges’ selection, there might be multiple winners. The prize is $500, publication, plus twenty copies of the chapbook. If there is more than one winner, the monetary reward will be increased and distributed among the winners.

About the editors:

Yael Valencia Aldana is a writer and poet. She has published in multiple genres. She is a Pushcart Prize winner and the winner of the University Press of Kentucky New Poetry and Prose Series Prize 2023. She earned her M.F.A. in creative writing from Florida International University (FIU). Her work has appeared in Torch Literary Arts, Cutbank Literary Journal, Obsidian, Nelle Journal, among others. Her work has also been featured by Ms. Magazine, AWP’s The Writer’s Chronicle, Hip Latina, and The National Latino Book Club, among others. She is the Editor in Chief at Purple Ink Press and a member of the Aunt Lute Press board. She teaches creative writing in Southern California, where she lives with her family and pets.

Chapbook guidelines

• All manuscripts will be considered for publication. We encourage both new, emerging, and established writers to submit. We are looking for unpublished work of any genre between 16 and 35 pages.
  
• Submissions are anonymous. Manuscripts are reviewed without identifying information by our readers, editors, and our judges. Please remove all identifying information from your manuscript, including the file name and the “title” field in Duosuma. If your name is in the manuscript, please remove it or make a substitution. You will have the chance to edit your name back in if selected for publication.
• The entry fee is $12, and submissions are through our portal on Dousuma. We are not able to accept submissions via email or postal mail. We have a limited number of fee waivers available. Please message purpleinkpress(at)gmail(dot)com for consideration.
  
• Your manuscript should include a title page with the name of the work, a table of contents if needed, and, when appropriate, an acknowledgments page. Manuscripts should have page numbers and be formatted with a white background in Garamond, Georgia, Times New Roman, or Calibri (colored backgrounds are difficult to read). Manuscripts should be 16-35 pages in length, including text and images. These 35 pages do not include your title page, table of contents, or acknowledgments.
  
• You can include a bio in your submission. Your bio will only be considered after the final selections are made.
  
• We will accept manuscripts with some previously published work. Up to 20% of the manuscript can be published elsewhere. Please note where your work was published in an acknowledgments page. Also, please check that you have the right to republish. We do not accept previously published chapbooks, including self-published, online/digital publications, and publications in a small, limited-edition print run.

• Deadline: January 18th, 2026.
• Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please withdraw your manuscript in Duosuma if accepted elsewhere.
• Multiple submissions, that is, the submission of more than one manuscript for the contest, are permitted. You need to pay a submission fee for each submission.
• Collaborative works are welcome with the permission of the authors.
• Hybrid poetry and visual art submissions, including photographs, are welcome and encouraged.
• Currently, we are not accepting translations.

Contest results: The contest is scheduled to close on January 18th. Semifinalists and finalists will be announced in November, and winners by December. Follow us on social media for updates.

We publish visually startling books that people can’t help picking up. Each chapbook receives an ISBN and is sold worldwide by local independent booksellers and in larger markets like Barnes & Noble. We create a promotion/publicity plan for each author.

Feedback options are available for your story and chapbook manuscripts.

We can’t wait to read your work.

Not Open

At Purple Ink, we understand the importance of constructive feedback in a writer's journey. Our Feedback services are tailored to provide insightful critiques to nurture your creativity.

• Please specify which piece your manuscript (up to 5000 words) you would like reviewed.

• Price: $120

Please specify which of your work you would like feedback on. If piece is selected, we will pick one.

You will receive a seven to ten-page letter discussing the strengths of your work and suggestions and opportunities to improve. With this option, you will also receive line notes for your story. You will also receive recommended readings and suggestions on where else to submit your work.

Your fee includes personalized feedback and submission of your manuscript to the chapbook contest. You will receive your feedback letter via email in about 6-8 weeks after submission. A decision about your chapbook submission might come later. Please follow all of the chapbook guidelines below.

Cat's Eye Fiction Chapbook Contest Guidelines

This is a fiction Chapbook Contest open to everyone. We are accepting works between 16 and 35 pages. You can submit several shorter pieces (stories or flash) or one longer work. Hybrid pieces are welcome. Share what you’ve got!

This selection will be the first of the Cat’s Eye Fiction series, named in honor of Marget Atwood’s incredible novel, Cat’s Eye.

The contest will be judged by the editors at Purple Ink. Depending on the judges’ selection, there might be multiple winners. The prize is $500, publication, plus twenty copies of the chapbook. If there is more than one winner, the monetary reward will be increased and distributed among the winners.

About the editors:

Yael Valencia Aldana is a writer and poet. She has published in multiple genres. She is a Pushcart Prize winner and the winner of the University Press of Kentucky New Poetry and Prose Series Prize 2023. She earned her M.F.A. in creative writing from Florida International University (FIU). Her work has appeared in Torch Literary Arts, Cutbank Literary Journal, Obsidian, Nelle Journal, among others. Her work has also been featured by Ms. Magazine, AWP’s The Writer’s Chronicle, Hip Latina, and The National Latino Book Club, among others. She is the Editor in Chief at Purple Ink Press and a member of the Aunt Lute Press board. She teaches creative writing in Southern California, where she lives with her family and pets.

Alina Lugo was born along the U.S.-Mexico border and currently lives in Houston, TX. Through creative writing workshops and public speaking, she has been heavily involved in intercultural communication and community outreach projects. She is the Managing Editor at Purple Ink Press. She’s a freelance writer for Diáspora, an online cultural journal based in Guadalajara, México. Additionally, her professional experience includes writing consultancy and tutoring. She holds a master’s in World Cultures and Literatures from the University of Houston. In her spare time, she loves making handmade crafts and singing.

Chapbook guidelines

• All manuscripts will be considered for publication. We encourage both new, emerging, and established writers to submit. We are looking for unpublished work of any genre between 16 and 35 pages.
  
• Submissions are anonymous. Manuscripts are reviewed without identifying information by our readers, editors, and our judges. Please remove all identifying information from your manuscript, including the file name and the “title” field in Duosuma. If your name is in the manuscript, please remove it or make a substitution. You will have the chance to edit your name back in if selected for publication.
• The entry fee is $12, and submissions are through our portal on Dousuma. We are not able to accept submissions via email or postal mail. We have a limited number of fee waivers available. Please message purpleinkpress(at)gmail(dot)com for consideration.
  
• Your manuscript should include a title page with the name of the work, a table of contents if needed, and, when appropriate, an acknowledgments page. Manuscripts should have page numbers and be formatted with a white background in Garamond, Georgia, Times New Roman, or Calibri (colored backgrounds are difficult to read). Manuscripts should be 16-35 pages in length, including text and images. These 35 pages do not include your title page, table of contents, or acknowledgments.
  
• You can include a bio in your submission. Your bio will only be considered after the final selections are made.
  
• We will accept manuscripts with some previously published work. Up to 20% of the manuscript can be published elsewhere. Please note where your work was published in an acknowledgments page. Also, please check that you have the right to republish. We do not accept previously published chapbooks, including self-published, online/digital publications, and publications in a small, limited-edition print run.

• Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please withdraw your manuscript in Duosuma if accepted elsewhere.
• Multiple submissions, that is, the submission of more than one manuscript for the contest, are permitted. You need to pay a submission fee for each submission.
• Collaborative works are welcome with the permission of the authors.
• Hybrid poetry and visual art submissions, including photographs, are welcome and encouraged.
• Currently, we are not accepting translations.

Deadline: January 18th, 2026.

• Semifinalists and finalists will be announced in February 2026, and winners in March 2026. Follow us on social media for updates.

We publish visually startling books that people can’t help picking up. Each chapbook receives an ISBN and is sold worldwide by local independent booksellers and in larger markets like Barnes & Noble. We create a promotion/publicity plan for each author.

Feedback options are available for your story and chapbook manuscripts.

We can’t wait to read your work.

Not Open

At Purple Ink, we understand the importance of constructive feedback in a writer's journey. Our Feedback services are tailored to provide insightful critiques to nurture your creativity.

• Price: $230

You will receive a letter, a minimum of ten pages, discussing the strengths of your work and suggestions and opportunities to improve. With this option, you will also receive line notes for your story or stories. We will also include insights and suggestions on your manuscript's characters, setting, themes, and narrative arc. We will also provide thoughts and suggestions on refining the story unfolding in your work, as well as recommended readings and suggestions on where else to submit your work.

Your fee includes personalized feedback and submission of your manuscript to the chapbook contest. You will receive your feedback letter via email in about 6-8 weeks after submission. A decision about your chapbook submission might come later. Please follow all of the chapbook guidelines below.

Chapbook Contest Guidelines

This is a fiction Chapbook Contest open to everyone. We are accepting works between 16 and 35 pages. You can submit several shorter pieces (stories or flash) or one longer work. Hybrid pieces are welcome. Share what you’ve got!

This selection will be the first of the Cat’s Eye Fiction series, named in honor of Marget Atwood’s incredible novel, Cat’s Eye.

The contest will be judged by the editors at Purple Ink. Depending on the judges’ selection, there might be multiple winners. The prize is $500, publication, plus twenty copies of the chapbook. If there is more than one winner, the monetary reward will be increased and distributed among the winners.

About the editors:

Yael Valencia Aldana is a writer and poet. She has published in multiple genres. She is a Pushcart Prize winner and the winner of the University Press of Kentucky New Poetry and Prose Series Prize 2023. She earned her M.F.A. in creative writing from Florida International University (FIU). Her work has appeared in Torch Literary Arts, Cutbank Literary Journal, Obsidian, Nelle Journal, among others. Her work has also been featured by Ms. Magazine, AWP’s The Writer’s Chronicle, Hip Latina, and The National Latino Book Club, among others. She is the Editor in Chief at Purple Ink Press and a member of the Aunt Lute Press board. She teaches creative writing in Southern California, where she lives with her family and pets.

Alina Lugo was born along the U.S.-Mexico border and currently lives in Houston, TX. Through creative writing workshops and public speaking, she has been heavily involved in intercultural communication and community outreach projects. She is the Managing Editor at Purple Ink Press. She’s a freelance writer for Diáspora, an online cultural journal based in Guadalajara, México. Additionally, her professional experience includes writing consultancy and tutoring. She holds a master’s in World Cultures and Literatures from the University of Houston. In her spare time, she loves making handmade crafts and singing.

Chapbook guidelines

• All manuscripts will be considered for publication. We encourage both new, emerging, and established writers to submit. We are looking for unpublished work of any genre between 16 and 35 pages.
  
• Submissions are anonymous. Manuscripts are reviewed without identifying information by our readers, editors, and our judges. Please remove all identifying information from your manuscript, including the file name and the “title” field in Duosuma. If your name is in the manuscript, please remove it or make a substitution. You will have the chance to edit your name back in if selected for publication.
• The entry fee is $12, and submissions are through our portal on Dousuma. We are not able to accept submissions via email or postal mail. We have a limited number of fee waivers available. Please message purpleinkpress(at)gmail(dot)com for consideration.
  
• Your manuscript should include a title page with the name of the work, a table of contents if needed, and, when appropriate, an acknowledgments page. Manuscripts should have page numbers and be formatted with a white background double-spaced in Garamond, Georgia, Times New Roman, or Calibri (colored backgrounds are difficult to read). Manuscripts should be 16-35 pages in length, including text and images. These 35 pages do not include your title page, table of contents, or acknowledgments.
  
• You can include a bio in your submission. Your bio will only be considered after the final selections are made.
  
• We will accept manuscripts with some previously published work. Up to 20% of the manuscript can be published elsewhere. Please note where your work was published in an acknowledgments page. Also, please check that you have the right to republish. We do not accept previously published chapbooks, including self-published, online/digital publications, and publications in a small, limited-edition print run.

• Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please withdraw your manuscript in Duosuma if accepted elsewhere.
• Multiple submissions, that is, the submission of more than one manuscript for the contest, are permitted. You need to pay a submission fee for each submission.
• Collaborative works are welcome with the permission of the authors.
• Hybrid poetry and visual art submissions, including photographs, are welcome and encouraged.
• Currently, we are not accepting translations.

Deadline: January 18th, 2026.

• Semifinalists and finalists will be announced in February 2026, and winners in March 2026. Follow us on social media for updates.

We publish visually startling books that people can’t help picking up. Each chapbook receives an ISBN and is sold worldwide by local independent booksellers and in larger markets like Barnes & Noble. We create a promotion/publicity plan for each author.

Feedback options are available for your story and chapbook manuscripts.

We can’t wait to read your work.

Not Open