Your challenge, should you choose to accept it...

... is to write a short story for our forthcoming collection "Avon Croft Hotel" - a fictional boutique hotel, located somewhere in the Cotswolds. The stories must be about a specific guest - or guests - at the hotel, and can be set at any point in the1970s - this fictional hotel opened in the early 1970s, spotless and fashionable, and closed in 1980 - slightly run down and out of favour. This can be reflected in your story. (We are looking for one story specifically set around the opening of the hotel and another as it closes - if you would like to write these stories please let is know.  All the other stories can be set in between, at any point in the 1970s.)

​

Imagine that you are sitting in a hotel lounge, looking around the room at the guests - what are their stories? Why are they there? What are their secrets? Who are they with? 

 

As with all of our Community Collections, there is no cost to you to submit a story. 

​

About Your Story

 

• Your story can be serious, humourous, dark or light.

• The title of your story is up to you

• It must be set in the 1970s, at (or featuring) the fictional Avon Brook Hotel

• The plot must centre around a guest at the hotel

• Your characters must be entirely fictional

• This book is intended for adult readers

• Each story should be 3000 - 5000 words

• You remain the copyright owner of your story and you are free to publish it elsewhere. More details ​

​

​About the Charity

​

• All of our Community Collection books will raise money for an appropriate charity, which will be at least 10% of the profits. ​The charity for this book has not yet been confirmed.

​

Formatting

​

• We will provide a Microsoft Word template for you to use, along with style and formatting guidelines. 

​

Project Rules

​

• No submissions from under 18s for this particular project.

• Your story must be all your own work.

• Your story must not contain anything that is legally questionable or libellous.

​

How the book will be sold

​

• The book will be sold primarily on Amazon.  

• You will have the option to buy as many copies as you like at a discounted rate if you choose, which you can resell or give away.

• We ask authors to spread the word among friends and family - after all, they'll want to read your story!

​​​

Deadline and Publication Date 

​

• Submission deadline: 31st March February 2026

• Publication date: 1st May 2026

​

Money

​

• We will never ask you to pay to contribute to our books

• We do not pay royalties, instead we donate at least 10% of the book's profits to an appropriate charity

• You can make money from your story by buying books at a discounted rate and reselling although there is no obligation to do so. 

​

​

​

​