Chicken Soup Needs Eldercare Stories

 

When I turned the page on my calendar this morning, I wondered how it could actually be the final month of this strange pandemic year of 2020. I pray 2021 will end up on a better note. Today's photo seemed appropriate for the beginning of December and to remind us to still take time to write. Maybe our 2020 December won't be as busy and hectic as usual, so perhaps there will be a bit of extra time. 

I received a notice yesterday from the editors of Chicken Soup for the Soul with a call for submissions to one of their titles now in the works. When they send out a special call for a single book, it tells me they are in need of more stories sent to them. Maybe they have received a lot already but are not the high quality they aim for. Or perhaps this title is a difficult one to write for. Whatever the case, this is an opportunity to get your foot in the door at this top-notch anthology

The book title is "Eldercare With Love." I'm pleased they put the word 'love' in the title because eldercare needs a lot of love along with patience and understanding. Kindness and compassion and a little humor are also necessities when offering eldercare, whether it be to a parent, grandparent,  or sibling. All those words that describe the needs of a person caring for another are fine, but they are not always easy to use on a 24/7 basis. 

The stories the editors are seeking must not be from professional caregivers. Instead, they have designated caregivers who are family members or a close friend, not a paid professional. 

A lengthy list of possible topics has been included in the call for submissions. Read through it to trigger a thought or memory which might help you write a story for this book. Remember that it must be a true story and it should have a beginning, middle, and ending. They do not want an essay about your thoughts. A full story is what is requested. 

Go to this page and scroll down to the Eldercare title. Read carefully. And remember that your submission can be a poem that tells a story also.  The deadline is January 30, 2021, but the sooner you get the story sent, the better. Be sure to click over to the Guidelines page and study it carefully. Those guidelines are not suggestions--they are requirements for your story to be considered.

7 Chicken Soup Books Need Stories

Chicken Soup for the Soul is accepting stories for four new titles--one actually has been in the works for awhile but the deadline for stories has been extended. Let's take a look at the kind of stories they are seeking.

1.  Christmas and Holiday Collection--2018   Stories about holidays that fall between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day will be included in this book. Winter holidays. They're looking for the humorous, heartwarming, even emotional stories that revolve around a winter holiday. Christmas will be the theme of the majority so if you have a Thanksgiving or New Year's Eve or Hanukkah story, it would have a good chance of getting into the book. October 31st deadline

2  Dreams, Premonitions and The Unexplainable  This is the second book which includes stories of strange happenings in our lives. The book cover above is the first one that covered dreams and premonitions. Note that they have now added unexplainable to this new title. This is not a new call for submission but the deadline has been extended to January 31, 2017. That's coming up in a hurry so check your files and see if you have a story you might submit for this one.

3.  My Crazy Family  Haven't we all heard people make a comment about their crazy family? Most of it meant in a loving way, but then there are others who...well, you fill in the blank. This should be a book meant for humorous and loving types of stories. Deadline is June 30, 2017.

4.  Positively Happy!  The editors are looking for both serious and humorous stories about how you found happiness. What did you do to achieve that state? Happiness, they tell us, is a state of mind. Did something happen in your life to help you get there? Deadline is May 31, 2017.

5.  Stories About Cats  This book will focus on stories about rescued cats who were adopted and found a loving home. So, don't send just any cat story. Make sure it fits the theme. This is why we must read guidelines carefully. I'm betting they receive many stories that are just 'cat stories' rather than about rescued cats. January 31, 2017 deadline--so hurry!

6.  Stories About Dogs  Pretty much the same as the cat stories book. They want stories about rescued dogs--not just any dog. Another one to hurry on as deadline is January 31, 2017 (Note: both the cat and dog stories books have been on the call for submissions page for some time now)

7  Stories of Redemption   This new title needs stories of how you turned the negative in your life into something good. Lots of paths to take here for the August 31, 2017 deadline

Go to the Possible Books page for more detailed information. Be sure to also check the Guidelines page before you submit. When ready, submit through the form on this page.