The winner will be selected from this year’s submissions of original, unpublished short stories between 3,000 and 7,000 words with LGBTQ+ content on the broad theme of “Saints and Sinners.” This contest would not be possible without a generous grant from The John Burton Harter Foundation. The 2026-2027 SAS Fiction Judge is Margot Douaihy. Margot Douaihy's debut mystery, Scorched Grace, won the Pinckley Prize for First Crime Novel and was named one of the Best Crime Novels of the Year by The New York Times, The Guardian, CrimeReads, and others. Her second mystery, Blessed Water, was also named a New York Times Best Crime Novel of the Year (2024) and won the Publishing Triangle Award for LGBTQ Fiction. The third mystery in her series, Divine Ruin—"fearlessly inspired" (Gillian Flynn)—published in January 2026. Margot is an assistant professor with the Popular Fiction MFA at Emerson College. One grand prize of $750 (+ a SAS weekend pass) and two second place prizes of a SAS weekend pass ($200 value) will be awarded. In addition, the top stories will be published in the annual SAS Fiction anthology. There will also be a book release party and reading held during the 24th annual Saints and Sinners LGBTQ+ Literary Festival in New Orleans in 2027. A list of the top finalists will be posted on our website and in our e-newsletter.

Eligibility: The annual fiction contest is open to LGBTQ+ authors at all stages of their careers, from all over the globe, with stories in all genres. Only previously unpublished stories will be accepted. Stories that won this contest in previous years are ineligible; their authors remain eligible, but must submit new work. Stories submitted to this contest in previous years that were not finalists are eligible. Stories that have won any other writing contests are ineligible. Stories that do not adhere to the guidelines below will be disqualified. Please review our guidelines carefully. Guidelines: Submissions should be in English, standard manuscript format (double-spaced, one inch margins, 12 point Times or Times New Roman or similar font.) Do not double space between paragraphs. Use indent. Please include a word count on first page under the title. Your name and contact information must NOT appear on the manuscript. No bios or resumes. We only consider manuscript quality. Word Count: 3,000 to 7,000. Submit only original, unpublished short stories. Please spell check and review your submission for typos. Excessive typos may disqualify your submission. Entry fee: $20 per story. There is no limit on the number of stories each author may enter. Deadline: October 15, 2026 through Submittable.