Deadline: February 15th, 2021
Payment: $130, and 2 print copies
Theme: Non-fiction, true crime accounts featuring lawbreaking couples who have joined forces to commit crime

I’m seeking original true crime stories for the fourth volume in my true crime franchise.

What I’m looking for:

Non-fiction, true crime accounts featuring lawbreaking couples who have joined forces to commit crime. These couples can be married, domestic partners, or lovers. Stories can take place anywhere in the world and be from any time period. I’m interested in material covering a wide range of criminal activity. First-person accounts are especially welcome from writers with a connection to their cases. Add something new to the story, a different viewpoint or angle. What makes these people tick?

Material must be meticulously fact-checked before submission, including dates, names, locations, etc. This is a non-fiction book, so it’s imperative that everything is 100% correct. To get an idea of the quality and variety of material I accept, please refer to the previous books in The Best New True Crime Stories series. Criminal subjects already covered in these volumes cannot be considered. New material only; no reprints or fiction.

Important: Writers should contact me in the first instance with a brief pitch for their story idea. I select material on an on-going basis; those who submit work in advance of the deadline usually have better chance of acceptance.

Word count: 4,000-7,000 words

One-time payment per story: USD $130, and 2 print copies of the book. Contributor fees paid approximately one month following publication. (Preferred payment method: PayPal.)

For: Non-exclusive rights, with one-year’s exclusivity from date of publication.

Deadline for submissions: February 15, 2021

Email: TheBestNewTrueCrimeStories @ gmail.com

(not case-sensitive)

Submission requirements:

Format: double-spaced Arial 12-point Word document (sent as attachment). Do not indent paragraphs; instead enter one space between them. No irregular spacing between words or sentences. Absolutely no footnotes or endnotes. No photos/graphics. A bibliography is optional (if you choose to include one, format in Chicago Manual of Style.) American spelling and punctuation only (i.e. double quote marks, etc.). Include your legal name, postal address, and an author bio of up to 100 words written in the third person. No simultaneous submissions.

In the subject line of your email: True Crime submission.

If you don’t receive an acknowledgement within a week of submitting your material, definitely follow up!

(For non-US-based writers, editor not responsible for payment of VAT, if applicable.)

The Best New True Crime Stories: Partners in Crime will be published in Winter 2022 by Mango Publishing Group, USA.

Mitzi Szereto (mitziszereto.com) is an author and anthology editor of fiction and non-fiction books encompassing multiple genres. Her many popular titles include The Best New True Crime Stories: Well-Mannered Crooks, Rogues & Criminals (June 2021); The Best New True Crime Stories: Small Towns; The Best New True Crime Stories: Serial Killers; Florida Gothic; Pride and Prejudice: Hidden Lusts; and Getting Even: Revenge Stories. She has the distinction of editing the first anthology of erotica to include a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. She’s appeared internationally on radio and television and at major literature festivals, and has taught creative writing around the world, including several universities in the United Kingdom. She created and presented the London-based web TV channel Mitzi TV, and also plays herself in the pseudo-documentary British film Lint: The Movie. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @mitziszereto.

Via: Mitzi Szereto.