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Hi everyone,

Welcome to the merry, merry month of May! Let the rumpus begin. Let the days warm. Let leaves unfurl and blossoms charm and bees hum in the garden. Let fancies turn to love. Let poems flow, inspired by our word for May, which is FLOURISH.

The poetry lamp is lighted.

David

I was delighted to read in a Writing Magazine tweet this week that the publisher David Fickling Books – until recently featured on my list of publishers accepting unsolicited manuscripts – is opening its doors to unagented writers for two weeks in May, and it looks like this could be a regular occurrence.

The submissions window is taking the form of a competition called ‘Master of the Inkpot’ (shades of Terry Pratchett or JK Rowling there). Every submission will be read and a shortlist drawn up. The top five will be featured on the website and the winner invited in with a view to publication.

Guidelines for entry are very exact so check and double check the requirements. Picture book submissions should, unusually, include illustrations. Any reading age is considered including adult. And luckily for me, they are happy to reconsider material previously sent if it has been reworked (I’m…