The UK-based publisher Comma Press, in collaboration with the National Book Council, is on the lookout for short stories about Valletta for an upcoming anthology: The Book of Valletta.
Edited by Kat Storace and Leanne Ellul, The Book of Valletta is the next instalment in Comma Press' long-running 'Reading the City' series, taking readers on a literary tour of cities the world over, from Rio to Reykjavik, through the words of the writers who know them best.
"Valletta has a life of its own; it is a city of characters and churches, of chaos and calm," Leanne Ellul said. "Its grid-like streets hide countless stories, tucked into storefronts, grand palaces, and crumbling corners. We seek the particular, the in-between, the magical, the untold ... the city as a point of departure and a place to return to," Ellul added.
Fellow editor Kat Storace was also enthusiastic about how the anthology offers writers a chance to explore a different side of Valletta to what we've grown accustomed to seeing in books that traditionally feature Malta's baroque capital.
"The city of Valletta has been much documented and written about throughout its illustrious and dappled history. This anthology presents a unique opportunity to draw together stories from across different genres, in English and in English translation, written by those of us who have felt, lived, imagined or forged our own special connection with it," Storace said.
Comma is looking for stories that 'live and breathe' Valletta, and which could not be set anywhere else. They could be set against an event in the city's past, or perhaps explore a street, neighbourhood or landmark en route to telling a compelling tale. The story should touch on things that Valletta's people would be very familiar with, but that readers outside of Malta might not be. Crucially, the stories should also work as compelling works of narrative fiction, and not stand as mere 'travel guides' to Valletta.
Submission Guidelines
Stories should be submitted as Word document or PDF via email to George (Publicity and Marketing Officer, Comma Press) at [email protected]. Deadline for submissions is 30 June 2025.
The email title must contain the phrase 'Book of Valletta Submission', or it may be missed. Please note the rules of entry outlined below. Submissions:
● Must be your own original work of fiction
● Must not have been published in English elsewhere
● Must be 2,000 - 6,000 words
● May be of any genre
● Must not contain any libellous, blasphemous or copyrighted material
● Must not contain symbols, emojis or other unconventional text formatting
● May be written in Maltese or English
The following will NOT be considered:
● 'Slice-of-life' stories
● Autobiography or meditations
● Poetry
● Reportage or non-fiction
● Chapters or excerpts from a longer piece
● Stories that could take place in any other city
Translation
If writing in Maltese, authors are invited to submit the names of up to three preferred translators. Comma Press cannot guarantee that winning authors will be granted their chosen translator, but their preferences will be taken into consideration. Translation costs will be borne by the National Book Council.
Payment & Rights
If selected for publication, authors will receive a one-time payment of £100. Authors will retain the rights to their story, with the rights to the specific English translation retained by the translator, with all other rights belonging to Comma Press.
Authors are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to showcase their work on an international platform that nonetheless invites a deep dive into the thrilling peculiarities of our historic capital city!
For more information, read Comma Press' call for submissions here.
