The Writers’ Workshop of Asheville, a nonprofit literary center founded in 1984, is sponsoring its 10^th annual Literary Fiction Contest, open to any writer regardless of residence.

The deadline to have submissions postmarked or emailed is Aug. 30.

First place prize is your choice of a two-night stay at our Mountain Muse B&B in Asheville or two free workshops (in person or on-line); or 50 pages line-edited and revised by our editorial staff.

Second place: Two free workshops, in person or on-line; or 35 pages line-edited.

Third place: One free workshop; or 25 pages line-edited.

10 honorable mentions.

Guidelines: Submit a short story or chapter of a novel of 5,000 words or less.  Multiple entries are accepted.  All work must be unpublished.

Winning stories will be chosen for originality and creative writing style.

All work must be double-spaced, in 12 point font. Your name, address, email and title of work should appear on the first page. The entry fee per submission is $25 ($20 for Workshop members).

Enclose self-sealing SASE for critique and list of winners. Make check or money order payable to The Writers’ Workshop, and mail to: Fiction Contest, 387 Beaucatcher Road, Asheville, NC  28805. Or pay online at www.twwoa.org.

Emailed submissions may be sent in Word document to writersw@gmail.com, with “Fiction Contest” in the subject. The entry fee is payable online at www.twwoa.org. No SASE is necessary as judges will email their comments.

She Reads pick

Kim Wright’s book, “Last Ride to Graceland,” reviewed here on May 22, has been chosen by the She Reads Book Club, which was started by authors Marybeth Whalen (“The Things We Wish Were True”) and Ariel Lawhon (“The Flight of Dreams”) in September 2009 as a way to share their love of reading.

Here is their description: “‘Last Ride to Graceland” — Lauded for her “astute and engrossing” (People) writing style imbued with “originality galore” (RT Book Reviews), Kim Wright channels the best of Jennifer Weiner and Sarah Pekkanen in this delightful novel of self-discovery on the open road as one woman sets out for Graceland hoping to answer the question: Is Elvis Presley her father?”

“… As she winds her way through the sprawling deep south with its quaint towns and long stretches of open road, the burning question in Cory’s mind — who is my father? — takes a backseat to the truth she learns about her complicated mother, the minister’s daughter who spent a lifetime struggling to conceal the consequences of a single year of rebellion.”