Retired Marine Seeks Short Stories. Writing Contest to Benefit Wounded Warriors.
Chicken Soup may be good for the soul, but Major Ralph Stoney Bates USMC (Ret.) of Greenville is serving up a different kind of ration.
Bates is seeking short stories for an anthology that will be published and distributed nationally next year. Tentatively titled Short Rations: Ready-to-Read Stories from the Battlefield and the Homefront of United States Marines, the collection will feature both heroic tales of war and stories that Bates calls “everyday tales of the unwashed masses.”
“We’re looking for any true, first person account that gives readers insight into the lives of U.S. Marines, Fleet Marine Force sailors (veterans and retired included), and their families. The stories could be about historic events or humorous incidents that come with everyday life,” Bates said. “It takes all kinds to keep the mean green machine running.”
Bates’s background includes a tour of duty as a Parris Island drill instructor. A graduate of the the FBI National Academy, Bates served 26 years on active duty as an enlisted man, warrant officer, and commissioned officer. He developed the idea for the book while taking a writing class. The instructor, Amanda Capps, knew Bates had enough stories of his own to fill several books, but together they decided to broaden the scope. Now acting as Bates’ assistant editor, Capps said they are seeking submissions from all over the country and have spread the word to those stationed on bases as far as Lisbon, Portugal, where Bates served as keynote speaker at the Marine Corps Birthday Ball in 2010 and 2011.
Capps said the deadline for submitting a story is October 1, 2012, and there is a $25 entry fee which goes toward publication costs, distribution, and donations to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and the Wounded Warrior Project. Each selected contributor will receive two copies of the book and will be able to obtain additional copies at a discount. Bates and Capps will coordinate book signings and make copies available in a variety of stores. Full submission guidelines are available at www.shortrations.com.
