Write Volumes is a group of eclectic writers who are passionate about viewing the world through varying perspectives, ideas, and thoughts. Writing is a way to understand, inspire, and transform ourselves and possibly others which we can try to do in volumes-- in the sense of decibels or quantity. Please join us in engaging the world through reading and writing.
Together we are and can Write Volumes.
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Chicago’s
Maxwell Street Festival has roots stretching back to the early 1900s, when
German and Eastern European immigrants established the bustling open-air market
along Maxwell Street. In the 1980s, the market’s legendary blues stages and
tamales made it a cultural phenomenon. Chicago is reviving this event and Write
Volumes will be there for the last 2025 fest!
This
Sunday, October 5, step into history and visit our Write Volumes booth: browse
our latest indie titles and snag our brand-new line of bookmarks.
Whether
you’re hunting for your next favorite read or a perfect gift, our books and
bookmarks promise to spark joy and connection.
Shades
of Workplace Love, our brand-new ebook anthology, is now
available for pre-order on Amazon! As a heartfelt thank-you for your support,
we're offering it at a special launch price of just $0.99 (regularly
$4.99)—but only for a limited time.
The
anthology will be available to read starting September 9, 2025—mark your
calendar!
Don’t
miss your chance to dive into these compelling stories of connection, ambition,
and romance in the modern workplace—at a fraction of the price.
Now Searching
for Readers and Reviewers Who Believe in Love That Works
Job Description: Seeking passionate readers for a
collection of workplace romance short stories where chemistry isn’t just in the
lab—it’s in the breakroom, the boardroom, and even during late-night pest
control calls. From enemies-to-lovers tension to grumpy-meets-sunshine
dynamics, this anthology delivers high-impact emotional payoffs in every
standalone story.
Qualifications:
Enjoys slow burns and fast banter
Believes love can bloom between
deadlines
Has a soft spot for forbidden
flings and multicultural connections
Thrives on paranormal surprises
and feel-good endings
Perks:
No meetings, just meaningful
moments
Flexible hours (read anytime)
Guaranteed sparks, zero HR
violations
Apply now
by downloading Shades of Workplace Love, on Amazon
Whether
you choose to order from Amazon (thank you!) or download via StoryOrigin (also
fantastic), we want you to know how much your support means. Reviews are vital
for small publishers—they help build visibility, drive sales, and create
momentum.
You
can make a big impact by clicking one of the links, sharing the anthology with
others, and leaving a review. We genuinely want to hear what you thought—what
resonated, what didn’t, and everything in between. Your feedback helps us grow,
improve, and keep creating stories that matter.
Let’s
make this launch unforgettable—thanks for being part of it!
Our 13th anthology, Shades of Workplace Romance, is in
the final stages and will be released THIS month in time for summer romance.
August
2025 –Shades of Workplace Love
Love
takes work so why not find love at work?
Sometimes work life balance promotes love life issues. So, join us
in analyzing high pressure situations with career advancements for highly
motivated people, evaluating water cooler talk spiked with gossip, and watching
as strategies are optimized for satisfying demands with a rate of return that
becomes incalculable but leaves you wanting more! Whether love is on a deadline
or not even on your mind, hire Write Volumes to find you Shades of Workplace
Love!
Did you think we were stopping? Don't be paranoid.
We’ve been a little quiet lately since we are working
behind the scenes on our 13th anthology Shades of Workplace
Romance which will launch in early July!
Love takes work so why not find love at work?
And not to stop a good thing, we wanted to
announce our next open submission theme will be Paranoia Horror!
Anthology submissions due date Aug
25, 2025
Shades
of Horrific Paranoia
Is there anything to truly fear?
Send us
your stories questioning reality. These stories involve an atmosphere of
slow-building yet escalating unease exploring themes of fear, distrust, and
psychological instability while creating tension through isolation, distrust,
unreliable narration, existential dread, societal pressure, alienation,
surveillance, and unseen threats—whether supernatural or psychological.
Horror
can span apocalyptical, paranormal, serial killers, or ordinary people at their
breaking points.
Characters can include paranormal, human, alien, etc while the
time period can be past, contemporary, future, or anything in between.
The next theme deadline has been extended. Please spread the
word. We want to read your work, so submit today!
Workplace
Love submissions due February 23!
Love takes work so why not find love
at work? Yes, workplace romance short stories! Explore complexities &
challenges of finding love in contemporary urban professional settings where
the workplace, business, or industry provides an extra layer to interact &
develop relationships Email submissions: writevolumes@gmail.com
For the rest of November, we’re lowering our Shades of Occult Horror ebook
price from $4.99 to $.99! So, buy one for your friends, or enemies, today!
Shades of Occult and Horror Anthology
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLG26YC5
7 writers + 7 choices = 7 ways to hide & shriek
Remember what hides in the dark, doesn’t always stay there…
Synopsis: With an otherworldly focus you never know if myths, alchemy, or
natural magic will help or harm. But you must make the choice yourself for you
are in control of your fate… or are you?
Please note, we’ve heard you and are working on the paperback for this book, too!
With
our new friends at Oak Park Art League (OPAL) we had a fabulous time at the
spooky reading on October 19, 2024. Bryan and Phoebe worked tirelessly to
create a scary good time at an all-day extravaganza. A haunted loft, intriguing
artwork with an art fair, children’s games, even the house had a spooky feline
makeover. There were many delicious treats including smores over a campfire!
Margot McMahon, a member of OPAL and a Write Volumes’ author, read “Sorrows Whisper Still” found in Shades of Ghostly Horror.
We’re
grateful Write Volumes was invited to join OPAL for this terror-rific event. Thanks
to all of those who attended. And if you couldn’t make it, maybe you can come
next year!
For
more info on OPAL and their mission to be a welcoming center of artistic
inquiry, creative expression and more click here: https://www.oakparkartleague.org/
12th ANTHOLOGY LAUNCH:
Shades of
Ghostly Horror
6 authors + 6
stories to haunt you = What you’re dying to
read!
Let the
spirits move you!
Price will
increase in November so grab your copy TODAY!
While
Halloween has passed, we have a treat for you!
12th ANTHOLOGY LAUNCH:
Thanks to our wonderful staff and the support
from people like you, Write Volumes’ 12th anthology launched on 10/31/2024 with
a special deal of $1.99 through November!
Shades of Ghostly Horror
6 authors + 6 stories to haunt you = What you’re dying to read!
It’s been busy not just for Write
Volumes but our authors as well. I think it’s important to celebrate, not just
our successes, but hard work in general. Regardless of the outcome, hard work
is hard and, while we may not see the fruits of our labor as quickly as one
hopes, we did the work and that is the main area under our control! (Sometimes it’s
the only thing we can control… or is control an illusion?!!)
So, I thought you would enjoy:
·Printer’s Row
Festival with Fannie Price and Margot McMahon Pictures
·Annette Cyr’s
Art Show and Yale Women Talk Pictures
FESTIVAL PICS
Printers Row is a large outdoor book and
writing festival in Chicago which took place first weekend in September. On Saturday
Sept. 7, 2024, Write Volumes and a couple Write Volumes authors were in
attendance at the Chicago Writers Association table.
Fannie Price and Margot McMahon engaging with readers and other writers while having fun!
A big THANK YOU to all of those who stopped
by. We appreciate your support!
ANNETTE CYR’S ART SHOW
In September 2024 Annette Cyr had an art show
at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art. “24 Hours” is a
multi-canvas painting. Each canvas is of the same motif, painted a different
hour of the day and night, beginning with 1 AM in upper left corner, ending
with 12 AM in bottom right.
“24 Hours” becomes a study of awareness and
perception, time and change. At its heart, “24 Hours” questions our
perceptions. What do we really see before the mind decides what must be there? “The
true mystery is reality.” — Annette Cyr
“24 Hours” is an extension of Annette’s "Year
of Light" painting series begun in 2020 during Covid times which Annette describes
in her Shades of Positively Pandemic short story also called “Year of
Light” which was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
·Banned Books
Week 2024 runs from September 22 to 28, 2024.
·It is a
celebration of our love for the right to read and the liberation found in
books. This year’s theme is “Freed Between the Lines.” They are asking people
to take action on Let Freedom Read Day, September 28, 2024!
Who says democracy doesn't work? Your votes have been tallied and below are the themes you chose.
FIRST TOPIC:
Anthology submissions due date Aug 25, 2024
Shades of Ghostly Horror
Who’s afraid of some ghosts?
Send us your stories of the corporeally challenged. These stories can involve insubstantial to realistic lifelike person/ animal forms which can haunt a person/ place/ object. Whether they are void of humanity or emotional concepts representing complex psychological experiences, let the spirit move you to relay tales of their exploits. Is there a chill in the air? Or is that simply a group of ghosts? Either way, it should be a phantasmic spooky time. Horror can range from apocalyptical, paranormal, or serial killers. Characters can include paranormal, human, alien etc while time period can be past, contemporary, future or anything in between.
SECOND TOPIC:
Anthology submissions due date January 31, 2025
Shades of Workplace Love
Love takes work so why not find love at work?
Send us your workplace romance short stories! Explore complexities & challenges of finding love in contemporary urban professional settings where the workplace, business, or industry provides an extra layer to interact & develop relationships (from high-pressure/ deadlines/ competition adding tension or relaxed/ casual environment allowing more time) with possible ethical concerns, power imbalances/ dynamics, career advancement, gossip/ rumors, and societal norms impacting the personal life to provide a compelling, relatable story with a satisfying happily ever after (HEA)/ happy for now (HFN) end. Characters can include paranormal, human, alien etc.
PLUS Shades of Adventures in Love is on the way. It will be a summer release so more news will be coming soon.
Now that you know, you can enjoy your summer and look forward to more Write Volumes!
Click on the link or use the QR code to access the survey.
PUSHCART NOMINATIONS
– Part 1:
In time for
Valentine’s Day, we’re announcing our Pushcart nominations from Shades of Holiday Love. These were announced on our social sites in December. While all
the stories are worth celebrating, these 2 stories take special to the next
level.
It’s scary to
think we have to wait a year for Halloween again. Never fear, here is another fantastic
horror teaser from our 8th anthology weekly in celebration.
Don’t forget about
our 10th anthology, Shades of Occult and Horror.
Remember what hides in the dark, doesn’t always stay there…
Synopsis:With an otherworldly focus you never know if myths, alchemy, or natural magic will help or harm. But you must make the choice yourself for you are in control of your fate… or are you?
Synopsis: Let your imagination run wild but don’t be
surprised if it starts screaming too. Nothing twists fantasy better than
horror. In this dark fantasy horror collection, we’ll send you to another world
screaming in terror or scare you with the magic in this one.
If
you want a FREE ebook, we are looking for reviewers so contact me!
·We’re always
looking for free honest reviews (Amazon, Goodreads, Bookbub, Instagram,
Twitter, social media etc)
Quick peek at the minute trailers for each of the
stories in the Shades of Fantastic Horror anthology
CORNERED by G.
T. Naya (1:28)
A ghost story,
a myth, or the biggest mistake of her life?
·The next theme and deadline is posted on our
website. Please spread the word. We want to read your work, so submit today!
·Adventures
in Love submissions due December 15!Love in action! Some say love is the ultimate adventure.
But what if we mix love with a search for something aside from romance? Nothing
goes together quite like danger and love. So send us your action-adventure
romance stories.
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