Mark Twain Writing
Competition
"A
Murder, a Mystery, and a Marriage"
[The
following is drawn from the Buffalo-Erie County Public Library web site.]
In a turn
of events that Twain himself certainly would have appreciated, The Atlantic
Monthly, one of the most well-respected national literary magazines, has
obtained the publishing rights to the "A Murder, A Mystery, and A Marriage"
short story – more than 125 years after Twain had originally approached
then-editor William Dean Howells!
Judging
from the overwhelming response received in recent months from Twain enthusiasts
nationwide, the B&ECPL realized the tremendous interest the contest would
generate when fully publicized and undertaken. In order to maximize this
potential, the B&ECPL initiated the process of acquiring the print rights
to "A Murder, A Mystery, and A Marriage." The Library was successful
in its efforts and was granted these rights in December 2000.
The
B&ECPL began negotiating with several large publishing firms in order to
establish a partnership and connect large-scale promotion of the competition
with the short story’s future publication. Twain could not have conceived of a
more fitting ending when The Atlantic Monthly agreed to purchase the
rights to the short story. Competition participants will have the chance to
read Twain’s ending when the magazine publishes the full story and related
correspondence in its July issue hitting newsstands on June 15. "A Murder,
A Mystery, and A Marriage" will also be published as a hardcover book by
W.W. Norton & Company this fall.
These
publications will further stimulate interest and excitement in the Mark Twain
Writing Competition!
History
In
1876, Mark Twain composed his only unpublished short story, "A Murder, a
Mystery, and a Marriage." During that same year, Twain sent the story to
William Dean Howells, editor of Atlantic Monthly, with the idea that
several leading authors of the day would develop the plot described in his work
into their own story, each of which would be published thereafter in the
magazine. For reasons which are somewhat mysterious, the plan never
materialized and Twain’s story was never published.
More
than 100 years later, the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, home of the Adventures
of Huckleberry Finn manuscript and other writings of Mark Twain, will carry
out Twain’s original intent. The "A Murder, a Mystery, and a
Marriage" Writing Competition will conclude with the official release of
the CD-ROM edition of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn manuscript
complete with historical and scholarly information.
Competition
Details
Contestants
will be asked to compose their own conclusion to this unpublished short story
by one of America’s most revered authors. This national competition will award
cash prizes based on several categories to participants who develop the
material introduced by Twain into the most effective and interesting plot resolution.
Panels of judges for the different categories will include Twain experts and
national writers as well as local community figures.
The partial text of the short story, as well as guidelines, entry forms and
other contest information, will be posted on the Buffalo and Erie County Public
Library’s web
site:
<http://www.buffalolib.org/twain.html>
If
you would like to receive all competition updates and information through
email, please send your request to savignya@buffalolib.org.