I know as a reader, I love these compilations from a group of authors that I may or may not know. It’s a great way to find a new to you author or read an author you already love. Most of them are short stories, less than 15,000 words with a common theme. I’ve been invited to participate in three anthologies this year.

I will be attending the Writers on the River Book Event at the Par-a-dice Hotel and Casino in Peoria IL on Saturday, July 18. This will be my third year at this event, and this is the first time they’ve done an anthology. There are more authors than I can name involved. My story is titled A Candle in the Window. The proceeds from the sale of the WOTR Anthology called Second Chances are all going to our charity, Thistle Farms in Nashville TN. https://thistlefarms.org/

Another event I will be attending this year is Author and Dancers Against Cancer at the Park Radison Hotel in Toledo OH on Saturday August 8. The stories themes for this anthology will include either cancer or dancing. All proceeds from this anthology are going to Dancers Against Cancer. My story is titled Why Me? Why Now? https://imadanceragainstcancer.org/

And recently a group of award winning and outstanding authors from different genres came together to create Kaleidoscope Hearts 2nd Edition. This anthology was a way for us to give back to our readers, as well as giving you the opportunity to try something new. The book is free on every sales platform. My contribution to the anthology is titled Second Chances. It involves a man who hid his true self for most of his life. Did all the right things: go to college, get a good job, find a nice girl, get married, and have a family. But, he never forgot his first love, the boy who stole his heart. Yes there’s an HEA, of course. Kaleidoscope Hearts is only available for a short time.

These anthologies may seem like they are easy to write, because they don’t have as many words as a novella or novel. But an author’s heart and soul goes into every word no matter the number of them. Plus, the added incentive of giving back to great charitable causes makes the work much lighter. Right now there are so many anthologies out there. Find one that has a cause that’s important to your heart and grab that book. Support the authors and the charities they care about.

C.J. Baty