You're invited to celebrate The First Line's Year of a Couple of Dreams! Literary gifts big and small are being given away as part of our 10th year in this biz we call publishing. Check this page often for contests, giveaways, and special events.

Read and Release Program

We're all about recycling and conservation here at TFL (regardless of how often my daughter calls me a 'tree killer'). That's why we are giving away old (slightly mail-damaged) issues. All we ask is that you spread the love.

Summer Subscription Sale

We're bringing back our Friends and Family Read Free deal. When you buy a two-year subscription, we'll give a friend or family member a free one-year subscription. Offer valid from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Subscribe now.

100 Free Subscriptions

Our treasure hunt is still going. There are 88 free subscription cards left. Learn more here.

Reading Fee?

Tired of paying reading fees to literary journals and contests? (It sometimes feels like you have a better chance winning the lottery.) How about this: We'll pay you to submit to us. Okay, we won't actually be doling out cash for the honor of reading your prose, but if you submit a story, you could win a free book - or our entire backlist.

Each issue, we will randomly pick five submissions, and each writer will win a copy of our new anthology: The Best of The First Line - Editor's Picks: 2002-2008. At the end of the year, everyone who sent in a story will be placed in a drawing for our entire TFL backlist. You don't have to do anything, just submit.

Spring Issue Winners:

Randy D., Louisiana
Erin T., Florida
Denise J., British Columbia
Nancy S., California
Darlene N., Oklahoma

Summer Issue Winners:

Richard W., Indiana
Tom M., Wisconsin
Travis E., Texas
Karen A., Wisconsin
Phil H., Maryland