Anthology News and Reviews

Distant Worlds

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:46:00 +0000

Library of Science Fiction & Fantasy Press is pleased to announce Distant Worlds, an anthology of novella length Science Fiction.

The novella is often neglected in modern genre fiction. Too short to print as a novel and too long for most short story markets, a novella has room for a lot of richness and growth, for fully realized characters, settings, and societies, and for concepts and ideas that just won’t fit into a short story but may not be big enough or complex enough for a novel. The Novella has the potential to deliver incredible stories.

We believe very strongly in that potential and invite you to help us find it.

The details:

While definitions may vary depending on where you look, for the purpose of this anthology, a novella will have a length of somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 words.

Your submission must be in standard manuscript format and attached to your e-mail as an rtf file. For a good reference on what standard manuscript format entails, please see William Shunn’s web page<http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html>on the subject.

Payment for inclusion in this anthology will be $100, two contributor’s copies of the book, and the everlasting knowledge of being involved in something special.

Submissions are now open and will close on 15 Jan 2010. This is a fairly large window, but we recognize the size and scope of a novella can require a great deal more time than a short story. If you don’t have one ready to go, we’d like to give you a chance to write one from scratch.

Submissions and Queries should be sent to distanteditor@gmail.com with ‘Submission – Distant Worlds’ or ‘Query – Distant Worlds’ in the subject line, as applicable.

Caveats:

There are a lot of themes that have been overdone in SF. Strange Horizons provides a wonderfully detailed (yet certainly incomplete) list of overused themes and plots<http://strangehorizons.com/guidelines/fiction-common.shtml>. We’re not saying don’t do it, but if you’ve picked something from this list as your main focus, try to stand it on its head.

Because there is only room for 4 or 5 stories in Distant Worlds, submissions will be taken in two stages, building a shortlist of possible inclusions. Rejections will happen, but final decisions on acceptances won’t be made until ALL submissions have been read.

The speculative elements you choose, whatever they are, must be integral to the story. If you can write the same story without them, then it’s not a genre story. That said, we subscribe to the Damon Knight theory of Science Fiction: Science Fiction is what we point to when we say it. Every story will be read. If you believe in yours, please send it.

Blade Red Dark Pages – Volume 1

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

The first Blade Red Press anthology of dark speculative fiction is now open to submissions. The anthology will be available in print and ebook format through online retailers in early 2010 (assuming sufficient submissions are received). Only submissions received between September 17th 2009 and November 30th 2009 will be considered. Any submissions received outside this timeframe will be deleted unread.

We are accepting short speculative fiction up to 7,500 words. Submissions must have some element of a speculative nature (scifi, fantasy, horror, alternate universe, steampunk, etc.) that is integral to the plot. Stories must also have a dark and gritty edge. We’re not a Young Adult or Kids publisher – we’re looking for tales that disturb, dismay and unsettle, yarns that stay in the mind long after they’re read. We like our dark tales to be clever and interesting rather than blatant. Dark doesn’t mean tortureporn or slash and slay. We are interested in all aspects of speculative fiction, so surprise us with your imagination.

We are not interested in supernatural erotica or romance. Obviously strong language and blood and gore are bound to be involved to some degree, but make them a part of the story, not the reason for the story. We will not publish stories that are racist or hate fuelled diatribes. We don’t mind some sex that’s relevant to the story, but we’re not interested in pornography. Try to avoid the overused cliches like senseless revenge, cookie cutter serial killers and predictable monsters. And if you want to write a story with vampires it better be mind-blowingly original and fantastically well written. Seriously, isn’t everyone sick and tired of vampires right now?

Blade Red Press is not a straight horror publisher, so we’re looking for a variety of speculative fiction with a dark edge. Surprise us!

Electronic submissions only accepted. Submit stories attached to an email in .rtf format only. Any other file type or stories in the body of the email will be deleted unread. Please follow standard manuscript format – search the web if you don’t know what that means. HOWEVER, regardless of the format guidelines you read, ignore the bit about leaving two spaces after every full stop. This is the 21st century, not the wild west. Two spaces after a full stop is an old typesetting standard and just annoying in the digital age.

The subject line of your email must read: “SUBMISSION: Story Title”

The body of the email must include:

Story Title
Author’s name (please indicate here if you want to use a pen name for publication)
Address
Contact email
Word count of your submission

Feel free to include a short cover letter, but don’t bore us. We’re going to have enough to read as it is. Don’t bother with a bio – if we like your story we don’t care whether you’re Stephen King, Dan Brown or Joe Schmo. We’ll ask for a bio if we offer to buy the story.

Payment is a flat rate of AUD$25 per story, payable upon publication, plus one contributors copy of the finished anthology. We pay via PayPal only. (We would love to pay more but Blade Red is a relatively new publisher and we are trying to establish ourselves in a diffcult marketplace. We will hopefully be in a position to pay more as time goes by.) We are buying Exclusive First Worldwide Print and Electronic rights for 6 months from the date of publication. Publication will be during 2010 (hopefully before June). Once that 6 month period is past all rights revert to the author.

No simultaneous submissions, so only send us your very best work. No reprints – all submissions must not have been published anywhere else. We aim to respond within 6 – 8 weeks. Query after 8 weeks if you haven’t heard back from us.

Send submissions to contact@blade-red.com

All submissions will be read by a team of slush readers who will receive stories stripped of all identifying details. This blind read will result in an editorial scoring process by which we will select the successful submissions. If you have any questions about the anthology, please email us.

Inner Fears Anthology

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:37:00 +0000

Announcing the first in the "Guest Editor Series" of Lame Goat Press books.

I'm looking for stories (1000-5000 words) about a character who has an inner fear. Whether it's your inner fear or a fear of one of your characters doesn't matter to me. The genre will obviously be horror, but I'll be flexible on what other elements it has (sci-fi, fantasy, etc.). I'd prefer third person stories where the fear really grips the reader. I'll accept some first person narratives if they're well written, but as I'll probably receive an abundance of those, they must be VERY well written to be accepted.

Also, I'm looking for ONE poem with which to open the anthology. I'll only accept one story per writer, but if you were to send in a poem and a story, then I might accept both.

Unless I absolutely fall in love with a story, I won't be accepting anything until after the deadline, which is December 20th, 2009.

Word count for this anthology is expected to be around 80,000 words. Please send in your stories in .rtf format. Please include a cover letter with your name, address, e-mail address, phone number, and publication history. Also, a short author's biography of around 100 words.

Look for this to go in print in 2010. I'll be able to give you a better idea when a few months down the line, but 2010, as a broad estimate, should be fairly accurate. Lame Goat Press is in its infancy, so, unfortunately, we cannot afford to compensate our writers at this time. This will be the third anthology that we produce, so we're hoping to be able to begin giving out contributor copies soon, but no promises. All I can promise you right now is that you'll have a writing credit if we accept your story.

Please send submissions to William Wolford at wgwolford@gmail.com with "Inner Fear submission" in the subject line. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me about them. Good luck!

If you have any interest in providing the cover art for this particular antho, contact me at cjacobsmeyer@msn.com.

Visit Lame Goat Press at LAMEGOATPRESS.PROBOARDS.COM.

Warrior Wisewoman 3

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:38:00 +0000

Warrior Wisewoman is an annual anthology series of science fiction featuring powerful and remarkable women, edited by Roby James.

The first volume was published by Norilana Books in June 2008, the second volume in June 2009.

The anthology was conceived as a sister volume to the classic Sword and Sorceress fantasy series originally edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley, with the main difference being that the story themes will involve science fiction instead of fantasy, and they will be intended for a more mature audience, allowing a mixture of serious contemporary issues and reasonable sexual content (but no erotica) in addition to action and adventure. The stories will have a stronger focus on the interface between scientific exploration and our sense of wonder.

Editor Roby James says:

"I am looking for stories that shed light on the truth of what it means to be female, that illuminate the wisdom and the strength of a woman, but not in clich� 'goddess' stories. I love action and adventure, grand space opera, thrilling discovery, and intelligent protagonists. Make the story thoughtful, wise, and surprising, not merely the same old metal spaceship hull filled with cardboard military uniforms with female names 'barking' orders and firing at aliens. In addition, the stories in the anthology should appeal to genuine emotions, suspense, fear, sorrow, delight, wonder. The science can be part of the background and the characters foremost, or the science can be central to the story, as long as the characters are realistic and appealing. It is strongly recommended you read the previous volumes to get an idea of what kind of material we're looking for.

"This is science fiction, but I also welcome stories of spiritual exploration, looking at the bond between the scientific and the divine. I want to see how a woman survives tragedy and disaster, overcomes impossible odds, achieves her true potential, or goes on to thrive in a marvelous universe of so many possibilities, using what is inside her, as well as what she finds in the laboratory, the alien planet, or space itself.

"The stories should contain the question of 'what if' on some level. And they should have a woman answer it."

Read the editorial Introduction to Volume One.

Guidelines for Volume #3 of the Anthology:

RIGHTS PURCHASED: First English Language Rights and non-exclusive electronic rights. The anthology will be published by Norilana Books in a trade paperback edition in June 2010, to be followed by an electronic edition to be produced later.

PAYMENT: $0.02 a word on acceptance, and a pro rata share of royalties, plus a contributor copy.

WORD LENGTH: Up to 10,000 words, with longer stories having to be exceptional.

READING PERIOD begins on September 1, 2009. Please do not submit your stories before then.

DEADLINE: January 15, 2010.

HOW TO SUBMIT: Submissions are electronic only. Please submit your story as a Word (.doc or .rtf) attachment to your e-mail. The subject line of your e-mail should say "Submission: Story Title, last name of author." Also, include a brief cover letter. It should have your full name, address, e-mail address, title of story, number of words, and brief biographical information in case we don't know you, with most recent publishing credits, if applicable. We are open to new writers and seasoned veterans alike.

EDITORIAL ADDRESS:

We look forward to reading your most inspired work.

Contest: Missouri Review

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:50:00 +0000

The Missouri Review is now offering $15,000 in prize money for the 19th annual Jeffrey E. Smith Editor's Prize Contest -- $5,000 per genre in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. Past winners' work has been reprinted in the Best American series. Each entry is $20. All entrants receive a one-year subscription to The Missouri Review either in print or in the new environmentally friendly digital format, which includes bonus audio content. The deadline is October 1st, and you can enter online or by mail. For details, check out our webpage: http://missourirevi ew.com/contest

The Beast Within 2: The Beast Unleashed

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:24:00 +0000

You know them from the office. See them at movie theaters, at restaurants and shopping malls. But when the sun goes down and the moon gets high in the sky, watch out, because the pizza delivery boy may be bringing something besides a large cheese and pepperoni. You might get the door closed, but grab your wolfs' bane and silver trinkets.

This anthology is the follow up to Graveside Tales' 2008 anthology The Beast Within. 2010 will see The Beast Unleashed.

We're looking for stories that bring a new "twist" to the lycanthrope tale. The traditional lycanthrope stories are fine, but how many Romanian cursed, moor-bitten were-wolves can there be? Give us something original, Lycanthrope Steampunk, Lycanthrope Cyberpunk, Lycanthrope Gaslight. And remember there are more things that prowl by the light of the full moon. Don't let wolves be the only outlet, not saying we won't read them, but the more original the story the more likely it is to get more attention. Were-koalas, Were-ostriches, Were-seamonkies, nothing is out of bounds; just keep the ideas original and creative. Most importantly make sure The Beast is Unleashed.

What about new and unexplored realms of the beast. A world where they roam the land, day and night except during the cycle of the full moon when they're vulnerable? Or an underwater realm where lycanthropes are only sea-beasts, the things legends are made of. Or alternate realities where lycanthropes are the predominate race Get your paws off you damn dirty wolf.
Make it new, make it unique give it a new vantage point of the beast. Wolves may be traditional, think outside those boundaries.

What we're not looking for, gore-porn, necrophilia, cruelty to animals or children, unless the stories demand it. And no hard-core porn please. Trapezes are fun in the circus, but not needed in a sex ritual between lycanthropes.

Stories should be in the 2,000 to 5,000 word range. Query for longer or shorter works. We're not looking for novellas or for flash fiction. Stories by electronic submission only. Files should be attached, not pasted into the body of the emails, in RTF or DOC format. Put your contact info
in the email and on the first page of the story. Please also include bio and publishing history in the initial submission. Response time will be 2-3 weeks. New and original stories only, no reprints please. No simultaneous submissions please. If your story is chosen we'd buy FNAR in print and possibly e-book format. Reading period is from September 1st to December 31st or until filled. Publication is set for third quarter 2010.

Payment is $.01 per word and upon publication plus one copy of the anthology. Additional copies can be purchased from Graveside Tales at a discounted rate.

Email submissions to: anthology@gravesidetales.com. Put TBW2 along with submissions title and word count in the subject line.

Want to get a good idea what we're looking for pick up a copy of 2008's The Beast Within available at Graveside Books, Amazon, and other fine retailers.

AMAZING ALTERNITY STORIES

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:06:00 +0000

AMAZING ALTERNITY STORIES is a new anthology from Pulpwork Press. It purports to be an average issue of the flagship title from pulp magazine publisher Alternity Publishing, and features a rotating series of what Publisher George H.W. Bush proudly calls 'The Greatest Action Heroes On Earth'...

....wait a minute....Publisher WHO?

The trick is that Alternity Publishing is a magazine publisher from an alternate reality where many of our real life personages exist only as fictitious characters in the most lurid of popular fiction. In this reality, for example, Nikola Tesla could be a 'science spy' who uses advanced technology to save the world, Albert Einstein could be a Flash Gordon-like swashbuckler, and George Washington could be a maritime adventurer.

(Note that the above are just examples; I'm not looking specifically for these concepts)

What we are looking for is stories in the pulp tradition with an adventure component of 5-12K in length with a central character based on a real-life personage. We want a wide variety of pulp genres represented; if this book is successful we'll release future volumes that focus on specific genres. Fun should be the most important element in these tales--the oddity of seeing a real-life person in a different setting should be secondary to the excitement of reading a fast paced adventure tale.

Original concepts will net you extra points--we've seen H.G. Wells as a time traveler or H.P. Lovecraft as a psychic detective several times already, but Wells as a mercenary with a heart of gold or Lovecraft as the courageous major of The French Foreign Legion, however..... Keep in mind that while you should give us enough to make the real life person recognizable as that person, you don't have to hew 100% close to their bio; to expand upon one of the earlier example, it's sufficient that you mention that Major Lovecraft joined the Legion to forget his lost love Sarah and that he's from Providence; we don't need chapter and verse.

The important thing is to give us verve, give us style, give us true blood-and-thunder...in short, a real pulp fiction reading experience. Have fun writing the tale; if you're having fun, the reader will have fun. Keep in mind that, given that these are supposed to be 'genuine' pulp stories, you should refrain from profanity.

Pulpwork Press will be purchasing First North American Serial Rights for each story chosen. Payment will be one copy of the final book and an equal share in the profits. The actual size of the percentage will be dictated by the number of stories that ultimately end up in the book.

Because of the unique nature of the anthology, we will require authors to submit a story outline of two to three pages. This is to assure that we won't end up with two stories about different versions of the same real-life figure, and also to assure that we have as wide a variety of genres represented. Once we choose a good line-up, we'll give the authors picked the go-ahead to write up their tales.

Please send outlines to nywisdom@hotmail.com. Deadline for outlines is August 31st, 2009. Deadline for completed stories will be announced to chosen writers shortly after the deadline proper.

Good luck, and if you have any questions, contact me at the above e-mail!

Thomas Deja
Editor, AMAZING ALTERNITY STORIES

Wait a Minute, I Have to Take Off My Bra

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:39:00 +0000

InkSpotter Publishing is looking for submissions for an anthology celebrating the most female of body parts, the breasts. From light-hearted memories of the first buds of puberty to heart wrenching accounts of breast cancer, these stories will run the gamut of experiences and emotions.

Unpublished submissions are welcome from both women and men. Maximum 3,000 words for both fiction and non-fiction. Poems are also welcome, though a limited number will be used (no specific length requirements, but please, no epics).

We are NOT looking for salacious material. Please keep your submissions tasteful. Think in terms of what you would want your young daughter (or niece) to be able to read.

Send your submissions in the body of an email (absolutely no attachments) to submissions( at)inkspotter( dot)com with "Submission for Wait a Minute" in the subject line. You may also submit via postal mail to:

InkSpotter Publishing

163 Main Avenue

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Canada B3M 1B3

If you require confirmation of receipt, include either a stamped postcard or
your email address (preferred).

Deadline for submissions is October 31, 2009.

Manuscripts will not be returned. Do not send your only copy.

Writers chosen for the anthology will be entitled to a share of profits.
Part of the proceeds will be donated to a breast cancer charity in Canada.

Please forward this notice to anyone else who might be interested and/or
post in your newsletter or on your blog.

Finding the right words

Ms. Betty Dobson
Owner/Operator

InkSpotter Publishing

A Handsome Laundrette, a Box of Lovers and Two Dozen Happy Seacows

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:32:00 +0000

A Call for Submissions.

Have you been writing stories for years in abject squalor, perhaps in
a small room above a dirty store full of hamburgers and no buns, never
ever any buns?

Have your stories been stolen by an angry buzzard and returned with
great holes in them that were not there before, probably?

Have you been waiting and waiting and waiting for an anthology of
stories which explore the magical, bewildering, even muddled world of
un-realism?? ?

Then look no further, or indeed, do look, at the following words
[note: edit this sentence later]

A Handsome Laundrette, a Box of Lovers and Two Dozen Happy Seacows is
looking for stories or an experimental, odd, or surreal nature, WITH
WHICH TO FILL ITS OWN ANTHOLOGOUS BELLY!

You too can be part of its digestive majesty.

BUT HOW??

AHLABOLATDFHS, to its friends, is open to submissions throughout the
month of July, that preposterous month fast approaching.

YOU WANT MORE DETAILS?:

Stories: Up to 5000 words
Publication: Via the magic of Internet PDF.
Payment: $50 (Australian)
Turnaround: Two months maximum.
Format: Rtf attachment. Email to moonlighttuber@ gmail.com
No reprints.

AHLABOLATDFHS is open to writers of all varied nations, but is
particularly interested in publishing Australian writers and funny
dogs.

To Arms, My Jolly Breathren!

The Seacows are (metaphorically) in your hands…

http://moonlighttub er.wordpress. com/2009/ 06/29/submission s-open-for- moonlight- tubers-first- e-anthology/

The Four Horsemen: An Anthology of Conquest, War, Famine & Death

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:52:00 +0000

Edited by Jessy Marie Roberts
pillhillpress@ gmail.com

The anthology will be divided into four sections: Conquest, War, Famine/Pestilence, and Death. Most genres, including, but not limited to, supernatural, dark fantasy, horror, suspense, crime, mystery, humor and science fiction, are welcome as long as they fit the theme of one of our four categories (conquest, war, famine/pestilence, death). Please note which category your story fits into when you submit.

Stories can be realistic or fantastical. They can take place anywhere - on Earth, under Earth, in Space, etc. They can take place at any time - past, present, future, alternate. We are looking for a good variety of unique stories that fit our four categories!

We are looking for short stories 500-5,000 words in length.

Please do not send stories with a strong religious theme. Pill Hill Press does not wish to misrepresent any religion. Also, please do not send rape/torture stories, anything "x" rated or pornographic, pet mutilation tales, fiction about child abuse and/or pedophilia, or submissions that denegrate any race, gender or sexual orientation.

Submissions will be accepted until Thursday, December 31, 2009. We will not make final selections until the end of the submission period. Responses will be sent by January 31, 2010. Please do not query about the status of your submission until February 1, 2010. We will send notification that we received your story within one week of submission. If you do not receive acknowledgement of your submission, please resend to pillhillpress@ gmail.com.

This book is scheduled to be released June, 2010

Writers Wanted for Web Publication on New Indie Film Website:

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:04:00 +0000

We're looking for articles to post on the "Starting Over" section of our new
website. The site will promote "Phil Cobb's Dinner for Four", a new indie
comedy/drama. We'd like to build a community of readers who can empathize
with Phil Cobb's on-again/off-again life. So if you have an inspirational or
entertaining take on some of the pain, heartache, and heartburn you've been
through as a result of a break-up, divorce, pink slip, alcohol addiction,
cross country move or relocation, please submit.
You can view the trailer for "Phil Cobb's Dinner for Four" at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Icwe32ODLts

You can also check out our facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Phil-Cobbs-
Dinner-for-Four/109475079448?ref=search

Please include your bio and byline (or pseudonym). The bio can include links
to your website or any pertinent webpages. You can mention upcoming works or
previous works, note any upcoming events such as a book signing or speaking
engagement. You may submit a photograph that we can spotlight.

Since our website is not a literary site and because film typically
engages such a wide ranging audience, we're hoping you can reach and
cultivate an entirely new group of fans.

SUBMISSIONS: Creative non-fiction, fiction, first or third person
accounts. Submit query or complete ms as an MSWord file with bio by email.
Byline or pseudonym. Up to 1,000 words. Format single or
double-spaced. Bio can include links to your website or relevant webpages;
include any notices. Please limit bio to 50 words.

EMAIL: submit@pcd4.com

USE: Submissions will be posted on http://www.pcd4.com in the "Starting
Over" section for one to two week intervals.

DEADLINE: Rolling submissions. Next deadline, August 15th.

Thanks for reading this post and may your writing career flourish

AMAZING ALTERNITY STORIES

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:40:00 +0000

Original concepts will net you extra points--we've seen H.G. Wells as a time traveler or H.P. Lovecraft as a psychic detective several times already, but Wells as a mercenary with a heart of gold or Lovecraft as the courageous major of The French Foreign Legion, however..... Keep in mind that while you should give us enough to make the real life person recognizable as that person, you don't have to hew 100% close to their bio; to expand upon one of the earlier example, it's sufficient that you mention that Major Lovecraft joined the Legion to forget his lost love Sarah and that he's from Providence; we don't need chapter and verse.

The important thing is to give us verve, give us style, give us true blood-and-thunder...in short, a real pulp fiction reading experience. Have fun writing the tale; if you're having fun, the reader will have fun. Keep in mind that, given that these are supposed to be 'genuine' pulp stories, you should refrain from profanity.

Pulpwork Press will be purchasing First North American Serial Rights for each story chosen. Payment will be one copy of the final book and an equal share in the profits. The actual size of the percentage will be dictated by the number of stories that ultimately end up in the book.

Because of the unique nature of the anthology, we will require authors to submit a story outline of two to three pages. This is to assure that we won't end up with two stories about different versions of the same real-life figure, and also to assure that we have as wide a variety of genres represented. Once we choose a good line-up, we'll give the authors picked the go-ahead to write up their tales.

Please send outlines to nywisdom@hotmail.com. Deadline for outlines is August 31st, 2009. Deadline for completed stories will be announced to chosen writers shortly after the deadline proper.

Good luck, and if you have any questions, contact me at the above e-mail!

Thomas Deja
Editor, AMAZING ALTERNITY STORIES

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Count Your Blessings

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:37:00 +0000

VERY QUICK STORY CALL OUT FOR NEW TITLE!
TWO WEEK DEADLINE!!

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Count Your Blessings
101 Stories of Gratitude, Fortitude, and Silver Linings

This follow-on book to Chicken Soup for the Soul: Tough Times, Tough People continues Chicken Soup for the Soul's focus on inspiration and hope in these difficult times. These inspirational stories remind us that each day holds something to be thankful for -- whether it is having the sun shine or having food on the table. Power outages and storms, health scares and illnesses, job woes and financial insecurities, housing challenges and family worries test us all. But there is always a silver lining. The simple pleasures of family, home, health, and inexpensive good times are described.

We are looking for true stories and poems written in the first person of no more than 1,200 words. Stories can be serious or humorous, or both. They should not have been previously published by Chicken Soup for the Soul or other major publications.

Here are a few suggested topics:

How you count your blessings or express your gratitude
What made you realize that your life is good and that you are grateful
Silver linings that you have discovered in the midst of challenging events
What is really valuable in your life
Major life changes or events for which you are grateful
How you spread the message of gratitude to your family and friends
The joy of simple pleasures
The unexpected benefits of health challenges or other life changes

This book is in the process of being completed and will go to the printer in September for publication in October! It is a featured Chicken Soup for the Soul title for Christmas 2009. The deadline for submissions is soon, so if you can submit quickly you have a better chance than normal of being chosen.
If your story is chosen, you will be a published author and your bio will be printed in the book if you so choose. You will also receive a check for $200 and 10 free copies of your book, worth more than $100. You will retain the copyright for your story.

SUBMISSIONS GO TO http://chickensoupf orthesoul. com/form. asp?cid=submit_ story.

DEADLINE IS MONDAY AUGUST 3rd. THANK YOU!

CONTACT US

Please do not reply or send questions to this address. For any further questions or correspondence, contact webmaster@chickenso upforthesoul. com or visit our website at http://www.chickens oup.com.

THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE: HORROR IN RURAL AMERICA

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:18:00 +0000

We are looking for horror/suspense/mystery/supernatural stories that take place in rural America. Other genres are okay as long as the main theme is dark and/or disturbing. Think farmland. Think abandoned buildings. Think small towns with nosy neighbors. Think malevolence in middle America. Think long, creepy country roads. Most importantly, think outside the box!

Traditional monsters (vampires, werewolves, zombies, witches, mummies, etc.) Are welcome as long as presented in a fresh and interesting way. For more information, check our website at Pill Hill Press.

Flash Fiction Contest

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 22:25:00 +0000

1st Prize: $60 plus publication
2nd Prize: $30 plus publication
Theme: Open
Genre: Fiction
Length: 500 words or fewer
Deadline: July 21, 2009 (postmark)
Entry Fee: $2.00 per story

THE RULES

- Write a self-contained short story in 500 words or fewer. No predetermined
theme this year, so let your imaginations run wild!
- Be original. Be concise. Be spelled correctly.
- Send your story in plain text in the body of an e-mail to
contests@inkspotter .com (subject line =
"Annual Contest Submission") or to the address on the website (below). Do
not indent paragraphs. Leave one line space between each paragraph.
- All stories MUST have a title.
- Be sure to include your full name and e-mail address. If your story wins,
we'll contact you for your preferred method of payment.
- Enter as often as you like, but payment must be received for each entry.
- You retain copyright of your story.
- All entries will be acknowledged if an e-mail address is included.
- By entering the contest, you agree to have your name and email address
added to the subscriber list for InkSpotter News, our monthly ezine. Contest
news and winning stories appear in the newsletter. (Our subscriber list will
never be shared with or sold to a third party.)

NOTE: Please, do not submit fan fiction.

FULL DETAILS at http://inkspotter. com/contests. htm

Anthology of Essays, Short Stories and Poetry

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:48:00 +0000

Call for Submissions

I'm taking submissions for an anthology of essays, short stories, and poetry inspired by Newbery award-winning books. I'm interested in discovering how a particular Newbery book influenced you (or someone you know), or made a difference to you, at any age.

Did you try to hide overnight at the Met because you read From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler? Maybe you once survived a week in the tundra because you read Julie of the Wolves. Maybe you read Johnny Tremain and then you became obsessed with American history and you've written a great short story about Paul Revere. Or your kid read A Wrinkle In Time and now you're helping her build a tesseract in the garage! This is the sort of thing I'm looking for — something about a Newbery book that will resonate with everyone else who's ever read it.

The list of Newbery recipients is here. I am currently taking submissions dealing with both Newbery award winners and honorees.

Deadline for submissions: November 1, 2009

Please follow these guidelines for submission:

* Don't submit works in progress.
* Everything must be submitted electronically.
* Don't submit someone else's work for them — submit your own work yourself.
* Don't submit something that was published somewhere else before.
* No fan-fiction, spin-offs, sequels, prequels, crossovers or erotica.
* Poetry is acceptable. Your poem should not be longer than 2 printed pages.
* Essays and short stories should be shorter than 7500 words.
* For text submissions, please attach the file to your email. I will accept submissions in .doc, .rtf or .txt format. If you're submitting a .doc, please turn off smart quotes and tracking changes. Don't send me a link, or paste your work directly into the body of your email.
* Please include the title and the author of the Newbery recipient in the cover letter with your submission.
* Please have all submitted works in "ready-to-publish" condition. At a minimum, this should include spellchecking the submission. Submissions including multiple spelling or grammatical errors are much less likely to be accepted.
* All work submitted must be the original work of the submitter, and the submitter must have the ability to grant the right to publish the work.

Please send your submissions to me at editor at mataglap dot com.

Your submission should not include any copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner.

This project is not endorsed by the ALA or by the Newbery program in any way.

Short Story Contest - “Old Mold New Milieu"

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:44:00 +0000

There’s still time to submit your winning short story to TRI Studio LLC for our current writing contest, “Old Mold New Milieu.” The deadline is June 30th. Winners will be published in The Fiction Flyer, our free ezine for writers with 1,000 subscribers. There are modest cash prizes, but you likely will survive without the ten dollars. More interesting, winning stories (and their authors) will receive the benefits of much promotion.

Okay, you can survive without the exposure, too, but wouldn’t it be nice? And your story only needs to be 1,000 words or less. You can write that much before lunch! AND you get to showcase a couple characters in your own books or stories, which of course begs readers to investigate further, which is why links to winners’ books and stories will be included. Details for the contest are here:

http://tri-studio.com/contestguidelines.html

We have some interesting judges, too, which include the well-known and mutli-published author and artist of youth fiction, Kevin Collier, his wife, Kristen Collier, author of critically acclaimed Christian literature, and Carolyn Howard-Johnson, promotional guru and multi-award winning author of numerous novels, books of poetry, and the best-selling how-to Frugal Book series on book promotion.

We hope you’ll take a look and decide to join in the fun!

Kathe and Ray Gogolewski
Editors/The Fiction Flyer
TRI Studio LLC www.tri-studio.com
http://tri-studio.com/contestguidelines.html

2008 Finding the Right Words Flash Fiction Contest

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:50:00 +0000

1st Prize: $60 plus publication
2nd Prize: $30 plus publication
Theme: Open
Genre: Fiction
Length: 500 words or fewer
Deadline: July 21, 2009 (postmark)
Entry Fee: $2.00 per story

THE RULES

- Write a self-contained short story in 500 words or fewer. No predetermined
theme this year, so let your imaginations run wild!
- Be original. Be concise. Be spelled correctly.
- Send your story in plain text in the body of an e-mail to
contests@inkspotter .com contests@inkspotter .com> (subject line =
"Annual Contest Submission") or to the address above. Do not indent
paragraphs. Leave one line space between each paragraph.
- All stories MUST have a title.
- Be sure to include your full name and e-mail address. If your story wins,
we'll contact you for your preferred method of payment.
- Enter as often as you like, but payment must be received for each entry.
- You retain copyright of your story.
- All entries will be acknowledged if an e-mail address is included.
- By entering the contest, you agree to have your name and email address
added to the subscriber list for InkSpotter News, our monthly ezine. Contest
news and winning stories appear in the newsletter. (Our subscriber list will
never be shared with or sold to a third party.)

NOTE: Please, do not submit fan fiction.

FULL DETAILS at http://inkspotter. com/contests. htm

Surrealism Anthology

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:16:00 +0000

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS - New Surreal Anthology

Submitted by: DANNY GONZALES

I am putting together an anthology of horror called "The Ultimate Surreal". I have been published in Rare, an anthology of horror, on gothic.net as well as many other anthologies. I am looking for surreal horror fiction grounded in reality which ever so softly slips into the surreal. I don’t want splatterpunk, over the top grossout horror. I am looking for more psychologically surreal stuff, it can have alien fetuses in it as long as those alien fetuses are integral to the plot.

Think of David Cronenberg meets David Lynch with a dab of Tim Burton. I am looking for artists, fiction writers and perhaps even poetry if it is truly surreal. I like ambiguity, where the reader can be left to determine if the narrator was insane or not and I am a big fan of everyday horror, the way a simple day at the office can turn freaky scary. Psychological horror is preferred over gory horror, cussing and sex is okay as long as it has a point. 500-1500 words. Deadline is: Oct 31st, 2009 but if you want to send something over to let me know you are
interested early like a rough draft I would be happy to look it over and let you know if it is what I am looking for.

You can submit it to me at dangrn77@hotmail.com: put Surrealism Anthology in the subject posting. It can have a horror context or sci-fi or even dark fantasy as long as it operates on the same level of the surrealist's manifesto which is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrealist_Manifesto "two distant realities brought together to create a new, uncanny union" Consider the weird vibe of the film “Eraserhead” which gives us ordinary circumstances, a seemingly familiar world then slowly begins to tear away every thread of sanity we have and exposes the grim horror within. Show me your inner surrealist!

Star Dreck Anthology

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:11:00 +0000

Before we go any further, this is SATIRE*. This is PARODY*. This is SPOOFING*. These things
are fully protected under American copyright law, with the benefit of Supreme Court decisions.
That being said...

I saw the new Star Trek movie, and I was depressed. It was quite a paradox, because I actually
had a blast watching this engaging, exciting, exhilarating, fun film. But as I let it all sink in the
rest of the day, I realized I actually hated it. I won't belabor why here; either you agree with me
or you don't. If you do, then this anthology is for you.

Paramount Pictures, in its endless quest for piles of money, have finally completed the utter
destruction of Star Trek, a process at which I feel Rick Berman and Brannon Braga had already
worked very hard for several years to achieve anyhow. As any Trekkie who has writing skills,
my ego tells me I could have done a better job than Berman, Braga, and J.J. Abrams. My sixth
sense tells me that talented Trekkies all over the world could do better writing SATIRES* and
PARODIES* and SPOOFS*. So, I want to give them the chance.

This will be a three-volume (maybe four-volume) series of anthologies with stories that
SATIRIZE and PARODY Star Trek.

Star Dreck: This will be a collection of SATIRES* and PARODIES* and SPOOFS* of Star
Trek (the original series).

Star Dreck: The Next Degeneration: This will be a collection of SATIRES* and PARODIES*
and SPOOFS* of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Star Dreck: Overcross: This will be a collection of SATIRES* and PARODIES* and SPOOFS*
of any Star Trek, along with another television show or movie.

Star Dreck: The Frontier Finale: This will be an anthology that MIGHT happen. If it does, it will
contain SATIRES* and PARODIES* and SPOOFS* of Star Trek: Deep Space 9, Star Trek:
Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise. This volume will happen if there are enough submissions for it.

I want SATIRE* and PARODY* and SPOOFING*. Write these like the literary equivalents of
the spoofs you see in MAD Magazine, or hat you used to see in CRACKED (before it died and
was reborn as a pile of online crap, sadly).

To this end, you have to spoof things and me from getting sued. Rename the characters: Captain
Kork, Mister Sprock, Chief Engineer Montgomery Ward, Helmsman Solo. Captain John-Luke
Pickaxe, Commander Raker, Counselor Menage-a-Troi, the android Info. You get the idea.
It's the Enterprize, and fazer guns, and zapton torpedoes. Whatever you want to do, do it. I
absolutely encourage a few things:

SATIRE* and PARODY* and SPOOFING*. These cannot be fan-fiction Trek stories, or
Paramount will sue me blind. Paramount probably will sue me blind anyway, but that's okay.

Humor. Make it funny! Poke fun at all things Trek, including the way this cultural icon has been
whored out by Paramount, beaten nearly to death, and changed to the point that the loyal fans
who made its success a reality are completely ignored (because we don't matter, right?).

Stories. Yep, even amidst humorous SATIRE* and laughable PARODY* and gut-busting
SPOOFS*, I still want real stories (which you'll learn about on the next page).

Star Dreck III: Overcross. This one is special. Do the same things as the others, but include a
crossover with another TV show or movie. Land the Enterprize in a galaxy, far, far away, with
Luck Skyskipper and Duchess Layme, and give the Volcanian Mr. Schlock experience with the
Forceful (maybe he has amazing midichlorian levels!). Maybe the Boobyprize goes back in time
and gets tangled up with Pong... James Pong, Double-Oh-Negative, who likes it shooken, not
starred. Or maybe the SG-01 team go through the StarPortal to a parallel universe where Mr.
Splott has a goatee! And what about the Exitprise trying to save a world... and they're assisted
by Superduperman?

(In fact, this idea was inspired by a book from the 1980s called The Doctor and the Enterprise,
a book where Doctor Who's TARDIS lands on the Enterprise. The characters were ambiguous
(The Captain, The Science Officer, The Physician... along with The Doctor), but we all knew
what it was. And it was funny! If you can find a copy on Amazon or eBay, I highly recommend
it.)

Whatever TV show/movie you cross this over with, you'll stand a better chance of selling it if
it's a show/movie I'm familiar with, so before writing, if you want to know my thoughts, drop
me a line.

For all titles: I absolutely reserve the right to change any names, terminology, etc., to avoid
getting me sued, but of course I'll work with you on that.

Fan fiction. Don't send me any of this. I don't care if you think you've written the best Star Trek
short story ever written. If it isn't a SATIRE* or a PARODY* or a SPOOF*, don't even think of
sending it. If you do, you'll be blacklisted from any and all future publications I release. I know
that sounds really hard-ass, but copyright is a very serious matter. I'm not a pirate. I won't
ever be a pirate. And I won't give the time of day to people who submit fan fiction and expect
me to publish it. Send it to whoever is licensed to publish Star Trek fiction.

Stories from 3,000 to 12,000 words; however, I am unlikely to accept long stories unless they
are very, very good. Long stories mean multiple shorter stories won't make the cut. So, make
sure the longer it is, the better it is. Ideally, I'd like to see stories in the 3,000-7,000-word
range.

Deadline for submissions is October 31, 2009. I'll be staggering the releases of these in early
2010.

Interested?
Click here to learn more

Two Anthologies: Vacationland and Speculationland

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:06:00 +0000

This will be a pair of sister publications devoted to all that is Maine:

Vacationland will feature mainstream/literary stories.

Speculationland will feature SF, fantasy, or horror, having some sort of speculative element.

I'm doing two volumes because people who prefer mainstream fiction aren't likely to appreciate spec fiction, and spec-fic readers won't likely be too excited about mainstream fiction.

Stories must take place in Maine, or at the very least be a central part of the story (say, a character from Maine living in California or on Mars and wishing he were home). Stories should absolutely reflect what Maine is all about in some way--either through historical exposition, or focusing on things that typify Maine: lobster, County potatoes, Bar Harbor, Mt. Katahdin, or whatever.

The subject matter is entirely up to you, so long as you observe what I consider a story to be (which you'll read about on the next page). I mention this here because, in doing a mainstream-fiction anthology, I know I'll be inundated with piles of "stories" that are little more than slices of life. I don't want scenes; I don't want pieces of a character's day; I want stories that accomplish something and arrive somewhere, with characters who grow and change in some way.

Despite my background in speculative fiction, I have written some mainstream stuff. But I haven't worked on an all-mainstream anthology, so this will be a learning experience for me. For writers, know that what appeals to me are stories with bite, with grab, with visuals, with ideas that make me say "Wow!" That's what I like about sci-fi and fantasy and horror, which can bring a certain edge that mainstream stuff cannot. As such, it will be your job to create really vivid characters--make me feel so sucked into your story that I must finish it, even if there aren't spaceships or dragons or werewolves there to bring that sense of wonder to the tale.

I will give a strong preference for Maine authors. Non-Maine authors should be originally from Maine, frequent Maine, or have some other powerful Maine connection. When it comes down to choosing between two excellent stories, the Maine authors will always have the edge.

I don't want stories by people who obviously have no idea of what the flavor of Maine is. I also don't want 500 submissions that take place entirely in Bar Harbor or along the coast or in Portland's Old Port. There is much more to Maine than those things, despite what the tourists think. There are mountains and hiking trails, whitewater rivers, fields of potatoes and blueberries, the Golden Road, the expanse of Baxter State Park. And there's a load of history everywhere you go. So what I don't want is a pile of stories about lobster feasts and clambakes--strive to be as original as you can imagine. Envision what the masses are likely to write about, and then choose something you don't think anyone will write about.

Stories from 3,000 to 9,000 words; however, I am unlikely to accept long stories unless they are very, very good. Long stories mean multiple shorter stories won't make the cut. So, make sure the longer it is, the better it is. Ideally, I'd like to see stories in the 4,000-6,000-word range.

Deadline for submissions is November 30, 2009. My goal is publication in early 2010, with a secondary goal to have copies available for the summer tourist traffic.

Interested?
Click here to learn more.

Queer Gothic Anthology

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:25:00 +0000

Open call for submissions for a *Queer Gothic Anthology* to be published by
*QueeredFiction* where genre is queered. Deadline is 31st August 2009. We're
looking for gothic tales of horror and romance. Your submission should be a
short story between 3,000 and 10,000 words. We are seeking fiction with
positive images of queer characters. We’re not looking for clichés. We do
not want reprints. We are seeking first world rights for this anthology
which will be published as an eBook and in Print format. Full guidelines
here .

Submissions open: *1st June 2009 to 31st August 2009*

As a queer publisher, QueeredFiction would like to have an emphasis on the
queer community as a whole, rather than by segments. So ideally the perfect
submission would have 'queer characters' in the forefront and in the
background ... just mainly prominent!

*Gothic fiction (sometimes referred to as Gothic horror) is a genre of
literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. *
*[...]*
*Prominent features of Gothic fiction include terror (both psychological and
physical), mystery, the supernatural, ghosts, haunted houses and Gothic
architecture, castles, darkness, death, decay, doubles, madness, secrets and
hereditary curses.The stock characters of Gothic fiction include tyrants,
villains, bandits, maniacs, Byronic heroes, persecuted maidens, femmes
fatales, madwomen, magicians, vampires, werewolves, monsters, demons,
revenants, ghosts, perambulating skeletons, the Wandering Jew and the Devil
himself.

Dogs and the Women Who Love Them 2009 True Story Contest

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Sat, 30 May 2009 11:50:00 +0000

Dogs and the Women Who Love Them True Story Contest Rules:

The Angel Animals Network (AAN) is accepting story submissions about dogs and the women who love them. The stories should demonstrate the benefits for a woman who fulfills a life purpose by partnering with a dog to perform extraordinary physical, emotional, or spiritual service.

Stories must be original, based on real dogs, people, and events. Preference will be given to emotionally evocative and well-written creative nonfiction stories. Please do not submit journalistic articles, profiles, testimonials, essays, or fiction for this contest.

Story submissions must be no more than 2,000 words in English. They should be typed or legibly handwritten. Each story submission must be accompanied with an Angel Animals Network official entry form (below), completed by the contestant submitting the story.

Contest story submissions will not be returned. Please do not include photographs. You may view the list of 1st place and 2nd place winners on the Angel Animals Network Website after winners are announced. You can also subscribe to the free weekly, online Angel Animals Story of the Week Newsletter and look for winners to be announced there.

To be eligible, contest entries must be postmarked no later than September 30, 2009.

If stories are selected as winners of the Dogs and the Women Who Love Them True Story Contest and later found to contain distortions or falsehoods, the AAN is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate entry or story information.

Any contest entries, but especially those of the winners, will be considered for possible publication in the new book Dogs and the Women Who Love Them by Allen and Linda Anderson to be published by New World Library in Fall 2010. However, the contest and the new book are separate projects. Entering or winning the contest doesn’t mean the story will be published in the book. Allen and Linda Anderson will contact entrants if they are considering a contest story for possible publication in the book. Previous books in the Angel Animals series have included many stories that were contest entries.

Entry Fee:

There is no entry fee to submit a story for the contest.

Number of Entries:

Each individual is limited to submit three separate entries.

Eligibility:

Employees/volunteers and the immediate family (spouse, mother, father, sister, brother, daughter or son, regardless of where they live) or members of the same households (whether related or not) of such employees/volunteers are not eligible. There are no citizen status or resident country restrictions for contestants.

Judging:

Judging the stories for this contest will be based on the exceptional nature of the dog(s) who demonstrates partnering with a woman to fulfill a life’s purpose including a dog who performs some type of extraordinary physical, emotional, or spiritual service. Other categories on which stories will be judged are: readability, spiritual connection between human and animal, dramatic/emotional appeal, inspirational, and represents good practices for animal health and welfare. A panel of judges, who are known for their service to animals, will select the finalists.

All Dogs and the Women Who Love Them True Story Contest decisions are final.

Prizes:

Grand Prize

One grand prize of $250 will be awarded to the first-place winning contestant.

2nd Place Prize

A second place prize of $25.00 will be awarded to 5 contestants.

Honorable Mentions

There will be 5 entries chosen as Honorable Mentions.

Click Entry Form PRINT VERSION to go directly to the Dogs and the Women Who Love Them True Story Contest Official Entry Form.

LifeBytes...Real Stories of Online Dating - Extended Deadline

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Mon, 25 May 2009 23:07:00 +0000

Update:

We are accepting submissions for "LifeBytes...Real Stories of Online Dating" (est. publication date spring 2010)

Who doesn't love sitting around with friends and family over coffee or a cocktail sharing stories about life, work and love? LifeBytes is interested in YOUR Online dating story. Make a cup of coffee or stir up a cocktail and tell us your cyber dating adventures - the good, the bad and the ugly! "LifeBytes...Real Stories" will be a compilation of the true stories that singles love to share with one another about the ups and downs of searching for Prince (or Princess) Charming.

We are looking for evocative stories that can be funny, poignant, provocative, scary, weird, sexy, edgy or happy. We're looking for the full range of experiences that make online dating such an adventure. Writers whose work is chosen for publication will receive payment for their story in the market range of $50-$100 (word count dependent).

Our extended deadline is September 15, 2009.

For complete submission guidelines please visit our website at: http://www.lifebytesbook.com[

1]
Also, stop by our blog at: http://lifebytesrealstories.wordpress.com [2]to put your digital feet
up and chat for a while.

And don't forget to join our Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=67366205943[4][3]

Let us know who you are through your unique voice. We're looking forward to meeting you.

Regards,
Sharon Sommerhalter

Beneath Ceaseless Skies

dsundblad@theinkslinger.net (Donna Sundblad) — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:27:00 +0000

Beneath Ceaseless Skies publishes "literary adventure fantasy": stories with a secondary-world setting and some traditional or classic fantasy feel, but written with a literary flair.

Secondary-World Setting: We want stories set in what Tolkien called a "secondary world": some other world that is different from our own primary world in some way. It could be different in terms of zoology (non-human creatures), ecology (climate), or physical laws (the presence of magic). It could be set on Earth but an Earth different from our primary world in terms of time (the historical past) or history (alternate history). It could have a "pre-tech" level of technology, or steampunk technology, or magic as technology, or anything else that's not advanced or modern technology. However, the setting should contain some element that is in some way fantastical.

The inhabitants of this secondary world should have developed their own culture in response to the uniqueness of their world. The characters should fit this culture, and the qualities of the secondary world should have some bearing on the plot.

We are not interested in urban fantasy or other types of stories set in the "real world," even if they contain fantasy elements.

Plot: We strongly prefer stories that have some plot. It can be external, in the character's surroundings, or it can be internal to the character, or it can be both. We are not interested in stories that meander between external events or internal emotions with no causality and therefore do not have any trace of a conventional-type plot.

Characters: We prefer stories that focus on the characters. We strongly prefer characters who yearn for something, external or internal, and feel driven to attain it. Our favorite characters are "round characters": ones who grow and change over the course of a story instead of remaining the same.

Literary Elements: We love modern literary devices like tight points-of-view, non-linear narratives, unreliable narrators, and ambiguous endings, so long as they fit that particular story. Our favorite literary device is round characters, who grow or change over the course of the story.

Narrative Style: We prefer styles that are literary but readable. We love gorgeous, poetic prose, but in genre fiction it's vital that the style be clear enough so the reader can understand what's happening. Our favorite prose styles are lush but still clear.

We have a preference for limited points-of-view, either first-person or third-person, because we find it harder for a story to get deep inside a character's head from an omniscient point-of-view. We find present tense often pretentious and second-person point-of-view always annoying.

We know grammar rules, such as which types of clauses should have commas between them and which types should not. We respect the author's freedom to bend the rules as suits their story. However, be forewarned that repeated ignorance of grammatical principles for no apparent artistic reason will make a manuscript look unprofessional to us.

Originality: We prefer stories that are as original as possible, particularly in the setting. We are unlikely to enjoy stories featuring elements we have seen repeatedly, such as elves or barbarian swordsmen or a quest to save the world from an evil overlord, unless they present that element in a unique new way.

Extreme Content: We prefer that graphic sex and violence not escalate beyond the level of an R-rated movie. We also insist that sex and sadistic violence not be acted upon children.

Fairy Tales / Myths: We usually find that fairy tale-style or myth-style narratives don't provide a gritty or immediate enough perspective to make us feel the texture of the secondary world or the direness of the protagonist's struggle. Any fairy tale-type or myth-type story probably isn't right for us.

Science Fiction: We aren't interested in science fiction; it's just not what we prefer to read. Any story with advanced technology or esoteric scientific concepts isn't right for us.

Science Fantasy: We do think there's common ground between fantasy and so-called "science fantasy," as some readers consider Dune because it focuses on secondary-world setting and culture rather than on advanced technology. For a detailed explanation of what science fantasy elements we are and aren't interested in, read this thread on the BCS Forums.

Steampunk / Smoke & Sorcery / Weird West / Sixguns & Sorcery / Etc.: In addition to fantasy, we also enjoy stories set in other types of secondary world that likewise don't have modern technology, including steampunk, smoke & sorcery, weird West, sixguns & sorcery, etc. Feel free to send us anything that you think might fit.

Humor and Satire: We don't mind humorous stories, but we have a very dry sense of humor. We love wry satire, but we rarely enjoy slapstick or puns. We aren't planning to publish much humor, but if you have a dry satire that hits us just right . . .

Length and Policies

We prefer stories under 10,000 words. We will consider stories over that length, but the longer a story is, the better it must be to hold our attention.

We are not interested in reprints (stories that have previously appeared anywhere in print or online, including on a personal website or blog).

We do not accept multiple submissions (more than one story submitted at a time). Please wait until you have received a reply to your submission before sending another.

We DO accept simultaneous submissions (stories that are currently under submission to another market), but ONLY if you state in your cover letter that your submission is simultaneous, and ONLY if you notify us IMMEDIATELY when another market accepts your story. We accept simultaneous submissions as a favor to writers because we know that response times can be long, but if people abuse this policy, we will rescind it.

Acceptances, Payment, and Rights

All accepted manuscripts will be line-edited for grammar, punctuation, and clarity. The author will have the opportunity to review and discuss all of these edits. However, we do insist on a high proficiency of grammar and clarity in our magazine. Payment will be made after receipt of the final, line-edited manuscript.

For standard acceptances, we pay 5 cents US per word, which is professional rate as defined by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). For this payment, we purchase the following rights:

First World Serial Rights
First World Electronic Rights
An Option to buy Non-Exclusive World Anthology Rights
An Exclusive Period to buy Limited-Time Exclusive Audio Rights

This means that our payment buys the rights to publish your story on the Beneath Ceaseless Skies website, as well as the option, at our choice, to pay you again at the reprint rate specified in the original contract (usually 2 cents per word) to reprint your story in any future anthology of stories from Beneath Ceaseless Skies and distribute that anthology anywhere in the world. It also gives us a time period during which we have the exclusive option, at our choice, to buy limited-time audio rights to your story, at the rate specified in the original contract (usually 1 cent per word), and podcast your story from the Beneath Ceaseless Skies website.

You can't publish that story as a first-run or "new" story anywhere else in the world, and you can't have it appear anywhere else, in print or online or as audio, before or for ninety days after we publish it. But after that you can have it reprinted online and/or in a reprint magazine and/or in any reprint anthology, like one of the many Year's Best collections.

You also can't sell the audio rights to anyone else for ninety days after we publish the story. And if during those ninety days we buy the audio rights from you, you can't have the story appear in audio form anywhere else before or for ninety days after we podcast it. But after that you can resell the audio rights, including to one of the many fiction podcast websites.

We also hope that you will let us keep the story in our online archives after ninety days.

How to Submit

Format: Format your manuscript in Standard Manuscript Format. If you don't know what that is, look it up. If you deviate from this in more than a few ways, your story will look unprofessional to us before we've read the first word.

Include your name, address, and email on the first page, and a running header with your last name, the title, and page number at the top of every subsequent page.

Cover Letters: We do prefer a short cover letter with every submission. Type it into the body of your email. Mention the title of your story in case the attachment gets lost. List the best one or two fiction sales you have and/or mention any writing workshops you have attended. TELL US if this is a simultaneous submission. DO NOT give a synopsis or summary of your story; we'll learn what it's about when we read it.

Attach your manuscript to an email as either a *.DOC MS Word document file or a *.RTF rich-text-format file. If you can't get either of these to work, you may paste the text of your manuscript into the body of your email. DO NOT send a *.DOCX file (the default format that Word 2007 uses); we can't open those files.

Send your email to submissions[AT]beneath-ceaseless-skies.com (replacing [AT] with @). Use the subject line Submission: (the title of your story).

IMPORTANT: your subject line MUST include the word "Submission" or our spam filter will delete your email.

Our Process and Response Times

You should receive our email auto-reply within 24 hours after sending your submission.

If you don't, check your spam filter to be sure it didn't get caught there. Then make sure your subject line starts with Submission so our filter won't delete your email and send your story again. If you still don't receive the auto-reply 24 hours after that, query using the email form on our Contact page. We will get back to you as soon as we can.

Response Times: Our response times are currently averaging 3-5 weeks, occasionally as long as 6-7 weeks. To keep writers informed on our reading progress, we will post periodic Slush Updates in the Submissions Status section of our online forums. If we announce that we've replied to all submissions emailed before a certain date, but you sent yours before that date (and received our auto-reply confirming that it arrived), feel free to query us using the email form on our Contact page.

Please do not query if we haven't announced that we've replied to all submissions up to the date you sent yours. Any time that we spend answering extra queries is time we can't spend reading submissions or posting Slush Updates.

All rejections and acceptances will be notified by email.