Sunday, September 27, 2009

Inner Fears Anthology

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.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Warrior Wisewoman 3

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.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Contest: Missouri Review

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

Monday, August 24, 2009

The Beast Within 2: The Beast Unleashed

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.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

AMAZING ALTERNITY STORIES

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

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Wait a Minute, I Have to Take Off My Bra

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

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

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

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/