Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Real Life Steampunk

Okay, this is pretty awesome. :) The video shows the Kempton Park (England) big triple steam engine starting up. First they start a small engine to one side, then engage it with one of the flywheels and the big engine starts up. When I first started watching, I thought the small one was the the thing, and was all, "Okay, that's kinda cool..." Then the big one started. Whee!



I have no idea what the engineer who's running the thing is saying when he talks; I can only make out a few words here and there, between his accent and the noise of the engine. No big deal -- it's still very cool to watch.

Makes me want to write some more steampunk, this time with some really big engines. :D

Angie

Saturday, September 16, 2017

Anthology Markets

If you've just wandered in off the internet, hi and welcome. :) I do these posts every month, so if this post isn't dated in the same month you're in, click here to make sure you're seeing the most recent one. If you want to get an e-mail notification when the listing is posted, get the list a week early, or get a full listing of everything I've found (as opposed to the two months' worth I post here) a week early, you can support my Patreon.

Markets with specific deadlines are listed first, "Until Filled" markets (if any) are at the bottom. There are usually more details on the original site; always click through and read the full guidelines before submitting. Note that some publishers list multiple guidelines on one page, so after you click through you might have to scroll a bit.

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29 September 2017 -- Alien Invasion -- Flame Tree Publishing

Visitors from other planets have long obsessed us. H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds spawned a huge wave of speculative fiction but the roots of such fears run deep in our literature, where the mysteries of other cultures have long threatened the familiar and the comfortable. Did aliens build the ancient pyramids? Do they live amongst us today? What happens when they invade? Would it be an inevitable act of aggression, one of assistance and care, or simply a reminder of our paltry existence in a crowded universe?

We are looking for new and recent short stories. We do not require exclusivity. You hold copyright, licensing us just for this publication. We don’t mind if your story has been previously published online or in print (though we do need to know publication and date). Simultaneous submissions are fine, but you must have the right to license your story in an anthology.

Word length is most likely to be successful at 2000–4000, but we will still read stories slightly outside this range.

Submit by email to 2017@flametreepublishing.com
Fees, Copyright and Other Terms

== We pay Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) rates of 6 cents per word.
== We would prefer to pay via PAYPAL because bank charges to the US and Canada in particular can be crippling for all concerned.
== Payment will be made within 30 days of the final advertised publication date (see our website, flametreepublishing.com for details), although we might choose to pay some early.
== Submission does not imply the right to publication. Each story will be read and assessed by the selection panel.
== Please submit in .doc or .rtf formats, double spaced, with your name and email address in the footer or header of each page.
== We will aim to read each story and confirm its status within 30 working days of the submission deadline.
== The anthologies will be published worldwide, available online and to bookstores worldwide, in print and ebook formats.
== You can submit more than one story, and to each collection.

Submit by email only to: 2017@flametreepublishing.com

SELECTION PANEL

The selection will be made by our group of life-long, in-house enthusiasts: Nick Wells (Publisher), Laura Bulbeck (Senior Editor) and Josie Mitchell, Gillian Whitaker and Cat Taylor. If required, the final selection will be mediated by our series editors. We try to keep everyone up-to-date as much as possible with occasional email updates.

A WORD ABOUT THE SFWA

To confirm, we became an SFWA qualifying market last year, so being published by us will help your status with them of course, but also with other readers and writers.

***

29 September 2017 -- Endless Apocalypse -- Flame Tree Publishing

Stories of the end of civilized life have always fascinated us, from the mythological world endings – Armageddon and Ragnarok – to the flood stories from across the Ancient world. They make us wonder what we would do if all around us came to an end – no transport, no fuel, no communications, a retreat into the desperation, the onslaught of disease – how would we survive?

We are looking for new and recent short stories. We do not require exclusivity. You hold copyright, licensing us just for this publication. We don’t mind if your story has been previously published online or in print (though we do need to know publication and date). Simultaneous submissions are fine, but you must have the right to license your story in an anthology.

Word length is most likely to be successful at 2000–4000, but we will still read stories slightly outside this range.

Submit by email to 2017@flametreepublishing.com
Fees, Copyright and Other Terms

== We pay Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) rates of 6 cents per word.
== We would prefer to pay via PAYPAL because bank charges to the US and Canada in particular can be crippling for all concerned.
== Payment will be made within 30 days of the final advertised publication date (see our website, flametreepublishing.com for details), although we might choose to pay some early.
== Submission does not imply the right to publication. Each story will be read and assessed by the selection panel.
== Please submit in .doc or .rtf formats, double spaced, with your name and email address in the footer or header of each page.
== We will aim to read each story and confirm its status within 30 working days of the submission deadline.
== The anthologies will be published worldwide, available online and to bookstores worldwide, in print and ebook formats.
== You can submit more than one story, and to each collection.

Submit by email only to: 2017@flametreepublishing.com

SELECTION PANEL

The selection will be made by our group of life-long, in-house enthusiasts: Nick Wells (Publisher), Laura Bulbeck (Senior Editor) and Josie Mitchell, Gillian Whitaker and Cat Taylor. If required, the final selection will be mediated by our series editors. We try to keep everyone up-to-date as much as possible with occasional email updates.

A WORD ABOUT THE SFWA

To confirm, we became an SFWA qualifying market last year, so being published by us will help your status with them of course, but also with other readers and writers.

***

30 September 2017 -- Tribe Anthology -- ed. Lois Peterson

TRIBE: A print anthology about the lives of older single women seeks work by emerging and experienced writers, providing insights into the situations and roles of older single women in our times.

Contributors:

Women aged 55+
From anywhere in the world
Single, which for our purposes means:
== You are single - by choice or circumstance - widowed or divorced
== Do not currently live, or plan to live, in a permanent domestic relationship with a partner of either gender

We are looking for well-written prose, poetry, prose poems, memoir, personal narrative, fiction ….Your submission could be about sexuality, health, music, family, reading and writing, travel, the outdoors and nature, dating, finances, art, creativity, loneliness, community, volunteerism, work, politics…

Your work could be serious, humorous, self-reflective, dramatic -- about the condition of single life in modern times – your own experience and those of women you know, philosophical, sociological, analytical, revelatory…

We especially welcome work that reflects diversity.

Previously published work will be considered.

Prose submissions 1,200 words to 3,000.
Poetry max 45 lines

Submit:

Completed work – no queries

A maximum of two pieces of prose and/or two piece of poetry from each submitting writer

Complete submissions sent at one time as a single Word attachment

Include in the attachment:

== Your name
== Mailing address
== Email and phone#
== Month and year of birth
== If your submission has been published previously, please include info. about where and when

Rights: First North American Serial rights… the rights to the work return to the author 30 days after publication.

Email to tribeanthology@outlook.com with ‘Submission ^your last name^’ in the subject line.

Submissions accepted period May 1 – September 30, 2017

Remuneration: Initially* $25.00 CAN per piece (paid on acceptance), plus two copies of the anthology. *Sales/profits will determine further royalties paid to contributors.

50% of net profits will be donated to a charity, tbc.

Authors of work accepted for the anthology will be given the opportunity to sign off on any editorial changes made to their work prior to publication.

Tribe will be published by LPwordsolutions of Nanaimo, BC.

Submitting authors will be periodically informed of the progress of the project.
The publisher retains the right to cancel the project if the work submitted is not of the caliber required.

We are unable to provide specific editorial comment on submissions that are not accepted for the anthology, but will try to respond in a timely manner to all writers’ submissions and enquiries

We will also be seeking line drawings for the cover art and inside pages. Please contact tribeanthology@outlook.com for further details.

[NOTE: there's more info on what the editor is looking for on the project web site. If you're interested, click through and poke around.]

***

30 September 2017 -- Our Golden Gang: The He-Man Woman-Haters Club -- EMRE Publishing

This will be an anthology of short stories that depicts “Our Gang-type” plots using the above characters. [Click through for a long list of names with photos.] President Trump’s rich pals will be playing inside the luxurious confines of Mar-a-Lago. Every summer, Donnie "Golden Boy" Trump invites all his friends to spend a couple of months at his big club in Palm Beach, Florida. Guests from around the world stay there, and the kids in Trump's "Our Golden Gang" get into plenty of mischief. Although they will be depicted as children, these characters will keep their adult names (on left). Each child will be a mixture of the adult’s persona and the Our Gang character’s persona. He or she will be a child, however, and the troubles they get into at Mar-a-Lago will be childish in nature. Satire is accepted, but humor will be the thread of enjoyment throughout each story in this anthology.

Writers who submit can use old plots from the Our Gang films and update them to fit the present (technology, clothing, etc.). Stories are set in present day, although don't give specific dates. Villains can be people from the present (Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Vladamir Putin, etc.), or you can invent others.

The first anthology in the series is called "The He-Man Woman-Haters Club." All stories must mention this club in the story, although the club need not be the main emphasis in the plot.

Payment: 6 cents per word (Paid by Paypal only upon publication)

Anthology #1: He-Man Woman-Haters Club

Length: 3,000 to 5,000 words

Use Standard Manuscript Formatting.

Submit to: Submittable Online System

Socialize and get ideas at our Facebook Page.

For those authors who intend to submit to our anthology, then join this group.

Print and Digital Anthology

***

30 September 2017 [or Until Filled] -- Tales of Blood and Squalor -- Dark Cloud Press

Wretched, low-class characters living in filth and poverty. With lots of misery and blood.

Dark Cloud Press is cobbling together a short fiction anthology of horror and psychological thrillers in ebook and trade paperback. The subject matter can be anything you want, so long as it includes both blood and squalor.

We all know what blood is. It’s spilled accidentally. Or worse, on purpose—often ending in death. But squalor…

SQUALOR: n. A quality or state marked by filthiness
and degradation from neglect or poverty.
Synonyms: sordid, wretched, seamy, seedy.

What We're Looking For

The best example of what we’re looking for in stories for this antho is season 4, episode 2 of The X-Files, titled “Home,” which aired October 11, 1996. Find it. Watch it.

Literary examples include:

== Jack Ketchum’s Off Season
== Cormac McCarthy’s Child of God
== Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood

Write an original story that adheres to the guidelines detailed here. Don’t be limited by this list, but here are a few examples:

== Murder in a trailer park
== Blackmail gone awry in the inner city
== Revenge in a failed mining town
== Sinister events on the rural farm
== Deadly dealings on the other side of the tracks in small-town America

NOTE: We’re not looking for anything as hardcore as Off Season (be sure to study our general submission guidelines). And no slasher stories with buckets of blood, either. But blood and squalor, yes.

We want atmospheric horror in a squalid setting, or scenes under squalorous conditions, wretched characters, and a psychologically thrilling conclusion spattered with blood.

Scare us. Shock us. Make us reel.

HINT: You've got a better chance at hooking the editor if you write like Donald Westlake instead of H.P. Lovecraft.
Submission Guidelines

The anthology will contain 40,000+ words of original psychological thrillers and horror, 2500–5000 words each (3000–4000 preferred). It will be published in trade paperback and Kindle format, both available on Amazon.com.

== No previously published works.
== No multiple submissions.
== Electronic submissions only (.doc or .docx format).
== In your cover email, briefly introduce yourself, list your publication credits, and share what you’ll do to help market the book.

Format

Your manuscript must follow the format guidelines listed under Manuscript Format. Microsoft Word .doc or .docx files only.

Content Standards

DCP’s books entertain readers with meaningful dark fiction—spellbinding stories with a minimum of adult language and sex. DCP anthologies give readers an entertaining, thrilling, scary, imaginative read, leaving them with something important to ponder.

If you want your story to pass muster, follow Content Standards.

Submission Period

August 1 to September 30, 2017, or until filled.

Rejections may come sooner, but acceptance responses will be sent starting in October 2017.

Publication is slated for Spring/Summer 2018.

Rights Purchased

First World English (print) and First World Electronic (ebook) rights for a term of three years from date of publication.

Payment

Three cents a word upon acceptance, no royalties. For more information, see Payment.

Submission Email

Email your story as an attachment (.doc or .docx only) to editordarkcloudpresscom with "TBS Submission: Story Title by Author Name" in the subject line.

Questions?

Contact the editor at the above email address.

Good luck, and write well!

***

30 September 2017 -- Fantastic Trains: An Anthology of Phantasmagorical Engines and Rail Riders -- ed. Jerome Stueart and Neil Enock; EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing Inc.

Does a train whistle in the distance make you excited, wistful, or afraid? Trains have fired the imaginations of many people, especially writers. Anna Karenina, Night on the Galactic Railroad, The Signal Man, Strangers on a Train, The Lady Vanishes, Murder on the Orient Express all use trains as their main setting, not to mention the trains in children’s books—like Thomas the Tank Engine, The Little Engine that Could, and The Polar Express.

As travelers, we’ve been spurred to go farther because of trains, see new things, take chances. Trains have also, sometimes, pushed us too far, sliced the wilderness, inserted us into places to draw out resources, assisted in invasion. Trains, in a sense, even created Time as we know it. Trains altered our perceptions of identity, place, even of destiny. Suddenly, people could travel far away quickly, leave their families and homes for a better life, or opportunity—or people could escape the destiny of location. Step on a train, and you never know what you might find, or with whom you might cross paths. In essence, trains are Change.

We’re looking for your stories of trains—fantasy, steampunk, science fiction, horror, slipstream, urban fantasy, apocalyptic, set in any time, any place,—we’ll buy a ticket on all of them. We’d like to see what you can do with a train. A good part of your story should take place on a train—or most, if you can do it. We don’t care what era, what planet, or how the train might look differently there (it might even be alive!) or even if the train is moving. We just want that train—what you do with it is your magic.

This book will be both for lovers of the fantastic, and train aficionados. Think about how trains change the lives of people who travel on them, or how trains are used. Think about those people who love them, and know so much about trains, and why as children we were amazed. We want good character stories. We also want to see that you’ve thought about how your train runs. Make us feel like we’re on it. Make it fantastic!

THE TWIST: The Locomotifs

We’re looking for an author to choose one or more archetypal minor characters from the following list and interpret them through the lens of their story (their time, place, genre, etc.) as purely background characters, or, if you want, a main or POV character.

They can be combined too into a composite type character. An author would not HAVE to choose more than one, but one of these must pass through your story. (You will need to mention who you’ve chosen on your submission, under your contact information, using the letter(s) appropriate.) These characters are not named, nor is there any requirement for nationality, gender, race, ability/disability, gender expression, etc. You are free to interpret.

Here are the ten we’d like you to consider:

A) The Schemers: a couple with a plan
B) The Dreamer: someone who speaks about, or gives value to, his/her dreams;
C) The Detective: a person trying to solve something—a riddle, a puzzle, a mystery;
D) The Reluctant: someone who doesn't want to get on, or perhaps, leave the train;
E) The Adventurer: someone who believes they are on an adventure;
F) The Guide: a mentor, a knowledgeable person about place, trains, etc.
G) The Box: a mysterious piece of cargo with important implications to someone.
H) The Lovers: a couple at any stage of love
I) The Knight: someone who will fight for a cause, theirs, or one they are given
J) The Seeker: someone who doesn’t know, but who wants to learn

We think the recurring nature of these "locomotif" characters through the collection will have an effect on the reading brain. We think readers will create connections and stories of the minor characters between these very different stories; they will link them up like train cars. Readers will make connections and see arcs by the juxtaposition of stories. (Think Cloud Atlas.)

You are invited NOT to take them literally. The Detective probably shouldn’t be a detective, but someone who is trying to solve a puzzle, a personal mystery, with a detective’s sensibilities. (And damned if Murder on the Orient Express’ trailer didn’t just use a similar concept by introducing characters as "types"—ignore that. We’d love to be original, but archetypes are very very old, and they’re not necessarily job-oriented, as they are in that trailer. But Christie’s MotOE is a great example of a train story!) Also, do not think that you need to try to fit in all ten. That’s like trying to meet everyone riding on your train. You can do it, but it takes too much time away from you.

Authors, of course, are free to develop their story on their own—but they should allow one of these kinds of characters to board their train, even if for a fleeting reference.

If you have a "train trunk" story and can retcon one of these characters into it seamlessly, without it looking like a shoehorn, awesome. Ultimately, we’re looking for you to tell us a good story.

We invite you to take us on a journey.

SUBMISSION DETAILS:

== We're looking for your stories of trains—fantasy, steampunk, science fiction, horror, slipstream, urban fantasy, apocalyptic, set in any time, any place,—we’ll buy a ticket on all of them. We’d like to see what you can do with a train. A good part of your story should take place on a train—or most, if you can do it. We don’t care what era, what planet, or how the train might look differently there (it might even be alive!) or even if the train is moving. We just want that train—what you do with it is your magic.

== The Fantastic Trains anthology will reflect as broad a spectrum of stories as possible; highlighting unique styles and manners.

== Stories should contain a train in them. We don’t really believe you missed that one, but we’re just making sure. The whole story doesn’t have to be on the train, but a train should figure in the story. It can be moving, broken, stalled, a relic in a museum, or a prototype, even a toy train. But it needs to be there. Because people will buy this anthology because your story uses a train!

== We are aiming towards two audiences, those who love speculative literature and people who love trains—remember that. Train aficionados are amazing people who love every detail about trains—the history, the specs, the technical parts. Capture that kind of love too if you can! Be accurate about trains, as much as fiction can be.

== Stories must contain one of the "locomotif" minor characters as a walk on, or used however you want to use them. You should indicate the letters (A,B,C, etc) of the locomotifs you’re using below your contact information on the first page of the submission story itself.

== Submissions must be speculative fiction: science fiction, fantasy, dark fantasy, magic realism, slipstream, supernatural horror, modern fantasy, fantasy noir, weird tales, alternate history, space opera, planetary adventure, surrealism, superheroes, mythic fantasy, etc.

== Submissions should be short fiction.

== The maximum length for stories is 5,000 words, with shorter works preferred.

== The Fantastic Trains anthology is open to submissions from everyone, from every country, and we specifically encourage historically-underrepresented groups, of any race, gender or gender expression, LGBT, class, or ability.

== Authors who write in languages other than English are welcome to submit an English translation of their work, provided it otherwise falls within the parameters of this anthology. Translation into English is the sole responsibility of the author. Please supply details of original publication for any submission that originally appeared in a language other than English.

== Deadline: September 30, 2017 (midnight EST).

== Do not query before submitting.

== Email submissions to: fantastictrains@gmail.com

== Emails MUST contain the word "submission" in the subject line, or they will be deleted automatically by the server. Please also include the story title in the subject line.

== Submissions MUST come in an attachment: only .RTF and/or .DOC formats are acceptable.

== Emails MUST contain a cover letter in the body of the email; for security reasons, email attachments with no cover letter will be deleted unread and unanswered.

== Cover letter: include your name, the title of your story, your full contact information (address, phone, email), and a brief bio. Also include the locomotif(s) you are using.

== Do not describe or summarize the story.

== Reprints (stories having previously appeared in English in any format, print or electronic, including but not limited to any form of web publication) will not be considered.

== Submission format: no strange formatting, color fonts, changing fonts, borders, backgrounds, etc. Leave italics in italics, NOT underlined. Put your full contact information on the first page (name, address, email address, phone). No headers, no footers, no page numbering. DO NOT leave a blank line between paragraphs. Indent paragraphs. ALWAYS put a # to indicate scene breaks (a blank line is NOT enough).

== ALWAYS include your full contact information (name/address/email/phone number) on the first page of the attached submission.

== Payment for short stories is prorated as follows: $50 for stories up to 1,500 words, rising to a maximum of $150 for stories up to 5,000 words.

== Rights: for original fiction, first World English publication, with a two-month exclusive from publication date; for all, non-exclusive anthology rights; all other rights remain with the author.

== Spelling: please use standard American English spelling.

== Response time: initial responses (no / rewrite request / hold for further consideration) will be prompt, usually within fifteen days. Please query if you’ve not heard back within 30 days. Final responses no later than 15 December 2017.

== Submit only one story. Multiple submissions will not be accepted.

== Simultaneous submissions will not be accepted.

== Publication: May (e-book) and Sept/Oct for trade paperback.

== Email submissions to: fantastictrains@gmail.com

***

30 September 2017 -- Tales of Ruma -- Azure Keep

Tales of Ruma is an anthology of stories inspired by Greek and Roman mythology. Some of the stories are set in the world of the Ruma: Dawn of Empire tabletop role playing game, while others are in worlds of their own, perhaps even alternate versions of Earth. The anthology will be released in paperback and electronic (epub and mobi) format, with potentially a hardcover limited edition.

LENGTH: 500-5000 words.

WHAT WE WANT: Original stories set in the world of Ruma, Earth, or another world, which build upon the themes (such as heroism, the gods, and the arcane) and imagery of Greek and Roman mythology. Please see below for additional details on the world of Ruma. Stories set in the world of Ruma do not have to meet any exact criteria as the world is fluid so anything can fit somewhere. Preference is for stories of the fantasy genre rather than modern, steampunk, or sci-fi.

WHAT WE DON'T WANT: We would rather not see anything overly sexual or with excessive violence/swearing. The audience level is teen and above.

FORMAT: RTF or DOC/DOCX in Standard Manuscript Format, or as close as possible.

SEND SUBMISSIONS TO: Please send submissions to seneschal at azurekeep dot com, with "Tales of Ruma Submission" in the subject line. Limit of 1 submission per author.

PAYMENT: $0.06 per word + contributor copy (paperback and electronic). Payment upon acceptance via PayPal.

RIGHTS SOUGHT: First Worldwide print and electronic English language rights. Exclusivity for 90 days from date of release. Non-exclusive print, ebook, and audio rights afterward. Copyrights for stories set in the world of Ruma remain with the author.

ABOUT THE WORLD OF RUMA: Ruma is an alternate Roman Empire set on an alternate version of Earth where the gods and magic are real. The RPG is set at the beginning of the Ruman Empire, somewhat akin to 0 A.D. on Earth. Hellas (Greece) has been reduced to ruins as Hellene magi opened portals to Hel and the Outer Realms to stop a Persyan invasion (known as the Sundering). Aegypt, also known as the Eternal Kingdom, has been ruled by the Pharaoh (rumored to be a Lich) for centuries. Their armies are archaic but augmented by magi and massive stone constructs. The Kell or Kellic people (based on Celtic society) and their mystical forests encroach upon Ruma from the west. Other cultures include the Normen (precursor to Vikings), Heermen (Germanic tribes), and the missing people of Atlantys.

The Ruman pantheon is the same as the Roman pantheon, with Iuppiter ruling Mount Olympos (which has been moved to the hills south of the city of Ruma after the Sundering of Hellas). The only big difference is Mars, who is more of a god of violence and murder than a god of war. Minerva (Athena) is the prominent goddess of war and tactics, and is venerated by the Ruman military.

***

7 October 2017 -- Cosmic Caravans -- ed. Bob Brown, Cheyenne Brown, and Nathan Ockerman; B Cubed Press

B Cubed Press is proud to open Cosmic Caravans for submissions. Cosmic Caravans is a science fiction anthology that will focus on Pre-Teen readers. The work will be illustrated.

We are looking for stories or poems that re-enforce strength of character and scientific principles in a way children can relate to. We want to entertain and challenge curious readers to learn more about the universe, life, and the science that makes it all possible.

See our Facebook Group, Cosmic Caravans Anthology.

Your sci-fi story or poem can be funny, scary, somber, mystery, wibbly-wobbly, thriller, or a fantastical romp through time and space. Whatever it is, you should be sure to explain the science behind it. Leave the reader learning something.

Cosmic Caravans, from B Cubed Press: we’re putting the science back in fiction.

Guidelines + Other Info

== Submissions can range from 300-3,000 words. We’re looking for quality over quantity.
== Stories must be presented in age appropriate ways. Anything over a “PG-13” rating will be automatically rejected. If Star Trek wouldn’t air it, it’s too risky.
== Fanfiction is not allowed. Sorry/not sorry.
== Payment is $.02 a word, plus a royalties share. Poetry pays $0.25 per-line (up to $25).
== Submissions are open from July 1-October 7. Please allow 2-3 weeks for our editors to review your stories.
== Manuscript format is required. Unsure what that means? Feel free to ask!
== Reprints are accepted.
== Multiple submissions are accepted, however we ask that you notify the publisher if your story is bought elsewhere.
== Cosmic Caravan will be edited by Bob Brown, Cheyenne Brown, and Nathan Ockerman
== Submissions can be sent to kionadad@aol.com, with the subject line "Cosmic Caravan Submission; [story title]."

***

31 October 2017 -- This Side of the Divide -- ed. Baobab Press

Baobab Press and the University of Nevada, Reno MFA Program in Creative Writing are partnering to publish This Side of the Divide, an anthology of short fiction by emerging and established authors exploring the United States West.

This exciting project will speak to the West’s newness, vastness, sense of territoriality and transience, spanning from untouched wilderness to hyper-urban settings. We’re seeking fresh, original views of the western U.S. Our aim is to capture this region’s unique essence in all of its cultural and geographic diversity.

All submissions will be reviewed, and accepted works will be edited by a committee of readers from Baobab Press and the UNR MFA Program in Creative Writing. Selected writers will receive a complimentary copy of the book and a payment of $100. Submitted stories should be around 3,000 to 5,000 words, and will need to be submitted for review no later than October 31st, 2017. Please send us your story via Submittable.

***

1 November 2017 -- TROUBLE THE WATERS: Tales from the Deep Blue -- ed. Sheree Renée Thomas, Pan Morigan, and Troy L. Wiggins; Rosarium Publishing

She moves with deliberate grace.

Mami Wata, Momu Watu, La Sirene, Sedna, Coventina, Suijin, Mother of Waters
She is the water between us, the water within us, the water that slakes thirst, from which we were born. Water is the natural and the sacred, the functional and the necessary. All over the world, in cultures young and old, water is life and from this force, great adventures, quests, and legacies begin. And whether it is still, moves, rises, or falls, water fills us. Imagine what stories and strange tales can be told from the depths of its depths.

TROUBLE THE WATERS: Tales from the Deep Blue will be a new anthology of water-themed speculative short stories that explore all kinds of water lore and deities, ancient and new as well as unimagined tales. We want stories with memorable, engaging characters, great and small, epic tales and quieter stories of personal and communal growth. Science fiction, fantasy, horror, interstitial, and unclassifiable works are welcome. We are seeking original stories in English (2500 – 7000 words; pays 6 cents per word) from writers of all walks of life from this beautiful planet and will accept some select reprints (pays 2 cents per word). Deadline: November 1, 2017. Projected publication: November 2018, Rosarium Publishing, www.rosariumpublishing.com. Please send submissions as a .doc, .docx, or .rtf file in standard mss formatting with your name, title, and word count to: TroubletheWaters2018@gmail.com.

Please note that we are unable to accept simultaneous submissions.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Huge Contest

I don't usually pay attention to writing contests, but this is for a short (up to 5K words) story in a particular theme (explained on the site) with a grand prize of $12,000 and at least three Short List prizes of $1000 each. So, yeah, that got my attention. :)

Not sure if I'll come up with a story idea, but I thought I'd toss it out there for anyone else who might be interested. Check it out.

Into the Black: A Short Fiction Contest

Angie

Friday, September 1, 2017

Something Uplifting

Let's start the month with something bright and beautiful. The MarySue blog has a post collecting pics and videos of people being completely awesome down in Texas today.

Spiderman visits kids in an evacuation center, a huge line of people wait in the rain so they can sign up to volunteer to help, and a bunch of random people form a human chain into the racing flood waters to rescue an elderly man.

Sometimes we need to be reminded that people are still mostly made of awesome. Check it out.

Angie