CALLIHOO Newsletter ----------------------------------------------------------------- Market News for Writers of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Vol. 7 No. 31 Editor: Julia West January 25, 2000 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Web page: http://www.sff.net/people/julia.west/CALLIHOO/index.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS E-CALLIHOOt Suze Feldman (Severna Park) has two stories on the Science Fiction Writers of America's preliminary Nebula Award ballot. Her novelette "Harbingers" appeared on =Event Horizon= (http://www.eventhorizon.com/sfzine/) in Jan 99. Her short story "The Breadfruit Empire also appeared on =Event Horizon=, in May 99. Also on the preliminary ballot is E-CALLIHOOt Brian Plante's novelette "Drawn Words" (=Analog=, Oct 98). Congratulations (and best of luck as the votes come in) to Suze and Brian! * * * E-CALLIHOOt Catherine Asaro won two prizes in the fourth annual Sapphire Award for the Best Science Fiction Romance of the Year sponsored by The Science Fiction Romance newsletter. She took 3rd place in novels for The Quantum Rose and 1st place in short fiction for "Aurora in Four Voices," (Analog, 11/98). Congratulations, Catherine! DEADLINES Check out the CALLIHOO website, listed above, for more information on these contests, magazine issues, and anthologies. (Where it says "GLs in Vol. X No. Y," these are volume and issue of the CALLIHOO newsletter.) =PRISM international= 15th Annual Short Fiction Contest 1999, deadline 31 Jan 2000. [Canadian contest, $2,000C 1st prize, 5 $200 runners-up (+pmt for pub), =$20 1st entry fee, $5 all others=, max. 25 pp. (GLs in Vol. 6 No. 44)] Salivan Short Story Contest, deadline 28 Feb 00. [Canadian, =no entry fee=, SF/F, H or romance, to 6000 wds, $50 prize in each of 3 cats. (GLs in Vol 7 No. 31)] =The Age of Wonders= SFF.NET anthology, open 1 Jan-1 Mar 2000 or until full (the two earlier ones filled up FAST). [Near-future SF about interface between human and machine. Pays 8 cents/wd. (max. $400) on accept., no reprints, query for over 5000 wds, E- mail subm okay. (GLs in Vol. 7 No. 25)] =Writers of the Future=, 2nd quarter 2000, deadline 31 March 2000 [$1000 first, $750 2nd, $500 3rd place. =No entry fee=. L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest, P.O. Box 1630-JBW, Los Angeles, CA 90078. (GLs in Vol. 6, No. 10)] =Starlight 3= anthology, deadline "late spring 2000". [SF/F, pays 7-1/2 cents/wd., no upper word limit, (GLs in Vol. 6, No. 38)] =The Doom of Camelot= anthology from Green Knight Publishing, deadline 21 April 2000. [Arthurian stories, 3-7,000 wds, pays 3-5 cents/wd., pays shortly after accept. No E-mail subm. (GLs in Vol. 7 No. 29).] =The Darker Side of Eternity, Volume II=, contest deadline 1 May 2000. [contest/print antho, H (SF/F elements okay) stories. Must be member of World Horror Convention. Submit to 2500 wd and/or to 10,000 wd stories. 1st prize (short) $100, (long) $300. Runners-up 3 cents/wd. Pays on pub. No reprints or E- mail subm. (GLs in Vol. 7 No. 24)] =On Spec= Theme Issue ("World Beat") deadline 31 Aug 2000. [Canadian print mag, prefers Canadian authors, theme of non-North American-based (different cultures) SF/F/H to 5000 wds, pays $50- $180C on accept., no reprints, faxed, or E-mail subs. (GLs in Vol. 7 No. 31.)] =Byline= genre fiction contest, deadline September 5, 2000. [Short story that fits category: romance, sci-fi, confession, mystery, western, etc. No children's stories. 5,000 words max. =Entry fee $5=. Prizes: $50, $30, $15.] ANTHOLOGY =Dark Testament= (formerly =13 Psalms=) [Biblical horror antho, to 5000 wds, pays « cent/wd. No sim subs, E-mail subs okay.] Anthology of Biblical horror (trade hardcover in an unlimited run) now taking submissions for . . . horror stories based loosely on Biblical events . . . a twist to Genesis or Noah's Ark, or perhaps a well-known moral story such as David and Goliath . . . extend challenge, and experiment with "our" history (as Christians perceive it). Using characters such as Moses, David, Jesus, or Noah is perfectly fine as long as the stories are fresh and in the realm of horror fiction . . . *query* and state your interest in this project as well as a brief overview of the story you plan to write. This will keep me informed so I can make sure multiple authors don't engage in similar story lines. Stories not accepted into the anthology will be reviewed as submissions to =The Dead Inn=. Originals only. E-mail submissions are okay (but if accepted hard copy will be requested). No simultaneous submissions. Length: 5000 words Payment: 1/2 cent per word plus contributor's copy of the hardcover and discounted additional books. [DarkEcho, 20 Jan 00] CONTESTS =Byline Contest= Contest Rules All dates listed are postmark deadlines. Enter your own work only. Type your name, address, phone number and the contest category on the first page of the manuscript (no cover sheet). Prepare in standard manuscript format. Entries will not be returned, so there's no need for SASE. You may send multiple entries to any contest, but each entry requires an entry fee. Entries should be unpublished when entered. A list of winners in each category will be printed in the issue of Byline dated three months after deadline. Winning manuscripts are not published so that authors retain all rights. Mail entries to: Contests, ByLine Magazine PO Box 130596 Edmond, OK 73013 GENRE FICTION--Deadline September 5, 2000. Short story that fits a particular category: romance, sci-fi, confession, mystery, western, etc. No children's stories. Maximum 5,000 words. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $50, $30, $15. [There are many, many more contests, but this was the only one for 2000 specifically for genre or SF/F writing.] [http://www.bylinemag.com/contests.htm] =Salivan Short Story Contest= [Canadian contest, no entry fee, SF/F, H or romance, to 6000 wds, deadline 28 Feb 2000, $50 prize in each of 3 cats] Salivan Enterprises 41 Sunnydale D.D.O., Quebec H9B 1E3 Canada salivan@hotmail.com Hello...it's that time of year again. Our genre contest deadline is February 28th. We're offering 60 prizes in three categories: Sci-F/Fantasy, Horror and Romance. The big news is that we've removed the entry fee, so we expect the competition to be incredibly fierce. CALL FOR ENTRIES - SALIVAN SHORT STORY CONTEST. The current deadline is February 28th, 2000. No entry fee. Three categories: Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Horror & Romance. Prizes are 50-60 chosen for possible anthology, top 3/cat published, #1 in each category wins 50$ U.S. Maximum 6000 words. Please mail submissions to: Salivan Short Story Contest, 1692 Pl. de Lierre, Suite 300, Laval, Quebec, CANADA H7G 4X7 or see the web site at http://www.netcom.ca/~salivan for more details. [E-mail from Tammy Mackenzie, salivan@netcom.ca, dated 19 Jan 00] Rules 1. This contest is open to everyone, of any age or nationality, provided that the contest is legal in their place of residence. 2. Submitted works must be original and all of the copyrights (Including Electronic Rights) MUST belong to the submitter on the date the submission is mailed to the organizers of this contest. 3. Manuscripts will only be returned if a SASE is included. Remember that we are in CANADA, so postage must be paid either in Canadian stamps or International Reply Coupons. 4. The decisions of the judges are final. 5. Winners will be notified by telephone and mail. **Note that AUSTRALIAN participants should also include a phone number when submitting. 6. All contest winnings will be paid in U.S. dollars. 7. Candidates for the possible anthology will be notified by telephone and mail. **Note that AUSTRALIAN participants should also include a phone number when submitting. 8. If contest winners and/or candidates for the possible anthology are unreachable within a reasonable delay, a registered letter will be sent to them at their charge. If they are still unreachable, a new winner and/or candidate will be chosen. 9. The nine stories eligible for publication by Salivan Enterprises (3 stories from each category) will be published within the thirty days immediately following the final judgments. They will be published for 90 days thereafter; during which time Salivan Enterprises will require Temporary Electronic Rights. With the given authors' written approval, the winning stories will then be archived in order to make them accessible to authors' fans and possible future editors. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at salivan@hotmail.com Submission Guidelines 1. Manuscripts should not exceed 6,000 words. 2. All submissions must have a cover page with the name, address and telephone number of the submitter as well as the title, contest category and word count of the piece. Furthermore, on a separate page, each contestant should include a short bio and publishing history. **Note that AUSTRALIAN participants should also include a phone number when submitting. 3. Each page of the manuscript must be numbered and include the title of the piece as well as the author's last name. 4. Avoid gratuitous sex or violence where it is unnecessary to the plot of the story. 5. Please do a complete spelling and grammatical check of your manuscript before submitting it. 6. Submissions should be addressed to: Salivan Enterprises, 41 Sunnydale, D.D.O., Quebec, H9B 1E3 Canada [http://tor-pw1.netcom.ca/~salivan/pages/contests_f.htm] MARKET GUIDELINES =On Spec= [Canadian print mag, prefers Canadian authors, SF/F/H to 6000 wds, pays $50-$180C on accept., deadlines Feb 28, May 31, Aug 31, and Nov 30, no reprints, faxed, or E-mail subs. Theme issue deadline 31 Aug 00] On Spec Magazine Box 4727 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6E 5G6 onspec@earthling.net http://www.icomm.ca/onspec/ WRITERS GUIDELINES revised January 1, 2000 **Please note: we do not consider e-mailed or faxed submissions.** Send all mail to: =On Spec= Magazine, Box 4727, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6E 5G6 The =On Spec= Editors: General Editor: Jena Snyder Fiction Editors: Barry Hammond, Susan MacGregor, Derryl Murphy, Hazel Sangster, Jena Snyder, Diane L. Walton, and Peter Watts Poetry Editor: Barry Hammond SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: The =On Spec= editors are looking for original, unpublished speculative fiction and poetry -- fantasy, horror, ghost stories, fairy stories, magic realism, etc. Since our mandate is to provide a market for the Canadian viewpoint, *strong* preference is given to submissions by Canadians. Send your short stories (max. 6000 words), short short stories (under 1000 words) or poetry (max. 100 lines) to the On Spec address above. Please note: we no longer require submissions in competition format. We do not read E-mailed or faxed submissions, and we do not buy stories or poetry that have appeared in print or on the Internet. COVER LETTER: * include your name, address, telephone number, email address, story title, accurate word count, and a brief (3-line) biography including your publishing background * don't query or include a synopsis: let your story sell itself FORMAT: All submissions to =On Spec= should: * be in standard submission format for Regular issue and Theme issue submissions OR * be in competition format ONLY for Contest submissions * be mailed to us (we don't read faxed or e-mailed submissions) * be accompanied by a SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope) * be accompanied by a cover letter * be printed on white paper in black ink * be double-spaced * be printed on one side of the page only * be in a readable font (e.g. Times or Courier) * have 1-inch margins all around * be left-justified, with a "ragged right" margin * have a header on each page with story title and page number * be paper-clipped together, not stapled or bound * be no more than 6,000 words for Regular or Theme issues OR * be no more than 5,000 words for Contest submissions REPLIES: * we do not reply via email. * if you want your manuscript returned, include Self Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE) bearing sufficient Canadian postage for its return * if your manuscript is disposable, mark "disposable" and include #10 SASE (or SAE and IRCs) for our reply * manuscripts sent from outside Canada should include Canadian stamps or International Reply Coupons (IRCs, available from most post offices) PAYMENT: On Spec buys first North American serial (magazine) rights to your work. We pay on acceptance. Minimum payment for fiction is $50 and maximum payment is $180. Pay rates are as follows and are in Canadian dollars: Poems: 4-100 lines: $20 plus one contributor's copy Short-short stories (under 1000 words): $50 plus one contributor's copy Fiction (6000 words max.) 1000-2999 words: $100 plus 2 contributor's copies 3000-4999 words: $150 plus 2 contrib copies 5000-6000 words: $180 plus 2 contrib copies DEADLINES: Deadlines are February 28, May 31, August 31, and November 30. Publication decisions are made four times annually, with response about 12 weeks after each deadline. Manuscripts that miss a deadline will be held for the next one; this may be up to 6 months. Please let us know if you do not wish a manuscript to be held over. THEME ISSUES: We do one theme issue per year. The theme for 2001 is "World Beat." Deadline: August 31, 2000 Follow same guidelines as for regular issue. Please see "Theme Issue 2001: World Beat" for details. NONFICTION AND ARTWORK: Non-fiction is commissioned only. All artwork is commissioned, but illustrators are encouraged to send samples of their work to On Spec: Attention Art Director Jane Starr. Please send SASE for complete art guidelines. SUBSCRIPTIONS: On Spec is published four times a year by the (nonprofit) Copper Pig Writers' Society. All prices include GST, shipping, and handling. Canada: 1 year $18.00, 2 years $32.00, 3 years $44.00, Institutions: $25.00 per year USA (in US dollars): 1 year $18.00, 2 years $32.00, 3 years $44.00, Institutions: $25.00 per year Overseas (in US dollars): 1 year $25.00, 2 years $44.00, 3 years $60.00, Institutions: $30.00 per year Send check or money order to ON SPEC, Box 4727, Edmonton, AB T6E 5G6. Make checks payable to =On Spec=. To pay by VISA, include your VISA number, expiry date, name as it is printed on the card, and your signature. You can also phone or fax your VISA information (card number, expiry date, and name as it appears on your credit card) to us at our new fax number: (780) 413-1538. SAMPLE COPIES: Sample copies (current issue) are $6, including postage and tax (U.S. and overseas: US $6.) Please make checks or money orders payable to =On Spec= or include your Visa information (card number, expiry date, and name as it appears on your credit card.) SUBMISSION HINTS: Some of these hints may seem laughably obvious: "Use white paper" "Print on one side of the paper only" but if you saw our slush pile, you wouldn't laugh. The best way to get your work read in a favorable light is to make sure your manuscript is as appealing and easy to read as possible. Yes, spelling counts. So does grammar. So does formatting. However eye-catching neon yellow paper may be, it is no fun to read, and we don't. Before sending your manuscript, read it over and ask yourself the following questions: * Is your story SF? We publish speculative writing: science fiction, fantasy, horror, magic realism, and other sub-genres of SF. If there is no SF element in your story, it's not what we're looking for. * Have your characters grown or developed during the course of the story? Have they faced a challenge or been changed by the experience? We want to see vibrant, well-rounded characters who either solve a conflict or are changed by it. * Are you using cliched words, phrases, or situations? Is the plot similar to a TV show or movie our readers are familiar with? We are looking for stories that go off the beaten path and don't follow trends. * Are there any "expository lumps" in your story? Having the action stop so that a character can explain his motives or so that some background information can be provided seriously hampers the forward movement of the plot. Show us, don't tell us. * Are you working in the wrong format? We often see stories that are far too complex and novelistic to fit comfortably into our word limit; we also see stories that are little more than ideas stretched out to fit a number of pages. Both formats are usually rejected. * Is your story too long for us? We are only considering stories of up to 5,000 words maximum for this contest. * Is the opening long and slow? The reader needs to be drawn in immediately by an opening "hook." * Do you give the ending away too quickly? Is the ending fair? We prefer endings to evolve naturally and believably. Don't give your ending away; at the same time, don't cheat the reader by ending the story with a no-warning twist. * Are you preaching to the reader? While we appreciate that writers may feel strongly about a cause, we're looking for stories that do more than say "this is bad (or good)." * Is humor--or horror--the *only* element in your story? No matter what the genre, we want character-driven work, not simply situation comedy or what Stephen King calls "going for the gross-out." * If you're working with an archetype, are you following established conventions? A vampire drinking orange juice in a pool-side bar at noon, for example, can't simply happen without a plausible explanation. * Did you format your story properly and proofread it carefully? Numerous and repeated errors in spelling, punctuation, or grammar become very irritating to the reader, as do manuscripts with tiny margins, flimsy paper, single-spaced printing, and so on. * Has your story been published before, in print or on the internet? We only buy original, unpublished work. Last but not least, if you are sending a story to us from anywhere but Canada, your SASE has to have Canadian stamps on it, or Canada Post won't deliver it. If you can't get Canadian stamps, use International Reply Coupons. onspec@earthling.net http://www.icomm.ca/onspec/ [http://www.icomm.ca/onspec/Writers.htm] 2001 THEME ISSUE GUIDELINES Following are our current guidelines for our theme issues (please see =On Spec= General Guidelines for full submission details): THEME ISSUES: We do one theme issue per year. Deadline: August 31, 2000. Response time is generally about 12 weeks after the deadline. Theme for 2001: "World Beat" Here at On Spec, we take pride in marching (and dancing) to the beat of different drummers. And that's what we'd like you, the writers, to do for our 2001 theme issue, "World Beat." The mainstream literature of North America comes from any number of sources. Yet time and time again, we see the same old fantasy themes, as if they have come from a rigid style book. Most revisit themes from the British Isles, and many try to recreate something that's been done before, i.e. Lord of the Rings clones, Arthurian knock-offs, Celtic rehashes. Some reach as far as Europe, rewriting the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Anderson, but it's as if no fantasy exists except in this narrow region, just as no hard SF seems to exist except in the "Americans in Space" realm. We'd like to see some new mythologies as well-stories don't have to be set at the beginning of time or creation, and they don't have to be from the indigenous perspective alone, either. Settlers, newcomers, people moving from place to place create their own cultures and folklore. Stories also don't have to be strictly fantasy. Let's see some hard SF or horror or magic realism exploring different cultures. We'd like to see: * Fantasy stories that make use of themes that the North American audience may not be familiar with: stories from the African experience, the Balkans, the Arctic, the South Pacific, Asia, and elsewhere -- and not just from the indigenous perspective. * Hard science fiction, horror or magic realism stories exploring new mythologies or different cultures. * SF stories that don't always assume a North American cast of characters. What we don't want: * Rehashed folktales or myths or fairy tales thinly disguised as "original." * Overly cute "one afternoon with the gods on Olympus" stories. * Well-known myths told from a different point of view (we really don't want to know that the Minotaur was NOT having a good day). * SF stories such as "Jason finds the Golden Starship" (well, you know what we mean). * No "fractured" fairy tales. Ever. There are rich cultural themes, folklore and myths from every country in the world. Listen to their drums, create your own rhythms, and share them with our readers. All submissions in standard format (please see "On Spec General Guidelines"), 6000 words max, should be mailed to: On Spec "World Beat" issue Box 4727 Edmonton AB Canada T6E 5G6. [http://www.icomm.ca/onspec/2001.htm] MARKET INFORMATION =The Age of Wonders anthology= On sff.net, Jeffry Dwight, editor of =The Age of Wonders= anthology, said, "There are . . . several slots still open, and I don't anticipate, based on how things are going, that I'll close the doors much before March 1st. Still, t'were better to submit sooner than later." So you've still got time! [sff.writing.response-times 22 Jan 00] =Bonetree= "Dear Authors: The winds of change are whistling through the naked branches of the =Bonetree= and they've blown shut some doors. Still, when one slams closed, another springs open. As much as we've enjoyed sharing others' fiction during the past eight months, the time has come to concentrate on our own. So it is with both regret and anticipation that we must announce the closure of our magazine. The issue currently up on the =Bonetree= website will be its last. "Janice Kirkwood and K.A. Corlett Co-Editors, Bonetree Online Magazine http://www.bonetree.com bonetree@bonetree.com" [sff.writing.response-times, 18 Jan 2000] =Cemetery Dance= =Cemetery Dance Magazine= has a new address for all submissions, effective immediately. In addition, the magazine is now open for submissions year-round. Response time is 2-4 months and sent by form letter. The new address is: Cemetery Dance Magazine, P.O. Box 827, Abingdon, MD 21009. [DarkEcho, 20 Jan 00] =Century= From recent response times reported by writers on sff.net, it seems that not only is =Century= magazine a going concern again, but that they're responding to submissions quite quickly (sample response times: 10 and 23 days). =Daw Books= On January 18, DAW Books, Inc. and peanutpress.com announced an agreement to make some DAW titles available for the PalmOS hand held electronic reader. Initial titles will include Anne Knight's =Death Storm =and The Trade Pact Universe series from Julie E. Czerneda. Titles from C.J. Cherryh, Charles Ingrid, Elizabeth Forrest and Emily Drake will be available shortly. Works by other DAW authors will be released on an ongoing basis. The books will range in price from $5.00-$30.00. Founded in 1971, DAW Books was the first publishing company devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy. DAW Books are distributed by Penguin Putnam Inc. Founded in 1998, Peanutpress.com plans to offer its books in the future for any hand held device that gains significant market share. Peanutpress.com reports that science fiction is its best-selling category. [http://www.sfwa.org/news/dawpalm.htm, 19 Jan 2000] =The Fractal= A writer on sff.net got a postcard in the mail from =The Fractal= that says, "=The Fractal=, Journal of Science Fiction and Fantasy, has ceased publication as a student journal at George Mason University. Manuscripts sent to =The Fractal= cannot be returned. Please remove the publication from your mailing list and email distribution. Direct any questions to: Michele Braithwaite, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Mail Stop 2D6, Fairfax, VA 22030-4444. Phone calls cannot be accepted at Fractal's number." [sff.writing.response-times, 22 Jan 00] =SciFi.com= Ellen Datlow is now a full-time freelance editor by for scifi.com, the Web site of the Sci-Fi Channel. The site, produced by Craig Engler, is undergoing a "remodeling" and will relaunch with fiction featuring two new short stories, two reprints, and a new novella each month. Datlow is buying "literate, strongly plotted SF/F stories--of any length--on a variety of subjects and themes," with strong characterization and a minimum of technical jargon. Payment is 20 cents per word. (Ellen Datlow, Fiction Editor, Sci-Fi.com, 48 Eighth Ave., PMB 405, New York, NY 10014.) Datlow continues as an acquiring editor for as-yet-unlaunched Theposition.com and is still a consulting editor for Tor. [DarkEcho, 20 Jan 00] ==End of the CALLIHOO newsletter for 25 January 2000==