CALLIHOO Newsletter ----------------------------------------------------------------- Vol. 6 No. 21 Editor: Julia West October 13, 1998 ----------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS Utah writer Michael Carr sold "In the Trembling" to Gothic.net. You can read it in the September issue at http://www.gothic.net/ cerebral/. Warning. It's a good story, but not for the weak of stomach! DEADLINES Let me know if you need more information on the contests, anthologies or magazines listed below. Eighteenth Annual Science Fiction/fantasy Short Story Contest Sponsored by Science Fiction Writers of Earth, deadline 30 October 1998. [SF/F 2,000 - 7,500 wds, $5.00 entry fee 1st subm, $2.00 thereafter, unpublished writers. $200 1st prize, $100 2nd, $50 3rd. SFWoE, P.O. Box 121293, Fort Worth, Texas 76121. (GLs in Vol. 5 No. 34)] =Dark Annie= issue #2 deadline 31 October 1998. [Genre E-zine, to 5,000 wds, 1/2 to 1 cent/wd. on accept. Reprints okay, snailmail or E-mail submissions. E-mail darkannie@aol.com Editors: Eva Harstein and Elizabeth Watts, P.O. Box 566, East Brunswick, New Jersey 08816. (GLs in Vol. 6, No. 17)] =Altair= Issue #3 competition, deadline 1 Nov 1998. [SF/F 2,000 to 10,000 wds, entry fee $5.00 U.S./each, mult. subm. okay, 1st $400, 2nd $200, 3rd $100. E-mail subm. okay to altair@ senet.com.au (pay entry fee by credit card) or mail to Altair Publishing, PO Box 475, Blackwood 5051, South Australia, Australia. (GLs in Vol. 5 No. 32)] =Out of the Shadows & Into the Night= anthology, deadline 15 November 1998. [Horror: weird tales of the modern age, pays 6-1/2 cents/wd., half on accept, half on pub. 3000-10,000 wds. Prefer E-mail subm. to HorrorAnth@aol.com; snailmail to Pamela Keesey 3024 14th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55407. (GLs in Vol. 6, No. 18)] =The Goblin Market= electronic chapbook, deadline 1 December 1998. [F to 5,000 wds, pays 3 cents/wd. on accept., E-mail subm. only, to goblinmarket@eggplant-productions.com (GLs in Vol. 6 No. 20)] The =Amelia= Science Fiction/Fantasy Award deadline is 15 December 1998. [SF/F to 3000 wds, $100 prize. Entry Fee: $5 each. Amelia Contests, Frederick A. Raborg, Jr., Editor, 329 "E" Street, Bakersfield, CA 93304-2031. (GLs in Vol. 6 No. 17)] Best of the Soft SF Contest deadline 15 December 1998. [Soft SF to 7000 wds, enter as many mss. as you wish, 1st $100, 2nd $50, 3rd $25, no entry fee, The Soft SF Writer's Association, 1277 Joan Dr., Merritt Island FL 32952. (GLs in Vol. 6 No. 21)] =Scaremongers 3=, British horror anthology, deadline 31 Dec 1998. [non-trad. H to 6,000 wds, œ15/1000 words on pub., E-mail subs fine. Anthony Barker, Editor, 1st Floor, Alpha House, Countesthorpe Road, South Wigston, Leicester LE18 2PJ ENGLAND, E-mail jennie@tanjen.demon.co.uk, Web site: http://www.tanjen. demon.co.uk. (GLs in Vol. 6 No. 12)] =Writers of the Future=, 1st quarter 1999, deadline 31 December 1998. [$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)] =Pulp Eternity= Volume 4: The Price of Magic, deadline 1/15/99. [SF/science fantasy, etc. (not traditional fantasy) to 3500 wds, pays 3 cents/wd. on pub. Steve Algieri, Senior Editor, PO Box 930068, Norcross, GA 30003, E-mail: eternityol@aol.com; http://www.pulpeternity. com. (GLs in Vol. 6 No. 18)] =Romance and Beyond Magazine= contest, deadline 1 February 1999. [SF/F/H romance to 10,000 wds., awards $50, $20, $15, $10, deadline 1 Feb 99, $10 entry fee, only accepts 1st 30 entries in each category (4 different categories), Briada Press, Inc., 3527 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Suite 9; Lafayette, LA 70503-5130. {GLs in Vol. 6 No. 20)] =Pulp Eternity= Volume 5: Unthemed issue, reading time: 1/1/99 - 4/1/99. [Any genre, to 10,000 wds, but most under 5000, pays 3 cents/wd. on pub. Steve Algieri, Senior Editor, PO Box 930068, Norcross, GA 30003, E-mail: eternityol@aol.com; http://www.pulpeternity. com. (GLs in Vol. 6 No. 18)] =Pulp Eternity= Volume 6: Women of Empowerment. Reading time 4/1/99 - 7/1/99. [Female viewpoint to 10,000 wds, but most under 5000, pays 3 cents/wd. on pub. Steve Algieri, Senior Editor, PO Box 930068, Norcross, GA 30003, E-mail: eternityol@aol.com; http://www.pulpeternity.com. (GLs in Vol. 6 No. 18)] =Pulp Eternity= Volume 7: Alternatives II/Cyberpunk. Reading time 7/1/99 - 9/1/99. [Alt. sexuality and cyberculture, to 10,000 wds, but most under 5000, pays 3 cents/wd. on pub. Steve Algieri, Senior Editor, PO Box 930068, Norcross, GA 30003, E-mail: eternityol@ aol.com; http://www.pulpeternity.com. (GLs in Vol. 6 No. 18)] =Pulp Eternity= Volume 8: I Am Cat. Reading time 9/1/99 - 12/15/99. [Cat stories, to 5000 wds, pays 3 cents/wd. on pub. Steve Algieri, Senior Editor, PO Box 930068, Norcross, GA 30003, E-mail: eternityol@aol.com; http://www. pulpeternity.com. (GLs in Vol. 6 No. 18)] CONTEST =Best of the Soft SF Contest= [No entry fee, soft SF to 7000 wds, 1st $100, 2nd $50, 3rd $25, deadline 15 Dec 98] The Soft SF Writer's Association 1277 Joan Dr. Merritt Island FL 32952. Annual contest. "Soft sf is different from hard in that characters, emotional content and artistic effect are emphasized rather than plot and deterministic science. Although adult issues are encouraged, gratuitous violence and graphic sex should be kept to a reasonable minimum. Mixed-genre stories are acceptable (f/sf, mystery/sf, h/sf) as long as elements of sf are included -- that is, some projection of trends, factors or technology in a scientific way. Social, behavioral, natural or hard science are all acceptable as a basis; and past, present, future or alternate universe are all fine as a setting." "The contest is open to all writers, and you can enter as many mss. as you wish. The entry must have been published or offered for sale within the year the contest is entered. If the story has been published, include this information so it can be listed with any announcement of winners." Judging criteria is based on "emotional impact, artistic style, cleverness, originality, characterization, theme weight, imagery, sensuality. Stories which contain shocking or disturbing elements are unlikely to win. This is not the type of emotional impact we're looking for." To 7000 wds. 1st, $100; 2nd, $50; 3rd, $25. No entry fee. (407)454-2424. Opens: Oct. 1. Deadline: Dec. 15. [DarkEcho, 8 October 1998] MARKET GUIDELINES =Agony in Black= [Print magazine, horror 500 to 7500 words, E-mail subm. okay] Publisher: Joseph M. Monks Editor: Pamela Hazelton Chanting Monks Studios, Inc. 360-A W. Merrick Rd. #350 Valley Stream, NY, 11580 E-mail: chntngmnks@aol.com =Agony in Black= is looking for fiction that stretches the boundaries and pushes the envelope. Then again, so is everybody else. Just about every company looks for the same things in unpublished fiction: fiction that is well-written, breaks new ground, avoids cliches, isn't gratuitous in the areas of sex and violence, has well-developed characters, good dialogue and a strong ending. Now that the basics of all good writing have been covered, here's a brief but pretty comprehensive few of the things that will give you some insight into what might get your work between the covers of =Agony in Black=. Genre Info 1) Vampire stories rarely get picked. Nothing wrong with them as a whole or in theory. Just too many out there, especially in the last few years. If you do send a vampire story, be honest in self-assessment before sending it. 2) The movie SE7EN is a very good example of the kind of work that =Agony in Black= is seeking to publish. Work that is the equivalent of a kick in the crotch, work that strikes a chord or a nerve, in essence, work that some might read an ask rhetorically, "Why on earth would somebody write this?" Now, this work isn't common, and it isn't always when makes it into =Agony in Black=. But it is the place to start, because that's on the top-shelf of the ever-shifting standard we are trying to maintain. 3) No poetry. No science fiction masked as horror. No fantasy. No humor. If you believe you have successfully transcended genres there are probably other magazines far more receptive to stories that broach any of those just mentioned. =Agony in Black= isn't one of those publications. Standards & Basics 1) Story submissions are accepted in several formats. Snail mail is preferred. E-mail submissions must be contained in E-mail. No downloadable files will be accepted. Manuscript length may be as short as 500 words and as long as 7,500 words. To submit a work longer than 7,500 words please send an inquiry letter with brief (no more than three paragraphs) synopsis of the work. All stories and art should be copyright protected by the creator. 2) Please follow standard submission procedures: double-space your manuscript, at least a ten point font size, send all submissions with an SASE if you want your manuscript returned, and never send originals, only photocopies. 3) Adult material is accepted, but as you have seen in the opening paragraph, gratuity is a sure way to have your work bounced. What's essential to a story, be it sex, violence, profanity, etc., can and should be contained in the work. However, like the shower scenes thrown into every late 80's horror movie (and beyond--nudity is timeless) for no reason relative to the story, save the time, the space, and the trees. Art Artwork is almost always assigned to match story and content, and in almost all cases must be hard-line. We do review art all the time, we do keep files on artists and their work. On occasion, material sent to us is utilizable for spot illustrations, etc. If you are interested in sending art samples, please send a package representative of your work, photocopies only, to the submissions address. All work should be copyright protected prior to submission. Submissions: Address all correspondence to: Chanting Monks Studios, Inc. 360-A W. Merrick Rd. #350 Valley Stream, NY, 11580 or e mail to: chntngmnks@aol.com [From the Chanting Monks Studios website at http://www.mediasi. com/chantingmonks/] =CONduit 9: Deep Space CONduit Program Book= This year we will publish a single short story in the program book. About 1,000 program books will be printed and distributed to the attendees of CONduit 9: Deep Space CONduit. I am looking for one well-written piece of speculative fiction up to 5,000 words. I prefer stories that are exiting, thought- provoking and that invoke a sense of wonder. If you can do that in under 5,000 words, I'll be very happy. As a tie-breaker, I will give preference to stories by Utah writers and stories with general space themes. Please, no Star Trek stories since Paramount owns the rights to the name and characters. Also, no Stars Wars, Alien, Buffy Vampire Slayer or other media tie ins. CONduit does not have any rights to this type of story. The program book is for general audience so profanity, graphic violence and sexual themes will be a problem. If you wouldn't read it out loud to your great grandmother or your neighbor's ten year old, don't send it. Both original works and reprints will be considered. Pay rate is two (2) cents per word for storiies up to 5,000. I will pay on acceptence. Deadline for submissions is March 1, 1999. I will pull the trigger on the final manuscript by March 15, 1999 so manuscripts received after that won't be considered, no matter what the postmark says. Manuscripts should be in standard manuscript format. Include an SASE if you want a reply. Include an SASE with an envelope of sufficient size and the correct amount of postage if you want the manuscript returned. Only mailed manuscripts will be considered, please no electronic submissions. If you have an e-mail address, please include this on your cover letter or on the manuscript. NOTE: This is separate from the Short Story Contest. I will be unaware of manuscripts sent to the contest and the contest judges will be unaware of stories submitted for publication in the program book. Send submissions and/or queries to: Dave Urbanek CONduit 9 Program Book 4715 South 1300 East #31 Salt Lake City, UT 84117-5072 =Kimota= [British print magazine, 2 times/yr., does not encourage US subm, to 3500 wds, œ2 per 1000 wds. on pub., E-mail subs okay] E-Mail: g.hurry@virgin.net http://freespace.virgin.net/g.hurry/kimota.htm =Kimota= has started reading stories again. However prospective contributors must be warned that accepted stories may take as long as two years before they see print. Such is the number of excellent stories accepted up to now. SUBMISSION DETAILS =Kimota= welcomes submissions of original speculative fiction; SF, Fantasy, horror, or articles on genre related issues, and especially any mix between these genres. However really nasty or graphic stories will not be accepted unless they are of exceptional quality and the violence or sex is in context. It may be best to purchase a copy to see the type of thing we like. Spelling and punctuation should be as you would like to see it in print--so check it. Misspellings and inaccurate grammar will confuse the story and make it less likely to be accepted. Stories should be less than 3500 words long. Unsolicited poetry is not required. We are aiming at publishing quality stories, and will try to encourage writers we cannot publish with comments and suggestions where this will be helpful. We will aim to get a response to contributors within six weeks. =At the moment =Kimota= is targeting UK talent, overseas contributions are fraught with problems that run from return postage to payment and so at the moment such submissions are not encouraged.= [Emphasis mine--Julia] Submissions should be typed on one side, double-spaced, with the title and author's name and address on a front sheet. If accepted it would be convenient if the story was available on a PC disk (Word for Windows, Rich Text Format (RTF) or WordPerfect 5.0. This could be sent with the submission, of course. E-mail submissions are also acceptable. DO NOT FORGET AN S.A.E. if you want a reply and/or your story returned. Ideally the story should never have been published before however we do accept stories which have appeared first in America but never in Britain (First British Serial Rights). If a story is accepted by =Kimota= the author must not offer this story to any other British magazine or anthology until 6 months after the story has appeared in =Kimota=. If a better offer comes up while waiting for the story to appear in =Kimota=, contact us and we will probably be happy to release it. Payment for stories will be œ2 per 1000 words (in the UK) and a complementary copy. Payment will be made on publication of the material. However efforts will be made to try to pursuade you to take the payment in the form of a subscription. Address : 52 Cadley Causeway, Preston, Lancashire, England PR2 3RX. E-Mail: g.hurry@virgin.net Deadlines : Kimota Magazine will be published twice a year in March and September, and deadlines are February the 1st and August 1st respectively. These deadlines are really only applicable for commissioned material and articles. [From website at http://freespace.virgin.net/g.hurry/kimota.htm] MARKET INFORMATION =Aberrations= A writer on SFF.NET says he got a letter from =Aberrations= with a rejection slip saying, in part, "...after five+ years, hundreds of stories, and 40 issues, Aberrations will be closing up shop." [sff.writing.response-times, 12 Oct 98] =Avesta Blues= In response to the question as to whether =Dimensions of Madness= would be printed and as to whether editor Dawn Hutchinson answered E-mail, an author on Genie says, "In regard to questions about =Dimensions of Madness=--I e-mailed Dawn and she replied within 24 hours and said that she's cut back to part time at work because "It's the only way that I was going to get the time to do what I've committed to do. I have no intention of backing out on my commitment." She thinks, however, that it will be at least 6 months before DoM is out. She realizes that some writers may not wait that long, and asks any writers who sell their story some place else to inform her of the sale." [SFRT4, Cat 4, Top 6, 29 Sep 98] =Lore= Effective immediately =Lore, the Quarterly Digest of Maddening Fiction= has quadrupled its pay rate for original fiction to 2 cents per word.(FWSR, up to 5000 words -- query for longer), and doubled its pay rate for reprints to 1/2 cent per word (query first). Contributors will also receive a complimentary copy of the issue in which their work appears. Payment on publication. For complete guidelines send SASE to Lore POB 381, Matawan, NJ 07747-0381 or request from loredigest@earthlink.net [DarkEcho, 8 October 1998] ==End of CALLIHOO newsletter for 13 October 1998==