CALLIHOO Newsletter ----------------------------------------------------------------- Market News for Writers of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Vol. 7 No. 29 Editor: Julia West January 11, 2000 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Web page: http://www.sff.net/people/julia.west/CALLIHOO/index.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS Ken Rand had two sales to start the New Year! "Refuge" sold to =Weird Tales=, and "Robin's Egg" sold to =The Dream People=. * * * Haven't had a chance to write much in the new year? Haul out that notebook, warm up that laptop, and come to the mini-retreat January 14-15 at Gerry's house. Show up anytime after 5 p.m. on Friday, and we'll write all night long. Bring sleeping gear. Bathroom facilities are available if you want to shower in the morning. Dinner is potluck, and Gerry will provide breakfast when everyone finally wakes up on Saturday morning. Let Gerry know if you need a map. Planned: Midnight reading of "Eye of Argon." Don't hurt yourself laughing! This would be a great time to start (or finish) your story for the Ground Hog's Day challenge: A story containing, or pertaining to, rodents. 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)] =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)] ANTHOLOGIES =Dark Terrors 5= [British horror/dark fantasy antho, deadline 29 Feb 2000, only one submission per author, no E-mail subm.] David Sutton Dark Terrors 5 194 Station Road Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7TE, U.K. Multiple award-winning editors Stephen Jones and David Sutton have concluded a five-figure (pounds sterling) deal for =Dark Terrors 5= and 6 with editorial director Jo Fletcher at Victor Gollancz, for publication in October 2000 and 2002 respectively. The two new volumes of the world's most acclaimed original horror anthology series will be double the size of each of the previous four books and will appear first in hardcover, with a mass market paperback outing the following year. Because of the extremely high standard of the award-winning =Dark Terrors= series and a desire to see only the very best examples of a writer's work, editors Jones and Sutton are strictly limiting submissions to just one story per author. They are interested in contemporary cutting-edge supernatural and psychological horror and dark fantasy. No pastiches. They are buying first world publication rights (unless otherwise agreed beforehand). There are no word limits (although short stories stand more chance of being accepted than novellas) and the final deadline for submissions to =Dark Terrors 5= is February 29th 2000. Reporting time varies. You must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope if submitting from the UK and a self-addressed envelope plus at least two (2) International Reply Coupons if submitting from any other country. All manuscripts will be deemed disposable. Electronic submissions are not acceptable. Unsolicited manuscripts should be sent only to David Sutton, Dark Terrors 5, 194 Station Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7TE, U.K. [DarkEcho, 9 Dec 99] =The Doom of Camelot= [Arthurian stories, 3-7,000 wds, pays 3-5 cents/wd., deadline 21 April 2000, pays shortly after accept. No E-mail subm. Reprints only from minor pubs.] James Lowder Executive Editor, Books Green Knight Publishing 15120 West Mayflower Court New Berlin, WI 53151 Queries only by e-mail to James Lowder at gawain@execpc.com http://www.greenknight.com =The Doom of Camelot= is an anthology of Arthurian short fiction set for publication by Green Knight Publishing in August 2000. All works submitted for the collection should answer in one way or another the question: what caused the downfall of Arthur's kingdom? The answer can be as simple or complex as you'd like, anything from a person (Mordred) to a relationship (Lancelot and Guinevere) to a larger, more pervasive sin (Pride). The question can also be answered by some stories through the presentation of characters that escape the final doom: Pelleas being secreted away during the last days by Nimue, for example; the justification for his salvation could be used to highlight the kingdom's failings. The Arthurian setting for your work can range from the historical to the fantastic. Stories should be set after the end of the Grail Quest, in the standard chronology of the Arthurian cycle. We may also use stories set a decade or two after the fall of Camelot, but aren't likely to use things set centuries later. A range of tone will be considered, though the general theme is more conducive to serious works. We will consider longer poetry in addition to prose. Reprints will be considered only if they have not appeared in high-profile markets. The nitty-gritty: Length: 3,000 to 7,000 words. May consider longer or shorter works with prior approval. Deadline: April 21st, 2000. Rights: 1st world in English Payment: 3 to 5 cents/word, less for reprints. Paid within 30 days of acceptance. Send hardcopy submissions to: James Lowder Executive Editor, Books, Green Knight Publishing, 15120 West Mayflower Court, New Berlin, WI 53151 No e-mail submissions, please. Queries only by e-mail to James Lowder at gawain@execpc.com For more information about Green Knight Publishing, see our web site at http://www.greenknight.com [sff.publishing.market-reports, 1 Jan 00] =Extremes 2, 3, and 4= [CD-ROM, themed. DF/H stories, no reprints, E-mail, mult. and sim. subm okay.] Brian A. Hopkins, editor Lone Wolf Publications 13500 SE 79th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73150 Queries: brian_a_hopkins@sff.net lwpub@aol.com http://www.dm.net/~bahwolf/lwp.htm With the first volume of =Extremes= in the final stages of release, Hopkins is ready to consider submissions for subsequent volumes. =Extremes= is an author-publisher cooperative venture on CD-ROM, produced as a signed, limited edition. Contributing authors, the artist, and the publisher/editor share equally in all profit made from the sale of the anthology. Beginning in 2000 Hopkins will accept submissions for the next three volumes. There will be 20 stories for each and each will have a slightly different theme. How fast each volume fills will determine which volume is published first and the exact schedule for each, though the first of these will likely be produced before the end of the year and the latter two will be produced in 2001. The three themes are: 1) Extremes: Fantasy & Horror from the Ends of the Earth -- Same concept as the first volume. Looking for dark, contemporary fantasy (please, no fairies and elves) and horror stories that take place somewhere other than the continental United States. Story location should be integral to the story itself. Ideally, the story could not have taken place in another location. 2) Extremes: Darkest Africa -- dark fantasy and horror set on the continent of Africa 3) Extremes: Terror on the High Seas -- dark fantasy and horror set on, under, or in very close proximity to the ocean. Capture the location. Simply plunking a horror story down in a suitable location is not enough. Reading the story, one should know what it's like to stand in that locale: sights, smells, people, etc. No word limit. No taboos. No reprints. Submissions will be accepted at the postal address or emailed (any format, embedded or as an attachment) to addresses listed above. Simultaneous and multiple submissions okay, but do not attach more than one file at a time to your email. Queries can be sent to brian_a_hopkins@sff.net.Be sure email address is on the manuscript itself. Don't bother with a bio. Interested artists should contact Hopkins. Please do not submit before January 1, 2000. FAQ for =Extremes=, as well as a submission queue, will appear on the web at http://www.dm.net/~bahwolf/extremes2.htm shortly after the first of the year. [DarkEcho, 22 Dec 99] MARKET INFORMATION =Agony in Black= President/Editor Joe Monks of =Agony in Black= has announced that AIB is still very much alive and notes that the reading time has lagged due to a surge in submissions and a move. (The submissions address remains the same.) Monks, who reads =every= legitimate submission, also stated that 80-90 responses will be mailed or emailed in the next two weeks with another 200+ submissions to be taken care of by the first of the year. AIB is still seeking submissions for future issues of the magazine. Refer to guidelines at http://www.mediasi.com/chantingmonks for more information. [DarkEcho, 16 Dec 99] =Avon Anthology= A writer on sff.net says, "I called Ms. Brehl's office before Christmas and spoke to her assistant, who confirms that my story is still in-house and that "things" are "taking time". She apologized for what she called the "really long wait" and agreed that I could call her back in February if I had heard nothing else before." So the Avon anthology must still be a go, although decisions seem to be taking a really long time. [sff.writing.response-times, 5 Jan 00] =Best New Horror= Stephen Jones has signed a deal with Robinson Publishing to edit the eleventh volume of the multiple award-winning anthology =Best New Horror=, to be published by Robinson in the U.K. and Carroll & Graf in the U.S.A. next November. As usual, Jones is looking for PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED horror and dark fantasy which appeared between December 1998 and December 1999 only. Short stories and novellas are eligible, and the final deadline for unsolicited submissions is February 1st 2000. Reporting time varies. If you want to be informed when the anthology is completed, please include an email address, a stamped self-addressed envelope if submitting from the UK or a self-addressed envelope plus at least two (2) International Reply Coupons if submitting from any other country. A maximum of TWO unsolicited stories per author will be considered. All manuscripts will be deemed disposable. Electronic submissions are not acceptable. Manuscripts, anthologies, book collections and magazines should be sent to: Stephen Jones, Best New Horror 11, 130 Park View, Wembley, Middx HA9 6JU, England. [DarkEcho, 9 Dec 99] =Byline= A writer on sff.net says Byline rejected his 1900 word story with a note saying, "Just a little short for us." The guidelines say 2,000-4,000 words. Apparently this is a firm requirement. [sff.writing.response-times, 31 Dec 99] =Carpe Noctem, Bleeding Edge Media and Catique= "Due to inept handling of our mail, we were forced to change our mail box company. Effective Dec. 12, 1999 the correct address for all mail to =Carpe Noctem= Magazine, Bleeding Edge Media and Catique is: 2514 Jamacha Road #502-147 El Cajon, CA 92019" [DarkEcho, 16 Dec 99] =Electric Wine= Diana Sharples, co-editor of =Electric Wine=, says, "Our first issue has been out a little over a month, and we have been bombarded with horror fiction! The few science fiction and fantasy stories that have filtered through, for the most part, have been disappointing. We've got a couple of sf stories in mind for our next issue (January 2000), but no fantasy! HELP! "Please check out our website at www.electricwine.com and consult our writer's guidelines there, and submit, submit, submit! We pay $.01 per word and are looking for stories 1,000-5,000 words long. We will also consider longer works of 5,000-15,000 words (one per issue) We will also consider previously published stories." [sff.publishing.the-market-list, 9 Dec 99] =SFF.NET Anthology (Age of Wonders)= A writer on sff.net received the following information from editor Jeffry Dwight in a rejection letter, "Unfortunately, it's not the right feel for this volume. I'm trying to get more of a Heinlein, Asimov, Bradbury, or Clarke feel -- a bit of goshwow on the protag's part (but not juve) that the reader can share. While I'll have other kinds of stories for balance and perspective, for those I'm looking for Card, Le Guin, or Cherryh type of introspection. Your best guides would be to review Card's =Unaccompanied Sonata=, or Zelazny's =A Rose for Ecclesiastes=, or almost anything by Sturgeon." [sff.writing.response-times, 6 Jan 00] =Starlight 3 Anthology= A writer on sff.net says, "I queried Patrick about the closing date (I have a story to send, but no printer...), and he said that =Starlight 3= will be open till 'late spring at the earliest' because he had to move house." [sff.writing.response-times, 6 Jan 00] =Tales of the Unanticipated= A writer on sff.net says, "Answer to my query from =Tales of the Unanticipated=; about a hundred manuscripts are being held for further consideration, decisions should be made by mid-February." [sff.writing.response-times, 5 Jan 00] Another writer added, "TotU received about 170 submissions during the last reading period. Editor Eric Heideman got about 70 rejections out the door before the holidays hit (and he's been buried in the TotU's Interviews anthology project). TotU #21 is slated for publication in April, to debut at MiniCon, so Eric will get his final selections made soon." [sff.writing.response-times, 6 Jan 00] =Virtual Lobotomy= A writer on sff.net got a rejection from =Virtual Lobotomy= that said they couldn't use the story because it had supernatural elements. [sff.writing.response-times, 29 Dec 99] =Weird Tales= A writer on sff.net says a rejection letter s/he got said that =Weird Tales= *only* uses stories with supernatural content. [sff.writing.response-times, 21 Dec 99] SF MARKET LIST Paula Fleming has recently updated her SF/F market list at http://home.att.net/~p.fleming/Sfmarket.html. Check it out next time you're on the web. ==End of CALLIHOO newsletter for 11 January 2000==