CALLIHOO Newsletter Market News for Writers of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Julia West, Editor Vol. 10, No. 31 25 February 2003 Website: http://www.sff.net/people/julia.west/CALLIHOO/index.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------- IN THIS ISSUE News Publication Notes Deadlines Anthologies Borderlands 5 (gls) Daikaiju Anthology (gls) Frequency (gls) Skin Deep (gls) Market Guidelines A Different Path (gls) Market Information 3SF Abyss & Apex (temp closed) Alchemy Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine Black Gate Bloodlust-UK Brutarian Century (hiatus) DNA Publications Fortean Bureau Frequency Gothic.net (hiatus) Palace of Reason (temp closed) Realms of Fantasy SCI FICTION SF-F.org (temp closed) Strange Horizons Sword & Sorceress 21 Tales of the Unanticipated Terra Incognita (hiatus) Underworlds ----------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS PUBLICATION NOTES James Van Pelt's short story collection, =Strangers and Beggars=, has been put on The American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults 2003 list. The complete list is available at http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/bbya/2003bestbooks.html Jim's =Weird Tales= story "Origin of the Species" has been accepted for inclusion in David Hartwell's =The Year's Best Fantasy=, and his =SCI FICTION= story, "A Flock of Birds," will be in Gardner Dozois's =Year's Best Science Fiction= anthology. As usual, on a roll, Jim! ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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.) 3F PUBLICATIONS HORROR CONTEST Deadline 1 March 2003 [Contest/antho, Halloween H 3000-5000 wds. Unpub. writers only. $5 entry fee. Pays 3 cents/wd. E-mail only. (GLs Vol. 10 No. 24)] PATH OF THE JUST SUPERHERO FICTION ANTHOLOGY Deadline 1 March 2003 [Anthology, F in Silver Age Sentinels RPG milieu, 3,000 to 7,000 wds. Pays 3-5 cents/wd. on pub. No E-mail subs. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 20)] SAY. . . WHAT TIME IS IT? Open 1 December 2002 to 1 March 2003 [Semi-annual printzine, themed (what time is it?). Fiction to 8,000 wds. Pays $10/story. No sim or mult subs, reprints, or E- mail subs. No erotica. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 24)] SKIN DEEP Deadline 31 March 2003 [British children's antho (12 and up), stories about racism (incl hist/SF) to 5,000 wds. Pays 400-500GBP/story. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 31)] WRITERS OF THE FUTURE, 2ND QUARTER 2003 Deadline 31 March 2003 [$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. 9 No. 1)] HIDDEN TALENTS SHORT STORY CONTEST Deadline 31 May 2003 [Canadian contest, short stories to 5,000 wds. Prizes: 1st $500C, 2nd $250C, 3rd $100C, HM $25C; Junior 1st $200C, 2nd $100C, 3rd $50C, HM $10C. Winners pub. Entry fee $10C ($5C for Junior Writers--under age 17). No E-mail subs, reprints. Mult subs okay with separate entry fee & form. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 30)] BORDERLANDS 5 ANTHOLOGY Deadline 1 September 2003 [Non-theme antho, dark spec fic to 5,000 wds. Pays 5-7 cents/wd. Sim and E-mail subs okay. No reprints. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 31)] DAIKAIJU ANTHOLOGY Deadline 30 November 2004 [Antho, giant monster stories to 12,000 wds. Pays Aus$30/story. Enquire for E-mail subs. GLs in Vol. 10 No. 31)] ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANTHOLOGIES BORDERLANDS 5 [Non-theme antho, dark spec fic to 5,000 wds. Pays 5-7 cents/wd. Sim and E-mail subs okay. No reprints. Deadline 1 Sep 03.] Elizabeth E. & Thomas F. Monteleone, Editors Borderlands Press PO Box 1529 Grantham NH 03753 U.S.A. E-subs & info: Elizabeth@borderlandspress.com Submission Guidelines This a non-themed anthology which carries on the tradition and high standards established by the first four volumes in this series. It is the intention of the editors to publish new, original, short fiction which pushes the limits of what is being done in darkly imaginative fiction. If you are published in =Borderlands= you will be part of the expedition to open the gates to new literary territory, and you will help scorch a path through the jagged landscape of the imagination unbound … and all those other neat metaphors. You don't need to read a =Borderlands= story on a stormy dark night, with glowing embers banked in the fire place, and a dark wind howling across the moors. The stories we want can be read under the clear light of day and pure reason and they will still knock you around and put a new rhythm in your head. Which means: we are not looking for any of the traditional bug-bears and boogeymen. No ghosts or vampires need apply. No zombies, no werewolves, no mummies, succubi, or Hitchcockian spouses with plans to do in their mates. In other words we don't want stories employing any of the tired old symbols which have defined the genre for far too long. Having said all that, it would probably be a good idea to sample some previous volumes before submitting your fiction to us. Deadline: 1 September 2003 Length: up to 5,000 words (unless by previous arrangement) Payment: .05 to .07 cents per word Simultaneous submissions okay NO Reprints Turnaround: as long as it takes us Target Pub Date: November 2003 Send snail mail submissions to the above mailing address. Send electronic submissions to the above e-mail address (attached Microsoft word or RTF files preferred ... PC or MAC okay). [www.ralan.com, 22Feb03] DAIKAIJU ANTHOLOGY [Antho, giant monster stories to 12,000 wds. Pays Aus$30/story. Enquire for E-mail subs. Deadline 30 Nov 2004.] Editors: Robert Hood and Robin Pen Agog! Press Daikaiju Anthology PO Box U302 University of Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia Enquire for E-mail submissions to daikaiju@roberthood.net In Brief: This anthology will be a collection of original 'daikaiju' stories--tales of giant monsters and vastly oversized creatures whose form, function and meaning are limited only by the author's imagination (and certain copyright considerations). That's it in essence. However, we have included an extensive elaboration of what we are looking for at the end of these Guidelines. Please read this if you are at all interested in submitting--otherwise you may be wasting your time. Note: Under no circumstances can we include stories which feature Godzilla, Gamera, Mothra, Anguilas, King Ghidorah, Gorgo, King Kong or any other copyrighted character (including those named in the film posters used to decorate [the web] page). Your characters, whether monstrous, human or alien, must be original, though allusive reference to famous daikaiju may be acceptable depending upon the context. Length: We will consider stories of any length, though it will be very difficult for us to accommodate anything over 12,000 words, merely from space considerations. Such stories will need to be stunningly original and irresistibly brilliant to get in. Eligibility: Stories will be accepted from writers worldwide. However, they should be in English. Payment: At least AUS$ 30 per story, plus one contributor's copy, for first publication rights, with an option on subsequent editions. This may vary upward as we approach the publication date, depending on our financial situation. The initial print-run will be small, though this will be governed by circumstances and initial demand. Date: The proposed publication date for the anthology is mid 2005. The deadline for stories is 30 November 2004. We realise that this date is a long way off, but as it is unlikely that most (any?) prospective contributors will have appropriate stories in their 'unused' drawer, we want to give plenty of time for top-quality stories to be developed. While we cannot guarantee a firm acceptance of any story before the deadline date, we will cull as quickly as possible as we receive stories and try to give a speedy decision on whether your story has made it to the shortlist. Note on possibility of a comic strip story: While we do not plan to include illustrations or pictures throughout, we will consider including one comic-strip (manga-style) tale, should we be offered one that we like. Such a comic-strip tale should be in black-and-white, with frame sizes clearly viewable on an A5 page. Please contact us by email before submitting. Submission: Stories should be submitted in appropriate (clear, double-spaced, one side of paper only etc.), and disposable, manuscript form to: Agog! Press, Daikaiju Anthology, PO Box U302, University of Wollongong NSW 2522, Australia. All submissions should include a standard-sized, stamped, self-addressed envelope for notification of our decision. If you want your manuscript back, you must include an appropriately sized envelope and adequate postage. Though we would prefer receiving a hard copy of your story, we understand that this can be difficult (and expensive) for some contributors. If it is better for you to email stories to us, please inquire first to daikaiju@roberthood.net. Guideline summary: * Original stories featuring vastly oversized giant monsters. * Copyrighted characters cannot be included. * Stories may contain one, two or multiple monsters. * Any genre approach (SF, fantasy, horror, alternative history, western, romance, superhero, humorous, satirical) is acceptable, as long as there is at least one giant monster at the centre of the story (even if its presence is ambiguous). * The setting and characters need not be Japanese--or even Terran. Any city (or landscape)--real or imaginary, terrestrial or extraterrestrial--is fair game, as is any time, past, present or future. * Be original, creative and ambitious in your use of the tropes. * We are keen to see some well-considered left-field existential takes on the genre. * Open to Australian and non-Australian writers. Must be in English. * Any length, though 12,000 words should be considered the upper limit. * Deadline: 30 November 2004. * Payment: AUS$ 30 (or more) for first publication rights. Elaboration Regarding What We're Looking For: We're not talking mere dinosaurs or eagle-sized mosquitoes here; these monsters must be unreasonably huge--larger than the laws of physics can comfortable accommodate. (You may, of course, be creative in your explanation as to how such creatures are possible within the context of your story. Or you need not explain at all.) The term 'daikaiju' is Japanese in origin, and refers to a tradition of film story that began with the 1954 version of Gojira, better known in the West as 'Godzilla'. Literally, 'daikaiju' translates as 'great (or giant) monster' and is used in relation to films ('eiga') featuring impossibly oversized creatures both pseudo-scientific and mythic. In the classic Japanese giant monster films ('daikaiju eiga'), these creatures trash major cities, engaging in conflict with other monsters or the military--sometimes acting in mankind's (or rather the Earth's) defense, sometimes set on a course of total genocide, sometimes taking a much more ambiguous role. Japanese giant monsters have included mutated dinosaurs, a bio-engineered flying turtle, huge pterosaurs, an alien squid, a conglomerate smog-monster, a sea-serpent, a moth, a prehistoric dragonfly, metamorphosing freaks of various kinds, cyclopean space starfish, strange chimeras, robots ... even a golem-like statue that is activated in order to defend the helpless. In some, such as the Ultraman series, there is a superhero component--humanoid aliens with the ability to grow to gigantic size in order to fight giant monsters sent to the Earth by megalomaniacal conquerors. Unlike the typical US giant-monster-on-a-rampage, these Japanese daikaiju generally carry with them a greater sense of sentience or purpose--they are more than mere animals, even if that 'more' is merely the quality of being an unstoppable force of nature or some other metaphorical resonance. Generally, they have personality, though not necessarily of an anthropomorphic kind. Their presence often comments on life and reality. Metaphorical qualities relating back to the culture that spawned them is a significant part of their construction -- the first Godzilla, for example, was an anti-nuclear allegory that made passionate if indirect reference to Hiroshima. At any rate, the Japanese films are generally much more resonant (and often more playful) than the typical US 'giant insect' flicks of the 1950s and beyond. What is intended for this anthology is that contributors will create original giant monsters and original story lines featuring them, and develop their own viable and intriguing mythology in the process. These stories may be SF, fantasy or horror in approach, set in the present, the future or the past (alternative history), serious, humorous, satirical, romantic or adventurous in tone, feature one or many monsters, be written from any point-of-view, and be as 'complete' or 'episodic' as the author sees fit, provided that they offer a unified, satisfactory experience to the reader. Contributors should consider where the profound and seemingly limitless appeal of the most successful giant monster films and stories lies; let your imagination enter that playground and experiment with its tropes. Originality, not necessarily in the form of the monster, but in concept, plot line or approach, will be the key to success in regards to this anthology. The editors do not anticipate that the writer's task will be easy, as they are looking for intelligent, innovative works in this fascinating yet often under-realised (and often cheesy) genre, and are hoping to find stories based on truly intriguing concepts and conveying a profound sense of awe. We are keen to see stories that take a new approach to the daikaiju genre or use daikaiju to throw new light on life and reality; we'd love to receive some good 'postmodern' monster stories (think Waldrop and Chabon). While one or two stories that offer an original approach to the straightforward 'city- destroying monster' trope will be included if we are sent something appropriately compelling, we are really looking for a more innovative response to the project brief. In essence, of course, what we want is good writing and good ideas, so no matter what approach you take, if you think it's good, send it in. The anthology is to be published by Agog! Press. You can email the editors at [http://www.roberthood.net/daikaiju-antho/] FREQUENCY [Audio antho, SF/F/H to 5,000 wds (prefer to 2,000 wds). Pays 3 cents/wd. No S&S, media tie-ins. E-mail subs preferred. Mult subs okay.] [See caveats in Market Information] Frequency PO Box 2711 Venice CA 90294 E-mail subs: submissions@FrequencyPublishing.com http://www.frequencypublishing.com/ Genre: =Frequency= is looking for literate, strongly plotted, original stories, primarily in the Science Fiction genre but we will also look at fantasy and horror. We're willing to consider mystery as long as there is an element of SF/Fantasy/Horror. NO: novel excerpts, swords & sorcery, media tie-ins, parody. Poetry by invitation only. We are primarily looking for NEW material--reprints will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Length: Our primary interest (read: your best bet to sell to us) is stories of 2,000 words or less. We'll consider up to 5,000 words. Short-shorts of under 1,000 words are especially needed. Style: Since our listeners won't want to hit the rewind button every twenty seconds, clear syntax and non-experimental structures are mandatory. Long passages in colorful alien dialect will also be problematical. Strong science is good; strong characters are better; both together would be best. And let's emphasize one more time: strong plotting is the foundation. "Slice of life" stories, even really cool alien life, are not what we're looking for. And for you horror writers: "Slice of Death" stories are also out. If I get one more story that's just "Boy meets girl, boy kills girl", with no SF or fantastical element, I may have to... no, I'm not going there. And you shouldn't either. Send me something original. Payment: =Frequency= pays 3 cents per word for exclusive AUDIO rights. In addition, stories are sold as MP3 downloads through the website at approximately $1 per story. Authors receive a 20 percent royalty on those internet sales. Submissions: Electronic submissions are preferred, to submissions@FrequencyPublishing.com. Please send in Word, text or rich text, in professional format: typed, double-spaced, one side of the page, include word count AND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE STORY. This may seem obvious, but experience has taught me that it's not, and I can't reply if I don't have your email address ON THE MANUSCRIPT. Hardcopy submissions to: PO Box 2711, Venice CA 90294. Please feel free to send several stories at a time. Response: We will happily respond by email; for regular mail, please include an appropriately sized, self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE). (Contributors residing outside the United States should use international reply coupons.) Even if you do not want your manuscript returned, we require a letter-size SASE for a surface-mail response; manuscripts without an SASE will not be returned. =Frequency='s top 12 reasons for rejections: * The protagonist doesn't drive the story * The protagonist doesn't have anything at stake in the action * There is no action, only ideas * There is *only* action, no ideas * The protagonist doesn't change by the end * *Nothing* has changed by the end. * Good ideas, but the characters were cardboard * Good characters, but nothing happens outside of their particular interaction (nothing bigger is at stake) * *Nothing* happens * Too much (clumsy or intrusive) exposition * Does your main female character *have* to be a redhead? * There's *no* fantastic or speculative element. Artist For cover art, =Frequency= is looking for professional-level realistic artwork. (Some abstract may be appropriate; try us on a case-by-case basis.) We'd also like to get some really cool computer-generated images. Like everyone, we're looking for dramatic imagery that will hook the reader. =Frequency= pays professional rates. What to send: Send four to ten samples of your best work. DO NOT SEND ORIGINALS. Color copies, slides, transparencies, or tearsheets are acceptable. Send to: Art submissions - Frequency, PO Box 2711, Venice CA 90294. As we will want to keep submissions on file for reference, they will not be returned unless specifically requested by the artist (in which case SASE must be included). Electronic submissions are also acceptable, but ONLY after first querying to: submissions@frequencypublishing.com. [http://www.frequencypublishing.com/Frequency/guidelines.html] A Special Note to our Friends in the Horror Genre I just would like to emphasize once more the kind of stories we're looking for: There can be blood, death, mayhem . . . but there has to be something bigger than that. And that doesn't mean a great ancient spirit told our protagonist to kill a bunch of people, or a disembodied spirit of evil drove him to kill them. That's just not enough. We're looking for a wider theme. It could be questioning the values of society; it could be an individual's struggle to overcome . . . something. The surviving characters should undergo a growth experience, a change, even an epiphany. [http://www.frequencypublishing.com/Frequency/ freq_horror_note.html] SKIN DEEP [British children's antho (12 and up), stories about racism (incl hist/SF) to 5,000 wds. Pays 400-500GBP/story. Deadline 31 Mar 03.] Tony Bradman, Editor 175 Mackenzie Road Beckenham Kent BR3 4SE U.K. =Skin Deep= is to be an anthology of short stories about racism. There are many anthologies of short stories for children, and sometimes it appears that more or less every gap has been filled. But it seems to me that there isn't a really solid anthology of stories about racism (for over 12s). Of course, individual writers have tackled the subject in both novels and short stories, and there is some marvellous recent work in this field. But an anthology offers the advantage of presenting a variety of points of view, and with a subject as complex as racism that can only be a major benefit. I've been thinking for quite some time of how to approach such a project. The secret is, I believe, to ask a range of very good writers to look at the subject of racism from an original angle. At one level, racism is very simple, and obviously a bad thing. But it is often complex and ambiguous as well, both in its causes and effects. The point being, of course, that I don't want simplistic stories which preach to the reader on how bad racism is--that goes without saying. I'm after great fiction that explores the roots of racism, where it comes from inside us, why it happens, what it does to people--particularly to children--and how people either succumb to it or defeat it and survive. As a starting point and a theme I think it offers great potential for drama, conflict, tension--the stuff that gripping fiction is made of. I see this as a character-based collection too, one which brings to life a wide range of young people facing racism or having to deal with it. It would be good to have a story, for example, in which a white boy who loves his sweet grey-haired granny finds it difficult to deal with her ingrained hostility to black people. I would like to see a story about the corrosive effect on young black people of the kind of small, casual acts of racism which surround them--looks, gestures, bad manners from their so-called elders and betters. I'd like stories about racism in the classroom and playground. This is not to say that I want an exclusively contemporary collection set in the UK, or that I want all the stories to be about white racism. Racism seems is part of all human societies, so I would like stories about racial tensions between any groups, contemporary or historical. It would be good to have a story about the Roma, about The Holocaust, about tensions in the middle east, about the slave trade, about racism in sport, stories set in Africa, India, China, Japan, Australia. I'd love to see a couple of historical stories, maybe even an SF/parallel universe story where white people are the object of racism. And I'm not ruling out humour either. It would be great to have a story that explored racism with insight and made readers laugh, too. My deadline for submissions is the end of March 2003. I'm looking for material of a classic short story length, say up to 5000 words. I'm more than happy to discuss ideas, synopses etc and comment on stories, so feel free to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you -- I'm sure I'm going to be seeing some brilliant stories... Payment is in the 400-500 pounds sterling range. [www.ralan.com, 21Feb03] ----------------------------------------------------------------- MARKET GUIDELINES A DIFFERENT PATH [Alternate hist to 3,000 wds. Pays $5/story. E-mail subs only. Reprints okay.] Jeremiah Chiappelli, Editor Submissions: patheditor@yahoo.com differentpath.alternatehistory.com (No www!) What we are looking for: Stories: We're looking for stories that are set in a world with an alternative historical progress. We're wide open. As time goes on, we may narrow our focus. We do like satire and humor. We also like serious pieces. We really enjoy obscure Points of Departure where the story hinges on what a minor Balkan nobleman did during the middle ages (for an example). Of course, it has to make sense and be understandable. Time travel and the accompanying paradoxes are welcome. Stories should be written in English ('cause we're not as linguistically gifted as we should be). They should be between 0-3000 words. (We're looking forward to a whole rash of 0 word submissions. Or the genius who can produce the perfect 2 words story.) Articles: We're looking for short articles (500-1500 words) about anything relevant. Little known historical turning points. Little known historical figures who were far more influential than people generally know. Alternative economics, religions, cultures, militaries, etc. What we are *not* looking for: * Stories in shared universes that are not owned exclusively by you. Like Star Wars, Star Trek, Turtledove's work, or my brother's novel. * Stories that are not actually stories, but instead mere fragments that have failed to coalesce. * Fantasy. No elves, dragons, or mythical kingdoms. Unless the Elves are a tribe of neolithic hunters who develop civilization 30,000 years ago and genetically engineer dragons out of geckos. But how many stories like that do we need? * Stories about monsters killing things. The end. * Pornographic or erotic. * Articles about writing. How to Submit: Email submissions only at patheditor@yahoo.com Make the subject of your email "Sub: (Your Title Here)". I would prefer if you pasted your submission into the body of the email. I'll also accept attachments in Word and WordPerfect. What we buy and how much we pay for it: We purchase the exclusive right to publish your story for one year from initial publication. We do accept reprints but only if you own all rights and give us a history of previous publications. We pay $5 a story and $5 an article. We pay very little because we are poor. Perhaps someday we will have more money to disperse. We also pay through paypal.com so it helps if you have an account. As an American Yokel, I am unfamiliar with the dynamics of international exchange rates and so forth. If we do accept a story from someone not residing in the United States, we will work something out. Perhaps a signed photo of the editor with his dog. [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=178&show_all_t opics=0, 20 Jan 03] ----------------------------------------------------------------- MARKET INFORMATION 3SF Liz Holliday, editor of =3SF=, said, "I'm not, quite, in a position to read the back-slush in earnest yet. However, I am at least glancing at everything as it comes in (partly in case there are letters of comment attached.) "I thought the following reactions might be of interest: 1. 'Uh oh. Grammatical error in the first paragraph.' Back in envelope. 2. Long story. Good. Spaceship with aliens. Presses my buttons in the best way. Good. Damn --British person trying to spell American accent phonetically. Back in envelope. 3. Future crime story. Like those. Good. Error of fact--something I know from my own deeply personal experience--in first page. Back in envelope. 4. This is surreal. Don't generally like surreal. But it's fun. Okay, there's a proper rationale. Hmm. Still fun. Hey, I got to the end of the story and I'm smiling... umph. Not sure the logic quite works but... second hold pile, probably buy. "Note: I will read all the stories all the way through. None of them were by anyone I know personally, or from anyone I know to post anywhere on sffnet." [sff.publishing.3sfmagazine, 4 Feb 03] A writer on sff.net asked, "Just out of curiosity, how many unsolicited mss do you get in the average week?" Ms. Holliday answered, "At present, probably about 15 or 20, I would think. However, that's because I'm so backlogged with slush, I think. If I were up to date, it would be a lot more--and when I finally get down to serious reading, I expect to be inundated, because almost everyone will immediately send me the next stories in their queue." [sff.publishing.3sfmagazine, 4 Feb 03] Ms. Holliday said later, "Just so everyone knows what's happening: "Issue 3 was delayed (various causes, too dull to enumerate), but should be with us shortly. "Issue 4 is well in hand --look for a ToC soon. This issue should see us back on schedule. "I am keeping pace with the slush--essentially, I'm at least reading new stories as they arrive. I'm working my way through the email subs, but it's slow going (I did warn people I don't like reading off screen, she whimpered). Mind you, my wonderful and very expensive new monitor is helping a lot. I've also started taking piles of hardcopy subs around with me to read, which means that some of those people are beginning to get responses. I had said I'd clear the esubs first, but it doesn't make sense to waste time when I could be reading (eg on buses and the tube). However, what with the builders and such, the hardcopy subs are no longer in date order. Consequently, reported return times are going to look a bit erratic, but better that than nothing." [sff.publishing.3sfmagazine, 20 Feb 03] ABYSS & APEX Elizabeth Bear, editor of =Abyss & Apex=, said, "The =A&A= slushpile is totally clear, with the exception of two rewrite requests we're pondering. "If you have not heard from us on a submission, PLEASE query. We think we finally have the bugs out of the system. "We are closed for submissions until March one. "When we re-open, we'll be really looking for good SF. We have all the humor we can use for the rest of the year, and we have a nice selection of fantasy in stock, so your best bet is the character-driven SF stories. "Thanks to everybody who submitted. I'm just sorry we can't afford all the good stories that wander across our desks." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291&m=2810&sho w_all_topics=0, 4 Feb 03] ALCHEMY A writer on the =Speculations= Rumor Mill said about her story accepted by =Alchemy=, "Just to add a data point to this mysterious market, it's a first person, semi-literary piece based on New Orleansean mythology in which it's intimated that the narrator is a vampire." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=201&m=14924&sh ow_all_topics=0, 1 Feb 03] ANDROMEDA SPACEWAYS INFLIGHT MAGAZINE Robert Hoge, one of the editors of =Andromeda Spaceways=, said, "You'll be starting to see the =ASIM= responses flowing a bit smoother from here on in. For those who didn't know, our slush wrangler was out of action for a bit, which slowed us done. But... we're back." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=201&m=15044&sh ow_all_topics=0, 13 Feb 03] BLACK GATE A writer on sff.net asked, "Speaking of queries -- how is the slush pile going? For what time frame ought we be sending queries?" John O'Neil, editor of =Black Gate=, answered, "Great question. Now that #5 is finally out the door, I'm scheduled to begin another slush inventory, and a long-delayed marathon reading session. "I'll be able to give a much more complete assessment in a few weeks, when I've dug into the pile a little. I'll let you know." [sff.publishing.black-gate-magazine, 23 Feb 03] BLOODLUST-UK A writer on the Rumor Mill said, "I notice that the guidelines mentioned here a few days ago at http://www.bloodlust-uk.com/ submissionguidelines.txt have changed. Much clearer and more reasonable now, and has dropped the silly "if you have or run a web site, you can't submit" clause. Still a bit strident in how she puts things, but nothing overtly objectionable in the basic terms listed." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=204&m=4275&sho w_all_topics=0, 29 Jan 03] BRUTARIAN A writer on the Rumor Mill said, "Just to make sure it's clear: =Brutarian= does NOT accept email subs. Snail mail subs only. "Dom Salemi of =Brutarian= wants everyone to know that yes, the web site is gone, but the magazine is quite alive and thriving. So keep sending subs, expecting responses, buying issues, etc. There will be a new web site as soon as they can get it created. "E-mail is: brutarian1@juno.com. All subs and subscriptions to: PO Box 25222 Arlington, VA 22202-9222" [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291&show_all_t opics=0, 15 Feb 03] CENTURY A writer on the Rumor Mill said, "I e-mailed the editor at =Century= to pull a story and received a reply which said he is officially placing the magazine on hiatus (it's been there unofficially for a while). He does hope to revive it, but at the moment, it's in deep hibernation." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291&m=2810&sho w_all_topics=0, 2 Feb 03] DNA PUBLICATIONS Warren Lapine, publisher of DNA Publications, said, "Because I'm hearing that some folks are publicly predicting DNA's imminent collapse and using words such as hiding out and desperate in connection with myself, I've decided to post an explanation of what I've done to turn the company around. Normally, I do not like to do business in public and simply would not post this stuff online, but these have not been normal times. As I've been very up-front about DNA has been experiencing some rough going due to the prolonged recession. We assumed that things simply could not continue as they had been and that cash flow would eventually return to normal. That never happened so a couple of months ago I had to start making hard decisions. I contemplated shutting down two of the fiction magazines. Several years ago when we chose not to renew our contract with =Aboriginal=, I was inundated with complaints from people who were angry with me for not letting the readers know that the magazine might stop publishing. All them expressed to me that they would have renewed their subscriptions to help out. Because of this, I believed that I needed to go to the readership before making such a decision. Ultimately, I was probably wrong in doing that. A number of people who, for what ever reason, don't like me or who just enjoy a juicy bit of gossip used that letter as an excuse to stir up trouble and began questioning whether or not DNA could survive. I believe that the letter was quite clear that this was a question of whether or not a couple of our fiction magazines could remain viable not whether or not DNA could. I was poised to make hard changes if they were called for. But there was never any question as to whether or not DNA would survive, DNA is now primarily driven by two nonfiction magazines. The recession seems to have effected people's willingness to spend money on entertainment(i.e. fiction magazines), but not on information. Both =Chronicle= and =The Whole Cat Journal= are doing well. That said, some changes needed to be made. "When I sat down to do my 2003 financial projections, I decided to make them as austere as possible. I started with the premise that DNA might take in 20% less income than it did in 2002. There is almost no possible way that this could actually happen, but I want a strong healthy company that can weather any storm. When 911 happened we survived the economic fall out by having a large cash reserve. My intention is to get back to that place. I then went over what each magazine cost me and what it would need to cost me in order to make it through such as year. Once I had that number I made some decisions. The first one was to go back to newsprint with the fiction magazines. The other was to go to my printers and tell them that I needed my prices reduced. I gave them a target price and told then that these new prices were not subject to negotiation. Meet them or I would find someone else who would. The current market place has been very unkind to printers. Just a few years ago catalog printing was the bulk of most large printers business. Now with the web a huge number of companies have stopped printing catalogs. They simply e-mail customers to let them know that their website has been updated. Neither of the printers that I am with were happy with the price I gave them, but neither could afford to lose the business so they reduced my print prices. This lowered my print expenses by $30,000 a year. We then went out and really hustled selling ads for =Chronicle= and =The Whole Cat Journal=. It took some wheeling and dealing, but we managed to get new contracts in the amount of about $10,000.00 for the two of them. Today my amount rep at IPD told me that the first issue of =Whole Cat Journal= (my distributer's first, actually our third) had the best sell through of any new magazine that she had ever seen. Of course, even though we now have three issues in the system, we're still six weeks away from our first check and six months away from the first check that will represent the actual sell through. By the end of February, all of the fiction magazines will be breaking even again and both =Chronicle= and =The Whole Cat Journal= will be profitable. Because of the nature of magazine publishing it takes time for these changes to bear fruits. Over the last few months we have been forced to pay some bills slower than I would have liked. And it will still be months before our cash flow problems are completely corrected by these changes, but they will be corrected. This month marks my tenth year in this business it is my firm intention to be here ten years from now." [sff.publishing.dnapublications, 6 Feb 03] FORTEAN BUREAU Kimberley Bradford, editor of =Fortean Bureau=, said, "Now through March 5th I'm accepting submissions for a special themed issue of the =Fortean Bureau= scheduled for April 2003. I'm looking for weird stories, as always, with a mythological or fairy tale sensibility. Stories can be based on myth, folktale, etc. or not. What I don't want is straight retellings, or dark retellings, or erotic retellings, or anything usual. I want unusual, weird, fortean. "The usual submission guidelines apply, please see our website for details. When you submit, please indicate in your cover letter that you're subbing for the April issue. And if you're still confused by what might be considered "fortean" take a look at our current and past isses. We have some really good fiction. "We'll also continue to accept stories for our other issues during this time." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291&m=2810&sho w_all_topics=0, 30 Jan 03] FREQUENCY A writer on the Rumor Mill said regarding =Frequency=, "I have sent a number of emails over the past months. Some of these were in regard to fiction submissions. Others were in regard to reviews of audiobooks I'd written, which =Frequency='s publisher had published, but not paid me what I thought we'd agreed to. I have never received an answer to any of these messages." Another writer said, "After several unanswered queries and a story held for seven months or so, I gave up on =Frequency= completely ages ago." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291&m=2810&sho w_all_topics=0, 26 Jan 03] GOTHIC.NET A writer on the Rumor Mill said, "=Gothic.net= . . . has suspended publishing new material til Nov 2003." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=201&m=14964&sh ow_all_topics=0, 7 Feb 03] Another writer responded, "=Gothic.net= has apparently decided not to purchase fiction again until October; in the meantime, they've opened up their content so it's free to view again. The latest editorial by Darren Mckeeman has some more info; it indicates that they'll be changing the way in which they purchase content in October, though it doesn't say what the new way will be. (Unless that just means that they'll be running more donated material and less purchased material.)" A third writer added, "Here's an excerpt from an e-mail I had forwarded to me. Might clarify that point on how they're to be purchasing content. "Dear =Gothic.Net= Paid Member: "If you've visited the site today, you are no doubt aware of the changes we've made to it. First, we've made reading the fiction free to all people again. Some of you no doubt paid for your account because you couldn't read the fiction. We're sorry to change horses in mid-stream on you like this, but we're really not sure exactly how to make money at this so we are guessing. What we have done now is convert all paid accounts over to our new system and added two years from this date onto the accounts. As a paid user, you can post comments, vote in polls, and select different color schemes for the website. We've also made it a requirement that people who pay are the only people that can submit material. We'll be working on the site for the next few days, so expect a few of these options (color scheme changes) to not be active. "We are going on hiatus from March 1st until October 1st. Basically, this means that we won't be buying anything during that period. We are also going to be making the site depend on a lot more donated material or items. We are adding a quick 'news' section to the site for news items. Basically, we want to turn this into the one site that you will want to visit every day for anything that might be going on in the world of really spooky stuff. "This is our request to you, our most faithful readers--please be patient and help out however you can. If you see a news item that you think would fit with us, write up something quick about it. If you feel a huge need to donate poetry or short stories, please do. Write reviews, or suggest links. We have changed the underlying structure of the site to be more reliable--give us feedback on that as well. Every little bit helps." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291&show_all_t opics=0, 10 Feb 03] THE PALACE OF REASON Francis W. Porretto, publisher of =The Palace of Reason=, said, "I must announce, with great reluctance, that, owing to the resignation of our Fiction Editor, the =Palace of Reason= will be closed to Fiction submissions for the immediate future, effective immediately. "If you have already submitted a story, it will be considered for the April edition, which will appear as scheduled. After that, we'll be on a (hopefully brief) hiatus while I try to replace Pat." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291&show_all_t opics=0, 19 Feb 03] REALMS OF FANTASY When asked by a writer on sff.net what =Realms of Fantasy= was getting too much of, editorial assistant Carina Gonzalez answered, "I'm not sure if you want my opinion or Shawna's on this. . . . "I personally tire of getting Tolkien copiers and yet another story about the dragon and the princess. Since it's such a favorite, everyone wants to write about it, but they seldom do it well. "I'm also not fond of stories where they take already existing characters from say mythology or even television and put them in comical situations. Like "Zeus and the Tale of Why He Wears Sandals" or "Buffy the Bunny Slayer." They just rarely work. "My best advice is...if you think something like what you're submitting has been done before, change something. I can say I DO get a nice variety. It's usually not the content or creativity that gets someone rejected on my end, it's the writing itself." [sff.publishing.realms-of-fantasy, 4 Feb 03] SCI FICTION A writer on the Rumor Mill said, "I just got a response from =Scifi.com=. They returned my submission unread because, I'd violated their guidelines. When they say to send no more than one story at a time, they mean it." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291&show_all_t opics=0, 19 Feb 03] SF-F.ORG A writer on the Rumor Mill said, "Just got an E-mail from =sf-f.org= magazine. They'll be closed until April." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=201&show_all_t opics=0, 23 Feb 03] Another writer said, "OK, *now* I'm confused! I just got an email from =sf-f.org= saying: 'Regretfully, we are closing our magazine to new submissions until after April 1, 2003. If you wish to submit again after that date, we will be happy to read your submission.' "Yet the =sf-f.org= website still says on its guidelines page only that 'Deadline for the Spring issue is April 20th'--no mention of a start date. Anyone else seen an announcement about their only being open after 1st April anywhere?" [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=204&show_all_t opics=0, 23 Feb 03] STRANGE HORIZONS Mary Anne Mohanraj, managing editor of =Strange Horizons=, said, "We're delighted to announce that the IRS has awarded =Strange Horizons= provisional tax-exempt status as a publically supported non-profit organization. This determination is valid until the end of 2004, at which time they'll make a final determination (which we expect to be favorable). What this means for us: we can now apply for arts grants, and any individuals and organizations that donate to us will receive a tax deduction for doing so. This is terrific support for our long-term financial stability. "What this means for you: a) any donations made to =Strange Horizons= in 2000, 2001, and 2002 are tax-deductible (though you may want to consult a tax attorney before claiming donations from 2000 or 2001); b) any donations made in 2003 and 2004 will be tax-deductible. If your workplace offers a matching funds program for charitable donations, you may also apply to that program for your contribution to =Strange Horizons=. If you donated more than $250 to us in the previous years, please contact our managing editor, Brian Peters (management@strangehorizons.com), for a copy of the necessary documentation to support your IRS claim. "Thank you so much for your support, in the past, present, and future!" [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291&show_all_t opics=0, 16 Feb 03] SWORD & SORCERESS 21 A writer on the Rumor Mill said, "Second-hand report: Diana Paxson has taken over =S&S #21= and is editing it now, and DAW gave it an extension." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=204&show_all_t opics=0, 21 Feb 03] TALES OF THE UNANTICIPATED A writer on the Rumor Mill said of Eric Heidemann, editor of =Tales of the Unanticipated=, "Eric reports he is down to 34 stories, from which he will chose 15 to publish." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=201&m=15044&sh ow_all_topics=0, 23 Feb 03] TERRA INCOGNITA Ralan Conley says of =Terra Incognita=, "On indefinite hiatus--do Not Submit Here!" [www.ralan.com] UNDERWORLDS A writer on the Rumor Mill said, "Tom Deja reported on an email list that he had been 'ousted' as editor of =Underworlds= magazine, and that all accepted works should be 'resubmitted.' "Their website still refers to him as 'editor-for-life.' Obviously developing." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291&show_all_t opics=0, 13 Feb 03] ==End of the CALLIHOO Newsletter for 25 February 2003==