CALLIHOO Newsletter Market News for Writers of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Julia West, Editor Vol. 10, No. 4 28 May 2002 Website: http://www.sff.net/people/julia.west/CALLIHOO/index.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------- IN THIS ISSUE News Publication Notes CONduit 12 Deadlines Anthologies The Book of More Flesh (gls) Toward the Livable City (gls) Contest Second Annual Dr. Maximilian Tundra Memorial Poetry and Short Speculative Fiction Contest (gls) Market Guidelines Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine (gls) Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine (gls) Market Information Black Petals (closed 'til Sept) Burning Sky (closed 'til June) Dark Regions (hiatus) Elysian Fiction Frequency Kimota (hiatus) New Genre Nuketown (no fiction) Playboy Scheherazade The Third Alternative The Urbanite Vacancy ----------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS PUBLICATION NOTES Ken Rand's story "Tail by the Tiger, Bull by the Horn," will appear in =Oceans of the Mind= (www.oceansofthemind.com) in June. CONDUIT 12 Pat Christian (a Utah valley writer) attended CONduit 12 as his first-ever science fiction convention. A photographer and newspaper writer, Pat has chronicled his experiences at the convention at http://patchristian.com/Conduit2002.html. Come take a look! Ye editor (Julia West) appears in a couple of the pics (holding a book in the Using Folksongs in Your Writing panel and sitting next to filker Kathy Mar in Filking the Stars). ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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.) BYLINE SHORT-SHORT STORY CONTEST Deadline 5 June 2002 [Contest, general short story to 2,000 words. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $70, $35, $20. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 25)] DEATHLINGS.COM "THE 70S WERE HELL AND WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT" AND "WORKING STIFFS: THE DARK SIDE OF WORK" CONTESTS Deadline 15 Jun 2002 [Use contests to submit to magazines. H/DF to 4,000 wds. Pays 3 cents/wd. E-mail subs only. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 6 and Vol. 10 No. 3)] TOWARD THE LIVABLE CITY Deadline 15 June 2002 [Print antho, works about the livable city 1,400 to 7,000 wds. Pays $50 for web pub, $500 for book pub. E-mail subs okay. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 4)] IMAGININGS Deadline 15 June 2002 [Print anthology, SF/F 8,000-15,000 wds, pays $950 per story + 10% royalties. No reprints or E-mail subm. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 4 and No. 14)] BYLINE JUVENILE SHORT STORY CONTEST Deadline 25 June 2002 [Fiction for ages 5 to 8; 9 to 12; or 13 to 16. State targeted age group on ms. 3,000 words max. Entry fee $4. Prizes: $40, $30, $15. GLs in Vol. 9 No. 25)] THE 44TH ANNUAL UTAH ORIGINAL WRITING COMPETITION Deadline 28 Jun 2002 [Contest, Utah residents only. Novel, gen nonfic, poetry collection, juv book 1st $1,000, 2nd $750. Poetry, short story, personal essay 1st $300 2nd $200. No E-mail subs. No entry fee. Contest format; include submission card. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 3)] DOWNSTATE STORY MAGAZINE Yearly Deadline 30 June 2002 [Annual literary printzine, genre fiction to 2,000 wds. Pays $50/story on accept. No reprints or E-mail subs. Buys 10 stories/year. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 6)] GLIMMER TRAIN'S FICTION OPEN Deadline 30 Jun 2002 [Contest, all genres and lengths. No reprints. Mult subs okay. No sim subs. 1st place $2,000, 2nd $1,000, 3rd $600. $15 reading fee per entry. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 1)] IDEOMANCER UNBOUND Deadline 30 June 2002 [Ebook antho, SF/F/H 1,000-5,000 wds, pays $20 on accept +royalties. No sim or mult subs or reprints. E-mail subs only. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 19)] IRREANTUM FICTION CONTEST Deadline 30 June 2002 [Mormon fiction contest, fiction (incl SF/F/H) to 8500 wds. 1st $100, 2nd $75, 3rd $50 + pub in =Irreantum=. Contest format. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 23)] LEAPS OF FAITH Deadline 30 June 2002 [Christian E-book SF antho, SF 3,000 to 10,000 wds. Pays royalties. Reprints and mult subs okay. E-mail subs only. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 21)] WRITERS OF THE FUTURE, 3RD QUARTER 2002 Deadline 30 June 2002 [$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)] CAFE IRREAL ISSUE #8 (AUGUST 2002) Deadline 1 July 2002 [Semiannual webzine, "irreal" fiction to 2,000 wds. Pays 1 cent/wd. E-mail subm. only. No sim subs or reprints. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 6)] THE VESTAL REVIEW SECOND ANNIVERSARY ISSUE, #10: MAGIC REALISM Deadline 1 July 2002 [Quarterly webzine, short-short stories to 500 words, pays 3-10 cents/wd, $25 flat fee for stories of merit. No reprints, no hard SF. Sim & mult subm okay. Electronic subm only. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 1 and Vol. 10 No. 3)] BYLINE SHORT STORY CONTEST Deadline 3 July 2002 [Fiction, any topic, to 5,000 wds. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $70, $35, $20. GLs in Vol. 9 No. 25)] LOW PORT Deadline 15 July 2002 [Open antho, SF/F 3,000 to 10,000 wds, pays 5-8 cents/wd. on accept, reading betw. Sept 2001 and July 2002. No electronic subm. (GLs in Vol. 9, No. 1)] NOVELBOOKS SPACE STATION STORY CONTEST Deadline 15 July 2002 [Contest, SF abt. space station <5000 wds. $25 entry fee. Mult subs okay; each must have entry fee and entry form. 1st $100, 2nd $75, 3rd $50 + pub. E-mail subs only. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 2)] NEW CENTURY WRITER AWARDS Deadline 31 July 2002 [Contest, screenplay or stage play any style, theme, or genre. $30 entry fee. Screenplay 1st $3000, 2nd $1500, 3rd $500, 4th-10th $200 each. Stage play 1st $2000, 2nd $1000, 3rd $500, 4th-10th $200 each. Mult. subs. okay. No e-mail subs. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 16)] OCEANS OF THE MIND FALL 2002 ISSUE: MYSTERIES Deadline 1 August 2002 [Quarterly e-mailzine in .pdf format. SF to 8,000 words. Pays 5 cents/word & up. Themed. Prefers E-mail subs. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 7 and Vol. 10 No. 3)] BYLINE 1ST CHAPTER OF A NOVEL CONTEST Deadline 6 August 2002 [Opening chapt unpub novel. Mainstream or genre; adult or YA. Max 25 pp. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $70, $40, $20. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 25)] THE BOOK OF MORE FLESH Deadline 16 Aug 2002 [Print antho, zombie fiction 3,000-7,000 wds. Pays 3-5 cents/wd. 30 days after pub. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 4)] DEATHLINGS.COM "THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT" CONTEST Deadline 1 September 2002 [Use contests to submit to magazines. H/DF to 4,000 wds. Pays 3 cents/wd. E-mail subs only. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 6 and Vol. 10 No. 3)] BYLINE GENRE FICTION CONTEST Deadline 5 September 2002 [Romance, sci-fi, confession, mystery, western, etc. story. No children's stories. Maximum 5,000 words. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $50, $30, $15. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 25)] THE SECOND ANNUAL DR. MAXIMILIAN TUNDRA MEMORIAL POETRY AND SHORT SPECULATIVE FICTION CONTEST Deadline 14 Sep 2002 [Contest. Spec fic 1,000-2,000 wds. Prize: $150C and pub in journal. Hon mention pub on website and in journal. Entry fee $10C from Canada, $10US elsewhere. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 4)] UPC SCIENCE FICTION AWARD Deadline 14 September 2002 [European contest, SF (Catalan, Spanish, English, or French) 70 to 115 pp. Prizes 6,000 and 1,500 Euros +pub. No reprints or E- mail subs. Submit in contest format. No entrance fee. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 20)] 2002 ZOETROPE: ALL-STORY SHORT FICTION CONTEST Deadline 1 Oct 2002 [Contest. Fiction to 5,000 wds. 1st $1000, 2nd $500, 3rd $250. No reprints. $15 entry fee per story. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 3)] BYLINE FLASH FICTION CONTEST Deadline 5 October 2002 [Short story or vignette under 1,000 words, which nevertheless feels complete. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $50, $30, $15. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 25)] MOTA: AN ANNUAL ANTHOLOGY OF FINE FICTION Deadline 1 November 2002 [Annual antho, fiction to 10,000 wds (to 8,000 wds preferred). Pays $100 on pub. Mult subs and reprints okay. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 9)] OCEANS OF THE MIND WINTER 2002 ISSUE: CANADIAN WRITERS Deadline 1 November 2002 [Quarterly e-mailzine in .pdf format. SF to 8,000 words. Pays 5 cents/word & up. Themed. Prefers E-mail subs. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 7 and Vol. 10 No. 3)] BYLINE NEW-TALENT SHORT STORY CONTEST Deadline 4 November 2002 [Writer who's never won a cash prize in a ByLine fiction contest. Max 5,000 words. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $50, $35, $25, $15. GLs in Vol. 9 No. 25)] THE NATIONAL FANTASY FAN FEDERATION SHORT STORY CONTEST Deadline 1 December 2002 [Contest, SF/F/H. 1st place $50, 2nd $30, 3rd $20. Reading fee $2.00. No E-mail subs. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 1)] BYLINE SHORT-SHORT STORY CONTEST Deadline 5 December 2002 [Short story, any type or subject, to 2,000 words. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $60, $30, $20. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 25)] THE MOONLIGHT & MAGNOLIA FICTION WRITING CONTEST: SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY, HORROR Deadline 15 December 2002 [Annual competition for new writers, SF/F/H to 10,000 wds. No reprints. Prizes: 1st $250, 2nd $100, 3rd $50. Entry fee $7.50 per story ($2.50 2nd and thereafter to 3 entries). (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 17)] OCEANS OF THE MIND SPRING 2003 ISSUE: WOMEN WRITERS Deadline 1 February 2003 [Quarterly e-mailzine in .pdf format. SF to 8,000 words. Pays 5 cents/word & up. Themed. Prefers E-mail subs. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 7 and Vol. 10 No. 3)] POLYPHONY: STORIES BEYOND GENRE ANTHOLOGY Probably opens 1 Mar 2003 [Biannual print antho, slipstream/magical realism. Pays 5 cents/wd on accept. First open reading period abt. 1 Mar 2003. (GLs in Vol. 9 No. 22)] ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANTHOLOGIES THE BOOK OF MORE FLESH [Print antho, zombie fiction 3,000-7,000 wds. Pays 3-5 cents/wd. 30 days after pub. Deadline 16 Aug 2002.] James Lowder, editor 15120 West Mayflower Court New Berlin, WI 53151 (262) 821-1134 Queries only: gawain@execpc.com =The Book of More Flesh= zombie fiction anthology Editor James Lowder is seeking submissions for =The Book of More Flesh=. A follow-up to the successful =The Book of All Flesh=, the anthology is scheduled for publication in October 2002. As with the initial volume, the new collection will showcase tales of zombies and the walking dead with a variety of settings, tones, and approaches to the subject matter. Writers are strongly advised to be familiar with =The Book of All Flesh=, and to offer stories different from the ones found there. =The Book of All Flesh= (ISBN: 1-891153-87-0) is available from Amazon.com and other bookstores, game and hobby stores, and the publisher's online store, which can be found by following the links at their web site's home page: http://www.edenstudios.net/ Writers are encouraged to be inventive about the use of zombies, their origins, and their powers. All genres will be considered. Gore and sexual situations are acceptable, but only if justified by the plot or theme. Including serial characters in your work is fine, so long as the story stands alone and the character is accessible to readers from this story alone. As with =The Book of All Flesh=, =The Book of More Flesh= will be released in conjunction with Eden Studio's All Flesh Must Be Eaten(tm) roleplaying game. Writers are welcome to use settings or characters already published in All Flesh Must Be Eaten roleplaying supplements (but not the original =Book of All Flesh= anthology). If you do, a slightly modified contract will be required (to make it clear who owns what), but base copyright remains with the writer. Information about the All Flesh RPG can be found at http://www.edenstudios.net/ THE NITTY GRITTY: * Story deadline: August 16th, 2002 * Length: 3,000 to 7,000 words. * Pay: 3 to 5 cents/word, paid within 30 days of publication. * Rights: first world rights in English, republication rights for anthology as whole (with additional payments made for such use). EDITOR CONTACT INFORMATION: James Lowder, 15120 West Mayflower Court, New Berlin, WI 53151 (262) 821-1134 gawain@execpc.com (queries only; all submissions by mail) ALL FLESH MUST BE EATEN is a trademark of Eden Studios; All Rights Reserved. [sff.publishing.news, 18 May 2002] TOWARD THE LIVABLE CITY [Print antho, works about the livable city 1,400 to 7,000 wds. Pays $50 for web pub, $500 for book pub. E-mail subs okay. Deadline 15 June 2002.] Editor, Milkweed Editions 1011 Washington Ave. South, Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN 55415 Submissions: editor@milkweed.org http://www.worldashome.org Where and how do urban habitats intersect with and shape our lives, our sense of self and our world? The press is accepting submissions of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction that address the concept of the livable city. Submissions are open from February 1, 2002 until June 15, 2002. Pieces will be selected first for presentation in a special area of Milkweed's website and then for a book to be published in summer 2003, tentatively titled =Toward the Livable City=. Writers will receive honoraria for each level of publication: $50 for web publication; an additional $500 for pieces selected for the book. Multicultural perspectives are encouraged, from Native American to recent immigrant groups. Send prose works between 1,400 and 7,000 words and/or up to four poems of any length that speak creatively to the issue and/or concept of the livable city to editor@milkweed.org (subject line should read: "Toward the Livable City"). SASE for returns. Writers who submit online will receive an email response. This project was launched in November 2001 with a workshop called "Sprawl: Toward the Livable City" cosponsored by Milkweed Editions and The Loft Literary Center. The workshop and publishing project are funded by a grant from the Jerome Foundation. ----------------------------------------------------------------- CONTEST THE SECOND ANNUAL DR. MAXIMILIAN TUNDRA MEMORIAL POETRY AND SHORT SPECULATIVE FICTION CONTEST [Contest. Spec fic 1,000-2,000 wds. Prize: $150C and pub in journal. Hon mention pub on website and in journal. Deadline 14 Sep 2002. Entry fee $10C from Canada, $10US elsewhere.] Deadline: September 14, 2002 Prize: $150 (Can) and publication in our annual journal Submit: by mail or online Categories: Speculative Poetry and Short Fiction The Contest The Emily Chesley Reading Circle is dedicated to furthering the study of Emily Chesley, a long-overlooked Canadian speculative fiction writer of the Victorian period, who lived for some time in the London, Ontario region (1880-1922). One of the founders of the Circle was Dr. Maximilian Tundra. As one of Emily's most tireless advocates, he also launched the first official chapter of the Circle, in London, England. Dr. Tundra died quite tragically less than a year later. In memory of Dr. Tundra's efforts at rehabilitating Emily Chesley's memory, we have created the Tundra Prize. Categories Poetry: * Must rhyme. * For inspiration, look to the immortal poet of Spidgy-on-the- Thames, the raunchy war poetry of Banger McReady, or the work of Emily Chesley herself. * Submit one or two poems of up to 100 lines each Short Speculative Fiction: * Short speculative fiction story (1000-2000 words) * For inspiration, read about Emily Chesley's works at the website, or check out previous winners and some of her most recently published stories * Themes include: sexual freedom, totalitarian states, class division, paternalistic power, Norwegians, gender roles, space exploration, genetic mutations, alien invasion, etc. [http://www.emilychesley.com/contest/] Prizes in each category: Laudable mentions: Publication on the website and in =The Meanderings of the Emily Chesley Reading Circle= The Tundra Prize * Publication on the website and in =The Meanderings of the Emily Chesley Reading Circle= (2 cc) * $150 CAN cash prize * Authentic Emily Chesley Reading Circle baseball cap * Invitation to join the Circle as a visiting scholar for a meeting of your choice (must be between January-October 2003). * All "reading" expenses covered by the Circle Entry fee: $10 (CAN) for Canadian entries; $10 (US) for all other countries Deadline: September 14, 2002 Prizes announced: December 14, 2002 =The Meanderings of the Emily Chesley Reading Circle= (2nd Annual) published: May 24, 2003 [http://www.emilychesley.com/contest/prizes.htm] ----------------------------------------------------------------- MARKET GUIDELINES ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE [11 times/yr printzine. Mystery fic (can include spec fic or supernatural) to 15,000 wds. Pays from 8 cents/wd. No reprints, sim or E-mail subs.] 475 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10016 http://www.mysterypages.com/AHMM.html Founded in 1956, =Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine= is the second oldest mystery short story magazine in existence--and the biggest seller. Digest-sized, 144 pages long, AHMM is published eleven times a year, with a special summer double issue in July/August. Each issue is packed with new, never-before-published mystery short stories--at least seven stories varying in length from short-shorts to fifteen thousand words or more--and each issue also contains one "Mystery Classic," an outstanding tale from the genre's past. AHMM's authors include some of the best and best-known writers around--Jeffery Deaver, Walter Satterthwait, Jan Burke, Joseph Hansen, for instance-- as well as new writers. Stories in AHMM have won Edgars, Shamuses, and a bunch of Robert L. Fish awards for Best First Mystery Short Story of the year. A wide range of styles is represented in AHMM, and every subgenre of mystery fiction, from the classic whodunit to the hardboiled, is covered. Also in every issue . . . * a "Mysterious Photograph" contest (readers can submit their own 250 word story about what might be going on in an imagination- stirring photograph; the winning story will be published in AHMM); * "Unsolved," a logic puzzle built around a crime; * "Booked and Printed," book reviews by our inimitable Mary Cannon; * the "Editor's Notes," wherein new authors are introduced and readers are brought up to date on authors they are familiar with. [http://www.mysterypages.com/AHMM.html] Finding new authors is a great pleasure for all of us here, and we look forward to reading the fiction you send us. Since we do read all submissions, there is no need to query first; please send the entire story. You don't need an agent. Content: Because this is a mystery magazine, the stories we buy must fall into that genre in some sense or another. We are interested in nearly every kind of mystery, however: stories of detection of the classic kind, police procedurals, private eye tales, suspense, courtroom dramas, stories of espionage, and so on. We ask only that the story be about a crime (or the threat or fear of one). We sometimes accept ghost stories or supernatural tales, but those also should involve a crime. You might find it useful to read one or more issues of AHMM; that should give you an idea of the kind of fiction we buy. For a sample copy mailed to a U.S. or Canada address, send a check made out to AHMM for $5.00 to the address above. Style: We prefer that stories not be longer than 15,000 words; most of the stories in the magazine are considerably shorter than that. They should, of course, be well-written. We are looking for stories that have not been previously published elsewhere, and among them for those that are fresh, well-told, and absorbing. They should be entirely fiction: please do not send us stories based on actual crimes, for instance, or other real-life events. Manuscript preparation: Manuscripts should be typed on plain white paper (not erasable paper) and double-spaced (not space-and-a-half), with your name and address at the top of the first page. The title of the story as well as the byline you want to use should be on the first page of the story also. (We prefer that there not be a separate title page.) If you use a word processor, please do not justify the right-hand margin. Every page of the story should be numbered, preferably in the upper right-hand corner. If you number the pages by hand, be sure before you start that no page has been omitted. Do not use the italic, large-size, or boldface characters some computers are capable of generating. Underline words to indicate italics. Indent for each paragraph. Do not leave 1-line spaces between paragraphs. The number of lines per page should be uniform, or mostly so. Stories should be mailed to us flat, with the pages bound together by a paper clip only--not stapled or enclosed in a binder. A cover letter isn't necessary. If you want the manuscript returned in the event we cannot use it, you must include a self-addressed stamped envelope; contributors outside the U.S.A. should send International Reply Coupons in lieu of stamps. If you have sent us a photocopy and do not want it back, please advise us of that and enclose a smaller SASE for our response. Please keep a copy of any material submitted, since we cannot be responsible for lost or misdelivered mail. We do not accept manuscripts by E-mail or fax. Revisions: Revised versions of a story should be submitted only on our request as a rule. At the very least, tell us in a cover letter that the story has been submitted before but has been revised, and explain how. Rates: =Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine= pays .08 cents per word (sometimes higher for established authors). NOTE: Stories submitted to AHMM are not also considered by or for Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine though we share the same address. Submissions to EQMM must be made separately. We do not accept simultaneous submissions. Last updated: 05/31/01 [http://www.mysterypages.com/guidelines2.html#Alfred] ELLERY QUEEN'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE [11 times/yr. printzine, detective/crime/mystery fic (including spec fic) to 20,000 wds (4,000-6,000 preferred). Pays 3-8 cents/wd. RT 3 mo. No E-mail subs.] Janet Hutchings, editor Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine 475 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10016 http://www.mysterypages.com/EQMM.html THE WORLD'S LEADING MYSTERY MAGAZINE For 59 years, =Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine=--the publication that leads the genre in critical acclaim, with 55 major awards and nominations just since 1990!--has been bringing readers the creme de la creme of short mystery fiction. Reaching mystery fans in every corner of the United States, and in other countries around the world, was one of Ellery Queen's first goals for EQMM. In our better than half a century of publication, =Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine= has been translated into more languages than virtually any other American magazine. The Internet offers us a new opportunity to extend our availability worldwide. Now, with the launch of our web page, readers will have instant global access to some of the magazine's most popular features, including Jon L. Breen's book review column "The Jury Box" and excerpts from our extraordinary lineup of fiction. You'll find the most celebrated crime writers in the world in every single print issue of =Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine=: Lawrence Block, Ruth Rendell, John Mortimer, Joyce Carol Oates, Carolyn G. Hart, Ray Bradbury, John Harvey and many, many more. The magazine is a compact 5 3/8" x 8 1/2", designed for easy carrying. It contains 144 pages and is published 11 times per year, with a special double issue in Sept/Oct. [http://www.mysterypages.com/EQMM.html] =Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine= is always in the market for the best detective, crime, and mystery stories being written today-- by new writers as well as by "name" writers. We have no editorial taboos except those of bad taste. We publish every kind of mystery: the suspense story, the psychological study, the deductive puzzle--the gamut of crime and detection from the realistic (including the policeman's lot and stories of police procedure) to the more imaginative (including "locked rooms" and "impossible crimes"). We need private-eye stories, but do not want sex, sadism, or sensationalism-for-the-sake-of- sensationalism. We especially are interested in "first" stories- -by authors who have never published fiction professionally before--and have published more than 700 first stories since EQMM's inception. =Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine= has been published continuously since 1941, and critics agree it is the world's leading mystery magazine. From the beginning there have been three criteria --quality of writing, originality of plot, and professional craftsmanship. These criteria still hold and always will. The most practical way to find out what EQMM wants is to read EQMM: Every issue will tell you all you need to know of our standards and of our diversified approach. To receive a sample copy send a check or money order for $5.00 and a 6 x 9 self-addressed stamped envelope. We use stories of almost every length. 4,000-6,000 is the preferred range, but we occasionally use stories up to 10,000 words and feature one or two short novels (up to 20,000 words) each year. Short-shorts of 1,500-2,000 words are also welcome. Our rates for original stories are from 3 to 8 cents a word, occasionally higher for established authors. We urge you to support the high standards of EQMM by writing the best mystery stories of our time, and by giving EQMM first chance to publish them. Note to beginners: It is not necessary to query us as to subject matter or to ask permission to submit a story. We do not want fact-detective cases or true stories; this is a fiction magazine. All manuscripts should be typed on one side of the paper and double-spaced. If you would like the manuscript returned in the event that we cannot use it, please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope of suitable size. If you do not want the manuscript returned, please indicate this and enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply; if outside the U.S., please use International Postal Reply coupons for return postage. Please designate those manuscripts intended for our Department of First Stories. We cannot provide criticism on stories. Response time is three months. Please do not call the editorial offices. Submissions can be addressed to: Janet Hutchings, editor, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, 475 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016 [http://www.mysterypages.com/guidelines1.html ----------------------------------------------------------------- MARKET INFORMATION BLACK PETALS A writer on the =Speculations= Rumor Mill said, "=Black Petals= is closed to submissions until September 1st." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291, 24 May 2002] BURNING SKY A writer on the Rumor Mill said, "=Burning Sky= is closed to submissions until the June issue is released." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291, 24 May 2002] DARK REGIONS A writer on the Rumor Mill notes that =Dark Regions Magazine= is on hiatus until further notice, according to their website. [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=221, 25 May 2002] ELYSIAN FICTION Jim Bailey, editor of =Elysian Fiction=, said, "Well, after catching up on my sleep after posting issue #2, I sat down, lined up the slush I had been ignoring, and here's the score: "Since Feb 1st, there are 91 stories in the pile. 15 from Feb 35 from March 22 from April 19 from May so far. "So back to the grindstone." [sff.publishing.elysian-fiction, 21 May 2002] FREQUENCY jeremy@frequencypublishing.com said,"=Frequency= is NOT dead --it's in recovery. We've had a rough year. A couple of computer crashes, a couple of server crashes, a change of ISP, and oh yeah, our founding partnership split. And some things got lost in the shuffle, for which I apologize. Send something in now--I'll be better with turnaround times and responses." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=79, 24 May 2002] KIMOTA A writer on the Rumor Mill said, "UK mag =Kimota= is on indefinite hiatus and accepted stories are being returned." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291, 25 May 2002] NEW GENRE Adam Golaski, horror fiction editor for =New Genre=, said, "[Those] "speculating" on the whereabouts of =New Genre=. . . . We are still very much alive and well (I know: I just sent checks to the authors in issue #3, which will be out in July). And, as you all guessed, we are WAY behind with submissions. Why? We're bad people & we're happily swamped. Keep 'em coming, but feel free to send simultaneous submissions--just tell us when the competition has beaten us out and bought your work. For updates --and there will be one in the next week or so--visit www.ngenre.com." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=204, 23 May 2002] NUKETOWN Kirsten Lincoln, fiction editor of =Nuketown=, said, "I just wanted to reconfirm that fact that =Nuketown= has closed its doors to fiction. I was kind of waiting until Ken announced it, but as the news leaked out I guess I can say something, too. "Thanks to all . . . who contributed over the time I've been editor there. I am sorry Ken can't afford to keep up the fiction part of the website, as I've really had fun reading the slush pile." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291, 26 May 2002] PLAYBOY A writer on the Rumor Mill said, "Most pros, including those who have sold fiction to =Playboy=, are now considering it a dead market to SF, now that Alice Turner is gone." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=201&m=12063, 21 May 2002] SCHEHERAZADE When asked what the pay rate for British magazine =Scheherazade= was, editor Liz Counihan said, "Up to L30 (depending on length) plus copy of the magazine containing the story." When asked when they'd open for submissions again, she said, "We only closed last month [April 2002] so there will be a bit of a wait--at least six months, maybe more. The reason is I have enough material for about four issues and I don't like to keep writers waiting forever when they could be selling elsewhere. "I'll let people know via the website and the magazine." [E-mail from Liz Counihan dated 19 May 2002] THE THIRD ALTERNATIVE Andy Cox, editor of =The Third Alternative=, said, "Just wanted to quickly say that =The 3rd Alternative= will be paying for fiction *on acceptance* from now on." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291, 27 May 2002] THE URBANITE A writer on the Rumor Mill said, "[Heard] from =Urbanite= today, with a note that says they're going to an annual paperback anthology format (published by Catalyst Books). No themes, they want dark fiction, payment 3 cents a word." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291, 23 May 2002] VACANCY Jon Hodges, publisher/editor of =Vacancy= audio webzine, said, "=Vacancy, The Webzine of Spectral Murmurings= [http://www.blindside.net/Vacancy/], has updated its guidelines. Most notably: * Previously only reprints were accepted. Now I'll read both reprints and originals * Previously only supernatural stories/poems were accepted. Now I'll read anything so long as it has the potential to be interpreted as told from a ghost. This does not mean only first person stories or stories blatantly told by ghosts, only the potential for interpretation need be there. If you're not sure submit anyway and I'll be the judge * =Vacancy= is published irregularly but approx. bi-annually "Pay is $5 upon acceptance for fiction and $2 for poetry. No art or non-fiction. All contents are published in RealAudio only, no text. I prefer it if authors can record their own works but I won't reject a piece just because you can't record it (to record, you'll either need a sound card and microphone or cassette recorder with microphone). "I've also changed the look of the website a bit to go with the new guidelines. You can view it all here (guidelines included if you'd like to submit, as I hope you do): http://blindside.net/Vacancy. "I should mention stories don't have to be horror even though I mention ghosts. I'll accept sci-fi, fantasy, romance, mysteries, historical, westerns, mainstream, whatever, so long as it has the ghost-told potential. I do prefer dark work, though. Read the guidelines [at http://blindside.net/Vacancy/guidelines.html] for more specifics." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291, 18 May 2002] ***************************************************************** * "Real life isn't like stories. Its endings are squirmier * * than the ones in stories. You try to tuck them in neatly and * * they kick the blankets off." * * --Susan Fletcher, =Shadow Spinner= * ***************************************************************** ==End of the CALLIHOO Newsletter for 28 May 2002==