CALLIHOO Newsletter Market News for Writers of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Julia West, Editor Vol. 11, No. 3 10 June 2003 Website: http://www.sff.net/people/julia.west/CALLIHOO/index.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------- IN THIS ISSUE Deadlines Anthology The Many Faces of Van Helsing Anthology (gls) Contest The Phobos Writing Contest (gls) Market Information Artemis Magazine Black Gate Imaginings anthology Strange Horizons Unspeakable Scifaiku Weird Tales ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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 JUVENILE SHORT STORY CONTEST Deadline 25 June 2003 [Fiction for ages 5 to 8; 9 to 12; or 13 to 16. State age group on ms.; length appropriate for intended audience (3,000 words max). Entry fee $4. Prizes: $40, $30, $15. Winners not printed; no rights taken. No reprints or E-mail subs. Mult subs okay with separate entry fees. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 33)] THE 45TH ANNUAL UTAH ORIGINAL WRITING COMPETITION Deadline 27 June 2003 [Annual contest, Utah residents only. Novel, biography, book- length story collec, YA book: 1st prize $1000, 2nd prize $750. Poetry collec (10 poems, to 1000 lines), short fic (to 7500 wds), personal essay (to 7500 wds): 1st $300, 2nd $200. 1 entry per person per category. No entry fee. No reprints. Include submission card. Submissions in contest format. No E-mail entries. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 40)] LEVIATHAN 4 Deadline 30 June 2003 [Print antho, lit spec fic 5,000 to 20,000 wds. Theme: cities. Pays to $250/story. No reprints or mult subs. E-mail subs okay. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 37)] WRITERS OF THE FUTURE, 3RD QUARTER 2003 Deadline 30 June 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. 10 No. 33)] MAIDEN OF PAIN Deadline 1 July 2003 [Novel proposal, Forgotten Realms, Loviatar (Maiden of Pain) priest/ess. Include 10 p. DS writing sample, 1 p., single-spaced story synopsis (whole story), and one-page cover letter about you. No E-mail subs. Final novel to be 90,000 wds, due June/July 2004. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 31)] MICROSHOCKS Deadline 1 July 2003 [Print antho, H to 1000 wds (pref to 500 wds). Pays 5 cents/wd. on pub. E-mail subs only. RT 1 mo. (GLs in Vol. 11 No. 1)] NEW MOON JAN./FEB. 2004 ISSUE: MAMA SAID THERE'D BE DAYS LIKE THIS Deadline 1 July 2003 [Bimonthly printzine, fiction for girls 8-14. Fiction about girls/women 900-1200 wds (prints 3 to 6 per year). Occasionally serializes longer fiction. Buys all rts. Sim subs and reprints okay if notify. Prefer E-mail subs. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 33)] BYLINE SHORT STORY CONTEST Deadline 5 July 2003 [Fiction on any topic, to 5,000 words. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $70, $35, $20. Winners not printed; no rights taken. No reprints or E-mail subs. Mult subs okay with separate entry fees. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 33)] THE PHOBOS WRITING CONTEST Deadline 31 July 2003 [Contest, SF to 7500 wds. 12 $500 prizes + possible pub in antho. No entry fee. Entrants 18 years or older. Up to 3 entries per person. Include entry form with each. E-mail subs only. No reprints or collaborations. (GLs in Vol. 11 No. 3)] OCEANS OF THE MIND FALL 2003 ISSUE: SCIENCE FICTION MYSTERIES Deadline 1 August 2003 [PDF magazine, SF to 8,000 wds. Pays from 5 cents/wd. Mysteries. Robbery, murder, piracy, locked room. No H/F/S&S. Prefers E-mail subs. Sim subs okay. RT E-mail 4-5 wks, snail 6- 8 wks. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 29)] BYLINE 1ST CHAPTER OF A NOVEL CONTEST Deadline 5 August 2003 [Opening chapter of unpub novel. Mainstream or genre; adult or YA audience. Max 25 pages. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $70, $40, $25. Winners not printed; no rights taken. No reprints or E-mail subs. Mult subs okay with separate entry fees. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 33)] NEW MOON MAR./APR. 2004 ISSUE: FEELIN' GROOVY (MUSIC & DANCE) Deadline 1 September 2003 [Bimonthly printzine, fiction for girls 8-14. Fiction about girls/women 900-1200 wds (prints 3 to 6 per year). Occasionally serializes longer fiction. Buys all rts. Sim subs and reprints okay if notify. Prefer E-mail subs. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 33)] BYLINE GENRE FICTION CONTEST Deadline 5 September 2003 [Short story that fits category: romance, sci-fi, confession, mystery, western, etc. No children's stories. Max 5,000 words. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $50, $30, $15. Winners not printed; no rights taken. No reprints or E-mail subs. Mult subs okay with separate entry fees. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 33)] THE MANY FACES OF VAN HELSING [Antho, H (mostly) about Van Helsing to 8,000 wds. Pays 8-10 cents/wd. + share of royalties. No mult or E-mail subs. Deadline 15 Sep 2003. (GLs in Vol. 11 No. 3)] BYLINE FLASH FICTION CONTEST Deadline 10 October 2003 [Short story or vignette under 1,000 words, which nevertheless feels complete. These often depend on atmosphere and technique more than plot. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $50, $30, $15. GLs in Vol. 10 No. 33)] NEW MOON MAY/JUN. 2004 ISSUE: 25 BEAUTIFUL GIRLS Deadline 1 November 2003 [Bimonthly printzine, fiction for girls 8-14. Fiction about girls/women 900-1200 wds (prints 3 to 6 per year). Occasionally serializes longer fiction. Buys all rts. Sim subs and reprints okay if notify. Prefer E-mail subs. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 33)] OCEANS OF THE MIND WINTER 2003: AUSTRALIAN WRITERS Deadline 1 November 2003 [PDF magazine, SF to 8,000 wds. Pays from 5 cents/wd. No H/F/S&S. Prefers E-mail subs. Sim subs okay. RT E-mail 4-5 wks, snail 6-8 wks. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 29)] BYLINE NEW-TALENT SHORT STORY CONTEST Deadline 5 November 2003. Open to writers who have never won cash prize in a ByLine fiction contest. Maximum 5,000 words. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $50, $35, $25, $15. Winners not printed; no rights taken. No reprints or E-mail subs. Mult subs okay with separate entry fees. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 33)] 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)] BYLINE SHORT-SHORT STORY CONTEST Deadline 5 December 2003 [Short story of any type or subject, to 2,000 words. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $60, $30, $20. Winners not printed; no rights taken. No reprints or E-mail subs. Mult subs okay with separate entry fees. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 33)] NEW MOON JUL./AUG. 2004 ISSUE: IT'S NOT EASY BEIN' GREEN (THE ENVIRONMENT) Deadline 1 January 2004 [Bimonthly printzine, fiction for girls 8-14. Fiction about girls/women 900-1200 wds (prints 3 to 6 per year). Occasionally serializes longer fiction. Buys all rts. Sim subs and reprints okay if notify. Prefer E-mail subs. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 33)] OCEANS OF THE MIND SPRING 2004 ISSUE: COLONIES Deadline 1 February 2004 [PDF themed mag, SF to 8,000 wds. Pays from 5 cents/wd. Science Fiction stories about colonies. How they do or don't survive, the challenges and rewards. No H/F/S&S. Prefers E-mail subs. Sim subs okay. RT E-mail 4-5 wks, snail 6-8 wks. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 29)] NEW MOON SEPT./OCT. 2004 ISSUE: IF I HAD A HAMMER Deadline 1 March 2004 [Bimonthly printzine, fiction for girls 8-14. Fiction about girls/women 900-1200 wds (prints 3 to 6 per year). Occasionally serializes longer fiction. Buys all rts. Sim subs and reprints okay if notify. Prefer E-mail subs. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 33)] NEW MOON NOV./DEC. 2004 ISSUE: WHAT A GIRL WANTS (READERS' CHOICE AWARDS) Deadline 1 May 2004 [Bimonthly printzine, fiction for girls 8-14. Fiction about girls/women 900-1200 wds (prints 3 to 6 per year). Occasionally serializes longer fiction. Buys all rts. Sim subs and reprints okay if notify. Prefer E-mail subs. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 33)] OCEANS OF THE MIND SUMMER 2004: SPIRITUAL SCIENCE FICTION Deadline 1 May 2004 [PDF themed magazine, SF to 8,000 wds. Pays from 5 cents/wd. No H/F/S&S. Prefers E-mail subs. Sim subs okay. RT E-mail 4-5 wks, snail 6-8 wks. (GLs in Vol. 10 No. 29)] ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANTHOLOGY THE MANY FACES OF VAN HELSING [Antho, H (mostly) about Van Helsing to 8,000 wds. Pays 8-10 cents/wd. + share of royalties. No mult or E-mail subs. Deadline 15 Sep 2003.] Jeanne Cavelos, Editor P.O. Box 75 Mont Vernon, NH 03057 Questions only: jcavelos@sff.net =The Many Faces of Van Helsing= An anthology edited by Jeanne Cavelos To be published in trade paperback by Berkley in May, 2004 "Van Helsing would, I know, do anything for me for a personal reason, so no matter on what ground he comes, we must accept his wishes. He is a seemingly arbitrary man, but this is because he knows what he is talking about better than any one else. He is a philosopher and a metaphysician, and one of the most advanced scientists of his day; and he has, I believe, an absolutely open mind. This, with an iron nerve, a temper of the ice-brook, an indomitable resolution, self-command, and toleration exalted from virtues to blessings, and the kindliest and truest heart that beats--these form his equipment for the noble work that he is doing for mankind--work both in theory and practice, for his views are as wide as his all-embracing sympathy. I tell you these facts that you may know why I have such confidence in him." --from Dr. John Seward's letter to Arthur Holmwood, =Dracula= Overview Bram Stoker's =Dracula= has become one of the most famous novels in history. In it, the vampire Dracula faces off against his opponent, opposite, and alter ego, Abraham Van Helsing. Both Dracula and Van Helsing have become icons: the vampire and the vampire hunter. Yet while the character of Dracula has been endlessly examined, Van Helsing is arguably one of the most well- known yet least explored characters in literature. Stoker provides us with an intriguing character outline in his novel, but neither Stoker nor any of the authors who have built upon his work have filled in that outline. A doctor, lawyer, scientist, and philosopher, Van Helsing seems the ultimate man of logic and reason. Yet one of his greatest tools in fighting horrors is his personal experience battling his own internal demons. Van Helsing suffers from melancholia and periodic breakdowns into hysteria. In addition, his wife is insane. On every front, Van Helsing is engaged in a war against chaos: in himself, in his marriage, and in the world. This may be the chaos of emotions out of control, of sexual desire unchecked, of unadulterated evil. Armed with garlic, holy water, cross, and stake, Van Helsing is determined to repress, restrain, and contain this chaos, which reaches its fullest embodiment in Dracula. Van Helsing's character resonates because of his powerful opposition to the villain, which echoes some of the most compelling relationships in literature. As Victor Frankenstein is to his monster, as Jekyll is to Hyde, as Holmes is to Moriarty, as ego is to id, Van Helsing is to Dracula. While we know this much about Van Helsing, we don't know much more. Like most things in =Dracula=, Van Helsing's character remains vague and under-developed. Yet this very lack of detail and depth provides the ideal conditions for myth to grow, and over the years it has, turning Dracula and Van Helsing into powerful archetypes that can take on an endless number of specific faces. Stoker's novel has been adapted into many different forms, and in each we see a slightly different Van Helsing. He may be selfless, ruthless, brilliant, foolish, fanatical, vulnerable, or neurotic. He may be an intellectual or a man of action; a loner or the leader of a team. In film, he has been portrayed by Academy Award-winners Laurence Olivier and Anthony Hopkins, and by top character actors such as Nehemiah Persoff, Nigel Davenport, Peter Cushing, Frank Finlay, and Richard Benjamin. Some films and TV shows have expanded Van Helsing's fight to include his sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters. Others have transplanted the core of Van Helsing's character into a variety of vampire hunters, the most recent, the infamous Buffy. Through countless novels and over 127 feature films, TV movies, TV series, and video games, we have glimpsed some of the many possible faces of Van Helsing, as Stoker's original story has been expanded into an epic struggle ranging across the planet and through all time periods. With the new film =Van Helsing=, to be released by Universal on May 7, 2004, interest will again be focused on Bram Stoker's novel. But this time the spotlight will not be on Dracula, but his nemesis. Popular actor Hugh Jackman, star of the current hit =X-Men 2=, will show us yet another face of Van Helsing. Written and directed by Stephen Sommers, the man behind the phenomenally successful =The Mummy= and =The Mummy Returns=, this movie promises to be a big hit for Universal, and they plan to promote it as their big summer release. Categorized as an action/ adventure/comedy/horror/thriller, the movie will have Van Helsing battling Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, and the Wolf Man. It looks like it will be great fun and will generate a lot of interest in Van Helsing. But this will not be the vehicle by which the outline of this iconic character is at last filled in. The exciting opportunity of exploring the mysterious and undefined depths of Van Helsing's many faces remains for this anthology. We know almost nothing about Van Helsing's past. How did he become the man we meet in =Dracula=, with "the temper of the ice-brook"? How did he gain the secret knowledge of vampires? When did he first face evil? How did he meet the wife, and what drove her to insanity? What killed his son? What experiences led him to the belief that "All men are mad in some way"? Van Helsing's past, however, is not the only mystery. All we know of Van Helsing we learn through letters and journal entries. What truly drives this archetypal vampire-hunter? *Is he a saint-like figure committed to saving others from evil, as Seward believes? If so, how much evil has he seen in his life? How vulnerable does he find his fellow man, and himself, to temptation? What has led him to say he has "known so many sorrows and the causes of them"? Has he ever lost faith in the face of so much despair and death? How narrow or vast is his quest? Is he a great hero, a tragic hero, a reluctant hero, an antihero? Or is he not a hero at all? *Is Van Helsing a fanatical xenophobe, labeling whatever he doesn't understand evil? Is he on a mission to kill all vampires so he can maintain the purity of the human race? *Is he a purveyor of superstitions that can drive men to murder, like the witch hunters of Salem? *Is he a puritanical zealot, driven by disgust for the wanton sexuality--particularly the sexuality of women--associated with vampirism? *Is he a mad scientist? *Is he the lone voice of science and rationality in a world seething with animal appetites? Is he the voice of the conscious trying to repress the unconscious? And what does he carry in his own unconscious? *Is he on a quest for vengeance? *Is he a vampire himself, killing off inferior competition? *Is he a dull, narrow-minded man of equations blind to the transcendent beauty of immortals? *Is he a man of rare vision, able to see evil for what it is when all around him seem blind to it? *Does he enjoy spending long hours in the bedrooms of beautiful, unconscious young women? *Does he thrill as he drives "deeper and deeper the mercy bearing stake, whilst the blood from the pierced heart spurts up around it"? *Is he a good man who is doomed, Cassandra-like, to always be doubted, shunned, and condemned? *Is there a reason Van Helsing spends so much time with male friends, while Dracula is attracted to females? Did Van Helsing feel anything when, years ago, Seward sucked infected blood from a wound in his hand? *And what is Van Helsing's ultimate fate? This anthology will explore the many possibilities inherent in this fascinating character, who seems inescapably bound to evil. Because Van Helsing is timeless and iconic, he might be put into any place, during any period--past, present, or future--and provide fascinating insights about both his character and the human condition. In addition, a few stories may explore his ancestors or descendants. Guidelines The anthology will contain twenty original short stories about Van Helsing, from both new and established writers. I am looking for material that is incredibly well written, fresh, moving, and horrifying, and even more, that provides insight into the human condition. If you're familiar with the Dell Abyss horror line that I edited in the 1990s, then you know the kind of material I like. Edgy, intense, literary works are welcome. Standard vampire stories are not. No pornography. No poetry. Works that cross genres are okay, but the majority of the book will focus on horror. My guess is that many writers may be drawn to portray Van Helsing in unsympathetic ways. I want a wide range of stories to explore the many possibilities, both positive and negative. But be aware that the greater portion of the book will present Van Helsing in ways that readers will sympathize with him. I will be an active editor. If there is a story I would like to include, but I feel it could be made stronger, I will work with the author to achieve that goal. I intend to make this the best anthology of the year, so only send me your story if you feel it's one of the best stories of the year. If you haven't read =Dracula= recently, I strongly recommend you do so. No multiple submissions. Deadline: 9/15/03 Length: up to 8000 words Pay: 8-10 cents per word plus =pro rata= share of 50% of the royalties (all subject to special consideration by me) Contact Information If you have questions, you may contact me at jcavelos@sff.net. NOTE: e-mail submissions are strictly prohibited and will be deleted without being read. Mail your story to Jeanne Cavelos, P.O. Box 75, Mont Vernon, NH 03057 USA [E-mail from Jeanne Cavelos] ----------------------------------------------------------------- CONTEST THE PHOBOS WRITING CONTEST [Contest, SF to 7500 wds. 12 $500 prizes + possible pub in antho. No entry fee. Entrants 18 years or older. Up to 3 entries per person. Include entry form with each. E-mail subs only. No reprints or collaborations. Open 1 Apr 2003 to 31 Jul 2003.] The Phobos Writing Contest (the "Contest") is sponsored by Phobos Entertainment Holdings, Inc. ("Phobos"). The Contest begins on April 1, 2003 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time ("EST") (the "Start Date"), and ends on July 31, 2003, midnight EST (the "End Date"). By participating in the contest, entrants fully and unconditionally agree to accept and be bound by these official rules. 1) ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONTEST. a) General Eligibility. NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER. The Contest is open to any individual who is, as of the Start Date, (i) a legal resident of one of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia (specifically excluding Puerto Rico and all other territories and possessions) (the "Eligibility Area"), and (ii) 18 years old or older. Please note that misrepresentation of age, upon discovery by Phobos, will DISQUALIFY the applicable entrant. Void outside of the eligibility area and where otherwise prohibited or restricted by law (certain states may impose additional eligibility restrictions). Employees, officers, directors, shareholders, agents, and representatives of Phobos and its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotional agencies, and advisors (such entities, collectively, the "Contest Entities"), and their immediate family members (spouse, mother, father, sister, brother, daughter, or son, regardless of where they live) or members of the same households (whether related or not), are not eligible to win any prize. Phobos reserves the right, at any time and in its sole discretion, to refuse to allow any individual to participate or continue to participate in the Contest, or to disqualify any individual it suspects to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or Site; to be in violation of these Official Rules or to be acting in bad faith. Any attempt to deliberately damage the site or tamper with or undermine the operation of the contest is a violation of these official rules as well as criminal and civil laws. Should such an attempt be made, phobos reserves the right to seek remedies and damages from any responsible entrant(s) to the fullest extent permitted by law, including, without limitation, criminal prosecution. By participating in the Contest, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and by ALL decisions of Phobos, which decisions shall be final and binding in all respects. 2) SUBMISSIONS. a) Each Entrant may submit up to THREE (3) short stories to be entered into the Contest. All Science Fiction sub-genres are welcome; however, works of high fantasy or horror that lack a Science Fiction theme or conceit will not be considered. b) Submissions will be accepted electronically beginning at 9:00 a.m. EST on the Start Date and ending at midnight on the End Date. Each entry must comply with all of the following requirements (together, the "Submission Requirements"): i) Be written in the English language. ii) Include a filled-out entry form. iii) Include a title page with author's name, current mailing address, telephone number and e-mail address. iv) Have numbered pages with the title of the work appearing on each page (preferably as a footer) but NOT the author's name. (This is to ensure fairness in judging.) v) Be submitted in electronic format readable in Microsoft Word (.doc, .wrd, .rtf, .txt) only and only to contest@phobosweb.com (do not send hard copies via mail, fax, or any other means--they will not be accepted). vi) May not contain material from other published sources. Such material includes quotations, music, lyrics, poetry and any reference to or incorporation of characters, creatures, places or things from other Science Fiction or other fictional sources. vii) Any submission that the judges believe too closely resembles work from another copyrighted source will be subject to disqualification. viii) To aid in fair judging, the submission must not contain the name or other personally identifying information of the Entrant; ix) All submissions must also comply with the following short story requirements: c) Short Story Submissions. A submitted short story must meet ALL of the following criteria. i) The story should be double-spaced and must be no longer than 7,500 words long; and ii) No story may have appeared in a previous for-pay professional online or print publication. iii) The story must be written by a single individual. d) General Rules Regarding Submissions. Any submission that fails to fulfill all of the eligibility criteria and other requirements (including, without limitation, the Submission Requirements) set forth in these Official Rules will, upon Phobos' discovery of such failure, be subject to disqualification from the Contest (if such failures are discovered upon submission, any such story will not be accepted for review, will not be deemed a Submission, and will not be entered into the Contest). Please note that no changes may be made to a story once it has been submitted--to be safe, please make certain your submission is in compliance with these Official Rules before submission. No responsibility is assumed by Phobos for lost, late, incomplete, illegible, inaccessible, corrupted, or otherwise unusable Submissions; any computer, telephone, cable, network, satellite, server, service provider, electronic or Internet hardware or software malfunctions, failures, connections, or availability; garbled or jumbled transmissions; service provider/Internet/Site inaccessibility or unavailability; Internet traffic congestion; or unauthorized intervention. All non-winning submissions will be destroyed by Phobos and its judges. e) Warranties. Each Contestant represents and warrants to Phobos that each Submission: (a) is or will be the individual's own original work, and that each such submission created solely by such individual; (b) does not infringe upon the intellectual property rights or other rights of any other person or entity; (c) does not and will not violate any applicable laws, and is not and will not be defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene; (d) complies with these Official Rules; and (e) will not contain any "viruses" or other information, code, or material(s) that may damage or otherwise interfere with Phobos computer systems or data. These representations and warranties shall be deemed, for purposes of these Official Rules, the "Warranties". 3) THE CONTEST. a) Review of Short Story Submissions. i) An experienced professional staff of Science Fiction editors will make a preliminary evaluation of all eligible submissions and select stories for final judging; ii) Their selection criteria will be as follows: (i) originality of conception;(ii) excellence in execution; (iii) proper use of grammar, spelling and punctuation. iii) A panel of well-known judges will choose the top 12 stories. Stories will be judged on their own merits and the judges' decisions will be final. iv) Their final selection will be made no later than October 15, 2003. v) Due to the number of anticipated entrants, Phobos will not provide entrants with the judges' rationale for selecting one submission over another. b) Short Story Prize. i) 12 contest-winning short story authors shall each receive a cash prize of $500. ii) The contest-winning short stories will be considered for possible inclusion in an upcoming Phobos anthology of short stories. (If Phobos decides, in its sole discretion, that it wishes to do so, it will contact the author in advance to discuss publication.) iii) By entering this Contest, the author agrees that with regard to all Contest-winning stories Phobos shall have the following rights: (1) Right of First Negotiation: Prior to selling, optioning, licensing or transferring any rights in the story to any third party, the author will contact Phobos and give Phobos the chance to obtain such rights. The author shall negotiate with Phobos for at least 90 days after contacting Phobos with respect to mutually agreeable terms. (2) Right of Matching Last Refusal: If the author and Phobos are unable to agree upon terms, then the author shall have the right to offer to third parties such rights. However, prior to entering into any agreement with any third party, the author shall first submit to Phobos the terms that the author is then prepared to accept from such third party. Phobos shall have the right, within 10 business days after receipt of such terms, to notify author that Phobos elects to enter into an agreement with the author on all of such terms, in which case author shall enter into an agreement with Phobos on such terms. If Phobos does not notify author of its wishes to enter into such an agreement, then author shall be free to enter into an agreement with a third party on such terms. (3) These rights shall apply only to the winning short story and not to any other story submissions. c) Notification. Short story winners will be notified by Phobos either by telephone or by e-mail. If Entrant fails to respond to Phobos within 14 days of Phobos's notification, then Entrant will be disqualified, and the next runner-up in the applicable category shall be named the winner. 4) MISCELLANEOUS a) General. By entering this Contest, entrants agree to abide by the terms of these Official Rules, which are final and binding on all matters pertaining to this Contest. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. All federal, state and local taxes connected with any prize are the sole responsibility of the winners. Each winner must, if so requested by Phobos, complete Phobos' online winner verification process and/or execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and a Liability/Publicity Release within a period of time dictated by Phobos. All prizes awarded in connection with the Contest are nontransferable. No substitution of prizes is permitted, except that in the event of the unavailability of any prize, Phobos reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value, in its sole discretion. b) List of Winners; License. After the winners are selected, their names will be posted to the Site. Winners agree to grant to Phobos and its licensees and assigns, the right to print, publish, broadcast, and use, worldwide in any media now known or hereafter developed, including but not limited to the World Wide Web, at any time or times, the winner's name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness and biographical information as news or information and for advertising and promotional purposes without additional consideration. c) Disclaimer and Limitation of Liability. The Contest Entities make no warranties, and hereby disclaim any and all warranties, express or implied, concerning any prize furnished in connection with the Contest. The Contest Entities are not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused or created by Site users, by tampering or "hacking," or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized as part of the Site or the Contest, and assume no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft, destruction, or unauthorized access to the Site. d) If, for any reason, the Contest is not capable of running as planned by reason of damage by computer virus, worms, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical limitations or failures, strikes, industry conditions, marketplace demands, or any other causes which, in the sole opinion of Phobos, could corrupt, compromise, undermine, or otherwise affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, viability, or proper conduct of the Contest, as applicable, Phobos reserves the right in its sole and absolute discretion to modify these Official Rules and/or to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Contest. e) In no event will the contest entities be responsible or liable for any damages or losses of any kind, including without limitation direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages, arising out of your access to and use of the site, the downloading from and/or printing material downloaded from the site, or the acceptance, possession, use, or misuse, or any harm resulting from the acceptance, possession, use, or misuse, of any prize awarded in connection with the contest. Without limiting the foregoing, the contest and all materials provided on or through the site are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. f) Dates and Deadlines. Phobos reserves the right, in addition to those other rights reserved herein, to modify any date(s) or deadline(s) set forth in these Official Rules or otherwise governing the Contest. g) Release and Indemnification. By entering the contest, entrants release and hold the contest entities harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, rights, claims, and actions of any kind arising in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the contest or resulting directly or indirectly from acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize awarded in connection with the contest, including without limitation personal injury, death, and/or property damage, as well as claims based on publicity rights, defamation, and/or invasion of privacy. h) Arbitration. In the event of any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Official Rules or the Contest, regardless of the number or identity of defendant(s) or plaintiff(s), such dispute shall be submitted to arbitration in the County of New York, State of New York, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the American Arbitration Association then in effect (as amended herein), provided that said arbitration shall be heard before a single arbitrator, selected pursuant to such rules and regulations, and shall be conducted on an expedited basis and in confidence. The arbitrator shall have at least ten (10) years of related intellectual property experience, and be well acquainted with the entertainment, new media, and Internet industries. The arbitrator selected pursuant to these Official Rules shall be well acquainted with the entertainment, Internet, and new media industries, and shall not have the power to impose punitive damages. Each party hereby waives any and all rights and benefits which it might otherwise have or be entitled to under federal law or the laws of New York or any other state to litigate any such dispute in court, it being the intention of the parties to arbitrate, according to the provisions of these Official Rules, all such disputes. The arbitrator's decision shall be controlled by the terms and conditions of these Official Rules, and any other agreements you may enter into with Phobos in connection with the Contest, and shall be final and binding, and shall provide for each party to bear its own costs of arbitration and attorneys' fees. EACH PARTY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO A JURY. Judgment upon the award of the arbitrator may be entered or enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction. If either party shall fail to appear at the hearing on the date designated in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association, or shall otherwise fail to participate in the arbitration proceeding, the arbitrator is hereby empowered to proceed ex parte. In the event of any dispute concerning these Official Rules or any other agreement between you and Phobos in connection with the Contest, your sole and exclusive remedy shall be to seek damages pursuant to an arbitration authorized by this Section 5f and in no event will you be entitled to seek injunctive or other equitable relief. If you do not agree to these requirements (or any other provision herein), then please do not participate in the Contest. i) Governing Law. The Contest and these Official Rules are governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, United States of America, without regards to its principles of conflicts of law. For any dispute not subject to arbitration according to Section 5f above, entrant agrees to submit to the exclusive personal jurisdiction by the federal and state courts located in the County of New York, United States of America, and waives any jurisdictional, venue, or inconvenient forum objections to such courts. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby irrevocably waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, or any other damages, including attorneys' fees, other than participant's actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., costs associated with participating in the Contest), and entrant further irrevocably waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased. [http://www.phobosweb.com/contest/rules.php] ----------------------------------------------------------------- MARKET INFORMATION ARTEMIS MAGAZINE Ian Randal Strock, editor of =Artemis Magazine=, said, "Since I'm a bit harried, this'll be brief. I'm reading the stories here, and responding as I read, however, the pile is huge, and chronological order was lost in a tumble or two (sorry about that last), nevertheless, I expect and hope to go through everything in something approaching short order. However, "We're leaving very early Thursday morning for Marcon in Columbus, Ohio. We'll be there for the whole convention, and then continuing on to southwest Ohio to visit Kit's parents for a few days. We expect to be back in New York very late Wednesday the 28th. After the inevitable recovery and digging out time, I'll be again back to the magazine. "Thanks, everyone, for your continuing patience." [sff.publishing.artemismagazine, 19 May 03] BLACK GATE John O'Neill, editor of =Black Gate= magazine, said, "I promised a while back to start more regular reports on our progress through the submissions backlog, to help put folks at ease that their manuscripts haven't been lost. "This week we're reading manuscripts mailed the first two weeks of December. With the exception of half a dozen earlier pieces currently being considered for our Winter and Spring issues, all manuscripts with a postmark prior to Dec. 2nd have now been returned. "We continue to be inundated with electronic submissions from around the world (including a few with virus-laden attachments, which we--so far--have caught). We're still struggling to keep up with that load, but I made the decision a while ago not to take time away from reading postal submissions to help clear that backlog. As a result, we're still quite a bit further behind with e-subs. I'm hoping to improve this somewhat in the next few weeks. "As always, if you're concerned about a lost manuscript, or have any questions, please don't hesitate to drop me a line at john@blackgate.com." [sff.publishing.black-gate-magazine, 28 May 03] IMAGININGS ANTHOLOGY Keith R.A. DeCandido, editor of =Imaginings= anthology, said, "Within the next week I hope to have a) the final cover art for Imaginings and b) an excerpt from one of the stories on the anthology's web site at www.albeshiloh.com/imaginings. "I have seen the final cover painting, and--well, if you thought the sketch was gorgeous, you ain't seen nothin' yet...." [sff.publishing.albe-shiloh, 22 May 03] STRANGE HORIZONS Jed Hartman, one of =Strange Horizons= webzine's fiction editors, said, "Status update: the =Strange Horizons= fiction department has now responded to everything submitted before 4/1/2003. If you sent us a story on or before 3/31 and haven't heard back from us, please query. (If you submitted on or after 4/1, and you received an autoresponse saying that we'd received the story, then please don't query yet.) "Also, due to travel and general busyness, we may not be sending out many responses during the next week or so. We may, but don't hold your breath waiting for us to get back to you this week. Apologies for the longer-than-usual response times. (Still won't be anything over 60 days; but a fair number will be over our average of 24ish days.)" [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291&show_all_t opics=0, 21 May 03] UNSPEAKABLE SCIFIAKU A writer on the =Speculations= Rumor Mill said that "Unspeakable Scifiaku" is now known as "Random Planets." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=201&show_all_t opics=0, 23 May 03] WEIRD TALES achillesva, one of the editorial assistants at =Weird Tales=, said, "Regarding this last rash of comments regarding =WT=. I can't tell you exactly how long responses will take moving forward, only that you can expect them to be longer than they presently are. "I can see that some of you are posting criticisms of the magazine here, and I encourage that. We are always striving to improve the magazine. Unfortunately, neither of our senior editors ever read these forums, and I stop by only occasionally. If you have feedback that you would like considered, I hope you will contact me directly at achillesva@mailblocks.com. This will ensure that we get to consider your comments, instead of risking missing them because we haven't had an opportunity to hit the forums in a while. Negative feedback is welcome and will be considered, but I would request that you be polite. "Likewise, as I have offered before, if any of you have specific questions about submissions or the magazine in general, I encourage you to contact me at the address above. I'm no Carina Gonzalez, but I will help as much as I am able. "Both senior editors and two of the assistants (including myself) will be at Balticon tomorrow. Please feel free to introduce yourself and let us know what you think or any questions you may have." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/index.php?t=291&show_all_t opics=0, 23 May 03] ***************************************************************** * "One day . . . I began trying to imagine what kind of * * wargames would be developed to train soldiers for combat in * * space. It would be useless to have land-based training * * games, since that wouldn't prepare you for three-dimensional * * fighting in the null-gravity environment of space. Even * * training in airplanes would be pointless, since there is * * still a definite horizontal orientation to flying in an * * atmosphere--straight up and straight down are very different * * from straight across! * * * * "So the only place where soldiers could train to think and * * move easily and naturally in space combat would be outside * * the gravity well of any planet. It couldn't be in open * * space--you'd lose too many trainees that way, drifting off * * in the midst of the game. So there had to be a huge * * enclosed room in a null-G environment, with variable * * gridworks and obstacles changing from game to game, so the * * trainees could simulate fighting among spaceships or the * * debris of battle. * * * * I imagined that they would play with small handheld lasers, * * while wearing suits of body armor that would serve a double * * purpose--to protect them against damage from collisions * * during mock battles, and also to electronically record when * * someone scored a hit on your body. If you were hit in the * * leg, your leg would become immobile; if you were hit in the * * head or body, your whole suit would freeze. But you would * * remain present in the battle, drifting just like a corpse, * * serving as one more obstacle or bit of cover. * * * * This was in 1968. I didn't get around to writing the story * * "Ender's Game" until 1975. That's because the battleroom * * wasn't a =story=, it was merely a setting--and not a complete * * milieu, either, since the soldiers training there wouldn't be * * in the battleroom twenty-four hours a day. There had to be a * * whole universe built up around the battleroom. . . ." * * --How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy, Orson Scott * * Card, pp. 26-27. * ***************************************************************** ==End of CALLIHOO Newsletter for 10 June 2003==