CALLIHOO NEWSLETTER Market News for Writers of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Julia West, Editor Vol. 8, No. 12 6 April 2001 Website: http://www.sff.net/people/julia.west/CALLIHOO/index.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------- In This Issue Deadlines News Publication Notes Anthology When Darkness Answers (gls) Contests The James White Award (gls) UPC SF Award 2001 (gls) Market Guidelines Anthrolations (gls) Black Gate (gls) Century Magazine (gls) Chiaroscuro ChiZine (gls) Darkling Plain (gls) Futures (gls) Vampyre Magazine (gls) Vestal Review (gls) Market Information Altair (dead) Black Gate Blue Food (dead) Century Magazine Lone Wolf Publications The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction Muse It The Pedestal Space and Time Strange Horizons Vacancy Visionair (dead) Weird Tales Winedark Sea Kid's SF/F Markets Webpage Headlines ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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.) Writers of the Future, 2nd quarter 2001 Deadline 30 April 2001 [$1000 first, $750 2nd, $500 3rd place. No entry fee. L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest, P.O. Box 1630-JBW, Los Angeles, CA 90078. (GLs in Vol. 6, No. 10)] When Darkness Answers Deadline June 2001 [British antho, H 4,500 to 7,000 wds, pays percentage of profits. E-mail subm. okay. (GLs in Vol. 8, No. 12)] The James White Award Deadline 23 August 2001 [Contest for new writers, SF/F/H 2,000-4,000 wds, 3 stories per author, entry fee is œ3/$4, no reprints or E-mail entries, contest format. (GLs in Vol. 8, No. 12)] UPC Science Fiction Award 2001 Deadline 14 September 2001 [Catalan award; SF in Catalan, Spanish, English, or French, novella 25,000 to 40,000 wds. 1st prize of 1,000,000 PTA, possible special mention of 250,000 PTA. (GLs in Vol. 8, No. 12)] ----------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS Publication Notes Sue Kroupa's "Harden Times" is now out in the April 2001 =Realms of Fantasy=. It's well worth your time to read it! ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANTHOLOGY WHEN DARKNESS ANSWERS [British antho, H 4,500 to 7,000 wds, pays percentage of profits. Deadline June 2001. E-mail subm. okay.] William P. Simmons, editor 28 London Avenue, Oneonta, NY 13820, USA E-mail: darknessanswers@hotmail.com An original horror anthology to be released by the British Fantasy Society is now accepting submissions until June 2001 or filled. Payment will be a share of half the profits split evenly by authors and editor for stories around 4,500 to 7,000 words. We invite you to consider what would happen if we invited, shaped, or gave power to sinister forces as a result of our seemingly harmless or purposefully malevolent actions. By our very thoughts or emotions. Through expressions of our art, grief, or curiosity. We are looking for a frightful, dreadful atmosphere, with characters whose personalities are crucial to plot development. Stories that linger in the minds of readers long after the book is closed, hovering on the edge of plausibility. Close the gap between daylight logic and midnight possibility. This is a project about sensation and dark possibility, not a particular genre. Supernatural threat, psychological horror, surrealism, slip-stream: any approach, point-of-view, or style is welcomed. Feel free to experiment with various approaches and subject matter, so long as the supernatural or psychological threat results from a character action or desire. Submissions in standard ms format may be sent to William P. Simmons By post including IRCs: 28 London Avenue, Oneonta, NY 13820, USA By email: darknessanswers@hotmail.com Include with your manuscript a brief cover letter, complete contact information, and a short bio in case of acceptance. Please feel free to email William for more information or queries. [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/topic178.htm, 26 Jan 2001] ----------------------------------------------------------------- CONTESTS THE JAMES WHITE AWARD, A SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY COMPETITION [Contest for new writers, SF/F/H 2,000-4,000 wds, 3 stories per author, entry fee is œ3/$4, no reprints or E-mail entries, contest format, received deadline 23 Aug 2001.] Entry form at http://www.jameswhiteaward.com/entry.html Submission Rules We are here to help, and if you have any queries with the rules please contact us. 1. This aim of the competition is to highlight new writers. It is open to writers of any age and nationality, but it is not open to professional authors. 2. Stories must be in English, and must be between 2,000 and 4,000 words in length. There is a maximum of three submitted stories per author. 3. Submissions must be original, and should not have previously appeared in any publication--in any language or format. Stories should be Science Fiction (though we will treat "Science Fiction" as a fairly broad canvas). 4. Two printed copies should be posted to the competition address, if you include this on a disk it would be helpful, but there MUST be two hard copies. 5. The stories are judged, and narrowed down to a final five. At that stage we will require a copy on disk, but we are aware that not everyone can do this, and will deal with that when we come to it. 6. Entries must be submitted by post to the competition address. Entries will not be accepted by email, though email inquiries will be responded to. 7. Stories should be typed, in a non-proportional typeface such as Courier, between 10 and 12 points in size, double-spaced, 2.5cm margins all around, on plain white paper, one side of the page only. Pages should be either A4 (21cm by 29.7cm) or letter (21.59cm by 27.94cm). The text should be clear and legible. 8. Each story should be prefaced with a title page containing the story title, author's name, author contact details address, e-mail, exact word count and page count. This should be considered page zero. 9. Each page of the story should have a header containing the story title and page number. The author's name should NOT appear on the page header - the stories will be judged anonymously: only the competition administrator will know the authors' names. 10. Please end your story with 'The End'. 11. Please staple each individual story. 12. An administration fee is required for every story entered. 13. The fee is œ3/$4.Cheques/orders should be payable to The James White Award. 14. Submissions should arrive no later than the 23rd of August 2001. 15. The competition administrator reserves the right to disqualify a story should it fail to meet the above criteria. If this occurs the fee will be lost. However, the administrator may instead decide to request the author to re-submit a story. 16. Authors will be informed by mail/email when their submission has arrived. 17. The final five authors will be informed of their success. 18. The award will be presented in Belfast in the later part of 2001, details of which will be available on our website and sent to you. Entrants are welcome to attend the award ceremony, but travel to the ceremony is the sole responsibility of entrants. 19. The competition administrator reserves the right to refuse to accept or disqualify any submission: in such a case, the administrator will inform the author as soon as possible, giving the reason for refusal or disqualification. 20. The decisions of the judges are final, and discussion will not be entered into. 21. The judges may decide not to award the prize if in their opinion there is no entrant of sufficient quality. 22. After the competition has ended, authors will be informed by mail of the results. 23. Any tax liability resulting from the prize is the sole responsibility of the winner. 24. We regret that stories cannot be returned afterwards. Please keep a copy. [http://www.jameswhiteaward.com/rules.html] Writers' Guidelines What not to write about... 1. Your story should be science fiction, fantasy, or horror - basically, if the story is actually possible in the real world, don't bother. 2. If you can replace the SF, fantasy or horror elements with something more mundane and the story still works, then it might be time to think again. 3. Avoid stories about Adam and Eve, Elvis Presley or Adolf Hitler, unless they're really exceptional. You wouldn't believe the number of stories we get along these lines. For that matter, any famous historical figures should be avoided - the chances good are that the story has been done before. 4. Other clich‚s to avoid: robots (or computers or monsters) that turn on their creators, time-travelling assassins, virtual reality, dinosaurs, abductions by UFOs, vampires, alien invasions, quests for magical items, Star Trek clones, God as an alien, ultimate weapons... These subjects can work if your story is particularly good, but we've seen all this a million times. How to write it... 1. Don't just start at page one and make it up as you go along. It's important to plot out your story. You don't have to go into incredible detail, just enough to ensure that you'll never write yourself into a corner. Remember: it's much easier to rewrite an outline than it is to rewrite a whole story. 2. Always know how your story is going to end before you begin (yes, this does sound like the same thing, but it's such an important point that it's worth mentioning twice). 3. Your characters are as important as the plot. Some writers design their characters first and then build the plot around them, others do it the other way around, but whichever way you do it, don't neglect either. 4. Include a good balance of dialogue and prose: stories that are all dialogue never seem to go anywhere, and stories that are all prose can seem lifeless (no matter how action-packed they are). 5. It helps to have a built-in fully-functional BS filter: at every stage in the course of your writing, you have to be able to ask yourself, "Is this actually good, or is it a pile of crap?" And of course you have to be able to answer yourself honestly. 6. Keep the story moving: your readers really don't want to know intricate details about lampshades and how they were manufactured, unless it's actually important to the story (this is where your BS filter comes in handy). 7. Don't let your characters get too complacent: there should be something driving them at all times. 8. Experiment... Try different types of characters with different attributes. A good trick is to pick characters who are exactly the opposite of what the story seems to require. 9. Because you have a limited amount of space in which to tell your story, it's important to be sure that you don't leave anything out. Hence, you might find that you have to strip down your plot. This is not a bad thing. It's a bad thing when your plot is too thin and you have to pad it out. When you're finished... 1. Once you've completed your story, set it aside for a few days. Then come back to it and try to read it as though it was written by your worst enemy: make a list of all the things wrong with it, and work out what you need to do to correct them. 2. Ask an impartial observer to read your story, and encourage them to criticise it. For this, you really will need someone who won't be afraid to tell you if the story is utter rubbish. That said, your critic must also be able to tell you exactly what IS wrong with it. Don't take such criticism personally. 3. Don't be afraid to rewrite... If you're not happy with a scene, write it again. Still not happy? Write it from the point of view of another character. STILL not happy? Then you need to decide whether you need that scene at all. 4. If, when you get to the end of your story, you find that it's far too long, there are a few tricks you can use to reduce the size... First, remove everything that doesn't directly relate to the plot (detailed character descriptions, exposition, conversations about the weather, that kind of thing). Still too long? Then delete the first third of the story and see if it still works... You might find that it works even better than before. A few important things about presentation... 1. Read the competition's rules and heed them carefully. The judges will have a lot of stories to read, so the cleaner your manuscript is, the better. So: your story must be typed, double- spaced, on one side of the page only, with proper margins, a non- proportional font such as courier (in fact, don't bother with any other font), left-aligned (which means that the right margin should be ragged), page numbers and the title of story at the top of each page. If you're not sure, we'll be putting a sample document on the website in MS Word format. Download this and use it as a template. The rule here is that you don't want the judges referring to your story as "the unreadable one". 2. Check the spelling and punctuation at regular intervals. Poor spelling reflects badly on the story and the author. Your word- processor's spell-checker usually won't be good enough - you need a proper dictionary. 3. Some punctuation tips... Ellipses have three dots, no more, no fewer. There is no space before a comma. If you don't know how to use semi-colons either look it up or don't use them. If you're not sure how to use apostrophes it's long past time you learned. In the old days some writers put two spaces after a comma, three after a full-stop (or period)--those days are gone. 4. If you're not sure about paragraph breaks or punctuation, pick up the nearest novel and see how that author does it: the novel will have gone through several drafts, and been worked on by any number of editors and typesetters. http://www.jameswhiteaward.com/guidelines.html UPC SCIENCE FICTION AWARD 2001 [Catalan award; SF in Catalan, Spanish, English, or French, novella 25,000 to 40,000 wds. Received deadline 14 Sept 2001. 1st prize of 1,000,000 PTA, possible special mention of 250,000 PTA.] Barcelona, January 2001 (flier) Rules 1. Any unpublished narrative work which comes within the science fiction genre may take part in the competition. 2. The works presented may be written in Catalan, Spanish, English, or French. They must be approximately 70 to 115 pages (25,000 to 40,000 words), typewritten and double-spaced, and two copies must be submitted. Manuscripts will not be returned. 3. The author must sign his or her narrative with a pseudonym, and enclose a sealed envelope containing the following details: Full name, personal identification number (identity card or similar), full address and contact telephone or fax. The title of the work and the pseudonym of the author must appear on the outside of this envelope. Members of the UPC community must also state "UPC Member" on the outside of the envelope. 4. Manuscripts must be sent to: Consell Social de la UPC Edifici NEXUS Gran Capitƒ 2-4 08034 Barcelona (Spain) Tel. 34 93 401 63 43 Fax: 34 93 401 77 66 consell.social@upc.es The envelope must be clearly marked: UPC Science Fiction Award 2001 5. The final date for presentation of manuscripts for the 2001 edition is September 14, 2001. The decision of the jury, which will be final, will be made public before the end of 2001. 6. The jury will award a first prize of 1,000,000 PTA, and if it sees fit a special mention of 250,000 PTA. A further mention of 250,000 PTA may also be awarded for the best narrative presented by a member of UPC. [[1,000,000 PTA is about 5,592.53 USD.]] 7. The competition, which is held every year, may be declared vacant. 8. The prize and mention winners grant the rights of the first Spanish and Catalan editions to UPC, and waiver their right to any other monetary remuneration from these editions. 9. The winning novella will be published by UPC through Ediciones B, in its collection "NOVA ciencia ficci¢n." 10. The jury for the 2001 edition will be formed by Lluis Anglada, Miquel Barcelo, Josep Casanovas, Jordi Jose and Manuel Moreno. 11. The participation in the UPC Science Fiction Award 2001 involves the acceptance of its rules. For further information consult www.upc.es/op/english/sciencefiction/sciencefiction.htm [[The website hasn't been updated with this information yet.]] [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/topic22.htm, 1 Mar 2001] ----------------------------------------------------------------- MARKET GUIDELINES ANTHROLATIONS, THE MAGAZINE OF ANTHROPOMORPHIC DRAMATIC FICTION [Biannual print mag, anthropomorphic fiction 3,000-6,000 wds. Pays 1/2 cent/wd. E-mail subm. only.] Jeff Eddy -- Owner, Chief Editor E-mail: rio@sofawolf.org Website: http://www.sofawolf.org/anthrolations/ anthrolations.html Every day we go through the process of interacting and relating with the people and things around us. Some interactions turn out well and some turn out badly, but all of them serve to move us through life in one direction or another. =Anthrolations= seeks to examine and elaborate on these interactions in the framework of anthropomorphic and zoomorphic fiction. If, at this point, you are scratching your head a little and wondering what the last sentence means, you might try calling up our Question and Answer page [below]. I'm adding to it all the time, so if you're still confused, drop me a line at the address below and I'll answer your question (then maybe immortalize it here...). Submission Guidelines: The general theme of the magazine is 'relationships' -- this includes romantic, combative, professional, familial, and most any other variation you can think of. Stories should center around the main character's interaction with others around him or her, and how it changes their direction in life--for good or bad (or how it destroys those around them without changing THEM at all). The main character should be anthropomorphic or zoomorphic (see the Q&A link [below] if you aren't sure what this includes). They may draw on most any genre that lends itself to good short stories. Submission of werewolf (and other were-critters) and monster stories IS welcome, but they must be a cut above the typical for any chance of acceptance. Subject matter must be PG-13 or light R in nature--no more explicit than you might see on American cable TV channels during prime time hours. Violence and coarse language are acceptable, as are sexual themes and situations. Just make sure to cover the naughty bits with a sheet or a towel (metaphorically, of course). Stories should be between 3,000 and 6,000 words in length generally -- though longer (or shorter...) works happily considered as we have space. Submissions accepted by email only, preferably plain text with markup codes if required -- but I'll work with whatever you send me. Email to rio@sofawolf.org. Please be sure to note your name, address, and email on the top of the submission. I clip them out of the email (if you send it in-line) and put it into a directory with a queue number, and it helps me to not have to try to match them back up to the emails later when I need to contact you... There is a limited amount of space for illustrations. Preference for art will be given to illustrations done for accepted stories specifically. Art submissions are preferred as black and white (aka: ink-on-paper, 2-color bitmap) scannable hardcopy or 600dpi resolution digital. Art of this type outputs the best and the files are small enough to handle. Greyscale (ie: pencil or 256 grey digital work) is okay too, but will require specific halftone and electronic file settings. Contact us for further details. Submission Rates: Stories accepted for publication will be paid at a rate of $0.005 per word. (That's 1/2 a cent, yeah... We're still not breaking even yet.) Art accepted for publication will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis, but will usually be in the range of $5 to $25, depending on size, complexity, and location in the magazine (ie: a full-page illo for the centerfold story will pay higher than a full page elsewhere. Cover art higher still...) Legal Stuff: Stories and artwork remain the exclusive copyright of the artist or author, who will sign and return a consent form for Sofawolf Press's limited right to publish the material as designated. =Anthrolations=' editorial staff have final say as to suitability of material submitted for consideration. Question and Answer Page: Q: What do you mean by Anthropomorphic and Zoomorphic? A: This is a good question, as traditional literary definitions don't entirely apply. Anthropomorphization normally refers to the application of human thoughts and feelings to ANY non-human being or object. For the purposes of this magazine, I'm referring solely to applying those characteristics to other animals. The trouble comes in differentiating between stories containing normal (ie: Earthlike) animals thinking like humans (eg: "Watership Down" by Richard Adams, or "Tailchaser's Song" by Tad Williams) and animal-human hybrids, or animals acting impossibly like humans (eg: The Spellsinger series by Alan Dean Foster or some Cordwainer Smith's short stories). Some of the other publications in this genre have taken to using Zoomorphic to refer to the former, and Anthropomorphic to refer to the latter. This is the precedent I have retained. Q: Why a whole magazine devoted to Anthropomorphic fiction? A: This is one of the more common questions posed to me by writers from outside the Anthropomorphic fandom. I'm a little confused by this, considering the rainbow of specialty-interest magazines in the semi-pro SF&F market. I personally can't figure out why one would do an entire magazine devoted to vampires... Still, it's worth examining the literary benefits that come from using animals as your main characters in this way. The most common argument is perhaps the most literarily sound. By assigning human attributes to non-human animals, you can examine parts of the human condition through a "filter" of sorts. The different animal species become allegories for spectres of humanity, allowing them to be dramatized "safely". George Orwell, Cordwainer Smith, and even Aesop are excellent examples. The trouble with the above is that it limits your choices. The vast majority of amateur and semi-professional writers have neither the skill nor the inclination to produce such exacting works of human societal fiction. It also makes for somewhat of a one-trick publication. Another, almost as valid, argument is that using animal characters (particularly in conjunction with human characters) allows for a wider spectrum of character types and assumptions for the writer to use. A timid office worker and his or her overbearing supervisor is a pretty bland device if both are human. Much more diverse character tension is possible if the timid office worker is an anthropomorphic wolf, and the supervisor is an anthropomorphic rabbit. How would the wolf feel worse about himself, being cowed by something once (or perhaps even STILL) regarded as a food source? How would the rabbit feel? How does this situation effect the wolf's stature in his family-group, which can be assumed to have some kind of a pack structure? I like to think of it like a black and white photograph compared to a color one. You can still make a superb picture (and some will argue a better one) using only black and white, but color adds to your options. [http://www.sofawolf.org/anthrolations/a_submissions.html] BLACK GATE, ADVENTURES IN FANTASY LITERATURE [Quarterly print mag, F all lengths, pays 6 cents/wd for fiction, 5 cents/wd for nonfic. on accept. Return time 2-5 mo. E-mail subm okay.] Publisher & Editor: John O'Neill New Epoch Press Attn: Submissions Dept 815 Oak Street St. Charles, IL 60174 website: http://www.blackgate.com/index.htm guidelines: http://www.blackgate.com/bg/guide.htm submissions: john@blackgate.com What We're Looking For =Black Gate= publishes epic fantasy fiction at all lengths (including novel excerpts), articles, interviews, news and reviews. We are looking for adventure-oriented fantasy fiction suitable for all ages--including urban fantasy, sword & sorcery, dark fantasy/horror, "magic realism" and romantic fantasy--as long as it is well written and original. We buy first North American serial and electronic publication rights. We pay 6 cents/word for fiction, and 5 cents/word for non-fiction, on acceptance. =Black Gate= is also looking for artists--for line art, comics, and cartoons. If you have an online portfolio full of dynamic, fun b&w art, don't hesitate to contact us at john@blackgate.com Editorial Process All fiction submissions to =Black Gate= are first reviewed by our fiction readers . . . who are some of the most talented readers in the field, with experience at some of the finest publications in the industry. . . Approximately 20-30 manuscripts per month are passed along to =Black Gate='s editor, John O'Neill. As we are a quarterly publication, we currently have space to purchase a maximum of one or two per month. If your story is not accepted for publication, don't be discouraged. =Black Gate= is a market with very specific needs. We try to offer feedback on virtually every story we receive, and always enjoy working with new authors. Response Time Our current response time for first reading is two months. For acceptance, it is an additional 2-3 months. Submissions =Black Gate= accepts both electronic and physical submissions. Our submission address is: New Epoch Press, Attn: Submissions Dept, 815 Oak Street, St. Charles, IL 60174, john@blackgate.com [http://www.blackgate.com/bg/guide.htm] [[See considerable discussion about =Black Gate= and its future in Market Information below.]] CENTURY MAGAZINE [Quarterly print mag, spec fic 1,000 to 20,000 wds, pays 4 cents/wd. No sim, mult, or E-mail subm. Response time 4-6 wks.] Robert K. J. Killheffer, Editor/Publisher Bryan G. Cholfin, Design & Production Century P.O. Box 150510 Brooklyn, NY 11215-0510 E-mail Inquiries: editor@centurymag.com Website: http://www.centurymag.com/ =Century= publishes stories in a broad spectrum of styles, subjects, and lengths (anywhere from 1,000 to 20,000 words). It's impossible for us to describe the kinds of fiction that appeal to us here- for a clear sense of that, you'll have to read an issue or two- but all the stories we print do share an element of the "speculative" or "fantastic," something tangible or intangible that separates them from most "mainstream" fiction (… la The New Yorker). Beyond that, we're looking for accomplished writing with polished prose, sharp detail and observation, and some depth beyond the surface level of the text. We are not publishing poetry at this time. =Century= pays 4 cents per word for First World English and non-exclusive reprint rights. We do not accept simultaneous submissions or multiple submissions (that is, submissions of several stories at one time). We do not accept electronic submissions, either, so please do not e-mail submissions through this web site or otherwise. All submissions should be typed, double-spaced, and printed on only one side of the page. Author's name and address should appear in the upper right-hand corner of the first page, and the approximate word count in the upper left; in addition, every page should include your name, the title (or a recognizable abbreviation thereof), and a page number in case pages become separated from the manuscript. All submissions must be accompanied by an appropriately-sized self-addressed stamped envelope. If your manuscript is disposable, please send a #10 (letter-size) SASE for our response. If you do not live in the United States and cannot acquire U.S. stamps, please enclose the appropriate number of International Return Coupons. Manuscripts without SASEs will not be returned. Response time is four to six weeks; however, many factors can cause delays, so we ask that you wait at least eight weeks before inquiring. We look forward to reading your submission, and thank you for considering Century. Send submissions to: Century, P.O. Box 150510, Brooklyn, NY, 11215-0510 E-mail Inquiries: editor@centurymag.com Sample copy $7, One year (4 issues) $20, Two years (8 issues) $38. Canada and overseas please add $1.50 per issue for shipping, and remit in U.S. funds only. =Century= is published quarterly by Century Publishing. Robert K. J. Killheffer, Editor/Publisher. Bryan G. Cholfin, Design & Production. [http://www.centurymag.com/guidelines.html] [[See note in Market Information]] CHIAROSCURO, TREATMENTS OF LIGHT AND SHADE IN WORDS [Webzine, H/dark F to 5,000 wds, pays 3 cents/wd. No reprints or mult subm, sim subs okay. Response time 1 hr. to 3 mo. E-mail subm. only.] FICTION SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Dark. Well-written. 5,000 words or less. Rich Text Format or body of an email (with italics somehow denoted). No reprints. Simultaneous submissions okay, as long as you tell us it's simultaneous. No multiple submissions. We want only your best. Payment: 3 cents per word. klune@gothic.net (subject=ChiZine Submission) (Submissions sent to any other address will be deleted unread.) Response time: 1 hour to 3 months POETRY SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: =ChiZine= has reopened to poetry submissions (1) Must be good poetry, first of all. There is a lot of bad poetry out there, and the Internet seems to have given all the would-be poets of the world free license to print whatever drivel they please on everybody-and-his-brother's website. =ChiZine= is not the venue for that. Don't send me any old crap. I will print only the best. If I don't get enough good poetry one month, the poetry section will go on hiatus until the next month. (2) Must be of a "dark" nature. Remember, too, that The Chiaroscuro's theme is "Treatment of Light and Shade in Words." But there's always leeway. (3) Reprints are okay but NOT if the poem has appeared elsewhere on the Internet. (4) All kinds of verse accepted: formal, informal, free verse, haiku, prose poems, etc. I might even consider a limerick if it met the guidelines. I'm not a big fan of "found poetry," mostly because I think it's cheating, but you can always try me. (Note: if you're writing formal verse, bear in mind that people like Shakespeare and Donne and Keats already did it better than most of us will ever be able to manage in our entire lifetimes. If you're going to risk formal verse, make really sure you know what you're doing.) (5) No length restrictions. It can be 3 lines. It can be 200 lines. But be reasonable. Extremely long poems will in all likelihood be read with a more jaundiced eye than their shorter confreres. If it's 200 lines, you better wow me. (6) No clich‚s. Or I'll slap you. I mean it. (7) No J.R.R. Tolkien riffs. You know what? Tolkien already wrote his own poetry for the Middle Earth books and he did it better than you. If I see something called "Ode to Aragorn and Arwen Evenstar On Their Handfasting," I will delete it immediately and spam you for life. (8) Do not bore me. I want to be moved or disturbed or made to think. I want imaginative, clever, thoughtful, thought-provoking, witty, sly, cunning, elegant, intelligent, lyrical poetry. Or any combination thereof. I want you to make me go, "Oooooh." (9) No elves under any circumstances whatsoever. (10) No simultaneous submissions. (11) Payment is $3 per poem. (Rates may increase as time goes on.) We will purchase 6 poems per issue, and will have them up on the site for the three months the issue is up. After the issue is "over", the poems are then archived for one year. Once the poem is in the archives, you may sell it again elsewhere. If =ChiZine= is the first place your poem was ever published, please give us copyright credit when it is reprinted. Remember, it's the polite thing to do, and it is actually the law. (12) The author retains the copyright. However, =ChiZine= retains an option to publish the poem(s) as part of a "best of" anthology to be determined at a later date. (13) Don't send query letters. Just send the damn poetry already. (14) Submissions should be sent via e-mail to kasturi@globalserve.net (subject=ChiZine Poetry Submission) (Submissions sent to any other address will be deleted unread.) Response time: 1 hour to 3 months Submissions should ONLY be sent in the body of the e-mail. I've changed my mind about this. No attachments whatsoever from now on. Sandra Kasturi, Poetry Editor, ChiZine, and Part-time Stormtrooper [http://www.gothic.net/chiaroscuro/chizine/, http://www.gothic.net/chiaroscuro/chizine/submissions.htm] DARKLING PLAIN SPECULATIVE FICTION [Print mag, literate spec fic to 8,000 wds, pays 3 cents/wd. Submit only during reading period. Response time 2-6 wks. No e- mail subm.] David M. Cox, editor Darkling Plain Speculative Fiction 4804 Laurel Canyon Blvd. Box 506 Valley Village, CA 91607 E-mail queries: DCMcKeag@DarklingPlain.com http://www.darklingplain.com/ =Darkling Plain= is the magazine of literate science fiction. Despite the distinctions that some make between "science" fiction and "literary" fiction, many distinguished literary writers, including Ray Bradbury, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Edgar Allan Poe, John Updike, Mark Twain, and Thomas Pynchon, have all either written science fiction or employed many of its conventions. Our goal is to break down those distinctions with stories by new and established writers which mix the conventions of science fiction, horror, fantasy, and literary fiction. Our stories show that good fiction of any sort is a story with compelling characters and a compelling plot, powerful in the beauty and sophistication of its language, which informs the reader on the experience of being human. ISSUE #3 Reading Period Update as of 2/3/2001. Most likely, the reading period will be from June 1 to July 15, 2001, but these dates are not yet set in stone. Contributors Guidelines We are currently closed to submissions. The projected reading period for issue #3 is June 1 - July 15, 2001, but check back at [the web] site or check the market reports as those dates approach. Please do not submit any unsolicited material, as it might be quite a while before I am able to respond. Fiction: Payment 3 cents per word for literate speculative fiction. This includes science fiction, fantasy, horror, magic realism, literary, and especially unclassifiable stories that blur the boundaries of all of these designations, up to 8,000 words. I define literary fiction as a story with compelling characters and a compelling plot, powerful in the beauty and sophistication of its language, which informs the reader on the experience of being human. I define good speculative fiction in the same way, with the added requirement that the story include a speculative element--something futuristic or otherworldly, fantastic or threatening, ominous or outrageous--as an integral part of the story. Readers of =Darkling Plain= care less about genre distinctions and more about a good story, well told. If you can do that, your chances are pretty good with us. Response time will be two to six weeks. I may take longer, especially if the story is under consideration, so wait two months before querying. And now, a word about editorial responses: I will try to respond personally to every manuscript submitted, even if it's only a sentence or two. On the other hand, if I have something to say about the story, I may respond with quite a few sentences. One of the goals of a good editor is to help writers improve their story and their craft, and that sometimes means being critical. If you can't appreciate criticism, grow a thicker skin, because any successful writer will tell you they received a lot of criticism on the way to success, at which point they received plenty more. It's worse when nobody says anything at all. If you take the time to submit your best work, I look forward to letting you know what I thought. Poetry: $25 for speculative poetry, up to two typewritten pages per poem. Nonfiction: Payment 3 cents per word for critical essays on writers, themes, and works of speculative fiction--not mere book reviews--and speculative science articles, to 5,000 words. Interviews 1-3 cents per word. Illustrations and Cartoons: $60.00 for front cover art, $35 for back-cover art, and $25 for commissioned interior art. For an assignment, please send clear, disposable samples of your work first. DO NOT send originals unless requested. Send all submissions to: Darkling Plain 4804 Laurel Canyon Blvd. Box 506 Valley Village, CA 91607 =Darkling Plain= and its editor assume no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. If you want your manuscript returned to you, include a SASE with sufficient postage, and remember that the Post Office determines what constitutes sufficient postage. Manuscripts without an SASE will not be returned. Postage-due submissions of any sort will be refused. I generally do not accept electronic submissions but, if you include an e-mail address with your submission and advise me that you do not need your manuscript returned, no SASE is necessary--I'll respond via e-mail. [http://www.darklingplain.com/Guidelines.htm] FUTURES, SHORT TALES FOR STORY LOVERS [Print mag, wants: multigenre, including comics/graphic novels, horror, humor/satire, mystery, psychic/ supernatural/occult, and science fiction. 500-3500 wds (query for up to 6000). Pays $5. E-mail subm preferred. No mult. subm.] Babs Lakey, Editor FUTURES 3039 38th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55406-2140 E-mail: BARBL@tela.com http://www.firetowrite.com/ Statement of Purpose The futures market in commodities is a good analogy for writers and artists. Their work, in many cases, is greatly undervalued; the future "market" value will be much higher than anyone can imagine. OUR FUTURE IS WHAT WE MAKE IT. As writers we have more in common than our love of words and books. We support and instruct one another with enthusiasm, ideas and insights culled from our diverse talents. In the writing community there is a tremendous amount of energy, a rolling boiling. It takes the form of many people with talent and motivation anxious to unleash their creative juices. The world of publishing is changing. Join us in our quest for a better future. BE PART OF THE FUTURE. Artists and Writers with verve and imagination--please submit. =Futures= considers itself a stepping stone for many younger writers as well as a magazine with tremendous variety and creative power for the seasoned writers and artists. Please consider that many who read us proudly show their family the content and use language that is appropriate. When in doubt, feel free to inquire. Also, FYI, we nominate for the Pushcart Prize Award each year and are honored to do so, profanity will exclude a Pushcart nomination. We prefer that you email your submissions and paste them inside your email. For fiction you may send the entire ms. We prefer word-counts to stay within 500 to 3500, but have published much longer works. We publish up to 6000 words on a regular basis and serialize on occasion, so if you feel you need the space to tell the story, we will read it but in this case, please query before you send. Non-fiction: send a query telling us about your idea. For all work, don't rely on your spellchecker; proofread your work! Give us your name, address and the word count at the top, and a short bio. If you submit by regular mail include a SASE. We will gladly send you a sample copy for the author's rate which is $4.00 plus postage of $1.65. Outside the USA please ask for the postage fee. The amount =Futures= pays is nominal,($5 now, $10 after Oct 1 [2001?]). We nominate for the Pushcart Prize, as well as Edgar, Derringer, and our own fire to fly. We have a Publisher's Choice each issue and offer Starting Line for first time writers. Join us and become part of what will be OUR future together. We recommended that first-time submitters read at least one issue prior to submission. Please no multiple submissions; only one story at a time. Mail submissions and contest entries to Babs at: FUTURES, 3039 38th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55406-2140 Telephone: 612/724-4023 e-mail: BARBL@tela.com Babs Lakey, Editor, FUTURES Magazine [http://www.firetowrite.com/] VAMPYRE MAGAZINE [New bimonthly print mag, wants vampyres/vampires, gothic horror, cyberpunk, faeries. Pays 5-10 cents/wd.] Vampyre Magazine c/o Submissions PO Box 381 JAF Station New York, NY 10116-0381 E-mail: vampyremagazine@aol.com FAX: 425.962.7477 Website: http://VampyreMag.com/ NYC (4.3.01) =Vampyre Magazine= is the publication to explore the unfolding phenomena which has evolved into vampire myth, folklore, fiction, erotica, fashion, comics, subculture, theatre, film, art, music and fetishism. Published bimonthly by Sabretooth Press, =Vampyre Magazine= has a circulation of 25,000 copies throughout North America, England and Germany. The premiere issue is 68 gloss pages, 20 of which are full color, including the cover. The cover price is $7.95 per issue and will be available at VampyreMag.com, Amazon.com, Barnes & Nobles, Borders, Tower and other fine magazine retailers. The Premiere issue will have a street date of May 15th and ship via mail order and web orders in late April. The main focus of =Vampyre= is on a cutting edge interpretation of the darker genres, with less emphasis on the campy material that is often associated with the concept of "vampires". Our goal is to make available a tangible resource for this subculture, in an entertaining fashion. In upcoming issues, you'll find more informative articles on lifestyle and spirituality as well as features on artists, musicians and performers that appeal to members of our scene, or are members themselves. We'll also include spotlights on major cities that have an abundance of interesting businesses, organizations and nightlife that cater to the vampyre and gothic communities. Look for more erotic fiction, fashion and fantasy. For more information on =Vampyre Magazine=, as well as teasers for this issue and our next, please visit our website at www.vampyremag.com or by E-mail at vampyremagazine@aol.com. VAMPYRE MAGAZINE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES =Vampyre= accepts several types of submissions. Following these descriptions is our contact information. All unsolicited submissions become property of =Vampyre Magazine=. Events: we love to get loads of pics and reviews from gothic, vampyre, medieval, fantasy, fetish and other "dark" events from around the world and the club scene. We will need them at CYMK TIFF files with a minimum of 300 dpi (dots per inch). Bites: if you know of something cool such as a film, website, new and upcoming band or performer, cool service, etc. let us know about it. We are always looking for stuff for the bites section of =Vampyre=. Fashion: in issue #2 we are going to be adding our dark fashion section featuring 2-3 different designers per issue. If you would like to do a shot and get free publicity please do let us know. Music: bands, DJs, performers send us a CD to the address below. We are also interested in music reviews and interviews. Fiction: YES! We are looking for good fiction writers within the topics of vampyres/vampires, gothic horror, cyberpunk, faeries, erotica, etc. We pay about $.05-$.10 per word for already published writers. Models: we are always looking for sexy and erotic models for use in short stories, filler images and fashion shoots. Send us a small jpg of yourself (under 100k please). We only accept models who are able to provide a statement of their age and are 18+. Poetry: we are going to start doing gothic poetry competitions in future issues. Do not send us your poems yet as we are interviewing potential staff members to take on this job. Vampyre Magazine c/o Submissions PO Box 381 JAF Station New York, NY 10116-0381 E-mail: vampyremagazine@aol.com FAX: 425.962.7477 [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/topic178.htm, 5 Apr 2001, http://VampyreMag.com/submissions.shtml] VESTAL REVIEW [Quarterly webzine, short-shorts in all genres (except hard SF) to 500 wds. Pays 3-10 cents/wd. Does not read in Mar/Jun/Sept/Dec. No reprints. Sim & mult subs okay. Return time 2 wks.] Mark Budman, publisher/editor Sue O'Neill, co-editor Lucy Budman, editorial assistant E-mail: editor@stny.rr.com =Vestal Review= is a free quarterly e-zine devoted to what we consider an underrepresented type of fiction: flash (or short-short) stories. A good flash, replete with a cohesive plot, rich language and enticing imagery, is perhaps the hardest type of fiction to write. A good flash is so condensed that it borderlines poetry. A good flash engages your mind not only for the short duration of its read, but for a long time after. =Vestal Review= is an eclectic magazine, open to all genres except children's stories and hard science fiction. It includes eight flash stories per issue. We are blessed with a deluge of submissions and therefore are very selective. Issue 6, due on July 1, will not have a theme. Effective March 1, 2001, we are introducing reading periods. We will not read in March, June, September and December. All stories submitted during these four months will be returned unread. =Vestal Review= is a quarterly publication and accepts only original material. No reprints, please. Even if it has been displayed on your own Web page, we consider it published. Yet if John Updike sends his previously published story, who are we to say no? If the story has been posted and reviewed at a password-protected e-workshop with a controlled list of participants, we consider this a plus. =Vestal Review= is a magazine for flash (short shorts) fiction. We are accepting up to eight flash fiction stories per issue. We realize that there are different definitions of what a flash story is and all of them have merit. In our definition, a flash story is no longer than 500 words and it has a plot. If it's longer than 500 words and/or has no plot, we are not interested. We are also not interested in porn, racial slurs, excessive gore, or obscenity. On the other end of the spectrum, no children's or preachy stories either, please. Our target audience is people over 18, so R-rated content is OK, but not X-rated. Most genres, other than children's, syrupy romance or hard science fiction, are accepted--and we love humor. Here is what we consider the ideal flash (78 words), by Martin Niemoller. This is far from humor, but... "First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist-- so I said nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat--so I did nothing. Then came the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew--so I did little. Then when they came for me, there was no one left who could stand up for me." Don't forget that the title is an important part of the story. Make it pertinent but don't tell too much either. We generally don't favor one-word titles. We are paying professional rates now. The payment rates are as follows: Stories up to 100 words (excluding the title)--10 cents a word. Stories between 101 and 200 words--5 cents a word. Stories between 201 and 500 words--3 cents a word. Stories of great merit receive up to $25 flat fee; 3 cents a word is a minimum pay in any case. In exchange for these fees, we are asking for First Electronic Rights, including no posting of the accepted story anywhere, on the Web or in print, for 120 days after its exclusive appearance on the =Vestal Review= Web site (don't forget, we are a quarterly magazine). After this period, all rights revert back to the writer but we ask that you acknowledge =Vestal Review= in any subsequent printing of the material published here, be that on the Web or in hard copy. We are also asking for one year archiving rights and anthology rights. Anthology rights are secondary, meaning that the author may sell his or her story to any other anthology market providing that 120 days passed after the Vestal Review publication. The author is expected to sign the contract to be found at http://www.vestalreview.net/samplecontract.html. Being writers, we understand the frustration of waiting for months and months for an editor's reply. Our target is to reply within two weeks, and we do allow simultaneous submissions. Please inform us immediately if your story is accepted elsewhere. If your story is accepted for =Vestal Review=, please withdraw it from other markets immediately. Multiple submissions are OK but please limit them to three per reading period (the time between two consecutive issues). Each multiple has to be submitted in a separate e-mail. All submissions should be send electronically to this address, editor@stny.rr.com. They should be pasted in the body of your e-mail. No attachments of any kind, please. This means no HTML either. Please indicate italics with asterisks (*). Don't indent paragraphs and do insert a blank line between paragraphs. Put the word Submission in the subject, followed by a colon and the title of your story. Alternative address for submissions (in emergency only) is this address vreditor@hotmail.com. These guidelines are created to make the editors' lives easier and our replies faster. If you won't follow them, we will have to return your submission unread! A cover letter is fine. We would like to know whom we are dealing with. Don't forget your legal name and the postal address so we can mail you the check. So, please send us your best and let's work together. We now meet all the criteria for professional publication as defined by Science Fiction Writers of America and therefore a publication in VR might count as a credit toward SFWA membership, depending on the payment (you do the math). [http://www.vestalreview.net/about.htm, http://www.vestalreview.net/submissions.htm, http://www.vestalreview.net/announceSF.html, http://www.vestalreview.net/masthead.html] ----------------------------------------------------------------- MARKET INFORMATION =Altair= Robert Stephenson, editor of =Altair Magazine=, says, "After a generous offer from backers and distribution guaranteed I have pulled the pin on =Altair Magazine=. It is now dead. Why? I smelt a very big rat coming with the money. Long story though. "So I'm disappointed and elated I didn't get fried." Other people are suggesting the magazine just go on hiatus, not completely shut down; we'll see what comes of that. [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/archive/arc291.htm, 8 Mar 01] =Black Gate= A writer on Speculations' Rumor Mill says, "According to the posting at the =Black Gate= [newsgroup on sff.net], Dave Truesdale has left the magazine." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/topic291.htm, 30 Mar 01] And here's the information from the newsgroup: "I've been following the active discussion in the =Black Gate= newsgroup for a while, but haven't had a chance to break away from my other duties and participate. For that I apologize. I'm John O'Neill, editor and publisher of =Black Gate=. "As Dave Truesdale mentioned, he and the owners of New Epoch Press have been in discussions for the last few weeks. It's no secret that Dave hasn't been happy about our current direction, and he's also had the growing success of =Tangent Online= (and his duties as SFWA Bulletin editor) pulling him away. After several phone calls to me to make sure I understood his reasons, Dave officially submitted his resignation today as Managing Editor of =Black Gate=. "As I'm sure you're all aware, Dave is a man of integrity and honesty, and the sacrifices he's made for =Black Gate= have been considerable. =Black Gate= owes a large portion of its current success to his tireless efforts over the last few months, and it is a far better magazine because of him. On a personal level, I will miss him at my side very much. "Dave asked me to post a brief announcement about his decision here, and make sure all those with stories in to him understood that everyone involved--including Dave--are committed to making this a seamless transition. New Epoch Press has already made an offer to a new Managing Editor, and we hope business-as-usual will resume fairly quickly. "Dave Truesdale took it upon himself to set up this newsgroup, and maintain it faithfully, so that all of you could be kept up-to-date on the roller coaster ride of our first six months. It was a terrific idea, one of the many Dave contributed, and it's one I'd like to continue. "While it's a bit much to think that anyone could easily fill Dave's shoes here, I will make the best effort I can. As long-time readers are aware, Dave maintained a tradition of openness and (sometimes brutal!) honesty in this newsgroup, and I hope I can continue in that vein. "I'm sure many of you have questions about the future of =Black Gate=, our crazy business schemes, my own editorial policies, and more. Please don't be shy. If you'd like to send them to me privately, I can be reached at john@blackgate.com." [sff.publishing.black-gate-magazine, 30 Mar 2001] A few more tidbits from John O'Neill. "I think Dave's already done a good job of letting everyone know what my vision was when I started =Black Gate=: a magazine devoted to action-oriented, heroic fantasy suitable for all ages. In short, a magazine of unabashed adventure stories for adults that I could sell to a younger audience with a clean conscience. . . . "We're trying to prove something with =Black Gate=--that there is a market for a well-produced magazine of fantasy literature, and for longer adventure stories and story series. For a magazine that publishes 2-3 novellas and novel excerpts every issue, is extensively illustrated, and is a very significant value in terms of fiction published for the price. "Yes, this is a much riskier strategy [than a cheaper format], and taking it means that the chances =Black Gate= is going to be around in two years aren't as good as they could be. But I'm willing to take that risk, and so are the other owners of New Epoch Press. It's why we all invested our money in the first place -- to take that gamble, and do whatever we can to succeed. And so far we're actually ahead of our fiscal plan, in terms of subscriptions (which have been terrific), and distribution for our second and third issue. "We certainly knew there would be bumps on the road (and there have been!), but so far we've ignored the cries to turn back, and haven't lost sight of our vision. Only time will tell if it's an endeavor worth the risk or not." There's lots more, folks; check out the newsgroup for all the skinny! [sff.publishing.black-gate-magazine, 31 Mar 2001] Dave Truesdale reports, "As of today, April 2nd, I have cleared my table of all BG submissions. This includes all electronic submissions and snail mail submissions. A big box (60 lbs.) is now being sent via UPS John's way. 180 stories plus maybe 4 business envelope sized things. According to the clerk at Mail & More, the box should arrive at John's no later than Thursday. "My slate is clean. I will be returning to the authors any and all stories I continue to receive until the word gets out to send everything John's way, with a note to resubmit their stories to John directly." [sff.publishing.black-gate-magazine, 2 Apr 2001] An online Q&A with John O'Neill Q: Let me see if I can nail down the handful of immediate practical questions I imagine many of us have about =Black Gate='s editorial situation. We know you've got material in hand to fill BG #2. I don't think we have a handle on how well stocked you may be with purchased material to fill the double issue A: Good question. I currently have sufficient inventory for issues 2 through 4, but that's all. Since we have a limited budget, and we need to be realistic about our future while spending the investor's money, I've been extremely selective about purchasing fiction more than 3 issues ahead. That said, I have made exceptions for those stories which meet our primary need--terrific action-adventure pieces, such as Harry Connolly's "The Whoremaster of Pald" and Shawn Johnson's "Two-Skins"--and I expect to do so again. Q: . . . we know from Dave's reports that you've got a small stack of "still thinking about it" stories on your desk that both you and he have read and are holding for Further Consideration. A: Some additional clarity on this: when I read a superb story that doesn't meet our current needs--for example, an urban fantasy, which we are currently heavily oversold on--I will contact the author to let her know. These are always the hardest stories to pass on, and I'm always happy to keep these kinds of stories on file in the hope that we can purchase them down the road. But keeping them off the market for that time is extremely unfair (as you can imagine), so this is usually something discussed with the author first. I try to limit the number of stories in this queue to a maximum of a dozen, although this has fluctuated up and down. Q: And of course there's likely to be a stack of manuscripts Dave didn't have a chance to read before stepping down. . . A: Correct. I understand this is about 200. Q: . . .and possibly a stack that he's forwarded to you but you haven't yet read. A: Also correct. I have approximately 65 that Dave has passed along currently in my in-box, and about 25 from other sources, as well as three novel outlines. I am currently reading at a rate of about 20 a week. I read every story from beginning to end, often twice, and from habit I make copious notes in the margin. Q: This prompts the three-part question: "How much material do you need to buy?" A: I buy, on average, about two stories a month. In addition to novel excerpts, we will also be buying two complete novels a year. Q: "When do you expect to be able to buy it?" A: I buy only when I find a story that suits our needs. Q: "Are you still actively soliciting new submissions at this point -- and if so, what are you particularly looking for?" A: Yes, and what we're (almost exclusively) looking for at this point is original heroic fantasy--literate, adventure-oriented fiction at all lengths. [sff.publishing.black-gate-magazine, 2 Apr 2001] =Blue Food= A writer on the Rumor Mill says, "Blue Food is a dead market and won't be publishing any further issues after the fourth. If you want to buy any of their four issues, you can from their website: www.bluefood.cc." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/archive/arc291.htm, 21 Mar 01] =Century= Jenna Felice, associate editor at Century, tragically died in mid-March after an allergic reaction. There is no information as to how this will affect Century magazine. =Lone Wolf Publications= A writer on the Rumor Mill informs us, "Lone Wolf Publications's new antho, =Tooth & Claw=, is by invitation only. You can't tell this by reading the publicly-posted GLs, or the link on the LWP Submission page: 'Lone Wolf Publications is now taking submissions for =Tooth and Claw=, an anthology of monster stories edited by J.F. Gonzalez and Garrett Peck.'" [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/topic291.htm, 31 Mar 01] =The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction= There's an interview with Gordon van Gelder, who recently went from editor to publisher/editor of =The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction= when he bought =F&SF= from Ed Ferman, at http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue199/interview.html. It's definitely worth reading if you're submitting to =F&SF=. Also, a writer on sff.net got a rejection from Gordon van Gelder saying he doesn't care for animal protagonists. [sff.writing.response-times, 20 Mar 2001] =Muse It= A writer on the Rumor Mill says, "=Muse It= no longer pays cash. Items accepted for cash payment but not yet published are being returned to authors who are given the option of having those items still published but without payment. I got the impression that funding didn't materialize." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/topic291.htm, 3 Apr 01] =The Pedestal= A writer on the Rumor Mill got this from The Pedestal: "Thank you for your recent submission. Unfortunately, we are no longer able to accept submissions through direct email. Therefore, please resubmit the work through the submission form provided on the website." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/archive/arc291.htm, 16 Mar 01] =Space and Time= "A writer . . . just reporting selling a story to =Space and Time= with a note that it will not appear until Jan 2003." They're obviously well stocked. [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/archive/arc291.htm, 13 Mar 01] =Strange Horizons= A writer on the Rumor Mill queried =Strange Horizons= about a story and was sent the following reply: "Our response time is averaging about a month right now; if you haven't heard from us within two months after your submission, feel free to query. "All correspondence regarding fiction should be directed to the fiction editors at fiction@strangehorizons.com." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/archive/arc291.htm, 17 Mar 01] =Vacancy= Jon Hodges says, "=Vacancy= is now online. It has audio readings from Bruce Boston, Bobbi Sinha-Morey, Shane B. Kellerman, Shawn James, and Karen A. Romanko. It also, begrudgingly, has an introduction and an editorial from me, read by me. I'm not the best reader, though, so... "I'm also always open to submissions. I only accept reprints of stories 2,000 words and under and poems of any length within reason. All works must be supernatural in some way, though not necessarily horror. I'm also open to sci-fi, fantasy, or most any other genre so long as it is supernatural. My response times are generally within a week. Check out the guidelines at the site for more details." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/topic291.htm, 31 Mar 01] =Visionair= A writer on the Rumor Mill says, "Learned yesterday that =Visionair= is dead. . . ." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/archive/arc291.htm, 13 Mar 01] =Weird Tales= A writer on the Rumor Mill says, "=Weird Tales= tells me . . . that they are 'still badly overstocked and will be until the coming summer.'" [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/archive/arc291.htm, 19 Mar 01] =Winedark Sea= When someone wondered whether =Winedark Sea= was dead, a writer on the Rumor Mill posted a message received from Erica Lacey, one of the editors at =Winedark Sea=: "Thank you for your request for information regarding =Winedark Sea=. I am sorry to hear that you have not heard from Adrian regarding your submissions--he has been rather busy with his work and is still going through manuscripts. I have no doubt that you'll be hearing from him as soon as he has read them. "The website has not undergone development because of the lack of time to do so, and this goes for the submissions page also. The next issue is currently under development and should be released in the near future." [http://www.speculations.com/rumormill/topic84.htm, 25 Feb 2001] ----------------------------------------------------------------- KID'S SF/F MARKETS WEBPAGE There's a compilation of information about markets that take science fiction and fantasy submissions for children and young adults at http://www.sff.net/people/justinvs/kidlist.html ----------------------------------------------------------------- HEADLINES Evil Utah Polygamist Burbles on Contaminated Meat While Sledding Down Mounds of Mashed Potatoes Boisterous Blue Chemistry Fan Repudiates Elephant Into Wine Barrel Globally Respected Empire Builder Pantses Scantily-clad Bimbo in the New Black Angus Steakhouse Steatopygian Elder Statesman Evicts Apprentice Electrician Among Saturn's Rings Blue-webbed Butthead Bombastizes Robotics Technician Between the Eyes Arrogant Gingerbread House Burps Luscious Locusts in an Abandoned Space Station Slippery Luxembourgian Noble Consumes Babes on the Gong Show ==End of CALLIHOO Newsletter for 6 April 2001==