Novel and Short Story Writer's Market

Friday's Feast

2008-01-25T11:32:59.8790000-05:00

You know how even when you're expecting something it can come as a surprise to you? Today is like that for me. I've known this day was coming, but it didn't seem real until now. This may come as a surprise for those of you who don't get the newsletter, but today is my last day as editor of Novel & Short Story Writer's Market. F&W decided to restructure how we produce the various market books, so I'm moving on to other opportunites. I've loved this job and I'm going to miss it. The blog will continue to be updated by the Writer's Market editors, so look for items from Alice Pope, Chuck Sambuchino and Robert Brewer. Please continue to send in your calls for submissions and questions to nsswmATfwpubsDotcom.

That being said, on with today's feast!

Submissions
General. Every Day Fiction is looking for very short (flash) fiction, of 1000 words or less. There's no such thing as too short— if you can tell a story in 50 words, have at it! All fiction genres are acceptable, and stories that don't fit neatly into any genre are welcome too. "While personal experiences and other non-fiction can be great sources of inspiration, please turn them into fiction for us, or send them elsewhere. Our readership is adult, so children's stories are unlikely to be accepted unless they are relevant to adults as well. On the other hand, we are not impressed by gratuitous sex and violence, or pointlessly foul language; edgy content should be necessary and appropriate to the plot and characters." Payment is token and they don't take reprints. Submit via on-site form.

Horror. Champagne Shivers will re-open to submissions Feb 14. They’re a yearly print magazine looking for “the work of poets, fiction writers, non fiction writers, cartoonists, photographers and artists with the ability to inspire shivers in readers.” Fiction should be 500-2500 words and they’ll pay $3-7 (oh and they do reprints).

Bizarro. The Dream People , an eclectic biannual e-journal, has a new eddress. They look for flash fiction that is “distinguished by absurdity, irrealism, the grotesque, narrative experimentation, dark humor, & ultimately a cult sensibility. We are looking for high-quality, stylized fiction that escapes the boundaries of reality & attempts to represent the unrepresentable.”

Conferences
Lesley University Writers' Conference is in Cambridge, Mass., July 27-August 1, 2008. The conference supports writers in a collaborative environment that will provide rich stimulation for anyone interested in fiction, nonfiction, children's book writing, and poetry. Enjoy rigorous workshops, guest speakers, faculty readings, craft lectures, publishing panels, and receptions‹all of which will provide extraordinary opportunities to receive feedback on your work from established writers, share ideas, make connections, and take your writing to the next level. Contact: Joyce Wadlington at 617.349.8298 or jwadlingATlesleyDOTedu .

New Magazines
Speculative Fiction. Dog Versus Sandwich is a blog zine based out of Australia. They want 10,000 word stories and pays $50 (AUS). "Dog Versus Sandwich is dedicated to the fantastic, absurd, surreal, obtuse, bizarre, fandangled, hyperbolic, “slipped streams”, the parable, the duck with the broken leg, the experimental, the mental, and also stories in which a dog eats a sandwich (or vice versa)."

General Fiction.Flash Fiction Online is a monthly Web zine out of the USA. They want flash fiction of 1000 words or less and will pay 5¢ a word. "We're not that concerned about genre. Many of us, including the editor, have a fondness for science fiction and fantasy, but great flash stories aren't always easily classified. If you wrote it, and you love it, then submit it."

Anthologies
Dark Science Fiction. SpecFicWorld is doing an e-anthology entitles It Came From Planet Mars. They want 1000-12,000 word stories and will pay $5 and a PDF copy (Which since it’ll be a free download is nice). "Looking for dark science fiction in all styles, mixes, and viewpoints. Please pay attention to the title of the anthology -- it should be obvious what kind of stories we're looking for with this project. Tip: Send only your best. The darker the better." Deadline is April 15, 2008.

Speculative Fiction. Permuted Press is putting together Robots Beyond. They want 3000-7500 word stories and will pay 1¢ a word and contributor’s copy. "Speculative fiction is, at its heart, the art of what-if. That's what this collection is all about: Robots beyond the normal sci-fi boundaries, crossing into other genres with their customary logic and precision. Feel free to speculate on the role of robots in the Cthulhu Mythos, or how androids might interact with werewolves, vampires, or zombies. But stretch your imagination, and roam farther a field." Deadline is April 15, 2008

Update on 2008 NSSWM info
The Rejected Quarterly is a semiannual print magazine. Contact Daniel Weiss and Jeff Ludecke, fiction editors, at P.O. Box 1351, Cobb CA 95426 or e-mail bplankton@juno.com . "We want the best literature possible, regardless of genre. We do, however, have a bias toward the unusual and toward speculative fiction. We aim for a literate, educated audience. The Rejected Quarterly believes in publishing the highest quality rejected fiction and other writing that doesn't fit anywhere else. We strive to be different, but will go for quality every time, whether conventional or not." They are no longer accepting email subs and pay went up to $12.50.

Tattoo Highway has upped their word limit to 2500. " Tattoo Highway publishes high quality literary prose, both experimental and mainstream, including hypertext and Flash media. Each issue has a theme, and subject matter generally spins off from that. The journal is visually handsome, with unusual graphics. We have no taboos except weak, hackneyed writing. Intended audience: grown-ups who appreciate well-crafted fiction and don't mind an occasional touch of the absurd."

Chronicle Books for Children has changed their submission guidelines: Submit complete ms (picture books); submit outline synopsis and 3 sample chapters (for older readers). Responds to queries in 1 month; will not respond to submissions unless interested. Do not send SASE; send SASP to confirm receipt. No electronic submissions, submissions on disk or fax.

Revolving Door
Harvest Books: Editorial director Tina Pohlman is leaving to join Spiegel & Grau as senior editor, hardcovers, and editorial director, paperbacks.

Harper Children's: Jodi Harris was promoted to editorial director of the Festival imprint. Erin Stein was promoted to her old position of executive editor in the company's Entertainment group.

Simon & Schuster adult trade imprint: Kerri Kolen and Sarah Hochman were both promoted to editor, and David Rosenthal's assistant Nina Schwartz was promoted to assistant editor.

Noctem Aeternus

2008-01-23T13:24:42.9570000-05:00

I've actually had this one done for a while; it just got put on the back burner for more time-sensitive stuff.

Noctem Aeternus is a horror magazine in PDF format who put out their first issue this month. I should mention that I don’t typically read horror, and will only do so in public places during the day because I scare too easily. These stories did their job; I got psyched out several times. There were many interesting stories, but the chicken story had too much gore for me. Although...the weekend after I read this story I was driving along a windy, rural road to my friend’s house one night when all of a sudden I had this visual from the chicken story and totally freaked out and almost crashed. That is why I don’t read horror very often.

The composition of this magazine is mostly fiction with a few nonfiction articles about the genre. For some odd reason, most of the stories seem to be set in Ohio. The variety was wide, in that we had stories about an alien invasion/zombies, schoolyard legends, revenge, mutations and more. They also had a few interviews and a review.

The cover art is amazing, which is why I just had to share it (you should see it full size). The magazine was 70 pages long, and most of it was composed of stories. There were tons of ads (mostly for books), but the quality of the ads were good, and matched the tone of the magazine, so they weren’t too distracting. Actually, most of my negative thoughts about this magazine have to do with the PDF thing, and not with the content quality.

Different book formats

2008-01-22T11:09:26.0660000-05:00

The novel has evolved over the years in composition, context, content, audience and delivery. Look at the difference between literature 50, 100 and 200 years ago and what we read today. There are more genres, and more ways of getting the stories, than ever before. Even more startling is the literary differences between countries today.

Japan has a serialized form of novels that hasn’t caught on yet here in the states. They’re called cellphone novels. No, I’m not talking about reading books on your cell phone. These are novels actually composed as text messages on cell phones. Apparently, there are Web sites you can send your texts to and post your novel. After a while, ta-da! You have a book. The grammar usually isn’t complex, but these novels are incredibly popular. Just as bloggers and self-published authors here in the US are getting book deals, so are cellphone novelists. I did a quick search and couldn’t find any cellphone novels in English, but has anyone ever read or wrote one? Would you want to?

China is also into cellphone novels, or just reading ebooks on their phone. (If you think getting published in the US is crazy, try working as a writer in China.) The Chinese are trying to branch out in terms of content, but with all the social and legal restraints this is difficult.

One of the ways writers in the US are expanding their horizons is by trying writing comics and graphic novels. However, it’s a lot harder than most expected. Whenever you change the format or delivery of a story, effective storytelling techniques also change. I guess that's one reason some writers are leery of trying something new while others actively seek new opportunites; they have to learn entirely new skill sets.

I’m not going to speculate as to why cellphone novels haven’t caught on in the US , but I do think writers should look to them as inspiration to find new forms of storytelling, and new ways to deliver it. (Yes, I know they sound simplistic, but have you read them? Hundreds of thousands of Japanse have. Come back after you've read at least three, then we'll talk) Form of experimentation I've seen include serialized novels on blogs, podcasted stories (serials and one-shots), and a hysterical short story comprised of an email conversation, but what else can we try?

Anecdotal proof young people read short story collections: I went home for the weekend for a family event and many of my brother’s friends (freshmen and sophomore college students) were also around. During one of the rare quiet moments I noticed one of the girls reading a book. Turned out she was reading a short story collection by a single author, published by a small press. Bonus points: She’s NOT an English major.

Friday's Feast

2008-01-18T11:01:11.2270000-05:00

Wow, using a different Web browser does make a difference in what the Web page looks like. I could go off on some metaphor for writing, but I'm visiting my family in California (I'm using my sister's computer), so that's not going to happen.

Instead, I'll just give you the weekly market highlights. I had a few people send me information about their magazine and contests, and the offer still stands. Send your info on contests, conferences, and calls for submissions for books and magazines to nsswmATfwpubsDOTcom and I'll probably post them, and you can be considered for inclusion in the book.

Contests
Literary. The Library of Virginia Literary Awards are for books written by a Virginia author or having a Virginia-related theme. Winners receive $2500. Submit three copies of published book and the completed entry form by February 8th.

Spec Fic. The 2008 Byzarium Bad-Fic Contenst wants 1500 word stories, and they’ll pay you $10 and a 1 year subscription for your worst stuff. "Announcing the Annual Byzarium Bad-Fic Contest! That's right, people, we want to see it--the most clichéd, stereotyped, all around bad speculative fiction you have to offer!" Deadline is February 29, 2008.

Romance/Literary. The StoryQuarterlyLove Story Contest is seeking previously unpublished works of less than 8,000 words. "The subject is love in any and all of its varieties and incarnations—familial, filial, romantic, platonic, the love of place, nature, animals, possessions, beauty, or truth, love that is intellectual, erotic, patriotic, real or imagined, fulfilled or denied, tragic or comedic. Tell us the truth about love!" Awards: First Prize is $2,500, Second Prize is $1,500, and Third Prize is $750. The prize winners will be eligible for inclusion in the 2008 StoryQuarterly Annual. Additionally, ten finalists will receive $100 each. There is a $20 fee for each entry, which includes six months complimentary access to Narrative Backstage. Entries will be accepted until March 31.

Submissions
Speculative Fiction. Three-Lobed Burning Eye is a magazine of quality speculative fiction. "Seeking professional stories that expand the genre(s) by valuing originality in character, narrative and plot. We want only your best fiction, distinct and remarkable tales that the reader cannot forget. We tend more towards horror, dark fantasy and magical realism, maybe suspense or even western, though the story must contain some speculative element." No poetry, non-fiction, fan fiction, erotica, sword & sorcery or space opera. Publishes 2-3 times per year, plus an annual print anthology. Please read an issue and guidelines before submitting. Word count: 1000-7000 words. E-subs only: via on-site form. Pays $13 honorarium plus a copy of annual print anthology. Check site guidelines for details. "Stories that monsters like to read" since 1999.

Mainstream. Wanderings wants 1000-5000 word stories and pays with a contributor’s copy. “We enjoy stories that have something interesting and unique to say. The ideal story for Wanderings is one that takes the reader to some place he or she has never been before, or that portrays something which is seen every day and forces the reader to think about it in a new way. Presenting a fresh perspective through an interesting and engaging set of characters is the best way to make it into the magazine.”

Mystery. Crime and Suspense is looking for mystery/detective stories of 250-4000 words. They pay $5 for flash fiction and $10 for short stories, and $15 for audio short stories.

Pulp. Blazing! Adventures Magazine closes to subs Jan 20th. They want stand alone stories of 5000 words or serials (query first, and the whole story much be completed) and they pay $5.

Fantasy/Science Fiction. Drabblecast is a podcast zine. They pay 3/4 cent per word for stories of 500-2000 words. “In some special cases we will accept stories longer than 2000 words. It’s a very laid back system- we like to work with our authors a bit if necessary to make submissions work better in audio format.” They have a reader, so you just need to send in your story.

New Magazines
Mainstream. Kaleidotrope is a biannual print magazine that “will consider anything up to 10,000 words. (Query first for anything longer.) We want stories that surprise or delight, horrify or amaze, leave readers shocked or laughing aloud. Short-shorts, flash fiction, vignettes or other sundry ephemera are also welcome. Above all else, we want to be told good stories. Doesn't everybody?” Pays $5 and contributor’s copies.

Mystery/Comics. The Thrilling Detective pays $10-15 for 7000-10,000 word stories. All stories must have a P.I., and query before sending in your ms. They do feature a few comics, but you’ll have to query about those as there aren’t any guidelines I could find.

Mystery/Speculative Fiction. Speculative Mystery Iconoclast is a PDF magazine looking for 2000-6000 word stories for their debut issue. They pay $35 flat. "Speculative Mystery Iconoclast is looking for exceptional stories that fall into two categories: 1] Speculative Mystery: These are stories that contain elements of both Speculative fiction as well as Mystery. 2] Iconoclastic Speculative Fiction: These are stories that (either in part OR as the focus of the story) reveal what really inspired a tale from mythology OR what really happened during a historical event OR what really drives a particular phenomenon OR what’s really causing a current circumstance (for example, why we haven’t made contact with aliens yet)."

New Publishers
Speculative Fiction. Trytium Publishing will publish print and ebooks. They want stories of at least 35,000 words and will pays 35-50% net royalties. "Trytium specializes in novel-length science fiction, fantasy (classic, urban and dark) and horror. Trytium seeks fresh and unique stories from new authors as well as stories from established authors who want to make their back catalog available again or venture in a different literary direction."

Anthologies
Horror. Permuted Press is seeking 3000-5000 word stories for Giant Creatures and they’ll pays $15 plus a contributpr’s copy. "What we want: Original stories of animals/insects/etc. grown to enormous sizes (or at least vastly bigger than they should be). Take something that exists on earth and show us what happens when it gets really big. Anything from germs to spiders to rodents to monkeys to naked mole rats to swordfish…the opportunities are endless. Stories can be set in any location at any time period. Monsters need not be the result of radiation either—King Kong was simply big. Get creative, people. All genres welcome. (And please note this is not a Daikaju book…so Godzilla stories will be a very hard sell). Yes, giant people are okay, but you’ll need to really impress us. Same with plants." Deadline is March 31, 2008 or until filled.

Update on 2008 NSSWM info
Literary. Pearl, A Literary Magazine has changed their submission period to accepting submission January-June only. It's a biannual print magazine (mostly poetry). "We are interested in lively, readable prose that speaks to real people in direct, living language; for a general literary audience." Needs humor/satire, literary, mainstream, contemporary, prose poem. Publishes an all-fiction issue each year. Recently published work by James D. McCallister, Heidi Rosenberg, W. Joshua Heffernan, Suzanne Greenberg, Fred McGavran, Gerald Locklin, Robert Perchan, Lisa Glatt. Length: 500-1,200 words; average length: 1,000 words. Pays 1 contributor's copy. Acquires first North American serial rights. "We look for vivid, dramatized situations and characters, stories written in an original 'voice,' that make sense and follow a clear narrative line. What makes a manuscript stand out is more elusive, though--more to do with feeling and imagination than anything else."

Editor hide-n-seek

2008-01-17T11:09:39.8520000-05:00

Lots of editors have been moving around lately. Congrats on all the promotions, by the way. Here's the latest on who's been moving where:

Abrams: David Cashion will leave his position as senior editor at Penguin to join Abrams February 4 as Executive Editor of Abrams Image. Other promotions include: Howard Reeves to svp, publisher Abrams Children's and Amulet; Susan Van Metre to editorial director for the Amulet imprint; and Chad Beckerman to art director for both children's lines.

DK Publishing: Anja Schmidt was promoted to executive editor.

Globe Pequot: Hilary Black has joined as editor at large, acquiring for their women's imprints.

Harper: Sally Kim is leaving her position as senior editor at Shaye to be an executive editor, starting on February 6 and reporting to publisher Jonathan Burnham.

Hyperion: Editor-in-chief Will Schwalbe is leaving the company at the end of next week.

Pocket Books: Jennifer Heddle was promoted to senior editor.

Random House Publishing Group: Susanna Porter was promoted to executive editor.

Simon & Schuster: They have finally announcemed their new editor-in-chief for the adult trade imprint, which will be Priscilla Painton, former Time magazine deputy managing editor.

Stewart, Tabori and Chang: Jennifer Levesque was promoted to executive editor and Kristen Latta was promoted to associate editor.

Trail of Indiscretion

2008-01-16T10:41:13.7890000-05:00

Trail of Indiscretion is a small speculative fiction magazine (50 pgs) produced by Fortress Press. I got to read issue #4. Visually, the magazine is appealing. The cover is some interesting fantasy art and the quality of the paper is good, plus it’s perfect bound.

One interesting feature they have is a short intro to every story. The intro is just two or three lines that try to hook you into the story. Here’s an example:

We all know the legends of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, right? Well, John Bruni is here to tell us that we don’t know anything about them…

They’re basically right on in terms of describing what’s going on in the story, but in some ways that made me less satisfied. There were a few stories where I wished I hadn’t read the intro because knowing the background took something away from the story.

The stories varied in type. The stories included a sci-fi conspiracy, a creepy horror story about the criminally minded, a fantastic romantic comedy set in hell, a western with a magical twist, a fantastical look at the writer/editor relationship, and a mythic telling of the origin of death and chaos. This didn’t have the blood and gore variety horror; it focused more on the psychological.

It was an interesting read. I must say though, the blind date set in Hell was my favorite J>

Defining Sci Fi

2008-01-16T10:18:49.6180000-05:00

For all of you who like to explore genre boundaries, SFSignal asked several authors and editors, including Jeff VanderMeer, Nancy Kress, John Scalzi, and David Louis Edelman, the same question: “Everyone knows the ‘Old Guard’ definitions of science fiction . As part of the ‘New Guard,’ how would you define science fiction?” The answers are illuminating. Here's Part 1 andPart 2.

Individual input and big picture views

2008-01-14T12:04:20.8830000-05:00

Monday is my catch-up day, so today you once again get all the things I noticed and wanted to share/talk about, but haven't had a chance to do so yet.

Dark Horse Interview
I don’t know what it is about the beginning of the year, but there seems to be a lot of interviews going on with publishers. ICv2 has an interview with Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson. "In Part 1 , we talk about the state of the comics and graphic novel market, Dark Horse's history with licensed comics, and the new trend toward omnibus editions. In Part 2 , we talk about Dark Horse's role in bringing manga titles to the States and its long-standing relationships with top creators. In Part 3 we talk about Webcomics, comic ratings, and plans for 2008."

Author Cory Doctorow talks about artist rights (found via SFSignal).

Publishing trends
Publisher's Weekly did an article on publishing trends to watch for in 2008. Some of the trends are obvious, like the rise of the ebook, while others are a little less so.

Science Fiction defined
One of my favorite features on Sfsignal’s is the Mindmeld, where they ask many publishing professionals the same question. This time they asked to define today's science fiction as oppossed to the old definition. We hear from newcomers like Matthew Jarpe and established writers and editors like Jeff Vandermer and John Scalzi.

Character versus plot driven narratives
I’ve frequently asked authors in interviews whether the plot or the characters came first. I’ve gotten a variety of answers, but I think I’ll skip asking LE Modesitt that question. He recently wrote on his blog about how plot, character, setting and style should all work together and how there shouldn’t be one element significantly dominant. Otherwise you have a story that isn’t living up to its potential.

What is that anyway?
If you've been wondering what the hoopla about graphic novels is all about, but don't want to test with your checkbook, here's a way to take a look. Dailybits has compiled a list of 17 graphic novels that are free online for download, all perfectly legal. There's a wide array in the genres and styles, and it gives a good representation of the variety out there. I'm excited to go home and read some of these.

Friday's Feast

2008-01-11T15:01:35.6250000-05:00

This week I had someone ask me what they need to do get their call for submissions up the blog. All you need to do is send an email to nsswmATfwpubsDOTcom with a short blurb (like the ones you see below) and a link to your web site (if you have one). I'll look it over and post it on an upcoming Friday's Feast.

Also, if you would like to be listed in the next edition of NSSWM, just download the appropriate form off the "market questionnaires" page (to your left under categories and above the search box), fill it out and return in to the NSSWM eddress.

Now that you know what you can do to get your contest, magazine, publishing company or conference listed, let's get to this week's listing. (Oh, and how do you like having the headings in a different color?)

Contests
Literary. While not quite a contest, the US/Japan Creative Artists Residency is a good opportunity. This is a chance to go live in Japan for 5 months and do some in depth research. They want published, accomplished artists. Send in up to 15 pages of a story or novel excerpt, 2 letters of recommendation, a resume and proof of publication by February 1st.

Literary. The Madison Review sponsors the Chris O’Malley Prize in Fiction. Submit an unpublished story of up to 30 pages and a $10 entry fee by February 1st and you could win $1000.

Literary/Mainstream. The $50000 Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for Fiction is given for an outstanding work of fiction published by a woman (US citizen). Publishers must submit 4 copies of the novel or short story collection by February 1st. “We are particularly interested in calling attention to the work of a promising but less established writer.”

Literary. The William Saroyan International Prize is given biennially for a published work of fiction and creative nonfiction. They’re looking for something by a new/emerging author that follows Saroyan’s legacy. “Saroyan’s literary style is characterized by originality, stylistic innovation and what is often described as an 'exuberant humanism'.” The prize is $12,5000 for a novel or short story collection published between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2007. Send in five copies and a $50 entry fee by January 31st.

Literary. The First Novelist Award, sponsored by Virginia Commonwealth University, is given to honor a first novel published over the last year. Winner receives $1000 and paid travel to participate in a forum at the university. Publishers or author need to submit three copies of the novel by Jan 31st.

Conferences
Writers at Work is a multi-genre annual conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah held June 23-27, 2008 on the beautiful campus of Westminster College. (It truly is beautiful, and the dorms are really nice. It’s where I did my undergrad, so I know what I’m talking about.) The 2008 faculty includes authors Steve Almond, Victoria Redel and Dean Bakopoulos; agents Kit Ward and Peter Steinberg; editors Ladette Randolph (Univ of Nebraska Press), Rick Campell (Anhinga Press), and Lance Olsen (American Book Review, Western Humanities Review and board Chair of FC2). Workshops and readings happen all week, in addition to signings at local bookstores. They also sponsor a contest with a the prize being cash and partial tuition to the conference.

I actually worked the front desk in the dorms during this conference several years ago and spoke with many of the authors about their experience, and everyone loved it. Now I’m wishing I had gotten names and contact info for some of the authors I spoke with regularly. ~Sigh~ Here’s to opportunities lost to naïve youth.

Submissions
Literary. Cooweescoowee , a journal of arts and letters published by Rogers State University, is edited by faculty and designed by students in the Communication and Fine Arts’ Graphic Arts program. Submissions considered in poetry, fiction, non-fiction, essay. All accepted manuscripts will be published in the upcoming printed and web issues of Cooweescoowee. Contributors receive two free copies of Cooweescoowee. Submissions deadline of April 1, 2006.

Speculative Fiction. Space and Time Magazine closes its submissions window Jan 31. “We are always looking for creative blends of science fiction, fantasy, and/or horror, but are really open to looking at anything, so long as it is speculative. Stories should be in standard manuscript format and a maximum of 10K words.” Pays a penny a word.

Speculative Fiction. Reality Complex’s current reading period ends the 15th, and the reading period for issue #4 is June 1 through July 15. “We are looking for enjoyable, character-oriented stories which engage the reader. Please ensure that your story offers a balance of these characteristics." Will consider poetry, flash fiction, comics, serialized graphic novels, etc. Stories should be under 10,000 words and they pay in exposure.

Speculative fiction. Midnight Street has had some delays due to the hospitalization of the editor, but things are getting back under control. Midnight Street is a tri-annual magazine who would like stories of under 6000 words. Payment for UK authors is 2.50 per 1000, non-UK authors by negotiation.

Dead markets: Gallery of Snuff (web site vanished); Dark Reveries; The Rejected Quarterly; Son and Foe; Wedgefic; The Green Muse (web site vanished); On the Night Highways.

Anthologies
Horror. Corpulent Insanity Press is looking for 3000-8000 word stories for Bloody October and they’ll pay $10 flat. "I am especially looking for halloween-esque stories that involve terrifying new beasties. However, that does not mean I want a remake of John Carpenter's Halloween. Originality is a must." Submissions will close when the anthology is filled, and as of January 10 they had four out of 10 slots filled. Publishing date is Oct 2008.

Splatterpunk. Corpulent Insanity Press is looking for 1000-6000 word stories for Slice and they’ll pay $5 flat. “We are looking for in-your-face, bloody, gory horror stories that don't shy away from making your stomach turn. These stories need not have a plot, but it's always helpful to explain why your character is slowly melting into a blob of jelly." Submissions closed when filled.

Dark Science Fiction. Vocal Phantom Press is seeking 3000-5000 word stories for Our Shadows Soar and they’ll pay split royalties. "Show me something different... a solution to a problem that no one else would think of; the inner, unexplored depths of human (or alien, or robotic) depravity; a new, horrifying monster, idea or future." Submissions open until filled.

Contemporary Horror. Eneit Press is putting together In Bad Dreams, Vol. #2: Where Death Stalks. They want 2000-5000 word stories and will pay $20 (AUS) and contributor’s copy. "We want your best urban supernatural stories; we want disturbed original tales from every corner of the globe. We want stories set in the cities least used (from a literary sense). Give us a dark and scary, terrifyingly real world. A world where you need to pinch yourself to make sure you are awake and not actually living In Bad Dreams." Deadline is March 1, 2008.

Update on 2008 NSSWM info
From a reader:
Fifty Something Magazine (page 353) has ceased publication.

The Chariton Review (page 238) charges a $5.00 reading fee for all submitted material unless you purchase 2 issues of the magazine ($10.00).

Revolving Door
Penguin Press: Jane Fleming has been promoted to editor.

Random House: Benjamin Dreyer has been promoted to senior managing editor and copy chief.

William Morrow: Katherine Nintzel has been promoted to editor.

Ecco: Millicent Bennett has been promoted to editor.

Del Rey: Chris Schluep has been promoted to senior editor and Keith Clayton has been promoted to editor & licensing manager.

Holt Children's: Sally Doherty has joined the imprint as executive editor.

Dial Children's: Kate Harrison has joined the imprint as senior editor. Jessica Garrison (formerly Dandino) has been promoted to editor.

Story Prize finalists and Debut Novelists in NSSWM

2008-01-10T17:17:42.8560000-05:00

Congrats to Jim Shepard (Like You'd Understand, Anyway), Vincent Lam (Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures), and British author Tessa Hadley (Sunstroke and Other Stories) for being finalists for the Story Prize.

This is a bittersweet moment. Back in July I attempted to contact Vincent Lam about doing an interview for the 2009 NSSWM as one of the new authors we feature. Unfortunately, I never got a hold of him. It's nice to know I have good taste, and I do understand why he probably didn't get back to me, but he would have rounded out my selection nicely.

However, I was able to contact some amazing debut novelists. I've been finishing the article over the last few days, so I'm especially psyched right now. I got to speak with Gary D. Wilson ( Sing, Ronnie Blue ), Marcia Laycock ( One Smooth Stone ) and Camille DeAngelis (Mary Modern), while one of my freelancers interviewed Fiona Maazal (Last Last Chance). You'll get to read all about them in the 2009 NSSWM.

All of them wrote excellent books, but I have to rave a bit about Mary Modern. It's this fabulous tale of family and the weight of expectations and desires, and clones. Trust me, go read it. I don't physically force books on my friends very often, but this was one that I did. If you don't at least appreciate how good it is, you can come back here and throw tomatoes at me.

What do writers think editor's responsibilities are?

2008-01-09T09:28:54.1560000-05:00

Last month I asked editors what they considered to be their responsibilites to writers and readers , and now it's the writers turn. Authors, let me know what you think the editor's responsibilities are to you, and to the intended audience.

I will discuss what you have to say in next week's newsletter, so contact me by the 11th. Either post to the comments section here or email me at nsswmATfwpubsDOTcom. If you agree with what any of the editor's said, then tell me that, too.

I look forward to hearing what you have to say.

America’s most literate cities

2008-01-08T09:51:38.3300000-05:00

Here's a list of interest for the literary minded. For the last five year years Central Connecticut State University has done a survey examining the literacy of American cities with a population of over 250,000. They look at number of bookstores, newspaper and magazine circulation, education, libraries and internet resources. Sadly, Cincinnati dropped out of the top ten this year to hit number 11 overall. Minneapolis kicked Seattle out of its number one slot. There were 69 cities analyzed, and sadly the two cities nearest my hometown are in the bottom. Oh well. At least Fresno and Bakersfield beat out Anaheim and Stockton (which was the lowest for the third year running). They also have the cities ranked in the individual categories, which is kind of interesting. Cincinnati ties for third in the number of bookstores per capita. Go us :)

Friday's Feast

2008-01-03T15:23:24.1320000-05:00

As I mentioned Wednesday, I have some good stuff for you. I'm pretty proud of this week's feast because there's something for everyone. (Ok, except specifically for romance writers, but I haven't been able to find anything new for you guys/gals. For such a huge market there really are too few venues.) Good luck with your submissions, and may 2008 be a year in which you get to make an impact with your writing.

Contests
Comics. Shadowline/Image is hosting a contest for writers. They want a new superheroine for a three-issue miniseries to be drawn by Franchesco. Rights will be split 50/50 with the artist. Here's how the contest breaks down:

Round One: Contestants e-mail a brief one paragraph story synopsis by January 31 to: superheroinecontest@gmail.com. Stories/concept must be original with original characters. No pre-existing characters may be used unless owned by contestant. FYI, you can use the Bomb Queen as the villain if you want, but it doesn’t help or hinder your chances either way.
Round Two: Ten semi-finalists will be chosen from all entries received by the above date and notified by e-mail. They will then be required to turn in 5 fully scripted pages by February 29.
Round Three: The five finalists will be announced and their synopses posted on Newsarama on March 10. Newsarama posters will be encouraged to vote on their favorite. Polls will close on April 4, 2008.

The winner will be announced April 28 with initial concept art/character design by Franchesco. First issue will be solicited with a cover date of November, 2008. Full details here. The discussion thread has some good info if you skip over the verbal war that starts around page 4 and goes until page 10 or so. Editor Kristen Simon and artist Franchesco have been posting regularly in comments, so itis worth a look.

Literary. I got an email, about this contest, but there's nothing posted on web site yet. On January 15th, 2008, Anderbo will begin considering previously unpublished manuscripts of novels that in some way touch on the main character's involvement with vegetarianism. Entries must be sent by April 15th, 2008, and received by us on or before April 21st, 2008. The winner will be announced on anderbo.com at noon on July 6th, 2008. The winning novelist will receive:

an immediate $500 cash prize
representation to book publishers by an appropriate professional literary agent. (If the agent fails to obtain a suitable publishing contract for the winning novel manuscript by noon on October 10th, 2008, anderbo.com may offer to acquire it for on-line publication on mutually-agreed terms.)

The reading fee for entered manuscripts is 25 cents per typed manuscript page, maximum 23 lines (average) on each page. Only one entry per author.

If no winner is declared for this contest, all reading fees will be refunded. By entering the contest, each entrant agrees that the total legal and financial liabilities of the contest-givers will never be more than the paid entry-fee cost. If you want more information, contact the editors at editors@anderbo.com (do NOT email the ms).

Literary. The AWP Award series is stepping into gear. Submissions are now open for novel, poetry, creative nonfiction and short fiction. Winning authors receive an honorarium ($4,000 for short fiction, $2,000 for novel) from AWP and publication by a participating press. Postmark deadline is February 28th and there's a $25 entry fee.

Conferences
The annual Pennwriters Conference's theme is "A Writer’s Smorgasbord." Joyce Carol Oates, award-winning author and icon of contemporary American literature, will be a keynote speaker at the 21st Annual Pennwriters Conference May 16-18 at the Host Resort in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; tickets are on sale now.

The three-day conference is designed to introduce beginning writers to the world of publishing and to provide experienced authors with opportunities to network. Hour-long workshops led by agents, editors, and published authors start Friday morning and continue throughout the weekend until Sunday at noon. Included in the conference price is the opportunity for writers to pitch finished manuscripts to 10 well-established agents and editors in the publishing business.

Agents scheduled to be at the conference include agents Irene Goodman from the Irene Goodman Literary Agency, Ginger Clark from Curtis Brown, Ltd., Jessica Regel from Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, and Elaine P. English. Eeditors include Editor in Chief Ginjer Buchanan from Ace/Roc, Melanie Donovan, the executive editor of HarperCollins Children, Associate Editor Paul Stevens from Tom Doherty Associates (Tor/Forge), Assistant Editor Tessa Woodward from Avon, and Editorial Director Jane Friedman from F+W Publications. Visiting authors include Jonathan Maberry, Maria V. Snyder, and debut author D.L. Wilson, who will also speak during Saturday’s luncheon.

Three-day conference packages start at $199 for members and $249 for nonmembers. After March 2, 2008, dinner tickets with Joyce Carol Oates will be sold separately from the conference at $65 for Pennwriters members and $99 for nonmembers.

Submissions
Southern Gothic Online no longer pays for fiction.

Arcane Twilight, Horror Garage and Space & Time have re-opened to submissions.

Horror Literature Quarterly has re-opened to submissions.

Strand Magazine now accepts unsolicited submissions.

Yog’s Notebook is on hiatus indefinitely.

Sybil’s Garage is temporarily closed to submissions

Heavyglow has a new url, print format and guidelines.

Opium Magazine is changing from an online to a biannual print magazine, and they have a new web site.

I received an email from Big Country Peacock Chronicle’s editor/publisher Audrey Yoeckel in response to my verification email stating she will be ceasing publication soon. However, she put up an editorial message a few days ago (and I think a few other items) that didn’t mention ceasing publication soon, although she did mention how many problems she’s been having lately. So basically, this one is up in the air right now.

New Magazines
J Journal, The Literary Journal of John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Dept. of English, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 445 West 59th Street, New York NY 10019. E-mail: jjournal@jjay.cuny.edu. Contact: Adam Berlin, editor or Jeffrey Heiman, editor. "J Journal is a literary journal that publishes fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction on the subjects of crime, criminal justice, law and law enforcement. While the themes are specific, they need not dominate the work. We're interested in questions of justice from all perspectives." Semiannual. Estab. 2008. Accepts 5 mss/issue; 10 mss/year. Does not read July and August. Length 750 words (min)-5000 words (max). Guidelines available via e-mail. Writers receive 2 contributor's copies. Acquires first rights. Publication is copyrighted.

I'm back, sort of.

2008-01-02T11:33:57.3350000-05:00

I had a wonderful and relaxing holiday (I actually got to spend time with my whole family instead of bits and pieces) and I hope every one else's hoiliday went as well.

I've gathered up a few items of interest for you, and I already have some good stuff lined up for Friday's Feast. Enjoy, and welcome back.

Borders and Sony are teaming-up for new ebook promotions.
Here's the beginning of a series of blogs examining the history of independent publishing, and where it’s likely to go.
We have yet another attempt to deal with how to put up free ebooks.
Well, this is one route to publication I don’t think I’ve seen before. Apparently, Image Comics is going to be publishing a graphic novel anthology based on song lyrics by Tori Amos. They’ve already asked several authors to contribute. I wonder how it’ll turn out.
If you ever wondered, here's a short article (via SFSignal) on how to write alternate history.
Newsarama has interviews with president of DC Paul Levitz (part one and two) and Marvel's DCU Executive Editor Dan Didio (part one and two) about what's happened over the past year.
Superheroes from the Marvel universe are going to join forces with the UN to fight poverty and world hunger in a comic that will be distributed freely in the USA, with translations to come. Articles here and here. >