Capricious open for Submissions

3 July 2017 Dan Rabartscall for submissions0 comment

Fiction submissions are OPEN until 17th July 2017. Please read these guidelines carefully before submitting – they have recently changed.

Capricious publishes short speculative fiction and essays about speculative fiction and related topics.

We err towards the literary/experimental/slipstream side of speculative fiction, but appreciate a strong plot as much as anyone. We welcome stories told in second person, with unusual tenses, or other less common language choices

We actively welcome stories written by people from marginalised groups, and representations of characters from such groups. We are very happy to publish stories using gender neutral pronouns. | Read More...

Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror now open to submissions

27 June 2017 Dan Rabartsanthology; call for submissions, fantasy, Horror, science fiction0 comment

Talie Helene and Liz Gryzb are now reading for their ongoing Year’s Best series, and we encourage our members to submit. This will be the seventh volume of the award-winning annual series collecting the best fantasy and horror stories from the Antipodes.

The deadline for submissions is 1 July 2017.

Liz says:

“Talie and I are now reading for the Ticonderoga Publications’ 2016 Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror anthology. The submissions guidelines are found at the link below. While we read widely, if you’d like to make extra-sure we’ve considered your story for inclusion, please send us a copy. | Read More...

Calls for Submission E-books Flash Fiction Kiwi Writers Short Story

Submissions Open for Breach Ezine

7 May 2017 Dan Rabartscall for submissions, Flash Fiction, short stories wanted0 comment

Breach is an online magazine for SF, horror and dark fantasy short fiction, and is currently open for submissions. Our focus is on new and emerging Australian and New Zealand writers and artists, and helping them get their work out into the world.

Issue number 1 is now available through iTunes and Smashwords. Travel to the mesosphere to catch a glimpse of Hannah C. van Didden’s The Unknown, while in Matey, Peter Kirk wonders what happens when robots get old. With Hurk + Dav, Arthur Robinson introduces two of our favourite new characters. And poet Jesse Hayward plays with time in The Devil’s Loop. | Read More...

Anthologies Calls for Submission

More Human Than Human: Call for Reprints

13 March 2017 Dan Rabartsanthology; call for submissions, science fiction0 comment

Neil Clarke, editor of Clarkesworld Magazine, is currently looking for reprints for a new science fiction anthology.

More Human Than Human is a reprint anthology focused on the theme of androids, replicants, and other artificial humanoids that will be published by Night Shade Books in trade paperback, ebook, and (maybe) audio editions in late 2017.

Neil is looking for:

Previously published science fiction stories between 3000 and 25000 words in length.

Stories must include androids, replicants, etc. as a major character or plot element.

| Read More...

Calls for Submission Magazines

ASIM Cover Art Competition

6 March 2017 Dan RabartsArt, ASIM0 comment

The good folks at Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine are looking for a cover for their Best of 2016 issue!

From their website:

“Get ready for the best of 2016!

That’s right, Andromeda Spaceways Magazine will be bringing you the most fantastic stories from our 2016 editions in our “Best of 2016” magazine – but we need your help. The best stories deserve the best cover and that’s where you come in. We’re sending out a universe-wide broadcast for artists to submit their impression of what the best of Andromeda Spaceways is all about. | Read More...

Calls for Submission

Interactive Novel Writers Wanted

6 March 20176 March 2017 Dan Rabarts0 comment

Choice of Games LLC are looking for writers to develop interactive fiction.

From their website:

At Choice of Games LLC, we’re looking for authors to write interactive novels, that is, multiple-choice games, in the style of Choice of the Dragon and Choice of Broadsides. Our games are like “choose a path” gamebooks, but longer, deeper, and richer. They are written according to a distinctive set of game design principles.

Our games are written in a simple programming language called ChoiceScript which is used for designing multiple-choice games. Writing games in ChoiceScript is easy and fun, even for writers with no programming experience. | Read More...

Anthologies Calls for Submission

SNAFU Judgement Day – Submissions opening soon

20 January 201720 January 2017 Dan Rabartsanthology; call for submissions0 comment

The end of the world as we know it. Edited by Amanda J Spedding and Geoff Brown.

What we want: Invading space aliens, demonic invasion as in Doom, DNA-grafted dinosaurs taking over the planet, manmade viral infections that nearly wipe out humanity, or artificial intelligence like in Terminator… anything you can think of that would bring about the end of the world. And SOLDIERS!
Tell us about what happens during the worst of the fall of humanity or afterwards.
No zombies. That’s already taken care of.
Full action. Nothing less.
Hoo-rah! | Read More...

Calls for Submission Competition Announcements Cons Contests Short Story Writing Competitions

LexiCon Announces Short Story & Drabble Competitions

11 December 2016 Dan RabartsLexiCon 2017, natcon0 comment

LexiCon, the 38th New Zealand Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, are pleased to announce details of two competitions being run as part of the convention: the Short Story and Drabble contests. There will also be competitions for Art, filking, and costuming, with details to come.

SpecFicNZ are proud to support these competitions, and hope that many of you will enter.

Short Story Competition

In association with SpecFicNZ.

Judging

The winners will be selected from the shortlist by our Guest of Honour, Seanan McGuire. Pre-judging will be carried out by Andi Buchanan and Cassie Hart, the LexiCon co-chairs and editors of the Sir Julius Vogel Award winning anthology Tales for Canterbury. | Read More...

Anthologies Calls for Submission Markets Short Story

Three Anthologies Seeking Submissions

8 October 20167 October 2016 Dan Rabartsfantasy, Horror, science fiction, short stories wanted, Short Story0 comment

The SUBMERGED, ALL HAIL OUR ROBOT CONQUERORS!, and THE DEATH OF ALL THINGS anthologies from Zombies Need Brains LLC are now open up submissions for a few remaining slots in each anthology. If you have a story idea that fits one of the anthology themes, write it up, revise it, polish it, and send it in for consideration.

Stories for this anthology must be original (no reprints or previously published material), no more than 7,500 words in length, and must satisfy the theme of the anthology. Pay rate will be an advance of a minimum of 6 cents per word for the short stories. | Read More...

Calls for Submission Competition Announcements Contests

SpecFicNZ Flash Fiction / Poetry competition

15 September 201611 October 2016 Jean Gilbertcompetition, short-short story competition0 comment

SpecFicNZ

Flash Fiction / Poetry competition

Closes midnight 24^th October 2016

Entry is free to members of SpecFicNZ. A fee of NZ$15 per entry applies for non-members.

Conditions of Writing Competition:

Create an original flash fiction story or poem (not published anywhere else) with the theme:

‘Temperance’

Your piece of writing, including the title, must be no more than:

1000 words for flash fiction
300 words for poetry

Your piece may include elements of speculative fiction (this includes elements such as: supernatural, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and/or weird)
Entry is free for SpecFicNZ members and $15 for non-members
Maximum of one entry per person in each category (flash fiction and/or poetry)
All entries must be received by 12 am (midnight) NZST on Friday 24^th October 2016

Formatting:

be typed using Times New Roman font, 12pt
be formatted with 1.5 line spacing
be paragraphed
be written in English as the main language
be accurate in spelling, punctuation and grammar
include: your full name, personal email address, word count and title at the top left hand corner of your first page (see template below)
Identifying information will not be seen by judging panel

SpecFicNZ Flash Fiction/Poetry submission template

Full name (to be used in publication):

Contact email:

Word Count:

Title:

Please confirm that:

you are the author of this work Yes / No
has not been published anywhere else Yes / No

Entry Instructions:

Put your full name, Title of Text, and category (Flash or Poetry) in the subject line of your email
Attach as a .doc or .docx file
Email your entry to: specficnz@gmail.com

Judging

* All judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into | Read More...

Anthologies Calls for Submission

Subs Open: Lawless Lands

6 September 20165 September 2016 Dan Rabartsfantasy, Horror, science fiction, short stories wanted0 comment

Anthology Submissions: Lawless Lands

Lawless Lands: Tales from the Weird Frontier is an anthology embodying the frontier spirit of the American West, but with a weird twist. Gunslingers with laser pistols, cattle drives through the galaxy, cursed nuggets of gold, and talking jack rabbits that grant wishes. Fantasy, SF, or horror, if it’s weird, we want to see it.

The book will be funded with a Kickstarter campaign in December 2016. We will pay each author a minimum of 4 cents a word, with the possibility of more if the Kickstarter is successful, and two physical copies. | Read More...

Anthologies Calls for Submission Crowdfunding Short Story

Subs Open: Humans Wanted

4 September 20165 September 2016 Dan RabartsAnthology, science fiction, short stories wanted0 comment

When going somewhere dangerous, take a human. Humans are tough. Humans can last days without food. Humans heal so quickly, they pierce holes in themselves or inject ink under their epidermis for fun. Humans will walk for days on broken bones in order to make it to safety. Humans will literally cut off bits of themselves if trapped by a disaster.

You would be amazed what humans will do to survive. Or to ensure the survival of others they feel responsible for.

That’s the other thing. Humans pack-bond, and they spill their pack-bonding instincts everywhere. Sure it’s weird when they talk sympathetically to broken spaceships or try to pet every lifeform that scans as non-toxic. It’s even a little weird that just existing in the same place as them for long enough seems to make them care about you. | Read More...

Anthology – Wish Upon a Southern Star – Call for Submissions

6 August 201624 August 2016 Eileen Muelleranthology; call for submissions, Fairy Tales, short stories wanted0 comment

Anthology Calls for Submissions

Wish Upon a Southern Star will be an anthology of radical retellings of fairy tales for young adult readers. Although those of us living in the South Pacific couldn’t be further removed from the European woods of Grimms’ fairy tales, we, like the rest of the world, are immersed in fairy tale lore — so let’s have fun with it! This is a chance for writers of the South Pacific to shine — contributing authors should be from New Zealand, Australia, or a South Pacific island. | Read More...

Steam Press Writing Contest

12 July 201624 August 2016 Jane PercivalEunoia, science fiction, short-short story competition, Steam Press0 comment

Steam Press Short SF Story Competition

Steam Press, renowned for titles such as Mansfield with Monsters, The Prince of Soul and the Lighthouse, Wind City, The Factory World, DownMind and others, has been acquired by Eunoia Publishing.

Steam Press will continue to publish speculative fiction.

To celebrate Eunoia acquiring the company, Steam Press is running an international science fiction short story writing competition, with a prize of $USD500.00.

Entries must be 1000–1500 words, and should be science fiction, not fantasy. For more details and to submit your short stories go to: http://www.steampress.co.nz. | Read More...

2016 Au Contraire SFF Short Story Award

1 March 2016 Marie Hodgkinson2 Comments

Au Contraire 3 in association with SpecFicNZ present:

The 2016 Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Story Award

as part New Zealand’s 37th National Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention

Judge: Phillip Mann
Arthur C. Clarke-nominated author of the world-building classic The Disestablishment of Paradise.

Pre-judging by award-winning editing team, Dan Rabarts and Lee Murray.

Prizes:

First Prize: $250, and publication in the Au Contraire 3 Convention Programme
Second Prize: NZ$100, and a selection of print books to be awarded at Au Contraire 3
Third Prize: NZ$50, and a selection of print books to be awarded at Au Contraire 3

All cash prizes kindly donated by SpecFicNZ, New Zealand’s national organisation for writers of speculative fiction

Details:

Entry is free, but entrants should be current members of SFFANZ, or registered to attend the 2016 national conference Au Contraire 3. A link to SFFANZ can be found here. A link to the Au Contraire 3 membership page can be found here. Entrants need not be members of SpecFicNZ. A link to SpecFicNZ’s homepage can be found here.
Submitted stories can address any theme providing it is speculative (science fiction, fantasy, horror or any sub-genre is acceptable), and should have a word count of 3000 words or less.
Original stories only, no reprints or simultaneous submissions, please.
Writers are welcome to submit more than one story.
Standard formatting: Arial or Times New Roman, 12pt, 1.5 spaced, indenting for paragraphs, with the story title and numbering included as page header. Submissions are blind, so your name should only appear in your cover email and NOT on the manuscript.
Stories for an adult audience are fine, but those with gratuitous sex, gore and violence are unlikely to be shortlisted.
Please send your stories as a .doc or .rtf attachment to: ac2016storyaward@gmail.com with Submission: Your Story Title in the subject line. (Remember to ensure that your name or email address DO NOT appear on the manuscript).
Competition closes at midnight 31 March 2016. Entries received after this date will not be read. All participants will be notified of the results by late April, 2016.

**Please note that entry to the award automatically assumes that the winning entrant will allow first print publication of their story by Au Contraire 3 in its Convention Programme to be distributed to convention members (all other rights to be retained by the author). | Read More...