The Alchemy
Press Book of Urban Mythic edited by Jan Edwards
& Jenny Barber
Submission guidelines by the editors:
“For The Alchemy
Press Book of Urban Mythic, we are seeking contemporary tales with all the
magic and wonder of myth and legend, blending modern life with the traditions
of folklore from around the world. Whether lurking in dark alleys or brash
shopping malls; from shanty towns to the floating cities of Venice, Bangkok or
Dubai; swanky riverside penthouse lofts or humble suburban semis, we want to
see how the mythic is woven into the everyday. Think Charles de Lint, Terri
Windling, Robert Holdstock, Seanan McGuire, Jim Butcher, Kate Griffin, Simon R.
Green, Holly Black, Neil Gaiman…
We want fantasy that entertains but also pushes beyond
the usual urban fantasy boundaries; fast-paced action; folk tales re-imagined; mythic
creatures adapting to the urban environment; noir; humour; horror (with
recognisable mythic elements); literary or lighter styles. Fully realised
characters are a must and solid plots extremely desirable.
We don’t want: secondary worlds; steampunk; SF; zombies; paranormal romance or erotica. Also, no human sacrifice; magic help-lines; religion; gore or mythic-beastie love triangles. No poetry.
We don’t want: secondary worlds; steampunk; SF; zombies; paranormal romance or erotica. Also, no human sacrifice; magic help-lines; religion; gore or mythic-beastie love triangles. No poetry.
Give your story a head start by reading both these
guidelines and the Alchemy Press style-guide http://alchemypress.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/manuscripts
We are seeking original fiction:
reprints only accepted by agreement with the editors. No simultaneous or
multiple submissions. Contributions between 3,000 and 8,000 words (firm). Submission period runs from January 1st to
March 31st 2013. Do not submit outside of those dates.
Electronic submissions only, sent as email attachments
in standard manuscript format (rtf, doc or docx). Email subject line should take the
form Title/author’s name/word count (i.e. My Great Story/John Doe/5,000 words).
Submissions included in the body of the email, or without the correct subject
header, may be rejected unread. Full contact details must be included on the
mss front/ first page. Please avoid fiction aimed at the YA reader.
No acceptances or rejections will be made until after
the deadline, and we will endeavour to report back to you six to eight weeks
after that. If you have heard nothing after nine weeks you may query at the
email address. All style and submission guidelines are absolute. Accepted
submissions may be edited (with the author’s approval).
The Alchemy
Press Book of Urban Mythic will be a paperback
edition published in 2013, to be followed by an eBook edition. Successful contributors will receive a nominal fee of £10, royalties plus a copy of the book on publication.
Send all submissions and correspondence to Jan Edwards
and Jenny Barber at tapboum@gmail.com
Do you accept YA for this one also?
ReplyDeleteThis anthology is intended for mature readers and thus YA fiction may not be appropriate.
ReplyDeleteHow "modern" is modern? 1950s acceptable, or only 2010s?
ReplyDeleteThanks
I've checked with the editors; here's their reply: "We were thinking 21st Century but would not exclude anything post WW1."
DeleteThank you.
DeleteI have a perfect (few) stories for this- is the 31st March strict? Would there be a site notification if it turns out that there's still some room?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
We have received over a hundred submissions for Urban Mythic and so we are not able to accept any more stories. Sorry. Keep an eye on the Alchemy Press Facebook page for regular updates.
ReplyDelete