Another Heads-Up
Got an email in from Jeff Deveaux about an anthology he's putting together, tentatively titled TOUCHED, which picqued my interest with its focus on queerness and the magical. Thought I'd pass on his call for submissions for anyone out there who might be interested. Me, I've got a new sonnet sequence that just might fit the bill, I reckon, being a sort of incantatory seduction spell. It is, of course and as usual, full of poncy classical allusions, invocations of the Muses and Apollo, references to the gods and heroes of antiquity. It just also happens to be based on the archetypal imagery of gay porn photoshoots, with each sonnet giving us a step along the way of sweet and salty lovin'. Heh. Anyhoo... here's Jeff's guidelines:
Call for Submissions – Touched (tentative title)
Editor: J.A. Deveaux
Publisher: Haworth Press
Submission Deadline: June 15, 2007
see my fingers rise like smoke
see them fall like ash
you're mine now, song
prayer and plea
whatever you heard is wrong
I'll never set you free
— "Mojo", Martin Pousson
Charms or hexes, curses or love spells, jinxes, voodoo, enchantments; spells cast for good or ill; evil enchantments that must be broken by a kiss—from a prince, or a princess, or a frog—all cultures throughout history have their tales of being touched by magic. The spell, in whatever form it takes, is so common in myth, legend, and fantasy that it's taken for granted in the stories.
TOUCHED, a queer-themed fantasy anthology of spells and magic, focuses on the mysteries of spells and gives readers an intimate look into the world of spell casting in all its myriad forms, through the unique viewpoints of queer storytelling and themes.
The title TOUCHED reflects the associations "touched by magic" and "touched by the gods," as well as colloquial associations of touched meaning "slightly insane" or "queer." This association has a long tradition in cultures around the world where queer people were often either honored or stigmatized by an association with magic. Native Americans considered their queer folk to be touched by gods, and were given honored positions within the tribe as shamans and medicine men. European cultures often stigmatized their queer folk as witches, touched by demons and devils.
Each story in the anthology will feature queer characters and themes. The common element that unifies the anthology is that each story must some way feature spells—in all their varied forms, and from any tradition or culture: charms, hexes, curses, jinxes, whammies, banes, the evil eye, "touched," blessings, enchantments, voodoo, juju, hoodoo, mojos, fetishes, incantations, invocations, evocations, conjurings, glamouries, grimoires. Stories can be inspired or drawn from myths and legends; cultural traditions such as the New Orleans traditions of African voodoo; worlds of fantasy, worlds of magical realism, historical worlds, or the modern world.
I'll be looking for stories with well developed characters and plots. Stories that are innovative and surprising, touching or moody or atmospheric, and that use the concept of "spells" in unique and unexpected ways. Any "subgenre" of fantasy will be considered—high fantasy, epic, sword & sorcery, urban fantasy, gothic, etc. Queer themes, characters, or content must be present, and should be woven naturally and seamlessly into the characterization and plot of the story.
GUIDELINES
1) Hardcopy, disposable manuscripts are requested, sent to the address listed below. If accepted, an electronic copy in an .RTF format will be requested.
2) Submissions should average 3,000 words to 5,000 words. Please query regarding longer or shorter submissions. Query regarding "short shorts" or "flash fiction."
3) Submissions must be typed, double-spaced with one-inch margins, and printed on one side of the page only. Please number the pages.
4) Use a 12-point font, either Courier or Times New Roman.
5) Name, pseudonym if used, address, phone number, e-mail address, and word count should appear on the first page.
6) Include last name and the name of the story along with the page number in the header of each successive page.
7) Include a brief cover letter with a short bio of up to 150 words.
8) Include an SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) if you wish to be notified by "snail mail." All others will be notified through e-mail.
9) Include an SASE postcard if you want to receive acknowledgement that your submission has been received.
Payment: Writers will receive one contributor copy, and a cash payment on a cents-per-word basis that will be determined by the number of contributors and size of the anthology. That is, longer stories will be paid more than shorter stories. Contributors can expect pay to be between $50 and $100 dollars, depending on the length of the story and the number of contributors in the volume. Note: Any accepted short shorts or flash fiction will be paid at a lower rate.
Send QUERIES to Jeff Deveaux at touchedanthology@gmail.com. Put Touched Query in the subject line of the e-mail. DO NOT e-mail stories unless requested.
Mail stories to me at the following address:
Jeff Deveaux
Box 501
1514 Bellevue Avenue
Seattle, WA 98122
Exception: If you are submitting from outside the United States, it is okay to e-mail me your submission in an .RTF attachment, but please notify me first of your intention to do so.
Call for Submissions – Touched (tentative title)
Editor: J.A. Deveaux
Publisher: Haworth Press
Submission Deadline: June 15, 2007
see my fingers rise like smoke
see them fall like ash
you're mine now, song
prayer and plea
whatever you heard is wrong
I'll never set you free
— "Mojo", Martin Pousson
Charms or hexes, curses or love spells, jinxes, voodoo, enchantments; spells cast for good or ill; evil enchantments that must be broken by a kiss—from a prince, or a princess, or a frog—all cultures throughout history have their tales of being touched by magic. The spell, in whatever form it takes, is so common in myth, legend, and fantasy that it's taken for granted in the stories.
TOUCHED, a queer-themed fantasy anthology of spells and magic, focuses on the mysteries of spells and gives readers an intimate look into the world of spell casting in all its myriad forms, through the unique viewpoints of queer storytelling and themes.
The title TOUCHED reflects the associations "touched by magic" and "touched by the gods," as well as colloquial associations of touched meaning "slightly insane" or "queer." This association has a long tradition in cultures around the world where queer people were often either honored or stigmatized by an association with magic. Native Americans considered their queer folk to be touched by gods, and were given honored positions within the tribe as shamans and medicine men. European cultures often stigmatized their queer folk as witches, touched by demons and devils.
Each story in the anthology will feature queer characters and themes. The common element that unifies the anthology is that each story must some way feature spells—in all their varied forms, and from any tradition or culture: charms, hexes, curses, jinxes, whammies, banes, the evil eye, "touched," blessings, enchantments, voodoo, juju, hoodoo, mojos, fetishes, incantations, invocations, evocations, conjurings, glamouries, grimoires. Stories can be inspired or drawn from myths and legends; cultural traditions such as the New Orleans traditions of African voodoo; worlds of fantasy, worlds of magical realism, historical worlds, or the modern world.
I'll be looking for stories with well developed characters and plots. Stories that are innovative and surprising, touching or moody or atmospheric, and that use the concept of "spells" in unique and unexpected ways. Any "subgenre" of fantasy will be considered—high fantasy, epic, sword & sorcery, urban fantasy, gothic, etc. Queer themes, characters, or content must be present, and should be woven naturally and seamlessly into the characterization and plot of the story.
GUIDELINES
1) Hardcopy, disposable manuscripts are requested, sent to the address listed below. If accepted, an electronic copy in an .RTF format will be requested.
2) Submissions should average 3,000 words to 5,000 words. Please query regarding longer or shorter submissions. Query regarding "short shorts" or "flash fiction."
3) Submissions must be typed, double-spaced with one-inch margins, and printed on one side of the page only. Please number the pages.
4) Use a 12-point font, either Courier or Times New Roman.
5) Name, pseudonym if used, address, phone number, e-mail address, and word count should appear on the first page.
6) Include last name and the name of the story along with the page number in the header of each successive page.
7) Include a brief cover letter with a short bio of up to 150 words.
8) Include an SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) if you wish to be notified by "snail mail." All others will be notified through e-mail.
9) Include an SASE postcard if you want to receive acknowledgement that your submission has been received.
Payment: Writers will receive one contributor copy, and a cash payment on a cents-per-word basis that will be determined by the number of contributors and size of the anthology. That is, longer stories will be paid more than shorter stories. Contributors can expect pay to be between $50 and $100 dollars, depending on the length of the story and the number of contributors in the volume. Note: Any accepted short shorts or flash fiction will be paid at a lower rate.
Send QUERIES to Jeff Deveaux at touchedanthology@gmail.com. Put Touched Query in the subject line of the e-mail. DO NOT e-mail stories unless requested.
Mail stories to me at the following address:
Jeff Deveaux
Box 501
1514 Bellevue Avenue
Seattle, WA 98122
Exception: If you are submitting from outside the United States, it is okay to e-mail me your submission in an .RTF attachment, but please notify me first of your intention to do so.
posted by Hal Duncan | 5:52 pm
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