Reader's Eden is proud to announce that our monthly newsletter is being
ramped up into an actual ezine.
Our new editor is Sean MacLachlan, who has kindly put together this
call for submissions. ..
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Reader's Eden Ezine is now open to short stories of up to 8,000 words
in all genres except erotica. We are also looking for cover art..
Please read the submission guidelines carefully.
ABOUT US:
Reader's Eden Ezine is a free electronic publication coming out at the
beginning of every month from Reader's Eden (
www.readerseden. com),
distributor of some of the best electronic and small press publications
available. It developed from the Reader's Eden newsletter, expanded to
include not only the old newsletter's author interviews, but also a
regular editorial and up to three short stories every month. For back
issues of the old Reader's Eden newsletter, go to
http://www.readerse den.com/pages. php?pageid= 10.
Subscription is free. Go to
www.readerseden. com and on the left column
you will be a place to enter your email. Your email address will not be
sold. Back issues will be available on the website.
WHAT WE WANT:
Short stories up to 8,000 words. Flash fiction is also accepted.
Each issue is either a themed issue or an open theme. All genres are
accepted for both. For information on the themed issues, see below.
We will also consider well-researched nonfiction articles on the state
of electronic and/or small press publishing, or the state of any
specific genre or subgenre. We are not interested in how-to-write
articles or news briefs. These are already well covered in many other
publications.
Reprints of previously published stories and articles are welcome as
long as you own the rights. Please inform us if it is a reprint.
We are looking for stories that break out of genre stereotypes. Too
many stories today, especially from the big publishing houses, use the
same old ingredients over and over again. For more on my ideas of the
role of the small and electronic press, and for insights on how to get
a story past me, read my essay here:
http://midlistwrite r.blogspot. com/2008/ 05/which- way-for-electron ic-press. html
We will be accepting one work of art for the cover for each issue. Any
medium, style, or subject is fine as long as it's something you
wouldn't mind your teenager seeing. Art must be sent in .jpg format.
WHAT WE DON'T WANT:
Erotica, explicit sex scenes (PG rated, please), fan fiction, and
gratuitous gore. We are also not considering poetry, screenplays, or
memoir.
HOW WE WANT IT:
Send all stories, articles, and artwork to Sean McLachlan, editor of
Reader's Eden Ezine: readersedenezine (at) yahoo.co.uk I have another
email address on my personal blogs and website, but the above address
is for the ezine. Please do not send emails related to the ezine to my
other account.
All submissions should be sent in the text of the email. EMAILS WITH
ATTACHMENTS WILL BE DELETED UNREAD. On the subject line, put either
"OPEN THEME: your story title" or "THEME NAME: your story title." Note
that cutting and pasting text into the body of an email often destroys
the paragraphs. Don't worry about indentation, but make sure there's a
space between each paragraph. If we want the story, we'll ask you then
and only then to send it as an attachment. You may send artwork as an
attachment.
Please do a thorough copyedit of your story before submission. It helps
to have several people look at it. Please mark your scene breaks.
Include a brief bio along with links to your website or blog.
COMPENSATION:
Since we are just starting out we are not able to pay contributors at
this time. I know you deserve better and I apologize. However, there
will be a reader's poll every issue and the story, article, or artwork
that is voted the favorite will earn the creator a $10 gift certificate
to Reader's Eden. The prizes will increase as we grow, and we plan to
eventually pay all our contributors.
Reader's Eden Ezine asks for 12 months nonexclusive electronic rights,
meaning that once it's up, you are free to sell it elsewhere. After 12
months, you may request to have it removed from the website.
PUBLISHING SCHEDULE AND THEMED ISSUES:
June 2008: open theme. Deadline: closed.
July 2008: open theme. Deadline: June 1.
August 2008: Theme: "Adventurous Journeys". Write a story set on
modern-day Earth, but in a country not usually covered in fiction. No
stories set in North America (including Mexico), Western Europe, or any
English-speaking country. Stories should give us the feel of what it's
like to be in that place. Alternate versions of real countries are
acceptable for fantasy and science fiction stories. Now's the chance to
turn that exotic vacation into a story! Deadline: July 1.
September 2008: open theme. Deadline: August 1.
October 2008: Theme: "Forgotten Histories". Write a story set in a
historical period usually overlooked in fiction. No stories set in
ancient Rome, Greece, medieval or Renaissance Western Europe,
Elizabethan/ Regency/Victoria n England, colonial America, the Wild West,
the American Civil War, World War II, or the Vietnam War. Historical
accuracy is important, but feel free to throw in fantastic or science
fictional elements Deadline: September 1.
November 2008: open theme. Deadline: October 1.
December 2008: Theme: "Hometown Heroics". Set a story in your hometown.
Stories should give us a feel for what it's like to live in that town,
city, or region. Historical stories accepted. Once again, feel free to
throw in fantastic or science fictional elements, but the town must
remain recognizable. Deadline: November 1.