Desolate Places. One of the first things Buzz Aldrin said after setting foot on the Moon was "Magnificent desolation." Desolation stirs the imagination. The land stretches almost to infinity, unspoiled by humanity. But does nothing happen there? Does a place require human occupation to exhibit wonder? What about an Earth that no longer has a human presence? What happens to what we've done to the land, air and seas?The photograph on the cover prototype to the left, by photographer Erich Hernandez-Baquero, shows a desolate place, but as you can see something fascinating occurs there (note the rock and the trail it has left).
We are looking for: Science Fiction stories that are set in desolate places. For this theme we prefer physical over abstract places. Desolate places can be anywhere in the Universe, so stories that are set on Earth as well as off Earth are equally welcome. We’re interested in the eeriness and wonder of a desolate place. Why are your character(s) there and how do they react to such a place? What do they expect to find? (Please query if you aren't sure if your idea will fit within the guidelines. Email address is below.)
Electronic submissions only: Send as an attachment to an email message (address below). Microsoft Word .doc file is preferred, or .rtf file is okay (nearly all word processors will allow you to save in rtf format). Please virus scan your document before sending. Generally, the standard format calls for you to include a heading at the top of each page with your name, story title, page number, etc. Other than that, we prefer that you keep your document as simple as possible. Don’t double-space and please don’t do any fancy formatting such as right-justifying, etc.-- leave that to us. Also, please don't hit Enter (or Return) at the end of each line. Let your word processor wrap the text.
Please include a short bio of yourself, 100 words or less.
No simultaneous or multiple submissions.
Query first before submitting reprints.
Submission dates: Closed.
Length: 2000 to 6000 words preferred, but will consider 1000 to 7000.
Payment: Upon publication or before. We offer payment in the $25 to $30 range plus royalties and one copy of the book. We will purchase First English Language Anthology Rights.
Other Important items: Stories will be judged based on merit. You do not have to have been published for your story to be accepted, but we strongly recommend that you have the story critiqued or workshopped and please send good, tight, clean prose.
No fantasy, horror, military, religious or comedy--just science fiction for this one.
No media tie-ins such as Star Trek (R), etc. (only the studios can authorize those).
We’re not looking for anything beyond mild language unless absolutely crucial to the plot. No gratuitous sex or graphic violence.
Where to send your submission:
Email to: subs [at] hadleyrillebooks [dot] com (You know, substitute an @ for [at] and a . for [dot])
VERY IMPORTANT: In the subject line put: DESOLATE PLACES SUB
