Update (16th Sep 09): Submissions are now CLOSED. The book will be released in February, 2010.
This year marks 200 years since the birth of Charles Darwin, and 150 years since the publication of The Origin of Species. To mark the anniversaries, Tangled Bank Press invites submissions for The Tangled Bank, an e-anthology of speculative fiction, artwork, comics, and poetry exploring the legacy of Charles Darwin and the theory of evolution. Illuminate — or obscure — the line between the real and the fantastic. The fiction may be of any speculative genre or cross-genre; demand to be included by the quality of your submission. Artwork and poetry need not be strictly speculative in nature, but must engage with Charles Darwin or evolution. For more about what we’re looking for, see this post.
The Tangled Bank will be edited by Christopher Lynch and published electronically in late 2009.
SHORT STORIES
Length: 1000-7500 words
Payment: AU$0.03/word advance on royalties + contributor’s copy
How to submit: Please use standard manuscript format and email the submission as an rtf attachment to “thetangledbank+story” (at) gmail.com. Put the title and author in the subject line and word count in the email body.
Stories can incorporate images. The images must be integral to the piece, and not merely for illustrative purposes; if the story can be understood without images, do not include them. No additional payment will be made for these images. Attach jpg or gif copies (<1000k total) separately with the submission — do not embed them.
POETRY
Length: 3-42 lines
Payment: AU$15 advance on royalties + contributor’s copy
How to submit: Please email the submission in the body of your email to “thetangledbank+poem” (at) gmail.com. Up to three poems may be submitted at once. Put the title(s) and poet’s name in the subject line and the line count in the email body.
ARTWORK & COMICS
Payment: AU$15 advance on royalties + contributor’s copy. AU$100 advance for cover art, up to AU$100 advance for a graphic story.
How to submit: Please email a single web link to “thetangledbank+art” (at) gmail.com. If the submission piece is not online, a jpg or gif copy of <1000k may be sent as an attachment, but we’d prefer a link. Put the title and artist’s name in the subject line.
Artwork includes cartoons, and diagrams with supporting text (<500 words). Graphic stories of up to about 10 pages will be considered; all other submissions must be a single image. Photography is welcome, but straightforward, realistic photos of organisms will be rejected. The design aesthetic for the anthology is an old-fashioned field/travel journal or scrapbook. Don’t let this limit your subject matter — the far future is fine — but be guided by it when considering technique and palette.
NON-FICTION
Length: Up to 5000 words
Payment: AU$0.03/word advance on royalties + contributor’s copy
How to submit: Please query first.
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Submissions open: 1st May, 2009
Submissions close: 15th Sept, 2009 (or when filled)
Response time will be 90 days. No simultaneous or multiple submissions. By submitting work you claim to be the sole copyright owner. Payment will be on publication for first world electronic rights and an 18-month print option. Royalties of 40 per cent on sales of the electronic edition will be shared between contributors.
Guidelines last updated 1st July 09. As listed on inkspillers, ralan, & duotrope.
