What’s going on with Fantasy For Good?
It’s been a while since I posted to my blog, for reasons that I’ll not go into yet. Fantasy For Good, the charity anthology I’m editing with Jordan Ellinger, has not been neglected though. We’ve assembled a kick ass line up of established legends, modern trailblazers and new talent in an anthology that will appeal to all fans of the fantasy genre. All these great folks are joining us to raise money for the Colon Cancer Alliance.
In this update you’ll find a recap of everyone who’s in the anthology (including one NEW announcement!), an update on our release date and a list of all those whose stories were selected from the open submissions windows held last year, and why we chose them.
Let’s get cracking!
Who’s in it?
We’ve not yet announced all of the big names who will have stories in this volume, but we have revealed we’ll be featuring original stories from (deep breath!) Michael Moorcock, Nnedi Okorafor, Piers Anthony, Alan Dean Foster, Kelley Armstrong, Samit Basu, Jane Lindskold, Carrie Vaughn, Jaye Wells, David Farland, Steven Savile, Jackie Kessler and Ken Scholes. We’ll also be including reprints from Neil Gaiman, George R.R. Martin and Jay Lake.
I can reveal right now that another legendary author will feature in our line up: ROGER ZELAZNY. Yes, we’ve been given permission to reprint one of Zelazny’s classic short stories, and we’re very grateful for the opportunity to include it. Roger suffered from colon cancer and passed away in 1995, so it is fitting that his work should appear in this anthology and it’s a great honour for us.
Roger’s son, Trent Zelazny, has penned us an introduction. It’s a powerful piece from an accomplished author in his own right.
There are five additional writers we have not yet announced. They will be revealed on our Facebook page over the next couple of weeks.
When’s it coming out?
Our original release month was March 2014, but this has had to move out. We are looking to have the book ready in the summer, and we’ll lock that down to a specific date in due course. It took us longer than anticipated to secure a couple of the stories, and since my life was thrown into turmoil towards the end of last year, we’ve fallen a bit behind. We apologise for any disappointment this delay may cause, but we don’t want to rush this out. The extra time will give us room to breath and ensure we deliver to you, the reader, a quality publication you’ll want to enjoy again and again. It will also give us time to get some advance reviews and build some buzz before launch.
Open Submissions – the Results!
Our open submissions reading period closed late last year and we commissioned nine writers in total. Between them they have amassed some impressive writing credits, although you may not have heard of them… yet. We think all these folks are supremely talented and they delivered fantastic stories, so let’s give them their moment in the sun.
Elroy Wooden Sword by S.C. Hayden
Hayden’s story made us laugh and won us over with strong characters and a fun concept. There’s much to enjoy in this skillfully penned tale, including its cheeky protagonist.
Man of Water by Kyle Aisteach
Aisteach’s tale features shapeshifters in a compelling story that swept us up from its first words. It’s not really like anything we’ve read before. This is a story that won’t outstay its welcome.
Moon Glass by Megan Moore
Moore’s very short story is haunting and beautiful, with gorgeous imagery and a fable-like storyline. We had several World’s Collider writers try out for Fantasy for Good’s open submissions, and Moore is the only one who made it. Having work published in my previous projects didn’t mean a free ticket here.
Languid in Rose by Frances Silversmith
In this story of an enchanted kingdom, Silversmith crafts an environment where all seems perfect on the surface but where the truth is far from ideal. This story has an atmosphere that skillfully balances fairy tale with modern fantasy.
The Seas Of Heaven by David Parish-Whittaker
On the surface, Parish-Whitaker presents an oddball tale of fish flying through the clouds. But there’s so much more to it than that. This was one of the first submissions we received, it was the first submission I read and it was the first story to make our shortlist.
Lenora of the Low by Marina J. Lostetter
Lostetter’s story took our breath away and made us fall instantly in love with it. Disturbing, dark and brilliant, this was an no-brainer commission. If you are a fan of horror fantasy, you’ll eat this story up.
The Edge of Magic by Henry Szabranski
Szabranski’s tale is the longest in the anthology but it needs the space. An epic tale of forbidden sorcery and a woman pushed literally to the edge, this story grabs you from the start and drags you along to an explosive conclusion.
Bones of a Righteous Man by Michael Ezell
One of the first stories I read for the open submissions, Ezell’s weird western fable stuck with me for a very long time. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. This one, appropriately, gets into your bones and won’t let go.
Sand and Teeth by Carmen Tudor
This desolate tale creates a whole new world in just the first few lines, immersing the reader in a harsh and unforgiving environment. Yet it offers hope in prose of breathtaking clarity. A rare gem.
Congratulations to all our selected writers. Don’t think for one moment that you just “got lucky”. Talent, professionalism and your brilliant stories are what secured your place. We confidently predict that folks will be seeing a lot more of these writers in the years to come. For more info on these smart cookies, please visit the Fantasy For Good page for bios of all our contributors.
We have more announcements to come so please make sure you’ve liked our page if you’re on Facebook and be sure to check back regularly.
Thanks for reading!