Please note: the August 31st deadline has now passed. This anthology is no longer open for submissions.
I am currently putting together an anthology of apocalyptic fiction called World’s Collider. This collection will be published by Open Casket Press and I am actively looking for contributors. Here are the guidelines.
Title: World’s Collider
An anthology of Apocalyptic short fiction
Press: Open Casket Press
Planned release: Winter 2011
What is the World’s Collider?
This will be a shared-world apocalyptic short story anthology.
10 years from now, a risky experiment involving the Large Hadron Collider will cause an enormous explosion, flattening a large chunk of central Europe and punching a massive hole in reality. Through this breach, all sorts of unimaginable terrors pour out over time. At some point, events will get so bad that civilization as we know it will fall.
Each story in the collection will feature something new coming through the rift. It could be monsters, or new diseases, perhaps alien gasses that wreak havoc on our environment, or something very subtle and insidious – not everything has to have world-wide ramifications. Your imagination is the limit.
Your story will build upon what has come before to create a consistent narrative. If your submission is accepted, you will be invited to an online discussion group where everyone will work together to make their ideas fit into a single storyline. You must be prepared to adapt your story to fit with others, including reusing characters and settings.
What we need from you
For now, please send a synopsis of your proposed story, including how it ends. We’re looking for unique ideas of what might come through the rift, but also strong character-driven tales that dramatize and explore these events.
Proposals should be no more than 500 words.
Final stories should be between 1,000 words and 10,000 words.
There will be a small payment for accepted stories, plus a copy of the finished printed book.
Location of author
There are no restrictions on the location of the author.
What print rights do we want?
First print and electronic rights to your story for 1 year after publication date, that’s exclusive, too. After that you can resell it. But we do have the right to use the story for as long as there is a demand for the book.
What we don’t want
No reprints, and no complete stories in the first instance please.
World’s Collider will be published as a trade paperback and an e-book.
The paperback copy of the book will be sent to you upon or shortly after the book’s official release date.
How to send it
Please make sure your name, address, email and phone number is on the same page as your proposal.
RTF (wordpad) or Microsoft Word attachments are fine.
Please provide a rough idea of the final story’s word count.
Where to send it
Send proposal when it’s ready via email to chababug@yahoo.com
Please also use the same email address for any questions not addressed here.
Include in the subject line the phrase “World’s Collider” along with the story title.
The filename of your story should include the story title and your name.
Deadline for proposals is August 31st, 2011.
What an awesome idea. I love shared universes (6,000+ comic books should show that, of course). I’m on vacation this week. I’ll try to whip something up soon and get it to you.
thanks,
Raymond
Okay, I have my story lined out. I’m typing up my submission and will tweak it before sending tomorrow.
– Raymond
Typed, edited, and emailed. Time for bed.
Raymond
Will the stories be based before, during or after the collapse of civilisation, as this will affect what I submit.
Hi, thanks for the question. You can pitch a story for before the fall, during or after. The whole time scale will be covered.
I would love to see some “Dante’s Inferno” types story arches or something of a Pagan orientation… spirits, demons, ghosts… I will send several story ideas/synopses along…
Typical. I find this site, get very excited, all with my usual great timing. It’s the 1st of September today.