SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

EDIT ADDED APRIL 06: Updates to this anthology can be found at the following thread in this forum: http://forum.sfreader.com/default~f~52~m~32690.html

Ricasso Press invites you to submit to our first anthology, Magic & Mechanica. This collection will be both a print book and a PDF-formatted e-book. Expected length will be in the 85,000 to 100,000-word range, though all is dependent on the number of submissions accepted.

Theme:

Magic & Mechanica is an anthology of high fantasy stories which chronicle the collision of magic and machines. The interaction of the mystic and the technological in a fantasy world is what we are looking for, a world alive with rational magicks and impossible machines. We are not looking for modern day or science fiction settings but those of high or heroic fantasy. Please note that time travel stories that bring even Victorian-era machines into a pre-industrial setting are not fantasy; they are science fiction stories set in a fantasy world (for without the time travel element - a purely science-driven one - there could be no story). This point cannot be stressed enough: science fiction stories will be rejected.

Rights Purchased:

We purchase first worldwide print, electronic and audio rights for original stories.

Multiple Submissions:

We will consider multiple submissions. We will not deny any author two places in the table of contents should he/she craft overwhelmingly skilled stories. Three would be pushing it. Go ahead and write your best stories and send them. We'll read them and make a decision based on the individual stories, not the number of them you send us.

Simultaneous Submissions:

Feel free to send us material that is under consideration in other markets. We will make every effort to respond as quickly as possible. Should you find yourself in the enviable position of having sold the story elsewhere, feel free to drop us a line and let us know. It will not reflect poorly on any other manuscripts you have sent us.

Reprints:

No.

Word Lengths:

All story lengths will be considered, from flash fiction to novella length. Bear in mind that the longer the story is, the higher its quality needs to be (in other words, a 10,000-word story must be much better than the two 5,000-word stories it displaces). The goal of Magic & Mechanica is to be filled to overflowing with excellent tales, and the more there are, the happier we figure our customers will be. Shorter is better.

Payment:

1/2-cent per word, regardless of the story's length. Payment will be on acceptance, or shortly thereafter.

Submission Deadlines:

The deadline for submissions is August 01, 2007. Please don't dawdle, however. We are making decisions on each story as it is received, not when the reading period is over. You may very well find that your outstanding story doesn't even get read because we announce the table of contents is filled. While we do not want a rushed tale, putting polish on it quickly is sound advice. Ricasso Press reserves the right to change this reading period dependent on factors too numerous to express here.

Submission Mechanics:

Stories may be sent by email as RTF attachments to:

  magic_mechanica@hotmail.com      (note the underscore in the address)

Please type the title of your story as your subject header and include your full contact information (name, email, postal address, story title, and word count) in your covering email, as well as on the first page of your attached file.

Hard copy submissions will not be considered.

For manuscript formatting guidelines, please visit http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html.

Magic & Mechanica is being jointly edited by William D. Ward and Robert J. Santa.

Questions & Answers...

...can be posted here if you like or sent to either Bill Ward or Rob Santa in private messaging.

Public thanks to Ralan Conley for posting submissions info for M&M at his site. As always, writers of speculative fiction should frequent his site for updated information on market listings.

www.ralan.com

R rated okay?

Maybe strong Pg-13 is more accurate. Pushed the envelope right to the edge. A story that would make the good Lindsey in my tagline below howl with anger...4300 words?

Sound okay or would clash to much with overall anthology theme?

Good, thanks. I want to give it another edit pass (you know better than most what a good idea that is, W, lol) and I'll pass it over in about half-an-hour or so to the site.

Thanks forthe heads up.

N