Comets and Criminals--a quarterly genre zine [$10 for flash fiction and poetry, 1c a word for longer fiction, $50 for art]

[Samuel Mae]

Comets and Criminals is a new prose and poetry market, launching Jan 1st, 2012, to be edited by yours truly.

That's a ways off, yes, but submissions are open now. We accept stories up to 5,000 words in the SF, Adventure, History and Western genres, and stories up to 10,000 words in the Crime and Mystery genre. If you've got a story that straddles more than one of those genres, send it in. We love genre stew. We pay $10 for fiction under 1,000 words, and 1c a word above that.

Full guidelines for fiction here.

Notable excerpts: Please include 'FLASH SUBMISSION' or 'FICTION SUBMISSION' in your email subject line. We don't accept multiple or simultaneous submissions, and please allow 60 days for a reply. We accept reprints, but for a lesser rate.

Also note: while we encourage genre mashing and bending, straight fantasy and horror will be unlikely to sell to us.

We also accept poetry. Payment is a flat rate of $10 per poem. Poets are allowed to submit up to 5 poems at once, but these must all be in the same submission, and as separate attachments.

Full guidelines for poetry here.

Notable excerpt: While we prefer genre poetry, we'll look at more mainstream poetry, too.

For original fiction and poetry, we purchase exclusive first electronic rights for six months, as well as indefinite nonexlusive rights to archive your work (though if you want us to remove it from our archives it's unlikely we'd refuse). We also purchase nonexclusive anthology rights for 12 months.

We're also looking for cover art. We pay a flat-rate of $50 per image.

Full art guidelines here.

For art, we purchase nonexclusive rights to use the image as a cover, on the website and for advertising for 6 months once the contract is signed, and nonexclusive rights to archive indefinitely (again, if you wish it removed from our archives at any stage, it's unlikely we'd refuse).

The appropriate email addresses to send your various submissions are included in the detailed guidelines. If you have a query that's not covered in the guidelines, you can ask it here, or email me at editor @ cometsandcriminals.com.

Here's hoping we see your fiction, poetry and art soon! Our listings at ralan and duotrope should be up soon, also.

Brief note on the zine format: Each issue will be released as a quarterly, available as a full issue for a small price, and free content from the issue will be released on the site weekly over the course of the quarter.

Oh yeah: Feel free to spread the word, if you so desire.

[John M. Whalen]

Exciting news. I'll keep it in mind.

[Samuel Mae]

Thanks, John. I look forward to your subs

Just a note: our ralan's and duotrope listings are now up.

[Samuel Mae]

Some sneak peeks of our issue #1 cover art, plus some namedropping as to who will be appearing in the issue: Sneak Peek 1 & Sneak Peek 2.

[Lyn]

Cool cover art. Best wishes with the publication.

[Samuel Mae]

Thanks!

[Samuel Mae]

Quick update of where we're at: A cover and a TOC for issue #1.

We're reading for issue #2 atm, so send those subs in.

[Samuel Mae]

Issue #1's a go! First story of the zine has been released, and the whole issue is available through our shop.

[Samuel Mae]

A brief note: C&C will be temporarily closed to all submissions from 00:00 14/11/11 (whichever timezone you're in). When we reopen we'll post an announcement here and on the site.

Issue #2 will be launching Jan 1, 2012.

[Samuel Mae]

A cover for issue #2, based on the opening story, and a ToC, which features a couple of SFReader-ites

[Samuel Mae]

We've reopened to fiction and poetry subs, as well as extended our max wordcount accepted to 10,000 across all the genres we represent.

I look forward to seeing your subs

[bdurham]

I recommend everyone check out this publication. Samuel is a real pleasure to work with.

[Samuel Mae]

Thanks, Bruce!