The Call for submission has ended

DARK MATTER II : 
Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora 
Edited by Sheree R. Thomas 
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS 

Speculative fiction is the literature of ideas. It offers an opportunity to explore the magical question that engages all fiction writers: "What if…?" What distinguishes these stories from others is its imaginative promise. While another genre might require writers to remain firmly rooted in "reality," the science fiction, fantasy, "magic realism," and horror genres allow writers to draw upon a potentially boundless realm of thought. All people speculate, and black writers dream no less than anyone else. The Afrodiasporic body of speculative work is rich and diverse, revealing a positive engagement with the genre that spans as far back as the work of black nationalists in the mid-1800s, W.E.B. Du Bois in the 1920s, George S. Schuyler during the Harlem Renaissance, and the growing number of writers who currently are building upon the legacy of Samuel R. Delany and Octavia E. Butler today. 

The science fiction and fantasy genres have always offered readers, bold, extraordinary ways by which to examine society. The results have often been visionary, with writers acting as unflinching voyeurs who deliver engaging, sometimes scathing critiques of our traditions, values, nightmares, and dreams. Through speculative fiction, writers posit alternative ways by which to measure our lives and offer fascinating prisms by which to consider our mortality. A well done work of speculative fiction is at once a reflection and a distortion. It is an extrapolation where all that can be imagined can co-exists on the page: the past, the present, and the future-or what may never be. In the past, it was thought that black writers had few speculative visions to offer the world, but as technology and rapidly changing demographics hurl us closer to tomorrow, more black writers are adding their voices, daring to engage themselves with the business of our future.

What if we can create for ourselves and others worlds crafted from the foundations of dreams we imagine, peopled by the souls of s/heroes who walk in our image, who live and love and evolve on our terms? 

What if, indeed. 

DARK MATTER: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora (Warner Aspect, hardcover, July 2000) was the result of these questions. As the first collection dedicated to speculative fiction by black writers, this landmark anthology united the works of established, emerging, and new authors and received critical acclaim. DARK MATTER II will continue this groundbreaking work by introducing new writers from throughout the African Diaspora, including an additional selection of critical essays illuminating the contributions of black writers to speculative fiction and the role of black speculative visions to the Afrodiasporic literary canon. 

CONTENT: Write what you will--whether it is humorous, erotic, horrific, political, or whatever you imagine. I am seeking original short stories, bold voices unafraid to imagine themselves and the many forms of blackness across the boundaries of time, space, and convention. Familiarity with the preceding book is recommended, although as with the first volume, there are no specific "thematic" requirements. DARK MATTER is an open anthology, and I welcome writers throughout the African Diaspora. 

LENGTH: I suggest approximately 1500-8500 words; however, I am flexible on this point. Outstanding work will not be returned simply because it exceeds or falls below this guideline. Do what you must to tell your story well. FORMAT: Two copies, double-spaced on white paper with standard 1" margins. Include a bio and a photo of yourself. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. If you would like confirmation of receipt, then please add a self-addressed postcard or send your material by certified mail. Please do not send your only copy, as I cannot be responsible for lost work. Multiple submissions are accepted. Incomplete submissions will be returned. Editorial guidelines are also posted at http://aalbc.com/dark.htm. 

DON'T: Send previously published work or poetry at this time. 

DO: Send your best work(s). 

DEADLINE: Monday, April 30, 2001. Warner Aspect Books will publish the anthology in hardcover in 2002. I strongly recommend that you submit your work early, rather than late, when most of the slots are filled and there is less time to work with you on revisions. 

Deadline extended until Saturday, June 30, 2001

TERMS: Monetary payment will be offered to those writers whose work is selected for publication. The fees to contributors begin at $250. Contributors will share royalties with the editor. 

ABOUT THE EDITOR: Sheree R. Thomas is the editor of DARK MATTER: A Century of Speculative Fiction of the African Diaspora (Warner Aspect, July 2000), the first collection of speculative fiction by black writers and the co-publisher of the literary journal, ANANSI: Fiction of the African Diaspora. Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in a number of literary publications, including Alicubi, Drumvoices Revue, Ishmael Reed’s KONCH magazine, m�lange: journal of the written arts, and Obsidian III: Literature of the African Diaspora. Her work as a journalist and book critic has appeared in diverse national publications, including The Washington Post Book World, American Visions, Emerge, Rap Pages, and Hip Mama. A native of Memphis, she lives in New York City. Sheree R. Thomas is a graduate of Clarion (’99) and a member of the New Renaissance Writers Guild based in Harlem. 

THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN DARK MATTER! 

***************** 
Sheree R. Thomas 
765 Amsterdam Avenue 3C, 
NYC, 10025 
Email Address: esmarth@bellatlantic.net

Charles L. Blockson Literary Collective 

Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora http://www.twbookmark.com/books/19/0446525839/index.html
http://aalbc.com/dark.htm

Clarion West Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Workshop
http://www.sff.net/clarionwest/