California Cantata Anthology

California Cantata Anthology

Here at the Kaz, were looking to combine two of the things we love the most: fantasy fiction and California. Thus, we’re opening up a call for fantasy (not science fiction…sorry) short stories about California–specifically about Californian counties–with a historical fiction bent.

UPDATE: The history of your county and the fantastical elements of your stories should not be muted. The history should be as big a character as the folks running around on your stage. What happens in your story should influence or explain some piece of the history of your county.

As well, we’re looking to publish stories that are clearly fantasy fiction. Stories that feature weak (or no) fantasy elements aren’t what we’re looking for.

There are 58 counties in California. Each has a history–a real history free of dragons and sorceresses and enchanted forests, which is a real shame. So, we want you to remix some part of the real history of a Californian county with fantasy fiction. For example, did griffins really help miners in Nevada County, California transport their gold to market? What role did telepathy have in opening up Monterey County, California to exploration? You see our idea. Fantasy + a county in California. Just shy away from libel.

We might not have a story for each county, but perhaps we will get close. We won’t know until you submit.

In your story, you must tackle the history of only one county in California. You, as the writer, will be the spokesperson, as you will, for that county’s history. Think of it as a fun research project. That said, if we get two stories about, say, San Diego County, we’ll be publishing the stronger one, so consider a story about one of the lesser known counties to up your chances of inclusion in this anthology. Maybe Yolo? Inyo? Modoc?

Make sense? If not, feel free to twitter us @kazkapress and ask a clarifying question.

Oh, and time for the one really anal-retentive, this-is-to-enfore-the-editor’s-worldview rule: if your story says that places like San Francisco or Monterey or San Jose are in Northern California, your story will be scowled at and edited. Northern California includes the west with Sonoma to the east with Alpine and the way north to the Oregon border. Anything south of those counties is not Northern California. Not. No matter what people say. So spaketh the editor.

Payment: 1 cent a word + 1 contributors copy. Anthology is scheduled to be eBook only. (However, we said that about Bronies, so who knows.) Payment will be upon publication. We can pay via Google Checkout, Amazon Payments, Paypal, or check.

Length: 500-5,000 words. Anything over 5,000 will be considered, but you will be paid a flat rate of $50 if accepted.

Format: .rtf, .doc, .docx, or .odt. (We’ll open the Submittable link once the submission period opens.) Standard manuscript format–however, italicize your italics. No underlines to denote italics, please.

More Rules & Response Time: Please no simultaneous submissions or reprints (though you likely don’t have a story like this in your trunk). Feel free to send multiple submissions though. We’ll publish up to two pieces by any one author. We’re aiming to respond to your submission within 30 days. Unless everything comes in on 30 September. (Yikes!)

Rights Sought: First worldwide print and electronic English Language rights. Exclusivity for 6 months from date of release. Non-exclusive rights to keep the anthology in print across different publishing platforms afterward.

When to submit: 1 July – 30 September 2012.

Publication projection: Dec 2012 or Jan 2013. Take the word ‘projection’ seriously here.

Show California some love, folks! Get to writing. SUBMIT HERE.

Purchased Counties: Humboldt, Inyo, Orange, and Kern.