Here are some of our ideas about genre fiction. These aren’t rules, but we hope they will provide food for thought while your work. Most importantly – think creatively, do your best work, and have fun!

FANTASY

Fantasy did not begin in the Middle Ages nor end with the Renaissance. People create magic every day, unaccompanied by thunder claps or sparkles. Conversely, mundane events occur in the lives of even the most fantastical creatures. Surprise us!

HORROR

Vampires are horrific, but so is Rwanda. We love a good zombie tale, but we’re just as scared of people who believe everything they see on TV. Scare us with monsters, human inhumanity, or a devastating psychological truth.

MYSTERY

Most mysteries involve a crime or a threat of crime, but it’s not necessary. Any question can be a mystery, provided someone is actively trying to find an answer. In a broad sense, an element of curiosity or the unknown would be pervasive. Also, mysteries do not need to have a definite solution.

ADVENTURE

Adventure comes in many forms – as physical challenges or mental puzzles – and in many venues – on mountain trails or the theater of war. Strive for suspense, high stakes, and a spirit of achievement.

SCIENCE FICTION

We love hard science, alternative histories and speculative future fiction. Physics is fascinating, but remember that politics and sociology also are sciences. The family unit has evolved more in the past thirty years than the automobile or the handgun.We are especially interested in fiction that examines societal trends and how they might play out in the future. Stories about how we can change the world for the better are equally as welcome as dystopian visions.

ROMANCE

Not all romances are requited, nor are they guaranteed happy endings. Heartache is a part of romance, as is vengeance. People fall in love or become obsessed with lots of things, not just other people.