Friday, March 23, 2012

Extended Deadline for Marketplace Fan Fiction

April 30 is the new  deadline for my Call for Submissions to No Safewords – A Marketplace Collection
Do you have what it takes to enter The Marketplace? For the first time since The Academy, I am opening the doors to my exclusive playroom, for this first collection of fan fiction!
Yes, you can write a Marketplace story – and this is your chance to really push the limits! Use any character, any setting. Delve into the onlineMarketplace wiki to brush up on existing characters or create your own. Fit the story to what already exists or imagine a sort of alternative universe to my alternative universe. You can even add elements that do not exist in the books – want to make it paranormal? Set in the past/future? Care to slash together characters you thought shouldhave hooked up? Do you think there should have been more gay/lesbian/straight/rubber/steampunk/food fetish/Canadian/sexy accountant stories in the books? Now is your chance to write one!
I am the sole owner of the Marketplace series and all derivative works set in that universe. Therefore, I reserve the right as the owner/creator of the universe to refer to or use any character that an anthology contributor introduces, but by the same token, you the writer also keep the right to use that character yourself in your future work, although the MP setting will not be yours to continue to play with. Neither of us would have the right to stop the other from using a version of the character or name in future work. Fair 'nuff?
Questions I suspect will be frequently asked:
Q: I wrote this Mary Sue story ages ago! Do you want it?
A: Is it good? Then sure!
Q: I've written novels all about these other characters but I have this idea about what would happen if they encountered the MP. Is that OK?
A: If you own the rights to those characters and don't mind that I might use them again later, then sure.
Q: What if these Star Trek/Twilight/Farscape/Disney characters found the MP, and...
A: Sorry, no characters belonging to other people, especially people who resemble large corporations with lawyers.
Q: So, Chris Parker is a vampire, see and Geoff Negel is a werewolf...
A: That story better be REAL good, that's all I'm saying. Or, intentionally hysterical.
Q: We can write funny stories??
A: Have you read the books? Of course you can.
Q: Does it have to contain a sex scene?
A: Read the books. Sex scenes are not what drive these novels – power and the human relationships and conflicts do. Of course, kinky sex is more than welcome, especially if it is necessary to tell that story!
Q: Do I have to read the books?
A: I am editing other anthologies. Try one of those.
Q: Can I really write about any character? Doing anything I want?
A: I'm human. I am more protective about some characters and story arcs. But the key question remains – Is the story good?
For all submissions – send a MS Word .doc (NOT .docx) or a .rtf file to AntoniouEdits (@) gmail (dot) com. Do not paste the story into the body of an e-mail. Include your full contact information, e-mail address and mailing address in both the e-mail and on the attached document. Format neatly according to professional guidelines, and include a brief personal bio.
I prefer a story length between 3000-7000 words. Shorter? Then that story better pack a punch. Longer? Maybe you should consider publishing a novella.
These are erotica collections, so make sure your stories contain sex. Sex is defined as any activity that increases the potential for orgasm; so by all means do not limit yourself there. While your story might be dark or edgy for a particular book, please do not include murder, suicide or unhappy endings. Do not expect an answer until after the deadline has passed, although I reserve the right to answer earlier if I want to.