Side Show 2:  Tales of the Big Top and the Bizarre

Edited by Cathy Buburuz

 

 

Description:

 

Side Show 2 is a trade paperback anthology of entertaining stories designed to awaken the thrills, chills, and spills, and memories of time spent on the midway and beyond. We want unique stories about side shows, freak shows, travelling shows, carnivals, circuses, and fairs. Stories may fall into one or more of three genres: horror, fantasy, and science fiction (although typically we do not expect many science fiction stories). Although we are looking for original stories, we will consider reprints, but probably will accept no more than two--we really want original work.

 

Please note that the editor prefers stories written in the third person, so those are the stories that stand the best chance for acceptance.

 

Guidelines:

 

Story length should be somewhere between 1,500 and 5,000 words. Your contact information must appear in your submission: your full name, mailing address, and e-mail address. Also include a word count, and let us know which rights are being offered. We prefer unpublished stories and are therefore most interested in First North American Serial Rights. Use a common font--we prefer Times New Roman, 12 point, but will also accept Courier New, 12 point.

 

Normally we include a notice here regarding writing. We'll keep it simple. It is not the editor's job to spell the words in your story correctly, or to punctuate your sentences correctly. We do understand that sometimes something gets missed. When the mistake is repeated over and over again, that's not an oversight . . . that's a problem. Please solve your problems before you submit your work.

 

Please do not send us your first drafts. We can recognize a "first draft" by the opening paragraph, and usually by the opening sentence. We want to see your best work, work that is high in entertainment.

 

Bios:

 

All submissions must include a bio of five or six sentences written in the third person.  The bio must tie in with the theme of the Side Show 2 anthology.  Include information on what inspired your story, or include a few sentences about your own experiences with carnivals or side shows.

The bios will be published with the stories, so please make them interesting.

 

Cover Art:

 

We want cover art depicting our theme and we will consider images in full colour or in black and white. The art will be published on the cover of a trade paperback (about 6” wide  9” long). Submit the art as a jpeg in the body of your email. Include this in the subject line of your email:

Side Show - Art Submission - Art Title

 

Where to Submit:

 

Submit your work, bio, and all relevant information in the body of an email to sideshowsubmissions@hotmail.com

 

Include this in the subject line of your email:

Side Show - Title of Submission - Your Name

 

And be sure to include a special bio (read the above information on bios)

 

Payment:

 

We pay $12.00 for original stories, and $7.00 for reprints. We also pay one contributor's copy of the trade paperback.  Contributors receive a 25% discount on purchases of extra copies.

 

We pay $25.00 and one contributor’s copy for cover art.

 

Publication Date:

 

We will close to submissions when full. We hope to publish in January or February 2010.  Please watch for further announcements in Expressions.