Samhain Publishing does it again! The freshly minted announcement from this visionary(!) epublisher calls for a "Squee!" and a "Woot!" Can I just say, how exciting is this? Please indulge me as I kick up my heels in a fangirl happy dance.
Here’s the call in its entirety from Managing Editor Sasha Knight who is spearheading the project:
Call for Submissions: Samhain Publishing Space Opera anthology
Get your outer space on! Intergalactic wars, space battles, alien cultures, and love (and lust) across the cosmos.
I’m open to M/F, M/M, or multiples thereof, and any sexual heat level. The only rule is the story should be set mainly or entirely in space and the romance must end happily ever after or happy for now.
The anthology will include novellas from 25,000 to 30,000 words in length and will be released individually as ebooks in April 2010.
Submissions are open to all authors, published with Samhain or aspiring to be published with Samhain. All submissions must be new material—previously published submissions will not be considered. Additionally, manuscripts previously submitted, whether individually or for past anthologies, will not be considered either. Please be aware that manuscripts submitted to this anthology cannot be resubmitted at a later date unless by invitation from an editor.
To submit a manuscript for consideration, please include:
The full manuscript (of 25,000 to 30,000 words) with a comprehensive 2-5 page synopsis. Please include a letter of introduction/query letter. Full manuscripts are required for this as it’s a special project.
As well, when you send your manuscript, please be sure to use the naming convention SpaceOpera_Title_MS and SpaceOpera_Title_Synopsis. This will ensure that your submission doesn’t get missed in the many submissions we receive, and makes it easy for me to find in my ebook reader.
Submissions are open until August 10, 2009 and final decision will be made by August 31, 2009. Please send your submission to editor@samhainpublishing.com and include Space Opera Anthology in the subject line. Questions can be addressed to Sasha Knight (sasha@samhainpublishing.com).
Now that you've read the guidelines, here’s a little about Sasha Knight herself:
Sasha Knight loves words.
Her parents swear she came out of the womb speaking and took up reading soon after, so it should come as no surprise that she grew up to become an editor, allowing her to spend her days playing with words.
In 2005, Sasha joined Samhain Publishing, Ltd. as a full-time editor. In 2009, she added to her duties when she took on the position of managing editor for Linden Bay Romance, a recent acquisition of Samhain Publishing. In addition to her administrative duties, Sasha maintains a full-time editing schedule and edits more than 30 authors…and she’s always looking for more.
When she’s not editing, reading submissions or wading through thousands of emails, Sasha relaxes by watching TV. She’s an avid fan of Joss Whedon and thinks that Firefly was one of the best TV shows ever. Sasha loves to travel with her family with an e-reader full of books always at her side.
Sasha Knight was also gracious enough—immensely so since I was eager to post this announcement as soon as possible—to answer a few questions about her work as an editor. Do you feel the love? That’s because she’s such a fan of science fiction romance—ah, a woman after our own hearts!
The Galaxy Express: Please tell us about how you came to be an editor for Samhain Publishing.
Sasha Knight: When I heard that Christina Brashear was opening her own publishing company, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I highly respect the work she’s done in the industry and knew any company she formed would A) be going places, and more importantly, B) one I’d be proud to work for. I contacted her about becoming an editor and the rest is history. I started editing for Samhain before our virtual doors opened, and in fact celebrated turning in my 150th edited Samhain title last month.
TGE: What is the process of publication once you’ve acquired a manuscript?
SK: Once the contract has been signed, I begin working with the author on the many varied steps in the publication process. First, I work with the author on the blurb and cover art form, so we can get those turned in to the blurb editor and the cover art department, respectively, so they can work their magic. Then I begin edits. Often for the first round of edits I’ll send a global edit letter—things I noticed during my initial read through I’d like tackled before I begin the deeper, more intensive editing process. These things could be anything from trimming out repetition, fixing a dangling plot thread, taking out or adding a scene, etc. Once the author returns those edits to me, I do a minimum of two more rounds of edits. I read the book from beginning to end and comment on absolutely every little thing that I believe could be stronger or needs work. I’m a very detail-oriented editor—I’ve shocked more than a few of my authors when they received edits from me for the first time. I’m not a monster though either—I work with my authors to put out the best books possible.
Once the author and I have completed our editing rounds, I send the book off to one of Samhain’s fantastic final line editors, who also reads the book from beginning to end a minimum of two times. When the final line editor is done, I go over the book again, then send it on to the author, where we work together through the final changes. Once we’re both happy, the book is done. I send the book to our formatter, who takes over from there by getting the book formatted into all the various digital files. I scan over the book one final time when I get the copies from Samhain’s formatter. By the time the book releases, I’ve gone over the book half a dozen times or more.
But I’m not done yet. I work with the author to pick out excerpts from the book, for both the Samhain website and promotional opportunities. I also go over the blurb once it’s back from the blurb editor, and I work with the author and artist with the cover art proof.
Additionally, Samhain has a marketing department that works with the authors and provides various promotional opportunities. I’m not going to go into detail on that since I’m not involved as much with that part of the process.
TGE: What are some specific recommendations you often give writers to strengthen their worldbuilding?
SK: Perhaps it’s the books I contract or the authors I work with, but I don’t normally have to work too hard to get my authors to improve on their worldbuilding. The worldbuilding is such an essential and important part of the book, if it’s lacking, I probably wouldn’t offer a contract to begin with.
So when I do offer feedback on worldbuilding, it’s not usually on a large scale. More description here, more depth there. Make the analogies and metaphors in your writing fit the world—don’t revert to Americanisms or contemporary slang (unless it fits the culture of your world, and then make sure the reason for that cultural connection is explained).
Probably the simplest yet most important suggestion I can offer is to make me believe. Make me believe this world exists. Make me believe I could travel there, walk the streets, talk with the natives and become a part of the world.
TGE: Can you tell us about any forthcoming books you’ve edited?
SK: What I’m most excited about is something I can’t give specifics on yet. No titles or authors, because those are the very things I’m looking for. Just this week I posted a submission call for a space opera anthology that will be released in April 2010. Every time I type that I get excited. I’ve been thinking about doing a space opera anthology for well over a year, and it’s finally coming to fruition.
TGE: Is there anything else you’d like to add about science fiction romance, editing, or epublishing?
SK: This is quite an exciting time to be involved with epublishing. I’ve been reading ebooks since the late nineties. I began reading ebooks specifically to read sci-fi romances. Some of the first ebooks I read were by Linnea Sinclair and Isabo Kelly. They hooked me and I haven’t looked back since. Ten years have passed, and it’s exhilarating to see the leaps and bounds the epublishing industry has made in such a relatively short period of time. What’s the industry going to be like in another ten years? What new technologies will emerge? I can’t begin to answer those questions, but I’m looking forward to being a part of this industry and experiencing it all firsthand.
Thanks, Ms. Knight! It’s been a pleasure.
Now my dear passengers, settle back into your chairs with a glass of iced raspberry punch while you peruse Jesse Wave’s recent in-depth interview with Angela James, Executive Editor at Samhain. Learn about epublishing trends, the cover process, and (cuing commercial narrator voice) much, much more! It’s Samhain A-Z, basically.
Not only is this Space Opera anthology going to rock, but it’s also a chance for both established and aspiring authors to contribute fresh new stories to the genre. This is a tremendous opportunity. Contributions to anthologies are typically by invitation only (and even then, inclusion is not guaranteed). That kind of process often takes years, especially if one is a mid-list author. Samhain Publishing is effectively leveling the playing field.
Time to get your game on!
Joyfully yours,
Heather
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Exclusive Interview with Sasha Knight of Samhain w/a Call for Space Opera Anthology Submissions
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Sex In Science Fiction Is Only Half The Story
Io9 recently featured 10 Authors Who Put Sex In Their Science Fiction (danke to Lisa Paitz Spindler for die linkage).
That article intrigued me since I have a forthcoming LoveLetter column that will discuss the presence of romance in science fiction. But naturellement, there’s sex, too, with or without a romance.
With that in mind, let's examine the differences between sex in SF and romance in SF.
While some SF stories contain romantic elements, sex in science fiction, as the io9 article addressed, tends to underscore gender issues of a cultural/political/psychological nature and can be very experimental while doing so.
Here are a few of those issues as referenced and discussed in the article:
* “frank” depictions of sex/sexuality
* polyamory
* taboos (child prostitution)
* GLBT love & sexuality
* Alien human love stories (e.g., Philip José Farmer’s “The Lovers” (1953))
* “incestuous romance”
* “alternative conceptions of gender”
* “sex change operations”
* sexism/“gender politics”
A romance, on the other hand, tends to focus on the emotional journey of the hero and heroine. The prose is devoted to the emotional risk taking, relationship arc, interpersonal conflict, relationship dynamics, and Happily Ever After (whatever that entails). Sex scenes are often present but are certainly not a requirement. If they are part of the narrative, their expected goal is to further develop the relationship and/or move the story forward. (Some sex scenes fall short of that goal, but that is a post for another time!)
I find such a broad approach, and that kind of inclusiveness, very exciting.
What also excites me about SFR’s prospects (and many authors have done this already), is that these stories and issues are generally approached from a female-centric perspective. No wonder romance can be such a threat to some SF readers, who, as either critical, uninitiated, or both often relegate it to a genre ghetto.
While sex in SF serves a noble purpose (most of the time), romance in science fiction also challenges a panoply of stereotypes, especially those concerning women’s roles and sexuality. And it challenges SF fans to acknowledge that romantic love, whatever its configuration, is a valid element to include or focus on in a science fictional setting.
Sometimes, it isn’t all about the sex.
Joyfully yours,
Heather
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Babelicious: Rise of the Subversive Heroines
Romance heroines come in assorted flavors, to be sure, but there’s been enough repetition and similarities that they can be categorized in various archetypes, like “The Seductress,” “The Spunky Kid,” etc. Makes sense.
But, is the list incomplete?
In a recent interview, Smart Bitch blogger Sarah Wendell said, “I fear the awesome subversion of expectations of female archetypes will be fewer and farther between. But I can still hope.”
Well, right back at ya, Sarah.
Her statement made me wonder: If more authors aren’t crafting subversive heroines, namely those who thwart our expectations about what constitutes a “proper” romance heroine, why is that? What is the worst that could happen?
Let’s take a moment to examine Hollywood tent pole movies with a $100+ million budget. Artistically, these films take few chances as they must appeal to a wide demographic. However, low budget films, say, those hovering around the $5 million mark, have essentially already made their money and can take more chances. If the newfangled concepts don’t go over like gangbusters, no big deal. But, sometimes they click and click big (Case in point: NAPOLEON DYNAMITE).
The idea of a subversive heroine may not be an obvious choice at first, but it can lead to revenue not yet tapped. Who would have guessed that a subversive cannibal by the name of Hannibal Lector would become such a household name? Exactly.
Is the “subversion of stereotypical heroine archetypes” a trend, as Wendell seems to think? Well, by golly, I sure hope so, because my Spidey sense is tingling! If any subgenre of romance has the potential to experiment with subversive heroines at length, it’s science fiction romance.
One reason is that the roles played by SFR heroes and heroines have fewer gender specific constraints. A heroine is just as likely as a hero to be a starship admiral, soldier, or scientist. She could also raise hell as a mercenary, pirate, or ruthless corporate mogul. Because the speculative side of SFR can delve into wild possibilities, so can the heroines. She doesn’t have to stay in the lines dictated by the archetypes.
Science fiction romance might even have a higher ratio of subversive heroines vis a vis other romance subgenres. Or it could. Think of the opportunity! SFR is like those $5 million dollar films. As a niche subgenre, it has the freedom to experiment with subversive heroines of every shade, color, and texture.
I know I haven’t always questioned the presence of strongly archetypal heroines, but when I encounter a subversive one, it’s like the author met a need I didn’t know I had.
What do you think about the romance heroine archetypes? Subversive heroines? Do you consider any of your favorite SFR heroines to be subversive? In what way(s)?
Joyfully yours,
Heather
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Are Romance Publishers Ashamed of Certain Subgenres?
In the comment section of my recent post “Can This Harlequin Cover Be Saved?” author Jess Granger noted that “Back in the day when you couldn’t find a paranormal to save your life, vampire stories were hidden behind old historical clinch covers, but the guy was looking at the girl’s neck, (or maybe it was her boobs). Nothing about those covers spoke the “code” that this was a paranormal romance in the way we see them now.”
Author Marilynn Byerly adds, “I imagine the cover was created to deliberately hide the fact that the book is SFR. That’s been SOP, in most cases, for many years for the big publishers. The blurbs also tend to hide the fact that it is SFR.”
Those comments stayed with me, so much so that I subsequently vomited forth this post. The issue has prompted me to speculate about why publishers would, routinely, for years, engage in such bait and switch tactics when it came to genre stories such as science fiction romance, paranormal romance, and perhaps fantasy romance as well.
One reason I’m so drawn to this issue relates to my early experiences as an SF&F fan. Very powerful and key people in my life made repeated attempts to dissuade me from my interest in not only genre fiction, but also anime, manga—basically anything that they interpreted as childish, immature, or just plain strange. I suspect that their attempts to convince me to drop that particular hobby had little to do with the books and television shows being Japanese in origin and everything to do with my gender.
Regarding romance publishers obscuring a book’s content via cover camouflage, I have a difficult time buying that it’s simply a marketing challenge because huge corporations wield an enormous amount of influence through their marketing campaigns. They allocate millions of dollars to such endeavors for a very good reason: they work. 
Case in point, the film 300: To date, this CG-historical-graphic novel hybrid has earned $716 million. That’s quite a tidy sum for a film ~ $60 million. But what you won’t hear discussed openly is its marketing budget, which was slightly over $100 million—nearly twice the film’s negative cost.
Why so much? Because somebody in the marketing department not only saw future dollars associated with this film, but also recognized it needed some advertising help. After all, the graphic novel wasn’t well known outside of comic book/Frank Miller circles, and it didn’t have any big name stars attached upon release.
In other words, they gave it the push it needed. If romance publishers decided today that they wanted to make money with SFR or fantasy romance, they must adjust their marketing strategies accordingly as well. So why don't they?
I think something is afoot that runs deeper than hoarding marketing dollars.
Shame! Shame! Shame!
Are publishers who engage in the practice of obscuring book content ashamed of certain subgenres? 
In the case of science fiction romance, I wonder about the possibility that these publishers are attempting to distance themselves from every campy science fiction movie ever made. Or from SF television shows. I’ll concede that the low budget special effects and production design of the original STAR TREK series can look pretty silly if people view images of it out of context. And then there’s filmmaker Roger Corman, who never met a science fiction movie set that he didn’t love to recycle. That kind of extreme budgeting mentality didn’t do a whole lot for the genre’s reputation.
I’m a fan of all these movies and shows, and even I can understand how certain aspects would not go over well with potential readers. Science fiction is full of some pretty grand ideas, but there have been plenty of times when the execution fell far short of the goal. The same goes for many horror/paranormal projects. It makes sense that as a result, some distancing occurred and continues to occur.
But this isn’t the 1950s or 60s. Special effects have come a long, long way. CGI has all but eclipsed the rubber monster suit (er…except in Japan). Television and film productions are far more sophisticated these days. We’re also, like, on Mars and stuff. And yet, some publishers—not all, but some—still attempt to obscure the content of science fiction romance books.
Given the geek nature, eccentricity, and just plain weirdness at times of SF fandom, it makes me wonder if some publishers are ashamed or embarrassed about what they have, and so they attempt to hide it.
Perhaps the above theory is the reason for the bait and switch, perhaps not. So what else could be the cause? Are publishers trying to protect romance readers from content that is exotic/weird/scary (at least, before the sale)? Do publishers believe that certain romance subgenres contain stories that are so different and perhaps threatening to readers that the only way they can get them to read the books is to fool them about what is being purchased?
If You're Embarrassed By Your Books, Why Should I Buy Them?
Or maybe publishers are 100% behind their SFF and paranormal stories, but fear that romance readers won’t embrace them without a little help, namely, a book that looks and smells and feels like a traditional romance, but has a secret ingredient. Are they hoping readers will be pleasantly surprised? Mommy and Daddy know best, right? This situation reminds me of parents who slip healthy food into a dish undercover so their toddler won’t notice it’s there—except readers aren’t toddlers.
It’s dismaying to me that on top of romance being a ghettoized genre, publishers (and, by their complacence, maybe some readers?) ghettoize a romance subgenre by obscuring content via misleading covers. What kind of message does that send?
Do they think readers who enjoy exotic/weird/scary/speculative stories are misguided in their preferences? “Yeah, we’ll throw you a bone to get your money, but we’re not happy about it.” Is it a form of ass-backward sexism that romance publishers, who target a largely female audience, try to discourage their interest in books that deal with science or the unknown? In other words, are they inadvertently perpetuating the stereotypical belief that women can’t or don’t “get it”?
Why publish these stories at all, then? Why would a publisher go to the effort and expense of releasing them if they’re going to do everything within their power to bury them? Are publishers so ashamed of science fiction romance (and, once upon a time, paranormal romance) that they must rely on some sort of secret handshake in order for readers to find these books?
Science Fiction Is More Compelling (And Adult) Than Some Believe
I understand that publishing these stories involves a certain amount of risk because they deal with exotic characters and settings. They also have the potential to feel less “romancey.” Yet, if publishers are going to insist on taking such risks, why not embrace the readers who do want these stories?
Since science fiction romance is such a niche genre, what does it matter if publishers put “science fiction” on the spine or feature a cover with an unabashedly futuristic setting? It can done without sacrificing the romance elements—just look below at one of Linnea Sinclair’s covers. If some readers are lost as a result of marketing to the subgenre’s core fans, well then those readers probably aren’t meant for the books anyway.
I doubt I’ll ever discover the real truth behind this phenomenon, because honestly, it does sound like something out of an Orwellian novel.
Whatever the cause, I really wish this practice of obscuring a book’s content would just go away. Color me naive, but I’m over people telling me that a genre I love is wrong, or something of which I should be ashamed.
Joyfully yours,
Heather
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
"We've Got A Lot Of What It Takes To Get Along"
And gone are my tears;
I've got good news
To shout in your ears
The silver dollar has returned to the fold,
With silver you can turn your dreams to gold.
On March 31, 2009, The Association of American Publishers reported that ebook “sales reached $113 million in 2008, up 68.4%.” To give you an idea of how much sales jumped, compare that with the figure for ebook sales in 2002: $7,337,000.00. Even better, here’s a visual.
Not only that, but you may have heard that Barnes & Noble acquired Fictionwise. Then there are the rumors that B&N is going to enter the e-reader market.
From Dear Author, I learned that “Lightning Source will now provide 85,000 titles from 13 publishers for the Espresso Book Machine.” I don’t think it’s such a far-flung future possibility that customers will be able to choose from among ebook offerings, and obtain a print version almost as quickly as they can order the ebook online. As Kirsten Saell noted in the comments, “The long tail of epublishing now available for print as well…”
Ah, the legacy of the long tail...!
My oh my, all of this spectacular growth in the ebook industry and corporate positioning underscores the relevancy of this recent comment from Samhain Publishing Executive Editor Angela James:
“Futuristic romances do pretty well for us. Many of the editors are huge fans of the genre and we’re always wishing for more submissions in this genre (send to angie@samhainpublishing.com thanks ;) ) but it’s definitely a specialized one to write due to the world building needed.”
There she goes again! Angela James is blogging about Samhain’s interest in acquiring this subgenre. Bird in the hand, as they say…but, you ask, why flock to such a welcoming nest?
Here’s why: Among mainstream print publishers, advances are shrinking, print runs are shriveling, publishers are acquiring fewer books, and deals are getting slashed. According to ICM literary agent Amanda Urban, “…fewer books will be published, and those whom we call midlist writers will no longer get published. The major writers will keep publishing, debut books will always be published, and the ones in the middle will have a problem.”
All of which contributes to an even tougher time for submitting science fiction romance than in previous years. “You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’”
If not, especially given the current level of competitiveness, I believe it’s important for authors and aspiring authors to maximize opportunities such as submitting some or all of their manuscripts to reputable epublishers and staying current with developments in epublishing. Even if ebooks don’t overtake print books as far as science fiction romance is concerned, they will still be an enormously healthy supplement. Ebooks, far more than print, have the potential to maintain the subgenre’s viability and provide a haven for midlist authors.
Aspiring authors especially, if the form rejections are stacking up (as well they may be with agents reporting a significant increase in queries), might benefit from re-evaluating the goal of landing an agent or selling a book to a major print publisher. By all means, make that a goal, but why not consider including a reputable epublisher in your submission list? The sales figures I excerpted is significant proof that any stigma associated with epublishing/ebooks is waning.
How can I put this more colorfully? Epublishers are primed to be “in the money!”
I know—let’s make a virtual bet. I’m in for a thousand (virtual!) dollars that ebook sales will increase to $150,000,000 by March of 2010. Then we’ll rendezvous here again next year and see who won.
How much are you in for?
Joyfully yours,
Heather
