YBFH #22 is open for submissions (2008 material)

[ellen_datlow]

Winter 2008

I co-edit the multi-award winning anthology series The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror (St. Martin's Press) with Kelly Link & Gavin Grant. We are now reading for the 22nd volume, which will include all material published in 2008.
I am looking for stories from all branches of horror: from the traditional-supernatural to the borderline, including high-tech sf horror, supernatural stories, psychological horror, dark thrillers, or anything else that might qualify. If in doubt, send it. This is a reprint anthology so I am only reading material published in or about to be published in 2008. Submission deadline for stories is December 15th 2008. Anything sent after this deadline will reach me too late. If a magazine, anthology, or collection you’re in or you edit is coming out by December 31st, you can send me galleys or manuscripts so that I can judge the stories in time. No email submissions. I strongly suggest that authors check with their publishers that they are sending review copies out to me as I don’t have time or energy to nag publishers to get me material. I request it once (maybe twice) and that’s it.

There are summations of "the year in horror," and "the year in fantasy" in the front of each volume. These include novels, nonfiction, art books, and in my section, "odds and ends"-- material that doesn't fit anywhere else but that I feel might interest the horror reader. But I have to be aware of this material in order to mention it. The deadline for this section is January 30th, 2009.
Ellen Datlow
YBFH #21
PMB 391
511 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10011-8436

Kelly Link & Gavin Grant
150 Pleasant St., #306
Easthampton, MA 01027


Kelly & Gavin cover fantasy and I cover horror. If you consider something both, send a copy to each of us. We do not confer on our choices.

****I do not want to receive manuscripts from authors of stories from venues that it’s likely I already receive regularly (like Interzone, The Third Alternative, Cemetery Dance, Subterranean, Postscripts, Weird Tales, F&SF, etc) or from anthologies and collections, unless I don't have or can’t get that anthology or collection. What I would prefer is if you contact your publisher and ask him/her to send me the magazine or book.
Please do not send a SASE. If I choose a story you will be informed. If you want to confirm that I‘ve received something, enclose a self-addressed-stamped postcard and I will let you know the date it arrived. For stories that appear on the web, please send me (or have the publisher send me) print-outs of your story.

Comments

[nick-kaufmann.livejournal.com]

I'm going to send everything on December 14th! *laughs evilly while rubbing hands together in glee*

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

You'd better not--I get stuff so long after the deadline that I must remember this year to warn publishers in November that they must get things in by December 15th one way or another --unless it's mailed from overseas. But I will check the postdate.
I let people send in things till January 15th and ending up with about three new original anthologies that came out earlier in the year--in that last week. This will NOT happen again.

[subtlysoft.livejournal.com]

Heh. I had Dark Recesses' selections overnight shipped just so I could make the deadline!

This year will be better for DRP with our new schedule. Won't have to wait so long for everything to be complete.

Best of luck with all your reading. Your sheer stamina impresses the hell out of me.

Bailey

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Yup, and I got them.
It's exhausting.
Thanks!

[lonesome-crow.livejournal.com]

So you start on the next year's volume before finishing the previous volume? Oh, God, it doesn't ever end, does it?

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Not really, but I'd like to get things coming in NOW.

[lonesome-crow.livejournal.com]

True. Best to get the ball rolling early. I'm sure it piles up every December/January.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I'm currently trying to keep the 07 and 08 stuff sorted into their separate piles--ack!

[lonesome-crow.livejournal.com]

Ha! Just had a mental image of stacks of books and magazines tipping precariously as you try and steady them. Have fun. :-)

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

It's much worse than you can imagine right now because my computer guy was over so I had to take things I'm working on off the couch and they're messily on the floor.
I've got to clean up before I leave for London or my house/catsitter will be tripping over everything.

[lonesome-crow.livejournal.com]

Gah! But have fun in London.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

thanks!

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

Oh boy...

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Heh heh. See you when I get back Eugene--if you're ready :-)

[wikdsushi.livejournal.com]

Do you get City Slab? I've got something showing up in issue #12 that I'd hoped to submit.

Still haven't cracked Inferno, btw. My office called, and I had to go in for a good portion of the day because everyone else in my department went AWOL. Here's hoping that tomorrow is better.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I usually do, but you might just remind the publisher to send the issues to me.

[wikdsushi.livejournal.com]

Groovy, thanks.

[lonesome-crow.livejournal.com]

Issue 12 of City Slab isn't out yet. Soon. Will make sure you get a copy.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I didn't think so--it's not logged in yet.

[kaolinfire.livejournal.com]

You're quite happily on our list, but I'll see what I can do about making sure you get copies earlier rather than later. :) GUD's Spring 2008 should have started shipping almost a month ago, but ... complications, issues, and illnesses.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[upstart-crow.livejournal.com]

*grin* There will be much poetry from me this year, and a short story collection :)

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Oh good. I like your poetry ;-) When does the collection come out?

[birdhousefrog.livejournal.com]

This post created an image in my head of piles and piles and piles. What, btw, happens to those piles? Do they stay in your apartment and fill it up? Or do you give them away to some deserving home in NYC?

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Most go to Dreamhaven for trade credit. The magazines all go to a magazine connoisseur who indexes them (I have no idea what happens to them after that). And unfortunately, some stay in my apt, which is why I have too many books--over 20 years of even 5% of books coming in creates a mess. I have 1 1/2 storage lockers. Some go in there (and some come out again, if I think I can sell them and don't want to keep them).

[vylar-kaftan.livejournal.com]

1) Do you want hard copy of stories you might see online, such as ChiZine? I've been sending those, but please tell me if I should stop!

2) I've been collecting my online publications and sending them in hard copy all at once, around Thanksgiving. Would it make your life easier if I did two batches (one mid-year, one Thanksgiving)?

And thanks for your hard work. I think I'd explode.

[vylar-kaftan.livejournal.com]

(and I did read the last sentence -- I just meant, if it's an online market you probably read anyway, am I correct in thinking you do want hard copy?)

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Hi Vy,
I'd prefer the online publication to send me hard copies of everything rather than receive each story from their authors...You can query me before you send me your own stories to ask if the publication (online or not) has already sent them material to me, but yes twice a year is better than all at the end :-)

I am!!!

[vylar-kaftan.livejournal.com]

So noted. Thanks for the clarification!

[leatherzebra.livejournal.com]

Ellen, do you listen to Pseudopod? Do stories in podcasts even count?

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Nope I don't--I didn't even know anyone was doing originals in podcasts. Are they edited or can anyone just put them up anyplace? If the Pseudopod ones are actually edited and there's any horror, if someone wants to print the original horror ones out to mail me periodically (with the info as to when they're posted), I'd probably take a look.

[leatherzebra.livejournal.com]

Pseudopod takes both originals and reprints. I'm out because my story to appear soon is previously published, but I was curious. They have a typical submission/rejection process and token pay so there's editorial work there somewhere.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Well, if they choose to submit their original horror stories to me they're welcome to. That's why I disseminate the market report for the YBFH all over the place. ;-)

[(Anonymous)]

If a mag was published late in the year, and didn't reach you for consideration by the cutoff date (as I suspect would be the case for the latest Aurealis), are you willing to consider it for the next year's antho?

Matt

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I did receive the most recent Aurealis.

[(Anonymous)]

Ok, thanks.

[ccfinlay.livejournal.com]

Hi, Ellen,

Are you receiving copies of the new PDF horror webzine, Noctem Aeternus, or should those of us with stories there send them to you separately?

Charlie

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Hi Charlie,
I'm not sure, to be honest. I'd prefer hard copies in any case--you might first ask the publishers if they're going to send me printouts--if they say no, then yes, please.

thanks

[(Anonymous)]

Thanks for giving my story a honourable mention in BEST FANTASY AND HORROR 2006.
Considering I've only had 3 stories published it was quite a gift.

ALBIE.

Re: thanks

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome.