Ticonderoga Publications

Here’s a second round opportunity to send us a story for our forthcoming refugee anthology, tentatively titled Welcome.

People leave their homes behind, setting off, often risking everything, in search of a new start, a better life. We are looking for stories that emphasise what makes these people the same rather than focussing on where they are going, exploring the idea this is something that could happen to anyone and that seeking refuge in a new land can be a good thing, both for the migrant and for the place that becomes their new home. Stories that look at the inhumanity of indefinite detention of refugees, of allowing them to be stripped of their dignity and sanity.

Stories that explore the potential benefits of allowing refugees to establish a new, safer life. Stories of hope.

As background, Australia is currently ignoring the United Nations, international law, and simple human decency in its treatment of refugees seeking asylum and safety in our otherwise quite privileged nation. These acts include exposing and implicitly condoning the murder, sexual abuse and torture of asylum seekers. Within Australia, legitimate asylum seekers are branded “illegal arrivals”, yet it is not a crime to seek asylum. A number of Australians have had enough. 

We are hoping that this anthology will help highlight the problem, drawing international attention to these brutal actions, and perhaps assist in alleviating this suffering. We are also hoping that this anthology will show that the sf community does care. We are approaching writers whose work we love, and frankly whose reputation and readership will help the anthology to gain exposure outside of traditional SF channels. 

We want to bring caring thoughts into the general community to counter what the Government and compliant media are saying. We also hope to raise funds for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Australia’s largest asylum seeker advocacy, aid and health organization http://www.asrc.org.au/. All profits from this book will be donated to the ASRC, including any editing fees.

That said, we do not expect contributors to write for free. We will pay each writer 8 cents (AUD) per word, so this book will pay SFWA’s professional rate. We are looking for stories up to 7500 words.

We will be open to unsolicited submissions from 1 March to 30 May 2016.

It will initially be published by Australian small press Ticonderoga Publications, however we will be attempting to place the book with a larger international publisher. Should we be successful, we will ensure that this is contingent on paying all contributors an additional 6 cents (USD) per word.

If you’d like to consider submitting something, we’d love to see it and to have the chance to consider it for the book.

Submission guidelines

We welcome submissions from people from diverse backgrounds. While we’re looking primarily for science fiction and fantasy, we are open to other prose genres. All stories must be works of fiction.

1. Story length 1,500 to 7,500 words. (Longer stories may be accepted, although payment is capped at 7,500).

2. Original stories only: no reprints, multiple, or simultaneous submissions.

3. Stories may be submitted via email at welcome@ticonderogapublications.com

4. Manuscript format: double spaced, large margins, Times New Roman font, Australian English spelling.

5. The editors reserve the right to use their discretion in selecting stories.

6. Submission period: 1 March to 30 May 2015.

7. Payment: 2 copies of anthology and Aus 8 cents/word (GST inc., maximum payment $600) on publication.