Taking submissions now...

[coral]

"THE THINKING MAN'S CRUMPET"

Cross genre fiction written by women.



We are currently looking for talented female contibutors, aged 16 and over, to showcase in the first issue of our brand new creation. This half-yearly magazine will feature a variety of writings from females around the globe; fiction in all forms and genres. Also non fiction by way of short articles, reviews and essays.

We do prefer Science Fiction, Horror and Erotica, but will consider other, or mixed, genre work.

So ladies, be it story, poem or play, paste it into a message, no formatting necessary, and don't forget to include a couple of sentences as your bio. If you prefer, e-mail your submission to: [e-mail]

All contributors will receive their copy gratis, and further copies will be available at a competitive price, details of which will be available nearer the publish date. Final date for submissions for the June issue is 31st March 2008 and all entrants will by notified within one month of this date.

[carolinec]

Coral - can I post this on the Pantechnicon forum and the British Fantasy Society one for you? Those are the only other forums I visit which would be of interest I'm afraid.

[coral]

By all means do. Thank you

[troo]

Ooo I'm so up for this. I'll xpost to the BSFA, too.

[coral]

Thanks ever so much

[dem]

Love the title and I wish you well with this. For what it's worth I've copied the details onto the Vault, erm, 'site' ...

vaultofevil.wordpress.com/

[Calenture]

Personally I think Steve's Friendly Castrations would be a more fitting title than The Thinking Man's Crumpet, which seems to suppose that all your submissions will be from hetero females.

But I suppose a title suggested (even unintentionally) by a male would also miss the point of things.

[coral]

Thank you ever so much mr Demonik, it's appreciated.

[coral]

calenture said:

Personally I think Steve's Friendly Castrations would be a more fitting title than The Thinking Man's Crumpet, which seems to suppose that all your submissions will be from hetero females.

quote]

You sound like you disapprove mr Rog.
It's only the working title at the moment, I thought people would think it was funny, even lesbians and bisexuals. It's my tribute to Joan Bakewell, obviously, who epitomises for me all good things in a woman. Do you think it would offend people?

[Calenture]

coral said:

You sound like you disapprove mr Rog.
It's only the working title at the moment, I thought people would think it was funny, even lesbians and bisexuals. It's my tribute to Joan Bakewell, obviously, who epitomises for me all good things in a woman. Do you think it would offend people?

Not disapprove exactly. I think you're possibly right about women feeling more free to write for a magazine aimed at other women writers. I'm not sure. Poppy Brite, Shirley Jackson, etc., did without. On the other hand, I've read that Brite's gash fiction (or is it slash fiction?) appears as often in publications aimed at gay males.

I also think it's important to keep a sense of humour about things, and I think there's no failing of that here.

I suppose that's one good point about your working title. Women who respond to it will definitely have a sense of humour. Maybe I just scotched my own argument.

P.S. As a footnote about Brite's gash/slash erotica, one of the ladies who introduced me to it finally ended up writing me: "It's all very well what she's doing, but what about the rest of us?" In other words, those fantasies finally got too much for some.

[Craig Herbertson]

The title is brilliant and anyone who reveres Joan Bakewell gets a big smiley from me. Beautiful, intelligent and I don't suppose I was the only young male who hung on her every sentence even when I only undersood some of the words,

Craig

[coral]

A quick note about the title.
I am well prepared to listen to the advice of my elders and betters here. I didn't consult anyone initially because this was a project that arrived fully formed, no mulling over required, but if anyone would be good enough to suggest something more appropriate, perhaps less offensive, then I will give it careful consideration. I'd prefer to be inclusive, but I'm too old for political correctness to come naturally, and need to be pointed that way!!!
Also, while many female writers have had no problem competing in the open market, and doing so very succesfully indeed, they are still a minority. I feel certain that a project like this will be one tiny step toward encouraging women who were perhaps unsure whether writing is for them, to come forward and show off a bit. Maybe encourage them on to further submissions to bigger publications.
I have taken on board what mr Rog says about sameness, and will be doing my best to ensure a well rounded balance of forms and genres, I hope to create something that anybody can read.

And maybe pigs will fly, but I'm going to put my best effort in to it.

[dem]

Coral, do me a favour. Go your own way with it. Call it what you like, include whichever stories do it for you, personally, and stamp your winning personality all over it, not somebody else's. Easy on taking too much helpful advice on board (especially if it is accompanied by the dreaded byline 'demonik'), however well-intentioned. Otherwise, come the big day and you hold the finished article in your hand, you'll be looking at it in disappointment thinking: 'what's this? this isn't my beautiful book ....'

[carolinec]

Wise words, Dem. I too think do it your own way, and do what you feel is best. I certainly didn't see anything offensive in the title - but then I am a hetero female who doesn't find political correctness comes naturally either, so perhaps I'm missing something here.

I think if I was in your position, Coral, I'd just throw the title around a few people to see what they think - are there any gay/bi folk you could run it by to see if they find a problem with it?

But most of all, do it your way (do I feel a Frank Sinatra song coming on? ) - it's your baby; be proud of it. And remember, you're never going to please all of the people all of the time.

[Calenture]

carolinec said:

Wise words, Dem. I too think do it your own way, and do what you feel is best. I certainly didn't see anything offensive in the title...

I think this is getting a bit too serious for my taste, especially if the dreaded term "political correctness" is gonna be used.

All I did was offer some personal thoughts (others will act or ignore according to their own lights) and I'll always do that, or I wouldn't be here. Agree totally with Dem's comment above. This delayed because my computer's had a fucked registry past days (now sorted, I think).