SFContario News » Diane

SFContario membership rates going up

Diane — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 02:39:59 +0000

It will soon be a new year complete with new membership prices. When the ball drops at midnight tomorrow SFContario membership rates will be going up. Get the best price on your membership now.

Scalzi reading at the Merril – Thursday night

Diane — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:50:55 +0000

You don’t have to wait until Friday for the fun to start. SFContario International Author Guest of Honour, John Scalzi, will give a public reading at the Merril Collection at 7 PM on Thursday night. On his blog, John says “I’ll likely read from Redshirts and then possibly a couple other things, and have a Q&A.”

All are welcome. More information here.

SFContario Idol

Diane — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 21:35:56 +0000

Do your opening words have readers begging for more? Can you grab their attention from the very first page? Let us be the judge!

Our presenter will read out the first page of your manuscript (anonymously) until a majority of our panel of judges ‘buzz’ the story to a stop. Discussion ensues on why they stopped it, what didn’t work and what did work. Don’t miss this chance to wow them with your engaging story openings and get immediate valuable feedback.

Our judges, subject to change, will be Gardner Dozois, Sandra Kasturi, Virginia O’Dine, Robert J Sawyer, and Michael Swanwick

To participate in SFContario Idol bring the first page of your manuscript, in an envelope, to registration by 1pm on Saturday. Put your name on the envelope, but not on your manuscript.

Friends of the Merril Short Story Contest Announced

Diane — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:39:00 +0000

The Friends of the Merril Collection are running a Speculative Fiction Short Story Contest in order to raise awareness of, and funds for, the Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation and Fantasy.

The Friends of the Merril Short Story Contest will be open to entries as of Nov. 15, 2011. There are 3 monetary prizes to be won: 1st place $350 (CDN), 2nd place $100 (CDN) and 3rd place $50 (CDN). Winners will also have their fiction published both on the contest website and in a limited edition hand crafted booklet (5 copies – 1 to be archived in the Merril Collection, 1 to be retained by the artist crafting the booklets, and the others to be distributed among the winners). We are accepting only original, previously unpublished Spec Fic (SF/F/H, Magic Realism, Slipstream, etc.) short fiction of up to 4,000 words. The hard deadline for submissions is Feb. 15, 2012. International entries are welcomed. All subs are judged blind. There is an entry fee of $5(CDN).

Entrants are encouraged to visit http://friendsmerrilcontest.com for a full set of entry rules, contest FAQs, and other contest related information and updates.