SWORDS AND HEROES. BLADES AND BATTLES.
DEMONS, WIZARDS, AND SORCEROUS SPELLS.

~ Coming January 2023 ~

An S&S anthology featuring fresh blades and new voices is coming January, 2023. Funded via Kickstarter. Backed by fans. Created for lovers of fantastic and heroic adventure!
Are you interested in epic tales of monsters and mayhem, beasts and bravery? Then get ready for Swords & Heroes! featuring twelve exciting stories by both established and up-and-coming writers. E-book, paperback, and hardback initially available only via Kickstarter.

Submission Window Open: All writers welcome. Accepting submissions now through December 1, 2022. Looking for stories about 5,000 words in length (4k to 6k range) with an admirable hero and a satisfying conclusion. Payment is $50 with bonus incentives; as well as a contributor paperback copy. Authors retain copyright. Complete guidelines available by request. Email Lyndon Perry at TuleFogPress (at) gmail (dot) com.

About the Editor: Lyn Perry is a writer, editor, coffee drinker, and cat wrangler. His editing projects include While the Morning Stars Sing: An Anthology of Spiritually Infused Speculative Fiction; Residential Aliens Anthology, Volume 1; ResAliens Magazine and Tule Fog Tales. He also edited Milton J. Davis’s Changa’s Safari Volumes 1 & 2.

His stories have appeared in various anthologies and magazines, including WOOL Gathering; Dragons: Cutter’s Final Cut Book 2; When Your Beauty IS The Beast: Fairy Tale Anthology #1; Fangs and Broken Bones: A Feed Your Monster Anthology; and the premier issue of EconoClash Review, among others. He's also the author of The Sword of Otrim, a heroic fantasy.

Image by Jo-B via Pixabay. Used by permission.

Announcing the ToC...

Submission window is open - as well as my reading period. So as stories come in, I'll be making decisions fairly quickly as to what tales I'll include in the anthology. My goal is to feature 12 stories by new and established authors. But who knows, I may include more! So no rush, the window closes Dec 1 and I'll consider all subs before that deadline.

In the meantime, here is the beginning of Swords & Heroes' Table of Contents (in no particular order):

1. Welgar the Cursed by David A. Riley

2. Keeper of Souls by Charles Gramlich

3. The Vault of Bezalel by Tom Doolan

4. The Price of Rescue by Teel James Glenn

10.

11.

12.

Writers’ Guidelines

Title and Publisher: Swords & Heroes – New Stories, Fresh Blades published by Tule Fog Press

Fundraising Platform and Target Date: Kickstarter Campaign and Publication: January, 2023

Theme of Antho: Heroic Battles. There should be some conflict or battle with an evil antagonist – a wizard, beast, demon, or such – where the hero (male or female) overcomes great odds.

Storytelling: Your story should have plenty of action, solid plotting, rounded characters, and admirable heroes. A Byronic hero would be a hard sell. Avoid purple prose or esoterica. I’m wanting a complete story with a firm ending in about 5,000 words (firm range: 4k to 6k words).

Acceptable Tropes: I’m looking for a variety of creative takes on established tropes like the hero’s journey, the quest, the fortunate novice or trainee, the chosen one, the mentor, hidden magic/talent, powerful artifact, magic school, damsel or duke in distress, buddy tale/traveling companions, tavern/cavern/castle/dungeon/dragon stories, et cetera. Sky’s the limit.

Story Style: I like tried and true storytelling, with a focus on characters and plot. So…pulp? However, I don’t want stories that simply retell or subvert traditional legends or myths. And, please, no fan-fiction or pastiches. I’m open to the slightly weird if it’s accessible. Not open to grimdark, post-modern, or socially/politically agenda-driven stories. No erotica, excessive gore, or torture. Please limit swearing. Goal is PG-13. Diversity of characters, settings, and roles a plus.

~*~

I am accepting submissions now through December 1, 2022. Complete writers' guidelines available by email me, Lyndon Perry at TuleFogPress (at) gmail (dot) com.

Please only send an original, unpublished story (no reprints) of 5,000 words (firm range: 4k-6k).

No simultaneous submissions. I will personally respond within a few weeks to let you know if I would like to hold your story for consideration. I may request edits. I also reserve the right to edit your story; however, you will have the final approval of the finished draft. You may submit a second story before the deadline if your first story is not accepted.

Please use standard manuscript format (double-spaced, preferably Times New Roman) and send as a Word or RTF file attachment via email to Lyndon Perry, at TuleFogPress (at) gmail (dot) com, following this pattern in your subject line: Submission: Name of Story by Name of Author

Include within the email a 2 or 3 sentence cover letter with a bit of a story teaser (not a plot summary). Also, please provide a 2 or 3 sentence third person bio with a website or author link.