Sword & Laser, a popular video show, podcast, and online book club community, hosted by Veronica Belmont and Tom Merritt, have announced that they will begin accepting submissions for a new Science Fiction and Fantasy anthology beginning Spring 2013, titled, fittingly, The Sword & Laser Anthology. The anthology, which does not have a release date, is looking for “new, previously unpublished stories, which can fall under the headings of science fiction, fantasy, or a combination of the two.”
After years of discussion, Tom and I are finally going ahead with the Sword & Laser Anthology!
Sword & Laser is the largest group on Goodreads, with over 13,000 members, and works with many of the genre’s biggest names, like Patrick Rothfuss (who also has a video show, called The Story Board, on Geek & Sundry, the production company that hosts Sword & Laser), John Scalzi, Daniel Abraham and N.K. Jemisin. It’s unclear whether this anthology is aimed at “new” writers, or just “new” works from established writers, but, given Sword & Laser‘s industry connections, I doubt they would need to open submissions for the anthology if they weren’t hoping to also discover new writers from among their fans. Either way, it’s a terrific opportunity for writers to have their stories featured in an anthology that will, no doubt, have a huge audience.
The question remains whether the anthology is being entirely gathered and edited by Belmont and Merritt (who, while undeniable enthusiasts, are not professional editors themselves), or if an established editor/dedicated editorial staff will also be connected with the project.
On a personal note, Belmont and Merritt better be ready to be inundated by short stories penned by one “Aidan Moher.”
More information on the anthology, including early submission guidelines, can be found in the official release.