Theme:
Prizes and eligibility: The contest is open to non-professional writers (those who have not met eligibility requirements for SFWA or equivalent). Previous multiple winners and current contest coordinators are also ineligible. The best story which relates to and features the contest theme will be published in the Confluence 2003 program book, and the author will be awarded the first prize of $200. At the discretion of the judges a second and third prize in the amounts of $100 and $50 may be awarded, with possible publication in a PARSEC zine. Submission to the contest implies consent for publication, but all rights revert immediately to the authors upon publication. The entries will be screened by the coordinators, and the best submissions will go on to our panel of three Judges. Decisions of the judges and coordinators in all these matters are final. There is NO entry fee.
Judges: Authors Charles Oberndorf ("Sheltered Lives", "Foragers"), Mary Soon Lee ("Winter Shadows and Other Tales", "Ebb Tide and Other Tales") and Prof. Philip E. Smith ("Oscar Wilde's Oxford Notebooks: A Portrait of Mind in the Making") have agreed to jury the contest.
Format: Stories must be Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror in genre. Stories must be original, unpublished, unsold and no more than 3500 words in length. Submit in standard contest format (title and page number on each page, but author name only appears on separate cover page; otherwise as in any professional submission). No email submissions. Include SASE for notification only, as manuscripts will not be returned. Incorrect format will make entry ineligible. Stories must Relate To The Theme.
Theme:
Well, we think you can have some fun with this one. This could range from inter-galactic farce to a semiotic exposition of the misinterpretation of signifiers between decontextualized beings and the effect of same on characters. Fantasy writers are free to interpret the "alien" somewhat loosely. Definitely an opportunity to create a Sapphire Award winning story, if you’re so inclined. Please remember, though, that this is a family convention, and the story will be printed in the program book. A certain restraint and subtlety is called for. Garters are optional.
Deadline: February 1, 2003.
Address: Send entries to:
For questions or clarifications only you may email to
Last time’s winners were:
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Direct questions concerning PARSEC to
. Direct questions concerning Confluence to . http://trfn.clpgh.org/parsec/annex/contest.html -- Revised: 13 October 2002 Copyright © 2002 Kevin A. Geiselman |