So What Flavour of SF/Fantasy does SFcrowsnest.com / Hologram Tales magazine Publish?

Good question. We like our science fiction clever, action-oriented and very high on imagination. Let us illustrate ...

In

• Dan Simmons' Hyperion books, the Alien films
• Iain Banks' Culture novels, any Clifford D Simak book
• William Gibson's Difference Engine, and Sprawl novels
• Paul J McAuley's Fairyland, early Alan Dean Foster
• Any of Greg Bear's books (Moving Mars, Eon)
• Most of Stephen Baxter's works, all of E. Doc Smith's
• Jack Williamson's Legion of Space series
• Babylon Five, the X-Files, Sliders, Star Wars, Bladerunner
• Expanse magazine in the USA and SFX in Britain

Out

• All poetry (ALL!), anything that apes the Times Literary sup
• Dry hard SF that reads like a Volvo Hatchback's tech specs; anything music related (Ambient Dance is not SF)
• Kim Stanley Robinson's Green Mars, anything by Arthur C. Clarke, anything published by Analog Science Fiction
• Modern 20th century 'literary' fiction where one of the character's names just happens to have been changed from Tarquin Farquar-Jones to Null Trellion Zargon 346 to qualify as SF and find a market- eg 70% of what Interzone publishes (which we do enjoy: but SF it often arguably ain't)
• Everything written by Elizabeth Hand, Brian Aldiss, + Colin Greenland's Harms Way, any John Clute review
• Shallow no-brainer TV-dinner SF which scans like your least favourite episode of a bad American sitcom
• Blake's Seven, obscure fan-boy/girl chat, filk-songs

And the fantasy we like? Much like the SF, except we try to take into account the genre's slightly more formulaic restrictions ...

In

• Jack Vance's Lyonesse Books
• Anything by David Gemmell
• Anything by Raymond Feist
• Anything by Terry Pratchett
• Stephen Hunt's For The Crown & The Dragon and flintlock fantasy in general (ah, you creeps - Ed)
• Sword & Sorcery, steampunk fantasy, alternative reality
• Steven Brust's Breakdown Palace
• Most of Michael Moocock's early works
• Everything by Kim Newman (fantasy, horror and SF)
• Melvin Peake's Gormenghast trilogy

Out

• Vampire stories, gothic rippers and dark fantasy (anything possessing Anne Rice's lyrical beauty may be excepted, but that really only leaves, well, Anne Rice eligible)
• Mary Gentle's Architecture of Desire
• All David Eddings' Belgariad after the original series
• Weis & Hickman S&S
• Any Pern book, all fantasy set in the current milleau
• Slip-stream fiction, 'edge' fiction, Lovecraftian fantasy
• Any Gor book

Now before you deluge us with hate-mail, we don't claim that anything in the Out list is bad, unfashionable or any other descriptive with negative connotations- just that it falls outside the specific character we are aiming for Hologram Tales: that being fun, approachable, sassy, strong on Brit humour, easy to read, high on attitude, low on pretension & dogma.

What Is Hologram Tales Looking For?

(1) Reviews of SF/fantasy books, films, comics, TV-programs, videos, toys and games.

(2) SF/Fantasy art

(3) Original fiction

(4) Interviews with authors/actors / artists

(5) Convention reports

(6) Articles

(7) News items/gossip, soapbox comment

(8) Mondo tech

(9) Fortean items

What's The Deal?

Well, until we work out a way to make money out of the internet, you're working on the same terms as the editorial team - freemans (gratis - Ed). You retain copyright, and get the warm feeling of knowing around 30,0000 users/month are regularly surfing your work.

Tell Me Those Submission Guidelines!

(1) Anything without an SAE or IRC gets binned

(2) If accepted, you must be able to provide final copy as a text file on a 3.5" disk - either DOS, Windows, or Apple Mac

(3) Submit in English language

(4) That's it amigo.

As long as it's not over 3000 words, you can email us anything apart from fiction, which is too long and crashs our server (don't include attachments though - we can't read them: put text in the main body of your message). If what you want to send is longer than 3000 words, just send us some sample pages up to this limit.

If you do snail-mail, snail-mail here:

Hologram Tales, The GFW Submissions Department, 74 Gloucester Road, Bridgewater, Somerset TA6-6EA, UK.

email: gfwillmetts@REMOVE.FOR.SPAMhotmail.com

BEHIND THE SCENES

An introduction of a sort to the art of submissions by: GEOFF WILLMETTS

No doubt somewhere amongst Steve Hunt's editorial, you'll see an announcement that makes me either a sub or assistant or story editor, depending what day of the week it is. Those of you who thought a sub-editor was on par with Captain Nemo, go to the back of the class. Figuratively speaking that is. Anyone who is that wrong needs to be near a teacher so they get the lesson into their heads, don't they?? Such is the woes of the English language.

What is an assistant editor doing on an Internet magazine when all the main editor has to do is take all the stories or articles sent in on floppy disk and slot them into a Net site??

Really, it's a matter of input. All the work can't be done by one person, especially when there's a backlog to go through. With Netsites as popular as this, there is a backlog. The editor also sets the quality of the material standards to make it worth your while to come to the Hologram Tales site in the first place. It's a balancing act of bringing in contributions of the type you would like to write as well as read with some semblance of life.

There still aren't that many hours in the day, even for one human, and when I realised Steve might need a little help, got nominated with the title and the task of reading through the material as he passes it on to me or if you send direct, address elsewhere. [Same rules apply: Hardcopy, floppy ASCII file (tell me computer type/WP and I can even send you a datafile than hardcopy - I use Word v6 on a PC so Mac users make sure its PC format floppy/files) and suitable SAE for what you want sent back.]

As assistant editor is the bagman. Used primarily to sift through the material selecting the good to be passed on to the editor and pass the commiserations on to those who don't make the grade. For the sake of sanity, it makes sense to explain what I really intend doing and what I'm after. It always helps to know what will please an editor, sub or otherwise.

If you've ever sent material to other SF mags and all you've got back was a form letter rejection leaving you clueless as to where you've gone wrong, rest assured that shouldn't happen here.

We can understand why they do it. It's what I said above: There isn't that many hours in the day. On the other hand, a little hint of what is wanted and how you can improve your work has to be helpful. We want to develop writers rather than deter them.

One thing Steve and I agreed on is it makes feathers in our beanie caps that potential great writers get their break here and plug us when they get famous. Hopefully, they'll also remember the people who pushed them the right direction and let us have the odd sample story or freebie when they live in their mansions and swig champagne.

This won't stop us looking for good new writers, and should indicate to some of the street sale SF mags that it is story quality as opposed to who writes it that is most important. Hologram Tales is therefore going to live up to the ideal of good material as well as a training ground for new writers.

My personal tastes shouldn't be regarded as an indication as to what is acceptable. It isn't a question of 'like' as opposed to story quality that is important. I've read enough SF to know when I'm reading a good story, one that needs a re-draft or needs certain problems addressed.

Where I see there is a general problem, I'll put articles in HT on the subject. My piece in this HT, So You Really Want To Write An SF Story?? should give the newer writers some useful advice for story writing. Space and time permitting, Steve might even permit a question and answers column dealing with specific problems than generalisations in articles that might be of use if you ask him.

If HT is to be a training ground, things like this can only be of help. Those who don't think they can write might find it interesting to see what goes through the minds of those who do.

On a contribution basis, SAE permitting, all contributors will get some sort of individual reply. Some common regular mistakes will be form-lettered but there will be indicators to bring you up to speed and we get some material that we can publish. You aspiring writers take the time to write. We want to cultivate. There's also some hope that you'll be able to take heed from what is said.

Comments made aren't personal attacks but only at the material problems. If you want an ego-boost, then think in terms of giving us good material because it'll be seen by a lot of people. If you're in it purely for ego, open your own Net-site, and hope someone will look.

You might have something good but self-appraisal on its own can be its own downfall. You need self assurance from someone else that the work is worth looking at. A Netzine like HT should provide such a site. One thing Hologram Tales won't lack for is space, but we do need good or reasonable looking material to make it worthwhile.

I'll let my own articles and stories in HT indicate that that I'm not just some reader likely to make ill-chosen comments. Steve will be one of the first to admit that I'm a powerful motivator in getting the best out of people I look over. If there are any delays in replying, then assume it's the backlog combined with my own writing career (you want to see some more of my own stuff after all (I hope!?).

For the moment, let's re-emphasise what we need and see what turns up.

ARTICLES: We're not getting enough of them. If you want to find an easy door to getting your name seen, then look at this subject. SF covers a wide media range. Factual or opinion pieces on favourite stories, authors, realities, etc will be looked on with interest.

Depending on what comes in, I'll do a piece about setting out how to write an article for the next HT in a similar vein to the So You Really Want To Write An SF Story?? if there are any problems.

REVIEWS: Yes, these are different to articles. They're much shorter and have to be a little topical. Anything from this century, bearing in mind my Van Vogt appraisal was for a book from 1948, should give some liberty in what is reviewed.

One requirement: Make sure what you're reviewing is at least available in the shops. Full production details, including ISN numbers where appropriate and price must be included for books. Measure up the pros and cons of what you review for balanced arguments.

STORIES: These will always be looked at. Try to stay between or less than 10,000-40,000 words. If you're just sending in, pay attention to So You Really Want To Write An SF Story?? (Am I allowed to plug that article of mine again, Steve??) Good ideas will make good stories if you work at them.

Good ideas can forgive poor writing skills as these can be amended in later drafts. Mmmm, an article on cultivating ideas might make another article guideline topic. Your ideas are safe with me. I have enough problems keeping up with my own idea generator! Steve's got a backlog to send me, so if you're waiting on this, please be patient. I'll be getting back to you. Please, nothing based on S*AR W*RS/TR*K or any other licensed material as we can't afford the law suits.

JOKES/HUMOUR: Something everyone neglects except at conventions. If SF humour is your speciality, send them in.

Q: Why don't members of the Dominion in Star Trek have smelly feet??

A: Because they use Odo-eaters!!!

Q: Why doesn't Highlander Duncan McLeod wanted to be awarded for his bravery??

A: Facing a sword-wielding Queen, would be considered suicical if her arm slipped.

All right, so one makes you groan and the other is a tad more logical, but it should give you an indication that we can be liberal in our humour taste. The reason SF mags are dry is because everyone expects them to be that way.

CROSSWORDS/PUZZLES: Do we have any good compilers amongst you?? I have a 13 * 13 grid just dying to be filled. This is the exception where I don't mind just having it on paper. Don't forget the answer sheet and check your spelling.

ART: of the SF variety and definitely nothing under licence like the S*AR W*RS/TR*K stuff. We can get it scanned if we like it. Send this stuff directly to Steve for the moment.

LETTERS: Encourage the writers you read in HT. What do you like?? What don't you like?? What do you want to see more of?? You know the drill. Anything you want to raise.

Beginning to feel just a little motivated now, are we?? That's good. You wait until I really get going.

Lastly, any death threats will be seen to by my personal friend, Jessie Opal. You have been warned. Get writing.