2016 Beauty and the Beast Convention
A Life Without Limits: A Steampunk Fantasy
July 15-17, 2016 - New Jersey/New York


Conzine Guidelines

Any and all new creations are welcomed for the 2016 conzine. Stories, poems, art, filks, essays – we want whatever your muse sends your way! Don’t feel that it has to be Steampunk-related to be enjoyed by our con-goers, but, just for fun, since that is the theme this year, maybe we can try to find inspiration with a Steampunk flair? (I hear a muse can be bribed with chocolate… just sayin’…)

But what exactly is Steampunk? We’re glad you asked! Steampunkers party like it’s 1899. It’s set in a world where steam and natural gas, rather than coal and electricity, are still the primary power sources.  It’s a world of gas lamps, gears, cogs, and brass goggles. Its characters are mad scientists, philosophers, adventurists, and pirates.  Think HG Wells and Jules Vernon, League of Extraordinary Gentleman and The Golden Compass. Steampunk fiction stories can be set in the past, in the future, or in an alternative universe.  They can be alternate histories, mysteries with hard-boiled detectives, or tales of demure Victorian ladies. They can be gothic, or horror, or sweet romance. They can be bodice rippers, science fiction, or tame as can be. They can even feature the supernatural or paranormal elements.

With Steampunk, there’s a great opportunity to be creative in our Beauty and the Beast world. After all, we already know our tunnel dwellers make use of steam pipes. Mouse has contraptions and gizmos galore, full of wheels and cogs and gears. We’ve had our mad scientists and magical characters, too. Steampunk is a fictional world where you can do incredible and imaginative things.  Are you ready to write?

The conzine for the 2016 con will be a traditional printed zine. Over the years, conzines have attracted the most talented creators of stories, poetry, essays, and art. But it can't happen without all of you, so please put on your thinking caps and contribute. We look forward to seeing what you come up with! The guidelines for the 2016 conzine are as follows:
  • Deadline for all contributions is April 1, 2016.
  • Contributions relating to all seasons will be considered. Stories/poetry relating to the 3rd season will be identified as such at the beginning of the piece.
  • Contributions of all ratings will be considered; G through well-written R. Stories/poetry of an R rating will be identified as such at the beginning of the piece.
  • To give all authors a chance to have their work in the conzine, no more than six submissions per author will be accepted. There are no limits on the amount of art.
  • All submissions must be original, having never before been posted online or published elsewhere.
  • All content must be the submitter’s own words, with anything taken from another source (e.g, poetry, song lyrics, etc) clearly identified and credited.
  • All stories must be finished. Unfinished stories will not be accepted.
  • Documents must be sent in .doc, .docx, or .odt format. Please do not send .pdf files.
  • If you use a pen name, please include a note to that effect.
  • Due to the expense of printing costs, we strongly suggest a page limit of 40-50 single-sided pages. There is no minimum page limit.
  • All contributions may only be submitted once. All subsequent submissions for the same piece will be disregarded.
  • Stories will be edited for grammar and punctuation without notifying the author. No editing for content will be done without first requesting permission from the author.
  • Stories and poetry should be sent to Laura Goist at ok_good_ok_fine@yahoo.com.
  • Artwork files should be sent to Sandy Tew at metew2@msn.com. Originals can be sent to Sandy Tew at 8363 Mix Ave, Magna UT 84044.
Contact Laura at ok_good_ok_fine@yahoo.com or Krista Rainey at lady_rainey@yahoo.com with any questions.

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