I have another call for submissions to any writers out there—and its short-fused! If you get your submission into me early enough, and if it requires changes to make it acceptable, you’ll get the chance to resubmit. I’ll work with you. Also, I need a sexier title. Anyone have any suggestions? I’d love to hear your ideas!
And don’t forget about Beastly Babes—those short stories are due at the end of July. Read more about it here: Beastly Babes ~DD
The Cowboy
Editor: Delilah Devlin
Publisher: Cleis Press in Fall 2012
Deadline: August 30, 2011 September 10, 2011
The Cowboy (tentative title) is open to all authors.
Editor Delilah Devlin is looking for hetero cowboy stories for a romantic erotica anthology tentatively entitled The Cowboy.
There’s a reason Western romance novels never go out of fashion. The cowboy is an iconic figure that embodies the dichotomy of the fiercely independent, earthy alpha male and the male as a nurturer. Given a picture of a man on a horse, wearing Wranglers, chaps, and with a broad-rimmed hat shadowing his face, women melt.
Even when he’s up to his knees in mud freeing a calf from a wallow, his image doesn’t tarnish. The imagination sparks, filling in the details—the scent of horse, cow, and crisp, clean sweat; the sight of sun-leathered skin and crows feet; the feel of work-hardened thighs and arms; and the sound of a deep-voiced, Texas drawl.
The Cowboy will seek stories that satisfy the reader who craves the romantic idea of that gruff, capable man while exploring stories in the American West as well as lesser-known international settings. The stories will be primarily contemporary with the possibility of a few historical Westerns. While traditional themes are likely to be featured, writers will be encouraged to imagine greater in order to create tales that, while featuring that iconic hero, may also surprise, like the rodeo clown seducing the cowboy-crazy “buckle bunny” or a Quigley Down Under story set in the pampas mired in a South American range war.
Published authors with an established Western world may use that setting for their original short story.
The stories may be as kinky or vanilla as the writer wants—but a deep sensuality should linger in every word. Exotic locations and scenarios are welcome. Keep in mind there must be a romantic element with a happy-for-now or happy-ever-after ending. Strong plots, engaging characters and unique twists are the ultimate goal. Please no reprints. We are seeking original stories.
How to submit: Prepare your 1,500 to 4,500 words story in a double-spaced, Arial, 12 point, black font Word document with pages numbered (.doc, NOT.docx) OR rich text format. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) is required.
In your document at the top left of the page, include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 words or less bio in the third person to cleisthecowboy@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. Authors may submit up to 2 stories. Delilah will respond in October 2011. The publisher has final approval over the stories included in the manuscript.
Payment will be $50.00 USD and two copies of the published book upon publication.
About the editor: Ms. Devlin has published over eighty erotic stories in multiple genres and lengths. Her published print titles include Into the Darkness, Seduced by Darkness, Darkness Captured, Down in Texas, Texas Men and Ravished by a Viking. Her short stories are featured in Zane’s Purple Panties, and Cleis Press’s Lesbian Cowboys, Girl Crush, Fairy Tale Lust, Lesbian Lust, Passion, Carnal Machines, and Dream Lovers. She is published by Avon, Kensington, Harlequin, Atria/Strebor, Ellora’s Cave, Samhain Publishing, and Berkley. In Fall 2011, she debuts her first anthology with Cleis Press, Girls Who Bite.
Direct any questions you have regarding your story or the submission process to Delilah at cleisthecowboy@gmail.com.
