"BEYOND CENTAURI" GUIDELINES

 

Beyond Centauri is a print magazine of sf/f/e-g* for younger readers.  The title of the magazine was inspired by a planned anthology by James B. Baker [who founded ProMart Publishing, the direct ancestor of Sam's Dot], which he called "By Drone to Alpha Centauri."  Beyond Centauri is published quarterly on the first day of January, April, July, and October.  The first issue was released on 1 July 2003.

 

[* e-g is for "ewww-gross".  We don't do horror as such.  But we do like bugs, slimy things, and creepy campfire tales].

 

Beyond Centauri buys and publishes stories, poems, and black & white illustrations by adults for younger readers [ages 9 to 18 and beyond].  It also buys and publishes stories, poems, and illustrations BY YOUNGER READERS.  We want to present the words and art of the next generation as well as those of this one.  The magazine also features puzzles, articles, pages to color, and an occasional contest. 

 

Like younger readers, Beyond Centauri is a work-in-progress.  It is our intent at Sam's Dot to nurture imagination and creativity in the next generation.  From a practical standpoint, the next generation is the readership of the future [writing is nice, but we have to have readers].  From an even more practical standpoint, if we are to be a spacefaring species, we have to open and keep open the dream of exploration, be it in space, or within ourselves.  Beyond Centauri will not fulfill that purpose, nor is it intended to fulfill it.  What it will do, is serve as an aid...as a vitamin tablet, if you will, to the imagination of the younger readership. 

 

We've selected a fairly ambitious readership window:  ages 9 to 18.  That is a guide, not a limitation.  Each issue, therefore, will have something in it for each age in that window.  But each reader should select the material she or he wants to read, not on the basis of age, but on the basis of interest.  And we hope...even expect...that some parents will read to the younger younger readers.

 

And lastly, before we get into the nitty-gritty details of what we are looking for, here is what we are NOT looking for--and parents and purchasers of subscriptions [of whom, we hope, there will be many], please take note:

 

Beyond Centauri, like its online kin, KidVisions, does NOT publish bad, foul, obscene, or otherwise "adult" language.  "Drat" is about as vehement as we will tolerate in the magazine.  Material containing objectionable language will be deleted immediately...no, I'm not going to tell you what the words are.  If you know what they are, you know what to avoid.  If you don't know what they are, there's no chance you'll use them.  Either way, surely you can write a good story or poem without using them.

 

Beyond Centauri, like its online kin, KidVisions, does NOT publish "adult" material, situations, or topics.  You know what they are.  You can see them in almost any "prime time" or "family viewing hour" on television.  We're not interested.  We want stories and poems and art that depict adventures, explorations, problem-solving, working together, bravery, courage, dragons, thinking, dreaming, independence, curiosity, compassion...all the qualities that make us human and make us explorers, of everything from ourselves to the Cosmos.  Okay, yes, you can have a bit of romance.  But at most, your characters can kiss and/or or hold hands, and that's all.  If you want more than that, try one of our magazines for older readers.  But we don't publish that stuff in Beyond Centauri.

 

Okay...'nuff said on that. 

 

We expect to receive submissions from adults.  But we would love to see submissions from younger readers.  Parents, please encourage your children to write or draw, and to send us their work.  Beyond Centauri is not just a magazine for younger readers.  As much as possible, we would like it to be by younger readers. 

 

Beyond Centauri is published in full-sized magazine format -- 8 1/2 by 11 -- and perfect-bound.  Subscription rates are $20 for one year [4 issues] and $37 for two years [8 issues].  You can [and please do] order a subscription through The Genre Mall at http://www.genremall.com/zines.htm  and scroll to the magazine cover.  Or, at any time, simply send a check for the appropriate amount made out to Tyree Campbell, at P.O. Box 782, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 52406-0782. 

 

And now...ta-dah!...here's what we want.

 

STORIES:  loose maximum of 2500 words.  We'd like it themed to science fiction, fantasy, or ewww-gross.  Science fiction and especially stories that take place in outer space will find great favor with us.  If in doubt, send it in.  You may submit it in the body of the e-mail, or as an RTF attachment.  Please be sure to give us your name and your mailing address [you do want money for this, right?].  Payment is $6.00 per story [$3.00 for reprints], and $2.00 for flash fiction [under 1000 words], paid on publication, plus one contributor's copy.  Here's where you send the story... beyondcentauriNOSPAM at yahoo.com.  You must remove the NOSPAM and replace the at with @ for this address to work.

 

POEMS:  loose maximum of 50 lines.  Again, we would like it themed to science fiction, fantasy, or ewww-gross.  If in doubt, send it in.  Poetry should be submitted in the body of the e-mail.  Please be sure to give us your name and your mailing address [you want money for this, too, right?].  Payment is $2.00 per poem [$1.00 for reprints], and $1.00 for scifaiku and related forms, paid on publication, plus one contributor's copy.  Here's where you send the poem...  beyondcentauriNOSPAM at yahoo.com.  You must remove the NOSPAM and replace the at with @ for this address to work.

 

[A cautionary word about the ewww-gross genre:  yes, we publish it.  But fantasy or science fiction is preferable].

 

ART:  black and white or color illustrations should be sent individually as jpeg attachments.  In the e-mail, please be sure to give us your name and your mailing address [money, remember?].  Payment is $5.00 per illustration, paid on publication, plus one contributor's copy.  Color illustrations are also used on the cover of Beyond Centauri.  These, too, should be sent as jpeg attachments, and yes, be sure to include your name and mailing address.  Payment for a cover is $12.00, paid on publication, plus one contributor's copy.  And here is where you send the art...beyondcentauriNOSPAM at yahoo.com.  You must remove the NOSPAM and replace the at with @ for this address to work.

 

Wait, there's more.  We also accept short articles about space exploration, science, technology...even opinion pieces and movie and book reviews.  We'd like these at less than 500 words, please.  Payment is not much--$3.00 per piece, plus a contributor's copy.  But if you have something to tell us, or an opinion to express, we'd like to see it.  Send it in the body of the e-mail or as an RTF attachment, and be sure to include your name and mailing address [you know why by now].  Here's where you send it:  beyondcentauriNOSPAM at yahoo.com.  You must remove the NOSPAM and replace the at with @ for this address to work.

 

Okay, a couple of final words, and then we'll let you go do your writing and drawing.  First...there are space limitations in Beyond Centauri, which means that we might have to turn down some very nice work.  In some cases, as we turn down the work, we might ask you if you would like to have it published online in KidVisions [at the rates for that magazine]. 

 

We're going to try to keep our response times down to 2 months, 3 at most.  If you have any questions, or just feel like writing a query letter, please address it to me at tyr3403 at yahoo dot com [you have to combine this address for it to work], and I'll respond as quickly as possible.