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Circlet Press

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Erotica Readers & Writers Association Website
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Call For Submissions

Circlet Press Website
www.circlet.com

Circlet Press is an independent publisher dedicated to “celebrating the erotic imagination.” In specific, we are known for existing in the niche we call “erotic science fiction.” (Which means, of course, that we do fantasy, too, but lack a decent catch-all term for our genre.) If you’re just discovering us, we’ve been around since March 1992.

Our Genre & Editorial Preferences

Typically we want short stories between 3000 and 7000 words, with some flexibility about the lengths. Generally we’ve found that below 2500 words there isn’t enough room for an author to get sufficient plot, characterization, and erotic action in to make it a good story, though it has occasionally been done. Over 8500 words and we are often looking at a novel or long novella that someone tried to cram down into short story size. Begin a short story in medias res and use your craft to keep it paced like a story and not like a novel.

As for our genre, people often want to know just what do we mean by “erotic science fiction?” What follows is as detailed a description as we can give.

1) Erotic Content: Erotica means sex. We reject many manuscripts because they do not have enough sexual content. No level of explicitness is required, but erotic interaction must take place! It need not be described graphically or vulgarly but it must be focal and integral to the characterization, plot, and conflict resolution. Also, the sex must be enjoyable for the characters–positive, celebrating sex and sexuality! No rape, exploitation, mutilation, suicide, or snuff. Most other manuscripts we reject are because they have a negative attitude toward sex and/or they portray not a sexy, enjoyable scene, but a terrible rape/exploitation.

2) Science fiction / fantasy: We don’t split hairs between sf and f. Our main prerequisite is that the story not take place in the “real world.” Magical realism, alternate realities, other times and planets are all welcomed. (However, please note we do not publish horror! The rule is: no murder, dismemberment, rape, castration, or other gruesome topics.) The best blendings of erotica and sf we have seen accomplish the mix by making the science fictional element inseparable from the erotic one. For example, in a story in which two telepaths fall in love, the telepathy sf aspect could be what gives their erotic relationship fire. Merely transporting your erotic scene to a space station isn’t really enough.

Editorial Biases: We are strong supporters of “alternative” sexualities, including lesbian, gay, transgendered, S/M, leather, other fetishes, and so on, but do not try to “queer up” your story for us if the characters are heterosexual. Though we admit we have a taste for the hot and kinky stuff, work need not be overly kinky to get our attention. We encourage works that are fresh & original, left of center, and so on. We admit to a certain bias away from the sometimes cliched aspects of all genres, including pornography. If it seems like it’s “been done before” we may not have a place for it.

Guidelines and submission details at:
http://www.circlet.com/?page_id=11

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