It's called a journal of absurd and surreal fiction, but it's so much more than that. It's an orphanage to those stories others won't give a chance to. It's an assembly of groundbreaking prose. It's a figurehead publication for the bizarro works out there. It's close to genius, really.
As I go through the days and chat with fellow authors, I tend to hear two things more often than not: 1.) I just don't have the time to read these days, and 2.) I would submit something, but everything is closed for submissions. Here's an answer to both of those problems.
Author Bradley Sands has taken reign over at "Bust Down the Door" and kept the literary journal alive. If you're looking for short fiction, a bathroom reader, or just a sampling of some dynamite writing that you will not see anywhere else, this is the thing for you. If you're longing to read something but have no time for that 500-600 page opus that Steve King just put out, this is your answer. While most literary journals have gone the way of the dinos (replaced by annoying articles for the inept), there are a few that are cranking out good works. This is one of those (along with the Magazine of Bizarro Fiction and the Journal of Experimental Fiction). To find out more, visit them online at: http://www.absurdistjournal.com/
But wait, there's more:
Effective August 8, 2010, "Bust Down the Door and Eat All the Chickens" is open for submissions. So, if you've got that piece that you've been holding onto, now may be your time to shine. Here are their guidelines (but, as always, you can find out more by visiting them online):
We are seeking stories of an absurdist and surrealist nature for our next print issue. They should be between 2000 and 5000 words. YOUR STORY WILL BE REJECTED IF IT DOES NOT MEET THIS REQUIREMENT (although being a couple of hundred words off is permissible).
We prefer fun, humorous stories where impossible things happen. It must be able to grab our attention from the very first line. And make every word count.
Our favorite authors include Steve Aylett, D. Harlan Wilson, Steve Erickson, and Mark Leyner.
What we are not looking for
No poetry.
We are unlikely to accept horror stories. But if you do send one, make sure it's unconventional. The stories of Thomas Ligotti would be a good example of the sort of horror that we enjoy.
No stories with overused concepts that are central to the plot - such as zombies, vampires, ghosts, demons, werewolves, space aliens, God(s), or any Dungeon and Dragons-type of characters.
No stories that would be a good fit for any existing genre magazine.
No dream narratives (regardless of whether it is "real" or fictional), although we encourage you to send stories that use dream logic.
No extreme horror/splatterpunk. Although there are no restrictions regarding content, we find wall-to-wall sex and violence extremely boring. But it's ok to use elements from this sub-genre.
No accounts of all the zany things that a character does after getting drunk and/or stoned.
No stories with endings that MAKE the story. In other words, when the story is mediocre up until the ending and the ending is so good that it enhances the quality of what has come before it. Also, no stories that are setups for jokes, with the ending being the punch line. We would prefer many different jokes throughout the story.
No stories that feature a protagonist who is a writer.
No passive protagonists. The protagonist must do something rather than have something done to them.
No stories that are mostly exposition. We prefer stories that are composed of scenes.
Response time is six weeks or less
Send submission as an attachment - either a Microsoft Word or Rich Text file. Email to bust_submissions@hotmail.com.
Email queries and questions to bradleysands@comcast.net.
We are also looking for cover art for the next issue. Please send submissions to bradleysands@comcast.net. Either send your submission as an attached jpg or send links to your art.
0 comments:
Post a Comment