CALL: The Once and Future Moon

This will be an anthology of stories set on / dealing with the abiding influence of the Moon. You can take a literal or non-literal approach. The “Once” aspect will deal with how older cultures / earlier civilisations / people in

history saw the Moon, considered and reflected upon the Moon. Think Verne, Wells, Godwin. Think mythology. Think the Sumerians. Think the Ancient Greeks. Think beliefs held by vanished cultures. These stories do not have to be factually, scientifically accurate; the Moon element could be seen as poetic, figurative, imaginative, etc. These stories will likely form one- third of the book. Possibly half.

For “Future”, I am looking at both the liveable near-future (e.g. up to 50 years’ time) and slightly further ahead as well. I want stories grounded in how we will live on / adapt to / use the Moon in the near and further future. What issues might we face – some of which have yet to be even thought of by NASA?

I will also look at stories about how the Moon will affect our lives going forward. Will it be the site of the next war? Will it be the focal point of a conflict between science and religious forces (consider how the Moon is central to many religious practices)? What happens if the Moon starts to move closer to us or to move further away? What if the Moon was badly damaged or destroyed? What if the Moon acquired a companion?

I am likely to take between half and two-thirds of the stories for this segment.

These Guidelines are meant to be inspirational rather than constrictive. I am happy to read stories that treat the Moon and its influence and importance in ways I have failed to anticipate. I will consider anything speculative, whether that speculation manifests itself as science fiction or science fantasy or more nebulous conjecture. Just one proviso: The Moon must be central to your story. If your story would work just the same without the lunar element, then it’s not for us.

I asked if it was LGBTQ+ friendly. The response:

Yes, I am happy to read queer themed submissions and/or submissions featuring LGBTQ+ characters so long as the stories adhere to my overall guidelines.

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