Deadline, 5/31/15

Imagine a world where dinosaurs, ancient mammals or other creatures, like the dodo bird, including lost branches of man, never went extinct. How would it have changed our world? What would their place or ours be? What if…? In these alternate history stories, these questions or others should be asked and answered.

Research will need to be on these stories, both historical and archeological. Come up with story themes or ideas that haven’t been done.

What is not acceptable! Time travel or portals. No genetic manipulation or radiation mutation. No traditional monster stories. No first or last of its kind. No evolution to intelligence. No hibernation, it was frozen in ice, found in a secret installation preserved, etc. If it’s something you’ve seen on Syfy, it’s NOT appropriate for this anthology.

PG13 rating. No sex. No erotica. No graphic violence. Cussing to be limited to hell and damn. If you’re overly fond of the F word, your story will be rejected. Not opposed to faith based stories, just as long as it’s important to the character or story line. If they’re preaching on any belief system, the piece will be rejected.

Stories can be told in any time period, from the ancient past to the distant future even other planets. Looking for variety here so think beyond or before present day.

You don’t have to be published in order to have your story considered for this anthology. Editor averages two to four first sales for every anthology edited. Feel free to read Time Traveling Coffers, Different Dragons, and Different Dragons II for a sampling of authors and styles.

Editor’s job is to make your story shine. Critiques and suggestions to improve are given for all accepted stories and why the story is rejected for all others.

All genres accepted. Science Fiction, Fantasy, Steam Punk, Mystery, Romance, Horror, et al. Flash fiction is acceptable. Stories length up to 6000 words. Longer stories by approval only and will be granted exclusively to authors editor has worked with before.

Stories must be formatted in New Times or Times Roman, 12 pt., double spaced with indents for paragraphs. Numbers must be written out unless they are an exception to the rule, for instance gun types. No semi-colons or colons. This is an
editorial preference. Dashes only for emphasis and used sparingly. Pet word ‘that’ or anything crutch word used in excess. Ex. but, in a moment, for a moment, suddenly, etc.

Accepting rft and doc attachments ONLY. Docx will be returned to reformat. Anything else will be rejected.

On the first page, please include: Name, address, phone number, email address, organizations you belong to and approx. word count. This is very important! Editor has had to contact writers and without this full info, your story could be dropped if you can’t be reached.

In the cover email, please, include a one line synopsis of the story and less than 50 words about yourself. Authors who have been accepted in previous anthologies, need only include synopsis.

Submissions open 01/01/2015 and end 05/31/2015. Stories received before January open or after end date will be rejected, UNLESS, permission is granted by the editor.

Submit to: dragonlots@yahoo.com. In subject line: Extinct possibilities – story name –your name.