The Five C’s: Pulp Fiction From Singapore
There are presently no open calls for submissions.
Note: the deadline for submissions has been extended until 15 December 2015.
The route to material success in sunny Singapore is a difficult one, but has been traditionally summed up by the acquisition of “The Five C’s”: cash, car, credit card, condominium and country club membership. Holding on to these things, however, is something else altogether.
The route to material success in sunny Singapore is a difficult one, but has been traditionally summed up by the acquisition of “The Five C’s”: cash, car, credit card, condominium and country club membership. Holding on to these things, however, is something else altogether.
Epigram Books and editor Neil Humphreys are looking for fiction that examines this capitalistic quest, and what it means for the people so desperate to achieve it. Choose any one of the Five C’s (not all five); how you interpret the theme is up to you, but keep us interested. We’re looking for good writing that doesn’t have to be “literary”, but it must have a solid and compelling plot (i.e. Something Must Happen).
The genres we’re happy to consider are: crime/gangster fiction, adventure stories and detective/mystery stories. Although we enjoy speculative fiction, this anthology is not a market for it. We will also not consider erotica, though some sexual content (as long as it is integral to the plot) is acceptable.
Submissions are open to any writer, worldwide, but the stories must take place in Singapore, so more than a cursory knowledge of the country is advised. Please be aware that we are obligated to follow a 50% contributor quota (minimum) of Singaporean citizens and permanent residents.
Submissions are open to any writer, worldwide, but the stories must take place in Singapore, so more than a cursory knowledge of the country is advised. Please be aware that we are obligated to follow a 50% contributor quota (minimum) of Singaporean citizens and permanent residents.
Only original (not previously published) stories up to 7,500 words (maximum), and please use standard manuscript format. No simultaneous submissions (meaning your story cannot also be concurrently considered elsewhere) or multiple submissions (meaning you only submit one story to us).
The reading period will remain open from 15 October through 15 December 2016. Appeals for late submissions will not be entertained.
Submit only using this Submittable portal, and be sure to do so under the appropriate category. We regret the use of form letters, but are unable to send personalised rejections.
Upon acceptance, your piece will appear in both the print and e-book versions of the anthology. We buy First Worldwide Print and Electronic Rights. Payment is a flat fee of $100 SGD, plus two contributor copies of the anthology. Publication is scheduled for mid-2016.
We look forward to seeing your work!
Neil Humphreys is the best-selling author of observational humour books and crime fiction novels such as Saving a Sexier Island and Marina Bay Sins (both published in 2015). He has also written four picture books in the Abbie Rose and the Magic Suitcase series, and a middle-grade novel, Secrets of the Swamp. Apart from a five-year hiatus in Australia, he has lived in Singapore since 1996.
An independent publisher based in Singapore, Epigram Books is known for putting together well-designed and thought-provoking titles. We began as a division of the multiple award-winning communications design firm Epigram, but registered as a separate entity in July 2011 to champion Singaporean literature. We are best known for middle grade series The Diary of Amos Lee, which has sold over 240,000 copies worldwide. Other landmark publications include translations of Cultural Medallion winners and new editions of out-of-print classic Singaporean novels. In 2014, Amanda Lee Koe’s debut short story collection, Ministry of Moral Panic, unanimously won the Singapore Literature Prize for English Fiction.
Neil Humphreys is the best-selling author of observational humour books and crime fiction novels such as Saving a Sexier Island and Marina Bay Sins (both published in 2015). He has also written four picture books in the Abbie Rose and the Magic Suitcase series, and a middle-grade novel, Secrets of the Swamp. Apart from a five-year hiatus in Australia, he has lived in Singapore since 1996.
An independent publisher based in Singapore, Epigram Books is known for putting together well-designed and thought-provoking titles. We began as a division of the multiple award-winning communications design firm Epigram, but registered as a separate entity in July 2011 to champion Singaporean literature. We are best known for middle grade series The Diary of Amos Lee, which has sold over 240,000 copies worldwide. Other landmark publications include translations of Cultural Medallion winners and new editions of out-of-print classic Singaporean novels. In 2014, Amanda Lee Koe’s debut short story collection, Ministry of Moral Panic, unanimously won the Singapore Literature Prize for English Fiction.