Omenana Special South African Edition Submissions
SF magazine Omenana has announced a call for submissions for an upcoming Special South African edition, created in partnership with Science Fiction & Fantasy South Africa, “the premier club for fans and connoisseurs of sci-fi and fantasy books, film, and art.” 
The editors are seeking submissions “from speculative fiction writers from across Africa and the African Diaspora” for ” a special issue that will focus on the over-50-year history and bright presence of South African Science fiction and fantasy writing. The issue will feature non-fiction, essays and analyses and a crop of brand-new stories by established and new writers.”
We are looking for speculative short stories that explore the themes of South African SF, Fantasy Horror, or cross-genre stories. A truly African take on these, whether it be the effect of “Tokoloshe” myth on a speculative plot or futuristic societies in a uniquely South African Diaspora.
We are looking for strong, character-driven stories that focus on future or past visions.
Think space operas that look at the intricate lives of people in ships hurtling towards distant galaxies. Think retellings of ancestral myths on a planet light-years away. Think love! Think war! Think family! Think technology! Think gods and goddesses. Think modern societies or ancient ones. Think out of the box. But avoid dressing South African tradition and philosophy up as science fiction and fantasy. For example, the supposed magic of the sangoma is itself not the stuff of fantasy, but the impact of it on a fantasy plot could be highly relevant.
Let your creativity run wild.
Word length
We are looking for stories of 1000-5000 words.
Additional requirements for stories
Stories should be centered around some element of the South African lived experience and can be set anywhere in a near or far future, other place, other world. If you can imagine it, let’s see it. We are particularly interested in stories from members of historically under-represented and/or marginalized communities in South Africa in order to capture the full range of diversity in the rainbow nation.
Stories can be of any sub-genre in the speculative: Cyberpunk, Epic fantasy, Africanfuturism, Steampunk, Urban Fantasy, Space opera or any combination but the speculative element must be overt.
Finally, stories should be original and should not have appeared anywhere else online or in print.
How to submit
All submissions should be sent to sevenhills.media@yahoo.com
on or before July 30, 2022. Include the words “SA Special Issue Submission” in your title.
Submission format
All stories must be submitted as a single attachment in .doc file format. Please do not send PDF.
Include a short cover letter in the body of your e-mail providing your contact details (name – not the pseudonym you write under – address, email and phone number), a brief publication history, a bio of no more than 100 words and a profile photo.
Please follow this Standard Manuscript Format.
Payment?
Yes. We will be paying a flat rate of USD 100 for published stories.
Omenana is a tri-monthly magazine founded in 2014, devoted to publishing speculative fiction writers from across Africa and the African Diaspora.
While you are here, please take a moment to support Locus with a one-time or recurring donation. We rely on reader donations to keep the magazine and site going, and would like to keep the site paywall free, but WE NEED YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT to continue quality coverage of the science fiction and fantasy field.
©Locus Magazine. Copyrighted material may not be republished without permission of LSFF.
