Speculative Cats Anthology Volume I

Speculative Cat Anthology 

Call for Speculative Poetry

 

In 2021, 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats were estimated to be in the world. Cats were first domesticated in the ancient “Near East”  around 7500 BC, though it was long thought that cat domestication began in Africa, in ancient Egypt, where cats were venerated from around 3100 BC. 

 

Speculative Cats is an anthology of speculative verse about the domesticated cat (Felis catus), edited by Akua Lezli Hope to be published in 2024.

 

• Submissions re-open October 1, 2023

• Submit no more than 3 unpublished, speculative poems

to speculativecats@gmail.com

• Black and white illustrations also sought. Submit no more than 5 illustrations of speculative cats in .jpg or .png, with a minimum 400 dpi resolution.

• No previously published poems (see notes)

 

Submission Format

• One-inch margins, 12 point or larger type.

• Name and e-mail address on every page of poem.

• Name of file should be your name and title of poem.

• Send each poem/image as a separate file.

• Send files as attachment in .doc or .docx to speculativecats@gmail.com.

• Illustrations should be in .jpg or .png format with a resolution

of 400dpi or higher.

 

Payment: all included will receive one copy of the paperback. (Estimated value, $25 including shipping and handling).

 

The Speculative Cat Volume I will be published as a paperback and e-Book in 2025.

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Notes

This anthology is focused on speculative verse about domesticated cats so no lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, pumas, cougars, etc. If you’re using any word other than English, include a notation.

 

Please send only speculative poetry, no longer than 40 lines.

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Mere metaphor does not a speculative poem make;

mere simile does not a speculative poem make.

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Possibilities include: alien cats, astro cats, cyber cats, ghost cats, cat familiars, magic cats, multidimensional cats, monster cats, mythological cats, space cats, superhero cats, supernatural cats, surreal cats.

All poetic forms are welcome.

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*Published works are those published in: online journals, magazines, anthologies, eBooks, eChapbooks, eNewspapers, Hardcopy journals, magazines, anthologies, books, chapbooks, newspapers, pamphlets

 

Rights sought: exclusive print publishing rights for two years after date of publication, enhanced e-book and electronic rights to use work in audio or video features.