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[Permuted Press]

Submission Guidelines: ROBOTS BEYOND
Edited by Lane Adamson

Robots.

Intelligent machines, usually bearing at least some resemblance to humans, performing the routine drudgeries of life and freeing mankind for the pursuit of nobler goals.

Karel Capek conceived the term. Isaac Asimov codified their behavior (and then spent the next fifty-plus years figuring out ways to get around his rules). Phillip K. Dick humanized them, chillingly. George Lucas and James Cameron, for good or ill, made them pop culture icons (as did their predecessors in The Day the Earth Stood Still, Forbidden Planet, and Lost in Space, to name but a few).

But speculative fiction is, at its heart, the art of what-if. That's what this collection is all about: Robots Beyond the normal sci-fi boundaries, crossing into other genres with their customary logic and precision.

Feel free to speculate on the role of robots in the Cthulhu Mythos, or how androids might interact with werewolves, vampires, or zombies. But stretch your imagination, and roam farther afield.

What if an army of blue-steel robots burned Atlanta in "Gone with the Positrons," or a swashbuckling crew of mechanicals took to the high seas in "Robots of the Caribbean?" Tell us about the passions behind the white picket fences of "Desperate Androids." These, of course, are just some slightly facetious starter ideas. That doesn't mean they can't be used--in fact, they're free for the taking. But don't be afraid to venture far beyond traditional robot fare. How might Philip Roth, Sylvia Plath, or Tennessee Williams have written about robots? What about Louis L'Amour, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle--or Don Pendleton?

Your robots may be murderous or benign, terrifying or whimsical. Above all, they must be thought-provoking.

Please be sure to avoid copyrighted characters and settings; fan-fiction is fun, but has no place here (our legal staff told us so).

The submissions period will open January 02, 2008 and close April 04, 2008. Stories should be sent to robotsbeyond [at] live.com in either .doc or .rtf format. Payment will be $.01/word (USD), based on the final, edited word count from Microsoft Word rounded to the nearest hundred words, plus one contributor's copy. Responses will be completed no later than 30 days after the close of submissions; all submissions will be acknowledged within one week of receipt.

Stories should be between 3000 and 7500 words by word-processor count, and must be in standard manuscript format: one-inch margins on all sides, Courier New font, etc. If you are not sure what "standard manuscript format" means, please see William Shunn's excellent article/model at http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html and be sure you are in compliance before submitting.

Good spelling, punctuation, and grammar will not hurt your cause, either. Much like wearing a suit to a job interview, it might not make the actual qualifications of the applicant any better, but it does make it look as if you care.

[Lane Adamson]

I am honored almost beyond words by the opportunity to handle this project for Permuted Press.  (You'll note I said almost.)  This was originally conceived as a joint effort between John Sunseri and me, but he was, sadly, gobbled up by a shoggoth somewhere in the Mountains of Madness.  So, I must soldier on alone.

For potential contributors not intimately familiar with the literature of robots, here are Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics:

     1.  A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

     2.  A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

     3.  A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

(He later added a "Zeroth Law":  A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm--and modified the other Three Laws accordingly.  But the Three Laws are considered the "Original Canon.")

I am not going to insist that these Laws be followed, even loosely, in the stories submitted to the anthology.  Many damned fine robot stories have been and will be written without them.  I expect to see a goodly number in the coming months.

But every robot writer should at least be aware of them.  (It's also customary, out of courtesy to the late Dr. Asimov, NOT to quote them word-for-word in your story, even if their existence is explicit.  That custom WILL be strictly enforced.)

[Philip.Hansen]

Awesome!  I have two robot ideas on the burner already.

Something, something, something, robots with cowboys.
Sometihng, something, something, robots with dinosaurs.

[Stephen Blundell]

Oh yeah ... bring it on ... in more ways than one! lol 

[Blobbie]

I'll write a story about robot shoes wearing a tiara!

[Lane Adamson]

Jacob--Had a query on www.speculations.com regarding what rights are being purchased for Robots Beyond (and also if there will be any royalties, which I assume not).  Could you please clarify for potential contributors?  Thanks in advance!

[Permuted Press]

Jacob--Had a query on www.speculations.com regarding what rights are being purchased for Robots Beyond (and also if there will be any royalties, which I assume not).  Could you please clarify for potential contributors?  Thanks in advance!

First worldwide print rights, no royalties.

[Zombie Zak]

Nifty as pink polka dots!

[Matt-M-McElroy]

Hmm, I've got an idea or two that just might work for this one.

A couple of random questions:

Are Cyborgs not robotic enough?

Are there plans for any art in the book?

Thanks,

Matt

[HOO-HAA]

Guys, this is a wonderful idea... Well done, Lane, on the whole editing thing. No better man for the job! 

[Lane Adamson]

Are Cyborgs not robotic enough?

I want the focus to be on machine intelligence.  So, to answer your question with examples:  a Terminator-type cyborg (flesh over a robotic structure, machine intelligence) would qualify.  A RoboCop-type cyborg (human intelligence transplanted into a robotic structure) would not.

There aren't any plans for interior artwork.

[Lane Adamson]

Something, something, something, robots with cowboys.
Sometihng, something, something, robots with dinosaurs.

I love dinosaurs.  I'm fond of cowboys, too.

Robot cowboys wrangling herds of dinosaurs...  I gave myself goosebumps.

[Philip.Hansen]

I love dinosaurs.  I'm fond of cowboys, too.

Robot cowboys wrangling herds of dinosaurs...  I gave myself goosebumps.

I have a great story on the burner with Clockwork cowboys, but that isn't the story with the robots and the dinosaurs.

Gideon pointed, the soft tan leather of his fingerless glove tracing a darker shape in the landscape.  Ace shielded his eyes with a black gloved hand and peered into the whirling dust storm.  A hollow in the canyon?  Ace was willing to ride into unknown black shadows if it meant getting out of the damn dust.  He gave Spades a gentle spur and reined him toward the place Gideon was pointing, a dark stain in the storm cloud where a claw of shadows pulled together like a mummified hand of glory.

[Lane Adamson]

Gideon pointed, the soft tan leather of his fingerless glove tracing a darker shape in the landscape.

Robots wear mittens? 

Actually, I quite liked the imagery in your little excerpt.  Let's see, Ace's horse was named Spades.  Is Gideon's horse named Bible?

Sorry, I'm a little punchy today.  (And it should be "damned dust," please.)

[Philip.Hansen]

Robots wear mittens? 

Actually, I quite liked the imagery in your little excerpt.  Let's see, Ace's horse was named Spades.  Is Gideon's horse named Bible?

Sorry, I'm a little punchy today.  (And it should be "damned dust," please.)

Gideon isn't a robot.  I haven't gotten to the robots yet.    My heroes have to head into that dark canyon and have a palaver with the man in the white suit first.  (If you will excuse the Stephen King-ism.)

Gideon Ransom's horse is named Styx.  She is a black & white Overo American Paint, mostly white with black spots or stripes.  Ace Hutson's horse is named Spades.  He is a black Friesian imported from the Netherlands.

I'll throw a little bit of Gideon stuff up in the free fiction section.