2005 Antho
Goblin Tails was (and continues to be) one long, messy learning experience, not unlike Chuba's life. Slowly, and with a lot of help from some seminal folks, I'm figuring all this out.

Ambitious plans are in the works for the 2005 antho, and we have some hard working folks dedicated to making it happen. Primarily we're looking for better production and distribution, taking us one step closer to making this chaotic flurry of good intentions into an actual publishing house.

Or at least a publishing hovel.

One of the things brought to our attention is that distributing profits via shares isn't a realistic or enticing reward. One of the promises I made to myself was that authors would always receive payment, but with the inevitable production delays and uncertain sales, there is the risk of not paying an author anything, and that just ain't cool.

With the exception of the two deals already in place, we're considering going to the more traditional cents/word arrangement, a flat fee paid on publication, an arrangement you'll find in most professional magazines. A step below Wizards' advance + royalties arrangement, but until we're bankrolled by Hasbro it is the best we can do.

Q. But what if the 2005 antho takes off and you sell a billion copies and all I see is this measly flat fee?!

A. First, it isn't likely it will take off.

But let's say it did. The solution turns out to be very elegant for all parties involved. Even if I could sell 500,000 copies of the 2005 Antho, I don't have the capital to pull it off. If the demand was so great to as suggest a really large printing, we would need to have a another investor (e.g. a large publishing house) to run the antho, which would require new contracts for second printing rights. So sell us first North American rights and rest easy in the knowledge that we'll work out the rest when we get there.

Which we won't.

Cause were not going to make any money off of this. ;)

Q. So what the heck is the title?
A. Well, that's up to you.

We're going to take the strongest story and use that as the "title track." So if you submit a killer story entitled "One Hundred and One Uses for a Skinned Dragon," the title of the antho will likely be "One Hundred and One Uses for a Skinned Dragon, and Other Stories," or something along those lines. You get the idea. So write that killer story and name our antho.

Q. "Cents/word" is a little vague. Just how many?
A. We're still working that out. Regardless of where we are at now, it will be highlighted on your contract. :)