If you follow this blog you are probably aware of my love of science, fiction, and, of course, science fiction. So I’m incredibly excited to be guest-editing a “Science and Fiction” issue of PANK Magazine along with my partner-in-crime (and wedlock), Devan Goldstein.
If you ask me, modern, forward-thinking science fiction stories don’t get their due in land of the literary. We hope to correct that by showcasing just how awesome science-y fiction can be. We can’t wait to see what you all do with this topic, so please send, send send! We think you’ll straight kill it.
You can see full guidelines here, and I’ve also pasted them below for your viewing pleasure.
The December 2011 issue will be The Science and Fiction Issue, edited by Aubrey Hirsch and Devan Goldstein.
Aubrey and Devan are open to anything you’d like to submit as long as it’s “science-y” (please excuse our very technical language). If you need more specific suggestions, here are a few:
Hard science fiction. Jet-packs, food pills, the enslavement of the human race, as long as it doesn’t rely on formula over character. Think more George Saunders and less Tom Godwin, though we do have a soft spot for Rod Serling.
Social science fiction. The discovery of an island where no one can love, a world where insects are the people and people are the insects, an alternate time line USA where Kerry got elected and we cured cancer.
Fiction about science. A story that takes place in a third period biology class, a particle physicist who always wanted to be a cowboy, star-cross cosmologists.
Anything else that surprises us, thrills us, alters our definition of “science fiction” or otherwise makes us drop our beakers in delight.
No formulaic sci-fi, nothing that’s all world-building and no character, no Avatar fan fiction, nothing that comes in an alien language that you invented and we can’t read.
Submissions are open until October 15, 2011 or when the issue fills up. Response times for Special Issues are generally longer than for regular submissions.
Aubrey Hirsch 
This is so awesome! I’m going to try my hand at this for sure. Also, it’s so cool that you and Devon are guest editing. I remember when you told us in your class that he was getting into writing. Has that been working out for him? It’s so wonderful when you and your partner can share things like that. Sal wrote a little piece of flash fiction with a friend recently. I told him he should polish it up and shop it around. Maybe we’ll be guest editing something someday 🙂