2009 Brain Harvest Mega Challenge

From the Brain Harvest website:

As writers, we’re warned constantly against resorting to tried-and-true tropes, usually for very good reason. In fact, our colleagues at Strange Horizons have assembled a very smart list of contrived plots seen too many times (http://strangehorizons.com/guidelines/fiction-common.shtml).

But here at Brain Harvest, we’d actually like to see if you can untrope the tropes, and create something interesting, solid, and, well, bad ass from these overly familiar clichés. In fact, we’re willing to stake the first annual Brain Harvest Mega Challenge on the fact that one of you out there can… in 750 words or less.

Jeff VanderMeer resplendent in homemade BH 'stache!

Your entries will be read by the Brain Harvest editors, and the winners chosen by our celebrity guest judge, the amazing, award-winning writer and editor, Jeff VanderMeer.

The winning entry will receive $100, publication in Brain Harvest, a hand-knitted mustache, 1 Fresh Eyes crit (up to 10,000 words) to be used on the piece of their choice, and the accolades of their peers, friends, and family.

The second place winner will receive $25, publication in Brain Harvest, and a hand-knitted mustache.

Details available here.

Brain Harvest: an Almanac of Bad Ass Speculative Fiction

Established: 2009brainharvest
Editors: Caren Gussoff, Shane Hoversten, Eden Robins

Overview:
Brain Harvest: An Almanac of Bad-Ass Speculative Fiction is the creation of a brooding Minnesotan neuroscientist, a zombie-obsessed sexpert, and the ex-burlesque dancing Jewish mother you never knew you wanted. We all write and read speculative fiction, and we share a dream: to deliver whiz-bang spec fic you can swallow in a mouthful, but that outlives all of us. Brain Harvest will publish electronically and can be read right here, or dispatched to your iPhone, Blackberry, or whatever other mobile device–and maybe, one day, straight into your brain.

Awards and Recognition:
Mentioned/endorsed by BoingBoing, Tor.com. No awards…yet. We’ve got our eyes on the prize, though.

Other Items of Interest:
We will be holding our first annual contest this summer. Stay tuned for details.

Website:
www.brainharvestmag.com