March 2013: Steampunk Writing Contest

The people have spoken and we at The Update have listened. The writing contest theme for the month of March will be Steampunk.

Do I really need to explain to you what steampunk is? Did you not hear about IBM's prediction of how steampunk is going to be the next  big fashion trend? Good, I'm glad we are all on the same page.

Here are the rules:

• Submissions should be between 500 to 3000 words. We are open to accepting submissions over 3000 depending on their quality, but they may be split into separate parts if possible.
• We are accepting submissions for three categories: fiction (original stories written by you), non-fiction (counterfactual essays) and reviews (books, film, television, etc.) based on steampunk.
• Submission period begins today and posting will begin March 5. The submission period ends on the 28th.
• All submissions must be sent by email with something either in the subject or body of email stating this is for the March theme.
• All submissions must meet the theme for the contest but we will not stop accepting articles for the month of March that do not meet the theme. We reserve the right, however, to postpone publication if we receive articles for the theme.
• All other rules regarding contributing to AH Weekly Update remain in effect.

To encourage you all to submit articles for this contest, the person who generates the most page views in their category will a copy of the new US edition of The Afrika Reich by Guy Saville, courtesy of Henry Holt. Here is a brief description of the novel:

Africa, 1952. More than a decade has passed since Britain’s humiliation at Dunkirk brought an end to the war and the beginning of an uneasy peace with Hitler. 

The swastika flies from the Sahara to the Indian Ocean. Britain and a victorious Nazi Germany have divided the continent. The SS has crushed the native populations and forced them into labor. Gleaming autobahns bisect the jungle, jet fighters patrol the skies. For almost a decade an uneasy peace has ensued.

Now, however, the plans of Walter Hochburg, messianic racist and architect of Nazi Africa, threaten Britain’s ailing colonies. 

Sent to curb his ambitions is Burton Cole: a one-time assassin torn between the woman he loves and settling an old score with Hochburg. If he fails unimaginable horrors will be unleashed on the continent. No one – black or white – will be spared. 

But when his mission turns to disaster, Burton must flee for his life. 

It is a flight that will take him from the unholy ground of Kongo to SS slave camps to war-torn Angola – and finally a conspiracy that leads to the dark heart of The Afrika Reich itself.

WARNING: Any suspected cheating will immediately disqualify the contributor and there will be no appeals.  You are encouraged to promote your work through social media, but if I see that someone has clicked a link to an article 100 times in a minute I am going to obviously suspect foul play.

If you any questions email me at ahwupdate at gmail dot com. Don't forget our February contest is still open for submissions and I will be posting the first entry on Wednesday.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger on Amazing Stories and a volunteer editor for Alt Hist magazine. His fiction can be found at Echelon Press, Jake's Monthly and The Were-Traveler. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.