Roseate Mythos

The Roseate Mythos is the term for the fiction that arose from the concept of an interlinked fiction anthology. The essential concept was an anthology that, in the tradition of the Yellow Mythos, the Cthulhu Mythos, the Black and Red Mythos, Elric/Eternal Champion and Jerry Cornelius, uses interlinked names and terms to create a sense of something more than the whole.
The anthology itself has been trapped in 'production hell' for some time, but is coming... In the meantime, a couple of stories have appeared elsewhere...
== Published Stories ==
* Top Hat (Defenestrationism.net Flash Suite Contest 2024, Finalist, November 2023)
* A Bad Day For Mr Jolly (As Funny as a Heart Attack, 2021)
* Fear Maudlin Street (Sirens Call ezine issue 53, April 2021)
==General Guidelines==
General guidelines apply. We are primarily seeking fiction submissions are sought between 1000 and 4000 words, possibly as long as 7000. Flash fiction (under 1000 words) and poetry will also be considered for the anthology, but complimenary copies will not be available (unless multiple shorter pieces are accepted or they accompany a longer piece). First World Serial Rights and First Electronic Serial Rights are required (depending upon the publication timeframe, it may be possible to allow stories to be published elsewhere, please query).
===Deadline===
Closed, although a second anthology may open if the first is well received.
===Genre, Style and Theme===
Due to the nature of the anthology, any genre, style and theme of fiction will be accepted as long as they adhere to the rules in the following section. Stories may be literary, romance, magical realism, surrealism, fantasy, science fiction, horror, dark fantasy, weird fiction, humour or anything else you can come up with. Interpret the ideas however you wish!
===The Rules===
Every story submitted to the anthology must include one character name (as a character), one location (as a location), one of the Arc Words and one of the Phrases listed below. You may include more from any or all the categories, but at least one of each must be used. A note must be included stating which have been included in the story so that their inclusion can be verified.
Submissions shouldn't include overt elements of other such Mythoi - so no Cthulhu, King In Yellow, Jerry Cornelius, etc - although generic interpretations are allowable (so a Great Old One-like monstrosity is fine, Ghouls and Shoggoths are allowable, superheroes are okay, etc). Covert elements may be tolerated, but may be excised at the editor's whim. Elements from the author's own work may be included (so if you have a favourite character of your own invention you wish to include, that will be fine). The aim is to weave together a new Mythos, rather than weld it onto existing ideas.
===Copyright===
Writing a story or poem utilising these elements does not affect your copyright. If your work is published in the anthology, you retain your right to submit the piece elsewhere, with the proviso that Atlantean Publishing/DJ Tyrer retains the right to use your work in any future anthology or collection involving the interlinked Mythos (supplying a contributor's copy and/or payment).
If your work is not accepted for the anthology or the anthology is cancelled, your copyright is unaffected and you may freely submit your work elsewhere (and may declare that it was inspired by the interlinked Mythos).
===The Ur-Text===
Although we never managed to release an 'ur-text' example, there is now a piece of Roseate Mythos fiction available for you to read - Fear Maudlin Street in the Spring 2021 issue of Sirens Call ezine.
==The Lists==
As noted above, at least one example from each of the following lists must be included in the story, although multiple examples may be included if desired. Notes on usage follow each list.
===Character Names===
*Donald Tulloch
*Georgiana Fay
*Osric (any or no surname, or as surname)
*Osbertha (any or no surname, or as surname)
*Julianne (any or no surname, or as surname)
*Mr Jolly
These could be the protagonists or antagonists, minor characters or even just figures referenced in the story. Who they are, what they are like and when/where they live is entirely up to the author. They might even be pseudonyms. The only restriction is that the chosen name has to be a character (although others could be referenced as other things, eg Osric Hall or Mr Jolly as a cartoon character).
===Locations===
*Berlin
*The Astral Lounge
*Maudlin Street
*Church of St. Erkenwald
*42, Loxley Road
*The Ship of Fate
The chosen location has to be a location in some sense - they could be obvious (so Berlin is the city) or reinterpreted in some way (so Berlin is a nightclub or a spaceship and the Ship of Fate could be a pub). Others could be used as other things (so Berlin could also appear as a surname or Maudlin Street could be a company).
===Arc Words/Motifs===
*Verethan
*Jezin
*Apple Blossom
*Roseate Skies/Sky
*The Child in Mourning
*Amber Shore(s)
*Murky Water(s)
*Top Hat
*Leaden Seal
*The Bull
Arc words can be used literally (eg there is apple blossom on a tree or a person wearing a top hat), metaphorically (eg 'your beauty shall fade just as the apple blossom fades'), descriptively (eg 'her flushed cheeks were the colour of the roseate sky'), as a name/title for a person, place or item (eg a character known as The Bull) or in any other sense conceivable (eg Top Hat Records). Although the chosen arc word must be used as is (ie The Bull not a bull), they may additionally be alluded to (such as 'like a bull in a china shop' or words that sound similar to Verethan and Jezin).
The first two are intended to be vague names in the style of Hastur and Yhtill in the Yellow Mythos - they could be the name of a person, a place, an item, a god, a drug, a disease, a drink, a food, a concept, or anything else, or even left undefined.
===Phrases===
*"So, the worm turns and commences to devour itself."
*"I leave the truth of it for others to surmise."
*"Turn your face to the roseate skies of dawn."
*"Faith dies in the gutter of a cold and lonely street."
*"Trust is a virtue seldom afforded to those such as we."
The chosen phrase must appear as written, but others could be echoed with similar phrases or words. This is the most restrictive element, the idea being to repeat certain phrases between works. The chosen phrase must be spoken or seen written or recalled as a saying within the story (ie it cannot be used purely as metaphor, although others may be). Obviously, who says them, when they are uttered, the context and meaning are all up for interpretation (they might be significant, insignificant or even surreal). The presence of roseate skies in the third is intended to offer a further opportunity for echo and cannot be substituted for the arc words 'Roseate Skies' (you must still insert an arc word; you may choose 'roseate skies', but would have to use them elsewhere). A phrase may appear more than once, if appropriate.
Category:Submitting
Category:Planned publications
Category:Terms