Call for erotic fairy tales

If you've ever fancied having a go at writing a fairy story, you might be interested to know that Circlet Press is looking for submissions of fairy tales for publication.

And "submission" is definitely an appropriate word, because the publisher is looking for erotic tales with a BDSM twist, as well as gay, lesbian and bisexual stories.

The idea of gay, lesbian or S&M sex as a theme for fairy tales might not be as unusual as it first appears. According to David Boyle who talked about fairy superstitions at the South East London Folklore Society earlier this year, many fairy stories are really about love outside social norms. He said: "Fairies are the ultimate outsiders and so are a way of talking about all things forbidden."

One of my favourite fairy stories is Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti. On the surface, it is about two sisters tempted to buy cursed pomegranates, grapes and suchlike offered by goblin men, yet this is symbolic of the forbidden fruit of sex. And with one sister saying to the other, "Never mind my bruises, hug me, kiss me, suck my juices", you can certainly see a suggestion of incestuous lesbian BDSM.

Circlet Press, however, is looking for more than erotic allegory. Its guidelines for the kind of tales it is looking for states: "Fresh and direct language is preferred to overly euphemistic."

You can enter under three categories:
Like a Queen: gay and lesbian fairy tales
Like A Thorn: BDSM fairy tales
Like Twin Stars: bisexual-themed erotic sf/fantasy

Stories must be original and between 3,000 and 7,000 words. The closing date is July 7.

You can find out more details about Circlet Press and its call for erotic fairy tales at http://www.circlet.com/?p=243

The picture above is from an edition of Goblin Market published by Macmillan & Co in 1865.

Links:
http://www.circlet.com/?p=243
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/02/fairy-tales.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/10/faerie-book-by-samantha-gray.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/02/fairytale-tarot.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/03/david-boyle-on-fairy-superstitions-at.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/03/oberon-bad-witchs-god-of-week.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/04/fantasy-puts-stamp-on-royal-mail.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/04/enchanted-faerie-fantasy-art-of-linda.html
http://wikis.lib.ncsu.edu/index.php/ENG_463_Christina_Rossetti
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wLMDAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Goblin+market&ei=7mAzSpfFB4eyyQTx5IH1BQ#PPP7,M1