Clan Destine Press

An independent Australian publisher
specialising in genre fiction

In a fit of lunacy we decided to invite members of our Clan
and a host of other Aussie and Kiwi genre writers
to play in our first adventure anthology sandpit.

And Then... 

the Great Big Book of Awesome Adventure Tales

will be just that – a great big book of cross-genre adventure stories.

We asked the writers to gird the loins of not one, but two heroes.

And then... 

Slap on their white hats – or their black hats or purple turbans; and heft their sword, buckle their swash, or lock&load their explodey things.

And then... 

Raise sails, stoke engines, calibrate warp drives, fuel rockets, saddle horses 
(or camels or alpacas) or dial time machines – in search of adventure.

We asked for stories of 5k to 15k words in any genre or mix of genres; there had
to be 'something' Australian' (or New Zealandy) about the story or its characters,
and it had to be page-turning action. 

Ideally we want to uncover latent passion or nurture an addiction 
for writing cliffhanging adventure tales because – apart from publishing
a kickarse action-packed collection of wonder-filled tales with fabulous
heroes – we are hoping that some authors might be inclined to develop
their characters into an ongoing series of novellas.

What We Have 

You may have noticed that the upper limit of our word count is
15k - that's 15,000 / fifteen thousand - words.

Our (lunatic) reasoning for this was manifold: the stories could be longer, meaning more adventure; the writers could have space to better develop their characters; the book itself really could be a Great Big Book of Awesome!

Mostly, however, it was because the Publisher of Clan Destine Press is a novelist
and can't write a short story to 'save her life'.
She figured many of the other novelists being invited
might be of the same inclination.

We have already accepted submissions from 26 authors.

There are more authors in our inbox awaiting selection.

Who We Have

Alan Baxter

Alan lives among dairy paddocks on the beautiful south coast of NSW where he writes dark fantasy, horror and sci-fi, rides a motorcycle and loves his dog.
He's the author of the Alex Caine series, Bound, Obsidian and Abduction.
He also teaches Kung Fu.   www.warriorscribe.com.

Amanda Pillar

Amanda, an archaeologist by day, lives in Victoria with her husband, and cats Saxon and Lilith. She’s had several short stories published and has co-edited fiction anthologies. Her first novel, Graced, was published in 2015; and the sequel to her first solo anthology, Bloodstones, is due out shortly.

Amanda Wrangles

Amanda bakes cupcakes, writes book reviews and web content; and is currently writing a sci‑fi novel. Her short story 'Plotting Jasper' was published in Crime Factory's Hard Labour; and she won the 2009 Scarlet Stiletto Award with
'Persia Bloom' (in CDP's The Second Cut). Her first novel – a fantastical and sexy comedy – Arrabella Candellarbra & the Questy Thing to End All Questy Things,
was co‑written with Kylie Fox (as A.K. Wrox). 

Andrew Nette

Andrew is a Melbourne crime writer and journalist whose short fiction has appeared in print and on-line. His debut crime novel, Ghost Money, is set in mid-90s Cambodia. Andrew is co-editor of the upcoming Beat Girls, Love Tribes and Real Cool Cats: Pulp Fiction and Youth Culture, 1950 - 1980. www.pulpcurry.com

Dan Rabarts

Dan was the recipient of New Zealand’s 2013 Sir Julius Vogel Award
for Best New Talent. With Lee Murray he co-edited  the multi-award-winning
flash horror anthology Baby Teeth – Bite-sized Tales of Terror; and his
short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies, 
magazines, ezines and podcasts.
www.danrabarts.com

James Hopwood

James Hopwood is the author of retro-spy thrillers, The Librio Defection and
 The Danakil Deception. His short fiction has appeared in several publications. As Jack Tunney, he’s also scribed the Fight Card series: King of the Outback, Rumble in the Jungle and The Iron Fists of Ned Kelly.

David Greagg & Kerry Greenwood  

Kerry and David are a gestalt entity who read each other’s minds and cover each other’s linguistic and musical omissions. She does romance languages while he does Germanic and weird tongues; and she sings soprano so he doesn’t have to. She costumes and makes stuff, while he wears armour and hits people with sticks. They were raised in the forest by benevolent wood-elves and are co-curators
of a Found Cats’ Home. They both write, and finish each other’s sentences.
Kerry is the creator of the Phryne Fisher series;
and for CDP is the author of the ancient history novels Out of the Black Land,
and The Delphic Women trilogy: Medea, Cassandra and Electra.
David writes about Vikings; and gentlemen cats, Dougal’s Diary, 
When We Were Kittens, and Sanctuary.

Emilie Collyer

Emilie writes fiction, plays and poetry. She’s twice won the Cross Genre category in the Scarlet Stiletto crime writing awards; has stories in Allegory and Cosmic Vegetable; and has won awards for her sci-fi play The Good Girl. Emilie has two collections of short fiction, A Clean Job and Autopsy of a Comedian, published with the imprint Clan Destine Fictions. www.betweenthecracks.net.

Fin J Ross

Fin, journalist and creative writing teacher, also runs a cattery. She is the co-author of the true crime anthologies Killer in the Family and Murder in the Family. She’s the author of AKA Fudgepuddle, the ‘true-life’ adventures of a cat called Juno.  
Recently side-tracked into writing crime fiction, she won two prizes
 in the 2014 Scarlet Stiletto Awards.

Jack Dann

Jack is a multi-award winning author and editor of over 75 books, including the international bestsellers The Memory Cathedral and The Silent. Other collections include Promised Land, Timetipping, Visitations and The Fiction Factory.
He is co-editor, with Janeen Webb, of Dreaming Down-Under, which won the World Fantasy Award; and editor of its sequel Dreaming Again. Satalyte has just released a new edition of The Rebel. Jack lives on a farm overlooking the sea. www.jackdann.com

Jason Franks

Jason is the author of the occult rock'n'roll novel Bloody Waters, and writer of graphic novels and comic books, including The Sixsmiths and Left Hand Path. His short fiction has been published in Aurealis, Midnight Echo, After the World, and more. He’s twice been short-listed for an Aurealis Award.  www.jasonfranks.com

Jason Nahrung

Jason grew up on a Queensland cattle property but now lives in Ballarat with his author-wife Kirstyn McDermott. His passion for B-grade horror films is reflected
 in his gothic fiction, The Darkness Within and Salvage; and the outback vampire duology Blood and Dust and The Big Smoke (Clan Destine Press).
www.jasonnahrung.com.

Kat Clay

Kat is a Melbourne writer and photographer whose non-fiction articles have appeared in numerous travel magazines and academic journals.
In 2015, Kat was awarded a Melbourne UNESCO City of Literature Travel Grant,
and also released her first crime novella Double Exposure.

Keith McArdle

Keith grew up reading action thrillers. As a former soldier in the Australian Army, he’s seen active service in the Iraq theatre of war, East Timor and Afghanistan. Keith’s the author of The Reckoning: The Day Australia Fell ,
The Forgotten Land, Assassin and Against the Odds.

Kelly Gardiner

Kelly’s Young Adult novels, Act of Faith and The Sultan’s Eyes, were shortlisted
for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards.
Her books for young readers  include the 'Swashbuckler' pirate adventures,
and the picture book, Billabong Bill's Bushfire Christmas.
Her latest novel, Goddess, is for adults and is based on the life of
 17th century French swordswoman Mademoiselle de Maupin.

Lindy Cameron

Lindy is a National Co-Convenor of Sisters in Crime Australia
and the Publisher of Clan Destine Press.
She's the author of the Kit O’Malley PI novels – Blood Guilt, Bleeding Hearts and Thicker Than Water; the action thriller Redback; the mystery Golden Relic:
and the sci-fi (15k  short story)  Feedback.
She also co-wrote the true crime anthologies Killer in the Family,
Murder in the Family, and Women Who Kill.
She’s currently writing historical fiction featuring time travel,
archaeology and Amazons.
  www.clandestinepress.com.au

Maria Lewis

Maria’s articles have appeared in the New York Post, The Daily Mail and more.
She produced the Eff Yeah Film & Feminism podcast; and wrote and produced George Miller’s documentary Justice League Mortal.
Her debut novel Who’s Afraid? is due for release in 2016.

Mary Borsellino

Mary lives in Melbourne, has lots of tattoos and writes dark YA and adult supernatural/fantasy. She’s author of the YA adventure Thrive, with Clan Destine Press; the five-book The Wolf House series; The Devil's Mixtape;
and CDP's erotic stories Loveless, Min Min Lights, Vanilla and Table for Three.

Michael Pryor

Michael writes fantasy and science fiction, mostly for teenagers. With more than 30 novels and 50-something short stories published, he’s been shortlisted six times for the Aurealis Award, and seven of his books have been CBCA Notable books.  www.michaelpryor.com.au.

Narrelle M Harris

Narrelle is an award-winning Melbourne writer whose books include: Fly by Night, Witch Honour, Witch Faith, The Opposite of Life and Walking Shadows.
She's also written the Holmes/Watson romance, The Adventure of the Colonial Boy, due out in 2016; and the CDP erotic romances Talbott and Burns:
Hammer and Tongue; and Secret Agents, Secret Lives.
www.mortalwords.com.au

Sarah Evans

Sarah writes crime, romance, horror and fantasy. She’s published novels, short stories (some broadcast on ABC Radio), songs and poetry, and a lifestyle-recipe book. With CDP Fictions, she’s published Call of the Wild, Killing Kindness and
New Blood. Sarah teaches creative writing and edits children’s books.
Her latest crime novel (with CDP)  is Operation Paradise.

Sophie Masson

Sophie is an award-winning author of more than 60 books for children, young adults and adults. Her most recent novels are the adult thriller, Trinity: The False Prince, and 2015 YA fantasy Hunter's Moon.

Peter M. Ball

 Peter is the author of Horn, Bleed, and the Flotsam novella series.
He's had short stories in Apex Magazine, Eclipse 4, and Daily Science Fiction.  
Peter is also seriously responsible for GenreCon – Australia's fabulous
cross-genre convention, this year being held in Brisbane at the end of October.
 www.petermball.com

Tansy Rayner Roberts

Tansy, Australian sci-fi and fantasy author, and Hugo Award winning blogger
and podcaster (Galactic Suburbia) also writes crime fiction as Livia Day.
Her latest short fiction is Fake Geek Girl; and her serialised novel,
 Musketeer Space, is free on her blog.
http://tansyrr.com

Tor Roxburgh

Tor currently writes speculative fiction. She’s written 15 books, the latest an epic fantasy, The Light Heart of Stone; and also 12 teen romances and two non‑fiction titles. When avoiding writing, Tor runs an arts-focused homewares business, Omnibus Art Gallery, where she sells up-cycled and re-upholstered furniture.

More authors to come.

And here they are...

Alison Goodman

Alison is the author of bestselling fantasy duology, Eon and Eona; the crime novel, A New Kind of Death; and the Aurealis Award-winning Singing the Dogstar Blues (Best YA novel). Eon also won an Aurealis for Best Fantasy Novel. Alison has been having far too much fun researching 1812 England for her new trilogy featuring Lady Helen. The first book, The Dark Days Club, is out in Australia in December 2015; and the USA and UK in January 2016. www.darkdaysclub.com

 Sulari Gentill

Sulari is the author of the Hero Trilogy, a YA retelling of The Odyssey; and the awarding-winning Rowland Sinclair mystery series, of which the seventh novel, Give the Devil His Due, has just been released. Sulari lives in her pyjamas in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains where she refers to her writing as ‘work’ so that no one will suggest she get a real job.

Lucy Sussex

Lucy was born in New Zealand but now lives in Melbourne. She has published widely; edited five anthologies, written five short story collections, and the award-winning neo-Victorian novel, The Scarlet Rider. Her latest book. Blockbuster: Fergus Hume and the Mystery of a Hansom Cab, won the 2015 Victorian Community History Award.

Cameron Ashley

Cam is the chief editor of Crime Factory (thecrimefactory.com). His articles, interviews and fiction have appeared in numerous places both online and in print. He currently writes a weekly column for Eisner award winning retailer, All Star Comics and is at work on several fiction projects.

Dr Evelyn Tsitas

What We Need

Most of the so-far accepted manuscripts have come in around 
the 10k to 15k – which is great; it's what we wanted...
but now we need to pay everyone. 

The rate we offered was 5 cents per word. That's a lot of little coins for so many fabulous writers who've flung almost-novella-length adventures at us.

It also means that:  

And Then... the great big book of awesome

will probably have to be a two-volume publication.

Which is truly awesome... but we still need to pay everyone.

So, what we need is to raise the funds to pay the contributors.

Each author will also be given an illustrated title page of their very own.

That means we also need to pay an illustrator.

Our illustrator is Vicky Pratt

www.vicpratt.wix.com/vickypratt 

The pencil drawing below 
is the first of our title page illustrations
It's for Come Now, Traveller by Amanda Wrangles..

Everything else – editing, proofing, design & layout, printing – gets done
(as per usual) from the Clan Destine coffers.

So we need $18,000 to cover writers' fees and illustrations

That's where you all come in.

What you get

We have a range of funding levels with a host of perks that go with each.

You all get something for the something you contribute,
depending on the level you opt into. The somethings could be:

* a thank you on our website 
* the eBooks of And Then... 
* the paperbacks of And Then... 
 * eBooks/paperbacks of other Clan Destine Press titles 

* a scene of your own genre fiction critiqued by one of the anthology authors... 

To the Grand Poobah of perks:

* the limited-edition hardcovers of And Then...

Getting the word out

If you can't afford any of the levels but would still like to help get
this Great Big Book of Awesome on the road then feel free
to share our campaign all over social media.
The more mentions, shares, likes and tweets we get, the better.

Visit Clan Destine Press

www.clandestinepress.com.au