Slapshots in Space & Magical Marathons Tyche Books

Cyborg curlers and centaur goal celebrations. Tennis teams traveling by stagecoach. Kayaking on Europa. Playoff magic that really is magic.

Slapshots in Space and Magical Marathons: A Speculative Sports Anthology (working title) invites contributors to re-examine sports through space opera, near- or far-future science fiction, alternative worlds, time travel, magical realism, fantasy, or other lenses that fall under the umbrella of speculative fiction. Steampunk, hopepunk, science gone bad, social commentary, or just plain laugh-out-loud fun—all of these and more are fair game.

Writers can (but are not required to) explore questions such as: Will future athletes be forced to accept invasive technologies in the name of better performance? In a dystopian world, how might sport be a beacon of hope? How might fantasy elements change the way we engage in, and with, sport?

Sports can be recreational or competitive, solo or teams, but for the purposes of this anthology we aren’t looking for stories and poems about board games, video games, etc. Any perspective (fan, athlete, coach, game official, broadcaster, etc.) is welcome. We welcome pieces that explore diverse perspectives, challenge the status quo, or have new takes on old tropes.

Submission period: July 1, 2026 to August 31, 2026. Submissions received before or after the open period will not be read.

Preferred writing styles: Humour is a bonus. Light or psychological horror will be an easier sell than blood-and-gore or outright violence. We will not accept pieces that promote or support racism, sexism, homophobia, or other forms of intolerance.

Length: Short stories: 1,000 to 5,000 words. Poetry: 60 lines maximum, or, in the case of prose poems, 1,000 words max.

Multiple submissions: Each author may submit one short story, OR a maximum of three poems, submitted in one file. In the event of multiple poetry submissions, we will publish only one poem from any given author.

Format: Standard manuscript format: .doc, .docx, or .rtf. Author’s name and contact information (email), as well as country of residence (Canadian or other) should appear in top left-hand corner of the first page. Fiction should be double-spaced using a standard font. Poetry submissions
should be single-spaced, with number of lines listed on the page. Spaces between stanzas do not count.

Canadian spelling preferred.

Reprints: Not accepted.

Payment: Minimum $50/story, flat rate. $20 per poem. Each author will also receive one print copy of the book. A Kickstarter will be used to support the publication of this book. If the Kickstarter reaches specific stretch goals, these amounts may increase.

AI: AI-generated works are not accepted. We value art and stories created by humans. Stories developed, written, or assisted by AI generative tools such as ChatGPT will be rejected. Any piece found to be AI-written will result in a breach of contract, should your piece be accepted.

Other notes:
Preference may be given to Canadian authors, though submissions are welcome from anywhere in the world.