About SF Caledonia

A Shoreline of Infinity Project

SF Caledonia is a free online magazine and resource of short stories written by Scottish SF writers.

The aim is to be a space for Scotland to show off its talented community of science fiction/ speculative fiction/fantasy writers to the world – and beyond.

SF Caledonia publishes short stories by Scottish writers. In this phase we publish fiction and poetry previously published in professional publications, print or digital.

We publishing online  on a regular basis, usually the first and third Friday of each month. Alongside the story we publish a short biography of the writer, with links for more information about the writer and their publications.

In time, we will establish an entertaining showcase of Scottish SF writings and a live database of Scottish SF writers, past and present. Once a year we will gather a selection of stories published online and release a print anthology. We have already published SF Caledonia Anthology One (available via Shoreline of Infinity website)

Who is behind SF Caledonia? 

The Founder and Editor is Noel Chidwick, co-founder and Editor Emeritus of Shoreline of Infinity. He can be contacted at noel@shorelineofinfinity.com Crumbs, he needs something to do to keep him occupied now.

SF Caledonia Origin Story

From the start, we were keen to ensure that Shoreline of Infinity published Scottish writers. Over the years we were consistently impressed by the quality of the stories we were sent. We also noticed an increase in submissions by new writers. We also run an occasional series in Shoreline called – SF Caledonia. In this series, started by the journalist and writer Paul Cockburn, we explored Scottish SF writers of the past. Paul started the series off with John Buchan. The series continued under the editorship of Monica Burns, who uncovered a whole raft of Scottish SF writers – some are lesser known, and others a surprise. Latterly, we also covered contemporary SF writers, including Ken MacLeod, Callum McSorely and L R Lam for starters.

This incarnation of SF Caledonia is an extension of that, and SF Caledonia will run alongside Shoreline of Infinity Science Fiction Magazine. We feel it’s time that Scottish SF had a place to call home, and be open to visitors from everywhere who are interested in Scottish SF. And to be clear, we are looking for Scottish writers, no matter where they are based.

Who is eligible for SF Caledonia?

Scottish writers who have published science fiction, fantasy or speculative fiction

Who is a Scottish Writer?

We are using the same criteria as we choose for the Cymera/ Shoreline of Infinity short story competition, namely, if you match any one of:

  1. You were born in Scotland
  2. You currently live in Scotland
  3. One or both or your parents were born in Scotland
  4. One or more of your grandparents were born in Scotland
  5. You were resident in Scotland for at least six months

You are Scottish.

Which Genres?

We are looking for Scottish writers/poets of:

  • Science fiction
  • Fantasy
  • Speculative fiction

Or similar

Can I nominate a writer for SF Caledonia?

Of course! There’s a form for you: Nominate a Scottish Writer.

We’re looking for writers who have been published somewhere in the world, at any time. By ‘published’ we mean:

  • Published by a fee-paying publisher
  • Published in a reputable publication, magazine, journal or anthology

Please note: we will consider writers who have self-published – in print or digital formats – or only published on a website, but we will reject any work suggested if it doesn’t meet the standard we require.

If we accept the nomination, we will contact the writer, and ask them to provide a suitable sample of their work to publish on SF Caledonia. We will also ask them to provide a short biography, public contacts details (web, social media) and links to where readers can buy their works. This will be posted alongside their piece, and be searchable through the website.

We would love to see contributions in any of the Scottish languages and dialects.

Yes, you can self-nominate

But do consider what we say above.

Funding and Support

SF Caledonia is self-funded from the off. We will be asking for donations to support the project, and the funding will be used to increase the number of stories published, cover the costs of technology and website maintenance, and also increase the fees paid for content. We will also be submitting funding applications as appropriate.We may look at models such as subscription or membership.

Volunteers

SF Caledonia is purely volunteer driven. If you are interested in helping in any capacity, contact the Editor, Noel Chidwick at noel@sfcaledonia.scot.
Support from students and post-graduates welcomed.

Ideas and Suggestions

SF Caledonia is a new model, and we are looking for ideas and suggestions on how to develop it. Do get in touch with your thoughts (especially if you are in a position to help develop your suggestion!).

Let us know via our Contact Form.