When Mary Shelley wrote her Science Fiction masterpiece, Frankenstein, there was no intention of breaking ground into what would be one of the most ground-breaking genres of literature. It was a piece meant to warn mankind of the growing threat of what science could bring a man to do. Her piece was not Science Fiction; it was equally British and Georgian, but it was Romantic, as well.

Similarly, Jules Verne didn’t seek to write Science Fiction; he wanted to show the marvel that is science and how man could use it to better his lot in life. H. G. Wells wanted to delve into the mind of man and show the peculiar way in which we think. Many of his pieces are not even Science Fiction, but those that do cross that border into the genre are subtle. His aliens were never overt; his marvelous machines were never detailed. While in one respect, Verne was a man of technicalities and specifics, Wells was a writer for the common culture. Both, though, are grandfathers to the genre.

This tradition is what Staff & Starships seeks in its Science Fiction. We want stories that make us think and make us question the world around us and how we might affect it with the smallest things we do. Action stories are best suited for the screen; stories about characters are better suited for the page.

In the same vein, there is truly only one founding father of the Fantasy genre. As those before him may have written stories equally as fascinating or other-worldly as his, Tolkein was truly a master of creation. Inspired by myths and the fairy tales that abound in Europe and elsewhere, he was keen to write a story that took those elements and brought them into a world not too dissimilar from our own. It was a world where magic was laced within the fibers of the world, and man had charge of his own destiny.

Fantasies are breathtaking at times and frightening at others. They can be grand and epic, or they can be simple and solitary. There is a tradition that bred out of the master with stories like Conan and Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. These were stories of men taking the challenge of life and fashioning it as they saw fit.

This tradition is what Staffs & Starships wishes in Fantasy. Adventures and magic are what drive good Fantasy, but they don’t have to be in such abundance that there are no characters.

Overall, we want stories that don’t immediately strike us as being genre. Yes, there must be that element in them – you’re not trying to trick us – but we like to be surprised at times. The dichotomy that lies between Science Fiction and Fantasy Fiction may very well be evident in our publication, but it will show the beauty of each genre in its comparison.

Staffs & Starships Magazine is focused on literary quality speculative fiction. We hope to gather together pieces that raise a question - pieces that hark back to an era when speculative fiction really meant speculating or postulating on some aspect of the world around them in a way that made the reader question themselves.

Here’s what we don't want:

1. No space opera - It's too cinematic
2. No cyber punk - Gibson already perfected that
3. No urban fantasy - We like our Fantasy in other worlds
4. No horror, no supernatural, no psychological thriller - They just don't fit with our general concept

Here’s what we want:

1. Fiction of literary quality that leans towards the traditional
2. Fiction with strong characters and sound plots
3. Fiction that raises a question – whether explicit or implicit

We don't discourage the odd story or the uniquely intriguing. We want stories that make us read; we want stories that keep our interest.

Please have a look at our Guidelines for full details. If you have any questions about Staffs & Starships or Sheer Speculation Press, please contact the editor.