People of Colo(u)r Destroy Science Fiction! is saying, “We’re here. We have always been here. And we are very, very excited to show it.”

What does it mean, for you, yes, you—the reader, the avid science fiction fan, purveyor of the imaginative even when faced by the banality of a day-to-day life—to support a publication that is colored, and we mean, like really, really colored, by the nuances of culture, race, and history? For one, you get to read something that would dispel the notion of POC-penned science fiction as somewhat inferior science fiction. We will work very hard to come up with a lineup that will counter this assumption, and we will succeed in doing so.

We believe in science fiction’s transformative powers, its ability to remedy the dreariness of our lives. People of Colo(u)r Destroy Science Fiction! will exist, with your kind help, of course, to relieve a brokenness we’ve enabled time and time again by favoring certain voices and portrayals of particular characters. We won’t harangue you with guilt trips involving the importance of openly listening to the assimilated, the colonized, the misappropriated. That’s just not how we roll. What we aim to do, instead, is to challenge you: Join us because it is fun to do so. We don’t mean fun as a vehicle for trivializing centuries of injustice that resulted in the lack of representation for certain groups of people because power structures were skewed heavily in favor of a chosen few. We mean fun as the satisfaction we get in those light-bulb-in-the-head moments of our lives, the satisfaction we get from meaningful conversations that lend clarity, the satisfaction we get when we move past those feel-good-driven acts of tokenism, the satisfaction we get when we read stories that have palpable artistic and intellectual values that speak of our present time and most of all, our future.

As we said in our submission call, we will not be asking writers who submit stories to tell us what makes them “people of colo(u)r.” We leave that up to your world experience, your conscience, your sense of community, and your sense of fair play. And like the other hugely successful initiatives of Lightspeed’s Destroy series, People of Colo(u)r Destroy Science Fiction! is saying, “We’re here. We have always been here. And we are very, very excited to show it.”

Join us by supporting our Kickstarter.

P.S. If you’re excited too, and not just in the I GOTTA HAVE THIS THING sort of way but in the I GOTTA BE PART OF THIS kind of way, good news! If you write fiction, we’re currently open to submissions for the issue. If you don’t write fiction, or even if you do, but you want to help out in some other way, the best thing you can do is help spread the word about this campaign. And if you have other ways you’d like to help, we’re happy to listen!

We’ll publish the special issue whether the campaign is successful or not, but the campaign will determine how big and awesome we make the issue. If we raise just $5000, we’ll be able to make the special issue a special double-sized issue,and if we raise even more than that, we have a few really excellent stretch goals lined up as well.

In 2014, we conducted a successful campaign to fund our first special issue, Women Destroy Science Fiction!, which ended up raising more than 1000% of our original goal, and unlocked additional special issues Women Destroy Horror! and Women Destroy Fantasy!

In 2015, we conducted another successful campaign to fund Queers Destroy Science Fiction!. It performed similarly to WDSF, raising more than 1000% of our goal, and unlocked additional special issues Queers Destroy Horror! and Queers Destroy Fantasy!

A regular issue of LIGHTSPEED contains an equal mix of science fiction and fantasy short fiction, consisting of 4 original stories, 4 reprints, plus a novella reprint (exclusive to our ebook edition). Each issue also includes a feature interview, a book review column, a media review column, and spotlights on the authors who appear in the issue.

The special issue will contain the following:

• All science fiction (no fantasy)
• 5 original, never-before-published short stories
• About 5,000 words of original flash fiction (about 5 flash stories)
• 2 previously-published short stories
• 1 previously-published novella
• Author Spotlights on our authors in this issue
• Assorted nonfiction features
• An original cover illustration

If we successfully fund, the special DOUBLE issue will contain the following additional material:

• 5 additional original, never-before-published short stories (for a total of 10)
• About 5,000 additional words of original flash fiction (for a total of about 10 flash stories)
• 2 additional previously-published short stories (for a total of 4)
• Author Spotlights on the additional authors
• Even more assorted nonfiction features
• Plus, if we unlock one of our stretch goals, the issue will include additional material as well.

And naturally, all of the above will all be authored entirely by POC creators.

For this special issue, control of the magazine has been handed over to a talented team of POC creators:

Nalo Hopkinson, Co-Editor-in-Chief/Original Fiction Editor

Nalo Hopkinson is a Jamaican-born Canadian whose taproots extend to Trinidad and Guyana. She has published numerous novels and short stories, and has edited and co-edited anthologies, including Whispers From the Cotton Tree Root: Caribbean Fabulist Fiction, andMojo: Conjure Stories. Her writing has received the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, the Locus Award, the World Fantasy Award, the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic, and the Andre Norton Award. Hopkinson is a professor of Creative Writing at the University of California, Riverside. She has taught at both the Clarion Writers’ Workshop and the Clarion West Writers’ Workshop. Hopkinson’s short story collection Falling in Love With Hominids was published in 2015 by Tachyon Books. Learn more atnalohopkinson.com.

Kristine Ong Muslim, Co-Editor-in-Chief/Original Fiction Editor

Kristine Ong Muslim is the author of We Bury the Landscape (Queen’s Ferry Press, 2012), Grim Series (Popcorn Press, 2012), and A Roomful of Machines (ELJ Publications, 2015). Her forthcoming books include the short story collection Age of Blight (Unnamed Press, 2016) and two poetry collections from university presses in the Philippines. Her stories appeared in One Buck Horror, Confrontation Magazine, The State, and elsewhere. She lives in southern Philippines and serves as poetry editor of LONTAR: The Journal of Southeast Asian Speculative Fiction, a literary journal published by Epigram Books in Singapore. Learn more atkristinemuslim.weebly.com.

Nisi Shawl, Reprint Editor

Nisi Shawl is a founder of the Carl Brandon Society and a member of Clarion West’s Board of Directors. Since its 2011 inception she has edited reviews for feminist literary quarterly The Cascadia Subduction Zone. Books Shawl has edited include Bloodchildren: Stories by the Octavia E. Butler Scholars; and WisCon Chronicles 5: Writing and Racial Identity; she also co-edited Strange Matings: Science Fiction, Feminism, African American Voices, and Octavia E. Butler; and Stories for Chip: A Tribute to Samuel R. Delany. With Cynthia Ward she coauthored 2005 Tiptree Longlist book Writing the Other: A Practical Approach. Her story collection Filter House co-won the 2009 Tiptree Award. Shawl’s Belgian Congo steampunk novel Everfair is due out from Tor in September 2016.

Berit Ellingsen, Flash Fiction Editor

Berit Ellingsen’s novel Not Dark Yet was published by Two Dollar Radio in November 2015. Berit is the author of the short story collection Beneath the Liquid Skin (firthFORTH Books) and the novel Une Ville Vide (PublieMonde), with work in W.W. Norton’s Flash Fiction International, SmokeLong Quarterly, Unstuck, The Humanity of Monsters, and other places. Berit’s stories have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and the British Science Fiction Association Award. The author divides time between Norway and Svalbard in the Arctic, and is a member of the Norwegian Authors’ Union. Learn more at beritellingsen.com.

Sunil Patel, Personal Essays Editor

Sunil Patel is a Bay Area fiction writer and playwright who has written about everything from ghostly cows to talking beer. His plays have been performed at San Francisco Theater Pub and San Francisco Olympians Festival, and his fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in Fireside Magazine, Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, Flash Fiction Online, The Book Smugglers, Fantastic Stories of the Imagination, and Asimov’s Science Fiction, among others. Plus he reviews books for Lightspeed and is Assistant Editor of Mothership Zeta. His favorite things to consume include nachos, milkshakes, and narrative. Find out more atghostwritingcow.com, where you can watch his plays, or follow him @ghostwritingcow. His Twitter has been described as “engaging,” “exclamatory,” and “crispy, crunchy, peanut buttery.”

Grace Dillon, Nonfiction Editor

Grace L. Dillon is an Associate Professor in the Indigenous Nations Studies Program at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. Her PhD is in literary studies with emphasis on sixteenth century (early modern) literature, while her current research focuses on science fiction studies. She is the editor of Walking the Clouds: An Anthology of Indigenous Science Fiction(University of Arizona Press, 2012) and Hive of Dreams: Contemporary Science Fiction from the Pacific Northwest (Oregon State University Press, 2003).

LIGHTSPEED (lightspeedmagazine.com) is a digital science fiction and fantasy magazine. In its pages, you will find science fiction: from near-future, sociological soft SF, to far-future, star-spanning hard SF—and fantasy: from epic fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, and contemporary urban tales, to magical realism, science-fantasy, and folktales. When you read LIGHTSPEED, it is our hope that you’ll see where science fiction and fantasy comes from, where it is now, and where it’s going.

LIGHTSPEED is a two-time winner of the Hugo Award, and stories from LIGHTSPEED have been nominated for the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, the Theodore Sturgeon Award, and the World Fantasy Award. Previously, we crowdfunded our two other “Destroy” special issues: In 2014, we published Women Destroy Science Fiction!, which was named one of NPR’s best books of 2014 and won the British Fantasy Award; and in 2015, we published Queers Destroy Science Fiction!, which received similar acclaim.

When not doing special issues devoted to destroying science fiction, LIGHTSPEED is usually edited by bestselling anthologist John Joseph Adams, editor of anthologies such asWastelands, The Living Dead, and Brave New Worlds, and series editor of Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy.

All of the money raised by this project will be used to fund the publication of the POC Destroy Science Fiction! special issue and related stretch goals. Anything leftover after that will go toward the production of future issues of LIGHTSPEED.

You’ll find our various reward options in a column on the right side of this page (PC/Mac) or on a separate page (iOS/Android). Below are some explanations and clarifications of our various reward options.

• All backers who pledge at least $5 (the DESTROY SF! reward level) will receive an ebook copy of the LIGHTSPEED POC Destroy Science Fiction! special issue. The special issue will be available in June 2016.
• All ebook rewards, including ebook subscriptions, will be made available DRM-free in epub, mobi, and PDF format via our ebookstore. Mobi is primarily for Kindle/Kindle app users; Epub works on lots of things, such as Nook, Kobo, and iBooks.
• If you select one of the subscription rewards, your subscription will begin with the June 2016 issue.
• Since all of the subscription rewards include the DESTROY SF! reward, the POCDSF special issue won’t count against your subscription; so if you buy a one-year subscription, you’ll really be getting 13 issues, rather than 12, etc.
• If you are an EXISTING SUBSCRIBER: If you choose one of the subscription rewards, we’ll just extend your current subscription by the specified term (i.e., by 1 year, 2 years, etc.). Note: We can only do this for subscribers who subscribe directly via the LIGHTSPEED store or via Weightless Books; unfortunately we can’t offer to extend subscriptions for Kindle Periodicals subscribers. When we send out the Kickstarter survey after the campaign concludes, we’ll ask you which store your subscription is currently with and renew it accordingly.
• If you want the DESTROY PRINT reward, but also want to back at a higher tier, we also have options for that. Just look for the rewards that have PRINT in the titles.
• To our international backers who want the DESTROY PRINT! reward—we apologize for the stiff fee ($20) for international shipping, but that’s what it costs, unfortunately! The print edition will likely be between 1-2 lbs., which means the shipping will be $18+, so we rounded that up to $20 for the “handling” part of “shipping and handling.”
• PREMIUM REWARD – Video Chats: Chats can be about whatever you want (within reason!) in connection with the theme of the project. So that includes the business of writing and publishing, science fiction/fantasy in general, POC SF/F specifically, etc. But if you just want to squee about your mutual interests, that’s okay too!

In the event we massively exceed our goal, we’d like to thank our backers by offering the following stretch goals:

$10,000 – Essays & Artwork Booster – UNLOCKED!

The Personal Essays we’re posting on Kickstarter throughout the campaign will also be included in the issue, and we’ll double the number of stories illustrated in the issue from four to eight.

$15,000 – Destroy/Subscriptions Booster – UNLOCKED!

If you chose a LIGHTSPEED subscription reward, you’ll get LIGHTSPEED issues #1-73 (including the POC Destroy Science Fiction! issue), and your subscription will begin with #74 (July 2016). If you already have issues #1-73, we will substitute FANTASY issues #1-59.

If you chose a NIGHTMARE subscription reward, you’ll get access to NIGHTMARE issues #1-45, and your subscription will begin with #46 (July 2016). If you already have issues #1-45, we will substitute FANTASY issues #1-59.

All other reward tiers will get 3 additional back issues of LIGHTSPEED (for a total of 6), plus 3 back issues of NIGHTMARE and 3 back issues of FANTASY.

$20,000 – JJA POC Sampler

LIGHTSPEED publisher John Joseph Adams will assemble an ebook sampler of POC-authored stories previously selected for publication in his many projects. Everyone who pledges at least $5 will receive an ebook of this additional reward. It will be like a short anthology (about 50K words; about half the size of a normal anthology). All backers who pledge at least $5 will receive this reward. [Estimated delivery: Jun. 2016]

$25,000 – Podcasts Booster

We normally podcast 4 (out of 8) stories we publish on our website each month. If we reach this stretch goal, we’ll podcast all 7 short stories we publish on the website, plus one of the flash fiction pieces. [Estimated delivery: Jun. 2016]

$30,000 – POC Destroy Horror!

We’ll publish an additional special issue, POC Destroy Horror! Everyone who pledges at least $5 will receive an ebook of this additional reward. It will be published as a special issue of our sister-magazine, NIGHTMARE. All backers who pledge at least $5 will receive this reward. [Estimated delivery: Oct. 2016]

$40,000 – POC Destroy Fantasy!

We’ll publish an additional special issue, POC Destroy Fantasy! Everyone who pledges at least $5 will receive an ebook of this additional reward. It will be published as a special issue of our sister-magazine, FANTASY. FANTASY merged with LIGHTSPEED in 2012, but we’ll revive it for this one special issue. All backers who pledge at least $5 will receive this reward. [Estimated delivery: Dec. 2016]

$50,000 – JJA POC Anthology Booster

We’ll make the JJA POC Sampler (the $20K stretch goal) into a full-sized anthology (about 100K words, about 20-25 stories). Everyone who pledges at least $5 will receive an ebook of this additional reward. All backers who pledge at least $5 will receive this reward. [Estimated delivery: Jun. 2016]

To add an add-on to your pledge, click the “Manage Your Pledge” button, then increase your pledge by the relevant amount.

There’s no way to tell us NOW which add-ons you want (an unfortunate limitation of Kickstarter), so we’ll get that information from you during the Kickstarter survey process after the campaign is over. Basically we’ll send out the surveys and ask if you added any add-ons to your pledge, and then we’ll cross-reference everything with the pledge data.

Sound complicated? It is! But it’s the only way to offer the full array of options our backers have previously requested during our other campaigns.

Add-On Selections

Note: All of the trade paperback rewards listed below INCLUDE the shipping price. Also note the price difference for US pledges vs. international pledges (due to international shipping costs).

POC Destroy Add-Ons

• Pledge $28 Extra (per copy) – POC Destroy Science Fiction! special issue LIMITED EDITION in trade paperback ($5 US shipping included).
• Pledge $43 Extra (per copy) – POC Destroy Science Fiction! special issue LIMITED EDITION in trade paperback ($20 International shipping included)
• Pledge $17 Extra (per copy) – POC Destroy Horror! special issue in trade paperback ($5 US shipping included) [Pending Stretch Goal Being Unlocked]
• Pledge $32 Extra (per copy) – POC Destroy Horror! special issue in trade paperback ($20 International shipping included) [Pending Stretch Goal Being Unlocked]
• Pledge $17 Extra (per copy) – POC Destroy Fantasy! special issue in trade paperback ($5 US shipping included) [Pending Stretch Goal Being Unlocked]
• Pledge $32 Extra (per copy) – POC Destroy Fantasy! special issue in trade paperback ($20 International shipping included) [Pending Stretch Goal Being Unlocked]

Queers Destroy Add-Ons

• Pledge $28 Extra (per copy) – Queers Destroy Science Fiction! special issue LIMITED EDITION in trade paperback ($5 US shipping included).
• Pledge $43 Extra (per copy) – Queers Destroy Science Fiction! special issue LIMITED EDITION in trade paperback ($20 International shipping included)
• Pledge $17 Extra (per copy) – Queers Destroy Horror! special issue in trade paperback ($5 US shipping included)
• Pledge $32 Extra (per copy) – Queers Destroy Horror! special issue in trade paperback ($20 International shipping included)
• Pledge $17 Extra (per copy) – Queers Destroy Fantasy! special issue in trade paperback ($5 US shipping included)
• Pledge $32 Extra (per copy) – Queers Destroy Fantasy! special issue in trade paperback ($20 International shipping included)

Women Destroy Add-Ons

• Pledge $10 Extra – Ebooks of last year’s special issues: Women Destroy Science Fiction!, Women Destroy Fantasy!, and Women Destroy Horror!
• Pledge $17 Extra (per copy) – Women Destroy Fantasy! special issue in trade paperback ($5 US shipping included) [Note: This is not the limited edition, as that is sold out.]
• Pledge $32 Extra (per copy) – Women Destroy Fantasy! special issue in trade paperback ($20 International shipping included)
• Pledge $17 Extra (per copy) – Women Destroy Horror! special issue in trade paperback ($5 US shipping included)
• Pledge $32 Extra (per copy) – Women Destroy Horror! special issue in trade paperback ($20 International shipping included)

Magazine / Subscription Add-Ons

Note: For subscription rewards, you can purchase gift subscriptions for others, but please only purchase one subscription for yourself (i.e., don’t purchase two 24-issue subscriptions in order to get a 48-issue subscription).

• Pledge $19 Extra – Ebook subscription to NIGHTMARE (12 issues). Due to our $15K “Subscription Booster” stretch goal being unlocked, you’ll get issues #1-45, and your subscription will begin with #46 (July 2016). If you already have issues #1-45, we will substitute FANTASY issues #1-59.
• Pledge $31 Extra – Ebook subscription to LIGHTSPEED (12 issues). Due to our $15K “Subscription Booster” stretch goal being unlocked, you’ll get LIGHTSPEED issues #1-73 (including the POC Destroy Science Fiction! issue), and your subscription will begin with #74 (July 2016). If you already have issues #1-73, we will substitute FANTASY issues #1-59.
• Pledge $67 Extra – Ebook subscription to LIGHTSPEED (24 issues). Due to our $15K “Subscription Booster” stretch goal being unlocked, you’ll get LIGHTSPEED issues #1-73 (including the POC Destroy Science Fiction! issue), and your subscription will begin with #74 (July 2016). If you already have issues #1-73, we will substitute FANTASY issues #1-59.
• Pledge $118 Extra – FANTASY MAGAZINE Ebook MegaBundle (every issue, 1-59).

Anthology Rewards

• Pledge $17 Extra (per copy) – LIGHTSPEED: YEAR ONE anthology [info] in trade paperback ($5 US shipping included)
• Pledge $32 Extra (per copy) – LIGHTSPEED: YEAR ONE anthology [info] in trade paperback ($20 International shipping included)
• Pledge $17 Extra (per copy) – THE MAD SCIENTIST’S GUIDE TO WORLD DOMINATION anthology [info] in trade paperback ($5 US shipping included)
• Pledge $32 Extra (per copy) – THE MAD SCIENTIST’S GUIDE TO WORLD DOMINATION anthology [info] in trade paperback ($20 International shipping included)

Source: Icrowdnewswire