Call for Stories - An Anthology Featuring the Morris-Jumel Mansion, Oldest Home in NYC!

The Morris-Jumel Mansion, in collaboration with Riverdale Avenue Books, will be publishing an Anthology of Paranormal Romance and Fantasy Fiction based on the Morris-Jumel Mansion.

We are looking for stories featuring the Morris-Jumel Mansion, Manhattan's oldest house, in the past, the present, future, or in an alternate universe. The stories must prominently feature the Morris-Jumel Mansion, and may include its historical inhabitants (including Madame Eliza Jumel, Stephen Jumel, Aaron Burr, and other Revolutionary War and pre-Revolutionary War characters, slaves and servants), the Mansion’s visitors, fictional or otherwise, and/or hauntings, visitations, or supernatural beings (including angels, devils, werewolves, vampires, etc), with elements of time-travel, science fiction, erotica/romance, paranormal, steampunk, or gaslamp fantasy.

An information session delving into the fascinating history of the Morris-Jumel Mansion and its inhabitants will be held at the Mansion for writers, including a walk through of the house and property, a historical overview, and question-and-answer session, on Saturday, March 12th at 5pm. Light refreshments will be served.  To RSVP, please email mjmanthology@gmail.com. Also, please use this email for any questions you may have, or to schedule a private tour with the anthology’s editor.

Submissions:

The deadline for story submissions is June 30th, 2016, with the book scheduled to be published online and in print by the end of October, 2016.

Stories should run between 2000 and 5000 words.  If you have something longer, please email mjmanthology@gmail.com to discuss the parameters of your story with the editor. Submission does not guarantee publication. Authors will be notified if and when their story is chosen for publication.

Brief History of the Mansion:

The Morris-Jumel Mansion is the oldest house in Manhattan. Built in 1765 by Royalist couple Roger Morris and his wife Mary Phillipse (of the famed Sleepy Hollow and Yonkers Phillipses), the house went through phases as a quarter for George Washington during the Battle of Harlem Heights, a Royalist barracks for soldiers loyal to George III, a tavern, and the home of the famed Madame Eliza Jumel, who, despite humble beginnings, became the richest woman in Manhattan due to her financial prowess. The daughter of a prostitute, Eliza was born in a brothel in 1775. Through her intelligence and initiative she raised herself into wealthy circles. Her first husband, Stephen Jumel, was a French wine merchant. The couple purchased the Morris-Jumel Mansion as a country estate. After the death of her first husband, Eliza married Aaron Burr, and he came to live in the Mansion. Burr, who had been vice president under Thomas Jefferson, is best known to modern students of history as the man who killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. It may surprise some to know that he was also an early supporter of women’s rights and anti-slavery. He was a complex and ambitious man, who, along with his famous opponent, is portrayed to powerful effect in the Broadway musical “Hamilton.” Eliza divorced Aaron Burr, citing infidelity, and he died the day the divorce was finalized. Eliza Jumel died at the age of 90, though some say her spirit still inhabits the house. After Eliza’s death, the Mansion and its contents were fought over by rival familial factions for 20 litigious years. In 1903, the Mansion was purchased by the City of New York for preservation.

Format for Submissions:
Submissions must be sent as a MS Word document attachment to mjmanthology@gmail.com, with the subject line Morris-Jumel Anthology.

Submissions must have your real name, pen name (if any), email address and phone number, as well as a brief author bio.  All submissions should be Times Roman 12 point, double spaced.

Remuneration:

This will be a Riverdale Avenue Book, which will pay 33% royalties on digital and 8% on print.  Royalties will be split on a pro rata share among the authors, paid quarterly.

Copies of the Book:

Each author will receive a pdf of the completed anthology, as well a one copy of the printed book.  The author may order additional copies at 50% of the list price. 

Rights:

The author retains the rights to the story, but for a period of two years from the publication of the Anthology the author agrees not to authorize or permit publication of their story in any book, compilation or other anthology, nor to provide the story for free on the Internet.

Please pass this request for stories on to other writers who you think might be interested.

We are thrilled to be embarking on this project, and hope you choose to join us for this adventure in storytelling.