SLF December 2025 Newsletter

December 2025

View online

SLF Monthly Newsletter

2025 SLF Illustration of the Year, “Star Thief" by Flore Picard

What's in this month's issue:

A.C. Bose Grant opens Jan. 1
January Deep Dish
Announcing the winner of the 2025 Diverse Worlds Grant
Announcing the winner of the 2025 Diverse Writers Grant
2025 Diversity Grants shortlist
Call for jurors
Join our co-writing community
Membership
Opportunities for writers

A.C. Bose Grant opens Jan. 1

The 2026 A.C. Bose Grant will open for submissions Jan. 1, 2026. The A.C. Bose Grant is awarded annually to a South Asian or Desi diaspora writer developing speculative fiction. It was established in 2019 in memory of Ashim Chandra Bose, a lover of books - especially science fiction and fantasy. Thanks to the continuing generosity of Bose’s children, Rupa Bose and Gautam Bose, the amount awarded annually is increasing from $1,000 to $1,500 in 2026.

Learn more

Deep Dish at Volumes Bookcafe

Join the SLF on Saturday, Jan. 3 at Volumes Bookcafe for a special good-bye Deep Dish. Volumes will be closing their doors at the end of January. Please join us to celebrate writers, readers and independent booksellers.

Learn more

Announcing the winner of the 2025 Diverse Worlds Grant

The Speculative Literature Foundation is pleased to announce that Craig Noles is the winner of the 2025 Diverse Worlds Grant! Noles’ winning piece is "Murderous (Multi)Verses." Since 2014, the SLF has offered two diversity-centered grants intended to foster the creation of speculative fiction work rich in diversity. The Diverse Worlds Grant is intended for work that best presents a diverse world, regardless of the writer’s background.

Announcing the winner of the 2025 Diverse Writers Grant

The Speculative Literature Foundation is pleased to announce that Ryan Lerrik is the winner of the 2025 Diverse Writers Grant! Lerrik’s winning piece is "The Definition of Yearning." Since 2014, the SLF has offered two diversity-centered grants intended to foster the creation of speculative fiction work rich in diversity. The Diverse Writers Grant is intended to support speculative fiction writers from underrepresented and underprivileged groups — such as writers of color, women, queer writers, disabled writers, etc. — whose marginalized identities may present additional obstacles in the writing and publishing process.

Shantell Powell, "Land's Sake"
Rafael Andres Torres, "The Audit"
Warren FitzGerald, "VICTOR"
Chanell Spellman-Timmons, "Synchrony"
Lavanya Karthik, "Moyna of the Bees"
Monique Desir, "Shadow Work"
Mirage Allen, "The Salty Ages"
Bidisha Chakraborty, "The Fold"

Call for jurors

The SLF needs jurors to serve on our grant award panels! Jurors receive a $50 honorarium and a year free of Photon-tier SLF membership. Email grants@speculativeliterature.org to learn more and apply.

Email grants

Join our writing community

Saturday co-writing happens on Zoom every Saturday from 12-3 Central time. Join us for an hour or all three! These sessions are for writers who would like support for their writing, and are currently open and free of charge to anyone interested in being a part of our writing community. These sessions are a great time to catch up on the writing you’ve been meaning to do, in the supportive presence of others doing the same.

Learn more

Become a member

Please help the SLF continue our important work by becoming a member today. Your member dues are the bedrock of all of SLF’s endeavors, and are critical to our existence. SLF members receive benefits such as access to the SLF discord and the SLF’s Annual Collection, an anthology of new fiction from our grant recipients. Not to mention our fantastic swag!

Learn more

Opportunities for writers

Tickets are on sale for the Sandia Starforgers Writers Retreat and Workshop, to be held April 24-27, 2026 in Albuquerque, NM. 2026 instructors, critiquers, and pitch guests include Charlie Jane Anders, Mary Robinette Kowal, dave ring, Geoff Habiger, Marie Parks, Alexandria Valentine and Darling Heart. Learn more and purchase tickets at tickettailor.com/events/sandiastarforgers/1796894.

Applications for the the third annual George R.R. Martin Summer Intensive Writing Workshop at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications are now open. This workshop is designed for mid-career journalists who are writing their first novels. The eight-day, fully funded writing intensive program will take place in Evanston, Illinois, July 7-15, 2026.  Learn more and apply by Jan. 12 at medill.northwestern.edu/journalism/phd-fellowships/grrm-workshop.

Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) invites all Chicago artists to apply for a 2026 Individual Artists Program (IAP) grant. IAP grants support artists across all artistic disciplines, including literary arts. IAP aims to assist Chicago's practicing artists in creating work that develops their craft and elevates their careers, while adding to the cultural vitality of the city of Chicago. Learn more and apply by Jan. 15 at chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/iap.html.

The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts invites applications for fellowships in Amherst, Virginia and Auvillar, France. Applicants will be considered for a VCCA residency and as many fully funded fellowships for which they are eligible. In addition, all eligible applicants who demonstrate need will be considered for financial aid to help cover the cost of their residency. Learn more and apply by Jan. 15 at vcca.com/apply/fully-funded-fellowships.

Strange Horizons will open to general fiction submissions from Jan. 19-21. There will be no submissions cap, and all authors can submit to this window. Learn more at strangehorizons.com/wordpress/non-fiction/azimuth/open-fiction-submissions-window-january-19th/.

Nightmare, a horror & dark fantasy magazine edited by Wendy N. Wagner, will be opening to short fiction, flash, and poetry in January 2026. There are two submissions windows, one restricted to BIPOC voices and one without identity restrictions. Learn more at adamant.moksha.io/publication/nightmare.

The Speculative Literature Foundation is partially funded by the Oak Park Area Arts Council, in partnership with the Village of Oak Park; the Illinois Arts Council; the Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation; and The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association.

Unsubscribe | Manage your subscription | View online

2025 Diversity Grants shortlist