Fire Anthology

I love a good coincidence.

So, Rhonda Parrish is editing an anthology called Fire: Demons, Dragons and Djinns, with a submission call for stories about creatures associated with fire.

I've been slowly writing a story to submit, but was worried it was too far off from what she would want. My fire creature is the Beast, my adaptation of the Greek chimera but set in a prehistoric Africa. The Beast terrorizes early humans, marking for death any who dare make eye contact.

But through her reign of terror, she (inadvertently?) gives them the nudges they need to evolve into modern humans, burning down their trees and forcing them to walk upright and develop tools. I'm nearing the end now, and I think it involves my main character learning to use fire.

But in an anthology filled with magic and dragons, is there room for my strange little invented folktale?

Yes. Rhonda just posted a wishlist for the anthology. She says:

"I’d like something that dates back to when humans first gained control over fire. Whether this takes the form of something set in prehistoric times or a take on more of a ‘How raven brought fire to the people’ or ‘How Prometheus stole fire from the gods’ type thing… well, that would be up to you."

So I'm pleased, and confident in my story's chances at being considered. Now I just have to, you know, finish it.