Moondust Will Cover You: A Literary Tribute to David Bowie – Call for Submissions
A Starman Awaits Your Signal
Nocturnicorn Books, purveyors of quality speculative fiction, invites you to contribute to *Moondust Will Cover You: A Literary Tribute to David Bowie*. Edited by Alex S. Johnson, this anthology seeks to explore the multifaceted legacy of the Thin White Duke, from Ziggy Stardust's glam-rock theatrics to the Berlin-era experimentalism and beyond. With contributions already secured from the stellar likes of Rose J. Monan, David Alec Knight, Marie Lecrivain, Denise George, Aoife Cunningham, a rare glimpse into Bowie’s inner circle via an extensive interview with Tony Zanetta, the haunting melodies of Tara Vanflower from Lycia, the critically-acclaimed poetry of Alea Celeste Williams and the architectural sonic tapestries of David J. Haskins from Bauhaus and Love and Rockets, songwriter of the immortal classic “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” as featured on the soundtrack to The Hunger starring David Bowie, Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon, along with "A Note from a Fan" penned by the insightful Ossiana Tepfenhart and the lyrical prowess of G.R. Tomaini, this promises to be a volume worthy of Bowie's chameleonic genius.
The Cracked Actor's Stage: What We Seek
We're after pieces that capture Bowie's spirit, his influence, his sheer otherness. Consider his impact not just on music, but on fashion, sexuality, identity, and the very notion of performance. Was he a goblin king, a plastic soul, or simply a man who fell to earth? We seek fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essays, and experimental forms that resonate with Bowie’s innovative and boundary-pushing approach. Think Station to Station after a long night at the Blitz, Low echoing in the corridors of a Berlin apartment, Diamond Dogs prowling the streets of a dystopian metropolis, or Blackstar shimmering with cosmic unease. Give us your weirdest, your most heartfelt, your most defiantly you interpretations of Bowie's world.
Golden Years: Submission Guidelines
Deadline: July 15th.
Send submissions to Alex S. Johnson at georgebailey679@gmail.com.
Standard manuscript format: attached Word document.
Third-person bio in the body of your cover letter, highlighting relevant publishing credits and affiliations.
Reprints are welcome, as even Lazarus requires a second coming.
No simultaneous submissions – we demand your undivided attention.
Adrian Baldwin of Phantasgmoria magazine is conjuring up the cover art and design.
Fame: Payment and Prestige
Contributors will receive a hardcover copy of Moondust Will Cover You, a tangible artifact of your participation in this tribute. Furthermore, an honorarium may be offered where desired. Beyond that, we offer a straight royalty cut, plus any back-end profits should the anthology achieve liftoff. Nocturnicorn Books boasts a decade-long proven track record of high-prestige publications, including literary tributes to Leonard Cohen and the dark, Gothic genius of Bauhaus. Join our constellation of talent and let your voice shine.
It's a God-awful Small Affair: Why Bowie?
Because, as John Shirley has written of Johnson, he is "the Baudelaire of our time; the poet of the underground.” And Bowie was, in his own way, a similar figure: a cultural magpie, a restless innovator, a starman forever reaching for something beyond. This anthology is not just a celebration, but an excavation of the rich and strange territory he charted, a journey into the heart of what it means to be an artist, an outsider, and a human being in a world that often feels alien. Let's dance... across the doomy dancefloor.
Moondust Will Cover You cover art and design by Adrian Baldwin
Alex S. Johnson, founder of Nocturnicorn Books, author of The Doom Hippies, songwriter of “Burning Hearts”
David J, Haskins, founder member of Bauhaus and Love and Rockets, author of Who Killed Mister Moonlight, songwriter of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”
Ossiana Tepfenhart, Alea Celeste Williams, Aoife Cunningham, Denise George with David J. Haskins, G.R. Tomaini with Cornel West, Tara Vanflower (Lycia).
I see that you found a post I wrote, so I'm taking some time to explore your world. David Bowie became important to me as The Man Who Fell to Earth. Who is to say that we have not all fallen to earth and are simply doing our best here. Then recently, Starman, came strongly across my radar. When I shared the lyrics with a close friend, she shared that she had just 'found' an old lapel pin of here, (Bowie era vintage). She had worn the pin always those many years ago, and the pin's name is Starman. No such thing as coincidence, but lots and lots of synergy. I'll dip into Substack your way again and see what's happening there. Thanks for checking in on mine.