I saw the great thread on blurbs for books and novels, including the great link to Maggie’s journal on it. However, what about blurbs for anthologies? They tend to need a different structure due to the numerous stories. Does anyone know some good formulas or examples to run off of?
I don’t know about a template for blurbs for anthologies, but I’ve been happy with the blurbs for my anthologies that Teiran of FurPlanet Productions has written.
Here are the most recent three, for two anthologies of reprints and one of original stories. Each blurb is followed by a list of all the stories and authors included.
Cats and More Cats:
The not-so-humble feline has fascinated mankind for generations. From the noble jungle hunter, to the witch’s familiar, to the stray on the back porch meowing to be let in, cats have snuck into our hearts and dreams for as long as mankind has made homes. They have become our companions, and we tell stories about their secret lives and the strange magic they might possess.
This is a collection of those stories, gathering some of the best fantasy and science fiction stories featuring our feline friends, from authors like Clare Bell, Mary E. Lowd, Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, Bryan Derksen, Lawrence Watt-Evans, James M. Ward, and Renee Carter Hall. These fourteen stories will give you a glimpse into the world of cats, and leave you wanting more.
An Anthropomorphic Century:
What if animals could talk? Or communicate telepathically? What if they evolved to become something more than human, or we made ourselves more like them?
Storytellers have asked these questions from the dawn of human history to the present day. An Anthropomorphic Century showcases the answers to some of these questions from the last century.
Features stories ranging from 1909 to 2008, including the talents of Peter S. Beagle, Philip K. Dick, Michael H. Payne, Phil Geusz, Renee Carter Hall, and more.
The Furry Future:
For the history of the human race we have been locked inside our bodies. Spiritualism, medicine, basic biochemistry and genetic enhancement seek to take us beyond the physical limitations we were born with. The Furry Future is a record of what might become of us once we perfect the methods of reshaping biology.
Fangs and claws could become just another fashion accessory. We might use our technology to create intelligent and able companions as we spread out to the stars, or else create perfect servants unable to disobey the whims of their masters. We may remake ourselves to attain our future across the galaxy and unlock our spiritual potential, or collapse into war over where the boundaries of humanity lie.
These nineteen stories take us to these different futures, each one written in the fur we choose to wear.