The sixth Self-Published Science Fiction Competition has begun taking entries. Here are the details on how to enter your novel:
spsfc.space/2026/11/02/spsfc…
If you're not submitting a book, join us as a judge:
spsfc.space/2026/10/26/judge…
That's a request not an order. #SPSFC
ALT A human figure floats outside a tunnel filled with light and green electric sparks. The edges look like a spacecraft. The digital photomontage Nave Madre (Mothership) was created in 2008 by Eugenio Azzola.
We're looking for volunteers to help us judge the sixth Self-Published Science Fiction Competition.
spsfc.space/2026/10/26/judge…
If you're not entering a novel in the contest when that opens on Nov. 1, we'd love you to join one of our judging teams. #SPSFC
ALT The Second Life art installation Planet by Cica Ghost photographed by Teresa Mahler. A trio of yellow aliens with wide snouts shaped like Hershey's Kisses gaze around their alien landscape with small creatures resembling jellyfish along the ground and colorful lines high above resembling the ocean surface from below.
For our next contest that begins taking books on Nov. 1, the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition is adding a rule. #SPSFCspsfc.space/2026/10/23/spsfc…
My novel, Kenai, which won the SPSFC indie sci-fi competition out of 221 entries, is free as an ebook until October 24th. It's a military sci-fi story about a former space marine with a discredited past. See below for more.
Grab a copy on me, and enjoy!
The winner of the fifth Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC) is Our Simulated Selves by Nikki Null. “[T]his book could legitimately help a lot of people understand themselves.” — SPSFC 4 winner Wick Welker
spsfc.space/2026/10/08/the-s…
ALT The cover of Nikki Null's science fiction novel Our Simulated Selves, which depicts two abstract figures high above a vast metropolis. The city is real and the people are rendered as ASCII art characters. A portal of rectangles also depicted as ASCII is below them.
The runner-up in the fifth Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC) is ab initio by Jacob Terracina. “This was that book that I was reading on train, waiting at bank, at the cafe, and got annoyed every time I was interrupted.”
spsfc.space/2026/10/08/the-s…
ALT The cover of Jacob Terracina's science fiction novel ab initio, which depicts a sleek bald android hanging upside down, its eyes closed, expression mysterious and latticework of metallic blue skin partially hidden in shadow. A pixelated yellow background looks like it might be a virtual world.
Third place in the fifth Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC) goes to Generations by @NoamJosephides. A "slow-burn conspiracy theory space opera" on a generation ship 80 percent of the way to a new home.
spsfc.space/2026/10/08/the-s…
ALT The cover of Noam Josephides' science fiction novel Generations, which depicts a woman in silhouette looking away out of a round portal of what may be a spaceship. The passage is dark with soft orange light and blue shines in from the portal.
Fourth place in the fifth Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC) goes to Artificial Selection by Marianne Pickles. A cozy mystery in a hopeful climate apocalypse starring a benevolent AI and the Head of Awkward Questions.
spsfc.space/2026/10/08/the-s…
ALT The cover of Marianne Pickles' science fiction novel Artificial Selection, which depicts a stylized sun rising or setting in front of a circular pattern of blue objects and the orange silhoette of a running figure with a ponytail.
Fifth place in the fifth Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC) goes to FrostByte by N.S. Chaudhury. A Desi cyberpunk novel of illegal resurrection. Judge: "Ngl, I adored this book."
spsfc.space/2026/10/08/the-s…
Sixth place in the fifth Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC) goes to Time Traitors by Eli Donovan. Judges called it a romp with a "cast of scientific and seedy characters all trying to avoid becoming dinner."
spsfc.space/2026/10/08/the-s…
ALT The cover of Eli Donovan's science fiction novel Time Traitors, which depicts an athletic woman and man carrying hefty rifles they probably need, given that they are standing in a jungle with a dinosaur in the foreground that looks like a Triceratops and another in the background that's a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
The final finalist is Generations by @noamjosephides, an epic about a colony ship that carries the last hope of humanity and a centuries-old conspiracy.
amazon.com/Generations-Ficti…
ALT The cover of Noam Josephides' science fiction novel Generations, which depicts a woman in silhouette looking away out of a round portal of what may be a spaceship. The passage is dark with soft orange light and blue shines in from the portal.
The fifth finalist is Our Simulated Selves by Nikki Null, a quantum thriller of romance, recreated realities and who we're truly meant to be.
amazon.com/dp/B0FCVK8RP7
ALT The cover of Nikki Null's science fiction novel Our Simulated Selves, which depicts two abstract figures high above a vast metropolis. The city is real and the people are rendered as ASCII art characters. A portal of rectangles also depicted as ASCII is below them.
The fourth finalist is FrostByte by N.S. Chaudhury, a South Asian cyberpunk novel about illegal resurrection and solving your own murder.
amazon.com/dp/B0F5N4VHYR
ALT The cover of N.S. Chaudhury's science fiction novel FrostByte, which depicts a woman in a cyberpunk city with hair that is blond and red, the latter appearing digital like a holographic effect. She has henna patterns on her hands and is holding a plant.
The third finalist is Artificial Selection by Marianne Pickles, a post-apocalyptic mystery full of awkward questions and hope.
amazon.com/Artificial-Select…
ALT The cover of Marianne Pickles' science fiction novel Artificial Selection, which depicts a stylized sun rising or setting in front of a circular pattern of blue objects and the orange silhoette of a running figure with a ponytail.
The second finalist is ab initio by Jacob Terracina, an artificial intelligence courtroom thriller about what it means to be human.
amazon.com/dp/B0FM6H956S
ALT The cover of Jacob Terracina's science fiction novel ab initio, which depicts a sleek bald android hanging upside down, its eyes closed, expression mysterious and latticework of metallic blue skin partially hidden in shadow. A pixelated yellow background looks like it might be a virtual world.
The first finalist is Time Traitors by Eli Donovan, a tale of dinosaurs, poachers and a broken time machine.
amazon.com/dp/B0BSL63L7S
ALT The cover of Eli Donovan's science fiction novel Time Traitors, which depicts an athletic woman and man carrying hefty rifles they probably need, given that they are standing in a jungle with a dinosaur in the foreground that looks like a triceratops and another in the background that's a tyrannosaurus rex.
Six books have advanced to the finals of the fifth Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC). We'll announce them in random order in the next six posts.
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The Self-Published Science Fiction Competition retweeted
The Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (#SPSFC) announces its semifinalists for year #5! Congrats to those still in the running and thanks to everyone who takes part.