Participate

Get lost in space (and in a good book) with the 11th installment of our Bikes in Space series. Bikes, the Universe, and Everything is the follow-up to Bicyclist's Guide to the Galaxythat also works as a standalone read. Inside you’ll find 15 new short stories and one comic about bikes, books, feminism, and the universe.

Check out our author interviews in the updates!

Ever gotten lost in a book? Or on your bicycle? Or both at once, by falling through a portal on the page? Anything is possible in this collection. 

The follow-up to last year’s “Bicyclist’s Guide to the Galaxy,” the theme of the 11th volume of Bikes in Space is, once again, books! All of the stories hinge around books, bikes, and feminism. Much like the Douglas Adams series they're named after, these stories are fun, weird, and joyful in the face of danger. 

Traveling in time from a reimagined past to the heat death of the universe, these stories combine the personal and popular power of spokes and words.

Blast off with stories about…

• A young graduate who rides off to become a velo-archivist, 
• a bookstore owner who must learn to bike after cars are banned, 
• a daredevil messenger who makes a harrowing textbook delivery run, 
• a talented scribe who creates a braille bicycle guide,

...and many more adventurous souls in disparate realities, united by their love for spinning wheels and the written word.

Includes stories by Kathryn Reilly, Kiera Jessica Bane, Julie Brooks, Aaron M. Wilson, Elizabeth Frazier, Annie Carl, Grace Gorski, Gretchin Lair, Cherise Fong, L. Y. Gu, Remy Chartier, Mariah Southworth, Dawn Vogel, Summer Jewel Keown, and Aidan Zingler, and a comic by Allison Bannister.

About the Rewards

Here's a look at what we're offering at the various levels:

• Bikes, The Universe, and Everything- Every tier includes the latest in the Bikes in Space series, edited by Elly Blue!
• The Bicyclist's Guide to the Galaxy- The companion to Bikes, the Universe, and Everything, edited by Elly Blue, where the power of pedal and page combine to create 10 fantastically fun, feminist stories. 
• The Bikes in Space Series- The other books in the series are available in the complete collection tiers Bikes in Space, Bikes in Space Volume II, Biketopia, Pedal Zombies, Bikes Not Rockets, Bicycles & Broomsticks, C.A.T.S., Trans-Galactic Bike Ride, and Dragon Bike. You can also add any you're interested in a la carte in PledgeManager after the end of the campaign.
• The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World: The True store of America's First Black World Champion- The autobiography of Major Taylor, an African-American cycling star who became a global celebrity when he won the world cycling championship in 1899.
• How to Ride Slow: Bicycling in the age of whatever topic is trending on social media this minute- This zine by Joe Biel examines the mindfulness, health benefits, and self-reflection that biking can offer.
• Bicycle Culture Rising #1: Participatory & Grassroots Bicycle Movements- A social history and tactics lesson by Joe Biel about the participatory and grassroots bicycle movements and their impact and intersection with advoacy and city governments.
• A Rough Guide to Bicycle Maintenance- A zine by Shelley Lynn Jackson that details the basics of fixing a flat tire, working with wheels, the parts of a bike, and more, with Jackson's trademark passion and personality.
• A Random Bike-Themed T-Shirt- A random, bike-themed Microcosm t-shirt! Available in sizes Extra Small to Extra-Extra Large. Due to the random nature of this item, we cannot take requests for color or graphic, but here are a few of our designs so you have an idea of what we offer. 
• A Sticker- Choose from a selection of bookish and bike-ish themed vinyl stickers!
• Tip Jar- We split profits from this project equally between all contributors—and any extra dollars pledged beyond the cost of the actual reward go straight to our incredible authors. We have a tier each for a $20, $50, or $100 tip, and they're available as add-ons as well!
   

If you have a digital-only reward, you will still need to check out in PledgeManager in order for us to send your eBooks. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to let us know.

About the Publishers

Elly Blue Publishing started in 2010 and has been an imprint of Microcosm Publishing & Distribution since 2015, where Elly gets to spend all day playing with books that aren't only about bikes.  Well, mostly she plays with paperwork that isn't really about either, which is all the more reason she keeps these Bikes in Space projects going!

We’re seeking your queer Halloween feminist bicycle science fiction and fantasy stories for the 13th anthology in the Bikes in Space series. More information on how to submit can be found here!

Microcosm Publishing & Distribution is an independent book publishing house and distributor headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Since 1996, we've been bringing you tools you can use to change your life and then the world—whether that means trauma recovery, growing vegetables in your tiny apartment, starting a music scene in your town, fixing up old bikes, making your own zines, or sparking a revolution. At any given moment, various members of our staff of over 30 can be found organizing documents and spreadsheets, moving boxes in our warehouse, shipping your orders, protesting in the streets, reading books, having uncomfortable conversations, and getting excited about making the world a better place. You can stay in touch with us via our weekly-ish email newsletter.