Events

Deadline: January 31st, 2017 Payment: .03CAD per word and 2 contributor's copies As long-time readers and authors involved with MMP know, our annual anthology project takes a seed story or concept from the history of Weird Fiction and allows that seed to grow in strange and interesting new ways. We encourage our authors to unshackle themselves from the standard tropes that can weigh down the imagination and move into truly authentic dimensions of fear, awe, and cosmic wonder. We want to see the Weird move with confidence into the 21st Century, and want our authors to share that commitment. For A Breath from the Sky: Unusual Stories of Possession, the seed story will be H P Lovecraft’s classic The Colour Out of Space. This is easily one of his best works, and will be included in the anthology. Colour presents many interesting entry points into our theme of unusual possession: the titular entity — an unknown, sentient being from beyond the stars that manifests as an unearthly, unplaceable hue — is released from a fallen meteorite and proceeds to infect and alter everything around it. The earth, plants, animals, and humans within its sphere of malign influence change and suffer. The Colour pollutes the ground water like a common toxic spill, yet also spreads like radiation. It appears to be a brute force of nature, affecting its surroundings on the molecular and genetic levels, but can also attack specific individuals with something approaching intelligence, inhabiting their minds and reducing them to shambling wrecks both physically and mentally. A Breath from the Sky: Unusual Stories of Possession will offer the reader just that: tales that subvert and challenge the common ideas of what it means to be “taken over” by something that is not yourself. We do not want to see...

Deadline: January 31, 2017 Payment: $0.06/word and 2 contributor's copies WE’RE LOOKING FOR STORIES THAT: Have a main character that a middle grade reader (ages 8-12) can identify with; Show a diverse set of real characters; Are well written, fun to read and encourage a love of reading science fiction; Tell of adventure, space, science.  Give us rockets, robots and alien encounters, and we’re pretty happy. Steampunk, time travel, weird west and alternate history are all fine. To be super clear – we’re looking science fiction, in all it’s variants. While we love fantasy as well, please don’t submit fantasy stories for this anthology. Are between 3,000 and 6,000 words. We’re especially looking for stories: Of adventure!  We love a good dystopia as much as the next robot, but remember – this is the young explorer’s adventure guide. Where the main character is of a population that has traditionally been under-represented in science fiction, e.g. girls, people of color, differently abled people; Where the main character has agency, exercises it, and isn’t just along for the ride. We are strong supporters of both the #weneeddiversebooks and #ownvoices movements.   We’re not interested in: Stories where the female characters primarily exist to be rescued or as a prize for the males; Stories where the primary plot or subplot is romantic in nature; Stories with graphic violence or any form of sexual activity; Stories with any violence towards animals; Stories about the first girl to do X, surprising everyone; Stories that depict any ethnicity or gender as universally bad or stupid. Please note:  although we’re aware kids have a wide and varied vocabulary, we’d prefer not to have swearing in the stories. If your story has swearing, please rephrase before submitting. Submission deadline, mechanics and planned schedule Anthology will be open for submissions from...

Deadline: January 31st, 2017 Payment: Contributor's copy, £10, and royalty split An anthology of science fiction and speculative stories exploring how science and technology could change what it means to be human. We’re looking for stories that explore ideas including, but not limited to: bio implants, cybernetics, genetic modification, and age reversal and the human experience of undergoing such procedures. You are encouraged to populate and create your own world with original characters and to set the tale as close or as far away from present time as you wish. We’re after fresh and engaging work that makes us laugh, cry, and think. Show us what the future holds should technology continue to advance at unprecedented speed. We’re asking that stories are between 6-10k in length and polished to perfection. Submissions period is open until the end of January 2017. Please send all stories to us via our submittable link: Kristell Ink SUBMIT NOW! Via: Kristell Ink.

Deadline: January 31st, 2017 Payment: Contributor's copy, £10, and royalty split Land belonging to no-one. An anthology of speculative fiction that explores the colonisation of our Solar System and far beyond, where pioneers carve out a new existence under other stars. New worlds and new challenges bring the potential for rich stories filled with alien races and strange technology, but against this backdrop we want to experience the many facets of human emotion during the struggle to make a new home. Show us human life on the final frontier. We’re looking for stories that leave us thinking about the characters long after The End. We’re asking that stories are between 6-10k in length and polished to perfection. Submissions period is open until the end of January 2017. Please send all stories to us via our submittable link: Kristell Ink SUBMIT NOW! Via: Kristell Ink.

Deadline: January 31st, 2017 Payment: Contributor's copy, £10, and royalty split An anthology of science fiction stories exploring the many different reactions and experiences of people during the 24 hours leading up to the end of the world. We’re looking for stories that show us a range of emotions and reactions to the news of the apocalypse. How and why is entirely up to you, but some examples include nuclear warfare, alien invasion, ecological disaster, an impact event, dysgenics and so on. Our base instinct is to survive, but when the end is nigh, do we simply lie down and die? Or do we celebrate our life and achievements? Exploring the uncertainty of our future can sometimes force us only to look at misery, but we encourage you to have fun. Whatever the reaction, make us feel the many emotions of your characters. Love, loss, forgiveness, revenge, or just that final goodbye… We’re asking that stories are between 6-10k in length and polished to perfection. Submissions period is open until the end of January 2017. Please send all stories to us via our submittable link: Kristell Ink SUBMIT NOW! Via: Kristell Ink.

Deadline: January 31st, 2017 Payment: 8 cents per word Following on our anthology Tomorrow's Cthulhu, we're launching a themed anthology series of weird horror set in or inspired by the Cthulhu Mythos. The next release is Ride the Star Wind: Cthulhu, Space Opera, and the Cosmic Weird, presenting tales that combine space opera with cosmic weird horror, either set within the Cthulhu Mythos or inspired by it. It is now open to submissions. Send us into space, away from earth, and bring the weird! Give us adventure and wonder, spaceships and monsters, tentacles and insanity, determined struggle and starborne terror. Whether sprawling in scope or tightly focused and personal, make sure to give us a taste of the greater universe of your story, such as the culture and politics. Make us long to know more of your universe. We want diverse stories with modern sensibilities from many different voices that show the immense and diverging possibilities ahead for weird horror. We want to forge ahead and explore the new and the strange. We are actively seeking submissions from writers from underrepresented populations. (This includes, but is not limited to, writers of any race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, class, and physical or mental ability.) We want stories that mesh space opera with cosmic weird horror. For the elements of space opera, modern touchstones include James SA Corey (Expanse series), Ann Leckie (Imperial Radch series), Iain Banks (Culture series), Nnedi Okorafor (Binti), David Brin (Uplift trilogy), and Becky Chambers (Wayfarers series). For mixing elements of space opera and cosmic weird horror, the short story "Boojum" by Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette is a great touchstone. The technology level for submissions can fall anywhere in the soft- to hard-science range. Stories should also be set within or be inspired by the Cthulhu Mythos. We want to see the Mythos continue...

Deadline: January 31st, 2017 Payment: Varies on length - See below! MASHED : The Culinary Delights of Twisted Erotic Horror! (Tentative Title) Short Story Anthology – A Food Related Erotic Horror Anthology What We Want: Stories that make us laugh, make our skin crawl and leave us feeling inappropriately aroused. Preferably all three! Combine food, eroticism and horror. Have fun! Any sub-genre sci-fi, western, just keep it interesting and unexpected humor is always encouraged! Must be your own original work of fiction. No fan fiction and no copyrighted material you do not own the rights to. Story Length: (See Anthology Payment Guidelines For Details on Rates) 4-8 Stories 500-2500 pieces Pays up to $10, ($0.01c per word up to a maximum of $10) 4 Stories 2500-5k pieces (20k) Pays up to $20 ($0.005c per word up to a maximum of $20) 2 Stories 5-10k pieces (20k) Pays $30 ($0.005c per word up to a maximum of $30) We will be purchasing first world anthology rights for E-book Format, Print & Audio. Rates above are for each individual format. The initial payment will be for E-book & Print Rights(Double the amounts listed above), The final payment(if executed) for audio rights will be only the amount listed above. We will update the above story needs as spaces are filled. Payment to Authors: Will be via Paypal, See the Anthology Payment Guidelines for full details. Simultaneous Submissions: As an author myself, I get it! We accept simultaneous submissions, just let us know if your work gets accepted elsewhere as quickly as possible. Multiple & Reprint Submissions: We do not accept multiple submissions. If your first piece is rejected, you may query about a second piece, but do not send until given approval. We do not accept reprints. Response Time: We will strive to respond...

Deadline: January 31st, 2017 Payment: 1cent/word, drabbles pay more Note: Reprints Allowed December 1st, 2016 – January 31st, 2017 11:59 EST Anything submitted outside of this window will be deleted unread. Artists and photographers can submit year round. CURRENT THEME Year One: Saturnalia ISBN-13: Coming Soon ISBN-10: Coming Soon sat·ur·na·li·a ˌsatərˈnālyə/ noun the ancient Roman festival of Saturn in December, which was a period of general merrymaking and was the predecessor of Christmas. an occasion of wild revelry. noun: saturnalia; plural noun: saturnalias A time of revelry and reversal, Saturnalia represents the breakdown of what has been deemed the natural order. Hyperion and Theia’s inaugural volume wants stories and poetry that runs the gamut of genres and turns expectations on their heads. Submit a fantastical murder-mystery set in the biggest carnival in Atlantis. Wow us with a sweeping romance in space where gods and goddesses serve their creations after a bloody war. Deadline January 31st, 2017 11:59 EST. RIGHTS SOUGHT FOR FICTION & POETRY First world electronic and print rights in English with exclusivity for 8 months from the date of publication Non-exclusive archival rights as long as the website(s) hosting the work are online If your story is selected to be podcast and approved in the future, or an audiobook is produced, payment is $0.01USD per word for non-exclusive electronic audio rights Copyright remains with the author at all times Please query if anything listed is of concern. Here is a good explanation of what this entails. LENGTH & GUIDELINES COVER ART: To be used in the electronic and print editions, can be art or photography, and is usually solicited. ARTWORK: Usually solicited. Payment dependent on the artist. POETRY: Up to 100 lines. Paid $0.25USD a line. MICRO FICTION: Drabbles are strictly 100 words. Titles should be no longer than 3 words....

Deadline: January 31, 2017 Payment: Poems (4-100 lines): $50 plus one contributor’s copy Short-short stories (under 1000 words): $50, plus one contributor’s copy Fiction (6000 words max.) 1000-2999 words: $125 plus 2 contributor’s copies plus a One year subscription 3000-4999 words: $175 plus 2 contributor’s copies plus a One year subscription 5000-6000 words: $200 plus 2 contributor’s copies plus a One year subscription The story coffers have run dry once again and we are looking for your best speculative short fiction! Please read the Style Guide carefully and keep it wholly to ensure your story is read. During our last submission period we received over 400 stories; we thinned the field by rejecting without reading any story which didn’t follow the guide. No, yours will not be an exception. Deadline for submissions is January 31, 2017 at 11:59pm MST. All submissions must be made through our Submittable page; stories received in any other way will not be considered. We are a volunteer-run publication, so we promise to get through all the submissions as quickly as we can. We will provide feedback as time allows, but please understand we simply don’t have the time to provide detailed feedback for every submission. If you do sell your story elsewhere before we have made a selection, please let us know at [email protected].   Poetry Submissions are Open In fact, poetry submissions are open year-round. Please follow the link to our Submittable page and click the appropriate button. To increase the chances of a successful poetry submission, please take a moment to read the guidelines once you are there. As with the stories, you can track the progress of your submission via Submittable. Cover Art Submissions are Open And like poetry submissions, are always open. You can submit your art for consideration on our...

Deadline: January 31st, 2017 Payment: $50 Summary Tales to Terrify is a volunteer-run fan podcast featuring short horror, dark fantasy, and other disturbing fiction. We are looking for works up to 10,000 words long. All submissions are welcome and encouraged from writers of every race, religion, nationality, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Feel free to challenge the definition of horror. Standard tropes and monsters are welcome just as much as blood, sex and gore. Scare us with your Gothic stories of haunted buildings, but do your best to honor the diversity within the genre. We want to be terrified by your concepts, by your implications, by your story’s possibilities. We want to read works that threaten to bleed into our reality and corrupt something as ordinary as a toaster. Scare us. Make our breath stop and disturb our minds. Anything is allowed as long as it’s well-conceived and well-written. Terrify the hell out of us with your tales. What We Are NOT Looking For: Stories that are not horror, dark fantasy or some form of disturbing fiction Fan fiction Manuscript Format Microsoft Word or Rich Text Format Double spaced 12 pt. Courier New or Times New Roman font Please include author, title and word count on first page. Submission Procedure All fiction must be submitted to the District of Wonder’s Moksha account: https://districtofwonders.moksha.io Please use the cover letter field for biographical information and any links to websites or social media that you would like included. Simultaneous submissions (submitting the same stories to other publishers at the same time) and multiple submissions are allowed. Each author may submit up to two stories during the submission period. Any story beyond the first two or which is received outside of the submission period will be rejected unread. Response Times Most submissions will receive a...

Deadline: January 31st, 2017 Payment: $3 Haunted Waters Press seeks exceptionally small works of flash fiction to be showcased in Penny Fiction, a regular feature of the literary journal, From the Depths. Stories will also appear in the Penny Fiction Poster Collection. DETAILS Penny Fiction is open to all new, emerging, and established writers. We seek flash fiction stories told in exactly 15 words—no more, no less. One submission per author, per reading period. Multiple stories per submission encouraged. No previously published works. Penny Fiction submissions are welcome in three reading periods: December (2016)/January, March/April, June/July Expect a decision within 30 days of the close of each reading period. See full guidelines below. PAYMENT $3.00 per published piece. (That’s a professional rate of .20 cents per word— enough for a fresh brewed cup of coffee to enjoy while reading the next edition of Penny Fiction Pages!) SUBMISSIONS All entries accepted via Submittable. Free to submit! PENNY FICTION 2017 FULL GUIDELINES Tell us story in exactly 15 words—no more, no less. Extra points will be awarded for those writers who adhere to the guidelines. Not really. There are no points. Just read the guidelines below and impress Penny with your ability to follow instructions. The Lovely Submission: One submission per author, per reading period. (Contributors are encouraged to submit multiple stories in a single file, but may only transmit one submission per reading period.) One story is fine. Four is cool. Twenty is borderline obnoxious. We like obnoxious! Just remember: a single submission with multiple stories! Each Penny is a short story told in exactly 15 words—no more, no less. Titles are not included in word count, but should not be an extension of the story. No theme requirements. Looking for inspiration? Follow Penny Fiction on Facebook for prompts and inspiration. No poetry, tag lines, or jokes....