Submission Period: May 1, 2014 and August 1, 2014
Payment: Royalties are 50% of the sales per eBook and Print book divided between the authors, paid every six months and a contributor’s copy

As part of the State of Horror Anthologies, Charon Coin Press, with editor Jerry E. Benns, will begin accepting stories based in the state of Louisiana on May 1st. State of Horror: Louisiana was previously released under Rymfire Books as a creation of Dying Days author, Armand Rosamilia. This re-release will be revised and expanded to include a total of thirteen stories. State of Horror: Louisiana will also be released with new cover art. Submitted stories meeting the guidelines below will have an opportunity to be included into the upcoming release of this popular anthology series. Before we get to the guidelines, let’s take a look at the featured state for this release.

Louisiana could not be a more fertile state for a horror story. Between the various people, geography, and history, Louisiana is the perfect place to set a terrifying story.   Louisiana is a re-release in the State of Horror anthology, but there is plenty of room for new terrifying tales. If enough quality stories are submitted, there is potential for a second volume of this anthology.

The culture of Louisiana is unlike anywhere else in the world. Volumes of horror stories can (and have) been set just in the city of New Orleans. Vampires, voodoo, witches, ghosts, and twisted human souls have all been featured in horrific stories set in New Orleans. However the rest of the state also offers up its own inspiration for the macabre.

Whether you set your story in a city like Baton Rouge, Lafayette or Shreveport, or even an outlying area, there are many settings across Louisiana ripe for horror. The geography alone lends itself to great stories. Picture deserted highways lined with trees draped with Spanish moss as you pass between small towns – some quaint with an antebellum flair, others look abandoned, forsaken. Who are the people living in those remote areas? What kind of strange customs could you find?

Think of the bayous and swamps with cultures and languages all their own. Legends handed down through generations, stories in the form of family histories whispered about on the front porch can be brought forth. What customs were a part of family histories in the isolated swamps all those years ago? Maybe your story is set on an antebellum plantation with a checkered history. You are only limited by your own imagination.

The history of Louisiana is so incredibly rich. Owned by France, Spain, attacked by England, so many cultures converge in Louisiana. The history of the state can be seen in everything from the food, music, mixture of languages, and customs. If you are a battle buff and want to incorporate a battle into your tale of terror you have many to choose from. Maybe Andrew Jackson and the War of 1812, slave rebellions, or Civil War. If a contemporary setting is more your style, think about setting your story on the oil platforms right off the coast, sitting in the Gulf of Mexico. Or even on a shrimp boat- those shrimp can be evil…. The possibilities are endless.

As you can see, Louisiana offers a wide spectrum of potential ideas. Submission of stories do not require living in the state. The stories do, however, require the ability to weave a tale designed to give the readers a little glimpse into the essence of Louisiana. The submitted stories can draw upon any time-period. It is time to dust off your imagination, slip into the feel of this popular state, and explore the essence of Louisiana.

Submission Guidelines

Charon Coin Press announces an open call for submissions for the States of Horror: Louisiana

Word count for this collection is a minimum of 4,000 words not to exceed 9,000 words. Preferred format for submission is: Times New Roman at 12 pt. font. Submission should include: title, author name, author email, and word count of completed story. File type accepted is .doc, .docx, and .rtf. Submission must be made via [email protected]. Subject line for submission email should contain: author’s name, State of Horror: Louisiana. Stories will not be accepted through snail mail.

Stories may contain characters and worlds created in other stories published by the author as long as it meets the requirement of the theme of State of Horror: Louisiana. If submission has been previously released, please include information about the previously released story publication and the release date. Stories may not be published in any other form for twelve (12) months prior to or after the release of State of Horror: Louisiana. NO multiple submissions allowed.

Charon Coin Press understands that sexual content and violence may be included in the stories. However, before inclusion of this type of content, please make sure it is relevant to the story’s progression.

Submission is open between May 1, 2014 and August 1, 2014

The release of each book will have a promotional campaign. Authors who have had their submissions selected will be requested to participate in the marketing of the book in which they are included.

The State of Horror Anthologies are a royalty-only payment schedule plus a contributor paperback copy. The royalties are 50% of the sales per eBook and Print book divided between the authors, paid every six months. Each book will contain 13 stories.

Charon Coin Press will make every effort to announce selected stories within six (6) weeks of the close date listed above.

via: Charon Coin Press.