Author: Stuart Conover

Anthology / Contributor's Copy / Events / Flash / Flat Amount / Non-fiction / Poetry

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Taking Submissions: Winter Lore Book 3: Aurora: Tales of Winter Dreams

Deadline: May 13th, 2025
Payment: $20 for original fiction. $10 for poetry. $5 for reprints, $5 for short articles, poems and spells on winter rites, traditions and rituals – Payment and a contributor’s copy for US authors
Theme: Stories of how winter relates to rest and rejuvenation and refinement of dreams involving fantasy, folklore, and magic

Winter Lore Book 3: Aurora: Tales of Winter Dreams:
Submission Open March 25 to May 13, 2025
Word count 2,000 to 6,000

Pay: $20 for original fiction

$10 for poetry

$5 for reprints

$5 for short articles, poems and spells on winter rites, traditions and rituals

Payment and a contributors copy

Paperback for US residence

Ebook for Non-US residence

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Artwork / Flash / Flat Amount / Magazine / Non-fiction / Ongoing Submissions / Poetry / Token Payment

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Ongoing Submissions: Kinpaurak Magazine

Payment: $5 per work
Theme: Fiction, poetry, artwork that deals with the Esoteric, Absurd, and Sublime (definitions below.)

THE ESOTERIC – Hidden. Occult. Secret. Mystical. Unknown.

THE ABSURD – Meaningless. Chaos. Nonsense. Ridiculous. Paradox. Existential.

THE SUBLIME – Awe. Vastness. Beauty. Terror. Overwhelming. Grandeur.

We accept all genres—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, philosophical monologues, etc. However, nothing over 2,000 words.

  • Fiction/Nonfiction: Up to 2000 words (flash, short stories, experimental prose welcome).
  • Poetry: Up to one quadrillion poems per submission (not exceeding 2000 words). Any form or style.
  • Essays: Up to 2000 words.
  • Hybrid Work: No rules, I guess. If it doesn’t fit anywhere else, send it here.
  • Visual Art: We accept a range of 2D and 3D artworks. PNG, JPG, or TIFF. Dimensions wise, preferably 8.5×11 inches (portrait) or 11×8.5 inches (landscape).
  • Auditory Art: Noise, ambient, and electronic manipulations are most wanted. WAV or MP3 (320 kbps preferred). Up to 10 minutes (shorter pieces encouraged). Accompany a description, 150–300 words, explaining the concept, technique, and relevance to Kinpaurak’s themes. Please refer to our FAQ for more information.

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Anthology / Events / Flat Amount

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Taking Submissions: Suffering the Other

Deadline: May 30th, 2025
Payment: $10
Theme: Dark speculative fiction that explores various aspects of otherness and its effect on those so othered

Dim Shores will be publishing an anthology in late 2025 or early 2026 — Suffering the Other. America’s blossoming fascist state is vigorously persecuting basically anyone who is not a healthy well-off cisgendered heterosexual white male: LGBTQ+ folks, immigrants, the disabled, the poor, women in general. Particular attention is being paid to immigrants/non-citizens of any stripe, and the transgender community. As such, this book will be a benefit for RAICES and Transgender Legal Center, two of the many organizations helping those who are being victimized by this roaring tsunami of oppression and vitriol.

Suffering the Other will be edited by Justin Steele and myself (Sam Cowan), just like both volumes of Looming Low. Unlike Looming Low, we are taking submissions for this book. Following are some guidelines.

WINDOW: March 30 through May 30, 2025.

THEME: People tend to fear what they don’t understand. Throughout history these fears have festered and metastasized, again and again, into prejudicial hatred and violence against out-groups. Too many people have become very adept at dehumanizing those who are not like themselves. The stories in this book will explore various aspects of otherness and its effect on those so othered via dark speculative fiction.

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Audio / Events / Reprints Allowed / Semipro

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Taking Submissions: Imagitopia May 2025 Window

Submission Window: May 1st – 31st, 2025
Payment: 1 cent per word
Theme: Reprints of fantasy stories in all of its subgenres

IMAGITOPIA is a new fantasy fiction podcast and digital magazine produced by Android Press and featuring narrated fantasy fiction plus other fun stuff like author and editor interviews, news and events, and nerd-outs on fantasy tropes and other related topics. 

We currently accept submissions of previous published fantasy short stories for REPRINT ONLY to be narrated for the podcast. We’ll also publish in print here on the webzine. 

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Articles

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Writing Prompt Wednesdays: Zombie Flies

Writing Prompt Wednesdays: Zombie Flies

Welcome to “Writing Prompt Wednesdays,” a haven where your imagination can roam free in the realms of speculative fiction. As we embark on this weekly journey, it’s thrilling to think about the untold stories waiting to be penned in the domains of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Whether you’re a seasoned author or a budding wordsmith, these prompts are your gateway to unexplored worlds and untapped potentials.

Every Wednesday, we’ll serve up a fresh, thought-provoking prompt designed to ignite your creative spark and challenge your storytelling prowess. Think of these prompts as a key, unlocking the doors to uncharted territories where your creativity is the only limit. From eerie, shadow-laden corridors of Gothic horror to the farthest reaches of interstellar space, and the mystical depths of high fantasy, our prompts are a kaleidoscope of possibilities.

Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to approach these prompts. They are mere stepping stones, guiding you towards the vast landscapes of your imagination. Use them to break free from writer’s block, to experiment with new ideas, or simply as a fun exercise to keep your writing skills sharp.

This week’s writing prompt:

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Anthology / Events / Pro / Royalties

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Taking Submissions: Skull X Bones

Deadline: June 30th, 2025
Payment: 0.08 USD / word and royalties
Theme: Science Fiction or Fantasy pirate stories

Avast, ye scurvy dogs! It’s time to plunder! Pirates have enchanted and haunted readers for generations, from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island to the ill-fated Firefly. Whether it’s Blackbeard, Mal, or Han Solo, we love our swashbucklers, our One-Eyed Willies, and our scruffy-looking nerfherders. In SKULL X BONES, we want writers to give us their best science fiction or fantasy pirates, whether they be on the sailing ships of the deep wide ocean or the spaceships of the black void!

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Events / Magazine / Poetry

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Taking Submissions: SpecPoVerse Second 2025 Window

Submission Window: May 1st – June 30th, 205
Payment: $5
Theme: Speculative Poetry

SpecPoVerse accepts poems with or without known formalism and also experimental forms. An illustrated poem in which the illustration was created by the poet is also acceptable; this must be submitted as a .pdf file with the embedded illustration.

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