Category: Articles

Paying Markets For Speculative Fiction Authors | Top Open Calls December 11th-15th, 2023

Welcome, cybernauts and digital scribes! As we venture into the week of December 11th to the 15th, let us immerse ourselves in the high-tech, intricate realms akin to those envisioned by Neal Stephenson. Embrace the cerebral energy of cyberpunk and science fiction, where every byte and pixel can unfold into complex narratives, much like Stephenson’s genre-defining works.

In this week’s compendium of opportunities, you’re invited to navigate the neon-lit streets of the future, each link a portal to potential worlds where technology and human experience collide in unexpected ways.

A fascinating fact about this date range: December 14th marks the anniversary of the first transmission of a radio signal by Guglielmo Marconi in 1901, a groundbreaking moment that forever changed communication and paved the way for the digital age—a fitting inspiration for authors exploring the frontiers of technology in their writing.

In the spirit of Stephenson’s imaginative vision, remember his words: “The difference between stupid and intelligent people—and this is true whether or not they are well-educated—is that intelligent people can handle subtlety.” Let this be a guide as you weave your narratives, balancing the complexity of your worlds with the delicate nuance of human (or perhaps post-human) experience.

As we delve deeper into December, let your tales be a testament to the ever-evolving dance between humanity and technology, where each story is a thread in the ever-expanding tapestry of speculative fiction. 🌐📖

You can watch this week’s round up here:
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Indie Bookshelf Releases 12/15/2023

Got a book to launch, an event to promote, a kickstarter or seeking extra work/support as a result of being hit economically by life in general?

Get in touch and we’ll promote you here. The post is prepared each Thursday for publication on Friday. Contact us via Horror Tree’s contact address or connect via Twitter or Facebook.

Click on the book covers for more information. Remember to scroll down to the bottom of the page – there’s all sorts lurking in the deep.

 

Before you scroll down through the books however, please could you consider checking out the ‘Creatives in Crisis’ section. This has been added to help those who need additional support at this time. Thank you!

 

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Epeolatry Book Review: Case Files of the Rocky Mountain Paranormal Research Society Volume 1 by Robert Lewis and Bryan Bonner

Disclosure:

Our reviews may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the links in this article we may receive a small commission or referral fee. This happens without any additional cost to you.

Title: Case Files of the Rocky Mountain Paranormal Research Society Volume 1
Author: Robert Lewis and Bryan Bonner
Genre: Occult Horror
Publisher:Polymath Press
Release Date: 15th September, 2023

Synopsis: Do you enjoy a good ghost story?

For nearly a quarter of a century, the Rocky Mountain Paranormal Research Society has investigated ghosts, aliens, cryptids, and all manner of bizarre claims and happenings in Colorado and beyond. Combining historic and scientific research with a love of the weird and scary, they’ve researched and documented some of the best paranormal stories in the world. Now, Colorado’s first and only forensic paranormal investigation team is proud to present this inaugural volume of their collected case files.

Within these pages, you’ll learn not only the ghostly and paranormal stories, but the histories of the allegedly haunted locations and the methods Rocky Mountain Paranormal uses to get to the bottom of some of the world’s strangest phenomena.

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Mental Illness and Horror

In Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning performance in his portrayal of Batman’s most notorious villain in The Dark Knight, he said, “As you know, madness is like gravity. All it takes is a little push.”

The film, the actor, and real life orchestrated a cacophony that sends a chill up my spine to this very day. When I used to run the ScHoFan Critique Group in the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, I remember a time when I introduced a story with a suicide narrative. It was then that I learned how using the wrong language could trigger a negative response.

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‘The Northern Route’ Blog Tour – Spaceship Design – The Miren Star

Spaceship Design – The Miren Star

 

The Miren Star is the flagship of the Fortuna Corporate Fleet and a showcase of everything that the Fortuna Development Yards is capable of. It was designed to ferry the leadership and esteemed guests in over-the-top opulence. A large sailer, the ship can harness the energy of solar flares for interplanetary travel.

 

 

All spaceflight in The Northern Route follows newtonian physics. For the Miren Star, this means that the most practical layout is a stacked-deck configuration, somewhat like a skyscraper. Thrust gravity is utilized for guest comfort during voyages. All guest accommodations and leisure facilities are located around the ship’s center of mass so that any centrifugal forces are minimized when the ship reorients during flight.

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James Davies: Winning Writers of the Future

James Davies: Winning Writers of the Future

By Angelique Fawns

 

James Davies had some big news to tell his family – four feral humans and fourteen well-mannered hens – he is a winner in the Writers of the Future Contest, and his story “Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber” will be published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40.

This means he is off to Hollywood for a gala this April, and winning this contest should be a big boost to his writing career!

Davies is a member of the Wulf Pack and one of my writing cohorts. Wulf Moon’s writing group is specifically geared to helping authors win this contest.

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Paying Markets For Speculative Fiction Authors | Top Open Calls December 4th-8th, 2023

Welcome, storytellers of the fantastical and the fearful! 🌌🦁 As we journey through the days of December 4th to the 8th, let us blend the realms of horror and fantasy into tapestries rich with wonder and dread. In your world-building, may you find the delicate balance between the eerie unknown and the awe-inspiring.

This week’s ledger of opportunities is imbued with the potential for both the wondrous and the terrifying, each link a gateway to new realms where your stories can flourish in the shadowed corners of imagination.

As we delve into this week, consider the unique character of early December: Did you know that December 5th is known as Krampusnacht in some European traditions? This evening is marked by the appearance of Krampus, a horned, anthropomorphic figure who, in contrast to Saint Nicholas, punishes naughty children. This folklore encapsulates the dual nature of the season – the light and the dark, the joyous and the terrifying, themes ripe for exploration in horror fantasy.

“Sometimes fairy stories may say best what’s to be said,” wrote C.S. Lewis. Let this wisdom guide you as you weave narratives where the fantastical elements serve to illuminate deeper truths, where the veil between worlds is thin, and where the eerie and the enchanting intertwine.

As December’s chill seeps into your tales, let them be a vessel for the ancient stories and myths, the kind that echo the depths of human fears and desires. May your writing this week be a tribute to the power of myth and the enduring resonance of fairy tales, where every shadow holds a mystery, and every light a hope. 📖❄️🌑

You can watch the video below:
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Epeolatry Book Review: The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca

Disclosure:

Our reviews may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the links in this article we may receive a small commission or referral fee. This happens without any additional cost to you.

Title: The Trees Grew Because I Bled There
Author: Eric LaRocca
Genre: Horror
Publisher: Titan Books
Release Date: 7th March, 2023

Synopsis: Eight stories of literary dark fiction from a master storyteller. Exploring the shadow side of love, these are tales of grief, obsession, control. Intricate examinations of trauma and tragedy in raw, poetic prose. In these narratives, a woman imagines horrific scenarios whilst caring for her infant niece; on-line posts chronicle a cancer diagnosis; a couple in the park with their small child encounter a stranger with horrific consequences; a toxic relationship reaches a terrifying resolution…

Originally published under the title The Strange Thing We Become and Other Dark Tales, this is a much-praised collection of deeply unsettling, painfully dark tales.

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