by Stuart Conover | Apr 23, 2018 | Anthology, Events, Flat Amount
Deadline: October 1st, 2018
Payment: $15
April 1 through October 1, 2018
BANJAXED BOOKS is proud to announce short story submissions for our second anthology, Deductions, Delinquents, and Detectives, a collection of mystery/detective stories set in whatever genre the authors choose. Whether it’s a murder mystery set in a world of High Fantasy, a science fiction who-done-it, or the tale of a hard-boiled detective in the near or distant future, Deductions, Delinquents, and Detectives will gather together the best mystery stories from any and all genres. Steampunk, monsters, robots, myths and legends, and–yes–even post-apocalypse…we’re looking for short stories that combine genres in interesting new ways. (We’ll even take a look at realistic mystery stories set in modern times…or during the heyday of detective stories. No monsters or flying cars? No problem! Mystery is a genre all its own.)
SUBMISSION SCHEDULE
Submissions open April 1, 2018 and close October 1, 2018.
Publication is planned for April 2019. An official date will be announced later in the year. This will launch initially as a paperback.
We will get word to you concerning acceptance or rejection as soon as we can, but please remember that we typically get many, many submissions a week, so it could be as long as a month, maybe a bit longer as we get closer to the end of submissions. But not to worry: If you submit and get concerned after a reasonable amount of time has passed, inquire through email. We would never hold that against any author. And we’ll work as fast as humanly possible to get word out to you.
If you are interested in sending a story, email it (and a brief cover letter in the body of the email) to:
[email protected]
Subject line: Submission, Detectives, “Title of Story,” Word Count
(Example: Submission, Detectives, “A Corpse in the Rain,” 3500 Words)
Please follow the guidelines below. Failure to do so could result in a rejection of your hard work!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at the above email. Include Detectives in the subject line of any query.
GUIDELINES
Formatting should be typical. Courier New or Times New Roman, pt. 12, should be used. If you are unfamiliar with formatting a raw manuscript, please check out this link and follow it to the letter.
If you write under a pseudonym, please use your real name in the left-hand corner of the first page (along with your address, telephone number, and email address).
Word count for each story should fall between 2000 and 7000 words. While we’re not interested in stories below that count, you might be able to persuade us to give your story a read if it goes over 7000. (The easiest way to do that is give us a heads-up concerning the word count…and writing a good piece. A really good piece.) But be sure to take into account how much you’ll be paid for said story. We’ll gladly take a magnificent piece at 10,000 words–IF you’re willing to accept the set payment for it. (See PAYMENT below.)
Submit stories as an attachment in .doc or .docx. We’ll take .rtf, but no pdf, please.
Please submit only one story. Simultaneous submissions are okay–grumble, grumble–and we will withdraw a story placed elsewhere before acceptance/rejection. We are currently not in the market for reprints. I’ll write it again: WE ARE CURRENTLY NOT IN THE MARKET FOR REPRINTS.
The mood of each piece is up to the discretion of the author–tragic, funny, or any combination. If your characters use strong language, feel free to write in their voice. Do not, however, add harsh language just to seem “cool” or “literate.” Same with sex and violence. No incest, underage sex, or bestiality. (The line must be drawn somewhere.) Other than that–give your imagination sway.
As long as it is in combination with a mystery/detective story, please feel free to set your tale against the backdrop of whatever genre you like. The only genre we will not accept is erotica. (But I’ll gladly read it and tell you what I think.)
The editors of BANJAXED BOOKS request characters be fictional. Characters out of antiquity will be considered, especially if your detective or villain uses time travel (or some other method) to plan their murder to change history/the future. Again, such characters should be out of antiquity–no living celebrities or politicians (or boyfriends/girlfriends) will be acceptable. To be honest, it’s best to populate your world with characters made up from whole cloth. We’ll bend that rule only with good reason.
PAYMENT
Writers whose work is selected will receive $15. We wish we could pay more for your quality writing, but we are a newish outfit–any understanding will be appreciated. We pay by PayPal or check.
We are located in America. Please note that the exchange rate in your country may be lower than fifteen USA dollars, and that exchange fees may be higher than the royalty altogether. Having a reliable PayPal in this instance is the safest bet.
Authors will be paid upon acceptance. Publishing our first anthology, Chaos of Hard Clay, presented a steep learning curve, and the most important lesson learned was that paying upon acceptance–not publication–is the decent thing to do for any author sharing their work with us. And believe me, we wish we could pay much more, but we are an indie-publisher, and this is our second venture. It is a few dollars more than we paid the authors of Chaos, so–with each new project–we hope to pay a greater amount.
We pay $15 for First Paperback Rights and Non-Exclusive Digital Rights. Once the initial paperback comes out in April 2019, authors may sell their stories elsewhere (with the understanding that we’ll eventually put out an eBook version). As long as your tale does not appear anywhere else before the paperback hits the stands, all will be good.
If your work is not accepted, please do not go into histrionics. BANJAXED BOOKS plans to put out more anthologies, and we may eventually be a good home for your work. In any case, we will endeavor to give as much feedback as possible as to why we rejected your story. (I think the authors of Chaos would confirm that I’m a nice fellow. I know how story rejection feels. I would not add insult to injury by saying, “It stinks,” and closing our correspondence. I wouldn’t say It stinks anyway.)
If your work is accepted–but needs minor retooling–please work with us to make your story the best it can be.
Thank you for your interest. We cannot wait to read your stories. Have fun, and formulate something truly original. We have faith in you.
Via: G. Allen Cook.
by Stuart Conover | Apr 19, 2018 | Events, Flat Amount, Magazine, Poetry
Deadline: June 1st, 2018
Payment: $250 for stories and essays and $75 for poems
SUBMITTING TO SLICE
SLICE magazine welcomes submissions for short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. We’re looking for anyone with a fresh voice and a compelling story to share, and we are particularly enthusiastic about championing emerging voices. The best way to get a sense of Slice’s content is to read the magazine. You can subscribe here. At the core, Slice aims to bridge the gap between emerging and established authors by offering a space where both are published side-by-side. In each issue, a specific cultural theme becomes the catalyst for articles, interviews, stories, and poetry from renowned writers and lesser known voices alike. We offer all contributors of Slice a monetary award for their work ($250 for stories and essays and $75 for poems).
GUIDELINES
Our reading period is currently open. The reading period runs from April 1 – June 1, 2018. The theme is “Time.” All submissions during that time will be considered for Issue 24, which will be released spring 2019.
Click here to submit via Submittable, an online submissions manager.
Please note, we are unable to accept any submissions sent to us via email or post. The maximum word count for submissions is 5,000 words. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable as long as we’re notified immediately if the work is selected for publication elsewhere. All work should be previously unpublished. Please allow up to three months for us to reply to your submission.
VISUAL ART SUBMISSIONS
If you’d like to contribute art to Slice, please drop us a line at art at slicemagazine dot org and include either a link to your online portfolio or a PDF of recent work.
Via: Slice Magazine.
by Stuart Conover | Apr 17, 2018 | Anthology, Events, Flat Amount
Deadline: October 1st, 2018
Payment: $15
BANJAXED BOOKS is proud to announce short story submissions for our second anthology, Deductions, Delinquents, and Detectives, a collection of mystery/detective stories set in whatever genre the authors choose. Whether it’s a murder mystery set in a world of High Fantasy, a science fiction who-done-it, or the tale of a hard-boiled detective in the near or distant future, Deductions, Delinquents, and Detectives will gather together the best mystery stories from any and all genres. Steampunk, monsters, robots, myths and legends, and–yes–even post-apocalypse…we’re looking for short stories that combine genres in interesting new ways. (We’ll even take a look at realistic mystery stories set in modern times…or during the heyday of detective stories. No monsters or flying cars? No problem! Mystery is a genre all its own.)
SUBMISSION SCHEDULE
Submissions open April 1, 2018 and close October 1, 2018.
Publication is planned for April 2019. An official date will be announced later in the year. This will launch initially as a paperback.
We will get word to you concerning acceptance or rejection as soon as we can, but please remember that we typically get many, many submissions a week, so it could be as long as a month, maybe a bit longer as we get closer to the end of submissions. But not to worry: If you submit and get concerned after a reasonable amount of time has passed, inquire through email. We would never hold that against any author. And we’ll work as fast as humanly possible to get word out to you.
If you are interested in sending a story, email it (and a brief cover letter in the body of the email) to:
[email protected]
Subject line: Submission, Detectives, “Title of Story,” Word Count
(Example: Submission, Detectives, “A Corpse in the Rain,” 3500 Words)
Please follow the guidelines below. Failure to do so could result in a rejection of your hard work!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at the above email. Include Detectives in the subject line of any query.
GUIDELINES
Formatting should be typical. Courier New or Times New Roman, pt. 12, should be used. If you are unfamiliar with formatting a raw manuscript, please check out this link and follow it to the letter.
If you write under a pseudonym, please use your real name in the left-hand corner of the first page (along with your address, telephone number, and email address).
Word count for each story should fall between 2000 and 7000 words. While we’re not interested in stories below that count, you might be able to persuade us to give your story a read if it goes over 7000. (The easiest way to do that is give us a heads-up concerning the word count…and writing a good piece. A really good piece.) But be sure to take into account how much you’ll be paid for said story. We’ll gladly take a magnificent piece at 10,000 words–IF you’re willing to accept the set payment for it. (See PAYMENT below.)
Submit stories as an attachment in .doc or .docx. We’ll take .rtf, but no pdf, please.
Please submit only one story. Simultaneous submissions are okay–grumble, grumble–and we will withdraw a story placed elsewhere before acceptance/rejection. We are currently not in the market for reprints. I’ll write it again: WE ARE CURRENTLY NOT IN THE MARKET FOR REPRINTS.
The mood of each piece is up to the discretion of the author–tragic, funny, or any combination. If your characters use strong language, feel free to write in their voice. Do not, however, add harsh language just to seem “cool” or “literate.” Same with sex and violence. No incest, underage sex, or bestiality. (The line must be drawn somewhere.) Other than that–give your imagination sway.
As long as it is in combination with a mystery/detective story, please feel free to set your tale against the backdrop of whatever genre you like. The only genre we will not accept is erotica. (But I’ll gladly read it and tell you what I think.)
The editors of BANJAXED BOOKS request characters be fictional. Characters out of antiquity will be considered, especially if your detective or villain uses time travel (or some other method) to plan their murder to change history/the future. Again, such characters should be out of antiquity–no living celebrities or politicians (or boyfriends/girlfriends) will be acceptable. To be honest, it’s best to populate your world with characters made up from whole cloth. We’ll bend that rule only with good reason.
PAYMENT
Writers whose work is selected will receive $15. We wish we could pay more for your quality writing, but we are a newish outfit–any understanding will be appreciated. We pay by PayPal or check.
We are located in America. Please note that the exchange rate in your country may be lower than fifteen USA dollars, and that exchange fees may be higher than the royalty altogether. Having a reliable PayPal in this instance is the safest bet.
Authors will be paid upon acceptance. Publishing our first anthology, Chaos of Hard Clay, presented a steep learning curve, and the most important lesson learned was that paying upon acceptance–not publication–is the decent thing to do for any author sharing their work with us. And believe me, we wish we could pay much more, but we are an indie-publisher, and this is our second venture. It is a few dollars more than we paid the authors of Chaos, so–with each new project–we hope to pay a greater amount.
We pay $15 for First Paperback Rights and Non-Exclusive Digital Rights. Once the initial paperback comes out in April 2019, authors may sell their stories elsewhere (with the understanding that we’ll eventually put out an eBook version). As long as your tale does not appear anywhere else before the paperback hits the stands, all will be good.
If your work is not accepted, please do not go into histrionics. BANJAXED BOOKS plans to put out more anthologies, and we may eventually be a good home for your work. In any case, we will endeavor to give as much feedback as possible as to why we rejected your story. (I think the authors of Chaos would confirm that I’m a nice fellow. I know how story rejection feels. I would not add insult to injury by saying, “It stinks,” and closing our correspondence. I wouldn’t say It stinks anyway.)
If your work is accepted–but needs minor retooling–please work with us to make your story the best it can be.
Thank you for your interest. We cannot wait to read your stories. Have fun, and formulate something truly original. We have faith in you.
PERSONNEL
G. Allen Cook, Executive Editor, began his publishing career writing for newspapers and magazines. He has written 20 plays, eight of them full-length musicals.
The aspect of writing Cook likes best is revision and polishing. Even when reading books written by other authors he sees ways to edit and revise. It is for this reason he decided to edit anthologies, as he enjoys working with writers to make a collection of stories the best it can be.
Kathy Cook, Editor, holds a Bachelor’s in English and a Master’s in Library Media. Despite these areas of study, her greatest talent is editing. (“She rarely needs to rely on books on grammar to solve a grammatical problem, of which I’ve presented her with many.” — G. Allen)
BANJAXED BOOKS is a mom-and-pop operation, but that should not imply a sophomoric concern. G. Allen has published anthologies of his own work and appeared in collections compiled by other editors. Kathy has edited (for the better) all of his output–and edited for various outside jobs–for the past fourteen years.
Via: G. Allen Cook.
by Stuart Conover | Apr 10, 2018 | Events, Flat Amount, Magazine, Poetry
Deadline: May 26th, 2018
Payment: $30
We’re now accepting submission for Issue 03! Submit on our submittable HERE.
Submission period is open from now until May 26th.
Submission Guidelines
What kind of writing do we want to see?
We’re particularly interested in themes of healing and reclaiming, family and found family, communities and support systems, and quite plainly, love. We invite you to invent, reinvent, experiment, and bend or break the rules. Give us your big and your small, your subtle poetry and your speculative fiction, your political and your personal, your faith, identity, love, loss, and humanity. Our previous issues have featured works of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction that grapple with harsh realities of everything from social media to systemic oppression and inspire us to fight against these barriers.
All writers with pieces accepted will be rewarded $30 and will retain rights to their works. Wizards in Space seeks writers from all backgrounds, and all writers are encouraged to submit. Voices of color, nonbinary genders, the LGBTQ+ community–we are a safe place for your work. If it’s your original writing, submit it! Even if you’re not sure which category it fits into, or if it’s our style, or if it’s any good at all, submit your work! We promise to read every submission with kindness and an open mind
The best way to get a sense of what we’re looking for is to read through Issues 01 and 02, which you can order HERE.
- The nitty gritty:
- Please do not include your name or any identifying information in your submission or in the file name to help us comply with our anonymous submission process.
- No cover letters, please. You’ll have the chance to write a couple sentences about yourself when you submit.
- Previously published work is a-okay, as are simultaneous submissions. Just let us know where a piece has been published before, and we’ll be sure to credit it.
- Fiction, nonfiction, and cross-genre: one piece, up to 5000 words. Poetry: up to five pages. (Only one poem per page, please.)
- Typed, numbered, double-spaced pages are best.
- Please title all your pieces.
- We accept .doc and .docx file formats. If those formats are not accessible to you, we will accept pdf.
- Due to the personal nature of creative nonfiction, use discretion about using the names of real people in your work.
- If your work contains sensitive material, please include content warnings as necessary. We reserve the right to add or modify content warnings as part of our editing process.
Is there anything we’re not looking for?
- fanfiction
- extreme profanity
- work that you, the writer, aren’t proud of
I’m a visual artist. Can I submit my work?
Yeah! Guidelines are on the submittable form for visual work!
How will the work be judged?
All writing is judge anonymously. If you have any questions or concerns about our judging process, chat with us!
I keep seeing the word “fandom” thrown around. Am I eligible to submit, even if I don’t feel like I fit that category?
YES! Our rule of thumb is if you’re bummed about not being eligible to submit, you’re eligible to submit. While this mag did grow out of the Harry Potter fandom as an organized group, over 35% of our Issue 01 writers did not identify as part of the fan community. We define a “fan” as someone who’s passionate about something – anything at all, from Star Wars to linguistics to college football – so if that’s you, we’d love to hear from you.
The format stuff
Manuscripts
- Typed pages, double-spaced for prose, single-spaced for poetry.
- Please number your pages.
- Prose: Up to 5,000 words.
- Poetry: Up to 3 pages. Whether that’s five flash poems or one epic is up to you!
Photography & Art
- Highest resolution and best quality that you can get your hands on, please.
- We will accept art in JPEG, PNG or TIFF formats.
- All visual artwork must be at least 4.5’’ x 7’’ to fit in the book.
- All visual artwork must be 300 dpi.
A few more odds and ends
Please title all your work. I just did a reading where I said I never title my pieces but, I’m sorry, you’ll have to come up with a title. Please do not title your pieces with ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
Content warnings must be included at the top of the work when submitted. If deemed necessary, content warnings may be added by the editorial team for publication.
A note on names: You are welcome to publish your work under whatever name honors you, chosen or given, or you can elect to be published anonymously due to the personal nature of a piece. You’ll be able to specify during the submission process. (We will still need your info for payment.)
Okay, but where do I actually submit?
Send us what you’ve got through Submittable!
What you’re agreeing to upon submission
Accepted work may be featured, along with your name and bio, on the Wizards in Space website and social media accounts. Please know you’re agreeing to this upon submission.
Writing may be edited and we reserve the right to publish our edited version without your prior approval. But we’re very good at what we do, so don’t worry.
Writers keep all rights to their work. We ask that if your piece has yet to be published online or in other publication that you cite Wizards in Space Literary Magazine as its original home, but you should be able to post and repost your beautiful stories and experiences as much as you want. That’s just like, our opinion, dude.
Any questions or concerns about our submission process? Feel free to drop us a line.
Good luck! Thank you! May the space wizards always come down from the stars and bless you when you sneeze.
Via: Wizards in Space Literary Magazine.
