Taking Submissions: Sword & Sorceress 33

by | Apr 23, 2018 | Events, Magazine, Pro, Royalties

Deadline: May 13th, 2018
Payment: 6 cents per word as an advance against a pro rata share of royalties and foreign or other sales.

The reading period for Sword & Sorceress 33 will begin on MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018. It will end on SUNDAY, MAY 13, 2018.

If you wish to submit a story to the anthology, please follow the Guidelines below.

Guidelines

Stories should be the type generally referred to as “sword and sorcery” and must have a strong female protagonist whom the reader will care about. See Sword & Sorceress 22, Sword & Sorceress 23, Sword & Sorceress 24, Sword & Sorceress 25, Sword & Sorceress 26, Sword & Sorceress 27, Sword & Sorceress 28, Sword & Sorceress 29, Sword & Sorceress 30, Sword & Sorceress 31, and Sword & Sorceress 32 (or S&S 1-20) for examples. We do not want stories with explicit sex, gratuitous violence, or profanity. We are NOT a market for poetry, horror, or dark fantasy. We are willing to consider stories set in modern times (urban fantasy), but we don’t buy more than one or two of those for the anthology. We always want something short and funny for the last story.

No reprints. No simultaneous submissions.

With regard to multiple submissions, do not submit more than one story at a time. If we’ve rejected your first one, you may send one more, as long as it’s before the deadline. We have occasionally bought someone’s second submission. We have never bought a third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth submission. If you send us two stories, and we don’t hold either of them, wait until next year to try again. Please do not re-submit stories we have already rejected (including stories rejected in previous years).

If you have not previously sold to Sword & Sorceress, please read “What is a Short Story?” and “Why Did my Story Get Rejected?” before submitting to us.

Reading period: Monday, April 23 to Sunday, May 13, 2018. Stories received before or after this period will be deleted unread.
Response time is expected to follow MZB’s traditional standards: you should hear within a week if we’re holding your story for the final line-up or rejecting it.

Deadline: May 13, 2018

Editors: Elisabeth Waters and Deborah J. Ross

Length: up to 9,000 words, with preference given to shorter stories. The longer a story is, the better it has to be. Long stories should be submitted early in the reading period.

Cover Letter/e-mail: We don’t actually need a cover letter, but our e-mail program does. It puts any e-mail with no body in the spam folder. So…
Please do not explain or describe your story in the e-mail. If your story can’t stand on its own, fix the story. The e-mail should be brief. For example:
Dear Miss Waters,

Attached is my 4000-word story “The Dark Intruder” for consideration for Sword and Sorceress 33.

Sincerely,
(Ms.) Marion Bradley

If your name could be either male or female, please indicate whether you prefer Ms./Miss/Mrs., Mr., or Mx. in our reply. We’re not asking for the details of your personal life, we just want to use the correct form of address. (MZB once did an entire story intro thinking a male writer called Terry was female.)

Formatting and Submission:

Format with one-inch margins on all four sides of page.
Please do not use a header or footer.

Your legal name, full mailing address, and email address must be in the upper left corner, single spaced.
Skip two lines, center the text, then put the title, with your name (or byline) on the next line. We’re not as rigid as MZB was about pen names, but we expect them to be reasonable, rather than cute.

The rest of the manuscript should be single-spaced, with the first line of each paragraph indented 1/2 inch.
If you need to indicate a break, put “#” on a line by itself, centered.
Do not underline; use italics instead. Do not use bold face. We prefer Courier New font, size 12.

Word count will be determined by our word processor; that way it will be the same for everyone.

Save your document as an .RTF file (rich text format or interchange format, depending on what your computer calls it). E-mail as it as an attachment to . The subject line should be “SS33, your last name, story title” (e.g.: SS33, Bradley, Dark Intruder) — we don’t want submissions caught in the spam filter. Remember that a computer is sorting this, so follow the format exactly. Use commas, not slashes, hyphens, etc. Do NOT change SS33 to something similiar (e.g.: S&S 33). We do our best to find stories that have not been sorted properly, but we don’t guarantee success.

Rights purchased: first rights, non-exclusive eBook and audio book rights.

Payment: 6 cents per word as an advance against a pro rata share of royalties and foreign or other sales.

Via: MZB Works.

Eraserhead Press & Deadite Press Are Open To Novels And Novellas

by | Apr 19, 2018 | Events, Novel, Novella, Royalties

Deadline: June 30th, 2018
Payment: Royalty arrangement for both print and digital is 50% of net revenue.

ERASERHEAD PRESS IS OPEN CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: April 1- June 30, 2018
All submissions received by the end of June will receive a response by July 31, 2018.

What we are looking for:

  • Eraserhead Press is seeking original novellas and novels of 20,000 to 100,000 words in length that fit into the Bizarro Fiction category.
  • We want surprising, unique, well-crafted weird stories with compelling plots, eccentric characters, and never-before-seen concepts.
  • We want a balance of both plot and character – we love weird characters with weird problems in weird places. We are looking for exciting concepts that make people say “I have to read that!” and well-developed characters they can fall in love with along the way.
  • We’re most drawn to darkly absurd tales that are addictive to read and contain a strong emotional core. We love fiction that is both heart-rending and fun. While it may or may not be funny, we are interested in more than just a joke. If you can make us both laugh and cry or creep us out and draw us in, we will love your book.
  • We are looking for entertaining and accessible stories that speak to a specific audience. Will your book appeal to vegan punks? Riot grrls? Overworked airline pilots? Cos-players? Fans of 80s New Wave?  If you’ve identified the audience for your work, please tell us in your book description.
  • Multiple submissions are okay – during our open submission period we are open to reading as many manuscripts as you feel would meet our criteria but we are only interested in your best work. Bring it on!
  • We have high standards – we have been the leading publisher of Bizarro Fiction since 1999 and have worked with everyone from brand new authors to established heavy hitters. We have gained a cult following for our high-quality boundary-pushing weird fiction and are looking for books that will top everything else we’ve ever published. The best way to understand what we are looking for is to familiarize yourself with our catalog. If you feel you’ve written something completely unique that stands apart from everything being published today, then we want to see it!

What we are not looking for:

  • No simultaneous submissions – During the time that we are open for submissions we prefer that you do not simultaneously submit your manuscript elsewhere.
  • We are not accepting short story collections, poetry, non-fiction or comics at this time
  • No experimental formatting – while we appreciate visual poetry, epistolary novels, and playful formatting, we are currently only interested in publishing conventional formats.
  • No reprints – We want to bring our readers fresh new stories that they can’t find anywhere else. If your book has previously been published by another publisher or has been self-published, we will still consider it, but your chance of the book being accepted for publication by Eraserhead Press is less likely than submissions that have not previously appeared in print.

How to submit

  • Email your submission to [email protected].
  • In the body of your email message please include an author bio and a 3-5 sentence summary to pique our interest (worded like a back cover description).
  • Attached to the email include your full manuscript
    • Please include a one-page synopsis of your book on the first page of your manuscript or attach as a separate document. Writing a good synopsis is important because if we are not interested in your synopsis, we may not read any further into your manuscript.
  • Format your manuscript as follows:
    • Word document .doc or .docx or Rich Text File .rtf (no .pdfs please).
    • Times New Roman or Arial 11-12 pt font.
    • Your author name, email address, book title and word count should appear on the first page of your manuscript. All subsequent pages should have your name, title, and page number in the header.
    • Your manuscript should be well edited and free of grammatical errors.

Failure to follow these guidelines may result in automatic rejection.   

What we pay:

  • Our standard royalty arrangement for both print and digital is 50% of net revenue.

What rights does that give you:

  • Our contract covers the rights to publish your work in paperback and ebook formats, worldwide, in English. All other rights (e.g. audiobook, film, hardcover) are retained by the author.

***

DEADITE PRESS Submissions

Deadite Press is dedicated to publishing the very best in extreme horror and splatterpunk fiction. We have given a home to some of the top writers in the genre including Brian Keene, Edward Lee, Bryan Smith, J.F. Gonzalez, Wrath James White, Robert Devereaux, and Shane McKenzie. And for the first time in almost a decade, we are opening our doors to general submissions!

OPEN CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
APRIL 1, 2018 to JUNE 30, 2018.

All submissions received by June 30th will receive a response by July 31, 2018.

What we are looking for:

  • Deadite Press is seeking original novellas and novels 20,000 to 100,000 words in length that fit into the extreme horror and splatterpunk fiction categories.
  • We want striking, well-crafted manuscripts with original horror themes. Our readers expect unconventional stories that surprise, entertain, and frighten them in new ways. We are not afraid of topics that are risky, violent or unrelentingly horrific. On the contrary, we crave those things! Look at our catalog of books to see what we mean.
  • Multiple submissions are okay – during our open submission period we are open to reading as many manuscripts as you feel would meet our criteria but we are only interested in your best work. Bring it on!

What we are not looking for:

  • We are not accepting short story collections, poetry, non-fiction or comics at this time
  • No simultaneous submissions – During the time that we are open for submissions we prefer that you do not simultaneously submit your manuscript elsewhere.

How to submit:

  • Email your submission to [email protected]
  • In the body of your email message please include an author bio and a 3-5 sentence summary description of the book written like a back cover description in order to pique our interest.
  • As a separate document attached to the email include a one-page synopsis of your book describing all the main plot points and revealing the ending. Writing a good synopsis is important, because if we are not interested in your synopsis, we may not read your manuscript.
  • Also attached to the email, include your full manuscript. Format your manuscript as follows:
    • Word document .doc or .docx or Rich Text File .rtf (no .pdfs please).
    • Times New Roman or Arial 11-12 pt font.
    • Your author name, email address, book title and word count should appear on the first page of your manuscript. All subsequent pages should have your name, title, and page number in the header.
    • Your manuscript should be well edited and free of grammatical errors.

Failure to follow these guidelines may result in automatic rejection.  

What we pay:
Our standard royalty arrangement for both print and digital is 50% of net revenue.

What rights does that give you:
Our contract covers the rights to publish your work in paperback and ebook formats, worldwide, in English. All other rights (e.g. audiobook, film, hardcover) are retained by the author.

Via: Bizarro Central.

Taking Submissions: Uncommon Creatures

by | Apr 12, 2018 | Anthology, Events, Royalties

Deadline: May 15th, 2018
Payment: Royalties

Submission Details:

  • Submissions must be in English and written to the highest quality you are capable.
  • Maximum Word Count is 10,000.
  • This is a paid market anthology, with a royalty cut for each author.
  • Each author retains all rights to their story after a 6-month run in Kindle Unlimited
  • All submissions will be edited and sent to the author for final approval before publication.
  • Open internationally, but submission must be in American English.
  • There is no fee to submit.
  • Please, no reprints or simultaneous submissions.
  • Limit of two submissions per author.
  • Any genre is fine. However, we are not looking for nonfiction at this time.
  • Adult language and sexual situations are permitted.

Formatting your Submission:

  • Standard submission format is accepted.
  • Alternately please send in a doc, docx, or rtf file formatted with; 12pt Times New Roman with 1.5-line spacing; left justified indents on the first line of each paragraph (Do NOT use TAB); no extra spacing between paragraphs; and no headers/footers/page numbers; one space at the end of a sentence, not two.
  • To submit, please use the form below.
  • Incomplete submissions will not be considered.

If you have any questions, please submit your question through the contact page.

Submit Your Story Here

Via: Fighting Monkey Press.

Taking Submissions: Future Days

by | Apr 9, 2018 | Events, Royalties

Deadline: May 11th, 2018
Payment: Royalties

Castrum Press is excited to announce that submissions are open for the Future Days Anthology

The first of the Days Anthologies The Future Days Anthology is a short story collection that imagines where humanity finds itself in the future. Your story could be set tomorrow, next year, next century or in the next millennium. We are accepting stories in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror genres, all we ask is you take our readers on a journey into the future of the human race they will never forget.

  • Your story must be between 7,000 and 10,000 words.
  • Submission closes on Friday 11 May 2018.
  • Your story must comply with our Submission Guidelines.

The Small(ish) Print

Successful submissions will receive a percentage of net profits following publication with the caveat that the stories will not be reproduced without the publisher’s consent for 12 months following publication of the relevant anthology.

We can only accept one submission per anthology per author. We automatically reject submissions made after the closing date. All submissions must be original material, owned by the author, and must not have been published via any form of media before submission either free or paid. All submissions must comply with our submission guidelines.

Featured image is (C) Copyright Duncan Halleck http://duncanhalleck.com/

Via: Castrum Press.

Taking Submissions: Made In Britain

by | Apr 3, 2018 | Anthology, Events, Flat Amount, Royalties

Deadline: September 30th, 2018
Payment: £10 for first rights and Equal share of 50% of the anthology profits
Note: Only authors from the Sceptered Isle (England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales – Gibraltar and the Falklands too!) are allowed

Made in Britain

… the title says it all – this exemplary anthology is open ONLY to writers from the Sceptered Isle  (England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales – Gibraltar and the Falklands too!)  – and ex-pats of course!  Your story needn’t necessarily be set in England, but should carry that unmistakable British tone that everyone knows and loves.
There’s no set theme – just good ol’ spooky, scary, horror stories – nothing extreme or gratuitous please!
The anthology will be compiled by the superlative horror author, Kevin Kennedy, and published in time for Xmas by the incomparable HellBound Books Publishing.

To submit, email your polished story to [email protected]

 

PLEASE read and adhere to our submission guidelines… 
* Word format saved in .doc, or .docx
* 12 pt times new roman
* Double spaced
* Absolutely NO extra lines between paragraphs!
* 5K-15K word count (although we are incredibly flexible for awesome stories!)
* Write ‘BRITAIN’ along with your name and story title in the header of your email
*The body of your submission email will be considered the cover letter.
* The submission documents are to be separated and Word (.doc or .docx) documents are to be attached to your submission email.

– Make sure that you check your mss for grammar and punctuation, use our guidelines to help you:
DOWNLOAD YOUR HBB GUIDE TO GRAMMAR HERE (PDF)

Deadline: 30 Sept 2018 – for Xmas 2018 release

NO REPRINTS – ORIGINAL UNPUBLISHED WORKS ONLY

Payment – £10 for first rights (that’s quid!)
Equal share of 50% of the anthology profits
Capped at 15 authors/150K words in total

Via: Hell Bound Books.

Ongoing Submissions: Odd Tales Of Wonder

by | Mar 15, 2018 | Magazine, Ongoing Submissions, Royalties

Payment: Royalties

It is recommended that authors check out this piece from Odd Tales Resist to get a deeper look at what we’re looking for, on top of the following guidelines.

· Please use the following formatting: single spaced, even between paragraphs. 12 point font, Times New Roman. 1” margins, top, bottom, left, and right. No page numbers or title pages necessary, word counts optional. We accept .odt, .doc, .docx, and .rtf, but no PDFs, s’il vous plait.

· Length: up to you. As seen on the About page, we will serialize longer pieces. And if you can tell a good story in 150 words, we’ll take that too.

· Ask us beforehand about poetry—no non-fiction will be considered for the time being. HOWEVER, we are currently accepting true ghost stories. Content must be original and entertaining, and it must conform to the other guidelines where relevant.

· If your story has been published previously under circumstances where copyright may be an issue, query first before submitting.

· Simultaneous submissions are cool, but let us know immediately when your piece has been accepted elsewhere. Please note that we will only publish one story per author per issue except under special circumstances.

· At present, all book submissions will be treated as submissions for serialization in the Odd Tales magazine. Odd Tales Resist is currently closed to outside submissions, but stories in the theme of OTR are encouraged for the main magazine.

· All genres are welcome but we are definitely a genre fiction magazine: horror, sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, and adventure all get priority. Romance, drama, and slice-of-life will probably not get in unless we really like it.

· We are fine with vulgarity, profanity, and some graphic content. Keyword there: some. Your characters can have sex but it can’t be erotica or porn. And while violence is fine, lengthy descriptions of extensive dismemberment will severely count against your story.

· Don’t be racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, etc. Just don’t be an asshole at any stage of the process. And yes, the editors are the ones who get to decide you’re being an asshole.

· Be yourself, and be good to yourself. Don’t write it if you aren’t.

If this sounds like the thing for you, please submit your story to [email protected]. We look forward                                                                                           to hearing from you!

Via: Odd Tales Of Wonder.

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