The Horror Tree

Horror Tree is a resource for authors that lists open markets, articles, interviews, original fiction, and more!

Category: Semipro

Anthology / Events / Semipro

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Taking Submissions: Slashertorte: An Anthology of Cake Horror

Deadline: November 1st, 2020
Payment: $0.01/word
Theme: The darker side of baked goods

​Sliced Up Press is looking for short stories involving cake for its debut horror fiction anthology, Slashertorte: An Anthology of Cake Horror, edited by Ben Walker.

Delicious as cake might be, we want you to bring out the darker side of baked goods and give us something scary, disturbing or just plain wrong.

What we’re looking for:

  • All submissions must be in the horror genre. While bizarro, splatterpunk and extreme horror are welcomed, we will not consider stories involving rape or bestiality.
  • We are especially interested in stories from under-represented groups in horror i.e. women, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ authors.
  • All submissions must be original. We will not accept reprints, or stories published elsewhere including on blogs, social media etc.
  • No reworked pizza stories please.
  • Submit your best work in standard manuscript format, as an MS Word .doc or .docx attachment.
  • Authors may submit one story maximum for consideration. Do not re-send rejected stories.
  • No simultaneous submissions.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES & TERMS:

Please email submissions to [email protected] using the following format in the email subject line:

Submission: [author’s name] – [story title] – [word count]. (so your email should look like this: Submission: Joe Bloggs – Cake or Death – 1,500 words)

In the body of the email, please include an author bio of 3-4 sentences maximum.

Payment: $0.01/word

Length: 2,000 words maximum – longer pieces will not be considered.

Deadline for submissions: 1st November 2020, or until filled

Authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection by 30th November 2020 at the latest.

If you have not heard back by the closing date of 30th November 2020, your story has been rejected. If you do receive a rejection, it will be a form letter – we will not critique your story.

Please do not email to enquire after your submission, unless you want to withdraw your story.

No exclusivity will be sought. Authors retain all rights to their works after publication.

Via: Sliced Up Press.

Magazine / Ongoing Submissions / Online / Semipro

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Ongoing Submissions: Short Fiction

Payment: 2p (£0.02) per word, to the nearest 100 words, with a minimum of £30 and maximum £100
Theme:

We look forward to reading your work. We publish one story per month as our Featured piece. We will also periodically seek to publish one story in a new section – “Introducing” – which will be a showcase for excellent new writers; that is, writers for whom this is their first published piece. In both cases we are looking for the best, carefully crafted, deeply considered work.

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All submissions are seen by two readers and we aim to respond within two months. There are no submission fees. We offer a paid Critique service (see here), which supports our future existence. We’re also deeply grateful for metaphorical coffees bought at our Ko-Fi page and every small PayPal donation. The Short Fiction team are all volunteers.

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We are open to submissions via Submittable (link below). Please do not email submissions.

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Before you submit, please note the following guidelines:

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1. We accept fiction between 500 and 5,000 words.* We have wide-ranging tastes and have happily published traditional character-driven stories next to non-conformist work of extraordinary innovation. We admire and love poets and memoirists, but can’t accept poetry or life writing. The boundaries can be blurred in hybrid forms and that’s great; if you feel your hybrid piece qualifies as fiction, send it in. We might disagree in the end, but we’ll admire your bravado.

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2. Format: Please use a widely accessible format such as .doc, .docx, .rtf, .pdf or .odt. Use a standard font like Times New Roman or Calibri or Arial, 11/12pt – unless the story itself dictates different formatting. You can include page numbers or not, double-space or not, but please give us reasonable margins. Just make it readable.

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3. Include in your brief Submittable cover letter:

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a) the title of your story and its rough word count;

b) a short bio;

c) [only if the story has been previously published], the name and year of the print publication in which it appeared.

4. No multiple submissions – please only submit one story at a time, and don’t send more until you have a response from us. This should come within two months – after this, do nudge us by emailing s[email protected]

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5. Simultaneous submissions (i.e. you’re sending a piece to us while it’s also being considered by other magazines or competitions) are absolutely fine. However, please, please, withdraw your submission via Submittable if your piece is accepted elsewhere. We’ll be really happy for you, and it saves us the pain of reading, discussing, and making space for a story that then turns out to be unavailable.

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6. Work that has been published online, or is available anywhere else digitally, is NOT accepted. Even if there’s a paywall (sorry). We DO consider work that has been previously published in a print medium with fewer than 5,000 subscribers or sales.

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7. Work should be in English (or, at least, a form of that language that’s been deliberately altered for artistic reasons). We can’t accept foreign-language submissions.

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8. The Editors’ decision is final, and we can’t provide feedback (unless you’re using the paid Critique Service).

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9. YES, WE PAY. Payment is 2p (£0.02) per word, to the nearest 100 words, with a minimum of £30 and maximum £100, paid via PayPal. (For those without a PayPal account, we can work out an alternative method of payment.)

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Thank you for showing us your work.
*We intend to open to submissions longer than 5000 words in a special future series. Keep an eye on us for announcements.

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We don’t charge any reading fees, but if you feel moved to support us – perhaps because culture is the one of the cornerstones of human civilisation and it’s horrendously undervalued in the economy – please donate:

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Via: Short Fiction.

Anthology / Events / Semipro

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Taking Submissions: Mythology From the Rock

Deadline: October 31 2020
Payment: $0.01 CAD per word to an upper limit of 4000 words.
Theme: Stories of mythology inspired by any and all cultures, from the classic stories of Greek gods, to Celtic and African-inspired myths, to adaptations of modern mythology-inspired works like HP Lovecraft!
Note: Canadian authors only

Over the last five years, the From the Rock series has become one of the preeminent anthology series’ in Atlantic Canada. We have been home to some amazing established talent and helped some new authors break through that have gone on to dominate their fields, becoming genre bestsellers in their own right. From the Rock is a title readers consistently ask for, review well, and is a great way for avid readers to get introduced to indie talent they might find interesting. In 2018 the series’ third entry, Chillers from the Rock, went Bestseller on pre-orders alone!

We are currently accepting submissions for the seventh entry in this series: Mythology from the Rock, to be available in Winter of 2021.

Editors Ellen Curtis and Erin Vance are scheduled to return to helm the project.

Many authors have expressed interest, but anyone can submit to be a part of this collection! Deadline is October 31 2020, but get your stories in as quick as you can, as it gives our wonderful editors more time to work with you and make sure it is as good as it can possibly be!

We’re looking for stories of mythology inspired by any and all cultures, from the classic stories of Greek gods, to Celtic and African-inspired myths, to adaptations of modern mythology-inspired works like HP Lovecraft!

What is the target audience?

For this specific collection, we’re going for an equivalent of PG to PG-13. Rather than limit our authors creatively, we encourage them to write from the heart and allow us to work with them to fine-tune the work after the fact.

What does it pay?

Payments start at a minimum of $0.01 CAD per word to an upper limit of 4000 words. Our pay scale is intrinsically tied to how well the collection did in its previous year of publication, and is intended as a starting point to grow from. Authors may find that when discussing contracts for their stories upon accepting the per-word and word-cap may both be higher than presented here.

Are there minimum/ maximum word limits?

There are not minimum word limits. In the past we have had stories as short as 250 words. We have set 7,500 words as a maximum word limit, only because we anticipate many submissions and want to fit as many as we can in.🙂

Can someone submit more than one story?

Of course! We may take one or both! We have had the same author in the same collection multiple times in the past.

Who can submit?

Any Canadian author looking to celebrate great Canadian genre writing! There is also no age restriction. Anyone over Canadian Age-of-Consent (16 years of age) can submit and sign the print release on their own. Entrants younger than that will have to sign the print release with a parent of guardian.🙂

Who keeps the printing rights?

You do! Engen merely gains the right to print your story in this one collection. You keep the rights to your story and property: so if it takes off and becomes a huge hit, you keep all the benefits!🙂

Do you accept reprints?

Yes, so long as you hold the copyright to allow us to publish it in the collection and the other criteria for the collection are met. Please tell us if you are submitting a reprint. We do give priority to new stories except in extreme cases.

How do I submit?

All submissions should be directed to [email protected] and should be sent from a reliable email address that you check regularly (we will contact all applicants through email with the status of their submission once the deadline has passed).

When do submissions close?

October 31, 2020 11:59 PM Newfoundland Standard Time.

Do you have questions?

Ask them below by commenting on this post, we will answer you post haste!🙂

Happy Writing!

We regret that due to the volume of submissions we receive we will be unable to acknowledge receipt of entries. We will contact you after submissions close, usually within 30 days, to let you know if we accepted your work or not.

Via: Engen Books.

Flash / Flat Amount / Magazine / Ongoing Submissions / Poetry / Reprints Allowed / Semipro

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Ongoing Submissions: The Fifth Di…

Payment: Original Stories: $25.00, Reprint Stories: $15.00, Flash Fiction: 1 cent/word, Poems: $5.00, Articles: $20.00
Theme: All genre work with a strong emphasis on character development
Note: Reprints Allowed

The Fifth Di… began with James Baker of ProMart Publishing back around the turn of the millennium. After his passing in September 2002, it was under the editorial stewardship of J Alan Erwine, now of Nomadic Delirium Press. In November 2019, it was handed over to Hiraeth Books.

The Fifth Di… is now published quarterly, in March, June, September, and December, in print [and, eventually, as an eBook]. It presents original science fiction, fantasy, and spooky horror stories. It also presents a few original poems, again along the overall theme.

The Fifth Di… wants original stories with plot, tension, suspense, conflict, and character development. Remember, if readers do not care what happens to your main character[s], they won’t read the story. The narrative should maintain a sense of wondering what’s going to happen next; of what’s lurking just around the corner. Showing is better than telling. Frex, instead of telling the reader that it’s cold, show your character shivering, stomping feet, or having ice form on beard or hair. The inner thoughts and emotions of your character[s] are just as important.

Stories submitted to The Fifth Di… should be between 4K and 8K words long. Longer or shorter stories will be considered; however, anything less than 4K will be a difficult sell. Anything 1K or less will be considered flash fiction. We will consider reprint stories, provided they adhere to the guidelines; however, they are difficult sells.

Submit your stories as rtf or .doc attachments [NO .docx, please] to sdpshowcase at yahoo dot com [you must recombine this address for it to work. Sorry for the inconvenience. Blame spammers].

Please submit one story at a time, and wait for the response before submitting another. We hope to keep the response time down to two months. If you haven’t heard from us in three months, please query.

Poetry submitted to The Fifth Di… should be from about ten to a hundred lines. Please submit no more than three poems at a time, and wait for the response before submitting more. Again, we hope to keep the response time down to two months. If you haven’t heard from us in three months, please query.

Submit your poems as rtf or .doc attachments [NO .docx, please] or IBOE to sdpshowcase at yahoo dot com [you must recombine this address for it to work. Sorry for the inconvenience. Blame spammers].

The Fifth Di… also considers articles related to science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Articles include essays and reviews, as well as writing tips. Word count should be around 1K words, up to a loose 5K words. Please submit one article at a time, and wait for the response before submitting another. Yet again, we hope to keep the response time down to two months. If you haven’t heard from us in three months, please query.

Submit your articles as rtf or .doc attachments [NO .docx, please] to sdpshowcase at yahoo dot com [you must recombine this address for it to work. Sorry for the inconvenience. Boil spammers; inexpensive vegetable oil works best].

The Fifth Di… is not considering cover art at this time.

Payment is made upon publication by check or Paypal as follows:

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Original Stories: $25.00

Reprint Stories: $15.00

Flash Fiction: 1 cent/word

Poems: $5.00

Articles: $20.00

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NOTE: If you live outside the United States, you will be paid via Paypal, or must make some other arrangement with the editor.

All submissions must include contact information. This means:

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Name [yours, not necessarily your byline name]

Address [street, city, country, and zip code or equivalent]

e-mail address

Paypal address

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If your address changes before the publication date, please let us know.

Queries should be sent to sdpshowcase at yahoo dot com [you must recombine this address for it to work. Sorry for the inconvenience. Grill spammers; the grillwork of a 1950 Buick or a 1953 Packard works best].

Via: Hiraeth Publishing.

Magazine / Ongoing Submissions / Semipro

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Ongoing Submissions: Cosmic Horror Monthly

Payment: 1 cent per word for original fiction. 10k words = $100, 50 cents per line for poetry.
Theme: Original horror and dark fantasy stories, poems, and images (paintings, drawings, etc). Most types of horror and dark fantasy are welcome but we do prefer the work have a science fiction or otherwise cosmic philosophical leaning.

Cosmic Horror Monthly is a horror and dark fantasy magazine edited by Charles Tyra.

SUBMISSION PROCEDURES

Instructions: All fiction must be submitted via email to [email protected] When submitting please paste the entire story in the body of the email. For artwork, please put a link to the gallery/pieces in the body of the email along with any relevant background information. Attachments are acceptable only when submitting individual artwork for consideration. Acceptable file formats are JPG, PNG.

Guidelines

Please only submit ORIGINAL work.

Cosmic-Horror is seeking original horror and dark fantasy stories, poems, and images (paintings, drawings, etc). Most types of horror and dark fantasy are welcome but we do prefer the work have a science fiction or otherwise cosmic philosophical leaning. If you aren’t sure if your work qualifies, submit it and we can decide. No subject is off-limits and we do encourage writers to try and push the status quo. A writer may submit as many stories as they like, but please only submit a single story once. Every email will be checked!

Word Count: We are open to stories of 1000-7500 words. Stories of 5000 words or less are preferred.

Payment

Cosmic-Horror is a growing publisher looking to get established with writers in the indie scene. We pay for stories and art but do keep in mind that all our content is offered for free in order to reach as wide an audience as possible and still provide a premium product with maximum exposure for our writers being in the forefront of concern. For the time being:

1 cent per word for original fiction. 10k words = $100
50 cents per line for poetry.
20 dollars for artwork chosen as interior content.
50 dollars for cover art.

Rights: Please request the artist/publisher contract.

Cover Letters: The first paragraph of your email should contain the length of your story (if applicable), your publishing history, and any relevant information.

Questions/Problems

Email [email protected] for all inquiries, or if you have any trouble using our online submission system.

We will try to respond to every email with feedback but unless we are requesting more from you, there is no need to respond, even to say thank you. It may sound harsh, but those emails will only serve to clutter up the editorial inbox.

Diversity Statement: We believe that the horror genre’s diversity is its greatest strength, and we wish that viewpoint to be reflected in our story content and our submission queues; we welcome submissions from writers of every race, religion, nationality, gender, and sexual orientation.

Sexual themes and stories with strong sexual content are acceptable, but Cosmic-Horror is not a market for erotica. If in doubt, feel free to send your story in and let us decide.

Please no fan fiction for existing creative universes not in the Public Domain. (The Cthulhu mythos is fair game )

If you’re not sure if your story is suitable, don’t query; please just go ahead and submit it and let us decide.

You are welcome to resubmit previously rejected stories/poems if they have been significantly revised.

Via: Cosmic Horror.

Ongoing Submissions / Online / Reprints Allowed / Semipro

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Rolling Submissions: Oxygen Leaks

Payment: .01 cents per word

Theme: Science fiction with a very technical “hard science fiction” angle

Note: Reprints accepted at an unlisted lower rate.

What we are looking for

We are looking for strong science fiction with a very technical “hard science fiction” angle. As with all good science fiction, the science needs to be integral to the story. If you can remove the science from the story and still have a good story, it is likely not what we are looking for.

Part of our criteria for review is how fantastic the scientific advances get. We will rate a story higher if it uses plausible advances in science as plot elements over a story that uses unlikely advances such as faster than light travel or teleportation. That said, we believe “hard” science fiction is a continuum, and an otherwise internally consistent story that uses fantastic elements could be an excellent story right for our magazine.

We also understand that science is not limited to physics, chemistry, and biology. Stories based on scientific advances in psychology, sociology, or even English literature could be great science fiction stories given the right author.

At the end of the day, all stories, regardless of genre, are about the story itself. Good elements of story construction (characters, plot, setting, grammar) are universal and will make or break a story, regardless of the science content.

Short stories are under 20,000 words according to our definition. We accept stories of any length below (or very close to) that threshold, including flash fiction

Payment and Rights

As we are still building and finding an audience, our current pay rates are below industry standard at $.01 per word, with a cap of $25 per piece. As we build an audience of subscribers and readers and advertisers, we will increase this amount. Every dollar spent on Oxygen Leaks goes back into improving the content of the magazine.

We prefer to buy First English language serial rights (as well as other rights, such as archiving, as defined in our contract), but will consider purchasing reprint rights for the right story at a lower pay rate. Mention the rights available in your cover letter.

Submission and Format

Oxygen Leaks uses a submission manager. We do not accept email or physical submissions. We allow simultaneous submission to other markets. We ask that if your story is picked up in another market that you let us know by replying to the email we send you when you submit.

Our submission form prompts you for your name, email address, title of the work you are submitting, and a cover letter. Your cover letter should contain the length of your story, your publishing history, the story’s publishing history if this is a reprint submission, and any relevant biographical information (if you are a physicist researching FTL travel and submit a story featuring FTL travel, mention that.)

Please double-check your email address before you submit. It is the only way we will be able to contact you. Your story will not be published if we cannot contact you.

All stories should be in standard manuscript format and in DOCX, DOC, RTF, or MD formats. When you submit you will receive an automated email that contains a unique submission number. You can use that submission number to check on the status of your submission, or to withdraw your submission if it is published elsewhere.

Via: Oxygen Leaks.

Novella / Ongoing Submissions / Royalties / Semipro

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Stelliform Press Is Open For Novella Submissions

Payment: 2¢ CAD per word advance, plus royalties

Currently Seeking

Stelliform Press is open to original novella submissions beginning January 1, 2020. We are also looking for cover artists.

What is a Stelliform story?

We are seeking to publish science fiction, fantasy, quiet horror and literary novellas with speculative elements (17,500–39,999 words), novels (70,000–100,000 words), and short story collections (40,000–60,000 words) which build narratives around climate change and its resultant ecological destruction, and acknowledges the work necessary to live within the problems Western lifestyles have created. All manuscripts submitted must have a science fictional or fantastic element; non-fiction must be speculative. Narratives should be interrelational, demonstrating some ways in which the environment changes us (and others) just as we change it. Please see our About the Press page and our blog for more information.

How much do we pay?

Currently, we pay a 2¢ CAD per word advance, plus royalties. We acknowledge that this is a low rate of pay. As a new press, we are working on securing grants and planning fundraising campaigns in order to pay authors more in the future.

What rights are we buying?

Currently we are buying first world English electronic and print rights. As we grow, we will also consider audiobook rights. Our contract includes clauses for rights reversion in different situations should the author and/or publisher wish to terminate their relationship.

Manuscript Wish List

The following are some approaches we would love to see in our Inbox:

Fiction MSWL

  • Stories written by Indigenous authors which bring Indigenous and Western science into conversation (even if the conversation is difficult and unresolved).
  • Stories written by BIPOC authors which fuse specific cultures and/or ways of life rooted to a specific community with a means of ameliorating or coping with life in a climate changed world.
  • Stories written by trans and queer authors which fuse specific ways of life rooted to a specific community with a means of ameliorating or coping with life in a climate changed world.
  • Stories that embrace the incorporation of far-flung technologies as part of an ecologically relational life; technology CAN be bad, but it can’t be ONLY bad.
  • Stories of uneasy allies which get into the complexities of that difficult relation.
  • Stories which explore nonviolence while acknowledging the privilege inherent in the nonviolent position; stories which explore unusual ways to mitigate violence.
  • Stories set in space that are connected to Earth through myths or legends that tangibly affect the lives of the interstellar characters.
  • Stories depicting humans learning to relate to the nonhuman in different ways.
  • Stories taking place in non-Western settings.

Fiction Do Not Submits

  • Epic/Sword and Sorcery Fantasy
  • Stories in which the solutions presented are uncritical green consumerism
  • Stories depicting monarchies, imperialism, or colonization in an uncritical way
  • Gratuitous violence, especially against any marginalized group
  • Gore in general is not something we’re excited about, but small doses that are integral to plot/character might be okay
  • Porn or erotica; though eroticism in service to the story is definitely okay

Non-Fiction MSWL

  • Speculative non-fictions about the future of tech, the environment, global relationships, or social worlds (either collections of linked short pieces or extended meditations).
  • Literary journalism on emerging tech, global health issues, climate change and migration, food politics, human-hybrid environments, global and space travel—journalism that hangs on a narrative arc, focusing on limited centered characters.
  • Essay collections (single authored) or themed anthologies (editor(s) + multiple authors) approaching questions about technological and environmental futurity, urban life, the non-human, community, and other themes of the press, addressed from primarily personal lenses.
  • Creative memoirs or autobiographies drawing from long-term experiential relationships with the natural world, space, tech and agricultural industries, and the non-human, that offer new/unique ways of reflecting on the problems of climate change and/or the future of life—especially by BIPOC, women, trans and queer, and disabled or otherwise underrepresented authors.
  • Narrative ‘biographies’ of plants, animals, places/niches/communities, and natural phenomena that connect the past, the rapidly changing present, and the future—particularly works that de-centre humans or think about the human in specifically collaborative ways.
  • Human biographies and histories reimagined through non-human protagonists.
  • Imaginary, alternative, or potential histories.

Non-fiction Do Not Submits

  • Adventure biographies that frame the environment uncritically as a “wilderness” to be “tamed” or “discovered”
  • Literary journalism of technology, food, or space industries uncritically structured around the idea of progress

How to Submit

For Novellas

Please send a short cover letter which includes:

  • not more than 250 words
  • information about your manuscript length and genre
  • a brief statement about your story’s main conflict, how your story fits Stelliform’s vision, and any MSWL elements included (if applicable)
  • a brief bio including your top three publications (if you have them)

As an attachment, please include the first 15-20 pages of your manuscript. The document should include your name, contact information, and byline. Send query and sample pages to [email protected]. The subject of your email should read: SUBMISSION: [Your manuscript title].

For Novels and Short Story Collections

Please do not submit at this time.

For Non-Fiction Manuscripts

Please do not submit at this time.

For Cover Art

Please submit a link to your online portfolio and a brief introductory letter including information about yourself, your published artworks, your expected rate of compensation for a book cover, and two references (preferably former clients). Letters can be submitted to [email protected] with the email subject: ART SUBMISSION: [Your name].

We are particularly interested in art submissions from Canadians or immigrants to Canada from any marginalized community, or First Nations, Métis, or Inuit residing in territories currently occupied by the Canadian state.

Simultaneous and Multiple Submissions

Simultaneous submissions are allowed; but only send one submission at a time. Please let us know if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.

Via: Stelliform Press.

Anthology / Contributor's Copy / Events / Semipro

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Taking Submissions: In Darkness, Delight: Fear the Future (Volume 3)

Deadline: November 15th, 2020
Payment: $.03 per word, capped at $150 usd, and 2 free contributor copies.
Theme: Truly terrifying stories that deal with futuristic themes, set in the near future or far.

Corpus Press is now accepting submissions to Volume 3 of the successful In Darkness, Delight anthology series (publication target 2021) to be edited by Evans Light and Andrew Lennon. Submissions should be story-driven and appeal to a wide adult audience.

We seek truly terrifying stories that deal with futuristic themes, set in the near future or far. Tales can be Earth-based or extraterrestrial, perhaps featuring technological or social upheavals that have frightful implications for individuals or society at large; as examples, the ongoing erosion of privacy and enduring nature of online activity, artificial human enhancement via DNA manipulation or implants, impact of emerging technologies on developing children, and so on. (Think bigger than stories about an interesting app, even though that might be where thoughts go first. The few slots allocated for app stories will be filled very quickly.)

Post-apocalyptic stories will not be accepted. Rather, we desire fiction that occurs during periods preceding any total collapse, be they stable or unstable times. The horrors that await us in utopian futures may be far more chilling and fascinating than those endemic to dystopias, and therein lies our primary interest.

We’re more interested in “fiction” than “science”; this is a horror anthology first and foremost, not a science fiction anthology. To that end, your math doesn’t have to work out to five decimal points for every forward-thinking concept you present. Merely plausible is good enough.

If you’re looking for popular culture references to give you a general feel, here are a few: Annihilation, Alien, Pandorum, Under the Skin, Cube, Slither, The Thing, They Live, Mimic, Black Mirror, Outer Limits, The Fly, Event Horizon, and other horror/sci-fi hybrids. Again, we’re not really seeking stories about apps (hint, hint).

What we ARE looking for:

• Short stories of 2,500-4,500 words that can be characterized as being within the broad category of “horror” fiction and having a futuristic theme as described above. No reprints.

• Successful submissions will be highly original, well written and cleanly edited.

• Stories must hook the reader in opening paragraphs and remain engaging throughout.

• Stories that imagine fresh new horrific futures different from anything we’ve seen or read about before.

What we ARE NOT looking for:

• We are not seeking “extreme horror” or “Splatterpunk” material. We discourage submissions that have a singular purpose of shocking readers with explicit language, sexuality and/or violence. Explicit language, sexuality and violence are acceptable, however, if handled in a tasteful manner and in service to a well-plotted, engaging story.

• We are not seeking abstract mood pieces, vignettes, and highly experimental approaches to literature are discouraged. We are not accepting poems.

• We are not seeking: Stories with an overly humorous tone; Retro sci-fi/steampunk; Trunk stories; Stories hastily retrofitted with superficial futuristic references. Stories must not include actual individuals or living public figures.

• We are not seeking stories that primarily deal with the emotions of sadness or loss.

• We are not seeking stories featuring exaggerated dialects, colloquialisms or excessive references to pop culture or current fads are discouraged.

• We are not seeking post-apocalyptic or zombie stories.

• Epistolary fiction will not be accepted (stories told in the form of a journal, letters, etc).

Document Requirements:

Submissions must be in an editable format sent via the publisher’s submission portal. No PDFs or scanned documents sent as image files will be accepted. Preference is for title, author name, email address and word count information to be placed at the beginning of the document.

Please Note: Do not utilize underlining in place of italics. Do not insert extra lines between paragraphs. Utilize a single space only between sentences. Do not insert tab indents at the beginning of paragraphs.

Submission window: January 4, 2020 until midnight EST November 15, 2020.

Notifications of acceptance / rejection will be sent no later than November 30, 2020, with publication target of 2021. We will do our best to send out acceptances / rejections as promptly as possible so that you may have the chance to submit the work elsewhere if it does not meet our needs.

PLEASE NOTE THAT SUBMISSION DOES NOT GUARANTEE ACCEPTANCE.

Pay Rate: $.03 per word.

Payment will be capped at $150 USD for accepted submissions (we prefer stories between 2,500-4,500 words; longer stories may be submitted, but will only be paid at the cap rate. 7,500 is a firm maximum word count. You are welcome to submit stories with a word count of less than 2,500 words, but they are not likely to be accepted).

Two (2) free contributor copies (paperback) will be provided upon publication, with contributors having the option to buy additional quantities at cost post-publication. Payment on publication.

Anthology target length: Approximately 250-300 pages.

PLEASE READ AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE FOLLOWING:

Submitting work through this portal constitutes your formal agreement to the following terms:

No multiple or simultaneous submissions. Stories may not be withdrawn from consideration prior to review by Corpus Press without the express written consent of the editors. Corpus Press reserves first right to publication of all submissions.

Via: Corpus Press.

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