Deadline: June 30th, 2018 Payment: 3 cents per word for original work, 1 cent for reprints. Note: Reprints Allowed
Short version:
-We buy original (3cents/word) and reprint (penny/word) short stories
-Length up to 7500 words.
-Anonymize your manuscript before sending it via email as a doc, docx, or rtf.
-If accepted, your story will be published in ebook and print-on-demand formats.
-If accepted, we will try to produce your story on a podcast, but this does not always pan out. It’s complicated. The way is fraught with bear traps and wolves.
Long version:
Curiosities is a paying speculative fiction anthology podcast and magazine. What makes us different from other SF/F/H markets is that most of our stories have some sort of anachropunkish retro-vintage element, and the handful of others that don’t were the ones that grabbed us by the throat and demanded to be bought. Clear as mud? Good. About 2/3 of submissions are rejected for “Bad Fit.”
What we’re looking for: As an audio venue, we want stories that entertain. We want to be taken on an adventure in a time that never was, be it steampunk, gaslamp, weird tales, dreadpunk, vintage horror, mad science, fantastic cities (please!), monsters, impossible machines, clockworks, alt-history adventures, surprises, weird westerns, and things that shouldn’t work.
What we don’t want: Serialized novels. Novel excerpts. Stories longer than 7500 words. Fan fiction. Sherlockians. Vulgar language used as punctuation. Cutters. Horror stories that spend most of the word count telling us all the mundane little details of the contemporary protag’s lifestyle before getting to it. JFK theories. Anything that has been on a podcast within the past 18 months.
What’s a hard sell: Slipstream. Excessive splatter. Horror based in domestic violence or sexual perversion. Stories that take place in outer space. Anything set after the 1950’s.
Payment: 3 cents a word USD for original fiction and a penny a word for reprints, with a minimum of $10 USD for stories less than 1000 words.
How do I submit? Send your story in an email or email attachment to [email protected] with SUBMISSION: Your Story Title in the subject line, because that is how I search for things. Always send a new story after a rejection with a new subject line. Continuing a thread is a good way to get the next one lost.
Manuscripts will be sent as docx or rtf attachments that are formatted without headers. To protect your privacy, put your personal details in the cover letter, not the manuscript. Make sure all commentary has been removed from your manuscript, as it will (surprise!) persist when I convert it into a Google Document file, which is the format in which we read.
We think long cover letters are unnecessary for this format. We are amused by haiku, and will reciprocate. If the story is a reprint, tell where it has been.
You’ll get a quick reply to let you know it did not get lost, then any identifying information will be stripped from your manuscript before it is logged and sent on to the readers. If you do not get a rejection within a week, then your story made it to the consideration table.
Are you going to publish a print magazine or post my story for online reading? Stories will be collected into a thrice-annual zine which will be available in retail print-on-demand and ebook formats. You will get representative contributor copies of the edition that contains your story. We will not be posting the text of your story where it could be freely available online.
How long will it take to get my story to air? The turnaround is slow. Not all stories will be broadcast. If we don’t make it happen within 24 months, our rights expire.
What about simultaneous submissions? Yes, but do tell us if you sold it somewhere that would not want us to produce it after they bought it so we don’t waste our time.
My story has already been published. Can I still submit it? Yes, as long as you are not violating any terms of your previous contract. We do want to know if it is a reprint, and where it has been. Say so in your cover letter.
You rejected my story. Can I submit another one? Absolutely! We rejected your story, not you. Be persistent!
You rejected my story. Can I work on it some more and resubmit it? Only if we said that we would read it again in the rejection letter.
Deadline: January 31st, 2019 Payment: One penny Sterling per word Note: Reprints allowed.
Clark Ashton Smith (CAS) is my favourite fantasy author. I’ve had the pleasure of publishing several stories in the vein of CAS’s works. I’m very interested in publishing an anthology of stories, poems and prose poems in CAS’s vein. Whether the stories are based in Averoigne, Hyperboria, Poseidonis, Zothique or anywhere else, as long as it fits CAS’s mode of storytelling, I’ll be more than interested. If your story, etc. has been published elsewhere, please let me know where and when the work was published.
I will pay one penny Sterling per word, with a minimum payment of £10 Sterling for poems and very, very short stories and prose poems. For illustrations, I will pay £30 for ‘header’ illustrations to a story, £100 for full page illustrations and £200 for the cover illustration. All rights are reserved by the author or artist.
I would like to have all the material in by January 31st, 2019 so I can publish the anthology by June 2019.
Contact me by email ([email protected] or [email protected]) or by post to Jon Harvey, 56 Mickle Hill, Sandhurst, Berkshire, GU47 8QU, UK.
Deadline: August 1st, 2018 Payment: £10 per 1,000 words for prose, and £10 per poem. Note: Reprints Allowed
Blood Bath Litzine is open for submissions of short fiction and poetry on the theme of
BODIES
Bodies are sites of terror and desire; they can be politicised, policed and possessed, becoming either a haven of pleasure or a hellish prison of flesh. We want to read your weirdest, most innovative stories on BODIES.
THIS COULD BE:
Body horror; Gory existential dread. We want to feel uncomfortable inside; give us stories that leave a dark, greasy mark on your soul.
The body politic; oppressive control over bodies. Ideas surrounding body autonomy, dystopian regimes, AI and robotics, all welcome. The creepier the better.
Changing bodies; Violent possessions, Weird transformations. If it involves vagina dentata or an unexpected hunger for flesh, send it our way.
Body snatchers, visceral displays, personal hauntings; we’re into it.
Just to be clear these are not chapters or subheadings, just some ideas to get you going. We’re open to any and all types of horror, dark fantasy, speculative or science fiction, so don’t hold back.
WE LOVE:
Experimental poetry or prose; we’ll do our best to print your original language or innovative typography.
Socially aware fiction. Stories that have something to say (or scream) about the modern world. Stories told through a feminist lens are always going to make us happy.
We particularly encourage submissions from people of colour, trans people, nonbinary people, women, femmes and other members of the LGBTQ community.
Genre fiction; though it has to contain an element of horror. We are interested in fantasy, science-fiction, erotica…as long as it has a dark edge.
For a more visual representation of what we love, check out our Instagram page, @bloodbathlitzine.
WE DON’T LOVE:
Exploitative or otherwise offensive portrayals of harmful stereotypes or tropes.
Sexual violence just for the sake of it or to create shock value. There are way more inventive ways to shock us.
Fan fiction; we don’t hate it, it’s just not for us. Any kind of copyrighted material is also not desirable.
GUIDELINES:
We accept short fiction from 100 to 2,500 words, flash fiction shorter than this as well as poetry (maximum 15 lines) are also encouraged and welcome. Please send a maximum of four poems and two prose pieces at a time.
Submissions must be sent in .doc format, 12 point and Arial font via email to Katy at [email protected] Please include a 50 word author bio in the body of the email. We are happy to receive reprints, just let us know where your work was published previously. Simultaneous submissions are also ok, again, just let us know if your work is accepted somewhere else.
The deadline for issue 1 submissions is August 1st.
COPYRIGHT:
If we publish your work, we buy first print rights. They are returned to you after 6 months.
Contributors will be paid, at a rate of £10 per 1,000 words for prose, and £10 per poem.
Deadline: Payment: Contributor’s copy, free cover art for a future book. Note: Reprints Welcome
Why are we doing this Anthology?
My father used to say Well said, O, Toothless One as one of those typical dad jokes.
When my dad was diagnosed for the second time with cancer I knew I wanted to put something out into the world to celebrate my father. My dad is dyslexic like I am but he always supported me in my writing. I’m hoping he will get to see a few of these in the time he has left.
Those judging the entries will be my sister who is my editor and my mother who along with being my Alpha reader is also a writer herself. I will also be part of the judging process and along with my sister will edit the anthology.
When to submit?
Submissions are open from now to the 1st of October. The Anthology will be published in December.
What are we looking for?
The genre is a bit loose but Science fiction or Fantasy would fit fine with what I’m looking for but I will accept other genres as long as it fits in with the tone of the Anthology. The theme for 2018 is to have an inhuman character. This could be a monster or a creature that is more benign.
If you can fit a nice guy winning and diversity those are things that appeal to me as well.
It will be my family who will be judging the stories as we want to pick stories that either reflects our father or something that would amuse him. So dad jokes allowed. Actually dad jokes encouraged.
Humour is certainly sought after in your piece.
Keep it PG 13. Swearing and sex can be implied but discretion is appreciated. Gratuitous violence is not appreciated.
When it comes to word count anything under 10k is acceptable though I won’t quibble if it goes over a little bit.
I’m not a fan of present tense but I will accept it if it is well written.
I like romance but keep it PG and no love triangles.
Author benefits and rights
You keep all rights. You can also submit already published work. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable and of course, you can publish elsewhere as well with no restrictions. If you gain a place in the anthology you will get a paperback copy of the anthology. You can also order paperback copies at retail price. Each author featured will also get a book cover for any of their own books they wish to self-publish. For longer pieces 5K or more they will get two book covers. We only ask for non-exclusive rights to any story and also remember that once a story is published that you are giving up your first publishing rights and since this anthology isn’t offering actual cash you should keep that in mind. I am looking for reprints because of this, as reprints often pay very little and it would be much better if you can get the best price for your story. After all, a lot of work has gone into perfecting your craft.
Who will we accept submissions from?
As long as the story is primarily in English, pretty much anyone. The internet allows boundaries to be crossed.
Submission requirements
Fiction up to 10k words though if it is really good we won’t quibble word count
We do not accept art, poetry or non-fiction
You can only submit one piece per year
Work must be original and you have the rights to it. In other words, it must be your own story and you retain all author rights to the story.
Unlike other places I want it single spaced 12pt Garamond with an indent at the start of a paragraph
A title and your name should be in the header
Email to with the subject heading Anthology
No Fan Fiction
Include an Author Bio and a short synopsis for your story
No PDF’s. Word Docx are preferred
Do not put the story in the body of the email, instead have it as an attachment or shared as a link.
Other things to know
I will be the editor. I have an English degree from Auckland University.
You will be informed of your acceptance in November. If you don’t hear from us assume you weren’t accepted.
This is not to solicit or sell you any other products. You will not get emails from us spamming you about our other services. EVER.
Deadline: July 30th, 2018. Payment: $5 for stories up to 1000 words, and $10 for any story 1001-2000 words. Note: Reprints allowed
The 80s represented a time of commercial indulgence and general cultural insanity. It is the decade in which weird and gross became mainstream. Excess was the hallmark of Hollywood. Blockbusters, shoot-em-ups, futuristic dystopian wastelands, mutants and beastmen and cyborgs, and everything was covered in slime from gumball machines. It was a great time to be alive. It was an even greater time to be a kid.
80s in Blood aims destroy conventional nostalgia and publish fiction that takes the 80s beyond the 80s. We seek the 80s version of the 80s: how characters in an exaggerated 80s movie might have envisioned an idealized 80s. If you have seen The Garbage Pail Kids Movie, Brain Damage, Steel Dawn, Hard Ticket to Hawaii, The Sword and the Sorcerer, Hell Comes to Frogtown, Terror Vision, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Repo Man, Miami Connection, Howard the Duck, Big Trouble in Little China, and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and you thought, “These movies just weren’t ridiculous enough for me,” that’s what 80s in Blood is looking for. Stories that examine the day-glo New Wave experience, or the Satanic Panic heyday of Heavy Metal, or the robotic grooves of Electro, or universes built around idolizing Madonna and Prince. The Cold War. WWF Wrestling. The Drug War. Monster Trucks. Break Dancing. Saturday Morning Cartoons. Lawn Darts. Jelly Bracelets. Mr. T. Cabbage Patch Kids. Video Arcades. Skate Boarding. Anything 80s is totally fair game for these absurd, weird, and gonzo spoof-homages.
DEADLINE: July 30, 2018.
SUBMISSION Guidelines: We are seeking only the finest FLASH FICTION, PROSE-POEMS, or ABSURD ARTICLES 2000 words or less. If we receive a submission that is over 2000 words, we will not only delete the submission unread, we will also delete the author from the spacetime continuum, forcing her or him to seek existence in an alternate Mandela. We are seeking absurd, surreal, gonzo, extreme, pop-pomo, weird, over-the-top, or bizarro takes on 80s pop-culture for this issue. Reprints are fine, just let us know where the piece has been previously published, and make sure you have the electronic rights before submitting.
Multiple Subs: You may submit multiple pieces at the same time—up to 2, provided each piece is less than 2001 words. It is not likely that more than one piece will be featured in this issue, however, we may do future 80s in Bloodinstallments.
Payment: You will be paid $5 for stories up to 1000 words, and $10 for any story 1001-2000 words. We ask for non-exclusive digital rights to your submissions, so you are free to publish them elsewhere as long as the other venues are cool-de-la. All payments will be made via PayPal, no exceptions.
Non-Fiction Articles: Please query if you have ideas for short non-fiction articles, interviews, or reviews that in some way relate to the 80s or 80s nostalgia.
Artwork: We are also interested in art, but please query before sending any work. We don’t want much art and we can’t pay you very much for it, so be forewarned. Obviously, some reference to the 1980s would be ideal.
Send all submissions to [email protected], with the header 80sSUBMISSION: Name of Your Work/Last Name. If you want to query, use the header QUERY. If you just wanna say “whaddup” use the header WHADDUP????? Please use five question marks. Please attach your submissions in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format. (This shouldn’t need to be said, but include your name on at least the first page of the attachment, AND a byline that indicates what name you publish under in case this does not match the name that receives the money.) Include a short bio in the body of your email, so we get a sense of who you are and what you may (or may not) have published before.
Deadline: June 30th, 2018 Payment: Royalty split Note: Reprints Allowed
Title: Children of the Sky Reading Period: May 1 – June 30 Publication Date: August 1 Word Count: 3,000 – 12,000 loose Theme: Classic Alien Science Fiction
Here at Schreyer Ink Publishing we’re big fans of old films and books. So we’re looking for classic-inspired alien stories for this anthology. We’re looking for stories of 1st contact, alien invasions, 1st steps on alien worlds. We want stories where the aliens come in peace, and stories where aliens come to destroy. We’re looking for stories of lost star explorers, both human and alien, and what they find. Some of our favourites are the old pulp science fiction novellas, Flash Gordon, and the old drive-in movies of the 1950s and 1960s.
If you have any questions please use the contact form.
Because the contact form strips formatting we are now accepting story submissions in the body of an email sent to schreyer _ ink _ publishing (at) outlook dot com (remove the spaces between the underscores and insert correct symbols). We will not open any attachments that we have not requested.
As always, the anthologies pay on a royalty split, every 6 months, and we request exclusive print and e-book rights for 1 year.
