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Taking Submissions: Darkness Blooms
May 31, 2021
Deadline: May 31st, 2021
Payment: $0.08 per word and contributors copies
Theme: Identity, security, and community are inexorably entwined
DARKNESS BLOOMS
Identity, security, and community are inexorably entwined.
For our anthology, Darkness Blooms, we’re looking for stories touching on at least one of these themes. We want you to explore the boundaries of who we are, what makes us feel safe (and at what cost), with whom we choose to surround ourselves, and our darkest secrets.
Let’s explore how they influence us and our perception of reality.
IDENTITY
Identity is formed by not only things like race, culture, and class but also by the relationships we cultivate, the opinions and moral codes we adopt, and our choices. What secrets lie in the dark expanses between where we came from, who we think we are, and how we want others to perceive us?
SECURITY
Security—stability, order, dependency, structure—is an innate human need. In practice, security tends to be an illusion designed to make us feel more in control over our surroundings. What makes us feel safe, and what are we willing to sacrifice to feel that way? What happens when safety nets aren’t there to catch us when we fall? What dreadful secrets are we willing to keep to preserve the status quo?
COMMUNITY
Humans often seek security through community. We align ourselves with others who share our interests, culture and religion, geographic location, and workplaces. How well do you really know your neighbors, your friends, your coworkers, your family? How do we build these communities? What erodes a community, makes it crumble?
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
+ All submissions must inspire dread. Genre definitions tend to be subjective, so we encourage you to become familiar with the stories we’ve published here to get an idea of what sort of content we’re seeking.
+ All submissions must be original, unpublished, and between 2,000 and 10,000 words. Stories should earn their word count, however. If your story is closer to the maximum, we will expect it to contain a narrative worthy of every word. We are not flexible on the word count, so please don’t request an exception.
+ Authors are permitted to submit up to three stories, but none may be simultaneously submitted anywhere else, nor may they be resubmissions of stories we have already declined.
PAYMENT
Authors whose stories are accepted for publication will receive payment ($0.08 per word), a free copy of the premium hardcover, and two free copies of the paperback.
WISHLIST
We want:
- DARK, FUTURISTIC STORIES
- CYBERPUNK
- DIVERSE PROTAGONISTS
- ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
- UNIQUE DYSTOPIAS/UTOPIAS
- UNCONVENTIONAL SOCIETIES
HARD SELLS
We’re not likely to accept:
- EROTICA
- FOLKTALES
- MYTHS/LEGENDS
- PANDEMIC STORIES
- LOVECRAFT PASTICHE
- FANTASY (SWORD & SORCERY)
HARD PASSES
Don’t bother submitting:
- SUICIDE
- TORTURE
- CHILD/ANIMAL ABUSE
- SEXUAL ASSAULT/INCEST
- SCHOOL/MASS SHOOTINGS
- GRAPHIC DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
WRITERS WHO SUBMIT STORIES CONTAINING ANY OF THE THEMES ON OUR “HARD PASSES” LIST WILL BE PERMANENTLY BANNED.
Via: The Dread Machine.
- About the Author
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Stuart Conover is a father, husband, published author, blogger, geek, entrepreneur, horror fanatic, and runs a few websites including Horror Tree!
