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Taking Submissions: Generation X-ed

July 3, 2021

Submission Window: June 20th -July 3rd, 2021
Payment: $0.01/word
Theme: Any aspect of horror that contains element(s) specific to Generation X
Note: Open only to writers of Generation X (aka born 1965-1980. A year wiggle room is okay.)

Dark Ink Books, the home of Kane Holder’s and Tom Savini’s official biographies as well as acclaimed horror anthologies Ghosts, Goblins, Murder, and Madness: Twenty Tales of Halloween and Unburied: A Collection of Queer Dark Fiction, is excited to announce its next open call for short story submissions:

 

Title: Generation X-ed

 

Specifics:

    • Open only to writers of Generation X (aka born 1965-1980. A year wiggle room is okay if you truly feel you’re one of us, but don’t claim that “Xennial” crap: you’re over 40. Deal with it). Please don’t submit if you’re not a member of Gen X.
    • payment $0.01/word, eBook copy, and discounted pricing on print copies
  • length: 3000-6000 words (a sprinkling over/under is okay but not a shower)
  • Content should fall within horror genre parameters, any sub-genre, including splatter-punk, psychological, quiet, body, sci-fi terror, creature-feature, dark fable, or paranormal horror, etc, (though we’re not big fans of bizarro fiction or glittery vampires) AND contain element(s) specific to Generation X. This includes (but is not limited to)

 

-The music (hair metal, rap/hip-hop, grunge * keep in mind copyright restrictions on use of lyrics), fashion, television, movies, and media post-Woodstock but pre-Patriot Act

 

-The birth of cable television, VCRs, microwaves, AIDS, crack, slasher films, riot grrrls, Satanic panic, and Stephen King fiction, and the death of the Cold War

Though historical fiction is absolutely welcomed, it is not a requirement. 

 

Stories will be chosen based on adherence to call parameters, quality of writing, originality, and fit with the other stories in the collection. Some preference will be given to those writers who have not appeared in a Dark Ink Books anthology previously. Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please be courteous and withdraw your story from other markets immediately if accepted by us or let us know immediately if your story is accepted elsewhere.

 

Format: 

  • Include full name, pen name (if applicable), mailing address, email, and title/word count on first page. 
  • No headers/footers/page numbers, please. 
  • Double-spaced, one space after periods, no additional spacing between paragraphs. 
  • Please do not use TAB or the space bar to indent paragraphs; set auto indent to .5” instead. 
  • Please use standard American English and double quotation marks for dialogue. 

 

We do not censor writers, but we won’t publish stupidity, so racist, sexist, or homophobic rhetoric need not apply. Also, we aren’t in the business of pet snuff, so keep your cat/dog/bunny torture and unnecessary animal deaths to yourself.

 

Please make your email subject line Gen X_(Your Last Name)_(“Story Title”)

 

Attach story formatted as requested above as a .doc or .docx. No rtf, PDFs, stories placed in body of email or links to outside sites will be read. 

 

In email text, include: (*please double check that you send ALL of these!)

  1. A short bio (not a full resume or anything longer than 150 words, please)
  2. The word count of story and the horror sub-genre you believe it falls into 
  3. A (1-3 sentence) summary of your story, including how it incorporates Gen X element(s)
  4. Whether you have or plan to submit the story to other calls while we consider it. 
  5. Your social media links. As one of our favorite indie horror magazine publisher states on his website, “Not on social media? I probably won’t publish you. Selling indie books is a team effort.” Off the grid? Ted Kaczynski wasn’t a member of Generation X; you have no excuse. 

 

Send all of the above to GenX(at)AMInkPublishing.com anytime from June 20-July 3, 2021.  Please don’t send the submission early and do not send multiple submissions: submit your best, single work that fits this call sometime during those two weeks. We will respond that we received your submission. Feel free to email us at the address above with any questions.

 

Dark Ink is a press created, managed, and staffed by independent writers like you. Because of that, we respect writers and will take the time to read and respond individually to every submission. Please allow us time to give every story the attention it deserves.

 

Generation X-ed will be available in print, eBook, and Audible audiobook with an anticipated release date of JANUARY 2022.

Via: Dark Ink Publishing.

Details

Date:
July 3, 2021