Deadline: March 31st, 2017
Payment: Contributor’s Copy

In 2013, GLAHW Member, Ken MacGregor had a brilliant idea for a Special Auction Prize at the annual Monster Mash for Literacy Bash  – raffle off the opportunity for the winner’s name to become the sole theme of a future Anthology. Several brave souls went into the hat and one emerged victorious. Thus, Recurring Nightmares was born.

We have now opened this anthology to all writers in the Sci-Fi, Horror, Dark Fantasy genre. We however always encourage new members, so join us, won’t you?

The theme for Recurring Nightmares IV (2017) is Ruth’s Nightmares. Every story must contain the character’s name and a dog and/or a quilt (see below).

Deadline is March 31, 2017 with a publication date of June/July 2017, with cover art to be announced.

Please submit all stories to [email protected]

Quick and dirty Submission Guidelines (from Ken, the Head Editor and Creator of Recurring Nightmares)

Ruth’s Recurring Nightmares (the fourth in the series) guidelines for writers:

 

Thank you for choosing to submit to the fourth annual Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers (GLAHW) mini-anthology.

This time around, we’re looking for horror fiction, between 2,000 and 5,000 words, featuring a character named Ruth. She can be the protagonist, antagonist, monster, victim, friend, etc. As long as she (or, I suppose they, since gender fluidity is fine) plays a significant, if not pivotal role in the story.

The other requirement is that the story contain either a dog or a quilt. Or both, if you’re feeling particularly ambitious. Stipulation: if the dog comes to any sort of harm in the story, you will automatically be rejected. This not negotiable. Don’t hurt the dog.

Please follow the standard format rules. Here’s a handy site, in case you’re not conversant with those: http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html. The only things I would prefer you did not do are: two spaces after a period, and underline when you mean italics. I like my italics to be italicized, thank you. Please write it as you would like it to appear in the final copy.

I will be editing the stories, but I will not make any changes without first discussing them with you, the writer. I’m a writer, too, and I know what it’s like to have my story altered without my consent. I won’t do that to you. Having said that, however, I will try my best to make each of the stories in this anthology the best they can be. So, if I give you notes, I’d appreciate it if you’d consider them carefully. I’m not saying you have to agree with me (I’ve had plenty of writers argue with me, and sometimes, I see their point and concede the edit). Just that you listen.

Unfortunately, we are not in a position to pay our authors yet, other than with a physical copy of the paperback book. We’re happy to mail it to you anywhere in the U.S. Authors outside the U.S., well, talk to us. We’ll see if we can work something out.

I’d like to have this thing go to print no later than May of 2017, so please submit your stories no later than March 31. The earlier the better, but that’s the deadline. Anything submitted after the deadline will likely be rejected unread. Even if I like it. Or you. Please be on time.

So, quick recap: Horror; Ruth; Dog and/or Quilt; 2-5K; Pays in copy. Looking forward to reading your work.

Ken MacGregor, Editor

Via: GLAHW.