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Submission Window: November 24th - December 15th, 2024 Payment: £50 Theme: Science-fiction/science-fantasy stories in the growing solar punk genre Vivid Worlds, to be published April 2025, will be an anthology of new short science-fiction/science-fantasy stories in the growing solar punk genre. We want you to tell us of futures in which we take our custodianship of the planet we call home seriously. Hopeful stories. What innovations can we bring forward to survive and thrive? We want colour, culture, and nature at the forefront of your stories. Submissions will open 24th November 2024 and will close at midnight on 15th December 2024, but please do submit early in the period if you can. Before this time, feel free to ask questions. Stories should aim to be 2-9000 words, and will be paid at 1p a word to a maximum of £50. Longer or shorter stories may be considered but will be a harder sell. FAQs: Please use standard manuscript formatting. Font TNR, Arial, Calibri, Garamond, or Calibri, 12 points. Double line spacing. Single spaces between words/following punctuation. Include page numbers in footers and name and title in headers. Also include a first page with name, title, word count. Use double quotation marks for speech. British English spelling preferred. Please send stories by email to donna at theslab dot press as an attachment. Include the word count, your name, and the title in the email too. Please include the anthology name and your name in the subject of the email. For example: Vivid Worlds STORY TITLE Joe Bloggs Reprints: No reprints from stories that have already been published in print in English, please, but stories translated into written English for the first time, or that have only been previously published in audio format are permitted. Simultaneous submissions and multiple submissions permitted. Via: The...

Deadline: December 15th, 2024 Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word. Theme: A story that, at its core it is likely to concern, celebrate or give agency to Latin American characters and issues We're delighted to let you know this new call for submissions is open! Please read through the submission details carefully as we’ve changed some of our guidelines and it could result in your submission not being acknowledged if you do not follow them. Latin American Shared Stories Submissions are now open for stories to be included in a new title in our gorgeous Beyond & Within series, which will be a selection of speculative stories highlighting the many voices, mythologies, folklore and storytelling prowess of authors from Latin American countries or writing in the traditions of the Latin American diaspora. Edited by the wonderful V. Castro, Mexican-American speculative, horror and sci-fi writer extraordinaire and author of Mestiza Blood and The Queen of the Cicadas, up to 4 stories will be selected from the open submissions and will have the distinction of accompanying stories and essays from authors such as J.F. Gonzalez, Myriam Gurba, David Bowles, Richie Narvaez, Rios de La Luz, Monique Quintana and Daniel Olivas. Your story can be anything from a tale in the style of traditional oral storytelling, emphasizing heritage and ancestors, to one that imagines new worlds and futures, but at its core it is likely to concern, celebrate or give agency to Latin American characters and issues. Submit to: [email protected]   Terms: Multiple submissions are fine but must be in separate emails. Simultaneous submissions are fine but you must have the right to license your story in an anthology. Please only submit unpublished/original/new stories for consideration. Reprints will not be accepted for consideration. For accepted stories we pay Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) rates of 8 cents/6 pence per word. We...

Deadline: December 15th, 2024 Payment: 8 cents a word for fiction and essays (1500 words or less). $25 for short poems (ten lines or less), $50 for longer poems. Includes one contributor copy. Theme: Space and Science Fiction Horror (must have horror elements, not just sci-fi.) Seeking original short stories, essays, and poems for our Winter 2025 issue. THEME: Space and Science Fiction Horror (must have horror elements, not just sci-fi.) DEADLINE: December 15, 2024 PAYMENT: 8 cents a word for fiction and essays (1500 words or less). $25 for short poems (ten lines or less), $50 for longer poems. Includes one contributor copy. No reprints or multiple submissions, please. Exclusive rights for six months after publication. ACCEPTING MAIL-IN SUBMISSIONS ONLY! Mail your submissions to: La Regina Studio/Grundy Commons/925 Canal Street/Bristol, PA 19007 Decision notices are sent through email so there is no need to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Please include your email address with your submission. All submissions must be typed (cover letters preferred but not mandatory) and be properly formatted. Frequently Asked Question: What kind of stories are you looking for? We generally enjoy “fun”, “80s style” horror reminiscent of the zine’s old-school vibe, but we’ve also been blown away by fresh voices that take the genre in a new direction. That being said, the best chance for your story being accepted by Book Worms is to follow the submission guidelines. Make sure your story is of the horror genre, mail in your submission versus email, meet the deadline, and don’t exceed the word count limit. And if your story doesn’t make it, please keep trying. We’ve had to turn down many excellent stories due to space constraints alone. A good way to get an idea about what we’re looking for is to read our current issue or one of our back issues that are still...

Deadline: December 15th, 2024 Payment: US 4¢/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum US $4, maximum $25 Theme: Speculative poems that utilize, interrogate, re-enchant, and abandon binary systems of all kinds Eye to the Telescope 55, (Non)Binaries, will be edited by Haley Bossé. Binary systems—be they of astronomical bodies, numerical values, or sociological categories like gender—exist to simplify the expression of complex ideas and existences. While sociological binary pairings like man and woman, human and animal, artificial and natural, forcibly categorize beings into absolute and unchanging opposites, binary pairings among astrological bodies mark the relationship between two bodies without insisting on their utter difference. Further, the Binary Number System seeks to represent the spectrum of non-infinite numbers using the least characters possible. How do these systems of categorization limit us? How does their rigid structure lead to new forms of expression and being For this issue, we seek speculative poems that utilize, interrogate, re-enchant, and abandon binary systems of all kinds. What cannot be binaried? What can be non-binaried? How can a binary representational system speak? How can binaries in science and beyond speak to our human experiences of existence? Show me lines of numbers and letters with surprising keys. Show me a binary that is true. Show me what leaks and flows from the broken sociological binary containers. Show me your (non)binaries. Submission Guidelines SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Use the form at https://bit.ly/SFPAettt55 to submit. Please submit 1–3 unpublished poems in English (ideally, attached as .docx or .txt) and include a short bio. Translations from other languages are acceptable with the permission of the original poet (unless public domain). Inquiries only to [email protected] with “ETTT” in the subject line. Deadline: December 15. The issue will appear on January 15, 2025. Payment and rights Accepted poems will be paid for at the following rate: US 4¢/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum US...

Submission Window: December 1st - 15th, 2024 Payment: 8 cents per word Theme: Speculative stories about animals where animals are the protagonists Note: Link to submit for Moksha will be available at the page linked at the bottom during the date range in the submission window above Submission Periods: The publishing schedule is quarterly/seasonly. Submission calls open at the start of each season, close in the middle of the first month for reading and responses, and issues aim to be released by the end of the season. Spring: March 1-March 15, 2025 Summer: June 1-June 15, 2025 Fall: September 1-September 15, 2025 Winter: December 1-December 15, 2025 Prose Submission Guidelines -Maximum word limit for original short fiction: 5000 words (sweet spot/preferred: 3000 – 4000 words) -Maximum word limit for original flash fiction: 999 words -Reprints: not accepted at this time -Pay rate: 8 cents/word -Format: Standard Manuscript Format. 12 point Times New Roman, double spaced, .doc or .docx files. Mailing address and phone number are not required on the header. -Simultaneous submissions are allowed! Just make sure to give us a howl if your submission has been accepted elsewhere before we make a decision on it. -Cover letter: include author name, name of submission, word count, publishing credits (if applicable), any experience pertinent to the story. (For example, if you are a marine biologist and your story features marine animals, do mention that!) Inclusion of content warnings is optional. Do not summarize your story; let the story speak for itself. –Plott Hound Magazine welcomes and encourages submissions from writers of all races, religion (creed), gender expression, sexual orientation, age, ancestry, disability, marital status, and military status. -Stories should be submitted through Moksha. Please do not submit through email or postal service. What We’re Looking For: -Stories with anthropomorphized animals as protagonists -Animal-centric speculative fiction (fantasy, science...

Submission Window: August 16th - December 15th, 2024 Payment: Fiction: 2¢ per word for original, 1¢ per word for reprints. Poetry: $20 per original poem and $10 for reprints. Artwork: $100 for issue cover art, $30 for back cover art, and $20 for art used on our site Theme: Stories and poetry containing elements of science fiction, anarchism, transhumanism, or dystopia. Note: Reprints Welcome Radon welcomes short stories and poetry containing elements of science fiction, anarchism, transhumanism, or dystopia. ​ We publish quality literature every mid-January, May, and September. Submissions are accepted year-round. Simultaneous submissions are welcome. Reprints accepted if writer has the rights. AI submissions are not allowed at Radon. ​ Please click below to submit your work through our no-fee Submittable page: We kindly request a third-person bio that is 100-words or shorter in your cover letter.Author rights: For original work, Radon asks for first worldwide digital and print publication rights in English and non-exclusive archival rights. ​ Authors published in Radon cannot be accepted into the issue immediately following, but may submit after this period. ​ Our issue reading periods are: ​ January: Aug. 16 - Dec. 15 ​​ May: Dec. 16 - April 15 ​​ September: April 16 - Aug. 15 Prose We accept flash fiction and short story submissions up to 3,000 words. Radon pays a semi-professional rate of 2¢ per word for original work and 1¢ for reprints. ​ For quicker processing, please use a submission style similar to the modern manuscript format. We ask that you utilize single-spacing. Please note that we do not publish fantasy stories and are looking for work that includes leftist social commentary. Poetry Please submit up to five poems in a single Word document. There is no line limit. Radon pays a semi-professional rate of $20 per original poem and $10 for reprints.We request single-spaced formatting using a standard...

Deadline: December 15th, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Horror stories written by women that focus on a women hiding her true form CALLING ALL WOMEN HORROR AUTHORS: WE ARE FINALLY DOING ANOTHER INSTALLMENT IN OUR #WomenOfHorror Anthology Series! ANTHOLOGY TITLE: PRETEND YOU DON’T SEE HER: Kandisha Press 2025 Women of Horror Anthology Description: The Invisible Woman: You barely notice her, sitting alone in the corner of the smoky bar. She walks through the streets at night, undetected until the moment she reveals her true self underneath that unremarkable form. Give us your shapeshifters, your werewolves, your witchy women, your wicked little creatures and demonic entities, all hiding in plain sight as harried housewives, college students, bartenders, business execs, Instagram influencers–ordinary, often forgotten ladies with dark secrets. Show yourselves! FORMAT: Open submissions and a few (limited) invites WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: – 3000-5000 words maximum. – Please send in a word doc file in standard format – Reprints accepted – Yes – Simultaneous Submissions – No WHAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR: – No sexual assault, child abuse, animal abuse, or graphic sexual scenes. No hate toward any race, belief, sexual orientation, or gender. (You are absolutely free to discuss these themes but we do not want submissions that are pro-hate toward any group.) – No toilet humor or bodily functions whether human or animal. Just don’t do it. – We will not accept any stories created with the use of AI HOW TO SUBMIT: A panel of judges will be reading your stories through three rounds. – Note* please add this email to your address book so our response to your sub does not go to your spam folder. Send submissions to: [email protected] DEADLINE: December 15th, 2024 PUBLICATION DATE: TBA (2025) PAYMENT: – Royalties will be paid through either Pubshare. The exact amount depends on...

Deadline: December 16th, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: "Wicked" women hiding in plain site CALLING ALL WOMEN HORROR AUTHORS: WE ARE FINALLY DOING ANOTHER INSTALLMENT IN OUR #WomenOfHorror Anthology Series! ANTHOLOGY TITLE: PRETEND YOU DON’T SEE HER: Kandisha Press 2025 Women of Horror Anthology Description: The Invisible Woman: You barely notice her, sitting alone in the corner of the smoky bar. She walks through the streets at night, undetected until the moment she reveals her true self underneath that unremarkable form. Give us your shapeshifters, your werewolves, your witchy women, your wicked little creatures and demonic entities, all hiding in plain sight as harried housewives, college students, bartenders, business execs, Instagram influencers–ordinary, often forgotten ladies with dark secrets. Show yourselves! FORMAT: Open submissions and a few (limited) invites WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: – 3000-5000 words maximum. – Please send in a word doc file in standard format – Reprints accepted – Yes – Simultaneous Submissions – No WHAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR: – No sexual assault, child abuse/harm, animal abuse/harm, or graphic sexual scenes. No hate or insensitivity toward any race, belief, sexual orientation, or gender. (You are absolutely free to discuss these themes but we do not want submissions that are pro-hate toward any group.) – No toilet or bodily function references whether human or animal. Just don’t do it. – We will not accept any stories created with the use of AI HOW TO SUBMIT: A panel of judges will be reading your stories through three rounds. – Note* please add this email to your address book so our response to your sub does not go to your spam folder. Send submissions to: [email protected] DEADLINE: December 16th, 2024 PUBLICATION DATE: TBA (2025) PAYMENT: – Royalties will be paid through either Pubshare. The exact amount depends on the final number of authors in...

Deadline: December 16th, 2024 Payment: 5 cents per word Theme: Suspenseful stories about what goes bump in the night It’s the fear—not of the dark—but rather what lurks in the dark. The terror that the mind can feel, but cannot see. The whisper on the wind, heard but not understood. The ephemeral mist that curls around your legs and sends chills deep into your bones. You know that you shouldn’t go out in the night, shouldn’t heed its seductive call. Night after night the darkness beckons. You know that one day soon you’ll lose your resolve, give in, and become the darkness. There’ll be no going back once you do. These are the tales whispered in dark corners. Of good people pushed too far. Stories of revenge and redemption for past wrongdoings. Stories that excite the mind where what seems to be true isn’t always the case. Dark, foreboding, full of suspense, can you weave the story of what happens during the moonless night?   Submission Guidelines for Once Upon a Moonless Night All genres welcome. Submissions must be all ages appropriate. Original, never before published content (no reprints) Submissions are to be 250-15,000 words Standard manuscript format (https://www.shunn.net/format/classic/) No AI generated work No simultaneous submissions Period of exclusivity until three months past publication Author grants non-exclusive global, English language hardcover, paperback, eBook, and audiobook licenses in perpetuity for use of the work in the anthology “Once Upon a Moonless Night.” Those authors whose stories are selected for inclusion within “Once Upon a Moonless Night” will receive a complimentary copy of the book, access to a special author discount rate for copies of the book, and paid at a rate of $0.05 per word, maximum payout of $400 (submissions longer than 8,000 words will only be paid for 8,000 words)....

Deadline: December 20th, 2024 Payment: 10 cents per word and royalties Theme: Stories on the potential consequences of the 2024 Presidential election told in current, near future or even similar situations where such a leader is in power We are buying stories for 10 cents a word for an anthology on the potential consequences of the 2024 Presidential election told in current, near future or even similar situations where such a leader is in power. As such while we refer to our time line, we are open to submissions to life under such a regime in alternative settings. The incoming President of the United States will be authoritarian with underlying elements of white and christian nationalism, an unapologetic oligarchy, has announced his interest in ending US involvement with NATO, siding with the Soviets and Koreans against Europe, putting RFK Junior in charge of health care, using the armed forces to police Americans, and becoming a dictator on day one.  This is a short list, two minutes of research will tell you more. This anthology is our vision what these next years will look like.  Not just in the White House, but in the day-to-day world on our planet. Under such conditions people will adapt, people will suffer, people will prosper, people will actively and passively resist. Project 2025 will rule. There will be oligarchs and red state theocracies, blue states struggling to protect their citizens and citizens struggling to protect their states, cities, towns, families and businesses. There will be teachers struggling to teach, prisons filling up, work camps, deportations, and the liberation of hate, and maybe even a dawning awareness that this might have been a mistake. I want stories of people who fight the change, endure the change, or embrace the change.  But key word is People.  I...

Deadline: December 23rd, 2024 Payment: $20 and a contributor's copy Theme: Horror that includes childbirth Childbirth Horror Anthology Open call for very short stories Stories should be emotional, unexpected, incredibly well-written, and raw. Must include a childbirth, all other elements open. Except, no rape scenes. It's okay to be weird. All voices welcome! $15/story 500-2,500 words. Send the story and bio to [email protected] Please format your submission as follows: Word doc Double spaced Title, name, word count, and email at the top Standard font No tabbed indents Questions: [email protected] Via: Ruth Anna Evans.

Deadline: December 26th, 2024 Prize: £25.00 monthly for chosen story Theme: Embrace the macabre (horror and darkness). Uncage Your Dread: A Spine-Tingling Microfiction Competition for Our Yearly Horror Anthology Dark Descent: Whispers from Beyond  - Vol 1 Calling All Horror Weavers! Dark Holme Publishing dares you to unleash your darkest fears in a chilling microfiction competition that will feed the nightmares of our prestigious horror anthology, Dark Descent: Whispers from Beyond vol 1 Embrace the Macabre and Haunt the World: Pen nightmares: Craft terrifying tales, 250-500 words each, that explore the depths of human darkness. Push boundaries, win acclaim: We seek narratives that linger, instilling dread and terror long after the final line Be Part of Something Bigger: Your participation fuels the very essence of Dark Descent. This competition is a pay-what-you-feel initiative to help us create a chilling yearly anthology. Every contribution, large or small, directly supports the costs associated with publishing—printing, editing, and bringing your nightmares to life!  Your support makes the horror real! Contribute using the secure PayPal button at the top of this page! Unleash Your Darkest Fears and Be Immortalized: Become a Champion of the Night: One monthly winner will be crowned, receiving a £25.00 cash prize and guaranteed publication in our yearly horror anthology, Dark Descent: Whispers from Beyond. Fuel the Horror and See Your Work Shine: Ten chilling shortlisted pieces, alongside the winner, will be published in the anthology, amplifying the chorus of dread. More Than Just a Competition: Unleash Your Voice and Be a Founding Member: Dark Descent is not just about chills and thrills; it's a celebration of all things macabre. Here at Dark Holme Publishing, we champion diverse voices and unique perspectives. This is your chance to showcase your talent, leave your mark on the horror genre, and be a founding member of a passionate horror community we're building Ready to...

Deadline: December 28th, 2024 Payment: £20 Theme: Unpublished sci-fi, fantasy and horror stories of between 2,000 and 6,000 words based on tabletop games We are looking for unpublished sci-fi, fantasy and horror stories of between 2,000 and 6,000 words. Please only submit one story at a time and don't submit if it's already submitted somewhere else. All stories should be self-contained, no "to be continued". Recurring characters across multiple stories will be considered, as long as each story is a solid read in its own right. If you've already been published in an issue of Fanatical you are free to submit again, but we may hold your submission over so as not to publish the same author in back to back issues. Fanatical will pay £20 per accepted story, paid upon publication. We pay via Paypal. Upon acceptance, authors retain rights to the story but we ask they don't publish/submit it anywhere else before it is published in Fanatical. These stories should be inspired by/based on tabletop games - roleplaying games, board games, miniature wargames. Though Fanatical may take it's name from the concept of fan fiction, we're not looking to get sued here.   A story about an adventuring party consisting of a dwarf, an elf, a human and a halfling going into a dungeon to fight a dragon is fine. A story specifically set in a copyright protected world of Dungeons & Dragons, with reference to its locations and characters is not. A story about a genetically engineered super-soldier in power armour fighting aliens in the far future is fine. A story about a Space Marine fighting Xenos in the grimdark universe of Warhammer 40,000 is not. Rest assured the editors at Fanatical will work with you to ensure your stories meet our criteria in this regard.   Authors should be able to clearly point to the editors which...

Submission Window: October 5th - December 30th, 2024 Payment: $20 Theme: Horror of all types There will be ten short stories accepted. Word count: 3,000-5,000 We ask for 1st publication rights to new stories only. We accept ONE submission per author, so send us your best! Contract with all details will be provided to accepted authors. Submissions will Close on DEC 30th USE OUR SITE CONTACT FORM (Link will be available on site starting October 5th) We will provide an email address to send your story to.   Payment: $20 SEND US A FRIGHTENING TALE! The RDG BOOKS PRESS process You Submit Your Story An author may submit ONE story to any open category. Currently, Horror Short Story, and Horror Novella. You can submit one story to either or both. Simultaneous submissions are fine. We have no commitment until contract is signed. Once we sign a contract, you have committed to publishing your story as stated in contract. All submitted stories must be in Word, Times New Roman, 12, Double Spaced. Your Story Got Accepted! What happens next? First, you will be offered a contract. Once we are signed, we go to work! Novella or Novel: You will be assigned a RDG BOOKS Full-Service Editor free of charge. Must successfully complete the editing process to move on. This is to make sure your story is the very best it can be. Then, on to production. Short Stories: A RDG BOOKS editor will perform a Line edit on the work, to be sure it is clean, then on to production. Production When editing is done, production department takes over. We will format the interior of the book to optimize appearance. Novella or Novel: RDG BOOKS artists will provide three completely different cover concepts - author will choose one. We will make any...

Deadline: December 30th, 2024 Payment: $20 or a contributors copy Theme: All horror SUBMIT: HORROR ANTHOLOGY There will be ten short stories accepted. Word count: 3,000-5,000 We ask for 1st publication rights to new stories only. We accept ONE submission per author, so send us your best! Contract with all details will be provided to accepted authors. Submissions will Close on DEC 30th USE OUR SITE CONTACT FORM We will provide an email address to send your story to. Acceptance Letters Will Go Out By Jan 28, 2025 Payment: Author may choose $20 or a Paperback copy of the book. All authors will receive a epub copy. SEND US A FRIGHTENING TALE! (Please Note: We do not accept AI stories) The RDG BOOKS PRESS process You Submit Your Story An author may submit ONE story to any open category. Currently, Horror Short Story, and Horror Novella. You can submit one story to either or both. Simultaneous submissions are fine. We have no commitment until contract is signed. Once we sign a contract, you have committed to publishing your story as stated in contract. (Please Note: We do not accept AI stories) All submitted stories must be in Word, Times New Roman, 12, Double Spaced. Your Story Got Accepted! What happens next? First, you will be offered a contract. Once we are signed, we go to work! Novella or Novel: You will be assigned a RDG BOOKS Full-Service Editor free of charge. Must successfully complete the editing process to move on. This is to make sure your story is the very best it can be. Then, on to production. Short Stories: A RDG BOOKS editor will perform a Line edit on the work, to be sure it is clean, then on to production. Production When editing is done, production department takes over....

Submission Window: October 5th - December 30th, 2024 Payment: $50 and royalties Theme: Horror WE WILL ACCEPT ONLY THREE SO MAKE YOUR STORY THE VERY BEST IT CAN BE! Max. word count: 50,000 We ask for 1st publication rights to new stories only. We accept ONE submission per author, so send us your best! Contract with all details will be provided to accepted authors. Submissions will Close on DEC 30th USE OUR SITE CONTACT FORM We will provide an email address to send your story to. Payment: $50 + Great Royalties. See our Royalties page for details. SEND US A FRIGHTENING TALE! When I refer to 'Other Publisher' I am estimating based on my experience thus far. These numbers should be quite accurate. BASED ON $1,000 IN SALES OTHER PUBLISHER An average royalty is about 20% of net sales. Publisher covers Editing costs, Cover Art, Formatting, other related costs. If there is anything left; here, let's say $100 The author gets their 20% - $20 RDG BOOKS PRESS The author gets paid first! 10% of gross sales, $100.00 Publisher covers Editing costs, Cover Art, Formatting, other related costs - Out of our share, not yours! he RDG BOOKS PRESS process You Submit Your Story An author may submit ONE story to any open category. Currently, Horror Short Story, and Horror Novella. You can submit one story to either or both. Simultaneous submissions are fine. We have no commitment until contract is signed. Once we sign a contract, you have committed to publishing your story as stated in contract. All submitted stories must be in Word, Times New Roman, 12, Double Spaced. Your Story Got Accepted! What happens next? First, you will be offered a contract. Once we are signed, we go to work! Novella or Novel: You will be assigned a...

Deadline: December 31st, 2024 Payment: 1 cent per word for short fiction up to 10,000 words (or $100) and a flat rate of $10 for works under 1000 words. Theme: Stories that evoke a sense of confinement, lack of breath/oxygen, and the desperate need for escape. Note: Kind of a sour taste on this one, submitters must be subscribed to their newsletter (free version available) to be able to submit. Storyletter XPress Publishing is opening its official 2025 submission window for our upcoming anthology, “Take a Breath: A Collection of Claustrophobic Horror.” We will purchase notable works capturing this theme from talented, independent authors and publish the collection as a book in hardcover, paperback, and digital eBook. In our previous iteration, 24 authors (mostly from Substack) came together to contribute to “Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel.” The published hardcover book—along with other goodies—was shipped to annual paid subscribers and contributing authors in our XPress Book Box. The ebook is delivered in our Welcome email for both monthly and annual members. The XPress Book Box will be available to a maximum of 100 annual subscribers due to supplies, time, and shipping reasons. Secure your spot today! This year, we’re delving into the deepest and darkest locations with a focus on stories that evoke a sense of confinement, lack of breath/oxygen, and the desperate need for escape. “Take a Breath” will have you turning the pages faster and faster, not only from the desire to discover how each story ends but because you’ll be holding your breath. We hope this theme will summon the terrific horror writing community on Substack and beyond. We’re accepting submissions until the end of 2024 (December 31). Must be subscribed (free or paid) to be eligible. SXP is eager to work with writers of all...

Deadline: December 31st 2024 Payment: $5-15USD depending on word count. Theme: Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, and Horror Short Stories We are seeking FANTASY, SPECULATIVE FICTION and HORROR short stories. Holly and Broom (Hawthorn & Ash Vol 6, 2024) Past volumes are: Hawthorn & Ash 2019, Rowan & Oak 2020, Alder & Ebony 2021, Ivy & Sage 2022, Willow & Rose 2023) Word count : Between 100 and 500 words, excluding title (Maximum of 1 500 word story and 5 drabbles per author) Reprints : No Simultaneous Submissions : No Multiple Submissions : Yes. Each story must be in a separate attachment. Publication : Print and digital formats for publication in an anthology. Online via our blog. Submission Window : January 15th 2024 – December 31st 2024 Author Compensation : $5-15USD depending on word count. The Fine Print : We ask for non-exclusive rights on these pieces so that we can: Keep them online indefinitely Publish them in a ebook and print anthology to help fund the site How to Submit :  See our submission guidelines for further formatting details. Send your story as a .doc or .docx format to : [email protected] Your email title should read: Hawthorn & Ash – – Please include a short (100 word) bio in third person and up to THREE links. Via: Iron Faerie Publishing.

Submission Window: December 1st - 31st, 2024 Payment: $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue Theme: Any genre, short story Mission = Revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful. Payout = Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Wait, you mean if this substack gets thousands of subscribers, the winner would get thousands of dollars? Yes! The New Yorker pays roughly $7,500 per story and I sincerely hope to go way past that. What does the timeline look like? Submit stories by the end of the month, winner to be announced on the 15th. There is ONE story that wins and receives the full payout. Where do I send submissions? [email protected] What are the rules for submitting? 1. No Fees 2. Send in Microsoft Word or Google Doc form 3. Any genre 4. 6- 10,000 words. Yes, just 6 words, like Hemingway's famous 6-word story "For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn." 5. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute. 6. Acknowledge Distribution Rights on this Substack - You can still sell your story elsewhere but we need to be able to save and publish it here. The goal is to create a library for subscribers. 7. Only the winner will be published and rights will only transfer for the winning story. What do I get for subscribing? One beautiful story every month. The complete library. The joy of supporting artists and doing something interesting. What if I can’t pay right now? That’s ok! If you publish a blurb about this site on your website, blog, or social media, I will send you one full story of your choosing. Best of all, it is...

Deadline: December 31st, 2024 Payment: 1 cent USD per word Theme: Eco-horror with a sexy or erotic spin Note: Only open to BIPOC authors Z. K. Abraham (she/her) is a writer and psychiatrist. She has been published in Clarkesworld, The Rumpus, Fantasy Magazine, FIYAH Magazine, JMWW, and more. She will be a Royal Literary Fund Reading Round lector for 2024-2025. She is represented by Carleen Geisler at ArtHouse Literary Agency. Read Abraham's interview here! Eco-horror explores the idea of nature becoming the source of terror; in an article for MUBI, Danielle Burgos describes eco-horror as “nature becomes uncanny and maliciously turned against man.” In a Teen Vogue article “Ecosexuals are Queering Environmentalism,” musician Peaches describes Mother Earth as a lover. “Sex-ecologist” Annie Sprinkle amusingly reflects on how “all this wood here is very sensual.” Ecosexuality might include, “masturbating with water pressure, using eco-friendly lubricant, or literally having sex with a tree.” Nature as setting or character contains so much possibility for the sensual and horrifying. Nature is inherently physical and erotic; we are stripped down to our most grounded, raw selves in nature. We can experience the tactile and sensual when we touch plants, bark, earth, when we smell flowers, when we feel the shift in temperature or moisture in the air. However, nature contains decay as well as growth. Shadows move between distant trees, while legends and folktales come to life in forests and valleys and deserts. In nature’s beauty, there is a sense of power beyond our grasp, an awe-inspiring terror, as well as a delicate intimacy. With this anthology, we are looking for stories between 1500 to 4000 words (firm) that explore eco-horror with a sexy or erotic spin. Please note that for this call, we will only be considering submissions from BIPOC authors. Additionally, while a portion of...

Deadline: December 31st, 2024 Payment: An unannounced signing bonus (not to be deducted from royalties), and royalties are set at 40% to the author Theme: Horror fiction between 17-40k words LITTLE GHOSTS is open for Novella Submissions! Little Ghosts Press will be open for novella submissions from Oct. 31- Dec. 31st. Please submit with:  your name or pseudonym a short (50-100 word) author bio a synopsis of the piece for submission, up to 1k words. Tell us about the characters, the setting, the plot and tone of the novella. We are looking for horror fiction at a finished length of 17-40k words. Priority will be given to LGBTQA+ stories and BIPOC authors. Little Ghosts Books will only be accepting TWO novellas for this call. As a result, please know that we will receive more exciting pitches than we can take on. A pass on your pitch is not reflective of the quality of the work, but rather the limitations of our submission call. A chapter sample will be requested by January 15th if we are interested in your pitch! All acceptances and passes will be sent by Feb. 1st. Simultaneous submissions are welcome.   Little Ghosts is an imprint of Little Ghosts Books Little Ghosts Books was established in 2022 with the vision of showcasing new and indie horror that lacked a platform in major bookstores. Little Ghosts hosts community events, book clubs, author Work in Progress Nights, and more. In a move to give back to the community that enthusiastically came out for Little Ghosts, we began in 2023 by publishing anthologies- offering pro rates for short stories to authors both established and brand new. 2024 was the first year of the novella, and to date we have published 4 novellas & 3 anthologies- plus a flip book in...

Deadline: December 31st, 2024 Payment: Contributor's copy Theme: The stories must be 'trashy' in some way (ideas below.) Deadline for submissions: midnight, 31 December 2024 We are excited to invite submissions for a new anthology of trashy fiction – TRASH TALES – due to be published in August 2025! All profits (after expenses) will be donated to literacy charities in the UK and US. The full submission guidelines are available below. The collection will be produced by me (CriminOlly) and Alex from micro press Kilter and Rammel. Check out Kilter and Rammel’s site here. We’re looking for short story submissions, no longer than 5000 words and previously unpublished. It can be in any category or genre you like, as long as it’s what we might all consider of a trashy nature! Some ideas (this list is non-exhaustive): Naughty nurses and sexy shifters: spicy or sweet category romance One man armies: men’s adventure The Wild, and sometimes Weird West: westerns Trashy Tales of Terror : cheesy horror fiction featuring creepy kids, killer animals, mutants and monsters, etc. Science Fiction Shenanigans: Alien invaders, technology gone haywire Crime, Pulp, That Sort of Thing: Gritty detective fiction, real world or with an added twist of the supernatural/paranormal/occult Mystery-solving Moggies: Cosy crime involving animals, baked goods and such like Level Up: LitRPG (Literary Roleplaying Game) stories. So get thinking up those trashy stories, and we look forward to seeing what you’ve got for us to read! If you have any questions about submitting, or about the project in general, please email us at [email protected]. TRASH TALES Submission Guidelines Stories selected by Olly Clarke, Alex J Gardner and the editorial team. Edited by Alex J Gardner. To be published by Kilter & Rammel Publishing in August 2025. How to Submit: Send a PDF of your story to [email protected] by midnight on 31...

Submission Window: December 14th - 31st, 2024 Payment: 8¢ per word for prose, $50 per poem or drabble Theme: Nostalgia Horror Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved and Insane: Nostalgic Terrors Edited by Wendy Dalrymple and Grace R. Reynolds What We Are Seeking A pinch of poetry, a dash of drabbles, a frisson of flash fiction… mix well together in a cauldron of nostalgia and what do you get? A recipe that's dastardly, delectable, and pure poison. Welcome to Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved and Insane, an anthology like no other designed to inspire, soothe, and satisfy the dark hearts of Horror lovers everywhere. The genre stirs a sense of nostalgia for us all, through vintage television hits like Tales from the Crypt and Elvira’s Movie Macabre, to famed comics such as Adventures into Terror and Weird Tales. Give us your nightmares, your childhood frights, your sleepaway camp mysteries. Tell us how Clive Barker tricked you into a ride on The Midnight Meat Train or which episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark? made you sleep with the light on. When you stare into the shadows, what do you see? What whispers and caresses your ears with shadowy tendrils? Where does your mind go as you conjure unimaginable apparitions just beyond your reach? We want to know… when did Horror take root for you? Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved, and Insane: Nostalgic Terrors is a collection of original fiction, poems, and essays where new and seasoned horror writers recount their first experiences with the genre. A mix of terror, inspiration, comfort, and reassurance, this anthology offers a powerful experience for those who seek to create and consume stories that transcend the page. Submission Window December 14, 2024 - December 31, 2024 The email address will be updated...

Cover artwork by Ben Baldwin. Submission Window: December 1st - 31st, 2024 Payment: 10 cents per word and a contributors copy Theme: Dark holiday horrors Silent Nightmares will be open for submissions the month of December, 2024. This anthology of dark holiday horrors will be co-edited by Chuck Palahniuk and Michael Bailey, who will be eagerly sifting the slush for Haunting Stories to Be Told on the Longest Night of the Year. If you want to play along, send a submission using the guidelines below between 12:01 a.m. on December 1st (your time zone) through midnight on December 31st to be considered. Submissions sent before or after that window will go unread. A portion of the anthology will be filled by invited writers, but submissions open to the public in December. Expect nothing but the best. The list of personally invited writers is incredible, and both Chuck Palahniuk and Michael Bailey want to showcase your work alongside them. GUIDELINES Manuscripts must include contact information on the title page, as well as author name (or pseudonym) and page numbers on subsequent pages; 12pt font, double-spaced; there are no hard guidelines for auto-rejections, but understand the basics of professional manuscript formatting. Original fiction: up to 5,000 words. Payment: $0.10 / word (ten cents per word) capped at 5,000 words, and a contributor copy of each edition published (hardcover, paperback, eBook, and potentially audiobook and a limited collector’s edition). For collaborative works, payment will be split equally between collaborators. Rights: First World Rights in English, and audio rights; all print rights revert to the writer immediately upon publication, although 12 months exclusivity is requested, except for inclusion in a personal or “best of” collection. All other rights remain with the author. Submission window: December 1st – December 31st, 2024 (31 days, ending midnight your time). This gives you from now until the end of...

Submission Window: November 1st - December 31st, 2024 Payment: 8 cents per word Theme: Stories that take place within the Our Dust Earth mini-RPG We are seeking submissions for an anthology to be titled Our Dust Earth which will collect stories that take place within the Our Dust Earth mini-RPG (see the RPG section after Submission Guidelines in the linked PDF) world. This anthology is to be published in early summer of 2025 by the Air and Nothingness Press. Stories will be based upon the RPG - Our Dust Earth, which is a "Dying Earth" era game. Please see the attached RPG pages for details on the world, types of characters and classes of beings, along with a small map of cities and areas encountered by players. The RPG will be published in the anthology as well. We would prefer Science Fiction genre stories for this anthology, though if you are familiar with Jack Vance's Dying Earth, M. John Harrison's The Pastel City, or Matthew Hughes's Archonate Series, you may know there is a thin line between SF and Fantasy in those narratives. All stories are requested to be between 1000 and 3000 words in length. Submission Dates Submissions open: November 1st, 2024 Submissions close: December 31st, 2024 Reading/Review begins: January 1, 2025 Reading/Review ends: February 28th, 2025 All authors will be contacted by: April 15, 2025 Download the complete OC submission PDF here. (Some Details listed below.) General Submission Information We like to seek out new authors and book ideas ourselves rather than be contacted directly because we are a small, self-funded press, and only publish 4-5 books a year. We usually offer open call submissions on anthologies we decide to do, or we contact authors directly if we have particular needs. We pay $0.08/word for the stories we publish. Most of our books are limited editions of...

Deadline: December 31st, 2024 Payment: Contributors copy Theme: Vampire Visions We are excited to announce the submissions period for the annual anthology from Storm Dragon Publishing! The title of the series is Muses of Mythology (MoMa for short). Each yearly anthology will have a specific theme. This year’s title is Vampire Visions. Historically, vampires have been portrayed as monsters. However, that perspective has shifted considerably and often in the last forty years or so. The opportunity of this anthology is to showcase vampires with an eye toward unique perspectives. Because interpretations of the blood drinking undead have been so diverse in recent years, this will be especially challenging but hopefully fun for writers. The collection will include both short stories and poetry. Below you will find the instructions for submission for both the short story and the poetry. Submission Periods This year’s MoMa collection will have an initial submissions period of October 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. If the collection selections are not yet complete, a second submission period will take place from January 1, 2025, to March 31, 2025. Projected publication of Vampire Visions will be Autumn of 2025. Short Story Submissions Short story submissions should be between 1000 and 5000 words in length. Submissions should be an email attachment in Word Document format with one-inch margins, double spaced, and utilizing Times New Roman 12-point font. Pieces should be original with no previous publishing history. Submissions not following these instructions will not be considered for publication. Blended genres with unique perspectives on vampires are welcome. While scenes of intense description around topics of rape, torture, or other sensitive topics will not necessarily disqualify a piece for consideration, please keep in mind that this is a fantasy genre anthology, not horror. That’s means that vampire stories should border on...

Deadline: December 31st, 2024 Payment: 5 cents per word and a contributors copy Theme: Jonathan Harker Issue 6: Jonathan Harker(To Be Published May, 2025) What happened on the way from the castle to the hospital in Buda-Pesth? What happens after the story ends? What is his relationship with his son? Jonathan is often perceived and portrayed as impish and weak, but he might just be one of the bravest characters in the book. Submissions open November 1, 2024-December 31, 2024. Submissions received earlier will be read and considered but will not be responded to until the window opens. We like stories that feel like they could be canon, but we also enjoy fun alternate takes and pastiche. Prequels, sequels, updates, divergent timelines - unleash your creative powers of darkness and show us something exciting. As with every publication the best way to get a feel for what we like is to read what we’ve put out in the past. Stories should be 1500-5000 words. Poetry will be considered, but is not necessarily sought (We are hoping to have an all poetry issue sometime in the future). Compensation will be .05/word plus contributor’s copies. Reprints will be considered. Reprints should be at least 10 years old. Compensation is $55. Simultaneous submissions accepted, but please notify us immediately if accepted elsewhere. Some stories may be chosen for the website, but not the publication. Please adhere to the Shunn format - https://www.shunn.net/format/classic/ Please only send .doc, .docx, or .pdf Filename and email subject should be - “lastname_title_suitors or “lastname_title_jonathan” Include short 3rd person bio Email story submissions to: [email protected] Cover Art Submissions What we want Eye catching design. Think pulp paperbacks, Basil Gogos’ Famous Monsters covers, EC Horror Comics, Vintage Movie Posters. Originality. Homage is fun, plagiarism is not. Please make sure you...

Submission Window: November 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024 Payment: $15 Theme: Speculative fiction, primarily horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Note: Reprints welcome Formatting Guidelines This is proving to be a recurring problem, so we're putting it up front. Please, for all our sakes, read this next part carefully. All submissions should be sent by e-mail (no letters or telephone calls please) to [email protected]. Below are some formatting rules to help us process your submission more quickly. EMAIL AND COVER LETTERS Email is accepted in both text and HTML formats. When submitting, please put this in the subject line: Submission: (Title) - (First and Last name) Include the following in the body of the email and in the attached submission: Your name Name to use on the story (byline), if different Your preferred email address Your mailing address The story's title The story's word count You may also include a cover letter in the body of the email. We get a lot of strange stuff in cover letters, so if you're unsure of what goes in them (and especially what doesn't) please refer to these cover letter tips: How to write a cover letter | What not to put in a cover letter by Jed Hartman SUBMISSION FORMATTING We ONLY accept submissions as attachments! All stories submitted as an attachment must follow standard manuscript formatting. We will no longer read any story not properly formatted. (And we much prefer Courier New to Times New Roman) For explanations and tips on what SMF is and how to do it with word processing programs, please see this article. Please send your submission as an attachment in Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) or Rich Test Format (.rtf) only. Other formats, such as Works, WordPerfect, Open Office, etc., have proven difficult to open. Please note that we no longer accept "inline" submssions; that is,...