Events

Deadline: August 1st, 2019 NOVELS, NOVELLAS, COLLECTIONS We are looking for horror novels, novellas, and short story collections. No specific theme or subgenre. Please send submissions to [email protected], include SUBMISSION, book title, and your name in the subject line. Include the following: 1) A brief query in the body of the email. Make this the elevator pitch. 2) Attach a synopsis of the story in a word doc. file telling us the beginning, middle, and ending of the book. 3) Include a ONE page sample from anywhere in the book attached in a separate word doc. 4) Be sure the manuscript is completed. 5) If we like what we read, we'll ask for the first three chapters. If we like those, we will ask to read the entire manuscript. 6) Word counts: Novellas between 17k and 40k words; novels 40k to 120k words. 7) All stories in a short story collection must be written by the same author(s). Give us at least 50k words total for the entire collection. Deadline is August 1st.

Deadline: August 1st, 2019 Payment: $30+ The theme of the eighth annual Bikes in Spaces, the galaxy’s only series of feminist bicycle science fiction anthologies, is in the works! This volume’s theme is… cats. House cats. Ship cats. Lions. Strays. Anthropomorphic talking cats. Feline deities. Familiars. Wherever your imagination takes you, we’d love to read your story. Please send us your short stories that feature both cats and bicycles or bicycling in a way that is essential to the story; be fundamentally feminist, even if they aren’t explicitly addressing feminism as a topic; and fall somewhere in the science fiction and fantasy spectrum (sorry, no fanfic, but all other fantastical and speculative genres are welcome). Black and white illustrations are also sought. We especially love to publish work by writers and artists who don’t see themselves well-represented in mainstream books. Word count: 500 – 6,000 words, but don’t sweat the exact count too much—make your story the length it needs to be. Format: Google doc or Word preferred; a PDF or text document are also fine. If submitting an illustration, please get in touch about format and dimensions before you start work on it. Payment: A portion of profits after expenses from the Kickstarter project used to fund the book is split between contributors; payments are not less than $30 each. Send submissions to elly at takingthelane dot com by August 1, 2019. Via: Taking The Lane.

Deadline: August 1st, 2019 Payment: $25 and a contributor's copy NIGHTMARE PRESS IS NOW TAKING SUBMISSIONS for an upcoming anthology called Retro Horror and we are also taking submissions for horror novels, novellas, and short story collections. RETRO HORROR: The name says it all. We are looking for short stories reminiscent of the old low-budget horror films that used to come on late at night. Imagine someone like Vampira or Joe Bob Briggs introducing your tales. Think monster hybrids, experiments gone wrong, or reanimated corpses. That kind of stuff. $25 if accepted Contributor's copy if accepted Send story to [email protected] and put RETRO HORROR, Title, Your Name in the subject line Attach the story in a word doc. file only. No PDF or Google Docs or anything other than word doc or docx. DO NOT paste the story in the body of the email. Deadline August 1st 2000 words minimum, 10,000 words maximum Reprints acceptable as long as you own full publishing rights. We will try to respond to every submission but we may not be able to. We apologize in advance if we do not. Via: Nightmare Press's Facebook.

Deadline: August 1st, 2019 Payment: $25 and a contributor's copy Timeworn Literary Journal welcomes submissions of unpublished historical fiction stories in English under 5,000 words. They should be set before 1996, rooted in history but with a focus on narrative. Historical Fiction from the fringe means anything with a bend toward the surreal, the dream-like, the strange. The off-beat kind of story that settles into your heart long after reading. That said, we also value beauty and warmth and a generally well-written story with soul. Romance, Mystery, Crime and the Gothic are all acceptable. Speculative elements strongly encouraged. Think, The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O'Neill. Think, The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt. Think, Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. Think, Longbourn by Jo Baker. While we love a tasteful sex scene, no erotica. No gratuitous violence or rape. History can vary a great deal based on the perspective it's written from. We aim to publish stories from all walks of life and encourage submissions from those in marginalized groups. Not sure if your story fits? Submit to [email protected] using Standard Manuscript Format in Times New Roman, 12-point font, double spaced. Subject line should read: SUBMISSION: . Simultaneous submissions ok, but let us know as soon as the story is accepted elsewhere. Stories will be published in a limited quantity of hand-bound, saddle stitch publications twice a year, available for purchase in October and April for $10. Stories will also be available on our website for all to enjoy. Payment of $25 will be sent to authors upon acceptance + contributor copy upon publication. Via: Timeworn Literary Journal</a..

Deadline: August 1, 2019 Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction (all U.S. dollars). and a contributor's copy To celebrate twenty years of publication, we're going to revisit the past. There are no new first lines for 2019. Each issue will be comprised of original works based on past first lines. Were you inspired by the fall 2008 first line (Roy owned the only drive-thru funeral business in Maine.) but didn't see the sentence until 2015? Or maybe you started writing a story for the spring 2005 issue (Life would be so much easier if I were a cartoon character.) but you never got around to submitting it. Or maybe you sent us a story that just missed the cut and you reworked it and want to try us again. Well, now is your chance to make up for missed opportunities. The following is the schedule/list of first lines for the 2019 issues (click the season to see the entire list of first lines for each issue): Fall 2019 All submissions must begin with one first line from Volume 11, Issue 1 to Volume 15, Issue 4. Due date: August 1, 2019 A few notes: Don't just resubmit a story we've already rejected. We will know. We have every story submitted to us on file and why we rejected it. Also, we understand that writers may add our first line to a story they are currently working on or have already completed, and that's cool. But please do not add our first line to a previously published story and submit it to us. We do not accept previously published stories, even if they have been repurposed for our first lines. However, if you used one of our past first lines for a story...

Deadline: August 1st 2019 Payment: 1 cent per word In 2016, horror fiction got a leg up in the Lone Star State with the publication of the uniquely Texan anthology, Road Kill. Now in its fourth year, and with the inimitable Bret McCormick at the helm, Road Kill seeks to give voice to both established and novice wordsmiths who walk on the weird side of the road. The guidelines are simple: Texas Tales by Texas Writers. Stories must take place in Texas and be written by native or naturalized Texans. If you were born in Texas and, for some insane reason, relocated elsewhere we'll still consider publishing your fiction provided it's brilliant. Familiar tropes like vampires, zombies and werewolves are not likely to make the cut. Be original. Terrify the reader! Is that asking so much? Submissions should be between 3,500 and 10,000 words in length. We'd like to pay more, but for this edition of Road Kill we'll be shelling out one cent per word. That means a 10,000 word story will receive a check for $100 USD. We are buying first publication rights. Stories must be original, never before published tales designed to haunt, shock and terrify readers in a big way. Writers will be free to publish the story as a reprint elsewhere after two years.  Road Kill Volume 4 will be compiled and edited by Bret McCormick. Send your best, finely polished stories to [email protected]. Include 'RK4 Submission' in the subject line. Submission deadline is August 1, 2019. But submitting tomorrow, instead of waiting until the last minute earns you brownie points. PLEASE read and adhere to our submission guidelines...  * Word format saved in .doc, or .docx * 12 pt times new roman * Double spaced * Absolutely NO extra lines between paragraphs! * 3.5K-10K word count * Write 'RK4 Submission' along with your name and story...

Deadline: August 1st, 2019 Payment: $0.01 per word. UNDERLAND PRESS is seeking mystery, crime, dark fantasy, horror, and other speculative types of fiction for a loosely-themed anthology to be released in the winter of 2020. This one is called "Eighteen," and is symbolic of the great river at night, where the wolves howl and all doors are open. All thresholds are possible, and every truth is elusive. The Eighteenth Tarot card is the Moon, and those who raise their arms to her know she offers Mercy and Severity in equal measure. These are stories of mischief and mayhem. These are stories of magic. Eighteen is in series with Thirteen: Stories of Transformation, which was published by Underland Press. You may find out more information about Thirteen here. Submissions for Eighteen should be between 2k and 5k in length, and should be sent to [email protected]. Acceptable formats are .RTF and .DOC. Any other format may be deleted unread. Please include a brief cover letter. Payment for stories to be included in Eighteen will be $0.01 per word. The reading period for Eighteen is open now, and will remain so until August 1st, 2019. In extraordinary circumstances, longer stories may be considered. Please wait until August 15th to query if you have not heard back in regards to your story. Publication is scheduled for the spring equinox of 2020, when the wheel turns and the waters flow again. Via: Fire Bird Creative.

Deadline: August 1st, 2019 Payment: $25 Our first fiction anthology, Negative Space, will focus on the survival horror genre of video games, made popular by such legendary franchises as Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Amnesia. Although the term "survival horror" was first coined for Capcom's 1996 release of Resident Evil, it is now a widely used term in video game verbiage. Overall, the main goal of this anthology is to incorporate elements of the survival horror tradition into narrative fiction writing. So, in essence, what is survival horror? It is a sub-genre of horror video games in which the protagonist(s) must face dire situations in locations far off the beaten path by using the environment, or items found in the environment, to survive. While it's safe to assume that "survival" is a common element in most horror stories, there is an extra emphasis in a survival horror story. It could mean finding escape, or fortifying a position and awaiting rescue, or fighting the threat head on with the use of traps and/or under-powered weaponry. Think of Neil Marshall's film The Descent, or the last thirty minutes of Predator; that's what we're looking for. We are looking to publish around fifteen pieces of original fiction for this anthology. Please keep in mind that this will be an experimental collection that favors active horror stories over quieter, literary pieces. When writing your story, think of dangerous locales, overwhelming odds, makeshift weapons, cryptic journals, secret underground facilities, and deadly traps. For inspiration read Stephen King's "The Mist," or play the new Resident Evil 2 remake, or watch John Carpenter's The Thing, then try your hand at writing your own survival horror piece. We'd love to see what you come up with. Fiction Submission: Survival Horror. Word Count: 3,000 - 8,000 words. Payment: $25.00 + digital copy. Rights: We are seeking first time rights in print and...

Deadline: August 1st, 2019 Payment: $25 and a contributors copy Silent Motorist Media is currently open for submissions! We’re following our debut anthology, Mannequin: Tales of Wood Made Flesh (featuring Ramsey Campbell, Michael Wehunt, Richard Gavin, Matthew M. Bartlett, Jon Padgett, Christine Morgan, and many more excellent authors), closely with another themed collection of fiction, The Nightside Codex. Like Mannequin, we’re expecting a strong TOC, so be sure and send your best work! We’re looking for original weird horror fiction (think Thomas Ligotti, Nathan Ballingrud, Caitlin R. Kiernan, and the fiction published in Vastarien) within 2,000 to 6,000 words about haunted or cursed books, manuscripts, or online media. The texts dealt with should be products of your imagination–we aren’t looking for stories about Lovecraft’s Necronomicon or any other established pieces of unwritten fiction. Outside of these specifications, you are encouraged to take this theme as far as you can! Public submissions will close on August 1st, 2019. Please allow us at least a month following the closing of submissions to get back to everyone. A good portion of The Nightside Codex’s TOC will remain invite-only, so we’re only looking to obtain 5-7 stories from this submission call. Be sure to send only your best work to [email protected]. Please include your name and a short author’s bio with your submission. We are not looking for previously published pieces, and we strongly discourage simultaneous submissions. Fictional works accepted for The Nightside Codex will receive a flat rate of at least* $25.00 paid via PayPal, plus print and electronic contributor’s copies. *We are planning to attempt a Kickstarter for this anthology. If we’re successful, you can expect the $25.00 rate to raise substantially. When it begins, the Kickstarter will be announced on the SMM website, Facebook, and Twitter accounts. We’ll need your help to reach our goal, so please share our Kickstarter links as they become available.  Thank your for your interest in subbing to...

Deadline: August 1st, 2019 Payment: £20 per 1,000 words for prose, £20 per 15 lines for poetry, and £20 per image for visual art Where Blood Bath’s first two issues interrogated the corporeal, then the infernal, Blood Bath’s third issue looks to the metaphysical for explorations on terror, dread and the unknown. Submissions are now open for Blood Bath issue 3: HAUNTINGS Hauntings are some of the most versatile and interesting stories in the horror lexicon. Haunted houses, poltergeists, haunted objects, personal hauntings; all are welcomed, the only criteria for written submissions being that there must be a ghost (or a character’s belief in a ghost) that is linked to an object, place or person. We very much encourage you to get creative on the definitions and implications of these criteria. For visual art, the same criteria apply, but the restrictions are a little more flexible. Not every submission has to include the image of a ghost or haunted house, though we still want pieces that adhere to and complement the theme. If you’re not sure your art fits the brief, send it anyway. Ghosts and hauntings have traditionally been used to exorcise our cultural and societal fears, and the ones that have the most lasting impacts are ones that address and challenge those in a deliberate way. Social issues like race, class, gender and mental health all have a place in horror and we want to read stories about them. As always, we love a generous dose of weird with our horror, so if you can bring us to Hausu levels of madness, it will definitely be appreciated. We try to publish horror that pushes the margins of genre, so any genre defying/genre blending concoctions will also go down well. There are plenty of excellent traditional Gothic ghost stories, so if you’re...

Deadline: August 1st, 2019 Payment: Royalty Split Submission Deadline : 1st August 2019 Anthology : What If? – Volume One Title : What If? Theme : Rewrite events in history…but with fantasy and magic! Word count : 5k – 10k Author eligibility : Open only to authors who have had stories accepted for a Black Hare Press drabble or short story anthology Reprints : Not allowed Simultaneous Submissions : Not allowed Multiple Submissions : No Publication : Expected to release on 5th November 2019 in Print and Digital formats Author compensation : Equal royalty split per word How to submit : See our submission guidelines for formatting. Send your story as an attachment in Word format to [email protected]. Your email title should be Anthology Name – Your Story Name – Author Name. For example; “What If Volume One – My Story – A N Author” Please include an author bio of up to 100 words and no more than two links. Please read the submission guidelines in full. Failure to comply could result in your submission being rejected. Whilst we are open to all genres and styles of writing, ultimately we reserve the right to reject topics that are not suitable for our publications. Please read the individual submission call information for guidance. Word count requirements, deadline dates and author compensation are detailed against each submission call. Hyphenated words will be counted as one word. Paragraph breaks are not included in word counts. All submissions must be in English. Submitting your work All submissions should be made by email to [email protected] unless the call directs you to a different address. Check the call first. In your email subject line, please include the anthology name, your story title, and your name – more information can be found in the individual call for submissions. Please remember to attach your manuscript to your email. In your email body, please include your pen name, author name (if different) and a short 100 word...

Deadline: August 1st, 2019 Payment: Contributor's copy, potentially pay as well depending on Kickstarter. Note: Sorry for the short turnaround, this just hit my inbox! You may remember a year or so back a girl found ‘Excalibur’ in Britain, in Dozmary Pool (where the Lady of the Lake lives), you may also remember a few months ago, another girl found a sword in Norway, which immediately made me think of Sigmund’s sword Gramr. This all got me wondering what other mythic weapons might be out there. Turns out there are a lot. So of course I had to wonder what happened if girls around the globe started finding these magical weapons. I tossed out the idea to a couple of forums and got a huge response. So of course those stories have to be written. This is where you come in. I’m looking for stories about those girls. Let me start off by saying, do not use Excalibur. If you want to mention Excalibur, it is found by a girl named Aggie Farrier, a school girl who lives in council estate outside of London. There are a huge number of other objects It doesn’t have to be a sword. Here’s a list to get you started: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mythological_objects Be creative. A knife or ring from Asia could find its way into a house in North America. Some research will turn up other possibilities. A word about cultural appropriation, be sensitive about things like whether your object is still important to a group of people, do your research, if in doubt, maybe use something different. I would love to see lots of multicultural stories. The story needs to be about what happens when a girl finds some mythical object. I’m more interested in the aftermath than the finding, so don’t’ spend most of your story...