Events

Deadline: February 28th, 2020 Payment: A contributors copy and: £50 for original work, £20 for reprints. Theme: An upcoming mass extinction. Note: Reprints Welcome The next Midnight Street Anthology (#4) will be published in the New Year. The submissions window will close on 28th February 2020. WHAT I WANT: The world is in a mess. It seems that from a human perspective, we’re pretty well screwed. Is that TRUE? Maybe the generation that comes after ours will be able to save the planet for human habitation. Who knows? It seems that this generation has pretty well messed up everything that would ensure the long-term survival of humanity. Why is that? Greed, political imperatives, narrow- minded thinking, poverty, ignorance. There are many reasons. It remains true that we are experiencing very strange days. There’s a mass extinction happening and it may well include our species. What do you think? Can you come up with an original story that reflects this approaching catastrophe? I’m looking for stories – sci-fi, horror, slipstream, weird – that reflect the strange times we are living in and that sum up the precariousness of modern existence. WHAT I DON'T WANT: Badly written and constructed stories. To me, spelling and grammar are important. That doesn’t mean you can’t push the boundaries, but remember that you have to know the rules before you can break them. Slasherfests that rely on violence and cliché to propel the stories. Poor, badly constructed characterisation whose only function is to drive the plot towards an unconvincing, or contrived conclusion. Waffle that bears no relationship to the plot, but only serves to slow down or unnecessarily bulk out the story. Excessive strong language that does not help to shape characters or events. If it’s necessary & appropriate: no problem. RESEARCH: As part of your research, read...

Deadline: February 29th, 2020 Payment: 3 cents per word Theme: Extinction Triangulation is open for submissions. We are Parsec Ink’s speculative fiction anthology, now in our 16th year. We’re looking for outstanding fantasy, science fiction, weird fiction, and speculative horror–from new and established writers. Take the theme and run with it. Tell us a story we won’t forget. Theme: Triangulation: Extinction Every day, another species creeps closer to extinction, often brought on by things out of their control. The world changes every time an insect, a rhino, a macaw ceases to exist. These changes are tangible. Tell us about them. Bring us stories of imposing threats, extraordinary creatures brought low, stories of those warriors who fight tooth and nail for their survival. What does extinction mean to you? We like our stories to be profound, relatable, poignant yet familiar. Tell a tale for the ages. While we appreciate and value creative freedom, please note that this issue of Triangulation has a strict theme. We don’t want to read a hundred stories about dinosaurs and asteroids; we want gritty commentaries and hopeful ruminations. Last year’s issue, Dark Skies, wrestled with light pollution, and similarly, this issue addresses an equally as challenging—and real—topic. Let’s do it justice. Submission Requirements Submissions Open: December 1, 2019 Submissions Close: February 29, 2020 Word Count: We consider fiction up to 5,000 words, but the sweet spot is 3,000. There is no minimum word count. Stories over 5000 words will be rejected unread. Genre: We accept science fiction, fantasy, and horror–and enjoy intelligent blends of the three. Stories without a speculative element will not be considered. We do not accept reprints, multiple submissions, or simultaneous submissions. If we reject a story before the end of the reading period, feel free to send another. We love creative interpretations of our themes, but we do require...

Deadline: February 29th, 2020 Payment: Royalties Theme: “You know what this Christmas party needs? Ghost stories.” “Bring back the tradition of telling ghost stories at Christmas!” “You know what this Christmas party needs? Ghost stories.” “Why does Nightmare Before Christmas have to be a Halloween or Christmas movie? Why can’t it be both?” Immortal Works has heard your pleas and we are excited to announce our latest anthology, A Haunted Yuletide, slated for publication December 2020. And we need your submissions! We’re looking for stories that send shivers up and down your spine and make you want to check under your bed for monsters. We want stories that will make you afraid to to go sleep on Christmas Eve, because who is this Santa person, really? Tell us about the family home in New England where Aunt Enid is buried under the floor. We want to know about the ghost of that little kid who keeps hanging around the bakery downtown. In addition, please note the following: Contributions should be short stories (between 1,000 and 10,000 words in length) that include ghosts and Christmas, although other winter solstice holidays will be welcome also (Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc). Stories should adhere to Immortal Works’ submission guidelines, i.e. they should be free from graphic sexuality, gory violence, and use of the f-word. Send your work to [email protected] as an attachment in .docx format, and put Haunted Yuletide in the subject line. Use the standard Shunn short story format (found here: https://www.shunn.net/format/story.html) The submission deadline is midnight MST on 29 February, 2020. The editors of A Haunted Yuletide will be Jay and Julie Barnson. Jay Barnson is the author of the Blood Creek novel series. His short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines. Julie Barnson is a professional storyteller of the oral tradition...

Deadline: February 29th, 2020 Payment: Contributor's copy and potential payout depending on crowdfunding. Theme: The anthology will include all original stories centering around the idea of boys’ lives being disrupted in some way. Anthologists: Ronald Linson and Deidre J Owen Genres: Varied; previous volume (“Little Girl Lost”) included Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Crime Drama. See below. Submissions: Dec 1, 2019 – Feb 29, 2020 (or until anthology is filled) Compensation: Contributor copy (print & ebook); cents/word dependent on crowdfunding. See below. LITTLE BOY LOST: MORE TALES OF YOUTH DISRUPTED will be a companion volume to our newly released anthology Little Girl Lost: Thirteen Tales of Youth Disrupted (released Oct 15, 2019). The anthology will include all original stories centering around the idea of boys’ lives being disrupted in some way. It could be through vanishing mysteriously, experiencing a life-altering event, or…? We are seeking well-written, imaginative tales that explore this idea to its fullest. Use your own interpretation as to the meaning of ‘lost.’ Surprise us! Submissions period opens DECEMBER 1, 2019 and will remain open until February 29, 2020 at 11:59PM (EST) or until the anthology is filled. Submissions received outside of this period will not be considered. We are seeking original, previously unpublished stories of the highest quality between 2,000 (hard minimum) and 7,500 words. We are willing to look at stories up to 10,000 words, although they are less likely to be accepted. Genre: Your story can be in nearly ANY genre so long as it fits the theme of the anthology, with the firm exception of erotica/adult content. Subjects we WILL NOT accept include (but are not limited to): Erotica or adult content Pedophilia Depictions of rape Graphic depictions of child abuse Sexual activity involving persons under the age of eighteen (18) Gratuitous or excessive violence or gore Racism, bigotry, or slander...

Deadline: February 29th, 2020 Payment: Contributors Copy Theme: A Collection of Time Traveling Tales A Collection of Time Traveling Tales Zimbell House is holding open submissions for short time-traveling tales. Let your imagination roam and put our readers in the middle of the action. We want complete stories from the POV of the time-traveler. Background: Begin your story at the ‘assignment of correction.’  This is the meeting of the League of Guardians where the council assigns a traveler to a particular time in history to correct an imbalance. It is up to you to pick the time in history, what the ‘imbalance’ is and how it will be corrected. Will your traveler be successful? Will he/she have help from other travelers? What happens if the traveler decides not to follow through? Give our readers a well-plotted tale that draws them in and leaves them wanting more. Please keep foul language to a minimum-it loses its punch if over-used. Dialogue needs to be believable, and please keep dialects/slang to a bare minimum if you must use them. No head-hopping or POV changes. Pick one point of view and stick with it. Please show more of the action than just telling the reader what happens. Submissions of both short stories and novellas to this anthology are welcome, please keep in mind the minimum word count is 4,500 and the maximum word count is 20,000. This anthology is a great opportunity to showcase emerging writers and allow them to build their professional platforms. Submission Deadline: February 29, 2020, with a targeted release date of late April 2020. Submit your best work. Poorly formatted and unedited work will be turned down. Please use Americanized English spellings. We will be doing light editing as necessary to fit the standards we strive to maintain. Submission Guidelines: Any work under 4,500 words will be...

Deadline: February 29th, 2020 Payment: $10 for one thousand words or less. One cent a word for stories 1,000 words to 3,000 words in length., $10 per poem Theme: Science fiction, Weird Fantasy, Horror with SF aspects, Lovecraftian horror. Note: Contributors must be Canadian or a resident of Canada. Note: Reprings accepted Contributors must be Canadian, or at least resident in Canada. I prefer Science Fiction over Fantasy, though of course SF can include fantasy elements, so I’m flexible. Weird Fantasy would intrigue me. Also interested in Horror with SF aspects. Have a weakness for Lovecraftian Horror. Nothing obscene or ultra-violent. Idea-driven combined with character-driven would be ideal. Particularly interested in beginning writers who haven’t made a sale yet. The primary purpose of this zine is to encourage beginning writers. I welcome experienced authors but will judge unpublished writers as a separate category so they won’t have to compete with pros. Ideally at least two to three first-sale stories will be in in every issue. Be sure to mention whether you have been published or not so I’ll be sure to place you in the proper category. SPECIFICS: I offer First Publication English Language World Serial Online (PDF) Internet Rights with a post-publication exclusivity period of just one week, after which the author/artist is free to sell as a reprint to anyone anywhere. The exclusivity period is unusually short because I have no financial stake in holding on to rights and am more than willing to encourage the author to sell again ASAP. Note that reprints are less desirable to most publishers and are more difficult to place. On the other hand, my payment rates are so low you might even make more money selling your work as a reprint than you did selling it to me as a first publication!...

Deadline: February 29th, 2020 Payment: Royalties Theme: Looking for anything that fits the "How the Internet has impacted your life" category, including genre work Cyber Lives, has transformed into Cyber Smut. To those who have already submitted under Cyber Lives, rest assured, your submissions will not be affected by this. The theme remains the same: we want to know how the internet has impacted your life. We are seeking poetry and short stories (fiction & nonfiction) from the UK and Ireland. Closing date for submissions is 29 February 2020. This is wide open in terms of interpretation, and anything goes - poetry, memoir, erotica, literary fiction, sci fi, essays, etc - as long as it aligns with the theme. Things to consider: our daily lives are saturated with the internet, impacting our minds and behavior. Miscommunications and mishaps. Lust and desire for fame and money. Hilarity and tragedy with Tinder or Grindr. This is rich and fertile ground, and surely there are countless ways to approach this theme. We are thrilled about our next anthology and hope you are too. Closing date for submissions - 29 February 2020. Short stories (fiction & nonfiction) - 1000-5000 words. Poetry, up to 5 pages. Writers from the UK & Ireland - this includes anyone living or born in the UK or Ireland. Unpublished work only please. We are not able to accept previously published work, print or online. Standard Royalty Contract for successful submissions. Click here to submit via Submittable. Memoir Submissions We are also open for memoir submissions. Seeking bold writers with ballsy stories. We are interested in narratives about cyber life, art, music, travel, although any topic is fine. If you would like to submit your work, please send the first 5000 words of your manuscript, a one-page summary and your bio. Send to gutspublishing gmail.com....

Deadline: February 29th, 2020 Payment: Maybe. Funds are being raised on the side to pay contributors if they hit a certain goal. Note: I don't usually list markets that won't be a guaranteed paying market but it is for a good cause AND I love the concept of the anthology. Many writers and creatives are plagued by depression and anxiety, often referred to as “The Black Dog.” Ironically, it is during these dark days that our furry friends become our strongest supporters.I’m working with a fantastic team to put together a horror/dark fiction anthology with a strong, canine theme where all sales go towards supporting mental health and suicide prevention charity: The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand. Open call for submissions We are excited to share this open call to writers of horror and dark speculative fiction. We want you to submit your best short story between 2,000 and 6,000 words for our forthcoming charity anthology “Black Dogs, Black Tales”. This will be a dark, doggy-themed collection where absolutely anything with a canine connection goes, with one essential caveat – the dog does not die. Everyone else can be slaughtered by zombies, or lost in the depths of deep space, but the dog (or dogs) will always survive. What are we looking for? We want you to think outside the box (or kennel) with this one. Perhaps the dog is the killer, or maybe the dog kills the killer. The dog might be your protagonist, unreliable narrator, or any other major character. We welcome robot dogs and Frankenstein-creature dogs, mutated or evolved dogs, dogs with a sixth sense, or dogs that are just very special in their own right! They can be real life dogs, ghost dogs, demon dogs, or the proverbial black dog. Most importantly, surprise us with your best writing....