Events

Deadline: September 1st Payment: $15.00 Submissions Before you submit to Goblin Fruit, there are a few things you might find useful to know; for instance, the submission guidelines. If any question you have has not been addressed below, feel free to query at goblin.fruitgmailcom, and please do read our Frequently Implied Questions for additional information. What is it we want? We want poetry that we can call "of the fantastical", poetry that treats mythic, surreal, fantasy and folkloric themes, or approaches other themes in a fantastical way. Re-write a fairytale, ponder an old story, consider history from an unusual perspective — really, it's up to you, so long as the fantastical element is there. Since what qualifies as "the fantastical" is easily debatable, however, here's what we're not interested in: science fiction poetry (it's not you, it's us), horror for horror's sake, and poetry that's self-consciously gothic. We have no prejudice against traditional poetic forms, rhyme, or meter. We'd like to stay that way, so please let the form serve the poem, not the other way around. Prose poems will be harder to sell, mainly because so many of them straddle the flash fiction line. How much do we pay? Beginning in January 2016 we will be paying $15.00 USD on publication for original, unpublished poems, and $5.00 for solicited reprints. If you'd like to submit a poem that has been published elsewhere, please query first with the poem's title, where it was originally published and when. We purchase first North American serial rights and first Worldwide Electronic rights for three months; after that rights revert to the author, although we do request permission to keep the poem in our archives indefinitely. When can I submit? We are accepting submissions during the following times: April 9th - June 1st July...

Deadline: September 1, 2016 Payment: $10 and a contributor's copy Open Submissions: July 1 – September 1, 2016 Theme: This horror/dark fantasy anthology will be centered in a nefarious motel established in the 1960s by the devil himself, some say. Each story needs to take place in a room of the motel. Stories can begin in another location and arrive at the motel or bleed out into the parking lot, but the bulk of the tale should be in the room. Writers can get creative with their stories and the design of their rooms, but the main lobby and innkeeper needs to be consistent if referenced. Name of the Motel and Description: Located in a poor, decimated, part of Atlanta, the Kretcher Motel is a two story construct, with peeling mauve paint on the outside. Inside, the lobby looks bright from harsh yellow lighting. It has a mini fountain with no water that sits in the middle of the sticky, dirty, tile floor. Only the counter seems immaculate with a polished mahogany counter. The elevators are filled with graffiti, smell and are missing panels on the ceiling. The halls are ominous and dark, with flickering lights, and grimy diamond patterned carpet. The motel is in the vicinity of several dilapidated buildings, overgrown shrubbery, and a 24 hour gas station sits directly across from the motel. Although it sells little gas, it is frequented by prostitutes, hustlers and drug dealers who make use of its restrooms for their services. Other desperate individuals down on their luck can be seen standing, leaning against or walking by the hotel as they wait for their miracle or enjoying the many snacks to be purchased there. Name and description of the Innkeeper: Sybline Kretcher is an ageless Black woman who could be anywhere from 35-70,...

Deadline: September 2nd, 2016 Payment: 5% of the gross profit Anthology Curated by Nicole Petit “Most mediums, with their spurious and specious methods, with their ghostly trumpets and spectral hands, hold few secrets—and fewer terrors.” ~Rose Mackenberg, “Exposing the Weird Secrets of ‘Mediums’ and ‘Spirits’” ADVICE TO THE SPOOK-BUSTERS By Annabelle Lovelace Chicago’s Daily Star, September 28th, 1928 War is boom time for the frauds. Concentrated human misery is a sure-fire way for charlatans of every stripe to find easy marks among bereaved mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and wives. As we have recently survived the war to end all wars, today is a gold rush for fraud. Women rapping tables with their toes convince the bereaved that husbands and wives have found peace in the higher realms, and men with collapsible trumpets are all the evidence some need that departed children are not so departed. Every cause has a trick, all performed with the finest materials your corner store has to offer: painted balloons for spirits, corn flour for otherworldly smoke, or tambourines hoisted on black poles. Despite the petroleum jelly ectoplasm, and haunted hands piloted by a man under the table, and all the tricks of the false spiritualist--there are stranger cases. For example, I’ve been called in on three such cases in the last month: The upper crust is beset by fads. A fad for speakeasies and a fad for séances. One enterprising hostess set out to combine them all--inviting her guests down to their favorite speakeasy for a night of summoning. In one of the back booths things progressed a bit further than normal, spirits coming up and running free among the spirits. It’s quite a thing for cowed gangsters to show up at your door, begging for help. While lecturing in England, I came across the...

Deadline: Sept 15, 2016 Payment: Pay rate is a range of $0.01-0.08 per word (averaging close to $0.03 per word). People who have stories for each of the works accepted with the same world will receive a boost on each consecutive story. T ANSTAAAFL Press has an open call for short stories for the “Enter the…” series of anthologies. Guidelines: We will only accept those stories emailed as text in the email OR .txt, .doc, .docx formats. All attachements will be destroyed if not accepted. Email address is [email protected] We will not accept stories by mail or post. If we receive these they will be destroyed at once. All stories must be original and unpublished anywhere If accepted TANSTAAFL Press will take first english publication rights. Note that reprint rights are yours as are first publication in alternate languages, however the value of reprints is low as are the likelihood of getting anyone to reprint. This publication is likely the only location where you will likely be paid for this piece. Stories must be less than 8000 words. Stories considered for Enter the Apocalypse must be stories about the start and / or middle of any type apocalypse. Apocalypse can include (but isn’t limited to) nuclear, epidemic, supernatural, bioweapon, cosmic, aliens, etc. Stories considered for Enter the Aftermath must be stories about the burnout or shortly after any type apocalypse. Stories considered for Enter the Rebirth must be stories about the world coming back to a new stability after any type of apocalypse. TANSTAAFL Press will attempt to get to submissions as quickly as possible, but make no commitment to how quickly. We will accept submissions up until June 15, 2016 for Enter the Apocalypse, Sept 15, 2016 for Enter the Aftermath, and Dec 15, 2016 for Enter the Rebirth. TANSTAAFL Press will...

Deadline: September 15, 2016 Payment: Three cents per word and one contributor copy Title: +Horror Library+ Volume 6 Editor: Eric J. Guignard Imprint: Cutting Block Books Submissions Accepted: July 15, 2016 – September 15, 2016 Projected Release Date: April 2017 (both print and e-format) Payment: Three cents per word and one contributor copy (no royalties) Reprints?: NO Multiple and/or Simultaneous Submissions: YES Response Time: Three weeks or less Send submissions and queries to: Horror.Library.Submissions (AT) gmail.com +++ The Horror Library has arisen anew! That is, new volume, new editor, but with the same passion to advance dark, smart horror short fiction. The Horror Library series has been publishing cutting-edge horror for more than ten years, with new volumes released about every two years. Past contributors include such notables as: Bentley Little, Gary Braunbeck, Kealan Patrick Burke, Jeff Strand, Ray Garton, Lisa Morton, Tim Waggoner, et al. We’d love to add your name to this list! The short of it: We’re looking for non-themed horror short stories. The long of it: The tastes of this anthology series run toward light horror or psychological horror rather than anything brutal (think along the lines of: The Twilight Zone, Tales from the Darkside, Tales from the Crypt,Black Mirror, etc.). Stories about demons, serial killers, or any traditional monster trope (zombies, vampires, etc.) will be a very tough sell. Ideal qualities to make your story a success include: +Emotional Resonance (e.g. Fear, Relief, Joy, etc.)+ +Action (Plot Movement)+ +Unique and Thoughtful Ideas+ +Literary Courage (Push Boundaries)+ +Extraordinarily Memorable ‘Voice’ in Characters+ The audience for this anthology are mature, literary readers (i.e. “R” rating). Profanity and sexually-related material is acceptable, provided it is not gratuitous and not excessive. What is not acceptable is anything relating to torture or sexual abuse of children, or graphic sex/ “erotica.” If...

Deadline: September 15th, 2016 Payment: 02 to .08 per word Behind the Mask (working title) is our next themed anthology and it’s all about superheroes! But not how they saved the world this time. We’re more interested in the ordinary day-to-day challenges facing these extraordinary individuals: growing up, growing old, relationships, career struggles, parenting. How they cope with that age-old desire to fit in when, let’s face it, they don’t. We want superhero stories with originality, diversity, and strong character development that celebrate the genre but manage to push its boundaries as well. Fun, quirky, serious, happy, sad: any tone will do, and we plan to have a nice variety. But bring us something fresh and relevant to this crazy world we live in today. So without further ado, here are the details! Short Fiction (3K to 6K words) for  Behind the Mask: A Superhero Anthology We are currently seeking short stories for our next short fiction superhero themed anthology, Behind the Mask. Submission Deadline 9/15/16 Submission Guidelines: Include a cover email containing genre, word count, brief bio, and contact information Please confirm that your story has not been published before Attach your complete story using  Proper Short Story Manuscript Format in .doc, .docx, .txt or .rtf format. We do not accept reprints We do accept simultaneous submissions for short stories (but ask that you contact us immediately if your story is accepted elsewhere) Send to [email protected] with subject line: Superhero – Genre – Title – Author Payment: We pay .02 to .08 per word for short fiction Via: Meerkat Press.

Deadline: September 15, 2016 Payment: Accepted poems will be paid for at the following rate: US 3¢/word rounded to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Payment is on publication. Eye to the Telescope 22, the Ghosts issue, will be edited by Shannon Connor Winward. Existence is a circle, and we err when we assign to it for measurement the limits of the cradle and the grave. —Manuel Acuña, “Before a Corpse” For this issue of Eye to the Telescope, I am looking for more than thumps in the attic and pretty dead girls on a moonlit road. I want the unexpected, the unmeasured—I want poems that belie the limits of life and afterlife and what we think a ghost story should be. Give me phantoms and poltergeists, yes, bean-sidhe and È Guǐ, pathos or parody, space ship specters or transmigrating alien souls—I want any and all of it, as long the poem has meat on its bones. No restrictions on genre or form, though graphic violence or gore will be a hard sell. More than anything, I want to be moved. Submission Guidelines SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Please send submissions to [email protected] with the subject line “ETTT sub:” followed by the poet’s name. Please submit 1–5 poems in English (in body of email or attached as .rtf). Include a short bio. Deadline: September 15, 2016. The issue will appear on October 15, 2016. Payment and rights Accepted poems will be paid for at the following rate: US 3¢/word rounded to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Payment is on publication. Payment can be made to either the translator or the poet or split between the translator and the poet, as agreed upon in each individual case. The Science Fiction Poetry Association normally uses PayPal to pay poets, but can also...

Deadline: September 15th, 2016 Payment: Contributor's Copy Jaded Books Publishing announces their next anthology open for submissions to be released Halloween Day. Black Candy is Halloween themed, so send in your best submissions with serial killers, monsters, creepy crawlies, and things that go bump in the night on Halloween! * Word format saved in .doc, .docx, and .rtf * 12 pt times new roman * Crisp clean work * Halloween themed madness * 2k-6k word count * Send with Black Candy as subject line   Submit to : [email protected]   Deadline September 15th The body of your submission email will be considered the cover letter. The submission documents are to be separated and Word (.doc) documents are required to be attached to your submission email. Please type your name, the title of your story in the subject line of your email [email protected]. Via: Jaded Books Publishing.

Deadline: September 15th, 2016 Payment: $50 usd Thanks for your interest in submitting to Black Girl Magic Lit Mag's Oct. 2016 All Horror Issue Submit stories in DOC, DOCX or RTF format. Standard Manuscript Format is strongly preferred. Use a standard font like Times New Roman or Arial, in 12 pt. Turnaround time for responses is one month following the end of your submission month. (e.g. if you submit during September, we’ll respond no later than October 31.) If you haven’t received a response by the end of the following month, please query. PAYMENT & RIGHTS We CURRENTLY pay $50 per short story and $25 for non-fiction. In 2017 we are establishing a Patreon in order to start paying our authors $0.03 - .08cents/word for original fiction up to 6,000 words on publication for First World Rights. Authors will also receive a free print and eBook copy of the anthology in which their story appears. Black Girl Magic accepts first world eBook and print rights, and non-exclusive anthology rights for Black Girl Magic’s biannual anthologies. We also accept non-exclusive online rights to publish and archive your story on our website. WHAT WE PUBLISH: Mainstream fiction with elements of the fantastic mixed in Dark fantasy / science fiction Magic realism (“a literary genre or style that incorporates fantastic or mythical elements into otherwise realistic fiction—called also magical realism”) Surrealism: (“the principles, ideals, or practice of producing fantastic or incongruous imagery or effects in art, literature, film, or theater by means of unnatural or irrational juxtapositions and combinations”) Don’t be afraid to experiment or to deviate from the ordinary. WHAT WE DON'T PUBLISH: We are not a market for graphic, violent horror. The “horror” should be subtle and fall in with one or more of the themes above. Gratuitous/Violent Horror Weak women...

Deadline: September 30th, 2016 Payment: $0.01/per word and a contributor's copy Reprints Allowed Bring us your best prison stories. Any genre. Any point of view. The story can be from the perspective of an inmate. It can be from the POV of a guard. It can be from the viewpoint of a family member visiting a lifer. It can be a prison ghost story. It can be about redemption, or a spiral down into oblivion. It can be about friendship, or prison gangs and rivalries. It can be about a riot. It can be about an ex-con, who's gotten out and is struggling to reintegrate into an unforgiving society. As long as it holds true to the main theme of prison, it fits. Any genre works: historical fiction, paranormal, supernatural, drama, comedy, dark noir, mystery, etc. Just make certain your story has something to do with prison or confinement (incarceration). This can include inside a mental hospital, juvenile detention, or other correctional facility. Guidelines for Submissions: Deadline: September 30, 2016 Payment: $0.01/per word + one contributor's copy Word count: 1,500 – 6,000 Acceptable file types: doc. and docx. Simultaneous/multiple submissions: Yes Reprints: Yes (payment is 1¢/per word) All submissions should be formatted 12 pt. Times New Roman. Please use auto-indent for paragraphs, and no space between paragraphs. In your cover letter, include your contact information and a brief bio. We are asking for six months exclusive rights for all accepted stories. All authors included in the anthology will receive two contributor's copies. All authors will receive contributor listing on Amazon. We may send out rejections/acceptances before the deadline, but please do not query about your story's status until October 11, 2016, or later. There is NO fee per submission. The final TOC of selected authors and stories will be announced...