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Deadline: December 10th Payment: $50 Submission Guidelines for StarShipSofa StarShipSofa is currently open for submissions between November 1 and December 10. * What do we want? In a word: science-fiction. From the soft, social science fiction to the weird pulpy stuff to the vigorous hard SF and YA adventure. We welcome all sub-genres and all variety of punks in all their colours. From high-octane action to quiet philosophical stories, we’re after it all.Science fiction is a rich and diverse genre, push it’s boundaries as far as you can go. We welcome translations and are very interested in stories that take place/written by authors outside the US/Anglo-sphere, as well as as alternative movements and styles. These include (but not limited to) “non-Western” science fiction, Chinese SF, Soviet speculative fiction, Afro-futurism, etc. The exception is that the SF element must be the backbone of the story. It cannot be an afterthought, or simple window dressing. It can be subtle, but it has to be the story’s foundation. If you take away the speculative element and the story still stands, then it’s not science-fiction and it is not for us. We are also not interested in fantasy or supernatural horror stories. Those go to Far Fetched Fables and Tales to Terrify. Genre labels are loose and can bleed together, but if the coal in the story’s engine is magic or supernatural based, we don’t want it. But if there are science-based elements, however soft, then it can be considered. If in doubt, send. We want the best stories from any subgenre, period. Ultimately the best way to get a feel for what we want is to listen to the podcast itself. We favour rich world building, tight prose, complex characters, engaging dialogue and strong pacing, however you define it. Although we will consider...

Deadline: Dec 15, 2016 Payment: $0.01-0.08 per word (averaging close to $0.03 per word) 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 All stories must be original and unpublished anywhere If accepted TANSTAAFL Press will take first english publication rights.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 respond to all submissions which follow our guidelines. Payments / Renumeration The Enter… series will pay for each story used in the range of $0.01-0.08 per word (averaging...

Deadline: December 15, 2016 Payment: Short Stories: $50 plus a print copy of the magazine, Flash Fiction: $10 plus a print copy of the magazine, Horror Poetry: $10 plus a print copy of the magazine. Flash Fiction: Fiction in a flash? Challenge accepted! Keep your story between 300 – 700 words. Wow us with your word will-power! As it’s said, so well and so often, “Kill your Darlings”. Short Fiction: Ah, our bread-and-butter! Stories within 2,000 – 7,000 words will be accepted. Keep them creepy. Poetry: We love a poem or three here at DeadLights. So in what form of poem should you write? Well, it can be any kind of poem at all, really, as long as haunts us all in our sleep. Feel free to express yourself in no longer than a single-space page length in Microsoft Word. Creative Non-Fiction: We are accepting creative non-fiction stories that are terrible, horrible, or gross. These are meant to be small stories about real-life, interesting things that have happened to our readers. Word count? 300 – 3000! Art: For those of you feeling creative, we do accept drawings, paintings, graffiti, whatever, as long as they are sent to us in a digital format. We love horror-art! How to Submit Format: Manuscripts? Pile’em on us. Just remember, there are a lot of stories out there, and not a lot of ‘us’. To ensure that you get your fair share of limelight, follow these tips:http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html We are not format fascists here at Deadlights, and if you keep your  submissions in a Microsoft Word (.docx) Document or .PDF, we may squeak by a good tale or two, formatting be damned. For our first go-round, though, do keep all submissions in one of the two formats. Thank you. Sending it in: In the subject of the email, please place your last name and your fiction form (fiction...

Deadline: December 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 23, the Robots issue, will be edited by Brian Garrison. Robots and computers have served to make our lives both infinitely easier and infinitely more complex. They are created by humans, and yet they mystify us. We can’t quite decide whether we should classify robots alongside shards of amethyst silent underground, twisting vines of morning glory climbing toward the sun, mosquitoes buzzing in search of blood, or researchers interpreting their experimental data. Maybe they belong in a category of their own. Literature has explored doomsday scenarios of machine warfare; speculated about the key ingredients of intelligence, emotion, and consciousness as robots enter our workplaces, game rooms, bedrooms, etc.; showed us how hackers and other cyberpunks might live in an increasingly computerized society; and otherwise done what literature is supposed to do—make things up. For this issue of Eye to the Telescope, it is your opportunity to tell everyone about your hopes or fears about life among machines. Let us place your poetry here, to be faithfully communicated to the world through humanity's largest electronic undertaking so far, the internet. Tell us: where are we going, where have we been? 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: December 15, 2016. The issue will appear on January 15, 2017. 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...

Deadline: December 15th, 2016 Payment: $50 and potentially royalties Note: Reprints Allowed Shelter by Nightfall is an upcoming ebook edited by Clayburn Griffin. It will include several short stories exploring the subject of home and its importance in our physical and emotional well-being as humans. This collection will feature new and independent authors for readers to get a taste of their talent and style. Be sure to sign up for updates below to be notified when the book is available for purchase. Submissions We are still accepting stories for Shelter by Nightfall. The deadline has been extended to December 15th! If you’re interested please follow these steps: Write a short story between 6,000 and 10,000 words on the theme of Home and its significance to the Human Condition. Email your short story as a Microsoft Word or Google Doc to [email protected]. Include in your email a short bio of 200 words or fewer. List any relevant websites or social media profiles too. If your story is selected, you will receive a response with next steps to prepare for publication. Rules & Payment Information: Submitted stories may be previously published, however the author must own appropriate rights to republish globally. Author will be required to grant global publishing rights for inclusion in the Shelter by Nightfall story collection. Authors whose stories are selected for inclusion in Shelter by Nightfall will receive a $50 one-time payment upfront. Additional royalties of 6% of revenue (after any seller or marketplace commissions) will be paid out monthly for five years from publishing date. No additional royalties will be given for sales after five years from the original publishing date, even in the case of subsequent published editions of Shelter by Nightfall. Edits may be suggested or requested. If a final version cannot be reached meeting...

Deadline: December 16, 2016 Payment: $10 and a contributor's copy What is Meet Cute? Meet Cute: A Collection of First Encounters is a collaborative anthology of micro fiction stories. A “meet cute” is a scene in which two characters meet in a way that is amusing, unusual, or otherwise entertaining. After submissions close, the best stories will be chosen and published in a physical book. This project will be fully crowd-sourced and crowd-funded. A Kickstarter campaign is forthcoming. Entrants whose stories are selected for publication will receive $10 and a free copy of the final published book. Please also contact themeetcutebookgmail.com if you are interested in contributing an illustration for this project. Submissions for Meet Cute stories are currently OPEN Deadline for submission is December 16, 2016 Rules: 1. The story must be your original, previously unpublished work 2. The story must be 1000 words or fewer 3. The story must be about two characters meeting (romantic, platonic, etc.) 4. Please include your name and the title of your story 5. Submit as .doc or .docx file Please send entries and questions to themeetcutebookgmail.com Via: Meet Cute.

Deadline: December 18th, 2016 Payment: 1p per word up to maximum of £50 per story. Note: Not particularly horror but seems a good fit for some of our authors. Note: Reprints allowed Print and Ebook anthology In 'Jane Eyre' Mr Rochester kept his mad first wife locked away in his attic. Inspired by this, 'Mrs Rochester's Attic' will be an anthology of gothic-tinted tales about mad love and terrible secrets. What awful things do your characters keep hidden away? We are interested in publishing well crafted, and beautifully written stories. We prefer work that has not been published elsewhere but will accept reprints if they are a strong fit for the collection. If you are based in the UK Midlands that is an advantage. We welcome stories with a historical setting and a ghost or two is always fun, but neither are essential. There doesn't have to be any connection to Jane Eyre (although there can be), but the story must contain a dark, dark secret and/or doomed love. Closing date for 'Mrs Rochester's Attic' submissions: 18th December 2016. We want writers to bring their own unique slant to the theme. We are looking for interesting voices and exciting, original ideas. All genres are welcome. Length: 1000-6,000 words. Previously Published? While we prefer new work for this anthology, we are willing to accept a small proportion of stories previously published elsewhere. Please inform us of any previous publication history and confirm the story is available for reprint. e.g. not restricted by any exclusivity clauses in a past contract. Multiple Submissions? No multiple submissions. Simultaneous Submissions? Yes. But please inform us if your story is accepted elsewhere after submitting it to us. General Submission Information To Submit: Click here to go to our submissions portal. There you will be required to create an account for submitting to this anthology....

Deadline: December 20th, 2016 Payment: $25 and digital contribut'rs copy Note: While not strictly a horror anthology, horror is welcome Admin and Legal The editors reserve the right to make or suggest changes to chosen manuscripts. Contributors will have to sign a contract granting Writing Piazza Press permission to use their work in the anthology, so if you are not 18 years of age you will need a parent or legal guardian’s permission, if your work is chosen. Payment Contributors will receive $25 and a digital contributor’s copy. All net profits from the book will go to the BFP (or a similar 501(c)(3) organization should BFP cease to operate as a non-profit). So part of your “payment” will be helping all those helpless animals! What we want We are looking for intriguing stories centered on animals that at some point were used in animal testing. We prefer stories that end in a rescue. So put on those thinking caps, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Genre is open: horror, sci-fi, speculative, literary, even comedy or romance. If it’s well-crafted and follows the theme, we’d love to consider it. (PHOTO IS FROM THE BEAGLE FREEDOM PROJECT’S SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT SHOWING A NEW BATCH OF BEAGLES BEING TAKEN IN TO USE FOR TESTING.)       Guidelines The stories should fall between 5,000 – 20,000 words. We will consider shorter stories if they are truly captivating. We will consider multiple submissions if they are substantially different, and we’re fine with simultaneous submissions. Just be sure to notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. Winners will be notified by email so make sure to include your name and email address on the attached submission. Send submissions and any questions to [email protected] with “BFP Short Story Contest” in the...

Deadline: December 25th, 2016 Payment: 10% royalties, digital copy, podcast interview Whether you hate it or love it, Trump is the elected president of the United States of America. For some, Trump spells a rise of the alt-right and the racism and misogyny that follows. Some worry that Trump will lead to a dictatorship of hate and bigotry, and others fear that this hate and bigotry will lead to roaming deportation squads aimed at minorities and members of the LGBTQ community. Whether you believe in the fears or find it exaggerated to the point of comedy, we will soon find out what a Trump Whitehouse will be like. Trump inauguration is January 20th, and I feel it would only be right to celebrate by exploring what a Trumpocalypse might be like. Deadman’s Tome Trumpocalypse will consist of six flash fiction satirical horror stories that feature Trump and sometimes Pence. Trump is to be a main character, whether antagonist or protagonist. keep the story under 1000 words. Deadline is December 25th, 2016. Submit submissions with Trumpocalypse as subject to [email protected] Via: Deadman's Tome.

Deadline: December 30th, 2016 Payment: $40 and a contributor's copy TRAGEDY QUEENS is an anthology that brings together two powerful muses: Sylvia Plath and Lana Del Rey. Sylvia’s voice haunts us from beyond the grave. Her words cut like diamonds—sharp, deadly, and forever beautiful. Lana Del Rey’s dark themes and enchanting vocals resonate with listeners from all around the world. Both of these artists explore taboo topics. They find the words to voice the things they are not proud of, the things that haunt them. It takes courage to do the verbal striptease. Let these two extraordinary muses guide you into your own heart of darkness. Themes and Topics: Bad Girls, Bad Boys, Sad Girls, Sad Boys, Self-Destruction, Self-Sabotage, Suicide, Addiction, Obsession, Hedonism, Paganism, Americana, Witches, Tarot Cards and Fortunetelling, BDSM, Crimes of Passion, Shameful Secrets, Blackmail, Deception, Decay, Madness, Fairy Tales Gone Wrong, Trauma, Depression, Alienation, Body Dysmorphia, Mythological Characters and Creatures, Greek Tragedy, Femmes Fatales, Lolitas, Monsters, Loss of Innocence, Loneliness, Dark Side of Hollywood, Bikers, Nazis, Cults, Voyeurism, Doomed Lovers. Submission Guidelines: Stories need to have clear plot beats and arcs. We want realism and logical causality even if the story is surrealistic and dreamlike. Characters must go through transformations, whether they self-destruct or they overcome their obstacles. We want catharsis. We want new perspectives on old themes and narratives. We want strong women, bad women, crazy women. This is a celebration of the dark side of femininity. The side that makes people uncomfortable. The side that scares men and threatens the social order. Pick your favorite Plath poem or Lana song/video as your springboard, or merge a Plath poem and a Lana song and see what comes out of their synergy. Pick a poetry collection or an album. Pick a theme or imagery that resonates. You...