Events

Taking Submissions: Intelligence in Fiction

Deadline: July 15th, 2017 Payment: 8c/word, up to 5000 words The Machine Intelligence Research Institute has put out a call for intelligent stories illustrating concepts related to (artificial or natural) intelligence. Guidelines are quite specific; read below. This call is intended to reward people who write thoughtful and compelling stories about artificial general intelligence, intelligence amplification, or the AI alignment problem. We’re looking to appreciate and publicize authors who help readers understand intelligence in the sense of general problem-solving ability, as opposed to thinking of intelligence as a parlor trick for memorizing digits of pi, and who help readers intuit that non-human minds can have all sorts of different non-human preferences while still possessing instrumental intelligence. The winning stories are intended to show (rather than tell) these ideas to an intellectually curious audience. Conscious attempts to signal that the ideas are weird, wonky, exotic, or of merely academic interest are minuses. We’re looking for stories that just take these ideas as reality in the setting of the story and run with them. In all cases, the most important evaluation criterion will just be submissions’ quality as works of fiction; accurately conveying important ideas is no excuse for bad art! To get a good sense of what we’re looking for, we recommend you read some or all of the following: Superintelligence Smarter Than Us Waitbutwhy post 1, Waitbutwhy post 2 (with caveats) Submission Details Purchasing First Publication Rights Pay Rate: 8c/word, up to 5000 words Multiple Submissions ok Simultaneous Submissions ok Submissions window: Open until July 15 Withdrawal policy: After you submit a story, we prefer you don’t withdraw it. If you withdraw a story, we won’t consider any version of that story in the future. However, if you do need to withdraw a story (because, for example, you have sold...

Taking Submissions: More Alternative Truths

Deadline: July 15th, 2017 Payment: $0.03 cents per word plus royalties More Alternative Truths, the follow-up to the best selling Alternative Truths, is announcing an open call for stories and maybe even (gasp) poetry. We are looking for Fiction with a message about the impact of the election, the current policies in the country, and how people, HUMAN BEINGS, are affected. Payment is $0.03 cents per word plus royalties. To see what we are looking for, I advise you to read Alternative Truths, available on Amazon. The stories must make us think, stimulate discussion, and show visions of the future. This can be done in many ways, with humor, with zombies, with horror, but above all, with feeling. As with Alternative Truths, approximately 10% of the royalties will go to the ACLU of Washington. Stories in the first book ran an average of 2300 words with the shortest at 200 words and the longest at 7000 words. The reading period will be open from May 15 to July 15. Publication is anticipated in November. The book will be published by B Cubed Press and Edited by Bob Brown, Phyllis Irene Radford, and Rebecca McFarland Kyle. For more information see our Facebook Group, Alternative Truths. USE MANUSCRIPT FORMAT. Submit in Word or RTF to [email protected]

Taking Submissions: Cirsova Magazine 2018

Deadline: July 15th, 2017 Payment: $0.02 per word up to the first 2500 words and $0.01 per word up above that. So, you’re looking at around a $50-$100 range. Are you a Sci-fi/Fantasy writer? Then I may be looking for you! Cirsova is a semi-pro zine focusing on Sword & Planet and Heroic Fantasy fiction. Submissions for 2018 will open on June 1st. We will be reading from June 1st until July 15th, looking to acquire stories for the Spring and Fall 2018 issues (roughly 120k words of content).   My biggest recommendations to those considering submitting: -Send me some Sword & Planet and Raygun Romance!  We get a lot of fantasy, which is great, but a smash-up S&P or Raygun Romance would be high priority! -Square-jawed space barbarians and gorgeous dames are not a pre-requisite, but don’t forget this is principally a Romance genre; a good love story between competent individuals (dames =/= damsels) facing long odds (such as aliens, monsters, robots or alien monsters riding robots) may score bonus points. -Send me something short (2500-5000 words); we get a number of novelette-length works fairly frequently, but only buy and fit a couple of these each year. If you send me something great but that I can’t fit, it will make us both sad. What are you looking for? Original short stories between 2000-7500 words, specifically those in the vein of Leigh Brackett, Jack Vance, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Fritz Leiber and Robert E. Howard. Cirsova will pay $0.02 per word up to the first 2500 words and $0.01 per word up above that. So, you’re looking at around a $50-$100 range. Submissions should be in finished, final draft form. Please do not send unedited works, excerpts or pitches. Well, you can send me a pitch, and if it sounds awesome, I...

Taking Submissions: Sherlock Holmes: Adventures in the Realms of H.G. Wells

Deadline: July 15th, 2017 Payment: Royalties, details below We have some exciting news at Belanger Books. We are currently accepting submissions for an upcoming anthology. This is a book which we have wanted to put together for years now. Back in 2015, we originally had the idea of putting together an anthology of stories based on The War of the Worlds. While we still may someday put that collection together, we changed our plans when we received a wonderful story submission from author GC Rosenquist. Mr. Rosenquist submitted "The Mystery of the Last Martian". This excellent story has Holmes and Watson solving the mystery mentioned in the title, and it got us thinking, Why not make an entire anthology of stories where Holmes is in the realms of H.G. Wells?  Thus, Sherlock Holmes: Adventures in the Realms of H.G. Wells was born.  See story submission guidelines below: Sherlock Holmes: Adventures in the Realms of H.G. Wells Submissions Imagine Holmes trying to solve the case of an invisible man, matching wits with a traveler from out of time, or using his deductive skills to help fight martian invaders. These are just some of the stories which could be included in the new anthology Sherlock Holmes In the Realms of H.G. Wells . The anthology will feature traditional Sherlock Holmes stories blended with one or more tales from H.G. Wells. Belanger Books is calling for submissions from writers, new or established, which are between 5,000 - 10,000 words (it is okay to be over or under some). Requirements: The stories must feel like traditional Holmes and Wells stories. For example, the stories should have the traditional Holmes and Watson working with the traditional characters and realms of H.G. Wells. For example, a story that is a sequel to the Time Machine should...

Taking Submissions: Hinnom Magazine

Deadline: July 15th, 2017 Payment: $0.005 cents per word with a minimum payment of $5.00 and a maximum cap of $25.00 Greetings from the Valley of Hinnom, Hinnom Magazine is a bi-monthly e-zine that publishes high quality science fiction, fantasy, and horror on the last day of every other month, starting in February.  We seek authors who have a unique voice, interesting writing styles, and unparalleled storytelling talents.  We do not shy from topics or concepts of a darker nature and, actually, encourage it. READING PERIODS: January 1-15th March 1-15th May 1-15th July 1-15th September 1-15th November 1-15th PUBLICATION DATES: February 28th April 30th June 30th August 31st October 31st December 31st Please submit stories during first fifteen days of the months selected as reading periods.  Stories received after this will not be read.  Artists can submit year round. (Inaugural Issue will be Published on June 30th) FICTION SUBMISSION DETAILS: List of Genres Accepted in Alphabetical Order: Body Horror Cosmicism/Cosmic Horror Cthulhu Mythos/ Lovecraftian Horror Cyberpunk Dark Fantasy Dieselpunk Dystopian Fiction Fantasy Gothic Horror Grimdark Fantasy Hard SF Hardcore Horror High Fantasy Horror Macabre horror Occult Fiction Post-Human/Trans-Human SF Psychological Horror Science Fiction Space Opera Steampunk Sword and Sorcery Weird Fiction Any blending of these genres is also fine.  We encourage creative takes on classic themes.  In fact, combining these concepts will likely increase your chance of publication. Science Fiction is meant to beg the question, “What if?” Horror is meant to entice the very emotions that define our species: fear, terror, and dread. Fantasy focuses on imaginative detachment from reality, forging worlds and universes unseen and unheard. These genres require the utmost levels of creativity and we want to read your most macabre, disgusting, imaginative, fantastical, morose, colorful, and prophetic tales. RIGHTS SOUGHT FOR ORIGINAL ART  Non-exclusive electronic, print,...

Taking Submissions: Mummy Knows Best

Deadline: July 16th, 2017 Payment: Contributor's copy, £10 token payment, 5% royalty Mummy Knows Best Editor: Theresa Derwin Publisher: Quantum Corsets Submission deadline: Midnight GBT Sun 16th July 2017 Attach as: Word doc or doc x Genre: SFF/Horror Release date: Autumn 2017 at a SFF/Horror Con   So, what do we want? What will your story need to be to potentially meet our requirements? It’ll be 3,500 – 7,000 with a preference of 5,000 words. You’ll have followed the Shunn guidelines and; used double quotation marks for speech and single for inverted commas. Mummy Knows Best is an anthology about Mummies. Not Mothers! Though if you have a great idea about a Mummy who’s a mummy, why not give it a whirl? Please consider the range of Mummies across the globe or even beyond! No place is anathema and no time is prohibited. I don’t want just Egyptian mummies! In fact, I will be accepting no more than two Egyptian mummy stories. If you have a solid idea for an Egyptian based story, please approach me at the email address below with a brief outline of no more than 200 words by 22nd June 2017. We would like to see a wide variety of stories from Eastern and Western cultures as well as anywhere your imagination takes you. However, I don’t want a rehash of Brendan Fraser or Tom Cruise blockbusters. Think Universal rather than Michael Bay – adventure and a sense of wonder are encouraged. A sense of humour would be good – if it doesn’t become a pastiche. I am looking for diversity – not just single, white, male, middle class characters. Reflect the multi-cultural society in which we live. LGBT characters are encouraged. Consider #POC as protagonists. Breath life and substance into your characters and settings. Please...

Taking Submissions: Down with the Fallen

Deadline: July 21st, 2017 Payment: $5 per 1,000 words Franklin/Kerr Press is looking for exceptional horror short stories with post-apocalyptic and dystopian themes or settings for our upcoming horror anthology Down with the Fallen. Stories can cover a wide variety of horror sub-genre′s such as sci-fi, splatter, psychological, suspense and the weird as long as they have a substantial dystopian or post-apocalyptic element. We will not accept works with erotic or extreme sexually explicit elements. We will choose eight to ten stories to include in the anthology from author submissions to be published in both print and e-book formats. All stories should be edited and as free of error as possible prior to submission. Each story can range from 2,000 to 8,000 words, however, longer stories will be considered. Accepted works will grant Franklin/Kerr Press first exclusive English-language rights for one year and non-exclusive English-language rights for the life of the anthology in digital and print formats. The author of each short story will retain the copyright to their respective work. Payment per Story $5 per 1,000 words Each author will also receive one copy of the published anthology in print and be entitled to an author discount on additional copies. Simultaneous & Multiple Submissions No simultaneous submissions will be accepted. Multiple submissions from the same author will be considered but please note that only one story per author will be accepted to allow for greater variety and diversity. Previously unpublished stories only, no reprints unless requested. Submission Deadline July 21, 2017 at Midnight EST or until all slots have been filled. How to Submit Send your full manuscript along with a query letter and brief bio to [email protected] in a .DOC or .DOCX format with a subject line of "DWTF Anthology Submission / Your Name," i.e. "DWTF Anthology Submission...

Taking Submissions: This Twisted Earth (vols. 2 & 3)

Deadline: July 24th, 2017 Payment: % royalties per story published in e-book and paperback form and a contributor's copy Deadline for both volumes: Monday 24th July 2017 Payment: 4% royalties per story published in e-book and paperback form. You will also receive a physical copy of whichever volume your story appears in. ‘As this is laying the groundwork for an ongoing story in a way that few anthologies do, it’s definitely one to keep an eye on. When Volume 2 comes out, you know we’ll be on board.’ Starburst Magazine This Twisted Earth vol. 2: Twisted Histories – due for release at EdgeLit 2018 Dig deeper into how This Twisted Earth began: explore ‘known’ events such as the reign of the Tyrant, reveal secret histories and cultural insights through Twisted Earth creation myths, or shed light on some familiar characters through their early adventures. We can also begin to investigate what really happened to shatter Time in such a cataclysmic manner. This Twisted Earth vol. 3: Twisted Tomorrows – due for release at FantasyCon 2018 Peer into the future to show us what might yet be: chart the rise of powers such as Rome Resurgent, probe the ever-changing landscape of cultural evolution; of the progress made or dangers unleashed by the reweaving of Time’s threads. Bring forth new tales of familiar characters, hunt down the truths behind the Cataclysm, and show us what it means to choose our destiny. ‘…an anthology that breaks the format of what we consider an anthology to be demands more attention, and asks that the reader be comfortable with feeling out of their comfort zone. But it’s this quality, I think, that allows This Twisted Earth to shine.’ Renegade Revolution Prospective writers from all countries and cultural backgrounds are invited to join our ‘This Twisted...

Taking Submissions: Ghosts Of The Battlefield: Tales Of The Supernatural

Deadline: July 28th, 2017 Payment: Contributor's Copy Ghosts of the Battlefield: Tales of the supernatural that pertain to any conflict that has happened in history. From anywhere in the world or out of this world. Looking for stories 3000 to 6000 word count. In Times New Roman 12pt. Saved as a .doc file. Double spaced. Please no stories containing rape, unsavory sex acts, acts of unspeakable violence, you get the picture. I'm just looking for stories that leave the unsettling feeling of dread in the back of your mind. That when you hear that bump in the night coming from under your bed or your closet that causes you cry out for your mommy. Looking for single submissions, so please no more one per author. Stories that are unpublished, please. everyone that is accepted will be sent a contributor copy and feeling of accomplishment. This anthology is for all authors published and unpublished. Please send to [email protected] Your name, Name of submission, and word count. In Subject please write GOTB Anthology. And please attach your file to the email. The deadline is Friday July 28th for submissions. Working on having it published by Halloween. Via: Neon Moon Publication's Facebook Page.

Taking Submissions: Beautiful Lies, Painful Truths

Deadline: July 28th, 2017 Payment: $25 and a contributor's copy “Life asked Death: ‘Why do people love me but hate you?’ Death responded, ‘Because you are a beautiful lie and I am a painful truth.’” ~Anonymous The above quote will appear on the first page of the book. Let the title and quote take your imagination and your story, wherever it wants to go. GENRES: Open to Speculative Fiction (works in which the setting is other than the real world, involving supernatural, futuristic, or other imagined elements); Mystery/Thriller; Horror; Western; Fantasy; or Science Fiction. Some Literary Fiction (only involving social commentary or reflection on the human condition) is acceptable. SPECIFICALLY UNACCEPTABLE GENRES: Romance/Erotica, Middle School, Biographical, Autobiographical, Memoirs, Poetry WORD COUNT: 4,000 to 8,000 words. CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS GUIDELINES: Title of submission shall not contain variations of the phrase “Beautiful Lies, Painful Truths.” Standard manuscript format. (Go to www.lefthandpublishers.com for complete guidelines and to download format template.) Submissions must be made as .doc or .docx attachment only and NOT copied into the body of the email. Only electronic submissions accepted. In accordance with Left Hand Publishers’ standards, stories containing pedophilia, overtly descriptive rape, or graphic gore will not be considered. Failure to submit story according to guidelines will be cause for immediate rejection. Multiple story submissions accepted if individually submitted in compliance with guidelines. No simultaneous submissions, please. We ask that you do not submit a story to us and to another market at the same time. Only previously unpublished stories may be submitted. Upon acceptance into the anthology, author will receive a standard short story/anthology contract from Left Hand Publishers. SUBMISSION EMAIL SUBJECT LINE SHOULD READ: BLPT – Story Title – Author first initial, last name. All submissions are to be sent to [email protected] SUBMISSIONS OPEN: Tuesday, June 6,...