Events

Taking Submissions: Blasphemous Rumors

Deadline: July 31st, 2019 Payment: Guidelines: Blasphemous Rumors edited by Regina Garza Mitchell and David G. Barnett Blasphemous Rumors Call for Submissions Blasphemous Rumors is a themed anthology of religious horror stories edited by David Barnett and Regina Garza Mitchell. We are seeking dark short stories that focus on religion or spirituality, stories that may be considered blasphemous by the standards of your religion of choice. We are looking for quality dark fiction, not hate-filled rants against religion. Technical Details: Stories should be formatted in standard manuscript submission format. Stories should be no longer than 5000 words and should be original. Reprints are not accepted. We will not accept simultaneous or multiple submissions. PAYMENT: $.03 per word up to 5000 words plus two copies of the trade paperback. SUBMISSION DEADLINE: July 31st, 2019. Stories should be submitted as an attachment to: [email protected] Examples of Blasphemy The term blasphemy refers to saying something about God that is disrespectful. It can also refer to degrading religious concepts or literature. Blasphemy can be included in speech, an act, writing, music, or art. Blasphemy in Everyday Life Some consider rapper Kanye West's album name "Yeezus" and his consideration of himself as equal to Jesus to be blasphemous. Burning a religious document such as the Bible or the Qu'ran is considered blasphemy. Vandalizing a church is a form of blasphemy. Worshipping Satan is blasphemous. Committing suicide is a form of blasphemy. To state that God is unkind, unjust or cruel is a blasphemous. Artist Andres Serrano created what he called artwork by submerging a plastic replica of the crucified Jesus Christ in a container of his own urine and photographing it as a means, he stated, of exposing the ills of religion. However, this 1987 piece of work was considered highly blasphemous and was destroyed...

Taking Submissions: Coffins & Dragons

Deadline: July 31st, 2019 Payment: Royalties Coffins & Dragons (C&D) (Rated R) Deadline – July 31st, 2019 Publication – October 2019 Word Count – 5k-15k Theme – Darkness. Despair. Death. The repertoire of vampires and dragons precede them. Terror and turmoil follow in their wake, whether they purposely wreak havoc or not. After receiving edits back, the author has two weeks to return the submission for formatting. View our blog post on the topic of how to submit to a publisher.   Rating – Check each anthologies‘ rating. Word count – Check each anthologies‘ word count requirements. E-mail address to submit to – [email protected]   NOTICE –  Failure to submit correctly will result in refusal of submission. Via: Dragon Soul Press.

Taking Submissions: Unfading Daydream

Deadline: July 31st, 2019 Payment: $10 an a contributor's copy Unfading Daydream is looking for unique and exceptional fiction to be showcased in our quarterly literary magazine. We strive to feature stories within the genres that have inspired us (sci-fi, fantasy, horror, etc) as well as stories that feature LGBTQ+ themes. We are currently seeking submissions! We are seeking submissions for Issue 9, which is themed possession. Defined as: the state of having, owning, or controlling something. Think demons, magic, technology…all different ways of controlling someone. Or go with something more subtle.Surprise us. Basic Details We are open to established and new, emerging authors. In terms of length, we’re looking for stories between 1000 and 7000 words. Shorter or longer stories will be evaluated on a case by case basis. No previously published works. Please no simultaneous submissions If you are under 18, we require parental permission and have made a permission form. The form can be found HERE Reading periods are May to July and November to January. All submissions must be in by 11:59pm CST on the last day of the reading period (July or January). Be advised that if we get enough stories before the end of a submission period, we may close submissions early. Please do not send submissions outside of our reading periods. Submissions received outside of reading periods will not be considered. Expect a decision within four weeks of the reading period closing See full guidelines below Payment Stories that are between 1000-3000 words will receive $5. Stories that are longer than that will receive $10.  All contributors receive a hard copy of the magazine. In time, we would like to pay contributors more! Submissions We accept submissions only by email. Free to submit! Please send your submission to submit  unfadingdaydream com with the title of ‘Unfading Daydream Submission’. Full Guidelines We want to see your unique...

Taking Submissions: Monsters In Spaaaace!

Deadline: July 31st, 2019 Payment: 3 cents per word and a contributor's copy. 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of one of the greatest horror movies of all time: Alien. Yes, it is a horror movie, but set in space. There are also plans for a new branch of the military -- in space. We’ve explored loneliness, isolation, and solitude in our first anthology. We Put the Love Back in Lovecraft in our second anthology. We explored the creatures of cryptozoology in our recent pair of anthologies. Now we will go where all good series eventually go... ...to space. What We Want: Finely crafted works of Dark Speculative fiction which feature one (or more) classic monsters. Vampires, mummies, creatures built from dead body parts, lycanthropes, mad scientists, and zombies -- yes, even zombies -- but we want to see them in space. We want to see these creatures floating around in zero g, attacking astronauts and colonists, and generally menacing those brave enough to go beyond the confines of our pale blue dot. Each story must take place somewhere other than the Earth. It can happen on a spaceship, on a colony, on a new terraformed planet. There should be humans involved, but they do not have to be the protagonists. Each story must also feature (at least) one classic monster. We are looking for new takes on the old classics. Feel free to explore, but they should still be recognizable to the average reader. What We Don’t Want: Actual characters from other books or films. As much as we love the idea of Dracula in Space, we are pretty sure that Universal owns the rights to that particular vampire. The vampire doesn’t have to be Dracula in particular (for example: Bubba Ho-Tep has a great mummy, but not THE mummy). We don’t like...

Taking Submissions: Creature Feature Novellas

Deadline: July 31st, 2019 Payment: Royalties, 4 contributor copies if story is over 40k Creature Feature — LGBTQIA Collection Call — MONSTERS OUT OF MYTH AND LEGEND WITH INTENTIONS MOST FOUL! THEY CRAWL OUT OF YOUR NIGHTMARES WITH UNSPEAKABLE DESIRES! Some call them monsters; some call them imaginary; and some call them misunderstood. But what is the truth behind the creatures we find ourselves so fascinated by? LESS THAN THREE PRESS invites you to send your most scintillating, subversive, and scary monster stories for consideration as part of our CREATURE FEATURE collection. Editor’s note: This collection is an homage to movie monsters of yore and the popularity of paranormal fiction. We’re happy to see stories queered and subverted about classic monsters or those of your own creation—and we suggest authors using classic movie or pulp monsters make sure their creature is in the public domain. Here’s a list to start with. Also, authors should note works accepted for publication from this call will have covers designed to fit the collection’s theme of B-movie nostalgia. THE DETAILS: Deadline is July 31, 2019 Stories should be at least 20,000 words and should not exceed approx 60,000 words in length. Please put “Submission – Creature Feature” in the subject line Stories must feature at least one monster/creature as part of a relationship (romantic, sexual, platonic, etc.). Stories must have a happily ever after (HEA) or happy for now (HFN) end. The primary genre is by nature speculative, but can contain any sub-genre or genre mashup: mystery, historical, contemporary, space opera, cyberpunk, etc. All usual LT3 submission guidelines apply. Creature Feature is a collection, meaning stories will be sold individually and authors paid royalties. Examples: For the Hoard, Peacock, Intertwined. Authors will receive one copy each of the ebook formats LT3 produces. Authors with works 40k or longer will receive...

Taking Submissions: The Monsters We Forgot

Deadline: July 31st, 2019 Payment: Royalties “The Monsters We Forgot” is an anthology based on urban legends, folktales, and fairy tales that nobody knows. In essence: we want you to make up an urban legend, folktale, fairy tale, cryptid, or piece of town lore and either write it, or write a story about people who have to deal with it one way or the other. For example: people who encounter the subject of the legend; how the legend came to be; how the legend affects people; people who lived through (or with?) it, and so on. The submission deadline is 31 July 2019. Our target is 30 stories. Authors may submit as many stories as they wish, but each author will be limited to three accepted stories. As payment, authors will receive royalties divided by word count. These are general guidelines for ALL anthology submissions. We’re looking for stories between 500 – 7500 words. A few words under or over won’t necessarily disqualify a story, but please keep as close to the guidelines as possible. Stories MUST fit within the horror genre. First and foremast, all submissions must be horror. However, we recognize that horror is a very broad and often nuanced genre. To that end, we’ll read stories that fit into other genres (thriller, family drama, coming of age, science fiction, fantasy, comedy, romance, et cetera) as long as the story contains horror, and as long as horror is integral to the narrative. ALL submissions must be within the horror genre, and MUST meet the following requirements: Submit all documents as an attachment in .docx or .pages format 12 point Arial, Calibri, or Courier font Double-spaced Submit via email to [email protected] In the body of the email, include your name and contact information. PLEASE NOTE: If your piece is accepted for...

Taking Submissions: JournalStone And Trepidatio Publishing Are Open To Novels

Deadline: July 31st, 2019 We will be OPEN to submissions from June 1-July 31, 2019.  Note: Manuscripts received outside the official  submission window will be deleted unread. Guidelines for all submissions: We want horror in all its forms—from literary to weird, Gothic to psychological, and (almost) everything in between. We’re looking for amazing stories from amazing authors, regardless of race, gender, religion—if you’ve got something good, we want it. Need a firm idea of what we’re looking for? Check out the JournalStone website. Please do not submit romance, erotica, or religious fiction. The title of your email subject line and file name should read: “Submission – – ”. For example: Submission Novel – Carrie – King. This should also be the title of your manuscript document. In the body of your email, please give us the word count, genre, and a brief synopsis (300-500 words) of the plot. Submissions without this information will be automatically deleted. Do not include your synopsis as an attachment. Submissions should be sent to [email protected]. Attach the full manuscript as a .doc, .docx or .rtf file (no PDFs). Do not paste your manuscript in the body of the email. For proper formatting of your manuscript, please follow the Shunn way. Minimum word count for novels and fiction collections: 50,000. We consider the quality of the editing in our review process. Please fully proofread and edit manuscripts prior to submission. Do not submit sample chapters or a work in progress. We accept only completed works. Allow up to eight months for a response to your submission. We may respond more quickly, but we cannot guarantee timing. Please do not send follow up e-mails. We will notify you when we place your work in the queue, and will contact you when we have completed our review. Submissions are free. We do not charge any...

Taking Submissions: Swashbuckling Cats: Nine Lives on the Seven Seas

Deadline: July 31st, 2019 Payment: $50 CAD and a contributors copy If you think cats and water don’t mix, think again. I’m putting together an anthology full of feisty felines on the high seas! I want pirate cats, and Viking cats. Submariner cats and explorer cats. This book is going to be filled with adventure-loving cats, puns and fun. I want it to be a wild, rollicking ride complete with sword fights, sea monsters, treasure hunting, discovering new worlds and lots and lots of kittehs. Be careful not to get too caught up in the fun and forget to include a strong plot and detailed characters for your story, though. I’m a sucker for a great setting, three-dimensional characters and high stakes. And if your story elicits real emotion from me–laughter, tears, anger or anything in between–you will have increased your chances of success significantly. Rights and compensation: Payment: $50 CAD flat fee and a paperback copy of the anthology. In exchange we are seeking first world rights in English and exclusive right to publish in print and electronic format for six months after publication date, after which publisher retains nonexclusive right to continue to publish for the life of the anthology. Open submission period: June 1, 2019 – July 31, 2019 Length: Under 9,000 words Publisher: Tyche Books No simultaneous or multiple submissions. No reprints. Canadian spelling, please. Via: Rhonda Parrish.

Taking Submissions: 50 States of Fear: California

Deadline: July 31st, 2019 Payment: Royalties The first entry in an anthology series showcasing horror in every state, “50 States of Fear: California” is all about the terrors, horrors, creeps, and shrieks found in the Golden State. Stories must be horror, they must be original (no urban legends, creepypasta, or retellings of true crime), and must take place in California. The submission deadline is 31 July 2019. Our target is 30 stories. There is no limit on the number of submissions per author, but we reserve the right to limit the number of accepted stories per author. As payment, authors will receive royalties divided by word count. Guidelines First and foremast, all submissions must be horror. However, we recognize that horror is a very broad and often nuanced genre. To that end, we’ll read stories that fit into other genres (thriller, family drama, coming of age, science fiction, fantasy, comedy, romance, et cetera) as long as the story contains horror, and as long as horror is integral to the narrative. ALL submissions must be within the horror genre, and MUST meet the following requirements: Submit all documents as an attachment in .docx or .pages format 12 point Arial, Calibri, or Courier font Double-spaced Submit via email to [email protected] In the body of the email, include your name and contact information. PLEASE NOTE: If your piece is accepted for publication, we take First Print and Electronic Publishing Rights. A copy of our publishing contract is available upon request. Open Submissions: Anthologies These are general guidelines for ALL anthology submissions. We’re looking for stories between 500 – 7500 words. A few words under or over won’t necessarily disqualify a story, but please keep as close to the guidelines as possible. Stories MUST fit within the horror genre. Via: Soteira Press.

Taking Submissions: Spooky Samhain 2019 Contest

Deadline: July 31st, 2019 Payment: Contributor’s copy with chances at a $25, $50, or $100 prize! Do you have a scary story to share?  Fiction, fact, or otherwise, share your prose with us and you, too, can win up to $100* and get your story printed.  Enter your submission today!  Contest will be judged by a panel of impartial judges, all of whom have a vested interest in the unknown.  Scare us, terrify us, and thrill us!   Contest Rules: Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please only send us one story at a time and if your story is accepted elsewhere please email us and let us know ASAP. We are seeking original fiction only.  In other words, NO REPRINTS. Many will enter, few will win. Entrants cannot be related, legally or otherwise, to OPQ staff Entries must be submitted via our Green Submissions Manager (located here ) by July 31st, 2019 to qualify. Entries must match one of the following themes: ‘True Tales of Terror,’  or ‘Fantastic Frights’ No entry fee necessary! Note: entries will be judged based on quality, thematic appropriateness, and writing chops. Though we want to be scared, there are some things that are off-limits.  As with our normal morality policy, OPQ will automatically reject stories that involve pedophilia, excessive gore, violence for violence’s sake, and non-consensual sex.  As always, we would prefer stories that use religion and/or spirituality as an uplifting theme or a bridge towards a larger, thematic discussion, rather than being derogatory towards one specific religion.  That being said, we enjoy looking forward to what your twisted imaginations come up with!   Themes: Entries must follow one of the following themes: ‘True Tales of Terror’ are reserved for true experiences you’ve witnessed.  Ritual gone wrong?  Cryptid got a little up close and personal?  Alien attacks at night? ...