Events

Deadline: March 1st-7th 2021 Payment: 8 cents per word Theme: Original fantasy and dark fantasy stories. All types of fantasy and dark fantasy are welcome. Instructions for submitting to Fantasy Magazine follow. Please read everything on this page and read the magazine before submitting. SUBMISSION PROCEDURES Submission Periods: Fantasy is open to submissions the first week of every month (1st-7th). Please do not query about submitting outside our open submission periods. Anonymous Submissions: Fantasy only accepts anonymous submissions. Do not include your name, address, phone number, or other similar identifiers on the manuscript. All original short fiction, flash fiction, and poetry submissions will be read anonymously on first read: moving out of slush depends on the merits of the story alone. Please make sure the title is on the manuscript. Simultaneous and Multiple Submissions: We do not accept simultaneous submissions or multiple submissions. Please do not submit more than one set of poems at a time, more than one piece of flash fiction at a time, or more than one story at a time. You may, however, submit a single entry in each category at the same time: you can submit one batch of poems, one flash fiction piece, and one short story all at the same (or overlapping) time, and each category will be considered a separate submission. If we are already considering work in any given category, please wait until you have received an acceptance or rejection before submitting again in that same category. Instructions: All fiction must be submitted through our Moksha online submission system. Please do not email your submissions. If one of the Submission Type options is grayed out, that means we are currently closed to that Submission Type. Questions/Problems: Email [email protected] for all submission-related inquiries, or if you have any trouble using our online submission system. Please do not email your submissions to this address. All submissions must be submitted...

Deadline: March 14th, 2021 Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints Theme: The darker side of crime: the cold cases, the grim murders, the desperate villains, and the race against time to solve the crime Note: Reprints Welcome About the theme: We've looked at cosy crime and detective thrillers, now it's time to turn to the darker side: the cold cases, the grim murders, the desperate villains, and the race against time to solve the crime. We're seeking up to 20 new stories to join our powerful collection of Chilling Crime Short Stories, new and classic tales reaching back into ancient, medieval, Elizabethan and Victorian fiction. From Oedipus Rex and Medea to Thomas More's story of the Princes in the Tower, Scheherazade's 'The Three Apples' and the chilling crime fiction of Dickens, Poe, Henry James, Baroness Orczy and Wilkie Collins. Terms: We do not require exclusivity and do accept reprints Simultaneous submissions are fine but you must have the right to license your story in an anthology For accepted stories we pay Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) rates of 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints We will aim to read each story and confirm its status within 4 months of the submission deadline Payment for the chosen stories will be made within 30 days of the final advertised publication date (see our website flametreepublishing.com for details), although some may be paid earlier than that Submission does not imply the right to publication. Each story will be read and assessed by the selection panel Guidelines: Submit your story to [email protected] Word length is most likely to be successful at 2000-4000 words, but we will still read stories slightly outside this range Let us know in your submission email if your story is a reprint Please submit in .doc, .docx...

Deadline: March 15th, 2021 Payment: $15 Theme: Lost at Sea Note: My apologies for the short turnaround, this just hit our inbox Volume I, Issue IV ​ Theme: Lost at Sea ​ For this issue, we want tales of maritime disaster. Of shipwrecks and oil spills. Of bones left to decompose on the ocean floor. Of those left behind on land, never to know what's become of their loved ones. Of lighthouse keepers forced to stand by and witness tragedy unfold. ​ Elements of the supernatural are welcome, as are stories that utilize elements of horror and science-fiction. ​ Deadline: March 15th, 2021 Word Limit: 6,000 words ​ Compensation: flat $15 fee upon publication, plus a digital copy of the magazine (which you're free to share). ​ Format: We will accept short-form fiction any way you want to write it. This can include poetry, flash fiction or short stories. We're particularly interested in the subversion of form. We don't care about hard and fast rules, so don't worry too much about formatting. If you feel its good, chances are that shines through in the writing. And we want to read it. ​ Genre: Anything that's dark, creepy, weird and just a little off-kilter. We're open to genre fiction, particularly anything related to horror, science-fiction, speculative fiction or weird fiction. But we're also interested in anything that twists or subverts these genres in some unexpected way. ​ Simultaneous submissions: We will accept simultaneous submissions, but please inform us if this applies to you. If a story may be pulled away from us at the last minute, we want to know as this may affect our decision on acceptance. ​ Multiple Submissions: We do not accept multiple submissions. ​ Reprints: We do not accept reprints. We will accept stories that have already been published if they've been dramatically altered in...

Deadline: March 16th, 2021 Payment: $30 Theme: Ideally, lyrical poetry Note: At the time of scheduling the submissions page states closed but the submittable is open. We consider any style of poetry, although we confess our bias toward the lyrical. We look for natural-world, and especially arboreal, elements in the poems we receive. Send us poems through which we can rediscover that we are nature—poems that slip in under our skin and change the light in the room. Requirements: up to 4 poems per submission in a single document no longer than 100 lines per poem (we prefer shorter pieces) original and unpublished no multiple submissions simultaneous submissions are okay (to withdraw individual poems from your submission, leave us a note in the Submittable) Payment: We pay $30/poem. Via: Bracken Magazine.

Deadline: March 28th, 2021 Payment: $20 (for 2,000–5,000 words) // $30 (for 5,000–7,500 words) Theme: Horror that explores the prophetic nature of omens Where the carrion lay, the ravens will circle… The world has its messengers, its harbingers of bad tidings. Ravens, vultures, and untold creatures that roam between the many layers of reality. The air thickens with the danger of the thundering storm, and the world holds its breath, waiting for your next move. “The Omens Call” is an horror anthology exploring the prophetic nature of omens. Bad omens, nightmarish superstitions, ghastly premonitions, we want stories that speak the language that we cannot understand. We’re after atmospheric, moody, grim, dark tales of wonder, woe, death, and the inexplainable. Dare you heed the call? Submission deadline: Sunday 28th March, 2021 Word count: 2,500–7,500 words. Payment: $20 (for 2,000–5,000 words) // $30 (for 5,000–7,500 words) Submission Guidelines A submission Word template is available for download HERE. Stories slightly over or under the word count will be considered Stories must be saved as a Word document, PDFs will not be accepted Times New Roman Size 12 font 1.5 paragraph spacing Place your name, the title of the anthology for which you are submitting, and your preferred contact email address in the header of the document Sex, violence, and coarse language are accepted as long as they serve the story No hate speech or fan fiction One submission per author only, multiple submissions will lead to disqualification of all submitted stories.= Reprints will be considered Payment for accepted stories will be made within 7 working days of confirmation of entry Accepted stories to be held in a 2-year non-exclusive agreement with Devil’s Rock Publishing, Ltd. Failure to adhere to submission guidelines will result in immediate rejection from the anthology. Submit Your Story Via:...

Deadline: March 28th, 2021 Payment: $10 Theme: Pulp sword and sorcery stories. CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS / WHETSTONE / Issue 3 (Spring 2021) Tuesday, December 16, 2020 WHETSTONE is an amateur magazine that seeks to discover, inspire, and publish emerging authors who are enthusiastic about the tradition of "pulp sword and sorcery." Writers in this tradition include (but are not limited to) the following: Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, Jack Vance, Michael Moorcock, Karl Edward Wagner, David C. Smith, and many more. "Pulp sword and sorcery" emphasizes active protagonists, supernatural menaces, and preindustrial (mostly ancient and medieval) settings. Some "pulp sword and sorcery" straddles the line between historical and fantasy fiction; at WHETSTONE, however, we prefer "secondary world settings," other worlds liberated from the necessity of historical accuracy. Want to learn more about our aesthetic? Issues 1 and 2 are available as free PDFs on our webpage: whetstonemag.blogspot.com About the editor: Dr. Jason Ray Carney is a lecturer in the Department of English at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. He is the co-editor of the academic journal The Dark Man: Journal of Robert E. Howard and Pulp Studies and is the area chair of the "Pulp Studies" section of the Popular Culture Association. He is the author of WEIRD TALES OF MODERNITY (McFarland) and RAKEFIRE AND OTHER STORIES (Pulp Hero Press) and the editor of SAVAGE SCROLLS (Pulp Hero Press). About the associate editor: Chuck E. Clark lives in Southern Wisconsin with his wife and four children. He graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Political Science degree, apprenticed as a jeweler, joined the navy, and now fixes laser microscopes. He has been published in WHETSTONE and The August Derleth Society's newsletter, SAGE OF SAC PRAIRIE. He loves collecting rocks, books, and whiskey. Length: We prefer compressed stories that are nevertheless cohesive...

Deadline: March 28th, 2021 Payment: €10 Theme: Stories about what makes heart beats faster Submissions are currently open for our second edition, Because That’s Where Your Heart Is, from February 14th to March 28th. For our new collection, we are looking for stories that respond to the prompt Because That’s Where Your Heart Is, and to the artwork selected for the cover. We want stories about what makes heart beats faster – it can be about romantic love, but also about friendship, dogs, cats, or a profound unexplained passion for paragliding! What we care about it the passion! You can also take inspiration from the artwork we’ve chosen to illustrate the cover, created by artist Pedro Vizioli, and write your piece as a response to the emotions brought on by the his work: We are not requesting any specific genres for this edition, so they are all welcome – sci-fi, literary, fantasy, romance, horror, noir, non-fiction – as long as they shine the brightness of passion on what might have gone unnoticed. THE RULES Any submissions have to be your own original work, in English, previously unpublished in both print and digital media; Applicants can submit up to 2 short stories, no longer than 4,000 words each. There is no minimum word count. Please attach each story in a separate file, with the title as the name. Make sure your name is not anywhere on the submission file; Stories must be typed, in Times New Roman 12, and submitted as .doc or .pdf with numbered pages and the title on the header; In the body of your email or in a separate file, send your name (and/or pen name), email, contact number, story title and a short bio (up to 150 words). This information will be removed so all readings are anonymous; Include the word Submission in your email...

Deadline: March 30th, 2021 Prize: US $1000 or £725 GBP Theme: When The Machine Arrived Dear Writer, Our first writing competition of 2021 explores the impact that technology has on our lives. The theme is "When the Machine Arrived" - you are free to interpret this in any way you see fit. You may choose to discuss the arrival of a new household appliance, explore a recent technological innovation, or discuss changes in how you work, study, or connect with others - it's up to you! The format is up to you. You can write fiction, non-fiction, or even a text designed for children. However, you must not exceed the word limit of 1500 words (all entries that exceed this limit will be deleted). Please submit only your own unique work that has not been published anywhere else. Multiple entries are accepted, and writers from around the world are welcome to participate. The judges will be looking for a clear and crisp interpretation of the Competition’s' title and stimulating original work that is thought provoking and enjoyable. By way of example, what happened when your first toaster, television, hair curlers or computer arrived? Or you could see the machine as being an organization’s apparatus or, of course, something completely different. That’s up to your imagination and the experiences you can draw upon. Entries will be evaluated by senior editors from Exisle Publishing and EK Books. The winning writer will be paid a monetary prize of US $1000 or £725 GBP. (One thousand US dollars or seven hundred and twenty five British pounds). The winner and up to three selected finalists will have their work published on ExisleAcademy.com. Standard entry is free, however you may choose to pay for an "assessed entry" meaning that, regardless of the outcome of the competition, you will receive detailed and...

Deadline: March 31st, 2021 Payment: Royalties Theme: Elements of sci-fi. Whether discovering aliens, space travel, or terraforming new planets are involved, the options are endless. Deadline – March 31st, 2021 Publication – June 2021 Word Count – 5,000-15,000 Theme – All stories must include elements of sci-fi. Whether discovering aliens, space travel, or terraforming new planets are involved, the options are endless. Publisher INFORMATION Company name:        Dragon Soul Press Anthology Submission Email: [email protected] Website:                    http://dragonsoulpress.com/ Facebook:                  http://www.facebook.com/dragonsoulpress/ Duotrope:                   https://duotrope.com/listing/26543/dragon-soul-press The Grinder:              https://thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com/Market/Index?id=9529   CHECKLIST Introduction of author                                                        This is not where the biography goes. Author Contact Information / Pen name MUST be included with real name. If real name is same as pen name, state so in email. Author Biography in Third Person in 100-200 words        Mandatory minimum of 100. Submission Word Count                                                   Also applies to poetry. Word count. Not line count.   Submission Formatted in Times New Roman 12 PT Font. One-inch margins. No indentations. No double-spacing. No extra spacing between paragraphs. No chapters. Only DOC and DOCX accepted.   Summary/Query Letter                                                      Summarized outline of all major events within the story. All emails should be addressed as “Dear Editor” Email subject and file name must be as follows – “Story Title by Author Name for (Name of) Anthology” All of the author’s social media links, including website if applicable Author must have an active social media account.   Important information Maximum of two submissions per anthology per author. Authors can submit to all anthologies simultaneously. Reprints from third party sources accepted IF author currently holds full rights. We will not publish duplicate stories within DSP. Authors get 30% Royalties for first year from date of publication. Afterwards, 30% of all proceeds go to a charity chosen by the Publisher. Story rights - The Publisher permanently reserves the right to publish the Work within...

Deadline: March 31st, 2021 Payment: Royalties, starts at 1% per story of gross sales in both e-book and trade paperback. (not displayed on website at this time.) Theme: Each story must have a Pagan, Heathen, Occult influence that has a spark of truth in regards to the connection with the feminine aspect of the divine. DREAMING THE GODDESS: AN ANTHOLOGY Will be open for submissions from  September 1, 2020 - March 31, 2021   SUMMARY DREAMING THE GODDESS will be a collection of short stories between 2,500 and 20,000 words. Each story must have a Pagan, Heathen, Occult influence that has a spark of truth in regards to the connection with the  feminine aspect of the divine.  We are looking for stories that speak to the spiritual soul. It doesn’t matter in which aspect the Divine Feminine is portrayed–Maid, Mother, Crone, Dark, Warrior, Gender Fluid etc., are all welcome. Uplifting stories, inspirational  stories, dark tales, fantastic, written with truth or complete fantasy are all welcome. We are open and inclusive to LGBTQ2+ stories that meet the parameters of our main theme - the Divine Feminine in all Her aspects, which we believe includes LGBTQ2+ experiences. The main aspect is exhibit, in both fiction and nonfiction stories, the great breadth of how the Divine Feminine is portrayed across cultures and across interpersonal experiences. We welcome new authors and well experienced authors. Another goal for this anthology is to educate readers about the Divine Feminine, so including mythology, culture, politics, paganism, heathenism, Wicca, Witchcraft, geography etc., is important to the plot. If you pique your reader’s interest and get them looking up references to learn more about the Divine Feminine, you’ve done your job. The idea is for your reader to not only be entertained, but also to walk away from your story a...