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Deadline: May 31st, 2021 Payment: Royalties Theme: LitRPG genre. Playing Virtual Reality games is a favorite pastime, but getting trapped in them due to a glitch is another story. It’s a true fight for survival now and the only way out is to finish the game. Deadline – May 31st, 2021 Publication – August 2021 Word Count – 5,000-15,000 Theme – LitRPG genre. Playing Virtual Reality games is a favorite pastime, but getting trapped in them due to a glitch is another story. It’s a true fight for survival now and the only way out is to finish the game. * Introduction of yourself should be a short biography in 3rd Person between 100-200 words. Upon acceptance, this will be used within the anthology. Send a bio with every single anthology submission. We work with hundreds of authors and will not take time to retrieve yours from a previous anthology. * Poetry submissions: All poetry needs to be contained within a single e-mail. Each poem should be in a separate document. Haikus may be grouped together. * All e-mails should be addressed to “Dear Editor.” After receiving edits back, the author has two weeks to return the submission for formatting. All submissions will be reviewed within thirty (30) days of the anthology’s submission deadline. This ensures submission calls do not close early and gives everyone a chance to submit. You will know your submission has been received for consideration by receiving a generic response. Whether accepted or rejected, you will always receive a response. View our blog articles on how to submit to a publisher and how to write a proposal.   Failure to submit following all of the guidelines will result in an immediate refusal. You are able to submit again before the submission call deadline.   Rating – Check each anthologies‘ rating. Word count – Check each anthologies‘ word count...

Deadline: May 31st, 2021 Payment: $10 per printed (or printed-out) page for accepted prose, and $20 per page for accepted poetry, up to a maximum of $150 and 2 contributors copies Theme: This has to be literature. They don't print genre work but you can borrow from genre work for your story. Essentials to remember Reading period September 1st - May 31st Response time Two to four months Submission methods Electronic and postal Simultaneous submissions Accepted Word limit No hard-and-fast length limit We look for writing that catches experience before the crusts of habit form—poetry and prose that resist ideas about what a certain kind of writing “should do.” We seek out writers who tell their truths in their own words and convince us as we read that we’ve found something no one else could have written. When to submit AGNI welcomes manuscripts between September 1st and May 31st. Submissions mailed in June, July, or August will be returned unread, provided sufficient return postage is included. Things to know when submitting Nearly everything we publish is unsolicited. We encourage submissions from writers of all identities, living anywhere, published and unpublished. We will not consider writing that has already been published in English, whether in a book, magazine, newspaper, or on an app, a website, a social media feed, or a publicly accessible online community. We consider only work written in English or translated into English. We have no word limits, though space is at a premium and length sometimes affects our decisions. We do not publish genre romance, horror, mystery, or science fiction; however, we are open to writing that borrows elements from any of these. We will consider excerpts if they read as if they were meant to stand alone. We are interested in personal essays, think-pieces, memoir, prose...

Deadline: May 31st, 2021 Payment: $15.00 flat rate plus equal share of 50% of the anthology’s royalties. Theme: FIERCE Dragons! Note: Do not submit prior to January 15th, 2021 Everyone loves Dragon Stories – especially the ones where the heroic knight rescues the damsel in distress from the evil dragon and they go off to live happily ever after. Yeah right! Have you seen a dragon – they are truly badass m*****f*****s. Armor plated, huge, breathe fire, huge teeth and claws. Yeah, right, a single knight with a sword is going to defeat that. -- What we are looking for are stories that feature really badass dragons – they can be evil or good – or somewhere in between. The point is they need to live up to the power and strength we picture when we imagine a dragon. If your dragon is able to be defeated by a human knight – it should be because…well, I’m not sure what it should be because of – but it needs to be believable to someone who knows beyond all doubt dragons are the biggest, baddest predators out there. Show us why you should never meddle in the affairs of dragons as they may consider you crunchy and taste good with ketchup. Break the story-writing rules if you want. If you use a tried and true plotline, twist it in an original and interesting way. Original stories are preferred. Query for reprints. ALL writers are encouraged to submit. Doesn’t matter if you’re a pro with years of credits, a beginner just starting out, or a teenager - please feel free to send the editor a story. In your cover email, please tell the editor a bit about yourself and a quick one-line synopsis of the story. Include genre. If experimental, please explain...

Deadline: May 31st, 2021 Payment: $10 Theme: Science fiction set in the far future in space with aliens (not on Earth.) Submissions are now open for the July 2021 release of Alien Dimensions – Space Fiction Short Stories #20. Submissions Deadline is 31st May 2021. Submissions will be read in June 2021. Alien Dimensions is now part of the Maldek House department ‘Space Fiction Books‘ and will only be publishing short stories set in deep space from now on. To get an idea of what kind of stories are likely to be accepted for Alien Dimensions in the future, please check out Space Fiction Collection 1. What is Space Fiction? Nothing set on Earth. Or, if there is a part of your story on Earth, it should be so futuristic that we don’t recognise it. If so, you can name the planet something else! Aliens. Mandatory! Real aliens, with tusks, tentacles and blobby, leafy, electric, silicon bits! Avoid humanoid aliens. If you’re stuck, play Pokemon Go for a while and get some ideas! Space, with extrapolated science. I want to read explanations of how your spaceship drive works. I want to imagine how the engineering of your future operates. I want to hear the impossible details of the alien planets your characters visit. Adventurous and fun.   Write for Alien Dimensions Thank you for your interest in submitting to Alien Dimensions Submissions Read further for what stories I’m now looking for. Lots of detail below so that it saves us both time, and there’s less chance of a rejection! In summary: 3,500-4,500 words only. “Set it in space, in the far future, and include some friendly non-humanoid aliens helping to solve a pseudo-scientific problem. More cerebral than stomach! Space Fiction! Written in the restrictive third person.” US$10 flat rate. Rights retained for 2 years. First...

Deadline: May 31st, 2021 Payment: $10 and a contributor's copy Theme: Dark science fiction stories related to the military and war. Note: Must be a reprint Pole to Pole Publishing is seeking short, re-print fiction for the Re-Enlist anthology to be published in late 2021. Re-Enlist will join our previous submission calls (now closed) for Re-Launch, Re-Enchant, Re-Quest and Re-Terrify and others in the Re-Imagined Series of anthologies. Re-Enlist requires dark science fiction stories related to the military and war. Send us military science fiction stories, ones you’ve had published before, for which full rights have already reverted back to you. We have open minds about what constitutes “military” and “science fiction” but we’re insisting on good stories told well. For this anthology, we want stories with engaging characters, thrilling action, rational plot lines, a compelling writing style, and meaningful themes. Our preference is for hard science fiction. We’re okay if you bend the laws of physics for the sake of the story, but don’t break them completely. It’s unlikely we’ll accept fantasy stories with magic elements. In keeping with the common element of Pole to Pole Publishing’s other reprint anthologies, Re-Enlist seeks stories that are dark in tone, but not strictly horror tales. Give us fear, death, and the disturbing side of your characters’ natures, but be mindful of the restrictions listed below under “Hard Sells” and, especially, “What We Don’t Want.” Payment: Payment is $10 per story, paid on acceptance (contract must be signed), via PayPal only; plus, one electronic and one print copy of the antho. (If you do not have a PayPal account, please do not submit your work.) Right Purchased: – The non-exclusive right to collect the stories into an anthology, published in 2021 and sold thereafter. Re-Enlist may be included in book bundles with the other books in the series. – The non-exclusive right to publish the story to the Pole to Pole...

Deadline: May 31st, 2021 Payment: CAD 1/2 CENT per word for originals; 50% for reprints (i.e. CAD 1/4 CENT per word) Theme: Christmas horror with a dark and subversive theme that doesn't include Krampus Note: Reprints Welcome Note: Relisted due to deadline extension Wight Christmas is an anthology of holiday horror, and in particular stories that subvert Christmas tropes and seasonal clichés. We are seeking dark reinterpretations of seasonal traditions, and stories that reimagine holiday characters as ghosts, demons, spirits, supernatural entities, or other paranormal phenomena. Fantasy and science fiction genres are both okay, but in all cases, submissions are more likely to be successful if they are dark and subversive. No Krampus. Details: Length: up to 5000 words Genre: Christmas/horror Pay: CAD 1/2 CENT per word for originals; 50% for reprints (i.e. CAD 1/4 CENT per word) Reprints allowed: Yes (paid at 50% the rate of originals) Multiple submission allowed: No, send your best shot Simultaneous submissions: Yes, just please tell us if it is accepted elsewhere Rights sought: worldwide print and digital rights, exclusive for three months for originals, non-exclusive for reprints Poetry allowed: Yes, paid at a rate of CAD 1 cent / word for originals; reprints are paid at 50% the rate of originals. Submission Window: submissions will be open for a limited window of one week. Submissions open Monday March 15th at 12AM. Submissions close on Sunday March 21st at 11:59PM. How to Submit: we accept submissions through our submission form. Additional Information: Q: Does it have to be typical white North American Christian Christmas tropes? Are other traditions okay? A: Other traditions are okay, but these are much more likely to be successful if you are an #ownvoices writer. Subverting tropes of the dominant/majority culture is great because it’s punching up; subverting tropes of minority cultures is something we’d prefer to leave to people from those cultures. For this...

Deadline: May 31st, 2021 Payment: $0.08 per word and contributors copies Theme: Identity, security, and community are inexorably entwined DARKNESS BLOOMS Identity, security, and community are inexorably entwined. For our anthology, Darkness Blooms, we’re looking for stories touching on at least one of these themes. We want you to explore the boundaries of who we are, what makes us feel safe (and at what cost), with whom we choose to surround ourselves, and our darkest secrets. Let’s explore how they influence us and our perception of reality. IDENTITY Identity is formed by not only things like race, culture, and class but also by the relationships we cultivate, the opinions and moral codes we adopt, and our choices. What secrets lie in the dark expanses between where we came from, who we think we are, and how we want others to perceive us? SECURITY Security—stability, order, dependency, structure—is an innate human need. In practice, security tends to be an illusion designed to make us feel more in control over our surroundings. What makes us feel safe, and what are we willing to sacrifice to feel that way? What happens when safety nets aren’t there to catch us when we fall? What dreadful secrets are we willing to keep to preserve the status quo? COMMUNITY Humans often seek security through community. We align ourselves with others who share our interests, culture and religion, geographic location, and workplaces. How well do you really know your neighbors, your friends, your coworkers, your family? How do we build these communities? What erodes a community, makes it crumble? SUBMISSION GUIDELINES + All submissions must inspire dread. Genre definitions tend to be subjective, so we encourage you to become familiar with the stories we’ve published here to get an idea of what sort of content we’re seeking. +...

Deadline: May 31st, 2021 Payment: 2 cents USD per word Theme: An Anthology of Humorous Mysteries Die Laughing: An Anthology of Humorous Mysteries This summer we will be publishing our first hardcover anthology. We're looking for original 1k-8k word stories with off-beat characters, bungling detectives, or funny premises. Be creative, but make it about a mystery/crime, and make us laugh! Payment is 2 cents USD per word, B&W comics $25 USD. Submit using the form below before June 1, 2021 If your story is accepted, a digital agreement must be signed and payment will be sent by PayPal to the email address you specify below. We are a Mystery Writers of America approved publisher. Details can be found below: Via: Mystery Weekly Magazine.

Deadline: May 31st, 2021 Payment: AU$100 Theme: Speculative Fiction Note: Australian writers (residents and citizens) only A cicerone is a guide who shows and explains the curiosities of a place to strangers. We want you to lead us to interesting and unseen places, and help us to understand these places. We want you to be just as curious as we are. Tell us something unusual. Show us an old thing in a new light. Point out something we never noticed. Take us to a side street, dark alley, or hidden trail. Cicerone Journal is currently OPEN for submissions for Issue 5: Curious Worlds, our first Speculative Fiction showcase. For our current issue, please send a maximum of two pieces of short fiction to [email protected]. For our Curious Worlds issue, we will be accepting short fiction of 1000-5000 words from any speculative fiction genre. This is a paid opportunity: we will pay AU$100 for each piece that is published. Genres accepted include, but are not limited to: Fantasy, science fiction, and science fantasy Dystopian and utopian fiction (including apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic) Climate fiction (cli-fi) Magic realism Historical fantasy Supernatural fiction Superhero fiction Indigenous futurisms Afrofuturism Punk subgenres, such as steampunk, cyberpunk, solarpunk, silkpunk, capepunk, biopunk, etc. Unsure if your piece counts as speculative fiction? Contact us via email at [email protected] or follow us on facebook at Cicerone Journal where we will be discussing some of our favourite speculative fiction genres throughout the submission period. Send your submissions to [email protected] with the subject line – . Submissions close midnight AEST 31 May 2021. If your piece is topical or time-sensitive, we are open to altering our publication schedules to accommodate it. Please include ‘TIMELY’ or ‘URGENT’ (or some equally galvanising word) in the subject line of your email submission if the piece you are submitting is time-sensitive. We will try to...

Deadline: May 31st: 2021 Payment: $5 and a contributors copy Theme: Poetry about body horror Note: Open to all poets who are women (cis and trans) and non-binary femmes. To celebrate National Poetry Month, Black Spot Books will be publishing its inaugural Women in Horror Poetry Collection in April 2022: UNDER HER SKIN. This collection is open to all poets who are women (cis and trans) and non-binary femmes. Submissions open March 2021 and will close May 30, 2021, with decisions made on a rolling basis. Poems to be included in the collection will be chosen by Black Spot Book's editorial staff and guest judges. The theme of the inaugural collection is body horror. This is a broad spectrum and poets are welcome to interpret the prompt in their own vision--so long as it's dark, unsettling, an on-theme. The showcase will feature a cover with hand-drawn illustration by respected horror artist Lynne Hansen and will be distributed in both print and ebook. Poems must be previously unpublished, though published poets are, of course, welcome. We accept submissions of poems up to fifty lines. Free verse preferred (please, no forced rhyme or clichés). We accept up to three poems per poet. Submissions should be submitted along with a brief bio. Each poem chosen for publication will be paid $5 and each poet will receive a copy of the collection upon publication. Poet will retain rights to any accepted poem, with first right of publication by Black Spot Books. Showcase Judges: For the 2022 collection the judges will be Black Spot Books president and award-winning author/editor, Lindy Ryan, and Toni Miller, a founding member of the Ladies of Horror Fiction (LOHF). Lindy Ryan is the president and publisher of Black Spot Books, an imprint of Vesuvian Media Group. She is an award-winning and bestselling author and editor....