Events

Deadline: June 30th, 2022 Payment: $5 Theme: Speculative Fiction reprints set in an Asian country and must have Asian main characters About: This is our annual reprint anthology, started in 2020. ‘Insignia 2022’ will feature new Asian speculative short stories. Pieces should be set in an Asian country and must have Asian main characters. (Exceptions are for non-human characters, or non-Earth settings, but your story should still have recognizable Asian elements in these cases. If you’re not sure, please query). Theme: Anything speculative: horror, light or dark fantasy, and science fiction. As usual, we aim to have a good mix of Asian settings and cultures, as well as speculative sub-genres, so the more original your ideas are, the better chance your work will have of being accepted. Reading period: JUNE 1st to June 30th, 2022. (by midnight USA/PDT time please). Word Count: 1000 – 6000 words preferred. (A little under or over will still be considered). No. of Submissions: Only 1 story per author will be ACCEPTED, however you may submit up to 3 stories initially. If any stories are rejected, you may submit new pieces. Other Conditions: Reprints only are accepted. Please be sure that your story is not still under exclusive contract elsewhere. Include the publisher and first publication date in your cover letter and/or in the story document. If your story was self-published on your own blog it will still be considered, however preference will go to work published in known literary markets. Formatting: Times New Roman and 12pt preferred. Include the story title, your pen name, and email address in the story document (top left, above story). Each story in its own document. No italics for non-English words please. Payment & Rights: $5 per accepted story. In addition, each author will receive a review copy of the finished anthology (MOBI or EPUB). Rights remain with the...

Deadline: June 30th, 2022 Payment: 5 cents ($.05) per word for nonfiction and prose fiction. Poetry pays $50 flat per poem. Payment for artwork is $50 per piece. Theme: Original work inspired by Ligottian and/or related themes A source of critical study and creative response to the corpus of Thomas Ligotti as well as associated authors and ideas. Vastarien.  The forbidden tome. The impossible otherworld. A textual entryway into a place where everything was transfixed in the order of the unreal. . . . Each passage he entered in the book both enchanted and appalled him with images and incidents so freakish and chaotic that his usual sense of these terms disintegrated along with everything else. Rampant oddity seemed to be the rule of the realm; imperfection became the source of the miraculous — wonders of deformity and marvels of miscreation. There was horror, undoubtedly. But it was a horror uncompromised by any feeling of lost joy or thwarted redemption; rather, it was a deliverance by damnation. And if Vastarien was a nightmare, it was a nightmare transformed in spirit by the utter absence of refuge: nightmare made normal. Our name is drawn from Thomas Ligotti’s classic story of the same title (quoted above), which S. T. Joshi has characterized as “Ligotti’s most searching exploration of the forbidden book theme.” WE WANT: Nonfiction from 2,000 to 7,500 words. Scholarly and/or critical articles pertaining to Ligotti or associated authors (see below) or the kind of thematic and topical issues in which we’re interested. As for contemporary authors to add to this list, Livia Llewellyn, S. P. Miskowski, Junji Ito, Matthew M. Bartlett, T. E. D. Klein, Kelly Link, Helen Marshall, Gemma Files, Ramsey Campbell, Allyson Bird, Laird Barron, Caitlín Rebekah Kiernan, Nicole Cushing, Victor LaValle, Mark Samuels, and many more have produced work that we would...

Deadline: June 30th, 2022 Payment: 10 cents per word for acceptance into the magazine, $3,000 prize for the contest (contest has submission fees, the magazine does not.) $200 for artwork Theme: Fearless Friendship Who would you call to bail you out of jail? Is there a friend good enough to drop what they’re doing and lend a hand? No, of course not, because they’re locked up right beside you… Our stories are full of fearless friendships: from grand quests fighting evil to owners rescuing pets. But fearless doesn’t need to be heroic. It can be that friend who’s always up for anything. Pushing our comfort zone and forcing us to be brave, or dangerously reckless. Friends stand up for us in hard times, give us a shoulder to cry on, and fight back against our bullies and enemies. They speak their minds when we’re in the wrong. A friend will push us to be better and go further. So what, if they call and ask us to meet them in the woods with a pair of shovels… This contest invites you to explore friendship, whatever that means to you. Fantasy, contemporary, romance, crime. All genres are welcome. Submissions close June 30th at 11:59 pm EST. Contest only open to new writers. All new writers can submit work to the magazine. It’s free. We don’t believe publications should charge authors to be published. However, we have a specific submission process you must adhere to in order to have your work considered. Our submissions window opens on the first and closes at midnight on the final day of each month. Each issue of the magazine is themed according to our monthly prompt. The prompts are designed to inspire ideas but leave room for you to tell the story you want to tell....

Deadline: July 1st, 2022 Payment: $0.01 per word for new stories and/or $25 for reprints. Theme: Religious Horror Note: Reprints Welcome From the editors that brought you, Welcome to the Funhouse via Blood Rites Horror, Kelly Brocklehurst and Jamie Stewart, comes a new collection of religious horror stories that will chill you to your core.   ARE YOU READY TO RECEIVE THE SACRAMENT? Please read carefully. Submissions that don’t meet the guidelines may be rejected. Submissions will be accepted until July 1st, 2022. Please submit to [email protected], ensuring ’The Sacrament’ is in the subject line.   What we are looking for: Diversity among the religions represented (e.g., we don't want every story to focus on Catholicism). We encourage people to think outside the box when they write about what a religion is (e.g., invent a fictional religion or think about things that get cult followings, such as MLMs). We also encourage writers to have a good representation of POC, LGBTQ+, and strong female characters.   What we are NOT looking for: Please, do not submit stories that do not fit the theme. Submissions cannot contain graphic rape scenes. Please ensure any scenes of a sexual nature are necessary and non-exploitative.   Submissions must be between 6,000 and 8,000 words. Title, submitter’s name, pen name (if different), story word count, and author email address must be centred at the top of your submission. Submissions must be written in 12 pt. Times New Roman and double spaced. We do not require exclusivity. You hold copyright, licensing us just for this publication. If your story is a reprint, please include its original publication details in your submission email. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but you must have the right to license your story in an anthology. Notify us by email at [email protected] if you...

Deadline: July 1st, 2022 Payment: short story, $25; short-short piece (up to 1000 words), $10; poem, $10 Theme: The Crumpled Yellow Paper To download a PDF file of the guidelines, click here . ALL SHORT STORIES, ESSAYS, POEMS, PHOTOGRAPHS and ART MUST RELATE TO ONE OF THE PREMISES SPECIFIED ABOVE. NOTE: Previously published pieces are welcome, provided that the submission fits the theme and that the author owns the copyright. The premise (target theme) must be an integral part of the plot, not necessarily the central theme but not merely incidental. NOTE: Fewer than 20 double-spaced typewritten pages preferred. Indicate premise (target theme) on title page. Be sure to Indicate target theme in cover letter or on first page of manuscript. Include self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with each submission. Rejected manuscripts unaccompanied by an SASE will not be returned. Response time: 3 months after premise deadline.  NO READER'S FEE. Mail to: THEMA, Box 8747, Metairie, LA 70011-8747. Outside the US: email [email protected] On acceptance for publication, we will pay the following amount: short story, $25; short-short piece (up to 1000 words), $10; poem, $10; artwork, $25 for cover, $10 for interior page display. Copyright reverts to author after publication. THEMA isn't for everyone. To find out why, click here. New to submitting manuscripts to journals? Click here to download a PDF file of a few basic guidelines. Unlike many publishers, we prefer works submitted by the authors themselves, without the involvement of an agent. Be sure to indicate premise and include SASE for each submission.  BE SURE to include a separate SASE for each premise. No handwritten manuscripts will be considered. NOTE: We do not accept e-mailed submissions EXCEPT from authors who live outside the U.S. For those living outside the U.S., submit manuscript as an email attachment (readable by MSWord ― either as a DOC file or an RTF file), and include the following information on the title...

(Cover for Volume 1) Deadline: July 1st, 2022 Payment: Royalties Theme: Horror Comedy / Creature Feature After the success of the first Trailer Park anthology, we’ve decided to bring it back next year for another go. Stories should be original creature feature, horror-comedy with the same feel as The Evil Dead, Army of Darkness, Shaun of the Dead, or Tucker and Dale vs. Evil. And of course, our heroes winning the day in all of their redneck glory. Genre: Horror Comedy / Creature Feature Word Count: 7,000 – 10,000 Edited by: William Joseph Roberts Anchor Author: Jonathan Maberry Due Date: July, 2022 Email submissions to: threeravenspublishing @ gmail dot com with “Trailer Park” in the subject line Payment: Stories selected for publication in the upcoming Anthology(ies), will receive a percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors. Please follow the Three Ravens submission guidelines that can be found here MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES We are looking for amazing stories from any genre that are fun to read and will take us on an adventure of epic proportions. Please download our standards template by clicking here Hard and fast rules of what not to send: Fan-fiction: Just simply don’t. It will be immediately deleted or tossed into the recycle bin. Gratuitous Sexuality: (i.e. smut, adult content) (Please, we know that there is a market out there for stories in this genre, but it’s not for us. Contact our affiliate, Tanglewood press for submission in this genre at tanglewoodromance (at) gmail.com Gratuitous Abuse/Violence: While we at Three Ravens Publishing understand that graphic situations can alter or otherwise move the plot forward in ways that the reader may not expect when properly used, these elements should not, however, be the primary focus of the story. (i.e. torturous adult content). Discrimination: Again, whether racial, religious, social, etc.,...

Deadline: July 1st, 2022 Payment: $15 Theme: Crime, Noir, or Hard-boiled flash fiction Established 2011, Shotgun Honey has been a steady outlet for crime, noir, and hard-boiled flash fiction. After a decade of submissions, we’ve seen nearly every permutation of the genre that can fit within this tiny 700 word world. So surprise us and send your best original crime flash stories. Please consider and follow the following guidelines prior to submitting. No Multiple Submissions1 700 words or less (recommended no less than 300 words) Genre is Crime, Noir, or Hard-boiled2 No content that could be deemed as condoning or promoting: sexual abuse child abuse animal abuse No romance, fetish, or adult fiction As of 2022, accepted flash submissions will receive $15 upon publication. Submit Your Story Due to overwhelming submissions and acceptances, submissions will be closed until July 1, 2022. 1. Submit only one story at a time. You may submit a new story as soon as your current submission is either accepted or rejected. 2. We have published western and horror fiction in the past, but unless otherwise stated, do not submit works outside the crime genre. You can submit your work at the following link. Note: The following isn't immediately clear. You do need to login to their in order for the submission form to appear and you can login or register right here. Via: Shotgun Honey.

Deadline: July 1st, 2022 Payment: One cent U.S. per word ($2 minimum) Theme: Fantastic Fiction You really NEED to read the description below. The Cafe Irreal is a quarterly webzine that presents a kind of fantastic fiction infrequently published in English. This fiction, which we would describe as irreal, resembles the work of writers such as Franz Kafka, Kobo Abe, Clarice Lispector and Jorge Luis Borges. As a type of fiction it rejects the tendency to portray people and places realistically and the need for a full resolution to the story; instead, it shows us a reality constantly being undermined. Therefore, we're interested in stories by writers who write about what they don't know, take us places we couldn't possibly go, and don't try to make us care about the characters. We would also suggest you take a look at the current issue, archives, and theory (especially the essay, "What is irrealism?") pages on this web site. We accept unsolicited fiction up to 2,000 words in length. Translations are welcome. There is no minimum length. We accept only electronic submissions via e-mail at [email protected]. We cannot, due to the various computer viruses and worms, accept attachments anymore, so please paste your story into the body of the e-mail. Also include your name, address, e-mail address, and a short bio in the text of the submission; please put the word "submission" in the subject heading of the e-mail to ensure that your submission doesn't get lost among all the spam. We pay an honorarium of one cent U.S. per word ($2 minimum) to buy first-time internet rights (the story will then be archived). Payment is made upon publication. PLEASE NOTE THAT WE DON'T ACCEPT SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS and are only interested in reprints in unusual cases (e.g., the story has appeared in print but...

Deadline: July 1st, 2022 Payment: £30 Theme: An extreme horror/bizarro anthology. An extreme horror/bizarro anthology. Theme: Stories must feature elements of both extreme horror and bizarro. Can be primarily extreme horror with bizarro elements, or vice versa. Length: 7000 words - 10,000 words. There will be fewer slots available for this one, so make your story count! Open: May 1st - July 1st. Submissions sent before/after will not be read. Compensation: £30 & a digital copy of the anthology. Expected publication date: August Simultaneous submissions: No Multiple submissions: Yes Reprints: No Cover and title subject to change. Email your submission to [email protected] Via: Planet Bizarro.

Deadline: July 1st, 2022 Payment: $20 Theme: Fantasy, scifi, and horror stories set in winter where a tree plays an important role and are creepy In winter, there’s a stillness – a silence. As wet snowflakes fall, sounds are muffled. A hush lingers in the air. Bare trees reach upward from the frozen ground, grasping with their spindly branches. Swaying in the frigid breeze, brittle bark creaks and moans as the trees whisper ancient secrets to one another. Sentries, standing in the stillness. Watching. Learning new stories to share with each other long after we have gone.  This winter, we want to celebrate these majestic beings and what happens when the stillness is disturbed. Submission Info We’re looking for stories, poems, photos, and/or artwork that follow these guidelines: Respect the genre norms from the Fantasy, Horror, & Sci-fi genres (including the associated sub-genres). For an excellent overview of the elements within and differences between these genres, check out this link. We’re looking for stories, poems, photos, or artwork that feature: the winter season a tree that plays an important role in your stories, poems, artwork, or photographs. the creepier side of winter - the thrills and chills! Bring us pieces that will make us want to bolt the door and hide under our blankets – both from the chill in the air and the scares. NOTE: Send us your stories that unsettle, unnerve, frighten, discomfit, challenge, and/or just generally entertain. Please do not send us stories that glorify rape or abuse — especially of children or animals. We also will not include stories that promote bigoted thinking. While we recognize that some amount of violence is often seminal to these genres, we’re not interested in scenes that painstakingly, even lovingly, describe extreme violence. Word/Entry Limits: Short Stories (English only): Up...