Events

Submission Window: December 1st - 15th, 2024 Payment: 8 cents per word Theme: Speculative stories about animals where animals are the protagonists Note: Link to submit for Moksha will be available at the page linked at the bottom during the date range in the submission window above Submission Periods: The publishing schedule is quarterly/seasonly. Submission calls open at the start of each season, close in the middle of the first month for reading and responses, and issues aim to be released by the end of the season. Spring: March 1-March 15, 2025 Summer: June 1-June 15, 2025 Fall: September 1-September 15, 2025 Winter: December 1-December 15, 2025 Prose Submission Guidelines -Maximum word limit for original short fiction: 5000 words (sweet spot/preferred: 3000 – 4000 words) -Maximum word limit for original flash fiction: 999 words -Reprints: not accepted at this time -Pay rate: 8 cents/word -Format: Standard Manuscript Format. 12 point Times New Roman, double spaced, .doc or .docx files. Mailing address and phone number are not required on the header. -Simultaneous submissions are allowed! Just make sure to give us a howl if your submission has been accepted elsewhere before we make a decision on it. -Cover letter: include author name, name of submission, word count, publishing credits (if applicable), any experience pertinent to the story. (For example, if you are a marine biologist and your story features marine animals, do mention that!) Inclusion of content warnings is optional. Do not summarize your story; let the story speak for itself. –Plott Hound Magazine welcomes and encourages submissions from writers of all races, religion (creed), gender expression, sexual orientation, age, ancestry, disability, marital status, and military status. -Stories should be submitted through Moksha. Please do not submit through email or postal service. What We’re Looking For: -Stories with anthropomorphized animals as protagonists -Animal-centric speculative fiction (fantasy, science...

Submission Window: November 24th - December 15th, 2024 Payment: £50 Theme: Science-fiction/science-fantasy stories in the growing solar punk genre Vivid Worlds, to be published April 2025, will be an anthology of new short science-fiction/science-fantasy stories in the growing solar punk genre. We want you to tell us of futures in which we take our custodianship of the planet we call home seriously. Hopeful stories. What innovations can we bring forward to survive and thrive? We want colour, culture, and nature at the forefront of your stories. Submissions will open 24th November 2024 and will close at midnight on 15th December 2024, but please do submit early in the period if you can. Before this time, feel free to ask questions. Stories should aim to be 2-9000 words, and will be paid at 1p a word to a maximum of £50. Longer or shorter stories may be considered but will be a harder sell. FAQs: Please use standard manuscript formatting. Font TNR, Arial, Calibri, Garamond, or Calibri, 12 points. Double line spacing. Single spaces between words/following punctuation. Include page numbers in footers and name and title in headers. Also include a first page with name, title, word count. Use double quotation marks for speech. British English spelling preferred. Please send stories by email to donna at theslab dot press as an attachment. Include the word count, your name, and the title in the email too. Please include the anthology name and your name in the subject of the email. For example: Vivid Worlds STORY TITLE Joe Bloggs Reprints: No reprints from stories that have already been published in print in English, please, but stories translated into written English for the first time, or that have only been previously published in audio format are permitted. Simultaneous submissions and multiple submissions permitted. Via: The...

Deadline: December 15th, 2024 Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word. Theme: A story that, at its core it is likely to concern, celebrate or give agency to Latin American characters and issues We're delighted to let you know this new call for submissions is open! Please read through the submission details carefully as we’ve changed some of our guidelines and it could result in your submission not being acknowledged if you do not follow them. Latin American Shared Stories Submissions are now open for stories to be included in a new title in our gorgeous Beyond & Within series, which will be a selection of speculative stories highlighting the many voices, mythologies, folklore and storytelling prowess of authors from Latin American countries or writing in the traditions of the Latin American diaspora. Edited by the wonderful V. Castro, Mexican-American speculative, horror and sci-fi writer extraordinaire and author of Mestiza Blood and The Queen of the Cicadas, up to 4 stories will be selected from the open submissions and will have the distinction of accompanying stories and essays from authors such as J.F. Gonzalez, Myriam Gurba, David Bowles, Richie Narvaez, Rios de La Luz, Monique Quintana and Daniel Olivas. Your story can be anything from a tale in the style of traditional oral storytelling, emphasizing heritage and ancestors, to one that imagines new worlds and futures, but at its core it is likely to concern, celebrate or give agency to Latin American characters and issues. Submit to: [email protected]   Terms: Multiple submissions are fine but must be in separate emails. Simultaneous submissions are fine but you must have the right to license your story in an anthology. Please only submit unpublished/original/new stories for consideration. Reprints will not be accepted for consideration. For accepted stories we pay Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) rates of 8 cents/6 pence per word. We...

Deadline: December 15th, 2024 Payment: 8 cents a word for fiction and essays (1500 words or less). $25 for short poems (ten lines or less), $50 for longer poems. Includes one contributor copy. Theme: Space and Science Fiction Horror (must have horror elements, not just sci-fi.) Seeking original short stories, essays, and poems for our Winter 2025 issue. THEME: Space and Science Fiction Horror (must have horror elements, not just sci-fi.) DEADLINE: December 15, 2024 PAYMENT: 8 cents a word for fiction and essays (1500 words or less). $25 for short poems (ten lines or less), $50 for longer poems. Includes one contributor copy. No reprints or multiple submissions, please. Exclusive rights for six months after publication. ACCEPTING MAIL-IN SUBMISSIONS ONLY! Mail your submissions to: La Regina Studio/Grundy Commons/925 Canal Street/Bristol, PA 19007 Decision notices are sent through email so there is no need to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Please include your email address with your submission. All submissions must be typed (cover letters preferred but not mandatory) and be properly formatted. Frequently Asked Question: What kind of stories are you looking for? We generally enjoy “fun”, “80s style” horror reminiscent of the zine’s old-school vibe, but we’ve also been blown away by fresh voices that take the genre in a new direction. That being said, the best chance for your story being accepted by Book Worms is to follow the submission guidelines. Make sure your story is of the horror genre, mail in your submission versus email, meet the deadline, and don’t exceed the word count limit. And if your story doesn’t make it, please keep trying. We’ve had to turn down many excellent stories due to space constraints alone. A good way to get an idea about what we’re looking for is to read our current issue or one of our back issues that are still...

Deadline: December 16th, 2024 Payment: 5 cents per word Theme: Suspenseful stories about what goes bump in the night It’s the fear—not of the dark—but rather what lurks in the dark. The terror that the mind can feel, but cannot see. The whisper on the wind, heard but not understood. The ephemeral mist that curls around your legs and sends chills deep into your bones. You know that you shouldn’t go out in the night, shouldn’t heed its seductive call. Night after night the darkness beckons. You know that one day soon you’ll lose your resolve, give in, and become the darkness. There’ll be no going back once you do. These are the tales whispered in dark corners. Of good people pushed too far. Stories of revenge and redemption for past wrongdoings. Stories that excite the mind where what seems to be true isn’t always the case. Dark, foreboding, full of suspense, can you weave the story of what happens during the moonless night?   Submission Guidelines for Once Upon a Moonless Night All genres welcome. Submissions must be all ages appropriate. Original, never before published content (no reprints) Submissions are to be 250-15,000 words Standard manuscript format (https://www.shunn.net/format/classic/) No AI generated work No simultaneous submissions Period of exclusivity until three months past publication Author grants non-exclusive global, English language hardcover, paperback, eBook, and audiobook licenses in perpetuity for use of the work in the anthology “Once Upon a Moonless Night.” Those authors whose stories are selected for inclusion within “Once Upon a Moonless Night” will receive a complimentary copy of the book, access to a special author discount rate for copies of the book, and paid at a rate of $0.05 per word, maximum payout of $400 (submissions longer than 8,000 words will only be paid for 8,000 words)....

Deadline: December 16th, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: "Wicked" women hiding in plain site CALLING ALL WOMEN HORROR AUTHORS: WE ARE FINALLY DOING ANOTHER INSTALLMENT IN OUR #WomenOfHorror Anthology Series! ANTHOLOGY TITLE: PRETEND YOU DON’T SEE HER: Kandisha Press 2025 Women of Horror Anthology Description: The Invisible Woman: You barely notice her, sitting alone in the corner of the smoky bar. She walks through the streets at night, undetected until the moment she reveals her true self underneath that unremarkable form. Give us your shapeshifters, your werewolves, your witchy women, your wicked little creatures and demonic entities, all hiding in plain sight as harried housewives, college students, bartenders, business execs, Instagram influencers–ordinary, often forgotten ladies with dark secrets. Show yourselves! FORMAT: Open submissions and a few (limited) invites WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: – 3000-5000 words maximum. – Please send in a word doc file in standard format – Reprints accepted – Yes – Simultaneous Submissions – No WHAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR: – No sexual assault, child abuse/harm, animal abuse/harm, or graphic sexual scenes. No hate or insensitivity toward any race, belief, sexual orientation, or gender. (You are absolutely free to discuss these themes but we do not want submissions that are pro-hate toward any group.) – No toilet or bodily function references whether human or animal. Just don’t do it. – We will not accept any stories created with the use of AI HOW TO SUBMIT: A panel of judges will be reading your stories through three rounds. – Note* please add this email to your address book so our response to your sub does not go to your spam folder. Send submissions to: [email protected] DEADLINE: December 16th, 2024 PUBLICATION DATE: TBA (2025) PAYMENT: – Royalties will be paid through either Pubshare. The exact amount depends on the final number of authors in...

Deadline: December 20th, 2024 Payment: 10 cents per word and royalties Theme: Stories on the potential consequences of the 2024 Presidential election told in current, near future or even similar situations where such a leader is in power We are buying stories for 10 cents a word for an anthology on the potential consequences of the 2024 Presidential election told in current, near future or even similar situations where such a leader is in power. As such while we refer to our time line, we are open to submissions to life under such a regime in alternative settings. The incoming President of the United States will be authoritarian with underlying elements of white and christian nationalism, an unapologetic oligarchy, has announced his interest in ending US involvement with NATO, siding with the Soviets and Koreans against Europe, putting RFK Junior in charge of health care, using the armed forces to police Americans, and becoming a dictator on day one.  This is a short list, two minutes of research will tell you more. This anthology is our vision what these next years will look like.  Not just in the White House, but in the day-to-day world on our planet. Under such conditions people will adapt, people will suffer, people will prosper, people will actively and passively resist. Project 2025 will rule. There will be oligarchs and red state theocracies, blue states struggling to protect their citizens and citizens struggling to protect their states, cities, towns, families and businesses. There will be teachers struggling to teach, prisons filling up, work camps, deportations, and the liberation of hate, and maybe even a dawning awareness that this might have been a mistake. I want stories of people who fight the change, endure the change, or embrace the change.  But key word is People.  I...

Deadline: December 23rd, 2024 Payment: $20 and a contributor's copy Theme: Horror that includes childbirth Childbirth Horror Anthology Open call for very short stories Stories should be emotional, unexpected, incredibly well-written, and raw. Must include a childbirth, all other elements open. Except, no rape scenes. It's okay to be weird. All voices welcome! $15/story 500-2,500 words. Send the story and bio to [email protected] Please format your submission as follows: Word doc Double spaced Title, name, word count, and email at the top Standard font No tabbed indents Questions: [email protected] Via: Ruth Anna Evans.

Deadline: December 26th, 2024 Prize: £25.00 monthly for chosen story Theme: Embrace the macabre (horror and darkness). Uncage Your Dread: A Spine-Tingling Microfiction Competition for Our Yearly Horror Anthology Dark Descent: Whispers from Beyond  - Vol 1 Calling All Horror Weavers! Dark Holme Publishing dares you to unleash your darkest fears in a chilling microfiction competition that will feed the nightmares of our prestigious horror anthology, Dark Descent: Whispers from Beyond vol 1 Embrace the Macabre and Haunt the World: Pen nightmares: Craft terrifying tales, 250-500 words each, that explore the depths of human darkness. Push boundaries, win acclaim: We seek narratives that linger, instilling dread and terror long after the final line Be Part of Something Bigger: Your participation fuels the very essence of Dark Descent. This competition is a pay-what-you-feel initiative to help us create a chilling yearly anthology. Every contribution, large or small, directly supports the costs associated with publishing—printing, editing, and bringing your nightmares to life!  Your support makes the horror real! Contribute using the secure PayPal button at the top of this page! Unleash Your Darkest Fears and Be Immortalized: Become a Champion of the Night: One monthly winner will be crowned, receiving a £25.00 cash prize and guaranteed publication in our yearly horror anthology, Dark Descent: Whispers from Beyond. Fuel the Horror and See Your Work Shine: Ten chilling shortlisted pieces, alongside the winner, will be published in the anthology, amplifying the chorus of dread. More Than Just a Competition: Unleash Your Voice and Be a Founding Member: Dark Descent is not just about chills and thrills; it's a celebration of all things macabre. Here at Dark Holme Publishing, we champion diverse voices and unique perspectives. This is your chance to showcase your talent, leave your mark on the horror genre, and be a founding member of a passionate horror community we're building Ready to...

Deadline: December 28th, 2024 Payment: £20 Theme: Unpublished sci-fi, fantasy and horror stories of between 2,000 and 6,000 words based on tabletop games We are looking for unpublished sci-fi, fantasy and horror stories of between 2,000 and 6,000 words. Please only submit one story at a time and don't submit if it's already submitted somewhere else. All stories should be self-contained, no "to be continued". Recurring characters across multiple stories will be considered, as long as each story is a solid read in its own right. If you've already been published in an issue of Fanatical you are free to submit again, but we may hold your submission over so as not to publish the same author in back to back issues. Fanatical will pay £20 per accepted story, paid upon publication. We pay via Paypal. Upon acceptance, authors retain rights to the story but we ask they don't publish/submit it anywhere else before it is published in Fanatical. These stories should be inspired by/based on tabletop games - roleplaying games, board games, miniature wargames. Though Fanatical may take it's name from the concept of fan fiction, we're not looking to get sued here.   A story about an adventuring party consisting of a dwarf, an elf, a human and a halfling going into a dungeon to fight a dragon is fine. A story specifically set in a copyright protected world of Dungeons & Dragons, with reference to its locations and characters is not. A story about a genetically engineered super-soldier in power armour fighting aliens in the far future is fine. A story about a Space Marine fighting Xenos in the grimdark universe of Warhammer 40,000 is not. Rest assured the editors at Fanatical will work with you to ensure your stories meet our criteria in this regard.   Authors should be able to clearly point to the editors which...