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Deadline: March 31st, 2025 Payment: $20.00 Theme: Well-constructed speculative fiction stories where wolves play a major role. The only thing we do not want to see is Wolves as evil. The wolf has been a creature of mythology and legend since humans first told stories. Feared and reviled, or worshipped and loved, the wolf symbolizes wildness and power. In Spirit of the Wolf, we’re hoping to capture the wolf in new stories that celebrate their wildness and freedom, their magic and mysticism. We’re looking for well-constructed speculative fiction stories where wolves play a major role. The only thing we do not want to see is Wolves as evil. Proceeds from sales of Spirit of the Wolf will be donated to Mission Wolf located in Westcliffe, Colorado. Check them out at: missionwolf.org 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 the type or how so the editor doesn’t edit out the form or reject it out of hand. Thank you. In the Subject line please put Submission: Spirit of the Wolf: Title of your story: Your name. Attach as a .rft file, please send to: [email protected] Submissions Open:  Nov 1, 2024 (DO NOT SUBMIT PRIOR TO THIS DATE) Submissions Close:  Mar 31, 2025 Release Date:   Summer 2025 Payment:  $20.00 flat rate. (Proceeds from sales will be donated to Mission Wolf) Will accept...

Deadline: March 31st, 2025 Payment: Contributor's Copy (charity anthology) Theme: A story with a main character named Robert that also must reference a mechanical watch Robert’s Recurring Nightmares guidelines Thank you for choosing to submit to the seventh annual Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers (GLAHW) mini-anthology. We are looking for horror fiction, between 2,000 and 5,000 words, along with the following requirements. 1. A character named Robert. The character can be the protagonist, antagonist, monster, victim, friend, etc. As long as he, she, it, or they play a significant, if not pivotal, role in the story. 2. The story must make a reference to Mechanical Watch. Whether it is the setting of the story, part of the backstory for a character, or a passing reference, A mechanical watch and Robert should have some importance to the story. We will be editing the stories, but we will not make any changes without first discussing them with you, the writer. We’re writers, too, and we know what it’s like to have our stories altered without our consent. We won’t do that to you. Having said that, however, we will try our best to make each of the stories in this anthology the best they can be. So, if we give you notes, we’d appreciate it if you’d consider them carefully. We’re not saying you have to agree with us (We’ve had plenty of writers argue with us, and sometimes, we see their point and concede the edit). Just that you listen. The cover art for Recurring Nightmares will be handled by the talented Steve Bejma   Submission Please submit all stories to [email protected]  The subject line should read Submission: Robert’s Recurring Nightmares. Stories should be submitted as an attachment in either MS Word (.doc, .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf). Please follow proper manuscript format. If you...

Submission Window: February 1st to March 31st, 2025 Payment: $5 Theme: Speculative Poetry Submission Instructions   SpecPoVerse accepts poems with or without known formalism and also experimental forms. An illustrated poem in which the illustration was created by the poet is also acceptable; this must be submitted as a .pdf file with the embedded illustration. Poems created by AI are not acceptable.   To submit your poem, fill out this form by clicking the "SUBMIT" button below. You will be asked to provide contact information and to upload your poem. You may upload 1 file with 1 poem, including an illustrated poem. You may submit up to 3 poems per submission period. Because we review all poems author blind, please make sure that your poem(s) has(have) no information identifying the poet; these will be automatically rejected. Your poem must be submitted in .doc, .docx. or .pdf file format. Once a poem is accepted, the poet may later send an audio or video file of their spoken or sign language-interpreted poem, which will be made available on the Readings page from YouTube or Vimeo. Maximum length: 100 lines or 499 words for a prose poem Rights: SpecPoVerse acquires first publication rights only, so please do not submit poems that have already been published elsewhere. Poets retain their copyright on all works after first publication on the specpoverse.org website. By submitting content to SpecPoVerse, you agree that, should the content be accepted, you grant SpecPoVerse a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable right and license to digitally archive and display the content (aka Digital Archive Rights). In the case that we later desire to include your content in any other format (e.g. print, anthology, etc.), those rights will be separately negotiated at that time. Simultaneous Submissions: If your poem is a simultaneous submission, please notify us as soon...

Deadline: March 31st, 2025 Payment: $20.00 and Royalty Share Theme: Horror of all speculative fiction genres Behind the Shadows III: Dark Secrets – our horror anthology Behind the Shadows III: Dark Secrets– This is horror. Humor and mystery beats are welcome. Express yourself as the theme moves you. There is no restriction as to how you incorporate the theme into your story as long as the genre falls within Speculative Fiction, including Sci-Fi or Fantasy. We encourage you to weave the theme into an engaging story with well-developed characters and deep emotion. Stories that contain infanticide, rape, or gratuitous gore will not be accepted. Submission Period: January 1, 2025 to March 31, 2025 Submissions: No AI, 1 per author; no simultaneous submissions, no reprints; Submission Cost: Free Word Limit: 2,000 to 7,000 words Submission Guidelines: Anonymous submission with no author name in document; 12 pt Times or Arial; .Doc or .Docx; double-space; first line indent; no tabs used. Genres: Horror Anticipated Pay: $20.00 and Royalty Share of D2D sales Each story will receive $20 and a D2D royalty share from the sales on the D2D platform. This does not include: Kickstarter funds unless detailed in the Stretch goals; wholesale to authors; or non-D2D retail outlets. Links will be available to direct your customers to D2D outlets. Timeline Projections: Submissions close: March 31, 2025 Review: April 2025 Acceptance / Rejection: April/May 2025 Edits: June 2025 Production: June 2025 Kickstarter: July 2025 Published: August/September 2025 Upon acceptance, the author is expected to work with the editor on at least one round of revisions in MSWord. Our publication goal will be the fall of 2025; however, the extensive time needed to review and edit submissions may vary depending upon the submitted works and author’s response times. Inkd Publishing LLC will hold first publication rights for four...

Deadline: March 31st, 2025 Payment: Fiction: 8 cents per word for the first 3000 words and 3 cents per word thereafter., Artwork: $100 per piece accepted Theme: Stories about the exploration of Antarctica in three time periods (past/present/future) that deal with Lovecraftian themes Open period: January 1, 2025 – March 31, 2025 Elder Things Expeditions is the seventh in our Lovecraftian anthologies. In it, we explore three sections of time in exploration of Antarctica leading to revelations about the nature of the denizens, normal and paranormal, residing there. Reference can be made to funding by Miskatonic University, but be careful how you deal with the names and events that may be protected by copyright. If you need an idea of what we're looking for, we refer you to Lovecraft's story At The Mountains of Madness. Full text of the story can be found at “www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/mm.aspx”. There are multiple videos on YouTube and other outlets with narrative versions. The Past From 1700 to 1960, multiple expeditions by several organizations ventured into the Antarctic wilderness with mixed success. We want your take on an expedition not previously known. References to previously published material in the Mythos is acceptable, but avoid plagiarism. This will be monitored closely for copyright protection issues The Present From 1960 to 2100, expeditions have been and will be sent to the white wasteland. Bases will be constructed, developed, and possibly destroyed. We want your ideas on how this was or will be accomplished and the ultimate fate of such. The Future 2100 and on will see a continuation of explorations and probably eventual settlement of Antarctica through technological advancements. How will this turn out? Will there be a final confrontation with the Elder Things that inhabit the mystery continent or will humanity meet its end? THE DETAILS Up to Five (5)...

Deadline: March 31st, 2025 Payment: Fiction: $0.01 per word, Poetry: $5.00 Theme: Stories inspired by either of the definitions of "foofaraw": A great fuss or disturbance about something very insignificant OR an excessive amount of decoration or ornamentation, as on a piece of clothing, a building, etc. Guidelines The Anthology is an annual print-only hardcover anthology based on the definition of "foofaraw." It is split into two parts based on these two definitions: a great fuss or disturbance about something very insignificant. an excessive amount of decoration or ornamentation, as on a piece of clothing, a building, etc. Response Time All decisions will be made and writers will be notified by April 30th. Word Limit: 500-5000 words Pay Rate: Fiction: $0.01 per word Poetry: $5.00 Language: English Rights: We request first serial rights and non-exclusive, indefinite archival rights. As well as the right to publish in a limited print anthology. Any rights not used by the publisher within twelve months will return to the author. Requirements: We do not accept multiple submissions from a single person at a time We do not accept simultaneous submissions (pieces sent to more than one place at a time). We do not accept previously published works. We do not accept work created or assisted by AI. What are we looking for Fiction Comics Humor/Satire Poetry Essays Personal, Features, Journalism, Cultural Criticism and anything else that fits the vibe Fiction The general areas/genres of interest for fiction in foofaraw are: Magical Realism Speculative Fiction Sci-Fi Fantasy Literary LGBTQIA+ Horror Mystery Noir Odd / Surreal / Absurdist / Experimental Submission Queue | Submission Form Via: Foofaraw Press.

Submission Window: February 1st - March 31st, 2025 Payment: Fiction: $25.00 for original stories, $7.00 for reprints, $6.00 for each poem, $20.00 for original articles, $6.00 for reprints. $7.00 for reviews and interviews. Theme: Paranormal - this includes ghosts, spectres, haunts, various whisperers, and so forth. It also includes shapeshifters and creatures from various folklores. Submissions are accepted Feb 1 – Mar 31, Jun 1 – Jul 31, Oct 1 – Nov 30. Anything submitted outside those periods will be deleted unread. We no longer accept simultaneous or multiple submissions. ​ No matter how far we move forward as humans, we are still bound by the instincts and ancestral memories of our animalistic past. None of these are so strong as the fight or flight response. However, there are times when we seem to be perfectly safe, completely at ease and comfortable, when that urge to run from something sneaks up on us. What causes these sensations? Is there something lurking in the darkness? Why is that man giving you the creeps, he’s not even looking at you? And yet, there is something odd. Something instinctual, something you know without fully understanding. We may have moved on, we may have forgotten and left behind those old stories and legends of beasts, voracious monsters, and dark spirits... But they have not forgotten or left us... What We Want The subject matter of parABnormal Magazine is, yes, the paranormal. For us, this includes ghosts, spectres, haunts, various whisperers, and so forth. It also includes shapeshifters and creatures from various folklores. PLEASE NOTE: CREATURES LIKE VAMPIRES, GHOULS, WEREWOLVES, AND ZOMBIES ARE NOT PARANORMAL. Shapeshifters, for the purpose of this magazine, refer to the spiritual shift, not the physical. Think Native American shaman. Paranormal activity centers around the human, not the creature. We do not want...

Deadline: March 31st, 2025 Payment: $25 and a contributors copy Theme: Fantasy stories that take place, in full or partially, within the Turning Leaf Tavern and a recipe for food mentioned within he story The Turning Leaf Tavern is a way-station for people travelling throughout the fantasy realms. Here, you can find Hobbits and Elves, Humans, Dwarves, Half-feet, and representatives of a hundred different races and fictional worlds. They find themselves at the tavern's door when need calls, and within its walls they find succor and good cheer. The tavern itself is in its own universe, designed by M. Allyson Szabo, and has its own stories to tell. Tales from the Turning Leaf Tavern will not be just about the tavern, though. The stories within its pages will come from you, the writers of the world. The anthology will be comprised of somewhere between 15 and 25 stories, each with a recipe or four at the end, so that readers may share in the glory of the story's victuals. That said, Allyson has decided to provide some preliminary tales about the tavern and its denizens for writers to riff off of. You, the authors, have permission to use the Turning Leaf Tavern and its people in your writing, though M. Allyson Szabo retains the copyright to the tavern itself and the characters she created to go with it. Your stories, even the ones with Turning Leaf and the folk within, belong to you, the original authors.  This anthology will be comprised of fantasy stories that are original and unique, paired with recipes that go along with the tales that are told. If you have a story that is set in a fantasy world, is between 2500 and 6000 words, and that involves a tavern and its food in some way, then...

Deadline: March 31st, 2025 Prizes: First-place receives $200 and publication in the Confluence program book.*, Second-place receives $100, Third-place receives $50, Youth Story Prize receives $50 Theme: Roots The 29th annual Parsec Short Story Contest opens on January 1st and closes on March 31st. There is never a fee to enter the Parsec Short Story contest thanks to the donations from our members and supporters . . . people like you! Thank you for your support! If you would like to help support the annual contest, please make a donation here. Your donation ensures the continuation of this writing contest. VIEW PREVIOUS WINNERS HERE The 2025 Contest theme is “ROOTS” Roots. The point of origin, the source of life. Buried in earth and history, they are links to the unseen. Roots can crack stone and carry messages; they can bind us to solid ground or trip us up and send us sprawling. The 2025 Parsec Short Story Contest welcomes science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories that include all types of roots: family legends, genetic inheritance, plant-like aliens, root directories, symbiotic mycorrhizal systems . . . you get the idea. Convey the theme through setting, plot, characters, dialogue; the only limit is your imagination. The theme must be integral to the story in some way and not just mentioned in passing.   Please note: We do not accept stories written by AI! We trust you to honor this request. Any submissions known to be created using AI will be automatically disqualified. (Use of spell check and voice-to-text dictation tools are unobjectionable.) We welcome submissions from young writers for our Youth Story Prize! Teen writers age 19 or younger and currently attending high school may submit to either the main short story contest or to the youth story prize, but not both. Dates and Deadlines: Contest opens on...

Submission Window: March 1st - 31st, 2025 Payment: $500 advance and royalties Theme: Cosmic horror novellas by BIPOC authors Sobelo Books announces a cosmic horror novella call for BIPOC authors. BIPOC is generally intended to reflect people whose ethnicities or racial groups include: Black, Indigenous or Native American, Latino/a, Asian & Pacific Islander. If your ethnicity or racial group is not the majority in the country in which this novella will be published, the United States, this means you! Why are we doing this? To us, there is a difference between placing a welcome mat on the porch and opening the door. Sobelo Books is opening the door. Les and Lucas are on the couch, waiting for you. Don’t worry, there’s room between us. And don’t mind the dog, he’ll only bite if he doesn’t trust you or really wants to. We want to read the story only you can tell and are excited at the diverse perspectives this call will bring. Why cosmic horror? There’s more room in the horror sandbox than ever before, but there are some underexplored corners of it. Claim your corner. Plant your flag. What does cosmic horror mean for a person of color? Again, this is the story only you can tell. How will this call work? By HWA definition, a novella (long fiction by Stoker category) is less than 40K words. Whether you reach that word count or get close, it’s a significant investment of time and creativity. For this call, we want to see 2.5K words of your story. This could be a short story version of your novella or a chapter of it. In addition to this, we want your outline of the story. This will give us a sense of your voice and writing skill as well as an understanding...