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Deadline: May 31st, 2014 Payment: £5 The Victorian era was the heyday of the ghost-story and it has been said that a good Victorian host would place a copy of work by Sheridan Le Fanu by their guest’s bedside for the hours after midnight. So taking inspiration from gothic fiction and the rich legacy of 19th century ghost stories, we aim to celebrate the supernatural through a new collection of tales of mystery, suspense and terror! 19th Century ghost stories were the extension of Gothic fiction pioneered by Horace Walpole and Ann Radcliffe, with M.R. James and Sheridan Le Fanu representing the best known masters of this genre.  Thus we hope to elicit narratives inspired by the 19th century ghost story. Tales that lure unsuspecting readers in through mood and setting, stories to be savoured through accounts which focus on suspense rather than gore, and fictions which leave readers to the mercy of their imaginations. We want the type of stories which are so compelling you’ll wish you had a second chance to read them for the first time! We are especially interested in stories that are truly unique in character, whether written from less common points of view or because of the sustained chilling disquiet which they instil in the reader. Most of all, we want to produce a collection filled with stories we are as excited to read as we are to share. When you wish you’d waited for sunrise to put words to paper, that’s the story that we want! Sleep uneasy prospective authors, we eagerly await your submissions; may your night terrors give you inspiration. A project page has been set up for this anthology. Click here to visit. Or follow us on twitter #talesomst_CBB Submissions open 1 February and close 31st May 2014 Submission guidelines-short stories Submit a...

Deadline: May 31st, 2014 Payment: contributors will be offered a 2% royalty on sales of the anthology. Life of the Dead A Science-Fictional Look at Zombies, Ghouls, Ghosts, and the Deadly Departed. (DEADLINE SET: May 31, 2014. ~Submit Today!) Tales of undead terror have been woven into the fabric of modern society, and amidst the blood and gore lie hidden questions: What motivates these reanimated cadavers to do what they do? What is the scientific rationale behind their existence? Why do they always seem so hungry, and seek the flesh of the living? All very scientific queries begging for answers. Life of the Dead seeks to answer these questions, and more. Explore the lesser-told story of zombies and other undead creatures. Go beyond the horror and discover the true nature of these creatures from beyond the grave! If you wish to submit a story to this fine anthology, please adhere to the following guidelines: 1: Format: Stories should be formatted in either Times New Roman (preferred) or Courier New, and single-spaced. Please, do not add an extra space between paragraphs. A lot of writers separate their paragraphs into blocks these days, like they're writing a blog post. Please don't submit that way. 2: Be Original: With this anthology, we're after something different, beyond your typical tale of terror and gore. Of course, heart-pounding suspense and awful fright is very welcome, but also try to incorporate a new/unique twist to the story. 3: Word Length: 1,500+ words. No Flash Fiction for this one, but anything else will be considered, up to and including Novella-length. While we will entertain reprints, we give preference to fresh, previously-unpublished stories. 4: No Simultaneous Submissions. It is most disappointing to read the greatest story and accept it, only to find out that some other editor has...

Deadline: May 31st Payment: 2¢ per word for fiction. Authors will also receive an electronic ARC of the anthology Guidelines Updated 03/10/14: Due to a large amount of submissions that do not fit the anthology we've summarized 'what we want' in this statement: "Send us stories, fantastic or mundane, that spring from social issues that inspire, terrify, awe, or confound you." NOTE: The 'Genre/Themes' section below expands upon this if you would like a more detailed prompt. Word Count: 1000-5000. Multiple submissions: wait to hear back on your first submission before sending another. Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please let us know and update us if the story is accepted elsewhere. No reprints. Poetry and Nonfiction: please query first. Everyone will hear from us no later than July 1st, but our goal will be a 1 month response time (or at least an update if your story is under consideration.) Pay Rates & Rights   We pay 2¢ per word for fiction. Authors will also receive an electronic ARC of the anthology. Weird Bard Press takes First World English Rights. Works sent to us should not have been published elsewhere. We will use a traditional copyright, but authors may choose any Creative Commons license for their individual story if prefered. Torn Pages will be published as a print anthology. We are still exploring options for electronic versions.   Genres/Themes There are no genre limitations associated with Torn Pages. Mainstream and genre stories alike are welcome.   Read this article for background on what led to the anthology. Stories that fit Torn Pages will take that article and situations like it as their prompt.   Given the title, Torn Pages, the ideal submission will deal in issues such as religion in the science classroom, censorship, historical revisionism, chilling effect, book (media)...

Deadline: June 1, 2014 Payment: US$.05/word, payable upon publication. Plus, one copy of the edition in which the work appears Submissions will open for, Diabolic Tales IV - The Psychology of Death starting on November 1, 2013 and will close on June 1, 2014. We want the most deranged scary stories you have ever written about death. We are looking for original stories only in which some facet of death derived by the mind of the killer is the main focus, it needs to be physical, sociological, psychological. All stories must be strong and realistic, with believable characters. No brutality or overt blood and gore. We want to be afraid, really afraid. sent via email on or before September 15, 2013.     All stories must be in doc., docx., or .rtf format. All stories must be a minimum of 2500 words but not more than 5000 words. Please use 12 point font, Times New Roman and double space your text. 1 inch margins on all sides. In the body of your submission in the left hand top corner, include your contact information (Real Name or official pen name, not your online name), the word count of the work you are submitting and contact information, please include a cover letter with a brief biography and any publishing history you feel we might want to know about. Make certain to use an email address that you have access to at all times as correspondences from us come through email only! You will receive an email if your story has been accepted or rejected as soon as a decision has been made. NO MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS, NO REPRINTS! WE ONLY ACCEPT SUBMISSIONS THROUGH SUBMITTABLE. When you are ready, please submit your material here: http://diabolicpublications.submittable.com/submit PAY: Is made through Paypal only, if you don't have a...

Deadline: June 1st 2014 Payment: US$.05/word, payable upon publication. Plus, one copy of the edition in which the work appears. Open call for submissions for the anthology ”Tales from the Night of the Dead” starting on November 1, 2013 and will close on June 1, 2014. We want scary stories based on and set on Halloween night. No requirements for type of story, i.e. ghost, vampire and so forth. All stories must be strong and realistic, with believable characters. When people read your story we want them to get chills, be afraid to turn the lights off, terrified to answer the door on Halloween night! Give trick-or-treat a new definition. All stories must be in doc., docx., or .rtf format. All stories must be a minimum of 1500 words but not more than 4500 words. Please use 12 point font, Times New Roman and double space your text. 1 inch margins on all sides. Do not add spaces between paragraphs. In the body of your submission in the left hand top corner, include your contact information (Real Name or official pen name, not your online name), the word count of the work you are submitting, please include a cover letter with a brief biography and any publishing history or organization memberships you feel we might want to know about. Make certain to use an email address that you have access to at all times, correspondences from us come through email only! You will receive an email if your story has been accepted or rejected as soon as a decision has been made. NO MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS, NO REPRINTS!  PAY: Is made through Paypal only, if you don't have a paypal account please get one. We require a written and signed agreement which will be sent with an offer email. Fiction: US$.05/word, payable upon publication. Plus, one copy...

Deadline: June 1st, 2014 Payment: Split royalties, paid quarterly Rituals have always been a powerful part of human life, from the ancient Aztec nation’s human sacrifice to the supposed transubstantiation of the Communion elements during Catholic Mass. They impart a sense of history, comfort, community, common ground—but also power, mystery and horror. Since this isn’t Clam Chowder for the Coddled Child, I’m interested in the latter attributes. I want to see dark ritual in all the various forms you can imagine—from the ancient and ceremonial to the simple and home-grown. The rituals in your stories can be grounded in painstaking research or your own twisted creations. They can have real power or simply exist in the minds of your characters. They can produce the desired effect or something else entirely. Stories predicated upon the standard voodoo doll or zombie need to be particularly mind-blowing, as such topics are expected given the theme—the same goes for Cthulhu Mythos. If you’ve read CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY? you’ll know that I’m especially interested in the kind of stories that play with people’s preconceived notions and turn tropes on their ears. I’m anticipating a modern setting for most pieces, though I’m open to historical stories told with today’s sensibilities. Cross-genre stories will likely be a hard sell. No Science Fiction. Urban Fantasy might work. Gore and sex need to support an actual story, rather than be the end in and of themselves. Payment will be split royalties, paid quarterly. Word count is 3-5,000. Reading period is from 1 January 2014 to 1 June 2014. Publication is tentatively scheduled for October 2014, by Angelic Knight Press. Send your stories in standard manuscript format to [email protected]. Editor’s Note: That email address won’t even be active until 1 January, so if you’re the sort that doesn’t cotton much to guidelines when preparing submissions–well, your MS...

Deadline: June 1, 2014. Payment: Golden Severed Head award and sales you earn during Welcome, writing warriors from around the world. The gods of blood and victory formally invite you to test your skills in a battle to the death. Many will raise their steel and walk onto the bloody arena floor, but only one will claim the 2014 GOLDEN SEVERED HEAD. Wartooth Arena offers writers of all stripes, new and old, the opportunity to compete, show off their writing skills, and be judged as worthy of the coveted Golden Severed Head award. Your ability to impress the judges, the public, and master these tools will determine how successful you will be in an online author tournament to the death. Can your virtual avatar stand against all comers by the strength of your story? Wartooth Arena 2: Revenge of the F*cking Bad Ass, opens to all writers and spectators on January 1, 2014. This bloody round of competition focuses on the socially shocking, moral roller-coaster of the exploitation movies of the 1970's. Each story submitted should clearly draw upon the classic exploitation and grindhouse genres of Biker Films, Blaxploitation, Cannibal Films, Canuxploitation, Carsploitation, Chambara Films, Giallo Films, Mockblusters, Mondo Films, Monster Movies, Nazisploitation, Nudist Films, Ozsploitation, Rape and Revenge Films, Sexsploitation, Shocksploitation, Slasher Films, Splatter Films, Spaghetti Westerns, Women In Prison Films, Britsploitation, Bruceploitation, Chopsocky, Category III Films, Gothsploitation, Hippie Exploitation, Hixploitation, Jewsploitation, Martial Arts Films, Mexploitation, Ninja Films, Nunsploitation, Pinku eiga, Stoner Films, Teensploitation, and Vigilante Films to offer a uniquely disturbing and entertaining world. Entries must be previously unpublished as stand alone works. They may, however, have appeared in previously published anthologies. Any genre is acceptable as long as aspects of exploitation films are prominently featured. The maximum word count for stories is 40K, and deadline for entries...

Deadline: June 1st 2014 Payment: 5,000-10,000 words = $50 and a contributor’s copy (paperback), 3,500-4,999 words = $35 and a contributor’s copy (paperback), Under 3,500 words = '$20 and electronic copy' OR paperback copy. Subs Open February 1st and Close June 1st! What we want: Surreal stories. That’s it. There are no rules. I don’t want “bizarro,” I don’t want “horror,” and I don’t want “science fiction.” I don’t want a genre story. I want a surreal story. Which means… We want a surreal story (and that also means tropes can be included). We want beautiful prose. We want experimental prose. Sometimes, I want to have no idea what I’m reading, but if I ask you about it, you could explain why you wrote what you wrote (not that I would). We don’t want a bunch of random things happening. Talking animals have been done to death. So have stories about video games, and virtual reality, and stories that talk about penises over and over and over again. Can you do something different? The first rule of this anthology… THERE ARE NO RULES. Your story can have extremes, and your story can take place inside of a mailbox. (and yes, similes are okay. writers use them) What we’re paying:   5,000-10,000 words ·       $50 and a contributor’s copy (paperback) 3,500-4,999 words ·       $35 and a contributor’s copy (paperback) Under 3,500 words ·       $20 and electronic copy ·       OR paperback copy. (Outside of U.S. pays shipping. Payment via Paypal) Your response: WOW! That’s quite a range of payment options, and the drop-off is significant. Our response: Sure. I encourage you to submit a longer piece. If you don’t want to submit a longer piece, you can still get paid something. Does word count factor into acceptance? Nope. Does my name factor into acceptance? Nope. What if my...

Deadline: June 1st 2014 Payment: 5 cents per word Pain comes in a variety of guises. Physical. Mental. Emotional. Individual. Global. Psychosomatic. We want to read stories where the protagonist challenges pain--and either supersedes it, or collapses as a result of it. Do you write stories of solitary anguish? Or do you write stories of galactic healing? Regardless of which you prefer, make sure that your pain story confronts the concept of pain in a speculative fiction manner. CALL BEGINS APRIL 1, 2014 (no, really. it's not a joke) CALL ENDS JUNE 1, 2014 Penumbra is looking for original, unpublished stories of 3500 words or less. We prefer that writers use Standard Manuscript Format for submissions. (You can read this article by Chuck Rothman on the SFWA site on preparing a manuscript for submission if you are unfamiliar with SMF.) Please send your stories as file attachments in .rtf or .doc formats only. Please include a cover letter in the body of your email, with the manuscript title, you pen name if applicable, the exact word count of the story not including title and byline, and a publication history if applicable. Penumbra is a professional rates paying publisher, paying 5 cents per word. We will evaluate poetry submissions for each issue. We will also consider previously published stories with rights reverted to the author. Penumbra has multiple issue calls open at the same time, therefore it is imperative that you include the issue theme in the subject line of your email. Submissions that do not include this information risk getting lost in our queue and not read before the deadline. Penumbra uses Musa Publishing’s house style guide, which relies upon the Chicago Manual of Style. All accepted stories will be edited to reflect Musa house style. If you have never been published...

Deadline: June 15th, 2014 Payment: $25.00, payable upon acceptance, and 1 trade paperback and electronic copy of the book provided upon publication. The late 19th century saw the invention of film, and almost immediately after, the Horror genre. The earliest examples were depictions of paper or cloth ghosts and haunted locales, but it was only a short time before titles likeDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein made their first appearances. The 20’s gave us Nosferatu and the first Universal Monsters, The Phantom of the Opera and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The 30’s, 40’s and early 50’s were dominated by Universal, but Hammer Film Productions jumped in toward the end to help carry the torch for monster films another couple of decades. It was a golden era for the genre and there is not a writer among us that doesn’t count at least a few of these films as major influences and inspirations. RECONSTRUCTING THE MONSTER pays homage to these classic films. We are looking for stories inspired by any Horror film released before 1974. If the work the movie was based upon exists in public domain, give us a continuation of the story, a side story or a reboot. Tell us a story of Dracula living in a modern Manhattan penthouse with Frankenstein’s Monster living in the tunnels beneath the city, or maybe the other way around. Just don’t mention any neck-bolts. Do your homework! If the work is still under copyright, give us a re-imagining of the tale and theme. Instead of discovering a Gill-man in the Amazon, discover a large, ultra-aggressive and poisonous species of jellyfish or Octopus on a scientific expedition in Melanesia. Or tell us a completely original story for which a movie served as inspiration. Each submission should begin with a short paragraph...