Events

Deadline: March 15th, 2019 Payment: $.06/word for original fiction up to 6,000 words, $100 flat rate for reprints above 1,500 words, and $20 flat rate for reprints below 1,500 words PodCastle is looking for quality fantasy fiction. If you’re a writer with a speculative short story that you’d like to hear narrated by one of our performers, we’d like to see it. Submit using Standard Manuscript Format. We accept files in .odt, .rtf, .docx or .doc format. Word count: up to 6,000 words. Occasionally, we run reprints in the novelette range (up to 17,000 words), although they are a harder sell. Query to [email protected] before submitting longer works. No multiple submissions. Simultaneous submissions are permitted; just mention it in your cover letter up front, and let us know if you sell it elsewhere first. Reprints are welcome, and strongly encouraged. Payment and Rights We pay $.06/word for original fiction up to 6,000 words, $100 flat rate for reprints above 1,500 words, and $20 flat rate for reprints below 1,500 words (flash fiction). We are happy to consider stories previously published on Patreon as reprints. PodCastle buys nonexclusive audio rights, and nonexclusive electronic rights to distribute the audio file under a Creative Commons license. Specifically, we use the Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Briefly, this means that the entire world has permission to distribute the audio files for free, provided they give credit for it, don’t try to make money off of it, and don’t change it in any way. Transcribing it, extracting portions from it beyond fair use, and mashing it up are all prohibited. This license applies only to our audio performance of your work, for which we’ve contracted and paid you. It does not apply to your story itself; you retain your copyright and all rights to any other use of the story. What...

Deadline: March 24th, 2019 Payment: 6 cents per word. Note: Reprints Allowed Detective Mysteries: Private Eyes with eagle eyes and rare skills, PIs and gumshoes, bloodhounds and sleuths: the shadowy arts of the detective have intrigued us since tales of the Pinkerton Detective Agency and Sherlock Holmes. Add some treachery, intimacy, and a little murder to the mix and you'll find a powerful series of dark stories from classic and contemporary writers. Formal Call for Submissions (2019) We are looking for new and recent short stories. We do not require exclusivity. You hold copyright, licensing us just for this publication. We don’t mind if your story has been previously published online or in print (though we do need to know publication and date). Simultaneous submissions are fine, but you must have the right to license your story in an anthology. Word length is most likely to be successful at 2000–4000, but we will still read stories slightly outside this range. Submit stories for 'Detective Mysteries' and 'Epic Fantasy' by email to [email protected] Fees, Copyright and Other Terms We pay Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) rates of 6 cents per word. We would prefer to pay via PAYPAL because bank charges to the US and Canada in particular can be crippling for all concerned. Payment for the chosen stories will be made within 30 days of the final advertised publication date (see our website flametreepublishing.com for details), although some may be paid earlier than that. Submission does not imply the right to publication. Each story will be read and assessed by the selection panel. Please submit in .doc, .docx or .rtf formats, double spaced, with your name and email address in the footer or header of each page. We will aim to read each story and confirm its...

Deadline: March 24th, 2019 Payment: 6 cents per word. Note: Reprints Allowed Epic Fantasy: George R.R. Martin drew on Tolkien, who was inspired by William Morris, Medieval epics, and Norse mythology. This new collection of epic fantasy tales explores the classic themes of good vs. evil, the low-born hero, and the arrogant overlord, lacing them with a taste of sorcery that reaches back to the early sources and stirring them in with the brand new storytellers of today. Word length is most likely to be successful at 2000–4000, but we will still read stories slightly outside this range. Submit stories for 'Detective Mysteries' and 'Epic Fantasy' by email to [email protected] Fees, Copyright and Other Terms We pay Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) rates of 6 cents per word. We would prefer to pay via PAYPAL because bank charges to the US and Canada in particular can be crippling for all concerned. Payment for the chosen stories will be made within 30 days of the final advertised publication date (see our website flametreepublishing.com for details), although some may be paid earlier than that. Submission does not imply the right to publication. Each story will be read and assessed by the selection panel. Please submit in .doc, .docx or .rtf formats, double spaced, with your name and email address in the footer or header of each page. We will aim to read each story and confirm its status within 3 months of the submission deadline. The anthologies will be published worldwide, available online and to bookstores worldwide, in print and ebook formats. You can submit more than one story, and to each collection. Final submission date is 24 March 2019. Submit by email only to: [email protected] Selection Panel The selection will be made by our group of life-long, in-house...

Deadline: March 24th, 2018 Payment: Short Fiction (<150CH) $3AUD per story, Long Fiction (>150CH/<200CH) $2AUD per story What is the Story Seed Vault? The Vault is an online periodical that adheres to the limitation of Twitter publishing. We consider all types of fiction with one condition – your story must be based on science. We’re looking for stories that act as story seeds – prompts for spin off plots and weird tangents. We want to think in new ways about how our world works and the possibilities for future worlds, expanding tangentially from what we know now. Who can submit to the Vault? The Vault will takes submissions from all sorts of writers, from established writers to new, science communicator, or people who have a personal passion for science. As long as you adhere to our guidelines, we will publish your work! In accordance with the ethics and values of our editorial team, the Vault is also a diversity-oriented publication. As such, we welcome and encourage submissions from a multiplicity of voices and perspectives, particularly those from marginalized and under-represented groups. Science communication is done by all sorts of people – and we want writers who reflect that diversity. Where can I find science to be inspired by? We suggest taking a look at science news websites and science magazines, such as the below: Ars Technica Technology news, provides breakdowns on the latest scientific advancements. Main focus is IT and ‘gadgets’. Science Daily Scientific research news. Does not report on general science news. Science Mag Reports on research and general science news. Almost always evidence-based reporting. Science Alert and Live Science Pop science news. An easily accessible form of science news that doesn’t use academic language. Prone to clickbait titles. If you’re still stuck on what to write, take a...

Deadline: March 25th, 2019 Payment: $20-$75 according to the category and length of submission Submissions are OPEN from February 11 – March 25 Speculative City publishes provocative works that are centered within a cityscape. Although all are welcome to submit, special consideration is given to creators and characters often underrepresented in speculative fiction, such as people of color, queer people, working-class people, and people with disabilities (this list is not exhaustive and acts as an example of the types of voices we wish to hear and show). We are looking for fiction, poetry, and essays within the theme of the magazine’s upcoming issue (occult, see below). Writers published will be paid $20-$75 according to the category and length of their submission. We would be hard-pressed to include submissions with a length exceeding 5500 words. Editor’s note: stressing to non-fiction writers that we are looking for critical essays & opinion pieces that explore the theme in regards to speculative fiction. All submissions should be the original, unpublished work of the submitter. We will accept simultaneous submissions, but please inform us if the submission has been accepted by another publication. We do not accept multiple submissions for fiction or essays. Please submit word (.doc, .docx) or rich text format (.rtf) files and format your submission according to our format guide. Please send all inquiries to info @ speculativecity .com . We try to respond to all submissions within 90 days, but as a team of two, we may not always be able to. All submissions should be sent through Green Submissions. Green Submissions requires users to create an account. Please see link to sign up and submit at https://greensubmissions.com/1024/speculative-city/index.php. Before submitting work, please also be familiar with our contract.   THEME occult adjective, noun| \ə‘kəlt\ Definition of OCCULT adjective matters and practices...

Deadline: March 28th, 2019 Payment: $10 Submissions now OPEN for the April Issue Theme: ANIMALS Enchanted Conversation is looking for stories and sequential art (aka comics) that use animals as main characters or that operate as a catalyst to the story in a fairy tale, folktale, or mythic setting. Work can either be re-tellings of established stories or use original characters as long as they are set within the fairy tale, folklore, or mythic templates. Animals in folklore, fairy tales, and myths have helped humans, tricked them for their own purposes or provided inspiration for a hero/heroine to achieve their goals. Think of Puss in Boots, The Nightingale, The Bremen Town Musicians, The Firebird, and beyond. Be bold, traditional, lyrical, or experimental in your storytelling and enchant us with your original stories set in a variety of locations around the world and time periods from ancient to modern. Think beyond palaces, princes, and princesses in their usual context. Take readers on a journey to long ago Japan, an enchanted forest in Russia, or magical root bridges in India - where the stage is set for animal-characters to tell their unique tales.   WE'RE LOOKING FOR   STORIES between 700-2000 words with our sweet spot being around 1,200 words. Payment flat rate: $10.00 U.S. dollars only The upper limit 2,000 word count is FIRM. Stories over 2,000 words will not be considered. SEQUENTIAL ART/COMICS: 1 to 5 pages in length. Payment flat rate $10.00 U.S. dollars only. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE THROUGH PAYPAL ONLY At the time of contract, authors will have the option of donating the token payment back to the magazine to help keep us running. Absolutely none of the following: Sci-fi, dystopian, erotica, high fantasy, excessive world building, time-travel, futuristic or space travel. We are NOT ACCEPTING POETRY...

Deadline: March 29th, 2019 Payment: Royalties Castrum Press is excited to announce that submissions are open for the Alien Days Anthology The second of the Days Anthologies series, The Alien Days Anthology,  is a short story collection looking for stories that highlight the interaction, good or bad, between humanity and aliens. Your story could be set in the past, in the present or in the future. We are accepting stories in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror genres, all we ask is you take our readers on a journey through the imagination they will never forget. Your story must be between 3,000 and 10,000 words. Submission closes on Friday 29th March 2019. Your story must comply with our Submission Guidelines. Castrum Press uses an online Helpdesk system to manage manuscript submissions. When you submit your manuscript, you will be emailed a unique reference number. After your successful submission, please check your spam and junk mail folders for your acknowledgement email and mark Castrum Press as a safe sender so you do not miss progress updates. Start my Submission The Small Print Successful submissions will receive a percentage of net profits following publication with the caveat that the stories will not be reproduced without the publisher’s consent for twelve months following publication of the relevant anthology. All submissions must be original material, owned by the author, and must not have been published via any form of media before submission either free or paid. All submissions must comply with our submission guidelines. Via: Castrum Press.

Deadline: March 31st, 2019 Payment: Royalties Note: Reprints Allowed. Call for Submissions – Mid-Century Murder Mid-Century Murder – cozy to cozy-noir crime stories set in the late forties through the very early sixties. We want stories that evoke the era, though its fashions, homes, furniture and furnishings, vehicles, restaurants, stores and products, music, movies, radio and television, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. For authors on Facebook, we suggest two groups that could be useful in grokking the era. The first is Mid-Century Advertising. You can learn a great deal about an era by studying the advertisements. On that group you will find an unending supply of such ads. Another Facebook group to check out is America in the 1950s. It leans a bit heavy toward sentimentality and nostalgia but you will find good information mixed in. Submission Period: October 15th, 2018 – March 31st, 2019 [email protected] Please put “Submission Mid-Century” and the name of your story in the subject line. Length: 2500 to 6000 words. Stories outside that range will be considered, but their length will work against inclusion. We admit to a preference for slightly longer work, with four to five thousand words in the sweet spot. We expect the anthology to have approximately seventy-five thousand words. Payment: Royalty Fifty percent of the gross royalties per calendar quarter will be distributed equally among the contributors. Contributor copies will not be offered. A limited number of review copies will be available. Previously Published: Reprints are fine, provided: You have the right to authorize us to publish your story The story has not been published more recently than 2017. We ask for the exclusive right to publish your story for one calendar year following contract signing, excluding publications of those previously published. Title subject to change. Via: Dark House Books.

Deadline: March 31st, 2019 Payment: 50% royalties on all novels, novellas, and collections! Advances will be offered in some cases. Death’s Head Press is dedicated to publishing dark fiction in all its forms. Genres that fall into this category include Horror and all its sub-genres (gothic, splatterpunk, bizarro, etc.), Dark Erotica (think erotica with a supernatural or spooky twist), Dark Science Fiction (such as Alien or Event Horizon), and Dark Fantasy (like the works of Tanith Lee and Clive Barker). Crime and Adventure works may be considered, as long as they have a dark or twisted slant. We are looking for new and seasoned authors! If you’ve never been published before but you’ve got a damn good tale to tell, then we want to hear from you. If you have published numerous short stories and novels, and are just looking for a different outlet for your work, then we definitely want to hear from you. Death’s Head Press does not care about–nor will they make any decisions based upon–your race, gender, sexual orientation, or political stance. We care about the stories you write, period! In fact, if you feel the need to mention your race, gender, sexual orientation, political stance, or any other information not pertinent to your story or writing experience, then we’re going to assume you felt your writing alone was not strong enough to be accepted. With that said, here is what we’re looking for in novels, novellas, and collections: Death’s Head Press is seeking original novellas and novels 20,000 to 120,000 words in length that fit into the categories of dark fiction described above. We want striking, well-crafted manuscripts with original themes. Our readers expect unconventional stories that surprise, entertain, and frighten them in new ways. We are not afraid of topics that are offensive, violent, or horrific. Multiple submissions and simultaneous submissions...

Deadline: March 31st, 2019 Payment: $10 and a contributor's copy Death’s Head Press will be accepting submissions for Breaking Bizarro, an anthology of weirdness, starting December 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019 Have you watched Eraserhead? Have you read The Breast by Philip Roth? These things are WEIRD! Bizarro is a genre that thrives on absurdity and satire and often grotesqueness. It’s surreal and imaginative. Breaking Bizarro will scream weirdness to its readers. We predict an instant cult classic here! What we’re looking for: Death’s Head Press is seeking short stories between 3,000 to 8,000 words. The short stories MUST BE BIZARRO FICTION. If you’re unsure what that means, look it up. Or read pretty much anything by Carlton Mellick III or Danger Slater. We will only accept one submission per author for this anthology. So, send us your best! Simultaneous submissions are fine, but let us know if another publisher picks up your story before us. We are not scared away by graphic content. Although, this anthology does not necessarily require such content. Whatever it is, make it weird! How to submit: Email your submission to [email protected] with the Subject line reading BREAKING BIZARRO ANTHOLOGY. Consider the body of your email the cover letter. Give us a brief description of your work (3-6 sentences), list any previous published works, and tell us any relevant information about yourself. Attach your entire manuscript to the email in .doc, .docx, or .rtf formats. Use 12 pt font in Times New Roman. Your author name, email address, book title, and word count should appear on the first page of your manuscript. All subsequent pages should have your name, title, and page number in the header. Get your work as clean of grammatical errors as possible. We don’t expect a perfect manuscript, but if it is riddled with one mistake after...