Events

Deadline: March 1st, 2015 Payment: 5 cents per word up to 5000 Stone Skin Press is proud to announce our newest anthology, Swords v. Cthulhu. As you might have guessed from the title, this project is a spiritual successor to our previous Shotguns v. Cthulhu, but while Shotguns featured mostly modern or futuristic settings for its action-heavy eldritch tales, this tome will collect stories of a historical or fantastical bent. Molly Tanzer and Jesse Bullington will be co-editing the project. If you’re simply an excited reader then there’s nothing more to report at present. But! If you’re interested in potentially submitting a story, there will be an open reading period for a few of the slots in Swords v. Cthulhu. Read on for the full guidelines… The brass tacks (or red nails, as the case may be): We are paying five (5) cents a word for original works of fiction of up to 5,000 words. No poetry. No reprints. No multiple submissions. No simultaneous submissions. The open reading period for story submissions will be from February 1st to March 1st, 2015. All submissions will be answered by the end of March. During the reading period, all submissions should be sent as a double-spaced word document in standard manuscript format to [email protected]. Please address the subject line SVC Submission: “Story Title.” Any stories submitted before or after the open reading period will be deleted unread. To fulfill the promise of the title, we want at least a few adventure romps in which sinewy muscle and cold steel are pitted against the minions of the Great Old Ones. That said, we’d also like some stories combining movement and violence with the existential despair at the heart of Lovecraft’s work. What we want to see is the cerebral cohabitating with rowdy action sequences....

Deadline: March 1st, 2015 Payment: Contributor's Copy SUBMISSIONS FOR ISSUE 3 ARE OPEN UNTIL MARCH 1, 2015. Dark Corners publishes pulp fiction quarterly. Hardboiled, noir, westerns, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror are all desired. If you have something that exists outside these genres or even combines them and you think we'd enjoy it, feel free to submit. Be forewarned, though, that we reserve the right to be picky. If you don't know what pulp fiction is, you might be better off submitting elsewhere. Absolutely no fan fiction. Our readers demand and deserve quality and there is a lot of quality out there so be competitive. Give us your best. Word limit is 2-5,000 words but err on the side of brevity. We want it fast and memorable. Please send only one story per quarter. This is a small operation here and while I appreciate the vote of confidence, we have our limits. Submit to craigtm85 (at) gmail (dot) com. (Please don't type "at" and "dot". I think you know how e-mails look. This is to protect myself from Nigerian princes and people trying to enlarge parts of my body or introduce me to Russian girls. I already live with the best woman possible.) Attach your submission in a Word Document file or Open Office file if you prefer. For the subject of your e-mail, write "Dark Corners Submission -- Your Last Name". If you actually write "Your Last Name", I will respond telling you how funny I think you are but I probably won't read your submission. In the body of your e-mail, send your cover letter. Look up how to do one if you don't know but don't fret about it. As long as you give your best attempt at professionalism, we won't ignore you. Make sure your letter contains...

Deadline: March 1st, 2015 Payment: Royalties from the sale of the individual anthologies will be split between the company and contributors, paid out on a quarterly basis.  Each contributor will also receive an author’s copy of the complete anthology, which will exist in electronic format only. Pagan Writers Press and Ishtar Press (the romance/erotica imprint) are currently seeking flash (short) fiction stories of 1,000 to 2,500 words for inclusion in five separate promotional eBooks for the press. The purpose of these books is to introduce new readers to PWP and display the vast talent of our authors to grow their individual followings. Themes for these eBooks include: Paranormal Romance: These stories focus on relationships, but have a supernatural twist. Characters can be shifters, witches, ghosts, vampires, or a host of other creatures (or be the humans that interact with them). They can be on the darker side, but the focus must be on the relationships. Erotica: While the romance has a relationship focus, here we are looking for stories centered on the physical acts of pleasure of one or more parties. All manner of couples and light BDSM welcome. Halloween / Samhain: Celebrate the magic and mystique of this solemn (and fun) holiday with stories that occur on this day or the days leading up to it. All non-erotic genres welcome. One submission per author per collection is allowed (i.e. you can submit two different stories to two of the anthologies, but not more than one story for each). Please review our standard guidelines before submitting your work. Failure to follow them will result in the rejection of your work. All settings/eras/time periods welcome unless designated in the comments above. All manner of relationships (straight, GBLT, or polyamorous) are welcome. Graphic lovemaking should be restricted to the Erotic submissions only. Royalties from the...

Deadline: March 23, 2015 Payment: $15 per story accepted Timeless Tales exclusively publishes retellings of fairy tales and myths. We don't accept original fairy tales or stories outside of our current theme. These are the known upcoming themes: #4.    Perseus and Medusa (Submission window open Feb. 8 - March 23, 2015) Additional Rules:  Length: Up to 2,000 words. Under 1,500 preferred. Genres:  Please be creative! We love to see modernizations, sci-fi retellings, continuations, mash-ups, etc. Just no eroticism, please (see Content section). Formatting: Please put your story's title and the author's name in the file name of your submission. Example: "Pandora's Choice by Zeus Smith.doc". Too often, we'll get a ton of submisions all labled "Pandoras Box.doc" and it makes it harder to keep track of them.  ​ Want to know what makes an A+ fairy tale retelling?, HERE is my blog post about it. Content: While Timeless Tales is not targeted specifically at children, it is a fairly conservative magazine, especially when it comes to sexual content, so I intend to keep the stories in the PG-13 range or below. However, I have a deep appreciation for the darker side of many original fairy tales, so don’t assume I only want “happy” stories. Pay Rate: At the moment, we’re just starting out and budget is tight, so we will pay a flat rate of $15 per story accepted, but we hope to increase this amount in the future. You'll also get a free year of our premium subscription. 1.    We do NOT accept multiple submissions. 2.    We DO accept reprints as long as the author has the rights to the story. But please include in your cover letter the details of where and when the story was previously published. 3.    We DO accept simultaneous submissions, but please notify us by email immediately if your story has been accepted elsewhere. If you have a question, please us the contact form at the bottom...

Deadline: March 31st, 2015 Payment: Fiction and nonfiction alike, we will pay $0.01/word (1 cent a word) USD. For poetry, we offer a flat rate of $5 USD per accepted piece; for artwork, $40 ($60 for cover art) Kaleidotrope is currently open to submissions until March 31, 2015. Kaleidotrope tends very heavily towards the speculative — towards science fiction, fantasy, and horror — but we like an eclectic mix and are therefore always eager to read interesting work that blurs these lines, falls outside of neat genre categories. Man does not live on space ships, elves, and ghostly ax murderers alone, after all. We’d suggest looking through the archives to familiarize yourself with the zine, and/or checking out other work by our past contributors, to get a sense of what we’re looking for and what we like. In the end, what we want is interesting, sometimes unconventional work, well-written stories and poems that surprise and amuse us, shock and disturb us, that tell us things we didn’t know or reveal old truths in brand new ways. We want strange visions of distant shores, of imaginary countries and ordinary people, and work that doesn’t lose sight of entertainment and the joy of good writing. Fiction We have no maximum word limit, although anything over 10,000 words may be a tougher sell. We do like well-crafted flash fiction, too, although preferably not under 250 words. Poetry We will consider all forms. Humor is encouraged, if tricky. Rhyming is not actively discouraged — done well, it can be terrific — but be careful about overly simple, sing-song-like structures. Individual haiku, or other very short poems, may be a tougher sell. Nonfiction We want essays, memoirs, creative nonfiction, thoughtful criticism. In past issues, we have featured essays on popular culture — from Transformersto fembots...

Deadline: March 31st, 2015 Payment: $0.01/word and Contributor's Copy Our journey continues… World Weaver Press has agreed to publish a second volume of the Far Orbit science fiction adventure series. We are once again looking for modern space adventures crafted in the Grand Tradition. We are not looking for slavish imitations of past classics. Rather, we would like to receive stories that establish a new tradition in the much maligned Scifi adventure genera — smart, modern stories built around the classic traditions. We are looking for adventure stories that are creative, readable, and memorable. We are also looking for midnight indulgences; exciting stories that transport you from the everyday grind and leave you wondrously satisfied. All adventure-based sci-fi genera are welcome but stay away from fantasy elements unless they are genetically engineered or cybernetic. Stories can begin on Earth but the major action should happen out there, beyond the edges of our blue marble. Dystopia (Mad Max) and fantasy-like adventures (John Carter of Mars) have to be very special to be included in this anthology. Please, no fan fiction. Because adventure stories often take more space to develop, World Weaver Press is accepting stories up to 10,000 words in length. Previously published stories are acceptable but we will not publish stories that have been previously anthologized. Want to know more about the editor’s preferences? Check out the links at the bottom of this post or pick up a copy of the first volume of Far Orbit. Rights and compensation: Payment: $0.01/word. All contributors will receive a paperback copy of the anthology. For previously unpublished works: Seeking first world rights in English and exclusive rights to publish in print and electronic format for twelve months after publication date after which publisher retains nonexclusive right to continue to publish for a term. For reprints: Seeking non-exclusive right to...

Deadline: March 31st, 2015 Payment: 3 cents per word Another Dimension Magazine is the evolution of Wily Writers Speculative Fiction Podcast. It has a more focused theme, that of classic-style Horror and Dark Fantasy, as seen on the television shows Night Gallery and The Twilight Zone, produced and often written by Rod Serling. We are doing blatant homage to these wonderful contributions to these genres. We'll release issues quarterly in both text and audio formats. What We're Looking For We've identified elements that we're looking for in the stories we'll buy: An interesting and well-thought-out lead character, first and foremost. Supernatural elements or alternate reality/history. The genres of either Horror or Dark Fantasy. The various subgenres of Horror are perfectly acceptable, such as SciFi Horror. A commentary on the world we live in (however metaphorically). Say something with your story. A surprising climax. Take us by surprise, if you can. Impressive imagination -- show us a different culture or an alternate world. Submission Requirements Submissions need to follow the guidelines listed below. IMPORTANT: Name your file so that it makes sense. An impressive filename for a fiction submission is: (lastname)-(word from title).RTF Word count: 1000 - 3000 (Firm. Do not query). Use standard manuscript formatting. (more info) Simultaneous submissions to other publishers are okay. Do not submit more than once to the same issue. You may submit only one story to each issue. Gore, sex, and adult language okay, but make sure it improves the story. Use good grammar, double-check your punctuation, and run a spell-check. We prefer Chicago Manual of Style rules, and we will reject it if it's a mess, even if it's an amazing story. If you're bad at grammar and spelling, then hire an editor or bribe a friend with cookies to help you before you...

Deadline: March 31, 2015 Payment: 1% royalty share of the profits from both the kickstarter and on-going sales, plus 2 comp copies and a 50% discount on purchased copies Whether you’re talking about the wild frontier, the Final Frontier, the literary frontier, or all three at once, The Weird Wild West edited by Misty Massey, Emily Lavin Leverett, and Margaret S. McGraw pushes those boundaries. This collection takes all those things you love about genre fiction and marries it to that western grit we cut our teeth on as kids with classics like The Lone Ranger, Kung Fu, and The Wild Wild West. Thank you for helping us make this project happen! SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: All submissions should be in Times New Roman, 12 point, in .doc or .docx format. Stories should be between 3,000 and 9,000 words. No multiple or simultaneous submissions, and please, no reprints. We seek stories of the Wild West in all its glory but with that delicious left turn into weirdness. The stories must be related to, inspired by, or set in a Western setting, whether on Earth, in a fantasy world, or on another planet. Let your imagination run free figuring out what dangers the frontier folk might face from magic or science (or both!) A couple of disclaimers here – we’re definitely not looking for hard erotica. If there’s sexual behavior in your story that drives the plot along, that’s fine. If the only point to your story is sex, please reconsider submitting it. eSpec Books and its editors do not support the marginalization or discrimination of any individual or group due to any trait, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, age, gender, or orientation. We seek to produce fiction that is respectful and in good taste. While individual characters in that fiction...

Deadline: March 31st, 2015 Prizes: Amazon gift cards and Inkitt custom mugs. The first place winner will also get a custom poster spotlighting their story! Readers, be on your toes, too: there's an Amazon gift card up for grabs for one lucky reviewer! Write a horror story that has people running for cover! What is Inkitt? Inkitt is a free platform for writers to cultivate ideas and watch their stories grow. On our site, users collaborate with fellow writers and readers to give each other feedback and improve their work. Inkitt wants to help writers get the exposure they deserve and the publishing deals they covet without suffering the frustrations and bias of traditional printing and selfpublishing. What is the theme of the horror contest? "Running Scared: The Most Terrifying Tale Ever Told." In the tradition of classic horror flicks and monster movies, we want the freakiest, flashiest fiction you can come up with. Make us scream! What are the guidelines? Frightening fiction up to 15,000 words. Entries must be posted on the Inkitt contest page to be considered eligible. The contest opens on March 3rd and closes on March 31st . It is free to enter , and authors will retain all rights to all work submitted. Authors will collect community votes, and the first, second, and third place winners will be chosen by Inkitt’s guest judges (horror authors J.D. Horn , Armand Rosamilia , and J. Thorn ) from the top 10% of entries. What are the prizes? All entrants will have the chance to show their work to a growing community of authors and readers hungry for high-quality fiction and win the following prizes: 1st Prize:  $25 Amazon gift card, customized movie poster (and high-resolution .pdf file) spotlighting the winner’s story, Inkitt custom mug, custom cover design for the Inkitt story of their choice (created by Inkitt’s designer). 2nd Prize:  $20...

Deadline: March 31st, 2015 Payment: 1 cent per word We are looking for stories 500-8000 words in length about the end of the world, in whatever form it takes. These stories will be published in our anthology, Selfies from the End of the World: Historical Accounts of the Apocalypse. We will accept submissions from March 1st through March 31st. The stories must include the following elements: The World Must End: At the very minimum, we’re looking for a catastrophic collapse of human civilization. The end of the world can either take place in the story or, in the case of post-apocalyptic tales, it can take place before the start of your story. It Must Be First Person: There must be a narrator that is telling the story as though they have experienced it. It does not need to have mad science in it at all. Though we are not requiring it, we would also love stories that feature protagonists or settings that are outside of what we typically see in mainstream fiction. We don’t want to just publish a couple dozen stories about straight white men in the ruins of the United States. We would also like to collect stories from a wide range of authors, including authors with little to no publishing history and authors from traditionally underrepresented groups. All our other submission guidelines still apply, particularly the request for Standard Manuscript Format. We will not be accepting reprints. Payment will be 1-cent a word. How To Send It You will want to send it through our submission form on Submishmash: http://madscientistjournal.submishmash.com/submit Questions? Queries can be sent to [email protected]. Via: Mad Scientist Journal.