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Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Payment: Fiction: 10 cents a word, Poetry: $50 Theme: Anansi stories Note: Black female-identifying and Black gender-fluid authors only Submissions for the Fall 2024 Issue are now open. Theme: Anansi stories. Submissions for this issue will be reserved for Black female-identifying and Black gender-fluid writers. To learn more, scroll below to our Fall 2024 information. To be alerted about future submissions calls, please follow our Facebook page or subscribe to our newsletter. —— Please read carefully below for our editorial aesthetic, rights information, AI policy, and guidelines. The aesthetic: My editorial tastes mainly align with the original vision of The Green Sheaf: I love folklore, fairy tales, mythology, and the mystical. I also enjoy the speculative, the darkly fantastical, folk horror, the weird/numinous, the surreal/strange, the gothic, and magical realism/slipstream. Furthermore, I love poetic language, exquisite prose, and lush imagery. My favorite authors of short fiction include Angela Carter, K-Ming Chang, Carmen Maria Machado, Angela Buck, María Fernanda Ampuero, Agustina Bazterrica, Gwendolyn Kiste, Jamaica Kincaid, Sheree Renée Thomas, Nalo Hopkinson, Caroline Yoachim, Karen Russell, Ramona Ausubel, Kelly Link, Aimee Bender, Barbara Molinard, Leonora Carrington, Italo Calvino, Jorge Luis Borges, and Gabriel García Márquez, among others. I love the films of Robert Eggers, Federico Fellini, Tim Burton, and Guillermo del Toro. I’m also haunted by The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Transport me with your words. AI Policy: We will not accept AI-generated work. Rights: We request first North American serial rights—which will revert to you immediately on publication—and non-exclusive rights to archive your work electronically. __________ Call for Submissions: Fall 2024 Issue Our Fall 2024 issue will publish Black female-identifying and Black gender-fluid writers only. Theme: Anansi stories Because of Pamela Colman Smith’s deep love of Afro-Caribbean folklore and especially Anansi, I would love to see your...

Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Payment: $25 for accepted short stories and $10 for accepted poetry.  Theme: Cozy reads, any genre (maybe not horror.) These are works without explicit or gratuitous scenes of sex, violence, or gore. Rainy Weather Days is looking for submissions for our second volume—expected to be published October 31, 2024!    Our magazine, founded in 2024, isn’t just another literary magazine. We focus on polished and grounded works of prose and poetry that are enjoyable to read. Our focus is on cozy reads. These are works without explicit or gratuitous scenes of sex, violence, or gore. We value artistic expression! We are looking for works that are daring, even challenging, but not so experimental to the point of overwhelming the narrative. Also, as part of our idea of “cozy,” we use easy-on-the-eyes fonts sized 16–18pt! Our digital releases will come in several convenient formats as well, including e-reader formats. We plan to release digital and print versions of our magazine on a quarterly basis—our first issue (July 2024) releases July 31! We may release some free online or online-only stories on our website from time to time as well (authors will be asked beforehand for permission for an online release.)   Prose: We will consider prose of length 1,500–15,000 words.  Please format prose manuscripts with 12–18pt font, preferably Times New Roman, New Courier, or Garamond. Otherwise, please use a standard manuscript format (Examples at https://www.shunn.net/format/story/.) Please submit in .doc or .docx formats (Word) or in .odt format (Libreoffice.) Poetry: Please limit submissions to a maximum of 10 poems, one poem per page. Please format with 12–18pt font, preferably Times New Roman, New Courier, or Garamond. Please submit in .doc, .docx, .odt, or .pdf formats. Please include a cover letter! Tell us about yourself and what your piece means to you...

Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Payment: .08 per word Theme: A 100-word Speculative fiction (science fiction or fantasy) story with the idea of "Run!" Theme – RUN! We’re excited to announce our August/September submission period will include a theme: RUN! You can submit one story to the themed submission and one to the general submission (for a total of two submissions). We hope this format sparks some new ideas and wonderful stories while still giving our writers the chance to send us their best work. Now what are we looking for with RUN? We’re looking for anything and everything! We’re open to any take on the theme. You can be running from bigfoot, running for mayor, strutting down a runway, or anything in between—just make sure you do it in 100 words. Submissions are open August 15 through September 15. Please submit via the following two Google forms: RUN! Themed Submissions Un-Themed Submissions What do we want? Speculative fiction (science fiction or fantasy) Note: We accept horror, but it must have a speculative element, whether science fiction or fantasy. Drabbles (100-word stories EXACTLY) Note: We calculate word count using Microsoft Word. If using Google Docs, please manually count your words. It has a truly baffling definition of a word (e.g., “1,000” = 2 words). Actual, complete stories Even though they’re only 100-words, drabbles still need all the essential elements of a story: character, setting, conflict, theme, and plot. What do we NOT want? Child abuse (of any type) Erotica Rape Revenge stories Hateful content All the details Simultaneous submissions: Yes! Go crazy. Submit everywhere! But if it is accepted elsewhere, please let us know. Response time: Responses will be within 60 days. Please query after this time. Multiple submissions: For the upcoming submission period, you may submit one themed submission (RUN!) and one general/un-themed submission (for a total of two stories). Note: Only one story will be accepted per author...

Deadline: September 22nd, 2024 Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints Theme: Stories featuring Achilles Note: Reprints Welcome Flame Tree are bringing you a brand new gorgeous hardcover series brimming with myths and short stories. Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales. New and emerging writers from open submissions, reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well-known stories, alongside specially commissioned text on the origins and the cultural background of the mythology. The first four books in the series are Medusa, Odin, Circe and Anansi. We're now opening up submissions for the next two books, Achilles and Morgana le Fay. Achilles Achilles, the great warrior of the Trojan War, was considered the epitome of heroism in Greek mythology. His bravery in combat is famously depicted in Homer’s Iliad, but every hero has their flaws. Authors from classical times all the way through to late Antiquity and the modern era have interpreted his character in a multitude of ways, and this latest book will look at the man behind the myth. There is much to explore, from his exploits in the war and interactions with Agamemnon, Patroclus, Hector and more, back to his early days as an infant dipped into the River Styx, exposing one vulnerable heel. Stories submitted for consideration need to explore new or expanded angles to the character: have him follow alternative paths, present different viewpoints, give deeper background, or perhaps pursue story lines that are hinted at in the original tales and poetry. Submissions to: [email protected]   Terms:...

Deadline: September 22nd, 2024 Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints Theme: Stories featuring Morgana le Fay Note: Reprints Welcome Flame Tree are bringing you a brand new gorgeous hardcover series brimming with myths and short stories. Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales. New and emerging writers from open submissions, reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well-known stories, alongside specially commissioned text on the origins and the cultural background of the mythology. The first four books in the series are Medusa, Odin, Circe and Anansi. We're now opening up submissions for the next two books, Achilles and Morgana le Fay. Morgana le Fay Morgana le Fay is a mysterious figure of Arthurian legend, found in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Le Morte d'Arthur and a number of other accounts. She is often seen in the context of the men in those myths – a half-sister of King Arthur, a jilted lover of Lancelot, a foil of Merlin – and yet is an extremely powerful character herself. She has deep roots in Celtic mythology and offers a fascinating canvas to be explored. Well known for her magical abilities, including shape-shifting, her complex character oscillates between benevolent healer and malevolent sorceress. Her relationship with Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is marked by both familial loyalty and deep-seated enmity, making her one of the most enigmatic and multifaceted figures in the Arthurian mythos. Stories submitted for consideration need to explore new angles to the character: have her follow alternative...

Deadline: September 22nd, 2024 Payment: Artwork: Cover $250, Interior: $50, Creative Non-Fiction & Fiction: 10 cents per word, Poetry: $50 per page, Reprints: 2 cents per word Theme: No set theme or genre as long, though they lean towards any aspect of environmental justice, from food sovereignty to ocean plastics to industrial cleanup to Indigenous rights Reckoning 9 is open for general submissions! There is no specific theme for this issue; if your work concerns any aspect of environmental justice, from food sovereignty to ocean plastics to industrial cleanup to Indigenous rights, we want to see it. In fact, we look forward most eagerly to perspectives none of us has thought of. Please help us learn and understand. The editors for the issue will be C.G. Aubrey, Priya Chand, and Catherine Rockwood, with help and support from the rest of the wonderful and brilliant Reckoning staff. As always, we are seeking art, poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction up to 20,000 words in length, in particular from Indigenous, Black, Brown, queer, trans, disabled, neurodivergent and/or otherwise marginalized writers and artists from everywhere, and we pay $50/page for poetry and art, 10c/word for prose. Deadline for this issue is the solar equinox, September 22, 2024. We’re always open to submissions. There are never any fees to submit. We pay SFWA-qualifying “professional” rates upon acceptance; click below to see how much for different kinds of work. Response time has ranged from one to six months and is slowest October through January, when we’re putting together a new issue and editors for the following issue have not been chosen. We’re currently reading for Reckoning 9. Issue editors and specific guidelines are here. To see what we’re looking for, try Reckoning 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, the special issues, the podcast, the interviews, or even LCRW 33. The short version: creative writing and art about environmental justice. We are always seeking work...

Deadline: September 27th, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Speculative Coffee-themed stories Because we KNOW how many of us drink the stuff—we’re going to need TWO volumes of this one. The perfect cuppa joe. The nectar of the gods. The safety liquid you hand your partner in the morning. We love the stuff, and can’t get enough. But how did we FIND that flavorful bean? We invite our authors to visit our favorite coffee merchant, King Harv’s Coffee, and pick a variety from his amazing list. Then write a fantastical story about the detective work, the journey, the adventure of finding the oh-so-perfect plant. Don’t limit yourself to this planet! OR SF! Sword and Sorcery works too! From Dave at King Harv’s Coffee: It all began when we took over the dome at the old South Pole station for  the use as a coffee greenhouse.  As you undoubtedly well know, the coffee was banned from world trade to by that ridiculous Antarctic treaty, and it became clear to us that coffee grown on alternate planets and celestial objects was the only thing that made economic sense. Shockingly this has never been reported on in the main stream media! Opens: 7/27/24 Closes: 9/27/24 Contracts: 10/12/24 Publication: 11/08/24 Guidelines for all our anthologies: 5,000 to 8,000 words. Length and genre are negotiable, as long as the story fits the concept, and is entertaining. Any submission must be in Times New Roman (preferred, but you can use Georgian or other readable font), 12PT, double spaced, with your name, title of the story, and your email on it. Name the file as -—. Send it in a .docx format as an attachment—no links. Refer to the submission guideline graphic below for how to format your story—It has all the information you need! Feel free to download it...

Deadline: September 29th, 2024 Payment: 8 cents per word up to $400 Theme: No restrictions on genre (seeking all types of stories; fiction and creative nonfiction) Note: Must be subscribed (free) to the magazine in order to submit, no submission fee.) SUBMISSIONS TO OUR MONTHLY MAGAZINE ARE CURRENTLY OPEN THROUGH SEPTEMBER 29TH, READ THE GUIDELINES BELOW CAREFULLY - FAILURE TO ADHERE TO OUR RULES MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION, AND WHO WANTS THAT? Please note that we have additional perks and leeway for MEMBERS, highlighted in GREEN. Your membership not only gives you a leg up in the submission process, but helps keep the lights on (and pay our talented writers). Why submit to us? - WE PAY WRITERS FAIRLY. It’s hard work writing good stories, and you deserve to get paid. Or maybe you don’t and you’re just duping us? Regardless, we pay 8 cents a word for stories up to 2,500 words. Stories longer than this are capped at $200 payment ($400 for MEMBERS). - NO SUBMISSION FEES. We’re not saying the other guys are getting rich off $3 per submission, but there’s something about the idea that we, as writers, have you pay you, the publisher, just for the privilege of rejecting our work with a form letter, bothers us. (Costs of running an E-zine aside) We’re going to go ahead and coin a phrase right here and now - ‘Write privilege’, get it? Of course, you do. - GET YOUR WORK IN FRONT OF A LARGE AND GROWING AUDIENCE. Our aim is fixed on telling good stories, period, and because of that we have built a massive readership from all over the globe. Want to get your stories out to more than just dear old nana? Then you've come to the right place. - REASONABLE TURN-AROUND TIME. If you haven't heard from us within 90 days, then your story was rejected....

Deadline: September 29th, 2024 Payment: 8 cents a word for stories up to 2,500 words. Stories longer than this are capped at $200 payment Theme: Any genre, good stories, measured both by the quality of the writing and the skill in storytelling. We prefer prose that elicits emotion: make us laugh or cry, think or consider, anything on the edges or in between. SUBMISSIONS TO OUR MONTHLY MAGAZINE ARE CURRENTLY OPEN THROUGH SEPTEMBER 29TH, READ THE GUIDELINES BELOW CAREFULLY - FAILURE TO ADHERE TO OUR RULES MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION, AND WHO WANTS THAT? Please note that we have additional perks and leeway for MEMBERS, highlighted in GREEN. Your membership not only gives you a leg up in the submission process, but helps keep the lights on (and pay our talented writers). Why submit to us? - WE PAY WRITERS FAIRLY. It’s hard work writing good stories, and you deserve to get paid. Or maybe you don’t and you’re just duping us? Regardless, we pay 8 cents a word for stories up to 2,500 words. Stories longer than this are capped at $200 payment ($400 for MEMBERS). - NO SUBMISSION FEES. We’re not saying the other guys are getting rich off $3 per submission, but there’s something about the idea that we, as writers, have you pay you, the publisher, just for the privilege of rejecting our work with a form letter, bothers us. (Costs of running an E-zine aside) We’re going to go ahead and coin a phrase right here and now - ‘Write privilege’, get it? Of course, you do. - GET YOUR WORK IN FRONT OF A LARGE AND GROWING AUDIENCE. Our aim is fixed on telling good stories, period, and because of that we have built a massive readership from all over the globe. Want to get your stories out to more than just dear old nana?...

Deadline: September 30th, 2024 Payment: $5 Theme: Horror taking place in the suburbs Owning your own home is a dream come true for so many people. But.. What if your HOA just happens to be comprised of Satan's minions? What if your next door neighbor is batshit, tits-out loony tunes? What if the amazing house in that idyllic, leafy subdivision you just bought was actually built on an ancient Indian burial ground? All hell breaks loose. Literally. HellBound Books wants your most horrific stories of HOAs from Hell, horrific neighbors, terrifying properties, and everything else that goes along with the wonderfully human experience of owning your own home. PLEASE read and adhere to our submission guidelines...  * Word format saved in .doc, or .docx * 12 pt times new roman * Double spaced * Absolutely NO extra lines between paragraphs! * 4K-10K word count * Write 'SUBURBAN' along with your name and story title in the header of your email *The body of your submission email will be considered the cover letter. * The submission documents are to be separated and Word (.doc or .docx) documents are to be attached to your submission email. To submit, email your polished story to [email protected] - Make sure that you check your mss for grammar and punctuation, use our guidelines to help you: DOWNLOAD YOUR HBB GUIDE TO GRAMMAR HERE (PDF) Deadline: 30 September 2024 NO REPRINTS - ORIGINAL UNPUBLISHED WORKS ONLY Payment - $5.00 for first rights. Capped at 100K words in total. Via: Hellbound Books Publishing.