Events

Submission Window: April 1st - 30th, 2025 Payment: Stories: 10¢ per word, Poems: $50, Drabbles: $50 Theme: Weird westerns that are pulpy, unexpected, character-driven stories written by women Women of the Weird West Publisher: Brigids Gate Press Editor: KC Grifant Release Date: Planned for June 16 th , 2026 What We Are Seeking Traditionally, women authors have been vastly underrepresented in westerns and weird westerns, so this anthology will highlight diverse women-identifying authors and non-binary authors and their speculative western short stories. We are looking for original Weird West stories. These should be generally set in what approximates the “Old West” location and timeframe (North America circa late 1800s) and should have a strong speculative element, such as horror, fantasy and/or sci-fi. We are most interested in pulpy, unexpected, character-driven stories and are open to some weird westerns set outside the typical historical time period and setting (e.g., space westerns) as long as there are strong Old West aesthetics and inspiration. The goal of this anthology is to showcase a diverse group of Old West stories beyond the typical archetypes. We strongly encourage women, women-identifying and nonbinary writers of all backgrounds to submit regardless of writing experience. We are interested in showcasing emerging writers as well as established writers for this anthology. Potential Inspirations/vibes Prey, The Warrior (TV series), The Harder They Fall, Godless, Power of the Dog, The Winds, The Quick and the Dead, Back to the Future 3, Dead in the West, Jonah Hex, The Dark Tower, Deadlands, The Good, The Bad & the Uncanny: Tales of a Very Weird West Submission Window April 1, 2025 through April 30, 2025 Word Count Stories: Up to 5,000 words. No minimum length. 2,000 words is an ideal target. Poems: Up to 32 lines Drabbles: 100 words Compensation Stories: 10¢ per...

Deadline: April 30th, 2025 Payment: Stories with 5000 to 7999 words will earn $5. Stories with 8000 to 12000 words will earn $10. Theme: Stories that revolve around food being central to the plot Based on the interest we have had in our previous speculative-fiction anthologies, the team here at PurpleToga want to start something different this time around. Food and meals are central to all cultures. So, this time we are looking for stories where food is a central or pivotal element to the plot. Is it the Last Supper? Court intrigue using poison? This means that all of the stories must have a meal or dish as part of their central theme, and as usual we prefer stories that fall under the speculative fiction umbrella. Think of how food has been a big part of literature. Where would Snow White be without the apple (or Adam and Eve)? In movies like Thor: The Dark World you have Dr. Strange offered tea and Thor responded he doesn’t drink it and got a big (self-refilling) mug of beer. Where would Star Trek: The Next Generation be without “Earl Grey, hot”? Think of all the meals in the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings, or how Rincewind fantasizes about potatoes. How much Turkish Delight was a factor in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. These are the kinds of food connections that we are looking for. A recipe for the key element (or one of the dishes if it is a meal – failing that the full menu) would be appreciated. The submission deadlines is 30 April 2025 (to be published around the US Thanksgiving 2025) Subscribe here to learn about future submission calls. Submission Guidelines There is a preferred length is between 5,000 to 12,000 words. Other lengths considered at publisher’s discretion....

Deadline: April 30th, 2025 Payment: $10.00 USD and a contributor copy Theme: Superhero stories featuring heroic feats of derring-do in the face of immeasurable evil Oddity Prodigy Productions is proud to announce that we are open for submissions on our latest anthology: Where Legends Walk! These superhero stories will be an exciting tribute to extraordinary feats in the day-to-day. There is a planned Kickstarter to cover publishing costs. Publishing date and distribution is as yet undecided. The deadline for submissions is April 30, 2025. WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR Look to the skies! Have you ever wondered what it would be like to leave the bonds of earth and soar through the clouds? Do you have a tale of glory, justice and honor waiting to be unleashed? In our follow up to the Utopian world of Bright Mirror, Oddity Prodigy is proud to announce our newest project, Where Legends Walk, An Anthology of Superhero Stories. We are looking for your best stories featuring heroic feats of derring-do in the face of immeasurable evil. So channel your inner hero, lace up your boots, and join us in the fight for justice. If you need direction or inspiration, we recommend delving into the world of comics of all genres. We will be looking at the full range of stories, from Golden Age of mystery men such as the Justice Society of America, Silver Age of heroes like the Fantastic Four, the Bronze Age wonders like the New Gods, the grime and grit of the Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns, all the way through to the Modern Age.  WHAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR We aren’t looking for fan fiction, stories using existing properties, extreme violence, brutality, or parody. Some sexual content is ok, but nothing too graphic or excessive. We will NOT consider stories that...

Deadline: April 30th, 2025 Payment: $2,000 advance with 25% Royalties upon completion and final approval of the manuscript Theme: Medieval Horror Medieval Horror Novel Proposals Sentinel Creatives is now accepting book proposals for 2025 in the genre of Medieval Horror. Deadline for Submissions: 30 April 2025 Proposal Pagecount: 1–2 pages Remuneration: $2,000 advance with 25% Royalties upon completion and final approval of the manuscript Novel Length: 50,000–75,000 words   We do not expect the proposed novel to be completed or even started yet. This is an opportunity to pitch your idea and work with us to bring it to life.  WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR We’re looking for original weird tales set in the medieval period that explore the human (and inhuman) experience through the lens of horror. WHAT TO INCLUDE A 1–2 page pitch for your novel. A 2–3 page sample of your writing (from a current work-in- progress or a previously published piece). A list of books and/or movies you think your novel might be similar to, draw inspiration from, or share an audience with. Some Ideas to Explore: A co-mingling of plague and cosmic horror A Lovecraftian twist on the numinous (what exactly were those voices Joan of Arc was hearing?) Go epic in scale: The Crusader States at War/The Norman Conquest/The Wendish Crusade Adapting folklore & myth: Prester John and his mythical kingdom of Christians amidst pagans and Muslims in the East… with a twist. An ill-fated incident during the Children’s Crusade—what happened to those who followed a goat into the dark forests of Europe, never to be heard from again? TROPES AND THEMES While we are looking for innovative, fresh ideas, don’t be afraid to adopt some more familiar horror tropes as a springboard for your story. The “small town horror” or Stephen King’s “The Peculiar Little Town” trope hasn’t been widely explored in medieval horror literature (though it has seen some...

Submission Window: March 1st - April 30th, 2025 Payment: $10 Theme: Stories of any genre by writers who identify with and as any of the following descriptors: trans, two-spirit, disabled, neurodivergent, Mad, queer, crip, nonbinary, genderqueer, intersex. We welcome submissions by those who identify with and as any of the following descriptors: trans, two-spirit, disabled, neurodivergent, Mad, queer, crip, nonbinary, genderqueer, intersex. This is a space for the words, works, and worlds of and by those whose bodyminds defy social expectations and invite new ways of thinking and knowing. We do not need to know the specifics of your identity/diagnosis/experience unless you want us to. We invite closeted and questioning people to share their work, as well as those whose experiences fall outside the confines of the language we used above. We welcome submissions from creators of all ages. We particularly encourage unpublished/emerging/young creators to submit. If you know an incarcerated/institutionalized creator who would like to submit, email us for information as to where to mail the submission, or clearly indicate in your message that you are submitting on their behalf. We publish on a quarterly schedule, with issues coming out on: February 15 May 15 August 15 November 15 We are open for all submissions EXCEPT during publication months. That is to say, we are open for submissions January, March, April, June, July, September, October, and December. Things to note This is a leftist magazine. We hate capitalism, “america,” cops, prisons, borders, neoliberalism, and all the rest. We don’t tolerate white supremacy, zionism, cisheterosexism, ableism, transmisogyny, xenophobia, fatphobia, intersexism, and anti-sex worker sentiment here. We reserve the right to reject and/or remove content from creators whose work does not align with our values. We do not tolerate AI-generated or -assisted submissions. Anyone found to be using AI will have their content immediately rejected/removed...

Deadline: April 30th, 2025 Payment: 1500-4000=$10, 4001-75000=$20 Theme: Horror that involves food Arbutus Studios is planning our first prose horror anthology, “Consumed” for publication in 2025. The anthology’s title alludes to a central theme of food and eating. Itching to tell a twisted cannibal tale? Have a unique take on zombies? Cursed birthday cakes? All the above are in line with what we’re looking for. What we want For this anthology, Arbutus Studios seeks original horror stories that fit snugly within the imagery, concept, and theme of food. Tales submitted to Consumed can encompass more than one horror subgenre or blend other speculative genres into the narrative. We want to read stories we can’t put down, and thoughtful tales that linger with you long after the final page. Original, compelling stories will grab our attention. Retreads of familiar horror clichés will be privately mocked, and the tales sent straight to hell. We want to see interesting characters, unique worlds, and unsettling atmosphere. Surprise us. Scare us. Tickle our imagination. Arbutus Studios will automatically reject stories with extreme gore or stories that glorify sexual violence, child abuse, cruelty to animals, body-shaming, or other deviant behaviour. AI Statement Arbutus Studios does not accept submissions written, developed, or assisted by AI tools such as ChatGPT. We want stories created and written by real, living human beings. Any attempts to submit AI-assisted work will result in a permanent ban from future submissions to Arbutus Studios. Submissions All submissions must be emailed to [email protected] Please structure your email subject line as follows: Your story title/Your name/Horror anthology. Stories must be between 1,500 and 7,500 words in length. Submissions falling outside either end of this range will be automatically rejected. For reference, hyphenated words will be counted as one word and paragraph breaks are not included in word counts. Submission...

Deadline: April 30th, 2025 Payment: $25 and a contributor's copy Theme: Welcome to Bellflower, a sleepy (fictional) Nevada town where nothing much happens. Well, except for the influx of tourists asking about Area 51, which lies to the southwest, and the annual UFO festival, which happens every August. For years, man watched the skies. In Bellflower…the skies watched back. We're looking for submissions that take place during or around this festival, a town-wide event where locals dress up, set up telescopes, take tourists on shady desert tours, and stay up all hours of the night, hoping for a glimpse of something from the great beyond. Additional InformationAll stories should take place in the 1980s. So keep this in mind with the technology you feature. The stories should lean more into the horror genre but can be horror/sci-fi. They should include an alien encounter of some kind and mention the annual UFO festival in Bellflower, but they don’t have to take place at the UFO festival. Anywhere in the general vicinity (see map) is acceptable as long as it ties back to Bellflower somehow. For example, it could be a family road trip to Vegas along the Extraterrestrial Hwy and one of their stops is Bellflower, etc. Some other examples could include but are not limited to: a slumber party kids in a treehouse mysterious rock falls from sky weird goo in water flashing lights in the sky getting lost in the nature reserve after hours and experiencing something weird encounters with the eccentric “townspeople” of Bellflower themselves Military run-ins You name it. Think outside the box. There will be several rounds of editing and this phase is important. Submitters must be committed to help in the editing process. Make sure that you upload your document as a WORD document (.doc...

Deadline: April 30th, 2025 Payment: $20 and a contributor copy for US authors or $35 for non-US authors Theme: "Classic" monsters creature feature story (think all of the old Universal Monsters for inspiration.) Note: Reprints welcome Strange Legacy: 2025 (Creature Feature) is actually a continuation of the Strange Aeon anthology series. We are going in a slightly different direction this year thematically with a bit of a break from purely cosmic horror and focusing instead on the creatures, both traditional and original. The editorial style will remain the same. As usual, these style preferences apply to gore and sex as well: think early Weird Tales, no excessive language or explicit sexual references. (You do not have to remove all profanity from your submission—I can read around it—but, if your story is accepted, you will be required to remove it from the final version.) The theme of this year’s anthology is the “classic” monster story—from old favorites like vampires and werewolves to Lovecraftian creatures to the byproducts of insane science experiments. That being said, please send anything you consider a good story. Feel free to query for any questions. If you are planning to write a story especially for this anthology, by all means query the idea first. I am especially interested in stories of mad science, monster-based horror, weird western, and stories that “peel the onion.” Indeed, I cannot emphasize strongly enough the need for these categories. Victoriana and Lovecraft era period pieces will have a much harder time finding acceptance. For this anthology I’m asking for non-exclusive rights and will happily take reprints. Simply tell me the publication history so that I can give proper copyright acknowledgement. I will prioritize original stories over reprints and older, more obscure reprints over more recent ones. Simultaneous and multiple submissions are acceptable; please...

Deadline: April 30th, 2025 Payment: 1 cent per word and a contributors copy Theme: Creature Feature with the premise of situations where something is being sought out by a person/group. My first foray into horror was creature features. Growing up, I loved movies that involved monsters: Them!, Godzilla, The Birds, Swamp Thing, Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Fly, and many more. Pair that with my background in anthropology and biology, and it’s a Petri dish of ingredients bound to spawn new terrors. What better way to celebrate the second year of Inky Bones Press than to publish an anthology based on the subjects that inspired me to both love and write horror. I can’t wait to read your twists and interpretations of the requirements lurking below. What horrors will you unleash? Theme: Situations where something is being sought out by a person/group. They could be grave robbers, treasure hunters, archaeologists, cryptozoologists, entomologists, biologists, hide-and-seek fanatics, anything you choose—as long as their plans go awry. Get weird and creative! Must Include: Bones: you can mention the word itself or be more specific. Ex: spine, skull, vertebrae, ribs, skeleton A creature of your choice: tiny, monstrous, an alien—just make sure it’s scary! Genres: Horror | Science Fiction | Fantasy Applicable horror sub-genres of the above Type & Length of Work: 1,500-3,500 words Short story (English only) Release: Late 2025/Early 2026: date to be determined Submission dates: Opens: March 1, 2025 Deadline: April 30, 2025 (11:59pm EST) Payment: Semi-Pro: 1c/word Contributor copy E-book copy I’m looking for: Examples: Action/Adventure Horror, Creature Horror, Dark Fantasy, Dark Fiction, Dystopian, Gothic, Historical, Paranormal, Science Fiction Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural, Vampire, Zombie, etc. Scares, creepy vibes, nightmare fuel, unease, monsters, and fear—just to name a few. Make me afraid to turn off the lights when I go to sleep! I’m NOT looking for: Hate-based stories, extreme horror, splatterpunk, rape,...

Submission Window: April 1st- 30th, 2025 Payment: Fiction: 4 cents per word for original works, and 1/2 cent per word for reprints. Poetry: $25 flat fee for any poem. Non-Fiction: $40. $150 for cover artwork. Theme: Speculative fiction, poetry, and non-fiction of all kinds with a particular fondness for slipstream and fabulism in all their delightful forms Trollbreath Magazine is a journal of speculative fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, publishing electronic issues on a quarterly schedule. Our interests are as varied as the endless amount of genres, from dark fantasy to hope punk to surrealism, and everything in between. We have a particular fondness for slipstream and fabulism in all their delightful forms, but what motivates us most are great stories by wonderful authors eager to share their visions of the past, the future, the in between, and everything that lies outside the margins. Coloring beyond the lines encouraged. Feel free to review our already published stories and poetry to get an idea of what we like. Stories, poems and articles will be available at the beginning of the quarter to paying members. Web Memberships give the subscriber the opportunity to read the issue on our website; eBook Memberships provide the additional right to download the issue in PDF or epub file format(s). Over the course of the quarter, a new story will be released from the paywall every Friday to the those without subscriptions, until all stories are available to the public. We read for two issues at a time during our month-long submission periods. Submission periods for fiction/poetry are as follows: April 1st- 30th (for the September and December issues of the same year) October 1st – 31st (for the March and June issues of the following year) Note: stories/poems sent outside the submission period will be deleted unread. We are open...