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Deadline: December 31st 2012 Payment: 5 cents a word What could be more appropriate for the dreariest month in the year than a zombie apocalypse? Screw all that Valentine's Day stuff—we want to see zombies…in a blizzard..arms falling off as they swat Cupid out of the sky and eat his wings like hor d'ouerves. Whatever you do, though, find a way to make your zombies different…as different as zombies can be. Let's make this the zombie apocalypse that no one has thought of yet. CALL BEGINS ON OCTOBER 1, 2012 CALL ENDS ON DECEMBER 31, 2012 --- Please do NOT submit until the beginning date of a future call for submissions. We will not evaluate any stories BEFORE the scheduled date. We are ONLY accepting submissions in our currently open themed calls. Penumbra publishes speculative fiction that always culminates in something unexpected—a flash of humor in the darkest tale or a fantasy piece that goes against the tropes--always something that hovers right on the periphery of the eclipse. Penumbra is looking for speculative fiction that's unexpected and adventurous. We don't want the same old short stories--we want funny horror stories, or fantasy with a modern theme, or science fiction that takes the reader someplace they really didn't expect to go...even if its their own kitchen at home. Word counts—500 to 3500 words, paid at 5 cents a word. Poetry—we will review poetry for each issue. Please send a cover letter with brief publishing history and your entire submission as a .doc or .rtf attachment to Penumbra Submissions. Please put "Penumbra Submission" in the subject line of your email. No simultaneous or multiple submissions please. Initial response time to queries is expected to be short, within 2-3 weeks. This is likely to change and any such submission changes will be listed...

Deadline: December 31st 2012 Payment: Authors will receive two copies of the published book. Copyright remains with the author. Dark World Ghost Stories edited by Tim Parker Russell Tim is now accepting submissions for an anthology of ghost stories, to be published by Tartarus Press in February 2013. The book will be a numbered, limited edition trade paperback, with profits going to Amala Children's Home and School, India, where Tim will be working with orphaned children in July 2013. This is organised by The Wensleydale School, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, and details can be found here. Subject matter and style : Tim would like to receive previously unpublished ghost stories (fiction) suitable for a general audience. Although stories should offer more than a "pleasing terror", they should not contain anything too graphic or gratuitous. Word count: Stories should be between 2,000 and 7,000 words. Closing date for submissions: 31st December, 2012. Payment: Authors will receive two copies of the published book. Copyright remains with the author. Electronic submissions should be sent to [email protected]. He would prefer to receive your work as an attachment to an email.

Deadline: December 31 2012 Payment: Ebook-only stories accepted through the open submissions process will receive a flat one-time payment of US $50. Original stories accepted for the print book will receive professional rates of 5 cents per word (1 cent per word for reprints) up to a maximum of 5,000 words. Due to budget constraints, we will not be able to offer additional compensation for original stories that check in above 5,000 words. All contributors will receive one author’s copy (print and ebook) per contributor and an author discount on additional copies. Advances will be payable upon publication. The award-nominated WHEN THE HERO COMES HOME, from Dragon Moon Press, has been praised as “a perfect example of how an anthology of stories should work.” Upon the success of HERO and its follow-up, WHEN THE VILLAIN COMES HOME, co-editors Ed Greenwood and Gabrielle Harbowy are pleased to announce WHEN THE HERO COMES HOME 2. We’re changing the format a bit this time. In the spirit of Dragon Moon Press’s commitment to discovering new authors, there will be an open submissions period for a limited number of bonus stories to appear in the e-book only — a couple of which may, at the publisher’s discretion, also appear in the print book. There are no restrictions on professional level (as-yet-unpublished authors and established award-winners are equally welcome!) or country of residence. SUBMISSIONS OPEN DECEMBER 1, 2012 AND END DECEMBER 31, 2012 OR WHEN THE WORLD ENDS, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. This will give you plenty of time to consider your idea and write your story. We strongly recommend reading WHEN THE HERO COMES HOME and WHEN THE VILLAIN COMES HOME to see what has already been done. Open Submissions which do not follow the instructions on this page will not be considered. ABOUT THE...

Deadline: January 1st 2013 Payment: Anthology Royalties Iron Cauldron Books is now seeking first-person accounts about Near Death Experiences (NDE) and descriptions of how such an experience has changed the way you live. Selected manuscripts will be included in a collection of essays to be published as both a trade paperback and an e-book for May, 2013 release. Included authors earn standard anthology royalties. There is NO entry fee. Submissions must: - Measure between 2,000 and 4,000 words in length. - Be all new material (previously published essays will not be considered.) - Be your own first-person account of a NDE. To enter your essay, please visit our submissions management page powered by Submishmash. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: January 1, 2013

Deadline: January 1st 2013 Payment: 5¢/word As with all great trilogies, the third one always changes something we thought we knew. And now it’s up to you to help us forge this new direction. While this third installment will continue to plague readers with restless nights and sweat-soaked sheets, we’re now offering 5 cents a word for your best nightmare-inducing tales. As always, this anthology is open to the wide gamut of horror and all its subcategories. Remember, evil has no boundaries and neither do we! Science fiction and dark fantasy will also be considered as long as stories contain strong elements of horror. Third person stories are strongly preferred, but we’ll read first person as long as they are extremely well done or the POV is integral to the plot. Stories may take place in any setting or time period, as long as it’s well written, powerful, and original. Most importantly, scare us. We want to be haunted by your story long after we put it down. Gore and sex are acceptable, as long as it serves a purpose. Stories can range from 750-5000 words. Previously unpublished stories only. No Multiple submissions Stories must be formatted in the following manner: 12 point font Times New Roman or Courier New Double-Spaced Contact information in the upper left(name, address, phone number, email) Word Count Upper Right 1 Space after a punctuation Underline everything you would like to italicize at publication. Submissions should be sent as attachment in .Doc or .Docx Submission Dates: November 1st to January 1st. Selections will not be made until after the submission period closes. Payment: All stories will receive 5¢/word Send submissions to [email protected]. Subject should read: Night Terrors III: story title/author last name

Deadline: January 1st 2013 Payment: at least 3 cents a word; payment for reprints at least 1 cent a word. Zombies: Shambling Through History Now this anthology is a memento mori for zombie fans. Starting in the B.C.E., follow zombie attacks through history. What happened on the Mary Celeste? What was the ultimate Nazi weapon? All the stories should be historically true in terms of setting and demeanor (but you can change events as needed, as in one story I bought, Oscar Wilde is an action her in 1900). I am currently not seeking any story that takes place after the 1800s. All zombies must be the carnivorous kind. Word length is flexible (I am accepting some short short stories to be the "connective tissue" between main tales). Payment for original is at least 3 cents a word; payment for reprints at least 1 cent a word. All stories are due Jan 1st.

Deadline: January 6th 2013 Payment: We will pay 12% royalties after cost per story published in each ebook only. Royalties for hardback sales will be separately negotiated. Grimm and Grimmer Submission Guidelines Fringeworks is a small independent publisher that hopes to find clever ways of punching above its own weight. We love to find new talent and to give writers the chance to get recognition for their work in the public domain. We are currently seeking submissions for a continuing anthology series entitled ‘Grimm and Grimmer’. A number of short ebooks will be released throughout 2013, culminating in a limited print run hardback edition containing all of the stories published by this method. With each ebook purchased from selected websites, customers will receive a code to be put towards the purchase of a limited hardback edition. We anticipate a total of five ebooks, each containing six stories. Customers who collect codes for all five ebooks will be eligible to purchase the limited edition hardback for free, excluding p&p. Submission deadline for this anthology is midnight on 6th January 2013. As the title suggests, we are looking for stories between 1,500 and 4,000 words, which riff on the original Grimm fairytales. Fairytales are generally sharp, short and contain a twist. We are looking for new, fresh takes on the huge selection of fairytales available, but with some resonance with a modern audience. From ‘Cinderella’ to ‘Snow White’, ‘Hansel and Gretel’ to ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Sleeping Beauty’, there is a wealth of material to be chosen from. Any genre will be considered, though we suspect this anthology will appeal to writers of horror, SF and fantasy. While we are looking for new and original twists on this theme with surprising elements, we are not looking for new stories that just...

Deadline: January 8, 2013. Payment: The anthology is planned for release in print and eBook formats in the late spring of 2013. A royalty pool will be generated on print and eBook sales, with the royalty pool divided equally among the contributors and editor. Royalties for print are 10% of gross receipts received by SSP on sales retail and wholesale up to 1,000 copies, with an increase to 12 1/2% for every copy thereafter. eBook royalties are set at 50% of gross receipts received by SSP for sales of the digital version. Royalty statements and payments will be made bi-annually. All contributors will receive a complimentary trade paperback copy of the anthology. The stories for Perfect Flaw: Dystopian Stories can be up to 10,000 words and must be set within a society in a repressive and controlled state, which can be under the guise of a utopian society. The genre of the stories can be anything from Horror to Science Fiction, Fantasy, Steampunk and other forms of speculative ficiton This anthology is intended to be a book that is a exploration of society gone wrong. “Utopian” societies that mask the true, underlying controlled state. Stories of people fighting back against the repression in hopes of a better place for the average person. Groups forming to fight the fatal flaw that the people in charge strive to cover up to keep the masses in line. The editor for this project is Robin Blankenship. Submissions must be in by Midnight of January 8, 2013. Please provide a cover letter and use standard manuscript format. They can be emailed to: robin (at) seventhstarpress.com . The agreement on accepted stories will be for first print and digital rights, with exclusivity for one year from date of publication. After this time, authors are free to...

Deadline: January 15, 2013 Payment: None listed at this time, "usually" they offer a digital copy and royalties Step off the beaten path and explore the psychosis that defines the line between your average run-of-the-mill murder and the complex mind of a serial killer! Do you ever wonder what possesses someone to kill, and to kill in such a way that it creates a pattern? What proclivities do they possess on both the psychological and physiological levels that make them who they are, and different from the rest of us? How do they commit such grossly inhumane acts? Weave a story around the mind and actions of a serial killer; one who has a compulsion or a ritual. Spin a tale about what makes them do the things they do and what they get in return for their depraved deeds. Blood and gore are welcome, but the story must also be well thought out. Even axe murderers and maniacal doctors deserve to have their voices heard. What we will not be accepting are retellings of known serial killers; this is not a true crime anthology. We want fictional characters that you've brought to life - make them original, make them clever, and make them scary as hell. Your character's lives depend on it... *** Adults targeting children or stories containing a graphic depiction of sexual abuse will not be accepted under any circumstances. Deadline for Submissions: January 15, 2013 Word Count minimum: 4,000 words - nothing less will be reviewed.

Deadline: January 15th 2013 Payment: $120 upon publication and royalties on e-book sales. Short story anthology Black Apples is an anthology of gothic fairytales starring the classic fairytale princess – but her ending is maybe not so happy, her quest is perhaps more grim and the darkness of the tale might just come from within… The Princess might be someone we know, but she can also be a princess we’ve never heard of before. She may come from ancient times, or far into the future. She can be the heroine, or we might not see her on the pages at all – but the story must somehow evolve around the fairytale princess and/or her role as such – and have a dark twist… We’re looking for the beautiful, sensuous and sinister. Find fairytale inspiration our blog. Tags: Fairytale Friday and Black Apples. What we want: Originality is treasured, so is strong storytelling, clever plot and a polished manuscript. Don’t be afraid to experiment – we do like the strange. Read more about what we want here. What we do not want: Straight forward retelling of fairytales, pointless gore or splatter horror, plotless adult content (sex is ok – but all in good taste) or poetry. Submissions: We will accept submissions until January 15th 2013, e-mail submissions only. Submission should have a standard manuscript formatting and be attached as .doc, .rtf or .pdf. A few words about you in the body of the e-mail would be nice. You will hear back from us within 8 weeks. Length: 3 000 – 10 000 words. Language: We will read submissions in English, Norwegian and Swedish. Rights: We buy First Worldwide English language rights, First Worldwide Swedish language rights and First Worldwide Norwegian language rights. Publishing details: Print and e-book Publishing date: 2013 Payment:...