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Deadline: November 20th, 2013 Payment: $10 per story   Each monthly flash fiction call has a theme. We ask you to write an SFF story (SciFi, Fantasy, Horror, or related sub-genres) that fits the theme in some way. You’ll find a list of upcoming themes below. Please only submit a story for a particular theme during that theme’s submission period. Stories submitted during the wrong submission period will be deleted unread. Though this is a flash fiction contest, we’re still looking for stories with a strong narrative arc. We want stories that introduce us to character, world, and conflict in the opening 1-2 graphs. (Conflict isn’t just a fight, by the way.) We want a middle free of too much backstory; we want forward momentum. Last, we want an ending the resolves the plot, directly or subtly. We only want stories between 500 and 1,000 words, inclusive. We pay a flat rate of $10 per story, regardless of length. Now, without further ado, let’s showcase the themes, shall we?   Send your submission in an email to kazkasubsgmail.com. Attach your file to the email. Don’t forget to include your cover letter in the body of the email. Subject Line: Flash Fiction Contest (e.g. “Flash Fiction Contest ” for the ‘Sax & Violins’ prompt). Imprecise subject lines may result in lost submissions. Here are the rules and details. Word Count: We’re looking for a piece of flash fiction that is between 500 and 1000 words long. Thus: 499 < YOUR STORY < 1,001 We won’t publish stories north or south of this mark. Deadline: At midnight, as the 20th rolls into the 21st in California, we’ll stop accepting submissions for the current month’s contest. All dates and times relate to California time (Pacific PST/PDT). Manuscript & Cover Letter: Please get close to standard manuscript formatting. However, we’ll be formatting your...

Deadline: November 20th for synopsis, December 15th for first draft Payment: A portion of the book's royalties The Premise: Out in the universe, there is predicted to be millions of planets harbouring sentient life, thousands of civilisations of sapient races, going about their lives; struggling, fighting, maybe loving, having adventures, maybe suffering under dystopian tyrants, or in societies of harmony and peace and complacency. These worlds, due to the nature of the speed of light and relativity, will never meet each other in person across the vast stretches of space, and any messages or signals sent between them wouldn’t reach their destinations for millions of years, long after both civilisations are gone. The premise of our anthology is themed very specifically towards being an anthology which collects stories from these diverse worlds and settings. Each short story would be a snapshot of that location and time. The only motif linking the stories will be the mysterious Drift Engine; an outwardly-featureless cylinder exactly one kilometre long, and one hundred metres in diameter; a strange wandering machine from some forgotten corner of the universe, travelling the universe, searching out and documenting these settings. Writer Guidelines What we want from any writers looking to contribute to the anthology is both very broad and very specific (if such a thing is possible). We want people to submit any kind of short story. Any genre you can think of. Techno thrillers, horrors, political dramas, tragic romance stories, comedies, hard sci-fi, space operas, high fantasy stories, low-fantasy stories, utopias, dystopias, stories of exploration or discovery; literally any genre you like. In fact, the more diverse and different synopses we get, the better. However, there are three cast-iron stipulations; breaking any of them means your synopsis cannot be accepted. They are as follows: 1) Your story cannot...

Submission Period: September 1st 2013 - November 30, 2013 Payment: 5 cents (CAD) per word and two contributor copies Silvia Moreno-Garcia will be editing Fractured: Tales of the Canadian Post-Apocalypse, an anthology of Canadian post-apocalypse stories for Exile Editions. The editor is interested in stories from 2,000 to 10,000 words. Stories must be set in Canada and written by Canadian authors. Canadians living abroad must indicate their status in their cover letter. Please indicate if you consider yourself any of the following in the cover letter: Aboriginal writer, culturally diverse writer, Francophone writer, new generation writer (definitions below). What is the post-apocalypse? By post-apocalypse we refer to fiction set after a great disaster such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, ecological collapse, etc. Mary Shelley’s 1826 novel The Last Man is considered the first work of modern apocalyptic fiction, but many have followed in her footsteps in both print (The Hunger Games, I Am Legend, The Road, Oryx and Crake, etc.) and film (Mad Max, Waterworld, The Book of Eli, etc.). Fractured is interested in the Canadian post-apocalypse. Will the waters rise and swallow Vancouver? Will Nunavut become a jungle? Will Toronto be under the rule of our new robot overlords? Caveat: I won’t say no to zombie stories, but if you sent me a story for Dead North I don’t want to see it again. Sorry. Must the stories be bleak? No! The post-apocalypse could be very good for some people. If we had another ice age, for example, the Inuit might adapt and survive it better than people in the south. Remember that in The Day of the Triffids people went blind because they stared at the meteor shower? But if you were already blind, wouldn’t you have an advantage, then? What do you want to see? Stories that explore a diversity of scenarios and settings, from small rural communities to...

Submission Period: September 1 – November 30, 2013 Payment: $10 and paperback copy of the anthology   Anthologist: Rhonda Parrish Have you ever noticed that, despite the name, there is often a conspicuous absence of fairies in fairy tales? Historically speaking fairies have been mischievous or malignant. They’ve dwelt in forests, collected teeth or crafted shoes. In Fae, we want stories that honor that rich history but explore new and interesting takes on fairies as well. We want urban fairies and arctic fairies, steampunk fairies, time-traveling and digital fairies. We want stories that bridge traditional and modern styles and while we’re at it, we want stories about fairy-like creatures too. Bring us your sprites, your pixies, your seelies and unseelies, silkies, goblins or gnomes, brownies and imps. We want them all. We’re looking for lush settings, beautiful prose and complex characters. Rights and compensation: Payment: $10 and paperback copy of the anthology from World Weaver Press. We are looking for previously unpublished works in English. Seeking first world rights in English and exclusive right to publish in print and electronic format for six months after publication date, after which publisher retains nonexclusive right to continue to publish for life of the anthology. About the anthologist: Rhonda Parrish is a master procrastinator and nap connoisseur but despite that she somehow manages a full professional life. She has been the publisher and editor-in-chief ofNiteblade Magazine for over five years now (which is like 25 years in internet time) and is the editor of the forthcoming benefit anthology, Metastasis. In addition, Rhonda is a writer whose work has been included or is forthcoming in dozens of publications including Tesseracts 17: Speculating Canada from Coast to Coast and Imaginarium: The Best Canadian Speculative Writing. Her website, updated weekly, is at http://www.rhondaparrish.com Open submission period: September 1 – November 30, 2013 Length: Under 7,500 words....

Deadline: November 30th 2013 Payment: We pay $0.02 per word up to $150   FICTION Genres and Content: Betwixt publishes speculative fiction of all sorts—fantasy, science fiction, speculative horror, slipstream, weird fiction, steam/diesel/cyber/etc.punk, you name it. We particularly like stories that smash genre boundaries to smithereens, but we also love fresh takes on established genres and in-depth explorations of ultraspecific niches. Experiments in form and style are welcomed enthusiastically—but a straightforward narrative with tight, crisp language is just as beautiful. When it comes down to it, we want stories that will amaze us, astound us, provoke our thoughts, and boggle our minds. Betwixt supports diversity in speculative fiction and welcomes stories by and about individuals of all ages, classes, disabilities, ethnicities, genders, nationalities, races, religions, and sexual orientations. Please don’t send multiple or simultaneous submissions, stories that have been published previously, or poetry. We are not seeking unsolicited nonfiction at this time. Length: Stories of 4,000 to 7,000 words are ideal, but we will consider a range from 1,000 to 30,000 words. Rights: Betwixt purchases first worldwide English-language serial, electronic, and print rights. Stories will be published on betwixtmagazine.com, in electronic and print-on-demand quarterly issues, and in electronic and print-on-demand yearly anthologies. We may also excerpt stories for promotional purposes. The author retains all other rights. We do not publish unsolicited reprints, and we ask that stories we publish not appear anywhere else for three months after publication. For example, if a story is published in the January issue, we ask that it not appear elsewhere until April—although we would be delighted to make exceptions for extraordinary circumstances! If you have questions about specific rights or contract terms, please feel free tocontact us at [email protected]. (Please don’t send submissions to this address.) Payment: We pay $0.02 per word up to $150, payable upon receipt of completed contract and...

Deadline: November 30th, 2013 Payment: Unlisted Note: Permuted Press RARELY opens anthology calls these days and you should jump on this one! An anthology of unexpected survivor stories from the apocalypse. The collection will include stories that tell the tale of the losers, the geeks, the freaks and the sad-sacks. It could also include stories of the differently abled, or anyone lacking skills, physical ability, education, resources so common in many zombie survival stories. These are the survivor stories of the people you never expected to survive the end of the world. Tell us an engaging story of how your protagonist is making it through the end of the world. What makes them special? What challenges are they facing now? We are looking for stories that will disturb, amuse and above all entertain. Make us cheer for your unlikely hero, or revel in their gleeful villainy. The specific requirements are: An apocalypse (including, but not limited to a wide-spread epidemic of the dead returning to life and wanting to kill the living). Fast zombies, slow zombies, space viruses, genetic engineering. Global Pandemic, asteroid impact, global warming, alien invasion - the details are up to you. But it must be recognisable as an apocalyptic event. The complete collapse of the modern world and the struggle to survive. Adult content and language are fine. However we’re not looking for adult content or stories that are primarily erotica. Stories should be between 3,000 and 10,000 words. Submission period is from 30th September – 30th November, 2013. Stories should be sent as an attachment to an email sent to: [email protected] Subject line: Fat Zombie Submission. Attachments can be in RTF, DOC or DOCX format. Include word count, contact details and title in the attachment. In the body of the email include a brief biography...

Submission Period(note not yet open but plenty of time to get a head start): September 1, 2013 until December 1, 2013 Payment: 3 cents/word (semi-pro) and a contributor copy of every format that is released SNAFU An anthology of military sci-fi/horror. SNAFU will be an anthology of military sci-fi horror novellas and short stories. Bioweapons unleashed, mutations, ancient species unearthed in lost caverns deep within the earth… and the soldiers who fight them. You get the drift? We have solicited novellas from some of the biggest names in the business, and this is your chance to appear alongside them. There will be approximately 60,000 words taken up with novellas by the solicited authors, so we are looking for three or four short stories via the submission process to fill the rest of the wordcount up to about 80,000. SOLICITED AUTHORS: James A Moore - James A. Moore is the award winning author of over twenty novels, thrillers, dark fantasy and horror alike, including the critically acclaimed Fireworks, Under The Overtree, Blood Red, the Serenity Falls trilogy (featuring his recurring anti-hero, Jonathan Crowley) and his most recent novels, Cherry Hill and Smile No More. TBA - TBA - TBA - GUIDELINES: We are looking for stories that take the standard military thriller and inject some horror, whether it be bioweapons, creatures from another planet or dimension, or anything that you can imagine. We want action-filled, plot-driven tales that carry the reader along for the ride. Think Jonathan Maberry, Greig Beck, Warren Fahy, and Weston Ochse (SEAL Team 666 series). Think Dog Soldiers, Predator, or Alien. If you haven’t read Jonathan Maberry or Greig Beck, or SEAL Team 666 or Fragment, then what are you waiting for? Get reading. Submission period – September 1, 2013 until December 1, 2013 Payment – 3...

Deadline: December 1st 2013 Payment: £10 minimum, royalties. plus a copy of the book on publication. Editor Dean M Drinkel (Phobophobia - Dark Continents Press; The Demonologia Biblica - Western Legends Press; Cities of Death - Static Movement) and Alchemy Press present Kneeling In The Silver Light: Stories From The Great War - a horror / dark fantasy anthology commemorating the 100 year centenary of the outbreak of the Great War (World War One) - to be published: 28th July 2014. We are looking for the very best stories set in / during / around the Great War. Originality is key and we are not particularly looking for run-of-the-mill war stories, though tales can be set on European battlefields, trenches, war-rooms, etc, etc. As a “heads up”: whilst we will accept Zombie / Vampire / Ghost stories, these need to be original in style and must have the “wow” factor. Make them stand out! We are also very keen in reading stories from non-English writers (so looking for French, German, Italian writers) but stories must be written in English. Fully realised characters are a must and solid plots extremely desirable. We are seeking original fiction: reprints only accepted by agreement with the editor. No simultaneous or multiple submissions. Contributions between 3,000 and 6,000 words (firm). Submission period runs from 1 August to 1 December 2013. Do not submit outside of those dates. Give your story a head start by reading both these guidelines and the Alchemy Press style-guide. Electronic submissions only, sent as email attachments in standard manuscript format (rtf, doc or docx). Email subject line should take the form Title/ Author’s Name/ Word count (i.e. My Great Story/John Doe/5,000 words). Submissions included in the body of the email, or without the correct subject header, may be rejected unread. Full...

Deadline: December 1st 2013 Payment: $25 and 30% royalties We are currently looking for stories to publish as individual eBook shorts for our new "One-Night Stand" line. We will consider any genre, just as long as it is entertaining and creative. Hook us on the first line. Remember, our readers have all of literature at their sides; all it takes is one line that disinterests them to make them click away. Compensation will be $25 and 30% royalties. We ask for 6 months exclusive rights. All stories should be formatted 12 pt, any font. Also include a 50 word bio either in the email or attachment itself. Word count should be no less than 1000 words and no more than 15,000 words. We do not accept reprints; multiple submissions are fine. Submit at: PMM Publishing's Submittable.

Deadline: December 1st 2013 Payment: 5 cents per word February--Egyptian Mythology Egypt has been a source of fascination from the earliest days of civilization and that intrigue has not faded. So let's combat the winter chill with a trip down the Nile to Thebes, to witness the hand of Isis and Ra upon the great desert, or watch as Ankhaten honors Amun and then witness mankind's first monotheistic state religion crumble with the death--or murder?--of his son Tutankhamen. Between the Book of the Dead and the incredibly rich mythology of Egypt, finding a great speculative fiction avenue shouldn't be that difficult --even if Stargate is taken. CALL BEGINS OCTOBER 1, 2013 CALL ENDS DECEMBER 1, 2013 Penumbra is looking for original, unpublished stories of 3500 words or less. We prefer that writers use Standard Manuscript Format for submissions. (You can read this article by Chuck Rothman on the SFWA site on preparing a manuscript for submission if you are unfamiliar with SMF.) Please send your stories as file attachments in .rtf or .doc formats only. Please include a cover letter in the body of your email, with the manuscript title, you pen name if applicable, the exact word count of the story not including title and byline, and a publication history if applicable. Penumbra is a professional rates paying publisher, paying 5 cents per word. We will evaluate poetry submissions for each issue. We will also consider previously published stories with rights reverted to the author. Penumbra has multiple issue calls open at the same time, therefore it is imperative that you include the issue theme in the subject line of your email. Submissions that do not include this information risk getting lost in our queue and not read before the deadline. Penumbra uses Musa Publishing's house style guide, which...