Events

Deadline: December 1st, 2016 Payment: $0.06/word, $0.03/word for reprints. Note: Reprints Allowed About our project: The Museum of Science Fiction is pleased to announce an open call for submissions for short science fiction stories to be included inCatalysts, Explorers, and Secret Keepers, an anthology of science fiction showcasing how women have been an integral part of science fiction as authors, as readers, and as characters for more than a century. Our team at the Museum of Science Fiction believes an anthology of science fiction is the perfect take-home exhibit. Many museums publish books to provide context and background to highlight their special, temporary exhibits. We’ve decided to build on this principle and create a curated science fiction anthology as an exhibit meant to be taken home, experienced at your own pace, and shared. Catalysts, Explorers & Secret Keepers will feature cover art by Julie Dillon and a mix of original and reprinted works by Eleanor Arnason, Catherine Asaro, Monica Byrne, N.K. Jemisin, Nancy Kress, Naomi Kritzer, Karen Lord, Seanan McGuire, Sarah Pinsker, Kiini Ibura Salaam, Carrie Vaughn, Jane Yolen, and Sarah Zettel. To help round out the take-home exhibit, we will also publish several short stories collected through this call for submissions. Submissions will be accepted until December 1, 2016 at 11:59PM EST. This call for submissions for Catalysts, Explorers & Secret Keepers is made possible by funds raised through our Kickstarter campaign(active until November 1, 2016 at 11:59PM EST). What we’re looking for: We are looking for short science fiction pieces 2,000 – 5,000 words in length that celebrate women with agency in science fiction. We want to see stories about women who take initiative, who take matters into their own hands, who can make changes. Women with agency includes catalysts who spark changes and challenge societal norms, explorers...

Deadline: December 1st for initial run with more dates to follow Payment: $10 In 2014, twelve authors and fans shared their stories about the importance of representation in science fiction/fantasy in Invisible. In 2015, seventeen more people came together for Invisible 2. Their essays are personal, powerful, and very much needed. These stories help to create understanding and connection. They expose the power of our genre both to help and to harm. I’m thrilled to announce that I’m partnering with author and editor Mary Anne Mohanraj to begin work on Invisible 3. We’re looking for personal, first-hand stories between 400 and 1000 words talking about the impact of SF/F stories and what it’s like to see yourself misrepresented or erased, or relegated to the backgrounds. We’re also interested in the ways underrepresented and marginalized writers have worked to reclaim space in the genre. While the primary focus is on these personal essays, we’d like to incorporate a few poems for this volume as well. As in previous years, accepted works will first be published online, and then collected and published as part of the Invisible 3 anthology. Contributors will receive a $10 payment. Once author and artist payments have been covered, all additional proceeds will go to the Con or Bust program, helping people of color to attend SFF conventions. Here’s our proposed schedule for the anthology: By December 1: Interested authors should email [email protected] your proposed topic. (For Invisible 2, I had more than three times as many proposals as I could use. This will allow Mary Anne and I to make sure we have a range of topics and contributors.) By January 1: Mary Anne and I will contact potential contributors to let them know whether we’re able to use their suggested essays/poems. By February 1: Contributors write...

Deadline: December 2nd, 2016 Payment: $30.00 (3000-5000 words) $50.00 (5000 words) $60 (up to 6000 words) $70.00 (up to 7000 words) US $ This is the first annual submission call for the 2017 Scary Dairy anthology: Mother’s Revenge! Submission Guidelines: Scary Dairy Press is seeking short story submissions of 3000-7000 words max for the anthology: Mother’s Revenge!. This a passionate anthology about Mother Earth taking her world back from the humans and teaching us a lesson. Mother Earth can partner with humans to stop the destroyers, animals can be heros, or they may need saving. Any aspect of an ecological disaster or climate change problem can be created or considered. If you have a question about appropriate content, then message us! What we want: This anthology may include one or more genres such as: horror, dark fiction, dark fantasy, speculative fiction, or bizarro.Your story may occur in any time, place or space. Mix it up, but make it thought provoking and disturbing to the human conscience. It’s up to you whether you offer the world hope, provide an answer to survival, or predict final death and destruction on the very last page. What we don’t want: No child abuse/sexual abuse scenes. No gratuitous splatter, gore or rape. If you use it, there must be a clear purpose for it. No overused tropes (vampires, werewolves, zombies) unless you clearly have something unusual and unique. If you’re not sure, then email/message us and ask at [email protected] Manuscript format: Shunn Manuscript Format:http://www.shunn.net/format/novel.html Dates: 2 September, 2016 -02 December, 2016 Payment: $30.00 (3000-5000 words) $50.00 (5000 words) $60 (up to 6000 words) $70.00 (up to 7000 words) US $ per short story accepted. No stories under 3000 or over 7000 will be considered. Submit manuscripts to [email protected] starting 9/2/16. Subject line should read: Mothers_Last Name_Title...

Deadline: December 4th, 2016. Payment: $5 usd ANNOUNCING RED LEAF HOLLOW BRING US THE WEIRD, THE WICKED, AND THE STRANGE IN THE TOWN OF RED LEAF HOLLOW! It’s fall in the small New England town known as Red Leaf Hollow. It’s not on any map but it’s been around as long as the sun and the moon. The first snow is coming, but for now, the town is getting ready for All Hallow’s Eve and preparing for the harvest festival – a huge celebration before winter’s grip. Red Leaf Hollow is known for its strange happenings, its odd occupants, and the things that slither and haunt and howl in the night. The sleepy town of Red Leaf Hollow is divided into two sides by the large and bustling (and sometimes blood red) Crescent Moon Creek. Crescent Moon Creek, named after the river that separates it from the other half, is the only place where one may view the moon clearly through the thick trees and forest. It holds the town Commons where the harvest festival occurs, large Victorian houses, and tiny witch shacks that line the cobblestone streets. Shadow Crest is on the other side of the river, where trees and plants always die, along with its residents. It is also home to the Hollow’s cemetery, Morningside, where inhabitants know better than to linger, especially after dusk. Shadow Crest is also home to Harvest Hill, a dead lump of land that once held the lumber to build the Founders’ homes…and coffins. Red Leaf Hollow is home to the annual Werewolves convention, where people who have died return from the grave, and where many of the Salem witches fled to escape persecution. This is where witches drive black cats in the sidecar of their motorcycles and zombies are usually holding another 5K...

Deadline: December 10th Payment: $50 Submission Guidelines for StarShipSofa StarShipSofa is currently open for submissions between November 1 and December 10. * What do we want? In a word: science-fiction. From the soft, social science fiction to the weird pulpy stuff to the vigorous hard SF and YA adventure. We welcome all sub-genres and all variety of punks in all their colours. From high-octane action to quiet philosophical stories, we’re after it all.Science fiction is a rich and diverse genre, push it’s boundaries as far as you can go. We welcome translations and are very interested in stories that take place/written by authors outside the US/Anglo-sphere, as well as as alternative movements and styles. These include (but not limited to) “non-Western” science fiction, Chinese SF, Soviet speculative fiction, Afro-futurism, etc. The exception is that the SF element must be the backbone of the story. It cannot be an afterthought, or simple window dressing. It can be subtle, but it has to be the story’s foundation. If you take away the speculative element and the story still stands, then it’s not science-fiction and it is not for us. We are also not interested in fantasy or supernatural horror stories. Those go to Far Fetched Fables and Tales to Terrify. Genre labels are loose and can bleed together, but if the coal in the story’s engine is magic or supernatural based, we don’t want it. But if there are science-based elements, however soft, then it can be considered. If in doubt, send. We want the best stories from any subgenre, period. Ultimately the best way to get a feel for what we want is to listen to the podcast itself. We favour rich world building, tight prose, complex characters, engaging dialogue and strong pacing, however you define it. Although we will consider...

Deadline: Dec 15, 2016 Payment: $0.01-0.08 per word (averaging close to $0.03 per word) T ANSTAAAFL Press has an open call for short stories for the “Enter the…” series of anthologies. Guidelines: We will only accept those stories emailed as text in the email OR .txt, .doc, .docx formats. All attachements will be destroyed if not accepted. Email address is [email protected] We will not accept stories by mail or post. If we receive these they will be destroyed at once. All stories must be original and unpublished anywhere If accepted TANSTAAFL Press will take first english publication rights. Note that reprint rights are yours as are first publication in alternate languages, however the value of reprints is low as are the likelihood of getting anyone to reprint. This publication is likely the only location where you will likely be paid for this piece. Stories must be less than 8000 words. Stories considered for Enter the Apocalypse must be stories about the start and / or middle of any type apocalypse. Apocalypse can include (but isn’t limited to) nuclear, epidemic, supernatural, bioweapon, cosmic, aliens, etc. Stories considered for Enter the Aftermath must be stories about the burnout or shortly after any type apocalypse. Stories considered for Enter the Rebirth must be stories about the world coming back to a new stability after any type of apocalypse. TANSTAAFL Press will attempt to get to submissions as quickly as possible, but make no commitment to how quickly. We will accept submissions up until June 15, 2016 for Enter the Apocalypse, Sept 15, 2016 for Enter the Aftermath, and Dec 15, 2016 for Enter the Rebirth. TANSTAAFL Press will respond to all submissions which follow our guidelines. Payments / Renumeration The Enter… series will pay for each story used in the range of $0.01-0.08 per word (averaging...

Deadline: December 15, 2016 Payment: Short Stories: $50 plus a print copy of the magazine, Flash Fiction: $10 plus a print copy of the magazine, Horror Poetry: $10 plus a print copy of the magazine. Flash Fiction: Fiction in a flash? Challenge accepted! Keep your story between 300 – 700 words. Wow us with your word will-power! As it’s said, so well and so often, “Kill your Darlings”. Short Fiction: Ah, our bread-and-butter! Stories within 2,000 – 7,000 words will be accepted. Keep them creepy. Poetry: We love a poem or three here at DeadLights. So in what form of poem should you write? Well, it can be any kind of poem at all, really, as long as haunts us all in our sleep. Feel free to express yourself in no longer than a single-space page length in Microsoft Word. Creative Non-Fiction: We are accepting creative non-fiction stories that are terrible, horrible, or gross. These are meant to be small stories about real-life, interesting things that have happened to our readers. Word count? 300 – 3000! Art: For those of you feeling creative, we do accept drawings, paintings, graffiti, whatever, as long as they are sent to us in a digital format. We love horror-art! How to Submit Format: Manuscripts? Pile’em on us. Just remember, there are a lot of stories out there, and not a lot of ‘us’. To ensure that you get your fair share of limelight, follow these tips:http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html We are not format fascists here at Deadlights, and if you keep your  submissions in a Microsoft Word (.docx) Document or .PDF, we may squeak by a good tale or two, formatting be damned. For our first go-round, though, do keep all submissions in one of the two formats. Thank you. Sending it in: In the subject of the email, please place your last name and your fiction form (fiction...

Deadline: December 15, 2016 Payment: Accepted poems will be paid for at the following rate: US 3¢/word rounded to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Payment is on publication. Eye to the Telescope 23, the Robots issue, will be edited by Brian Garrison. Robots and computers have served to make our lives both infinitely easier and infinitely more complex. They are created by humans, and yet they mystify us. We can’t quite decide whether we should classify robots alongside shards of amethyst silent underground, twisting vines of morning glory climbing toward the sun, mosquitoes buzzing in search of blood, or researchers interpreting their experimental data. Maybe they belong in a category of their own. Literature has explored doomsday scenarios of machine warfare; speculated about the key ingredients of intelligence, emotion, and consciousness as robots enter our workplaces, game rooms, bedrooms, etc.; showed us how hackers and other cyberpunks might live in an increasingly computerized society; and otherwise done what literature is supposed to do—make things up. For this issue of Eye to the Telescope, it is your opportunity to tell everyone about your hopes or fears about life among machines. Let us place your poetry here, to be faithfully communicated to the world through humanity's largest electronic undertaking so far, the internet. Tell us: where are we going, where have we been? Submission Guidelines SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Please send submissions to [email protected] with the subject line “ETTT sub:” followed by the poet’s name. Please submit 1–5 poems in English (in body of email or attached as .rtf). Include a short bio. Deadline: December 15, 2016. The issue will appear on January 15, 2017. Payment and rights Accepted poems will be paid for at the following rate: US 3¢/word rounded to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Payment is on...

Deadline: December 15th, 2016 Payment: $50 and potentially royalties Note: Reprints Allowed Shelter by Nightfall is an upcoming ebook edited by Clayburn Griffin. It will include several short stories exploring the subject of home and its importance in our physical and emotional well-being as humans. This collection will feature new and independent authors for readers to get a taste of their talent and style. Be sure to sign up for updates below to be notified when the book is available for purchase. Submissions We are still accepting stories for Shelter by Nightfall. The deadline has been extended to December 15th! If you’re interested please follow these steps: Write a short story between 6,000 and 10,000 words on the theme of Home and its significance to the Human Condition. Email your short story as a Microsoft Word or Google Doc to [email protected]. Include in your email a short bio of 200 words or fewer. List any relevant websites or social media profiles too. If your story is selected, you will receive a response with next steps to prepare for publication. Rules & Payment Information: Submitted stories may be previously published, however the author must own appropriate rights to republish globally. Author will be required to grant global publishing rights for inclusion in the Shelter by Nightfall story collection. Authors whose stories are selected for inclusion in Shelter by Nightfall will receive a $50 one-time payment upfront. Additional royalties of 6% of revenue (after any seller or marketplace commissions) will be paid out monthly for five years from publishing date. No additional royalties will be given for sales after five years from the original publishing date, even in the case of subsequent published editions of Shelter by Nightfall. Edits may be suggested or requested. If a final version cannot be reached meeting...

Deadline: December 16, 2016 Payment: $10 and a contributor's copy What is Meet Cute? Meet Cute: A Collection of First Encounters is a collaborative anthology of micro fiction stories. A “meet cute” is a scene in which two characters meet in a way that is amusing, unusual, or otherwise entertaining. After submissions close, the best stories will be chosen and published in a physical book. This project will be fully crowd-sourced and crowd-funded. A Kickstarter campaign is forthcoming. Entrants whose stories are selected for publication will receive $10 and a free copy of the final published book. Please also contact themeetcutebookgmail.com if you are interested in contributing an illustration for this project. Submissions for Meet Cute stories are currently OPEN Deadline for submission is December 16, 2016 Rules: 1. The story must be your original, previously unpublished work 2. The story must be 1000 words or fewer 3. The story must be about two characters meeting (romantic, platonic, etc.) 4. Please include your name and the title of your story 5. Submit as .doc or .docx file Please send entries and questions to themeetcutebookgmail.com Via: Meet Cute.