Events

Taking Submissions: Children of the Sky

Deadline: June 30th, 2018 Payment: Royalty split Note: Reprints Allowed Title: Children of the Sky Reading Period: May 1 – June 30 Publication Date: August 1 Word Count: 3,000 – 12,000 loose Theme: Classic Alien Science Fiction Here at Schreyer Ink Publishing we’re big fans of old films and books. So we’re looking for classic-inspired alien stories for this anthology. We’re looking for stories of 1st contact, alien invasions, 1st steps on alien worlds. We want stories where the aliens come in peace, and stories where aliens come to destroy. We’re looking for stories of lost star explorers, both human and alien, and what they find. Some of our favourites are the old pulp science fiction novellas, Flash Gordon, and the old drive-in movies of the 1950s and 1960s. If you have any questions please use the contact form. Because the contact form strips formatting we are now accepting story submissions in the body of an email sent to schreyer _ ink _ publishing (at) outlook dot com (remove the spaces between the underscores and insert correct symbols). We will not open any attachments that we have not requested. As always, the anthologies pay on a royalty split, every 6 months, and we request exclusive print and e-book rights for 1 year. Via: Schreyer Ink Publishing.

Taking Submissions: The Gallery of Curiosities

Deadline: June 30th, 2018 Payment: 3 cents per word for original work, 1 cent for reprints. Note: Reprints Allowed Short version: -We buy original (3cents/word) and reprint (penny/word) short stories -Length up to 7500 words. -Anonymize your manuscript before sending it via email as a doc, docx, or rtf. -If accepted, your story will be published in ebook and print-on-demand formats. -If accepted, we will try to produce your story on a podcast, but this does not always pan out. It’s complicated. The way is fraught with bear traps and wolves. Long version: Curiosities is a paying speculative fiction anthology podcast and magazine. What makes us different from other SF/F/H markets is that most of our stories have some sort of anachropunkish retro-vintage element, and the handful of others that don’t were the ones that grabbed us by the throat and demanded to be bought. Clear as mud? Good. About 2/3 of submissions are rejected for “Bad Fit.” What we’re looking for: As an audio venue, we want stories that entertain. We want to be taken on an adventure in a time that never was, be it steampunk, gaslamp, weird tales, dreadpunk, vintage horror, mad science, fantastic cities (please!), monsters, impossible machines, clockworks, alt-history adventures, surprises, weird westerns, and things that shouldn’t work. What we don’t want: Serialized novels. Novel excerpts. Stories longer than 7500 words. Fan fiction. Sherlockians. Vulgar language used as punctuation. Cutters. Horror stories that spend most of the word count telling us all the mundane little details of the contemporary protag’s lifestyle before getting to it. JFK theories. Anything that has been on a podcast within the past 18 months. What’s a hard sell: Slipstream. Excessive splatter. Horror based in domestic violence or sexual perversion. Stories that take place in outer space. Anything set after the...

Taking Submissions: Under the Full Moon’s Light

Deadline: June 30th, 2018 Payment: $50 and a contributor's copy On a recent camping trip with my family, the stillness of the night seemed to amplify each sound. Every rustle of a branch or scrape of a twig seemed louder than a gunshot. I froze in fear and barely slept a wink all night. I felt exposed and vulnerable, and it terrified me. Knowing that bears often visited this park didn’t help matters either. How could I sleep when an attack could come from any direction? This frightful anticipation reminded me of a scene from one of my favorite TV shows, Lost. Survivors from a plane crash hear the metallic scream of an unknown beast that sounds like a dinosaur in the jungle as it draws closer to their safe position on the beach. Palm trees are knocked sideways at an alarming rate as a terror in the night inches closer to their vulnerable location. Not being able to see the beast heightens the suspense. What is that thing? When will it strike? How can they survive? I wonder how our early ancestors slept outside in the open air. Did they ever feel secure enough to fall into a deep sleep? I think it would be impossible for me. I find security in our houses, towns, and cities. So many horrors lurk in dark alleyways and shelter in deserted corners of the world. Very quickly, my mind pictures vampires hungry for blood or monsters creeping through abandoned buildings on the outside of town. A fire burning bright in the darkness seems like a beacon of hope. Light seems to drive the fear away and offer a bit of safety, while the dark unknown teems with danger. But adding the lure of a full moon to a night already fraught with...

Taking Submissions: The Rabbit Dies First

Deadline: June 30th, 2018 Payment: 1 cent/word and a contributor copy The Rabbit Dies First FurPlanet is pleased to invite writers of anthropomorphic fiction to submit to its upcoming anthology, The Rabbit Dies First. We are looking for stories of all genres: scifi, fantasy, horror, mystery, crime, romance, or slice of life -- to name a few -- all centered around two concepts: the rabbit is going to die, and someone else is next. But I don't want to kill a rabbit! Then don't! Maybe the rabbit knows the rabbit is supposed to die first. Maybe everyone only expects the rabbit to die. Maybe death isn't what it seems. We encourage you to play with the concept, rebel against it, or adhere to it--whatever makes a great story. Seriously, what genre? Is erotic fiction okay? Erotic fiction is okay as long as it contributes to a good story. We're looking for a balanced anthology with many different genre types, so give us the type of story you love to write the most, or take this opportunity to try a genre you've always wanted to write in. We want to put out a book full of stories that are fun, gripping, heartbreaking, suspenseful, sweet, sexy, terrifying, and any combination. Want to write a prison drama or a high seas adventure? Send it to us! Just remember: The Rabbit Dies First. Is there anything you don't want? We also do not want stories with only humans and no anthropomorphic animals. We do welcome and will be looking for diverse voices. Submission Guidelines Submissions should be in standard manuscript format and attached in .doc, .docx., or .rtf format in an email to [email protected] with the subject STORY SUBMISSION: In the message body, please include a brief cover letter introducing yourself and your story....

Taking Submissions: Weird City Vol. 3: “Coexistence”

Deadline: June 30th, 2018 Payment: Varies, 1 cent per word for the first 2000-3000 words and changes above that (see below.) Submissions for Issue No.3, the “Coexistence” issue, are NOW OPEN through June 30th, 2018! What We’re Looking For WCP is looking for stories to publish in Issue No.3 (theme: “Coexistence”) of its magazine, Weird City. These stories should: Fit the Issue No.3 theme of “Coexistence”. Click here for theme details. Be well-written and carefully proofread. Stories with obvious or gratuitous typos or grammatical errors will be disregarded. Be formatted according to the William Shunn Manuscript Format, including the following: Font: Courier New or Courier, 12pt. Spacing: Double-spaced. Margins: At least 1″ on each side. Italicized Words: Underline italicized words and remove italics. File Format: *.doc, *.docx, or equivalent format. Be original works — no copied works, fanfics, or reinterpretations. We also discourage incorporating distinct elements from other works into yours (e.g. We don’t want to see Cthulhu stories). Be self-contained, standalone stories. No chapter excerpts please. Be between 2000 and 10000 words. In case you’re wondering: YES, we do accept simultaneous submissions. What We’re NOT Looking For Multiple submissions. Submit one story at a time, please. Reprints. We’re buying first publication rights only. First drafts. Rough stories or those with obvious or gratuitous typos or grammatical errors will be disregarded. Cliches. We agree that it’s all been done, but we are not looking for stories that rely on cliches or tropes. Smut. We at WCP have nothing against erotica, smut, or dirty writing, but we’re not looking to publish it. Offensive material. That includes everything you think it does: racism, bigotry, sexism, etc. Yes, a character in a story may be a racist (for example) but know the difference between this and ideology pushing. That one story you just...

Taking Submissions: Bad Jobs & Bullshit: Summer Jobs

Deadline: June 30th, 2018 Payment: Royalties Two years ago, The Geeky Press released Bad Jobs & Bullshit: It's Unlikely That We'll Be Missed. We loved the experience (and the writing) so much that we decided to continue the series. We're pleased to announce a call seeking nonfiction and narrative essays, poetry, fiction, and short scripts for an anthology collection titled Bad Jobs & Bullshit: Summer Jobs. As you can surmise, this collection is about the sometimes sweaty, sometimes sentimental, and always entertaining hours we’ve spent at the shittiest summer jobs imaginable. Whether it’s staffing third shift at a rural gas station or hunching under the soul-sucking fluorescent lights of a corporate desk farm, everyone has a story of that job. And the bullshit that went along with it. DEADLINE Open Call: January 1 - June 30 General Submission Guidelines LENGTH Essays and Creative Nonfiction: Submit completed work no more than 5,000 words Fiction + Short Stories: Submit completed work between 1,000 and 5,000 words Scripts: no more than 15 pages Poetry: Submit completed work; no more than 5 pages. You must submit each poem individually! Photo Essay: No more than 5 black-and-white pictures and 100 words per picture STYLE AND SUBJECT We publish fiction, nonfiction (creative nonfiction, essays), screenplays, scripts, black-and-white photography, and poetry. There are standards. We can't articulate them. COVER LETTER Please keep yours brief, though we do like to hear from people who like the magazine. We’re not concerned about writing degrees or past publications, so don’t be daunted if you don’t have an MFA or much in the way of previously published work. FORMATTING Please don't use colors or weird fonts. (We strip both out before we start the design process.) Visual poetry is not accepted. SCRIPT FORMATTING Must be a Word doc or docx, 2010...

Taking Submissions: WhimsyCon 2019 Anthology

Deadline: June 30th, 2018 Payment: $25 and 2 contributor's copies. We were so pleased with how our 2018 WhimsyCon Anthology (Wit & Whimsy) came out, we want to do it again! Do you want to submit your work to be included? See the details below! WhimsyCon 2019 Anthology Submission Guidelines Shiny Garden is seeking short fiction for its 2019 WhimsyCon Anthology. Steampunk, science fiction, fantasy, and other speculative fiction preferred. Submissions should be: Written in English. Written for a PG-13 audience (no explicit sex or violence). Between 5,000 – 15,000 words. Typed and double-spaced. Include the author’s name, address, phone number, and approximate word count at the top of the first page. Print ready (already edited for grammar, continuity, etc.). Saved as a .doc or .docx file. Note: Paragraph indentations must be created using document formatting features, not tabs. If your submission is selected for the anthology, you will receive: $25 in payment. Two (2) complimentary copies of the printed anthology. Option to purchase additional copies at 50% of the cover price. Submission Process Submissions should be sent by email (as an attachment) to [email protected]. Submissions will be accepted May1, 2018 – June 30, 2018. Authors will be notified that their submissions were received within seven (7) business days of receipt. Authors will be notified of acceptance status by July 31, 2018. WhimsyCon 2019 Anthology Guest Editor We are pleased to announce Andy Burns will be our guest editor for the 2019 WhimsyCon Anthology! A.M. Burns has been writing since high school but got serious about things while working in corporate America in his thirties. Since that time, he has authored over 150 works of various lengths and helped numerous authors with their editing. As a member, and previous president of Colorado Springs Fiction Writers Group, he’s worked with authors...

Taking Submissions: Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Deadline: July 1st, 2018 Payment: $150.00 CAD Dark, deadly and noirish tales of holiday havoc and yuletide woe. Featuring stories by  S.A. Cosby (Thuglit; Fast Women and Neon Lights), M. Darusha Wehm (Beautiful Red; The Andersson Dexter series), BPAA and Aurora Award-winner E.C. Bell (Stalking the Dead; Dying on Second), Arthur Ellis Award nominee Axel Howerton (Hot Sinatra; Wolf & Devil: Demon Days), Bony Pete Award winners Therese Greenwood(EQMM; Kill As You Go) and Rob Brunet (Noir Nation 3; Stinking Rich), and a double-shot of Vancouver’s own Unhanged Arthur Award winner Sam Wiebe (Invisible Dead; Last of the Independents). Edited by Robert Bose Projected launch date is November 2018. We will be accepting open submissions for 2-3 stories (of up to 5,000 words) to be featured alongside the invited authors. Submissions are open NOW and close on July 1, 2018. We are looking for holiday (I.E. Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, etc.) themed CRIME stories ONLY. No Sci-Fi, no Fantasy Payment currently listed at $150.00 CAD/story Please send in .doc or .docx format, in standard formatting. See our STYLE GUIDE for more information. ***ANY SUBMISSIONS NOT FOLLOWING THE PRESCRIBED FORMATTING MAY BE SUMMARILY DISMISSED WITHOUT REPLY*** DUOTROPE LISTING Via: Coffin Hop Press.

Taking Submissions: Knucklehead Noir

Deadline: July 1st, 2018 Payment: $0.03/word CAD Tales of dimwitted criminals and unlucky twits on the wrong side of the law. Nimrods, numbskulls and rejects. Bumbling sidekicks and idiots-gone-wrong. Elmore Leonard and Charles Willeford ain’t got nothin’ on these dipshits. Edited by Robert Bose Projected launch date is November 2018.  We will be accepting open submissions for 3-5 stories (of up to 5,000 words) to be featured alongside 6-8 stories from some well-known and extremely talented authors. Submissions will are open NOW and close on July 1, 2018. We are specifically looking for darkly humorous CRIME stories. No Sci-fi, no Fantasy. Payment currently listed at $0.03/word CAD Please send in .doc or .docx format, in standard formatting. See our STYLE GUIDE for more information. ***ANY SUBMISSIONS NOT FOLLOWING THE PRESCRIBED FORMATTING MAY BE SUMMARILY DISMISSED WITHOUT REPLY*** Via: Coffin Hop.

Taking Submissions: Fall Into Fantasy

Deadline: July 1st, 2018 Payment: $10, a contributor's copy, and a potential royalty bonus if sales quotes are met "Fall Into Fantasy" will contain stories from Epic to Urban, High to Paranormal and everything in between. We are seeking fresh faces as well as seasoned fantasy pros for this yearly anthology to be released every September/October. All submitted stories will be reviewed by a small committee here at Cloaked Press.   What we are seeking for this collection: Original, short stories created by the author submitting the story. We do not want reprints as part of our goal is to bring fresh stories to readers. We are purchasing first, exclusive rights to both print and digital publishing of this work in the world. This is for a period of one year from date of publication. During this time we ask that the author not republish or sell any secondary rights to another publisher. All other rights are retained by author. Story ranges from 2000-7500 words. All sub genres of Fantasy are acceptable, please include the sub genre you feel the story falls into. This is more for informational to the readers as it will be included with the listing in the anthology. All voices are encouraged and acceptable, diversity is a wonderful thing. This extends to the characters in the stories as well. Delight and entertain us with your unique characters and the worlds they live in. Please submit your story in .DOC or .DOCX format. This will make it easier to compile the accepted submissions. What we would like to avoid: Novels or Novellas. These are too long for this collection. No multiple submissions. We are looking for the ONE story you want in this collection. No simultaneous submissions. If you have submitted this story to another anthology/publishing company,...