Events

Taking Submissions: Dracula Beyond Stoker Issue #5

DBS Press

Submission Window: May 1st - June 15th, 2024 Payment: Contributors copies, 5 cents per word for original work, $55 for reprints, undisclosed sum for cover artwork Theme: Lucy’s Suitors - Quincey, Jack, and/or Arthur Issue 5: Lucy’s Suitors - Quincey, Jack, and/or Arthur (To be published November, 2024) Quincey was a cowboy who may or may not have been in cahoots with the count. Seward was a drug addicted custodian of a lunatic asylum. And Arthur was there, too! Let’s read some stories of these men - together, individually, in combination - before, during, and after the events of the novel. Did Quincey survive as the undead? How did Jack treat his other patients? When the dust settled, did Holmwood completely break down? Stoker tells us these three men adventured together prior. What might that look like? Currently this is planned as a single book, but quantity and quality may dictate a book for each man. Submissions open May 1, 2024-June 15, 2024. Submissions received earlier will be read and considered but will not be responded to until the window opens. We like stories that feel like they could be canon, but we also enjoy fun alternate takes and pastiche. Prequels, sequels, updates, divergent timelines - unleash your creative powers of darkness and show us something exciting. As with every publication the best way to get a feel for what we like is to read what we’ve put out in the past. Stories should be 1500-5000 words. Poetry will be considered, but is not necessarily sought (We are hoping to have an all poetry issue sometime in the future). Compensation will be .05/word plus contributor’s copies. Reprints will be considered. Reprints should be at least 10 years old. Compensation is $55. Simultaneous submissions accepted, but please notify us immediately if...

Taking Submissions: Eye to the Telescope #53

Eye to the Telescope

Deadline: June 15th, 2024 Payment: US 4¢/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum US $4, maximum $25 Theme: Strange Mixology Eye to the Telescope 53, Strange Mixology, will be edited by Gretchen Tessmer. As your fearless bartender, I'm looking for cosmic concoctions, time-twisted tinctures and charmed potions. Give me something with a kicker, the green fairy's secret spells, the sweet sap of the old woods and the moonshine of mermaids, alien aperitifs and speakeasies in space. All spirits welcome, even the ones that don't come in glass bottles. Feel free to interpret the theme broadly but make sure there's a spec element.Give me your old-fashioned verse and cosmopolitan compositions, pink squirrels, bee's knees, gimlets and juleps, juniper berries, elderflowers, the marriage vows of Old Tom Collins and Bloody Mary. Garnish with kaleidoscopic umbrellas and a twisty straw. In Poetry Veritas. Sláinte. Submission Guidelines SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Use the form at  to submit. (If link ever is not working, please refer to the actual post at the bottom of this page in case it was updated.) Please submit 1–3 unpublished poems in English (ideally, attached as .docx or .txt) and include a short bio. Translations from other languages are acceptable with the permission of the original poet (unless public domain). Inquiries only to [email protected] with “ETTT” in the subject line. Deadline: June 15. The issue will appear on July 15, 2024. Payment and rights Accepted poems will be paid for at the following rate: US 4¢/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum US $4, maximum $25. Payment is on publication. The Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association normally uses PayPal to pay poets, but can also send checks. Eye to the Telescope is an online publication. Therefore, First Electronic Rights (for original unpublished poems) are being sought. Who can submit? Any human writing speculative poetry. Please no AI-generated works or AI-human collaborations. What...

Taking Submissions: Dracula Beyond Stoker Issue 5

Dracula Beyond Stoker Press

Deadline: June 15th, 2024 Payment: 5 cents per word and a contributors copy Theme: Lucy’s Suitors - Quincey, Jack, and/or Arthur (To be published November, 2024) Issue 5: Lucy’s Suitors - Quincey, Jack, and/or Arthur (To be published November, 2024) Quincey was a cowboy who may or may not have been in cahoots with the count. Seward was a drug addicted custodian of a lunatic asylum. And Arthur was there, too! Let’s read some stories of these men - together, individually, in combination - before, during, and after the events of the novel. Did Quincey survive as the undead? How did Jack treat his other patients? When the dust settled, did Holmwood completely break down? Stoker tells us these three men adventured together prior. What might that look like? Currently this is planned as a single book, but quantity and quality may dictate a book for each man. Submissions open May 1, 2024-June 15, 2024. We like stories that feel like they could be canon, but we also enjoy fun alternate takes and pastiche. Prequels, sequels, updates, divergent timelines - unleash your creative powers of darkness and show us something exciting. As with every publication the best way to get a feel for what we like is to read what we’ve put out in the past. Stories should be 1500-5000 words. Poetry will be considered, but is not necessarily sought (We are hoping to have an all poetry issue sometime in the future). Compensation will be .05/word plus contributor’s copies. Reprints will be considered. Reprints should be at least 10 years old. Compensation is $55. Simultaneous submissions accepted, but please notify us immediately if accepted elsewhere. Some stories may be chosen for the website, but not the publication. Please adhere to the Shunn format - https://www.shunn.net/format/classic/ Please only send .doc,...

Flame Tree Press Is Re-Opening Submissions For ‘Anansi’

Flame Tree Publishing

Deadline: June 23rd, 2024 Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Theme: Stories featuring Anasi: a creator god, a trickster folk hero, a wily spider and a heroic symbol of resistance. More details below Note: Reprints Welcome We are very excited to re-open our call for submissions for this title! Please read through the details for submissions carefully before submitting your stories.  Flame Tree are bringing you a brand new gorgeous hardcover series brimming with myths and short stories.  Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales. New and emerging writers from open submissions reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well-known stories, alongside specially commissioned text on the origins and the cultural background of the mythology. We’ve already closed submissions for the first two books in the series, Medusa and Odin, where stories are still under consideration. We’re now opening up submissions for the next two books, Circe and Anansi. All previous submissions for Anansi are still under consideration and authors will be contacted in due course, within 4 months of the new deadline. Anansi Anansi is at once a creator god, a trickster folk hero, a wily spider and a heroic symbol of resistance. From his origins in West African folklore, to his lauded status in Jamaica, Anansi is a versatile immortal whose many stories reflect the early world of his origins, and the potential for re-imagination. Sometimes dark and chilling, occasionally light-hearted, but always lively and clever, Anansi appears in the lives of everyday folk, pricks the pomposity of the mighty and in this collection of new stories, appears...

Taking Submissions: Circe

Flame Tree Publishing

Deadline: June 23rd, 2024 Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Theme: Enchantress, goddess, witch, predatory seductress. That isn't all Circe is, it is time to expand on her story. More details below Note: Reprints Welcome We are very excited to announce a new call for submissions which is now open! Please read through the details for submissions carefully before submitting your stories. Flame Tree are bringing you a brand new gorgeous hardcover series brimming with myths and short stories. Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales. New and emerging writers from open submissions reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well-known stories, alongside specially commissioned text on the origins and the cultural background of the mythology. We’ve already closed submissions for the first two books in the series, Medusa and Odin, where stories are still under consideration. We’re now opening up submissions for the next two books, Circe and Anansi. Circe Enchantress, goddess, witch, predatory seductress… Inevitably, Circe has been best-known in these terms, through the male gaze of Homer, Hesiod et al., as interpreted by readers and storytellers until today. Rarely does the classic literature give us a rounded view of a woman subject to the same flaws and emotions as the rest of us: jealousy, desire, unrequited love; her witchcraft is perhaps not so much dreadful as awe-inspiring and led by nature. What we know of her story is piecemeal, from many sources. This enriching collection will bring together new stories and ancient origins, offering a wider perspective on the whole life of the enigmatic,...

Contest: Imagine 2200: Write the future

Grist

Deadline: June 24th, 2024 Prizes: First place: $3,000, Second place: $2,000, and Third place: $1,000 Theme: Near-future to 2200 stories that are rooted in creative climate solutions and community-centered resilience, showing what can happen as solutions take root, and stories that offer gripping plots with rich characters and settings, making that future come alive. Grist is excited to open submissions for the fourth year of our Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors short story contest. Imagine 2200 celebrates stories that envision the next decades to centuries of equitable climate progress, imagining futures of abundance, adaptation, reform, and hope. We are looking for stories that are rooted in creative climate solutions and community-centered resilience, showing what can happen as solutions take root, and stories that offer gripping plots with rich characters and settings, making that future come alive. In 2,500 to 5,000 words, show us the world you dream of building. Your story should be set sometime between the near future and roughly the year 2200. A great Imagine story is not afraid to explore the challenges ahead – the path to climate progress will involve struggle and adaptation, and we invite you to show that – but ultimately offers hope that we can work together to build a more sustainable and just world. We want to see stories that incorporate real world climate solutions and climate science, as well as cultural authenticity (a deep sense of place, customs, cuisine, and more) and characters with fully-fledged identities. We especially want to read – and share – stories that center solutions and voices from the communities most impacted by the climate crisis. If you’re newer to climate or climate fiction, check out our FAQs page for some resources to get you started in finding inspiration from existing solutions, and some past Imagine stories to look...

Taking Submissions: Fairy Tale Magazine: 2024 Fall/Winter Window

Fairy Tale Magazine

Submission Window: June 17th - June 24th, 2024 Payment: $25 Theme: Fairy tales that are inspired by classic tales are what we are seeking. Mashups of classic fairy tales are welcome as well. he following is relevant to all submissions for 2024 for The Fairy Tale Magazine. Please read it in its entirety before considering submitting here. ​ Writing opportunities for 2024 include: New Fairy Tales: Fairy tales that are inspired by classic tales are what we are seeking. Mashups of classic fairy tales are welcome as well. Submissions must follow the theme below to be considered. Poetry: Poetry inspired by fairy tales and that follows the theme is also welcome.  We are not seeking art or nonfiction. We are not hiring. Please do not send inquiries. ​ The theme for the year is simply classic fairy tales—more below. HERE IS HOW YOU SUBMIT AND FORMAT AND WHEN Only the kind of submissions outlined below will be accepted at The Fairy Tale Magazine (FTM) in 2024. Here are the submission periods for both stories and poems: ​ We will be opening the submissions window for the SPRING/SUMMER Issue on  Jan. 22, 2024 at 12 AM, EST., and closing it on Jan. 29, 2024  at 11:59 PM., EST.  ​The FALL/WINTER submissions window will be June 17, 2024 at 12 AM, EST., and closing on June 24, 2024 at 11:59 PM, EST. There will be two issues. ​ (There will be one contest this year, during the summer. Details will be announced later in the year.) No submissions will be considered or acknowledged if received outside of the windows stated above. You submit through email only. Please use this address only:  [email protected]. That is for submissions only.  ​ Your last name, the publication month you are submitting for, and the year should be in the subject line of the email of your...

Taking Submissions: Coffee Adventures

Raconteur Press

Deadline: June 28th, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Science Fiction or Fantasy coffee stories! The perfect cuppa joe. The nectar of the gods. The safety liquid you hand your partner in the morning. We love the stuff, and can’t get enough. But how did we FIND that amazing bean? We invite our authors to visit our favorite coffee merchant, King Harv’s Coffee, and pick a variety from his amazing list. Then write a fantastical story about the detective work, the journey, the adventure of finding the oh-so-perfect bean. Was there a coffee shop on that asteroid? And where did they get the brew? Don’t limit yourself to this planet! OR SF! Sword and Sorcery works too! From Dave at King Harv’s Coffee: It all began when we took over the dome at the old South Pole station for the use as a coffee greenhouse. As you undoubtedly well know, the coffee was banned from world trade to by that ridiculous Antarctic treaty, and it became clear to us that coffee grown on alternate planets and celestial objects was the only thing that made economic sense. Shockingly this has never been reported on in the main stream media! Opens: 4/8/24 Closes:6/28/24 Contracts: 7/13/24 Publication: 8/9/24 Guidelines for all our anthologies: 5,000 to 8,000 words. Length and genre are negotiable, as long as the story fits the concept, and is entertaining. Any submission must be in Times New Roman, 12PT, double spaced, with your name, title of the story, and your email on it. Please name the file as -— Send in a .docx format. Please attach the file to your email, no links. Please see the submission guideline graphic on the Raconteur Press Facebook page. Raconteur Press will hold the rights for one year after publication, after one year the rights will...

JournalStone is Open To Novels and Novellas For ONLY A FEW DAYS!

JournalStone

Deadline: June 28th, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Novels and Novellas - All Horror Please read the following guidelines carefully: Submissions are open from June 24th to June 28th, 2024. Submissions outside this window will be deleted unread. We want horror in all its forms—from literary to weird, Gothic to psychological, and (almost) everything in between. We’re looking for amazing stories from amazing authors, regardless of race, gender, religion—if you’ve got something good, we want it. (Please do not submit YA, romance, erotica, or religious fiction; we do not deal in those genres. Also note that anything involving vampires, werewolves, zombies, or serial killers will be a hard sell, currently.) Need a firm idea of what we’re looking for? Check out the JournalStone website. The title of your email subject line and file name should read: “--”. For example: King – Carrie – Novel. This should also be the title of your manuscript document. In the body of your email, please give us the word count, genre, and a brief synopsis (300-500 words) of the plot. Submissions without this information will be deleted unread. Please do not include your synopsis as an attachment. Submissions should be sent to [email protected]. Attach the full manuscript as a .doc, .docx or .rtf file (absolutely no PDFs). Do not paste your manuscript into the body of the email. For proper formatting of your manuscript, please follow the Shunn way, though it’s not necessary to include your address and phone number–we’ll ask for those if your manuscript is accepted. Do please include your email address. Ideal word count for novels and fiction collections: 50,000 – 90,000. Anything over about 120,000 words will be a hard sell unless it’s just outstanding.. Ideal word count for novellas: 20,000 – 30,000. We consider the quality of the editing in our review process. Please fully proofread and edit manuscripts prior to submission. Do not...

Taking Submissions: Starship Blunder

Starship Blunder

Deadline: June 30th, 2024 Price: $30 Theme: Stories set in the Starship Blunder universe (links to that universe below if you're unfamiliar with the world.) The Starship Blunder is an aging military vessel and part of a small space federation. Please read the Setting Overview, Character Profiles, and Intro story before submitting your story. WHAT WE WANT: Writers must be at least 18-year-old to submit their story. Diverse Storytelling: Humorous tales are our core, but feel free to delve into darker themes, explore romance, or follow whatever path your creativity takes you. Word Count: Ideally, stories should be between 2,000 and 10,000 words. Exceptional stories outside this range will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Originality in the Universe: We welcome your fictional planets and alien species. Expand the Starship Blunder universe with your imagination! Character Diversity: Bring us characters of all shapes, sizes, and species. We love variety and uniqueness in our cosmic cast. Engaging Narratives: Whether it's a light-hearted escapade or a thought-provoking journey, we're looking for stories that captivate and entertain. Ready for Print: Submissions should be well-edited and ready for publication, requiring minimal editorial changes. Multiple Submissions: If you feel sufficiently inspired by the universe, feel free to submit multiple stories! Submission Process: Submissions must be made through this form.  Excessive Gore: While a bit of space skirmish or alien encounter is fine, we prefer gore that serves the plot and isn't gratuitous. Erotica: Romance? Absolutely! But please, no explicit erotica. Child Abuse: Stories involving any form of child abuse will not be considered. Dismantling the Core World: Please don't destroy our beloved Starship Blunder or Neptune. Also, avoid killing off any canonical characters. AI Generated Stories: AI is great, and feel free to use it to brainstorm, outline, and correct grammar, but all of the prose of your story should be your own. More Details Payment: $30 per accepted story. Publishing Details: The Starship Blunder...