Events

Deadline: September 1st, 2014 Payment: 5 cents per word November--Aliens You knew it was coming. Whether your aliens are little green men or tall, skinny grey ones , we want to hear about them. First contact or close encounters of the fifth kind--whatever, however, wherever. It's been a while since we've seen a stand-out tale of visitors from outer space. Let's end that streak just in time for the holidays. CALL BEGINS JULY 1, 2014 CALL ENDS SEPTEMBER 1, 2014 Penumbra is looking for original, unpublished stories of 3500 words or less.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 relies upon the Chicago Manual of Style. All accepted stories will be edited to reflect Musa house style. If you have never been published before, please tell us. Penumbra likes publishing new authors as much as we like...

Deadline: September 1st, 2014 Payment: Contributor's Copy Dark Corners publishes pulp fiction quarterly. Hardboiled, noir, westerns, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror are all desired. If you have something that exists outside these genres or even combines them and you think we'd enjoy it, feel free to submit. Be forewarned, though, that we reserve the right to be picky. If you don't know what pulp fiction is, you might be better off submitting elsewhere. Absolutely no fan fiction. Our readers demand and deserve quality and there is a lot of quality out there so be competitive. Give us your best. Word limit is 2-5,000 words but err on the side of brevity. We want it fast and memorable. Please send only one story per quarter. This is a small operation here and while I appreciate the vote of confidence, we have our limits. Submit to craigtm85 (at) gmail (dot) com. (Please don't type "at" and "dot". I think you know how e-mails look. This is to protect myself from Nigerian princes and people trying to enlarge parts of my body or introduce me to Russian girls. I already live with the best woman possible.) Attach your submission in a Word Document file or Open Office file if you prefer. For the subject of your e-mail, write "Dark Corners Submission -- Your Last Name". If you actually write "Your Last Name", I will respond telling you how funny I think you are but I probably won't read your submission. In the body of your e-mail, send your cover letter. Look up how to do one if you don't know but don't fret about it. As long as you give your best attempt at professionalism, we won't ignore you. Make sure your letter contains a short bio. In the document itself, include your name,...

Deadline: September 1st 2014 Payment: Contributor's Copy Note: This is clearly a market that is looking for science fiction but if you have some with a horror twist... WANTED SCIENCE FICTION WRITERS - short stories We're looking for previously unpublished, original, science fiction short stories for WBP's 2015 Science Fiction Anthology. Those chosen to be in the anthology will receive a copy of the anthology. All proceeds will be donated to a literacy charity that will be chosen in the fall. Requirements: · Story must be classified as science fiction. Word count under 12,000 words · Subject line MUST have ‘The Word Branch 2015 Sci-Fi Anthology’ and sent to [email protected] · Please provide your name e-mail address, mailing address (contract must be signed if your story is chosen.) and phone number on the first page of your story. Entries need to be in .rtf format. Entries not in this format will be excluded. · In addition, please attach a short bio (no more than 300 words) and a jpg photo (at least 300dpi) of yourself or an avatar. Deadline for submissions is September 1st 2014. A Note From the Publisher Picture Last year, author Stacy Bender came to me with an idea. She proposed that Word Branch Publishing sponsor a writing contest for aspiring science fiction writers to be published in an anthology that spotlights their talents. I agreed, as long as she took a leadership position and all of the profits went to a literacy cause. Although the experience had a learning curve, it was a successful venture in the end. We showcased a number of new and emerging SF writers as well as earned money for The North Carolina Literacy Association. After our initial experiment, we have decided to continue the anthology as an annual contest. As was...

Deadline: September 1st, 2014 Payment: An equal percentage royalty split of 50% of sales p.o.d. and e-book. Since the call for the last anthology was so specific, for the next one I wanted to run with an idea that I’ve been carrying around for a while. BLOOD RED WET DREAMS It’s not so much a concrete theme as it is an evocative phrase. A trigger to get your creative juices flowing. The only condition is that the stories must contain at least one of the themes suggested by the title of the anthology. BLOOD: The blood is the life. Feel free to interpret this in any way you choose. From paper-cuts to torrents of arterial spray. We’re not squeamish about gore, and will be particularly unsqueamish about it when considering stories for this anthology, as the mock-up cover will hopefully convey. RED: The color red. Potentially the most evocative color in the visible spectrum. In thematic perception tests and interpretation of art, red is interpreted both as suggestive of love and anger, as in “seeing red”. WET: I shouldn’t have to describe what wet means. A creeping water stain on the ceiling of an old house. A body of water that seems benevolent until it isn’t. There are many ways that an author can incorporate the theme of moisture into their work. DREAMS: Dreams for some, nightmare for others. The mysterious place that the mind is transported to when we close our eyes and give ourselves over to the temporary death of sleep. Since the call for this one is so wide, we want all new stories. Not that we won’t consider reprints of exceptional quality, but we feel that with the parameters for this call being as open as they are that we would like to see some work...

Deadline: September 1st, 2014 Payment: Two complimentary copies Submission guidelines: Ghost stories is interpreted in its widest sense for this collection. Tales do not have to be traditional ghost stories in the vein of MR James/Charles Dickens, nor do they need to be horror stories. Feel free to surprise us with something different – as long as it features ghosts as a central component. Stories should be no more than 5000 words, no minimum word count for this collection. Word count does not include title. Send submissions as a word attachment (.doc or .rtf) [email protected] with the subject line ‘GHOST STORY SUBMISSION.’ There is no particular preferred layout, as long as stories are presented tidily. Violence, swearing and sexual content and acceptable, provided that they fit the story – gratuitous usages or use for shock value will harm your chances of acceptance. Boo Books acquires first English language rights, and makes no limit on authors use of the story elsewhere. Copyright remains with the author in all instances. Authors will receive two complimentary copies of the anthology – there is no cash payment for acceptance in this anthology. If you have any queries on these guidelines, or the collection itself, feel free to email Alex Davis, editor and publisher, at [email protected] Via: Boo Books.

Deadline: September 5, 2014 Payment: 2 cents per word for each edited manuscript accepted into the anthology It’s said that music makes the world go around. But it also soothes the SAVAGE BEASTS within us all. For our next anthology of horror–working title SAVAGE BEASTS–we’re looking for dark and terrifying tales of fiction that have been scratched into the inside of your skull by the musical earworms to which you listen. Hundreds of authors report getting their inspiration for their dark tales from music. Whether that musical choice be metal, classic rock, country or the far more horrifying pop tunes that ramble in and out of your head, any source of inspiration will work. Whether a complete song, or a single lyric, as long as your inspiration is musical it will qualify your exceptional piece of dark fiction for consideration into SAVAGE BEASTS. As with our complete catalog of bestselling anthologies, we do not want to limit your creativity with a narrowly themed collection. Anywhere your mind goes, so long as it’s been taken there by some form of music, will work for your submission. But, as always, be prepared to scare the hell out of us. Please review our Complete Submissions Guidelines below, paying specific attention to the additional information we would like to receive regarding the source of your inspiration. Feel free to contact us here on the site with any questions with a message to [email protected]. We thank you for your interest in considering Grey Matter Press as a potential home for your work. *SAVAGE BEASTS is the working title for this volume. Grey Matter Press reserves the right to change the title as necessary. GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS WORD COUNT: 3,000 – 10,000 words DEADLINE: Friday, September 5, 2014 PAYMENT: $0.02 cents per word for each edited...

Deadline: September 10th, 2014 Payment: Exposure and Royalties Flash fiction & Short Stories (200 – 5,000 words) Poetry and re-prints will also be considered From where, when, with someone, without someone, coming back from –space, another country, another time, another dimension, coming back to… Dark fairy tales, bizarre, horror, surrealism, dark science-fiction and steam punk are all cool here. Submission guidelines: Deadline for submissions – September 10th, 2014 – or until full. Word Count: 200 – 5,000 words. Please submit your manuscript as a *.rtf, *.doc or *.docx file (all other formats will automatically be rejected. Contact me prior to submitting if this presents an issue for you.) Font and formatting: Loose No headers, footers or page numbers. Please check grammar. Upon acceptance into the anthology, you agree that Horrified Press holds exclusive publishing rights for six months from the date of publication; after that date has passed, all intellectual property rights revert to the author with the proviso that Horrified Press retains distribution rights in the format of the contracted anthology. This title will be available as an e-book and trade quality paperback. Dorothy Davies will be presiding over this anthology. Email your submission as an attachment to: [email protected] The email subject line must read “SUBMISSION – Coming Back – ‘your story title’” or your submission will not be considered for this anthology. Successful applicants will be notified before the deadline has expired. Via: Horrified Press.

Deadline: September 12th 2014 Payment: All royalties from anthologies will be split evenly between all authors. Bloody Kisses Volume 2 picks up where one leaves off, ruthless vampires taking what they want when they want it. Violence, sex, death, what real vampires are all about. No holds barred on this one, write it as it comes to you. Title is a work in progress may change it but for now we are going with this. Blurb Vampires, exotic creatures of the night, lurking in the shadows, waiting and watching their prey, striking hard and deep with a crimson kiss one will never forget. Ruthless, others heartless, all damned to walk eternity craving blood, lusting for sex, stealing not only your breath but also your soul. With their strength and power, they are ruled by the moonlight, some newborns, others centuries old waiting for their next victim to play the game. Blood Games continues the thirst that Bloody Kisses left lingering and will give you another set of tales of these beautiful creatures that will not only captivate you but also have you craving another taste. Guidelines Short Stories and Poetry/Prose accepted Min Word Count: 800 Words (if it is a bit short talk with me) Max Word Count: 7,000 Words (if you go over talk with me) Poetry does not have a word count Submit to [email protected] Word doc 12-14pt. Georgia or Times New Roman Editing will be provided unless author prefers their own editor Via: Phoenix Fire Publishing.

Deadline: September 15, 2014 Payment: Shared Royalties We are happy to announce that Angelic Knight Press is opening submissions for Tim Marquitz and Tyson Mauermann’s newest anthology, GRIMDARK GRIMOIRE. The Project will contain 12 -15 original stories of horror, fantasy, science fiction, and suspense. The book is schedule to publish in {Q4} November 2014. GRIMDARK GRIMIORE The antihero: love them or hate them, they tend to get the job done. Sorcerers, gunslingers, assassins, outlaws, et al, come together in twisted tales of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and suspense. When the end of the world is upon us, who will stand in your corner? The Grimdark Grimoire idea is to focus on the antihero. Sometimes they lend a helping hand and at other times they take advantage of the situation. What we are looking for is original fiction that takes place in unique and expansive landscapes and cultures that feature the antihero. We want adventure stories that don’t hold back and capture the imagination and run the gambit of speculative fiction. Please read over the following before submitting: Genre: Grimdark stories featuring Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and/or Suspense. Submission window: Now – 1 September 15, 2014 Submission length: 3,000 – 5,000 words Book Editions: Paperback and eBook Payment: Shared Royalties Format: .Doc or .Docx Response time: 15 – 30 days Policies: No reprints. The work must be 100% original and never published elsewhere in the past, including blogs, websites, self-published or any form of publication. No multiple submissions. If your first story is rejected you may submit one other story for consideration. Rights Sought: First worldwide print and electronic rights exclusive for 1 year from official publishing date. When sending your Manuscript make sure to include the following information in the body of your email: Full name Location: City, state, Country Story title, genre, and word...

Deadline: September 15, 2014 Payment: Royalties Ah, childhood. A time of innocence, wonder…and unbridled terror. Childhood fears. We all had them. Maybe it was clowns. A particular toy. Something under the bed? Or that creepy house at the end of the block. Admit it, there was something that scared you. (Or someone you knew.) I’m thrilled to announce an open call for submissions for a new, yet-to-be-titled fall 2015 horror anthology based on childhood fears. I’m open to supernatural or non-supernatural, historical or contemporary novellas. You can use ghosts, scary Santas, dark closets, vampires, homicidal maniacs, or almost anything your imagination can create. The main characters don’t necessarily have to be children anymore, but if they’re adults, they should be facing a fear from their childhood. The novellas must range between 25,000 to 30,000 words in length. Please note, only manuscripts that fall in this word count will be considered. Each selected novella will be released individually as an ebook in spring 2015 and together in print approximately six months later. Submissions are open to all authors, published with Samhain or aspiring to be published with Samhain. All submissions must be new, original material—previously published submissions will not be considered. Previously submitted manuscripts will not be considered either. Be aware that manuscripts submitted for this anthology cannot be resubmitted at a later date unless by invitation from the editor. Please note: this is for the Samhain Horror line, not Romance. While a romantic subplot or element is fine, the main focus of the novella must be horror. To submit a manuscript for consideration, please include: The full manuscript (of 25,000 to 30,000 words) with a comprehensive 2-5 page synopsis. Also include a letter of introduction/query letter. As well, when you send your manuscript, be sure to use the naming convention...