Events

Deadline: May 1, 2016 Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction (all U.S. dollars) and contributor's copy Summer: By the fifteenth month of the drought, the lake no longer held her secrets. Due date: May 1, 2016 We love the fact that writers around the world are inspired by our first lines, and we know that not every story will be sent to us. However, we ask that you do not submit stories starting with our first lines to other journals (or post them online on public sites) until we've notified you as to our decision (usually two to three weeks after the deadline). When the entire premise of the publication revolves around one sentence, we don't want it to look as if we stole that sentence from another writer. If you have questions, feel free to drop us a line. (Also, we understand that writers may add our first line to a story they are currently working on or have already completed, and that's cool. But please do not add our first line to a previously published story and submit it to us. We do not accept previously published stories, even if they have been repurposed for our first lines.) One more thing while I've got you here: Writers compete against one another for magazine space, so, technically, every literary magazine is running a contest. There are, however, literary magazines that run traditional contests, where they charge entry fees and rank the winners. We do not - nor will we ever - charge a submission fee, nor do we rank our stories in order of importance. Occasionally, we run contests to help come up with new first lines, or we run fun, gimmicky competitions for free stuff, but the actual journal...

Deadline: May 1st, 2016 Payment: 3 cents per word and 2 copies of the book. Author and Editor Scott David Aniolowski is currently reading for his latest anthology, Intimate the Nature of the Phantasms: Queering the Cthulhu Mythos, a collection of Cthulhu Mythos tales told from an LGBT point of view, for Lethe Press. H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos has become a genre unto itself, with tales spanning every conceivable setting: gothic horror, splatterpunk, cyberpunk, steampunk, sci fi, dreamy, Gaslight horror, avant-garde, experimental, erotica, fantasy, sword and sorcery, historic, and anything else imaginable, and more! Similarly, submissions for this anthology are open to any and all settings and genres, but told with a LGBT sense of self. What does that mean? You tell me. It does not mean, necessarily, strictly sex. If your tale is an erotic tale fine, but don’t feel compelled to include sex just to satisfy the theme; there is so much more to the LGBT community! The one firm rule for submissions is that they must be Cthulhu Mythos stories. Please do not feel obliged to slavishly mimic Lovecraft or use just his creations. There are dozens of other wonderful authors and hundreds of stories from which to choose gods, monsters, blasphemous books and haunted settings: Ramsey Campbell’s work is wonderfully British and full of urban decay and sci fi themes; Clark Ashton Smith’s milieu is very dreamy and exotic; Robert E. Howard is known for his pulpy action and sword and sorcery tales, etc. And there are so many more great authors to inspire, or devise your own dark gods, unspeakable horrors, and sanity-sapping tomes. Seeking works up to 6,000 words. Tell me the story you need to tell but don’t bloat it out just for word count – if your story is only 2,500 words...

Deadline: May 1, 2016 Payment: 0.013 cents per word and 5 contributor's copies An open invitation for all authors to submit short story works of horror for review and possible inclusion in a new horror anthology to be published by Raven's Head Press this summer. Seven stories will be chosen for inclusion. Please contact Michael Hudson at [email protected] Works must be 7500 words or less. Subject matter is to be supernatural/horror/noir in theme. The book will be aimed for adults but we will not accept any blatant adult content. If the work is in Italian, editor Michael Hudson will handle the English translation. Proposed title: Death Dances In the Moonlight Payment will be semi-professional at 0.013 cents per word. Writer will receive five copies of the trade paperback plus any additional copies as cost plus shipping as needed. Deadline for submissions is May 1, 2016 5:00PM EST. If approved final work due June 04/2016. Have fun! Via: Raven's Head Press.

https://youtu.be/D1Lb9HZwJyY Deadline: May 4, 2016 Payment: $15 I had started the submission process last year, but I’m opening it again. “Tap into the fear that is trapped in those Appalachian hills, focusing more on the Pennsylvania/West Virginia area. You never know what you’ll find in the surrounding areas.” I’m looking for horror and its different subgenres here. I want the stories to contrast greatly. The word count would be between 5,000-15,000.  My plan is to have lucky number 13 stories. This horror anthology is focused on Appalachia in the United States. Stories based outside of PA and WV will be considered as well. You do not have to write fiction based on local folklore, but if you do, please let me know. It will pay $15 and you’ll have the option of buying extra copies at cost and selling it on your own. We would only retain rights for 6 months before they would revert back to you and you can publish it elsewhere. It’s untitled as of yet. Publication is slated for October 2016. It’ll print through my PenPaperPad imprint with Book Genesis designing it for us. The due date for your short story is May 4, 2016. You can submit no more than 2. Please email submissions to [email protected] as a .doc attachment. Subject: HORROR SUBMISSIONS  Send your submissions and let’s make something scary as hell together. Via: Tamara Woods.

Deadline: May 15th, 2016 Payment: $0.06/word and two contributor's copies Note 1: Not strictly horror but obviously reading the guidelines some themes could work. Note 2: You will need to click through to the page to submit. We’re looking for stories that: Have a main character that a middle grade reader (ages 9-12) can identify with; Show a diverse set of real characters; Are well written, fun to read and encourage a love of reading science fiction; Tell of adventure, space, science.  Give us rockets, robots and alien encounters, and we’re pretty happy. Steampunk, time travel, weird west and alternate history are all fine. Are between 3,000 and 6,000 words. We’re especially looking for stories: Of adventure!  We love a good dystopia as much as the next robot, but remember – this is the young explorer’s adventure guide. Where the main character is of a population that has traditionally been under-represented in science fiction, e.g. girls, people of color, differently abled people; Where the main character has agency, exercises it, and isn’t just along for the ride.   We’re not interested in: Stories where the female characters primarily exist to be rescued or as a prize for the males; Stories where the primary plot or subplot is romantic in nature; Stories with graphic violence or any form of sexual activity; Stories about the first girl to do X, surprising everyone; Stories that depict any ethnicity or gender as universally bad or stupid. Please note:  although we’re aware kids have a wide and varied vocabulary, we’d prefer not to have swearing in the stories. If your story has swearing, please rephrase before submitting. Submission deadline, mechanics and planned schedule Anthology will be open for submissions from January 15– May 15, 2016, with a reading period of June and July 2016. While we prefer...

Deadline: May 15, 2016 Payment: $25 Anthology Editor: Carrol Fix Word Count: 3,000 – 8,000 Deadline: May 15, 2016  Authors receive token payment of $25. Please read our Submission Guidelines before submitting. Submit using the Submission Form. Humankind has forded the immense stream of space between stars and reached our neighbors. The Milky Way Galaxy lies waiting to be explored. What will we discover on hospitable planets circling new stars? Will we find almost familiar moons, asteroids, planetary rings, and, possibly, never before seen astronomical formations? The sky is no longer the limit for soaring imaginations. Visions V stories take place somewhere…anywhere…in the Milky Way Galaxy. Anything to do with planets, stars, and aliens is fair game. No limitations, as long as the subject and action take place outside our Solar System and within the Milky Way. Originality is paramount. If you are using an old Star Trek-like concept, it better have a new twist or something that makes it stand out. We get lots of similar stories with a standard theme, so if yours is like one we already have, we will think twice before accepting yours. Impress us. Via: Lillycat Publishers.

Deadline: May 15th, 2016 Payment: $25 USD "Toxic" The world can be a dangerous place, not just from the obvious, but also from the most seemingly innocent. From despots who silence entire nations with deadly gas, to the tiniest creatures which can kill with a single sting or bite, this anthology is centered around the theme of poisons, toxins, and anything, well...toxic. The goal for this publication will be to collect ten unique stories, each using a different real life substance (they must actually exist). Note: submissions will be open from now until 5/15/2016 GUIDELINES: Blood and violence are fine but no splatter fest, use your own judgment Sex is permissible but only if its integral to the story, please do not send adult content The idea is to make the story interesting, a good and engaging plot is necessary Submissions must be from 2000-5000 words and edited properly Do not contact me about the progress of your submission, my goal is to go through all work received and respond in turn All submissions must be attached via doc, docx, or rtf Again, please review your work for spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. before submitting All submissions should be sent to ([email protected]) for consideration Do not send multiple submissions The word "submission" should be included in the subject line Please do not submit reprints All toxic substances and effects used in the stories must actually exist. In other words, a serial killer should not be using an imaginary poison to kill their victims, nor should how their victim suffer be unrealistic, try and match the poison to its real world effects Please include your name, address, and title in the top right corner along with your name Copyright: All those who submit their work are granting Migla Press non-exclusive rights primarily for editing and archiving purposes. Those who are selected...

Deadline: May 20th, 2016 Payment: $50, also if sales reach a certain threshold there will be royalties The Twelve Days of Christmas. Everyone knows the song. And at some point, everyone has thought, "Man that must have gotten really disconcerting getting all those things from their 'love'. There must be an easier way..." And so we are making one: a way for people to give all these things to their love without the logistical nightmare. The Patchwork Raven is calling for story submissions for an anthology based on the twelve gifts given in the well-known Christmas song. We're hoping to have it available for this Christmas, which is why submissions are only open for a month. But I am a writer, I know what it's like - writers thrive on deadlines right? I am looking for interesting stories with one of the following titles: Twelve Drummers Drumming Eleven Pipers Piping Ten Lords a-Leaping Nine Ladies Dancing Eight Maids a-Milking Seven Swans a-Swimming Six Geese a-Laying Five Gold Rings Four Calling Birds Three French Hens Two Turtle Doves A Partridge in a Pear Tree That is almost as much guidance as I am willing to give. They can be any genre, and the more twisty and surprising the connection to the title, the more likely I am to pick it. Those of you who have worked with me before will know that I love a story that surprises me. I also love stories in diverse voices. Show me a poly lesbian paladin. A female Indian noir detective. A trans Kenyan doctor living in Wellington. A bodybuilder who loves needlework. Challenge the usual boundaries. Write beautiful prose. But most of all, tell me a good tale. I am looking for ONE story for each title. I may, over time, keep a tally...

Deadline: May 30th 2016 Payment: A signing bonus not to be held against royalties, plus a net royalty on all sales. As part of our first anniversary celebrations, we are launching a brand new initiative. Without further ado, we unveil… The Book Smugglers Publishing Novella Initiative Starting in 2017, we are looking at publishing four Speculative Fiction novellas per year, alongside our short stories, anthologies, and other works. General Information: We’re looking for original novellas from all around the world as long as they are written in English. Our goal is to publish four novellas in 2017, and each novella will be accompanied by one original piece of artwork from an artist commissioned by us separately. What We’re Looking For: DIVERSITY. We want to read and publish novellas that reflect the diverse world we live in, about and from traditionally underrepresented perspectives. We more than welcome stories featuring LGBTQIA characters: PLEASE SEND THEM TO US. It should go without saying that we’d hope for a respectful and responsible approach to creating diverse worlds and characters. Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Adult audience submissions are welcome. Good speculative fiction is ageless! We are VERY keen on receiving Speculative Fiction stories within the Romance, Horror, and Science Fiction genres (or stories with strong romantic, horror, or sci-fi elements). Creativity & Subversion. We love subversive stories. We want you to challenge the status quo with your characters, story telling technique, and themes. Guidelines for Submission: We are looking for original speculative fiction, between 17,500 and 40,000 words long. These SFF offerings must be previously unpublished in English; we will consider works that were originally published in other languages now in English, provided that the author has the right to sell the English language edition. We do accept multiple submissions as well as simultaneous...

Deadline: May 31st, 2016 Payment: $500 and 25 contributors copies. What kind of stories is One Story looking for? One Story is seeking literary fiction. Because of our format, we can only accept stories between 3,000 and 8,000 words. They can be any style and on any subject as long as they are good. We are looking for stories that leave readers feeling satisfied and are strong enough to stand alone. Does One Story pay money? Yes. One Story is offering $500 and 25 contributors copies for First Serial North American rights. All rights will revert to the author upon publication. Does One Story accept previously published material? One Story is looking for previously unpublished material. However, if a story has been published in print outside of North America, it will be considered. No stories previously published online will be accepted. Does One Story accept simultaneous submissions? Yes, but please notify us immediately if your submission is accepted for publication elsewhere. What file types can I submit? We accept PDF, RTF, and TXT files that are less than 500KB. Please include the story title and all writer contact info on the first page of the submitted file. Will you send me comments on my story? No. One Story receives close to 100 submissions each week. Please understand that we do not have time to comment on individual stories. Can I change the story I submitted with an updated draft? No. Do you consider translations? Yes. Please include the name of the original author and language, as well as the name of the translator on the first page of your submission. How do I submit to One Story? We have an automated system for you to send us your work. It will securely send our editors your story and email you...