Events

Deadline: April 30th, 2018 Payment: $20 NEW ANTHOLOGY: The Horror Zine is announcing open submissions for stories for an anthology titled THE HORROR ZINE's BOOK OF GHOST STORIES. The Horror Zine will pay $20 per accepted story. MUST STATE 'GHOST STORY' IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF YOUR EMAIL!!! Or else your email WILL NOT BE READ. GUIDELINES: Ghosts / haunted houses / haunted graveyards / general hauntings / spirits. Must be really scary. Must be original (not a reprint) between 2K and 4K words. Due date is April 30, 2018. Submissions for the anthology are OPEN. Contact information HERE All submissions to The Horror Zine are subject to editing, but we work closely with the authors during the editing process. Nothing is published without the author's pre-approval and consent. Remember, even Stephen King has editors. The Horror Zine does not accept any material that contains adult or sexually explicit content; abuse or harming of women or children; any rape scenes; serial killers; slasher; gore for gore's sake, or splatterpunk. We do not accept any religious or political themes. We do not accept any submissions written in Olde English, Victorian, or 19th Century styles. We do not accept any submissions told in a diary or letter or journal format, or told entirely as dialogue (someone recounting past events). We do not accept fan fiction. Via: The Horror Zine.

Deadline: April 30th, 2018 Payment: AU$5.00 for stories under 1500 words / AU$10.00 for anything above 1500 words Colp is our 'anything goes' anthology collection. Expect to see a little bit of this and a little bit of that within each issue, so feel free to submit stories from any genre. Current theme: the passage of time For our first anthology collection we are looking for stories that address the phrase 'the passage of time'. Interpret the phrase as you wish: are you thinking time machines and inter-dimensional travellers or are you flashing back to the unrequited loves of days gone by? Colp is for everyone and therefore we are willing to read stories that fall into any genre so whether your story is a horror, romance, sci-fi or historical fiction please send it on through. Please ensure that you read through the general guidelines below and if there are specific questions please contact us using the form on the home page or via the listed social media accounts. Word count: 1000 - 5000 words (we're willing to consider longer or shorter if the story is good) Deadline: April 30 2018 Payment:  AU$5.00 for stories under 1500 words / AU$10.00 for anything above 1500 words General guidelines: Please no erotica or stories that feature unnecessary violence or vulgarity (unless specified otherwise). All stories should be formatted appropriately. Please see here for more details. Ensure that your name, address, and email contact and word count are at the top of your manuscript. Double check your spelling and grammar before sending your work through. Please submit all stories in .doc, .docx or .rtf formats. International submissions are accepted. No simultaneous submissions. Multiple submissions are encouraged. Where possible, we will provide feedback on request. No reprints. Please send all submissions to [email protected] Via: Gypsum Sound Tales.

Deadline: April 30th, 2018 Payment: $0.10 per word + contributor copy. Please read the guidelines carefully before submitting your story! Unidentified Funny Objects is an annual anthology of humorous SF/F. Past headliners include George R. R. Martin, Neil Gaiman, Esther Friesner, David Gerrold, Laura Resnick, Mike Resnick, Piers Anthony, Kevin J. Anderson, etc. For UFO7 we’re seeking all style and sub-genres of speculative humor. SUBMISSION WINDOW: April 1 – April 30, 2018 LENGTH: 500-5000 words.       PAYMENT: $0.10 per word + contributor copy. Payment will be made upon acceptance. Our preferred method of payment is via PayPal, but you may request a check. FORMAT: RTF or DOC. Standard Manuscript Format or something close to it (We won’t take points off if you prefer Courier over Times New Roman or some such). SEND TO: Upload your stories via this submissions link. Limit of 1 submission per author — even if you receive a response before the submission window closes please do not send another story unless directly invited to do so. Please do not respond to rejections. The email address associated with submissions is not monitored. If you wish to query for any reason, please use the contact form or e-mail us: ufopublishing at gmail dot com.     RIGHTS SOUGHT: First Worldwide print and electronic English Language rights. Exclusivity for 90 days from date of release. Non-exclusive print, e-book, and audio rights afterward. Preview sample contract. POLICIES & RESPONSE TIME: No reprints, multiple or simultaneous submissions please. Do not send any stories we already considered for a previous UFO volume or any other anthology edited by Alex Shvartsman. You may query after 30 days. Please send only one submission per author unless directly invited to send more.         WHAT WE WANT: We’re looking for speculative stories with a strong humor element. Think Resnick and Sheckley, Fredric Brown and Douglas Adams. ...

Deadline: May 1st, 2018 Payment: $.01 a word Folk Horror has emerged from the shadows of the late 1960s and early 1970s into a haunting subgenre of horror, fusing atmospheric and horrifying elements of cults, pagan sex, and human sacrifice. In the world of Folk Horror, the laws of God and Man are stripped away by secretive, provincial, surreal, and occult ritualism that subverts the established order in favor of a monstrous, all-consuming, elemental force of ancient evil. Nosetouch Press is proud to bring forth FIENDS IN THE FURROWS: AN ANTHOLOGY OF FOLK HORROR, a call for submissions that summon Folk Horror from around the world—from its deep roots in Britain and Ireland, to continental Europe, as well as North and South America, Africa, and Asia. We encourage writers to capture the essence of Folk Horror in new and terrifying ways above and beyond the cinematic "Unholy Trinity" of its origins, exploring the darkest of Folk traditions and weaving them into terrifying tales of Folk Horror. Send your best original Folk Horror stories of 5,000 to 10,000 words. Submissions that are chosen will be paid $.01 a word. No poems or reprints, please. Email entries to [email protected] .doc or .rtf  format • Please state “FIENDS” in the subject line.

Deadline: May 1st, 2018 Payment: Original fiction $.06/word; Solicited Reprint fiction: $.01/word; Podcast $.01/word This summer, award-winning author and editor Sheree Renée Thomas (“Aunt Dissy’s Policy Dream Book,” Apex Magazine, Volume 95 April 2017 and Volume 101 October 2017, Sleeping Under the Tree of Life, Shotgun Lullabies, and the Dark Matter anthologies) will guest edit a special Zodiac-themed issue. Sheree seeks short stories that explore the heavenly cosmos and unveil mysteries, tales that reimagine Zodiacal archetypes and/or throw them on their heads. As the stars align themselves above, write bold, fun, weird, scary, sensual stories that heal, frighten, intrigue, amuse. Length: 1500-5000 words Genres: Science fiction, fantasy, horror, interstitial, etc. Deadline: May 1, 2018 Email submissions to: [email protected] Payment:  Original fiction $.06/word; Solicited Reprint fiction: $.01/word; Podcast $.01/word (SFWA-certified professional market) No simultaneous submissions. No multi-submissions for short fiction. Publication: August 2018, www.apex-magazine.com

Deadline: May 1st, 2018 Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry Summer: "I wanted you to be the first to know," Rowan tentatively confided in me. Due date: May 1, 2018 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 is not a contest in the traditional sense. Fiction: All stories must...

Deadline: May 1st, 2018 Payment: 2 cents per word up to 8K words Note: Reprints Accepted General Details: We are always looking for dark fiction so please feel free to submit to our projects!  Below are all the projects that are in open submission periods.  We are taking multiple submissions for each project.  Please double check the guidelines before sending us your work.  If you are looking for payment compensation, then make sure you are submitting to a project that offers payment.   Each project is different and offers different compensation, so again please make sure you know what you're submitting to.   Below is an outline of our general guidelines. What we like: Supernatural horror (monsters, ghosts, witchcraft, ect.) Neo-noire (murder, conspiracy, mystery) Urban settings (not a must, but it catches our attention) Speculative Fiction (dark dystopian themes) Cyberpunk themes What we aren't looking for:  If your story utilizes any of these tropes then we can't publish it no matter how good it is!  It's not that we hate these themes, it's just not what we're looking to publish! No vampires No Werewolves No Zombies No Cthulhu Mythos Midnight Hour Volume 1 & 2 Strange things happen when the clock strikes twelve... Our flagship anthology is now open for submissions.  These books will be available on kindle, hardcover, paperback, and audiobook format.  The title page of each story will be illustrated.  We are looking for horror, dark sci-fi, dark speculative fiction, neo-noire, and cyberpunk themes.  Please read the general submissions for more details. Below is a little more about the project. Word Count :  1500-8000 words.  This is not a hard word count.  If you think you have a story that fits what we're looking for, but is a little long or a little short, send it our way. Payment:  We are offering 2 cents per...

Deadline: May 1st, 2018 Payment: 2 cents per word up to 10K words. Longer stories are welcome but the pay cap is $200. Note: Reprints Welcome There's no doubt that the Holidays are the most magical time of year, but that doesn't mean dark happenings aren't lurking beneath your Christmas tree as well. These books will be available on kindle, hardcover, paperback, and audiobook format.  The title page of each story will be illustrated.  We are looking for holiday related horror, dark sci-fi, dark speculative fiction, neo-noire, and cyberpunk stories.  We like stories with Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza themes.   Alternatively, they can simply take place during the holidays (like how Die Hard isn't really about Christmas) or even just involve wintery or snowy settings.  Please read the general submissions for more details. A word of advice:  If you plan on sending us a Krampus story, please make sure it's a great one!  We'll only have room for one in our collection and we're anticipating a lot of submissions so send something original! Below is a little more about the project. Word Count :  1000-10,000 words.  This is not a hard word count.  If you think you have a story that fits what we're looking for, but is a little long or a little short, send it our way. Payment:  We are offering 2 cents per word up to 10K words.  You are free to send us longer stories, but we cap payments at $200 per story for this project. Rights:  We are not asking for ownership of your story.  Just the right to print it. Reprints:  Yes, we accept reprints.  Beggars can't be choosers and we understand we're a fledgling brand.  If your work appears elsewhere, please make sure you double check with the other publication to make sure your story is eligible to print. Multiple Submissions :   Yes. Deadline :   May 1st Send...

Deadline: May 11th, 2018 Payment: Royalties Castrum Press is excited to announce that submissions are open for the Future Days Anthology The first of the Days Anthologies The Future Days Anthology is a short story collection that imagines where humanity finds itself in the future. Your story could be set tomorrow, next year, next century or in the next millennium. We are accepting stories in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror genres, all we ask is you take our readers on a journey into the future of the human race they will never forget. Your story must be between 7,000 and 10,000 words. Submission closes on Friday 11 May 2018. Your story must comply with our Submission Guidelines. The Small(ish) Print Successful submissions will receive a percentage of net profits following publication with the caveat that the stories will not be reproduced without the publisher’s consent for 12 months following publication of the relevant anthology. We can only accept one submission per anthology per author. We automatically reject submissions made after the closing date. All submissions must be original material, owned by the author, and must not have been published via any form of media before submission either free or paid. All submissions must comply with our submission guidelines. Featured image is (C) Copyright Duncan Halleck http://duncanhalleck.com/ Via: Castrum Press.

Deadline: May 13th, 2018 Payment: 6 cents per word as an advance against a pro rata share of royalties and foreign or other sales. The reading period for Sword & Sorceress 33 will begin on MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018. It will end on SUNDAY, MAY 13, 2018. If you wish to submit a story to the anthology, please follow the Guidelines below. Guidelines Stories should be the type generally referred to as "sword and sorcery" and must have a strong female protagonist whom the reader will care about. See Sword & Sorceress 22, Sword & Sorceress 23, Sword & Sorceress 24, Sword & Sorceress 25, Sword & Sorceress 26, Sword & Sorceress 27, Sword & Sorceress 28, Sword & Sorceress 29, Sword & Sorceress 30, Sword & Sorceress 31, and Sword & Sorceress 32 (or S&S 1-20) for examples. We do not want stories with explicit sex, gratuitous violence, or profanity. We are NOT a market for poetry, horror, or dark fantasy. We are willing to consider stories set in modern times (urban fantasy), but we don't buy more than one or two of those for the anthology. We always want something short and funny for the last story. No reprints. No simultaneous submissions. With regard to multiple submissions, do not submit more than one story at a time. If we've rejected your first one, you may send one more, as long as it's before the deadline. We have occasionally bought someone's second submission. We have never bought a third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth submission. If you send us two stories, and we don't hold either of them, wait until next year to try again. Please do not re-submit stories we have already rejected (including stories rejected in previous years). If you have not previously sold to Sword...