Events

Deadline: September 9th, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Monsters and/or magic in the old west Because we KNOW we’ll get a bunch, here we go with Volume 2! Witches, and werewolves and cowboys, oh my! Strange things are done in the midday sun, especially when there’s magic around. Tell your tales about monsters and magic in the Old West. Opens: 7/6/24 Closes: 9/6/24 Contracts: 9/21/24 Publication: 10/18/24 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 (preferred, but you can use Georgian or other readable font), 12PT, double spaced, with your name, title of the story, and your email on it. Name the file as -—. Send it in a .docx format as an attachment—no links. Refer to the submission guideline graphic below for how to format your story—It has all the information you need! Feel free to download it for reference. Raconteur Press will hold the rights for one year after publication, after one year the rights will revert to the author, but we continue to pay you as long as the anthology is selling. Authors receive an equal percentage share of the proceeds from the anthology, along with the Press, our editors, and administration. Yes, you read that right. We don’t take 80% off the top and split the 20% left over between all the authors. We’re all in this together. This is why our anthologies are limited to ten stories. IMPORTANT: PLEASE do NOT submit stories until the date the call opens. We don’t want to hang on to your piece for longer than necessary. You might find another market for it, or it decides to grow into a novel, or…..so go ahead and write it, but tuck it away, and revisit...

Submission Window: June 15th - September 15th, 2024 Payment: $10 Theme: Stories that constitutes the ever-moving edge of its kind, as a place between light and dark, consciousness and un, today and tomorrow; work exhibiting the strange, the bizarre, that which is not of the world we know, but more of a twilight realm or even altogether alien place. I would love to see submissions representing not only multiple cultures but subcultures, exploring issues of race, ethnicity, gender, orientation, and many things I haven't thought of. Does this mean you have to represent everybody and everything in 1000 words? Of course not. But be aware that we are creating a magazine that overall reaches and represents the true diversity of the world we live in. In terms of genre, I am looking for work that constitutes the ever-moving edge of its kind, as a place between light and dark, consciousness and un, today and tomorrow; work exhibiting the strange, the bizarre, that which is not of the world we know, but more of a twilight realm or even altogether alien place. Not necessarily science fiction, not necessarily fantasy, not necessarily horror, and not necessarily not these things. In short, ideally edgy. Maybe even idealistically edgy. I am NOT looking for porn. Penumbric generally accepts submissions in the following categories: fiction, poetry, illustration, graphic narrative, animation, music, or combinations of these (e.g., a spoken-word version of a poem). If you have something that fits some other category that can be displayed to advantage on the web, try me; I'll take a look. All works must be the creation of the author(s) submitting them, and must not infringe upon any right of any other person or entity. We buy non-exclusive worldwide periodical rights to publish your work in Penumbric, and will accept reprints...

Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Payment: $15, 5 contributors copies Theme: Valentine's themed horror stories “Eat Your Heart Out, Volume 1” Submissions  June 10, 2024-September 15, 2024 ‘Love is patient’, lurking behind a pristine row of bushes; keeping vigilant watch, being certain to narrow the timing down to the exact second the living room lamp shuts off and the shades pulled. Love turns a copy of the house key around and around in a gloved hand. ‘Love is kind’ of expensive sometimes— when all is said and done, often the price is grief, security, emotions, possessions, or even our very lives… Campfire Publishing is excited to announce that we are currently accepting submissions for, “Eat Your Heart Out, Volume 1”, the first in our collection of Valentine’s themed horror stories! Please read below to ensure that your story will be a good fit, and feel free to reach out to us–via the form located on our main page or by sending an email to [email protected]–if you have any questions. “Eat Your Heart Out, Volume 1” is the first volume in a horror collection dedicated to Valentine’s- themed horror stories. Campfire Publishing aspires to publish multiple volumes in the “Eat Your Heart Out” collection, along with collections specific to a variety of themes in the horror genre. What are we looking for? We are looking for WELL-EDITED stories close to 10,000 words that offer a horrific, bloody, or unique lens to view the subject of love, lust, or that looks to the idea of Valentine’s Day—corporate greed, the illusion of social influencers, lust, scorn, or just whatever journey your creativity offers up to you! Campfire Publishing is keeping its eye out for a wide range of chilling voices from seasoned to novice that offer unique perspectives into the often frightening world of...

Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Payment: 2 cents per word, lore from these stories will also be featured in the upcoming Starspawn videogame which is cool for bragging rights but you won't be paid extra for it which is an honest sticking point for many Theme: Stories set in a variation of the Lovecraft universe which is listed below Note: Be sure to read the legal at the bottom, it is very straightforward as this is for a videogame, but might be news to some Ancient horrors… secret countermeasures… a cosmic cold war, turning hot… This is the world of Starspawn: A Miskatonic Mystery, an indie video game in development by our team of two. We will be doing a Kickstarter later this year, and we would like to offer an original short story anthology as a reward; portions of the stories will also be included in the game, with the full text available as bonus achievements. These stories will flesh out the lore of the game’s universe, and should be based on the prompts listed below. We are offering $0.02 per word (to a maximum of $100), and looking for stories in the 2,500 - 7,500 word range. Submissions are open now, and close on September 15, 2024. We will evaluate all submissions after the closing date. Requirements & Instructions Stories must be set in the game universe, which is a variation of the Lovecraft universe, and described below. Horror, please. Action/horror, comedy/horror, etc. are all fine, but horror, please. Cosmic horror, please; not just a creature feature. Tentacles dripping with eyeballs are great imagery, but there’s more to it. Stories must be based on one of the provided prompts. (You may send us a message if you would like to pitch a new one before you write it; info-at-the...

Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Payment: US 4¢/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum US $4, maximum $25 Theme: Outlaws Eye to the Telescope 54, Outlaws, will be edited by Melissa Ridley Elmes. Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy, Belle Star, Wyatt Earp, Bonnie and Clyde … Robin Hood, Aladdin, Zorro, Jean Valjean, the Joker, Villanelle … Malcolm Reynolds, Zoe Washburne, Peter Quill, Gamora, Han Solo, Sam and Dean Winchester … outlaws have a perennial hold on our imaginations, equal parts romanticized and demonized, revered and reviled, admired and loathed, depending on whose side you’re on. Outlaws are anti-heroes. They destabilize existing systems of power, erasing the illusion of control in societies. They bring with them and leave in their wake disorder, chaos, violence, destruction, loss, and death. But on the other hand, they also point to possibilities—of throwing off the shackles of propriety and authority; of living life on their own terms and according to their own ethical codes, standards, and values; of the possibilities that exist beyond established socio-political and cultural structures. I’m looking for your take on outlaws, defined broadly—give me your space cat renegades, your dryad anti-government environmental activists, your fed up monsters ready to throw down against the powers that be, your alien mercenaries, your dynamic lover-robbers, your charming assassins, your child-thieves: make them loud, make them stealthy, make them in-your-face, make them subtle, make them violent, make them pacifist, make them winners or losers, lovable or loatheable—whatever you do, just make sure it’s in verse form, memorable, vivid, and speculative. Submission Guidelines SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Use the form at https://bit.ly/SFPAettt54 to submit. 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”...

Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Prizes: 10 winners will each receive $10 Theme: Something so strange that the reader feels that they've entered the Twilight Zone Ever look around the world and feel like you've entered the Twilight Zone? Tell me about it! But tell me about it in 600 words or less! From September 1st to September 15th, WWW will accept submissions for our micro fiction competition. 10 winning stories will be selected, and the winning authors will receive $10 each and publication on the website.   THEME: I want to read about behavior so strange, I feel like I've entered the Twilight Zone!     If you need an example of how to establish strange behavior in 600 words or less, I recommend reading these two stories:       War of the Clowns by Mia Couto  No Matter Which Way We Turned By Brian Evenson      Up to 3 submissions per entrant allowed!   Send stories pasted into the BODY of the email to: [email protected]   NO SOONER THAN SEPTEMBER 1st!   Reprints are OK, as long you own the rights. Simultaneous subs are OK. Just tell us *right away* if you need to withdraw your entry. SUBJECT LINE SHOULD READ: "Micro Fiction Competition - Title"   DEADLINE: September 15th Via: Weird Wide Web.

Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Payment: Fiction: 10 cents a word, Poetry: $50 Theme: Anansi stories Note: Black female-identifying and Black gender-fluid authors only Submissions for the Fall 2024 Issue are now open. Theme: Anansi stories. Submissions for this issue will be reserved for Black female-identifying and Black gender-fluid writers. To learn more, scroll below to our Fall 2024 information. To be alerted about future submissions calls, please follow our Facebook page or subscribe to our newsletter. —— Please read carefully below for our editorial aesthetic, rights information, AI policy, and guidelines. The aesthetic: My editorial tastes mainly align with the original vision of The Green Sheaf: I love folklore, fairy tales, mythology, and the mystical. I also enjoy the speculative, the darkly fantastical, folk horror, the weird/numinous, the surreal/strange, the gothic, and magical realism/slipstream. Furthermore, I love poetic language, exquisite prose, and lush imagery. My favorite authors of short fiction include Angela Carter, K-Ming Chang, Carmen Maria Machado, Angela Buck, María Fernanda Ampuero, Agustina Bazterrica, Gwendolyn Kiste, Jamaica Kincaid, Sheree Renée Thomas, Nalo Hopkinson, Caroline Yoachim, Karen Russell, Ramona Ausubel, Kelly Link, Aimee Bender, Barbara Molinard, Leonora Carrington, Italo Calvino, Jorge Luis Borges, and Gabriel García Márquez, among others. I love the films of Robert Eggers, Federico Fellini, Tim Burton, and Guillermo del Toro. I’m also haunted by The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Transport me with your words. AI Policy: We will not accept AI-generated work. Rights: We request first North American serial rights—which will revert to you immediately on publication—and non-exclusive rights to archive your work electronically. __________ Call for Submissions: Fall 2024 Issue Our Fall 2024 issue will publish Black female-identifying and Black gender-fluid writers only. Theme: Anansi stories Because of Pamela Colman Smith’s deep love of Afro-Caribbean folklore and especially Anansi, I would love to see your...

Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Payment: $25 for accepted short stories and $10 for accepted poetry.  Theme: Cozy reads, any genre (maybe not horror.) These are works without explicit or gratuitous scenes of sex, violence, or gore. Rainy Weather Days is looking for submissions for our second volume—expected to be published October 31, 2024!    Our magazine, founded in 2024, isn’t just another literary magazine. We focus on polished and grounded works of prose and poetry that are enjoyable to read. Our focus is on cozy reads. These are works without explicit or gratuitous scenes of sex, violence, or gore. We value artistic expression! We are looking for works that are daring, even challenging, but not so experimental to the point of overwhelming the narrative. Also, as part of our idea of “cozy,” we use easy-on-the-eyes fonts sized 16–18pt! Our digital releases will come in several convenient formats as well, including e-reader formats. We plan to release digital and print versions of our magazine on a quarterly basis—our first issue (July 2024) releases July 31! We may release some free online or online-only stories on our website from time to time as well (authors will be asked beforehand for permission for an online release.)   Prose: We will consider prose of length 1,500–15,000 words.  Please format prose manuscripts with 12–18pt font, preferably Times New Roman, New Courier, or Garamond. Otherwise, please use a standard manuscript format (Examples at https://www.shunn.net/format/story/.) Please submit in .doc or .docx formats (Word) or in .odt format (Libreoffice.) Poetry: Please limit submissions to a maximum of 10 poems, one poem per page. Please format with 12–18pt font, preferably Times New Roman, New Courier, or Garamond. Please submit in .doc, .docx, .odt, or .pdf formats. Please include a cover letter! Tell us about yourself and what your piece means to you...

Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Payment: .08 per word Theme: A 100-word Speculative fiction (science fiction or fantasy) story with the idea of "Run!" Theme – RUN! We’re excited to announce our August/September submission period will include a theme: RUN! You can submit one story to the themed submission and one to the general submission (for a total of two submissions). We hope this format sparks some new ideas and wonderful stories while still giving our writers the chance to send us their best work. Now what are we looking for with RUN? We’re looking for anything and everything! We’re open to any take on the theme. You can be running from bigfoot, running for mayor, strutting down a runway, or anything in between—just make sure you do it in 100 words. Submissions are open August 15 through September 15. Please submit via the following two Google forms: RUN! Themed Submissions Un-Themed Submissions What do we want? Speculative fiction (science fiction or fantasy) Note: We accept horror, but it must have a speculative element, whether science fiction or fantasy. Drabbles (100-word stories EXACTLY) Note: We calculate word count using Microsoft Word. If using Google Docs, please manually count your words. It has a truly baffling definition of a word (e.g., “1,000” = 2 words). Actual, complete stories Even though they’re only 100-words, drabbles still need all the essential elements of a story: character, setting, conflict, theme, and plot. What do we NOT want? Child abuse (of any type) Erotica Rape Revenge stories Hateful content All the details Simultaneous submissions: Yes! Go crazy. Submit everywhere! But if it is accepted elsewhere, please let us know. Response time: Responses will be within 60 days. Please query after this time. Multiple submissions: For the upcoming submission period, you may submit one themed submission (RUN!) and one general/un-themed submission (for a total of two stories). Note: Only one story will be accepted per author...

Deadline: September 22nd, 2024 Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints Theme: Stories featuring Achilles Note: Reprints Welcome 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. The first four books in the series are Medusa, Odin, Circe and Anansi. We're now opening up submissions for the next two books, Achilles and Morgana le Fay. Achilles Achilles, the great warrior of the Trojan War, was considered the epitome of heroism in Greek mythology. His bravery in combat is famously depicted in Homer’s Iliad, but every hero has their flaws. Authors from classical times all the way through to late Antiquity and the modern era have interpreted his character in a multitude of ways, and this latest book will look at the man behind the myth. There is much to explore, from his exploits in the war and interactions with Agamemnon, Patroclus, Hector and more, back to his early days as an infant dipped into the River Styx, exposing one vulnerable heel. Stories submitted for consideration need to explore new or expanded angles to the character: have him follow alternative paths, present different viewpoints, give deeper background, or perhaps pursue story lines that are hinted at in the original tales and poetry. Submissions to: [email protected]   Terms:...