Events

Deadline: February 28, 2013 Payment: Unlisted, possibly exposure only Ann & Jeff VanderMeer, coeditors of the World Fantasy Award and British Fantasy Award winning anthology The Weird, are pleased to announce a call for submissions for a new mega-reprint anthology. The Time Traveler’s Almanac will function as its own time machine: the ultimate treasury of time travel stories, presented in an imaginative way, with illustrations and some nonfiction in addition to the stories. The anthology will cover millions of years of Earth’s history—from the age of the dinosaurs to strange and fascinating futures, through to the end of Time itself. The Time Traveler’s Almanac will reacquaint readers with beloved classics and introduce them to thrilling contemporary examples of the time travel genre. The UK publisher is Head of Zeus and our editor Nic Cheetham, who also was our editor on the award-winning The Weird. The US publisher will be announced soon. Although we already material in mind we also know that we can’t see everything so we are asking for submissions as well as suggestions. If in doubt, send it. We will read submissions between January 15, 2013 and February 28, 2013. Any English-language story (or translation into English) previously published on a website, non-self-published ebook anthology, or in a print publication is eligible for consideration. Looking for REPRINTS ONLY (standard reprint rates apply). No nonfiction. Prefer works under 10,000 words. Willing to look at all kinds of Time Travel fiction, but mainly interested in work that pushes the boundaries, that is truly unique to the genre. FANTASY AND HORROR incorporating time travel are just as welcome as pure science fiction. Surreal isn’t bad either. Submissions up to 10,000 words should be sent in a Word or RTF document attachment to [email protected]. Please cut-and-paste the first three paragraphs into the...

Deadline: March 1st 2013 Payment: Payment for original fiction is at least 3 cents a word. Reprints at least 1 cent a word. Incubi. They seduce women (and some men) with their devilish ways. Infernal Casanovas and fiendish Romeos. This anthology will feature supernatural tales of lotharios that entice, arouse, and often destroy their prey. Tales do not have to be horror--dark fantasy is fine but please no paranormal romance (no vampires!). I have seen some disturbing tales featuring misogyny. That is not theme of this book and once I come across any such passage I will refuse to read further. Seeking stories no less than 3,000 words in length, no more than 12,000. Payment for original fiction is at least 3 cents a word. Reprints at least 1 cent a word. Deadline is March 1st, 2013.

Deadline: 3/1/2013 Payment: Every author will get a contributor’s copy of the eBook and a proportional percentage of the royalties The album Dark Side of the Moon explored, among other themes, chaos in society and madness of the mind. Dark Side of the Moon will feature the dark fantasy, twisted science fiction and horror focused on madness. Bring us your serial killers, your haunted asylums, your deranged computers and aliens. The threshold for profanity, sex and violence will be much higher, but we will still choose quality over shock-value every time. Submission Call Starts: 12/1/2012 Submission Call Ends: 3/1/2013 What We Want: We are looking for fresh perspectives on favorite songs. The story should have the following qualities Non-negotiable The story must be your own work. Reprints are fine, provided you hold publishing rights Multiple submissions are acceptable. Please do not submit more than 10k words at a time No stories which are freely available online. The plot should have a strong correlation to the lyrics of the song. The writer can and should take creative liberties, but the reader should have a clear indication of the base song. Include the song in your cover letter. Not required but strongly advised The story should be science fiction, fantasy, horror or a related sub-genre The atmosphere of the story should reflect either the style of music or the singer/composer Story length may be up to 5000 words in length Simultaneous submissions are okay, but please let us know immediately if you are accepted elsewhere. What we don't want Boring literal interpretations of love songs Adult content– if sex is present, it should further the story Gore or profanity when it is only included for shock value Illegal content of any kind Blatant plagiarism The purpose of Song Stories is to celebrate...

Deadline: March 1st 2013 Payment: 7% of net royalties Untold Press is thrilled to announce a new call for submissions! Contributors are welcome to submit their short stories/novellas for the upcoming release of our Happily Ever Afterlife anthology. Stories accepted for this anthology will be based on classic fairy tales with an undead Happily Ever After ending twist! Requirements: Must be based on a classic fairy tale. Submission must have HAPPILY EVER AFTER ending. AT LEAST one main character must be ‘undead’. IE: ghost/spirit/zombie/vampire/etc, OR the story must in some way incorporate the Afterlife. Anthology will be adult oriented, but no erotica please. Please edit submission to the best of your ability prior to submission. Length: Minimum 7000 to 10 000 words. (Submitted stories can take place in any time period) Formatting: .doc format only please 11pt Times New Roman with single line spacing Page size should be 5×8 Set for narrow margins (0.5 inch) Justify all margins Details: Contract length is 3 years English version of eBook and Print Payment is 7% of net royalties NEW previously unpublished stories only please! Previously unpublished authors welcome to submit IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be careful of copyright infringement! Use only the essence of the story and till it in your own words. Be certain the story you are using as your inspiration is free from copyright (over 100 years old, public domain, or author-less). Fairy Tales are often published, and re-told over and over again. Ensure you are taking from its original (free from copyright) version and not another author’s adaptation. You will be required to sign a contract stating you have researched this point and will take sole responsibility for any infringement litigations. Submission Deadline: March 1st 2013 (or sooner if all spots are filled) Please email your submission as an...

Deadline: March 1st 2013 Payment: $20 and a contributor's copy Submissions are officially OPEN for the new StrangeHouse Books anthology STRANGE VS LOVECRAFT. We're looking for 5,000-8,000 word stories set inside the Cthulhu mythos. That means all stories must contain characters, settings, monsters, or plot devices from the bountiful worlds created by H.P. Lovecraft. BUT, what we're MOSTLY looking for is the most batshit crazy, insane, bizarro take on the mythos you can come up with. Let your freak flag fly and show us something TRULY original! Subs close March 1st. Payment is 20 dollars flat, and a copy of the finished anthology to be released in late April/early May. No reprints, please. We want 1st worldwide print and digital rights, exclusive for 1 year. Good luck!!! Please direct all submissions to: [email protected] [via: Strange House Books Facebook.

Deadline: March 8th 2013 Payment: We will pay 5% royalties after cost per story published in each ebook only. Royalties for paperback sales will be separately negotiated. Fringeworks is a small independent publisher that hopes to find clever ways of punching above its own weight. We love to find new talent and to give writers the chance to get recognition for their work in the public domain. We are currently seeking submissions for an anthology entitled ‘Potatoes’. Submission deadline for this anthology is midnight on 8th March 2013. Firstly, this anthology is serious. It is what it says on the tin. As the title suggests, we are looking for stories between 1,500 and 5,000 words, which feature, er . . . potatoes! Yes, you read this right. ‘Potatoes‘, said in perfect Keith Lemon voice. Believe it or not, but there is a whole host of stuff you can write about when it comes to potatoes. Consider the history of this mighty veg from its roots with Sir Walter Raleigh’s voyages, to its importance during the Irish Famine. Did you know that Queen Marie Antoinette wore a potato based fancy dress costume at a fancy dress ball? Beat that Lady Gaga. So, ply your imagination, speak to your children (you never know, they may be chip chip off old the block) and let your writing run riot! Any genre will be considered, including mash-ups and pot-boilers, though we suspect this anthology will appeal to writers of horror, SF and fantasy. While we are looking for new and original twists on this theme with surprising elements, we expect no half-baked ideas, and nothing too fluffy. Be fun, be serious, but most of all be unique. And I promise you, the Editor, Theresa Derwin, will not make a hash up of it. In...

Deadline: March 15th 2013 Payment: $.05 per word Glitter & Mayhem: The Speculative Nightclub Anthology is looking for a few glamorous stories. As you know, we’ve got fabulous work from amazing writers like Alan DeNiro, Amal El-Mohtar, Daryl Gregory, Damien Walters Grintalis, Maria Dahvana Headley, Kat Howard, Vylar Kaftan, Seanan McGuire, Jennifer Pelland, Tim Pratt, Cat Rambo, Tansy Rayner Roberts, Diana Rowland, Sofia Samatar, David J. Schwartz, William Shunn, and Rachel Swirsky. But what about you? You’re glamorous, right? We bet you have a dazzling idea for a story, don’t you? You probably even know the prompt by heart: Roller Derby, nightclubs, glam aliens, (literal) party monsters, drugs, sex, glitter, debauchery, etc. Here’s the details you’ve been waiting for: The max word limit is 6000 with a deadline of March 15. We’re paying $.05 per word. You’ll have the chance to be edited by Hugo Award-winning editors and be in a ToC with awesome authors (see above). We expect stories to follow standard manuscript format. We expect that the your name and contact info is on the first page of your submission. Please send only one submission at a time. If you can refrain—mostly due to the extremely short reading period—please do not query about your submission. Send submissions to [email protected] We can’t wait to see what you create. Surprise us. Amaze us. Dazzle us.

Deadline: March 30th 2013 Payment: Shared royalties plus one print and one eBook contributor's copy. Authors will receive a discount on extra print copies.</strong. Get out those quills & ink and start burning the midnight oil. It's another open sub call from us. Our next anthology project is on the horizon. Remember those cozy Disney fairy tales you watched as a child? Dig deeper. Remember the somewhat horrifying Grimm's fairy tales you read by the light of your flashlight, under the covers, late at night? No. Oh. Maybe that was just me. Well if you haven't read the Grimm versions, you should hop to it lickety split because they are exactly the tone I'm looking for in these stories. Oh, but with a twist. I want the tales to be backwards. I want you to show me that the Grimm Brothers got it all wrong. The wicked stepmother? Really a sweet lady, but that Cinderella chick? Hell on heels. And Snow White? Pure as the newly driven snow, my butt. Hansel & Gretel? Let's just say that old, blind woman never saw it coming. I want tales of terror about seemingly innocent heroes. Dark and gritty stories about not so perfect princesses. Tell me why Red Riding Hood was something far more horrifying than the Big Bad Wolf. Make me recognize the tale, but cringe when it's not as I remembered it. Reading period opens February 1st. And the deadline is March 30th. The tentative publishing date is June 1, 2013. Payment will be shared royalties plus one print and one eBook contributor's copy. Authors will receive a discount on extra print copies. Word length should be between 3000-8000. Please see our submission guidelines for cover letter and formatting specifics. As always, we are looking for original, well written stories...

Deadline: March 301th 2013 Payment: 5 cents per word 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 publishing experienced authors. Every month, we select one of the best stories from an author with little or no publishing experience and feature that story and author as our Rising Talent recipient for the month. The Rising Talent author's story, biography, and a non-fiction essay will be featured on our website for a full year, as well as spotlighted in the Penumbra issue for that month. We absolutely do...

Deadline: January 1st to March 31st 2013 (Do NOT Submit Early) Payment: Undecided at this time monetary payment and one contributor's copy The Alchemy Press Book of Pulp Heroes volume II edited by Mike Chinn Submissions guidelines by the editor: “Following the successful publication of The Alchemy Press Book of Pulp Heroes, The Alchemy Press is following up with a second anthology: Pulp Heroes II. Once again it’s time to celebrate (or subvert) the glorious Pulp tradition – as well as taking a wild new look at it. I suggest you read volume one to get a sense of my requirements (available via Amazon and other online retailers). From the arid plains of Mars to the canyons of Manhattan; the foetid jungle to the naked jungle. Demented criminals versus dark heroes with sinister powers. The flash of steel in the palaces of long-forgotten civilizations or along the sterile corridors of impossible spacecraft. Swords against sorcery or sword and planet. The Alchemy Press Book of Pulp Heroes II will be available as a print edition published in October 2013, to be followed by an eBook edition. Successful contributors will receive a one-off payment (to be decided) plus a copy of the book on publication. I am after original fiction; reprints will be considered if they are exceptional. No simultaneous or multiple submissions. Contributions should be in the range of 3,000-8,000 words (query if you wish to submit outside that range), with full contact details on the front page. I will accept electronic submissions only as email attachments in standard MS format (.rtf, .doc or .docx), sent to [email protected]. Any submissions included in the body of the email will be rejected unread. The subject line should take the form Title/author’s name/word count (i.e. My Great Story/John Doe/5,500 words). The submission period runs...

Deadline: March 1, 2013, and will close at 11:59 PST on March 31, 2013 Payment: 1 cent per word, paid within 90 days after publication. Plus contributor copy of print and e-book. The Future Embodied – An anthology of speculative stories exploring how science and technology might change our bodies and what it means to be human. The editors are looking for character-driven, near-future stories of how the trajectory of current science and technology could impact our daily lives and choices. Social sciences and as-yet-untested or anecdotal discoveries are fair game. If an idea or discovery has the potential to impact human behavior and bodies, it could make a great story. What Type of Stories We’re Looking For: We are looking for stories of medical and aesthetic body modification. Consider topics like genetic engineering, prosthetics, implants, body ornamentation, surgical augmentation, and age retardation or reversal. Surprise us. Don’t give us stories that we’ve read before. We want this anthology to embody the wide range of human experience, voices, and bodies, and, in particular, to credibly consider our present and future demographics. You are encouraged to populate your stories of the future with the kinds of bodies that have been under-represented in speculative fiction but which should be ever more present in visions of our near future — aging bodies, obese bodies, chronically ill bodies, diverse racial and multi-racial bodies, bodies from diverse geographies… Good Fiction Examples: “Faces in Revolving Souls” by Caitlin R Kiernan. This is a story that deftly balances the idea of how a science might progress AND the human feelings behind such changes and how it might change their experience of the world. What do we want to avoid: This anthology specifically is concentrating on the evolution of the human body through technology. We are not looking...

Deadline: March 31st 2013 Payment: Successful contributors will receive a nominal fee of £10, royalties plus a copy of the book on publication. We are purchasing First World Rights, including book and electronic rights, with a six month moratorium subsequent to publication. Astrologica The Alchemy Press Book of Astrologica: Stories of the Zodiac edited by Allen Ashley Guidelines by the editor Alchemy Press is pleased to announce The Alchemy Press Book of Astrologica: Stories of the Zodiac for print publication and e-book versions in 2013. This themed anthology will be edited by award-winning editor Allen Ashley. Allen says: 'I am looking for stories about the signs of the Zodiac, the characteristics associated with those signs and/ or people born under them. I will also consider stories involving the mythical characters and creatures of the astrological signs, perhaps their history and origin, perhaps their present and future state. Note: I am not saying that one has to believe in the paraphernalia associated with modern astrology; but authors should seek to use some of this as inspiration and underpinning of their narratives. I want stories based on the conventional Western Zodiac, the twelve Star Signs, not the Chinese calendar, the Vietnamese calendar, Aztec beliefs, etc. Stories should preferably be specific to a star sign, rather than pan-astrological. If you wish to try the latter, please query first with a broad outline. I will most likely be seeking at least one story per star sign, possibly more. Stories will be expected to contain at least some element of fantasy in its broadest sense. Stories may be fantasy, horror, science fiction, slipstream, fabulist or realist but demonstrating imaginative use of and/ or acquaintance with fantasy tropes. Use of mythical or historical detail is permissible but authors must not use copyrighted material from any artistic...

Deadline: March 31st 2013 Payment: The Alchemy Press Book of Urban Mythic will be a paperback edition published in 2013, to be followed by an eBook edition. Successful contributors will receive a nominal fee of £10, royalties plus a copy of the book on publication. Urban Mythic The Alchemy Press Book of Urban Mythic edited by Jan Edwards & Jenny Barber Submission guidelines by the editors: “For The Alchemy Press Book of Urban Mythic, we are seeking contemporary tales with all the magic and wonder of myth and legend, blending modern life with the traditions of folklore from around the world. Whether lurking in dark alleys or brash shopping malls; from shanty towns to the floating cities of Venice, Bangkok or Dubai; swanky riverside penthouse lofts or humble suburban semis, we want to see how the mythic is woven into the everyday. Think Charles de Lint, Terri Windling, Robert Holdstock, Seanan McGuire, Jim Butcher, Kate Griffin, Simon R. Green, Holly Black, Neil Gaiman… We want fantasy that entertains but also pushes beyond the usual urban fantasy boundaries; fast-paced action; folk tales re-imagined; mythic creatures adapting to the urban environment; noir; humour; horror (with recognisable mythic elements); literary or lighter styles. Fully realised characters are a must and solid plots extremely desirable. We don’t want: secondary worlds; steampunk; SF; zombies; paranormal romance or erotica. Also, no human sacrifice; magic help-lines; religion; gore or mythic-beastie love triangles. No poetry. Give your story a head start by reading both these guidelines and the Alchemy Press style-guide http://alchemypress.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/manuscripts We are seeking original fiction: reprints only accepted by agreement with the editors. No simultaneous or multiple submissions. Contributions between 3,000 and 8,000 words (query if you wish to submit outside that range). Submission period runs from January 1st to March 31st 2013. Do not submit...

Deadline: March 31st 2013 Payment: 1/4 cent/word (subject to change). Digital copy + print copy. Discount for additional copies. ATTACK! OF THE B-MOVIE MONSTERS--A Tribute to the Films of the 50s Submission Guidelines Anyone who knows me personally knows I have a thing for the giant critter movies of the 1950s. We've all seen them (or at least one of them) at least once; some of us tuning in every time they're on. Who can forget the awesome (and yes, cheesey) reveal of the first giant ant in THEM! Or the tentancles of a giant squid coiling around the Golden Gate Bridge in IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA. Or even more recently, EMPIRE OF THE ANTS starring the legendary (?) Joan Collins, “Oh my God,they're herding us like cattle!” I love them all, and I thought it would be great to pay a tribute to these screen classics. Are you up to the challenge? The stories don't necessarily have to be set in the 50s, but they must follow the general tone/theme. Also, try to think outside the box. Giant Ants have been done to death. Yes, nuclear fallout can be the reason, but surely you can come up with something unique. NOTE: ATTACK! OF THE B-MOVIE MONSTERS will be a “digital first” publication, with a trade paperback to follow. DEADLINE: March 31, 2013 (or until filled) WORD COUNT: 3,000-10,000 words (query for longer/shorter submissions) PAYMENT: 1/4 cent/word (subject to change). Digital copy + print copy. Discount for additional copies. REPRINTS: No MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS: No SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: No FORMAT: Left-justify only FONT: 12 pt Times New Roman SPACING: Double spaced, no extra spacing between paragraphs TAB INDENT: ¼ inch PAGE NUMBERING/HEADERS: None First page should include your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, word count, and pseudonym (if writing...

Deadline: March 31st, 2013 Payment: $10.00 and a copy of the book in 1 ebook format and print format. A collection of 10 stories within a defined theme brought out by Marion Margaret Press and Ron Leming, artist, editor, and writer. It will be published in ebook and print edition. Theme: The Confederacy of Steam is a worldwide organization, based in America, whose main purpose is to wipe out the zombie plague, wherever it may strike. Young Doctor Orloff, along with his Zombie Extermination team is the inventor, fabricator and technician of the Confederacy. Your tale may take place anywhere in the world and in any period of time, from the Victorian era to present day, so long as the world you create is an extrapolated steam-driven world, with the concepts of steampunk intact, and you base your story around expeditions of the Confederacy and its members battling the threat of the zombie plague. It can be scientifiction, adventure, romance, fantasy, whatever genre you like, provided they follow the guidelines of our little world, an uncertain future, where the aesthetics and ethics of Victorian society are combined with advanced steam-powered technology. I, personally, hope I may see a few famous people show up. People like Franz Mesmer; Prosper- Rene Blondelot and his discovery and use of N rays; Charles Babbage and his invention, the Difference Machine, used extensively by the Confederacy; Charles Dickens; Florence Nightingale; Alexander Graham Bell; Arthur Conan Doyle; Harry Houdini; Thomas Edison; and, of course, Young Doctor Orloff. The field is wide open. Send me a steampunk Sherlock Holmes vs Zombies story. I’m looking for the fabulous and unusual. Stories can be up to 7000 words. When is the submission period? We will accept submissions for the anthology from January 1, 2013 until March 31, 2013 or...

Deadline: March 31st 2013 Payment: 5 cents per word The Wily Writers site publishes two short stories per month in both audio and text formats. We host a celebrity editor for each of them, and they choose the stories along with the producer (Angel Leigh McCoy). We publish only short fiction that falls under the genre umbrella of speculative fiction: horror, fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal romance / mystery / adventure. We have specific themes that we’re asking you to follow. See below: Themes are trickling in. More coming soon! Theme listed here: Horror which is due by March 31, 2013 Submission Requirements Submissions need to follow the guidelines listed below. IMPORTANT: Name your file so that it makes sense. An impressive filename for a fiction submission is: (lastname)-(word from title).RTF Word count: 1000 – 4000 (Firm. Do not query). Use standard manuscript formatting. (more info) No simultaneous submissions to other publishers. Multiple submissions okay, but only one story per theme. Story must have a speculative fiction element. Gore, sex, and adult language okay, but make sure it improves the story. We do not edit, so make sure you use good grammar, have double-checked the punctuation, and have done a spell-check. We prefer Chicago Manual of Style rules, and we will reject it if it’s a mess, even if it’s an amazing story. We may request revisions, so if you’re not open to the idea, then let us know in your cover letter. It will save us all some time by communicating that up-front. We will accept reprints. Make double sure that the rights have reverted to you. By submitting it to us, you affirm that it has been freed from all other commitments that conflict with the rights you give us. We reserve the right to change these guidelines...

Deadline: March 31, 2013 Payment: 3 cents per word Third Flatiron Publishing is an e-publishing venture based in Boulder, Colorado. We are looking for submissions to our quarterly themed online anthologies. Our focus is on science fiction and fantasy and anthropological fiction. We’re looking for tightly plotted tales in out-of-the-ordinary scenarios. Please send us short stories that revolve around age-old questions and have something illuminating to tell us as human beings. Fantastical situations and creatures, exciting dialog, irony, mild horror, and wry humor are all welcome. Stories should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. Role models for the type of fiction we want include Kurt Vonnegut, Arthur C. Clarke, Dan Simmons, Connie Willis, Vernor Vinge, and Ken Kesey. We want to showcase some of the best new shorts available today. See the "Submissions" tab for preferred formats, etc. For each issue, we will also accept a few very short humor pieces on the order of the "Shouts and Murmurs" feature in The New Yorker Magazine (600 words or so). These can be written from a first-person perspective or can be mini-essays that tell people what they ought to do, how to do something better, or explain why something is like it is, humorously. An SF/Fantasy bent is preferred. Our publishing schedule for 2013 is below. Books will be available in a variety of e-formats for all popular reading platforms. Fires and backfires from inventions (Greek fire?), culture clashes, climate change, comets and meteors, Hephaestus, and so forth. Reading Period: January 1 - March 31, 2013 Submit Now! Writer Deadline: March 31, 2013 Publication Date: June 1, 2013