Events

Deadline: September 1st, 2014 Payment: $25.00 and electronic copy of the book upon publication. Your eyelids flutter, balanced upon that narrow divide between awareness and sleep when a crash startles you awake… It was a huge crash – or was it? You strain your ears to listen for anything in the silence, but there is nothing. Climbing out of bed you peer from your room down the hallway and out of the corner of your eye, you see something move. Your heart pounds as you jerk toward the movement…and find nothing. Ghost stories have captured this moment for centuries and spirits have been well represented in literature for as long as there has been such. Tales of sprits range from spooky, vaporous apparitions walking an endless path to violent poltertgeists and demonic possession. From the earliest days of storytelling to the Victorian era to modern cinema, ghosts have haunted and thrilled us. Now, Emby Press takes its first foray into this haunted realm. Give us your most atmospheric, most terrorizing tales about spirits and the havoc they wreak. Give us a classic yarn, a mystery, or a modern day ghost-hunt…the choice is yours. And, for the first time, Emby will accept a limited number of poems for this volume. Hunters are welcome, but not required – just make sure that a spirit of some sort is “here”. Edited by: Miles Boothe Submission Period: 2/1/14 through 9/1/14 Reading Period: 9/2/14 through 10/7/14 Acceptances will be announced 10/7/14 Tentative Publication Date: January 2015 Payment: $25.00 and electronic copy of the book upon publication. Word Limits: 2000 to 8000 words. Please query if longer. Format: Submissions should be .doc (.docx is fine) or .rtf formats. The entire text will be reformatted, so no need to worry about margins, etc. Please use a standard font. Please do not double space after...

Deadline: September 1st, 2014 Payment: Varies (see below) WHAT WE WANT The Literary Hatchet is an Internet journal devoted to dark fiction (short stories) and provocative poetry and prose. We are interested in well-written but easy to read works in the horror genre, but also accept works that are paranormal in nature. We will consider previously published material but prefer original works. We accept short fiction essays, first-person narratives, speculative fiction, short stories, poetry, photography, art, illustrations, and humor pieces. We're interested in new angles on old ideas, or topics that don't get covered frequently. We like to showcase articles that don't just sum up some issue but make us think and make us want to read further. The above is not exhaustive. If you have an idea for an article that doesn't seem to fit into one of these categories, feel free to send us a query at peartreepress (at) mac.com. If you don't have an immediate idea for a piece, but you'd really like to write for us, let us know and be prepared to show us work you've done. We can always think of subjects! WHAT WE DON'T WANT We do not accept erotica, either as articles or images We do not accept articles or images with excessive crude language or outlandish sexual humor We do not accept simultaneous submissions (submitting a piece to more than one journal or site at the same time) We cannot consider partial or incomplete stories or essays We do not accept rewrites of the "Lizzie Borden Took An Axe" doggerel We do not accept Haiku poetry, unless as a part of a collection of five or more GUIDELINES BY TYPE OF SUBMISSION SHORT STORIES: We accept short stories from 500-3,000 words in length. Feel free to contact us with inquiries about...

Reading Period: June 1, 2014 and September 1, 2014 Payment: Royalties are 50% of the sales per eBook and Print book divided between the authors, paid every six months and a contributor’s copy The one thing everyone must face at some point is death. Death is inescapable. Theories abound about what happens after death. Underworlds, other worlds, different planes of existence, purgatory, Heaven, Hell-what happens after death? Charon, the mythical ferryman, pay him your coin and he will transport you across the River Styx, gatekeeper of the underworld. We here at Charon Coin Press strive to bring you the best in stories from the darker side and Charon has yet again inspired a ghoulish anthology-Paying the Ferryman, edited by Margaret Colton. Paying the Ferryman is a collection of stories that start after the main character has died. That’s right the story begins when the main character dies. What happens? Where do they go? What does it feel like? The answers to these questions are found in the imagination. The possibilities are endless. Did Dante have it right about the seven circles of Hell? Maybe the mythology of Charon or Osiris inspires you. Religious theology may even catch your fancy. The possibilities of after death lore are endless creating a multitude of horrific ideas to pull from in order to make a great story. Paying the Ferryman is a horror story anthology so no pearly gates and fluffy clouds for these characters. Maybe the people become ghosts, demons, zombies, end up in purgatory- or someplace hotter, the choice is yours. Whatever you choose the story needs to be terrifying and make your readers think twice about turning off the lights at night. Paying the Ferryman can have any setting of your choosing, even if you are creating a “world” however, your main character must be...

Deadline: September 1, 2014. Payment: Royalties, author share divided equally among the authors Welcome to the First Contact Café, or more properly the Labyrinthe Space Station, home to Ab’nere Ll’byr Wyn’th, last of the full-blooded Labrynthians, a breed of entrepreneurs, misers, and opportunists who take advantage of all twenty-three known species in the galaxy. Their DNA is as flexible as their bookkeeping. But the etiquette of first contact, duly codified and recorded, is not flexible at all. Based upon the short story “First Contact Café” first published in the DAW Books anthology “Space Stations” edited by Martin H. Greenberg and John Helfers, I propose an anthology of stories centered at the trading station in deep space. Each story should include one new rule for the etiquette book and involve at least one species alien to Earth. The author may invent their own or draw upon the ones mentioned in the original short story. The partial etiquette book will be included as an appendix with all the rules mentioned, plus a few more. The First Contact Cafe Facebook Group can be found HERE. In it, you will find our first story and the etiquette book. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: September 1, 2014. Stories MUST adhere to the guidelines of this shared world anthology. In the SUBJECT LINE of your email put FIRST CONTACT CAFE: and the name of your story Email Submissions Only. RTF only. Simultaneous submissions? No. Standard manuscript format. (Double spaced, contact info including email at the top of manuscript) Stories should be between 2000 and 6500 words. Pay: Royalties, author share divided equally among the authors Email submissions at skywarrior3 AT gmail DOT com Via: Sky Warrior Books.

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...

Deadline: September 15, 2014 Payment: 1/4 cent/word (subject to an increase). Digital copy + print copy. Discount for additional copies. Given the popularity of our first B-Movie anthology, we are pleased to announce this follow up featuring Alien Encounters. The aliens have landed! Are they friendly? Are they planning world domination? Are they looking to have us as allies? Or maybe their preference is to have us for lunch? DEADLINE: September 15, 2014 WORD COUNT: 2,500-10,000 words (query for longer/short submissions) PAYMENT: 1/4 cent/word (subject to an increase). 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. If text is meant to be italic, please use italic. Do not use underscore to indicate italic. SPACING: Double spaced, no extra spacing between paragraphs, and single space after periods. TAB INDENT: Please do not set a tab. Instead, use Word's paragraph formatting for first line, and set the first line indent to 0.3" PAGE NUMBERING/HEADERS: None First page should include your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, word count, and pseudonym (if writing under one). Send submissions as a word attachment to [email protected] or [email protected]. Include ALIEN ENCOUNTERS, your last name, and submission title in the subject line. Via: Grinning Skull Press.

Deadline: September 15th, 2014 Payment: 5 prizes, 3 of which are monetary   In another impromptu Fiction Vortex Staff meeting over the phone, Dan and I (Mike) realized we had slacked. Dan: You forgot about the Horror Contest. Mike: Uh, what? Dan: The Horror Contest. You. Forgot. About. It. Mike: I don’t write horror. Why would I be in a contest for horror? Dan: Fiction Vortex has a horror contest! Mike: It does? When? Why didn’t I know about this? Dan:… … … Mike: Are you there? Dan: Are you? Mike: Uh huh. So… you forgot about the horror contest. Dan: click Mike: Dan? ONE WEEK LATER ON ANOTHER PHONE CALL Mike: I found a judge. Dan: Wha… A judge? Why? Mike: For the Horror Contest. Dan: Oh. Phew. Okay. Who is it? Mike: This really cool author that always wears tie-dye shirts and writes creepy paranormal books… wait. Why else would would we need a judge? Dan: Hmm? Mike: Why else would I need a judge? Dan: Oh. That. You don’t need to worry about it. Mike: Uh. What? Dan: So. Who is our judge? ANNOUNCING THE SECOND ANNUAL FICTION VORTEX HORROR CONTEST with Guest Judge Johnny Worthen  Five horror stories will be chosen for the October 2014 issue of Fiction Vortex (usual terms and conditions apply). Because it’s a special occasion, we’re also increasing the normal rewards and Mr. Worthen will be choosing the winners. 1st Place – $40.00 and a print copy of Eleanor (The Unseen) by Johnny Worthen 2nd Place – $25.00 and an e-copy of Eleanor (The Unseen) by Johnny Worthen 3rd Place – $10.00 and an e-copy of Eleanor (The Unseen) by Johnny Worthen 4th and 5th Place – An e-copy of Eleanor (The Unseen) by Johnny Worthen While regular submissions will continue as normal, the submission period for the horror contest will only be open from August 8th to September 15th. Please use the regular submission process, but put “Horror Submission” in the subject line of the...

Deadline: September 26, 2014 Payment: US $50 per story (Gender) Queered Space is an anthology of speculative fiction focused on characters who defy, transgress, toy with, subvert, or who reject or just plain don’t fit into the gender binary of cisgender (non-transgender) man or woman. Got a space opera starring a trans woman and her non-binary lover? A steampunk story with a genderfluid protagonist? A retelling of Snow White with a bigender Snow White? Show us! Characters can be any sexual orientation as long as their gender identity isn’t (at least primarily) cis male or cis female. Although we are particularly interested in stories by transgender, genderqueer, genderfluid, and non-binary authors, and all other authors who don’t fit into the male-female gender binary, authors of any gender identity are welcome and encouraged to submit. We are particularly interested in reading submissions about characters who are underrepresented in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and related genres. These include but are not limited to: people of color (particularly those who live in countries other than the US), disabled/neuroatypical people, working-class people, non-Christian people, immigrants, and people who live outside the US. Our interest in diversity also extends to authors. We are particularly interested in stories by writers of color, disabled/neuroatypical writers, working-class writers, non-US writers, non-Christian writers, immigrant writers, and writers whose primary language is not English but who have translated their stories into English. Stories should be 2,000 – 10,000 words long and should be sent as .doc, .docx, .rtf, or Open Office attachments to [email protected]. If you work on a Mac and are not sure how to convert, let us know. Standard manuscript format preferred. We are not interested in the following: Stories that denigrate transgender and genderqueer/genderfluid identities. This should go without saying, of course. Stories that denigrate any race,...

Deadline: September 27th, 2014 Paymnet: 3-5% through Paypal on the profit for each issue sold* for 2 years Rules for the competition: Story must: Be original work only (no fanfiction or plagiarism) Be previously unpublished Be 9000 words or less Have no images within the documents Have no erotic content Must be either Zombie, Post-Apocalypse, or both Each person will be able to submit two stories. This does mean that each person could have two stories published with this contest. Story Evaluation Topics: Overall quality of storytelling Originality of concept Character development Quality of the world Self-contained Accessibility/Ease of reading Grammar/Punctuation Prizes: Your work published in the applicable anthology A spot in the, soon-to-be-launched, Author's Spotlight page Free promotion and marketing to our extended network Free copy of the anthology sent to your device 3-5% through Paypal on the profit for each issue sold* for 2 years *Exact percentage depends on how many winners are selected per anthology. To submit head over to their submission page. Via: Witty Bard Publishing.

Deadline: September 28, 2014 Payment: Contributor's Copy Gutter Books and DANA C. KABEL cordially invite you to SUBMIT YOUR TALE OF ANTHROPOPHAGY (people eating) Deadline: September 28, 2014 Friends and fellow authors, I am pleased to announce this open call for submissions to Dana C. Kabel’s Kannibal Cookbook. We would like to publish your original story of cannibalism in this tasty anthology. There are a limited number of spaces available. Please send me your best. I am privileged to have some of the top names in the business who are already committed to this project. If you would like to share credentials with the likes of Lawrence Block, Jason Starr, Dave Zeltserman, Stuart Neville, and several talented others, please e-mail your submission to [email protected] with the word “submission” in the subject box. GUIDELINES: 2,000 to 3,000 words. Times New Roman, 12 points, double-spaced, no justified margins. No simultaneous submissions. No reprints. No supernatural themes. No Zombies. Keep it tight. Refer to Elmore Leonard’s golden rules. If your story is a little less or a little more, I will consider it. If you send your Haiku or epic-ally long tale of blah, blah, blah, thick enough to stop a bullet? Take a wild guess what I will do with it. Thank you, good luck, got any questions, shoot me an e-mail. Via: http://www.outofthegutteronline.com/2014/06/gutter-books-and-dana-c.html.

Deadline: September 28th, 2014 Payment: $10 via paypal and you will receive a free copy of the book Who we are: We are a upstart anthology press looking to publish stories by established and new authors via ebook. Our focus is on newer authors. We plan to have a yearly or bi-yearly anthology published with a certain theme What we are looking for: We are looking for stories that have a ghost or multiple ghosts in it. The stories also must have an element of horror to it as this is an anthology of horror. However, the setting can be anything you want and genre (fantasy, sci-fi, romance, true story, urban legend etc) as long as it has a ghost and there is horror or something dark. We want something unique that send shivers down someone’s spine. Adult themes and gore are accepted but please refrain from graphic sex. The word count should be between 2000-5000 words, however if the story is really good we are pretty flexible. We are looking for original stories and will not accept reprints of stories that you have previously had published. The Anthology as a whole may be licensed by the Anthologist to other publishers for foreign language. This permission constitutes first World-English rights, first World Electronic Rights, as well as non-exclusive world anthology rights to the story. We ask that the story not be published anywhere else until three months after the anthology has been published. Simultaneous submissions are fine but please let us know if the story was accepted somewhere else. If accepted you will be paid $10 via paypal and you will receive a free copy of the book. We wish we could pay more but we are starting out and hopefully will pay more in the future. You will get...

Deadline: September 30, 2014 Payment: 1 contributor copy, $5.00 for poetry/flash; $10.00 for short stories Submissions are NOW OPEN for Fossil Lake II: The Refossiling! Anticipated Release Date: February 2015 in print and ebook. What we’re looking for: the dark, the transgressive, the controversial, the surreal. Horror, humor, bizarro, erotica, suspense, fantasy, historical, Lovecraftian … pretty much anything goes genre-wise and content-wise as long as it’s well-written and entertaining to read. Bonus points for somehow involving thematic elements of fossils and/or lakes. What we’re NOT looking for: Crap writing (hey, let’s be honest).  Some editorial pet peeves and tough sells include adverbs, non-”said” dialogue tags, passive voice, “was (verb)ing” and “could (sense)” phrasing, excessive blocking or stage direction. What we’re hoping for: close communication with authors who are willing to work with an editor, can handle criticism, and are just generally personable and fun. What we’re asking: One-time non-exclusive anthology rights. Reprints are welcome; just let us know where and when the piece has appeared before. Deadline: September 30, 2014. Word Limit: poetry/flash fiction up to 1000 words; short stories 1000-5000 words. Compensation: contributor copy, $5.00 for poetry/flash; $10.00 for short stories. Standard manuscript format; Times New Roman 12-point preferred. Italics for italics and whatnot.  Send submissions attached as a .doc or .rtf to: [email protected]. “Fossil Lake II” in the subject line, please. Via: Fossil Lake.

Deadline: 9/30/14 Payment: Royalties, along with a free E-boo Vampires, werewolves, zombies, demons, creatures from the deep, and all things hideous and terrifying in between! Monsters in exotic locales, monsters in space, monsters laying waste to entire cities, microscopic creatures wreaking havoc on the ecosystem. Use your imagination and scare us silly with your abominable creation. Graphic violence is acceptable if integral to the story. We are not interested in excessive profanity or erotica. Focus on crafting a well-written narrative with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Be sure to give plenty of thought to the following elements: setting, character, plot, conflict. No simultaneous submissions, multiple submissions, or reprints. We are only interested in original fiction. We do not discriminate on publication status. We are actively seeking emerging writers. Please use standard manuscript format for all submissions. See our Short Story Submissions Guide. Deadline: September 30, 2014 or until filled Length: 500-4500 words Payment: Royalty plus contributor e-book copy. Via: Papa Bear Press.

Deadline: September 30th, 2014 Payment: $50 and contributor copy (paperback edition). Firbolg Publishing presents our fifth release in the Enter at Your Own Risk series. Enter at Your Own Risk: Dreamscapes into Darkness is open for submissions. Passions become obsessions. Obsessions become manias. And sometimes, manias turn into nightmares. What happens when one wants so badly that all else, including sanity and self, is consumed by the bonfires of desire? What happens when one achieves the dream, only to discover the nightmares lurking behind the illusions? Firbolg Publishing’s fifth anthology, Enter at Your Own Risk: Dreamscapes into Darkness, explores the old adage of “Be Careful What You Wish For.” We are looking for stories that step behind the veil of dreams and wishes into the unanticipated horrors of fulfillment. Journey down wishful thinking’s twisted pathway and discover what dark ends and detours await–send us your story and share a TOC with D.H. Lawrence, Mary Shelley, A.M. Burrage, H.P. Lovecraft, and more Gothic masters from yesteryear in Enter at Your Own Risk: Dreamscapes into Darkness. Submission Guidelines: 3000-5000 words (this is strict) Avoid excessive gore/ violence. We are most interested in gothic dark fiction rather than splatter style horror. We are not interested in stories that are gratuitously violent, sexual, or graphic. If these elements occur within a story, they must be an integral part of the narrative, but note that we are inclined to pass on tales that rely on these elements for plot. Stories that rely on mood, atmosphere, well-crafted dialogue, and character-driven narrative find a home at Firbolg Publishing over violence and gore. LGBT-friendly press. RTF format as an attachment (include author biography, links to blogs/ websites) Standard manuscript format (http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html) A few formatting musts: No double spaces between punctuation and next sentence. No double spaces between paragraphs...

Deadline: Sept. 30th, 2014 Payment: $10 and two contributor's copies GIVE is the first in a two-part anthology about organ donation. The stories in GIVE will focus on the donor. Publication date is set for February 14th, 2015 (National Donor Day). General Info: We want you to think beyond the traditional organs that get donated. Consider those parts of the human that come in pairs but aren’t necessarily donated. Everything is shareable, transplantable and rejectable, if you are creative. We will be including only one story per body part, so if you are going to write about a more common body part, the story had better be special. Stories should be darker in nature. Horror, sci-fi, and dark humor are all appreciated. Reprints: Reprints will be considered, but previously unpublished workis preferred. Please inform us if you are submitting a reprint. You must hold reprint rights to the work. Word Count: Submissions should be between 500-2,500 words (yes, we want these short and to the point). Submission Instructions: Submissions should follow standard manuscript format, and be sent as .doc, .docx, or .rtf files via email only. Please send to [email protected] with the subject: GIVE-(the body part you are writing about)-your name Rights: One year exclusive worldwide online, ebook, and print rights. The Publisher assumes no rights to the Work beyond those essential to publishing and promoting the Website. All characters, intellectual properties and universes of the Work shall remain the property of their original Authors Submission deadline: All stories must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 30th, 2014. Fee: There is no fee to submit to GIVE. Payment: $10 and two free contributor copies of the anthology (GIVE one to a friend!). All other profit made will be channeled into marketing efforts for this and the second anthology. A portion of the profits from second anthology will be donated to the National Foundation for...

Deadline: September 30th 2014 Payment: 5 cents per word The detective blowing dust off of evidence boxes at 2am after her commanding officer ordered her to leave that particular cold case unsolved; the horrid, unloved rodent-human hybrid who skips ahead in his textbook, ignoring the warnings of his necromancy tutor; the young woman picking at the tape on a box clearly labeled All The Trouble In The World; the whip-scarred homunculus palming a sharp stone; the mad Admiral in his airship ordering a hard bank to starboard and loose all harpoons at his floating Kraken overlords. For our third issue, "Troublemake," we're looking for short and flash Weird fiction and poetry about biters of the hands that feed, timid folk acting out against their tormentors, unlikely disturbers of the status quo, hell-raisers both literal and figurative, and creatures who just plain don't like being told what to do. While we're happy to read sf, fantasy, crime, alternate history and other, non-horror genres, all work should contain strong elements of the macabre. Our reading period is a tidy six weeks, from August 15th through September 30th. Any questions can be directed to hellophobos (at) gmail.com Submission Guidelines: We will only be accepting work that fits with the set theme. Your work could be terrific, but if it's a bad thematic match we can't use it. For general questions, including our rates and rights acquired, see our FAQ Word limits as follows: Short stories and poetry to 2,500 words, flash stories to 1,000 words. With this in mind, here's how you format your email submission: 1. Subject Line: Submission, (your story title & approximate word count), (submission theme) 2. Email Body: Please summarize in a few lines how your story fits the theme. Any submission that doesn't include this will not be...

Deadline: September 30th, 2014 Payment: AUD2c/word and one contributor copy   “Werewolves are much more common animals than you might think.” — Daniel Pinkwater SNAFU brought the pain. SNAFU: Wolves at the Door will bring the bite. In the blackest night or under the full moon, danger is lurking. It’s survival at all costs when you’re fighting against an enemy that could tear you apart – or convert you to the other side. Against the backdrop of an untamed wilderness or the dark depths of the city, the ultimate clash between the forces of man and nature rage on. You could be battling the monster within or a war around you – where the cost could prove too great. Whether it’s personal survival or submission of the pack, we want it all. Bring on the blood, guts and gore. We want military combat: guns and ammo, tooth and claw. Suspense. Tension. Conflict. Whether the wolves are fighting with you or against you is your choice… ~ ~ ~ We STRONGLY suggest you read the first SNAFU volume to see what it is we like. SNAFU – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LNXHLJG ~ ~ ~ SNAFU: Wolves at the Door will be an anthology of short stories on the theme of werewolf-based military horror. *Payment: AUD2c/word and one contributor copy *SNAFU: Wolves at the Door will be released as an ebook only *Wordcount range: 2,000 – 6,000 words *Submission window: 1st September, 2014 – 30th September, 2014 (anything submitted outside of this window will be deleted without being read) *Projected publication date: Last Quarter 2014 Please follow these guidelines when submitting to us: 1. Please put your full contact details on the first page of the manuscript top left, with word count top right. 2. Standard submission format, with minimal document formatting. 3. Courier or Times...

Deadline: October 1st 2014 Payment: .05/word + royalties and author copies I AM THE ABYSS Now Open to Fiction Submissions for Adventure Stories of Horror and/or Dark Fantasy! We are happy to announce that Dark Regions Press is open to public fiction submissions for the first time in a very long time for our new upcoming anthology I AM THE ABYSS. This very special project will consist of ten original adventure stories of horror and/or dark fantasy each illustrated with an original two-page color spread by award-winning artist Les Edwards. The book is planned to be published in Q4 of 2015. Find the submission guidelines below, and please read them from start to finish before sending us your manuscript. Thank you and we look forward to reading your fiction!   I AM THE ABYSS Submission Guidelines (Must Read Before Submitting) The Idea When each of us reaches the end of our life in this world our consciousness enters a new perpetual reality during the seconds before the brain loses activity. This world is based on the subconscious and experiences we had during our mortal lives. The structures, landscapes, creatures and cities are amalgams of what we perceived during our short journeys on earth, and there our consciousness will stay (unless we find a means of escape). These are ten stories of tortured souls and dark minds whose difficult mortal lives have come to an end. Their consciousnesses have been transported into underworlds of their own making. It is here that they rediscover forgotten corners of their minds, creatures that they never thought their imaginations could conjure, cities grander or more bizarre than anything they had experienced in their mortal lives. In these underworlds the characters will truly discover themselves; their darkest fears and deepest desires will manifest. But within these realms...

Deadline: October 1st 2014 Payment: All royalties from anthologies will be split evenly between all authors. Note: Just as a warning, since this posting has gone live we've had over 15 e-mails that the press is being run by people who don't pay their authors. Serrated is a collection of short stories and poetry/prose of horror. Examples; Hospitals, insane asylums, all there to help but what if they were stashing body parts, or running experiments on patients. Serrated is about your worst nightmare coming true behind closed doors of a morgue, hosptial, funeral home, or asylum. This is a no holds barred piece. Make it violent, make it bloody. Blurb Behind closed doors, secrets lurk, and madness begins. Trapped in a never-ending nightmare of torture and pain, I welcome you to tales of the macabre. Night falls everywhere, what you don't see is what happens when the shadows hit the walls of the inner-sanctum of the dead. Serrated will show you the likes of which horrors you've never seen behind the walls in the modern-day dungeons of the world. Guidelines Short Stories and Poetry/Prose accepted Supernatural/Paranormal/Non-Paranormal 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: October 1st, 2014 Payment: 5 cents per word December--Arthurian Legend What ho! (No, we don't mean Guinevere.) For centuries, the magic and mystery of King Arthur and Camelot have enthralled readers. Thanks to great authors like Marion Zimmer Bradley and T.H. White, there's a strong tradition of Arthurian books on the fantasy bookshelf. So add your own myths to the Round Table; send Lancelot out on one more quest. Let's play in Camelot and Avalon until the mists gently cloak us from the modern world. CALL BEGINS AUGUST 1, 2014 CALL ENDS OCTOBER 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...