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Deadline: February 1, 2016 Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction (all U.S. dollars). We also send you a copy of the issue in which your piece appears. You'll receive your money and issue at the same time. We love the fact that writers around the world are inspired by our first lines, and we know that not every story will be sent to us. However, we ask that you do not submit stories starting with our first lines to other journals (or post them online on public sites) until we've notified you as to our decision (usually two to three weeks after the deadline). When the entire premise of the publication revolves around one sentence, we don't want it to look as if we stole that sentence from another writer. If you have questions, feel free to drop us a line. (Also, we understand that writers may add our first line to a story they are currently working on or have already completed, and that's cool. But please do not add our first line to a previously published story and submit it to us. We do not accept previously published stories, even if they have been repurposed for our first lines.) One more thing while I've got you here: Writers compete against one another for magazine space, so, technically, every literary magazine is running a contest. There are, however, literary magazines that run traditional contests, where they charge entry fees and rank the winners. We do not - nor will we ever - charge a submission fee, nor do we rank our stories in order of importance. Occasionally, we run contests to help come up with new first lines, or we run fun, gimmicky competitions for free stuff, but the actual...

Deadline: February 1st, 2016 Payment: 1 contributor copy of the paperback and a free electronic copy of the book in the format of their choice (.pdf, .mobi., etc) Note: I apologize on getting this up late, looks like I missed it last month Anthology Title: Unleashing the Voices Within – Stories must focus on the theme of “Voices from Within” Word Count Requirements: 3k word min – 5k word max Compensation: All authors will receive 1 contributor copy of the paperback and a free electronic copy of the book in the format of their choice (.pdf, .mobi., etc) Genre: “Dark” (dark sci-fi, horror, thriller) Due Date: Feb 1, 2016 Email submissions to [email protected] Via: Stitched Smile Publications.

Deadline: February 8th 2016 Payment: $25.00, plus digital and trade paperback copy upon distribution. Payment will be made upon selection. Royalty payment will be confirmed after the number of submitted stories are determined. Visual Adjectives is currently accepting stories, art and photography for the omnibus, New Legends: The Hero • The Antihero • The Vigilante, Book 2 Your story can be of any genre, but must be relevant to the theme of the Hero, the Antihero, and the Vigilante. We seeks submissions from emerging and established authors with characters that represents one or all of the Hero, the Antihero, and the Vigilante. We are looking for exceptional, well-written, engaging stories with subject matter reasonably free from sexually explicit content, gore, and obscenities. No copyright infringements please. Characters must be your own, originally created, and not a version or fan fiction of an existing character. Do not use the names or personalities of existing trademarked characters. No references should be made to characters from well-known sources. Only submit unpublished, original stories, and characters. Story length must be between 2,500 minimum and 8,000 maximum words. The first page of your submitted document must be a Cover Page (see below for details). Please spend time reviewing the guidelines, this will ensure that your best work is submitted free of editorial issues, such as spelling, formatting, and grammar. GUIDELINES Theme: The Hero • The Antihero • The Vigilante (one or all) Story Word Count: 2,500 minimum – 8,000 maximum, (not including information for cover page) Authors Biography: 250 maximum words Story Synopsis: 350 maximum words File Format: MicrosoftWord document (either .doc or .docx) or rtf only. Submissions may also be sent in the body of an e-mail. Submission Limit: Five stories per author. If you are submitting more than one story, please submit each story as a separate...

Deadline: February 11th, 2016 Payment: 4% royalties and physical copy Submission deadline: February 11th, 2016 Payment: 4% royalties per story published. You will also receive a physical copy of the book, and you will be able to purchase additional copies at a reduced rate. Six Minutes to Midnight are putting together a new shared world anthology to help realise your wildest time-twisting dreams. This Twisted Earth (Vol 1) is set for release in Autumn 2016. There is the potential for all kinds of stories in all kinds of genres, but we want this first volume to emphasise the Pulp vibe. Think of John Carter and Tarzan, think Black Mask Detective stories, think Doc Savage but go further. The fabric of Time has been unravelled. This is your chance to grab the skein of history and play cat’s cradle with it. Bring any people, any cultures, any creatures from Earth’s vast chronology together and weave us new stories, new cultures, and new mythologies. This Twisted Earth gives you the licence to unleash your imaginations and reinvent our world. Walk your readers through as wide-eyed new arrivals or craft us a ‘used universe’ where the cataclysm happened millennia ago. Do you have the vision to help stitch together a Frankenstinian new world? The guts to splice genres, to tear apart convention and rummage through its entrails? If so, this is the sandpit for you. We’re looking for thrilling plots, intriguing nuggets of real history, and truly inspired world-building. Under-represented cultures and histories will be welcomed with open arms in the true spirit of diversity, exploration and discovery. With history’s tipping points cast to the winds anything and everything is up for grabs. What treasures can you bring us? Prospective writers are invited to join the This Twisted Earth Facebook group to interact...

Deadline: February 15th, 2016 Payment: 2.5 cents (Canadian) per word, to a maximum of $125.00. Contributors will also receive one copy of the issue their contribution appears in if their submission is 2,000 words or less, or two copies of the issue if their submission is over 2,000 words. Written Submission Guidelines: Accepting new submissions: January 15 to February 15, 2016   Story: Neo-opsis will consider material submitted by any writer, professional or amateur. It is our intention to not set down a lot of ground rules for these stories. We don’t want to miss something that we would really like just because it doesn’t fit our rules, but we are more likely to publish stories that are less than 6000 words and fit a science fiction or fantasy theme. We tend not to publish horror. Poem: The kind of poem that is more likely to be accepted, for publication in Neo-opsis Science Fiction Magazine, is the kind of poem that will appeal to a wide range of people. Format: If emailed, we prefer only one submission per email, attached to the email as a MS Word .doc file, or .rtf file, but we will not refuse a story that is included within the body of an email. An easy to read format is best, font size 12 or 14, and double-spaced. Submissions should be sent to [email protected]. (If you have a SPAM filter, be sure that our response can make it back to you.) The subject line of your email should include the word Submission, the title of your submission, and if possible the approximate word count. Be sure to include your email address in your contact information at the top of your manuscript. (Your contact information will be kept in the strictest confidence and not sold or spammed.)...

Deadline: February 20th 2016 Payment: $5 for stories under 2,000 words and between $10 and $20 for 2,000 and up, depending on the severity of editing needed), plus three author copies (two print and one electronic) Do you think the Happily Ever After ending in clichéd and overdone? Ever wonder what happened to Snow White after she met her prince? Did Jasmine and Aladdin disagree on how to rule? Was Ariel happy with a man that fell in love with a pretty, mute, little girl? Was Sleeping Beauty really an undercover agent that secretly infiltrated the kingdom? Did Goldilocks get sent to the insane asylum after her encounter with the three bears? Take on both perspectives. Keep the happily ever after ending, make the characters fight and fall in love again, send the princes on challenging new missions, give the princesses a mission, or make the couples divorced and trying to maneuver child custody in their new lives. Whatever your idea, be sure these characters experience something new so that the reader will, too. Edited By: Anthony S. Buoni & Alisha Costanzo Submissions Due: 20 February 2016 Release Date: Fall 2016 Send Submissions and Questions to: [email protected] We are looking for a variety of submissions that transform well-known fairytales into modern, realistic, or fantastical stories. What we want is to see them given new life. We want real characters, real tensions, and real consequences. There is one clincher; don’t make them cheesy. Make them humorous, violent, grotesque, sexy, suspenseful, or satirical—just keep the writing serious. This anthology is intended for mature audiences.  Sex and profanity are acceptable; however, not in excess.  If gory for gore’s sake, or vulgar just to be crude, your story will be rejected.  Themes must be central to plot and character. -World Creation: -In-depth characterization of...

Deadline: February 21st 2016 Prizes: First prize is a £50 Amazon gift card or PayPal prize, Second prize is a £20 Amazon gift card or PayPal prize, Third prize is a £10 Amazon gift card or PayPal prize "Of Man’s first disobedience, and the fruit of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste brought Death into the world " - John Milton/Excerpt from Paradise Lost. Sometimes I have to hunt high and low for the monthly short fiction contest image and sometimes it finds me. This month's Paradise Lost image sees the return of the wonderfully talented Luciana Nedelea. This image will soon be released as a new t-shirt and poster design on the Old Ones Productions store. If you're not familiar with that venture of mine then visit the store here: http://oldonesproductions.com/ As always the stories can be of any genre. They just have to be inspired by this month's image and no more than 500 words. Entry to the contest remains free and there are prizes for the three winners. I will also feature any of the stories that don't win but I believe are worth showcasing on this blog. First prize is a £50 Amazon gift card or PayPal prize Second prize is a £20 Amazon gift card or PayPal prize Third prize is a £10 Amazon gift card or PayPal prize The money for the prizes come out of my own pocket, although I do make a little from advertising on this blog. So if you see something of interest then feel free to click on the links and purchase away! If you haven't tried my books yet then check them out at the top of the page, as well as buying a good read you'll be helping this contest. Please make sure to check your story...

Deadline: February 25th 2016 Payment: $10 The instance and consequences of the mistaken identity should be central to the story InfectiveINk.com is interested in great fiction. Unless specified, we are open to all genres and styles, except erotica. We offer $10 per Short Story, payable via PayPal. We do not currently pay for Short Story submissions under 1500 words, or for any Flash Fiction submissions, bragging rights however, are priceless. Remember, InfectiveINk.com is a prompt-driven publication. Be sure that the story you're submitting corresponds to one of our prompts before sending your work. Submissions should be sent to [email protected] In the subject line please include the word 'submission', your last name, and the prompt you're submitting for, e.g. Submission, Fitzgerald, Monsters. The body of the email includes: Your name Your pen name, if you use one Your contact details (including the email address we would send your Paypal payment to if your story is 1500+ words) The word count An interesting bio that doesn't simply list your publications Your submission You are welcome to paste the submission in the body of the email, we also accept .doc, .docx, .txt, and .rtf attachments. Please replace any curly quotes with straight quotes, curly apostrophes with straight ones. Double and triple check for grammar and spelling errors, watch your possessives, take care with there/their/they're. Write to the prompt and HAVE FUN! These aren't the stories to devote months of intense effort toward. Let your creative juices flow freely (yeah, that sounded gross), and play fast and hard! Edit with a vengeance and submit. Please read over our Author Agreement before submitting. InfectiveINk.com is listed at Duotrope, don't forget to track your submissions! Questions? Need some help/guidance? Email us at [email protected] Via: InfectiveINK.

Zombie apocalypse mystic background. Illustration contains transparency and blending effects eps 10. Deadline: February 28, 2016 Payment: $200.00, 1 digital copy, and 2 physical copies LESS THAN DEAD — LGBTQIA Anthology Call — There’s nothing quite so terrifying as a corpse that moves, a creature that even death can’t stop. Sometimes they’re a minor nuisance, other times they’re a nigh-unstoppable terror. On rare occasions they turn out not to be a nightmare at all, but an expected ally. Less Than Three Press invites you to submit tales of zombies, be they the enemy, the ally, or something else entirely. THE DETAILS: Deadline is February 28, 2016 (give or take, we won’t kill you for sending it off the following morning). Stories should be at least 10,000 words and should not exceed approx 20,000 words in length. Stories may be any pairing except cisgender heterosexual M/F (trans* M/F, M/M, F/F, poly, ace/aro, and all permutations thereof are acceptable). Stories must adhere to the theme of zombies. Stories must have a happily ever after (HEA) or happy for now (HFN) end. Any sub-genre is gladly accepted: sci-fi, mystery, contemporary, steampunk, etc. All usual LT3 submission guidelines apply. Less Than Dead is a general release anthology, which means authors will receive a flat payment of $200.00 once LT3 has a signed contract. Examples: Lovely, Dark and Deep, A Touch of Mistletoe. Authors will receive one copy each of the ebook formats LT3 produces and two copies of the paperback compilation. Stories should be complete before submitting, and as edited as possible—do not submit a first draft. They can be submitted in any format (doc, docx, rtf, odt, etc) preferably single spaced in an easy to read font (Times, Calibri, Arial) with no special formatting (no elaborate section separation, special fonts, etc). Additional formatting...

Deadline: February 28 2016 Payment: 5¢ a word Before submitting to SpeckLit, please read the submission details below carefully, then fill out the contact form at the bottom of this page to let us know a bit about yourself. Do not send us your submissions directly. We want to get to you know you first. Include your pen name, website, Twitter, and a link to your most recently published work (if you have one) in your initial contact. Fiction:  We are suckers for plot. If it ain’t got plot, it ain’t a story. We want each piece to have the feeling of a beginning, a middle, and an end (or inciting incident, attempt(s) to fix it, and climax). All fiction must be original. There are lots of places for fanfic – this isn’t one of them. And finally, of course, it also has to be speculative – fantasy, science fiction, myth fairy tale, dark fantasy, etc… – but no erotica and no gore. A well-placed swear word, the recognition that we are sexual beings, and off-camera violence are all okay, but within limits, eh? Besides, with the focus on plot, there’s no time to get all graphic. Titles do not count as part of the 100 words, and after your drabble, add a bit of an explanation of how you got there from the topic (but remember to keep it short!). Non-fiction: We also publish drabble-length reviews of spec-fic containing media – books, movies, video games, comics, TV shows (or even specific outstanding episodes of TV shows), etc… Make sure your reviews are non-nasty (negative reviews are fine, but be nice!), and of course, spoiler free. Again, you don’t have much space, so get to the point. Your hundred words do not need to include the title, author, director, stars,...

Deadline: February 28th, 2016 Payment: 1.5 cents/word with a minimum payment of $30 for all submissions, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Submission Guidelines: New Myths will no longer consider submissions of fiction, nonfiction and poetry outside of specific reading periods. These periods run from June 1-July 31 and from January 1-February 28. Artwork, requests for book reviews, and other correspondence can still be submitted at any time.   No Multiple Fiction Submissions Please do not send more than one fiction submission at a time. Wait until you receive an answer before sending a second story. No more than three fiction submissions total from any one author will be considered during a given reading period.    Poetry is different. See below. Submission period: Currently open to submissions. Contact information:   Please send submissions to [email protected].   Please send queries for book reviews to [email protected]   All other correspondence to [email protected] NewMyths.com publishes speculative fiction of every stripe except graphic horror. We like each issue to have an eclectic variety of stories:  funny, frightening, hard and soft sci-fi, adventure, thoughtful, etc. Every issue includes at least one nonfiction piece dealing with some aspect of science, myth, folklore, or literature as it relates to speculative fiction, usually of the well-researched essay variety rather than opinion or editorial. Speculative poetry is welcome. We tend to receive a lot of free verse and not enough "form" poetry. We also buy one piece of artwork per issue, and occasionally commission one. We publish book reviews of recent releases about every two weeks. If you have written a review, or have a book coming out soon, please contact us. Reading an issue is the best way to know if your submission is a fit for NewMyths.com or not. Responses take 60-90 days on average. Feel free to...

Deadline:February 28th, 2016 Payment: $25 and contributor's copy This is an anthology born in a panel at Balticon 49 in May 2015. The panel was all about being a fan of problematic things, and the example of loving the work of an author who is not a good person came up, particularly Lovecraft and his Cthulu Mythos. Many people love the Mythos and Cthulu pervades a lot of geek culture, but Lovecraft himself was a rampant misogynist, racist, and anti-Semitic. An audience member jokingly suggested that there should be a collection of stories that would make dear old Lovecraft roll over in his grave – like a black lesbian Jew triumphing over the Unspeakable. And all the authors on panel and in the audience said – “Heeeey, that sounds like fun!” Here is the call for that anthology, which we plan to debut at Balticon 50 in May 2016. It only seems fitting. Send us your best Mythos story, but make sure it would make dear old Lovecraft roll. What we don’t want to see: Gratuitous anything – violence, sex, profanity, doesn’t matter. If it is not integral to the story and it’s not advancing the plot or character development, we don’t want to see blood, gore, or sex just for shock value’s sake (this goes for language too). We are not opposed to violence, sex, or profanity – as long as it belongs in the story and it’s not just there to shock and titillate. Some things would be a very hard sell for us, like rape or torture of any sort, and torture of children or animals will get an immediate rejection. Think of how far we’re willing to go based on the well known movie rating system – if it would qualify for a PG, PG-13, or...

Deadline: February 28th, 2016 Payment: $25 and a contributor's copy BOB as in Battery Operated Boyfriend… This one is for the adults – what happens when one of your sex toys gets a mind of its own, literally? We’re thinking about demon possessed blow up dolls, haunted vibrators, perhaps a golem sex-slave who is tired of her existence and convinces one of her lovers to use the word of power to destroy her as a safe word. Given the topic, yes, we expect at least some on page sex, but the focus of this anthology is not erotica (as lovely as said erotica might be). We’re looking for the thoughtful, funny, or horrific implications of your solo playmate possessing some level of sentience. What we don’t want to see: Gratuitous anything – violence or profanity, doesn’t matter. If it is not integral to the story and it’s not advancing the plot or character development, we don’t want to see blood or gore just for shock value’s sake (this goes for language too). We are not opposed to violence or profanity – as long as it belongs in the story and it’s not just there to shock and titillate. Some things would be a very hard sell for us, like rape or torture of any sort, and torture of children or animals will get an immediate rejection. Think of how far we’re willing to go based on the well known movie rating system – we’re trying to keep it at the upper end of what would be tolerated for an R. Word Count: We’re looking for stories that fall in the 3,000 to 10,000 word range. We will consider looking at stories outside this range, but they need to be just too good for us to pass up. You have a...

Deadline: February 28th, 2016 Payment: $30 and a contributor's copy Nightscript is published annually, during grand October, in both trade and electronic editions. Each anthology will feature twenty contemporary fictions ranging in length from 2,000 to 7,000 words. Note: I am currently OPEN to submissions. My reading period for Nightscript (Vol. 2) begins January 1st and ends February 28th. N. is a venue for ‘strange tales’, a term used to describe fictions supernatural, uncanny, weird, and so forth. In other words, I am looking for subtle and darksome literary horror. If you feel that your work has been inspired in no small part by authors such as Robert Aickman, Shirley Jackson, Dennis Etchison, Flannery O’Connor, Terry Lamsley, Lisa Tuttle, Thomas Owen, Mary Shelley, Arthur Machen, then N. is probably the venue for you. Authors are asked to submit their original tales via the email provided below and should allow 1 to 8 week(s) for a response. (If a submission is held for longer than two weeks this typically means that it is being considered.) Submit .doc files to: [email protected] (Please send only one story per reading period.) Payment is $30 and includes one contributor’s copy. N. is a labor of love, and as such I shall endeavor to produce an aesthetically pleasing product for which all contributors can feel proud. That said, I look forward to reading your work! Thank you kindly for your interest. C.M. Muller, editor & publisher To keep abreast of all things N., please consider following its Facebook page. Via: Chthonic Matter.

Deadline: February 28th, 2016 Payment: Royalty Split Note: Sorry about the low submissions time on this one, just came across it today. UnCommon Origins:  Creation Stories, Feral Children, Spontaneous Evolution, anything you can think of which relates to the beginning of something new and unique. Stories may be of the grand scale of Gods or the more personal scope of the individual.  Stories need not be based in reality, in fact, fantasy and magical realism elements are encouraged. The collection as a whole will be geared toward an adult audience, although your story does not need to be. Stories displaying hatred or intolerance of any kind will not be accepted. Submission Details: Submissions must be in American English and written to the highest quality you are capable.  Passive voice is discouraged.  A pass with an editor before submission is encouraged. Maximum Word Count is 10,000 however I’m not going to turn away something awesome that’s a little over. This is a paid market anthology, with a royalty cut for each author. Details available upon request. The author retains all rights to their story. All submissions will be edited and sent to the author for final approval before publication. The submission period runs from Jan 1st until Feb 28th. Open internationally, but submission must be in American English. There is no fee to submit. Please, no reprints or simultaneous submissions. Multiple submissions accepted. Limit of two submissions per person. Any genre is fine. However, we are not looking for nonfiction at this time. Adult language and sexual situations are permitted. Submissions must be sent in WORD doc or docx, 12pt Times New Roman with 1.5 line spacing, full justified with0.3″ indents on the first line of each new paragraph (Do NOT use TAB), no extra spacing between paragraphs and no headers/footers/page numbers, one space after end of sentence...

Deadline: February 29, 2016 Payment: $20 Length:          2,000 to 4,000 words (exceptional stories can have fewer, or more, words than our suggested guidelines)   WHAT WE WANT: We’re looking for crisp, out-of-the-box, modern, and unique urban legends that’ll be told around campfires for the next century. Give us your ghosts, faeries, cryptids, killers, and creepy kids, but tread carefully around the trap of retelling an urban legend that’s already been told. Tales from the Lake: Volume 3 is not horror-specific whatsoever, but steer clear of romance and cutesy stories. Give us a new generation of beautifully crafted urban legends that’s diverse and meaningful; something we’ve never seen before, set in places we’ve only ever dreamt of going.   WHAT WE DON’T WANT: It’s simple, really: Don’t give us vampires and werewolves unless you’re Anne Rice, and don’t give us zombies unless you’re Jonathan Maberry. We’re not easily offended, but the unnecessary use of graphic violence and explicit sexual encounters should be avoided unless it’s crucial to the plot. That said, the slightest hint of animal cruelty gets you an automatic rejection letter, and no exceptions will be made in this regard. Profanity is okay, just don’t overdo it. Other than that; show us what you’re made of.   SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Stories should be formatted as doc or docx files. Further guidelines are as follows: Times New Roman, 12pt, single spaced, justified. 1" margins, 1/2" indent. No spaces between paragraphs, and use *** for scene breaks Contact information must be on the first page of document No headers, footers or page numbers Include a short (2-4 sentences) bio, written in third person at the end of your document. In the subject line of your email, please put: Tales from the Lake: Vol 3 Submission – “Title of Story” – Your Name....

Deadline: February 29, 2016 Payment: $25 plus a contributor’s copy BLOOD, SWEAT & FEARS: Horror Inspired by the 1970s The 1970s often seem like the dreaded hangover from the 1960s, representing a time of particular unease in American life. It was a time of painful, disconcerting transition, a time when old economic sureties imploded in light of rampant uncertainties, while rock music, polyester and paranoia ruled the day. It’s no accident that some of the most classic (and/or infamous) horror movies of the genre arose in the 1970s—Duel (1971), The Last House on the Left (1972), The Exorcist (1973), Black Christmas (1974), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Jaws (1975), The Omen (1976), Halloween (1978), Dawn of the Dead (1978), Magic (1978) and even Alien (1979)—all of these (and many more) tapped into the fear and unease that thrived in the 1970s. Nosetouch Press is bringing you Blood, Sweat & Fears: Horror Inspired by the 1970s to capture the essence of the horror of living in the weird 1970s. We welcome any horror, provided that it faithfully represents the oh-so-creepy, grit-under-the-fingernails vibe of the 1970s, and really captures the time period between 1970 through 1979 — we’re not looking for splattercore and excessive gore, so much as rampant paranoia and dread hanging like smog over everything. Put on your bellbottoms, your clogs and your satin shirts and write the best original 1970s-inspired horror story you can imagine, and send them our way. Beyond the grimy 1970s horror vibe, thematically, the stories can be wide open, but all submissions should radiate that discordant ‘70s vibe that gave us Son of Sam and other infamous serial killers, Three Mile Island, Jonestown, Watergate and CREEP, and many other things. No reprints, please. Submission Schedule Submissions Accepted: December 1, 2015 through February 29, 2016 Length:...

Deadline: February 29th, 2016 Payment: 2 cents per word. and digital copy Announcing open submissions for Triangulation: Beneath The Surface, Parsec Ink’s speculative fiction annual for 2016. We’re looking for outstanding speculative fiction from new and established writers. Impress us with your best interpretation of our theme. Be creative, be unique, show us what hides, lurks, or thrives…beneath the surface. Theme:  Beneath the Surface Submissions Open: December 1st 2015 Submissions Close: February 29th, 2016 Word Count: We will consider fiction up to 6,000 words. There is no minimum word count. Genre: We are a speculative fiction market.  We accept science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories.  Please do not send stories without any speculative element. Compensation: We pay 2 cents per word.  Authors will also receive an e-book and print version of the anthology and wholesale pricing for additional printed copies (typically 50% of cover price). Rights: We purchase North American Serial Rights, and Electronic Rights for downloadable version(s). All subsidiary rights released upon publication. Submissions: We do not accept reprints, multiple submissions, or simultaneous submissions.  If we reject a story before the end of the reading period, feel free to send another. We love creative interpretations of our themes, but we do require that stories fit the current theme. We will run mature content if we like the story and if the mature content is integral to the story. We will not accept fanfic, even if it’s of a fictional universe that has passed into public domain. How To Submit: Electronic submissions make our lives easier. Please upload your story via Submittable. If this is your first time submitting to a publication that utilizes Submittable, you will need to create an account with them. It’s free. SUBMIT YOUR STORY HERE!   Manuscript Format: Please use industry standard manuscript format. We’re not testing you to see if you can follow...

Deadline: February 29th 2016 Payment: $5 advance and an equal share of fifty percent of the royalties received from sale of the anthology. BEFORE READING FURTHER, PLEASE TAKE NOTE.  We are seeking short fiction in the Speculative Fiction genre (by which we mean to be the umbrella term for the wide and varied range of Science Fiction and Fantasy subgenres).  The stories are to be inspired by (by which we mean drawn from, informed by, derived from) the author's personal experiences of being Jewish.  What does this mean to us?  More to the point, what does this mean to YOU?  We feel that the Jewish tent is a big tent, and want this collection to reflect that belief.  These stories can be explicitly about the Jewish Experience (past, present or future), but they can also be stories that take place on a spaceship, a distant planet, under the ocean, in the afterlife or in another dimension.  As long as it is Speculative Fiction, and something about the story was inspired or influenced by your Jewish Experience, it is a story we'd like to consider for our collection. Another note:  If your story has Nazis in it, please don't bother submitting.  No exceptions. The Jewish Experience is ripe for stories that express one, or both, of two of the primary themes to be found in Speculative Fiction.  The idea of The Other; Someone or something that is apart or different from the supposed mainstream.  And the idea of the Not Other; The exploration of what it means to realize our potential as humans, asmenschen.  But don't feel limited to these; one of the great things about Spec-Fic is that the possibilities are literally endless. Word count and Deadline:  Between 500 and 10,000 words.  These are guidelines, not laws; if you have a great story that runs a few...

Deadline: Feb 29th, 2016 Payment: $5 + contributor copy Reprints Allowed Note: From our limited experience with them, this publisher seems to truly care about writer concerns in a way we fully support! The First United Church of Cthulhu is looking for modern, urban fiction set within the world of H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. If we get a high number of quality submissions early on then submission acceptance will be cut off before the deadline.     Deadline: Feb 29, 2016   Length: 2,000 – 10,000 words   Payment: $5 + contributor copy English only. Non-exclusive anthology rights. Reprints and multiple submissions are allowed. Author retains copyright. Payment is via Paypal. Guidelines Modern, urban setting in the world of the Cthulhu Mythos. Setting does not have to be a gritty Times Square locale, just no isolated mansions in the middle of nowhere or cabin in the woods type of cliches. Do not overuse the monsters in the sewers and subways cliche. It can be part of the story but should not be the main focus/location. This is not a Godzilla anthology. Cthulhu is not going to wake up and destroy Tokyo while getting hit with nukes. English only. Non-exclusive anthology rights. Reprints and multiple submissions are allowed.  Author retains copyright. Payment is via Paypal. Pictures can be printed with the story (they will be black and white). Images should be .jpg or .png and 300 dpi is recommended but not necessary. Make sure you have clearance to use the image(s) and send with any necessary copyright information that would need to be listed. Email your story as an attached .doc file to bitter_venus yahoo.com with Urban Temples of Cthulhu as the subject. Via: First United Church Of Cthuluhu.

Deadline: February 29th, 2016 Payment: $0.04 a word to a maximum payment of $300.00 Note: They aren't looking for horror but some of the SF themes here cross over so I felt you'd want the option! Science Fiction is our conversation with the future. But what if that conversation went on forever? Bundoran Press Publishing House will open for submissions from December 21st, 2015 to February 29th, 2016 for a new anthology of science fiction stories to be edited by Michael Rimar and Hayden Trenholm. Publication is planned for October 2016. Lazarus Risen will seek SF (no fantasy or horror, please) short stories that explore the economic, political, social and psychological consequences of life extension, human cloning, the hard upload and other forms of the biological singularity. Dreams of immortality and eternal youth are almost as old as human culture itself. But what would the world look like if everyone could live and be young forever? What would it look like if only some of us had that privilege? These are only some of the questions your story might try to answer. Surprise us, shock us, illuminate us but most of all tell us a great story. Payment for first world English rights (print and digital) will be $0.04 a word to a maximum payment of $300.00 (all figures Canadian dollars). Our preferred length is 3500 to 6500 words. We will accept stories of any length to 10,000 words (longer than 10,000 WILL NOT BE READ) but the maximum payment will remain $300.00. Stories will be accepted from around the world but we are not interested in reprints. Payment on publication. Please submit in .rtf, .doc or .docx format. In the title line of e-mail put: SUBMISSION LR:"Title of your story." Include a brief cover letter in the body of...

Deadline: February 29, 2016 Payment: $0.02 per word + contributor copy. Note: Reprints Only I’ll be publishing an anthology of reprint stories in the summer of 2016 titled FUNNY FANTASY. It will follow on the heels of FUNNY SCIENCE FICTION, my 2015 reprint anthology. For this book I’m seeking stories that are: Funny. Fantasy. 500 – 7500 words in length Were originally printed in the last ten years (2005-present) Were printed in curated venues paying at least $0.01 per word – for this book please don’t send material from token and non-paying venues, self-published, posted on your blog, published in magazine/anthology you yourself edited, previously unpublished, etc. Please do not send stories you previously submitted to any volume ofUnidentified Funny Objects or Coffee anthologies. Payment: $0.02 per word + contributor copy. Rights sought: Non-exclusive print and electronic rights (aka I’d like to include your story in paper and e-book editions of FUNNY FANTASY and keep it in print for as long as I’d like. All other rights remain with the author.) How to submit: E-mail submissions as an RTF, DOC, or DOCX attachment to: ufoeditors @ gmail dot com Format the subject line as follows: FF: <Story Title> by <Author> (Approx. Length) Example: FF: Dreidel of Dread by Alex Shvartsman (800 words) In the body of the email please specify where and when the story was originally published. If this info isn’t included I will assume the story breaks one of the guidelines above and send a form rejection. Response times: I will try to reply within a week or two with either a rejection or a bump notice. Final decisions will be made in the Spring. Since these are reprints and I require no exclusivity, feel free to submit them elsewhere at the same time. Please send one story...

Deadline: March 1, 2016 Payment: 3 cents a word Comet Press is seeking short stories for an erotic horror anthology to be published in the summer of 2016. We are looking for the most gruesome, twisted, disturbing, erotic stories that push the boundaries of sex and horror and we don't have any content restrictions (except for kiddie content, of course). Reading period: From September 28, 2015--March 1, 2016 (or until filled). Word length: up to 9,000 words. Multiple submissions: Up to two stories per author can be submitted. Please send as separate emails. PAYMENT We have a funding campaign on Kickstarter for this anthology. Payment is 3 cents a word, unless we meet our funding campaign on Kickstarter, then payment will be bumped up to 6 cents.We really want to pay authors the professional rate and that is the whole purpose of the crowdfunder. Help us fund this book on Kickstarter! Payment will be made upon publication.https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cometpress/stiff-things-an-erotic-horror-anthology Reprints: No reprints. Response Time: 3–4 weeks. Rejections will be sent as soon as possible. Stories that make the first cut will be kept until the end of the reading period. Authors will be notified right away if their story makes the first cut, then the final stories will be selected at the end of the reading period. We will send a confirmation that we received your story within 2 days. If you do not get this confirmation, please feel free to inquire or resubmit. WHAT TO SEND: In the body of the email please include: your name, pen name if any, address and email address, and bio. Include a brief blurb summing up the story and word count. Attach the story in a standard formatted .rtf or word document Put “STIFF THNGS SUBMISSION: TITLE OF YOUR STORY” in the subject of the...

Deadline: 3/1/16 Payment: $5-$20 depending on length "We are not afraid." Body Parts Magazine is an online literary magazine of horror, erotica, speculative fiction, essays and art. Each themed issue honors Eros and Thanatos, the Greek gods of libido and mortido—life and death. We celebrate the vast and various expressions of dreams and darkness, our primitive desires and urges, and seek to encounter—and embrace—those shadowy monsters who dwell in the dimly lit corners of human experience. Submission Guidelines Upcoming Themes Submissions for each issue are accepted through the last day of each reading period (if specified). You are welcome to submit material for any issue--simply indicate which issue you would like your work to be considered for. Issue #6: Grave Robbing (Spring/Summer 2016) Disinterment. Theft. Exhumation and ossuaries. Unspeakable crimes. Corpses of the past (events, relationships, ideas, cultures and cities). What inappropriate, grim and morbid things or people do we long for when they are gone? What incites one to dig up the dead, reanimate the deceased or dig through decayed remains in search of some treasured item, memory or ideal? In what horrific ways do we serve as the archaeologists of our own fates and futures? ​Submission deadline: 3/01/16 Fiction Body Parts accepts well-written, thoughtfully structured horror, erotic horror, speculative fiction, dark fantasy (including fairy tales and mythology), exceptional stories about ghosts, ghouls, monsters and wretched creatures, Gothic fiction, and all combinations of the above. Our boundaries are few and far between. Flash Fiction: 1,000 words or fewer. Short Stories: up to 8,000 words. Serialized Long Fiction: query us with total word count. Art/Photography We accept your original artwork and photography reflective of an issue’s theme. Email a link to your art online (web, Dropbox, Google album, etc.) Essays & Interviews We accept short essays and interviews (up to 1200 words) about topics that...

Deadline: March 1st, 2016 Payment: 1 cent per word (negotiable). You know the songs. They’re etched into every punk’s brain. Not just because they’re catchy, but because there’s something else there. Glenn Danzig’s lyrics evoke intense imagery. Beautiful, dark, monstery imagery. There’s poetry between the whoa-oh-ohs. There are stories in those songs. They just need to be told. Hybrid Moments will be a collection of short stories inspired by the songs of The Misfits. Edited by MP Johnson and Sam Richard, Hybrid Moments will be published in Fall of 2016 by Weirdpunk Books. Your stories are needed. Choose a song by The Misfits (Danzig-era only) and let it inspire you to create a story. Maintain the tone of the song, but be original. A story about a man hacking the heads off little girls and putting them on his wall is not going to cut it for this book. A story told from the point of view of one of the skulls on the wall is more likely to get our attention. Get crazy. Stories should only be based on songs that were not inspired by movies. We are not looking for novelizations of “Night of the Living Dead.” (Information on the inspiration behind various songs) Stories should not feature members of The Misfits. However, creativity trumps all rules. A good example of a creative way to break the rules that would get our attention would be to rewrite Lewis’s Bloodfeast starring the members of The Misfits (seriously, somebody do this). Stories must not contain the Crimson Ghost due to copyright issues. All submissions must include the name of the song that inspired it and a brief description of how the story ties to the song. Do not name your story after the song that inspired it. Follow standard manuscript...

Deadline: March 1st, 2016 Payment: ½ a cent per word. Note: A little lower on payment than I'd usually like to list but unique enough that I'm sure there will be some interest FurPlanet publishes several anthologies each year, including FANG and ROAR under our Bad Dog Books imprint. This page will be updated with submission info and deadlines for all anthologies which are open for submission.   NOTE: Please read all the submission information carefully and address any questions directly to the editor linked in the anthology description.   Anthology General Terms: Authors of accepted submissions agree to a payment of 1/2 cent per word, exclusive publication rights in print and electronic formats for the period of one year from date of publication and non-exclusive rights in perpetuity thereafter. Submissions must not contain any copyrighted characters which the author does not hold the copyright on. Any story submissions featuring minors in sexual situations will be rejected.     Anthropomorphic Science Fiction Horror (not the actual title) is an upcoming book of original short stories by various authors. It will be published by FurPlanet. Here’s what we are looking for: Despite what some people may think, science fiction and horror have been bedmates for a long time. From the first moment humans looked at the stars and realized that there could be something out there with not so friendly intensions and felt that chill along their spines, mankind was combining the genres. With this in mind, there are some things that must be included in your submission. Stories must have anthropomorphic animals as the primary characters. If you are unfamiliar with stories that include anthropomorphic characters, please check out FurPlanet (furplanet.com), the Man-Kzin wars series, and S. Andrew Swann’s Moreau Quartet. Second, stories must be science fiction horror, obviously. Both science fiction...

Deadline: March 1st, 2016 Payment: $20.00 and a contributors copy. We want 2,000 to 3,000 word stories dealing with anything Wu-Tang Clan related. That could be Gravediggaz themes of horror, cool ass ninja shit, grimy Shaolin monks, gritty futuristic martial artists a la Bobby Digital, off-the wall crime fiction, etc. Not really wanting fan-fiction, but a good Ol’Dirty Bastard story would be dope. We want stories that give tribute to the greatest hip-hop group of all time, through the art of fiction. Take anything you love about the Wu, create a story around that, and bring the muthaf-in ruckus. Deadline:  March 1, 2016 Pay is $20.00 and a contributors copy. Send submissions to [email protected] with headline: Wu-Tang Tribute NO POETRY and multiple submissions are cool. Via: New English Press.

Deadline: March 1st 2016 Payment: £45 on day of publication, 3% of sales over first 12 months and your own copy of the book Shadows at the Door is in the process of publishing our very first anthology. The anthology will feature illustrations, with an audiobook also being produced. We have an open call for submissions until 1st March 2016. The anthology will be funded through Kickstarters, and will be the first in a series of high quality anthologies. We’re very excited to introduce you to this opportunity. Word Count: 5,000 – 7,000. Fee: £45 on day of publication, 3% of sales over first 12 months and your own copy of the book. Copyright: Rights remain with Shadows at the Door for 12 months after publication. Theme: Modern ghost stores, or similar content. Stories must be based locally to each writer. We’re not looking for stories with excessive gore and/or sex, we believe that less is more. We like stories by M.R. James, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Robert Aickman, Washington Irving, and similar. Please send your submission to [email protected] Best of luck. Via: Shadows at the Door.