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Deadline: August 1st, 2017 Payment: One pence (about one cent) a word and a contributor's copy Note: This closed early because apparently the deadline was an unlisted open until full and not a real deadline. We had a fantastic submissions call for the Spectral Book of Horror Stories 3, which is published on Halloween 2016; so acquiring editor, Dave de Burgh has decided to make it a twice yearly event. Book 4 will be launched at Eastercon 2017 and book 5 on Halloween 2017. So get your thinking caps on as submissions are now open for both. This is a paid for anthology so email us for details. Please make your stories better than good for this prestigeous collection. The two covers are by Holly Madew who now has a hatrick in books 3-5. Submissions to [email protected] Submission Guidelines: Simply put, contemporary horror. It can be supernatural horror, body horror, psychological horror, or even dark science fiction, provided it takes place on earth. We tend more toward atmosphere than gore. It should be known up front that while the editor believes horror should shake the reader, stories containing abuse toward animals and children are less likely to be accepted. Violence, swearing, and sexual content are all allowed so long as they serve the plot. All stories should have a modern setting. You don’t need to load your work with references to Facebook and iPhones (actually, we’d rather if you didn’t), but we’d like stories to reflect today’s world. Stories should be sent to [email protected] as RTF or Docx attachments. Work should be between 1,000 and 5,000 words. If your story is slightly over or under, query. Your submission should be double spaced in Times New Roman 12pt. Please include your name, address, email address, and phone number in the upper left...

Deadline: January 25th, 2017 Payment: One pence (about one cent) a word and a contributor's copy Note: This closed early because apparently the deadline was an unlisted open until full and not a real deadline. We had a fantastic submissions call for the Spectral Book of Horror Stories 3, which is published on Halloween 2016; so acquiring editor, Dave de Burgh has decided to make it a twice yearly event. Book 4 will be launched at Eastercon 2017 and book 5 on Halloween 2017. So get your thinking caps on as submissions are now open for both. This is a paid for anthology so email us for details. Please make your stories better than good for this prestigeous collection. The two covers are by Holly Madew who now has a hatrick in books 3-5. Submissions to [email protected] Submission Guidelines: Simply put, contemporary horror. It can be supernatural horror, body horror, psychological horror, or even dark science fiction, provided it takes place on earth. We tend more toward atmosphere than gore. It should be known up front that while the editor believes horror should shake the reader, stories containing abuse toward animals and children are less likely to be accepted. Violence, swearing, and sexual content are all allowed so long as they serve the plot. All stories should have a modern setting. You don’t need to load your work with references to Facebook and iPhones (actually, we’d rather if you didn’t), but we’d like stories to reflect today’s world. Stories should be sent to [email protected] as RTF or Docx attachments. Work should be between 1,000 and 5,000 words. If your story is slightly over or under, query. Your submission should be double spaced in Times New Roman 12pt. Please include your name, address, email address, and phone number in the upper left...

Deadline: November 30, 2016 Payment: $100 and $125 and a contributor's copy Book Reviewer Yellow Pages is currently accepting submissions for its first anthology series! We’re looking for essays between seven thousand and fifteen thousand words (we are somewhat flexible on the length if the work is of exceptional quality). The genres we are accepting are: Romance (Amish Romance, Traditional Romance, Clean Romance) -- no erotica Spooky Stories (creepy stories with ghouls, ghosts, or paranormal phenomena) Humor Essays Uplifting Stories (non-fiction/true-life stories, similar to the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” essays) For essays that are accepted and published, we will pay between $100 and $125, depending on the word count. There is no fee to submit. Accepted authors will also receive a free copy of the printed anthology. The deadline for submissions is November 30, 2016. The anthology will be published in early 2017 (either spring or summer 2017, depending on the number of submissions we have to review). Please make sure you have read our genre guidelines* before you send in your work. When you send us your submissions, write “ANTHOLOGY SUBMISSION” in the subject line of the email. All submissions must be sent as a word doc and attached to the email. Send submissions to: [email protected] Good luck! *Since multiple people have asked about this, allow us to clarify; our "genre guidelines" are simply the four genres listed in this call for submissions. We will not be accepting stories of any other genres, though we may consider accepting cross-genre works (i.e. Spooky Stories that happen to have a Wild West theme) on a case-by-case basis. Edited 9/20/2016. Via: Book Reviewer Yellow Pages.

Deadline: November 30, 2016 Payment: $10 and a contributor's copy Horses, unicorns, Pegasus… OMG right? !!! I can’t even begin to tell you how difficult it has been to sit on this announcement and not shout it from the rooftops… though I did enjoy answering ‘Nay’ when people asked if I’d give them a hint of what was coming next. Nay/neigh, get it? Ha! I kill me!** Without further squealing on my part, here are the details: Magical Menageries #5: Equus   Horses are represented in mythology and folklore from Paleolithic right up to modern times. What is it about these magnificent creatures that fascinates us and captures our hearts? Is it their intelligence, their power, their beauty or something else that draw us to them? That is just one of the questions we’re going to explore in Equus. I will be looking for stories about every kind of horse from the earthly to the mythological and though I’ll be placing a special emphasis on horses, unicorns and Pegasus, every kind of magical equine is welcome (and really, aren’t they all magical?). Stories with a strong sense of place will have an advantage, as will those which explore the connection (for better or for worse) between equines and humans.   Rights and compensation: Payment: $10 and a paperback copy of the anthology from World Weaver Press. We are looking for previously unpublished works in English. Seeking first world rights in English and exclusive right to publish in print and electronic format for six months after publication date, after which publisher retains nonexclusive right to continue to publish for the life of the anthology. Publisher: World Weaver Press Anthologist: C’est moi Open submission period: September 1st – November 30, 2016 Length: Under 7,500 words Submission method: Email story as a .doc or...

Deadline: November 30th, 2016 Payment: 6 cents per word Every year Apex Magazine hosts a flash fiction contest centered around a holiday. In the past we’ve run contests featuring Halloween and Christmas. While those were both fun, this year we’ve decided to set you all loose on another holiday: Valentine’s Day. That’s right. Apex is looking for some bad lovin’! Your story does not have to directly involve Valentine’s Day, but it should imbue the spirit of the holiday in a twisted Apex fashion. Love lost, love won, the holiday itself, Cupid, romance gone horribly, horribly wrong, pining for a mate … the theme for this year’s contest is wide open so have fun with it! Just make sure you give us story that screams love Apex-style in no more than 250 words. From all of the submissions, we will select three winners. The winning stories will be featured in the February issue of Apex Magazine, and the authors will be paid at least 6 cents per word. We’re currently running a subscription drive with the intention of raising our rates. If we hit our $10,000 goal our pay rate will go up to 8 cents per word. Contest winners will be paid our current pay rate as of February. In addition to being published in Apex Magazine, they will also win 3 Apex books of their choice. Want something more? Everyone who enters will receive a free issue of Apex Magazine! All you need to do is let us know which issue you would like to receive and we will send you a download link. So browse through our back issues and pick your favorite. The nitty, gritty: Submissions open on 12:01am EST, November 1st and close at 11:59pm EST, November 30th. Stories must be 250 words or less....

Deadline: November 30th, 2016 Payment: $5 USD in advance and royalties at minimum $3 USD increments after. We need good stories for our annual collection of funny paranormal stories. Story must be funny(if it ends sadly with no hilarity, it's not for this anthology) and have supernatural/paranormal elements. Previous published stories include a murder investigation in a halfway house for the undead, a Shriner who becomes a weregoat, and a therapist who wants the monster in the closet to come out. Story length should be 2000-6000 words. If you sub something longer than that, it'd better be reallyfunny. Our submission window is October 1st-November 30th, 2016. Please do not sub sooner because there's a 90% chance it won't get read till October anyway and could get buried under other emails. Publication of SF4 should be in spring 2017 (note the use of 'should' here). Contact us at: [email protected] Basic Guidelines for Submissions (the big print, and please read it!): WE WILL BE OPEN FOR NOVEL SUBMISSIONS OCTOBER 1 - 31st, 2016. When open for novel submissions, we prefer works that are 65,000-90,000 in length, and we prefer mysteries. Send us a query email first with a one-page synopsis of your novel. Yes, we know writing the synopsis is harder than writing the novel itself, but you need to learn to present your book in a nutshell to people besides us anyway. Go to our Submissions page to find out what's open and what's not. Please send all submissions (short stories or novels) to [email protected] . To avoid confusion on our part, please put the name of the anthology you are submitting to in the subject line, or "Novel submission: (Your Title)". Mystery and Horror is a market that welcomes LBGTQ, multiethnic, multinational, nontraditional, and unusual fiction. We are concerned with...

Deadline: November 30th, 2016 Payment: $20 What We Accept Fuzzy Hedgehog Press is a publisher of weird speculative fiction for all orientations. If your story could be classified as fantasy or science fiction, we are interested. If the terms “new weird” or “slipstream” apply, even better. We are open to stories that feature LGBT characters as well as those that do not. We are, however, wary of heteronormative societies and gay characters who function solely as a sidekick or best friend. We respect our LGBT characters’ whole lives. We do not publish works that are strictly romance (though we remain open to cross-genre submissions). We do not publish any form of erotica. General Submission Guidelines You may email [email protected] when submissions are open. Please adhere to the following guidelines: Include your full name. Include a brief synopsis of your work (no more than 250 words). Explain why you think your work is a good fit for Fuzzy Hedgehog Press. Attach your work as a docx (Microsoft Word) file. Do not include the text of your work in the body of the email. Use a variable-space, legible font in your manuscript (if you are unsure, use Times New Roman, Crimson, or Calibri). Use double line spacing. Include your contact information on the title page of your work: Full name and email address are a must, physical address and phone number may be optionally included. Include your work’s word count on the title page as well. Simultaneous submissions are allowed. When submitting simultaneously, please notify us immediately by email if we have your submission and it is picked up by another publisher. We can remain open to simultaneous submissions only so long as our submitters keep us informed of a story’s status. Submissions that deviate from these guidelines will not be considered. While...

Deadline: November 30th, 2016 Payment: $15 per story The monsters we have come to know and love take a backseat as we delve into the darkest, most hideous depths of a monster that has taken centre stage as of late–HUMANS. I’m looking for ‘psychological horror’, horror that comes from within. There lies a darkness in us all–what are some of the scariest atrocities humans are capable of doing? What ‘demons’ lurk in their heads, causing them to do the things they do? Humans can also create monsters out of humans…. Tell me “how”–the possibilities are endless. I want to see how ugly the human race can really get. Poetry and Stories up to 7,000 words will be accepted. Poetry–no word limit. Artwork is most welcome; send up to 5 pieces. Oscillate Wildly Press buys Exclusive Worldwide English Language Rights (no reprints), with 6 month exclusivity after first publication, and pays $15 for short stories. No simultaneous or multiple submissions please, and no reprints. Please refer to Submisison Guidelines for more information. CAVEAT: If rape is involved somewhere in your story, it must not be the ‘center focus’. (In other words, no heavily detailed descriptions the act itself.) CAVEAT II: SEND ALL SUBMISSIONS AS AN ATTACHMENT AND *NOT* IN THE BODY OF YOUR EMAIL. PLEASE PUT YOUR NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION *ON* YOUR ATTACHMENT. Please title your subject line, Submission_Monsters Among Us_YourLastName, and send submissions to: [email protected] Via: Oscillate Wildly Press.

Deadline: December 1st, 2016 Payment: $15.00 Submissions Before you submit to Goblin Fruit, there are a few things you might find useful to know; for instance, the submission guidelines. If any question you have has not been addressed below, feel free to query at goblin.fruitgmailcom, and please do read our Frequently Implied Questions for additional information. What is it we want? We want poetry that we can call "of the fantastical", poetry that treats mythic, surreal, fantasy and folkloric themes, or approaches other themes in a fantastical way. Re-write a fairytale, ponder an old story, consider history from an unusual perspective — really, it's up to you, so long as the fantastical element is there. Since what qualifies as "the fantastical" is easily debatable, however, here's what we're not interested in: science fiction poetry (it's not you, it's us), horror for horror's sake, and poetry that's self-consciously gothic. We have no prejudice against traditional poetic forms, rhyme, or meter. We'd like to stay that way, so please let the form serve the poem, not the other way around. Prose poems will be harder to sell, mainly because so many of them straddle the flash fiction line. How much do we pay? Beginning in January 2016 we will be paying $15.00 USD on publication for original, unpublished poems, and $5.00 for solicited reprints. If you'd like to submit a poem that has been published elsewhere, please query first with the poem's title, where it was originally published and when. We purchase first North American serial rights and first Worldwide Electronic rights for three months; after that rights revert to the author, although we do request permission to keep the poem in our archives indefinitely. When can I submit? We are accepting submissions during the following times: April 9th - June 1st...

Deadline: December 1st for initial run with more dates to follow Payment: $10 In 2014, twelve authors and fans shared their stories about the importance of representation in science fiction/fantasy in Invisible. In 2015, seventeen more people came together for Invisible 2. Their essays are personal, powerful, and very much needed. These stories help to create understanding and connection. They expose the power of our genre both to help and to harm. I’m thrilled to announce that I’m partnering with author and editor Mary Anne Mohanraj to begin work on Invisible 3. We’re looking for personal, first-hand stories between 400 and 1000 words talking about the impact of SF/F stories and what it’s like to see yourself misrepresented or erased, or relegated to the backgrounds. We’re also interested in the ways underrepresented and marginalized writers have worked to reclaim space in the genre. While the primary focus is on these personal essays, we’d like to incorporate a few poems for this volume as well. As in previous years, accepted works will first be published online, and then collected and published as part of the Invisible 3 anthology. Contributors will receive a $10 payment. Once author and artist payments have been covered, all additional proceeds will go to the Con or Bust program, helping people of color to attend SFF conventions. Here’s our proposed schedule for the anthology: By December 1: Interested authors should email [email protected] your proposed topic. (For Invisible 2, I had more than three times as many proposals as I could use. This will allow Mary Anne and I to make sure we have a range of topics and contributors.) By January 1: Mary Anne and I will contact potential contributors to let them know whether we’re able to use their suggested essays/poems. By February 1: Contributors write...

Deadline: December 1st, 2016 Payment: $25 USD and contributor's copy What does horror look like through the eyes of the witness? Whether the pivotal event is psychological or physical, we want it to impact us, to affect us; to make us never want to see it come to fruition. For this anthology, we’re looking for stories of first hand accounts of horrific acts, unimaginable horrors, and terrifying moments. Take us into your worse nightmare and make us feel your fear, your pain, your frustration; show us what it looks like through your eyes. The setting is yours to choose, just make sure you chronicle what’s going down when the proverbial shit hits the fan and the world becomes a much uglier place to exist in! Tales for this anthology must be written in the first person perspective. Feel free to use I, me, and you at will – we want this one to feel personal. Deadline: December 1, 2016 Word Count: 4,000 – 8,000 words All submissions MUST be submitted to: [email protected] Reading & Evaluation Period: Two to three months after close of the deadline NO REPRINTS WILL BE CONSIDERED Payment: Each story selected for inclusion will receive a one-time payment of $25USD plus one print copy of the book. As per our standard guidelines, there will be no stories containing pedophilia, or graphic rape accepted. Please read our full guidelines for submission on our website:www.SirensCallPublications.com Via: Siren's Call Publications.

Deadline: December 1st, 2016 Payment: $0.06/word, $0.03/word for reprints. Note: Reprints Allowed About our project: The Museum of Science Fiction is pleased to announce an open call for submissions for short science fiction stories to be included inCatalysts, Explorers, and Secret Keepers, an anthology of science fiction showcasing how women have been an integral part of science fiction as authors, as readers, and as characters for more than a century. Our team at the Museum of Science Fiction believes an anthology of science fiction is the perfect take-home exhibit. Many museums publish books to provide context and background to highlight their special, temporary exhibits. We’ve decided to build on this principle and create a curated science fiction anthology as an exhibit meant to be taken home, experienced at your own pace, and shared. Catalysts, Explorers & Secret Keepers will feature cover art by Julie Dillon and a mix of original and reprinted works by Eleanor Arnason, Catherine Asaro, Monica Byrne, N.K. Jemisin, Nancy Kress, Naomi Kritzer, Karen Lord, Seanan McGuire, Sarah Pinsker, Kiini Ibura Salaam, Carrie Vaughn, Jane Yolen, and Sarah Zettel. To help round out the take-home exhibit, we will also publish several short stories collected through this call for submissions. Submissions will be accepted until December 1, 2016 at 11:59PM EST. This call for submissions for Catalysts, Explorers & Secret Keepers is made possible by funds raised through our Kickstarter campaign(active until November 1, 2016 at 11:59PM EST). What we’re looking for: We are looking for short science fiction pieces 2,000 – 5,000 words in length that celebrate women with agency in science fiction. We want to see stories about women who take initiative, who take matters into their own hands, who can make changes. Women with agency includes catalysts who spark changes and challenge societal norms, explorers...

Deadline: December 2nd, 2016 Payment: $30.00 (3000-5000 words) $50.00 (5000 words) $60 (up to 6000 words) $70.00 (up to 7000 words) US $ This is the first annual submission call for the 2017 Scary Dairy anthology: Mother’s Revenge! Submission Guidelines: Scary Dairy Press is seeking short story submissions of 3000-7000 words max for the anthology: Mother’s Revenge!. This a passionate anthology about Mother Earth taking her world back from the humans and teaching us a lesson. Mother Earth can partner with humans to stop the destroyers, animals can be heros, or they may need saving. Any aspect of an ecological disaster or climate change problem can be created or considered. If you have a question about appropriate content, then message us! What we want: This anthology may include one or more genres such as: horror, dark fiction, dark fantasy, speculative fiction, or bizarro.Your story may occur in any time, place or space. Mix it up, but make it thought provoking and disturbing to the human conscience. It’s up to you whether you offer the world hope, provide an answer to survival, or predict final death and destruction on the very last page. What we don’t want: No child abuse/sexual abuse scenes. No gratuitous splatter, gore or rape. If you use it, there must be a clear purpose for it. No overused tropes (vampires, werewolves, zombies) unless you clearly have something unusual and unique. If you’re not sure, then email/message us and ask at [email protected] Manuscript format: Shunn Manuscript Format:http://www.shunn.net/format/novel.html Dates: 2 September, 2016 -02 December, 2016 Payment: $30.00 (3000-5000 words) $50.00 (5000 words) $60 (up to 6000 words) $70.00 (up to 7000 words) US $ per short story accepted. No stories under 3000 or over 7000 will be considered. Submit manuscripts to [email protected] starting 9/2/16. Subject line should read: Mothers_Last Name_Title...

Deadline: December 4th, 2016. Payment: $5 usd ANNOUNCING RED LEAF HOLLOW BRING US THE WEIRD, THE WICKED, AND THE STRANGE IN THE TOWN OF RED LEAF HOLLOW! It’s fall in the small New England town known as Red Leaf Hollow. It’s not on any map but it’s been around as long as the sun and the moon. The first snow is coming, but for now, the town is getting ready for All Hallow’s Eve and preparing for the harvest festival – a huge celebration before winter’s grip. Red Leaf Hollow is known for its strange happenings, its odd occupants, and the things that slither and haunt and howl in the night. The sleepy town of Red Leaf Hollow is divided into two sides by the large and bustling (and sometimes blood red) Crescent Moon Creek. Crescent Moon Creek, named after the river that separates it from the other half, is the only place where one may view the moon clearly through the thick trees and forest. It holds the town Commons where the harvest festival occurs, large Victorian houses, and tiny witch shacks that line the cobblestone streets. Shadow Crest is on the other side of the river, where trees and plants always die, along with its residents. It is also home to the Hollow’s cemetery, Morningside, where inhabitants know better than to linger, especially after dusk. Shadow Crest is also home to Harvest Hill, a dead lump of land that once held the lumber to build the Founders’ homes…and coffins. Red Leaf Hollow is home to the annual Werewolves convention, where people who have died return from the grave, and where many of the Salem witches fled to escape persecution. This is where witches drive black cats in the sidecar of their motorcycles and zombies are usually holding another 5K...

Deadline: December 10th Payment: $50 Submission Guidelines for StarShipSofa StarShipSofa is currently open for submissions between November 1 and December 10. * What do we want? In a word: science-fiction. From the soft, social science fiction to the weird pulpy stuff to the vigorous hard SF and YA adventure. We welcome all sub-genres and all variety of punks in all their colours. From high-octane action to quiet philosophical stories, we’re after it all.Science fiction is a rich and diverse genre, push it’s boundaries as far as you can go. We welcome translations and are very interested in stories that take place/written by authors outside the US/Anglo-sphere, as well as as alternative movements and styles. These include (but not limited to) “non-Western” science fiction, Chinese SF, Soviet speculative fiction, Afro-futurism, etc. The exception is that the SF element must be the backbone of the story. It cannot be an afterthought, or simple window dressing. It can be subtle, but it has to be the story’s foundation. If you take away the speculative element and the story still stands, then it’s not science-fiction and it is not for us. We are also not interested in fantasy or supernatural horror stories. Those go to Far Fetched Fables and Tales to Terrify. Genre labels are loose and can bleed together, but if the coal in the story’s engine is magic or supernatural based, we don’t want it. But if there are science-based elements, however soft, then it can be considered. If in doubt, send. We want the best stories from any subgenre, period. Ultimately the best way to get a feel for what we want is to listen to the podcast itself. We favour rich world building, tight prose, complex characters, engaging dialogue and strong pacing, however you define it. Although we will consider...

Deadline: December 15, 2016 Payment: Accepted poems will be paid for at the following rate: US 3¢/word rounded to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Payment is on publication. Eye to the Telescope 23, the Robots issue, will be edited by Brian Garrison. Robots and computers have served to make our lives both infinitely easier and infinitely more complex. They are created by humans, and yet they mystify us. We can’t quite decide whether we should classify robots alongside shards of amethyst silent underground, twisting vines of morning glory climbing toward the sun, mosquitoes buzzing in search of blood, or researchers interpreting their experimental data. Maybe they belong in a category of their own. Literature has explored doomsday scenarios of machine warfare; speculated about the key ingredients of intelligence, emotion, and consciousness as robots enter our workplaces, game rooms, bedrooms, etc.; showed us how hackers and other cyberpunks might live in an increasingly computerized society; and otherwise done what literature is supposed to do—make things up. For this issue of Eye to the Telescope, it is your opportunity to tell everyone about your hopes or fears about life among machines. Let us place your poetry here, to be faithfully communicated to the world through humanity's largest electronic undertaking so far, the internet. Tell us: where are we going, where have we been? Submission Guidelines SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Please send submissions to [email protected] with the subject line “ETTT sub:” followed by the poet’s name. Please submit 1–5 poems in English (in body of email or attached as .rtf). Include a short bio. Deadline: December 15, 2016. The issue will appear on January 15, 2017. Payment and rights Accepted poems will be paid for at the following rate: US 3¢/word rounded to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Payment is on...

Deadline: December 15th, 2016 Payment: $50 and potentially royalties Note: Reprints Allowed Shelter by Nightfall is an upcoming ebook edited by Clayburn Griffin. It will include several short stories exploring the subject of home and its importance in our physical and emotional well-being as humans. This collection will feature new and independent authors for readers to get a taste of their talent and style. Be sure to sign up for updates below to be notified when the book is available for purchase. Submissions We are still accepting stories for Shelter by Nightfall. The deadline has been extended to December 15th! If you’re interested please follow these steps: Write a short story between 6,000 and 10,000 words on the theme of Home and its significance to the Human Condition. Email your short story as a Microsoft Word or Google Doc to [email protected]. Include in your email a short bio of 200 words or fewer. List any relevant websites or social media profiles too. If your story is selected, you will receive a response with next steps to prepare for publication. Rules & Payment Information: Submitted stories may be previously published, however the author must own appropriate rights to republish globally. Author will be required to grant global publishing rights for inclusion in the Shelter by Nightfall story collection. Authors whose stories are selected for inclusion in Shelter by Nightfall will receive a $50 one-time payment upfront. Additional royalties of 6% of revenue (after any seller or marketplace commissions) will be paid out monthly for five years from publishing date. No additional royalties will be given for sales after five years from the original publishing date, even in the case of subsequent published editions of Shelter by Nightfall. Edits may be suggested or requested. If a final version cannot be reached meeting...

Deadline: December 15, 2016 Payment: Short Stories: $50 plus a print copy of the magazine, Flash Fiction: $10 plus a print copy of the magazine, Horror Poetry: $10 plus a print copy of the magazine. Flash Fiction: Fiction in a flash? Challenge accepted! Keep your story between 300 – 700 words. Wow us with your word will-power! As it’s said, so well and so often, “Kill your Darlings”. Short Fiction: Ah, our bread-and-butter! Stories within 2,000 – 7,000 words will be accepted. Keep them creepy. Poetry: We love a poem or three here at DeadLights. So in what form of poem should you write? Well, it can be any kind of poem at all, really, as long as haunts us all in our sleep. Feel free to express yourself in no longer than a single-space page length in Microsoft Word. Creative Non-Fiction: We are accepting creative non-fiction stories that are terrible, horrible, or gross. These are meant to be small stories about real-life, interesting things that have happened to our readers. Word count? 300 – 3000! Art: For those of you feeling creative, we do accept drawings, paintings, graffiti, whatever, as long as they are sent to us in a digital format. We love horror-art! How to Submit Format: Manuscripts? Pile’em on us. Just remember, there are a lot of stories out there, and not a lot of ‘us’. To ensure that you get your fair share of limelight, follow these tips:http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html We are not format fascists here at Deadlights, and if you keep your  submissions in a Microsoft Word (.docx) Document or .PDF, we may squeak by a good tale or two, formatting be damned. For our first go-round, though, do keep all submissions in one of the two formats. Thank you. Sending it in: In the subject of the email, please place your last name and your fiction form (fiction...

Deadline: Dec 15, 2016 Payment: $0.01-0.08 per word (averaging close to $0.03 per word) T ANSTAAAFL Press has an open call for short stories for the “Enter the…” series of anthologies. Guidelines: We will only accept those stories emailed as text in the email OR .txt, .doc, .docx formats. All attachements will be destroyed if not accepted. Email address is [email protected] We will not accept stories by mail or post. If we receive these they will be destroyed at once. All stories must be original and unpublished anywhere If accepted TANSTAAFL Press will take first english publication rights. Note that reprint rights are yours as are first publication in alternate languages, however the value of reprints is low as are the likelihood of getting anyone to reprint. This publication is likely the only location where you will likely be paid for this piece. Stories must be less than 8000 words. Stories considered for Enter the Apocalypse must be stories about the start and / or middle of any type apocalypse. Apocalypse can include (but isn’t limited to) nuclear, epidemic, supernatural, bioweapon, cosmic, aliens, etc. Stories considered for Enter the Aftermath must be stories about the burnout or shortly after any type apocalypse. Stories considered for Enter the Rebirth must be stories about the world coming back to a new stability after any type of apocalypse. TANSTAAFL Press will attempt to get to submissions as quickly as possible, but make no commitment to how quickly. We will accept submissions up until June 15, 2016 for Enter the Apocalypse, Sept 15, 2016 for Enter the Aftermath, and Dec 15, 2016 for Enter the Rebirth. TANSTAAFL Press will respond to all submissions which follow our guidelines. Payments / Renumeration The Enter… series will pay for each story used in the range of $0.01-0.08 per word (averaging...

Deadline: December 16, 2016 Payment: $10 and a contributor's copy What is Meet Cute? Meet Cute: A Collection of First Encounters is a collaborative anthology of micro fiction stories. A “meet cute” is a scene in which two characters meet in a way that is amusing, unusual, or otherwise entertaining. After submissions close, the best stories will be chosen and published in a physical book. This project will be fully crowd-sourced and crowd-funded. A Kickstarter campaign is forthcoming. Entrants whose stories are selected for publication will receive $10 and a free copy of the final published book. Please also contact themeetcutebookgmail.com if you are interested in contributing an illustration for this project. Submissions for Meet Cute stories are currently OPEN Deadline for submission is December 16, 2016 Rules: 1. The story must be your original, previously unpublished work 2. The story must be 1000 words or fewer 3. The story must be about two characters meeting (romantic, platonic, etc.) 4. Please include your name and the title of your story 5. Submit as .doc or .docx file Please send entries and questions to themeetcutebookgmail.com Via: Meet Cute.

Deadline: December 18th, 2016 Payment: 1p per word up to maximum of £50 per story. Note: Not particularly horror but seems a good fit for some of our authors. Note: Reprints allowed Print and Ebook anthology In 'Jane Eyre' Mr Rochester kept his mad first wife locked away in his attic. Inspired by this, 'Mrs Rochester's Attic' will be an anthology of gothic-tinted tales about mad love and terrible secrets. What awful things do your characters keep hidden away? We are interested in publishing well crafted, and beautifully written stories. We prefer work that has not been published elsewhere but will accept reprints if they are a strong fit for the collection. If you are based in the UK Midlands that is an advantage. We welcome stories with a historical setting and a ghost or two is always fun, but neither are essential. There doesn't have to be any connection to Jane Eyre (although there can be), but the story must contain a dark, dark secret and/or doomed love. Closing date for 'Mrs Rochester's Attic' submissions: 18th December 2016. We want writers to bring their own unique slant to the theme. We are looking for interesting voices and exciting, original ideas. All genres are welcome. Length: 1000-6,000 words. Previously Published? While we prefer new work for this anthology, we are willing to accept a small proportion of stories previously published elsewhere. Please inform us of any previous publication history and confirm the story is available for reprint. e.g. not restricted by any exclusivity clauses in a past contract. Multiple Submissions? No multiple submissions. Simultaneous Submissions? Yes. But please inform us if your story is accepted elsewhere after submitting it to us. General Submission Information To Submit: Click here to go to our submissions portal. There you will be required to create an account for submitting to this anthology....

Deadline: December 20th, 2016 Payment: $25 and digital contribut'rs copy Note: While not strictly a horror anthology, horror is welcome Admin and Legal The editors reserve the right to make or suggest changes to chosen manuscripts. Contributors will have to sign a contract granting Writing Piazza Press permission to use their work in the anthology, so if you are not 18 years of age you will need a parent or legal guardian’s permission, if your work is chosen. Payment Contributors will receive $25 and a digital contributor’s copy. All net profits from the book will go to the BFP (or a similar 501(c)(3) organization should BFP cease to operate as a non-profit). So part of your “payment” will be helping all those helpless animals! What we want We are looking for intriguing stories centered on animals that at some point were used in animal testing. We prefer stories that end in a rescue. So put on those thinking caps, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Genre is open: horror, sci-fi, speculative, literary, even comedy or romance. If it’s well-crafted and follows the theme, we’d love to consider it. (PHOTO IS FROM THE BEAGLE FREEDOM PROJECT’S SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT SHOWING A NEW BATCH OF BEAGLES BEING TAKEN IN TO USE FOR TESTING.)       Guidelines The stories should fall between 5,000 – 20,000 words. We will consider shorter stories if they are truly captivating. We will consider multiple submissions if they are substantially different, and we’re fine with simultaneous submissions. Just be sure to notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. Winners will be notified by email so make sure to include your name and email address on the attached submission. Send submissions and any questions to [email protected] with “BFP Short Story Contest” in the...

Deadline: December 25th, 2016 Payment: 10% royalties, digital copy, podcast interview Whether you hate it or love it, Trump is the elected president of the United States of America. For some, Trump spells a rise of the alt-right and the racism and misogyny that follows. Some worry that Trump will lead to a dictatorship of hate and bigotry, and others fear that this hate and bigotry will lead to roaming deportation squads aimed at minorities and members of the LGBTQ community. Whether you believe in the fears or find it exaggerated to the point of comedy, we will soon find out what a Trump Whitehouse will be like. Trump inauguration is January 20th, and I feel it would only be right to celebrate by exploring what a Trumpocalypse might be like. Deadman’s Tome Trumpocalypse will consist of six flash fiction satirical horror stories that feature Trump and sometimes Pence. Trump is to be a main character, whether antagonist or protagonist. keep the story under 1000 words. Deadline is December 25th, 2016. Submit submissions with Trumpocalypse as subject to [email protected] Via: Deadman's Tome.

Deadline: December 30th, 2016 Payment: $10USD Syntax & Salt publishes up to 13 magical realism pieces a season. We are open to general submissions from October 1 to December 30, 2016. Myths, Monsters, Legends, and Fairy Tales, our themed issue, is set for publication on October 30th. Here is how you win our hearts and minds: Magical Realism Stories that take up 3500 words or less Proofread, polished manuscripts Old stories told in a new way New stories told in an old way Sad endings that don’t rely on gimmicks or shock value Happy endings that hurt a little bit Beautiful prose and well developed plot Thank you, but no thank you to: Violence for the sake of violence We’re good with profanity, but it needs to fit the story Poetry – the thing is, we love it, but we’re not there yet Rape stories are vital stories. 1 in 4 women report being raped, and men are often silent victims of assault. However, many of the rape stories we’ve read in our careers as writers and slushers and editors do not explore the nuances of character available, and use the act of rape for shock value or to create a victimized character who can be saved. Here’s how you submit: We no longer accept email submissions. Please continue to read through the instructions here, then submit using our Submittable form.  For the sake of formatting, we do prefer standard manuscript formatting. You can find an example here. That does mean Times New Roman or Courier, 12pt., double-spaced. We won’t probably reject you out right for deviations, unless you submit in comic sans — that’s just not ok. We like cover letters — nothing crazy, just an idea of who you are, what you’re submitting, and the length of your submission. A third person bio can be...

Deadline: December 30th, 2016 Payment: $40 and a contributor's copy TRAGEDY QUEENS is an anthology that brings together two powerful muses: Sylvia Plath and Lana Del Rey. Sylvia’s voice haunts us from beyond the grave. Her words cut like diamonds—sharp, deadly, and forever beautiful. Lana Del Rey’s dark themes and enchanting vocals resonate with listeners from all around the world. Both of these artists explore taboo topics. They find the words to voice the things they are not proud of, the things that haunt them. It takes courage to do the verbal striptease. Let these two extraordinary muses guide you into your own heart of darkness. Themes and Topics: Bad Girls, Bad Boys, Sad Girls, Sad Boys, Self-Destruction, Self-Sabotage, Suicide, Addiction, Obsession, Hedonism, Paganism, Americana, Witches, Tarot Cards and Fortunetelling, BDSM, Crimes of Passion, Shameful Secrets, Blackmail, Deception, Decay, Madness, Fairy Tales Gone Wrong, Trauma, Depression, Alienation, Body Dysmorphia, Mythological Characters and Creatures, Greek Tragedy, Femmes Fatales, Lolitas, Monsters, Loss of Innocence, Loneliness, Dark Side of Hollywood, Bikers, Nazis, Cults, Voyeurism, Doomed Lovers. Submission Guidelines: Stories need to have clear plot beats and arcs. We want realism and logical causality even if the story is surrealistic and dreamlike. Characters must go through transformations, whether they self-destruct or they overcome their obstacles. We want catharsis. We want new perspectives on old themes and narratives. We want strong women, bad women, crazy women. This is a celebration of the dark side of femininity. The side that makes people uncomfortable. The side that scares men and threatens the social order. Pick your favorite Plath poem or Lana song/video as your springboard, or merge a Plath poem and a Lana song and see what comes out of their synergy. Pick a poetry collection or an album. Pick a theme or imagery that resonates. You...

Deadline: December 30th, 2016 Payment: 6 cents per word Note: Looking for female authors Announcing an open call for submissions for an anthology of dark and speculative fiction in the Women Up To No Good book series, co-edited by H.L. Nelson and Joanne Merriam, to be published by Upper Rubber Boot Books. Authors must identify as female, non-binary, or a marginalized sex or gender identity. Stories may be funny or serious, set anywhere on or off the world, in any time period, but must feature female protagonists. Word/page count: Up to 5,000 words/story. Payment: six cents per word. Publication history: Original stories only. Reprints may be submitted by invitation only. Multiple submissions: No. Simultaneous submissions: No. Deadline: Friday, 30 December 2016. We plan to reply within a month. To submit: Send to joanne at upperrubberboot dot com: (a) your complete manuscript as a .RTF, (b) a bio of 100 words or fewer, and (c) make sure you provide the following information: legal name (if different from the name you write under), mailing address, and word count. Put “WOMEN UP TO NO GOOD” in the subject line. If the work is a translation, please also provide a statement from the rightsholder that you are authorized to translate and submit it (both author and translator will receive full payment). Via: Upper Rubber Boot.

Deadline: December 31, 2016 Payment: $250/story Word limit: 3000-6000 words. Pay rate: $250/story Genre: Science Fiction only (no Fantasy, Steampunk or Horror, although horror elements may be present in the story). Language: English (translations are welcome). Submissions open: August 1, 2016 Submissions close: December 31, 2016 Rights: We claim first world English rights (no reprints). For an excellent break down of what this means, please see Neil Clarke’s post here. When going somewhere dangerous, take a human. Humans are tough. Humans can last days without food. Humans heal so quickly, they pierce holes in themselves or inject ink under their epidermis for fun. Humans will walk for days on broken bones in order to make it to safety. Humans will literally cut off bits of themselves if trapped by a disaster. You would be amazed what humans will do to survive. Or to ensure the survival of others they feel responsible for.  That's the other thing. Humans pack-bond, and they spill their pack-bonding instincts everywhere. Sure it's weird when they talk sympathetically to broken spaceships or try to pet every lifeform that scans as non-toxic. It's even a little weird that just existing in the same place as them for long enough seems to make them care about you.  But if you're hurt, if you're trapped, if you need someone to fetch help? You really want a human.  (Thanks to Tumblr user iztarshi for the idea and the above copy. Used with permission) I am looking for stories that show diverse humanity in a positive light, as useful contributors to the universe. I want humans who build relationships and forge new paths, not humans that destroy or devastate those they meet. Submit stories with strong characters in positive stories that portray humans as useful and generally helpful to the universe....

Deadline: December 31st, 2016 Payment: 3cents/word Edited by Matthew Bright, Clockwork Cairo is Twopenny Press's inaugural anthology. An anthology of Egyptian-themed steampunk stories, it will take you an adventure from the steam-powered souks of Cairo, to the clockwork bazaars of Alexandria and the shadowy mysteries of the pyramids. The collection features a host of exciting authors, including Gail Carriger, Tee Morris & Pip Ballantine, George Mann, Nisi Shawl, Rod Duncan, E. Catherine Tobler, David Barnett, Tiffany Trent, Jonathan Green, with more to be announced. Clockwork Cairo is currently open for submissions until December 31st. We are seeking steampunk fiction themed around Egypt to fill the last two slots in the anthology. Pay rate is 3 cents per word, up to a limit of 7000 words, for first publication rights. Notes on what we are looking for: - Stories set in Egypt, or heavily associated enough to justify their inclusion in the theme; however, it is worth noting that due to the existing stories in the collection, we are pre-disposed towards specifically Egypt-set stories. - Although we're aware that steampunk has its roots in the pastiching of colonial-era fiction, we are very keen to avoid narratives with an imperialist flavour to them, and we actively encourage stories with native viewpoints and characters. In other words: there are far more stories to tell than white explorers in exotic foreign lands. - Avoid stories with clockwork mummies, with museums, and with incarnations of gods--not because we don't like them, but because we already have them. Please submit (and feel free to query) to the editor via [email protected]. Via: Two Penny Books.

Deadline: December 31st, 2016 Payment: $10.00 What we want We want fiction and poetry that is both literary and speculative. Realist work sensitive to the magical and strange. The fantastical. Slipstream. Fabulist. Gothic. Weird tales. Work that unlocks. Work that restocks. We love writers who see familiar things in unexpected ways, and writers who revel in playing with language. This issue’s object The theme for Issue 7 is resurrected things. We’re looking for stories and poems that are alive-again—revived, resuscitated, revivified. Send us rekindled relationships and recovered memories, near death experiences and premature obituaries. Show us characters who are revisiting their lives after a long absence, or rebuilding something they once thought lost. You might invoke Mary Shelley’s charnel house Creature galvanized to life, or the “sort of walking miracle” of Plath’s “Lady Lazarus.” Maybe you’re interested in the story of Janina Kolkiewicz, the Polish woman who was discovered alive eleven hours after being declared dead at the morgue. Or perhaps you want to channel Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, the so-called zombie ant. Send us resurrections both hopeful and horrible. Send us work that grips us in the jaws of life and leaves us gasping, hearts racing, stunned by a view of life as we’ve never seen it before. Please note, we are not interested in religious allegory, either explicit or implicit. You’re welcome to borrow from and re-envision mythological sources, but this is not a forum for spiritual discourse. We will be reading for our Resurrected Things issue between October 17 and December 31. Work for Issue 7: Resurrected Things will be published every other week beginning in January, 2017. Illustration If you’re interested in illustrating an issue of The Golden Key, please feel free to query us with an email—we’d love to hear from you! – Guidelines updated as of September...

Deadline: December 31 2016 Payment: $0.06 per word up to $500 As of August 23, 2016 Book Smugglers Publishing is currently open for short stories submissions for publication in 2017. General information and theme: We’re looking for original short stories from all around the world as long as they are written in English. Our goal is to publish at least three short stories, unified by a central theme. Each short story will be accompanied by one original piece of artwork from an artist commissioned by us separately. For the publication period between May and August 2017, the theme is: GODS AND MONSTERS GODS AND MONSTERS will be Book Smugglers Publishing’s fourth season of short stories, following Fairytale Retellings, First Contact, and Superheroes. When it comes to Gods and Monsters, anything goes. You – the author – should take the theme and run with it any way you want. It can be Gods VERSUS Monsters, or Gods but not Monsters, or Monsters without Gods. As usual, we encourage authors to subvert these sample themes, to expand upon what “gods and/or monsters” means, and adapt the prompt to other possible connotations and genres under the Speculative Fiction umbrella. What We’re Looking For: DIVERSITY. We want to read and publish short stories that reflect the diverse world we live in, about and from traditionally underrepresented perspectives. We more than welcome stories featuring LGBTQIA characters. Following Fireside Fiction’s recent report on underrepresented black writers, we more than welcome black writers to submit their stories. Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Adult audience submissions are welcome.Good speculative fiction is ageless! We are VERY keen on receiving Romance stories – or stories with strong romantic elements. We are VERY keen on receiving Horror stories – or stories with strong horror elements. Creativity & Subversion. We love subversive...

Deadline: December 31, 2016 Payment: $200 for short stories that are under 5,000 words and $500 for stories that are 5,000 words or longer How do you cure your Netflix (or Amazon, Google movie, or Hulu) addiction and return to your first love, reading books? You know you want to read more. You know you enjoy reading. You know you look forward to finishing a book because then you can start a new adventure. But how? How do you get into reading when the siren call of streaming movies becomes more powerful every year? A three-hundred page novel is daunting in the face of Netflix and friends’ wonders. It’s too easy to put on pajamas, pour a glass of wine, and offer your eyes to a TV, tablet, or computer screen until sleep summons you. Enter The Binge-Watching Cure: Fabulous Stories that Start Small and Grow Longer, edited by Bill Adler Jr. The Binge-Watching Cure will be an anthology of short stories of increasing size. The first story will be 100 words—anyone can read that. The next, 200 words. Then 500, then longer, all the way to novella length. By the time you’ve finished reading The Binge-Watching Cure, you’ll be able to tackle Joyce and Pynchon. Or at the very least, you’ll enjoy novels you hear about from friends and family. The Binge-Watching Cure will reignite your love for reading; it will better your life. Just as you enter a cold swimming pool one body part at a time, get used to drinking beer sip by foamy sip, or learn to enjoy spicy food in little, fiery nibbles, The Binge-Watching Cure gradually acclimates you to reading longer and longer stories, until a novel-length book goes down smoothly, tasting sweet, and making you want more. We want your writing.  We’re looking for stellar stories of various lengths for The Binge-Watching Cure. The stories must have strong characters and compelling plots. Genre fiction is...

Deadline: December 31st, 2016 Payment: $5 Note: Female authors only Alyss accepts submissions in poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction and art, by female identifying writers/artists, for the online literary journal Submissions for our January 2017 issue will be accepted until December 31, 2016 here: https://alyss.submittable.com/submit Simultaneous submissions are welcome but please notify us immediately if a work is accepted elsewhere. Previously published material will not be considered. In the cover letter section please include a short bio (in the third person) of up to 100 words. Please remove any identifying information from the submissions as we read blindly. If accepted you agree to grant us First North American Serial Rights and the right to archive your work.  Upon publication all rights revert back to the author.  You also agree if your work later appears elsewhere you will credit Alyss as the original publisher. For info on the type of work we’re looking for check out these two interviews: Six Questions For… and Duotrope Editor Interview Payment: Beginning with Issue Tre we will be paying a flat rate of $5 per piece published in the journal. Via: Alyss.

Deadline: December 31st, 2016 Payment: 6 cents per word+ SUBMERGED, ALL HAIL OUR ROBOT CONQUERORS!, and THE DEATH OF ALL THINGS Submission Guidelines Zombies Need Brains LLC is accepting submissions to its three science fiction and fantasy anthologies SUBMERGED, ALL HAIL OUR ROBOT CONQUERORS!, and THE DEATH OF ALL THINGS. Stories must be submitted in electronic form as an attachment with the title of the story as the file name in .doc or .docx format. The header of the email should include the name of the anthology the submission is for along with the title of the submission (for example: SUBMERGED: Jellyfish Gone Wild!). The content of the email should also include which anthology the manuscript is intended for. Please send multiple manuscripts in separate emails. Manuscripts should be in manuscript format, meaning double-spaced, 12pt font, standard margins on top, bottom and sides, and pages numbered. Please use New Times Roman font. The first page should include the Title of the story, Author’s name, address, and email, and Pseudonym if different from the author’s real name. Italics and bold should be in italics and bold. Stories for this anthology must be original (no reprints or previously published material), no more than 7,500 words in length, and must satisfy the theme of the anthology. THE DEATH OF ALL THINGS is to feature stories where Death is a character in the story. The version of Death used should be unique, so consider all different types of versions of Death seen throughout history and in different cultures. Stories featuring more interesting takes on Death, and twists on how Death is integrated into the story, will receive more attention than those with more standard depictions of Death. So be creative and use Death in an unusual and unexpected way. We are looking for a...

Deadline: December 31st, 2016 Payment: Equal share of fifty percent of the royalties. Note: Reprints Allowed Note #2: Not fully sure that this is the anthology's title Descansos, or roadside memorials, mark an interrupted journey; the spot where a drunk driver struck a beloved son, or where a fatigued mother fell asleep at the wheel and veered herself and her family into eternity. While the word “descanso” means simply, rest, in Spanish, it has come to represent all kinds of memorials that mark the place where an intended path came to an unintended end. Descansos take many forms: from crosses festooned with ribbons and pinwheels, to a shattered motorcycle helmet nailed to a tree; from a collection of teddy bears affixed to a roadside fence, to a stone alter filled with photographs, candles, and milagros; to a stark white bicycle anchored in concrete. Consider the descansos of the heart, the smell, or song, or thought that brings us back for a moment to a time or a person now lost. While born of grief and loss, descansos memorialize love, and as such, represent the terrible beauty we all contend with as creatures who, by living, are condemned to die. Darkhouse Books is looking for flash fiction, traditional short stories, poetry, and essays that embrace the spirit of the descanso. There are no restrictions on genre. We just want your best work. Please limit your submission to 3000 words or less, and format appropriately (1-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman font). Submissions that do not follow these guidelines or match the theme will not be read. Previously published work will be considered, provided the publication date is prior to March of 2016, and the other publisher does not still have an exclusive for it. Authors will share equally in fifty percent...

Deadline: December 31, 2016. Payment: 1 cent per word Is your story too heavy and hardcore for other “best of” anthologies? Then you’ve come to the right place because Comet Press is now accepting stories for YEAR’S BEST HARDCORE HORROR VOL. 2, a yearly collection intended to give recognition to the extreme, harder side of horror, stories that break boundaries and trash taboos. Editors: Randy Chandler and Cheryl Mullenax. Requirements: The story was (or will be) published in a 2016 anthology, single author collection, magazine, or online magazine. Self-published anthologies and collections are acceptable as well. Deadline: December 31, 2016. Length: Short stories/novelettes. Payment: 1 cent a word. What to Send Authors: In the body of an email: Author name Story title Name of anthology or magazine or online magazine it was published in: If the book is available on Amazon and your story credit appears somewhere on the page, send us the link. If not, send a link to the best source with that information (publisher’s page, etc). If the story was in a magazine, send us a web link to the issue TOC where your story appears, or if that’s not available send us a scan of the table of contents (print magazines, etc.). A bio A short synopsis. Attach the entire manuscript in rtf, doc, or pdf format. Note: please make sure this is the final version of your story, exactly as it appears in the published version. Important Note: Make sure your contract allows you to publish the story in a “best of” anthology. If you’re not sure, check with your publisher. If necessary, ask them for a waiver. Publishers In an email include the following: Author name and story title(s) for consideration Name of publication and publisher, date published and format (print, ebook, magazine, etc)...

Deadline: December 31, 2016 Payment: 6 cents per word and a digital contributor's copy Weird Western/Steampunk. Dreadnaughts, "Wild West" world, cowboys and aliens, Victorian era, primitive post-Apocalypse, retro-futuristic inventions, and the like. Remember Oscar Wilde's inspirational visit to Colorado? Third Flatiron Publishing is based in Boulder, Colorado, and Ayr, Scotland. We are looking for submissions to our quarterly themed anthologies. Our focus is on science fiction and fantasy and anthropological fiction. We want tightly plotted tales in out-of-the-ordinary scenarios. Light horror is acceptable, provided it fits the theme. Please send us short stories that revolve around age-old questions and have something illuminating to tell us as human beings. Fantastical situations and creatures, exciting dialog, irony, mild horror, and wry humor are all welcome. Stories should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. Inquire if longer. Role models for the type of fiction we want include Kurt Vonnegut, Arthur C. Clarke, Dan Simmons, Connie Willis, Vernor Vinge, and Ken Kesey. We want to showcase some of the best new shorts available today. For each anthology, we will also accept a few very short humor pieces on the order of the "Shouts and Murmurs" feature in The New Yorker Magazine (600 words or so). These can be written from a first-person perspective or can be mini-essays that tell people what they ought to do, how to do something better, or explain why something is like it is, humorously. An SF/Fantasy bent is preferred. Submit by email to [email protected] either as an attachment (Word, RTF) or in the body of the mail (text). In the Subject: line of the email, please put flatsubmit:Title_of_Your_Work to avoid being deemed a canned meat product based on ham. If the work is for the humor section, please note that in the body of your email. A brief bio...