Events

Deadline: September 29th, 2017 Payment: 6 cents per word Note: A 2-for-1! I just found out about these listings and as the deadline is coming up I wanted to do a bonus post to get them before your eyes ASAP! Continuing the success of our previous call for submissions, we’re looking for around twenty to thirty short stories by contemporary writers to complement a selection of classic tales in two new anthologies. We are keen to encourage new writers, without prejudice to age, background or previous publication history. It’s the story that matters, and the quality of writing. Submit by email to [email protected]  The Two New Volumes Alien Invasion: Visitors from other planets have long obsessed us. H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds spawned a huge wave of speculative fiction but the roots of such fears run deep in our literature, where the mysteries of other cultures have long threatened the familiar and the comfortable. Did aliens build the ancient pyramids? Do they live amongst us today? What happens when they invade? Would it be an inevitable act of aggression, one of assistance and care, or simply a reminder of our paltry existence in a crowded universe? Endless Apocalypse: Stories of the end of civilized life have always fascinated us, from the mythological world endings – Armageddon and Ragnarok – to the flood stories from across the Ancient world. They make us wonder what we would do if all around us came to an end – no transport, no fuel, no communications, a retreat into the desperation, the onslaught of disease – how would we survive? Formal Call for Submissions (2017) We are looking for new and recent short stories. We do not require exclusivity. You hold copyright, licensing us just for this publication. We don’t mind if your story has been previously published online...

Deadline: September 30, 2017 Payment: $200 for stories under 5,000 words and $500 for stories 5,000 words and longer. Contributors also receive a paper copy of the book. Note: I HIGHLY suggest reading the linked to pages here to see exactly what they're looking for. The Binge-Watching Cure II, our all horror edition is open for submissions. We want to see your most terrifying prose. We’re interested in the full range of horror fiction genres and topics: dark fantasy, vampires, zombies, werewolves, Cthulhu Mythos, pure horror, psychological horror, ghost stories, East European myths, kind fairies gone rogue, Japanese monsters, apocalyptic horror, gothic, and plain scary monsters. If your imagination can conjure it, we want to read it. The same general word length categories apply; we’re paying the same as we did for the first edition of The Binge-Watching Cure (which will be available later in 2017.)  Please see our submissions page for details on how to submit your story, and our FAQ for answers to your most pressing questions. For submissions, the only difference between the first edition and the horror edition is that you need to include the words “Horror Edition” in the subject line of your email. The deadline for submissions is June 30, 2017. We are not interested in fan fiction or stories with graphic or sexual violence against children, graphic incest, necrophilia, animal torture, or gore for gore’s sake. If you have a question, use our contact form or ping us in Twitter. Please don’t use the submissions email address for queries. Via: The Binge Watching Cure.

Deadline: September 30th, 2017 Payment: $50 and a contributor's copy Books & Boos Press is now accepting short story submissions for an upcoming anthology of darkly funny stories, edited by award-winning writer and editor Rob Smales, tentatively titled A Sharp Stick in the Eye (and Other Funny Stories). What we’re looking for: Original stories that are both entertaining and fall firmly in the horror genre. Think Jeff Strand, Joe Lansdale, Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland. Make us die laughing. Books & Boos Press is committed to publishing well-written horror. We are less concerned with how well known or established you are, and more concerned with the quality of the writing submitted. Write your story, polish it up, and see if you can make us laugh. Please note: submissions will be read blind, meaning all author information will be stripped from the story before the editor receives it. To maintain objectivity, we request that when submitting, you refrain from posting your story title on social media. Submission guidelines: ● Length: 4,000–8,000 words. ● Format: Times New Roman, 12-point font, double line spacing. Use indents, NOT tabs. Only one space after each period. Use italics, not underlines. Please include your name, contact information, and word count at the top of the title page. No headers or footers. ● Submit your manuscript as a .docx, .doc, or .rtf attachment to [email protected]. The body of the email should be a brief (one page max) cover letter giving a summary of the story, who you are, and any recent publications. Manuscripts submitted in the body of the email instead of as an attachment will be automatically rejected. ● No simultaneous or multiple submissions allowed. We will reject as we go, so writers will have an opportunity to submit another story if the first one doesn’t...

Deadline: September 30th, 2017 Payment: 1 cent per word Afrocentric Books is taking submissions for a futurism anthology. Futurism is a broad umbrella, encompassing many elements of science fiction and fantasy. For this anthology, we are most interested in science fiction. Time travel, space travel, cultures far advanced from our own. This world, other worlds, space stations, the setting doesn’t matter. We want adult science fiction stories in diverse settings, featuring diverse people. The “in the future all people are a uniform color of café au lait” trope does not interest us. While it is not necessary for you to describe the physical features of all your characters, we do want to know that one of your main characters is of indigenous African descent. Please read our general submission guidelines prior to submitting. 1,000-7,500 words, although we’ll consider pieces that fall outside those parameters on a case-by-case basis. Multiple and simultaneous submissions ok. No reprints. If accepted, pay is 1 cent per word. The deadline for submissions is September 30, 2017.   Submit here. Via: Afrocentric Books.

Deadline: September 30th, 2017 Payment: 75% of net profit from each unit sold will be split between the accepted authors, with each author earning an equal split. Restrictions No Erotica Sex, profanity, gore, and adult themes are allowed, but any submission that relies too heavily on any of these will not be accepted. Word Count- 7,500-10,000 Genre: Horror Compensation-Royalties Accepting between 12 and 17 submissions. The goal is to showcase the talent of budding Independent Authors.  The Horror Anthology will be around 500 pages.  The final amount of accepted submissions will depend on the length of each accepted submission.  Indie Shelves Publishing will retain 25% of the net profits of each unit sold.  The remaining 75% of net profit from each unit sold will be split between the accepted authors, with each author earning an equal split.  5% of Indie Shelves Publishing’s 25% royalty will go to the chosen editor/s.  5% of Indie Shelves Publishing’s 25% royalty will go to the chosen cover designer/s. Each chosen author will be allowed a marketing page, immediately following their submission.  They will be able to list any other works, upcoming works, social media accounts, blog sites, or websites.  The goal is to help get you exposure. Indie Shelves Publishing values the success of the individual author, over its own financial gain.  If, at any time, the author is offered a more beneficial arrangement, or no longer feels that the inclusion of their work, in this anthology, is in their best interest, they may request the removal of their work from the anthology.  The request must be in writing. Once the written request is received, Indie Shelves Publishing will, within 30 days, remove the authors story from the published anthology.  Any/all distribution rights, with Indie Shelves Publishing, for works featured in this anthology, have...

Deadline: September 30th, 2017 Payment: $5.00 flat rate plus equal share of 50% of the anthology’s royalties. Welcome to the Fluffy Bunny The Fluffy Bunny? You say? What kind of name is that for an adventurer’s bar? Well, it’s not only the name of the bar it’s also the name of that blade you see hanging over the bar. The blade I used to slay the ancient dragon Thorenoak. All adventurers are welcome here. But I have found the ones who are truly the bravest are not those who give themselves or their weapons grandiose names. They are the ones who are reluctant to tell their stories. However, the best stories come from the ones who have silly nicknames – like The Fluffy Bunny. So pull up a chair and tell us how your weapon earned its name. First drink is on the house. And depending on the quality of the tale another may follow as well. -- What we are looking for are Fantasy stories that feature your main character telling a tale about how they or their weapon earned their name. Humor is a plus. All stories need to start with: “This is my tale…” Please note the editor will be adding a frame to each story to maintain the illusion the story is taking place in The Fluffy Bunny and is being told to the bartender/patrons therein. You do not need to add any elements/breaks in the story – just tell the story about your hero and/or their weapon’s silly nickname. Break the story-writing rules if you want. If you use a tried and true plotline, twist it in an original and interesting way. Original stories are preferred. Query for reprints. ALL writers are encouraged to submit. Doesn’t matter if you’re a pro with years of credits,...

Deadline: September 30th, 2017 Payment: $50 for stories up to 1,500 words, rising to a maximum of $150 for stories up to 5,000 words. Does a train whistle in the distance make you excited, wistful, or afraid? Trains have fired the imaginations of many people, especially writers. Anna Karenina, Night on the Galactic Railroad, The Signal Man, Strangers on a Train, The Lady Vanishes, Murder on the Orient Express all use trains as their main setting, not to mention the trains in children’s books—like Thomas the Tank Engine, The Little Engine that Could, and The Polar Express. As travelers, we’ve been spurred to go farther because of trains, see new things, take chances. Trains have also, sometimes, pushed us too far, sliced the wilderness, inserted us into places to draw out resources, assisted in invasion. Trains, in a sense, even created Time as we know it. Trains altered our perceptions of identity, place, even of destiny. Suddenly, people could travel far away quickly, leave their families and homes for a better life, or opportunity—or people could escape the destiny of location. Step on a train, and you never know what you might find, or with whom you might cross paths. In essence, trains are Change. We’re looking for your stories of trains—fantasy, steampunk, science fiction, horror, slipstream, urban fantasy, apocalyptic, set in any time, any place,—we’ll buy a ticket on all of them. We’d like to see what you can do with a train. A good part of your story should take place on a train—or most, if you can do it. We don’t care what era, what planet, or how the train might look differently there (it might even be alive!) or even if the train is moving. We just want that train—what you do with it is your magic. This book will be...

Deadline: September 30th, 2017 Payment: 0.06 per word and a contributor's copy Tales of Ruma is an anthology of stories inspired by Greek and Roman mythology. Some of the stories are set in the world of the Ruma: Dawn of Empire tabletop role playing game, while others are in worlds of their own, perhaps even alternate versions of Earth. The anthology will be released in paperback and electronic (epub and mobi) format, with potentially a hardcover limited edition. Submission Window: August 15 – September 30, 2017. Length: 500-5000 words. What We Want: Original stories set in the world of Ruma, Earth, or another world, which build upon the themes (such as heroism, the gods, and the arcane) and imagery of Greek and Roman mythology. Please see below for additional details on the world of Ruma. Stories set in the world of Ruma do not have to meet any exact criteria as the world is fluid so anything can fit somewhere. What We Don’t Want: We would rather not see anything overly sexual or with excessive violence/swearing. The audience level is teen and above. Format: RTF or DOC/DOCX in Standard Manuscript Format, or as close as possible. Send Submissions To: Please send submissions to seneschal at azurekeep dot com, with “Tales of Ruma Submission” in the subject line. Limit of 1 submission per author. Payment: $0.06 per word + contributor copy (paperback and electronic). Payment upon acceptance via PayPal. Rights Sought: First Worldwide print and electronic English language rights. Exclusivity for 90 days from date of release. Non-exclusive print, ebook, and audio rights afterward. Copyrights for stories set in the world of Ruma remain with the author. About the world of Ruma: Ruma is an alternate Roman Empire set on an alternate version of Earth where the gods and magic are real. The RPG is...

Deadline: September 30th, 2017 Payment: Royalty Split Announcing NOIRVILLE an exciting new competition for crime fiction authors. We get hundreds of submissions every week and in among all the novels we've noticed an increasing number of writers pitching short stories to us - at Fahrenheit we're passionate about giving new talent a chance to break through so we thought what better way to kill two birds with one stone? So how is it gonna work? Simple. The best 12 stories (as chosen by our panel of judges) will be published in Fahrenheit's first short story collection NOIRVILLE which will be published in both eBook & paperback towards the end of 2017. Who are the judges? Rather than the usual publishing industry suspects we've compiled a panel of judges made up of four of the very best book bloggers around. As an added bonus, Jo Perry, Fahrenheit's very own High Priestess Of Noir, has agreed to chair the judging panel. Jo Perry (Author) Kate Moloney (Bibliophile Book Club) Gordon McGhie (Grab This Book) Janet Emson (From First To Last Page) Verity Wilde (Verity Reads Books) What does it cost to enter? Unlike most short story competiions this one is FREE TO ENTER and winning authors will be paid royalties on their stories. The Rules You know we hate rules so we've tried to keep this simple.... 1} Stories must be LESS THAN 7500 words in length 2) Stories must NOT have been previously published. 3) Stories must be set firmly in the Crime/Thriller genre. 4) Existing Fahrenheit authors are very welcome to submit entries but the judges will be voting blind so there will be zero chance of preferential treatment. 5) This is meant to fun so use your common sense, stick to the rules, and don't be a dick. 6) ALL our decisions are...

Deadline: September 30th, 2017 Payment: Flash 500-2,000: New:$10.00 Reprint: $5.00 - Short 2,001-8,000: New:$20.00 Reprint: $10.00 What We Want We are OPEN to regular submissions until September 30, 2017. Unless specified otherwise, we’re looking for stories that are: 500-8,000 words long. First person. Arguably mad science related. The mad science is negotiable. The rest is not. We are strongly biased towards science fiction, fantasy, and horror. We are also committed to publishing work by authors belonging to marginalized groups. If you are LGBTQ, a person of color, or belong to some other group that is underrepresented in the genre, we really want to hear from you. When it comes to “first person,” this can includes fictional newspaper articles, press releases, brochures, etc. We’re also happy to consider reprints and more than one submission at a time. Do not send us poetry, screenplays, stories that are being considered by another market (also known as simultaneous submissions), or long winded ramblings from disgruntled mad scientists without any plot. Stories should be submitted in Standard Manuscript Format. Here’s a an explanation of what that means. We currently only open for submissions one month at a time. Sometimes we will hold a story until the end of that period before deciding. If you haven’t heard from us within a month of our submission period closing, send us an email. If Accepted Stories will require a fictional identity for the narrator, with a bio. Authors will still be credited under their own name as follows: Title of Your Story An essay by , as provided by . We will send a contract for esignature. For new stories, we will ask for exclusive first worldwide electronic and print rights for one year and nonexclusive rights afterwards. For reprints, we will ask for nonexclusive reprinting rights. Payment is based on story...

Deadline: September 30th, 2017 Payment: $30 per story, $10 per poem Please read the following in its entirety before submitting. The rules are needed, and EC will not consider your work if they have not been followed. It's important to read samples of published work on EC. You can find just a few examples . HERE IS HOW YOU SUBMIT: No unsolicited work of any kind is being accepted. Only the kind of submissions outlined below will be accepted at EC. -- Six times a year, writers and poets will have a chance to submit fairy-tale inspired stories and poems. No non-fiction of any kind. -- Here are the submission periods: Months--January, March, May, July, September, November.      -- Days of those months--the first through the 30th. That's starting at 12 a.m. on the first day of a submission month. That's ending at 11:59 p.m. of the 30th of a submission month (28th for February). Those are Eastern Standard Times.      -- No stories or poems will be accepted in the following months, so please do not send any: February, April, June, August, October, December.      -- You submit through email only. Please use this address only: [email protected]. That's for submissions only.      -- All questions, but no submissions, should be sent to [email protected].      -- Your last name, the month and the year should be in the subject line of the email.      -- You must be 18 years old or older, but may be from any country.      -- You should try to use American English word forms and punctuation.      -- Do not send attachments. They will not be opened or considered. Paste your work in the body of an email.      -- You will receive a response telling you I have received your...

Deadline: October 1st, 2017 Payment: $20.00 - $40.00 and a contributor's copy Fiction: All stories must end with the last line provided. The line cannot be altered in any way, unless otherwise noted by the editors. The story should be between 300 and 5,000 words (this is more like a guideline and not a hard-and-fast rule; going over or under the word count won't get your story tossed from the slush pile). Also, we understand that writers may add our last line to a story that they are currently working on or have already completed, and that's cool. But please do not add our last 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 last lines. All Stories: Writers should include a two- to three-sentence biography of themselves that will appear in the magazine should their story run. Multiple Submissions: We don't mind if you want to submit multiple stories for the same issue. However, it is unlikely we will use more than one of your stories in the same issue. Submissions: We prefer you send manuscripts via e-mail to submission (@) thelastlinejournal (dot) com. We accept stories in MS Word or Word Perfect format (we prefer attachments). Please do not send .pdf versions of your story. Make sure your name and contact information, as well as your bio, are part of the attachment. Stories also can be sent to The Last Line's post office box (PO Box 250382, Plano, TX, 75025-0382). No manuscripts will be returned without an accompanying SASE with sufficient return postage. Here is the last line for 2017: Benjamin was a man of his word. Due date: October 1, 2017 Notification: We don't make decisions about stories until after...

Deadline: October 7th, 2017 Payment: $.02 a word and royalties B Cubed Press is proud to Open Cosmic Caravans for submissions. Cosmic Caravans is a science fiction anthology that will focus on Pre-Teen readers. The work will be illustrated. We are looking for stories or poems that re-enforce strength of character and scientific principles in a way children can relate to. We want to entertain and challenge curious readers to learn more about the universe, life, and the science that makes it all possible. See our Facebook Group, Cosmic Caravan Your sci-fi story or poem can be funny, scary, somber, mystery, wibbly-wobbly, thriller, or a fantastical romp through time and space. Whatever it is, you should be sure to explain the science behind it. Leave the reader learning something. Cosmic Caravans, from B Cubed Press: we’re putting the science back in fiction. Guidelines + Other Info ● Submissions can range from 300-3,000 words. We’re looking for quality over quantity. ● Stories must be presented in age appropriate ways. Anything over a “PG-13” rating will be automatically rejected. If Star Trek wouldn’t air it, it’s too risky. ● Fanfiction is not allowed. Sorry/not sorry. ● Payment is $.02 a word, plus a royalties share. Poetry pays $0.25 per-line (up to $25). ● Submissions are open from July 1-October 7. Please allow 2-3 weeks for our editors to review your stories. ● Manuscript format is required. Unsure what that means? Feel free to ask! ● Reprints are accepted. ● Multiple submissions are accepted, however we ask that you notify the publisher if your story is bought elsewhere. ● Cosmic Caravan will be edited by Bob Brown, Cheyenne Brown Ockerman, and Nathan Ockerman ● Submissions can be sent to [email protected], with the subject line “Cosmic Caravan Submission; .” Via: Cosmic Caravan's Facebook Group.

Deadline: October 15th, 2017 Payment: $20 per story Please don't query us about your story submission. We don't have the manpower to answer such queries. An editor will email you back as soon as possible with the decision about your story. This can take a few days, or, up to three months. We make every effort to get back to authors in a timely manner but we get a lot of submissions so sometimes it's not possible. A note on our editorial policy: before publication we may edit the story for length or readability. However, we always remain true to the spirit of the story. Issues are published at the end of February, May, August, and November. We reserve the right to shift publication date slightly, as necessary. We have reading periods for each issue, though we never close to submissions. February closes January 15 May closes April 15 August closes July 15 November closes October 15 Please do not submit the same story more than once, and please submit only one story at a time. We consider any story between 250 and 7000 words with speculative fiction elements. We prefer science fiction, fantasy, and the macabre, but we're willing to push the limits of traditional forms of these genres. We do not consider poetry, stories with over-the-top sex or violence, serials, novels, fan fiction, or non-fiction. We don't accept multiple submissions; in other words, only submit one story at a time and wait for a response before submitting another. We accept simultaneous submissions as long as you let us know up front and tell us as soon as it's accepted elsewhere. We do not publish reprints, including anything that has appeared on a website. We pay $20 for each story we publish. We buy first-printing world exclusive rights for four months....

Deadline: October 21st, 2017 Payment: 3¢/word, minimum $5, maximum $25 for previously unpublished poetry or prose and a $5 flat payment for reprints. Flat $10 payment for art Note: Reprints Allowed During this reading period we are specifically interested in horror-themed metafiction, poetry and art* for our Samhain (Halloween) issue.  Submissions do not have to be overtly scary (humor is fine) but MUST draw on the tropes of horror writing—monsters, myth, masks, fear, the grave and beyond, twisting dark passages, brooding skies, and things that go bump in the night—while ALSO adhering to our general guidelines (see below). We DO NOT WANT generic genre fiction—we want self-aware stories and poems, and/or writing about writing. Submissions that engage the senses in celebration of the season will receive special attention. Please note: we are not fans of graphic gore, blood content, or gratuitous violence.  Send that somewhere else. *We will consider non-fiction on any theme for this issue (does NOT have to be horror-related) Be sure to read the guidelines (below) to get a sense of what we want and how we want it. The submission window is narrow and the issue is already mostly full.  Work that breaks the rules or does not fit our milieu will not have a snowball’s chance.  You have been warned. Please read all of this before submitting.  No, really. Editorial Focus: Riddled with Arrows seeks (short) metafiction and metapoems, and writing that celebrates the process and product of writing as art. No restrictions on genre or form, so long as the work is about writing, straight up, or comments on itself (consciously or not) in interesting and meaningful ways..  (What is metafiction? We’re so glad you asked…) Genre/Style: We prefer tight, clean (as in no typos), vivid, evocative writing.  Spare the purple prose. We are open to all genres and styles.  Literary? Yes.  Fantasy/Sci-Fi? Absolutely.  Horror? Ok. Experimental? Surprise us....

Deadline: October 31st, 2017 Payment: Contributor's Copy The goal of this anthology is to shout loud and proud that The South holds some of the best horror writers and authors. What’s unique about this project is that it will not only include a collection of shorts but also hold hand-picked dark poetry! We simply cannot limit an anthology of this nature to just short stories, though those are the main material that will be included.   Submissions for short stories need to be between 3,000-7,000 words in length.  Some considerations will be made for stories just over or just under, but those works will be chosen best on quality, blow our minds and attempt to scare us to death with your vivid imagery through words. We are wanting quality stories over word count.   This anthology’s target audience is an adult audience that is 18 years and above, so no children’s horror stories, please. We also will not accept extreme erotica horror (mild adult scenes are fine as long as it pertains to the story’s forward projection or to display character traits), rape, incest, pedophilia, or domestic violence.   This anthology is strictly for horror authors and writers that live in The South. It is not restricted to those that have moved to The South, imports are fine! ;) This book is restricted for southern writers and authors at this time as the aim is to have southern authors and writers submit, but not limited to strictly to readers. If this has enough interest we can add a couple of future anthologies with other regional authors and writers in mind. I.E. an anthology featuring northern writers or just the east coast, for examples.   Submissions are currently open and must be sent to: ​[email protected]   Please title the email: Southern Fried...

Deadline: October 31st, 2017 Payment: $25usd and contributor's copy $25.00 PLUS COPY Min word count: 3,000 words. Max word count: 10,000 words. Send submissions to: [email protected] DEADLINE: OCT 31ST 2017 THE ANATOMY OF MONSTERS VOL. 2 We’re looking for new takes on old monsters! What unholy pact did the very first vampire make to become what they are now? How did Werewolves become slaves of the moon? Who was the first Ghost in the world and how did they react? The Mummy, The Hunchback, The Phantom Of The Opera, The Invisible Man, and even The Creature From The Black Lagoon... How did they come to be? How do they deal with their new nature? And who suffers because of it? This volume will be open to more folklore horror, Witches! Baba Yaga! And many, many more! I prefer less splatter and more scare. News will follow on these pages: The Anatomy Of Monsters Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheAnatomyOfMonster/?ref=bookmarks Twitter: @RDTEUN

Deadline: October 31st, 2017 Payment: $10usd Edited by Jeremiah Donaldson “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” -Victor Hugo There’s a funny thing that can soothe the soul after a rough day at work, can put you in the mood to take on any challenge, or can transport you back twenty years in time. It’s the most widely enjoyed mode of entertainment and the most used form of mood alteration. Music. Your story must involve music in some way. This could take the form of a specific genre or song, but also the creation of music, an instrument, or even the lack of music. What would you do if you didn’t have your favorite music to calm your mind or to motivate you? What horrible deeds are prevented on a daily basis because someone listened to their favorite song? How many people are alive because someone heard the right song at the right time? What is the power of music? Note: This is a HorrorAddicts.net anthology. Your story must be a Horror story and contain something emotionally, physically, or mentally horrifying. Manuscript Format: Font: either Courier or Times New Roman. Double spaced, font 12 point. Your manuscript must be in either DOC or RTF format. 1st page header to state: author name, mailing address, email address, and word count. Following pages header to state: author name, story name, and page number. In the body of the email: 100 words or less bio about you. One sentence explaining the story attached. Your elevator pitch. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram ids Your website or blog Subject of the email state: CRESCENDO OF DARKNESS/Author Name/Story Title Send to: [email protected] No previously printed work and no simultaneous submissions. Deadline: October 31st, 2017, 11:59pm PST Length: 2,000-5,000 words...

Deadline: October 31st, 2017 Payment: 10 USD per story Stitched Smile Publications in collaboration with Paul Mcvay present: Drive-in of the Damned: Black and White Guidelines:  We are looking for 13 original stories (reprints will be considered on a case by case scenario) Word Count: 7500 word max Deadline: October 31st 2017 Anticipated Release: Summer of 2018 (Drive-in Season!) Compensation: 10 USD per story, multiple submissions allowed (one at a time), but only one story will be chosen per author. Submissions: We accept word documents only. Once you have submitted, please be patient. Acceptance letters will be sent within 90 days *after* the deadline. Send all submissions via form at www.stitchedsmilepublications.com (click “submissions) and be *sure* to include DRIVE-IN OF THE DAMNED for clarification! Or Email directly to: [email protected] Summary: The sky was dark driving up the road to the drive-in. Headlights from other cars cut across your vision as you pull up to the ticket booth. With the window down, the warmth of the air was reprieved by the passing of a single breeze. The operator was nothing more than a silhouette in front of the flickering bulb behind him. He reaches out a thin, bony hand with his palm up and you place your money in the center of it. When he curls his fingers inward, you notice that they are unnaturally cold in comparison to the temperature. Leaning forward, he gives you a wide grin and you can see the highways of deep lines through his wrinkled skin. ​ “Right this way,” he says, swinging his arm out. He directs you to the one of the many paths that leads down into the quarry where countless screens form a circle at the bottom of the quarry. You pass the big sign with giant letters that announce your arrival to … “The Drive-in...

Deadline: October 31st, 2017 Payment: $15USD Extra! Extra! Read All About It! Is this anthology looking for horror stories in the form of newspaper articles? The answer: Yes, that's exactly what we're looking for! For this anthology, we’re looking for stories that embody the spirit of the good ol’ newspaper headline! In fact, your story title MUST BE the headline. We want feature pieces that belong on the front page; stories that draw you in and take hold of you as they unfold while the ink is still drying. The work should exemplify the flashy style that only hot-off-the-press journalistic prose can entail. And if you want to go full-on tabloid, have at it. Give us the trash, give us the dirty laundry, but most of all, give us the juicy bits. Remember, this is a horror collection, so be sure to keep one thing in mind: If it bleeds, it leads! Deadline: October 31, 2017 Word Count: 2,500 – 5,000 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 $15USD, an eBook contributor copy, and the right to purchase an unlimited number of print books at discount. As per our standard guidelines, there will be no stories containing pedophilia, or graphic rape scenarios accepted. For a full list of our guidelines, please visit our websitewww.SirensCallPublications.com. Via: Sirens Call Publications.

Deadline: October 31st, 2017 Payment: 1 cent per word for fiction and nonfiction, and a flat fee of $10 for poetry NonBinary Review is a quarterly digital literary journal that joins poetry, fiction, essays, and art around each issue's theme. We invite authors to explore each theme in any way that speaks to them: re-write a familiar story from a new point of view, mash genres together, give us a personal essay about some aspect of our theme that has haunted you all your life. We also invite art that will accompany the literature and be featured on our cover. All submissions must have a clear and obvious relationship to some specific aspect of the source text (a character, episode, or setting). Submissions only related by a vague, general, thematic similarity are unlikely to be accepted. We are open to submissions which relate to Shirley Jackson's 1962 book We Have Always Lived In the Castle.  Submissions which do not tie into the plots or make use of characters/settings from the stories WILL NOT be considered--there needs to be a clear connection to the source material.  We want language that makes us reach for a dictionary or a tissue or both. Words in combinations and patterns that leave the faint of heart a little dizzy. FICTION, CREATIVE NON-FICTION, FLASH & HYBRID/EXPERIMENTAL NonBinary Review accepts fiction and creative non-fiction of up to 5,000 words in length, although shorter is probably better. Fiction should be double spaced, 12-point type, in Times New Roman or similar font in a Word document or text file. Authors may submit up to 5 pieces of flash fiction, no more than 1000 words each, in this category. Please upload each piece as a separate document on this submission. Flash (fiction or CNF) is the ONLY category where multiple pieces related to the same theme may be selected for publication....

Deadline: October 31st, 2017 Payment: $0.02 per word Attention, writers of horror fiction. We’re currently seeking short stories for an upcoming anthology titled Lost Films. In 2016 we released Lost Signals, which has done very well for us. Think of Lost Films as its sequel. We are looking for horror stories involving films, Hollywood, projectors & projectionists, home movies, webcams, television, documentaries, and other themes involving recorded visual disturbances. We want these stories to be weird and terrifying. Some good examples of what we’re after: Cigarette Burns by John Carpenter, Starry Eyes by Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer, Experimental Film by Gemma Files, House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, “Ardor” by Laird Barron, Videodrome by David Cronenberg, Angel of the Abyss by Ed Kurtz, and everything else discussed in this LitReactor article.   Deadline: October 31, 2017 Payment: $0.02 per word Word count: 1,000-8,000 Reprints: No   Send all submissions to [email protected] with “LOST FILMS – by ” in the subject line. If you haven’t heard back from us by December 1st, feel free to query. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. And if you’re interested in the first installment, you can purchase Lost Signals here. Good luck. I look forward to reading your stories. Via: Dark Moon Digest.

Deadline: October 31st, 2017 Payment: $20 per story. ANTIMATTER publishes flash fiction and story experiments inspired by the latest science news and discoveries. We're most interested in flash fiction, but we're also open to story experiments, narrative games, and text messager-based stories. HOW IT WORKS First, find a recent scientific story, headline, or discovery that sparks your imagination. (View science headlines here. View scientific story prompts here.) Then, use that real science headline to inform, drive, or inspire an original flash science fiction story. A short story up to 500 words (about one single-spaced page that can be read aloud in about five minutes). A story with a plot (though we’re open to creative interpretation). A story linked to a recent science headline, new discovery, or new hypothesis or theory. Writers are encouraged to experiment with the flash fiction story form. For example, your story could be framed as a lab report, scientific article, message transcript, or a poem, or a script. It’s not required, but preference is given to stories crafted to feel real - like they really happened. Such stories can include many links to sources, authoritative quotes, and other techniques that lead the reader to suspend disbelief. HOW TO SUBMIT A STORY We use Submittable to manage story submissions. When you send us your story via Submittable, you will need to include a link to the article that inspired your story as well as a short bio. You will receive notice if your story is accepted within five days of submission. Payment is sent within 21 days of notice of acceptance. Antimatter will promote your story via social media, potentially including paid promotion, and via our email newsletter. PAY Antimatter Magazine pays $20 per story. We issue payment within 21 days of story publication. Additionally, we reserve the right to offer you more money...

Deadline: October 31st, 2017 Payment: $5 per thousand words and two printed contributor copies (or 1 copy per poetry.) Simultaneous submissions are allowed as long as you let me know.   Update: All stories need to be self-contained/Stand alone.   I don’t mind a story being part of a series, but it can’t be a serial. Update #2: No HARDCORE sex!                           No Sexual violence!                          No UNDERAGED SEX!! I’m looking for original (no reprints) well-written (duuh, I guess that that’s fairly obvious) weird stories. My tastes are broad and I’m looking for any of the following: fantasy, dark fantasy, sword and sorcery, ghost, horror, heroic fantasy, science fantasy or just plain odd. And please, no cover letters or biographies. Just Shunn Format! One Story Submission at a time, please!   And please, no stories longer than 5,000 words.   Important: Please include your name, address, email address, the title of your story and its word count in your email. Preferably attach your story as a doc, docx or rtf file. Please send it in a standard format; if in doubt check here for guidance: http://www.sfwa.org/2008/11/manuscript-preparation/ http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html   Current payment is $5 per thousand words  and two printed contributor copies. Only one copy for poetry. (That’s $0.005 per word) Please send your submissions to: weirdaether(AT)t-online.de   And lastly, if you want to impress me then you need to ENTERTAIN ME!!   Regards. Douglas Draa Editor Via: Weirdbook Magazine

Deadline: October 31st, 2017 Payment: $5, royalties, and a contributor's copy This annual collection of funny paranormal stories is the press’ flagship series. Your tale must be funny (no depressing endings) and have supernatural/paranormal elements. Examples of stories from previous collections: Homicide is summoned to a halfway house for the undead, a Shriner becomes a weregoat, and a mummy regrets hiring a cheap embalmer. Story length should be 2000-6000 words. If you sub something of a different length, it better be really funny. The submission window is October 1st - October 31st, 2017. Please do not sub sooner. Publication of SF V will take place in April 2018 (our feet will be held to the fire). Send your submissions to [email protected] with “Strangely Funny” in the subject line. If we buy your story, you will receive a free print copy of the book and a $5 USD advance on royalties. For further information on royalties and publishing rights, please go to our Guidelines and Payment page. Via: Mystery and Horror LLC.

Deadline: November 1st, 2017 Payment: 6 cents per word She moves with deliberate grace.   Mami Wata, Momu Watu, La Sirene, Sedna, Coventina, Suijin, Mother of Waters She is the water between us, the water within us, the water that slakes thirst, from which we were born. Water is the natural and the sacred, the functional and the necessary. All over the world, in cultures young and old, water is life and from this force, great adventures, quests, and legacies begin. And whether it is still, moves, rises, or falls, water fills us. Imagine what stories and strange tales can be told from the depths of its depths.   TROUBLE THE WATERS: Tales from the Deep Blue will be a new anthology of water-themed speculative short stories that explore all kinds of water lore and deities, ancient and new as well as unimagined tales. We want stories with memorable, engaging characters, great and small, epic tales and quieter stories of personal and communal growth. Science fiction, fantasy, horror, interstitial, and unclassifiable works are welcome. We are seeking original stories in English (2500 – 7000 words; pays 6 cents per word) from writers of all walks of life from this beautiful planet and will accept some select reprints (pays 2 cents per word). Deadline: November 1, 2017. Projected publication: November 2018, Rosarium Publishing, www.rosariumpublishing.com. Please send submissions as a .doc, .docx, or .rtf file in standard mss formatting with your name, title, and word count to: [email protected] Please note that we are unable to accept simultaneous or multiple submissions. Via: Roasrium Publishing.

Deadline: November 1st, 2017 Payment: $25.00 – $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 – $10.00 for poetry and contributor’s copy Winter: "I'm tired of trying to see the good in people." Due date: November 1, 2017 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 journal is not a contest in the traditional sense. Fiction: All stories...

Deadline: November 1st, 2017 Payment: $0.01 / word and a contributor's copy Details: Stories can be 1,000 words to 10,000 words. The anthology will be published in ebook and paperback formats. We pay upfront $0.01 / word. Authors will receive the e-book and one print copy of the anthology, plus wholesale pricing for additional print copies. Previously unpublished submissions strongly preferred. We are seeking twelve months of exclusive worldwide print and electronic distribution rights and non-exclusive worldwide print and electronic distribution rights in perpetuity. Multiple submissions are fine, but simultaneous submissions are discouraged. Please don’t re-submit a rejected story unless we request revisions. We hope to have responded to everyone within one month of the submission window’s closing. Feel free to query if it’s been longer than two months. Stories must be double spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font (or something similar). Do not submit in Courier. The story title, your byline, a word count, and contact information should appear on the first page, and your last name, story title, and page number should appear in the header information of all other pages. We’re not particular about whether you use italics or underlining for emphasis, how many spaces are after the period, or whether you use straight or smart quotes. Submissions may be sent to the email address: Submit your stories via email as an attachment in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format. The subject of your email should be SUBMISSION: <story title> by <byline>. The email body should contain a short list of your publishing credits and any pertinent biographical details. The submission period begins August 1, 2017, and ends November 1, 2017. Theme guidelines The story must have a fantasy/speculative element. Science fantasy is ok, but we’re aiming for fantasy rather than straight science fiction. We prefer “clean” stories and strongly prefer noblebright stories. For more on noblebright, please see noblebright.org....

Deadline: November 1st, 2017 Payment: Fiction: $100 and royalties. FLash: $30 and royalties Theme:  Sex and Revolution Let’s talk about sex. It is the one human drive about which we go to war, intellectually, spiritually, and physically.  Who you love, how you love, who you are when you do it:  any of these can put you on the front lines against your will, struggling for your life. So what if instead sex is the weapon with which you choose to fight?  What if sex is the blunt instrument, the stiletto between the ribs, the counter-intelligence whisper campaign designed to change hearts and minds? What if it’s the right f*ck that levels cities, the explosive catalyst bringing the whole conflict to an end once and for all? What would that look like?  Let’s find out. We’ll be open to anonymous submissions from 10/1 until the last candle gutters out on All Saints’ Day, looking for stories that dive deep into the subject of sex as a revolutionary act.  Here are a few things that might help you in figuring out what we want, and perhaps more importantly, what we don’t. Stories submitted for this issue should be about sex and revolution, however you choose to define those terms. Stories will be chosen for their adult subject matter. They will *also* be chosen for their adult treatment of that subject matter. We are open to all genres in the pursuit of this subject, but plain erotica (or out and out adult content) probably won’t make the cut. Unless it’s good erotica. (Or very, very good adult content.) As always, we welcome stories from across the entire spectrum of race, gender, and sexuality. And with those thoughts in mind, we bring you back to our regular submission guidelines already in progress. When thinking...