Events

Deadline: November 25th, 2019 Payment: 65% split between authors PER STORY I'm looking for horror stories about... insects! I will be selecting only a select pre-posted stories (reddit, personal author sites, etc. The majority chosen will be exclusive to this project so we can make the most of the Amazon KDP program. Name: Death and Butterflies Word Count: 1000-3500 words Pay: 35% publisher/project manager 65% split between authors PER STORY Format: 12 pt. Times New Roman, double spaced, proper indentation, word document. Left hand corner: author name, title, email, and word count. I will be choosing approximately 5 posted stories and 25-35 Exclusive stories. Meaning they cannot be posted ANYWHERE else. Its my intention to enroll this book into the KDP program with Amazon so we can all gain more $$$. I plan on keeping it in the program for four months. After that time, you are free to do with your story what you wish. Email for submission: [email protected] DEADLINE: November 25th, 2019 Publication date: January 1st, 2020 Via: Death and Butterflies Facebook Page.

Deadline: November 26th, 2019 Payment: $0.05 U.S. per word Bronzeville is now open to submissions for an anthology called Twisted Love. Twisted Love will feature stories with unsettling and unconventional relationships. Give us stories of toxic relationships or lovers bound by crime or fetish. Think Soldier and Angel from Hap and Leonard, season 1: Payment Policy We pay $0.05 U.S. per word for first Worldwide English publication rights for stories up to 3,000 words in length. We have no minimum length requirements for submissions; however, we will not consider submissions that exceed 3,150 words. Preferred Genres Preferred genres include crime, sci fi, fantasy, horror and YA. Simultaneous and Multiple Submissions Writers may submit one story to all open Bronzeville platforms. Those who submit a story to Twisted Love may also, for example, submit a story to Bronzeville Bee if it is open to submissions. Writers may not submit more than one story to Twisted Love. Writers may simultaneously submit to other venues. We ask that you notify us if the story is accepted elsewhere and withdraw the story from consideration.   Formatting Format your subject line as follows: Twisted Love Submission – Story Name – word count – genre Example: Twisted Love Submission – ‘This is My Story’s Title’ – 2725 words – horror Your story should be sent as an attached Word Document. We will not read PDFs, shared Google Doc files, RTF documents or any other type of document. Submissions that do not include an attached .doc or .docx file will not be processed. The text in your story should be black. The font should be a standard font, such as Times New Roman. The text should be 12 pt or 14 pt. The first line of every paragraph should either be flush left, with a blank line between paragraphs, or it should be indented half...

Deadline: November 30th, 2019 Payment: $10 Please read the entire guidelines before submitting. No, really. Please do. It will help you, and it will help us. We accept and publish web edition submissions on a rolling basis. We don't read new submissions in December, January, June and July. Vestal Review is a magazine for new flash (short-shorts) fiction, 500 words or fewer. We don't accept reprints. We love to hear new voices, especially from immigrants, but we don’t discriminate against anyone. We love magic realism. High fantasy, science fiction, romance and kids stories? Not so much. No fees. The honorarium is $10.  All payments will be made only through PayPal. For Web edition, we consider only one story per author. We accept simultaneous submissions. We assume that every writer is also a reader, so please read the guidelines before submitting and not the other way around. Our philosophy: Most stories are not rejected because they are not good, but because other stories are better. Vestal Review now publishes its print issues twice a year in a perfect-bound edition. All content is available on the Web. We welcome your submissions, but please read our guidelines first. We don’t read new submissions in December, January, June and July  (except for special calls for submissions). All submissions sent during this time will be deleted. Don’t worry: the categories that we don’t temporarily consider will be hidden from view. Each submission is to be sent separately. Our reading periods are: 1. February-May 2. August-November Once in a while, we have special calls for submissions that change the above schedule and payments. Effective immediately, all submissions should be done using our submission manager. We will not consider any other forms of submissions. Use this e-mail to inquire about the status of your submission (please wait three months before sending it): submissionsvestalreview.net Please start the...

Deadline: November 30th, 2019 Payment: Royalties Lost Love (Rated R) Deadline – November 30th, 2019 Publication – February 2020 Word Count – 5,000-15,000 Theme – Nearly everyone has had a lost love. In other words, the one that got away  either due to another person, drifting apart, death, etc. Whether it be the boy next door, a loyal princess, or a supernatural being, all of these stories have two things in common: loss and heartbreak.   After receiving edits back, the author has two weeks to return the submission for formatting. View our blog post on the topic of how to submit to a publisher.   Rating – Check each anthologies‘ rating. Word count – Check each anthologies‘ word count requirements. E-mail address to submit to – [email protected]   NOTICE –  Failure to submit correctly will result in refusal of submission. Via: Dragon Soul Press</a..

Deadline: November 30th, 2019 Payment: $0.02/word, potentially more! Neon Hemlock Press is open to submissions of short stories to be considered in the anthology Glitter + Ashes: Queer Tales of a World That Wouldn’t Die from September 15th to November 30th. The compensation level for this anthology will be set by the success of our Kickstarter! At a minimum it will be $0.02/word. You can find the Kickstarter here. A link to a submission portal will be displayed during our open period. We are looking for: Wordcount: Under 6,000 words. 1-4,000 words is probably the sweet spot. Concept: They joked that the only things left would be cockroaches and Twinkies, but they were wrong. They underestimated us. Tell us stories of queer resilience and queer survival, stories set after the end of a world that could be ours but might not be. Tell us about new queer beginnings born amidst the broken promises of the future. Be inspired by Mad Max: Fury Road, yes, but the visions of the apocalypse we love also include The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin, Apocalypse World by Vincent & Meguey Baker, Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller, and Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. What we want to see: We are looking for speculative stories that explore ramifications of the apocalypse through queer narratives. We want queer stories and we want trans stories and we want indefinable stories. We welcome a broad interpretation of the post-apocalyptic genre; give us your scraps of hope in every ruined future (we love genre elements from fantasy, horror and science fiction). Throughout, we’re looking for rich, varied and nuanced understandings of gender, family and ethnicity. What we don’t want to see: Don’t tell us directly how it ended. You can draw implications from the sunless sky or...

Deadline: November 30th, 2019 Payment: 1 penny (GBP) per word for original short stories, 100 pounds for original novellas / flat rate, 10 pounds for reprints / flat rate, and a contributor's copy Submissions close: 30/11/2019 Response time: We'll aim for the end of January 2020 at the latest Publication: Planned for late 2020 What we want: This anthology will combine the best new mysteries with classic reprints from yesteryear, so give us a masterful tale. You'll need an engaging and memorable protagonist who can hold his or her own against Sherlock Holmes and Auguste Dupin. Above all, we want a clever puzzle the reader can try to solve. Throw in clues and red herrings, make our readers work their "little grey cells", as Hercule Poirot puts it. The mystery could be a crime, but it could also be a historical or archaeological investigation, a treasure hunt, getting to the bottom of a local legend... it's up to you, but it must be a mystery the reader can delve into and try to solve before your protagonist. Think Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, Inspector Morse, Jonathan Creek, even Nancy Drew or Scooby Doo, but be damned clever about it! Get moving! The game's afoot! Length:  Short stories between 2,500 and 7,000 words Novellas up to 25,000 words Rates: 1 penny (GBP) per word for original short stories 100 pounds for original novellas / flat rate 10 pounds for reprints / flat rate All contributors will receive one print copy Please read the full guidelines below before submitting. GENERAL GUIDELINES AND DETAILS Please only submit one story per publication. No simultaneous submissions for original fiction. Languages accepted:  English and French / anglais et français Black Beacon Books is based in France but publishes in English. As such, we accept submissions in both English and French. Any...

Deadline: December 1st, 2019 Payment: $20 “Turning words into art is unnatural. It begins with a contrary attitude. It says, I am unhappy with the way things are and desire to make things different. Rather than represent the world, I will make something wildly and savagely new. I will defy logic. I will invest in new perceptions. I will combine and recombine and fabricate and juggle until something that I have never experienced is experienced. The process is alchemical. The process is violent. It goes to the heart of creativity. It disrupts and shatters. It is splendid with provocation. It is an aggression against banality. It is sharp and loud like a janitor scraping frost from a window. The hectic bounce of steam on a street after a truck roars by. The anarchy of waters, the comedy of the face, dangerous feelings vented from a cage of skin.” ~ John Olson Poetry — We believe poetry is contrary by nature, always defying, always tonguing the tang of novelty. We look especially for plurality of meaning, for dual reverberation of beauty and concern. Contrary’s poetry in particular often mimics the effects of fiction or commentary. We find ourselves enamored of prose poems because they are naturally contrary toward form – they tug on the forces of exposition or narrative – but prose poems remain the minority of all the poetic forms we publish. Please consider that Contrary receives vast amounts of poetry and that we can publish only a small percentage of that work. Please submit no more than three poems per issue. Our poetry editor is Shaindel Beers. Fiction — We ask our fiction writers to imagine their readers navigating a story with one finger poised over a mouse button. Can your story stay that finger to the end? We have published long stories on the belief...

Deadline: December 2nd, 2019 Payment: We offer $75 for Short Stories accepted for publication in our literary journal (eBook, print, and/or audiobook) We offer $50 for Short Stories accepted for online publication on midnightandindigo.com. Note: This market is for black female writers Word count: min 1,500 words We are looking for previously unpublished, character-driven, speculative short stories written by Black women writers - for a special issue to be published in 2020. Speculative fiction is a broad genre encompassing fiction with certain elements that do not exist in the real world, often in the context of supernatural, futuristic or other imaginative themes. This includes, but is not limited to, science fiction, fantasy, superhero fiction, horror, utopian and dystopian fiction, fairytale fantasy, and supernatural fiction. We offer $75 for Short Stories accepted for publication in our literary journal (eBook, print, and/or audiobook) We offer $50 for Short Stories accepted for online publication on midnightandindigo.com. midnight & indigo is a new literary platform dedicated to publishing short fiction and narrative essays by Black women writers. Our digital platform, midnightandindigo.com features a diverse array of voices that connect readers to content featuring strong female lead characters or a Black female POV; across the spectrum of experience - a new story is featured every week. We also publish 2-3 multi-author literary journals each year (print/ebook and/or audiobook).  Whether you’ve already been published or are just starting out, we want to hear from you!  As a Black woman-owned start-up, we're so excited that you chose us as a potential medium for your voice. Calls for Journal Submissions for Short Stories and Personal Essays are held 4x per year, with deadlines on January 5th, April 5th, August 2nd, and December 6th. Book Reviews focused on works by Black women authors are accepted year-round. To increase your chances of being published, please take some time to review our current content; to...

Deadline: December 2nd, 2019 Payment: $20-$75 according to the category and length of their submission Note: Apologies for the late posting, just came across this one. Submissions are OPEN from October 14 – December 2 for Issue 7: Horror (see below). With this call, Speculative City announces the Year of Genre. Speculative fiction is often defined as genre fiction, a useful phrase for those looking to separate “literary fiction” from its more exploratory counterpart. In a reclamation of the term, in the new year, Speculative City will feature four specific genres showcasing the incredible range that speculative fiction can offer. The first genre of focus will be horror. We are looking for fiction, poetry, and essays within the horror genre. And, as per usual, we seek provocative works that are centered within a cityscape. Writers published will be paid $20-$75 according to the category and length of their submission. We do not accept submissions exceeding 5500 words. All submissions should be the original, unpublished work of the submitter. We will accept simultaneous submissions, but please inform us if the submission has been accepted by another publication. We do not accept multiple submissions for fiction or essays. Please submit word (.doc, .docx) or rich text format (.rtf) files and format your submission according to our format guide. Please send all inquiries to info @ speculativecity .com . We try to respond to all submissions, but as a team of two, we may not always be able to. All submissions should be sent through Green Submissions. Green Submissions requires users to create an account. Please see link to sign up and submit at https://greensubmissions.com/1024/speculative-city/index.php. Before submitting work, please also be familiar with our contract. THEME horror noun|hor·ror| \ ‘hôr-ər \ Definition of HORROR noun a fiction genre that incites overwhelming and intense emotional reactions such as dread, repulsion, terror, and shock through the use...

Deadline: December 12th, 2019 Payment: 75% of royalties after amazon fees are taken out will be divided evenly across the board to all authors. Christmas is right around the corner and what better way to celebrate than to submit your scary stories of holiday horror to us, Scary Snippets. After just releasing a highly successful Halloween collection, we are ready to go straight into some nutcracking action with wicked snowmen, vile reindeer and even some good old fashioned Krampus! Here’s what we are looking for. email to: [email protected] (Feel free to include author profile) Word count: Minimum: 100 Max 600 We are looking for: stories of sinister nature relating to Christmas, Hanukkah or other Yuletide holidays. (Also accepting a few Thanksgiving Horror as well) stories need to be exclusive and will remain held by publisher for 6 months after publishing. Send as many submissions as you wish, we want to allow for at least 4 to 5 max per author depending on length. (Our goal is to have over 100 total stories in the collection) Deadline: December 12 Releasing: December 20 Acceptance and contracts will be happening quickly and our editing team will be moving fast. Payment: 75% of royalties after amazon fees are taken out will be divided evenly across the board to all authors. Stories will be on Kindle Unlimited for 6 months and then authors will be able to retain their rights and use the story elsewhere. Questions or concerns, please message us Be sure to also join the Scary Snippets Facebook page for more information and for receiving feedback and support from our author community! Spread holiday fear! https://www.facebook.com/groups/372178610142234/?ref=share

Deadline: December 6th, 2019 Payment: $5 for anything under 5000 words. $10 for anything over 5000 words Note: Reprints Allowed For our second anthology we want stories that explore the horror of solitude. This does not mean your story has to have solitary characters, it definitely can, but any story that dives into the theme of isolation and solitude will work for this collection. It could be the terror of no one believing the monster chasing you is real, or being completely alone in something while surrounded by millions of people, or it could be being forgotten and alone in a desolate place. Cosmic horror, creature horror, slasher horror, it can all work in this collection as long as you submit a creative story focusing on solitude.  Word Count: 3,000 - 7,500 Payment: $5 for anything under 5000 words                  $10 for anything over 5000 words Deadline: 12/6/19 Multiple submissions welcome.  Reprints are fine, however you must own the rights to the story before submitting.  Please send all submissions as an attachment and make sure the subject line of your email is: DBND - Solitude - Story Title  Send submissions to: [email protected] Via: DBND Publishing.

Deadline: December 9th, 2019 Prizes: £2000 for the winner and £150 and two complimentary for selected contributors Nobrow is well-known for our visual publishing and our dedication to designing and producing beautiful books. This is something we are extremely proud of. At the heart of all we do is storytelling. We believe this is the foundation on which our publishing is built – we love all forms of storytelling, be it visual, lyrical or literary. It is all aimed at transporting a reader to another place and time and keeping them there; transfixed. That is why we are delighted to announce we are running the Nobrow Short Story Competition for writers! Up to twelve winning entries will be published in our short story anthology, and this beautifully illustrated book will celebrate the best short fiction and non-fiction writing. Our theme is ‘The Censor’. You can interpret this in any way you wish – it could represent censoring of the past, present and future; the self; the state; or the effects of censorship on everyday life. As a provocation we hope our theme can provide a rich vein of storytelling inspiration for anyone wishing to take part in the competition. We are looking for inclusive, surprising, ingenious and diverse responses that capture our minds and hold us until every word is devoured. It is completely free to enter, and we welcome submissions that you may already have written as long as they have not been previously published and can be related to the theme of The Censor. Prizes An overall winner will receive £2000. All selected contributors will receive £150 and two complimentary copies of the book, and will be invited to attend events including a launch and readings. Deadline 9th December 2019, midnight BST time. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES A submission is defined as a short story...

This market was reported as closed as of November 11th, 2019 Deadline: March 31st, 2020 Payment: Royalties In this special issue of our magazine, we're asking the big questions about tomorrow coupled with the clarity of hindsight applied to potential futures. What does the future look like? How will today's technologies and events affect the way humans live tomorrow, a decade from now, or in two centuries? Is reality a giant plot to fool humans? Is free will truly possible, or are aliens or machines controlling our lives? Is there other intelligent life in the universe? Will we ever meet life from other worlds, or escape the bounds of our solar system, our bodies, or our minds? Stories should speak to the human element (even if the human element is translated/demonstrated through a non-human character) rather than focusing exclusively on exciting whizz-bangs. Dark tones aren't necessary, but undercurrents of conspiracy are welcome. The approximate genres we're looking for are Science Fiction/Future Tech, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, or any other genre that is appropriate, including Solarpunk, as long as it's based in our reality and magic of any sort is given a plausible explanation. We're not looking to confine writers to a certain sphere; rather, we're hoping writers will use this opportunity to practice limitless thinking and surprise us with their stories. Stories should be between 1500 and 7500 words in length. Deadline for submission: 31 March 2020. Submissions should be sent to [email protected]. See our submission guidelines for details on submitting prior to sending us your story. Do not query on submission status before 30 April 2020. Once accepted, writers will have two weeks to negotiate any suggested edits and return finalized manuscripts to us. There's wiggle room on this, depending on our time frame, so ask if you need help. We're limiting submissions to...

Deadline: Decembre 15th, 2019 Payment: 3¢ per word, $150.00 max, 1 cent per word for reprints Note: Reprints allowed We are a literary magazine of dark fiction, both short stories and flash fiction. We want your best. But then, doesn’t everyone? No specific sub-genres or themes, just good stories. For inspiration, we suggest “The Twilight Zone”, “The Outer Limits”, and LampLight, Vol1 Issue 1 which is free. We go for stories that are dark, literary; we are looking for the creepy, the weird and the unsettling. We do not accept stories with the following: vampires, zombies, werewolves, serial killers, hitmen, excessive gore or sex, excessive abuse against women, revenge fantasies, cannibals, high fantasy. Writers We have published writers of all backgrounds from all over the world in LampLight, but not everywhere, nor all shapes and sizes of writers. Help us to shine a light on greater diverse writing and keep LampLight a showcase of the best dark fiction out there by submitting and encouraging others to as well. Edition and Rights The quarterly is published as print and ebook, and at the end of the year all the quarterlies are bound together in an annual collection. We are asking for non-exclusive, worldwide, serial rights to your work for both electronic and print. We want to publish it, we don’t want to own it. We will take reprints, provided you have the rights we are asking for. We will not consider reprints that are currently available for free online. If you have already been in LampLight, we ask you wait until the next volume to submit again. Payment We accept originals and reprints up to 7,000 words (firm). Payment in USD. Unpublished Fiction: 3¢ per word, $150.00 max Reprints: 1¢ per word Please note: works published to a Patreon or similar site are considered reprints Simultaneous...

Deadline: December 15th, 2019 Payment: AUD$50 Issues of the Underground Writers zine released in 2020 – that’s issues 29, 30, 31 and 32 – will not be themed. Instead we will be exploring genre writing. The first issue for 2020 will be in the genre of Romance, released to our Patreon supporters 1st February, released generally 5th February – just in time for Valentine’s Day! Also, from November 2019 all submissions to the zine must be sent using the Submissions form – do not send your submission in an email. Romance Romance can use any number of settings, styles and themes, but must have two central elements at its forefront: a love story centring around individuals falling in love and struggling to make their relationship work; and an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending in which the individuals are rewarded for their struggles with emotional justice and unconditional love. Romance does not necessarily need to be explicit (as in erotica) and while the ending must be emotionally satisfying it does not necessarily mean the lovers must remain together. It is a highly emotional genre that often deals just as much with the self as with the other. Modern romance is more likely to engage with diverse sexual orientations rather than the traditional male/female relationship and is less likely to feature traditional archetypes such as the ‘virginal heroine’. Some romance novels may also have strong political or social commentary underlying them. While romance can work in a variety of subgenres including erotic, historical, paranormal, suspense or YA, remember that the love story must be front and centre. Some examples of recent Australian romance include: Lost Without You by Rachael Johns, The Art of Persuasion by Susan Midalia, Miss Cheswick’s Charm by Bree Verity, Grave Robber for Hire by Cassandra L. Shaw, and Le Chateau by Sarah Ridout. Please note that the usual length and formatting guidelines...

Deadline: December 15th, 2019 Payment: Contributor's Copy Dare. Risk. Dream. Share. Ruminate. Clockhouse accepts works of poetry, fiction, memoir, creative nonfiction, and dramatic works for stage or screen. We encourage submissions from both established and emerging writers. (Current students of Goddard College are ineligible to submit to Clockhouse, but we look forward to reading your work after you graduate.) Submit to CLOCKHOUSE All submissions must: Be original, unpublished work written by the author. Follow the industry-standard formatting guidelines appropriate for the genre as well as the applicable guidelines below: Fiction: Short stories and self-contained novel excerpts in a literary style. Genre fiction will be considered only if it sustains literary merit (Up to 5,000 words) Poetry: All poetry in traditional and experimental styles including prose poetry (Up to 250 lines of poetry, total. Only one poem per submission. Poets may submit up to three times per reading period.) Memoir and Creative Nonfiction: All memoir and creative nonfiction in traditional and experimental literary styles. No academic or scientific essays (Up to 5,000 words) Dramatic Work for Stage or Screen: Short dramatic works in traditional and experimental styles, either a standalone piece or an excerpt from a one-act or full length play or screenplay (Up to 15 pages) Include a short bio of approximately 100 words or less. Include a brief artist statement: a few sentences about your work as an artist (i.e., not a “pitch” for this submission, but rather a statement about what you’re interested in writing about now, what drives your writing, or how your writing is reflecting or influencing the world at large, etc.). Be submitted only through our online submission manager (see link at bottom of page). No email submissions will be accepted. Submissions that do not follow these guidelines will be discarded unread. The submission period for the Volume Eight 2020 will begin on...

Deadline: December 15th, 2019 Payment: Contributor's Copy We are currently accepting submissions in all genres. Our standard open reading period runs August 15th - December 15th. GENERAL GUIDELINES Make all submissions through  our submission manager (Submittable). We do not accept submissions via email. We do not accept previously published work, including work self-published or published online via blog or social media. Simultaneous submissions are accepted if noted and withdrawn upon acceptance elsewhere. Please submit just once per genre, per reading period. You may submit in more than one genre with no penalty. If you do submit in multiple genres, please submit each separately. (i.e. You may include up to five poems in one submission, but use a separate submission for a work of nonfiction). We are currently able to provide one print copy as payment to authors and are pleased to provide a print on demand option for additional copies of each issue. Though we cannot take every piece sent to us, we will, at times, be compelled to provide feedback - in these cases, it will take a little longer to get back to you. PROSE GUIDELINES (FICTION AND NONFICTION) FLASH GLASS GUIDELINES Considering that craft is not genre specific, we welcome prose with a range of forms, subjects and aesthetics. We are open to hybrid prose - i.e. lyrical fiction, lyrical essays, braided essays, etc. However, we will not publish pure "genre" pieces that do not re-imagine their position as works of literature, nor are we interested in highly experimental or “literary” work that is not honest, accessible, or relatable. For creative nonfiction, submissions may include personal essays, memoir, or hybrid forms such as braided essays or hermit crab essays. Craft essays should have a personal and/or creative element. We are not interested in purely scholarly work or editorial nonfiction, nor are...

Deadline: December 15th, 2019 Payment: Equal splits of 45% royalty among all authors Tangled Tree Publishing is inviting submissions for our first anthology: A Dark Spring. We are seeking gripping novellas from new and established authors keen to grow their exposure and reader base. Set for publication spring 2020. Genre: thriller / suspense / mystery – contemporary. (Adult) Themes: Tangled. The only limit is your imagination, but it must contain “tangled” and the “season spring” as concepts somewhere within the novella. Word Count: 15,000 words Remuneration: Equal splits of 45% royalty among all authors – paid quarterly via PayPal. Requirements: Tangled Tree Publishing does not accept material that has been published previously, either online or in print. By submitting to Tangled Tree Publishing, you are assuring you hold the rights to the work and grant Tangled Tree Publishing the right to publish the submitted work. Tangled Tree Publishing will require exclusive rights to the stories for one publication year. ·       New and established authors welcome to submit. ·       Submitted manuscripts need to be of high quality and self-edited. ·       Tangled Tree Publishing will fund and provide all levels of editing for all contracted novellas, as well as original cover art. You agree to work with us on any reasonable amendments arising from the editing process. (There are no out-of-pocket costs for contracted authors.) Regular self-promotion of the anthology required. ·       Participation in a closed Facebook group to assist the production and launch of the anthology is necessary. ·       Please note that Tangled Tree Publishing reserves the right to exclude any stories or authors at any time. Timing: Final Submission Date – 15 December 2019 Contracts Offered – 6 Jan 2020 Contracts Signed & Filed – 10 Jan 2020 Target Cover Reveal – 28 Jan 2020 Target Publication Date – 28 March 2020 Marketing: All authors will promote the anthology to their...

Deadline: December 15th, 2019 Payment: $50 USD and 10 complimentary copies Kissing Dynamite seeks poetry microchap manuscripts for print publication in April 2020.  We're happy to consider a diverse range of poetic styles and themes, so send us work that represents you!  We are committed to publishing two titles from this round of submissions and will publish up to four if finances at the time allow us to do so. Our Books: We are proud to use a local printing house—Lightning Press in Totowa, New Jersey—for all our books.  The microchap series will feature perfect-bound 4"x 6" books with bright, full color "fractal" covers. Manuscript Formatting: Manuscripts should employ 1" margin sizes, 8.5" x 11" page size, and 12 pt. font.  Visual images (300 minimum dpi) are acceptable (black/white and/or color)!  Previously published poems are acceptable as long as the collection as a whole has not appeared elsewhere (either digitally or in print).  If the manuscript contains more than one poem, begin successive poems on a new page.  Please include a title page, author's bio, table of contents, and acknowledgements page (if applicable).  Manuscripts must not exceed a maximum of 15 pages inclusive of all content (there is no minimum). Submission: Submissions are open from December 1-15, 2019.  We hope to respond to all submissions by the beginning of February 2020.  We operate on a "pay what you can, if you can" basis, so if you can drop a few bucks to help support the expenses of the press, please do so below (and we thank you!) or consider purchasing a copy of our first anthology ​Lift Every Voice.  That said, submissions do NOT need to be accompanied by a donation, and no manuscript gets preferential treatment.  Please send your manuscript as a PDF for us to consider via e-mail with the subject "MICROCHAP—" to [email protected]...

Deadline: December 15th, 2019 Payment: Royalties This is a horror anthology for children. Recommended ages are between 7-12, please keep that in mind when submitting! Information: Name: Mother Ghost’s Grim - Creepy Stories For Children Word Count: ~ Under 1500 words Pay: 20% royalty for project managers split, 20% publisher, 60% split between authors PER STORY What we are looking for: Scary stories you heard as a child, or would have enjoyed. No graphic scenes, no rated R content; children will be reading it. If you have kids or young family members, what would you like them to read? Format: 12 pt. Times New Roman, double spaced, proper indentation, word document. Left hand corner: author name, title, email, and word count. *submission will be rejected if not in this format* Kickstarter: N/A. Project managers will be funding this project. We will be choosing approximately ~60 EXCLUSIVE stories. Meaning they cannot be posted ANYWHERE else. We would like to enroll this book into the KDP program with Amazon so we can all gain more $$$. We plan on keeping it in the program for 4 months. After that time, you are free to do with your story what you wish. Email for submission: [email protected] DEADLINE: December 15, 2019. Publication date: Easter 2020 NBH will be publishing the anthology! We look forward to your submissions! 😈 Via: Mother Ghost Grim's Facebook Group.

Deadline: December 15th, 2019 Payment: For fiction (US $ 0.08/ word) and US $ 1/ line per poetry. Note: Apologies for the short notice! SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN. PLEASE SUBMIT BY 15 DECEMBER 2019. Frozen Wavelets is an e-zine of speculative flash fiction and poetry, offspring of The Earthian Hivemind. This means that some of the accepted pieces will appear on the dedicated section of this blog, before being included in one of the e-zine issues (published quarterly). Where: we use Moksha to handle the submissions. All submissions sent to our email address will be deleted unread. SUBMIT HERE What: Original flash fiction of 750 words or less. No minimum. If you can write a (convincing) story in six words (and Hemingway showed it’s possible), go for it. Twitterfiction, Drabbles, 50 words, all welcome. We love haiku, tanka, senryu, and short poetry in general, but no more than 10 lines anyway. Rights asked: First worldwide exclusive rights for 6 months from the first appearance, be it on the blog or in the ezine; non-exclusive electronic/print rights afterwards (archival and for possible inclusion in thematic / Best of anthologies). All other rights remain with you. Payment: we pay pro-rate for fiction (US $ 0.08/ word) and US $ 1/ line per poetry. We pay on acceptance. Reprints: we do accept reprints for fiction pieces between 500-1500 words, paid at semi-pro rate (US $ 0.01/ word), provided you own the rights and let us know the publication history. Reprints for microfiction and poetry by invitation only. Simultaneous and multiple submissions: no simultaneous, please. We’ll get back to you with a hold or a pass within 30 days at the latest (but generally sooner than that). No multiple in the same category. One original and one reprint are allowed at the same time for fiction. Up to 5 poems/haiku can be submitted in...

Deadline: December 20th, 2019 Payment: AU$5.00 for stories under 2500 words / AU$10.00 for anything above 2500 words Thuggish Itch is our horror and sci-fi anthology collection. This is the place to submit your horror, sci-fi and speculative fiction stories.  Current theme: CLOSE THE GATE There's something about a locked gate that just screams horror. The two ends of a thick metal chain linked by a strong and sturdy padlock. The signs warning passers by to keep out, stay clear, or that their presence is being watched by the nearby security camera. Is the gate locked to keep something in? Or to keep something even worse out? For this collection, we would like you to send us stories in which a locked (or unlocked) gate is a major plot point. Are your characters trying to get in? Are they trying to get out? Are they the gate themselves or just those that control its usage? Thuggish Itch is our horror, sci-fi and speculative fiction collection. Please make sure that your story falls within one of these genres. Be original. We also encourage new and unpublished writers to take the leap and get in touch. Please ensure that you read through the general guidelines below and format your submission accordingly. If you have any specific questions please contact us using the form on the home page or via the listed social media accounts. To help make sure that your submission gets to the correct place, please include the following in the subject line of your email: Thuggish Itch - Close the Gate - Story Title. Word count: 1000 - 4500 words Deadline: December 20 2019 Payment: AU$5.00 for stories under 2500 words / AU$10.00 for anything above 2500 words Via: Gypsum Sound Tales.

December 20th, 2019 Payment: An honorarium equal to your age for each published story. Note: Writing by women of a certain age, for women of a certain age or of interest to women of a certain age. Hot Flash Fiction is an online literary magazine where the rich and varied voices of womxn from all walks of life are showcased and celebrated. We seek submissions from people whose life experiences have been cast and polished into wisdom—the fertile soil of great fiction. We offer Hot Flash Fiction as an outlet for writing by women of a certain age, for women of a certain age or of interest to women of a certain age. Hot Flash Fiction publishes fiction and other versions of the truth. No Hallmark stories. No self-help articles. Just smart, funny, compelling, and interesting writing. Sorry, no poetry.  While there is a broad theme to the writing we’re looking to publish, we hope to attract a diverse range of voices on a plentitude of topics. Please share your stories with us. We are seeking previously unpublished work. Simultaneous submissions are fine—just let us know when your piece is published elsewhere, so we can help you celebrate! Please send us only one piece at a time. Submissions are free and accepted on a rolling basis. Under 5,000 words is ideal. Up to 9,000 if it’s truly amazing. We will read all submissions and get back to you as soon as we can. We offer an honorarium equal to your age for each published story. Our stories remain posted on our primary page before joining our archives. Hot Flash Fiction publishes fiction and other versions of the truth. No Hallmark stories. No self-help articles. Just smart, funny, compelling, and interesting writing. Sorry, no poetry. We are seeking previously unpublished work. Simultaneous...

Deadline: December 20th, 2019 Payment: Royalties What we are looking for: Write a SCARY story about PETS. Not just animals in general, specifically pets. Your characters can possess an exotic animal license and own an animal, but the animal MUST be OWNED. No beastality and no animal abuse. Animals may die but not in a glorified way that showcases gore and violence. 1.15 spacing, Arial, size 11. State whether it's okay for horror narrators to narrate your work(s) in your submission. If the story(ies) you're submitting is already out there link it to your submission email. Make paragraph indents 4 spaces. Put the title of the story at the top, in bold, font size 14, have your credit name also be bold, 14, and right under the title. Things like spacing, font, and font size will be changed in the actual book to Times New Roman, font size 12, possibly double spaced. When done, feel free to upload or add a link to the Facebook group (link at bottom of thread). Minimum word count: 1000 Maximum word count: 4,000 Amount of stories one can submit: 3 but please submit as many as you like. Don't commit plagiarism. When done, submit to [email protected] Your story has the right to be rejected for things like having too many stories with the same animal, or a story with an extremely similar plot. Sorry but We don't want to have like 8 stories in a row about a dog that kills people or something. Deadline: December 20 2019 Release: spring 2020 You have the right to post your story anywhere if you've submitted it, though I highly recommend you advertise the book with said story. If you need more information, email above or contact project manager Kyle Harrison at [email protected] Half of the pay is going...

Deadline: December 21st, 2019 Payment: $25 Read our mission to ensure your work is a good fit. Read back issues to get acquainted with the journal. All work is published online bi-annually (spring & fall). We proudly nominate six authors each year for the Pushcart Prize, two poets for the “Best New Poets” anthology, and up to eight flash pieces for the “Best Microfiction” anthology. Journal submissions are closed from May 15th-Aug 15th. Reviews and Translations remain open year round. We do not accept previously published material. We accept unsolicited simultaneous submissions. Update your submission’s status in Submittable if accepted elsewhere; never email. A brief cover letter is helpful, but not required. We encourage, but don’t require, web formatted prose (no indents, single-spaced, one space between paragraphs). We respond generally within three months. Contact us if longer than six months. We ask for first serial rights and the right to keep a copy of the publication in our archives. All other rights revert back to the author after publication. We ask that authors mention that the work saw first publication in Newfound for future reprints. The honorarium for publication is $25. Review our guidelines for each section: Fiction, Flash, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Translation, and Visual Arts. For reviews and review copies, visit our reviews page. Click here to visit our submission manager. Virtual Realities: Themed Issue (Deadline: 21 Dec. 2019)   Is a virtual experience an actual experience? How can we trust our senses? What is real and what is fantasy? We want to explore all aspects of this theme in our spring 2020 issue. Tell us about a computer-generated experience or simulated environments. Immerse us in parallel or intersecting worlds. Please add a note to your submission if you would like us to consider it for the themed issue. All theme submissions will be considered for General Submissions. Click here...

Deadline: December 25th, 2019 Payment: $0.01 per word and royalties A Room is Locked… Due Date: December 25, 2019 Word Count: 1,000-7,500 words Payment: $0.01 per word and a percentage of royalties. Payment made upon publication In the mystery genre, the idea of a locked room puzzle is one of the standbys. Everyone from Agatha Christie to Edgar Allen Poe has done it, and now it’s your turn. Your story, to be considered, must feature the idea, concept or tool of a locked room. It can be figurative or literal, the choice is yours. The challenge is to take this old idea and make it new again. Please email your submissions in standard manuscript format, along with a short bio for consideration to [email protected]. Please put “Locked Room Submission” in the subject line. Expected publication date is sometime July/August 2020. Via: Antimony and Elder Lace Press.

Deadline: December 28th, 2019! Payment: 6¢ per word for new fiction, 2¢ per word for fiction reprints, 2 – 6¢ per word for new fact-based work, 1- 4¢ per word for reprinted fact articles. Theme: We are looking for: well written original work in science fiction, fantasy, myth, legend, fairy tales, and eldritch, in written, podcast, video, and/or graphic story form, and from around the world. Note: Reprints Allowed We have a regular submissions schedule, easy to remember and plan for: four times a year, one week each time, midnight E.S.T. to midnight E.S.T., at the beginning of each season of the year: March 21 – 28, June 21 – 28, September 21 – 28, December 21 – 28 We began The Kepler Award this spring.  The purpose of the award is to recognize and encourage writers of excellent science fiction and fantasy stories that creatively extrapolate on known science in constructive and exciting ways. You can learn about The Kepler Award here. We pay 6¢ per word for new fiction, 2¢ per word for fiction reprints, 2 – 6¢ per word for new fact-based work, 1- 4¢ per word for reprinted fact articles. Reprints must not have been published elsewhere within the past year or be available for sale online. For reading impaired individuals, our submissions manager and ‘forget password’ have a captcha compatible with screen readers. Writers Guidelines We accept new work as well as reprints, anywhere from 1000 word flash fiction on up, but all else being equal, shorter pieces will be favored. We also accept poetry.  We have tough standards but only care about the quality of the writing, storytelling ability, characters, plot, and ideas, not whether you’re new or established.  Submit only work you are proud of — if you don’t love it, neither will our readers!  If in doubt, edit it down...

December 31st, 2019 Payment: Contributor's Copy Submission to OPQ Magazine are ongoing.  Though in the past we have released Quarterly editions, we have recently changed to a biannual release which allows us the freedom to publish more articles than just thematic ones. Deadline is July 31st for Submissions for Samhain Edition Deadline is December 31st for Yearly Digest Edition   General Submissions Guidelines: We have recently partnered with Green Submissions to coordinate our slush pile.  Our Submission Manager is located here: OPQ Submissions Manager Green Submissions requires an email login, but you can track multiple submissions.  Note:  we do not accept Email queries any longer. What We Are Looking For: Oklahoma Pagan Quarterly is looking for fiction and non-fiction submissions for our online Newsfeed and our yearly print edition. OPQ is a digital and print magazine dedicated to folk religion, spirituality, and paganism of all paths and stripes. Whether your article is over Witchcraft, Fey Work, Reiki, Heathenry, or other equally important paths, we would love to feature the independent voices of our community.  Though we are located in Oklahoma and as a result are focused on our local community, we also want to hear from those in other states, locations, and countries. Part of the appeal of Paganism and other nontraditional paths is the diversity of thought and culture inherent in our worship and way of life. To that end, we will not accept work that is derogatory, violent, or condemnatory of other ways, walks, or paths in life. We will not judge submissions based on the client’s gender, gender identity, religion, age, spirituality, ethnicity, race, veteran status, country of origin, or other protected class. We prefer to focus on uplifting, positive articles that focus on spirituality as a tool for enlightenment, for whatever enlightenment means to the individual pathworker.   Non-fiction Guidelines:...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: "a modest honorarium payment, and a print edition of the finished book if they live in the US" Note: I wouldn't usually list an anthology without a specific payment stated but with this being a hot button topic AND there being payment I felt open to including it. We—Mark F. of @Mythic Picnic, Susan O’Neill and Mark Budman of Vestal Review— are putting together an anthology of flash fiction (stories under 1000 words) tentatively titled “Short, Vigorous Roots: An Anthology of Immigrant Fiction in the Age of Dissent.” Our deadline has been extended to December 31, 2019. We also changed the title. 1) The writer must be either an immigrant/migrant or a child of an immigrant/migrant; General Submission Guidelines: 2) Stories must be FICTION (or, if drawn on the writer’s experience, FICTIONALIZED); 3) Stories may not exceed 1000 words, not counting the title; 4) Any fiction genre is acceptable, except for children’s literature, , denigrating and hateful fare, and bad writing. Edgy is good; R-rated (but not X) is acceptable; sad is okay; magic realism is nifty; humor is amazing. A PLOT is essential! 5) To see the quality of stories we publish, check us out on line at www.vestalreview.org; we don’t want you to imitate our Flash, but feel free to be inspired by it; 6) We accept reprints; 7) We will be asking for one-time rights for the original stories; once the book is out, the story’s ownership reverts to you; One submission per author. Please begin your cover letter with a statement like that: “I am a generation immigrant to .” Without such statement your entry will be disqualified. Sorry. We don’t care where you came from, or where you now live; just that the two aren’t the same. What we do care about—passionately—is the quality of your...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: 1 cent per word Note: Reprints Only Is your story too heavy and hardcore for other “best of” anthologies? Then you’ve come to the right place because Red Room Press is now accepting stories for YEAR’S BEST HARDCORE HORROR VOL. 5, 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 originally (or will be) published in a 2019 anthology, single author collection, magazine, or online magazine. Self-published anthologies and collections are acceptable as well. Deadline: December 31, 2019. Length: Up to 6000 words. Word count is flexible and longer works are always considered but please note the max payment is $60.00. Payment: 1 cent a word for reprint rights. ($60 max) What to Send Authors: In the body of an email: Author name Story title Name of anthology or magazine or online magazine it was (or will be) 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 description of the story. Attach the entire manuscript in rtf, doc format, or a PDF or mobi of the magazine or book it appears in if available. Note: if sending a doc or rtf, 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...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: $5 01. CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS Submissions to Corvid Queen are open four times per year: March, June, September, and December. We publish one piece every Friday. We’re looking for original feminist tales, feminist retellings of traditional tales, and personal essays related to traditional tales. We like work based on fairy tales, folklore, myths, and legends. We accept fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and pieces that are in-betweeen. We generally publish pieces that are 1,000-2,500 words, although we will consider shorter or longer pieces if we really love them. Please note that you do not need to be female or femme to submit a piece; writers of any gender identity and expression are welcome. 02. SUBMISSION PROCESS To submit a piece, please fill out this submission form. You may submit one piece every reading period. If your piece is accepted, you’ll receive an email with a publication date & a contract. After the contract has been digitally signed, we’ll send another email with payment confirmation, any suggested edits to your piece, and options for a featured image. We offer an honorarium of $5 for each accepted piece. 03. FURTHER READING We encourage you to read through the journal to get a sense for the stories that speak to us. If you’re curious about what we consider to be a feminist fairy tale, we also encourage you to read this conversation about subversions of fairy tale femininity. General Policies We accept simultaneous submissions. We only accept reprints from defunct blogs, magazines, and presses, or reprints of work authors have chosen to re-home for ethical reasons. We will not accept anything that promotes racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, or other oppressive and harmful viewpoints, or anything that uses sexual violence for shock value. We will not read anything submitted by abusers, and we reserve the...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: Advance and royalties Quantum Corsets, a division of LVP Publications, is opening novella submissions November 15 through December 31 for novellas fitting the theme and cover art. SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED BEFORE NOVEMBER 15 WILL BE DECLINED AND RETURNED UNREAD. THEME: Quantum Corsets is looking for sexy steampunk-ish stories that are both hot and steamy and contain elements of horror (supernatural, paranormal, occult or psychological — see our Writer’s Resource page for details). COVER: For this submission period, we are looking for one novella that perfectly fits the cover art above. However, submissions may be considered for alternative publication as well. WORD COUNT: 17,000 TO 35,000 words FORMATTING: Manuscripts must be formatted using Shunn Manuscript formatting. Templates and information available on our Writer's Resource page. Please submit all documents in .rtf format only. SUBMISSION DETAILS: Include a brief synopsis, character descriptions, brief chapter outline and full manuscript. Brief Synopsis: Included on the Submittable form. This should be similar to what is included on the back cover. File 1: Character Descriptions and Outline -- Include brief descriptions of each character and their main role. Also, include a brief chapter summary of the action and main points. This should be approximately 3-5 sentences each. Save the file as Title_Outline.rtf File 2: Complete Manuscript -- Formatted as above per Shunn formatting. Save the file as Title_Manuscript.rtf Submissions accepted online via Submittable only. WHAT WE DON’T WANT Do not send us straight up adult content—sex is fine but character development and story should be the focus, we don’t want sex just for the sake of sex. No glorified or detailed non-consensual sex or sex involving children or animals. Please note that incomplete submissions will be declined and returned unread. We are looking for complete manuscripts only that fit the theme and cover. Please do not send us unfinished or unedited manuscript drafts or...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: £100 for each selected piece, as well as two copies of the magazine Theme: We look for short stories that stick with you, lingering in the memory long after reading, and essays that explore specific interests or issues from a new perspective. We offer a space for writers to be strange, bold and experimental, and to express their unique style however they see fit. Submissions are now open! The deadline for this submission period, for publication in Extra Teeth Issue Two (May 2020), is December 31st 2019. HOW TO SUBMIT Please send one piece only to [email protected] during each submissions period, with SHORT STORY: or ESSAY: in the subject line.. We will strive to get back to you within four months, and will contact you whether or not your piece has been accepted. Editors’ decision is final. We understand that it is unrealistic to ask you not to submit pieces elsewhere during this period, but if you need to withdraw a submission please email to let us know ASAP. Submissions guidelines We do not set a theme for each issue; please feel free to send your best work on any topic. Authors should send one piece only per submissions period. Submissions should be sent via email to [email protected] with SHORT STORY: or ESSAY: . Pieces should be between 800 and 4000 words. Pieces should be submitted in a Word document in a standard font, size 12, with double line spacing. Pieces should be accompanied by a title sheet including author’s name, address, the word count of the piece and a short biography of under 100 words. Cover letters are not required. Work should be previously unpublished. Copyright remains with the author. What we publish We accept creative fiction and nonfiction between 800 and 4,000 words. We look for short...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: $5 Content: An original, unpublished, story that includes a super-powered being and someone trying to use their power to their advantage. Accepted Styles: Short stories and flash fiction Accepted Genres: Anything that isn't erotica. Simultaneous Submissions: These are allowed, but please withdraw your submission immediately if accepted by another publisher. Reprints: No. Stories posted on the internet, including but not limited to, FB, personal websites, blogs, etc., are considered published. Number of Submissions per Author: 1 short story or 3 pieces of flash fiction Length: A short story should be less than 5,000 words. Each flash fiction piece should be less than 1,500 words. Payment: Free electronic copy of the book and $5 per author, regardless of number of accepted submissions. Requested Rights: First rights to digital, audio, and print formats in English. Exclusive for one year from publication. After that year all rights revert back to the author. Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Formatting: Stories must be submitted electronically as a .docx attachment in an email to [email protected]. Submission should be 12 point font, Times New Roman, and double spaced. The document name should include the name of your submission. Please include the title and page numbers in the header of the attachment. In the body of your email please include your name, author name/website, address, short story title, and word count of submission. IF IN DOUBT PLEASE SUBMIT! Via: Pub 518.

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: $15 Formatting Guidelines This is proving to be a recurring problem, so we're putting it up front. Please, for all our sakes, read this next part carefully. All submissions should be sent by e-mail (no letters or telephone calls please) to [email protected]. Below are some formatting rules to help us process your submission more quickly. EMAIL AND COVER LETTERS Email is accepted in both text and HTML formats. When submitting, please put this in the subject line: Submission: (Title) - (First and Last name) Include the following in the body of the email and in the attached submission: Your name Name to use on the story (byline), if different Your preferred email address Your mailing address The story's title The story's word count You may also include a cover letter in the body of the email. We get a lot of strange stuff in cover letters, so if you're unsure of what goes in them (and especially what doesn't) please refer to these cover letter tips: How to write a cover letter | What not to put in a cover letter by Jed Hartman SUBMISSION FORMATTING We ONLY accept submissions as attachments! All stories submitted as an attachment must follow standard manuscript formatting. We will no longer read any story not properly formatted. (And we much prefer Courier New to Times New Roman) For explanations and tips on what SMF is and how to do it with word processing programs, please see this article. Please send your submission as an attachment in Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) or Rich Test Format (.rtf) only. Other formats, such as Works, WordPerfect, Open Office, etc., have proven difficult to open. Please note that we no longer accept "inline" submssions; that is, submissions with the stories pasted directly into the body of the email. FICTION GUIDELINES We're looking for...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: 3 cents per word Now that my fundraising campaign on Freedomfy is over with and I know how much capital I have to work with, I’m free to post my submission guidelines for my upcoming open anthology, AGAIN, HAZARDOUS IMAGININGS: More Politically Incorrect Science Fiction. Due to the smaller-than-hoped-for funds available, I’ll be doing this open anthology as a companion volume to my single-author collection on the same theme, HAZARDOUS IMAGININGS: The Mondo Book of Politically Incorrect Science Fiction. My original plan had been to put out a single, really big volume, but since I’ll only be able to purchase about 30,000 words of original fiction from other writers, I figured two volumes would make more sense (otherwise, two-thirds of a sole book would be my fiction, which wasn’t what I intended). Without further ado, here’s what I’m looking for– Science fiction is often called “speculative fiction.” Speculation and extrapolation – asking what if? and why? or how? – is the life’s blood of science fiction. Science fiction writers can’t wrap themselves in yellow CAUTION tape. They need to be free to follow their what ifs? wherever those speculative rabbit-holes may lead… even if they lead to dark, dank, unpleasant places. Recent controversies within the science fiction and pop culture fields illustrate a dramatic and worrisome reversal of what has traditionally been science fiction’s greatest strength: the freedom it has granted its creators to confront, extrapolate, and dissect technological and social trends, from a panoply of viewpoints, using a full arsenal of intellectual and literary tools. Writers who were once lionized as key contributors to the science fiction field are now being drummed out of the community by online zealots who stir up instant outrage mobs in hopes of “canceling” those voices who do not fall in line with the current progressive zeitgeist. Science fiction...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: 1 cent per word Autonomous Press seeks submissions of poetry, short fiction, and short memoir pieces for an upcoming anthology, Spoon Knife 5: Liminal. Scheduled for publication in Fall 2020, this fifth volume of the Spoon Knife Anthology series follows The Spoon Knife Anthology: Tales of Compliance, Defiance, and Resistance (Spring 2016), Spoon Knife 2: Test Chamber (Spring 2017), Spoon Knife 3: Incursions (Fall 2018), Spoon Knife 4: A Neurodivergent Guide to Spacetime (Fall 2019). Deadline for submissions is Tuesday, December 31, 2019. What We’re Looking For limen: Latin, “threshold” A liminality is a threshold, the place between here and there which is, in itself, both and neither. From it we get the word “subliminal” meaning, literally, “below the threshold of sensation.” A liminal space is a transitional zone. It is at the heart of a ritual or rite of passage, when one is no longer the thing they started as, but has yet to become the thing they will be. To stand at a liminal point is to occupy both sides of a boundary at once. Liminality can be disorienting, unsettling, ambiguous, and uncomfortable, but it can also be freeing, an existence without labels or boxes, or a means to a new becoming. We are looking for fiction, poetry, and memoir that explores thresholds and liminalities of all kinds. The work must further intersect with themes of neurodivergence, queerness, and/or the intersections of neurodivergence and queerness. Some examples might be: the experience of occupying liminal space as an individual the experience of collective or cultural liminal spaces, such as demimondes rites of passage, including via formal ritual or ceremony, or as a transition between states of being, locations, moments in time or ages, statuses, or situations sensory phenomena that occur at the threshold of sensation, perhaps sensed by some but not by others...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: Pay rate will be an advance of a minimum of 8 cents per word w/royalties Zombies Need Brains LLC is accepting submissions to its three science fiction and fantasy anthologies APOCALYPTIC, GALACTIC STEW, and MY BATTERY IS LOW AND IT IS GETTING DARK. 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: WERE-: WereJellyfish Gone Wild!). The content of the email should also include which anthology the manuscript is intended for. Please send multiple manuscripts in separate emails; you may submit to any or all of the anthologies as many times as you wish. Manuscripts should be in manuscript format, meaning double-spaced, 12pt font, standard margins on top, bottom and sides, and pages numbered. Please use Times New 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. APOCALYPTIC is to feature science fiction or fantasy stories set during or after an apocalypse. Stories featuring more interesting apocalypses, settings, and twists on the typical apocalypse will receive more attention than those that use standard tropes. In other words, we don’t want to see 100 stories dealing with a zombie apocalypse. If we do, it’s likely that only one, at most, would be selected for the anthology. We are interested in all...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: $50 CDN flat fee and a paperback copy of the anthology for stories. $20 CDN flat fee and a paperback copy of the anthology for poems. The most capricious of elements, air is the domain of all winged creatures, but also of tricksters, spirits, elves and fairies. This ethereal element is as difficult to pin down as the wind so for this anthology, especially, I am open to stories whose genres also transcend usual definitions. I want stories which are light as a summer breeze, and also those which rage with the drama of a tornado. I want action, ideas and movement but also whimsy and transformation. Grand, high-adventure and cozy close-to-home conflicts. I want to fit as many airy creatures into this anthology as possible, so in addition to sylphs, spirits and swan maidens I want air dragons, fae, griffins, sirens, rocs, Thunderbird, Pegasus… and because I’m open to combining aether with air in this situation why not also hit me with your angels, phantoms, Yōkai  and nymphs too! Rights and compensation: $50 CDN flat fee and a paperback copy of the anthology for stories. $20 CDN flat fee and a paperback copy of the anthology for poems. In exchange we are 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. Open submission period: November 1, 2019 — December 31, 2019 Length: Under 7,500 words Publisher: Tyche Books No simultaneous or multiple submissions. No reprints. Canadian spelling please. How to Submit: Use the form here – https://niteblade.submittable.com/submit Via: Rhonda Parrish.

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: $.02 per word or $10 per poem 2020 will see the release of four quarterly anthologies of original fiction, poetry, and art from Carrion Blue 555 collectively titled Seasons of Rot. These volumes hope to explore seasonal themes in unique, surreal, festering ways. Spring is cancer blossoming in new growth, a single breath of moist soil. Summer begets overripe fruit in Persephone’s withered right hand. True decay is beautiful and clashing in the cordyceptic autumn. All of winter flinches beneath the Wicker King’s gaze, intimidating even the light of day. Interpretations of seasons are purposefully elastic for your artistic benefit. A season’s atmosphere is just as gripping as its setting. Less is more. We seek horror, fantasy, scifi, experimental, bizarro work. The first volume, Seasons of Rot: A Scourge of Storms, will be released March 20, 2020. The following volumes will be released on their respective equinox/solstice, with subtitles to be determined. Deadline: December 31, 2019. Fiction: No word limit, but we are only offering payment up to 5,000 words. $0.02USD per word. $5 minimum, $100 maximum. Poetry: We are open to single poems or multi-poem cycles. $10USD per poem, longer cycles will be negotiated. Art: Black-and-white only. $10USD per piece. All accepted authors and artists will receive one contributor copy of the volume(s) they appear in. We are asking for six month exclusivity for accepted works from time of the respective volume’s release. Important: due to payment issues in the past, we will only make payments via Paypal. Attach word document (doc or docx) or image files as an email to carrionblue555 gmail com. In your subject, please include the season you are submitting to and your name. We aren’t picky, but something like this will work: AUTUMN SUBMISSION: three poems by Oswald Hullad In the body...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: original: $0.08USD per word for the first 1,000 words, and $0.01USD above 1,000 words., reprints: $0.01USD per word. $50USD per poem or $15 per reprint poem. Note: Seeking authors and poets from the African continent and the African Diaspora Note: Reprints welcome Dominion: An Anthology of Speculative Fiction from Africa and the African Diaspora seeks speculative fiction that grapples with the question: “What is the legacy and the future of Africa and the African Diaspora?” We want authors and poets from the African continent and the African Diaspora. More specifically, we want horror, science fiction, fantasy, and alternate history in the following sub-genres: Horror Noire, Afrofuturism, Africanfuturism, Sword and Soul, Rococoa, Steamfunk, and Dieselfunk. Submissions are open August 26, 2019, through December 31, 2019. SUBMIT Format using Shunn’s manuscript style. Track your submissions using Duotrope and The Submission Grinder. Submit via email with the subject line “Dominion Anthology: : : ” at subs aurelialeo.com. All of the following information should be in one .doc, .docx (preferred) or .rtf document. A short cover letter is required submitted above the text of your submission in the same document. Please include your legal name, pen name (if relevant), contact information, PayPal email address (if different), recent publications/awards (if any), preferred contributor’s copy (.epup, .mobi for Kindle™ or .pdf), and a third person bio of 50-150 words. A photo may be requested. We take 2-3 weeks to respond to submissions. If you haven’t received a response by then, please query. If you have any questions, email info aurelialeo.com.   POETRY: Any length paid $50USD per poem. REPRINTS: Any length of poetry paid $15USD and 1,000-17,500 words of fiction paid $0.01USD per word. FICTION: 1,000-17,500 words paid $0.08USD per word for the first 1,000 words, and $0.01USD above 1,000 words. RULES Translations are accepted Simultaneous submissions to...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: Short stories (2,000 – 7,000 words): $150 USD, Novelettes (<15,000 words): $300 USD, Poetry: $50 USD FIYAH is a quarterly speculative fiction magazine that features stories by and about Black people of the African Diaspora. This definition is globally inclusive (Black anywhere in the world) and also applies to mixed/biracial and Afro-appended people regardless of gender identity or orientation. We will be open to unthemed submissions Oct 1 – Dec 31. We will be open for “Joy” themed submissions Spring 2020. Fiction Guidelines We accept submissions of short fiction 2,000 – 7,000 words and novelettes up to 15,000 words. We are looking for brave works of speculative short fiction by authors from the African continent and diaspora that reject regressive ideas of blackness, respectability politics, and stereotype. Please submit your bravest, blackest, most difficult to sell stories to us. We want to read them. We want stories that are well written, of high quality, and generally easy to read on a screen. We are open to receiving stories around many themes, but we will immediately reject stories that feature any of the following: Graphic depictions of rape or sexual assault Needless brutalization of women and children Depictions of brutalization or abuse of people with disabilities Graphic abuse of animals In addition: We only consider unpublished work, and we do not consider reprints (work that has been published in another magazine or on your blog or other social media) or fan fiction. We do not accept multiple submissions, so please wait until you have heard a response to a submission before submitting again. We do not accept simultaneous submissions. Please do not resubmit previously rejected stories in a new submission period. Resubmissions are by editorial solicitation only. We are only accepting submission from authors from the African...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: Royalty split and author copies (with the opportunity to buy more author copies at 50% of list price). GET THOSE MANUSCRIPTS READY AND MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE NEXT BLOODSHOT BOOKS OPEN CALL!! What are we looking for? Original unpublished horror novels (or long novellas) for our 2020/2021 schedule. I am looking for 8-10 novels, but I’m only going to choose 2-3 novellas, so the bar will be very high for that format SUBMISSION PERIOD: October 31st – December 31st, 2019. If needed, I will extend the deadline, but don’t expect it. If you try to cut the line and send it early, I will return it and probably remember you as “that annoying person who can’t follow guidelines” Whether you are a first-time author, or you have published dozens of novels already, we are interested in your original manuscripts. DO NOT ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS WITHOUT READING THIS ENTIRE OPEN CALL FIRST. MULTIPLE TIMES, IF NECESSARY. IF YOU ASK ME ANYTHING THAT IS INCLUDED ALREADY, I WILL SIMPLY DIRECT YOU BACK TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. If your novel/novella is not finished, DO NOT submit it. Length: 25K to 125K (with the sweet spot around 80K-90K). Please query for longer. I do have a soft spot for the fat horror books from the 80s (Think King’s IT or McCammon’s SWAN SONG), so it’s not a hard upper limit. Nothing shorter will be considered, though. Manuscripts in the following subgenres will be favored, but we are willing consider other subjects: • Creature horror (cryptids/multicultural myths especially interest us) • Weird west/other historical horror • Coming of Age Horror • SciFi Horror • Supernatural horror • Apocalyptic TEOTWAWKI scenarios • I will consider YA, but it will have to blow me away for me to choose it. This...

Deadline: December 31st 2019 Payment: $100 Excalibur Books is proud to announce the upcoming anthology, EXCALIBUR 2020: TALES FROM BEYOND TOMORROW VOLUME 3 for print and electronic publication to be published in 2020, and we are asking for authors of any background to get involved. Because Excalibur Books is an independent publisher based in Tokyo, this anthology is intended to celebrate the Tokyo Olympics of 2020, and will be published around the time of that event. With this in mind, we are seeking short stories written by both established and upcoming writers from around the world with an Olympic theme. These are the guidelines: The work must be in the genre of Speculative Fiction (Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror). The work must have a thematic connection to Japan and/or the Olympics. This could include: Works set in cities during their Olympic years; for example – Paris 1924, Berlin 1936, the first Tokyo Olympics in 1964, Barcelona 1992, Beijing 2008, London 2012, and so on (We are also willing to accept non-fiction memoirs of Olympic years, depending on the circumstances). Works of fiction with a theme and setting of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics specifically. Works mainly based on aspects of Japanese society and culture with a tangential connection to the Olympics. If you have an idea for a story connected to Japan or the Olympics that doesn’t fit any of the points above, then contact us on the email address below and we’ll be very happy to discuss it with you. Reprints WILL be considered, so don’t worry if your story fits the guidelines but has already been published somewhere else. Word Count: Strictly 2,500 to 10,000 words. All submissions should: Be typed in Courier or Times New Roman 12 Be typed in line with Standard Manuscript Format. Include your full...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: $15 Volume 37/64 Submission Period: November 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019 Publication Date: May 1, 2020 Formatting Guidelines This is proving to be a recurring problem, so we're putting it up front. Please, for all our sakes, read this next part carefully. All submissions should be sent by e-mail (no letters or telephone calls please) to [email protected]. Below are some formatting rules to help us process your submission more quickly. EMAIL AND COVER LETTERS Email is accepted in both text and HTML formats. When submitting, please put this in the subject line: Submission: (Title) - (First and Last name) Include the following in the body of the email and in the attached submission: Your name Name to use on the story (byline), if different Your preferred email address Your mailing address The story's title The story's word count You may also include a cover letter in the body of the email. We get a lot of strange stuff in cover letters, so if you're unsure of what goes in them (and especially what doesn't) please refer to these cover letter tips: How to write a cover letter | What not to put in a cover letter by Jed Hartman SUBMISSION FORMATTING We ONLY accept submissions as attachments! All stories submitted as an attachment must follow standard manuscript formatting. We will no longer read any story not properly formatted. (And we much prefer Courier New to Times New Roman) For explanations and tips on what SMF is and how to do it with word processing programs, please see this article. Please send your submission as an attachment in Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) or Rich Test Format (.rtf) only. Other formats, such as Works, WordPerfect, Open Office, etc., have proven difficult to open. Please note that we no longer accept "inline" submssions; that is, submissions...

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: $5 You know us as a publisher of amazing horror. But what you may not know is that Publishing Editor John Baltisberger worked as a Chef and in the Food Industry for most of his adult life prior to coming to us. So after much insistence from him we agreed to put out a cookbook. We are looking for and asking for your greatest food based horror stories. Pizza that causes mutation, a family roast whose stuffing brings your nightmares to life. The odd color that gives you a headache emanating from your left overs. This is not a cannibalism anthology, cannibalism is unlikely to be accepted unless it is completely unique in a fascinating way. Each story should feature a dish. The concept is that the reader will be able to read the story and then recreate the dish from the story (with some liberties for illegal/alien or weird ingredients. If you have a recipe to match that dish please include it, if you don’t, no worries. We’ll put our poor publishing editor back to work in the kitchen for you. We will not accept any stories about rape. Racism/Sexism/Bigotry of any form will never be accepted here. Stories over 1500 words preferred. (not including recipe) Double check your grammar and spelling. Format your story correctly. Please submit all stories in DOC/RTF format. We prefer stories that have not been published before. We prefer to avoid multiple and simultaneous submissions. We retain exclusive publishing rights for 12 months. We pay $5.00 for stories We provide a digital contributor copy free and at cost+shipping physical copies Rejection/Acceptance letters will be sent out when submissions have been closed. Submissions Will Close When Enough Stories Have Been Collected or on 12/31/19 Via: Madness Heart Press.

Deadline: December 31st, 2019 Payment: Pay rate will be an advance of a minimum of 8 cents per word w/royalties Zombies Need Brains LLC is accepting submissions to its three science fiction and fantasy anthologies APOCALYPTIC, GALACTIC STEW, and MY BATTERY IS LOW AND IT IS GETTING DARK. 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: WERE-: WereJellyfish Gone Wild!). The content of the email should also include which anthology the manuscript is intended for. Please send multiple manuscripts in separate emails; you may submit to any or all of the anthologies as many times as you wish. Manuscripts should be in manuscript format, meaning double-spaced, 12pt font, standard margins on top, bottom and sides, and pages numbered. Please use Times New 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. GALACTIC STEW is to feature stories involving food, whether it be poisoning, a cultural or societal ritual, a trade meeting over dinner, etc. We are attempting to fill half of the anthology with science fiction stories and half with fantasy stories. Stories featuring more interesting takes on the use of food regarding the story will receive more attention than those that are more mundane. Make certain the story is centered on the food!...