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Deadline: September 28th, 2020 Payment: Short Fiction (4,001-8,000 Words) – $5 Theme: Horror, thriller, and science fiction SUBMISSION GUIDELINES FORMAT: All submissions should follow proper manuscript format. Please attach all submissions in .doc or .docx format. We will not accept submissions embedded in the body of an email. Please adhere to standard manuscript guidelines (12-point font, Times New Roman, double spaced, etc). EMAIL: Please send your submissions to [email protected] Include what book your submitting for, your name, and your story title. WHAT WE WANT: We are primarily interested in Flash Fiction or Short Fiction submissions but are open to novellas and novels. We currently want short fiction work for our upcoming digest series. PAYMENT: Please understand that LDB is a very small publishing brand but because of that we put greater consideration into the stories submitted. Flash Fiction (1,500-4,000 Words) – FREE DIGITAL COPY Short Fiction (4,001-8,000 Words) – $5 + FREE DIGITAL COPY Anything larger than the Short Fiction format will be handled on a case-by-case basis. All contributors will receive a free digital or physical copy of their choosing for the books their work is featured in. RIGHTS: Little Demon Books will retain first publishing rights to short stories but the original creative copyright will remain with the author. The author is allowed to reprint their original work six months after first printing. Via: Little Demon Books.

Deadline: September 29th, 2020 Payment: $40.00 and contributors copy Theme: Stories must feature nightmare creatures and must be written in the horror genre. Do you want your story to appear in the next volume of the Better Off Dead Series? IF I DIE BEFORE I WAKE: Volume 4 Submission Guidelines ​ Please read carefully. Submissions that don't meet the guidelines will be automatically rejected. ​ All submissions will be reviewed after the submission deadline and chosen stories will be published in IF I DIE BEFORE I WAKE- TALES OF NIGHTMARE CREATURES - The Better Off Dead Series Volume 4, which will be released in the Spring of 2021 Submissions must be between 5,000 and 10,000 words Title, submitter's name, pen name (if different), word count and email address must be centered at the top of your submission Submissions must be 12 pt. Times New Roman font, double spaced with special first-line indentation of 0.5" Submissions must be in .Docx format with 1" margins all around Submissions should be clean and edited Submissions must feature nightmare creatures and must be written in the horror genre. Creatures can be classic creatures, like werewolves, vampires, or mummies, or can be entirely unique or fresh/new. Submissions cannot contain graphic sexual or rape scenes Submissions must not have been published elsewhere before in any medium The number of stories published will depend on word count of the chosen stories, but will be no less than ten stories and no more than twenty Authors may submit as many stories as they want for review, however, there will be a limit of one published story per author Simultaneous submissions are okay The deadline for submission is September 29th, 2020 Authors will be notified by October 31st, 2020 if their story was selected DON'T END UP IN THE SLUSH PILE! You worked...

Deadline: September 30th, 2020 Payment: Contributor's copy and an original book cover Note: I think I got to this call before it was fully formatted as some of the language in it is a bit awkward, unlike their previous call. Why are we doing this Anthology? My father used to say Well said, O, Toothless One as one of those typical dad jokes. When my dad for the second time with I knew I wanted to put something out into the world to celebrate my father. My dad is dyslexic like I am but he always supported me in my writing. I'm hoping he will get to see a few of these in the time he has left. Those judging the entries will be my sister who is my editor and my mother who along with being my Alpha reader is also a writer herself. I will also be part of the judging process and along with my sister will edit the anthology. When to submit? Submissions are open from now to the 3oth of September 2020. on 11th November 2020. What are we looking for? The genre is loose but Science fiction or Fantasy would fit fine with what I'm looking for but I will accept other genres as long as it fits in with the tone of the Anthology. The theme for 2019 is westerns. in a typical wild west setting or in a new frontier. If you can fit a nice guy winning and diversity those are things that appeal to me. It will be my family who will the stories as we want to pick stories that either reflects our father or something that would amuse him. So dad jokes allowed. jokes encouraged. Humour after in your piece. Keep it PG 13. Swearing and sex can but ....

Deadline: September 30th, 2020 Payment: $5 Theme: Well-written, spine-tingling tales of horror infused with black humor The ultimate creep fest! Compiled and edited by Gerri R. Gray (Graveyard Girls, Blood & Blasphemy), and published by Hellbound Books Publishing, this anthology is looking for well-written, spine-tingling tales of horror infused with black humor (gallows humor). We are open to all categories of horror: gore, psychological, killers, monsters, and occult/paranormal. Twisted and tacky is a plus. Undiscovered writers, as well as established voices, are welcome to submit their work. If you can creep us out and give us a laugh at the same time, we want to hear from you! Contributors are invited to send a bio (up to 250 words) with their submission. Multiple and simultaneous submissions are okay. PLEASE read and adhere to our submission guidelines...  * Word format saved in .doc, or .docx * 12 pt times new roman * Double spaced * Absolutely NO extra lines between paragraphs! * 2.5K - 8K word count * Write 'MADAME GRAY' along with your name and story title in the header of your email *The body of your submission email will be considered the cover letter. * The submission documents are to be separated and Word (.doc or .docx) documents are to be attached to your submission email. To submit, email your polished story to [email protected] - Make sure that you check your mss for grammar and punctuation, use our guidelines to help you: DOWNLOAD YOUR HBB GUIDE TO GRAMMAR HERE (PDF) Deadline: September 30th, 2020 NO REPRINTS - ORIGINAL UNPUBLISHED WORKS ONLY Payment: $5.00 for First Rights Capped at 120K words in total. Via: HellBound Books Publishing.

Deadline: September 30th, 2020 Payment: Based on word count: 5,000-8,000 – $75, 8,000-12,000 – $100, 12,000-15000: $125 Theme: How to fix our broken world The world is broken. Fires, hurricanes, famine and disease haunt the and. We all need a little hope. For this anthology, we’re looking for stories that depict a (near) future Earth that’s somehow better than this one, Show us a world post-climate change, where we made peace with the planet. Or a world where we moved past racism and into a broader understanding of the connectedness of all the races of humanity. How about one where gender no longer matters? Or where borders are no more. We’re not looking for preachy. We want realistic depictions of the Earth that could be, even it it’s not perfect. Whatever fix you choose does not have to be the main plot – in fact, it’s probably better if it isn’t. But it should be very clear in the story – how we got from here to there. The Details: Length: Minimum 5,000, Maximum 15,000 words Payment: Flat Fee: 5,000-8,000 – $75 8,000-12,000 – $100 12,000-15000: $125 Rights: 12 months exclusive print rights; additional 24 months non-exclusive. Sunsets at 36 months and all rights revert to author. Due Date: Closes September 30th, 2020 Publication Date: Winter 2020-21 Format: Please use standard manuscript formatting: 1 Inch Margins Font: Times New Roman 12 Point Double spaced Half inch indent at start of each paragraph (please do not use tabs for this) Otherwise we’re not all that picky. No cover letter is needed. Please include a short one paragraph summary of what your “fix” is. Please, no simultaneous submissions. Send your submissions to [email protected] with the subject line: Submission: Fix the World If you have any questions, email us at the link above. Via: Other Worlds Ink.

Deadline: September 30th, 2020 Payment: $10 Theme: A "strange mystery" about a holiday of your choice! It's tentatively titled "Strange Holiday Mysteries." Like most of our "Strange Mysteries" series, it will contain some 20 stories, each 3000 words. Submissions are open July, August and September, ending September 30. We hope to publish the book in October. What's different about this "Strange Mysteries" collection is that you writers choose which holiday on which you wish to base your story. As Associate Editor Arthur Sanchez says, "It doesn't have to be a major holiday. If your favorite is National Taco Day, go with it!" Send your submissions to [email protected]. . Be sure to include your email address and 50-100 word bio on your submission. We are paying (the usual) $10 per story. We can't consider submissions without a return email address. Happy writing! We offer here a selection from our Whortleberry Press Stylebook: (A stylebook is a collection of information setting out how a variety of language choices should be made in this publication.) Manuscript Submission: Please send manuscripts to [email protected]. Please put your email address at the upper left corner of your manuscript. Please put your name on your manuscript. Word count: 3000 words. (Yes, it used to be 5000, but we find readers like shorter stories.) Please re-read your story before sending it. You would be surprised at the number of stories rejected because of too many typos, indicating they were not read before being sent. Please do not use double spacing. Single is satisfactory. Please add your 50-100 word bio at the end of your story. Numerals: We spell out one through ten; after that, all are numerals. Thanks for reading our stylebook. We will now read your story with our best attention.. --Jean and Arthur Via: Whortleberry Press.

Deadline: September 30th, 2020 Payment: 8 cents per word Theme: The future of the East Asia region in an optimistic, positive way. We’re currently open to fiction submissions ONLY in the following categories: Open themed submissions call – open to all authors. For this call we’re seeking science fiction stories that envision the future of the East Asia region in an optimistic, positive way. No dystopias, please. You can interpret this widely, but the theme has to be at the core of the story. It isn’t enough that the story be merely set in the region. This call is open to all authors, other than that please follow all the guidelines below. Please mark the submissions as an “East Asia issue submission” in email subject line or cover letter. Deadline: September 30, 2020 We consider fiction of 500-10,000 words (under 5,000 words strongly preferred.) Translated fiction. Author or authorized translator may submit fiction  that has been previously published in source language but not in English. Fiction written by authors for whom English is not their first language and who reside outside of the following primarily English-speaking countries: – United States – United Kingdom – Canada – Australia – New Zealand – Ireland Please include the author’s primary language/country of residence and/or original publication info for translations in the cover letter. Submissions that do not include this information will not be read. We’re currently CLOSED to other unsolicited fiction submissions, but will eventually open to those as well. Please do not query regarding this; we will post an update here when a general reading window opens. We seek science fiction stories (no horror, fantasy, fan fiction, or erotica) of up to 10,000 words. Stories must not have appeared anywhere in English, including your personal blog, social media, or Patreon page. We acquire first world rights in the...

Deadline: September 30th, 2020 Payment: $5 Theme: Erotic Halloween with a happily ever after Halloween at home. Curled up on the couch with the lights down low. Mini horror movie marathons. Sexting with your partner(s) instead of Netflix and chill. It’s all going to look a little different this year. Too early, you say? Never. Halloween is every day for this editor. So in the spirit of getting a jump on things – pun intended – I’m putting out the 2020 Circlet Press Halloween Microfictions call for submissions a little early this year. The same rules apply with one little twist. Since everything is a hell fire this year let’s try and keep things positive. That means every submission needs to have either a HEA (Happily Ever After), or at least hint at an HEA. But they must still fit into the theme of Halloween/Autumn/October/Horror, and also be erotic as well as story/character driven. If you are unfamiliar with Circlet Press please have a look around our website to get a sense of what we do. As always, I especially encourage marginalized voices to send a submission. BIPOC, disabled, neurodivergent, and LGBTQ+ folks especially, though all are welcome to submit. Word count limit is 1,500. No fan fiction. No reprints. All characters must be of legal age to consent and consent must be clear within the story. Multiple submissions are okay. Please send as a Word doc or RTF (or in the body of the email) and follow standard manuscript formatting guidelines. The deadline is September 30th. Payment will be $5 and the author retains all rights. Please include a short bio with your submission. Send submissions to [email protected] Via: Circlet Press.

Deadline: September 30th, 2020 Payment: £10 Theme: Genies G is for Genies – Submissions open August 1st. Deadline September 30th. Forget the Genie from Aladdin. Think about wishes gone wrong, a disobedient genie, or even from the perspective of a disgruntled Djinn. SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR A-Z OF HORROR We are currently calling for submissions for a series of horror anthologies – The A-Z of Horror. The series will be based on a variety of themes and will consist of twenty-six books in total. We are looking for short horror stories, between 4000 and 8000 words, on each of the themes listed below. You may submit to more than one book, but we will only include a maximum of one story from each author, in each book. Being accepted into one book does not guarantee acceptance into one of the others. The story must be your own work, to which you hold the rights. The story must not be available elsewhere and, if accepted, we will hold the rights to it for three months from the date of publication. After that time, you may use the story however you wish. Any sub-genre of horror is suitable, even extreme, so long as the story fits the theme of that book and does not include anything which may unnecessarily cause offence (glorification of child abuse, rape, etc.). Payment for the story will be £10, to be paid by PayPal, as well as a contributor’s e-book of the finished book. Please send submissions in a Word document (ideally Times New Roman 12pt, single spaced) to [email protected] with the title of the book you are submitting to in the subject line. Please ensure you have included your name on the Word document. If you have any queries, feel free to get in touch using the Contact page. We...

Deadline: September 30th, 2020 Payment: Roughly $25 for stories under 1,000 words, $50 for stories between 1,000 and 5,000 words, $75 for stories between 5,000 and 7,500 words and $100, for stories of 7,500 words and over. Theme: sword and sorcery Heroic Fantasy Quarterly will be OPEN for submissions in September, 2020! Heroic Fantasy Quarterly is generally open to fiction and poetry submissions four months per year. The months you can submit are: March June September  December  If you submit fiction or poetry in any other month, you will receive an auto-response and your tale will not be reviewed. * * * As its name suggests, Heroic Fantasy Quarterly is a quarterly ezine dedicated to publishing heroic fantasy — in both prose and poetry. We are unrepentant in our goal of elevating unapologetic sword and sorcery to a rightful high place. We pay $100 for stories and $25 for poems, upon publication.  (Scroll down for info on art submissions.) We purchase first world English language electronic rights, electronic rights for 90 days, archival rights for twelve months, and excerpt rights. Our fiction word limit is a soft 10,000 words, although we are willing to serialize at a maximum of 50,000 words over four issues. You may submit up to three poems, with a cumulative maximum of 30 pages.   No simultaneous submissions, please. While we don’t have iron-clad rules regarding our fiction payment, we roughly pay $25 for stories under 1,000 words, $50 for stories between 1,000 and 5,000 words, $75 for stories between 5,000 and 7,500 words and $100, for stories of 7,500 words and over. Tolkienesque (as in really long) poetry epics/sagas/vedas will most likely be treated — and paid — like fiction. Similarly, prose pieces of fewer than 1,000 words will be paid at poetry’s standard rate of $25. Art: HFQ is looking for quality...

Deadline: September 30th, 2020 Payment: $75 Theme: The holiday season In Krampus Tales: A Killer Anthology, the holidays have lost their cheer. Evergreen boughs hang brown and brittle. Sweets taste bitter. The little ones are restless and will not sleep. There’s something stirring in the dark, but only the bravest writers will explore what horrors stalk across the rooftops. It could be a tempestuous ghost seeking its stolen past. Maybe it’s a malevolent shadow come for its sworn promises. Krampus might be lying in wait for his chance to punish the wicked children. The only way to find out is to brave the dark and tell the story of what you find. We will be accepting the twelve best submissions for inclusion in this anthology. Stories must take place during the holiday season and be part of the horror genre, but no excessive gore or adult content. Think YA or PG-13 horror rather than adult or R-rated horror. Please carefully consider your submission before you send it to us. Check for simple errors. Have a beta reader comb through it. Do everything you can to make us say yes. We are looking forward to seeing what you found in the dark. Submission Guidelines 1. Submissions are due on or before 11:59 a.m. PST on September 30, 2020. Please submit all stories to [email protected] with subject line JHP Krampus Tales Anthology and the title of your work. 2. All submissions must be in English and double spaced with 12-pt TNR font. 3. Please submit your story as a .docx file. Your name, the work’s title, and the work’s word count must be on the front page. Please also include a 50- to 100-word author’s bio with your submission. 4. Story length is 6,000 to 9,000 words. Your story must meet the minimum word count. Submissions below 6,000 words...

Deadline: October 1st, 2020 Payment: $10 Theme: This erotic horror anthology challenges you to come with a creepy but sexual narrative of furry characters transforming into objects. Swept Under the Fur Rug Deadline: October 1, 2020 Editor: Thurston Howl Word count: 2,500-8,000; a little above and a little below will be acceptable Furries and transformation narratives go hand in hand. Look at Bill Kieffer’s The Goat or Ajax Coriander’s Altered States for samples. But what is seldom written about are furry characters transforming into objects. This erotic horror anthology challenges you to come with a creepy but sexual narrative of furry characters transforming into objects. We want to see characters turned into fur rugs where the ex screws their new partner on top of them, toppy wolves who are too aggressive turned into living adult toys for their partner’s pleasure at choosing the pace, and homophobic furs who refuse to touch their partner’s dick turned into a chastity cage. The possibilities are endless! TIP FROM THE EDITOR: When I’m selecting the stories, the first thing I’ll do is weed out pieces that don’t match the brief. So make sure what you’ve written is 1. horrific, 2. erotic, 3. furry, and 4. involving a transformation from a furry to an object. Then I’ll select from there. So make sure you have all the required elements before submitting. Or else...you might be swept under the rug yourself. We will NOT accept: Racism, sexism, or discrimination presented in a positive light. Pedophilia or sex with characters under the age of 18 presented in a positive light. Rape, torture, dubious consent, forced seduction presented in a positive light. Snuff or Necrophilia presented in a positive light If you are in doubt, ASK. Better to ask then to get a straight up rejection! If you are unsure, just shoot...

Deadline: October 1st, 2020 Payment: Royalties Theme: Horror! - shipwrecks, your lost passengers and mysterious creatures. Tantalize me with gripping tales of horror and drown me in tears of sorrow as we discover what lies within the deepest crevasses of the ocean or in the innocent creek. It Calls From The Sea Submission Open: July 1, 2020 Submission Close: October 01, 2020 2:00 a.m. EST Publishing timeline: December 2020 Theme: Bring me your shipwrecks, your lost passengers and mysterious creatures. Tantalize me with gripping tales of horror and drown me in tears of sorrow as we discover what lies within the deepest crevasses of the ocean or in the innocent creek. ​ As with all our "It Calls From" Series this one is HORROR, so I want to be scared. Be it real or mythological creatures of lore that attacks, make our hearts race and our nightmares come alive. We also want it to be within our reality, so please keep your stories on our earth. If you are doing a future earth story, we would still like it within our relative timeline, so don't go too far into the future. ​ The ocean is deep, dark and vast. There are real dangers lurk not only below but above. Raging storms or unrelenting heat can create madness. ​ Storm drains and murky creek beds are also a great source of inspiration. ​ Word count: 1000 - 10000 (preferably over 2k under 8k but we will read all within these) ​ Compensation: Equal royalty split per story. Digital copy emailed to you. ​ Formatting guidelines: See our Submission Format guide below All fiction manuscripts should be in standard manuscript format. Most important: Pen name, title and email on top, double-spaced, 12 pt standard font (e.g. Times, Arial, Courier), and page numbers. ​ How to submit: CLICK THE VIA LINK BELOW AND USE...

Deadline: October 1st, 2020 Payment: One cent U.S. per word ($2 minimum) Theme: Fantastic Fiction You really NEED to read the description below. The Cafe Irreal is a quarterly webzine that presents a kind of fantastic fiction infrequently published in English. This fiction, which we would describe as irreal, resembles the work of writers such as Franz Kafka, Kobo Abe, Clarice Lispector and Jorge Luis Borges. As a type of fiction it rejects the tendency to portray people and places realistically and the need for a full resolution to the story; instead, it shows us a reality constantly being undermined. Therefore, we're interested in stories by writers who write about what they don't know, take us places we couldn't possibly go, and don't try to make us care about the characters. We would also suggest you take a look at the current issue, archives, and theory (especially the essay, "What is irrealism?") pages on this web site. We accept unsolicited fiction up to 2,000 words in length. Translations are welcome. There is no minimum length. We accept only electronic submissions via e-mail at [email protected]. We cannot, due to the various computer viruses and worms, accept attachments anymore, so please paste your story into the body of the e-mail. Also include your name, address, e-mail address, and a short bio in the text of the submission; please put the word "submission" in the subject heading of the e-mail to ensure that your submission doesn't get lost among all the spam. We pay an honorarium of one cent U.S. per word ($2 minimum) to buy first-time internet rights (the story will then be archived). Payment is made upon publication. PLEASE NOTE THAT WE DON'T ACCEPT SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS and are only interested in reprints in unusual cases (e.g., the story has appeared in print but...

Deadline: October 1st, 2020 Payment: 5% of the gross profit will be paid for each accepted story. These payments will be issued to you at quarterly intervals. Stories under 1,500 words will only receive 4% of the gross profit. Theme: Cthulhu Mythos stories set in the Arthurian world. Note: Reprints welcome “They were the pointed Saxon minuscules of the eighth or ninth century A.D., and brought with them memories of an uncouth time when under a fresh Christian veneer ancient faiths and ancient rites stirred stealthily, and the pale moon of Britain looked sometimes on strange deeds in the Roman ruins of Caerleon and Hexham, and by the towers along Hadrian’s crumbling wall.” —H.P. Lovecraft’s The Case of Charles Dexter Ward   The stars are right over Camelot. Despite Merlin’s arts, and the goodness of the land, the stars are right. Dread things rise up from the sea, worse than any Saxon. The ground grows cursed with strange colors. Strange cults proliferate through Logres. Shadows rise over Avalon. WHAT WE WANT Cthulhu Mythos stories set in the Arthurian world. THE ARTHURIAN “Arthur’s Kingdom, the Realm of Logres, the model of chivalry and right striving against the barbarism and evil which surrounded it and, at length, engulfed it” (Roger Lancelyn Green). We do, of course, want stories about the primary characters of the Arthurian world: Arthur, Merlin, Morgan, and the others. But we’re also interested in stories focusing on the less well-known personalities. In particular, we’d love stories about Bleys, Bors, Bertilak the Green Knight, Galahad, Kay, Palamedes, and Percival. When and where is the Arthurian world? Logres and its capitol, Camelot, are centered somewhere either in Wales or southern Britain—and extend up toward what we would today recognize as Scotland. It is somewhere roughly between 400-600 A.D. The cultural and technological level can...

Deadline: October 1st, 2020 Payment: $50 Theme: Essays on Mary Shelley’s work I’m inviting 9 authors to contribute 5,000 (max) word essays on Mary Shelley’s work (not limited to Frankenstein), and her life. This can also include others in her life, for example her mother Mary Wollstonecraft, or her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley, and how they influenced her work. I am also looking for internal artwork related to the theme (I’m hoping for 5 pieces to accompany the chapters). Payment will be $50 per essay and per artwork, respectively. This will be a book similar to ‘The Body Horror Book’, in that I will compile and edit each chapter. Submissions are open, and close October 1st; the book will be published in December. Contributors will receive an ebook and paperback copy. William Shunn manuscript format preferred. Please send any inquiries and submissions to [email protected] Good luck!

Deadline: October 1st, 2020 Payment: $0.01 / word and potential royalties Theme: Short fiction that veers into the numinous, the esoteric, the supernatural, and the weird UNDERLAND ARCANA is published four times a year, and is looking for previously unpublished short fiction that veers into the numinous, the esoteric, the supernatural, and the weird. We like these stories to be mildly speculative, fantastic, mysterious, and/or horrific (if you prefer genre tags). We’re not terribly keen on stories that splash through gore, but we don’t mind the grotesque. We prefer character-driven pieces, but will pause and admire works that are exceptionally experimental in tone, style, and presentation. We are actively interested in submissions from writers of underrepresented communities, including, but in no way limited to, writers of any gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, nationality, class, and physical or mental ability. We believe in the rich potential and diversity of humanity, and seek to have that belief reflected in the stories published in the ARCANA. In more concrete terms: stories should be under 5k in length, but special consideration will be given to longer pieces should the writing demand such attention. Please query before sending anything novella length. Submissions should be in .doc or .rtf formation. Stories must be compatible to both an online presentation and a print publication. Please submit your stories to [email protected], along with a brief cover letter that hits the highlights of your recent publishing adventures. READING PERIOD:  In parallel with our publication schedule, we will only be considering submissions during one of our open reading periods. The current reading period closes on October 1st, 2020. The next reading period is scheduled to open early in 2021. PAYMENT: Underland Arcana is paying $0.01 / word—up to 5,000 words—for publication on the website. Additional publication in other formats (ebook and collected print editions, for...

Deadline: October 1st, 2020 Payment: $25 and a contributor's copy Theme: Horror which takes place in Kentucky   NEW ANTHOLOGY FROM NIGHTMARE PRESS: KENTUCKY FRIED HORROR!!! Nightmare Press is now taking short story submissions for KENTUCKY FRIED HORROR. The theme is simple: short horror stories that take place in Kentucky, and you'll get bonus points if it reflects Kentucky culture. Anybody can submit - you don't have to be from the Bluegrass State to participate. Here are the details: What we want: Horror shorts that take place in Kentucky, 1000-5000 words, send it in a word doc or docx file attached to the email. Do not paste it in the body of the email. In the subject line, write KENTUCKY FRIED HORROR <title> <your name>. No more than one submission per person. Reprints are fine as long as you own the publishing rights to the story. What you get: $25 if accepted, a contributor's copy of the book, the opportunity to purchase copies at cost (including shipping and taxes). When and where: You have time for this one. The deadline is October 1st. Email your submissions to [email protected]. Two other points: We will not ask for exclusivity for more than 30 days after publication. Also, if your story is a reprint and has previously been edited elsewhere, we reserve the right to edit the story again. We know some authors have issue with reprints being re-edited because they want the story to remain the same across all publications, so if that is a problem, do not submit your reprint. If you are okay with Nightmare Press re-editing the story, then by all means, please submit it. We look forward to seeing how frightening you all can make Kentucky.

Deadline: October 2nd, 2020 Payment: 6 cents per word for original, 2 cents for reprints Theme: 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 welcome     Submissions Schedule We have a new submissions schedule as of June 1, 2020: The first and second day of every month, 12 am of the 1st to 12 am of the 3rd, E.S.T. Only one submission per person. For reading impaired individuals, our submissions manager and ‘forget password’ have a captcha compatible with screen readers. 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. For new poetry, we pay $1 a line, reprints would be 50¢ a line, up to 40 lines. We’ll look at longer poems but that would be a hard sell, and words over 40 lines would be paid at 6¢ per word. We began The Kepler Award 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. You can read a copy of our standard contract here.   It can be varied as needed to include the rights of translators, voice actors, etc. Writers Guidelines We accept new work as well as reprints, prose and poetry, anywhere from 1000 word flash fiction on up, but all else being equal, shorter pieces will be favored.   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 —...

Deadline: October 5th, 2020 Payment: $10USD Theme: Science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, or steampunk stories featuring pirates. Zombie Pirate Publishing is seeking short stories 2,000-7,000 words long for PIRATES OF THE EMPYREAN. Science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, or steampunk stories featuring pirates. Send us your tales of swashbuckling adventure set against space, sky, or sea. Submissions close 5th Oct 2020. Successful submissions will recieve $10USD, an ebook copy, and access to heavily discounted paperback copies. Send your stories to [email protected] No simultaneous submissions or reprints. SUBMIT YOUR STORY Submitting to Zombie Pirate Publishing is easy. Simply email your manuscript to [email protected] following the submission guidelines at the bottom of this page. We DO NOT accept reprints or simultaneous submissions. Your email should have your name, the story title, the word count, and the anthology you are submitting towards in the header and the body of the email. The attached word document should be labeled with this information as well. For example: 'Daddy-Adam Bennett-Full Metal Horror 2-6500 words.doc' Your submission should have a Word document attached to your email. Do not paste the story into the body of your email. Most programs including Google Docs will allow you to save your finalised work as a word document before submission. If you are unsure exactly what to do to set up your file correctly, download this document before you start writing. It is set up to be ready to go ASAP. Simply highlight the title, or author name or body of the document to replace with your own text. Google Docs version is available here for those without Word. Simply copy the document and change the name, and then click the 'download as' option in the file menu, and select word doc. This will save as a word document which you can then attach to your email.    ...

Deadline: October 7th, 2020 Payment: 8 cents per word Theme: Original fantasy and dark fantasy stories. All types of fantasy and dark fantasy are welcome. SUBMISSION PROCEDURES Submission Periods: Fantasy is open to submissions the first week of every month (1st-7th). Please do not query about submitting outside our open submission periods. Anonymous Submissions: Fantasy only accepts anonymous submissions. Do not include your name, address, phone number, or other similar identifiers on the manuscript. All original short fiction, flash fiction, and poetry submissions will be read anonymously on first read: moving out of slush depends on the merits of the story alone. Please make sure the title is on the manuscript. Simultaneous and Multiple Submissions: We do not accept simultaneous submissions or multiple submissions. Please do not submit more than one set of poems at a time, more than one piece of flash fiction at a time, or more than one story at a time. You may, however, submit a single entry in each category at the same time: you can submit one batch of poems, one flash fiction piece, and one short story all at the same (or overlapping) time, and each category will be considered a separate submission. If we are already considering work in any given category, please wait until you have received an acceptance or rejection before submitting again in that same category. Instructions: All fiction must be submitted through our Moksha online submission system. Please do not email your submissions. If one of the Submission Type options is grayed out, that means we are currently closed to that Submission Type. Questions/Problems: Email [email protected] for all submission-related inquiries, or if you have any trouble using our online submission system. Please do not email your submissions to this address. All submissions must be submitted via our Moksha online submission system. Rejections/Response Times: Be aware that we expect to receive several hundred submissions during...

Deadline: October 8th, 2020 Payment: $10 Theme: Halloween! Tales from the Moonlit Path publishes dark, eerie, speculative stories. Horror is not a necessary element, although fiction should contain some aspect of the weak, frail, changeable human condition. Gore and explicit sex for the sake of visceral shock will not find a home here, though we are not opposed to it in general, if it belongs in the story. We are interested in character-driven stories more so than plot-driven, and we prefer dark fiction that makes us think, makes us feel, wraps us in its well-spun dream. Hard sci-fi and fantasy are a hard sell for us, but not impossible. Although we would love to publish fiction longer than 2,000 words, it is our experience that reading stories longer than that on a monitor can be tiresome and hard on the eyes. So please, fiction must be no longer than 2,000 words. Please include a short cover letter with your story, your name, email address, paypal information for payment, word count (please make sure an accurate word count is included in your short cover letter) and bio if we choose to publish your work. We accept email submissions only at [email protected]. WE DO NOT ACCEPT ATTACHMENTS. If your story is attached, it will be deleted unread. Please submit your story embedded within the email, with this format in the subject line: Your last name: Fiction-submission. We do NOT send received notifications for fiction submissions but feel free to query us after six weeks if you have not heard back from us for a status update. For poetry guidelines, please submit them to: [email protected] and embed the poetry in the body of the email. Please only submit 3-5 poems at a time. Please format your subject line: Your last name: Moonlit Path Poetry-submission. For full poetry guidelines, please...

Deadline: October 15th,2020 Payment: Contributor's Copy Theme: Fill in the blank for your story title and the story HAS to be about it! Note: Reprints welcome Thurston Howl Publications is now accepting submissions for its sixth volume of its HOWLERS series, Attack of the Killer____. ​ Deadline: October 15,2020 Word count: 2,500-8,000; a little above and a little below will be acceptable. ​ If Stephen King has taught us anything over the past several decades, it's that we shouldn't trust anything in the world around us. Clowns, car, chattery teeth, disembodied fingers, St. Bernards, little girls, old people in their RVs, antique cameras, antique stores, and Kindles all have the potential for evil. This anthology challenges you to fill in the titular blank yourself! We welcome all flavor of horror stories: sci fi, erotic, campy, serious, body horror, Lovecraftian, Poe, King, etc. BUT the title of your story has to be what goes in the blank. For example, you could name your story "Sex Machine," implying your story could be read as "Attack of the Killer Sex Machine." We will take preference with stories that are unique. Don't just write another killer doll story or another killer dog story, unless your story genuinely has a unique take on the that trope. ​ We will NOT accept: Racism, sexism, or discrimination presented in a positive light. Pedophilia or sex with characters under the age of 18 presented in a positive light. Rape, torture, dubious consent, forced seduction presented in a positive light. Snuff or necrophilia presented in a positive light. ​ If you are in doubt, ASK. Better to ask then to get a straight up rejection! If you are unsure, just me an email at [email protected] (restrictions borrowed from Voice: https://t.co/MWykJ6RY36) ​ Submit stories via Submittable at https://weaselpress.submittable.com/submit/163952/attack-of-the-killer ​ You can submit up to...

Deadline: October 15th, 2020 Payment: $20 per story Theme: Electric Spec prefers science fiction, fantasy, and the macabre, but we're willing to push the limits of traditional forms of these genres. 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...

Deadline: October 15th, 2020 Payment: $200 per poem and a complimentary print subscription Theme: Neurodiversity #71 – Spring 2021 – Neurodiversity Poetry: Our Spring 2021 issue will feature a tribute to neurodiversity. Neurodiversity is a concept that respects neurological differences as variations of the human brain and seeks to redefine these variations in a positive way, rather than stigmatizing them. ADHD, Dyslexia, Autistic Spectrum, and Tourette Syndrome fall under the umbrella of neurodiversity, to name a few. For the purpose of this issue, we encourage submissions from people with neurological differences who support, and/or identify with, the idea of neurodiversity. Poems may be written on any subject, in any style or length, but the poet must be a person with neurological differences. Our intention is to highlight a diverse and powerful community of writers that is often marginalized and mischaracterized. Please be sure to select the Tribute to Neurodiversity category. Artwork: We still need cover art for this issue and would like to use work by an artist who identifies as neurodiverse. To submit something relevant to the theme, use the artwork category on Submittable. Deadline: October 15, 2020 Via: Rattle.

Deadline: October 15th, 2020 Payment: 6 cents per word Theme: Secret identities and beyond UnMasked: Stories of Risk and Revelation   When the mask comes off, can you handle what’s underneath? When your secret identity is revealed ... When the hero comes out to play ... When the monster is unleashed ... Masks have existed throughout history, from the tribal masks of gods, to the iconic masks of tragedy and comedy, to the iron masks of prisoners. Villains wear masks to commit crimes, heroes wear masks to protect those they love, others wear masks to block disease. Some masks confer power; others rein it in. Does the true face hide beneath the mask, or is it the mask itself? What happens when the mask comes off? We want you to tell us. Perhaps your character is a mask collector who buys a mask that is more than he bargained for, or a coroner wearing a protective mask to perform an alien autopsy. The plague mask she inherited from her great-uncle seduces her to evil whenever she puts it on. We seek stories that explore the masks we wear, the mysteries they conceal, and the price we pay when they’re stripped away. Unmasking, whether literal or figurative, must be integral to the story. Funny or grim, unsettling or cozy, we expect the unexpected. Pull back the mask and reveal your insights, your character-driven tales, and stories that will make us think. Genre: Original short stories of unmasking, to include a mix of science fiction, fantasy, horror, alien, magical, witchcraft, AI, and romance elements. Must be appropriate for a “PG-13” audience. Please, no copyrighted characters.  Length: up to 5000 words Rate: 6¢/word on acceptance. Rights: First Anthology Rights and audio rights; exclusive publication rights revert to author one month after publication; publisher retains non-exclusive right to include in the anthology...

Deadline: October 15th, 2020 Payment: $10 for fiction $5 for poetry Theme: Regional legends and tall-tales from around the World. War Monkey Publications, LLC, is pleased to announce open submissions for our upcoming anthology: FROM THE YONDER Volume II A horror, short-story collection of regional legends and tall-tales from around the World. Our Staff so loved working on the first volume, we've decided to keep doing it.   We are seeking short story submissions (1000-7500 words) for this anthology. The stories must be based upon a regional/cultural legend or tall-tale from any location or culture in the World. “Regional” can be a specific place (Loch Ness) or a larger region (Bigfoot in the Pacific Northwest). We are seeking stories in the horror genre. Inclusion of elements of other genres is welcome, so long as, overall, the story is an horror story. The subject of the story can be based on any legend, so long as it has a horrific flavor. Ghosts, hauntings, alien abductions, monsters, demons, spirits, witches, etc, all are acceptable, as long as the subject is based on an actual legend or tall-tale. We want an original story involving the legend. Don’t rehash the legend itself or write an essay on the tall-tale. Instead, for example, WOW us with a new fable of some poor unfortunate who finds out that legends are sometimes all too real. For more examples; read FROM THE YONDER; Volume I (published in February 2020) Please DO NOT: ~Extrapolate relationships that do not exist in the actual legends. Nessie can be a horrific monster, but she is not a servant of the Elder Gods (no matter how much we love Eldritch horror). ~Attribute characteristics or powers that do not exist in the actual legends. Jack-a-Lopes are cool, but they aren’t going to eat you...

Deadline: October 26, 2020 Payment: $10 for every 1,000 words Theme: the creepy, the weird and the unsettling Note: This is an ongoing anthology series with 3 volumes already out Note: Out of print reprints accepted Scare Street is accepting submissions for short horror stories with a focus on ghosts, the supernatural, paranormal, monsters, and dark tales. Short stories must be 3,000-7,000 words and will be included in our Night Terrors anthologies consisting of ~65,000 words each. These stories will be published in e-book, print, and audio formats in English within 6 months after the submissions close date. Based on reader reception, we may also publish them in e-book, print, and audio formats in German and Spanish. WHO ARE WE? Scare Street is a horror publishing company dedicated to helping fellow horror lovers experience sleepless nights. We’ve been around since September 2015 and have published 190+ e-book and paperback titles along with 140+ audiobooks (and counting!). WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU? Get visibility from thousands of horror readers. We will promote your work on our email list (13,000+ subscribers), Facebook Page (19,000+ followers), Facebook Group (9,500+ members), Pinterest (500k+ monthly views) and the rest of our social media channels. Afterwards, thousands of readers on Amazon and other retailers will organically find your stories. Our first few volumes clenched the top 3 new release spots in horror anthologies category and continue to be found on the first page of various horror categories. Work with an experienced publisher. We’ve been publishing high-quality manuscripts, non-stop for 5 years. We’ve ironed out the kinks and know what it takes to bring stories to the masses, operationally. And we know a few things about getting your stories read, too! Distribution in e-book, print, and audio formats, in various languages. You’ll also receive a complimentary digital e-book and audio formats...

Deadline: October 30th, 2020 Payment: $5 Theme: Mezo-American/Latinx Authors and Stories Note: Reprints welcome In ‘Corners of the World’ collections we showcase writers and authors from all around the world, each collection focuses on a different subset of people from different cultures. Giving their unique voices and stories a chance to shine. For these collections, we want to bring the folk stories and societies to life in stark horror through the eyes of those who inhabit them. Theme – Mezo-American/Latinx Authors and Stories This year we are looking for Latinx and Mezo-American authors to submit stories that pertain to the legends, folklore, culture, and fears that exist within and surround the cultures of Central and South America, as well as those that have emigrated to North America bringing their stories with them. We HIGHLY recommend you pick up a copy of “Of The Book” our last volume. We are more interested in the authenticity of voice than the fear factor. Please note in your cover letter if you have your story in English & Spanish, only in Spanish or only in English. Currently Open – Will Close When We Have Enough Stories Violence, sex, and gore must be pertinent and interesting to the story. Rape is never acceptable. Anything too gratuitous will be rejected. Racism/Sexism/Bigotry of any form will never be accepted here. Double-check your grammar and spelling. Format your story correctly. Please submit all stories in DOC/RTF format. Reprints are ok. Please include a small bio that includes your own connection to the Latin-American people or culture. We retain exclusive publishing rights for 12 months. We pay $5.00 for stories Deadline is 10.30.20 –  We give this a long submission time due to the narrow nature of our search. Once we have all the stories we need we close submissions. Via: Madness Heart Press.

Deadline: October 30th, 2020 Payment: Royalties Theme: Weird fiction Note: Most paying open calls from Black Hare Press first require authors do have been previously printed with them, this one does not. Submission Deadline : 30th October 2020 Anthology : WEIRD FICTION SERIES Title : WEIRD FICTION Theme : Weird fiction Word count : Around 5,000 Author eligibility : Open to all Reprints : Not allowed Simultaneous Submissions : Not allowed Multiple Submissions : Maximum of two Publication : Expected to release 2021 in Print and Digital formats Author compensation : Royalty split, plus one digital copy How to submit : See our submission guidelines for formatting. Send your story and bio as an attachment in Word format to  [email protected]. Please include wordcount in email body. Your email subject and document name should be Anthology Name – Your Story Name – Author Name. For example; “WEIRD– My Story – A N Author” Please include an author bio of upto 100 words and no more than two links. Via: Black Hare Press.

Deadline: October 31st, 2020 Payment: $10 Theme: Gothic Romances GOTHIC ROMANCES of old featured a female protagonist dealing with a terrifying ordeal while struggling to be with her true love. Set against dark backgrounds of medieval ruins or haunted castles, the love interest was either a brooding handsome gentleman or a supernatural monster disguised as a gentleman. Following the example of such works as Northanger Abbey, Phantom of the Opera, The Grey Woman, Dracula, The Woman in White, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Witch House and the like, we want your darkest, creepiest horror love story. Although we crave gothic romance style, don’t feel the need to paint a damsel in distress. The woman may certainly be the one who saves the day. We are also open to LBGTQ love stories. The main plot should be horror and romance. We don’t like stories written specifically with social or political agendas. Sensual or passionate stories are acceptable but we don’t want erotica or sexually-based stories. No rape. The editor likes horror. Be careful of sci-fi creatures or anything that sways sci-fi or fantasy. Stories MUST contain: An overwhelming sense of menace and dread. Horror must be just as much a part of the story as romance. Inclement weather.  ie…fog, rain, snow, hurricane.  A supernatural horror being or entity. ie…ghost, monster, vampire, werewolf. Being can be the hero, anti-hero, or the being they are battling against. Just remember the editor likes horror. Be careful of sci-fi creatures or anything that sways sci-fi or fantasy. Set in a spooky location. ie…ghostly gatehouse, haunted lighthouse, dilapidated abbey, crumbling cathedral, terrifying tower, cursed castle, decaying plantation. Time period 1700-1940. We are looking for the classic gothic romance feeling in whatever time period you choose. Also, if writing a diverse character, please set to time period standards. Know your world, what the political/social rules were...

Deadline: October 31st, 2020 Payment: Contributor's copy Theme: The afterlife's bodyguard A Sinister Collection of Short Stories Zimbell House is holding open submissions for short stories from the point of view of the afterlife’s bounty hunter. Your story must include: which side the debt collector works for, what the debt to be collected is, the consequences at stake, how the afterlife system works, and most importantly, be from the point of view of the debt collector. Does he/she love or hate his/her job? Is he/she up for a promotion, due for a vacation? What’s in it for the collector-is it just a job or something more sinister? Please keep foul language to a minimum-it loses its punch if over-used. Dialogue needs to be believable, and please keep dialects/slang to a bare minimum if you must use them. No head-hopping or POV changes. Pick one point of view and stick with it. Please show more of the action than just telling the reader what happens. Submissions of both short stories and novellas to this anthology are welcome, please keep in mind the minimum word count is 4,500 and the maximum word count is 19,500. This anthology is a great opportunity to showcase emerging writers and allow them to build their professional platforms. Submission Deadline: October 31, 2020, with a targeted release date of early January 2021. Submit your best work. Poorly formatted and unedited work will be turned down. Please use Americanized English spellings. We will be doing light editing as necessary to fit the standards we strive to maintain. Submission Guidelines: Any work under 4,500 words will be automatically disqualified for this anthology. The work must not have appeared in print or online anywhere before. All submissions must be in English. Each author may submit up to three (3) unique works—please submit them separately. Work...

Deadline: October 31 2020 Payment: $0.01 CAD per word to an upper limit of 4000 words. Theme: Stories of mythology inspired by any and all cultures, from the classic stories of Greek gods, to Celtic and African-inspired myths, to adaptations of modern mythology-inspired works like HP Lovecraft! Note: Canadian authors only Over the last five years, the From the Rock series has become one of the preeminent anthology series’ in Atlantic Canada. We have been home to some amazing established talent and helped some new authors break through that have gone on to dominate their fields, becoming genre bestsellers in their own right. From the Rock is a title readers consistently ask for, review well, and is a great way for avid readers to get introduced to indie talent they might find interesting. In 2018 the series’ third entry, Chillers from the Rock, went Bestseller on pre-orders alone! We are currently accepting submissions for the seventh entry in this series: Mythology from the Rock, to be available in Winter of 2021. Editors Ellen Curtis and Erin Vance are scheduled to return to helm the project. Many authors have expressed interest, but anyone can submit to be a part of this collection! Deadline is October 31 2020, but get your stories in as quick as you can, as it gives our wonderful editors more time to work with you and make sure it is as good as it can possibly be! We’re looking for stories of mythology inspired by any and all cultures, from the classic stories of Greek gods, to Celtic and African-inspired myths, to adaptations of modern mythology-inspired works like HP Lovecraft! What is the target audience? For this specific collection, we’re going for an equivalent of PG to PG-13. Rather than limit our authors creatively, we encourage them to write from the heart and allow us...

Deadline: October 31st, 2020 Payment: Poetry – $10, Flash – $15, Short Fiction – $20, Novelette – $35 Theme: Wasatch Witches. Note: Must be connected to Utah somehow to submit Calling all horror writers! Submissions are now OPEN for the Utah Horror Writers 7th annual anthology! Utah Horror Writers is proud to announce its seventh annual horror anthology and call for submissions! Following the success of our previous six anthologies, we’re pleased to announce this year’s theme: Wasatch Witches. Submissions will be accepted from now until 11:59 PM (Mountain) on October 31, 2020. We’re looking for well-written stories and poems involving witches or witchcraft, and which are set firmly within the horror genre. A connection to Utah is required, either on the part of the author or the work itself. If you’re not sure whether you or your work would qualify, please contact us at [email protected]. Entries will be judged on compliance with submission requirements, the quality of writing, originality, creativity, and the inclusion of thematic elements, specifically Horror and the overarching theme of witches/witchcraft. Gratuitous erotica, gore, profanity, as well as manuscripts promoting drug abuse, child abuse, illegal activities, or self-harm will only be considered if the gratuities are critical to the story itself; otherwise, please do not try to cover up bad writing with shock. Remember: the genre for your story, poems, and/or visual art should be Horror. Elements of other genres – Western, Paranormal, Speculative, Dystopian, Magic Realism, Gothic, etc. – are acceptable as long as they are only elements that contribute to the overall genre of Horror. If you are unclear on what horror and other genres are, see Writer’s Digest’s Definition of Fiction Categories and Genres: http://resources.writersonlineworkshops.com/resources/definitions-of-fiction-categories-and-genres/ Writers must also be willing to work with editorial staff to revise their work to meet publication standards. WASATCH WITCHES: A...

Deadline: October 31st, 2020 Payment: Contributors Copy and an unknown amount Theme: Queer memoirs deepened, amplified, illuminated, and (re)considered through the lens of a various horror movies Horror movies hold a complicated space in the hearts of the queer community: historically misogynist, and more than occasionally homo- and transphobic, the genre has also been inadvertently feminist and open to queer readings, thanks to tropes such as: the circumspect and resilient “final girl,” body possession, costumed villains, secret identities, things that go bump in the closet. Horror films have also been, for many of us, a safe space where our closeted selves could hide in plain sight among our cis, heteronormative peers and, for two hours in the dark, share in the camaraderie of fear and vulnerability without giving ourselves away… It Came from the Closet will be, at its core, a strong and eclectic collection of queer memoirs deepened, amplified, illuminated, and (re)considered through the lens of a various horror movies (international, obscure, classic, mainstream – open to all!). Submissions should be personal essay/memoir/creative nonfiction ranging from 2500-7500 words, though length and format/structure are flexible if the writing calls for it. We are committed to inclusivity along the LGBTQIA spectrum, particularly QTBIPOC voices. Previously unpublished work preferred. Final Submission Deadline: October 31, 2020. Contributor Payment: All contributors will receive a copy of It Came from the Closet upon publication and a modest honorarium (amount TBD). Send queries, pitches, questions, and submissions to: [email protected] Via: Lambda Literary.

Deadline: October 31st, 2020 Payment: $10 for short stories (3000-8000 words, not for shorter work.) Theme: The monsters that come after the apocalypse Working Title: Apocalyptic Monsters ​Deadline: Oct 31st or When Full Premise: The human world has ended, done in by a pandemic, global warming, or maybe a nuclear bomb—spin the wheel of destruction and see what pops up! Out of the ashes, creatures of shadow and myth claim new dominion. Whether it is vampires fighting over the last remains of human cattle to survive, werewolves trying to rebuild a more Earth friendly society, or cthulian nightmares commiserating over a game of poker how they missed their window to enjoy human suffering, we want to see how the dead world fares under new management! The theme is horror/monster fiction, but some elements of romance or humor are welcome. Length Accepted: Drabble, Flash, and Shorts. Author eligibility: Open to all Reprints Allowed: No Simultaneous Submissions Allowed: No Multiple Submissions: See guidelines and story lengths for the number of submissions per pen name. Publication: TBA Submission Guidelines ​ Unless otherwise stated, all submissions should be sent to [email protected] Please fill the subject line as follows:  “SUBMISSION CALL – Author Name – Story Title” ​ Address the email to WTP for a general submission, or a specific editor if you choose (some calls will be run by different individuals). Length ​ Drabble = EXACTLY 100 words. Excludes title and author. Hyphenated words count as 1. Scene break markers and em-dashes are also excluded. No more than 5 drabbles per Pen Name per submission project. These may be submitted at the same time if connected to one another, but all must stand alone as they are likely to be separated from one another in a given anthology.   Flash = 500 -1000 words. Excludes title and author. Hyphenated...

Deadline: October 31st, 2020 Payment: $60 USD for fiction and $30 USD for poetry Theme: Speculative fiction of all types Fiction and Poetry Guidelines Arsenika is looking for previously unpublished original fiction and poetry up to 1,000 words long. Submissions may be in English, Spanish, and/or Chinese. Any submissions not in English will be translated by S. Qiouyi Lu. Se puede enviarnos obras en español. Si publicamos su obra, S. Qiouyi Lu la traducirá al inglés. 我們歡迎繁體和簡體中文的作品。如果我們出版您的作品，陸秋逸會替您翻譯成英文版。 我们欢迎繁体和简体中文的作品。如果我们出版您的作品，陆秋逸会替您翻译成英文版。 Payment is $60 USD for fiction and $30 USD for poetry for first world electronic rights and non-exclusive audio rights. We hope to raise the poetry rate to $60 as well in the future. Submit no more than two flash fiction pieces and five poems at a time, and please make sure you fill out the form again for each piece you send, unless the pieces are meant to be read together (e.g. a triptych of poems). Format poetry exactly as you would like to see it online—use italics for italics, underlines for underlines, boldface for boldface, etc. Send only TXT, RTF, DOC, and DOCX files. Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Multiple submissions are allowed, but please have no more than two flash fiction pieces and five poems in the submissions queue at a time. We try to respond to all submissions within 30 days. If you haven’t heard from us in 90 days, please send us a query at [email protected]. Our secondary email address is [email protected]. Remember: Don’t self-reject. We use Moksha to manage submissions. If you are ready to submit, please use the button below to reach our Moksha page. Do not email submissions. Submit to Arsenika Reprints Arsenika does not accept unsolicited reprints. Payment is $30 upon acceptance. Art Arsenika pays $100 for reprint art. Please feel free to query us at [email protected] with a link to your portfolio. Questions Q. Can I submit multiple times per submissions period? A....

Deadline: October 31st, 2020 Payment: $0.08/word Theme: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any genre in between or around it, as long as there’s a speculative element. General Information khōréō is a quarterly publication of stories, essays, and art: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any genre in between or around it, as long as there’s a speculative element. We’re especially interested in writing and art that explores the impact of human or cultural migration, whether voluntary or forced, peaceful or forceful. Examples include themes of immigration, diaspora, and anti-colonialism, as well as more metaphorical interpretations of the term. Most importantly, we’re a new magazine and we’re still finding our identity: therefore, please don’t self-reject because you’re not sure if your work is a good fit. We won’t know until we see it, so please give us a chance to look! Who can submit? khōréō is dedicated to diversity and amplifying the voices of immigrant and diaspora authors and artists. We welcome, but do not require, a brief description of the author’s/artist’s identity in their cover letter. We invite you to submit if you identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms. This includes, but is not limited to, first- and second-generation immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, persons who identify with one or more diaspora communities, persons who have been displaced or whose heritage has been erased due to colonialism/imperialism, and anyone whose heritage and history includes ‘here and elsewhere’. We especially encourage BIPOC creators who identify as the above to submit their work. When reading submissions, we take in good faith that you identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora as described above. If you still aren’t sure if you should submit, please email [email protected]. We kindly request individuals who do not identify as such to support the magazine...

Deadline: October 31st, 2020 Payment: $25.00 Theme: Short horror stories Note: Sorry for the short deadline! Just saw this one There’s nothing better than a short, sharp slice of flash fiction to get the mind working. 99 Tiny Terrors is an anthology that the reader can dip into for something deliciously dangerous in a short amount of time or spend an afternoon trolling through blood soaked stories from all over. There’s nothing better than a short, sharp slice of flash fiction to get the mind working. 99 Tiny Terrors is an anthology that the reader can dip into for something deliciously dangerous in a short amount of time or spend an afternoon trolling through blood soaked stories from all over. Simultaneous and Multiple Submissions: We do not accept simultaneous submissions. We will allow up to two (2) submissions per author. Note: only one can be accepted. Instructions: All fiction must be submitted through our Moksha online submission system. Please do not email your submissions. Manuscript must be in either .RTF, .DOC, or .DOCX format. Submit your manuscript in double-spaced Times New Roman or Courier font. Please include your byline as you’d like it to appear in publication. Keep your cover letter short and sweet. The Editor wants your story to do the talking. Crunchy bits: • Limited time open call: October 1-31. • Flash fiction wordcount: 500-1000 (firm) • Genre: Any flavor of horror. • Payment: $25.00 • Rights: Non-exclusive (story will only be published as part of the anthology as a whole) print, ebook, and audio rights in all languages throughout the world. What the Editor is looking for: • Neat twists or unexpected turns. • Atmospheric or unusual settings. • Stories that stick with the reader. • The Editor favors supernatural elements but you’re not restricted to that....

Deadline: October 31st, 2020 Payment: $100 Theme: Time Travelers and Secret Agents FICTION SUBMISSION AND AUTHOR GUIDELINES The theme of Issue 1 is Time Travelers and Secret Agents. We are currently looking for stories that at least loosely fit into those categories, or concern alternate dimensions. What We Want The absolute best literature possible in the field of fantastic stories. The greatest emphasis of this magazine is the quality of writing. Whether an orthodox narrative tale, a dreamlike vignette, or a poetical prose scene, a story should be comprehensible on some level, stay truthful to the literary world that the author has created, and be pleasing or satisfying. Any type of science fiction or fantasy story is acceptable, such as a subtle metaphysical or surreal modern tale, a dark fantasy thriller, a science fiction mystery, or an imaginary world fantasy adventure. We hope for stories that are either fantastic with at least a hint of eroticism or erotic stories that have at least a hint of the fantastic. In terms of quality, some examples would be stories by Jorge Luis Borges, Fritz Leiber, Catherine Lucille Moore, Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury, Michael Moorcock, Jody Scott, Anne Rice, Robert Aickman, Jack Vance, Conrad Aiken, Giovanni Boccaccio, and Shirley Jackson. Comics would be work by creators such Moebius, Manara, or Esteban Maroto.  In TV or film, examples are harder to come by, as the mainstream has little true erotic content, and such non-mainstream work tends toward adult content or horror. A few examples of work that is erotic or contains erotic elements would be TV shows like Aeon Flux: The Animated Series or Lexx, and movies like Lair of the White Worm, Barbarella, The 10th Victim, Logan’s Run, or Danger Diabolik. Erotic Content Sexy Fantastic is looking for stories that deal frankly with...

Deadline: October 31st, 2020 Payment: $8 Theme: Love gone wrong Note: The author submitting MUST BE FEMALE (or identify as female). Deadline: Oct. 31, 2020 Payment: $8 flat fee per story (author must have a valid PayPal address as that will be used for payment) Publisher: Twisted Wing Productions Theme: Love Gone Wrong The theme can explore ANY type of love: romantic or platonic, obsessive, mother/daughter/son relationship, father/daughter/son, bestfriends, siblings, unrequited love, loss of love, falling in love with the wrong person, addiction, love/attachment for a specific place, location or building, student/teacher relationship, etc. The genre is HORROR. Stories MUST have elements of horror in them. The author submitting MUST BE FEMALE (or identify as female). The author must retain full rights to the work intended for our consideration and that the work itself is complete and not published anywhere else (including personal websites or social media). Having been previously published isn’t a requirement, if you have a compelling story, send it to us! Format: Word doc, 12 font, double space Times New Roman. Not a reprint. We are asking for exclusive first worldwide electronic and print rights for 18 months and the right to keep the story in print, and nonexclusive right to continue to publish for the life of the anthology. We do not place any limits on what the author does with the story after the exclusivity period. We are not looking for poetry or screenplays. Bonus: Characters in stories are own voices, POC, or LGBTQ Submission method: Please send story as an attachment (.doc or docx. Only) to azzurranoxyahoo.com Please include the following with your submission: Author (Legal Name) Pen name (if applicable) Email Story Title Word Count Third person biography The anthology will be published both in e-book and print formats with an estimated publication date of February 2021. Via: Azurra Nox.

Deadline: October 31st, 2020 Payment: 8 cents a word Theme: Interesting takes on how science will change our lives, see below for examples! Science fiction often thinks about the technology and science without considering the ways social structures will change as tech changes — or not. What will relationships look like in the future when we have complications like clones, uploaded intelligences, artificial brains, or body augmentation? What happens when emotions like love and friendship span vast distances — in space, in time, and in the heart? And as we acknowledge differences in gender in a way we never have before, what stories are finally given the space in which to emerge? Among the stories I hope to see: Stories that focus on the relationship between an individual and a community or communities, or even on relationships between communities or social groups. Stories that complicate sex and gender by showing how shifting technology may affect social attitudes and practices. Stories with romances that reinvent traditional tropes and recast them for the 21st century. Stories that experiment, astonish, and entertain.   This anthology is open to female and nonbinary writers. Writers of color, QUILTBAG writers, writers with disabilities, and neuro-diverse writers are actively encouraged to apply, as are writers from outside the United States. Open for submissions Oct 1-October 31. Submission portal. Guidelines: Please remove identifying information from the manuscript, but otherwise use standard manuscript format. Length: 500-5000 words (5k is going to be a tough sell) Buying: Original fiction; exclusive rights for 18 months with standard “best of” anthology exceptions. Paying: 8 cents a word (SFWA pro rates) No multiple or simultaneous submissions Timeline: Submissions open Oct 1 and close October 31. The first round of reading will run November 1 through the end of the month. All submissions will be informed...

Deadline: October 31st, 2020 Payment: 3 (Euro) cents per word for original fiction and 1 (Euro) cent per word for translations of fiction into English Theme: Campbellian hard SF There are plenty of amazing print and online journals out there for ‘character-driven’ fiction, and we encourage you to read them. SPJ is not one of them, though. Hence, we are not interested in stories predominantly about the sentiments and subjective experiences of fictional people. We want hard SF that zooms out of the personal and lifts off into the structural, the systemic, the epic. We yearn for carefully crafted philosophical speculation that puzzles over the questions of the future and alternate pasts. And we have a soft spot for stories created as ‘artefacts’ (fictional, ‘in-universe’ non-fiction). So here are SPJ‘s quests: – Campbellian hard SF. Reaching back to the roots of classic sci-fi, these rigorous tales take themselves seriously and push the boundaries of our scientific imagination, scaling from the nano to the meta. The cast, if any, is functional and disposable. It’s the sociological, technological and indeed cosmic developments that sweep the reader up in an expanding sense of wonder. (For a contemporary long-form example that received mainstream attention, see the latter two books of Cixin Liu’s Three-Body Problem trilogy.) – Fictional non-fiction. The purest, most intimate form of world-building. A transcript of the last UN Security Council meeting before an extinction-level event. The dental bills of a cybernetic vampire. Interviews with eyewitnesses of a battle between Martians and archangels. Think ‘World War Z’, not ‘Walking Dead’. – Speculative philosophy. Extrapolating abstract ideas to examine the implications if they were to manifest. (See for instance The End of History, the Beginning of Hers in Vol. V. Issue 1. for a theological example of just what we mean.) (The first author to have a story published in each of the three categories...

Deadline: October 31st, 2020 Payment: $0.10/word up to 3,000 words for fiction. $300 flat rate above that. $5/poem flat rate for poetry. Theme: Speculative fiction that astute readers should be able to see how your story addresses the world we live in right now. What we Publish: Original fiction and poetry, all of which must be broadly “speculative fiction” (science fiction, fantasy, alt-history, magical realism, slipstream, or in some other way altered reality). Length: 12,000 words or less preferred, but you may submit stories up to 20,000 words. 30 lines or fewer for poetry. Rights Purchased: First worldwide English-language rights. Payment: $0.10/word up to 3,000 words for fiction. $300 flat rate above that. $5/poem flat rate for poetry. Simultaneous Submissions: Accepted. Please let us know immediately if your work sells elsewhere. Multiple Submissions: Accepted on a trial basis. Please do not dump your entire trunk on us or this will change. For fiction, we recommend not sending us multiple submissions unless there is a compelling reason to do so (in case we send feedback). Please submit each story separately. For poetry, please submit up to 10 poems in a single file. Reprints: By solicitation only. Query if your work was previously published but obscurely enough that you think it should not count. Translations: Accepted for first worldwide English publication. Response Time: We strive to respond to all submissions in less than 90 days. Query address: departuremirror gmail Departure Mirror Quarterly stories are: Current. Astute readers should be able to see how your story addresses the world we live in right now. Well written. Accessible to a mainstream American audience. Diverse. We mean this not only in terms of the types of stories we publish, but also in terms of the types of authors we publish. Writers from historically underrepresented and oppressed groups are especially encouraged to submit. Anti-violence. We do not publish anything that promotes...

Deadline: November 1st, 2020 Payment: short story, $25; short-short piece (up to 1000 words), $10; poem, $10 Theme: The Other Virginia The Other Virginia (November 1, 2020) To download a PDF file of the guidelines, click here . ALL SHORT STORIES, ESSAYS, POEMS, PHOTOGRAPHS and ART MUST RELATE TO ONE OF THE PREMISES SPECIFIED ABOVE. NOTE: Previously published pieces are welcome, provided that the submission fits the theme and that the author owns the copyright. The premise (target theme) must be an integral part of the plot, not necessarily the central theme but not merely incidental. Fewer than 20 double-spaced typewritten pages preferred. Indicate premise (target theme) on title page. Be sure to Indicate target theme in cover letter or on first page of manuscript. Include self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with each submission. Rejected manuscripts unaccompanied by an SASE will not be returned. Response time: 3 months after premise deadline.  NO READER'S FEE. Mail to: THEMA, Box 8747, Metairie, LA 70011-8747. Outside the US: email [email protected] On acceptance for publication, we will pay the following amount: short story, $25; short-short piece (up to 1000 words), $10; poem, $10; artwork, $25 for cover, $10 for interior page display. Copyright reverts to author after publication. THEMA isn't for everyone. To find out why, click here. New to submitting manuscripts to journals? Click here to download a PDF file of a few basic guidelines. Unlike many publishers, we prefer works submitted by the authors themselves, without the involvement of an agent. Be sure to indicate premise and include SASE for each submission.  BE SURE to include a separate SASE for each premise. No handwritten manuscripts will be considered. NOTE: We do not accept e-mailed submissions EXCEPT from authors who live outside the U.S. For those living outside the U.S., submit manuscript as an email attachment (readable by MSWord ― either as a DOC file or an RTF file), and include...

Deadline: November 1st, 2020 Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry Theme: Story must begin with: Winter: Loud music filled the room, making it hard to hear anything else. Due date: November 1, 2020 We love 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 three to four 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, 2020 Payment: $0.01/word + a print copy of the anthology Theme: Adventure horror Off Limits Press is now accepting short fiction submissions for Far From Home, an anthology of adventure horror. Please carefully read the submission guidelines below before submitting. Submission Guidelines: Far From Home is an anthology of adventure horror. We are seeking original, unpublished short horror stories which strongly incorporate adventure. Adventure is intended to be interpreted broadly and may include, but is certainly not limited to, tales involving mountaineering, cave diving, the open sea, parkour, rafting, treasure hunting, arctic expedition, and caving. We are interested in and welcome most horror sub-genres, so long as the theme is strongly incorporated. Stories may include horror steeped in realism and/or the supernatural. Word Count: 2,000 - 8,000 words Deadline: The submission deadline is November 1st, 2020. Notification Deadline: All submissions will receive a decision by December 1st, 2020. Payment: $0.01/word + a print copy of the anthology Formatting: Please send submissions in standard manuscript format as a MS Word or PDF attachment. Please include a brief cover letter in the body of the email, including title, author name, and word count. Please put the title of the submission and the author name in the subject line. Please send submissions to: [email protected]. Please note: Cover art is subject to change. Submissions will not be accepted outside of the posted deadline. Via: Off Limits Press.

Deadline: November 1st, 2020 Payment: $75 Theme: Second chances We are pleased to announce there will be a short story anthology for Bouchercon 2021. Our goal is to raise money for the New Orleans public library, which is desperately in need of funding. All of the proceeds after publishing costs will be deducted and the rest will go to the library, along with the proceeds from our live and silent auctions. In addition to stories published by some of our guests of honor and invited authors, we are asking for blind submissions from our Bouchercon friends. We hope most of the stories in the anthology will come from these blind submissions, and will include emerging voices, new voices, and authors who are in the early years of publication. We are eager to hear from everyone, but if you have never been in a Bouchercon anthology before, we urge you to please submit! Submission guidelines: Short stories must be less than 4000 words. Stories must not have been published anywhere else previously. The theme of this anthology is second chances, redemption, second try, play it again. Since this is the second Bouchercon in New Orleans, we may call it Second Time Around— but that is still in the works.  Any ideas, love to hear them. The story DOES NOT have to be set in New Orleans. Your story should be submitted only to me at the email below. I will blind it and send it on to our staff of reviewers and readers. You will be paid $75.00 for each story we publish so you meet the guidelines for certain awards in our industry.  But you could donate that money back to New Orleans Public Library and get a tax write off and help them in their time of need. If...

Deadline: November 1st, 2020 Payment: $15 fee Theme: Haunted holidays Submissions are currently open for one issue of The Periodical, Forlorn: Volume I, Issue II ​ Theme: Haunted holidays. ​ For this issue, we don't want tales of peace on earth and good will to men. We don't want to hear about the warmth of family gatherings or how the Christmas spirit inspires a new outlook on life for those once thought irredeemable We want to know how misfits and outcasts approach the holiday season. We want to know how ghouls and goblins and all manner of pagan creatures mark the season. ​ Deadline: November 1st, 2020 Guidelines for All Submissions: Word Limit: 6,000 words ​ Compensation: flat $15 fee upon publication, plus a digital copy of the magazine (which you're free to share). ​ Format: We will accept short-form fiction any way you want to write it. This can include poetry, flash fiction or short stories. We're particularly interested in the subversion of form. We don't care about hard and fast rules, so don't worry too much about formatting. If you feel its good, chances are that shines through in the writing. And we want to read it. ​ Genre: Anything that's dark, creepy, weird and just a little off-kilter. We're open to genre fiction, particularly anything related to horror, science-fiction, speculative fiction or weird fiction. But we're also interested in anything that twists or subverts these genres in some unexpected way. ​ Simultaneous submissions: We will accept simultaneous submissions, but please inform us if this applies to you. If a story may be pulled away from us at the last minute, we want to know as this may affect our decision on acceptance. ​ Multiple Submissions: Please only send us one submission at a time. If your submission is rejected, we will then accept another...

Deadline: November 1st, 2020 Payment: 4 cents per word Theme: The Bonds That Unite Us / Los lazos que nos unen The Themes for Year 1 are: #1: The Bonds That Unite Us / Los lazos que nos unen #2. Myths and Monsters / Mitos y monstruos #3: Beyond the Stars / Más allá de las estrellas #4: Love Needs No Translation / El amor no necesita traducción The Bonds that Unite Us Constellations are the product of human imagination, giving meaning to the patterns we see in the sky. From these scintillating dots lighting up the night, we’ve created stories about heroes, legends, and mythological creatures. We created those bonds, and we give them meaning. Each culture that has looked up at the sky with wonder has its own interpretation of these connections, and now we want to hear yours. What are the bonds that unite our cultures and languages around the world? How are these bonds formed, and what upholds them? How can they be broken and forged again? What unites an alien civilization to humankind? What ties the dragon to the unicorn and prevents it from making a meal out of her? Sometimes these bonds are ones of blood. (Vampire tastes may vary.) Sometimes they’re shaped by shows of courage and strength, and the common struggles we face. These bonds can topple walls and bring down civilizations, and sometimes they’re the foundation for something new. The theme is open to interpretation, as long as the stories fit under the speculative fiction umbrella. Myths and Monsters Since the dawn of time, humans have stared into the abyss and wondered what hid in the darkness. Tell us about the myths and monsters that have shaped your perception of the unknown. Do your monsters hide in broad daylight or lurk in the shadows? Are they under the bed or...