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Submission Window: January 22nd - January 29th, 2024 Payment: $25 Theme: Fairy tales that are inspired by classic tales are what we are seeking. Mashups of classic fairy tales are welcome as well. The following is relevant to all submissions for 2024 for The Fairy Tale Magazine. Please read it in its entirety before considering submitting here. ​ Writing opportunities for 2024 include: New Fairy Tales: Fairy tales that are inspired by classic tales are what we are seeking. Mashups of classic fairy tales are welcome as well. Submissions must follow the theme below to be considered. Poetry: Poetry inspired by fairy tales and that follows the theme is also welcome.  We are not seeking art or nonfiction. ​ The theme for the year is simply classic fairy tales—more below. HERE IS HOW YOU SUBMIT AND FORMAT AND WHEN Only the kind of submissions outlined below will be accepted at The Fairy Tale Magazine (FTM) in 2024. Here are the submission periods for both stories and poems: ​ We will be opening the submissions window for the SPRING/SUMMER Issue on  Jan. 22, 2024 at 12 AM, EST., and closing it on Jan. 29, 2024  at 11:59 PM., EST.  ​The FALL/WINTER submissions window will be June 17, 2024 at 12 AM, EST., and closing on June 24, 2024 at 11:59 PM, EST. There will be two issues. ​ (There will be one contest this year, during the summer. Details will be announced later in the year.) No submissions will be considered or acknowledged if received outside of the windows stated above. You submit through email only. Please use this address only:  [email protected]. That is for submissions only.  ​ Your last name, the publication month you are submitting for, and the year should be in the subject line of the email of your submission. ​ You must be 18 years old or...

Deadline: January 29st, 2024 Prize: First Place: £4,500. Second Place: £2,500. Up to six additional Runners Up writers will receive £850. Theme: Great works of science fiction and fantasy by new writers Entrants must: self-identify as a person of colour, be aged over 18, be living in the UK or Ireland. Future Worlds Prize 2024 is now open for entries! We're looking for great works of science fiction and fantasy by new writers. The prize is open to everything from space operas and dystopias to books set in magical worlds and more. Entry information To enter, you must: self-identify as a person of colour be aged over 18 be living in the UK or Ireland. As part of your entry, please submit: a 5,000-10,000 word extract of either a short story or the opening chapters of a novel a covering letter a short summary/synopsis of your work, of no more than 1,000 words. Please ensure that you submit three separate documents, and that your name does not appear anywhere on the extract or synopsis. Accepted formats are: Microsoft Word Pages PDF Google Doc. Read the full terms and conditions for the prize below. Your entry should be sent to: [email protected]. Key dates for the prize are: Entries close: January 29, 2024 Shortlist announced: March 2024 Winner announced: April 2024 TERMS AND CONDITIONS This writing competition is called “Future Worlds Prize for Fantasy and Science Fiction Writers of Colour” (“Prize”). Entrants will need to submit 5,000-10,000 of either a short story or opening chapters of a novel in accordance with the terms and conditions below (“Entry”). The entrants should supply a covering letter and a short summary of their short story or novel of no more than 1,000 words alongside their Entry. Entries should be submitted as a Word document, PDF or...

Submission Window: January 23rd-30th, 2024 Payment: €0.01 per word, with a €20 minimum. Theme: Diverse sci-fi and fantasy fiction. We are open to submissions within the following periods: January 23rd-30th April 23rd-30th July 23rd-30th October 23rd-30th Submissions received outside of these dates will unfortunately be lost and therefore not responded to. When open, we seek and offer the following: Length: 1,000-5,000 words. These are firm limits. Shorter or longer works will be considered, but the further a story goes outside these bounds the more it will need to impress. Compensation: €0.01 per word, with a €20 minimum. Please be aware that payment is via PayPal only. If you do not receive an acknowledgment within 24 hours of submission, please get in touch. We aim to accept or reject within 14 days of acknowledgment, but rl (real life) and rl (reading load) can get in the way. If you do not hear from us after 30 days, feel free to query. REQUIREMENTS We acquire First Print and Digital rights with a six month period of exclusivity from the date of publication. We also ask permission to potentially include accepted pieces in future anthologies; in event of agreement, an additional payment and digital copy will be offered in compensation. All other rights remain entirely with the author. Simultaneous submissions are not only accepted, they are encouraged. Please tell us if you sim-sub, and we merely ask that you notify us of acceptance at another market as soon as possible. In the event that we accept first, we expect a positive and timely confirmation. Therefore we recommend sim-subbing to markets of equivalent status – we won’t wait for someone else you’d like better to turn you down. We do not accept multiple submissions. Please wait until your first submission has been rejected before submitting another work. If...

Submission Window: January 1st - 30th, 2024 Payment: $5.00 Theme: Original feminist tales, feminist retellings of traditional tales, and personal essays related to traditional tales. Although we started as a magazine of fairy tales, we’re now open to pieces based on or related to fairy tales, folklore, myths, legends, and pop culture. Criteria. We’re looking for original feminist tales, feminist retellings of traditional tales, and personal essays related to traditional tales. Although we started as a magazine of fairy tales, we’re now open to pieces based on or related to fairy tales, folklore, myths, legends, and pop culture. We accept fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and pieces that are in-between. For prose, we accept stories of up to 5,000 words. Longer pieces will be declined. 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. We’re listed on Duotrope & Chill Subs! How to submit. To submit a piece, please fill out our submission form. Please submit only one piece per reading period. Multiple submissions will be declined. Our submission form is unfortunately not able to send an automatic response or a copy of your submission; if you aren’t sure if your submission has gone through, please email [email protected]. We’re always happy to check! Wish list. We encourage you to read through the journal to get a sense for the stories that generally speak to us, but here are some specific characters, themes, & forms we’d love to see in this round of submissions! coming soon! Policies. We do accept simultaneous submissions; reprints from defunct blogs, magazines, and presses; and pieces that have been pulled from publication for ethical reasons. We do not accept pieces that are currently still available online. We ask that you include content...

Deadline: January 30th, 2024 Payment: 8 cents per word for fiction, $50 per poem Theme: Character-focused, weird sword-and-sorcery: stories of a dark and transgressive nature, set in a secondary or historical-paranormal (“our” reality, but with a twist, if you will) world, What  We  Want Old Moon publishes character-focused, weird sword-and-sorcery: stories of a dark and transgressive nature, set in a secondary or historical-paranormal (“our” reality, but with a twist, if you will) world, with a focus on rounded characters undergoing some sort of conflict, resolved (though not always successfully!) by the might of their main or mind. ​ We love stories that combine that sense of action and adventure with well-rounded characters who make us question our own realities and perceptions. We love to see the gothic, the baroque, the eldritch, and we love to see it hit with an axe. Weird fiction and sword-and-sorcery can both be slippery terms. That is part of the fun! But, for our purposes we know it may help prospective writers if we list a series of authors and their stories we feel encompass (at least in part) what we love about the borderland of sword/sorcery and weird fiction: ​ Joe Abercrombie ("Three's a Crowd," "Yesterday, Near a Village Called Barden...") Laird Barron ("Oblivion Mode," "Ode to Jode the Toad") Leigh Brackett ("The Sea-Kings of Mars")  E.R. Eddison (The Worm Ouroboros) John R. Fultz ("Chivaine") Robert E. Howard ("The Shadow Kingdom," "Worms of the Earth") John Langan ("The Savage Angela in: The Beast in the Tunnels") Tanith Lee (Birthgrave, "Southern Lights") C.L. Moore ("The Black God's Kiss") Silvia Moreno-Garcia (The Return of the Sorcereress) Michael Shea (Nifft the Lean) Clark Ashton Smith ("The Charnel God," "Necromancy in Naat") E. Catherine Tobler ("The Living, Vengeant Stars, "And After the Fire, A Still Small Voice") Gene Wolfe ("Bloodsport") ​ The...

Deadline: January 31st, 2023 Payment: 3 cents a word and a contributors copy Theme: All horror, ideally cross-genre with fantasy or science fiction Nightmares Before Bed is exactly what you think it is.  This will be our first horror anthology and we want to be clear, no sexual violence, abuse of children, overly disturbing images and ideas, or gore will be published.  We want horror, we want to be scared, but let's do it in a way that is respectful.  We'd love to see fantasy horror or sci-fi horror here.  Closes 11:59 pm 01/31/2024. How you incorporate the quarterly theme in your story is up to you.  We do ask that you make sure the theme idea is not an afterthought, but an integral part of the story.  We want truly want stories depicting underdogs rising to the occasion when it seems all hope is lost. We are looking for polished manuscripts of about 3,500 - 12,000 words (not hard cut-offs, but not too much under/over please) in standard Shunn format. Please include your contact information, including full name and email address and any social media links you may have as well as any prior publications. If your story is nobledark, noblebright, grimdark, or grimbright or something in the middle of all of those that's okay.  Let us take a look. Submissions should be sent to [email protected] as an attached Word doc or docx. Please format the email subject line and your submitted file name as “The Underdogs Rise – by for ”. Accepted authors will be paid $.03/word and receive a contributor copy of the standard mass market paperback. We are purchasing first world-wide print rights for three years from publication (reprints in “best of” yearly anthologies will be allowed). We plan to notify all authors on the outcome of submissions by mid-December. Reprints are...

Submission Window: November 1st, 2023 - January 31st, 2024 Payment: $25 and a contributors copy Theme: Stories that involve an encounter with the literary/mythological/theological Devil Reading from 1 November 2023 through 31 January 2024. Publishing target March 2024. Critical Blast Publishing will be opening their reading period for the third volume in THE DEVIL YOU KNOW anthology collection, THE DEVIL YOU KNOW BEST. We are looking for stories that involve an encounter with the literary/mythological/theological Devil himself in situations that range from comedy to tragedy, via horror, comedy, fantasy, or science fiction. All genres welcome as long as the theme is met. Rights: First serial and e-book rights. Payment: $25 plus author copy; authors also have the opportunity to purchase more books at cost (i.e. the same price we pay to have them printed and shipped) with no limits. Word Count: 2000 - 10000 Query on reprints Send submissions in WORD DOCUMENT  using the William Shunn Manuscript format to: [email protected]. Via: Critical Blast.

Submission Window: December 1st, 2023 - January 31st, 2024 Payment: $25 and a contributor's copy Theme: Horror/suspense stories that take place in swamps, bayous, and marshlands The Cellar Door - Issue #5: Marshland Horrors Compiled & Edited by Aric Sundquist Short Story Submission Call: Dec 1, 2023 - Jan 31, 2024 The Cellar Door is a biannual anthology of dark fiction. Each issue will contain 8 to 12 stories based around a specific theme and will include a brand new story from a featured author. The majority of the anthology will be filled from the open submissions. Title: The Cellar Door - Issue #5: Marshland Horrors Theme: Looking for horror/suspense stories that take place in swamps, bayous, and marshlands. Special preference for stories with backwater cults/legends, cryptid monsters, and other slimy creatures lurking just below the water. Type: Creature feature, serial killer, undead/zombies, voodoo/witchcraft, suspense/thriller, cosmic horror. Word Count: 2,000 - 10,000 words. Payment: $25.00 + digital & paperback copy. Featured Author: Scotty Milder Accepted Authors (so far): Cover Art: Mikio Murakami Rights: We are seeking first time rights for 1 year after publication. After that time all rights revert back to the author. The publication will appear in both print and digital formats. Reprints: None. Previously unpublished only. Multiple Submissions: None. Simultaneous Submissions: Yes, but state in your email that it is a simultaneous submission, and please email us immediately if the story is sold elsewhere. Also, be sure to follow the Manuscript Format guidelines below when submitting. File Format: Include your story as an attachment in MS Word, LibreOffice, or Rich Text Format. Manuscript Format: Use the Modern Shunn Format. Include a short bio in the body of your email. Your subject line should read, MH Submission: ("Title") by (Author's Name). For Example, MH Submission: "The Raft" by Stephen King. Attach the story as a separate document. Response Time: 4 weeks after submissions close,...

Deadline: January 31st, 2024 Payment: $5 Theme: What happens in the dark? What lurks there? Show me those intimate moments—or the ones that will freak me the fuck out. Or any combination therein. A Literary Journal with Some Art, Comics, and Analysis Thrown in for Good Measure As Quarter Press continues to grow, we’re adding another coin to our pocketful of change. We want to offer a space for shorter works to mingle with art and other bits of nonsense, so we bring you The Quarter(ly): It just makes cents. Issues are themed; however, we consider all interpretations. Please Note: All submission windows may be closed early if “full.” 2024’s Themes and Deadlines: In the Dark (Jan. 31) What’ve you got to show us? Stories and / or Poems For Stories: We’re open to micro works all the way up to 10,000 words. Just keep two things in mind: We want to be engaged and the submission must be completed (no pitches, please!) For Poems: We’d love to see up to five poems from you, but you can always just send one, too. Art As long as it has some tie to the current issue’s theme, we’re open to see any art created in any medium at any time. Just know that it will need to “work in print” and—might—be presented in black and white. We WILL NOT Accept any AI-Generated art. For ART ONLY, you may choose to submit via email by sending jpgs, PDFs, or PNGs to chrisatquarterpress(at)gmail(dot)com Graphic Stories Show us your comic strips or complete short works; we’d love to see them all! Please try to keep submissions to 20 pages or less. Feel free to also send a collection of comic strips / one shot comics, as well. (Please note that our publication size /...

Submission Window: December 1st 2023- January 31st, 2024 Payment: $10 Theme: Stories of any genre by writers who identify with and as any of the following descriptors: trans, two-spirit, disabled, neurodivergent, Mad, queer, crip, nonbinary, genderqueer, intersex. We welcome submissions by those who identify with and as any of the following descriptors: trans, two-spirit, disabled, neurodivergent, Mad, queer, crip, nonbinary, genderqueer, intersex. This is a space for the words, works, and worlds of and by those whose bodyminds defy social expectations and invite new ways of thinking and knowing. We do not need to know the specifics of your identity/diagnosis/experience unless you want us to. We invite closeted and questioning people to share their work, as well as those whose experiences fall outside the confines of the language we used above. We welcome submissions from creators of all ages. We particularly encourage unpublished/emerging/young creators to submit. If you know an incarcerated/institutionalized creator who would like to submit, email us for information as to where to mail the submission, or clearly indicate in your message that you are submitting on their behalf. We publish on a quarterly schedule, with issues coming out on: February 15 May 15 August 15 November 15 We are open for all submissions EXCEPT during publication months. That is to say, we are open for submissions January, March, April, June, July, September, October, and December. Things to note This is a leftist magazine. We hate capitalism, “america,” cops, prisons, borders, neoliberalism, and all the rest. We don’t tolerate white supremacy, zionism, cisheterosexism, ableism, transmisogyny, xenophobia, fatphobia, intersexism, and anti-sex worker sentiment here. We reserve the right to reject and/or remove content from creators whose work does not align with our values. We do not tolerate AI-generated or -assisted submissions. Anyone found to be using AI will have their content immediately rejected/removed...

Submission Window: January 1st - 31st, 2023 Payment: 8 cents/word and 4 cents/word for reprints Theme: Speculative stories--science fiction, fantasy, horror--with Christian themes, characters, or cosmology Note: Reprints Welcome Mysterion is looking for speculative stories--science fiction, fantasy, horror--with Christian themes, characters, or cosmology, and for artwork for this site. Fiction Guidelines Technical details Stories can be up to 9000 words (thanks, Patreon supporters!). This is a hard limit--our submission system will enforce it. We pay 8 cents/word for original stories (or original translations of stories that have not previously appeared in English), and 4 cents/word for reprints (thanks again, Patreon!). Authors are paid once we've agreed on edits and signed a contract, prior to earliest publication (generally on our Patreon page). We are seeking 6 months' exclusive worldwide publication rights for original works (with exceptions for established Best of the Year anthologies), and non-exclusive worldwide print and electronic rights thereafter for both original works and reprints. We want to publish your story online in our webzine and keep it there indefinitely. We're also acquiring the right to offer ebook versions of the stories we publish, as Patreon rewards or for purchase; and to publish a print and ebook anthology of all the stories that appeared in the webzine over a given 1- or 2-year period. For original fiction, we want to be the only place publishing it for the first 6 months; after that, you're welcome to publish it anywhere else in any format you like. No multiple or simultaneous submissions. If multiple writers co-write a story, we consider each distinct group of writers a different submitter. In other words, if two people co-write a story, and they submit the co-written story, and each of them also submits a story written on their own, that would not violate our no multiple submissions policy. Submitting two...

Submission Window: January 1st - 31st, 2024 Payment: 1 cent per word for fiction, $5 for poetry, 1 cent per word for non-fiction, $35 for cover art Theme: Speculative fiction - Limited demographic window It's our goal to publish diverse voices from around the world, and to do that, we are actively seeking stories, poems, and non-fiction pieces by authors from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in the science fiction and fantasy canon. Our submission cycle is therefore split into two categories, where every other month is explicitly reserved for submissions by authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups. The interposing six months remain open to everyone. Guidelines for Fiction We are seeking stories in the English language up to 6,000 words by writers from around the world. We favor submisions that have not been published before (including on your own website), though we do accept a limited number of reprints not currently appearing anywhere online. For our two issues focused on the climate crisis, we're particularly interested in publishing stories from people displaced by or threatened by the climate emergency (see our themes below). For our other four issues, we're open to a wide variety of stories across the SFF and weird spectra. We pay 1¢ per word for fiction, and we try to respond to all submissions within ten weeks. We will also accept a limited number of previously published stories, so please indicate on the form if your submission is a reprint. All submissions must use the Shunn manuscript format (we prefer Courier New) and be either .rtf, .doc, or .docx. We like stories that are subtle in their telling and stick with us long after we've finished. We're more likely to buy stories that balance a sense of wonder with...

Submission Window: January 1st-31st, 2024 Payment: 1 cent per word Theme: Any form of speculative fiction that falls under fantasy IMAGITOPIA is a new fantasy fiction podcast and digital magazine produced by Android Press and featuring narrated fantasy fiction plus other fun stuff like author and editor interviews, news and events, and nerd-outs on fantasy tropes and other related topics.  We currently accept submissions of previous published fantasy short stories for REPRINT ONLY to be narrated for the podcast. We'll also publish in print here on the webzine.  Our first submission window opens on September 1, 2023. For more information on when we're open and closed to submissions throughout the year, please see our Schedule. Submissions are only accepted through IMAGITOPIA's Moksha submission portal. Any submissions received via email or any other method will be deleted without review or response. Email accounts inevitable get tons of spam. So this policy helps make sure we don't lose your submission in the email shuffle. But if for some reason you're unable to submit via our Moksha portal, for example due to accessibility issues, please message us using the form at the bottom of this page, and we'll be happy to make alternative arrangements for your submission. *We're a womxn and trans run publication. We hope authors of all types and stripes will submit work, but we especially encourage BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, womxn, people living with disabilities, those living in the Global South, and authors from other marginalized populations. ​ WORD COUNT flash fiction: up to 1,500 words short stories: up to 5,000 words ​ PAY RATE We currently pay 1 cent USD per word for previously published flash fiction and short stories with a $10 USD minimum. ​ GENRES We accept submissions of fantasy and all its subgenres including but not limited to:  ​​ high fantasy low fantasy mythpunk...

Deadline: January 31st, 2024 Payment: $25 USD Theme: Speculative mysteries that include Puzzles. Riddles. Cyphers. Codes that need cracked and ticking clocks that build tension. Puzzles. Riddles. Cyphers. Codes that need cracked and ticking clocks that build tension. Unreliable narrators, secret notes shared in the dark, characters who are in for the surprise of their lives. We want to read your twisty, speculative mysteries. We’re looking for stories that surprise us with a well-drawn plot twist, so please make sure those twists make sense in the context of the story. We are not looking for twists that come from nowhere, but rather ones that click into place when we think back on the previous details in the narrative. We prefer stories set in a rural backdrop with the intimate feeling of a small town. Stories set in a city aren’t an automatic rejection, but they will need to feature the familiarity and closeness of a more rural setting. All stories must feature a speculative element, whether it’s magic or monsters or anything in between. All subgenres of speculative fiction are welcome, although military/political/alien-based sci-fi will be a harder sell. We will judge all stories by their own merits though, so if you think you have something that fits, we want to read it. A note on horror: we are not looking for gratuitous violence, grimdark, or gothic romanticism. All stories must be previously unpublished (this includes your own website/blog). We will not accept any stories featuring bigotry, hateful language, or sexual assault of any kind. This is an anthology for adults so some sex/violence/profanity is fine, as long as it directly pertains to the story and isn’t used solely for shock value. We do want our mothers to read this, so any sex should be fade-to-black rather than overly descriptive....

Submission Window: January 1st - 31st, 2024 Payment: $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue Theme: Any genre, short story Mission = Revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful. Payout = Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Wait, you mean if this substack gets thousands of subscribers, the winner would get thousands of dollars? Yes! The New Yorker pays roughly $7,500 per story and I sincerely hope to go way past that. What does the timeline look like? Submit stories by the end of the month, winner to be announced on the 15th. There is ONE story that wins and receives the full payout. Where do I send submissions? [email protected] What are the rules for submitting? 1. No Fees 2. Send in Microsoft Word or Google Doc form 3. Any genre 4. 6- 10,000 words. Yes, just 6 words, like Hemingway's famous 6-word story "For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn." 5. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute. 6. Acknowledge Distribution Rights on this Substack - You can still sell your story elsewhere but we need to be able to save and publish it here. The goal is to create a library for subscribers. 7. Only the winner will be published and rights will only transfer for the winning story. What do I get for subscribing? One beautiful story every month. The complete library. The joy of supporting artists and doing something interesting. What if I can’t pay right now? That’s ok! If you publish a blurb about this site on your website, blog, or social media, I will send you one full story of your choosing. Best of all, it is...

Deadline: January 31st, 2024 Payment: 30-50% royalties Theme: chapbook length poetry and prose, short story collections, and completed manuscripts of "shocking writing that is different from mainstream prose and poetry." SUBMISSIONS (OPEN TILL FEB 2024) Hidden Hand Press was founded in 2023 with the intention of publishing the darkest and most intense prose and poetry. We pride ourselves on having publications that defies the norm. The press is based in Mexico and we accept completed manuscripts for publication in English and Spanish quarterly. Our publications are not for the faint of heart.   We accept submissions of unpublished manuscripts only. We want new shocking writing that is different from mainstream prose and poetry. All submissions should be typed in a legible 12-point font like Arial or Times New Roman Single or double spacing is fine Submit in PDF only Please proofread your work before submission   Any submissions that do not adhere to these requirements will NOT be read. All submissions are to be emailed to [email protected]. Email Submission here Notes: We sign the book and pay our authors royalties between 30-50% depending on several factors. We're only accepting previously unpublished manuscripts Via: Hidden Hand Press.

Deadline: February 1st, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Car Wars GameLit Fiction Genre: Car Wars GameLit Fiction Theme: Despite the grain blight, fuel shortages, and wasteland raiders, goods and supplies still need to get through. Ride along with the big rig wasteland road crews between cities, keeping civilization civilized one delivery at a time. Concept: We’re looking for stories about Land Trains, Truck Caravans, and the fast action responders running defense for these mega rigs traversing the wastelands from one city to the next. We want plenty of high-intensity action and carnage possible, backed by compelling character-driven stories. Word Count: 5,000 – 10,000 (standard word count) Opening Essay by: TBD Edited by: William Joseph Roberts Anchor Author: TBD Due Date: February 1, 2024 Email Submissions to: [email protected] with “Convoy Chaos” in the subject line Payment: Stories selected for publication in the upcoming Anthology(ies), will receive a percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors. We are looking for amazing stories from any genre that are fun to read and will take us on an adventure of epic proportions. Please download our standards template by clicking here ***NOTE*** We publish genre fiction with aspects of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. If your work does not include one of these aspects, we are less likely to pick up the title unless it is of exceptional quality.   What we are NOT currently accepting: Poetry Single-author collections of short stories. Hard and fast rules of what not to send: Fan-fiction: Just simply don’t. It will be immediately deleted or tossed into the recycle bin. Gratuitous Sexuality: (i.e. smut, softcore adult content) (Please, we know that there is a market out there for stories in this genre, but it’s not for us. Contact our affiliate, Tanglewood press for submissions in this genre at tanglewoodromance (at) gmail.com Gratuitous Abuse/Violence: While we at Three Ravens Publishing understand that graphic...

Deadline: February 1st, 2023 Payment: Fiction: 1¢ per word, Poetry: $10 flat fee, Artwork: $25 flat fee (Cover art is $50) Theme: Lies for Children NonBinary Review is open for submissions on the theme of "lies for children." “If you keep making that face, it’ll freeze that way.” “We found you under a cabbage leaf.” “If you drink coffee, it’ll stunt your growth.” “If you go to sleep with wet hair, you’ll catch pneumonia.” Adults tell children some outrageous lies. Think back to your own childhood and explanations your parents gave you for things you didn’t understand or superstitions they perpetuated. Why do adults feel that children need credulity-straining fictions rather than objective truths? What things do we find so uncomfortable that we can’t explain them to children? How do those lies affect our relationship with the children we lied to, or the adults who lied to us? Some of these lies are benevolent (although kind of weird), but some can be trauma-inducing. We want to hear the stories behind those lies, and the consequences they engendered. We’re NOT looking for fairy tales, re-tellings of children’s bedtime stories, tall tales, Santa Claus/Easter bunny/tooth fairy origin stories, or any other fictions that even children know are stories told for fun. Zoetic Press publishes the best in speculative lit - experimental, interstitial, luminous. We welcome submissions from EVERYONE. The only requirement is that they be in English, or translated into English (we love a translation). If your writing is outstanding, no matter who you are, we have a place for it. NonBinary Review, our award-winning themed lit journal is published quarterly. Each issue revolves around a specific theme, but we're asking contributors to go beyond the old familiar media tropes - we want speculative work that looks at our theme from unexpected angles....

Deadline: February 1st, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Space soldiers during an assault Genre: Military Science Fiction Theme: Assault on the beachhead or LZ (landing zone) Concept: We’re looking for the vibe of the ODST from HALO or the men and women from Starship Troopers. These are the soldiers who’re riding flying coffins to the ground so they can make a beachhead for the main assault. Word Count: 5,000 – 10,000 (standard word count) Opening Essay by: TBD Edited by: JR Handley & Bayonet Books Anchor Author: TBD Due Date: February 1, 2024 Email Submissions to: [email protected] with “Contested Landing” in the subject line Payment: Stories selected for publication in the upcoming Anthology(ies), will receive a percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors. We are looking for amazing stories from any genre that are fun to read and will take us on an adventure of epic proportions. Please download our standards template by clicking here ***NOTE*** We publish genre fiction with aspects of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. If your work does not include one of these aspects, we are less likely to pick up the title unless it is of exceptional quality.   What we are NOT currently accepting: Poetry Single-author collections of short stories. Hard and fast rules of what not to send: Fan-fiction: Just simply don’t. It will be immediately deleted or tossed into the recycle bin. Gratuitous Sexuality: (i.e. smut, softcore porn) (Please, we know that there is a market out there for stories in this genre, but it’s not for us. Contact our affiliate, Tanglewood press for submissions in this genre at tanglewoodromance (at) gmail.com Gratuitous Abuse/Violence: While we at Three Ravens Publishing understand that graphic situations can alter or otherwise move the plot forward in ways that the reader may not expect when properly used, these...

Deadline: February 1st, 2024 Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry Theme: Story must begin with: Mr. Morton needed a new pair of shoes. 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 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. And, just to be clear, we do not accept simultaneous submissions. 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 must...

Submission Window: January 1st - February 1st, 2024 Payment: Short Story-2,500 words or less. $0.01 USD per word/$25 USD max, Poems-less than 200 words $10, Flash Fiction-less than a 1,000 words $0.01 USD per word/$10 USD max Theme: Poison Opens on Monday, January 1, 2024 12:00 AM PST (in 19 days) Last Girls Club Spring Issue Theme is Poison: Poison has an interesting history as a liberator, a political tool, and the perfect murder. It also could mean the poisoning of our air, our water, and our land. Take it where you want. Acceptances will be notified on Feb 15. No more than two fiction or flash fiction stories per author per submission period. Fiction is limited to 2,500 words or less. Authors are paid $0.015 USD per word upon acceptance ($37.50 USD max). Flash fiction is limited to under 1,000 words. Authors are paid $0.015 USD per word upon acceptance ($15 USD max). No more than three poems per poet. Poems are limited to 200 words or less for each poem. Poets are paid $10 USD upon acceptance. I prefer to use PayPal to pay authors, but will work with authors where PayPal is not available. Nonfiction columns will must be pitched to editor in chief before submission. Email your idea to [email protected] The Last Girls Club Magazine is a quarterly feminist horror magazine that publishes international short stories and poems from the female gaze. It is an homage to the scary comics and zines of the late 20th century. Please check on the website for the theme in detail. Submissions will be accepted from Jan 1-Feb 1, April 1-May 1, July 1-Aug 1, Oct 1-Nov 1. Final notifications will be Feb 15, May 15, Aug 15, Nov 15. Authors must be 18+. Submissions from underage authors will not be considered. No more than...

Deadline: February 1st, 2024 Payment: $5 Theme: Splatter/Gore-friendly horror We want solid, entertaining writing that evokes feelings. Carnage House is a splatter friendly web ’zine—so nothing against cozy, but cozy, we’re not. We’re looking for gore, extreme horror, splatterpunk, and horror with sexual elements to it. For a better understanding of what we’ll take, think of the Hot Blood book series or Love in Vein. Or, as a more practical proposition, read our first issue at carnagehouse.com. We invite LGBTQIA and BIPOC themes, and we encourage authors from diverse backgrounds to submit to us. Hard NOs: Nothing with children in an adult manner. If you’re writing a story about a child predator who gets what’s coming to him—great. But we don’t want to read about that predator violating his victims. We won’t publish anything supporting a racist, transphobic, or homophobic agenda, so don’t try it. Our description includes the words “splatter” and “friendly” for a reason. We love splatter, and we’re super friendly. Carnage House is about supporting writers and entertaining readers, and we’re dedicated to both in equal measure. We look forward to reading your work in all its splattertastic glory. The Editors [email protected] Submissions: We want solid entertaining writing. That has to be clearly stated because we are open to gore, extreme horror, splatterpunk, and horror with sexual elements to it. Sounds great? Like anything too good to be true, there is a catch. We have some hard “Nos.” Before you go off about the freedom of expression, remember, this is a web ‘zine, not a government. We donate our time to it and if we’re not getting joy from reading your story we’re not going to publish it. This website runs on our love of horror. Starting Vol 2 (this submission call), we offer a token payment of $5...

Submission Window: February 1st - 2nd, 2024 Payment: 8 cents per word for original, 2 cents for reprints, For artwork: $10 for the non-exclusive right to use each image, for as long as the site is online.  If we publish a print collection we will pay a pro-rata share for each image used. 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 8¢ 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,...

Deadline: February 4th, 2024 (Extended from original post!) Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints Theme: Stories Featuring Odin Note: Reprints Welcome Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales. New and emerging writers from open submissions, reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well-known stories, alongside specially commissioned text on the origins and the cultural background of the mythology. The first three books will focus respectively on Odin, Anansi and Medusa. Odin Everyone knows about Odin, the All-father, the one-eyed, all-seeing, powerful King of the Gods, presiding over his great hall Valhalla, surveying the nine realms and the billions of souls. He bears the pain of Ragnarok, the joy of travelling in disguise through Midgard and shapeshifting in the dusk joins his ravens in their flights across the mythic landscape. Featuring new stories from open submissions this enthralling book reveals the larger-than-life stories of Odin and his kin, their adventures in the ancient and the modern world, with the gods, the giants, the valkyrie and the creatures of the epic Norse literature. Stories submitted for consideration need to explore new angles to the character: have him follow alternative paths, present different viewpoints, imagine new futures, or perhaps pursue story lines that are hinted at in the original tales. Submissions to: [email protected]   Terms: Multiple submissions are fine but must be in separate emails. Simultaneous submissions are fine but you must have the right to license your story in an anthology. For accepted stories we pay Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA)...

Deadline: February 4th, 2024 (Extended from original post!) Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Theme: Stories about Anansi, a creator god, a trickster folk hero, a wily spider and a heroic symbol of resistance Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales. New and emerging writers from open submissions, reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well-known stories, alongside specially commissioned text on the origins and the cultural background of the mythology. The first three books will focus respectively on Odin, Anansi and Medusa. Anansi Anansi is at once a creator god, a trickster folk hero, a wily spider and a heroic symbol of resistance. From his origins in West African folklore, to his lauded status in Jamaica, Anansi is a versatile immortal whose many stories reflect the early world of his origins, and the potential for re-imagination. Sometimes dark and chilling, occasionally light-hearted, but always lively and clever, Anansi appears in the lives of everyday folk, pricks the pomposity of the mighty and in this collection of new stories, appears in the modern and the ancient world, a symbol still of individuality and resilience, adapting to City life, with the undertow of ancient lore ever-present. Stories submitted for consideration need to explore new angles to the character: have him follow alternative paths, present different viewpoints, imagine new futures, or perhaps pursue story lines that are hinted at in the original tales. Submissions to: [email protected]   Terms: Multiple submissions are fine but must be in separate emails. Simultaneous submissions are fine but you...

Deadline: February 4th, 2024 (Extended from original post!) Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Theme: Stories about Medusa Note: Reprints Welcome Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales. New and emerging writers from open submissions, reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well-known stories, alongside specially commissioned text on the origins and the cultural background of the mythology. The first three books will focus respectively on Odin, Anansi and Medusa. Medusa Variously described as a fiend, a monster, a charming seductress who was felled by the righteous might of Perseus, son of Zeus, Medusa is perhaps the most misunderstood of mythological women. Described by male historians and epic writers such as Virgil and Ovid there are many aspects of her imagined life which find resonance in the struggles of the outsider, the cursed and those used in the service of another's vision of the world around them. This fascinating collection brings together new stories and ancient origins, offering a wider perspective on the whole life of the powerful, wonderful Medusa. Stories submitted for consideration need to explore new angles to the character: have her follow alternative paths, present different viewpoints, counter the patriarchal narrative and male gaze, or perhaps pursue story lines that are hinted at in the original tales. Submissions to: [email protected]   Terms: Multiple submissions are fine but must be in separate emails. Simultaneous submissions are fine but you must have the right to license your story in an anthology. For accepted stories we pay Science Fiction & Fantasy...

Submission Window: February 3-4, 2024 for all writers, and February 2-4 for writers who identify with one of the following groups: BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled. Payment: 5 cents per word Theme: Brilliant but unloved and rejected horror stories Xanax Hamster knows you have a horror flash fiction trunk story that is your beloved, misunderstood baby, but it hasn’t found a home yet. Xanax Hamster wants to be that home. For one weekend in February, send us your brilliant but unloved and rejected horror stories, maximum 1500 words, for possible inclusion in a biannual (that means twice a year) zine, to be published in June and December (see?). We have room for 4-5 stories in each issue, depending on their word count. Each issue will feature at least one story that’s the first pro-rate sale for an author. Stories are not required to have anything to do with xanax or hamsters, and mentioning xanax or hamsters in your story will have no impact on whether we accept or reject your story. Edited by Ende Mac and Michael W. Phillips Jr. Issue 1 cover art by Bonnie Hockin. Issue 2 cover art by Jacky Kelsey. General Info Subs are open February 3-4, 2024 for all writers, and February 2-4 for writers who identify with one of the following groups: BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled. This is a stupid short submission window, but we have to go with what we think we can handle. We will select stories for both 2024 issues of the zine from this one submission period. Stories should be 1500 words or less. Preference will be given to shorter stories. We want trunk stories—stories that have been rejected a bunch of times. We won’t ask for receipts, but if you lie to us—well, just don’t, OK? Pay is 5 cents a word (US$). Payment is via PayPal, but we...

Deadline: February 4th, 2024 Payment: 3 (Euro) cents per word for original fiction and 1 (Euro) cent per word for translations of fiction into English. Theme: Hard SF that zooms out of the personal and lifts off into the structural, the systemic, the epic. There are plenty of amazing print and online journals out there for ‘character-driven’ fiction, and we encourage you to read them. Sci Phi Journal (SPJ) is not one of them, though. Hence, we are not too keen on 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 ‘artifacts’ (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. (Epistolary fiction falls within this category, though we encourage you to interpret it more broadly, across the full spectrum of artifact fiction.) Think ‘World War Z’, not ‘Walking Dead’. – Speculative philosophy. Extrapolating abstract ideas to examine the implications if they were to manifest....

Submission Window: January 1st, 2024 - February 29th, 2024 Payment: $25 and a contributor's copy Theme: Stories on that dark, half-lit space where crime and horror simultaneously reside. We are excited to announce At the Edge of Darkness, the sixth edition of our original Shotgun Honey Presents anthology series. At the Edge of Darkness will release October 1st, 2024 right in time for the Halloween Season, featuring stories on that dark, half-lit space where crime and horror simultaneously reside. That’s right, we’re dipping our toe into the dark pool of horror and we’re not doing it alone. Our guest editor, who will be knee deep in the quagmire of submissions, is none other than Keith Rosson, author of Fever House and the Shirley Jackson Award winner for Best Short Story Collection, Folk Songs for Trauma Surgeons. Joining him will be series editor, Ron Earl Phillips. As with the recent Thicker Than Water anthology released last August, At the Edge of Darkness will be a charity anthology. As guest editor, Keith Rosson has chosen to support a Portland nonprofit assisting children entering the foster care system with vital goods and necessities. All profits for this edition will go to benefit this cause. Now, you know the title, the theme, the release date, the editors, the cause, what else would you want to know? Oh, yeah… when and where to submit. Now that we’re fresh off the Halloween Season, many of you getting over your Halloween hangovers, we hope you’ve retained some of that dark spirit and will spend the next two months writing an original horror/crime mashup that is between 1000 to 5000 words. Our open submission for At the Edge of Darkness will open on January 1st and close on February 29th. We will open a special submission page prior to the window. TL;DR Title: At the Edge of Darkness Theme: Crime and Horror...

  Deadline: February 10th, 2024 Payment: $3 Theme: The Curiosities That Bind Us Note: Your work should represent LGBTQ+ fantasy and sci-fi Thank you for your interest in submitting work to our gay fantasy arts & literary journal! ​ No entry fee is required, and all rights in the story remain the property of the author or artist. All types of science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, and dark fantasy are welcome. ​ We accept submissions on a rolling basis for our quarterly issues. For our spring publication, please submit your works by February 10th, 2024. The theme for our spring issue will be: The Curiosities That Bind Us. ​ Before submitting to us please keep in mind that we are devoted to LGBTQ+ fantasy and sci-fi. Your work should strongly reflect that. We are interested in work that elevates dreams and fairy tales in the gay community and its supporters. We're looking for original works of magic and fantasy. Even in darkness, hope can exist. We want to be transported to new worlds or fascinating new versions of our own! When considering submitting to us please ensure the work meets the above criteria. ​ All entries must be in English and original works. Plagiarism, which includes the use of third-party poetry, song lyrics, characters or another person’s universe, without written permission, will not be accepted. Submissions may not have been previously published in professional media or anywhere accessible online without a friend request or password. This includes personal blogs. ​ Fiction: We welcome fiction, 5,000 words or less. If you have a longer piece and your interested in publishing the work in separate issues, you can send those along as well. Submit as a Word document only. No PDFs. For flash fiction and shorter pieces, you can submit up to five stories - all...

Submission Window: February 1st - 11th, 2024 Payment: $0.08 per word USD for original fiction, $100 flat rate for reprints over 1,500 words, and $20 flat rate for flash fiction reprints Theme: Speculative fiction cat stories Note: Reprints welcome Submit stories through our Moksha portal – but please read these guidelines first! CatsCast is looking for speculative cat stories! Specifically, we’re looking for speculative fiction stories about cats. “Cats” in this context are, well, cats — but since this is a speculative fiction podcast, they don’t have to be exactly the same species as the housecats we have here on Earth. The stories should have happy, or at least hopeful, endings for all featured cats. Fun, playfulness, and humor are strongly encouraged but not required. Links to stories we’ve published can be found at escapeartists.net/catscast. CatsCast has a public feed (free for anyone to read-listen) and a patron-only feed; in general, first-run stories tend to wind up on the public feed and reprints tend to wind up on the patron-only feed. Stories MUST NOT have graphic descriptions of cruelty to animals (brief references to acts that occur “off-camera” are okay). Romantic storylines are fine, but please, no graphic depictions of sex. We want our fun cat stories to be fun for everyone, so please avoid offensive stereotypes based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, religion, or body size. Feel free to dump on cat-haters, though. CatsCast is not a market for poetry. Please do not submit poetry. Submission Details: We’re open to both original stories and reprints, but please don’t submit a story that has appeared in any of the other Escape Artists podcasts (Escape Pod, PodCastle, PseudoPod, or Cast of Wonders). Please do feel free to submit stories that have been rejected by other Escape Artists podcasts. Story length: 6000 word maximum, no minimum....

Deadline: January 31st 2024 (or February 14th if BIPOC, trans, and/or disabled and Canadian citizens/permanent residents) Payment: 0.11 cents (CAD) per word for short fiction (1000+ words), and a flat fee of $110.00 per flash fiction piece (1000 words and under). $60.00 CAD per poem Theme: All forms of speculative fiction Augur Magazine is open to fiction and poetry submissions from everyone, everywhere from December 15th 2023 until January 31st 2024. From February 1st to February 14th 2024, Augur Magazine will be open only to submissions from creators who are BIPOC, trans, and/or disabled and Canadian citizens/permanent residents and/or those who are living within the settler-defined border of the land colonially known as Canada. Please note our submissions categories have changed! All Canadian citizens/permanent residents and/or those who are living within the settler-defined border of the land colonially known as Canada now have a dedicated submission category. We are tracking Canada-related information for granting purposes. Tales & Feathers Magazine is open to cozy fiction submissions from everyone, everywhere, from December 15th 2023 until January 31st 2024. From February 1st to February 14th 2024, Tales & Feathers Magazine will be open only to submissions from creators who are BIPOC, trans, and/or disabled from around the world. Translations are open for both Augur Magazine and Tales & Feathers Magazine from everyone, December 15th 2023 until February 14th 2024. Want to know if you’re a fit for future submissions periods? Snag a digital subscription or a single issue from our store! Want to know what'll happen once you submit? Check out our article! We are not currently accepting pandemic stories. We do not accept AI-generated submissions. The actual text of your piece must be ideated and written by a human. Any piece found to be AI-written will result in a breach of contract, should your piece be accepted. WHAT TO SEND AUGUR MAG (Although we always love surprises) Our perfect submission defies categorization—pieces that could be “too speculative” for...

Submission Window: January 15th - February 15th, 2024 Payment: $15.00 for short stories, $5.00 for poems and flash (<1000 wds) fiction pieces., $5.00 for reprints Theme: Science Fiction and Fantasy stories that feature strong / complex female characters Note: Reprints Welcome The Lorelei Signal is a quarterly SF/Fantasy electronic magazine - one that will feature strong / complex female characters. This does not mean your female character has to be the main hero or villain in the story. What it does mean is no shrinking violets, or women who serve only to get into trouble so the male hero can rescue them.Each issue I hope to publish:7 short stories, 1 flash fiction piece and 2 poemsthat meet the following guidelines:My primary guideline is simple:Write a good fantasy story with strong/complex characters.What I am NOT looking for - erotica / slash / or other such stories.Although well written love scenes that are IMPORTANT to the story will be considered on a story-by-story basis.1) Stories should be no longer than 10,000 words.However, tell the story - if it takes more than 10,000 words to tell the story properly so be it.Just try to cut it down if possible - but remember the story is the important part.2) Stories must feature 3 dimensional / complex characters.3) I will accept reprints as long as it has been at least 1 year since the story was previously published,rights have reverted back and you tell me where it previously appeared.These will be limited to 2 per issue.4) Please keep the graphic gore down to a minimum(only what's needed for the story).5) Please keep the obscene language to a bare minimum(again, only what's needed for the story).6) Simultaneous Submissions will be considered IF:a) You tell me up frontb) You inform me immediately if the story has been accepted elsewhereIf I...

Deadline: February 15th, 2024 Payment: $10 and a digital copy Theme: Microfiction in the form of tourist brochures, travel blogs, and travel guides to the strangest, darkest places you can imagine. Strange Locations: An Anthology of Dark Travel Guides We are looking for speculative microfiction in the form of tourist brochures, travel blogs, and travel guides to the strangest, darkest places you can imagine. Tell us a story while guiding the reader down hidden trails into eerie landscapes, weird biotech gardens, creepy scifi cities, surreal forests, or secret magical places. We’re looking for pieces that reveal intimate stories of loss, horror, or yearning in the voice of the fictional travel writer, or that use specific setting details to show whole new worlds between the lines. We love dark fantasy, science fiction, horror, eco-horror, clifi, Weird fiction, folk horror, and body horror. Don’t be afraid to mix genres and experiment! Please no simultaneous submissions or multiple submissions. We will aim to have first responses back within 30 days of closing to submissions. Word count: Up to 250 words Payment: $10 and a digital copy Submissions open: Jan 15, 2024 Submissions close: At midnight US central time on Feb 15, 2024 SUBMISSION GUIDELINES 1) Submit your work in Shunn Standard Manuscript Format (Modern or Classic) and attach as a DOC, DOCX, RTF, or ODT file format. 2) Maximum word length is a firm 250 words. Anything more will be auto-rejected. 3) Payment for original fiction is $10 and a digital copy. 4) Please include a brief bio in the body of the email; we ask that bios are kept short and sweet, considering the size of the piece being published. 5) If the work you are submitting is an English translation, please include the translator name and email address either in your...

Deadline: February 25th, 2024 Payment: 5 cents per word Theme: Narratives of healing, reflection, and rebirth Submissions open until February 25th  Our forthcoming issue will be themed “Narratives of healing, reflection, and rebirth.” In essence, we are looking for pieces that explore how we experience change in the face of triumph over challenges and what it means to introspect. Whether through personal essays, poetry, short fiction, or analysis of another work, we look forward to delving into your pieces on the human condition. This theme is meant to be fluid to encompass any number of works and a wide variety of authorship; if you are unsure whether your piece fits, submit it anyway! Thank you for your continued support, and Happy New Year. All written submissions should be in Times New Roman or Cambria, size 12 font, black, and double-spaced (unless absolutely essential to the piece). Please also include a brief cover letter that includes your publication history (even if you have not been published before!), if English is your second language, and any information that may be relevant to your piece(s). While we do accept simultaneous submissions, please let us know through the contact form if any of your works are accepted by another journal. We accept previously unpublished pieces and reprints as long as you hold the copyright. (USE THE LINKS UNDER THE CATEGORY YOU WISH TO SUBMIT) SHORT FICTION up to 3 pieces may be submitted at a time with a 7,500 maximum word count per piece. https://heduanreview.moksha.io/publication/the-heduan-review/short-fiction/submit POETRY up to 5 pieces may be submitted at a time. https://heduanreview.moksha.io/publication/the-heduan-review/poetry/submit PROSE POEMS up to 3 pieces may be submitted at a time with a 7,500 maximum word count per piece. https://heduanreview.moksha.io/publication/the-heduan-review/prose-poetry/submit BOOK & FILM REVIEWS up to 5 pieces may be submitted at a time, anywhere from 300 to 1,000 words per...

Submission Window: January 17th - February 28th, 2024 Payment: $10 Theme: Dark genre-bending works in the realms of horror, sci-fi, the weird, the macabre, fantasy, and magical realism. Pyre Magazine is a biannual publication. Issues are released Spring/Summer & Fall/Winter. We are most interested in dark genre-bending works in the realms of horror, sci-fi, the weird, the macabre, fantasy, and magical realism. We want stories that grab us by the throat and ask questions about what it means to be human. Make us feel something long after we are done reading. The Editor is particularly fond of stories in the vein of The Twilight Zone, Black Mirror, Night Gallery, The Outer Limits, and Creep Show. When it comes to literary inspiration, think of Shirley Jackson, Richard Matheson, Ray Bradbury, and Mary Shelley. The Editor also enjoys almost anything produced by A24. Think of Pyre as a bonfire — a place of storytelling and sacrifice. Take a seat near the fire and listen or spin a yarn of your own. Here at Pyre, we worship at the altar of storytelling done well. We love genre work that tells us something about the human condition. Pyre is personally funded and maintained by the Editor. he asks you are patient with him as he gets back to submissions. PYRE WILL CONSIDER MATERIAL BY ANY WRITER AND ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN AMPLIFYING UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES. FICTION GUIDELINES:  Submissions of fiction should be no longer than 3,500 words Please submit only one piece per submission period. Send submissions as attachments to: [email protected] with the subject line: fiction submission_yourname. Please include your name (or pen name), the title of the story, the word count, and a brief bio in your email. All submissions should be Word files (.doc or .docx), and they should be double spaced, ideally in Times New Roman 12 pt font, with numbered pages, titled as follows:...

Deadline: February 28th, 2024 Payment: 3 cents a word with a minimum payment of $50 Theme: Science Fiction and Fantasy We like to balance each quarterly issue between science fiction and fantasy, dark and light, serious and humorous, hard and soft science fiction, and longer and shorter works. Our readers are not fixated on a single style or tone or genre, but prefer a quality sample of the field. Think tapas or dim sum. Maximum length is 10,000 words. Please keep submissions PG or cleaner. Submission Period New Myths considers submissions between January 1-February 28 and June 1-July 31.  Artwork, requests for book reviews, and other correspondence can be submitted at any time.  Book Reviews NewMyths publishes original book reviews. No reprints, please. Reviews should be between 500-1,000 words. We prefer reviews of novels published within the past year but also consider reviews of older works, and reviews of poetry collections, anthologies, and nonfiction works related to fantasy and science fiction. Pay is $50. Send inquiries to Candy at [email protected].   NewMyths publishes several book reviews per year, and we’d like to publish more. Unfortunately, with several thousand submissions per year, our hardworking editors don’t have a lot of time to review novels. If you are an author, agent or publisher, and have a novel or other work related to fantasy and science fiction that you would like to have reviewed, send an inquiry to Scott at [email protected]. If you don’t receive an answer, please assume that we simply don’t have the staff to review it. A solution might be to find someone who can write a review and submit it to us for consideration. Payment Payment is upon publication. NewMyths.com currently pays 3 cents/word with a minimum payment of $50 for all submissions, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and poetry. We purchase book reviews for $50. We...

Submission Window: February 1st - 28th, 2024 Payment: 8 cent per word for fiction, $20 for poetry, 8 cent per word for non-fiction, $125 for cover art Theme: Speculative fiction It's our goal to publish diverse voices from around the world, and to do that, we are actively seeking stories, poems, and non-fiction pieces by authors from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in the science fiction and fantasy canon. Our submission cycle is therefore split into two categories, where every other month is explicitly reserved for submissions by authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups. The interposing six months remain open to everyone. Guidelines for Fiction We are seeking stories in the English language up to 6,000 words by writers from around the world. We favor submisions that have not been published before (including on your own website), though we have historically accepted a limited number of reprints not currently appearing anywhere online. For our two issues focused on the climate crisis, we're particularly interested in publishing stories from people displaced by or threatened by the climate emergency (see our themes below). For our other four issues, we're open to a wide variety of stories across the SFF and weird spectra. We pay 8¢ per word for fiction, and we try to respond to all submissions within ten weeks. We have also accepted a limited number of previously published stories, so please indicate on the form if your submission is a reprint. All submissions must use the Shunn manuscript format (we prefer Courier New) and be either .rtf, .doc, or .docx. We like stories that are subtle in their telling and stick with us long after we've finished. We're more likely to buy stories that balance a sense of wonder with a bold plot and...

Deadline: February 29th, 2024 Payment: $30 Theme: Your queerest horror fiction & poetry Sliced Up Press is looking for your queerest horror fiction & poetry for Slay and Slay Again! An Anthology of Queer Horror. Whether you want to embrace tropes or tear them to pieces, we want to see what queer horror means to you. We’re not looking to fill this book with pieces where the only queer characters die, though we won’t overlook submissions where that happens. What we’re looking for: All submissions must be in the horror genre. Bizarro, splatterpunk and extreme horror are welcome. Preference will be given to submissions from LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC authors. If you don’t like this, don’t submit. All submissions must be original. We will not accept reprints, or stories/poetry published elsewhere, including on blogs, social media etc. Please avoid references to real-life persons or situations. No AI/machine generated stories – any AI/machine generated submissions will be deleted without reply, and the submitter will be blacklisted from any future submission calls, grant programmes & other services offered by Sliced Up Press. Submit your best work in modern or classic manuscript format (as outlined on www.shunn.net/format – though we DO NOT require your real name & mailing address), as an MS Word .doc or .docx attachment. Anything sent in a different file type will be rejected without reply. Poems may be submitted in whatever form best suits the piece. You do not need to include your postal/mailing address or full birth name anywhere in your submission. These will only be requested if your submission is successful, to allow for payment & contributor copies (if wanted) to be sent. Authors may submit 1 (one) story and 1 (one) poem maximum for consideration – if you want to send both, please send them in separate emails. Do not send more than one...

Deadline: February 29th, 2024 Payment: $15 + Contributor's Copy Theme: An anthology where queer disabled villains take the stage. An anthology where disabled villains take the stage. Vampires in wheelchairs, necromancers with IBS, blind enchanters--we want it all. We want them visibly queer and irredeemably rotten.  ​ This is not a space for ableist language or themes. We are going to showcase the very dastardliest of villains who are also disabled, not villains who are evil because of or "in spite of" their disabilities.  ​ 2k-6k wordcount limit (but not a HARD limit. It is okay if your wordcount goes a little over 6k, we won't mind.) Simultaneous submissions are OK, but please no multiple submissions.  Payment: $15 + Contributor's Copy  Please submit as a .DOC or .DOCX using Standard Manuscript Format. Send submissions to uncrownedtheseries gmail com.  Please include "Maleficence Submission" in your subject line!  ​ Publication date: September 2024. ​NO Reprints. We are asking for 6-month exclusive first print and ebook publication rights, with non-exclusive rights after.  Submissions are open from Dec. 1 2023-Feb. 29, 2024.  Via: Uncrowned Novel.

Submission Window: January 1st – February 29th, 2024 Payment: $25 and a contributor's copy Theme: Stories that combine crime and horror We are excited to announce At the Edge of Darkness, the sixth edition of our original Shotgun Honey Presents anthology series. At the Edge of Darkness will release October 1st, 2024 right in time for the Halloween Season, featuring stories on that dark, half-lit space where crime and horror simultaneously reside. That’s right, we’re dipping our toe into the dark pool of horror and we’re not doing it alone. Our guest editor, who will be knee deep in the quagmire of submissions, is none other than Keith Rosson, author of Fever House and the Shirley Jackson Award winner for Best Short Story Collection, Folk Songs for Trauma Surgeons. Joining him will be series editor, Ron Earl Phillips. As with the recent Thicker Than Water anthology released last August, At the Edge of Darkness will be a charity anthology. As guest editor, Keith Rosson has chosen to support a Portland nonprofit assisting children entering the foster care system with vital goods and necessities. All profits for this edition will go to benefit this cause. Now, you know the title, the theme, the release date, the editors, the cause, what else would you want to know? Oh, yeah… when and where to submit. Now that we’re fresh off the Halloween Season, many of you getting over your Halloween hangovers, we hope you’ve retained some of that dark spirit and will spend the next two months writing an original horror/crime mashup that is between 1000 to 5000 words. Our open submission for At the Edge of Darkness will open on January 1st and close on February 29th. We will open a special submission page prior to the window. TL;DR Title: At the Edge of Darkness Theme: Crime and Horror Release: October 1, 2024 Guest Editor: Keith Rosson Series...

Deadline: February 29th, 2024 Payment: 0.015 per word Theme: A chronicle of something speculative fiction related (see below for more details!) Note: The pay is a bit lower than what we usually would list, however we don't always see newer podcasts pop up and thought it could be interesting for those who want to get in on the ground floor. A brand new audible zine centering the bizarre, the horrifying, and the what-ifs. New Episodes bi-monthly with an exciting new theme every time. Imagine attending an open mic story-telling night in the cellar of that haunted house on the hill or the canteen of a starship that traverses time and dark dimensions. What stories would you hear? Would they inspire awe or disgust? Hope in the future or existential dread? Genres: Sci-fi, Slipstream, Weird Fiction, Near-Future, Retellings, Folk-Tales, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Surrealism, Cosmic Horror, Dark Fantasy, Speculative… Formats: Mainly Short Stories, Poetry, Flash Fiction, Short Plays/Extracts, (but open to) Personal Stories, Dreams/Nightmares, Songs, Soundscapes, Fictional or Real Mini-Docs, Interviews, and whatever else you can dream up… CURRENT THEME: THE CHRONICLE Imagine the diary of an awakening A.I.'s consciousness, ship logs chronicling a perilous journey through an ominous patch of space, an unearthed time capsule housing century-old audio solving an enigmatic mystery. Does your chronicle unravel the epic tale of a forgotten civilization’s rise and fall or narrate the everyday escapades of a lone passenger adrift at sea? Perhaps your chronicle is a tangible artifact, a relic hidden by a secretive order, demanding protection... or destruction. Think intricate field notes of a planetary explorer, official documents from the desk of a demon, heartfelt letters exchanged between lovers existing in parallel dimensions, and ancient spells encapsulated in a mystical grimoire. Each entry unfolding a unique tale, from the artificial to the mystical…...

Deadline: February 29th, 2024 Payment: $10 Theme: Punchy, genre-oriented short stories that can captivate, intrigue, and entertain a diverse audience.​ Epic Echoes is a digital magazine that reverberates with the pulse-pounding spirit of vintage pulp fiction while resonating with the modern sensibilities of today's diverse readers. Our publication offers a vibrant symphony of genre-oriented tales, each one a short, sweet echo of the epic narratives that have thrilled readers for generations! From the ghost towns of the Old West to the farthest reaches of space, from the mean streets of crime-ridden cities to the shadowy corners of the supernatural realm, Epic Echoes delivers captivating stories that intrigue and entertain readers while showcasing up-and-coming literary talents! WE ARE CURRENTLY ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS(Jan. 1 - Feb. 29, 2024) We're seeking punchy, genre-oriented short stories that can captivate, intrigue, and entertain a diverse audience.​ ​ Please see guidelines for submission below:​ What We're Looking For Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Crime, Adventure, Horror, and everything in between. We love genre-blending stories and unique takes on classic tropes. Grounded, more realistic stories are also welcome. Rating: Our stories should be accessible to a wide range of readers. Think PG-13—nothing gratuitously violent, explicit, or overly disturbing. Seriously, if "shock value" is what describes your story, it's probably not a good fit. Also, profanity and swear words does not a mature and well-written story make; there is a fine line between lazy writing and heightened narrative tension—tread it lightly. Length: We prefer stories between 1,000 and 3,000 words. However, we will consider outstanding stories outside this range with an aim toward serialization. Please note that this is a small publication with minimal payment. We encourage you to save your best work for higher-paying markets. Style: We seek stories with strong, clear storytelling and, most importantly, good characters. Compelling, diverse, heroic, flawed, larger-than-life, and...

Submission Window: February 1st - 29th, 2024 Payment: $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue Theme: Any genre, short story Mission = Revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful. Payout = Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Wait, you mean if this substack gets thousands of subscribers, the winner would get thousands of dollars? Yes! The New Yorker pays roughly $7,500 per story and I sincerely hope to go way past that. What does the timeline look like? Submit stories by the end of the month, winner to be announced on the 15th. There is ONE story that wins and receives the full payout. Where do I send submissions? [email protected] What are the rules for submitting? 1. No Fees 2. Send in Microsoft Word or Google Doc form 3. Any genre 4. 6- 10,000 words. Yes, just 6 words, like Hemingway's famous 6-word story "For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn." 5. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute. 6. Acknowledge Distribution Rights on this Substack - You can still sell your story elsewhere but we need to be able to save and publish it here. The goal is to create a library for subscribers. 7. Only the winner will be published and rights will only transfer for the winning story. What do I get for subscribing? One beautiful story every month. The complete library. The joy of supporting artists and doing something interesting. What if I can’t pay right now? That’s ok! If you publish a blurb about this site on your website, blog, or social media, I will send you one full story of your choosing. Best of all, it is...

Deadline: February 29th, 2024 Payment: 0.05 per word, maximum payout of $400 Theme: Fairy tales being retold as science fiction About Once Upon a Future Time, Volume 4 Return to a future full of mystery, magic, and malevolence. How can you tell friend from foe when faced with the cold darkness of outer space? The asteroid belt holds as much danger as the darkened woods, and the huntsman may be just another bounty hunter. The same warnings and concerns that were whispered over baby cradles and guarded by knights in shining armor can be found in the far reaches of space, but just a bit more…alien. The future is as expansive as the universe and full of untold stories. Rumors whispered in the dark of night and legends shared throughout the day. Is Cinderella’s fairy godmother truly a fairy, or is she perhaps a visitor from another world? Perhaps the rings of Saturn are giant gems and the far off supergiant is nothing more than glowing cotton candy. Was the beast transformed by a curse, or is he an offworlder in disguise? There are as many tales as there are stars in the sky and now is your chance to share yours, once upon a future time. This anthology will be the fourth anthology installment based on fairy tales retold as science fiction. Submission requirements: All genres welcome. Submissions must be all ages appropriate. Original, never before published content Submissions are to be 250-15,000 words Based upon a fairy tale or folk tale (Include title of original tale after author name in the manuscript) Standard manuscript format (https://www.shunn.net/format/classic/) No AI generated work No prior submissions No simultaneous submissions Period of exclusivity until three months past publication Author grants non-exclusive global, English language hardcover, paperback, eBook, and audiobook licenses in perpetuity...

Deadline: February 29th, 2024 Payment: $5 Theme: original feminist tales, feminist retellings of traditional tales, and personal essays related to traditional tales We’re looking for original feminist tales, feminist retellings of traditional tales, and personal essays related to traditional tales. Although we started as a magazine of fairy tales, we’re now open to pieces based on or related to fairy tales, folklore, myths, legends, and pop culture. We accept fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and pieces that are in-between. For prose, we accept stories of up to 5,000 words. Longer pieces will be declined. 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. How to submit. To submit a piece, please fill out our submission form. Please submit only one piece per reading period. Multiple submissions will be declined. Our submission form is unfortunately not able to send an automatic response or a copy of your submission; if you aren’t sure if your submission has gone through, please email [email protected]. We’re always happy to check! Wish list. We encourage you to read through the journal to get a sense for the stories that generally speak to us, but here are some specific characters, themes, & forms we’d love to see in this round of submissions! coming soon! Policies. We do accept simultaneous submissions; reprints from defunct blogs, magazines, and presses; and pieces that have been pulled from publication for ethical reasons. We do not accept pieces that are currently still available online. We ask that you include content notes with your piece, and we’ll provide a dropdown list to choose from. We will not accept anything that promotes racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, or other oppressive and harmful viewpoints; anything that uses sexual violence for shock...

Deadline: March 1st, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Stories inspired by the music of Jethro Tull. Note: Reprints Welcome Love Story Jethro Tull has an amazing discography. Spanning everything from folk music to heavy metal over 50 years - and yes, the flute is indeed a heavy metal instrument! - their music has inspired generations of artists of all types. Including authors! Songs in the Key of Tull is an anthology of fiction that pays tribute to that inspiration. Just as the music of Jethro Tull spans genres, so does out call for stories. While we have a preference for science fiction, fantasy, and horror, any genre - western, romance, MilSF, you name it - is welcome. We are currently planning on two potential volumes, depending on response:  Volume I: Minstrels in the Galaxy (SF focus) Volume II: Tales from the Wood (Fantasy focus) Dot Com Our goal, first and foremost, is to entertain our readers. That's the primary criteria we will use to judge a story. We're looking for stories of between 5k-8k words, though length (shorter or longer) is negotiable for a solid story. Reprints are acceptable, but we prefer new stories. If you submit a reprint, please note that in your submission email. Submissions close at midnight, March 1st, 2024. We hope to have an initial read-through of submissions and final acceptance notices sent by April 1st, 2024. Estimated publication date is third quarter of 2024 (with a target date of August 10th, 2024). If your story is accepted, we will ask you to provide an introductory paragraph (up to 100 words) for your story, describing how a particular Jethro Tull song or songs inspired you. We will also ask you to provide an author's biography (up to 100 words) for inclusion in our end matter, along with a link (Amazon...

Deadline: March 1st, 2024 Payment: $30 Theme: Quiet horror Note: Apologies on the short deadline, this just hit our inbox Submission Call! Read veeery carefully. There's a lot of information here. GASPS is an anthology of Quiet Horror ... from splatter authors. Proving our versatility and skill ... this collection sets out to unnerve and chill. No theme other than the requirement that it fit into the "Quiet" category. Meaning no graphic gore or gross out content. Other than that ... you write whatever you want! I want a variety of creative and unique stories, rather than stories that blur together with an overarching theme. Also, of note, just because we're writing more subtle stories doesn't mean I want authors to avoid mature or dark themes. This is going to be a book marketed to adult readers, not children. If you are not familiar with Quiet Horror, seek out the works of authors like Charles L. Grant, Ramsey Campbell, and T.M. Wright. If you're struggling with the definition, the easiest way to describe it is that quiet horror is the exact opposite of extreme horror. Submissions open January 20th and close on March 1st. I'm hoping to have a finished book released by July, but I'm still working on dates. As I've learned from SCRAPS ... anything can happen. 3k to 6k words. Six open spots! Absolutely NO tabs key indents. Size 12, Times New Roman, Double Spaced paragraphs. Double lined too. Anything that doesn't meet these requirements is automatically rejected. Title your emails AND word documents GASPS SUBMISSION. In all caps. If you do not use this title for your email or word document, it will be automatically rejected. Emails must be sent to [email protected]! Invited authors are all splatterpunks, but YOU don't have to be an established or...

Deadline: March 1st, 2024 Prize: Audio narration and $50 Theme: Secret Societies They thrive in the shadowed corridors of history, shrouded in mystery and clandestine pursuits. Unlike cults, secret societies are not defined by coercive ideologies or charismatic leaders, but rather by the allure of exclusive knowledge, shared rituals and covert influence. These clandestine organizations operate beyond the prying eyes of the mainstream, their members bound by oaths of secrecy. Within their hidden chambers, ancient rites and esoteric wisdom are passed down through generations, shaping destiny and the world as we know it. Contest Rules The story must have horror elements and relate to the theme of Secret Societies. Secret societies are distinct from cults in that they don’t operate based on a specific dogma and focus on manipulating outcomes to further their own nefarious agendas. Other than this distinction, how you choose to interpret that theme is up to you, but it must be central to the story. The image included on this page is for interest purposes only and not intended as a prompt. Deadline to submit is March 1, 2024 (11:59pm CST) It must be previously unpublished. Submissions must be in English, but authors from anywhere in the world are welcome to submit. A minimum of ONE winner will be announced on or before May 1, 2024. The top flash piece will be produced for audio narration on Tales to Terrify and receive $50 (USD). Up to four runners up may also be considered for production. Authors retain the rights to their submitted stories. Submission Format up to 1,000 words Microsoft Word or Rich Text Format Double spaced 12 pt. Courier New or Times New Roman font Please include author, title and word count on first page. Stories pasted into the body of an email will be rejected without being read.  ...

We are looking for amazing stories from any genre that are fun to read and will take us on an adventure of epic proportions. Please download our standards template by clicking here ***NOTE*** We publish genre fiction with aspects of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. If your work does not include one of these aspects, we are less likely to pick up the title unless it is of exceptional quality. What we are NOT currently accepting: Poetry Single-author collections of short stories. Hard and fast rules of what not to send: Fan-fiction: Just simply don’t. It will be immediately deleted or tossed into the recycle bin. Gratuitous Sexuality: (i.e. smut, softcore adult content) (Please, we know that there is a market out there for stories in this genre, but it’s not for us. Contact our affiliate, Tanglewood press for submissions in this genre at tanglewoodromance (at) gmail.com Gratuitous Abuse/Violence: While we at Three Ravens Publishing understand that graphic situations can alter or otherwise move the plot forward in ways that the reader may not expect when properly used, these elements should not, however, be the primary focus of the story. (i.e. torture adult content). Discrimination: Again, whether racial, religious, social, etc., when used properly as a plot device can become a powerful tool in the authors arsenal, but should in no way become the focus of the story unless you’re writing something along the lines of “Schindler’s List”, “To Kill a Mockingbird” or “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. And we do understand that to be perfectly accurate, period pieces will contain such things because historically, that is what happened. It’s sad, but it’s the truth. Message Fiction: While we understand that everyone has their own stance on a myriad of subjects that can become very emotional and heated, we will not publish...

Deadline: March 1st, 2024 Payment: short story, $25; short-short piece (up to 1000 words), $10; poem, $10, artwork, $25 for cover, $10 for interior page display. Theme: Bookmarks The Missing Piece of the Puzzle (November 1, 2023) 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. NOTE: Stories longer than 20 double-spaced typewritten pages will not be considered. 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...

Deadline: March 1st, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Horror and dark romance novellas and novellas, series or stand alone Eerie is and has always been an inclusive publishing house. We would love to read manuscripts from all walks of life including BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA and marginalized humans. If you have a horror story, we want to read it. Eerie River Publishing only publishes a handful of novels a year. Regrettably, this means we will have to pass on some fantastic writing. We wish we could publish them all but the truth is we wouldn't be able to put the resources needed behind each project to make them a success. And that is what we are here to do.  ​ We are an inclusive company that accepts submission from anyone regardless of race, gender or sexuality. We accept agented and non-agented submissions during our submission window. What are we looking for?HORROR & DARK FANTASY We are seeking high-quality, novel and novella series in horror and dark fantasy. The series should be two or more books within the same world or following the same characters throughout. At this time we are not interested in short story collections, erotica, strictly religious fiction, YA Fiction, or poetry. ​ We want unique, well-crafted stories with compelling plots, terrifying twists, and entertaining characters, for mature audiences. Give us your grim, heart-wrenching twist. The perfect story would balance the light and the dark pieces of the storyline with humour, alongside the emotional twists and turns. In essence, if you can evoke a gambit of emotion throughout the story then we will be hard-pressed to say no.  ​ Manuscripts should be written in good taste, and be aimed for a mature audience. As this is horror we expect the scary and horrible, and we encourage a step toward darker, more horrific tones...

Submission Window: March 1st-2nd, 2024 Payment: 8 cents per word for original, 2 cents for reprints, For artwork: $10 for the non-exclusive right to use each image, for as long as the site is online.  If we publish a print collection we will pay a pro-rata share for each image used. 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 8¢ 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...