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Trembling With Fear

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Unholy Trinity: Dracula’s Castle by James Nemeth

Our church worships at the altar of the Unholy Trinity. Its gospels are delivered as a trio of dark drabbles, linked so that Three become One. All hail the power of the Three.

 

Dracula’s Castle

 

Jim Nemeth’s Journal

31 Oct. Transylvania—

The carriage dropped me at the castle at midnight. Dracula, clean shaven save for a long white mustache and clad completely in black, opened the door, bid me to enter freely and gave me a tour. 

Afterward, I presented my report. “Count, as your Airbnb rep, I have to be honest: the broken battlements, the cobwebs, remote location, lack of servants, the wolves…”

Dracula looked crestfallen. 

“Count, I think we have a real WINNER here!” I said.

The Count beamed. He approached as if to hug me, but instead bit me in the neck.

 

 

Hotep – Seth

 

The archeologist’s face turned to uncomprehending horror as he tried to stop the advance of Hotep-Seth, guardian mummy of the tomb, by thrusting and waving the blazing torch. Hotep-Seth would have laughed if he could as he lifted the defiler by the neck and repeatedly slammed his head against the stone wall. 

Hotep-Seth reached down and picked up the still blazing object that had for centuries been his greatest undoing. So many fiery deaths followed by phoenix-like resurrections. But no more. He gazed at his body, admiring the tomb priests’ work in rewrapping his form in fire-retardant gauze.

 

Nothing Under the Bed

 

Mrs. Grimes grunted as she stood erect from kneeling beside little Johnny’s bed.

“There’s nothing there, Johnny. No clawed and fanged hairy monster. Nothing. Now go to bed!”

“But mom,” Johnny started to blubber.

“No, Johnny! I’ve had it! Night after night screaming the house down! Now, come here. I want you to look.”

“Mom, no!” Johnny pleaded, tears running down his face.

“Do it, Johnny. Now. Or else.” 

Tears still streaming, Johnny kneeled down. His eyes refused to open.

“Open your eyes!” Johnny’s mother bellowed.

Johnny did and whimpered as the clawed and fanged hairy monster winked at him.

 

 

James Nemeth

I am a published author of both fiction and non-fiction. In 1993, I won 1st Prize in a national magazine’s short story writing contest for which novelists Ray Bradbury and Robert Bloch were judges. Winning held special meaning for me, as Robert Bloch remains my favorite writer and main literary influence. I have had essays, articles and reviews printed in a variety of magazines, including Filmfax, Mad About Movies, and Scary Monsters. I am the book review columnist for the revived Castle of Frankenstein magazine as well as the webmaster of the Robert Bloch Official Website (robertbloch.net). The year 2020 saw the release of my co-authored It Came From? The Stories and Novels Behind Classic Horror, Fantasy, and Science Fiction Films, an examination of 21 classic fantastic films, and the books/stories that inspired them.

Anthology / Contributor's Copy / Events / Flash / Flat Amount / Non-fiction / Poetry

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Taking Submissions: Winter Lore Book 3: Aurora: Tales of Winter Dreams

Deadline: May 13th, 2025
Payment: $20 for original fiction. $10 for poetry. $5 for reprints, $5 for short articles, poems and spells on winter rites, traditions and rituals – Payment and a contributor’s copy for US authors
Theme: Stories of how winter relates to rest and rejuvenation and refinement of dreams involving fantasy, folklore, and magic

Winter Lore Book 3: Aurora: Tales of Winter Dreams:
Submission Open March 25 to May 13, 2025
Word count 2,000 to 6,000

Pay: $20 for original fiction

$10 for poetry

$5 for reprints

$5 for short articles, poems and spells on winter rites, traditions and rituals

Payment and a contributors copy

Paperback for US residence

Ebook for Non-US residence

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Artwork / Flash / Flat Amount / Magazine / Non-fiction / Ongoing Submissions / Poetry / Token Payment

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Ongoing Submissions: Kinpaurak Magazine

Payment: $5 per work
Theme: Fiction, poetry, artwork that deals with the Esoteric, Absurd, and Sublime (definitions below.)

THE ESOTERIC – Hidden. Occult. Secret. Mystical. Unknown.

THE ABSURD – Meaningless. Chaos. Nonsense. Ridiculous. Paradox. Existential.

THE SUBLIME – Awe. Vastness. Beauty. Terror. Overwhelming. Grandeur.

We accept all genres—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, philosophical monologues, etc. However, nothing over 2,000 words.

  • Fiction/Nonfiction: Up to 2000 words (flash, short stories, experimental prose welcome).
  • Poetry: Up to one quadrillion poems per submission (not exceeding 2000 words). Any form or style.
  • Essays: Up to 2000 words.
  • Hybrid Work: No rules, I guess. If it doesn’t fit anywhere else, send it here.
  • Visual Art: We accept a range of 2D and 3D artworks. PNG, JPG, or TIFF. Dimensions wise, preferably 8.5×11 inches (portrait) or 11×8.5 inches (landscape).
  • Auditory Art: Noise, ambient, and electronic manipulations are most wanted. WAV or MP3 (320 kbps preferred). Up to 10 minutes (shorter pieces encouraged). Accompany a description, 150–300 words, explaining the concept, technique, and relevance to Kinpaurak’s themes. Please refer to our FAQ for more information.

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Articles

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Proposed Tariffs Make Strange Bedfellows

Proposed Tariffs Make Strange Bedfellows

 

The Canadian Independent Booksellers’ Association has partnered with Canadian bookselling giant, Indigo? This is a sentence that very few Canadians would have ever expected to read but the new tariffs on products from the United States would affect books. CIBA and Indigo CEO, Heather Reisman, have written a joint letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney requesting that books be excluded from tariffs. 

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Anthology / Events / Flat Amount

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Taking Submissions: Suffering the Other

Deadline: May 30th, 2025
Payment: $10
Theme: Dark speculative fiction that explores various aspects of otherness and its effect on those so othered

Dim Shores will be publishing an anthology in late 2025 or early 2026 — Suffering the Other. America’s blossoming fascist state is vigorously persecuting basically anyone who is not a healthy well-off cisgendered heterosexual white male: LGBTQ+ folks, immigrants, the disabled, the poor, women in general. Particular attention is being paid to immigrants/non-citizens of any stripe, and the transgender community. As such, this book will be a benefit for RAICES and Transgender Legal Center, two of the many organizations helping those who are being victimized by this roaring tsunami of oppression and vitriol.

Suffering the Other will be edited by Justin Steele and myself (Sam Cowan), just like both volumes of Looming Low. Unlike Looming Low, we are taking submissions for this book. Following are some guidelines.

WINDOW: March 30 through May 30, 2025.

THEME: People tend to fear what they don’t understand. Throughout history these fears have festered and metastasized, again and again, into prejudicial hatred and violence against out-groups. Too many people have become very adept at dehumanizing those who are not like themselves. The stories in this book will explore various aspects of otherness and its effect on those so othered via dark speculative fiction.

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Audio / Events / Reprints Allowed / Semipro

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Taking Submissions: Imagitopia May 2025 Window

Submission Window: May 1st – 31st, 2025
Payment: 1 cent per word
Theme: Reprints of fantasy stories in all of its subgenres

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. 

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Articles

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Writing Prompt Wednesdays: Zombie Flies

Writing Prompt Wednesdays: Zombie Flies

Welcome to “Writing Prompt Wednesdays,” a haven where your imagination can roam free in the realms of speculative fiction. As we embark on this weekly journey, it’s thrilling to think about the untold stories waiting to be penned in the domains of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Whether you’re a seasoned author or a budding wordsmith, these prompts are your gateway to unexplored worlds and untapped potentials.

Every Wednesday, we’ll serve up a fresh, thought-provoking prompt designed to ignite your creative spark and challenge your storytelling prowess. Think of these prompts as a key, unlocking the doors to uncharted territories where your creativity is the only limit. From eerie, shadow-laden corridors of Gothic horror to the farthest reaches of interstellar space, and the mystical depths of high fantasy, our prompts are a kaleidoscope of possibilities.

Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to approach these prompts. They are mere stepping stones, guiding you towards the vast landscapes of your imagination. Use them to break free from writer’s block, to experiment with new ideas, or simply as a fun exercise to keep your writing skills sharp.

This week’s writing prompt:

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Anthology / Events / Pro / Royalties

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Taking Submissions: Skull X Bones

Deadline: June 30th, 2025
Payment: 0.08 USD / word and royalties
Theme: Science Fiction or Fantasy pirate stories

Avast, ye scurvy dogs! It’s time to plunder! Pirates have enchanted and haunted readers for generations, from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island to the ill-fated Firefly. Whether it’s Blackbeard, Mal, or Han Solo, we love our swashbucklers, our One-Eyed Willies, and our scruffy-looking nerfherders. In SKULL X BONES, we want writers to give us their best science fiction or fantasy pirates, whether they be on the sailing ships of the deep wide ocean or the spaceships of the black void!

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