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Events

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Epeolatry Book Review: The Vinyl Detective by Andrew Cartmel

Disclosure:

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Title: The Vinyl Detective
Author: Andrew Cartmel
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Publisher: Titan Books
Publication date: 15th April, 2025

Synopsis: The Vinyl Detective plunges into the world of Italian movie soundtrack music in his eighth adventure that is sure to delight those who love whimsical British cosy crime. Expect laughs, LPs, cats and the return of fan favourites, Nevada, Tinkler, Stinky Stanmer and more.

Some of the greatest (and grooviest) music ever committed to vinyl has come out of Italy in the form of soundtracks—especially for that variety of lurid thriller known as a giallo. The maestros who composed these masterpieces include Ennio Morricone, Piero Piccioni, Armand Trovajoli… And Loretto Loconsole.

No one disputes that Loconsole was a genius, but was he also a murderer?

When his mistress was brutally killed in 1969, on location in Cool Britannia for a giallo called Murder in London, there wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute him. But Loconsole died in the shadow of disgrace. Now, his granddaughter Chloë has come back to England to hire the Vinyl Detective. She wants him to find an immaculate vinyl copy of Murder in London…

And to clear her grandfather’s name.

Can the Vinyl Detective and the gang—Nevada, Tinkler and Agatha—find out the truth of what happened in Swinging London more than half a century ago? And can they stay alive when there’s someone out there who’d prefer the secrets of the past to remain buried—and is more than willing to kill to keep it that way?

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Novel / Novella / Royalties

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Twisted Dreams Press is open to Horror Novels and Novellas

Payment: Royalties
Theme: Horror of all kinds

We are thrilled that you’re considering publishing your spine-chilling tales with Twisted Dreams Press, where nightmares come to life!

At Twisted Dreams Press, we embrace diversity and inclusivity while celebrating your unique voice and twisted perspective. The more variety, the better!

Here are the steps needed to get your creepy creations and scream-inducing tales into our haunted hands, along with answers to your most burning questions about what you can expect when publishing with Twisted Dreams Press!

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Events / Flash / Flat Amount / Magazine / Token Payment

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Taking Submissions: Stygian Lepus Magazine July 2025 Window

Submission Window: July 1st – July 25th, 2025
Payment: $5
Theme: Dark fiction, Serialized dark fiction, Creative non-fiction

At the Stygian Lepus Magazine, we are passionate about sharing the unique voices and stories of our contributors. As a boutique publisher, we are a small team working hard to bring these projects to life.

We are proud to provide a complimentary digital copy of the published magazine to all our contributors. Additionally, we now offer a small token payment of $5 USD for each accepted submission.

As a growing press, we rely heavily on sales to fund our operations and improve what we can offer contributors in the future. While we are unable to provide discounted print copies at this time due to the additional manual workload, we deeply value every story we publish and the trust our authors place in us to bring their work to readers.

Thank you for being part of our journey. Your creativity and collaboration mean everything to us, and we look forward to building something meaningful together.

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Novel / Ongoing Submissions / Royalties

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Ongoing Submissions: Horrorsmith Fear Forge Horror Novels

Payment: 50/50 royalty split
Theme: All horror sub-genres, except extreme horror

FEAR FORGE HORROR SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
– All manuscripts must be 40,000 words or more in length.
– We consider reprints on a case-by-case basis, and we do accept simultaneous submissions.
– All sub-genres, except extreme horror, are being accepted at this time.
– Royalty share is currently 50/50, with other opportunities like external projects and merchandise for additional royalty accrual.
– Submit your query, a full synopsis (aim for one page), and first three chapters to [email protected].
– Format the subject of your submission email like this: Target Imprint – Project Title – Series or Standalone – Word Count.
– Synopsis and first three chapters can be submitted as Word .docx files or PDFs. Full manuscript requests must be submitted as Word .docx files.

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Events / Novel / Novella / Royalties

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Infested Publishing Is Open To Novels and Novellas from UK Authors

Deadline: July 31st, 2025
Payment: Royalty split of 60/40 (author/publisher)
Theme: Speculative fiction novels or novellas by UK authors

We are seeking novel and novella length fiction, which takes us to those dark places. We want the unsettling, the uncanny, and the eerily plausible. We want submissions from UK authors of all backgrounds.

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Please note: While elements of horror, fantasy and sci-fi are welcomed, we are not looking for out and out horror/fantasy/sci-fi. We do not want any splatterpunk, or romance and submissions of these genres will not be read or responded to.

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Articles

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Writing Prompt Wednesdays: Let’s Play

Writing Prompt Wednesdays: Let’s Play

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 / Novel / Novella / Ongoing Submissions / Royalties

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Ongoing Submissions: GRADEside Middle Grade & Young Adult Horror

Payment: 50% royalties
Theme: Short stories, novels, and novellas – Horror stories for younger readers (middle school to YA)

Beware the children…

We’re asking for your tales again, this time not for Graveside Press, but for GRADEside Stories!

Gradeside is your haunted carnival for the tales geared toward younger readers—still spooky, but with a little restraint. Both middle grade and young adult titles are considered, however, if we feel your YA title skews to an upper YA older audience, we may ask to publish it as a standard Graveside title.

Requirements:

  • wordcount: 2,000-6,000 (short story) / 20,000+ (novella or novel length)
  • aimed at a middle grade to young adult audience (10+)
  • have a PG to PG-13 rating

The standard horror elements are allowed, but keep in mind who you’re writing for. Topics such as extreme body horror, assault, torture, etc., will not be considered. MG stories should maintain a PG rating, and YA should stick to PG-13.

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Anthology / Events / Pro / Reprints Allowed

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Taking Submissions: A Breath of Time

Deadline: July 20th, 2025
Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints.
Theme: Love where time itself is conquered (time travel, time bending, etc)

We’re seeking short stories for our brand-new Romantic Fantasy series, a paid market for new and established writers. We’re looking for tales featuring strong-willed, independent women who are resilient, perhaps flawed or possess hidden powers, secrets or royal bloodlines. Such protagonists would not be defined solely by their love interests but grow through emotionally charged journeys. Friendships and love interests might be brooding, mysterious or dangerously alluring. Relationships might emphasize deep emotional connections, with lyrical, romantic scenes central to each character’s arc.

Ideal submissions will weave emotional tension such as longing, betrayal and love into epic fantasy worlds depicting prophecies, injustice and conflict. We welcome stories that explore moral dilemmas or sacrifices tied to love and duty, and will look out for richly imagined settings, from fae realms and alternate worlds to magical kingdoms, complete with unique magic systems, mythical creatures, royal courts and epic quests. Romance should be integral to the plot, with other elements such as slow-burn attraction, enemies who become lovers, forbidden love or fated matches. If you’re ready to immerse readers in unforgettable adventures where love and fantasy collide, we’d love to read your story. Read on for more tips on the specific titles…

A Breath of Time

Lost loves, love discovered, love unreachable unless Time itself is conquered, these and many other time-bending, time traveling, time feasting themes can spark your imagination for stories of alternate history, of ancient forests returning to haunt the present and great adventures through dreams and timeless mountain tops, all with hearts beating to the rhythm of romance. Let’s see where your stories take us!

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