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Flat Amount / Ongoing Submissions / Online

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Ongoing Submissions: Horrific Scribes

Payment: $25
Theme: Dark short fiction (and some poetry) for all horror subgenres and other genres if it ends up being dark that will be printed online

We are currently accepting submissions ONLY for Horrific Scribes. We are NOT yet accepting submissions for standalone publications such as novellas and novels (please see our plan for such things).

That said, Horrific Scribes is open for submissions! Horrific Scribes will soon be an expanding archive of dark short fiction (and some poetry) by various authors who share the Horrific Scribblings imprint’s dedication to the provocative, scary, and strange. We’re looking for dark fiction, mostly horror (all subgenres, bloodless to extreme, nothing off limits as long as there really is a good story and it’s not driven by hate, e.g. racism, homophobia, etc.) but also the horror-adjacent, e.g. dark fantasy and dark sci-fi but also surreal and experimental work with dark edges. However you’d classify it, it should be unconventional, challenging, and worth thinking about.

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Artwork / Events / Flash / Flat Amount / Magazine / Poetry

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Taking Submissions: Thema: I Wish I’d Said That

Deadline: July 1st, 2025
Payment: short story, $25; nonfiction/essay, $25, short-short piece under 1000 words, $10; poem, $10; artwork/photography, $25 for cover, $10 for interior page display.
Theme: I Wish I’d Said That

Upcoming premises (target themes) and deadlines for submission [postmarked]:

The Lost Sock (March 1, 2025)

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 story, 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.

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Articles / For Readers / Reviews

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Epeolatry Book Review: Somewhere Quiet, Full of Light by Henry Corrigan

Disclosure:

Our reviews may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the links in this article we may receive a small commission or referral fee. This happens without any additional cost to you.

Title: Somewhere Quiet, Full of Light
Author: Henry Corrigan
Genre: horror
Publisher: Slashic Horror Press
Publication date: 15th May, 2025

Synopsis: Having suffered years of neglect, an implacable house in upstate New York waits for a new family to bring it back to life. Haunted by a lifetime of poverty, Eric Tillman is just looking for a place where his family can grow up. One hopes to escape screaming landlords and sleepless nights, the other has standards to maintain, expectations that must be met. And as the house brings those standards to violent life, Eric learns there are chances too costly to take—for some doors lead only to ruin.

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Events / Flash / Flat Amount / Magazine / Poetry

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Taking Submissions: Roses & Wildflowers Autumn 2025 Issue

Submission Window: March 1st – July 15th, 2025
Payment: Short Stories: $20, Poetry: $10
Theme: An issue dedicated to hope. Solar-punk, hope-punk, envisioning a better future. Fantasy that explores hope and grace.

Spring 2025 Call for Submissions: MYTHO-ANARCHISM

An issue dedicated to hope. Solar-punk, hope-punk, envisioning a better future. Fantasy that explores hope and grace.

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Articles

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Writing Prompt Wednesdays: Cursed Painting

Writing Prompt Wednesdays: Cursed Painting

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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Articles

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3 Spine-Chilling Horror Novels to Read This Spring 2025

3 Spine-Chilling Horror Novels to Read This Spring 2025

As the days grow longer and the nights remain cool, spring is the perfect time to dive into some spine-chilling horror novels. Whether you are a seasoned horror aficionado or just looking to explore the genre, these books promise to deliver thrills and chills that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Reading horror can be a cathartic experience, allowing you to confront fears in a safe space while enjoying a gripping story. Here are three must-reads that you won’t want to miss this spring.

As to the reason that I picked them? It’s a new year, and I like to start every new year with new voices. These are what I felt ‘sounded’ like the three most interesting options on this year’s Bram Stoker Awards ballot for “Superior Achievement in a First Novel.” I’d like to stress that I haven’t read these works yet, and the other two that were listed also sounded interesting – I just have so much time in the day and from a synopsis point of view – these stuck out!

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Articles / For Readers / Reviews

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Epeolatry Book Review: Scuttler’s Cove by David Barnett

Disclosure:

Our reviews may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the links in this article we may receive a small commission or referral fee. This happens without any additional cost to you.

Title: Scuttler’s Cove
Author: David Barnett
Genre: folk horror
Publisher: Canelo
Publication date: 13th February, 2025

Synopsis: Scuttler’s Cove is a working village, nestling in dramatic coastal scenery in Cornwall , where life has gone uninterrupted for centuries… until this seaside idyll was discovered by the rich. Now the quaint harbour-front cottages have been snapped up by second-homers and rental companies, and the locals can barely afford to live in their own town.

It is a very different place for Merrin Moon, who left for university at the age of eighteen and never looked back. Now in her thirties, she returns to the Cove for the first time since, after the death of her mother. She soon discovers that there are forces at play in the village she could never have imagined. Is someone trying to drive out the second homers? And has their arrival started a chain of events none of them will be able to stop? For something old and terrible is awakening beneath the town’s hallowed ground. And with it comes a horror that the residents have fought for generations to keep secret.

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Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear 2-23-25

Greetings, children of the dark. Short and sweet here this week as I’m coming to you live from the UK Ghost Story Festival. It’s been a bit of a year of writing for me so far – I cannot believe I’ve finished a second story already, making it two stories and a total of 11,000+ words in the last 4 weeks. WTAF?! Ghost Fest this weekend, then next weekend I’m off to the British Fantasy Society’s annual retreat at the very iconic Gladstones Library, so maybe the floodgates are trying to prise open? I’m going with it, at any rate. I’d love to hear how your own writing is going – let me know in the comments below, or find me on social media. 

Handing over to the talent in this week’s edition, and we find our main course is a tribute to audio thanks to Erik Keevan. That’s followed by the short, sharp speculations of:

  • Emily Jones’s warning label,
  • Robert Allen Lupton’s warning from space, and
  • Weird Wilkins’s warning from beyond.

Over to you, Stuart.

Lauren McMenemy

Editor, Trembling With Fear

Hi all.

This weekend, some of our UK staff are doing a certain Ghost Story Festival. So, with that in mind, we weren’t able to get a lot done outside of fiction reading. I did make a couple of changes and decisions on our new layout. In this week’s newsletter, I did say I was waiting on some final feedback for the main page and I’ve now received that and some of our sub-pages so will be pushing forward on some changes ASAP for the next round of feedback. SCORE! 

Now, for the standards:

  • Thank you so much to everyone who has become a Patreon for Horror Tree. We honestly couldn’t make it without you all!
  • Be sure to order a copy of Shadowed Realms on Amazon, we’d love for you to check it out and leave a review!

Offhand, if you’ve ordered Trembling With Fear Volume 6, we’d appreciate a review!

For those who are looking to connect with Horror Tree as we’re not really active on Twitter anymore, we’re also in BlueSky and Threads. *I* am also now on BlueSky and Threads.

Stuart Conover

Editor, Horror Tree

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