Submission Window: June 13th – July 31st, 2025
Payment: $15 USD per page
Theme: Horror, no specific theme, but stories should be hard hitting
We’re looking for comic scripts for DARKEST DEPTHS VOL. 1, a new horror anthology series to be published by Monstrous Books and Crystal Lake Publishing.
Submission Window: June 1st – July 31st, 2025
Payment: $25 and a contributor’s copy
Theme: Stories about monsters living in a mundane setting
Announcing our latest horror/fantasy anthology, the follow-up to THE MONSTERS NEXT DOOR!
MORE MONSTERS NEXT DOOR will be accepting 20 short stories, each one focused on a monster living in a mundane setting. The Tudor house across from you may be Dracula’s summer home. That apartment down the hall may be Cthulhu’s downsizing goal. The hairy guy who just moved into the trailer court sure does make a lot of noise during the full moon.
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By James L Hill
Vampires have haunted the mind for millennia. The Mesopotamians, Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans all believed in blood drinking demons, the precursors to modern vampires. Probably because blood is the one thing everyone recognizes as essential for life. It is irreplaceable. I was born with a fever, the doctors wanted to do a full transfusion, and my father refused. His reasoning, “no way you can take all the blood out of my boy and put it back in.”
This is the first trope of the vampire story, they need blood to survive. Working off this main idea, blood will reconstitute the vampire. They gain control of their victims through the blood. They slowly suck the blood, gaining power over the person’s will until one night they completely drain them. The victim dies to rise as a vampire and slave to their master.
Submission Window: June 1st – August 31st, 2025
Payment: Professional rates. An advance may be paid at the discretion of the editors. Royalties percentages will be negotiated upon acceptance
Themes: Speculative fiction and dark thrillers
Ruadán Books will be opening for novel and novella submissions on June 1! We are looking for speculative fiction stories, dark thriller stories, and genre-bending tales that explore the darkness in all of us. If you have a complete manuscript in the dark speculative fiction, horror, mystery, or thriller genres, we want to hear from you.
We accept submissions through Moksha – check below for our submission guidelines. And don’t forget to mark the date!
Deadline: July 1st, 2025
Payment: $50 for accepted story, $25 for accepted artwork
Theme: Stories/art about America’s slide toward authoritarianism – how you feel about it, what you think we can do, what form can and should resistance take, etc.
The International Human Rights Art Movement (IHRAM) issues a call for literary (poetry; short story and essay) and visual responses (submitted as hi-resolution jpegs) to this unique American moment – how you feel about it, what you think we can do, what form can and should resistance take, etc.
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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.
Deadline: July 31st, 2025
Payment: 5 cents per word
Theme: Stories for lovers of the unexplored depths of our planet and universe
💥OPEN CALL: DEEP ANTHOLOGY (Title TBD) with Death’s Head Press
Anticipated Release: Late Spring 2027💥
Death’s Head Press continues its exploration of dark horizons. This time we seek the abyss.
We’re putting together an anthology for lovers of the unexplored depths of our planet and the universe. We are looking for stories between 2,500 and 10,000 words that dive into the dark.
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Submission Window: June 15th-30th, 2025
Payment: 1 cent per word
Theme: Merry and monstrous, cozy and cosmic tales about Krampus
This fall, Underland Press will explore the cosmic horror inherent in the holiday season with Kozy Krampus, a collection of stories merry and monstrous, cozy and cosmic. The gothic nightmares and horrific haunts of our forebears persist in our fever-fueled dreams. Some monsters are never vanquished; they merely find new shapes. Slip into the dark shadows behind the million flickering holiday lights. Stare down the prehistoric fruit log in which lurks something truly eldritch and batrachian. Hark to the songs sung after midnight by carolers with extra-long tongues and extra-sharp teeth. This is the holiday season with the masks ripped off.
Remember: not all gifts are good, and if you open it, you have to keep it . . .
I’d like to take this time to give special thanks to our Patreon Sponsors who are at the Level 3 reward level and above!
– Ryan Benson.
– Jane Nightshade.
– Rebecca Rowland.
– James Aitchison.
– Robin Ginther-Venneri.
– Burial Books.
– Craig of Write my paper.
– Celltrackingapps.
