Deadline: February 1, 2018
Payment: $25 for a digital run, with an option for print rights which would add another $25

Seeking erotic short stories with magical beasts and shapeshifter tropes. Although the title of the anthology is somewhat comedic–and levity is definitely welcome!–we’re not looking for parody or satire. Open to all mythical and magical creatures with sentience–centaurs, werewolves/human-animal shifters, intelligent dragons, merfolk, etc. Definitely open to unicorns, griffins, banshees, minotaurs, etc. so long as the spark of sentience is present. ([Editor’s Note: This market has specific guidelines for things they do not want to see. Please click on the link at the bottom of this post for all the details and follow their guidelines: it’s the polite and respectful thing to do. Also, it will help those submitting avoid being rejected on anything other than the quality of their work.]
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As for what kinds of stories we’re looking for? We’re tired of the “same old” werewolf stories, but not tired of how magical beasts can represent sexuality and erotic need in fiction, especially marginalized sexuality and repressed needs. We’re tired of the “alpha meets fated mate” trope, but  not tired of encounters with the magical being life-changing. We’re tired of the “(white) colonial explorer goes into wildest place and tames native beast” trope, too, but not tired of diverse characters and settings, especially when told by #ownvoices.

We’re always interested in characters and stories that include various marginalized sexual identities and practices including polyamory, kink, genderqueer and gender variant, BDSM, bisexuality/pansexuality, trans identities, as well as “regular ol’” gay or lesbian characters. (General note: We’re also all for asexual representation though we realize that may seem out of place to some for an erotica anthology. Please no stories where someone’s asexuality is “cured” — please yes to stories that include affirmations that asexuality is valid.)

Finally, although the anthology title is explicitly a riff on the universe of a certain famous boy wizard, stories do not have to be in any way related to or parodies of said universe. In fact it’s probably better not to tickle that sleeping dragon, unless you’re really really clever about it.

Submission Details:

Length: Our preferred length is approximately 3,000 to 7,000 words, but we will consider the range from 2,000 to 8,000 words.

How to Submit: All submissions must be made via email to Cecilia Tan, editor, at the email address [email protected].

Submissions sent to other addresses/other editors at Circlet Press will not be considered.

Standard manuscript formatting rules apply even though sending as an attachment (MS Word .doc or .rtf preferred). Please note that this means your name, address, and email contact must appear on the manuscript itself and not simply in your email message. (If you’re not sure what standard short story submission format should look like, Google is your friend.)

No simultaneous submissions (that is, don’t also send your story elsewhere at the same time, and don’t send it to multiple Circlet editors, either), and no multiple submissions to the same book. One story per author per anthology.

All stories must include explicit sexuality and erotic focus. Romantic content is welcome, but in a short story remember to keep the details on the action and its effects on the main character’s internal point of view. We favor a strong, singular narrative voice (no “head hopping” or swapping between different character’s points of view within a scene). For more details on our editorial preferences, see the general submission guidelines on circlet.com. We highly recommend reading the guidelines, especially the “do not send” list, to increase your chances of sending us something we’ll love. Try to avoid cliches. Fresh and direct language is preferred to overly euphemistic. Sex-positive, please, no rape/nonconsensuality/necrophilia or other purposefully gross topics.

Originals only, no reprints. We purchase first rights for inclusion in the ebook anthology for $25, with the additional rights to a print edition later which would also be paid $25 if a print edition happens. Authors retain the rights to the individual stories; Circlet exercises rights to the anthology as a whole.

Via: Circlet Press.