Taking Submissions: Moonlight & Misadventure

Deadline: January 15th, 2021
Payment: $10 USD for reprints and $20 USD for previously unpublished
Theme: Moonlight & Misadventure
Note: Reprints allowed

Call for Short Story Submissions

 

 

Anthology Title: Moonlight & Misadventure: 20-22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense

 

Genre: Short story/mystery/suspense

 

Publisher: Superior Shores Press

 

Editor: Judy Penz Sheluk

 

Deadlines: The deadline for submission is January 15, 2021 or until 100 submissions have been received, whichever comes first. Starting December 2020, the website page will be updated periodically with the number of submissions received. Late submissions and/or submissions after 100 entries have been documented will not be considered.

 

All submissions will be acknowledged within 7 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgment within that time, please Contact Me.

 

Acceptance/rejections will be emailed to all submitting authors on or before April 1, 2021. Please, no simultaneous submissions.

 

Publication Date: *June 2021 (trade paperback/Kindle; Kobo, Nook, Apple, and other e-book markets to follow at the publisher’s discretion)

 

*The Publisher reserves the right to postpone and/or cancel due to unforeseen circumstances or if an insufficient number of qualified stories are submitted/accepted.

 

Description: A multi-author anthology of 20 to 22 short stories of mystery and suspense, with an overarching theme of Moonlight & Misadventure. Estimated length: 250-300 printed pages in trade paperback format. An introduction, acknowledgments, and author bios will be included.

 

Submission Guidelines: Both previously published and unpublished authors are welcome to submit. There is no entry fee.

 

Authors may submit 1 (one) reprint or 1 (one) previously unpublished short story, ideally ranging between 1,500 to 5,500 words (though great stories falling “slightly” outside this range will be considered). Preference will be given to new material; reprint material will not exceed 25% of the collection.

 

Note: Authors of new material will be expected to work with the Editor promptly on any requested revisions to ensure the timeline for release is met without delay. Failure to do so will result in exclusion from the anthology.

 

For Reprints: Author must own the print and digital copyright and provide complete details of any previous publication(s), including website/blogs. Stories must not currently be available online in any format. Any online availability will immediately disqualify the submission.

 

Sub Genres: Traditional, locked room, noir, historical, humorous, and suspense will be considered; however, do not submit stories with overt sex, violence, or bad language. Speculative fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal are not of interest for this collection. For a better understanding of the type of stories that are likely to be accepted, please read one or both of the previous Superior Shores Press anthologies: The Best Laid Plans: 21 Stories of Mystery & Suspense and/or Heartbreaks & Half-truths: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense.

 

Important: The premise (target theme of Moonlight & Misadventure) must be an integral part of the plot, not necessarily the central theme but not merely incidental. In other words, there must be moonlight, and there must be some form of misadventure. That said, we really do not care for werewolves or any other moon-related mythical beings. Think Mystery. Think Suspense. Murder is okay, but it’s by no means essential.

 

Formatting: Times New Roman 12, double-spaced, 1” margins, .5” indent (no tabs), no header or footer (yes, that means no page numbers, no author name, no story title). Word .doc or .docx only. Submissions that do not follow the formatting guidelines will be returned (if time permits) or disqualified.

 

Terms: Authors will be paid $10 USD for reprints and $20 USD for previously unpublished stories via PayPal, Bank eTransfer, or Amazon gift card (as agreed between Author and Publisher) within 10 (ten) business days of publication. No further payment or royalty will be paid.

 

Contract term will be 1 (one) year from the initial date of publication. After the contract period, rights to reprint the story will revert to the Author, however, the Publisher reserves the right to include the story in the anthology in perpetuity, or until the Publisher chooses to remove the anthology from print and vendor sites.

 

Author Copies: Authors will be provided with one PDF copy of the collection. They will also be offered the option of purchasing trade paperback books at 50% off list, plus shipping and any applicable state or provincial sales tax.

 

Submissions: should be emailed to Judy Penz Sheluk at [email protected]. Please put “Moonlight & Misadventure” in the Subject Line.

 

Please include a completed Moonlight & Misadventure Submission Form (as a separate document) with your short story (Form follows on page 3).

 

Moonlight & Misadventure Submission Form

 

Please include with your word .doc or .dox story submission

and email to [email protected]

 

Author Name:

 

Pseudonym (if applicable):

 

Primary Email:

 

Alternate Email or Mobile #:

To be used only if primary email bounces

 

City/Country:

 

Story Title:

 

Word Count:

[1,500 to 5,500]

 

Previously Published (Y/N)

Note: please do not submit elsewhere during the review period

 

If you are submitting a Reprint

please list all prior publications, including website/blogs and dates (month/year)

 

Author bio:

100 words or less

 

Please List All Writing-related Memberships:

I.e. Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Crime Writers of Canada, Short Mystery Fiction Society etc.

 

 

Via: Judy Penz Sheluk.