Taking Submissions: Shenandoah Valley Fantastic

Submission Window: February 1st – April 30th, 2025
Payment: $20
Theme: Speculative fiction that takes place in the Shenandoah Valley (defined as the Virginia counties of Augusta, Clarke, Frederick, Page, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Warren; the West Virginia counties of Berkeley and Jefferson; the independent cities of Harrisonburg, Lexington, Staunton, Waynesboro, and Winchester; The Shenandoah National Park; The George Washington National Forest.)

What We Want: Shenandoah Valley Fantastic seeks strange and wondrous speculative fiction that transforms our beloved region into a realm of mystery, magic, and the unexpected. From witches haunting Winchester’s historic alleys to spectral happenings on the Field of Lost Shoes, we invite you to re-imagine the Valley’s rich landscapes and legends.

Envision Shenandoah National Park as a forbidden, fey-infused forest, where wayward travelers encounter creatures older than the hills. What if Duke Dog Alley were a portal to another world? Suppose Cooter’s become a crossroad for supernatural beings—a place where ghosts and wanderers alike grab a bite before moving on to unknown realms. Picture the storied halls of Washington & Lee as a secret training ground for the next generation of spellcasters, with campus traditions hiding dark rites and hidden powers.

Let your imagination run wild with stories that blend the supernatural with our natural splendor. We welcome tales of magic and mystery, terror and transformation—grounded in the historic sites, natural wonders, and quirky landmarks that make the Shenandoah Valley unforgettable. If your story will make readers see the Valley in a new, eerie light, we want to read it.

What We Don’t Want:Your trunk stories with a couple of references to the Valley bolted on.

Requirements: Stories must contain a speculative element (Fantasy, Horror or Science Fiction) and take place in Shenandoah Valley, defined as the Virginia counties of Augusta, Clarke, Frederick, Page, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Warren; the West Virginia counties of Berkeley and Jefferson; the independent cities of Harrisonburg, Lexington, Staunton, Waynesboro, and Winchester; The Shenandoah National Park; The George Washington National Forest.

Feel free to mash genres and include Romance, Mystery, Western, or Alternate History. The only genre we won’t accept is Erotica.

Sex, Violence & Language: We’re looking for the equivalent of PG-13. No gore. No explicit sex. In CHARLOTTESVILLE FANTASTIC we had one F-bomb in the entire anthology.

Word Length:1,800 to 5,500 with 3,500 being the sweet spot.

Format: Shunn Standard or Modern Manuscript Format. If you’re not familiar refer to this website: https://www.shunn.net/format/

Use three asterisks to indicate a scene break. Italics for italics. Curly (not straight) apostrophes and quotation marks. DOC or DOCX file format. DON’T USE THE TAB KEY.

We’re are conducting blind submissions. Make sure your name appears nowhere in your submission.

Eligibility: While stories must take place in the Shenandoah Valley, writers from anywhere in the world are welcome.

You must be 18 years of age by June 15, 2025 to submit.

Simultaneous Submissions: Don’t. This is the fastest way to get on our list.

Multiple Submissions:You can have only one story pending at a time. If you are rejected before the submission window closes, you may submit another story.

Generative AI: No

Payment:

U$20 upon publication

eCopy of the book

Right to buy unlimited author copies at 40% of retail price.

Rights:

We are buying exclusive worldwide English language rights (print and electronic) for one year after publication day. And the non-exclusive worldwide English language rights (print and electronic) in perpetuity.

Projected Timeline:

Feb 1, 2025 – Submissions Open

April 30 – Submissions Close

June 15 – Acceptances go out. Contracts signed.

June 16-August 31- Developmental/Story Editing

September 1-30 – Copy Editing

October 1 – Cover Commissioned

October 1-31 – Proofreading

November 1- ARCs go out to advanced reviewers/blurbers

Feb 3, 2026 – PUBLICATION DAY

 

Questions? Email us at WhitakerLyonPress [at] Gmail.com

Via: Whitaker Lyon.

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