Taking Submissions: The Crawling Moon: Queer Tales of Inescapable Dread

Deadline: January 15th, 2023
Payment: $0.08 a word for original stories
Theme: Queer stories featuring gothic horror, perversion and depravity.

The Crawling Moon: Queer Tales of Inescapable Dread will be an anthology of gothic depravity, horror and perversion. It will likely straddle genre lines, stalking the line between fantasy and science fiction. We will be open to queer horrors both psychological and supernatural, gory and cerebral. But more than anything, we’re asking contributors to scandalize us.

General submission notes:

  • Unless the editors are otherwise specified, you can address cover letters to “Dear editors” or “Dear dave.” Please avoid “Dear Mr. Ring.”

  • If you joke about how straight white men are underrepresented in speculative fiction, it will not win you any points.

  • Please query [email protected] if you aren’t sure if your submission went through. We’re happy to check.

  • Thanks for thinking of Neon Hemlock for your work!

  • Please don’t self-reject.

Neon Hemlock Press is open to submissions of short stories for The Crawling Moon: Queer Tales of Inescapable Dread.

The anthology, edited by dave ring, will include queer stories featuring gothic horror, perversion and depravity.

The compensation level for original stories accepted to this anthology is $0.08/word.

Submit stories on Submittable until January 15th, 2023. Please contact us if there are any accessibility concerns for any reason and we’ll work with you.

We are looking for:

  • Wordcount: Under 6,000 words. 1-4,000 words is probably the sweet spot.

  • Concept: Horror stories exploring gothic elements, depravity and perversion.

  • What we want to see: We are looking for dark stories that subvert the gothic and explore the filthier edges of horror. We would like to be scandalized. We’re using the most inclusive definition of queer. Queer, trans, ace, undefinable. Throughout, we’re looking for rich, varied and nuanced understandings of gender, family and ethnicity.

  • What we don’t want to see: We’re not interested in work which focuses on unexamined bigotry or sexual violence. While this is a darker-themed anthology, we intend to handle these subjects with care.

Guidelines:

  • Please submit your story in .doc or .docx file, formatted in something approaching Standard Manuscript Format. Use italics for italics etc. The editor has a slight aversion to Courier and a fondness for Georgia.

  • Please include a cover/query letter with the title, length, and a brief bio. You may include links to your website/social media, and previous publications if any. Please don’t stress about this cover letter, if we have additional questions about your submission, we’ll ask them.

  • Simultaneous submissions are fine, please withdraw immediately if you take another offer. Stories should be previously unpublished.

  • Please no multiple submissions. If you receive a rejection within the submission window, you may submit another story.

Submissions are open to all.  Authors from underrepresented backgrounds and marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to submit.  Please don’t self-reject.

You should receive a confirmation of your submission via email. Please query after 120 days if you haven’t heard back from us yet about this project.

We’d love if you tracked your submissions on Duotrope or the Submission Grinder.

Via: Neon Hemlock.

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