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Jessica Guernsey and Once Upon A Moonless Night By Angelique Fawns   On her Instagram feed, Jessica calls herself, “A slushpile reader by day, short story writer by night.” Her business cards give her the title “The Crusher of Dreams.” I met her at Superstars Writing Seminar 2024 and immediately loved her gregarious and welcoming personality. She contacted me recently about listing a new anthology she is working on with “The Brothers Uber” in my monthly market list.   What a wonderful opportunity to get the inside scoop on what she is looking for and get to know her better!  AF: How did you get involved with Once Upon a Moonless Night? JG: I met Logan Uber during our Masters cohort at Western Colorado University. He also joined us at Superstars Writing Seminar. My story was accepted to his Once Upon a Future Time Vol 4, an anthology of sci-fi fairytales. I wrote a version of Puss n’Boots, where the cat is instead a small robot. Cathryn Uber is an amazing editor that I worked with for my story. Could not ask for a more capable team.   AF: Who is Jessica Guernsey? How do you spend your days and what do you dream about? JG: Really, I’m just a weirdo who talks to her imaginary friends and writes strange stories. But my dream is to start my own publishing house and produce more anthologies! What can I say? I love short stories.   AF: Why slush-reading and editing as well as writing?  Why short stories over novels? JG: When I was just a baby writer at one of my first writing conferences, I made a connection that led to my first job as a manuscript evaluator for a small press. That led to becoming a slush reader for a larger press. Around this time, I found a love for writing short stories. Through more connections I made at writing conferences, I began reading the slush for anthologies. I was hooked!  I used to write novels. I have three that are finished, even queried them. I had a major heartbreak over a novel that took me 3 years to write. My short stories take around 3 weeks. And they don’t break my heart. Some writers are novelists. Some writers prefer shorter forms. We are all still authors.   AF: What do you do as a day job and how do you find time for writing? JG: I read the slush for my day job, hence my title as the Crusher of Dreams. Part of the reason my last novel took 3 years was because I didn’t keep my writing time sacred. I let too many things (mostly the little people I birthed) take that time. Once I started treating my writing as a business, worthy of dedicated time, I really started making progress.   AF: Who are your influences and favorite authors? JG: Jim Butcher was my first love. His Dresden Files books opened my eyes to a world with magic that didn’t involve riding on horses and eating at inns. Dresden lives in modern Chicago as the only wizard listed in the yellow pages.  I also really love Seanan McGuire. Her series are so vastly different. They’ve inspired me to branch out and find other genres.  Jack MacDevitt was the reason I started writing sci-fi. His Pricilla Hutch series explores a universe where we never found intelligent life and what that future looks like. As writers, we are always asking “what if…” for our stories. Jack convinced me to ask, “what if it’s not…?”   AF: What kind of writing do you do yourself and where have you been published? JG: I write weird short stories! A lonely space mermaid, loyal aliens, murderous bugs, a pirate tale based on my ancestor. And a couple Christmas Romances. I currently have 19 stories published with WordFire Press, Air&Nothingness Press, and a bunch of others. I even have a few flash fiction pieces in coloring books! You can find my stories at jessicaguernsey.com.   AF: How do writing conferences figure into your career plan? JG: I love writing conferences! Though I should probably add that I am an extrovert, so I thrive. When I meet new writers who want to improve, my first piece of advice is always “start attending writing conference.

” Even if all you have access to are virtual workshops. Not only will you expand on your craft, but you’ll also broaden your horizons and discover more options for your work. Networking is huge in this business. All the work I’ve gotten as a writer has been because of the connections I made at writing conferences.   AF: What kind of stories will have the edge for acceptance into Once Upon a Moonless Night? JG: We are looking for darker stories! That doesn’t mean we want only horror. Betrayal, revenge and redemption can come in all different colors. Be sure at least one of those three elements is the main theme of your story to avoid an easy rejection. I like a story with a hopeful message in the end, but if your story doesn’t have that, it is absolutely not a deal breaker. What *is* a deal breaker is sending us a story that does not fit the theme. Always follow the guidelines, my friends! You’d be surprised how much that will put you ahead of the other submissions.   AF: In your opinion, what is the best way to find profit in our field? JG: I’ve talked to many people about this very topic! Their answers have been to get your rights back and resubmit those stories are reprints. When you have enough with a central theme, release a collection. Don’t sit on your heels while waiting to hear back. Keep writing. Keep submitting.   AF: What is in the future for Jessica? JG: MORE SLUSH! It is so addictive! And hopefully more short stories. I will be starting my own publishing house and I hope to see those anthologies featured here.

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Submission Window: June 12th, 2024 to July 12th, 2024 Payment: 8 cents per word Theme: Speculative short stories (science fiction, fantasy, dark fantasy, cosmic horror, etc.) that have been rejected from multiple markets. Calendar of Fools is seeking your rejected stories for the Intergalactic Rejects anthology. Sometimes you have a really good story that just hasn’t found a home among the markets and magazines. It doesn’t mean the story isn’t wonderful; it just didn’t fit their needs. Intergalactic Rejects contains 8 rejected stories by highly acclaimed authors, and has room for more. What we’re looking for Speculative short stories (science fiction, fantasy, dark fantasy, cosmic horror, etc.) that have been rejected from multiple markets. Length: Limit 5,000 words. Format: Standard Manuscript Format (double-spaced 12 pt. Courier or Times New Roman, no extra lines between paragraphs). Include your name and email on the first page of the story. Rejections: Your story must have been rejected at least 3 times. Multiple Submissions: We are not accepting multiple submissions. Simultaneous Submissions: We accept simultaneous submissions. Please let us know at contact@calendaroffools.com if your submission is accepted elsewhere. And congratulations! Reprints: We are not accepting reprints for Intergalactic Rejects. That would mean your story wasn’t a reject. Languages: We are only able to accept English-language submissions. Stories produced with AI: We do not ever accept stories where AI wrote or generated portions of the text. Submission Period: Submissions will be open from June 12th, 2024 until July 12th, 2024. If you haven’t heard from us in 3 months after the end of the submission window, please contact us at contact@calendaroffools.com. If your story is not accepted for this anthology, please keep writing and editing and molding your story. Every writer faces rejection, and your story will eventually find a home. To submit your story, please use our submission form. Acceptances, Payments, and Rights Rejections, acceptances, and other updates will be notified via email. Editing: All accepted stories will undergo an editing period. The author will be able to review and discuss edits. Payment: For this anthology, we pay a pro rate of 8 cents U.S. per word. Rights: For this anthology, we seek the following rights: First World Serial Rights First World Electronic Rights Non-Exclusive World Anthology Reprint Rights Via: Calendar of Fools.

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Submission Window: June 1st, 2024 to July 30th, 2024 Payment: Contributors copy and Story: $25, Poems: $15. Non-fiction: $15, Query for art submissions Theme: Stories about Deep Ones A cultural, geographic and unnatural history Dive Deep into the Weird The stories we are looking for are all about Deep Ones. But not just “I met a Deep One and I fainted because the Innsmouth Look is just that jarring to my fragile psyche.” We want stories that are truly about Deep Ones: Deep One pirates willing to raid some truly unusual ships, beach bums sharing a smoke with a new friend. How do you handle the call to the sea when you live in Kansas? How did encounters with Romans, Vikings, and rum runners play out? Maybe they were the Sea People leading to the Bronze Age Collapse. Did they sink the White Ship that messed up English Royal succession? Or what or a more distant, perhaps primordial past? The “non-fiction” should be articles about aspects of Deep One culture, biology, history and everything in-between. Nothing from New England or South Pacific seas unless you give us a time period we haven’t seen before. Dive deep and grasp the Weird. Submissions window: June 1, 2024-July 30, 2024 Publication target: Summer 2025 Length: Stories: 500-6000 words. Poems: No more then 2 pages please Non-fiction: 500-1000 words Pay Rate for original works, via PayPal: Story: $25 Poems: $15 Non-fiction: $15 Query for art submissions Plus an author's copy and the ability to purchase copies at a reduced rate. (Please contact us for reprint pay rate.) Technical Details: Submit a docx with Modern Shunn Format using the Google form here: If there is an issue with the form, please let us know. DO NOT submit via email; email submissions will be ignored. Editors: Gevera Bert Piedmont Author of the Mickey Crow paranormal series, creator of the Quetzalcoatl Ascending world, author of Fat Monster (coming Fall 2025 from Nightmare Press) Member HWA/HWA-CT, NEHW, CAPA Elizabeth Davis Co-owner, Dead Fish Books Publisher: Transformations by Obsidian Butterfly, LLC Publication format: Paperback and Kindle Rights: revert to author one year after publication Via: Obsidian Butterfly.

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Deadline: August 1st, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Car Wars GameLit Fiction Genre: Car Wars GameLit Fiction Theme: Have you ever looked at someone, and just know that they have one hell of a tale to tell? First-hand accounts from the road, told by the bounty hunters, highwaymen, and Federal Marshals out there in the mix. Concept: We’re looking for stories from those trying to make a difference out there in the wastes. No matter if they are upholding the law, or tending to their small flock of survivors, these are the stories that inspire others to get off their tail and get something done. We want plenty of high-intensity action and carnage possible, backed by compelling character-driven stories. Word Count: 5,000 – 10,000 (standard word count) Opening Essay by: TBD Edited by: William Joseph Roberts Anchor Author: TBD Due Date: August 1, 2024 Email Submissions to: threeravenspublishing@gmail.com with “Broken Highways” in the subject line Payment: Stories selected for publication in the upcoming Anthology(ies), will receive a percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors. We are looking for amazing stories from any genre that are fun to read and will take us on an adventure of epic proportions. Please download our standards template by clicking here ***NOTE*** We publish genre fiction with aspects of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. If your work does not include one of these aspects, we are less likely to pick up the title unless it is of exceptional quality. What we are NOT currently accepting: Poetry Single-author collections of short stories. Hard and fast rules of what not to send: Fan-fiction: Just simply don’t. It will be immediately deleted or tossed into the recycle bin. Gratuitous Sexuality: (i.e. smut, softcore porn) (Please, we know that there is a market out there for stories in this genre, but it’s not for us. Contact our affiliate, Tanglewood press for submissions in this genre at tanglewoodromance (at) gmail.com Gratuitous Abuse/Violence: While we at Three Ravens Publishing understand that graphic situations can alter or otherwise move the plot forward in ways that the reader may not expect when properly used, these elements should not, however, be the primary focus of the story. (i.e. torture porn). Discrimination: Again, whether racial, religious, social, etc., when used properly as a plot device can become a powerful tool in the authors arsenal, but should in no way become the focus of the story unless you’re writing something along the lines of “Schindler’s List”, “To Kill a Mockingbird” or “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. And we do understand that to be perfectly accurate, period pieces will contain such things because historically, that is what happened. It’s sad, but it’s the truth. Message Fiction: While we understand that everyone has their own stance on a myriad of subjects that can become very emotional and heated, we will not publish message fiction. Message fiction is defined as: Fiction that attempts to convey a sociopolitical message, as opposed to mere escapism. That being said, message fiction can crop up from many different topics. The cut and dry of it. If it doesn’t add to the story, don’t do it. If the story itself is a platform for you as the author to get up on your soapbox, then don’t bother submiting the piece, because we don’t want it. Special Note: RPG and game-based stories: We do accept these types of stories; however, your submission may not violate any game’s copy written, or trademarked, content. (refer back to the line above on fan fiction. We do not want it and will not accept it.). As an example, you might have a character running around in one of the popular online multiplayer games. You might want to write a story about your character’s adventures. That, in itself, is fine. Do not mention characters, creatures or the game world itself. Rename them to something of your own creation. We do understand that the muse may strike at any time and that ideas can come from anywhere.

So please, before submitting, ensure that what you have submitted will not violate any copyright or trademark laws. Reprints/previously published: We accept previously published works as long as you have the rights and can provide proof (if necessary). Other than that, we really want to see what you have. Payment rates: To be determined at the time of the contract and will be in the range of 50-70% of sales, and competitive with other publishing houses. The hard and fast rules of Submissions: If sending a Query letter, include a full synopsis of the story, the first three chapters as a writing sample and links to your social media pages. Response time may vary. Expect a reply within 9-18 months. We would prefer to see complete manuscripts that have already been somewhat edited by the author. Note: A contract offer will not be made based on a Query alone unless the work is of exceptional quality. Offers, in general, will only be made on completed works. Your submission must include your (Legal) name and your (Publication) name if using one, email address*, postal mailing address, and telephone number on both your cover letter and the first page of the manuscript. Include a plot outline if possible. *Also include links to all of your social media pages Spelling and grammar checkers are great, but they are not foolproof. Review your work for flow and content prior to submitting it. Minimal formatting, please! Indent paragraphs; single or double-spaced text is fine, though we prefer to use 1.15 spacing, with no extra lines between paragraphs; center chapter headers and scene break indicators (###, ***, etc.); use page breaks only at the end of chapters. For emphasis, choose either underline or italics and use it consistently throughout. Use straight quotes and apostrophes, … ., –, etc, no special characters, please! Times Roman 12pt is highly preferred. Make it readable, or we won’t read it. It’s that simple. If something specific requires special formatting then explain it in a cover letter. Please download our standards template by clicking here. Electronic Submissions: Neither disks or thumb drives will be reviewed, so do not send them unless requested. Our preferred method is by electronic submission, but we will accept a printed hardcopy. Attach the manuscript as a Rich Text Format (.rtf) file. Any other format will not be considered. Send the manuscript as a single file (do not break it into separate chapter files), so any synopsis and contact info needs to be in the file with your manuscript. NOTE: Any viruses attached to your submission will send your manuscript straight into file-13. (For non-military members, that means the trash can.) Hardcopy Submissions: (for those who cannot submit electronically) Standard manuscript format only: double-spaced, one side of the page only, 1/2″ (i.e., 0.5″) margins on all four sides of the page. We will consider photocopies if they are dark and clear. Title, author (last name only is okay), and page number at the top of each page are mandatory. Include your name, mailing address, and telephone number on the first page. Hardcopy manuscripts identified as “disposable” will be recycled. Disposable submissions should be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped, letter-sized envelope for our reply (please ensure proper postage has been supplied!). Manuscripts intended to be returned should be accompanied by self-addressed packaging and sufficient postage. We will not be responsible for any manuscripts lost or damaged in the mail. Return packages will not be insured, tracked or otherwise paid for by Three Ravens Publishing. Via: Three Ravens Publishing.

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Deadline: June 15th, 2024 Payment: 5 cents per word and a contributors copy Theme: Lucy’s Suitors - Quincey, Jack, and/or Arthur (To be published November, 2024) Issue 5: Lucy’s Suitors - Quincey, Jack, and/or Arthur (To be published November, 2024) Quincey was a cowboy who may or may not have been in cahoots with the count. Seward was a drug addicted custodian of a lunatic asylum. And Arthur was there, too! Let’s read some stories of these men - together, individually, in combination - before, during, and after the events of the novel. Did Quincey survive as the undead? How did Jack treat his other patients? When the dust settled, did Holmwood completely break down? Stoker tells us these three men adventured together prior. What might that look like? Currently this is planned as a single book, but quantity and quality may dictate a book for each man. Submissions open May 1, 2024-June 15, 2024. We like stories that feel like they could be canon, but we also enjoy fun alternate takes and pastiche. Prequels, sequels, updates, divergent timelines - unleash your creative powers of darkness and show us something exciting. As with every publication the best way to get a feel for what we like is to read what we’ve put out in the past. Stories should be 1500-5000 words. Poetry will be considered, but is not necessarily sought (We are hoping to have an all poetry issue sometime in the future). Compensation will be .05/word plus contributor’s copies. Reprints will be considered. Reprints should be at least 10 years old. Compensation is $55. Simultaneous submissions accepted, but please notify us immediately if accepted elsewhere. Some stories may be chosen for the website, but not the publication. Please adhere to the Shunn format - https://www.shunn.net/format/classic/ Please only send .doc, .docx, or .pdf Filename and email subject should be - “lastname_title_suitors or “lastname_title_jonathan” Include short 3rd person bio Email story submissions to: submissions@draculabeyondstoker.com Via: Dracula Beyond Stoker Magazine.

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Flex Clip: Your Secret Weapon in the Book Promo Arms Race Welcome to the digital age, where your book's success might just hinge on how snazzy your promotional videos are. Enter Flex Clip —the Swiss Army knife of video editing that’s making the old-school book readings in dimly lit rooms a thing of the past. Here's why every author should be waving goodbye to simple text updates and hello to full-blown cinematic trailers for their literary creations. Talk Nerdy to Me: Text Editing That Gets You Flex Clip’s online text editor is like having a cool librarian who’s also a tech whiz at your disposal—no software downloads necessary. Choose from a smorgasbord of fonts, whether you’re into the sleek modern look or something that screams “I was handwritten by Edgar Allan Poe.” Fancy your own font? Upload it. Want your text to dance across the screen? Set those words in motion with animations that pop, fade, and typewriter their way into your audience’s hearts. The flexible text editing tools let you adjust everything from font size and color to opacity and alignment, empowering you to create perfectly tailored video content. Play Everywhere: Be the Social Butterfly of Video Content Whether your fans hang out on YouTube, TikTok, or still haven't moved on from Facebook, Flex Clip has you covered. This tool doesn’t just flirt with one platform; it plays the field. Create once, tweak to fit anywhere—from Instagram stories that disappear in a day to tweets that hopefully don’t start wars. Try Before You Buy: The Ultimate Teaser Flex Clip lets you dip your toes in the video editing waters with a free version. Sure, it’s watermarked, but think of it as a temporary tattoo that says, “I’m just trying this out.” Ready to go full pro? A few clicks and you’re there, no more branding, just your beautiful book trailers, looking like a million bucks. Template Treasure Trove Flex Clip’s trailer video maker is particularly noteworthy. Need a book trailer that whispers “bestseller”? Or a horror movie teaser that screams (literally)? Flex Clip’s templates are like those meal kits—everything you need, just add creativity. It comes equipped with ready-made templates, text options, effects, countdowns, and speed controls, simplifying the creation of professional-looking trailers for books, movies, or any product. And for the DIY crowd, there’s plenty of room to mix, match, and mess around until your trailer is uniquely yours. Real-World Application: Promoting 'Shadowed Realms' At Horror Tree, we leveraged Flex Clip's capabilities to create a compelling book trailer for our latest anthology, Shadowed Realms. This collection highlights the best dark fiction from semi-pro and token-paying markets, featuring a diverse array of stories published in 2022. The trailer helped us showcase the thematic variety of the anthology—from eerie addictions to cosmic horrors—drawing attention to both renowned and lesser-known authors in the speculative fiction realm. 8 Video Ideas To Use Flex Flip To Promote Your Work: Backstage Pass to Writing: Ever wondered what authors wear while crafting chilling tales? Spoiler: it’s probably pajamas. Dive into behind-the-scenes videos where authors spill the beans on their inspirations, quirky writing rituals, or how their tenth cup of coffee still isn’t enough. The Author’s Couch: Forget dry, written interviews. Picture this: an author, a comfy couch, and a camera – it’s real talk time. Dive deep into their character’s psyche, laugh about blooper-worthy plot twists, and get the scoop on what’s next. Book Parties in Your PJs: Who says you need a fancy launch party? Virtual book readings and launches let fans join in from anywhere—even from under their comforter. Jazz it up with snazzy graphics and interactive elements, making every reader feel like a VIP guest. Professor Author’s Writing Workshop: Roll up your sleeves and sharpen your pencils. Video tutorials on creating mesmerizing characters

or avoiding plot holes are like mini masterclasses, making every viewer a little wiser and every story a little sharper. Fan Q&A Sessions: Video responses to fan questions are a great way to engage the community. These can be more dynamic and personable compared to text responses, and with video editing software, authors can add creative touches to make these sessions more entertaining. Book Reviews and Recommendations: Authors can create videos reviewing other books or sharing their recommendations. This not only helps build community by supporting other authors but also keeps the audience engaged between book releases. Collaborations with Other Authors: Creating collaborative videos with other authors can help reach different audiences, share fan bases, and discuss common themes or interests. These collaborations can range from discussions and debates to co-authoring a story live. The Story So Far…: Got a knack for leaving your readers wanting more? Tease them with serialized snippets of your upcoming masterpiece. Each clip ends on a cliffhanger so gripping, even the most patient readers will be marking days off their calendars. Final Thoughts: Why Flex Clip? Because in the world of book promotions, being seen is, unfortunately, just as important as being read. Flex Clip turns your promotional efforts into an art form, ensuring your book doesn’t just sit on the shelf—it does the cha-cha across your audience’s screens. It also does so at a price point that most of us can stomach, which is a rarity for video software that is so easy to use. So, gear up, get creative, and let Flex Clip be your guide in the visually-packed journey of book marketing. Your readership awaits, one stunning video at a time.

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Deadline: July 31st, 2024 Payment: $5 Theme: Something a little... W3IRD A Literary Journal with Some Art, Comics, and Analysis Thrown in for Good Measure As Quarter Press continues to grow, we’re adding another coin to our pocketful of change. We want to offer a space for shorter works to mingle with art and other bits of nonsense, so we bring you The Quarter(ly): It just makes cents. Issues are themed; however, we consider all interpretations. 2024’s Themes and Deadlines: W3IRD (July 31) ~ W3IRD - July 31 - At this point, the “Weird” themes have become some of my favorite issues, so let’s keep it weird with a third installment! What’ve you got to show us? Stories and / or Poems For Stories: We’re open to micro works all the way up to 10,000 words. Just keep two things in mind: We want to be engaged and the submission must be completed (no pitches, please!) For Poems: We’d love to see up to five poems from you, but you can always just send one, too. Art As long as it has some tie to the current issue’s theme, we’re open to see any art created in any medium at any time. Just know that it will need to “work in print” and—might—be presented in black and white. We WILL NOT Accept any AI-Generated art. For ART ONLY, you may choose to submit via email by sending jpgs, PDFs, or PNGs to chrisatquarterpress(at)gmail(dot)com Graphic Stories Show us your comic strips or complete short works; we’d love to see them all! Please try to keep submissions to 20 pages or less. Feel free to also send a collection of comic strips / one shot comics, as well. (Please note that our publication size / dimensions might change between issues. Our “Norm” is 6x9”). These must be COMPLETE works. For Graphic Work / Comics, you may choose to submit via email by sending jpgs, PDFs, or PNGs to chrisatquarterpress(at)gmail(dot)com Analysis / Interviews / Reviews As long as it is tied to the theme in some way, we’d love to see any and all media analysis (film, music, literature, etc.), interviews with notable creatives, or reviews of past—or present—media. We’re open to anything up to 10,000 words. (Feel free to pitch non-fiction ideas; however, please note that our “Interest in seeing a draft” does NOT guarantee publication.) The Boring, Necessary Bits What We Want / What We (Probably) Don't We Want: Works with fantastical elements: scary, happy, creepy, heartbreaking, bizarre, hilarious, whatever. While you can see our “Loves” lower on the page, we’re pretty open to anything that’s worth picking up. We (Probably) Won’t: Pick up works not tied to or containing fantastical elements. It’s kinda our thing. (However, some themes may lean more heavily on a specific genre or reality. Interpret accordingly.) Where to Tread Lightly: We’re pretty open-minded and okay with just about anything, but there better be a reason for it to be in the work. The darker, more explicit you go, the more we’ll really need to see its necessity to the work. We don’t want shock / horror / violence for its own sake. Definitely Will Not Publish: Any work that is hateful towards any race, creed, religion, gender, or identity. This aims to be an inclusive space. Other Good Things to Know Your work must be ORIGINAL. We will not accept any AI-Generated work. Excluding non-fiction submissions, it must be complete. For these shorter forms, we need to see the whole thing to make an informed decision. We accept simultaneous submissions, but ask that you let us know up front—and if / when it gets picked up by another venue as soon as possible. If your work is accepted, please wait one year before submitting again. (We want to include as many folks as possible!) Rights and Payment Rights: We request one-time, first publishing rights in print and digital PDF forms. All rights will be retained by the creator. We simply ask that when / if published elsewhere, acknowledgment is given to its appearance within The Quarter(ly).

If a “Best of” or Collected Anthology is published, publication rights will be renegotiated for that publication. Payment: We aim to be a paying venue, even if it’s just enough for a cup of coffee. Upon agreement of publication, we’ll pay contributors $5 and a PDF contributor copy. However, in some instances where we’d like to publish a single poem, short work, or piece of art, we may not have the budget for a payout. We may offer publication for a Digital Copy of the PDF only. (We totally understand if you’d rather not, though!) Please feel free to let us know up front if you do not want to be considered with this option. The Fastest Ways to Get Rejected Here’s a brief, incomplete list of ways to increase your rejection chances: Start your story with a narrator waking up and / or not knowing where they are. Sending multiple submissions more than 1k words each, at one time. Lots! Of! Exclamation! Points! (Let the context guide the excitement.) Only sending rhyming poetry. (While I don’t mind some, rhyming poems are not a personal preference and increase the chance of rejection with each new rhyme .) Submit Your Work Written Work Please be prepared to provide your bio, type of submission, and the ENTIRE work(s). For non-fiction, feel free to submit a brief pitch for an interview / article idea. Remember that an interest in the pitch does not guarantee publication. For prose submissions, be sure your document is double-spaced, in a legible font. Art Prepare to send us your bio and work(s) titles. You may include a link to your specific work / works for consideration or upload them as PDFs, jpegs, or pngs. Remember: Your work needs to “work in print” and may be published in black and white. All artwork will be considered for cover artwork. Please let us know if you would NOT like to appear on the cover. Graphic Work Please send us bios for everyone involved in the work’s creation, along with the title and length of your submission. Feel free to link your submission or include it as a complete PDF—whatever makes the most sense for the project. Remember: Final publication size may differ, but our norm is 6x9”. We’re cool with color, but work may be published in black and white. Things we love. As our publishing tastes cover a wide variety, here is a very incomplete list of authors, artists, and various media that we would die to work with / publish / have made. These are a HUGE indication of our aesthetics. Carmen Maria Machado, Erin Morgenstern, Susanna Clarke, Ben Templesmith, Neil Gaiman, Toni Morrison, David Almond, Take Shelter, Hanif Abdurraqib, The 39 Deaths of Adam Strand, Nova Ren Suma, Over the Garden Wall, Haruki Murakami, Donnie Darko, Daytripper, Jeff Lemire, Sean Murphey, Joe Hill, The Golem and the Djinn, Louise Erdrich, Luca, Samurai Jack, What We Do in the Shadows, Coen Brothers, Spirited Away, Hannah Tinti, Brad Neely, Adventure Time, The Hawkline Monster, Michael Deforge, Allie Brosh, Kate Beaton, Graham Annable, Richard Ayoade, Joy Williams… We love the blending of real life and the fantastic, the absurd, the magical, the heartbreaking, and the things that scare the shit out of us. And if you want a more direct line, you can pick up a copy of one of our publications here. Via: Quarter Press.

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Deadline: June 30th, 2024 Payment: 6 cents per word and a contributor's copy Theme: Cosmic Horror stories set in and around Arkham, Innsmouth, and other mythos related areas that take place in or are associated with Lovecraftian tales AND which feature a public or private institution of some sort Dragon’s Roost Press is please to announce the open call for our next anthology. We have previously published collections of short stories which mix Lovecraftian Mythos with elements of Romance (Eldritch Embraces: Putting the Love Back in Lovecraft) and with Humor (LOLcraft: A Compendium of Eldritch Humor). This time instead of focusing on emotions, we want to look at setting. Specifically, we want to look at how different institutions have to deal with the eldritch abominations of Lovecraftian horror. Arkham Institutions (tentative title) will feature 10 – 15 short stories focusing on the various aspects of government and business and their relationship with the oddness that creeps up in and around that most (in)famous New England Town. What We Are Looking For We want to see Cosmic Horror stories set in and around Arkham, Innsmouth, and other mythos related areas that take place in or are associated with Lovecraftian tales AND which feature a public or private institution of some sort. What does Arkham Elementary teach? What weird cases does law enforcement have to deal with? What kind of people are seen in the Emergency Room? The psych ward? The local library? We are still looking for character driven stories, but make sure that these places are characters in their own rights. Draw us in and make us feel like we are there. NOTE: We are not looking for stories set at Miskatonic University nor the Orne Library. There are plenty of stories with these settings. Give us something new. What We Want Original short stories, 3 – 5K words in length. While we have covered romance and humor in other anthologies, we don’t mind if these elements feature in your stories, so long as they scare us. Make sure we get that sense of cosmic dread. Humor and PG-13 rated spiciness are just fine. We are fine with gore, so long as it is not used as a replacement for plot. We do not require a happy ending. In fact, we kind of enjoy that hopeless bleakness. What We Don’t Want S.A./non-consensual sex, including minors in sexual situations, will not be accepted. We are not looking for sexually explicit material for this anthology. Consensual sex is OK, if germane to the story, but cut away before anything happens. Please, no tentacle porn. Animal cruelty is not welcome here. You can kill as many kids as you want, but the dog better live. Old Man Howard created a fascinating cosmology and left us a lovely sandbox to play in, but his problematic viewpoints have no place here. We saw Ferris Bueller’s Day Off at the drive-in during its original run and we live by the idea that “isms…are not good.” All stories must be original works which you retain the rights to. Fan Fiction, Slash Fiction, and any other material containing characters which you did not create are not acceptable for this publication. We don’t like being sued. We are not looking for poetry, novellas, flash fiction, or artwork at this time. The Nitty Gritty Stuff The reading period will be from 1 May – 30 June OR UNTIL FILLED. All of our previous anthologies have closed early due to the number of submissions received, so don’t sit on your story. Get it to us ASAP. That being said, make sure that your work is properly edited before you hit the send button. We don’t mind a little light editing, but an egregious number of spelling and grammatical errors will lead to a rejection. Arkham Institutions is open to all. BIPOIC and LGBTQIA+ characters and authors are very welcome. AI generated content is NOT welcome. A clause in the author contract will stipulate that the story was not created using AI. Violation of this clause will lead to a ban from this and any future Dragon’s Roost Press anthologies.

Submissions should be sent as attachments to submissions@thedragonsroost.biz (note, this e-mail address is different from some previous submission calls). The subject line should read Arkham Institutions/story title/author’s name (example Arkham Institutions/Really Cool Story/Doe). E-mails which do not follow this format will be deleted unread. In the body of your e-mail, provide a short (500 words or less) biography. Submissions should be sent as .doc, .docx, .odt, or .pages attachments. Multiple submissions are OK, but please wait until you have received a response on your first piece before submitting your second. Simultaneous submissions: no. We prefer Shunn Modern Manuscript Format (found https://www.shunn.net/format/story/), but any standard format is acceptable so long as you use the formatting tools in your word processing program. In other words, do not manually indent paragraphs using tabs or spaces. Please convert your manuscript to Times New Roman before sending. We really, really hate Courier. You can write in whatever font you choose, but we want to read it in Times New Roman. Payment will be $0.06/word (sent upon publication) plus one contributor’s copy in both paperback and digital formats. We will be running a Kickstarter campaign later in the year to help offset some of the production costs, but this will not affect payment or publication. As with our previous anthologies, a portion of the profits will be donated to the canine rescue organization Last Day Dog Rescue. Primary publication will be via Amazon’s KDP POD service, but the title will be available through Ingram and Baker & Taylor. The book will be released in paperback and digital formats. Expected release date Oct 2024. Note to New Authors: Most publications seek First North American Rights. While you may be able to sell your story again as a reprint, publication in this anthology may limit your story’s future marketability and may affect the amount of money you will be able to receive from other markets. Please take this into consideration before submitting. Via: The Dragon Roost Press.

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Deadline: June 30, 2024 Payment: $15 Theme: Speculative fiction, primarily horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Note: Reprints welcome Formatting Guidelines This is proving to be a recurring problem, so we're putting it up front. Please, for all our sakes, read this next part carefully. All submissions should be sent by e-mail (no letters or telephone calls please) to submissions@allegoryezine.com. Below are some formatting rules to help us process your submission more quickly. EMAIL AND COVER LETTERS Email is accepted in both text and HTML formats. When submitting, please put this in the subject line: Submission: (Title) - (First and Last name) Include the following in the body of the email and in the attached submission: Your name Name to use on the story (byline), if different Your preferred email address Your mailing address The story's title The story's word count You may also include a cover letter in the body of the email. We get a lot of strange stuff in cover letters, so if you're unsure of what goes in them (and especially what doesn't) please refer to these cover letter tips: How to write a cover letter | What not to put in a cover letter by Jed Hartman SUBMISSION FORMATTING We ONLY accept submissions as attachments! All stories submitted as an attachment must follow standard manuscript formatting. We will no longer read any story not properly formatted. (And we much prefer Courier New to Times New Roman) For explanations and tips on what SMF is and how to do it with word processing programs, please see this article. Please send your submission as an attachment in Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) or Rich Test Format (.rtf) only. Other formats, such as Works, WordPerfect, Open Office, etc., have proven difficult to open. Please note that we no longer accept "inline" submssions; that is, submissions with the stories pasted directly into the body of the email. FICTION GUIDELINES We're looking for good, solid fiction. We specialize in the Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror genres. We will consider other genres, such as humor or general interest, provided that the work possesses an original, "quirky" slant. Here are some basic do's and don'ts. DO give us strong characters and good plotting. DO put clever, but logical twists on the end of your tales. DO experiment with new ideas and unusual writing styles, but without falling into traps of contrivance and cliché. DON'T submit any stories based on movies, television or any printed media not your own. DON'T submit reprints without including the name of the publication in which the work first appeared, along with the date of publication. DON'T send more than one story in the same submission. There is no minimum or maximum length for fiction. But bear in mind that short-shorts (less than 500 words) and flash fiction (less than 100 words) are usually hard sells for us, as are stories longer than 5000 words. We'll consider them, but they will have to be exceptional. We pay a flat rate of $15 (U.S. dollars) for each story. Payment is made upon publication, either by PayPal or personal check, based on the author's wishes. NON-FICTION GUIDELINES We publish one or two articles an issue. The subject matter MUST involve the art or business of writing. Research, editing, characterization, narrative style, query letters, cover letters, dealing with editors, agents or publishers - virtually any topic that concerns writing is fair game. The maximum length for non-fiction is 2000 words. We pay a $15 (U.S. dollars) flat rate. Payment is made upon publication, either by PayPal or personal check, based on the author's wishes. GENERAL STUFF We publish biannually, on the first of May and November. The order in which stories and articles appear on the site is solely arbitrary and should not be construed in any other way. All works that are accepted for publication remain on the site for the full six months. With the publication of the subsequent issue, all rights to the works previously displayed revert to the author.

We buy First World Rights and World Reprint Rights. Bylines are most certainly given. Most submissions are reviewed within 6 weeks. If the story shows merit, we will respond with a "maybe" letter, explaining that the submission is in the running for a spot in the next issue. At the end of the submission cycle, which is always two months before the next issue comes out, all "maybe" submission are re-reviewed, and the top eight selected for publication. At that time, all accepted authors receive contracts to sign. Since these contracts and, later, the payment checks, go out by snail mail, it is VERY important that all submissions include a snail mail address. We don't "buy ahead". By that, we mean that ALLEGORY purchases only the stories it needs for the current issue, rather than stocking up for the next and the next. This means that every author who received an acceptance from us will see their work on this site with the next new issue, provided he or she reads, signs, and returns to us an unchanged contract. Simultaneous submissions are "OK", provided that you let us know at the time of submission that other editors are reviewing this work. That's about it. Good luck. Via: Allegory Magazine.

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Submission Window: June 1st -July 31st, 2024 Payment: 3 cents/word with a minimum payment of $50 for all submissions, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Book reviews for $50. Art for $80. Theme: Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading past issues is the best way to know if your submission is a good fit for NewMyths.com. We like to balance each quarterly issue between science fiction and fantasy, dark and light, serious and humorous, hard and soft science fiction, and longer and shorter works. Our readers are not fixated on a single style or tone or genre, but prefer a quality sample of the field. Think tapas or dim sum. Maximum length is 10,000 words. Please keep submissions PG or cleaner. Submission Period New Myths considers submissions between January 1-February 28 and June 1-July 31.  Artwork, requests for book reviews, and other correspondence can be submitted at any time.  Book Reviews NewMyths publishes original book reviews. No reprints, please. Reviews should be between 500-1,000 words. We prefer reviews of novels published within the past year but also consider reviews of older works, and reviews of poetry collections, anthologies, and nonfiction works related to fantasy and science fiction. Pay is $50. Send inquiries to Candy at editor@newmyths.com.   NewMyths publishes several book reviews per year, and we’d like to publish more. Unfortunately, with several thousand submissions per year, our hardworking editors don’t have a lot of time to review novels. If you are an author, agent or publisher, and have a novel or other work related to fantasy and science fiction that you would like to have reviewed, send an inquiry to Scott at admin@newmyths.com. If you don’t receive an answer, please assume that we simply don’t have the staff to review it. A solution might be to find someone who can write a review and submit it to us for consideration. Payment Payment is upon publication. NewMyths.com currently pays 3 cents/word with a minimum payment of $50 for all submissions, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and poetry. We purchase book reviews for $50. We purchase art for $80. Rights NewMyths.com acquires first publication rights only (we are not interested in stories that have already been published elsewhere). Authors retain their copyright on all works after first publication on the NewMyths.com website. By submitting content to NewMyths.com you agree that, should the content be accepted, you grant NewMyths.com a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable right and license to digitally archive and display the content (aka Digital Archive Rights). In the case that we later desire to include your content in any other format (e.g. print, anthology, etc.), those rights will be separately negotiated at that time. Simultaneous Submissions: No problem. We ask that you please indicate in your submission that your story is a simultaneous submission, and notify us as soon as possible if it has been accepted by another publication. Response Responses to your submissions may take as long as six months. Feel free to send a follow-up email query if you have not received a reply before the next submission period. Your Personal Information Your Personal Information: We save personal information and email addresses for the sole purpose of administering content submissions, administering payments, sending notice when the new issue is online or another NewMyths.com publication will be released. If you do not want to be notified, please let us know. These personal information and email addresses will never be sold or shared with any other organization. How to Contact Us Contact: Please send submissions as Word or pdf attachments to editor (at) newmyths.com (use @). Submissions received outside of the submission period (above) will be deleted, unread. Please direct all queries to this email address:  editor (at) newmyths.com (use @).

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Deadline: August 1st, 2024 Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry Theme: Story must begin with: "When she was eight, Alice Henderson briefly held the world record for filling her mouth with marbles." Fall: When she was eight, Alice Henderson briefly held the world record for filling her mouth with marbles. Due date: August 1, 2024 We love that writers around the world are inspired by our first lines, and we know that not every story will be sent to us. However, we ask that you do not submit stories starting with our first lines to other journals (or post them online on public sites) until we've notified you as to our decision (usually four weeks after the deadline). When the entire premise of the publication revolves around one sentence, we don't want it to look as if we stole that sentence from another writer. If you have questions, feel free to drop us a line. Also, we understand that writers may add our first line to a story they are currently working on or have already completed, and that's cool. But please do not add our first line to a previously published story and submit it to us. We do not accept previously published stories, even if they have been repurposed for our first lines. And, just to be clear, we do not accept simultaneous submissions. One more thing while I've got you here: Writers compete against one another for magazine space, so, technically, every literary magazine is running a contest. There are, however, literary magazines that run traditional contests, where they charge entry fees and rank the winners. We do not - nor will we ever - charge a submission fee, nor do we rank our stories in order of importance. Occasionally, we run contests to help come up with new first lines, or we run fun, gimmicky competitions for free stuff, but the actual journal is not a contest in the traditional sense. Fiction: All stories must be written with the first line provided. The line cannot be altered in any way, unless otherwise noted by the editors. The story should be between 300 and 5,000 words (this is more like a guideline and not a hard-and-fast rule; going over or under the word count won't get your story tossed from the slush pile). The sentences can be found on the home page of The First Line's website, as well as in the prior issue. Note: We are open to all genres. We try to make TFL as eclectic as possible. Poetry: We do accept poetry, though rarely. We have no restrictions on form or line count, but all poems must begin with the first line provided. The line cannot be altered in any way. Non-Fiction: 500-800 word critical essays about your favorite first line from a literary work. All Submissions: Writers should include a two- to three-sentence biography of themselves that we can use in the journal should your story, poem, or essay be accepted. Multiple Submissions: We don't mind if you want to submit multiple submissions for the same issue. However, it is unlikely we will use more than one of your stories or poems in the same issue. Four-Part Stories: If you think you are up to the challenge, you can write a four-part story that uses the spring, summer, fall, and winter sentences (five parts, if you are brave enough to include a fifth story that ends with the last line). However, all parts must be submitted at once (a single e-mail or snail mail) before the February 1st deadline. (If selected, each part will be published in its respective issue.) Submissions: We prefer you send manuscripts via email to submission (@) thefirstline (dot) com. We accept stories in MS Word or Word Perfect format (we prefer attachments). Please do not send pdf versions of your story or links to Google docs. Make sure your name and contact information, as well as your bio, are part of the attachment. Stories also can be sent to The First Line's post office box. No manuscripts will be returned without an accompanying SASE with sufficient return postage. Notification: We don't make decisions about submissions until after each issue closes.

We typically send notices four to five weeks after the issue's deadline to everyone who submitted. You can also check the website's home page for each issue's production status. Payment: We pay on publication: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction (all U.S. dollars). We also send you a copy of the issue in which your piece appears. You'll receive your money and issue at the same time. Note to our international writers: Postage cost for sending author copies overseas is a little high, so we are reducing international author payment by the amount it would cost to send one author copy overseas. However, if you would like to receive an electronic version of the issue (PDF) instead of a hard copy, author payment will not change. Via: The First Line.

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Deadline: July 1st, 2024 Payment: $10 Theme: Romantic fantasy that takes place in a tavern Spring Submissions Open March 21, 2024 Theme: “You Meet in a Tavern” One of the most well known tropes in table top roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons is beginning an adventure by meeting in a tavern. Taverns are a quintessential element to many fantasy stories as meeting places for not only fantasy adventures but also romance (only one bed tropes often go hand in hand with the tavern location). Give us your best Romantasy story set in the beloved tavern location! Anthology Payment: We offer $10 payment upon acceptance, a digital copy of the book, and authors can purchase physical copies of the book at wholesale price. Payments will grow as we do. Preparing and Sending Your Manuscript Deadline: July 1, 2024 midnight. Word Count minimum: 3,000 words Word Count maximum: 10,000 words Please only submit one story at a time. Simultaneous Submissions are allowed but please let us know if your story has been accepted elsewhere so we can pull it from the stack. Please include your real name, real street address and real phone number as well as your email address (presumably real) in the upper left hand corner on the first page of your manuscript. If you write under a pen name, you would put your pen name underneath the title on the first page of your manuscript. Manuscript should be in Word format with normal margins and 12 point Ariel or Times New Roman font (if you send us something in Comic Sans or Wingdings, we will cry). Title your email and cover letter with (Theme) Story and email it to submissions@wandwed.com We will let you know if your story has been accepted or not by August 1, 2024. Thank you for submitting! Please Note: Wandwed reserves first publishing rights and rights to the story for one year from date of publication. After that, you are free to post or submit your story elsewhere. Via: Wandwed.

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Deadline: May 31st, 2024 Payment: 2 cents per word and both a hardcover and paperback contributors copy Theme: stories involving vampires. We are looking for your stories involving vampires. Open for Submissions: April 1, 2024 through May 31, 2024 Expected Publication: October 2024 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS Your story: should be approximately 2,000 – 6,000 words in length. (If your story is significantly longer than this, consider submitting it to our Tiny Terrors short fiction program.) should not contain erotica, or excessive violence or gore. can be part of an ongoing series you might be writing. can have been previously published (with proof that you hold the current publishing rights). may be submitted simultaneously to other markets (but please let us know when you submit your story). You may submit more than one story for consideration for this anthology, but please wait until you have received a response from us on your previous submissions to this anthology. If you are uncertain if your story is something that we might be interested in publishing, please feel free to query us at submissions (at) graveside-press.com in advance of submitting your manuscript. Please, no fan fiction. SUBMISSIONS Send us finished manuscript in digital (.DOCx, .RTF, or .ODT) format using this form: Graveside Press Submission Form. Please use a standard manuscript format. If you’re not sure what one is, here’s a good source. PAYMENT Payment will be: $0.02 per word one (1) trade paperback contributor edition one (1) hardcover contributor edition access to ten (10) digital contributor copies CONTACTING US We will try to acknowledge receipt of your manuscript within 24 hours. We’ll also try to let you know whether or not we’re interested in working with you to publish your book within 30 days after that. Both of these periods may vary, though, depending on the number of manuscripts we’ve received during that time. Please don’t contact us about the status of your manuscript unless at least 30 days have passed since we acknowledged receiving it. If you did not receive a acknowledgement, please feel free to contact us. Via: Graveside Press.

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Deadline: October 1st, 2024 Payment: $750 and 5 contributors copies Theme: Novellas to be released as a collection about lesbian-themed folk magic stories A collection of lesbian-themed folk magic and witchcraft tentatively titled Witchcraft in Your Lips. For this book we're seeking 3-4 novellas. Submissions should be between 20-30 thousand words in length. We are not interested in erotica or young adult stories for this book. Same-sex relationships should be presented as positive, as usage of folk magic. By this, we mean no self-loathing lesbians or witches (they can face external prejudices, of course). Submissions should be sent to lethepress@aol.com with the subject line WIYL Submission. Because we are a small press, our response time is quite slow; please do not query us about your submission until October, when we  will close for submission. Payment for each story will be 750 dollars and five copies of the print edition. Via: Lethe Press.

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Deadline: May 31st, 2024 Payment: 2 cents per word and both a hardcover and paperback contributors copy Theme: stories involving ghosts and possession We are looking for your stories involving ghosts and possession. Open for Submissions: April 1, 2024 through May 31, 2024 Expected Publication: October 2024 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS Your story: should be approximately 2,000 – 6,000 words in length. (If your story is significantly longer than this, consider submitting it to our Tiny Terrors short fiction program.) should not contain erotica, or excessive violence or gore. can be part of an ongoing series you might be writing. can have been previously published (with proof that you hold the current publishing rights). may be submitted simultaneously to other markets (but please let us know when you submit your story). You may submit more than one story for consideration for this anthology, but please wait until you have received a response from us on your previous submissions to this anthology. If you are uncertain if your story is something that we might be interested in publishing, please feel free to query us at submissions (at) graveside-press.com in advance of submitting your manuscript. Please, no fan fiction. SUBMISSIONS Send us finished manuscript in digital (.DOCx, .RTF, or .ODT) format using this form: Graveside Press Submission Form. Please use a standard manuscript format. If you’re not sure what one is, here’s a good source. PAYMENT Payment will be: $0.02 per word one (1) trade paperback contributor edition one (1) hardcover contributor edition access to ten (10) digital contributor copies CONTACTING US We will try to acknowledge receipt of your manuscript within 24 hours. We’ll also try to let you know whether or not we’re interested in working with you to publish your book within 30 days after that. Both of these periods may vary, though, depending on the number of manuscripts we’ve received during that time. Please don’t contact us about the status of your manuscript unless at least 30 days have passed since we acknowledged receiving it. If you did not receive a acknowledgement, please feel free to contact us. Via: Graveside Press.

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Deadline: July 1st, 2024 Payment: 2 cents per word and a contributors copy Theme: Poetry of any genre under 50 words in length Note: Reprints welcome Please send no more than five poems of no more than 50 words each. Many long poems are brilliant, but if they are more than 50 words (including title), send ’em elsewhere. We’re all about the number 50 here. Subject matter and theme are open to all possibiliies–except (and in a perfect world, this would not need to be said, but, alas . . .)–send nothing that advocates in favor of the ugly themes: racism, sexism, bigotry, hate speech of any sort, transphobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia, etc. No animal cruelty or gratuitous violence. If you have an anti-racist/anti-cruelty, etc., poem you want to submit, send it along. Please, no AI-generated material of any sort. Tasteful hints of erotica may be acceptable, but pornographic material is not for The Number Fifty. We’re not allergic to laughter and are happy to consider comic or humorous poems. If more poets and editors had a sense of humor, poetry might be more popular. The only rights sought are one-time, non-exclusive rights to publish the poem on paper and online at The Number 50. Reprints are welcome as long as you own the rights. By submitting the poems, you assert that you own the rights to them. Simultaneous submissions are fine, but if you need to withdraw a submission, please do so promptly. Before publication, authors of accepted poems will be asked to affirm that they grant one-time rights for the poems to be published on paper in The Number 50 and on The Number 50 at thenumberfivezero.wordpress.com. Send submissions to thenumberfifty [at] aol.com. Standard submission package, please–no more than five poems, and brief cover letter with brief bio. Submitted poems must be copied into the body of the email–no attachments will be opened. One submission per reading period, please. Include postal-mail address to receive payment and paper contributor’s copy. Payment: two cents per word (minimum one US dollar per poem) plus contributor’s copy. Current deadline: 1 July 2024. We aim to respond within six weeks or less. Via: The Number Five Zero.

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Deadline: September 30th, 2024 Payment: $125 - $200 Theme: Weird tales set in the Victorian period that explore the human (and inhuman) experience through the lens of horror. LEVIATHAN: Submission Brief Sentinel Creatives has opened up for submissions for “LEVIATHAN: An Anthology of Industrial Horror.” Deadline for Submissions: 30 September 2024 Wordcount: 3,000 - 6,000 Remuneration: $125 - $200 Simultaneous Submissions: Yes WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR We’re looking for original weird tales set in the Victorian period that explore the human (and inhuman) experience through the lens of horror. Some clarifications: Victorian: There is a tendency to view the Victorian Age as beginning and ending with the reign of British monarch Queen Victoria (1837-1901), but this is so strict as to be crude. Rather, the period will be what is referred to as The Long Nineteenth Century (1789-1914), which begins with the French Revolution and ends just short of World War I. This expanded timeframe serves to foreground the transformations that took place within British society and brings those changes into stark relief. This period usually takes England as its geographical norm, and often a particular city: London. But for the purposes of this anthology, the region will also include Scotland, Ireland, Wales, as well as India and the furthest reaches of the British Empire. There is considerable scope here, and the period is rich in conflict and upheaval, which any excellent story cannot do without. Show us primitive science, at once enlightened and profane, the obscure craft of learned mutilators who frighten all, even the dead. Or the Resurrection men, who do their bidding by midnight, and fear more moonlight than the noose. Give us tales of strife and privation, loss and alienation; rural homesteads replaced by hypnotic topographies of stone and glass, cloaked in smog; of choking workhouses and tumbledown tenements. Show us who built this world, mixing mortar with bone, but won’t inherit it. Take us where rail and steam cannot, where clockwork minds are set adrift from empire—from themselves. Give us immigrant tales: ex-lives, diasporic fugitives—what did they leave behind, and what did they bring with them? Give us your silent biographies of the obscure and unseen. The Menagerie: What makes this period particularly special for us is that, without it, contemporary horror would simply not exist—at least, not as we know it. Here, the canon of horror prose fiction was born, not least its blighted offspring: weird fiction. Its menagerie of monsters has endured, too. I speak here of pale bloodsucker, vengeful spirit, and shambling undead, to name a few. Each one hints at the myriad anxieties peculiar to the Victorian mind: disease, death, immigration, poverty, science, the brute pace and condition of life, and in the background, the steady decline of religious faith. These beloved critters have been written about endlessly, such that even the classics have an already-read quality. They’ve also been filmed for modern audiences millions of times, and in ways that bear ever less resemblance to the novels. When something becomes familiar, it loses its ability to shock and unsettle. In other words, we’re not looking for stories that rewrite the classics, specifically vampire stories. Horror: It now feels trite to say, but good horror is about trespass and transgression more so than it is about transcendence. It confronts themes, images, and ideas that people would rather avoid than confront but elicits in the reader a sense that they cannot look away. Weird: The term “weird” should be understood to mean a certain sense of breathless and unexplainable dread, of outer, unknown forces present, a suggestion of the defeat or suspension of the laws of nature which have hitherto served to protect our minds and bodies (and souls) from the assault of chaos. By its very nature, weird fiction should invoke in the reader a sense of profound uneasiness and dread,

it should hint at the inability of the human mind to comprehend the true nature of existence, and it should cause us to question the stability of our faith in the established laws of nature. REMUNERATION All accepted stories will be paid for upfront! Accepted stories can expect between $125-$200. In exchange, we ask for exclusive rights to publish the story. Said rights will maintain for the duration of one year. After that, we retain the non-exclusive rights to the story, but you're welcome to submit and publish elsewhere after that! SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Send your submissions to: sentinelcreatives@gmail.com with the subject “LEVIATHAN SUBMISSION”. All manuscripts should be sent as a Word document. Our preference is for Times New Roman or another clearly legible text. Submissions should be between 3,000 and 6,000 words. This is not a hard limit, but preference will be given to those stories that meet this requirement. Please include a short summary of the story in the body of the email, as well as a short bio and a list of any previously published works. We're looking for original works that have not been previously published! We accept simultaneous submissions! ABOUT US If you’re unfamiliar with Sentinel Creatives, we’re an indie publishing and production house based in Cape Town, South Africa. We maintain a weekly Substack profile, a monthly podcast show, as well as more traditional publishing roles! Though our focus is on books, we have moved into the audiobook and radio-play sphere, and our larger projects include various other creative endeavours (illustration, sculpting, painting, composing etc.) Via: Sentinel Creatives.