Anthology Markets

If you've just wandered in off the internet, hi and welcome. :) I do these posts every month, so if this post isn't dated in the same month you're in, click here to make sure you're seeing the most recent one.

Markets with specific deadlines are listed first, "Until Filled" markets are at the bottom. There are usually more details on the original site; always click through and read the full guidelines before submitting. Note that some publishers list multiple antho guidelines on one page, so after you click through you might have to scroll a bit.

NOTE that SNAFU: Wolves at the Door has a short deadline. (I'm not sure whether they just posted less than a month ago or what, but I just found it.) If you're into paranormal war stories, check it out ASAP.

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30 September 2014 -- Enter at Your Own Risk: Dreamscapes into Darkness -- Firbolg Publishing

Passions become obsessions. Obsessions become manias. And sometimes, manias turn into nightmares. What happens when one wants so badly that all else, including sanity and self, is consumed by the bonfires of desire? What happens when one achieves the dream, only to discover the nightmares lurking behind the illusions? Firbolg Publishing’s fifth anthology, Enter at Your Own Risk: Dreamscapes into Darkness, explores the old adage of "Be Careful What You Wish For." We are looking for stories that step behind the veil of dreams and wishes into the unanticipated horrors of fulfillment. Journey down wishful thinking’s twisted pathway and discover what dark ends and detours await–send us your story and share a TOC with D.H. Lawrence, Mary Shelley, A.M. Burrage, H.P. Lovecraft, and more Gothic masters from yesteryear in Enter at Your Own Risk: Dreamscapes into Darkness.

3000-5000 words (this is strict)

Avoid excessive gore/ violence. We are most interested in gothic dark fiction rather than splatter style horror. We are not interested in stories that are gratuitously violent, sexual, or graphic. If these elements occur within a story, they must be an integral part of the narrative, but note that we are inclined to pass on tales that rely on these elements for plot. Stories that rely on mood, atmosphere, well-crafted dialogue, and character-driven narrative find a home at Firbolg Publishing over violence and gore.

LGBT-friendly press.

RTF format as an attachment (include author biography, links to blogs/ websites)

Standard manuscript format (http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html)

A few formatting musts: No double spaces between punctuation and next sentence. No double spaces between paragraphs (unless indicating a time break).

Payment: $50 and contributor copy (paperback edition).

No simultaneous submissions, no poetry, no reprints

ebook and paperback format.

submission email: editor@firbolgpublishing.com

There have been quite a few invitations for this one, so space for open submissions is limited.

Release date: 7 May, 2015. There will be an official release party at the World Horror Convention in Atlanta, GA.

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30 September 2014 -- An Alphabet of Embers -- ed. Rose Lemberg

I am seeking submissions for An Alphabet of Embers, an anthology of unclassifiables – lyrical, surreal, magical, experimental pieces that straddle the border between poetry and prose.

I am looking for work that is between 500 and 1400 words in length. Ideally, I’d like to accept a mix of pieces that can traditionally be labeled stories, and pieces that defy such definitions. If you’ve been told your piece is 'too slight' or 'more of a vignette', 'too poetic' or 'too experimental,' I’d love to consider it.

While I am looking for unusual and striking work that defies definition, I would be happy to consider work that falls within any speculative genre, including science fiction, fantasy, fairytale/mythic retellings, and of course surrealism, magic realism, etc. If it has a speculative element, I will consider it, though any straightforward treatment of genre tropes will likely be a miss.

I am looking for work that is evocative, beautiful, stirring; I envision An Alphabet of Embers as a book that moves us, emotionally and intellectually, to consider the world from angles new and old and new again. I want AoE to resonate with lyrical strangeness, and pain, and vibrancy, and hope. I am always keenly interested boundary-crossing work, and want to showcase a variety of voices and perspectives.

I am NOT looking for pieces that are unambiguously poetry. (Prose poetry is welcome).

I am committed to diversity of voice and theme in all my editorial projects, and this one will be no exception (here are my thoughts on looking for diversity of voice and theme, as an editor). This anthology is not specifically diversity themed; rather, I believe that every editorial project should be diverse, and every editorial project of mine has been, and will be diverse. Examples of my work include The Moment of Change (Aqueduct Press, 2012), and Stone Telling Magazine, which I co-edit with Shweta Narayan.

I welcome and encourage submissions from creators who belong to marginalized groups, including PoC, LGBTQIA creators, people of all ages, people of various levels of (dis)ability and income, people with neuroatypicalities, immigrants, and more. I’d love to see your work regardless of whether you have prior sales. This anthology is open to everyone.

I would love to consider work in a variety of Englishes. Your language variant is welcome here.

PARTICULARS:

Pay: I will be paying SFWA professional rates at 6c a word for originals, and 3c a word for reprints.

Simultaneous submissions: NO.

Multiple submissions: YES, you can send me up to TWO pieces to consider, either in a single submission or in two separate submissions.

Please send me the piece(s) as attachment(s) in doc, docx, or .rtf format. Please use Standard Manuscript Format. If your piece has special formatting that needs a different submission process, please query first.

Please send your submission(s) to stonebirdpress@gmail.com with SUBMISSION: “Your story title” .

Cover letter: please list whether the piece is unpublished; if it is a reprint, please give full information about the first publication of your submission. I prefer short cover letters – you are welcome to list 2-3 recent publications, but it’s perfectly fine not to do so. Please address your cover letter to Editors, or Ms. Lemberg.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions. I’m looking forward to reading your work!

[Click through for multiple links, which are interesting and caused me to spend far too much time clicking and reading.]

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30 September 2014 -- SNAFU: Wolves at the Door -- Cohesion Press

For this anthology, we want military horror or sci-fi featuring werewolves and other lycanthropes.
The military aspect must be as strong as the werecreature aspect.

In the blackest night or under the full moon, danger is lurking.

It’s survival at all costs when you’re fighting against an enemy that could tear you apart – or convert you to the other side.

Against the backdrop of an untamed wilderness or the dark depths of the city, the ultimate clash between the forces of man and nature rage on.

You could be battling the monster within or a war around you – where the cost could prove too great. Whether it’s personal survival or submission of the pack, we want it all. Bring on the blood, guts and gore.

Stories can be set in any time period, but must involve military action and werecreatures.

We want military combat: guns and ammo, swords, katanas, ninja-to, Bronze Age axes, tooth and claw. Suspense. Tension. Conflict.

Whether the wolves are fighting with you or against you is your choice…
~ ~ ~
We STRONGLY suggest you read the first SNAFU volume to see what it is we like.
SNAFU – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LNXHLJG
~ ~ ~
SNAFU: Wolves at the Door will be an anthology of short stories on the theme of lycanthrope-based military horror.

*Payment: AUD2c/word and one contributor copy
*SNAFU: Wolves at the Door will be released as an ebook only
*Wordcount range: 2,000 – 6,000 words (query for shorter or longer)
*Submission window: 1st September, 2014 – 30th September, 2014 (anything submitted outside of this window will be deleted without being read)
*Projected publication date: Last Quarter 2014

Please follow these guidelines when submitting to us:

1. Please put your full contact details on the first page of the manuscript top left, with word count top right.
2. Standard submission format, with minimal document formatting.
3. Courier or Times New Roman set at 12pt. Italics as they will appear. No underlining.
4. Double spaced.
5. Please don’t use TAB or space bar to indent lines. Use ‘styles’ only. If unsure or using a program that has no styles, do not indent at all. That’s still cool.
7. NO SPACE between paragraphs unless a line-break is required. ONE SPACE after full stops.
8. Please put full contact details on the first page of the manuscript (yes, I said this twice… it’s important).
9. Send your submission to Geoff Brown at editor@cohesionpress.com as an attachment.
10. In the subject line of your email, please put WEREWOLVES: [STORY TITLE]
(Replace [STORY TITLE] with your actual story title. Yes, unfortunately we do need to state this)

NO MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS
NO SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS

For a guide to standard submission format, see: http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html

The only variation to this format is that italics MUST appear as they will be used; no underlining.

Anyone that fails to follow these guidelines will likely see their story gobbled up by spam gremlins.

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1 October 2014 -- I Am the Abyss -- ed. Chris Morey; Dark Regions Press

The Idea:

When each of us reaches the end of our life in this world our consciousness enters a new perpetual reality during the seconds before the brain loses activity. This world is based on the subconscious and experiences we had during our mortal lives. The structures, landscapes, creatures and cities are amalgams of what we perceived during our short journeys on earth, and there our consciousness will stay (unless we find a means of escape).

These are ten stories of tortured souls and dark minds whose difficult mortal lives have come to an end. Their consciousnesses have been transported into underworlds of their own making. It is here that they rediscover forgotten corners of their minds, creatures that they never thought their imaginations could conjure, cities grander or more bizarre than anything they had experienced in their mortal lives.

In these underworlds the characters will truly discover themselves; their darkest fears and deepest desires will manifest. But within these realms they will also find peril and adventure. They will unlock secrets inconceivable during their mortal paths. Some will conquer their underworlds while others will submit. These are ten formations of the abyss on what makes us who we are: our own consciousness.

I Am the Abyss will consist of ten novelettes/novellas in the realm of horror and/or dark fantasy by ten different authors each accompanied by an original two-page color illustration by award-winning artist Les Edwards. The book will be offered in ebook, trade paperback and two signed collectible hardcover formats.

What We Want:

Adventure stories in the realm of horror and/or dark fantasy. Expansive and unique underworlds full of landscapes, cities, creatures, culture, history and more. It is essential that your version of the underworld feels like a fully realized place that has depth and connections to your central character. We want a strange and unique place to get lost in with a fascinating character to take us along for the ride. Your version of the underworld must have its own name which must also be the title of your story.

Although we seek uniqueness and creativity, you are welcome to base your version of the underworld on an established version from cultures/religions: Ancient Egypt, Greek, Christianity, Buddhism… but if you use an established mythos please explain it with your character/story. Remember: these underworlds are based on the subconscious and life experience of your main character/narrator.

We want the authors to have fun. Experiment; create sprawling cities, romances, wars! While the core idea behind the anthology is important, let this underworld be a playground for your creativity. The most exciting, interesting and creative stories will win us over in the end.

You can begin your story before your character dies in their mortal life, during their death or after death: that is up to your discretion. At least 60% of your story must take place in their version of the underworld. Please avoid overly long introductions based in the character’s mortal life or prolonged scenes in the mortal world.

We seek adventure stories. Don’t spend too much time lingering. The idea is: the reader will pick up I AM THE ABYSS and dive into one of the ten unique underworlds and experience a captivating and truly creative setting with a character that they can grow attached to taking them along for the ride. Whether the central character "lives," "dies," triumphs, fails… that’s all up to you. They must be human, and believably human at that.

Something to note: if you are half-finished with your story but October 1st of this year is coming up fast, you can submit the story in partial form. While we much prefer the finished version we understand busy schedules and if the idea is exciting enough and the portion we read well realized enough we just might accept it based on those strengths alone.

Please read over the details below before submitting. Thank you for your interest in our anthology!

Genre: Horror and/or Dark Fantasy

Length: 10,000 – 18,000 words

Book Editions: ebook, trade paperback, Your Heart is Black (signed limited edition hardcover), I Am Gateway (ultra-deluxe signed traycased hardcover) and audiobook.

Payment: $0.05/word + contributor copy + royalties + a signed and personalized high quality digital print of the full color spread that artist Les Edwards creates based on your version of the underworld. 1% NET royalties per author on all ebook, trade paperback and audiobook sales. Payments will be made via PayPal. Royalty payments will be made monthly. Royalty rates will increase based on sales thresholds being reached.

Kickstarter campaign: a campaign will be created for I AM THE ABYSS later this year, most likely in late November. Authors will be asked to record a short video describing their story, character and version of the underworld. If the author is unable to record a video we will describe their story on their behalf. They will also be asked to help promote the campaign and help us connect to anyone they know in the media, well-recognized names in the industry and others that could help in promoting the campaign. The campaign itself will be designed as a preorder with perks, giving backers the chance to reserve their copy of the book at planned retail price for each edition with free U.S. shipping and additional incentives exclusive to the campaign.

If you are uncomfortable partaking in a Kickstarter campaign please do not submit a story for consideration. For the success of the project it is crucial that all authors and contributors involved believe in the effort and are willing to help promote it. This is an ambitious project and demands a healthy budget. Something to note: the more successful the campaign is the more we can expand the project itself from additional stories to additional artworks from artist Les Edwards.

If the Kickstarter campaign does not succeed (we are very confident it will succeed) authors will be compensated in the exact same amount but will be paid in 4 payments (1 payment a month).

Format: RTF or DOC in Standard Manuscript Format. Courier New font.

Response time: 60-90 days

Edited by: Chris Morey with help from manuscript readers

Policies: No reprints. The work must be 100% original and never published anywhere else in the past, including blogs, websites, self-publishing or any form of publication. The words of your story must have only been read by yourself and your inner circle!

No multiple or simultaneous submissions. If your first story is rejected, you may submit one more story for consideration, but only after the first story has been rejected. Two story limit per author.

Rights sought: First worldwide print, electronic and audio English Language rights exclusive for three years from official publication date. Movie/film, television and video rights exclusive for five years from official publication date. Non-exclusive rights to keep anthology available across all platforms thereafter. Note: if any movie/film, television or video interest generates from any particular story in the anthology the author of that story will be notified, directly involved and will be ensured to receive payments/royalties/proper recognition from any such project. No ventures like this will move forward without the author's consent.

When Sending Us Your Manuscript Please Make Sure to Include the Following in the Body of Your E-mail (in order):

Full Name

Location: City, State/Province and Country

Story title, genre, word count and POV (point of view)

Story synopsis (500 words or less)

Publishing credits (debut authors are welcome!)

Website address (blog or social media is fine here too)

Author bio

Send your manuscript to: iamtheabyssdrp AT gmail DOT com

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15 October 2014 -- Bloodlines -- ed. Amanda Pillar; Ticonderoga Publications

Blood will tell... blood holds memory... blood is sacrifice... blood is thicker than water... blood is life.

Bloodlines will feature non-traditional horror stories, which take place in an urban fantasy setting. Give me stories about creatures that need blood to live, or blood to do magic, or whose blood is magic. Witches, shamans, faeries, ancient gods and humans can feature in this collection, so long as your story exudes magic and mystery. So long as you enchant me.

As for the nitty-gritties:

== No science fiction stories will be accepted;
== Romance is acceptable, as long as the story is dark and has horrific themes/elements;
== Do not send stories written in the second person;
== While vampire stories can be submitted, please note that it would be in your best interests to wow me with something other than vampires.
== Lastly, the story must be on theme and meet the above guidelines. It must have blood (its need, use, potency etc.) as a major focus. If it does not, your story will be rejected.

The anthology will be published by Ticonderoga Publications in late 2014/early 2015.

Submission guidelines:

Send me your best dark urban fantasy story.

== Story length 1,000 to 7,500 words.
== Original stories only: no reprints, multiple, or simultaneous submissions (please only submit one story).
== Stories may be submitted via email at bloodlines@ticonderogapublications.com.
== Manuscript format: double spaced, large margins, Times New Roman font, Australian English spelling.
== The editor reserves the right to use their discretion in selecting stories.
== Submission period: 1 August 2014 to 15 October 2014
== Payment: 2 copies of anthology and Aus 2 cents/word (GST inc., maximum payment $150) on publication.

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31 October 2014 -- Blurring the Line -- ed. Marty Young; Cohesion Press

Do you really know what’s real and what isn’t?

A man called Arnold Paole was accused of being a vampire in 1732 in Yugoslavia, after his body was dug up five years after his death and found with long pointed teeth and nails, with blood in his mouth.

The Mothman of West Virginia was a winged man-sized creature with glowing red eyes and huge moth-like wings sprouting from its back, seen repeatedly during 1967 and 1968.

In 1977, a dead creature that looked a lot like a plesiosaur was caught in the nets of a Japanese fishing vessel, the Zuiyo-maru, offshore east of Christchurch, New Zealand.

The sage Apollonius of Tyana, born in Turkey at the start of the first century AD, hunted demons, and once saved one of his students from a vampire who was going to drink his blood and eat his soul.

These are all supposedly true stories. And there are more, more tales of monsters that shouldn’t exist, of demons and devil possession, of serial killers wearing human skin, ghosts terrorizing families…

But these tales also sound like fiction, don’t they?

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:

Blurring the Line (working title) is seeking to blur the line between what is fiction and what is non-fiction. We want horror stories, tales that are serious and frightening, hard-hitting and imaginative. We want monsters; vampires and zombies and werewolves and the mummy and creatures from the Black Lagoon and giant killer plants and mutated ants and demons and devils and Mothmen and everything else you can think of or that hasn’t been thought of yet. But we also want your serial killers and demented and depraved humanity. We want it all. Push your imagination and take us into the far reaches of your darkness, without letting go of reality. Make us believe.

BUT, we want to be scared, made to feel uneasy and uncomfortable. We do not want to be shocked for no reason; if you’re going to eviscerate someone, there needs to be a good reason for doing so. We want style over shock value. We do not want supernatural romance, or weird fiction. We’re not looking for tales about a monster hunter or a covert monster hunting team (we love these stories but they’re not what we’re looking for here).

Details on the non-fiction component of Blurring the Line will be announced later in 2014, so keep an eye out for this.

Interior artwork will be by the super brilliant Alex McVey, and his pieces will combine to tell a horrifying story of their own.

PLEASE FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES WHEN SUBMITTING TO US:

1. Please put your full contact details on the first page of the manuscript top left, with word count top right.
2. Standard submission format, with minimal document formatting.
3. Courier or Times New Roman set at 12pt. Italics as they will appear. No underlining.
4. Double spaced.
5. Please don’t use TAB or space bar to indent lines. Use ‘styles’ only. If unsure or using a program that has no styles, do not indent at all. That’s still cool.
7. NO LINE between paragraphs unless a line-break is required.
8. Please put full contact details on the first page of the manuscript (yes, I said this twice… it’s important).
9. Send your submission to Marty Young at martyyoung2002[@]yahoo.com as an attachment. In the subject line of your email, please put Submission: [STORY TITLE]

(Replace [STORY TITLE] with your actual story title. Yes, unfortunately I do need to state this)

The only variation to this format is that italics MUST appear as they will be used; no underlining.

Anyone that fails to follow these guidelines will likely see their story gobbled up by spam gremlins.

[Click through for some about-the-editor info.]

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5 November 2014 -- Hear Me Roar -- ed. Liz Grzyb; Ticonderoga Publications

This anthology, with the working title Hear Me Roar, is looking at kick-arse chicks of all varieties in a speculative fiction world – female superheroes, scientists, subversives and rulers. We want character-driven stories with strong female protagonists.

The stories can be any variety of speculative fiction: science fiction, fantasy, horror, paranormal romance, urban fantasy or a mix.

We are not looking for stories where women are objectified, where there is gratuitous gore or erotica.

The anthology will be edited by Liz Grzyb, award-winning editor of eight anthologies including The Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror, and will be published by Ticonderoga Publications in 2015.
Submission guidelines

Send me your best speculative fiction story featuring strong women.

== Story length 2,500 to 7,500 words. (Longer stories may be accepted, although payment is capped at 7,500).
== Original stories only: no reprints, multiple, or simultaneous submissions.
== Stories may be submitted via email at roar@ticonderogapublications.com in .doc or .rtf format.
== Manuscript format: double spaced, large margins, sensible serif font, Australian English spelling.
== Submissions period open: 21 April – 5 November 2014.
== Payment: 2 copies of print anthology and Aus 2.5 cents/word (GST inc., maximum payment $187.50) on publication.

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1 December 2014 -- Stories for Chip: A Tribute to Samuel R. Delaney -- ed. Nisi Shawl and Bill Campbell; Rosarium Publishing

Our anthology-in-progress, Stories for Chip: A Tribute to Samuel R. Delany, will honor science fiction's living legend, the author of over 20 novels, approximately as many short stories, five notable memoirs and counting, and ten essential books of genre criticism. SFWA Grand Master, Science Fiction Hall of Fame inductee, and multiple award-winner Samuel R. Delany ("Chip" to his friends) has inspired and taught many of us in the fields of science fiction and fantasy, directly and indirectly, by example and by intent. We want to demonstrate to the world the power of his work through what we write, and thank him for the grace of his existence. Would you like to be part of this anthology? Read on.

Response time: You’ll hear back from us about your submission by January 29, 2015, at the latest.

Wordcount limits: 1000 to 10,000 for prose

Pay: minimum .05/word up to $400 total per story/essay for original prose; minimum .02/word up to $160 total per story/essay for reprint prose.

Note: Acceptance, contracts, and payments will follow a successful crowdfunding campaign. Campaign will run October 1 – 31, 2014.

Reprints:

We're accepting a very few reprints, and plan to include no more than five total in the book. We already have two in mind. You'll have a much easier time selling us original material.

What we're looking for: We want stories and critical essays that relate in some way to the strength and beauty of Samuel R. Delany’s body of work. This relationship can be made evident through allusions to the author himself; through allusions to his work's titles, characters, situations, settings, etc.; through evoking a Delanyesque atmosphere; or through analysis of any of these elements, in the case of nonfiction. We're hoping for essays which elucidate his important, lasting contributions to literature; and for fiction inspired by these contributions.

What we're not looking for: Please don't send us your parodies of Delany or his work. We're also not at all confident you'll impress us with your serious attempts to reproduce his style; if you must try us with something along those lines, be aware that's going to be an extremely hard sell. Further, because Delany's critical writing though rigorous, is so clear and easily understandable, we’re not at all interested in deliberately obscurantist, jargon-laden critical essays.

How to submit:

Once the submission period opens, we'll accept ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS ONLY. We’ll destroy unread anything you send before September 4 or after December 1. During that period, send your submissions as attached .rtf or .doc files to: storiesforchip@gmail.com. In your message you can include any previous publishing credits you'd like to mention, and make any statement you care to make about your connections to Delany.

How to support without submitting: Check back here this February 2015 to participate in our crowdfunding campaign.

Publication and review copies: Our press is Rosarium, noted publisher of Mothership: Tales of Afrofuturism and Beyond. We expect to publish Stories for Chip in July 2015, and to make ARCs available to reviewers in March 2015.

[Click through for some info on the editors.]

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UNTIL FILLED -- The Lost Worlds -- Eldritch Press ** First Posted August 2014

Please refer to the Submission Guidelines page for information on how and where to submit.

Include in the subject line of your submission Sub_The Lost Worlds_authors name

Updated Payment: Eight cents a word.

Story Length: Up to 20,000 novella length stories.

Rights Requested: One year exclusive rights upon publication.

This will be released in paperback, Limited Hardcover and E-book format.

Cover art will be revealed soon.

Steampunk is a difficult and demanding genre to write in. Therefore we are only accepting the best stories you can bring to the plate. To be published early next year.

"The Lost Worlds" will be a anthology in the Steampunk Horror Genre devoted to the post-apocalyptic theme. Send us worlds rebuilt by steam powered engines and mechanical marvels. Send us characters we can root for as they fight the good fight.

Send us worlds our readers can romanticize about, characters that jump off the page. We want to set the Steampunk world ablaze with "The Lost Worlds." So we only want your best.