Markets with specific deadlines are listed first, "Until Filled" markets are at the bottom (although there aren't any this month). 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 guidelines on one page, so after you click through you might have to scroll a bit.
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31 October 2015 -- Alien Artifacts and Were- -- ed. Joshua Palmatier; Zombies Need Brains LLC
[NOTE: This is two books with the same editor and publisher, the same deadline, and nearly identical guidelines. I'm listing them together (as the editor did) to save space.]
Zombies Need Brains LLC is accepting submissions to its two science fiction and fantasy anthologies ALIEN ARTIFACTS and WERE-. Stories must be submitted in electronic form as an attachment with the title of the story as the file name in .doc or .docx format. The header of the email should include the name of the anthology the submission is for along with the title of the submission (for example: WERE-: WereJellyfish Gone Wild!). The content of the email should also include which anthology the manuscript is intended for. Please send multiple submissions in separate emails. Manuscripts should be in manuscript format, meaning double-spaced, 12pt font, standard margins on top, bottom and sides, and pages numbered. Please use New Times Roman font. The first page should include the Title of the story, Author’s name, address, and email, and Pseudonym if different from the author’s name. Italics and bold should be in italics and bold.
Stories for this anthology must be original (no reprints or previously published material), no more than 7,500 words in length, and must satisfy the theme of the anthology.
ALIEN ARTIFACTS is to feature stories where some type of left-behind alien tech has been found and how it may affect our society, our humanity, or the characters. It can be an artifact discovered on Earth in our past or during current times, OR PREFERRABLY, an artifact that we run across while exploring space in the future. I want to stress this: the story must feature an alien artifact (not an alien). Aliens can appear in the story, but the genesis of the story must be some kind of alien artifact. Stories featuring more interesting alien artifacts, and twists on how they are discovered or how they affect our society/humanity, while being set in the future, will receive more attention than those set in the present or past. In other words, we don’t want to see 100 stories dealing with an archeological dig discovering a long buried alien artifact. If we do, it’s likely that only one at most would be selected for the anthology. So be creative and choose something different and use it in an unusual and unexpected way. We are looking for a range of tones, from humorous all the way up to dark.
WERE- is to feature stories where some type of were-creature OTHER than a werewolf is the main character. Werewolves can appear in the story, but they cannot be the main character or the central focus of the story. I want to stress this: the story must feature a were-creature! Stories featuring more interesting were-creatures, and twists on how they are integrated into the story, will receive more attention than those with more mundane creatures. In other words, we don’t want to see 100 stories dealing with a were-cat. If we do, it’s likely that only one at most would be selected for the anthology. So be creative and choose something different and use it in an unusual and unexpected way. We are looking for a range of tones, from humorous all the way up to dark.
The deadline for submissions is October 31st, 2015. Decisions on stories should be completed by the end of December 2015. Please send submissions to Joshua@zombiesneedbrains.com. You will receive a receipt email within a few days of receiving the submission. Notices about decisions on the stories will be sent out no later than the end of January 2016.
If your story is selected for use in the anthology, you should expect a revision letter by the end of January 2016. Revisions and the final draft of the story will be expected no later than the end of February 2016. These dates may change due to the editor’s work schedules. Zombies Need Brains LLC is seeking non-exclusive world anthology rights (including electronic rights) in all languages for the duration of one year after publication/release of the anthology. Your story cannot appear elsewhere during that year. Pay rate will be an advance of a minimum of 6 cents per word for the short stories. For each additional $5000 raised above the Kickstarter minimum of $10,000, we will increase this advance pay rate by 1 cent per word. The anthology will be published as an ebook and an exclusive mass market paperback edition, distributed to the Kickstarter backers. The book would be available after that to the general public in ebook and trade paperback formats. Advances would be immediately earned out by the success of the Kickstarter. Royalties on additional sales beyond the Kickstarter will be 25% of ebook cover price and 10% of trade paperback cover price, both split evenly (not by word count) between the authors in the anthology and the editors of the anthology.
Questions regarding these submission guidelines should be sent to Joshua@zombiesneedbrains.com. Thank you.
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30 November 2015 -- SNAFU: Unnatural Selection -- ed. Geoff Brown and Amanda J. Spedding; Cohesion Press
Anacondas, piranha, giant crocodiles/alligators/lizards, mutated bears near nuclear power stations, prehistoric sharks. These are a few of my favourite things.
All of these featured heavily in books and films of the 70s and 80s, when bio-horror was at its modern peak. For this anthology of military-bio-horror stories, we are looking for you to take us back to those days.
Think Greg McLean’s Rogue, Lake Placid, Eight-legged Freaks, Anaconda, Meg, Prophecy, Deep Blue Sea, and other modern films/books where people (in this case soldiers) are fighting against mutated or ultra-dangerous animals.
Stories must include a strong military-combat aspect.
We STRONGLY suggest you read some of the earlier SNAFUs to see what it is we like.
~ Payment: AUD4c/word and one contributor copy in each format released
~ Wordcount range: 2,000 – 10,000 words (query for shorter or longer)
~ Submissions open September 1, 2015. Closing date is November 30th, 2015 (anything submitted before or after this time will be deleted without being read or replied to). No selections will be made until after the period closes.
Projected publication date: August 2016
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 (.doc/.docx/.rtf).
10. In the subject line of your email, please put Unnatural Selection: [STORY TITLE] (Replace [STORY TITLE] with your actual story title. Yes, unfortunately I do need to state this)
NO MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS
NO SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS
NO REPRINTS
Please include a brief ‘hello, this is who I am’ in your email body as a cover letter.
Blank emails with attachments will be deleted.
For a guide to standard submission format, see: http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html
The only variations to this format are that italics MUST appear as they will be used – no underlining – and again, only one space after a full stop.
Anyone that fails to follow these guidelines will likely see their story gobbled up by giant spider/crocodile hybrids.
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15 December 2015 -- It's Come to Our Attention -- Third Flatiron
Under the radar: things that are happening quietly, without a lot of fanfare, that may still be extremely significant or make a big difference.
Stories should be submitted in either Microsoft Word (using double spacing), RTF, or plain text. They should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. Flash humor pieces (Grins and Gurgles) should be short, around 600 words.
Please don't send simultaneous or multiple submissions. If a story has been rejected, you can then send another.
Submit by email to flatsubmit@thirdflatiron.com either as an attachment (Word) or in the body of the mail (text).
In the Subject: line of the email, please put flatsubmit:Title_of_Your_Work to avoid being deemed a canned meat product based on ham.
If the work is for the humor section, please note that in the body of your email. A brief bio and a one- or two-sentence synopsis in the body of your email would also be helpful to us.
Your story must be original work, with the digital rights unencumbered. Accepted stories will be paid at the flat rate of 3 cents per word (U.S.), in return for the digital rights to the story for six months after publication. All other rights will remain with the author. We no longer offer royalties. If your story is selected as the lead story, beginning July 1, 2014, we will pay a flat rate of 6 cents per word (SFWA professional rate), in return for the permission to podcast or give the story away as a free sample portion of the anthology.
Third Flatiron will price and market your story to various e-publishing venues. We will format the story for the most popular electronic readers and platforms. You agree that we may distribute a sample (portion of the story) to potential customers.
For non-U.S. submissions, we prefer to pay via PayPal, if you have such an account.
Authors selected for publication will also be entitled to one free online copy of the anthology.
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15 December 2015 -- Cthulhusattva: Lovecraftian Tales of the Black Gnosis -- Martian Migraine Press
Martian Migraine Press is now open to submissions for our fourth annual anthology, Cthulhusattva: Lovecraftian Tales of the Black Gnosis.
When it comes to Lovecraftian fiction, readers are already well familiar with the standard protagonists. Men of Science. Hardened, world-weary investigators. Sensitive artists, and the like. All of whom eventually learn too much, as they come into contact with forbidden books, foul thaumaturgies, and the human (and not-so-human!) servants of the Great Old Ones. Through curiosity, stupidity, hubris (and oftentimes a combination of these) such foolhardy individuals are blasted to madness in the deadly light that breaks through into their existence when they dare tread the shadowed paths of the Mythos! Surely death would be preferable!
But…
What of the opposite numbers to your standard Lovecraftian hero? What of those servants of the Great Old Ones? The cultists. Sorcerers. Witches. Lone madmen and women. What of those who go seeking that dark enlightenment of their own free will? What of the individuals who choose to cast off from the shores of humanity’s placid island of ignorance, who choose to voyage far on those black seas of infinity that surround that island?
Whatever else can be said about the Mythos (within the Lovecraftian world-view, naturally) it remains that the madness which underlies it is THE TRUTH OF EXISTENCE. The light may be deadly, yes, but it is still light, and it still reveals! Remember, too, that the Great Old Ones and their servants, have been around for a very long time. What wisdom, what insights into Life, Death, and Reality might be gained by currying their favour? What would be the price of that wisdom, and more… would it be worth it?
For Cthulhusattva: Lovecraftian Tales of the Black Gnosis, we are looking for stories that explore these themes, and these intrepid, intelligent, and yes, more than a little insane characters! However, we’re not interested in dyed-in-their-woolen-robes hooded cultists or card-carrying gibbering lunatics with knives behind their backs, laying in wait for the Randolph Carters and Professor Armitages of the world. Instead, give us stories that examine what it means to truly learn the nature of the Universe and come out the other side, smiling! Remember, the Old Ones are apathetic to human needs and desires, and are as likely to ignore a supplicant as devour them. So, consider how one might go mad at contact with them, but still live and move and have an affect in the world. We want to see tales of Mythos mystics, spiritual sorcerers, monstrous monks, and preternatural philosophers, and we want to see them in a diverse range of settings, not just Arkham. The world is vast and strange: show us the bizarre and mind-expanding traditions of far-flung locales! Take us from the deep past to the unimagined future! Give us stories that prove you can hear the Call of Cthulhu… and return as a Cthulhusattva!
(Savvy Migraineers may detect a possible connection to our non-fiction release of 2014, editor Scott R Jones' When the Stars Are Right: Towards an Authentic R'lyehian Spirituality… and they’d be right! If you’d like to study up on the Black Gnosis, and the kind of person crazy enough to seek it, we’d be more than happy to send you an electronic copy of WTSAR for your edification! Just pop an email to bookstore@martianmigrainepress.com with your preferred format — mobi, epub, or PDF — and we’ll send one along!)
Final count for the anthology will be 18 stories, released as a softcover paperback and as an electronic book in multiple formats.
Submission period closes December 15, 2015. The anthology will be released in early May 2016.
SUBMITTING
Please use Standard Manuscript format when submitting. That’s double spaced, left justified, Times New Roman or Courier or something at least readable, a header on the first page (at least) with your author info and word count and… well, you know the drill. RTF or DOC files preferred, but DOCx and text files also accepted. Obviously, you could send us something that’s not in Standard Manuscript format, but it will lower your chances of it being looked at seriously.
We will look at both original work and REPRINTS.
To submit a story to Cthulhusattva: Lovecraftian Tales of the Black Gnosis send an e-mail (with the story file attached, not in the body of the email) to: submissions@martianmigrainepress.com, with subject line: GNOSIS, title of your story, and your name.
LENGTH AND GENRE
For short fiction, we’d like to see anything from 1,500 to 7,000 words.
FLASH FICTION: got something under 1500 words? Send it in. However, the following still applies…
NO POETRY.
PAYMENT
All accepted submissions will be paid .03CAD per word, via Paypal, as well as a contributor copy (paperback) of the anthology, and copies in all electronic formats (mobi, EPUB, and PDF). Authors are also entitled to copies of three additional Martian Migraine Press titles of their choosing.
REPLIES AND QUERIES
We will try to acknowledge receipt of your submission within a week of its arrival in our inbox. The submission period itself will close on December 15, 2015 and we should be responding to all submissions, yay or nay, by early January 2016. If you haven’t heard from us by January 15, 2016, please query.
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25 December 2015 -- Mysterion -- ed. Donald S. Crankshaw and Kristin Janz; Enigmatic Mirror Press
We're looking for speculative stories--science fiction, fantasy, horror--with Christian themes, characters, or cosmology.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
== Stories can be up to 10,000 words.
== The anthology will be published in ebook and POD formats.
== We pay 6 cents/word for original stories (or original translations of stories that have not previously appeared in English), and 3 cents/word for reprints.
== We are seeking one year of exclusive worldwide print and electronic distribution rights for original works (with exceptions for Best of the Year anthologies), and non-exclusive worldwide print and electronic distribution rights in perpetuity for both original works and reprints.
== No multiple or simultaneous submissions. Send us only one story at a time, and don't send us a story that's currently with someone else or send someone else a story to which we have not yet responded. Don't re-submit a rejected story unless we request revisions.
== We hope to have responded to everyone within one month of the submission window's closing. Feel free to query if it's been longer than two months.
== Stories must be double spaced, in 12-point Courier or Times New Roman font. The story title, your byline, a word count, and contact information should appear on the first page, and your last name, story title, and page number should appear in the header information of all other pages. We're not particular about whether you use italics or underlining for emphasis, how many spaces are after the period, or whether you use straight or smart quotes.
== Submissions may be sent to the email address:
submissions at mysterionanthology dot com
== Submit your stories via email as an attachment in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format. The subject of your email should be FICTION:
THEME GUIDELINES
== The story must have a speculative element. It needs something beyond the everyday. We love science fiction and fantasy, enjoy good ghost stories, and think there's great fiction material hidden in the mysteries of Christian theology--cherubim, leviathan, nephilim, visions, prophecy, and more.
== The story must engage with Christianity. We want stories with Christian characters whose faith affects their actions, with Christian themes such as grace and redemption, or with a Christian view of the supernatural. Note that we're not saying that you must be a Christian. We are not in a position to judge your faith, and won't try. Nor does your story need to be unambiguously pro-Christian. If you can tell a good story that meaningfully engages with Christianity, we want to read it.
== Read more about what we're looking for in our Theme Guidelines.
