Markets with specific deadlines are listed first, with "Always Open" and "Until Filled" markets (if any) at the bottom.
Markets open only to writers in a limited demographic are marked with a [NOTE:] from me, in italics, right after the main header.
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.
***
31 December 19 -- Dominion: An Anthology of Speculative Fiction from Africa and the African Diaspora -- Aurelia Leo
Dominion: An Anthology of Speculative Fiction from Africa and the African Diaspora seeks speculative fiction that grapples with the question: "What is the legacy and the future of Africa and the African Diaspora?" We want authors and poets from the African continent and the African Diaspora. More specifically, we want horror, science fiction, fantasy, and alternate history in the following sub-genres: Horror Noire, Afrofuturism, Africanfuturism, Sword and Soul, Rococoa, Steamfunk, and Dieselfunk.
SUBMIT
Format using Shunn’s manuscript style. Track your submissions using Duotrope and The Submission Grinder. Submit via email with the subject line "Dominion Anthology: [TITLE]: [FORMAT]: [LENGTH]" at subs [at] aurelialeo.com. All of the following information should be in one .doc, .docx (preferred) or .rtf document.
A short cover letter is required submitted above the text of your submission in the same document. Please include your legal name, pen name (if relevant), contact information, PayPal email address (if different), recent publications/awards (if any), preferred contributor’s copy (.epup, .mobi for Kindle™ or .pdf), and a third person bio of 50-150 words. A photo may be requested.
We take 2-3 weeks to respond to submissions. If you haven’t received a response by then, please query. If you have any questions, email info [at] aurelialeo.com.
POETRY: Any length paid $50USD per poem.
REPRINTS: Any length of poetry paid $15USD and 1,000-17,500 words of fiction paid $0.01USD per word.
FICTION: 1,000-17,500 words paid $0.08USD per word for the first 1,000 words, and $0.01USD above 1,000 words.
RULES
== Translations are accepted
== Simultaneous submissions to other markets are accepted
== Only four submissions allowed in total (one original poem, one original story, one reprinted poem, and one reprinted story)
RIGHTS
== Copyright remains with the author and poet at all times
== Non-exclusive archival rights as long as the website(s) hosting the work are online
== First world electronic and print rights in English with exclusivity for 12 months from the date of publication
== If selected to be republished in another anthology in the future, payment in royalties is $0.01USD per word
== If selected for a podcast or audiobook, payment is $0.01USD per word for non-exclusive electronic audio rights
HARD SALES
== Excerpts out of a novel
== Poorly formatted and edited work
== Overtly racist, sexist, or violent work
ABSOLUTE NO
== Fanfiction of any kind
== Works above the word count
== Taboo elements (rape in all forms, incest, pedophilia, etc.) in almost all cases
OF INTEREST
== Settings outside of the United States of America, or the United States of America as we know it
== Protagonists that are African(s), African Descendants of Slaves (ADOS) or members of the African Diaspora
== Intersectionality in regards to gender, class, ability status, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, and so on
***
31 December 19 -- Excalibur 2020: Tales from Beyond Tomorrow Volume 3 -- ed. John Paul Catton and Jacob Smith; Excalibur Books
Excalibur Books is proud to announce the upcoming anthology, Excalibur 2020: Tales from Beyond Tomorrow Volume 3 for print and electronic publication to be published in 2020, and we are asking for authors of any background to get involved.
Because Excalibur Books is an independent publisher based in Tokyo, this anthology is intended to celebrate the Tokyo Olympics of 2020, and will be published around the time of that event. With this in mind, we are seeking short stories written by both established and upcoming writers from around the world with an Olympic theme.
These are the guidelines:
The work must be in the genre of Speculative Fiction (Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror).
The work must have a thematic connection to Japan and/or the Olympics. This could include:
Works set in cities during their Olympic years; for example – Paris 1924, Berlin 1936, the first Tokyo Olympics in 1964, Barcelona 1992, Beijing 2008, London 2012, and so on (We are also willing to accept non-fiction memoirs of Olympic years, depending on the circumstances).
Works of fiction with a theme and setting of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics specifically.
Works mainly based on aspects of Japanese society and culture with a tangential connection to the Olympics.
If you have an idea for a story connected to Japan or the Olympics that doesn’t fit any of the points above, then contact us on the email address below and we’ll be very happy to discuss it with you.
Reprints WILL be considered, so don’t worry if your story fits the guidelines but has already been published somewhere else.
== Word Count: Strictly 2,500 to 10,000 words.
All submissions should:
== Be typed in Courier or Times New Roman 12
== Be typed in line with Standard Manuscript Format.
== Include your full details (name/address/telephone number/email address). Multiple submissions up to a maximum of two stories per author can be submitted.
== Be saved as in Word format and emailed to: excaliburbooks@gmail.com
Your email subject header should read EXCALIBUR 2020/TITLE/WORD COUNT (include word count)
Contracts/Payments
Payment will be $100 for each story via PayPal, to be paid after the final acceptance. Contributors MUST have a PayPal account. Contributors will also receive a free, electronic contributor’s copy of the anthology.
Each contributor will need to sign a contract to be emailed to authors whose work is accepted. Initial contract length will be for exclusive print and electronic rights for one year.
We are not looking for stories that include racism, racist or sexist stereotypes, abuse, excessive sex, violence or swearing, political or religious proselytizing. We will not accept any fan fiction.
Please submit only one story at a time.
The anthology will be edited by John Paul Catton and Jacob Smith. The editors have sole discretion regarding which submissions will be included in the anthology, their decision is final. Please do not resubmit a rejected submission as it will be rejected unseen without further consideration.
***
31 December 19 -- Seasons of Rot -- Carrion Blue 555
2020 will see the release of four quarterly anthologies of original fiction, poetry, and art from Carrion Blue 555 collectively titled Seasons of Rot. These volumes hope to explore seasonal themes in unique, surreal, festering ways.
Spring is cancer blossoming in new growth, a single breath of moist soil. Summer begets overripe fruit in Persephone's withered right hand. True decay is beautiful and clashing in the cordyceptic autumn. All of winter flinches beneath the Wicker King's gaze, intimidating even the light of day.
Interpretations of seasons are purposefully elastic for your artistic benefit. A season's atmosphere is just as gripping as its setting. Less is more. We seek horror, fantasy, scifi, experimental, bizarro work.
The first volume, Seasons of Rot: A Scourge of Storms, will be released March 20, 2020. The following volumes will be released on their respective equinox/solstice, with subtitles to be determined.
Fiction:
No word limit, but we are only offering payment up to 5,000 words.
$0.02USD per word. $5 minimum, $100 maximum.
Poetry:
We are open to single poems or multi-poem cycles.
$10USD per poem, longer cycles will be negotiated.
Art:
Black-and-white only.
$10USD per piece.
All accepted authors and artists will receive one contributor copy of the volume(s) they appear in. We are asking for six month exclusivity for accepted works from time of the respective volume's release. Important: due to payment issues in the past, we will only make payments via Paypal.
Attach word document (doc or docx) or image files as an email to carrionblue555 [at] gmail [dot] com. In your subject, please include the season you are submitting to and your name. We aren't picky, but something like this will work:
AUTUMN SUBMISSION: three poems by Oswald Hullad
In the body of the email, please include your legal name, your name as it appears in print (if different), the title(s) of your submission(s), and a short bio that will be included in the anthology. We endeavor to respond to submissions within a couple weeks of receipt, but may ask to shortlist work until the end of the submission period.
No simultaneous submissions please. Multiple submissions are allowed, including for different volumes. Please attach all submissions to a single email. No reprints.
We have worked hard to make Carrion Blue 555 a home for diversity, and eagerly invite creators of all racial, sexual, and neurological bearings to submit.
By submitting, you are agreeing to all of the above, and acknowledge that the work is wholly yours to submit.
***
31 December 19 -- Apocalyptic; Galactic Stew; My Battery Is Low and It Is Getting Dark -- ed. Joshua Palmatier, S.C. Butler, David B. Coe, Crystal Sarakas; Excalibur Books
The APOCALYPTIC, GALACTIC STEW, and MY BATTERY IS LOW AND IT IS GETTING DARK anthology Kickstarter has hit its goal! If you have a story idea that fits one of the anthology themes, write it up, revise it, polish it, and send it in for consideration. I've posted the guidelines below.
Zombies Need Brains LLC is accepting submissions to its three science fiction and fantasy anthologies APOCALYPTIC, GALACTIC STEW, and MY BATTERY IS LOW AND IT IS GETTING DARK. 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 manuscripts in separate emails; you may submit to any or all of the anthologies as many times as you wish. Manuscripts should be in manuscript format, meaning double-spaced, 12pt font, standard margins on top, bottom and sides, and pages numbered. Please use Times New 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 real name. Italics and bold should be in italics and bold.
A writing tip on coming up with an idea for a themed anthology can be found here: jaceybedford.wordpress.com/2019/08/27/generating-ideas-a-guest-post-by-joshua-palmatier/.
Some thoughts on common problems with stories that we see in the slush pile can be found here: jaceybedford.wordpress.com/2019/09/03/open-submissions-for-anthologies-a-guest-post-by-joshua-palmatier/.
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.
APOCALYPTIC is to feature science fiction or fantasy stories set during or after an apocalypse. Stories featuring more interesting apocalypses, settings, and twists on the typical apocalypse will receive more attention than those that use standard tropes. In other words, we don’t want to see 100 stories dealing with a zombie apocalypse. If we do, it’s likely that only one, at most, would be selected for the anthology. We are interested in all kinds of apocalypses: zombies, meteors, flus, robots, climate changes, space critters, alien invasions, etc. Be creative, choose something different, and use the apocalypse in an unusual and unexpected way. We are looking for a range of tones, from humorous all the way up to dark. Additional comments can be found at: www.lauraannegilman.net/guest-post-zombies-need-writer-brains/.
GALACTIC STEW is to feature stories involving food, whether it be poisoning, a cultural or societal ritual, a trade meeting over dinner, etc. We are attempting to fill half of the anthology with science fiction stories and half with fantasy stories. Stories featuring more interesting takes on the use of food regarding the story will receive more attention than those that are more mundane. Make certain the story is centered on the food! If the food element is removed, the story should fall apart. We do NOT want to see stories about cannibalism. So be creative and use food in an unusual and unexpected way. We are looking for a range of tones, from humorous all the way up to dark. Additional comments can be found at: www.stephanieburgis.com/2019/08/guest-post-galactic-stew/.
MY BATTERY IS LOW AND IT IS GETTING DARK is to feature stories where some type of tech has outlived its time and yet, during the course of the story, it discovers a new purpose or is used in a new, purposeful way. This theme is inspired by the Opportunity rover, which functioned long past its prime. As an example, we want stories that would take the rather sad fate of Opportunity and give it new life—a new, useful purpose—when we reach Mars, whether it be as a repaired resource for a colony or a critical piece of equipment used by spacecraft crash survivors or whatever. Submissions do NOT need to feature the Opportunity rover; in fact, we will likely only include one or two stories involving Opportunity. Submissions also do NOT need to be set in the future or include any kind of sentient tech. Stories featuring more interesting outdated technologies and twists on the resurgent use of those technologies will receive more attention than those with more standard tech. So be creative and come up with an unusual and unexpected use of an outdated technology. We are looking for a range of tones, from humorous all the way up to dark. Additional comments can be found at: www.almaalexander.org/my-battery-is-low-and-its-getting-dark/.
DEADLINE and TIMELINE:
The deadline for submissions is December 31st, 2019. Decisions on stories should be completed by the end of February 2020. Please send submissions to contact@zombiesneedbrains.com. You will receive a receipt email within a few days of receiving the submission and having it filed for consideration. Notices about decisions on the stories will be sent out no later than the end of March 2020.
If your story is selected for use in the anthology, you should expect a revision letter by the end of April 2020. Revisions and the final draft of the story will be expected no later than the end of May 2020. These dates may change due to the editors' work schedules. Zombies Need Brains LLC is seeking exclusive world anthology rights (including electronic rights) in all languages for the duration of one year after publication/release of the anthology, non-exclusive world anthology rights (including electronic rights) in all languages after that. Your story cannot appear elsewhere during that first year. Pay rate will be an advance of a minimum of 8 cents 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 and editors of the anthology.
Questions regarding these submission guidelines should be sent to contact@zombiesneedbrains.com. Thank you.
***
31 December 19 -- Again, Hazardous Imaginings -- ed. Andrew Fox
Science fiction is often called "speculative fiction." Speculation and extrapolation -– asking what if? and why? or how? –- is the life’s blood of science fiction. Science fiction writers can't wrap themselves in yellow CAUTION tape. They need to be free to follow their what ifs? wherever those speculative rabbit-holes may lead… even if they lead to dark, dank, unpleasant places.
Recent controversies within the science fiction and pop culture fields illustrate a dramatic and worrisome reversal of what has traditionally been science fiction's greatest strength: the freedom it has granted its creators to confront, extrapolate, and dissect technological and social trends, from a panoply of viewpoints, using a full arsenal of intellectual and literary tools. Writers who were once lionized as key contributors to the science fiction field are now being drummed out of the community by online zealots who stir up instant outrage mobs in hopes of "canceling" those voices who do not fall in line with the current progressive zeitgeist.
Science fiction should always make room for contrarians, for heretics, for the unfashionable and unpopular, for dreamers at the fringe. Without them, the centuries-long conversation at the heart of science fiction becomes a sterile echo chamber. Writers holding viewpoints from across the political spectrum must all feel welcome. In this era of accelerating technological and social change, we need a healthy, vigorous, daring and courageous science fiction, more than ever. One with no ideological handcuffs or defensive self-censoring.
Guidelines for AGAIN, HAZARDOUS IMAGININGS:
== Stories can be up to 7,000 words, maximum. (Although if the story is truly outstanding, I'm willing to be a bit flexible on word length.)
== Stories cannot have been previously published (this is an ORIGINAL anthology).
== No simultaneous submissions (I don't want to get all hot-and-bothered about your wonderful story, only to learn it's been sold to Clarkesworld Magazine).
== I intend for this anthology to serve as a cultural snapshot in time. With this in mind, shoot for the stars –- submit your very best work, work you are proud of.
== I am looking for stories that, due to their content, viewpoint, and/or subject matter, have little or no chance of being published in the commercial market. Yesterday's transgressions (those spotlighted in Dangerous Visions and Again, Dangerous Visions) are today's cultural virtues and/or commonplaces. What are TODAY'S taboos? What kinds of science fiction stories are verboten in today's commercial publishing market? What just won't fly, whether due to shared social beliefs and aversions common to editors, assumptions that editors make about their readerships' beliefs and aversions, or the commercial pressures of the corporate publishing world? How can these modern-day taboos be illuminated and explored using the unique extrapolative tools of science fiction?
== No troll submissions! I am looking for stories of high literary merit. No stories that merely (or primarily) seek to shock, insult, or provoke will be accepted. The subject matter may be outrageous by the standards of today's marketplace. But keep in mind, the more outrageous or disturbing the material, the more incisively it needs to be explored using the cognitive tools of science fiction. Your story may be humorous or satirical; the subject matter may greatly benefit from that approach. But your goals should be to induce your readers to care about your characters, their conflicts, and their predicaments, to leave your readers with something memorable to think about, and, last but not least, to entertain.
== Use of a pseudonym is acceptable. You have my word that I will not reveal your true identity if you do not wish it to be revealed, and I will be happy to disguise your PII (Personally Identifiable Information) in any story introductions.
== Payment is $.03 (three cents) per word, payable upon acceptance.
== Email submissions to: fantasticalandrewfox Atsymbol gmail.com.
== Submissions should be in Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx), Word Perfect format (.wp), or Rich Text format (.rtf), double-spaced with one-inch margins and a 12 point font.
== Again, Hazardous Imaginings will be published as both an ebook and a print-on-demand trade paperback by MonstraCity Press. It is anticipated the anthology will be about 50,000 words in length. It is being published as a companion volume to Hazardous Imaginings: The Mondo Book of Politically Incorrect Science Fiction, which will be a collection of novellas and stories by Andrew Fox, author of Fat White Vampire Blues and The Good Humor Man, or, Calorie 3501.
***
1 January 2020 -- The Way of the Laser -- ed. Eric M. Bosarge and Joe M. McDermott; Vernacular Books
What we’re looking for:
Crime stories that take place in the future. Preferably these stories will go beyond simple murders or capers to reveal something about how technology and the powers that wield it have changed our world. Is poisoning the nanobots responsible for programming the ads in your neural feed a crime? Is organized crime society’s only hope or responsible for its downfall? Consider what will constitute a crime and what unique problems it poses for your characters.
Keep in mind what is criminal behavior one day may be legal the next and vice versa. We want to see people caught up in the pitfalls of society ruled by corporations, ideologies, and demagogues and what lengths people will go to when there simply is no other choice.
Wow us with your original idea and blow us away with your writing.
In addition to the contributing authors on the cover, this anthology will have a limited number of slots open for submissions from the public. We welcome submissions from authors who are from traditionally under-represented communities, and also authors writing about non-traditional gender situations of all kinds.
Length: 4,000-8,000 words
Payment: $.05/word advance + royalties.
Rights: World English in print, digital, and audio, exclusive for five years.
Send submissions to vernacularbookssubmissions at gmail dot com.
***
1 January 2020 -- The Resiliency Anthology -- The Selkie Collective
[NOTE: Submissions open to Canadian writers only.]
LIMITED DEMOGRAPHIC
The Resiliency project is open only to Canadian residents, citizens, or landed immigrants and asylum seekers. Canadian citizens living abroad are also eligible to submit. We will accept submissions in French as well as Indigenous or First Nations languages if an English translation can be provided. The project is funded by Calgary Arts Development and was awarded to The Selkie Collective.
The Selkie is committed to working with marginalised and/or underrepresented voices and will only consider work by/concerned with: individuals identifying as women or non-binary; people of colour; minorities in predominantly white nations; refugees and first-generation immigrants; LGBTQIA+ and two-spirit communities; those living with mental illness, or physical or other disabilities; those persecuted for their political or religious beliefs; victims of violence, or domestic or sexual abuse; and those without access to higher education degrees, living below the poverty line, or who are/have been homeless or incarcerated.
THEME
The theme for the anthology is resiliency. The theme evokes recovery, what happens after profound change and upheaval, and how we carry on. The theme can be interpreted in any way you choose and artistic work does not have to be specifically set in Canada or feature Canadian symbols or themes. We accept all genres that fall under fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and submissions are open to writers of all ages.
COMPENSATION AND RIGHTS
Successful contributors will be paid $50 CAD and will receive one physical copy of the anthology ($15 value).
Simultaneous submissions are accepted but previously published material is not considered. For each selected story, we ask for exclusive first world English anthology rights in all print and electronic forms, and in all editions of the book. This means that the The Selkie Publications CIC has the right to publish the story first and in subsequent versions of the anthology, and contributors will retain rights to their stories and are free to submit their stories for reprint twelve months after the publication date. By submitting your story to The Selkie Publications CIC, you agree to these terms.
Art and illustration contract to be determined upon acceptance.
DEADLINE
The submission deadline is 1 January 2020 at 11:59 p.m. (GMT), and the anthology will be published in Summer 2020. You can read our 2019 anthology, Transformation, here. There is no fee to submit, but we ask for one submission per artist.
BOOK LAUNCH
A book launch will be held in Calgary, Alberta with invited guests of local literary and artistic communities. Successful contributors will be invited to attend however, travel costs will be at their own expense.
WORKSHOPS
Online and in-person workshops will be available during the submission period to provide mentorship assistance and editorial feedback. Dates to be announced shortly.
HOW TO SUBMIT
Please fill out the submission form HERE and follow the instructions on sending your file.
FORMAT
Literary submissions must be attached as a Microsoft Word compatible document. Please include the subject as 'Resiliency anthology submission' in your email. Please ensure you fill out the submission form prior to sending your file.
Fiction and Nonfiction 1,000 – 2,000 words
Flash Fiction: 250–1,000 words
Short Story (no excerpts): 1,000–2,000 words
Poetry: up to three pages (8.5 x 11)
Art and Illustration: High resolution JPEG
***
6 January 2020 -- Coppice and Brake; Stories We Tell After Midnight (Vol. 2) -- ed. Rachel A. Brune; Crone Girls Press
Anthology: Coppice and Brake
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Supernatural, Eerie Horror
Release Date: March 19, 2020
Word Count:
* Flash Fiction (500-1,500 words)
* Short Stories (3,000-8,000 words)
* Novella (12,000-25,000 words)
Pay: $0.02/word or $25/story, whichever is greater.
Wanted: Seeking stories that explore the darker side of speculative fiction. We want stories that are scary or disturbing or upsetting, or that wouldn’t be out of place in a collection of Gothic prose or Grimm folktales or dark contemporary fantasy or a dark forest as night comes on … While horror is the name of the game, this anthology is for those stories that might not hit all of the tropes, but still leave us unsettled when the night settles in.
Anthology: Stories We Tell After Midnight (Vol. 2)
Genre: Horror
Release Date: October 21, 2020
Word Count:
* Flash Fiction (500-1,500 words)
* Short Stories (3,000-8,000 words)
* Novella (12,000-25,000 words)
Pay: $0.02/word or $25/story, whichever is greater.
Wanted: Send me your chilling horror, your stories that are set firmly in the genre, tagging the tropes and atmospherics of things that will cause you to have nightmares and not be able to escape the dark, even when you pull the covers over your head and sleep with the light on.
Submission Guidelines
== Send all submissions to: cronegirlspress@gmail.com, addressed to the Editor, Rachel A. Brune.
== Follow submission guidelines and use the Crone Girls Press Style Guide to format your manuscript before submitting. Please.
== If you have any questions, a good place to get a feel for who we are is the Crone Girls Press Facebook Group. Come on in. We won’t bite. Most of us won’t, anyway.
== Each anthology will be anchored by one novella, with a mix of short stories and flash fiction. I am primarily looking for short stories to make up the bulk of each anthology, but don’t let that discourage you from submitting if you have flash fiction or a novella.
== Reprints, multiple, and simultaneous submissions are absolutely welcome! If it is a reprint, please be prepared to let us know where it was previously published so we can include that correctly in the anthology. If it is accepted elsewhere, congrats! (But please, let us know.) I will only be accepting one story per author per anthology, but if you have more than one that might fit, I’m happy to take a look at what you’ve got.
== We would like exclusive electronic and print publication rights for six months from the date of publication, and non-exclusive rights after that. We prefer worldwide, but are willing to discuss if an author sells, for example, in a foreign-language literary magazine. Once accepted, we ask our authors not to publish their work before the date of publication. Our end goal is to produce a collection of new horror fiction that will have minimal competition for six months; with that end in mind, we are open to any conversations about rights negotiation that an author may wish to have.
== One note about diverse protagonists (and characters in general): I find as a writer, sometimes it helps for the anthology call to explicitly indicate their inclusive status. That is what I am doing here.
== The determining factors in acceptance or rejection will always be quality of writing, adherence to genre, and general fit with the other stories selected for publication. If you have a story that fits those parameters, send it my way.
== Cover letters are not necessary, but if you would like to include one, what I would like to see is a one-sentence logline, word count, and genre. We publish debut and established authors, so I don’t need to see any previous publications; however, if you have any bona fides in the genre, such as membership in HWA, feel free to include those as well.
***
7 January 2020 -- Fiends in the Furrows II -- Nosetouch Press
Folk Horror continues to stalk sunlit fields and shadowed groves with its grafting of the mundane and the sublime. The pervasive themes of isolation, paranoia, depravity, loss of individuality, and rustic madness captivate and terrify audiences.
Nosetouch Press is pleased to conjure up Fiends in the Furrows II: More Tales of Folk Horror, a call for submissions for Folk Horror from around the world—from Britain and Ireland, to continental Europe, to North and South America, Africa, and Asia.
We encourage writers to continue to explore the wilderness of Folk Horror, while honoring the elemental essence of this subgenre’s tangled, grasping roots.
Send your best original Folk Horror stories of 4,000 to 8,000 words. Submissions that are chosen will be paid $.04 a word. No poems or reprints, please.
Email entries to submissions@nosetouchpress.com .doc or .rtf format. Please state “FIENDS 2” in the subject line.
***
31 January 2020 -- Hashtag Queer, Volume 4 -- Qommunicate Publishing
[NOTE: Submissions open to LGBTQ+ writers only.]
Like its successful predecessors Hashtag Queer: LGBTQ+ Creative Anthology, Volume 4 will be released in June of 2020 to once again celebrate LGBTQ Pride season.
Hashtag Queer: LGBTQ+ Creative Anthology is the annual collection of creative literary work by and about LGBTQ+. It includes fiction, nonfiction, poetry and scripts up to 7,500 words.
Hashtag Queer: LGBTQ+ Creative Anthology, Volume 4 will be published in print & ebook. It will be made available in paperback on Amazon, the Barnes & Noble website, QommunicatePublishing.com and wherever books are sold (available to booksellers and libraries through Ingram.) Ebook versions will be compatible with the Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Kobo, iOS, Android, MacOS, and Windows devices, in addition to PDF and other downloadable formats and web-viewable digital formats.
Submission Guidelines:
Please read the following submission guidelines carefully before submitting your work to Hashtag Queer: LGBTQ+ Creative Anthology, Vol 4. If you have any questions not answered below, please write us at submissions@qommunicatepublishing.com and we will be happy to answer.
Theme:
== By and/or about LGBTQ+.
Genres:
== Fiction (including flash non-fiction of 1 page or less).
== Creative non-fiction & memoir.
== Poetry.
== Scripts (including plays and screenplays).
For this book, we are NOT considering:
== Erotica.
== written for children.
Length:
== Prose: up to 7,500 words
== Poetry: Up to 5 pages
== Scripts: Up to 10 pages
These maximums are recommended but flexible. Please number submissions of longer than 10 pages.
Formats:
== All submissions must be typed. No handwritten submissions will be accepted.
== If you send your submission in, please do NOT mail us your only copy of your work. We can not be responsible for returning submissions.
Multiple Submissions:
== Multiple submissions (submissions of more than one work) are fine. Send us what you’ve got!
Simultaneous Submissions:
== Simultaneous submissions (submitting work you’ve already submitted–or are planning on submitting–elsewhere) are fine too.
== Please just be sure that if your submission gets accepted elsewhere, you contact us at submissions@qommunicatepublishing.com to withdraw it from consideration for Hashtag Queer: LGBTQ+ Creative Anthology, Vol 4.
Reprints:
== Reprints will NOT be considered.
Rights:
== We are seeking First English Anthology Rights and First World Anthology Rights in print and ebook formats.
== NOTE: These rights only allow the material to be used in the anthology and its reprints, and the writer retains all rights to their work not specified here (i.e. in the contract), including copyright to their work.
== We are also seeking, for all material, Non-exclusive Excerpt Rights (for the purposes of promoting the Anthology on the website).
Compensation:
== Contributors will receive $5 per printed page.
[NOTE: There's no way to tell exactly how many cents/word they'll be paying; it depends on the size of the pages, the size of the typeface, and the density of the writing on any given page. (A page with many short lines of dialogue will have a lot fewer words than a page full of long paragraphs of description or narration.) A standard manuscript page is counted as approximately 250 words, which works out to about 2 cents per word. I'm assuming a "printed" page will be less than twice that, which means this market squeaks in just past my guidelines, to give them the benefit of the doubt. Keep this in mind, though, when you decide whether to sub here.]
What to Submit:
== Your submission
== A brief bio telling us something about you and (if applicable) any publishing experience
== At least one form of contact information (phone number, email, or mailing address. Please do not give a social media account handle as your only form of contact information.
== IMPORTANT: Pen names are acceptable. However, for contractual purposes, all submissions must also include the author’s legal name.
Where to Submit:
Submissions may be emailed to us at: submissions@qommunicatepublishing.com or mailed to us at:
Qommunity
201 Lancelot Lane
Becket, MA 01223
AGAIN, MAILED SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE RETURNED
Response Time
== We will respond to all submissions by March 31, 2020.
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31 January 2020 -- Rebuilding Tomorrow -- Twelfth Planet Press
Rebuilding Tomorrow is a followup anthology to Defying Doomsday, which was an anthology of apocalypse-survival fiction with a focus on disabled characters. Rebuilding Tomorrow will again focus on disabled and/or chronically ill protagonists but, rather than focussing on survival in the immediate aftermath of an apocalypse, we want stories set a significant time after an apocalyptic disaster. We want stories that show society getting back on its feet and people who have moved past (or are in the process of moving past) subsistence-level existence into a new, sustainable world, even though it’s one that has been irrevocably changed by an apocalypse.
We already have some fantastic stories lined up, but we want more! If you have an apocalypse story featuring a character with a disability, we would love to read it.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
== (One of) the protagonist(s) must be a character with a disability or physical impairment, chronic illness, mental illness or neurodiversity etc. We will consider stories with characters experiencing all kinds of disability and illness and hope that submitting authors will be creative with the possibilities.
== We feel strongly that disability or chronic illness (etc) should have a frequent (if not daily) impact on the character’s life. For example, a character with a deadly peanut allergy in a world where peanuts have been wiped out by a plague isn't going to quite cut it. However, we are not looking for issue stories or stories where disability is the sole focus of the narrative.
== Some sort of cataclysmic event must have occurred well before the start of the story. We are open to a variety of past events, including apocalypses, alien invasions, devastating war, natural disasters etc. Be creative! The important thing is that these events should be in the past, although characters may still be dealing with some longterm consequences.
== We are not interested in fantasy (that means no magic).
== Stories can be young adult or adult stories. Graphic themes and content are okay, but we're not looking for erotica or gratuitous violence.
== Stories should be between 2000 and 6000 words in length and submitted in some approximation of standard manuscript format. We will happily accept .rtf, .doc and .docx files.
== No reprints, no simultaneous submissions, no multiple submissions.
We want a varied anthology with stories that are fun, sad, adventurous or horrific etc. We are also looking for variety in both characters and worldbuilding. Most of all, we are looking for good quality, well written stories. Note that, while we value #ownvoices stories, we do not require authors to disclose personal information to us.
Some things we already have covered (hard sells to steer away from):
== Stories featuring protagonists with upper limb deficiencies
== Stories where the central plot involves a happy community being temporarily disrupted by belligerent outsiders
Submissions are open until 23:59 on 31 January 2020 Australian Eastern Standard Time.
Payment will be 8 cents per word (USD) to be paid on acceptance in exchange for First World Publication Rights, with an exclusivity period of 12 months (with the exception of Year’s Best reprints).
Email submissions to: defyingdoomsday@twelfthplanetpress.com.
***
22 February 20 -- Silk and Steel: An Adventure Anthology of Queer Ladies -- ed. Janine A. Southard; Cantina Publishing
Princess and swordswoman. Scholar and mecha pilot. Warrior women... and the courtly ladies who love them.
The Silk and Steel anthology was initially inspired by artwork from Al Norton. She's put so much tension into these characters! Yet, among all that edginess and conflict, there are also romantic feelings... and a definite sense that both women have the upper hand.
We’re looking for stories of high adventure that feature one weapon-wielding woman and one woman whose strengths lie in softer skills, but who is just as powerful in her own right. You're free to choose any setting – from historical to modern to wildly futuristic.
You can expect to share a Table of Contents with distinguished authors such as: Ellen Kushner, Aliette de Bodard, Amal El-Mohtar, Arkady Martine, Claire Bartlett, Django Wexler, Freya Marske, Jennifer Mace, JY Yang, K.A. Doore, Kelly Robson, Nibedita Sen, and Yoon Ha Lee.
Editor's Note: I'm looking for all speculative genres except straight-up erotica or hard-core horror. (We're aiming this anthology at general audiences, after all. Erotic and horror elements within your story's context are definitely okay! But if they're the thrust of the story, then you’ve gone off genre.) I think the idea lends itself well to swashbuckling romance and operatic comedy, but it's really up to you.
Other Inclusions: Yes! I would love to see trans women, bi, pan, and ace characters.
How to submit: Send your story in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format to Janine A. Southard at silky.subs@cantinapublishing.com
Note about conflict: Yes, this is an f/f anthology, but that doesn't mean your women need to be fighting against homophobia! While this is one option, it's not the only one. Consider also having them fight for their countries, their loves, or their right to wash their cars on Wednesdays in flagrant disregard of their HOA's rules. Silk and Steel is about romance and optimism, so moving on to the next big fight after homophobia will be a much easier sell.
Rights and compensation: Originals only, no reprints. We will purchase first publishing rights for inclusion in this anthology (ebook and print) and one year of exclusivity for 8 cents/word. Authors retain the rights to the individual stories; Cantina Publishing exercises rights to the anthology as a whole.
General Guidelines for Submissions:
We are currently only considering submissions for active calls.
Do send: Your story with your contact details, name (and pseudonym, if applicable), and word count on the first page of a .doc, .docx, or .rtf document. Please use italics instead of underlining. Cantina Publishing recommends using a really common workhorse font like Times New Roman or Calibri at whatever the default setting is for your word processor. (Font selections are subject to change before publication. Still, the submissions reader will remember you as "the jerk who sent something all in wingdings." So we don't recommend that particular level of creativity.) 3,000-7,000 words recommended.
Don't send: Fanfic of any kind. (Unless specified by the call for submissions.) Grotesque horror. Anything over 10,000 words without querying first.
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29 February 20 -- Triangulation: Extinction -- Parsec Ink
Triangulation is open for submissions. We are Parsec Ink's speculative fiction anthology, now in our 16th year. We're looking for outstanding fantasy, science fiction, weird fiction, and speculative horror–from new and established writers. Take the theme and run with it. Tell us a story we won't forget.
THEME: Triangulation: Extinction
Every day, another species creeps closer to extinction, often brought on by things out of their control. The world changes every time an insect, a rhino, a macaw ceases to exist. These changes are tangible. Tell us about them. Bring us stories of imposing threats, extraordinary creatures brought low, stories of those warriors who fight tooth and nail for their survival. What does extinction mean to you? We like our stories to be profound, relatable, poignant yet familiar. Tell a tale for the ages.
While we appreciate and value creative freedom, please note that this issue of Triangulation has a strict theme. We don’t want to read a hundred stories about dinosaurs and asteroids; we want gritty commentaries and hopeful ruminations. Last year’s issue, Dark Skies, wrestled with light pollution, and similarly, this issue addresses an equally as challenging—and real—topic. Let’s do it justice.
WORD COUNT: We consider fiction up to 5,000 words, but the sweet spot is 3,000. There is no minimum word count. Stories over 5000 words will be rejected unread.
GENRE: We accept science fiction, fantasy, and horror–and enjoy intelligent blends of the three. Stories without a speculative element will not be considered.
We do not accept reprints, multiple submissions, or simultaneous submissions. If we reject a story before the end of the reading period, feel free to send another.
We love creative interpretations of our themes, but we do require the stories to be a solid fit.
We run mature content only if we like the story and find the mature content to be integral to it.
We do not accept fanfic, even if it's based in a fictional universe that has passed into the public domain.
MANUSCRIPT FORMAT: Please use industry standard manuscript format. We're not testing you or trying to make you jump through hoops, but we do want a manuscript that is easy for us to read. We reserve the right to reject a story because it did not adhere to our formatting guidelines.
We accept manuscripts in the following formats:
== .doc or .docx (MS Word)
== .rtf (Rich Text Format — generic document format that most word processors can create)
HOW WE CHOOSE
We are a meritocracy. New authors are as welcome as those with a laundry list of accomplishments. But it's going to be the story that wins us over. Grab us by the lapels, drag us onto that plane, take us for the ride of our lives… but get us back on the ground safely and home in time for dinner.
We aim to read submissions as they are received. If a story doesn't work for us, we reject it. If we think the story has great potential but isn't quite there yet, we request a rewrite. The ones we love the most, we hold on to for further consideration, but we won't keep you guessing: you'll get an email. Next, the stories fight it out amongst themselves until we have our final lineup. At which time, final acceptances are sent out. It's sort of like Enter the Dragon, but without the nunchucks. When a story is accepted, the changes we suggest will typically be minor and/or cosmetic.
RESPONSE: Final decisions are made by March 31st.
ELIGIBILITY: All writers, including those who are known or related to the editorial staff, can submit to Triangulation. That doesn't mean they’ll necessarily get in, but we are happy to consider their work.
IF YOUR STORY IS ACCEPTED
COMPENSATION: We pay 3¢ per word. Payment will be either via PayPal or check.
RIGHTS: We purchase North American serial rights, audio and electronic rights for the downloadable version(s). All subsidiary rights released upon publication.
HOW TO SUBMIT
Electronic submissions make our lives easier. Please upload your story via Submittable. If this is your first time using Submittable, you will need to create an account with them. Don't worry: it's free.
***
UNTIL FILLED -- Burly Tales -- ed. Steve Berman; Lethe Press [First posted in July '19]
This anthology, to be edited by Steve Berman, seeks short stories and novellettes that adapt classic fairy tales. But we want them populated with Bears! Strapping heroes are fine as long as they are stout. All the stories should have a measure of whimsy and/or wonder.
Before submitting your story, please consult this page - we would rather not double-up on any original fairy tale idea (we fear we'd end up with a book that was mostly about a gang of male Goldilocks roaming the woods and asking one another "Too hot? Too cold? More please!") - so I will be listing any fairy tale that we no longer are interested in reading. Yes, rather than wait a year to hear from us, the entire open period will have "rolling acceptances."
.........please no stories based on Little Red Riding Hood
All stories should be romantic (HEA or HFN). Erotic content is not a necessity but our burly men should be sex-positive about their lives.
Specs: Please submit Word docs only, standard formatting, 12 pt Times Roman to me at lethepress@aol.com, using the title of the anthology as the subject line. No stories below 5k and none greater than 15. Reading period begins August 1st, 2019. Payment is 5 cents a word for original fiction, considerably less for reprints.
***
UNTIL FILLED -- Of Witches, Warriors, and Wyverns -- TANSTAAFL Press [First Posted in September '19]
We now have an OPEN call for the high fantasy anthology Of Witches, Warriors, and Wyverns.
Guidelines:
We will only accept those stories emailed as text in the email OR .txt, .doc, .docx formats.
== All attachments will be destroyed if not accepted.
== All attachments MUST contain the submission title, the author’s name, the author’s contact information (email as minimum)
==== Email address is submissions@tanstaaflpress.com
== We will not accept stories by mail or post. If we receive these they will be destroyed at once.
== All stories must be original and unpublished anywhere
==== If accepted TANSTAAFL Press will take first English publication rights.
====== Note that reprint rights are yours as are first publication in alternate languages, however the value of reprints is low as are the likelihood of getting anyone to reprint.
====== This publication is likely the only location where you will likely be paid for this piece.
== Stories must be less than 8000 words. Any story over 5000 words must be exceptional to be considered.
== Stories considered for “Of Witches, Warriors, and Wyverns” must be high fantasy.
==== We will not accept urban fantasy, or combinations of technology and fantasy.
====== To be clear, no technology beyond waterwheel or windmill.
==== Any work that starts with or has as a major component a dream sequence will be rejected without a response.
==== We also advise against any of the following:
====== Write-ups of your role playing sessions.
====== Any story that has something that makes someone invincible.
====== Avoid werewolves and vampires.
== TANSTAAFL Press will attempt to get to submissions as quickly as possible, but make no commitment to how quickly. Our target is to have this work available by GenCon 2020 thus we must be complete with story selection nlt November.
== TANSTAAFL Press will read submissions until we have our target word count, which at this time is circa 70K words.
Payments / Renumeration
Of Witches, Warriors and Wyverns will pay for each story used at $0.025 per word. Authors who’ve published with TANSTAAFL Press before will receive $0.03 per word.
TANSTAAFL Press will pay upon the finalization of three criteria:
== Acceptance of your edited work
==== This means if there are changes requested that they have been completed.
== Signed contract with TANSTAAFL Press for publication of this work
==== Come see our tentative contract. It hasn’t been fully vetted but it will be close.
== All works for publication have been accepted and signed.
==== That is, we will pay you when we have the full manuscript in hand.
==== You will not have to wait for TANSTAAFL Press to actually publish.
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If you've found this listing useful, and especially if you've sold a story to a market you found here (score!) I'd love to hear about it. You can e-mail me at angiepen at gmail dot com.
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