Category: Submission Roundup

Themed Calls and Markets of Interest

Machinations and Mesmerism

Ulthar Press is looking for strange, gothic, and fantastic fiction in the manner of E.T.A. Hoffman for an anthology edited by Farah Rose Smith.

Word Count: 2,000-5,000
Deadline: December 24, 2018
Payment: 2¢/word + contributor copy

 

Flame Tree Publishing

This publication is looking for urban crime. “Stories for this anthology will have ‘gritty murders on the streets of London and Paris, horrors in dark alleys, as well as many more scenes from urban crime that elicit a dark curiosity. Think classic authors such as Edgar Wallace and E.W. Hornung.’” Accepting reprints.

Word Count: 2,000-4,000
Deadline: October 14, 2018
Payment: 6¢/word

Flame Tree Publishing

This anthology is looking for gothic stories for their Gothic Fantasy short story series.  “With handsome young men who never grow old, and the strangest of relatives appearing from dark corridors and long shadows, the frenzied imagination of the American Gothic is a fertile theme for this new anthology in the Gothic fantasy short story series.” Accepting reprints.

Word Count: 2,000-4,000
Deadline: October 14, 2018
Payment: 6¢/word

Tin House

This publication is looking for short stories for their horror issue. “From the mundane frights of everyday life to the truly macabre, if it makes your hair stand on end, we want to hear about it.  Send us your scariest stories, eeriest essays, and most petrifying poetry!”

Word Count: Up to 10,000 words for prose, up to 5 poems
Deadline: October 15, 2018
Payment: Not Specified

Tell-Tale Press

This publication is looking for stories for their Winter Holidays issue.  Stories could be fantasy, horror, mystery, and science fiction and themes include Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, New Year’s, Winter Solstice, Chinese New Year, and any other winter holiday.

Word Count: 500-5,000 Words
Deadline: October 15, 2018
Payment: $5-25

Spring Song Press

This anthology is looking to publish stories that address the “Steam and Lack” steampunk theme in some way, and must have a speculative element.  They are looking for “clever, heroic characters, and fantasy, rather than straight science fiction.” Prefer to publish “clean” noblebright stories.  ““In steampunk, magic and steam-powered technology combine in a setting that offers both possibility and danger. Victorian-inspired and European settings are the most common, but we’re open to stories set in other steampunk settings as well, real or fantastic. The steampunk setting must be apparent in the story, but the story does not have to depend upon the steampunk elements.”

Word Count: 1,000-10,000 words
Deadline: November 1, 2018
Payment: 1¢/word

Unlocking the Magic

This anthology is looking for fantasy stories for their new publication.  “In fantasy, we read about how people with mental illness are more susceptible to magic, closer to breaks in reality, more likely to be able to see the unseen. These stereotypes are harmful and contribute to keeping people from seeing the good in getting help, taking their meds, or talking to someone.This anthology is about changing the narrative and telling stories of strength and perseverance, of getting help despite the darkness. Not the myth that getting help will kill creativity and magic. … I want stories that show what can be accomplished when we take care of ourselves and seek help. … I want to read realistic portrayals of mental illness in magical worlds.”  They are looking for urban fantasy, epic fantasy, historical fantasy, steampunk, and any other fantasy with a noblebright theme.  No science fiction of horror, though horror elements are welcome.

Word Count: 3,000-6,000 words
Deadline: November 1, 2018
Payment: $300/story + royalties

Tales from the Canyons of the Damned

This market is looking for dark science fiction, horror, and slipstream.  “Think of Canyons as a literary Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, or Outer Limits — it’s Netflix’s Black Mirror.

Word Count: 500 – 5,000 Words
Payment: 3¢/word for the first 5000 words, capping at $150

18th Wall Productions

This publication is looking for short stories expanding on H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds. They want stories that show the entire world’s response to the invasion.

Word Count: 4,000-20,000 words
Deadline: January 20, 2019
Payment: Royalties

Primordial

This market is looking for stories that are thoughtful and intelligent about alien life that has biology and evolution at its core.  Could be anything from first contact to invasion/infestation stories, or even about fatal misunderstandings between species.  Articles accepted.

Word Count: 1,000-16,000 words for fiction; 1,000-2,000 words for articles
Payment: 1¢/word for fiction; $20 for articles

Strangehouse Books

This publication is looking for stories written by anyone who identifies as a woman.  From the editors: “There are monsters in every woman’s life. And while maybe not ALL monsters are so bad, I want you to tell me about the dark and twisted ones. Give me protagonists who take no shit. Show me women who save themselves. Does the hero slay the beast, or is she the monster? All types of monsters, protagonists, and antagonists are welcome here. I am looking for speculative fiction containing strong prose with character-driven stories that convey powerful messages. I am particularly drawn to the beautiful grotesque, gothic elements, the macabre, and poetic prose, but I welcome all well-crafted stories to be submitted.”

Word Count: Minimum 2,000-8,000 Words
Deadline: Opens November 1, 2018 and will remain open until word count is met.
Payment: 1¢/word

Themed Calls

Off the Beaten Path Press

This press is looking for stories for their newest anthology publication: Heroes of the Apocalypse.  They are looking for stories regarding the end of the world.  From the editors: “Whether it be natural disaster, zombies, pandemic, alien invasion, space asteroids, killer AI, supernatural demons or ghosts, giant monsters, nuclear war, or however you envision the end of everything coming for civilization. The only thing that these stories need to share are the heroes who fight against all odds to prevent the end (either in success or failure). This is what the stories need to be all about. The human response to the end. So even if you have a 1000 foot Lovercraftian demon stomping on major cities, we need to see the courage on the ground before the boot goes to ant.”

Word Count: 5,000-15,000
Deadline: October 31, 2018
Payment: Royalties paid for sales and a copy of the print version of the anthology.

 

Markets of Interest

Artemis Rising

This speculative fiction magazine is seeking submissions from writers who identify as female.  From the editors: “Non-binary authors who identify at any time/to any degree as women are welcome to submit.  We strongly encourage submissions from people of backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented or excluded from traditional speculative fiction, including, but not limited to, people of color, LGBTQ authors, persons with disabilities, members of religious minorities, and people from outside the United States.”

Word Count: 1,500-6,000
Deadline: September 30, 2018
Payment: $0.06 cents a word

 

Twelfth Planet Press

This speculative fiction is looking for novellas from both marginalized writers and those who are not.  From the editors: “We are looking to build a kickass series of novellas that defines and redefines the Twelfth Planet Press brand. We want gritty pieces that challenge the system and punch the patriarchy in the face. We want stories that resist and rebel… and maybe also books that comfort & inspire. For when things are bad out there in the world. We are looking for books that feed the angry soul.”

Word Count: 17,000-40,000 words
Deadline: November 30, 2018
Payment: Advance of $300 + royalties of 40% of all monies received by the publisher, paid twice yearly.

 

Contests

The Icarus Contest

Mythraeum is holding a contest for Icarus stories – you can find the myth through the link.  From the editors: “Your story can be about any aspect of this myth. You can focus on Icarus or Daedalus or another figure. Your story can be set in Ancient Greece, a modern office building (very Labyrinth-like!), or on a spaceship. You can make it a Western or a steampunk.”

Word Count: up to 5,000 words
Deadline: October 31, 2018
Entry Fee: None
Prize(s): The winning story wins $300.

 

Also, for a list of Feminist Literary Magazines, do be sure to check out Trish Hopkinson’s catalogue.

Not only has she put together a list of magazines, but also their links and payment.

Some things to know about these markets:

• They generally do not charge fees to submit (although some may charge fees for some types of submissions and for contests).
• They accept poetry submissions.
• All accept electronic submissions.