December’s Dangerous Open Submission Calls

like this list? get more for 99 cents.

This was a sample of what you can find in The Guide of All Guides. Get it from you favorite ebook retailer.

https://books2read.com/TheGuideofallGuides

HINT! CLICK ON PICTURE TO BE TAKEN DIRECTLY TO SUBMISSION GUIDELINES FOR EACH MARKET.

Science Fiction

amazing stories

Description

We are now pleased to announce that submissions for flash fiction for our special next issue are open! That special issue? That’s our Amazing Stories: Sol System special edition. We are interested in stories set in the future and revolving around Sol, including planets, moons, asteroids, Oort and Kuiper, you name it!

Now that you know what we need, we need stories, flash fiction-sized, about 1500 words maximum, with a deadline of January 2nd, 2023. We are paying the SFWA rate of 8 cents per word. Can’t wait to see what you submit.

Submission Hints

Amazing Stories is looking for short stories that are fresh and new. We want to be surprised. We want to be delighted. We want your stories to be amazing. It’s not enough to be technically proficient and have a sort of, somewhat semi-original idea; we want to be dazzled by your original style and substance.

Remember when science fiction was optimistic, when the future was something to be embraced as a bold adventure instead of a place of dystopias, seemingly endless wars and mutant monstrosities to be feared? Amazing Stories will not shy away from stories that explore the negative impacts of technologies on individuals and society, but we have a strong preference for stories that take a bright view of human ingenuity and the possible futures we can make with it. Have you ever read a short story or novel and thought to yourself, “I want to take part in making that future a reality?” That is what we would like to see.

Dark Fantastical Fiction

Apex Magazine

Submission Hints

Apex Magazine is an online zine of fantastical fiction. We publish short stories filled with marrow and passion, works that are twisted, strange, and beautiful. Creations where secret places and dreams are put on display. We publish in two forms: an every-other-month eBook issue and a gradual release of an entire issue online over a two-month period. Along with the genre short fiction, there are interviews with authors and nonfiction essays about current issues. Additionally, we produce a monthly podcast of narrated original short fiction.”

Dream Horror

never wake

Description

The Theme: “We’re looking for scary, mind-bending stories featuring dreams, nightmares, hallucinations, messed-up psychedelic experiences, and various elements of phantasmagoria. Think sleep experiments gone awry and Freddy Krueger and ‘This is bat country!’ from FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, but maybe the bats are real and maybe they are vampires? Feel free to bring the weird, the trippy, and the surreal in large doses. Some movies we like for reference are: DREAMSCAPE, NOES series, THE CELL, COME TRUE, FROM BEYOND, ALTERED STATES, INCEPTION, WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, CLIMAX, and ANNIHILATION.” “We would like to see stories with unique perspectives and from diverse voices, and encourage all writers to submit. If possible, we would like to give a new writer their first professional sale. Please let us know if this would be your first pro sale in your cover letter (and please be honest).”

Speculative Fiction

apparition lit

Paranormal

ALIEN HEAD PRESS

Speculative

frivolous comma

Fantastic Furry Fiction

Zooscape

Description

All stories must be furry. That means an anthropomorphic animal figure should be significantly featured in your story — it could be anthropomorphic in body or only intelligence. We’ll consider any type of furry fiction from secret life of animals to fox in Starbucks. We love science-fiction with animal-like aliens and fantasy with talking dragons, unicorns, or witch familiars.

We are interested in underrepresented voices. If you have personal experience relevant to your story, feel free to mention it in your cover letter. For instance, if your story is about a space unicorn and you are a space unicorn (or a research biologist who studies space unicorns), let us know.

We welcome and will be looking for diverse voices. We are not interested in stories that give voice to racist or sexist ideologies. And while we like unicorns and dragons, we find focusing on virginity, at best, tedious.

Any Genre

air & Nothingness press

Description

Shellworlds, Alderson disks, Dyson spheres and swarms, O'Neill cylinders, Matrioshka brains, wormhole networks - these megastructures reshape stellar systems and are evidence of advanced civilizations.

While these ideas usually fall under Hard SF, we are looking for authors to provide stories in any genre they choose. Tell us the tales of advanced civilizations, personal stories of the people who live in these spaces, the mythology that is created as these projects are born, to the time they crumble to stellar dust.

Correspondence from Saunders

I sent in a story for his first call, and was impressed he bothered to get back to me with this. (which is also why I interviewed him.)

One quick note - judging by a brief summary reading, you may have confused Spiritualism (communicating with the dead, seances, ouija boards etc..) with Spirituality (religion). From the submission page (http://aanpress.com/submissions.html) I am looking for stories that combine elements of both Spiritualism and Science Fiction/Steampunk SF. No fantasy stories, no standalone ghost stories, no SF without aspects of Spiritualism.

Hopepunk

transform the world

Description

The way we do things now as a society is unsustainable. Garbage is piling up in our landfills and oceans, income inequality is getting worse, and our governments are often paralyzed when it comes to seeking solutions.

For the third anthology in the Writers Save the World series, “Transform the World,” we’re focusing on new ways of living and of structuring societies. Stories should be near future (in the next 100 years or so) science fiction with a hopeful tone.

Submission Hints

Examples:

A new colony on Mars is run entirely on a barter/exchange system, with expansion credits for hard work that allow the recipients to start sub colonies of their own.

A new city is built on the ocean, where people live in a sustainable way with the ocean.

A new drug that confers immortality on everyone forces a wholesale change in the way that society is structured.

What We Don’t Want

We are not looking for magical solutions or unrealistic answers.

We are not looking for stories that don’t feature a strong sci fi element.

Short Story Contest

Quantum steampunk

Description

The Maryland Quantum-Thermodynamics Hub is running the contest this academic year. I’ve argued that quantum thermodynamics—my field of research—resembles the literary and artistic genre of steampunk. Steampunk stories combine Victorian settings and sensibilities with futuristic technologies, such as dirigibles and automata. Quantum technologies are cutting-edge and futuristic, whereas thermodynamics—the study of energy—developed during the 1800s. Inspired by the first steam engines, thermodynamics needs retooling for quantum settings. That retooling is quantum thermodynamics—or, if you’re feeling whimsical (as every physicist should), quantum steampunk.

In an upgrade from my high-school days, we’ll be awarding $4,500 worth of Visa gift certificates. The grand prize entails $1,500. Entries can also win in categories to be finalized during the judging process; I anticipate labels such as Quantum Technology We’d Most Like to Have, Most Badass Steampunk Hero/ine, Best Student Submission, and People’s Choice Award.

Submission Hints

Minimal knowledge of quantum theory is required; if you’ve heard of Schrödinger’s cat, superpositions, or quantum uncertainty, you can pull out your typewriter and start punching away.

Entries must satisfy two requirements: First, stories must be written in a steampunk style, including by taking place at least partially during the 1800s. Transport us to Meiji Japan; La Belle Époque in Paris; gritty, smoky Manchester; or a camp of immigrants unfurling a railroad across the American west. Feel free to set your story partially in the future; time machines are welcome.

Second, each entry must feature at least one quantum technology, real or imagined. Real and under-construction quantum technologies include quantum computers, communication networks, cryptographic systems, sensors, thermometers, and clocks. Experimentalists have realized quantum engines, batteries, refrigerators, and teleportation, too.

Surprise us with your imagined quantum technologies (and inspire our next research-grant proposals).

STOCKING STUFFERS?

Speculative

grendel press

Description

We bring together lovers of the deep and dark and embrace the knowledge that to truly live, you must realize that the true monster... is often within.
What we really do?

We really love stories, and we want to make a name for ourselves so that readers know if they want to find a story about a monster that is more than a monster, or a hero that is more than a hero, we’re the place to find it.

How did you choose your name? Grendel is fascinating as a character study. The epic Beowulf is a story about Beowulf, this greater-than-life hero who boasts about saving the world all the time. It’s his ‘thang’, but who kept reading after Grendel and his mother were killed? Not many and that’s because Beowulf couldn’t be a hero without a monster to slay, but what makes these creatures monsterous? What makes Beowulf a hero?

Our Vision
We just want to shine a light in the dark and see what stares back at us… then we want to print it so you can see it too.

GrendelPress accepts short story submissions that fit into our chosen genres of Dark Fantasy, Horror, and Romance. We will develop themes for each genre as submissions accumulate.

Submission Hints

We go for stories that are dark and deep; we are looking for the stories that stick with you long after you go to sleep.
Stories with a depth of character that explore the mind as much as the monsters.
Stories that show more than tell and build suspense before shock factor.
Easily readable. It’s wonderful to craft a gorgeous story, but if people need a dictionary to understand it, we cannot accept it.

Current Themes

Paramnesia – a condition or phenomenon involving distorted memory or confusions of fact and fantasy, such as confabulation or déjà vu.

– Monsters as MCs (main characters)

– Supernatural Stories – Ghosts, Cults, Hauntings, Etc

The Devil Who Loves Me – Dark Romance – Literal devil, figurative devil, questionably the devil. Open to interpretation. Happy endings are open to interpretation, but leave gore and assault at the door

My Insights

UPDATE: A fellow Wulf Packer says they are having issues filling the Dark Romance anthology. So if you have one, send it in!

new market! I sent them my story "Wanderlust" on Sept 26th for the romance call, and "How to Make Leech Soup" for the Monsters as main characters call.

I also sent in my Never Wake rejection, "Alma Smith and the Spiked Bowling Ball." This is the auto response.

"I just wanted to confirm that we have received your submission, and I look forward to cultivating our first anthology soon.

I will keep in touch with you and let you know more as we loom closer to 2023. You will have time to let me know if you have chosen to publish elsewhere, but feel free to communicate if you have any questions in the meantime."

Various

olde wolf contest

Science Fiction & Fantasy

zombies need brains

Description

DRAGONESQUE: We just need stories from the dragon’s POV. Somehow, people are missing that crucial (and only) fact of the theme.DRAGONESQUE will contain approximately fourteen stories with an average length of 6,000 words each.

GAME ON!: ) We're getting a lot of video game-based stories (including/especially VR) and variations on chess, checkers, and poker. We’ll only take one of each max, so your odds will improve if you show us something unique. We’re open to games of all kinds and from across all of time and space (no sports, though). What would a magic realism take on gaming look like? Where are the stories about Eurogame board games? About players being sucked into their TTRPG? About life-or-death reality game shows? Where are the stories about a literal pinball wizard? Show us non-Western games and games popular in the distant past—or the far future.

2) The story should involve a game but be about characters. We’re seeing a lot of stories that are loosely disguised “how to play this game” stories where the characters leave us flat. Give us characters we care about with stakes that keep us invested in what happens to them. Use the game as a lens or a crucible to explore character. The secret is you can tell a story involving a game without actually telling us much about how to play.

3) We have seen very few invented games in either fantasy or science fiction settings, and very few non-human protagonists and settings, be they animals, aliens, robots, forces of nature, or exotic environments. We’d like more of all of those, please. Wow and delight us with your creativity and unusual or unexpected takes on the theme.

ARTIFICE & CRAFT: Art is everywhere. Our drive and ability to create for the sake of creativity defines us as a species and enriches our cultures, our societies, our lives. The best of these works of art, from novels to paintings to statues to music, are imbued with a special kind of magic. But when that magic is literal—when Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray ages instead of the actual man, and Mozart's Magic Flute plays its protective song—art takes on a whole new meaning. In ARTIFICE & CRAFT, we invite writers of fantasy, science fiction, horror, and other speculative fiction to spin their own tales of works of art that have been enchanted, hexed, charmed, or cursed. Edited by Edmund R. Schubert & David B. Coe, ARTIFICE & CRAFT will contain approximately fourteen stories with an average length of 6,000 words each.

SOLAR FLARE: We aren’t seeing many things on theme for SOLAR FLARE. The biggest element missing is a positive outlook on the future. We’re getting lots of dystopias, but we want hopeful visions of the future. It can have things go wrong in the story, but it should end on a hopeful note. Also, it’s supposed to be Earth-centric, meaning we aren’t really looking for stories entirely set on a colony, etc. Set on a station because we’re finally cleaning up Earth is fine, but not distant stars and such.”

Submission Hints

Stories must be submitted in electronic format to the Zombies Need Brains Moksha site for the appropriate anthology at http://zombiesneedbrains.moksha.io. Please send multiple manuscripts in separately; you may submit up to three stories to each anthology, so a total of twelve stories if you submit the maximum of three stories per anthology. 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, word count, and Pseudonym if different from the author’s real name. Italics and bold should be in italics and bold.

YA Speculative

Cast of Wonders

Description

Cast of Wonders is the leading voice in young adult speculative short fiction, founded in 2011 by Graeme Dunlop and Barry J. Northern. It became a part of the Escape Artists family of podcasts in 2016 alongside genre siblings Escape Pod, PseudoPod and PodCastle. It is presently edited by Katherine Inskip, with assistant editor Andrew K. Hoe.

Cast of Wonders is a qualified market for the SFWA and the SCBWI.

Every week we present short stories from some of today’s best genre fiction writers, featuring everything from hard science fiction, to urban fantasy, horror, steampunk, superheroes and more. Our stories are defined by their deep emotional resonance and that critical spark of wonder.

Submission Hints

All submissions must be anonymous.
Stories that evoke a sense of wonder, have deep emotional resonance, and have something unreal about them. We aim for a 12-17 age range: that means sophisticated, non-condescending stories with wide appeal, and without gratuitous or explicit sex, violence or pervasive obscene language. Think Harry Potter or The Hunger Games.

Stories are presented in audio format, which means our audience rarely skim past boring bits. We’re looking for fiction with strong pacing, well-defined characters, engaging dialogue, and clear action. We like a proper narrative structure and a prose style not laden with clichés and over-worn idioms. We like fiction that makes us think, but the main elements should be thrilling entertainment, adventure and emotional connection..

We like all forms of fantasy — high, modern, urban, alternative history, etc. We’re less fond of the complex, intricate or cerebral forms of fantasy more common in novel markets; short stories rarely offer enough room to sufficiently develop. We like all forms of science fiction — far-future, near future, space opera, “hard” sci-fi — but it must be accessible to our target audience, meaning a minimum of technical jargon..

Our horror offerings tend to be psychological, comedic, or situational — not visceral. We’re happy to read comedy, steampunk, age-appropriate paranormal romance, superheroes and many other genres. All that matters is adherence to our core concept and that critical spark of wonder.

Science Fiction

escape pod

Description

Escape Pod is a science fiction market. We are fairly flexible on what counts as science (superheroes! steampunk! space opera! time travel!) and are interested in exploring the range of the genre. We want stories that center science, technology, future projections, and/or alternate history, and how any or all of these things impact individuals and society.

Escape Pod leans in the direction of escapism, hopepunk and optimism rather than grimdark and gloom. We love to see funny stories, which can include dark humor that doesn’t punch down, and satire that isn’t painfully bleak. Remember that the failure mode of irony is sincerity, so if you’re mocking something, be sure you’re hitting the right target.

Submission Hints

We’re not interested in stories that contain sexual assault, rape, child abuse, animal cruelty, gore, or horror. We also do not want to see stories that treat the hardships of marginalized people or groups as thought experiments. While we may have published stories with that type of content in the past, they are not currently a good fit for Escape Pod. Our primary audience is adult listeners and readers. Strong language and sexual situations are fine, but we are not an erotica market.

Literary

journal of compressed creative arts

Description

The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts is a non-profit publisher of compressed creative arts, such as micro fiction, flash fiction, prose poetry, compressed poetry & visual arts, and whatever other forms compression might take.

The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts is looking for, as you might guess, "compressed creative arts." We accept fiction and creative nonfiction, as long if they are compressed in some way. Work is published weekly, without labels, and the labels here only exist to help us determine its best readers.

Our response time is generally 1-5 days. Also, our acceptance rate is currently about 2% of submissions

Submission Hints

For all submitters, we aren't as concerned with labels—hint fiction, prose poetry, micro fiction, flash fiction, and so on—as we are with what compression means to you. In other words, what form "compression" takes in each artist's work will be up to each individual. However, we don't publish erotica or work with strong, graphic sexual content.

In short, we want to fall in love with your work. That might happen in the way we've fallen in love with work we've previously published, or it might happen in a way we have yet to experience. Maybe reading that other work will help in knowing whether you should send your work to us, but in truth, such a thing might not be discoverable.

best christmas horror movies?

We talk about the best slasher/fright flics, and dissect all THREE Black Christmas movies. PLUS Karen reads a spine-tingling short about immersion chambers.

https://readmeanightmare.buzzsprout.com

Science Fiction & Fact

SPACE FORCE

Description

Real Stories of the US Space Force will be a collection of science fiction short stories and fact articles illustrating current and future near-Earth space-related threats and dispelling misconceptions about America’s newest service branch. It will be published by Baen Books in 2023

The US Space Force has a PR problem. Several, in fact. It was not Donald Trump’s idea. It did not steal its iconography from Star Trek. It is not just a lunatic scheme to expand the military-industrial complex by sending battleships into space. Yet judging from social media, many think all these things and more.
.
Space has become critical not only to the military but to the economy and all aspects of daily life, and as we stand at the dawn of a new age of space commerce, that’s only going to intensify. Several nations have already developed capabilities to deny, degrade, and disrupt access to and utilization of space–based assets, whether to degrade US military capability or as a direct economic attack.

Like it or not, the militarization of space started long ago, threats are already up there, and wherever people and their interests go next, so too will go conflict, intrigue, heroes and villains, everything that comprises good stories.

Submission Hints

Stories that grab us from the start and stay with us for days. Scientifically plausible drama about people facing interesting challenges related to the US Space Force or more generally, the policing and defense of near-Earth space and related issues, now or in the foreseeable future (the next century or so). Stories don’t have to take place in space, involve the actual US Space Force, or be hard sci-fi, but they should help illustrate in some way how space technology shapes modern civilization in critical, often overlooked ways, how it is now or soon may come under threat, and how it might be defended now and into the future. See this page for ideas and background. Stories should be scientifically plausible. Alien contact or wildly advanced physics is a hard sell, though we may well include one or two of the most excellent. Stories can involve the military, civilian agencies, commercial interests, insurance companies, reckless endangerment, bureaucratic SNAFUs, cost overruns, inter-service rivalry, international gamesmanship, saber-rattling, pettiness, pig-headedness, micromanagement, office romance, LGTBQ+ issues, UAVs, cattle mutilation, or any point you want to make about the government, the role of the military, work-life balance, the militarization of space, the very model of a modern Major-General, or the cost of donuts in China, as long as it otherwise fits the bill.

Dracula Fiction

renfield

Description

Since its initial publication in 1897, Bram Stoker’s Dracula has inspired countless authors to pick up the pen and re-imagine his characters in prequels, sequels, alternate settings, and more. DBS Press is dedicated to continuing this tradition. Our flagship journal, Dracula Beyond Stoker, will present the best new fiction based on Stoker’s characters, locations and themes, and sometimes Stoker, himself. Join us as we celebrate the legacy of a legend. Issue #1 is scheduled for publication November 2022.

ONGOING SUBMISSION CALLS -LISTED HERE TILL THEY CLOSE

Speculative

factor four

Literary

the deadlands

Description

The Deadlands exists in liminal spaces between life, death, and elsewhere. We are looking for speculative fiction that concerns itself with death–but also everything death may involve. A ghost in a shadowed wood. An afterlife discovered through a rusted door. An abandoned house in the middle of a haunted field. A skeletal figure moving with intent toward something unseen. Death personified. Burials in troubled lands. A raised scythe against a clouded sky. Memento mori. The rivers of the dead. The sprawling underworlds beneath our feet.

The Deadlands would love to see stories from a worldwide perspective, different cultures, different approaches to death. We welcome stories from everyone, everywhere. Stories that feature characters impacted by someone passing away and processing the event of death, are fair game, but will likely be a hard sell. Stories about related subjects—zombies, demons, vampires, apocalypses, and the various undead—are not for us. An apocalypse may be your setting, but it isn’t your story. We are absolutely not interested in seeing weird West stories, steampunk tales, or military fiction. We are not interested in stories involving Lovecraft’s mythos. Humor will be a harder sell than heartbreaking. If your story begins with someone waking up, it is not for us.

Submission Hints

We are never far from death—Dante reminds us. It is always there, just out of sight, around the bend in the road. The faraway nearby, Rebecca Solnit says. We could step past a tree in that wild forest and be there. Where? The Deadlands.

The Deadlands is a monthly speculative fiction magazine. We publish short stories, poems, and essays about the other realms, of the ends we face here, and the beginnings we find elsewhere. It is an adventure into the unknown, to meet those who live there still, even though they may be dead. Death is a journey we all will take, but we’d like to peek at the map before we go.

We are generally open to fiction and nonfiction submissions, except for a year-end holiday closure. Poetry submissions are open the first two weeks of every month, resuming in February 2022. Explore our guidelines and read our issues to see what we’re publishing and if your work might fit.

Science Fiction

AD Astra

Description

James Gunn defines science fiction as “the literature of change” and states that it “incorporates a belief that the most important aspect of existence is a search for humanity’s origins, its purpose, and its ultimate fate.” A tall order but a worthy goal. Our editorial vision for James Gunn’s Ad Astra calls for raising our eyes above the horizon and not limiting the scope of speculative fiction. It is in this spirit that we welcome great stories that range from the near-reality to the far reaches of the what-if.

Suggestions about what we’re looking for can unnecessarily constrain writers. That said, we can offer this advice: Be sure your story actually tells a story. And be sure it requires your speculative element in order to hold together.

Beyond that, the sky (the stars, the edge of the next universe over) is the limit.

Science Fiction Flash

Nature Futures

Description

Futures is a venue for very short stories or ‘vignettes’ of between 850 and 950 words. The subject is typically near-future, hard SF, although this can be interpreted liberally. In short, what Futures is looking for is originality. To this end it is advisable to read as many previous Futures as you can, as stories that repeat themes already dealt with extensively are less likely to be considered than those that do something new and different. Futures does not consider reprints of stories previously published elsewhere.

Submission Hints

OK. Take a seat. This won’t take long. Don’t worry about the alien, he always does that when he sees strangers, it doesn’t stain. I’m afraid I can’t offer you any refreshments — the service droid blew a fuse last week and the spare part is stuck on a shuttle somewhere between here and Titan. But, as I say, this won’t take long. If you’re sure you wish to send a story to the orbiting station that is the Futures submissions hub, it’s probably easiest if I upload the instructions via the mind link. Ah. Unusual. OK. Well, in that case I will have to spell out the protocols the old-fashioned way. The very first rule is, I’m afraid, prepare to be disappointed. This is not a bad thing, but as for any science-fiction outlet, Futures can publish only a limited selection of the stories we receive, so rejection is part of the process (and it is honestly no more fun to issue a rejection than it is to receive one). The second rule is that contributions to Futures are welcome from absolutely anyone, irrespective of whether they are writing their first story, or are professional or published authors. There are, of course, some basic requirements, so here are some frequently asked questions:

SPECULATIVE & LITERARY

flash fiction online

Any Genre

substack

Description

Mission = Revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful.

Maybe you... like I... am asking the question, what is Substack?

Looks like they are saying it is an email newsletter platform? But you can publish on the web with it?

this is what the web says... my brain hurts trying to figure this out...
The bread and butter of Substack is publishing. With Substack, you can quickly and easily publish posts to the web or as emails in a matter of clicks. The posts can be paywalled or published for free. You can also try out discussion threads — a feature that allows you start Twitter-style conversations among your subscribers.

I'm not sure I really understand this yet... but perhaps this call is a good way to dip our toes in?

Submission Hints

What does the timeline look like? Submit stories by the end of the month, winner to be announced on the 15th. There is ONE story that wins and receives the full payout. Where do I send submissions? shortstorystack@gmail.com What are the rules for submitting?

1. No Fees

2. Send in Microsoft Word or Google Doc form

3. Any genre

4. 6- 10,000 words. Yes, just 6 words, like Hemingway's famous 6-word story "For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn."

5. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

6. Acknowledge Distribution Rights on this Substack - You can still sell your story elsewhere but we need to be able to save and publish it here. The goal is to create a library for subscribers.

7. Only the winner will be published and rights will only transfer for the winning story.

What do I get for subscribing?

One beautiful story every month. The complete library. The joy of supporting artists and doing something interesting.

Anything Else?

Yes! Analytics will be published monthly in terms of subscribers, the number of submissions, and anything else that might be relevant.

There is also the option to sign up for FREE emails. You won’t get the story, but you will get information and can follow the project.

GIFT IDEAS?

Looking for your next "can't put down" read? Here is a list of books that grabbed me from the get go.

THRILLERS? SCI-FI? MYSTERY? I took a look at what makes my favorite books work. POV? First line? Log line?

Check out the books here

Horror, Wonder & The Weird

Three-lobed Burning eye

Submission Hints

“Original speculative fiction: horror, fantasy, science fiction. We’re looking for short stories from across the big classifications and those shadowy places between: magical realism, fantastique, slipstream, interstitial, and the weird tale. We will consider suspense or western, though we prefer it contain some speculative element. We like voices that are full of feeling, from literary to pulpy, with styles unique and flowing, but not too experimental. All labels aside, we want tales that expand genre, that value imagination in character, narrative, and plot. We want to see something new and different.”

Sci-fi

galaxy's edge

Submission Hints

We are a science fiction and fantasy magazine, so we would love to receive fiction from those categories as well as any sub-categories, such as space opera, steampunk, urban fantasy, africanfuturism, magical realism and so on. We do not publish straight horror stories, even if they do have a supernatural element, but if you have a dark fantasy story, or a dystopian science fiction piece, send it our way—we’d love to take a look.

Keep us from yawning: While we have all read some great vampire, werewolf or zombie stories, and we get that writers want to write towards popular trends, we are unlikely to buy a story that appears a carbon copy of something we could have read in so many other publications. Be original. Either put your own very distinct twist on a trope, catching our interest, or submit something completely unexpected.

Literary Adventure Fantasy

beneath ceaseless skies

Submission Hints

“We love traditional adventure fantasy, but we also love how the influence of literary writing on fantasy short fiction has expanded the genre, encouraging writers to use literary devices such as tight points-of-view and discontinuous narratives; to feature conflicts that are internal as well as external. We want stories that combine the best of both these styles—set in vivid fantasy or historical paranormal worlds but written with all the flair and impact of modern literary-influenced fantasy.”  To help understand what kind of world they’re looking for; here is how they describe secondary-world settings:  “We want stories set in what Tolkien called a “secondary world”: some other world that is different from our own primary world in some way. It could be different in terms of zoology (non-human creatures), ecology (climate), or physical laws (the presence of magic).  It could be set on Earth but an Earth different from our modern-day primary world in terms of time (the pre-modern historical past of our real-world Earth) or history (alternate history from our Earth’s history). It could have a “pre-tech” level of technology, or steampunk technology, or magic as technology, or anything else that’s not advanced or modern technology. However, the setting should contain some element that is in some way fantastical, and the qualities of the setting should have some bearing on the rest of the story.  We are NOT interested in urban fantasy or other types of stories set in our modern, contemporary “real world,” even if they contain fantasy elements, or in stories that move between the real world and a fantasy world.”

Science Fiction

INTERZONE DIGITAL

Mystery & Crime

mystery magazine

Mystery & Crime

tough magazine

Submission Hints

They adamantly only take submission through Submittable and it better be in the RTF format.

Tough publishes three times per month on Mondays, for which we pay a flat rate per story, book review or essay (as of contract date January 23rd, 2021, that rate is $50) --we don't take poems--in exhange for first world serial rights to publish the submission on the website and one-time anthology rights. Query toughcrime@gmail.com for details or to pitch reviews, essays and reprints. Fiction need not be queried.

Crime & Mystery

the dark city

Do you like to hear your creepy stories?

Mini radio dramas featuring strange stories followed by interviews from industry professionals! Check it out…

https://readmeanightmare.buzzsprout.com

like this list? get more for 99 cents.

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Science Fiction

amazing stories

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Insight

Dark Fantastical Fiction

Apex Magazine

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Dream Horror

never wake

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Speculative Fiction

apparition lit

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Insight

Paranormal

ALIEN HEAD PRESS

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Speculative

frivolous comma

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Insight

Fantastic Furry Fiction

Zooscape

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Insight

Any Genre

air & Nothingness press

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Correspondence from Saunders

Hopepunk

transform the world

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Insight

Short Story Contest

Quantum steampunk

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My Insights

STOCKING STUFFERS?

The Happiness Tool

It Starts Today

Speculative

grendel press

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My Insights

Various

olde wolf contest

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My Insights

Science Fiction & Fantasy

zombies need brains

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My Insights

YA Speculative

Cast of Wonders

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