Beat to a Pulp: Superhero - A Review

There are days when you believe you're the worst writer in the world, especially when you're looking back over the past year and wondering what the hell you were thinking or doing.  Then something like this pops up and you can almost believe in yourself again.  Ah, the ups and downs of being a writer.  Thanks for the beautiful and kind words, Mr. Beech.

Year End Round Up - The Good News

And while it's always disappointing when markets close or fail to open, we've had some new markets open up.  I'd also like to say that it's good to see markets that opened last year still up and running.  ThugLit and The Big Click publish bi-monthly and always on time.

And the new markets that opened their doors and seem to being going strong are:

Plan B - A paying market straight mysteries.
The Midnight Diner - A Christian Horror market that accepts crime fiction
Third Flatiron Publishing - Quarterly anthologies with themes that include crime fiction.
Thrills, Kills, and Chaos - This new flash zine stepped in when Thrillers, Killers, and Chillers closed their doors.
Noir Riot - This is a new print magazine published by Out of the Gutter books.  This is not a regular market as they only publish every other year to coincide with Noir Con.
Akashic Books - Known for their Noir Series of anthologies they now publish flash fiction three days a week on their website.  While it's non-paying, it's a good way for the publisher to get to know your work.
Blank Fiction - They bill themselves as a literary zine but they are currently putting together a noir issue.  This is a quarterly market with themes and open to all genres.
Fiction Vale - A new quarterly that has one issue under their belts and others filled and on the way.  They're also open to all genres.

Pulp Modern has changed it's format to themed issues and will publish quarterly.  And All Due Respect has switched from an online format to both print and e-book quarterly.

You'll find links to most of these markets over there on the right and many more markets that are open to crime fiction as well.  Happy writing in the New Year!

Year End Round Up - The Not so Good News

It's that time of year when I go back through the posts and do a year end round up of markets that have come and gone during the past year.  For this I stick basically to the crime genre because, well, that's where this blog got started.  While I post other markets this is primarily a spot for crime fiction writers to find markets.

Here's the markets that I consider dead or have announced that they're closed:

Powder Burn Flash, Darkest Before the Dawn, and Fire on the Plains haven't posted any new stories in over a year.

Thrillers, Killers, and Chillers closed their doors.

Burnt Bridge and Blood and Tacos have decided to focus on novellas instead of short stories.

After two years The Malfeasance Occasional finally published their first issue "Girl Trouble", but haven't reopened to submissions.

Out of the Gutter online opened last year for fiction.  They're still accepting flash but have closed down the Bare Knuckles Pulp section of their submissions.

The Case Files, The Hard-Boiled Dimension, and The Garrote all placed a call for submissions to their new zines, but never opened.  The Hard-Boiled Dimension was the only one good enough to announce they were shutting down.

On the iffy side is White Cat Publications.  This year they announced six new zines, called for submissions, but none of them seems to have made it to the publisher.  I've heard several complaints from writers that they've never received responses to their submissions.

Also iffy is Grift.  They're still posting a few non-fiction pieces online, but the print magazine and the online flash fiction aren't being published.

Also in the sketching column are quarterly ezines Plots With Guns and Mysterical E, both of which only published two issues this year.

Comets and Criminals didn't publish anything for a year and then announced this fall that they were open for reprints but I'm still not seeing any signs of life.

Flappers, Jazz, and Valentino - Erotica Anthology Call

Every so often I stop by the Erotica Readers and Writers Association "call for submissions" page looking for something interesting.  Today's find is an e-anthology titled "Flappers, Jazz, and Valentino".  They're looking for historical erotica for this one.  Payment is a royalty split but they buy rights for six years.  The deadline is March 30, 2014.  The editor is Jillian Boyd and the publisher is House of Erotica.  You can find all the details here and many more calls on the sides of the page if you're interested.

Emby Press - Anthology Calls

Emby Press has added two new calls in their Monster Hunter anthology series.  Both need stories of 2000 to 10,000 words with a March 31, 2014 deadline.  The titles are "Deep Sea Monster Hunter - Leviathan" and "Superhero Monster Hunter - The Good Fight".  Payment is $25.  You can find the details here, just scroll down to the bottom of the page for the call.  

Mike Resnick - Interview

I'm always interested in how different editors put together anthologies.  Over at Diabolical Plots they have an interview up with anthologist Mike Resnick.

Joe R. Lansdale - Interview

There's a great interview with Joe R. Lansdale posted over at Nightmare magazine.

Angie's Desk - Anthology Calls

And Angie has posted her December anthology listings.  Thanks, Angie!!

Aercastle Narratives - New Market

Aercastle Narratives is a new quarterly spec fiction magazine looking for short stories of 500 to 2000 words for their first issue.  While they bill themselves as spec-fiction they are seeking stories in all the genres and would especially like to see stories that combine genres.  The first issue will publish in March and the deadline for submitting is February 1, 2014.  Payment is 2cents a word.  The editor is Tom Hoffman.  You can find all the details here.

For the Bukowski Fans Out There

If you are in NYC or nearby on January 3, 2014 Three Rooms Press is holding its 7th Annual Charles Bukowski Memorial Reading at the Cornelia St. Cafe.  You can find all the details here.

A Belated Merry Christmas to All

I've been away from the computer for much of the last few days but I hope that all of you are enjoying the Holiday season and had a wonderful day yesterday.  Merry Christmas, everyone!!

The Fog Horn - Open for Submissions

The Fog Horn is a digital magazine sold through the Apple App store.  They are currently open for submissions to stories of 1200 to 8500 words in any genre.  They publish four stories monthly.  Payment is $1,000.  You can find all the details here.

The Nine Tales - Call for Submissions

E-publisher The Bride of Chaos is seeking submissions for their monthly ebook series "The Nine Tales".  Currently they are looking for sci-fi "tales of space and time travel" for their January issue but they are also seeking Noir fiction for a future issue.  Payment is $5.  You can check out the details here.

Obsidian - Jazz Issue Call for Submissions

Obsidian: Literature in the African Diaspra has issued a call for papers for their "Jazz Issue".  They are looking for poetry, short fiction, and essays.  The deadline is April 30, 2014.  There's no mention of payment.  You can find the details here, submissions are through Submittable.

The Influential Pulp Career of Frances Stevens

Over at Kirkus Review there's a very interesting article about "The Influential Pulp Career of Frances Stevens" written by Andrew Liptak. 

Advent Ghosts 2013

Loren Eaton invited me to participate in his fifth annual Advent Ghosts challenge.  It consists of writing a ghostly (or horror) Christmas story in one hundred words.  And, gulp, I accepted.  Here's mine and you can find the links to all the stories at Loren's blog.  Merry Christmas, Everyone!

THE DEVIL'S GIFT
by Sandra Seamans

Frowning, Kristen studied the two gaily wrapped gifts hoping for a clue.

"You have until midnight.  Heaven or hell, my dear?"

Kristen shifted her gaze to the bearded man sitting across the table from her.  Dressed in a fur trimmed red suit, he reminded her of the magical Santa she loved as a child. 

"We know what your preference would be, don't we?"

An evil grin slithered across his Krampus face.  “Your joyous Christmas or mine?”

With the first chime of Christmas bells Kristen chose.  Her soul mourned as she ripped open the box and hell’s sorrow filled her heart.

Resurrection House - Novel and Anthology Calls

New press Resurrection House has issued a call for novel submissions in the genres of sci-fi, fantasy, dark fantasy, and noir mystery with a tinge of other worldliness.  There's also an anthology call for a short stories in these same genres of 1000 to 7000 words.  "The more things change the more they stay the same" is the very loose theme for the anthology.  The deadline is March 13, 2014 and payment is 5cents a word.  The anthology will be published in 2015.

One of Those Days

No, I'm not dead, just drawing a blank on the marketing front.  Plus blogger has disappeared my blog header so posting has turned into a project just to get a fresh page.  Maybe tomorrow things will be better.

Controversial Short Stories

Interesting piece over at Flavorwire on "10 Controversial Short Stories".  The strange thing is many of these shorts top people's lists of best short stories ever.

Victoria Strauss - Crowd Funding Anthologies

Victoria Strauss from Writer's Beware has a post up at the SFWA's website that takes a look at Anthologies and Crowd-funding.  She makes some excellent points and asks for your feedback.

Arizona Mystery Writers - Fee-Based Contest

For those of you who enjoy contests The Arizona Mystery Writers are sponsoring the third annual Jim Martin Memorial Story Contest.  You have up to 2500 words for your mystery story.  The deadline is June 1, 2014.  Prizes are $200 for first place, $100 for second, and $75 for third place.  There is a $10 fee to enter.  Submissions are judged blind.  You can find all the details here.

Kraken Press - New Magazine

Kraken Press has announced that they will be publishing a bi-annual magazine called Aghast.  They are looking for short stories of 1500 to 7000 words in the genres of horror and dark fantasy.  Payment is 1cent a word and submissions are through Submittable.  The first issue will release in the fall of 2014.

Grey Matter Press - Anthology Call

Grey Matter Press has posted a new anthology call.  The working title is "Death's Realm" and they're looking for horror stories of 3000 to 10,000 words that explore the afterlife.  The deadline is January 31, 2014 and the payment is $100.  You can find all the details here.

Dime Shorts - A Warning

New flash fiction markets aren't always easy to find so I was happy to see Dime Shorts listed on Duotrope's twitter feed this morning.  Until I read their Submissions Agreement.  It was point #2 that made me decide to post a warning.

2. In exchange for our providing you with this platform for expression and with potential exposure to users of the Site, all of which you agree is valuable consideration, you grant us a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, publish, reproduce, modify, adapt, license, sublicense, distribute, sell, perform, translate, and display the Content (including any drawings, images, sounds, video recordings, or other data embedded in the Content and including adaptations or derivative works based on the Content) for any purpose and in any manner or medium (now existing or hereafter developed) (the “Rights”). All Rights granted to us pursuant to this Agreement are irrevocable and vest immediately upon publication of your Content at www.dimeshorts.com. You will retain ownership of the copyright in your Content, subject to the rights granted to us in this Agreement.

Yep, another one of those sites that pays you nothing yet retains the right to sell your work without paying you for the privilege.  Be careful out there, my friends, and always, always read the fine print. 

Darkmarkets.com - New Listings

darkmarkets.com has several new listing for online zines looking for horror stories. 

Black Orchid Novella Award Contest Winner

From Rob Lopresti comes the news that Susan Thibadeau has won this year's Black Orchid Novella Award from The Wolfe Pack.  Congratulations, Susan!!

And yes, submissions are open already for next year's contest.  You can find the details here.

Short Stops - Market Resource

It's always fun finding other folks who love short stories as much as I do and Short Stops is just such a place.  The focus here is on the the UK and Ireland short story markets.  Loads of great information.

Beverly Bambury - Call for Submissions

Ran across the blog of Beverly Bambury this morning and she's listed a bunch of markets both magazine and anthology in the genres of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror.  You can check it out here.  She also has news about the rules for joining the SFWA and listing for a Facebook page called "Call for Submissions".  I couldn't check that out because I'm not on Facebook but thought I'd mention it.  You can never have enough market sources. :)

Crows' Teeth Magazine - New Market

Crows' Teeth Magazine is a new horror market set to launch in February of 2014.  They've posted a call for submissions of short stories to 7000 words and novellas of 50,000 words that will be published as a serial.  You can find all the details here.  There is no payment mentioned and the people behind the project haven't listed who they are. 

Swoon Reads - Call for YA Romance Novels

Swoon Reads is an interesting concept from McMillan Publishing.  They're looking for Teen Romance novels to publish in the Spring of 2014.  How it works is the tricky part.  You upload your novel to their site then it's read and voted on by readers and the selection board.  If your novel is chosen you receive a $15,000 advance and publication in both print and ebook form.  You can check out the site here.  Be sure to read the FAQ's page carefully.  My biggest concern with this is that once your novel is on the site, you're not going to be able to submit it elsewhere except as a reprint.  Just something to consider before you submit.

Hat tip to Katherine Tomlinson for the link!

Chicago Tribune - 2014 Nelson Algren Short Story Contest

The Chicago Tribune has announced that they're open for submissions to the 2014 Nelson Algren Short Story Contest.  They're looking for stories up to 9000 words that best reflect the work of Nelson Algren.  The deadline is February 1, 2014.  And there will be one grand prize of $3500 prize, four finalist prizes of $1000 prizes, and five runner up prizes of $500.  You can find the complete details for submitting here.  Submissions can be made through Submittable.  There are no fees to submit.

There are also some discrepancies between the announcement page, the rules page, and the submittable page as to the deadline and prize amounts so I'd go with the official rules page and the Submittable page for prizes and deadlines.

Cassoulet by Maggie Wolff Peterson

I love finding stories that delve into the world of cooking.  I find that many of my own stories are filled with food, especially breakfast.  I guess for me all good stories start at the breakfast table.  But "Cassoulet" by Maggie Wolff Peterson tells an entire life in a world of spices and cooking.  An excellent story.

Antimatter Press - Anthology Call

Antimatter Press is a new e-publisher.  They have issued an anthology call for "Local Magic" which will be published in the Spring of 2014.  For the anthology they are looking for short stories of 3000 to 5000 words and novelettes of 7500 to 10,000 words.  The stories must take place in a real place, in real time, but with a fantastical science element.  The deadline is January 15, 2014 and payment is 2cents a word or a percentage of the net (not sure if you have a choice or they just haven't made up their minds about this yet).  You can find all the details here.

They are also looking for staff writers to work with on other projects.  If you're interested in doing this a submission to this anthology will be your introduction.  You can find more details about this at the Writers Wanted link at the top of the page.

Hat tip to horrortree.com

Pulp Modern - Call For Submissions

Alec Cizak has posted a call for submissions for Pulp Modern #7 titled "Dens of Babylon".  He's looking for dystopia themed stories of 2000 to 3500 words.  The deadline is April 1, 2014.  Submission guidelines are here.  Payment is one print copy.

Cindi Myers Market News

Cindi Myers has posted up her weekly market news which includes markets for romance and mystery in a variety of lengths.  Check it out here.

Pulp Literature - Call for Submissioins

This looks like an interesting new market.  Pulp Literature is looking for novellas, short stories, graphic novels, and poetry for their quarterly print magazine.  They have a fully funded Kickstarter so there will be payment.  The first issue is now out.  You can find the submission details here.

Xchyler Publishing

If you like some lead time for your short stories Xchyler Publishing has posted the theme of "suspense/thriller" for their Summer anthology.  They want short stories of 5000 to 15,000 words and payment is a share of the royalties.  All submissions must be submitted blind.  The reading period opens on January 31, 2014 and runs through March 2, 2014.  You can find the details here.

Kraken Press - Novellas

For those of you who write novellas and are looking for a market, Kraken Press is looking for novellas in the horror/dark fiction genre for ebook publication.  Stories should be 25,000 to 40,000 words.  There are no payment details listed and submissions are through Submittable.  You can find the call here and their submittable page by clicking on the link at the top of the page.

The First Line - Call for Submissions

The First Line has posted all of the first sentences for 2014.  The deadline for the Spring issue is February 1, 2014 and the sentence is "Carlos discovered __________ (fill in the blank) under a pile of shoes in the back of his grandmother's closet.".  All genres are accepted.  Stories should be 300 to 5000 words long and payment is $25 to $50.  You can find all the details here.

Long Count Press - Anthology Call

Long Count Press has posted an anthology call for "Songs of the Great Cycle".  They want fantasy stories of 3000 to 10,000 words that focus on the Pre-Colombian New World specifically Mesoamerica.  The deadline is March 31, 2014, payment is $20.  You can find all the details here.

Drag Noir - Anthology Call

Editor KA Laity has posted a call for a new anthology titled "Drag Noir".  She's looking for short stories where "glamour meets grit".  The deadline is March 20, 2014, payment is 10pounds.  The publisher is Fox Spirit Books.  You can find all the details here.

FableCroft - Anthology Call

Australian publisher FableCroft has opened submissions to an unthemed speculative-fiction anthology called "Insert Title Here".  They're looking for original stories of 2000 to 12,000 words.  The deadline is February 28, 2014, and payment is AUD $75.  You can find the details here.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

Another Thanksgiving day has slid under the bridge of time and as always on Thanksgiving my thoughts go to this story of "Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen" by O. Henry.  The site where this is posted also gives you a little bit of Thanksgiving history.

Whether you celebrate the holiday or not I hope your day was filled with good food, good friends, and loving family. 

Writing Combat in Fantasy

I just discovered a great site called Fantasy Fiction through a link to a post about "Writing Combat in Fantasy".  The piece is a list of the top ten tips and is very informative and funny.

Cat Rambo on Plot

This week's Craft post over at the SF Signal features Cat Rambo talking about plot.

Hell Notes - Seeking Reviewers

The Hell Notes web site is looking for book reviewers.  Payment is a copy of the book you're reviewing but if your review is selected for reprint in their print magazine Dark Discoveries they'll pay you a token payment of $10.  So if you love Horror books and like to review check them out here.

Forbidden Lust - Call for Submissions

Forbidden Lust is a brand new press looking for short stories and novellas in the Romance and Erotica genres.  Payment is 1/2cent a word for stories of 3500 to 25,000 words.  They also have six anthology calls listed with deadlines through 2014.  You can check them out here.

Circling by Jen Conley

Nice story by Jen Conley up at Beat to a Pulp this week called "Circling".  I remember the character Andrea Vogel from another story but can't for the life of me remember where I read it.  I so love it when a writer allows us to get to know a character through a series of short stories.

Not All Small Presses are Equal by Michael J. Sullivan

Getting a book deal is the dream of almost every writer out there and author Michael J. Sullivan has written a great post over at Amazing Stories about what to look for before you sign that contract.  The piece is called "Not All Small Presses are Equal".  Loads of excellent advice to help you make your decision.

Plan B Magazine - Open for Submissions

Plan B has opened for submissions of straight mystery short stories up to 5000 words.  Payment is 1cent a word with a max of $50.  The last submissions period wasn't open very long so if you've got a story ready make sure to get it in there as soon as you can.  You can find the submission details here.

Strange House Books - Call for Submissions

Strange House Books has opened submissions for novels, novellas, and short story collections in the genres of Hardcore Horror, Bizzaro, and Lovecraftian fiction.  You can find the details here.

Spectral Press - Anthology Call

UK publisher Spectral Press has issued a call for an anthology of "Industrial Horror".  They need stories of 8000 to 10,000 words that combine horror with machinery in some way.  There's no deadline set, and this will be a paying market.  You will find the call here.

The Unsettled Foundation - Call for Submissions

The Unsettled Foundation is a podcast site looking for darkly speculative fiction short stories up to 2000 words.  Payment is 5cents a word.  No reprints.  You can find all the details here.

Hat tip to Literarium

Thrills, Kills, 'n' Chaos - Open for Submissions

Thrills, Kills, 'n' Chaos has opened for submissions once again.  They're looking for stories up to 1000 words in a variety of genres.  They're also looking for Christmas themed stories to run through the holidays.  This is a non-paying market.  You can find the call here.

All Due Respect - New Issue

Looks like the first quarterly issue of All Due Respect has gone live on Kindle.  Check it out here.

Great Old Ones Publishing - Anthology Call

Great Old Ones Publishing has issued a call for submissions to an anthology titled "Bugs & Creepy-Crawlies".  They looking for spec-fiction (includes sci-fi and horror) stories of 3000 to 6000 words that involve bugs.  The deadline is January 31, 2014, payment is $25.  You can find the details for submitting here.

Hat tip to horrortree.com

Pulp Modern - New Issue

Editor Alec Cizak has announced that the JFK themed issue #6 of Pulp Modern is now available.  This link will take you to his blog where you'll find a link to Amazon and if you scroll down a bit you'll find a list of the authors included in this issue.

Pulp Modern is also open for submissions for the dystopia themed issue #7 until April 1.

Weird Tales - Open for Submissions

Weird Tales magazine has opened for submissions.  There are two themes that they are seeking stories for along with regular submissions.  The first theme is "Tesla" in which they're looking for stories about inventor Nicola Tesla.  The second theme is "Ice" which is pretty self-explanatory.  The new editor is Stephen Gracia.  Payment is 3cents a word.  You can find the details here.

Hat tip to sfsignal.com

Beat to a Pulp - Submissions are Open

I just received word this morning from Beat to a Pulp editor David Cranmer that they've opened for submissions.  You can find the details here.

David has also brought a new editor on board - welcome Chad Eagleton!

L'ivoire Press - Call for Hunting Stories

L'ivoire Press has issued a call for hunting stories for their four book anthology series.  There isn't a deadline or word count listed, and you don't have to be a professional writer to submit.  Payment is $1,000.  You can find the details for submitting here.  I found this call in a newspaper sports column which has a bit more information.

What is a Short Story - An essay by Marion Zimmer Bradley

The Book View Cafe has an essay up by Marion Zimmer Bradley where she explains "What is a Short Story".  Good stuff for both beginners and those who've been at the writing game a while.

A Bit of Self-Promotion

I have a piece of flash up at Thrills, Kills, 'n' Chaos today titled "Cougar Bait".  Drop on over if you care to have a read.

Coffintree Hill - New Market Resource

It's always great to find a new market resource.  This one is Coffintree Hill and focuses on speculative fiction.  Check it out here.

Aswiebe's Market List

And Aswiebe's Market Listings for November has been posted.  Check it out here.

Cindi Meyers Market News Letter - Two Anthology Calls

Cindi Meyers Market News Letter has two anthology calls listed, one for Cleis Press (erotica) and the other for Sci-fi Romance.  You can check it out here.

Pantheon Magazine - Charity Anthology Call

Pantheon Magazine has issued a call for a charity anthology called "Gaia: Shadow & Breath".  They're looking for fantasy stories up to 7500 words.  The deadline is February 28, 2014, payment is a copy.  The proceeds will go to the Nature Conservancy.  You can find all the details here.

Dark Continents Publishing - Anthology Call

Dark Continents Publishing has issued a call for submissions to an anthology titled "Guns & Romance".  They're looking for stories of 3500 to 9000 words in any genre.  Payment is $20 plus a royalty cut.  The deadline is February 28, 2014.  You can find all the details here.

The 5-2: Crime Poetry Weekly - Call for Submissions

Editor Gerald So has posted a call for love themed crime poems for their February issue.  You can find all the details here.  This is a non-paying market.

Totally Bound - Erotica Romance Publisher

For those of you who write erotica romance you might want to check out Totally Bound Publishing.  They've been in business since 2006 and pay writers 40% royalties on ebook publications.  They have open calls for novels up to 100,000 words, novellas of 15,000 to 30,000 words, and shorts of 10,000 to 15,000 words in any genre.  They also have theme listings and reading periods for anthologies to be published in 2014.  You can check them out here.

Blank Fiction - New Issue

I always worry that new markets will fail to publish a first issue but Blank Fiction has gone live with issue #1.  Check it out here.

Luna Station Quarterly - Call for Submissions - Female Only

Luna Station Quarterly has opened submissions for issue #017.  This market is for female authors only.  They are looking for shorts of 500 to 7000 words.  The deadline for this issue is January 15, 2014, payment is $5.  You can check out the details here.

Third Flatiron Publishing - Anthology Call

Third Flatiron Publishing has posted the themes and reading schedules for their 2014 anthology series.  They are open for their Spring issue until January 15, 2014 with the theme "Astronomical Odds".  Payment is 3cents a word.  You can find the details here and on the submission page.

Just the Facts: A Zombie Story by Cat Rambo

Okay, so I'm a fan of Cat Rambo's short fiction.  One of the biggest reasons for this is that I never know what I'm going to be reading.  This morning's flash tale, "Just the Facts: A Zombie Story" was a delicious bit of humor written as a list.

Just out of curiosity, what online short story author always gets a click of the mouse when you see one of their stories published? 

SpeckLit - Call for Submissions

I've seen this new market listed in several places but their guidelines have me puzzled.  They are seeking drabbles - that's a story told in exactly 100 words and they're paying 5cents a word.  You can send up to ten drabbles at a time - which gives you room to write a continuing story with them if you so desire (my idea, not their's).  But...and this is the puzzling part.  They want to get to you the writer first.  Yep, you have to send them your name, your social media links, and a link to your most current work online.  I can't help but wonder how they know you'll be able to write a drabble by reading your other work or if they're just looking to see how much you'll promote the site.  Anyhoo, here's the link to the guidelines.

The Needle and the Spoon by Allan Leverone

Great piece of flash fiction by Allan Leverone up at Shotgun Honey today.  Beautifully done and full of heart.

Western Press Books - Anthology Call

Western Press Books has opened submissions for the next anthology in their Manifest West Series.  The theme for this one is "Diversity in the West".  They looking for poems, and short stories and creative non-fiction up to 8000 words.  The guidelines include a list of the different kinds of diversity they're looking for.  Payment here is one copy.  You can find the details here.

Chris Rhatigan - Editor Interview

Jim Harrington has posted an interview with Chris Rhatigan, the editor of crime magazine All Due Respect over at his blog Six Questions For...

Big Pulp - Open for Submissions

Big Pulp magazine has opened for submissions with the theme "Zombies".  Yep, they want zombie stories in any genre.  Payment is 1cent a word with a cap of $25.  The deadline is February 28, 2014.  You can find all the details here.

Angie's Desk - Anthology Calls

And Angie has posted her November anthology calls list.  Thanks, Angie!!

A Writer in the Attic - Anthology Calls

Over at Gail Kavanagh's blog, A Writer in the Attic, you'll find a list of anthology calls that she's compiled.  Thanks, Gail!

Apex Publications - No Fee Christmas Flash Contest

Apex Publications is sponsoring a "Merry Little Apex Christmas Flash Fiction Contest".  They're looking for Christmas flash stories up to 250 words with an Apex slant.  The deadline is December 16.  There's no fee to enter and everyone who enters will receive a free back issue.  One first prize winner will be published on the Apex blog, receive a critique of a short story by the Apex editor, be paid 5cents a word and receive a free one year's subscription.  You can check out all the details here.  

Unlikely Stories - Editor Interview

I posted the other day that Unlikely Stories had opened for submissions.  Well, if you're thinking of submitting, Black Gate has an interview up today with the editors.  Check it out here, it's always great to get a feel for what an editor is looking for.

The Importance of Anthologies

Over at SF Signal there's a mindmeld discussion about why anthologies are important.  One thing that struck me while reading through the answers is how different sci-fi/fantasy anthologies are from the crime fiction anthologies.  With crime fiction anthologies there is a sameness.  There's a murder/crime and then it's solved.  Over and over, story to story.  Noir anthologies tend to side-step this problem as they focus more on people and their situations, but again we find an underlying feeling of stories repeating.  I wonder if this is why there are so few crime anthologies available.  Are there no new ideas that can be used to make for something new and original?

What do you think?  Are there any new ideas out there that haven't been explored that could make for a great crime anthology?  I remember seeing a Literary anthology call for stories revolving around a clothesline and thought the idea would make for a great crime anthology with the title "Dirty Laundry". 

Fae Anthology Update

Editor Rhonda Parrish has posted an update on the Fae anthology that will be published by World Weaver Press.  There's still time to submit (deadline is November 30) and Ms. Parrish has listed a few thoughts on what she's missing and would like to see.

Sirens Call Publications - Anthology Call

Sirens Call Publications has posted a new horror anthology call titled "The Odd & the Bizarre".  They're looking for horror stories of 4000 to 8000 words that sidestep the usual horror fare.  The deadline is January 31, 2014, payment is a royalty split.  You can find all the details here, just scroll down the page a bit.

Of Interest to Idaho Writers

I never know what I'm going to find when doing a market search but I thought this one might be of interest to some of you out there.  An Idaho writers group called The Other Bunch has issued a call for recipes accompanied by a piece of fiction, non-fiction, essay, or poetry that doesn't exceed 500 words (recipe word count not included).  Preference will be given to Idaho writers and/or recipes relating to Idaho.  The deadline is March 1, 2014 and payment is one copy.  You'll find the details here.

Unlikely Story - Call for Submissions

Unlikely Story publishes a variety of Journals with different themes.  The current reading period is for "The Journal of Unlikely Cartography".  They're looking for stories in any genre up to 5000 words that have maps of some sort as the central theme.  The deadline is February 1, 2014 and payment is 5cents a word.  You can find the details here, just scroll down the page for specific information.

A Pair of Token Sci-fi Markets

There seems to a massive lack of new markets for short stories of late.  The anthologies I've been finding are either non-paying or invitation only.  I found a pair of sci-fi markets today but they're only paying token payments, which is better than a kick in the teeth :)  One is Chrome Baby and the other is Scigentasy Magazine which is looking for gender (female) stories.

Pimping

Out of the Gutter editor Joe Clifford said I needed to be pimping today.  What?  Me pimp?  Well, yes, I have a flash piece up at the Gutter called "In Need of a Better Plan".  There, done pimping, head on over and have a read if you're of a mind.

Hopefully I'll be able to find a few markets today to balance out the pimpage.

Washington Irving

Over at Kirkus Review you'll find an interesting essay by Andrew Liptak about the writing life of Washington Irving, one of America's best know short story writers.

Where the Devil Lies by Jim Huang

Jim Huang has a very informative post about the latest clash between Amazon and the independent book stores.  "Where the Devil Lies"

Some Short Story Love

Lovely take by Sarah Selecky on "Why the Short Story is so Freaking Cool".

Are You a Writer?

There's been a big discussion in the SMFS group about what makes a professional writer.  The bottom line there is that they get paid for their work.  Professional = $'s.  Okay, I get that, but who or what is a writer besides the money aspect?

What makes a person a bona fide writer?  The fact that he sets his butt in a chair every day and writes?  The fact that he's published - paid or unpaid?  Or is a writer only a writer if he gets paid for his work?  Do we only measure the success of a writer by the number of books he has published and the amount of money he makes? 

What makes a writer a writer and why is success and money the only way to measure who might be a writer?  Can a person be a successful writer without a bank full of cash?

Big Bad 2 - Anthology Call

Editor John Hartness has posted a call for the anthology "Big Bad 2".  He's looking for bad guy stories of 3000 to 9000 words and the deadline is January 1, 2014.  Payment is a royalty split.  Dark Oak Press is the publisher.  You can find all the details here.

Reality Check

From Michael Bracken comes this link to Kris Rausch's blog and an excellent post about what it means to be a professional writer.  It's call "Reality Check".

The Two Annies of Windale Road by Patty Templeton

I've never heard of hellpunk but after reading "The Two Annies of Windale Road" by Patty Templeton I can certainly understand what it is.  This is a great story about two women in a nursing home who both believe they're Annie Oakley.  Merriment and confusion ensue.

Hellnotes - Horror in a Hundred - Call for Flash Fiction

Hellnotes is a site I visit on a regular basis because they sometimes post markets, along with great reviews and all things horror related.  Well, today they're the market.  They're open for submissions of horror flash up to 100 words.  There's no payment but the site gets thousands of hits and it's a good way to get your work and name out there.  You can check out all the details here.

Diabolic Publications - Two Anthology Calls

Diabolic Publications has two anthologies open for submissions according to their Submittable page.

Diabolic Tales IV - The Psychology of Death needs stories of 2500 to 5000 words.  The deadline is June 1, 2014 and payment is 5cents a word.

Tales From the Dead of Night needs stories of 1500 to 4500 words.  The deadline is June 1, 2014 and payment is 5cents a word.

Details for both are at Submittable.

Sekhmet Press LLC - Anthology Call

The reading period for this anthology starts on December 26 and runs through January 10, 2014 so you have plenty of time.  "Wrapped in White" will contain "Thirteen tales of spectres, ghosts and spirits".  Stories should be 4000 to 6000 words, and payment is $25.  You can find all the details here.

Some of the Best From Tor.Com - Free Anthology Download

Tor.com has put together an anthology of twenty-one of their 2013 published short stories.  And it's available for download FREE!  You can check out the table of contents here and find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the Apple Store at the bottom of the post.

That Hoodoo, Voodoo, That You Do - Anthology Call

You have plenty of lead time for this anthology call as the reading period doesn't open until January 1, 2014 and ends June 1, 2014.  Editor  Lincoln Crisler has posted the call for "That Hoodoo, Voodoo, That You Do".  He's looking for Horror stories of 3000 to 5000 words that involve dark rituals either researched or totally made up.  The anthology will be be published by Angelic Knight Press and payment is split royalties.  You can find all the details here.

Hat tip to darkmarkets.com

The Big Click - New Issue

The November issue of The Big Click is now available for purchase or can be read during the month as stories and articles are made available.  They're still open for noir submissions from anyone who isn't a white middle class male.  Yes, it's a special issue and details are available in this month's Editorial, and on Twitter, as well as in the submission guidelines.

Noir Nation - Issue #2 Free Download

Noir Nation is giving away free Kindle copies of Issue #2 for the next five days.  Check it out here.

Hat tip to Thomas Pluck for the link!

Whippleshield Books - Anthology Call

British publisher Whippleshield Books has issued a call for submissions for the first in a series of mini-anthologies that they're going to publish.  This one is "Aphrodite Terra" and they want realistic stories that revolve around the planet Venus.  Stories should be no more than 6000 words and payment is 3p per word.  The deadline is February 1, 2014.  You can find all the details here.

Hat tip to the Literarium blog

My Belle Amie - Such Sweet Memories

It's funny what will set off a memory.  I was reading Bill Crider's blog and ran across his post about the passing of basketball player Walt Bellamy.  Now, I'm not a sports fan and barely know any of the players but Bellamy was different because of a song called "My Belle Amie".

My old '64 Dodge was full to overflowing (usually there was six to eight of us crammed in there) with our church basketball team heading to a game.  That song came on the radio and we're all singing along when we realized one of the guys was singing "Walt Bellamy, I'm so in love with you".  He wasn't hearing "My Belle Amie", nope, he was hearing Walt Bellamy and ever after when that song came on we sang it for Walt.

I'm pretty sure that's not the proper way to remember someone so famous, but that's my memory of Walt Bellamy.  RIP, good sir, you were the source of a lot of good memories.

Everybody Knows About a Broken Heart by Kent Gowran

Yes, two stories today.  "Everybody Knows About a Broken Heart" by Kent Gowran is up at Beat to a Pulp.  With Mr. Gowran you just never know where his story will take you, I discovered that when I read ".44 Blues" in the first issue of Needle.  Today's story is about a fight in a rest room, but there's so much more going on than you can imagine. 

El Monstruo by Taylor Brown

Spinetingler has been been publishing some short fiction over the past month, today's story is a real gem.  "El Monstruo" by Taylor Brown takes you on a repo that's turn on its ear.  

DarkFuse - Open for Submissions

DarkFuse Publishing is in the market for dark short stories for their anthology series.  Stories should be 2000 to 5000 words and payment is $50.  They're also open for novellas of 17.500 to 35.000 words.  Payment here is a flat fee for print and a percentage for ebooks (no specifics listed, so I assume this is negotiable at some point).  All their submission details are at Submittable.  Their website is here.

Bedlam Stories: The Anthology - Fan Fiction Call

If you're a fan of the Bedlam Stories World this anthology call is for you.  They're looking for fan fiction and art inspired by the Bedlam Universe.  You have to query your idea first.  The deadline is December 1, and payment is a royalty share.  You can find all the details on their website.

Hat tip to Hell Notes!

ThugLit - New Issue

Issue #8 of ThugLit has hit the virtual streets.  Check it out here.

The Bloghole - Market Resource

I just ran across a place called The Bloghole which has started posting markets once a week along with their regular fair.  Here's the direct link to their market news posts and be sure to click around a bit to see what they're all about.

Why Crime Fiction?

An excellent piece on why many of us are drawn to crime fiction as readers and writers.  "A Familiar Face" by Tim L. Williams.

Human Echoes Podcast - No Fee Flash Contest

The Human Echoes Podcast is hosting a Flash Fiction Challenge called "One the Frontiers of Madness".  They're looking for stories up to 1000 words "about someone losing their grip on reality in a place where they can't be sure what reality is".  The winner will receive $10 and have their story podcast.  The deadline is November 15.  There are no fees to enter.  You'll find the details here.

Whether you decide to enter this contest or not, the theme is very interesting and could work in a variety of genres.  Just a thought.

Hat to to darkmarkets.com

The B. Envelope - Fee based Contests

The other day Katherine Tomlinson emailed me a link to The B. Envelope site.  This site runs three contests looking for stories about minority characters.  The current series is looking for stories about African American characters but you don't have to be African American to enter.  There is a scenario posted that each story must use as a prompt.

The first category is the mini envelope which is free to enter but the deadline for this one has already passed.

The second is the grand envelope which offers a grand prize of $1000 with a $15 entry fee for a short story of 3,000 to 7,000 words.  The deadline for this is fast approaching - so short notice.

And the third is the fellowship envelope which is for a novel in progress.  Grand prize is $10,000.  The entry fee varies from $35 to $65 depending on when you decide to enter.

You can check out all the details here.

The Dreadful Cafe - Anthology Call

The Dreadful Cafe has announced an anthology call for "Thresholds".  This is a query first call and if they don't like what you propose you just won't hear back from them.  They also reserve the right to reject your work at any point during the process so know that even if you pass the query step you're still not guaranteed a spot.  Payment is $125 for shorts of 1000 to 7000 words, $250 for novelettes up to 13,000 words, and payment is negotiable for novellas up to 25,000 words.  You can find all the details here.

Perspective from the Spam Folder

I love my email Spam folder.  Take today's bit of spam - "Life is short.  Have an affair."  And yes, reading that I laughed out loud.  It's all about perspective.  As a crime fiction writer and reader I've written and read about affairs ending in murder and death.  So I'm reading, "Life is short.  Have an affair.  Life becomes even shorter."

As a story prompt an affair can work in many different genres from romance to crime.  One of my favorite movies is "The End of the Affair" with Julianna Moore from 1999 which is based on the Graham Greene novel of the same name.  This story takes a look at guilt, and jealousy, and redemption stemming from the affair and its sudden end.  No murder.  So you can write about an affair that doesn't reduce itself totally to an act of violence.

Writing great stories that strike a cord is more about blurring the lines than sticking with a variation of what's already been done.  And yes, that's hard to do but when you can, you know you've written something special.

Crowd Funding Anthologies - Thoughts?

I've been seeing quite a few anthologies listed on various crowd funding platforms.  I usually check them out but don't always post them as potential markets.

Why, you ask?  Well, some of them already have writers attached, you know the ones whose name will sell an anthology.  And some will only publish if they reach their goal.  For me, $10,000 to $15,000 to publish one book (especially an ebook) seems a little excessive and many never reach their goals, so in the case of KickStarter, no funding.

I linked to an anthology last year that had an open call but they only published ONE story from the open call.  That leaves a lot of writers with stories looking for markets.  And finding markets for failed anthology submissions can be pretty tricky.  Seems like a good idea to avoid anthologies that have invited writers to submit already.

Another thing that bothers me is asking for crowd funding when a successful press is involved.  Shouldn't they have the money in place for this type of project?  Why should they receive part of the profits for being the official printer?

Just some thoughts that have been rolling around in my mind of late.  What do think about crowd funding for anthologies?

Diesel Punk for Beginners

It's always nice to run across an article that gives you insight into some of the subgenres that exist.  I've seen calls for Diesel Punk but had no idea what it was all about.  Here then, is Diesel Punk for beginners.  One of the big influences of this genre is film noir so it might be of interest to you noir writers out there.

Hat tip to sfsignal.com

Marketing Shorts with Michael Bracken

Finding markets for your short stories is probably the most difficult part of being a short story writer.  Prolific short story writer Michael Bracken has an excellent guest post over at the SleuthSayers blog that takes a look at a different way of finding a home for your stories.  It's called "Market-First, Write-Second".

Twelfth Planet Press - Novella Call and YA Anthology Call

I was checking out Twelfth Planet Press because of a YA anthology call that they're crowd funding.  Checking out their guidelines I found that they have a digital novella series open for submissions.  They're looking for stories of 10,000 to 40,000 words in the genres of sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and crime.  Payment is an advance of $100 to $200 against royalties of 50% of the net.  You can check out the guidelines here, just scroll down the page a bit.

And the YA call is for an anthology called "Kaleidoscope".  Having reached the half way point in their funding they've opened submissions to the public.  They're looking for sci-fi and fantasy stories of 2500 to 10,000 words with a focus on diverse perspectives.  Payment is 5cents a word and the deadline is December 31.  You can find the details here.

Mega Thump Anthology - Call for Submissions

Mega Thump Publishing has issued a call for submissions for an as yet untitled anthology.  They're looking for short stories of 1000 to 15,000 words that combine sci-fi and horror.  There are examples in the guidelines.  Payment is $20 plus a copy and the deadline is January 1, 2014.  You can find the details here.

Salvages by Gabrielle Hovendon

I was checking out a market called Whiskeypaper when I started reading "Salvages" by Gabrielle Hovendon and couldn't stop.  The story just tugs at your heartstrings and takes you down a sad road to despair.  Great stuff!

And yes, Whiskeypaper is open for subs.  It's a non-paying literary zine looking for dark gritty stories.

UPDATE:  I've changed the url to the permanent link which is what I thought I'd done, but didn't :)

upstreet - Call for Submissions

upstreet is an annual print literary magazine.  They are currently open for submissions to issue #10.  They are seeking poetry, and fiction and non-fiction up to 5000 words.  The deadline is March 1, 2014.  Paymentis $50 to $150 for poems and $50 to $250 for fiction and non-fiction.  There are back issues posted online where you can find samples of what they're looking for in submissions.  And they have an onsite submission form.  You can find the details here. 

Writing Career - Market Resource

Writing Career is an excellent source for all types of writing markets.  This link will take you to their listing of anthology calls but in the upper right hand corner you'll find links to magazine calls, poetry calls, and non-fiction calls.  All paying markets.

Cobblestone - Call for Children's Historical Submissions

For those of you who write for children ages 9 to 14 and love history, Cobblestone Magazine might be for you.  They are looking for both fiction and non-fiction queries.  If you scroll down the  page you'll find their themes which are listed for well into 2015.  Payment is 20 to 25cents a word for all rights.  You can find the details here.  The current theme is for Washington DC and the deadline is November 1.

Lackington's - Call for Submissions

Canadian magazine Lackington's has posted a call for submissions for their second issue.  They want spec-fiction stories of 1500 to 5000 words.  Be sure to read their about page because they're looking for a very specific style of writing for their magazine.  Payment is 1cent CAD per word and a flat rate of $20 for artwork.  You can find the submission details here.

Misfit Journal - Call for Submissions

Misfit Journal has opened submissions for Issue #3.  They are looking for short stories up to 2000 that reflects the misfit ethos (there's links in the guidelines to what that means).  They also accept photography, poetry, and non-fiction work.  Payment is $100.  You can find the guidelines and submission form here.

Angry Robot Books - Open Reading Period

Angry Robot Books has opened for non-agented novel submissions until the end of the year.  They looking for sci-fi, fantasy, and WTF.  You can find the call here, be sure to check out the submission guidelines before submitting.

Crime fiction writers will want to keep an eye on Exhibit A Books a sister imprint of Angry Robot as they have mentioned in their guidelines that they will have an open reading period at some point also.  Something to consider.

The Up Side of Writing Flash

When I'm having trouble writing a longer piece, I close the file and slip back into a familiar place for me, writing flash fiction.  It's like slipping on a big pair of fuzzy slippers all warm and cozy - comfortable.  It helps me find the sweet spot of a story, helps me write tight, and keeps me writing forward instead of wallowing in self-pity because my story isn't working.  Yes, sometimes you just have to give yourself a break.  And I've been writing a lot of flash lately.  It keeps me going when I'm ready to throw in the writing towel and quit.  You see, with flash you can write and finish a story in an hour or two and feel like you've accomplished something.  It's a big ego boost when you're floundering.

Plus I've been submitting them, something I've been slacking off from with the longer pieces.  I've had a few accepted and they'll be published soon along with a really long story that I'm pretty pleased with (and totally excited about the market that's going to publish it).

Anyhoo, one of those flash piece is up over at MicroHorror.  Yes, I entered their Halloween contest.  I had a drabble that kept bugging me, so I lengthened it and worked in the "eyes" theme.  It was great fun, though I'm afraid it's not all that horrific.  You can check "Panic Attack" out here if you're of a mind and be sure to read the other stories that are posted.  There's some really great writers out there. 

Putting Youself into Your Characters

Hilary Davidson has an excellent piece about finding your characters through your own experiences over at the EQMM blog Something is Going to Happen.

Crime Pays: Writing Crime Fiction

From Rob Kitchin's blog comes word of an online writers workshop through Writers Web TV based in London.  Crime Pays:  Writing Crime Fiction will air on October 30 from 10 AM to 4 PM London time.  The teachers are Ken Bruen, Jane Casey, Declan Hughes, and Niamh O'Connor.  If I'm understanding correctly you can view the sessions for free but there is a fee to participate.  Not sure how it works, but I'm sure you computer whiz kids out there will figure it out :) 

Shamus Sampler - Call for PI Submissions

Editor Jochem Vandersteen has issued a call for submission to "Shamus Sampler - Vol. 2".  He's looking for PI (licensed or unlicensed) shorts up to 5000 words.  The deadline is March 1, 2014.  This is a non-paying market.  Mr. Vandersteen is looking to make this a quarterly project if all goes well.  You can read the details here.

And another hat tip to Bill Crider!!

The Dead Man Series - Call for Submissions

I've been reading bits and pieces here and there about Amazon's new Kindle World Program where anyone can write a fan fiction story set in another world.  Many of you who stop by here are probably familiar with Lee Goldberg's "The Dead Man", well, it now is part of the Kindle World Program and you can write a short story or novel set in that world.  You'll find the details here.

Hat tip to Bill Crider!

Kraken Press - Anthology Deadline Reminder

Just a reminder that submissions for Kraken Press' anthology "American Nightmare" closed on October 31, just a week away.  They're looking for horror stories with a Fifties Americana theme.  Payment is royalties.  You can find the details here.  Submissions are through Submittable where it says they're also open for novel and novella submissions.

Martian Migraine Press - Horror Erotica Anthology Call

If you're into Lovecraft and Horror Erotica this call might just be for you.  Canadian publisher Martian Migraine Press has issued an anthology call for "The Conqueror Womb: Lusty Tales of Shub-Niggurath".  They're looking for pulpy tales that focus on Lovecraft deity Shub-Niggurath, Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young.  Stories should be 1500 to 5000 words but they'll also look at some flash under 1500.  The deadline is December 15.  Payment is $10CDN.  You can find the details here.

Spook Show Publishing - Anthology Call

Spook Show Publishing has posted an anthology call for "Lost in the Witching Hour".  They're looking for paranormal short stories and novellas up to 15,000 words.  Payment is $10 for stories 5000 words and up, all other receive a copy.  The deadline is December 31.  You can find all the details here.

Fablecroft - Anthology Call

Australian publisher Fablecroft has issued a call for short story pitches for a new anthology.  The anthology is "Cranky Ladies of History" and they're looking for historical fiction that features a real woman from history.  They have a list of women in the guidelines but you're not limited to those, and the women can be from any country.  The deadline for your pitch December 31.  Payment is 1cent a word with a cap of $75AUD.  The editors are Tansy Rayner Roberts and Tehani Wessely.  You can find all the details here.

Mammoth Book of SF Stories by Women - Reprint Anthology Call

This is a reprints only call.  Editor Alex Dally MacFarlane has issued a call for reprint sci-fi short stories up to 10,000 words written by women.  The deadline is November 30, and payment is 2cents a word.  You can find all the details here.

Thrills, Kills, 'n' Chaos - Update

Flash site Thrills, Kills, 'n' Chaos has posted an update.  Editor David Barber is looking for a few Horror stories up to 1000 words to publish during the week of Halloween (submission details in the update).  He'll also be looking for some "Bad Santa" stories for the Christmas season.  He hopes to open general submissions in the next couple of weeks so keep them in mind if you've got some flash fiction looking for a home.

Seal Press - Non-fiction Anthology Call

Seal Press has issued a call for non-fiction essays for the anthology "Stepping Up: Stories of Blended Families".  While they usually publish women only this call is for both male and female writers.  They want first person essays from people who have been part of step-families.  2000 to 4000 words, payment is $100.  The deadline is February 1, 2014.  You must query first.  Details are here.  You need to click on the call in the little box at the right for the pdf file.

Paul McVeigh - Literary Contest Resource

For those of you heavily into the literary contest world, Paul McVeigh's blog has you covered with a flipcard page that lists all the contests, deadlines, and fees.  A great resource.

Steamfunk - Anthology Call

Well, this one looks like it could be fun, steampunk set in the reconstruction period of Nicodemus, Kansas.  The stories of 2000 to 10,000 words must be set in the "Rite of Passage" world (there's plenty of information with the guidelines) and your main character must be of African descent/Black.  The deadline is December 31 and payment is $25.  You can find all the details here.  Plus there's other posts on the site that will give you more details if you're interested in submitting.

Blank Fiction - Call for Noir Fiction Submissions

The deadline for Blank Fiction's Literary issue has passed but they're still open for submissions of Noir Fiction until January 15, 2014 and Science Fiction stories until April 15, 2014.  Submissions are through Submittable.  Stories should be no longer than 15,000 words and payment is $50.  You can check them out here.

Argosy Magazine - Call for Submissions

I ran across this call on Duotrope's Twitter feed for a new Argosy Magazine.  They're looking to publish the zine as ebooks and will be paying royalties.  Stories must be over 4500 words.  They have three themed issues you can submit to.  You'll find the calls here.

I have a bit of an uneasy feeling about this market.  Their site first went up on June 16, the calls on July 26, and their guidelines on October 4.  I did find a piece up at the Absolute Write site where the editor/publish has posted his call and answered some questions.  There's nothing bad that I can find.  But there is no editor name on the site and he goes by Dantai at Absolute Write so I have no idea who is actually in charge.

If they do make a go of it, this could be an excellent market for short fiction.

Free Horror Stories

One of the best things about the Internet is the availability of short stories.  And with Halloween just around the corner here's a perfect selection of Horror stories for your reading pleasure.  There are links to stories by Ambrose Bierce, Robert E. Howard, Joyce Carol Oates, Poppy Z. Brite, and of course, the master himself, Stephen King.

Hat tip to the sfsignal.com

The Rosie Hardy Photostream Story Cupboard

I was reading a news story about this young photographer on Yahoo and clicked on her Photostream.  The photos are amazing and each one worthy of a story.  Check them out here.  And the girl is only 19.

New Lit Salon Press - Anthology Call

This anthology call for "Behind the Yellow Wallpaper: New Tales of Madness" looks interesting.  They're looking for short stories of 1000 to 3000 words that use a feminine approach to issues that impact women's mental health.  The deadline is December 15, there's no mention of payment.  You can find the details here.

Here's a link to the short story "Behind the Yellow Wallpaper" that they refer to in the submission guidelines.

Permuted Press - Call for Novel Submissions

Permuted Press has opened for novel submissions.  They're looking for novels in the genres of horror, supernatural, and sci-fi of over 60,000 words.  In the guidelines you'll find a breakdown of what's acceptable within those genres.  On the FAQ page you'll find that they pay an advance against royalties.  You can find the details here.

On that page you'll find an anthology call for "Fat Zombies" which I mentioned here a week or so ago.

Dreamspinner Press - Anthology Calls

Dreamspinner Press has posted seven anthology calls with deadlines that stretch through October 2014.  This is basically an erotica/romance press but there is one YA call listed for their YA line of books.  Word counts vary for each anthology and payment is a flat fee based on length (found on the submission guidelines page).  You can check out the calls here.

Tyche Books - Novella and Novels Submission Call

Canadian Publisher Tyche Books has opened submissions for sci-fi and fantasy novellas and novels (60,000 to 120,000 words).  Payment is a royalty share on print, ebooks and audio releases.  You can find the details here.

Aswiebe's Market List - Market Resource

I was reminded today by Katherine of Aswiebe's Market List.  I have a link over there in the market resources section but forget to click on over there.  October's listing of markets is now posted and November's will be up on the 15th of next month.  It's a good source for genre writers.

Unusal Mortality Event Podcast - Call for FMU Submissions

From Katherine Tomlinson we have a new podcast market called Unusual Mortality Event Podcast which is looking for FMU (FuckMeUp) submissions.  Payment here is $42.  You can find all the submission details here and there are examples on the site so you can get a feel for what they're looking for.

Joy Crelin - Editor Interview

Black Gate has an interview up with Joy Crelin, editor of Betwixt Magazine.  Betwixt is open for submissions and it's a paying market.

Spellbound - Call for Submissions Children's Fantasy

Spellbound is a children's fantasy ezine which is published quarterly.  The reading period for their Spring 2014 issue is now open with the theme Dwarves.  The deadline is December 31 for short stories up to 2500 words.  Payment is 2.5cents a word.  The reading periods and themes are also up for next year.  You can find all the details here.

War Stories - Anthology Call

The anthology "War Stories" has opened for submissions of original military sci-fi short stories of 1000 to 7000 words.  Providing their Kickstarter is successful Apex Books will be the publisher.  Payment is 5cents a word and the deadline is November 31.  You can find all the details here.

The Missing Slate - Hallowe'en Writing Contest - No Fees

This one is a bit of a short notice as I just found it.  The Missing Slate is sponsoring its first "Hallowe'en Writing Contest".  They're looking for rip your heart out scary short stories up to 3000 words, micro flash up to 150 words, and poetry of any length.  Prizes are publication on their site and a merchandise package.  The winning stories will also be considered for their first print anthology to be released next year.  The deadline is October 24.  There are no fees to enter.  You can find all the details here.

Protagonists and Their Problem Lives

I don't know about you, but I'm a bit tired of all the problems that are foisted on protagonists these days.  I just read the synopsis of the first novel in a six book series and I'm wondering why the woman doesn't just slit her wrists and be done with it.  Here's a list of all her problems:

1.  Depression
2.  New relationship complicated by her past.
3.  Abusive former foster-father.
4.  Drowning in debt.
5.  All alone because she was orphaned at age two.
6.  Raised in an unloving household.
7.  Insomnia.
8.  PTSD from an incident seven years previously.
9.  Family curse that will destroy the lives of those she's close to and annihilate her sanity.
10.  And her name is Poe.

Really?  A ten point list of problems?  What ever happened to normal and well-adjusted?    

Yellow Mama - New Issue

The October issue of Yellow Mama is now live and what a great roster of stories and writers which includes a Western by Gary Lovisi.

Angie's Desk - Anthology Calls

Angie has posted up her monthly Anthology Calls list.  Thank you Angie!

Alimentum: The Literature of Food - Call for Submissions

This looks like an interesting market.  "Alimentum:  The Literature of Food" is an online zine that has opened for submissions of fiction and non-fiction under 2000 words that revolves around food.  There's no mention of payment and submissions are by snail mail.  You can find the details here.

They've been in business since 2005, first as a print market and now online.

Craft Question

Learning your craft is the most important part of writing, as well as actually getting the words on the page, of course.  Part of that learning comes from reading other writers and this morning I got smacked right in the face with a great lesson in what not to do.

I started reading a Western Mystery, I was two pages into the set-up for a fight that's about to break out during a poker game when suddenly instead of a fight scene, I'm thrust into a two page history lesson about Kansas and the Civil War.  What the?!?  Then just as suddenly I'm back into the poker game and a rundown of the players, and still no fight.  Now why would you break away from a perfectly good fight setup to give the reader a history lesson? 

Now I love history but that certainly wasn't the spot for it.  Shouldn't the history lessons evolve naturally through the characters and/or the setting?  And how does a writer best avoid this type of information dump when writing Historicals?  Can we depend on the reader to know enough about the time period that we don't have to give an in depth description of the gun a character is using, along with the grain and caliber of the bullet (yep, he did that, too!).  

What an Editor Wants

From Brian Lindenmuth comes a link to a "Editor Roundtable:  A Story Critique" where they've posted a short story that's been submitted and rejected by several markets.  After you read the story you can read the explanations of eight editors as to why they explain what does and doesn't work about the story.  There's some great insight into what's meant by editor preference.  Some of the editors responding are:  Ellen Datlow, Anne VanderMeer, and Gardneer Dozois.

The WonderBook site along with its sister site BookLife Now are great resources for writers learning the craft.

Black Tome Books - Anthology Calls

Editor Brandon Black has posted two anthology calls on his site, both will be published by Black Tome Books.  The deadline for both is January 1, 2014 and payment is 2 copies.  The first call is "Cairo by Gaslight" and they're looking for steampunk and gaslight fantasy.  The second call is "FeyFic:  The Other World" and they looking for stories of the fey.  You'll find more information by clicking on the links at the top of the page.

UPDATE:  February 11, 2014  The deadline has been changed once again.  It's now March 31.

Demon Rum and Other Evil Spirts - Anthology Q & A

Editor Stacy Turner has posted a Q & A post about Angelic Knight Press' latest anthology call, "Demon Rum and Other Evil Spirits".  Submissions for this call open on November 1.

Seems Like Just Yesterday

It seems fitting to note that today My Little Corner celebrates it's fifth anniversary.  My only regret is that I didn't choose something snazzier for a blog name, but back then, I really didn't expect anyone to show up.  So, I lift a virtual cup of coffee to all of you readers and writers out there who have stopped by and shared a little bit of yourselves with me.  Thank you!!

Permuted Press - Anthology Call

Permuted Press has issued a call for submissions for their latest anthology "Fat Zombie".  They looking for "survivor stories of the people you never expect to survive the end of the world".  Stories should be 3000 to 10,000 words and the deadline is November 30.  According to their FAQ's page they pay a royalty split.  You can find the submission details here.

El Portal Literary Journal - Call for Western and Sci-fi Submissions

The literary journal of Eastern New Mexico University, El Portal, has opened submissions to the public for an upcoming issue called "The Waste of Space".  They're looking for flash stories of 500 to 1500 words and shorts stories to 4000 words dealing with the Southwest.  They'll accept "Wild West" stories or Sci-fi stories but special attention will be paid to stories that can combine elements of both (like Firefly).  The best submission details are on Craigslist.  But I found more information on the University's web site.  The Journal itself doesn't seem to have a website.  The deadline is October 31 and there's no mention of payment.

UPDATE:  Here's the link to El Portal thanks to Michael Bracken.

A big thank you to Katherine Tomlinson for the link!

Akashic Books - New Flash Call

Akashic books has added a new category to their online flash series.  For "Terrible Twosdays" they are looking for stories up to 750 words that focus on the "challenges of parenting".  Stories can be fiction or non-fiction, children should be 0 to 5 years of age.  As with their other two flash categories there is no payment.  You can find all the details here. 

Blood Bound Books - A Reminder

Just a reminder that Horror publisher Blood Bound Books will be closing their submission doors on October 31.  They're still looking for novellas, novelettes, and novels of 10,000 to 80,000 words.  You can find all the details here.

Late Night on Route 17 by Libby Cudmore

It doesn't come much darker than "Late Night on Route 17" by Libby Cudmore.  "Late Night" is a story of love and the secrets that hold two people together.

Can Man Crush Monday Be Far Behind?

Ran across Woman Crush Wednesday over on Yahoo and I'm wondering why women do this to themselves.  Complaints abound about women being glorified as sexual objects but this woman posted her own sexual object photo.  Doesn't her skill and talent deserve better than this?

The Knicknackery - New Market

From Katherine Tomlinson we have a new literary market called "The Knicknackery".  They're looking for poetry, fiction to 2500 words, non-fiction, and artwork for their first issue.  This is a non-paying market.  You can find the guidelines here, submissions are through Submittable.

Hooray For Short Stories

This is so cool.  Short story writer Alice Munro has won the Nobel Prize in Literature. 
We're Snoopy Dancing here at the corner for Ms. Munro and her wonderful short stories.

Hat tip to Jack Bludis via SMFS!

The Dark - New Market

I've held off on posting about this new market because 1) they had a failed Kickstarter and 2) the website wasn't up.  Today I discovered that the site is up and the first set of stories is posted online.  They're also available for purchase for your Kindles and other reading devices.

Now for the details.  The Dark is a bi-monthly magazine looking for mainstream fiction with elements of the fantastic mixed in.  Stories should be 1000 to 5000 words and payment is 5cents a word.  You can find all the details here.  If you click on the fiction tab at the top of the page you'll find their published fiction to get a feel for what they're looking for.

Pat Harrington - RIP

The Internet is a strange and wonderful thing.  We "meet" people that we never really know and yet we become friends of sorts.  Why am I thinking about this?  Because an Internet friend of mine passed away yesterday.

I met Pat Harrington many years ago through several online writers groups.  We shared pages in a small magazine called "A Flasher's Dozen" where her Derringer winning story was published and in an anthology called "The Ex Factor".  We also shared duties as President and Vice President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society.  We two old ladies, who were both pretty much computer illiterate, were put in charge - that one gave us a good chuckle. 

Pat was a wonderful woman with a great sense of humor.  She worked hard to achieve her dream of writing a novel and getting it published.  She wrote wonderful short stories.  She loved her dogs and her grandchildren.  But most important, she was a kind and generous woman who loved life.  She will be missed by everyone who knew her both in real life and in this virtual reality space we live in.

Rest in peace, my dear friend.

Crossed Genres Magazine - Submissions Open

Submissions are open until October 31 for the next issue of Crossed Genres Magazine.  The theme is "unresolved sexual tension".  Stories should be 1000 to 6000 words, payment is 5cents a word.  The theme for the November submission period is "Conspiracy".  You can find all the details and future themes here.

That Hell-Bound Train by Robert Bloch

I love stories about people who make deals with the devil.  The best part is wondering how they'll wiggle out of their deal or if the devil is smart enough to trick them into hell.  As you read "That Hell-Bound Train" by Robert Bloch you just know that Martin is doomed to failure.  But oh that ride, and its surprise ending.  I found it online if you'd like to give it read.

I read this story in The Fantasy Hall of Fame edited by Robert Silverberg

Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing - Anthology Call

Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing has just posted a new anthology call.  "Stay Cool: A Tribute to Elmore Leonard" is looking for short stories written in the spirit and tone of Mr. Leonard's work.  The deadline is September 30, 2014 with publication in the Spring of 2015.  Payment is a royalty split.  You can find all the details here.  Submissions are through Submittable. 

And a reminder that their One Night Stands call for individual short stories in any genre (1000 to 15,000 words) is still open until December 1, 2013.  Also at Submittable.  Payment is $25 plus a 30% royalty share.

A big thank you to Paul Brazill for the link!

Richard Matheson - Interview

There's a wonderful interview with Richard Matheson from 2007 over at the Tor/Forge Blog.

Hat tip to sfsignal.com

Mico-Horror - Annual Halloween Contest is Open

It's that time again for Micro-Horror's annual Halloween contest.  This year's theme is "eyes".  They want flash fiction no longer than 666 words.  The deadline is October 31, submissions through Submittable.  And there will be prizes for the top three stories.  There are no fees to enter.  You can find the call here.

The Were-Traveler - Call for Zombie Flash

The Were-Traveler is a non-paying online ezine that publishes horror flash and short stories.  Their current theme is "The Day the Zombies Ruled the Earth".  The deadline is November 25.

The Stone by Henry Goodman

I mentioned yesterday that I picked up a copy of The Best Short Stories of 1919, well, today I discovered that a copy of this book is available for free at Gutenberg.org

Today I read a short story from that book called "The Stone" by Henry Goodman.  Wow!  What a great story.  The story is about a woman whose husband died but seems to keep coming back to steal away her life.  Very powerful story of an abusive marriage without dwelling on the abuse itself.

Fictionvale - Call for Submissions

Fictionvale has opened submissions for their third issue with the theme "alternate history".  They're looking for stories up to 5000 words in various genres.  The deadline is October 31, payment is 2cents a word.  You can find all the details here.

A Rewarding Satuday

I'm just back from the last book sale of the summer.  I never know what I'm going to stumble across at these sales.  Today I was searching for material that showed life in the nineteen hundreds for a project I'm working on.  The Internet is fine in some ways for dates and things but books can give you a broader picture of the time.

Out on the front porch of the building there were scads of old books that he was giving away for free.  They'd been around too long and those that weren't taken were going to be recycled.  Amongst these books I found a copy of "Mildred Pierce" (I have some of Cain's work but not this one), one of the few novels I picked up today.

For my research I found "Life in Modern Times" that gives a history of this country up to 1940, "Roughneck:  The Way of Life in the Oil Fields", "Creative Knowledge" published in 1927 gives details of different trades from sailor to miner.  I also found a book called "The Twenties" by Edmund Wilson which is an autobiographical history of the 1920's.  "An American Traveler's Guide to Black History" was a great find and the history is broken down by states and towns.  But the greatest finds were "The Best Short Stories of 1919" and "The Saturday Evening Post Treasury" which is filled with articles and short stories over the years since 1728.  There was also a biography of Dorothea Dix called "Stranger and Traveler" which covers much of the period I'm working in.

I also found an entire box of "Best of" Science Fiction anthologies but I only chose one.  "The Fantasy Hall of Fame" which covers many years and writers I've heard of but haven't read yet.  Can't wait to dive into this one.

All in all a very pleasant and rewarding day.

Noir Nation - New Issue

The third issue of Noir Nation has hit the streets.  Check it out here.

Apokrupka - Anthology Calls

Apokrupka has put out calls for two anthologies.  The deadline for both is November 3.

The first is "Vignettes From the End of the World".  They want you to tell about that moment when the world ends in 500 words.  Payment is $20.

"Fur and Fang" is looking for Horrotica (monster sex).  Stories should be 2000 to 4000 words, payment is $50.

Submissions are through their submittable page.  I've posted the link because the one for Vignettes isn't on the site yet, but they are open.

Apokrupka has been in business for a year and they are the people behind the horror zine Lamplight.

Romance Flash - Open for Submissions

Romance Flash is looking for stories up to 1000 words in all the romance fiction genres (no erotica).  Payment is $3 via PayPal only.  There is a submission form at the bottom of the guidelines page where you can find all the details. 

Flash Fiction Online - Open for Submissions

Flash Fiction Online has opened for submissions of flash fiction in most genres (they tend to lean towards sci-fi and literary) of 500 to 1000 words.  Submissions are through Submittable, payment is $50.  You can find all the details here.  Please note that the payment is for a variety of rights which is listed at the bottom of the guidelines.

Lakeside Circus - New Market

Dagan Books is looking for submissions for the first issue of a new zine they're publishing called "Lakeside Circus".  They want spec-fiction, flash to 1000 words, short stories up to 2500 words and poetry.  Payment is 1cent a word with a minimum of $10.  You must submit your stories blind.  You can find all the details here.

Tom Clancy's Rules for Writing and Life

Author Tom Clancy passed away yesterday and Salon posted his 5 rules for writing and life today.  Well worth the read.  RIP Mr. Clancy.

A big thank you to Michael Bracken for the link!

World Weaver Press - Fae Anthology Update

If you're still working on a story for World Weaver Press' Fae Anthology you should drop on over to their blog to read the update by editor, Rhonda Parrish.  It will give you a better of idea of what she's looking for at this point in the selection process.

Jim Baen Memorial Writing Contest - No Fees

The 2014 Jim Baen Memorial Writing Contest has opened for submissions.  Stories should be no more than 8000 words "that shows the near future of (no more than 50 to 60 years ) manned space exploration".  There are no fees to enter and there are prizes.  The deadline is February 1, 2014.  You can find all the details here.

Nanowrimo Preparation

For the last several years when October rolls around Alexandra Sokoloff writes a series of posts about how you can get ready for Nanowrimo in November.  If you're planning on participating in the Nano be sure to check out the series.  And even if you aren't going for that great November run, the advice will help you get a leg up on your novel writing process.

Poisoned Pen Press - Open for Novel Submissions

Poisoned Pen Press has opened for novel submissions.  They are looking for traditional mysteries of 60,000 to 90,000 words.  There is no mention of payment but this is a small traditional press that does pay.  Submissions are through Submittable and the deadline is October 31.  You can find all the details here.

Female Horror Writers

Over at the SF Signal site the Mind Meld Question is "Our Favorite Women Horror Writers".  What surprised me most about the lists were the number of short stories that were mentioned.

I've linked to a few of the older stories mentioned for your reading pleasure:

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Jilting of Granny Weatherall by Katherine Anne Porter

One Ordinary Day, With Peanuts by Shirley Jackson - this is a pdf file

MystericalE - New Issue

And the newest issue of Mysterical-E has finally hit the ether.  Check it out here.

Betwixt - Open for Submissions

Betwixt Magazine has posted it's first issue and will open for submission of speculative fiction short stories at midnight tonight.  The front page says they're open but the guidelines page says midnight.  Payment is 2cents a word with a cap of $150.  You can find all the details here.

Comets & Criminals - Rising From the Ashes

Comets and Criminals seems to be making an attempt to rise from the dead.  They're open for submissions of reprints up to 10,000 words in the genres of Science Fiction, Crime/Mystery, Adventure, Historical, and Westerns.  They will publish one a month starting in 2014 on their website.  Payment is $25.  You can find the details here.

Minotaur Books - 2014 Novel Competitions

I mentioned a month or so ago that the Minotaur Books First Novel competition was open for submissions.  Since then the other three first novel contests have also opened.  There is the Malice Domestic competition for first traditional mystery, The PWA competition for best Private Eye novel, and the Hillerman competition.  You can find the details here.

Jason Stuart - Editor Interview

Brian Lindenmuth has an interview with editor/publisher Jason Stuart of Burnt Bridge Publishing over at the Do Some Damage blog today.  Check it out here. 

Dark Moon Books - Magazines Open for Submissions

Dark Moon Books has opened submissions to both their magazines, Dark Moon Digest and Dark Eclipse.  They need horror poetry, flash fiction, and short stories.  There is no payment for poetry or flash but they are paying $10 for shorts of 1500 to 5000 words.  The specific guidelines are on their Submittable page

Dark Hall Press - Anthology Call

Dark Hall Press has posted a new anthology call for "Cosmic Horror".  They want stories under 5000 words and will be selecting ten stories to fill the anthology.  The deadline is January 1, 2014, payment is a profit split.  You can find the details here.

Chupa Cabra House - Anthology Call

Chupa Cabra House Publishing has posted a new anthology call for "New Whakazoid Circus".  They're looking for short stories of 2500 to 7500 words in the genre of Circus Punk (they have the definition in the guidelines).  The deadline is January 31, 2014.  Payment is listed as token plus a copy.  You can find all the details here.