Needle Magazine - New Issue

The newest issue of Needle magazine has hit the streets.  Check it out here.

2014 Roundup of New Crime Markets

And now for the good news on the crime fiction scene.  All Due Respect magazine became a MWA approved market and have expanded into a press that publishes novellas.  And Pulp Modern has announced that they're now a paying market (token).  And our list of new markets:

New magazine.ezine markets:

Pulp Core - A German market that pays $20 per story.
Betty Fedora - Pays one copy for the print issue.  They'll also be publishing stories online (non-paying).
Dead Gun Press - Publishes anthologies, novellas, and will open submissions for a new print magazine in January.  Mostly a non-paying market.
Dark Corners - This is a non-paying market with their first issue now available.
Jack Hardway's Crime Magazine - This is a non-paying market with the first issue already live and the second ready to go on January 1.
Prose 'n' Cons - This market publishes both fiction and non-fiction.  Pay varies depending on length.
Akashic Books - This market opened to online flash fiction last year and added another category this year.  This is a non-paying market.
Crooked Holster - Just opened for submissions this month so no new issues yet.  This is a non-paying market.
Onyx Neon Shorts - Is looking for shorts of 5000 to 15,000 words for ebook formats and pays a 50% royalty split.
Dark House Books - Various anthology calls in several genres but tends toward crime fiction.

Presses looking for novella length fiction:

280 Press
#13 Press
One Eye Press - While they publish individual novellas they also have several magzines and one anthology call a year.
Brash Books - Okay this is a new ebbok market for novels but hey, they're new this year and worth a try.

And that's our roundup for 2014.  A pretty good year as we've added more paying markets and seem to have more new than we've lost this year.  If I've missed anything please feel free to add them in the comments.

2014 Roundup of Closed Crime Markets

For the past couple of years I've been posting up the annual market openings and closing for those writing in the mystery/crime genres.  These are the straight up crime markets and markets that take crime fiction.  And so here's the list of closed markets for 2014.

The magazines and ezines that have shuttered their doors:

Hardboiled
Thrills, Kills, 'n' Chaos
Misfit Quarterly
Midnight Diner
Plots With Guns
Best Fiction
Beat the Dust
The Fog Horn

Presses that published novellas/novels:

Full Dark City Press
Exhibit A Books
Dutton Guilt Edge

And on our iffy list:

Red Penny Papers - There's been nothing new here since April
Plan B - They've been closed for submissions since April and had an unsuccessful fund drive.
Bourbon Penn - Published only one issue this year
Blank Fiction - While this is still a viable market they now charge a $2.00 reading fee
Shine Your Darkness: A Noir Initiative - This is a new market that published one issue, posted the theme for a second but hasn't published that or posted the promised December 1 theme.
Grift - This was on my iffy list last year also.  This year they called for flash but never published any and in July posted a call for a third print issue that hasn't been published yet.
Pulpwood Fiction - Opened this year but has been pretty hit or miss with their postings.

T. Gene Davis's Speculative Fiction Blog - Call for Submissions

T. Gene Davis's Speculative Fiction Blog is open for submissions.  They're looking for spec-fiction stories of 250 to 6000 words in the genres of horror, fantasy, and sci-fi.  Payment is $75.  You can find the details here.

Breaking Fate Publishing - Anthology Calls

Breaking Fate Publishing has posted four Horror anthology calls and reading periods for 2015.  These pay in copies only.  They're also open for novels and novellas until May 31, 2015.  There's no mention of payment for these so you'll have to query about that if you're interested.  You can find the details here.

Xchyler Publications - Anthology Calls

Xchyler Publications has posted their reading periods and themes for their 2015 anthologies.  Submissions are blind and treated as contests with payment being a royalty share.  You can check out the details here.

Pulp Modern News

Editor Alec Cizak has announced that starting with issue #9 Pulp Modern will be a paying market.  He will now be paying 1/4cent a word for all stories.  And issue #9 is open for submissions until June 1, 2015 with the theme of "Dangerous Women".  You can find the details here.  Scroll down the page for issue #9 details.

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!!  Hope your holidays are wonderful and full of friends and family.  And for your Christmas reading pleasure here's three Christmas mysteries by Bill Pronzini, Marcia Muller, and Edward D. Hock.

Prose 'n Cons - Call for Submissions

Prose 'n Cons is open for crime/mystery submissions of both non-fiction and fiction.  Non-fiction up to 2000 words pays $40, mini-mysteries up to 100 words pays $10, flash to 1000 words pays $30, and shorts of 2000 to 3000 words pays $50.  This magazine is published in both print and ebook format and the first issue is now available.  Here's a link to what they're looking for and the page contains a link to their pdf submission guidelines.

Yellow Mama - New Issue

The December issue of Yellow Mama has hit the virtual streets.  Check it out here.

18th Wall Publishing - Anthology Calls

18th Wall Publishing has posted three anthology calls with deadlines in 2015.  Payment for all is a royalty share.  The titles are "From the Dragon Lord's Library", "Just So Stories", and "Those who Lie Long Forgotten II".  You can check out the guidelines for all of them here.

Shared Storytelling: Advent Ghosts 2014

Today is the day for Loren Eaton's "Shared Storytelling:  Advent Ghosts 2014".  You'll find mine below and links to many more stories here.  Take a few minutes from your hectic Christmas preparations and relax with some great stories.  They're only 100 words long.  Merry Christmas, everyone!

NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY NICK
by Sandra Seamans  

The prosecutor had told the gruesome truth, he should have won the case.  Nick was gleefully guilty, but he'd won the jury over with his best Santa Claus impersonation.  Nick had cultivated his resemblance to that paragon of hope, a gift that had saved his ass on many occasions.

Outside of the courthouse a North Pole chill crawled up Nick's spine when a voice whispered in his ear.

"It's not nice to mess with Santa's image, Nick"

The sound of sleigh bells smothered his screams as a coal truck careened out of control and jumped the curb where Nick stood.

Getting Ready for Christmas

Just a note to let you know that posting will be sparse over the next week.  Yeah, the usual, presents to wrap and cookies to bake among other things.  Plus the markets have been pretty scarce the past few days.  I will be posting my Christmas drabble tomorrow though :)  Enjoy your holidays!

Cutting Block Books - Call for Submissions

Cutting Block Books has posted a call for "Single Slices".  They want supernatural horror short stories of 8000 to 15,000 words to be published as individual ebooks.  The deadline is January 31, 2015 and payment is 3cents a word.  You can find the details here.

The Alcatraz Story Cupboard

If you love to write alternate history stories this Yahoo news story gives you plenty of food for thought.  Scientists have proven that the three men who escaped from Alcatraz in 1962 on a homemade raft could have made it to shore if they left at the right time.  Not only is the escape worth a few paragraphs in the story but what happened to them if they did survive?  Did they go back to a life of crime or did they go straight?  And how could they have changed history?

Drabble Challenge

Loren Eaton over at his blog I Saw Lightening Fall has posted a drabble challenge.  He'd like to see drabbles that center around Christmas but send chills creeping up your back - any genre welcome so long as there's that sense of dread.  For those who don't know drabbles are stories of exactly 100 words.  Stories should be posted on your blog this Friday, December 19.  You can find all the details here.

Pulp Modern - New Issue

Pulp Modern #8 is now available in both print and Kindle editions.  Check it out here.

Tokyo Yakuza - Call for Short Story Submissions

Tokyo Yakuza is a shared world project seeking science fiction stories of 2000 to 3000 words that help continue the world of Tokyo Yakuza.  Since this is an intellectual property owned by the publisher the characters you create will belong to them.  So basically this is a work for hire project.  Payment is 6cents a word plus royalties.  You can find the details here, just scroll down the page for the guidelines.

Thanks to Michael Bracken for the link!

Parsec Ink - Anthology Call

Parsec Ink has opened submissions for their annual Triangulation anthology.  This year's theme is "Lost Voices".  They need stories up to 6000 words in the genres of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror.  All stories must contain some element of speculative fiction.  The deadline is February 28. 2015 and payment is 2cents a word.  You can find the details here.

Sky Warrior Books - Anthology Call

I thought this call might tickle some of your funny bones - Sky Warrior Books has posted an anthology call for "How Beer Saved the World 2".  The deadline is March 1, 2015 and payment is a royalty split.  You can find the details here.

The Sockdolager - New Market

The Sockdolager is a new online quarterly zine that's looking for adventure stories.  While they prefer sci-fi/fantasy they're open to other genres as well.  Stories should be 1000 to 5000 words.  Payment is 2cents a word and a flat $15 for reprints.  You can check out the guidelines here.

Number 13 Press - Submissions Open for Pulp Crime Novellas

Number 13 Press has opened for submissions of Pulp Crime Novellas.  Stories should be 20,000 to 35,000 words in length.  Payment is is 60% royalties.  You can find the details here.

Crooked Holster - New Crime Market

The lovely Michael Bracken just emailed me a link to a new crime fiction market called "Crooked Holster".  They bill themselves as "an anthology of crime, mystery, and thriller".  They need short stories up to 2500 words, flash up to 500 words, and poetry.  The deadline for the first issue is February 28, 2015.  Payment is one copy.  You can find the details here.

Clockwork Canada - Anthology Call - Canadian Writers Only

Editor Dominik Parisien has posted an anthology call for "Clockwork Canada" which will be published by Exile Editions.  They need steampunk stories of 2000 to 8000 words set in Canada and written by Canadian authors.  The deadline is April 30, 2015 and payment is 5cents a word.  You can find the details here.

Lady Lit - Anthology Call

I don't publish many erotica markets but Lady Lit has posted a call for "Summer Love:  Lesbian Stories of Holiday Romance" that I thought might be of interest to the romance writers out there.  They are looking for "lesbian love during the summer holiday" romance stories.  The deadline is March 31, 2015 and payment is $45.  You can find the details here.

Sci Phi Journal - Open for Submissions

The Sci Phi Journal is looking for science fiction stories of 100 to 5000 words "that explore a philosophical idea or have a philosophical hook".  Payment is 5cents a word.  You can find the details here.

Hat tip to the Literarium blog!

Dead Guns Magazine - New Crime Market

Dead Gun Press has posted a new project called Dead Guns Magazine.  This will be a print magazine for crime fiction.  The reading period will open on February 1, 2015 and run through April 20, 2015.  Payment is one copy.  You can find the details here - just scroll down the page as they have several other submission calls listed.

Not to Worry

If I disappear for the rest of the week.  We've got a big storm coming into our area starting late tonight and probably piling up snow straight through to Thursday - at least that's what the weather man is saying.  With this type of storm we tend to lose our electricity and/or the Internet.  We've stocked up on supplies and the wood bin is full so we'll be comfy. 

For those of you who will also be getting storm battered - keep safe.  See you on the other side of the storm system!

2015 Bouchercon Anthology - Open for Submissions

Submissions have opened for the 2015 Bouchercon Anthology titled "Murder Under the Oaks".  They're looking for crime stories of 3500 to 5500 words with a March 1, 2015 deadline.  Payment is one copy and all proceeds go to charity.  You can find the details here.

Jack Hardway's Crime Magazine - Open for Submissions

Submissions are open for the January/February issue of Jack Hardway's Crime Magazine.  They're looking for short crime stories of 1500 to 5000 words with a deadline of December 21.  This is a non-paying market.  You can find the details here.

The 2015 Nelson Algren Literary Awards - Open for Submissions

The Chicago Tribune has posted the rules for the 2015 Nelson Algren Literary Awards.  The deadline is January 31, 2015 for short stories up to 8000 words.  The grand prize is $3500 with four runners-up receiving $1000 each.  You can find all the details here.  There is no fee to enter.

The Crossover Alliance - Anthology Call

First off, this is a non-paying market as all proceeds of the anthology go to The Crossover Alliance which has posted the call.  The call is for "The Crossover Alliance Anthology Vol. 2".  They are looking for edgy Christian Speculative Fiction stories of 500 to 25,000 words.  The deadline is May 31, 2015.  You can find the details here.

Nightmare Magazine - Open for Submissions

Nightmare magazine is currently open for submissions of horror stories of 1500 to 7500 words.  Payment is 6cents a word, there's no deadline listed.  You can find the details here.

Hey Writers! - Market Source

It's always nice to find a new source for market leads and today I stumbled across Hey Writers! which has all sorts of calls for writers.  Check them out here.

Hydra Publications - Anthology Call

Hydra Publications has an anthology call for an untitled collection of dystopian stories.  Stories should be 1000 to 7500 words and the deadline is January 31, 2015.  Payment is 1cent a word.  You can find the details here.

Dark Hollows Press - Call for Romance Novelettes

Dark Hollows Press is looking for novelette length stories with a Valentine's Day theme for their "A Touch of Love" series.  Each story will be published individually.  The deadline is January 17, 2015.  They state that royalties will be paid at a flat rate of $50.  That seems confusing to me so if you submit make sure that your contract states they're paying you a flat rate of $50 and not that you will be paid royalties when they reach $50.  You can find all the details here.

Whortleberry Press - Anthology Call

Whortleberry Press has posted an anthology call for "Strange Mysteries #6".  They're looking for mystery stories that have a bit of the "strange" in them.  Up to 4000 words with a deadline of March 31, 2015.  Payment is $10.  You can find the call here with links in the call to their style guidelines.

Untreed Reads - Deadline Approaching for Crime Anthology

Just a reminder that the deadline for Untreed Reads anthology "Haystacks and Homicide:  Short Tales of Farmland Crime" is fast approaching.  They're looking for crime stories of 1500 to 5000 words set in farming country.  The deadline is December 31 and payment is a royalty split.  You can find the details here.

Pandora Society - Call for Steampunk Submissions

If you're into Steampunk you might be interested in the Pandora Society's call for submissions to their "Steampunk Short Story Sunday" series.  Every Sunday they will be post a short story with the best written story receiving a prize at the end of the year.  If they receive enough stories the best will be collected into an anthology and authors will receive a royalty split.  You can find the details here.

Casia Schreyer - Anthology Call

Author Casia Schreyer has posted an anthology call for an Anthology on Race.  She'd like stories of 300 to 10,000 words in any genre that explores the question "What if there was only one race in your country?"  The deadline is February 28, 2015 and payment at this point is either a royalty split or perhaps a charity anthology.  You can find the details here. 

And the first thing I thought about with this call was HG Wells short story "The Country of the Blind", it makes a good jumping off point for ideas.

Inaccurate Realities - YA Anthology Calls

Inaccurate Realities has two anthology calls posted for YA speculative fiction shorts of 2000 to 7000 words.  The theme for #6 is Love with a deadline of January 15, 2015 and the theme for #7 is Hate with a deadline of June 15, 2015.  Payment is $15 to $25.  They're also open to reprints.  You can find the details here.

Great Old Ones Publishing - Anthology Call

Great Old Ones Publishing has post an anthology call for "From the Corner of Your Eye:  A Cryptids Anthology".  Crypitids are creatures such as Big Foot or the Jersey Devil.  They're looking for stories of 3000 to 8000 words featuring one of these monsters and they've provided a link to a list of these creatures.  The anthology will include only one story for each Cryptid.  The deadline is January 31, 2015 and payment is $25.  You can find all the details here.

Dream Fusion Press - Anthology Calls

Dream Fusion Press is a non-paying market and seems to be new to the world of publishing.  They have eleven anthology calls posted for a variety of genres including mystery/thriller, which is the only reason I'm posting this.  If you're interested you can check them out here.

Terraform - Call for Submissions

Terraform has posted a call for science fiction/speculative fiction stories up to 2000 words in length.  They are posting one story a week.  There are stories posted on the site so you can get a feel for what they're looking for.  Payment is 20cents a word.  You can find the details here.

Hat tip to Paperback Writer!

Darkhouse Books - Anthology Call

Darkhouse Books has posted an anthology call for "The World of Tomorrow".  They're looking for science fiction stories that "take place in the future envisioned by the 1939 World's Fair, also known as 'The World of Tomorrow'".  Stories should be 2500 to 7500 words with a February 14, 2015 deadline.  Payment is a royalty split.  You can find the details here.

WolfSinger Publications - Anthology Call

WolfSinger Publications has posted an anthology call for a Weird Western anthology.  They're looking for stories of 500 to 10,000 words.  The deadline is December 31 and payment is a $5 advance plus royalties.  You can find the details here.

Angie's Desk - Anthology Calls

Also while I was off-line Angie posted her anthology calls list for November.  Thanks, Angie!

Grey Matter Pess - Anthology Call

Sorry for the long absence, but I've been working through some personal issues which have kept me away from the computer (still working through the email backlog).  Hopefully they're resolved and I'll be back at the keyboard and keeping you posted on marketing news.

And first up is an anthology call from Grey Matter Press titled "Monsters".  They're looking for horror stories of 3000 to 7000 words with the theme of "men as monsters" (and I'm sure they won't mind a few women monsters :) ).  The deadline for this one is January 30, 2015 and payment is 5cents a word.  You can find the details here.