Vincent Price

And of course it wouldn't be Halloween without a little Vincent Price, would it?  Here he is singing "Monster Mash".

I wonder sometimes how Mr. Price wound up so very much associated with the Horror genre of films and TV when I see him in movies like "Leave Her to Heaven" and "Laura" and yet, even those films are tinged with Horror.  I guess he was just destined to embrace that world of the eerie and macabre.  It certainly suits him.

A Little Halloween Horror

Electric Lit has posted the "12 Haunting American Short Stories to Read this Halloween".  There are links to some of the stories for your reading pleasure.  I have to congratulate them on their list because they haven't included the usual suspects like "The Lottery" or "The Tell-Tale Heart".

Of course they also didn't include a favorite of mine called "Turntables of the Night" by Terry Pratchett or this little piece of flash by me :)

For me Horror seems to lend itself easily to the short story and some of the best don't leave you covered in blood, just shaking in your shoes.  What are some of your favorite Horror short stories?

And 10 More via Lit Reactor.

Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity - Submissions Calls

Erica Verrillo has posted 11 paying markets with November deadlines on her blog "Publishing...and Other Forms of Insanity"  Check it out here.  Thanks, Erica!  For those interested she's also posted some November conferences and a listing for no-fee contests.

Subtle Magic - Anthology Call

I've never been fond of finding markets on Craigslist because you never know for sure who you are dealing with.  But...This one pays 3cents a word for  urban fantasy shorts up to 3000 words with the theme "Subtle Magic".  The publisher is a new market called Will Dunn Publishing.  I can't find a website and submissions go to an email at Craigslist.  If you're interested you can check out the ad here.

Mormon Alternate History Anthology - Anthology Call

Editor William Morris has posted an anthology call for a Mormon Alternate History anthology.  He's looking for flash stories under 2500 words and shorts stories of 3000 to 6000 words with Mormonism central to the story.  The alternate history should be post 1800 and pre 2020.  The deadline is March 19, 2016 and payment is $15 for flash and $25 for shorts.  You can find all the details here.  Be sure to read the whole page as he's provided a lot of information about what he's looking for.

Seeking One Good Project - Call for Submissions

Elaine Ash aka Anonymous-9 has an interesting proposition up on her AshEdit blog.  She's seeking "One Good Project" in the genre of mystery/crime.  If you have a novel that's making the rounds but you're smacking your head up against the wall with rejections send it to Elaine.  She'll make suggestions and help with the editing in exchange for a co-author credit when it's published.  You can check out the details and Elaine here.

Body Parts Magazine - Open for Submissions

Body Parts Magazine is an online zine that publishes Horror and erotica in all its many forms.  Each issue has a theme and the current theme is Grave Robbing.  They accept flash up to 1000 words (pays $5) and shorts to 8000 words (pays $10).  They also accept novellas and non-fiction essays.  The deadline for this issue is March 1, 2016.  You can find the details here.

Hat tip to the Literarium blog.

Less Than Three Press - Anthology Call

Less Than Three Press has added another LGBTQIA anthology to their list of calls.  This one is titled "Less Than Dead" and the theme is Zombies.  Stories should be 10,000 to 20,000 words in any genre so long as you adhere to the zombie theme.  The deadline is February 28, 2016 and payment is $200.  You can find the details here.  Just scroll down the page.

A Dismal Trend

This morning I received Duotrope's monthly newsletter and was surprised (almost) that of the 128 new markets they listed in the past thirty days that only 28 were paying (13 pro - 12 semi pro - 3 token).  That is seriously out of whack.  Another trend I've also seen the past few months is the number of non-fiction markets that are non-paying.  How can so many publishers keep supplying content if they aren't paying the writers?  And if they're making a profit why aren't author's demanding their share?  It's a very lop-sided world out there.

Celebrating the Short Story

If you live in the UK near the University of Huddersfield they will be "Celebrating the Short Story" all day on Saturday, December 5.  There is a fee of 15pounds for the entire day's events.

Hat tip to SF Signal.

Also Applies to Short Mystery Fiction Anthologies

Over at the Kirkus Review site you'll find an excellent essay by John DeNardo titled "5 Reasons to Read Short Speculative Fiction Anthologies".  And yes, it also applies to short mystery fiction anthologies which we definitely need more of.

Crime Factory - Open for Submissions

Crime Factory is currently open for submissions of both short stories and non-fiction.  The deadline is October 31 and there's no payment.  They are no longer asking you to query the story but to send in your full manuscript (no novels at this time).  You can find the details here.

Not That Bad: Dispatches From Rape Culture - Anthology Call

Editors Roxane Gay and Ashley C. Ford are seeking non-fiction essays of 2500 to 7500 words that "explore what it is like to navigate rape culture as shaped by the identities we inhabit".  There is a list of topics included in the call to help you get started.  The deadline is December 15 and the anthology will be published by Harper Perennial in 2016.  There will be payment but the amount is not listed.  Submissions are through Submittable.  This call is open to all genders, not just women.  You can find the details here.

The Asteroid Story Cupboard

Did you know there's an asteroid that's going to be zipping past earth on Halloween?  How cool is that?  And imagine the stories you can find in that asteroid.  An alien invasion that comes face to face with themselves (in costumes, of course).  Gamma rays that turn everyone into the persona of the costume they're wearing.  Perhaps the asteroid hits the earth creating a new monster.  You have the makings of both humor and horror with one simple asteroid framed with a Halloween theme.  Let your imagination soar.

And here's another link to the story with a little more info.

Link via SF Signal.

KHP Publishers - Closed

KHP Publishers have closed their doors.

Flash Bang Mysteries - Open for Submissions

I forgot to mention that Flash Bang Mysteries is open for submissions this month so you only have two weeks left to submit a flash crime story of 500 to 750 words for the next issue.  The deadline is October 31 and payment is $10.  You can find the details here.

Less Than Three Press - Anthology Call

Less Than Three Press has posted an LGBTQIA anthology call for "Fairytales Slashed: Volume 7".  They're looking for fairytales that are either original or retellings and in any genre.  Stories should be 10,000 to 20,000 words in length.  The deadline is March 31, 2016 and payment is $200.  You can find the details here, just scroll down the page.

If You Live in Portland, Oregon

I ran across this announcement on Bill Johnson's blog and thought I'd pass it along for those of you who live in Portland, Oregon.  Sounds like a fun evening.

Queen of the Night: An Evening in Shirley Jackson's World.


6:30 - 8:30, Wednesday, October 28


Glyph Cafe, 804 NW Couch St, PDX

Free, and open to the public

Join readers Rene Denfeld, Jemiah Jefferson and Lara Messersmith-Glavin for an evening of uncannily great stories by Shirley Jackson, master of the eerie and the mundane. Beverages for purchase.

Reading begins at 7:30 pm, "Lottery"-style raffle at the end of the evening with prizes including copies of Shirley, a new literary magazine.

This event is made possible by generous funding from Soapstone.

See https://www.facebook.com/events/465673300271855/

Yellow Mama - New Issue

The October issue of Yellow Mama has gone live.

Angie's Desk - Anthology Calls

Angie has posted her October anthology calls list.  Thanks, Angie!!

Mysterion - Anthology Call

Submissions opened today for "Mysterion" a speculative fiction anthology rediscovering the mysteries of the Christian faith.  They're looking for stories up to 10,000 words that combine a speculative element that engages with Christianity.  They have a page that describes the themes they're looking for here.  The deadline is December 25 and payment is 6cents a word for original stories and 3cents a word for reprints.  You can find the guidelines here.

World Weaver Press - Anthology Call

Submissions opened today for World Weaver Press's anthology "Specter Spectacular III:  13 Uncanny Tales".  While they're looking for "ghostly" tales they want and uncanny element added.  Their description - "the essence of uncanny is an unsettled feeling, a sense that something isn't quite right".  Stories should be under 10,000 words.  The deadline is January 15, 2016 and payment is $10.  You can find the details here, just scroll down the page.

Rock and Roll Pulp/Noir Anthology - Call for Submissions

Author Sean Taylor has posted an anthology call for a "Rock and Roll Pulp/Noir Anthology".  He's looking for stories inspired by rock and roll classics and "set in a historic noir or pulp mood and time between the 1920's and 1960's".  Stories should be in the 6000 word range.  The deadline is March 31, 2016 and payment will be in royalties.  You can find the details here.

Buttontapper Press - Call for Crime Novellas

Buttontapper Press has posted a submission call for their new mystery line called "Damned Dames".  They're looking for novellas of 15,000 to 30,000 words featuring female PI's and protagonists.  They can be either professional or amateur sleuths.  The stories can be noir, cozy, or caper.  The line will launch in March of 2016.  Payment is a royalty split.  You can find the details here.

Cup of Tea Books - Open for Novel Submissions

Cup of Tea Publishing is an imprint of PageSpring Publishing.  They are currently open for submissions of novel length women's fiction, in particular cozy mysteries.  There is no mention of how much authors are paid so that is something you'll have to query.  You can check them out here.

Strange New Worlds Contest - A Caution

I just ran across the "Strange New Worlds Contest" being sponsored by Star Trek Books and Archway Publishing (the self-publishing arm of Simon and Schuster).  On the surface it looks like a pretty cool contest for Star Trek fans and Simon and Schuster will publish an anthology with ten of the stories.  But there are two catches.  First, only two authors win prizes and the prize is a "Book Seller Package" to self publish a novel through Archway.  The second catch is this clause in the official rules "All entries become the sole and exclusive property of the Sponsor and entries will not be returned".  Yep, you're giving up all rights to your story by entering the contest and they can do anything they want with your work.  Plus Simon and Schuster collects all the profits from the anthology.  Watch your backs out there, my friends.

Bouchercon Awards

For those of you who couldn't attend Bouchercon this year Mystery Fanfare has listed the winners for the Shamus Awards, the Barry Awards, and the Macavity Awards.  Check it out here.  And a big congrats to all the winners!!

Halloween Story Cupboard

Well, this story certainly gives a whole new meaning to domestic disturbance.  Of course, if you actually wanted to get away with something like this Halloween might be the perfect setting for your story :)

And yes, I've been coming up empty on new markets this week.

Getting More From Short Fiction Reviews by Greg Hullender

Back a few weeks ago I linked to Neil Clarke's essay "The Sad Truth About Short Fiction Reviews".  Today (via SF Signal) I found an essay by Greg Hullender who offers some ideas on "Getting More From Short Fiction Reviews".  He has some pretty good ideas about how short story reviews should be done.

The Compass Story Cupboard

I've mentioned before that my mind doesn't always travel in a straight line.  Just the other day a story title popped into my head - "Just South of True North" - and a couple of paragraphs followed that I wrote down to let percolate for a while.

That title made me think about other titles with compass directions in them, like the movie "West by Northwest", then my mind went sideways and I thought "East of the Lemon Bars".  Great title for a children's story, or perhaps there's a women walking along a buffet table and someone approaches her when she's just east of a scrumptious looking plate of lemon bars.  Not a title but it could make a pretty decent opening line with a little bit of work.  Then I wondered what if someone was traveling just east of the Lemon Bar.  What kind of person runs the Lemon Bar?  What kind of place is it?  Maybe a strip joint with a dead girl in the parking lot?  Or maybe a bakery that just had a body delivered with the flour order?

By just adding a few compass points to a sentence or a title can give you a whole new perspective on a story, or open up a new cupboard full of story ideas.  You know, like south of the river, north of the I-80, even east of the hog wallow could work.  Just open your mind to the possibilities and start tapping away at your keyboard or jotting down notes.

Dirge - Open for Submissions

Dirge Magazine is currently open for submissions for their first print magazine.  They're looking for dark fiction with an occult theme.  Stories should be 2000 to 4000 words.  The deadline is October 31 and payment is 6cents a word.  You can find the details at their Submittable page.

Pulp Modern - Update

Pulp Modern editor Alec Cizak has announced that the submission period will not open until December 1 instead of the announced October 1 opening.  There will be no theme and he will publishing only crime fiction in the future instead of being open to other genres.  You can read the announcement here.

Dark House Books - Anthology Call

Dark House Books has opened submissions for an anthology called "Black Coffee".  They're looking for noir tales of mystery and crime.  Stories should be 2500 to 6000 words.  The deadline is December 31 and payment is a royalty split.  You can find the details here.

On a side note they seem to have solved their virus problem.

Flash Bang Mysteries - New Issue

The first issue of Flash Bang Mysteries has gone live.  Check it out here.

Mystery and Horror LLC - Open for Submissions

Mystery & Horror LLC opens submissions today for novels, novellas, and short story collections.  They also have an anthology call for "Strangely Funny III".  For the novels, etc., they're looking for mysteries of 65,000 to 90,000 words, payment is a royalty split.  The anthology is looking for funny paranormal stories of 2000 to 6000 words, payment is a $5 advance plus a royalty split.  The deadline for both is October 31.  You can find the guidelines here.

Pulp Modern - Open for Submissions

Pulp Modern opened for submissions today for Issue #10 with the theme "The South".  They're looking for stories of 2000 to 5000 words "where hillbillies DON'T sleep with relatives or eat the innocent city slickers".  They accept stories in the genres of crime, horror, science fiction, and western.  You can find the guidelines here and the announced theme here.  The deadline is December 1 and payment is 1/4cent a word.