Owl Hollow Press - Anthology Call

Owl Hollow Press has posted an anthology call for "Dark Magic: Witches, Hackers, and Robots".  They're looking for stories up to 8500 words that follow that theme and explore "the dark side of human abilities".  The deadline is August 31, 2016 and payment is $50.  You can find the details here.

Occult Detective Quarterly - New Market

From the lovely Michael Bracken comes a new market called "Occult Detective Quarterly".  They're looking for short stories of 3000 to 5000 words about "people who investigate the strange and unusual".  Payment here is $25.  They are also looking for non-fiction essays and reviews and are looking to build a stable of reviewers for the magazine.  Payment is 1cent a word for pieces of 3000 to 5000 words.  You can find the details here.

A Bit of Crime Fiction News

Sorry for the long absent between postings but I've been away from my computer and the Internet.  Hopefully it won't take too long to get caught up.  First up is some bits of crime news.

Pulp Modern has closed down to submissions.  I'm assuming this might be a permanent thing as they were already closed and not set to open until August 1.  If things change I'll let you know.

All Due Respect has reopened their online blog for non-fiction crime pieces.  There's no pay for these, but they're hoping to stir up a few discussions about the crime genre.

Flash Bang Mysteries has posted their Summer Issue and they are open for submissions until July 31.  This is a paying market for flash crime fiction.

And it is with a sad heart that I announce the final issue of ThugLit titled "Last Writes" is now available in both Kindle and Print editions.

Dense Weed Publications - Anthology Call

Dense Weed Publications is a new market looking for submissions for a horror anthology.  They want horror stories up to 10,000 words.  There is no theme.  The deadline is January 30, 2017 and payment is a royalty share.  You can find the details here.

UPDATE:  January 31, 2017  This site is no longer available so I'm guessing the anthology is a no go.

Yellow Mama - New Issue

The June issue of Yellow Mama has gone live.  Check it out here.

18th Wall Productions - Anthology Call

The 18th Wall Productions has posted an anthology call for "Speakeasies and Spiritualists".  They're looking for stories of 1000 to 6000 words set in the 1920's "spook culture".  All genres are welcome.  The deadline is September 2, 2016 and payment is a 5% royalty split of the gross for stories over 1500 words and 4% for stories under 1500.  You can find the details here.

Lightspeed - Open for Submissions

Lightspeed magazine opened a short reading period yesterday, June 16, which will end on June 30, 2016.  They're looking for sci-fi/fantasy stories of 1500 to 10,000 word (under 5000 preferred).  Payment is 8cents a word.  You can find the details here.

Angie's Desk - Anthology Calls

Angie has posted her June listing of anthology calls.  Thanks, Angie!

Firth Books - Anthology Call

Firth Books has posted an anthology call for "Restless".  They're looking for stories of 7000 to 12,000 words "that fit the theme restless and incorporate some element of ghosts, ghouls, unquiet spirits, or paranormal phenomena".  The deadline is August 31, 2016 and payment is $25 plus royalties.  You can find the details here.

The Norwegian American - Open for Short Story Submissions

The Norwegian American is an online newspaper that publishes short stories up to 1500 words "in any genre that has to do with Norway, or crime/mystery stories even if they have nothing to do with Norway".  The payment here is $50.  You can find the details here, just scroll down to the bottom of the page for the fiction submission guidelines.

Dark Park Publishing - Call for Novella and Novel Submissions

Dark Park Publishing is a fairly new market seeking novels and novellas in all areas of dark fiction.  They're looking for Horror, Dark Sci-fi, Fantasy, Western, or Dark Comedy.  Novellas should be 25,000+ words and novels 50,000+ words.  Payment is $150 advance plus royalties.  You can find the details here.

Black Heart Magazine - Charity Anthology Call

Black Heart Magazine has posted a submission call for an anti-gun anthology.  They are looking for poems and short stories up to 2500 words.  The anthology will benefit the Gun Control Lobby.  The deadline is July 31 and submissions are through Submittable.  You can find the details here.

Abstract Jam - Open for Submissions

Abstract Jam is a quarterly magazine based in the UK.  They are currently open for their September issue until July 31.  They're looking for dark, gritty stories of 1500 to 8000 words in all genres.  Payment is 5pounds sterling.  You can find the details here.

Digital Fiction Publishing - Open for Reprint Submissions

Canadian based Digital Fiction Publishing is currently open for reprints of speculative fiction in the genres of sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and some crime stories.  Stories of 3500 to 7500 words must have been previously published in either a pro or semi-pro market.  Payment is a royalty split.  You can find the details on their Submittable page.

Dark Passages Publishing - Open for Crime Novellas

Dark Passages Publishing is currently reading for their 2017 catalogue.  They're looking for crime novellas of 15,000 to 35,000 words.  Payment is a royalty split.  You can find the details here.

The Writer's Guide to Weapons

It's always fun to find helpful sites on the Internet.  This morning I ran across Benjamin Sobiek's blog "The Writer's Guide to Weapons" which contains all sorts of interesting articles about weapons and how to use them properly in your crime stories.

Award Nominees

And the 2016 Macavity Award nominees have been announced and what a thrill to see so many familiar names on the list.  Congrats to all the nominees!!

Also over at the Rap Sheet are the 2016 Shamus Award nominees.  A big congrats to all the nominees

Triangle Sisters in Crime - Anthology Call

The Triangle Chapter of Sisters in Crime has posted an anthology call.  In order to submit you must be a current member of SinC (any chapter) and a resident of North or South Carolina.  The theme is addiction, compulsion, and obsession.  Basically they're looking for crime stories of 1500 to 5000 words where addiction and obsession play a role.  The deadline is August 31, 2016 and payment is $25.  You can find the details here.

Deadman's Tome - Call for Submissions

Deadman's Tome is an online horror zine that is open for submissions.  They're looking for flash fiction and short stories up to 7000 words.  There is payment but it is based on how many views, likes, and comments your story receives  (10cents per each).  You can check out the details here.

Dead Ink Publishing - Anthology Call

London based Dead Ink Publishing has posted an anthology call for "New Horrors".  They're looking for stories of 5000 to 30,000 words with the theme of 21st Century Horrors.  The deadline is July 1, 2016 and payment is a royalty split.  You can find the details here.

Turn to Ash - Call for Submissions

Print Horror magazine Turn to Ash is looking for short stories up to 3000 words for their second issue titled "Open Lines".  The theme this time revolves around talk radio personality Chuck Leek and they're looking for stories written in the first person by "callers".  Keep in mind that this is a paranormal talk show and your caller is telling his experience.  The deadline is August 8 and payment is 1cent a word.  You can find the details here.

The Questionable Witness Story Cupboard

Now here's a great twist for your next murder mystery.  People believe that a parrot witnessed the murder and is telling them who did it.  Parrot protection, anyone?

Ravynheart Publishing - Open for Novel Submissions

Ravynheart Publishing is an e-publisher which pays a 50/50 royalty split.  Currently they publish Romance and Fantasy/Sci-fi novels but they're looking to expand into the Mystery genre.  They're looking for novels of 40,000 to 70,000 words but they will also look at short stories and novellas.  They want cozies, romantic suspense, heist crimes, and suspense with paranormal elements.  You can check them out here.

Persistent Visions - New Market

Persistent Visions is a new magazine looking for science fiction and fantasy stories up to 7500 words, but no flash fiction as it will be a hard sell.  Payment is 7cents a word.  They have an onsite submission form, you'll find the link at the end of the guidelines.  You can find the details here.

Why Rejection Feels So Personal

And with the posting of new markets there will be some rejections so here's a great essay about rejection that will help get you over the bumps in the submitting process.  Many thanks to Michael Bracken for the link!!

Pen and Kink Publishing - Open for Submissions

Pen and Kink Publishing has opened submissions for their "Legendary" anthology.  They're looking for stories of 3000 to 15,000 words using the theme of Urban Legends Romance.  While they prefer original stories, reprints will be considered.  The deadline is July 31 and payment is $10.  You can find the details here.  And you'll find an inside look at what editor Laura Harvey is looking for in the way of submissions here.

Liminal Stories - Open for Submissions

Liminal Stories has opened submissions for the month of June.  They're looking for stories up to 10,000 words in any genre but they have a soft spot for weird fiction and soft sci-fi.  The deadline is June 30 and payment is 6cents a word.  You can find the details here.

Nightmare Magazine - Open for Submissions

A short submission period opens today for Nightmare Magazine.  They're looking for horror and dark fantasy stories of 1500 to 7500 words.  The deadline is June 15 and payment is 6cents a word.  You can find the details here.