On Spec - Open for Submissions

Canadian based On Spec magazine is open for submissions.  They're looking for spec-fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, horror) stories up to 6000 words.  Stories under 1000 words are paid a flat rate of $50 and stories of 1000 to 6000 words are paid $125 to $200 depending on length.  Submissions are through Submittable and the deadline is January 31, 2017  You can find the details here.

The Fantasist eZine - Open for Novella Submissions

The Fantasist ezine has opened submissions for their third issue.  They're seeking three (3) fantasy novellas of 15,000 to 40,000 words.  I couldn't find a deadline listed.  Payment here is $100.  You can find the details here.

Queer Pack - Anthology Call

Queer Pack Publishing has posted an anthology call for "Queerly Loving".  They're looking for stories of 5000 to 6000 words "that celebrate queer love in all its forms".  Stories can be any genre as long as there is at least one queer character.  The deadline is March 31,  2017 and payment is $40.  They're also accepting reprints.  You can find the details here.

Flash Bang Mysteries - New Issue - Open for Submissions

The Winter 2017 issue of Flash Bang Mysteries has gone live.  You can read it free here.  They are also open for submissions of crime flash fiction of 500 to 750 words until January 31, 2017.  Pay has been raised from $10 to $15.  You can find the guidelines here.

Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas (or any other holiday that's celebrated at this time of year).  I hope your day is filled with good food, good friends, and loads of family to make your day bright.

Six Questions For - Gamut Editor Richard Thomas

Over at the Six Questions For... blog Jim Harrington interviews the editor of Gamut Magazine, Richard Thomas.  Check it out here.

Pulp Modern - Second Time Around?

Editor Alec Cizak is thinking about bring back his Pulp Modern magazine in a new format and he's looking for some feedback.  See what he's thinking about doing here.

Enchanted Conversations: A Fairytale Magazine - 2017 Themes Listed

"Enchanted Conversation:  A Fairytale Magazine" has posted their themes for 2017.  Submission periods are every other month starting in January (the 1st to the 30th) with the theme "Steadfast Tin Soldiers".  They want stories of 700 to 3000 words and the payment is $30.  You can find all the details here.

Good News for Short Crime Fiction

Very cool news for short crime fiction - Shotgun Honey has announced a new partnership with Down and Out Books to publish short fiction collections, novellas, and short length novels.  Check out the news here.

Unnearving Magazine - Open for Submissions

Unnerving Magazine has opened submissions for horror, dark sci-fi and fantasy, dark crime, and dark literary stories of 400 to 4000 words.  Submissions are through Submittable and payment is 1cent a word.  There is no deadline listed.  You can find the details here.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores - Opens for Submissions Tomorrow

Submissions open tomorrow, December 21, for the next issue of "Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores".  Their submission period is only one week so they close on December 28.  They're looking for sci-fi and fantasy stories of 1000 words and up.  Payment is 6cents a word for original work and 2cents a word for reprints.  They have an online submission form link at the bottom of their guidelines page.  You can find the details here.

Flash Fiction Online - Open for Submissions

Flash Fiction Online has opened for submissions.  They're looking for flash stories of 500 to 1000 words in a variety of genres.  There's no deadline listed and submissions are through Submittable.  Payment is $60 for original work and 2cents a word for reprints.  You can find the details here.

Upper Rubber Boots Books - Anthology Call

This is short notice as the deadline is December 30, 2016.  Upper Rubber Boots Books has posted an anthology call for "Women Up to No Good".  Authors must identify as female.  They are looking for dark speculative fiction up to 5000 words with a female protagonist.  Payment is 6cents a word.  You can find the details here.

Liminal Magazine - Open for Submissions

Liminal Magazine is open for submissions to their next issue until January 15, 2017.  They're looking for stories up to 10,000 words in any genre but they have a soft spot for weird fiction, magic realism, and soft sci-fi.  They're also open to crossed genre work.  Payment is 6cents a word.  You can find the details here.

Yellow Mama - New Issue

The December issue of Yellow Mama has hit the virtual streets.  Read it for free here.

Angie's Desk - Anthology Calls

Angie has posted up her paying anthology calls for December list.  Thanks, Angie!!

Wizards in Space - Open for Submissions

Wizards in Space Magazine is open for submissions to issue #2.  They're seeking stories about wizards in any genre up to 5000 words.  Reprints are acceptable.  There's no deadline listed.  Payment is $30 and submissions are through Submittable.  You can find the details here.

Betty Fedora - Open for Submissions

Betty Fedora opened submissions for issue #4 today.  They're looking for crime stories of 1000 to 6000 words that feature kick-ass women.  The deadline is March 31, 2017 and payment is one copy of the print magazine.  You can find the details on their Submittable page.

The Graffiti Story Cupboard

Where I live you don't see much in the way of graffiti.  Oh, there's the usual spray painted road signs which turn 30mph into 80mph but we've learned to ignore such things.  After all, if you're going around a twisty curve you know you're not going to make it going 80 and if a deer jumps out in front of you?  Well, it's not pretty.

As for the graffiti I saw which prompted this post, it was written on the red plastic side of a cart holder (not sure what they call those things where you put your grocery cart when you're finished with it so cart holder will have to do :).  I noticed it because I'd never seen writing on this particular holder at the grocery store where I shop.  And second, it was a very cryptic message.  Neatly printed in black magic marker was "Beware the Rinker Biker Bitch".  If you're like me, all sorts of stories began to dance around in my head.

Who had written it and why?  Who was the Rinker Biker Bitch and what did she do to this person?  Where I live the closest thing to a biker chick that I've seen is a retired woman and her husband out for a ride on their very expensive Harley.  Definitely not this Rinker person.  So where did she come from?  How does she hide her secret identity from people who know the Biker Bitch?  Is she an undercover cop or just a wild woman out for a bit of bitchy fun?

So, what kind of interesting graffiti has popped into your life and did it inspire a story?  

Western State Colorado University - Call for Western Submissions

I just ran across this one so there's not much time to their deadline of December 31, 2017.  Western State Colorado University is seeking submissions for "Manifest West #6:  Women of the West".  They're looking for poems, short stories of 1500 to 7500 words (also flash fiction), creative non-fiction essays, and cover artwork.  Work can be literary or genre as long as it follows the theme of women of the West.  There is no pay listing.  You can find the details on their Submittable page.

Swimming With Elephants - Call for Submissions

For those of you looking to promote your writing you might want to check out "Swimming with Elephants" new call for submissions.  Starting in 2017 they're looking to feature writers and a small of collection of their works on their website.  You can submit poetry, short stories, memoir, essays, or a combination.  They're open to all genres and you can choose your month to coincide with a publication or blog tour.  Submissions open December 15 and run through January 30, 2017 for postings from January to June.  You can find the details here.

Parsec Ink - Anthology Call

Parsec Ink has opened submissions for their anthology "Appetites".  They're looking for stories up to 6000 words (sweet spot is 3000) that deal with appetites and not just for food.  The genres are sci-fi, fantasy, and horror.  The deadline is February 28, 2017 and payment is 2cents a word.  You can find the details here.

Baobab Press - Anthology Call

Baobab Press has posted an anthology call for "This Side of the Divide".  They're looking for short stories of 3000 to 5000 words exploring the Western United States.  The stories can range from the old West to the new West.  The deadline is March 31, 2017 and payment is $100.  You can find the details here, just scroll down the page.

Mofo Press - Erotica Anthology Calls

Mofo Press has posted three anthology calls looking for literary erotica.  The themes are "Wanderlust", "Hotel", and "Sacrilege".  Word counts are 1000 to 5000 words.  The deadlines are all in 2017 and payment is 1cent a word.  I'm linking to their submission page where you'll find links to each of the anthologies.  Submissions are through Submittable but each anthology has it's own page.

Smoking Pen Press - Anthology Call

Smoking Pen Press has announced a new submission call for their Read on the Run anthology Series.  This time they're looking for short stories of 1500 to 7000 words about pets.  All genres are welcome so long as there is a pet in the story.  The deadline is February 1, 2017 and payment is $25.  You can find the details here. 

Mysterical-E - New Issue

The Fall issue of Mysterical-E has hit the virtual streets.  You can read it for free here.

Level Best Books - Anthology Call

Level Best Books has opened submissions for a new anthology titled "Noir at the Salad Bar, Culinary Tales with a Bite".  They're looking for crime stories up to 5000 words that feature food, drinks, restaurants, bars or the culinary arts in any way.  The deadline is April 30, 2017.  This is a paying market.  You can find the details here.

Advent Ghosts 2016

Loren Eaton has posted the guidelines for his Advent Ghosts 2016 event.  Everyone is welcome to participate, all you have to do is write a 100 word eerie tale (scary) in any genre then post it to your blog on December 17 for everyone to read.  If you don't have a blog, Loren will be happy to post your piece on his blog.  You can find the details here.  This is always a fun project and there are so many great drabbles to read.

Flame Tree Publishing - Call for Novel Submissions

UK based Flame Tree Publishing has announced a new novel imprint called Flame Tree Press.  Submissions will open on December 5 for novel submissions of 60,000 to 120,000 words in the genres of Sci-fi, Fantasy, Horror, and Crime Fiction.  The deadline is January 15, 2017.  They don't list pay specifics.  You can find the details here.

Thanks to both Albert Tucher and Katherine Tomlinson for passing along the link!!

Gas Station Pulp - Call for Novel Submissions

North American Review has opened submissions today for their Gas Station Pulp imprint.  They're seeking crime/noir novels (60,000 to 75,000 words) that lean toward the literary.  Right now they're only looking for queries of the first fifty pages  The deadline is January.  You can find the details on their Submittable page.

42 Paying Calls for Submissions

Over at Publishing...and Other Forms of Insanity Erica Verrillo has posted up her December calls for submissions.  This month there are 42 paying calls.  Thanks, Erica!!