Journalstone Publishing - Open for Horror Novel Submissions

Journalstone Publishing is open for novel and fiction collections in the genre of horror.  Minimum word length for both is 50,000 words.  Payment is a royalty split.  You can find the details here.

Unnerving Magazine - Open for Submissions

Submissions opened today at Unnerving Magazine for their "Inspired by Stephen King" issue.  They're looking for stories of 800 to 4000 words that are inspired by a Stephen King story.  Acceptable genres are horror, crime, science fiction, and suspense.  The deadline is August 31, 2018.  Payment is 1cent a word.  You can find the details on their Submittable page.  Be sure to check out their guidelines page for formatting instructions.

A Little Respect Please

Today at the Writers Guild blog I read a post by Rebecca Graf called "Writing a Short Story:  Tips to Help You".  And yes, there were a few helpful tips for beginners but what really made me grind my teeth was this "Personally, I don't read many short stories...".  Her use of short stories is for a launching pad to write novels.

Now I love short stories and I've been reading them all my life starting with Grimm's Fairy Tales.  The best piece of advice I could give to any writer of short stories is to respect the form.  Yes, they're hard to write because you have to focus on one story, not a dozen side plots.  But when you focus on that one story it can turn into a thing of beauty.

You want to learn how to write a short story?  Read short stories.  Start with "Soft Monkey" by Harlan Ellison.  He teaches you how to break the rules and use an unreliable narrator.  "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor teaches you how to take the mundane pieces of life and turn them upside down.  "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl gives you the perfect murder mystery and shows you how to get away with murder.  "Cain" by Andrew Vachss turns the basic revenge plot on its ear.  And "The Payoff" by Stanley Ellin, well, it just leaves you shaking in your shoes at his audacity.

There are so many authors like O' Henry and Richard Matheson who cover the whole spectrum of genres.  Read them.  Learn from them.

Do you want something more current?  Pick up a copy of the novella "You Were Never Really Here" by Jonathan Ames.  When I finished this story I was so pissed at the ending, but as I thought about it I realized that it was the perfect ending.  Ames gives you Joe's story and by the time you finish reading you know exactly what he is going to do next, you didn't have to be told.  That short and you know the character inside and out.  Amazing.

If you're going to write short stories do it for the right reason, because they are a beautiful art form.  Don't use them to launch a career.  Love them for what they are.  And above all, give them the respect they deserve.

North to Alaska by Thomas Pluck

Over at SleuthSayers Thomas Pluck has a very beautiful piece on why writers should keep writing through the disasters that surround us.

Writers Thread - Anthology Call

Writers Thread has posted an anthology call for "Moonlit Dreams/Moonlit Nightmare".  They're looking for stories of 1500 to 10,000 words "that explore the nature of the psyche and the world around us" using the title theme.  The deadline is November 25, 2018 and payment is 1cent a word.  You can find the details here.

How to Evaluate Small Publishers

Jane Friedman has an interesting post about "How to Evaluate Small Publishers".

33 Paying Markets

Over at the Publishing...and Other Forms of Insanity blog Erica Verrillo has posted her July list of paying markets.  Thanks, Erica!!

Left Hand Publishers - Anthology Call

Left Hand Publishers has posted an anthology call for "Mindscapes & Mysteries Unimagined".  I've read the guidelines twice and I'm still not sure if this is one anthology or two.  For Mindscapes Unimagined they want stories of 4000 to 9000 words that focus on supernatural, horror, urban fantasy, and speculative fiction.  For Mysteries Unimagined  they want stories of 4000 to 11,000 words that spotlight mysteries thriller, and crime drama.  All stories must have a twist ending.  The deadline is July 31, 2018 and payment is $25.  You can find the details here.

Release the Virgins - Anthology Call

Editor Michael A. Ventrella has posted an anthology call for "Release the Virgins".  He's looking for stories up to 5000 words that use the phrase "release the virgins" in the story.  You have to submit a proposal first to make sure your idea isn't already being used.  The deadline is September 1, 2018 and payment is 5cents a word.  You can find the details here.

Saddlebag Dispatches - Open for Submissions

This is a non-paying print market and I'm listing it only because it's a Western Market and they're few and far between.  They are open for submissions of short stories, poetry, and non-fiction articles about the West.  The deadline is August 1, 2018.  You can find the details here.

Blood Bath Lit Zine - New Market

Edinburgh based "Blood Bath Lit Zine" is a new market looking for short stories of 100 to 2500 words in the genres of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and genre bending.  The theme for their first issue is "Bodies".  The deadline is August 1, 2018 and payment is 10lbs. per 1000 words.  You can  find the details here.  One note here, while it doesn't say it's open only to Scottish authors they do say they are "dedicated to exposing Scottish fiction's weird underbelly".

Buckshot Magazine - Open for Submissions

Buckshot Magazine is currently open for submissions of stories up to 2000 words in any genre.  There's no deadline listed.  The payment is $20 US and $25CAD.  This is a Canadian based magazine.  They have stories on site so you can get a feel for what they're looking for.  You can find the details here.

Shimmer - Closing

Shimmer magazine is closing up shop with one final issue.

Always the Fine Print

I really hate finding this clause in submission guidelines:

"C. The AUTHOR acknowledges that by submitting her/his work, she/he is donating their work to IWA PUBLISHING SERVICES/45 Magazine. The AUTHOR retains full rights to the submitted work and is giving IWA PUBLISHING SERVICES/45 Magazine permission to publish the submitted material via print, electronic publication, stage plays, screenplays, anthologies, and movie productions and will not receive any financial compensation or literary credit if their anonymously submitted work is chosen to be published via print, e-publication, or for stage plays, screenplays, and/or in movie productions.However,the AUTHOR will receive literary credit only for their creative work (poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, screenplays, and stageplays) submitted if they include their name. All personal (true) stories will remain anonymous."

As the author you are basically giving away all the rights to your story without being paid a cent.  Watch your backs out there, folks.  Oh yes, the name of this magazine is 45 Magazine Women's Literary Journal.

Author Gigs and Deadlines - Market Resource

If you have some short stories looking for a home try Author Gigs and Deadlines.  They have a listing of short story markets currently open for submissions and in various genres.  They seen to be paying markets as well.  Check them out here.  There are also lists for novels, check the tabs at the top of the page.

Fireside Magazine - Early Notice - Novel and Novella Call

Fireside Magazine has posted an early notice call for novel and novella submissions for the month of August.  All genres are welcome.  Word count is 20,000 to 120,000.  You can find the details here.  Payment is a royalty split.  I'll post this again when they open for submissions

Yellow Mama - New Issue

The June issue of Yellow Mama is now available to read online.

Unlocking the Magic - Anthology Call

I found this call at ralan.com  The title is "Unlocking the Magic:  A Fantasy Anthology".  They're looking for fantasy (and all the subgenres) stories of 3000 to 6000 words that show "the reality of being mentally ill within a fantasy setting".  Also they want noblebright not grimdark.  The deadline is November 1, 2018 and payment is $300 plus royalties.  You can find the details here.  It's their KickStarter page and they're fully funded.

Gypsum Sound Tales - Open for Submissions

Australian based Gypsum Sound Tales has opened submissions for their second issue of Colp.  They're looking for stories using the theme of "Sky's the Limit".  Stories need to be set in earth's atmosphere and not in outer space.  The genres are science fiction, fantasy, and horror.  The deadline is August 21, 2018.  Payment is AU $5 for stories under 2000 words and AU $10 for stories over 2000 words.  You can find the details here.

SleuthSayers - Editor Interviews

For the last three days SleuthSayers has been posting interviews with the editors of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.  The ladies are Linda Landrigan, Janet Hutchings, and Jackie Sherbow.  You'll find all three interviews here.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores - Open for Submissions

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores opened for submissions today.  They're looking for short stories of 1000 words and up in the genres of science fiction and fantasy.  Payment is 6cents a word for original stories and 2cents a word for reprints.  The deadline is June 28, 2018, they have a short reading period.  You can find the details here.

Editor Interview - Chantelle Aimee Osman - New Wave Crime

I guess it's editors day here on the blog :)  Over at the Unlawful Acts blog David Nemeth has an excellent interview with Chantelle Aimee Osman.  Ms. Osman is the editor of the new crime imprint New Wave Crime for Down & Out Books.

Anthology Editor Mary Helen Norris Talks

Over at the 18th Wall you'll find the post "If Walls Could Talk:  The Number One Reason Writers Get Rejected" by editor Mary Helen Norris.  Ms. Norris is one of  the editors of Overdue an anthology that is open for submissions until September 15, 2018.  It's always good when an editor takes the time to give you additional information.

The Cook by C.L. Clark

Love can take on different forms but it's always beautiful and fulfilling as told in "The Cook" by C. L. Clark in Uncanny Magazine.

Twelfth Planet Press - Early Warning Novella Call

Twelfth Planet Press has posted a call for Festive-themed Novellas.  They're looking for novellas of 17,000 to 40,000 words set during the festive season (Christmas, New Year, etc.).  They're open to all genres for this one including crime.  Submissions will open on August 1 and close August 31, 2018 which gives you plenty of time to write.  Payment is $300 against a royalty split.  You can find the details here.  I will post this again when they open.

Mickey Finn: 21st Century Noir - Early Warning Anthology Call

From Michael Bracken comes word that he will be editing another anthology.  This one is called "Mickey Finn: 21st Century Noir".  He's looking for hard-boiled and noir crime fiction stories of 3000 to 8000 words with the sweet spot being 5000 words.  Submissions will open on September 1 and close November 30, 2018 so you have plenty of lead time to get started.  Payment is a royalty split and the publisher is Down & Out Books.  You can find the details here.  I'll post this again when submissions open.

Always the Fine Print

WiDo Publishing is open for submissions.  I checked them out because they publish mystery fiction.  They also have a new imprint called E.L. Marker.  If your manuscript isn't suited for WiDo they transfer it to the E.L. Marker imprint.  Good deal?  The new imprint will publish your book for the low price of $3977.  Yep, at the bottom of the E. L. Marker imprint page they mention this.  NOT in the submission guidelines.  Watch your backs out there, folks.

Angie's Desk - Anthology Calls

Angie has posted her June list of paying anthology markets.  Thanks, Angie!!

The 2018 Macavity Award Nominees

Mystery Fanfare has the list of the 2018 Macavity Award Nominees.  Lots of familiar names!  Congratulations to all the nominees!!

Test Patterns: Creature Features - Anthology Call

I found this anthology call posted over at Horror Tree.  "Test Patterns:  Creature Features" is looking for stories of 2500 to 7000 words with monsters.  The stories should be in the style of Twilight Zone and the Outer Limits.  The deadline is July 1, 2018 and payment is $100.  You can find the details on their Facebook page.

Third Flatiron - Anthology Call

Third Flatiron Anthologies opened for submissions today.  The theme for this one is "Terra! Tara! Terror!".  They're looking for stories of 1500 to 3000 words in the genres of science fiction, fantasy, and light horror (pg-13).  The deadline is July 15, 2018 and payment is 6cents a word.  You can find the details here.  Be sure to click on the theme link so you can get an idea of what they're looking for with the theme.

Zizzle - New Children's Market

Zizzle is a literary magazine, both online and print, for children.  They're looking for stories of 500 to 1200 words for children ages 9 to 14.  This call is for their first issue.  Payment is $100 for stories published both online and in print.  You can find the details here.

Just a Coincidence?

Have you ever run across something that set your bullshit meter into high gear?  Today I found a publishing company called Wild Blue Press that was established by an online marketing specialist and an award winning writer.  Yep, I'd heard this before by a publisher I listed back in April, Severn River Publishing which was started by an online marketing specialist and a USA Today best selling writer.  Just a coincidence?  I tried to check out Severn River but I couldn't access the website.  Mozilla said my connection was not secure.

Now, the names aren't the same but it seemed a little coincidental that two companies started a few months apart are both established by authors and marketing specialists.  As I said, warning bells went off in my head and I thought I'd post my concerns.  The companies could be totally legit and I'm just seeing things through jaded eyes.  But please be careful out there when you're seeking a home for your work.

BLF Press - Anthology Call - Black Women Writers Only

This is short notice as the deadline is June 30, 2018 but many of you have stories looking for markets. :)  This call is from BLF Press and they want speculative fiction stories of 2000 to 5000 words from black women writers.  The anthology is called "Black FRom the Future:  A Collection of Black Speculative Writing".  Payment is $50.  The guidelines are on their Submittable page.

Vermont Magazine - No Fee Contest - Vermont Residents Only

If you are a Vermont resident and like writing contests you might give this one a try.  Green Mountain Power and Vermont Magazine are sponsoring a contest about Vermont.  They are looking for essays, short stories, plays, and poems up to 1500 words that use Vermont as their theme.  There is one prize of $1500 plus publication in Vermont Magazine.  You can find the details here.  There is no fee to enter.

River Ave Books - Horror Erotica Anthology Call

River Ave Books has posted an anthology call for "Dark Rainbow".  They're looking for LGBT horror erotica stories 2500 to 8000 words in length.  The deadline is July 6, 2018 and  payment is a royalty split.  You can find the details here.

Jersey Pines Ink - Anthology Call

Jersey Pines Ink has posted an anthology call for "Crypt-Gnats".  They're looking for horror stories up to 3000 words using cemeteries or other forms of deceased placements as the theme.  The deadline is July 30, 2018 and payment is $5.  You can find the details here.

The 8 Keys to a Good Heist Story by Peter Derk

Over at LitReactor Peter Derk has an excellent essay about "The 8 Keys to a Good Heist Story".

Clash Media - Anthology Call

Clash Media has posted an anthology call for "Gimme the Loot:  Stories Inspired by The Notorious B.I.G.".  They're looking for stories of 2500 to 6000 words inspired by the songs of The Notorious B.I.G.  The deadline is October 1, 2018 and payment is $50.  You can find the details here.

Blood Bound Books - Anthology Call

Blood Bound Books has posted an anthology call for "Crash Code".  They're looking for stories of 1500 to 7000 words that portray "the pinnacle of our technology meeting the depths of our depravity".  And there are examples, many of them relating to the crime genre.  The deadline is October 1, 2018 and payment is 3cents a word.  You can find the details here.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page to the third call.

Top Rules for Mystery Writing by Ginny Wiehardt

Top Rules for Mystery Writing by Ginny Wiehardt gives some very good advice for those of you setting out to write a mystery story.

16 Themed Calls for June

I love when people put together market lists :)  Over at Authors Publish is a list of 16 themed calls for June.  Most paying.

The Third Jump of Frankie Buffalo by Thomas Pluck

Over at Tough there's a beautiful story called "The Third Jump of Frankie Buffalo" by Thomas Pluck.  You know a story is good when you find yourself crying at the end.  If you  haven't read it yet, go. Now!

Molotov Editions - Open for Crime Novel Submissions

Molotov Editions is a small press that only publishes a few books a year but they are open for novel submissions.  They are interested in crime fiction submissions.  To submit send a cover letter and 10 pages of your manuscript.  There are no pay specifics.  You can find the details here, just scroll down the page.

Cemetery Dance Magazine - Open for Submissions

Cemetery Dance Magazine is open for submissions!  They are looking for short stories up to 5000 words by writers who have never sold a story to their magazine before.  The genres are horror, dark mystery, and suspense.  The deadline is July 5, 2018 and payment is 5cents a word with a max of $250.  You can find the details here on their Submittable page.  This is the first time in about two years that they've opened submissions so get on it and send in your best story.

Corpus Press - Anthology Call

Corpus Press has posted a call for non-themed horror anthologies for 2019.  They're looking for horror stories of 2500 to 4500 words.  The deadline is September 15, 2018 and payment is 3cents a word with a $150 cap.  You can find the details here.

Jolly Horror Press - Anthology Call

Jolly Horror Press has posted an anthology call for "Don't Cry to Mama".  They're looking for humorous horror stories of 2500 to 6000 words that include a reference to Mama and the things she warned you about.  The deadline is August 1, 2-18 and payment is $25.  You can find the details here.

Occult Detective - New Issue

The Spring issue of Occult Detective is now available for purchase.  Check it out here.  Also note that they will open for submissions on August 1st if you want some lead time.

The Carter Brown Mystery Writer Awards Contest - Early Notice

The Carter Brown Foundation along with Brio Books and Stark House Books have announced The Carter Brown Mystery Writer Awards Contest will open for submissions on August 1.  They are looking for novella length crime/mystery stories of 20,000 to 30,000 words.  The deadline is October 31, 2018 and the winner will receive a publishing contract.  You can find the details here.  I will post this again on August 1 when they open for submissions.

HellBound Books - Anthology Call - For Texas Writers

This is a short notice call as the deadline is June 15, 2018.  HellBound Books has posted an anthology call for "Roadkill:  Texas Horror by Texas Writers Vol 3".  They're looking for horror stories of 1500 to 10.000 words set in Texas and written by Texas writers.  Payment is $15 to $100 depending on length.  You can find the details here, just scroll down the page.  They have other anthologies listed, some paying, some not.

The Geeky Press - Anthology Call - Non-fiction and Fiction

The Geeky Press has an anthology call for "Bad Jobs & Bullshit: Summer Jobs".  They're looking for essays up to 5000 words and short stories of 1000 to 5000 words about those awful summer jobs.  The deadline is June 30, 2018 and payment is a royalty split.  You can find the details here on their Submittable page.

Creating Tension in Your Fiction by Richard Thomas

Over at LitReactor Richard Thomas has a great essay on "Creating Tension in Your Fiction".

Milhaven Tales - Open for Submissions

Milhaven Press is open for submissions for their magazine "Milhaven Tales".  Each quarter has a different them and for Autumn it's "tales of terror" in the genres of horror and dark fantasy.  Stories should be 2000 to 8000 words.  The deadline is August 1, 2018 and payment is a royalty split.  You can find the details here.

Kelly Carter - Editor Interview

Joan Leotta has an interview with Kelly Carter the editor of Mystery Weekly on her blog today.

Mystery Weekly - New Issue

The June print issue of Mystery Weekly is now available for purchase.  Check it out here.

The Arcanist - Open for Submissions

The Arcanist is an online zine looking for fantasy and science fiction (this includes all the sub-genres including horror) flash fiction up to 1000 words.  There is no deadline and payment is $50.  They use Google Form for their submissions, there's a link in their guidelines.  You can find the details here. 

Twice-Told - Anthology Call

Editor C.M. Muller has posted an anthology call for "Twice-Told:  A Collection of Doubles".  She's looking for stories of 2000 to 7000 words using the theme "Doppelganger".  There's no mention of genre preference but her other anthologies lean toward dark stories.  The deadline is June 22, 2018 and payment is $22.  You can find the details here.

Texas Bound - Call for Submissions

The Dallas Museum of Art is looking for short stories of 2000 to 6000 words for their Texas Bound Series.  Stories selected will be read aloud by Texas based actors in front of a live audience.  "The stories can be on any theme written by an author who has lived in Texas OR short fiction with a Texas setting, character, or theme."  The deadline is June 15, 2018 but they will be accepting stories all summer.  Payment is $150 and two tickets to the reading of your story.  You can find the guidelines here, it comes up as a pdf file.

Thanks to Gail Farrelly for the link!

Parvus Press - Open for Novella Submissions

Parvus Press is open for novellas (17,500 words) and novels (60,000 words) in the genres of science fiction and fantasy.  They pay an advance up to $1000 plus royalties.  The deadline is July 15, 2018.  You can find the details here.

The Gallery of Curiosities - Open for Submissions

The Gallery of Curiosities opened for submissions today.  They're looking for speculative fiction stories up to 7500 words.  Under their title it says "It's like Steampunk had a baby with Tales from the Crypt" so that will give you a very fair idea of what they're looking for.  The deadline is June 30, 2018.  You can find the details here.  They're also open for art work submissions.

My apologies I put down the wrong pay scale.  They pay 3cents a word for original work and 1cent a word for reprints.  And yes, I deleted my mistake :)  

Owl Hollow Press - Anthology Call

Owl Hollow Press opened submissions today for their anthology "Under the Full Moon's Light".  They're looking for stories under 7500 words that use the "spells the moon has placed on humanity since the dawn of time".  And yes, they have more detail of what they're looking for in the guidelines.  The deadline is June 30, 2018 and payment is $50.  You can find the details here.

Colors in Darkness - Anthology Call

Colors in Darkness has posted a call for their next anthology "Deadly Bargain".  They're looking for horror/dark fantasy stories of 3000 to 7500 words that feature items purchased from a shady dealer.  They have a description of the dealer that you must use but you can name him/her.  The deadline is July 15, 2018 and payment is $20.  You can find the details here.