Lamplight Magazine - Open for Submissions

Lamplight Magazine is open for submissions to their Winter issue.  They are looking for literary dark fiction.  Flash should be under 1000 words and pays $50 and shorts should be 2000 to 7000 words and pays $150.  They are also open to reprints.  The deadline for this issue is October 15 and submissions are through Submittable.  You can find the details here.

Just For Fun

I love good flash fiction and the New Yorker has posted "Eight Science Fiction Stories" for your reading  pleasure.

SQ Magazine - No Fee Contest

SQ Mag has posted their Story Quest Contest guidelines for 2015 with the theme of "Unlikely Partnerships".  You have the choice of creating partnerships between charters or world within the story or of smashing together genres.  The deadline is October 31 and submissions are through Submittable.  Five or six stories will be shortlisted and each will receive $15 and publication in SQ.  The top three stories will receive $100 for first prize, $50 for second place, and $25 third place.  You can check out the details here. 

A Flash Challenge From Brian Lindenmuth

Over at the Do Some Damage blog Brian Lindenmuth posted a flash challenge for a Book Title Story.  He wants you to write a story in 1000 words or less using as many book titles as possible while still writing a story that actually makes sense.  Post the story to your blog and drop a link on his post so he knows where to read your story.  There will be prizes.  You can check out the details here.

UPDATE:  Brian extended the deadline to September 28, so those of you thinking of joining in, there's still time.

From Michael Bracken

Over the weekend the lovely Michael Bracken emailed me a link to a new mystery magazine called Sleuth Magazine that is looking for people to spread the word and maybe purchase the first issue ($2.99 on their site).  They're based in Canada and will open for submissions if their first issue does well.  You can check them out here.  You'll also find an interview with the editors here.

Michael also sent me a link to a new blog by Aeryn Rudel called Rejectomancy where Mr Rudel talks about the dreaded rejections that every writer faces.  He's posted some very interesting essays and interviews on his site.

Hard Case Crime - Open for Novel Queries

Hard Case Crime is open to novel queries.  Novels should be 50,000 to 60,000 words.  They don't require chapters just your query/pitch.  You can find the contact information here.  This information came through the SMFS group with a link to this article.

Laska Media Group - Charity Anthology Call

The Canadian based Laska Media Group has posted an anthology call for "Where the Stars Rise".  They're looking for speculative fiction stories under 7000 words that celebrate Asian diversity.  This is for a YA/Adult audience.  The reading period opens December 1 and runs through May 31, 2016.  Payment is 6cents a word advance.  A $500 donation plus proceeds from the anthology will go to the Canadian charity Kids Help Phone.  You can find the details here.