nEvermore, a New Kind of Anthology. Edgar Allan Poe Time!

One other post today. This time it's all about an Indigogo campaign for an Edgar Allan Poe-themed anthology called nEvermore that celebrates both mystery and horror: the two things Poe did so well. Please click the raven below and take a look. It's edited by the esteemed Nancy Kilpatrick and Caro Soles, and it will be published by well-respected Canadian publisher, EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing. I am working with them to get the word out about the campaign, so I would (and we all would) be deeply grateful if you contributed and helped us spread the word.

And hey! Writers! It will also mean calls for submission for you writers, so there may be something in it for you down the road! So yes. Click the Raven. You won't be sorry.

9 Slush Pile Mistakes: A Guest Post by 2 Slush Readers

Welcome to Adam Shaftoe (slush reader for Daily Science Fiction) and Patrick Icasas (slush reader for Flash Fiction Online). I've known Adam for a few years now thanks to the Toronto-area convention scene and I very much admire his reviewing skills. Read his blog, people! 

I met Patrick only recently via my LAB•B work, and it turned out we had lots of interests in common, and I even helped him get a very well-known comic book writer on his new blog, How to Suck Less. Woo!

In any case, Patrick and Adam work hard at what they do, and they have some wisdom to share with you short fiction writers. Read and learn, my friends. Read and learn. --Beverly

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Short fiction can be an unfair game. Though talent, hard work, and dedication can get a person pretty far as a writer, the truth is that sometimes a story will take longer than it should to sell. The simple explanation is that now, more than ever, writing is about the numbers. More people are writing today - which is great - compared to when the pulps turned the submission process into a de facto routine. Alas, the number of semi-pro and pro-paying markets hasn't grown in proportion to the influx of submissions.

We each handle dozens of submissions a month. Even if we restrict ourselves to flash pieces of a maximum of 1000 words each, that's sizable chunk of a full length novel every two weeks. There's a reason it's called a slush pile. That's a lot of stories to read through--even for a team of editors--and we have to be efficient in sorting the middling from the amazing. That means looking for reasons to reject the middling sort as quickly as we can.

Disclaimer:

Nothing we are going to say in this piece guarantees a sale. We're out to level the playing field, and explain some of the reasons why a story might get read and rejected within thirty seconds. You, gentle reader, can avoid every pitfall that we list and still lament an objectively good piece of fiction being rejected over and over. In those cases, all we can tell you is to keep at it. If you're a good writer then you have the capacity for greatness, and greatness is what sells.

#1 - Follow the damn guidelines

Guidelines are simultaneously an idiot test and a test of quality akin to the “no brown M&M” rule. When a submission fails to follow seemingly arbitrary rules like 12 pt, Century Gothic with 1” margins, using Canadian/British spelling wherever possible, it tells a submissions editor that there are almost certainly other issues in the writing, thus there's no point in offering any benefit of the doubt when the first paragraph contains a glaring typo or a shift in voice.

#2 - Copy and paste: you're doing it wrong

Many publishers are using back-end software that, in theory, makes lives easier for submissions editors and writers alike i.e. fill out the boxes, copy and paste your story, wait for the good or bad news. All too often people copy and paste from their word processing program of choice (Microsoft Word is notorious for this) without using something like Notepad to strip away character codes and embedded formatting.

Weird formatting puts submissions editors in a sour mood. Could you imagine reading

five thousand words of text that

<span> were formatted like <span> this?

#3 -  Longer probably isn't better

If H.P. Lovecraft, a notoriously lugubrious author, showed up in the slush pile today, I would reject him out of hand. It doesn't matter who you are, how much you've written. If you're SWFA, or if you're John Scalzi, himself, if you're going to make us read 5,000 words, then it best be a 5,000 word story. World building out of the gate, excessive internal history, descriptions of food, clothing, horses, the colour of the sky are almost always filler. Filler gets rejected.

#4 - Don't imagine we haven't seen it before

Submissions editors read a lot of fiction. We're voracious readers, and almost always writers, ourselves. Remixing some existing ideas into a new story is well and good, but if an editor can read the DNA of your story in the first 10% of the story then we're probably going to write it off as derivative and move on to something else.  This also includes using stereotypical greek names for starships, planets, and the like. Stretch into some other religious/mythological pantheons.

#5 - Stop starting at the start

In medias res is a writer's best friend; starting a story with a person waking up and pondering on the meaning of a dream is not.Neither is starting at the creation of the world or the birth of a child.

#6  - Don't be entitled

You may think you're God's Gift to the Craft, but after reading your story (or even your cover letter) we can most definitely say that you're not. Having a closed and confrontational attitude will keep you from growing as a writer, and make it hard for editors to want to give you a second chance.

#7 - Know the story you're writing

I've read quite a few stories that start out strong in one genre (like an introspective sci-fi narrative), only to turn sharply midway through into something totally different, like horror or humor. Most of the time, this is a symptom of a badly done “twist” ending. Speaking of twist endings...

#8 - Forcing a twist

Twist endings are best used sparingly. In fact, many so-called “clever” twists are highly overdone (e.g. IT WAS ALL A DREAM) and ruin the story. (There's a reason M. Night Shyamalan is a one-trick pony) A twist should make sense within the context of the story, so that it's surprising yet inevitable.

#9 - Submitting the same story over and over

What do you do when your story is rejected? Do you shrug and immediately fire it off to the next editor? Or do you take a step back and see what's wrong with it? Many publications offer personalized rejections to stories that show promise, but aren't quite there yet. A good writer listens and, in the process, improves. A bad writer dismisses it out of hand and stagnates. Which one are you?

We're not out to hurt anybody's feelings. We work to find and publish the best stories that people will enjoy reading. If your writing doesn't happen to make it through this time, then learn from the experience and try again.

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Patrick Icasas is a slush reader for Flash Fiction Online, a pro-paying market for flash fiction of any genre. Patrick supports his slush reading and creative writing habit by blogging for companies on a freelance basis. He's also been known to blog for himself from time to time about How to Suck Less.

Adam Shaftoe-Durrant is a critic, writer, and podcaster. He also reads slush for Daily Science Fiction. He holds a Master of Arts degree in History from the University of Western Ontario, and worked as a Teaching Assistant at Brock University for seven years. His essays and reviews have previously appeared in On-Spec Magazine, Jamais Vu - The Journal of the Strange Among the Familiar, and on Guysnation.com. He lives in St. Catharines, Ontario with his fiancée Rebecca and their cats. During the day he works as an labour market researcher for a local NGO. Adam blogs and podcasts about all things genre at PageOfReviews.com.

Calls for Submission #7

This week Selene MacLeod once again brings us the occasional column Calls for Submission (CfS). You can see all of the CfS columns here. Don't forget to joint Selene's Facebook groups 

Call for Submissions: Poetry, Fiction, Art and Open Call: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Pulp, as well as similar active groups Open Call: Horror Markets, Open Call: For the Love of Horror, and Open Call: Crime, Thriller and Mystery Markets.

Finally, you should sign up to receive my news and columns by email; make sure you don't miss useful stuff in the social media shuffle!

Thanks for reading. - Beverly

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I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. It's hard to believe that school starts in just a few weeks. As the weather cools down, hopefully you've got some writing projects on the go. Here's a list of markets accepting submissions for what we call “early autumn.”

Pro-paying Markets accepting submissions:

Eldritch Press. Looking for (post-apocalyptic) Steampunk Horror up to 20,000 words. Pays $0.08 per word. Read guidelines carefully, as they're looking for world-building as well as great stories. No cyberpunk or sci-fi, please. No deadline listed. http://www.eldritchpress.com/steampunk-horror.html

Fantastic Stories of the Imagination. No deadlines, no word counts listed. Partial to magical realism and hard sci-fi. Pays $0.15 per word (yes, I had to read that twice). Also pays $25 for reprints. http://www.fantasticstoriesoftheimagination.com/submission-guidelines/

Cohesion Press. Blurring the Lines. Looking for horror stories that “blur the lines” between fact and fiction. Max 5000 words, deadline October 31. Pays AUS $0.08 per word. http://cohesionpress.com/about-2/submissions/anthologies/

This Patchwork Flesh. Looking for QUILTBAG horror stories, stories about the “underrepresented,” nightmares. Pays $0.05 per word, deadline August 31. Open to Canadian authors. http://michaelmatheson.wordpress.com/this-patchwork-flesh/

Pithy Pages for Erudite Readers. No deadline listed. Accepts flash up to 1000 words, short fiction up to 5000 words, and poetry. All genres. Pays $0.05 per word. http://pithypages.net/

GrimDark Magazine. Looking for grim, dark stories with a medieval fantasy or sci-fi setting. Pays $0.06 per word, must be under 4k. This is a magazine, so no deadline listed. http://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/submission-guidelines-for-grimdark-magazine/

An Alphabet of Embers. Looking for flash fiction 500-1400 words. Pays $0.06 per word. Not looking for straight “genre” fiction but interested in lyrical, magical realism, fantasy/fairy tale. Deadline September 30. http://roselemberg.net/?p=911

CONTEST: Minotaur Books First Crime Novel Competition. Open to any writer aged 18 or older who has not had a novel published. Best first crime novel (minimum 40,000 words). Pays $10,000 against publishing royalties. Deadline December 15, 2014. Note: There appears to be a second novel competition, deadline October 15, for a “Malice Domestic” themed crime novel. http://us.macmillan.com/minotaurbooks/writing-competitions

Semi-pro Markets accepting submissions:

Ticonderoga Publications Bloodlines anthology. Looking for “dark urban fantasy” about creatures who need blood to live (NOT traditional vampire stories). http://ticonderogapublications.com/index.php/our-books/185-bloodlines

Wolf WillowPress. Looking for literary flash (to 1000 words), short stories 1500-7k, but OK with “other genres,” so magical realism or light spec-fic would also work. Deadline for fall edition (“Crossroads” theme) is August 31. Winter 2015 (“Star-Crossed Lovers”) deadline November 30. http://www.wolfwillowjournal.com/submission-guidelines.html

Tacitus Publishing. It's a Grimm Life. Looking for dark, modern re-tellings of Grimm tales. Pays $0.01 per word. Deadline August 31. http://www.tacituspublishing.com/anthologies.html

Savage Beasts anthology. Looking for horror stories inspired by music (no lyrics due to copyright restrictions, please!). 3k-10k. Pays $0.02 per word. Deadline September 5. http://greymatterpress.com/open-call-for-submissions-to-savage-beasts/

Golden Fleece Press. Wee Tales Volume 1. Looking for dark, weird fiction 600-2k words, aimed at children (age 7-12). Pays $50. No deadline listed, but looking for an October release, so probably early September. Also looking for artwork, puzzles, and poetry. http://goldenfleecepress.com/journals/wee-tales/

Welcome to the Future Anthology. Pays $100 for stories 2k-8k, $25 for flash 250-500 words. Deadline September 15. http://www.christinaescamilla.com/open-submissions-welcome-to-the-future-antholog/

Emby Press. The Ghost Papers. Looking for scary ghost stories up to 8k and dark poetry. Pays $25 and an e-copy, deadline September 1. http://embypress.com/book/the-ghost-papers/

Sawney Hatton Mega Thump Anthology 2. Looking for “sex” themed sci-fi/horror stories (think Videodrome), 1000-15k words. Pays $20 and a copy. Deadline August 31. http://sawneyhatton.com/mega-thump-anthology-2/

Reel Dark: Twisted Fantasies Projected on the Flickering Page. Looking for stories of movie horror in the “real world.” Pays $25 and a contributor copy for non-members. Pro rates for full members of the HWA/SFWA. Max 3500 words, deadline November 1. http://landrewcooper.com/call-for-submissions-reel-dark/

Shooter Literary Magazine. Looking for literary fiction on the theme of “Pulling the Trigger.” (can be literal or metaphor), 2k-8k. Pays 30 (pounds UK) for fiction, $10 (pounds) for poetry. Deadline October 15. http://shooterlitmag.com/submissions/

Prose-N-Cons Mystery Magazine. Looking for mystery/crime stories. No deadlines listed. Pay rates depend on length. 100 words=$10. Flash to 1k = $30, short stories 2k-3k - $50. Also accepts poetry, non-fiction, and artwork. http://www.prose-n-cons.com/ProsenConsWritersGuidelines_June2014.pdf

Magical. Looking for "adult fairy tales" (no erotica), 500-3000 words. Deadline September 1. Best story receives $150 and two runners-up will receive $25. Others receive a contributor copy. http://www.kellyannjacobson.com/magical#sthash.fJhCjCxz.8v2Vr7ZA.dpbs

Token, Royalty, and Non-Paying Markets

GHOSTS Anthology. Looking for ghost stories 2k-5k words, deadline September 28. Pays $10 via PayPal. http://davidmichaeltyson.com/2014/08/05/ghosts-anthology-submission-guidelines/

The Riding Light Review. Looking for Halloween/Horror stories 1000-3000 words and poetry for their October issue. No deadline listed, but Duotrope lists September 1. Pays a copy (one e-copy, one print).http://www.ridinglightreview.com/special-issue-guidelines.html

Fossil Lake. Looking for dark, transgressive, surreal horror stories. Deadline September 30. Pays a token $5 for poetry/flash and $10 for short stories. http://fossillake.wordpress.com/guidelines/

Garden Gnome Publications Biblical Legends series. Looking for speculative flash (to 1500 words, pays $3) and short stories (1500-10k, pays $7). Upcoming themes: Deluge (Flood stories) deadline August 23, 2014 http://gardengnomepubs.com/submissions/biblical-legends-anthology-series/deluge/ and Land of Nod (where Cain went after he was banished), deadline November 23.

http://gardengnomepubs.com/submissions/biblical-legends-anthology-series/land-nod/

Beyond the Nightlight. Looking for “child centric” horror stories (think Stephen King's IT and Neil Gaiman's Coraline). 500-13k words, pays $15 and a contributor's copy. Deadline October 13. http://www.amurderofstorytellers.com/submissions/

Shine Your Darkness. Quarterly e-zine (non-paying), with a noir/pulp theme. First issue's theme will be “First Kills.” http://shineyourdarkness.com/2014/07/10/callforsubmissions1/

Pulp Modern. Looking for crime, dark fiction, and horror stories up to 5000 words. Next theme is “drugs,” deadline October 1. Non-paying market. http://www.pulp-modern.blogspot.ca/

Give: An Anthology of Anatomical Entries Looking for horror stories about organ donors, 500-2500 words. Deadline September 30, pays $10 and a copy. http://www.whenthedead.com/submissions/give-anthology-anatomical-entries/

Stay Cool: A Tribute to Elmore Leonard. Looking for stories 1000-10k words. Deadline September 30. Shared Royalties. http://perpetualpublishing.com/2013/10/07/call-for-submissions-stay-cool-a-tribute-to-elmore-leonard/

Calls for Submission #6 Plus Sources

This week Selene MacLeod once again brings us the occasional column Calls for Submission (CfS). You can see all of the CfS columns here. Don't forget to joint Selene's Facebook groups 

Call for Submissions: Poetry, Fiction, Art and Open Call: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Pulp, as well as similar active groups Open Call: Horror Markets, Open Call: For the Love of Horror, and Open Call: Crime, Thriller and Mystery Markets.

Finally, you should sign up to receive my news and columns by email; make sure you don't miss useful stuff in the social media shuffle!

Now here's Selene with various calls, some with deadlines today and tomorrow! I bolded deadlines in the next week to make it easier to skim for them! - Beverly

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This month, I'm going to let you in on my secrets. Many of these posts can be found in one or more of the groups on Facebook, but in case you were wondering where I found them, here you go. The thing to remember is, most of the work is done for you if you look here and in the groups. If you're looking at the source pages, there is a lot more stuff to scroll through. You will also find a lot more dead links, sneaky vanity publishers, and high fees.

Duotrope.com –Always the most comprehensive source for open markets, Duotrope has come under fire for charging user fees. The fee is reasonable, though, for $50 a year (up front) or $5 a month (pay as you go).

The Submission Grinder – Very similar to Duotrope, The Grinder is a searchable database. In some ways, there are more markets to choose from here, but it's not as up to date as Duotrope. http://thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com/

Ralan.com – This is a page with market listings, linked by rate of pay, with a focus on speculative fiction.

Horror Tree – A blog devoted to horror markets. http://horrortree.com/

NewPages.com – Lists classifieds, contests, and more. Updated weekly.

CRWOPPS – A Yahoo group, updated almost every day. There's a lot to sort through here, as many markets are non-paying and most of the others charge fees. CRWOPPS also lists academic job postings in the U.S. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/CRWROPPS-B/conversations/messages?o=1

Writingcareer.com – This one's only updated about once a month, but it's the most useful as only paying markets are listed.

Creative Genius – Lists both Creative Writing fellowships and a huge list of Poetry contests with no entry fees. Most of the fellowship deadlines have passed for 2014, but if you're a graduate student, it's a good thing to keep in mind in the future.  http://creativegenius.hubpages.com/hub/Fellowships-Writers-Poets

Winningwriters.com – More poetry contests. Free to subscribe, but it does require a login.

Storiesspace.com – A forum with a large list of markets especially contests. Some have fees, some don't.

Canauthors-ottawa.org –Canadian site with writing contests.

Aerogramme Writers Studio – Huge list of markets. Requires some surfing. Some of the deadlines have passed, but again, it's a worthy resource for future contests and markets.  http://www.aerogrammestudio.com/2014/04/24/opportunities-for-writers-may-june-2014/#more-7661

Freelancewriting.com –Lots of publications (both fiction and non-fiction) by category. http://www.freelancewriting.com/guidelines/pages/index.php

E-zines: poetrykit.org/ezines.htm –A huge list of e-zines that accept poetry, but I haven't checked all the links (there are tons here!)

Writersrelief.com –has a list of classifieds

Poets & Writers –has ton of listings if you click on the tabs : Jobs, Classifieds, Small press, etc. http://www.pw.org/toolsforwriters

Litreactor.com –Excellent article by Richard Thomas. LitReactor is a great site for writing courses and discussion.  http://litreactor.com/columns/storyville-where-to-send-your-stories

Erika Dreifus is a regular contributor to the Open Call: Poetry/Fiction/Art group. She posts a weekly blog called Monday Markets. http://www.erikadreifus.com/newsletter/current/

So, as you can see, if you're willing to put in the research, there are lots of publishing opportunities for writers looking to build a portfolio. However the benefit to joining the Facebook groups is that some of the leg work is done for you! Or, you know, you could just keep reading.

Current open calls for submissions

Pro Markets

Apex Magazine is still open for submissions through May 31, then they'll be going on hiatus until September. Pays $0.05 per word. http://www.apex-magazine.com/submission-guidelines/

Shock Totem is also open until May 31. Pays $0.05 per word. http://www.shocktotem.com/guidelines/

Recommended Reading. Looking for “top quality literary stories” 2k-10k words. Pays $300 per story. There is no restriction on genre, so magical realism and maybe soft sci-fi might work. Deadline June 1. https://electricliterature.submittable.com/submit

Book Smugglers. Looking for Subversive Fairy Tale re-tellings (Middle Grade and YA). Deadline July 31, to publish 3x per year. Pays $0.05 per word  http://thebooksmugglers.com/2014/05/announcing-book-smugglers-publishing-we-want-your-short-stories.html

DailyNightmare.com – Pays $10 for 100 word stories based on a nightmare. Deadline July 1.

Exile Canadian Noir. Deadline July 1. 2k-10k, pays $0.05 per word. http://claudepages.info/new-canadian-noir/

The Sun Magazine. Very tough market. http://thesunmagazine.org/about/submission_guidelines/writing

The Journal of Unlikely Entomology. Looking for “bug” stories. Deadline August 1.  http://www.unlikely-story.com/submission-guidelines-2/

Semi-Pro Markets

Sekhmet Press. Wrapped in Black: 13 Tales of Witches and the Occult. Pays $0.01 per word, 2500-5000 words. Deadline June 8. http://sekhmetpress.wordpress.com/submissions/wrapped-in-black/

  

Dead Harvest. Looking for dark fiction with an “autumn/harvest” theme. Deadline May 31. Pays $25 and a contributor's copy. http://horrortree.com/taking-submissions-dead-harvest/

Fictionvale Issue Five. Deadline June 15. Looking for Mystery and Fantasy mash-ups. Pays $0.02 per word, max 5000 words. http://coffintreehill.wordpress.com/2014/04/20/taking-submissions-fictionvale-magazine-episode-five/

Postscripts to Darkness. Looking for short fiction 1500-4500 words. “Weird fiction” covers it (read guidelines carefully). Deadline May 31. Pays $0.01 per word. http://pstdarkness.com/submissions-2/

Belladonna Publishing. Strange Little Girls Anthology. Deadline June 15, pays $120 2k-10k words. http://belladonnapublishing.com/submissions/strange-little-girls/

Bizarro Pulp Press Surreal Worlds anthology. Looking for bizarro stories. Pays up to $50 and a paperback copy. Max 10,000 words. Deadline June 1. http://bizarropulppress.com/blog/2014/1/5/new-anthology-on-the-horizon

It's a Grimm Life. Looking for re-imagined fairy tales. Pays $0.01 per word. Deadline August 31. http://www.tacituspublishing.com/anthologies.html

Black Denim Literary. Looking for literary sci-fi, max 7500 words, pays $0.01 per word. http://www.bdlit.com/guidelines.html

Triptych Tales. Pays $100 a story. No deadline listed. 2-6k. http://triptychtales.net/submissions.html

Spellbound Literary Productions. Looking for Middle Grade (age 8-12) stories about magical cats. Pays 2.5 cents per word up to 2500 words. Deadline June 30. http://belladonnapublishing.com/submissions/strange-little-girls/

Eye to the Telescope. Looking for Sci-fi poetry. Pays $0.03 per word. Deadline June 15. http://eyetothetelescope.com/submit.html

Pernicious Invaders. Looking for stories about germs and bugs, 3k-8k. Deadline July 31. Pays $25 and a contributor's copy. http://www.greatoldonespublishing.com/open-for-submissions-now-until-july-31st-pernicious-invaders/

LampLight Volume 3. Looking for flash and short stories 1k-7k. Pays $50 for flash, $150 for short stories. Horror, noir, dark fantasy. Deadline July 15. http://lamplightmagazine.com/submissions/

Emby Press. Reconstructing the Monster. 2000-8000 words. Looking for takes on classic horror movie monsters. Deadline July 15. Pays $25 and an e-copy. http://embypress.com/book/reconstructing-the-monster/

Daylight Dims. Deadline June 30. Pays $0.01 per word, max 10,000 words. Looking for “unique, strange, and compelling horror fiction.” http://horrortree.com/taking-submissions-daylight-dims/

Greenwoman Publishing. Fifty Shades of Green. Looking for gardening-themed erotica stories up to 6000 words. Pays $100 ($50 for reprints). Deadline June 15. http://www.gardenshorts.com/fifty-shades-of-green.html

FriGG. Publishes twice a year, accepts submissions year round. Pays $50 via PayPal. Looking for fiction and poetry. http://www.friggmagazine.com/editors/editors43.htm

Elektrik Milk Bath. Motorcycle anthology still open, also looking for Day of the Dead stories. Deadline June 15. Pays $30, 1k-5k. http://elektrikmilkbathpress.com/submissions

Token and Non-Paying Markets

Beach Walk Press. Sex, Love, and Aliens (sci-fi oriented Romance), 15k-20k words. Deadline June 1, pays token $50 advance. http://beachwalkpress.com/2014/03/call-for-submissions-science-fiction-anthology/

Indie Authors Press. Looking for cyberpunk stories, 2k-10k, token payment $10. Open until filled. Also looking for sci-fi novels. http://www.salgado-reyes.com/submissions/

Dead Guns Press. Looking for hardboiled crime, noir, thriller, horror, and apocalyptic fiction. E-zine is non-paying. Anthologies pay a contributor's copy, and they have a royalty-paying “Showcase Special” for novellas. http://jthompson612.wix.com/dead-guns-press#!our_story/c18bc

The Literary Hatchet. Looking for dark, literary short fiction and poetry, 500-3000 words. Deadline July 1, pays $15. http://lizzieandrewborden.com/HatchetOnline/LiteraryHatchet/submissions.htm

Dialogual. Publishes stories (max 350 words) of dialogue only. No deadlines, publishes 2-4 times per month on Thursdays. http://dialogual.wix.com/dialogual#!sub/cqh1

Dark House Books. Anthology of Cozy Noir. 500-7500 words, deadline June 30. Pays royalties. http://jeannelyetgassman.blogspot.ca/2014/05/call-for-cozy-noir-fiction-dark-house.html

Forgotten Places: Best of the Horror Society. Note: You must be a member of the Horror Society to submit. 3k-7500 words, deadline June 13. Pays a contributor's copy. http://best-of-the-horror-society.com/

April Moon Books. Stomping Grounds. Looking for stories about giant monsters, 2500-6000 words. Deadline August 31. Pays a contributor's copy. There will also be an editor's award for the best story.  http://www.aprilmoonbooks.com/#!stomping-grounds-submission-guide/cq5x

Knightwatch Press. Killer Bees from Outer Space. Pays Royalties. http://davidgullen.com/?p=889

Silver Birch Press. Looking for “literary” stories and poetry inspired by The Great Gatsby. Deadline September 1, max 2000 words. Pays a contributor's copy. http://silverbirchpress.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/call-for-submissions-the-great-gatsby-anthology/

Contests 

Christopher Hewitt Literary Award. $50 prize, no entry fee. Looking for literary entries in each of four categories: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, and Drama. Deadline June 15. Must be related to HIV/AIDS. Max 1200 words. http://aumag.org/wordpress/2014/04/25/christopher-hewitt-award-2014/

Tony Hillerman Mystery Writers Competition. Deadline June 1. First novel competition (only unpublished novelists may enter). Looking for novel-length (60,000 words) fiction (crime/thriller, focused on a solution) set in the Southwestern United States. First prize is $10,000 and publication. http://www.hillermanprize.com/#!about1/c20ee

IST (Issues in Science and Technology) science fiction story contest. Submit a precis of 250 words by June 1. Stories (2500-5000 words) will be due later. Prize is $1500.  http://issues.org/issues-science-fiction-contest/

Dinopunk Death Match. Winner gets $10 and podcast. Max 1000 words, deadline June 6.

http://humanechoes.com/writing-contest-prompt-dinopunk-deathmatch/

Calls for Submission #4

Thanks, as ever, to Selene MacLeod who brings us the occasional column Calls for Submission (CfS). You can see all of the CfS columns here. Don't forget you can check out Selene's Facebook groups 

Call for Submissions: Poetry, Fiction, Art and Open Call: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Pulp, as well as similar active groups Open Call: Horror Markets, Open Call: For the Love of Horror, and Open Call: Crime, Thriller and Mystery Markets.

Finally, don't forget to sign up to receive my news and columns by email; make sure you don't miss useful stuff in the social media shuffle!

Enough of me. You're here for Selene. Enjoy! - Beverly

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I hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying Women in Horror Month. Be sure to check out some of the great blogs showcasing women's horror writing. 

• Black Women in Horror: http://sumikosaulson.com/2014/02/19/nineteen-more-black-women-in-horror-writing-list-3/
• The Eclectic Eccentric Shopaholic: http://theeclecticeccentricshopaholic.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/the-sirens-call-issue-13-women-in-horror-second-annual-edition/
• Monster Librarian: http://www.monsterlibrarian.com/TheCirculationDesk/?p=2935
• Sekhmet Press: http://sekhmetpress.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/books-babes-and-the-business-billie-sue-mosiman/
• 92 Women Horror Authors to Read: http://www.examiner.com/article/february-is-women-horror-month-92-horror-authors-you-need-to-read-right-now
• Bufton's Blog: Click on each link on the calendar for a different interview with a female horror author. http://buftonsblog.wordpress.com/2014/02/03/
• William Cook also has some interviews featuring women horror authors. http://www.williamcookwriter.com/2014/02/women-in-horror-month-3-rena-mason.html
• Horror Writers Association http://horror.org/ 

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Because February is a month of blahs punctuated by hearts and chocolate (if you like that sort of thing), and because I've got the attention span of a gnat these days (hello SAD), I'd like to focus on the art of short-short fiction: flash and its various incarnates.

Markets that Accept Flash Fiction: 

• Flash Fiction Online. 500-1,000 words, pays $50. http://flashfictiononline.com/main/submission-guidelines/
• Kazka Press 713 Flash. Monthly themed contest, 500-1,000 words. Pays $15. http://www.kazkapress.net/713flashfiction
• Shotgun Honey. Crime/noir/thriller stories, max 750 words. Non-paying market. http://shotgunhoney.net/about#guidelines
• Horror D'Oeuvres. Pays $0.05 per word. https://darkfuse.submittable.com/submit/20777
• Horror Garage. Max 1,200 words. Pays $30. http://www.horrorgarage.com/horror/submission.php
• Drabblecast. http://www.drabblecast.org/submissions/
• SpeckLit. Drabbles (exactly 100 words). Pays $0.05 per word. http://specklit.com/submissions/
• Nanoisms. Twitter fiction, max 140 characters. Pays $1.50 per story. http://nanoism.net/submit/
• Untied Shoelaces of the Mind. Publishes 4x per year, pays $0.03 per word. http://www.untiedshoelacesofthemind.com/
• Thumbnail Press, Thumbnail Mag. This is an anthology, but no payment terms are listed so I assume it's a non-paying market. https://thumbnailmag.submittable.com/submit
• Ravenous Monsters Contest. http://www.ravenousmonster.com/featured-article/ravenous-monsters-spreading-plague-flash-fiction-contest/
• Nature Futures. http://www.nature.com/nature/authors/gta/others.html#futures
• Pantheon. http://pantheonmag.com/submission-guidelines/
• Toasted Cake. Podcast market, looking for flash 700-1,200 words. Token payment $5. Open through the end of February 2014. http://toastedcake.com/submissions.html
• Crossed Genres. Flash Fiction Free-For-All. Open March 1-March 31, 2014. Pays $0.05 per word. Looking for stories 300-1,000 words. http://crossedgenres.com/submissions/magazine/
• ConfettiFall Twitter fiction contest, max 140 characters, deadline Feb. 28, 2014. Winner gets a $15 Amazon gift card. http://www.confettifall.com/contest.html 

Pro Paying Markets Open for Submissions:

• The New Quarterly. Canadian literary magazine. Pays $250 per story, $40 per poem. Postal submissions ONLY. Deadline February 28, 2014. http://tnq.ca/submissions
• Apex Magazine. Pays $0.05 per word for fiction, max 5,000 words. No deadline listed here but I think I heard April 1 somewhere! http://www.apex-magazine.com/submission-guidelines/ (Note: For a great read about the submissions process, check out Michael Matheson's blog here: http://www.apexbookcompany.com/2014/02/apex-magazine-submissions-update/)
• Penumbra. Looking for “superhero” themed stories. Pays $0.05 per word, max 3,500 words, deadline February 28, 2014. http://penumbraezine.blogspot.ca/p/submissions.html
• Tin House. Literary market, current theme is “Tribes.” Deadline April 15, 2014. Not much info listed about payment or word limits. http://www.tinhouse.com/magazine/submission-guidelines.html 

Semi-Pro: 

• Betwixt. Quarterly, next deadline February 28, 2014. Pays $0.02 per word up to $150. http://betwixtmagazine.com/submissions/
• Wicked Words Quarterly. No deadline listed. Pays $0.01 per word. Max 7,500 words (they will publish a novella/ette in the upcoming year, max 15,000 words). http://www.wickedwords.co.uk/submissions/
• Bastion. New sci-fi mag, first issue April 1, 2014. Pays $20 for the first 2,000 words then $0.01 per word after that. 1k-5k words. http://www.bastionmag.com/submissions/
• The Dreadful Cafe. Theme: “Thresholds.” Looking for dark, genre-blending fiction 1,000-7,000 words. Pays $150. Deadline February 28, 2014. http://dreadfulcafe.com/thresholds/ 

Token-Paying and Royalty Markets: 

• Allegory. Publishes tri-annually. Pays $15 for stories, prefer stories under 5,000 words. Looking for sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. http://www.allegoryezine.com/submissions.htm
• Villainous Press Steampunk Anthology. Deadline February 28, 2014. Pays $15 for stories up to 6,000 words. http://villainouspress.com/submissions/open-calls/
• Body Parts. Deadline February 28, 2014. Theme: “Alchemy.” Max 8,000 words. Pays $20. http://www.bodypartsmagazine.com/submission-guidelines-copy.html
• Boroughs of the Dead. Deadline February 28, 2014. Looking for ghost stories set in New York City (the five boroughs), max 3,500 words. http://mythinkbooks.com/submission-guidelines/boroughs-of-the-dead-vol-2/
• Dear Nana. Looking for non-fiction stories about grandmothers. Pays $30, deadline March 1, 2014. http://www.writerswhorock.com/#/submissions/4571570498

Contest:

• Spark Anthology, accepting from March 15 to April 2. No fee, but donation suggested. Good prizes. http://sparkanthology.org/contests/five/

Calls for Submission #3

Once again I bring you Selene MacLeod with Calls for Submission (CfS). You can see all of the CfS columns here. Enjoy, and Happy New Year! - Beverly

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Happy New Year! I hope you had a joyous and wonderful holiday and are feeling productive. Myself, I like to hibernate during the winter months, but this year, there is too much going on.

First, a plea. Crossed Genres Magazine, a pro market and all-around cool e-mag, needs to sell subscriptions to keep going. Check them out here: http://crossedgenres.com. They've got several upcoming submission calls, so be sure to take a look at their guidelines while you're there. 

Pro Markets seeking submissions:

Fantasy & Science-Fiction. Special guest editor CC Finlay. No special theme for the July/August 2014 issue. Deadline January 14, 2014. Pro rates. http://ccfinlay.com/blog/guest-editing-fsf.html

Women Destroy Science Fiction! Lightspeed Magazine special issue. Looking for sci-fi stories by women authors for their June, 2014 issue. Max 7,500 words. Pro rates, deadline February 14, 2014. http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/special-issues/women-destroy-sf/women-destroy-science-fiction-a-message-from-the-guest-editor/

Resurrection House. Seeking stories 1,000-7,000 words. Deadline March 13, 2014, to be published in the winter of 2015. Theme is XIII. The guidelines say they're looking for “transformative” stories of What Was and What Will Be.http://www.resurrectionhouse.com/2013/12/call-for-stories/

Eggplant Productions. Looking for fairy tales retold to feature POC, LGBT, disabled, and non- “Western” characters. Deadline April 30, 2014. Seeking stories for Spellbound, aimed at children 8-12 (max 2,500 words) and Spindles (max 5,000 words). Pays $0.05 per word, $1 per line for poetry. http://eggplantproductions.com/general-guidelines/guidelines-for-spellbound-spindles/

The Journal of Unlikely Cartography. Looking for stories with a “Cartography” theme (think maps, graphs, GPS, etc.). Max 5,000 words, pays $0.05 per word. Deadline February 1, 2014. Read guidelines carefully, as there are several calls on this page but only one is currently open. http://www.unlikely-story.com/fiction-submissions/

Two anthologies from Exile Editions (Michael Matheson): Start a Revolution: QUILTBAG Fiction Vying for Change. Reading period January 1, 2014-March 31, 2014. Looking for speculative stories 2k-10k, pays $0.05 per word. Theme is revolution and community building. This Patchwork Flesh. Seeking QUILTBAG horror (think Queer Fear Vol I and II). Prefer stories under 7,500 words. Pays $0.05 per word. Reading period open June 1-August 31, 2014 (so you have lots of time). Both anthologies will feature primarily Canadian writers. http://michaelmatheson.wordpress.com/start-a-revolution/

Semi-pro markets seeking submissions:

Third Flatiron Publishing. “Astronomical Odds” theme anthology. Looking for sci-fi/speculative stories 1,500-3,000 words. Pays $0.03 per word, deadline January 15, 2014.  http://www.thirdflatiron.com/liveSite/pages/submissions

Aercastle Narratives. Quarterly magazine. First issue (March 2014) deadline is February 1, 2014. 500-2,000 words, no restrictions on theme. Pays $0.02 per word. http://aercastle.com/submissions/

The Midnight Diner, who I listed last time around, has extended their open submissions call until the end of January. Seeking short fiction 3,000-6,000 words, pays $60. Also seeking artwork. http://www.themidnightdiner.com/submit-your-work/

New Myths. Quarterly, has specified reading periods. Next period: January 1-February 28, 2014. Looking for all types of speculative fiction (no graphic horror), max 10,000 words. Also looking for non-fiction and poetry (must deal with some aspect of sci-fi or fantasy). Pays $50 for short stories and non-fiction articles, $20 for poetry or flash fiction (under 1000 words). http://www.newmyths.com

SubTerrain. Literary market, but magical realism/slipstream would probably work. Max 3,000 words, deadline February 1, 2014. Postal submissions ONLY. Pays $50 per page. Theme is “Coincidence.” Publishes 3x/year, so there are other upcoming deadlines on the site. http://subterrain.ca/about/35/sub-terrain-writer-s-guidelines

Token and royalty-paying markets seeking submissions:

Grinning Skull Press Little Monsters: Horror for Kids, by Kids. Seeking horror stories by young writers (age 5-12). Subject matter is open but G-rated. Deadline June 30, 2014. Pays a $25 gift card. 500-3,000 words, deadline June 30, 2014. Note: Grinning Skull also has an open call for a charity anthology of Christmas-theme horror stories, and an annual unthemed horror anthology. http://www.grinningskullpress.com/Submissions-Guidelines.html

Blank Fiction. Looking for noir stories for their second issue. Deadline January 15, 2014. Pays an honourarium of $50. Also looking for sci-fi stories for their third issue, deadline not yet determined. Stories must be under 15,000 words. http://blankfictionmag.com/submissions/

Angelic Knight Press. That Hoodoo, That Voodoo That You Do. Anthology of dark ritual themed stories, edited by Lincoln Crisler. Max 5,000 words. Pays royalties, reading period January 1-June 1, 2014.  http://lincolncrisler.info/?page_id=1870

Contests:

The 2014 Jim Baen Memorial Writing Contest. Looking for sci-fi stories set in the near future (50-60 years), max 8,000 words. No entry fee, deadline is February 1, 2014. First prize is publication (pro payment), a cool award and swag. http://www.williamledbetter.com/contest.htm

The Carter V. Cooper – Exile Short Fiction Competition. Deadline March 10, 2014. Postal submissions. Entry fee $30. Sponsored by Gloria Vanderbilt in her son's memory. $10,000 in the emerging writer category and $5,000 in the senior writer category. Max 10,000 words (30 pages). No restrictions on subject matter and style. Finalists will be published in CVC Short Fiction Anthology Book Three. http://www.theexilewriters.com/poetry-and-fiction-competitions/ 

The Fifth Annual Gemini Magazine Short Story Contest. Entry fee $5 (per story). Grand prize is $1,000 Deadline March 31, 2014. No restrictions on style, content, genre, length. http://www.gemini-magazine.com/contest.html

The Eckleburg Review Franz Kafka Award in Magical Realism. Entry fee $10, max 8,000 words, deadline July 1, 2014. Prize is $1,000. http://thedoctortjeckleburgreview.com/bookstore/product/franz-kafka-award-in-magic-realism/

Calls for Submission #2

Greetings! Thanks to Beverly, and to you readers, membership on the Facebook Call For Submissions groups is growing every day.

In this week's column, I'd like to bring everyone's attention to the upcoming changes to the SFWA's membership requirements. At present, both the Horror Writers' Association (HWA) and SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) consider professional payment to be $0.05 per word. In order to become a member of the SFWA, one must have three paid sales to a Qualifying Professional Market, for a cumulative total of at least $250. As of July 1, 2014, in order to qualify as a professional market, the minimum payment will be raised to $0.06 per word. The HWA has not announced any plans to change their membership requirements. Note: Any sales made prior to June 30, 2014 at the old rates still qualify.

As with most changes, there will be positive and negative returns. The concern is, of course, that writers should always be paid, and the SFWA requirement for a Qualifying Market means that writers might be paid a little more. This is good news for writers. However, it may (somewhat) limit the number of Qualifying Markets and in effect make membership to the SFWA a little more exclusive. For more information, please visit the SFWA page.

In that spirit, here are a few markets that currently qualify for the new SFWA rates. Be aware, competition is stiff. These are very tough markets. Most have ongoing deadlines, and prepare for a long response time. And yes, sci-fi tends to pay better than fantasy or horror.

• Analog Science Fiction and Fact. Pays $0.07-0.09 per word up to 7500 words. Monthly. http://www.analogsf.com/information/submissions.shtml
  
• Asimov's Science Fiction. Pays $0.07-0.09 per word. http://www.asimovs.com/info/guidelines.shtml
  
• Clarkesworld. Sci-fi. Pays $0.10 per word up to 4000 words and $0.06 per word above that. http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/submissions/
  
• Daily Science Fiction. Pays $0.08 per word, 100-10K words. They're especially interested in shorter stories and flash fiction. http://dailysciencefiction.com/submit/story/guidelines (Note, Daily Science Fiction will be closed for submissions December 24, 2013 until January 2, 2014).
  
• Fantasy and Science Fiction. Bi-monthly. Pays $0.07-0.12 per word, max 25000 words. Especially looking for science fiction and humour. http://www.sfsite.com/fsf/glines.htm
  
• Lightspeed. Pays $0.08 up to 7500 words. Re-opening January 1, 2014. http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/about/guidelines/
  
• Strange Horizons. Pays $0.08 per word, prefer under 5000 words. http://www.strangehorizons.com/guidelines/fiction.php
  
• Cicada Magazine. Pays up to $0.25 per word. Children's/tween market. Read guidelines carefully, as they publish more than one magazine and have strict guidelines and a long response time. http://www.cicadamag.com/node/110 NOTE: This publisher has several markets. Another upcoming call is for Calliope's "The Life of the Vikings" theme (deadline December 27, 2013).
  

Now, heat up the computers and sharpen your pencils, because December is going to be a very busy month! Read guidelines carefully before you submit, and I hope some of these listings end up as a happy holiday surprise. Have a great holiday and I'll be back the first week of January with more.

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Pro Rate ($0.05 per word) Paying Markets currently accepting fiction submissions:

• The Dark. Ongoing deadlines. Dark, weird fiction max 5,000 words. http://thedarkmagazine.com/about-us/guidelines/
  
• Shimmer. Looking for "beautifully written speculative fiction with an emotional core." Hard sells: paranormal romance, sword and sorcery, hard SF, space opera. 4k range preferred but will take up to 7500 words. Also looking for artwork. No deadlines listed. http://www.shimmerzine.com/guidelines/fiction-guidelines/
  
• Jamais Vu: Journal of the Strange Among the Familiar. 2k-4k words, next deadline January 15, 2014. Quarterly. http://www.jamaisvujournal.com/submissions.php
  

Semi-pro paying markets accepting submissions:

• Lamplight. Quarterly market. Looking for "literary dark fiction," 2k-7k, pays $150 for stories ($50 for flash up to 1000 words). Next deadline: January 15, 2014. http://lamplightmagazine.com/submissions/
  
• Tesseracts 18. For Canadian writers only. Theme: Wrestling with the Gods (Faith in Sci-fi/Spec-fic). Max 5000 words, deadline December 31, 2013. Pays $50-150 for short stories and $20 for poetry. http://tesseracts18.com/tesseracts-18/
  
• Weird Tales. No deadline listed. Upcoming themed issues: Tesla (must have inventor Nikola Tesla as a character) and The Ice Issue. Pays $0.03 per word. http://weirdtalesmagazine.com/submission-guidelines/
  
• The Midnight Diner. Quarterly publication. Looking for hardboiled fiction, 3000-6000 words, with "a Christian slant." Not interested in hard sci-fi or sword and sorcery. Pays $60 for fiction, $40 for non-fiction, and $20 for poetry. Deadline December 31, 2013. http://www.themidnightdiner.com/submit-your-work/
  
• Insert Title Here. Fablecroft's unspecified spec-fic anthology. Pays $75 (AU) and a contributor's copy. http://fablecroft.com.au/about/submissions Deadline February 28, 2014
  

Token and Royalty Markets accepting submissions:

• Industrial Horror Anthology. Spectral Press. Open til Filled, and payment not set yet. Looking for stories in the 8,000-12,000 word range. http://spectralpress.wordpress.com/2013/11/19/submissions-call-industrial-horror-anthology/
  
• Rite of Passage: Road to Nicodemus. Steampunk anthology to acompany a feature movie (must be set in their world, so follow guidelines carefully). 3k-10k words, pays $25 on publication. Deadline December 31, 2014. http://chroniclesofharriet.com/2013/10/16/get-ready/
  
• The Grotesquerie: An Anthology of Women in Horror. Mocha Memoirs Press. Token payment of $10. Deadline December 31, 2013. Looking for stories 1500-6000 words. http://mochamemoirspress.com/about/submission-guidelines/
  
• Ruins Excavation Anthology. Hadly Rille Books. Looking for stories (Romance, Sci-fi, Historical, and Mainstream) with an Archaeology theme. Protagonist must be a woman of colour who is also an archaeologist, working in Ruins. 1500-6000 words, pays a token $20. Deadline January 31, 2014. http://ericreynolds.livejournal.com/100520.html
  
• The Conqueror Womb: Lusty tales of Shub-Niggurath. 1500-5000 words. Deadline December 15. Looking for bizarre Cthulhu erotica. Token payment $10 and an e-copy. http://martianmigrainepress.com/submissions
  
• Bugs and Creepy Crawlies anthology. Great Old Ones Publishing. Looking for stories about bugs/insects/spiders/etc. 3000-6000 words. Pays $25 and one contributor's copy. Deadline January 31, 2014. http://www.greatoldonespublishing.com/new-anthology-opens-november-9th-2013-and-closes-january-31st-2014-bugs-and-creepy-crawlies/
  
• Good Mourning Publishing. Looking for romance stories set in a superhero universe (at least one love interest must be a superhero or villain). Original heroes only, no fan-fiction. Pays $30 and a paperback copy. Deadline December 31, 2013. http://www.goodmourningpublishing.com/call.html
  
• Despumation. Looking for stories based on metal songs (be sure to read guidelines for "metal" definition), 3k-5k. Pays $10 and a contributor's copy. Deadline February 28, 2014. http://despumationpress.com/submissions/
  
• Enter at Your Own Risk. Firbolg Publishing. Nature/horror/apocalyptic fiction, 3k-5k. Pays $40. Deadline December 31, 2013. http://www.firbolgpublishing.com/submissions-enter-at-your-own-risk-volume-four/
  
• Angelic Knight Press Demon Rum anthology. 3-7k, shared royalties. Stories must feature alcohol (think "The Cask of Amontillado" dark fiction). Deadline December 31, 2013. http://www.angelicknightpress.com/p/upcoming-projects.html
  
• Geek Force Five. I'm including these guys here because they just accepted one of my stories (yay, shameless self-promotion!). Royalty split, 10% of shared sales among five stories from the issue in which your story appears. Looking for speculative fiction (sci-fi, horror, noir, etc., and/or crossover mainstream fiction) with appeal to "geeks." Interests include music, film, pop culture. https://geekforcefive.submittable.com/submit
  

Contests

• THE DARK CRYSTAL: Looking for an author to write a prequel novel (50,000 words +) set in the Dark Crystal world, set during the Gelfling Gathering. Major publisher contract, send in 7500-10,000 words. Deadline December 31, 2013. http://www.darkcrystal.com/authorquest/
  
• Merry Little Apex Flash Fiction Contest. Maximum 250 words (firm). Looking for dark sci-fi, horror, fantasy with a holiday theme. Limit 3 entries per person, deadline December 16, 2013. Prize is publication, payment of $0.05 per word, and a critique of a short story (max 5000 words) by Apex publisher Jason Sizemore. http://www.apexbookcompany.com/2013/11/a-merry-little-apex-christmas-flash-fiction-contest/
  
• AMOK: Short Sharp Shocks Volume 1. April Moon Books. Five editors' picks $30 each. 2k-5k words, deadline February 28, 2014. http://www.aprilmoonbooks.com/#!amok-submission-guidelines/cv7a
  
• Friends Of Merrill Speculative Short Fiction Story Contest. $5 entry fee. Speculative fiction stories, maximum 5000 words. Deadline February 15, 2014. First prize is $500 (Canadian). http://friendsmerrilcontest.com/guidelines/
  
  

Calls for Submission #1

Figuring out where to submit your short stories and novels? This is the first of a reoccurring column by Selene MacLeod, who administers Facebook groups Call for Submissions: Poetry, Fiction, Art and  Open Call: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Pulp. Sign up to receive this blog's posts by email; make sure you don't miss useful stuff in the social media shuffle!

Today's post is an introduction as well as a listing. With that, I'll leave the rest to Selene.

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Greetings to Beverly's readers! Whenever I see Beverly's name, I always think of that nursery rhyme "with bells on her fingers and bells on her toes." Kind of hard to type that way, but it's a pretty picture.

As promised, I will be giving you a taste of some of the listings that pop up on groups I administer. Aside from the groups mentioned in the intro, I'm also one of the more active members on the groups Open Call: Horror Markets, Open Call: For the Love of Horror, and Open Call: Crime, Thriller and Mystery Markets. I actually "met" Beverly over on Ravelry, so I feel I should also point out that I'm one of the admins on the Poets and Writers who Knit group there. In fact, I'd probably write a lot more if I spent as much time writing as I do researching markets! 

Why do it, if it takes so much time? Well, it started when Duotrope started charging fees. I understand why they do, and it's a very reasonable fee ($5 a month) I don't mind paying, although the debate rages on about markets that charge fees to cover reading costs, and For the Love (FTL)/unpaid markets, and a whole lot of bickering among writers. You can read my blog about FTL markets here, if you like. 

I'm hoping to avoid too much debate here. Instead, I will always try to list markets that pay at least royalties, and stick to speculative fiction (which includes horror, science fiction, fantasy, magical realism/slipstream/weird western, and so on). I will also note if they're paying professional rates ($0.05 per word or more), token-paying, royalty split, etc. If I list a FTL market, rest assured it will be because I think the market is unassailably cool. Likewise, there is the sticky matter of fee-charging markets. I only post if the fee is $5 or less, or if it's a contest where there's a giant prize at stake. Cool factor also applies.

I'm sure if you're reading Beverly's blog, you're familiar with the submissions process, but I will remind you to follow guidelines carefully for every publisher, especially document formatting (William Shunn has the best tips and resources on his page), and to read some samples from the market before you submit. 

Now, on to the good stuff. November and December are going to be GREAT months for submitting work.

Pro Markets Accepting Submissions:

• Apex Publications. War Stories: New Military Science Fiction. Max 7500 words, pays $0.05 per word. Deadline November 30, 2013. http://warstoriesanthology.com/submissions/
• Fractured: Tales of the Canadian Post-Apocalypse. Deadline November 30, 2013. Canadian writers only. http://silviamoreno-garcia.com/blog/2013/07/fractured-tales-of-the-canadian-post-apocalypse/
• Shock Totem. Pays $0.05 per word, maximum $250 (5,000 words maximum). Looking for dark fantasy, horror, suspense, etc. Deadline November 30, 2013. http://www.shocktotem.com/guidelines/
• Musa Publishing: Penumbra. Bi-monthly, themed magazine. Be sure to only submit work during open period for the theme. Pays $0.05 per word, max 3500 words. Upcoming themes: Egyptian Mythology (ends December 1, 2013), A Night at the Villa Diodati (ends January 1, 2014). http://penumbraezine.blogspot.ca/p/submissions.html
• Crossed Genres Magazine. Sci-fi/fantasy. Monthly, themed. Pays $0.05 per word, 1000-6000 words (firm). Upcoming themes: Conspiracy (November 1-30, 2013), Runaway (December 1-31, 2013). http://crossedgenres.com/submissions/magazine/
• Kaleidoscope Anthology. Looking for YA (so teen protagonists) sci-fi and fantasy stories. Must feature diverse main characters (read guidelines for a full description). $0.05 per word, 2500-10,000 words. Deadline December 31, 2013. http://kaleidoscope.twelfthplanetpress.com/?page_id=42

Token and Royalty-Paying Markets Accepting Submissions:

• Mammoth Book of SF Stories By Women. Reprint market only (must be previously published). Max 10,000 words. Pays $0.02 per word plus a contributor copy. Deadline November 30, 2013. (Note, I find it hilarious that the subject line has to be "MAMMOTH WOMEN.") http://www.alexdallymacfarlane.com/2013/10/call-for-reprint-submissions-mammoth-book-of-sf-stories-by-women/
• Imaginarium 2014: The Best Canadian Speculative Writing. Reprint market. Looking for work published in 2013. Canadian speculative fiction authors only. Deadline January 31, 2014. http://www.chizine.com/content/imaginarium-2014-open-submissions
• Scheherezade's Bequest. Updated fairy tales, themed issue. From the Sea: Something Rich and Strange. Deadline December 31, 2013. $30 for fiction, $15 for poetry. Max 4000 words. http://www.cabinetdesfees.com/2013/scheherezades-bequest-updated-guidelines/
• World Weaver Press. Krampus Anthology. Looking for dark fantasy and horror stories about Krampus (sort of the anti-Santa Claus). Max 10, 000 words. Pays $10 and a copy of the anthology. Deadline November 30, 2013. (Note: They have enough Santa as serial killer and gore stories, looking for psychological horror). The publisher also has an open call for their upcoming Fae Anthology. Pay rates, deadline, and word count are the same. Looking for dark fantasy takes on the Fae (urban fairies, goblins, pixies, etc.). http://worldweaverpress.com/submissions/calls-for-anthologies/
• Solarywyrm Press. Asia-Pacific Speculative Fiction. Looking for speculative fiction set in the real world, Asia-Pacific region. Read guidelines for specifics. 1000-8000 words. Pays half a cent a word, max $40. Deadline November 30, 2013. http://solarwyrm.com/
• Lectores Coffee. Literary market, but slipstream/magical realism would work. Looking for short fiction (no more than 500 words), creative non-fiction, and poetry. Must be short, as the entire piece has to fit on a coffee label. $1.50 submission fee (or $6 with a coffee sample). Pays $25 and a bag of coffee. http://www.lectorescoffee.com/pages/submit
• Chupa Cabra House. Primarily a horror market, has several anthologies open. Stories should be 3,500-9,000 words. Pays royalties, although some anthologies also offer a token payment (check guidelines). Upcoming: Small Town Futures (apocalyptic stories set in small towns, deadline April 1, 2014). New Whakazoid Circus (Circuspunk, which encompasses horror, bizarro/slipstream, must be a circus/freak show/carnival setting, deadline January 31, 2014). Weird Westerns, deadline February 1, 2014.  http://www.chupacabrahouse.com/search/label/submissions

I'll be back in a couple of weeks with more listings. In the meantime, if you're interested in a cool vacation and want to work on your horror writing, consider a retreat at the world famous Stanley Hotel (basis for The Overlook in The Shining) next October.