Sometimes one gets all caught up in writing a novel and one forgets about short stories, so here goes...the short fiction anthos that look interesting to me and that I'm gonna try to write something for.
|
Childhood Nightmares Anthology
- UNDER THE BED
They haunt us all. Those whispered tales of monsters hiding under the bed, or of the demons lurking in the shadowy corner where we dare not glance for fear that seeing them will make them all too real. Oh, how the innocent landscape of a child’s imagination lends fertile soil to horrors ready to be sown on the slightest of sounds; the tales and the terror they wreak on our youthful minds never quite leaves us.
Reach into the forgotten recesses of your twisted mind. Share with us the tales of nightmares that can only thrive in the hidden corners of a child’s imaginings; the bogeyman under the bed, the outlandishly fiendish clown perched upon a rocker, the slight murmur of sound coming from the closet… did you close the door completely? Explore the myriad terrors that only a child can twist from nothing into some ‘thing’ in the span of a single rapid breath.
Do you dare delve into your own memories for inspiration? Perhaps you’ll start sleeping with the lights on again... Tell us, who is Under the Bed?
Submission guidelines;
- Deadline for submissions - Monday, January 30th, 2012.
4000 - 10,000 words.
Please submit your manuscript as a *.doc or *.docx file in Verdana; 12 point font; single spacing and standard formatting. Graphic gore must be kept to a minimum unless it is integral to the story; absolutely no incestuous or sexual abuse storylines will be considered.
Only stories previously unpublished may be submitted. Upon acceptance into the anthology, you agree that Sirens Call Publications holds exclusive publishing rights for twelve (12) months from the date of publication; after that date has passed, all intellectual property rights revert to the author with the proviso that Sirens Call Publications retains distribution rights in the format of the contracted anthology.
An eBook copy will be sent to all contributors and up to 5 paperback copies per author will be available to purchase at cost. 50% of the royalties will be distributed between all contributors.
The email subject line must read "SUBMISSION - Under The Bed - ‘your story title’" or your submission will not be considered for this anthology.
|
http://www.sirenscallpublications.com/anthology_nightmare.htm
Since its early days, science fiction has played a unique role in human civilization. It removes the limits of what "is" and shows us a boundless vista of what "might be." Its fearless heroes, spectacular technologies and wondrous futures have inspired many people to make science, technology and space flight a real part of their lives and in doing so, have often transformed these fictions into reality. The National Space Society and Baen Books applaud the role that science fiction plays in advancing real science and have teamed up to sponsor this short fiction contest in memory of Jim Baen.
CONTEST RULES:
-Write a short story of no more than 8,000 words, that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration.
-No entry fee. But please only submit one story...your best one!
-No reprints.
-All entries must be original works in English. Plagiarism, poetry, song lyrics, or characters from another person’s works will not be considered.
-E-mail submissions only. Send entries as .RTF attachments to: baen.nss.contest@gmail.com
-Please put the word SUBMISSION in the subject line when sending a contest entry and QUESTION in the subject line for questions to the contest administrator.
-Please include the following in the body of your email: The title of the work, the author's name, address and telephone number, and an approximate word-count. The manuscript should be an RTF attachment, in standard manuscript format and should be titled and numbered on every page, but the author's name MUST BE DELETED to facilitate fair judging.
-Employees of Baen Books, NSS and previous Grand Prize Winner are not eligible. Previous Second and Third place winners are eligible.
-Contest opens for submissions on October 1, 2011
(entries sent before that date will be deleted unread)
-Deadline - February 1, 2012.
WHAT WE DO WANT TO SEE:
Moon bases, Mars colonies, orbital habitats, space elevators, asteroid mining, artificial intelligence, nano-technology, realistic spacecraft, heroics, sacrifice, adventure.
WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO SEE:
Stories that show technology or space travel as evil or bad, Star Wars type galactic empires, paranormal elements, UFO abductions.
JUDGES:
Judging will be by Baen Books editors Hank Davis, Jim Minz and a yet to be announced Baen Books author.
PRIZES:
- The GRAND PRIZE winner will be published as the featured story on the Baen Books main website and paid at the normal paying rates for professional story submittals. The author will also receive an engraved award, free entry into the 2012 International Space Development Conference, a year's membership in the National Space Society and a prize package containing various Baen Books and National Space Society merchandise.
- SECOND and THIRD place winners will receive a year's membership in the National Space Society and a prize package containing various Baen Books and National Space Society merchandise.
- Winners will be announced and notified no later than March 15, 2012. (only the winners will be notified) The winners will be honored at the 2012 International Space Development Conference in Washington D.C., May 24-28, 2012.Huntsville. (though we would prefer the winner attend the conference, it is not required.)
( * Note: Publication details will be worked out between winner and Baen Books. In the unlikely event that none of the stories qualify for professional publication, a cash prize, of an amount determined by contest organizers, may be substituted in lieu of publication.)
http://www.williamledbetter.com/contest.htm
AVON IMPULSE
Around her hair she wore a yellow ribbon
She wore it in the springtime
In the merry month of May
And if you ask her why the heck she wore it
She wore it for her soldier who was far far away
Calling all writers! Avon Impulse is looking for manuscript submissions
for a collection of Yellow Ribbon romance. Just as the song indicates,
we’re looking for stories where a soldier is returning home from war.
Who is waiting for him/her? What was left unsaid? Where do they go from
here?
If you’ve got a story (up to 25k words), we want to read it. Be
creative. Be sexy. Ready. Set. Go!
Deadline is January 31, 2012.
1 – The submission process is open to all writers, not just US residents.
2 – Submit through our Impulse tab – that is how we’re accepting queries and submissions, both for digital-first and print.
3 – No restrictions in terms of explicit material.
http://www.avonromance.com/impulse/
http://www.avonromance.com/2011/10/12/open-call-for-submissions/
Submit here:
http://www.avonromance.com/impulse/
Want to be an Avon writer? Follow these easy guidelines and you’re one step closer to making your dreams come true.
Avon is looking for stories of emotional complexity, written by authors with unique voices. Books with humor, drama, suspense; with sizzling sensuality and irresistible characters—all types and tones can be right for Avon. If your manuscript is exciting, electrifying, and exceptional then we want to see it. Take us to the darkest depths or make us laugh out loud—everything is welcome!
We’re actively seeking all genres of romance of all lengths, including (but not limited to): historical, paranormal, contemporary, and erotica.
How To Submit A Manuscript
To submit, go to AvonImpulse.com and follow the instructions to fill out the form and upload your manuscript. Due to time constraints, we will not be able to respond to every query. If you do not receive a response after three months, that means your story is not right for us at that time. However, times change, so keep trying!
Genres:
Gothic
Steampunk
Shifter
Vampire
Ghost
Magical
Futuristic
Time Travel
Western
Small Town
Suspense
Fantasy
Submissions FAQ
How long does my book need to be?
We are looking for stories of all lengths, from short stories to full length books, and anything inbetween.
What font/margin/size should I use?
Your formatting choices are up to you. As long as your manuscript is readable, it’s acceptable.
Which editor should I address my submission to?
There is no need to specify an editor. However, if you have a past relationship with someone on the Avon team, or one of our editors specifically requested you submit your manuscript, please note that on the submission form.
Do I need to specify which Avon imprint I am submitting to?
No, all submissions are vetted by the same team of Avon editors, who will decide which imprint is the best fit.
How long will you take to respond?
Due to the volume of submissions, we will only be able to contact you if your project is the right fit. If you have not received a response in three months time, unfortunately your project wasn’t right for our current list.
Can I still submit to the avonromance@harpercollins.com email address?
No, please go here.
Will you accept manuscript even if the subgenre isn’t listed?
Yes, on the submission form, choose “other” and write in your subgenre.
I’m an agent. Should I use this to submit my client’s manuscript?
No, this submission form is for authors only. Agents should pitch and submit projects in the usual fashion.
King David & the Spiders from Mars: Submission Guidelines
Due to the positive response to She Nailed a Stake Through His Head: Tales of Biblical Terror, I will be editing another Bible-themed anthology. Tentatively titled King David & The Spiders from Mars: More Tales of Biblical Terror, this will be a Bible-themed horror anthology specifically based on The Book of Samuel. Some of my favorite stories from the first anthology were David centered including Elissa Malcohn's "Judgement at Naioth" and Christi Krug's "As If Favorites of Their God."
What I'm Looking For: Short stories, ideally between 1000-12000 words. All stories must be based in some way on the book of Samuel (usually edited to be 1 & 2) which is the story about how Israel transitioned from a Judge based society to a kingdom under King David. Even though this is primarily a horror anthology, I'm willing to look at stories that fall into different categories including bizarro, science fiction, fantasy, literary and romance (although if you write a romance between Tamar and Amnon, I'm going to be worried about you and not in a good way). There are several stories within Samuel including the madness of Saul, the end of Eli's family as the major priesthood, David & Goliath and the death of Absalom so feel free to use whatever inspires you. Also, even though the Book of Ruth is a completely different book, it serves as a prequel to the David saga so if you got a great Ruth story, I will read it.
Check out this Amazon List for reading suggestions. Please at least read the book of Samuel once to get the flavor of the stories. If you only know the story of David & Goliath, you will be at a disadvantage since that's the most popular story in the bunch and you will have a lot of competition.
Also, if you are going to do a David & Goliath story read the original. This is a much more interesting story than the children's books would have you believe and all that "come from behind victory" blather is inaccurate (not to mention boring as hell).
Other Suggestions:
Retellings of Biblical Stories from the perspective of another character.
Kiastic Storytelling
Deconstructionist Commentary akin to Rashi
Biblical stories retold in different literary styles (high adventure, Victorian, Romance, Mystery, etc.)
Modern stories told in the Biblical style (Best use Robert Alter's Art of Biblical Poetry and Art of Biblical Narrative if you want a crash course)
Parodies of Prophets
"Queen Esther vs. The Brain Eating Penis Monster from Outer Space" (note that just sticking this title on a lame story is not going to endear you to me. Write a story that would justify this kind of title and I'm interested)
Biblical Movie Parodies
I am also impressed by the following: original takes on classic stories, strong female characters, stories that actually understand the original tales, style.
Formatting Guidelines: Please use Standard Manuscript format. I am going to be a little more hard on people not using this format since the last time I had stories where I couldn't get back to the writers because they neglected to put their emails on the stories so I had no way of knowing how to tell them that they were rejected. One even made it to the Maybe pile. Please submit in .rtf or .doc.
What I am not Looking For:I have a blog post for the first Bible anthology where I go off on the "do not want" list. It basically comes down to "no preachiness" which is the major pitfall for people tackling these kind of stories. I don't want a story with an agenda - whether it's atheist, Christian or Jewish. I am not interested in other stories in the Bible. Do not set a Sodom & Gomorrah story in San Francisco. Do not send poetry. Do not retell a Bible story from a character's perspective that adds absolutely nothing to the narrative. In the last anthology, I got a bunch of stories that had to stop to tell me that "Jesus is love" but since this one is about King David, I figure there will be less of those in this slush pile. Still, don't do that.
Also note that all snotty replies to rejections will be aired publicly on this blog and mocked mercilessly.
Pay: $50 advance against equal share of royalties - to be paid out no later than publication.
Reading Period: November 1, 2011 - January 31, 2012. All stories submitted before November 1 will be deleted unread. Although that's the best case scenario. If I do read them I will mock them on this blog. I am using a three month window as well as waiting until November 1 because I don't want trunk stories and I doubt anyone has been submitting their awesome King David Rips Off Foreskins story to markets until now. This gives you time to write an original story and send it by November 1 or to spend about 4 months perfecting it until it's ready at the end of January.
Reprints. Yes. Same price. Make sure you tell me where it was originally published and that it is available for reprint right sales.
Send to: timlieder1 - at - gmail.com
Feel free to repost these Submission guidelines where ever there are interested parties.
http://marlowe1.livejournal.com/1953612.html
NEW ANTHOLOGY: Bibliotheca Fantastica opens for submissions Dec 15, 2011
November 14, 2011 By Dagan Books Leave a Comment
We are pleased to announce that we have acquired the services of renowned author, Claude Lalumière, to edit a new anthology for 2012, with co-editor Don Pizarro! We are thrilled to see what this editorial team will bring to Dagan Books. With an original cover by Art Director Galen Dara, and a commitment to bringing the same kind of diversity and originality that you’ve come to expect from our publications, we are sure this anthology will be wonderful. Wouldn’t you like to be a part of it? Details are below:
Bibliotheca Fantastica
What we want: Stories having to do with lost, rare, weird, or imaginary books, or any aspect of book history or book culture, past, present, future, or uchronic. Any genre. Although the fantastical is not essential per se, stories should evoke a sense of the fantastic, the unknown, the weird, wonder, terror, mystery, pulp, and/or adventure, etc.
Originals only, no reprints. We would appreciate no simultaneous submissions. Accepting stories of up to 10,000 words in length, though shorter stories are preferred.
We will accept submissions from December 15, 2011, at noon EST, to midnight EST on March 31, 2012. We are taking submissions through an automated system that will not allow you to submit before December 15, but the link to do so will appear here: http://daganbooks.submishmash.com/submit
Dagan Books is paying 2 cents per word for each accepted story, plus contributor copies. Bibliotheca Fantastica will be available in both print and ebook, and is scheduled to be published Fall 2012.
About the editors:
Claude Lalumière is the author of two books – the collection Objects of Worship and the novella The Door to Lost Pages – as well as the co-creator of Lost Myths, and is the Fantastic Fiction columnist for The Montreal Gazette. He has edited numerous anthologies, and has sold more than 50 pieces of short fiction in the last decade.
Don Pizarro is an author of short fiction, and editor for Dagan Books. In addition to this anthology he is also editing Cthulhurotica 2 in 2012.
http://daganbooks.com/2011/11/14/new-anthology-bibliotheca-fantastica-opens-for-submissions-dec-15-2011/
MVmedia, LLC
Presents
Griots II: Sisters of the Spear Writers Guidelines
The purpose of the Griots II: Sisters of the Spear Anthology is to pay respect and homage to women of color and continue to expand the definition of Sword and Soul. Our hope is that the anthology will become an annual publication which will inspire more writers to take part and expand the readership. We also hope to increase the diversity of the Sword and Sorcery genre by publishing quality stories with rich characters that transcend the barriers of mainstream publishers.
1. Story Length: 2,500 to 15,000 words
2. Deadline: May 31, 2012
3. Story Description: Stories must contain a woman or women of color as the main protagonist(s) and portray her/them in a positive, heroic light. The story must be based in African culture, history and/or mythology and contain original characters. We will not accept fan fiction or stories based on previous characters unless they are your own. The stories must contain an element of high adventure, action and supernatural encounters, (monsters, demons, spirits, etc.). Romance can be included as well but mustn’t overshadow the action. Preference will be given to female authors; however the final selection will be based on the quality of the story submitted as deemed by the editors.
4. Authors will retain all rights to their stories.
5. We will pay $25.00 per story if accepted.
6. Once a story is accepted an artist will be chosen by the publisher to create an illustration based on the story. We have a number of artists that have asked to contribute. If you have your own artist you wish to use, please let us know.
7. Submissions should be in Word Document 97- 2003 format, rich text or .doc. Documents should be double-spaced. Please include author’s name, story title and page number on each page.
8. Go for it and have fun. Sword and Soul Forever!
Apex Publications will be publishing a follow-up to the Nebula, Bram Stoker, and Black Quill nominated anthology, Dark Faith. The book will be 80,000 words and pay five cents a word (up to four thousand words). It will debut late-summer 2012. We buy First World anthology print rights and digital rights (for three years).
Everyone believes in something and we want you to put those beliefs to the test. We’re looking for the story only you could write, something deeply personal and at the same time universal. We’re looking for smart, literate stories that don’t proselytize or stereotype. Stories that make you think, that comment on the human condition and the social order. Stories that are rich in their use of language.
However, as much as we love social commentary, don’t forget to entertain us. The best way to get a feel for what we’re looking for is to read
Dark Faith.
Submissions will be accepted from 1/1/2012 until 1/31/2012. Unsolicited stories received outside this time frame will be deleted unread.
Please include a cover letter with your submission (even if we know you). Please send no more than one submission at a time. No reprints. Simultaneous submissions will be accepted as long as you tell us up front (and immediately withdraw the story if you sell it).
http://mauricebroaddus.com/?p=3224
Science Fiction Holiday Submissions Call
Angela James | October 6th, 2011
Carina Press is pleased to announce a call for submissions for our 2012 holiday collections. This will be the only open collection call for 2012 and is an excellent opportunity for authors interested in participating in the normally by-invitation-only Carina Press collections.
Carina is looking for science fiction novellas with a winter holiday theme, to be published digitally both individually and as a collection in December 2012. The novellas should be from 18,000 to 35,000 words and feature science fiction elements as integral to the novella. The stories do not need to be romance, or even have romance elements, but can be straight science fiction, or science fiction with romantic elements, and can also feature elements of mystery, thriller, horror or other sub-genres. Additionally, there is no set heat level for these stories, so they can have no sex, or be ultra-sexy, or anything in between.
I recognize that saying simply “science fiction” leaves room for a tremendous amount of interpretation within the genre. However, this is preferable as I feel narrowing it down too much might leave out something amazing.
Essentially, we’re looking for interesting, creative, well-written stories within the science fiction genre that will appeal to readers’ imaginations and add to our growing catalog of science fiction stories.
The science fiction holiday collection will be edited by Angela James and supported by a marketing and promotion campaign both online and in print. In addition, each author chosen to contribute to the anthology will receive a set number of limited-edition print copies for their own use in giveaways and contests (or to decorate their own bookshelves).
To submit, please send your completed manuscript and synopsis, along with query letter to
submissions@carinapress.com by March 15th, 20112. In the subject line, please put SciFi Holiday: Manuscript Title and Author
All submissions will be reviewed and final decision made by April 30th, 2012.
For more information about Carina Press, and to read the submission guidelines, please visit
www.carinapress.com
*permission to forward granted*
