Sub Ops Ten

Ten Things About Submission Opportunities

Belfire Press will be open to novel submissions from 2/01/14 to 5/30/14, and is looking for "mystery, adventure, fantasy, romance, historical, horror, thriller, science fiction, paranormal, urban and YA. We are particularly interested in cross-genre works. We publish almost every genre, with few exceptions. Over the years we’ve published mainly horror, and are looking to move into other areas. Horror submitted to us at this point will need to be something that really grabs us to receive a full request. All that being said, we are most interested in cross-genre fiction; urban-paranormal-fantasy-romance-YA-thriller-scifi-apocalyptic (sans zombie) sounds about right. If you’ve got a mix of any (or all) we’d take a look." Length: up to 90K; Payment according to Ralan.com: "no advance; print=25%; e-book=50% (½ if Dual Novella)" Query on reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details.

Circlet Press is looking for erotic microfiction submissions: ". . . 250-1000 word short-shorts of erotic sf/f and related genres (no horror, though) that make an enticing fictive snack. Microfictions should be sex-positive. literary quality, and although they may be explicit should be tastefully written. Stories without that sf/f/speculative element will not be considered." Payment: "Microfictions pay $5 via Paypal (you must have a Paypal account), or a free ebook from our extensive digital library." See guidelines for more details.

The Dark Magazine is open to fiction submissions for its bimonthly e-zine, and is looking for: "Mainstream fiction with elements of the fantastic mixed in; Dark fantasy / science fiction; Magic realism (“a literary genre or style that incorporates fantastic or mythical elements into otherwise realistic fiction—called also magical realism”) —Merriam-Webster, www.m-w.com; Surrealism: (“the principles, ideals, or practice of producing fantastic or incongruous imagery or effects in art, literature, film, or theater by means of unnatural or irrational juxtapositions and combinations”) —Merriam-Webster,www.m-w.com. Don’t be afraid to experiment or to deviate from the ordinary; be stylistic—try us with fiction that falls out of “regular” categories. However, it is also important to understand that despite the name, The Dark is not a market for graphic, violent horror. The “horror” should be subtle and fall in with one or more of the themes above. It is also not a market for ordinary science fiction or fantasy." Length: "1,000 – 5,000 words (query for longer)" Payment: "We pay 3 cents/word for original fiction up to 5,000 words on publication for FNASR. Query for longer." No reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details.

Fantasy Scroll Magazine has opened its virtual doors: "Fantasy Scroll Mag is a quarterly publication featuring science fiction, fantasy, horror, and paranormal short-fiction. We are a brand new publication and our mission is to publish high-quality, entertaining, and thought-provoking speculative fiction." Length: up to 5K; Payment: 1¢/word; reprints okay, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details.

Inscription Magazine publishes science fiction and fantasy for teens, and is looking for ". . . stories with strong writing and memorable characters. There must be a clear genre element, science fiction or fantasy, so no non-genre fiction, please. But while genre is key, we consider characters and story to be even more important. Humor is welcome, but the point of your story shouldn’t just be a punch line at the end. While we hope readers of all ages will enjoy this magazine, we do primarily publish fiction for teens. It is always difficult to draw a definite line around what makes a story young adult, but here are some rough guidelines if you’re deciding whether your story is a good fit for our magazine – you can also read some of the fiction already posted on our site." Length: "We accept stories between 500 and 9,000 words in length." Payment: 5 cents/word. Reprints okay, electronic submission only, see guidelines for more details.

Resurrection House has an open call for their upcoming XIII antho, and is looking for: ". . . science fiction, fantasy, horror, and creative non-fiction for a loosely themed anthology to be released in the winter of 2015. “Thirteen” is the first month of a new yearly cycle, wherein the old skins have been shed and the newborns are still learning to walk. “One” and “Three” make “Four,” which is the number of completion, of coming home, and of realizing the form that has been in process for some time. Nothing is true; everything is possible. And the more things change, the more they stay the same. The thirteenth Tarot card is Death, and he is the symbol of transformation and rebirth. This is the genesis and root of XIII." Length: "Stories should be between 1,000 and 7,000 words" Payment: 5 cents/word. Reprints okay, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details. Deadline: March 13th, 2014.

The Act Itself erotica e-zine is calling for submissions, and is looking for: ". . . fun, sexy stories and quality erotica artwork. We'll not consider anything which includes underage characters or stupidly dangerous acts. We will consider some fetish-oriented themes, but keep them light. This publication is to bring everyone together, and for everyone to have a good time. What do we like to read in our spare time? Some like Penthouse Letters, others like Literotica.com, others enjoy the Marketplace books, or anything from Blue Moon. That should give you some idea as to what we're looking for." [PBW notes they also want authors to be 21 or older.] Length: up to 8k; Payment: 3 cents per word; no reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details.

Villainous Press has an open call for their upcoming Steampunk: The Worlds Beyond antho, and requires the following story elements: "Protagonist is either a (strong, empowered) female OR an under-represented race (Black, Hispanic, Middle-Eastern, Asian, Native, etc.); The setting must be anywhere EXCEPT on Earth. Please worldbuild so we can “see” your setting; You may mix in dark, horror, mystery, romantic, fantasy, or science fiction elements, as long as it doesn’t overpower the theme of steampunk; This is a Steampunk anthology, so there must be Steampunk elements. A bit of electricity or dieselpunk is acceptable, but the majority must be steam-oriented; A solid plot involving a conflict of some sort. Make your “villain” believable and a good match for your hero." Length: "Stories must be between 2,500 words and 8,000 words, strict." Payment: "From 2,500 to 6,000 words: $15US plus a copy of the print edition. For countries other than the United States, $15US plus a copy of the digital edition; From 6,000 to 8,000 words, $25US plus a copy of the print edition. For countries other than the United States, $25US plus a copy of the digital edition." No reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details. Deadline: February 28th, 2014

There's an open call here for a dark ritual antho: "Rituals have always been a powerful part of human life, from the ancient Aztec nation’s human sacrifice to the supposed transubstantiation of the Communion elements during Catholic Mass. They impart a sense of history, comfort, community, common ground—but also power, mystery and horror. Since this isn’t Clam Chowder for the Coddled Child, I’m interested in the latter attributes. I want to see dark ritual in all the various forms you can imagine—from the ancient and ceremonial to the simple and home-grown. The rituals in your stories can be grounded in painstaking research or your own twisted creations. They can have real power or simply exist in the minds of your characters. They can produce the desired effect or something else entirely. Stories predicated upon the standard voodoo doll or zombie need to be particularly mind-blowing, as such topics are expected given the theme—the same goes for Cthulhu Mythos. If you’ve read CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY? you’ll know that I’m especially interested in the kind of stories that play with people’s preconceived notions and turn tropes on their ears. I’m anticipating a modern setting for most pieces, though I’m open to historical stories told with today’s sensibilities. Cross-genre stories will likely be a hard sell. No Science Fiction. Urban Fantasy might work. Gore and sex need to support an actual story, rather than be the end in and of themselves." Length: "Word count is 3-5,000." Payment" "will be split royalties, paid quarterly*." Query on reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details. Deadline: June 1st, 2014.

WritersWhoRock.com has an open call here for an upcoming Nana-themed antho: "We are looking for true life stories about specific memories, incidents and lessons learned from your grandmother. What impact did she have on the woman you have become? You can convey her essence through conversations you had and remembrances you cherish-or cringe about. Unusual, provocative, irreverent, poignant, shocking, sad, or funny are the kinds of stories we are looking for. Are you and your grandma radically different or two peas in a pod? Was she traditional nana or a forward thinking feminist? Was she kindly? Or best described as a witch?" Length and Payment: "We pay $30 for 500-2000 words upon acceptance and two contributor copies after publication." No reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details. Deadline: March 14, 2014.

Much of the above was found among the marvelous market listings at Ralan.com.