Sub Ops

Third Flatiron Publishing has open calls for several upcoming anthos: "We are looking for submissions to our quarterly themed online anthologies. Our focus is on science fiction and fantasy and anthropological fiction. We want tightly plotted tales in out-of-the-ordinary scenarios. Please send us short stories that revolve around age-old questions and have something illuminating to tell us as human beings. Fantastical situations and creatures, exciting dialog, irony, mild horror, and wry humor are all welcome. Stories should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. Inquire if longer."

On payment: "Your story must be original work, with the digital rights unencumbered. Accepted stories will be paid at the flat rate of 3 cents per word (U.S.), in return for the first publication rights to the story for six months after publication. All other rights will remain with the author. We no longer offer royalties. If your story is selected as the lead story, beginning July 1, 2014, we will pay a flat rate of 6 cents per word (SFWA professional rate), in return for the permission to podcast or give the story away as a free sample portion of the anthology. We also pay SFWA members 6 cents per word. You do not need to be a SFWA member to submit work."

No reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details. Themes and submission periods for their upcoming anthos:

"Only Disconnect - Presentism as a theme: the pitfalls of distraction, overstimulation, attention thieves. Too much to do, too little time, headlong into the singularity. Advantages of being bored or being "in the present." Connecting with the Earth rather than Bluetooth (gardeners, here's your chance). Are we becoming ADD? Should we disconnect--or connect even further?" Deadline March 31st, 2015.

"Ain't Superstitious - Theme involving superstition, e.g., luck, prophecy, magic, rational and irrational thinking, Spinoza, dark times, black cats, Orpheus, the Flying Dutchman, Sleepy Hollow, Tam O'Shanter, astrology, witchcraft, etc." Submissions open May 1st, 2015; Deadline June 30th, 2015.

"It's Come to Our Attention or Scratching the Surface - Under the radar: things that are happening quietly, without a lot of fanfare, that may still be extremely significant or make a big difference." Submissions open August 1st, 2015; Deadline September 30th, 2015.