Straight to the Meat: Links

Accepting Submissions:

Horror Tree is taking submissions for Nightscript, Volume 2. Strange tales. 2000-7000 words. Pays $30 and a contributor copy. Deadline February 28.

Independent Legions Publishing is taking submissions for The Beauty of Death. Horror. There are already big names attached. 4500-7500 words. Pays $100. Deadline March 30.

Pentimento is taking submissions for their journal. Essays and fiction written by someone with a disability, or someone involved in the disabled community (family member, caregiver, special educator.) Up to 6000 words. Pays $25 to $250. Deadline March 31.

MiFi Writers is taking submissions for Revolution. Speculative fiction and art. 2000 to 12,000 words. Pays $.01/word up to $50. Deadline March 31.

Chicken Soup for the Soul is taking personal stories for Dreams & Synchronicities. Up to 1200 words. True stories only. Pays $200. Deadline March 31.

All the King's Men is looking for stories matching the theme "sometimes it's impossible to mend what has been broken" and the background. No length constraints. You must pitch, not submit your piece. Pays $.04/word. Deadline March 31.

Tree Lion Press is taking submissions of speculative fiction for The Land of Dust and Bones. Weird Western stories. 500-10,000 words. Pays $5 advance, plus royalties. Deadline March 31.

The ND Review is taking submissions of prose. They like it to take on big issues. Pays a small gratuity that is not specified. Deadline March 31.

Kaleidotrope is taking submissions of speculative fiction. 250-10,000 words. Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and artwork. Pays $.01/word for fiction and nonfiction, $5 for poetry. Deadline March 31.

Contests:

DL Hammons has brought Write Club back. This is a writing competition where anonymous 500 word entries are put against each other, with readers voting on the winner. They're taking entries between February 1 and February 26. The contest begins March 7.

Anything to add or share? Any of these of interest?

May you find your Muse.

Stumpy Stumperson & Links

It's been nice around here lately, so I've been hiking again. I took my camera out the last time and snapped a bunch of pictures. Signs of spring are starting to peek out here and there, birds nesting, trees budding, and a few flowers blossoming. But one of my fun discoveries was a tree stump that looked to be multiple trees that grew into each other. It's delightfully twisted and full of character. So meet Stumpy:

If you look closely, you can make out shapes, even faces. One of the gnarled branches looks kind of like a demonic puppy.

Without further ado, links:

Accepting Submissions:

Arcadian Media is seeking submissions for their Starbound anthology. Science fiction. Should have something to do with the stars. 2000-10,000 words. Pays $10 per story. No deadline, but it will close when full, and they're aiming for a publication of this summer.

World Weaver Press has an open call for their Frozen Fairy Tales anthology. Up to 10,000 words. Pays $20 and contributor copies. Deadline May 15.

Horrified Press has multiple anthologies open. The King of the Living Dead, 3000-5000 words, deadline May 16. The Fall of Cthulhu Vol. II, 3000-5000 words, deadline May 28. Both pay in royalties. There are also several open until filled, so it's worth perusing the page.

Wherever Magazine is open to narratives, journalistic pieces, and non-linear reflective works. Up to 3500 words. This is a paying publication, but pay is based on length and a discussion with the editor.

Home Business Magazine is looking for nonfiction articles on home businesses, including how-tos and work-from-home success stories. Pays for stories they have assigned, but not ones submitted blindly. No deadlines.

Grievous Angel is seeking poetry and flash fiction in speculative fiction genres. Poetry up to 36 lines, flash fiction up to 700 words. Pays $.01/line for poetry, $.06/word for flash. No deadlines.

Fantastic Stories of the Imagination is looking for fantasy and science fiction. Up to 3000 words. Pays $.15/word. No deadlines.

T. Gene Davis's Speculative Blog accepts speculative fiction stories to be published Mondays and in an annual anthology. This is not for kids, but should be family friendly. 250 to 6000 words. Pays $75 per story. No deadlines.

Number 13 Press is looking for pulp crime novellas. 20,000-35,000 words. Pays author royalties of 60%. No deadlines.

Triptych Tales is looking for mainstream, fantasy, and science fiction. They should be set in the here and now. 2000-6000 words. Pays $100 per story.

Any of these of interest? Ever seen a tree stump quite so gnarled? Do you see any shapes in the trunk? Anything to share? Publishing news?

May you find your Muse.

February IWSG - Not For Us & Links

It's time for the February IWSG, created by Alex J. Cavanaugh. 

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially InsecureWriter’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time. 

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

I knew what I wanted to write about today, and now I've completely forgotten. Insecurity? I've got plenty. I think if I read the words "just not for us" or "not what we're looking for" one more time, I may lose my mind. Okay, so I won't. But they're two sets of my least favorite words right now. 

Now for my monthly stats. In January, I:

Submitted 8 pieces

Received 4 rejections (one of which was a very nice, complementary personal one that I appreciated)

I currently have 9 pieces on submission (3 are newly edited and submitted for the first time)

I have 2 pieces I need to re-submit (got those rejections yesterday and haven't had a chance yet)

I have 5 pieces I need to edit and get out on submission for the first time

Now for some links! Always be sure to research any markets before submitting to them. I am not personally recommending these, only passing the information along.

Accepting Submissions:

Dirge Magazine is open for short, dark speculative fiction. 2000-4000 words. Pays between $50 and $150.

Freeze Frame Fiction is looking for flash fiction in any genre, as long as it's 1000 words or less. Current deadline is March 15. Pays $10 per piece.

Sorcerous Signals is looking for fantasy stories. They take flash fiction, short stories, and poems. Up to 10,000 words. Current reading period closes March 15. Pays $5 for short stories, $2 for flash or poetry.

Steam Ticket is seeking poems, stories, creative nonfiction, and artwork. Up to 4000 words. Deadline March 15. Pays in contributor copies.

Threepenny Review is looking for stories and articles. Between 1000-4000 words, depending upon type of submission. Pays $200 to $400 per piece.

Mad Scientist Journal wants your first person mad scientist stories. Will accept most genres. Flash fiction, short fiction, and serial fiction. Between 500 and 8000 words, depending upon type of submission. Pays from $10 to $100.

Lightspeed Magazine is closed for regular submissions, but is currently taking submissions for their Queers Destroy Science Fiction issue. 1500-7500 words. Pays $.08/word.

Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing is looking for dark speculative flash fiction for their newsletter. Up to 1000 words. Payment is $20.

Typehouse Literary Magazine is looking for poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, and visual art. 1000-5000 words. Not a paying market, but they give a small honorarium to the winner of the Editor's Choice Award each issue.

Postcard Poems and Prose is accepting poetry and flash fiction. Not a paying market, which would normally mean I wouldn't pass them along, but they're a fun group of people, so I am. And it's my blog, so I make the rules. ;)

That's all, folks. 

Are you submitting? What are you feeling insecure about right now? Have you overcome any insecurities? Any of these links of interest to you? Anything to share?

P.S. A little birdie told me I may or may not be an IWSG co-host next month. See you then!

May you find your Muse.

Bright Light, Bright Light! And Links

Normally I post a picture of our house lights that Clark Griswold II works so hard to put up. However, we didn't take any stills this year. Clark II did take video, though, so here's a video of the lights as we say goodbye to 2014 and welcome in 2015.




My son came through surgery fine on Monday. We'll all be happy to get to sleep through the night once we're done dosing him with pain killers every three hours. In fact, I'm sitting here, finally having gotten to sit down to write this post, as I wait to give him the next dose in 90 minutes so I can go to bed. Clark II gets the early A.M. shift.

Now for some links! Always do your due diligence to check out publications before you submit to them. I'm simply passing along links, and have not researched them.

Accepting Submissions:

Splickety Publishing Group wants your flash fiction for Splickety Prime, dealing with crime stories. This is for the March issue. Up to 1000 words. Pays $.02/word. Deadline January 9.

Inaccurate Realities is looking for YA speculative fiction stories of 2000-7000 words. Current theme is "love." Token payment of $15-25. Deadline January 15.

Dark Hollows Press is seeking short stories for individual release in February. Minimum of 10,000 words. Pays $50 per story. Deadline January 17.

Story of the Month Club accepts short stories of 3000-10,000 words. Speculative fiction (though it doesn't look like they take horror.) Pays $20 or a one year subscription. Deadline January 30.

Crossed Genres next theme is "Failure." Short stories of science fiction and/or fantasy. 1000-6000 words. Pays $.06/word. Deadline January 31.

Farolight Publishing is seeking horror short stories that are too long to be short stories, but too short to be novellas. 8,000-15,000 words. These will be made into Cutting Block Books, given professional cover art, and published individually on Amazon for $.99. Pays $.03/word. Deadline January 31.

Breaking Fate Publishing wants dark fiction. 1000-15,000 words. Next open anthology is "The Dead Walk," a zombie anthology. Pays in contributor copies. Deadline January 31.

Hydra Publications wants your dystopian short stories for an anthology. 1000-7500 words. Pays $.01/word. Deadline January 31.

Contests:

Witty Bard Publishing is holding a Romance Short Story Competition. 1000-9000 words. Prizes include publication in an anthology and royalty shares (making this less a contest and more a call for submissions.) Deadline January 17.

The Chicago Tribune is sponsoring the Nelson Algren Literary Awards. Grand prize is $3500, plus possible publication in the Tribune. Deadline January 31.

Have you taken your Christmas lights down yet? (We always do after the 1st.) Did you drive around this year looking at light displays? Any of these links of interest to you? Anything to share? 

May you find your Muse.

Shades of Fall, New Horror Movies, and Links

It's inevitable. Fall rolls around and photos of the changing foliage crop up everywhere. Yet, I have to add to it, because this is my favorite time of year. These photos are from the end of Gold Camp Road, which goes between Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek through the mountains.

I would have loved to have a deep blue sky for contrast, but a storm rolled in. The rain coming in the window felt magnificent, though!

Because it's October, I'm giving you a bonus link today. Here are a whoooooole lotta' brand spanking new horror movies for your viewing pleasure this month, some on VOD, some coming out in theaters by Halloween. GO OUT AND HORROR IT UP, PEOPLE! (And please note the spelling of that word...horror...don't blame me if you do something different.)

Okay, regular linky-links now.

Please bear in mind that I am not personally recommending any of these publications or contests. I simply pass along information I've come across. Always do your due diligence in researching publications before submitting to them. 

Accepting Submissions:

Writer's Market is open for pitches for articles to go in the 2016 Writer's Market. Deadline October 20. Pays competitive freelance rates, but doesn't discuss payment until a contract is being offered.

Fireside Fiction Company is open for submissions through October 31. They are really looking for flash right now, though they do have a few slots remaining for short stories. Flash is up to 1000 words, short fiction between 1500 and 4000 words. Pays 12.5 cents/word.

Fox and Raven Publishing is looking for speculative fiction short stories of 9500 to 13,000 words. Pays R1500 (South African currency--or $150.) Open for short fiction submissions year-round.

Cracked Eye, an imprint of The Other Publishing Company, is seeking short stories. 3000-6000 words. Open submissions; no deadline.

Contests:

Ourstoryproject.org is seeking submissions that address domestic violence for the collection Stories of Resilience. Short story, personal essay, or poem. This is in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness in October. Deadline October 20. Up to 1500 words. First prize is $500.

Blue Table Press is holding their Summer to Remember Romance Contest. Deadline October 31. First prize is $100. 2500-5000 word short stories.

TU Books is holding their Second Annual New Visions Award. This is for MG or YA fantasy, sci-fi, or mystery by a writer of color. Winner gets $1000 and a contract. Author must live in the U.S. and cannot have been previously published. Deadline October 31.

Blog Stuff:

Hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh, Stephen Tremp, Michael Di Gesu, and Diane Wolfe, the Survive and Thrive Blog Hop asks you to post about diseases that can be prevented or treated with early detection. October 20.

Susanna Leonard Hill is holding her 4th Annual Halloweensie Contest. She asks you to write a 100 word Halloween story for children that includes the words pumpkin, broomstick, and creak. Post between the 27th and 31st of October. There are a variety of prizes available. (Thanks to Stacy S. Jensen for passing this along!)

Patricia Lynne is hosting the Trick-Or-Treat Book Blog Hop on October 31. Those who sign up will be giving away e-books like candy for your trick-or-treating pleasure. If you don't have a book to give away, by all means visit the folks involved so you can get some free e-books!

How are fall colors where you are? Do you go for an annual fall foliage drive? Plan on seeing any of the new horror movies? Any of these links appeal to you? Anything to share? Publishing news to share?

May you find your Muse.

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday - Spotted Baby (or Baby Spotted?) & Links

Did you guys know elk fawns (or whatever baby elk are called...?) are spotted just like deer? I didn't, though I can't say I'd thought about it before. Here's an elk fawn from a short two-day trip we took up to Estes Park a couple weeks ago.

This little one and two grown ups were right alongside a path we had to take to get back to our car in Rocky Mountain National Park. We all slipped behind some trees to go around and try not to disturb them, but it meant this caravan of people had all bunched up at the path and were going in single file around the trees. The little one was communicating with the two bigs through a series of fluting sounds that they'd return. I got photos of the other two, as well, and could have gotten a really good one of the last one we had to pass, because she happened to look up as I was going behind the tree across from her (I was last in line). She stared at me, and right as I raised my camera (stuck as I was while I waited for someone else to go), she started walking toward me. I figured my life, or at least intact bones, was more important than a photo. But it would have been a good one. In the end, she let me pass, waited until we'd all gone up the path a little, then resumed grazing.

Now for some links!

Accepting Submissions:

The November issue of Westerly closes for submissions August 31. They accept poems, essays, and stories. It sounds like they may prefer Australian authors, but it doesn't say it is limited to those. Pays rates from $75 to $150, depending upon type submitted.

Horrified Press and Rogue Planet Press are taking submissions for the anthology Sex Droids & Their Cyborg Toys. Deadline September 15. Flash fiction and short stories up to 6000 words. With Thirteen O'Clock Press, they are taking submissions for Steamworld through September 10. Flash and shorts up to 7000 words. Also with Thirteen O'Clock Press, they have an anthology named Killer Tracks that's open for submissions. No specific deadline, just until full. Word limit is 5000. Pay unknown for any of these, but my understanding is that it is a paying market.

Grinning Skull Press is open for submissions for Attack! of the B-Movie Monsters: Alien Encounters. Deadline September 15. 2500-10,000 words. Pays 1/4 cent per word, plus a print and digital copy. They are also open for submissions of novels and novelettes. In addition, they have an annual publication called Cranial Leakage-Tales From the Grinning Skull that takes 1000-7000 word horror stories. Return to Deathlehem is a horror charity anthology with a Christmas theme that closes August 31. And if you've got kids who enjoy writing, they have Little Monsters - Horror for Kids, by Kids. Open to kids ages 5-12. Will pay a $25 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Samhain Publishing has put out a special call for their Childhood Fears anthology. This is for novellas of 25,000 to 30,000 word only. Will be released as individual e-books first, then bound together in an anthology. Deadline September 15. I'm unsure of payment.

Bryan Thomas Schmidt has put a call out for his Kickstarter anthology World Encounters. This is alien themed. Deadline September 15. 3000-7000 words. Pays $.06/word.

Freeze Frame Fiction is looking for flash fiction of any genre, 1000 words maximum. Deadline September 15. Pays $10 per piece.

Sorcerous Signals, a fantasy e-mag, is open for submissions through September 15. Up to 10,000 words. Pays $5 for short stories, $2 for poems and flash.

Inkstained Succubus Press is open for submissions through September 15 for Candle in the Dark, a M/M erotic anthology. I'm unsure of payment.

The Were-Traveler is taking submissions of drabbles, flash, and short stories for Elves & Spacerockets, their general sci-fi and fantasy themed issue. Deadline September 15. Not a paying publication.

Crushing Hearts & Black Butterfly Publishing has put out a call for stories for their After Tomorrow. Post-apocalyptic stories. 2000-15,000 words. September 15 deadline. Pay unknown. Note that they are also still open for Funny Halloween stories through August 31.

Any of these interest you? Anything to share? Publication news? Did you know elk fawns were spotted? What do they call elk fawns, anyway?

May you find your Muse.

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday - Purrrrrrrrr & Links

Cute, isn't he? All fluffy and soft looking? Totally pet-able. Until he eats the villagers, that is.

This guy was at the Wild Animal Sanctuary. I've posted pictures of a few of the other critters (lions and tigers and bears...well, you know what comes next.)

Now for some links. Bearing in mind, as usual, that I am merely passing along links I've come across. I am not endorsing any of these publications, personally. Please always do your due diligence before submitting to a publication or contest.

Accepting Submissions:

Cleis Press has put out a call for submissions for Pillow Talk: Erotic Romance for Women. Deadline June 15. 2500-5000 words. Pays $50 per story and two contributor copies.

Matter Press and The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts are currently accepting poetry, prose, creative nonfiction, triptychs, and visual arts. Deadline June 15. Pays $50.

Gardenshorts.com is looking for stories of their project Fifty Shades of Green. 1200-6000 words. Deadline June 15. Pays $100.

Freeze Frame Fiction is looking for flash fiction stories. Current submission window closes June 15. Pays $10.

Wolf Willow Journal is looking for poetry, fiction, non-fiction, photography, and artwork. Submissions for their summer edition close June 15. The summer edition theme is Ephemera. Payment varies between $10-$20, depending on type of submission.

Eye to the Telescope wants poems about science. Deadline June 15. Pays $.03/word.

Sorcerous Signals is seeking fantasy themed short stories. 10,000 words or less. Deadline is June 15 for the November issue. Pays $5 for short stories, $2 for poems and flash fiction.

Contests:

Human Echoes Podcast is holding a contest. They're looking for Dinopunk (yes, you read that right) stories of 1000 words or less. Deadline June 6. First prize is $10 and your story as a podcast.

The Norton Writer's Prize is an essay contest open only to college students (both 2- and 4-year). Deadline June 16. First prize $1500.

Of Interest:

Jason Diamond wrote about 50 Places Every Literary Fan Should Visit on Flavorwire. Some are houses, some museums (some both), and some are graves/graveyards. Some interesting places, all told!

Any of these catch your attention? Anything to share? Submission news? Doesn't that tiger look cuddly?

May you find your Muse.

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday - Stormy Sunset & Links

That's Pikes Peak at sunset during an overcast evening. Still snowy up there! Probably worse today, considering the amount of hail we got this evening.

Now for some links. Please bear in mind that these are merely links I've run across; I have not vetted them. Always do your due diligence when considering submission to any publication.

Accepting Submissions:

ZYZZYVA accepts submissions of poetry, fiction, essays, and artwork during their open submission period, the current one ending May 31. Payment unknown. Submission by postal mail only.

Penumbra eMag is seeking submissions with the theme of "Pain" for their August issue. Window closes June 1. They pay $.05/word. The next theme will be Lewis Carroll.

Dream Monocle Publishing is accepting submissions through June 1. Fiction of varying lengths (flash fiction to novel), graphic novels, poetry, and artwork. Speculative fiction. Payment unknown.

Electric Literature's Recommended Reading is taking submissions through June 1. Pays $300. Only original fiction during their spring submission period.

SORMAG is seeking articles based on the theme "Creating the Book," with a deadline of June 1. They also accept short stories, devotionals, and fillers on writing tips and tricks, etc. Pays $25 for articles, and varying amounts for the other types.

The New Smut Project is looking for their publications with the working titles of "Character-Driven Smut" and "50 Shades of Negotiation." Both close June 1. Pays in royalties and contributor copies.

Jaym Gates is seeking stories based on the Spirit of Place. Deadline is June 1. Flash fiction and short stories. Pays $.07/word.

Contests:

The Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize closes May 31. It will be awarded to "the most promising and innovative literary nonfiction project by a writer not yet established in the genre." Prize is a $12,000 advance and publication.

Wielding Power is looking for essays on today's questions. Current contest entry theme is "Is Secession Legitimate?" Deadline June 1. First prize is $1000.

Issues in Science and Technology is holding a science fiction contest. Deadline June 1. There are five major themes you can write to. Winners get $1500 and publication.

Any of these interest you? Anything to share? Submission news? How has your spring been? Any big storms? 

May you find your Muse.