The Horror Tree Recent Markets, Articles, Interviews, and Fiction!

Anthology / Events / Flash / Pro / Reprints Allowed

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Taking Submissions: Circe

Deadline: June 23rd, 2024
Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints.
Theme: Enchantress, goddess, witch, predatory seductress. That isn’t all Circe is, it is time to expand on her story. More details below
Note: Reprints Welcome

We are very excited to announce a new call for submissions which is now open! Please read through the details for submissions carefully before submitting your stories.

Flame Tree are bringing you a brand new gorgeous hardcover series brimming with myths and short stories.

Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales. New and emerging writers from open submissions reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well-known stories, alongside specially commissioned text on the origins and the cultural background of the mythology. We’ve already closed submissions for the first two books in the series, Medusa and Odin, where stories are still under consideration. We’re now opening up submissions for the next two books, Circe and Anansi.

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Artwork / Events / Flash / Flat Amount / Magazine

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Taking Submissions: Electric Spec August Issue 2024

Deadline: July 15th, 2024
Payment: $20 per story or artwork
Theme: Electric Spec prefers science fiction, fantasy, and the macabre, but we’re willing to push the limits of traditional forms of these genres.

submissions at electricspec (dot) com
Please don’t query us about your story submission. We don’t have the manpower to answer such queries. An editor will email you back as soon as possible with the decision about your story. This can take a few days, or, up to three months. We make every effort to get back to authors in a timely manner but we get a lot of submissions so sometimes it’s not possible.

A note on our editorial policy: before publication we may work with the author to edit the story for length or readability. However, we always remain true to the spirit of the story and the author has final approval.

Issues are published at the end of February, May, August, and November. We reserve the right to shift publication date slightly, as necessary.

We have reading periods for each issue, though we never close to submissions.

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Articles / Reviews

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Epeolatry Book Review: Archangels of Funk by Andrea Hairston

Disclosure:

Our reviews may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the links in this article we may receive a small commission or referral fee. This happens without any additional cost to you.

Title: Archangels of Funk
Author: Andrea Hairston
Genre: Sci-Fantasy
Publisher: Tordotcom
Release Date: 7th May, 2024

Synopsis: Run from your past. Hide from your future. Protect your present.

The Water Wars have scrambled the world. Flood refugees are on the run. Disrupters and the nostalgia militia roam the roads wreaking havoc. Invisible Darknet Lords troll the internet, solidifying their power, while Cinnamon, her three Circus-Bots, and two dogs work with a community of farmers, Motor Fairies, and Wheel-Wizards to provide housing, health care and education for flood refugees.

As Cinnamon confronts threats from the Darknet Lords and the nostalgia militia, she must determine how best to honor her elders and her history while building a future for herself and her charges.

It’s not going to be easy.

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Anthology / Events / Flash / Pro / Reprints Allowed

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Flame Tree Press Is Re-Opening Submissions For ‘Anansi’

Deadline: June 23rd, 2024
Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints.
Theme: Stories featuring Anasi: a creator god, a trickster folk hero, a wily spider and a heroic symbol of resistance. More details below
Note: Reprints Welcome

We are very excited to re-open our call for submissions for this title! Please read through the details for submissions carefully before submitting your stories.

 Flame Tree are bringing you a brand new gorgeous hardcover series brimming with myths and short stories. 

Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales. New and emerging writers from open submissions reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well-known stories, alongside specially commissioned text on the origins and the cultural background of the mythology. We’ve already closed submissions for the first two books in the series, Medusa and Odin, where stories are still under consideration. We’re now opening up submissions for the next two books, Circe and Anansi.

All previous submissions for Anansi are still under consideration and authors will be contacted in due course, within 4 months of the new deadline.

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Contest / Events / Flat Amount

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Contest: Pulp Asylum Fiction Contest

Deadline: May 15th, 2024
Prize: $10 US (payable via PayPal only) plus a copy of Pulp Asylum’s first novella, When Harry Comes to Call
Theme: Rebirth/Renewal

Call for Submissions
Pulp Asylum Fiction Contest
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I am looking for drabbles for this contest.  A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words, no more and no less.  Do not count the title or your byline, just the body of the text itself.  Entries not meeting the 100-word requirement will not be considered.  Keep the following guidelines in mind:

— The theme for this contest is rebirth/renewal.   Your entry should connect with this theme in some way.  For this contest,  I will be considering drabbles that fall into the following genres: crime, mystery, horror, suspense,  fantasy, science fiction, western, or just plain weird.

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Articles

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Writing Prompt Wednesdays: Aliens Among Us

Writing Prompt Wednesdays: Found Footage

Welcome to “Writing Prompt Wednesdays,” a haven where your imagination can roam free in the realms of speculative fiction. As we embark on this weekly journey, it’s thrilling to think about the untold stories waiting to be penned in the domains of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Whether you’re a seasoned author or a budding wordsmith, these prompts are your gateway to unexplored worlds and untapped potentials.

Every Wednesday, we’ll serve up a fresh, thought-provoking prompt designed to ignite your creative spark and challenge your storytelling prowess. Think of these prompts as a key, unlocking the doors to uncharted territories where your creativity is the only limit. From eerie, shadow-laden corridors of Gothic horror to the farthest reaches of interstellar space, and the mystical depths of high fantasy, our prompts are a kaleidoscope of possibilities.

Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to approach these prompts. They are mere stepping stones, guiding you towards the vast landscapes of your imagination. Use them to break free from writer’s block, to experiment with new ideas, or simply as a fun exercise to keep your writing skills sharp.

This week’s writing prompt:

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Anthology / Events / Flash / Pro

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Taking Submissions: Little Guts

Deadline: May 31st, 2024
Payment: 12c/word + contributors copy.
Theme: Gross and goopy horror

Edited by Lor Gislason, author of Inside Out, ⅓ of the Goop Troop and editor of Bound In Flesh: An Anthology of Trans Body Horror and Spectrum: An Autistic Horror Anthology.

THE IMPORTANT STUFF:
This is an OPEN CALL. There are no invited authors. It’s a free for all!

SUBMISSION PERIOD: April 1st to May 31st, 2024. Edits June-August.
Expected release date October.

PAY: 12c/word + contributors copy.

We will be taking PITCHES, and if accepted, your story should be 2-5k words.
Please send only 1 to 2 pitches MAX.

SEND PITCHES TO: [email protected]

THE GUTS:

Hey all! Lor here. Some of you might know me for my love of GROSS, GOOPY HORROR—which is exactly what this anthology aims to be! I’ll be looking for pitches that evoke FUN and DISGUST, like Peter Jackson’s Braindead, and the films of Frank Henelotter. Shows like Freaky Stories and Aaahh!!! Real Monsters. Like a pig in mud, we revel in the nasty and go, “hey, check this out! Made me want to barf!” Give me fluids! Guts and gore! Slime, ooze and GOOP!

Your story can feature dark themes and heavy topics, but have FUN with it. There are no restrictions. Content warnings will be made available when the book is published. All writers of any skill level or background are encouraged to submit!

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Audio / Events / Reprints Allowed / Semipro

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Taking Submissions: Imagitopia May 2024 Window

Submission Window: May 1st – 31st, 2024
Payment: 1 cent per word
Theme: Fantasy short stories up to 5,000 words
Note: REPRINT ONLY

IMAGITOPIA is a new fantasy fiction podcast and digital magazine produced by Android Press and featuring narrated fantasy fiction plus other fun stuff like author and editor interviews, news and events, and nerd-outs on fantasy tropes and other related topics. 

We currently accept submissions of previous published fantasy short stories for REPRINT ONLY to be narrated for the podcast. We’ll also publish in print here on the webzine. 

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