My latest newsletter post is live! Now via Substack. “Strange and Dreaming Days with Eric J. Guignard” Dec., 2025 edition. Books! News! Pics!
https://ericjguignard.substack.com/p/strange-and-dreaming-days-with-eric
Monday, December 8, 2025
My latest newsletter post is live via Substack!
Monday, December 1, 2025
December, 2025 Dark Fiction Short Story Markets
HWA L.A.: For December, 2025
New or Reopening Market Listings/ Notes
At Minimum Pro-Paying (5 cents+ per word)
New or Reopening Market Listings/ Notes
At Minimum Pro-Paying (5 cents+ per word)
Book Worms Horror Zine, Issue #10:
Apocalyptic Horror
https://rsaintclaire.com/2025/11/03/call-for-submissions-4/
Payment: 8 cents a word ($25
flat for poetry)
Story Length: up to 1,500 words
Deadline: January 10, 2026
Reprints?: No
Response: unknown
Description: Original, non-themed
short stories of end-of-the-world dread, AKA: Apocalyptic Horror. We’re looking
for stories and poetry that dive into nuclear winters, climate catastrophes,
algorithmic uprisings, techno-anarchy, or whatever fresh brand of apocalypse
your twisted imagination can conjure.
**Note: This publisher accepts submissions ONLY via postal
mail
https://plotthoundmag.com/submissions/
Payment: 8 cents a word
Story Length: up to 5,000 words
(preferred 3,000–4,000); or flash fiction up to 999 words
Deadline: Open between December 1
and December 15, 2025
Reprints?: No
Response: Unknown
Description: Stories with
anthropomorphized animals as protagonists; Animal-centric speculative fiction
(fantasy, science fiction, horror). (Also open to poetry and non-fiction.)
Adventitious e-Magazine
https://www.adventitious.net/submission-guidelines/
Payment: 8 cents a word (1
cent/word for reprints)
Story Length: up to 17,000 words
Deadline: Open between December 1
and December 5, 2025
Reprints?: Yes
Response: Within 8 weeks
Description: Stories that offer a
sense of wonder through their language, characters, plots, or all of the above.
Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and all speculative/surreal will always be welcomed, but we’re
also happy with stories that shock and delight right here on this plane of
existence.
Night Shades Magazine
https://www.nightshadesmag.com/submissions/
Payment: $65 flat rate
Story Length: up to 500 words
Opens: December 26, 2025
Reprints?: No
Response: unknown
Description: Non-themed, original
speculative fiction. All types of Fantasy/ Science Fiction/ Horror. “Something
genuine and strange, that takes big swings with language, and that takes
advantage of the short form rather than strains against it.”
Rotting Leaf Magazine
https://www.briefecology.com/p/annoucement-rotting-leaf-magazine
Payment: 6 cents a word
Story Length: up to 1,500 words
Deadline: Open between December 1
and December 6, 2025
Reprints?: No
Response: unknown
Description: Short stories of
Eco-Fiction (broadly defined), including: Eco-Horror; Eco-Gothic/Anti-gothic; Haunted/Unhaunted
Landscapes; Transcorporeality; Eco-Surrealism/Existentialism/Absurdism; etc.)
https://bcubedpress.moksha.io/publication/yes-this-is-the-more-alternative-liberties-portal-you-are-seeking/guidelines
Payment: 10 cents a word
Story Length: 1,500–3,000 words
(soft range)
Deadline: December 20, 2025
Reprints?: No
Response: unknown
Description: Stories, poems, and
essays about the potential consequences of the 2024 Presidential election told
in current, near future or even similar situations where such a leader is in
power; stories of people who fight the change, endure the change, or embrace
the change. But key word is People. I want the stories to be about the People
(an maybe the animal liberation front in Springfield or a couch salesmen in
Ohio who knows things.
***Non-PRO-Paying Market, but Eric J. Guignard’s “Pick of
the Month”
https://blackbeaconbooks.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html
Payment: $30 flat rate for
original stories ($10 flat for reprints)
Story Length: 3,000–9,000 words
(soft range)
Deadline: December 31, 2025
Reprints?: Yes
Response: Does not send rejections.
Acceptances sent by January 15, 2026.
Description: Non-themed quality
horror short stories.
https://drekdeathanddoom.com/submissions/
Payment: between 1–4 cents a
word
Story Length: 2,000–6,000 words
Deadline: December 25, 2025
Reprints?: No
Response: unknown
Description: Original Valentine’s
Day Horror Stories Wanted (no horror comedy).
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
I’ll be speaking again at Loscon this year as a panelist!
I’ll be speaking again at Loscon this year as a panelist!
Presented by The Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, Loscon has been held
annually since 1975.
It’s in a new location this year, but same dates, being the weekend after
Thanksgiving: Friday, Nov. 28 – Sunday, Nov. 30
Held at:
Hilton Los Angeles Airport
5711 West Century Boulevard, 90045 Los Angeles
Panels I'm on:
The Blurring of Genre Lines
10:00 a.m., Saturday, November 29, 2025
Newport C room, Hilton Los Angeles Airport
The Truth About Horror
11:30 a.m., Saturday, November 29, 2025
Newport B room, Hilton Los Angeles Airport
Different Paths into Writing Careers (as moderator)
1:00 p.m., Saturday, November 29, 2025
Newport A room, Hilton Los Angeles Airport
Publishing Short Stories (as moderator)
10:00 a.m., Sunday, November 30, 2025
Catalina D room, Hilton Los Angeles Airport
Creative Hobbies For Writers (as moderator)
11:30 a.m., Sunday, November 30, 2025
Newport C room, Hilton Los Angeles Airport
More here:
https://loscon.lineupr.com/loscon-51/
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Monday, November 3, 2025
November, 2025 Dark Fiction Short Story Markets
HWA L.A.: For November, 2025
New or Reopening Market Listings/ Notes
At Minimum Pro-Paying (5 cents+ per word)
New or Reopening Market Listings/ Notes
At Minimum Pro-Paying (5 cents+ per word)
Apex
Magazine
http://www.apex-magazine.com/submission-guidelines
Payment: 8 cents a word
Story Length: up to 9,000 words
Deadline: Ongoing
Reprints?: No
Response: One month
Description: Exceptionally well-written science fiction, fantasy,
horror, and all its sub-genres.
NOTE: ALSO Open to Flash Fiction contest, usually between the 7th
through last day of each month. Stories up to 1,000 words based on a
theme to be announced on the 7th day of the month.
TWO SEPARATE ANTHOLOGIES: Romantic Fantasy from Flame Tree Publishing
https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/fantasy-gothic/romantic-fantasy-first-submissions-0
Payment: 8 cents a word (6
cents/ word for reprints)
Story Length: 2,000–4,000 words (soft range)
Deadline: November 10, 2025
Reprints?: Yes
Response: within 4 months of the submission deadline
1. Of Blood & Petals: Tales featuring strong-willed, independent
leads who are resilient, perhaps flawed or possess hidden powers, secrets or
royal bloodlines. Such protagonists would not be defined solely by their love
interests but grow through emotionally charged journeys. Friendships and love
interests might be brooding, mysterious or dangerously alluring. Relationships
might emphasize deep emotional connections, with lyrical, romantic scenes
central to each character’s arc. Ideal submissions will weave emotional tension
such as longing, betrayal and love into epic fantasy worlds depicting
prophecies, injustice and conflict.
2. The Tarot of Love: The Lovers Tarot card can signify attraction, love, and commitment, but
reversed, it may represent failure and foolishness. Which fate will it be?
Since ancient times, divination has been a tool for seeking answers through
mediums such as readings, tangible objects, or tapping into other realms and
spirit worlds to gain guidance… in these tales of romance, will lovers meet
their fated end, and will the prophecy be fulfilled?
Shotgun Honey (flash fiction)
https://shotgunhoney.com/submissions/flash-fiction/
Payment: $15 flat
Story Length: Flash fiction up to
700 words
Deadline: Ongoing
Reprints?: No
Response: unknown
Description: Non-themed crime, noir,
and hard-boiled flash fiction.
DreamForge Magazine
https://dreamforgemagazine.com/for-authors/call-for-submissions/
Payment: 8 cents a word
Story Length: up to 7,000 words
Deadline: December 31, 2025
Reprints?: No
Response: 6–9 weeks
Description: Positive (and “clean”)
science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction. Hope and advancement;
https://jamieflanagan.com/guidelines-2/
Payment: $2,000 flat rate
Story Length: 3,000–5,000 words
Deadline: March 2, 2026
Reprints?: No
Response: unknown
Description: Original stories set in
the infamous hotel from Stephen King’s THE SHINING; stories that take place in
Stephen King’s world of THE SHINING, prior to the Torrance family’s arrival at
the Overlook Hotel. The anthology will be based on lore from King’s writings
(follow the books; not the films). NOTE: Only “1 or 2” stories to be accepted.
***Non-PRO-Paying Market, but Eric J. Guignard’s “Pick of
the Month”
https://interzone.press/submissions/
Payment: 1.5 euro cents a
word
Story Length: 2,000–17,500 words
Deadline: ongoing
Reprints?: No
Response: usually within 5 weeks
Description: Fantastika fiction:
non-themed, general audience, science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
https://www.propagule.co
Payment: $5 per 1,000 words
for the first 2,000 words, and $10 per 1,000 words thereafter (up to a maximum
of $30)
Story Length: 1,500–10,000 words
Deadline: December 15, 2025
Reprints?: No
Response: unknown
Description: Speculative,
non-traditional stories, preferring science fiction and fantasy.
https://horrificscribblings.com/submissions/
Payment: $25 flat rate
Story Length: 1,500–5,000 words
Deadline: Is open intermittently
(currently open) with no listed closing date.
Reprints?: No
Response: Two weeks up to six weeks
Description: Dark, transgressive
fiction, horror and horror-adjacent, e.g. dark fantasy, dark sci-fi, and
surreal and experimental work with dark edges.
Friday, October 10, 2025
I'll be signing and participating in two book events this weekend!
I'll be signing and participating in two book events this weekend! Come down if you are in the area for either!
Saturday, 10/11: I'll be in Riverside at the 1st annual Riverside Book Festival, vending and signing books along with Ari Loeb, Greg McWhorter, and Blake Shimshock.
All day event, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Riverside Main Library
3900 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside
https://riversidebookfestival.org/
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Sunday, 10/12: I'll be speaking and signing books for the HWA anthology SCARING AND DARING at the Los Angeles Public Library’s Taper Auditorium along with Lisa Morton and Joe R. Lansdale!
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Doors open 1:45 p.m.
L.A. Central Library - Taper Auditorium 630 W 5th St Los Angeles, CA 90071
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Thursday, October 2, 2025
October, 2025 Dark Fiction Short Story Markets
HWA L.A.: For October, 2025
New or Reopening Market Listings/ Notes
At Minimum Pro-Paying (5 cents+ per word)
Ghoulish Tales
https://ghoulish.rip/ghoulish-tales-reopens-for-submissions-9-17-10-17-2025/
Payment: 10 cents a word
Story Length: up to 5,000 words
Deadline: October 17, 2025
Reprints?: No
Response: unknown
Description: Short stories that fit
our personal definition of the word GHOULISH, which is “fun horror that aims to
celebrate all things spooky.”
https://uncharted.submittable.com/submit
Payment: $200 flat
Story Length: 1,000–5,000 words
Deadline: ongoing
Reprints?: Yes (but no pay)
Response: Three months
Description: Any type of genre
story: Horror (falls under Thriller/Mystery), Science Fiction, Crime, Fantasy,
etc. (see submission page for additional themed 1-time calls).
No Laughing Matter (Flame Tree)
https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/fantasy-gothic/no-laughing-matter-call-for-submissions
Payment: 8 cents a word
Story Length: 3,000–4,000 words (soft range)
Deadline: October
20, 2025
Reprints?: No
Response: within 4 months of the submission deadline
Description: Looking for
fiction which embraces the horror/thriller genres with elements of bleak, black
humor, wry observation, a touch of irony and satire, and hints of the absurd.
Small Wonders
https://smallwondersmag.com/submissions/
Payment: 10 cents a word (1
cent a word for reprints)
Story Length: up to 1,000 words (or
1,100 words for reprints)
Deadline: Intermittent
Reprints?: Yes
Response: Unspecified, but according
to online reports up to five months
Description: Non-themed short
stories relating to Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror.
Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores
https://cosmicrootsandeldritchshores.com/guidelines/
Payment: 8 cents/ word original; 2 cents/ word reprint (range for non-fiction)
Story Length: 1,000–10,000 words
(focus on shorter form)
Deadline: Opens the 1st and 2nd day only of each
month.
Reprints?: Yes
Response: abt. 2 months
Description: Well written original stories in science fiction, fantasy,
myth, fairy tales, and eldritch; in written, podcast, video, and/or graphic
story form, and from around the world. We care about character, plot, ideas,
and storytelling ability. We accept both serious and humorous work (no horror).
Also interested in poetry and non-fiction (articles).
https://www.metastellar.com/write-for-us/flash-fiction-story-submission
Payment: 8 cents a word
Story Length: up to 1,200 words
Deadline: Open between October 1–October
31, 2025
Reprints?: Yes (unpaid) (longer word count also allowed)
Response: unknown
Description: Original speculative
fiction, focusing on horror, fantasy and science fiction.
***Non-PRO-Paying Market, but Eric J. Guignard’s “Pick of
the Month”
https://daftnotions.com/humans-from-earth/
Payment: $100-$150 AUD flat
rate (about $65-$100 USD). $50 AUD for reprints.
Story Length: 3,000–7,000 words
Deadline: October 31, 2025
Reprints?: No
Response: unknown
Description: Science fiction horror
stories in which Earthlings are the boogyman to an alien race.
https://drekdeathanddoom.com/submissions/
Payment: between 1–4 cents a
word
Story Length: 2,000–6,000 words
Deadline: October 31, 2025
Reprints?: No
Response: unknown
Description: Folk Horror stories
themed around Thanksgiving. Horror, thriller, splatter, extreme; it’s all good
as long as there is a story.
https://www.madeinlawriters.com/submission-guidelines/
Payment: 1 cent a word
Story Length: up to 2,500 words
Deadline: October 31, 2025
Reprints?: No
Response: by December 31, 2025
Description: Stories that evoke
nuanced feelings and leave a lasting impression. We want to meet vibrant
characters, hear their distinct voices, and—as always—see the action unfold in
a strong Los Angeles setting.
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