October, 2018 Dark Fiction Short Story Markets

October, 2018

New or Reopening Market Listings/ Notes

At Pro-Paying (5 cents+ per word) 

Compelling Science Fiction

http://compellingsciencefiction.com/guidelines.html

Payment: 6 cents a word

Story Length: 1,000–10,000 words

Deadline: (open) Oct. 1–Dec. 1, 2018

Reprints?: No

Response: 6 weeks

Description: Online science fiction magazine focused on ‘hard’ science fiction: entertaining, scientifically plausible, self-consistent, and technically detailed when appropriate. We have a preference for ‘positive’ stories, and also open to humor.

Horror Humor anthology (Bad Dream Entertainment)

http://www.baddreamentertainment.com/submissions

Payment: 6 cents a word

Story Length: 1,500–8,000 words

Deadline: December 31, 2018

Reprints?: No

Response: 2–4 weeks

Description: Original horror fiction with a strong sense of comedy, and most themes, subjects, and settings are welcome but standard genre tropes are definitely discouraged (vampires, zombies, werewolves, etc.). The comedic aspect can be goofy and slapstick or black and morbid, just as long as there are equal amounts of darkness and humor..

DreamForge Magazine: Future Best Issue

https://dreamforgemagazine.com/10-best-futures-guidelines

Payment: 6 cents a word

Story Length: up to 1,500 words

Deadline: October 31, 2018

Reprints?: No

Response: unknown

Description: Any genre or sub-genre of science fiction and fantasy that meets the following three points:

1. A future with a hopeful ending.

2. A future in which humane values triumph or are strongly demonstrated.

3. A future where the protagonists struggle to improve life for others as well as themselves.

Future of Death (io9)

https://io9.gizmodo.com/io9-wants-your-short-fiction-on-the-future-of-death-1829209247

Payment: 50 (fifty!) cents a word

Story Length: up to 2,000 words

Deadline: October 25, 2018

Reprints?: No

Response: unknown (probably less than one month)

Description: Essays, investigations, and short fiction: Perhaps death has become a thing of the past—for some humans, at least. Maybe a newly sentient AI must decide whether to program some form of death into its universe. Whatever the premise, we’re looking for creative takes on what it means for an object or entity to cease to be. We’re most interested in futuristic and science fiction-infused tales; no gore or straight horror, please. NOTE: Assume VERY low acceptance rate on this compared to amount of interest/ submissions.

Zombies Need Brains, LLC anthologies (3 separate markets, Similar guidelines)

https://jpskewedthrone.dreamwidth.org/496776.html

NOTE: These are successfully-funded Kickstarter campaigns open for public submissions.

All 3 anthologies:

Payment: 6 cents a word + Royalties

Story Length: to 7,500 words

Deadline: December 31, 2018

Reprints?: No

Response: February 28, 2019

Tone for all: Range of tones, from humorous all the way up to dark; Not looking for torture porn, nor gratuitous violence of any kind.

1. Portals

Description: Science fiction or fantasy stories that contain a portal opening up between two different worlds and the consequences that come from that portal.
2. Temporally Deactivated

Description: Stories where the author explores what the phrase “temporally deactivated” could mean with regards to a person, place, or thing.  Stories featuring more interesting takes on the twisting of time and how it is integrated into the story will receive more attention than those with more typical twisted time stories.

3. Alternate Peace
Description: Alternate history stories where the divergence from our timeline comes from some kind of peaceful change to our past.  It must explore the consequences of this divergence, not simply introduce the divergence.  Stories featuring more interesting historical settings and twists on the consequences of the peaceful divergence from our timeline will receive more attention than those with more standard changes to the course of history.

***Non-PRO-Paying Market, but Eric J. Guignard’s “Pick of the Month”

Tales from the Lake, Vol. 6 (Crystal Lake Publishing)

http://www.crystallakepub.com/authorcentral

Payment: 3 cents a word

Story Length: 500 to 5,000 words

Deadline: November 1st, 2018 through January 1st, 2019

Reprints?: No

Response: unknown

Description: Non-themed horror, with a preference for believable, quiet horror and dark fiction with a literary bent.

Tales from the Canyons of the Damned

http://canyonsofthedamned.com/#eluid20a88705

Payment: 3 cents a word

Story Length: 500–5,000 words

Deadline: ongoing

Reprints?: No

Response: unknown

Description: Dark Science fiction, Horror, and Slipstream. Think of the Canyons as a literary Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, or Outer Limits—it's Netflix's Black Mirror.

Amazon Giveaway for A WORLD OF HORROR!

My #AmazonGiveaway ! Enter for a chance to win a hardback edition of this critically acclaimed new release anthology: A WORLD OF HORROR.

https://www.amazon.com/ga/p/e75fa0d919c81678#ln-afo

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Ends the earlier of Oct 10, 2018 11:59 PM PDT, or when all prizes are claimed.

Hardback Editions of DARK MOON BOOKS titles now available!

Been working like a mofo, but still found some time to take my books to the next level! Figured out how to make GORGEOUS(!) HARDBACK versions of Dark Moon Books titles!

These productions include heavy cloth blinding with gold emblazoned spines and beautiful wraparound dust jackets. The first three titles are on sale now through Amazon!!!

THE FIVE SENSES OFHORROR (Hardcover ISBN-13: 9781949491043)

DARK TALES OF LOSTCIVILIZATIONS (Hardcover ISBN-13: 9781949491067)

A WORLD OF HORROR (Hardcover ISBN-13: 9781949491036)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/194949103X/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Or, read more about the titles on my website: http://www.darkmoonbooks.com/Books.html

Recent Reviews of My Work!

Have received a few wonderful reviews in the past couple of days by indie review sites who make the author’s world go ’round!

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THAT WHICH GROWS WILD: 16 TALES OF DARK FICTION

KENDALL REVIEWS -- “That Which Grows Wild by Eric J Guignard collects 16 weird, dark stories with enough variety to make a chocolate box turf itself off a cliff in despair, knowing it could never provide such a tasty selection of treats.

…When you’re four stories deep into a collection and each one gives you the fuzzy feeling of satisfaction, I’d say that’s a pretty strong recommendation, but wait! Guignard isn’t done with you that quickly…

…Just buy it! Quality, variety, terror, sadness, thrills, comedy, creatures… this book really does have it all.”

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE:

http://kendallreviews.com/that-which-grows-wild-eric-j-guignard-kendall-review/

BUY IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/That-Which-Grows-Wild-Fiction/dp/1949491005/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

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THAT WHICH GROWS WILD: 16 TALES OF DARK FICTION

A.E. SIRAKI, WRITER & REVIEWS -- “I was excited to read this short story collection by Eric J. Guignard, who is as brilliant a writer as he is an editor…

Guignard also excels at writing historical tales particularly well, such as “Momma,” which I enjoyed. One of the themes of the collection and that ran through this story was of families and desperate situations; how much they’re willing to risk to save each other, and sacrifice.

Overall, Guignard presents an excellent assortment of stories in this volume. Fans of his work should definitely check it out.”

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE:

https://aesiraki.wordpress.com/2018/09/17/book-review-that-which-grows-wild-by-eric-j-guignard/

BUY IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/That-Which-Grows-Wild-Fiction/dp/1949491005/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

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EXPLORING DARK SHORT FICTION #2: A PRIMER TO KAARON WARREN (VOLUME 2)

POSTCARDS FROM A DYING WORLD -- These are beautiful books, they look amazing and the quality of the production is some of the best I have seen by a independent publisher (Dark Moon Books).

… Reading this book you get to know Kaaron Warren comes just as much from her stories as her introduction as you do the interview.

That is the thing, this is a entertaining book, the stories are great. You will learn about the author but as much as it is primer for the author it is also a great education tool for short fiction in general. Editor Eric Guignard is doing exciting stuff with this series and Dark Moon Books in general. He is one of the hardest working folks in the indie horror scene and it is paying off. His name on a book is a mark of quality. This series is just starting but in a few years I suspect these books will help a new generation of authors learn the ropes.”

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE:

https://davidagranoff.blogspot.com/2018/09/book-review-exploring-dark-short.html

BUY IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Dark-Short-Fiction-Primer/dp/0998938300

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A WORLD OF HORROR

FANBASE PRESS -- “A World of Horror is an anthological cultural tour in the sacred art of horror that will terrify even the most desensitized scare junkie and force them to sleep with the lights on. Parsed together by Eric J. Guignard, the collection contains delectable choices from South Africa, India, England, Australia, Japan, and many more (even the United States of America)…

…Right now, there aren’t a lot of books that can deliver on the frights like this one, but it also exposes readers to new cultures and ideas, legends and fears – a phenomenal combination that needs to be repeated often.”

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE:

http://fanbasepress.com/index.php/press/reviews/item/9248-a-world-of-horror-advance-book-review

BUY IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/World-Horror-Kaaron-Warren/dp/194949103X

New Anthology Release!!! A WORLD OF HORROR

New Anthology Release!!! A WORLD OF HORROR

IT’S HERE!!!! Release Day today for one of the most highly anticipated anthologies of my life, A WORLD OF HORROR, which is an anthology of all new dark and speculative fiction stories written by authors from around the world.

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Every nation of the globe has unique tales to tell, whispers that settle in through the land, creatures or superstitions that enliven the night, but rarely do readers get to experience such a diversity of these voices in one place as in A World of Horror, the latest anthology book created by award-winning editor Eric J. Guignard, and beautifully illustrated by artist Steve Lines.

Enclosed within these pages are twenty-two all-new dark and speculative fiction stories written by authors from around the world that explore the myths and monsters, fables and fears of their homelands.

•   In “The Wife Who Didn’t Eat,” a modest Japanese farmer’s prayer to the gods comes true . . . much to his dismay.

•   In “Things I Do For Love,” the intertwined lives in an Indonesian village are upended by as diabolical and otherworldly a device as a simple whisper.

•   In “Mutshidzi,” an African teen must raise her brother and run the household after their mother dies. But there is so much to do . . .

•   In “Sick Cats in Small Spaces,” a vacationing Australian family come upon a ghost town where the actual ghosts are bottled and kept.

Also encounter the haunting things that stalk those radioactive forests outside Chernobyl in Ukraine; sample the curious dishes one may eat in Canada; beware the veldt monster that mirrors yourself in Uganda; or simply battle mountain trolls alongside Alfred Nobel in Sweden. These stories and more are found within A World of Horror.

Enter and discover, truly, there’s no place on the planet devoid of frights, thrills, and wondrous imagination!

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Early Praise for: A World of Horror

“This breath of fresh air for horror readers shows the limitless possibilities of the genre.”

—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A fresh collection of horror authors exploring monsters and myths from their homelands.”

—Library Journal

“Proof that ghosts, goblins, and more are equally terrifying in every corner of the world.”

—Fanbase Press

“This is the book we need right now!”

—Becky Spratford; librarian, reviewer, RA for All: Horror

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And including this amazing lineup of authors:

·         “Mutshidzi” by Mohale Mashigo (South Africa)

·         “One Last Wayang” by L Chan (Singapore)

·         “Things I Do for Love” by Nadia Bulkin (Indonesia)

·         “On a Wooden Plate, on a Winter’s Night” by David Nickle (Canada)

·         “Country Boy” by Billie Sue Mosiman (United States of America)

·         “The Wife Who Didn’t Eat” by Thersa Matsuura (Japan)

·         “The Disappeared” by Kristine Ong Muslim (Philippines)

·         “The Secret Life of the Unclaimed” by Suyi Davies Okungbowa (Nigeria)

·         “How Alfred Nobel Got His Mojo” by Johannes Pinter (Sweden)

·         “The Nightmare” by Rhea Daniel (India)

·         “Obibi” by Dilman Dila (Uganda)

·         “Chemirocha” by Charlie Human (South Africa)

·         “Sick Cats in Small Spaces” by Kaaron Warren (Australia)

·         “Arlecchino” by Carla Negrini (Italy)

·         “Warning: Flammable, See Back Label” by Marcia Douglas (Jamaica)

·         “Honey” by Valya Dudycz Lupescu (Ukraine)

·         “The Man at Table Nine” by Ray Cluley (England)

·         “The Mantle of Flesh” by Ashlee Scheuerman (Australia)

·         “The Shadows of Saint Urban” by Claudio Foti (Italy)

·         “Warashi’s Grip” by Yukimi Ogawa (Japan)

·         “The White Monkey” by Carlos Orsi (Brazil)

·         “The West Wind” by David McGroarty (Scotland)

And beautifully illustrated by artist Steve Lines!

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Editor: Eric J. Guignard

Illustrator: Steve Lines

Number of pages: 332 pgs at 6" x 9" trim

Date of publication: September 10, 2018

13-digit ISBN (hardback): 978-0-9989383-1-8

13-digit ISBN (paperback): 978-0-9989383-1-8

13-digit ISBN (e-book): 978-0-9989383-2-5

Available in HARDBACK, PAPERBACK, or EBOOK, TODAY!

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/World-Horror-Kaaron-Warren/dp/194949103X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Publisher’s Link: http://www.darkmoonbooks.com/world_of_horror.html

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40583592-a-world-of-horror

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-world-of-horror-eric-j-guignard/1128916363?ean=9780998938318

September, 2018 Dark Fiction Short Story Markets

September, 2018

New or Reopening Market Listings/ Notes

At Pro-Paying (5 cents+ per word) 

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores

http://cosmicrootsandeldritchshores.com/

Payment: 6 cents a word original; 2 cents a word reprint

Story Length: 1,000–40,000 words (focus on shorter form)

Deadline: Open 1 week only: September 21 to September 28, 2018

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).

Constellary Tales (Magazine AND Podcast) (*New Market)

http://constellary.com/story-submissions/

Payment: 6 cents a word

Story Length: 1,000 – 3,500 words

Deadline: Intermittent

Reprints?: No

Response: 1 month

Description: Science Fiction and fantasy stories (no straight horror). “Storytelling across time and space… i.e. any great speculative fiction stories.”

Clarkesworld Magazine

http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/submissions/

Payment: 10 cents per word for the first 5,000 words, 8 cents for each word over 5,000

Story Length: 1,000–16,000 words

Deadline: Intermittent.

Reprints?: No

Response: Unknown

Description: Science fiction and fantasy (include. All associated sub-genres); Science fiction need not be "hard" SF, but rigor is appreciated. Fantasy can be folkloric, contemporary, surreal, etc. Horror can be supernatural or psychological, so long as it is frightening.

Daily Science Fiction

http://dailysciencefiction.com/submit

Payment: 8 cents a word

Story Length: to 1,500 words (prefer less than 1,000)

Deadline: Continually open

Reprints?: No

Response: 1 month

Description: Speculative fiction, such as science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, etc. Daily publishings! Great market...

Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine

https://www.themysteryplace.com/eqmm/guidelines/

Payment: 5-8 cents a word

Story Length: 2,500 – 8,000 words soft range (additionally, ‘Minute Mysteries’ of as little as 250 words)

Deadline: Ongoing

Reprints?: No

Response: Three months

Description: (Not Horror, but Mystery and Crime) -- Every kind of mystery short story: the psychological suspense tale, the deductive puzzle, the private eye case—the gamut of crime and detection from the realistic (including the policeman's lot and stories of police procedure) to the more imaginative (including "locked rooms" and "impossible crimes"). We need hard-boiled stories as well as "cozies."

Dreamers & Makers ezine (Sanguine Press)

https://sanguinepress.submittable.com/submit

Payment: $120 flat

Story Length: up to 3,000 words

Deadline: June 30, 2016

Reprints?: No

Response: Two months

Description: Sci-fi, Fantasy, or Horror. Theme = Defiance/Obedience. What is the cost of defiance and who really ends up paying? What do we give up in unquestioned obedience, and is it tantamount to capitulation? Story characters must be predominantly People of Color.)

***Non-PRO-Paying Market, but Eric J. Guignard’s “Pick of the Month”

Future Visions (Camton House Publishing)

https://www.futurevisions.io/for-authors
Payment: $150 flat

Story Length: 2,000 – 7,000 words

Deadline: Always Open

Reprints?: No

Response: 4–6 weeks

Description: Stories in the realm of The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror that explore larger questions using any and all of the popular science fiction tropes: new technology, exploration, nightmarish dystopians, alien species, baffling utopias, etc.

Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing Newsletter (ed. Max Booth III)

http://perpetualpublishing.com/2014/08/27/call-for-submissions-flash-fiction

Payment: $25 flat payment

Story Length: up to 1,000 words

Deadline: Ongoing

Reprints?: No

Response: Less than 1 month

Description: Dark fiction in the horror, science fiction, crime, and noir genres to be published in monthly e-newsletter.