Invention of the sub-genre: PARANORMAL-GRUNGE THRILLER

Hmmm… just wrote a ’90s high school grunge mystery—semi-autobiographical—that ended up at 11,000 words (after cutting from 13,000)…

In lieu of the current unmarketability of such an endeavor, I am here and now claiming invention rights and credits for a new sub-genre: PARANORMAL-GRUNGE THRILLER

I.e. should anyone else follow in my footsteps, you must credit as follows:

** The term was coined in 2018 by Eric J. Guignard via social media post. **

PARANORMAL-GRUNGE THRILLER: A specific form of Mystery sub-genre, similar in generalities to sub-genre definitions such as “Cozy,” or “Y.A.” but with distinction of slightly darker elements and situations as well as being set specifically in the “grunge-era” of the 1990s; Paranormal-Grunge Thrillers also include a supernatural element, and may be widely classified as a mystery or thriller, by which the main character (generally the author in his/her teen or college years) must solve a crime or puzzle.

A proto-Paranormal-Grunge Thriller is the novelette by Eric J. Guignard, “Up at Spadra, Where the Dead Don't Exist” (2018).

Publishers forthwith rejoice! I am offering you the chance for a unique and (*potentially*!) soon-to-be-wildly-successful market!

Just joined Mystery Writers of America

Just received my Active Writer acceptance into the Mystery Writers of America (MWA). Pleased and excited to join this org that’s been around since 1945, promoting mystery and crime thrillers! Additionally excited to be part of the regional So Cal. Chapter of other local writers, and look forward to attending their L.A. events once in a while.

More info on MWA here: https://mysterywriters.org/

More info MWA So Cal. Chapter here: http://www.socalmwa.com/

January, 2018 Dark Fiction Short Story Markets

January, 2018

New or Reopening Market Listings/ Notes
At Pro-Paying (5 cents+ per word)

Spectacle (Magazine) (** New Market)

https://spectacle.com/submissions

Payment: $100 for flash fiction. $500 for short stories.

Story Length: up to 7,500 words (incl. Flash up to 1,000 words)

Deadline: Ongoing

Reprints?: No

Response: Currently 1 week; could become longer

Description: Speculative fiction and Weird fiction. EX: Space cowboys with a flair for ballet, bored zombies with 9-5 jobs, an alternate history where Hitler and Gandhi switch places.

Mysterion (ezine)

http://www.mysteriononline.com/p/submission-guidelines.html

Payment: 6 cents a word (3 cents for reprints)

Story Length: up to 8,000 words

Deadline: January 31, 2018

Reprints?: Yes

Response: One month

Description: Christian-themed speculative stories--science fiction, fantasy, horror--with Christian themes, characters, or cosmology; science fiction and fantasy, good ghost stories, etc.; there's great fiction material hidden in the mysteries of Christian theology--cherubim, leviathan, nephilim, visions, prophecy, and more.

The Internet is Where the Robots Live Now (anthology, by Paper Dog Books)

https://www.paperdogbooks.com/pages/the-internet-is-where-the-robots-live-now-anthology

Payment: 6 cents a word

Story Length: 1,500—5,000 words

Deadline: April 1, 2018

Reprints?: No

Response: two months

Description: Short speculative fiction that considers the future of the internet, artificial intelligence, the mind, and robots. Give us your optimistic, fantastic, bittersweet stories of fantasy and science fiction.

Strange Horizons

http://strangehorizons.com/submit/fiction-submission-guidelines/

Payment: 8 cents a word

Story Length: to 10,000 words (under 5,000 preferred)

Deadline: Intermittent

Reprints?: No

Response: 40 days

Description: Imaginative, good speculative fiction, broadly defined (not pure horror), particularly from diverse perspectives; Unusual yet readable styles and inventive structures and narratives.

Foreshadow: A Serial YA Anthology (** New Market)

https://foreshadowya.com/#post-25

Payment: Minimum $250 per story, possibly with more depending on crowd funding.

Story Length: 2,000—7,000 words

Deadline: February 1, 2018 for the inaugural issue; September 1, 2018 for 2019 issues

Reprints?: No

Response: YA stories from established and emerging authors. Story titles should be one word in length and act as a clue (foreshadowing) to the story’s premise.

Weird Nature anthology (edited by Lynne Jamneck)

https://lynnejamneckdiaries.blogspot.gr/2017/12/submission-guidelines-weird-nature.html

Payment: 7 cents a word

Story Length: up to 10,000 words

Deadline: March 31, 2018

Reprints?: No

Response: unknown

Description: An anthology of original short fiction that explores the physical and metaphysical boundaries between humanity and the natural world. Fantasy or literary short works, speculative fiction (broadly defined); stories should involve nature and the weird at their core; how the author wishes to interpret these themes is entirely up to them.

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

Inferno! bi-monthly magazine through Black Library (Warhammer Gaming/ Games Workshop)

https://www.warhammer-community.com/writeforblacklibrary

Payment: unknown. Could be extraordinary, could be little…

Story Length: begin with a 500-word sample. Story to extrapolate from there

Deadline: April 10, 2018

Reprints?: No

Response: 100 days (20 weeks)

Description: Warhammer (Games Workshop) is one of the largest gaming giants in the world. This is a change to work with them to write short stories within any one of their preexisting “worlds”. Looking for horror; war; detective; mystery; or adventure tales. Must only submit a 500 word sample, and if interested, editors will provide further guidelines. This could be an immense opportunity, but there’s no word on compensation. Black Library publishing here: https://www.blacklibrary.com

December, 2017 Dark Fiction Short Story Markets

December, 2017

New or Reopening Market Listings/ Notes
At Pro-Paying (5 cents+ per word)

The Twisted Book of Shadows (edited by Christopher Golden and James A. Moore)

https://www.gofundme.com/the-twisted-book-of-shadows

Payment: 6 cents a word

Story Length: Not yet given. Assume soft range of up to 5,000 words
Deadline: February 1, 2018—February 28, 2018
Reprints?: No
Response: unknown
Description: Non-themed “unique” horror in the vein of stories from previous anthology series such as BORDERLANDS; WHISPERS; WOMEN OF DARKNESS, or anthologies edited by Charles L. Grant, etc.
NOTE: THIS IS A GOFUNDME campaign, but nearly guaranteed to meet its goals.


If This Goes On (edited by Cat Rambo)

http://parvuspress.com/ITGO

Payment: 8 cents a word

Story Length: up to 5,000 words
Deadline: March 1, 2018
Reprints?: No
Response: 3 months
Description: Unique stories that offer insights into the shared future of our planet. Tell us how our climate will change if we don’t better protect our planet. Show us how the racial divide in this country is only growing wider. Warn us of a coming era of neo-colonialism if we don’t develop conscientious trade practices. Scare us into taking digital security more seriously as we hand over the keys to our digital lives to governments and non-state powers; Stories must be set at least one generation in the future.


Gorgon: Stories of Emergence (by Pantheon Magazine)

https://pantheonmag.com/submissions/open-prompts

Payment: 6 cents a word (3 cents a word for reprints)

Story Length: up to 1,000 words
Deadline: Jan. 31, 2018–“When Filled” (probably at least until Feb. 28, 2018)
Reprints?: Yes
Response: 1 month
Description: Weird, dark fiction; slipstream; magical realism; horror. Fiction with a touch of mythic quality. We want themes based around transformations—things that are shapeshifting, things that are emerging. Make Ovid’s Metamorphoses contemporary and weird and scary. Flash Fiction.


Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine

http://www.alfredhitchcockmysterymagazine.com/contact-us/writers-guidelines

Payment: 8 cents a word

Story Length: up to 12,000 (but the shorter, the better)
Deadline: Intermittent
Reprints?: No
Response: Up to a year (though tracking status is utilized)
Description: Fiction Mystery: stories of detection of the classic kind, police procedurals, private eye tales, suspense, courtroom dramas, stories of espionage, and so on. Story must be about a crime (or the threat or fear of one). Sometimes accept ghost stories or supernatural tales, but those also should involve a crime (fresh, well told, and absorbing).


Factor Four Magazine (Online Mag ** New Market)

http://factorfourmag.com/submissions/

Payment: 8 cents a word

Story Length: up to 2,000 words
Deadline: Continually open
Reprints?: No
Response: 3 months or less
Description: Short fiction in the genres of speculative fiction, specifically science fiction, fantasy, supernatural, super hero, or any combination of these.  We are looking for stories that are engaging to our readers in such a short word count.

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

Tales From the Crust: An Anthology of Pizza Horror (Dark Moon Digest)

http://www.darkmoondigest.com/open-call-short-stories-tales-crust-anthology-pizza-horror/

Payment: 3 cents a word

Story Length: 1,000 – 5,000 words
Deadline: June 1, 2018
Reprints?: Query First
Response: Not given, probably less than 6 weeks
Description: Pizza Horror. Not so much the goofy Goosebumps thing you might imagine with a pizza horror story, but we’re taking it kind of seriously. Like we take our pizza seriously. The humor is inherent in the pizza theme already, so we’re playing this kind of straight. And if you think you’ve got what it takes, like a healthy love of the cheesy cuisine, send us your best work.


Nightscript, Volume 4 (anthology edited by C.M. Muller; publ. by Chthonic Matter)

https://chthonicmatter.wordpress.com/nightscript

Payment: Token $25

Story Length: 2,000 – 7,000 words
Deadline: January 1, 2018—January 31, 2018
Reprints?: No
Response: Generally 2 weeks or less
Description: Strange tales: Fictions supernatural, uncanny, weird, and so forth; subtle and darksome literary horror. Though pay is low, editor is very easy to speak with, and he sends out all published work for favorable reviews and best of lists; i.e. good promotions and reputation.

Release day for BEAUTY OF DEATH 2 anthology I'm in!

Received my contributor’s copy yesterday for the latest anthology I’m in THE BEAUTY OF DEATH - Vol. 2: Death by Water: The Gargantuan Book of Horror Tales (November, 2017 by Independent Legions Publishing)! Edited by Alessandro Manzetti & Jodi Renée Lester, I’m thrilled to be included in another anthology this year in which I get to see my name alongside so many friends and inspirations of horror writing! My story, “A Journey of Great Waves,” is about an orphaned Japanese girl gone to live with family in Hawaii who ruminates upon the shore wreckage of hurricanes, and what it means to her.

Available for sale here: https://www.amazon.com/BEAUTY-DEATH-Death-Gargantuan-Horror/dp/8899569738/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid&sr

Edited by: Alessandro Manzetti & Jodi Renée Lester

Table of Contents includes:

THE DEEPEST PART OF THE OCEAN by Joanna Parypinski
YOU WILL COME TO NO HARM IN WATER by Lucy Taylor
WALKING ON WATER by Dona Fox
A JOURNEY OF GREAT WAVES by Eric J. Guignard
ANTUMBRA by Lucy A. Snyder
THE DROWNING OF COLIN HENDERSON by Stephen Gregory
THE FOURTH BELL by Daniel Braum
THE TARN by Simon Bestwick
THE BALLAD OF BALLARD AND SANDRINE by Peter Straub, Peter Straub
THE DOUBLE LENS by Lisa Mannetti
THE GORGE OF CHILDREN by Daniele Bonfanti
RAISED BY THE MOON by Ramsey Campbell
DROWNING by Gregory Norris
UNDERWATER FERRIS WHEEL by Michael Bailey
THE OLD WOMAN AND THE SEA by Marge Simon
IN THE DREAMTIME OF LADY RESURRECTION by Caitlín Rebekah Kiernan, Caitlín R. Kiernan
TO TAKE THE WATER DOWN AND GO TO SLEEP by Frazer Lee
PERISCOPE OF THE DEAD by Paolo Di Orazio
WET SEASON by Dennis Etchison, Dennis Etchison, Dennis Etchison
WINGS MADE FROM WATER by John Palisano
COME UP by Brian Evenson
BORN OF DARK WATERS by Michael H. Hanson
SEA SLUG by Edward Lee
EVERY BEAST OF THE EARTH by Tim Waggoner
NIGHTHAWK AND LONE WOLF by Gene O'Neill
SIREN by Jonah Buck
GILLS by David J. Schow, David J. Schow
THE EVERLASTING by Anthony Watson
RIVER WATCH by Bruce Boston
FRESH CATCH by Michael Arnzen - Gorelets.com, Michael Arnzen
HIPPOCAMPUS by Adam Nevill
A SONG ONLY PARTIALLY HEARD by John Langan
BY THE SEA by Alessandro Manzetti
SCAPE-GOATS by Clive Barker
THE WASH by Lisa Morton
JUST WATCH ME NOW by Jodi Renée Lester
THE HIKER by Jeremy Megargee
EVEN THE STARS FALL by Nicola Lombardi
ORI by Adam Millard

ANNOUNCING NEW ANTHOLOGY: "A WORLD OF HORROR" !

** ANNOUNCING!!!! ** The Table Of Contents for (one of) my newest anthologies: A WORLD OF HORROR

This is an anthology of all-new dark and speculative fiction stories from authors all around the world that explores mythology, horror, or weird fables of their homeland.

Everybody, everybody, I am soooo thrilled to showcase this—just amazing tales and ideas and creatures that are new and unusual!

To be published in 2018 through the incredibly prestigious, amazing, sought-after (I could go on!) small presses, DARK MOON BOOKS at www.darkmoonbooks.com

·         “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)

To be illustrated by the incredibly talented artist, Steve Lines!

Prepare… #Coming_in_September