All Peggy wants to do is to visit the Haunted Circus…
Peggy’s Hungry Haunted Clown was written by myself and published this August in It Was All A Dream 2: Another Anthology of Bad Horror Tropes Done Right, released this August by Hungry Shadow Press.
https://www.hungryshadowpress.com/it-was-all-a-dream-v2
This is a gorgeous anthology with custom art for each story and I share the TOC with some phenomenal writing friends of mine, including Yelena Crane and Amanda Cecelia Lang.
Kristi Stewart does a fantastic job bringing this middle-grade horror story to life. She’s a professional voice actor and frequent performer for this podcast.
Grab your best frenemy and a few bucks. We’re going to the circus!
For paid subscribers of this substack, I’m adding all the additional calls I’m considering submitting to… UPDATE — I changed this to FREE.
So far this month, I’ve sent out 26 submissions. 16 Rejections have rolled in. Zero acceptances yet.
PORTER HOUSE REVIEW - FREE SUBMISSIONS from today to Nov 14th! -Online lit magazine - 5000 word max - no reprints - they pay $200 per piece - I’ve never subbed here before - normally they have a $3 submission fee - LEARN MORE
JUST KEEP UP Magazine: open now- $10 a story- 100-10,000 words- Looking for Science Fiction or Horror. Sim subs allowed - This is a brand new market and there are no stories online yet. (Shall we be the first?) Send your subs to: JustKeepUpMagazine@gmail.com LEARN MORE
MEETINGHOUSE MAG: open til Dec 3 - $40 for digital - $100 for print - 7500 max words - sub sims accepted - We appreciate genre-bending & genre-blending. We believe trying and failing to work through difficult ideas and feelings is more worthwhile than staying comfortable in what you know. Asking questions is better than answering them. - LEARN MORE
*** SUBSCRIBE TO SEE THE NEXT 7 OPEN PAYING CALLS
Memento Mori Ink Magazine - 2026 Anthology exploring power of artifacts or relics working with Crystal Lake Publishing- deadline June 1 - 2c a word - 3000-5000 words - no sub sims - In this collection, we explore the power of Memento Mori artifacts or relics. We want ancient objects or seemingly mundane items which have the power to whisper to those who possess them. We are looking for character-driven stories with a focus on the history and source of power behind their chosen object which must be tied to the afterlife, the passage of time, or the thin veil separating the living from the dead. As these objects reveal their secrets, characters must confront their deepest fears and the inevitable reality of their own mortality. - this one was hard to find online, right now I can only find a Facebook Post. You can use this link to submit - SUBMIT HERE
CURSED MORSELS - Nov 15-22nd - 500 words max - 10c a word - For the release of Briar Ripley Page’s Lupus in Fabula in January 2025, we’ll be including a special zine with all orders placed through the Cursed Morsels store. The theme of this zine is “creature in the bathroom,” and we’re hosting a submission call to find great pieces that fit this theme. - email in your submission - LEARN MORE
FLAMETREE FLASH FICTION - Nov 17th deadline - 1000 word max - 8c a word - theme Clone Claus - email Leah Radcliffe at FLASH2024@flametreeepublishing.com
APEX FLASH FICTION - Nov 30 deadline - 8c a word - 1000 word max - theme MEMORY - SUBMIT HERE
STORIES ON FLAME - stories inspired by the band Blue Oyster Cult - 3000 - 5000 words - $25 pay - open till Dec 31 - These are intended to be dark/horror fantasy and sci-fi stories, which is a consistent theme throughout BÖC's music. Think of songs like "Black Blade," "Monsters," "Godzilla," "I Love The Night," "Sole Survivor," "Take Me Away," "E.T.I.," and so many more.
Note that if you base a story on "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," it better be a killer because many other people probably will too, if the flood of stories based on "Welcome To My Nightmare" for "Dismember The Coop" was any indication. I will only accept one story for a particular song, so the more creative and deep catalog you can go, the better your chance of acceptance. Presuming it's a good story, of course. Also, "Astronomy" is already spoken for. Sorry. Also, though I mentioned it above as an example, you should avoid a story based on "Godzilla," as that's another copyright pitfall waiting to happen if you use the name.
What I expect is to take a song and use it as just a germ of an idea to spin a complete tale from. I don't want simple prose retellings of songs, as that's not creative at all, and they will be summarily rejected. If you need an example of how to do this successfully, check out "Dismember The Coop" on Kindle Unlimited.
Note that lyrics cannot be used in these stories. The copyrights on those can be a convoluted maze, and we don't want to go down that road. Song titles and character names can be used, and I love Easter Eggs in stories, little nods to the band, other songs, etc.
Personal Note— I was in the Alice Cooper anthology. A good experience working with Bert Edens. How to submit - Please submit stories, after November 1st, to StoriesOnFlame@AuthorBertEdens.com.
FUTURE STATES OF STARS - Owlcrate Press - open till Nov 30th - 10c a word - 8500 word max - New Adult to Adult content - We are specifically seeking stories in the dystopian sci-fi genre with a Black Mirror or Twilight Zone vibe. Authors are encouraged to explore themes of the near-to-far future of states, whether set here on Earth, in space, or in other dimensions.
Consider exploring dystopian themes such as authoritarian regimes, environmental collapse, surveillance societies, loss of individual freedoms, or the impact of advanced technology on humanity. SUBMIT HERE
ISLANDIA JOURNAL - work inspired by Miami Vice - deadline Nov 18 - $100 pay - Forty years ago, the pilot episode of Miami Vice aired for the first time. Beginning in 1980 -- after the Mariel Boatlift, Arthur McDuffie trial, and against the ongoing cocaine wars -- Miami became a place of international intrigue. In 1984, when Miami Vice became the most popular show in the world, it cemented our city's status as a global metropolis which would not be ignored. In this spirit, we seek work inspired by Miami Vice. - My experience? It took over a year to here back the last time I sent something to them. LEARN MORE
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