Authortunities #39 Dec. 16—Jan. 13
❗ Pre-order INUJINI ❗ ➕ Vote in the 2023 Discover Sci-Fi Readers' Choice Awards ➕ FREE Space and Time #145 from December 2023 〓 150+ author opportunities for you!
I am proud to say I caused some tears this week. The Inujini ARC went out to my first readers and in less than two hours I had this beautiful response posted on Instagram.
“Reading a moving ARC of this important novel by @angela_yuriko_smith, and it is ripping my heart out and stomping all over it.”
This is probably why so many people consider writing a lonely art. When someone tells an author “you made me cry” we respond with cackles and glee. 😂 Thank you for making my day. Please go follow kerry_e_b_black on Instagram!
Also, Inujini is available to pre-order now. A generous patron has offered to match all pre-order sales until December 31 to contribute toward the translations to Brazilian Portuguese. A huge thank you for the incredible generosity! 🧡🧡🧡
Video submissions have closed for the revamped Exercise Your Writes show. I’m watching all your videos now and will announce the selections next week in this space.
As promised, your hot-off-the-press free issue of Space and Time magazine! This week’s issue is #145 from last month and will be free from Saturday, December 16 to Wednesday, December 20, 11:59 PM PST.
When you read for free, you support authors with your Kindle Edition Normalized Page Count (KENPC). That’s money in our pocket that didn’t come from yours which means we can make more art. Thank you for the love! 🧡🧡🧡
🔗Own #145 from THIS MONTH for free!
Space and Time Alumni News
🚀From Laura Kester Duerrwaechter: Let me begin in a voice of gratitude for the opportunities to submit my work. I have stories in issues 138 and 145 [of Space and Time]. My first chap book, Bipolarity, was reviewed by poetry Master Linda D. Addison, in summer of 2017. My comfort zone as far as genre is very fluid. I have no fear of tackling any component of self-publishing, as far as I understand it. It's been a great journey to date. My 14th release will be my first attempt at a children's book; probably early 2024. I am authentically a poet, exploring degrees within the spectrum of black to white energies. Happy to share that I'm paying "it" forward and mentoring with young people in my community. Most recently working with a local Boys and Girls Club. I keep one finger on the pulse of journalism and offer myself up as editor, publishing newsletters for small businesses in my area. Will I ever join the Dark side? My friend, Angela, keeps her fingers crossed. Baby steps, my friend, baby steps. 🔗Books by Laura Kester Duerrwaechter here.
🚀❗ Ever had something published in Space and Time? I’d love to share what you’re doing now. Send me your news at authortunities@substack.com.
Congratulations to Jonathan Maberry for making the 2023 Discover Sci-Fi Readers' Choice Awards shortlist with Alpha Wave. Co-authored with Weston Ochse and narrated by Ray Porter, Alpha Wave is nominated for Best Sci-Fi Audiobook of 2023.
“What a thrill to be on the shortlist. Especially with my co-author, Weston Ochse who, tragically, died less than a month ago. He would be so happy to know his last published work was in the running for so wonderful an award,” said Maberry on Facebook.
You can find all editions of Alpha Wave, including audiobook, here.
Just in time for your New Year goals, BookBaby is offering a free Six-Month Book Publishing Plan. This calendar is designed to:
Finish your manuscript
Get professional editing
Review and complete your draft
Get your book to production
Get distributed to retail and pre-sale
Launch your book!
Last week
and I had an important conversation about the writer requirements to join the Horror Writers Association. All writers are welcome to join regardless of your publishing credits. From newbie to seasoned pro, there is a level for you. There is no better time. Read about the HWA membership levels here.Here’s the best thing I read on Substack this week:
brings up the recent Cait Corrain scandal in her post “When a debut author acts abysmally—how complicit is their publishing team?”As a publisher, I’ve been wondering how I can ensure I don’t promote someone who will act like this. Courtney has a great point: why isn’t there onboarding for new authors? Check out her Substack Before and After the Book Deal.
Speaking of onboarding for authors, I added the book that inspired her Substack to my TBR list.
Last week’s poll asked “When do you start planning your holiday campaigns?”
None of you of you plan “A year in advance.”
None of you plan “Six months in advance.”
None of you plan “Three months in advance.”
21% you admit “I don’t plan, but I mean to.”
79% say “I don’t plan holiday campaigns.”
I’m definitely in the “don’t plan but I mean to” category. I assumed I was just a slacker. I personally know a publisher that plans ahead for the holidays and does great with it. Maybe that will be a focus for me next year. Thank you everyone who voted!
✅ Time for a new poll! Voting stays open for the next three days, and I’ll share the results in next week’s Authortunities.
I’m really curious to find out what writers read when not writing. Sounds like a chat topic!
❓Thank you to all the great sources we get our author opportunities from. You can find a list at 🔗https://angelaysmith.com/subscribe/
🧡And that’s it from me this week. Enjoy this week’s Authortunities and go write something that matters… or go spend time with visiting in-laws.
🏁 This calendar is organized by emoji! Ctrl F to find what you want.
In this entire calendar share you will find:
39 newly opened submissions 🟢
89 submission deadlines 🔴
3 events for authors ⭐
12 reprint markets ♻️
1 education 📚
13 award 🏆
4 grants 💲
Send comments, triumphs and pitfalls to authortunities@substack.com
🟢 Open now · Egaeus Press closes submissions for “a limited edition (as yet unnamed) volume of stories and poems in the GOTHIC tradition.” Word limit is “with room for negotiation. No word limit for poetry.” Payment is 80 pence per 100 words along with two contributor copies. Submissions should be emailed as attachments to egaeuspress@gmail.com.
🔗https://www.egaeuspress.com/News_-_Egaeus_Press.html
🟢 Open now · Applications close for the Kundiman Retreat held at Fordham University's beautiful Rose Hill Campus located in the Bronx, NYC from June 26–30, 2024 in order to mentor and build community among AAPI writers. Submit a cover letter and brief writing sample 5–7 pages of poetry or 5 pages of prose (1250 words max). Notification on application status will be given by mid-March.
🔗https://www.kundiman.org/retreat?mc_cid=953badb17e&mc_eid=50ee781971
🟢 Open now · Poetry Society Of America Annual Awards close for applications for prizes ranging from $250 to $2,500. Awards include the The Writer Magazine/Emily Dickinson Award, Cecil Hemley Memorial Award, Lyric Poetry Award, Lucille Medwick Memorial Award, Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award, George Bogin Memorial Award, and the Robert H. Winner Memorial Award. All submissions must be through Submittable. Poetry Society of America members can enter all awards for free. Non-Members of the Poetry Society can enter each contest for a fee.
🔗https://poetrysocietyofamerica.submittable.com/submit
🟢 Open now · Ninth Letter closes for submissions of “prose and poetry that experiment with form, narrative, and nontraditional subject matter, as well as more traditional literary work.” Payment is $25 per poem and $100 for prose upon publication with two complementary copies. Submission fees of $3 USD are waived from December 1 – 31, or until they hit a cap of 300 submissions per genre.
🔗http://www.ninthletter.com/journal/submit
🟢 Open now · Goatshed Press seeks short stories, flash fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction with payment of £60 for stories and essays (over 1000 words) and £25 for poems and flash fiction. They are also looking to publish longer form work in 2023, including novels, novellas, graphic novels, non fiction books and short story collections. Ongoing submissions.
🔗https://www.goatshedpress.co.uk/submito
🟢♻️ Open now: Radon seeks short stories and poetry containing elements of anarchism, transhumanism, dystopia, and/or science fiction. Payment: 1 cent per word for original work, half a cent per word for reprints.
🔗https://www.radonjournal.com/submit
🟢♻️ Open now: The Hungur Chronicles seeks horror about vampires or creatures with vampiric themes. Payment for original stories is $25.00; for reprints, $12. Payment for poems is $5. The pay for illustrations is $8. The payment for articles is $10. The pay for cover art is $25.
🔗https://www.hiraethsffh.com/hungur-chronicles-guidelines
🟢 Open now: The Were-Traveler: Curst & Twysted Tarot seeks short fiction. Choose an image you would like to write a story about. Payment: $10 for flash, $15 for short stories. Open until filled.
🔗https://the-were-traveler.weebly.com/submissions-call.html
🟢 Open now: Backyard Earth is a "round the world" series of five books, one for each continent (more or less). Each book will contain one story for every country on that continent. Submissions will stay open until the Table of Contents is filled.. Short fiction only. Payment is $25.
🔗https://patchworkraven.com/backyardearth
🟢 Open now: Psychopomp has ongoing submissions for nonfiction essays on art, short fiction, novels, movies, music, fashion, culture, entertainment, science, and more, that fall under the umbrella of goth, death, funerary, grief, loss, alternative, otherworldly themes. Payment is $50.
🔗https://psychopomp.com/nonfiction-guidelines/
🟢 Open now: The International Human Rights Art Festival’s submission window for IHRAF Publishes 2023 remains open. Please submit your poem, short story, or essay (2500 words or less) to submit@ihraf.org along with a 2-5 sentence biography. Translations are also welcome. IHRAF Publishes will pay $50 per accepted piece.
🔗https://humanrightsartmovement.org/ihraf-publishes
🟢 Open now: Assemble Artifacts is currently open until filled for stories of wonder and suspense. They prefer stories of at least 5,000 words, but are open to longer and shorter works. Please include a one to three sentence pitch of your story, and an author bio with your submission. Open to writers of all levels of experience. Payment: 8-10 cents per word for short fiction.
🔗https://www.assemblemedia.com/artifacts-submissions
🟢 Open now: Jay Henge Publishing seeks speculative fiction for three anthologies: The Kafka Protocol & the Burden of Compliance, The Pelagic Zone: Uncharted Waters and AI, Robot. Payment is $5 USD per 1000 words, up to 15k words. Open until filled.
🔗https://www.jayhenge.com/callforstories.html
🟢 Open now: Through the Gate is open ongoing for submissions of fantastical poetry ”of literary and emotional depth from a diversity of voices and perspectives. Our definition of fantastical is quite fluid, encompassing fantasy, magic realism, myth, folklore, surrealism and slipstream. We desire poetry that is atypically beautiful, unconventionally imaginative, and boundary-crossing. We are not interested in work that is strictly science fiction or mainstream, but poetry that blurs the lines between such genres and the fantastical is welcome." Send up to three poems. Payment is $20 per poem. Open until filled.
🔗https://throughthegate.net/submissions/
🟢 Open now: Three-lobed Burning Eye is open for ingoing submissions of "Original speculative fiction: horror, fantasy, and science fiction. We're looking for short stories from across the big classifications and those shadowy places between: magical realism, fantastique, slipstream, interstitial, and the Weird. We will consider suspense or western, though we prefer it to contain some speculative element. We like voices that are full of feeling, from literary to pulpy, with styles unique and flowing, but not too experimental. All labels aside, we want tales that expand genre, that value imagination in character, narrative, and plot. We want to see something new and different." Length for short fiction 1000–7000 words, flash fiction 500–1000 words, (2000–5000 preferred). Payment is $100 for short fiction, $30 for flash fiction; + 1 print annual. Open now.
🔗https://www.3lobedmag.com/submissions.html
🟢♻️ Open now: The Dark seeks dark fantasy and horror. "Don’t be afraid to experiment or to deviate from the ordinary; be different—try us with fiction that may fall out of “regular” categories. However, it is also important to understand that despite the name, The Dark is not a market for graphic, violent horror." Length is 2,000 – 6,000 words. Payment is 6 cents/word for original fiction up to 6,000 words on publication for first world rights; and 1 cent/word for reprint fiction up to 6,000 words on publication for nonexclusive reprint rights. Open now.
🟢 Open Now · Iterant is open for poetry submissions, offering $50 for 3 to 8 poems with a maximum of 10 pages. “All submissions are read blind by our reading team.“
🟢 Open Now · Utter Speculation Novella Series seeks “about what is behind real mysteries and legends. The stories must start with the known facts. They can be rooted in real world explanations or supernatural causes, but they need to answer the question, what causes this? Then they can go wherever you want them to go regarding genre, style and explanation.” Payment is “signing bonus and royalty split to be discussed upon offer to publish.”
🔗https://www.speculationpub.com/submissions
🔴 DEC 16 · The Offing is open for creative nonfiction submissions, particularly personal essays. The length should not exceed 7,500 words, and payment ranges from $25 to $100. “For 2023, there will be no submission fees thanks to our generous donors.”
🔗https://theoffingmag.submittable.com/submit
🔴 DEC 16 · Humour Me is seeking festive humor stories for their Christmas special, including fiction and non-fiction. The word count should be a minimum of 1,000 words and a maximum of 3,000. Payment ranges from £25 (GBP) to £40 (GBP).
🔗https://humourmemag.co.uk/submission-requests/
🔴 DEC 16 · Kelp: The Amber Waves of Winter is accepting noir/neo-noir submissions in the genres of crime, capers, detective stories, and mysteries. They offer a payment of $35.
🔗https://kelpjournal.submittable.com/submit
🔴 DEC 17 · I Want That Twink OBLITERATED! Anthology is seeking classic pulp adventures with non-traditionally masculine queer heroes and villains. The payment is $0.08 per word.
🔴 DEC 17 · Gwen Harwood Poetry Prize, in memory of Tasmanian poet Gwen Harwood, closes for submissions from Australian and New Zealand citizens and residents. The winning poet will receive $2000 + a three-issue subscription to Island. Two runners-up will each receive $500 + a three-issue subscription to Island. All three poems will be published in Island issue 170, due for publication in March 2024.
🔗https://islandmag.com/submit.
🔴 DEC 17 · Fanatical is accepting sci-fi, fantasy, and horror stories between 2,000 and 6,000 words. They offer a payment of £20, and the deadline is December 17, 2023.
⭐ DEC 17 · The Speculative Sundays Poetry Reading Series presents Brandon O’Brien reading their work live on Facebook via Zoom.
🔗https://www.facebook.com/specpo
⭐ DEC 17 · Go Indie Now presents the annual “This Year In Indies,” hosted by Joe Compton. In this show various members of the Go Indie Now family will be presenting their Top 5 lists of their favorites in Indie Books, Movies, and Games. Joining Joe Compton are Madilynn Dale, Ron Lahr and Sean Hillman and the final “Indie Connection with CL Cannon” of the year.
🔗https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he8SqB-kUbA
🟢 DEC 18 · Strange Horizons seeks “speculative fiction, broadly defined” up to 10k words, under 5k preferred. Submissions capped at 1,000. Payment is 10¢/word USD with a minimum payment of $60 paid within 60 days of contract.
🔗http://strangehorizons.com/submit/fiction-submission-guidelines/
🔴 DEC 18 · Humor Story Contest open for submissions. NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline: Dec 18, 2023. Seeking funny nonfiction workplace stories (300–1200 words). Partners with Jim Dunn, PhD, DHA, FACHE for an anthology. All contributors receive a digital copy. Top five stories win awards: 1st place gets $500 and a print copy, 2nd place gets $200 and a print copy; 3rd, 4th, and 5th place each get $100 and a print copy.
🔗https://readwritestrategies.com/submissions#1
🔴 DEC 18 · ReadWriteStrategies accepting submissions. NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline: Dec 18, 2023. Partnering with Jim Dunn, PhD, DHA, FACHE for a funny workplace anecdotes anthology. Stories (300–1200 words) on shared COVID trauma and return to the office. Welcoming stories from HR professionals. Top five stories win awards: 1st place gets $500 and a print copy, 2nd place gets $200 and a print copy; 3rd, 4th, and 5th place each get $100 and a print copy. Winners announced in February.
🔗https://readwritestrategies.com/submissions
🔴💲 DEC 18 · Brio Literary Arts Grants by Bronx Arts Council is accepting applications until December 18, 2023. The Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) grants provide up to $5,000 to individual Bronx artists in literary, media, visual, and performing arts. Apply at 🔗https://www.bronxarts.org/grants/bronx-recognizes-its-own/m/grants/bronx-recognizes-its-own/
🔴 DEC 20 · Prole Poetry Competition closing. £3 ENTRY FEE. Deadline: Dec 20, 2023. Winner receives £200 and publication in Prole, issue 35. Two runners up receive £50 each and publication in issue 35. Looking for poetry that epitomizes Prole's editorial values: engaging, accessible, challenging, and entertaining.
🔗https://prolebooks.co.uk/competitions.html
🔴 DEC 20 · Folk Horror Anthology is seeking submissions in the genres of Folk Horror and Weird Fiction. The payment is £100, and the deadline is December 20, 2023.
🔗https://www.nepenthepress.co.uk/about.
🟢 DEC 21 · Astrolabe calls for fiction, creative nonfiction, and photography/art for $50 USD flat rate with free submissions until January 21, 2024.
🔗https://www.astrolabe.ooo/submissions
🔴 DEC 22 · Rattle Magazine’s “Poets Respond” challenge calls for poems inspired by “ a news story or public event from the previous week, and has been written in the time since.” Selected poems will appear as the Sunday poem at Rattle.com which appear to over 10,000 people via RSS feed and daily email service. Poets will receive $100 and a complimentary subscription to the print magazine. The deadline for each week is Friday at midnight PST.
🔗https://rattle.submittable.com/submit
🔴 DEC 25 · Unnerving is accepting horror and sleazy crime submissions, with a length of up to 4,000 words. The payment is $0.01 USD per word for accepted stories.
🔗https://www.unnervingbooks.com/submissions.
🔴 DEC 25 · Off Topic Publishing: Poetry Box is open for poetry submissions with a payment of $30 CAD. This is a monthly call.
🔗https://offtopicpublishing.com/opencalls/
🔴 DEC 27 · Nightmare Diaries is seeking dark fiction short stories, fairy tales, flash fiction, and novellas with lengths ranging from 500 to 10,000 words. They offer a payment of $0.10 per word.
🔗https://www.moonstruck-books.com/submissions.
🔴 DEC 25 · The Ex-Puritan is closed for interviews, essays, reviews, fiction, poetry and experimental work for their February issue. Payment ranges from $35 CAD per page for poetry to $200 CAD for essays.
🔗https://puritan-magazine.submittable.com/submit
🔴 DEC 25 · Unnerving is accepting submissions for horror and sleazy crime stories. They welcome lengths up to 4,000 words. Payment is $0.01USD per word for accepted stories, and payment is made via PayPal ONLY! The deadline for submissions is December 25, 2023. Make sure to read the full guidelines at
🔗 https://www.unnervingbooks.com/submissions
🔴 DEC 27 · Nightmare Diaries is open for submissions in the dark fiction genre, including short stories, fairy tales, flash fiction, and novellas ranging from 500 to 10,000 words. They offer a payment of $0.10 per word. The submission deadline is December 27, 2023. Check the guidelines at
🔗 https://www.moonstruck-books.com/submissions
🔴 DEC 27 · Moonstruck Books seeks submissions for the Nightmare Diaries anthology. They want dark fiction, short stories, fairy tales, flash fiction, and novellas (500-10,000 words). Payment is $0.10 per word.
🔗https://www.moonstruck-books.com/submissions
🔴 DEC 29 · Rattle Magazine’s “Poets Respond” challenge calls for poems inspired by “ a news story or public event from the previous week, and has been written in the time since.” Selected poems will appear as the Sunday poem at Rattle.com which appear to over 10,000 people via RSS feed and daily email service. Poets will receive $100 and a complimentary subscription to the print magazine. The deadline for each week is Friday at midnight PST.
🔗https://rattle.submittable.com/submit
🔴 DEC 29 · Narratively invites pitches for "Life in the Age of Extremes," a special series focusing on ambitious reporting projects that explore the future of the human race. The deadline is December 29, 2023. Funding from the Narrative Storytelling Initiative at Arizona State University ensures rates starting at $2,000 per story. Details at
🔗https://www.narratively.com/p/call-for-pitches-life-in-the-age-of-extremes
🔴 DEC 29 · Angry Gable Press invites submissions for "Extrasensory Overload," an anthology of speculative excess. They seek engaging speculative fiction and poetry that explore multi-sensory and extra-sensory experiences. Payment is $5 per poem and $10 per short story. The deadline for submissions is December 29, 2023. Details available at
🔗https://angrygablepress.com/submissions/
🔴 DEC 29 · Havok is looking for flash fiction submissions based on specified themes. They offer a payment of $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an anthology. No payment is provided for online publication. The submission deadline is December 29, 2023. Find more information and upcoming themes at
🔗https://gohavok.com/submission-guidelines/upcoming-themes/
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