Locus Mag Could Use a Hand

Authortunities #54│March 30—April 27

Mar 30, 2024

∙ Paid

Is it weird for me to say Authortunities is the publication I am most proud of? I was just looking at my publishing credits to see what really stands out and it wasn’t even listed. It’s this newsletter, my family and friends. Seriously.

I do have one burning question about my isfdb profile, however. Who on earth is keeping track of all this stuff for the database? Library elves? Spec angels? Thank you isfdb Fairies!

Speaking of Spec Angels, who isn’t familiar with Locus and all the fantastic work they do for the spec-fic community? Just in case you aren’t familiar…

“Locus is more than a review magazine or a news website or a literary award – it is an enthusiastic mix of readers, writers, fans, and industry professionals, working together to uplift the science fiction, fantasy, and horror field (SFFH) we love for a global audience.”

Right now Locus is running their 2024 fundraiser. “It costs over $600,000 a year to publish the magazine, run the website, and present the awards each year.,” it says on their Indiegogo. “Through subscriptions, advertising, and existing donations, we can count on $400,000 in anticipated revenue next year. That means we need to raise over $200,000 to make it all the way through 2024.” This fundraiser goes a long way toward meeting that goal.

If you have it to spare, please consider supporting Locus with a donation, or grab some cool swag.

TL;DR

🟠 Ever wonder if you are being scammed as an author? Writer Beware,® sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, is a publishing industry watchdog group tracking schemes & scams that prey on writers. They also provide advice for writers, industry news, and commentary.

🟠 Last Monday I was on 21 Grams Season 4 Finale Episode 24 - Angela Yuriko Smith, a production of GoIndieNow. Joe Compton and I talked about ghosts, the sharp edge of success and Inujini before answering The Questionaire. Watch the episode here.

My Writes

🟠 Unquiet Spirits is a Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award Finalist 2023

🟠 I had a great week When I Put My Writes First finally. I have six works submitted out there, and I wrote some new poetry. All this and I still worked with my mentee, published a book for a new poet voice, did my volunteer work… all the same stuff except I was also writing for me.

🟠 I started playing in the ReedsyPrompt contests. My first story is “Off Duty Shipping” submitted to Contest #243. I didn’t win, but I’m already entered next week with “Signs of Intelligence.” This has been an awesome community to join.

🟠 “All Things Rise” is my latest offering to Ladies of Horror, a monthly collection of ekphrastic scariness curated by Nina D'Arcangela. Read “All Things Rise” here.

Your Writes

Pixie Bruner will have The Body is Haunted out just in time for her birthday on April 4. join us on YouTube for a double book and Bruner birthday celebration. BYOC. Join us here.

All of Space and Time

Have you gotten a taste of what’s coming in the Spring issue? Here are some of the #146 Spotlights we’ve shared so far:

While you are waiting for the next issue, there's always free Space and Time! This week’s free issue is #142 from Fall/Winter. It will be free from now until Wednesday, March 27, 2024, 11:59 PM PDT. Get your free issue here.

A big thank you to everyone who reads for free. This boosts our Kindle Edition Normalized Page Count (KENPC). As much as we all want to support each other, who can afford to buy every book? Reviews, shares, likes and KENPC are all easy ways to support your favorite authors.

I’d love to know you better. Here’s a seven question survey about what writers want.

Start Survey

And finally, thank you to all the great sources we get our author opportunities from. You can find a list at 🔗https://angelaysmith.com/subscribe/

🏁 This calendar is organized by emoji! Ctrl F to find what you want.

🟢 opening subs
🔴 closing subs
⭐ networking
♻️ reprints
📚 education
🏆 awards
💲 grants

APRIL

🔴💲 APR 1 · Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest closes for submissions of published and unpublished humor poetry with prizes of $2,000, $500, $250, and ten Honorable Mentions of $100 each. The winner will also enjoy a two-year gift certificate from co-sponsor, Duotrope (a $100 value). The top 13 poems are published on the Winning Writers website. Jendi Reiter will judge, assisted by Lauren Singer. No fee to enter.

🔗 http://tinyurl.com/3r7vp8v2

🔴 APR 1 · Lightspeed is open for original, unpublished fantasy flash fiction stories up to 1500 words. Payment is 8 cents per word.

🔗 https://adamant.moksha.io/publication/lightspeed

🔴 APR 1 · Parsec Short Story Contest 2024 closes to entries up to 3500 words of speculative fiction by “non-professional writers– those who have not met eligibility requirements for SFWA or equivalent.” The theme for 2024 is A.I. Mythology. First-place receives $200 and publication in the Confluence program book. Second-place receives $100, third-place receives $50. Additional category prize of $50 for the best story submitted by someone age 19 and under (as long as they are still enrolled in high school).

🔗https://parsecink.submittable.com/submit

🔴 APR 1 · Indiana Review closes for submissions for their 2024 Poetry Prize and their

2024 Poetry Prize. Winning author receives $1000 + publication. Each $20 submission comes with a year-long subscription to Indiana Review.

🔗https://indianareview.submittable.com/submit

⭐📚 APR 1 · Rattlecast livestreams, a livestreaming poetry reading and podcast, is part interview and part reading, with a prompt-based open mic. It’s a casual way to hangout with Rattle editor Timothy Green. Each Rattlecast begins with a Poets Respond Live segment, featuring poems about the news, and also features a writing prompt at the end of the show, and open lines for poems written for the last week’s prompt. Doug Ramspeck | Rattlecast 239 at 8 pm EST.

🔗https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD_fMFokoxAEbUzqLMIldRifEYrWK7w9-

🔴💲 APR 1 · The Marguerite and Lamar Smith Fellowship application window closes. This fellowship provides a stipend of $5,000 for a one-week residency for a parent writer to focus on their work. Writers may submit work in any literary genre: poetry, fiction, plays, memoir, screenplays, or nonfiction.

🔗

http://www.mccullerscenter.org/#academic-opportunities

🔴🏆💲 APR 1 · The Nimrod Literary Awards Annual contest closes to fiction, 7,500 words maximum (one short story or a self-contained excerpt from a novel) and poetry, 3-10 pages. (one long poem or several shorter poems). Submissions are open internationally. All finalists will be considered for publication. In addition to publication and the prize money, winners will also be brought to Tulsa for the Awards Ceremony.

🔗https://nimrodjournal.submittable.com/submit

🔴♻️ APR 1 · Still Point Arts Quarterly closes to submissions for historical and contemporary art, fiction, non-fiction, and poetry on the theme of “The Houses of My Dreams.” For payment “We list broad pay categories rather than payment specifics. Check with the publisher for details.” Reprints.

🔗https://duotrope.com/duosuma/submit/form.aspx?id=1VaLubP-nRb7B-eY6iSw3

🟢 APR 1 · Bourbon Penn is open now for 2000-7500 word “highly imaginative stories with a healthy dose of the odd… looking for genre / speculative stories and are quite partial to slipstream, cross-genre, magic realism, absurdist, and the surreal." Payment is .04 cents per word.

🔗https://www.bourbonpenn.com/submissions

🟢 APR 1 · Event Magazine’s 2024 Non-Fiction Contest opens to entries up to 5,000 words of creative non-fiction. Prizes are $1,500 First Place; $1,000 Second Place; $500 Third Place plus $3,000 in total, plus publication in EVENT, one of Western Canada’s longest-running literary magazines. Contest closes on October 15.

🔗https://eventmagazine.submittable.com/submit

🟢 APR 1 · Strange Horizons is open for speculative poetry submissions year-round, including at times when Strange Horizons is closed to fiction submissions. The editors operate on a rotation system, so the person who reads and replies to your poem will depend on when you send it. April’s poetry submissions will be read by Romie Stott (she/her/hers). Payment is $50 USD per poem, regardless of length or complexity.

🔗 http://strangehorizons.com/submit/poetry-submission-guidelines/

🟢 APR 1 · Off Topic Publishing’s Poetry Box opens to submissions of poetry until the 25th of the month. Selected poems to be sent out as a physical card with tea and chocolate to subscribers. Payment is for $30 CAD.

🔗https://offtopicpublishing.com/opencalls/

🟢 APR 1 · The Hudson Review is open for poetry submissions until June 30. Payment is 50 cents per line for poetry. Submissions should be sent by mail with a self-addressed stamped envelope.

🔗 https://hudsonreview.com/about-us/submission-guidelines/

🟢 APR 1 · Daikaijuzine opens until April 7 for speculative fiction, poetry from 1,000 to 6,000 words. Payment is $10 USD per short story, and $5 USD per poem or flash fiction piece.

🔗https://daikaijuzine.org/guidelines

🟢 APR 1 · HWA Poetry Showcase XI opens to horror and dark poetry up to 35 lines until May 1. Payment is now $35 plus contributor copy. Open to members of the Horror Writer Association only. Edited by Maxwell I. Gold, judges include L.E. Daniels, Sumiko Saulson, Pedro Iniguez, and Ngô Bình Anh Khoa. To join, visit the Horror Writers Association website for details.

🔗https://horror.org/call-for-submissions-for-poetry-showcase-volume-xi-poems-now-35/

🟢🏆 APR 1 · 2024 SFPA Dwarf Stars Award nominations open until May 1

With a voting deadline on August 31. This award is given by the Science Fiction Poetry Association to recognize the best speculative poem of 1–10 lines published in the previous year. This year’s editor is Brittany Hause.

🔗 https://www.sfpoetry.com/dwarfstars.html

🟢 APR 1 · Stone’s Throw, the monthly online companion to Rock and a Hard Place Magazine, closes to noir stories about family from between 1- 2,000 words with a payment of $25.

🔗https://www.rockandahardplacemag.com/stones-throw-submissions

🟢 APR 1 · Rattle Magazine’s Ekphrastic Poetry Challenge opens until the last day of the month for ekphrastic poetry in response to selected visual art posted on their page. Two winners receive $100 and publication online.

🔗https://www.rattle.com/ekphrastic/

🟢 APR 1 · Consilience opens to submissions of poetry or artwork. All submissions must have a link to science, fit the theme of the upcoming issue, and also be in line with their inclusivity statement [https://www.consilience-journal.com/inclusivity-statement]. The theme for Issue 17 is ‘Language’ and submissions are open until April 7.

🔗 https://www.consilience-journal.com/submit

🟢 APR 1 · Split Lip Magazine opens tip jar submissions for poems, memoirs, flash, fiction, art, interviews/reviews, and mini-reviews until April 30. Payment is $75 per author for poems, memoirs, flash, fiction, and art, $50 for interviews/reviews, and $25 for mini-reviews. 🔗https://splitlipthemag.com/submit

🟢 APR 1 · Flame Tree Fiction Newsletter calls for monthly themed submissions from newsletter subscribers only (free to subscribe) up to 1k words for $0.08 per word USD for original fiction.

🔗https://www.flametreepress.com/submissions/

🟢♻️ APR 1 · Flash Fiction Online is open for subs of speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary flash fiction between 500- to 1000-words for their Special Call: Weird Horror. Payment: $100.

🔗https://ffo.submittable.com/submit

🟢 APR 1 · The Forge Literary Magazine calls for fiction and nonfiction under 3,000 words including flash and micro fiction for $75 flat rate until the free submissions quota is full. “If there is no free link, we’ve hit our quota.”

🔗https://forgelitmag.com/submit/

♻️ APR 1 · Solar Punk Magazine is open for submissions until April 14 for speculative works, including fiction (1500-3000 words, $.08 per word, $100 minimum), poetry (up to 5 poems or 5 pages, $40 per poem), nonfiction (1000-2000 words, $75 per essay or article), cover art ($100 for reprints, $200 for original unpublished), and interior art ($50 for reprints, $100 for original unpublished). The theme revolves around Solarpunk, envisioning a future where humanity has addressed challenges like climate change and established sustainable societies.

🔗https://solarpunkmagazine.com/submissions/

🟢 APR 1 · Broken Sleep Books opens for poetry collections of 40 poems+ until May 31. Payment is 10% royalties, with the author receiving five (5) free author copies and a 50% discount on future purchases. Simultaneous submissions.

🔗https://www.brokensleepbooks.com/submissions

🟢♻️ APR 1 · Short Story on Substack is open for short stories from 6-10,000 words in any genre. Payment is $100 + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Selected story to be announced on the 15th. Reprints welcome.

🔗https://shortstory.substack.com/about?nthPub=601

🟢 APR 1 · The Other Stories is open for submissions of 2,000 word horror stories for “Vol 101 HEAVY METAL” until July 1. Payment is 15 GBT.

🔗 https://theotherstories.net/submissions/

🟢 April 1 · Hungry Shadow Press opens until April 15 for short horror, weird, dark fiction suitable for adaptation into a comic book script of 12 pages or less for Vault of Shadows Issue 1. Payment is $35 per page of the adapted script, up to 12 pages, along with a print copy of the issue. A special submissions for “LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, neurodivergent, and other marginalized writers” opens April 16 - May 1.

🔗 https://www.hungryshadowpress.com/submissions-vault-of-shadows

⭐📚 APR 1 · The Horror Writer Association’s Horror University Online presents “WRITING THE WITCH: Immerse yourself in the rich literary history of witchcraft and create fictional work inspired by our interpretation of witches over time.” Instructor is Stephanie M. Wytovich. On the Teachable platform at 8 pm EST, workshop costs $65.

🔗https://horror-university.teachable.com/p/writing-the-witch

🟢♻️ APR 1-2 · Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores is open for new work, reprints, poetry (up to 40 lines) and prose from 1,000 words and up. Payment is .08 per word for new fiction, .02 per word for reprints, .02-.08 for new fact based work, .01-.04 for reprinted fact based work, $1 per line for original poetry, .50 per line for reprinted poetry. No simultaneous or multiple submissions.

🔗https://cosmicrootsandeldritchshores.com/submissions/

🔴💲 APR 3 · Gwenn A. Nusbaum/WWBA "Poets to Come" Scholarship closes to applications. Winning poets will receive a one-time $1,500 scholarship to be used for supportive activities to further their writing career (e.g., college tuition/fees for undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, or post doc levels; writing courses and workshops; writing conferences; writing retreats; or other approved activities). Submit a poetry sample (ten poems, one chapbook, OR five poems to illustrate a narrative of your autobiographical statement).

🔗https://www.waltwhitman.org/events/entry-deadline-gwenn-a-nusbaum-wwba-poets-to-come-scholarship/

🟢🏆 APR 3 · The BookLife Prize for fiction opens until August 31 for “unpublished or self-published books–works for which the author has subvented the cost of the book’s publication–in the English language” for a chance at a cash prize of $5,000 as well as a profile in Publishers Weekly. While the entry fee is steep at $119, all entrants will receive a Critic’s Report, which includes a score as well as a brief written critical assessment of their novel by a Publishers Weekly reviewer.

🔗https://booklife.com/about-us/the-booklife-prize.html

🟢 APR 5 · Reedsy Prompts calls for short fiction between 1,000 - 3,000 words based on one of five prompts. Writers have until the following Friday at 11.59pm EST to enter. No fee to enter and have work posted. $5 fee to be eligible for the $250 cash prize. New prompt every Friday.

🔗https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/

🔴 APR 5 · 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/30232/poets-respond-online

🔴 APR 5 · Havok closes for flash fiction for their anthology with the theme "Remember June." Payment of $50 via PayPal for each selected story in the anthology.

🔗 https://gohavok.com/submission-guidelines/upcoming-themes/

🟢 APR 5 · Furious Fiction ultimate flash fiction challenge opens. Writers race against the clock to come up with their best 500 words or less flash story in 55 hours. Free to enter,

🔗https://www.writerscentre.com.au/furious-fiction/

⭐📚 APR 5 · Rattle Magazine’s livestream Poetry Critique of the Week Rattle's editor hosts a livestreamed poetry critique on YouTube and Facebook, offering suggestions and feedback. The viewing audience is encouraged to participate. The goal is to help us all become better poets through the honest sharing of our reactions, similar to the experience of an MFA roundtable workshop. Critique of the Week at 4 pm EST.

🔗https://www.youtube.com/@RattlePoetry/featured

⭐ APR 5 · First Friday - Third Thursday Quick Read features 6 authors each reading a selection of speculative fiction for 8 minutes. There will be time for questions & answers at the end and a giveaway from the authors. This free event hosted by Strong Women - Strange Worlds features P.A. Cornell, Caitlin Marceau, Shelly Jones, Jennifer Allis Provost, Tiffany Mok, Sam Ledel and emcee/host Sarah Smith along with support from authors Anne Nydam and Terri Bruce. Pre-register.

🔗https://www.eventbrite.com/e/first-friday-third-thursday-quick-read-tickets-840661570387?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

♻️ APR 7 · Flame Tree: Sun Rising Short Stories seeks speculative fiction on the theme of "The Sun." This anthology explores modern fiction, folklore, mythology, and ancient tales related to the sun. Payment is 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints.

🔗 https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/fantasy-gothic/sun-rising-open-submissions-0

🔴♻️ APR 7 · Flame Tree: Moon Falling Short Stories seeks speculative fiction on the theme of "The Moon." This collection delves into superstition and belief surrounding the moon, drawing from ancient cultures and mythologies. Payment is 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints.

🔗 https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/fantasy-gothic/moon-falling-open-submissions-0

🔴 APR 7 · Only Poems seeks poetry of various forms including prose poems, traditional forms like ghazals and sestinas, love poems, sex poems, and experimental questionnaires. They welcome diverse styles and genres. Payment is $55 per poem.

🔗 https://www.onlypoems.net/submit

🔴 APR 7 · Laughs in Space is seeking humorous science fiction stories ranging from 2000 to 9000 words. Payment is £10 per 500 words, up to £55.

🔗 https://theslab.press/calls-for-submission/

🔴 APR 7 · Consilience closes to submissions of poetry or artwork. All submissions must have a link to science, fit the theme of the upcoming issue, and also be in line with their inclusivity statement [https://www.consilience-journal.com/inclusivity-statement]. The theme for Issue 17 is ‘Language.’

🔗 https://www.consilience-journal.com/submit

🔴 APR 7 · Daikaijuzine closes for speculative fiction, poetry from 1,000 to 6,000 words. Payment is $10 USD per short story, and $5 USD per poem or flash fiction piece.

🔗https://daikaijuzine.org/guidelines

🔴 APR 7 · Stone’s Throw, the monthly online companion to Rock and a Hard Place Magazine, closes to noir stories about family from between 1- 2,000 words with a payment of $25.

🔗https://www.rockandahardplacemag.com/stones-throw-submissions

🔴 APR 8 · GriffithReview Emerging Voices submissions are open for submissions of for original submissions of fiction and creative non-fiction from 3,500 words up to 5,000 words. Up to four winning entries will be selected by our judges Jane Novak (Jane Novak Literary Agency), Harriet McInerney (NewSouth Publishing) and Maxine Beneba Clarke (author) as well as Griffith Review’s editorial staff. The winners will share a prize pool of $20,000 and have their work published in Griffith Review. Entry fees are $25 for non-subscribers and $15 for current subscribers. The entry fee entitles you to a complimentary digital subscription to Griffith Review valid for six months.

🔗https://www.griffithreview.com/for-writers/

🔴 APR 8 · Mslexia closes for submissions for Issue 102. Mslexia has 17 ways to submit, including four-line poems, 3,000-word lead articles, 300-word bedtime stories to 700-word memoir performance pieces. Payment varies but begins at £30.

🔗https://mslexia.co.uk/submit-your-work/

⭐📚 APR 8 · The Horror Writer Association’s Horror University Online presents “Marketing 101: Selling and Extending The Life of Your Work: Learn ways to market your work--and yourself--to better extend the life of your publications and more.” Instructor is Robert P. Ottone. On the Teachable platform at 8 pm EST, workshop costs $65.

🔗https://horror-university.teachable.com/p/marketing-101-selling-and-extending-the-life-of-your-work

⭐📚 APR 9 · Rattlecast livestreams, a livestreaming poetry reading and podcast, is part interview and part reading, with a prompt-based open mic. It’s a casual way to hangout with Rattle editor Timothy Green. Each Rattlecast begins with a Poets Respond Live segment, featuring poems about the news, and also features a writing prompt at the end of the show, and open lines for poems written for the last week’s prompt. George Bilgere | Rattlecast 240 at 8 pm EST. Note: This show is Tuesday instead of the usual Monday.

🔗https://www.youtube.com/playlistlist=PLD_fMFokoxAEbUzqLMIldRifEYrWK7w9-

🔴 APR 10 · berlin lit, a journal for new poetry, seeks poetry. Payment is 20 euros per poem.

🔗https://www.berlinlit.com/submissions

🟢 APR 10 · Mslexia has 17 ways to submit, including four-line poems, 3,000-word lead articles, 300-word bedtime stories to 700-word memoir performance pieces. Payment varies but begins at £30.

🔗https://mslexia.co.uk/submit-your-work/

⭐📚 APR 11 · An online Harvard Diversity Discussion on “Race and U.S. History: Redefining the American Historical Narrative” will be open to the public via Zoom on from 5-6 pm EST.

🔗https://cutt.ly/RaceHistory

🟢 APR 12 · Reedsy Prompts calls for short fiction between 1,000 - 3,000 words based on one of five prompts. Writers have until the following Friday at 11.59pm EST to enter. No fee to enter and have work posted. $5 fee to be eligible for the $250 cash prize. New prompt every Friday.

🔗https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/

🔴 APR 12 · 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/30232/poets-respond-online

⭐📚 APR 12 · Rattle Magazine’s livestream Poetry Critique of the Week Rattle's editor hosts a livestreamed poetry critique on YouTube and Facebook, offering suggestions and feedback. The viewing audience is encouraged to participate. The goal is to help us all become better poets through the honest sharing of our reactions, similar to the experience of an MFA roundtable workshop. Critique of the Week | April 12, 2024 at 4 pm EST.

🔗https://www.youtube.com/@RattlePoetry/featured

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