NOTE: Horror author D.L. Snell conducted the following interview to give writers a better idea of what the editors of this specific market are seeking; however, most editors are open to ideas outside of the preferences discussed here, as long as they fit the basic submission guidelines.
THE SCOOP 1) What authors do you enjoy, and why does their writing captivate you?
I prefer active storytellers, whose prose demands your attention. At the least, those who employ language creatively and beautifully. I've been a Tolkien fan since I was ten years old; his prose can be quite dense, at times (to put it mildly), but there's something elevating about it, all the same. Starting at that same age—and until his death, in 1988—I read every single book by Louis L'Amour (all 100+ of them). You won't find two more stylistically different writers, yet both touched a chord in my spirit.
2) What are your favorite genres? Which of these genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
I'm very much a fan of speculative fiction, action/adventure, and mystery, but horror is right there, too (love me some Stephen King, yo). While the basic concept of this anthology is straight SF, that leaves open practically any door through which the author dares to walk. There is nothing to stop a storyline from delving into the deepest past, the farthest future, or anything in between—although sword and sorcery or vampires and werewolves could be a mite hard to justify, in the context of the theme.
3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
Again, fantasy settings (and supernatural characters) will be very difficult-to-impossible to pull off in this thematic milieu, but other than that—"anything goes!"
4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
I tend to prefer stories that start with a bit of a bang. Remember a couple of seasons ago when they nuked Ventura County in, like, the third episode of 24? That kind of story gets me going. But moody, gothic-type stuff can work, too. Just make sure it's well done, whatever you do.
5) What types of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?
I like my heroes heroic and my villains villainous. If I want shades of gray, I'll go look for a cat in the dark. Ever seen Once Upon a Time in the West? Henry Fonda's character Frank was the perfect villain—he was bad, and he by-gum liked being bad. For a hero, let's go with Mr. Spock. The Wrath of Khan was almost—almost—a perfect movie in the way it played Good against Evil, with both of them making the Ultimate Sacrifice in order to achieve their goals.
6) What is your policy for vulgarity, violence, and sexual content?
I'm not against it in principle, but had better be contextually appropriate. To paraphrase Justice Stewart, I know smut when I see it—and there won't be any in a book I've edited.
7) In general, do you prefer downbeat or upbeat endings?
I tend to like at least a note of hope, however faint—but I do want the stories in this collection to have a decidedly dark tone, overall. That's the overarching theme here: that mucking about with the fabric of reality is, generally speaking, not a good idea.
8) What are the top three things submitters to this market should avoid?
I mention all of them in the guidelines, although I ran two of them together: clichés and wish fulfillment. The other thing to avoid is using time travel as a handy-dandy plot device just to set up some grand adventure that really has nothing to do with time travel.
9) What trait are you seeking most in submissions to this market?
I'm looking for innovative treatments of what is, after all, a well-used theme in SF. There's almost endless possibility for creativity in this meme—take advantage of it.
10) Any last advice for submitters to this market?
In this context, let's refer to some classic exemplars: H.G. Wells wrote ably about time travel, for example—and quite darkly, as well—but the only unhappy consequence to the Time Traveler, ultimately, was internal. That happens often, as writers seem loathe to deal with the greater ramifications of the genre. Some of my personal favorite time-slippage stories—The Man Who Folded Himself, by David Gerrold; all of Robert A. Heinlein's several excursions into the notion; Behold, the Man, by Michael Moorcock—are ultimately involved only with the effects of time travel on the protagonist(s). That's all well and good (especially in such gems as I've pointed out, plus those listed in the submission guidelines). But I'd really like to see some explorations of how dilly-dallying about with the timeline is a Very Bad Thing for the universe generally (or at least, our little piece of it). Finally: I've provided not one, but two links to formatting examples in the guidelines. LOOK AT THEM AND TRY TO FOLLOW THEM. It's not that hard. Submissions that don't at least make some semblance of an effort to follow the format requirements will be rejected unread. Is that really what you want for your baby?
D.L. Snell writes with Permuted Press. He edited Dr. Kim Paffenroth twice, John Dies at the End once, and provided a constructive critique to Joe McKinney on his next major novel after Dead City. You can shoot D.L. Snell in the head at www.exit66.net.
This article may be freely reprinted in any e-zine, newsletter, newspaper, magazine, website, etc. as long as all links and this message remain intact, as well as Snell's byline and bio. The formatting may be adjusted to fit the venue, but the content of the article must not be altered without written permission from D.L. Snell.
The other day while driving to work, I saw two wrecks.
The second wreck had the most advertising: signs exclaiming Wreck Ahead; signs saying Right Lane Closed--like movie posters, getting audiences all anxious for the release. And like on opening night, the line was just as slow and long.
Now, if I wrote wreck reviews I'd say the actual product didn't live up to the hype. Only shattered glass remained by the time I reached the scene of the accident. And for me, that's a blessed five out of five stars.
The first wreck had been much worse.
No signs had advertised it. In fact it was so fresh, no one had cleaned up the mess. They just had a truck parked a little in advance, flashing its emergency lights. I caught enough of a glimpse to be sick: a motorcycle in the ditch, and something all over the road. Seriously, I almost wept.
At the end of the day, I searched the news. Turns out someone died in the second wreck--the one I didn't see--but the motorcyclist from the first one survived. He'd hit a deer--and it was the deer I'd seen ripped and twisted into chunks.
Somehow that made me feel better, the fact that I hadn't seen a human corpse. But it made me wonder why it should be that I suddenly didn't care.
Writers should know the importance of promoting their work online. Usually it's easy, quick and free (or relatively cheap). A personal website or blog is effective--especially ones with RSS feeds--so long as you give people a reason to come back: frequent updates, useful content, blah blah blah. For example, D.L. Snell's Market Scoops is my main traffic generator.
(By the way, writers, I have several requests out for new scoops. Just waiting for a response from the editors.)
If you're technologically inclined--or if you know (or pay) the right people--you can develop a lot of cool marketing tools. Like a book trailer.
Of course, to do this yourself you'll have to learn Flash. And then build the game. Which wastes a bunch of time, according to some writers. It really depends on how one-dimensional you want to be.
Tell you what though: specialize in one thing, you're gonna die when that thing dries up. Not smart. And unless the power goes out, the web ain't quitting anytime soon, so... might be worth your time to learn at least basic HTML.
How? Google it. Or take a class. Here are some links to get you started (search terms bolded):
So, to continue the long tradition of "Dudes I Met at Horror Realm '09"... Jonathan Maberry is the one guy I avoided the entire con. By choice.
Now, that isn't to say I consciously avoided him--I'm playing on the ambiguity of language. I simply made choices that inadvertently led me out of his roundhouse radius.
If you're looking at the seating plan for the dealer room right now (which I know you are [geek]), you might find it impossible for me to have avoided Jonathan Maberry, as he sat about three chairs down from me, right on the other side of Z.A. Recht. But unless you're also watching the security footage from that weekend, you're missing the fact that I rarely stayed at my table. I didn't need to: I just signed a stack of books and left them for free, so I could go chase a bromance with Permuted Press's Jacob Kier.
Timely Brody Jenner references aside, I missed Maberry's reading of PATIENT ZERO, his first Joe Ledger novel. Jacob and I were probably enjoying a candlelit, uh... game of Settlers of Katan.
(By the way, I'm so late to the "Blog About Horror Realm" game that Maberry's second Joe Ledger novel, DRAGON FACTORY, already has cover art. And an ordering link.)
Despite my best efforts to make poor choices, I did briefly encounter the formidable Jonathan Maberry--and he didn't even karate-chop me.
It happened in the recess of a locked dealer-room door. Jonathan and I both took refuge there to avoid being trod upon by the J.L. Bourne troop. Fate pushed us together at the threshold, like two perfect strangers taking cover from the rain. Jacob would have been so jealous.
Jonathan came onto me immediately: he said, "I thought you'd be older."
And that was pretty much the end of it. I crawled back to Jacob for the security--and for the kids (that's what we call Permuted authors). Things have been the same ever since.
So, Jonathan, if you're reading this, we could have been so much more.
Kim Paffenroth wasn't the only guy I met at Horror Realm. I also met fellow Permuted Press author David "The Dunwoody" Dunwoody: a pretty cool dude.
I first came across Duwoody's work while editing Permuted's debut anthology THE UNDEAD. His contribution is titled "Grinning Samuel" and the titular character, who's mainly made of scrap metal, is one of Dunwoody's most popular. Quite cool considering that "Samuel" is Dunwoody's first published story. (Most of his ideas come from dreams, I guess. So I'm wondering: can we just film his dreams? Someone get on that.)
Way before Horror Realm, I ran into Dunwoody's work again while editing THE UNDEAD II and III. We also share space in the fourth UNDEAD: HEADSHOT QUARTET. So it was great to finally meet the guy.
We shared a ride from PIT to the convention hotel, and I got to ask The Dunwoody how awesome it was that Pocket Books was reissuing EMPIRE, his first novel, for their Permuted Press imprint. Kind of a rhetorical question, but... you've got to make small talk.
Obviously Dunwoody was excited. So excited that he brought the best prop of Horror Realm 2009: a 78" standee of his first-edition book cover--with a face hole, so fans could take pictures of themselves as Death...
Here's the new book cover from Pocket Books, plus ordering links:
Maybe if you pick up a copy, you can get an autograph from The Dunwoody himself at his next convention appearance. Here's his website if you want to watch for whenever that appearance might be: http://daviddunwoody.com/
If you met The Dunwoody at Horror Realm, or have read his work, comment below!
I enjoyed this movie. Great suspense leading up to riotous bursts of violence.
However, I'm not 100% keen on these modern movies that have no distinct main character--and way too many secondary ones. Like Michael Meyers thrown in for a cameo. (I felt the same way about Woody Harrelson's bit part in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN--which, overall, I loved.)
Thematically, it struck me that, while the Nazis are watching the propaganda film about their war hero, laughing at the countless deaths of their enemies (that's all their movie seems to be about), Tarantino's holding up a mirror for us--we're watching the same kind of film! Except we're not Nazis... right?
"I think this might just be my masterpiece"--I don't know about that, Tarantino. Even if you're saying it through the mouth of one of your characters.
Which film do you believe to be Tarantino's masterpiece? Comment below... and don't you dare say FROM DUSK TILL DAWN...
Editor(s): James R. Beach (Publisher/Editor-in-chief), Jason V Brock (Managing Editor)
Pay rate: $.05 a word for stories from 500 words up to 5000 words (maximum $250.00). Payment within 60 days of publication
Response Time: 3-4 months (only query after 4 months)
Deadline: October 1st through June 1st annually (closed between that time period)
Description: Looking for well-written, powerful, original ideas and new twists on old Horror conventions. Must be in the Horror/Dark Fantasy and Dark Mystery veins. (More in guidelines)
NOTE: Horror author D.L. Snell conducted the following interview to give writers a better idea of what the editors of this specific market are seeking; however, most editors are open to ideas outside of the preferences discussed here, as long as they fit the basic submission guidelines.
THE SCOOP 1) What authors do you enjoy and what is it about their writing that captivates you?
I like a wide variety of authors - Aickman, Ballard, Beaumont, Bloch, Borges, Bradbury, Braunbeck, Brown, Brunner, Campbell, Collier, Dick, Ellison, Farmer, Farris, Gorman, Grant, Irving, Jackson, James, Kafka, Ketchum, King, Lansdale, Leiber, Ligotti, Lovecraft, Machen, Matheson, Morrell, Nolan, Oates, Piccirilli, Shirley, Straub, Sturgeon, Tem, Thompson, Wagner, Wellman, Woolrich - you name it! I think the unifying thing is that they all examine the darker side of the human condition at times and write strong, compelling fiction that keeps you reading. I tend to lean towards stories with strong characters, are well-written, have solid plots and make you think about them afterwards or feel something emotionally.
2) What are your favorite genres? Which of these genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
Although I tend to read a lot in the horror genre, I don't limit myself to that and read in various other fields--Science Fiction, Mystery, Mainstream, etc. I like nonfiction also--everything from history to psychology. I like to read about the lives of certain fiction writers as well and often times find them more interesting than their work honestly.
One of the things we've stayed away from in the past was Lovecraftian/Cthuhlu stories. I like this sort of thing myself if it's well done and has an original angle, etc. (Ramsey Campbell, Ligotti, Wilum Pugmire, etc. are perfect examples), but we didn't run much of it in DD in the past as there were a number of other publications devoted to that. Sadly, now they are gone. So we decided to do an issue towards the topic of Lovecraft this last fall. Even then, we chose to focus more on the overall influence on pop culture, rather than just doing the usual HPL influenced fiction and art. Needless to say, we are open to running more stories in this style in the future.
We're also incorporating a bit more Science Fiction into Dark Discoveries to appeal to more readers. Push the boundaries a bit. We did a 50th anniversary Twilight Zone special this last summer, which featured: Richard Matheson, George Clayton Johnson, Earl Hamner, William F. Nolan, John Tomerlin, Marc Scott Zicree, Roger Anker, (my DD managing editor/art director) Jason V Brock and others. Although TZ is probably known more as a SF series, it really was a Fantasy one and much of it was quite dark. We ran a few stories in the issue much in the latter vein, but still managed to attract a wider audience by not limiting it to just "Horror". We also did a cover on the lighter, more humorous side just to push that edge a bit more.
3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
I like stories in any type of setting really. I'm open to all options as far as that goes. My only stipulation is that they fall on the creepier side one way or the other. My co-editor Jason (who helps me shape the issues and helps me decide on a number of the "maybe" stories) is much the same in that he likes a wide variety of styles and settings, and tends to lean towards the darker side of things, but he's also pushed me quite a bit to expand my horizons and I'm thankful for it.
4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
I enjoy both a fast-paced, action-oriented tale as well as a slower, more subtle approach. My only real requirement is that the story is well-written and compels me to read on.
5) What types of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?
I'm open to various types of characters. Strong, faulted, intelligent, etc. as long as they are convincing. I need to believe the character is real or I won't invest anything emotionally in them. One type I do tend to like a lot is the unreliable narrator if it's done well.
6) What is your policy for vulgarity and sexual content? (Question by Ralph Robert Moore)
I'm not against it as long as it fits the story. I like and have published stories both very violent and sexual but it must be imperative to the story. One of my favorite novels is Philip Jose Farmer's Image of the Beast/Blown--which was very controversial in its day and still quite extreme now. But it's all very integral to the plot.
Another common mistake is too much profanity in a story. One thing that really doesn't work is to have a character swearing in their mind. We might think something like that on a rare occasion, but usually this comes out in conversation. Personally I don't care much for stories that feature child or animal abuse or rape unless it's imperative to the plot. Even then, there are only a couple of times I have run anything like this and it was handled well in those cases. I don't like stories that seem to glorify violence in an almost pornographic way.
7) Horror and violence can be blatant or suggestive. Which one do you prefer and why?
I like both if it fits the story. What I don't like is when someone sends me a story with a tacked on violent ending, or sequence just to make it horrific and the story is obviously not that type at all. In the same sense, I don't like when someone shies away from showing it. Sometimes it is necessary to the plot and characters.
8) In fiction and in life, what do you find most horrific?
There's not much that scares me a lot anymore in fiction honestly, but some stories still can get under my skin a bit. I think what happens in our normal lives can be scarier - The death of a wife, husband, child, brother, etc. Losing your house or job. Not achieving your goals in life. The stories that touch on those things in the realm of fiction are usually more disturbing to me. It's hard to be scared by Frankenstein's monster too much nowadays when John Wayne Gacy might live next door or be teaching your kid at school.
9) In general, do you prefer downbeat or upbeat endings?
I'm fine with both. One thing I don't like is when someone tacks on an upbeat ending instead of leaving it downbeat when it should be. I like ambiguous endings as well. I don't think intelligent readers need everything spelled out. Sometimes forming our own conclusions is better.
10) What are the top three things submitters to this market should avoid?
Clichés. Well-worn themes. I rarely publish the usual, overdone monster, zombie, vampire and serial killer stories. I have published a couple in that vein but always try and pick ones that have a fresh premise, strong author voice or unique outlook.
11) What commonalities are among the stories you've rejected? Is there a particular aspect authors seem to get wrong? (Question by Martel)
Weak openings, bad characterization, weak plots, bad grammar, etc. - the usual suspects. There are numerous occasions where I thought a story was very well-written, but just didn't fit Dark Discoveries. It was Sword & Sorcery, too Science Fiction, straight mystery, etc. and they didn’t have any strong elements of Dark Fantasy at all. I also tend to stay away from the antiquated style of narrative that many of the classic masters used to great effect, but often times seems outdated in this day and age.
Quite commonly, the problem is a lack of familiarity with markets. Sending stories to a magazine or publisher that the writer has never read anything by. Nobody is required to purchase a subscription to Dark Discoveries or anything (although we do appreciate it!), but it's not a bad idea to at least pick up a copy or two of a publication you plan to submit to. Other than that your chances are reduced considerably as no publisher or editor is exactly alike and tastes do vary.
12) If you reject a story, how open are you to a revised version, or do you only want revisions upon request? (Question by Martel)
If we reject a story on the basis that it's not the right fit, then we don't want to see it again. If it's a case that the story needs work, we feel that it can be fixed and are interested in seeing it again--we always let the writer know that. Often times after a story is accepted, Jason and I will still go through it and do some edits, etc. that are necessary, but we always make sure the writer is okay with it before publication. Honestly, Dark Discoveries is much better edited than it was in the past. Jason is a strong editor with great instincts, and Bill Nolan (also a great editor) has helped quite a bit as well. Both have also pushed me to become a better hands-on editor, and not just another "compiler".
13) Describe a story you’ve recently accepted or short-listed. What made it stand out from the slush pile?
A couple of stories recently accepted are by newer writers, Richard Payne and Paul Bens Jr., who attended the Borderlands Boot Camp (with teachers such as David Morrell, F. Paul Wilson, Jack Ketchum, Douglas Clegg, etc.). They submitted to DD in the past, but weren't quite ready yet. They made leaps and bounds as far as their writing ability after attending this workshop.
One story is a bit of a concentration camp nightmare with an overt sexual-obsession theme and the other a unique tale about a homeless man who finds a tinkerbell-like fairy, that turns out to be something tied into his post-war trauma. Both are a bit different than we usually publish in DD, but both are very strong tales.
Another story accepted is by a great up-and-coming writer Gene O'Neil about ominous graffiti that we will be running in our summer Fantastic Artists issue. This is a direct theme and is an example of the type of story we will be looking for to be in upcoming issues. We aren't locked into this, but do like to incorporate some stories which fit our topics.
14) What trait are you seeking most in submissions to this market?
Again, just well-written, compelling stories. We're open to various styles and themes, but with an eye towards certain focuses.
15) Any last advice for submitters to this market?
Give us your best! Dark Discoveries has stepped up its game to move from a small press publication to a pro market and the bar has gotten even higher. We run fiction and nonfiction by numerous well-known and established authors, but are still open to great new writers. Here's your chance to rub shoulders with masters of the craft. Check us out at: www.darkdiscoveries.com
D.L. Snell writes with Permuted Press. He edited Dr. Kim Paffenroth twice, John Dies at the End once, and provided a constructive critique to Joe McKinney on his next major novel after Dead City. You can shoot D.L. Snell in the head at www.exit66.net.
This article may be freely reprinted in any e-zine, newsletter, newspaper, magazine, website, etc. as long as all links and this message remain intact, as well as Snell's byline and bio. The formatting may be adjusted to fit the venue, but the content of the article must not be altered without written permission from D.L. Snell.
