Steampunk Cthulhu antho

THE MARKET

• Antho: Steampunk Cthulhu
• Editor(s): Brian M. Sammons & Glynn Owen Barrass
• Pay Rate: 3¢ / word + 3 contributor copies
• Response Time: variable 
• Reading Period: now until July 31
• Description: The age of steam meets the age of Cthulhu, in a past where technology unbound warps Victorian Britain and the world at large into a dark Steampunk reality.
• Submission Guidelines: www.freewebs.com/batglynn/

NOTE: 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?

GB: Gawd there are so many… let’s see now! Two favourites: Raymond Chandler, because of his attention to detail and the rawness of his prose, and of course, H.P. Lovecraft, so rich with imagination and darkness, I couldn’t imagine a world without his sinister vision.

BMS: Lovecraft, for his original vision of horror. Stephen King for being the first author of adult books I ever read and introducing me to the joys of reading. Robert Bloch and Joe R. Lansdale for doing both bleak horror and black comedy so well. Richard Matheson for being the most consistently good and enjoyable over such a long career. And I can’t forget Robert E. Howard for his manly badassery. 


2) What are your favorite genres? Which genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?

GB: My genres, cyberpunk, and horror, for the most part. For this book, with immense clues in the title, we want to see the Cthulhu Mythos mixed with Steampunk, and are quite happy to see elements of fantasy, sci-fi, and even comedy within the subs.

BMS: Horror first and foremost, with various flavours of sci-fi and the occasional sword and sorcery fantasy, as long as it’s not too cute and fluffy. As for what I’d like to see for this book, a real blend of Lovecraftian nihilistic and inescapable horror with the often “future is bright” feel of steampunk. Also, I’d like to see some tales outside of the Victorian Britain setting.

3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
GB: I very much like alternate reality settings, whether it be past, present or future. Imagination can really soar when the world and reality have no boundaries.

BMS: I go through cycles. I’ll be into historical fiction for a while and then switch to something futuristic. However I always return to stories set in the modern world where reality clashes with the horrific or fantastic. 


4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
GB: Any really, though it is good sometimes to read something slow paced, that suddenly goes ‘boom’ at a mile a minute near the end.

BMS: While arguments can be made for any type of story, the majority of short stories I really like are fast paced. I like the sense of action they impart. Conversely when it comes to novels or horror movies, I prefer creeping dread. Yeah that’s weird, I know.

5) What types of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?

GB: Those that feel helpless against an overpowering Evil/Government/Religion, but fight back nonetheless. Doomed protagonists also read very well in a story.

BMS: I always like strong capable characters that nonetheless come up against things they just can’t overcome. It’s the whole feeling of yeah, you might be a bad ass (in whatever field) but compared to this you’re still nothing.

6) Is there a specific tone you'd like to set in your publication? What kind of voices grab you and keep you enthralled? Any examples?

GB: Dark for the most part, dystopian too. Steampunk tales in a grimy, polluted world with nothing shiny but the glint in the antagonist’s eye.

BMS: I’d be happy to run the gambit. From a few (but only a few) silly, humorous tales to the darkest, most feel bad stories imaginable, and everything in between. As long as it’s 100% steampunk and 100% Lovecraftian (or would that be 50% of both?) I’ll be happy.

7) What is your policy for vulgarity, violence, and sexual content? Any taboos?

GB: Swears are okay, as long as they are part of the story, but I don’t see our protagonists lowering themselves to such vulgarities. Violence, no problem where it is a necessary part of the story and not gratuitous. And sex… nothing X-Rated.

BMS: I’m fine with vulgarity; it’s a form of expression I’m fairly familiar with, as long as it’s warranted. Violence, I like violent horror. While not essential to tell a good story, I grew up in the 1980s reading plenty of splatterpunk. Sex, as long as it’s not just tossed in to be titillating and nothing more, I’m fine with it. As for taboos, for me it would be the victimization and sexualisation of children. No one wants to read that, and if you do, then this is not the book for you.

8) What kind of themes are you seeking most in submissions to this market? In general, what themes interest you?

GB: Again, darkness in the Steampunk world, sinister conspiracies and things beyond comprehension breaking through into our reality.

BMS: Technology mixed with black magic or just going too far. Famous characters (fictional or real) from the era would be a good addition, as long as there’s a solid reason for them to be in the story. Perhaps pulpy adventure mixed with the darkest horror. 


9) Overall, do you prefer downbeat or upbeat endings?

GB: Either, and if it’s downbeat for the heroes and upbeat for the bad guys, that’s fine! The protagonist discovering the hopelessness of the human condition in the face of the horrors of the Cthulhu Mythos would be a good (but not totally necessary) ending to a Steampunk Cthulhu tale.

BMS: Either, but if I had to lean one way or the other, I’d lean toward downbeat. Not only does it feel more Lovecraftian to me, but I think too many of today’s horror stories have happy endings.

10) Any last advice for submitters to this market? Any critical do's or do not's?

GB: DO NOT pay lip service to the Mythos, as in throwing in a few names here and there just to make something Cthulhu Mythos when it’s not. We want the stories rich with the elements of both genres, blended seamlessly.

BMS: Let me stress that again, DO NOT play lip service to the Lovecraftian element. I’ve recently put together a number of Lovecraftian anthologies and you’d be surprised how many authors think that namedropping Cthulhu or the Necronomicon is sufficient. Well it’s not. The same should be said about the steampunk genre. If you’re not completely comfortable with one side of this genre blending experiment or the other, it will show. 

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For more scoops, go to www.dlsnell.com.

D.L. Snell writes with Permuted Press. He edited Dr. Kim Paffenroth thrice, John Dies at the End once, and provided a constructive critique to Joe McKinney on his next major novel after Dead City, Apocalypse of the Dead. You can shoot D.L. Snell in the head at www.dlsnell.com.

To reprint this article, please contact D.L. Snell.

Albedo One magazine

THE MARKET

• Zine: Albedo One
• Editor(s): John Kenny, Robert Neilson, David Murphy, Frank Ludlow & Peter Loftus
• Pay Rate: €3 per 1,000 words
• Response Time: Up to 3 months
• Reading Period: Ongoing
• Description: Award winning Irish magazine of SF, fantasy and horror
• Submission Guidelines: www.albedo1.com

NOTE: 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?
My personal favourites include J.G. Ballard, Ray Bradbury, Philip K. Dick, Brian Aldiss, Robert Silverberg, Paul Di Filippo, Howard Waldrop, Lucius Shepard and many, many others. I'm also a big fan of the work of Jonathan Lethem, Michael Chabon, Peter Carey, Kazuo Ishiguro, Paul Auster and others. As to why they captivate me, the styles, approaches and subject matter of the work of these authors is so varied and radically different from each other, it's difficult to give any particulars. If they have anything in common it's that they've all struck out in new directions, developing a unique voice for themselves and fearlessly examining issues that many authors wouldn't touch, or at least deal with in half as interesting a way.

2) What are your favorite genres? Which genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
We publish science fiction, fantasy and horror. My favourites are probably SF and horror. The fantasy we publish tends to be more in the vein of dark fantasy or just plain weird, which I also like. Within the SF and horror genre work, we do usually steer clear of the more traditionally executed material. So the quirkier, the better.

3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
All of the above. We've published stories set in ordinary locales but with an exotic flavour to the language and situation. We've published stories that were almost mainstream literary works with just the barest hint of the fantastic. Anything set in the past needs to have a convincing verisimilitude to give the piece real weight. Generally, once the characters, situation and setting really grab us, the author is home free.

4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
Again, all of the above. We do like stories that start a decent way into the story, but once a slow build up is done effectively, with the right amount of foreshadowing and interesting enough characters, we're onboard.

5) What types of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?
Difficult question. I can more easily tell you what we don't like: drab, average type characters with no convincing inner life. That doesn't mean we just want to see characters gyrating off the page with bizarre fixations and peculiar personality disorders. If the story features ordinary people, they have to have a convincing freight of emotion and inner complexity that will win the reader over to whatever difficulties they face in the story.

6) Is there a specific tone you'd like to set in your publication? What kind of voices grab you and keep you enthralled? Any examples?
People tell us there is a specific personality to Albedo One, that there is an Albedo One type story, but we really don't know what that is and don't necessarily want to examine it too closely. If the stories we publish have anything in common, it's that they are primarily character driven. That said, we have published short quirky pieces where character was very much in the background.

7) What is your policy for vulgarity, violence, and sexual content? Any taboos?
No taboos. However, if the vulgarity, violence and sexual content is deemed to be gratuitous, i.e., not deployed fully in the service of the story, we're not interested.

8) What kind of themes are you seeking most in submissions to this market? In general, what themes interest you?
We're wide open as regards theme. We've published quite a few stories over the years that revolved around art or artists and there have been several that dealt with the cult of celebrity, but that's a coincidence. When we accepted those stories, we didn't think about the theme; we were just drawn to the story and the characters.

9) Overall, do you prefer downbeat or upbeat endings?
Good question. I should do a review of everything we've published so far in the magazine to determine the ratio of upbeat to downbeat stories. I suspect, however, that I'd find the vast majority are downbeat. Dystopias are so much more entertaining than utopias, just as the villain in a movie or book can be more intriguing than the hero.

10) Any last advice for submitters to this market? Any critical do's or do not's?
Read the submission guidelines and read a copy of the magazine (there are cheap downloadable PDFs of most issues if you don't want to shell out for a hard copy. There are even free stories posted on our website that you can check out). We get a vast number of submissions that are just not the kind of thing we go for and a quick review of the guidelines or a sampling of what we do publish would have saved you postage and us valuable time. Of course, the fact that we're open to email submissions may have something to do with this; when we're just a click away, some submitters (not all!) don't take the time to do a little basic research.

For hard copy submissions, please, please, please include an e-mail address on your cover letter so we can respond to your submission. I know this sounds obvious, but you wouldn't believe the amount of submissions we get that we can't reply to. If you require or want a reply in writing, you have to include a stamped self-addressed envelope. And the stamp has to be Irish. Our postal system won't post something from Ireland with a US stamp or UK stamp or whatever on it. 

Also, don't query before the stipulated three months response time. A query before this deadline just sends us all scrambling about looking for the story only to discover it's still with a first or second reader. Don't mean to harp on about our 'valuable' time; it's just we get such a large amount of submissions that anything the submitter can do to make our life easier is much appreciated.

Other than that, send us brilliantly original stories.

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For more scoops, go to marketscoops.blogspot.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.

To reprint this article, please contact D.L. Snell.

International Aeon Award Short Fiction Contest, 2011

Press Release:

Albedo One, Ireland’s magazine of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, is proud to announce the Sixth International Aeon Award Short Fiction Contest, for 2011. Grand prize is 1000 euro and publication in Albedo One. Second and third place prizes are 200 and 100 euro, respectively, alongside publication in Albedo One.

This year we have an added bonus prize for the winning story courtesy of the respected Authorlink.com. The winning story will have the option of free one-year publication in the Storywire section, where authors earn royalties from online readers of their work. Authorlink.com is a news, information and marketing site for editors, agents, writers, and readers with more than 50,000 unique visitors a month and a social network of 6,000+ friends.

The contest is open to stories of up to 10,000 words in any speculative genre, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, or anything in between or unclassifiable. The judges have a very broad definition of what constitutes a genre story. The contest is also open to writers of all nationalities, and the three winning stories will be decided upon by our Grand Judges (whom we will announce shortly). Last year’s Grand Judges were renowned speculative fiction author Ian Watson, Hugo award winning SF author Anne McCaffrey, multiple award winning SF author Mike Resnick and respected Irish horror and crime author, Sam Millar.

The contest is open from 1^st of January 2011 until November 30^th 2011, and runs in four rounds, at the end of which the interim judges (comprising the editorial team of Albedo One) will announce on the Albedo One website (www.albedo1.com) a shortlist of those entries they feel worthy of further consideration. The 1^st round ends March 31st, the second round, June 30th, the third round September 30th and the final round November 30^th.

The aim of the contest is to promote new writers and writing in the speculative fiction genres, and previous contests have certainly shown us that speculative fiction at the shorter lengths is alive and well, despite its many detractors and those who would pronounce the decline of SF, horror, fantasy etc. or the death of the short story.

Previous winners have been announced at the World Science Fiction Convention and European SF Convention, they have been reprinted or received Honourable Mentions in the prestigious Year’s Best Science Fiction and Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror volumes, and have been translated into other European languages and published in their national magazines (e.g. Galaxies SF, in France, and Phase X in Germany). So entering the Aeon Award will certainly get some attention for the respective authors and their work, never mind the prize money and publication in Albedo One.

A modest entry fee of 7 euro applies to all entries, and can be paid easily and securely via PayPal at the Albedo One website. Entries may be submitted to fraslaw@yahoo.co.uk Full details may be found at the following link: http://www.albedo1.com/aeon_award.html

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For more scoops, go to marketscoops.blogspot.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.

To reprint this article, please contact D.L. Snell.

Zombie Zak's House of Pain antho

THE MARKET

• Antho: Zombie Zak's House of Pain
• Editor(s): Zombie Zak and Bill Tucker
• Pay Rate: 1 cent per word, and 1 contributor copy
• Response Time: Varies, But not until after the reading period has ended
• Reading Period: April 30, 2011
• Description: Seeking previously unpublished contemporary creative tales of dark horror/dark fiction to fill up the House of Pain.
• Submission Guidelines: libraryofthelivingdead.lefora.com

NOTE: 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?
Edgar Allen Poe, HP Lovecraft and Dante Aligheri to name but a few. Why? Because their characters have breadth and scope and the intensity of the story carries through with passion and a desire to leave a mark upon the reader. Poe's characters were narrow of landscape; they were people going through an ordinary life and hit with something much more so. Lovecraft painted on a skein of such proportions that one's mind would either be boggled or forced to focus on the simple. And Dante, well, he visited Hell, and brought back a good story or two.

2) What are your favorite genres? Which genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
Personally I'm a big fan of Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy, with Comedy occasionally thrown in. However, this is a Horror Anthology for Dark Fiction and what we are looking for is good, creepy, dark stories meant to creep you out in any of a variety of fashions. We have no serious prejudices against any types of story content.  As long as it's dark, horror filled and tasty, we'll probably like it. (Which will obviously make the final selection process that much more difficult to narrow down.)

3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
I really like the realm of the ordinary, as explored by the moment that something extra ordinary breaks out from its bounds. Life is ordinary, at the best of times, but when a story can completely smash through the boundaries of the drudgery and the drear and present you with something just past comprehension—then, then fun can begin.

4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
Personally, I'm a big fan of the simple concept of the environment, the writing meets and matches the story. I like all kinds of things, and can be captivated by any of a variety of formats. Therefore, in simplest terms, if the pace fits the story, then the story I will enjoy.  However, the biggest caveat will be, to be consistent with it. If it's a slow build to spectacular climax, then awesome. If it's a constant joy ride from the get go to the end, yo, then also awesome. If it creatively mixes it up and gives you the roller-coaster thrill ride, then extra awesome. If it tries real hard but can't get past the occasional blast, then not so much.

5) What types of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?
Ohh, I like all kinds of characters. Serial killers, cannibals (flesh-eating Grannies are a good start there), mad scientists, evil neighbours, demons, sad and angry angels, hungry spirits, garden gnomes that go on rampages, plants that devour living meat sacks, mercenaries with no heart, and kittens that do their part. Really, I like colourful characters, people who have a reason, a point, something that within the context of the story, have something worth giving a darn about; even if that means hoping that the good guy wins (yeeesh, and that's a fate worse than…)

6) Is there a specific tone you'd like to set in your publication? What kind of voices grab you and keep you enthralled? Any examples?
No specific tone, per se. Just dark fiction; run wild with it. Let your horror muse out and play with story, character, plot and splattery parts. The idea behind this antho is variety, the spice of life and all that. Weird is good, as is the straight forward.

7) What is your policy for vulgarity, violence, and sexual content? Any taboos?
Keeping things in perspective, a certain level of vulgarity and violence is acceptable; if it fits the story and is not purely vulgar for the sake of vulgar, then it's probably going to be ok. I am not inclined towards stories that focus excessively on violent sexual behaviour and sexual content when it concerns young 'uns. If you have to think too much about whether or not it's an acceptable level of sexual content, then it's probably too much. I have no issue with such violent sexual aberrance being referred to in context, but explicit detail of such will not be accepted. Ergo, no rape scenes; however a victim of rape, or the fear of rape, or the threat of rape, may fit well enough.

8) What kind of themes are you seeking most in submissions to this market? In general, what themes interest you?
Mostly looking for stories that delve into the depth of human existence; darkness that dwells within not only the heart of Man, but also the beating, bloody, pulpy mass clenched in his clawed fist. Stuff like that. Good clean fun all round!

9) Overall, do you prefer downbeat or upbeat endings?
Yes. Hehehee. Actually, I have no preference on endings. If it fits the story, then it is a good ending. I like downbeat endings that continue to stare down into the abyss waiting for the thing that never—but might—come out. Also, I like upbeat endings where the hero wins, gets the girl and dines with knife and fork—but, we all know how often that story really happens...

10) Any last advice for submitters to this market? Any critical do's or do not's?
Think of the "man as the monster, rather than the monster as the man." Stories should refrain from Zombie or Zombie themes—not because we don't like them or anything, but because we want to focus on the heart of dark fiction. If you can pull it out, raw and wriggling, from some deep, dark, cavernous immensity of pain, suffering, sorrow, regret and doom, then it's probably going to have a good spot, in the centre of the room.

Write, for writing's sake! Experience the darkness, enough to slake. And Welcome to Zombie Zak's House of Pain. Can I interest you in some cookies?

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For more scoops, go to marketscoops.blogspot.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.

To reprint this article, please contact D.L. Snell.

Bride of the Golem antho

THE MARKET

• Antho: Bride of the Golem
• Editor(s): Gus Ginsburg
• Pay Rate: $500 US
• Response Time: 2 weeks to one month
• Reading Period: Until April 4
• Description: A collection of humorous Jewish horror stories.
• Submission Guidelines: mimeticdeclination.blogspot.com

NOTE: 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?
For this anthology, authors who have written stories similar to what I am hoping to include are Shalom Auslander, Etgar Keret, Shulamit Hareven, Nathan Englander, S.Y. Agnon.  Of special interest are humorous stories in which the protagonist's ethics or religious scruples are a hindrance to effective action, or result in humorous consequences.

2) What are your favorite genres? Which genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
I am open to writings which toy with the norms of genre writing, as long as the story is darkly amusing.  I am especially fond of classic B-horror films and bad 1950s horror sci-fi.  Surrealism and magical realism are welcome, as are works written in detective story style. 

3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
I am open to most settings.  It would be challenging to make a fantasy-genre story Jewish and darkly funny, but if someone submits such a story I would be happy to read it.  I'm not opposed to futuristic tales of Jews in space with robots who season their monotone speech with Yiddish terms or Israeli mannerisms.   I'd love to see stories set in medieval Spain, Provence or N. Africa.  Also welcome: funny Jewish ghost, zombie, vampire and werewolf tales.

4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
The pace of the action and plot is not as important as the humorous narrative voice.  It should be slightly scary, but mostly funny, and the humor should start early on.  A story with deep character development can be up to 10,000 words, but Etgar Keret has shown that you can deliver a poignant story in 500 words or less.

5) What types of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?
Neurotic and normal characters are welcome.  They can range from Ultra-Orthodox to Reform or secular Jews of any nationality.  Converts will also not be turned away.  The characters from Nathan Englander's short stories are good models.

6) Is there a specific tone you'd like to set in your publication? What kind of voices grab you and keep you enthralled? Any examples?
I would like the collection to offer a range of voices in third and first person narration...the narrative voice can be clever, neurotic, untrustworthy, as long as the overall effect is one of dark humor.

7) What is your policy for vulgarity, violence, and sexual content? Any taboos?
I would prefer to avoid incest, rape and Nazis, as well as stories with a racist or sexist or homophobic bent.  Also I'd rather not see stories with a political axe to grind on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  If there is vulgarity, violence and sexuality, it should not be gratuitous but integral to the plot and character development. 

8) What kind of themes are you seeking most in submissions to this market? In general, what themes interest you?
The intersection of humor, horror and halakhah.

9) Overall, do you prefer downbeat or upbeat endings?
My favorite are absurd endings.  I also like open/unresolved endings.  Humorous endings are welcome.

10) Any last advice for submitters to this market? Any critical do's or do not's?
The story should feel at least somewhat Jewish.  Don’t take a story you’ve already written and merely change the main character’s name to Goldberg or throw in a quote from the Talmud before your story begins.  This won’t be enough.

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For more scoops, go to marketscoops.blogspot.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.

To reprint this article, please contact D.L. Snell.

Leather, Denim & Silver antho

THE MARKET

• Antho: Leather, Denim & Silver – Legends of the Monster Hunter
• Editor(s): Miles Boothe
• Pay Rate: ¼ ¢  / word. Anything over 5,000 words includes a contributor’s copy.
• Response Time: Under 1 Month
• Reading Period: Open Until Filled
• Description: Hair-raising, Hell-bent stories about the people that take the monsters down.
• Submission Guidelines: www.pillhillpress.com
  

NOTE: 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 recently discovered Brian P. Easton’s Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter, loved it, and realized that there is a terrible shortage of monster hunting books out there.  Looking for more, I turned to non-fiction hunting books with a safari flavor; old Peter Hatahaway Capstick and Robert Ruark tales about big-game hunting in Africa, some of which will raise your hair as much as any monster hunt.

All of their writing is action oriented, and all of it deals with hunting something that will hunt and kill you right back. Great stuff.

Mix in a few old Westerns from Louis L’Amour, add a little Stoker, and you’ve got the general recipe for this antho.

2)  What are your favorite genres? Which genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
Dark Fantasy and Horror are at the top of my list, and are a natural fit for this antho. Action-adventure and mystery are also a good fit.
 
3)  What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
I’m a sucker for a “hidden” setting, something unusual, something that you didn’t necessarily know was there. If it catches my attention and draws me in without beating me purple, I’m there. I do prefer real settings over fantasy, and am interested in past or present day stories.

4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
For me, this depends on the story and the writing. As long as I’m drawn in, I’m up for whatever ride the writer wants to take me on.

For this antho, action will be a central part of any story, so I expect to see a lot of fast pacing, hopefully mixed with some slow, atmospheric stuff.

5) What types of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?
Characters who experience life in unusual ways grab me every time. Someone who is motivated by deep loyalty, courage, terror, or anguish is worth reading about.

Movie characters are the most recognizable, and for this book I can easily picture male and female characters similar to Indiana Jones, Josey Wales, Quint from Jaws, Van Helsing, Sherlock Holmes, or the short lady from Poltergeist. Any character who deeply inspires you can be used as a model.

6)  Is there a specific tone you'd like to set in your publication? What kind of voices grab you and keep you enthralled? Any examples?
I’m really hoping for all different kinds of tones. This is one area that I am wide open in, and stories built on grim determination or revenge are great, but I’m hoping for a wider range to balance those out. Just make it powerful.

I would love to see at least one piece built on somber tones that ends in complete anguish.

I’m open to voice as well. Whatever moves you will probably move your readers.
 
7)  What is your policy for vulgarity, violence, and sexual content? Any taboos?
Violence is almost required in monster hunting, and a well-placed curse is only natural. I don’t expect to see a lot of sex, but it’s welcome if it is central to the plot and really moves the story along.

On the other hand, anything that pulls the reader out of the story is undesirable, so a poorly placed curse can be equally damaging. The same goes for pointless sex and gore.

8) What kind of themes are you seeking most in submissions to this market? In general, what themes interest you?
For these types of stories, anything highly emotional is good.  Commentary about the current human condition is great, but so are timeless themes such as love and valor. Subtle themes are more difficult to present with monsters lurking about, but I’m open to any interpretation.

I love sideways views of society that highlight the kind of stuff you just glance past day to day. I feel like a lot of monsters can hide there as well.

9) Overall, do you prefer downbeat or upbeat endings?
I very much enjoy both. I love a triumphant hero, but I equally love a decimated squadron leaving behind only a crackling radio.

Anything goes, and I’m happy as long as I read that last sentence and wish there was more!

10) Any last advice for submitters to this market? Any critical do's or do not's?
Keep the hunters human, and the monsters non-human (at least until the end – a turned hunter is great)!

A lot of writers go to great lengths to avoid cliché’s, but in this genre, those stories are sometimes the best! Don’t limit yourself!

Mary Sue’s are boring, but exciting and emotionally wrought deaths can be great.

Good writing!

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For more scoops, go to marketscoops.blogspot.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.

To reprint this article, please contact D.L. Snell.

Through the Eyes of the Undead 2 antho

THE MARKET

• Antho: Through the Eyes of the Undead 2
• Editor(s): Robert Essig
• Pay Rate: 1¢ / word and one contributor copy
• Response Time: Up to two months
• Reading Period: Until April/May 2011
• Description: This is an anthology of stories based upon the zombie perspective.
• Submission Guidelines: http://undeadeyes2.blogspot.com/

NOTE: 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?
Robert Bloch, Richard Laymon, Douglas Clegg, Stephen King, and Ray Bradbury to name a few.  I like these authors because they pull me into their stories with such ease using great writing, believable characters, and interesting themes.

2) What are your favorite genres? Which genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market? 
Horror and dark fantasy above all.  For this anthology I am looking for a little bit of everything just so long as the story is from the zombie's perspective.  Steampunk, western, crime, sci-fi, bizarro, fantasy—I'll look at just about anything.  The one exception: no erotica.

3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future? 
I like strange locales.  Something that strays from the ordinary.  I'm not a huge fan of futuristic stories; however, for this anthology I am very open-minded about setting and time periods to achieve a wide variety of stories.

4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc. 
I tend to enjoy stories that are fast throughout, but I don't knock a slower paced story for that reason alone.  If the writing is captivating, the pace matters very little.

5) What types of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples? 
Strange, flawed, eccentric, and unusual.  Characters that the average reader can relate to are great. 

6) Is there a specific tone you'd like to set in your publication? What kind of voices grab you and keep you enthralled? Any examples? 
From Hunter S. Thompson to Poe.  A diversity of tone is very welcome.

7) What is your policy for vulgarity, violence, and sexual content? Any taboos? 
I'm fine with all of the above as long as it pertains to the story and isn't thrown in for shock value alone.   No gratification of rape, racism, bigotry, or child and animal abuse.

8) What kind of themes are you seeking most in submissions to this market? In general, what themes interest you? 
Just make sure the story is from the zombie's perspective.  I can't stress this enough.

9) Overall, do you prefer downbeat or upbeat endings? 
I prefer downbeat, but I would like a good mix of both.  If all the stories were one or the other, they would run the risk of becoming monotonous.

10) Any last advice for submitters to this market? Any critical do's or do not's? 
Do not send a first draft.  Follow the guidelines carefully.  Be sure that your story is written through the zombie's perspective.

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For more scoops, go to marketscoops.blogspot.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.

To reprint this article, please contact D.L. Snell.

Permuted Press

THE MARKET

• Publisher:  Permuted Press
• Editor(s): Jacob Kier
• Pay Rate: Varies, advance paying
• Response Time: 30 days for query, 6 months for manuscripts
• Reading Period: Until filled
• Description: Seeking apocalyptic, time travel, Cthulhu Mythos, and other genre novels.
• Submission Guidelines: permutedpress.com

NOTE: 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 love old school Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Richard Laymon.  I'm a big fan of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.  I'm less likely to follow a particular author these days than to be drawn to interesting ideas, setups, or situations.

Within the apocalyptic/zombie genres, I've really enjoyed Brian Keene, Jonathan Maberry, and Simon Clark's work.  My absolute favorite apocalyptic novel is Cormac McCarthy's The Road.
 
2) What are your favorite genres? Which genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
It should be obvious looking at the Permtued catalog that I love zombie fiction and apocalyptic fiction in general.  I'm attempting to bring in more variety this time by also looking at time travel novels and novels that make use of Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos.
 
3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
I'm not opposed to any setting, but I do tend to be more interested in real settings rather than fantasy or futuristic settings.  Generally the situation and characters are more crucial to me than the setting.
 
4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
I think any good novel is going to take the time to develop characters and include slower thoughtful moments, but I'm less inclined to be interested in novels which have long slow periods, or which build up too slowly.  Most often I'm into novels that have a good flow of fast pace mixed with slower moments.

5) What types of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?
It seems somewhat cliché I suppose, but I like normal characters thrown into abnormal situations.  How does the school teacher react to the apocalypse?  What does the southern farmer do when confronted with Lovecraftian monstrosities?  Exploring what happens when the average Joe is pushed to the extreme interests me.

One other that sticks out is that, despite that they don't line up with my personal philosophy at all, I'm often drawn to charismatic nihilistic characters--Fight Club's Tyler Durden comes to mind.  The characters who are so self-centered that you want to loathe them, and yet you find yourself liking and even cheering for them.
 
6) Is there a specific tone you'd like to set in your publication? What kind of voices grab you and keep you enthralled? Any examples?
It's difficult to end the world without it being dark!  That said, dark with no glimpses of light is boring.  There has to be some hope--even if it ends up being futile--or you're left with a pretty bland story.
 
7) What is your policy for vulgarity, violence, and sexual content? Any taboos?
I'm not interested in extremes just to be extreme.  Vulgarity and violence are fine as long as they're enhancing the story in a realistic way and not a distraction.  Sex in books is fine, but I'm not looking for material that's overly descriptive sexually.
 
8) What kind of themes are you seeking most in submissions to this market? In general, what themes interest you?
I'm fascinated by any story where a person or group is caught in a situation where they must come up with creative ways to fight or survive.  The situations that force everyone to become a MacGuyver.  Whether it's scrounging to survive a zombie apocalypse, being shipwrecked on a desert island, or being locked down in a skyscraper fighting terrorists, I can't get enough.  But the best tales like these are the ones that also use these desperate situations to remind us of what’s important:  relationships, love, family, endurance.  Throw MacGuyver into the zombie apocalypse and you'll have a heck of an entertaining novel.  Throw MacGuyver into a zombie apocalypse and make readers cry, and you'll have a book with potential to become a classic.
 
9) Overall, do you prefer downbeat or upbeat endings?
I can't say I prefer one over the other; I'm open to either.
 
10) Any last advice for submitters to this market? Any critical do's or do not's?
I encourage anyone submitting to spend some time on your query letter.  As I mention in the guidelines, your query letter is either going to open the door for your novel, or close it.  Make sure your description of your book sounds like something you'd actually want to read, not just a dry plotting of the novel’s main points.

It's been said a million times before, but get someone--ideally multiple people--to read your novel and give you feedback.  Generally writers (me included) just aren't good at seeing the problems in their own work.

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For more scoops, go to marketscoops.blogspot.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.

To reprint this article, please contact D.L. Snell.

Graveside Tales publisher

THE MARKET

• Publisher: Graveside Tales
• Editor(s): Myrrym Davies
• Pay Rate: No monetary advance; royalties average +/- 15%.
• Response Time: 20 - 30 days
• Reading Period: Twice yearly:  March 1 - May 30 and September 1 - November 30
• Description: Publishes horror and dark fiction novels, novellas, and anthologies with a supernatural angle, as well as select backlisted titles.
• Submission Guidelines: www.gravesidetales.com

NOTE: 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?
As a reader and an editor, strong world-building skills, compelling characterization and unique emotive style are qualities I cherish in an author.  My list of favorites is a mile long, but the three that immediately spring to mind are Orson Scott Card, Clive Barker and George Orwell.  Card does a wonderful job of creating recognizable worlds and vibrant, well-rounded characters.  Barker has a knack for evoking a wide range of emotions over the course of a single story.  And Orwell's satirical style and dystopian settings are simply timeless; the content of his works is just as relevant today as it was when it was written. 

2) What are your favorite genres? Which genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
Horror titles—both large and small press—take up a large portion of my bookshelf, but I also enjoy comedy, sci-fi, fantasy, steampunk, mystery, political thrillers, and erotica.  Bizarro and paranormal/pulp romance... not so much.  We would like to see more genre blends, particularly those incorporating humor, science fiction, fantasy and Western elements. 

3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
Ordinary, real-world locales are my personal preference, but I do not object to exotic or otherworldly settings when it comes to submissions.  The time period does not really matter. 

4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
It depends on the story.  Slow build-ups are great, provided the tension is maintained throughout.  The same can be said of more action-oriented pieces.  The consistency of the story's pacing is more important to me than anything.

5) What types of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?
I don't have a preference when it comes to specific types of characters.  All I ask is that they be fully developed and play their part in a realistic manner (and that includes engaging in believable dialogue).  A manuscript featuring blatant stereotypes or unconvincing characters will probably not make it past the first round of reviews. 

6) Is there a specific tone you'd like to set in your publication? What kind of voices grab you and keep you enthralled? Any examples?
Any unique, well-written horror story with compelling characters and an intriguing plot will be considered.  While we do expect the tone to be dark, we are not looking for a specific kind of "voice."  We like to offer readers a variety of writing styles to choose from—a little something for everyone, if you will. 

7) What is your policy for vulgarity, violence, and sexual content? Any taboos?
Graveside Tales does not usually censor its authors, but we tend to avoid publishing pieces containing overt racism, explicit depictions of child abuse, and pointless torture or rape.  That said, as long as the content in question is essential to the story and not included solely for shock value, it will be considered. 

8) What kind of themes are you seeking most in submissions to this market? In general, what themes interest you?
We are looking for solid, character-driven novels and novellas containing supernatural elements (think monsters and madmen).  Genre blends are also welcome, provided the focus remains firmly on horror.  Topics that have been overused, like post-apocalyptic zombies and clichéd paranormal romance themes, will likely be rejected. 

9) Overall, do you prefer downbeat or upbeat endings?
Personally, I favor downbeat or open endings, but what I read for my own pleasure and what is acceptable in a submission are two different things.  The story determines the ending, and as long as the ending is sensible and fits the work as a whole, its tone is irrelevant. 

10) Any last advice for submitters to this market? Any critical do's or do not's?
Three things.  One:  do your homework on the venues to which you intend to submit, and only send those pieces that fit the publication's requirements.  When in doubt, query.  Two:  have a couple of beta readers review your work before sending it off.  A proofreader's input is invaluable in helping clean up grammatical issues or fill obvious plot holes.  And three:  follow the guidelines.  I know every editor mentions guidelines in the dos and don'ts section, but you'd be surprised at how few submitters actually adhere to them.  Your manuscript stands a much better chance of being reviewed promptly if it sticks to the requested layout.

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For more scoops, go to marketscoops.blogspot.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.

To reprint this article, please contact D.L. Snell.

Ideomancer magazine

THE MARKET

• Zine: Ideomancer Speculative Fiction
• Editor(s): Leah Bobet (interviewee), Marsha Sisolak, Jaime Lee Moyer, Claire Humphrey, Elizabeth Bear, John Bowker, Beth Langford, Erin Hoffman, Alena McNamara, Michael Colangelo, Alyssa Smith
• Pay Rate: 3 cents a word up to a maximum of $40.00 USD
• Response Time: 30 days maximum
• Reading Period: December-January, March-April, June-July, September-October
• Description: Ideomancer publishes speculative fiction and poetry that explores the edges of ideas; stories that subvert, refute and push the limits. We want unique pieces from authors willing to explore non-traditional narratives and take chances with tone, structure and execution, balance ideas and character, emotion and ruthlessness. We also have an eye for more traditional tales told with excellence. We are especially interested in non-traditional formats, hyperfiction, and work that explores the boundaries not just of its situation but of the internet-as-page.
• Submission Guidelines: www.ideomancer.com

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?
China Mieville, for the twists of his sentence-level craft and the layering of his worlds; Matt Ruff, for the sheer imagination and balls; Sean Stewart, for his incredibly flawed and human and three-dimensional characters; Connie Willis, for her wry sense of humour; Dashiell Hammett, for his incredible prose; A.S. Byatt, for her ability to examine every single angle of a thematic idea; Patricia McKillip, for her ability with subtext; Emma Bull, for the way she weaves whole worlds by implication; Caitlin Kiernan, for the ability to make ugly things beautiful, or at least fascinating; Sharon Shinn, because she’s sneaky; Peter Beagle because he inevitably makes me cry.

2) What are your favorite genres? Which genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
We’re interested in any of the speculative genres: fantasy, science fiction, horror, fabulist fiction, slipstream, interstitial, anything punk—the works. That said, we’re usually more interested by work that’s aware of the tropes of its genre and has something to say about them, as well as work with a bit of a literary twist.  Think China Mieville, not J.R.R. Tolkien!

3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
We’re happy to read stories and poetry set anywhere, so long as it’s done well! The quality of the setting work and the author’s skill in evoking it are more important to us than it being any specific setting.

4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
Whatever pacing works best for the story you’re trying to tell; we view things like pacing as a tool for telling stories, rather than an end in itself. Again, this is a question of something done well versus a preference for a particular kind of story.

5) What types of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?
Characters who are, above all, deeply human; who work by an emotional logic that makes the reader think yes, this is a real person instead of this is a character in a story.

6) Is there a specific tone you’d like to set in your publication? What kind of voices grab you and keep you enthralled? Any examples?
Passionate. About whatever it is the characters have to say.

7) What is your policy for vulgarity, violence, and sexual content? Any taboos?
We’ll consider anything so long as it’s actually in service to telling an interesting story.

8) What kind of themes are you seeking most in submissions to this market? In general, what themes interest you?
We tend to prefer stories in which the world just isn’t that simple.

9) Overall, do you prefer downbeat or upbeat endings?
We prefer endings that are well-crafted and work best with the story the author’s trying to tell.

10) Any last advice for submitters to this market? Any critical dos or don’ts?
There is no magic button for selling a story to Ideomancer, and no kit to build an Ideomancer story. We’re a fairly eclectic magazine, and while there are some slight trends in what we choose to publish, the only strong and constant one is stories that do what they set out to do very, very well. The best way to get a feel for what we’d like, as stereotypical as it may sound, is to read a few issues and see how they strike you. That’s how you’ll know if the stories that grab us resemble the story that you have in your hand.

And if you’re in doubt? Just send it along. The worst thing we can say is “not this time.”

Good luck!

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For more scoops, go to marketscoops.blogspot.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.

To reprint this article, please contact D.L. Snell.

Arkham Tales magazine

THE MARKET

• Zine: Arkham Tales 
• Editor(s): Nathan Shumate 
• Pay Rate: 1 cent per word 
• Response Time: As soon as we can get to it – honest!  (Usually about 3-4 weeks.) 
• Reading Period: Year round. 
• Description: A PDF magazine of weird fiction encompassing pulp adventure, weird horror (including Lovecraftian influence, obviously), the supernatural and the fantastic. 
• Submission Guidelines: http://arkhamtales.leucrotapress.com

THE SCOOP

1) What authors do you enjoy, and why does their writing captivate you?
It’s too predictable to say that I like Lovecraft, so I won’t.  (Wait, I just did.  Dammit.)  I really enjoy all kinds of writers, from Robert E. Howard to Raymond Carver to Orson Scott Card to Robert B. Parker, as long as they’re confident in their use of the language and the art of the storyteller.

2) What are your favorite genres? Which genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
Personally, I enjoy all of the traditionally “male” genres: SF, horror, adventure, detective, suspense, etc.  As far as submissions go, everything should have that dark fantastic touch that defines them as “weird fiction,” but I would like to see more stories which successfully combine science fiction elements with that “weird” feeling.

3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
Any setting can be intriguing if it is imbued by the author’s voice with depth and connection to the story.  I don’t think I’ve ever rejected a story because of setting, but I’ve never accepted one because of story either.

4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
Abraham Lincoln, when asked how long a man’s legs should be, said they should be long enough to reach the ground.  Pacing is like that; a story’s pacing should be consonant with the story it’s trying to tell.  I’ve rejected stories because they’ve tried to throw as much plot at the reader in the fewest number of words, and I’ve rejected stories because they took a simple idea worth a short-short and padded it far beyond its manageable length.  If a writer can convince me in the story that the pacing he chose is the best way to tell that story, I’ll go with it.

5) What types of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?
I like to see a variety of characters.  Some stories are built almost entirely on the strength and novelty of the main character; others use a generic stand-in for the author (Lovecraft did this a lot) who remains almost featureless.  A rule of thumb: the less well-defined the character, the stronger the events around him need to be—a plain character in an unimpressive plot doesn’t work for anyone.

6) Is there a specific tone you'd like to set in your publication? What kind of voices grab you and keep you enthralled? Any examples?
“Weird” is a hard focus to explain. In general, it means that there has to be something to the stone both fantastic and slightly dark or alien, and this should be reflected in the tone or voice.  I’ll let you in on a secret: the author’s voice is the single most important factor to an acceptance at Arkham Tales.  If the story hasn’t convinced me within three pages or so that the author knows and loves the English language and uses it with enough confident to keep me reading, even though I don’t really know what the story is about yet, I’ll move on to something else.

With that said, there’s no single voice that can or should be the “house style” for our magazine.  We want variety; the unifying element is that the author’s voice should be strong and confident and evocative.  Look at that list of authors earlier; Robert E. Howard and Robert B. Parker are worlds apart in their writing style, but what they both have in common is a consistent and strong writer’s voice.

7) What is your policy for vulgarity, violence, and sexual content? Any taboos?
My main policy is, “Don’t try to shock me.”  I don’t look for splatterpunk; I find that kind of gonzo excess numbing and counterproductive.  Don’t try to “sexy up” your story with excess, because I’d much rather be unsettled than grossed out.

8) What kind of themes are you seeking most in submissions to this market? In general, what themes interest you?
Probably the closest thing to a common theme behind Arkham Tales is the one Lovecraft articulated, that realization of humanity’s infinitesimal place in the cosmos can be maddening in its overwhelming scope.  That said, I don’t want to turn the magazine into a nihilistic dirge-fest; voice and tone are a lot more important than a single theme.

9) Overall, do you prefer downbeat or upbeat endings?
I don’t have anything against upbeat endings as such, but I know as well as you do that authors often engineer them because the hero is expected to win, and thus the author cheats on the protagonist’s behalf.  On the other hand, too many downbeat endings try to involve a shock or twist that is obvious from the opening page.  The ending, happy or sad, grows out of the story that leads up to it; rather than an upbeat or downbeat ending, make sure you have the right ending.

10) Any last advice for submitters to this market? Any critical dos or don’ts?
I have a long list of pet peeves (I much prefer past tense to present, I can’t abide changing the viewpoint character in the middle of a scene, and I don’t want to wade through three opening pages that are stuffed with dull exposition and background), but here’s the primary point:  I want confident storytellers who know how to tell a story and why they told this particular story the way they told it.  You can have the greatest story idea and the best ending, but if the prose is clunky and uncertain, then your idea won’t show through your words and I’ll never get as far as reading your ending.

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For more scoops, go to marketscoops.blogspot.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.

To reprint this article, please contact D.L. Snell.

Often Inspired Magazine

THE MARKET

• Zine: Often Inspired Magazine
• Editor(s): William V. Burns
• Pay Rate: Individual 2000-5000 word short stories from $25 to $100
• Response Time: One to two weeks after contest end or submission
• Reading Period: One week
• Description: Often Inspired is a magazine that celebrates the bond between writer and reader. We exist to encourage writers to improve their craft by showing examples, having fun, and constructively giving advice and counsel.
• Submission Guidelines: Editorial Guidelines | Contest Rules

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?
John Steinbeck, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Robert Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, Rex Stout— they have in common just enough description to get the job done, precise dialogue, good solid plots, and colorful characters that pull you right into a story.

2) What are your favorite genres? Which genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
I enjoy: Mystery, Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction—unsurprisingly these are the submissions we accept.

3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
The mundane can be made fascinating by skillful writing, the exotic can be painted in your mind by a colorful author, real or fantastic, past present or future. If you bring me into the scene, that's what I love.

4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
Pacing should be fit to the genre—mysteries build a pattern of clues, and then have a faster pace towards the end; fantasy has a consistent pace where cycle leads to cycle of exposition; horror just starts and then builds, builds, builds until you shriek. But any story can be subtle and slow in its pace throughout if you have a compelling tale.

5) What types of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?
Earthy. Direct. Poignant. Lennie and George from Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck. The characters in The Maltese Falcon by Hammett.

6) Is there a specific tone you'd like to set in your publication? What kind of voices grab you and keep you enthralled? Any examples?
I want our magazine (and our forum) to be friendly and accessible to readers and member authors. Fun, creative, fascinating. People who are creative and love to share, but have that competitive fire. We run a contest/meet centered around National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo.org) and you see the fire in our writers come out in November.

7) What is your policy for vulgarity, violence, and sexual content? Any taboos?
We like to keep to a standard of PG-13 for most of our work. Some curse words are inevitable in describing conflict, anger, or outright terror. We don't accept stories that overuse profanity and vulgarity. Please don't submit toilet humor or needlessly gruesome work. Think mature themes, but not obscenity.

8) What kind of themes are you seeking most in submissions to this market? In general, what themes interest you?
Our scope is wide. Think big. We avoid fanfic, slash, or writing heavily derivative of someone else's work (except when we run parody).

9) Overall, do you prefer downbeat or upbeat endings?
Both are good. Lift or fall, but take me somewhere.

10) Any last advice for submitters to this market? Any critical dos or don’ts?
Polish your work. Correct your spelling and grammar. Format your paragraphs so we don't confront a wall of text. Keep politics, religion, and topical subjects out. Make your work timeless. Don't disappoint the reader and we'll get along just fine.

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For more scoops, go to marketscoops.blogspot.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.

To reprint this article, please contact D.L. Snell.

Dark Discoveries

THE MARKET

• Zine: Dark Discoveries Magazine
• 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)
• Submission Guidelines: www.darkdiscoveries.com

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

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For more scoops, go to marketscoops.blogspot.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.

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Shock Totem

THE MARKET

• Zine: Shock Totem
• Editor(s): K. Allen Wood, John Boden, & Nick Contor (interview with K. Allen Wood)
  
• Pay rate: 5¢ / word upon publication
  
• Response Time: 2 months
• Description: We consider original, unpublished stories within the confines of dark fantasy and horror—mystery, suspense, supernatural, morbid humor, fantasy, etc. But the stories must have a clear horror element. (More in guidelines)
  
• Submission Guidelines: www.shocktotem.com

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 am very much a new-school kind of reader. The style of early horror writers—and yes, this includes the likes of Poe and Blackwood and Lovecraft—often makes me cross-eyed. I appreciate the legacy of their work, of course, but it's not often that I can truly immerse myself into their stories. And I've tried countless times.

I like Dean Koontz and Stephen King, Peter Straub, Clive Barker, and hell, I dig John Saul too (even if he's been re-writing the same story nearly his entire career). But horror isn't the only thing I read. I love Ken Follett and Boris Starling, Terry Brooks and R.A. Salvatore, George R.R. Martin, Naomi Novik, and tons more.

My tastes are very broad, which is why I can't pinpoint one particular thing that captivates me about their writing besides this: the story. To me, the most important thing is not the author; it's whether or not he or she can tell a great story. It's why so many people enjoy Dan Brown. He's not a great writer, as we all know, but he's a hell of a storyteller. Too many people forget how important that is. Of course, a good amount of writing skill is necessary as well.

So that's what I dig. Great stories. The author really is unimportant.

2) What are your favorite genres? Which of these genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
Well, horror is definitely my favorite. It's where I first discovered my love of reading. In particular, Dean Koontz's Lightning. Although I'm not sure that's even a horror novel, but it did get me reading his other books. As I got older, I began to broaden my horizon a bit, reading thrillers and mysteries, crime novels, fantasy.

For Shock Totem, I think we could incorporate all these styles. In our first issue, we have a story by Pam Wallace ("Below the Surface") that is very much a fantasy tale. It's dark fantasy, however, so it works for us. Take away that element and it would be a straight-up fantasy story which we would have had no place for.

Anything can be horror; it just needs to tap into the right emotions. And some would argue that horror is more an emotion than a genre, if it's a genre at all.

3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
The short answer is medieval or historical settings. But those aren't things many writers can tackle. So touching upon the answer I gave for the first question, I think it really depends on the story. Obviously I need to be able to relate to the setting in some manner; if something is so region specific it excludes people who're unfamiliar with that area, that won't work for me. But if the story is written well, I can put myself anywhere.

4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
Probably a little of both. Ebb and flow, you know. But it also depends on the length of the story. Short stories generally need a faster pace than a novel. When a story is only ten pages long, too much ebb—or all ebb, which countless stories suffer from—makes it a chore to read. When nothing has happened by page seven (if I've been patient enough to read that far), I'm not a happy reader. I'm more forgiving of this, as most people are, with a novel.

5) What types of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?
I like realistic characters. Who doesn't, right? What I mean is, they have to act appropriately to whatever situation they're in. If a character is running down a hallway from a killer who's five feet behind her, she's not going to notice dust on the picture frames on the wall, or a nickel on the floor by the radiator, or reflect on how the wallpaper doesn't match the carpet. But a lot of writers will write a character this way, and it's always struck me as unrealistic. Is that what you'd be thinking about when running from a killer?

6) What is your policy for vulgarity and sexual content? (Question by Ralph Robert Moore)
It has to be appropriate to the story. If there's a baby in a post-apocalyptic story, don't just have it killed or eaten at the end for the sake of shock value or "horror." It's cheesy—and it's done all the damn time!

However, if it's appropriate, eat the hell out of that baby.

7) Horror and violence can be blatant or suggestive. Which one do you prefer and why?
Suggestive works best, usually. Let the readers do the math. Show them the shadows, and let them work out the rest. It makes the story more personal and allows their own icy fears and emotions to worm through their veins. The scariest stories are those that never shine the spotlight too bright.

Then again, in the hands of a great writer, like Jack Ketchum, blatancy can be very powerful.

8) In fiction and in life, what do you find most horrific?
In fiction, probably the stuff that would seem impossible on paper but is very possible in reality; the sort of stories that any one of us could be thrust into at any time.

In life, I find humanity horrifying.

9) In general, do you prefer downbeat or upbeat endings?
Whatever fits the story. One thing that has always bugged me about Koontz is that he loves the happy ending (cue massage parlor joke). Well, in my world, that's not so common. John Saul, on the other hand, loves to give you that upbeat ending...for a second. As soon as you think the main character made it—WHAM! Dead.

In that respect, I probably dig the downbeat ending more, just because it's much more realistic.

10) What are the top three things submitters to this market should avoid?
In light of recent events, I'd suggest not sending us a plagiarized Stephen King story. Or any stolen work, for that matter—haha. Beyond that, we're pretty open to anything, as long as it's within our guidelines and it's not blatant commentary in the guise of fiction. Or fan fiction. Please don't do that.

Just be an honest writer. It goes a long way.

11) What commonalities are among the stories you've rejected? Is there a particular aspect authors seem to get wrong? (Question by Martel)
We accept stories that we all dig. We're readers, first and foremost. The common thread running through our rejections is that we simply weren't collectively excited about them. At least most of us. Majority rules at Shock Totem. We've all had to wave goodbye to stories that some of us, but not enough of us, loved.

I think the main thing most writers get wrong is that they write for other people and not for themselves. It's not the readers' story until it's in their hands. Before that, it's your story. Too many authors write for the heart and not from it.

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)
We're not open to revisions unless we request them. We read so many submissions it would be hard for us to even see the changes unless we specifically asked for them.

13) Describe a story you’ve recently accepted or short-listed. What made it stand out from the slush pile?
We just accepted a story called "Sweepers." It's a flash piece, at 1,000 words, but it packs the punch of a much longer story. The writing is solid, of course. It's very visual, but subtle as well. It's a story that has that suggestive element I mentioned above. It shows us the shadows, but never fully reveals their true nature.

14) What trait are you seeking most in submissions to this market?
I'd say originality, but that's overrated. When a writer strains his eyes looking for originality, he blinds himself to the art of just writing a good story. Readers want good stories. Of course, originality is nothing to be shunned; it's simply too elusive to be chased down and caught. It'll come when it's good and ready.

A writer looking to get into Shock Totem should just sit down and write a good story. Hell, a great story. Let it flow unbidden, and be honest with it.

15) Any last advice for submitters to this market?
What I said above. Be honest. Write from the heart, not for it.

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For more scoops, go to marketscoops.blogspot.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. Snell's zombie/vampire novel was also Tomoviewed once and he felt honored. 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.