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Calls for Themed Submissions

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Excerpted from the free online newsletter of, Authors Publish -- highly recommended.

Carina Press: Holiday 2019 Proposals
This is a call for proposals for romance novels on the Holiday theme. They want contemporary romances set against holidays that fall from October to January. Holidays celebrated by all different faiths, belief systems and cultures are included, as are Christmas stories. The books do not need to be set in the US. They welcome #ownvoices stories, as well as LGBTQ+ and poly pairings. Writers need to send a query letter, a synopsis and an extract. Carina is a digital-first imprint of Harlequin.
Deadline: 27 February 2019
Length: A minimum of the first 7,500 words of the work in progress for the proposal; the actual novel is to be at least 50,000 words
Pay: Royalties
Details here.

Darkhouse Books: What We Talk About When We Talk About It: Variations on the Theme of Love
They want poetry and prose on this very broad theme. Their guidelines say, “What is love, anyhow? You can love your partner, your friend, your country, your dog, cat, rat, your local library, your family, yourself. You can love money, liquor, food, wilderness, or the dive bar on the corner. What does love make people do? What will people give for it? What will they steal?” For this issue they lean towards the literary while welcoming all genres. Also see this page for their anthologies on other themes, with other deadlines.
Deadline: 28 February 2019
Length: Up to 5,000 words
Pay: Royalties
Details here.

Uncanny Magazine: The Disabled People Destroy Fantasy
They want fantasy stories from writers who identify themselves as disabled; identity is what matters for this issue (see this essay on their website, Disabled Enough). Their guidelines say, “We’re looking for immediate and visceral tales of danger, fun and inventive adventures, and fateful journeys to distant lands or to the dragon’s lair in your own backyard. We’re looking for intricate, challenging tales with gorgeous prose, verve, and imagination that elicit strong emotions and challenge beliefs.” They do not require stories to explore issues relating to disability, although those are welcome. They are also looking for essays that explore the relationship between fantastical literature and disability, and will accept pitches or fully written essays. They also accept poetry.
Deadline: 28 February 2019
Length: 750-6,000 words for fiction, 1,000-2,500 words for essays,
Pay: $0.08/word for fiction; $60 for essays; $30 for poetry
Details here.

Tell-Tale Press: Creatures
They want fantasy, horror, mystery and science fiction stories about creatures: animals, insects, arachnids, dinosaurs, aliens, monsters, cryptids, legends, mythical, or mythological. They want writers to think outside the box. The stories can be about vampires or aliens, werewolves or unicorns, but these must be new and fresh, something that hasn’t been thought of before or hasn’t been worked with much. They will be accepting one novelette-length work.
Deadline: 4 March 2019
Length: 500-10,000 words (see guidelines)
Pay: $5-25; $50 for novelette
Details here.

Hippocampus Magazine: Ink
This creative nonfiction magazine is publishing an anthology that will celebrate print media—magazines and newspapers—from the pre-digital age. Their guidelines say, “We want to hear stories from all parts of these operations, from the newsroom to production. We want to hear from those who worked for small town papers and big city dailies. We want to hear about how these publications built community, impacted change, celebrated local milestones, or mourned national tragedies. We want to hear how people chased stories, and we’re interested in the stories behind those with the bylines. We want to hear how your printed words made a difference—as well as how your career affected you.” They do not want individual reflection per se, but rather compelling essays with a clear narrative arc.
Deadline: 30 March 2019
Length: Up to 5,000 words
Pay: $25
Details here

Highlights Magazine: Several themes
This is a general-interest magazine for children ages 6-12. They are currently interested in short stories on these themes: historical fiction set during periods other than World War II, mystery stories featuring boy protagonists, humorous stories featuring girl protagonists, sports stories for younger readers featuring girl protagonists, science fiction, graphic (comic-book format) stories, stories set in countries outside the US (currently do not need stories that focus on food traditions), holiday stories (especially Thanksgiving and Easter; do not need Christmas or Halloween stories). For poetry, they currently need short verse (up to 10 lines), especially non-rhyming and/or humorous poetry; they aren’t accepting poems with nature or seasonal themes or poems about dogs at this time. They also publish puzzles, articles, and activities.
Deadline: Unspecified
Length: Up to 750 words for fiction (see guidelines)
Pay: $175 and up for fiction and nonfiction, $75 and up for My Sci submissions, $40 and up for poetry, crafts and puzzles
Details here.