Monday, May 04, 2015

Rough Edges Press Anthologies - Call for Submissions

A while back I announced that Rough Edges Press was going to be publishing an anthology of new Weird Menace stories inspired by the "Shudder Pulps" such as DIME MYSTERY, TERROR TALES, HORROR STORIES, and SPICY MYSTERY. This anthology is still open for submissions. I have some excellent stories on hand, creepy tales from some of today's finest authors, but I need more! If you're a fan of those pulps, you know what I'm talking about: Old dark houses. Sinister scientists. Grotesque henchmen. Death cults. Beautiful women who run screaming into the night. Stalwart heroes who are, at times, not the sharpest knives in the drawer, but they manage to emerge triumphant in the end anyway (sometimes due as much to luck as anything else). Supernatural-seeming threats should wind up having logical (if far-fetched at times) explanations, although a hint of the unexplained in the story's resolution is fine, too. Stories need to have plenty of action and a headlong pace to go with a strong sense of menace and dread. Stories should be between 7500 and 10,000 words, although if they go a little longer than that it won't be a problem. I'd like for them to be set during the 1930s or '40s, but don't go overboard with period detail, just enough to capture the feeling of the era. The boundaries on language, violence, and sex are a little looser than those of the pulp editors, but nothing too graphic. Obviously, yarns like this can be a little tongue-in-cheek and over the top—I'm sure most of the pulp authors felt that way about them—but play it straight for the most part. So if you've already started a story, or have a great idea for one, I want to see it!

In addition, I'm pleased to announce that Rough Edges Press will be also be publishing an anthology of Alternate History stories, and I'm looking for stories for it as well. There's no particular theme for this anthology other than Alternate History, so I'm expecting a wide variety of stories. Take an important event in history, historical characters who are famous, infamous, or obscure, and change that history. These are classic "What if?" tales, and I hope you'll let the possibilities spur your imagination. These stories should also range from 7500 to 10,000 words, approximately, and can take place anywhere, during any era.

Submissions for both anthologies should be emailed as attached Word documents to james53@flash.net. Thanks!

12 comments:

Prashant C. Trikannad said...

I look forward to reading both these anthologies with excellent themes.

John Hegenberger said...

Just sent you some stories from the secret case files of Stan Dalmas Wade, Hollywood Detective. Have Fun!

Charles Gramlich said...

I saw the first one on your blog before but in the middle of the school year there was just no time to write anything. Sounds like a great concept, though.

Cheryl Pierson said...

James, I LOVE alternate history! Maybe I'll give that one a try!
Cheryl

Christopher M. Chupik said...

Two questions:

1.) Is there a deadline?

2.) Do we get paid?

The last doesn't matter much. I think I'd try this for free. :-)

James Reasoner said...

My deadline is basically "whenever I get enough good stories". I'd like to get both books out this summer if possible, so roughly June 1 for the Weird Menace book and July 1 for the Alternate History anthology.

Both of these are paying markets. No advance, but the authors will share in the royalties.

Unknown said...

Huge shifts have taken place in the markets for genre fiction. Many writers who have been marketing ebooks on an individual basis can bear witness to the difficulties and the uphill nature of appealing to readers outside a normal circle of committed fans. Multi-author collections of stories could well be a writer's path to introducing his or her work to a new audience, which would be reward in itself. I hope James' projects will receive all the support they need.

Christopher M. Chupik said...

Thank you.

Nik Morton said...

I'll promote this on my blog, James.

John said...

Hi James - thanks for offering this opportunity to writers! A quick question, are you open to reprints are do you want original work only?

James Reasoner said...

I'm just looking for originals, no reprints.

John said...

Thanks James. I made that assumption and started on an original tale for this.