Submissions Requested: The Monsters Are Loose — And They Want You!

 A bonus post for today because I wanted to share this opportunity!

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I am editing the CLASSIC MONSTERS UNLEASHED anthology for Crystal Lake Publishing. 

We’re looking for dark, scary stories featuring a classic monster or monsters (think famous creatures from pre-1960 horror movies). While we prefer new angles that subvert or re-imagine the monster, we are also interested in really good traditional monster stories. Stories can also star secondary characters, such as a well-known sidekick, assistant or love interest, from the classic monster universe.

GUIDELINES:

• Payment: 5 cents a word
• Length: 1500 to 5000 words (flexible)
• Reading Period: April 8 to May 30, 2021 (don't send before April 8)
• Expected Release Date: October 2021
• Kickstarter Launch: March 8, 2021
• No reprints, multiple subs or simultaneous subs

Note: A Kickstarter campaign to fund the anthology launches in March, after which we’ll open to submissions. (Of course, the campaign has to fund successfully, but we're confident it will.) This is an invitation and open-submissions anthology (with about 75% invited and 25% open). With the top-notch lineup of writers we’ve already signed, send only your very best. Sign up for a campaign alert at our Kickstarter preview page. 

Use classic Shunn formatting. Send as an attachment in doc or docx. In the subject line, put "Classic Monsters," the name of your story, and author name. Example: Classic Monsters – Story Title – Author Name.

Email story submissions to james@deadjack.com

We want to publish your first story. We’re holding at least one spot for a newcomer. If you’ve never been published before, say so in your email. Good luck!

CHARACTER LIST:

• Mina Harker
• Abraham Van Helsing
• Renfield
• Victor Frankenstein  
• Frankenstein monster
• Bride of Frankenstein
• Henry Jekyll
• The Invisible Man
• Cthulhu
• Phantom of the Opera
• Hunchback of Notre Dame
• Headless Horseman
• Dorian Gray
• Wicked Witch of the West
• Kaiju / Giant Monster (in the vein of King Kong or Godzilla)
• Morlocks
• The Tingler

​Note: We have enough Dracula stories, so he’s not included on the list. If you have any ideas for other classic monsters not listed, please ask before submitting. Also bear in mind: though these are public domain characters, don’t use any copyrighted or trademarked elements from the movies.

We will take more than one story per character. Mummy, werewolf and gill man stories are okay to submit, as well as any Universal Classic Monster, but they must be “based on” or “inspired by” if the characters are not public domain.

Contributors announced so far: Jonathan Maberry (Dr. Moreau), Ramsey Campbell (Count Magnus), Lisa Morton (Headless Horseman), Tim Waggoner (a character inspired by The Wolfman), Maurice Broaddus (Invisible Man), Dacre Stoker (Dracula), John Palisano (a character based on Creature From the Black Lagoon), Rena Mason (a character based on The Mummy), Linda Addison (a character inspired by The Blob) and Mercedes Yardley (Dorian Gray).

For more information: https://www.jamesaquilone.com/submissions?fbclid=IwAR3QQx7U_5pCqrz1ycop2llTlylrZ3o-1pAX6Ma9vVOXwyEVfS9MpH6upqM