The Library of the Dead is currently a BookBub selection. Snag this eBook now through the end of March 3rd for only $0.99 in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada.
Winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in an Anthology and illustrated throughout by gak, The Library of the Dead is an anthology of literary fiction inspired by Chapel of the Chimes, a crematory and columbarium founded in 1909 in Oakland, California, and one of the area’s most beautiful historic buildings. Thousands are entombed in golden books (urns) shelved from floor to ceiling in a glowing labyrinth of nearly countless rooms. The stories within represent a few of those golden books, and when opened, reveal the stories of those inside.
Written Backwards is not open to submissions at this time, but due to high interest and numerous inquiries about You, Human, Vol. 2 (to be released in 2025), we are announcing an early open call for submissions for the month of September, 2024. Do not send submissions yet (unless invited). The open call for submissions will begin September 1st and end September 30th later this year.
YOU, HUMAN
The first volume of You, Human(2016) won the Benjamin Franklin Award for science fiction and is the most successful and widely-read anthology published by Written Backwards. Josh Malerman’s story “The Jupiter Drop” was also nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in Long Fiction and is currently in development as a major motion picture.
If you need to catch up, it is highly recommended to read the first volume of You, Human before submitting work for consideration.
The second volume will again not only feature legends of the craft but showcase today’s emerging talent. The anthology is currently invite-only (with more announcements to be revealed soon), but submissions will open to the public in September.
What does it mean to be alive? What does it mean to be real? What does it mean to exist? What does it mean to be human? Once again, Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics will be re-evaluated and revised to help define humanity, this time by novelettes (7,500 – 15,000 words max).
Three Laws of Humanity:
A human being may not injure another human being or, through inaction, allow another human being to come to harm.
A human being must obey the orders given it by other human beings except where such orders would conflict with the first law.
A human being must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second laws.
GUIDELINES
Manuscripts must include contact information on the title page, as well as author name (or pseudonym) and page numbers on subsequent pages; 12pt font, double-spaced; there are no hard guidelines for auto-rejections, but understand the basics of professional manuscript formatting.
Original fiction: 7,500 – 15,000words. The sweet spot is 7,500 – 10,000 words.
Accepted genre(s): Dark sci-fi and all blended sub-genres (horror, fantasy, etc.)
Payment: $0.10 / word (ten cents per word) capped at 5,000 words, and a contributor copy of each edition published (hardcover, paperback, and eBook). So, $500 per story. For collaborative works, payment will be split equally between collaborators.
Rights: First World Rights in English; all rights revert to the writer immediately upon publication, although 12 months exclusivity is requested, except for inclusion in a personal or “best of” collection published after the anthology. All other rights remain with the author.
Submission window: September 1st – September 30th, 2024 (30 days, ending midnight your time). This gives you from now until the end of September to work on something original. Submissions received before or after this window (unless requested) will be auto-rejected.
Exception: Writers previously published in any Written Backwards anthology may submit work at any time, regardless of the submission window. Basically, alumni are always invited.
Reprints: No.
Instant rejections: stories under 7,500 words, stories over 15,000 words, reprints, excerpts, nonfiction, young adult, poetry (unless personally invited), romance, erotica, gore for the sake of gore, violence for the sake of violence, works that contain hate speech or discrimination of any kind other than to fight against such horrible things, and any writing influenced by A.I.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
All submissions will be checked for the use of artificial intelligence in their creation using detection software and will be automatically rejected if found to include influence. Likewise, any who submit such material will be banned from future submissions to Written Backwards anthologies.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please notify if your submission is accepted by another venue. Please only submit one manuscript at a time and wait for a non-acceptance (rejection) prior to submitting again, with no more than 2 submissions total.
Illustrations: Similar to previous Written Backwards titles, accepted stories may include illustrations. If an artist is used, they will be paid professional rates and the use of A.I. will not be allowed,
Publication: 2025 (to be determined).
Formats: Hardcover, paperback, and eBook.
Due to the number of submissions anticipated (typically 1,000 – 1,500, sometimes as high as 2,500), non-acceptances will be announced by way of a form response as quickly as manageable.
Allow up to 3 months before inquiring about a submission. For submissions that reach the “maybe pile,” additional time for consideration will be requested until the anthology is full.
HOW TO SUBMIT
Email YH2@nettirw.com with the story attached (.docx, .doc, .rtf only; no PDF). Feel free to include a short bio and information about your particular demographic (representing the underrepresented is a passion of the editor), but no other information is needed.
OTHER INFORMATION
Please do not use this opportunity (as many have in the past) to query about other potential projects. Written Backwards is not open at this time to fiction collections, poetry collections, novellas, novels, anthology ideas, or any other projects.
Written Backwards has always highlighted the work of a diverse cast of writers from around the world and will continue to do so, which is why this anthology will open for submissions and will pay professional rates. While not many like the term “literary,” that is what this anthology is looking for: groundbreaking work that break normal conventions and will stand the test of time, propelling emerging and undiscovered writers into the mainstream.
If unfamiliar with previous Written Backwards anthologies that blend science fiction with other genres, it is highly recommended to read previous titles, such as Prisms and/or Adam’s Ladder (co-edited by Darren Speegle), Miscreations: Gods, Monstrosities & Other Horrors(co-edited by Doug Murano), the original You, Human, any of the books in the Chiral Mad series, or the Qualia Nous series. Familiarizing yourself with these works will better your chances of landing a spot in You, Human, Vol. 2.
All accepted works will meet active membership requirements for organizations such as the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA), the Horror Writers Association (HWA), and others.
Similar to previous Written Backwards anthologies, all contracts protect the writer.
TABLE OF CONTENTS (so far):
“AI Chronicles: Properties of a Human Curse” by Eugen Bacon “Time for a (R)Evolution! – A Documentary” by Sachin Baliga “The Touch of an Old Friend’s Hand” by Scott Edelman With an introduction by Maxwell Ian Gold.
You, Human is currently a BookBub selection. Snag this eBook and other Written Backwards dark sci-fi anthologies now through the end of February 12th for only $0.99 in the US and UK, and discounted in Australia and Canada.
Bram Stoker Award-winning editor Michael Bailey brings you a genre-bending anthology of dark science fiction and poetry, with fiction illustrated beautifully throughout by world-renowned artist L.A. Spooner, poetry and spot illustrations by the always-impressive Orion Zangara, and an incredible introduction on humanness by New York Times bestselling author F. Paul Wilson. Cover artwork by George C. Cotronis. Also features the Bram Stoker Award-nominated short story “Jupiter Drop” by Josh Malerman. And the anthology itself won the Benjamin Franklin Award.
And coming in 2025 . . . You, Human, Vol. 2: Novelettes. So, this is the perfect chance to catch up on all things You, Human before then.
And if you enjoy dark science fiction and horror, you might be interested in the following anthologies, which are also running the $0.99 promotion:
MISCREATIONS: Gods, Monstrosities & Other Horrors, an anthology of dark speculative fiction co-edited by Doug Murano and Michael Bailey. What happens when we make monsters? What happens when we make monsters of ourselves? Grotesque beings lurch from our darkest dreams. Vicious beasts stalk our twisted pasts. Lost souls haunt our deepest regrets. They are the blood on our hands. They are the obsessions in our heads. They are the vengeance in our hearts. They are Miscreations: Gods, Monstrosities & Other Horrors. Includes a foreword by Alma Katsu and illustrations by HagCult. Nominated for both the Bram Stoker Award and the Shirley Jackson Award.
ADAM’S LADDER, an anthology of dark science fiction. The future of humankind as an ever-changing organism is a subject of much debate. Where is our evolutionary path leading? Will the next rung take the form of mental transcendence, will it set humankind on a course toward divinity, or will this uncertain path involve a dark and terrible reversion? Co-editors Michael Bailey and Darren Speegle present eighteen tales that explore the course of evolution, written by some of the best literary minds in the fields of science fiction and horror, such as Laird Barron, John Langan, Tim Lebbon, Lisa Morton, Brian Evenson, and Roberta Lannes. It’s your future.
QUALIA NOUS, VOL. 2, an anthology of dark science fiction and fantasy edited by Michael Bailey and featuring artwork throughout by Pat R. Steiner. This second volume of the award-winning Qualia Nous series contains short stories, novelettes, and poetry from established authors and newcomers from around the world. Featuring the imaginations of Chuck Palahniuk, Stephen King, Eugen Bacon, Josh Malerman, Cynthia Pelayo, Lee Murray, Eric LaRocca, Gabino Iglesias, Linda D. Addison, Zoje Stage, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, Gary A. Braunbeck, and more.
QUALIA NOUS, winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award and nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in an Anthology, is a literary blend of science fiction and horror. Contains short stories, novelettes, and poetry from established authors and newcomers from around the world. Features Bram Stoker Award winning stories by Usman T. Malik and Rena Mason (both tied for Superior Achievement in Short Fiction), as well as stories by Stephen King, Emily B. Cataneo, Erinn L. Kemper, Patrick Freivald, William F. Nolan, Elizabeth Massie, John R. Little, Gary A. Braunbeck, and many others. *Due to contractual obligations/limitations, the eBook does not include Stephen King’s “The Jaunt.”
I am stoke(re)d to see Qualia Nous, Vol. 2 on the Bram Stoker Award Preliminary Ballot for Superior Achievement in an Anthology. I’m “the editor,” so focus goes on me for a bit, but the following and their work are responsible for this book being what it is:
“Interstices” (found poem(s) from Vol. 1 as an intro) – Pat R. Steiner “A Story That Must Be Read Alone but Never at Night” (short story) – Chuck Palahniuk “Shattered in Daylight” (poem) – Linda D. Addison “We Come Apart and Then We Arrive” (short story) – Eric LaRocca “Here We Are” (poem) – Elizabeth Massie “An Invitation for the Uninvited” (novelette) – Scott Edelman “Set Me on Fire” (poem) – Cynthia Pelayo “Twice as Many Stars” (short story) – Paul Michael Anderson “Playground of the Gods” (poem) – Christina Sng “The Fallen Man” (short story) – Geneve Flynn “Lullabies of a Distant World” (poem) – Pedro Iniguez “Other” (short story) – Gordon Linzner “Vessel” (poem) – Lee Murray “Come Find Me” (short story) – Zoje Stage “Self-Discovery” (poem) – Ngo Binh Anh Khoa “The Song of Fools” (novelette) – Patrick Freivald “A Particle Accelerator Love Song” (poem) – Brent Baldwin “Blue-Red-Green” (novelette) – Peter Hagelslag “Sacrificing for the Path of Orbits” (poem) – Christopher Collingwood “Investigations into Hypnagogia” (novelette) – Sachin Baliga “My Memory Is as Time Is” (poem) – Mark Granger “The Infinite Hourglass” (short story) – Kehkashan Khalid “Common Sense, No More” (prose poem) – Maxwell I. Gold “The Sum of Our Parts Needs Only One Heart” (short story) – Michael Paul Gonzalez “Alive / Real / Exists / Human” (collection of poems) – Eugen Bacon “Bilocation in Liminal Space” (short story) – Erik Williams “Danse Sanguinaire” (poem) – Deborah L. Davitt “Choose Your Own Demise” (short story) – Richard Thomas & Repo Kempt “Crazy” (poem) – Jeffrey Oliver “Stuff She Put in a Box for Her New Room” (novelette) – Gary A. Braunbeck “What Weird Weather We Had” (poem) – Josh Malerman “Oil on Water” (short story) – Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki “Nightmare” (poem) – L. Marie Wood “Once, I Dreamed I Was Dead” (short story) – Rebecca J. Allred “Paranoid: A Chant” (poem) – Stephen King “Lucid Interval” (novelette) – Michael J. Riser “Deeply You” (poem) – Max Booth III “The Thing That Laughs in the Dark” (short story) – Gabino Iglesias “Some Days, Most Days” (poem) – Kaaron Warren “Dog-Whistles” (short story) – Cody Goodfellow “Ghost in the Machine” (poem) – Karen Poppy “Everyday Horror” (short story) – Steve Rasnic Tem “Me” (poem) – Jamal Hodge
The original Qualia Nous made the final ballot and was nominated for Superior Achievement in an Anthology, with two of its stories winning for Superior Achievement in Short Fiction (Usman T. Malik and Rena Mason, in a tie). The anthology also won the Benjamin Franklin Award. Let’s hope the second volume finds its way onto the final ballot as well!
December 11th through the end of December 17th, all Written Backwards eBooks are on sale for $1.99 US / £1.99 UK or cheaper on Kindle. One is even free for a limited time. See direct links below:
“Interstices” (found poem(s) from Vol. 1 as an intro) – Pat R. Steiner “A Story That Must Be Read Alone but Never at Night” (short story) – Chuck Palahniuk “Shattered in Daylight” (poem) – Linda D. Addison “We Come Apart and Then We Arrive” (short story) – Eric LaRocca “Here We Are” (poem) – Elizabeth Massie “An Invitation for the Uninvited” (novelette) – Scott Edelman “Set Me on Fire” (poem) – Cynthia Pelayo “Twice as Many Stars” (short story) – Paul Michael Anderson “Playground of the Gods” (poem) – Christina Sng “The Fallen Man” (short story) – Geneve Flynn “Lullabies of a Distant World” (poem) – Pedro Iniguez “Other” (short story) – Gordon Linzner “Vessel” (poem) – Lee Murray “Come Find Me” (short story) – Zoje Stage “Self-Discovery” (poem) – Ngo Binh Anh Khoa “The Song of Fools” (novelette) – Patrick Freivald “A Particle Accelerator Love Song” (poem) – Brent Baldwin “Blue-Red-Green” (novelette) – Peter Hagelslag “Sacrificing for the Path of Orbits” (poem) – Christopher Collingwood “Investigations into Hypnagogia” (novelette) – Sachin Baliga “My Memory Is as Time Is” (poem) – Mark Granger “The Infinite Hourglass” (short story) – Kehkashan Khalid “Common Sense, No More” (prose poem) – Maxwell I. Gold “The Sum of Our Parts Needs Only One Heart” (short story) – Michael Gonzalez “Alive / Real / Exists / Human” (collection of poems) – Eugen Bacon “Bilocation in Liminal Space” (short story) – Erik Williams “Danse Sanguinaire” (poem) – Deborah L. Davitt “Choose Your Own Demise” (short story) – Richard Thomas & Repo Kempt “Crazy” (poem) – Jeff Oliver “Stuff She Put in a Box for Her New Room” (novelette) – Gary A. Braunbeck “What Weird Weather We Had” (poem) – Josh Malerman “Oil on Water” (short story) – Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki “Nightmare” (poem) – L. Marie Wood “Once, I Dreamed I Was Dead” (short story) – Rebecca J. Allred “Paranoid: A Chant” (poem) – Stephen King “Lucid Interval” (novelette) – Michael J. Riser “Deeply You” (poem) – Max Booth III “The Thing That Laughs in the Dark” (short story) – Gabino Iglesias “Some Days, Most Days” (poem) – Kaaron Warren “Dog-Whistles” (short story) – Cody Goodfellow “Ghost in the Machine” (poem) – Karen Poppy “Everyday Horror” (short story) – Steve Rasnic Tem “Me” (poem) – Jamal Hodge
The anthology also contains 43 pieces of artwork by Pat R. Steiner, who also wrote the found-poem / introduction, which contains fragments of fiction and poetry from the original Qualia Nous.
Purchase directly from the publisher (US only, shipping included) . . .
Before the reveal, a little history about the series . . .
The first volume of Qualia Nouswon the Benjamin Franklin Award for science fiction, was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in an Anthology, had two of its short stories win the Bram Stoker Award (in a tie) for Superior Achievement in Short Fiction (with a third also making the preliminary ballot), was a silver medal finalist in horror for the Independent Publisher Book Awards, a finalist in science fiction and bronze winner in anthologies for Foreword Reviews Book of the Year (now the IndieFAB), a finalist in both science fiction and anthologies for the Indie Book Awards, a finalist in anthologies for the USA Best Book Awards, a winner in science fiction for the International Book Awards, included a poem that won the Rhysling Award, and a short story nominated for the Nebula.
The original Qualia Nouswas also the first time the press had the opportunity to publish Stephen King (now somewhat of a regular), and the first time any Written Backwards anthology included poetry. If you want to check it out, click the image below.
In other words, the first volume in what is now a series made some serious noise. Qualia Nous, Vol. 2, which is 428 pages, will also include 43 illustrations by Pat R. Steiner (see the thumbnails below), as well as 21 poems and 21 short stories (a handful of those novelettes). The anthology is going to be absolutely beautiful, alternating between fiction and poetry throughout by some of the most incredible writers of contemporary science fiction, horror, and dark fantasy.
Here’s a preview of the artwork (in poster form):
So, without further ado, the final Table of Contents for Qualia Nous, Vol. 2:
“Interstices” (found poem(s) from Vol. 1 as an intro) – Pat R. Steiner “A Story That Must Be Read Alone but Never at Night” (short story) – Chuck Palahniuk “Shattered in Daylight” (poem) – Linda D. Addison “We Come Apart and Then We Arrive” (short story) – Eric LaRocca “Here We Are” (poem) – Elizabeth Massie “An Invitation for the Uninvited” (novelette) – Scott Edelman “Set Me on Fire” (poem) – Cynthia Pelayo “Twice as Many Stars” (short story) – Paul Michael Anderson “Playground of the Gods” (poem) – Christina Sng “The Fallen Man” (short story) – Geneve Flynn “Lullabies of a Distant World” (poem) – Pedro Iniguez “Other” (short story) – Gordon Linzner “Vessel” (poem) – Lee Murray “Come Find Me” (short story) – Zoje Stage “Self-Discovery” (poem) – Ngo Binh Anh Khoa “The Song of Fools” (novelette) – Patrick Freivald “A Particle Accelerator Love Song” (poem) – Brent Baldwin “Blue-Red-Green” (novelette) – Peter Hagelslag “Sacrificing for the Path of Orbits” (poem) – Christopher Collingwood “Investigations into Hypnagogia” (novelette) – Sachin Baliga “My Memory Is as Time Is” (poem) – Mark Granger “The Infinite Hourglass” (short story) – Kehkashan Khalid “Common Sense, No More” (prose poem) – Maxwell I. Gold “The Sum of Our Parts Needs Only One Heart” (short story) – Michael Gonzalez “Alive / Real / Exists / Human” (collection of poems) – Eugen Bacon “Bilocation in Liminal Space” (short story) – Erik Williams “Danse Sanguinaire” (poem) – Deborah L. Davitt “Choose Your Own Demise” (short story) – Richard Thomas & Repo Kempt “Crazy” (poem) – Jeff Oliver “Stuff She Put in a Box for Her New Room” (novelette) – Gary A. Braunbeck “What Weird Weather We Had” (poem) – Josh Malerman “Oil on Water” (short story) – Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki “Nightmare” (poem) – L. Marie Wood “Once, I Dreamed I Was Dead” (short story) – Rebecca J. Allred “Paranoid: A Chant” (poem) – Stephen King “Lucid Interval” (novelette) – Michael J. Riser “Deeply You” (poem) – Max Booth III “The Thing That Laughs in the Dark” (short story) – Gabino Iglesias “Some Days, Most Days” (poem) – Kaaron Warren “Dog-Whistles” (short story) – Cody Goodfellow “Ghost in the Machine” (poem) – Karen Poppy “Everyday Horror” (short story) – Steve Rasnic Tem “Me” (poem) – Jamal Hodge
When will the anthology be available? If everything goes according to plan, October 31st, 2023, simultaneously in hardcover, paperback, and eBook. Yes, this lovely Halloween. And lastly, here’s a close-up of the illustration for Stephen King’s poem “Paranoid: A Chant,” which has a nice Dark Tower vibe . . .
Update: Submissions for for Qualia Nous, Vol. 2 closed at midnight on July 31st, 2023.Submissions will no longer be considered.
Written Backwards is not open to submissions at this time. Please do not use this opportunity (as many have in the past) to query the publisher or editor(s) about other potential projects. Written Backwards is not open at this time to fiction collections, poetry collections, novellas, novels, anthology ideas, or any other projects. This information below is now considered archived.
QUALIA NOUS, VOL. 2 (anthology)
The first volume of Qualia Nous(2014), edited by Michael Bailey, won the Benjamin Franklin Award for science fiction and was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in an Anthology. It was a Foreword ReviewsBook of the Year finalist in horror, science fiction, and a bronze winner for anthologies, as well as a silver medal finalist for the Independent Publisher Book Awards, a finalist for the Indie Book Awards, and a winner of the International Book Award. It was also the first Written Backwards anthology (of eventually many) to contain work by Stephen King.
Usman T. Malik’s “The Vaporization Enthalpy of a Peculiar Pakistani Family” was a finalist for the Nebula Award and tied to win the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in Short Fiction with Rena Mason’s “Ruminations.” And Marge Simon’s poem “Shutdown” (the only poem in the anthology) won the Rhysling Award from the Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association. So, a second volume of Qualia Nous was inevitable, albeit 10 years later, and will again not only feature legends of the craft but showcase today’s emerging talent.
What does the title mean? It’s up to interpretation.
Qualia: instances of subjective, conscious experience; the internal and subjective component of sense perceptions arising from stimulation of the senses by phenomena; the way it feels to have mental states.
Nous: intellections; awareness; perception; understanding; reason; thought; intuition; the faculty of the human mind; having the ability to understand what is true or real; practical intelligence.
Written Backwards has always highlighted the work of a diverse cast of writers and will continue to do so, which is why this anthology is mostly open call and will pay above current professional rates. While not many like the term “literary,” that is what this anthology is looking for: groundbreaking work that break normal conventions and will stand the test of time, propelling emerging and undiscovered writers into the mainstream.
If unfamiliar with previous Written Backwards anthologies that blend science fiction with other genres, it is highly recommended to read previous titles, such as Prisms and/or Adam’s Ladder (co-edited by Darren Speegle), Miscreations: Gods, Monstrosities & Other Horrors(co-edited by Doug Murano), You, Human, any of the books in the Chiral Mad series, or the original Qualia Nous. Familiarizing yourself with these works will better your chances of landing a spot in Qualia Nous, Vol. 2.
All accepted works will meet active membership requirements for organizations such as the Science Fiction Writers Association (SWFA), the Horror Writers Association (HWA), the Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association (SFPA), and others.
Similar to previous Written Backwards anthologies, all contracts will protect the writer.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Manuscripts should include a cover page with contact information, as well as name and page numbers on subsequent pages; 12pt font, double-spaced; there are no hard guidelines for auto-rejections, but understand the basics of manuscript formatting that reflect a level of professionalism.
Instant rejections: Nonfiction, hard science fiction, gore for the sake of gore, violence for the sake of violence, erotica, romance, works that contain hate speech or discrimination of any kind other than to fight against such horrible things, reprints, excerpts, young adult, or anything that doesn’t fall under the additional guidelines below.
Original fiction: 3,000 – 10,000words, or poetry (up to 100 lines).
Accepted genre(s): Dark science fiction and all blended sub-genres of science fiction (horror, fantasy, etc.)
Payment: $0.10 / word (ten cents) capped at 3,000 words for short fiction ($300), 5,000 words for long fiction ($500 for novelettes between 7,500 – 10,000 words); $50 for short poems, or $100 for long poems; along with monetary payment, a contributor copy of each edition will be provided.
Rights: First World Rights in English; all rights revert to the writer immediately upon publication, although 12 months exclusivity is requested, except for inclusion in a personal or “best of” collection published after the anthology.
Illustrations: Similar to previous Written Backwards titles, fiction and/or poetry may include illustrations.
Deadline: July 31st, 2023.
Reprints: No.
Publication: 2024 or 2025 (to be determined).
Formats: Hardcover, paperback, and eBook.
Special note about A.I.: all submissions will be checked for the use of artificial intelligence in their creation using detection software and will be automatically rejected if found to include influence. Likewise, any who submit such material will be banned from future submissions to Written Backwards anthologies.
ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES
Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please notify if your submission is accepted by another venue. Please only submit one manuscript at a time (fiction or poetry) and wait for a non-acceptance (rejection) prior to submitting again, with no more than 2 submissions total.
Due to the number of submissions anticipated (typically 1,000 – 1,500), non-acceptances will be announced by way of a form response as quickly as manageable. Allow up to 3 months before inquiring about a submission. For fiction and poetry that reach the editor’s “maybe pile,” additional time for consideration will be requested until the anthology is full.
HOW TO SUBMIT
Email QN@nettirw.com with the story attached (.docx, .doc, .rtf only). Feel free to include a short bio and information about your particular demographic (representing the underrepresented is a passion of the editor), but no other information is requested.
PRISMS, an anthology of dark science fiction and fantasy co-edited by Darren Speegle and Michael Bailey, is now available! This anthology was previously published in limited hardcover by PS Publishing in March 2021 and re-released in trade paperback and eBook by Written Backwards.
Prisms are instruments, mirrors, metaphors, gateways humankind must pass through in order to achieve, to overcome, to realize, to become. Contained herein are nineteen transformative tales from some of speculative fiction’s most brilliant minds. So open your eyes and let the light pass through . . .
Purchase directly from the publisher (US only, shipping included) . . .
We Come in Threes – B.E Scully Encore for an Empty Sky – Lynda E. Rucker The Girl with Black Fingers – Roberta Lannes The Shimmering Wall – Brian Evenson In This, There Is No Sting – Kristi DeMeester The Birth of Venus – Ian Watson Super-Sad Mad Dog Sui-Homicidal Self-Sibs, All in a Leaky Tin Can Head – Paul Di Filippo Rivergrace – E. Catherine Tobler Saudade – Richard Thomas There Is Nothing Lost – Erinn L. Kemper This Height and Fiery Speed – A.C. Wise The Motel Business – Michael Marshall Smith Everything Beautiful Is Also a Lie – Damien Angelica Walters The Gearbox – Paul Meloy District to Cervix: The Time Before We Were Born – Tlotlo Tsamaase Here Today and Gone Tomorrow – Chaz Brenchley The Secrets of My Prison House – J. Lincoln Fenn A Luta Continua – Nadia Bulkin I Shall but Love Thee Better – Scott Edelman
WRITTEN BACKWARDS 