We are now open for submissions for two exciting new anthologies: Detective Thrillers and A Dying Planet. Due to be published in early 2020, these add to our Gothic Fantasy series, which includes existing titles like Supernatural Horror, Robots & Artificial Intelligence, Dystopia Utopia, American Gothic and more. Again, we are looking for around twenty to thirty short stories by contemporary writers to complement a selection of classic tales in these anthologies. We are keen to encourage new writers, without prejudice to age, background or previous publication history. It’s the story that matters, and the quality of writing.

UPDATE: WE ARE NOW CLOSED TO SUBMISSIONS FOR THESE ANTHOLOGIES

Submit by email to 2019@flametreepublishing.com

The New Volumes

Detective Thrillers: The thrill of the chase, the steely-eyed detective (either gentle or hard-boiled), the dark alleys and the double-cross, the unsolvable crime by a masterful criminal mind: we're looking for chills and double twists, unexpected turns and private investigators with an eye for the unusual.

A Dying Planet: Resources running low, the population exploding, the planet is in danger: are we masters of our own destruction, or have we been invaded by aliens bent on mass extinction? Is this a pattern across the entire universe, or just our small sector of cosmic life? New stories needed to explore themes of a dying planet.

Formal Call for Submissions (2019)

We are looking for new and recent short stories. We do not require exclusivity. You hold copyright, licensing us just for this publication. We don’t mind if your story has been previously published online or in print but please let us know if it is a reprint (we need to know original publication source and date). Simultaneous submissions are fine, but you must have the right to license your story in an anthology.

Word length is most likely to be successful at 2000–4000, but we will still read stories slightly outside this range. 

Submit stories for 'Detective Thrillers' and 'A Dying Planet' by email to 2019@flametreepublishing.com

Fees, Copyright and Other Terms

• From these two titles onwards, we will pay 8 cents/6 pence per word for new work, and continue to pay 6 cents/4 pence per word for reprints. This will bring us into line with the new qualifying rates for SWFA.
• We would prefer to pay via PAYPAL because bank charges to the US and Canada in particular can be crippling for all concerned.
• Payment for the chosen stories will be made within 30 days of the final advertised publication date (see our website flametreepublishing.com for details), although some may be paid earlier than that.
• Submission does not imply the right to publication. Each story will be read and assessed by the selection panel.
• Please submit in .doc, .docx or .rtf formats, double spaced, with your name and email address in the footer or header of each page.
• We will aim to read each story and confirm its status within 3 months of the submission deadline.
• The anthologies will be published worldwide, available online and to bookstores worldwide, in print and ebook formats.
• You can submit more than one story, and to each collection.
• Final submission date is 18 August 2019.

Submit by email only to: 2019@flametreepublishing.com

Selection Panel

The selection will be made by our group of life-long, in-house enthusiasts: Nick Wells (Publisher), Josie Karani, Gillian Whitaker, Cat Taylor and Taylor Bentley. 

A Word about the SFWA

To confirm, we are an SFWA qualifying market, so being published by us will help your status with them of course, but also with other readers and writers.

About Flame Tree Publishing

Now over 25 years old we started in 1992, covering a wide range of art and culture titles, with a strong vein of highly-illustrated Gothic and Fantasy books, notebooks and art calendars. Our Gothic Dreams books include Necronomicon, Steampunk, Dystopia, our large format titles Gothic Art, Fantasy Art and Dragon Art are sumptuous, and we publish gothic fiction reprints by Mary Shelley, H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and more, in our Flame Tree 451 imprint. 2017 and 2018 also saw the publication of our Astounding Illustrated History of Science Fiction and The Astounding Illustrated History of Fantasy and Horror.  

Our anthologies are designed to be read in print. They look and feel fantastic. You’ll feel proud to hand them to your friends, family, colleagues – so do send us your story!

Thank you, and good luck. We look forward to reading your tales of imagination.