UPDATE: SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THESE ANTHOLOGIES

Continuing the success of our previous call for submissions, we’re looking for around twenty to thirty short stories by contemporary writers to complement a selection of classic tales in two new 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.

Submit by email to 2017@flametreepublishing.com 

The Two New Volumes

Alien Invasion: Visitors from other planets have long obsessed us. H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds spawned a huge wave of speculative fiction but the roots of such fears run deep in our literature, where the mysteries of other cultures have long threatened the familiar and the comfortable. Did aliens build the ancient pyramids? Do they live amongst us today? What happens when they invade? Would it be an inevitable act of aggression, one of assistance and care, or simply a reminder of our paltry existence in a crowded universe?

Endless Apocalypse: Stories of the end of civilized life have always fascinated us, from the mythological world endings – Armageddon and Ragnarok – to the flood stories from across the Ancient world. They make us wonder what we would do if all around us came to an end – no transport, no fuel, no communications, a retreat into the desperation, the onslaught of disease – how would we survive? 

Formal Call for Submissions (2017)

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 (though we do need to know publication 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 by email to 2017@flametreepublishing.com 

Fees, Copyright and Other Terms

• We pay Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) rates of 6 cents per word.
• We would prefer to pay via PAYPAL because bank charges to the US and Canada in particular can be crippling for all concerned.
• Payment will be made within 30 days of the final advertised publication date (see our website, flametreepublishing.com for details), although we might choose to pay some early.
• Submission does not imply the right to publication. Each story will be read and assessed by the selection panel.
• Please submit in .doc 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 30 working days 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 29 September 2017.

Submit by email only to: 2017@flametreepublishing.com

Selection Panel

The selection will be made by our group of life-long, in-house enthusiasts: Nick Wells (Publisher), Laura Bulbeck (Senior Editor) and Josie Mitchell, Gillian Whitaker and Cat Taylor. If required, the final selection will be mediated by our series editors. We try to keep everyone up-to-date as much as possible with occasional email updates.

A Word about the SFWA

To confirm, we became an SFWA qualifying market last year, 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 also sees the publication of a true labour of love: the all-new Astounding History of Science Fiction.

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.