Flame Tree Fiction

With the short story anthology Endless Apocalypse all set to hit bookshelves this month, it’s time to hear more from the book’s authors for the second part of their Q&A! In our last blog, they shared details of the inspirations behind their featured story; here, they reveal treasured tales from the genre that have stayed with them, and the various methods they use to create their own work. As with other anthologies in the Gothic Fantasy series, the collection features classic tales too: this time the likes of H.G. Wells, Jules Verne and William Hope Hodgson, as well as a retelling of an ancient Babylonian myth, sit alongside the contemporary authors in their stories of thrilling voyages through and beyond the end of the world.

March sees our Gothic Fantasy anthology range extended to include two new titles: Endless Apocalypse and Alien Invasion. A tome of haunting apocalyptic visions, the former of these collects fascinating tales of survival, desolation, and the undead: apocalypses personal and global, that scar landscape and character alike. To sate our appetite until the book's release, some of the anthology's authors have stepped in to shed light on how their story ideas came to fruition...

Today’s blog is the first in a series delving into our companion titles to our popular, and ever-growing, Gothic Fantasy short story anthologies. Whilst the latter combine classic fiction with exciting contemporary writers; these companion titles focus on one key author from the history of the genre; carefully selecting and editing a range of tales, and presenting them in beautiful collectable editions.

UPDATE: SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THESE ANTHOLOGIES

Lost Souls and Robots & Artificial Intelligence Short Stories 

We're pleased to announce the addition of these two new anthologies to our successful Gothic Fantasy collection. As with the previous books in the series, we're looking for around twenty to thirty short stories by contemporary writers to complement a selection of classic tales. 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 2018@flametreepublishing.com

Due for release next March, Endless Apocalypse and Alien Invasion are the newest additions to our series of short story anthologies, and we’re excited to already share the list of authors chosen for inclusion in each book. In keeping with the format of the rest of the series, the two new anthologies consist of a selection of contemporary tales as well as classic authors, and the last few weeks have been busy with the careful process of selecting this new fiction, reading through the 800 stories received in response to our call for submissions. Endless Apocalypse is shaping up to be a thrilling exploration of the struggle for survival in the aftermath of destruction, presenting imaginative visions of the end of life as we know it. Alien Invasion, too, brings to the mix otherworldly horrors and the threat of the unknown, and introduces our first translated story from China as part of a long-term co-operation with Science Fiction World: a magazine dedicated to the genre with around 100,000 monthly readers. 

The final instalment of this year’s Author Q&As sees the Pirates & Ghosts authors sharing the tales they like best from the genre, and shedding some light on how their own stories come together in the writing process. As ever, this latest anthology in the Gothic Fantasy collection features a selection of classic tales from the genre – from the likes of Robert Louis Stevenson, Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, William Hope Hodgson, W.W. Jacobs and Joseph Conrad – complementing the work of the contemporary authors in their exploration of treacherous waters and the horrors that lurk beneath…

The eerie depths of the sea form the theme of our latest short story anthology: Pirates & Ghosts. With the publication date sailing into view, we turned to the authors to hear what inspired their stories in the collection, in the same way that the Agents & Spies discussed their story inspirations here. Completing this year’s set of short story anthologies, Pirates & Ghosts promises a haunting mix of adventure, monsters and mystery – and the responses below help give a glimpse of what’s in store!

The authors from our upcoming Agents & Spies short story anthology are back this week, answering questions this time on the tales of deadly espionage they love best, and the ways in which they set pen to paper for their own work. With the anthology’s release date nearly upon us, it’s been fascinating to find out more about the authors behind the stories that we chose!

October brings the release of two fresh books in our Gothic Fantasy anthology series: Agents & Spies, and Pirates & Ghosts. Following the tradition of the last 4 books in the series, we decided to ask the authors about the inspiration behind their story, as well as quizzing them about their own writing methods, and their favourite tales from the genre. The Agents & Spies anthology promises a stealthy mix of espionage, duplicitous dealings and secret liaisons: below, the authors divulge details about their contributions.

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