General Neon Hemlock Submission Notes:
- Unless the editors are otherwise specified, you can address cover letters to “Dear editors” or “Dear dave.” Please avoid “Dear Mr. Ring.”
- Please submit your story in .doc or .docx file, formatted in something approaching Standard Manuscript Format. One of the editors has a slight aversion to Courier and a fondness for Georgia.
- Please include a cover/query letter with the title, length, and a brief bio. You may include links to your website/social media, and previous publications if any. Please don’t stress about this cover letter, if we have additional questions about your submission, we’ll ask them.
- Simultaneous submissions are always fine; please withdraw immediately if you take another offer. Stories should be previously unpublished.
- Please no multiple submissions. If you receive a rejection within the submission window, you may submit another story.
- If you joke about how straight white men are underrepresented in speculative fiction, it will not win you any points.
- Thanks for thinking of Neon Hemlock for your work.
- Please don't self-reject!
The anthology, edited by dave ring, will include pulp heroism in conversation with Samuel R. Delany's Nevèrÿon, Conan and Red Sonja, Imaro and Xena.
The compensation level for original stories accepted to this anthology is $0.08/word.
Submit stories on Submittable between November 1st, 2024 and January 15th, 2025. Please contact us if there are any accessibility concerns for any reason and we’ll work with you.
We are looking for:
- Wordcount: Under 6,000 words. 1-4,000 words is probably the sweet spot.
- Concept: Stories of queer heroes forged and tempered in the fire, fighting dark stars and bright suns, and overthrowing tyranny in all its forms. Sword and sorcery, sweat and sandals, souls and stars.
- What we want to see: We are looking primarily for fantasy stories on the gritty, un-epic side of things. We expect there will be a seam of the occult and cosmic horror running through the book. We’ll also probably include a couple sword and planet stories, but that won’t be the focus. We’re using the most inclusive definition of queer. Queer, trans, ace, undefinable. Throughout, we’re looking for rich, varied and nuanced understandings of gender, family and ethnicity.
- What we don’t want to see: We’re not interested in work which focuses on unexamined bigotry or sexual violence. While this is a darker-themed anthology, we intend to handle these subjects with care.
- Further vibe-check notes after getting some questions about what we are looking for: We’re probably not looking for stories set on Earth. We’re probably not looking for Indiana Jones-type stories either (though maybe a secondary-world decolonial approach would be cool?).
Guidelines:
- Please submit your story in .doc or .docx file, formatted in something approaching Standard Manuscript Format. Use italics for italics etc. The editor has a slight aversion to Courier and a fondness for Georgia.
- Please include a cover/query letter with the title, length, and a brief bio. You may include links to your website/social media, and previous publications if any. Please don’t stress about this cover letter, if we have additional questions about your submission, we’ll ask them.
- Translations are welcome; payment will be split between the author and translator unless there is another agreement for such between the two parties.
- Simultaneous submissions are fine, please withdraw immediately if you take another offer. Stories should be previously unpublished.
- Please no multiple submissions.
Submissions are open to all. Authors from underrepresented backgrounds and marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to submit. Please don’t self-reject.
You should receive a confirmation of your submission via email. Please query after 120 days if you haven't heard back from us yet about this project.
We’d love if you tracked your submissions on Duotrope or the Submission Grinder.