Hunger. Insatiable hunger. Hunger that changes you…consumes you…turning you into a nightmare version of what you once were.
On the heels of the success of its Denver Post best-selling and critically acclaimed Terror at 5280’,Denver Horror Collective is cranking out another horror fiction anthology!
CONSUMED: Tales Inspired by the Wendigo will contain stories based on the Wendigo, a part-human monster or possessing spirit that instigates acts of murder, insatiable greed, and cannibalism, originating in the oral tradition of First Nations Algonquian tribes.
The brainchild of master editors Hollie & Henry Snider (formerly of Strigidae Publishing), CONSUMED: Tales Inspired by the Wendigo will feature Wrath James White (author of Succulent Prey, Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town, and Population Zero), Steve Rasnic Tem (author of Ubo, Deadfall Hotel, and over 350 short stories), Dana Fredsti (author of The Spawn of Lilith, Blood Ink, and the Plague Town trilogy), Owl Goingback (author of Crota, Darker than Night, and Coyote Rage), and many more seasoned and emerging horror authors.
In an effort to help communities struggling the most with the COVID-19 pandemic, 20 percent of net profits will go towards Native American coronavirus relief.
To learn more or to find out what gifts are up for grabs in exchange for your contribution, check out our Indiegogo.
Before you pick up that pen, learn about the history of gothic literature, the various sub genres of gothic present, and the revisionist gothic future.
Colorado native Adrianne Montoya writes literary horror with a folkloric and historical flavor. She also has a finger in narrative podcasting, and another in developmental editing. She specializes in developing long-form literary fiction, thrillers, horror, and historical fiction, but also enjoys taking on stories and non-fiction projects. Find her podcast at https://southwestgothic.com.
Brenda Tolian is a writer out of Alamosa currently working on her MFA at Regis University. She is published within the short story horror genre and academically. She lives in and is inspired by the San Luis valley and the haunting stories past and present of the Southwest. The western gothic horror genre is her pleasure and passion.
Get tickets & the Zoom link ($5 or free for DHC members) through Eventbrite or email submissions@denverhorror.com.
Denver Horror Collective will be disbursing several mini-grants (one $500 grant and five $100 grants) for dark fiction writers living in Colorado for all of 2019 until present to cover household expenses (i.e. groceries, utility bills, rent) as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please answer the following questions and include in an email to submissions@denverhorror.com with SUBJECT: PANDEMIC FUND by June 30, 2020 to be considered. All applicants will remain anonymous (only 1 DHC representative will handle all correspondence).
1) Where in Colorado do you live? 2) Have you lost work (doesn’t have to be related to writing) due to the pandemic? 3) How many people live in your household? 4) Please include a link–or paste content in the body of the email–to your unpublished or published works of horror, sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, crime fiction, etc.
For horror and dark fiction writers in the current publishing climate, it’s become necessary to have a social presence and raise your visibility, whether in-person at readings or online via live virtual events.
Horror author Jeamus Wilkes shares his experience and a survey of public speaking principles to drive a stake through the heart of any fears you may have of stepping up to the microphone or turning on the webcam. In your efforts to widen your reading audience, learn how Jeamus has positively dealt with his own introvert-leanings to step onto the stage and not fear the engagement with the randomness of a live audience.
Reserve your slot ($5 or free for DHC members) at submissions@denverhorror.com to receive the Zoom link.
Hunger that changes you…consumes you…turning you into a nightmare version of what you once were.
Denver Horror Collective is looking for stories inspired by the Wendigo. The point of view could be a person becoming the Wendigo, from a Wendigo, pursued by a Wendigo, or a witness to a Wendigo-esque situation unfolding.
Submissions may cover cannibalism, lust, plague, war, anxiety, greed, power, or any topic a person or animal could become obsessed with. Read the Wiki on the Wendigo at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendigo, then feel free to think outside the box and let your imagination run wild.
Submissions do not have to have characters turn into a literal Wendigo. Character(s) must go through some sort of a transformation due to the “hunger.” You do not have to use the term Wendigo. We just ask that authors use the core concept of the Wendigo as inspiration for their story.
Please take a moment to read the KEY NOTES and all submission information below to ensure your story content and format fall within guidelines.
This open call is open to all authors, everywhere.
DEADLINE: August 15, midnight
WORD COUNT: 3,000-12,000 words (lower limit firm, query for longer)
PAYMENT: $20 for the first 3,000 words, then a 1/2 cent per word + print contributor’s copy
REPRINTS: No
SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: No
MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS: No (if you have more than one idea, you’re welcome to query as to which concept we would be more interested in)
FORMAT: -Use the Shunn format ( https://www.shunn.net/format/classic/ ) with the following caveats: -12-point Times New Roman, Courier New, or Arial font -Use paragraph formatting for paragraph indents. Do not manually tab or space in. -No headers, footers, or page numbers
SUBMISSION: -Submit in DOC, DOCX, or RTF format -Submit as an attachment, not in the body of the email. -Include “Submission,” “Story Title,” “Author Name,” and “Word Count” to nearest 100 words in the subject line. (EX: Submission Last Plate by Jane Doe 3,300 words) -The body of the e-mail should include an introduction, any publication information you would like to include, and a bio up to 250 words. -E-mail submissions to dhcanthology@gmail.com
KEY NOTES: -First or third person only -Past-tense only -No pedophilia -No rape in a positive light -Graphic scenes should be used to move the story, scene, or character forward, and not be included just for shock value. -Accepted submissions will be hand edited and uploaded to Dropbox in PDF format for the author to access.
TIPS -Do not capitalize entire words in dialogue or to show excitement/yelling. Let your description and/or punctuation do the work for you. -Ellipses signify an extended pause or trailing off. Em dashes signify interruption. -If you’re unsure, ask questions. Please place the words “Submission Question” in your email subject line and query dhcanthology@gmail.com.
What Lies Beneath: Redefining Horror (with Shannon Lawrence)
On the surface, horror is seen by those who don’t understand it (and even many of those who think they do) as jump scares and gore, but it’s a lot deeper than that. What types of horror are there? Where can readers find unexpected horror? How is horror defined, both loosely and specifically? The world of horror is full of surprises if you widen your horizons
A fan of all things fantastical and frightening, Shannon Lawrence writes primarily horror and fantasy. Her stories can be found in over forty anthologies and magazines, and her two solo horror short story collections, Blue Sludge Blues & Other Abominations and Bruised Souls & Other Torments are available from online retailers. When she’s not writing, she’s hiking through the wilds of Colorado and photographing her magnificent surroundings, where, coincidentally, there’s always a place to hide a body or birth a monster. Find her at www.thewarriormuse.com.
Email submissions [at] denverhorror [dot] com to reserve your slot today ($5 via PayPal or free for Denver Horror Collective members)!
Are you a horror or dark fiction writer looking to sell your short stories, find an agent or traditional publisher for your novel, or market your self-published work? Or maybe you just want to enhance your creepy craft while deepening your understanding of this popular and growing genre?
If so, then DARK WISDOM—Denver Horror Collective’s monthly webinar series—is for you! For only $5 per session (free for Denver Horror Collective members), you can peek inside the disturbed minds of Colorado’s horror fiction masters to level up your writing, your sales…and your nightmares.
April 25, 2020 @ 4pm (MT): Who Do I Have to #@&% to Get My Horror Story Published? (with Henry Snider)
If you’re struggling to find reputable, paying markets for your horror short fiction, you’re not alone. Lucky for you, Henry Snider is here to help. A former horror publisher and editor with an 82% success rate on short story sales in 2020 alone (9 sales out of 11 submissions), Henry knows the business and craft as well as anyone, and he’s here to share his experience and knowledge with you.
In this exclusive 2-hour Zoom webinar, Henry will discuss:
-Honing your craft -Creating your brand -The writing business -And much, much more!
For over two decades, Henry Snider has worked for multiple publishing houses, serving as acquisitions editor, content editor, layout artist, cover artist, website designer, marketing For over two decades, Henry Snider has worked for multiple publishing houses, serving as acquisitions editor, content editor, layout artist, cover artist, website designer, marketing director, and, on occasion, salesman. He and his wife – fellow author and editor Hollie Snider – opened a genre fiction publishing house (Strigidae Publishing) and enjoyed a thriving business until health issues forced its closure. Snider has lectured at local and national conventions. His public recognition includes both Writers Digest and Predators and Editors. On the homefront, he’s co-founded and helped maintain two writing organizations (Colorado Springs Fiction Writers Group est. 1996 to help make good writers better, & Fiction Foundry est. 2012 focusing of publication preparation). In his spare time, he’s offered contests to local high schools and taught introductory creative writing class to juvenile offenders.
Email submissions [at] denverhorror [dot] com to reserve your slot today ($5 via PayPal or free for Denver Horror Collective members)!
There’s no better way to show your love of horror and the local dark arts than sporting an official Denver Horror Collective T-shirt, with its haunting logo (drawn by The Rïpröck) on a space black background, printed by Denver-based IndyInk.
If you haven’t already grabbed yours, we’ve got a few left in sizes S, M, and L for $20 ($16 for DHC members). Pay through PayPal here or send a check to: Denver Horror Collective, 3542 N. Raleigh St., Denver, CO 80212 and be sure to include your size and mailing address.
A Transylvanian vampire in Lafayette? A haunted road between Brighton and Thornton? A deadly speedway accident in Lakeside? Cold-blooded murder in Golden?
Muster your guts and venture out to Tattered Cover (2526 E. Colfax Ave., Denver) on Sunday January 26 from 2-4pm for an afternoon of local dark history and urban legend to celebrate the publication of TERROR AT 5280’, Denver Horror Collective’s new horror fiction anthology featuring 22 dark tales set in and around Denver and the Front Range, penned exclusively by local authors.
Let local experts enthrall you with micro-lectures on Colorado’s shadowy past including: KARREN TOLLIVER (ATravelforTaste.com) on the “vampire grave” of Theodor Glava in Lafayette Cemetery; BRYAN BONNER (Rocky Mountain Paranormal Research Society) on Riverdale Road, the most haunted road in Colorado; PAUL BREDENBERG (Colorado Auto Racing Club) on the tragic wreck that shut down Lakeside Speedway; and ANNELIESE FARMER (Golden Ghost Tour & Pub Crawl) on Golden’s shoot outs, secret liaisons, and murder.
Following each brief talk, listen to authors reading from their TERROR AT 5280′ original story that history or legend inspired, featuring CARTER WILSON (USA Today & #1 Denver Post bestselling thriller author of The Dead Girl in 2A and Mister Tender’s Girl), ANGELA SYLVAINE (Colorado Gold & Zebulon award finalist), JAY SEATE (paranormal author), and P.L. MCMILLAN (writer of the dark and macabre).
Presented by DENVER HORROR COLLECTIVE (denverhorror.com) and hosted by DANIEL CROSIER of Colorado Festival of Horror (cofohorror.com), this is the event—and the anthology—that lifts the veil on Colorado’s lingering darkness.
A neighborhood won’t let its residents forget the past. One taste draws two lovers into a nightmarish addiction. A harsh winter forces strange creatures down from the mountains.
At sea level, where it’s safe, things like this can’t happen. But when you’re sky high in Denver, Colorado, anything goes…including your sanity.
Beware of Terror at 5280’, a local horror fiction anthology featuring 22 dark tales set in and around Denver and the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains penned exclusively by local authors (including Stephen Graham Jones, Carter Wilson, and others).
If you’re in the greater Denver metropolitan area, Terror is available at a growing number of local bookstores, including: Bookbar, Mutiny Information Cafe, West Side Books, Broadway Book Mall, Tattered Cover, and Barnes and Noble in Denver, 2nd & Charles in Aurora, and Boulder Bookstore and Barnes & Noble in Boulder (more stores coming soon!)
