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’s your favorite line in a book/movie? And why?
“There’s little good in sedentary small towns. Mostly indifference spiced with an occasional vapid evil–or worse, a conscious one.” – Stephen King, Salem’s Lot.
I like to imagine the dark in everyday situations and in the unexpected evil right next door. To me, nothing is scarier than an evil that can walk around in the light, nowhere is safe. Stephen King eloquently lays that out here. Small, quiet towns are supposed to be safe, but what if they’re not?
As a writer, how would you describe your muse?
I think my muse is a bizarre crossbreed of an evil sorceress, a shaman, a serial killer, a terrified five-year-old, a vampire hunter, a scientist, and a Sunday school teacher. Not complicated at all!
What author has been your biggest inspiration to your writing? And why?
My great uncle Will C. Minor was a naturalist and author. We visited him over many summers, and I saw how he created these amazing things to share with his words and a typewriter. In my eyes, he was the original Indiana Jones and I wanted to be just like him. I love the outdoors and do my best writing there, however my writing took a much darker turn than wildlife stories.
What is it about writing that excites you? And of course, what’s the next story we can look forward to reading from you?
I love creating a whole world out of nothing. I feel truly free when I let my imagination run wild across the page. My most terrifying and exciting thing, however, is watching the face of a person who reads my stuff and hits that ‘What?!’ moment of scare!
I’m working on two novels and a couple of short stories right now. One novel is a dystopian YA that reality has possibly derailed! The other novel is inspired by a spooky childhood story I was told about a dark entity that feeds on despair titled Malvado, I hope to have this one ready for release by the end of the year.
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)!
As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic has tragically taken the lives of tens of thousands of people across the globe and infected many more. Even among those of us who remain healthy, many have lost significant income or even their jobs.
While people everywhere are struggling, often the most effective way to alleviate suffering is to act locally. With this in mind, Denver Horror Collective has launched the DHC Pandemic Fund to provide a tiny bit of much-needed cash flow to our greater community of Colorado dark fiction writers.
Through GoFundMe we hope to raise at least $1,666 to disburse in the form of seven separate mini-grants—$666, $500, and five $100—to writers in need (names of applicants will be kept private).
Those kind and generous enough to contribute to the cause will be rewarded with signed copies of the works of some of our Colorado horror masters—including Steve Rasnic Tem, Stephen Graham Jones, Carter Wilson, and Graeme Davis—as well as hard- covers, paperbacks, or e-books from local greats Bobby Crew, Lanie Goodell, Ian Neligh, Gary Robbe, Josh Schlossberg, Warren Hammond & Joshua Viola, Joy Yehle, and Denver Horror Collective (MORE INFO ON GIFTS BELOW).
So, if you’re able, please consider digging deep into your pockets to help out your local horror writing community…just be sure to wash your hands afterwards.
Sincerely, Denver Horror Collective
***YOUR CHOICE OF THE FOLLOWING BOOKS FROM COLORADO HORROR AUTHORS IN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR GENEROUS DONATION***
$100
Signed paperback of UGLY BEHAVIOR by Steve Rasnic Tem
Signed paperback of MONGRELS by Stephen Graham Jones
Denver Horror Collective 