The intoxication from a pint of vodka, the electric buzz from snorting cocaine, the warm embrace from shooting heroin – drinking and drugging provides the height of human experience. It’s the promise of heaven on earth, but the hell that follows is a constant hunger, a cold emptiness. The craving to get high is a yearning not unlike that of any other blood-thirsty monster.
The best way to tell these truths of addiction is through a story, and dark truths such as these need a piece of horror to do them justice.
It’s with great enthusiasm that I invite submissions to an addiction-themed horror anthology with an expected spring/summer 2017 publication date. Garden of Fiends is the working title. Submissions should be from 16k to 25k words. The publisher will have one title in the anthology, and from 3 to 4 additional works will be included.
Characters should be individuals and not caricatures, and the substance use should ring true with verity of terms and modes of transmission. Any type of substance can be featured, including alcohol, with any point of view. There does not have to be an anti-drug message, and addiction can just be part of the setting (a drug dealer, for example) but should be a major part of the conflict. Some compassion for the plight of addiction is preferred, but the insidious nature of both addict and addiction should certainly shine through. The publisher is a recovering addict/alcoholic who has worked in the field of addiction for 20 years.
Supernatural elements are welcome. Blood, guts and gore only if it is part of the story. Powerful emotions and visceral elements are expected. Nothing is too challenging or controversial. Tropes such as zombies, werewolves, and vampires are welcome as long as it’s a new take.
To date, Wicked Run Press has only published books by its creator, but a majority of these books have been anchored in stories of addiction. Milk-Blood, All Smoke Rises, The Damage Done, STRAY, and Chasing the Dragon have already tapped into an audience with this interest. (On the Lips of Children, published by Books of the Dead Press, also features addiction.) The publisher will aggressively market Garden of Fiends but an active author platform is helpful and expected.
It has been said to ‘write the book you would like to read.’ Well, I am trying to put together the anthology I would like to read. Have fun, break boundaries, blow my mind.
Pay Rates and Structure:$500 will be paid via paypal for your story, which amounts to approximately .3¢per word at the low end word count, .2¢per word at the high end. Three contributor copies will be shipped to your doorstep by a person in uniform. Options to buy further paperbacks will be provided at a discount. Movie rights will be retained by the author, but the publisher will obtain audio rights. The contract term is 4 years at which point all rights revert back to the author.
Submission guidelines:Submit to [email protected] Multiple submissions okay, simultaneous admissions okay but make it clear you’ve submitted elsewhere. Reprints considered at a lower rate, especially if it’s a perfect fit (got a perfect fit? Inquire within.) Submissions should be polished and not need major editing. Standard 12 point, single space, Times New Roman. Nothing fancy. Prefer .RTF format.
Please put Garden of Fiends Submission, Name of story, authors last name, and word count in the subject line. Include a short description or teaser in the body of the email, as well as author bio, publishing history, and any links of interest.
Confirmation of receipt of your submission within 72 hours of submission.
Approximate Time frames:Announcement: August 1st.Submissions accepted: September 1st to January 1st, 2017 Notice of acceptance and contracts sent: by February 1st, 2017
Inquiries, questions; contact: [email protected]
**based on submissions, the structure of the anthology is subject to change, but final terms provided in the contract**
