Open Call for Western Horror Anthology
Death’s Head Press is teaming up with Patrick R. McDonough (writer and the producer and host of the Dead Headspace podcast) to present Hot Iron and Cold Blood: An anthology of the Weird West. We’re looking for westerns set in the 19th century with heavy elements of horror in all it’s beautiful and ugly colors. The stories must be anchored into the time period and setting. We’re not looking for stories that feel like they were repurposed for this open call.
We’re looking to fill 2 slots with this open call. We’re interested in hearing from everyone—all walks of life. Don’t hold back with your content, either. Push those limits and let’s see what you come out with in the end!
Anthology projected to be published in the Fall of 2022.
Theme: Horror, dark, gritty, weird, and wild stories set in the old west. Be it in the desert, prairie, or a frozen mountain range, we’re open to see all of your ideas. We want to read about those legendary supernatural lore, otherworldly forces, and everything in between. That’s all you get in this section. We want to see what YOU come up with!
Word Count: 2,500 – 6,000 Words
Open window: April 23rd 2022 at 12:00 AM EST
Deadline: May 15th 2022 at 11:59 PM EST
Anything sent to us before or after the open submission period will automatically be disqualified.
TOC so far:
Joe R. Lansdale
Owl Goingback
Edward Lee
Ronald Kelly
Bri Morgan
Jeff Strand
Kenzie Jennings
Patrick R. McDonough
L.M. Labat
Brennan LaFaro
Jill Girardi
Foreword: TBA
Edited by Patrick C Harrison III and Patrick R. McDonough
Details
Multiple Submissions: No
Simultaneous Submissions: Yes, but we ask that you let us know if your story is accepted elsewhere and you choose to go with another publisher.
Reprints: No
Payment: $0.03/word
Rights: Standard 12 month exclusivity with lifetime of book rights to publish.
Correspondence: We ask that you be patient while we read through the submissions. Depending on the number of submissions, you may not receive a personal rejection. However, we will strive to be as transparent during this process to the best of our abilities.
Formatting: Standard 12pt font, using either Times New Roman or Courier. Standard manuscript format.
For further examples of what we’re looking for as far as formatting goes: Classic Manuscript Format | William Shunn
Submission email/questions: submissions@stygianskymedia.com
When emailing us, under the header please use: Title – Story title – Author name
Send your manuscript either as a .doc or .docx file type.
Any manuscripts not using these guidelines will automatically be disqualified. We thank you all for understanding and are very excited to read your submissions!
