Co-editor Eugene Johnson and I are thrilled with the number of submissions we’re receiving for our anthology Tales From The Lake Volume 6! But there is just one thing missing. YOUR STORY.

We will accept submissions for the non-themed anthology Tales from the Lake Vol. 6 from November 1^st, 2018 through January 1^st, 2019. Compiled and edited by Mercedes M. Yardley and Eugene Johnson. Pays 3c a word (USD) upon publication.

Don’t miss out! In previous volumes we’ve published Jack Ketchum, Joe R. Lansdale, Graham Masterton, Ramsey Campbell, Elizabeth Massie, Tim Curran, Edward Lee, Gene O’Neill, Tim Waggoner, Bev Vincent, Kealan Patrick Burke, and many more.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

• Create believable, three-dimensional characters just as real as your friends and neighbors. The world these characters inhabit should be equally authentic, hitting all the senses.
• We want stories that’ll haunt the readers for months to come.
• Stories should be between 500 and 5,000 words max, with 3k to 4k being the sweet spot.
• Originality is important—we don’t want your version of someone else’s story from yesteryear.
• Although our arms are wide open, we’re more interested in fiction that reflects the modern. Kelly Link, Karen Russell, Joe Hill, and Damien Angelica Walters are prime examples of current dark fiction writers encapsulating the above in their work.
• Quality of the work must be top notch! The authors mentioned above represent the high-water mark we’re looking for.

WHAT WE’RE NOT LOOKING FOR:

• Stories sent before or after the submission window. These will not be read.
• Rape stories or sexual abuse or any explicit abuse toward children or animals is expressly forbidden. This can however be mentioned or remembered by your character, but be subtle.
• Stories that are not short horror stories.
• Novels or novellas.
• Stories with flat worlds.
• To avoid too many writers writing about lakes, please keep in mind this is a non-themed anthology.

PAYMENT:

For this anthology we are paying 3 cents (USD) per word up to 5000 words via PayPal.

REPRINTS:

We DO NOT accept reprints, unless we approach an author for a specific reprint deemed suitable.

Simultaneous/multiple submissions:

We prefer you do not submit your story elsewhere while it’s being considered by us, especially if it’s been shortlisted. No multiple submissions, either. You get one shot. Make it count.

RESPONSE TIME:

For the most part, acceptances will not go out until some time after the deadline. Rejections and shortlisting notices will go out sooner. Feel free to query by April 1, 2019.

RIGHTS:

We are seeking FIRST world rights, both in print, electronic, and audio forms as well as translation rights for an exclusive period of 1 year and then non-exclusive after that.

FORMATTING:

Submit your manuscript in Shunn Format (http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html) as a .doc or .docx attachment. Keep your cover letter brief, but relay any pertinent information. You should also include a short bio. Subject of your email should start with SUBMISSION and then the title of your story.

Please email your submission to: Lake6subs@gmail.com.