Having just read the excellent (and highly recommended) In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, a nonfiction account of an attack on a whaleship in the early 19th century,this call for submissions caught my eye. (The Essex attack was the basis for Moby-Dick.)
The Bitter End: Tales of Nautical Terror
Edited by Jessy Marie Roberts
http://www.pillhillpress.com/open-submissions.html
Email your submission to pillhillpress@gmail.com. Please put SUBMISSION: THE BITTER END in the subject line of your email, followed by the title of the story.
We are looking for scary stories that take place on ships, boats, rafts, anything - as long as the setting is on - or in - or under - the ocean (or land-locked bodies of water or lakes). Traditional monsters (werewolves, vampires, witches, mummies, ghosts, etc.) are welcome if presented in a new and interesting way. The setting (at sea) must be integral to plot development.
Stories can be realistic or fantastical. They can take place at any time - past, present, future, alternate. We are looking for a good variety of unique and terrifying sea stories. We are looking for short stories 500-5,000 words in length.
Please do not send stories with a strong religious theme. Also, please do not send rape/torture stories, anything 'x' rated or pornographic, pet mutilation tales, fiction about child abuse and/or pedophilia, or submissions that denigrate any race, gender or sexual orientation.
Submissions will be accepted until Saturday, October 31, 2009. We will not make final selections until the end of the submission period. Responses will be sent by November 30, 2009. Please do not query about the status of your submission until December 1, 2009. We will send notification that we received your story within one week of submission. If you do not receive acknowledgement of your submission, please resend.
