Hey writers! Sorry for the delay on this week’s edition of Submit Your Stories. My power failed, and thus our internet, Saturday night in a rather terrifying storm. First a migraine, then a power failure, is the universe conspiring to keep you from submitting your stories?

Of course not. Nip that negative thought in the bud, because my power is back on and here is this week’s edition edition of Submit Your Stories Sunday! Every week I bring you a unique call for submissions to help you find a home for your stories or inspire a new one. Each call will contain a speculative element and will offer payment upon acceptance.

Inklings Press Fantasy Anthology (title TBA)

Eligibility: Surprising and exciting fantasy stories near the 5 000 word mark, written for a PG-13 audience.

Take Note: Sword and sorcery welcomed, but urban fantasy might be a stretch. It’s worth noting further still that this publisher is named after Tolkien and C. S. Lewis’ critique group, the Inklings, which offers a fair clue to the classic style of fantasy they enjoy.

What makes this call stand out: paperback copies are available at cost for authors to sell at conventions, websites, etc.

Payment: $50 per story

Submit by: December 31st, 2018

Click here to go to the original call for details.

A Book to Inspire Your Submission:

Kelly Barnhill’s The Girl Who Drank the Moon is a classic fantasy story that will help your soul escape from any trappings of reality. I loved every moment spent inside this book. More than once I had to put it down and savor the moments. The actual scene, near the beginning, where the witch accidentally feeds the baby moonlight instead of starlight, stayed with me for a long time. The magical writing combined with vivid imagery reminded me exactly why I write. It’s for those moments.

The rest of the book doesn’t disappoint. It speaks of the misunderstandings we are unaware of that lay underneath our communities and cultures. After a baby is left abandoned in the forest, a kind witch rescues her, as she does for every baby left there, year after year. After the moonlight feeding incident, the witch keeps this baby rather than delivering her to a family for raising. She binds the moonlight magic filled baby Luna and raises her alongside a tiny dragon and swamp monster. But little Luna grows and soon her magic starts spilling out and… SPOILERS, REDACTED.

If you’re a fan of classic fantasy and glorious storytelling, find this book. You won’t regret it. With a little luck you might even find some moonlight to drink and en-magick yourself.

Writerly links worth sharing this week:

This crazy news story reads like fiction. NSFW due to language.

NaNoWriMo has started and I’ve had some low points already that sent me into the pep talks archive. This one, written by author Catherynne M. Valente, inspired me through a bad patch.

If you’re participating in NaNoWriMo and want to be writing buddies, my username is naturegirl and I’m writing through a growing stack of short story ideas this month. What are you working on?