BLOODSHOT BOOKS – OPEN CALL FOR ORIGINAL HORROR NOVELS

March 30, 2016

One year ago today, I put out a call for the Not Your Average Monster anthology, the inaugural project from my embryonic horror press, Bloodshot Books, expecting to receive 50 or so submissions. The response was so much greater than I had anticipated that I decided to split it into two volumes. Volume 1 appropriately came out just before Halloween 2015 and Volume 2 was released 4 months later. Both have received excellent reviews, and there will likely be further volumes in the series down the line.

Right around the release of Volume 1, I contacted award-winning Australian horror author Brett McBean and, somewhat naïvely, asked if he would be interested in reprinting his novel The Awakening with us. I’m still amazed that he accepted, but it gave me confidence and I am now negotiating with other authors to bring their horror novels back into print under Bloodshot Books’ new imprint Second Sight Books.

Now I have decided to take another step in my quest to print the best horror fiction I can find – books that represent the type of horror I would want to find on the shelves.

Bloodshot Books will soon be open to submissions for original horror novels!

What We Want:

• Submission Period – May 1^st to June 30^th, 2016
• Length – 40,000 to 120,000 words. Query for longer.
• We always welcome manuscripts in the following subgenres:
  • Creature horror (cryptids/multicultural myths especially interest us)
  • Coming of age horror
  • Apocalyptic TEOTWAWKI scenarios
  • Post-Apocalyptic Dystopias
  • Scifi horror
  • Supernatural horror
  • Weird west/other historical horror
• Original manuscripts only
• Either established or first-time authors
• Submissions should be sent in an email to petekahle@gmail.com with the following:
  • a short cover letter introducing yourself with the synopsis and word count of the novel in the body of the email.
  • The first 3 chapters or ~5,000 words (whichever is greater) should be attached as a .DOC, .DOCX or .RTF file

We do NOT accept:

• Multiple Submissions
• Simultaneous Submissions
• Any sort of fan fiction

We are NOT looking for:

• Zombie novels. Sorry, but there are enough out there. We would prefer to explore new horrors.
• Sparkly vampires or fuzzy lycanthropes. Vampires and werewolves are fine, but we want bloodthirsty monsters
• Dark Fantasy/Supernatural Romance – Yuck
• Erotica – No thank you
• Poetry
• Young Adult Novels – Eventually we’ll publish books for a younger audience, but not yet.
• “Torture Porn” Gore and adult themes are welcome, but they should serve the story.

Response Time – 60 days. Query if we take any longer

Get those manuscripts ready!

 

Addendum  (4/1/2016)- It seems that I need to clarify some details for a few individuals who didn’t read the entire blog post.

1) I am only accepting original horror novels

2) Submissions are not yet open. Please send them during the months of May and June only. (5/1/2016-6/30/2016)

3) This open call is not for my Second Sight imprint. Until I decide otherwise, that line of books will only be from solicited authors.

4) I am not looking for collections or anthologies

5) I will look at previously self-published novels, but new original novels will get higher priority when I make my decisions.

 

Thank you