SEND ME YOUR MOST HORRIFIC TALES: The 2017 Bloodshot Books Call for Original Novels – LAST DAY!!

What are we looking for?  Original unpublished horror novels (or long novellas) for our mid-2018/early 2019 schedule

Submission Period: August 1 – September 30th, 2017.  <<— TODAY IS THE DEADLINE

• If you try to cut the line and send it early, I will return it and probably remember you as “that annoying person who can’t follow guidelines”
• Do not ask me any questions without reading this entire open call first.  Multiple times, if necessary. If you ask me anything that is listed below, I will simply direct you back to this page.
• If your novel is not finished, DO NOT submit it.

Length: 30K to 120K. Please query for longer. Nothing shorter will be considered

Manuscripts in the following subgenres will be favored, but we are willing consider other subjects:

• Coming of Age Horror
• Creature horror (cryptids/multicultural myths especially interest us)
• SciFi Horror
• Supernatural horror
• Apocalyptic TEOTWAWKI scenarios
• Weird west/other historical horror

Whether you are a first-time author or you have published dozens of novels already, we are interested in your original manuscripts. This open call is not for my Second Sight imprint. Until I decide otherwise, that line of reprints will only be from solicited authors.

Submissions should be sent to petekahle@gmail.com with the following:

• NOVEL SUBMISSION – Title of your novel in the subject line
• A short cover letter introducing yourself in the body of the email
• The synopsis and word count of the novel
• The first 3 chapters or ~5,000 words (whichever is greater) attached as a .DOC, .DOCX or .RTF file

Simultaneous Submissions are allowed as long as you make us and the other presses aware of it.

We do NOT accept:

• Multiple Submissions
• Any sort of fan fiction

Please make sure your manuscript is formatted correctly. If it is not in the correct format, I will return it to you and ask you to resend it once it has been corrected.

PLEASE FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS TO THE LETTER

Don’t know the standard formatting guidelines? Go to this link and use them: http://www.marlyspearson.com/formatting_101.htm

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 that will rip their victims to pieces
• Dark Fantasy/Supernatural Romance – Pardon me while I vomit in the corner
• Erotica – No thank you
• Serial Killer Fiction UNLESS there is a supernatural aspect to the plot
• What some people refer to as “Torture Porn”
  • Gore and adult themes are welcome, but they should serve the plot.
• Poetry
• Collections (though I will consider publishing interconnected novellas)
• Young Adult Novels – Eventually we’ll publish books for a younger audience, but not yet.

Response Time: 90 days. Query if we take any longer. If I like what I’ve read so far, I will request the entire manuscript.

Payment: Royalty split and author copies (with the opportunity to buy more author copies at 50% of list price).

So, what are you waiting for?? Get me those manuscripts now!

p.s. – Short story writers, keep an eye out for another open call soon, sometime around November/December