Samahin has closed their doors. Do not submit.

Samhain Publishing is an independent publisher of romance and horror books.  They publish digital and print versions. They have good distribution. Founded in 2005 as a digital only publisher, they have now published over 2200 titles by over 600 authors. Just from glancing at these numbers it is clear that a lot of authors are happy enough with Samhain to maintain an ongoing relationship.

Some authors have been very happy working with Samhain, others less so, to learn a little more about them before submitting, it is helpful to read the absolute writes forum thread about them (it is over 50 pages long). Also, Googling Samhain reveals a lot of information about them, from an authors perspective.  Much of it is positive, but considering how many books they publish a year, it is not surprising that all of it is not favorable.

Their website is easy to navigate and reveals that they generally have an excellent cover designer.

For their line of horror novels they are looking for exciting, dramatic and frightening stories. They are open to supernatural and non-supernatural novels, as well as contemporary or historical novels.
Content can range from subtle and unsettling to gory and shocking, as long as it is well written. It is important that the novel is suspenseful.

For romance books they consider all genres of romance and erotica (any heat level will work), as well as fantasy, urban fantasy and science fiction with strong romantic element. For science fiction, fantasy, and urban fantasy submissions, they would like strong romantic themes throughout. A traditional happy ending is not required, they require that there is some progression in the romantic arc as well.  Work should be between 12,000 and 100,000+ words in length. For print eligibility the book must be a minimum of 50,000 words and a maximum of 120,000 words.

They are also interested in reprints, but check their website for specifics.

You must submit via email, including the complete manuscript and a full synopsis of the plot as two separate attachments. In the body of the email make sure to include a brief description of the novel, word count, and any publishing history. Include contact information. The title of the novel should be the email’s subject lines. Formatting preferences are detailed on their website.

To learn more visit their website here.

Bio: Emily Harstone is the pen name of an author whose work has been published internationally by a number of respected journals. She is a professional submissions adviser. You can follow her on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/emilyharstone/

Boxcar Poetry Review is published online four times a year, and each issue contains work from around fifteen poets. They accept submissions on a rolling basis, so submitting poets should wait for a response before submitting again. Boxcar offers a “Peer Award” of $25 for the best poem of each issue.

Poets may submit three to five poems. Authors may also submit reviews, preferably about first books, 500 to 1500 words. Reviews may be personal or academic and should demonstrate close reading. Poets who have recently published a first book may query Boxcar to request a review. Boxcar also accepts interviews with first book poets. Interested authors may query to suggest a potential interviewee or to conduct an interview.

Boxcar accepts submissions online, but not via post or email. They accept simultaneous submissions, but ask that writers withdraw work published elsewhere. They do not accept previously published work.

If you’d like to learn more or submit to Boxcar Poetry Review, please visit their website at http://www.boxcarpoetry.com/submissions.html

This list is a collection of 10 more journals that pay. Not all are currently open to submissions, but most are. All publish creative work. Some pay well, others offer a token payment, but all pay more than a contributors copy.

None of these journals charge submission fees.

1. The Capilano Review

A print literary journal based out of Canada they publish poetry and prose. Contributors are paid $50 per published page to a maximum of $150. To learn more visit their website here.

2. Breath and Shadows

They publish only authors who have disabilities, although they define that term broadly. The pay scale is $5 – $15 for poetry, $15 – $25 for fiction, and $15 – $25 for nonfiction. To learn more visit their website here.

3. Contrary Magazine

Contrary Magazine publishes short stories, flash fiction, essays, and poetry. They pay $20 per author per issue, length of the piece does not factor into the payment. To learn more, visit their website here.

4. Workers Write!

They focus on publishing working class literature. They want to collect the stories and poems about jobs that define who we are as individuals and communities. They pay between $5 and $50, depending on length and rights. To learn more or to submit, visit their website here. 

5. Wherewithal

They publish poetry. They offer a token payment of $10 per poem. To learn more, visit their website here.

6. Upstreet

A respected literary journal. They offer between $50 and $150 for poems, and between $50 and $250 for short stories or essays. If your work is accepted you will also receive a contributor copy.  Learn more here.

7. The Sun

A wonderful advertisement free magazine. They pay from $300 to $2,000 for essays and interviews, $300 to $1,500 for fiction, and $100 to $200 for poetry. They also give contributors a complimentary one-year subscription to The Sun. Learn more here.

8. THELMA

A literary journal that pays $25 for short stories, $10 for flash fiction and poetry. To learn more, visit their website here.

9. Qu

Qu, the literary journal of Queens Collage in Canada pays $100 per prose piece, $50 per poem (Canadian). To learn more visit their website.

10. Spark

Spark: A Creative Anthology offers contributors 2¢ per word or $20 per work for unpublished writing. They publish poetry and short stories.  Visit their website here.

Bio: Emily Harstone is the pen name of an author whose work has been published internationally by a number of respected journals. She is a professional submissions adviser. You can follow her on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/emilyharstone/