Haiku & Horror

Two new books

2012-01-27T06:05:00.000-05:00

Two promising books have just been released by two great writers. Charles Gramlich's latest book, In the Language of Scorpions, is a collection of horror stories and poems (some previously published, some brand new). The book is 244 pages and sells for $14.99 on Amazon. ($2.99 for the Kindle version.) You can find out more information about the book as well as read part of one of the stories on Charles' blog.

Fellow speculative writer J.E. Stanley's new chapbook, Rapid Eye Movement, is available from Crisis Chronicles press for just $5 plus a dollar for shipping. The chapbook contains 17 poems, and it's very nicely produced.

I'll be reading both of these soon and posting a review. They both look to be very good.

Acorn and Dark Moon Digest now open

2012-01-21T20:18:00.000-05:00

For haiku poets, Acorn is open to submissions through the end of February. Submit 5-15 unpublished poems (preferably by email). Acorn is no longer able to offer payment for accepted poems, but it's a great magazine so you can be sure if you get accepted, you're in good company.

Dark Moon Digest has also reopened to submissions. They want horror fiction -- flash fiction all the way up to full-length novels -- but no science fiction or fantasy. Payment is made in royalties, and simultaneous submissions are considered.

New apocalyptic poetry anthology

2012-01-09T06:39:00.000-05:00

NightBallet Press is seeking submissions for its new anthology, Buzzkill: Apocalypse. The editor wants one or two poems that explore the theme of "the End." Previously published poems are welcome, and some of the already-selected contributors include John Burroughs, Lyn Lifshin, and Michael Salinger. The submission deadline is May 1st. (Thanks to J.E. Stanley for mentioning this one.)

Speaking of deadlines, Midnight Echo, the magazine of the Australian Horror Writers Association, closes to submissions January 31st. And Electric Spec ends their current reading period on January 15th (though they'll still be open to submissions).

Cheap haiku books

2011-12-27T11:55:00.000-05:00

After Christmas is the best time to buy a lot of things. If you're looking for some inexpensive haiku, check out these offers:

- Breath Marks by Gary Hotham, $4 online from Barnes & Noble ($8 list price)

- The Haiku Handbook, 25th Anniversary Edition, by William J. Higginson & Penny Harter, $12.24 from Amazon ($18 list price)

- The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, & Issa, translated by Robert Hass, $11.55 from Amazon ($16.99 list price)

- The Sound of Water: Haiku by Basho, Buson, Issa, and Other Poets, translated by Sam Hamill, $8.69 from Amazon ($10.95 list price)

I have all of these books except for the last one, and (unfortunately) I paid much more than they're selling for now. I can definitely recommend each of the first three -- Breath Marks is a great collection of haiku from an American master, The Haiku Handbook is an invaluable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the form (either appreciating it or writing it), and Essential Haiku includes a large selection of well-translated poems from the Japanese masters. The Sound of Water looks like a good collection as well (I like Sam Hamill's translations that I've read in another collection) and I'll probably have to get that one.

New issue of Trembles, Apex closed for poetry, a haiga

2011-12-19T08:21:00.000-05:00

The new issue of Trembles (the November/December double issue) is out now, available as either a print mag ($7.99), as a Kindle or Nook download (99¢), or as a download for other digital formats ($1.29). It's filled with around 100 pages of fiction and poetry, including one of mine. I haven't read the whole issue yet, but what I have read I've liked.

Apex Magazine is apparently closed to poetry submissions for now, according to Ralan (even though their guidelines page says that they're still accepting them) but they are reading fiction submissions.

And lastly, here's a really good haiga by W.F. Owen.

A poetry contest & a good book deal

2011-12-14T14:04:00.001-05:00

The Pennsylvania Poetry Society hosts a poetry contest every year. (This is the 60th one.) This contest has many different categories, including one for haiku, senryu, and tanka. There is a $2 entry fee per poem for non-members, and poems must be unpublished. There are two prizes for each category -- $100 and $75 for category #1 (The Grand Prize), and $30 and $20 for the other categories. All entries must be postmarked by January 15th.

If you're looking for free online reading, new issues of Sketchbook, Shamrock, and The Heron's Nest are available. And a good generational haiku can be read over at tinywords.

For fans of good science fiction and horror fiction, you can currently pick up a SIGNED copy of Charles Gramlich's Cold in the Light, from the author himself. One signed copy of the book is only $8, which is significantly cheaper than ordering an unsigned copy from Amazon would be.

Cold in the Light is a great book, and if there were a sequel I'd buy it in a minute. You can read blurbs about it by people much more famous than me on the Amazon page. Visit the author's blog for information on ordering a copy.

Norman Partridge ebook 99 cents today only

2011-12-09T13:38:00.000-05:00

Norman Partridge fans (and those who've never read him) can get a copy of the Wildest Dreams ebook today only for just 99 cents. This horror novel is regularly priced at $4.99, so if you want to check out Norman Partridge, now's a good time to do it.

Two markets

2011-12-06T06:55:00.000-05:00

Ghostlight is the magazine of the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. Their current reading period ends December 31st, and next year they'll be cutting back on their issues as well as eliminating poetry, so now is a good time to submit. The magazine pays $5 per story or $4 per poem, and their listed response time is one month. (Click on the "Ghostlight guidelines" link to view the guidelines in PDF form.)

Daily Science Fiction doesn't publish horror, but they will consider dark fantasy. They pay 8¢ per word for stories anywhere from 100 to 10,000 words long, and there's a chance they could choose to reprint your story at some time in the future, in which case you'd get paid more. They typically respond in under a month.

Two open markets, a haiku

2011-12-02T13:32:00.000-05:00

Ideomancer is open for submissions again, through the end of January. They pay 3 cents per word, or $6 per poem, and respond in a month or less.

Abyss & Apex (which now has a new website) has also started a new reading period, but only for the month of December and only for poetry submissions. Up to 3 poems can be submitted at a time, and payment is $5 per poem.

Here is a really good haiku by Alexander B. Joy, posted at tinywords today.

Free Nook books

2011-11-29T22:12:00.000-05:00

There are many e-readers on the market, all designed to attract readers. If you have a Barnes & Noble Nook (or are thinking about buying one) there are a lot of books you can download and read for free.

Below are some free downloads for the Nook -- just a small selection of what's available. (I haven't read any of these books or stories, so I have no idea if they're any good, but they're free so they may be worth checking out.)

Free haiku books:
Haiku, by Toshiyuki Ihira
Haiku Moments, by Kristina Howells
In the Spirit of Haiku, by Kamala Moore
47 Haiku, by Tiel Aisha Ansari

Free horror books:
Horror Shorts, by Drew Brown
A Walk in the Woods: A Horror Short Story, by Rebecca M. Senese
Fearworld, by Paul Melhuish
Uneasy Reading: 4 Horror Shorts, by Jason Tucker
Writing Critique: A Horror Short Story, by Rebecca M. Senese

And to close this post out, here's a free haiku by Claudette Russell, from the nice people at tinywords.

Some haiku deals at Amazon

2011-11-24T10:24:00.001-05:00

With Black Friday coming up, there are deals everywhere online. If you're looking for a good book of haiku, either for yourself or as a gift, here are some decent deals on haiku books at Amazon:

- Baseball Haiku ($7.98)
This collection of haiku about one of America's favorite games includes poems by Alan Pizzarelli, Masaoka Shiki, Jack Kerouac, Ed Markowski, George Swede, and editor Cor van den Heuvel. Even if you're not a fan of baseball, this book has some good haiku.

- Vampire Haiku ($4.00)
If you liked Zombie Haiku by Ryan Mecum, Vampire Haiku is along the same veins, just about vampires instead. There are only 12 copies left in stock, so if you want one, order it soon. $4.00 is a really low price for this book; I think it usually sells for somewhere between $8 and $10.

- The River of Heaven: The Haiku of Basho, Buson, Issa, and Shiki ($11.64)
I haven't read any of the haiku in this book, but it includes poems by the four masters, as well as commentary and stories by Robert Aitken. At 208 pages, $11.64 is a pretty good price (especially since the list price is $15.95). There are only 13 copies of this one left at Amazon.

All three of these books are eligible for Amazon's free shipping deal, where if you spend $25 or more (on most items) you get free shipping.

Niteblade pre-sale

2011-11-22T06:11:00.001-05:00

Niteblade #18, the all-poetry special issue, has been printed up and is going on sale soon. But there's a pre-sale going on right now -- if you order your copy by November 30th, you'll get free shipping and handling, so it's only $7.50 for a copy. If you think you're gonna want a copy of this special issue, order it now from Niteblade.com and save on shipping.

This issue has an awesome cover, as all issues of Niteblade do, and it comes packed with the best poetry from the previous years of the magazine, as well as brand new poems. Some of the contributors include familiar names such as Bruce Boston, G.O. Clark, Richard H. Fay, Kristine Ong Muslim, Marge Simon, and Christopher Hivner. I was also lucky enough to have two poems included. I've read through part of the issue, and it's got some really good stuff in it, including a great (and weird) poem by Lucien Spelman.

Brick Street Poetry contest, a haiku

2011-11-19T23:02:00.001-05:00

Brick Street Poetry is running a poetry contest based on a quote by Kurt Vonnegut. The winning poem will receive $100, but all poems entered will be considered for publication in the Tipton Poetry Journal. Deadline for submissions is December 1st.

To celebrate the upcoming winter season, here's a classic haiku by Anita Virgil, courtesy of the Mann Library haiku archive.

Wicked East Press anthologies

2011-11-17T15:17:00.000-05:00

Wicked East Press is an anthology publisher that is currently seeking submissions for several different anthologies:

- Witch's Brew: This anthology is for stories about (not surprisingly) witches. Submissions should be between 3500 and 7000 words, though stories as short as 1500 words or as long as 10,000 words will be considered. Payment is $5 per story plus $1 for every 1000 words over 5000. The deadline for submissions is December 31st.

- Songs of the Satyrs: For this anthology, all stories should have a satyr as the main character or an important character. The editor wants dark fantasy and horror from 3500 to 7000 words. Payment is 1 contributor's copy, but one writer will receive "pro rates" and three others will get $25. (It's not clear if they'll each get $25, or if the $25 gets split between the three.) The submission deadline for this anthology is January 1st, 2012.

- Dead Rush: This is an anthology of "old West horror." The editor is looking for third-person stories between 3500-7000 words, and payment is $5 per story, plus $1 extra for each 1000 words over 5000. The submission deadline is February 28th, 2012.

IHS contest extended, a horror haibun

2011-11-15T05:55:00.000-05:00

The deadline for the Irish Haiku Society's annual contest has been extended. The new deadline is November 30th. This contest has prizes of 150, 50, and 30 Euros for the top three haiku. The deadline is a postmark deadline -- no email submissions accepted.

For your reading pleasure, check out this horror haibun over at Fear and Trembling by Francis W. Alexander.

Comets and Criminals

2011-11-02T01:28:00.000-04:00

Comets and Criminals is a digital zine that publishes science fiction, western, historical, crime, mystery, and adventure fiction. They pay $10 per story for flash fiction (up to 1,000 words) and 1 cent per word for short fiction (up to 10,000 words). Reprints may be accepted, but they are paid at a lower rate.

This market also publishes poetry, but right now they're only open to fiction submissions.

Cid Corman's last chapbook, a Halloween short story

2011-10-30T13:42:00.000-04:00

Anyone who enjoys reading haiku is likely familiar with Cid Corman. And if you're not, you should be. Moira Richards reviews the master poet and translator's last chapbook before his death, For Crying Out Loud. If you want to buy a copy, it's only $8.

And since it's almost Halloween, I thought I'd share one of the best Halloween short stories I've ever read. It's by Gary Raisor, and it's called "Making Friends." Any horror fan will certainly like this story.

Belated congrats to Josh Gage

2011-10-25T13:10:00.001-04:00

I know this is late, but I just found out about it. Congrats to Joshua Gage for winning the 2010 Flip Kelly Poetry Prize! That's a pretty big deal. You can read one of his winning poems, a haunting take on a popular fairy tale, below the announcement.

Run for your lives

2011-10-21T11:58:00.000-04:00

If anyone hasn't heard about this, it's a pretty cool idea. Run For Your Lives is not your typical 5k run. For one thing, it's also an obstacle course, with mud, fences, and tubes to crawl through. For another thing, there will be zombies chasing you.

The event is being held in eight different cities across the US, starting in Baltimore tomorrow (Saturday). The last race will be on December 15th next year in Austin, so there's plenty of time to start training. Check out the website for more details.

On a lighter note, the new issue of Chrysanthemum is now available online.

A science fiction market; Halloween contact lenses

2011-10-12T01:49:00.001-04:00

Schrodinger's Mouse is an online science fiction magazine that seeks short stories, flash fiction, serialized novellas, and poetry. Short fiction should be in the range of 2500-5000 words, and poetry and flash fiction should both be under 1000 words. Novellas can be 17,500-50,000 words, broken down into short story segments. The editors don't want previously published work or simultaneous submissions, and payment is 2 cents/word ($15 for flash fiction and poetry). Thanks to the Flash Fiction Flash newsletter for mentioning this market.

If you're looking for a pair of spooky, scary, or wicked contact lenses to complement your Halloween costume, check out these lenses from VisionDirect.com. They've got zombie lenses, vampire lenses, all-black lenses, cat-eye lenses -- even flame lenses and a cool design called Biohazard lenses. You'll need a valid prescription to order, but you can save 25% off by using the code 25TRICK when you check out.

3 contests

2011-08-19T09:11:00.001-04:00

Here are three writing contests that might be of interest:

- Green River Writers Contest: This contest has a $5 entry for the grand prize categories -- one for fiction and one for poetry -- with prizes of $175, $100, and $50, and a $3 entry fee for the other categories, where prizes range from $10 to $50, depending on the category and how you place. The contest deadline is Sept. 30th.

- Pudding House Chapbook Competition: Like many chapbook contests, this one has a large prize ($1000) and a large entry fee ($15). If you think your collection has a chance, go for it. Manuscripts should be 10-36 pages, and the winner will also get 20 free copies. Deadline is Sept. 30th.

- Baltimore Review Contest: This contest is open to fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, and the three prizes ($300, $200, $100) could go to any of the three. This is a themed contest, and the theme (to be interpreted loosely) is "room." There is a $10 entry fee, and the deadline is November 30th.

For your reading pleasure, here's a light Issa haiku from HaikuGuy.com with a little play on words.

Lastly, if you have a book of poetry that you want reviewed, send it to The Poetry Market Ezine for consideration. You can email them at thepoetrymarket@yahoo.com for details. Also, if you have written a review of someone else's book of poems, you can submit it to TPME for publication, and if they use it they'll pay you $5. (Guidelines are on the right hand side of the site.)

Some August writing contests

2011-08-08T11:46:00.000-04:00

Here are a few contests (and one anthology) with deadlines in August:

- Ligonier Valley Writers Flash Fiction Contest: There is no entry fee for this contest, but stories must be set in a cemetery or similar location, and the words "twenty-five," "anniversary," and "silver" must be used in the story. Entries should be emailed and must be 1003 words or less. The contest deadline is August 14th.

- Halloween Short Story Contest: This contest, put on by Water Forest Press Books, Skyline Publications, and Night Wind Publishing, is for unpublished horror or fantasy stories, any length. The winner will have a collection of his or her short stories published, and will receive 10 copies of the book. There is a $10 entry fee for each story. The deadline is August 15th.

- Uncle John's Flush Fiction anthology: The editors of this collection are looking for short stories (1000 words or less) that can be read in the bathroom. There is no genre requirement, and humor is welcome. Simultaneous submissions and reprints will both be considered. Payment for accepted stories will be $50 and two copies of the anthology. All entries must be postmarked by August 31st.

- The Annual Harold G. Henderson Awards for Best Unpublished Haiku: Sponsored by the Haiku Society of America, this contest is open to both members and non-members. Up to 10 haiku may be submitted on index cards. The entry fee is $1/haiku for HSA members, $2/haiku for non-members. Three prizes will be awarded -- $150, $100, and $50 -- and winning poems will be published in Frogpond. All poems must be submitted by August 31st.

The HSA also has two other contests with similar guidelines and the August 31st deadline: the Annual Gerald Brady Memorial Awards for Best Unpublished Senryu, and the HSA Contest for Best Unpublished Haibun. Guidelines for both contests can be viewed on the same page as the Harold G. Henderson contest guidelines.

New issues of Apex and Front Porch

2011-08-05T13:18:00.001-04:00

The new issue of Apex Magazine, #27, is available from the Apex Book Company for just $2.99. It contains fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, including a story by Lavie Tidhar.

Front Porch #18 is also now available. The issue can be read for free on the Front Porch website. It includes an article about found poetry, which might be of interest to anyone entering Sketchbook's Found Poetry Contest.

(NOTE: The link to Apex's guidelines on the sidebar has been fixed.)

Sketchbook's Found Poetry Contest, Chrysanthemum, an Apex discount

2011-08-02T06:28:00.000-04:00

The online journal Sketchbook is hosting a Found Poetry Contest. This contest is open to all poets, and there are two prizes: $50 and $25. Each poet can enter up to two poems, but each poem must be in a separate genre and must be submitted in a separate email. The submission deadline is December 1st. See the Sketchbook website for complete rules.

Chrysanthemum, an online haiku journal, has recently re-released its very first issue from April 2007. This issue contains some good haiku (including several nice poems by Collin Barber and Laryalee Fraser) and if you didn't get to read it the first time around, you should check it out now. It can be read online as a PDF or downloaded.

If you're thinking of buying any speculative fiction any time soon, Apex Publications has a sale going on. You can get 20% off any order (print or digital books) by entering the code RELAUNCH20 when you check out.

Write for Writer's Market

2011-07-29T16:17:00.000-04:00

Robert Brewer, editor of Writer's Market and Poet's Market, is looking for articles for the 2013 editions of both books. He's seeking business-related articles about the writing life, and queries should be in by August 8th. (Read the full guidelines on Mr. Brewer's blog.)

In addition to articles, he's also looking for poems to be considered for the 2013 Poet's Market. This could be a great opportunity for any poet. Only 20 poems will be accepted, and the chosen ones will receive $50 and a copy of the book. The deadline for poems is August 15th, and those guidelines can also be found on the editor's blog.