Explore the hinterland

Inked in Gray is ‘a small press dedicated to bringing to light stories that need to be told’. They focus ‘on finding talented writers who are eager to push boundaries, tackle morally grey issues, and explore topics that dig deeper into our world’. Like many small presses they run events and community projects, and have a separate wing which offers developmental and copy editing services to indie writers.

Novel submissions are open in January 2021, for ‘stories that challenge perceptions and push boundaries’. They love unconventional tales with characters who are morally grey or challenge the status quo.

Read the submission guidelines carefully and follow them. Stories should show some moral ambiguity, be controversial or about taboos. Some characters should be underrepresented or marginalised people.

Submit a query by email, each part a separate attachment, a query letter, a synopsis and the first three chapters or fifty pages, whichever is more. Use doc format.

Response time is about 4-6 weeks. Payment is discussed with the contract.

• The team are also seeking short stories for an anthology with a theme of survival. Again stories must be morally ambiguous stories in the fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and contemporary fiction genres. Think about ‘moments of extreme moral compromise when faced with a choice that meant life or death, or the perception of such’. Place characters in ‘a situation that perpetuates a choice between survival and death’. What are their options? ‘How far must a person go to survive? Or is death the choice we make instead of going against our morals?’ Just a hint: no pandemic stories; they have seen enough this year.

The deadline is 30 December, 2020. Stories, up to 12,000 words, may be in the genres of fantasy, horror, sci-fi, contemporary.

Submit an attached doc file by email: Submissions@ inkedingray.com

Payment for the anthology is $30 plus one copy. Website: https://inkedingray.com