ABOUT

AURELIA LEO Originals is an anthology series of original speculative fiction (horror, science fiction, and fantasy). All contributors receive payment and a free digital copy (.epub, .pdf, or .mobi for Kindle™) of their volume. To access the series as it releases, please purchase a monthly book subscription for as low as $0.99/month!

MASTHEAD

Zelda Knight, Editor-in-Chief ([email protected])

BIO: Zelda Knight writes speculative romance (horror, science fiction, and fantasy). She’s also a cryptozoologist in training. Under the pen name Odyssey Rose, Zelda explores science fiction romance. She pens LGBTQIA+ speculative romance using the pen name Iris Sword. Keep in touch on social media @AuthorZKnight. Or, visit www.zeldaknight.com. You can also email [email protected].

CATALOG

(Volume One) (2020)

January: “Blood and Sand” © David F. Shultz (4,800)

February: “The Last Nalpodian” © Karl El-Koura (874)

March: “I Want to Dream of a Brief Future” © Andrea Kriz (3,249)

April: “The Shaping Hand” © Genevieve Williams (7,104)

May: COMING SOON

June: “Carayeeba” © Patricia Moussatche (7,000)

July: “Fire Flows Downhill” © by Alexander Langer (5,000)

August: “We Do Not Kill” © Natalie Dale (5,900)

September: “Paddlejumpers” © R. B. Payne (6,000)

October: “Swing Low Sweet Moon” © Phoebe Wagner (7,500)

November: “Therefore We Are” © Brett Venter (6,900)

December: “Slow as Glaciers and their Swords All Aflame” © Tais Teng (6,501)

(Volume Two) (2021)

January: “One Night Witch” © Koji A. Dae (863)

February: “A Widening Gyre” © Eileen Gunnell Lee (3,100)

March: “Cosmic Recollection” © C.H. Witko (2,893)

April: “Nothing Less Than Bones” ©  NX Jamnia (9,700)

May: “Beyond the Red Door” © Diane Callahan (5,200)

June: “Moonshine” © Lauren M. Peltier (4,800)

July: “Love in the Apocalypse” © Austin Gragg (3,500)

August: “A Necklace of Witchwheat” © Danielle Coombs (4,600) 

September: “And Then Again to the Next” © Jacob Budenz (4,100)

October: “The Curse of the Thorn” © Elaine Vilar Madruga, translated by Toshiya Kamei (5,973)

November: “The Kamehameha Highway” © Robert Drake (2,966)

December: “How To Be A Magician” © Sherry Yuan (5,281)

All of these publications are subject to change!

SUBMISSIONS

We publish new short stories each month on our blog. We accept twelve (12) unsolicited submissions from MARCH 1-15 11:59 EST every year. Anything submitted outside of this window will be deleted unread.

SUBMIT

Format using Shunn’s manuscript style. Track your submission using Duotrope, The Submission Grinder, and Ralan. Submit via HeyPublisher.

A short cover letter is required. Please include your legal name, pen name (if relevant), contact information, confirmation you can accept payment via PayPal or Xoom, recent publications/awards (if any), preferred contributor’s copy (.epub, .pdf, or .mobi for Kindle™), and a third person bio of 50-150 words. A photo may be requested.

Email submissions are deleted unread. We take 3-5 weeks to respond to submissions. If you haven’t received a response by then, please query. If you have any questions regarding your submission, email [email protected]. We cannot provide individual feedback on a consistent basis, so don’t be discouraged by our form rejection email. If you’re having trouble submitting, please consult our submissions guide.

PAYMENT

FICTION: 100-7,499 words paid $0.08USD per word for the first 1,000 words and $0.01USD after plus $0.01USD per word for non-exclusive anthology and audio rights post-online publication.

RULES

• No reprints
• Translations are accepted
• Simultaneous submissions to other markets are accepted

RIGHTS

• Copyright remains with the author(s) at all times
• Non-exclusive archival rights as long as the website(s) hosting the work are online
• First world electronic and print rights in English with exclusivity for 12 months from the date of publication as well as non-exclusive electronic audio rights upon acceptance

HARD SALES

• Excerpts out of a novel
• Poorly formatted and edited work
• Overtly racist, sexist, or violent work

ABSOLUTE NO

• Fanfiction of any kind
• Works above the word count
• Taboo elements (rape, including dubious consent, incest, pedophilia, etc.) for titillation, though some exceptions can be made on the grounds of artistic merit

OF INTEREST 

• #OwnVoices in general
• Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC), disabled, womxn, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized groups as protagonists
• Paranormal Romance (especially Omegaverse), Optimistic Climate Fiction, Afrofuturism, Indigenous Futurisms, Gunpowder Fantasy, Southern Gothic, and Giant Monsters / Kaiju.

LAST UPDATED: October 29, 2020