Just for the hecky-darn of it, here are eight southern writers who either inspired' or maybe just 'influenced' me to write fiction.

female:
Zora Neale Hurston
Eudora Welty
Harper Lee
Flannery O'Connor

male:
John Kennedy Toole
William Faulkner
Thomas Wolfe
Tennessee Williams

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Three different takes on the zombie theme from the same unique publisher. Be sure to check the link for more information.
https://jpskewedthrone.dreamwidth.org/496776.html


Zombies Need Brains: Portals
They want science fiction and fantasy stories on the theme of Portals – stories that contain a portal opening up between two different worlds and the consequences that come from that portal. See guidelines for additional details. They have three anthologies, all Kickstarter funded, and the goal has been met; if stretch goals are met, authors will be paid more.
Deadline: 31 December 2018
Length: Up to 7,500 words
Pay: At least $0.06/word


Zombies Need Brains: Temporally Deactivated
For this science fiction/fantasy anthology, they want stories where the author explores what the phrase ‘temporally deactivated’ could mean with regards to a person, place, or thing. See guidelines for additional details. They have three anthologies, all Kickstarter funded, and the goal has been met; if stretch goals are met, authors will be paid more.
Deadline: 31 December 2018
Length: Up to 7,500 words
Pay: At least $0.06/word


Zombies Need Brains: Alternate Peace
For this anthology, they want alternate history stories where the divergence from our timeline comes from some kind of peaceful change to our past; writers must explore the consequences of this divergence. See guidelines for additional details. They have three anthologies, all Kickstarter funded, and the goal has been met; if stretch goals are met, authors will be paid more.
Deadline: 31 December 2018
Length: Up to 7,500 words
Pay: At least $0.06/word

x x x

Excerpted from the free, online newsletter of 'Authors Publish'. Check it out.

Congrats to Paper Boy and all the other winners and contenders. And a tip of the old sombrero to Maggie and all who lent their time and effort to helping her make the contest a success.

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Jim's way of doing comments is similar to mine. The only exception in my case is typos and other minor glitches.

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The following literary journals accept reprints. The list is in no particular order. Not all of these journals are open to submissions at this time, but most are.


1. Down In the Dirt
Down in the Dirt is a literary journal that publishes poetry and prose in print and electronic formats. To learn more, visit their website here: http://scars.tv/down-in-the-dirt.htm

2. The Bark
This magazine about dogs pays their writers. Learn more here: http://thebark.com/.

3. Easy Street
Easy Street publishes flash, fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, reviews, interviews, editorial columns, news, and opinion pieces (Perspectives) on relevant topics. Learn more here: http://www.easystreetmag.com/submit/

4. Bewildering Stories
This very approachable journal publishes all genres of writing. They do prefer to publish reprints only of hard to find elsewhere work (such as print only). Learn more here: http://www.bewilderingstories.com/

5. East Coast Review
This journal publishes poetry and prose. They have a relatively high acceptance rate. To learn more, visit their website here: http://www.eastcoastliteraryreview.com/

6. Slick Lit Magazine
This is an approachable publisher of a wide variety of genres. Learn more at their website here: https://sicklitmagazine.com/

7. Avatar Review
Avatar Review is an electronic journal that publishes poetry and fiction. They have a fairly high acceptance rate. To learn more, visit their website here: http://www.avatarreview.net/

8. The Stray Branch
This is an electronic journal that is open to submissions of genre work. They publish fiction and poetry and have a rather high acceptance state. To learn more, visit their website here: http://www.thestraybranch.org/

9.Haggard and Halloo
Haggard and Halloo is an online and print journal that accepts poems and short stories, including reprints. Learn more here: http://www.haggardandhalloo.com/submit-writing/

10. Nice Cage
Nice Cage is a literary journal open to a variety of work. They are open to previously published work as long as the original publisher allows it. Learn more here: https://www.nicecage.com/guidelines.html.

x x x

* excerpted from the free online newsletter of, Author's Publish *

Helen, glad you found the service helpful. And BTW, congrats on that well-deserved Editor's Pick.

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Just letting y'all know that following Helen's gentle suggestion, I rediscovered by SS account buried in the back regions of FB's Groups. Then in an act of incredible authorial hubris, I left a link to my 'Nice VA Lady' Flasher.

Publishers Always Open to New Submissions


These publishers are always open to submissions from writers without agents or previous publishing experience. All of them are respected publishers with good reputations. They are listed in no particular order.
* Excerpted from, the free, online newsletter of, Authors Publish. Subscribe for the complete list with links and reviews *

Quirk Books
This Philadelphia-based press publishes 25 books a year in a whole range of genres, including children’s books, nonfiction, and science fiction. Unlike most publishers that tackle a large range of topics, Quirk Books has a clear marketing plan for all of their books. To a certain degree their books have a cohesive feel, because they all are quirky.

Baen
Baen is one of the best known publishers of science fiction and fantasy books. They are one of the few established publishers that will accept full-length manuscripts from authors who do not have an agent. They do not need to see any history of publication either. As long as your book is science fiction or fantasy, they will consider publishing it.

Source Books
A large independent publisher based out of Illinois, they also have offices in Connecticut and New York. They are open to unsolicited submissions of a wide range, including nonfiction and romance manuscripts.

Turner Books publishes books in a wide range of categories and formats—fiction and nonfiction. They publish mainly in print but have electronic options as well. They are a major independent publishing house and have a number of imprints.

Tor/Forge publishes science fiction and fantasy books. Run by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, Tor/Forge is an imprint of Macmillan, one of the big five publishers. Tor is one of the most established science fiction publishers and they have won the Locus Award for best SF publisher 27 years in a row. They offer advances. Read the full review here.

The Totally Entwined Group
The Totally Entwined Group is a romance eBook and print publisher that was successful in its own right, before being purchased by the Bonnier Publishing group. There have been some shifts in focus since Bonnier purchased it in 2015, but the group still has a good reputation and its focus is still on its two flagship established imprints – Pride and Totally Bound. Read the full review.

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
Founded in 1911 and located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company is an independent publisher of religious books. They have a large range, including academic books and reference works in theology, biblical studies, and religious history to popular titles in spirituality, social and cultural criticism, as well as literature. They are primarily a print publisher with excellent distribution.To learn more, read our full review.

Harlequin
Harlequin is easily the most famous romance-only publisher out there. They have wide distribution, from grocery stores to bookstores. Multiple sub-genres from traditional and 'ripped bodice' to steamy and contemporary.

Bellevue Literary Press publishes works of narrative nonfiction and literary fiction geared towards a general readership. They are open to unsolicited submissions of both kinds of work. The work they publish explores the intersection between arts and science. Many of the characters in the fictional work that they publish are doctors and scientists, but many of their books also focus on the natural world. They seem to publish about four novels for every work of non-fiction they publish.

Approachable Literary Journals.

All of the literary journals in this list accept around half of what is submitted to them. So the odds of your work being accepted is about 50/50.

All of the information used to ascertain if the market is approachable or not was found through research done at the websites Duotrope and The (Submission) Grinder.


The Plum Tree Tavern
They only publish poetry about nature and ecology. They publish a little under half of the work they receive.
The Moon Magazine
They publish poetry, nonfiction, and fiction online. Every issue is themed, but they read for several themes at once.
Scarlet Leaf Review
They publish a wide variety of poetry and prose, including genre work. They accept about 80% of what they receive.
Peacock Journal
They publish poetry, nonfiction and fiction.
50-Word Stories
As their name suggests, they publish only 50-word stories. They read submissions every month between the 1st and the 15th. They publish over 50% of what is submitted to them.
Down in the Dirt
Down in the Dirt publishes fiction and poetry. They have an acceptance rate of 70%.
Eskimo Pie
If you are a poet who really hates rejection, submit to this online literary journal. They accept almost 100% of what is submitted. They only publish poetry.
Anti-Heroin Chic
Anti-Heroin Chic publishes poetry, fiction and nonfiction. As they put it,
“Send us your observations.
Send us your heart.
Send us your honesty.”
Page & Spine
Page & Spine is an online literary journal that focuses on publishing the work of emerging authors. They accept poems, limericks, micro flash fiction (under 150 words), flash fiction (up to 1,000 words), short stories, articles, essays, and poems. They accept approximately half of the work they receive. They pay.
Mused
This is an online journal of upbeat and warm fiction, poetry, art, and essays. They accept over half of their submissions.
Literary Yard
Literary Yard is an e-journal that aims at widening literary horizons. They publish well over half of what they receive.
Quail Bell
They publish a wide variety of writing and visual art. They have a well-designed website and a rather high acceptance rate.
Califragile
This online poetry market accepts about half of they receive.
Ekphrastic Review
An Ekphrastic work is writing or art about another work of art. The Ekphrastic Review publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry.
What Rough Beast
They publish a poem a day by a different poet exploring and responding to the US’ political reality.
Spelk
This UK-based publication focuses on flash fiction.
Corvus Review
A literary journal dedicated to the strange, wonderful, and downright weird, they publish fiction, nonfiction, flash fiction, and poetry.

copied from the free, online newsletter of : Authors Publish

All of these publishers accept submissions directly from authors. No agent or previous publishing experience required.

For the complete list including additional info and links to the publishers, subscribe to the free, online newsletter of:
Authors Publish.

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xxx


Some of the publishers only publish romance, but many are also open to erotica. The list is in no particular order.


Harlequin

Many famous romance writers, including Mercedes Lackey, Nora Roberts, and Christopher Rice got their start at Harlequin. Their submission process is very user friendly.

Entangled Publishing

Entangled Publishing is an independent publisher of adult and young adult romantic fiction. Since its first release in July 2011, Entangled has published more than 970 titles. This number includes 14 titles that have made it onto the New York Times Bestsellers list and 42 titles that have placed on the USA Today Bestsellers list.

Speaking Volumes

Blushing Books

Blushing Books started out as a romance print publisher in the 90’s. It has since shifted entirely into the eBook market. Books are released to all major distributors, including the Barnes and Noble Nook, Kobo, Apple, All Romance eBooks, and Smashwords.

Lyrical Press

Lyrical Press is an electronic only imprint of Kensington, a large independent publisher. Kensington and Lyrical both publish mainstream novels and seem to put a fair amount of pressure on the author to promote their books. They publish a large number of books per year.

eXtasy

Carina Press

Carina Press is Harlequin’s digital-first adult fiction imprint, publishing first in digital, and then depending on the numbers releasing audio and print versions as well. Unlike most of Harlequin’s imprints they don’t just focus on romance, although they are open to all subgenres of romance, including contemporary, paranormal, LGBTQ+, and science fiction. They also publish mysteries of all flavors— from cozies to thrillers, with and without romantic elements.

Forever Yours

Forever is the romance imprint of Grand Central Publishing. Grand Central Publishing is an imprint of the Hachette Book Group, one of the big five publishers. Forever Yours is the digital sister of Forever, they focus on publishing unagented authors, and often publish authors without a publication history. They publish eBooks, but they have an option to print on demand any book over 50,000 words in length.

Pelican Book Press

A print and eBook publisher of Christian romance novels. They have a number of imprints and accept unsolicited submissions for all but one of them.

Fiery Seas

Boroughs Publishing Group

Boroughs Publishing Group is an e-publisher that focuses on publishing romance novels, novellas, and short stories.

Siren-BookStrand

Siren-BookStrand is a popular publisher of romance and erotica. They only publish books that end happily ever after. They publish many books every year and most authors seem happy with the work that the Siren-BookStrand editors do. They are primarily an electronic publisher but they also have print editions.

BelleBooks/BelleBridge

A successful independent print publisher of genre books, including romance novels.

Avon Impulse

Avon Romance is a romance imprint of HarperCollins. Avon Impulse is their digital first imprint and they publish primarily new authors. If a book is successful, Avon publishes a print edition of it. They have an excellent marketing team.

Red Sage Publishing started as a traditional print publisher in 1995. They have a long list of published books covering diverse genres ranging from contemporary to science fiction.

SMP Swerve

St Martin’s Press is an imprint of Macmillan, one of the big 5 publishers. SMP Swerve is the digital first romance publishing imprint of St Martin’s.

Black Lyon Publishing

Black Lyon Publishing is a small but established publisher of romance novels, eBook and printed.

Evernight Publishing

Evernight is an ebook publisher of romance and erotica novels that is currently open to submissions from writers. They also publish print versions of some books. A number of the books they have published have been on the Amazon Bestseller list.

ImaJinn Books

ImaJinn books is a print and electronic publisher of a wide spectrum of romance novels. They publish everything from new adult to contemporary to fantasy. Their print books are published on demand, and they seem to sell most of their books through Amazon, so don’t expect a distributor.

Beachwalk Press

They largely publish romantic eBooks, but some of their books have been released in print as well. Most of the books they publish are on the sensual side. They are open to romances in all sub-genres except for young adult romances.

Black Opal Books

Black Opal Books accepts submissions between 1 June and 31 December each year. They publish all romance genres, including paranormal and erotic, as well as YA, Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit, Historicals, Mysteries, and Thrillers.

The Wild Rose Press

The Wild Rose Press is an established small press that publishes full length manuscripts, primarily in the romance genre.

Solstice Publishing

Solstice is a mid sized publishing house based out of the US that publishes eBooks. They have published over 200 authors and have started to buy small publishing houses.

Now and Forever: a love story The dream was back--so were the eyes. They hovered in an angry sky just above the horizon, seeing everything but focusing on nothing. Amy knew those eyes—knew a time when they’d been filled with happiness and a love of life. But that had been before her brother came back from Vietnam. Young, naked, and skinny, she stood alone and vulnerable on a hill surrounded...

Added 14 Aug 2018 | Category Romance | Votes 7 | Avg Score 5 | Views 148 | 5 Comments

How’s by you, Grady Lee? Funniest thing happened yesterday. This nice lady from the Veterans Administration stopped by and said what I really needed, I mean with my having gone from hard of seeing to being blinder than any known bat, was one of those so-called smart Apple iPhones. I told her I knew a bit about the thing, how you made gestures to work it, and let her know I'd been...

Added 04 Aug 2018 | Category Flash Fiction | Votes 14 | Avg Score 5 | Views 264 | 12 Comments

On a hot Friday afternoon in the summer of 1970, a young nursing student left work at the VA hospital, and hurried out to the nearby bus stop on First Avenue. The usual stop-and-go Friday traffic appeared to be stuck on stop. From the open windows of a gypsy cab came the sound of an all-news station. “In other national news, a Defense Department spokesman said 18,000 of the 31,000 US...

Added 28 Feb 2018 | Category Flash Fiction | Votes 12 | Avg Score 5 | Views 432 | 10 Comments

   The official plan, as carefully explained to all parental units, had called for Amy and Libby to share a motel room. The guys would stay with Mark’s roommate who was supposed to be in summer school. In reality, Mark’s roommate had just flunked out. And no one questioned that Bob and Libby would have the motel room to themselves. Once they were dropped off, Mark and Amy headed for...

Added 01 Nov 2017 | Category General | Votes 2 | Avg Score 5 | Views 634 | 2 Comments

  Alexandria, a small, nondescript city on the Red River in central Louisiana, is the symbolic checkpoint separating the state’s French, Catholic south from its Scots-Irish, Protestant north. In the pre-interstate days, a two-lane highway weaved its way south from town toward Baton Rouge. A picturesque, tree-lined bayou flanked one side of the road. On the other side were pastures and a...

Added 18 Oct 2017 | Category General | Votes 3 | Avg Score 5 | Views 407 | 4 Comments

 The phone wouldn't stop ringing. Amy, sitting at the table on the other side of the kitchen, eating a bologna-on-white-with-mayonnaise sandwich and heading into what she sensed would be one of the   steamier parts of,"The Carpetbaggers," tried to ignore the noise, though she couldn’t help wondering what had happened to her sister who always tried to beat everyone else to the phone. Jan...

Added 09 Oct 2017 | Category General | Votes 5 | Avg Score 5 | Views 447 | 5 Comments

Delmar Bullock wasn’t impressed, not one little bit. The three young farts standing just inside the door to his storage shed didn’t seem good for much, most of all a Klan job. At first, they tried to act cocky like this was no big deal. But none of  ‘em said a word after seeing the cross he put together that afternoon. He wondered why Jack Boudreaux, who always worried about security...

Added 25 Sep 2017 | Category General | Votes 5 | Avg Score 5 | Views 377 | 5 Comments

  “Hey, good lookin’, what ya got cookin’ tonight?” At the sound of Darrell Ray’s cocky, teasing voice, Bebe gave him an unhurried glance. Then she took her time putting away an unread folder, turning off the fluorescent desk light and covering the typewriter. When everything was in order, she leaned back and met his gaze. It was way past the lumberyard’s two o’clock Saturday closing time....

Added 18 Sep 2017 | Category Drama | Votes 4 | Avg Score 5 | Views 334 | 5 Comments

  Dancing to Ray Charles: Ch 07, S8ummer Inactivities   “I guess it’s about time we had that little talk.” Jake Cahill stood in the doorway to the crowded laundry room, watching his son pull clothes from the dryer. “Oh, I already know all about that stuff,” said Mark. “The stork brings the babies and leaves them under a cabbage leaf.” “So that’s how it’s done. And all this time I...

Added 07 Sep 2017 | Category General | Votes 3 | Avg Score 5 | Views 321 | 4 Comments

    All the ‘grown-ups’ were gone, but no one was interested in re-starting the card game. At Amy’s suggestion, the guys fixed something to drink while she grabbed some snacks. Provisions in hand, they went out into the warm night air on the screened-in back porch. To keep from attracting bugs, they left the lights off. Except for the glow from inside the house, it was dark. To no...

Added 30 Aug 2017 | Category General | Votes 5 | Avg Score 5 | Views 309 | 5 Comments