Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved and Insane: Nostalgic Terrors
Edited by Wendy Dalrymple and Grace R. Reynolds
What We Are Seeking
A pinch of poetry, a dash of drabbles, a frisson of flash fiction… mix well together in a cauldron
of nostalgia and what do you get?
A recipe that's dastardly, delectable, and pure poison.
Welcome to Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved and Insane, an anthology like no other
designed to inspire, soothe, and satisfy the dark hearts of Horror lovers everywhere.
The genre stirs a sense of nostalgia for us all, through vintage television hits like Tales from the
Crypt and Elvira’s Movie Macabre, to famed comics such as Adventures into Terror and Weird
Tales. Give us your nightmares, your childhood frights, your sleepaway camp mysteries. Tell us
how Clive Barker tricked you into a ride on The Midnight Meat Train or which episode of Are
You Afraid of the Dark? made you sleep with the light on. When you stare into the shadows,
what do you see? What whispers and caresses your ears with shadowy tendrils? Where does your
mind go as you conjure unimaginable apparitions just beyond your reach?
We want to know… when did Horror take root for you?
Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved, and Insane: Nostalgic Terrors is a collection of
original fiction, poems, and essays where new and seasoned horror writers recount their
first experiences with the genre. A mix of terror, inspiration, comfort, and reassurance, this
anthology offers a powerful experience for those who seek to create and consume stories that
transcend the page.
Submission Window
December 14, 2024 - December 31, 2024
The email address will be updated here on the day submissions open.
Word Count
Poems: Up to 32 lines
Drabbles: 100 words
Flash Fiction: 500-1000 words
Non-Fiction: Up to 1k words
Payment
8¢ per word for prose
$50 per poem or drabble
Paid via PayPal, along with an ebook contributor’s copy of the anthology
Please Do Not Send
Absolutely no AI. Anyone caught submitting AI written material will be boiled in our cauldron.
No graphic rape/sexual assault scenes.
No splatterpunk, extreme horror or toilet humor.
Please use your best judgment!
Reprints
No
Simultaneous Submissions
Yes
Multiple Submissions
No
Additional Information
The anthology will be a mix of 25% solicited stories and 75% stories selected from the open call
submission period.
This anthology is open to all writers, but we strongly encourage writers from the LGBTQIA+,
BIPOC, and other marginalized communities to submit.
*Each submission will be received through a third party and assigned a number to allow for blind
readings by the editors. No nepotism here, horror friends!
Formatting Guidelines
1. Standard manuscript format (double-spaced, 12pt, Garamond).
2. Each page should have a header with the Story/Poetry Name only. Do not include your name on the submission and do not add any other headers, footers, or page numbers.
3. Word format (.docx)
4. Your work must be an attachment, do not include in the body of the email.
Submitting
To: email to submit to will be released on December 14th
Subject Line: POISONED SOUP - STORY NAME - AUTHOR NAME
In the body of your email, please include a short (1 paragraph) author bio, any applicable
content warnings (see below), and a short (1 paragraph) explanation of why your submission
connects to the theme Nostalgic Terrors.
Common content warnings used by Brigids Gate Press are: abuse, animal cruelty/death/abuse,
child endangerment, drug/alcohol addiction, eating disorders, graphic sexual content, mental
illness, miscarriages/abortion, suicide or self-inflicted harm.
Estimated Response Time
Our goal for this anthology is to have all submissions responded to by the end of March, 2025
for publication in December, 2025.
We expect to receive a substantial amount of interest in this call and will cap it at 500
submissions. If this is to occur, the editors will post an announcement on social media and on the Brigids Gate
Website.
All submissions will be responded to with form rejections due to the anticipated high volume.
We thank you in advance for understanding!
Rights Requested
Brigids Gate Press will retain exclusive First Worldwide Publication, Print, and Electronic
Rights for six months following date of publication, and non-exclusive rights thereafter.