Category Archives: Upcoming Issue
Good news about hiatus of TWT!
Thanks to everyone, especially writers with stories in the slush pile, for your patience while I struggled to get through my final semester in my BA program. I’ve finished (for now) and have sort of just been lazy the last few months, laying around watching One Piece, and taking a break from all that essay writing!
The good news is that with the help of a comrade editor, I was able to start the slush process.
Responses to submissions are going out this weekend, and the issue should be up sometime soon afterward.
Thanks again for the patience while waiting for me to sort out my academic life!
Maria Kelly.
Publisher/Editor
The Were-Traveler
Are You My Mummy?
© Igor Kovalchuk
The ancient Egyptians were some creepy people.
When you died, they didn’t just bury you…they preserved their dead in a most delicate way. They had a strong belief in the afterlife. But it makes you wonder, the Egyptian mummification process. Did they expect their dead loved ones to return?
Who knows?
I asked writers to think about this and other ideas concerning mummies for this month’s issue.
The result was some pretty damn weird and scary tales. There are a couple of genre-blender stories; where horror crashes into alternate history and science fiction.
Enjoy!
Maria Kelly, Editor
The Were-Traveler
***NOTICE: I’m considering taking artwork for some upcoming issues. If you’re a new artist and would like something to put on your CV, read over the Calls for Submissions page and send me some of your work. I can’t afford to pay you, but if I select your work, I’ll give you proper credit and a mention in the issue, complete with links where possible paying clients can contact you.***
Alternate Zombie History Issue Update
“The Historical Undead: Alternate Zombie History” Drabble, Flash & Shorts (100 word Drabble; 1K to <;1500 word Flash; 1500 to 4K word Short Story; up to 35 lines Poetry; Articles 2k-3k, but negotiable). Deadline October 26th. Just in time for Hallo-scream!
Stories of zombies in alternate history settings. Such as George Washington crosses the Delaware with a boatload of undead. Stories can also be personal encounters in a historical setting, no famous people have to be in the story. But zombies need to be in the story. Have fun with it. Wrack your brains, but beware of zombies! Will also take poetry for this one, if you can write an alternate history zombie poem. Humor is also good, especially in the zombie genre. Put “ALTERNATE ZOMBIE HISTORY: SUBMISSION” in the submission email subject line. Also looking for articles on zombies in history, zombies in modern culture, etc. Will accept MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS for this issue.
I’ve updated the submission guidelines for this one. I would like a few drabbles (2-10) for this issue, and I’ve clarified that the stories don’t necessarily have to have famous people in them as long as the setting is alternate history. I’ve gotten a few good submissions along this line where the author in the submission email wasn’t sure if I was looking for this—I am. I am definitely looking for cool alternate history zombie stories where ordinary people are affected (or infected). Writers who can send me alternate history zombie pieces with historical people in it, however, give me a literary high and their stories are likely to be placed at the top of the zine in the table of contents, accordingly.
For zombie related articles, word count lengths from 2k-3k are acceptable. If you can write a shorter article, send it in. I am only going on the assumption that a word count of at least 2000 words makes for a decent article. If your article runs over 3k, send it in anyway. I may accept it, especially if it’s a new way of looking at zombies, or zombies and modern culture, is brilliant and exciting to read.
I also noted how many lines of poetry were acceptable for this. Nothing too long, and zombie humor is appreciated as well.
Questions or suggestions? Email me or comment to this post. I’m happy to answer questions or consider suggestions.
“Blood Vengeance: Vampyre” Contest Results and Upcoming “She-Clowns”
The voting has closed on the Blood Vengeance: Vampyre issue story contest and the results are tallied:
1st Place: “The End is the Beginning,” by Carrie Clevenger. Carrie’s gritty tale of a Roman military deserter initiated to lead a different kind of legion garnered 32 of the 95 votes. Well done, Carrie!
2nd place: “I AM,” by Helen Howell. Helen took the Vengeance theme to heart with her story, centering around a disgruntled bloodsucker taking revenge against her creator. Helen received 20 votes.
3rd place: “Foreign Soil,” by Andy Goldman. Andy cleverly melded science fiction and horror together in his tale of vampire vs. aliens and readers rewarded him with 15 votes to help him gain 3rd place in the contest.
Congratulations to the winners! I will be in touch with you shortly about how we go about getting your prizes to you.
Thanks to the entrants and readers. If you didn’t win…chin up, we’ll be having another contest at some point in the future. Meanwhile, we have other issues coming up and information on the themes can be found on the Call For Submissions page, while you can find out how to submit your stories by clicking on Submissions Guidelines.
Coming up next we have a bit of a challenge for you.
Probably many of you have read or have at least heard of the horror novel “IT” by Stephen King. If not, you’ve been living under the earth somewhere in Siberia. That book changed the way I looked at clowns. Prior to reading IT, my clown reaction was sort of like “Look. A clown. Meh.” Post-IT and I became “OHMYGOD! A Clown! RUNNNN!!!!” Pennywise struck a fear-chord in me I’ve never gotten over.
What I want the She-Clowns issue to be is that kind of clown fear…but with women as the killer clowns, something I don’t think we’ve ever seen, at least as a full out theme for a magazine.
ARTICLES: If you want to write an article for this issue, email me. I’d love to feature a non-fiction piece or two on clowns and the psychology of fear or how they’ve been portrayed in contemporary speculative fiction.
I’m happy with the number of views the vampire issue received and I hope it bodes well for the future success of this little side-gig o’ mine. I’m working on making it completely legit, with a Duotrope’s listing and all, so you can add your Were-Traveler submissions to your submissions tracker there.
Now… Send in the (she) clowns!
Announcing: CONTEST for Blood Vengeance: Vampyre Issue
We’re going to have our first contest here at The Were-Traveler with the Blood Vengeance: Vampyre issue.
First prize: $25 US dollars worth of eBooks from Amazon. If you live in the US, and you want it, I’ll get you a $25 Starbucks card, if you’d prefer a cuppa at your local cafe while you write.
Second prize: Up to $15 in eBooks on Amazon. Or Starbucks (exchange for US residents).
Third prize: E-book of your choice from Amazon. $10 max.
Contest is open to anyone. Free coffee and books. Who doesn’t love this?
How the contest will work: You send in your best Vampire Blood Revenge stories. I’d like to see something different with these. Click here for the guidelines. Play around with the theme and have some fun. I’d totally love to see some alternate history where there are historical figures who were vamps, like, oh say…Lizzie Borden. That would really turn my crank! Different is good. There’s not too much that hasn’t been done. Strong characters are also a big, big plus. And don’t forget, the plot has to be revenge motivated: hunter becomes the hunted, vamp vs. vamp, etc. I wasn’t kidding about Lizzie, either. I have the perfect image to use for it!
So, first, your story has to get by me. After that, the issue gets released and readers will have a chance to vote (via Poll Daddy) for their favorite stories.
And by the way, due to fairness, I won’t be writing any stories for this one.
May the most vengeful bloodsucker win!
Issue 3: Deadly Love
“Love me…or else…Die!”
That’s the theme of this special issue for Valentine’s Day. The stories in this issue are about love. The kind that lasts forever. ‘Til DEATH do us part, and maybe not even then!
So here are some stories the cynic and the sick creep in us will love.
I have a special place in my twisted heart for all these tales, but my favorite was Helen Howell’s “S.W.A.L.K.” I had trouble sleeping after reading it.
I hope you enjoy these drabbles and micro-fiction stories, and be sure to read stay tuned for the upcoming post about the contest I’m having for the Blood Vengeance: Vampyre issue. And no, I won’t be writing a story for that issue.
Happy Valentine’s Day from The Were-Traveler.
Issue 3: Deadly Love
S.W.A.L.K. (Sealed with a loving kiss), by Helen Howell (drabble)
Carnal Nature, by Catherine Russell (micro-fiction)
Sleeping, by Quinn Smythwood (drabble)
Breaking, by Quinn Smythwood (drabble)
Snapped, by Ramsey Lyons (micro-fiction)
No Regrets, by Emily Wheeler (drabble)
Damned If You Don’t, by Larry Kollar (drabble)
Upcoming Issue: Christmas Horror
Stories are to be 500-1000 words in length.
I’m looking for Christmas horror for this issue: Elves, reindeer, possessed toys, pissed-off tykes out to get Santa. Or vice versa. Or North Pole inhabitants running amok causing widespread terror and mayhem for the rest of us.Christmas curses. Christmas stalkings…and that’s not coal in your stocking… but why is it dripping?
UPDATE: Scary remixes of Christmas classics make me very happy.
Can Santa/elves/reindeers/tykes be zombies/vamps/werewolves etc.? HELL YES!
The opening story will be the most creative one received.
Deadline for submissions is November 30th.
For more information, please read the Submission Guidelines and Call for Submissions pages. If you have any questions, put them in a comment below or email them to me.
Merry Bloody Christmas,
The Were-Traveler
The Were-Traveler 