Deadline: March 15, April 30, and Jan. 2018.
Lethe Press seeks short story submissions for its anthologies: Speculative Fiction(no queer content), Gay Fiction, and Lesbian Fiction. Please check LP’s anthologies page for detailed information.
All submissions should adhere to the following guidelines:
- Submit a manuscript with a minimum of 45,000 words but no more than 135,000 words. Lethe Press’s preferred maximum length is 100,000 words.
- Lethe Press’ interest is in queer speculative fiction but will read and consider other genres. It won’t consider titles with a negative perspective of LGBT individuals.
- Email your submissions to Steve Berman at lethepress@aol.com. Include a manuscript synopsis and the first three chapters in a Word document. On the cover letter, list previous publications, and the reason you chose Lethe Press.
Lethe Press Anthologies
For the Gay Fiction Anthologies due March 15, you can submit to either Best Gay Stories 2017 or Wilde Stories 2017. Best Gay Stories pays $25 to $75, depending on the length of the work. Write “BGS2017” as the email title of your submission. While Wilde Stories 2017 pays $25 to $100, depending on the length of the work. Write “Wilde17 Submission” as the email title of your submission. Do note, Lethe Press only accepts previously published fiction, creative non-fiction, and essays. So, you must include in the body of your email which publication in 2016 published your story.
The Lesbian Fiction Anthology, due April 30, pays $25 to $100, depending on the length of the work. Editors Dayna Ingram and Steve Berman recommend you read past volumes to get a feel of the anthology. Write “Russ17 Submission” as the email title of your submission. Do note, Lethe Press only accepts previously published fiction, creative non-fiction, and essays. So, you must include in the body of your email which publication in 2016 published your story.
Finally, the Speculative Fiction Anthology will be due Jan. 2018. Do not submit queer materials to this anthology. Instead, submit weird and eerie stories of people consumed by wealth. Stories should be 4,000 to 14,000 in length. Important, submit original fiction in this category. However, it may accept exceptional reprints. It pays original story 5 cents per word and reprints 2 cents per word. Email Steve Berman at lethepress@aol.com your story with the subject line “Midas Clutch Submission.” Attach a copy letter with your bio, if the story is original, and prior publications (if any).
It does not consider simultaneous submissions and should respond to your query within 120 days.