IWSG: Help! WIHM & Links

It's the first Wednesday of February, so it's IWSG time! Created by Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer's Support Group is a place for writers to gather, talk about our insecurities, and lend support to our fellow insecure peeps. Anyone can participate by clicking on Alex's name and following the directions.

This month's co-hosts are Stephen Tremp, Pat Garcia, Angela Wooldridge, Victoria Marie Lees, and Madeline Mora-Summonte! Be sure to stop by and say hi.

The optional question of the month is: What do you love about the genre you write in most often?

If you've been around here at all in the past, I'm sure you know I could talk about that forever, so I'll keep it short. The genre I most often write in is horror. It gives me the freedom to examine humanity in a way I wouldn't without the genre. To explore the darker side of life in a safe way. And it brings me devilish delight.

Okay, my insecurity for the month. For anyone who's ever self-published their first book, you probably know the laundry list of insecurities I'm feeling right now. My short story collection comes out March 15. I've got so much to do before then! If you're willing, please sign up at the link below to help with my book release for Blue Sludge Blues and Other Abominations. I'll bake you virtual cookies!

BOOK RELEASE SIGN UP

I've got a couple different options on there, so choose whatever works best! I'm so behind where I probably should be right now, but luckily it's my first time, so I won't know how behind I am until it's too late.

February is women in horror month (WIHM). To celebrate, I'll be featuring three female horror authors this month on the blog. The schedule will be as follows:

February 12: DeAnna Knippling
February 21: Ashley Dioses
February 26: J.H. Moncrieff

I hope you'll hop by and visit!

To get you started, here's a list of twenty women in horror.

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Stat time. Each month I go over my submission stats for the previous month. It keeps me accountable. In January:

Submitted 6 short stories
Placed 2 short stories (Yay!)
Got 4 rejections (two of which asked me to send them something else next month)
I currently have 9 pieces on submission

Not too shabby! The funnest part is that I got my first acceptance for 2018 on January 1. The second acceptance was the second to last day of the month. Nice bookends!

Link time. Please note I am not endorsing these markets, merely passing them along. Always do your own due diligence before submitting.

Accepting Submissions:

Things in the Well is seeking water related horror stories for Beneath the Waves: Tales From the Deep, an anthology. 5000 to 8000 words. Pays $50 AUD. Deadline February 28.

Body Parts Magazine is seeking short stories with the theme Primal Fears. Up to 8000 words. Pays up to $20. Deadline March 1.

The Literary Hatchet is seeking dark fiction short stories and poetry. 1000 to 6000 words. Pays up to $10. Deadline March 1.

World Weaver Press is seeking short stories about Baba Yaga for an anthology. 7500 to 20,000 words. Pays $50. Deadline March 1.

Upstreet is seeking literary fiction and creative nonfiction for its next issue. Up to 5000 words. Pays $50 to $250. Deadline March 1.

Spring Song Press is seeking fantasy/speculative stories in noblebright, grimdark, nobledark, etc. with the theme of shards. 1000 to 10,000 words. Pays $.01/word. Deadline March 1.

Inkubus Publishing is seeking M/M erotica and romance with a pirate theme for A Share of the Booty. 500 to 10,000 words. Pays $15. Deadline March 1.

Goblin Fruit is seeking fantastical poetry. Pays $15. Deadline March 3.

Mslexia is seeking poetry, prose, and short scripts in the theme of Weather. Up to 2200 words. Pays a small, undisclosed payment. Deadline March 5.

What's your favorite genre? Who is your favorite woman in horror? What are your current insecurities? Any of these links of interest? Are you submitting? How'd January go? 

May you find your Muse.