Theme: Whump, but in space! For this anthology, we’ll be looking for stories in a non-Earth sci-fi setting. That’s it! Let your imagination run wild! The majority of the story should take place off Earth, but if a small part of it takes place on Earth(*cough cough* alien abduction *cough cough*) that’s okay.
We take a broad view of whump- it can be physical or emotional. Whump as a genre is a cross between horror and hurt/comfort that emphasizes trauma. Whump stories are usually character-driven and often (but not always) contain graphic violence. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WHUMP GENRE IS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR STORY.
For this anthology, we are looking for stories in the following categories:
Micro-fiction: 250 words or less
Flash fiction: 251-1,000 words
Short Story: 1,001-7,499 words
Novelette: 7,500-17,500 words
Each author can submit one story per category. So for example, you can submit a short story and a micro fiction but you can’t submit two micro fictions.
Compensation: ebook contributor’s copy, one free paperback OR $10 USD, and discounts on additional paperbacks
50% of proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to charity.
Submissions Open: March 1, 2026
Submissions Close: March 31, 2026
Expected Publication Date: July 2026
The Nitty-Gritty (aka more details about submitting)
Simultaneous submissions: Allowed, but let us know immediately if your story is accepted somewhere else.
Multiple Submissions: One per category. So for example, you can submit a short story and a micro fiction but you can’t submit two micro fictions.
Reprints: Allowed, but please indicate where your story was originally published. This includes if your story was originally posted on AO3 or Tumblr!
Rights: Nonexclusive worldwide English language electronic and print rights. All copyright remains with the author. A simple contract will be provided.
Compensation: One ebook contributor’s copy, one free paperback OR $10 USD, and discounts on additional paperbacks
Submissions are open to residents of any country.
You must be 18 or older to submit.
Absolutely no fanfiction of copyrighted works. No stories generated partly or entirely by AI.
No explicit torture of children under the age of 13, no sexual content involving characters under the age of 18, no torture or sexual content involving non-sentient animals.
Please submit your story as a Microsoft Word document, Times New Roman, 12 pt, double spaced. Please do not include your name or other identifying information in the manuscript.
To reiterate, your story MUST have whump in it. If there is no whump, it WILL be rejected.