AMERICAN PSYCHOS: A SERIAL KILLER ANTHOLOGY
SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED
Thanks everyone for your submissions! We have responded to all authors as of December 15. If you didn’t receive a reply, most likely the email went to spam or couldn’t be delivered for some other reason.
Red Room Press is seeking stories for a new dark crime/thriller/horror anthology, American Psychos: A Serial Killer Anthology. Inspired by the most disturbingly violent and graphic crime thriller novels of our time, including Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho, Shane Steven’s By Reason of Insanity, Michael Slade’s Headhunter, our goal is to make American Psychos a brutal, suspenseful, nightmare-inducing hard ride into hell.
Stories must be about a serial killer, obviously. The story can either be based on a real serial killer or a fictional serial killer. Stories should primarily be set in the USA, but the character may travel abroad. We want stories that are brutal, graphic, disturbing and violent. The above referenced books will give you a good idea of what we are looking for. Serial killers must be human; no supernatural elements, monsters, or vampires. They can have supernatural beliefs, however, and they can be any gender or race.
Editors: Randy Chandler and Cheryl Mullenax.
Deadline: October 1, 2018.
Publication Date: Early 2019
Length: 3500-5500 words.
Response Time: 4-8 weeks
Payment for original stories: $100
Simultaneous subs are okay, please make a note and let us know asap if accepted elsewhere.
No unsolicited reprints or multiple submissions.
What to Send
In the body of an email:
Author nameStory titleWord CountA brief bioA short description of the story.Attachment of entire manuscript in rtf, doc, or docx format only. Standard formatting.
We’ll send a notification within 48 hours that we received your submission. If you don’t get this, please inquire. We may not have received it.
EMAIL TO: americanpsychos@redroompress.com
Will you accept a story that is 100 words less than suggested in the guidelines?
Yes, that would be fine.
If there is sex in the story, is it limited to straight sex? Are gay characters permitted?
Of course gay characters and sex are permitted, thanks for asking 🙂
Will you accept story from italian writers?
Yes, writers from all countries are welcome.
Will you accept a story that’s 3000 words?
From you? Sure 🙂
Is the 5500 word maximum strictly adhered to, or is there a little wiggle room?
A little outside is okay.
How do you feel about simultaneous submissions?
As long as you let us know immediately if accepted elsewhere, that is fine.
Do you have an estimate as to when you’ll be sending acceptances/rejections?
Thanks 🙂
Do you have an estimate as to when you’ll be sending out acceptances/rejections?
Thanks 🙂
Hopefully starting in the next couple of weeks 🙂
Awesome, thanks 🙂
Will you be taking any submissions for larger works anytime in the near future?
will you take a story, previously published, by a magazine no longer in business? the story cannot be found on a googel search.
No, we’re not accepting reprints.
Even though I’m an Australian,can the story be based in Alaska?
Yes!
Are submissions only available to US residents?
All authors from all countries are welcome!
Will you accept a manuscript over 93,000 words?
We’re not open to novels at this time.
Will you accept a fictional work that has been previously published but all rights returned to me?
No, we’re not accepting any reprints at this time
If the story has torture in it is that okay?
Yes torture is fine..
hope am not late to write..from east africa(Kenya)
Thanks. I’ve been “itching” to write one based on Stephen Paddock. Not going to name him, but the reader will know.
Is cursing allowed in the story?
Will short stories around 1000 words be accepted now or in the future?
The story must be set in our day, or can it be set in other centuries?
Does the story need to be in first person/from the viewpoint of the serial killer? Or can it be from the viewpoint of the victims?
We don’t have any preference on viewpoint 🙂
I tried to sent my story through the email you provided and it was rejected. Do you have another one?
My story is about a true, serial killer of woman, it is personal for me. Am I allowed to use the real name of the killer? He is a “Public figure” as you can find his trial transcripts online and info about him online.
I have two poems – one based on Richard Ramirez and one based on interviews with some of the Manson Family women. Would you be interestd in taking a look?
I’m having trouble posting my question. Would you be interested in looking at two poems – one about Richard Ramirez and one based on interviews with some of the Manson Family women? Thanks!
Hi Valeri, for this anthology we’re not accepting poems.
I published a book myself through amazon am I allowed to submit that to you?
No reprints, sorry.
I have a story that is 6400 words long. Is that too long?
It depends on the story 🙂
Perfect 🙂
I have a story that is 6400 words long. Is that too long??
I have a prequel to a mystery novel that follows the killer. The killer isn’t your typical psychopath, but a sociopath/revenge killer. There is gore, certainly, more gore toward the final kill. Would that meet your criteria if the killer wasn’t a crazed psychopath but more of a revenge killer with a plan?
Would you accept flash/short fiction between 1,000 and 1,500 words?
That would be too short. 🙂
OK, thank you for responding. 🙂
Hi,
The serial killer in my short fiction is telepathic. Does that count as a supernatural element?
I just sent a submission. I copied it to your emails as well but they are your old Comet Press emails and were returned, but it did say it was received through the Americanpsychos@redsroompress email. –Matt Converse
Got it, thanks 🙂