WHAT IS the urban legends author & artist showcase?

I am pleased to present an open submission call for the 7th annual author and artist showcase! The Spooky Showcase celebrates the dark minds of creatives around the world through short stories and artistic creations that are dark in nature, macabre, or horror themed. This year’s theme is Urban Legends. All submissions must include this theme.

Have you heard the one about the guy with a hook for a hand? What about the one where someone wakes up in a bathtub full of ice with an organ removed? Or maybe there’s one you heard from another culture that keeps you up at night. Perhaps it’s one less known from your small hometown. All urban legends are welcome!

All writers are welcome. All artists welcome. All genres are welcome. All talent levels welcome.

I will be accepting up to 61 submissions, and depending on the actual count, plan to have one post go up daily in October and September (if we get more than 30).

Sign up here.

Submissions are due: August 23, 2019. If you need more time, just let me know.

Featured: They will be showcased through September and October 2019.

ARE THERE RULES?

There are only a few rules:

1. Turn your work in by the deadline (August 23, 2019) or let me know if you need more time. Your submission must feature the theme of this showcase: urban legends.

2. For authors, keep your word count between 1000 to 4000 words. It may be longer or shorter, but most submissions fall in between those numbers.

3. For artists, be able to provide me with a high res image.

4. Be nice and have fun! Support each other. Leave a friendly comment for the others on their post dates. Spread the word!

5. I’m not into animal or child abuse, so let’s agree to steer clear of that.

HOW DO I JOIN?

It’s easy. Sign up, write your heart out (or art your heart out), and get spooky with it.

1. Sign up here.

2. Write a story or create some spooky art.

3. By August 23, 2019, send your work to me, a bio and an author/artist pic / buy links if you want me to include them in the posting. Email to Jolene.Haley at gmail.com.

WHAT DO I SEND IN MY SUBMISSION EMAIL?

On or before the August 23, 2019 deadline, send your submission to me @ Jolene.Haley at gmail.com.

1. Have your email subject be something like: Spooky Showcase: Submission Name by Author/Artist Name.
Example: Spooky Showcase: Under the Stairs by Jolene Haley

2. Authors, send your submission as a word doc. Artists, send your art as a high res image file. If you have another creative way to showcase (ie interactive art, etc), let me know.

3. Please include a biography in word doc or email body. Usually this is in 3^rd person and includes a little about you, what you’ve written or where you went to school, etc. If you want to include an artist/author pic and buy links, include that too!

4. Let me know if you need anything. I will respond when I’ve scheduled your post with your date and time and link when it goes live. It takes me about 30 days to schedule them all.

5. I do NOT normally proof-read or assist with edits. That’s on you. I will, however, read them and enjoy them.

Sign up and get ready to have some scary fun! If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below.

If you’re curious about previous showcases I’ve run, check out [WARNING! Dangerously cool art and free scary stories lie ahead]:

• Beware! Dark Seas showcase
• Summer of Screams
• Haunted Hotel showcase
• Night Harvest showcase
• Haunted House showcase
• Dark Carnival showcase

The official hashtag for this and hopefully going forward is #spookyshowcase.

Spooky hugs and bats,

Jolene

PS. BIG thank you to Mary Rajotte, who had the idea for this theme. You’re the best!