inkblood book company

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our mission

To support the publication of works and authors deemed too risky, irreverent, or gritty for traditional avenues of publication and to emphasize debut authors to aid them in getting that first publication under their belt.

our story

Inkblood Book Co. was first conceptualized by author Emory Glass while she was seeking a home for her own stories. After spending years waiting for the right time to come around, she finally approached fellow dark fiction enthusiast and Smunchy Games owner Sean Fallon with her idea for an indie press centered on the mission described above. Once they hashed out the details, the rest is history.It is Inkblood Book Company's core belief that dark fiction that isn't quite grimdark but also isn't intended for the faint of heart should take risks, tackle heavy and important topics, and break the mold of what fantasy and science fiction “should” look like.Therefore, we focus our efforts heavily on debut authors and those with professional-quality writing who can't seem to catch a break elsewhere.For the same reason, we're committed to providing female authors, who are often overlooked and undervalued in dark fantasy and science fiction circles, publication opportunities that will kickstart or add credence to their catalogues.

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general submission guidelines

These are our static submission guidelines that do not change based on the specific stories we're looking for when our submission window opens. These are available year-round for authors so you can better prepare if you're interested in submitting to us.

what we generally accept

We only accept works of dark fantasy or science fiction. We are especially interested in publishing works within these genres written by those who have never had a story published before and/or female authors.We accept:+ unsolicited submissions (you don't need an agent to submit to us)+ simultaneous submissions (you can submit to other venues at the same time you have an active submission with us)+ reprint submissions for stories that have been out-of-print for at least one year and to which you retain digital and print publication rights+ submissions that were previously serialized online so long as the work is removed from public access after we accept your submission+ translations of stories that were written in another language as long as they've already been translated to EnglishYou should notify us in your query if your submission falls into one of the above categories.Character-driven stories with strong and well-designed worldbuilding, tight prose, and a good understanding of pacing are hallmarks of stories we'd consider.While the following aren't requirements, we are particularly interested in stories that feature fresh worldbuilding, tight prose, slow burns, purposeful pacing, original or uncommon creatures, unusual framing devices, small-scale plots, and diverse characters.Genre mash-ups and "punk" stories (science fantasy and solarpunk, for example) are also of interest!

query response policy

We try to keep our response time within these intervals starting from the day the submissions period closes:+ 4 to 6 weeks for The Drop+ 8 to 12 weeks for short stories and novellas (includes anthology submissions)+ 12 to 16 weeks for novelsWe respond to every submission. If you haven't heard from us within the timeframe given above, please politely nudge the publisher via our contact form. If we still haven't responded and a significant period of time has passed, please re-submit your story.The single best way to ensure your success is to write a fantastic story and follow our submission guidelines to the letter, so please read through all our guidelines before submitting!

please don't query...

- Works that are not dark fantasy or science fiction- Stories that romanticize or exploit mental illnesses as a plot device or villainous character trait- Stories torn directly from your TTRPG campaign, fanfiction, or fanfiction repackaged to resemble original fiction- Glorified violence, slasher fic, hateful or discriminatory content, or erotica- Stories that serve as a platform to build up or tear down real-world religious or political beliefs- Stories that in any way include Nazis (Space Nazis, Wizard Nazis, Neo-Nazis, Nazis "but they're actually the good guys..." you get the idea)- Stories in which the male lead is comparable to Gaston or the female lead is Not Like Other Girls and it's presented as a personality to strive for

submission formatting guidelines

Your submission should...+ Be a complete story that meets the word count requirements and uses .pdf or .docx format+ Display body text in 12pt Book Antiqua or Lato font, with line spacing set to double+ Use left-aligned paragraphs and one-inch margins+ Display the following information in a left-aligned header on each page: your name (you can add writing as [Pen Name] if applicable), your story title in all caps, and the approximate word count of the piece. Each item should be on a new lineIf you're a visual person, your end product should look similar to this: William Shunn Proper Manuscript Format

successful queries

Successful queries will contain the following information and follow these formatting guidelines:

SUBJECT LINE

Query for [TITLE]: Manuscript (or) Anthology (or) The DropPlease do not put anything else in the subject line unless your story is a reprint, serial, translation, or is also queried with other presses. If any of these are the case, append "Reprint," "Serial," "Translation," or "Simultaneous," in parentheses at the end of the subject line.Example: Query for AWESOME STORY: Manuscript (Reprint)

BODY TEXT STYLE

Please do not use fancy fonts, backgrounds, formatting, or add any attachments other than what we ask below for to the body of your eMail. Let your writing speak for itself. The sum of your body text should not exceed 250 words.

PARAGRAPH ONE

A brief introduction, how you found us, and why you decided to query Inkblood.

PARAGRAPH TWO

A thorough story synopsis no longer than 150 words. Spoilers are for readers; we need to know the plot from beginning to end.

PARAGRAPH THREE

+ A closing statement+ The story's total wordcount+ Your previous publications, if any+ Other pertinent information such as experiences or knowledge that lends itself to your story (such as a former soldier querying military fantasy or science fiction)

ATTACHMENTS

Attach a .pdf or .docx file containing your submission formatted according to the above guidelines.Please do not attach anything else! No artwork, secondary submissions, cover ideas, etc.

avoiding rejection

You can easily avoid receiving an automatic rejection by being thorough and taking your time before you submit.We are not trying to trick you into being rejected. These guidelines are here to ensure swift and complete consideration of your work along with everyone else's.Please only submit once you...+ Are sure your submission is within the bounds of the genres we accept and the stories we call for+ Have checked that your submission meets our word count limits+ Have read our "Please Don't Query" list and verified that your submission fits+ Have double-checked your submission formatting+ Have double-checked the manuscript version you're submitting and that there are no other attachments in your queryWe understand that files sometimes corrupt or other electronic shenanigans happen. If we suspect something went wrong, we will contact you and ask you to resubmit.

ready to submit?

We are currently accepting Fantasy flash fiction submissions to THE DROP until 15 April 2023 and Punk Science Fantasy short stories for THE RENEGADE ARCHIVE anthology.Use the buttons below to read the specific guidelines for these calls!

• The Drop
• The Renegade Archive

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the drop

THE DROP is Inkblood's free monthly newsletter.

Each monthly issue of THE DROP includes a flash fiction feature and author spotlight, microfiction submitted for our Weekly Challenge and Word of the Day prompts by Guild members, and a review of the featured story that examines what made it work as well as press news and announcements.Our second issue of THE DROP released on 01 April, 2023.

Subsequent issues release on the first day of each month!

subscribe to the drop

You can read monthly issues of THE DROP for free by entering your eMail below or joining The Guild. We do not use your information for any other purpose or share contact information with third parties other than Mailchimp, our eMail automator.

submit flash fiction

Do you have an original dark fantasy short that's no lengthier than 1000 words? Submit it to THE DROP!Our submissions window closes on 15 April 2023. We offer authors a flat payment of $10 USD per accepted submission. Inkblood authors retain all copyright to their work and only license it for digital release.

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the drop: submission guidelines

Every issue of THE DROP brings a monthly piece of dark SFF flash fiction right to your inbox along with press news, announcements, and other goodies!Each accepted piece is carefully hand-selected and workshopped with the greatest care. To submit to THE DROP, please follow the instructions below.

what we are looking for

formatting and querying

Please follow our general submission guidelines. Everything you need to know about formatting your piece and querying our press is available on that page.

submit to the drop

Ready to submit? Once you have everything written and double-checked against our formatting and querying guidelines, send your submission to:submissions@inkbloodbook.company

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the renegade archive: submission guidelines

Inkblood Book Company is proud to announce a call for submissions to THE RENEGADE ARCHIVE, an anthology of Dark Science Fantasy themed around all things punk.We encourage submitters to think outside the box—we're looking for a healthy and unique mix with strong Fantasy elements, so we encourage you to break out of the usual Cyberpunk and Steampunk chains.

We are especially looking for stories with aesthetics that are:+ More Horizon: Zero Dawn than Cyberpunk 2077+ More Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind than Grave of the Fireflies+ More Red Sister than Doomsday Book+ More Treasure Planet than Ad Astra+ More Black Sun Rising than His Majesty's DragonIn other words, we aren't just looking for Alternate History or straight Science Fiction—dark stories that take place in non-Earth settings with strong Fantasy elements will fare the best. If your story includes heavy theming around rebellion, revolution, nonconformity, or anarchy, even better!

what is punk science fantasy?

For authors interested in submitting but perhaps unfamiliar with Science Fantasy and/or punk genres, we've compiled a list of resources to help you work out your story.+ Science Fantasy on T.V. Tropes+ What in the World is Science Fantasy by K. L. Moody+ Category: Punk Suffix on Aesthetics Wiki+ Hopepunk Can't Fix Our Broken Science Fiction by Lee Konstantinou+ Everything 'Punk by B.K. Bass+ Different Punk: A to Z of Punk Genres by Isaac on Sorcerer of TeaWant to know about the Punk subgenres as we see them? Click on an image to enlarge it and learn more about that subgenre!

formatting and querying

Please follow our general submission guidelines. Everything you need to know about formatting your piece and querying our press is available on that page.

submit to the renegade archive

Submissions are open until 31 May 2023!Once you have everything written and double-checked against our formatting and querying guidelines, send your submission to:submissions@inkbloodbook.company

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recent releases

upcoming releases

october 2023

First published in Worldbuilding Magazine, return to the world of The Chroma Books with new stories and illustrations in one volume. Preorders begin in July 2023.

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• preview on campfire

Seventeen years. That's all it took, seventeen measly years, for the glory of a thousand-year-old nation to fade.A thief weighs betraying an old friend in her time of need. An armorer survives her campaign only to be stabbed in the back by those she loves the most. A priestess blesses the dead in the aftermath of a battle. A warrior mourns fallen comrades: brother in arms, brother in blood, brother in spirit. A dyer wishes for a grinding war, knowing peace will be his ruin.Countless others cling to survival as warring queens make them fodder for oblivion over and over and over again. Can there be inner peace in a world wracked with turmoil? How can one muster ambition when every grueling day is a hair's breadth from being the end? Will they succumb to despondency and dread as their homeland marches solemnly closer to a fate from which there is no salvation?These are the lives of ordinary citizens whose only hope lay in memories. By telling their stories, they will be remembered even when the Void lays final claim to their shattered souls.

THIRTY-THREE TALES OF WAR is a collection of flash fiction set in the dark fantasy world of The Chroma Books.Originally serialized in the digital-only publication Worldbuilding Magazine and currently hosted on Campfire Explore, the first print edition makes a return to Kandrisev at its darkest hour with expanded and freshly edited stories, eleven all-new, full-page illustrations plus two maps drawn by the author, and additional lore presented by a previously unrevealed framing character.

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the guild

The Guild is a free Discord community run by Inkblood Books that is dedicated to fostering mutual support between readers and writers of dark science fiction and fantasy.Alongside general conversation and workshopping, we host optional Weekly Challenges, Word of the Day prompts, Activity and Critique Groups, Voice Chats, and Daily Topics for readers and writers who love fantasy and science fiction of the darker variety.

Guild members are the first to know about Inkblood news such as submission windows for The Drop, anthologies, and manuscripts. They also test pilot new features, programs, and ideas for the press.Click the icon below to see what we're about! You only need to verify your eMail address with Discord to gain entry.

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privacy notice summary

Last updated February 10, 2023This privacy notice for Inkblood Books ("Company," "we," "us," or "our"), describes how and why we might collect, store, use, and/or share ("process") your information when you use our services ("Services"), such as when you:+ Visit our website at https://inkbloodbooks.carrd.co/, or any website of ours that links to this privacy notice+ Engage with us in other related ways, including any sales, marketing, or eventsQuestions or concerns?
Reading this privacy notice will help you understand your privacy rights and choices. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Services. If you still have any questions or concerns, please contact us using the form at the bottom of this page.SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS
This summary provides key points from our privacy notice, but you can find out more details about any of these topics by downloading a PDF version of our full policy at the bottom of this page.What personal information do we process?
When you visit, use, or navigate our Services, we may process personal information depending on how you interact with Inkblood Books and the Services, the choices you make, and the products and features you use.Do we process any sensitive personal information?
We do not process sensitive personal information.Do we receive any information from third parties?
We do not receive any information from third parties.How do we process your information?
We process your information to provide, improve, and administer our Services, communicate with you, for security and fraud prevention, and to comply with law. We may also process your information for other purposes with your consent. We process your information only when we have a valid legal reason to do so.In what situations and with which types of parties do we share personal information? We may share information in specific situations and with specific categories of third parties.How do we keep your information safe?
We have organizational and technical processes and procedures in place to protect your personal information. However, no electronic transmission over the internet or information storage technology can be guaranteed to be 100% secure, so we cannot promise or guarantee that hackers, cybercriminals, or other unauthorized third parties will not be able to defeat our security and improperly collect, access, steal, or modify your information.What are your rights?
Depending on where you are located geographically, the applicable privacy law may mean you have certain rights regarding your personal information.How do you exercise your rights?
The easiest way to exercise your rights is by filling out our data subject request form available here, or by contacting us. We will consider and act upon any request in accordance with applicable data protection laws.Want to learn more about what Inkblood Books does with any information we collect?
Download a PDF version of our Privacy Notice by clicking the icon below.

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