OPEN CALLS FOR ANTHOLOGIES
Our anthology calls are a great place to get your feet wet with a short story, or to explore a theme without committing to a full novella or novel. For all anthology calls, we’re looking for fully realized, romantic LGBT stories about the chosen monthly theme. Make us laugh, make us cry, or surprise us and make us glow with happy endings!
Please send your 3000 -10,000 word submissions to submissions@torquerepress.com with the title of the theme (ie: Torqued Tales) and your story title in the subject field. Please see our general submissions guidelines for formatting etc. Each theme has a title and due date listed on the individual call.
JULY 2014 — RODE HARD — COWBOY STORIES — DEADLINE APR 15
Cowboys, y’all! From the Wild West to the modern era and any time (or place) in between, our Rode Hard anthology will feature fully realized, romantic LGBT stories about cowboys and cowgirls. Whether they make their home on the range or in a neon-filled dancehall, give us real cowboys with real problems. And really steamy love lives!
AUGUST 2014 — DAWG DAYS — WOLF/DOG SHIFTERS — DEADLINE MAY 15
It’s the way you growl, or maybe it’s the way you use your teeth, or the way the moonlight shines on your fur… Wait, what? We want your best canine/lupine shifter stories for the Dawg Days of summer. Keep us on our toes with wolves, coyotes, dingoes or even a pit bull shifter or two. The more biting the better!
OCTOBER 2014 — ETERNALLY DARK — DEADLINE JULY 15
All vampires are creatures of darkness, but these have a twist: they’re forced to endure an existence of literal, as well as spiritual, darkness. Blind vamps use all of their other senses, including their sixth sense, to find both lovers and prey. Our Eternally Dark anthology will feature fully realized, romantic, stories about blind vampires. Deadline for submission is July 15, 2014.
NOVEMBER 2014 — PUNK’D — DEADLINE AUGUST 15
Whether we’re taking high tea in a dirigible over London, chasing exotic werebeasts through the jungles of Darkest Africa, or pitting Continental mechanical know-how against the New World’s sharp-shootin’ cowboys — steampunk, gaslamp, and clockpunk stories really crank our gears! The Punk’d anthology will feature fully realized, romantic gay (m/m) stories about life and love in the steampunk (and related) genres. Deadline for submission is August 15, 2014.
DECEMBER 2014 — SANTA’S LITTLE KINKSTERS — DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 15
We’re hoping to fill our stockings this holiday season with stories as kinky as the curls in Santa’s beard. Does the heat of a good spanking keep the winter chills at bay? Does practice tying up a sub help when it comes time to put garlands on the tree or ribbon on presents? Do the reindeer sometimes misbehave just so they can get a lick of the whip — and what do those elves do while Santa’s out delivering toys, anyway? Send us your fully realized, romantic m/m stories of holiday kink for our Santa’s Little Kinksters anthology. Deadline for submission is September 15, 2014.
LESSONS IN LOVE CHARITY SIP BLITZ — DEADLINE JUNE 15
Every year, the generous authors at Torquere write stories and donate the proceeds of these shorts to charity, with Torquere matching each donation. We call it the charity sip blitz, and this year, our charity is the Point Foundation.
From their website: The Point Foundation empowers promising LGBTQ students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential – despite the obstacles often put before them – to make a significant impact on society.
http://www.pointfoundation.org/
We’re looking for fully realized GLBTQ stories that relate to academics, school, university and learning. We’re a romance publisher, so give us a good love story, on that will make the reader fall in love with the characters and root for them. If you’re going to have sexual situations, even on the sweeter side, please make your protagonists eighteen or older. While we are accepting Prizm young adult submissions on this call, we are representing an organization that caters to students, and we need to make sure our content is age-appropriate. Feel free to surprise us with non-traditional students, alternative learning, and teachers or students of more than just English, Math and Science!
All submissions must be received by July 1, 2014 for a mid-September release. Earlier is better. Word count can range from 3000-8000 words. Longer will be considered, but please query first to help us accommodate our editing schedule! Please see our general submission guidelines for formatting requirements. Send submissions to submissions@torquerepress.com with Charity Sip Blitz Adult or Charity Sip Blitz Prizm in the subject line.
TALES OF LEATHER
Like your short stories with a little bondage, dominance, spanking, or submission? So do we! In fact, we like BDSM play stories so much that we’re giving them their own category. Tales of Leather will be guaranteed to bring on all the hot BDSM action that readers crave. We’re looking for romance stories with happy endings, engaging characters, and a fresh point of view. Stories should range from 10,000 to 50,000 words. Longer stories may be considered, but please query first. Stories will be contracted for two years, at our standard royalty rates. Please see our writer’s guidelines page for royalty rates, formatting and submission information.
Guidelines: – GLBT stories — f/f, m/m, m/m/f – 10,000 words and up – standard royalty rates apply – exclusive electronic 2 year contract
For queries or submissions, contact General Manager/Submissions Editor Kristi Boulware atsubmissions@torquerepress.com
Please put “Tales of Leather” in the subject line of all emails.
Follow our general guidelines.
BIRTHSTONES
Birthstones is a sexy, sensual GLBT series with a birthstone theme completely and solely interpreted by the author (i.e. Using the stone itself, the color of the stone, the mystical meaning of the stone, the area the stone is mined, use your imagination). We’re looking for unique takes on the theme, interesting characters, hot sex, and attention to relationship. If multiple stories are submitted which fit the theme, more than one Birthstone may run.
Guidelines:
– GLBT stories — f/f, m/m, m/m/f – 10,000 words and up – standard royalty rates apply – exclusive electronic 2 year contract
The available stones/months are:
January/Garnet — deadline September 15 February/Amethyst — deadline October 15 March/Aquamarine — deadline November 15 April/Diamond –deadline December 15 May/Emerald — deadline January 15 June/Pearls — deadline February 15 July/Ruby — deadline March 15 August/Peridot — deadline April 15 September/Sapphire — deadline May 15 October/Opal — deadline June 15 November/Topaz — deadline July 15 December/Turquoise — deadline August 15
Please email questions and submissions to: submissions@torquerepress.com with Birthstones in the title.
See our general guidelines for formatting and general submission information.
SPICE IT UP
Who doesn’t need a little spice in their life? The Spice it Up line has openings starting in January 2012. Stories need to be inspired by a spice or herb, or the spice must feature prominently in the story. To see what spices have already been used, see our bookstore at www.torquerebooks.com. Spices may be duplicated, but all stories must be original in theme and content. We’re looking for romance stories with happy endings, engaging characters, and a fresh point of view. Stories should range from 10,000 to 30,000 words. Longer stories may be considered, but please query first. Stories will be contracted for two years, at our standard royalty rates. Please see our writer’s guidelines page for royalty rates, formatting and submission information.
Guidelines:
– GLBT stories — f/f, m/m, m/m/f – 10,000 words and up – standard royalty rates apply – exclusive electronic 2 year contract
For queries or submissions, contact senior editor Lorna Hinson at submissions@torquerepress.com
Please put “Spice It Up” in the subject line of all emails.
Follow our general guidelines
COLOR BOX
Color Boxes are currently open for submissions.
Just pick a color and run with it. Whether you go with what the color looks like, the feelings it evokes, or the emotions associated with it, let the color be your guide.
These sexy GLBT stories will be at least 10,000 words (but can be longer), and have a happy ever after (or at least happy for now) ending in any genre. We’re looking to do all the colors of the rainbow from Alabaster to Zymenchlora.
Please check on the color box page: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=78_112 to be sure your color hasn’t already been used.
Please email questions and submissions to: submissions@torquerepress.com with Color Box in the title.
Follow our general guidelines