Innsmouth Free Press is now reading submissions for their Historical Lovecraft anthology, which will be edited by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Paula R. Stiles.
They’re looking for “historical fiction with a Lovecraftian twist. Stories should be set in a variety of places, cultures, and time periods. While we might buy one story set in 1920s New England, we want to stray far from the normal Lovecraft milieu. If you’re going to do 1920s, why not ship us off to China and tell the story from the point of view of a native of Shanghai? Some examples of ideas we’d like to see:
* There’s something afoot in Henry VIII’s court.
* A Mayan warrior discovers evil lurking in Tikal.
* A trader in Byzantium finds a rare artifact.
* The Pharaoh’s latest advisor is a man of vast knowledge and even vaster secrets.
* The Necronomicon! Take us to Damascus as Alhazred pens the manuscript. Or to the printing of the 17th century edition in Spain.
* Journey to Inuit Canada, where the ice holds prisoner an old foe.
* Political intrigue in Edo leads to blood, tragedy and a brush with a fearsome entity from beyond the stars.
* What happened to Machu Picchu? How bloody were its last days?
* How did the jungle really claim Angkor Wat?
* The rainforests of the Congo groan under Belgian tyranny at the turn of the 20th century. What deadly deals are made to free it?
They’re looking for stories anywhere up to 10,000 words, and paying one cent per word, with a maximum payment cap of C$50, for first English print and electronic rights for the anthology. They’ll also look at reprints, for a flat payment of C$25.
They’ll look at stories in English, French, or Spanish. Deadline is 3 January 2011. Full guidelines are available on this page.