Presenting...ZNB Presents!  

Since founding Zombies Need Brains in 2012, I've wanted to expand beyond themed anthologies and last year, Year 10 of the small press, is the year I moved forward with that. I present to you all...ZNB Presents! This is an online magazine run through Zombies Need Brains' Patreon. Stories--along with an accompanying illustration--are published the 1st and 15th of every month. Subscribers simply subscribe to the Patreon at whatever tier they're comfortable with. (There are two tiers aimed specifically at magazine subscribers--one at $2/month and another at $4/month.) Stories will be selected through an open call for submissions. A set open call each year will run from July 1st through July 7th. Additional open calls will be run as needed after that. As the subscriber base increases, I'll add additional stories per month.

The main reason I wanted to start the magazine is that I feel there's a dearth of pro-rate markets for SF&F short stories with lengths between 2500 and 7500 words. I know this because I've written and attempted to publish such stories and the choices are few and far between. I wanted to provide such a market and felt ZNB was poised to do that at this time. I'm excited about the possibilities!

So, if you'd like to support small press and short story markets, swing on by the Zombies Need Brains Patreon HERE and become a patron!

If you're a writer, you can find the submission guidelines here. Keep in mind that we can't have markets like this unless we get subscribers, so spread the word about the new magazine!

I hope you join me for this new and exciting endeavor, as well as our future Kickstarters!

Themes for the upcoming ZNB Kickstarter!  

The next Zombies Need Brains Kickstarter has funded! But there's still time left to back the project for three new SF&F anthologies--two themed anthologies with an open call for submissions and one shared-world anthology. The Kickstarter can be found at http://tinyurl.com/ZNBKickstarter2023. The open call for submissions has also started, running from now until December 31st, 2023. You can find the submission guidelines here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/88752531. You can submit your stories through Moksha here: https://zombiesneedbrains.moksha.io/. Here are the themes:

FAMILIARS: Animals have been our companions since the dawn of time, but in science fiction and fantasy, often that bond is taken one magical—or technological—step further. From the ubiquitous black cats in witchcraft to the treecats in David Weber’s Honor Harrington universe, Anne McCaffery’s dragons of Pern to Mercedes Lackey’s horse-like Companions in her Valdemar universe, familiars have played a part in stories since paper met pen. In FAMILIARS, we ask writers to stretch their imagination and give us their most inventive furry, feathered, or scaly companions in tales of fantasy, science fiction, mystery, or horror. Edited by Patricia Bray & Joshua Palmatier, FAMILIARS will contain approximately fourteen stories with an average length of 6,000 words each. Anchor authors include: Jacey Bedford, Jim C. Hine, Gini Koch & Bebe Bayliss, Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, Seanan McGuire, Kari Sperring, and Jean Marie Ward.

LAST-DITCH: In the heart-pounding world of espionage, it’s the spy that gets the dirty work done. From a longshot gamble to reverse the tides of war to a secret operation escaping with stolen plans, the task is often left to the double agent. Whether it’s for King and country or a private backer, the lone operative gets in and gets out…if only it was that easy. Edited by Troy Carrol Bucher and Gerald Brandt, this anthology will explore Science Fiction or Fantasy stories of back-against-the-wall, desperate purpose--Hail Marys launched when hope seems lost. The actions of the secret agent can change the tides for good or evil; it all depends on which side you are on. LAST-DITCH will contain approximately 14 stories with an average length of 6000 words each. Anchor authors include: Jason M. Hough, Tanya Huff, Elaine Isaak, Blake Jessop, Lee Modesitt, Jr., Derryl Murphy, Steve Perry, and Edward Willett.

AMPYRIUM: Welcome to Ampyrium, a city of a thousand wonders! May the trading be always in your favor. Powerful magicians called the Magnum have created a massive city contained within eight walls, each with its own portal to another world. Here, eight different magical lands collide. In these streets, all of the races from those worlds come to trade, to politic, to carouse, and to murder. Merchants and royalty, thieves and assassins; caravans and envoys, armies and entourages. Everyone…and everything…can be found in Ampyrium. Every dream can be made real. Every vice is available. Every wish can be fulfilled. All you have to do is stay clear of the Magnum…and their Eyes are everywhere. Edited by Joshua Palmatier, AMPYRIUM will contain approximately seven stories all set within the shared world of Ampyria with an average length of 12,000 words each. Authors include Patricia Bray, S.C. Butler, David B. Coe, Esther M. Friesner, Juliet E. McKenna, Jason Palmatier, and Joshua Palmatier.

Again, you can find the Kickstarter at http://tinyurl.com/ZNBKickstarter2023. The open call for submissions has also started, running from now until December 31st, 2023. You can find the submission guidelines here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/88752531. You can submit your stories through Moksha here: https://zombiesneedbrains.moksha.io/. And good luck!

ZNB Awards!  

Here's a list of stories published by Zombies Need Brains that have been nominated, were finalists, or winners for awards. Congratulations to all of these authors and the corresponding anthology's editors!


"Ashes of a Cinnamon Fire” by R.Z. Held, SHATTERING THE GLASS SLIPPER, ed. by Crystal Sarakas & Rhondi Salsitz, Zombies Need Brains LLC (June 2022), Finalist for the WSFA Small Press Award 2023, Buy the book: Kindle; Trade Paperback; Kickstarter Edition

"Not the Youngest, Nor the Prettiest, But Someone Else” by Alyse Winters, SHATTERING THE GLASS SLIPPER, ed. by Crystal Sarakas & Rhondi Salsitz, Zombies Need Brains LLC (June 2022), Finalist for the WFSA Small Press Award 2023, Buy the book: Kindle; Trade Paperback; Kickstarter Edition

"A New Brave World” by Eric Choi, BRAVE NEW WORLDS, ed. by S.C. Butler & Joshua Palmatier, Zombies Need Brains LLC (July 2022), Finalist for The Aurora Award 2023, Buy the book: Kindle; Trade Paperback; Kickstarter Edition

“Eight Mile and the City” by Steven Harper, WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE, ed. by S.C. Butler & Joshua Palmatier, Zombies Need Brains LLC (July 2021), WINNER!!! of the WSFA Small Press Award 2022, Buy the book: Kindle; Trade Paperback; Kickstarter Edition

All contents are copyright of Zombies Need Brains, LLC., 2017.