If you’ve been working hard to polish your speculative fiction short stories, this summer might be a good time to let them go and find a home in a paying publication. Here are a few markets calling for submissions of science fiction, fantasy, and/or horror stories with deadlines from June through October, 2014.
Crossed Genres Magazine is an official SFWA qualifying market paying 6 cents/word for stories of 1,000-6,000 words. Submissions must combine elements of either science fiction and/or fantasy with the current theme. Maximum of two submissions per month, no simultaneous submissions, no reprints. They reserve one story slot each month for an author who has never had a professional-rate sale (any short fiction or poetry sale which paid at least 5 cents/word, or any novel sale which paid at least $2,000). The following will be hard sells: science-as-villain, vampires, zombies, werewolves, Arthurian retellings, Eurocentric faeries, time travel, ghost stories. Do not submit stories for a particular month outside of that submission window. http://crossedgenres.com/submissions/magazine/
♦ October Issue: Submit June 1-30, 2014 • Theme: Robots, Androids & Cyborgs
♦ November Issue: Submit July 1-31, 2014 • Theme: School
♦ December Issue: Submit August 1-31, 2014 • Theme: Destruction
Dreaming Robot Press is calling for science fiction stories of 3,000-6,000 words for their anthology 2014 Young Explorer’s Adventure Guide geared to a middle grade audience (ages 9-12). Tell of adventure, space, science. Give them rockets, robots and alien encounters. Steampunk, time travel, weird west and alternate history are fine. They’re especially looking for stories with the main character in a population that has traditionally been under-represented in science fiction, e.g. girls, people of color, differently-abled people; and where the main character has agency, exercises it, and isn’t just along for the ride. They pay 6 cents/word. Deadline: August 31, 2014. http://dreamingrobotpress.com/2014-young-explorers-adventure-guide/
Penumbra is looking for original, unpublished stories of 3500 words or less. They have multiple issue calls open at the same time and pay 5 cents/word. They will consider previously published stories with rights reverted to the author. No simultaneous submissions, no fan fiction. Submit only one story for a single issue, but you may submit one story to each submission call currently open. Each call lasts two months. Do not submit stories for a call that isn’t yet open for submissions. http://penumbraezine.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html
♦ September Issue: Submit May 1 to July 1, 2014 • Theme: Lewis Carroll
♦ October Issue: Submit June 1 to August 1, 2014 • Theme: Paranormal Adventures
♦ November Issue: Submit July 1 to September 1, 2014 • Theme: Aliens
♦ December Issue: Submit August 1 to October 1, 2014 • Theme: Arthurian Legend
For Women Writers Only:
Luna Station Quarterly publishes speculative fiction written by women. They consider original stories of 500-7000 words submitted by any woman writer, regardless of experience or writing resume. No poetry, no fan fiction, will consider reprints. They want fantasy, science fiction, space opera, new fairy tales, some creepiness, unique settings, well-written stories with strong characters. The current call is for the December issue and they will take submissions from June 15 to August 15. The website will indicate they are closed for submissions outside of each quarterly window. (Thanks to Carol Holland March for the heads-up.) http://lunastationquarterly.com/submissions/
Ongoing Call for Submissions:
Clarkesworld Magazine is a Hugo award-winning monthly science fiction/fantasy magazine, and SFWA qualifying market, open for submissions of short stories of 1000-8000 words (4000 preferred). They pay 10 cents/word for the first 4000 words, 6 cents/word thereafter. Science fiction need not be “hard” SF. Fantasy can be folkloric, medieval, contemporary, surreal, etc. Horror can be supernatural or psychological, as long as it’s frightening. http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/submissions/
I’ll be submitting stories to at least three of these venues this summer. Let me know if you do the same. Good luck!
Speculative Fiction Writer
KL Wagoner 
Thank you. Very helpful. Have submitted to Clarkesworld.
I know how hard it is to hit that Submit button. As writers, are we ever truly happy with our own work? Good luck and let us know the result.