Hushmarrow Press

The Things We Bury is Hushmarrow Press’s inaugural fiction anthology, centered on the things we conceal, suppress, inherit, abandon, and carry with us.

We are seeking compelling short fiction in horror, gothic, dark fantasy, psychological thriller, speculative, and strange fiction. Stories may interpret burial literally or metaphorically, exploring subjects such as bodies, secrets, histories, grief, memory, guilt, identity, desire, family, and inheritance.

We are especially drawn to atmospheric, emotionally resonant stories with distinctive voices, memorable characters, and a strong sense of tension or unease. Submissions should engage meaningfully with the anthology’s theme rather than simply using burial as a passing image or plot device.

The Things We Bury Free Tip Jar Option Open

Closes on Sunday, November 15, 2026 11:59 PM EST (in 71 days).

Submissions are now open for the Winter 2027 issue of Hushmarrow Press, publishing in early February.

Hushmarrow Press is an independent literary press based in New York City, created to make more room for fiction in a landscape that often favors memoirs, essays, and think pieces.

Hushmarrow Press is reader-supported. Subscribe for new fiction, submission news, and updates from the press. Paid subscriptions help us publish and amplify more independent writers.

We want the stories that might otherwise get buried—the strange ones, the dark ones, the ones you stayed up too late writing because you couldn’t leave them alone.

What we’re looking for

Hushmarrow publishes short fiction, with a particular interest in:

Dark fantasy
Horror
Psychological thrillers
Gothic fiction
Speculative and strange fiction
Stories that blur the lines between genres

We’re drawn to atmosphere, distinct voices, complicated characters, unsettling ideas, and stories that leave something behind after the last sentence.

You do not need previous publications, an agent, a large following, or an established writing career to submit. We care about the story.

Submission Guidelines

For our inaugural issue, Hushmarrow Press is looking for stories about what we hide, what we lose, what we refuse to confront, and what refuses to stay buried.

Interpret the theme however you like. We want horror, dark fantasy, psychological thrillers, gothic, speculative, and strange fiction.

Submission deadline: November 15, 2026
Winter 2027 issue publishes: Early February 2027

Length: 500–4,000 words

Submissions: One story per writer during each reading period.

Original work: Please submit previously unpublished fiction only.

Simultaneous submissions: Absolutely. Just let us know if your story is accepted elsewhere.

Submission fee: None. Hushmarrow does not charge writers to submit.

Payment: Hushmarrow is currently a small, independently funded publication and is not yet able to offer payment for accepted work. Our goal is to introduce contributor payment as the publication grows. Writers included in a future print issue will receive a complimentary contributor copy.

Rights: Writers retain copyright to their work. If your story is accepted, you’ll receive a contributor agreement explaining the specific publication rights granted to Hushmarrow before anything is published.

AI-generated work: Hushmarrow is a home for human storytelling. We do not accept fiction generated by generative AI.

Who should submit?

New writers. Emerging writers. Established writers. Writers who have never been published before.

If you’ve written something dark, strange, unsettling, beautiful, or difficult to categorize, we want to read it.

We aren’t interested in the size of your platform.

We aren’t interested in how many followers you have.

Submit