Books Gone Bad

Permanently Closed: This project is permanently closed to submissions. We provide the following information as an archive.

About

Dead Letter Press is now soliciting story submissions for an anthology of weird fiction featuring both classic and new tales about "books gone bad." For now, the title is staying under wraps, but this project most likely will be a hardcover limited to 150 to 200 copies. . Stories should be about books that do not belong in a sane person's library; books that wreck havoc in the lives of their owners; books that are no damn good! The "bad" book in your story should be central to the plot. The book should exert an emotional, or a physical, or a supernatural effect on the characters, or on reality, or time, or space. The book should be the villain of your story. Perhaps a sympathetic villain, or an unwitting accomplice to evil---but nevertheless, the book should be a "character" in your story, play a major role, and be "on stage" for a good part of the tale. You can think of this as "the secret lives and evil times of diabolical books." In fact, that's the tag line.

Country of Publication

United States

Publication Medium & Frequency

Print Publication Print Publication: One-time publication

Fiction Closed

Audience:

Unknown

Genres:

Fantasy
Horror

Lengths:

Short Story: 4,000 - 7,500 words.
Novelette: 7,500 - 12,000 words.

Styles:

Dark.

Topics:

None found.

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word).
Note: We list broad pay categories rather than payment specifics. Check with the publisher for details.

Submissions:

Method: Electronic submissions.
Reprints: Reprints are allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

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Books Gone Bad Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

This listing is inactive and does not have any submission reports for the past 12 months.

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Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 22 May 2026