The crows have taken flight once more to herald the arrival of the second issue of Snoozine.
We are thrilled to announce that we are now open for submissions for our second issue, themed Sunrise. In this edition, we invite you to explore the moments when darkness gives way to light, when the world teeters on the edge of a new beginning, and the night’s lingering shadows are chased away by the dawn’s first rays.
But be warned, dear writers and readers: our sunrise is not one of serenity. In the tradition of Snoozine, our sunrise issue comes with a twist. It is dawn seen through the eyes of a dreamer awakening from a nightmare, where the familiar becomes uncanny, and the light reveals the shadows of things best left unseen.
Thematic Guidelines: Embrace the Light, Explore the Shadows
Let your imagination soar through journeys taken at the break of day. Whether it’s the flight of crows cutting through the morning mist or the dawn-lit ventures into uncharted realms, we seek tales where flight symbolizes freedom, escape, or the start of an extraordinary adventure.
Harbingers of mystery and magic are a vital element of our theme. How do they interact with the dawn? Are they messengers, guardians, or something far more sinister? We’re eager to see crows woven into your narratives for added depth and intrigue.
Dawn dispels the darkness, but what if the light brings its own horrors? Perhaps the sunrise awakens ancient curses, reveals unsettling truths, or transitions from one nightmare to another. We challenge you to infuse your tales with a haunting twist that lingers long after the last word is read.
Submission Details
– Submission Period: July 1st-31st
Join Us For New Dawn
We eagerly await your tales of eerie dawns. Let your stories ferry us into the uncanny glow of the sunrise, where every shadow has a story, and every crow’s cry is a whisper of the unknown.
Prepare to take flight into the world of Snoozine. The dawn is breaking, but beware—the light can reveal as much as it conceals.
Let the crows guide your way to our submissions form.
What the Editors are Looking For:
Jessi: As the resident weirdo, I’m looking for your oddest spins on waking up. What shadows loom over you as dawn brings a new day? What bedfellows might you awake to, and are they entirely human? Although this is our first nightmare issue, I’m not necessarily looking for ultra-terrifying stories (although I’ll never not want them). How many dreams have you awoken from that had you asking yourself, “What the f—?” Try translating that feeling into prose if you want my attention in this issue.
Randall: There’s something so unique and often visceral in the way nightmares play themselves out in the mind. I love it when stories find that line of the impossibly absurd and then turn it ever so slightly into the realm of danger. You know that feeling when you wake up–relieved to find it was only a nightmare–but something in your mind just won’t let it go away? That’s the kind of sunrise nightmare I’m looking for!
Suz: One of our editors wrote a great blog post about Demon Horror and it’s been haunting my every waking moment. I want to see some possession, some darkness. I want to question if your protagonist will make it to the end, and if they don’t? Even better.
Kirsten: I’ll be the first to admit that horror is not my strong suit, but suspense? I love stories that keep me on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, gasping in outrage (or fear), and hoping beyond hope that the protagonist will come out alright in the end. Give me mythical creatures, known or ones of your own creation. Let them hunt your protagonist as they desperately try to make it to sunrise. As Calixte tells Lazlo in Laini Taylor’s Strange the Dreamer: “You’re a storyteller. Dream up something wild and improbable. Something beautiful and full of monsters.”