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All Good Things

We have two amazing issues of LampLight coming this year in March and June, filled with writers who have made their first pro-sale. My intuition says that it will not be the last you see of them.

March is out now, get your copy.

The June 2022 issue will be the last.

This June LampLight will be 10 years old; not bad for a small magazine. LampLight has had an amazing run, but it is time for other projects, other adventures.

Editor Jacob Haddon talks more personally about this on his blog post.

Thank you all who helped with the editing, reading, those who subscribed and supported, those who reviewed. LampLight would not have existed without you.

For any who are sad to see us go, there are still 40 issues of amazing dark fiction to read each filled with some of the best fiction I have ever read.

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LampLight Special Submission Call

Update 9 Nov 2021, we are full, submissions are closed, thank you everyone who responded and supported!

“If accepted, this would be my first pro-sale.”

We are going to take a new turn for the submissions. The criteria to submit will be as follows, the following statement must be true:

“If accepted, this would be my first pro-sale.”

And to make that true, we will be raising our pay scale to match:

6¢ (USD) per word (based on HWA guidelines)
5100 words MAX (firm)

Yes, this lowers the max word count, but that is to keep within budget. So this go-round, we will not take any stories over the word count. We’ve added a 100 word buffer, so target that 5,000 word mark as a max. (For this call, strong 1,500 – 3,000 word stories will fair best.)

One of the things we’ve loved over the years is finding new writers and showcasing them for the first time. These two issues are going highlight new writers and hopefully be just the first of many times you will read their work.

Now, since there will no doubt be some questions, here are some answers:

FAQ

Can I submit a story 5200 words?

No, 5,000 words is the max, with a 100 word buffer.

But what if you just don’t pay for those extra words?

Then it wouldn’t be professional rate, and would miss the intention of the issue.

What if my pro-sale was at a lower pay rate years ago?

If it was the professional rate at the time, it counts as a pro-sale.

What if I’ve had a pro-sale in another form / genre?

If this is your first short story pro-sale then you may submit, even if you’ve had, for example, a professional non-fiction release. If you have short story pro-sales in other genres, however, you are not eligible for these issues.

What’s a ‘Pro-Sale’? In this context?

LampLight is a horror market, so we are going by HWA guidelines for this. A ‘pro-sale’ will be 5¢ per word for a fiction piece, regardless of length. 

This was a flash fiction sale, not a short story sale…

The demarcations between fiction pieces, like flash, short, novelette, are to let the reader know how long they are, and aren’t really different categories. If it was pro fiction sale, it counts.

Submissions

In your cover letter, please add the following statement: “If accepted, this would be my first pro-sale.”

We open up 15 September, so there is time. We are looking for dark, quiet horror. Guidelines are posted here, good luck! We are excited to read your work!

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LampLight Volume 9 Issue 3

April 2021

The new issue of LampLight is here!

A restless ghost searches for answers. What happens when the stage lights are turned off? A strange illness and secrets from the past collide. A garden of second chances. A new mother’s restless night. Memories of a better time, of a better holiday. and directions Joe Langley’s house

Fiction from:

  • Anya Ow
  • Travis Tyler Madden
  • Natasha Pavlitsevits
  • Gillian Knox
  • Lisa Amico Kristel
  • Amanda Michele
  • Victor Sweetser
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The Night Wire – LampLight RadioPlay

iTunesSoundCloudGoogle PlayRSS Feed

It’s 1926. Jim works the night-shift at a newspaper, sorting out the stories that come in over the news wire telegraph, so he’s used to reading tragic stories. But the story that comes in tonight isn’t a typical news story.

Based on the story by H.F Arnold, found in Volume 2, Issue 3

Starring Bryan Coffee

The audio of a church service was from Eelke, under a Creative Commons License. (https://freesound.org/people/Eelke/sounds/462593/)

Adapted and Produced by Andrew Wardlaw

If you enjoy this, don’t forget to grab your subscription to LampLight Magazine and never miss an issue!  A subscription supports both the magazine and the podcast.

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LampLight Volume 9 Issue 2

December 2020

The new issue of LampLight is here!

Fiction from: Monte Lin, DeAnna Knippling, V. Medina, Brigitte N. McCray, Sean Mabry

What would you do for your brother? A writer cuts out words, cuts up paper, what do they find? The cities speak, if only you know how to listen. The song of an Appalachian folk legend. A daughter comes home late with a secret. And a Christmas Eve ghost story from 1868.

Get it today in ebook, and subscribe to LampLight and never miss an issue!

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LampLight Update

All submissions from March – May of 2019 have been responded to. Please check your inboxes and Submittable accounts. Feel free to query as well.

I’m sorry for the delays this year. I talk more about that on my blog.

Issue V8.1 of LampLight is out! Print, Kindle, Nook, iBooks, Kobo and Smashwords. Get it today.

PrintKindleSmashwordsNookiBooksKobo

Fiona Maeve Geist talks about Unica Zurn: Dark Fantasist and Shrouded Muse.

Fiction From:

  • Meghan Cruickshank
  • Katherine Givens
  • Crystal Sarakas
  • Yume Kitasei
  • Daniel Delgado

The December issue is being pushed to January. From then onwards we should be back on schedule.

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Volume 8 Part 2 Submission Window Change

Hi everyone. We are going to delay LampLight Magazine submissions to 15 October (and extend through December 2019!)

This will let us finish catching up on some things, get the September and December issues ready to go.

Apologies to everyone awaiting replies, we are nearly done and this delay will give everyone a fair shot for the next round.

When submissions go live, you can submit here!

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LampLight Volume 6 Issue 3 Released!

Chet Williamson is the featured writer! He brings a haunting story, “And So Will I Remember You…” We talk with him about audio productions, acting, and, of course, books.

Fiona Maeve Geist talks about Gertrude Barrows Bennett & Daphne Du Maurier

Fiction from:

  • Errick Nunnally
  • Melanie Rees
  • Lisa May Lu
  • Samantha Mills

Fiction from: Errick Nunnally, Melanie Rees, Lisa May Lu, Samantha Mills

Out now!

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Spring 2018 Submission Window Change

Hi everyone. We are going to delay LampLight Magazine spring submissions to 15 April (and extend through June!)

This will let us finish catching up on some things before Volume 7 starts.

In the meantime, we are having a subscription drive! Your support is what keeps LampLight going. Subscriptions support both the magazine and the podcast, and bring to you four great issues of LampLight magazine which can be sent directly to your Kindle if you like!

 

Subscribe Today!