Call for Submissions: Erotic Detective Stories

Searching out secrets and uncovering what’s hidden, detectives have been a staple of literature for centuries. Speculative fiction is no exception–from noir-descended private eyes in cyberpunk and urban fantasy, to police procedurals featuring special supernatural crime-solving divisions, to historical investigators using the latest steampunk technologies to solve the mystery. We want stories about all of these and more–and the erotic adventures they have on their way to cracking the case. Do they fall for femmes (or hommes) fatales? Do they employ some unorthodox methods to get information out of a suspect or a witness? Do they find themselves growing closer to their partner in crime-solving?

Submission deadline is 5/15/2013.

All sexualities and gender expressions are welcomed.

This ebook anthology is being edited by Nikola Klaus, editor of Like a Midsummer Night: Erotic Shakespeare.

For submission details, read on.

Length: Our preferred length is approximately 3500 to 7500 words, but we will consider the range from 2000 to 10,000 words.

How to Submit: All submissions must be made via email to Nikola Klaus, editor, at the following address: nklaus.circlet@gmail.com

Submissions sent to other addresses/other editors at Circlet Press will not be considered. Standard manuscript formatting rules apply even though sending as an attachment (MS Word .doc or .rtf preferred). Please note that this means your name, address, and email contact must appear on the manuscript itself and not simply in your email message. (If you’re not sure what standard short story submission format should look like, Google is your friend.)

No simultaneous submissions (that is, don’t also send your story elsewhere at the same time, and don’t send it to multiple Circlet editors, either), and no multiple submissions to the same book. One story per author per anthology, thanks.

All stories must include explicit sexuality and erotic focus. Romantic content is welcome, but in a short story remember to keep the details on the action and its effects on the main character’s internal point of view. We favor a strong, singular narrative voice (no ‘head hopping’ or swapping between different character’s points of view within a scene). For more details on our editorial preferences, see the general submission guidelines on circlet.com. We highly recommend reading the guidelines, especially the “do not send” list, to increase your chances of sending us something we’ll love. Try to avoid cliches. Fresh and direct language is preferred to overly euphemistic. Sex-positive, please, no rape/nonconsensuality/necrophilia or other purposefully gross topics. We do not publish horror.

Originals only, no reprints. We purchase first rights for inclusion in the ebook anthology for $25, with the additional rights to a print edition later which would also be paid $25 if a print edition happens. Authors retain the rights to the individual stories; Circlet exercises rights to the anthology as a whole.