“Resurrection Men”
by A.C. Quill
I stumble off the night bus, and find I’m lost in South London. In front of me runs a long, high brick wall. The map app on my phone shows me what’s behind the wall: Nunhead cemetery. A big green obstacle, I’ll have to trudge round the edge of it, if I want to get home.
Or could there be a short cut?
Continue reading Halloween Microfiction: Resurrection Men by A.C. Quill
“Monsters Without Masks: An Interlude”
by H.B. Kurtzwilde
The house at the corner of Cherry Street and Beville was the object of endless rumors. It was too big, too old, and too creepy to be just a home. Any child in River City could have given the address with total confidence if asked where to find a ghost or a witch. Therefore, the residents felt they had a civic duty to fulfill when it came to Halloween.
Continue reading Halloween Microfiction: Monsters Without Masks: An Interlude by H.B. Kurtzwilde
“Monsters Among Us”
by Bernie Mojzes
It’s not that he hated Halloween; he just found it tiresome. The incessant buildup in all the media promising unparalleled sights and frights, the ghosts and monsters of the past stalking through the modern world… ultimately a letdown. An adrenaline backwash.
And then, even worse, the interminable time afterward, a swamp of ennui and unexplainable depression, lingering days, even weeks.
Continue reading Halloween Microfiction: Monsters Among Us by Bernie Mojzes
“Witnesses”
by Eric Del Carlo
Fable had it that this Halloween night was when old-time rock ‘n roll held its breath: here was the great Incident, the naughty, erotic slip-up, that lightning-stuck occurrence when the two gaudy musical god children got it on together, man on man. Stick Duggs and Elvin de Vries, each bona fide legends. Rock icons who had blistered the flesh of the planet with their puissant sounds. Both men had already assembled acclaimed careers by this time; and they would persist as mainstays of music for decades after this.
But tonight…oh, tonight they were lovers.
Continue reading Halloween Microfiction: Witnesses by Eric Del Carlo
“Inkling”
by Julie Behrens
It was night by the time the raven Parri made it to the witch’s keep, and she let herself in without rousing a soul. She was cold and wet from the rain, and thinking only of her soft bed. But there was a candle burning in her room, and she winced to see Elena awake and writing at the small desk.
“You’re getting in rather late,” her witch said. The calm in her voice was more worrying than anger.
Continue reading Halloween Microfiction: Inkling by Julie Behrens
“Precipice”
by Eric Del Carlo
O Gods of Speed and Shadow! The imminence of the great, glorious calamity is present in the air, vibrating the particles, giving every edge a razor keenness, forcing the deepest colors from all surrounding objects. The thrill. The thrill! It is like nothing else, nothing in the universe, with all its splendors, its baffling wonders, its soul-searing beauties and mind-shattering horrors.
Continue reading Halloween Microfiction: Precipice by Eric Del Carlo
Things are hopping here in Salem MA, aka the Witch City. Tourists are pouring in by the busload. I’ve seen people in fancy “Witch” hats, navigated around countless walking tours, and already notched five things off my Haunted Happenings bingo card. All of this is to say that it’s that time of year again. Pumpkin spice. Halloween decor. Scary movies. And Circlet Press Halloween Microfictions.
Circlet Press is first and foremost a publisher of literary erotica. We pride ourselves on publishing inclusive and diverse stories of a fantastical nature. We especially seek to lift up authors who come from frequently marginalized backgrounds and identities.
For our Halloween microfictions we want stories that reflect our sensibilities—literary, erotic, exploring and celebrating gender and sexuality—while also harnessing the spirit of Autumn and October and Halloween. Horror is welcome so long as it is erotic and character-driven. Let your imaginations run wild. Stories can be funny or heartbreaking, steamy or sweet, and full on Pumpkin Spice Latte or just dusted with a hint of cinnamon, metaphorically speaking.
A few things to bear in mind:
A happy ending is not necessary. HOWEVER, I will not accept any stories where one spouse kills the other.
Halloween party hookups, night club hookups, demon summoning, and horny ghosts have been done to death. If you’re going to send those PLEASE make it original.
I am 100% open to classic monsters. I love vampires and zombies and werewolves and lots of other creatures. Just make sure to give them your own unique spin if that’s what you do.
I STRONGLY encourage authors to read the works posted to our website in order to familiarize yourselves with what we publish.
REQUIREMENTS:
Stories must contain erotic elements.
Consent must be EXPLICIT.
Nothing under the age of consent.
No bestiality.
No fan fiction.
The details:
Word count limit is 1,500. No reprints. Multiple submissions are okay. Please send as a Word doc or RTF (or in the body of the email) and follow standard manuscript formatting guidelines. Look up William Shunn if you aren’t familiar with manuscript formatting.
The deadline is October 15th, 11:59 pm EST. Payment will be $5 for stories under 1,000 words and $10 for stories 1,000 words to 1,500 words. Author retains all rights. Please include a short bio with your submission. Send submissions to jwsubs13@gmail.com
It’s a beautiful, sunny day here in Salem MA as I write this. The tourists have gone home. The locals are emerging from their homes bleary eyed and hopeful. Another wheel of the year has turned and brings with it new promise.
This year many of our stories centered around death. Making peace with it. Saying goodbye. Eking out the very last precious moments with loved ones. If nothing else, the pandemic has taught us the importance of human connection. I do hope you will all take a moment to revisit these stories, or read them for the first time if October was too much of a whirlwind for you.
Cloudless Climes and Starry Skies by A.C. Quill
Danse Macabre / Memento Vivere by Bernie Mojzes
Desire by DJ Tyrer
The Offering by Jennifer Williams
A Little Magic In Me by Avery Vanderlyle
Eyes Wide Shut by Elvyra Venus
The Dark Room by Cecilia Tan
I’m not going to say goodbye this year. I don’t know what the future holds. Things are in flux. Change is afoot. But death is merely transformation. We’ll still be here one way or another. The Circlet Alumni are cooking something up for next year. So long as life doesn’t get in the way you’ll hear from us again.
Until then, thank you. Thank you to everyone who submitted work. Thank you to everyone who read and shared the stories here.
Have a blessed New Year and stay safe.
“The Dark Room”
by Cecilia Tan
I hate committees. I hate meetings. Much as I love my fellow committee members, we always get sidetracked into debating if the group should boycott Facebook (if only) or whether the endorphin high from relentless edging can lead to hallucinations (an urban myth—and don’t try Tide Pods either). But I must admit sometimes good ideas come out of collective brainstorming.
Continue reading Halloween Microfiction: The Dark Room by Cecilia Tan
“Eyes Wide Shut”
by Elvyra Venus
The moon was full, the trick-or-treaters finally home in bed, and a few teens lingered on the streets throwing eggs and keying cars. I centered the bowl full of grave dirt, murderer cremains, and my blood on the gravesite and lit the white candle pressed into the muck. Though I’d purchased the $2 candle at the craft store, I had spent hours carving sigils and circles into it, the physical manifestation of my will for this spell to work.
Continue reading Halloween Microfiction: Eyes Wide Shut by Elvyra Venus