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Call for Submissions: Four Seasons of Fear: A Queer Horror Anthology

Call for Submissions: Four Seasons of Fear

We’d like to invite you to contribute to Stacked Deck Press’s next comics anthology project: Four Seasons of Fear! This book will be a full-color, paperback comics anthology devoted to horror stories from queer perspectives. You may be wondering what distinguishes this book from other queer comics anthologies. Four Seasons of Fear will explore a full calendar year of fright and will feature stories that draw their inspiration from popular holidays, seasonal activities, or perhaps even the weather! We intend to launch a crowdfunding campaign for this book in early 2026.

We are looking for comics creators to round out our current roster of notable cartoonists, writers, and artists. Space in the book are limited, and many holidays and seasonal activities are already spoken for. We will not accept any proposals for topics already covered. At the same time, many notable holidays and seasonal activities have not been covered, and proposals for these are more than welcome. Below are a list of topics we ask you to avoid in your submission and a list of suggestions that we don’t yet have any proposals for.

Topics already covered (not accepting proposals for these):
• New Year’s Day
• Valentine’s Day
• Voodoo
• Easter
• May Day
• Juneteenth
• Fourth of July
• Dore Alley Fair
• Back to School
• Labor Day
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas
• Birthday

Suggestions for topics we could use stories for:
• St. Patrick’s Day
• Hanukkah
• Kwanzaa
• Ramadan
• Anniversaries
• Winter weather (blizzard, icy conditions, etc.)
• Summer heat (heat wave, humidity, etc.)
• Any holidays that your average American family may not celebrate
• Any holiday or seasonal activity not represented here

We may consider including more than one story per holiday or season, but the proposals would have to be exceptionally strong. We hope to accommodate creators’ desired themes and topics, but we cannot guarantee that the holiday or month you choose will be available.

Stories should be ten pages or less, full color, standard comic book page dimensions (6.625″ x 10.25″). We are looking for complete cartoonists and creative teams. We cannot match artists with writers. If you are in need of one or the other, you are responsible for assembling your own team, including anyone needed to handle such things as colors and lettering. Each cartoonist/creative team will receive a page rate of $75.00. Chief among our crowdfunding stretch goals will be increasing the page rate paid to contributors.

If you would like to be a part of this project, please reply to this invitation with the following:
1. A brief story proposal of one or two paragraphs
2. A link to the work of the proposed artist be it an online portfolio or Instagram account
3. Second and third choices for a story topic (other months, holidays, seasonal activities, etc.)

To reiterate, space in this anthology is limited and we will only be accepting a handful of additional proposals. Do what you can to wow us!

Please send your proposals and any questions to tara[at]stackeddeckpress[dot]com.

Thank you for your time! Please let us know if you’d like to contribute. We look forward to you scaring the pants off of us.

Tara Avery

Michael Varrati

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Call for Submissions! Stacked Deck Press’s Queer Sports Anthology Needs Comics Creators!

QUEER SPORTS PROJECT: CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

The Queer Sports Project (working title) is a full-color comics anthology featuring stories about LGBTQ+ athletes and their love of the sports they participate in. The editors on this project are Megan Praz and Meghan Kemp-Gee (creators of One More Year). The Queer Sports Project will be published by award-winning comics publisher Stacked Deck Press.

Please include the following in your submissions

  • The names and email addresses of all creators involved in the story
  • A working title for the proposed story
  • A summary of the proposed story, which includes the beginning, the middle, and the end. Please be succinct. More is not necessarily better.
  • A predicted page count. Estimates are fine. There will be time to settle on a final page count as we go through the publishing process.
  • Sample artwork or a link to a portfolio. Completed comics pages are strongly preferred.
  • Stories should be 10 pages or less in length.

WHAT WE WANT:

If your submission is accepted, the final art must be designed to fit standard American graphic novel dimensions: 6.625” x 10.25”. This is a full color publication, and color artwork is strongly preferred. However, grayscale and black and white artwork will be considered, if it meets with editorial approval. Each story will be the product of LGBTQ+ comics creators. We’re looking for creativity, honesty, and authenticity in these stories. We strongly prefer stories to be between 4 and 10 pages in length, though shorter stories will be considered if they meet with editorial approval.

We are accepting proposals from solo creators (those who create the entire comic by themselves) or creative teams (a group of artists and writers who collaborate on a finished story). You are responsible for forming and managing your own team. Stacked Deck Press will not match writers with artists. Editorial assistance with some aspects of your storycraft may be provided by editors, pending editorial approval.

WHAT WE DON’T WANT:

Excessively graphic content:

This anthology is intended for the adult reader, but we also want it to be appropriate for younger readers who may be discovering the world of queer sports for the first time. As such, we ask that creators refrain from explicit depictions of full nudity, sexual situations, and extremely graphic violence. We wish and expect to include romantic aspects in these stories, but we insist that we keep their depiction appropriate for readers of all ages. Please take this into consideration when making your proposal.

Fanfic or fan art:

Please don’t submit stories using intellectual property you don’t own. This is your opportunity to develop something new and unique. Stacked Deck Press will not publish work including characters and situations that are owned by other publishers or creators.

CREATOR RIGHTS, COMPENSATION, AND PERKS:

Creators will retain full publication rights to their work, as well as the characters and situations therein. Creators or creative teams will receive $50.00 per page and two complimentary copies of the Queer Sports Project. Creators are welcome to buy further copies at 50% of cover price to sell on their websites or at conventions, conferences, or other venues.

Stacked Deck Press makes regular convention appearances throughout the continental United States, often with our friends at Prism Comics. We can be found at venues ranging from small queer-focused events to major shows such as San Diego Comic-Con. If you wish, you can join us as a featured creator at these conventions, and if you like the spotlight, we might even be able to feature you on a panel discussion or other programming event. Your own work can be consigned with Prism Comics at its sales booth at these shows as well, providing creators with some exposure and some revenue from sales of their own books and merchandise.

Stacked Deck Press will notify those whose proposals have been accepted for The Queer Sports Project by August 2024.

WHERE TO SEND YOUR PITCH AND DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION:

If you would like to submit your pitch for a story for The Queer Sports Project, please send it to queersportsproject@stackeddeckpress.com. We are accepting pitch submissions until July 1st, 2024. The Queer Sports Project editors will inform you whether your pitch has been accepted for the book in August 2024.



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Call for Submissions! We Belong, a Black, queer Sci-Fi and Fantasy Anthology, is Looking for Comics Creators!

 

We Belong: a Black, Queer Sci-fi and Fantasy Anthology 

We Belong is a full-color comic anthology exploring Black queer stories in the science-fiction and fantasy genres. It will be curated and edited by veteran comics creators Viktor Kerney (Strangelore) and William O. Tyler (Theater of Terror: Revenge of the Queers, Stress Fracture). We Belong is a joint venture with Prism Comics, a nonprofit organization promoting LGBTQAIU+ comics, comics creators, and fandom.  We Belong will be published by award-winning comics publisher Stacked Deck Press.

PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING IN YOUR SUBMISSIONS

  • The names and email addresses of all creators involved in the story.
  • A working title for the proposed story.
  • A summary of the proposed story, which includes the beginning, the middle, and the end. Please be succinct. More is not necessarily better.
  • A predicted page count. Estimates are fine. There will be time to settle on a final page count as we go through the publishing process.
  • Stories should be 4–10 pages long.
  • If your submission is accepted, the final art must be designed to fit standard American graphic novel dimensions: 6.625″ × 10.25″.
  • This is a full color publication, and color artwork is strongly preferred. However, grayscale, and black and white line artwork will be considered, if they meet with editorial approval.

WHAT WE WANT

Each story is to be told and illustrated by Black queer artists and writers. We’re looking for creativity, honesty, and authenticity in your sci-fi or fantasy stories.  In the final edit, each story will be between 4 and 10 pages in length. 

We are accepting pitches from  SOLO CREATORS (those who make the entire comic by themselves) or CREATIVE TEAMS (a group of writers and artists who collaborate on a finished story). You are responsible for forming and managing your team. 

WHAT WE DON’T WANT

Excessively graphic content.

This anthology is intended for the adult reader, and we are open to stories featuring nudity, sexual situations and violence. However,  we are not looking for pornographic situations or extremely graphic displays of violence. Please take that into consideration when writing your pitch.

Fanfic or fan art.

Please don’t submit stories using intellectual property you don’t own. This is your opportunity to develop something new and unique. Stacked Deck Press will not publish work including characters or situations that are owned by other publishers or creators.

PITCH GUIDELINES

We are looking for pitches that will give us a clear idea of your final product.

Your pitch should include:

  • 1-2 ideas for the stories you would like to work on.
  • A few sentences on why your story fits our anthology’s theme. Including why this story (or stories) is very significant to you.
  • A portfolio and/or art blog with examples of your work. Portfolio links for the proposed participants, which may also include any preparatory sketches done for the proposal, although this is not required.
CREATOR RIGHTS, COMPENSATION, AND PERKS

Creators will retain full publication rights to their work, as well as the characters and situations therein. Creators or creative teams will receive $50.00 per page and two complimentary copies of We Belong. Creators are welcome to buy further copies at 50% of cover price to sell on their websites or at conventions, conferences, or other venues.

Prism Comics and Stacked Deck Press make regular convention appearances throughout the continental United States, from small queer-focused events to major shows including San Diego Comic-Con and New York Comic Con. If you wish, you can join us as a featured creator at these conventions, and if you like the spotlight, we might even be able to feature you on a panel discussion or other programming event. Your own work can be consigned with Prism Comics at its sales booth at these shows as well, providing creators with some exposure and some revenue from sales of their books.

WHERE TO SEND YOUR PITCH AND DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION

If you would like to submit your pitch for a story for We Belong, please send it to webelong@stackeddeckpress.com. We are accepting pitch submissions until March 31st, 2023. The We Belong editors will inform you whether your pitch has been accepted for the book in April 2023.

 

 

 

 

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Call for Submissions: Stacked Deck Press seeks contributors to The Polyamory Coloring and Activity Book

Stacked Deck Press is seeking illustrators and activity designers for a new project, The Polyamory Coloring and Activity Book. We are accepting proposals for coloring book illustrations and pen and paper activities relating to polyamory. Illustrations and activities should take as their subjects aspects of polyamorous culture, figures, cultures or moments in polyamorous history, humorous observations about poly life, or any number of related topics. Activities can take the form of classic pen and paper amusements such as crossword puzzles, word searches, and spot the difference exercises in addition to anything you may devise on your own. We have enlisted the assistance of an affirmative marriage and family therapist who specializes in working with polyamorous clients to assist us in devising our activities and ensuring that they reflect best practices. However we are still committed to making this book as much fun for the reader and user as possible.
Illustrations and activities will be compensated at the rate $50 per item. Contributors are free to propose more than one item to this project. However, they will be compensated only for those illustrations or activities which make it into the final book. Each contributor will also receive two comp copies of the Polyamory Coloring and Activity Book and will be able to purchase further copies at a wholesale rate. Contributors will retain the full rights to their illustrations or activities.
Topics for illustration and activities include, but are certainly not limited to:
  • Attachment Styles
  • The Bloomsbury Group
  • The Cadmus-French-French Triad
  • Communication Among Partners
  • Drawing and Understanding Polycules
  • Handling Jealousy
  • Intersectionality and Polyamory
  • The Kerista Community
  • Love Languages
  • Partners and Time Management
  • Non-monogamy in Ancient Greece
  • Non-monogamy in African Cultures
  • Non-monogamy in Huron Culture
  • Non-monogamy in Lakota Sioux Culture
  • Non-monogamy in Pawnee Culture
  • The Oneida Community
  • Partners and Time Management
  • Professor William Moulton Marston, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, and Olive Byrne
  • Relationship Agreements
  • The Self as Partner
  • Simone de Beauvoir and Husband
  • Terminology of Polyamory
  • To Be or Not to Be Polyamorous
  • Types of Polyamory
It is our goal to publish The Polyamory Coloring and Activity Book in Spring 2021. Deadline for submission proposals is January 15th, 2021. Those whose proposals have been selected for the final book will be notified by February 14th, 2021. Please send your submission proposals to tara@stackeddeckpress.com.
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Stacked Deck Press Seeks Book Designer for 1,001 Black Men

Stacked Deck Press is seeking a book designer for a hardcover art book project based on Professor Ajuan Mance’s illustration series 1,001 Black Men. This book will also include essays and poetry on the topic of Black masculinity from prominent academics and authors. The illustrations are in color, and showcasing them while fluidly integrating them with the written content is the goal.

Compensation will include a payment upon completion of the project and percentage of book royalties. The designer, if willing and available, may be invited for promotional appearances at comic conventions and book shows across the United States.

It is the strong editorial preference of Stacked Deck Press to find a Black, male-identified book designer for this project, and we will prioritize consideration of applications from Black men for this position. However, we will also consider the work of book designers of other ethnic backgrounds and gender identities for this project, if for any reason their work best meets our editorial criteria.

It is the goal of Stacked Deck Press to have this book ready for print no later than Spring of 2021 and available for purchase no later than Summer of 2021.

If you are interested please send your resume and a links to sample artwork to Tara Avery at tara@stackeddeckpress.com.

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Crush: First Love, New Talent Kickstarter is Live!

A Kickstarter campaign for Crush: First Love, New Talent is running now through July 10th. The backer rewards include digital and print editions of the book, Crush-themed tote bags, stickers featuring original art, coloring books, and sketches from the contributing creators.

Crush: First Love, New Talent is a comics anthology featuring 24 all-new stories about young queer romance. Stacked Deck Press in association with Prism Comics and the City of West Hollywood conducted a talent search for up and coming LGBTQAIU comics creators with a special focus on emerging queer identities such as asexual, genderqueer, pansexual, and others. The resulting group of 24 cartoonists and creative teams is drawn from all over the world.


Crush: First Love, New Talent will contain over 200 pages of comics content printed in trade paperback format. The co-editors on the project are Tara Madison Avery, publisher of Stacked Deck Press, and Viktor Kerney, author of Strangelore and Prism Comics board member. The book features a cover designed and illustrated by contributor Hayden Harwood.


The contributing creators include: Jaime Aguilar, AmyEYE, atelierMuse, Tate Brombal and V. Gagnon, Caroline Cao and Marie Wu, Mylo Choy, Mike Ciriaco and Terry Blas, Caterina Gerbasi, Rachel Gorman, Katya Granger, Hayden Harwood, Mei Lian Hoe, Skylar Kardon, E.J. Oakley, Can Richards, Max Spragovskiy, Daniel Stalter and Eleanora Kortsarz, Ravi Teixiera, Twolle and Lyn Straine, Stefani Vlusha, Letty Wilson, Cin Woodworth and Hendrick Kneeland, Priscilla Wu, and Potassium Wisteria.


Crush: First Love, New Talent will have a launch party on June 30th at the West Hollywood Public Library in the City Council room. Several contributing creators will be reading their selections from the anthology. Advance copies of the book will be available for purchase, and the creators will also be available to sign books. There will also be a panel discussion at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con devoted to Crush: First Love, New Talent featuring Tara Madison Avery, Viktor Kerney, Mike Ciriaco, Hayden Harwood, E.J. Oakley, and Max Spragovskiy. Copies of Crush will be available for purchase at the Prism Comics table at booth 2144 and at the Stacked Deck Press table L-06 in the small press section.


Stacked Deck Press is publishing house specializing in comics and coloring books of LGBTQAIU interest. Their publications include the Bisexual Book Award-winning Primahood: Magenta and the Lambda Literary Award Finalists ALPHABET, RESISTANCE, and We’re Still Here.

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Crush: First Love Anthology: Call for Submissions!

Prism Comics is launching an anthology featuring all-new LGBTQAIU comics talent to be published by Stacked Deck Press. The theme is first (queer) love and the working title is Crush: First Love, New Talent. The project editors will be Prism Comics board members Viktor Kerney (Strangelore) and Tara Madison Avery (We’re Still Here). Stacked Deck Press will launch a Kickstarter campaign in early 2019 to fund this project. In addition to a short list of comics creators handpicked by the editors, Prism and SDP are looking for new LGBTQAIU comics talent. THIS IS AN OPEN CALL FOR STORY SUBMISSIONS. If you would like to submit your work, here are some guidelines and requirements:

  • Crush: First Love, New Talent is a showcase for comics creators who have not yet been published in a widely circulated print publication. If you have a CV with a long list of recent published works, this project is most likely not for you.
  • Crush: First Love, New Talent is committed to the inclusion of comics creators of color and emerging LGBTQAIU identities as a priority.
  • Crush: First Love, New Talent will pay a base $25.00 per page rate to all contributing creative teams. This rate is subject to possible increase should the Kickstarter campaign exceed its initial goal. Story contributors will also receive two comp copies of the finished book.
  • This anthology will be a paperback book. We have not yet decided whether the interiors will be color or black and white. Exact page and file specifications to be announced concurrently with the final roster of creators. Print size will be 7” x 10”.
  • We are looking for stories of 10 pages or less. Exceptions to this length requirement will only be made upon approval from the editors. If you are interested in contributing, please send some sample finished artwork and a story proposal of one or two paragraphs long to editor@stackeddeckpress.com.
  • The open call for submissions ends November 22nd, 2018. The final roster of contributing creators will be announced in early January 2019.

We will launch Crush: First Love, New Talent at a party in the city of West Hollywood, CA pending publication. (Venue to be announced.) We look forward to seeing the work and perspectives of a new generation of LGBTQAIU comics creators! Thank you in advance for your interest!

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SDP Happenings for February 2018!

In February, Stacked Deck Press continues a busy 2018 with shows in California and the Midwest!

Come See Tara at AnaCon 2018!

This Saturday, February 10th at the Anaheim Public Library SDP will be at AnaCon! Come visit and see Tara for your favorite SDP titles as well as one-of-kind artist trading cards and original sketches made to order! This event is FREE! So those of you in the greater Los Angeles/Orange County area have no excuse not to come!

SDP Joins Prism Comics at Planet Comicon Kansas City 2018!

Four the fourth consecutive year, Prism Comics will be exhibiting at Planet Comicon Kansas City! Stacked Deck Press will be joining Prism again this year at their table in Artist Alley this February 16th through 18th at Bartle Hall! Come get your fave Prism and SDP titles ATC’s and sketches-to-order from Tara! Saturday Feburary 17th at 2:00 PM, don’t miss the panel discussion, Out in Comics, featuring Tara, Marshall Edwards, Christianne Benedict, Max Dlabick, and Kirsten Steitz!

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Call for Submissions: Magic Beings: A Coloring Book of Transgender and Genderfluid Myth and Folklore

Call for Submissions: Artists needed for Magic Beings: A Coloring Book of Transgender and Genderfluid Myth and Folklore

Stacked Deck Press is looking for cartoonists and illustrators of selected cultural backgrounds to contribute to a coloring book devoted to transgender history and spirituality. The project in question has the working title of Magic Beings, and it will be devoted to gender-non-conforming gods and mortals from around the world and across time. This book is expected to be approximately 45 pages in length with front and back cover illustrations. Contributors will be paid $20.00 for every image used in the book and will receive 2 complimentary copies. The contributor(s) of the cover illustration(s) will receive $50.00 for each illustration used in the final cover layout. Further copies can be obtained at wholesale price for the artists’ personal sales. (There is no limit on how many copies a contributor may purchase at wholesale.)

We are specifically looking for artists who belong to the following cultural and spiritual traditions to create pieces based on the subjects listed below.

India

  • Arjuna
  • Sudyamna
  • Mohini
  • Krishna and Aravan
  • Ardhanarishvara

Greece/Rome

  • Agdistis
  • Tiresias
  • Aphroditus
  • Caenus
  • Hermaphroditus
  • Dionysus

Egypt

  • Hapi
  • Amun

Mesopotamia

  • Ninshubur
  • Galatur (Asushunamir)

China

  • Kwan Yin

Native American

  • Aakulujjuusi and Uumaranituq (Inuit)
  • Ahsonnutli or Ashon Nutli’ (Navajo)
  • Alyha (Mohave)
  • Awanawilona (Zuni

Australia

  • Angamunggi

Voudon

  • Ayizan

Contributors will work under book editor Gillian Cameron (cartoonist of Calogrenant) and will have the opportunity for editorial input related to the spiritual traditions and figures of their expertise.

To be considered for inclusion, please send a short bio, a brief proposal for your illustration or piece, and three to five samples of illustration work to editor@stackeddeckpress.com. We will be accepting proposals until February 15th, 2018. Illustrations will be due March 15th, 2018. This book is scheduled for a Summer 2018 release.

 

Please direct any questions to the above email address or to tara@stackeddeckpress.com.

 

Thank you,

 

Tara Madison Avery

Publisher, Stacked Deck Press

tara@stackeddeckpress.com

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SDP Happenings for January 2018!

Stacked Deck Press has a big year planned for 2018, and we’re kicking off with a January full of events and new releases!

Come see Tara at Cos-losseum-San Diego 2018!

Come to Cos-Losseum San Diego this January 6th and get your favorite SDP titles! Tara will be signing books and selling sketches.  Proceeds from the show benefit the Lupus Foundation of Southern California, so come out for a good time and a good cause!

SDP makes its first appearance at the Hemet Library Comic-On!

Come to the Hemet Public Library this January 13th! Tara will be selling sketches and all the SDP titles  at this very special community comics show! We’ll also be offering the first issue of a brand new title, Lipu Sitelen! The show is free to library card holders. For those without a library card it’s $3.00 at the door. Support comics literacy in your community!

SDP’s Tara Avery and Sonya Saturday will be at Pasadena Comic-Con!

This January 28th, come see Tara and Sonya as they promote new titles! Tara will be offering SDP’s latest The Complete Gooch, compiling the full run of the popular bisexual-themed webcomic, including bonus material and an all new cover! Sonya will have a variety of brand new prints and publications showcasing her naughty, yet nice sense of humor!