DEHISCENT by Ashley Deng is out now!

DEHISCENT by Ashley Deng

OUT NOW

“A fresh and delicious take on the haunted house…a breathtaking mosaic of powerful themes…Deng’s astonishing debut is a modern classic in the making."

• Kelsea Yu, author of Bound Feet

As the world’s climate swings rapidly between oppressively hot and freezing cold, the remnants of civilization huddle in small communities to scrape together what they can to survive.

All except the Zhu family.

Yi has lived in her ancestral house her entire life, sheltered and safe from the scarcity that plagues her community. Her family enjoys a secret life of running water, electricity, and an abundance of food.

But as Yi seeks a way to share their fortune, she learns the terrible secret of the Zhu house.

DEHISCENT is an Eco-Horror tale of a future that has practically arrived, and the humanity that lurks in the most inhuman of places.

“Decadent, textured, and atmospheric. A story of peril and privilege…centred on the sacrifice for abundance and the chasm between those who have, and those who do not, [all] unfolding within a strange living house.”

• Ai Jiang, Nebula finalist, author of LINGHUN

Cover and interior illustrations by IVYTEAS.

BUY DEHISCENT HERE.

Step into Danger Slater's HOUSE OF ROT, available now!

"HOUSE OF ROT is the gross, hilarious love child of Kurt Vonnegut and Junji Ito!"

• Max Booth III, author of We Need to Do Something and Maggots Screaming!

Cover art by Kate Blairstone.

Interior illustrations by Echo Echo.

The pink mold growing on the walls isn’t the worst thing about Elenya and Myles’ brand new fixer upper.

There’s also the inexplicable footsteps in the night; the sealed-over windows and doors; the neighbor that hears their screams but can’t be bothered to help.

Soon, there’s no leaving at all. No hope of cleaning. And that encroaching mold? It’s practically become a second skin.

Welcome to the House of Rot. You’re never getting out.

buy house of rot

“A poignant and revolting masterpiece of fungal horror that captures the millennial condition with heartbreaking precision. HOUSE OF ROT is a phenomenal read.”

Eve Harms, author of Transmuted

Coming September 12th: THE BLACK LORD by Colin Hinckley

“Combine Shirley Jackson’s haunted claustrophobia, Stephen King’s nail-biting plots, and the cosmic otherworld-horror of Stranger Things, and you get one wholly original Colin Hinckley. Spend a few hours in [his] mind, and I guarantee you’ll be drawing the curtains tight for weeks.”

• GennaRose Nethercott, author of Thistlefoot

Cover art by Matt Blairstone.

Interior illustrations by Echo Echo.

Eddie’s parents may be arguing about the disappearance of his infant brother Danny, but Eddie’s facing a terror all of his own. There’s a strange figure outside that claims it has Danny safe and sound—all Eddie needs to do to get his brother back is open that window. 

Eddie’s father is filled with guilt over his relationship with his own lost brother. His mother has been abandoned to navigate her grief and terror alone. And his grandmother carries a disturbing, all-too-relevant truth about their shared family history. 

As minutes tick by and hope for Danny grows ever smaller, the very fabric of their world disintegrates, welcoming eldritch terrors of unspeakable provenance to their doorstep. The family is losing a decades-long struggle against an entity that is not of this world, and its hunger threatens to swallow them whole.

About the Author:

Colin Hinckley grew up at the edge of the forest in rural Vermont where many of his most enduring nightmares were born. His work has appeared in Tales to Terrify, The Lindenwood Review, and more. He lives in North Hollywood, California with his fiance, Amanda, and his cat, Franklin.

THE BLACK LORD arrives September 12th.

Submissions for THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE ALGORITHM are open!

THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE ALGORITHM is a special edition dark speculative fiction magazine concerning humanity's rage against the devaluing of the light. All proceeds from the sale of this publication—every cent remaining after printing, shipping, and taxes—will be donated to organizations that fight for the rights of human artists and pursue the regulation and limitation of machine-generation in the arts.

We are looking for dark speculative fiction stories, poetry, comics, illustrations, haikus, etc. at the meeting point between humanity and technology.

GENERAL SUBMISSION INFO

Submissions Window: May 17th to June 20th

Themes: (including but not limited to) humanism, machine-generation dangers, encroaching machine rule, algorithm overload, the chaotic crash point between the human mind and machine limitations, anticapitalism, advertising overload, self-destruction, the violence and humanity of creation, philosophy.

Genres: Weird Horror, Dark SF, Tech-Horror, Post-Apoc, Eco, Cosmic, Slipstream, Dark Lit.

Reprints: Yes

Simultaneous Submissions: Yes

Multiple submissions: Yes, try to keep it to a reasonable number

Target Age Group: Mature Audiences

Rights: World English first rights in print, electronic, and ebook, including a six-month exclusivity period. All copyright belongs to the author.

Response times: 1-2 months. All submissions will be responded to.

Diversity: Marginalized and first-time authors and artists are emphatically welcomed.

AI Disclaimer: Machine/AI-generated content is explicitly forbidden. Authors and artists should anticipate contracts declaring that no part of their submission was machine/AI-generated. Those who submit machine/AI-generated content will be permanently blacklisted from Tenebrous Press and our network.

How to submit: via the Google form provided for each section below.

Word count, format, and payment info can be found in the respective sections below.

DONATE HERE TO HELP US INCREASE PAGE COUNT AND NUMBER OF CONTRIBUTORS ACCEPTED.

SHORT FICTION

We are looking for dark speculative fiction stories that explore the meeting point between humanity and technology. This project is by HUMANS, for HUMANS, and intended to protect the rights of HUMAN artists; submissions should prioritize the human angle accordingly. Inspirations include Black Mirror, Twilight Zone, Vonnegut’s entire career, I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream, Brave New World, Moxyland, True Names, and All Our Wrong Todays—but don’t limit yourself; we want you to bring your own flavor.

Word count: up to 3500 words

Payment: 3c/word (USD) originals; $25 (USD) reprints

Format: Any standard manuscript format will suffice so long as your submission is readable. Home address and legal name are not necessary.

How to submit: Submit individual short stories as a .doc or .docx HERE.

NONFICTION

We are looking for articles/essays that reflect on this unique point in history when technology infringes on art and artists at an unprecedented scale. Nonfiction submissions should consider the human angle foremost (beyond simply stating “AI bad”). Technical explanations of AI/machine-generation will not be considered unless they offer a new angle that hasn’t been better explored elsewhere. 

We accept nonfiction pitches if you are confident you can write the entire article in under two weeks from acceptance, but a clear pitch, outline, and writing sample is required. 

Word count: 1000 to 2000 words

Payment: $50 per piece (USD)

Format: Any standard manuscript format will suffice so long as your submission is readable. Home address and legal name are not necessary.

How to submit: Submit your article/essay or pitch as a .doc or .docx HERE.

POETRY & WEIRD FORMS

Dark speculative poetry, haikus, limericks, and any other text work that experiments with form, etc. are welcome. We’re looking for narrative-forward poetry, clever plays with form, and weird blends. We’re much more likely to accept high concept pieces.

Word count: up to 40 lines for poetry, 3 pages for other

Payment: $25 per piece (USD)

Format: Any standard manuscript format will suffice so long as your submission is readable. Home address and legal name are not necessary.

How to submit: Submit individual works as a .doc or .docx HERE.

COMICS

We are looking for comics that explore the meeting point between humanity and technology. Humour, satire, dark speculative elements, political comics, and Sunday strip styles are all very welcome, as is anything weird we just haven’t thought of yet.

Format: 1-3 pages; B&W/gray tones only.

Payment: $70 per page (USD)

How to submit: Submit individual comics as a shareable pdf or image HERE. Please save the high-resolution versions for after acceptance!

Note: Final Print Dimensions will be 7”W x 10”H. Plan accordingly.

ART / ILLUSTRATION

We are looking to license art that explores the meeting point between humanity and technology. 

Format: B&W/gray tones only.

Payment: $50 per piece (USD)

How to submit: Submit individual art pieces as a shareable pdf or image via our HERE. Please save the high-resolution versions for after acceptance!

Note: Final Print Dimensions will be 7”W x 10”H. Plan accordingly.

DONATE HERE TO HELP US INCREASE PAGE COUNT AND NUMBER OF CONTRIBUTORS ACCEPTED.