Fall is here for the northern hemisphere, with spring on the way in the south. Wherever your weather is changing, we hope it is pleasant and welcoming as we head into spooky season. We're excited for all the great things we have in store for October, and can't wait to share it with all our readers, supporters, backers, patrons, and friends.
Issue 133
We're in the midst of releasing one of our most surreal issues yet. So far we've shared "On the Sunlit Side of Venus" by Benjamin Parzybok, "The Day When the Last War is Over", by Sergey Gerasimov, and "Ten Steps for Effective Mold Removal" by Derrick Boden. Still to come we have "The Skinless Man Counts to Five" by Paul Jessup on 9/27, "Nothing that Bleeds" by Leah Ning on 10/4, and "Kings and Popes and Saints" by John Hansen on 10/11. Don't forget our interviews, classic fiction pieces, nonfiction, podcasts, and reviews, too!
Also special in this issue are our Holiday Horrors Top 3 winners from last year's contest, perfect for October.
Watch for our new releases at www.apex-magazine.com
Asian and Pacific Islanders Special Issue
Special guest editor Iori Kusano will be accepting short fiction submissions for our Asian and Pacific Islanders focused issue that is scheduled to come out in April, 2023. Submissions will be accepted through Moksha October 1st-31st.
Iori Kusano is a queer Asian American writer, competitive Yu-Gi-Oh! duelist, and Extremely Ordinary Office Gremlin living in Tokyo. They are a graduate of Clarion West 2017 and their fiction has previously appeared in Apex Magazine and Baffling Magazine. In addition to cohosting Righteous Kicks, a Kamen Rider podcast, on the Skiffy and Fanty Network, they write reviews for Strange Horizons. Iori also plays in Brandon O’Brien’s Soundclash and Speculate SF’s monthly Girl by Moonlight tabletop gaming broadcast (presented by Arvan Eleron). Find them on Twitter @IoriKusano and Instagram as iori_stagram, or at kusanoiori.com.
British Fantasy Award for Best Periodical/Magazine
On Saturday, September 17th, Apex Magazine received the British Fantasy Society Award for Best Magazine/Periodical. We are thrilled and humbled by this honor – and slightly in awe of the beautiful award. Our team member, Hesper Leveret, was there to accept the award on our behalf and gave a lovely speech.
We want to reiterate what was said in that speech and thank our amazing team of first readers, without whom Apex Magazine could not function. They read hundreds of submissions and help our editorial team curate the incredible collections we bring to you every other month. Their dedication makes everything else possible. Thank you team!
Finally, we have to acknowledge our hard-working and passionate staff. Jason Sizemore and Lesley Conner co-edit our magazine, alongside Special Fiction Editor Maurice Broaddus, Nonfiction Editor ZZ Claybourne, Podcast Producer Alli Nesbit, and associate editors Marissa van Uden and Rebecca Schibler.
As was said in our speech: When we created Apex, we did so with the hope that what we’re creating will be read, will make a difference in a positive way. That validation, receiving this award, is a fantastic feeling, and we will cherish this moment far into the future.
See the full list of nominees here, and the winners here. Our deepest thanks to the British Fantasy Society, voters, and jurors.
Apex Opens for Flash Fiction
Starting on October 7th, Apex will be open for flash fiction submissions. Themes are chosen by Patrons at the end of the month and announced to Patrons on the 1st of each month. Submissions will be open to the public on the 7th of each month. Submissions close on the last day of the month at midnight.
The winner will be announced no later than the 15th of the following month and will be paid $0.08/word or $10, whichever is more. The winning story will appear on our Patreon as an exclusive and will be included in the forthcoming issue of Apex Magazine. For example, the November and December Flash Fiction Winners will be published in the January 2023 Issue of Apex Magazine.
We are interested in adding BIPOC readers to our team of first readers. If you're interested, please contact Rebecca at rebecca.schibler@apexbookcompany.com
Podcast Episode 94
Our October Podcast will be "Nothing that Bleeds" by Leah Ning.
Check out Episode 93, "On the Sunlit Side of Venus", by Benjamin Parzybok and narrated by Doug Nesbit.
Apex Magazine: 2021 Anthology Preorders
Preorders are available now for Apex Magazine: 2021! Our largest book to date and with a print run of only 1000 copies, this compilation anthology will be coming to you on December 20th, 2022.
With stories by Alix E. Harrow, Sam J. Miller, Sheree Renée Thomas, Cassandra Khaw, and many more, Apex Magazine 2021 is a collection of darkly beautiful tales appearing originally in Apex Magazine January-December 2021. From a spaceship in the far-flung reaches of space to a cozy living room where a detective interviews a killer, this anthology explores the good and the ugly. It dissects what makes us human versus what makes us monsters.
Within these pages, you will meet a golem that doesn’t know how to save its family, a group of robots debating whether they are alive, and a woman striving for that social media-perfect life. From parasitic twins to a hospital dreamscape, to a town full of people wearing masks, this anthology will take you on journeys you never could have expected.
Come with us and discover the 48 surreal, strange, shocking, and beautiful stories in Apex Magazine 2021.
Pre-orders are available here or from many of your favorite retailers.
October Book of the Month
Our October Book of the Month will be Dark Faith, edited by Maurice Broaddus and Jerry Gordon.
Some of the genre's top authors and most promising newcomers whisper horror tales that creep through the mists at night to rattle your soul. Step beyond salvation and damnation in this intense horror and dark fantasy anthology containing thirty stories and poems that reveal the darkness beneath belief. Place your faith in that darkness; it’s always there, just beyond the light.
Experience the spiritual side of the zombie apocalypse in “The Days of Flaming Motorcycles” and transcend both hell and nirvana in “Zen and the Art of Gordon Dratch’s Damnation.” Look into “The Mad Eyes of the Heron King” to find the beautiful brutality written in the moment of epiphany or “Go and Tell it On the Mountain,” where Jesus Christ awaits your last plea to enter heaven—if there is a heaven to enter when all is said and done.
Editors Jerry Gordon and Maurice Broaddus will be joining Jason Sizemore and Lesley Conner for our monthly Patreon chat on October 11th at 8pm. Registration will be limited to the first 16 Patrons.
Happy Hour with Jason and Lesley
Patrons can join Jason and Lesley for an hour of chat, Q&A, and write-in on the second Tuesday of each month. Registration is limited to the first sixteen patrons who register. This month, editors Jerry Gordon and Maurice Broaddus will be joining Jason and Lesley for the whole hour! Patrons can register starting October 1.
Snap Judgment Halloween
Apex Magazine is excited to present SNAP JUDGMENT: The Halloween Edition, episode 5 of our rapid-fire, live-streaming critique series.
Every quarter, industry professionals Jason Sizemore, Lesley Conner, and a special guest offer live feedback on the first page (up to 250 words) of genre short stories or novels submitted by our backers. For our Halloween Edition, we are looking for your horror and dark fiction. Send us your spookiest, weirdest, and creepiest story openings!
Snap Judgment – Halloween Edition will be livestreamed on Wednesday, October 26, 11 a.m. ET (8 a.m. Pacific, 10 a.m. CT, 3 p.m. UTC).
We are pleased to announce that our special guest editor for this event is editor and writer Alex Woodroe.
HOW IT WORKS
Our host reads the submissions aloud (without identifying the author). If at any point our panelists feel they would stop reading and reject the piece from their slush pile, they raise their hand. If all three hands are raised, our narrator stops reading.
Each panelist then gives their feedback on the opening: what works for them, what doesn’t, and what could be done to improve it. Don’t expect our panelists to be a mean group, but do expect them to be honest when it comes to assessing the work.
HOW TO WATCH THE EVENT
The event is available for anyone to watch. We’ll be streaming it live via two outlets:
Apex Magazine Patreon (Note: The link will be live on the day of the event and afterward. Prior to that, it will take you to a 404.)
Apex Magazine YouTube
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR STORIES
Submissions are limited to our backers (Patreon supporters, magazine subscribers, and Kickstarter backers) and should be only the first 250 words (approximately) of your novel or short story. To submit…
Please make the subject of your email “Snap Judgment Episode 5” and the title of your story. In the body of your email, include the title of your story again, the genre, and whether it’s a short story, novella, or novel, etc. Copy-paste your first 250 words directly below that. Please include either your backer/subscriber email address or receipt of your subscription/support. Send your submission to ApexSnapJudgment@gmail.com.
In case of a final sentence taking your submission over 250 words, please cut the last line. All entries will be read anonymously and our panelists will not be given any identifying information before, during, or after the event.
Submissions close midnight Monday, October 17.
Special Guest – Alex Woodroe
Alex Woodroe was raised—possibly by wolves—in Romania, on the outskirts of Transilvania. She found her way into Weird, transgressive fiction through a gateway in the woods and made a career out of doing terrible things to words in multiple languages. She’s an acquiring editor for Tenebrous Press and a guest editor for Brigid’s Gate Press and Dark Matter Ink. Her debut novel, Whisperwood, is coming out through Flame Tree Press in 07/2023. Her favourite horror story is Alice in Wonderland. She is a member of the Horror Writers Association; you can chat with her on Twitter @AlexWoodroe or at AlexWoodroe.com
Host & Narrator – Alyson Grauer
Alyson Grauer is an author, actor, and podcaster based out of Chicago. Her first novel, On the Isle of Sound and Wonder, is a steampunk Shakespeare retelling and her short fiction has appeared in Apparition Lit, Cast of Wonders, and several indie anthologies. Her audio production work can be heard on such podcasts as Skyjacks: Courier’s Call, The Write Mindset, Warda, and the One Shot Podcast Secret Archive. She’s also known for performing at renaissance faires and world-class theme parks. Find her at dreamstobecome.com or on Twitter & Instagram @dreamstobecome.
Microfiction Contest
The microfiction theme for October is Behind the Moon. Submissions are open until midnight central US time, September 30th.
Read our August winner, "Consummation", by Anne Gresham, here.
Patreon Exclusives
Also on our Patreon, we have an exciting lineup of exclusives for our Patrons from the Authors of Issue 133. We'll have interviews, photo tours, and story insights. Keep an eye on our Patreon!
Not a Patron? Join us for as little as $3/month to get access to these exclusives and the magazine in your inbox!
Discord Happenings
As always, we have fun and community on our Discord: our monthly game 'night' with Codenames AKA Weird Brain Yoga, critique swaps, live co-writing sessions, and general community support for writers. (Rejectomancy, anyone?)
To add the Apex Events Calendar to your google calendar, follow this link: https://tinyurl.com/4c74rext
