Cross Genre / Slipstream
Historical Fiction
Horror
Literary
Open to All / Most Genres
THEMED: Dark.

Wicked Hollow is buying character-driven, atmospheric, emotive short stories. The most important attribute I'm looking for in each story and poem I read is whether or not it involves me, and subsequently the reader, emotionally. And the best way to do this to a reader is to give them a character onto which they can truly latch and ride. If your story doesn't take pride in developing its character, it's likely not a fit here. To be more specific, I'm not buying many stories that are especially urbanized or futuristic. I want rural, I want atmospheric, I want despairing, I want strong characters, lush descriptions, good pace, pronounced settings, clear writing (no matter how descriptive it may be). As odd as this may read upon first glance, I don't want stories driven by the storyline. The best storyline falls short without good characters living it. You must present to me a believable character who can carry myself and Wicked Hollow's readers through the piece. Wicked Hollow seems to take special pride in fence-riders, your stories the literary markets won't touch as horror and horror markets won't touch as too literary. Call it gothic, call it slipstream, call it literature, call it subtle horror, call it what you will. I thrive upon historical and/or foreign settings.