Author Jyl Glenn won last month’s contest and has agreed to host. Here is the new theme (and we’ll be accepting submissions throughout November and December):
“A deserted hallway, an abandoned amusement park, or a mist-covered subway platform at midnight—a place where reality blurs with the surreal—then twists into terror. These places are familiar, yet something is…off. Disembodied whispers, flickering lights, a subtle shift in the shadows, what kind of horrors lurk here? Will we come face to face with our deepest fears? With a monster? Write me a story that captures the essence of liminal spaces!”
Since we’re giving the hard-working folks at Crystal Lake a bit of a break in the 2nd half of December, this submission window will remain open until end of December, with the finalists being posted on Patreon through January 2025. Be sure to check out our new AI policy under the submission guidelines.
Before we get to the submission guidelines, please know that only the top 15 to 20 stories will be posted on our Patreon page for our patrons to vote on. The winner will receive $0.03 per word, publication in an upcoming Hotel Macabre anthology, and an Author Spotlight on our newsletter and Patreon page. The second-place winner will receive $0.02 a word, and the third place winner $0.01 per word. The winner will also have the option of hosting the following month’s contest for an additional $50.
Click here for Submission Guidelines.