Publishing Calls
Annually, Red Writes Books (through publishing imprint Lucy's Lantern Literature) puts out several anthologies in the Worldly collection hosted by Nerd Street, a convention promoter that holds pop culture expos around the nation, from Alaska to Florida. In addition, on a very limited basis, Red will publish an author whose work has commercial or creative value. Click to grow your library with anthologies and publications!
Now Taking Submissions for
2026's Worldly Anthologies
2024
2025
2026
2026
2026
Proliferation
Collectively, the authors who participate in the Worldly collections are live in front of half a million people with combined social reaches closer to a million...in your market! Beyond your sales and those taking place through maximized distribution, your name and story will go further in community than it could alone!
This community building extends to events you share together. When the anthology is purchased, authors often tell the purchaser, "You can get John P. Writer's autograph at his booth over there!" sending a new customer your way!
Association
Within the pages of Worldly collections are bestsellers, award-winners, and trending industry names.
These professional authors are people working their author businesses in front of their markets every single day.
As we all succeed (or already have), the names to which you can associate yourself through these collections can help you succeed, as well!
"I was in a book with John P. Writer!"
Play!
Want to try a new genre (or have one that you haven't put out)?
This is your chance!
Play in short format to explore career expansion or simply to keep your writing skills sharp and well-practiced.
These collections of one-seating reads are great for today's readers who are looking to invest less reading time before they know if they want an author's larger books, series, and collections.
Short stories and anthologies are a good way to introduce new readers to your voice and storytelling style.
Grow Your Line
(& Your Bottom Line)
Want to build out your backlist? Your library? Your display if you are doing live events? Your offerings to your reader base? Anthologies are a reasonably quick way to do so! Add quality collections to your stores in person, online, and through your distributors. Put all of your stories to work for your bottom line!
And, for organiztions and conventions working with Red to put out a custom anthology featuring your guests and authors, this could mean a regular income engine for your event! Check out "Working With Red" for more information!
Otherworldly Volume 3
This collection is the Hufflepuff of genre fiction collections. "And All The Rest." In other words, if you have a story that is genre fiction, everything from historical fiction to fantasy to steampunk. Whatever unique short story you have that needs a home - this is its welcome mat!
Netherworldy Volume 1
While the Worldly books do not use F-bombs or have explicit scenes for physical intimacy, you may push the envelope when it comes to darker tones or more mature themes. Netherworldly is your collection!
Outerworldly Volume 1
Where are my sci-fi peeps? Outerworldly is the new home for space, aliens, first contact stories, and the cosmos. Your earthbound or psychological science fiction may still land in Otherworldly, but trekkies and star warriors have great stories for this antho!
Community
Grateful to do this crazy career called writing in community. While I am proud of the Worldly anthologies, as well as the other collections I am blessed to curate and/or manage, there are some other amazing folks out there putting together some great work and you just might be able to join them in their genre fiction books, too! See below.
Anthology of the Damned
Christopher D. Schmitz puts out anthologies that I can't keep on my shelf! His continuing collection, Anthology of the Damned, had a year one proof of concept and it worked. He curated 4 BEAUTIFUL anthologies after that (the 3 of the current collection and the upcoming holiday-themed one), but he still has more books coming out annually in this "Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark" for grown ups collection. Click for details to submit through his Treeshaker Books Publishing Imprint on his author site.
Midwest Sampler
Justin Rose will point you, not just to your next great author, but your new favorite series, too. The stories he features in his collection are all related to existing story series of authors. Don't worry. They all stand alone, too. You don't need to know the related series . . . but you'll want to! Apply for his sampler collection of Midwest authors!
The Expanding Universe
You must belong to the group IASFA (International Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors) in order to see the details on The Expanding Universe which has its first submissions very early in each calendar year. You won't regret it! The group will give you far more than just an anthology opportunity! Competition for Craig Martelle's annual sci-fi anthology is fierce, but you will be in the pages amongst the greats . . . NYT Bestsellers and today's top trending authors.
Publish With Red
Red publishes a very limited number of new authors a year. She's worked to build many independent, hybrid, and major imprints in her decades of writing and publishing industry experience. Today, with a focus on her own line of books and games, as well as her anthology management, being a published author under her Lucy's Lantern Literature imprint takes a conversation. Primarily, she works with genre fiction authors (sci-fi, fantasy, LitRPG, steampunk, action-adventure, superhero, horror, etc.). She has a traditional side of her publishing house and a service-based publishing option when she works with authors at every level. Let's talk!
What is Lucy's Lantern?
My first writing began before I even started school. As a pre-schooler, I wrote Roses Are Red poems to my next-door neighbor and friend, Kenny. In 3rd grade, I started on stories. In 4th grade, I was published for the first time in a state-wide newspaper for a tale about road kill of all things. In 5th grade, my book reports were in the form of epic poems that I performed for my class with props and costumes. And, by the 6th grade, I knew writing would be my life, specifically because of my 6th grade teacher, Mr. Lee Braunel.
"Mr. B" was a storyteller and he brought the whole class together through the power of sharing tales. Even the most bored or disruptive kids were captivated when he spoke. He shared The Iliad using a yardstick as a sword and, during The Odyssey, he opened the windows of his corner classroom so that we would have a great breeze when he spoke of the storms at sea. He told us the true tale of The Christmas Tree Ship and had us crying and feeling holiday joy at the same time. To this day, I'm fascinated by shipwrecks as a result. He would move around the room, greatly animated in body and voice, and make stories come to life.
But Mr. B's storytelling all began with the tale of "Lucy." She was the name given to the ancient remains found on an archeaological dig. Lucy's story was featured in National Geographic magazine and Mr. B told us all about her life, based on scientific discovery. It. Was. Awesome. To set the mood for this "cavewoman's" yarn, Mr. Braunel pulled out a lantern and placed it into the middle of the room. He had the class all move their desks to the outside walls and the students sat in a circle around "Lucy's Lantern." Only then did the story begin.
After that day, anytime that Lucy's Lantern was pulled off the shelf, we were excited! You couldn't get us out of our desks (that we moved to the walls) and into our circle fast enough. Because we all realized . . .
When you see the light, you know it will be good.
It is my hope that I have kept that reality alive through my publishing imprint:
Lucy's Lantern Literature
For Mr. B and for everybody who can't wait to enjoy a great story, this is for you.
~Red
