Our current submission period ends July 31, 2025

Pride with a Bite accepts both agented and independent works of horror by queer authors. We also accept horror-adjacent works, including thrillers, speculative fiction, dark fantasy, and non-fiction that focuses on horror through a queer lens. We are passionate about works that incorporate elements from different horror sub-genres and adjacent areas. Fitting into a box is not our style in any sense of the term, and we love writing that pushes boundaries across genres.

While we do publish what can be referred to as “queer horror,” our definition of queer horror is limitless. Queer horror has been rooted in Gothic or supernatural horror for a long time, but we aim to publish works that transcend this genre. We want to see what queer horror means to you.

Pride with a Bite is inclusive of all queer folx and we want to give your work the platform it deserves.

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We are looking for:

• Novels and Long Non-Fiction between 50,000 – 90,000 words
• Novellas and Short Non-Fiction between 20,000 and 40,000 words
  • We prioritize Own Voices authors, especially since we are a queer horror publisher. However, we are especially looking for manuscripts by queer authors who are also BIPOC, disabled, neurodivergent, etc.

While we will take a look at anything that meets our requirements, we are prioritizing works featuring the following:

• Cannibalistic characters
• Characters from underrepresented queer identities
  • Including, but not limited to, asexual, intersex, two-spirit, agender, aromantic, abrosexual, etc.
• Appalachian culture
• BIPOC authors and characters
• Folk-horror – Urban legends, cryptids, isolated towns with their own belief systems and way of doing things
• Found footage – Classic VHS style is great, but how about cellphone footage? TikToks? Instagram reels? Put this difficult genre into words and give it to us!
• Gothic – Including Southern Gothic, eerie Victorian houses, works that encapsulate the eloquent darkness of this sub-genre
• Avant Garde – Mind-bending twists & impossible odds with an artistic writing style
• Cosmic Horror – Throw H.P. Lovecraft out the window and give us your own cosmic horror flair featuring a fear of the vastness of the universe, space themes, or the multitudes of existence
• Horror Westerns – Cowboys (of all genders) galore!
• Short non-fiction addressing one of the horror sub-genres through a queer lens
  • This is an ongoing series we are working on, and each volume addresses a different horror sub-genre

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Notes

*Splatterpunk/Extreme Horror: We do not publish either of these specialties. However, we may consider works that feature elements from them but aren’t the entire piece of work.

• Example: Cannibalistic characters in manuscripts where some descriptions of their actions are addressed, but detailed accounts of gore are not a large part of the work.

*Animals & Children in Horror: We do not publish works that feature the violent torture/death of animals or children whatsoever. If essential to the story, these elements must be portrayed off-page.

• Example: A manuscript featuring a character whose motives involve losing a child or animal to violent circumstances

*Hate Speech: We will not publish any works that feature hate speech towards any group. However, as a publisher of queer horror, we understand that slurs used against queer folx are often part of our horror works and play a part in a character’s motives, personality, trauma, etc. This will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

• Example: Queer and/or BIPOC characters who experience hate speech/slander against themselves or those close to them, which drives their motives. This can also demonstrate the atrocities of how damaging hate speech and slander are, and how the horror genre can be used to fight back against hate speech.

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Submission Specifics & Requirements

• Agents: please email our Editor-in-Chief, Sage Moon, directly at sage@pridewithabite.com.

• Authors: please submit your work to us at info@pridewithabite.com during our submission period.

Sage does not accept direct unsolicited queries.