I’m your Lunar Awards horror ambassador, (writer of and admin over at ), and I have the pleasure of announcing our winning horror writers for Season 11! Our judge this season was the ultra talented of .

Thank you to everyone who submitted. Writing is hard, and it means a lot that so many of you took the time to craft something and share it. Keep writing, keep pushing, because the work shows.

Drum roll please….

Here are your winners!

Lunar Awards Winner: The Shadow That Follows by

For me, The Shadow That Follows delivered on the promise of the horror genre. It has an immersive setting and a fully developed main character that the reader comes to care about over the course of just a few pages. That element of empathy ratchets up the tension along with our heart rates. There’s also an intriguing touchstone in the form of an illuminated manuscript that adds complexity and depth to the story. But best of all is the story’s monster that’s all the more menacing because it remains mysterious and unknowable right up until the final image that still gives me chills just thinking about it.

Read "The Shadow That Follows"

Runner-Up: Anniversary by

Anniversary is another story that sticks with you long after you’ve finished the last word. On the surface it’s quite different from The Shadow That Follows, but here also we have a carefully crafted portrait of a compelling character within a world that feels visceral and immediate. With that kind of storytelling, the struggle against the all-to-real monster and the final gut-wrenching twist carry a real impact that’s both devastating and earned.

Read "Anniversary"

Honorable Mentions: Coverage by and The Brothers of Boise by

I’d like to call attention to the following honorable mentions, which are also great examples of the power of horror to move beyond the terror and poke at the dark underbelly of human experience, revealing as much with darkness as others do with light.

Read "Coverage"

Read "The Brothers of Boise"

Closing Remarks

I’m always astounded by the breadth and depth of creativity across fiction on Substack, but I truly feel that the horror community here shines. Writers in this genre are consistently pushing boundaries, breaking through the ordinary and rearranging it into a dark kaleidoscope of words that finds meaning in the macabre.

Not surprisingly, the submissions for this round of the Lunar Awards offered up a veritable phantasmagoria of horror, bringing classic monsters to life, reimagining familiar tropes, and mining the darkest corners of the imagination for new ways to chill the reader.

It was a difficult task to judge these stories and the choice ultimately came down to the power of storytelling. Which ones did I come back to the next day and read again? Which ones felt rich and layered? Which ones made me hold my breath and race along to the end to see what happened next? In short, which of the entries grabbed me by the throat and wouldn’t let go?

~Garen Glazier

Thank you to all the writers who submitted!

Below are all the horror writers who submitted to this season of Lunar Awards. Let’s show all these authors some love!

NICK AFTER NORMAL

WAKE. LOOK. DREAD.

This halloween I give you a short story about what I think is our society’s greatest monster…

Read more

6 months ago · 41 likes · 27 comments · Nick Buchheit

Nicholas Samuel Stember’s Substack

Residual Effects

One late afternoon, many years ago. I was at work when a storm came in. The afternoon skies went completely dark and rain started to hit the big windows of the three story building I was in, hard. As I stared at the window vibrating from the wind and rain, this eco horror story began to form in my mind. I hope you enjoy it…

Read more

a month ago · 3 likes · Nicholas Samuel Stember

Michael’s Musings

War Games

Read more

a month ago · 3 likes · Michael S. Atkinson

Gregory Blair - Scribbling Entertainment

The Shrieking Giant

Searing pain…

Read more

5 months ago · 15 likes · 2 comments · Gregory Blair

Declan’s Substack

The Statue

Firdaus Kazim looked out over the dig that was taking place under the molten hot sun. His silver hair was neatly cropped, his sleeves were rolled up, showing his bronze skin. For years, he had searched the lands of Southern Iraq for this lost temple of Babylon. Finally, after all this time, the digging and the dedication to God had paid off. For now the…

Read more

2 months ago · 1 like · Declan Cosson

Beneath The Pines

Ours To Keep

Read more

a month ago · 14 likes · 4 comments · Brennen Costa

niottu by James Leth

The Mystery of Henry Orson

I had neither seen nor heard from Henry Orson for seven years, but prior to that we had been best of friends—classmates and even, for a time, roommates at Miskatonic University. Upon graduation from that august academy, my head full of arcane and esoteric knowledge, my heart dancing to the tune of infinite possibilities, I traveled far and wide. I sough…

Read more

a month ago · 1 like · James Leth

The Why & the Why Not

The Beyond

Introduction…

Read more

a month ago · 6 likes · 9 comments · Nick Winney

Grey Matters

Chair - A Haunting

Dearest Penguin People…

Read more

a year ago · 21 likes · 13 comments · K.Lynn Grey

Made From What's Not Real

Demon In His Soul

It was a sweltering summer night in 1959 when it happened. The place was Hoppy’s Hut, one of dozens of small entertainment venues designed for African American clientele in what was politely known as the “Chitlin’ Circuit”. The attention of the patrons was entirely focused on the bizarre, wiry personage who was now gracing the stage with his presenc…

Read more

2 years ago · 50 likes · 6 comments · David Perlmutter

The Wandering Bard

Onion Soup and the Girl From Briar House

The sun was setting slowly into the distant, tree-lined horizon. Crickets and frogs began to sing, bringing the bog alive with an ancient song. At the edge of the swamp sat a dilapidated house with boarded up windows and peeling paint. Its front porch looked like it would sluff off at any moment and join the frogs…

Read more

3 months ago · 6 likes · 2 comments · Gracie

Welcome to The Pitch, a monthly discussion thread of the best speculative fiction on Substack, introduced by the authors themselves!

Whether you’re a reader searching for new worlds or a writer ready to promote your latest piece, this thread is for you! Here’s how it works:

📝 Are you a writer?

Head to the comments and add:

1. A link to the speculative fiction that will keep your readers up at night (short story, serial chapter, anthology excerpt, essay, etc.).

2. A 1–2 sentence pitch to hook new readers.

Bonus: Share the inspiration behind the story, a moodboard, the first line, favorite reader tropes. Be creative!

🔖Are you a reader?

Head to the comments:

1. Browse the comments to discover fresh speculative fiction directly from the authors.

2. Like the ones that catch your eye.

3. Leave a comment on a story you enjoyed—it makes a writer’s day and starts great conversations.

Already have a favorite ghost story to fit the theme of this spooky month (on or off Substack)? Leave a comment to drop a rec of your own!

🖖Support the Community

Want to help these stories reach more readers?

1. Restack. Restack this thread. Restack the stories you are reading. Let fellow Substackers know what you enjoy.

2. Share it to Reddit, Discord, X, Instagram, Facebook, share it with your mom, uncle, best friend, grandpa, neighbor who weirdly does yardwork at midnight—anywhere speculative fiction lives, let them hear from you.
   

   Share

Your word of mouth holds so much power. The more you share, the more readers will read, the more connections we build. Let’s keep the signal strong.

The Gathering is an opportunity to share the story you wrote for The Spark #9. Thank you all for your patience. We are one day late!

Give us a brief teaser (one sentence) and then add the link in this discussion thread. Be sure to stop by throughout the day and engage with your fellow adventurers. The Lunar Awards is a place to discover and to be discovered. We want to connect you with the community. If you’ve already posted your story in the original prompt discussion thread, that’s okay! You can post it in both places, so it gets optimal readership.

Subscribe now

Many of you stretched your creative muscles with this prompt, and amid the busyness of life, you managed to get words written. We gather to share today, but the discussion thread will remain open should you decide to try your hand at the prompts in the future. Come back and add a link to your story. Even if the fire grows cold, we still maintain our burning desire to read good speculative fiction.

Romantasy: Breaking into Publishing’s Bestselling Genre

The Lunar Awards invites you to participate in this Reedsy Conference on writing Romantasy. Our members can use code REEDSYROMANTASY for $10 off their ticket. If you’re interested, check out the conference overview and event schedule below:

11 am - 11:45 am EDT / Breaking Into the Romantasy Market with Jennifer L. Armentrout, Cara Clare & Alyssa Day

To kick off the day, we’re joined by three NYT bestselling authors who will talk to editor Rebecca Heyman of Entangled Publishing about writing and publishing novels that have captured readers’ hearts. From their writing routines and favourite tropes to the latest trends, they will share insightful advice from their prolific careers. There will also be an opportunity for you to ask your own questions during a live Q&A.

12 pm - 12:45 pm EDT / Crafting Your Hero and Heroine

Your novel’s characters are key to keeping readers rooted in your story and invested in the outcome from page one. In this session, romance and fantasy editor Sara Oestreich will show you how to craft your central couple, from developing individual backstories and motivations to plotting their journey towards happily ever after — or not, this is romantasy after all! You’ll also learn how to draw on well-known tropes and infuse your story with conflict to keep tension high and the plot moving.

1:15 pm - 2 pm EDT / From Scratch: Worldbuilding Without Info Dumping

Romantasy readers want to be transported to another world. But how do you create a new realm without overloading the reader or taking the focus away from the story? In this session, editor and author V. Ruiz will discuss how to infuse culture, history, and rules into the world without slowing the pacing or relying on the dreaded “infodump.” Whether your world is similar to ours or spans multiple realms, dimensions, or planets, you’ll learn to identify the best opportunities for worldbuilding within your manuscript.

2:15 pm - 3 pm EDT / Writing Spice: A Recipe for Success

Spice isn’t just about titillating taste buds — good spice serves a purpose in your story, and lingers with the reader long after their last bite. In this session, editor Molli Jackson Ehlert will show you how to purposefully weave sex into your story in ways that strengthen both plot and character. You’ll learn how to season your books with the right amount of spice and cook up sex scenes that sell.

Sign Up Here!

Use code REEDSYROMANTASY for $10 off your ticket!

Subscribe now

I sometimes feel disappointed by cliffhanger endings, especially in a modern series that is still ongoing and, unfortunately, unfinished. There’s nothing inherently wrong with abrupt endings, but my preference is to read a conclusion that ties up most of the dangling plot threads; otherwise, the “ending” can come across as an arbitrary stopping point, as if the author didn’t know how to end it.

On the flip side, I recently enjoyed a five-book series that seamlessly blended the books into one epic story. If done right, readers will keep coming back, knowing that the author is taking them on a well-thought-out journey. And that’s kind of what it comes down to: a reader’s trust in the story and the one telling it.

To me, for a series to have decent fundamentals, the author must carefully consider what to keep, what to leave out, and when to do both. But I’m not a well-established author, nor am I qualified to advise on writing a series (I struggle with finishing short stories). That’s why I’ve teamed up with Reedsy Learning (affiliate link)* to bring you the experts at a discount!

Reedsy Learning has provided us with a 50% discount code (WINSTON50) to attend the course “The Bigger Picture: Writing with a Series in Mind” by Lisa Edwards (The Hunger Games, His Dark Materials) on April 13th. If you’re interested in learning more about crafting a series, consider joining us in this upcoming Reedsy Masterclass.

Sign Up Here!

*A portion of the funds raised by attending this class and future events is returned to the Lunar Awards to improve our prizes and cover operating costs, which keeps the awards free for all indies to participate.

Lisa Edwards brings thirty years of experience across both children’s and adult books. As Publishing Director of Scholastic UK, her team published bestsellers including The Hunger Games and His Dark Materials. She has been a freelance writer, editor, agent, and publisher for the last seven years.

In this hour-long Masterclass, we’ll learn:

• Why the possibility of multiple books appeals to publishers.

• Ways to strengthen your concept by thinking beyond a single book.

• How to tailor your idea for different age groups and market needs.

• Tools for planning narrative arcs within individual books and across a trilogy, series, or collection.

I’m going to be there. I hope you will be, too. Don’t forget to use code WINSTON50 during checkout to get 50% off your ticket price. Thanks for being a part of the Lunar Awards!

Sign Up Here!

Welcome Promptlings to The Spark! It’s time to be weird, fantastical, daring, and deploy your creativity. Imagine monstrous beasts, conniving ghosts, and characters with mysterious motives who may also control weapons of wonder. All of this wondrous speculation originates from your imagination. The task is yours. This is The Spark!

The Rules

The rules are simple. You will be presented with a prompt. It could be a required first line, a task that will challenge your craft, elements required in your story, or a genre specific prompt. You will have two weeks to write a short story under the rules of the prompt. We’ll host a Gathering to celebrate what’s been accomplished and highlight your stories at the end of two weeks. You can share them on this thread, as well as The Pitch at the end of the month. This is an opportunity to find writers you admire, befriend, and learn from.

When sharing your creation, give us the title of your piece, genre in the form an emoji (see below), a brief teaser, and a link to your work. While most of the work will be posted on Substack, you are welcome to share work that fits the prompt that has been shared elsewhere (Wattpad, Simily, Amazon, etc.), but we do ask that the piece be available to readers for free. The Spark is an opportunity to grow in your craft and share your work with other speculative fiction writers.

Genre Emoji Index

👽- Science Fiction

🔮- Fantasy

💀- Horror

🔥- Dystopian

🍫- Magical Realism (Like Water for Chocolate, get it??)

👀- Weird Fiction

(The Gathering discussion thread will take place on Sunday, April 19th, starting at 3am PST, and will run all day.)

The Prompt

I’d like to come back the original Prompt Quest and bring us back to genre. Most (if not all) of us here are speculative writers. In some ways, I see speculative fiction as a catch all for the strange and supernatural. Science fiction, horror, fantasy. Epic Sci Fi, High Fantasy, Body Horror, Paranormal Thriller, Dystopian, Romantasy… We all could keep going, I’m sure.

Today’s prompt is brought to you by DailyPrompt.com. This website provides genre specific prompts with a quick click of your preferred genre.

I selected sci fi this month. It could be that I am finally watching Fallout (two years after friends and family raved about it and suggested I watch it) or that I’ve been researching alien tropes for a story idea that is just starting to percolate, or all of the above. I personally don’t tend to write science fiction, but it is a fun genre to play with! I liked this month’s prompt because it offers a bridge for fantasy and sci fi writers. Are you up for the challenge?

Happy writing!

Good Luck Promptlings!

If you have questions or suggestions, feel free to comment or send me (Reina Cruz) a DM.

Leave a comment

Welcome to The Pitch, a monthly discussion thread of the best speculative fiction on Substack, introduced by the authors themselves!

Whether you’re a reader searching for new worlds or a writer ready to promote your latest piece, this thread is for you! Here’s how it works:

📝 Are you a writer?

Head to the comments and add:

1. A link to the speculative fiction that will keep your readers up at night (short story, serial chapter, anthology excerpt, essay, etc.).

2. A 1–2 sentence pitch to hook new readers.

Bonus: Share the inspiration behind the story, a moodboard, the first line, favorite reader tropes. Be creative!

🔖Are you a reader?

Head to the comments:

1. Browse the comments to discover fresh speculative fiction directly from the authors.

2. Like the ones that catch your eye.

3. Leave a comment on a story you enjoyed—it makes a writer’s day and starts great conversations.

Already have a favorite ghost story to fit the theme of this spooky month (on or off Substack)? Leave a comment to drop a rec of your own!

🖖Support the Community

Want to help these stories reach more readers?

1. Restack. Restack this thread. Restack the stories you are reading. Let fellow Substackers know what you enjoy.

2. Share it to Reddit, Discord, X, Instagram, Facebook, share it with your mom, uncle, best friend, grandpa, neighbor who weirdly does yardwork at midnight—anywhere speculative fiction lives, let them hear from you.
   

   Share

Your word of mouth holds so much power. The more you share, the more readers will read, the more connections we build. Let’s keep the signal strong.

After the success of Season 10 and the opening of my bookstore, I realized that the awards needed more external input to grow beyond my abilities. I sought out passionate ambassadors who celebrate indie genre fiction to join the Lunar Awards’ mission to elevate and reward emerging talent. That wonderful team of Genre Ambassadors is (Fantasy), (Science Fiction), and (Horror).

Now, we are in a new year (Season 11) of celebrating the best speculative, indie fiction on Substack, and Round 1 has already concluded. With Round 2 in full swing, I wanted to share some big news about how we plan to continue supporting our growing literary community.

To keep the Lunar Awards free and to improve our prizes, we’ve partnered with one of the biggest advocates for indies out there: Reedsy Learning!

Reedsy Learning is the go-to hub for educational resources tailored to writers. From premium writing courses and weekly masterclasses to conferences with industry leaders, they help writers at every stage develop their craft, understand the publishing process, and achieve their goals.

How will this partnership work, and how will it benefit you?

To start, we will periodically share exclusive discounts on the Monday Masterclasses. Tickets for these classes can be purchased à la carte (roughly $15–$19) or with an all-access annual pass called the Learning Membership ($249). An annual membership also comes with 6 conferences and 12 workshops.

A portion of every purchase made on Reedsy Learning using our affiliate link will support the Lunar Awards. We’ll use any funds generated by this partnership to improve the quality of our prizes, cover costs, and further legitimize the awards.

If that wasn’t enough, Reedsy Marketplace and Reedsy Discovery will also be contributing significant prizes to the winner of our upcoming summer contest set to replace the “First Chapter Award.” Details of that contest will be announced in a separate post soon.

To celebrate the launch of this partnership, Reedsy Learning has provided us with a 25% discount code (WINSTON25) to attend the course, “Creating Fantasy Systems for Your Book and Series” with Lev Grossman (The Magicians, The Bright Sword) on March 30th from 6–7 pm EDT.

In this hour-long Masterclass, we’ll learn:

• How to design magic systems that inform character psychology.

• When to explain the rules of your world (and when to let mystery do the work).

• How to build systems that evolve across a series without collapsing under their own logic.

• Common pitfalls in fantasy worldbuilding and how to avoid overengineering your magic.

This will be followed by a live Q&A where you can ask the bestselling author any questions you have about creating worlds that feel alive rather than ornamental, writing a fantasy series, and getting published.

I’m going to be there. I hope you will be, too. Don’t forget to use code WINSTON25 during checkout to get 25% off your ticket price. Thanks for making the Lunar Awards special!

SIGN UP HERE!

The Gathering is an opportunity to share the story you wrote for The Spark #8. Thank you all for your patience. We are one day late!

Give us a brief teaser (one sentence) and then add the link in this discussion thread. Be sure to stop by throughout the day and engage with your fellow adventurers. The Lunar Awards is a place to discover and to be discovered. We want to connect you with the community. If you’ve already posted your story in the original prompt discussion thread, that’s okay! You can post it both places, so it gets optimal readership.

Subscribe now

Many of you stretched your creative muscles with this prompt, and amid the busyness of life you managed to get words written. We gather to share today, but the discussion thread will remain open should you decide to try your hand at the prompts in the future. Come back and add a link to your story. Even if the fire grows cold, we still maintain our burning desire to read good speculative fiction.

Welcome to Round 2 of the Lunar Awards: Horror

The Lunar Awards is a yearlong event broken into six rounds focusing on three genres (Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction). At the end of the year, we’ll publish the winning stories in a physical book.

My name is , author of Kindling, and I’m your Horror Ambassador for the Lunar Awards.

Please read this post in its entirety before submitting a story. Any entries that do not follow the guidelines will not be accepted.

Your participation and stories make this event possible. Thanks for giving the Lunar Awards a chance. We wish you the best of luck! And please comment or DM us with any questions.

Your Judge:

Greetings, fellow writers. I’m Garen Marie, creator of Only Child Originals, and I’m so honored to be a judge for Round 2 of the Lunar Awards: Horror.

You may know me from the Substack events I’ve organized, including The Twelve Days of Christmas—Dark Tidings, Small & Scary / Big & Beastly, and this year’s Spring Fever! Horror in Bloom. My short horror stories have appeared in the anthology Give Us This Day from Drek, Death and Doom Publishing as well as the upcoming Eye See You collection from TiF Press.

I love reading and writing horror because it has an uncanny way of getting at the truth. Stories that confront the eerie, macabre, or disturbing do us all a great service by prying up the seemingly ordinary stones of human nature and revealing the wriggling creatures underneath. There’s much to learn from poking around in that hidden underbelly and taking a good, long look at what we find there.

And so, for me, the best horror goes beyond blood and guts and aims straight for the heart. Horror stories thrill and scare, but the ones that take it to the next level understand the risk and reward of confronting the darkness that dwells in all of us.

Writing down these demons takes courage. Sharing your work with others is an act of bravery. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read your words. I can’t wait to see what strange and unsettling tales you have in store for me.

Season 11 | Round 2 Details

Please read the FAQ for complete rules and word limits. If you have questions, ask in the comments.

Horror includes any of its subgenres: Historical, Supernatural, Gothic, Psychological, Slasher, Body, Monster, Cosmic (Lovecraftian), Folk, Survival, Sci-Fi, Campy, Post-Apocalyptic. Your story will be considered as long as it heavily features Horror elements.

Round 2 Schedule

• March 20 - Open call for submissions.

• March 30 - Submissions close, judging begins.

• April 26 - Winner and runner-up announced.

Prizes

• The winner will receive a permanent link on the Past Winners page.

• The winner and runner-up will be offered a publication contract to be featured in the Lunar Awards next anthology.

• Featured authors in the anthology will receive a copy of the book after publication.

For entry

Submit your story here:

Submit

Or copy/paste this link: https://forms.gle/c27NmnSRMWHZfk6TA

How do the awards work?

1. A writer subscribes to the Lunar Awards and is notified via a post when a new round starts.

2. The writer reads the rules, selects a story that fits the genre or theme, removes any attributable information (e.g., author name, website, Substack links), and submits the story via the round’s form.

3. A round lasts roughly 37 days (10 days for submissions and 27 days for judging). When it ends, subscribers receive a post identifying the winner and the runner-up.

What are the general award entry rules?

• It must be written in English.

• It must be a .docx or .pdf file format.

• It must be speculative (Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror).

• Only one submission per writer per round is allowed.

• A submission will only be considered once. Do not resubmit the same short story over multiple rounds, even if it has been edited.

• A comment on the round’s post does not have to accompany your form submission during the submission period. But you may add one if you desire.

• The previous round winner of any genre is not eligible to participate in the following rounds for that season.

What are the Short Story category award entry rules?

• It must be between 1000–10,000 words. Word count limitations are necessary to maintain fairness.

• It must be a short story. Micro fiction, flash fiction, novellas, novelettes, novels, or serials will not be accepted.

• Choose-your-own-adventure or interactive fiction will not be eligible.

• You must own the rights to your story.

• It can be published on Substack on any date. It doesn’t have to be published during the submission timeframe for the round.

• It must be standalone (no serials or parts), but it can be a part of an anthology or a shared universe.

• It must match the current round’s genre.

What is a Short Story?

A great short story makes a promise at the start and makes good on that promise by the end. Don’t leave the reader hanging. You can use an even balance of character, plot, and setting, or you can lean heavily into any of those. Avoid familiar tropes, but don’t be afraid to explore common themes from a fresh perspective. It should be polished to the best of your ability. Editorial control over the entire piece is essential – you know what to leave and what to cut. However, it will not be rejected for a few spelling mistakes.

Images are not allowed.

What is Speculative Fiction?

Speculative is the broad range of genres encompassing Science Fiction and Fantasy, including hard science fiction, fables, sword and sorcery, creature features, space opera, time travel, low fantasy, magic realism, etc. There are too many sub-genres to name them all. Dark speculative is allowed, which may cross over into Horror.

The subject matter is left to the author’s imagination.

Do I have to subscribe to the Lunar Awards to be considered?

Yes. The winner will be announced here before an author is contacted directly. This will also be the central location to announce future seasons, essays, reviews, and interviews.

Is there a reading or award entry fee?

Never!

Are AI submissions allowed?

Absolutely not. If you have to ask how much or how little AI can be used to write the story, you should not submit it for consideration.

What are the judging criteria?

In short, the Lunar Awards look at:

• Genre suitability

• Mastery of storytelling

• Originality

• Editorial control

Discrimination Policy:

The Lunar Awards doesn’t discriminate or give preferential treatment. Decisions are made purely on the merits outlined in the judging criteria. Personal bios of any kind should not be included in the comments or submissions. Anyone who wants to know more about you can visit your Substack. Credentials are not necessary. The number of publication subscribers, comments, and likes on a short story doesn’t matter. The goal is to find and award the absolute best speculative fiction on Substack.

Why only a 10-day round for each genre?

It limits the number of entries, and having only one genre per round allows writers to compete against their peers.

Is there an actual award?

The winning submission will be permanently linked on the Past Winners page. The submission and author will also be featured in a spotlight post.

Winning and runner-up writers will be offered a publishing contract to be included in the official Lunar Awards annual anthology.

Submit your story here:

Submit

Or copy/paste this link: https://forms.gle/c27NmnSRMWHZfk6TA

Welcome Promptlings to The Spark! It’s time to be weird, fantastical, daring, and deploy your creativity. Imagine monstrous beasts, conniving ghosts, and characters with mysterious motives who may also control weapons of wonder. All of this wondrous speculation originates from your imagination. The task is yours. This is The Spark!

The Rules

The rules are simple. You will be presented with a prompt. It could be a required first line, a task that will challenge your craft, elements required in your story, or a genre specific prompt. You will have two weeks to write a short story under the rules of the prompt. We’ll host a Gathering to celebrate what’s been accomplished and highlight your stories at the end of two weeks. You can share them on this thread, as well as The Pitch at the end of the month. This is an opportunity to find writers you admire, befriend, and learn from.

When sharing your creation, give us the title of your piece, genre in the form an emoji (see below), a brief teaser, and a link to your work. While most of the work will be posted on Substack, you are welcome to share work that fits the prompt that has been shared elsewhere (Wattpad, Simily, Amazon, etc.), but we do ask that the piece be available to readers for free. The Spark is an opportunity to grow in your craft and share your work with other speculative fiction writers.

Genre Emoji Index

👽- Science Fiction

🔮- Fantasy

💀- Horror

🔥- Dystopian

🍫- Magical Realism (Like Water for Chocolate, get it??)

👀- Weird Fiction

(The Gathering discussion thread will take place on Sunday, March 22nd, starting at 3am PST, and will run all day.)

The Prompt

YI have enjoyed all I’ve read by Yōko Ogawa. She is one author that I would like to read more of, books that are waiting patiently in my neverending dusty tbr pile. This quote reminds me to dig deeper when it comes to my own writing. Our first “right answer” is not always the most original and it is rarely our best. Just as authors write a shitty first draft, our story brainstorms and story ideas also go through a shitty first “right answer.” Take these three objects for example:

Truck

Photo Album

Candle

You have three objects. These objects need to be key elements in your story this month. Your story should not be able to work without these objects. Take some time. How are you going to incorporate these objects. If your first answer the “right answer”? Did you need to go through several iterations of “answers” before finding the right combination? For today’s Spark prompt, bring us your most speculative of stories using the objects listed above.

Happy writing!

Good Luck Promptlings!

If you have questions or suggestions, feel free to comment or send me (Reina Cruz) a DM.

Leave a comment

here. The stories came in and read ALL of your entries.

Thank you authors for all of your hard work-in writing amazing stories-and bravery-in submitting them.

We writers are all working in the dark, hoping for the right time to bring our stories into the light. It’s no small step to share your work with total strangers. Fantasy is probably one of the best genres ever because there’s so much variety and freedom — which is a blessing and curse in itself.

Congrats to our winner and runner up. I hope you never stop writing. Same goes for all other writers here! Never give up.

Without further ado, here’s Nathan with our Winner and Runner’s Up…

Lunar Awards Winner: Qallupilluk by

In midwinter the ocean plays at being rock.

That’s how Qallupilluk opens. It’s a strong, confident line, setting the tone and style for the remainder of this ~1500 word piece. The Qallupilluk, in Inuit folklore, is a sea-dwelling monster that carries a pouch on its back to store the children it snatches–those who have wandered too far and found themselves alone on the ice. This is the boogeyman of the arctic, passed on as a cautionary tale from generation to generation. But where an author might be tempted to lean heavily into a fantasy creature feature, or tell this from the perspective of a child, here we tread carefully into cultural horror told more from a viewpoint of omniscient mythic folklore mixed with moments of direct second-person. It is a deft, fable-like telling, and I was absorbed from start to finish, finding myself highlighting specific lines that did considerable work to sustain the narrative. Take the following: “...in the dark mouth of a crack, in the place the tide has hollowed thin beneath the drifted snow,” and “Alone means if you vanish, there is no witness to say where the ice opened—because the ice will swear it never opened at all.” This is a story where a landscape of water and ice becomes animate and is central to the tale.

In the closing lines, we are told that “The ice does not soften for innocence. The tide does not slow because you are small. And what lives beneath does not need you to believe in it in order to reach for you.”

I love the brooding caution that pervades this piece. I’m drawn to the style of writing and the choices made. This was the clear winner for me from this round of submissions.

Read Qallupilluk

Runner-Up: Forever Girl by

I selected this piece quite early on as a highlight across all submissions. What stands out here is the sparsity of the prose. In contrast to Qallupilluk, and although of similar length, here we have a clear and concise fairy-tale told from a limited third-person perspective. The story centres on Anna, who sets out to rescue children from a witch in the forest. Losing a game to the witch, Anna becomes trapped, but not in the manner you might expect: instead of torture or terror, Anna is subject to simple chores, living her days collecting firewood and cooking meals, and although she still wishes to escape, the witch’s spells prevent it. Eventually, the witch dies and … well, I won’t say any more than that because the enjoyment of this story is of course in the unfolding of the tale.

Read Forever Girl

Closing remarks

With so many entries this round, and with the length of stories ranging from very short to very (very!) long, it was incredibly difficult to rank and select pieces for final consideration. I want to thank all authors for the time and effort they put into their submissions. From Elves and Brownies, to houses full of the plague and where time skips forward, there was a rich variety of stories and characters to be had. It was a lot to read, but I enjoyed it all, so I hope you keep forging ahead with your fantasy and craft.

~ Nathan

Thank you to all the writers who submitted!

Here’s all the amazing Fantasy writing we got to read for this round of the Lunar Awards. Peruse at your liesure!

The FRICTION SECTION: microFRICTION (free) and macroFRICTION

Ringing the Bell

After seven weeks of weekly chemotherapy in tandem with daily radiation treatments, Greg was ready to leave the oncology ritual behind. As was the traditional ritual, on his last day, he was led out of the treatment area to the waiting room, whereupon he was invited to announce his milestone by ringing the bell…

Read more

3 months ago · 4 likes · Gerard DiLeo

Nicholas Samuel Stember’s Substack

Too Many Elves

I spent a lot of hours in Jr. High and High School playing Dungeons & Dragons (and other similar games), same with college, same after college. Heh, I still play it to this day. As such, this whimsical short story popped into my mind as I was gearing up to hang with my friends one weekend day. It’s silly, but I still enjoyed writing it…

Read more

3 months ago · 6 likes · 2 comments · Nicholas Samuel Stember

Declan’s Substack

The Prince

As he peered out at the vast brambled and twisted woodland that was ahead of him, Prince Florian grabbed onto the reigns of his steed, keeping the horse as calm as possible. Slowly but surely, he and his squire followed the huntsman onwards. The second son of the powerful king Ardent, Florian was not to inherit the throne of the Hallow’s French as his e…

Read more

3 months ago · 2 likes · 2 comments · Declan Cosson

Kathrine’s Substack

On time

Yes, yes, I already published this one, shut up shut up! But it was nearly a year ago, and I’ve been thinking about this story. Many of you lovelies haven’t read it. I think it’s a good story. I think it has a novel potential. Anyways, let’s stroll down the memory lane, and travel back in time (ohohoho that was a pun! You’ll see. Read on…

Read more

4 months ago · 8 likes · 8 comments · Kathrine Elaine

Dunmore Dispatch

Plague House

The two watchmen unbolted a chain across the door where hung a sign reading, God Have Mercy. They knocked, and stepped back. The house was a manor standing in the midst of a field. One could almost call it fine save for the boarded windows and awful sound of labored coughs…

Read more

4 months ago · 56 likes · 30 comments · Ian Dunmore

The Word Dump

The Man Hunt

The cool water of the sacred pool sloshed around her shins, Shugar resisting the urge to shiver as the last remnants of the day’s humid heat faded into the night. Swirling mist seeped through the jungle, thickened by the light of Tuur’s Eye—or what the softlanders called…

Read more

6 months ago · 12 likes · 1 comment · Ian Barr

Falden's Forge

The River Bears Gold

Despite the technical difficulties with the poll (sorry again!), we did have a story-hook winner from this month’s Lorework: “A boat drifts downriver with two passengers and one oar.” Here is that story…

Read more

9 months ago · 5 likes · 2 comments · Eric Falden

Tales of Calamity and Triumph

The Lady and the Lake

Before we begin, if you’ve been enjoying my work and would like to further support my fiction, essays, and book reviews, the following are the best ways to do so…

Read more

3 months ago · 26 likes · 12 comments · D.S. Brandt: Author, Goblin(s)

Coracle Voyager

Khronos and Kairos

This is a bit longer than my usual short stories, but it didn’t feel like one I could easily split into two parts. In terms of genre, I guess I’d say it’s magical realism, though this is a genre I don’t often write in, or perhaps supernatural fantasy with a touch of the gothic. Read on and decide for yourself…

Read more

a year ago · 13 likes · 16 comments · Caitriana NicNeacail

Tea and Tales

The Last Homily of the Holly King

I apologize for not getting this story up in December like I wanted! This is the hardest I’ve had to fight with a story for quite a while…hopefully you enjoy…

Read more

4 months ago · 5 likes · H. A. Titus

Quiet Little Journeys

How Cold Are You, Really?

Call them winterberries if you like, though they’ve never had a proper name…

Read more

5 months ago · 28 likes · 22 comments · Asteria Geisterblum

In A Different Place

The Wolves of Time

This story was written as part of the Top in Fiction Secret Santa Plot Swap. One writer devised the plot, then it was anonymously passed along to me to bring to life…

Read more

4 months ago · 12 likes · 7 comments · Evelyn K. Brunswick

The Xen'in Universe

When Winter Came

PREFACE: We met Amella Dark two months ago when Reikk helped her deal with unfortunate circumstances. Now she is on her own (or almost) when more strangeness heads her way… Will she manage…

Read more

3 months ago · 8 likes · 4 comments · Alex S. Garcia

Gregory Blair - Scribbling Entertainment

My Uncluttering

Read more

3 months ago · 22 likes · 7 comments · Gregory Blair

Jason Duck- A Journey into Darkness

The Sea Dogs

This is my entry for The Lunar Awards Fantasy Competition. This is a revised edition that was first published on my Substack page between 7th-21st March 2025…

Read more

3 months ago · 4 likes · 1 comment · Jason Duck

Wendy Cockcroft's Writings

The Sword of Shammash

This is my entry to the Lunar Awards S11|Round 1|Fantasy…

Read more

3 months ago · 3 likes · Wendy Cockcroft

Made From What's Not Real

A Terrible Thing To Waste

(Image by Giuseppe DiRosso via Deviant Art…

Read more

3 years ago · 76 likes · 20 comments · David Perlmutter

Aelius

A Ferocious and Mighty Beast

Hundreds gathered as The Knight was paraded through the streets of town. His armor gleamed, his head held high. Villagers reached out to brush against him as he moved through the winding streets…

Read more

3 months ago · 1 like · Aelius

Over the Moon

The Heart of the Phoenix

A Story Through Spacetime From the Constellation Called Phoenix…

Read more

3 months ago · 4 likes · Marissa Subia

To submit your story for next time, subscribe to the Lunar Awards!

Subscribe now

If you’re interested at all in being a judge for a future Lunar Awards contest, please contact us!

Welcome to The Pitch, a monthly discussion thread of the best speculative fiction on Substack, introduced by the authors themselves!

Whether you’re a reader searching for new worlds or a writer ready to promote your latest piece, this thread is for you! Here’s how it works:

📝 Are you a writer?

Head to the comments and add:

1. A link to the speculative fiction that will keep your readers up at night (short story, serial chapter, anthology excerpt, essay, etc.).

2. A 1–2 sentence pitch to hook new readers.

Bonus: Share the inspiration behind the story, a moodboard, the first line, favorite reader tropes. Be creative!

🔖Are you a reader?

Head to the comments:

1. Browse the comments to discover fresh speculative fiction directly from the authors.

2. Like the ones that catch your eye.

3. Leave a comment on a story you enjoyed—it makes a writer’s day and starts great conversations.

Already have a favorite ghost story to fit the theme of this spooky month (on or off Substack)? Leave a comment to drop a rec of your own!

🖖Support the Community

Want to help these stories reach more readers?

1. Restack. Restack this thread. Restack the stories you are reading. Let fellow Substackers know what you enjoy.

2. Share it to Reddit, Discord, X, Instagram, Facebook, share it with your mom, uncle, best friend, grandpa, neighbor who weirdly does yardwork at midnight—anywhere speculative fiction lives, let them hear from you.
   

   Share

Your word of mouth holds so much power. The more you share, the more readers will read, the more connections we build. Let’s keep the signal strong.

The Gathering is an opportunity to share the story you wrote for The Spark #7. Thank you all for your patience. We are one day late!

Give us a brief teaser (one sentence) and then add the link in this discussion thread. Be sure to stop by throughout the day and engage with your fellow adventurers. The Lunar Awards is a place to discover and to be discovered. We want to connect you with the community. If you’ve already posted your story in the original prompt discussion thread, that’s okay! You can post it both places, so it gets optimal readership.

Subscribe now

Many of you stretched your creative muscles with this prompt, and amid the busyness of life you managed to get words written. We gather to share today, but the discussion thread will remain open should you decide to try your hand at the prompts in the future. Come back and add a link to your story. Even if the fire grows cold, we still maintain our burning desire to read good speculative fiction.

Welcome Promptlings to The Spark! It’s time to be weird, fantastical, daring, and deploy your creativity. Imagine monstrous beasts, conniving ghosts, and characters with mysterious motives who may also control weapons of wonder. All of this wondrous speculation originates from your imagination. The task is yours. This is The Spark!

The Rules

The rules are simple. You will be presented with a prompt. It could be a required first line, a task that will challenge your craft, elements required in your story, or a genre specific prompt. You will have two weeks to write a short story under the rules of the prompt. We’ll host a Gathering to celebrate what’s been accomplished and highlight your stories at the end of two weeks. You can share them on this thread, as well as The Pitch at the end of the month. This is an opportunity to find writers you admire, befriend, and learn from.

When sharing your creation, give us the title of your piece, genre in the form an emoji (see below), a brief teaser, and a link to your work. While most of the work will be posted on Substack, you are welcome to share work that fits the prompt that has been shared elsewhere (Wattpad, Simily, Amazon, etc.), but we do ask that the piece be available to readers for free. The Spark is an opportunity to grow in your craft and share your work with other speculative fiction writers.

Genre Emoji Index

👽- Science Fiction

🔮- Fantasy

💀- Horror

🔥- Dystopian

🍫- Magical Realism (Like Water for Chocolate, get it??)

👀- Weird Fiction

(The Gathering discussion thread will take place on Sunday, February 15th, starting at 3am PST, and will run all day.)

The Prompt

As a middle school teacher, I work closely with that generation with dwindling attention spans. It’s unfair to sum up an entire generation with one feature, like their attention spans, of course. These students are so bright, creative, and passionate. There are vigorous readers, wishful readers, and reluctant readers. I often recommend short stories to families of students who are striving to exercise their reading muscles. Short stories can be a way to unlock a love of reading, capture a reader’s imagination, and whisk them off for a short journey into other worlds. They’re also a great way for authors to exercise their craft muscles.

Your mission, if you choose to accept, is to show, not tell. Write a scene in a speculative fiction world where the rules of magic, technology, or the society are revealed only through the character(s), what they do, not what they think or explain. This can be a brand new scene with new characters, or a scene from a work you have written or are writing right now.

That’s it. Simple, but challenging. Trust your reader to understand. They don’t need to be spoon fed the world you imagined. Instead, they will discover the wonderfully twisted rules of your world in the moment. So, if you find yourself explaining, stop, and replace the explanation with action.

Bonus: Stuck on how to get started? Perhaps a scene prompt can help. Your character reaches for a forbidden object they are not supposed to use. Whether they actually grab the object or stop themselves can reveal hierarchy, taboo, or social structure.

Happy writing!

Good Luck Promptlings!

If you have questions or suggestions, feel free to comment or send me (Reina Cruz) a DM.

Leave a comment

Welcome to The Pitch, a monthly discussion thread of the best speculative fiction on Substack, introduced by the authors themselves!

Whether you’re a reader searching for new worlds or a writer ready to promote your latest piece, this thread is for you! Here’s how it works:

📝 Are you a writer?

Head to the comments and add:

1. A link to the speculative fiction that will keep your readers up at night (short story, serial chapter, anthology excerpt, essay, etc.).

2. A 1–2 sentence pitch to hook new readers.

Bonus: Share the inspiration behind the story, a moodboard, the first line, favorite reader tropes. Be creative!

🔖Are you a reader?

Head to the comments:

1. Browse the comments to discover fresh speculative fiction directly from the authors.

2. Like the ones that catch your eye.

3. Leave a comment on a story you enjoyed—it makes a writer’s day and starts great conversations.

Already have a favorite ghost story to fit the theme of this spooky month (on or off Substack)? Leave a comment to drop a rec of your own!

🖖Support the Community

Want to help these stories reach more readers?

1. Restack. Restack this thread. Restack the stories you are reading. Let fellow Substackers know what you enjoy.

2. Share it to Reddit, Discord, X, Instagram, Facebook, share it with your mom, uncle, best friend, grandpa, neighbor who weirdly does yardwork at midnight—anywhere speculative fiction lives, let them hear from you.
   

   Share

Your word of mouth holds so much power. The more you share, the more readers will read, the more connections we build. Let’s keep the signal strong.

Welcome to Round 1 of the Lunar Awards: Fantasy

The Lunar Awards is a yearlong event broken into nine rounds focusing on three genres (Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction). At the end of the year, we’ll publish the winning stories in a physical book.

My name is , author of and I’m your ambassador for the Fantasy rounds of the Lunar Awards.

Please read this post in its entirety before submitting a story. Any entries that do not follow the guidelines will not be accepted.

Your participation and stories make this event possible. Thanks for stopping by to give the Lunar Awards a chance. We wish you the best of luck! And please comment or DM us with any questions.

Let’s Escape to Fantastic Worlds

Fantasy is one of my favorite genres. How else could we leave behind our little worlds for ones with epic stakes, magic, and more? From The Name of the Wind to The Devils, there are all kinds of fantastical stories to escape to, fulfilling not only the desires of our imaginations, but also the desires of the heart. Finding new families, riding dragons, falling in love with a true Fae specimen, you can experience anything you want.

Where fantasy truly shines, however, is when the story transcends the very realm it takes place in and becomes something more.

We’ve teamed up with Nathan, writer of speculative fiction and the publication SLAKE to judge this round’s selection of stories.

Nathan writes across a number of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, magical realism, and wherever the wind happens to take him in any given week.

Welcome your Judge:

Hello. Thank you for this opportunity to act as judge for this round of the Lunar Awards. I’m looking forward to reading all of the pieces of fantasy that’ll be submitted for consideration.

In preparing my introduction here, Zach asked me to include a note on what the Fantasy genre means to me. I’ve sat here pondering this for some time and realised that a simple answer remains elusive.

Fantasy has been a favourite genre for as long as I can remember. In fact, my first recollection of being wholly absorbed by any kind of book was as a child of perhaps 10, about to commence a month-long camping trip with my parents and brother, when I happened to pick up Martin the Warrior on a bookstore shelf. So beguiled was I by the cover of a mouse wielding a sword and presiding over an army of other anthropomorphic animals (a mysterious and probably-not-yet-in-my-vocabulary abbey looming in the background), my mother happily purchased the book and I read it every day of that holiday, commencing a brief but brilliant obsession with all things Redwall and hooking me forever into the Fantasy genre writ large.

As I’ve grown older and read across multiple genres and countless authors, my tastes and desires have inevitably shifted, and what I look for in fantasy has shifted too. The spectacle of swords and creatures – wondrous as they are – matter far less than the work those elements are doing to ground realism within the imaginary, to make coherent the otherworldly, to normalise the impossible. These days, you’ll find me at my most content sat in an armchair, book in my lap and pencil in hand, scribbling notes in the margin and highlighting the entrancing prose of literary masters such as Le Guin and Wolfe.

~ Nathan Slake

Season 11 | Round 1 Details

Please read the FAQ, which contains complete rules and word limits. If you have questions, ask in the comments.

“Fantasy” includes any of its subgenres: High Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Mythic Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Portal Fantasy, Steampunk Fantasy, Fairytale Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy, Science Fantasy, Magical Realism, Grimdark Fantasy, among others. Your story will be considered as long as it is tangentially part of Fantasy.

Round 4 Schedule

January 20 - Open call for submissions

January 29 - Submissions close, judging begins

February 26 - Winner and runner-up announced

Prizes

• The winner will receive a permanent link on the Past Winners page and a high-resolution badge to display on their Substack.

• The winner and runner-up will be offered a publication contract to be featured in the Lunar Awards next anthology.

• Featured authors in the anthology will receive a copy of the book after publication.

For entry:

Submit your story to the Google form:

Submit Here!

Or copy/paste this link: https://forms.gle/9JeUfNPFD46pNTnW8

Submission details are as follows:

How do the awards work?

1. A writer subscribes to the Lunar Awards and is notified via a post when a new round starts.

2. The writer reads the rules, selects a story that fits the genre or theme, removes any attributable information (e.g., author name, website, Substack links), and submits the story via the round’s form.

3. A round lasts roughly 37 days (10 days for submissions and 27 days for judging). When it ends, subscribers receive a post identifying the winner and the runner-up.

What are the general award entry rules?

• It must be written in English.

• It must be a .docx or .pdf file format.

• It must be speculative (Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror).

• Only one submission per writer per round is allowed.

• A submission will only be considered once. Do not resubmit the same short story over multiple rounds, even if it has been edited.

• A comment on the round’s post does not have to accompany your form submission during the submission period. But you may add one if you desire.

• The previous round winner of any genre is not eligible to participate in the following rounds for that season.

What are the Short Story category award entry rules?

• It must be between 1000–10,000 words. Word count limitations are necessary to maintain fairness.

• It must be a short story. Micro fiction, flash fiction, novellas, novelettes, novels, or serials will not be accepted.

• Choose-your-own-adventure or interactive fiction will not be eligible.

• You must own the rights to your story.

• It can be published on Substack on any date. It doesn’t have to be published during the submission timeframe for the round.

• It must be standalone (no serials or parts), but it can be a part of an anthology or a shared universe.

• It must match the current round’s genre.

What is a Short Story?

A great short story makes a promise at the start and makes good on that promise by the end. Don’t leave the reader hanging. You can use an even balance of character, plot, and setting, or you can lean heavily into any of those. Avoid familiar tropes, but don’t be afraid to explore common themes from a fresh perspective. It should be polished to the best of your ability. Editorial control over the entire piece is essential – you know what to leave and what to cut. However, it will not be rejected for a few spelling mistakes.

Images are not allowed.

What is Speculative Fiction?

Speculative is the broad range of genres encompassing Science Fiction and Fantasy, including hard science fiction, fables, sword and sorcery, creature features, space opera, time travel, low fantasy, magic realism, etc. There are too many sub-genres to name them all. Dark speculative is allowed, which may cross over into Horror.

The subject matter is left to the author’s imagination.

Do I have to subscribe to the Lunar Awards to be considered?

Yes. The winner will be announced here before an author is contacted directly. This will also be the central location to announce future seasons, essays, reviews, and interviews.

Is there a reading or award entry fee?

Never!

Are AI submissions allowed?

Absolutely not. If you have to ask how much or how little AI can be used to write the story, you should not submit it for consideration.

What are the judging criteria?

In short, the Lunar Awards look at:

• Genre suitability

• Mastery of storytelling

• Originality

• Editorial control

Discrimination Policy:

The Lunar Awards doesn’t discriminate or give preferential treatment. Decisions are made purely on the merits outlined in the judging criteria. Personal bios of any kind should not be included in the comments or submissions. Anyone who wants to know more about you can visit your Substack. Credentials are not necessary. The number of publication subscribers, comments, and likes on a short story doesn’t matter. The goal is to find and award the absolute best speculative fiction on Substack.

Why only a 10-day round for each genre?

This is very important. It limits the number of entries, and having only one genre per round allows writers to compete against their peers.

Is there an actual award?

The winning submission will be permanently linked on the Past Winners page. The submission and author will also be featured in a spotlight post. First place will receive a custom, high-resolution image badge for the award season category, which can be displayed proudly on Substack or used in merchandising at their discretion.

Winning and runner-up writers will be offered a publishing contract to be included in the official Lunar Awards annual anthology.

Submit your story to the Google form:

Submit Here!

Or copy/paste this link: https://forms.gle/9JeUfNPFD46pNTnW8

The Gathering is an opportunity to share the story you wrote for The Spark #7. Give us a brief teaser (one sentence) and then add the link in this discussion thread. Be sure to stop by throughout the day and engage with your fellow adventurers. The Lunar Awards is a place to discover and to be discovered. We want to connect you with the community. If you’ve already posted your story in the original prompt discussion thread, that’s okay! You can post it both places, so it gets optimal readership.

Subscribe now

Many of you stretched your creative muscles with this prompt, and amid the busyness of life you managed to get words written. We gather to share today, but the discussion thread will remain open should you decide to try your hand at the prompts in the future. Come back and add a link to your story. Even if the fire grows cold, we still maintain our burning desire to read good speculative fiction.

A new season of the Lunar Awards is about to begin. We’d like to welcome new and returning writers to our growing indie community, where we highlight the best emerging fiction on Substack.

There are significant changes this year, along with some big announcements. We’ll always be open to feedback and new ways to improve your experience with the awards. Please refer to our FAQ for the most up-to-date information on submissions.

This year, I’m delegating authority to several genre ambassadors. Each ambassador will host their respective rounds for continuity and quality control. Ambassadors aren’t judges. Instead, they will facilitate submissions, judging, questions, and announcements related to their respective genre and rounds. I’ll continue to assist with each round, while also working on publishing Season 10’s anthology.

Your 2026 Genre Ambassadors Are:

for Fantasy

Zach is a professional writer and copywriter, and the author of the YA novel Kursed Kreatures. His Substack, Realms, features science fiction and fantasy short stories and reviews; basically, all things speculative fiction. Zach also co-started and manages a writing group and is now supporting the Lunar Awards as our Fantasy Ambassador.

for Horror

Shaina is the writer and creator of Kindling, where she publishes and reviews dark, speculative fiction. Her subversive horror story, Mountain Talk, was featured in Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel. As the co-manager of Macabre Monday, Shaina is the perfect choice as our Horror Ambassador.

for Science Fiction

Brian is the creator of the Lunar Awards and an avid writer and reader of science fiction and fantasy stories. Brian is the author of two short story collections: Voices From The Deep and The Stars Will Fall. His sci-fi story, Distant Shores, was published in Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel, and his first-contact story, Foreign Exchange, was published in Ripples in Space by Samak Press. A pillar of the community, Brian is a welcome addition and well-suited to serve as our Science Fiction Ambassador.

Upcoming Changes For Season 11

• Submissions will be collected through an external submission form, with manuscripts pre-formatted in a downloadable file. Announcement posts for each round will be released like last season, with further details on how to submit. The submission form will enable the ambassador to efficiently distribute non-attributable participating stories to the round’s judge and reinforce the submission rules.

• Submission windows have been shortened to 10 days.

• Word count limit increased to 10,000 words.

As the Lunar Awards grow, these types of changes will continue to evolve to accommodate our capabilities and limitations. We appreciate your understanding and welcome your feedback.

Schedule for Season 11

Round 1 - Fantasy - Hosted by

• January 20 - Open call for submissions

• January 30 - Submissions closed | Judging begins

• February 26 - Winner and runner-up announced

Round 2 - Horror - Hosted by

• March 20 - Open call for submissions

• March 30 - Submissions closed | Judging begins

• April 26 - Winner and runner-up announced

Round 3 - Science Fiction - Hosted by

• May 20 - Open call for submissions

• May 30 - Submissions closed | Judging begins

• June 26 - Winner and runner-up announced

Round 4 - Fantasy - Hosted by

• July 20 - Open call for submissions

• July 30 - Submissions closed | Judging begins

• August 26 - Winner and runner-up announced

Round 5 - Horror - Hosted by

• September 20 - Open call for submissions

• September 30 - Submissions closed | Judging begins

• October 26 - Winner and runner-up announced

Round 6 - Science Fiction - Hosted by

• November 20 - Open call for submissions

• November 30 - Submissions closed | Judging begins

• December 26 - Winner and runner-up announced

Season 11 Concludes

• December 30 - Celebration of Season 11’s results, writers, and judges

Another Year of Celebrating Indie Writing

I’m so excited to start this new Lunar Awards season, celebrating the top speculative short stories on Substack. We can’t wait to read what you submit this year. If it’s anything like last season, it’s bound to be incredible. Thanks for tuning in, and we hope to see you for our first round soon!

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Welcome Promptlings to The Spark! It’s time to be weird, fantastical, daring, and deploy your creativity. Imagine monstrous beasts, conniving ghosts, and characters with mysterious motives who may also control weapons of wonder. All of this wondrous speculation originates from your imagination. The task is yours. This is The Spark!

The Rules

The rules are simple. You will be presented with a prompt. It could be a required first line, a task that will challenge your craft, elements required in your story, or a genre specific prompt. You will have two weeks to write a short story under the rules of the prompt. We’ll host a Gathering to celebrate what’s been accomplished and highlight your stories at the end of two weeks. You can share them on this thread, as well as The Pitch at the end of the month. This is an opportunity to find writers you admire, befriend, and learn from.

When sharing your creation, give us the title of your piece, genre in the form an emoji (see below), a brief teaser, and a link to your work. While most of the work will be posted on Substack, you are welcome to share work that fits the prompt that has been shared elsewhere (Wattpad, Simily, Amazon, etc.), but we do ask that the piece be available to readers for free. The Spark is an opportunity to grow in your craft and share your work with other speculative fiction writers.

Genre Emoji Index

👽- Science Fiction

🔮- Fantasy

💀- Horror

🔥- Dystopian

🍫- Magical Realism (Like Water for Chocolate, get it??)

👀- Weird Fiction

(The Gathering discussion thread will take place on Sunday, January 18th, starting at 3am PST, and will run all day.)

The Prompt

I have always found it fascinating how authors can take the same ideas and create something wholly unique. The writing is built on their own experiences, world views, and whims. For The Spark this month, I want to present the first line of your story. Take that line and let your creativity flow. The line could be a martial dispute with dark undertones, an otherworldly investigation, or an out-of-this-world adventure. The choice is yours.

What can you make of just one line?

This line is brought to you by the First Line Literary Journal. Starting in 1999, “The purpose of The First Line is to jump start the imagination--to help writers break through the block that is the blank page.” This journal has been a source of inspiration to me since I began writing short stories. While I look forward to the day when The Spark presents first lines written by the talented authors who bring their work to Lunar Awards, I am excited to start with this wonderful literary journal and hope that writers continue to bring inspiration to their own work in the future.

The Line

I flipped through the notebook and found half-finished poems, some drawings, and ______________. [Fill in the blank.]

If anyone is interested in submitting their story to the First Line Literary Journal, this prompt is due by February 1st, 2026.

Good Luck Promptlings!

If you have questions or suggestions, feel free to comment or send me (Reina Cruz) a DM.

Leave a comment

A Year in Review

At the start of 2025, I took stewardship of the Lunar Awards from its creator, Brian Reindel. Without altering too much, I focused on maintaining a consistent event schedule throughout the year. This new prioritization forced me to pause several components to ensure the awards functioned as intended.

Writing events were to last two months and were dubbed “rounds,” each themed by a mainline speculative genre (i.e., fantasy, horror, or science fiction), enabling up to six Lunar Award winners and six runners-up for the 12-month-long season. I hand-picked six genre-specific judges to host one round each. These judges became the de facto tastemakers of the season, dedicating 20 or more days to reading, grading, and selecting the winners, runners-up, and honorable mentions for their respective genres.

Rounds averaged 30 submissions, making it a strongly competitive but accessible award for emerging writers. Based purely on statistics, writers had a roughly 6.5% chance of winning or placing second per round, and had a 34.7% chance of winning or placing second during the season (i.e., if a writer submitted a polished story to all six rounds). That’s fantastic odds for writers seeking print publication!

In January, our first judge was , a dark fantasy and speculative fiction author, hosting the first Fantasy round. Daniel chose ’s “Skellig” as the winning story. Because two stories tied for runner-up, I made an exception to award both ’s “The Bard of Bayonne” and ’s “Blood and Death” the publication opportunity.

In March, , a horror author, hosted the first horror round and selected ’s “Dark Out There” as the winner, with ’s “Sticks” coming in second place.

In May, , a science fiction author, joined to host the first science fiction round. Simon chose ’s “Twin Planets” and ’s “We, Novae” as the winner and runner-up, respectively.

To mark the halfway point, I sent out a mid-year celebration post. In it, I announced that the community aspects of the Lunar Awards were returning with the help of a new volunteer team member. , an indie author known for promoting other indies, stepped up to facilitate a fan-favorite called The Pitch, a monthly thread for speculative fiction readers and writers. She also introduced a redesigned prompt event for writers called The Spark, and continues to assist with networking in our private Discord.

The Lunar Awards resumed for the second half of the season in July, reintroducing the three rounds and genres. To start, , a fantasy author duo, hosted our second fantasy round, choosing ’s “The Tale of Sir Knight” as the winning story and ’s “The Singing Head of Orpheus” as the runner-up.

In September, , a historical horror author, launched the second round of horror, which I strategically planned from the beginning to announce right before Halloween in October. Leigh decided the winning story was ’s “Tea After the Apocalypse” and that the second place spot would go to ’s “Child Game Hunts”.

To conclude the season, , a science fiction author and publisher, hosted our second and last sci-fi round. John chose ’s “Advanced Color Theory” as the winner and selected ’s “Distant Bodies” as the runner-up.

I will soon publish these award-winning, standout stories in a collection that will be prominently featured in my New Mexico-based bookstore, Enchanted Books. I’ve already found the cover artist, and the authors have all signed the publication contract. More details and announcements are coming very soon!

Congratulations to all the writers who participated in the Lunar Awards this year. Without your participation, your stories, and the volunteer judges, this season wouldn’t have happened. I’m incredibly thankful for each one of you, as your contributions and support enable the Lunar Awards to exist.

Here’s to a new year of reading and writing speculative fiction, making creative connections, and chasing your dreams!

The Lunar Awards will return for Season 11 in mid-January 2026.

Top Fantasy

Top Horror

Top Science Fiction