Crooked Spine★ A Horror Magazine ★

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Issue 8: Static

▸ Theme: Analog dread, broadcast horror, the wrong signal

May 6 – Jul 6, 2026
closes in 2 months

Short fiction for our eighth issue. Pirate radio, dead-channel snow, found tapes, the show that aired only in your house. 1,500 to 6,000 words.

What we want

Stories that feel wrong on the air. Pirate radio, dead-channel snow, VHS that recorded something it shouldn't have. Slow-burn unease over splatter. Ambiguity over answer.

What we don't want

  • Reprints
  • Slurs or sexual violence used as shock

The basics

  • 1,500 to 6,000 words
  • Shunn Manuscript Format, sent as a DOCX
  • Pays $0.06 per word plus a contributor copy
  • Response within 8 weeks of close

Submit to Issue 8: Static

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  • Shunn Manuscript Format, sent as a DOCX.
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  • Response time is usually 6 to 10 weeks from when the window closes.

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