Lanternfish Press Clockwork Editions are handsome reprints of public-domain gothic and speculative literature, edited and introduced by contemporary storytellers.

We are currently open to proposals for both single-volume works and anthologies. 

Clockwork volume editors prepare the main text for publication and contribute an introduction of up to 6,000 words, along with annotations to the main text as needed. We pay a flat-rate stipend of $1,200.00 for the editorial work along with a $0.10/word fee for the introduction.

These are intended to be both accessible volumes for a general readership and editions suitable for the undergraduate classroom. Ideally, editors will engage with the text not only as scholars but as creative writers in conversation with the original work. This conversation can be sassy, humorous, nerdy, deep—whatever brings the text to life for contemporary readers.

Proposals must include the following: 

·  Original publication details of the work to be edited (note that all works must have dates of first publication prior to 1931, which is the cutoff for entering the public domain by 2026)

·  Proposed table of contents (for anthologies) 

·  Overview of project

·  Market description (Who will want to read this? Why is it relevant now?) 

·  Editor bio, including relevant publications

·  Sample introductory text (about 1000 words)

2025 Call for Submissions

What We’re Looking For

Lanternfish Press is seeking gothic and speculative fiction that pushes genre boundaries, dark historical fiction, and magical realism. 

We are also interested in intersectional memoir. We enjoy delicious language, weird protagonists, a strong sense of place, and great worldbuilding. We look for writing that transcends borders, making the familiar strange and the strange familiar. The best way to get a sense of what we're after is to get to know our catalog.

We would love to see more writing by and about migrants and refugees, whether fiction or memoir. 

Novella manuscripts should fall between 20-40k words and novel manuscripts between 60-90k. Memoirs may be submitted at any length between 20-90k words.

How to Submit

Please submit full manuscript in .docx form through our Submittable portal, along with a cover letter and short bio. Please use standard manuscript formatting (see William Shunn's Modern Manuscript Format reference page for details). 

Only one manuscript per author during the open subs period, please. Additional manuscripts from the same author will not be considered. Revised versions of manuscripts submitted earlier in the window will not be considered either, so make sure the version you submit first is the one you are committed to. 

We encourage simultaneous submissions. If you receive an offer from another publisher, however, please notify us promptly.

We are a small staff, and our reading process can be slow. Our sincere apologies for this. If you have not received a response within six months of submission, you can assume that your work is no longer under consideration.