June 4th, 2010 
THE MARKET
- Zine: Apex Magazine
- Editor(s): Catherynne M. Valente
- Pay rate: 5 ¢ / word
- Response Time: 4-6 weeks
- Description: We want science fiction, fantasy, horror, and mash-ups of all three—the dark, weird stuff down at the bottom of your little literary heart. (More in guidelines.)
- Submission Guidelines: www.apexbookcompany.com
NOTE: Horror author D.L. Snell conducted the following interview to give writers a better idea of what the editors of this specific market are seeking; however, most editors are open to ideas outside of the preferences discussed here, as long as they fit the basic submission guidelines.
THE SCOOP
1) What authors do you enjoy, and why does their writing captivate you?
I love anyone who can captivate me with language and honesty–in that I’m not too different than any other editor, I suppose. Theodora Goss, Jeff Vandermeer, Kelly Link, Gemma Files, Christopher Barzak–all of these writers are doing great work right now. But I hate listing favorite writers. Even the best writer varies from story to story, book to book. All I really want is for a story or a novel to arrest me for one moment, make me forget everything else, and anchor me in the tale.
2) What are your favorite genres? Which of these genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
Obviously, I’m partial to fantasy, but my first love was horror. As a child I read countless horror novels and their sensibilities seriously informed my work and my reading habits. And I deeply want to see SF innovate and evolve and experiment as fantasy has in the last several years. I even like a good deal of realist work, though my heart will always be with the fantastic. I’d like to see any fantastic stories submitted to Apex–so long as they have a dark edge and a uniqueness to them. The key isn’t genre, it’s quality, it’s what a story can do to the reader, not the category the reader can put a story in.
3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
I’m intrigued by all of those, to be honest. There’s no such thing as ordinary in the hands of a capable writer. I want to see all of these locales cross my desk, because a genre cannot be healthy without including all of them.
Read the full interview at D.L. Snell’s Market Scoops!
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