Submission Guidelines for FLASH OF THE DEAD: EGYPT

FLASH OF THE DEAD: EGYPT

Anthology of Horror Flash Fictions featuring mummies, curses and other horrors of EGYPT

Wicked Shadow Press invites submissions for Flash of the Dead: Egypt, a flash fiction horror anthology exploring fear, dread and the uncanny through stories set in Egypt or inspired by its history, landscapes, myths, archaeology and cultural memory. (Expected release: April 2026). The submission deadline is February 16, 2026.

Feel free to start with one of our WRITING PROMPTS:

1) 1950s. An English explorer narrates his discovery of Alexander's tomb and his legendary golden sarcophagus, and how he failed to retrieve the loot back to the British museum for supernatural reasons.

2) A Muslim witch doctor is called to an Egyptian village, where a possessed teenage boy claims he is Tutankhamen resurrected and demands to reclaim Egypt's 'throne'.

3) An Egyptian queen experiments by drinking the menstrual blood of virgins to retain her youth. As age inevitably catches up still, her experiments become bolder and bloodier.

4) Maria confuses her dreams with reality. One minute, she is nursing her young son in 2026. The next, she is plotting to assassinate Queen Cleopatra herself in ancient Egypt.

5) Prehistoric Egypt. A young serial killer discovers that certain peat bogs prompt dead bodies to resist decay. He realises that whoever controls what endures shall rule over the living, and decides to seize power.

6) A team of interstellar archaeologists from planet X crashlands in Egypt during Earth's post-apocalyptic future, and stumbles across an ancient artifact bearing a wicked curse.

This anthology is conceived as a tribute to Egypt’s enduring presence in horror, from ancient curses and buried gods to colonial anxieties, modern hauntings, and reimagined mythologies. We are not seeking to propagate superstition, exoticism or national denigration, nor do we wish to tread the murky idea of legitimising the very idea of nation states enshrined in the act of naming an anthology after one. Instead, we welcome thoughtful, imaginative horror that engages with "Egypt" as an idea in global horror fiction by embracing the genre’s deliciously wicked possibilities.

PLEASE NOTE that this is an anthology of horror stories featuring Egypt, with limited word count. ONLY those horror submissions that adhere to word count specifications and the theme, shall be considered for publication.

WE ARE ACCEPTING

Horror Flash Fiction: (between 100-1500 words) Please send no more than TWO flash fictions per submission.

We are considering TRANSLATED WORKS as well. Submission of translated works must be accompanied by a statement declaring that the translator has obtained the author’s permission and their publisher’s, if required.

Simultaneous Submissions are welcome but the author must inform us by e-mail as soon as the submitted piece is accepted elsewhere. Pieces cannot be withdrawn once Wicked Shadow Press informs the author of its acceptance for publication.

We consider reprints but generally do not publish them unless they are absolutely exceptional. Please mention in the mail body in case your submission is a reprint.

At present, we are unable to pay our contributors. Each contributor shall receive a COMPLIMENTARY DIGITAL COPY of the anthology as soon as it publishes.

Manuscripts should directly be sent to WickedAnthology@gmail.com. Please write "Submission for FOTD: EGYPT" in the subject line of your submission email.

Please submit your files in the following formats: .doc /.docx /.txt. DO NOT submit PDFs.

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Wicked Shadow Press uses non exclusive rights to publish in its anthologies. Authors are free to republish their work anywhere else once it has been published.

Please submit only original pieces. Wicked Shadow Press or the editor/s of the anthology shall not be responsible for any disputes arising due to plagiarism or copyright infringement.

The submission MUST be attached with a short bio of the author, preferably within 100 words, and if possible, a photograph to go along with publication.

NOTE: We typically reply within a month after receiving submissions. However, replies can be delayed under unforeseen circumstances.