Open Anthology Calls

We will accept short story submissions for this anthology call between Feb, 28, 2026, and March 31, 2026. 

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We have 4 - 5 remaining short story spots we'd like to fill. 

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Theme Description:

Consider struggle and how we deal with it. How can it shape the direction of our lives? Things like illness, loss, family, money troubles, dreams, our jobs, adventures, personal challenges, hurt, betrayal, threats, relationships, and friendships can make an impact or take their toll in countless ways. We want to read tales that highlight how we can overcome and rise. We want to learn about how a character's choices turned a heartbreak into joy, or how chances given/taken made positivity bloom from the gloom. How romance can burst forth from the most unlikely places. How second chances bring awakenings. How unexpected pathways might open our eyes to new beliefs and opportunities. Show us a challenge that gifts rejuvenation, or a battle that didn't break your character(s), even if they stumbled too close to the edge for comfort. We want to be inspired while we read, to feel, and to cheer on a variety of unique protagonists with quirks, moxie, and personality. We want our tender heartstrings to be tugged, our tummies to flutter, for a tear to fall right before our lips curl into a smile, or for a giggle to slip out. And of course, we desire for our minds to be inspired to ponder. We want light born from shadow. To distill it down to one word, we're after...hope.

We'll consider all genres except horror and anything that goes to dark - the focus should be more on finding the light, rather than wading in the din. We are aiming for an audience of upper teens (15+) and adults. And while we're definitely seeking tales with satisfying and generally happy endings, we do not want total fluff. We want emotion, grit, substance, relatability, romance, humour, action, and experiences that draw us in and make it impossible not to turn the page. We want tales that resonate and to see proof that care and goodness exists in the human spirit (though characters need not be human).

We don't want to see any sexual assault (although brief, non-explicit mentions are acceptable only if necessary to complete the story), nor any animal/child abuse depicted within the story (again, a brief mention of a past incident is okay if it serves the story). Do not send erotica. Some violence is fine as long as its needed and is not excessively graphic. Do not send pointedly political stories where one side or another gets cut down. If politics must be included in a story as an integral part of the premise, that is fine, but please ensure it is neutral, as our position as a press is not one of choosing sides. We wish to provide enjoyable tales for all.

**Note: This is a charity anthology. A portion of all sales will be donated to support T1D Research. Rachael Clarke is the mother of a child recently diagnosed with Type One Diabetes, so this cause is dear to her heart.
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Guidelines:

Decisions will be made within three months of the call’s closing date. Original stories are preferred. However, we will consider reprints if they haven’t been published within two years, aren’t currently under contract, and currently can't be read anywhere in a digital format. No multiple submissions. Simultaneous submissions are okay, but please notify us immediately if your work gets accepted elsewhere for publication.

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Send stories within the following wordcount: 2,500 - 6,000.

*Anything outside of these wordcounts will be deleted, unread.

 

Tales created using generative artificial intelligence (AI) are not permitted.

Using a grammar editing program is fine.

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Ensure that you’ve thoroughly edited your story prior to submitting, and format your story using the standard William Shunn format (12pt, TNR font, double spaced). If you’re not familiar with this style, review it here. 

Do NOT double space after sentences, or use the tab key to indent.

 

Send your submissions as a Doc/Docx file to submissions.ptp@gmail.com. 

 

Please ensure your file name is as follows: Title_Author name.

The Subject line should be: PTP Hope Antho_Story title_Author Name.

Include an author bio (up to 100 words) in your cover letter, with one website or social media link. If your story is chosen, this will appear in the published book.

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Payment:

We are a teeny indie micro press working our way up the ladder, so in truth, we can’t afford to pay much yet. But we are dedicated to paying something.

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*All accepted stories will pay $15 CAD + a copy of the ebook.

Note: authors can opt to replace their payment with a paperback copy, which will be shipped to them, or donate their payment to the chosen T1D charity (eg: Breakthrough T1D). For clarity sake, there is zero pressure to donate. That is merely an available option.
 

Discounted paperback copies (50% off retail + shipping) will be available for all contributing authors to order. We look forward to reading your stories.

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Rights:
For original unpublished stories, we seek first exclusive, worldwide rights to publish in print and digital for a period of one year from publication. For reprints that meet our criteria, we merely ask authors not to republish the story elsewhere for the same duration. We will only retain non-exclusive rights thereafter, including audio, meaning authors are free to do as they wish with their stories. Please note: while we do not have a plan to create an audiobook at this time, we merely ask for the right to do so, should we decide to in the future. All other rights are retained by the author.