The May 5 Issue of The Chamber is Online!

The Chamber Magazine: the strange and dark and beautiful of contemporary short fiction and poetry is now online
Click on the cover above to go to the latest issue. If you enjoy reading The Chamber Magazine, please share this post with your friends, colleagues, and those you love.

Note: Hayman Coffee ships to around the world.

The May 5 Issue of The Chamber is Online!

The Chamber Magazine: the strange and dark and beautiful of contemporary short fiction and poetry is now online
Click on the cover above to go to the latest issue. If you enjoy reading The Chamber Magazine, please share this post with your friends, colleagues, and those you love.

Note: Hayman Coffee ships to around the world.

The May 5 Issue of The Chamber is Online!

The Chamber Magazine: the strange and dark and beautiful of contemporary short fiction and poetry is now online
Click on the cover above to go to the latest issue. If you enjoy reading The Chamber Magazine, please share this post with your friends, colleagues, and those you love.

Note: Hayman Coffee ships to around the world.

The May 5 Issue of The Chamber is Online!

The Chamber Magazine: the strange and dark and beautiful of contemporary short fiction and poetry is now online
Click on the cover above to go to the latest issue. If you enjoy reading The Chamber Magazine, please share this post with your friends, colleagues, and those you love.

Note: Hayman Coffee ships to around the world.

The May 5 Issue of The Chamber is Online!

The Chamber Magazine: the strange and dark and beautiful of contemporary short fiction and poetry is now online
Click on the cover above to go to the latest issue. If you enjoy reading The Chamber Magazine, please share this post with your friends, colleagues, and those you love.

Note: Hayman Coffee ships to around the world.

Call for Submissions of Fiction, Poetry, Reviews, Interviews, and Essays

Call for Submissions of Fiction, Poetry, Reviews, Interviews, and Essays

The Chamber Magazine wants to publish short, dark fiction and poetry of any and all genres from around the world, as well as book reviews and critical and personal essays.

The Chamber is seeking include, but are not limited to: horror, dystopian, fantasy, grimdark, action-adventure, suspense/ thriller, literary, science-fiction, historical, mystery/ crime, noir, romance, Western, experimental, cyberpunk, steampunk, weird fiction, gothic/ goth, general, creepypastas, humor or of any combination of the above.

The maximum length for works of fiction is 7,500 words.

For poetry, the maximum length is 40 lines.

The primary criterion is that your work must be in English. It can be a translation from your native language, but a translation must accompany it in English for maximum exposure around the globe.

For more information on what I am accepting and on the submissions guidelines, please go to my submissions page.

Please note that there is no pay for this other than a publication credit and exposure to the English-speaking markets. However, all rights remain with the author.

The Chamber’s Nominations for The 2022 Pushcart Prize

Once again, I have slipped up. I expected the Pushcart Prize winners to be announced later than they were. I had intentions of releasing the names of my nominees prior to that, but I slipped up there too. In any event, I have not found a complete winners list yet, but as soon as I do, I will post the names of any Chamber winners immediately. If you have a list showing any winners from The Chamber, please send me a copy via email. In the meantime, here is the nomination letter I sent to the Pushcart Press. This was not an easy decision. The Chamber is full of talented and gifted writers. Selecting six out of the hundreds published is a challenging task.

I wish I could have nominated you all.

October 3, 2022
Pushcart Press
P.O. Box 380
Wainscott, NY 11975
631-324-9300

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I would like to nominate these six writers for the Pushcart Prize. Copies of their stories are enclosed. All of these were published in The Chamber Magazine during calendar year 2022.

1.	Patrick Crossen for “The Assistant” published September 2, 2022
2.	Peter Portelli for “Read the Sign” published August 5, 2022
3.	Gershon Ben-Avraham for “All’s Over Then” published June 3, 2022
4.	Alan Catlin for “All the Coney Islands of the Mind” published April 1, 2022
5.	J. Richard Kron for “A Vampire’s Internet Search History” published July 1, 2022
6.	Elinora Westfall for “The Bird Woman and the Silent Minority” published July 1, 2022

All of the nominated showed exceptional skill in writing and creativity. Their literary “voices” are distinct. To the best of my knowledge, none of these stories/poems were published previously.

The copies attached are how I received them. I don’t recall doing any editing for these, but if any was done, it was minimal, maybe correcting a typo or two.

Respectfully,


Phil Slattery, Publisher and Editor, The Chamber Magazine

Horror Writers Association Membership Badge

Horror Writers Association

Just a quick note to ask everyone to note the Horror Writers Association Member badge in the upper right of the homepage. I have been a member of the HWA since 2016, but I let my membership lapse for a while. I renewed my membership yesterday and am proud to be showing the badge once again. If you would like to know more about the HWA, click the badge and you will be taken to their website.

New Tagline for The Chamber “the strange and dark and beautiful”

Just a quick note to let everyone know that The Chamber’s tagline (“Contemporary Dark Fiction and Poetry”) is being supplanted by a new one: “the strange and dark and beautiful”. You may see these two switching out in a lot of places over time. For now, I am using it just on The Chamber’s homepage.

I got the phrase from one of The Chamber’s contributors, Patrick Crossen, whose story, “His Assistant”, was published by The Chamber on September 2 (check out the story if you have a few minutes). In his cover letter for the story, Patrick stated:

Please find enclosed my short story, “His Assistant ”. It’s a reworking of a common trope with a fresh angle that I had a lot of fun writing. Due do your magazine’s tendency to lean toward the strange and dark and beautiful, I think it would be a good fit for your magazine.

Received by Phil Slattery, Fiction by Patrick Crossen “His Assistant”, 20 June 2022.

That phrase resonated with me and has stuck in my mind since then. It struck me as a simple, concise, and powerful way of stating what I had not realized The Chamber was truly about until I read it. So, this evening, I sent Patrick an email asking permission to use it, which he graciously granted.

Over time, I will be using this and probably some variations here and there. You will see them pop up occasionally on this website, in The Chamber’s social media, and on merchandise as I test out its suitability in various places.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Have a wonderful rest of your day.

Drop by The Chamber’s Bookstore if you have the chance.

COMING AUGUST 5: THE NEW ISSUE

Coming August 5: New dark fiction and poetry from The Chamber Magazine.
Dark Fiction by E.N. Dunn, Steve Wilcenski, Jesse Rowell, Paul O’Neill, K. Danckert, Peter Portelli, Hareendran Kallinkeel, Rob Plunkett, Trevor Zaple, Curtis A. Bass, and Kelly Jarvis
Dark Flash Fiction by Phil Temples, Louise Worthington, and K.A. Williams
Dark Poetry by Joe Farina
An Interview with Author Russell James
And a Review of Road of Bones by Ryan Tan. Available in The Chamber’s Bookshop.

Coming September 2

Don’t forget to visit The Chamber’s Bookshop or Gift Shop while you are here.

COMING AUGUST 5: THE NEW ISSUE

Coming August 5: New dark fiction and poetry from The Chamber Magazine.
Dark Fiction by E.N. Dunn, Steve Wilcenski, Jesse Rowell, Paul O’Neill, K. Danckert, Peter Portelli, Hareendran Kallinkeel, Rob Plunkett, Trevor Zaple, Curtis A. Bass, and Kelly Jarvis
Dark Flash Fiction by Phil Temples, Louise Worthington, and K.A. Williams
Dark Poetry by Joe Farina
An Interview with Author Russell James
And a Review of Road of Bones by Ryan Tan. Available in The Chamber’s Bookshop.

Coming September 2

Don’t forget to visit The Chamber’s Bookshop or Gift Shop while you are here.

COMING AUGUST 5: THE NEW ISSUE

Coming August 5: New dark fiction and poetry from The Chamber Magazine.
Dark Fiction by E.N. Dunn, Steve Wilcenski, Jesse Rowell, Paul O’Neill, K. Danckert, Peter Portelli, Hareendran Kallinkeel, Rob Plunkett, Trevor Zaple, Curtis A. Bass, and Kelly Jarvis
Dark Flash Fiction by Phil Temples, Louise Worthington, and K.A. Williams
Dark Poetry by Joe Farina
An Interview with Author Russell James
And a Review of Road of Bones by Ryan Tan. Available in The Chamber’s Bookshop.

Coming September 2

Don’t forget to visit The Chamber’s Bookshop or Gift Shop while you are here.

COMING AUGUST 5: THE NEW ISSUE

Coming August 5: New dark fiction and poetry from The Chamber Magazine.
Dark Fiction by E.N. Dunn, Steve Wilcenski, Jesse Rowell, Paul O’Neill, K. Danckert, Peter Portelli, Hareendran Kallinkeel, Rob Plunkett, Trevor Zaple, Curtis A. Bass, and Kelly Jarvis
Dark Flash Fiction by Phil Temples, Louise Worthington, and K.A. Williams
Dark Poetry by Joe Farina
An Interview with Author Russell James
And a Review of Road of Bones by Ryan Tan. Available in The Chamber’s Bookshop.

Coming September 2

Don’t forget to visit The Chamber’s Bookshop or Gift Shop while you are here.

COMING AUGUST 5: THE NEW ISSUE

Coming August 5: New dark fiction and poetry from The Chamber Magazine.
Dark Fiction by E.N. Dunn, Steve Wilcenski, Jesse Rowell, Paul O’Neill, K. Danckert, Peter Portelli, Hareendran Kallinkeel, Rob Plunkett, Trevor Zaple, Curtis A. Bass, and Kelly Jarvis
Dark Flash Fiction by Phil Temples, Louise Worthington, and K.A. Williams
Dark Poetry by Joe Farina
An Interview with Author Russell James
And a Review of Road of Bones by Ryan Tan. Available in The Chamber’s Bookshop.

Coming September 2

Don’t forget to visit The Chamber’s Bookshop or Gift Shop while you are here.

Call for Submissions from Around the World

The Chamber Magazine wants to publish short, dark fiction and poetry of any and all genres from around the world, regardless of country of origin. Length can be up to 7,500 words. Genres The Chamber is seeking include, but are not limited to: horror, dystopian, fantasy, grimdark, action-adventure, suspense/ thriller, literary, science-fiction, historical, mystery/ crime, noir, romance, Western, experimental, cyberpunk, steampunk, weird fiction, gothic/ goth, general, creepypastas, humor or of any combination of the above.

The primary criterion is that your work must be in English. It can be a translation from your native language, but a translation must accompany it in English for maximum exposure around the globe.

For more information on what I am accepting and on the submissions guidelines, please go to my submissions page.

Please note that there is no pay for this other than a publication credit and exposure to the English-speaking markets. However, all rights remain with the author.

Call for Submissions from Around the World

The Chamber Magazine wants to publish short, dark fiction and poetry of any and all genres from around the world, regardless of country of origin. Length can be up to 7,500 words. Genres The Chamber is seeking include, but are not limited to, the following:

horror
dystopian
fantasy
grimdark
action-adventure
suspense/thriller
literary
science fiction
historical
mystery/crime
noir
romance
Western
experimental
cyberpunk
steampunk
weird fiction
gothic (literary genre)
goth (contemporary subculture)
general
creepypastas
humor
any mixture of the above

The primary criterion is that your work must be in English. It can be a translation from your native language, but a translation must accompany it in English for maximum exposure around the globe.

For more information on what I am accepting and on the submissions guidelines, please go to my submissions page.

Please note that there is no pay for this other than a publication credit and exposure to the American and English markets. However, all rights remain with the author.

Call for Submissions from Around the World

The Chamber Magazine wants to publish short, dark fiction and poetry of any and all genres from around the world, regardless of country of origin. Length can be up to 7,500 words. Genres The Chamber is seeking include, but are not limited to, the following:

horror
dystopian
fantasy
grimdark
action-adventure
suspense/thriller
literary
science fiction
historical
mystery/crime
noir
romance
Western
experimental
cyberpunk
steampunk
weird fiction
gothic (literary genre)
goth (contemporary subculture)
general
creepypastas
humor
any mixture of the above

The primary criterion is that your work must be in English. It can be a translation from your native language, but a translation must accompany it in English for maximum exposure around the globe.

For more information on what I am accepting and on the submissions guidelines, please go to my submissions page.

Please note that there is no pay for this other than a publication credit and exposure to the American and English markets. However, all rights remain with the author.

Call for Submissions from Around the World

The Chamber Magazine wants to publish short, dark fiction and poetry of any and all genres from around the world, regardless of country of origin. Length can be up to 7,500 words. Genres The Chamber is seeking include, but are not limited to, the following:

horror
dystopian
fantasy
grimdark
action-adventure
suspense/thriller
literary
science fiction
historical
mystery/crime
noir
romance
Western
experimental
cyberpunk
steampunk
weird fiction
gothic (literary genre)
goth (contemporary subculture)
general
creepypastas
humor
any mixture of the above

The primary criterion is that your work must be in English. It can be a translation from your native language, but a translation must accompany it in English for maximum exposure around the globe.

For more information on what I am accepting and on the submissions guidelines, please go to my submissions page.

Please note that there is no pay for this other than a publication credit and exposure to the American and English markets. However, all rights remain with the author.

Call for Submissions from Around the World

The Chamber Magazine wants to publish short, dark fiction and poetry of any and all genres from around the world, regardless of country of origin. Length can be up to 7,500 words. Genres The Chamber is seeking include, but are not limited to: horror, dystopian, fantasy, grimdark, action-adventure, suspense/ thriller, literary, science-fiction, historical, mystery/ crime, noir, romance, Western, experimental, cyberpunk, steampunk, weird fiction, gothic/ goth, general, creepypastas, humor or of any combination of the above.

The primary criterion is that your work must be in English. It can be a translation from your native language, but a translation must accompany it in English for maximum exposure around the globe.

For more information on what I am accepting and on the submissions guidelines, please go to my submissions page.

Please note that there is no pay for this other than a publication credit and exposure to the English-speaking markets. However, all rights remain with the author.

Call for Submissions from Around the World

The Chamber Magazine wants to publish short, dark fiction and poetry of any and all genres from around the world, regardless of country of origin. Length can be up to 7,500 words. Genres The Chamber is seeking include, but are not limited to, the following:

horror
dystopian
fantasy
grimdark
action-adventure
suspense/thriller
literary
science fiction
historical
mystery/crime
noir
romance
Western
experimental
cyberpunk
steampunk
weird fiction
gothic (literary genre)
goth (contemporary subculture)
general
creepypastas
humor
any mixture of the above

The primary criterion is that your work must be in English. It can be a translation from your native language, but a translation must accompany it in English for maximum exposure around the globe.

For more information on what I am accepting and on the submissions guidelines, please go to my submissions page.

Please note that there is no pay for this other than a publication credit and exposure to the American and English markets. However, all rights remain with the author.

Call for Submissions from Around the World

The Chamber Magazine wants to publish short, dark fiction and poetry of any and all genres from around the world, regardless of country of origin. Length can be up to 7,500 words. Genres The Chamber is seeking include, but are not limited to, the following:

horror
dystopian
fantasy
grimdark
action-adventure
suspense/thriller
literary
science fiction
historical
mystery/crime
noir
romance
Western
experimental
cyberpunk
steampunk
weird fiction
gothic (literary genre)
goth (contemporary subculture)
general
creepypastas
humor
any mixture of the above

The primary criterion is that your work must be in English. It can be a translation from your native language, but a translation must accompany it in English for maximum exposure around the globe.

For more information on what I am accepting and on the submissions guidelines, please go to my submissions page.

Please note that there is no pay for this other than a publication credit and exposure to the American and English markets. However, all rights remain with the author.

Appearing in The Chamber on September 3

New issues appear Fridays at 10:00 a.m. CDT/ 4:00 p.m. BST/ 8:30 p.m. IST/ 1:00 a.m. AEST (Saturdays).

“Furry Children” Dark Fiction by A. Elizabeth Herting

A. Elizabeth Herting is an aspiring freelance writer and busy mother of three living in colorful Colorado. She has over 60 short story credits, podcasts, and reprints as well as non-fiction work, and two collections of short stories published by “Adelaide Books,” “Whistling Past the Veil” and “Postcards From Waupaca” available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For more of her work, contact her at aeherting.com,  twitter.com/AmyHerting, or facebook.com/ AElizabethHerting

Four Flash Fiction Stories by Jane Ayres

UK based neurodivergent writer Jane Ayres completed a Creative Writing MA at the University of Kent in 2019 aged 57. She is fascinated by hybrid poetry/prose experimental forms and has work in Sledgehammer, Punk Noir Magazine, Versification, Streetcake, The North, Crow & Cross Keys, Door is a Jar, Kissing Dynamite and The Forge.  @workingwords50

Three Poems by Melody Wang

Melody Wang currently resides in sunny Southern California with her dear husband. In her free time, she dabbles in piano composition and also enjoys hiking, baking, and playing with her dogs. 

“Aphorisms for a New Viscosity” Dark, Offbeat Fiction by Robert Garnham

Robert Garnham is a comedy performance poet. He has performed at festivals and fringes and comedy nights. A joke from one of his shows was acclaimed as one of the funniest at the Edinburgh fringe. He has made some TV adverts for a certain bank.    

“The Son of Immortals” Dark Fiction by Valeriya Salt

Valeriya Salt a multi-genre author from the United Kingdom. She studied History and earned her Master’s Degree in Art Expertise at St. Petersburg University of Culture and Arts. Born in Belarus, she lived for many years in Ukraine and Russia before settling down in the north of England. Apart from creative writing, she has a passion for travels, arts, history, and foreign languages. Her short stories and essays have appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines, including The Copperfield Review, Meet Cute Mag, Bewildering Stories, The Pine Cone Review, and Strange Fiction SF & F ‘Zine.

Next Issue: September 10

Appearing in The Chamber on September 3

New issues appear Fridays at 10:00 a.m. CDT/ 4:00 p.m. BST/ 8:30 p.m. IST/ 1:00 a.m. AEST (Saturdays).

“Furry Children” Dark Fiction by A. Elizabeth Herting

A. Elizabeth Herting is an aspiring freelance writer and busy mother of three living in colorful Colorado. She has over 60 short story credits, podcasts, and reprints as well as non-fiction work, and two collections of short stories published by “Adelaide Books,” “Whistling Past the Veil” and “Postcards From Waupaca” available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For more of her work, contact her at aeherting.com,  twitter.com/AmyHerting, or facebook.com/ AElizabethHerting

Four Flash Fiction Stories by Jane Ayres

UK based neurodivergent writer Jane Ayres completed a Creative Writing MA at the University of Kent in 2019 aged 57. She is fascinated by hybrid poetry/prose experimental forms and has work in Sledgehammer, Punk Noir Magazine, Versification, Streetcake, The North, Crow & Cross Keys, Door is a Jar, Kissing Dynamite and The Forge.  @workingwords50

Three Poems by Melody Wang

Melody Wang currently resides in sunny Southern California with her dear husband. In her free time, she dabbles in piano composition and also enjoys hiking, baking, and playing with her dogs. 

“Aphorisms for a New Viscosity” Dark, Offbeat Fiction by Robert Garnham

Robert Garnham is a comedy performance poet. He has performed at festivals and fringes and comedy nights. A joke from one of his shows was acclaimed as one of the funniest at the Edinburgh fringe. He has made some TV adverts for a certain bank.    

“The Son of Immortals” Dark Fiction by Valeriya Salt

Valeriya Salt a multi-genre author from the United Kingdom. She studied History and earned her Master’s Degree in Art Expertise at St. Petersburg University of Culture and Arts. Born in Belarus, she lived for many years in Ukraine and Russia before settling down in the north of England. Apart from creative writing, she has a passion for travels, arts, history, and foreign languages. Her short stories and essays have appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines, including The Copperfield Review, Meet Cute Mag, Bewildering Stories, The Pine Cone Review, and Strange Fiction SF & F ‘Zine.

Next Issue: September 10

Appearing in The Chamber on September 3

New issues appear Fridays at 10:00 a.m. CDT/ 4:00 p.m. BST/ 8:30 p.m. IST/ 1:00 a.m. AEST (Saturdays).

“Furry Children” Dark Fiction by A. Elizabeth Herting

A. Elizabeth Herting is an aspiring freelance writer and busy mother of three living in colorful Colorado. She has over 60 short story credits, podcasts, and reprints as well as non-fiction work, and two collections of short stories published by “Adelaide Books,” “Whistling Past the Veil” and “Postcards From Waupaca” available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For more of her work, contact her at aeherting.com,  twitter.com/AmyHerting, or facebook.com/ AElizabethHerting

Four Flash Fiction Stories by Jane Ayres

UK based neurodivergent writer Jane Ayres completed a Creative Writing MA at the University of Kent in 2019 aged 57. She is fascinated by hybrid poetry/prose experimental forms and has work in Sledgehammer, Punk Noir Magazine, Versification, Streetcake, The North, Crow & Cross Keys, Door is a Jar, Kissing Dynamite and The Forge.  @workingwords50

Three Poems by Melody Wang

Melody Wang currently resides in sunny Southern California with her dear husband. In her free time, she dabbles in piano composition and also enjoys hiking, baking, and playing with her dogs. 

“Aphorisms for a New Viscosity” Dark, Offbeat Fiction by Robert Garnham

Robert Garnham is a comedy performance poet. He has performed at festivals and fringes and comedy nights. A joke from one of his shows was acclaimed as one of the funniest at the Edinburgh fringe. He has made some TV adverts for a certain bank.    

“The Son of Immortals” Dark Fiction by Valeriya Salt

Valeriya Salt a multi-genre author from the United Kingdom. She studied History and earned her Master’s Degree in Art Expertise at St. Petersburg University of Culture and Arts. Born in Belarus, she lived for many years in Ukraine and Russia before settling down in the north of England. Apart from creative writing, she has a passion for travels, arts, history, and foreign languages. Her short stories and essays have appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines, including The Copperfield Review, Meet Cute Mag, Bewildering Stories, The Pine Cone Review, and Strange Fiction SF & F ‘Zine.

Next Issue: September 10

Appearing in The Chamber on August 27

New issues appear Fridays at 10:00 a.m. CDT/ 4:00 p.m. BST/ 8:30 p.m. IST/ 1:00 a.m. AEST (Saturdays).

“Last Chance Cabin” Fiction by John Ryland

John Ryland has published work in Eldritch Journal, Otherwise Engaged, The Writer’s Magazine, Birmingham Arts Journal, Subterranean Blue, and others. His collection Southern Gothic and novel Souls Harbor are currently available on all major markets. His upcoming novel The Man with No Eyes, will be published by Moonshine Cove Press in March 2022.”

“Nocturnal” Poem by Todd Matson

Todd Matson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.  He has written poetry for The Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling, has been published in Ariel Chart International Literary Journal, Bluepepper, and The Chamber Magazine, and has written lyrics for songs recorded by a number of contemporary Christian music artists

“Seven Urns” Fiction by Hayden Sidun

Hayden Sidun is a high school student whose short fiction appears in The Dillydoun Review, Adelaide Literary Magazine, Literary Yard, and Button Eye Review. Outside of school and work, he is active in local politics and often finds himself surfing the Internet in the middle of the night. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, of which he is a proud native.

“Body Neutral” Fiction by DL Shirey

DL Shirey lives in Portland, Oregon under skies the color of bruises. Occasionally he lightens up, but his dark fiction can be found in Confingo, Zetetic, Liquid Imagination and in anthologies from Truth Serum Press and Literary Hatchet. Find more of his writing at www.dlshirey.com and @dlshirey on Twitter.

“Offshoots” Fiction by Cecilia Kennedy

Cecilia Kennedy taught English and Spanish courses in Ohio before moving to Washington state and publishing short stories in various magazines and anthologies. The Places We Haunt is her first short story collection. You can find her DIY humor blog and other adventures/achievements here: (https://fixinleaksnleeksdiy.blog/). Twitter: @ckennedyhola

Next Issue: September 3