CONTEST OPENS FEBRUARY 1ST
Sci-Fi Flash Fiction Contest
What peers unseen, from the frigid void of deep space? What machinations bubble in the flasks and beakers of the fevered scientist? What happens when the reins of technology finally slip our hands for good?
Few genres are as fertile for cross-contamination as sci-fi and horror. And the abominations that union creates are some of our favourites, here at the podcast. So, slip on your lab coat… strap into that space suit… plug into the mainframe… and descend with us into the nexus where science meets fear.
Contest Rules
- The story must blend elements of both horror and science fiction. How you choose to combine them is up to you, but both genres must be clearly present in your story. Stories that do not contain elements of both will be disqualified.
- The image included on this page is for interest purposes only and not intended as a prompt.
- Deadline to submit is February 28, 2026 (11:59pm CST)
- Your story must be entirely original and previously unpublished.
- We’re looking for real, human tales. The use of generative AI is strictly prohibited. Stories deemed to have been generated, in whole or part, by generative AI will be automatically disqualified.
- Submissions must be in English, but authors from anywhere in the world are welcome to submit.
- A minimum of ONE winner will be selected on or before April 1, 2026. The top flash piece will be produced for audio narration on Tales to Terrify and receive $50 (USD). Up to four runners up may also be considered for production.
- Authors retain the rights to their submitted stories.
Submission Format
- up to 1,000 words
- Microsoft Word or Rich Text Format
- Double spaced
- 12 pt. Courier New or Times New Roman font
Please include author, title and word count on first page.
Stories pasted into the body of an email will be rejected without being read.
For further details on submission criteria and what styles/topics of horror fiction we look for, please check out our standard Submissions page.