This anthology brings together a collection of short fiction, poetry, and black-and-white art that all live in that uneasy space where beauty and horror overlap. These are stories that don’t just aim to scare—they linger. They follow you. They ask you to look a little closer than you’re comfortable with.
Beautiful and Terrifying: Tales and Visions from the Edge of the Uncanny, the newest anthology from Elderfly Press, will be released on April 23, 2026, bringing together haunting fiction, poetry, and black-and-white artwork that explore the strange space where beauty and fear collide.
The cover of Beautiful and Terrifying: Tales and Visions from the Edge of the Uncanny, Elderfly Press’s upcoming anthology of eerie fiction, dark poetry, and black-and-white art, releasing April 23, 2026.
I’m thrilled to finally share the release date for this collection, which has been such a meaningful project to bring into the world. From eerie woods and submerged cities to folklore retellings, grief-soaked landscapes, and intimate encounters with the supernatural, this anthology embraces the unsettling and the sublime in equal measure.
There’s beauty in the things that unnerve us. Beautiful and Terrifying is the next anthology from Elderfly Press—an exploration of the eerie, the intimate, and the in-between. Submissions are now open for short stories, poetry, and black-and-white art that linger in the shadows of the strange and the sublime.
There’s beauty in what haunts us. Submit to Beautiful and Terrifying today!
This collection seeks work that blurs boundaries—between beauty and fear, humanity and monstrosity, love and decay. We’re drawn to dark, literary narratives and haunting imagery that leave readers with a sense of wonder and unease. Not every story needs to fit neatly into horror or realism; the best pieces often live in the uncanny space between.
What Elderfly Press is looking for:
This anthology invites a wide range of voices and forms with themes of transformation, obsession, decay, beauty, violence, or the supernatural:
Genre fiction: horror, speculative, gothic, dystopian, weird, sci-fi, supernatural—anything that chills, disturbs, or unsettles
Literary fiction: moody, shadowed, emotionally raw
Poetry: rooted in chaos, shadow, or change
Visual art: black-and-white art that captures the eerie, surreal, or dreamlike
The wait is over! Bad Moon on the Rise: An Anthology of the Unsettling is officially released and ready to haunt your bookshelves. This collection brings together an extraordinary group of writers, artists, and creators who explore life under a dark sky—whether literal or metaphorical. From chilling short fiction to thought-provoking essays and striking black-and-white art, this anthology dives into the unsettling, the eerie, and the uncanny.
We are thrilled to showcase the work of our incredible contributors:
What stirs when the moon turns dark? A secret long buried, a shadow at the edge of vision, a reckoning that cannot be avoided.
This collection gathers stories, essays, poetry, and art that explore the uncanny corners of life. Within these pages, you’ll encounter merpeople and vampires, terrifying nights in the wilderness, the quiet horror of domestic violence, poisonous plants, the extremes of human appetite, and all the small and large ways life can unsettle us.
Even the most seasoned authors need practice. Just like athletes train their bodies, writers must train their minds and creative muscles. Regular writing exercises aren’t just a warm-up—they’re essential for growth. Whether you’re working on a novel, poetry, or short fiction, small prompts can help you hone your voice, explore new ideas, and build confidence on the page.
Hey, writers! We want YOU to submit your writing to our upcoming Bad Moon on the Rise anthology! Learn more here!
One of the most valuable benefits of regular writing practice? It teaches you to write concisely. When you’re forced to distill a story down to its essence, every word matters. You learn to tighten your prose, heighten your stakes, and let your ideas breathe in a limited space. That’s a skill that serves you well whether you’re submitting to literary journals, writing query letters, or polishing your latest manuscript.
Something is stirring in the shadows—and Elderfly Press wants you to capture it. Submissions are now open for Bad Moon on the Rise, a new anthology that delves into what it means to live under a dark sky—literally or metaphorically. Whether you’re drawn to haunted landscapes, personal reckonings, or the eerie quiet of things unraveling, this is your chance to contribute to a collection where strange winds and long-buried truths come to light.
What Elderfly Press is looking for:
This anthology invites a wide range of voices and forms:
Genre fiction: horror, speculative, gothic, dystopian, weird, sci-fi, supernatural—anything that chills, disturbs, or unsettles
Literary fiction: moody, shadowed, emotionally raw
Essays: on upheaval, transformation, liminality, or living through cultural shifts
Poetry: rooted in chaos, shadow, or change
Visual art: black-and-white pieces that evoke the mood of the anthology
Go check out my “Born in ’76 Collection” on Medium.com and share your own stories from that era.
I come from a family of storytellers. Whenever a few members of my dad’s family get together, you can pretty much count on it turning into a storytelling session. One story sparks a memory of another until everyone at the table is clamoring to tell their own. Sometimes I wish I had been carrying a tape recorder with me all my life so I could capture those stories of everyday life and put them together in a book.
No matter what year you were born, you probably have your own “growing up” stories that are unique to your age group. My dad’s stories are different from mine. Even though I grew up about a mile from where my father grew up, we grew up in different times. While we share some experiences, each of our stories are compelling in their own way. Continue reading “Born in ’76: A call for submissions”→
Write on the World 