Chthonia Books is a platform for authors whose work is considered too “cross-genre,” weird, or experimental for most publishers or literary agents.
Chthonia deals with themes of the underworld, the dark feminine, the occult, and the liminal. Therefore, I am interested in works that meet the following criteria:
I am primarily interested in psychological and liminal fiction that deals with the themes mentioned above.
As I define it:
“Psychological fiction” takes us inside the minds of the characters. The mind is like a labyrinth, and thus the minds of interesting characters are rarely without their oddities, dysfunctions, and even psychoses. After reading such a story, I should come away with a sense not only of the character, but of the issues they face.
“Liminal” is also important here—liminal means “on the boundary”. Thus, I am interested in works that cross boundaries and defy stereotypical categories. This can include subjects that include the Otherworld, fairies, ghosts, aliens and other liminal beings, but can also explore boundaries between good and evil, masculine and feminine, etc. Experimental works are welcome, though if experimental/unconventional text or images are used, please note this in your submission query. I do not publish works of straight-up science fiction or fantasy; there are plenty of publishers that already do this. I want what is on the edges.
I prefer darker fiction that explores uncharted or at least rarely understood psychological territory. I like occult and paranormal themes, as well as those relating to ancient religion or esoteric religions and philosophies. Horror is also OK, as long as it is psychological horror—I am not a fan of slasher fiction or the tropes usually associated with jump scares. The “monsters”, whether literal or figurative, should not be obvious. It’s more about atmosphere and being left with an unsettled feeling.
Fiction submissions should include:
- A brief synopsis of the story—about 300 words. Please include your name, a contact email, and the total word count. You should also include what you think the target audience is for this work, and how you would define it in genre terms—use as many as you think apply.
- One chapter of the work that you feel best reflects the contents. Please do NOT send complete manuscripts until they are requested.
- If it is an experimental or illustrated work, please give details about illustrations or other non-conventional formatting.
Email submissions to chthonia@chthonia.net, and write Chthonia Books Submission (your last name) in the subject line.
Poetry and Non-Fiction
In the future I would like to include poetry and non-fictional works related to the Chthonia theme; however, since this is a new venture and I work alone, I want to see how it goes with one format before moving into others. I will update the page and make announcements on social media when I am ready to take on works other than fiction.