When the mask comes off, can you handle what’s underneath?

When your secret identity is revealed ...

When the hero comes out to play ...

When the monster is unleashed ...

Masks have existed throughout history, from the tribal masks of gods, to the iconic masks of tragedy and comedy, to the iron masks of prisoners. Villains wear masks to commit crimes, heroes wear masks to protect those they love, others wear masks to block disease. Some masks confer power; others rein it in.

Does the true face hide beneath the mask, or is it the mask itself? What happens when the mask comes off? We want you to tell us.

Perhaps your character is a mask collector who buys a mask that is more than he bargained for, or a coroner wearing a protective mask to perform an alien autopsy. The plague mask she inherited from her great-uncle seduces her to evil whenever she puts it on.

We seek stories that explore the masks we wear, the mysteries they conceal, and the price we pay when they’re stripped away. Unmasking, whether literal or figurative, must be integral to the story. Funny or grim, unsettling or cozy, we expect the unexpected. Pull back the mask and reveal your insights, your character-driven tales, and stories that will make us think.