stories of polite horror: horror disguised through polite faces/manners, horror allowed to exist when politeness comes at the cost of self-preservation, and any other interpretation of the theme. We love thought-provoking stories, complex characters, unapologetic weirdness, and bold narrative risk-taking.

We’ve received questions about whether this is a “Midwest nice” anthology. It is not, but your story can explore that aspect of polite horror if it speaks to you. Polite horror is all around us. Think about how power works. How those without it are expected to smile and accept injustice for fear of retribution. How those with power dress up ugly realities and make suffering palatable to prevent resistance. Polite horrors come from both sides of the weapon—the wielder and the wounded. They color our intimate, familial, professional, cultural, and political realities. Don’t feel limited to any particular environment. Take it somewhere close—a domestic partnership; or take it larger scale—Good Germans. Have fun, go nuts.