Spec-Fic Small Press Rundown #6

Slaschic Horror Press

It’s time for the 6th Spec-Fic Press Roundup installment! Founder, editor, and author David-Jack Fletcher was kind enough to give us the lowdown on Slashic Horror Press, a queer-only, horror-focused small press based in Australia.

• Founded: 2023
• Founders: David-Jack Fletcher
• Website: Slashic Horror Press
• Publishes: LGBTQIA+ horror
• Formats: Novels, novellas, limited anthologies
• Imprints: SQUIRM Books, run by Stephanie Sanders-Jacob (YA queer horror)
• Contact: (editing) davidjackfletcher@gmail.com | (general Slashic queries) slashichorrorpress@gmail.com
• Accepting Submissions: Not currently
• Submission Information: Submissions
• Anthologies: Yes (current open call here)
• ARCs: Yes

Its sole focus on LGBTQIA+ horror stories is more than enough to make Slashic Horror Press stand out. However, David-Jack’s collaborative approach with the authors he signs, and his passion for both great books and nurturing storytelling, elevates the press even higher. So, without further ado, here’s what you need to know.

---

About the Press

Finish the sentence: this press exists because ______. What did you feel was missing, and were you right?

This press exists to enable more queer voices in horror to be heard. We are often the sideline or sub-plot, which only further keeps us marginalised. Slashic Horror exists to counteract that and to offer a space for queer horror authors to be the main event.

How many books do you put out in a year, and how many people does it take to do it?

It varies year to year. Initially, I was doing 1 book a month, and now I tend to cap it at 10 books a year to give myself some breathing room and spare myself from burnout. I run Slashic alone, but this year I began outsourcing the editing to a wonderful editor, Chisto Healy, and I always get custom cover art. Everything else, I do by myself—promo graphics, formatting, interior artwork, anything else that needs doing 😂

Where do you sit genre-wise? Any additional imprints for works that are solid but might fall into a different area?

Specifically adult queer horror. The relatively new sister imprint, SQUIRM Books, run by Stephanie Sanders-Jacob, caters to the YA queer horror fans.

I love the collaborative approach you take and that you’re willing to give a manuscript assessment even for rejections. Talk to me about that. In an industry where a lot of presses and agents will just not reply at all if they’re not interested, why take the time and effort to give so much back?

I won’t lie; it is taxing, and I can’t always do it. I do try, and it is my aim to offer some kind of personalised feedback for rejections. Often it’s not a “no,” but more of a “not in its current form.” I do encourage a lot of people to resubmit once they have had a chance to develop the project a bit more.

My motivation for this is because I do believe every story matters, and there is an audience for what queer horror authors are doing. I also know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of silence, and it sucks. Why don’t they want my work? What’s wrong with it? Is it just not for them, or was there something specific about the book/work that is innately off-putting? I don’t want people who submit to me to feel like that; I don’t have a perfect response rate of achieving what I set out to do, but I do really try my best.

Where do you stand on different lengths/formats, like novellas, collections, and anthologies?

I like nothing shorter than 30K words, and I think 90K at the upper limit is reasonable. I tend to stay away from collections these days because they typically are a hard sell. I will do the occasional anthology when the theme is right, and I am passionate about it—I am currently launching a trans horror charity anthology that I’m really excited about.

Print run or print-on-demand, and how does that decision affect what you can acquire?

POD is better for me because of distribution costs for physical print runs. I can’t get books on physical shelves unless it’s through special request or consignment, which is a limitation. This doesn’t impact my decision to acquire, but it may impact an author’s decision.

What Are You Seeking?

Queer horror of any sub-genre (except YA). I’m pretty open to themes, but I do have to say that things like werewolves and vampires are pretty tired now. The book would need to have a really engaging and unique approach to those to get me interested.

Books that show the queer experience as everyday are also important to me. I like a balance between showcasing the difficulties we face as queer people and the ordinariness of coming home and curling up on the lounge with our partner. I guess what I’m saying is that I want authentic characters above all else, and stories that have depth—emotional, philosophical, etc., as well as identities that are under-represented like trans, non-binary, ace, etc.

What do you get so much of that you’ve stopped being able to say yes, no matter how well it’s done?

I’m on the verge of saying no to witches; there was an influx of witches for the 2027/2028 call recently. Having said that, there is a noticeable trend towards witchcraft in pop culture, so I need to also be strategic with what the market is demanding before I turn something away.

What’s the fastest way for a submission to make you stop reading the query letter, and in the first five pages?

I hate to say it, but poor writing. I understand the excitement of submitting something before it’s ready—trust me, I really do. I have done that myself. I try to be kind and let the author know that they need to spend more time with their work before submitting, though. The publishing industry can be so cold and callous; I think that working with under-represented groups calls for a certain level of compassion and encouragement.

How Do Submissions Work?

I read all the submissions once they come through the email. I also have a friend or two who do some reading and give their thoughts, but I always read it as well to make sure. Once the author submits, I will always write back to acknowledge receipt and to let them know when they can expect a response.

This last call was a really lengthy response time from submission to contract offer, specifically because of the influx of submissions I received. Working mostly by myself makes it difficult to respond in the timeframe that I like.

Walk a writer through what happens after they submit. Who reads it first, how many passes does it take to get to yes, how long before they hear anything, and what does a “no” from you look like?

As I say, I reply to their submission as soon as I can, usually within 24 hours. I read it first, and if I have concerns about things like character or representation, I will pass it along to someone for a second opinion. In terms of passes, I can usually tell whether I’m going to publish it after the first pass. I make notes as I go about what might need doing, and if the author is okay with that, then it’s usually a done deal.

A no from me can look like a few different things. As I mentioned before, it’s more likely a “not in its current form” than an outright no. The story is worth telling, and often I want to encourage the author to keep at it and resubmit. Lately, I have found that I am also recommending other indie presses to them in my rejection note, and it’s purely because I think their work aligns more with that press than with mine.

Answer the four things writers are nervous about asking directly: simultaneous submissions, unagented work, reprints, and AI-generated or AI-assisted text. Where do you stand on each?

1. Simultaneous: yes, but just let me know if/when it is accepted elsewhere
2. Unagented: preferred. I like new and under-represented voices, and debuts are a love of mine
3. Reprints: send it in, but it is a harder sell. I have been known to do it, but am more cautious now than when I started
4. AI: I don’t care if it’s “assisted” or “generated”—it’s a no from me. I will also never accept anything from that person ever again.

Without naming any figure you’d rather not publish, describe what your standard contract looks like: which rights you take and for how long, whether there’s an advance, how royalties are calculated, reported, and paid, and how an author gets their rights back, including if the press ever winds down.

It’s a pretty standard 3-year exclusivity contract for the ebook and paperback, split 60/40, as is audio rights. Film and TV rights are split 60/40. Royalties are quarterly, and I provide statements regardless of whether the author made any sales or not—it’s polite and good record-keeping.

I would love to do an advance, but I am still small potatoes.

If the press winds down, authors get rights back immediately. If, after the 3 years, the author wants to part ways, they just need to tell me. Otherwise, according to the contract, we just keep going as we are.

Also, I should stipulate that because I’m not a vanity press or a hybrid model, I don’t ask the author for any money. I provide the covers, editing, and 5 author copies at my own expense—sometimes literally from my own bank account.

How much say does an author get over things (cover, final title, etc.) and where do you draw the line?

The author gets a lot of say. I don’t actually finalise anything until I get the author’s approval. So, I have a template document for cover briefs that I send out. The author completes it, including a list of people they might want me to get a blurb from (of course, they are free to source that themselves, too), colour palette, and a chance to put any inspirational images in so that the cover designer has a good idea of what we’re looking for.

I will always ask the author for their thoughts, and I provide my own. Ultimately, though, the book is the author’s work, and I want them to be happy with the final product. There have been times when, even though I don’t personally like the cover, I have used it anyway because the author was passionate about it, and I’m happy to do that.

Where do I draw the line? That’s tricky, because I like to be flexible. I suppose once the edits are done, they are done. I don’t like going backwards in a project, so once the book is out, I will not do edits again unless it is for a very specific and valid reason.

What happens with audio, translation, and screen rights? Do you take them, and do you place them?

Audio is sometimes tricky for me; being in Australia, I don’t have access to ACX, and it means that production costs would be quite high. Luckily, I have found a collaboration with Haruspex Audio, who are also queer-owned and queer-run by Rain Corbyn, a wonderful human being. I think I mentioned earlier about the royalty splits for audio and screen rights, but importantly, my contracts are world English, so if an author wants a translated edition, they are more than welcome to arrange that.

What does your editorial process consist of, start to finish, and how long does it last on average from signed contract to finished book?

When I edit the book myself (I am a qualified editor, don’t worry!), I like to share the document with the author so they can see live changes and we can work on it together if need be (say, during dev. edits).

When Chisto does the editing, I believe he is similar; it’s all cloud-based now, so it’s easy for the author to see what’s happening and when. The timeline varies. For instance, almost all the editing for 2027 is done already, but nothing has happened for 2028. I like to be about 3 months in advance so there’s time to correct anything, but at the moment I am about 12 months ahead.

Editing is a collaborative process too. Both Chisto and I like to ask the authors questions in the track-changes/comments to make sure we’re understanding everything properly, and to check details, etc. We both also like to give the author pointers and suggestions, but ultimately the decision is the author’s.

What does the press do for every title, and what is the author expected to do?

I organise edits, covers, formatting, and social graphics. I also reach out to people for blurbs on behalf of the author. The author is mostly just expected to be responsive and communicative, and to promote their work as best they can. They can make graphics etc. as well (just no AI), and can organise podcast interviews and things. I don’t tend to do that, as I know some people don’t feel comfortable doing interviews and things, so I leave that up to the author.

Who is this press wrong for? Describe the writer who’d be happier somewhere else.

Straight people or people writing straight stories. Fantasy authors or people writing romance.

How many of your authors know each other? What’s the inter-author camaraderie like?

I do an IG author group chat, so everyone is familiar with each other. I couldn’t say who knows who on a personal level, but we are all very friendly and supportive in the chat.

Last Call

What’s the one thing you wish more writers understood about small-press publishing?

The authors I have worked with have mostly been incredible and quite understanding. They seem really conscious of the fact that I’m a human being and that sometimes life happens. Maybe I’ve been really lucky, though!

---

Slashic Horror isn’t currently accepting submissions, and David-Jack is reading for the press’s 2028 release roster. Keep an eye on the submissions page for more information. However, there is an open call for anthology submissions (closes December 31, 2026). Note that Slashic Horror only accepts LGBTQ+ authors and allies writing horror fiction with LGBTQ+ content (themes, plot, character).

Make sure to subscribe to the Speakeasy to get the full spec-fic small press series in your inbox, and if you know of or run a small press that focuses on horror, sci-fi, or fantasy, let us know!