Dark Yonder: A Quarterly Literary Magazine

This is not your grandfather’s noir. Forget middle-aged alcoholics in bad jackets roaming the mean streets of L.A. in search of redemption and a bonus roll in the hay with a duplicitous dame. The debut issue of DARK YONDER takes a look at the dark side of modern life, including sibling rivalry, the shelf life of marriage, our culture of greed, violence as entertainment, child soldiers, obsessive love gone wrong, and so much more. Paper copies will be available for purchase at Yonder and on Amazon after January 24th, 2023.

Dark Yonder Issue #6

A Single Moment…..

…. is all it takes to change a life forever. And a single life has such many such apocryphal moments in it. What will you do when the time comes for you? Stand up for yourself? Accept what fate has handed you? Or fight back against your destiny? Join us for Issue 6 of Dark Yonder as ten great neo noir authors explore the importance of life‘s turning points:

Ten original neo-noir short stories chosen by Katy Munger and Eryk Pruitt.

Dark Yonder Issue #5

It’s a Fine Line….

…. between love and hate…. loneliness and sex…. loyalty and revenge…. kinkiness and power…. grief and guilt…. and just about every other emotion driving the human condition. Explore those lines and the people who cross them through these ten provocative neo noir short stories:

Ten original neo-noir short stories chosen by Katy Munger and Eryk Pruitt.

Dark Yonder 5

Dark Yonder Issue #4

The latest issue of the neo-noir anthology Dark Yonder is out! If you like hard-hitting short fiction about real life, Dark Yonder is for you. It’s got ten original neo-noir short stories chosen by Katy Munger and Eryk Pruitt.

Dark Yonder Issue #3

Issue 3 of DARK YONDER includes a cocktail recipe named after an American literary icon, commentary by editors Eryk Pruitt and Katy Munger, plus ten short stories by some of the best neo-noir authors writing today

  • How to Teach Yourself to Swim by Fleur Bradley
  • Barroom Hero by Jay Butkowski
  • Surety by Sarah Courtreau
  • Once Again in the Meeting by Tony Gentry
  • Scorpions by Nick Kolakowski
  • An Evening with Arlo by Mike McCrary
  • Big Jim Booker by Marc Phillips
  • Where the Bodies Are Buried by Todd Robinson
  • Crispy Skin by Anthony Neil Smith
  • Sam Pays His Dues by Casey Stegman
Dark Yonder Summer 2023

Dark Yonder Issue #2

Welcome to Issue #2 of DARK YONDER, a quarterly journal that seeks out and publishes the best neo-noir short fiction being written today. Dark Yonder’s stories come from the imaginations of bestselling authors and undiscovered writers alike. But what all of our stories share is this: great writing, unique voices, glimpses into lives unlike our own, a willingness to choose reality over escapism, insights into the dark side of life, and sometimes even humor.

  • A Song for the Shattered Hearts by Nick S.A. Cosby
  • Big Bob’s Donuts at 3 a.m. by Meagan Lucas
  • Chicken Fly Christ by Joseph Hirsch
  • Wheelies by Recita L. Clemons
  • I’m Coming to Get You by Kevin A. Brown
  • Bear Hunt by Warren Moore
  • Tayden’s 2! by Alice Archer
  • Beach House by Joe Labriola
  • Grief by Preston Lang

Dark Yonder Issue #1

Don’t miss out on Issue #1 of DARK YONDER, a new literary journal that’s pushing the boundaries of neo-noir. Issue 1 includes a killer cocktail recipe, commentary by editors and crime fiction authors Eryk Pruitt and Katy Munger, plus the best of dark fiction today:

  • The Twenty-One Foot Rule by Nick Mamatas
  • Home Game by Craig Faustus Buck
  • Beni by Gregg Williard
  • The Worst Game of Baseball Ever Played by Adam Breckenridge
  • Perforation of a Moment by Mike McHone
  • Dorothy by Anna Kristiansen
  • Or Not to Be by Johnny Shaw
  • The Entitled Life and Untimely Death of King Booker by P.M. Raymond
  • Verna Maxell by Dana King
  • A Harvest of Malice by Matt McHugh
Dark Yonder

Submissions

What We’re Looking For

First and foremost: we’re looking for great stories and unique voices in the neo-noir genre. That means a plot. It means a beginning and an end. It means that unusual writing styles are welcome. Bonus points for surprising the reader. It might mean going out on a limb with what you see as your truth. Most of all, though, we are looking for stories about the real world around us. If your story is classified as science fiction, horror, fantasy, or any other subgenre set in another world, it will not be accepted. Yes, you can have some elements of other genres in your story, but the basic story itself must be grounded in our world, past or present, and deal with issues we grapple with today. We believe the most powerful stories examine the darkness we live with each and every day. In short, we are looking for stories that illuminate reality, not stories that try to escape it.

Submission Guidelines

  • There are no set requirements, but all stories submitted must be categorized primarily as “neo-noir.” But keep in mind that we’re not looking for your grandfather’s noir fiction. We’re looking for new, unique voices and interpretations of dark literary fiction. Everyone is well versed in the fiction that America is raised on; we’re looking for fiction that takes us… yonder.
  • Our sweet spot is 3,000 to 5,000 words, with a 5,000-word max. No flash or fan fiction, please.
  • Simultaneous submissions are fine, although we will need to be notified if your story is accepted elsewhere as we require exclusivity.
  • We do not accept reprint submissions.
  • Because we publish four times a year in January, April, July, and October, there are no firm submission deadlines. At the moment, we are accepting submissions for Issue #3, which is scheduled to come out in July 2023. 
  • For the subject line of your submission: please start with the title of your story, followed by a dash and your full name. 
  • You will be notified of our decision about your submitted story whether or not you are accepted for publication. Authors typically accepted for publication are usually notified around two months before publication. Because of the production period, authors whose work is not accepted may not hear back from us until several more months have passed.
  • Because we publish each quarter, there is always a new opportunity on the horizon should we pass on your submission for the current issue. If we believe your story would fit in a future issue, we will contact you for permission to keep the story on file for a specific amount of time.
  • If your submission is selected for publication, you will be asked to provide a 150-word or less author bio and online profile with your story. You may include information on where readers can purchase your other work in this bio.
  • Authors will receive $50 for each story chosen for publication in Dark Yonder.
  • Authors accepted for publication will also receive one copy of the issue they appear in. Authors living in the U.S. will have a print copy mailed to them. Authors with an international shipping address will have an eBook version emailed to them.
  • Dark Yonder will own all rights to your story for a period of one year following publication. After that, rights will revert back to you as the author.
  • Please submit your story to darkyondersubmissions@gmail.com. As noted above, for the subject line of your submission: please start with the title of your story, followed by a dash and your full name. 
  • Dark Yonder also offers opportunities for publishers to advertise their books. If you are interested in purchasing an ad in an upcoming issue of Dark Yonder, please contact us at darkyondersubmissions@gmail.com.