Last year, Twisted Dreams Press put out a call for submissions for a new horror anthology. Since we’re all fans of the Friday the 13th movie franchise, we decided to do a “Friday the 13th” horror anthology.
And since the movies took place at a summer camp, this particular anthology would contain summer camp horror stories!
The plan was to release this book on Friday, March 13th of this year.
Here is the original anthology call:
“It’s that time of year again! Time for writers everywhere to start writing some summer camp horror!
At Twisted Dreams Press, however, we horror fanatics just can’t get enough of Friday the 13th!
Yes, we have a very special Friday the 13th coming up this year: June 13, which happens to be Jason’s birthday!
Can I get a “CH-CH-CH-CH AH-AH-AH-AH”???
But we also want to put out a call for summer camp horror stories that take place on a Friday the 13th for our anthology: Friday the 13th Summer Camp Horror! This anthology is scheduled for publication on Friday, March 13, 2026!
Start submitting your summer camp horror stories now! The deadline is December 5, 2025. Which gives you plenty of time to cook up a story that will knock our socks off!
NOTE: A tie-in to the movie is not required. No fan fiction, please.”
Unfortunately, we did not receive many submissions for this anthology, even after we extended the deadline. This was an easy fix, since Dawn was planning to write a story for the anthology and could make the story long enough for us to release the anthology as a print book.
Even so, after Jennifer was hospitalized in December (and, unfortunately, is still in the hospital), all publication of new books and sending out of contracts for accepted stories and manuscripts was put on hold until she returns to work.
What this means is that the anthology’s original publication date of Friday, March 13, 2026 has been changed.
The NEW publication date for this anthology is now Friday, August 13, 2027.
With this change of plans, Dawn is reopening to submissions for this anthology.
The NEW deadline for this anthology is now Friday, November 13, 2026.
So, horror writers, if you have ever wanted a chance to have a summer camp horror story published in an anthology, now is your chance to submit!
Please note that your story must take place on a Friday the 13th at a summer camp.
All subgenres of horror are welcome.
Reprints and simultaneous submissions welcome.
Length: 2K-10K words
Please note these other story guidelines:
- No SA or rape, especially anything involving a character under the age of 18. While we are open to anything sexually explicit, we do not want it to include children or even implied that sexual acts were done to children.
- No homophobia, transphobia, racism, xenophobia, queerphobia, sexism, misogyny, fetishism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, ableism or anything which discriminates or includes hate speech against the disabled community.
- No hate speech towards other marginalized communities.
- No MAGA ideology. Nothing in favor of or supporting the Trump regime.
- No animal cruelty or torture.
- Revenge stories are fine, but don’t use real names or real-life incidents.
Please only submit your story as a Word doc or docx file.
Please put “Friday the 13th summer camp horror story” in the subject line of your email.
You can submit your stories to Dawn at this email address:
Submissions(at)twisteddreamspress(dot)com
Payment is one digital copy of this anthology. Authors included will be eligible for a discount on author copies.