Tips from the December Submissions...

• No...science...fiction.

• We want to experience terror from the stories - not suffer nightmares from the grammar. Line edit, proofread, line edit some more, proofread. Repeat until verb tenses agree, the punctuation doesn't upstage your characters, and sentences enjoy self-actualization.

• The stories that are blowing our socks off are the ones with a strong sense of setting and mood. Avoid the clichéd gay bar scene unless you possess the extraordinary talent to bring something mind-numbingly unique to the table.

• Subtle endings are fine if executed well. Watch for endings that fall flat or take the action from 60 mph to a complete halt within the span of mere sentences.