Spring Fever! Horror in Bloom Substack Event

Summer, autumn, winter. They’re well-represented in horror. But spring? Not so much.

As the frost finally begins to thaw, sleeping creatures begin to stir, and new life waits to make its way into the sun, now seems like the perfect time to give spring its spooky due.

We want you to roll up your sleeves, dig your hands into the moist, loamy soil of fertile imagination and see what kind of frightening spring tales you can unleash on Substack.

The need-to-know details:

Project Name: Spring Fever!

The Theme: Horror in bloom. Buds bursting, new life waiting to shiver up from the soil. People cooped up too long inside, dazzled by the sun. The smell of rain, but make it foreboding. The feel of new beginnings, but make it twisted and tangled. Beltane fires, ancient rites. Let your horror-filled fever dreams run wild!

Length: Less than 4,000 words.

Due date: Monday, March 16, 2026, 11:59pm EST. Submit via the Google form here.

Publish date: The first day of spring. Friday, March 20, 2026, 9am EST.

Substack Live: We’ll be asking a few authors to join us for a reading of an excerpt of their stories during a Substack Live event on March 20 to celebrate. Note: If you’re interested in this, submit your story sooner rather than later so we have time to read it before the event.

Join our Discord! Want to discuss story ideas, source beta readers, or just chat with your fellow Substackers? Check out the Spring Fever! Discord group: https://discord.gg/Sp9cK4vW

Questions: Send Garen Marie a DM

Now get to work! Hit us with your lush laments, your vernal viscera, your dew-dappled devilishness. We can’t wait to see what you come up with.