it's not Halloween until you've watched "The Curse of Frank Black."

Okay, it’s not that secret, what with us posting it on the website. But – long story short – we’re doing a special issue this October dedicated to – wait for it – Halloween!

We thought about throwing this submission call up on Duotrope, but then decided to give first crack to the good people of the JDP diaspora. Why let everyone and their sister send in their tired Halloween trunk stories? Instead we want the people who actually read and write for JDP to…send in their tired Halloween trunk stories.

Except we know you won’t do that. You’ll dazzle us with the piece about the time your uncle stopped Nyarlohotep from toilet-papering all of Michigan on Mischief Night or stun us with the truth about what the Great Pumpkin really does on Halloween Night. (Or something similarly awesome and possibly less copyrighted!)

If you’ve got something you want us to read, just send it through this secret portal we’ve set up on Submishmash. (And, yes, we realize secret portal does sound vaguely dirty. Sorry.)

We’ll even give you a little extra room than normal – up to 5,000 words, if you need it. And we might even consider some non-fiction for this one, if you think you’ve got a particularly interesting take on All Hallow’s Eve. Just don’t send us the story about how you and your friends went to a bar that one Halloween night and got drunk. (Because we’ve seen that. About Christmas. And New Year’s. And really every other day of the year. ) But if you have a cleverly crafted essay about the evolution of kids’ Darth Vader costumes over time or a thoughtful contemplation on the atomic weight of candy corn, by all means send it on.

Submissions will stay open until filled, but at least through July 1st. If we haven’t found what we’re looking for by August, we’ll put out an open call on Duotrope and unleash ensuing hell on our slushpile.

Alright. Get typing.