Specul8 Publishing

Specul8 Publishing Specul8 Publishing is an independent publisher first founded in 2014 by Australian author TC Phillips.

We love genre fiction of practically every stripe imaginable, from sci-fi to fantasy and horror and everything in between. Specul8 Publishing is the demented brain child of Rockhampton based author TC Phillips. After stumbling his way into a series of anthologies, literary journals and other international publications he was struck with the idea to try and ferret out other like-minded writers, fre

aks and miscreants a little closer to home. In 2014 he launched Specul8: Central Queensland Journal of Speculative Fiction and was shocked to learn there were far more of his type of twisted people out there than he ever bargained for. Three years and four bumper issues later, we set our sights a little farther afield and morphed into Specul8 Publishing, offering an independent publishing avenue for Australian and New Zealand based writers working in the kinds of speculative genres which really excite us. Whether sci-fi, horror, fantasy, steampunk or anything else in between, the stranger and more fantastical the better.

How's your submission coming along for our latest flash fiction prompt? Subs for this one close midnight this coming Tue...
22/02/2025

How's your submission coming along for our latest flash fiction prompt? Subs for this one close midnight this coming Tuesday AEST

Happy birthday Planet X! In 1906 Percival Lowell began the hunt for a possible 9th planet dubbed Planet X.However, it wo...
18/02/2025

Happy birthday Planet X! In 1906 Percival Lowell began the hunt for a possible 9th planet dubbed Planet X.

However, it would be 24-year-old amateur astronomer Clyde Tombaugh who finally discovered the moving object on Feb 18, 1930 that would eventually come to be known as Pluto.

I wonder if he saw any Kaiju?

Brandon Sanderson has said he’s knocked back TV offers for his work because he doesn’t think streaming services know how...
14/02/2025

Brandon Sanderson has said he’s knocked back TV offers for his work because he doesn’t think streaming services know how to do epic fantasy properly yet - citing Wheel of Time and Rings of Power.

What’s your take Specul8ors?

"Streaming hasn’t figured out epic fantasy yet."

Nothing says Valentine's Day like a giant Kaiju Chicken. We hope you spoil your loved ones today with oversized poultry ...
14/02/2025

Nothing says Valentine's Day like a giant Kaiju Chicken. We hope you spoil your loved ones today with oversized poultry too!

Our latest Flash Fiction challenge winner is now online. Check out 'Nora's Last Day' by Shell St. James now!
14/02/2025

Our latest Flash Fiction challenge winner is now online. Check out 'Nora's Last Day' by Shell St. James now!

The day began to go sideways when she was in the market. Reaching for an orange from the pyramid-style stack, she managed to set the whole display tumbling down.Oranges went everywhere, bouncing and …

12/02/2025

And the latest winner for our Flash Fiction challenge is....

Shell St. James

Congrats Shell! We've emailed you and your story will be online soon.

New challenge time Specul80rs!Use the image below to craft an original flash fiction piece, and submit it online for the...
11/02/2025

New challenge time Specul80rs!

Use the image below to craft an original flash fiction piece, and submit it online for the chance to be featured on our website. The winning entry will receive $10 AU (via PayPal) for their efforts and the eternal glory that inevitably comes with being crowned Specul8's King or Queen short form wordsmith.

Better yet, at the end of the year we'll compile the all the winning entries into our inaugural Specul8 Christmas Annual, with print copies ready to stuff people's stockings in time for the holiday season.

Entries are open to authors of all stripes, locations and levels of experience.

MAFS be like..
07/02/2025

MAFS be like..

How's your submission for this fortnight's prompt coming along? You've got till midnight Feb 11 to get it in!
07/02/2025

How's your submission for this fortnight's prompt coming along? You've got till midnight Feb 11 to get it in!

03/02/2025

Elendil himself, Lloyd Owen, is set to join us at this year’s Supanova in Melbourne (29-30 March) and on the Gold Coast (12-13 April).

01/02/2025
31/01/2025

Lex Luthor himself, Supa-Star Michael Cudlitz, will join us at Supanova in Melbourne!

Each fortnight our entries just seem to keep getting better, and here's the next prompt!The rules are simple, each fortn...
28/01/2025

Each fortnight our entries just seem to keep getting better, and here's the next prompt!

The rules are simple, each fortnight we'll supply a new image prompt and use that image to craft a story between 300-500 words.
Submissions for prompt #3 close midnight Feb 11!
https://www.specul8.com.au/specul8-flash-fic-challenge

And the winner for our Flash Fiction challenge #2 is..... *drumrollAnne Wilkins!Congratulations Anne, we've emailed you...
28/01/2025

And the winner for our Flash Fiction challenge #2 is..... *drumroll

Anne Wilkins!

Congratulations Anne, we've emailed you and your story will be online soon.

From the people who brought you the public health hazard known as Martian Cola, now comes the energy drink designed to e...
25/01/2025

From the people who brought you the public health hazard known as Martian Cola, now comes the energy drink designed to eviscerate the competition. Introducing Killer Kaiju, now with added dextromethamphetamine for that special kaiju kick!

Taste the destruction!

*Warning: consumption may cause psychosis and/or cardiac arrest.

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The '80s were killer. Submissions open June 1st, 2025

We want your monster tales! Submissions for Attack of the Colossal Creatures from Planet X are open until Dec 31. Visit https://www.specul8.com.au/submissions for more details.

Attention authors! Submissions for Attack of the Colossal Creatures from Planet X are now open! We're looking for monstrous tales of the Kaiju variety. Check out our submissions page for more info now! https://www.specul8.com.au/submissions #writer #writing #authorsofinstagram

Attention Earth Creatures of #rockhampton We have something to say ahead of your annual ritual gathering known as CapriCon Pop Culture Convention We too enjoy sacrificing mountains of our planetary supply of hot glue sticks and EVA foam in a bid to celebrate your species' fictional vigilantes and animated characters. Last year, Snarkleblutt assumed the form of a misguided orphan boy who compensated for his repressed trauma by dressing like a flying rodent and throwing razor blades at the faces of the criminal underbelly. You humans will literally do anything to avoid therapy. Anyway, see you tomorrow.

Empress Tay Tay loves herself a good Raygun. They're super handy when you need to vaporise your neighbour's schnauzer for sh*tting in your driveway. (Or that might be the neighbour himself, given the size of said deposits) Either way, she's also found her second favourite Raygun. Drop it like it's hot Earthlings.

Saucer-Men invade Gladstone PopCon
Saucer-Men invade Gladstone PopCon

Attention Earth Creatures of #gladstone! Empress Tay Tay, Commander of the Swift Legions, Scourge of the Zeta Quadrant has marked your Gladstone PopCon for galactic conquest. Prepare to bend the knee when her emissaries from Specul8 Publishing arrive with the Invasion of the Saucer-Men from Mars! See you there on September 7th. Think warm thoughts, those probes can get mighty cold. #ufosighting #UFO #allhailempresstaytay #GladstonePopCon

The Saucer-Men from Mars invade Capricon
The Saucer-Men from Mars invade Capricon

Attention Earth Creatures of #rockhampton! We've been going to CapriCon Rockhampton since it first started back at the Rocky Library, and we wouldn't miss this year for all the worlds in Empress Tay Tay's expansive galactic empire. And this year, we'll be bringing the Saucer-Men from Mars! with us. Get ready for some outer-space madness Rocky! See you at Capricon on August 31! #UFO #ufosighting #Capricon

The Invasion of the Saucer-Men from Mars! may have already come, but beware of the Attack of the of the Colossal Creatures from Planet X! We're looking for kaiju-themed tales where bigger is better. SIZE DOES MATTER. Submissions open Oct 1, 2024. https://www.specul8.com.au/submissions

Happy World UFO Day! The time has come, the Invasion of the Saucer-Men from Mars! has officially begun. Get your copy now! https://www.specul8.com.au/invasion-of-the-saucer-men-from-mars #UFO #WorldUFODay #amreadingscifi #Reading #allhailempresstaytay

BREAKING NEWS: UFO Sighting in Byron Bay, NSW. Locals demand to know if they're dropping off another Hemsworth brother Are you ready for the Invasion of the Saucer-Men from Mars!? #ByronBay #WorldUFODay #ufosighting

BREAKING NEWS: UFO Sighting in Sydney, NSW. Desperate locals ask about rental availability on Mars Are you ready for the Invasion of the Saucer-Men from Mars!? #Sydney #WorldUFODay #ufosighting

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We love storytellers, those passionate people who pour their souls into their work and yearn to share it with the world. That's what we do, at Specul8 we believe in stories that are worth sharing.