chthon·ic /ˈ(k)θɒnɪk/ adjective
adjective: chthonic; adjective: chthonian
of or belonging to the earth. dwelling beneath, relating to or inhabiting the underworld.
In myth: the earthly, the underworld, the unseen.
In this magazine: that which dares to take root in the recesses of the mind.
Here, chthonic speaks of stories that settle in darkness. Work that haunts and molts and returns. These pieces represent the mythic, the buried, and the uncanny; the divine creative force amidst the decay.
Chthonic Lit is a biannual literary magazine exploring the space where genre fiction and literary fiction converge. We publish speculative short stories that blur the line between real and surreal. Each issue is rooted in the mythic, the uncanny, and the strange. While our primary focus is on short speculative fiction, we also have some room for poetry, visual art, essays, and other experimental works that echo our chthonic ethos.
Our submissions are currently open until October 31st, 2025.
Who inspires us:
- Cassandra Khaw
- Loghan Paylor
- N. K. Jemisin
- Caitlin Starling
- Ling Ling Huang
- Octavia Butler
- Samantha Shannon
- Julia Armfield
- Ursula K. Le Guin
- Jeanette Winterson
- Carmen Maria Machado
and more! Send us your most strange, unsettling, and life altering short fiction.
