Call for Stories: Bride of the Golem: An Anthology of Humorous Jewish Horror

I will be editing the book "Bride of the Golem: An Anthology of Humorous Jewish Horror" and am seeking stories to include in it.

The stories can employ a new Jewish twist on a mainstream horror theme (e.g. a tale about a Hassidic vampire mohel or about the Lubbavitchers reanimating Rebbe Schneerson). Or they can reinterpret horrific elements in classical Jewish folklore like the Golem or dybbuk. Or they can venture into entirely new territory.

Stories of this genre that I like: Etgar Keret's "Quanta", Shulamit Hareven's "The Emissary", Shalom Auslander's "Prophet's Dilemma" and Nathan Englander's "Reb Kringle," to name just a few.

Requirements are the following:
1) The story should be humorous.
2) The content of the story should have some connection to Jewish culture deeper than the names of the main characters. Subtle references to Talmud, the prayerbook, Midrash are very welcome, though not required. You don't have to be Jewish to submit, but it helps if you have some prior knowledge of Jewish traditions.
3) It is preferrably unpublished, though I will consider reprints in some cases if the reprint rights are easily negotiated. I will also consider translations of stories from other languages if the rights are easily secured.
4) The length can vary from 500 words to 10,000.
5) The story should be well-written. I shouldn't have to say this.
6) The story should be forwarded to me via e-mail: gus.ginsburg40@gmail.com with the words "Bride of the Golem Submission" in the subject line. Word docs are fine, but not docx format. I prefer doublespaced, 12 point in a readable font. The document should be paginated with your name and title at the bottom of each page. The first page or cover page should include your contact information. You can include a brief bio (up to 250 words) in the body of your submission e-mail.
7) Simultaneous submissions are fine. Let me know immediately if the story is accepted elsewhere.

Here's how the process will work:
I am looking for 10-12 publishable stories by new and upcoming authors, and I will see that you are paid $500 for your story, though it may take some time for you to receive your payment as I have to get an agent and publisher on board with this project. I will also solicit 2-4 stories by better-known authors in order to make this volume a bestseller at Jewish book fairs.

A Few Good Reads

Lately, among the things I've read, I've encountered a few short stories worth noting and recommending for others:

Pinckney Benedict's "Zog-19: A Scientific Romance" in Zoetrope All Story 2. This story is phenomenal, combining tragedy with the humorously absurd. Although sci-fi is not my usual genre of reading, this short story ranks among the best I've encountered--up there with Douglas Adams and Jeanette Winterson's "Stone Gods."

Paul Auster's "Travels in the Scriptorium". The narrative voice shifts early in the story between one which doesn't know what's in the protagonist's head and one that does. The reason becomes clear later on. Like Calvino's "If On a Winter's Night a Traveler," this story contains stories within a frame story. Beautifully written and very engaging.

Gail Hareven "Man in a Hat" in 50 Stories from Israel. The daughter of the late Shulamit Hareven, also an author and member of the Hebrew Language Academy. The author used the same nightmarish mimesis that her mom used so well in "Twilight" and "The Emissary." I now want to read the story in the Hebrew original.