Do you write fantasy stories in English? Are you a Malaysian looking to get published?
At Teaspoon Publishing, we’re all about that little dash of fantasy and that big dose of Malaysia—which is why we’re currently opening submissions for fantasy stories written by Malaysians in English.
If you write fantasy and you’re a Malaysian, show us what you’ve got!
A Spoonful of Malaysian Magic 2: Modern Folklore Retellings
Edited by Anna Tan and Hamizah Adzmi
We’ve seen enough retellings of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast in recent years. What were your favourite Malaysian magical tales growing up? Send us your modern-day retellings! For example, what if Santubong transforms from a mountain to a 21st century woman for a month? Or what would be a modern equivalent of Si Tanggang turning to stone? What would Puteri Gunung Ledang ask of Sultan Mahmud Shah if she were alive now?
Include the original/source folktale in English or Malay for reference—this can be your own rough translation if there aren’t any existing translations. Unfortunately, we don’t read any other languages.
What counts as Malaysian folktales?
Besides the usual Melayu, Cina, India that appears on all forms, we’d like to lean into Dan Lain-Lain tales: Orang Asli, Iban, Dayak, Peranakan, Serani, Kadazan, Bajau etc etc
What makes them magical?
No matter how normal or real-life based the original folklore is, we’d like an element of the fantastic in your retelling. This could mean injecting an element of magic and the supernatural, including all our various mythical creatures! Keep in mind, though, that this isn’t a horror anthology.
Publishing Details
We’re currently looking for short stories of of between 2,000 to 8,000 words for a 2026 anthology. Submissions are open until 30 June 2026. A decision will be made by August 2026.
Publication: Ebook & Print
Payment: 6 sen per word and a paperback contributor’s copy.
Rights: We request exclusive first worldwide print and digital rights for 6 months after the date of publication. All copyright remains with the author.
Other notes:
- We’re cool with simultaneous & multiple submissions. Just let us know if the story you’ve sent to us has been accepted elsewhere.
- We like to keep things clean—so keep your stories PG-13!
- Submissions that use generative-AI will not be entertained.
- Questions? Email us at submissions@teaspoonpublishing.com.my.
