This weekend, the Aurora Awards will be announced. It’s a fan-voted award in Canada, and On Spec is on the final ballot. We are in a very strong group of contenders, so best wishes to everyone involved.

If not wanting "AI" anything in my magazine makes me the villain in the eyes of some, I can live with that. No amount of whining will change my mind. I do not need to explain myself. My house. My rules.

🚨Call for Submissions🚨 We are looking for dinosaur ghost stories! Edited by Halli Reid, submissions OPEN NOW May 1-Jun 30. Stories must have a connection to the province of Alberta, Canada. More info: tychebooks.com/submissions

Did y’all notice that On Spec is at last a finalist for the Hugo? If you aren’t a Hugo voter who gets the free 2025 issues in the Hugo voter package, you can get them for a mere pittance at Weightless Books. Just sayin’

Here’s the wonderful news. Shadowpaw Press’ Kickstarter for the On Spec 2026 anthology is fully funded, and they are open to submissions of original short stories from Canadian writers!

Just a reminder that the Kickstarter for On Spec 2026 is close to being fully funded, but time is running out. This anthology could be the start of a new market for Canadian speculative fiction. See our website for links.

Visit onspec.ca for the link to the Shadowpaw Press On Spec Anthology Kickstarter! The magazine has stopped but the name can carry on. Plus you can buy back issues.

Pleased to see people buying our final issue. Enjoy!

Odd-Eyes Mullin was still swinging from the gallows, naught but a ten-minute walk from the stinking wharfside tavern where Captain Ollie Hallett raised a tankard to his second mate’s memory. The opening line from my story 'Seven for a Secret,' featured in @onspecmag.bsky.social issue 134.

New short fiction wrapping up 2025. This also features the last issues for two publications, Fantasy (technically on hiatus) and On Spec. reactormag.com/must-read-sh...

Must Read Short Speculative Fiction: December 2025 - Reactor

Ten excellent works of short fiction you may have missed in 2025

reactormag.com

On Spec has ended publication. But remember that you can still find some awesome short fiction in all the issues available through Weightless Books, and the On Spec Ki-fi page.

#BuyMyBooks THE CHILDREN’S HORROR. Check out my themed collection (of stories inspired by kids TV programming) from Northern Republic Books, featuring 2 stories (“The Dogcatcher” & “Your Selkie Lover”) included in @datlow.bsky.social’s Recommended Reading List.

As we start the new year, the editors of On Spec want to thank all our friends, writers, poets, and artists for thirty-five years of support and trust. Best wishes to all in your future endeavours. And if you are new to On Spec, you can get some excellent deals at @weightlessbooks.bsky.social

Our first magazines for 2026 are 2 days away, but in the meantime, we've just added @onspecmag.bsky.social #134 weightlessbooks.com/on-spec-maga... AND The Complete Astreiant series from @qospress.bsky.social weightlessbooks.com/the-complete...

Our final issue is now available. Twice as many stories as most of our issues!

The final issue of On Spec is at the proofreading stage, and, with 21 stories and 4 poems, it’s our biggest issue in years! Watch for it!!!

A very nice review of a story from On Spec #133!

Alex Brown 🇵🇸 (they/them)@bookjockeyalex.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Just in time for the holiday weekend, my 10 favorite short science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories from October. reactormag.com/must-read-sh...

Since @onspecmag.bsky.social is closing up shop next month, its publishers have reduced prices on all 100+ back issues of OnSpec to just 99 cents! weightlessbooks.com/category/pub...

GTA friends! Now you know what you’re doing on Saturday afternoon!

Stephen Kotowych 🇨🇦@ourmankoto.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Come one, come all! Join us for the launch of Year's Best Canadian F&SF Volume 3 this Saturday, Nov 8 at Bakka-Phoenix @ 3pm. Ten contributors will be doing brief readings from their work and the fine folks at @bakkaphoenix.bsky.social will have copies for sale. See you there and pls share WIDELY.

Submissions are OPEN for Year's Best Canadian Fantasy & Science Fiction: Volume Four (the best of 2025). Send me your SFF published in 2025, you crazy Canucks! Details on my site at the link below. DON'T SELF REJECT! You can't win if you don't play ;) Subs close Feb 28, 2026. Pls share WIDELY.

She’s right about this. Our stories don’t get stale or go bad. Something we published 5 or 10 or 30 years ago still has an amazing shelf life.

Danica LeBlanc@danicahere.bsky.social · 10mo ago

The good news? Stories don't go bad. Find a back issue, and I know you'll find something in there to enjoy. 5/5

With our new issue, we are making the sad announcement that this will be the final year for On Spec. See www.onspec.ca for details.

In case you missed it: my story "Two Voices, One Song" a tale of overnight horror set in Iceland, will be in the next issue of On Spec magazine @onspecmag.bsky.social ! More info here: onspec.ca/2025/09/19/o...

On Spec Issue #133 Preview

Here’s a peek at what we’re offering in this issue: We’re happy to bring back some writers you’ve seen on our pages before. And equally happy to introduce new voices at the start of the…

onspec.ca

Check out my story, "An Unsparing Harvest," in the latest issue of @onspecmag.bsky.social! It's perfect for the spooky season. weightlessbooks.com/on-spec-maga...

New issue of @onspecmag.bsky.social is here! weightlessbooks.com/on-spec-maga...

On Spec Magazine #133 VOL 35 No 3

Volume 35 No 3 issue of On Spec Magazine. This issue features short stories by Liz Westbrook-Trenholm ("The Bag of Holding"), Gillian Secord ("the love song of house and lake"), John Park ("When the S...

weightlessbooks.com

Thrilled to announce that the contracts have been signed and NeWest Press (@newestpress.bsky.social) will be republishing my novel NAPIER'S BONES, possibly as a Landmark Edition, possibly as a part of Barbour Books, their new SF/F line. #publishing

We just added a few more back issues of On Spec to our Ko-fi shop. Yours for 99 cents or pay what you will. These and more can also be found at Weightless Books. Help us out with a small donation and enjoy the stories!

Are you in Alberta? You can read On Spec along with many other Alberta-produced magazines by searching the digital magazine options at any Alberta public library!

Issue #133 is at the proofing stage now. But you can buy and read #132 while you wait!