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Ruminate Announces New Editor

photo of Jess Jelsma Masterson
Photo from Ruminate‘s July 31 newsletter

If you aren’t subscribed to Ruminate‘s newsletter (you probably should be), they announced in their July 31 edition that Jess Jelsma Masterton is joining their team as Editor. She was unanimously elected to the position due to her “compelling vision for the magazine” and care for the staff, readers, and their mission.

Masterton has previously worked on the Cincinnati Review where she served as an Assistant and Associate Editor. She has also recently completed her PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Cincinnati. Her own fiction, nonfiction, and audio works can be found in recent issues of The Arkansas International, The Southern Review, and The Normal School.

Interim Editor Jen Stewart Fueston will work with Masterton to ensure a smooth transition before returning to her board position later this fall.

The team at Ruminate are committed to being an independent magazine with the freedom to cultivate their authentic selves through nourishing conversations, actions, and art that spiritually sustains and are excited to continue their united journey with Masterton at the helm.

Creative Nonfiction Summer 2021 Sale

Creative Nonfiction is currently having a sale on back issues, subscriptions, books, and merchandise through August 10 to help make room with the new magazine debuting this fall.

This means a digital subscription is available for just $3/month or $25/year! Plus, you can get back issues of CNF for just $2.50 and back issues of True Story for only $1!

Love their line of books, but haven’t snapped up the title you want yet? Books are starting as low as $8. How about getting a gift for a teacher who is gearing up to go back to school soon? Check out the anthology What I Didn’t Know: True Stories of Becoming a Teacher.

Love t-shirts? They are on sale, too. You can get them in white, blue, black, and red and they are only $4.

Plus, if you subscribe today as a Supporting or Sustaining subscriber (these options aren’t part of the summer sale), you gain priority registration for their fall roster of online courses, which is a pretty nice perk. So if you’ve been on the fence about subscribing, maybe it’s time to take the plunge?

Ruminate’s 2021 William Van Dyke Short Story Prize Winner

Screenshot of Ruminates 2021 William Van Dyke Prize Winner AnnouncementRuminate has announced the winner, runner up, and honorable mention for their 2021 William Van Dyke Short Story Prize. The final judge of the prize this year was Kelli Jo Ford whose debut novel Crooked Hallelujah made waves last year.

First Place: “The Florist” by Alex Cothren

Second Place: “A Guide to Removal” by Amber Baleser-Wardzala

Honorable Mention: “Kantingo Carried 16,980 Tons and a Gentleman” by George Choundas

These stories will be published in the Fall 2021 issue of Ruminate due out in mid-September. The issue is currently available for pre-order, so don’t forget to reserve your copy today if you aren’t a subscriber already.

A Little Bird Told Me about Lit Mags

If you’ve ever wondered which lit mags have the largest Twitter followings, Brecht De Poortere has you covered. On the writer’s website is a ranking of 500 literary journals with the highest Twitter follower counts. Being published by these ranked magazines may direct more traffic to a writer’s published piece, and can help followers find new work by writers that they may have otherwise missed.

You can find the rankings here. Happy following!

Inverted Syntax Announces New Publication Cycle

cover of Inverted Syntax Issue 3, November 2020Beginning in 2021, Inverted Syntax will be publishing its annual print issue in November. Their online issue, Fissured Tongue Series is published in the summer. Their submissions period is normally February through June, but they opened submissions later this year and they are now accepting work for online and print publication through July 29. They do charge a $4 fee.

If you’re interested in being part of the 4th installment of their “The Art of the Postcard” series, submissions are ongoing for that project, with the cutoff date being September 15. This is free to enter via Submittable and then you have to mail them your postcard.

Don’t forget to swing by their site to see all the cool things they are doing. Their Sublingua Prize is currently on hiatus for 2021.

2021 Jeff Marks Memorial Poetry Prize Winner and Finalists

The Spring/Summer 2021 issue of december includes the 2021 Jeff Marks Memorial Poetry Prize winner and finalists.

First Place
“Hold Tight” by John Okrent

Honorable Mention
“Disaster A/version/Re/vision” by Margaret Ray

Finalists
“Voyeurs” by Joshua Boettiger
“A List of People Who Did Not Kill Me” by Tianna Bratcher
“Tower Block Twelve” by Elena Croitoru
“Mother & Son as Oyakodon II” by Michael Frazier
“Abecedarian on Hunger” by Naomi Ling
“True Story” by Chloe Martinez
“Cicadas” by Saudamini Siegrist
“My Mother’s House” by Isabelle Walker
“Back to the Body” by Alyson Gold Weinberg
“Also Be Lost” by Kelleen Zubick

You can grab yourself a copy of this issue at december‘s website.

July 2021 eLitPak :: Issue 83 of Kaleidoscope Now Available!

Screenshot of Kaleidscope's flier for the July 2021 NewPages eLitPak
click image to open full-size flier

Accepting Submissions Year-Round

In addition to American authors, this issue includes the work of seven writers from abroad who share experiences that reveal we are more alike than we are different. A pioneer in its field, Kaleidoscope magazine publishes literature and artwork that creatively explores the experience of disability. Submit your best work to us today! Visit our website for more information.

View the full July 2021 eLitPak newsletter.

July 2021 eLitPak :: Sonju by Wondra Chang

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After she defies the rigid, oppressive Confucian tradition of order and conformity, Sonju descends from an aristocratic upbringing to working at a men’s club. In spite of social condemnations and personal tragedies, her determination to be her own person never wavers. Available now from Madville Publishing and all online retailers.

View the full July 2021 eLitPak newsletter.

Foglifter Presents Queer Home CookOut Tour

Foglifter 2021 Queer Home Cookout Tour MapThis summer Foglifter Press is taking a road trip across the country to collaborate with the contributors of Home is Where You Queer Your Heart. They will visit the hometowns where a roster of local queer and trans talent will also come out to celebrate the anthology’s themes of chosen family and community.

The tour comprises of 22 locations across the country including San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Cleveland, and more. The tour kicks off on July 18 and will conclude August 31. All tour events are free and open to the public.

Home is Where You Queer Your Heart features “queer writers and artists creatively thinking through the complex and fluid realities of home in the U.S. and abroad,” including Kazim Ali, K-Ming Chang, Jubi Arriola-Headley, Kay Ulanday Barrett, Rajiv Mohabir, Donika Kelly, Jason Villemez, Joy Priest, Yanyi, t’ai freedom ford, Marlin Jenkins, Airea D Matthews, sam sax, Christopher Soto, and more. The anthology is edited by Miah JEffra, Monique Mero-Williams, and Arisa White.

It’s available from Foglifter Press in both ebook and print formats. Grab your copy today.

Ruminate Poetry Prize Bundle

Ruminate Poetry Prize Bundle coversLiterary magazine Ruminate has curated a Poetry Prize Bundle. These three issues contain past winning poems and finalists from their Janet B. McCabe Poetry Prize. Issues included are Issue 53, Issue 49, and Issue 36.

Ruminate poetry editor Kristin George Bagdanov writes:

We need poems that exist in the space between the crumbs of hope that keep us writing and reaching, poems necessitated by gnawing stomachs that tell us there is so much left to devour, that there is so much left we cannot.

The poems gathered in these three issues are reaching toward just that. Plus, you’ll also find art and prose. The bundle saves you 20% off the cover price of each issue. It’s available for only $21.

It’s a great time to grab this bundle for an idea of what they like as their Broadside Poetry Prize is currently open to submissions through August 15 (+3-day grace period).

2021 Dogwood Literary Award Winners

The Spring 2021 issue of Dogwood features the 2021 Dogwood Literary Award Winners in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

Nonfiction
“My Hundred Years of Solitude” by Marcos Villatoro

Poetry
“Ten-Foot Drop” by Maria Zoccola

Fiction
“Little Black Dress” by Roberta Gates

This year’s contest judges were Sejal Shah (nonfiction), Lauren K. Alleyne (poetry), and James Tate Hill (fiction). Visit Dogwood’s website for a celebration of each of the winners with words from the judges and bios for the winning writers.

ICYMI :: AzonaL Issue 2 Virtual Launch Reading

Online literary magazine AzonaL is devoted to poetry in translation. They have made it their mission to push “forth writing that must be seen, now—in translation, which is itself creation.”

Their second issue launched earlier this year with a reading that spanned February 15 and 16 and featured several contributors. If you missed the launch and reading, you can view it online.

Plus, don’t forget to read their second issue featuring poetry by Marie-Claire Bancquart (translated by Claire Elder and Marie Moulin-Salles), Zita Izsó (translated by Agnes Marton), Iulia Militaru (translated by Claudia Serea), Yan An (translated by Chen Du and Sisheng Chen), and more.

Pangyrus “Get an Author Discovered” Nominations

screenshot of online literary magazine Pangyrus' logoOnline and print literary magazine Pangyrus offers a unique feature on their website – a nomination form. This nomination is not for any kind of award, but away for you to bring attention to an under-appreciated author.

Since “[s]ubmissions systems often discourage exactly the writers we should be hearing more from,” Pangyrus has opened up a nomination system. You go their site and tell them about a writer who deserved a wider audience and how to get in touch with them. Pangyrus will then extend an invitation to that writer to submit to their journal. They do not guarantee publication for these submissions, but they will give them their full attention.

“[I]t sends a message: someone who knows their work cares about its fate.”

BLR’s Picks

Did you know Bellevue Literary Review has an “Our Picks” section? Here, the editors have compiled the pieces of writing that have stuck with them and remain vivid years later. They say, “These stories, essays, and poems are particularly engaging and thought-provoking—the writing smart and alive—and deserving of another turn in the spotlight.”

The picks are introduced by the editor who explains what it is that spoke to them, and the pieces are linked in full. If you want to read the whole issue, no worries—the issue numbers are given as well.

Conjuring the Past

Guest Post by Chloe Yelena Miller.

I continue to return to Melanie Figg’s poetry collection, Trace, published right before the pandemic. She writes stories of women through art, personal histories, and nature. In six sections, the reader is invited to listen, look, and act on behalf of ourselves and others.

The opening poem, “The Measure of Things,” ends with, “But here is the wide / open field: you promised / not to tell because you loved him.” Throughout the collection, Figg undoes this promise and “tell[s]” through the poems. While sometimes the reader is only given a suggestion of what happened through the effects or moment, the stories are given light through the specificity and emotion of written images.

Trace conjures the past, women’s truths, and readers’ necessary actions. During the (recorded and available) virtual Gaithersburg Book Festival in 2020, Figg read and shared images related to and complementing the poems. In that reading, she shares the poem “The Trace of Nothing” which ends, “remember? / This is how I conjure / you, this is how we talk.” The image of the woman against the wall, painted as the wall, is striking and builds on the written poem.

The intimacy of Trace is palpable in the telling of mental illness and abuse. In part 4 of “Untitled: after Doris Salcedo,” Figg writes, “She tells you her art will take / responsibility for your grief & you surrender—[ . . . ]” Like the artist in the poem, Figg also does this for the women in the poems and the readers, too. These poems are architectural, load-bearing walls for the women in the poems and Figg’s readers.

Trace by Melanie Figg. New Rivers Press, 2019.

Reviewer bio: Chloe Yelena Miller is a writer and teacher living in Washington, D.C.

Buy this book from our affiliate Bookshop.org.

A Treasure Trove for Writers

South 85 Journal‘s blog is a treasure trove for writers. The blog offers writing prompts, interviews with writers, and plenty of helpful articles about the craft. Recent posts include discussions of autoethnography in creative nonfiction, anthropomorphism in writing, the usefulness of prompts, and tips to stay motivated.

The blog is actively updated between issues, so you have plenty to keep you busy and inspired before the Fall/Winter 2021 issue is released later this year. Sign up for blog updates via the form at their website’s footer so you never miss out.

Two Hawks Quarterly Spring 2021 Issue

Screenshot of Two Hawks Quarterly's Spring 2021 IssueTwo Hawks Quarterly publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, genre X, and art digitally twice a year. They feature work that is exquisitely crafted, takes chances, and has something original to say, and especially love fiction that reaches beyond the standard tropes and diverse voices.

The Spring 2021 issue features poetry by Gale Acuff, Beth Boylan, R. Bratten Weiss, Sandy Coomer, David Breeden, April Christiansen, Joshua Kulseth, John Leonard, Noël Bella Merriam, James Miller, John Morrison, Thomas Patterson, Claire Scott, Jacalyn Shelley, Debbie Trantow, and A.M. Wild.

In prose, we have creative nonfiction by Janelle Cordero, Gail Hosking, and Merve Oncu with fiction by Trevor Crown, Sam Nelson, and Greta Wu. You can also feast your eyes on the artwork of Brenda Azucena, Lisa Braden, Steven Ostrowski, Devin Schneider, and Merve Öncü.

Mud Season Review Issue 56

Screenshot of Mud Season Review Issue 56If you aren’t already aware, online literary magazine Mud Season Review publishes one story, one substantial poem or portfolio of poems, one essay or work of narrative nonfiction, and visual art bimonthly. This journal is run by members of the Burlington Writers Workshop.

On June 20, they released Issue 56. This issue features artwork by GJ Gillespie, poetry by Mary Beth Becker-Lauth, fiction by Marilyn Hope, and creative nonfiction by Guy Choate.

And while you’re on their site, don’t forget to check out their recent interviews with authors and artists featured in Issue 55: Talbot Hook, photographer Mane Hovhannisyan, Gwen Hart, and Rachele Salvini.

ICYMI :: Posit Issue 27

Screenshot of Posit Issue 27

Sure, it’s been about two months since it’s release, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check it out if you haven’t yet! Posit Issue 27 features poetry and prose by V. Joshua Adams, Michael Brosnan, Gabe Durham, Joey Hedger, Kylie Hough, Patrick Kindig, Peter Leight, Elizabeth Robinson, Zach Savich, Edwin Torres, and Lucy Zhang.

You’ll also find Text+Image by Janis Butler Holm and Gina Osterloh as well as Nance Van Winckel. This issue features visual art by Christina Haglid, Dee Shapiro, and Hester Simpson.

Published three times a year, Posit is currently open to submissions of videos and animations of no more than 3 minutes as well as visual art and photography (no fee to submit!).

Reunion Online 2021 Features

While you await the release of Reunion: The Dallas Review‘s 2021 issue, don’t forget about Reunion Online. There they feature a new piece from talented writers each month.

In May they featured Kevin Brown’s “A Good Story to Tell”; in April Teresa Sutton’s “Venus Wishing for More than a Half Shell”; and in both February and March they featured Ra’Niqua Lee’s “What Cures Us (Part One) and (Part Two).

If you haven’t done so already, grab a copy of Volume 10, 2020, too.

They will reopen to submissions on October 1. All submissions are considered for print publication as well as online publication.

The Fiddlehead YouTube Channel

screenshot of The Fiddlehead's YouTube channel

Do you love being able to see writers reading their work? Did you know that literary magazine The Fiddlehead has its own YouTube channel where it uploads authors reading their work?

They do! There you can watch readings by acclaimed up-and-coming and established Canadian writers. Their last featured reading is of Lee Maracle who shared two of her poems “Belly Bulging” and “Old Tapes.” Swing by the channel to see more readings with Nicole Breit, Barbara Pelman, Margo Wheaton, Susan Musgrave, and more.

In other news, their 2021 Fiction Contest just opened to submissions last month. Deadline to enter is September 1. This year’s judge is Yasuko Thanh.

The Malahat Review’s 2021 Open Season Awards Winners

The winners of the 2021 Open Season Awards are in the Spring 2021 issue of The Malahat Review. This year’s judges were Rebecca Salazar for poetry, Philip Huynh for fiction, and Lishai Peel for creative nonfiction.

Fiction
“Crossing” by Zilla Jones

Creative Nonfiction
“Mondegreen Girls” by Tanis MacDonald

Poetry
“Merchant Vessels” by Matthew Hollet

Check in with The Malahat Review in August when this contest opens for submissions again.

2020 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Award Winners

Grab a copy of Paterson Literary Review to check out the writers who placed in the 2020 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Award.

First Prize
“To My Husband, Driving into Bad Weather” by Sara Henning
“What I Wanted When I Was Twelve” by Ray Petersen

Second Prize
“Augury” by Mary Crosby
“The Truth about Cats” by Jason Craig Poole

Third Prize
“I Worry about Atatiana Jefferson’s Nephew” by Rachelle Parker

Honorable mentions and editor’s choice pieces are also included in the issue.

Creative Nonfiction Updated Subscription Options

With the launch of the new website, Creative Nonfiction has moved the majority of its archived content online (that’s more than 27 years worth!). With this, they now offer more ways to subscribe and access the content from past issues of their journal, True Story, online exclusives, and their Sunday Short Reads.

For just $4/month or $39/year, you can become a Digital Subscriber and get access to new issues, the entire archive, and all web exclusives. You are able to access this digital content across all of your devices and subscription is setup for automatic renewals so you never miss out.

If you still love holding the printed page in your hands, you can become a Print & Digital Subscriber for $6/month or $59/year. You get everything digital subscribers get plus four issues a year mailed directly to your home.

Interested in purchasing merchandise or joining their online classes? Supporting Subscribers ($10/month or $99/year) get all the benefits of the first two subscription options plus a 10% discount on programs and merchandise. Oh…and did I mention priority registration for online courses as well as early access to events?

Speaking of their online courses, there are still a few slots available for their summer classes!

The final subscription option contains all the benefits of the previous subscriptions and adds on a charitable donation to Creative Nonfiction in the amount of $10/month ($120/year) and your name listed as a donor in the print magazine as well as online. The cost of this is $25/month or $249/year.

So if you aren’t subscribed to this powerhouse for creative nonfiction, join them today!

Lalitamba Changes its Name

Screenshot of Lalitamba's website

Literary magazine Lalitamba has announced a name change. The journal was inspired by a devotional pilgrimage through India where they went village to village seeking to alleviate sorrows that come with poverty, illness, and loss of hope.

The original name came from a bhahan song “Lalitamba, Lalitamba” which means Divine Mother. The new name The GANGA REVIEW honors the sacred river that is an emanation of Divine Mother.

Back in March they announced their 2021 issue is at the printers and they were waiting on proofs which can take several weeks, so it will hopefully be on its way to subscribers soon if all goes well.

A fun fact. Did you know that for every issue purchased, a tree is planted?

Consequence Forum Monthly Features

Screenshot of the June 2021 featured events, articles, and pieces of Consequence ForumBesides publishing the annual literary magazine Consequence in print, they also feature work on their website each month. On June 28, they released a new story by Cynthia Boorujy titled “Strange Teacups.” Besides reading the story, you can also listen to an audio recording. Also, don’t forget to check out the visual art series “I’m An Animal” by River LaMer for some stirring food for thought.

Consequence will open to submissions again on July 15! They are particularly interested in nonfiction and translations, but would love to receive any quality work centered on “the human consequences and realities of war or geopolitical conflict.”

Poet Hunt 25 Winners

“While the contest is called the ‘Poet Hunt,’ I didn’t actually have to hunt very long for worthy poems; they arrived in batches, and it was quite a literary bounty,” Matthew Olzmann says introducing the winner and honorable mentions of Poet Hunt 25 in the Winter 2021 issue of The MacGuffin.

Winner
“No Rehearsal” by Vivian Shipley

Honorable Mentions
“Bright Spot” by Rita Schweiss
“Dogs and Ominous Weapons” by John Jeffire

Following the winning poems, readers can find a selection of poems by the guest judge of Poet Hunt 26, Indigo Moor.

New Additions to Driftwood Press’s Shop

Have you ever seen a piece of art in a literary magazine and loved it so much you wanted to frame it? Now you can do just that with art from contributors to Driftwood Press.

Art by Kelsey M. Evans, Coz, Jason Hart, Nathaniel Saint Amour, Rachel Slotnick, and Samantha Fortenberry is now available in the Driftwood Press shop in the form of posters, framed posters, and T-Shirts. An enamel pin designed by Jerrod Schwarz is also forthcoming at the end of July 2021 and can be preordered now. Each item listing links back to the artists’ Instagram accounts for easy following.

Decorate your walls and show off your love for art and literary magazines with the help of Driftwood Press‘s shop.

2021 MAYDAY Fiction and Poetry Prize Winners

photograph of a young man and woman

On June 17, online literary magazine MAYDAY Magazine announced the results of their 2021 MAYDAY Prizes in poetry and fiction. The winners each received $1,000 and broadsides of their work will be available soon.

2021 MAYDAY Poetry Prize was judged by Jacques Rancourt. He selected “Garçon,” by A. Shaikh as the winner.

Finalists included “Southern Thundering” by Gustav Hibbett; “What My Mother Never Told Me” by Michael Meyerhofer; “During the Pandemic, I Watch Caddyshack Again & Again” by  Christina Olson; and “The Cousin’s Secret” by Lindsay Wilson.

For the 2021 MAYDAY Fiction Prize, Kali Wallace selected Haley Kennedy’s “Shapeless” as the winner.

Finalists included “Paradise” by Joshua Beggs; “The Book of Rusty” by Benjamin Drevlow; “Tia Marilena’s Rainbow Eggs” by Xenia Lane; “Lolly Pop” by Toby Lloyd; and “Valley State” by Reilly Weed. Semifinalists included “Verge” by Emma Eisler; “The Management” by Ron Heacock; “Nudists” by Jeffery Long; and “A Trip to Valpo” by Mark Williams.

MAYDAY also has a listing on NewPages, so don’t forget to swing by there, too.

June 2021 eLitPak :: New Titles Available Now from Diode Editions

Screenshot of Diode Editions's flier for the NewPages June 2021 eLitPak
click image to open full-size flier

Happy Publication Month to Diode authors Shanta Lee Gander (GHETTOCLAUSTROPHOBIA), Sally Rosen Kindred (WHERE THE WOLF), Conor Bracken (THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY IS ME), Teow Lim Goh (FARAWAY PLACES), Joey S. Kim (BODY FACTS), Natasha Sajé (SPECIAL DELIVERY), Amorak Huey & W. Todd Kaneko (SLASH / SLASH), Tyler Mills & Kendra DeColo (LOW BUDGET MOVIE)!

2021 BLR Prize Winners

Bellevue Literary Review annually hosts the BLR Prizes for “writing related to themes of health, healing, illness, the mind, and the body.” The winner of each genre receives $1000, the honorable mention receives $250, and all are published in the spring issue. This year’s spring issue was recently released featuring the 2021 winners.

Winners
“Tattoos” by Galen Schram (Fiction)
“The Tapeworm” by Amy V. Blakemore (Nonfiction)
“Never the Less” by Saleem Hue Penny (Poetry)

Honorable Mentions
“Admonition” by Benjamin Kessler (Fiction)
“Viable” by Justine Feron (Nonfiction)
“Yellowthroat” by Eileen Elizabeth Waggoner (Poetry)

Submissions for this year’s prizes are currently open until July 15. Visit the journal’s website to learn more.

Books by Hippocampus to Publish HippoCamp-Inspired Craft Anthology

“It’s the best writing conference you’ve ever attended, in book form!”

Getting to the Truth coverBooks by HippoCampus is excited to announce the publication of an anthology inspired by HippoCamp, an annual nonfiction conference, dedicated to writing creative nonfiction and what it means to be a writer who tells true stories.

Getting to the  Truth: The Craft and Practice of Creative Nonfiction, edited by Rae Pagliarulo and Donna Talarico, is set to be released on August 11 and will be available for pre-orders on July 5. It features 20+ craft essays offering thoughtful insights from some of the highest rated HippoCamp speakers. It also features wise writers behind some of Hippocampus Magazine‘s most-read craft columns.

Speaking of HippoCamp, they have released the full schedule for this year’s conference set to to take place August 13-15 in Lancaster, PA. As of this writing, there are only 80 spots currently available.

Natalie Diaz Wins Pulitzer Prize for Poetry

On Friday, it was announced that poet Natalie Diaz won the Pulitzer for her second book of poems Postcolonial Love Poem. Diaz spoke about her book with The Arizona Republic, saying, “I knew that I wanted my body, the places I’ve come from, the people I come from, to be of consequence to the world and to kind of bring our perspectives and conversations to bear in our larger national conversations.”

Writing on the Indigenous experience, she explains her poetic viewpoint, “I, of course, have an Indigenous lens, but yet I think that Indigenous lens is extremely important to non-Indigenous peoples. We’re all fighting for our water. We’re all fighting for this Earth, for one another against injustice.”

See what else she said about the winning collection here.

Regional Writing in New Mag Issues

Want to check out some work by writers from specific regions? Three recent literary magazine issues have you covered.

The Common‘s 21st issue includes a feature on Arabic Stories from Morocco. In this section is translated writing and art from the Hindiyeh Museum of Art by Latifa Labsir, Fatima Zohra Rghioui, Mohamed Zafzaf, and more.

Volume 42 Number 1 of New England Review‘s translation feature is “From Granma to Boston and Havana and Back: Cuban Literature Today.” Here, find work by Víctor Fowler Calzada, Jorge Enrique Lage, Anna Lidia Vega Serova, and others.

And from within the United States, Rattle‘s Summer 2021 issue features twenty-two Appalachian poets. Among these are Ace Boggess, Mitzi Doton, Kari Gunter-Seymour, Raymond Hammond, Elaine Fowler Palencia, and more.

Sponsor Spotlight :: Cutleaf

Cutleaf is an online journal published twice monthly. It’ a project of EastOver Press, an independent literary press specializing in collections of short stories, essays, and poetry. The first issue officially launched in February 2021 with “How Gretel Gets Her Groove Back” by Lauren K. Alleyne, “Sliders” by Wesley Browne, and “Eat Before You Go” by E.C. Salibian.

They feature fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and cross-genre work by both new and established writers. Issue 10 published in June 2021 features poetry by George Ella Lyon, fiction by Kevin Fitton, and nonfiction by Matt Muilenberg.

They will reopen to submissions in September 2021. Until then, browse their current issue and their back issues for an idea of what they are looking for.

Stop by their listing on NewPages to learn more.

2021 Poetry Marathon is Open!

Whether you can run a marathon doesn’t matter, since this marathon is about writing poetry! And while it’s all community and no competition, that doesn’t mean it’s “easy” to complete. To cross the finish line, participants must write one poem every hour for either 12 hours for one of the two half marathons or 24 hours for the full marathon. Prompts are provided but don’t need to be followed, and it is okay to ‘catch up’ if you can’t post on each hour, but there is no advance posting. Each participant posts their poems on a WordPress login within the group site and can read and respond to others’ poems.

This event is not for the flippant – “Oh yeah, maybe I will try it…” In order to register for the event, you must explain what you plan to do to ‘prepare’ yourself for the day. After several years of completing the half marathon, I have learned it works best to clear my schedule for the day, plan to only do work around the house, and check in at the top of every hour for the new prompt. Sometimes I can respond quickly, and other times, I need more think time, which means setting an alarm to remind myself to post before the hour is up. It is indeed a commitment, and can feel stressful and frustrating at times, but the sense of accomplishment is worth it – having a dozen or two new poems and interacting with about 500 other like-minded poetry lovers from around the globe!

Registration if free and open until June 19. The marathon takes place Saturday, June 26 starting at 9am in the morning. The half marathons run from 9am to 9pm or 9pm to 9am, and the full marathon runs from 9am Saturday until 9am Sunday.

Meat for Teacast & Le Cirque Salé

Meat for Tea: The Valley Review cover imageIf you didn’t already know, Meat for Tea: The Valley Review is a print literary magazine founded in 2006. They publish quarterly issues of short fiction, flash and micro-fiction, poetry, essays, interviews, and visual arts of all kinds. They are committed to retaining a punk rock aesthetic while presenting readers with work of the highest quality.

Besides their quarterly issues, Meat for Tea offers an audio companion in their podcast which serves up live recordings of spoken word and music, conversations with authors and other artists, and more! They have just uploaded the 20th episode for their second season on June 5 which features editor Elizabeth Macduffie with Matt Latham.

Meat for Tea also hosts launch events for their quarterly issues. The past few events have all been virtual and free to access. To see these, visit their website.

They have the Le Cirque Salé taking place via Facebook on Saturday June 12 from 7-10 PM. This will be a virtual celebration of their “criadilla de toro” issue featuring an art exhibit from Shawn Farley and John Allen, the standup comedy of Ezra Prior, spoken word performances, videos by Piper Preston and Thomas Matthew Campbell, and more.

CRAFT 2020 Creative Nonfiction Award Winners

craft logo on dark blue backgroundCRAFT has announced the winners and finalists of its 2020 Creative Nonfiction Awards judged by Joy Castro. The winning pieces and editors’ choice selections will be published this month, so stay tuned!

Winners

Tammy Delatorre: “The Ties That Bind”
Clare Fielder: “What You Don’t Know”
Liz Harmer: “Catalogue for a Coming of Age”

Editors’ Choice Selections

Sara Davis: “The Untimely Collaborators”
Marilyn Hope: “Face, Velvet, Church, Daisy, Red”

Congratulations to the winners and finalists.

The 2021 Creative Nonfiction Award will open in the Fall. They are currently accepting entries to the First Chapters Contest through June 30. The judge is Masie Cochran of Tin House.

Boulevard’s 2020 Winning Emerging Writers

The Spring 2021 issue of Boulevard features the winner of the 2020 Nonfiction Contest for Emerging Writers and the winner of the 2020 Poetry Contest for Emerging Writers.

2020 Poetry Contest for Emerging Writers
Winner
“Black Zombi” by Bryan Byrdlong

Honorable Mentions
Esther Ra
Calvin Walds
Christine Robbins

2020 Nonfiction Contest for Emerging Writers
Winner
“The King’s Game” by Jonathan Wei

Runner-up
“Six Articles for Survival” by Laura Joyce-Hubbard

Grab a copy of the issue or check out these pieces on the journal’s website.

Global Vaccine Poem

Screenshot of Global Vaccine Poem websiteGlobal Vaccine Poem is a joint project between the Wick Poetry Center at Kent State University and the University of Arizona Poetry Center. It was launched in April and invites everyone to “share their voices to promote COVID-19 vaccination through the imaginative language of poetry.”

They ask that you read the model poem, “Dear Vaccine” by Naomi Shihab Nye and then choose a prompt to respond to. You only need to send a few lines in your own words. No need to worry about rhyming, spelling, or grammar as they simply want people to share their thoughts.

So far there are submissions from the US, Canada, France, Turkey, Mexico, and Malaysia. You can read about the hope, the frustrations, the positives, and the negatives of living through this pandemic.

Stop by their site to read the model poem, responses, and consider adding your voice.

Join Adroit Journal for Word is Bond #3

Join The Adroit Journal on Thursday, June, 2021 for the Word is Bond #3 reading. 100% of the proceeds will go toward the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund and the Palestine Red Crescent Society.

Readers include Jessica Abughattas, Chen Chen, Taylor Johnson, and Paul Tran with host Anthony Thomas Lombardi and co-host/co-curator Alexa Patrick.

Purchase tickets and find out more at Eventbrite.

Sponsor Spotlight :: Wildness

Wildness logoFounded in 2015 by Michelle Tudor and Peter Barnfather, Wildness is an online literary magazine devoted to publishing poetry, fiction, and narrative nonfiction. They currently publish on a quarterly basis with new issues appearing in February, May, August, and November.

In December of 2019, they released the Wildness Omnibus through their parent company Platypus Press. This print anthology celebrates work published in their first twenty issues from Hanif Abdurraqib, Ruth Awad, S. Erin Batiste, Abigail Chabitnoy, K-Ming Chang, Leila Chatti, Chen Chen, Nina Li Coomes, Kyle Dacuyan, Geffrey Davis, Dalton Day, Shastra Deo, Theophilus Kwek, Peter LaBerge, Tariq Luthun, Irène Mathieu, Anis Mojgani, Mary Mussman, Patricia Patterson, Janel Pineda, Jeremy Radin, David Rompf, Omar Sakr, Raena Shirali, Clint Smith, Maggie Smith, Bethany Swann, An Uong, Marco Yan, and Sylvia Watanabe.

Stop by their listing to learn more.

Chatham University & Fourth River to Launch Jeffrey “Boosie” Bolden Series

Screenshot of Fourth River WebsiteThe MFA Program in Creative Writing at Chatham University and literary magazine The Fourth River have announced the creation of the Jeffrey “Boosie” Bolden Series. The first publication will be a special anthology called Black Visions. This anthology was conceived of and will be edited by the MFA Emerging Black Writers in Residence Cedric Rudolph and Caitlyn Hunter along with alums Samantha Edwards and Nicole Lourette.

About this anthology: Are you a black writer, or a writer who is black?

Black artists everywhere are all too familiar with this question and label on their work. Why are Black artists always called upon to write about the Black experience, about Black pain? Where are the discussions about craft, form, and futurisms? This anthology was born out of the need to create more space for Black voices; all Black voices. We want to see how your medium amplifies your voice and who you are as an artist, without the limitations of formality, genre, or subject. We are looking for the musicality, depth, and vibrancy that is Black art.

The anthology is accepting submissions through 11:59 PM on Friday, June 18 with expected publication in fall of this year.

The series is named after Chatham MFA alum and former Fourth River editor Jeffrey “Boosie” Bolden who refused to write prose or poetry restricted by genre and pushed himself to create hybrid flows fusing prose and rap. His mixtape-memoir Wolves was released in November 2020 after his passing in June of 2020.

There is no fee to submit to this anthology and accepted writers will receive a copy of the book and $50 honorarium.

Sponsor Spotlight :: River Heron Review

watercolor painting of a river heron

River Heron Review is an online poetry journal first envisioned in New Hope, Pennsylvania by Robbin Farr and Judith Lagana. They want to serve the literary community through publication, readings, workshops, and to bring the written word to life in as many ways as possible.

RHR publishes two digital issues a year (in February and August) online along with two contest issues and a supplemental issue featuring poems of socio-political nature. Speaking of the contest issue, the River Heron Poetry Prize is currently open to submissions through May 31. The Winner receives $500 and publication. This year’s final judge is Thomas McGuire who won the 2022 prize.

RHR also offers affordable Zoom workshops. Upcoming workshops include the Telling the Story – Poetry Critique with editor Robbin Farr, Poetry Boost – From Title to Publication, Found Forms – Writing Scavenged Poems, In Conversation with Art – Writing an Ekphrastic Response, and others.

Stop by their listing on NewPages to learn more!

*updated February 1, 2023*

Job Opening :: Ruminate Seeks Editor

Ruminate is currently seeking an editor! Founded in 2006, Ruminate is dedicated to “cultivating authenticity through nourishing conversations while spiritually sustaining life together through action and art.” Besides the award-winning quarterly literary magazine, they also have the online publication The Waking and serve the local and broader community with online and in person events.

They seek an editor who will uphold their mission of supporting their community of artists, seekers, and readers seeking spiritually nourishing conversations as well as one who can expand the range of editorial and contributor voices to “reflect a growing and changing audience” and help them grow beyond their original roots in the Christian community.

Learn more about this opportunity here.