Designed to stimulate creative thinking, THEMA challenges writers with a unique premise for each issue. The editors ask contributors to make the premise “an integral part of the plot, not necessarily the central theme but not merely incidental.” The premise for the Autumn 2024 issue is “The Missing Piece of the Puzzle” and features stories, short-shorts, poems, and photographs by Allan Lake, Erica Hoffman, James Scruton, John Savoie, Judith Overmier, Kathleen Gunton, Larry Lefkowitz, Linda Berry, Lora Berg, Lynda Fox, Morgan Carlock Clark, Paul A. Freeman, R.G. Halstead, Robinne Weiss, Sandra Schnakenburg, and Sarah Gay Edwards. THEMA invites contributors to submit theme-related works on the following upcoming premise “The lost sock” with a March 1, 2025 deadline.

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Each issue of THEMA centers on a premise with the Summer 2024 prompt being “The magic of light and shadow.” The theme can be integral to plot, not necessarily central but also not merely incidental. A great challenge for writers, a wonderful resource for teachers, and an enjoyable experience for readers!

This issue’s stories, short-shorts, poems, and photographs were contributed by Victoria Ilemobayo, SPIN, Virginia McGee Butler, Anne Dalziel Patton, Erika Hoffman, R. David Bowlus, Stuart J. Silverman, Sean E. Britten, Nikky Mohandas, Robert Scott Mason, Daniel Crow, Gary Sterling, Madonna Dries Christensen, Ted Burrowes, Tom Gengler, Susan Duke, Beverly Boyd, Hûw Steer, Matthew J. Spireng, Ruth Holzer, R.G. Halstead, Linda Berry, Yvonne Ventresca, Orsolya Karàcsony, Margo Peterson, and Stephen Page.

Each issue of THEMA Literary Journal is based on a different theme, often derived from unique thoughts. It is meant to inspire imagination. The editors depend on the creativity of the writers to interpret the themes. The Crumpled Yellow Paper, our current issue (35:2, Spring 2023), was born when one editor opened an envelope and pulled out a crumpled piece of yellow paper containing an author’s scrawled inquiry. It made us wonder what stories and poems might evolve from such a piece of crumpled paper. The writings that emerged are diverse, ranging from humorous to magical to harrowing. The cover photograph by Lynda Fox, featuring yellow origami horses, is especially prized for its humor. What were some of the various “crumpled yellow papers” and where were they found in these stories and poems? To name just a few, consider a yellow candy wrapper blowing in the wind, drifting yellow leaves, a mysterious paper found on a walk in the park, notes discarded either accidentally or on purpose, an enigmatic message inscribed on a crumpled yellow paper. Was it really a piece of paper, or something else?

The newest print issue of THEMA features works in response to the premise, “Get it over with!” Contributors include Lynda Fox, Linda Berry, Bill Glose, June Thompson, Ruth Holzer, Lisa Timpf, Margaret Pearce, Melanie Reitzel, R.G. Halstead, Jesse Doiron, Marica Bernstein, Melinda Thomsen, Matthew J. Spireng, Beverly Boyd, Linda McMullen, Dana Stamps, and Ojo Moses. For each THEMA issue, the premise must “be an integral part of the plot, not necessarily the central theme but not merely incidental.” Submissions can include prose, poetry, artwork, and B&W illustrations. Upcoming themes include “So THAT’S why” (deadline 11/1/22) and “Help from a stranger” (deadline 3/1/23). Visit THEMA for more information.

THEMA is a theme-related journal with three goals: to provide a stimulating forum for established and emerging literary and visual artists; to serve as source material and inspiration for teachers of creative writing; and to provide readers with a unique and entertaining collection of stories, poems, art and photography. The theme for this newest issue is “Watch the birdie!” and it inspired works from Brenda Robert, Anne Dalziel Patton, Patrick Cabello Hansel, Laine M. Harrington, DS Maolalai, Lynda Fox, Peter Venable, Julieanna Blackwell, Robert Ronnow, Margaret Pearce, Kenneth Chamlee, Martins Deep, R. David Bowlus, Pamela Hobart Carter, HB Salzer, Christine Duncan, Larry Lefkowitz, E. P. Fisher, Michele Ivy Davis, Lynda Fox, William L. Ramsey, Brenda Robert, Jeanie Greensfelder, George Michael Brown, and Juliane McAdam. Forthcoming themes include “So, THAT’S why” (deadline November 1, 2022) and “Help from a stranger” (deadline March 1, 2023).