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By: MP,
on 3/26/2013
Blog:
WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin)
(
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JacketFlap tags:
flash fiction contest winner,
Jeanne Lyet Gassman,
haboob,
Fall2012 Flash Fiction Contest,
writing habits,
flash fiction,
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novel writing,
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Jeanne Lyet Gassman lives with her husband and son in the desert west of Phoenix, Arizona, but she dreams often of snow-covered mountains with pine-scented breezes. She believes in the power and beauty of language and loves helping other writers. When she isn’t writing, she works as a freelance editor and teaches creative writing workshops to writers’ groups and individuals in the Phoenix metro area.
She holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She writes creative nonfiction, poetry, and fiction, but her first love is fiction. Her work has appeared recently in
Switchback, Barrelhouse, and
LQQK, among others. An excerpt from her unpublished novel, The Blood of A Stone, is forthcoming in
Assisi: An Online Journal of Literature and Arts. Her awards include fellowships from Ragdale and the Arizona Commission on the Arts. She is currently working on a novel about a family of downwinders who were adversely affected by the radioactive fallout from the atomic bomb tests in Nevada in the 1950s and 1960s.
To learn about opportunities for writers, including contests, grants, and calls for submission, please visit Jeanne’s blog,
Jeanne’s Writing Desk. To get to know Jeanne and her work, please visit her
website or connect with her on
Twitter.
interview by Marcia PetersonWOW: Congratulations on winning first place in our Fall 2012 writing contest! What inspired you to enter the contest?Jeanne: I follow WOW! on Facebook and am a great fan of all that you offer for women writers. When I saw the announcement for the 2012 Fall Flash Fiction Contest, I had just finished a draft of "Haboob Season" and thought that it might be a good candidate for the competition, so I revised the story and entered the contest. I'm glad I did!
WOW: Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, "Haboob Season?" It’s a chilling story, despite all the heat.Jeanne: The story has its origin in several truths: My husband did retire recently, and our children have just graduated from college. A close friend of mine also lost her husband last year. Although his death wasn't unexpected, she suddenly became a very young widow, which changed her lifestyle in dramatic ways. The summer of 2012 was one of the hottest summers in Phoenix on record with weeks of 100+ degree days and numerous large and small dust storms. The press began calling the big dust storms "haboobs." It's such a wonderful word, so much more evocative than "dust storm," and it made me think about what these massive storms could represent in one's personal life, how everything is so transient. Despite our best intentions, one swift change can sweep everything away, much in the same way a "haboob" sweeps through a metropolitan area, leaving devastation in its wake. The final stroke of inspiration came from a casual comment from a friend, who asked me how we coped with the dog days of summer in Phoenix. I put all of these elements--dust storms, sudden loss and change, the misery of summer in Phoenix--together, and "Haboob Season" was born.
For those of you who have never seen a haboob, I've enclosed a link to a video of one passing over Phoenix:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYnuzoH5oBAWOW: Fascinating video, thanks for sharing! Since you write in several different genres, including fiction, nonfiction and poetry, how do you decide what you’re going to work on at any given time? Do you find one type of writing more challenging than the others? Jeanne: Well, fiction is my first love. If I have no pressing deadlines from editors or publishers, I spend my time working on my novels or a work of short fiction. I've written some creative nonfiction, which bears many similarities to fiction, but the straight nonfiction I write is usually solicited work. For several years, I wrote a column on the craft and business of writing, "Jeanne's Writing Desk," for an e-newsletter called
Mike's Writing Newsletter. The column had fixed deadlines, so I had to write my nonfiction on a schedule. If someone contacts me and asks me to write a blog post or nonfiction piece, I discuss their needs and adjust my writing projects accordingly.
I'm currently finishing the edits on my first novel,
The Blood of A Stone, for a publisher. Since I have a deadline to turn in the edits, that is my top priority at the moment. Once those edits are complete, I plan to return to the work on my second novel,
The Double Sun, a more contemporary story about a family of downwinders, people who suffered adverse effects from radioactive fallout from the atomic bomb tests in Nevada. I don't have a publisher for that book, but I do have an internal deadline/goal for the first draft. In general, I work well with deadlines, and if I don't have real ones, I like to create personal deadlines.
Poetry is definitely the most challenging genre for me. It requires not only precision of language but a strong sense of rhythm and motion. I adore good poetry and wish I were a better poet, but I would be the first to admit that writing poetry is not my strength.
WOW: Describe a typical day spent writing. Do you have any unusual writing habits?Jeanne: I start every day by filling out my day planner. I use this time to prioritize my writing goals and organize my schedule. Then I walk the dog. Good writing takes place in the mind as much as it does on paper or the computer screen, and during our walks, I think about scenes, snippets of dialogue, resolve plot issues, etc. Once we return home, I sit down at my desk and begin work on my writing project of the day.
As I mentioned earlier, I tend to be very goal and project oriented. Rather than focus on a minimum daily word count or a minimum number of hours at the keyboard, I find I'm most productive when I concentrate on reaching specific milestones by specific dates. For example, if I'm working on my novel, I may set a goal on Monday to complete the next two chapters by Friday. This allows me to break my daily goals into smaller units, writing sections of those two chapters every day. If I'm planning to enter a writing contest or have a deadline for submitting a story to a literary magazine, I set a deadline for the first draft and a deadline for the revisions of that draft. Of course, if an editor has asked me to write a nonfiction piece, I usually have a fixed deadline and have to work toward that. I write five to six days a week for approximately 3-4 hours a day. This may not seem like a lot, but the steady effort makes it possible to accumulate a fair amount of material over time.
My daughter said I should also mention that my home office has a residential cat who contributes his editing advice. Our cat eats on the corner of my desk, sleeps in a special chair behind me, and reminds me that petting a kitty is the best solution to writer's block.
WOW: We talk a lot here on the blog about walking as a great tool for writing inspiration. I like how you focus on specific milestones by specific dates too. That seems like a great strategy! You mentioned that you’re currently working on a novel. How is that project going?
Jeanne: Actually, I'm working on two novels right now. I'm editing my first novel,
The Blood of A Stone, a historical story set in first century A.D. Palestine, and I'm finishing the first draft of my second novel,
The Double Sun, the story about a family of downwinders. Both projects are coming along nicely. I will be turning in my final edits to the publisher for the first book at the end of March and hope to be able to announce a publication date shortly thereafter. I have 4-5 chapters left to write before I have a complete draft of the second book. My goal (that word again!) for the second book is to have the first draft completed by the end of this summer.
One tool I've found particularly useful for writing novels is the story board. In fact, I have a story board for the second book, since it's still a work in process, and a revision board for the book I'm currently editing. I use a large bulletin board, but some people pin notes to a wall or even write on the wall. I've enclosed a picture of my story board for
The Double Sun to give people a visual representation of how this works. This photo was taken earlier in the process of writing the book, so I now have more scene cards than what you see here. Since The
Double Sun spans over 30 years, you will notice there are dates for each section. Beneath those dates are chapter titles. Under each chapter title I've posted an index card with a one-sentence description of each major scene in that chapter. On the right-hand side of the bulletin board I've posted photos of locations, events, and inspiring articles. This story board, or inspiration board as I like to think of it, provides me with a wonderful big-picture view of the novel-in-progress. By studying this board, I can easily see where I may need an additional scene, where there are too many similar scenes, where I need to cut the flab, etc. Interestingly enough, I've been writing the chapters in this book out of order, drafting specific chapters as they come to me rather than plodding along from the beginning to the end. The story board makes that possible.
WOW: Thanks for sharing a visual of your storyboard process, and for chatting with us today, Jeanne! Before you go, do you have any advice for beginning flash fiction writers?Jeanne: I'm flattered that you'd like my advice on writing flash, as I consider myself a novice in this genre! However, the best advice I can give is to read flash fiction--lots of it. Study why the author leaves something out, how the author uses dialogue, how description moves the story forward, etc. I like to think of flash fiction as building a doll-size version of a real house on a small patch of real estate. Just like a full-size house, you have all the necessities: bathrooms, living space, bedrooms, etc., but they're smaller and limited in scope. Every single word must count. There's no room in flash for meandering or tangents. This means that the words you select carry a lot of weight; they need to develop character, set the scene, move the plot forward, or do several of these things at the same time. It also helps to have a destination in mind. If you know where you want your story to end, you can push toward that ending. My final piece of advice is to target your markets and submit your work. You'll never get your writing published if you don't send it out.
Thank you so much for inviting me to share my thoughts on the writing life. It has been such a pleasure to work with WOW!
***
The Spring 2013 Flash Fiction Contest is OPEN!Find out more:
http://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php***
SmokeLong Quarterly is excited to announce that we are once again hosting a Kathy Fish Fellow. The 2013-14 Fellow honors Kathy Fish, a former editor here at SmokeLong, a fantastic writer herself, and a continuing champion of new and emerging writers.
Applications for the fellowship will be accepted starting Friday, March 1 and the submission period will run through Sunday, March 31.
The winner of the 2013-14 Kathy Fish Fellowship will be considered a “writer in residence” at SmokeLong for four quarterly issues (June 2013, September 2013, December 2013 and March 2014). Each issue will include one flash by the Fellowship winner.
The winner of the Fellowship will also receive $500.00, to be paid as follows: $100.00 on announcement of the winner, and $100.00 upon publication of each of the four issues in 2013-14.
Fellows will have the opportunity to work with SmokeLong staff and participate in online writing workshops.
All writers previously unpublished in SmokeLong Quarterly are eligible to apply. Following are the guidelines for application and the terms of the award itself:
Please see application guidelines here.
With its Ninth Issue just published today, H.O.D. (A Handful Of Dust) is once again calling for your submissions.
ISSUE 10 WILL PRIMARILY FOCUS ON VIOLENCE AS A THEME. WE WANT POEMS THAT FOCUS ON PRE-VIOLENCE, POST-VIOLENCE, and ALL THE ACTS IN BETWEEN.
SUBMISSIONS NOT TOUCHING ON THIS THEME MAY BE HELD INDEFINITELY.
Are you a poet? Submit 3-5 poems (3-5, not 1-2) in the body of an e-mail addressed to:
h.o.d.submissionsATgmailDOTcom (Change AT to @ and DOT to .)
No attachments.
Any submission outside of these simple guidelines will be subject to deletion without reading.
Are you a short-short-short fiction writer? Submit your sub-250-word story in the body of an e-mail to:
h.o.d.submissionsATgmailDOTcom (Change AT to @ and DOT to .) No attachments.
Read an issue or two to see just what length we're looking for. Any submission outside of these simple guidelines will be subject to deletion without reading.
Are you an artist? Submit your beautiful work as low-res .jpegs to:
h.o.d.submissionsATgmailDOTcom (Change AT to @ and DOT to .)
We will request higher-res, if we like the work. BLACK&WHITE photography preferred. Would also like to see more art (ink and paint).
Are you still reading? AWESOME! We're looking to fill the next issue of H.O.D. Issue #10 goes live on June 21, 2013. While there is a theme, we're open to any interpretation of this very vague and open theme, especially in terms of PRE-VIOLENCE and POST-VIOLENCE. ALL GUTS WITHOUT GLORIFICATION, please.
Devilfish Review, an online quarterly magazine, is looking forsubmissions of fiction and flash fiction. We prefer speculative fiction and fantasy, but will read anything. Please take a look at our archives and About pages to see if your work will be a good fit.
Submissions are read on an ongoing basis. Previously unpublished work only, please. Simultaneous submissions are fine. Our website.
Submit your work here.
The editors of Snail Mail Review are now seeking submissions for their 6th issue.
Submissions are open until June 30, 2013. We would love to receive a submission from you. We accept all genre in Poetry and Fiction.
There is No Pay for accepted submissions. Contributors will receive a complimentary copy as payment. No online submissions will be accepted unless it is from overseas. If you are interested in submitting, please send 3-5 poems of not more than 35 lines and/or 1-7 pages of fiction to:
Snail Mail Review
c/0 Christine Chesko
1694 Augusta Pointe Dr.
Ripon, Ca. 95366
Happy New Year and welcome to 2013, Muffin readers! Today, we'll be chatting with Emily McGee, whose story "After Herman Died" placed third in the Summer 2012 Flash Fiction contest. If you haven't had the opportunity to read the piece, head over to WOW!'s contest page and partake. Then, grab a cup or glass of your favorite Holiday cheer and settle in for our chat with Emily.
Emily McGee has lived in Africa, the South Pacific, and three states in four years. She pays the bills by writing for various educational companies, but she’s happiest when writing fiction. Emily and her husband live life on the go, and they recently returned to the U.S. after living in Nairobi, Kenya. Emily writes about travel, and life as a trailing spouse at
One Trailing Spouse. You can also connect with her on
Facebook and
twitter.
WOW: Emily, congratulations on placing third in the Summer 2012 flash contest. The story's premise struck a chord with me. My spouse passed away suddenly about a decade ago. I remember that need for peace and quiet - just for a moment - following his death. How did the idea for this story develop?
Emily: The story actually started with a first line prompt from another contest. After losing that contest, I cut the first line and spent some time pondering the story while on the elliptical machine at the gym. (This is where I do much of my best thinking.) I revised the story after my gym session and after thinking more deeply about how I would react if my own spouse had a long and painful death.
WOW: (Smiles) I do my best thinking when I'm pushing the lawn mower! It's a great time to think. A lot of times, I find myself working on a particular line or phrase and how to make sure it impacts the story. I'm a stickler for the last line leaving a lasting impression. How do you "know" when you've hit gold with the final line? Do you try to make an impact or do you strive for a touch of irony? What's your strategy?
Emily: I try not to think too hard about it, but I feel like I know when I have a good line. The first several drafts of this story just didn't have "it", whatever "it" is.
For all my stories, I revise until I have a line somewhere near the end of the story that can leave a lasting impression. With flash fiction, I think it's even more important the the very last line leave that impression. In longer stories, I'm OK if a sentence on the last page of the story has that special something.
WOW: Completely agree! In journalism, I call it the power quote. With that strategy in mind, not every genre falls into this category, like writing a test question for fifth grade science. You have experience writing for education companies. What types of writing is included under this umbrella?
Emily: I write blog posts, assessments, lesson plans and unit plans. When I write standardized test questions, I feel slightly evil. When I get to write short stories for kids, I have a blast.
I have a Master's degree in education and I used to teach (before my husband and I started moving so often). Between my background and the unrolling of the Common Core State Standards, I've been able to find a lot of work doing this type of writing.
WOW: That's great! As a teacher, I've penned my share of lesson plans and unit assessments. It takes a lot of work, but it's so worthwhile. You also have another unique writing assignment - your blog. When I was younger, I wanted a job where I could travel. Your blog seems like it's part travel guide, part survival guide. How do you decide what types of posts to include?
Emily: I've tried to narrow the scope of my blog to travel and trailing spouse issues. Those two categories still encompass a lot of things though! I write about my marriage, and moving, and life as an expat. My husband and I love to travel, so I also include travel posts.
My blog has been a great writing outlet for me. It's also been a great way to connect with people who have also made career adjustments for the sake of a relationship or family.
WOW: Well, I certainly enjoyed reading about places you've visited. You share a lot of great information. Since you entered and placed in this contest, I'm wondering what information or advice would you offer a writer contemplating entering a contest?
Emily: If you're going to enter one contest, enter many. Rejection happens to everyone, and in my experience, to every story. I have had two short stories place in contests after being passed over in other contests. Rejection stings a bit less if you know you have several stories being read in several different contests. And if you know your story is good, then stay confident and keep submitting. Eventually you'll find success.
WOW: Excellent advice for all writers to remember. Thank you for sharing, and once again, congratulations Emily!
Interview by LuAnn Schindler
Conclave: A Journal of Character is open for submissions for Spring, 2013.
Conclave is a bi-annual print journal that focuses on character-driven writing in short stories, flash fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, prose poems and photographs. Issues appear every spring and autumn. We select six of our best works each year to be nominated for the Pushcart Prize.
Pieces should focus strongly on character. For further information about what character means to us, please visit our website.
You may read our submissions guidelines here.
The Quotable is accepting submissions of flash fiction, short fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and art.
The Quotable is a quarterly print & online publication and will accept submissions during the following reading periods:
December 1 - February 1 : Spring Issue
March 1 - May 1 : Summer Issue
June 1 - August 1 : Fall Issue
September 1 - November 1 : Winter Issue
Unless otherwise noted, each issue will be centered around a theme and a quote.
WE ARE CURRENTLY OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR ISSUE 9
The theme is Day & Night
"The day has eyes; the night has ears."
~Scottish Proverb
We accept only original unpublished work. Fiction and non-fiction contributors are limited to one submission per reading period. Poetry and art contributors are limited to three submissions per reading period. We do accept simultaneous submissions, but ask that you notify us immediately should your work be accepted elsewhere.
We prefer double spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman (or similarly readable font). To ensure fairness, The Quotable has a blind submissions process. Remove all identifying information - name, email address, etc. - from your manuscripts. We will decline any manuscript that contains the author's information. Cover letters should include your name and a brief bio to be used in the event of publication.
We only accept submission through our submissions manager:
To see general guidelines visit our Submittable page.
Subject: Call for Submissions: Compressed Fiction, CNF, and Poetry
The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts is looking for, as you might guess, "compressed creative arts." We accept fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, mixed media, visual arts, and even kitchen sinks, if they are compressed in some way. Work is published weekly, without labels, and the labels here only exist to help us determine its best readers.
Our response time is generally 1-3 days. Also, our acceptance rate is currently about 1% of submissions. We pay writers $50 per accepted piece and signed contract.
Beginning January 15, 2013, we will again be open for compressed poetry, compressed prose fiction (including prose poetry), and compressed creative nonfiction. We will close submissions on April 15, 2013.
The reader for your submission is, during this round of fall submissions, the managing editor.
Please be sure to submit in the correct category; we've been receiving several fiction submissions in the creative nonfiction category. Word count alone doesn't create compression, so we ask that you also consider why this piece works for a journal obsessed with what's compressed. With the writer's permission, we publish the "best of lists" from the cover letters on our blog, along with the writer's name, picture, and link (of the writer's choosing).
For all submitters, we aren't as concerned with labels—hint fiction, prose poetry, micro fiction, flash fiction, and so on—as we are with what compression means to you. In other words, what form "compression" takes in each artist's work will be up to each individual. However, we don't publish erotica or work with strong, graphic sexual content.
In short, we want to fall in love with your work. That might happen in the way we've fallen in love with work we've previously published, or it might happen in a way we have yet to experience. Maybe reading that other work will help in knowing whether you should send your work to us, but in truth, such a thing might not be discoverable.
Submit here.
Star 82 Review is a new art and lit online and print-on-demand quarterly that is looking for your best original work and lyrical language. The idea of making the familiar strange and the strange, familiar is of particular interest. Categories include flash, postcard lit, art post images, and erasure texts. Fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, poetry, comics, short dramatic scenes, and all art media will be considered.
Got art or text from 6-1000 words?
Please see our website for details and online submission information.
The editors of Revolution House Magazine are currently reading submissions of poetry, nonfiction, short stories, flash fiction, and graphic stories for our fourth issue, due late spring/early summer 2013.
Peruse previous issues and submissions guidelines here.
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stayup-to-date on Revolution House news.
Revolution House doesn’t care if you have a hundred publication credits or if this is your first attempt. Send us your poems, your stories, your moments of shining truth, and we will treat themas we want our own to be treated: with respect and compassion. Send us the work that moves you, for better or worse.
Guidelines
· The AWP HEAT Flash Contest is run in conjunction with AWP HEAT, a reading on Friday, March 8, at
Dillon's Restaurant & Bar, Boston, 955 Boylston Street, one block Hynes Convention Center. Free. 2:30 – 6:30 p.m.
· Winners of contest announced at 4:00 p.m. at AWP HEAT.
· Respond to this prompt: “Fire”
· Anyone may enter the contest, whether attending AWP or not.
· One entry per person, previously unpublished.
· Entries must be 1,000 words or less.
· Email entries to:
awpheatflashcontestATgmailDOTcom (Change AT to @ and DOT to .)
as a doc, docx, or rtf file.
· Stories may be submitted anytime between now and midnight March 1st EST.
· Up to three winning stories will be published by JMWW, Prime Number, and Corium.
· The contest will be judged by Shaindel Beers (The Children’s War and Other Poems), Cliff Garstang
(What the Zhang Boys Know), and Bonnie ZoBell (The Whack-Job Girls). Winners will receive copies of these books.
Spry Literary Journal features undiscovered and established writers' concise, experimental, hybrid, modern, vintage or just-plain-vulnerable writing. It's a journal for people who excel at taking risks, who thrive under pressure--for people whose words and rhythms are spry. We are currently open for submissions for the second issue, which will be published in May.
We accept all short forms of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. We also challenge you to write sparsely (under 750 words) and submit to our Flash category. Submissions are requested in all genres, and simultaneous submissions are welcome. We have a strict blind submissions policy, and only accept writing through our submissions manager. Our first issue is live here. Please head over to see what we've published in our inaugural issue, and to start conversations with our authors, poets, and staff members. Renowned writer Porochista Khakpour is interviewed in the issue as well.
Please visit our submissions manager to submit your work to us.
Spry Literary Journal
After a wonderful first-ever contest in which we published a novella by Sean Bernard, a memoir by Sandra Doller, and collection of poems by Kristin Hatch, we would like to extend our call for submissions again this year. The winning manuscript receives $1,000, publication, and 25 author copies. All writers who submit will receive a copy of CutBank 79. We've included more information below, and the complete guidelines are available online.
PS---Don't forget to check out our $500 genre prizes judged by John D'Agata, Maile Meloy, and Cole Swensen! $17 entry fee includes a one-year subscription to CutBank beginning with issue 79. Go here for more details!
CutBank Literary Magazine
Chapbook Contest
Deadline: March 31, 2012
Entry Fee: $17
Website
A prize of $1,000, 25 author copies, and publication by CutBank will be given annually for a poetry or prose chapbook. CutBank editors will judge. Between January 1 and March 31, 2013, submit a manuscript of 25-40 pages. Poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction, as well as hybrid manuscripts are welcome. Visit the website for complete guidelines.
The Boiler Journal invites you to put yourself and the audience under pressure and submit to our FIRST ANNUAL 500 FLASH FICTION CHALLENGE! This year’s genre will be Fiction.
Write a good piece in 500 words or less. and you’ll be able to pat yourself on the back, knowing you did something worthwhile and get paid for your sweet effort. We have published flash fiction from Jillian Grant Lavoie, T Kira Madden, Marina Rubin, Caru Cadoc, Justine Haus and others.
1st place will receive $1000 prize.
2nd place will win $500.
Finalist will be considered for publication in future issues of The Boiler. Entry fee is $10.
Deadline is February 15!
Visit our website for more details.
Inch is a quarterly magazine devoted to tiny poems and tiny fiction. We believe that good things come in small packages, so we focus our eight pages on poems of one to nine lines, or fiction of 750 words or fewer. Don't send us a few good lines or paragraphs--send us complete poems and stories that bite, resonate, or sleep with giants. We've published work by acclaimed authors, such as Betty Adcock, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, and Daniel Wallace, but we are equally committed to publishing the work of emerging authors.
Nonfiction: Our Fall 2012 issue will be dedicated to short memoir. Submit by November 1, 2012. Our theory is, if life is too short, as most agree it is, you shouldn't need more than 700 words. Include a cover letter. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but please note in your cover letter if your story is submitted elsewhere. We do not accept previously published work. All rights revert to the author upon publication. Pays three copies.
We prefer electronic submissions. Submit your work online, and you will be able to log in and check the status of your submission at any time.
Spry Literary Journal is currently looking for submissions for its inaugural issue, which will be published in December 2012. We envision Spry as a literary journal that features undiscovered and established writers' concise, experimental, hybrid, modern, vintage or just-plain-vulnerable writing. We see this as a place for people who excel at taking risks, who thrive under pressure - for people whose words and rhythms are spry.
We accept all short forms of writing (fiction, nonfiction, poetry) and we also challenge you to write sparsely (under 750 words) through our Flash category. Submissions requested in all genres, and simultaneous submissions welcome. We have a strict blind submissions policy, and only accept writing through our submissions manager.
Please visit our submissions manager for guidelines and to submit your work to us. We are receptive to any questions via email at:
editors(at)sprylit.com (replace (at) with @) )
and will respond as quickly as possible.
ANTHOLOGY SEEKS SOUTHERN GOTHIC FICTION BY WOMEN
Editors William Wright and Michelle Wright are now considering submissions for Phantom Manners: Contemporary Southern Gothic Fiction by Women. Submissions are open to any woman writing southern gothic fiction. We invite work from gifted writers in any stage of their writing careers.
When we use the term "southern gothic," we do not refer to genre fiction, but textured literary works with southern gothic aspects, e.g. Faulkner, O'Connor, Welty, Nordan, Porter, early McCarthy, William Gay, etc. We do not consider "southern gothic" a static subgenre, but an amorphous, inclusive one, the only "rules" being that submitted fiction has to deal with the American South in some sense and that the writing be "gothic," that it orbits or involves--whether on a small or large level--something disruptive, transgressive, taboo, derelict, corrupt, tragic, and/or disturbing. Dark humor may also figure into the equation.
Flash fiction, short stories, or self-contained short-story-length (up to 30 pp.) excerpts from novels are welcome. Please send submissions in MS Word 1997-2003, 2007, or 2010 (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf) to the editors at:
william(at)towncreekpoetry.com
Include your name and contact information somewhere on the submission. Previously published work is acceptable as long you retain the rights; please supply the book and/or journal name if the piece has been published.
Deadline for submissions is January 15th, 2013, although early submissions are encouraged.
Questions about the collection should be directed to the editors via:
william(at)towncreekpoetry.com (replace (at) with @ when sending email)
Thank you. We look forward to reading your work!
Revolution House magazine invites all to submit previously unpublished short-short stories to the inaugural flash fiction contest: 750 for $7.50. Judge Randall Brown will select the top three entries of 750 words or less.
Prizes are based on entry fees collected, with a guaranteed first prize of $100 that will increase as we get more entries.
Writers may submit entries of up to 750 words for a fee of $7.50 (or two stories for $12). Please do not put your name anywhere within your entry -- no byline, no name in the header or footer -- as Revolution House processes all submissions blind.
Deadline: November 30, 2012. Winners will be announced in December. All entries will be considered for publication in Revolution House. Please see our website for full details.
Vist Joan's
website.
Visit Joan's
blog.
Spry Literary Journal is currently looking for submissions for its inaugural issue, which will be published in December 2012. We envision Spry as a literary journal that features undiscovered and established writers' concise, experimental, hybrid, modern, vintage or just-plain-vulnerable writing. We see this as a place for people who excel at taking risks, who thrive under pressure - for people whose words and rhythms are spry.
We accept all short forms of writing (fiction, nonfiction, poetry) and we also challenge you to write sparsely (under 750 words) through our Flash category. Submissions requested in all genres, and simultaneous submissions welcome. We have a strict blind submissions policy, and only accept writing through our submissions manager.
Please visit our submissions manager for guidelines and to submit your work to us. We are receptive to any questions via email at:
editors(at)sprylit.com (replace (at) with@) and will respond as quickly as possible.
By: Kathy Temean,
on 12/2/2012
Blog:
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The Micro Award is presented annually for a work of prose fiction written in English, of any genre, not above 1000 words in length. Stories considered for the 6th Annual Micro Award must have been published originally in 2012. Qualifying venues are any form of print or electronic publication designed for public display. Self-published stories are eligible.
An author may submit one story of his or her own; the senior editor of a magazine or anthology, or any staff member designated by him or her, may submit two stories if both are from his or her own publication and neither is self-written. All submissions must include the full text of the story as originally published and a cover letter with the following:
■Venue of publication
■Date of publication
■Word Count
■Author’s name
■Author’s mailing address
■Author’s telephone number or email address
The following works are all ineligible:
■Poetry
■Performance scripts
■Non-fiction
■Translated fiction
■Excerpts from longer works of fiction
■Visual art with literary texts
On or after Feb. 15, 2013, the administrator will send each judge thirty stories he has chosen from those submitted. The stories shall be identified only by their titles, and should any story have been written or published by a judge, it will be stricken from the stories sent to that judge. Not later than Mar. 1, 2013, each judge will return a ballot of five stories, ranking the stories in order of excellence. The stories shall be ordered by the number of votes, and then by the number of ranking points (five points for the highest ranked story on each ballot, on down to one point for the lowest ranked). In this way, a winner (story receiving the most votes) and finalists (stories receiving at least one vote) shall be selected. Should there be any ties after ranking points are tabulated, they will be decided by the administrator. The administrator may also add one story to the list of finalists.
The winner and finalists will be announced on this website on Mar. 17, 2013. The author of the winning story shall receive $500 US.
The Judge’s Choice Rule: Each judge may add one story to the final thirty so long as it was not written, edited, or published by that judge. The judge must provide the cover letter in this situation. Judge’s Choice Rule entries must be submitted to the administrator by Feb. 15, 2013. The decision of the Micro Award is final and not subject to appeal. Any violation of the rules may be grounds for disqualification. The administrator has authority to appoint and remove judges, amend and interpret rules, and decide any issue not covered in the rules. The Micro Award is a non-profit organization.
Questions and comments should be addressed to Alan Presley, Micro Award Administrator, at admin@microaward.org. Good Luck!
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
Filed under:
authors and illustrators,
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Contest,
opportunity Tagged:
Flash Fiction,
Max 1000 words,
Stories published in 2012,
The Micro Awards 
G.G. Silverman lives north of Seattle with her husband and dog, both of whom are ridiculously adorable. When she isn’t writing, she loves to explore the mossy woods and wind-swept coast of the Pacific Northwest, which provide moody inspiration for all her stories. She also enjoys bouts of inappropriate laughter, and hates wind chimes because they remind her of horror movies.
She holds a BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and also completed the Writing for Children program at the University of Washington. She also owns a
branding and graphic design firm.
Ms. Silverman placed as a finalist in the 2012 PNWA annual literary awards for her short story, “The Black Dog of Porto Negro.” She is currently working on her first YA novel, a hilarious feminist twist on the zombie genre. Chat with her on Twitter @GG_Silverman
interview by Marcia PetersonWOW: Congratulations on winning first place in our Summer 2012 writing contest! What inspired you to enter the contest?
GG: Thank you! I’ve been putting serious effort into launching my writing career over the last few years. I’m building up a body of work, and wanted to test the water for my stories, to get some validation and ultimately publish. WOW! has a great reputation with incredible guest judges every season, so your contest seemed like the right opportunity to do all of that. Having my story published on your site has given me fantastic credibility as a writer.
WOW: Thanks for the kind words about WOW! Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, The House of Butterflies? GG: It was inspired by a life-changing conversation with a friend. I was at a critical point with the last draft of my novel, where I had major fears about expressing darker ideas, and she asked how my writing was going. I said I was afraid that when my book was finished and I came out of my shell as a writer, that I’d be seen as a frightening spider instead of a beautiful butterfly, and the world would revile my work. That’s when she told me it was okay to be a spider, that the world needs spiders. So, I’ve embraced my spiderness, meaning, I’m being true to myself as a writer and have accepted my position as someone who explores darker themes. The House of Butterflies has become a sort of personal manifesto. It’s my first published work, and I’m taking it as a sign that I’m becoming who I’m meant to become.
WOW: What a wonderful development for you. I love that you’re embracing your spiderness. Have you always enjoyed the genre, and how did you learn to write great flash fiction? GG: I discovered flash fiction two years ago. It started as a way to keep writing when I need to take small breaks from my novel. I believe it’s important to write as much as you can, because you get better and faster with practice and time.
Also, I like to write flash fiction when I travel. It’s fun to dash off a story on a flight and have a sense of completion. Though the polishing aspect can be maddening, sometimes requiring up to eleven or twelve drafts. Writing a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end, in a very limited word count, while creating an evocative atmosphere with beautiful description, is quite challenging. But I love it. I really believe that flash fiction makes you a better writer.
It’s also a great way to honor readers who are busy and want a satisfying story they can read quickly. With the increasing popularity of e-readers, I think flash fiction is here to stay.
WOW: It's always interesting to learn about other people's writing routines. Could you tell us when and where you usually write? Do you have favorite tools or habits that get you going?GG: For starters, I take a long walk every day, and I’m fortunate to live near incredible trails. My favorite walk is through a burnt-out swamp punctuated by dead, spiky trees. A bald eagle is usually perched overhead, and the sky can be really moody. The quiet atmosphere is meditative, and ideas often come to me there. Sometimes they come in the voice of a character. I might record a thought or a scrap of dialogue on my phone with a voice recorder app. If it resonates with me after my walk is done, then it’s something I’m really excited about, and I try to express it in writing.
I’m also a self-employed graphic designer, and keep a flexible work schedule so I can write or edit a few hours each day, usually in the afternoon. But unexpected things do happen, so I’ve learned to seize odd bits of time to write productively in short bursts whenever I can. I usually write first drafts long-hand (if it’s my novel, a chapter at a time) then transcribe and edit on the computer. When I write long-hand, I can do it anywhere, but when I’m on the computer, I prefer the ergonomic set-up of my office. When I’m writing, I have a strict No Internet rule. No Facebook or Twitter. I allow myself only fifteen minutes at the beginning of the day, but I’ll spend more time during lunch or when I’m done for the day, because I believe it’s important to start cultivating an audience and connecting with people.
Once every few months, as a special treat, my husband and I take short road trips to the coast to get away from the distractions of everyday life. We hole up in a cabin and soak up the scenery for inspiration, while getting lots of writing done.
WOW: Walking always yields lots of ideas for me too. What's one bit of advice you would give to aspiring writers?GG: Discipline and perseverance are everything. Practice writing until you realize that you can’t not write, that you would feel sick if a few days went by and you haven’t written. By then, you’ll develop the momentum and stamina you need to do great work.
WOW: Thanks so much for chatting with us today, G.G.! Before you go, do you have any tips for our readers who may be thinking about entering writing contests?GG: Rejection is a blessing. It’s an opportunity for you to go back, take another pass at your work, and make it sing.
And, don't rush to submit. Taking an extra day to let a piece breathe, so you can review it with fresh eyes, can make a world of difference.
***
The Winter 2013 Flash Fiction Contest is OPEN
For details, visit:
http://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php
Arroyo Literary Review is a print-based publication produced annually by students and alumni of California State University, East Bay. Each issue reflects the creative diversity found in the San Francisco Bay Area literary scene, while bringing together material from an international array of poets, writers, and artists.
Arroyo began with an investigation: faculty and students sought to establish a magazine capturing the spirit and diverse voices of the Bay Area while attracting writers from across the country and a national readership. What they discovered, however, was a void. Bigger presses seemed to ignore the dynamics of California culture, while smaller presses had predicated themselves on niches. With the opportunity presenting itself, those same students built the school’s first literary magazine from the ground up, eventually releasing the premiere issue in Spring of 2009.
Since then, that tradition of motivation and commitment has been passed on to each proceeding incarnation of the review. The editorial staff remains dedicated to showcasing both new and established writers from the West Coast and beyond, hoping to connect the magazine’s audience with the unique qualities that make the Bay Area literary and art scene so special.
We are seeking fiction, flash fiction, poetry, essays, and translation for our sixth issue.
Open reading period from December 1 to May 31. No e-mail submissions. Please see our website for submission guidelines.
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Jeanne Lyet Gassman lives with her husband and son in the desert west of Phoenix, Arizona, but she dreams often of snow-covered mountains with pine-scented breezes. She believes in the power and beauty of language and loves helping other writers. When she isn’t writing, she works as a freelance editor and teaches creative writing workshops to writers’ groups and individuals in the Phoenix metro area.
One tool I've found particularly useful for writing novels is the story board. In fact, I have a story board for the second book, since it's still a work in process, and a revision board for the book I'm currently editing. I use a large bulletin board, but some people pin notes to a wall or even write on the wall. I've enclosed a picture of my story board for The Double Sun to give people a visual representation of how this works. This photo was taken earlier in the process of writing the book, so I now have more scene cards than what you see here. Since The Double Sun spans over 30 years, you will notice there are dates for each section. Beneath those dates are chapter titles. Under each chapter title I've posted an index card with a one-sentence description of each major scene in that chapter. On the right-hand side of the bulletin board I've posted photos of locations, events, and inspiring articles. This story board, or inspiration board as I like to think of it, provides me with a wonderful big-picture view of the novel-in-progress. By studying this board, I can easily see where I may need an additional scene, where there are too many similar scenes, where I need to cut the flab, etc. Interestingly enough, I've been writing the chapters in this book out of order, drafting specific chapters as they come to me rather than plodding along from the beginning to the end. The story board makes that possible.
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Congratulations, Jeanne, and thanks for your advice. Best of luck with your novels!
Great article with wonderful ideas. And congratulations, Jeanne!
Fantastic interview, ladies! I always enjoy discovering the inspiration behind a flash story. That video of the haboob is amazing. I wouldn't want to be stuck outside when one hit!
Thank you for sharing your storyboarding technique, Jeanne. That's a topic we explore in issue 55, which should be live today or tomorrow. Congratulations on your win and your forthcoming novels! :)
The word haboob is new for me. It's such a strange word for what it represents--I can see why you got a story idea from that. Congratulations on your win, and I really like your storyboarding visual and idea. I can't wait to get an office of my own someday. . . ;)
Your story really hit home with me, Jeanne, even though I'm only in my mid-30s. We too always say that, "one day, we'll do this!" but with two kids and endless bills, school activities, home repairs, etc., life often does get in the way. Congrats on your win! I enjoyed looking at your storyboard. I started using Pinterest recently to help create a visual board for my book ideas and it's been fun. Good luck in all your future writing endeavors!
Wow, that storyboard! Big congrats on your novel, Jeanne!