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At the NewPages Blog readers and writers can catch up with their favorite literary and alternative magazines, independent and university presses, creative writing programs, and writing and literary events. Find new books, new issue announcements, contest winners, and so much more!

Iodine Poetry Journal – Spring/Summer 2012

On the whole, the poetry in the Spring/Summer 2012 edition of Iodine: Poetry Journal is “poetry of witness,” a term put forth (if not created) by Carolyn Forché. Not every poem is dark and foreboding, however, but the journal is filled with wounds that beg to be healed, even if it hurts to do so. After all, isn’t that the essence of iodine, the tincture, to begin with? Continue reading “Iodine Poetry Journal – Spring/Summer 2012”

Journal of Ordinary Thought – Winter 2012

Let’s call it “folk art.” It’s certainly folk literature. It would be chic to call it urban myth, but I call it my history. Who doesn’t remember the sand man and the boogie man? I feel sorry for them. Then there’s the wahoo man, and the weird aunt and the uncle who . . . The Journal of Ordinary Thought is just that. My neighborhood, my people. It’s not just a trip down memory lane; it’s decent literature, in the language of the people I grew up with, speaking to me about many of the events that we experienced and that you’ll enjoy reliving. Continue reading “Journal of Ordinary Thought – Winter 2012”

New Ohio Review – Spring 2012

I usually try not to pigeon-hole magazines into a theme, but with this issue, it’s difficult not to do so! Clearly, there is a bird theme flapping its wings in this issue, from the multi-media “Penguins” cover art, to the more than a handful of stories that were cleverly pecked and then nestled together in this charming and diverse journal. And it just so happens that many of my favorite pieces of the issue were the ones which involved birds. Continue reading “New Ohio Review – Spring 2012”

Relief – Spring 2012

In this issue’s introduction, which Editor Brad Fruhauff has entitled “Literature by Necessity,” Fruhauff reminds us that a rich literary diet “[confronts] some of the hardest realities of our time” and “will ask you to feel grace for a strung-out drug addict as well as for a cynical woman dealing with her abortions . . . to be merciful with an adulterer and to re-live the death of a childhood friend. These pieces,” says Fruhauff, “are not safe.” Continue reading “Relief – Spring 2012”

Tin House – Summer 2012

The summer issue of Tin House: cue an essay on “miserablism”—not in music, as Simon Reynolds once used to describe Morrissey and other gloomy Manchester bands but in fiction, as Gerald Howard employs in an essay on the “Merritt Parkway Novel.” More on that later, but let that brief introduction to this issue suffice to say that this isn’t exactly light-hearted beach reading. Who wants that anyways? The editor’s note says, “Consider this summer reading as providing a few grains of sand in your suntan lotion, a little bit of grit to remind of you the depth and breadth of the human condition.” So, let this Tin House do just that—give a dark, realistic, take on summer reading. Continue reading “Tin House – Summer 2012”

Valley Voices – Spring 2012

If you like literature that looks, sounds, smells and tastes like Mississippi Delta blues and jazz, then Valley Voices: A Literary Review, published by Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU), would make a nice addition to your library. This issue celebrates the journal’s 10-year anniversary with a collection of what Editor John Zheng calls “the best creative works, poetry and stories, Valley Voices has published.” This issue is evidence that the journal has long lived up to its stated dedication to promoting the works of MVSU students and the cultural diversity of the Mississippi Delta through writers from the Delta, while maintaining standards of excellence in poetry and prose. Continue reading “Valley Voices – Spring 2012”

Witness – 2012

Witness is, according to the editors, “an internationally recognized journal that blends the features of a literary and an issue-oriented magazine to highlight the role of the modern writer as witness to his or her times.” A publication of the Black Mountain Institute of the University of Las Vegas, Nevada, “an international literary center dedicated to promoting discourse on today’s most pressing issues,” this issue’s theme is “Disaster.” As the description suggests, the magazine is provocatively responsible (yes! one can be both!), of consistently high quality, and, in this issue, ruthless. The world is more full of disaster than you might want to know. Continue reading “Witness – 2012”

Vine Leaves Literary Journal – July 2012

Different from traditional stories or poems, these pieces offer up small slices of life that are not necessarily whole stories but vignettes that absolutely invoke emotion, doing so in a small amount of space. I barely put down my pen the whole time I read as I took down notes and wrote down quotes. Continue reading “Vine Leaves Literary Journal – July 2012”

SNReview – Spring/Summer 2012

The thing I immediately noticed about SNReview is its online format—clean and crisp. It doesn’t attempt to use a lot of graphics or design, which is actually really working for it: black type, in an easy-to-read font, on top of a white page. Alternately, each piece can be viewed as a PDF with active links to previous issues and the website. Beyond the format, this particular issue’s fiction, nonfiction, and poetry delivers so that the graphics don’t have to. Continue reading “SNReview – Spring/Summer 2012”

Hippocampus – July 2012

For this issue, make sure you strap on your rocker boots because it’s all about the rock ‘n’ roll. As their first themed issue, the editors say that this month they have “turned Hippocampus Magazine into a mixtape of creative nonfiction.” In essays and memoirs about rock ‘n’ roll experiences, the contributors write about personal influences of Pink Floyd (“A Piece for Assorted Lunatics” by Anne); concerts of Crosby, Stills, and Nash (“Long Time Gone: September 27, 2010” by Shelia Grace Stuewe); and obsessions with Steve Tyler (“Stone Cold Fox” by Melanie Malinowski). But no matter which rock artist the writer gushes about, one thread seems to bind them all together—the power music has to invoke memory. Continue reading “Hippocampus – July 2012”

Sixth Finch – Summer 2012

Megan Alpert opens this issue with a wonderful poem called “Blueprints,” which starts, “Move into a house where love sleeps / next to you, hiding in a mouth all night / long . . .” I was intrigued with each turn of the line, my heart breaking with the last of them: Continue reading “Sixth Finch – Summer 2012”

Eclectica Magazine – July/August 2012

This issue of Eclectica is a bursting collection. From the poetry to the prose, I was enthralled, spending hours reading. My favorite piece, “Sasha, That Night” by G. K. Wuori, told the story of a woman named Sasha who has a special ability that she cannot always control: she is a “hydraulic vigilante.” She is able to manipulate liquids, causing them to move, or boil, or freeze. Continue reading “Eclectica Magazine – July/August 2012”

SmokeLong Quarterly – 2012

As always, SmokeLong Quarterly serves up a heaping plate full of appealing flash fiction; I couldn’t wait to dig in. “Ameilia Fucking Earhart” had me laughing—and easily disturbed—throughout as a young couple discovers an old skeleton wearing an aviator hat. Deciding it must be Amelia Earhart, Elias picks up the skull and has his way with it—both humorously and sexually: Continue reading “SmokeLong Quarterly – 2012”

Cigale Literary – Summer 2012

This issue is full of illusions as the characters in the stories break down their misconceptions and face reality—or, instead, continue to live in them. In “The Bathroom window”by Ivan Overmoyer, the narrator imagines a great scene outside the window, only to be disappointed when he/she actually opens it. Ned Randle’s “The Amazing Doctor Jones” portrays an old man who hasn’t adapted to the new medicine practice but still believes the way he does things is the best. And then Pan Pan Fan literally deals with illusions as the narrator stares at “The Woman in the Mirror Continue reading “Cigale Literary – Summer 2012”

pif Magazine – July 2012

In writing this review, I struggled to find a thread that sews all of the pieces together, but then I realized that perhaps it doesn’t need that. The pieces in this issue stand apart for themselves, in the excellent narration, the witty lines, and the way they portray life’s uncertainties. Anthony Moore’s “Speak Memory” was easily my favorite; the narration in it had me chuckling to myself. The narrator is in the process of writing as the story develops, commenting on the writing and metaphors he is using—sometimes pointing out the flaws in them and trading them out for new ones. The story itself brings up questions of memory as the couple’s baby has nightmares. Their doctor says that the baby doesn’t have any memory beyond eating, sleeping, and pooping once it falls asleep. Yet, she still wakes up every night screaming and crying. Paul, the father, takes steps to insure that he won’t forget anything. Continue reading “pif Magazine – July 2012”

Carve Magazine – Summer 2012

Carve Magazine’s summer issue invites the reader into three delightful and thoughtful short stories with its cover which features a girl with sea-green hair holding a miniature merry-go-round of horses. The cover, by Alessandra Toninello, “ties [the] stories together in a fitting way,” says the editor’s note. “It’s rare that an issue’s stories and photo come together in such a synchronous way. I can’t help but feel a bit of magic pulled this issue together too.” Continue reading “Carve Magazine – Summer 2012”

defunct – Spring 2012

This issue of Defunct, a nonfiction magazine, sparked a piece of my childhood—memories of Saturday mornings when my brother and I would litter the floor with Legos, watch Pokemon on T.V., and munch on bowls of Honey Nut Cherrios. Sonya Huber’s “Legoland” reminisced about the days when Lego characters all had the same face. “The little yellow faces,” she writes, “smiled a sort of inward parenthesis. They felt their feelings but the faces were all the same calm smile: man, woman, killer, child, seven heads stacked in a freakshow parade.” She compares these to the Legos that her son now plays with; each of the characters featuring the latest Indiana Jones or Harry Potter movie. As she says, “This is his Legoland now.” Continue reading “defunct – Spring 2012”

2River View – Summer 2012

The 2River View’s current issue contains poetry that moves, most of which ends to make me feel unsettled, as if I need to sit there, take a deep breath, and ponder before rereading—because they are definitely worth a second look. S. L. Alderton’s “The Last Gas Station in Iowa” ends, “As she crosses the asphalt / toward the brink of cloud, it seems // that the van could roll a little further, / and fall off the end of the world.” And Peter Street’s “Another Sideline—1957” ends with “he’d throw them in / and I would watch // someone’s pet melt into nothing.” Carrie Causey’s poem about purgatory invokes feelings of being stuck: Continue reading “2River View – Summer 2012”

Job :: Marketing & Circulation

From Managing Editor Hattie Fletcher: “The Creative Nonfiction Foundation, publisher of the quarterly literary magazine Creative Nonfiction and In Fact Books, seeks a part-time Marketing and Circulation Associate for its Pittsburgh office. The ideal candidate will be self-motivated, detail-oriented, flexible and able to work in a fast-paced nonprofit environment. Reports to the editor, but works closely with the managing editor and office manager; may also work closely with seasonal interns and volunteers.”

The complete description is here: http://www.creativenonfiction.org/thejournal/helpwanted.htm

Project Gutenberg Self Publishing Portal

Project Gutenberg has opened their new online, self-publishing portal, through which they “encourage the creation and access of copyright protected eBooks. In general, this center is focused on the author’s who wish to share their works with readers.”

Moreover, the portal will allow self-publishing for books presumed NOT to be in the public domain, but whose copyright holder is willing to allow limited access to readers for personal study and non-commercial sharing. Users must register to upload books to the site.

The goal of Project Gutenberg Self Publish is to have a million eBooks on the site by 2012, with as many as 10 million by 2021. The site already has nearly 700 titles as of this writing, and knowing the scope of the self-publishing world, believe Project Gutenberg will have no trouble reaching its goal.

Poets in Federal Government

The Summer 2012 (13:3) issue of Beltway Poetry Quarterly is themed “Poets in Federal Government” and features 25 poets, all current or former employees of the U.S. Government, writing about their work experience.

This special issue is co-edited by Kim Roberts and Michael Gushue. As Michael Gushue writes in his introduction, “These poems address the niches and pockets of civil service…and the interstices to be found in work, and work’s aftermath.” Writing from the tradition of Walt Whitman (Department of Justice), Paul Lawrence Dunbar (Library of Congress), Georgia Douglas Johnson (Department of Labor), Liam Rector (National Endowment for the Arts), and Joel Barlow (Department of State), the poets in this issue “yoke together their dual vocations and sing just a bit of the office electric.”

Contributors: Susanne Bostick Allen, Nancy Allinson, J.H. Beall, Paulette Beete, Grace Cavalieri, Barbara DeCesare, Carol Dorf, Laura Fargas, Patricia Gray, Paul Hopper, Donald Illich, Jaime Lee Jarvis, Carol J. Jennings, Susan Mahan, Greg McBride, Mark Osaki, Karen Sagstetter, M.A. Schaffner, Pepper Smith, A.B. Spellman, Yermiyahu Ahron Taub, Davi Walders, Terence Winch, Pamela Murray Winters, and Ed Zahniser.

Beltway Poetry Quarterly is an online literary journal and resource bank, showcasing the literary community in Washington, DC and the surrounding Mid-Atlantic region since 2000.

Modern Haiku 2012 Award Winners

Modern Haiku publishes the winners of The Robert Spiess Memorial 2012 Haiku Awards in the most recent issue. The judges, Melissa Allen and Carlos Colón, say “As a memorial to Editor Bob Spiess, who died on March 13, 2002, Modern Haiku sponsors The Robert Spiess Memorial Award Haiku Competition. We are grateful to Modern Haiku for allowing us to judge this year’s entries for the Robert Spiess Memorial Haiku Award Competition. The theme for 2012 was to write haiku in the spirit of the following Speculation by Robert Spiess from his book, A Year’s Speculations on Haiku (Modern Haiku Press, 1995):

Haiku have three forms or manifestations: the written, which enters the eye; the spoken, which enters the ear; and the essential … which enters the heart. [Prompted in part by a passage by Sa’in al-Din ibn Turkah.]

There were many excellent haiku that were worthy of commendation. Although it was difficult deciding on the poems for Honorable Mentions, we quickly settled on the three winning poems.”

First Prize
Scott Mason

Second Prize
Duro Jaiye

Third Prize
Susan Constable

Honorable Mentions
Margaret Chula
Michele L. Harvey
Kirsty Karkow
Scott Mason

New Lit on the Block :: Mixitini Matrix

Mixitini Matrix is a new “multigenre, multidisciplinary journal of creative collaboration.” Published twice a year online only, they feature fiction, nonfiction, poetry, short plays, and visual art that has been created by two or more people. Editor Leslie LaChance describes the name of the name of the magazine as the following:

Mixitini – noun. 1. a portmanteau word intended to suggest spirited concoction. 2. a spirited concoction of diminutive proportions.

Matrix – noun. 1. the birthplace of spirited concoction. 2. stuff that dreams are made of. 3. a place where something grows.

Collaboration – noun 1. the state of being in cahoots with. 2. serendipity.

LaChance and the other editor, Mattie Davenport, “are fascinated when creative minds work in collaboration with other creative minds,” says LaChance. “We are charmed by serendipity and awed by creative synergy. Our magazine seeks to celebrate the connectedness of collaborative art in a seemingly fragmented world.” She says that readers can expect to find work from emerging and established writers and artists. “Readers may find a traditional ekphrastic poem or a nature photograph published in the same issue as an experimental media collaboration or an email chain poem. We seek to expand the definition of collaboration, to acknowledge the collaborative in its broadest sense, so we aim to publish work which will do exactly that.”

The first issue features Marilyn Kallet, Wayne White, Brian Griffin, Jack Rentfro, Laura Still, Dorothee Lang, Julia Davies, Steve Wing, Joe Kendrick, Rachel Joiner, JeFF Stumpo, Leonardo Ramirez, Henri Michaux, Darren Jackson, William Henderson and Clint Alexander.

Mixitini Matrix hopes to continue publishing twice a year and possibly moving to quarterly. LaChance says they hope to “eventually offer high quality printed chapbook and broadside editions of our contributors’ work.”

Submissions are accepted until August 31 through Submittable for the next issue. All work should address, in some way, the concept of collaboration.

Paterson Literary Review Poetry Award Winners

The most recent issue of Paterson Literary Review features the winners of the 2010 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards:

First Prize
Rafaella Del Bourgo, Berkeley, CA “Olive Oil”
Kathleen Spivack, Watertown, MA “Their Tranquil Lives”

Second Prize
Joyce Madelon Winslow, Washington, DC “The”
Francine Witte, New York, NY “In My Poems, Sometimes I Have Children”

Third Prize
Kim Farrar, Astoria, NY “The Box”

For a complete list of winners, visit the magazine’s website.

New Lit on the Block :: Paper Nautilus

Paper Nautilus, a new annual print magazine, is named after the tiny species of octopus with the same name. “They’re born by hatching out of very delicate eggs that look like nautilus sea shells,” says Editor-in-Chief Lisa Mangini. “It’s said to be rare to find one of these shells intact, since they’re so fragile. When I learned about this animal, it just seemed like the perfect fit for what I would want in a literary publication: the rare instance of finding something intact, and also the necessity of breaking through the thing that encases us so we can live our lives. It just seemed like the perfect emblem for what a writer does.” She says she wanted to start the literary magazine to create another space “for all that fine work so it could be enjoyed.”

Working with Assistant Poetry Editor Joey Gould, Mangini publishes a variety of poetry and fiction. “We also have a section we call ‘aphorisms,’ which is literature that can be fit into 160 characters or less,” she says. “We’re very open-minded, and make a point of trying to see beyond our own aesthetic and appreciate the strengths and merits of a piece that’s outside our style. And I think most work is also enjoyable for a reader who may not be a writer; the majority of works in Paper Nautilus are accessible to someone who’s just reading for pleasure.”

Mangini says they just launched a chapbook contest and would like to continue with this venture, publishing one to two chapbooks a year. In addition, she thought it would be neat to include a blog about craft, revision, and technique. “We are looking at expanding into digital issues as well,” she says, “but it may be some time before we fully launch that page. But we do have some featured pieces accessible at our website.”

The first issue includes poetry from Carol Berh, Lisa J. Cihlar, Trent Busch, Tobi Cogswell, James Connaster, Gregory Crosby, Barbara Daniels, Lori Desrosiers, Nandini Dhar, William Doreski, Kate Falvey, Marta Ferguson, Lauren Fisk, Ryan Fitzgerald, Ruth Foley, Ian Ganassi, Howie Good, Vivianne Grabinski, George Guida Kyle Hemings, Marianna Hofer, Paul Hostovsky, Nathaniel Hunt, Danielle Jones-Pruett, Tessa Kale, P. Kobylarz, Deirdre LaPenna, Henry W. Leung, Nancy Long, Terry Martin, John McKernan, Michael P. McManus,Colleen Michaels, Raphael Miguel Montes, Rick Murphy, Dianne Nelson Oberhansly, Janet Parlato, Simon Perchik, Marjorie Power, Megan Cowen, Charles Rafferty, Sarah Rizzuto, Jay Rubin, Meredith Sticker, Elizabeth Szewczyk, Meredith Trede, Edwina Trentham, David Walker, Eric Wescott, and William Kelley Woolfitt as well as fiction from Jessica Barksdale, Darren Cormier, James Fowler, Tim Parrish, Jeanette Samuels, Clint Smith, April Sopkin, and Adrian Stumpp.

Submissions are accepted year-round through Paper Nautilus’s online submission manager. Simultaneous submissions are fine as long as the writer withdraws the work upon acceptance elsewhere.

Arc’s 2012 Poems of the Year

In the most recent issue, Arc Poetry Magazine announces and publishes the 2012 Poems of the Year. Editors say, “Our winner’s craft is sound, its music strong, its voice and subject matter compelling. And we think you’ll agree, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer poet.”

Grand Prize: $5,000
Jacob McArthur Mooney: “The Fever Dreamer”

Readers’ Choice
Michael Fraser: “Going to Cape”

Editors’ Choices
Kayla Czaga: “Proposal for the Palace of the Soviets, 1933″ and “Biography of My Father”
Karen Hofmann: “Uses for a Mole”
Michael Eden Reynolds: “Diagnosis”
Renee Sarojini Saklikar “Coda”

Diana Brebner Prize
Lauren Turner: “Engaging the Core”

The Nassau Review 2011 and 2012 Writer Awards

After being on hiatus, The Nassau Review has published their 2012 issue, featuring the work of the 2011 and 2012 writer awards. In the editor’s note, Christina M. Rau says, “Coming back into the lively, chaotic literary scene after a hiatus was tricky, but reading through so many pieces that sparked lively discussions made us believe not only that we could put this journal out, but that this journal would mean something, that literature means something, and that what we do is important. Congratulations to all the artists in these pages and on the cover, especially to the winners of the Writer Awards from both 2011 and 2012.

2011 Poetry Winner
Katie Manning: “Sleeping Beauty’s Mother”

2011 Short Story Winner
Liz Dolan: “What’s Like What”

2012 Flash Fiction Winner
“SOURPUSS”

2012 Prose Poetry Winner
JodiAnn Stevenson: “A Thousand Birds”

Residency: Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts

Applications can now be submitted by visual artists, writers, and composers from across the country and around the world to be considered for a residency at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts. Apply online by annual deadlines of March 1 for residencies between July-December and September 1 for residencies in January-June Residencies are available for 2 to 8 weeks stays. Each resident receives a $175 stipend per week, free housing, and a separate studio.

World Literature Today Winners of Readers’ Choice Poll

World Literature Today, in honor of their 350th issue, chose a shortlist of the staff’s favorite pieces that have appeared in the pages of WLT over the past ten years and then gave it over to its readers to vote on the very best. The editors say, “Over 700 readers voted in our online poll, so we extend a hearty “thanks” to all of you for participating and reading!” The work from the winners and nominees can be read on the website.

Essays
Winner: Aleš Debeljak, “In Praise of the Republic of Letters” (March 2009)
Runner-up: George Evans, “The Deaths of Somoza”(May 2007)

Poetry
Winner: Paula Meehan, “In Memory, Joanne Breen” (January 2007)
Runner-up: Pireeni Sundaralingam, “Language Like Birds” (November 2008)

Short Fiction
Winner: Mikhail Shishkin, “We Can’t Go On Living This Way,” tr. Jamey Gambrell (November 2009)
Runner-up: Amitava Kumar, “Postmortem”(November 2010)

Interviews
Winner: Jazra Khaleed interviewed by Peter Constantine (March 2010)
Runner-up: Pireeni Sundaralingam interviewed by Michelle Johnson (March 2009)

Book Reviews
Winner:Warren Motte, review of How to Talk About Books You Haven’t Read, by Pierre Bayard (March 2008)
Runner-up: Issa J. Boullata, review of Sadder Than Water, by Samih al-Qasim (September 2007)

subTerrain Supplement

subTerrain‘s new issue, number 61, comes with a supplement–“Okanagan: Spotlight Folio”–which showcases student writing from University of British Columbia Okanagan campus. Professor Michael V. Smith says, “There is no unified sense of style or thematic resonance in these pages. Writing in the Okanagan is hard to sum up.” The folio features four undergrad and three grad students: Kirsten Barkved, Kristin Burns, Lee Hannigan, Dylan Lenz, Clay McCann, Portia Priegert, and Murissa Shalapata.

Ruminate Magazine Contest Winners

The most recent issue of Ruminate Magazine announces the winners of the VanderMey Nonfiction Prize sponsored by Dr. Randall J. Vandermey and judged by Leslie Leyland Fields.

First Place
Jessica Wilbanks: “Father of Disorder”

Second Place
Lili Wright: “Shopping for Virgins”

Honorable Mentions
Colleen Clayton: “Mud Fork Holler”
Bryan Parys: “Shape of a Ghost”

Finalists
Emily Brown: “Seeing What Happens if I Do the Same Thing Over and Over Again”
Tristan Mercado: “Virtually Qualified”
Kaethe Schwehn “Tailings”
Natalie Vestin: “Purple Light in the House of God”
Lori Vos: “A Cloud of Mothers”

New Lit on the Block :: The New Poet

Editor David Svenson says that within the pages of The New Poet, a new online magazine, readers will find “strong, vivid poems that utilize imagistic and narrative styles.”

“As a poet,” says Svenson, “I read to not only discover new work and trends, but also for inspiration. I started The New Poet to witness exciting developments in poetry firsthand and to share these discoveries with others. I also understand the value of encouraging others to keep writing. With three issues a year and a mission to find new and exciting work, The New Poet also serves as inspiration to other writers to push their own limits.”

The first issue features poetry from Wendy Carlisle, Paul Hostovsky, Allie Marini Batts, Andrea Potos, Lana Rakhman, Alexis Sellas, Tim Suermondt, Tim Tomlinson, Theresa Williams, and Axel Wright. And the second issue features Kate Bernadette Benedict, Thomas J. Erickson, Caitlin McLean, Jesse Millner, Sue Morgan, John Palen, Ned Randle, Colin Sargent, Martin Willitts Jr., and Laura Madeline Wiseman.

Currently, The New Poet publishes only poetry–of all kinds–but hopes to include book reviews and interviews in the future. Submissions for issue 3 are currently being accepted through Submittable.

Bookstore Closings & Relocations

The Reader’s Cove in Fort Collins, CO will be closing July 6. The website notice provides a list of reasons why the dream of owning a bookstore did not work out in reality (good insight for anyone who also ‘dreams’ of bookstore ownership: Be careful what you wish for, TRC’s owners say).

Hue Man Bookstore is Harlem (NY) is closing shop in its current location on July 31 and working to determine a ‘future format’ for the store: “So what next? While we are figuring out our amazing bookstore of the future, I will be working on several projects which will focus on giving ethnic writers an advantage in the marketplace. We will continue to be involved in the publishing of books and will ramp up our agency services to writers and publishers alike. Though we can not give you the future in a nutshell, we can tell you that on September 6th 2012 at 7:30Pm we will launch our new event format with Miami Heat Dwayne Wade. Partnering with a state of the art facility we can begin to create the kind of multi-platform customer experience we’ve always imagined. Stay tuned!” [The HMB website is currently offline.]

How Much Editing Can an Editor Do?

How much can an editor edit your work for publication? It all depends on what you agree to in the contract, so read carefully before you sign – if you sign at all. Victoria Straus at Writer Beware Blogs! takes a thorough look at this issue in her post Editing Clauses in Publishing Contracts: How to Protect Yourself. She provides numerous examples of bad contract language and suggestions for protecting yourself and your creative work.

Room 2011 Writing Contest Winners

In Volume 35 Issue 2, Room announces its 2011 Writing Contest winners:

“Fiction judge Amber Dawn selected Rhonda Douglas’s ‘God Explains the Collapse of the Cod Fishery’ for first place. In second place we have a tie: Solveig Mardon’s ‘Deep-Tail Dancer’ and Julie Eill’s ‘There’s Nothing Like that Here.” In the poetry category, judge Elizabeth Bachinsky chose Patricia Young’s ‘Morning Class’ for first place and Crystal Sikma’s ‘Bell’ for second place. Susan Juby, who judged our creative non-fiction entries, selected Jan Redford’s ‘God or Boys’ for first place. ‘An Act of Grace’ by Christine Barbetta took second place.”

Errançities

It’s not just the references to Mad Max in Quincy Troupe’s Errançities which suggest a sense of perpetual collapse. It’s also the rampant amnesia. It’s the ignorance of cultural amnesia, the acknowledgement of this amnesia but having too many of one’s “own vexing / problems, way too many”; it’s the amnesia of important thoughts you fail to record. It’s a desire to be somewhere else, somewhere otherworldly, somewhere “beyond our knowing” where “silence reigns.” It’s a desire to dissociate from the “I” for a while, and to become the “eye” instead. It’s the admission that even you are quick to discard society’s discards. It’s the never-ending cycle of forgetting and reminding. It’s smoothing over the past with a kind of politeness that doesn’t change anything in “these yet to be united states.” Continue reading “Errançities”

Domestic Apparition

A poignant ride through different phases of the protagonist’s life, Domestic Apparition is funny, sarcastic, dark, reflective, and touching. The first few stories are set in Michelle’s domestic life—her resistance to being drafted to school when she is six years old, her awe for her brilliant but eccentric brother’s courage in challenging a strict Catholic teacher in school, her admiration for her older sister’s guts, her parents’ relationship, and her mother’s unfulfilled dreams. Gradually, we move toward her life when she starts living by herself in college with roommates, her tedious job at a Holiday Inn which she is pushed into by her demanding boyfriend, and finally her job in the heart of corporate America. Continue reading “Domestic Apparition”

The Life of an Unknown Man

Andreï Makine, whose Dreams of My Russian Summers won France’s highest literary award, employs his beautifully lyrical style again in The Life of an Unknown Man. Maxine, who was born in Siberia and has lived more than twenty years in France, has set this novel in both Paris and Russia during the siege of Leningrad and Stalin’s purges. In spite of some of the grim details of starvation particularly, the beauty of the prose makes these images dreamlike, almost ephemeral. The sense of humanity at the core abides in two old Russians, one living in Paris and one whom the protagonist meets in Russia, both having lived beyond their generation and thus becoming “unknown.” The span of this novel takes us from literary concerns to love during wartime to the music that kept the Russians going in spite of deprivation. At the end, the reader feels keenly the loss of an unknown but incredible life of survival and the sacrifice of love. Continue reading “The Life of an Unknown Man”