"Cadets are keen observers of social cues from their professors, retracting behind the protective formalities of rank at the first whiff of 'agenda,' regardless of its political stripe. It’s easy enough, and they have little social capital invested in the humanities. Nor do they know many people who do. . . . Unlike most of us, though, Cadets will flat-out ask in public how reading poems matters to future practitioners of their trade.

It’s a sincere question, a vital one. It belonged in the public sphere the first time I heard it in October 2016. . . . poetic speech can, at its thorniest, frame problems that cannot be reduced to partisan accolades, commodification, claptrap. It can render the crisp shadows of power under the thorns.

But this is work. Like most hard work, it is also humbling, if not downright humiliating."

From "That Which is Difficult: Poetry at West Point" by Matt Salyer
Published in Plume: Online Poetry Magazine, Issue #87, November 2018

Primarily an online publication of fiction, poetry, nonfiction and photography, Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices also provides the community with unique essays on its SolLit Blog. Recent features include:

"A Writer-Photographer’s Poignant Essay about Smelter Town" by William Crawford

"Women Writers’ Roundtable: Judy Juanita, Melinda Luisa de Jesús, and Dr. Raina J. León on Life-Changing Art" by Rochelle Spencer

"Misogyny and the Acceptance of Violence Against Women" by Patricia Carrillo [pictured]

"The Immigrant Experience Then and Now — and Hope for the Future" by Diane O'Neill

"Neurodiverse Students Need Creative Arts" by Donnie Welch

"Protesting Police Brutality: From Taking a Knee in the U.S to Striking in Catalan" by Chetan Tiwari and Sandell Morse

"Writing, Meditation, and the Art of Looking" by Marilyn McCabe

Guest bloggers are invited to contribute: "We seek inspirational and informative content from diverse voices on writing craft, writing process, diversity (or lack thereof?) in the lit world, recent trends in writing and/or literature, brief author interviews, and more." See full submission guidelines here.

Today is the day. Vote411.org for information.

“The major problem—one of the major problems, for there are several—one of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them.

To summarize: it is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it.

To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.”

― Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Toni Morrison said, "The function of freedom is to free someone else."

“If you are bored and disgusted by politics and don't bother to vote, you are in effect voting for the entrenched Establishments of the two major parties, who please rest assured are not dumb, and who are keenly aware that it is in their interests to keep you disgusted and bored and cynical and to give you every possible reason to stay at home doing one-hitters and watching MTV on primary day. By all means stay home if you want, but don't bullshit yourself that you're not voting. In reality, there is no such thing as not voting: you either vote by voting, or you vote by staying home and tacitly doubling the value of some Diehard's vote.”

― David Foster Wallace, Up, Simba!

Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting."

"Too many people fought too hard to make sure all citizens of all colors, races, ethnicities, genders, and abilities can vote to think that not voting somehow sends a message." ― Luis Gutierrez

"The Literature, Arts and Medicine Database (LitMed) is a collection of literature, fine art, visual art and performing art annotations created as a dynamic, comprehensive resource for scholars, educators, students, patients, and others interested in medical humanities. It was created by faculty of the New York University School of Medicine in 1993. The annotations are written by an invited editorial board of scholars from all over North America. The site also includes a blog and resource section. Readers are also invited to join a LitMed list serve for those interested in posting resources related to the field."

 

Bellevue Literary Review Editor-in-Chief Danielle Ofri welcome readers to the 35th issue with a newly redesigned journal, "a remarkable collaboration with students at the Parsons School of Design, under the direction of their teacher, the incomparable Minda Gralnek. The students were given free rein" to change the seventeen-year-old design that has been slowly morphing over the past few years: ". . . we moved from archival photos on the cover to contemporary art, in order to broaden our reach."

Ofri assures readers that "it's the literary content that really makes the journal, and we'd never conflate content with presentation. Cooks, though, know that food is always just that much tastier when you pull out the special-occasion china. So we offer up this first course to you, and hope that you find it savory - inside and out."

This issues theme , "Dis/Placement," brings together an introductory essay by Ha Jin, as well as new writing from Barron H. Lerner, Myra Shapiro, Hal Sirowitz, Sue Ellen Thompson, Eric Pankey, Dan Pope, Rachel Hadas, Prartho Sereno, and others, as well as cover art by Jonathan Allen.

BLR is looking for submission on the theme "A Good Life" - deadline January 1, 2019.

In his introduction the the Fall 2018 issue of Creative Nonfiction, Editor Lee Gutkind writes on the theme Risk as it relates to a writer's life: ". . . although we may be safe from physical harm, all of us who write know that every hour we devote to our notepad or keyboard, every moment we stop and think and dwell on the thoughts and ideas that will, in one way or another, find life on a page or computer display, involves monumental risk."

Read the full essay here.

"And the question is why are people so numb? I think they are awakening, and I’m very happy about that. But awakening has been so slow. And that’s the dark age. People are having a hard time gaining knowledge and wisdom. The educational systems are completely unreliable and full of land mines for most people. So, yes, it is a dark age, and you can only hope people will come out of it, but they have to turn off gadgets and start to talk to people. And the time is very short."

From "A Conversation with Alice Walker" by Erik Gleibermann, World Literature Today, November-December 2018.

The issue also includes an excerpt from Walker's "My 12-12-12" and a web exclusive interview “Translating Alice Walker: A Conversation with Manuel García Verdecia,” by Daniel Simon.

The Fall/Winter 2018 issue of Nimrod International Journal opens with Editor Eilis O’Neal reflecting on the publication's 40th anniversary of awards. While there have been some changes, O’Neal asserts, “What hasn’t changed is that, from the beginning, the prizes have been awarded to writers from all corners of the country, writers of diverse backgrounds, and writers at many different stages of their writing careers, from authors with impressive publishing credits to writers appearing in print for their first time. And what really hasn’t changed is that, each year, the Awards bring us outstanding poetry and fiction. This year is no exception.”

The Pablo Neruda Prize in Poetry
Judge Patricia Smith

First Prize
Emma DePanise [pictured], “Dry Season” and other poems

Second Prize
Megan Merchant, “Marrow” and other poems

Honorable Mentions
Anna Scotti, “When I could still be seen” and other poems
Jeanne Wagner, “Dogs That Look Like Wolves” and other poems
Josephine Yu, “Women Grieving” and other poems

The Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Fiction
Judge Rilla Askew

First Prize
Sharon Solwitz, “Tremblement”

Second Prize
Ellen Rhudy, “Would You Know Me”

Honorable Mention
Liz Ziemska, “Hunt Relic”

Work by the winners, as well as by the honorable mentions, finalists, and many semi-finalists, are published in Awards 40, the Fall/Winter 2018 issue.

The 41st Nimrod Literary Awards competition begins January 1, 2019; the deadline is April 30, 2019.

Glimmer Train has just chosen the winning stories for their July/August Fiction Open competition. This competition is held twice a year and is open to all writers. Stories generally range from 3000-6000 words, though up to 28,000 is fine. The next – and last! – Fiction Open will open on January 1. Glimmer Train’s monthly submission calendar may be viewed here.

First place: Laura Roque [pictured] of Hialeah, Florida, wins $3000 for “Lady-Ghost Roles." Her story will be published in Issue 105 of Glimmer Train Stories.

Second place: Ben Nadler, of Albany, New York, wins $1000 for “Shalom Bayit.” His story will also be published in an upcoming issue.

Third place: Clark Knowles, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, wins $600 for “In Dublin.” His story will also be published in an upcoming issue.

A PDF of the Top 25 winners can be found here.

Deadline soon approaching!
Short Story Award for New Writers: November 10
This competition is open to all writers whose fiction has not appeared in a print publication with a circulation over 5000. No theme restrictions. Most submissions to this category run 500-5000 word but can go up to 12,000. First place prize wins $2500 and publication in Glimmer Train Stories. Second/third: $500/$300 and consideration for publication. Click here for complete guidelines.