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Book Review :: Wordly Things by Michael Kleber-Diggs

Wordly Things by Michael Kleber-Diggs book cover image

Guest Post by Jami Macarty

In Worldly Things, Michael Kleber-Diggs offers readers the opportunity to tune to his point of view as a middle-class Black American: “this is what I witness; / I want you to notice it, too.” Kleber-Diggs shows up to the page with a direct address and his “full humanity,” allowing the reader to come to know him as a generous poet, an ethical person, a family man, and community-minded soul, seeking and contributing to a socially just world. His poems recount the great suffering caused by “circumstances / marginalized, disenfranchised, and unheard”—the zeitgeist of his time and ours. Because he “wanted it different,” through his poems, he offers “aid.” As Kleber-Diggs’s lungs “take in / send out—oxygen/words,” his poems help us “know how twisted up our roots / are,” and dreams that “we might make vast shelter together—” Selected by Henri Cole as winner of the 2020 Max Ritvo Poetry Prize, Michael Kleber-Diggs’s haze-clearing, solace-offering, and love-illuminated debut Worldly Things expands the gamut, “the entirety of it”!

Worldly Things by Michael Kleber-Diggs. Milkweed Editions, July 2021.

Reviewer bio: Jami Macarty is the author of The Minuses (Center for Literary Publishing, 2020), winner of the 2020 New Mexico/Arizona Book Award – Poetry Arizona, and three chapbooks, including Mind of Spring (Vallum, 2017), winner of the 2017 Vallum Chapbook Award. Jami’s writing has been honored by financial support from Arizona Commission on the Arts, British Columbia Arts Council, and by editors at magazines such as The Capilano Review, Concision Poetry Journal, Interim, Redivider, Vallum, and Volt, where Jami’s poems appear. More at https://jamimacarty.com/

Books Received December 2022

NewPages receives many wonderful titles each month to share with our readers. You can read more about some of these titles by clicking on “New Books” under the NewPages Blog or Books tab on the menu. If you are a publisher or author looking to be listed here or featured on our blog and social media, please contact us!

Poetry

After Ward, Wendell Hawken, Cherry Grove Collections
Alone in the House of My Heart, Kari Gunter-Seymour, Swallow Press
Born Under the Influence, Andrena Zawinski, Word Poetry
The Day Gives Us So Many Ways to Eat, Lindsay Wilson, WordTech Editions
Disbound, Hajar Hussaini, University of Iowa Press
Edgewood, Mark Belair, Turning Point Books
Goddess of Water, Jeannette L. Clariond, World Poetry Books
In the Plague Year, W.H. New, Rock’s Mills Press
It’s About Time, J.R. Solonche, Deerbook Editions
John Scotus Eriugena at Laon and Other Poems, Jacques Darras, World Poetry Books
Leaving the Base Camp at Dawn, Daniel Thomas, Cherry Grove Collections
Little Disruptions, Biljana D. Obradovic, WordTech Editions
Little Wife: The Story of Gold, Nuova Wright, The Calliope Group
Lords of Misrule, ed. Henry Israeli and Rebecca Lauren, Saturnalia Books

Continue reading “Books Received December 2022”

Books Received November 2022

NewPages receives many wonderful titles each month to share with our readers. You can read more about some of these titles by clicking on the “Books” tag under “Popular Blog Topics.” If you are a publisher or author looking to be listed here or featured on our blog and social media, please contact us!

Anthology

An Adventurous Spirit, ed. Nicholas Litchfield, Lowestoft Chronicle Press
At the Ogre’s Table: A Red Ogre Review Anthology

Poetry

An Audible Blue, Klaus Merz, White Pine Press
Around Here, J.R. Solonche, Kelsay Books
The Bright Invisible, Michael Robins, Saturnalia Books
Common Life, Stéphane Bouquet, Nightboat Books
Composition, Junious “Jay” Ward, Button Poetry
Defying Extinction, Amy Barone, Broadstone Books
Dolore Minimo, Giovanna Cristina Vivinetto, Saturnalia Books
Elizabeth/The Story of Drone, Louise Akers, Propeller Books
Handling Filth, Jared Schickling, Unlikely Books
If This Should Reach You In Time, Justin Marks, Barrelhouse Books
In a Few Minutes Before Later, Brenda Hillman, Wesleyan University Press
A Life Lived Differently, Kathryn Jacobs & Rachel Jacobs, Better Than Starbucks Publications

Continue reading “Books Received November 2022”

December 2021 eLitPak :: Still Time to Enter Tartt First Fiction Award

Screenshot of Livingston Press September, October, November, December 2021 flier for the NewPages eLitPak
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This year’s co-winners were Judy Juanita of Oakland, CA. and Schuyler Dickson of Houlka, MS. Their respective books will come out in June. Don’t forget the deadline for the new contest is December 31. Please see our website for full submission details and to see our forthcoming books, also. Credit cards accepted for all book purchases.

View the full December 2021 eLitPak Newsletter.

November 2021 eLitPak :: Tartt First Fiction Award

Screenshot of Livingston Press September, October, November, December 2021 flier for the NewPages eLitPak
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This year’s co-winners were Judy Juanita of Oakland, CA. and Schuyler Dickson of Houlka, MS. Their respective books will come out in June. The deadline for the new contest is December 31. Please see our website for details. And see our forthcoming books, also. Credit cards accepted for all book purchases.

View the full November 2021 eLitPak Newsletter.

August 2021 eLitPak :: New Titles from Livingston Press

Screenshot of Livingston Press May 2021 NewPages eLitPak Flier
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New summer titles from Livingston Press by James Braziel (a Tartt First Fiction Award winner due out this month!), Mark Budman, Daren Dean, William Gay, and Terence Gallagher. We will announce the Tartt winner soon and then will resume open reading for fiction titles. Plus, stay tuned for new fall and winter releases by Christy Alexander Hallberg, Kurt Leviant, James Findlay Sleigh, and M. Kaat Toy.

View the full NewPages August 2021 eLitPak newsletter.

Contest :: Minds on Fire Open Book Prize—$1,500

astronaut in front of a full moonDeadline: October 31, 2021
Conduit Books & Ephemera is pleased to announce our fourth annual Open Book Prize is accepting submissions. Awarded annually and open to any poet writing in English, regardless of previous publication record, the prize seeks to represent the best contemporary writing in high quality editions of enduring value. Prospective entrants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with Conduit, which champions originality, intelligence, irreverence, and humanity. All manuscripts welcome, be they first books or last books. Previously unpublished manuscripts of 48-90 pages should be submitted through our Submittable page. The winning poet will receive $1,500 and 30 author copies. $25.00 Entry Fee

Contest :: 2021 Marystina Santiestevan First Book Prize—$1,500 and Publication

Conduit Books & Ephemera logoDeadline: July 5, 2021
Our 4th annual first book prize is open. If you have a manuscript or know someone who does, please give us a shot. Awarded annually to a poet writing in English who has not yet published a full-length poetry book, the prize seeks to represent the best contemporary writing in high quality editions of enduring value. Prospective entrants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with Conduit, which champions originality, intelligence, irreverence, and humanity. Previously unpublished manuscripts of 48-90 pages should be submitted through our Submittable page or via the USPS. Bob Hicok is the final judge. Please visit www.conduit.org/book-prizes for details.

Contest :: Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for Best Books of 2020

Screenshot of 2021 Silver Falchion Awards Flier
click image to open PDF

Deadline: June 15, 2021
Since 2008, the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award competition has recognized the best stories from the previous year. Our judges consist of professional writers, book reviewers, librarians, publicists, and other industry professionals. As this competition was created to help beginning and emerging authors reach new audiences, the focus is on quality, not popularity. There is a $250 cash prize for the best overall work and physical awards are given to the winners of each category. Finalists & semi-finalists will receive written feedback on their work from our judges. Deadline is June 15, 2021. Learn more at killernashville.com/awards/silver-falchion-award/.

Call :: The Fourth (and Final) Reading Period for “Nobody’s Home”

Nobody's Home boarded up doorDeadline: August 16, 2021
Founded in 2020, Nobody’s Home: Modern Southern Folklore is a work-in-progress online anthology of creative nonfiction works about the prevailing beliefs, myths, and narratives that have driven Southern culture over the last fifty years, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The anthology is collecting personal essays, memoirs, short articles, opinion pieces, and contemplative works about the ideas, experiences, and assumptions that have shaped life below the old Mason-Dixon Line since 1970. www.modernsouthernfolklore.com

Brevity Blog: Blurb Your Enthusiasm

Brevity Blog: "Blurb Your Enthusiasm" by Lisa KuselAre you a follower of literary blogs? Do you love nonfiction? Did you know online literary magazine Brevity: A Journal of Concise Literary Nonfiction has a (nearly) daily blog? It should definitely be on your blogroll! You can find reviews, articles, and so much more.

I highly recommend checking out Lisa Kusel’s “Blurb Your Enthusiasm” posted on December 18. The piece is an interesting take on the value of blurbs on the back of your book and the luck of a lesser known writer getting a big name to step in and contribute a blurb. It was particularly interesting to me because I actually do not heed blurbs on the back of books. When trying to select a new book to read, I always felt annoyed when I saw blurbs from others when I what I wanted was a brief book summary to actually let me know what the book was about.

Have you ever selected a book based on the back cover blurbs alone?

While you are checking that out, don’t forget to scroll through more posts. They are definitely an interesting read.

Call :: Essential Voices: A COVID-19 Anthology

Deadline: December 31, 2020
While the pandemic has ravaged our world, certain populations have been impacted more deeply than others. Essential Voices strives to give voice to those who have been silenced. Send us your poems, stories, recipes, or works of art that reflect upon the experience of COVID and COVID related issues in your life. This anthology will be published by West Virginia University Press. Visit us at www.essentialvoicesanthology.wordpress.com for guidelines before submitting to [email protected].

Are You Somebody I Should Know? Mudfish Individual Poet Series #14

Girl floating in book outside a white house

Mudfish has released the 14th installment in their Individual Poet Series. Are You Somebody I Should Know? by Dell Lemmon. Art critic and poet John Yau says that Lemmon’s “memoir poems, as she calls them, are strong rivers pulling you into their currents. Her poems are pared down and direct and move at a rapid clip without ever tripping over themselves.” Jason Koo, Founder and Executive Director of Brooklyn Poets, says Lemmon’s book will convince you that you have missed so “much of your life, haven’t truly seen it, haven’t treasured nearly enough of all your friends, your loves, your family, let alone all the people you thought were not important enough to know.”

Are You Somebody I Should Know is available via SPD, Amazon, and Mudfish‘s website.

Contest :: Reminder Inaugural Acacia Fiction Prize Accepting Submissions

Kallisto Gaia Press logoDeadline: December 31, 2020
The Acacia Fiction Prize winner is awarded $1,200, 20 author copies, plus publication and promotion by Kallisto Gaia Press for a collection of short stories, flash fiction, novellas, or any combination of fiction totaling between 40K and 75K words. Richard Z. Santos (Trust Me, 2020) will judge. Runner up receives $100. Entry fee is $25. All entrants receive a copy of the winning collection! Deadline: December 31, 2020. Sponsored by Duotrope. More info at kallistogaiapress.submittable.com/submit.

Call :: We Pay Contributors: Driftwood Press Submissions Open

Driftwood Press website screenshotJohn Updike once said, “Creativity is merely a plus name for regular activity. Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or better.” At Driftwood Press, we are actively searching for artists who care about doing it right, or better. We are excited to receive your submissions and will diligently work to bring you the best in full poetry collections, novellas, graphic novels, short fiction, poetry, graphic narrative, photography, art, interviews, and contests. We also offer our submitters a premium option to receive an acceptance or rejection letter within one week of submission; many authors are offered editorships and interviews. To polish your fiction, note our editing services and seminars, too. www.driftwoodpress.net

Into The Void Releases We Are Antifa Anthology

Into the Void Antifa Anthology flierAt the beginning of the month, literary magazine Into the Void released it’s We Are Antifa: Expressions Against Fascism, Racism and Police Violence in the United States and Beyond. The anthology features creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry from diverse writers all over the world, i.e. the US, Canada, Ireland, the UK, Greece, Nigeria, and more.

Into the Void will be donating 100% of proceeds from the anthology’s sales to Black Lives Matter Canada. In order to maximize profits, the book will only be available via Amazon in ebook and paperback formats.

We Are Antifa was edited by Heath Brougher, Jay C. Mims, Amanda Gaines, Andrew Rihn, and Philip Elliot. It features “breathtaking writing condemning fascism, racism and state-sanctioned brutality through powerful expressions of grief, rage, hope and love.”

The title is a response to Donald Trump’s declaration that the US will be designating Antifa as a terrorist organization. The editors encourage readers to check out “A Brief History of Anti-Fascism” in Smithsonian Magazine to better understand why they published this anthology and “how anti-fascism and anti-racism are inextricably linked in the fight against oppression and supremacy.”

Contest :: Reminder: Interim’s 2020 Test Site Poetry Contest Open to Submissions

Interim 2020 Test Site Poetry Prize bannerDeadline: December 15, 2020
Submit your manuscript to Interim’s 3rd annual Test Site Poetry Contest! As our series title suggests, we’re looking for manuscripts that engage the perilous conditions of life in the 21st century, as they pertain to issues of social justice and the earth. The winning book will demonstrate an ethos that considers the human condition in inclusive love and sympathy, while offering the same in consideration of the earth. Because we believe the truth is always experimental, we’ll especially appreciate books with innovative approaches. The winner will receive $1,000 and their book will be published by University of Nevada Press in 2021.

Call :: Gateway Literary Press Seeks Short Story Collections

Deadline: November 30, 2020
Gateway Literary Press, a new small press, seeks submissions for its catalogue. We seek short story collections that fall somewhere in the surrealist/fabulist/magic realist tradition. Prospective writers should submit a 2 story sample with cover letter describing the rest of the collection, including a list of previous publications, particularly for stories included in the collection. No complete manuscripts at this time, please; these will be rejected unread. We read from November 1-30 and do not charge a fee. A sample authorial contract and more information can be found on our website: gatewayliterarypress.wordpress.com.

Contest :: Saguaro Poetry Prize – $1,200 & Publication

Kallisto Gaia Press logoDeadline: December 31, 2020
The Saguaro Poetry Prize winner is awarded $1,200, twenty author copies, plus publication and promotion by Kallisto Gaia Press for 28–48 pages of contemporary poetry. Ire’ne Lara Silva (Cuicacalli / House of Song, 2019) will judge. Runner up receives $100. Entry fee is $25. All entrants receive a copy of the winning collection! Deadline: December 31, 2020. Sponsored by Duotrope. More info at Submittable.

Contest :: 2023 $5,000 Miller Williams Poetry Prize

Every year, the University of Arkansas Press accepts submissions for the Miller Williams Poetry Series and from the books selected awards the $5,000 Miller Williams Poetry Prize in the following summer. For almost a quarter century the press has made this series the cornerstone of its work as a publisher of some of the country’s best poetry. The series is edited by Patricia Smith. The deadline for the 2023 Prize is September 30, 2021. For more information visit uapress.com.

Call :: Essential Voices: A COVID-19 Anthology

While the pandemic has ravaged our world, certain populations have been impacted more deeply than others. Essential Voices strives to give voice to those who have been silenced. Send us your poems, stories, recipes, or works of art that reflect upon the experience of COVID and COVID related issues in your life. This anthology will be published by West Virginia University Press. Visit us at our website for guidelines before submitting to [email protected]. Deadline: December 31.

Contest :: 2021 Vern Rutsala Book Prize

Jane Craven headshotThe Vern Rutsala Book Prize is an annual contest sponsored by Cloudbank Books. The winner receives a $1,000 cash award, plus publication. This year’s judge is Christopher Buckley. Most recent prize winners are Jane Craven for My Bright Last Country and Timothy Geiger for Weatherbox. Due date for the 2021 prize is Nov. 10, 2020. Entrants receive a copy of Cloudbank. For details visit Contest Guidelines. Cloudbank also awards a $200 prize for one poem or flash fiction published in each magazine. Due date for this contest is February 28, 2021. Regular submissions are accepted year round. For more about Cloudbank Books visit our website. Revive us with your fire.

Contest :: Acacia Fiction Prize! $1,200 & Publication

Kallisto Gaia Press logoDeadline: December 31, 2020
The Acacia Fiction Prize winner is awarded $1,200, twenty author copies, plus publication and promotion by Kallisto Gaia Press for a collection of Short Stories, Flash Fiction, Novellas, or any combination of fiction totaling between 40K and 75K words. Richard Z. Santos (Trust Me, 2020) will judge. Runner up receives $100. Entry fee is $25. All entrants receive a copy of the winning collection! Deadline: December 31, 2020. Sponsored by Duotrope. More info at kallistogaiapress.submittable.com/submit.

Call :: Don’t forget Driftwood Press Pays Contributors

Driftwood Press 7.2 coverJohn Updike once said, “Creativity is merely a plus name for regular activity. Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or better.” At Driftwood Press, they actively search for artists who care about doing it right, or better. They are excited to receive your submissions and will diligently work to bring you the best in full poetry collections, novellas, graphic novels, short fiction, poetry, graphic narrative, photography, art, interviews, and contests. They also offer their submitters a premium option to receive an acceptance or rejection letter within one week of submission; many authors are offered editorships and interviews. To polish your fiction, note they have editing services and seminars, too. Read Issue 7.2 featuring Jessica Holbert, Seth Brady Tucker, Janiru Liyanage, Katherine Fallon, Yi-Hui Huang, and more, for a taste of what they like. Submissions accepted year-round.

Contest :: 2022 Miller Williams Poetry Prize Deadline is September 30

Deadline: Rolling
Every year, the University of Arkansas Press accepts submissions for the Miller Williams Poetry Series and from the books selected awards the $5,000 Miller Williams Poetry Prize in the following summer. For almost a quarter century the press has made this series the cornerstone of its work as a publisher of some of the country’s best poetry. The series is edited by Patricia Smith. The deadline for the 2022 Prize is September 30, 2020. For more information visit uapress.com. Michael McGriff was named 2021 Miller Williams Poetry Prize Winner.

Contest :: Interim’s 2020 Test Site Poetry Prize

Interim 2020 Test Site Poetry Prize bannerDeadline: December 15, 2020
Submit your manuscript to Interim’s 3rd annual Test Site Poetry Contest! As our series title suggests, we’re looking for manuscripts that engage the perilous conditions of life in the 21st century, as they pertain to issues of social justice and the earth. The winning book will demonstrate an ethos that considers the human condition in inclusive love and sympathy, while offering the same in consideration of the earth. Because we believe the truth is always experimental, we’ll especially appreciate books with innovative approaches. The winning book will be chosen by the series editor and advisory board, which includes poets Sherwin Bitsui, Donald Revell, Sasha Steensen and Ronaldo Wilson. The winner will receive $1,000 and their book will be published by University of Nevada Press in 2021.

September 2020 eLitPak :: LitNuts: Crazy About Books

LitNuts eLitPak flier
click image to open PDF

Coming September 21, the LitNuts eNewsletter promotes books from independent presses. A special offer is now available for authors! Subscribe to the newsletter (it’s free!) and indicate that you are an author. We’ll send you discount codes for free and discounted advertising that can be used during our launch, now through January 2021.

View full September eLitPak here.

Call :: Anthology Seeks Written Content about Madonna

Deadline: October 15, 2020
Are you a fan of pop-singer Madonna? We’re seeking original stories about the impact she’s had on individual lives. Submissions should be 1500-3500 words. Feel free to supplement with photos with Madonna, photos dressed like Madonna, or other related materials. We pay $25 for selected submissions. Contributing authors will receive a free copy of the published book. A portion of proceeds will go to the non-profit organization founded by Madonna “Raising Malawi”. Contributing authors will be required to sign a contract. Submissions must be in English: [email protected]. Work must not have previously appeared in print. We check for and report plagiarism.  This anthology will be edited and published by  Heather Turman and LeeAnn Tooker.

Contest :: The Wishing Jewel Prize

2020 Wishing Jewel Prize bannerDeadline: November 30, 2020
The Wishing Jewel Prize honors a manuscript that challenges expectations of genre, form, or mode while engaging the rich possibilities of lyrical expression. Named for an essay in Anne Carson’s innovative book Plainwater, we look forward to work that questions the boundaries of what poems and books can be. Contest awards $1,000 and publication. All finalists considered for publication. Reading fee: various. For more information visit our Submissions Manager.

Contest :: Third Annual Minds on Fire Open Book Prize

Conduit Books & Ephemera logoDeadline: October 31, 2020
Conduit Books & Ephemera’s third annual open book prize is accepting manuscripts. If you have a manuscript or know someone who does, please give them a shot. Open to any poet writing in English regardless of previous publication record, the prize seeks to represent the best contemporary writing in high quality editions of enduring value. Prospective entrants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with Conduit, which champions originality, intelligence, irreverence, and humanity. Previously unpublished manuscripts of 48-90 pages should be submitted through their Submittable page or via the USPS. Please visit www.conduit.org/book-prizes for details.

Call :: Driftwood Press Open to Submissions Year-round

John Updike once said, “Creativity is merely a plus name for regular activity. Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or better.” At Driftwood Press, we are actively searching for artists who care about doing it right, or better. We are excited to receive your submissions and will diligently work to bring you the best in full poetry collections, novellas, graphic novels, short fiction, poetry, graphic narrative, photography, art, interviews, and contests. We also offer our submitters a premium option to receive an acceptance or rejection letter within one week of submission; many authors are offered editorships and interviews. To polish your fiction, note our editing services and seminars, too. We pay our contributors.

Call :: Have a Great Idea for a Book?

Deadline: September 30, 2020
Tolsun Books is looking for a great idea to turn into a manuscript for publication. Please submit an informal query letter describing a literary project made from parts (poems, stories, essays, hybrid) that you’d like to develop into a full-length book in close collaboration with our editorial team. In the same document, include a small sampling of representative work that you intend (in some form) to be included in the final manuscript. We are accepting queries only from authors currently residing in the United States who have one or no books previously published or forthcoming in the proposed manuscript genre/form (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, etc.). Submission fee is $10. tolsunbooks.com

Contest :: 2020 Charles B. Wheeler Poetry Prize from The Journal

The Journal 2020 Charles B. Wheeler Poetry Prize bannerDeadline: October 5, 2020
Charles B. Wheeler Poetry Prize. Submissions open September 1, 2020. Judge Marcus Jackson will select one full-length manuscript for publication by Mad Creek Books, the trade imprint of The Ohio State University Press. In addition to publication under a standard book contract, the winner receives the Charles B. Wheeler prize of $2,500. A nonrefundable fee of $23.00 (or $11.50 for BIPOC poets) will be charged for each entry. All entrants receive a one-year subscription to The Journal. Visit our contest page for guidelines. (If it is a hardship to meet the entry fee, contact our editor ([email protected]) to discuss options.)

Contest :: Interim Accepting Manuscripts for Test Site Poetry Contest 2020

Interim 2020 Test Site Poetry Prize bannerDeadline: December 15, 2020
Submit your manuscript to Interim’s 3rd annual Test Site Poetry Contest! As our series title suggests, we’re looking for manuscripts that engage the perilous conditions of life in the 21st century, as they pertain to issues of social justice and the earth. The winning book will demonstrate an ethos that considers the human condition in inclusive love and sympathy, while offering the same in consideration of the earth. Because we believe the truth is always experimental, we’ll especially appreciate books with innovative approaches. The winner will receive $1,000 and their book will be published by University of Nevada Press in 2021.

Contest :: $5,000 Miller Williams Poetry Prize, edited by Patricia Smith

Deadline: Rolling
Every year, the University of Arkansas Press accepts submissions for the Miller Williams Poetry Series and from the books selected awards the $5,000 Miller Williams Poetry Prize in the following summer. For almost a quarter century the press has made this series the cornerstone of its work as a publisher of some of the country’s best poetry. The series is edited by Patricia Smith. The deadline for the 2022 Prize is September 30, 2020. For more information visit uapress.com.

Call :: Anthology of Writing on Domestic Verbal, Emotional, and Physical Abuse Seeks Submissions

We are seeking work by survivors of domestic abuse. Creative nonfiction, memoir, letters, flash nonfiction. Maximum word count 4,500. Please note that we are no longer reading poetry. Deadline: October 15, 2020. This book will be published by McFarland & Company; contributors will receive a complimentary copy. Please send your submission in Word, with a brief cover letter and 50 word bio to Judith Skillman, [email protected] and Linera Lucas; [email protected]. This text is dedicated to all those who dared to break the silence.

Contest :: Minds on Fire Open Book Prize—$1500 and Publication

Conduit Books & Ephemera logoDeadline: October 31, 2020
Our third annual open book prize is accepting manuscripts. If you have a manuscript or know someone who does, please give us a shot. Open to any poet writing in English regardless of previous publication record, the prize seeks to represent the best contemporary writing in high quality editions of enduring value. Prospective entrants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with Conduit, which champions originality, intelligence, irreverence, and humanity. Previously unpublished manuscripts of 48-90 pages should be submitted through our Submittable page or via the USPS. Please visit www.conduit.org/book-prizes for details.

Call :: Haunted Waters Press Seeks Fiction, Poetry, Flash for Paid Print Publication

Haunted Waters Press 2020 submission period flierDeadline: August 31, 2020
Haunted Waters Press now seeking submissions for consideration in Tin Can Literary Review—our upcoming fiction anthology celebrating the works of new, emerging, and seasoned authors. We seek stories told in as little as 500 words and as many as 12,000. Contributors to be paid $250 per published story. Also seeking works of fiction, poetry, and flash for paid print publication in the 18th issue of From the Depths and for 2020 HWP Awards. Details: www.hauntedwaterspress.com. Visit the HWP Contributor Showcase to learn more about our published authors and poets: www.hauntedwaterspress.com/contributor-showcase.

Call :: We Pay Contributors! Driftwood Press Submissions Open

Driftwood Press website screenshotSubmissions accepted year-round.
John Updike once said, “Creativity is merely a plus name for regular activity. Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or better.” At Driftwood Press, we are actively searching for artists who care about doing it right, or better. We are excited to receive your submissions and will diligently work to bring you the best in full poetry collections, novellas, graphic novels, short fiction, poetry, graphic narrative, photography, art, interviews, and contests. We also offer our submitters a premium option to receive an acceptance or rejection letter within one week of submission; many authors are offered editorships and interviews. To polish your fiction, note our editing services and seminars, too. www.driftwoodpress.net

Contest :: 2022 Miller Williams Poetry Prize Deadline in 2 Months

Don’t forget the deadline to be considered for the 2022 Miller Williams Poetry Prize deadline is November 30. Every year, the University of Arkansas Press accepts submissions for the Miller Williams Poetry Series and from the books selected awards the $5,000 Miller Williams Poetry Prize in the following summer. For almost a quarter century the press has made this series the cornerstone of its work as a publisher of some of the country’s best poetry. The series is edited by Patricia Smith. For more information visit uapress.com.

Call :: Anthology of Writing on Domestic Verbal, Emotional, and Physical Abuse

Deadline: October 15, 2020
We are seeking work by survivors of domestic abuse. Creative nonfiction, memoir, flash nonfiction. Maximum word count 4500. Please note that at this time we are not accepting poetry. Deadline: October 15, 2020. The book will be published by McFarland & Company; contributors will receive a complimentary copy. Please send your submission in Word, with a brief cover letter and 50 word bio to Judith Skillman, [email protected] and Linera Lucas; [email protected]. This text is dedicated to all those who dared to break the silence.

Contest :: One Month Left to Submit to Orison Anthology Awards

Deadline: August 1, 2020
The 2020 Orison Anthology Awards in Fiction, Nonfiction, & Poetry offer $500 and publication by Orison Books in The Orison Anthology for a single work in each genre. This year’s judges are Blair Hurley (fiction), E. J. Koh (nonfiction), and Joy Ladin (poetry). Entry fee: $15. Submission Period: May 1-August 1. There is now one month left to submit. Find complete details at www.orisonbooks.submittable.com.

Contest :: 2020 Elyse Wolf Prize

Slate Roof Press logoDeadline: July 31
Member-run Slate Roof Press is pleased to announce the 2020 Elyse Wolf Prize for our annual poetry chapbook contest. The winner receives $500, becomes an active member of the press, and will have their chapbook published by Slate Roof. We publish limited edition, art-quality chapbooks with letterpress covers. Winners make a 3-year commitment to the press, including monthly meetings, and share work responsibilities for many aspects of publishing. Submit no more than 28 pages of poetry. $10 reading fee; sliding scale available. Deadline July 31. Full guidelines at www.slateroofpress.com.

Call :: Main Street Rag Seeks Poetry & Prose on Mental Health Recovery

Don’t forget that Main Street Rag seeks poetry and prose (fiction/nonfiction) for an anthology with a mental health recovery theme; uplifting stories of overcoming mental health challenges and trauma from writers who have experienced a mental illness or love someone who has. Length: up to 6,000 words (prose) or 5 poems. Reading Period: May1-August 1. Simultaneous submissions and previously published considered, however, authors must own the rights (no third-party permissions). Questions may be directed to editor Erika Nichols-Frazer at [email protected]. Submissions should be sent to: mentalhealth.submittable.com/submit.

Contest :: 2022 $5,000 Miller Williams Poetry Prize

Deadline: Rolling
Every year, the University of Arkansas Press accepts submissions for the Miller Williams Poetry Series and from the books selected awards the $5,000 Miller Williams Poetry Prize in the following summer. For almost a quarter century the press has made this series the cornerstone of its work as a publisher of some of the country’s best poetry. The series is edited by Patricia Smith. The deadline for the 2022 Prize is September 30, 2020. For more information visit uapress.com. The 2020 prize winner was Jayson Iwen’s Roze & Blud which was released in March 2020.

Call :: Haunted Waters Press 2020 Reading Periods

Haunted Waters Press 2020 submission opportunities flierDeadline: August 31, 2020
Haunted Waters Press now seeking submissions for consideration in Tin Can Literary Review—our debut fiction anthology celebrating the works of new, emerging, and seasoned authors. We seek stories told in as little as 500 words and as many as 12,000. Selected works to be paid $250 per published story. Also seeking works of fiction, poetry, and flash for paid print publication in the 18th issue of From the Depths and in consideration for 2020 HWP Awards. Penny Fiction 2020 will showcase exceptionally short stories told in exactly 20 words—no more, no less. Details: www.hauntedwaterspress.com.