What would you write on your tombstone? The Vestal Review wants to know! In 12 words or less, enter what you would like to see written on your tombstone. Entry is free and the winner of the best monthly feature receives a $10 prize. The Vestal Review is a semi-annual print magazine. It remains the oldest magazine dedicated exclusively to flash fiction. Check out more about this contest here!
The Museo de la Palabra has recently announced its third short tales contest! This edition’s theme is “Words and Freedom.” The Micro stories Award aims to represent people, cultures and nations of many different traditions. In the past two editions of the competition, over twenty thousand stories were submitted from upwards of a hundred different countries. The competition is free to enter and the overall first prize for best story is $20,000. The Museo de la Palabra, a Palace in the heart of the Cervantine route, stands as a place for study and exchange, and remains an emblem of the Fundación César Egido Serrano. Check out more about the contest here!
By Maksym Kozlenko (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons
The Barthelme Prize is open to pieces of prose poetry, flash fiction, and micro-essays of 500 words or fewer. Established in 2008 after American postmodernist author Donald Barthelme, the contest awards its winner $1,000 and publication in the journal. Two honorable mentions will be awarded $250. All entries will be considered for online publication. Prose author and journalist Steve Almond is this year’s judge.
This season, the 2015 Gulf Coast Prize in Translation is open to fiction and nonfiction in translation. Akin to the Barthelme Prize, one winner will receive $1,000 and journal publication; two honorable mentions will receive $250; all will be considered for online publication. This year’s judge is Ammiel Alcalay, the poet, critic and translator, among many other titles.
For more information on these summer prizes, see Gulf Coast‘s guidelines.
From a selection of Yokohama-e courtesy of the Public Domain Review
We are pleased to announce that we are working with SPD to distribute our recent back catalogue and forthcoming titles! Founded in 1969, Small Press Distribution remains the only distributor in the country focusing solely on independently published literature. A non-profit aiming to help under-represented literary communities participate in the marketplace, SPD offers book distribution, information services, and public advocacy programs to hundreds of small publishers. Learn more about SPD here.
Halina Duraj (The Family Cannon, Augury Books, 2014) read at the Federal Dust Reading Series on August 1st. The reading took place at Litmore in Baltimore, Maryland. Litmore aims to provide a space for writers, readers and audiences to come together for workshops, readings, and support. The space provides daily and monthly writing studios, houses a free access community poetry library, and also sells vintage clothes (as pictured!).
Authors featured during this event included Eric Nelson, Alicia Puglionesi, and Michael B. Tager. Thanks to poet Matthew Zingg for putting together the series! For more details, check out the Federal Dust site.
Halina Duraj reads from The Family Cannon
On Saturday, July 25th, Joe Pan (Hiccups, 2015) and Carey McHugh (American Gramophone, 2015) read on behalf of Augury Books at the 5th annual New York City Poetry Festival, put on by the Poetry Society of New York. The festival took place on Governors Island and featured three stages with over 250 poets reading their work. Check out some photos here:
Decorative ravens at the entrance, symbol of the Poetry Society of New York
Carey McHugh
Joe Pan
A great crowd!
Thanks to everyone who came out to support us and the festival, as well as the Poetry Society of New York for hosting.
More on HICCUPS by Joe Pan
The University of Akron Press has recently been closed. Founded in 1988 the UA Press has published over 100 titles in the areas of regional history and culture, politics, business, and poetry. The press has established itself as a respected and active academic publisher, and it is unfortunate to see a budget crisis force them to close their doors. A message on the UA Press website suggests that forthcoming books will still be published and book proposals will be considered, though the future is still uncertain.
A recent petition on Change.org has been met, urging President Scarborough and the Board of Trustees to reverse their decision, reinstating staff and allowing the UA Press to continue publishing. Help support the reinstatement of the UA Press! Check out the petition, UA Press’ site and Facebook page for more information.
From ‘France in the year 2000,’ courtesy of the Public Domain Review
Thank you very much to everyone who sent your work to us for consideration for 2016 publication, and those of you who helped spread the word and share with your friends and writing contacts.
We will be posting updates later this year after we consider everyone’s work. Follow our blog, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter for updates on finalists and publication selections.
Halina Duraj, author of The Family Cannon (Augury Books, 2014), will be reading at the Federal Dust Reading Series on August 1st. Hosted by Matthew Zingg, the event will take place at Litmore in Baltimore, Maryland. Authors featured during this event include Eric Nelson, Alicia Puglionesi, and Michael B. Tager. For more details, see the reading series’ site!
Only one more day left in our open reading period for poetry and prose!
From Richard Dadd, The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke courtesy of the Public Domain Review
Just three more days left in our reading period! We are still accepting full-length manuscripts in the categories of poetry and prose—prose being short fiction collections or creative nonfiction essay collections. Find our detailed submission guidelines and easily submit your work—all by clicking on this Submittable link.
Thanks to all of you who have already shared your work with us, and thanks in advance to those who will be polishing up those manuscripts in these next three days to send to us. We can’t wait to read your manuscripts!
For automatic updates on this and other events, just follow this blog by clicking on the “Follow” prompt when you roll over the lower right corner. We’ll keep you posted on our selections for 2016 publication and share excerpts from our finalist manuscripts.
Have friends who might want to submit? Let them know!