Opportunities in the Great Big Literary World- March 5, 2012

Song of the Day: Dreamer by Chris Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaJE0SCjjJ4

   Hello all! It feels like just yesterday I was saying, "Can you believe it's February?" Now it's March! Anyone else feel like the year is zooming by? Today, I'm organizing and analyzing my progress on my goals, especially my writing goals. I'll probably do a check-in this week, as I haven't done one since January.

   I only have a few calls for submissions today, but they are good ones! Regardless of your genre or type of writing you should be able to find something on this list. I encourage everyone to keep submitting your work. If you've never done it, then try it. I really believe that getting published in a literary magazine (no matter how small) is a good way to help build platform.


Calls for Submissions:

1. Denver Quarterly

Denver Quarterly is now open to submissions of fiction, essays, interviews, reviews and poetry. The current reading period will end May 15, 2012.

http://www.denverquarterly.com/submissions.cfm

2. Journal of MicroLiterature

Accepting fiction and non-fiction between 1 and 1000 words.

http://www.microliterature.org/submissions

3. Curbside Splendor

Curbside Splendor is seeking submissions of fiction, poetry and photography/art.

http://www.curbsidesplendor.com/curbside/about-us

4. The Monarch Review

Accepts fiction, poetry, essays, visual art and music.

http://www.themonarchreview.org/submit/

5. Necessary Fiction

Necessary Fiction is looking for "bold stories told with poetic precision." Stories should be no more than 3,000 words.

http://necessaryfiction.submishmash.com/submit

6. Misfit Magazine

Misfit is open to flash fiction between 500 and 1000 words. They offer a payment of $10 for accepted stories.

   As always, Black Fox Literary Magazine is open to fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and art submissions. Look out for the launch of the Black Fox blog this week! Happy Writing!

Opportunities in the Great Big Literary World- February 27, 2012

Song of the Day: Dreams by The Cranberries
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yam5uK6e-bQ

   Hello all! How was the weekend? I had a great weekend because one of my best friends got married. I was a bridesmaid in the wedding. It was beautiful! I also got some great news on Thursday. I received a letter stating that my story Baby Broker, will be published in the April issue of Blink-Ink. The story had been rejected three times before, so I was very excited that it had finally been accepted. Which leads me to my next point. If you're submitting your work to various markets, DON'T GIVE UP! Keep at it. Just because a piece is rejected doesn't mean there isn't a home for it. Keep truckin'! Submit, submit!





Contests:

1. Gulf Coast Magazine

The 2012 Gulf Coast Contests, awarding publication and $1,500 each in Poetry, Fiction, and Nonfiction, are now open. Honorable mentions in each category will receive a $250 prize. The contest deadline is March 15, 2012.

http://www.gulfcoastmag.org/index.php?n=7

2. Kore Press Short Fiction Chapbook Award

A prize of $1,000 and chapbook publication by Kore Press will be given to one short story written in English. Entry fee is $15 and the contest closes on March 5, 2012.

http://korepress.org/KorePressShortFictionAward.htm


Calls for Submissions:

1. The Baltimore Review

Accepts fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. The theme for the summer issue is "Heat." The submission period closes May 30, 2012.

http://baltimorereview.org/index.php/submit

2. Muzzle Magazine

Publishes poetry, visual art, interviews, book reviews, and performance reviews. The theme for the spring issue is "Drink." Deadline is March 15, 2012.

http://www.muzzlemagazine.com/submissions.html

3. Gemini Magazine

Gemini is an online journal featuring fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction. They are open to short stories, novel excerpts, micro fiction, free verse, rhyming poetry, memoir and more.

http://www.gemini-magazine.com/submit.html

4. The Copperfield Review

The Copperfield Review is a historical fiction literary magazine. They accept stories, poems, non-fiction, novel excerpts and reviews. Submissions are accepted year-round but the deadline for the Spring 2012 edition is April 15, 2012.

http://www.copperfieldreview.com/submission.html

As always, Black Fox Literary Magazine is accepting submissions of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and art. Happy Writing!

Release Day! Black Fox Literary Magazine Winter Issue #3

Song of the Day: Daydreamer by Adele
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKhw_Zbcdto

   Hello all! How was the weekend? I had a very productive one. As some of you may know I am slowly getting back into the groove of things after an unexpected trip to Trinidad. Taking the trip meant falling behind with Black Fox. I'm pleased to say that things are beginning to pick up and at last, it looks like we've caught up. Yes, issue #3 is here! Every time we release a new issue I have to pinch myself because I can't believe it. When you put your heart into something the way Pam, Quita and I have seeing it come to life is such an incredible feeling. I imagine this is what it must feel like (if not better) when your own book gets published.

As always, you can purchase a copy of the print version of the Black Fox winter issue or you can read the digital version on our website. Either way, I hope you check it out and I hope you love it as much as we do.

Issue #3 Features work by: Len Kuntz, Tasha Cotter, Nicholas Sanford, Holly Day, Changming Yuan, Gabriel Ricard, John Grey, Terrance Terich, Matthew Madonia, Christoper Spanel and Rafe Posey. Contributor Interviews with Nick Sanford and Terrance Terich. Special Interview with Jennifer Hillier, author of Creep. Photography by: Miriam Perez (cover artist) and Tammy Stone.

Happy Reading!

Friday Fives - Why Didn't I Think of That?: Novels to Admire

Song of the Day: Love You Like a Love Song by Selena Gomez
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgT_us6AsDg

   Hello all! Today's post will be short and sweet. As usual, the blog Paper Hangover has provided us with another fun topic for this week's Friday Fives. Today they're asking:

What are the FIVE novels you wish you had written?

Understand me when I say, that this is a HARD list to make. I love so many books! Really, this list could go on forever.

1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

3. Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates

4. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

What are some books you wish you'd written? Hope you all have a fun and or productive weekend!

Opportunities in the Great Big Literary World- February 13, 2012

Song of the Day: Superhuman by Chris Brown and Keri Hilson
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhMlSITt7hU

   Hello all! My favorite holiday is tomorrow! In the spirit of things the song of the day will be a love song for the remainder of February. Can you tell that I'm a hopeless romantic?

   Some of you may be wondering where the heck I've been. I have some "splaining" to do. I had a sick family member in Trinidad and I had to make an unexpected trip. I really didn't have access to the Internet and the whole point of taking the trip was to spend time with the loved one. That's exactly what I did. I was sort of cut off from my cyber world while I was there. On one hand it was nice to not have to worry about checking my email or twitter account every five minutes. On the other hand, it made me a little uneasy not having instant access to those things. It's amazing how dependent we are on the Internet. I kept thinking, "I wonder what's going on with Twitter?" or "I wonder if so and so sent me that email?" Anyway, my relative is much better now so all is well!

Can you believe we're already into the month of February? And lost mid-way no less! Have you submitted anything for the year? I have only had the chance to submit to one place, which I did last month. I have to get on the ball this month. It's never too late to start submitting. Pick something off of my list and go!

Contests:

1. Whidbey Emerging Writers Getaway Contest


The Whidbey Writers MFA Alumni Association is holding a first novel contest, with a grand prize of a seven-day retreat at a fully furnished, rustic-luxury Smoky Mountain cabin in North Carolina, with daily continental breakfast ($2,000 value), plus a cash award of $300. Second and third place winners receive cash and other prizes. Top three finalists' entries will be reviewed by Andrea Hurst Literary Management, for possible representation. The top twenty-five entries will each receive two critiques from members of the association. Deadline is May 15, 2012.


http://www.whidbeymfaalumni.org/?page_id=862



Calls for Submissions:

1. Certain Circuits Magazine

Accepting Art, video, film, audio, poetry, and prose. Cross-genre is encouraged.

http://certaincircuits.tumblr.com/

2. Ninth Letter

A literary journal looking for submissions of Fiction, poetry, Essays and interviews.

http://ninthletter.com/printed_journal/submissions/

3. New Ohio Review

The New Ohio Review is seeking literary prose and poetry. Contributors are paid $20 per page for prose and $30 per page for poetry.

http://www.ohio.edu/nor/submis.html

4. Palooka Journal

Palooka is looking for fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, plays, graphic short stories, graphic essays, comic strips, photography and multimedia for inclusion in issues #3 and #4.

http://palookajournal.submishmash.com/submit

5. Star Line

The quarterly journal of the Science Fiction Poetry Association accepts submissions of poetry year-round.

http://www.sfpoetry.com/starline.html


As always, Black Fox Literary Magazine is always looking for fiction, poetry, non-fiction, art and articles related to the craft of writing. Happy Writing!

Friday Fives- Five Books to Watch For in 2012

Song of the day: I Can't Wait by Hilary Duff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeIB3BX6Evc

   Hello all! Time to get ready for the weekend! This post will be fairly short, as I'm working on Black Fox Literary Magazine today. Issue #3 will be released January 30, 2012. I can't believe we're already on issue #3! We're all very excited.

It's Friday, so that means it's time for Friday Fives again. This week the blog Paper Hangover asks:

What are the FIVE books you're looking forward to in 2012? 

Here's my list:

1. Mudwoman by Joyce Carol Oates

2. I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

3. Open Space by Joshua Ferris

4. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

5. The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomon

Are there any books you're looking forward to for 2012?

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

Song of the Day: Keep on Keepin' On by JoJo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI-DQBtei4k

   I used to do posts where I would comment on a book I read recently and that I thought was really stellar. I stopped doing that because, well, I didn't read as voraciously as I should have last year. I guess this kind of post is what would be considered a "review," but I like to think of it as me just talking about a book I happened to like.

   Girl in Translation is a coming of age story about a girl named Kim, or Ah-Kim according to her Chinese culture. After her father dies, she comes to America with her mother from China, by way of her aunt. Instead of really helping Kim and her mother like she should, the aunt puts Kim and her mother in a run-down apartment plagued with rodents and insects and gives them a job in her husband's factory. The factory turns out to be a sweatshop.

   Throughout this novel, Kim and her mother fight to make their way out of the slums of Brooklyn, escape the sweatshop and release themselves from under the jealous and watchful eye of Kim's aunt. Kim's only hope to get herself and her mother out of their situation is to excel in academics.

   Kim's story really moved me because I know what it's like to come to the U.S. and have nothing but a dream, then build yourself up. That's the story of my family, only we had a loving uncle to look out for us and so I think we weren't as unlucky as Kim and her mother were.

   Kwok has done such an excellent job with the characters of this novel, especially Kim. I was heavily invested in her, so much so that I was thinking about what was going to happen to her next when I wasn't reading the novel. There are very few authors that can make me do that. Girl in Translation is my second complete book of the year and I'm so glad that I chose to read it.