Call
for Submissions
There are
millions of Americans from all walks of life who are going through a tough
time. Many have been severely affected by the economic recession and can
neither pay their bills, nor afford the basics such as food and medicine. Our
anthology, Tough Times in America, aims to provide a platform for telling
these stories.
We will accept
true stories, as well as “fictionalized” versions of real life events. This collection aims to preserve and document
narrative accounts of the anger, fear and frustration that most Americans are
feeling due to the recession which has resulted in massive job losses, loss of
homes, loss of healthcare, reduced retirement benefits, etc.
We also hope to
document the hope and gratitude that bloom even in the midst of despair—true
testaments to the tenacity of the human spirit. Significantly, we would like this collection
to reflect the diversity of America in the 21st century, and so we
welcome submissions from people from all ethnicities, racial, cultural and
socio-economic backgrounds.
Submissions for
Flash fiction should be between 1200 and 1500 words, and traditional stories must
be between 10000 and 15000 words in length, typed, double-spaced, Times New
Roman or similar sized font (12 point), and more).
Stories must be
previously unpublished in any form, including print, web etc. Each story should
be identified within the geographic location/landmark of the city in which it
is set. We want to show that these experiences are common to many Americans,
regardless of race and ethnicity, so the cultural component is vital. We
welcome established as well as unpublished writers who would like to represent their
experiences or the experiences of their friends and loved ones. Deadline for
submissions is August 29, 2013.
Donna Aza Weir
Soley is an Associate Professor of English at Florida International University.
Dr. Weir-Soley is the author of First Rain,
a poetry collection, Eroticism,
Spirituality, and Resistance in Black Women’s Writings, and co-editor of Caribbean Erotic.
Max Freesney Pierre is
a former Administrator and College Adjunct Professor of Education at Miami-Dade
College. Pierre is a poet/writer/journalist, the author of Tambours de la Mêlée, Fée
Caraïbe, Soul Traveler and Le chant de l’apaisement.
