After receiving numerous rejections from agents, saying that they couldn't get into my main character, or that the material was too fragmented, my novel won the PEN America Bare Life Review Grant. It blew me away what they had to say about the novel:
The Air Beneath Her Feet is a powerful exploration of displacement, survival, and the precarious reality of living in exile. Though taking place during the first Trump presidency, its themes remain profoundly relevant today, capturing the fear, uncertainty, and resilience of immigrants navigating hostile systems. With prose that is deceptively simple yet deeply deliberate, the piece carries immense emotional weight, drawing the reader into the ongoing struggles of those forced to leave home. It is a story that pulses with urgency, refusing to be merely an intellectual or artistic exercise – it bears witness to the prolonged survival of the displaced. The work’s commitment to language as a cultural anchor is particularly striking, as the writer insists on making it available not only in English but also in Spanish, recognizing the over eight million Venezuelans living in the U.S., Europe, and South America. This decision speaks to the power of language as both a claim to identity and an act of resistance against erasure. The piece’s clarity of purpose, its ability to articulate both the hope and despair of being caught between catastrophe and catastrophe. More than just a depiction of struggle, The Air Beneath Her Feet insists on being heard, offering a raw and unflinching look at the realities of displacement in a world where true safety remains elusive.
This is a fabulous story of never-give-up if you believe in your work. The subjective view of even "numerous agents" means nothing when your work met the right person or people at the right time. Congratulations!
Congrats, especially for having the strength to persist. I hate the fact that acceptances seem so arbitrary and random. I mean, good writing is good writing...
I have been at the end of my rope with the novel. The novel contains stories that have won awards, yet publishers and agents have said things like they couldn't get inside my MC, that it lacked depth, or that she was too passive in some areas. So do I find some small press or self publish it. Rather than giving up, I decided to start the second novel about her, and translate this one to Spanish. If it wasn't for PEN America, I would have pretty much given up on this novel.
Hoping this award will get the agents/publishers to pay attention! Have you already tried Graywolf? Tin House? Maybe ask the judges if they'd recommend your book to their agent? Good luck!!
Last year I sent queries to about 45 agents. Twelve sent rejection letters, the rest simply ignored it as they indicate on their pages. Then submitted to novel competitions. It's still in the running in several places. So I am re-writing my query letter and sending it out to a new list. So I am ready to bathe myself in rejections. Hopefully someone will bite.
Luis, my fully illustrated collection "Always Haunted: Hallowe'en Poems" was rejected by three dozen presses (some of whom made "happy noises" for 9 months - before they bailed). Published by Wild Ink in Oct. 2024, "Always Haunted" won a pre-publication award (July 22, 2024), went on to be a fan favorite and a critics darling, and sold well. . . . . . . . . Boo-hoo, boo-hoo to 36 presses who rejected it. Look at all the book sales and acclaim they cheated themselves out of!!!! . . . . . . . . . Trust me, Luis: the RIGHT opportunity will come along. Stay calm. Stay focused.
Luis, I admire your perseverance! A writer friend of mine says that the books we see on library and bookstore shelves were written by the people who were still standing when everyone else had given up. I think there's a lot of truth in that. And although rejections/silence from 45 agents feels like a lot, people find agents after querying many more than that, so the next group you approach might well include the one who loves your novel. Good luck!
Congratulations, Luis! I haven't yet read the following lithub post by a colleague on how and why he self-published his novel, but I expect it to be thoroughly insightful. https://lithub.com/inky-and-determined-in-praise-of-writers-who-self-publish/ Thought you might be interested, since you mentioned the possibility for your own novel.
Wow, congrats! Now that's a champagne and fireworks February. And once again, this proves the publishing world in a lottery, and we need to keep at it no matter what.
Congratulations, Luis! I'm confident that "The Air Beneath Her Feet" is publication-bound. My gut feeling also tells me that soon, a couple or more respectable presses will end up fighting over it - and then it will be your turn to reject all except for the fortunate one. :)
Awesome!!! Advance obedience is prevalent, in my opinion. Obviously PEN could get into your main character. Don’t give up. Have you looked into Heresy Press?
“The Night Caller” in Yellow Mama magazine. I wrote it a year ago and shopped it around to two others before this acceptance. My writing group had reworked it, but the editor liked my original better. Go figure. https://blackpetalsks.tripod.com/yellowmama/id3395.html
I liked your story. It reminds me of the real-life stories the former state coroner of Minnesota collected from families over the years and then published in a kind of memoir titled Forever Ours.
And yah, sometimes critique groups, if you pay attention and make every edit they suggest, can bleed the juice out of a story. I've had that same experience.
I liked this one very much. Similar in some ways to a story I wrote last year about texting, but with a very different ending. With regard to the writing group, I usually stick with Austin Kleon's advice, 'Write the story you want to read.'
Not the ending I expected! Gave me chills reading it. You add just the right amount of detail to bring it to life. I especially liked this one: "with Fred following her, wagging his tail in the expectation she’d interrupted her sleep to give him a treat." Perfect name! Congrats on this publication!
After a slow start to 2025, I had five essays published in February.
My Husband's Medical Team Was Failing...was the most exciting for me. It was published at the Huffington Post on February 11, and at one point was the #1 trending article on Apple News. Lots of great things to say about working with the editor—speedy responses, helpful feedback, positive and clear communications, and timely publication. Bonus that it’s a paying market! https://www.huffpost.com/entry/botched-hip-replacement-hospital-transfer-patient-advocacy_n_678d64fae4b099ed401c682f
Tragedies and Disappointments of a Happy Youth, a hermit crab essay in the form of 2 Truths and a Lie, was published at Chaotic Merge (page 7 in the ISSUU edition.) The editors offered a few thoughtful ideas, which I incorporated. The staff was timely, considerate, and respectful. Token payment.
A Short History of Shattered Molds, a CNF, was published by Smoky Blue Literary and Arts Magazine. Not a paying magazine, but they put together a beautiful flip book, and they were ahead of schedule for their promised publication date.
Uncle Al's Compendium for Creativity, an essay with photos, appeared in Voices and Visions Journal. This magazine, housed at Smith College in Massachusetts, accepts submissions from students and alumnae who attend(ed) women’s colleges and universities around the world.
Congratulations—I relate especially to the Huff Post essay, and think it's so important to speak up about medical neglect, errors, and more. I've done so, too, and there are so many working so hard to change hospital accountability for these incidents.
There are so many more stories from the months my husband spent hospitalized and some do end with positive change. Haven’t given up hope yet that medicine can improve.
Congratulations on all! Your Huff piece is both frightening and moving. I'm often amazed by the power of strangers who seem to show up at just the right time and become a huge help.
I made the long list in the Southeast Review Short Short Story Contest that was to be sent off to author, Venita Blackburn, for final judging. I was so excited because this journal is a big deal and #76 on the Top 1000 Litmags Spreadsheet! And then the very next day I received an acceptance from Brett Pribble editor of Ghost Parachute for this story! This exact scenario happened to me before, and I lost out, so I decided to drop out of the contest and go for it this time. My story will be in the next Ghost Parachute.
You’re welcome Marina. A great publication. I’ve been reading more and may even send something their way. I recently discovered Lit Mag News and am finding lots of inspiration in the form of opportunities and other folks’ work. Also, I'd like to add that your rhythm and repetition and the journey itself from cradle to adulthood has a lovely musical quality about it. Sometimes I hear with my eyes and yours did that for me. All the best!
Congratulations, Marina! I hope you'll post the Ghost Parachute link when your story is published. And I think you made the right choice: long list is great (congrats!) but I've found more than once that it doesn't always lead to the short list. Like Luis, my rule is to go with whoever responds first.
Oh thank you for validating my choice, Donna. I needed to hear this badly. 🙏 And here's what's cool... the SER editor was SO nice! She invited me to send more work, said that all the editors there thought I was a 'fine' writer, and to make sure to mention in future submissions that I was long listed. So you never know as they say!
That's marvellous, Marina! It really was nice of the SER editor to pass on the editors' compliments, and the suggestion to mention your long-listing in future submissions is heartfelt and genuine, I'm sure.
Congratulations on both the longest and the publication elsewhere. I once made the kind of mistake you once made, so I'm glad you took this better path. I look forward to reading your story here!
Thank you, Donna. The BEST part is that, unlike accolades from dues-paying writing groups such as HWA or SFPA - - - where awards invariably cluster around the most popular or high-profile names - - - none of these judges know me. They voted impartially based on the book's merits. Yes, it feels quite wonderful. :-)
Thank you very much, Polly. Acclaim does not often seek out unknown formalists - - so I'm basking in its company, hoping it will take a chair and stay awhile. Thanks again.
Thank you, David. Too often formalists are left "in the shade" - - so it's reassuring to know that there are still critics and judges out there who recognize the craft of writing formal verse.
Craft, developed over the centuries of poetry in our language has been overthrown by the "Poetics of Bewilderment," and an excuse for the all-too-easy regurgitation of "stream of consciousness." Part of the joy and beauty of a poem ought to be in its music, its images, and yes, its architecture; the pain-staking, elegant discipline of thoughts brought to life. I'm happy to say I have a copy of 'Apprenticed to the Night" on its way to me.
David, that's a fine way to express it: "The Poetics of Bewilderment." Often these pieces leave me bewildered as I re-read the poem, trying to understand what made the editorial team shout, "YESSSS!" :-) And thank you very much for ordering my 66-poem collection "Apprenticed to the Night." I appreciate it. Though my British publisher said he would add my awards to his website & the cover, I guess I'd better not hold my breath. * * * * * * * * https://brandnews24.us/press-release/2025-02-17/15894/lindaann-loschiavo-s-apprenticed-to-the-night-receives-accolades-and-global-acclaim
On the morning when this flash story, May the Gods in Heaven Bring Solace to the Wives of Newly Retired Husbands (thank you, Sunlight Press) went live, my husband said something along the lines of this: "Everyone reading it will think you're quite imaginative dreaming up those bits about 'things that fry' & 'things that boil' when you're really writing bits from real life." He laughed as often he does at the silliness of our lives.
And another digital collage was published at 3 Elements Review. Quite a challenge to combine these three elements -- Butcher, Linoleum, Nest -- into one!! graphichttps://3elementsreview.com/current-journal
Luis - I was not convinced I could do either, because the world kept telling me I couldn't. My father told me "Writers are a dime a dozen." And my early exposure to art, suggested I was doing it all wrong. Thank goodness I was never one to listen...
SPIRALS
An uprising. Kindergarten? First grade? A teacher’s hand slides over mine.
“No, color from the inside out. In circles. In spirals. Like this.”
She guides my hand, and when I look up stones live in her eyes.
I color in straight lines. Vertical. Horizontal. Diagonal.
Seriously, this interaction stayed with me well into my adult life! My mother was a teacher & she often said, "I'm not so much a teacher as a mother to children who need mothering."
May the Gods in Heaven Bring Solace to the Wives of Newly Retired Husbands: unforgettable title, that does so much! I only started reading flash fiction regularly about a year ago, and I love it so much. That piece is such a great example of so much encapsulated in such a contained story.
Some of my favorite flash fiction writers are poets who, I think, have honed their skill to make the most of every word...much like you did in your Babushka poem! Check out Sarah Freligh's flash fiction. You'll see.
I just read your wonderful story, "May the Gods In Heaven..." and so enjoyed it! In addition to being a fine work of fiction, it is also very close to the truth of the matter. Keep 'em coming!
Thanks, Belinda! It is one story in a work-in-progress about two sisters who returned to each others lives later in life & had to figure out who they now were to each other.
Btw, I am both a writer and a visual artist as well. It is noteworthy how many writers are creative in various ways. I suspect our powers of observation operate on all fronts. How lucky are we!
"Glitter" in River Heron Review. I submitted it to a handful of lit mags that I enjoy reading; RHR was quick to respond and lovely to work with. They do ask each author to write a brief reflection on their writing (published alongside the piece), and even though I love reading other authors' reflections, I struggled to write my own. https://www.riverheronreview.com/issue-81#/amy-love
Nothing published this month other than stories I write for radio in my regular gig, but I did get a terrific and highly complimentary edit of my memoir by a pro editor, Caroline Leavitt, a NYT best selling author. I'm psyched!
What a beautiful and moving poem, Albe. So many lovely images, both heartwarming and heart-wrenching: “in the city where people do not speak the language of wild doves and berry bushes”; “the land that smells like my mother”; “we are keepers of small treasures;” and, of course, that stunning last line. Really, I could quote the whole poem. I love it. Thank you for writing and sharing it.
What lovely language you've used in your poem! I keep re-reading it. My grandmother arrived from Hungary in the early 1900s and the thing I remember most about her is her wearing a colorful floral babushka. "We are of the land and the land doesn't die." Yes, yes, that is how I hold her in memory.
My story, "Remembering", which is an unusual take on passing, went to six mags before being accepted by Macrame, a truly beautiful journal! Published in February -- https://macramelit.com/new-issues/ -- I'm also the Featured Author for their Winter issue, with a long interview posted there. The editor is super great to work with!
Congratulations, Ron. I'm wondering who the editors are for this journal. There is no masthead announced either on the journal or on Chill Subs. That's usually is a red flag for me, so I'm glad you had a positive experience with them.
Ann Broshtan is the editor, very solicitous and wonder to work with! Don't know why there's no masthead. I read all of the stories and most of the poetry in my issue and they're truly superior, so the editorial process is wise and obviously good writers are submitting!
It's a little sci-fi piece I had written for an early round of NYC Midnight's 2024 250 Word Challenge. I implemented the feedback and then workshopped it a bit more in Authors Only Collective before submitting.
The editor for 365 Tomorrows, Steve, was quite kind and complimentary in his acceptance. This was my first piece ever submitted or published, so I was quite pleased all around.
Thank you! I was so pleasantly surprised. It wasn't at all what I was expecting. I think it was a case of the right piece, to the right place, at the right time.
A story I've been trying to get published for a long time, Kelly has a plan', was finally picked up by IHRAM and will be published next month. There's been a lot of toing and froing with the editors but I think we're finally there.
And finally, as many of you already know, I am winding up Witcraft and Who Let The Stories Out? due to changes in my personal circumstances. Thank you to the 2,300 writers who submitted and the 560 writers we published, who received over $1300 in monthly prizes, and to all you generous donors who kept us alive.
I wrote a piece about a morning I went for a run and a creepy van followed me. It was raining, and there was no one out on the streets but me. It was an experience I will never forget and one that many women can relate to. I had written it a while ago and it got accepted fairly quickly. It's gotten a ton of reactions. https://www.themanifeststation.net/2025/02/19/a-morning-run-into-fear/
Oh! I read this when it was posted. (I’m waiting for an accepted reprint of an essay, so I check frequently!) So well written and so totally relatable.
I was in the hospital in late January and couldn’t participate in the January Brag, so I’m including that here with February.
Accepted January/February:
MacQueen’s Quinterly (for those new to the lit mag), three ekphrastic poems. I missed submitting in November because I was in the ICU that week: “An Insomniac’s Horn of Plenty” and “Look at Me: Lena, Lenore, Lee” after Lee Krasner, and “Dollar Princess on the Palazzo” after Frederick Leighton. “Insomniac’s Horn” submitted to four lit mags; rejected by two. The other two, exclusive. Received acceptance within 24 hours.
Rivanna Review: essay, “The Unwritten Chapter: Imagining Eva’s Kozlov”. This is a chapter of my WIP genealogical memoir, imagining my grandmother’s hometown now in Ukraine (but was Austria when she was born). Submitted to 11 journals through the SubmitIt service. Rejected by four. Withdrawn from the others except the accepting journal.
The Ekphrastic Review: “The Persistence of Memory,” “The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory,” and “The Cancer I Don’t Write About,” all after Dali and submitted exclusively.
The Ekphrastic Writing Challenge: “I Teeter at the Precipice of Prednisone” and “Blood-Bird Man”
Bewildering Stories: essays, “At the Edge of the World” (submitted to 11 lit mags since 2023 between me and the SubmitIt service. Rejected by four) and “My Independence Day”(submitted to 11 lit mags since 2023 between me and the SubmitIt service, five rejections, the others withdrawals).
Mantis, poem, “Final Pas de Deux Between Daughter and Mother”. Originally, an ekphrastic
poem (after Monet); submitted to five lit mags. Rejected by four.
Lips, poem: “Hair: A Family Follicle”. An exclusive.
Sequestrum, short story: “Rumbles on Cobblestone”. A magical realism story set in Prague. Submitted to 16 lit mags. Worked with two developmental editors. Rejected by 8 lit mags.
Hyacinth Review, poem: “Live Long & Prosper, Franz Kafka” for themed literature issue. Sent to 17 lit mags; rejected by 13 over the course of 2024/2025.
Poetry: “The Persistence of Memory” and “The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory,” after Dali (Feb 28). “The Cancer I Don’t Write About,” after Dali (Feb 22). The Ekphrastic Review.
Poetry: “Kintsugi,” “Memory Collectors,” “Shock,” “Perseus in the Fourth Grade,” “Blades of Memory Grass,” and “Alphabet Pemphigus,” (Feb 10), The Mackinaw: A Journal of Prose Poetry. https://www.themackinaw.net/the-mackinaw/barbara-krasner
After receiving numerous rejections from agents, saying that they couldn't get into my main character, or that the material was too fragmented, my novel won the PEN America Bare Life Review Grant. It blew me away what they had to say about the novel:
The Air Beneath Her Feet is a powerful exploration of displacement, survival, and the precarious reality of living in exile. Though taking place during the first Trump presidency, its themes remain profoundly relevant today, capturing the fear, uncertainty, and resilience of immigrants navigating hostile systems. With prose that is deceptively simple yet deeply deliberate, the piece carries immense emotional weight, drawing the reader into the ongoing struggles of those forced to leave home. It is a story that pulses with urgency, refusing to be merely an intellectual or artistic exercise – it bears witness to the prolonged survival of the displaced. The work’s commitment to language as a cultural anchor is particularly striking, as the writer insists on making it available not only in English but also in Spanish, recognizing the over eight million Venezuelans living in the U.S., Europe, and South America. This decision speaks to the power of language as both a claim to identity and an act of resistance against erasure. The piece’s clarity of purpose, its ability to articulate both the hope and despair of being caught between catastrophe and catastrophe. More than just a depiction of struggle, The Air Beneath Her Feet insists on being heard, offering a raw and unflinching look at the realities of displacement in a world where true safety remains elusive.
Check the PEN America page here:
https://pen.org/announcing-the-2025-pen-america-grant-winners/
Now if I can just find an agent with the balls to represent the work.
This is a fabulous story of never-give-up if you believe in your work. The subjective view of even "numerous agents" means nothing when your work met the right person or people at the right time. Congratulations!
OMG! Luis, what an outstanding "lit mag brag" from you. Hurrah! Hurrah!
Congrats, especially for having the strength to persist. I hate the fact that acceptances seem so arbitrary and random. I mean, good writing is good writing...
I have been at the end of my rope with the novel. The novel contains stories that have won awards, yet publishers and agents have said things like they couldn't get inside my MC, that it lacked depth, or that she was too passive in some areas. So do I find some small press or self publish it. Rather than giving up, I decided to start the second novel about her, and translate this one to Spanish. If it wasn't for PEN America, I would have pretty much given up on this novel.
Hoping this award will get the agents/publishers to pay attention! Have you already tried Graywolf? Tin House? Maybe ask the judges if they'd recommend your book to their agent? Good luck!!
Last year I sent queries to about 45 agents. Twelve sent rejection letters, the rest simply ignored it as they indicate on their pages. Then submitted to novel competitions. It's still in the running in several places. So I am re-writing my query letter and sending it out to a new list. So I am ready to bathe myself in rejections. Hopefully someone will bite.
Luis, my fully illustrated collection "Always Haunted: Hallowe'en Poems" was rejected by three dozen presses (some of whom made "happy noises" for 9 months - before they bailed). Published by Wild Ink in Oct. 2024, "Always Haunted" won a pre-publication award (July 22, 2024), went on to be a fan favorite and a critics darling, and sold well. . . . . . . . . Boo-hoo, boo-hoo to 36 presses who rejected it. Look at all the book sales and acclaim they cheated themselves out of!!!! . . . . . . . . . Trust me, Luis: the RIGHT opportunity will come along. Stay calm. Stay focused.
Luis, I admire your perseverance! A writer friend of mine says that the books we see on library and bookstore shelves were written by the people who were still standing when everyone else had given up. I think there's a lot of truth in that. And although rejections/silence from 45 agents feels like a lot, people find agents after querying many more than that, so the next group you approach might well include the one who loves your novel. Good luck!
All's well that ends well, Luis! A toast to you!
This is brilliant, Luis. Congratulations!
Congratulations, Luis! I haven't yet read the following lithub post by a colleague on how and why he self-published his novel, but I expect it to be thoroughly insightful. https://lithub.com/inky-and-determined-in-praise-of-writers-who-self-publish/ Thought you might be interested, since you mentioned the possibility for your own novel.
Congrats!
Congratulations, Luis! Hopefully, you'll find the right agent to represent your novel.
Wow, congrats! Now that's a champagne and fireworks February. And once again, this proves the publishing world in a lottery, and we need to keep at it no matter what.
WOW fantastic!! Congratulations!!!
Amazing, Luis! Congratulations!
Congratulations, Luis! I'm confident that "The Air Beneath Her Feet" is publication-bound. My gut feeling also tells me that soon, a couple or more respectable presses will end up fighting over it - and then it will be your turn to reject all except for the fortunate one. :)
That is super cool! Congratulations!
AWESOME!! Congratulations! Just goes to show you that persistence is what we require so often as writers.
Awesome!!! Advance obedience is prevalent, in my opinion. Obviously PEN could get into your main character. Don’t give up. Have you looked into Heresy Press?
“The Night Caller” in Yellow Mama magazine. I wrote it a year ago and shopped it around to two others before this acceptance. My writing group had reworked it, but the editor liked my original better. Go figure. https://blackpetalsks.tripod.com/yellowmama/id3395.html
I liked your story. It reminds me of the real-life stories the former state coroner of Minnesota collected from families over the years and then published in a kind of memoir titled Forever Ours.
And yah, sometimes critique groups, if you pay attention and make every edit they suggest, can bleed the juice out of a story. I've had that same experience.
I liked this one very much. Similar in some ways to a story I wrote last year about texting, but with a very different ending. With regard to the writing group, I usually stick with Austin Kleon's advice, 'Write the story you want to read.'
Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop!
Hey, Jim, great story. I especially like how she tries every "rational" approach she can think of...
Congratulations, James! I loved the ending of the story.
Well done. Good sustained suspense!
Excellent story, James!
Not the ending I expected! Gave me chills reading it. You add just the right amount of detail to bring it to life. I especially liked this one: "with Fred following her, wagging his tail in the expectation she’d interrupted her sleep to give him a treat." Perfect name! Congrats on this publication!
After a slow start to 2025, I had five essays published in February.
My Husband's Medical Team Was Failing...was the most exciting for me. It was published at the Huffington Post on February 11, and at one point was the #1 trending article on Apple News. Lots of great things to say about working with the editor—speedy responses, helpful feedback, positive and clear communications, and timely publication. Bonus that it’s a paying market! https://www.huffpost.com/entry/botched-hip-replacement-hospital-transfer-patient-advocacy_n_678d64fae4b099ed401c682f
Tragedies and Disappointments of a Happy Youth, a hermit crab essay in the form of 2 Truths and a Lie, was published at Chaotic Merge (page 7 in the ISSUU edition.) The editors offered a few thoughtful ideas, which I incorporated. The staff was timely, considerate, and respectful. Token payment.
https://issuu.com/chaoticmergemagazine/docs/issue_8_final_digital_pages
A Short History of Shattered Molds, a CNF, was published by Smoky Blue Literary and Arts Magazine. Not a paying magazine, but they put together a beautiful flip book, and they were ahead of schedule for their promised publication date.
https://sblaam.com/issues/#flipbook-1356/45/
Uncle Al's Compendium for Creativity, an essay with photos, appeared in Voices and Visions Journal. This magazine, housed at Smith College in Massachusetts, accepts submissions from students and alumnae who attend(ed) women’s colleges and universities around the world.
https://voicesandvisionsjournal.wordpress.com/2025/01/27/uncle-als-compendium-for-creativity/
Gospel According to Grandma came out in print and digital, both available for purchase at WayWords.
Congratulations—I relate especially to the Huff Post essay, and think it's so important to speak up about medical neglect, errors, and more. I've done so, too, and there are so many working so hard to change hospital accountability for these incidents.
Five essays! That's terrific, Nancy!
There are so many more stories from the months my husband spent hospitalized and some do end with positive change. Haven’t given up hope yet that medicine can improve.
Congratulations on all! Your Huff piece is both frightening and moving. I'm often amazed by the power of strangers who seem to show up at just the right time and become a huge help.
Thanks for your comments. It was more frightening at the time - more moving now with hindsight. Always grateful for the kindness of strangers.
LOVE the Huff piece. Such a great story and something we often forget in these terrible situations.
Thanks for your input!
Such a moving Huffpost story, and a good measure of resentment balanced with respect.
Thank you. Took many years to get to the point where I could see any kind of balance in the situation.
Congrats on such a great month! Your Huff Post piece is well done and inspiring.
Congratulations - what a wonderful month for you! The Huff Post piece is especially gripping, and inspires us all to take charge of our medical issues
Thanks for reading. And I appreciate your feedback.
Thank you
I made the long list in the Southeast Review Short Short Story Contest that was to be sent off to author, Venita Blackburn, for final judging. I was so excited because this journal is a big deal and #76 on the Top 1000 Litmags Spreadsheet! And then the very next day I received an acceptance from Brett Pribble editor of Ghost Parachute for this story! This exact scenario happened to me before, and I lost out, so I decided to drop out of the contest and go for it this time. My story will be in the next Ghost Parachute.
Congrats, sad and happy at the same time. I usually have a rule, who ever responds first gets it.
I go by that same rule. I don't send a piece anywhere I wouldn't want it published, so never wait around once a positive response comes in.
Thanks, guys. That's what I thought. Just go for it!
Congratulations Marina, and what a beautiful and unique story in GP. Also, thanks for letting me know about GP, new to me. Going to read some more.
Thank you, Victor! Much appreciated.
You’re welcome Marina. A great publication. I’ve been reading more and may even send something their way. I recently discovered Lit Mag News and am finding lots of inspiration in the form of opportunities and other folks’ work. Also, I'd like to add that your rhythm and repetition and the journey itself from cradle to adulthood has a lovely musical quality about it. Sometimes I hear with my eyes and yours did that for me. All the best!
Congratulations- no simple feat!
It's a tough decision but a great place to be! Being a finalist is a great accomplishment and now the story will have a home!
Congratulations, Marina! I hope you'll post the Ghost Parachute link when your story is published. And I think you made the right choice: long list is great (congrats!) but I've found more than once that it doesn't always lead to the short list. Like Luis, my rule is to go with whoever responds first.
Oh thank you for validating my choice, Donna. I needed to hear this badly. 🙏 And here's what's cool... the SER editor was SO nice! She invited me to send more work, said that all the editors there thought I was a 'fine' writer, and to make sure to mention in future submissions that I was long listed. So you never know as they say!
That's marvellous, Marina! It really was nice of the SER editor to pass on the editors' compliments, and the suggestion to mention your long-listing in future submissions is heartfelt and genuine, I'm sure.
Congratulations on both the longest and the publication elsewhere. I once made the kind of mistake you once made, so I'm glad you took this better path. I look forward to reading your story here!
Thanks, Lisa. We writers need to be more decisive. That’s always been my problem. 🙃
Awesome. I loved Venita Blackburn’s How to Wrestle a Girl. Such a hard decision.
I need to read her work. She's really making a name for herself.
Congratulations!
Thank you, Quinn!
My debut novel, What the Living Do (Regal House Publishing, 2024) won The Canadian Book Club Awards for fiction. https://writeyourwayin.ca/about-the-novel/
Is the title in reference to the Marie Howe poem? I've always loved that one.
Yes, me too! It fit the story so well. I sent her a copy.
Nice to see some people on Becky Tuch's lit-mag list are reading poetry. Applause.
And some of us writing poetry :) !
Thanks, Lindsay - - that makes TWO of us here. :-)
February was a good month for me. Two poems out in Cultural Daily https://www.culturaldaily.com/ , and two poems out in Verse-Virtual https://www.verse-virtual.org/2025/February/grossman-gary-2025-february.html , a poem out in Tiny Seed Literary Journal https://tinyseedjournal.com/2025/02/11/my-personal-relationship-with-the-avocado-history-and-evolution/ , a poem out in Rat's Ass Review (you have to scroll down alphabetically https://ratsassreview.net/?page_id=4408 ) and two poems accepted in MacQueen's Quinterly and one in Salvation South . Rejections too numerous to list...
"Rejections too numerous to list..." - very relatable.
Congrats on all the acceptances!!!
thanks Meg, a good month for sure.
I particularly enjoyed the way you snuck in the Olsen twins. :)
My hardcover poetry collection "Apprenticed to the Night" has won three awards. Delighted to share some links to my book award news.
* * * https://brandnews24.us/press-release/2025-02-17/15894/lindaann-loschiavo-s-apprenticed-to-the-night-receives-accolades-and-global-acclaim
* * * https://www.wicz.com/story/52406252/lindaann-loschiavos-apprenticed-to-the-night-receives-accolades-and-global-acclaim
* * * https://central.newschannelnebraska.com/story/52406252/lindaann-loschiavos-apprenticed-to-the-night-receives-accolades-and-global-acclaim.
Wow, wonderful!
Thank you, Lindsey. A book award is like applause that hangs around after the event. :-D
Congratulations, LindaAnn! Three awards! That is wonderful.
Thank you, Donna. The BEST part is that, unlike accolades from dues-paying writing groups such as HWA or SFPA - - - where awards invariably cluster around the most popular or high-profile names - - - none of these judges know me. They voted impartially based on the book's merits. Yes, it feels quite wonderful. :-)
Oh, that makes the awards even more special. Congratulations again!
Congratulations!
Thank you, Lisa. Recognition is the warmest embrace.
Yeah!
Thank you, Christa. Poetry, so often literature's step-child, got its day in the sun. Yeah!
Wonderful news, congrats! You must be over the moon.
Thank you very much, Polly. Acclaim does not often seek out unknown formalists - - so I'm basking in its company, hoping it will take a chair and stay awhile. Thanks again.
Excellent. Let's hear it for the formalists. Brava!
Thank you, David. Too often formalists are left "in the shade" - - so it's reassuring to know that there are still critics and judges out there who recognize the craft of writing formal verse.
Craft, developed over the centuries of poetry in our language has been overthrown by the "Poetics of Bewilderment," and an excuse for the all-too-easy regurgitation of "stream of consciousness." Part of the joy and beauty of a poem ought to be in its music, its images, and yes, its architecture; the pain-staking, elegant discipline of thoughts brought to life. I'm happy to say I have a copy of 'Apprenticed to the Night" on its way to me.
Very well said, David.
David, that's a fine way to express it: "The Poetics of Bewilderment." Often these pieces leave me bewildered as I re-read the poem, trying to understand what made the editorial team shout, "YESSSS!" :-) And thank you very much for ordering my 66-poem collection "Apprenticed to the Night." I appreciate it. Though my British publisher said he would add my awards to his website & the cover, I guess I'd better not hold my breath. * * * * * * * * https://brandnews24.us/press-release/2025-02-17/15894/lindaann-loschiavo-s-apprenticed-to-the-night-receives-accolades-and-global-acclaim
On the morning when this flash story, May the Gods in Heaven Bring Solace to the Wives of Newly Retired Husbands (thank you, Sunlight Press) went live, my husband said something along the lines of this: "Everyone reading it will think you're quite imaginative dreaming up those bits about 'things that fry' & 'things that boil' when you're really writing bits from real life." He laughed as often he does at the silliness of our lives.
And truthfully, don't we all need a little silliness right now? https://bit.ly/4hyOUxp
I was also a featured artist in the lovely journal, Mad Swirl -- http://madswirl.com/gallery/anthony_anne/ The editors were terrific to work with!!
And another digital collage was published at 3 Elements Review. Quite a challenge to combine these three elements -- Butcher, Linoleum, Nest -- into one!! graphichttps://3elementsreview.com/current-journal
Anne, I love collage. Yours is gorgeous! Eerie and playful and quite interesting.
Thanks, Becky!
Anne, awesome work. It's quite fascinating how many excellent writer happen to be also visual artists or musicians.
Luis - I was not convinced I could do either, because the world kept telling me I couldn't. My father told me "Writers are a dime a dozen." And my early exposure to art, suggested I was doing it all wrong. Thank goodness I was never one to listen...
SPIRALS
An uprising. Kindergarten? First grade? A teacher’s hand slides over mine.
“No, color from the inside out. In circles. In spirals. Like this.”
She guides my hand, and when I look up stones live in her eyes.
I color in straight lines. Vertical. Horizontal. Diagonal.
Bending a line feels like submission.
I spiral in straight lines.
(published in Dribble Drabble Review)
I love "Spirals!"
"...stones live in her eyes." Love it. Amazing how a seemingly small event can take a longtime hold. Congratulations on the uprising and publication.
Seriously, this interaction stayed with me well into my adult life! My mother was a teacher & she often said, "I'm not so much a teacher as a mother to children who need mothering."
Just awesome.
Lovely story about the newly retired husband! Congratulations on finding it a home.
May the Gods in Heaven Bring Solace to the Wives of Newly Retired Husbands: unforgettable title, that does so much! I only started reading flash fiction regularly about a year ago, and I love it so much. That piece is such a great example of so much encapsulated in such a contained story.
Some of my favorite flash fiction writers are poets who, I think, have honed their skill to make the most of every word...much like you did in your Babushka poem! Check out Sarah Freligh's flash fiction. You'll see.
Thank you, I love recommendations!
Oh, what wonderful work, Anne! Congratulations!
I just read your wonderful story, "May the Gods In Heaven..." and so enjoyed it! In addition to being a fine work of fiction, it is also very close to the truth of the matter. Keep 'em coming!
Thanks, Belinda! It is one story in a work-in-progress about two sisters who returned to each others lives later in life & had to figure out who they now were to each other.
Btw, I am both a writer and a visual artist as well. It is noteworthy how many writers are creative in various ways. I suspect our powers of observation operate on all fronts. How lucky are we!
'May the Gods in Heaven Bring Solace to the Wives of Newly Retired Husbands' was a most enjoyable read; entertaining throughout.
"Glitter" in River Heron Review. I submitted it to a handful of lit mags that I enjoy reading; RHR was quick to respond and lovely to work with. They do ask each author to write a brief reflection on their writing (published alongside the piece), and even though I love reading other authors' reflections, I struggled to write my own. https://www.riverheronreview.com/issue-81#/amy-love
"May some scintilla of your cerise find its way..." I have the same allergy as you and very much admire your poem. Congratulations, Amy.
Love the piece! Your comment chimes with my sentiments! Glad you shared this.
Beautiful poem, Amy.
Nothing published this month other than stories I write for radio in my regular gig, but I did get a terrific and highly complimentary edit of my memoir by a pro editor, Caroline Leavitt, a NYT best selling author. I'm psyched!
Caroline is a genuinely kind person! Congrats on the edit, Polly!
Have you had an edit from her too?
Good for you, Polly!
Thanks!
I have a poem in issue 8 of Ink & Marrow: https://inkandmarrow.com/issue-8
I find it really special to see a new lit mag emerge, really like its poem and its general vibe, and soon after find myself in its (virtual) pages.
What a beautiful and moving poem, Albe. So many lovely images, both heartwarming and heart-wrenching: “in the city where people do not speak the language of wild doves and berry bushes”; “the land that smells like my mother”; “we are keepers of small treasures;” and, of course, that stunning last line. Really, I could quote the whole poem. I love it. Thank you for writing and sharing it.
Thank you so much for reading, Donna. A fellow Canadian, I see - although I’m so far from the mountains.
Ah, greetings from the mountains (invisible today through the Vancouver rain!)
What lovely language you've used in your poem! I keep re-reading it. My grandmother arrived from Hungary in the early 1900s and the thing I remember most about her is her wearing a colorful floral babushka. "We are of the land and the land doesn't die." Yes, yes, that is how I hold her in memory.
Thank you so much for reading, Anne!
My story, "Remembering", which is an unusual take on passing, went to six mags before being accepted by Macrame, a truly beautiful journal! Published in February -- https://macramelit.com/new-issues/ -- I'm also the Featured Author for their Winter issue, with a long interview posted there. The editor is super great to work with!
Congratulations, Ron. I'm wondering who the editors are for this journal. There is no masthead announced either on the journal or on Chill Subs. That's usually is a red flag for me, so I'm glad you had a positive experience with them.
Ann Broshtan is the editor, very solicitous and wonder to work with! Don't know why there's no masthead. I read all of the stories and most of the poetry in my issue and they're truly superior, so the editorial process is wise and obviously good writers are submitting!
Thanks, Ron!
I had a piece published online in 365 Tomorrows.
It's a little sci-fi piece I had written for an early round of NYC Midnight's 2024 250 Word Challenge. I implemented the feedback and then workshopped it a bit more in Authors Only Collective before submitting.
The editor for 365 Tomorrows, Steve, was quite kind and complimentary in his acceptance. This was my first piece ever submitted or published, so I was quite pleased all around.
https://365tomorrows.com/2025/01/30/obon
Congratulations!! You may have set a record for first submission and getting it accepted.
Thank you! I was so pleasantly surprised. It wasn't at all what I was expecting. I think it was a case of the right piece, to the right place, at the right time.
A story I've been trying to get published for a long time, Kelly has a plan', was finally picked up by IHRAM and will be published next month. There's been a lot of toing and froing with the editors but I think we're finally there.
Wild Greens published my story 'The Parallel Universe of Memphis' in their Voyages issue https://www.wildgreensmagazine.com/#h.o4gpyjbemh7u
The Avenue Journal published my poem 'Reflections' in their Water edition https://theavenuejournal.squarespace.com/issue-vi/p/water-issue
My 75-word flash, Suddenly, was published by Paragraph Planet https://www.paragraphplanet.com/sevendays.php
And finally, as many of you already know, I am winding up Witcraft and Who Let The Stories Out? due to changes in my personal circumstances. Thank you to the 2,300 writers who submitted and the 560 writers we published, who received over $1300 in monthly prizes, and to all you generous donors who kept us alive.
I enjoyed 'The Parallel Universe of Memphis' - proof, perhaps, that the universe is still expanding.
:-) Cue Monty Python. https://youtu.be/buqtdpuZxvk
I wrote a piece about a morning I went for a run and a creepy van followed me. It was raining, and there was no one out on the streets but me. It was an experience I will never forget and one that many women can relate to. I had written it a while ago and it got accepted fairly quickly. It's gotten a ton of reactions. https://www.themanifeststation.net/2025/02/19/a-morning-run-into-fear/
Oh! I read this when it was posted. (I’m waiting for an accepted reprint of an essay, so I check frequently!) So well written and so totally relatable.
Thank you for reading! I’ll look forward to reading your piece
What a harrowing tale. I was on the edge of my seat reading this.
Thank you so much for reading it. It was pretty scary.
I was in the hospital in late January and couldn’t participate in the January Brag, so I’m including that here with February.
Accepted January/February:
MacQueen’s Quinterly (for those new to the lit mag), three ekphrastic poems. I missed submitting in November because I was in the ICU that week: “An Insomniac’s Horn of Plenty” and “Look at Me: Lena, Lenore, Lee” after Lee Krasner, and “Dollar Princess on the Palazzo” after Frederick Leighton. “Insomniac’s Horn” submitted to four lit mags; rejected by two. The other two, exclusive. Received acceptance within 24 hours.
Rivanna Review: essay, “The Unwritten Chapter: Imagining Eva’s Kozlov”. This is a chapter of my WIP genealogical memoir, imagining my grandmother’s hometown now in Ukraine (but was Austria when she was born). Submitted to 11 journals through the SubmitIt service. Rejected by four. Withdrawn from the others except the accepting journal.
The Ekphrastic Review: “The Persistence of Memory,” “The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory,” and “The Cancer I Don’t Write About,” all after Dali and submitted exclusively.
The Ekphrastic Writing Challenge: “I Teeter at the Precipice of Prednisone” and “Blood-Bird Man”
Bewildering Stories: essays, “At the Edge of the World” (submitted to 11 lit mags since 2023 between me and the SubmitIt service. Rejected by four) and “My Independence Day”(submitted to 11 lit mags since 2023 between me and the SubmitIt service, five rejections, the others withdrawals).
Mantis, poem, “Final Pas de Deux Between Daughter and Mother”. Originally, an ekphrastic
poem (after Monet); submitted to five lit mags. Rejected by four.
Lips, poem: “Hair: A Family Follicle”. An exclusive.
Sequestrum, short story: “Rumbles on Cobblestone”. A magical realism story set in Prague. Submitted to 16 lit mags. Worked with two developmental editors. Rejected by 8 lit mags.
Hyacinth Review, poem: “Live Long & Prosper, Franz Kafka” for themed literature issue. Sent to 17 lit mags; rejected by 13 over the course of 2024/2025.
Published January/February:
Flash essay; “Self-Satisfaction.” Iron Horse Literary Review 2024 Photofinish finalist, January.
Essay: “Home-sewn: A Narrative of Self-Construction.” The Bookends Review. January.
Essay: “At the Edge of the World.” Bewildering Stories. February. http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue1080/edge_world.html
Poetry: “The Persistence of Memory” and “The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory,” after Dali (Feb 28). “The Cancer I Don’t Write About,” after Dali (Feb 22). The Ekphrastic Review.
https://www.ekphrastic.net/the-ekphrastic-review/the-cancer-i-dont-write-about-by-barbara-krasner
Poetry: “I Teeter on the Precipice of Prednisone.” Ekphrastic Writing Challenge.
Poetry: “Blood-Bird Man.” Ekphrastic Writing Challenge.
Poetry: “Kintsugi,” “Memory Collectors,” “Shock,” “Perseus in the Fourth Grade,” “Blades of Memory Grass,” and “Alphabet Pemphigus,” (Feb 10), The Mackinaw: A Journal of Prose Poetry. https://www.themackinaw.net/the-mackinaw/barbara-krasner
Poetry: “I Cannot Scrub Your Blood from My Bones” (Feb 10), The Jewish Writing Project, https://jewishwritingproject.com/2025/02/10/i-cannot-scrub-your-blood-from-my-bones/