Aliases of a serial plagiarist; lit mag alert; lit mag history; writers on competition; data on lit mags that solicit work; reflections on acceptance rates; The Buellers!; and more
Hey Becky! I couldn’t resist doing a little research on Dr. Ol James because a PhD ought to be findable somewhere online. It turns out that Ol James bears an uncanny resemblance to Oliver Wakelin, the Reviews Editor at Southerly mag. In their respective bios, both James and Wakelin mention publications in Overland, Southerly, Seizure and TEXT. Both mention participation in theatre, as writer, producer, performer. Wakelin’s bio says he’s a PhD. Candidate at UNSW; James’s bio says he has a PhD and is a “guest lecturer” at UNSW, and (perhaps the clincher?) that he has worked as the Reviews Editor at Southerly Literary Journal. For what the info is worth…
Thank you, Karin. What a puzzler: "Dr. Ol James" lists a misleading name when he's been unmasked as "Oliver Wakelin" on Southerly Review and Overland.
Is Oliver Wakelin ashamed to be a "judge" at The Letter Review?
Or does he wish to disguise his literary links so he can choose a winner who's on the editorial staff of those other lit mags - - but other naive submitters won't catch on?
That's my guess anyway. Deception is a good motive.
What size hat do you wear, dear Donna? I'd like to send a deer-stalker right over. The antique shop said a receipt is enclosed with this deer-stalker to prove its "provenance" - - & the penmanship seems to indicate it was once delivered to a buyer at 221B Baker Street. [smile]
Because, if you have a doctorate, you’ve gotta be somewhere on the university’s website, I searched UNSW and found a professor who lists Oliver Wakelin among the students whose PhD they supervised. There’s no doubt in my mind that Oliver Wakelin has morphed into Ol James, and the PhD seems authentic--so send that deer-stalker on over, LindaAnn (hope it’s a size large), and by jove I’ll wear it! 😊
White Cresset Arts Journal accepted a poem and then said they'd prefer to put it in issue two because of the theme. They published one issue in 2023 and have not responded to any of my emails, so I sent another email, withdrawing my piece so I could submit it elsewhere. I'm not sure what's happening with them, but a year is long enough to keep an accepted work in limbo with no responses to queries.
Bowling Green's lit mag Mid American Review might be kaput? Their blog is up to date but everything else on their website is pre The Bug of 2020 From Hell (ie Covid).
Also, I got an email today from 14 Hills. They have gone to charge for submissions but no pay contributors they publish. It seems it's a school issue, and beyond their control, but I've deleted that bookmark.
Hi Kim. Here's MAR's Instagram page, Feb 3-2024, showing Issue XLII Number 2 going to press! (list of contributors shown). Seems like their website needs some serious updating!
As a litmag editor myself, I am of course concerned about plagiarism (although I doubt that it's widespread). So I looked into a couple of the 'free' checkers and discovered that the free report only gives you a risk rating; you have to pay for a detailed report for each document you submit to find out where else it has been published. I also discovered that they are crap at checking poetry plagiarism by uploading some of my own work, much of it published and all bar one went undetected. This suggests to me that most poetry litmag and publishing sites are not yet included in the databases of plagiarism checkers, so good luck editors trying to do the right thing.
I had two Buellers of over a year for payment that fortunately and gratefully resolved. In my submission deck its ellipsis and farmer-ish. I'm really glad to see this doc on publishing in solidarity with Palestine. I'm going to bookmark it. I'd previously had been using a doc of someone warning people off of such orgs in order to focus on them, but I'd rather use a supportive doc list.
Also anyone is welcome to send me that $20 John Kuciera wants. My chillsubs profile is the place to be.
It feels so brazen that I wonder if this new iteration is someone whose imitating Mr. Kuciera's commitment to plagiarism as a farce.
Re: The Letter Review. I had recently submitted to their contest, as it was promoted through the newest Mslexia newsletter under opportunities for submission. That inspired my trust. However, upon reading your red flag post, I immediately withdrew my submission. I just don't need another thing to keep me awake at night! I admit, I did read through their submission notes and think "too good to be true." But if it turns out, they really ARE that good, I can always re-enter in a future contest. For now, I'd like to learn a bit more, who are the people behind the masthead?
Thanks as always Becky. I guess the list of journals wanting to be on record as "in solidarity with Palestinians" gives me more names for my "do not submit" list. It's always good to know who privileges a narrow politics over art (yes, everything is political - blah blah blah - I went to grad school too).
Yes, Clare, my sentiments exactly. I just withdrew a couple of submissions from lit mags that were listed on a similar list recently posted by Erika Dreifus. I’m not wasting my creative gift on that.
Thanks for the mention, Tracie. Just to clarify for those who don't already know this: My list isn't designed to spotlight journals that stand "in solidarity with Palestinians," which itself isn't (or shouldn't be) problematic. But as I've explained in an introductory note, my list does take note of those whose statements of solidarity are compromised by both distortions of the historical record and ongoing demonization of the state of Israel, Israelis, and/or the vast majority of Diaspora Jews who are not anti-Zionists. Too frequently, such expressions cross the line and traffic in misinformation, disinformation, and outright antisemitic rhetoric and tropes. Elsewhere, a pointed absence of concern for Israeli/Jewish welfare—discernible in complete erasure of Israeli/Jewish experience—is equally problematic. Unfortunately, there does seem to be overlap between the list Becky has highlighted today and the one that I've created. Link: https://bit.ly/47vTyHl.
Re: Best of the Net....X/Twitter Post from Sundress, May 17: "We apologize about the long delay of this year's Best of the Net. Our team is working on overcoming some communication hurdles, and we hope to release in June!"
On your The Buellers list I have two publications. The Chattahoochee Review and New South. They are all part of the University system in Georgia. I have no idea if the closed them, consolidated them under Five Points or what. However, their Submittable pages are still up.
The former Managing Editor of The Chattahoochee Review, told us at NewPages back in January of 2021 that the entire staff was let go due to statewide budget cuts and lost their jobs and that issue released would be the final one. New South was also defunded and no longer publishing.
Thanks for the new Buellers section and the plagiarism reports. Another note of lit mag news: My submission to Paperbark, the journal of UMass’s MFA program, was recently returned with the note that the journal’s advisory board had decided to put the project on indefinite hiatus. So sad bc I have loved the work they publish! Not sure what their plans are for how to preserve/archive the issues that have already been published.
Not sure this rises to a Bueller level yet, but does anyone have a contact at Elixir Press? Their fiction contest page says the deadline is May 31, 2024, but when you click to submit (submittable) it says "There are presently no open calls for submission" and there's no place to actually submit. I've emailed their info mailbox, but haven't heard back...
The Buellers, LMAO. Love it. I know the reference but haven't seen the movie [ducks]. I have been keeping a spreadsheet of my own and would be glad to pass on the names if you're keeping a record. Some of them might be old news, but what the hell.
Hi Becky, I’m fascinated to read this. I was close to submitting to The Letter Review, but was hesitant after coming across more than one many red flag- the last of these was a LinkedIn page with Zero info. Yes, all searches came back to The Letter Review- only. I trusted my instinct on this one, knowing too well that some testimonials can be faked. I could be wrong- but listening to my gut was enough for me.
Hey Becky! I couldn’t resist doing a little research on Dr. Ol James because a PhD ought to be findable somewhere online. It turns out that Ol James bears an uncanny resemblance to Oliver Wakelin, the Reviews Editor at Southerly mag. In their respective bios, both James and Wakelin mention publications in Overland, Southerly, Seizure and TEXT. Both mention participation in theatre, as writer, producer, performer. Wakelin’s bio says he’s a PhD. Candidate at UNSW; James’s bio says he has a PhD and is a “guest lecturer” at UNSW, and (perhaps the clincher?) that he has worked as the Reviews Editor at Southerly Literary Journal. For what the info is worth…
Interesting. He rejected my story. $4 sub fee. You know something wiggled in my stomach when I submitted. Something felt weird but $4 didn’t stop me.
Those stomach-wiggles know something! I'm sorry about the rejection and the $4!
"Something felt weird....." Ann remembered. Wow. I think you're on to something, Ann.
From the contributor section (page 227) of Southerly, Volume 79 • Number 1 • 2019:
Oliver Wakelin is Southerly Reviews Editor, and a fiction reader
at Overland. He is a USYD law grad, and a PhD candidate at
UNSW. His reviews have appeared in ArtsHub, Audrey Journal,
Southerly, and elsewhere. Short stories in Seizure, Southerly, and
TEXT. A couple of his plays have been read at Sport For Jove
Theatre Company. His novel Aos Sí was selected for the longlist
of the Kill Your Darlings Unpublished Manuscript Award.
Reedsy profile:
https://reedsy.com/oliver-wakelin
Long list of client testimonials on the Letter Review page, some with links back to the author's website and/or book:
https://letterreview.com/comments/
This seems encouraging? (?)
Thank you, Karin. What a puzzler: "Dr. Ol James" lists a misleading name when he's been unmasked as "Oliver Wakelin" on Southerly Review and Overland.
Is Oliver Wakelin ashamed to be a "judge" at The Letter Review?
Or does he wish to disguise his literary links so he can choose a winner who's on the editorial staff of those other lit mags - - but other naive submitters won't catch on?
That's my guess anyway. Deception is a good motive.
Yes, this one's a head-scratcher. He's definitely in disguise (I'm awaiting a picture of him on the Letter Review wearing nose-specs.)
When in doubt, do not overlook a judge's (possible) bad intentions as a motive!
Very shifty indeed, Andrea! And a very good hunch!!!
Thanks for this, Karin! Hard to know why he's changing names...
What size hat do you wear, dear Donna? I'd like to send a deer-stalker right over. The antique shop said a receipt is enclosed with this deer-stalker to prove its "provenance" - - & the penmanship seems to indicate it was once delivered to a buyer at 221B Baker Street. [smile]
Good sleuthing!
Because, if you have a doctorate, you’ve gotta be somewhere on the university’s website, I searched UNSW and found a professor who lists Oliver Wakelin among the students whose PhD they supervised. There’s no doubt in my mind that Oliver Wakelin has morphed into Ol James, and the PhD seems authentic--so send that deer-stalker on over, LindaAnn (hope it’s a size large), and by jove I’ll wear it! 😊
It will be very becoming on you, Donna. Excellent deep-dig!
["Elementary, my dear Watson!"]
In re: The serial plagiarist (John Siepkes / John Kucera / Brian Bianchi / Anthony Bartolla / ad nauseum
Pay pal should be contacted as Siepkes is using his account to commit fraud.
Lorraine, I spotted John's eviction notice hearing in Maricopa County, AZ.
Plagiarist John Siepkis owed his landlord $9,041.00 in back rent [June 2023].
Here in NYC, feckless and lawless John Siepkis would be called "a skel."
* * LINK: https://justicecourts.maricopa.gov/app/courtrecords/CaseInfo?casenumber=CC2023101187000
White Cresset Arts Journal accepted a poem and then said they'd prefer to put it in issue two because of the theme. They published one issue in 2023 and have not responded to any of my emails, so I sent another email, withdrawing my piece so I could submit it elsewhere. I'm not sure what's happening with them, but a year is long enough to keep an accepted work in limbo with no responses to queries.
Bowling Green's lit mag Mid American Review might be kaput? Their blog is up to date but everything else on their website is pre The Bug of 2020 From Hell (ie Covid).
Also, I got an email today from 14 Hills. They have gone to charge for submissions but no pay contributors they publish. It seems it's a school issue, and beyond their control, but I've deleted that bookmark.
Hi Kim. Here's MAR's Instagram page, Feb 3-2024, showing Issue XLII Number 2 going to press! (list of contributors shown). Seems like their website needs some serious updating!
https://www.instagram.com/p/C24yq-_uiaP/
As a litmag editor myself, I am of course concerned about plagiarism (although I doubt that it's widespread). So I looked into a couple of the 'free' checkers and discovered that the free report only gives you a risk rating; you have to pay for a detailed report for each document you submit to find out where else it has been published. I also discovered that they are crap at checking poetry plagiarism by uploading some of my own work, much of it published and all bar one went undetected. This suggests to me that most poetry litmag and publishing sites are not yet included in the databases of plagiarism checkers, so good luck editors trying to do the right thing.
Doug, thank you so much.
I had two Buellers of over a year for payment that fortunately and gratefully resolved. In my submission deck its ellipsis and farmer-ish. I'm really glad to see this doc on publishing in solidarity with Palestine. I'm going to bookmark it. I'd previously had been using a doc of someone warning people off of such orgs in order to focus on them, but I'd rather use a supportive doc list.
Also anyone is welcome to send me that $20 John Kuciera wants. My chillsubs profile is the place to be.
It feels so brazen that I wonder if this new iteration is someone whose imitating Mr. Kuciera's commitment to plagiarism as a farce.
Re: The Letter Review. I had recently submitted to their contest, as it was promoted through the newest Mslexia newsletter under opportunities for submission. That inspired my trust. However, upon reading your red flag post, I immediately withdrew my submission. I just don't need another thing to keep me awake at night! I admit, I did read through their submission notes and think "too good to be true." But if it turns out, they really ARE that good, I can always re-enter in a future contest. For now, I'd like to learn a bit more, who are the people behind the masthead?
Hi Karin, see my new post about Dr. Ol James, above!
Thank you always, Donna, for doing the literary detective work that serves all of us.
Thanks as always Becky. I guess the list of journals wanting to be on record as "in solidarity with Palestinians" gives me more names for my "do not submit" list. It's always good to know who privileges a narrow politics over art (yes, everything is political - blah blah blah - I went to grad school too).
Yes, Clare, my sentiments exactly. I just withdrew a couple of submissions from lit mags that were listed on a similar list recently posted by Erika Dreifus. I’m not wasting my creative gift on that.
Thanks for the mention, Tracie. Just to clarify for those who don't already know this: My list isn't designed to spotlight journals that stand "in solidarity with Palestinians," which itself isn't (or shouldn't be) problematic. But as I've explained in an introductory note, my list does take note of those whose statements of solidarity are compromised by both distortions of the historical record and ongoing demonization of the state of Israel, Israelis, and/or the vast majority of Diaspora Jews who are not anti-Zionists. Too frequently, such expressions cross the line and traffic in misinformation, disinformation, and outright antisemitic rhetoric and tropes. Elsewhere, a pointed absence of concern for Israeli/Jewish welfare—discernible in complete erasure of Israeli/Jewish experience—is equally problematic. Unfortunately, there does seem to be overlap between the list Becky has highlighted today and the one that I've created. Link: https://bit.ly/47vTyHl.
Good issue, Becky.
Please Miss, I didn’t know who Ferris Beuler was ! I have a note from my Mum saying can I be excused because I’m British…
Re: Best of the Net....X/Twitter Post from Sundress, May 17: "We apologize about the long delay of this year's Best of the Net. Our team is working on overcoming some communication hurdles, and we hope to release in June!"
https://twitter.com/SundressPub/status/1791455440892481679
On your The Buellers list I have two publications. The Chattahoochee Review and New South. They are all part of the University system in Georgia. I have no idea if the closed them, consolidated them under Five Points or what. However, their Submittable pages are still up.
The former Managing Editor of The Chattahoochee Review, told us at NewPages back in January of 2021 that the entire staff was let go due to statewide budget cuts and lost their jobs and that issue released would be the final one. New South was also defunded and no longer publishing.
Thanks for the new Buellers section and the plagiarism reports. Another note of lit mag news: My submission to Paperbark, the journal of UMass’s MFA program, was recently returned with the note that the journal’s advisory board had decided to put the project on indefinite hiatus. So sad bc I have loved the work they publish! Not sure what their plans are for how to preserve/archive the issues that have already been published.
https://www.paperbarkmag.org/
Not sure this rises to a Bueller level yet, but does anyone have a contact at Elixir Press? Their fiction contest page says the deadline is May 31, 2024, but when you click to submit (submittable) it says "There are presently no open calls for submission" and there's no place to actually submit. I've emailed their info mailbox, but haven't heard back...
Is it possible they've reached capacity on submissions?
Thanks, you’re probably right
The Buellers, LMAO. Love it. I know the reference but haven't seen the movie [ducks]. I have been keeping a spreadsheet of my own and would be glad to pass on the names if you're keeping a record. Some of them might be old news, but what the hell.
Hi Becky, I’m fascinated to read this. I was close to submitting to The Letter Review, but was hesitant after coming across more than one many red flag- the last of these was a LinkedIn page with Zero info. Yes, all searches came back to The Letter Review- only. I trusted my instinct on this one, knowing too well that some testimonials can be faked. I could be wrong- but listening to my gut was enough for me.